{{disambig3|Armada}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 36
|prev=Grill
|next=Flying Mind
|image=Armada-clonessurroundMegatron.jpg
|caption=Megatron remembers seeing this scenario on Tumblr.
|title="Armada"
|airdate=[[April 21]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Matt Wayne]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Bulkhead is trapped on the ''Nemesis'' amid dual attempts on Megatron's life.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] recovers consciousness, and realizes he's on the ''[[Trypticon (Prime)|Nemesis]]''. Unable to contact base, he begins to explore, but while hiding from [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]], he runs into [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]. Starscream is reluctant to help, and strikes at Bulkhead, so Bulkhead returns the favor by jumping on Starscream and literally beating the life out of him. Guiltily justifying his actions by muttering that Starscream left him no choice, Bulkhead returns to his exploration.

[[Image:Armada-protoforms.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Quick! Reprogram them into Predacons!]]

Some 24 hours before, Starscream reaches the wreck of the ''[[Harbinger]]'' in his search for [[energon]]. Instead, he finds a laboratory containing five [[protoform]]s. Elsewhere, Bulkhead picks up a strong energon reading. Starscream finds information in the ''Harbinger''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> computer on cloning, and fires up the lab equipment. Soon, five [[Starscream clone (Prime)|duplicates of himself]] stand before him. Meanwhile Bulkhead, clambering into a hole he's found, realizes there's boxed energon at the bottom of it, and that the ''Nemesis'' is arriving overhead, ready to pick it up. As he struggles, he falls among the energon and, losing consciousness, is transported up to the Decepticon ship with it.

Starscream discovers that his clones are complete duplicates of himself, personality, memories, and all. The one significant difference seems to be that the clones have intact [[Transformation Cog]]s, and thus can fly. As the ''Harbinger'' is able to track where the ''Nemesis'' is, he sends his clones to eliminate [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] once and for all. The five clones board the ''Nemesis'' and split up, one of them running into Bulkhead, who terminates the clone. The original Starscream is dismayed to discover that he feels the same pain his clones feel. Bulkhead locates a comm unit and attempts to use it to contact the other Autobots, only to set off an alarm and bring Vehicons running. As he escapes, the Vehicons are distracted by another Starscream clone, but unbeknownst to anyone, Bulkhead has inadvertently triggered a Decepticon beacon.

The beacon is detected by [[Airachnid]], who releases her [[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticon]] army from their [[stasis pod]]s to go terminate Megatron. The activity is detected by the Autobots, and [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]], [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] [[GroundBridge]] to the location to investigate, discovering Airachnid in the middle of sending her troops. She sets some of the Insecticons after the trio, but Arcee bursts through the explosions and begins pursuing her. Optimus and Bumblebee begin mowing down Insecticons.

Bulkhead crawls through a service duct, and spots Megatron. Megatron starts heading for the bridge in response to reports that Starscream's there.

Arcee continues her pursuit of Airachnid, despite having to contend with two Insecticons. After the Insecticons are taken out, Airachnid disappears underground, and Arcee follows.

On the ''Nemesis'' bridge, Megatron finds himself face-to-faces with the four remaining Starscream clones. He offers to make them all [[second-in-command]] if they terminate Starscream for him, but the clones are stable enough to keep to the mission. Before they can open fire, the ship is attacked by Insecticons. The distraction is all Megatron needs, and he starts taking out clones. The last of the clones manages to escape as the Insecticon attack intensifies, and Megatron finally checks on what's going on outside.

[[Image:Armada-armadasurroundMegatron.jpg|right|thumb|300px|We're going to need a bigger ship.]]

Optimus and Bumblebee finish off the last of the Insecticons that were attacking them, and start looking for Arcee. Their comrade is currently deep underground hunting Airachnid. Arcee exchanges fire with her foe, and manages to manoeuvre Airachnid onto one of the open stasis pods, which promptly closes and puts the rogue Decepticon on ice. The Insecticons attacking the ''Nemesis'' all immediately stop their attack, drop on to the ship's hull, and proclaim their loyalty to a bemused Megatron.

Within the ''Nemesis'', Bulkhead finds the ship's power core, and hits it very hard, causing it to explode. The ship slowly begins its descent. As he runs to the exit, Bulkhead encounters the Starscream clone, who promptly takes off. Bulkhead is puzzled at the fact that Starscream is alive and can transform. Once the ''Nemesis'' has crashed to earth, Bulkhead is able to drive off and speed away. He soon reaches base, where the Autobots are inspecting the stasis-locked Airachnid.

The last Starscream clone returns to the ''Harbinger'' and lets the original Starscream know the mission failed. He's about to shoot his progenitor, when Starscream turns and blasts him, complaining as the clone dies about the pain he shared with him.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (1)
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (7)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (9)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (10)
|c2=
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (2)
*[[Airachnid]] (5)
*[[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticons]] (6)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (11)
|c4=
*[[Starscream clone (Prime)|Starscream clones]] (3)
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (4)
}}

==Quotes==
"This is for [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]]! For Bumblebee! For ''everything''."
:—'''Bulkhead''' delivers some much-deserved payback unto Starscream. Well, actually his clone, but what's the difference?

"You left me no choice."
:—'''Bulkhead''' pulling an [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]].

"My genetic code provides my clones with a T-Cog I no longer possess and all I get is their agony?!"
:—'''Starscream''' laments over the side-effects of cloning.

"Exterminating you was so gratifying the first three times."
:—'''Megatron''' approaching the last of Starscream's clones.

"When you extinguish my spark, make it hurt. You know I would extend that courtesy to you."
:—'''Airachnid''', creepy to the last.

'''Bulkhead''' (rushing inside the Autobot's base)''':''' Guys, you are not gonna believe the day I had! 
''Bulkhead spots Airachnid in stasis, then looks at Ratchet and Arcee'' 
'''Bulkhead:''' You too, huh?
:—It's been a busy day for everyone.

"AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUGHHH! ''Scrap'', that hurt!"
:—'''Starscream''' after killing the last clone.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* The Insecticons magically disappear from the top of the ''Nemesis'' after Bulkhead destroys the Power Station.

===Continuity errors===
* Previously, one Insecticon was so powerful that it was able to fight toe-to-toe with Megatron. (Keep in mind that Megatron's gun was disabled with webbing during that first fight, stopping him from making an easy kill.) The Insecticons in this episode are considerably weaker, enough that several go down in one hit and another is taken out by crashing into a tree. Not that this downgrade is anything special or even really surprising—it's a widely observed phenomenon with armies of generic henchmen in fiction of all kinds.
*So where does Starscream keep getting those replacement missiles from, anyway?

===Continuity notes===
* Starscream returns to the ''[[Harbinger]]'', first seen in "[[Partners]]", the episode in which he defected.
* Starscream references sneaking on board the ''Nemesis'' and meeting Optimus Prime in "[[Orion Pax, Part 1]]".
* Starscream mentions [[Darkness Rising, Part 1|killing Cliffjumper]] and [[Crossfire|sparing Arcee's life]]... again.
* Bulkhead pounds Starscream (well, his clone really, but still...) for killing Cliffjumper and damaging Bumblebee's T-cog in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 2]]".
* Airachnid loses [[Crossfire|another limb]].

===Transformers references===
*[[Starscream clone (G1)|Starscream]] [[Starscream clone (Animated)|clones]].
*Starscream's clones are mentally linked to him via [[binary bonding]].
*We see protoforms again.

===Real-world references===
* Starscream's activation of the clones, with all the electricity and cackling, seems inspired by [[Frankenstein|''Frankenstein'']].
* The Nemesis has [http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Jefferies_tube Jefferies tubes].

===Trivia===
* The Insecticons speak for the first time. They're still vermin, though.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Nemesis Prime (episode)

2012-04-19T18:54:56Z

108.56.241.82:

{{disambig3|Nemesis Prime}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 34
|prev=Crossfire
|next=Grill
|image=NemesisPrime-NemesisPrime.jpg
|caption=The first person to suggest a race gets banned.
|title="Nemesis Prime"
|airdate=[[April 7]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[David McDermott]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''When Optimus Prime appears to attack Agent Fowler, the Autobots discover MECH's ultimate plan.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:NemesisPrime truck vs car.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Orion Pax returns.]]
[[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] drives out of a military base, listening to [[The Touch|a few tunes]], when a semi truck begins to tailgate him too close for comfort. He realizes that it's more than a case of road rage when the truck rams him. Fowler notices a familiar symbol on his attacker's grille-the [[Autobot]] [[insignia|symbol]]. He contacts the Autobot base, where [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] is not present. The apparent Optimus Prime continues to attack, and as Fowler comes upon a bridge, he pushes his car through the divider, where it hangs precariously. The Autobots receive his message and bridge in, causing Prime to flee and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] to give chase. [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] catches Fowler's car as it falls, but the bumper detaches, and [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] catches it before it hits the ground. Arcee comes upon Optimus, but is knocked out when he runs her over.

The next thing she knows, she's back at base, being checked up on. [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] doubts Arcee's assertion that Optimus ran her down, and the big 'bot arrives at base. The team goes on guard, but as Optimus offers proof that he's been at an underground energon site, the team stands down.

[[Image:NemesisPrime Nemesis Prime truck in base.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
The other "Optimus" drives full speed into [[Alden Military Base]], wrecking helicopters and prompting chase until he stops. As soldiers surround him and open the door to find no driver, he transforms, and aims a weapon at them. Speaking in Prime's own voice, the double clearly announces himself as Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, before laying waste to the base around him. The other Prime tears through lines of soldiers, prompting Optimus, Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead to bridge to his position. The fake retreats, and arriving military helicopters fire on the Autobots. They retreat to base.

Fowler fields a call asking about the attack, and receives the news that all Transformers, regardless of allegiance, are to be shot on sight. The team realizes that [[MECH]] has finally succeeded in replicating Cybertronians, inside and out, using human-made parts after studying Transformer anatomy so carefully.

[[Image:NemesisPrime Silas at controls.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Can ''I'' have a go now?]]
Meanwhile, the false Prime arrives at a MECH bunker, where it is revealed that the robot is a remotely operated drone unit, with [[Silas]] in the control seat, expressing extreme satisfaction at the test run.

In attempting to locate the MECH base, Optimus notes that, unlike them, the duplicate (dubbed "Nemesis Prime" by Miko) must rely on its vehicle mode to travel, having no access to a [[GroundBridge]]. This places its lair within driving distance of both incidents, giving a range for them to search. The 'bots fan out, and Bumblebee comes upon a large complex. Optimus and the rest plan to rendezvous at his position. He enters, while Silas watches him. He powers up Nemesis Prime, and sends it out. Bumblebee is briefly fooled by the fake, until Silas slips and reveals he cannot understand Bumblebee's speech. The scout attacks but is quickly overpowered by the more imposing robot.

The rest of the Autobots enter the compound, cautious of any lookalikes. Bulkhead and Arcee are both taken out individually, leaving Optimus for the final showdown with his doppelganger.

At base, Ratchet attempts to isolate the control frequency of Nemesis Prime to pinpoint the location of its operator. He does, and Fowler insists on bridging in, citing that he is the one best equipped to deal with the "human element".

[[Image:NemesisPrime Nemesis vs Optimus.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Nemesis squares off against Optimus, showing equal strength and agility. Fowler bridges in, and makes for the control bunker as the two Primes continue to spar. Nemesis catches Optimus, and shoves its blade into the Autobot leader. Silas gloats, commenting that he cannot feel pain through the robot, unlike his opponent, and revealing his intentions to build an army of these soldiers, when Fowler enters. They spar as well, and Fowler falls to Silas' superior hand-to-hand combat skills, only to reveal that he was just buying time for Optimus to beat the now-directionless copy. The real Prime dominates Nemesis, and their fight collapses the ceiling of the bunker, sending Silas's creation and a ton of rubble crashing down on top of him, putting Nemesis Prime out of commission in the process.

Optimus meditates on MECH's seemingly impaired functionality, now that it lacks a leader. However, Fowler brings him troubling news — in the pile of wreckage, no body was found.

Elsewhere, a group of MECH scientists monitor Silas' condition, noting that his injuries are terminal by normal standards — yet MECH is anything but, as they have the body of [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] all wired up to their leader.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (3)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (4)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (5)
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (6)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (10)
|c2=
*[[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] (15)
|c3=
*[[William Fowler]] (1)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (7)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (8)
*[[Jack Darby]] (9)
*[[Silas]] (11)
*[[MECH|MECH soldiers]] (12)
*[[MECH Surgeon]] (13)
*[[MECH Commando]] (14)
|c4=
*[[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|Nemesis Prime]] (2)
}}

==Quotes==
"Yes, that's it. Follow the light." 
"Wait, what? Not the best choice of words, Ratchet."
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Arcee'''

"I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, and I bring you this message."
:—'''Nemesis Prime''' steals one of Optimus's catchphrases.

"Be on your guard. My double could be anywhere." 
''*Bumblebee beeps a reply*'' 
"I'm sorry. What?"
:—'''Nemesis Prime''' tries and fails to fool Bumblebee.

"The internal damage to his organs is massive, and beyond the scope of conventional medicine. Fortunately for our leader, MECH is anything but conventional."
:—'''MECH Surgeon''' on Silas's future.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
*Due to model reuse, Fowler's car has the same [[license plate]] number as June Darby's.
*After calling the Autobots to ask about Optimus, Fowler is seen approaching a bridge at least a half mile away. But, when the camera shifts, it shows him already on the bridge.
*No matter what size, shape, weight, or speed a car is going, it will ''never'' be possible to break through a concrete barrier and come out with as little damage as Fowler's car had.
*Bulkhead is somehow able to fall faster than Fowler's car, despite dropping from the bridge later than it.
*When the soldiers confront Nemesis Prime at the military base, right when one says "This is a restricted area!", one of the soldiers is running but not moving in any direction; running in place.
*Before Optimus Prime climbs the tower, you can't hear his blaster turn back into his hand.
*Despite being ordered by Optimus to go covert, Arcee does not have her holographic driver on when in her motorcycle form.
*How exactly did MECH extract Silas from under several tons of robot with the US military overhead and Fowler in the room?

===Continuity notes===
*MECH has Breakdown's reassembled remains, which they collected after [[Airachnid]] killed him in "[[Crossfire]]".
*Ratchet recalls MECH's study of Breakdown in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]".
*Optimus recalls the theft of Starscream's T-Cog, which they learned about in "Crossfire" after it happened in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 2]]".
*Silas took a scan of Optimus at the end of "[[Convoy (episode)|Convoy]]", which is evidently how he was able to produce a nearly-identical copy of him in this episode.
*Optimus's right sword, which was broken in "[[One Shall Fall]]" and last seen still broken in "[[Orion Pax, Part 3]]", has been repaired at some point.
*This is the [[One Shall Rise, Part 1|second time]] Bumblebee has tried and failed to save a car on screen. Only this time, someone was inside the car when he loses part of it.
*As this is Fowler's first time in the GroundBridge, he experiences nausea, similar to the effect on the children in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 5]]".

===Transformers references===
*Fowler listens to an instrumental version of "[[The Touch]]" on his car radio.
*The first transformation of the fake Prime on the military base is in a similar animation layout to [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|another Optimus Prime]].
*Miko and Ratchet refer to the false Optimus Prime as "Nemesis Prime", a name first established in ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' as indicating an evil version of Optimus Prime and used [[Nemesis Prime (disambiguation)|a number of times since]].

===Real-world references===
*The opening scene with Fowler references [[Steven Spielberg]]'s 1971 film ''Duel'', starring an evil truck.
*Nemesis Prime's eyes and weapons glow yellow, similar to the yellow glowing "eye" on K.A.R.R, the evil version of K.I.T.T from the TV show, Knight Rider. (K.A.R.R was also, in one episode, voiced by Peter Cullen.)

===Trivia===
*Silas is a former member of the Special Tactics branch of the military, while Fowler is an ex-Army Ranger.
*Nemesis Prime's transformation uses a modified version of the regular transformation sound effect, which makes it sound as if the transformation is not as smooth as that of an actual Cybertronian.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]