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Orion Pax, Part 3

2012-03-14T05:44:02Z

75.61.79.241: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 29
|prev=Orion Pax, Part 2
|next=Operation Bumblebee, Part 1
|image=
|caption=
|title="Orion Pax, Part 3"
|airdate=[[March 3]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Joseph Kuhr]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}
{{template:picsneeded}}

'''Jack and Arcee undertake a dangerous mission on Cybertron to access Vector Sigma, while Orion begins to rebel against Megatron.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Jack Darby|Jack]] and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] walk through [[Kaon]], guided by the light of the [[Key to Vector Sigma]]. They come upon a circular clearing, and the key glows intensely, indicating that they must be close. Suddenly, the ground begins to shake, and cracks appear in the surface. The duo watch in awe as a passageway rises from the ground, its door illuminated the same as the Key. It opens, but just as the two are about to enter, an enormous creature rears up from atop the passage. Arcee's [[Autobot]] symbol catches its eye, and it charges her, Arcee's minute strength doing nothing to injure it. She is quickly incapacitated, and the creature notices Jack, giving temporary pursuit until distracted by Arcee. Jack radios [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] and is told that the creature is an [[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticon]], one of many sentries left to guard the dead [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Arcee tells Jack to go, to his surprise, but he realizes the necessity. As he enters, the door closes behind him.

On the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]'', [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] inquires as to [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Orion]]'s progress on [[Project Iacon]]. Orion says it's tough work, but Megatron says otherwise, revealing to him that all of his unsanctioned research has been recorded. Orion takes the opportunity to ask about his reported affiliation with the Autobots, but Megatron merely tells him to get back to work. Orion decides that enough is enough, and erases his progress in the archives. Megatron laughs, and shows the clerk that he has been recorded and documented in his pursuits. [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] intrudes, to show Megatron that one of their sentries came online on Cybertron. Orion asks how anything is alive on the planet, but Megatron tells him to continue his work-or be terminated.

Back on Cybertron, Arcee tangles with the enormous bug, but is no match for its brute strength. Finished with her, the Insecticon turns its attention to the fleshling, and breaks its way into the tunnel.

In the depths of the tunnel, Jack hears a [[Scraplet|familiar noise]], and uproots a metal bar for protection.

Back on the ''Nemesis'', Megatron reviews the reports with Soundwave. He learns of the [[space bridge]]'s activation, its endpoint, and the fact that it is still active. He quickly deduces the Autobots' plan.

In Cybertron's gullet, Jack arrives at the chamber of [[Vector Sigma]]. He proceeds to the center of a circular platform, where he places the Key. The entire chamber begins to transform and glow with the Key's energy, and the enormous supercomputer reveals itself, and begins to transfer its energy to the Key.

On the ''Nemesis'', Orion is hassled by the guards. He appeals to their "good nature", saying that he believes Megatron will use the information he is agglomerating for nefarious purposes. Good-old fashioned police brutality ensues as the helpless clerk is kicked and punched by his guards.

In the chamber, Jack is antsy about the speed of his download. His problems lie beyond his dial-up, however, because behind him, a horde of Scraplets has just taken notice of the ''very'' alive metal before him in the form of the Key to Vector Sigma. Jack is helpless to fend them off, and they begin to snack on the download port. He reports frantically on his position to ground control

In the space bridge chamber, however, the Autobots have bigger fish to fry as Megatron steps out of a [[GroundBridge]] to them. Ratchet vows to protect their charges, and the battle begins, Megatron easily flooring every Autobot, Ratchet and [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] twice.

On Cybertron, Arcee awakes to find a Scraplet chewing on her foot. She blasts it off, and notices the opened passage—and the absent Insecticon. Transforming, she speeds into the passageway.

Jack valiantly smashes the Scraplets as they feed, but is unable to stop their progress towards the Matrix. Another problem presents itself behind him in the form of the Insecticon. It charges towards him, but stops in its tracks, staring at the key. Jack realizes why, and the Scraplets suddenly become a blessing. He formulates an idea, pulling a Scraplet off the Key and pointing it at the aggressor. The Insecticon turns tail as it realizes what's happening, but the Scraplets give chase and latch on, quickly chewing through the giant insect as it falls to its doom, limbs disconnected. The download completes, and Jack retrieves the key. Arcee finally arrives, and the two depart.

The [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] guards continue to beat down Orion, and one of them lets slip that it's a privilege to beat the former leader of the Autobots. Orion pleads with them to stop, and in his defense, he accidentally transforms his arms into blasters. Realizing they're in trouble, the guards fire on Pax, but he quickly dispatches them both.

Arcee and Jack arrive at the space bridge portal, and radio Ratchet about their position. Total silence on the comm tip them off that something is wrong, and, undetected on the other end of the portal, Megatron waits to end the lineage of the Primes. However, he is surprised by the sudden arrival of Orion Pax, who vows that, no matter what his heritage might be, his spark is aligned with the Autobots. He deploys his blades, and charges for Megatron, but is quickly defeated. Megatron says that he has much to learn, and prepares to kill him, but Arcee speeds through the bridge and collides with him, sending them both flying. In the light of the bridge, Jack presents the Key to Orion, who hesitates, but accepts his destiny.

The Key begins to upload the Matrix to its host. Megatron, preoccupied with fighting Arcee, notices this, and desperately runs at him. However, Orion Pax—now ''Optimus Prime'' once again—isn't ready to go down again, and trounces his enemy. A GroundBridge portal opens up, and the Autobots retreat.

At base, the Autobots and humans rejoice at their reunion. Noticing his Decepticon symbol, Optimus asks Ratchet what had happened. He replies that it was their darkest hour, but at every point along the way, Optimus was truly an Autobot at spark.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (8)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (15)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (16)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (17)

|c2=
*[[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticon]] (3)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
*"[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Orion Pax]]" (10)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (11)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (14)

|c3=
*[[Jack Darby]] (1)
*[[June Darby]] (4)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (5)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (6)
*[[William Fowler]] (7)

|c4=
*[[Scraplet]]s (12)
*[[Vector Sigma]] (13)

}}

==Quotes==
"Why does history portray me siding with the Autobot aggressors? And why did Starscream call me a Prime? I must know...who ''am'' I?" 
"You are my clerk."
:—'''"Orion Pax"''' questions his identity, while '''Megatron''' responds with a firm establishment of the pecking order.

"That may be true, or yet another deception, but this much I do know: my sympathies lie with the Autobots, and you are ''not'' one of us!"
:—'''"Orion Pax"''' to Megatron, realizing the truth.

"Are you...certain I am worthy?" 
"You have no idea."
:—'''"Orion Pax"''' and '''Jack'''.

"Megatron—''be gone!''"
:—'''Optimus Prime''', before delivering the most awesome series of punches in the entire series.

"Optimus, it has truly been our darkest hour, but know this: from every indication your spark never ceased being that of an Autobot."
:—'''Ratchet'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The scraplets seem a ''lot'' nastier in this episode, chewing so fast as to render a hulking robot limbless in a matter of seconds. This is ''not'' an error, as many factors could contribute, such as the scraplets' inability to find living metal on the barren Cybertron and the ancient state of the Insecticon.
*Optimus still has the broken sword from waaaaay back in "[[One Shall Fall]]". It would seem that the Decepticons neglected to repair it. Or rather, neglected to mention that he had weapons in the first place.

===Transformers references===
* Ratchet references ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' by referring to an event as "our darkest hour", as he did before in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 5]]".
* Bulkhead calls Megatron a "bucket head", a reference to [[Megatron (G1)|the original Megatron]].
* The Insecticon's insect mode resembles a large rhinoceros beetle, [[Bombshell (G1)|like]] [[Salvo|several]] [[Barrage (Insecticon)|other]] [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticons]].
* From the Scraplets' point-of-view, the sphere of Vector Sigma is seen in its faceted orb appearance common to many continuities.

===Real-world references===
*Bulkhead's line bemoaning the Scraplets on Cybertron is a paraphrase of the oft-referenced "Why did it have to be snakes?" line from ''Raiders of the Lost Ark''.

===Trivia===
*Look closely at the arena in Kaon: it's the same arena as seen in "[[One Shall Rise, Part 3]]". Ironic that the entrance to Vector Sigma lay beneath Megatron's feet at that moment.
*When Jack coaxes the Scraplets into attacking the Insecticon, he calls it "the main course", echoing what Bulkhead said while using himself as bait in "[[Scrapheap (episode)|Scrapheap]]".
*The way Optimus catches Megatron's sword just after he regains his memory is the exact same as when Megatron catches Optimus' sword when he's trying to exterminate him in "[[One Shall Fall]]". It even makes the same thundering noise.
*Jack never picked up a souvenir for Raf, which Raf asked for in the previous episode.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Operation Bumblebee, Part 1

2012-03-12T04:19:31Z

75.61.79.241: /* Continuity notes */

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 30
|prev=Orion Pax, Part 3
|next=Operation Bumblebee, Part 2
|image=
|caption=
|title="Operation Bumblebee, Part 1"
|airdate=[[March 10]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Bumblebee questions his worthiness to his team after he is compromised.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] stake out a [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] mining operation overseen by [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]. Optimus isn't about to let Megatron have whatever gave off the signal that led him and Ratchet here, and he confronts Megatron just as the Vehicons break earth and hand the package to him. Megatron advises Optimus to stow his weapons; the device they've unearthed is a deadly [[spark extractor]], capable of sapping the spark from the body of every Cybertronian in its radius. He takes the opportunity to gloat about how Optimus—ahem, ''Orion''—led him to it before stepping through the [[GroundBridge]], and ordering the Vehicons to hold Ratchet and Optimus off. Close by, [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] speeds over a cliff and through the attacking Vehicons, before driving into the GroundBridge. He transforms and grabs the package from Megatron's hand, before turning around and bolting. Megatron runs after him, but upon arriving outside the vortex, finds his troops destroyed and all three Autobots gone.

Back at base, Bumblebee brags about his vehicular acrobatics. Ratchet informs Optimus of the reason for the Autobot homing beacon on the device—it was sealed away in Iacon during the war, but was jettisoned offworld when the Decepticons raided the city. [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] asks if Optimus remembers if he transcribed any other coordinates, but Optimus regrets that he does not. Ratchet posits that Megatron said he decrypted multiple targets to play havoc with Optimus' psyche.

On the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron laments over the loss of the spark extractor, and regrets that he did no more than destroy Bumblebee's voicebox back on Cybertron. [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] reminds Megatron that there are still two contacts on Earth to investigate.

On the road, Bumblebee sounds off to [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] to rendezvous with him at the coordinates of the new distress beacon. Upon arriving, however, the only device present is an upright beacon. Suddenly, Bumblebee is stunned by a large electrical blast, and he falls unconscious. [[Silas]] and a [[MECH]] team emerge from the shadows, including a [[MECH Surgeon]] who starts work on Bumblebee. Unseen by the troops below, Starscream arrives and transforms on an overlooking cliff. As MECH spots Bulkhead incoming, the surgeon finishes his work, and the team departs in a helicopter. Bulkhead arrives and asks Bumblebee who did it, but Bumblebee doesn't recall. Bulkhead advises pursuit, and transforms to roll—but Bumblebee doesn't. Antsy at the hold-up, Bulkhead asks Bumblebee why he's not transforming, and Bumblebee replies that he can't.

Back at base, Ratchet scans Bumblebee and discovers that his [[transformation cog|T cog]] is missing. The Autobots quickly work out MECH is behind it, and Optimus tells Bumblebee he's going to have to rely on his friends for a while. Bumblebee is very depressed. Optimus is worried about what Megatron might unearth next.

MECH install Bumblebee's T cog into the robot they've built, but when they power it up and have it scan a helicopter, the robot is unable to transform. Starscream, who has been spying on them, reveals himself and proposes an alliance. He explains the T cog requires [[energon]] to work. He intends to supply MECH with information on energon so they can work out a way to find energon deposits.

Bumblebee is making a pain of himself bugging Ratchet, who asks [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] to keep him busy. Unfortunately all of their entertainment reminds Bumblebee of his missing vehicle mode. Raf makes another attempt to make Bumblebee feel better, but is undermined by Arcee and [[Jack Darby|Jack]] racing into the base at high speed. Ratchet has to stop Bumblebee from going out for a walk, but feels guilty at his inability to fix his fellow Autobot.

Some time later, Ratchet picks Raf up outside school, much to the boy's discomfort.

On monitoring duty, Bulkhead detects a signal, and Bumblebee insists on going with him to investigate.

Raf asks how Bumblebee's voice box was damaged, and Ratchet tells how Bumblebee was captured at [[Tyger Pax]] and given a working over by the Decepticons. Though a [[Ratchet (Prime)|field medic]] saved the scout, it wasn't enough to save his voice box.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee track the signal to a cave. [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] soon comes barreling out, closely followed by [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]]. While Bulkhead tackles the latter, Bumblebee attempts to chase Knock Out on foot. He soon finds he can't even transform his arms to deploy his guns, and is forced to continue the pursuit by using an old truck as an impromptu go-kart. Unfortunately it loses a wheel, and as Knock Out speeds off with the pilfered device, Bumblebee is sent flying off a cliff.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (7)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (9)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (2)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (10)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (17)
*[[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] (18)
|c3=
*[[Jack Darby]] (6)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (7)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (8)
*[[Silas]] (11)
*[[MECH Surgeon]] (12)
*[[Sierra]] (14)
*[[Sierra's friend]] (15)
*[[Vince]] (16)

|c4=
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (13)
}}

==Quotes==
"The new Urbana 500. It won't just rock your world. It will transform it."
:—The '''commercial narrator''' hates Bumblebee.

"You want to ride with the siren on?" 
"No, thank you."
:—'''Ratchet''' attempts to cheer up '''Raf'''.

"Still don't know how you talked me into this. You're worse than Miko."
:—'''Bulkhead''' on Bumblebee's persuasiveness.

"Bumblebee, where's your famous horsepower? Show me some ''speed''!"
:—'''Knock Out''', unintentionally striking a nerve.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===

*The producers apparently can't make a decision on Starscream's eyes. They are yet again completely red, unlike the previous episode he appeared in.

===Continuity notes===
*This marks the first mention of Megatron being responsible for destroying Bumblebee's capacity to speak at [[Tyger Pax]], having been established in ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' for the Aligned continuity.
*Megatron calls Optimus by his pre-Prime name "Orion Pax" from the previous episodes. The three sets of coordinates the Decepticons are investigating here are likewise the fruits of [[Project Iacon]].
*We first heard about [[Project Chimera]] in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]", the events of which Starscream makes mention of. Here we finally see what the project is—an attempt to create a MECH-designed Transformer.
*The old pickup truck Bumblebee uses to chase Knock Out was first seen in "[[Convoy (episode)|Convoy]]", and again in "[[Metal Attraction]]".
*MECH's attacks on Breakdown and Arcee are brought up, which happened in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]" and "[[Crisscross]]", respectively.
*Starscream compares facial scars with Silus, having gotten his from Arcee in "[[Partners]]".

===Transformers references===
*The ''device dú jour'' today is the spark extractor, courtesy of ancient Decepticons. However, unlike the [[spark extractor|original]], this one seems to be more of a bomb-like device, sapping the sparks of everyone in its radius. It might not be a coincidence that the device showed up in an episode written by [[Marty Isenberg]], given that he was one of the two showrunners of the [[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|series]] it originated from.
*The T-cog is a reference to the [[transformation cog]] of G1 lore. It was first referred to in the ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]'' episode "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]", in which the lack of a transformation cog meant that [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] was stuck in city mode.
*Ratchet also has to explain to Bumblebee that the Autobots are "Robots In Disguise", which is why he can't leave the base while his T-Cog is missing.

===Real-world references===
*Megatron uses the term "mutually assured destruction", a longtime slogan for the effect of nuclear war.
*Knock Out references Rent-A-Car, a real-world car rental service.

===Trivia===
*In a first for the series, Bumblebee's car mode is revealed as the [[Urbana 500]]. The Urbana 500. It won't just rock your world. ''It'll transform it.''
*This is the first time a fight has happened ''inside'' the GroundBridge.
*Bumblebee, Ratchet and Starscream's Cybertronian modes, again, have Earth vehicle kibble.
*The title is a nod to a Season 1 episode "[[Operation: Breakdown]]".
*It was revealed that several artifacts were jettisoned into space during the war, explaining why earlier [[polarity gauntlet|devices]] were found there.
[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Operation Bumblebee, Part 1

2012-03-12T04:18:41Z

75.61.79.241: /* Notes */

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 30
|prev=Orion Pax, Part 3
|next=Operation Bumblebee, Part 2
|image=
|caption=
|title="Operation Bumblebee, Part 1"
|airdate=[[March 10]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Bumblebee questions his worthiness to his team after he is compromised.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] stake out a [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] mining operation overseen by [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]. Optimus isn't about to let Megatron have whatever gave off the signal that led him and Ratchet here, and he confronts Megatron just as the Vehicons break earth and hand the package to him. Megatron advises Optimus to stow his weapons; the device they've unearthed is a deadly [[spark extractor]], capable of sapping the spark from the body of every Cybertronian in its radius. He takes the opportunity to gloat about how Optimus—ahem, ''Orion''—led him to it before stepping through the [[GroundBridge]], and ordering the Vehicons to hold Ratchet and Optimus off. Close by, [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] speeds over a cliff and through the attacking Vehicons, before driving into the GroundBridge. He transforms and grabs the package from Megatron's hand, before turning around and bolting. Megatron runs after him, but upon arriving outside the vortex, finds his troops destroyed and all three Autobots gone.

Back at base, Bumblebee brags about his vehicular acrobatics. Ratchet informs Optimus of the reason for the Autobot homing beacon on the device—it was sealed away in Iacon during the war, but was jettisoned offworld when the Decepticons raided the city. [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] asks if Optimus remembers if he transcribed any other coordinates, but Optimus regrets that he does not. Ratchet posits that Megatron said he decrypted multiple targets to play havoc with Optimus' psyche.

On the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron laments over the loss of the spark extractor, and regrets that he did no more than destroy Bumblebee's voicebox back on Cybertron. [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] reminds Megatron that there are still two contacts on Earth to investigate.

On the road, Bumblebee sounds off to [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] to rendezvous with him at the coordinates of the new distress beacon. Upon arriving, however, the only device present is an upright beacon. Suddenly, Bumblebee is stunned by a large electrical blast, and he falls unconscious. [[Silas]] and a [[MECH]] team emerge from the shadows, including a [[MECH Surgeon]] who starts work on Bumblebee. Unseen by the troops below, Starscream arrives and transforms on an overlooking cliff. As MECH spots Bulkhead incoming, the surgeon finishes his work, and the team departs in a helicopter. Bulkhead arrives and asks Bumblebee who did it, but Bumblebee doesn't recall. Bulkhead advises pursuit, and transforms to roll—but Bumblebee doesn't. Antsy at the hold-up, Bulkhead asks Bumblebee why he's not transforming, and Bumblebee replies that he can't.

Back at base, Ratchet scans Bumblebee and discovers that his [[transformation cog|T cog]] is missing. The Autobots quickly work out MECH is behind it, and Optimus tells Bumblebee he's going to have to rely on his friends for a while. Bumblebee is very depressed. Optimus is worried about what Megatron might unearth next.

MECH install Bumblebee's T cog into the robot they've built, but when they power it up and have it scan a helicopter, the robot is unable to transform. Starscream, who has been spying on them, reveals himself and proposes an alliance. He explains the T cog requires [[energon]] to work. He intends to supply MECH with information on energon so they can work out a way to find energon deposits.

Bumblebee is making a pain of himself bugging Ratchet, who asks [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] to keep him busy. Unfortunately all of their entertainment reminds Bumblebee of his missing vehicle mode. Raf makes another attempt to make Bumblebee feel better, but is undermined by Arcee and [[Jack Darby|Jack]] racing into the base at high speed. Ratchet has to stop Bumblebee from going out for a walk, but feels guilty at his inability to fix his fellow Autobot.

Some time later, Ratchet picks Raf up outside school, much to the boy's discomfort.

On monitoring duty, Bulkhead detects a signal, and Bumblebee insists on going with him to investigate.

Raf asks how Bumblebee's voice box was damaged, and Ratchet tells how Bumblebee was captured at [[Tyger Pax]] and given a working over by the Decepticons. Though a [[Ratchet (Prime)|field medic]] saved the scout, it wasn't enough to save his voice box.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee track the signal to a cave. [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] soon comes barreling out, closely followed by [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]]. While Bulkhead tackles the latter, Bumblebee attempts to chase Knock Out on foot. He soon finds he can't even transform his arms to deploy his guns, and is forced to continue the pursuit by using an old truck as an impromptu go-kart. Unfortunately it loses a wheel, and as Knock Out speeds off with the pilfered device, Bumblebee is sent flying off a cliff.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (7)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (9)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (2)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (10)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (17)
*[[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] (18)
|c3=
*[[Jack Darby]] (6)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (7)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (8)
*[[Silas]] (11)
*[[MECH Surgeon]] (12)
*[[Sierra]] (14)
*[[Sierra's friend]] (15)
*[[Vince]] (16)

|c4=
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (13)
}}

==Quotes==
"The new Urbana 500. It won't just rock your world. It will transform it."
:—The '''commercial narrator''' hates Bumblebee.

"You want to ride with the siren on?" 
"No, thank you."
:—'''Ratchet''' attempts to cheer up '''Raf'''.

"Still don't know how you talked me into this. You're worse than Miko."
:—'''Bulkhead''' on Bumblebee's persuasiveness.

"Bumblebee, where's your famous horsepower? Show me some ''speed''!"
:—'''Knock Out''', unintentionally striking a nerve.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===

*The producers apparently can't make a decision on Starscream's eyes. They are yet again completely red, unlike the previous episode he appeared in.

===Continuity notes===
*This marks the first mention of Megatron being responsible for destroying Bumblebee's capacity to speak at [[Tyger Pax]], having been established in ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' for the Aligned continuity.
*Megatron calls Optimus by his pre-Prime name "Orion Pax" from the previous episodes. The three sets of coordinates the Decepticons are investigating here are likewise the fruits of [[Project Iacon]].
*We first heard about [[Project Chimera]] in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]", the events of which Starscream also makes mention of. Here we finally see what the project is—an attempt to create a MECH-designed Transformer.
*The old pickup truck Bumblebee uses to chase Knock Out was first seen in "[[Convoy (episode)|Convoy]]", and again in "[[Metal Attraction]]".
*MECH's attacks on Breakdown and Arcee are brought up, which happened in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]" and "[[Crisscross]]", respectively
*Starscream compares facial scars with Silus, having gotten his from Arcee in "[[Partners]]".

===Transformers references===
*The ''device dú jour'' today is the spark extractor, courtesy of ancient Decepticons. However, unlike the [[spark extractor|original]], this one seems to be more of a bomb-like device, sapping the sparks of everyone in its radius. It might not be a coincidence that the device showed up in an episode written by [[Marty Isenberg]], given that he was one of the two showrunners of the [[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|series]] it originated from.
*The T-cog is a reference to the [[transformation cog]] of G1 lore. It was first referred to in the ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]'' episode "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]", in which the lack of a transformation cog meant that [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] was stuck in city mode.
*Ratchet also has to explain to Bumblebee that the Autobots are "Robots In Disguise", which is why he can't leave the base while his T-Cog is missing.

===Real-world references===
*Megatron uses the term "mutually assured destruction", a longtime slogan for the effect of nuclear war.
*Knock Out references Rent-A-Car, a real-world car rental service.

===Trivia===
*In a first for the series, Bumblebee's car mode is revealed as the [[Urbana 500]]. The Urbana 500. It won't just rock your world. ''It'll transform it.''
*This is the first time a fight has happened ''inside'' the GroundBridge.
*Bumblebee, Ratchet and Starscream's Cybertronian modes, again, have Earth vehicle kibble.
*The title is a nod to a Season 1 episode "[[Operation: Breakdown]]".
*It was revealed that several artifacts were jettisoned into space during the war, explaining why earlier [[polarity gauntlet|devices]] were found there.
[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Operation Bumblebee, Part 1

2012-03-11T18:54:50Z

75.61.79.241: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 30
|prev=Orion Pax, Part 3
|next=Operation Bumblebee, Part 2
|image=
|caption=
|title="Operation Bumblebee, Part 1"
|airdate=[[March 10]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Bumblebee questions his worthiness to his team after he is compromised.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] stake out a [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] mining operation overseen by [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]. Optimus isn't about to let Megatron have whatever gave off the signal that led him and Ratchet here, and he confronts Megatron just as the Vehicons break earth and hand the package to him. Megatron advises Optimus to stow his weapons; the device they've unearthed is a deadly [[spark extractor]], capable of sapping the spark from the body of every Cybertronian in its radius. He takes the opportunity to gloat about how Optimus—ahem, ''Orion''—led him to it before stepping through the [[GroundBridge]], and ordering the Vehicons to hold Ratchet and Optimus off. Close by, [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] speeds over a cliff and through the attacking Vehicons, before driving into the GroundBridge. He transforms and grabs the package from Megatron's hand, before turning around and bolting. Megatron runs after him, but upon arriving outside the vortex, finds his troops destroyed and all three Autobots gone.

Back at base, Bumblebee brags about his vehicular acrobatics. Ratchet informs Optimus of the reason for the Autobot homing beacon on the device—it was sealed away in Iacon during the war, but was jettisoned offworld when the Decepticons raided the city. [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] asks if Optimus remembers if he transcribed any other coordinates, but Optimus regrets that he does not. Ratchet posits that Megatron said he decrypted multiple targets to play havoc with Optimus' psyche.

On the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron laments over the loss of the spark extractor, and regrets that he did no more than destroy Bumblebee's voicebox back on Cybertron. [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] reminds Megatron that there are still two contacts on Earth to investigate.

On the road, Bumblebee sounds off to [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] to rendezvous with him at the coordinates of the new distress beacon. Upon arriving, however, the only device present is an upright beacon. Suddenly, Bumblebee is stunned by a large electrical blast, and he falls unconscious. [[Silas]] and a [[MECH]] team emerge from the shadows, including a [[MECH Surgeon]] who starts work on Bumblebee. Unseen by the troops below, Starscream arrives and transforms on an overlooking cliff. As MECH spots Bulkhead incoming, the surgeon finishes his work, and the team departs in a helicopter. Bulkhead arrives and asks Bumblebee who did it, but Bumblebee doesn't recall. Bulkhead advises pursuit, and transforms to roll—but Bumblebee doesn't. Antsy at the hold-up, Bulkhead asks Bumblebee why he's not transforming, and Bumblebee replies that he can't.

Back at base, Ratchet scans Bumblebee and discovers that his [[transformation cog|T cog]] is missing. The Autobots quickly work out MECH is behind it, and Optimus tells Bumblebee he's going to have to rely on his friends for a while. Bumblebee is very depressed. Optimus is worried about what Megatron might unearth next.

MECH install Bumblebee's T cog into the robot they've built, but when they power it up and have it scan a helicopter, the robot is unable to transform. Starscream, who has been spying on them, reveals himself and proposes an alliance. He explains the T cog requires [[energon]] to work. He intends to supply MECH with information on energon so they can work out a way to find energon deposits.

Bumblebee is making a pain of himself bugging Ratchet, who asks [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] to keep him busy. Unfortunately all of their entertainment reminds Bumblebee of his missing vehicle mode. Raf makes another attempt to make Bumblebee feel better, but is undermined by Arcee and [[Jack Darby|Jack]] racing into the base at high speed. Ratchet has to stop Bumblebee from going out for a walk, but feels guilty at his inability to fix his fellow Autobot.

Some time later, Ratchet picks Raf up outside school, much to the boy's discomfort.

On monitoring duty, Bulkhead detects a signal, and Bumblebee insists on going with him to investigate.

Raf asks how Bumblebee's voice box was damaged, and Ratchet tells how Bumblebee was captured at [[Tyger Pax]] and given a working over by the Decepticons. Though a [[Ratchet (Prime)|field medic]] saved the scout, it wasn't enough to save his voice box.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee track the signal to a cave. [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] soon comes barreling out, closely followed by [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]]. While Bulkhead tackles the latter, Bumblebee attempts to chase Knock Out on foot. He soon finds he can't even transform his arms to deploy his guns, and is forced to continue the pursuit by using an old truck as an impromptu go-kart. Unfortunately it loses a wheel, and as Knock Out speeds off with the pilfered device, Bumblebee is sent flying off a cliff.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (7)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (9)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (2)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (10)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (17)
*[[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] (18)
|c3=
*[[Jack Darby]] (6)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (7)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (8)
*[[Silas]] (11)
*[[MECH Surgeon]] (12)
*[[Sierra]] (14)
*[[Sierra's friend]] (15)
*[[Vince]] (16)

|c4=
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (13)
}}

==Quotes==
"Oh, for Primus' sake. Will SOMEONE keep him occupied so I can get some work done?!"
:—'''Ratchet''' doesn't like to be distracted.

"The new Urbana 500. It won't just rock your world. It will transform it."
:—The '''commercial narrator''' hates Bumblebee.

"I am no stranger to ambition."
:—'''Starscream''' states the obvious.

"You want to ride with the siren on?" 
"No, thank you."
:—'''Ratchet''' attempts to cheer up '''Raf'''.

"Still don't know how you talked me into this. You're worse than Miko."
:—'''Bulkhead''' on Bumblebee's persuasiveness.

"Bumblebee, where's your famous horsepower? Show me some ''speed''!"
:—'''Knock Out''', unintentionally striking a nerve.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
===Continuity notes===
*This marks the first mention of Megatron being responsible for destroying Bumblebee's capacity to speak at [[Tyger Pax]], having been established in ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' for the Aligned continuity.
*Megatron calls Optimus by his pre-Prime name "Orion Pax" from the previous episodes. The three sets of coordinates the Decepticons are investigating here are likewise the fruits of [[Project Iacon]].
*We first heard about [[Project Chimera]] in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]", the events of which Starscream also makes mention of. Here we finally see what the project is—an attempt to create a MECH-designed Transformer.
*The old pickup truck Bumblebee uses to chase Knock Out was first seen in "[[Con Job]]", and again in "[[Metal Attraction]]".

===Transformers references===
*The ''device dú jour'' today is the spark extractor, courtesy of ancient Decepticons. However, unlike the [[spark extractor|original]], this one seems to be more of a bomb-like device, sapping the sparks of everyone in its radius. It might not be a coincidence that the device showed up in an episode written by [[Marty Isenberg]], given that he was one of the two showrunners of the [[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|series]] it originated from.
*The T-cog is a reference to the [[transformation cog]] of G1 lore. It was first referred to in the ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]'' episode "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]", in which the lack of a transformation cog meant that [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] was stuck in city mode.
*Ratchet also has to explain to Bumblebee that the Autobots are "Robots In Disguise", which is why he can't leave the base while his T-Cog is missing.

===Real-world references===
*Megatron uses the term "mutually assured destruction", a longtime slogan for the effect of nuclear war.
*Knock Out references Rent-A-Car, a real-world car rental service.
*The [[Urbana 500]] commercial is actually quite realistic.

===Trivia===
*In a first for the series, Bumblebee's car mode is revealed as the [[Urbana 500]]. The Urbana 500. It won't just rock your world. ''It'll transform it.''
*This is the first time a fight has happened ''inside'' the GroundBridge.
*Bumblebee, Ratchet and Starscream's Cybertronian modes, again, have Earth vehicle kibble.
*The title is a nod to a Season 1 episode "[[Operation: Breakdown]]".
[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Operation Bumblebee, Part 1

2012-03-11T05:31:01Z

75.61.79.241: /* Quotes */

2012-02-26T07:16:55Z

75.61.79.241: /* Animation and technical errors */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 28
|prev=Orion Pax, Part 1
|next=Orion Pax, Part 3
|image=
|caption=
|title="Orion Pax, Part 2"
|airdate=[[February 25]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Mairghread Scott]]
|directed by=[[Scooter Tidwell]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

{{picsneeded}}

'''Jack learns how to restore Optimus's memory.'''

==Synopsis==
On the Nemesis, Starscream points his missiles at Orion Pax. Accidentally adressing him as Optimus Prime, the Seeker realizes something is wrong. Through a brief conversation, Starscream learns of Orion's deception at Megatron's hands, and posits that the archivist has much to learn. He begins to speak, but is interrupted by a team of apprehending Vehicons. Starscream leaps into action and makes a quick escape, and Pax is ordered to stay in his quarters, his curiosity spiked.

Back at base, Ratchet finishes adjustments on the GroundBridge's power level, hoping to increase its range. Raf pilots a test subject in the form of a toy car into the bridge, but upon reaching the end, it is destroyed. He consoles Ratchet on the failure, saying it was only the first try, but Ratchet thinks it was a doomed idea from the start. In an effort to cheer him up, Raf tells a story of his slow triumph over the rope climb in gym class, but it falls on oblivious ears, Ratchet loudly asking what anything has to do with gym class.

In the halls of the Nemesis, Starscream deftly maneuvers his way past many guards, blasting a door out in his bid for freedom. Seconds away from escape, a laser blast catches his tail, and he spins to the ground. Orion is soon visited by Megatron, who apologizes for the commotion. Orion asks why Megatron told him Starscream was dead, and he replies that Starscream is dead to the Decepticon cause—a defector to the Autobots. Megatron departs, but Orion's interest is piqued by Starscream's reference to him, and he begins to read more about this "Optimus Prime." On his page, Orion reads that he was the leader of the Autobot faction, and not Ratchet, as Megatron told him.

Bulkhead arrives at base, and reports no leads on the location of the Decepticons' space bridge. About to send Bulkhead on his way to the next search quadrant, Ratchet recieves a high-frequency message of peculiar nature: it is adressed to him, and is from—Starscream? The plane tells him that he must come alone with a medical kit to repair him, in exchange for valuable intel about Optimus.

In a forest, the GroundBridge portal opens, to the surprise an dismay of the wounded Starscream, for both Ratchet and Bulkhead step out. Ratchet plays no games with his help, refusing to repair him until he gets some information. Realizing his compromised position, Starscream tells all, but succumbs to horror when he finds the Autobots already know it as well. As Ratchet and Bulkhead depart, the medic responds to Starscream's pleading with the ultimatum that unless he knows anything about the space bridge, he's going to rot. The jet is amazed that his troops finished his project when he was gone, then realizes that this is the information Ratchet is looking for. He smugly shows the Autobot where it hurts.

The group convenes at base to discuss the plan of action in seizing the space bridge. June voices her concern at the prospect of Jack travelling to another planet, but is reassured by Arcee and Fowler, and realizes the necessity of his mission. Ratchet works out a plan, where all four Autobots storm the space bridge chamber, jamming communications to block the deployment of Decepticon reinforcements. Fowler offers Jack a spacesuit for use on Cybertron, and Arcee volunteers to go with him. The GroundBridge opens, and the team enters.

At the Space Bridge complex, the team makes quick work of the guards. One attempts to send a message to control, but is stymied by Ratchet's scrambler and Bulkhead's fist. They arrive at the bridge, and Jack, fully suited, is bridged to location. The space bridge is activated, and the duo step through to Arcee's home planet and Jack's destiny.

In the complex, the remaining Autobots are stopped in their tracks by a transmission from Breakdown, asking for a status report. As he makes continual demands for a report, who should take the call is fumbled over, as Ratchet and Bulkhead's voices would be recognized, and Bumblebee can't speak at all. Ratchet settles on Agent Fowler, and he is patched through. He manages to field the call, and turns it around, asking Breakdown how he was, to surprising success.

Meanwhile, Orion searches through all files he can on "Optimus Prime", only to find that they have been encrypted, to his chagrin. However, Orion, a skillful hacker manages to get past them long enough to find an image that shocks him. ''He'' is Optimus Prime! This does not go unnoticed by Soundwave and Megatron. The latter vows that he ''will'' see to it that Orion completes Project Iacon, even if he has to inflict grievous pain on him.

On Cybertron, Jack and Arcee follow the Key's signal and are surprised to find that it leads to [[Kaon]], the Decepticon capitol. As they advance on foot, they cross a bridge, unaware that underneath them, something is transforming and beginning to follow them...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (4)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (9)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (10)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (1)
*"[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Orion Pax]]" (2)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (3)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (6)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (7)
*[[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] (8)

|c3=
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (5)
*[[June Darby]] (11)
*[[William Fowler]] (12)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (13)
*[[Jack Darby]] (14)

}}

==Quotes==
"You really ''have'' been kept in the dark, haven't you?"
:—'''Starscream''', upon learning of "Orion's" deception.

"It's a ship, it moves!"
:—Thanks for stating the obvious there, '''Starscream'''.

"It hurts most right here...''Doctor''."
:—'''Starscream''' is one smug bastard.

"Command, this is Space Bridge Control! We are under attack! Command, do you read me?" 
<nowiki>*</nowiki>commlink static* 
<nowiki>*</nowiki>''Bulkhead smashes the Vehicon's face''* 
"Shhhh."
:—A '''Vehicon''' is reminded of the no talking rule by '''Ratchet'''.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===

===Continuity errors===
* When Starscream escapes from the ''Nemesis'', he is shot near his tailfin, which is located on his back in robot mode. When he appears later, he is nursing a leg wound below the knee, even though that should have required damaged to his undercarriage in jet mode.

===Continuity notes===
*Raf has undergone a rapid recovery; the braces on his legs from last episode are gone.
*Kaon, the Decepticon capital, makes its first actual appearance, following Megatron's dream recreation of it in "[[Sick Mind]]". Jack remembers it from the events of that episode after Arcee identifies it.

===Transformers references===

===Real-world references===
*The scene of Fowler talking to Breakdown is a reference to ''Star Wars: A New Hope''.
**Though it makes fictional sense, it is ironic that Kevin Micheal Richardson, who has played a Vehicon in the series, did not make the call.

===Trivia===
* Aww, Breakdown cares about the little guy.
* This is the second time Megatron denounces a mistake relating to Starscream that he "[[Out of His Head|does not intend to make again]]".
* Miko wants to join a dangerous assault against a Decepticon stronghold. Apparently the lessons of her previous near-death experiences have been completely forgotten.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Orion Pax, Part 2

2012-02-26T05:27:50Z

2012-02-19T04:23:50Z

75.61.79.241: /* Continuity notes */