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Megatron Rising - Part 2

2011-05-07T07:08:46Z

75.36.168.36: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=Megatron Rising Megatron descends.JPG
|caption=I'm here to find the AllSpark and kick some skidplate...and I can't seem to find the AllSpark.
|ep=16
|ep2=15
|prev2=Megatron Rising - Part 1
|next2=The Elite Guard
|title="Megatron Rising - Part 2"
|airdate=[[April 5]], [[2008]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Ben Jones]] [[Ciro Nieli]] [[Shunji Ōga|Shunji Oga]]
|animation studio= [[The Answer Studio]]
}}

'''The Autobots are beaten down by the Decepticon invasion, but still must rally to prevent the All Spark from falling into their clutches.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MegaPrime.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Oh, it is so on.]]

As Megatron descends to ground level, Optimus, Prowl and Bulkhead look on in disbelief. As he lands, Bulkhead takes point, launching his wrecking ball, but Megatron calmly slices it off before backhanding Bulkhead into a nearby building. Prowl then attacks, but his throwing stars are easily deflected, and he finds himself on the defensive, dodging Megatron's swords. Taking cover behind a bridge support, he manages to avoid them, but Megatron's attacks destroy it, and two children are nearly crushed under the falling rubble, saved only by Optimus borrowing "a move from the Bumblebee play book", using a combination of his wheels and ax to dash forward and snatch the children up. Meanwhile, Prowl is pinned under Megatron's foot, and the Decepticon draws a sword, ready to take revenge for Prowl slicing off the remains of his arm fifty years ago. Optimus saves Prowl by using a combination of his grappler and ax to knock the sword from Megatron's grasp. The two leaders face off, but Megatron simply blocks Prime's blow and kicks him away. As Megatron reaches for his dropped sword, Optimus launches a grappler, tripping him. Megatron follows up by snapping the grappler's line and using it to swing Optimus into the side of a building.

[[Image:PayThePiper.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Megatron punishes Starscream for betrayal and goes against everything natural to Transformers lore.]]

In the tower, Blitzwing wants to join the fight, but Lugnut won't allow him to interfere in Megatron's business. As the two Decepticons argue, Dr. Sumdac tries to make a break for it, only to be blocked by Blitzwing. Meanwhile, Starscream holds a struggling Bumblebee while watching Optimus and Megatron battle, trying to decide whom he'll gain more from by helping, the Autobot or his would-be leader. On the ground, Optimus is taking a beating but says he will never reveal the AllSpark's location. Unfortunately, Megatron simply plans to use the [[AllSpark Key]] to track down the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]]. Punching Prime hard enough to send him skidding across the tarmac, Megatron calls out to his loyal Decepticons. Lugnut and Blitzwing immediately respond, and Starscream casually comments on his decision being made for him and throws Bumblebee away. As Lugnut prostrates himself, Starscream drops down on his head, ready to renew his tenure as Second in Command. Megatron comments on the appropriateness of Starscream's presence, takes aim on the Autobots...then quickly jams the Key into Starscream's chest, seemingly draining him of life. Dropping the offline traitor, Megatron asks if there are any other dissenters. Getting a negative response, he turns back to the Autobots, only to discover they've used the distraction to escape. Blitzwing wants to chase after them, but Megatron believes the AllSpark takes priority. At his command the Decepticons transform and roll—er, rise up, tracking their prize.

Isaac rushes outside to find the Autobots badly damaged, and confesses to them that he had rebuilt Megatron. Bulkhead and Prowl seem angry, but Prime decides they have more urgent problems to worry about: they were outclassed by the Decepticons even when in perfect operating condition, and now no longer can rely on Sari's AllSpark Key to repair them. Isaac suspects that there may be enough residual radiation from the Key left in his lab machinery to repair the Autobots, and they give his idea a try.

Ratchet, working to get the submerged [[Teletran-1]] flight-ready, sends out a security scan which detects the approach of Blackarachnia and Sari. Apparently the girl's sympathy from the previous episode was a ruse: she had been deliberately leading Blackarachnia in circles on the ice to waste time, and also had assumed the half-organic creature would not be able to stay underwater for long—a guess confirmed to be true by an outraged Blackarachnia, who becomes very threatening to Sari. Before the situation can get uglier, Ratchet surfaces the ship through the ice beneath them, rescuing Sari and catapulting Blackarachnia helplessly through the sky. Sari's gratitude at being rescued quickly fades when she finds out that despite "all that crud" about responsible handling, Ratchet lost the AllSpark Key.

Back at Sumdac Tower, the Autobots are more or less repaired by the leftover energy in the lab machines. Knowing they are still sore at him, Optimus apologizes for his earlier bad attitude and asks them to repair their friendships as well. Sumdac is still feeling guilty about rebuilding Megatron and offers his assistance, though the Autobots are skeptical—both of his loyalty and of what a mere human could offer them. Before they can decide, Ratchet and Sari arrive in the Autobots' ship. The Autobots board the ship, which by now has come under heavy bombardment from the Decepticons.

[[Image:Megatron Rising 2 Autobots assemble.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Avengers, assemble!"]]

The Autobots attempt to fly the ship into space, drawing the Decepticons away from Earth's civilians—but some well-aimed missiles wreck the ship's vital systems and that idea along with it. The vessel crashes into the side of the volcanic cone on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. The Autobots gear up for what will surely be a climactic battle; Prime states he is proud to have his current team by his side, while Bumblebee says he'd just as happily have the [[Elite Guard]]. The Decepticons close in for their attack, and the Autobots use some of their tactics learned throughout the series to throw them off-balance: Ratchet and Bumblebee combine powers to generate an electromagnetic pulse that temporarily disables Blitzwing, and Bulkhead uses his sheer... ''Bulkheadness''... to force Lugnut to crash. Back on the ship, Isaac is trying to jerry-rig a weapon to use against Megatron; recognizing that they might not survive, he tries to tell Sari something that had been a secret, but instead of listening she rushes off to ask the AllSpark to give her more power so she can help her friends. She asks it why she had been chosen in the first place, but doesn't understand its cryptic "charades" answer.

[[Image:Megatron Rising 2 All Spark Megs boom.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Oh, this is gonna hurt...]]

Unable to match the Decepticons in sheer power, the Autobots manage to prevail by using their own teamwork and playing off the Decepticons' weaknesses—thanks to some clever 'bot tactics, the schizoid Blitzwing and overly talkative Lugnut are basically encouraged to defeat themselves. But Megatron has no apparent weaknesses, except perhaps being cluttered with little shards of Optimus Prime after he finishes beating on the Autobot. Their one-sided fight carries them into the hold of the ship, where Megatron succeeds in acquiring the AllSpark. Before he can celebrate, he is temporarily downed by Isaac, who knows enough about Megatron's circuitry to disable his equilibrium sensors—but although he drops the AllSpark Key in his stumble, the tyrant isn't down for long. Megatron is about to finish Prime, when Sari hurls Prime the Key and he jams it into the AllSpark's spherical casing, cracking it open. A destabilized Megatron flees the ship before the AllSpark explodes inside his chest, dispersing its energy throughout the atmosphere.

The AllSpark Key is now the single most powerful Cybertronian artifact, and too important to be entrusted to the care of an Autobot—so Prime returns it to Sari, who uses it to repair all her friends as usual. Megatron still functions and has plans for his new prisoner, Isaac Sumdac.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (2)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (3)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (8)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (10)

|c2=
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (4)
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (9)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (5)
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (6)
*[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] (11)

|c3=
*[[Isaac Sumdac]] (7)
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (12)

|c4=
*[[Teletran-1]] ()
}}

==Quotes==
'''Megatron''': Ah, Starscream. How fitting to have you by my side as I finally take my revenge on the one responsible for my fifty stellar cycles of helplessness and humiliation. ''(Megatron aims his cannon at Optimus, then kills Starscream with the key)'' Does anyone else have a problem with my leadership? 
'''Random Blitzwing''': Uh, no, we're fine. 
'''Lugnut''': NEVER!
:—Megatron quickly reestablishes the Decepticon pecking order.

'''Isaac''': Oh dear, this is all my fault! 
'''Sari''': What? It's not like you built Megatron in your lab or anything. 
''[Isaac Sumdac looks away and uncomfortably taps his fingers]'' 
'''Sari''': YOU BUILT MEGATRON IN YOUR LAB?! 
'''Ratchet''': On the bright side, now I don't feel so bad about losing your Key. 
:—One of several awkward moments in this episode for Isaac Sumdac.

"If we go down, we go down fighting. Together. And I can't think of a better band of Autobots I'd be prouder to fight alongside." 
"Not even the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]]? Because I sure wouldn't mind having them here now." 
:— '''Optimus Prime''' prepares to [[Furmanism|fight and die]] while '''Bumblebee''' would rather fight and live.

"Curious, my electrical systems have gone offline. Which means..." 
"I"M FALLING! WAHAHAHAHAHA!"
:- '''Icy Blitzwing''' explains the situation while '''Random Blitzwing''' states the obvious.

'''Bumblebee''': So what do we do now? Wait for him to turn back into a tank and crash like last time? 
'''Ratchet''': Nobody gets that lucky twice. 
'''Prowl''': Perhaps we can make our own luck. I've noticed a connection between Blitzwing's multiple personalities and his vehicle modes. We can use that weakness against him...but it will require using Bumblebee's greatest strength. 
'''Bumblebee''': What, my stingers? My turbo-speed? 
'''Prowl''': Your obnoxious personality. 
:—Prowl nails friend and foe alike with ninja precision.

[[Image:Megatron Rising 2 Blitzwing tank crash.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the tank as it fell was "Oh slag, not again". Many people have speculated that if we knew exactly why the tank had thought that, we would know a lot more about the nature of the universe than we do now.]]

'''Bumblebee''': Hey, Blitzbrain! Is that your jet mode, or did your pal Lugnut dump out some spare parts? ...How come you have three faces? Couldn't decide which was the ugliest? ...And who uses ice as a weapon? What are you? A refrigerator? 
'''Hothead Blitzwing''': You want heat? I'll give you more than you can handle! ''[Transforms into a tank and promptly falls]'' Oh, [[Slag (slang)|slag]]! Not AGA-! ''[Crashes through the ice]''
:— Hothead Blitzwing is his own worst enemy.

"You all fought like Autobots! I can't tell you how proud I am of each and every one of you." 
"Go on, tell us. We can take it!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' praises the Autobots while '''Bumblebee''' showcases his recently discussed "greatest strength".

"I trust you are comfortable in your chair!"
:—'''Megatron''' to Isaac Sumdac. The choice of furniture was destined to come back to haunt him.

==Notes==
===Continuity errors===
* At the end of the last episode, Megatron grabbed Professor Sumdac as he was being rebuilt. He apparently put him back down through, as we see that at the start of this episode Sumdac is still in the lab being guarded by Blitzwing and Lugnut. Who then, upon being called by Megatron, fly off and leave Sumdac behind. This leaves Megatron to grab Isaac ''again'' right at the end of the episode. You'd almost think that the guy wanted to get captured.
* At the beginning of the series, years were measured as solar cycles to Transformers, but Megatron refers to years as stellar cycles.
* Megatron said that Prowl slashed off his arm, while he actually lost it due to Starscream planting a bomb on his back. Prowl ''did'', however, slash a part off that remained after the explosion.
* In "[[Lost and Found (episode)|Lost and Found]]", Ratchet reveals that even with the AllSpark Key, the ship would not be operational for a "long, long time," but in this episode he is able to get it spaceworthy in about two minutes—without the Key and with only one arm. However, the course of the series makes it clear that many months are going by (notice the changing seasons), so it's possible the Autobots had enough of a "long time" necessary to repair the ship off-camera.
* Sari recognizes Megatron from his new Earth alt mode, despite never seeing it before.
* On that note, every other Transformer was shown to have scanned a vehicle in some way in order to get their alt mode. Megatron appears to have skipped that altogether. Of course he may have simply gotten his alt mode off the internet during his time in waiting. Who can say?
* Megatron asks Professor Sumdac if he is comfortable in his chair in the form of Megatron's hand, despite it being the wrong hand.
* The Autobots defeat Blitzwing by using his multiple personalities against him, despite the fact that in the last episode when Triple Changer is seen firing at Ratchet, he speaks in his Hothead voice, while being in jet mode. In addition, he later transforms from jet to Hothead robot mode directly-and still managed to stay in the air as he threatened Ratchet. So, ''are'' Blitzwing's vehicle modes connected with his personalities or are they not? (Possibly, the tank is only Hothead's ''preferred'' alt mode-he can use the more manuverable jet form if he's not ultra-peeved.)
* Blackarachnia says her organic half can't resist being underwater for long, though [[Dispatches|her trip through the void]] didn't harm her at all.

===Animation errors===
* During their initial fight, when Prime says that he won't give up the position of the AllSpark, Megatron seems to be three times the size of Optimus, despite the fact the majority of shots of them together he is only around half again as tall at the most. This might be intentional, to make Megatron even MORE intimidating (or just to give him time to rant while the camera pans up his frame).
* When Ratchet catches Sari after Blackarachnia drops her, his right arm is intact. In the next scene, it's gone again.
* Also, when Ratchet, Bumblebee and Prowl are planning on how to stop Blitzwing, Ratchet's arm is intact again, but in the next shot, it's gone again. This happens constantly during the final battle.
* When Blitzwing changes faces after Megatron coldcocks Starscream, his face rotates vertically, not horizontally as it usually does.
* The black lanyard attached to the AllSpark Key keeps disappearing and reappearing.
* Optimus Prime appears ''really'' tiny when he's shown sitting at the Autobot ship's door at the end.
* The [[stock footage]] of Megatron's [[fusion cannon]] shows it has some sort of lens in the barrel, which isn't present during the normal animation.
* The joystick Ratchet was using to pilot the ship moved along with his hand when he revealed how he lost his other arm.

===Transformers references===
[[Image:Ark in mountain.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Moral of the story: Autobots cannot drive.]]
* The manner in which the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Autobot ship]] is left sticking out of the rock is reminiscent of the [[Ark (G1)|original ''Ark'']].
* [[Cyber Planet Key|A key as the most powerful Cybertronian artifact?]] [[Key to Vector Sigma|Most familiar]].
* [[Heart of Cybertron|Putting the AllSpark into his chest]] did not kill Megatron, unlike his [[Megatron (Movie)|second cousin twice removed]].
* The AllSpark gets dispersed in this episode, just like [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Prime]] did with a [[Matrix of Leadership|nearly identical artifact]] after his [[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2|resurrection]].
* Starscream's entire death contains references to the original [[The Transformers: The Movie|animated movie]]. First, an attempt on [[Starscream (G1)|his]] [[Megatron (G1)|leader's]] life is ruined when said leader returns in a new [[Galvatron (G1)|body]] and kills Starscream for his betrayal. Then, the returning leader asks if anyone else has a problem with his leadership ("Will anyone else attempt to fill his shoes?"), and the remaining Decepticons pledge their loyalty.
* The damage Megatron receives after his battle with Optimus Prime is near identical to his [[Megatron (G1)|Generation One self's]] damage after his final showdown with Prime in [[The Transformers: The Movie]].

===Foreign dubbing===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''O Retorno de Megatron, parte 2'''" ("The Return of Megatron, part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Le retour de Megatron 2/2'''" ("The Return of Megatron 2/2")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Megatrons Auferstehung, Teil 2'''" ("Megatron's Resurrection, Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 14|14 July]] [[2008]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' '''メガトロンの復活パート2''' (''Megatron no Fukkatsu Part 2'', "Megatron's Resurrection, Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 10|10 July]] [[2010]]

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Powrót Megatrona, Część 2'''" ("The Return of Megatron, Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

===Trivia===
* The intro has a number of new sound effects added in. This version will be used for some future episodes, while others will (for no apparent reason) use the original version of the theme song.
* Though they have never been seen together as a unit since landing on Earth (save for a [[Starscream Heckles Megatron|certain, non-canon short]],) this is the last episode [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|where]] [[Blitzwing (Animated)|all]] [[Lugnut (Animated)|members]] [[Starscream (Animated)|of]] [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]'s original crew are present.
* Despite the fact the Autobot ship crashed on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]], [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] and company are nowhere to be seen. In an interview<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/interviews-27/tfw2005-interviews-transformers-animated-story-editor-marty-isenberg-165509/ August 1, 2008 interview on TFW2005.com]</ref>, Marty Isenberg said that there was a cut scene in which the Dinobots did come and fight, only to be defeated one-by-one by Megatron in order to show how powerful Megatron was. However, the poor quality of the animation caused the scene to be dropped. Additionally, in retrospect, Isenberg felt things might have worked out for the best, since the scene probably would have annoyed Dinobot fans (not to mention contradicted Grimlock's profile).
[[Image:Megatron Rising 2 Sari AllSpark charades.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"The seeds of the future lie buried in the past." "What the heck does that mean?" "Wait, you're not [[Optimus Primal|the munky!]]"]]
* Since virtually the beginning of the series, fans have been theorizing that Sari may be more than she appears (see [[Sari Sumdac|her own article]] for all the details), and this episode includes the first serious in-show hint in that direction. In addition to Professor Sumdac attempting to tell Sari "something important" when he thinks it's possible that they're about to die, a point is repeatedly made of noting that the AllSpark "chose" Sari, and when she asks it why, it projects an image of a DNA strand with a [[Spark|glowing, blue orb]] at its center. Hmmm...
* Sari bites Blackarachnia's hand, and somehow, the latter feels pain. Ordinarily, this could be explained away if one supposes that Blackarachnia's hand in robot mode is organic, but you can hear a metallic clang as Sari chomps down on it. That girl has some ''teeth'' on her. Or Perhaps it is techno organic.
* After 24 years, the Decepticons ''finally'' have an equivalent of "Transform and Roll Out." And it's one that makes perfect sense, considering that traditionally, most Decepticons can fly. Even after taking that into consideration, the frequent depiction in Transformers lore of the Decepticons as an insurgent army ''rising'' to glory and conquest lends it a certain poetic elegance as well. "Decepticons, transform and rise up!"
* Megatron's [[Stock footage|transforming sequence]] from helicopter to robot is ''mostly'' the sequence of robot to helicopter played backwards with a few shots added—or possibly, the robot-to-helicopter sequence is ''actually'' the helicopter-to-robot sequence played backwards with certain shots ''removed''. The added/deleted shots are seemingly designed solely for a vehicle-to-robot sequence (such as the reveal of his hands, head, and final elegant "Power Pose"), making the latter guess more likely.
* Megatron actually punishes Starscream for betraying him. You can count on one hand all the times that has happened in every Transformers series prior to this, combined. And [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] blasting [[Starscream (G1)|him]] to dust doesn't count.
* The ''Animated'' Decepticons seem to do a better job battling the Autobots when Megatron isn't commanding them.
* This episode proves that ''Animated'' Megatron is awesome and a total badass. But we had already guessed that.
*However, Megatron ''gently whisks away'' Sari. [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Maybe he has a soft spot for children]]?

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season One ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Three: Megatron Rising (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Three: Megatron Rising (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Drei: Megatrons Auferstehung (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 4 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Convoy (episode)

2011-05-07T00:54:24Z

75.36.168.36: /* Quotes */

{{disambig2|the ''Prime'' episode|the Japanese name and rank|Convoy}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 9
|prev=Con Job
|next=Deus ex Machina
|image=TFP Convoy highway hijack.jpg
|caption=Ain't it a beautiful sight?
|title="Convoy"
|airdate=[[March 4]], [[2011]]
|written by=[[Joseph Kuhr]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}
'''The Autobots assist Fowler with transporting a nuclear device.'''

==Synopsis==
The Autobots get an angry call from [[William Fowler|Fowler]]. His plane's been shot down while transporting the hi-tech [[Dynamic Nuclear Generation System]], a volatile nuclear device, and he needs help in completing his mission. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus]] says that using the [[ground bridge]] to transport it would be too dangerous, so instead they'll have to take it by road. They soon have it loaded into a [[trailer]] which Prime starts hauling, with [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] and [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] as an escort. Fowler's disappointed he doesn't get to drive. [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] and the kids monitor their journey from [[Autobot Outpost Omega-1|base]].

Optimus is irritated by Fowler's enthusiasm with the horn. Unknown to any of them, the convoy is being observed by a helicopter. Fowler and Optimus are discussing whether there was any evil on Earth before the Decepticons came, when they spot the helicopter, which Fowler believes is a [[Decepticon]]. Five green sportscars move in on the convoy, but Optimus warns everyone to maintain their cover and stay in vehicle mode. Ratchet's surprised that they're not showing up on his sensors. All is made clear when one of the cars draws level with Optimus's cab, and a masked human aims a gun at Fowler. Optimus orders the other Autobots to use non-lethal force only. Bumblebee knocks one of the cars, flipping it over, but another drives up alongside Optimus. One of the masked goons climbs onto Optimus and starts attempting to sever the trailer. After Prime knocks the car off the mountainside road, Fowler climbs out and grabs the masked goon, but loses him before he can start the interrogation.

The fellow in the helicopter makes contact over the walkie and introduces himself as [[Silas]], part of the [[MECH]] organization, who intend to steal the D.N.G.S. for their own use. One of the cars pulls up behind Optimus and the MECH goons blow the trailer's back door open, only for [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] to jump out in motorcycle mode and flip their car, causing it to explode. While Optimus warns Fowler not to take Silas lightly (due to [[Megatron (Prime)|personal experience]]), Ratchet informs them they're nearing the rendezvous point.

On the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]'', [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] has intercepted the communications, and [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] sends a bunch of [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] to join the party.

The Autobots reach the rendezvous point and duck into a rail tunnel alongside a train. Bulkhead seals off the incoming end. A short time later, they and the train emerge from the other end of the tunnel, and Silas continues to follow the Autobots. As luck would have it, the Vehicons take this opportunity to appear and open fire on the convoy. The Autobots avoid getting hit, but Prime's trailer is shaken loose and explodes. The Vehicons transform and move in, forcing Optimus to inform Fowler that they're going to have to break cover to survive. Silas observes the fight and notes that the rumors he's heard of living technology are true. He lets Fowler know that he's aware the D.N.G.S. was transferred onto the train while the Autobots were in the tunnel, and the helicopter moves off to intercept the cargo. Unfortunately, while Fowler's giving Optimus the bad news, the Autobot leader takes a tree trunk to the face and falls off a nearby cliff.

The kids have a frantic discussion about a plan B. [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]]'s in favor of Ratchet ground-bridging the kids onto the train so they can fight the MECH goons. With [[Raf Esquivel|Raf's]] help, [[Jack Darby|Jack]] and Miko are soon on the train. As the MECH helicopter tries to land on top of the train, Raf flips a point switch to make the train go off along another line. In response, the helicopter's pilot hacks Raf's laptop, causing it to short out. On the second try, the helicopter lands atop the carriage the D.N.G.S. is in, and the MECH guys start cutting through the carriage roof.

Not far away, the Autobots continue their fight with the Vehicons. Optimus comes around and sees the train in trouble.

Miko and Jack grab weapons, which they wave at the MECH guys when the ceiling's opened. Back in the chopper, Silas spots Optimus running alongside and sounds a retreat. As the helicopter heads away, he fires a missile and takes out the track ahead of the train. Due to Raf's laptop being out of commission, Ratchet no longer has the train's coordinates and can't bridge the kids out. They prepare to jump, but Optimus [[Maximum overdrive|zooms past]], grabs the front of the train and brings it to a halt in the nick of time. Hovering in the helicopter nearby, Silas promises that next time the playing field will be leveled. Optimus reports back to Ratchet that the kids and the D.N.G.S. are safe, but notes that a new player has entered the game...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (3)
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (4)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (9)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (12)
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (13)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (14)

|c3=
*[[William Fowler]] (1)
*[[Jack Darby]] (5)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (6)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (7)
*[[MECH]] goons (10)
*[[Silas]] (11)

}}

==Quotes==
"Ah-ah, no need, Agent Fowler. I will handle the driving." 
"It's going to be a long trip."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' lets '''Agent Fowler''' in on his no-touch policy.

"How about some radio? You seem like a Nashville sound kinda guy."
:—'''Agent Fowler''' to Optimus Prime.

"That's the one! The 'Con who shot me down! Who is he? Wingnut? Dingbat? Skyguy?"
:—'''Fowler''' shares some awesome Transformer name ideas. well maybe not the last one

"Gentlemen, stop their engines."
:—'''Silas'''

"Is that so? Tell me, Si, what's the market price for a D.N.G.S. these days?" 
"What makes you think we intend to sell it, Agent Fowler?"
:—'''Agent Fowler''' and '''Silas''' discussing the value of Fowler's Dingus.

"After a long road trip, feels good to get out of the car, stretch my legs, and kick some tailpipe!"
:—'''Bulkhead''', the reigning king of one-liners.

"You want me to not only bridge you into a confined space, but one traveling at 90 miles per hour? I can't even count the number of things that can go wrong—mass displacement trauma, twisted limbs, metal burn!... Well, maybe not the last one."
:—'''Ratchet''' to the kids.

"First rule of combat: Never leave the enemy with the spoils."
:—'''Silas'''

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
* While Silas delivers his last line, the straps that cross his chest clip into each other.
* At the beginning of the episode, when Ratchet asks Agent Fowler why Starscream would bother with "such primitive technology" (i.e., the D.N.G.S.), a small light can be seen inside his open mouth, as if the light coming from his left optic sensor can be seen through it.

===Continuity errors===
* The Autobots have a curious definition of "minimal force". During the short battle, they run two cars off the road, causing both to flip over, and blow up a third. The latter most likely killed the passengers. It's amazing the others came out unharmed, considering one was hanging out of the sunroof of his car at the time.
* NOT AN ERROR: Silas attempting to destroy the D.N.G.S. at the end of the episode. There's no indication he's aware of just how nasty that thing going up would be; when the decoy trailer goes up, the MECH pilot merely indicates there's no detectable radiation. If they knew about the five-state irradiation deal, they'd probably be just a ''wee'' bit more on edge and wondering why they weren't dead.
* On the monitor inside the Autobot base, the fork is shown to be on the right side of the rails. When the scene changes to show the running train, it is shown to be on the left.
* The car in front of Bumblebee disappears after the Autobots begin applying force.

===Continuity notes===
*The plane Fowler was transporting the D.N.G.S. on is the same one he had in "[[Masters & Students]]". And he's ''still'' flying without any kind of pilot gear on. Dude is ''hard''.

===Transformers references===
*Optimus's [[trailer]] is adorned with the same paint scheme as his [[Optimus Prime (G1)|''Generation 1'' counterpart]]'s [[Combat Deck|trailer]].

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* This episode is the first in ''Transformers Prime'' to feature a reproduction of an actual real-world vehicle: The locomotive depicted hauling the 'Phase II' train is a very accurate model of a four-axle road-switcher model produced in London, Ontario by [[wikipedia:Electro-Motive_Diesel|Electro-Motive Diesel]].

===Trivia===
* As was previously featured in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 4]]", this episode features an Autobot transforming while carrying a human passenger. Fowler somehow ends up sitting in Optimus's hand rather than inside him, though.
* On board the train, Jack and Miko each pick a "weapon" of choice to face the MECH goons. Appropriately, Miko happens to take an axe, like she did [[Darkness Rising, Part 5|to face Soundwave's tentacle]], while Jack takes a fire extinguisher, like he did [[Scrapheap (episode)|a couple of episodes ago]].
* When Jack and Miko grab respectively, the fire extinguisher and the fire axe to fight MECH, they forget that there is a gun on the floor, dropped by the immobilized soldier. However, neither (presumably) has had firearms training, and its unlikely that Optimus would appreciate trigger-happy allies.
* Fowler's badassery (already displayed in several previous episodes) is again shown when he climbs out of Optimus's cab to dislodge one of MECH's goons, then proceeds to manhandle the minion one-handed, and then climbs back into the cab. Oh, and he puts his seat belt back on. Safety first, kids.
* This episode ''might'' imply that Jack has feelings for Miko. So far, however, it seems to be kinda one-sided. But Miko was seen a few times grabbing Jacks arm.
*Evidently, whoever developed the episode's Macguffin shares [[Isaac Sumdac]]'s taste in questionably named devices. *snrk* ''Dingus''... seriously?
*This episode may contain human death. After Arcee jumps off one of MECH's vehicles, it rolls right into another vehicle and the two explode. No humans are seen exiting the vehicles during the accident, so it is likely that they perish in the explosion.

==Home video releases==

==External links==

[[Category:Prime episodes]]