Robot Wars: Series 8/Heat E

Episode 5
The Robot Wars logo from the introduction titles
Series	2016
First Broadcast	21 August 2016
Original channel	BBC Two
Preceded by	Episode 4
Succeeded by	Grand Final

Episode 5 was the fifth and final qualification episode which determined the last robot to gain automatic entry to the Grand Final of the 2016 series of Robot Wars.

• Newcomer Pod was originally intended to compete in this episode, but was forced to withdraw due to being overweight, and was replaced with Pulsar, which had previously withdrawn from an earlier episode.
• Despite the lack of seedings or reference to the previous series, all five heats of the 2016 series see a single robot/team which won a heat in the Seventh Wars compete. In Episode 5, it was Thermidor 2.
• The first melee sees Thermidor 2 in a first-round melee with Chompalot for the second time, after they met in the Sixth Wars, and also their second time in a first-round melee with Team Mouse in a row.
• This episode was the first in Robot Wars to see a robot substitute the position of a retired robot after it had fought more than one battle, when Pulsar replaced Chompalot during the head-to-head round.
• The Heat Final was the only one of the series to go to a Judges' decision, and also the only Heat Final between two robots that had never fought each other.
• The Gabriel vs Beast and Pulsar vs Ironside 3 battles were filmed in the opposite order to how they were aired. This explains why Team Gabriel were told with confidence that they needed to defeat Beast via KO in order to qualify, as Ironside 3 had confirmed its position of 5 points at the time.
• Matilda makes no appearance in the episode.
• Pilot competitors Merlin, Monte and Turbulence make cameos in the background

Competing robots

Newcomers

	Crazy Coupe 88
	Weight	101kg
	Weapons	Twin spinners
	Defence	Aluminium + kevlar
	From	Barnsley
Team: Tyrone Ellis, Finn Ellis, Dan Stiff, Emma Hall

	Gabriel
	Weight	108kg
	Weapons	Interchangeable battle axe
	Defence	HDP plastic armour
	From	Grove, Oxfordshire
Team: Craig Colliass, Zack Colliass, Mark Colliass, Toby Colliass

	Pulsar
	Weight	107kg
	Weapons	9000RPM spinner
	Defence	Hardened steel
	From	Shropshire
Team: Ellis Ware, Peter Ware, Tara Ware

Veterans

	Beast
	Weight	109kg
	Weapons	Pneumatic flipper
	Defence	Tubular steel
	From	Norwich
Team: John Lear, John Lear, Alex Marler

	Chompalot
	Weight	99kg
	Weapons	3 Tonne crusher
	Defence	Polycarbonate armour
	From	Derby
Team: Simon Cook, Debs Cook

	Infernal Contraption
	Weight	86kg
	Weapons	16kg spinner
	Defence	Sewage pipe armour
	From	Cambridge
Team: Gary Ewer, Alex Gee, Douglas Young, Jashan Bhoora

	Ironside 3
	Weight	109kg
	Weapons	1500RPM spinner
	Defence	Hardened steel
	From	Nottingham
Team: Trevor Wright, Adam Lewis, Patricia Wright, Louise Hemstock

	Thermidor 2
	Weight	110kg
	Weapons	Pneumatic flipper
	Defence	Aluminium armour
	From	Norwich
Team: David Harding, Ian Harvey

Round 1

Chompalot vs Ironside 3 vs Pulsar vs Thermidor 2

Shunt axes Thermidor 2's wheel

Ironside 3 rips a side panel off of Chompalot

Chompalot almost backs into the pit

This melee saw the return of Thermidor 2 as well as Iron Maidens champion Chompalot fighting each other once again. The melee also contains Team Mouse's latest machine Ironside 3 as well as newcomers Pulsar.

Qualified: Chompalot & Ironside 3

Beast vs Crazy Coupe 88 vs Gabriel vs Infernal Contraption

Beast flips Crazy Coupe 88

Gabriel axes Infernal Contraption

Dead Metal cuts into Crazy Coupe 88

Infernal Contraption reverses into the pit

This melee sees famous Live Event competitors Beast and Gabriel as well as Series 6 and 7 competitor Infernal Contraption making a return, taking on newcomers Crazy Coupe 88.

Qualified: Beast & Gabriel

Round 2

Chompalot vs Gabriel

Gabriel immediately axes Chompalot

Chompalot is flipped by the Floor Flipper

Chompalot catches fire after the battle is over

Winner: Gabriel via KO (3 points)

Beast vs Ironside 3

Ironside 3 destroys one of Beast's tyres

Ironside 3 deflects off the immobilised Beast

Winner: Ironside 3 via KO (3 points)

Beast vs Pulsar

Beast misses a flip

Beast is immobilised by a pair of hits from Pulsar

Winner: Pulsar via KO (3 points)

Gabriel vs Ironside 3

Ironside 3 slams into Gabriel

Gabriel flies through the air after a hit from Ironside 3

Ironside 3 collides with Gabriel again

Winner: Ironside 3 via Judges' decision (2 points)

Beast vs Gabriel

Gabriel knocks out Beast with its first clean hit

Gabriel continues to attack the lifeless Beast

Winner: Gabriel via KO (3 points)

Ironside 3 vs Pulsar

Pulsar's attack sends Ironside 3 spiraling into the air and over

Ironside 3 follows Pulsar into the pit after pushing them in

Winner: Pulsar via KO (3 points)

Final Table

Robot	Points
Pulsar	6
Gabriel	6
Ironside 3	5
Beast	0

NOTE: Although results earned by Chompalot and Pulsar are shared, Pulsar was placed above Gabriel on the table despite Gabriel having defeated Chompalot in its head-to-head.

Heat Final

Gabriel vs Pulsar

Gabriel axes Pulsar while Pulsar briefly loses the ability to move

Pulsar tears off a chunk of rubber from one of Gabriel's tyres, which goes flying towards the camera

Gabriel is caught off guard by the Floor Flipper with seconds to go in the battle

Winner: Pulsar