The Revenge of Protoboy (Robotboy)
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| "The Revenge of Protoboy (Robotboy)" | ||||||||||||||||
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 This is not how you bring back a popular villain or any villain for that matter.
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The Revenge of Protoboy is the 101st segment of Robotboy.
Bad Qualities
- Subpar writing.
- For starters, most of the scenes with the Turnbull family are pointless and serve absolutely nothing for the plot besides being filler.
- The Chekhov's Gun at the end is set up at the start in an obvious way. Gus explains what "playing possum" is to Robotboy, and even though they try to make it seem less obvious by making Gus play dead throughout the episode as a running gag, having him explain it to Robotboy makes it suspicious that it will be used later on. Not only that, but the scene doesn't fit in organically with the rest of the episode compared to the other Protoboy episodes, since Protoboy attacks imediately after Gus explains his trickery to Robotboy. Compare this to "Brother" for instance, where Robotboy's new weapon was used as a way for him to talk to Moshimo and learn about Protoboy. Where in this episode, Gus playing possum isn't related to the start of the overall plot.
- Two plot points are set up, one being "Protoboy could be defeated by Robotboy frying his motherboard with his particle-beam being boosted up" and "Robotboy isn't fully repaired when he goes to stop Protoboy". These are randomly mentioned, before being completely dropped afterward. In the case of the latter, it serves as a cheap way to amplify the stakes of the episode, while not really doing so.
- And the elephant in the room, how Protoboy came back after being killed off in "Brother". They literally don't even bother to try and explain it. Tommy says how impossible it is for him to still be alive, Protoboy says "Protoboy no so easy to destroy!", then it's never questioned again.
- The animation for this episode is exceptionally poor-looking by the standards of the season, not only do the colors have a slight, but noticable bleached look, but it feels sloppy and rushed with constant animation errors. A good example of how bad it is is when Protoboy briefly has the markings on his face gone for a good few seconds in plain sight.
- The episode perhaps tries to be serious too much, to the point it comes off as overtly edgy.
- The scene near the end where Robotboy was seemingly killed by Protoboy is interupted by a 13 second long gag of Dwight sleep-talking. This was presumably to not make children too upset about the apparent death of the main character, but instead, it comes off as just insulting, as if they couldn't take an emotional moment. Plus, the scene right afterwards is perhaps even more intense and distressing, since it involves Protoboy almost destroying the ship and Robotboy killing him in a violent way played out in a completely serious manner.
- The Chekhov's Gun works 100% and is treated as a surprise. Protoboy at the end of the episode takes a big level in stupidity when Robotboy reverts to his normal mode and deactivates, making him think he's dead. For starters, they both rammed into each other and were shown completely unharmed, so how doesn't Protoboy question how Robotboy "died", while he didn't?
- The infamous scene at the end where Robotboy flat-out KILLS Protoboy in a rather violent scene. This wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for what was established in his debut in "Brother", he was reprogrammed by Dr. Kamikazi into being evil. Plus, the show treats him as completely in the wrong and as if he was fully capable of changing himself.
- The way the scene is presented seems to be as if this is the last time we'll see Protoboy, but it is nullified completely when they bring him back again.
- This episode also tries to paint Protoboy as completely irredeemable, but since they disregard how he had been reprogrammed, this falls quite badly.
Good Qualities
- Protoboy himself is a fine villain, despite his stupidity at the end.
- The scene where Robotboy saves Tommy and the ship is cool and well-done. The scene afterward where they collide can also be seen as cool.
- "Ehem.. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! COME AND GET US PROTOBOY BEFORE WE DIE OF THIRST!!!".
- The premise of the episode is good, but the execution was poor.
- Thankfully, The Return of Robotgirl was a big improvement on this episode and in terms of bringing back characters (that one being Robotgirl.)
- In fact, "The Old Switcharobot" (which despite taking place after "Revenge", aired before it) did a better job of bringing back Protoboy.
Trivia
- This episode is supposed to take place before "The Old Switcharobot", but aired afterward, confusing some fans on what episode occurs in chronological order.
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