Sup, Toonami Faithful. Let me introduce myself. My name is J.P., but some of you guys may know me as JPReckless2444. This is my first editorial for the site and I’m real excited about it. What a debut I have in hand.

Toonami Faithful has declared this September to be “Intruder Month”. We’ll look back at Toonami’s very first Total Immersion Event, The Intruder, as well as prepare for the upcoming sequel in November. In celebration, I want to share my opinions and predictions regarding what could happen during the event and relive TOM and SARA’s first encounter with the beast incarnate. I’ve re-watched all of The Intruder as well as the teasers for The Intruder II several times and have broken down five key points that I feel could be useful going into Intruder II. So without further ado, let’s get it started!

1. What is the purpose of the giant ship?

Since the teasers of Intruder II were released, the one question on everyone’s mind is “What is that ship the Absolution will encounter?” There’s a lot of speculation regarding the purpose of this huge carrier. Who’s controlling it? Why is it there? We know it will attack TOM and SARA, but why? Is it really a threat? For all we know, it could just be protecting the nearby planet, but it could also be a trap. It reminds me of what happened on Toonami’s second T.I.E.: Lockdown, when The Absolution mk.1 got sucked in by a tractor beam from an unidentified carrier. It used a distress signal to trick other ships. This ship is doing the same thing, but is just trying to prevent The Absolution from coming closer to that planet or is it attempting to destroy The Absolution? If it has no malicious intent, then that confrontation may just be the prelude for what the red blob has in store for TOM and SARA later on.

2. TOM and SARA’s trust will be put to the ultimate test.

TOM and SARA are the true definition of partners in crime and they have been through a lot. They survived one Intruder attack, kept themselves out of Lockdown, been trapped in Hyperspace and have encountered several other dangerous entities throughout the years. No matter what happened, they have always been there for each other. SARA retrieved TOM 1’s memory for TOM 2 and TOM saved her from being hacked by a crazed virus. This time will be no different, but out of everything they’ve been through, their encounter with the blob was the only thing that caused tension between them. Back then, the duo had very different personalities. TOM was a laid-back, snarky robot while SARA was more logical and conservative. He was a bit careless and didn’t take the first Intruder encounter seriously so she always had to check up on him. The tension escalated to its pique when the blob consumed the ship’s engine and destroyed TOM’s first body.

It seems as though TOM may have learned his lesson the first time and won’t make the same mistakes twice. This time, he’s more mature and he probably knows how to handle the situation better. Lately, SARA has been taking it easy on him and has adapted his attitude, but she will keep him on point when needed. I doubt it will come to the point where they just “Pearl & Garnet” each other and break apart, but they have to be on the same page this time around.

3. Will History Repeat Itself?

As the saying goes, if you don’t learn from your mistakes, you’re bound to repeat them. We all remember what happened to TOM 1. The first confrontation cost him his life. We shed a tear for our beloved hero, until TOM 2 debuted. When the Toonami crew announced Intruder II, I definitely had an eerie feeling that it would happen again and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Are Jason and Gill cruel enough to do it again? Logically, no.

Even though bad things are likely to happen to TOM 5, I doubt it will be anything life-threatening. I believe it’s too early for a TOM 6. Many fans love him for what he is, but I feel he doesn’t have an identity the way his previous incarnations did, other than being a TOM of course. TOM 1 only lasted two years, but he was the original TOM and iconic in his own right. Arguably, TOM 2 is still the face of Toonami. He was cooler and more badass than TOM 1, he lasted longer than the others and he remains the most popular among fans. TOM 3 was just edgier and more muscular back in the day but when he upgraded to 3.5 for Toonami’s return in 2012, he became even more mature and used profanity during some of his promos. He was the kind of guy you would be proud of to have as an uncle or an older brother. Hell, even TOM 4 had more connection with the fans, mainly because he was the most hated.

Every TOM had their own unique style to them. To be real, to me, TOM 5 hasn’t had enough time to separate himself from the pack. I get it. It’s hard to top TOM 3.5. Rather than killing TOM 5 off, they should give him time to gradually connect with the fans. The inspirational speeches help that and do him justice but he’s not quite there yet. Maybe they could tweak his body design? I think they should have him lose against the Intruder, just like in part 1, but somehow survive the attack. His body would be in critical condition, near the point of death. That would be a great cliffhanger and would keep the fans guessing. Eventually, SARA would send Clydes to assist TOM. They would not only repair him, but also add some major upgrades. TOM 5.5 doesn’t sound bad at all. Also, I doubt Steve Blum is leaving. He is probably the only voice actor that knows the true spirit of TOM.

If someone has to be sacrificed, it should be SARA. She needs it the most. We all love the current SARA, but you have to admit, her current look is kinda a downgrade from the full body she once had. I know the crew didn’t have the money back then, but with all their money going into Intruder II, they have the opportunity. They teased it before but how it would happen is a different story.

4. Any Surprises In Store?

With the bad comes the good. What kind of goodies do they have in store? Hopefully the return of the Clydes and maybe they’ll expand the interior designs of The Absolution mk.3. I think I speak for everyone when I say, “We want more!” This is the first T.I.E. since 2004, why not go all out on it? Perhaps, add a couple easter eggs for the long time Toonami Faithfuls. Maybe even a cameo from TOM 1, voiced by Sonny Strait himself. Or maybe they’ll finally address the elephant in the room: are TOM and SARA more than just partners? They could at least tease a romantic relationship between the two. Like a hot girl wearing the proper skirt. Short enough to keep people guessing and long enough to not reveal too much.

I’m sure this will be an action-packed thrill ride, but it should also tell a great story. It doesn’t have to be on the level of “Game of Thrones” or “The Walking Dead”, but it should bring out the emotions of the viewers.

5. The Aftermath

What does the future hold for Toonami after the event? Will Toonami get rebranded again? Could we get a longer Toonami intro? Will TOM 5 find a way to survive this time? Will SARA get that full body? Will the Absolution mk.3 stay intact or will it follow the footsteps of the mk.1? Does The Intruder have a weakness? Could this possibly be the beginning of a much bigger story? That, my friends, is up to us. Whether we use social media or the upcoming Toonami App, the fate of the block rests in our hands. Every decision we will make will affect Toonami. Be prepared, Toonami will never be the same again.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I really put my heart into and hope you guys enjoyed. Feel free to join in the conversation. Leave a comment down below and share your thoughts and predictions. Also, thanks goes out to Paul Pescrillo and the Toonami Faithful crew for giving me an opportunity to be part of this site. They give their hearts to this site, so please support ’em. This editorial ends where the last left off. As always, Stay Gold.

BANG.

Written by: JPReckless2444

Edited by: Sketch

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