To be fair, Cyborg somewhat cheats by using his ejector arm (a weapon) right before Atlas asks for help, but this is most likely because honor stopped being a factor for Cyborg when Atlas refused to let his friends go.
@@ShadyDoorags I wonder what episode is in your brains for Beast Boy is his personal life going to be tackled through his caring for a raven in the episode the Beast Within or is it going to be tackled through his family issues in the season 5 2-part premiere Doom Patrol
11:00 Robin isn't jealous. He's inspecting Cyborg's arm. Guy is looking at the cracked power meter like "Boy, you said limits, whats this junk about?" 😂😂
@@wjzav1971 At this point? Nothing, and currently the Titans are the leading team. The League is disbanded right now. Bruce has also been openly stating that Nightwing is the better hero and the better man than he is. Nightwing is the most trusted hero on the planet among the heroic community. Kal-El aksed him to watch over Jon when he had to leave Earth, Wonder Woman trusts him with her daughter. #InGraysonWeTrust
well this was because post new 52 the titans didn't really exist anymore, some of its founding members had outright been scrapped like wally west, and the rest got spread around either on their own or to new teams like cyborg did. of course, because the new 52 was a mismanaged mess some writers didn't get the memo that the team never existed, so despite this being done to make the comics more approachable, it did the opposite.
Cyborg has always been my favorite Titan. Watching him overcome his limits and accept all facets of himself in various episodes are the only things watching TT that make me emotional. Despite being half robot he was the most human of the 5.
I can't pick a favorite Titan, but "We've been Union jacked!" in one of the Mad Mod episode is one of the funniest lines I've heard in anything. It's such a hyper specific, yet really clever joke.
Think I cried 😂🤦🏽♂️ seein a black man give 100 percent and it still not being enough 🤦🏽♂️😭 gotta put in at least 140% to win …… felt dat in my soul 😂
No powers, no Rich adoptive dad that's also the world's greatest detective giving sage wisdom and training. Just a former football player using his brains and brawn.
I believe that cyborg overcoming his limits was much more mental that it was a physical feat. The limits he set within himself under the beliefs he was a robot set him back. When he was able think past his limitations, only then could he have reached 110% exertion
This is what I thought too. He used his mind not just to believe in himself, but to ACKNOWLEDGE himself, he started to remember his humanity, and how humans can push past their limits. He doesn't have to limit himself to a number on his mechanical body, he can go beyond, not because he believes he can, but because he always could, he just never acknowledged that possibility.
I think part of the reason Cyborg’s believing in himself moment works better than a normal Little Engine moment is… we see him putting in the work. We see him pushing himself and putting in the effort. It’s not ‘Oh I believe in myself and that’s all I needed’, it’s ‘I put in the work and push myself constantly, I just need that final nudge’.
yeah but effort works on things like human bodies because we have adrenaline and endorphines, and our muscles and bones get stronger when they're damaged and then repair. effort doesn't factor into mechanisms. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out his parents put those safety limits in, knowing that if he goes above them, his body will damage itself... and after this episode, he had to spend a while in repairs.
@@mondaysinsanity8193 No, I said it's a characteristic of machinery. it doesn't get stronger when it breaks and gets repaired, nor does it perform better when you put more stresses on it than it can handle. quite the opposite. Basically, humans heal, machinery wears out. (Humans wear out too but only once senescence sabotages the metabolism.)
So we learned that his power display had been mis-calibrated all this time and he had only been using 83.3% of his maximum power. I understand that proper safety margins are important in engineering but this seems to be an odd place to apply them.
I could’ve sworn the limits scene happened in the episode the mad scientist dragged cyborg away, fixed him, and then tried to make him fully robot. It’s such a great scene for his main struggle, that you could put it in any cyborg episode. I mainly remember that, and the final scene where he says he no longer needs his limits meter. Just such a well done character throughout the run.
Also the episode is basically a modern version of the Legend of John Henry, with a man overcoming a machine by pushing past his limits...though obvious with Cyborg not dying in the end.
@@claymathewselevator8121 Eh I feel like that wouldn't work since Steel is powerless without his arm and Atlas would kill him in a test of strength otherwise. Kind of ruins the message.
John Henry showed that man can best any new fangle machine. May die trying, but won. Just he had a bit of an advantage. The tracking laying machine kept on breaking down or had some hiccup with the operation. Not saying when the machine was working. It could lay down some steel and spikes with ease. Though if that machine had worked flawlessly. He would have likely lost. That being said. Does not discredit the story of John Henry. Just proves that man will work and only die when the job is done. Unlike a machine. That will give up halfway through and fight to finish the job. Man will always be better than any machine. Remember that.
I think what makes this story resonate more than other “little engine who could” stories is that the doubt is internal in this episode more than anything while most stories focus on the external causes of doubt. Making it internal makes it easier to put yourself in the character’s shoes because most of the time when you doubt yourself in life it is internally motivated, not externally.
It's not that everyone around him is saying he can't do it, it's that HE tells himself he can't do it. It's about him learning to believe in himself, not him overcoming great odds
I think they were trying to portray that cyborg had a defeatist mindset and at the end got over it. He didn't believe he could do something and so only half-heartedly tried, but when his friend were on the line finally tried his hardest and succeeded. It's a very subtle message.
The line at the very end when atlas says "you're the better robot" when cyborg replies "no I'm a better person" is an acceptance of both his mechanical and human halves.
you know what sucks about Bloo and Mac? In the first season, the two *were* genuine friends who cared about each other. Heck, Mac imagined Bloo with that in mind because he had no other friends, his older brother was a bully and his parents weren't understanding of his situation. Heck again, his mother told him that he's too old for imaginary friends and has to get rid of Bloo because "he's already 8 years old". EIGHT YEARS OLD IS CONSIDERED "too old for imaginary friends" IN HER EYES. And in a world where imaginary friends are ACTUALLY real! So he imagined someone that would really be his friend and in his corner. And Bloo was nice and a friend to Mac, for whom he was worried, stayed by his side even when his brother would torment them, eventualy even protecting Mac (like in the Red episode) and working together towards a common goal (like in the "Adopt a friend saturday" episodes)
@Cartoonist Louis can't really speak for the other shows, as I haven't seen them. But I don't know, in latter seasons Bloo can be a real A-hole to Mac (and everyone else as well): putting Mac in danger, leaving Mac in danger, prioritizing his own schemes and wants, making fun of Mac, giving him sugar knowing the effect it has on him Mac.
The setting of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is actually horrifying if you scrutinize it for even a moment. It's a world where children can effectively give birth to fully living things completely apropos of nothing, and Goo is a direct expression of this.
Yes Keith David’s voice is legendary. He was great bringing Dr. Facilier, Goliath and Spawn to life. Looking forward to seeing Raven, Starfire, and Beastboy focused episodes.
Episode really embodies one of my favorite quotes "Nothing is Impossible to He who will try." Alexander the Great said that and it's true, things only seem impossible if you never make the effort.
I do think it's fitting that he pushed through his limits physically. What happened there was Overclocking; where you force a machine to operate beyond its regulated parameters, which shortens its lifespan before it breaks down in exchange for higher immediate output, which is no different from pushing yourself and feeling sore a while later.
@@dustyrose192 For machines, "lifespan" refers to how long an apparatus is guaranteed to function as well as it should before it shows signs of breaking down. Nothing too literal. I'm not saying that Cyborg is gonna meet an early grave for that 130% stunt; just that he very likely had to repair and/or replace some parts off-screen; which in turn isn't too different from what living organisms naturally do as old cells die off and new ones are made.
Overclocking is a specific term referring to increasing the _clock_ speed of a device - which dictates how frequently instructions are processed. The most relevant descriptor here is _probably_ overvolting, i.e. increasing the power flowing through something like a motor. If Cyborg has hydraulic parts overpressure could also be relevant.
Indeed, is just DANGEROUS because, unlike humans, machines lack a proper self-repair system for physical damage. But unlike a Machine, Cyborg's human side grants him 4 friends who can back him up in cases like that, meaning that he can push himself farther than 100% if dire situations.
It's funny when you consider that Cyborgs body is based on New God Mother box technology. Which are known to possess the ability to evolve on their own through experience. So him breaking those "built in limits" is very possible, and his mindset mightve been the hurdle blocking it.
Its also likely that mother box tech has a similar idea to human strength limitation for the same reason. Cyborg pushing himself like that caused damage to his body so he probably always had more like all humans do and pushed through those limits like any other human can.
It *became* that way when The New 52 happened, but the point still stands. I think it was Gordanian tech that Cyborg's body was based on back in the day.
YES! You covered one of my favorite Teen Titans episodes! Besides Keith David playing the role of Atlas, Cyborg’s struggle with seeing the machine side of his limits really stuck with me as a kid. The genius of that scene where he’s talking to his own reflection, his cyborg face telling him he can’t win, and his human face defying that claim. The episodes where Cyborg still finds his humanity are some of the best Teen Titans episodes for me, personally.
Can't wait for the Raven episode. Speaking of which... she can open portals. How could she not simply teleport out of her prison? And as you said, she could just dismantle Atlas. There were a lot of ways the other titans should have easily been able to defeat Atlas. Starfire is always shown to be a lot stronger than Cyborg (physically at least), Beastboy could turn into a mouse or bug, crawl inside of Atlas, and start chewing wires, and I'm sure Robin's got some kind of gadget that could get inside the crevices of Atlas' body and gunk up the machinery. Hell, we know that Robin as Red X has a plan to defeat each Titan. Pretty sure what he used for Cyborg (I forget what it was) would also work on Atlas.
I think they were smart enough to tell what's going on. They know cyborg well enough that he needed to win the fight. If things got actually really bad I'm sure they'd bust out easily. Same with getting captured to begin with.
I always chalked it up as they are still teenagers and still coming into their own as heroes so they are gonna make mistakes when ever it seems like they should have won a fight then don’t
I thought that she looked up how to use that kind of magic later after this situation so she could do it, similar to how she made a spell to put Plasmus to sleep.
My predictions for other Teen Titans videos Shady will do, specifically ones for the other 3 Titans are: 1. Beast Boy: Beast Within 2. Starfire: The bad word for Tamaranians 3. Raven: The one where they go inside her mind Edit 1: Ayyy Shady did the Troq episode 😎
I don't know, the Starfire one felt less about Starfire and more about racism in general. It would probably still make for a good video, but I feel like there has to be a better episode that focuses on her. Also, the episode is called "Troq," if we're thinking of the same one. Unless there's another episode about Tamaranian slurs that I can't remember.
@@shreknskrubgaming7248 Troq, that was it. And if there's one needed more about Starfire herself there's the one where she goes through "puberty" and runs away cause her body changes. Or the black fire episode. Lots of choices.
Keith David's perfect as Atlas! The same guy who played Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog; he has a knack for playing antagonists. As for this episode, it's definitely a good mark for Cyborg's character growth; and we continue seeing him grow even after his final confrontation with Brother Blood in season 3
I like the mechanic's arc as well. As Robin points out, Atlas needs him, not the other way around. Atlas can't install his own weapons, apparently can't even get his own oil. Atlas is like so many anime villains and bullies/gangs in Westerns and the like. (Think also A Bug's Life and the grasshoppers.) He can't survive without the help of the people he's oppressing but rather than work out something beneficial he forces them to do his bidding, meaning he's not getting the best help, not getting someone who might be on his side when he really needs it, and is opening himself up for betrayal when he's at his weakest. Robin helps the mechanic see that and so he turns against him. For all Atlas's strength, he has a major weakness he won't acknowledge and thus can't properly overcome.
For the raven episode of these. I hope you do the one where beast boy and cyborg go into her mind No, she isn't properly present in that episode in the same sense as some others. But i think it would be a way to look into her character more deeply than just how she presents herself
As for this episode itself, i love it. And i always saw seeing his arm sensor as us being able to see with his cybernetic eye, showing that he has to know his percentage usage to keep from getting hurt. This is why i appreciate seeing him constantly upgrading in latwr episodes, working on his metal body as he used to his physical as an athlete. This episode i feel. Starts that. Shows he can get stronger, he can become better even though he is now "limited" by being mostly metal. Cyborg starts to upgrade his metal form because of this episodes impact. Its not the first or last time we see him begin to work on improving. And its another reason i love this show
Love this episode, not only because of Keith David, but the lessons. 1. Accept your limits, but push yourself 2. Keep your ego in check 3.Be a better person. This same concept of human spirit pops up again with Brother Blood asking him what makes him so defiant, and Cyborg says his human spirit
Cyborg was an absolute beast in the show. His fights always had the meatiest sound effects, the most crunchy-bashy hits and punches, hell even his arm canon acted less like a blast of energy, and more like an extension of his fist. This episode was raw-Cyborg testosterone, mixed with body-positivity and supportive friends theming; just some badass messages to tie the bow :3
Hey Shady, another great review! My theory on the whole "100%" aspect of the episode is that it was less of a "this is how much you can do period, end of discussion" and more of a "this is how much you're capable of doing before it gets dangerous". Kind of like a car, you can run it to a certain point safely with no issue, however if you push it to the redline you can go faster but you put the engine at risk of blowing. I think that it is the same for Cyborg's mechanical muscles and biological organs, his muscles could probably go all the way up 150% with potentially no damage to the muscles themselves. However, Cyborg's organic heart, brain, and adrenal glands wouldn't be able to keep up and could give out if he pushes too hard, as machines can work harder than biological bodies, and if he wasn't careful he could end up killing himself by pushing too much. Now this gets a little head-canony so ymmv, but I think that when Victor was rebuilt into Cyborg he wanted to test out his new body the way any athlete or teen would. He pushed himself to 100% and wanted to go harder, but the doctors and scientists who were monitoring him basically told him that if he did his heart could (and probably would) give out under the stress of keeping up with his mechanical muscles. This probably scared him so much, especially in light of his recent near death experience, that he took the 100% monitor as gospel, which would explain why he felt he couldn't give anymore any time it came up throughout the episode. Now that does bring up why he didn't explain this to his friends, my thought is that he felt that he would be a liability to the team if they knew; he probably thought they'd be more concerned about him hitting his limits and getting hurt because they weren't paying attention in a fight. Or it could be just a matter of pride, he didn't want to admit any form of weakness like any teen hates to do. So when he went up to 130% he could always do that but mentally limited himself and his declaration of "Yes I Can!!!" to Atlas was him mentally breaking that limit he put himself under. Now that's not to say he could do it again without danger but he now knows he can if the situation calls for it. My reason for this line of thought is the fact we never see any indication that his muscles were at the limit; no sparks, no cracks, nothing that would indicate that if he pushed more the parts would break. Especially as he pushed them to 130% with no damage to his body at all (which does make sense, you can redline a car and nothing will happen but it is not something one should do lightly!). So that makes it seem that the limit is more a safety feature for his remaining organic components than a hard-line limit of the capability of the mechanical components. TL;DR: the limit was less a limit, more a safety feature that Cyborg learned wasn't as rigid as he thought.
As somone who works on cars... Yeah, limits are usually set at about 20% less than what the machine can actually handle. At least, for a short burst. The limits are there to ensure the machine can last a good long time under normal use. The question of pushing those limits for machines is simple: How often are you okay with the machine breaking? Since a cyborg needs those machines to, you know, live, they probably shouldn't push past their design limitations...
Literally the greatest way to describe Robin this entire episode is, “proving that he is in fact Batman’s protege”. All he did was provide support from a mental perspective. Wouldn’t be surprised if he had numerous ways to end the episode and jump Atlas but allowed Cyborg to have this one. Much like the Brother Blood instance
Someone finally understands that this is how good friends are. I feel like a lot of shows I grew up with had shitty friendships. Danny Phantom, Yugioh, and others. ALSO Shadey don't feel bad I've been shocked at who can voice who more than once
sometimes a voice can be super recognizable and you still cross a wire like that terrible Allen Gregory show, I could have sworn that was Jonah Hill. But it was Jason Bateman. and when Spectacular Spider-Man couldn't keep Keith David after his first appearance and had to switch over, I actually had trouble telling it was KMR and man I can always tell when it's KMR.
I agree with Danny phantom having terrible friendships but how the hell does Yu-Gi-Oh fit that description? Every one of them would literally die for one another. Heck, in the manga all of yugi friends all put themselves in death games by kaiba just to help yugi to duel kaiba and save his grandpa. If that's not true friendship then nothing is. If you wanted another example of a terrible friendship then just look at my gym partner a monkey. Now that's a terrible friendship to have.
@Daniel Perez I mean the Anime more than I do the Manga. They messed Joey up and made him way to stupid and way to selfish for my likes (especially since in the Manga he's like the lug head from YuYuHakusho) Tristan and Tea. Well do I even have to explain that?
@@halleyangel1706 selfish? The dude literally jumped off a boat just to save Yugi's exodia cards. Tristan and tea all showed both yugi and joey nothing but support in their duels. Not to mention the fact that Tristan was looking over Joey's sister while she was getting her operation.
@Daniel Perez I've read the whole Manga. It's done better there is all I'll say yes it's darker but you actually feel a impact in that. Not so much in the anime especially since it needs a redub
Literally everytime Cyborg got his own episode in this show, it was absolute gold. This one and the episode where he falls in that hole into a pile of scrap were some of the best episodes in the whole show and the lessons taught still stick with me to this day.
him putting his mind to it and him going past his limits is a metafor, he basically overclocked his mechanical systems, humans can "overclock" themselves for a short period of time too. that's why you see "superhuman" acts in real life scenario. the right mindset can do great things for a person
@@frankblazer6377 Yeah, the DCAU thing was very cloudy when it was airing, so its canonicity (or lack thereof) is still not as well known as it should be. I never thought it was, personally, but a lot of WB/CN assets at the time were linking them together.
Amazing video! I can't wait to see more about each character. Also, I always felt that Atlas was able to beat the Titans because of a couple of combined reasons: 1: he got the drop on them. He managed to somehow break into Titans Tower through their TV. To reinforce this, firstly, they are still Teens. Even well trained adults struggle to keep composure when someone breaks into their house. ESPECIALLY when they are in a relaxed environment where they don't have to be alert, (IE, the Den, Bathroom, bedroom). 2: The titans were not prepared to face Atlas. He is a kind of Cyborg clone. They've never faced someone like that. In FACT, he is meant to sort of foretell the trouble Brother Blood would bring later this season. 3: on top of all this. The Titans care a lot for Cyborg. He is the oldest of the group, and he does take care of a lot of the chores. He is kind of a surrogate father/mother figure for all the Titans. He is ALWAYS holding the others accountable, keeping tabs and showing through his actions that he cwres for the titans. He runs and operates the tower, cooks, cleans, and as far as we know, he does all the work. The other Titans can't exactly repay this kind of care, so they would be absolutely impulsive to jump to his aid as soon as possible, should he be singled out like he was with Atlas. But that urge was so strong, they didn't really take the time to observe before acting. They just jumped in. something I actually wish they showed more of is Cyborg's intelligence. specifically in regards to technology. like, yeah, they show he made the spaceship and car, but in regards to his OWN abilities, they only show his sonic cannon. they don't show much of his own upgrades.
One of the best written episodes and it really humanizes Cyborg. It reminds of that 12 steps scene from Men of honor where the moral is you get on going regardless of how tired you are. "God damn it Cookie, move your ass I want my 12!"
The mind quote makes perfect sense because Cyborg had a defeatist mindset when it came to working out & fighting. The whole episode was literally about him being riddled with self-doubt in his mind due to being half robot & that's what caused him to lose on those occasions. It's a very good message because you can't really accomplish much of what you want if you have a defeatist mindset & self-doubt.
This is one of the episodes that really stuck with me over the years. I took the reason Cyborg was able to surpass his meter is because it doesn't measure his full ability. Rather when it cracks it implies he surpassed the safety limit, something both machines and living creatures have. But the human spirit, so to speak, can allow people to push beyond those limits through belief or desperation. It's likely a trait integral to our evolutionary survival.
It is like in Star Trek when Scotty already pushed the machines to their limit and Kirk still demanding more energy. So Scotty pushes the machines in further which may or may not cause serious damage to them.
I’m surprised that you didn’t include Penny’s friends from The Proud Family considering that they are always willing to betray or take advantage of Penny just to get their way or avoid trouble.
Currently about to hit the gym but when I saw this episode when I was little and was in the hospital with chemo it gave me so much hope. I'll watch this in 2 hours shady I'm looking forward to this so much appreciate you big man
I could believe the mechanic and the robot are; most of the other villains don't have someone to tag team and know the kind of weaponry/ repairs that need to be made inside and out. A villain with the flaw of needing a human but at the same time hating humans. Not only that; but were talking about said heroes that were trying to help after getting done with training.
2:38 I have to say, cheering someone up never looked THIS hilarious 🤣 The animation in this scene was en POINTE 👌 in bringing out the comedy to its full potential, to the point where I still remember it in detail to this DAY!
That thing with Cyborg winning with his body and not his mind/spirit did always bother me too and still does now but I think I got an idea. When the dial metaphor got brought up, I kept that in mind, it’s weird that his dial goes up. But then I thought about hydraulic presses, the percentage isn’t a limitation it’s just a PSI meter that is set to a percentage and Cyborg was just too in his own funk to realize that. It’s a really terrible cope out but it’s the only way I can rationalize how the ending could still work and not be confusing. 😭
Do... Do you think you can just crank up how much pressure a hydrolic cylender is under and have it be okay with that? Because you super cannot. Those numbers exist for a reason. And sure, while your car jack can lift a little more than what the box said, it will probably be damaged doing it. If it's a lot more than what the rating is for, that thing could explode and kill you. No joke.
There's one thing missing: breaking Cyborg's implants in that final push. He's going beyond the limits of the machinery, the machine should break, emphasizing that he's relying not on the strength of the machine but on the resilience of his humanity
My interpretation of the moment where cyborg overcomes atlas is when he starts using and embracing both halves of himself. Earlier in the episode cyborg relies on his artificial half to bear the weight. It's only when he uses both his physical and mechanical sides as one does he circumvent the individual weaknesses of both.
I think this one hits home because "I think I can" isn't the first step, it's the last Cyborg constantly works hard and actively works out despite the fact that he thinks he can't increase his maximum, just for the hope that one day he's be able to push even one gram harder than the day before I can also imagine most athletes have a genuine fear of reaching their maximum potential, when you have everything, where is there to go?
I'm really enjoying these Teen Titans videos so far! Teen Titans was my life when I was a kid, I had all the DVD's and I would watch them constantly. I'm glad to see someone taking a critical look at this show, acknowledging it's flaws and pointing out it's messages. This was one of the best Cyborg episodes I remember watching.
10:30 *THIS* is one of the many reasons why the Teen Titans show was so dam good! You're right that you can't make anything happen by simply saying, "I think I can." Cyborg was really pushing himself to the limit but stops himself because he doesn't believe he can. He thinks that he can't go any further, so he doesn't try to. But when push comes to shove, Victor dug deep and let go of the mentality of being unable, and when he yells: YES.........I.........CAN!!! God, it almost always makes me cry. He had the will to push thru and win at the end. In a much later episode when he's fighting that one orange cyborg guy, Cyborg said it best "It's not in the circuitry, is it?! It's my spirit! And that's something you'll never break!" Every single one of the titans is my favorite character and that's why I love the show so much
The thing people leave out when it comes to The Little Engine That Could, is that they don't show the struggle the character goes through to accomplish a goal, or show the character fail, only to reassess and then succeed
You know, I never really realized just how much I cared about Cyborg as a kid watching this show, until I thought about it. So many of the episodes I still remember, or had a lasting impact on me, are moments with him as the focal point. Him giving his 110% gave me chills! The sum of his parts always had me pumping my fist in the air cheering him on to kick ass! Or especially the episode where offbrand silver surfer is space racist to Starfire, and Cyborg talks to her about it and shares his own struggles with how people percieve him for being half robot. He is legit the core heart of the show, with gadgets, as well as being an emotional and physical rock for his friends. I will always stand by the fact that this Teen Titan’s Cyborg, is the best version of Cyborg there is! 😢❤❤❤ No contest!
Sometimes we really do need to look back on our younger years to get the motivation to get through today. Thanks for the reminder as to why Teen Titans is great.
I know you subtly pointed to it, but i wanted to emphasize this: They actually use the limit joke again with the 120%, which is another idiom for giving it your all. But on top of that, it shows that the screen is cracked. It teaches him to push his limits but not just not to get wreckless. His body itself can physically only handle so much but thats why humans made strategy in combat
Damn, this cartoon's writing is incredible. Foolish people whom love Go! & refuse to understand why us older fans get annoyed about the sequel series, this is one episode to share with them. I recall watching this when it premiered on TV & have happily enjoyed reruns. Powerful
Yep, Keith David is one of my favorite VA's. He did Goliath, David Anderson in Mass Effect, as well as fricken Spawn in both the animated series and Mortal Kombat. Also, like others have said, this is one of my favorite Cyborg episodes.
This concept of a guy who's whole goal is to become a cyborg/android completely robotic, was ahead of its time. This wasn't everyone's favorite season, but I thought it was really good, especially the ending of this arc was really cool. Brother blood has this theme of control. He's obsessed with becoming like cyborg and does everything in his power to control him. At the end of the day he couldn't. Cyborg had a strong will power that couldn't be broken. It gave him closure on his feelings about becoming a cyborg. At times he felt like he was missing out because he became like this, but there was a part of him that was still human, that's why he was able to resist.
1:04 I said the same thing about the Pacific Rim scenes inside the bay. Tiny preparation scenes make the action and world feel so much more filled out. This is how you build investment in characters.
Fun fact: Khary Payton was in Hellraiser: Hellworld with a pre-Tudors Henry Cavill. Also, Greg Cipes was in a straight-to-DVD horror movie about boy band zombies.
1:30 It depends, there's always a _little_ more you can always give when you're weight training, and those last few reps are the most important. So a lot of the time you'll hear a spotter say the kinds of things Robin was saying in order to get that final rep out. Worst case scenario if the spotter is wrong than it's not like the weight lifter is going to immediately fold and have the weight hit their neck or chest. You start to see the weights slowly decline closer to the lifter and that's when you take the weights off of them. That being said it's clear that Cyborg is at his limit, furthermore since Robin has seemingly no control over the weights he really shouldn't be egging Cyborg on like that. Especially with that monstrosity of a machine Cyborg is using.
Willpower is a thing, it’s how I’ve physically overcome problems (that I put myself into) and lift more than I should’ve been able to. That’s how I take the “my mind pushes past my limits” thing. Pure “f you, I’m doing it anyway” willpower.
When it came to cy, the brother blood storyline always had a bigger effect on me. Being his own man, not needing him as an inspiration was more impactful for me, as my parents were divorced and my dad not being a great influence. That said, I look forward to your raven episode. She's always been my favorite.
The thing about the limits of human muscles is that they are a lot fuzzier than something mechanical. At any given time, even the strongest person trying their hardest is only using about 30% of their muscles' maximum capacity, but it is possible to go past that limit in extreme circumstances. It can cause injury and isn't sustainable, but there is something to going past your normal limits with sheer effort.
"Keep your eye on the cookie." I think BB's approach is surprisingly clever, because, even if Beast Boy just ends up annoying Cyborg, it'll at least get his mind off of his problems for a bit.
I love the detail of ciborg only tilting his head one way to crack it because the other side of his neck is robotic hens forth not needing to be stretched
Hey Shady! Absolutely adore your work. Cyborg has always struck me as the most “mature” and “closer to adulthood” of the Titans, def the “would be leader” if Robin’s ego ever backed down. I think this struggle with image, identity, and Cyborg’s clear emotional trauma/grudge he has against himself always made him, to me, the most relatable of the Titans. I think that best explains why so many Cyborg-centric episodes have stayed with me for so long- this episode, as well as “Sun of His Parts” always gets me emotionally. Cyborg should never be defined by his disability, looks, or how much his robotic parts make him stronger and thusly a good super hero - but it is easy identify with the struggle of his limits if you do suffer from such physical limits that other people around you just don’t have, like myself - pretty bad breathing issues // severe asthma, as well as a bad car accident I got into as a young kid that really set back my ability to walk / process information for a long time. People almost act afraid of you once they notice you’re so different from them. Seeing that as a young kid, it is hard to forget those feelings of resentment and equally being upset with friends for pushing you further than you can handle even when they have great intentions, just like the Titans did with Cyborg as they trained together. I think you so gracefully highlighted what makes Victor / Cyborg such a empathic and lovable character. If I may, I’m sure you don’t plan on going back to another Robin episode anytime soon for your Teen Titans analysis, but I wanted to throw my two cents in there for you to possibly cover “Haunted” because I think it highlights so much unpacked psychological trauma and insight into Robin. It is an episode that basically lives rent free in my brain since I saw it as a kiddo. If I’m not mistaken, it features Robin’s innate traits of distrust and paranoia, forces the Titans to trust if Slade is really gone, better explores his relationship with Raven as she is an empath, hints at some really cool Batman content and finally, leaves the viewers on a really unnerving and mysterious end- which showed so much thoughtfulness and respect for a “kid’s” show in the early 2000s! I think it’s a special episode for the character and I would love to know your thoughts! I know you tend to use Titan Titans episodes with a theme like in your Robin and now this Cyborg one…so I’m not entirely of the moral theme for this episode. Maybe the genuine struggle to find trust in one’s self and friends as he battles his paranoia or maybe asking for help via Raven? 😅forgive a fan girl for asking …I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. Anyway, I’ll be watching the rest of your content for sure, and I’ll be super happy to watch any Teen Titans content you with special interest!
12:00 watching this episode again, the fix I would've use is cyborg making modifications to his watch so it tricks Atlas into thinking he's at his limits and pushing beyond them, not only making Atlas letting his guard down , but also being intimidated when he sees Cyborg can push beyond his limits as a robot, using his mind to hide his limitations as a robot.
Shady! I don't know if you're a Malcolm in The Middle fan, but if you did commentary on those episodes, Man, you'd have my whole childhood nostalgia niche monopolized I swear. Teen titans, atla, koth etc lmfao and an additional internet acronym. Thanks for the great content!
Absolute boss, cyborgs stories were always about the really deep stuff that had you think beyond what makes Man greater than machine. Always loved this episode and every cyborg centered episode.
Been waiting for you to talk about cyborg! This episode made me cry when I first saw it as a kid but I dident know why back then. Cyborg is such a sad but strong character in my eyes
Yea, I could see them possibly doing something like having Cyborg reconfigure his power output or whatever in his head and distribute it in a "smart way" that lets him overpower Atlas, but at the same time, as noted by Shady, Cyborg was realizing that he didn't need to let his mechanical body's limits keep him from pushing the limit. While there's obviously a lot to discuss about the pros and cons of pushing limits, that wasn't the point of the episode since this wasn't about reckless limit breaking.
2:27 i so fucking was, i'm so glad you mentioned it. The best i could come up with is cyborg is he had always perceived his cyborg half as a bad thing since his accident and so he was prone to also see this situation in a negative light, even if it ignores logic to an extent.
I also loved that overcoming the odds/limits moment of Cyborg's "Yes I can", and then when I found the 'Dont Lose Your Way goes with everything' meme, that scene was one of the first I thought of that would fit the song.
One could argue he used his mind to manually overclock his robotic parts, causing him to overheat faster, but for a quick burst the downside of overheating is negligible
When cyborg talks abt his mind, he’s talking abt taking the pain and pushing through it. As a wrestler, everyone you ever meet in the sport will tell you the hardest part isn’t the physical feats, it’s the mental will to keep going. You’re tired, you’re hungry, you’ve had nothing to drink the night before so you can make weigh ins, and then you have 6 minutes against someone who’s done the same. Technique is involved, and so is muscle mass, but at the end of the day the person who can push themselves instead of just giving up when it would be so much easier to lie down and let it be over is the winner. That’s what Cyborg meant.
The Weird Al clip got a belly laugh out of me. I did not see it coming and it was edited in very well. This is always been one of my favorite Teen Titans episode, thank you for covering it. (Gushing over original avatar is always appreciated too.)
Shady, you’ve done it again. Fantastic analysis, as always and the cinematography you point out is something I wish more analysts did when making videos. Now all I want is more ATLA 😂 love ya my man
honestly i feel the "using his mind" part is, even though his body did the work it was his mind, or in this case, his will t hat got his body to even do what it needed to he overcame his mental limitations, essentially him beliving he could never go past 100 percent is what kept him from actually doing it more so than believing in himself, he used his mind in getting past the mental blocks he had, he focused his thoughts and his will into specifically pushing past 100% which is what then made it so his body did as he wanted, exceeding it's set limits at the cost of extra stress to his robotic parts it's basically Cyborg's version of "Overclocking"
It's little details/moments like the one that you mentioned where Cyborg is not just talking to his reflection but his human side make me love Teen Titans even more. I also never thought of that Jon DiMaggio thing before that is just hilarious! 😂
If your doing the whole team I'd suggest the Doom Patrol episode for Beast Boy, his sudden attitude change when presented with his old team shows so much that he went through
Atlas: "We will fight one-on-one."
Also Atlas: "Mechanic, help me!"
To be fair, Cyborg somewhat cheats by using his ejector arm (a weapon) right before Atlas asks for help, but this is most likely because honor stopped being a factor for Cyborg when Atlas refused to let his friends go.
That makes sense. It's been a while since I've seen the actual full episode.
"Hey let's have a 1v1"
*Comes with a medic*
@@ShadyDoorags I wonder what episode is in your brains for Beast Boy is his personal life going to be tackled through his caring for a raven in the episode the Beast Within or is it going to be tackled through his family issues in the season 5 2-part premiere Doom Patrol
@@ShadyDoorags in the realm of combat there is no cheating it's just how we modern people see fights
11:00 Robin isn't jealous. He's inspecting Cyborg's arm. Guy is looking at the cracked power meter like "Boy, you said limits, whats this junk about?" 😂😂
I never understood why Cyborg was pushed towards the Justice League when he fits better with the Titans.
What exactly is the difference between Justice League and the Titans, apart from the age?
@@wjzav1971 At this point? Nothing, and currently the Titans are the leading team. The League is disbanded right now. Bruce has also been openly stating that Nightwing is the better hero and the better man than he is. Nightwing is the most trusted hero on the planet among the heroic community. Kal-El aksed him to watch over Jon when he had to leave Earth, Wonder Woman trusts him with her daughter.
#InGraysonWeTrust
@@wjzav1971justice league is like a group of friends while titans are like a group of family
Because apparently having Martian Manhunter for mission control is weird.
well this was because post new 52 the titans didn't really exist anymore, some of its founding members had outright been scrapped like wally west, and the rest got spread around either on their own or to new teams like cyborg did.
of course, because the new 52 was a mismanaged mess some writers didn't get the memo that the team never existed, so despite this being done to make the comics more approachable, it did the opposite.
Cyborg has always been my favorite Titan. Watching him overcome his limits and accept all facets of himself in various episodes are the only things watching TT that make me emotional. Despite being half robot he was the most human of the 5.
Same. Heck, when I was a kid I started saying Booyah! because of him.
I can't pick a favorite Titan, but "We've been Union jacked!" in one of the Mad Mod episode is one of the funniest lines I've heard in anything. It's such a hyper specific, yet really clever joke.
Mine too. Beast Boy was a close second
Think I cried 😂🤦🏽♂️ seein a black man give 100 percent and it still not being enough 🤦🏽♂️😭 gotta put in at least 140% to win …… felt dat in my soul 😂
No powers, no Rich adoptive dad that's also the world's greatest detective giving sage wisdom and training. Just a former football player using his brains and brawn.
I believe that cyborg overcoming his limits was much more mental that it was a physical feat. The limits he set within himself under the beliefs he was a robot set him back. When he was able think past his limitations, only then could he have reached 110% exertion
Dragon Ball z style screw numbers limits are meant to be BROKEN
This is what I thought too. He used his mind not just to believe in himself, but to ACKNOWLEDGE himself, he started to remember his humanity, and how humans can push past their limits. He doesn't have to limit himself to a number on his mechanical body, he can go beyond, not because he believes he can, but because he always could, he just never acknowledged that possibility.
Not sure how he missed that
I think part of the reason Cyborg’s believing in himself moment works better than a normal Little Engine moment is… we see him putting in the work. We see him pushing himself and putting in the effort. It’s not ‘Oh I believe in myself and that’s all I needed’, it’s ‘I put in the work and push myself constantly, I just need that final nudge’.
yeah but effort works on things like human bodies because we have adrenaline and endorphines, and our muscles and bones get stronger when they're damaged and then repair.
effort doesn't factor into mechanisms. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out his parents put those safety limits in, knowing that if he goes above them, his body will damage itself... and after this episode, he had to spend a while in repairs.
@@KairuHakubi thats litteraly how it works for humans pushing past damages you. Then you heal stronger
@@mondaysinsanity8193 I literally just said that.
@@KairuHakubi no you acted as if cyborg pushing himself and becoming damaged thereby needing to heal was unique to cyborh
@@mondaysinsanity8193 No, I said it's a characteristic of machinery. it doesn't get stronger when it breaks and gets repaired, nor does it perform better when you put more stresses on it than it can handle. quite the opposite. Basically, humans heal, machinery wears out. (Humans wear out too but only once senescence sabotages the metabolism.)
Man that “Yes I can!” Stuck with me forever. Just the defiance and self confidence behind that delivery felt so powerful!
Literally a better underdog story than Cyborg turning into a freaking wizard for a few seconds.
So we learned that his power display had been mis-calibrated all this time and he had only been using 83.3% of his maximum power.
I understand that proper safety margins are important in engineering but this seems to be an odd place to apply them.
444 👍
Probably my favorite moment in the whole show for a variety of reasons
The screen cracking as it ticks up to 130% is an unforgetable moment that's always stuck with me.
I could’ve sworn the limits scene happened in the episode the mad scientist dragged cyborg away, fixed him, and then tried to make him fully robot. It’s such a great scene for his main struggle, that you could put it in any cyborg episode. I mainly remember that, and the final scene where he says he no longer needs his limits meter. Just such a well done character throughout the run.
The mad scientist one it was is power storage limit. The read out was on his wrist as well. That us probably why it seems familiar.
Said mad scientist were parents.
Love that episode
@@redrasegarden he was talking about a fix it. Transhumanist that lost his humanity
@@anomalocaris2593 oh that episode.
Also the episode is basically a modern version of the Legend of John Henry, with a man overcoming a machine by pushing past his limits...though obvious with Cyborg not dying in the end.
John Henry Irons should’ve shown up in Teen Titans
@@claymathewselevator8121 Eh I feel like that wouldn't work since Steel is powerless without his arm and Atlas would kill him in a test of strength otherwise. Kind of ruins the message.
@@thefanwithoutaface8105 I'm sure he just meant in general, not this specific episode.
John Henry showed that man can best any new fangle machine. May die trying, but won.
Just he had a bit of an advantage. The tracking laying machine kept on breaking down or had some hiccup with the operation. Not saying when the machine was working. It could lay down some steel and spikes with ease. Though if that machine had worked flawlessly. He would have likely lost.
That being said. Does not discredit the story of John Henry. Just proves that man will work and only die when the job is done. Unlike a machine. That will give up halfway through and fight to finish the job. Man will always be better than any machine. Remember that.
I actually never considered that idea.
Personification of "You can not get me down." Cyborg had some of the hardest hitting serious notes in this show.
I think what makes this story resonate more than other “little engine who could” stories is that the doubt is internal in this episode more than anything while most stories focus on the external causes of doubt. Making it internal makes it easier to put yourself in the character’s shoes because most of the time when you doubt yourself in life it is internally motivated, not externally.
Well spoken
It's not that everyone around him is saying he can't do it, it's that HE tells himself he can't do it. It's about him learning to believe in himself, not him overcoming great odds
3:31 I only know one character he voice acts i guess too but from amphibia king andreas he's just doing his normal voice i think and i love it
@@hybridvenom9OMG THAT’S WHERE I HEARD HIM FROM!🤯
I think they were trying to portray that cyborg had a defeatist mindset and at the end got over it. He didn't believe he could do something and so only half-heartedly tried, but when his friend were on the line finally tried his hardest and succeeded. It's a very subtle message.
^THIS. And Agreed.
The line at the very end when atlas says "you're the better robot" when cyborg replies "no I'm a better person" is an acceptance of both his mechanical and human halves.
you know what sucks about Bloo and Mac? In the first season, the two *were* genuine friends who cared about each other. Heck, Mac imagined Bloo with that in mind because he had no other friends, his older brother was a bully and his parents weren't understanding of his situation. Heck again, his mother told him that he's too old for imaginary friends and has to get rid of Bloo because "he's already 8 years old". EIGHT YEARS OLD IS CONSIDERED "too old for imaginary friends" IN HER EYES. And in a world where imaginary friends are ACTUALLY real! So he imagined someone that would really be his friend and in his corner. And Bloo was nice and a friend to Mac, for whom he was worried, stayed by his side even when his brother would torment them, eventualy even protecting Mac (like in the Red episode) and working together towards a common goal (like in the "Adopt a friend saturday" episodes)
@Cartoonist Louis can't really speak for the other shows, as I haven't seen them. But I don't know, in latter seasons Bloo can be a real A-hole to Mac (and everyone else as well): putting Mac in danger, leaving Mac in danger, prioritizing his own schemes and wants, making fun of Mac, giving him sugar knowing the effect it has on him Mac.
@@floricel_112 The episode where Bloo ruins Mac's birthday really sticks out in that regard.
The setting of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is actually horrifying if you scrutinize it for even a moment. It's a world where children can effectively give birth to fully living things completely apropos of nothing, and Goo is a direct expression of this.
@@ThatguycalledJoe not to mention that teenagers can as well. I shutter to think what some of them could come up with or what they would use them for.
@@EvilerOMEGA to quote Best Girl "Come on. You know why"
Yes Keith David’s voice is legendary. He was great bringing Dr. Facilier, Goliath and Spawn to life.
Looking forward to seeing Raven, Starfire, and Beastboy focused episodes.
The President on Rick and Morty
@@claymathewselevator8121 Is no one mentioning mother fucking Darth Vader
Not going to mention the Arbiter?
@@icicle_ai Arbiter screaming in anger in the back ground.
"were it so easy"@@johnojeda3900
Episode really embodies one of my favorite quotes "Nothing is Impossible to He who will try."
Alexander the Great said that and it's true, things only seem impossible if you never make the effort.
Cyborg has ALWAYS been my favorite character. His positivity, his very human weaknesses, and how he conquers them.
I do think it's fitting that he pushed through his limits physically. What happened there was Overclocking; where you force a machine to operate beyond its regulated parameters, which shortens its lifespan before it breaks down in exchange for higher immediate output, which is no different from pushing yourself and feeling sore a while later.
I think theres a big difference in a shorten lifespan vs feeling sore
@@dustyrose192 For machines, "lifespan" refers to how long an apparatus is guaranteed to function as well as it should before it shows signs of breaking down. Nothing too literal. I'm not saying that Cyborg is gonna meet an early grave for that 130% stunt; just that he very likely had to repair and/or replace some parts off-screen; which in turn isn't too different from what living organisms naturally do as old cells die off and new ones are made.
Overclocking is a specific term referring to increasing the _clock_ speed of a device - which dictates how frequently instructions are processed. The most relevant descriptor here is _probably_ overvolting, i.e. increasing the power flowing through something like a motor. If Cyborg has hydraulic parts overpressure could also be relevant.
Indeed, is just DANGEROUS because, unlike humans, machines lack a proper self-repair system for physical damage. But unlike a Machine, Cyborg's human side grants him 4 friends who can back him up in cases like that, meaning that he can push himself farther than 100% if dire situations.
It's funny when you consider that Cyborgs body is based on New God Mother box technology.
Which are known to possess the ability to evolve on their own through experience. So him breaking those "built in limits" is very possible, and his mindset mightve been the hurdle blocking it.
This version of Cyborg wasn’t based on the New 52 version. This version was inspired by the George Perez and Marv Wolfman era of the Titans.
Its also likely that mother box tech has a similar idea to human strength limitation for the same reason. Cyborg pushing himself like that caused damage to his body so he probably always had more like all humans do and pushed through those limits like any other human can.
Except it isn’t…….
This was made before the New 52, but I still like that idea.
It *became* that way when The New 52 happened, but the point still stands. I think it was Gordanian tech that Cyborg's body was based on back in the day.
This is one of my favorite Cyborg episodes of the original Teen Titans series! it really put his character to the test!
There's a different Teen Titans show? Huh.
**Never heard of it.**
@@PWaldo-lw2ds yeah i wonder what it is
YES! You covered one of my favorite Teen Titans episodes! Besides Keith David playing the role of Atlas, Cyborg’s struggle with seeing the machine side of his limits really stuck with me as a kid. The genius of that scene where he’s talking to his own reflection, his cyborg face telling him he can’t win, and his human face defying that claim.
The episodes where Cyborg still finds his humanity are some of the best Teen Titans episodes for me, personally.
Still better then ttg 2013 show horrible
It’s funny how it all started off with someone getting their ass kicked in a video game
@@A-TALKING-TOASTER Atlas doxxed Cyborg after losing an online match in a video game.
Another thing this episode tought me dont bite the hand that feeds you 😅
Can't wait for the Raven episode. Speaking of which... she can open portals. How could she not simply teleport out of her prison? And as you said, she could just dismantle Atlas. There were a lot of ways the other titans should have easily been able to defeat Atlas. Starfire is always shown to be a lot stronger than Cyborg (physically at least), Beastboy could turn into a mouse or bug, crawl inside of Atlas, and start chewing wires, and I'm sure Robin's got some kind of gadget that could get inside the crevices of Atlas' body and gunk up the machinery. Hell, we know that Robin as Red X has a plan to defeat each Titan. Pretty sure what he used for Cyborg (I forget what it was) would also work on Atlas.
I think they were smart enough to tell what's going on. They know cyborg well enough that he needed to win the fight. If things got actually really bad I'm sure they'd bust out easily.
Same with getting captured to begin with.
I always chalked it up as they are still teenagers and still coming into their own as heroes so they are gonna make mistakes when ever it seems like they should have won a fight then don’t
I thought that she looked up how to use that kind of magic later after this situation so she could do it, similar to how she made a spell to put Plasmus to sleep.
Maybe a season 4 episode? That was her season
I just realized that aspect of the red x storyline was probably a nod to the justice league: doom storyline.
My predictions for other Teen Titans videos Shady will do, specifically ones for the other 3 Titans are:
1. Beast Boy: Beast Within
2. Starfire: The bad word for Tamaranians
3. Raven: The one where they go inside her mind
Edit 1: Ayyy Shady did the Troq episode 😎
Or for one to do Starfire and Raven at the same time, the puppet guy who switches their bodies
I don't know, the Starfire one felt less about Starfire and more about racism in general. It would probably still make for a good video, but I feel like there has to be a better episode that focuses on her. Also, the episode is called "Troq," if we're thinking of the same one. Unless there's another episode about Tamaranian slurs that I can't remember.
@@shreknskrubgaming7248 Troq, that was it. And if there's one needed more about Starfire herself there's the one where she goes through "puberty" and runs away cause her body changes. Or the black fire episode. Lots of choices.
@@shreknskrubgaming7248 I was thinking of the wedding episode with Blackfire.
you're a filthy troq. your opinions mean nothing
Keith David's perfect as Atlas! The same guy who played Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog; he has a knack for playing antagonists.
As for this episode, it's definitely a good mark for Cyborg's character growth; and we continue seeing him grow even after his final confrontation with Brother Blood in season 3
He is a great actor and has done lots of voice work. He was also Captain Anderson in Mass Effect.
And Julius in the og saints row.
And.... himself in 4.
He also voice bowlow in final space and he decently rocked that role
@@ryanhernandez5632 oh and the mother fucking Arbiter. Can't forget that.
@@samreddig8819 forgot he voiced arbiter lol
I like the mechanic's arc as well. As Robin points out, Atlas needs him, not the other way around. Atlas can't install his own weapons, apparently can't even get his own oil. Atlas is like so many anime villains and bullies/gangs in Westerns and the like. (Think also A Bug's Life and the grasshoppers.) He can't survive without the help of the people he's oppressing but rather than work out something beneficial he forces them to do his bidding, meaning he's not getting the best help, not getting someone who might be on his side when he really needs it, and is opening himself up for betrayal when he's at his weakest. Robin helps the mechanic see that and so he turns against him. For all Atlas's strength, he has a major weakness he won't acknowledge and thus can't properly overcome.
For the raven episode of these. I hope you do the one where beast boy and cyborg go into her mind
No, she isn't properly present in that episode in the same sense as some others. But i think it would be a way to look into her character more deeply than just how she presents herself
As for this episode itself, i love it. And i always saw seeing his arm sensor as us being able to see with his cybernetic eye, showing that he has to know his percentage usage to keep from getting hurt. This is why i appreciate seeing him constantly upgrading in latwr episodes, working on his metal body as he used to his physical as an athlete. This episode i feel. Starts that. Shows he can get stronger, he can become better even though he is now "limited" by being mostly metal.
Cyborg starts to upgrade his metal form because of this episodes impact. Its not the first or last time we see him begin to work on improving. And its another reason i love this show
plus it' sjust nice hearing Tara do all those variant voices.
Love this episode, not only because of Keith David, but the lessons. 1. Accept your limits, but push yourself 2. Keep your ego in check 3.Be a better person.
This same concept of human spirit pops up again with Brother Blood asking him what makes him so defiant, and Cyborg says his human spirit
I love Keith David so much, I always get so excited when I hear his voice.
Goosebumps
The President in Rick and Morty
Cyborg was an absolute beast in the show. His fights always had the meatiest sound effects, the most crunchy-bashy hits and punches, hell even his arm canon acted less like a blast of energy, and more like an extension of his fist. This episode was raw-Cyborg testosterone, mixed with body-positivity and supportive friends theming; just some badass messages to tie the bow :3
Hey Shady, another great review! My theory on the whole "100%" aspect of the episode is that it was less of a "this is how much you can do period, end of discussion" and more of a "this is how much you're capable of doing before it gets dangerous". Kind of like a car, you can run it to a certain point safely with no issue, however if you push it to the redline you can go faster but you put the engine at risk of blowing. I think that it is the same for Cyborg's mechanical muscles and biological organs, his muscles could probably go all the way up 150% with potentially no damage to the muscles themselves. However, Cyborg's organic heart, brain, and adrenal glands wouldn't be able to keep up and could give out if he pushes too hard, as machines can work harder than biological bodies, and if he wasn't careful he could end up killing himself by pushing too much.
Now this gets a little head-canony so ymmv, but I think that when Victor was rebuilt into Cyborg he wanted to test out his new body the way any athlete or teen would. He pushed himself to 100% and wanted to go harder, but the doctors and scientists who were monitoring him basically told him that if he did his heart could (and probably would) give out under the stress of keeping up with his mechanical muscles. This probably scared him so much, especially in light of his recent near death experience, that he took the 100% monitor as gospel, which would explain why he felt he couldn't give anymore any time it came up throughout the episode. Now that does bring up why he didn't explain this to his friends, my thought is that he felt that he would be a liability to the team if they knew; he probably thought they'd be more concerned about him hitting his limits and getting hurt because they weren't paying attention in a fight. Or it could be just a matter of pride, he didn't want to admit any form of weakness like any teen hates to do.
So when he went up to 130% he could always do that but mentally limited himself and his declaration of "Yes I Can!!!" to Atlas was him mentally breaking that limit he put himself under. Now that's not to say he could do it again without danger but he now knows he can if the situation calls for it. My reason for this line of thought is the fact we never see any indication that his muscles were at the limit; no sparks, no cracks, nothing that would indicate that if he pushed more the parts would break. Especially as he pushed them to 130% with no damage to his body at all (which does make sense, you can redline a car and nothing will happen but it is not something one should do lightly!). So that makes it seem that the limit is more a safety feature for his remaining organic components than a hard-line limit of the capability of the mechanical components.
TL;DR: the limit was less a limit, more a safety feature that Cyborg learned wasn't as rigid as he thought.
As somone who works on cars... Yeah, limits are usually set at about 20% less than what the machine can actually handle. At least, for a short burst. The limits are there to ensure the machine can last a good long time under normal use. The question of pushing those limits for machines is simple: How often are you okay with the machine breaking? Since a cyborg needs those machines to, you know, live, they probably shouldn't push past their design limitations...
Literally the greatest way to describe Robin this entire episode is, “proving that he is in fact Batman’s protege”. All he did was provide support from a mental perspective. Wouldn’t be surprised if he had numerous ways to end the episode and jump Atlas but allowed Cyborg to have this one. Much like the Brother Blood instance
That "friendless loser" bit hit a little close to home.
Someone finally understands that this is how good friends are. I feel like a lot of shows I grew up with had shitty friendships. Danny Phantom, Yugioh, and others.
ALSO Shadey don't feel bad I've been shocked at who can voice who more than once
sometimes a voice can be super recognizable and you still cross a wire
like that terrible Allen Gregory show, I could have sworn that was Jonah Hill. But it was Jason Bateman.
and when Spectacular Spider-Man couldn't keep Keith David after his first appearance and had to switch over, I actually had trouble telling it was KMR and man I can always tell when it's KMR.
I agree with Danny phantom having terrible friendships but how the hell does Yu-Gi-Oh fit that description? Every one of them would literally die for one another. Heck, in the manga all of yugi friends all put themselves in death games by kaiba just to help yugi to duel kaiba and save his grandpa. If that's not true friendship then nothing is. If you wanted another example of a terrible friendship then just look at my gym partner a monkey. Now that's a terrible friendship to have.
@Daniel Perez I mean the Anime more than I do the Manga. They messed Joey up and made him way to stupid and way to selfish for my likes (especially since in the Manga he's like the lug head from YuYuHakusho)
Tristan and Tea. Well do I even have to explain that?
@@halleyangel1706 selfish? The dude literally jumped off a boat just to save Yugi's exodia cards. Tristan and tea all showed both yugi and joey nothing but support in their duels. Not to mention the fact that Tristan was looking over Joey's sister while she was getting her operation.
@Daniel Perez I've read the whole Manga. It's done better there is all I'll say yes it's darker but you actually feel a impact in that. Not so much in the anime especially since it needs a redub
Literally everytime Cyborg got his own episode in this show, it was absolute gold. This one and the episode where he falls in that hole into a pile of scrap were some of the best episodes in the whole show and the lessons taught still stick with me to this day.
him putting his mind to it and him going past his limits is a metafor, he basically overclocked his mechanical systems, humans can "overclock" themselves for a short period of time too. that's why you see "superhuman" acts in real life scenario. the right mindset can do great things for a person
Its criminal how the writers went with TTGO over this DCAU masterpiece.
Teen Titans wasn't part of the DCAU, but I agree with you.
@@frankblazer6377 Yeah, the DCAU thing was very cloudy when it was airing, so its canonicity (or lack thereof) is still not as well known as it should be. I never thought it was, personally, but a lot of WB/CN assets at the time were linking them together.
I don't know, that economics rant was legendary.
Amazing video! I can't wait to see more about each character.
Also, I always felt that Atlas was able to beat the Titans because of a couple of combined reasons: 1: he got the drop on them. He managed to somehow break into Titans Tower through their TV.
To reinforce this, firstly, they are still Teens. Even well trained adults struggle to keep composure when someone breaks into their house. ESPECIALLY when they are in a relaxed environment where they don't have to be alert, (IE, the Den, Bathroom, bedroom).
2: The titans were not prepared to face Atlas. He is a kind of Cyborg clone. They've never faced someone like that. In FACT, he is meant to sort of foretell the trouble Brother Blood would bring later this season.
3: on top of all this. The Titans care a lot for Cyborg. He is the oldest of the group, and he does take care of a lot of the chores. He is kind of a surrogate father/mother figure for all the Titans. He is ALWAYS holding the others accountable, keeping tabs and showing through his actions that he cwres for the titans.
He runs and operates the tower, cooks, cleans, and as far as we know, he does all the work. The other Titans can't exactly repay this kind of care, so they would be absolutely impulsive to jump to his aid as soon as possible, should he be singled out like he was with Atlas. But that urge was so strong, they didn't really take the time to observe before acting. They just jumped in.
something I actually wish they showed more of is Cyborg's intelligence. specifically in regards to technology. like, yeah, they show he made the spaceship and car, but in regards to his OWN abilities, they only show his sonic cannon. they don't show much of his own upgrades.
One of the best written episodes and it really humanizes Cyborg. It reminds of that 12 steps scene from Men of honor where the moral is you get on going regardless of how tired you are. "God damn it Cookie, move your ass I want my 12!"
The mind quote makes perfect sense because Cyborg had a defeatist mindset when it came to working out & fighting.
The whole episode was literally about him being riddled with self-doubt in his mind due to being half robot & that's what caused him to lose on those occasions.
It's a very good message because you can't really accomplish much of what you want if you have a defeatist mindset & self-doubt.
This is one of the episodes that really stuck with me over the years. I took the reason Cyborg was able to surpass his meter is because it doesn't measure his full ability. Rather when it cracks it implies he surpassed the safety limit, something both machines and living creatures have. But the human spirit, so to speak, can allow people to push beyond those limits through belief or desperation. It's likely a trait integral to our evolutionary survival.
It is like in Star Trek when Scotty already pushed the machines to their limit and Kirk still demanding more energy. So Scotty pushes the machines in further which may or may not cause serious damage to them.
I’m surprised that you didn’t include Penny’s friends from The Proud Family considering that they are always willing to betray or take advantage of Penny just to get their way or avoid trouble.
Currently about to hit the gym but when I saw this episode when I was little and was in the hospital with chemo it gave me so much hope. I'll watch this in 2 hours shady I'm looking forward to this so much appreciate you big man
I could believe the mechanic and the robot are; most of the other villains don't have someone to tag team and know the kind of weaponry/ repairs that need to be made inside and out. A villain with the flaw of needing a human but at the same time hating humans. Not only that; but were talking about said heroes that were trying to help after getting done with training.
2:38 I have to say, cheering someone up never looked THIS hilarious 🤣
The animation in this scene was en POINTE 👌 in bringing out the comedy to its full potential, to the point where I still remember it in detail to this DAY!
That thing with Cyborg winning with his body and not his mind/spirit did always bother me too and still does now but I think I got an idea. When the dial metaphor got brought up, I kept that in mind, it’s weird that his dial goes up. But then I thought about hydraulic presses, the percentage isn’t a limitation it’s just a PSI meter that is set to a percentage and Cyborg was just too in his own funk to realize that. It’s a really terrible cope out but it’s the only way I can rationalize how the ending could still work and not be confusing. 😭
Do... Do you think you can just crank up how much pressure a hydrolic cylender is under and have it be okay with that? Because you super cannot. Those numbers exist for a reason. And sure, while your car jack can lift a little more than what the box said, it will probably be damaged doing it. If it's a lot more than what the rating is for, that thing could explode and kill you. No joke.
There's one thing missing: breaking Cyborg's implants in that final push. He's going beyond the limits of the machinery, the machine should break, emphasizing that he's relying not on the strength of the machine but on the resilience of his humanity
My interpretation of the moment where cyborg overcomes atlas is when he starts using and embracing both halves of himself. Earlier in the episode cyborg relies on his artificial half to bear the weight. It's only when he uses both his physical and mechanical sides as one does he circumvent the individual weaknesses of both.
I think this one hits home because "I think I can" isn't the first step, it's the last
Cyborg constantly works hard and actively works out despite the fact that he thinks he can't increase his maximum, just for the hope that one day he's be able to push even one gram harder than the day before
I can also imagine most athletes have a genuine fear of reaching their maximum potential, when you have everything, where is there to go?
I'm really enjoying these Teen Titans videos so far! Teen Titans was my life when I was a kid, I had all the DVD's and I would watch them constantly. I'm glad to see someone taking a critical look at this show, acknowledging it's flaws and pointing out it's messages. This was one of the best Cyborg episodes I remember watching.
10:30 *THIS* is one of the many reasons why the Teen Titans show was so dam good!
You're right that you can't make anything happen by simply saying, "I think I can." Cyborg was really pushing himself to the limit but stops himself because he doesn't believe he can. He thinks that he can't go any further, so he doesn't try to. But when push comes to shove, Victor dug deep and let go of the mentality of being unable, and when he yells:
YES.........I.........CAN!!!
God, it almost always makes me cry. He had the will to push thru and win at the end. In a much later episode when he's fighting that one orange cyborg guy, Cyborg said it best
"It's not in the circuitry, is it?! It's my spirit! And that's something you'll never break!"
Every single one of the titans is my favorite character and that's why I love the show so much
my HOURS brainrot activated and I said: HE OVERCLOCKED! (I didn’t scream)
The thing people leave out when it comes to The Little Engine That Could, is that they don't show the struggle the character goes through to accomplish a goal, or show the character fail, only to reassess and then succeed
You know, I never really realized just how much I cared about Cyborg as a kid watching this show, until I thought about it. So many of the episodes I still remember, or had a lasting impact on me, are moments with him as the focal point. Him giving his 110% gave me chills! The sum of his parts always had me pumping my fist in the air cheering him on to kick ass! Or especially the episode where offbrand silver surfer is space racist to Starfire, and Cyborg talks to her about it and shares his own struggles with how people percieve him for being half robot. He is legit the core heart of the show, with gadgets, as well as being an emotional and physical rock for his friends. I will always stand by the fact that this Teen Titan’s Cyborg, is the best version of Cyborg there is! 😢❤❤❤ No contest!
10:11 Cyborg cracked his human parts, Atlas cracked and crunched his circuits and wiring.
Cyborg vs Robot-Brother Blood is another great episode, I'm sure we would all love to see you review it!
Possibly my favorite episode, or one of them. Cyborg was my favorite as a kid
Sometimes we really do need to look back on our younger years to get the motivation to get through today. Thanks for the reminder as to why Teen Titans is great.
I know you subtly pointed to it, but i wanted to emphasize this: They actually use the limit joke again with the 120%, which is another idiom for giving it your all. But on top of that, it shows that the screen is cracked. It teaches him to push his limits but not just not to get wreckless. His body itself can physically only handle so much but thats why humans made strategy in combat
3:32 you mean Arbiter Thel Vadam from Halo (Keith David), yeah i recognized him too.
It amazes me how many things from my childhood that Keith David is in. Especially now that he's my favorite character in Hazbin Hotel.
This episode was awesome. It had everything: Fight scenes, the message, Keith David & etc
I’m not to proud to admit when you first said Ron Perlman my instant response was “Oh I thought it was Keith David”.
Damn, this cartoon's writing is incredible. Foolish people whom love Go! & refuse to understand why us older fans get annoyed about the sequel series, this is one episode to share with them. I recall watching this when it premiered on TV & have happily enjoyed reruns. Powerful
Fun Fact!
The voice of Atlas (Keith David) is also the voice of the Arbiter in Halo.
Yep, Keith David is one of my favorite VA's. He did Goliath, David Anderson in Mass Effect, as well as fricken Spawn in both the animated series and Mortal Kombat.
Also, like others have said, this is one of my favorite Cyborg episodes.
This concept of a guy who's whole goal is to become a cyborg/android completely robotic, was ahead of its time. This wasn't everyone's favorite season, but I thought it was really good, especially the ending of this arc was really cool. Brother blood has this theme of control. He's obsessed with becoming like cyborg and does everything in his power to control him. At the end of the day he couldn't. Cyborg had a strong will power that couldn't be broken. It gave him closure on his feelings about becoming a cyborg. At times he felt like he was missing out because he became like this, but there was a part of him that was still human, that's why he was able to resist.
1:04 I said the same thing about the Pacific Rim scenes inside the bay. Tiny preparation scenes make the action and world feel so much more filled out.
This is how you build investment in characters.
Fun fact: Khary Payton was in Hellraiser: Hellworld with a pre-Tudors Henry Cavill.
Also, Greg Cipes was in a straight-to-DVD horror movie about boy band zombies.
1:30 It depends, there's always a _little_ more you can always give when you're weight training, and those last few reps are the most important. So a lot of the time you'll hear a spotter say the kinds of things Robin was saying in order to get that final rep out. Worst case scenario if the spotter is wrong than it's not like the weight lifter is going to immediately fold and have the weight hit their neck or chest. You start to see the weights slowly decline closer to the lifter and that's when you take the weights off of them.
That being said it's clear that Cyborg is at his limit, furthermore since Robin has seemingly no control over the weights he really shouldn't be egging Cyborg on like that. Especially with that monstrosity of a machine Cyborg is using.
Willpower is a thing, it’s how I’ve physically overcome problems (that I put myself into) and lift more than I should’ve been able to. That’s how I take the “my mind pushes past my limits” thing. Pure “f you, I’m doing it anyway” willpower.
When it came to cy, the brother blood storyline always had a bigger effect on me. Being his own man, not needing him as an inspiration was more impactful for me, as my parents were divorced and my dad not being a great influence.
That said, I look forward to your raven episode. She's always been my favorite.
The thing about the limits of human muscles is that they are a lot fuzzier than something mechanical. At any given time, even the strongest person trying their hardest is only using about 30% of their muscles' maximum capacity, but it is possible to go past that limit in extreme circumstances. It can cause injury and isn't sustainable, but there is something to going past your normal limits with sheer effort.
3:00 That’s how I feel about most animated shows and movies from the 2000s.
"Keep your eye on the cookie."
I think BB's approach is surprisingly clever, because, even if Beast Boy just ends up annoying Cyborg, it'll at least get his mind off of his problems for a bit.
Hey Shady, I think the perfect Starfire episode to cover is the episode “how long is forever”
I love the detail of ciborg only tilting his head one way to crack it because the other side of his neck is robotic hens forth not needing to be stretched
Hey Shady! Absolutely adore your work. Cyborg has always struck me as the most “mature” and “closer to adulthood” of the Titans, def the “would be leader” if Robin’s ego ever backed down. I think this struggle with image, identity, and Cyborg’s clear emotional trauma/grudge he has against himself always made him, to me, the most relatable of the Titans. I think that best explains why so many Cyborg-centric episodes have stayed with me for so long-
this episode, as well as “Sun of His Parts” always gets me emotionally. Cyborg should never be defined by his disability, looks, or how much his robotic parts make him stronger and thusly a good super hero - but it is easy identify with the struggle of his limits if you do suffer from such physical limits that other people around you just don’t have, like myself - pretty bad breathing issues // severe asthma, as well as a bad car accident I got into as a young kid that really set back my ability to walk / process information for a long time. People almost act afraid of you once they notice you’re so different from them. Seeing that as a young kid, it is hard to forget those feelings of resentment and equally being upset with friends for pushing you further than you can handle even when they have great intentions, just like the Titans did with Cyborg as they trained together. I think you so gracefully highlighted what makes Victor / Cyborg such a empathic and lovable character.
If I may, I’m sure you don’t plan on going back to another Robin episode anytime soon for your Teen Titans analysis, but I wanted to throw my two cents in there for you to possibly cover “Haunted” because I think it highlights so much unpacked psychological trauma and insight into Robin.
It is an episode that basically lives rent free in my brain since I saw it as a kiddo. If I’m not mistaken, it features Robin’s innate traits of distrust and paranoia, forces the Titans to trust if Slade is really gone, better explores his relationship with Raven as she is an empath, hints at some really cool Batman content and finally, leaves the viewers on a really unnerving and mysterious end- which showed so much thoughtfulness and respect for a “kid’s” show in the early 2000s! I think it’s a special episode for the character and I would love to know your thoughts! I know you tend to use Titan Titans episodes with a theme like in your Robin and now this Cyborg one…so I’m not entirely of the moral theme for this episode. Maybe the genuine struggle to find trust in one’s self and friends as he battles his paranoia or maybe asking for help via Raven? 😅forgive a fan girl for asking …I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask.
Anyway, I’ll be watching the rest of your content for sure, and I’ll be super happy to watch any Teen Titans content you with special interest!
12:00 watching this episode again, the fix I would've use is cyborg making modifications to his watch so it tricks Atlas into thinking he's at his limits and pushing beyond them, not only making Atlas letting his guard down , but also being intimidated when he sees Cyborg can push beyond his limits as a robot, using his mind to hide his limitations as a robot.
Shady! I don't know if you're a Malcolm in The Middle fan, but if you did commentary on those episodes, Man, you'd have my whole childhood nostalgia niche monopolized I swear. Teen titans, atla, koth etc lmfao and an additional internet acronym. Thanks for the great content!
Absolute boss, cyborgs stories were always about the really deep stuff that had you think beyond what makes Man greater than machine. Always loved this episode and every cyborg centered episode.
4:38 my favorite part. I love your sense of humor Shady, its awesome.
Shady Doorags “What are y’all cracking? Y’all are made of metal.”
This cracks me up for some reason haha
The episodes that focus on Cyborg are great. I love his struggle to fell human and to be human.
That "Yes I Can" is a stupendous line.
Been waiting for you to talk about cyborg! This episode made me cry when I first saw it as a kid but I dident know why back then. Cyborg is such a sad but strong character in my eyes
Yea, I could see them possibly doing something like having Cyborg reconfigure his power output or whatever in his head and distribute it in a "smart way" that lets him overpower Atlas, but at the same time, as noted by Shady, Cyborg was realizing that he didn't need to let his mechanical body's limits keep him from pushing the limit. While there's obviously a lot to discuss about the pros and cons of pushing limits, that wasn't the point of the episode since this wasn't about reckless limit breaking.
2:27 i so fucking was, i'm so glad you mentioned it. The best i could come up with is cyborg is he had always perceived his cyborg half as a bad thing since his accident and so he was prone to also see this situation in a negative light, even if it ignores logic to an extent.
I also loved that overcoming the odds/limits moment of Cyborg's "Yes I can", and then when I found the 'Dont Lose Your Way goes with everything' meme, that scene was one of the first I thought of that would fit the song.
That friendless loser line was an unexpected lefthook to my funnybone lmao that was amazing
One could argue he used his mind to manually overclock his robotic parts, causing him to overheat faster, but for a quick burst the downside of overheating is negligible
Wait isn't Atlas also a mythical Greek being!
When cyborg talks abt his mind, he’s talking abt taking the pain and pushing through it. As a wrestler, everyone you ever meet in the sport will tell you the hardest part isn’t the physical feats, it’s the mental will to keep going. You’re tired, you’re hungry, you’ve had nothing to drink the night before so you can make weigh ins, and then you have 6 minutes against someone who’s done the same. Technique is involved, and so is muscle mass, but at the end of the day the person who can push themselves instead of just giving up when it would be so much easier to lie down and let it be over is the winner. That’s what Cyborg meant.
The Weird Al clip got a belly laugh out of me. I did not see it coming and it was edited in very well. This is always been one of my favorite Teen Titans episode, thank you for covering it. (Gushing over original avatar is always appreciated too.)
“Love it despite its flaws”. That is an idea I both can get behind and have done myself, to this day in fact.
Shady, you’ve done it again. Fantastic analysis, as always and the cinematography you point out is something I wish more analysts did when making videos. Now all I want is more ATLA 😂 love ya my man
honestly i feel the "using his mind" part is, even though his body did the work it was his mind, or in this case, his will t hat got his body to even do what it needed to
he overcame his mental limitations, essentially him beliving he could never go past 100 percent is what kept him from actually doing it
more so than believing in himself, he used his mind in getting past the mental blocks he had, he focused his thoughts and his will into specifically pushing past 100%
which is what then made it so his body did as he wanted, exceeding it's set limits at the cost of extra stress to his robotic parts
it's basically Cyborg's version of "Overclocking"
4:50 but neither of them are human, so Atlas is technically correct
It's little details/moments like the one that you mentioned where Cyborg is not just talking to his reflection but his human side make me love Teen Titans even more. I also never thought of that Jon DiMaggio thing before that is just hilarious! 😂
1:13 Starfires version of English slang is so charming and hilarious
If your doing the whole team I'd suggest the Doom Patrol episode for Beast Boy, his sudden attitude change when presented with his old team shows so much that he went through
Crazy @3:14 you said “my generation” and showed shows that are in the same generation with teen titans bro that’s hilarious 😂