A Review of Transformers: Super-God Masterforce
(Spoilers for Transformers: Super-God Masterforce)
Every complaint that I had with Transformers: Headmasters is not an issue in Transformers: Super-God Masterforce. While it's not a perfect series, Transformers: Super-God Masterforce is a clear step up from the original G1 Transformers and Transformers: Headmasters.
The action scenes are certainly an improvement. The action sequences feel more dynamic and better choreographed.
(I crack headcanon Cancer and Buster as trans because of their designs and Cancer's feminine voice in the Omni dub.)
The designs are great. I adore Hydra and Buster's designs.
I love King Poseidon (Piranacon)'s design.
Bomb-Burst, Skullgrin, and Submarauder are fun, expressive villainous henchmen.
I wouldn't say they're as fun as Waspinator, Inferno, and Quickstrike from Beast Wars. But they're more entertaining than Thrust, Jetstorm, and Tankor from Beast Machines or Weirdwolf, Skullcruncher, and Mindwipe from Transformers: Headmasters on average.
I think the Decepticon junior headmasters being portrayed as a gang of youthful troublemakers with little real ties to the Decepticon ideology is very interesting.
Themes and Character Arcs: The Power of Humanity
I like how Cancer's redemption arc is particularly well-handled. It begins early (Episode 12) and develops gradually throughout the series. Although Cancer wanting to spread kung fu is a weird motive to join the Decepticons.
I think the Decepticon junior headmasters fit and inform their respective Decepticon form much better than G1.
For example: Wilder being a juvenile delinquent biker seemingly doesn't have much to do with Fangry as a bat-winged wolf monster at first glance. But Wilder being an anti-authority loner absolutely informs every aspect of Fangry’s psyche.
In contrast, in G1, Brisko being a Nebulan cartographer has...pretty much nothing to do with the rebellious nature of Fangry. While in Transformers: Super-God Masterforce, Transtectors feel like expressions of the human character's internal psyches which is a REALLY cool idea.
Darkwing and Dreadwind transforming themselves into true robot really emphasizes the theme of humanity.
Later, Cancer influences Wilder and Bullhorn to abandon the Decepticons, although Wilder makes it clear they're not joining the Autobots. Which I think is the right choice.
In the final two episodes, BlackZarak punishes Darkwing and Dreadwind for failing to defeat Optimus Prime (Ginrai) until they pass out from pain.
Overlord steps in to defend Darkwing and Dreadwind, arguing since as their commander it's his duty to protect them and he doesn't agree with BlackZarak's punishment.
Optimus Prime defends Overlord.
That's what Optimus Prime is all about in my opinion, standing up for what's right, even toward enemies.
The sequence captures compassion extends even to enemies when it’s about protecting life.
Optimus Prime tells BlackZarak that he underestimated the human mind. After BlackZarak's defeat, the Transtectors separate from their human partners, and Overlord and the Decepticon Transtectors leave into outer space.
The ending narrator says during the battle, the only thing that kept them going was human friend support and hearts of love. In theory, this could come across as cringy as the "power of friendship" that I criticized in Transformers: Headmasters, but the theme of humanity is well incorporated into the core theme of the series.
