In season 2, Astrotrain and Blitzwing are the main focus of the episode Triple Threat. Astrotrain also gets his own spotlight episode in the same season. Octane gets a few spotlights in season 3. They all become very well defined, and linked to each other. 2/x
Blitzwing also has a minor-ish but notable role in the season 3 opener. Astrotrain features in a few notable scenes in the movie. Both continue to show up in supporting roles here and there. But the autobots? 3/x
Springer is the only autobot triple changer who is prominently featured. He's one of the primary characters of both the movie and season 3, but he feels more associated with the new movie characters than he does with the other two triple changers. 4/x
Two other autobot triple changers show up in season 3, but their appearances are minimal, especially compared to Springer. Sandstorm is introduced in one episode, and is only once again seen, as a supporting character in one of Octane's episodes! 5/x
Broadside gets the shortest stick here. He's a supporting character in a few episodes, and due to script issues and animation errors, there's genuine controversy over which episodes he's even supposed to be in. So the other two autobot triplechangers really didn't get their due. 6/x
Weird little design note...mass shifting is a thing, but Sandstorm and Broadside are a REALLY extreme example. Springer, Astrotrain, and Blitzwing...the size differences between the vehicle modes are mostly reasonable. Octane is a BIT of a stretch. 7/x
Broadside is an aircraft carrier and a jet... Which...is an extreme contrast. Sandstorm is a dune buggy and a search and rescue chopper. Not AS extreme but...a far cry from Blitzwing and Astrotrain's spectrum of mass shifting. Anyway, just some stray thoughts on robots that turn in to things! 8/x
Blitzwing's defector arc was meant to continue after Five Faces of Darkness, but after they stopped selling his toy they just gave his story to Octane instead. Which is a shame since Blitzwing is cooler.
I know it was re-written to feature Octance, but I think Blitzwing's toy was still being sold. It's still listed in the catalog for that year. But they hadn't really promoted Octane at all, so that was probably the reason.
The third season has some truly annoying toy-marketing decisions.
It really does. And it feels like some things are shoved in very quickly. The Terrorcons just...kind of show up. So many previous combiners got some kind of spotlight for their origin story, but the Terrorcons, even moreso than the Predacons, are just...suddenly there.
Also, Metroplex doesn't seem to get nearly as much attention as Trypticon. Runabout and Runamuck have like...one appearance in the Starscreams Ghost saga/set of episodes and that's kind of it?
Yeah, I think that's all they got. The Aerialbots got a bunch of episodes for some reason. I have some sympathy for the show writers having to keep up with such a dizzying toy line, but it sure makes for a hard season to watch.
The Aerialbots must have been big sellers, because they were extensively featured in season 2 as well! Same with Blaster and Perceptor. New minicar Outback, on the other hand, got only a few appearances. Broadside really got the short end of the stick too.
Well, I had a couple of Aerialbots as a kid. They were pretty cool to be fair.