Armada (episode)

2012-04-22T08:33:48Z

199.19.146.99: /* Trivia */

{{disambig3|Armada}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 36
|prev=Grill
|next=Flying Mind
|image=
|caption=
|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 Decepticon Warship 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 beating the life out of him. Reflecting that Starscream left him no choice, Bulkhead returns to his exploration.

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 an 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 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 and all. 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 surprised to find that he feels everything his clones feel. Bulkhead locates a comm unit and attempts to use it to contact base, only instead to set off an alarm and bring Vehicons running. As he escapes, the Vehicons are distracted by another Starscream clone, but unknown to anyone, Bulkhead has inadvertently started a Decepticon beacon.

The beacon is detected by [[Airachnid]], who calls out her [[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticon]] army 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 Nemesis 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, but 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.

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 maneuver Airachnid onto one of the open Insecticon pods, which promptly closes and puts the rogue Decepticon into status. The Insecticons attacking the ''Nemesis'' all immediately stop their attack, drop on to the ship's hull, and proclaim their loyalty to 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. 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.

==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)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (11)
|c4=
*[[Starscream clone (Prime)|Starscream clones]] (3)
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (4)
*[[Airachnid]] (5)
*[[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticons]] (6)
}}

==Quotes==
"This is for [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]]! For Bumblebee! For everything."
:—'''Bulkhead''' delivers some much-deserved payback unto Starscream.

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

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

"Scrap! That hurt!"
:—'''Starscream''' after killing the last clone.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
*When an ancient Insecticon fought Arcee in "[[Orion Pax, Part 3]]", Arcee couldn't beat it and ended up knocked out and nearly killed. When Megatron fought a scout, he had to expend all his energy to take it down and had to be saved by [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]]. Yet Optimus and Bumblebee were able to take down several on their own, Arcee took down two without even being in robot mode, and Megatron took one out with a single shot from his Fusion Cannon. Guess they don't make Insecticons like they used to. Although, most of those kills were done while the Insecticons were in beast mode...

===Continuity notes===
*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]].
*Bulkhead pounds Starscream 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]].

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===
* This is the second episode of the series to not feature or even mention any humans, the first being "[[Partners]]". The Decepticon ship, Harbinger, was also featured in both episodes.
* The Insecticons speak for the first time. They're still vermin, though.

{{epstub}}
[[Category:Prime episodes]]

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Armada (episode)