Battlebots: Season 9, Episode 14 “Live to Die Another Day” – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)

As we figure out who will become part of the top 16, there are some shocks about who will face off for the giant nut.

As we figure out who will become part of the top 16, there are some shocks about who will face off for the giant nut.

Recap/ Review (with Commentary & Spoilers)

Son of Whyachi vs. Copperhead

Is it not amazing that this match not only went the distance, but SOW was able to get a few minor hits in? Usually, with SOW, it is one and done and either they knock themselves out or the opponent is destroyed. However, with Copperhead, there were minor taps and the kind of battle we rarely, if ever, see when it comes to SOW. Making you wonder, after this fight, will more seek ways to go the distance with SOW or keep the rush method?

Rotator vs. Blacksmith

Despite being from New Jersey, not too far from Blacksmith’s hometown, I admittedly thought this would be an easy win for Rotator. After all, there is a reason few, if any, use hammers in competition. In the old school, maybe you could have varied weapons and do some damage. However, now you either need a flipper or a spinning weapon to do any real kind of damage.

Which makes Blacksmith’s win bittersweet for while you have to be happy for the team, the chance of them making it past the 1^st round seems slim.

Rail Gun Max vs. Bloodsport vs. Uppercut

Not Pictured: Winner - Uppercut!

Like in most three-way contests, one could submit the best fighter didn’t win here. Uppercut’s win purely comes from Rail Gun Max fighting this bout like it was going one on one. Thus leaving the bot exhausted and naturally unable to take on yet another bot. Especially since this wasn’t a handicap match between a goliath and two peasants. These bots were pretty even so, in my mind, Blacksmith should have been part of this fight.

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Hypershock vs. Huge

Generally speaking, gimmicks don’t do well in the battle box. Hence why two of the three judges, formerly known for gimmicks, no longer compete (no shade). So Hypershock bringing back the rake you knew wasn’t going to do it any good – at first.

Because that’s the thing about gimmicks. Like mini-bots or drones, initially, they seem like they could do something to turn the fight around and present an advantage. However, building a strategy to deal with them usually is unnecessary for once they get anywhere near the opponent’s weapon, they get bent or ripped apart. Thus leading to a win.

Lock-Jaw vs. Skorpios

Question: Outside of creating a self-righting mechanism, what is the point of having a weapon that lowers itself? Doesn’t that create an increased liability? Just look at Blacksmith, who I may pick on this entire post, with them unable to launch that hammer, they barely got the win. So imagine Skorpios, especially with that dustpan front end, trying to win matches consistently?

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Which isn’t to downplay the work it takes to build a bot, heaven knows I can’t, but when going against drum spinners and bots of that nature, and you unable to use that blade from the back and likely lowering it against another’s weapon, who is really going to win here?

Yeti vs. Duck

What’s the point of Duck? It’s flipper, if you want to call it that, is weak and usually just makes it look like a child having a tantrum. So outside of it being a good bot to test if your robot can go the distance, why is it still in competition? You’d think, like Breaker Box, it would have died out by this point.

Valkyrie vs. Quantum

This was another fight which had you wondering if it was luck or skill involved? Because, like hammers, among other weaponry, pressurized weapons have not only lost favor but effect. Quantum being one of the rare few who seem able to get anywhere and considering it lost its tooth in the fight, it makes you wonder when it gets into the top 16, will it be dominated by all the spinners or find a way to survive?

Cobalt vs. Minotaur

THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT! I don’t know about you, but many of the main events in the preseason just felt like squash matches. The kind where Bite Force showed its dominance or Tombstone, and you didn’t feel like you got a memorable match. Minotaur, however, who made a grand comeback, whooped ass, took names, and unlike Bronco, got to redeem itself. So here is to them working their way up and even getting a rematch from their Brazilian peers.

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The Top 16

1. Bite Force
2. Black Dragon
3. Death Roll
4. Hydra
5. Sawblaze
6. Tombstone
7. Whiplash
8. Witch Doctor
9. Quantum
10. Yeti
11. Lockjaw
12. Huge
13. Uppercut
14. Blacksmith
15. Son of Waichi
16. Minotaur