SYNOPSIS

The Renegades attack UNECOM HQ trying to capture a psychic named Mira, but are driven off by the Guardians. The Guardians and Doctor Helstrom test a new psychic amplifier for Mira, and she detects Renegade emissions. Leader-1 decides to send Scooter and Nick to investigate a new carnival in town based on this. Having found no sign of them, Nick decides to enter a funhouse. Once inside, he's tormented by Cy-Kill, who's hidden his involvement in the carnival thanks to a frequency scrambler device. The Renegade lets him go, and Nick assumes the attack was part of the funhouse. Elsewhere, Mira is testing her powers with Helstrom under Guardian supervision, not realising the doctor is in the pay of Cy-Kill. He tips the Renegades off to her location, and Block Head comes to kidnap her, leaving Helstrom behind.

The Guardians set off in pursuit, and follow Block Head to the carnival. Once there they're attacked by the Renegades, and pursed all around the fairground. Leader-1 and Matt are captured and carted away with Mira, but her powers allow her to reach Nick. Turbo and Scooter track them to a carriage being taken away by Loco. Scooter frees Matt and Mira, while Turbo knocks out Crasher. Leader-1 is also freed by Nick and AJ, but Turbo derails Loco, allowing the Renegades to get away. The Guardians rescue Mira, and place Helstrom and Cy-Kill's carny Wheeling in custody.

NOTES

Once again we're presented with psychics as a fact of life (cf. "The Seer"), in the form of the (adult) Mira. Block Head can carry a captive inside his mixing drum.

Matt carries a pistol. Loco can easily pull the weight of several Gobots as well as carriages, and seems to have a mild rivalry with Crasher.

TRIVIA

Gobots Featured: Cy-Kill, Crasher, Block Head, Tank, Loco, Turbo, Leader-1, Twin Spin, Cop-Tur, Scooter.

Humans Featured: AJ, Nick, General Newcastle, Matt, Mira, Doctor Helstrom, Wheeling.

Particularly Glaring Errors: Leader-1 being right about the carnival being a Renegade scheme doesn't really justify the massive leap of logic he makes when ordering Nick and Scooter to investigate it. A pitched fire-fight in Mira's hotel room doesn't seem to be heard by the Guardians monitoring the building. Why do they take her to a hotel room, rather than just keeping her in the secure UNECOM base that just successfully repelled a Renegade assault with minimum fuss? Why do the Renegades leave by train? Surely it'd be quicker and easier to fly, unless they just want to give Loco a workout?

Moments of Actual Quality: Zero. No, not the Renegade, he's not in this one. There are zero moments of actual quality.

Unintentional Hilarity: Scooter disguises himself as a clown. The result is horrifying. He then wins back some respect by pointing out just how stupid Cy-Kill's plan is.

REVIEW:

Absolute rubbish. The carnival plot line is useless and basically irrelevant - it serves little purpose other than being a Renegade hideout, except it's ridiculously ostentatious. As is using Loco as an escape vehicle when there are many other options available (like moving Thruster to their captives, rather than vice-versa).

Helstrom is an obvious traitor, Mira bascially exists as a plot convenience and the whole thing relies entirely on massive, unbelievable coincidences. One of the very worst episodes, and that's saying something.