Transformers: “Only Human” Season 3 (GI Joe crossover in Transformers)

Transformers: “Only Human” Season 3

Part 2

Part 3

Yes, this is the famous episode of Transformers that stars none other than Cobra Commander. Cobra Commander showed up as a hired villain in the third season of Transformers. What is cool about this episode is that this episode is that they reference the Synthoid technology he invented in the GI Joe episodes. You will also remember the episode where Shipwreck was tricked into thinking he was living another life in the episode “There’s No Place Like Springfield”.

This episode further supports the theory that Transformers and GI Joe share the same universe. What also supports this theory is that Cobra Commander was changed back to “human” form in the DiC series of GI Joe episodes. The third season of Transformers jumped ahead from the 80s to 2006. It would seem at this point GI Joe defeated Cobra and Cobra Commander is a terrorist for hire.

As a kid, I remember totally geeking out when Cobra Commander showed up on screen for the first time in this episode. I couldn’t believe it. This was a true crossover of both of my favorite shows.

A few notes:

-Rodimus Prime as a human has an interesting relationship with the female henchman. It is strongly implied that they had a sexual encounter. She takes him into her home and the next day she makes breakfast for him. When she gets arrested at the end, Rodimus looks at her longingly as if something happened. Preceptor asks him if he enjoyed himself. He says, "Maybe a little too much". Hmm, sounds like he got more than breakfast from the female henchman. I’m not surprised they got away with that.

-Cobra Commander yells out “Cobra!” at the end of the episode. He also calls himself “Old Snake” by 2006, but keeps the same faceplate. He’s even wearing the blue Cobra suit under his jacket. I love the line "they simply don't make terrorists like they used to". Chris Latta reprised his role as CC here. Latta was also the voice of Starscream too.

-There are no Decepticons in this episode. The villains are human beings.

-It is clearly set up that Cobra Commander was supposed to return for another episode. He is the only villain that escapes. It would have been nice to see the Commander rebuild Cobra and make them villains of the Autobots in season 4, (S4 was only a few episodes). Season 4, if fully realized, would have been about the human headmasters and target masters. None of this came to be.

-There is another episode that strongly connects the two series which involves the offspring of two GI Joe members.

-These humans are truly terrorists because they’re willing to blow up buildings and even the Autobot base to get what they want.

-Seeing the Autobots in human form was a nice treat. I didn’t like that they got outfits that matched their robot colors to the letter.