Commandrons : 1985 Mini-Comic ( Plot Synopses )
Dawn of the Commandrons !
On the planet Havon, the natural disasters struck a population, isolating the settlements of people and depriving them of the much-needed supplies. To allow the delivery across the dangerous regions without endangering the human drivers, the team of scientists starts the development of the smart, self-driving vehicles. But despite them being enhanced by specifically-designed brain-chips, which grant the machines the human-like intelligence and reflexes, fed-up Dr.Jhans discards the project as a failure, citing the vehicles’ inability for proper language communication. Dr.Wu tries to reassure him that their project is a success and the machines just require time to learn but his opinion is in the minority as Dr.P’Rez and Dr.L’Cas side with Dr.Jhans. As his colleagues leave, Dr.Wu chooses to stay behind in the lab, saying he has some business to take care of. Intending to catch up with them at the dinner, Dr.Wu also asks them to bring their children there too, for his own reasons…
Later at the dinner, the group of scientists again discuss their project. And now, the scientists’ children – Jak, Mike, Denys and Deb – hear about the smart vehicles, which soon are about to be moved on. Their collective curiosity piqued, Denys proposes to take a peek at the machines before they gone. So, deep at night, the foursome sneaks into the lab, which has a suspiciously-open door, only to find not vehicles but a quartet of giant robots inside. At this instant, Dr.Wu shows himself to the awestruck children, revealing to them that unbeknownst to their parents, he reprogrammed the machines’ brain-chips for human speech and the ability to change their chassis between forms of robots and vehicles. Now, as a secret team of mechanoids, the Commandrons can do big good for the world of Havon but not without mentors to teach them about life and everything they need to know. Enlisting the foursome for this job, Dr.Wu presents them with the synthi-wands – portable devices to drain energy from any source and recharge the Commandrons with. With their training starting the next day, Dr.Wu sends the kids home…
The next night, the kids pay the Commandrons in the lab a visit, bringing the cans of paint with them. Some hours later, the drab-looking robots are given an extensive makeover, now sporting a uniform color scheme of blue, red and white. The four Commandrons – Commander Magna, Motron, Solardyn and Velocitor – end up quite pleased with their new looks, feeling ready to help mankind. But as Velocitor asks what they do next, Deb’s pet unicat, Coco, wanders into the lab and gets startled by the giant robots. Velocitor remarks about this “ strange-looking human “, to which Deb tries to explain the concept of pets to him. The Commandrons are surprised to learn that there are apparently more living creatures on Havon besides humans. The kids, realizing that the bots have a lot to learn, decide to take them to the Zoodrome to get acquainted with the animals
At Zoodrome, the Commandrons are confused to see no animals around. The kids explain that the beasts are simply scared of them, having never seen the giant robots before. After the group hears a rustling sound in the bushes, Velocitor activates his lights to find the creatures. This only frightens the animals more, sending them all into a stampede that will tear the Zoodrome apart. Velocitor thinks quickly, using his rotating claws to dig the deep trench in the ground to stop the animals in their tracks, also asking Commander Magna and Solardyn to fly overhead and light up the scene. The kids worry that the animals will fall down the trench and get hurt, but Motron, who stayed behind with them, points out to them Velocitor’s real idea : with Commander Magna and Solardyn providing enough illumination of the road, the stampeding creatures will see the trench ahead and stop. The kids are reassured until Jak notices a new problem : the uncontrolled stampede has torn up an underground power cable. With the cable damaged, the city of Metroplex is at the verge of a blackout. Velocitor returns to the kids, thinking the job is well done as they tell him what’s going on. Not wasting time, Velocitor grabs two halves of the cable and fixes the connection by fusing the cable together with incredible heat. High above, Commander Magna and Solardyn look on as Velocitor saves the day, deciding to get kids and themselves home before they get too much attention. Only the shocked zookeeper witnesses as the Commandrons’ vehicle modes depart the scene
The next day, Dr.Wu and the kids read the news about the mysterious robots who prevented the huge disaster last night in the Metroplex Times gazette. The elderly scientist can only congratulate his team on their first mission. Meanwhile, half a world away, a mysterious man also read the same news in the Slagville Herarld gazette. He remarks that the robots that can perform miracles will be very useful…if they’ll be his to control…
At their lab HQ, the Commandrons and their human partners enjoy some downtime when Dr.Wu presents the kids with a new gifts – communicator helmets that will help them to keep radio contact with each other whenever they may be ; the helmets also come with opaque visors, which will keep the kids’ true identities secret from the public. The presentation gets interrupted, however, by beeping from Mike’s own little invention – an emergency signal receiver, the device made to notify the team about where their assistance is needed. Tuning in on the current distress signal, the team learns about aeroglider Flight 412 which flies blind without navigation equipment after the robo-stewards aboard went haywire, broke into a cockpit and smashed the systems. Realizing well that without the navigations the aeroglider will crash, the Commandrons and the kids move out to rescue
Flying up into the furious, stormy sky, the team locates the aeroglider going down fast. Acting carefully to preserve the fragile human lives inside the ship, Commander Magna formulates a plan that the rest of the Commandrons follow : the four robots use their own flying bodies and strength to support the aeroglider from falling and guide it to safety. Inside Commander Magna’s cockpit, Jak picks up another message from the crew of the aeroglider : while their flight was stabilized, the robo-stewards are still going berserk onboard. Hearing it as well, Mike takes action : hopping out of Solardyn’s cockpit on the aeroglider’s hull, the boy uses his synthi-wand to drain the electronic escape hatch and jump aboard. But as soon as he lands, he is immediately beset by the approaching bunch of aggressive robo-stewards, who deem him an intruder. Using the synthi-wand again, Mike quickly dispatches them by draining them of energy, earning the praise and admiration of the passengers. Then, Dr.Wu comes through to inform the team that the disaster isn’t over yet : the dense fog has blanketed the Metroplex Airpark ; the aeroglider can’t land until it clears. As they don’t have enough fuel to stay airborne for that long, Commander Magna separates from the Commandrons to clean up the fog. As Deb, from inside Motron’s cockpit, asks how they’re going to do that, Jak responds that they’ll just shine like the sun. Together Commander Magna and Jak locate the Metroplex Airpark and the Commandron jet fighter sets his turbo-burners on maximum, cutting through the fog with his tail flames, forcing it to evaporate from the runway. Then, Commander Magna creates a big flaming tornado that sucks up the remaining fog, sending it back into the sky as the aeroglider, guided by the rest of the Commandrons, comes to land safely…
Moments later, with the aerial disaster averted, the Commandrons and the kids are surrounded by the crowd of reporters. While Commander Magna and Velocitor express their dislike of the unnecessary attention, Denys, on the other hand, wants to enjoy their fame of being heroes. Deb reminds him that they can’t let anyone know their real identities or they’ll have serious problems in the future. Her friend agrees with her, saying that if they get themselves figured out, someone might want to use Commandrons for evil rather than good. At the same time, far away, Sylvester Slag, the head of Slagbots Inc., watches a corresponding news broadcast alongside his lackey that tells that the robo-stewards had gone haywire thanks to faulty brain-chips installed by his company. Angry Sylvester rants that this would not have happened if he had a secret of Commandrons’ advanced brain-chips. He swears he will have it and then…he will control all of Havon !
In space, the Havonian starship’s crew suffers an emergency : in his task of reaching the satellite, Captain K’Rall’s lifeline snaps, making him drift away helplessly in outer space. As one crewmember radios a distress call, another one notices the arrival of the rescuers : the Commandron spaceship Solardyn with Mike inside his cockpit. Gently scooping up the Captain in his claw, Solardyn returns him aboard the vessel safely. The saved astronaut wants to know who they are but the duo doesn’t have a moment to lose, being late for an important meeting back in the Commandron HQ
The two arrive home just in time to join with the rest of the team in watching a special news bulletin – in it, Sylvester Slag publicly expresses his gratitude toward the Commandrons for preventing the disaster caused by his robo-stewards. To thank them, he invites them all to his castle to present them with the reward. Commander Magna and Motron don’t want any reward for their selfless help to mankind, while Dr.Wu does not trust Sylvester Slag himself ; but Velocitor says it will be fun and Denys says that they deserve the reward, deciding to call Slag and agree on a date. Soon, after speaking with Slag’s assistant and nephew, Brinsley, Denys sets the day of the visit to the castle as Slag gloats nearby. Despite knowing that nothing good will come out of this, Dr.Wu allows the kids and the Commandrons to go, reasoning that this is a lesson they’ll need to learn for themselves
The next day, the four Commandrons and their human partners make their way to the foreboding castle of Slag, where a grand ceremony awaits them, celebrating them as the newest robot heroes of Havon, much to Commander Magna’s discomfort. Thankfully for kids, their identities are well-protected by obscuring communicator helmets. After the ceremony, Slag takes the team on a personal tour of his robot factory, showcasing how the Commandrons’ other mechanical brothers are made. During this tour, Slag talks about himself as the greatest sympathizer to robotkind, standing up to them no matter what. He then tries to plant an idea into the Commandrons’ heads that while humanity may like them for now, someday they’ll fear their awesome power and make them outcasts but even then the Commandrons can always rely on him, Sylvester Slag. The attempt to direct the bots toward the lab where Slag could examine their unique brain-chips prompts Solardyn to openly refuse and deny the thought that mankind will ever distrust them. To this, Slag answers that only time will tell…which serves as a cue for Brinsley to silently slip away from the tour and put Slag’s true plan into gear – activation of the Copy-Bots
Hours later, while the tour continues, Dr.Wu contacts Denys in secret from Slag through his communicator helmet, asking why the Commandrons are attacking the Metroplex Harbor. Surprised, Denys tells the scientist that they’re all still in the castle, to which Dr.Wu replies that some groups of robots does it instead. Denys pieces it all together, realizing now why Slag spoke about the humans fearing the Commandrons – he intends to bring these words into reality with identical doppelgangers of them. Cutting the tour short, Denys leads the team out of the castle as worried Slag wishes Brinsley to hurry up unless his plan is ruined
Meanwhile, in the Slag’s castle tower, Brinsley gleefully orchestrates the chaos caused by the Copy-Bots, controlling the four fake Commandrons through the computer command center. When the real Commandrons end up blamed for all of his crimes, they’ll have no choice but to run back to Slag. However, high above the castle, Solardyn devises a plan to stop the rampaging Copy-Bots and resolve the situation. Soon, he, Commander Magna and Motron make their way to harbor, coming face-to-face with their destructive twins. Solardyn addresses Brinsley through the mechanoids, announcing that the scheme failed : now after seeing the Commandrons and their doubles side-by-side, the people will know it was all a frame-up. Furious, Brinsley responds that if he and Slag can’t control the Commandrons, they’ll destroy them. Bringing the Copy-Bots to full power, Brinsley makes them charge towards their templates, poised to assault…but a sudden power failure leaves the robots without control of the command center, making them plunge into the harbor mid-flight. Denys makes his presence known to Brinsley, standing in the tower’s window. He explains that it was his synthi-wand that drained the power and he got way up here thanks to his big friend – Velocitor, who stayed behind at the castle. Both go home as Velocitor intimidates cowardly Brinsley into not causing the Commandrons any more trouble
Back at the lab HQ, Dr.Wu explains the moral that the kids needed to know : the sense of the job well done after the good deed is its own reward ; the thoughts of fortune and fame mean nothing compared to that. The children agree with the scientist ; Denys says that this is one lesson he learned thanks to Sylvester Slag
At the Slag’s castle, meanwhile, Slag looks over the small box, sure that within this box rests the means to his final victory !
In the city of Metroplex, a tall building caught on fire. The firetroops are on the scene, evacuating the people and dousing the flames but far up on the highest floor, the one man is trapped, out of rescue workers’ reach. Fortunately, Motron, with Deb sitting in his cockpit, flies where the firetroops can’t, bringing the man down to safety. The amazed firetroops praise him for his work, as now the flame is fully under control ; no further assistance is needed. Suddenly, the small helicopter interrupts the exchange. The vessel belongs to Metroplex News and one of two men inside it tells Motron that they want an interview with him and his friends. The Commandron declines the offer, telling reporters that they have nothing to say to the media ; their actions speak for them instead. Motron attempts to fly off the scene but the reporters don’t give up on their intent and go in pursuit of him and Deb. To shake them off, Motron dives into a dead end. This initially delights the reporters, who assume the robot had unwittingly trapped himself but they end up fooled when they reach the wall and don’t realize that Motron disguised himself as a parked car in his vehicle mode. As confused reporters break off the pursuit in their helicopter, Motron and Deb head back to the HQ
As they arrive to meet the rest of the team, Dr.Wu presents them with the latest news : Sylvester Slag announced the coming of a new popular line of toy robots – Microdrons, miniature likenesses of the four Commandrons. While Dr.Wu suspects Slag may be up to his old tricks again, he still can’t be sure what he’s planning. Nevertheless, these toys are undoubtedly the key to figuring it out. The kids jump into their respective Commandron partners, knowing that the scientist needs these toys for examination and move out to the one place where they can get them – Slag’s castle. Once there, the kids and Commandrons interrogate Slag on what’s really going on with his toyline. Slag denies all possible accusations, simply saying that seeing how the people of Havon wanted some robot toys gave him an idea to manufacture some as a legitimate business endeavor. And as a means to show that there are no hard feelings between them, Slag gives the kids a free set of Microndrons toys from Slagbots Inc. The children gladly accept the gift ( still intending to hand it to Dr.Wu for examination, then play ) and depart Slag’s premises with their Commandrons. As the heroes leave, Slag gloats gleefully to himself and Brinsley about how they had not suspected anything, for the Microdrons he gave them aren’t toys at all : they’re genuine micro-robots designed to seek and destroy computer memory chips. Because if Slag can’t learn the secret behind the Commandrons’ advanced brain-chips then he will eradicate them instead
Later, the kids and their robot partners return home deep at night, when Dr.Wu is already fast asleep. Going to sleep too, they leave the box of Microdrons for tomorrow in the garage with the Commandrons, wishing them goodnight. Meanwhile, far away, Slag goes to bed too, activating the remote control device and falling into sleep while thinking that the Commandrons are history. In HQ, the Microdrons’ box burst open with the four diminutive bots scurrying out of their confinement. Luckily, Deb walks back into the garage, having almost forgotten to take Coco in for the night. There she witnesses what is occurring with Microdrons and wakes up Motron. The Commandron’s optic sensors reveal the tiny bots’ true nature as Slag’s weapons against them. Deciding it’s time to turn tables on him for a change, Motron and Deb go for a late-night drive as the girl scoops up the Microdrons back in their box. Some time later, over the Slag’s castle, they drop the box down through one of the industrial air pipes, landing it right into Slag’s robot factory, where the Microdrons set themselves loose again, scampering off to destroy every brain-chip in sight
The next morning, Slag wakes up in a great mood, albeit noticing an odd absence of noise from his robot factory. Going to investigate, Slag is dismayed to find his factory wrecked into rubble in a single night, realising what occurred after he finds a returned box of Microdrons as a “ gift “ from the Commandrons. With the micro-robots now plaguing his factory being so small, it will take Slag months to find them and stop the menaces from destroying every computer chip he owns, making him financially ruined. At the Commandron HQ, waking up, Dr.Wu is surprised to hear a radio broadcast stating that Sylvester Slag is closing down his robot factory, wondering why. Knowing Motron jokes that maybe he decided to cash in his chips, prompting a giggle out of Deb
