The Transformers
Battle for Defense of the False Planet
TV Flash files “Battle for Defense of the False Planet” as hour 20 of 35 in the TV Flash guide — The Transformers (1984–1987) on Syndication, season 1, episode 20, aired 1987-12-18, 30 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E20: listed hour 20 of 35 in the The Transformers guide, hour 20 of 35 in season 1. It aired 1987-12-18 (30 min). The listed hour before it is “Battle to the Death on the Beehive Planet” (S01E19). Next is “Find Megazarak's Weak Spot” (S01E21).
Viewer FAQ
Where does Battle for Defense of the False Planet sit in the The Transformers guide?
S01E20 is listed hour 20 of 35 — hour 20 of 35 in season 1, season 1 episode 20.
When did The Transformers S01E20 air?
Battle for Defense of the False Planet aired 1987-12-18 and is listed at 30 minutes.
Do I have to watch the 1986 movie?
Only if you want the wound. It killed Optimus Prime and traumatized a generation. The syndicated cartoon is the scripture; the movie is the merchandising-and-myth shock.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Robots in disguise as a mythology, not a merchandising accident — though the merchandising paid for every laser. Autobots versus Decepticons on weekday afternoons, then the 1986 movie that killed Optimus Prime and traumatized a generation. Kids' sci-fi serial that still powers a film empire; the original cartoon is the scripture.
Syndication, 1984–1987: heroic Autobots battle evil Decepticons for Energon and Earth's fate — robots in disguise as a mythology, though the merchandising paid for every laser. That is the window, not a Saturday souvenir. The Transformers classic cartoon is Hasbro/Sunbow/Marvel Productions' toy-cartoon complex: Peter Cullen's Optimus as moral center, Frank Welker's Megatron, Corey Burton in the mix. Weekday-afternoon sci-fi serial that still powers a film empire. The original cartoon is the scripture. Rex can…
Filed against
- Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime
Peter Cullen voiced Optimus Prime on The Transformers, 1980s robots-in-disguise mythology — Autobots versus Decepticons on weekday afternoons, merchandising that paid for every laser, then a 1986 movie that killed the leader and…
- Frank Welker as Megatron
Frank Welker’s Fred Jones drove Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! like a van with a plan — 1960s catalog rubber-mask religion, then The Transformers stretching the throat into robots in disguise. TV Flash files him as the meddler who became a…
- Corey Burton as Spike Witwicky / Shockwave
Corey Burton voices Spike Witwicky and Shockwave on The Transformers — weekday-afternoon robots in disguise that sold a mythology while the merchandising paid for every laser. Autobots versus Decepticons, then a 1986 movie that…