- "It’s been a long time comin’, but rev yourselves up for the biggest display of total destruction ever: the Grand Final of the Fourth Wars. Yes folks, this is what sixteen heats and two semi-finals have all been about. Forget the “it’s takin’ part that counts”; it was takin’ your opponent apart that mattered, and boy did some robots do just that."
- — Craig Charles' introduction
The Grand Final of Robot Wars: The Fourth Wars, also referred to as Robot Wars: The Armageddon, was a series of battles to determine the Grand Champion of Robot Wars: The Fourth Wars, between the four robots that had progressed through their heats and the Semi-Finals. There would be two Grand Final Eliminators to decide which robots would make the Grand Final, followed by a play-off for third and fourth. Finally, the Grand Champion would be determined in the Grand Final.
The episode featuring the Grand Final was originally broadcast on February 23, 2001 on BBC Two. It managed to attract 5.21 million viewers, an increase of 260,000 viewers when compared with the previous episode, the highest rating of any Series 4 episode. According to BARB, this meant it ranked fifth in the top thirty highest rated BBC 2 broadcasts during 19-25 February 2001.
Competing Robots
Edit
VeteransEdit
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chaos 2 (seeded 1st, winner of Heat A, qualified from Semi-Final 1) | ||
| Weight | 79.4kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.38 x 0.90 x 0.71m | |
| Clearance | 0.01m | |
| Power | Electric powered motors | |
| Weapons | High powered gas flipper | |
| Notes | Cost £250 to make | |
| From: Ipswich | ||
| Team Members: George Francis, Ian Swann & Richard Swann | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Hypno-Disc (seeded 2nd, winner of Heat P, qualified from Semi-Final 2) | ||
| Weight | 80.1kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.25 x 0.70m x 0.55m | |
| Clearance | 0.04m | |
| Power | 3 x 750W electric motors | |
| Weapons | 750RPM spinning disc | |
| Notes | Aluminium shell | |
| From: Banbury | ||
| Team Members: Dave Rose, Derek Rose & Ken Rose | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pussycat (seeded 19th, winner of Heat B, qualified from Semi-Final 1) | ||
| Weight | 79.7kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.56 x 0.76 x 0.43m | |
| Clearance | 0.04m | |
| Power | Electric powered motors | |
| Weapons | Blade | |
| Notes | Hand painted by Alan | |
| From: Gloucester | ||
| Team Members: David Gribble, Robin Herrick & Alan Gribble | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stinger (seeded 30th, winner of Heat J, qualified from Semi-Final 2) | ||
| Weight | 77.1kg | |
| Dimensions | 0.37 x 0.70 x 0.60m | |
| Clearance | 0.05m | |
| Power | 2 x Electric motors | |
| Weapons | Swinging axe | |
| Notes | Steel shell | |
| From: Lincoln | ||
| Team Members: Kevin Scott, Karl Skinner & Tim Mann | ||
Jonathan Pearce Series RecapEdit
- "If you missed any of the carnage of the past few months, then first, expect Sir Killalot around to your house to give you a brain transplant, and second, you'd better relive the road to Armageddon!"
- — Craig Charles
For the second series in a row, Jonathan Pearce gave a recap of an abridged version of the Fourth Wars. The fights featured were:
- Heat A
- Chaos 2 vs. Atomic vs. Indefatigable
- Chaos 2 vs. Medusa 2000
- Atomic vs. King B3
- Chaos 2 vs. Atomic
- Heat B
- Pussycat vs. Milly-Ann Bug vs. Reptirron
- Razer vs. Milly-Ann Bug
- Pussycat vs. Robochicken
- Pussycat vs. Razer
- Heat C
- Firestorm 2 vs. Scar vs. The Morgue
- Ming 2 vs. Bolt from the Blue vs. Diotoir
- Firestorm 2 vs. The Morgue
- Heat D
- Heat E
- 101 vs. Major Tom
- Dominator 2 vs. Shadow of Napalm
- Dominator 2 vs. 101
- Heat F
- Tornado vs. Gemini vs. Kater Killer
- Gemini vs. The Creature
- Tornado vs. Gemini
- Heat G
- Heat H
- Heat I
- Splinter vs. Small Torque vs. Centurion
- Splinter vs. Killerhurtz
- Eric vs. Small Torque
- Splinter vs. Eric
- Heat J
- Bulldog Breed 2 vs. Stinger vs. Spikasaurus
- Bulldog Breed 2 vs. Bigger Brother
- Stinger vs. Hammer & Tong
- Stinger vs. Bulldog Breed 2
- Heat K
- Mousetrap vs. Tiberius vs. Evil Weevil 2
- Little Fly vs. Sump Thing vs. Weld-Dor 2
- Little Fly vs. Tiberius
- Mousetrap vs. Sump Thing
- Mousetrap vs. Little Fly
- Heat L
- Vercingetorix vs. Plunderbird 4 vs. Fat Boy Tin
- Knightmare vs. Plunderbird 4
- Spawn of Scutter vs. Knightmare
- Heat M
- Heat N
- Behemoth vs. Arnold, Arnold Terminegger vs. Rambot
- X-Terminator 2 vs. Judge Shred 2 vs. Millennium Bug
- X-Terminator 2 vs. Behemoth
- Heat O
- Panic Attack vs. S.M.I.D.S.Y. vs. Overkill GTI
- Panic Attack vs. Saw Point
- S.M.I.D.S.Y. vs. Aggrobot 2
- Panic Attack vs. S.M.I.D.S.Y.
- Heat P
- Hypno-Disc vs. Raizer Blade vs. The Predator
- Hypno-Disc vs. V-Max
- Hypno-Disc vs. Raizer Blade
- Semi-Final 1
- Chaos 2 vs. Steg 2
- Tornado vs. Wheely Big Cheese
- Pussycat vs. Thermidor 2
- Dominator 2 vs. Firestorm 2
- Chaos 2 vs. Tornado
- Pussycat vs. Dominator 2
- Semi-Final 2
- Stinger vs. Mousetrap
- Panic Attack vs. Spawn of Scutter
- Hypno-Disc vs. Splinter
- Wild Thing vs. X-Terminator 2
- Stinger vs. Panic Attack
- Hypno-Disc vs. Wild Thing
EliminatorsEdit
Hypno-Disc (2) vs Pussycat (19)Edit
Pussycat attacks the wheel of Hypno-Disc straight away
- "This is the moment of truth, and we're going to cream them! We're going to kill them....and if we don't, we're going to go out fighting."
- — Alan Gribble
Pussycat swiftly closed the gap as Hypno-Disc turned side-on, and its blade slashed at part of the rear wheel hub on Hypno-Disc's right side.
Pussycat attacks Hypno-Disc
- "Ooh, something has come of there, it's caused damage to Hypno-Disc straight away!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Shunt pierces Hypno-Disc's flywheel
- "If Pussycat can push Hypno-Disc into the CPZ...yes, the House Robots can take over, they can attack."
- — Jonathan Pearce
The beaten Hypno-Disc is pitted by Sir Killalot
- "This is a real shock in the making; I can't quite believe it! No one really gave Pussycat a prayer against Hypno-Disc!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
- "Well, well, well, that's a difficult sporting gesture from the Rose family. Alan Gribble, Robin Herrick and David Gribble are through! Do not quibble with the Gribbles!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Winner: Pussycat
Stinger (30) vs Chaos 2 (1)Edit
Chaos 2 flips Stinger
Chaos 2 started quickly, getting underneath and throwing Stinger airborne straight away. Chaos 2 then tried to drive Stinger towards the arena wall, but Stinger spun itself away from danger and Chaos 2 missed with a flip. Stinger slammed down onto Chaos 2 twice in quick succession with its mace. Chaos 2 missed with two flips, as Stinger spun once more. Chaos 2 moved away to line up another attack, but Stinger continued to fend Chaos 2 off, swinging the mace around into Chaos 2. Chaos 2 then attempted to shovel Stinger in Matilda's CPZ, but drove into trouble itself; it reversed away quickly, but as it did, it suffered damage from the rotating Stinger, with the back panel of Chaos 2 sent flying off, leaving the inner mechanics exposed.
Chaos 2 fights back after losing its back cover
- "As they go into Stinger here... look, the back plate comes off! That's what Kevin Scott said he'd do - knock the back plate off, and George Francis now knows that the very innards of Chaos 2 are vulnerable and exposed."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Chaos 2 forces Stinger into the grip of Dead Metal
Chaos 2 continued to be pressured, as it found itself in the CPZ again, where Matilda lifted it up. Chaos 2 came back with a flip, and rolled Stinger into the arena wall. Chaos 2 then bundled Stinger into Dead Metal's clutches, but Stinger escaped unharmed.
- "This is a good drive, here, by Chaos 2 - digging in deep"
- — Jonathan Pearce as Chaos 2 finishes strong
Both robots were mobile at the end of the battle and the decision went to the judges. They decided that the two robots were equal on style, damage and aggression but Chaos 2 was ahead on control and was therefore awarded the victory.
Winner: Chaos 2
PlayoffEdit
Hypno-Disc (2) vs Stinger (30)Edit
The eliminated robots were due to battle for third place, but Hypno-Disc was forced to withdraw due to the damage it had taken from Pussycat and Shunt in the previous round. Shunt's axe attack had penetrated Hypno-Disc's front drive system and left the gears badly bent, and the team could not fix the damage in time for the battle. Stinger was therefore awarded third place by default.
Winner (by default): Stinger
FinalEdit
Chaos 2 (1) vs Pussycat (19)Edit
Chaos 2 throws Pussycat into the air
Chaos 2 charged after Pussycat, which moved away, before turning and scratching Chaos 2 with the blade as Chaos 2 missed with a flip. Chaos 2 backed off to line up another drive, and was able to get underneath and flip Pussycat into the air twice in quick succession and onto its side.
- "Aggressive work, here, from Chaos 2 - learning its lesson from a nervy battle against Stinger."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Pussycat sends a strip from the back of Chaos 2 flying
Pussycat moved back onto its front, but Chaos 2 continued to trouble Pussycat, narrowly missing with another flip. Both robots then spun around, locked side by side, until Chaos 2 managed to flip Pussycat over, and followed that up with two more flips. Chaos 2 flipped Pussycat again, before getting temporarily wedged in on the floor flipper. Pussycat then managed to sneak in behind Chaos 2 and ripped a strip off of the back panel. Pussycat then drove up the front of Chaos 2, whose flipper blade was now noticeably bent.
Chaos 2 rams into Pussycat
- "Chaos 2 has had a bumping, though, and a bruising."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Pussycat fights back
Pussycat continued to ram and nag Chaos 2, but its blade had stopped. It then fell onto its side, and because its blade was no longer working, Pussycat took a long time to self-right.
- "Both of them limping - war-weary. Veterans of battle, after battle, after battle scar."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Chaos 2 finished strong, as it attempted, but failed to flip Pussycat out of the arena, before forcing Pussycat into Shunt's CPZ. Pussycat escaped and both robots survived to the end of the battle. The judges decided that Chaos 2 had won on all four criteria and had retained the Robot Wars UK Championship.
Fourth Wars Grand Champion: Chaos 2
- Craig Charles: "Light the fires"
- Julia Reed: "Cue the applause"
- Craig Charles: "We've got a brand new champion"
- Both: "On Robot Wars!"
- — Craig and Julia's sign-off
Trivia Edit
- The Fourth Wars Grand Final was the first and only time that all four Grand Finalists were seeded machines.
- Despite Jonathan Pearce saying that ninety-six robots were in Series 4, the accompanying crawl actually listed ninety-seven, as Onslaught was included despite withdrawing from its eliminator due to technical problems and therefore not taking part in the main competition.
- During the Jonathan Pearce recap, only two heats had every single fight recapped - Heats H and K. Both semi-finals also had all six fights showcased.
- During Jonathan Pearce's recap, upon Evil Weevil's elimination, he referred to the Floor Flipper as the 'Evil Ejector'. He did the same on Millennium Bug's loss.
- Team Chaos and the Cold Fusion Team were the only two remaining teams from the Series 1 Grand Final that entered Series 4. Coincidentally, this episode ensured that both met in the Grand Final of the same series as well.
- The Grand Final battle between Chaos 2 and Pussycat was the first of five consecutive Grand Finals to go to a judges' decision.
- After beating Pussycat in the Grand Final, Chaos 2 became the first ever robot to win two UK Championships in Robot Wars, as well as being the first robot to win two consecutive UK Championships in the show's history.
- An extended cut of the Grand Final battle was also included in the Chaos 2 Ultimate Warrior Collection DVD as the "Cut Your Own Battle" feature. This version of the battle uses raw footage including alternate camera angles, and lacks commentary, post-production sound effects or battle music.
- The Grand Final battle was the last UK Championship fight prior to the 10 Robot Rumble of Series 10 to feature more than two House Robots.
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