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Darkness Rising, Part 3

2010-12-12T08:03:17Z

76.246.16.8: /* Animation or technical errors */

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=3
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 2
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|image=DarknessRising3-interrogateFowler.jpg
|caption="D'awwww, lookit the cute ickle human! Coochie coochie cooo!"
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 3"
|airdate=[[December 1]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''This is what happens when you leave Bulkhead in charge.'''

==Synopsis==
The three kids and their Autobot guardians head back to [[Autobot Central Command|the Autobot base]], where [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] is being attacked by a piece of animated equipment. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] deals with it, but now suspects that both it and [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] were vivified by [[Dark Energon]].

Megatron, now powered up by the Dark Energon, has decided his next move and leaves the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] in [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s hands. Starscream thinks Megatron's gone a bit loopy, and he orders [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] to increase surveillance.

Optimus has realized Megatron's plan to create an undead army. As the rest of the Autobots arrive, Optimus announces he's going on a mission with Ratchet, who doesn't take kindly to [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]]'s suggestion he may be a little rusty. Leaving Arcee in charge, the pair [[ground bridge|bridge]] out. Arcee immediately puts [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] in charge and goes out on patrol with [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]]. [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] attempts to organize an impromptu band practice, but while she's belting out an electric guitar solo, the proximity alert goes off. The kids hide behind Bulkhead as [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] walks in to complain about the energon mine explosion. Unfortunately, Miko's guitar gives them away, and Fowler announces he's taking them into federal custody, but Bulkhead puts his foot down, and Fowler storms out.

In a remote region, Prime explains to Ratchet that they're looking for the remains of an old Transformer battlefield, from the period in the war when energon started being hidden on other planets.

As Fowler flies from the Autobot base in his copter, he radios in a report, which is intercepted by Soundwave. Starscream orders Fowler captured, so Soundwave sends a drone. The drone catches up with Fowler, who engages in some deft maneuvers to try and avoid it, and even gets some shots off before it slices the tail off his copter and abducts him.

Fowler's distress call is picked up at the Autobot base. Though Bulkhead is reluctant to help, the others point out Fowler knows the location of the base. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] sets about hacking into a federal computer so they can locate Fowler. Bulkhead leaves [[Jack Darby|Jack]] in charge and heads out. Bulkhead finds himself near the Decepticon ship, but is surprised when Miko pops up next to him. After dealing with a Decepticon sentry, he contacts Arcee. Back at base, Jack and Raf have realized Miko is gone, and they use the ground bridge to follow. Unfortunately, this leaves the base unmanned when Arcee rings in to get use of the ground bridge. Jack and Raf arrive at Bulkhead's location and immediately manage to attract the attention of the Decepticon drones on guard.

Starscream interrogates Fowler without much success, so he resorts to getting out the energon prod.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Ratchet reach the Transformer graveyard they've been seeeking. Unfortunately, so does Megatron, who uses a chunk of Dark Energon to raise an army of [[zombie]]s.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (3)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (8)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (11)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (13)
* [[Deployer (Prime)|Deployer]] (14)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (4)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (6)
* [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (15)
}}

==Quotes==
"I NEEDED THAT!"
:—'''Ratchet''''s tools suffer further abuse...from one of his already abused tools.

"I fear that when our master reached for the stars, he came down with a touch of...space madness."
:—'''Starscream''', ever ready to undermine Megatron.

"Do I look like I do country? Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming."
:—'''Miko''' doesn't appreciate Jack's harmonica skills.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
*When Megatron turns around and orders Starscream to await his command, his fusion cannon disappears.

===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===
* Ratchet's comment that his hearing is still good even though his pistons are rusty is possibly a reference to the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], who made a similar comment when [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] made a joke about his age.
* Bulkhead has a compartment similar to his ''Animated'' [[Bulkhead (Animated)|incarnation]], but higher up on his chest.
* When Soundwave deploys his Mini-con, it emerges in a fashion more similar to the [[Breastforce]] than the previously known method.
* Soundwave's drone resembles [[Ratbat]].
* The concepts of the Transformers seeding energon on Earth and having had wars there in the distant past before have turned up in recent fiction, [[IDW]]'s comics and ''[[Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The latter was also in [[Ladybird Books|an '80s Ladybird Book]], "[[Galvatron's Air Attack]]".

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===
* This episode tries to resolve some of the continuity issues with Dark Energon the previous episode causes. Both Optimus and Ratchet know of its existence and even the rumor that it brings the dead back to life. Supplies of it were just so scarce as to be non-existent, hence their inexperience with it.
* In an amusing show of cultural differences, Bulkhead tries to order Miko to look away before tearing out an Eradicon's internals (presumably to spare her the sight of the carnage). Miko has no problem with it, only seeing a hunk of metal and a bunch of wires.
* No, really, Bulkhead was going to leave Fowler in Decepticon hands because he didn't like him. What a jerk!
* Twelve-year-old Raf can hack into the United States government's computer network and track down federal agents. What national security?
* Check out where Starscream sticks Fowler with the energon prod. Ouch!

==Home video releases==

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

Darkness Rising, Part 4

2010-12-07T18:43:56Z

76.246.16.8: /* Trivia */ add

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=4
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 3
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 5
|image=DarknessRising4-beholddarkenergon!.jpg
|caption=Decepticons, transform and rise up!
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 4"
|airdate=[[December 2]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Steven Melching]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''While Optimus and Ratchet battle Megatron's zombie horde, the others attempt to rescue Agent Fowler.'''

==Synopsis==
As [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]'s army of [[Dark Energon]]-powered [[zombie]]s march, [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] are horrified at the desecration. The Dark Energon flowing through Megatron gives him control over this new army, and he directs them to destroy the two Autobots. When the zombies keep getting up as fast as Optimus can blast them down, Ratchet discovers that dismemberment is a more effective way of dealing with them.

[[Image:darkrising4_botgroup.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Pretty sure war zones don't count for bring your daughter to work day Bulky.]]

At the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] rescues [[Jack Darby|Jack]] and [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]], who are under fire from the [[Eradicon|Decepticon sentries]]. They explain they were worried about [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]], who pops up from Bulkhead's back seat. Bulkhead drops everyone off behind some cover before driving under the Decepticon ship, scaling a nearby cliff, and jumping on board. After dealing with a bunch of Decepticons, Bulkhead realizes that Miko's not with the other kids, and she pops out of his chest, having stowed away. Miko finds herself in the middle of the fight between Bulkhead and the cons, which the Autobot swiftly terminates with the help of a piece of deck plating. While the pair move into the ship, problems are occurring outside; Jack and Raf are captured by the Decepticons and taken on board the ship, where [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] abruptly appear and rescue them. The two parties run into each other in a corridor, and Jack and Raf let Arcee know where [[William Fowler|Fowler]] is, having heard their guard talking.

[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s interrogation of Fowler is finally beginning to bear fruit when the distant sound of gunfire can be heard, and Fowler stops being helpful. Starscream gives him a jolt with the prod, stunning him into unconsciousness, and sends the two guards to find out what's going on.

Back at the zombie battle, Ratchet notes that exposure to the Dark Energon is sapping their strength. The fight on, but first Optimus, then Ratchet disappear under piles of zombies. Megatron laughs... but with a cry, Optimus breaks free and helps Ratchet up.

[[Image:DarknessRising4-Optimusshootsthroughzombie.jpg|right|thumb|300px|"Megatron has desecrated our ancestors and ''I'' wanted to do that!"]]

The Autobots clear out a room on the Decepticon ship for the kids to hide in. Miko and Jack immediately begin arguing over their situation, which upsets Raf. Jack and Miko try to reassure him, before Jack notices a huge computer display. Raf thinks it has important information on it.

Fowler's interrogation is complicated by the man's now-dazed state. It's further complicated when Bulkhead and Bumblebee appear in the doorway. They aim their guns at Starscream, who aims his at Fowler, only to feel a tap on the head — Arcee is balanced in a shaft right above his head, aiming her gun downwards.

The kids know they've found important information, but are at a loss as to how to get it back to Optimus. As Raf's contemplating using a flash drive, a Decepticon walks in. The kids dive for cover, but Raf goes back for his backpack and is spotted by the Decepticon.

The Mexican standoff in the brig is broken when Fowler distracts Starscream, and the Autobots start firing. Starscream decides discretion is called for, and flies off down the nearest corridor.

The Decepticon starts firing on Raf. Jack heroically runs out and tackles Raf behind one of the Decepticon corpses, before instructing Miko to take a picture. She snaps a picture of the Decepticon, before Jack redirects her at the computer screen. The kids leg it from the room, followed by the Decepticon which is promptly taken out by Bulkhead. Reunited, the kids and Autobots make their escape.

Optimus and Ratchet finish off the zombie horde, and Optimus starts climbing up to Megatron. Megatron boasts that the battle was simply a prelude to the main event, and flies off. Ratchet wonders ominously what Megatron has in store for them.

[[Image:darkrising4_phonesnap.jpg|thumb|left|200px|"Kay th-enx bay-eye?"]]

Back at base, Ratchet's damaged arm is tended to, and Optimus tells off Bulkhead for letting the kids accompany him into battle. Miko defends Bulkhead and tries to claim they were doing "recon" by showing the snapped schematics, but Jack's upset about the fact they were all almost killed and decides he wants out of the whole affair. After some sad farewells (except from Ratchet), they send him home by [[ground bridge]].

Back on the Decepticon ship in orbit, Megatron abuses Starscream for disobeying his orders. Starscream manages to quell his master's anger by announcing he has a way to get their plans back on course.

Miko pays Jack a visit and tries to talk him into returning to the Autobots, but he's content to go back to his normal life.

Ratchet, meanwhile, is checking out the data Miko photographed, and realizes that it's the specs for a [[space bridge]] part. Bulkhead thinks it's great that Megatron's thinking of leaving, but Optimus points out that he's probably intending to bring an army to [[Earth]] with it, and there's only one place he can find enough Transformer corpses to build a new army — [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (2)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (8)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (10)
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (11)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (4)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drone]]s (5)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (13)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (14)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (6)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (7)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (9)
* [[William Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (1)

}}

==Quotes==
"Megatron has desecrated the resting place of our fallen ancestors, and his own!" 
"Not even the dead are free from his war mongering."
:—'''Ratchet''' states the obvious in a less-than-obvious sort of way while '''Optimus''' states the depth of Megatron's evil.

"I heaved on your floormats. Sorry!"
:—'''Miko'''

"Wake up, you pathetic lump of flesh!" 
"Grandma? Is it cookie time?"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Fowler'''

"I wouldn't." 
"Oh, but I MIGHT..."
:—'''Arcee''' threatens '''Starscream''', who doesn't feel very threatened.

"I like pie. Can we stop for pie?" 
"You found Fowler! ROCK ON!"
:—'''Fowler''' and '''Miko'''

"No point in long good-byes. Here's the door."
:—'''Ratchet''' showing he doesn't give a damn

"I've been raised to be responsible. To my school work, to my mom, my job."
:—The Spectacular '''Jack''' Darby

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===

===Continuity errors===
*Did Optimus forget that Arcee was supposed to be in charge? He tells Bulkhead off, but Bulkhead wasn't supposed to be in charge in the first place. Of course, Optimus could simply have been referring to the fact Bulkhead got the kids in danger (which, admittedly, was in part his fault).

===Transformers references===
*As in part 1, Cybertron appears with the same model as that used in ''War for Cybertron''.
*Optimus's guns and swords look very similar to another [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]]'s.
*Optimus's response to Jack wanting to leave is very similar to the response Optimus Prime gave to [[Theodore Galloway]] in ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* The children's slow-time reaction to the fighting on the ''Nemesis'' is reminiscent of [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''Saving Private Ryan''.

===Trivia===
*While not the first time [[Flame (Marvel)| someone]] has used zombies as soldiers, Megatron seems to intend to make them the bulk of his forces.
*The zombies Optimus and Ratchet fight do not seem to be as tough as Cliffjumper's was (seeing as how he was still functioning despite being cut in half), but that could be chalked up to Cliff's corpse being 'fresh'. Megatron also used an entire shard to reanimate Cliffjumper, while the zombies had one shard of similar size spread out among them.

==Home video releases==
{{epstub}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 5

2010-12-06T00:00:15Z

76.246.16.8: /* Astronomical errors */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=5
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|next=
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 5"
|airdate=[[December 3]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Joseph Kuhr]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}

==Synopsis==
[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] imagines in dread what will happen if [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] uses the [[Dark Energon]] to raise an army of [[zombie]]s on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and uses them to conquer [[Earth]].

[[Jack Darby|Jack]] arrives at [[KO Burger]], and encounters [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]], who says she's already lost one friend recently. The Autobots have pinpointed Megatron's [[space bridge]] in Earth orbit and must use the [[ground bridge]] to reach it, despite the risks this poses. Arcee and Jack arrive back in time for Arcee to join the mission, and Optimus leads the team (minus [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]]) through the bridge. They land up on the space bridge terminal and look up to see the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] moving into position. Megatron observes their presence, but [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] says that [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] is locking on to Cybertron's coordinates.

Optimus notes that ship is damaged, and the Decepticons will be unable to use it to aim the space bridge. Raf reasons that the Decepticons may be using a radio dish array in [[Texas]], but Fowler is still too out of it to alert the array staff of the danger. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] attempts to hack in, but the array's firewalls are too good. Jack thinks they should go on site, and they talk Optimus into letting them do it.

Meanwhile Megatron sends out the Decepticon forces to attack the Autobots. Battle commences.

The kids ground bridge to the array and sneak in. In a small unused room, Raf finds a computer and determines that the Decepticons have also hacked in, but takes the opportunity to download their space bridge plans onto his flash drive. Little do the kids know that [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] is in the very next room, plugged into the computer system as well. He aligns the array, which sets the space bridge ready to use, but Raf promptly realigns it. Responding to Starscream's requests to know what's going on, Soundwave taps into the installation's security systems and locates the three kids. While the kids are discussing what the Decepticons could do, Soundwave's tentacle slithers into the room behind them and attacks. As it goes after Raf, [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] grabs an axe and strikes at it. She completely misses, and the tentacle strikes her backward before picking up the axe itself. Though the kids believe it's about to attack them with the weapon, the tentacle withdraws. The kids run to the next room, where they found Soundwave has realigned the dishes and used the axe to cut the hard line, making it impossible to realign the dishes again. Miko then takes a photo on her phone of Soundwave. Before Soundwave leaves, he takes a photo of them.

Starscream activates the space bridge and Megatron physically throws a huge chunk of Dark Energon through. The Dark Energon strikes Cybertron, swiftly covering the planet and turning millions of dead Transformers into millions of [[zombie]]s. Optimus realizes that the only course of action left to them is to destroy the space bridge. Raf supplies the specs he downloaded earlier, and Ratchet sets about working out a way to do so. As Optimus faces Megatron, Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee go to implement some sabotage.

Megatron manages to defeat Prime, but as he raises his sword, Starscream alerts him to the actions of the other Autobots. Optimus takes advantage of the distraction to blast Megatron, but the Decepticon leader transforms and flies off to find the other Autobots. Arcee's team has succeeded in rigging the space bridge to blow when Megatron attacks and blasts Arcee off into space. The Autobots jump into the ground bridge, Bumblebee collecting Arcee on the way. Megatron realizes his ship appears to be absent, but before his army of zombies can come through, the space bridge explodes in his face.

A short distance away in the ship, Starscream notes that there's totally no way Megatron could have survived that, and he is leader now.

The Autobots make it back to their base, though Arcee's in a bad way. Optimus announces that there's totally no way Megatron could have survived the space bridge explosion. Fowler thanks the Autobots for saving him, and leaves. Optimus gives a big speech, and sends a signal into space to let the galaxy know that Earth is defended by the Autobots.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (6)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (11)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (7)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (8)
* [[William Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (14)

}}

==Quotes==
"Optimus, if you leave me stranded on a planet teeming with humans, I will never forgive you."
:—'''Ratchet'''

"Optimus Prime never disappoints. Unlike YOU, Starscream!"
:—'''Megatron'''

"Surely, Lord Megatron, the Autobots are up to something." 
"Really, Starscream?"
:—'''Starscream''' observes the Autobots and '''Megatron''' lays on the sarcasm.

"I hold no illusions about engaging your army, Megatron. But I might derail its objective... [[Decapitation|by removing its head.]]"
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|solution to most problems]].

"Starscream! Where is my ship?" 
"We would never make it, Lord Megatron! Don't be a fool! Take flight and retreat!"
:—'''Starscream''' fruitlessly tries to get '''Megatron''' to flee the detonating space bridge.

"Decepticons, it is with deep sorrow that I note for the log... Megatron's spark has been extinguished. All hail Starscream."
:—Looks like '''Starscream''' is back to his old self again.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
* The zombies are able to leave Cybertron and pass through the space bridge despite the fact that it's in space. Even accounting for the fact that Decepticon corpses might have flight capabilities, it seems unlikely that every zombie would.

===Astronomical errors===
* The Autobots somehow jump from the detonating space bridge straight into the waiting ground bridge vortex, which is positioned below the space bridge, even though there ''is no gravity in space!''.

===Transformers references===
* There are two references which are directly related to [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 animated movie]]. First Ratchet says, "Then by all means, let us light our [[darkest hour]]." Later, Optimus exchanges with Megatron: "One shall stand" and "one shall fall."
* Megatrons have been known to survive space bridge [[Transport to Oblivion|accidents]] and [[A Bridge Too Close, Part II|malfunctions]] and even [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|space bridge-related suicide attempts]]. Same goes for [[Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2|ginormous explosions where he stood at Ground Zero]]. Hope Starscream and Optimus don't expect to relax.
* Optimus's Energon blade and Megatron's hidden fusion cannon blade are references to [[Optimus Prime (Movie)| their movie]] [[Megatron (Movie)| counterparts]]
* Optimus' speech at the end is similar to the ones Movie Optimus gives at the end of both movies.
* The way Cybertron appears on the Space Bridge diagrams looks uncannily similar to the [[Vector Sigma]] orb.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* Miko tries to use an axe on [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]]'s tentacle, which is the same tactic Tom Cruise's character tries on the Tripod tentacle in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''War of the Worlds''.

* Miko refers to space as "The final frontier". "Space. The final frontier" is the first line of the opening credits of several ''[[Wikipedia: Star Trek|Star Trek]]'' TV shows. ''Prime'' show developers [[Alex Kurtzman]] and [[Roberto Orci]] are also the screenwriters of the current ''Star Trek'' movies.

===Trivia===
* Winged versions of the Eradicons make their appearance here.
* The Decepticons are unable to simply warp to Cybertron thanks to Bulkhead ripping off a vital piece of equipment in the previous episode.
* While it's unlikely anything from ''[[Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron|Exodus]]'' applies to the cartoon, a number of Autobots including [[Ultra Magnus (Prime)| Ultra Magnus]], [[Omega Supreme (Prime)| Omega Supreme]] and the [[Wreckers (Prime)| Wreckers]] were left behind on Cybertron at the end of that book. Sure hope they weren't around when the zombies came crawling. In a similar vein, [[Shockwave (Prime)|Shockwave]] is also still on Cybertron at the end of the novel. Given the established fact that the war had continued on other worlds after Cybertron's shutdown, though (as stated by [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] in the [[Transformers: Prime (comic)|prequel comic]]), it's probable that all of them have since moved on to less hostile locales in the intervening years.
* When Starscream tries to convince Megatron to retreat, there is a surprising tone of concern in his voice. Either that, or he's a much better actor than certain other [[Starscream (Animated)| Starscreams]].
* It ''seems'' to take a lot longer for the zombie army to come from Cybertron across the space bridge than it took for the Dark Energon to get there in the first place. [[Wikipedia:Doomsday (Doctor Who)|Must've been the sheer mass of all of them]].
* A short video showing a rehearsal or an earlier take of the confrontation between Optimus Prime and Megatron was screened at both [[BotCon 2010]] and San Diego Comic-Con 2010 <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvW4nsr3ZDo#t=2m53s "Transformers: Prime" panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2010]</ref>. The dialogue was somewhat different, with Optimus referring to battle on an alien world when ordering the Autobots away, and lacking the "One shall stand, one shall fall" exchange.

==Home video releases==

==External links==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 5

2010-12-05T23:59:37Z

76.246.16.8: /* Astronomical Errors */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=5
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|next=
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 5"
|airdate=[[December 3]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Joseph Kuhr]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}

==Synopsis==
[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] imagines in dread what will happen if [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] uses the [[Dark Energon]] to raise an army of [[zombie]]s on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and uses them to conquer [[Earth]].

[[Jack Darby|Jack]] arrives at [[KO Burger]], and encounters [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]], who says she's already lost one friend recently. The Autobots have pinpointed Megatron's [[space bridge]] in Earth orbit and must use the [[ground bridge]] to reach it, despite the risks this poses. Arcee and Jack arrive back in time for Arcee to join the mission, and Optimus leads the team (minus [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]]) through the bridge. They land up on the space bridge terminal and look up to see the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] moving into position. Megatron observes their presence, but [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] says that [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] is locking on to Cybertron's coordinates.

Optimus notes that ship is damaged, and the Decepticons will be unable to use it to aim the space bridge. Raf reasons that the Decepticons may be using a radio dish array in [[Texas]], but Fowler is still too out of it to alert the array staff of the danger. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] attempts to hack in, but the array's firewalls are too good. Jack thinks they should go on site, and they talk Optimus into letting them do it.

Meanwhile Megatron sends out the Decepticon forces to attack the Autobots. Battle commences.

The kids ground bridge to the array and sneak in. In a small unused room, Raf finds a computer and determines that the Decepticons have also hacked in, but takes the opportunity to download their space bridge plans onto his flash drive. Little do the kids know that [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] is in the very next room, plugged into the computer system as well. He aligns the array, which sets the space bridge ready to use, but Raf promptly realigns it. Responding to Starscream's requests to know what's going on, Soundwave taps into the installation's security systems and locates the three kids. While the kids are discussing what the Decepticons could do, Soundwave's tentacle slithers into the room behind them and attacks. As it goes after Raf, [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] grabs an axe and strikes at it. She completely misses, and the tentacle strikes her backward before picking up the axe itself. Though the kids believe it's about to attack them with the weapon, the tentacle withdraws. The kids run to the next room, where they found Soundwave has realigned the dishes and used the axe to cut the hard line, making it impossible to realign the dishes again. Miko then takes a photo on her phone of Soundwave. Before Soundwave leaves, he takes a photo of them.

Starscream activates the space bridge and Megatron physically throws a huge chunk of Dark Energon through. The Dark Energon strikes Cybertron, swiftly covering the planet and turning millions of dead Transformers into millions of [[zombie]]s. Optimus realizes that the only course of action left to them is to destroy the space bridge. Raf supplies the specs he downloaded earlier, and Ratchet sets about working out a way to do so. As Optimus faces Megatron, Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee go to implement some sabotage.

Megatron manages to defeat Prime, but as he raises his sword, Starscream alerts him to the actions of the other Autobots. Optimus takes advantage of the distraction to blast Megatron, but the Decepticon leader transforms and flies off to find the other Autobots. Arcee's team has succeeded in rigging the space bridge to blow when Megatron attacks and blasts Arcee off into space. The Autobots jump into the ground bridge, Bumblebee collecting Arcee on the way. Megatron realizes his ship appears to be absent, but before his army of zombies can come through, the space bridge explodes in his face.

A short distance away in the ship, Starscream notes that there's totally no way Megatron could have survived that, and he is leader now.

The Autobots make it back to their base, though Arcee's in a bad way. Optimus announces that there's totally no way Megatron could have survived the space bridge explosion. Fowler thanks the Autobots for saving him, and leaves. Optimus gives a big speech, and sends a signal into space to let the galaxy know that Earth is defended by the Autobots.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (6)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (11)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (7)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (8)
* [[William Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (14)

}}

==Quotes==
"Optimus, if you leave me stranded on a planet teeming with humans, I will never forgive you."
:—'''Ratchet'''

"Optimus Prime never disappoints. Unlike YOU, Starscream!"
:—'''Megatron'''

"Surely, Lord Megatron, the Autobots are up to something." 
"Really, Starscream?"
:—'''Starscream''' observes the Autobots and '''Megatron''' lays on the sarcasm.

"I hold no illusions about engaging your army, Megatron. But I might derail its objective... [[Decapitation|by removing its head.]]"
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|solution to most problems]].

"Starscream! Where is my ship?" 
"We would never make it, Lord Megatron! Don't be a fool! Take flight and retreat!"
:—'''Starscream''' fruitlessly tries to get '''Megatron''' to flee the detonating space bridge.

"Decepticons, it is with deep sorrow that I note for the log... Megatron's spark has been extinguished. All hail Starscream."
:—Looks like '''Starscream''' is back to his old self again.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
* The zombies are able to leave Cybertron and pass through the space bridge despite the fact that it's in space. Even accounting for the fact that Decepticon corpses might have flight capabilities, it seems unlikely that every zombie would.

===Astronomical errors===
* The Autobots somehow jump from the detonating space bridge straight into the waiting ground bridge vortex, which is positioned below the bridge, even though there ''is no gravity in space!''.

===Transformers references===
* There are two references which are directly related to [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 animated movie]]. First Ratchet says, "Then by all means, let us light our [[darkest hour]]." Later, Optimus exchanges with Megatron: "One shall stand" and "one shall fall."
* Megatrons have been known to survive space bridge [[Transport to Oblivion|accidents]] and [[A Bridge Too Close, Part II|malfunctions]] and even [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|space bridge-related suicide attempts]]. Same goes for [[Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2|ginormous explosions where he stood at Ground Zero]]. Hope Starscream and Optimus don't expect to relax.
* Optimus's Energon blade and Megatron's hidden fusion cannon blade are references to [[Optimus Prime (Movie)| their movie]] [[Megatron (Movie)| counterparts]]
* Optimus' speech at the end is similar to the ones Movie Optimus gives at the end of both movies.
* The way Cybertron appears on the Space Bridge diagrams looks uncannily similar to the [[Vector Sigma]] orb.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* Miko tries to use an axe on [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]]'s tentacle, which is the same tactic Tom Cruise's character tries on the Tripod tentacle in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''War of the Worlds''.

* Miko refers to space as "The final frontier". "Space. The final frontier" is the first line of the opening credits of several ''[[Wikipedia: Star Trek|Star Trek]]'' TV shows. ''Prime'' show developers [[Alex Kurtzman]] and [[Roberto Orci]] are also the screenwriters of the current ''Star Trek'' movies.

===Trivia===
* Winged versions of the Eradicons make their appearance here.
* The Decepticons are unable to simply warp to Cybertron thanks to Bulkhead ripping off a vital piece of equipment in the previous episode.
* While it's unlikely anything from ''[[Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron|Exodus]]'' applies to the cartoon, a number of Autobots including [[Ultra Magnus (Prime)| Ultra Magnus]], [[Omega Supreme (Prime)| Omega Supreme]] and the [[Wreckers (Prime)| Wreckers]] were left behind on Cybertron at the end of that book. Sure hope they weren't around when the zombies came crawling. In a similar vein, [[Shockwave (Prime)|Shockwave]] is also still on Cybertron at the end of the novel. Given the established fact that the war had continued on other worlds after Cybertron's shutdown, though (as stated by [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] in the [[Transformers: Prime (comic)|prequel comic]]), it's probable that all of them have since moved on to less hostile locales in the intervening years.
* When Starscream tries to convince Megatron to retreat, there is a surprising tone of concern in his voice. Either that, or he's a much better actor than certain other [[Starscream (Animated)| Starscreams]].
* It ''seems'' to take a lot longer for the zombie army to come from Cybertron across the space bridge than it took for the Dark Energon to get there in the first place. [[Wikipedia:Doomsday (Doctor Who)|Must've been the sheer mass of all of them]].
* A short video showing a rehearsal or an earlier take of the confrontation between Optimus Prime and Megatron was screened at both [[BotCon 2010]] and San Diego Comic-Con 2010 <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvW4nsr3ZDo#t=2m53s "Transformers: Prime" panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2010]</ref>. The dialogue was somewhat different, with Optimus referring to battle on an alien world when ordering the Autobots away, and lacking the "One shall stand, one shall fall" exchange.

==Home video releases==

==External links==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 1

2010-12-05T21:08:56Z

76.246.16.8: /* Quotes */

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=1
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 2
|image=DarknessRising1-Cliffjumperface.jpg

|caption=Hey look, it's a major character!
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 1"
|airdate=[[November 26]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Duane Capizzi]]
|directed by=[[Dave Hartman|David Hartman]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''Optimus Prime and the Autobots investigate the return of the Decepticons while being forced to account for a group of young humans who have unwittingly become involved in their centuries-old conflict.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] is on the open road, boasting to [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] over the comm about how he's been messing with the [[human]]s, when he detects a large amount of energon nearby. As he goes to investigate, a [[Decepticon]] ship appears over the crater and [[Eradicon|Decepticon troopers]] drop down to attack him. Arcee alerts the rest of the [[Autobot]]s, who head back to base. Cliffjumper fights on, destroying several of the Decepticons, but their blasts detonate the energon, causing a huge explosion. They drag his defeated form back to the ship, where [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] is upset about the loss of the energon. Cliffjumper is defiant, but Starscream executes him. The Autobots arrive at the crater via [[ground bridge]], only to find the aftermath of the fight. Arcee picks up a horn Cliffjumper lost during the battle, and Ratchet reports that Cliffjumper's life signal has terminated.

Back on the Decepticon ship, Soundwave replays a recording of Arcee's comms talk, and Starscream decides she will be their next target.

[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus]] reminds the other Autobots that they must continue to work to survive to honor the memory of their fallen comrade. Arcee refuses to dwell on it and drives off. In [[Jasper]], [[Nevada]], [[Jack Darby]] is working at the [[KO Burger]] drive-thru. Arcee finds herself being chased by a couple of Decepticons, and ducks into the KO Burger parking lot, where Jack mistakes her for a real motorcycle, fantasizing about one day having a motorcycle of his own, hops on.

[[Image:DarknessRising1-thisisjasper.jpg|left|thumb|300px|]]

[[Sierra]] and a friend catch him apparently talking to the motorcycle, but while Jack has an awkward moment, the Decepticons spot Arcee. She takes off with a startled Jack still on board. After a short chase, she attempts to let Jack off, sending him down a side alley with a warning not to tell anyone what he's seen. As she speeds off, she spots one of the Decepticons heading after Jack and is forced to double-back and pick him up. The chase moves onto the freeway where [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] arrives to help them out.

In a nearby drainage canal, [[Rafael Esquivel]] is playing with a remote-controlled car when Arcee and Jack literally drop in. The Decepticons drop in as well, and first Arcee, then Bumblebee is blasted to the ground. Raf draws the 'cons' attention, which unfortunately works too well, and the two kids are forced to flee into a drain. While they make their escape, Bumblebee and Arcee stand defiant against the Decepticons and, as [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] joins the fight, and the two Decepticons flee.

At Autobot headquarters, Optimus Prime informs the Autobots that since the Decepticons have seen the two boys, they may be targeted. At High School, Jack and Raf meet up again and Bumblebee and Arcee come to take them to HQ. Though Raf roars off in Bumblebee, Jack walks away. [[Miko Nakadai]], sitting outside the school, draws Arcee, but when the motorcycle disappears, she peeks around the corner and spots Arcee in robot mode arguing with Jack. She takes both kids and catches up to Bumblebee. They drive to the Autobots' HQ, concealed in a mountain, where the three kids marvel at the rest of the Autobots and Optimus Prime gives them some exposition regarding the Transformer war. Optimus fears the imminent return of [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]].

Soundwave detects a transmission from deep space, and Starscream orders the [[space bridge]] activated. As it opens, Megatron emerges, announcing his return.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] (1)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (5)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (6)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (7)

|c2=
*[[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (3)
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (8)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (9)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (15)

|c3=
*[[Jack Darby]] (10)
*[[Sierra]] (11)
*Sierra's friend (12)
*[[Rafael Esquivel]] (13)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (14)

}}

==Quotes==
"Clean that up!"
:—'''Starscream''' after killing Cliff and not washing his servos

"Scrap!"
:—'''Arcee''' showing her fluency with Cybertronian expletives

"What are they?" 
"Talking cars that turn into robots, or the other way around"
:—'''Rafael''' and '''Jack'''

"Dude, what are you waiting for? Go with!"
:—'''Miko''' says what the audience is thinking.

"So, if you guys are robots, who made you...?" 
"Ugh! Puh-''leez''..."
:—'''Rafael''' and '''Ratchet'''

"We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron..."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' likes to [[Transformers (2007)|repeat the same introduction over and over again.]]

"Decepticons! I have ''returned''."
:—'''Megatron''' likes to state the obvious.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
*In the credits, Cliffjumper's name is parsed "Cliff Jumper".
*The [[insignia]] on the floor of the Autobot base is the [[insignia#Live-action_movie_franchise|live-action movie Autobot insignia]], rather than the standard Autobot insignia used on the characters themselves.

===Continuity errors===
* ''[[Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron]]'' is the basis of the ''Prime'' continuity's backstory, according to [[Hasbro]]: that, however, had Optimus and Megatron splitting up and ''that'' causing the war, whereas this episode has it happened ''during'' the war. But it's just not a proper Transformers continuity without early continuity divergences!

===Transformers references===
* Bumblebee and Bulkhead are big walking references to the [[Bumblebee (Movie)|movie Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Animated Bulkhead]], looking near-identical and (in the former's case) sharing the same speech impediment.
* Lots of references to "three years ago" as the last time the Decepticons and Megatron were seen. Three years ago was the year that ''[[Transformers (2007)|Transformers]]'' came out in the cinema, by ''Prime'' showrunners [[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]].
* Cybertron has been rendered uninhabitable by the war. This is not just established by ''Exodus'' and the ''[[War for Cybertron]]'' games, but was also part of the [[live-action film series]] canon and [[IDW]]'s earlier Generation 1 comics.
* The image of Cybertron from space that appears during Optimus's exposition reuses the model from ''War for Cybertron''.
*In this series, Energon is represented as a naturally growing blue crystal. This is [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|not the first time]] it has been represented in this way.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* Jack's statement "The first rule of robot fight club is that you don't talk about robot fight club" is a reference to, well, ''[[Wikipedia:Fight Club|Fight Club]]''.

===Trivia===

* Cliffjumper was presented as a key Autobot in the publicity material, and a big deal made of "The Rock" being his voice actor. That made him the ''last'' character you'd expect to be killed off in the first few minutes of his first episode (to the extent some fans thought he'd turn out to be fine in episode 2). ''Prime'''s sister show, ''G.I. Joe: Renegades'', pulled the same tactic with the hero Ripcord.

==Home video releases==
{{epstub}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 3

2010-12-05T21:07:22Z

76.246.16.8: /* Transformers references */

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=3
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 2
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 3"
|airdate=[[December 1]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''This is what happens when you leave Bulkhead in charge.'''

==Synopsis==
The three kids and their Autobot guardians head back to [[Autobot Central Command|the Autobot base]], where [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] is being attacked by a piece of animated equipment. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] deals with it, but now suspects that both it and [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] were animated by [[Dark Energon]].

Megatron, now powered up by the Dark Energon, has decided his next move and leaves the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] in [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s hands. Starscream thinks Megatron's gone a bit loopy, and orders [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] to increase surveillance.

Optimus has realized Megatron's plan to create an undead army. As the rest of the Autobots arrive, Optimus announces he's going on a mission with Ratchet, who doesn't take kindly to [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]]'s suggestion he may be a little rusty. Leaving Arcee in charge, the pair [[ground bridge|bridge]] out. Arcee immediately puts [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] in charge and goes out on patrol with [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]]. [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] attempts to organize an impromptu band practice, but while she's belting out an electric guitar solo, the proximity alert goes off. The kids hide behind Bulkhead as [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] walks in to complain about the energon mine explosion. Unfortunately Miko's guitar gives them away, and Fowler announces he's taking them into federal custody, but Bulkhead puts his foot down, and Fowler storms out.

In a remote region, Prime explains to Ratchet that they're looking for the remains of an old Transformer battlefield, from the period in the war when energon started being hidden on other planets.

As Fowler flies from the Autobot base in his copter, he radios in a report, which is intercepted by Soundwave. Starscream orders Fowler captured, so Soundwave sends a drone. The drone catches up with Fowler, who engages in some deft maneuvers to try and avoid it, and even gets some shots off before it slices the tail off his copter and abducts him.

Fowler's distress call is picked up at the Autobot base. Though Bulkhead is reluctant to help, the others point out Fowler knows the location of the base. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] sets about hacking into a federal computer so they can locate Fowler. Bulkhead leaves [[Jack Darby|Jack]] in charge and heads out. Bulkhead finds himself near the Decepticon ship, but is surprised when Miko pops up next to him. After dealing with a Decepticon sentry, he contacts Arcee. Back at base, Jack and Raf have realized Miko is gone, and use the ground bridge to follow. Unfortunately this leaves the base unmanned when Arcee rings in to get use of the ground bridge. Jack and Raf arrive at Bulkhead's location, and immediately manage to attract the attention of the Decepticon drones on guard.

Starscream interrogates Fowler without much success, so he resorts to getting out the energon prod.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Ratchet reach the Transformer graveyard they've been searching for. Unfortunately so does Megatron, who uses a chunk of Dark Energon to raise an army of [[zombie]]s.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (3)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (8)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (11)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (4)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (6)
* [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (14)
}}

==Quotes==
"I NEEDED THAT!"
:—'''Ratchet''''s tools suffer further abuse... from one of his already abused tools.

"I fear that when our master reached for the stars, he came down with a touch of... space madness."
:—'''Starscream''', ever ready to undermine Megatron.

"Do I look like I do country? Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming."
:—'''Miko''' doesn't appreciate Jack's harmonica skills.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===
* Ratchet's comment that his hearing is still good even though his pistons are rusty is a reference to the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], who made a similar comment when [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] made a joke about his age.
* Bulkhead has a compartment similar to his ''Animated'' [[Bulkhead (Animated)|incarnation]], but higher up on his chest.
* When Soundwave deploys his Mini-con, the method is more simillar to the [[Breastforce]] rather than the previously known method.
* Soundwave's drone resembles [[Ratbat]].
* The concepts of the Transformers seeding energon on Earth and having had wars there in the distant past before have turned up in recent fiction, [[IDW]]'s comics and ''[[Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The latter was also in [[Ladybird Books|an 80s Ladybird Book]], "[[Galvatron's Air Attack]]".

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===
* This episode tries to resolve some of the continuity issues with Dark Energon the previous episode causes. Both Optimus and Ratchet know of its existence and even the rumor that it brings the dead back to life. Supplies of it were just so scarce as to be non-existent, hence their inexperience with it.
* In an amusing show of cultural differences, Bulkhead tries to order Miko to look away before tearing out an Eradicon's internals (presumably to spare her the sight of the carnage). Miko sees no problem with it, only seeing a hunk of metal and a bunch of wires.
* No, really, Bulkhead was going to leave Fowler in Decepticon hands because he didn't like him. What a jerk!
* Twelve-year-old Raf can hack into the United States goverment and track down federal agents. What national security?
* Check out where Starscream sticks Fowler with the energon prod. Ouch! Forms sort of an amusing callback to Bulkhead's earlier comment about him...

==Home video releases==

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

Darkness Rising, Part 5

2010-12-05T19:49:54Z

76.246.16.8: /* Real-world references */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=5
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|next=
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 5"
|airdate=[[December 3]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Joseph Kuhr]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}

==Synopsis==
[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] imagines in dread what will happen if [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] uses the [[Dark Energon]] to raise an army of [[zombie]]s on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and uses them to conquer [[Earth]].

[[Jack Darby|Jack]] arrives at [[KO Burger]], and encounters [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]], who says she's already lost one friend recently. The Autobots have pinpointed Megatron's [[space bridge]] in Earth orbit and must use the [[ground bridge]] to reach it, despite the risks this poses. Arcee and Jack arrive back in time for Arcee to join the mission, and Optimus leads the team (minus [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]]) through the bridge. They land up on the space bridge terminal and look up to see the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] moving into position. Megatron observes their presence, but [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] says that [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] is locking on to Cybertron's coordinates.

Optimus notes that ship is damaged, and the Decepticons will be unable to use it to aim the space bridge. Raf reasons that the Decepticons may be using a radio dish array in [[Texas]], but Fowler is still too out of it to alert the array staff of the danger. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] attempts to hack in, but the array's firewalls are too good. Jack thinks they should go on site, and they talk Optimus into letting them do it.

Meanwhile Megatron sends out the Decepticon forces to attack the Autobots. Battle commences.

The kids ground bridge to the array and sneak in. In a small unused room, Raf finds a computer and determines that the Decepticons have also hacked in, but takes the opportunity to download their space bridge plans onto his flash drive. Little do the kids know that [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] is in the very next room, plugged into the computer system as well. He aligns the array, which sets the space bridge ready to use, but Raf promptly realigns it. Responding to Starscream's requests to know what's going on, Soundwave taps into the installation's security systems and locates the three kids. While the kids are discussing what the Decepticons could do, Soundwave's tentacle slithers into the room behind them and attacks. As it goes after Raf, [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] grabs an axe and strikes at it. She completely misses, and the tentacle strikes her backward before picking up the axe itself. Though the kids believe it's about to attack them with the weapon, the tentacle withdraws. The kids run to the next room, where they found Soundwave has realigned the dishes and used the axe to cut the hard line, making it impossible to realign the dishes again. Miko then takes a photo on her phone of Soundwave. Before Soundwave leaves, he takes a photo of them.

Starscream activates the space bridge and Megatron physically throws a huge chunk of Dark Energon through. The Dark Energon strikes Cybertron, swiftly covering the planet and turning millions of dead Transformers into millions of [[zombie]]s. Optimus realizes that the only course of action left to them is to destroy the space bridge. Raf supplies the specs he downloaded earlier, and Ratchet sets about working out a way to do so. As Optimus faces Megatron, Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee go to implement some sabotage.

Megatron manages to defeat Prime, but as he raises his sword, Starscream alerts him to the actions of the other Autobots. Optimus takes advantage of the distraction to blast Megatron, but the Decepticon leader transforms and flies off to find the other Autobots. Arcee's team has succeeded in rigging the space bridge to blow when Megatron attacks and blasts Arcee off into space. The Autobots jump into the ground bridge, Bumblebee collecting Arcee on the way. Megatron realizes his ship appears to be absent, but before his army of zombies can come through, the space bridge explodes in his face.

A short distance away in the ship, Starscream notes that there's totally no way Megatron could have survived that, and he is leader now.

The Autobots make it back to their base, though Arcee's in a bad way. Optimus announces that there's totally no way Megatron could have survived the space bridge explosion. Fowler thanks the Autobots for saving him, and leaves. Optimus gives a big speech, and sends a signal into space to let the galaxy know that Earth is defended by the Autobots.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (6)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (11)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (7)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (8)
* [[William Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (14)

}}

==Quotes==
"Optimus, if you leave me stranded on a planet teeming with humans, I will never forgive you."
:—'''Ratchet'''

"Optimus Prime never disappoints. Unlike YOU, Starscream!"
:—'''Megatron'''

"Surely, Lord Megatron, the Autobots are up to something." 
"Really, Starscream?"
:—'''Starscream''' observes the Autobots and '''Megatron''' lays on the sarcasm.

"I hold no illusions about engaging your army, Megatron. But I might derail its objective... [[Decapitation|by removing its head.]]"
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|solution to most problems]].

"Starscream! Where is my ship?" 
"We would never make it, Lord Megatron! Don't be a fool! Take flight and retreat!"
:—'''Starscream''' fruitlessly tries to get '''Megatron''' to flee the detonating space bridge.

"Decepticons, it is with deep sorrow that I note for the log... Megatron's spark has been extinguished. All hail Starscream."
:—Looks like '''Starscream''' is back to his old self again.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
*The zombies are able to leave Cybertron and pass through the space bridge despite the fact that it's in space. Even accounting for the fact that Decepticon corpses might have flight capabilities, it seems unlikely that every zombie would.

===Transformers references===
*There are two references which are directly related to [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 animated movie]]. First Ratchet says, "Then by all means, let us light our [[darkest hour]]." Later, Optimus exchanges with Megatron: "One shall stand" and "one shall fall."
*Megatrons have been known to survive space bridge [[Transport to Oblivion|accidents]] and [[A Bridge Too Close, Part II|malfunctions]] and even [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|space bridge-related suicide attempts]]. Same goes for [[Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2|ginormous explosions where he stood at Ground Zero]]. Hope Starscream and Optimus don't expect to relax.
*Optimus's Energon blade and Megatron's hidden fusion cannon blade are references to [[Optimus Prime (Movie)| their movie]] [[Megatron (Movie)| counterparts]]
*Optimus' speech at the end is similar to the ones Movie Optimus gives at the end of both movies.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* Miko tries to use an axe on [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]]'s tentacle, which is the same tactic Tom Cruise's character tries on the Tripod tentacle in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''War of the Worlds''.

* Miko refers to space as "The final frontier". "Space. The final frontier" is the first line of the opening credits of several ''[[Wikipedia: Star Trek|Star Trek]]'' TV shows. ''Prime'' show developers [[Alex Kurtzman]] and [[Roberto Orci]] are also the screenwriters of the current ''Star Trek'' movies.

===Trivia===
* Winged versions of the Eradicons make their appearance here.
* The Decepticons are unable to simply warp to Cybertron thanks to Bulkhead ripping off a vital piece of equipment in the previous episode.
* While it's unlikely anything from ''[[Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron|Exodus]]'' applies to the cartoon, a number of Autobots including [[Ultra Magnus (Prime)| Ultra Magnus]], [[Omega Supreme (Prime)| Omega Supreme]] and the [[Wreckers (Prime)| Wreckers]] were left behind on Cybertron at the end of that book. Sure hope they weren't around when the zombies came crawling. In a similar vein, [[Shockwave (Prime)|Shockwave]] is also still on Cybertron at the end of the novel. Given the established fact that the war had continued on other worlds after Cybertron's shutdown, though (as stated by [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] in the [[Transformers: Prime (comic)|prequel comic]]), it's probable that all of them have since moved on to less hostile locales in the intervening years.
* When Starscream tries to convince Megatron to retreat, there is a surprising tone of concern in his voice. Either that, or he's a much better actor than certain other [[Starscream (Animated)| Starscreams]].
* It ''seems'' to take a lot longer for the zombie army to come from Cybertron across the space bridge than it took for the Dark Energon to get there in the first place. [[Wikipedia:Doomsday (Doctor Who)|Must've been the sheer mass of all of them]].
* A short video showing a rehearsal or an earlier take of the confrontation between Optimus Prime and Megatron was screened at both [[BotCon 2010]] and San Diego ComicCon 2010. The dialogue was somewhat different, with Optimus referring to battle on an alien world when ordering the Autobots away, and lacking the "One shall stand, one shall fall" exchange.

==Home video releases==

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 5

2010-12-05T19:49:16Z

76.246.16.8: /* Continuity errors */ unless I'm missing something

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=5
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|next=
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 5"
|airdate=[[December 3]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Joseph Kuhr]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}

==Synopsis==
[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] imagines in dread what will happen if [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] uses the [[Dark Energon]] to raise an army of [[zombie]]s on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and uses them to conquer [[Earth]].

[[Jack Darby|Jack]] arrives at [[KO Burger]], and encounters [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]], who says she's already lost one friend recently. The Autobots have pinpointed Megatron's [[space bridge]] in Earth orbit and must use the [[ground bridge]] to reach it, despite the risks this poses. Arcee and Jack arrive back in time for Arcee to join the mission, and Optimus leads the team (minus [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]]) through the bridge. They land up on the space bridge terminal and look up to see the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] moving into position. Megatron observes their presence, but [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] says that [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] is locking on to Cybertron's coordinates.

Optimus notes that ship is damaged, and the Decepticons will be unable to use it to aim the space bridge. Raf reasons that the Decepticons may be using a radio dish array in [[Texas]], but Fowler is still too out of it to alert the array staff of the danger. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] attempts to hack in, but the array's firewalls are too good. Jack thinks they should go on site, and they talk Optimus into letting them do it.

Meanwhile Megatron sends out the Decepticon forces to attack the Autobots. Battle commences.

The kids ground bridge to the array and sneak in. In a small unused room, Raf finds a computer and determines that the Decepticons have also hacked in, but takes the opportunity to download their space bridge plans onto his flash drive. Little do the kids know that [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] is in the very next room, plugged into the computer system as well. He aligns the array, which sets the space bridge ready to use, but Raf promptly realigns it. Responding to Starscream's requests to know what's going on, Soundwave taps into the installation's security systems and locates the three kids. While the kids are discussing what the Decepticons could do, Soundwave's tentacle slithers into the room behind them and attacks. As it goes after Raf, [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] grabs an axe and strikes at it. She completely misses, and the tentacle strikes her backward before picking up the axe itself. Though the kids believe it's about to attack them with the weapon, the tentacle withdraws. The kids run to the next room, where they found Soundwave has realigned the dishes and used the axe to cut the hard line, making it impossible to realign the dishes again. Miko then takes a photo on her phone of Soundwave. Before Soundwave leaves, he takes a photo of them.

Starscream activates the space bridge and Megatron physically throws a huge chunk of Dark Energon through. The Dark Energon strikes Cybertron, swiftly covering the planet and turning millions of dead Transformers into millions of [[zombie]]s. Optimus realizes that the only course of action left to them is to destroy the space bridge. Raf supplies the specs he downloaded earlier, and Ratchet sets about working out a way to do so. As Optimus faces Megatron, Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee go to implement some sabotage.

Megatron manages to defeat Prime, but as he raises his sword, Starscream alerts him to the actions of the other Autobots. Optimus takes advantage of the distraction to blast Megatron, but the Decepticon leader transforms and flies off to find the other Autobots. Arcee's team has succeeded in rigging the space bridge to blow when Megatron attacks and blasts Arcee off into space. The Autobots jump into the ground bridge, Bumblebee collecting Arcee on the way. Megatron realizes his ship appears to be absent, but before his army of zombies can come through, the space bridge explodes in his face.

A short distance away in the ship, Starscream notes that there's totally no way Megatron could have survived that, and he is leader now.

The Autobots make it back to their base, though Arcee's in a bad way. Optimus announces that there's totally no way Megatron could have survived the space bridge explosion. Fowler thanks the Autobots for saving him, and leaves. Optimus gives a big speech, and sends a signal into space to let the galaxy know that Earth is defended by the Autobots.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (6)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (11)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (7)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (8)
* [[William Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (14)

}}

==Quotes==
"Optimus, if you leave me stranded on a planet teeming with humans, I will never forgive you."
:—'''Ratchet'''

"Optimus Prime never disappoints. Unlike YOU, Starscream!"
:—'''Megatron'''

"Surely, Lord Megatron, the Autobots are up to something." 
"Really, Starscream?"
:—'''Starscream''' observes the Autobots and '''Megatron''' lays on the sarcasm.

"I hold no illusions about engaging your army, Megatron. But I might derail its objective... [[Decapitation|by removing its head.]]"
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|solution to most problems]].

"Starscream! Where is my ship?" 
"We would never make it, Lord Megatron! Don't be a fool! Take flight and retreat!"
:—'''Starscream''' fruitlessly tries to get '''Megatron''' to flee the detonating space bridge.

"Decepticons, it is with deep sorrow that I note for the log... Megatron's spark has been extinguished. All hail Starscream."
:—Looks like '''Starscream''' is back to his old self again.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
*The zombies are able to leave Cybertron and pass through the space bridge despite the fact that it's in space. Even accounting for the fact that Decepticon corpses might have flight capabilities, it seems unlikely that every zombie would.

===Transformers references===
*There are two references which are directly related to [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 animated movie]]. First Ratchet says, "Then by all means, let us light our [[darkest hour]]." Later, Optimus exchanges with Megatron: "One shall stand" and "one shall fall."
*Megatrons have been known to survive space bridge [[Transport to Oblivion|accidents]] and [[A Bridge Too Close, Part II|malfunctions]] and even [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|space bridge-related suicide attempts]]. Same goes for [[Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2|ginormous explosions where he stood at Ground Zero]]. Hope Starscream and Optimus don't expect to relax.
*Optimus's Energon blade and Megatron's hidden fusion cannon blade are references to [[Optimus Prime (Movie)| their movie]] [[Megatron (Movie)| counterparts]]
*Optimus' speech at the end is similar to the ones Movie Optimus gives at the end of both movies.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* Miko tries to use an axe on [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]]'s tentacle, which is the same tactic Tom Cruise's character tries on the Tripod tentacle in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''War of the Worlds''.

* Miko refers to Space as "The final frontier". "Space. The final frontier" is the first line of the opening credits of several ''[[Wikipedia: Star Trek|Star Trek]]'' TV shows. ''Prime'' show developers [[Alex Kurtzman]] and [[Roberto Orci]] are also the screenwriters of the current ''Star Trek'' movies.

===Trivia===
* Winged versions of the Eradicons make their appearance here.
* The Decepticons are unable to simply warp to Cybertron thanks to Bulkhead ripping off a vital piece of equipment in the previous episode.
* While it's unlikely anything from ''[[Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron|Exodus]]'' applies to the cartoon, a number of Autobots including [[Ultra Magnus (Prime)| Ultra Magnus]], [[Omega Supreme (Prime)| Omega Supreme]] and the [[Wreckers (Prime)| Wreckers]] were left behind on Cybertron at the end of that book. Sure hope they weren't around when the zombies came crawling. In a similar vein, [[Shockwave (Prime)|Shockwave]] is also still on Cybertron at the end of the novel. Given the established fact that the war had continued on other worlds after Cybertron's shutdown, though (as stated by [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] in the [[Transformers: Prime (comic)|prequel comic]]), it's probable that all of them have since moved on to less hostile locales in the intervening years.
* When Starscream tries to convince Megatron to retreat, there is a surprising tone of concern in his voice. Either that, or he's a much better actor than certain other [[Starscream (Animated)| Starscreams]].
* It ''seems'' to take a lot longer for the zombie army to come from Cybertron across the space bridge than it took for the Dark Energon to get there in the first place. [[Wikipedia:Doomsday (Doctor Who)|Must've been the sheer mass of all of them]].
* A short video showing a rehearsal or an earlier take of the confrontation between Optimus Prime and Megatron was screened at both [[BotCon 2010]] and San Diego ComicCon 2010. The dialogue was somewhat different, with Optimus referring to battle on an alien world when ordering the Autobots away, and lacking the "One shall stand, one shall fall" exchange.

==Home video releases==

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Zombie

2010-12-05T04:29:32Z

76.246.16.8: /* Prime cartoon */

{{featured}}
[[Image:Zombies.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I can't possibly deal with all of you at once!]]
{{bigquote|'''Don't you know?!''' The dead—the dead walk the streets of [[Kalis]]! And their victims... their victims become like them—'''the living dead!'''|[[Flywheels]]|"[[City of Fear!]]"}}

Although Transformers are often rebuilt or otherwise brought back from apparent death, there are also many examples of them being partially reanimated as '''zombies''', either self-aware or under the control of another.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{quote|And some lingering remnants of his memory and personality [...] But without our circuit implants, he would be utterly mindless, an ordinary machine. [...] A robotic zombie.|The [[Quintesson|Quintessons]]|"[[Dark Awakening]]"}}

[[Image:Optimusg1zombie.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Sadly, we are cheated a "Brawn of the Dead" pun-reference.]]

While fleeing from [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s [[Decepticon|Decepticons]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and his [[Autobot|Autobots]] found refuge inside an [[Autobot Mausoleum|Autobot funeral barge]], where [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] stumbled upon the reanimated form of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. Though most of the Autobots did not believe Daniel's story, Rodimus was obsessed with Optimus's memory, and tracked him down. After finding Optimus seemingly still alive, Rodimus happily handed over the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. However, things were not as they appeared, and Optimus immediately turned on them, left them to die in the funeral barge and escaped in a ship he had built.

Upon Optimus' return to Cybertron, he claimed that Rodimus and his crew had died due to a cruel Quintesson trick, and commanded every single Autobot to help him strike back. This was just what the Quintessons had orchestrated from the beginning, having reanimated the Autobots' former leader solely for the purpose of leading the entire faction into a deadly trap. Now without the Matrix, Hot Rod and his crew had managed to escape, and Hot Rod battled Optimus one-on-one in an attempt to reclaim the Matrix and get to the bottom of this deception. The real Optimus eventually resurfaced, returned the Matrix to Rodimus, once again gave him his blessing, and the Autobots retreated. Optimus's final act would be to pilot their ship into the trap, detonating it, and leaving a nova behind... {{storylink|Dark Awakening}} if he hadn't [[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|come back again later anyway]].

{{-}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon====
[[Image:Zombiesmasterforce.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Paaanties...paaaantieeees...]]
After stealing dead bodies from medical universities, [[Dauros]] and [[Gilmer]] infused them with evil energy from [[Devil Z]]. These [[human]] zombies (in matching Decepticon jumpsuits) had begun to lay siege to a local city when [[Lander]], who was nearby, changed into his [[Pretender]] form and battled them. However, the zombies began to disappear in a flash of light after they had run out of energy.

The Decepticons realized that they needed to infuse life energy from living humans into the zombies to avoid this problem. After kidnapping several human boys, the Autobot Pretenders came to the rescue and befriended one of the boys, [[Cab]], who joined their team. {{storylink|Terror! The Decepticons' Manhunt}}
{{-}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{quote|So, bereft of its ''[[brain module]]'', a Transformer body is just so much circuitry, operable by a powerful ''computer signal!''|Ultra Magnus|"[[City of Fear!]]"}}
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Zombieskalis.jpg|left|200px|thumb|We take Pete's car, we drive over to mum's, we go in, take care of Phillip, then we grab mum, we go over to Liz's place, hole up, have a cup of tea and wait for all this to blow over. How's that for a slice of fried gold?]]
''In a desperate bid to stop [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] from exploding the walking bomb [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] radio-controlled the body of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] ([[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] had the head), to grab Grimlock's arm. Without a brain module to control its functions Prime's hand could not let go of Grimlock's arm. This resulted in Grimlock's hand being ripped off when he was knocked away from Prime by the Guardian robot.'' {{storylink|The Wrath of Grimlock!}}

''Several years later [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and the [[Sparkabot|Sparkler Mini-Bots]] encountered similar technology used on a much broader scale. Traveling via prototype [[space bridge]] to the new home of [[Emirate Xaaron]]'s resistance movement in [[Kalis]], they arrived to find the place vacant and ransacked by beings unknown. After capturing the Decepticon [[Flywheels]] in [[Tyrest (city-state)|Tyrest]] and bringing him back into Kalis, their captive shook with fear. The dead walk in Kalis, he warned, as the fists of the unliving punched up through the ground beneath them.''

''Though Ultra Magnus refused to return Flywheels's gun to him, the Decepticon helped Magnus and the Sparklers beat back the undead hordes. Their attempts, however, seemed futile—no matter how hard their attackers were damaged, they still functioned! Finally, Flywheels and the Sparklers reverted to vehicle mode, where they could use their weapons to destroy the zombies more effectively. But alas, Magnus was stunned to realize that the beings they put down were formerly Autobots. Realizing that the zombies were being animated by remote using a radio signal, they travelled to the [[Baird Beaming Transmitter]]. The signal was indeed shut down, and Magnus discovered that the signal was coming from deep within [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]...'' {{storylink|City of Fear!}}

[[Image:Impactorzombie.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Wreckers never die, they just go to Hell and regroup!]]
''The zombies were actually activated by the mad Autobot scientist [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] and sent to stalk the area surrounding Kalis to scare off intruders, while he set into motion his doomed plan to transform Cybertron into a spacefaring battlestation. Though he captured his rival [[Emirate Xaaron]] and other inhabitants of [[Autobase]], he would have been easily thwarted—if not for his zombification of the late [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] leader, [[Impactor]]. {{storylink|Legion of the Lost!}} The current Wreckers leader, [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], was shocked into inaction at the sight of his former leader, and if it weren't for Impactor's mind reasserting itself, the planet would have been lost. Impactor once again sacrificed his life to save the others, staying behind to deactivate Flame's mechanism as it annihilated him.'' {{storylink|Meltdown!}}

[[Image:ZombieScream1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Leeeadership... Leaaadershiiip...]]
''Later, [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] and [[Darkwing]] were sent by Megatron to reclaim [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s charred corpse on [[Earth]]. Starscream's remains were possessed by the essence of the [[Underbase]] and went on an insane rampage, nearly killing [[Dr. Susan Hoffman]] and her [[Dr. Susan Hoffman|assistants]]. After Starscream was diverted away from the [[human]]s by [[Backstreet]], [[Dogfight]], and [[Override (G1)|Override]], the trio of [[Triggerbot]]s tried in vain to stop the rampaging zombie. Eventually, the Underbase realized it was acting insane and regained control, but as soon as it did, Dreadwind and Darkwing siphoned all the power out of it, and Starscream's corpse returned to being an inanimate pile of scrap, which the pair quickly collected.'' {{storylink|Race with the Devil}}

[[Image:Zombiesbackfromthedead.jpg|right|175px|thumb|Goddamn, Goldbug's creepy. Guess this explains why Ratchet prefers him as Bumblebee.]]
Meanwhile, [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] had been working long hours to repair the Autobots' massive number of casualties from the [[Underbase Saga]]—so long, that he began to hallucinate, seeing his patients rise up from their repair beds and blame him for their condition. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], to whom the corpse of Starscream was being delivered, required Ratchet to repair him, so the former Decepticon leader sent the [[Micromaster]] [[Sports Car Patrol]] to trick Ratchet into returning with them to Cybertron. To do this, [[Blackjack]] and his fellow Micromasters made Ratchet's hallucination real, animating Ratchet's patients. However, this began to backfire when Ratchet decided to give himself up to his accusers. The Sports Car Patrol decided this wasn't the best course of action and tried to lure him with a different plan. {{storylink|Back from the Dead}}

''While looking for clues to the identity of [[Playback]]'s killer, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] suddenly found himself, [[Siren]], and [[Hosehead]] under attack by the prime suspect—[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]! Ultimately, Nightbeat was able to save their lives by having his [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster partner]], [[Muzzle]], become the head of Playback's corpse, momentarily distracting Thunderwing with its scary zombieness. As soon as Muzzle jumped clear, the trio of Autobots fired at the corpse's fuel supply, causing a huge explosion which forced Thunderwing into retreat.'' {{storylink|The Big Shutdown!}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 comics===
[[Image:Zombiesspotlightkup.jpg|left|200px|thumb|One of these guys was probably Skids.]]
[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] had been marooned on a distant planet for quite some time when They started coming for him. They only came at night, when the suns would stop filtering through the planet's beautiful, indigenous crystals, creating such beautiful music... Kup could not allow Them to take the music away from him, and even though his buddy [[Outback]], the only other survivor of Kup's crew, refused to help him, Kup was able to beat back every single last one of Them every single night when they'd come for him.

What Kup didn't know is that They were not zombies, but [[Autobot]]s sent in to rescue him. The [[antique anti-rad armor]] they wore to protect themselves from the extreme radiation caused by the crystals also disguised their identities to Kup, who was suffering hallucinations at the hand of the radiation. Oops. {{storylink|Spotlight: Kup}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars Metals'' comic===
[[Image:DevilGorilla-sk.jpg|right|200px|thumb|He really shouldn't have taken that Aztec gold.]]
As [[Optimus Primal]]'s corpse floated in [[Earth]]'s orbit following his sacrifice at the hands of the [[Vok|aliens]]' [[Planet Buster]], [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] realized true strength was not only in numbers (fashioning himself an army of drones), but also in retrieving Primal's remains, reassembling it, and reanimating it as a zombie. Upon initial activation, the zombie asserted its dominance over Megatron's new army of drones.

Thankfully, before Megatron and [[Tarantulas]] could make the process permanent, the [[Maximal|Maximals]] showed up and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] injected Primal's [[Spark]] (which he had retrieved from [[Transwarp]] space) into his old body. Thus ended the short career of Zombie Convoy. {{storylink|Raise the Curtain for Beast Wars Metals!!}}
{{-}}

====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
[[Unicron]] possessed the dead body of [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]]. Much fun was had.

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
[[Image:Zombiessparkofdarkness.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Yeessss... Yeeesssss....]]
After the defeat of [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and the [[Maximal]]s' takeover of the [[Grand Mal]], [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] were investigating the fields of [[spark]]less Transformer bodies when they were attacked by a zombie-like creature. A seemingly-invincible corpse battled them. Blackarachnia attempted to use her energo-web attacks, but it merely absorbed them. until finally, after Blackarachnia threw another corpse's [[power core]] at it, the zombie collapsed. A mysterious energy ball lifted from the zombie, and it disappeared through a grate in the ground.

The energy ball appeared next in the [[technorganic orchard]] that [[Rattrap]] and [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] were tending, bringing life to a deactivated [[Motorcycle Drone]]. Botanica attempted to use her energy weapon powers against it, but like Blackarachnia's energo-webs, it merely absorbed her attack. After being expelled too from this body, it fled to the surface into a deactivated [[Aero Drone]], where it attacked [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]], and [[Strika (BM)|Strika]]. Nightscream tried a different approach of "draining" the creature of its power, but it drained Nightscream's own power from him. The Maximals began to see a pattern in the zombies' attacks, and regrouped inside the Grand Mal, which seemed to be its target. Finally, Rattrap had an epiphany, realized what was going on, and captured the energy ball inside a [[Diagnostic Drone]]. The energy ball was actually the polarized spark of Megatron. Surprise! {{storylink|Spark of Darkness}}
{{-}}

====''Cybertron'' comic====
[[Image:Zombiedarkscorponok.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Kiiiickerrr...Kiiiicker... our Plaaanetts...]]
{{quote|The afflicted is driven by an insatiable desire to feed on the life energy of others. Nearly mindless, he will stop at nothing to feed. He ignores injury, knowing only hunger and pain. And the best part is that anyone off whom he feeds becomes just the same.|[[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] tells [[Scrapmetal (race)|Scrapmetal]] a heartwarming story|[[Balancing Act, Part 3]]"}}

Despite [[Unicron]]'s apparent death inside the [[Unicron Singularity]], his essence's will was still strong enough to use the reality-altering black hole to bring the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Now ''Dark'' Scorponok, this undead creature stalked the evacuated planet surface, screaming in hunger and pain, crying out for [[Spark|Sparks]] upon which to feast. At first Dark Scorponok assaulted [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]], {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 2}} who survived due to his powerful forcefield ability, but the monster was drawn away by [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]]'s evil [[Mini-Con]] minions, towards the [[Kalis Primary Energon Reserves Control]], where [[Vector Prime]] and [[Sentinel Maximus]] were located. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 3}} After a prolonged fight, Sentinel Maximus was able to defeat Dark Scorponok, after which he and Vector Prime realized this was just a diversion. Leaving what was left of Dark Scorponok, unable to solve his affliction, their attentions were needed elsewhere, below the planet's surface. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 4}}

===Titan Magazines movie comic===
[[Image:ZombieConsTitan.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Mission City--28 Minutes Later...]]
Immediately after [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] death, [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] appointed himself the commander of the Decepticons... who were all dead. Noticing the [[Allspark Mutation|mechanical devices]] that the [[AllSpark (Movie)|All Spark]] had animated, Starscream tore the solidified All Spark energy from them and used it to turn the Decepticon corpses into undead soldiers. Without any mental functions whatsoever, they simply walked forward and attempted to kill, and very nearly tore apart the weakened Autobots before [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] worked out how to stop them. {{storylink|Starscream's Militia}}

{{-}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[Image:Prowlspacebarnacles.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I'll swallow your SPARK!]]
[[Space barnacles]] are parasitic life-forms that can be considered "zombie-inducing" in their quest for energy. Some of them attached themselves to the dead body of [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] and managed to reanimate it, evolving themselves into semi-awareness and later absorbing other machines. In this state, they shared with zombies the property to "infect" other robots by simple contact, turning them also into mindless drones, ready to spread the infection. ("Normal" space barnacles simply drain energy, but presumably do not take over Transformer minds.) [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] were finally cured from their contact with the creature when [[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] blasted the space barnacles off with hot [[water]]. {{storylink|Nature Calls}}
{{-}}

===''Prime'' cartoon===
{{spoiler|Darkness Rising, Part 2|December 8, 2010}}
[[Image:DarknessRising4-beholddarkenergon!.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Night of the Living Generics.]]
After [[Cliffjumper (Prime)| Cliffjumper]] was killed in a battle against the [[Eradicon]]s, his body was saved by [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] for use in experiments. When [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] returned, he wished to test the then-theoretical property of [[Dark Energon]] to revive the dead. It worked, to an extent. Cliffjumper was reborn as a screaming beast, and promptly destroyed two Eradicons before leaping at Megatron. Megatron commented that the creature before him was no longer an Autobot and sliced the zombie Cliffjumper in half with his claw. The half with the head remained alive, and attacked [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] when she tried to rescue it. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 2}}

{{spoiler|Darkness Rising, Part 4|December 9, 2010}}
Megatron realized the potential for brutal, undead warriors from the encounter with Cliffjumper and decided to use the Dark Energon more extensively. When [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] realized that the substance they were dealing with was Dark Energon, he and [[Ratchet (Prime)| Ratchet]] put two and two together and realized Megatron was up to something, that something being raising the dead. Eons ago, there had been a war on Earth after the smuggling of Energon to the planet. Since Cybertronian bodies do not decompose, there were some still buried in the ground. Megatron appeared to Optimus Prime and Ratchet in a large canyon, and threw a chunk of Dark Energon into the ground, which promptly began to glow bright purple along with Megatron himself. The ground opened up and the undead robots crawled out from the edges, brandishing the same deadly weapons they carried in the previous war. Optimus and Ratchet were quick to dispose of the zombie hoard, only to be informed by Megatron that this was merely the prelude to his main event. That event, they soon discovered, was raising the countless dead on [[Cybertron]] itself. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 3}} {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 4}}

{{spoiler|Darkness Rising, Part 5|December 10, 2010}}
Unfortunately for the Autobots, Megatron was already a step ahead of them in implementing his plan, since he already had a working [[space bridge]] and a ship to get to it. The Autobots used their [[ground bridge]] to reach the space bridge, but failed to stop Megatron from throwing his supply of Dark Energon through, raising the entire deceased population of Cybertron. Before the undead warriors could pass through the bridge, the Autobots managed to reverse the power flow, causing the bridge to explode, taking the zombies and Megatron with it. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 5}}
{{-}}

==Honorable mentions==
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], while he was an animated unliving Transformer controlled by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and later [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster]], was not strictly a zombie. He was not given life until after he was used as a mindless puppet by diabolical masters.
* [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] is not a reanimated [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] as was [[Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers|commonly believed]] for some time.
* [[Dinobot II]], though he looked like an undead [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot I]], was more of a [[Frankenstein's monster]] than a zombie.
* [[Primeval Dawn]]'s "Zombie [[Tarantulas]]," as referred to by some fans, did inhabit the reconfigured remains of his previous body. This seemed to be a full return to life, despite his new black and gray color scheme, rather than being undead.
* [[Energon (franchise)|''Energon'']] [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], though brought back from the dead, was more ghosty than zombie-y. Even [[Aaron Archer]] referred to him as an "[[Energon (Energon)|Energon]] ghost."
* [[Transformers Animated|''Animated'']] [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] was kept alive by a fragment of the All-Spark, despite his spark having been extinguished, making him a Zombie of sorts.
* [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Dark Crumplezone]], though he was also brought back from the dead, likewise wasn't very zombie-y; indeed, he even came back smarter (according to his on-package [[bio]]) and with his personality intact.
* [[Dead End (ROTF)|Dead End]] was a decomposing, bestial creature that cannibalised other Transformers, but was doing that to ''stave off'' death.

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Masterforce]]
[[Category:Zombies| ]]

Zombie

2010-12-05T04:29:11Z

76.246.16.8: /* Prime cartoon */ add

{{featured}}
[[Image:Zombies.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I can't possibly deal with all of you at once!]]
{{bigquote|'''Don't you know?!''' The dead—the dead walk the streets of [[Kalis]]! And their victims... their victims become like them—'''the living dead!'''|[[Flywheels]]|"[[City of Fear!]]"}}

Although Transformers are often rebuilt or otherwise brought back from apparent death, there are also many examples of them being partially reanimated as '''zombies''', either self-aware or under the control of another.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{quote|And some lingering remnants of his memory and personality [...] But without our circuit implants, he would be utterly mindless, an ordinary machine. [...] A robotic zombie.|The [[Quintesson|Quintessons]]|"[[Dark Awakening]]"}}

[[Image:Optimusg1zombie.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Sadly, we are cheated a "Brawn of the Dead" pun-reference.]]

While fleeing from [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s [[Decepticon|Decepticons]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and his [[Autobot|Autobots]] found refuge inside an [[Autobot Mausoleum|Autobot funeral barge]], where [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] stumbled upon the reanimated form of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. Though most of the Autobots did not believe Daniel's story, Rodimus was obsessed with Optimus's memory, and tracked him down. After finding Optimus seemingly still alive, Rodimus happily handed over the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. However, things were not as they appeared, and Optimus immediately turned on them, left them to die in the funeral barge and escaped in a ship he had built.

Upon Optimus' return to Cybertron, he claimed that Rodimus and his crew had died due to a cruel Quintesson trick, and commanded every single Autobot to help him strike back. This was just what the Quintessons had orchestrated from the beginning, having reanimated the Autobots' former leader solely for the purpose of leading the entire faction into a deadly trap. Now without the Matrix, Hot Rod and his crew had managed to escape, and Hot Rod battled Optimus one-on-one in an attempt to reclaim the Matrix and get to the bottom of this deception. The real Optimus eventually resurfaced, returned the Matrix to Rodimus, once again gave him his blessing, and the Autobots retreated. Optimus's final act would be to pilot their ship into the trap, detonating it, and leaving a nova behind... {{storylink|Dark Awakening}} if he hadn't [[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1|come back again later anyway]].

{{-}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon====
[[Image:Zombiesmasterforce.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Paaanties...paaaantieeees...]]
After stealing dead bodies from medical universities, [[Dauros]] and [[Gilmer]] infused them with evil energy from [[Devil Z]]. These [[human]] zombies (in matching Decepticon jumpsuits) had begun to lay siege to a local city when [[Lander]], who was nearby, changed into his [[Pretender]] form and battled them. However, the zombies began to disappear in a flash of light after they had run out of energy.

The Decepticons realized that they needed to infuse life energy from living humans into the zombies to avoid this problem. After kidnapping several human boys, the Autobot Pretenders came to the rescue and befriended one of the boys, [[Cab]], who joined their team. {{storylink|Terror! The Decepticons' Manhunt}}
{{-}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{quote|So, bereft of its ''[[brain module]]'', a Transformer body is just so much circuitry, operable by a powerful ''computer signal!''|Ultra Magnus|"[[City of Fear!]]"}}
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Zombieskalis.jpg|left|200px|thumb|We take Pete's car, we drive over to mum's, we go in, take care of Phillip, then we grab mum, we go over to Liz's place, hole up, have a cup of tea and wait for all this to blow over. How's that for a slice of fried gold?]]
''In a desperate bid to stop [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] from exploding the walking bomb [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] radio-controlled the body of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] ([[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] had the head), to grab Grimlock's arm. Without a brain module to control its functions Prime's hand could not let go of Grimlock's arm. This resulted in Grimlock's hand being ripped off when he was knocked away from Prime by the Guardian robot.'' {{storylink|The Wrath of Grimlock!}}

''Several years later [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and the [[Sparkabot|Sparkler Mini-Bots]] encountered similar technology used on a much broader scale. Traveling via prototype [[space bridge]] to the new home of [[Emirate Xaaron]]'s resistance movement in [[Kalis]], they arrived to find the place vacant and ransacked by beings unknown. After capturing the Decepticon [[Flywheels]] in [[Tyrest (city-state)|Tyrest]] and bringing him back into Kalis, their captive shook with fear. The dead walk in Kalis, he warned, as the fists of the unliving punched up through the ground beneath them.''

''Though Ultra Magnus refused to return Flywheels's gun to him, the Decepticon helped Magnus and the Sparklers beat back the undead hordes. Their attempts, however, seemed futile—no matter how hard their attackers were damaged, they still functioned! Finally, Flywheels and the Sparklers reverted to vehicle mode, where they could use their weapons to destroy the zombies more effectively. But alas, Magnus was stunned to realize that the beings they put down were formerly Autobots. Realizing that the zombies were being animated by remote using a radio signal, they travelled to the [[Baird Beaming Transmitter]]. The signal was indeed shut down, and Magnus discovered that the signal was coming from deep within [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]...'' {{storylink|City of Fear!}}

[[Image:Impactorzombie.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Wreckers never die, they just go to Hell and regroup!]]
''The zombies were actually activated by the mad Autobot scientist [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] and sent to stalk the area surrounding Kalis to scare off intruders, while he set into motion his doomed plan to transform Cybertron into a spacefaring battlestation. Though he captured his rival [[Emirate Xaaron]] and other inhabitants of [[Autobase]], he would have been easily thwarted—if not for his zombification of the late [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] leader, [[Impactor]]. {{storylink|Legion of the Lost!}} The current Wreckers leader, [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], was shocked into inaction at the sight of his former leader, and if it weren't for Impactor's mind reasserting itself, the planet would have been lost. Impactor once again sacrificed his life to save the others, staying behind to deactivate Flame's mechanism as it annihilated him.'' {{storylink|Meltdown!}}

[[Image:ZombieScream1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Leeeadership... Leaaadershiiip...]]
''Later, [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] and [[Darkwing]] were sent by Megatron to reclaim [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s charred corpse on [[Earth]]. Starscream's remains were possessed by the essence of the [[Underbase]] and went on an insane rampage, nearly killing [[Dr. Susan Hoffman]] and her [[Dr. Susan Hoffman|assistants]]. After Starscream was diverted away from the [[human]]s by [[Backstreet]], [[Dogfight]], and [[Override (G1)|Override]], the trio of [[Triggerbot]]s tried in vain to stop the rampaging zombie. Eventually, the Underbase realized it was acting insane and regained control, but as soon as it did, Dreadwind and Darkwing siphoned all the power out of it, and Starscream's corpse returned to being an inanimate pile of scrap, which the pair quickly collected.'' {{storylink|Race with the Devil}}

[[Image:Zombiesbackfromthedead.jpg|right|175px|thumb|Goddamn, Goldbug's creepy. Guess this explains why Ratchet prefers him as Bumblebee.]]
Meanwhile, [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] had been working long hours to repair the Autobots' massive number of casualties from the [[Underbase Saga]]—so long, that he began to hallucinate, seeing his patients rise up from their repair beds and blame him for their condition. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], to whom the corpse of Starscream was being delivered, required Ratchet to repair him, so the former Decepticon leader sent the [[Micromaster]] [[Sports Car Patrol]] to trick Ratchet into returning with them to Cybertron. To do this, [[Blackjack]] and his fellow Micromasters made Ratchet's hallucination real, animating Ratchet's patients. However, this began to backfire when Ratchet decided to give himself up to his accusers. The Sports Car Patrol decided this wasn't the best course of action and tried to lure him with a different plan. {{storylink|Back from the Dead}}

''While looking for clues to the identity of [[Playback]]'s killer, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] suddenly found himself, [[Siren]], and [[Hosehead]] under attack by the prime suspect—[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]! Ultimately, Nightbeat was able to save their lives by having his [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster partner]], [[Muzzle]], become the head of Playback's corpse, momentarily distracting Thunderwing with its scary zombieness. As soon as Muzzle jumped clear, the trio of Autobots fired at the corpse's fuel supply, causing a huge explosion which forced Thunderwing into retreat.'' {{storylink|The Big Shutdown!}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 comics===
[[Image:Zombiesspotlightkup.jpg|left|200px|thumb|One of these guys was probably Skids.]]
[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] had been marooned on a distant planet for quite some time when They started coming for him. They only came at night, when the suns would stop filtering through the planet's beautiful, indigenous crystals, creating such beautiful music... Kup could not allow Them to take the music away from him, and even though his buddy [[Outback]], the only other survivor of Kup's crew, refused to help him, Kup was able to beat back every single last one of Them every single night when they'd come for him.

What Kup didn't know is that They were not zombies, but [[Autobot]]s sent in to rescue him. The [[antique anti-rad armor]] they wore to protect themselves from the extreme radiation caused by the crystals also disguised their identities to Kup, who was suffering hallucinations at the hand of the radiation. Oops. {{storylink|Spotlight: Kup}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars Metals'' comic===
[[Image:DevilGorilla-sk.jpg|right|200px|thumb|He really shouldn't have taken that Aztec gold.]]
As [[Optimus Primal]]'s corpse floated in [[Earth]]'s orbit following his sacrifice at the hands of the [[Vok|aliens]]' [[Planet Buster]], [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] realized true strength was not only in numbers (fashioning himself an army of drones), but also in retrieving Primal's remains, reassembling it, and reanimating it as a zombie. Upon initial activation, the zombie asserted its dominance over Megatron's new army of drones.

Thankfully, before Megatron and [[Tarantulas]] could make the process permanent, the [[Maximal|Maximals]] showed up and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] injected Primal's [[Spark]] (which he had retrieved from [[Transwarp]] space) into his old body. Thus ended the short career of Zombie Convoy. {{storylink|Raise the Curtain for Beast Wars Metals!!}}
{{-}}

====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
[[Unicron]] possessed the dead body of [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]]. Much fun was had.

====''Beast Machines'' cartoon====
[[Image:Zombiessparkofdarkness.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Yeessss... Yeeesssss....]]
After the defeat of [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and the [[Maximal]]s' takeover of the [[Grand Mal]], [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] were investigating the fields of [[spark]]less Transformer bodies when they were attacked by a zombie-like creature. A seemingly-invincible corpse battled them. Blackarachnia attempted to use her energo-web attacks, but it merely absorbed them. until finally, after Blackarachnia threw another corpse's [[power core]] at it, the zombie collapsed. A mysterious energy ball lifted from the zombie, and it disappeared through a grate in the ground.

The energy ball appeared next in the [[technorganic orchard]] that [[Rattrap]] and [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] were tending, bringing life to a deactivated [[Motorcycle Drone]]. Botanica attempted to use her energy weapon powers against it, but like Blackarachnia's energo-webs, it merely absorbed her attack. After being expelled too from this body, it fled to the surface into a deactivated [[Aero Drone]], where it attacked [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]], and [[Strika (BM)|Strika]]. Nightscream tried a different approach of "draining" the creature of its power, but it drained Nightscream's own power from him. The Maximals began to see a pattern in the zombies' attacks, and regrouped inside the Grand Mal, which seemed to be its target. Finally, Rattrap had an epiphany, realized what was going on, and captured the energy ball inside a [[Diagnostic Drone]]. The energy ball was actually the polarized spark of Megatron. Surprise! {{storylink|Spark of Darkness}}
{{-}}

====''Cybertron'' comic====
[[Image:Zombiedarkscorponok.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Kiiiickerrr...Kiiiicker... our Plaaanetts...]]
{{quote|The afflicted is driven by an insatiable desire to feed on the life energy of others. Nearly mindless, he will stop at nothing to feed. He ignores injury, knowing only hunger and pain. And the best part is that anyone off whom he feeds becomes just the same.|[[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] tells [[Scrapmetal (race)|Scrapmetal]] a heartwarming story|[[Balancing Act, Part 3]]"}}

Despite [[Unicron]]'s apparent death inside the [[Unicron Singularity]], his essence's will was still strong enough to use the reality-altering black hole to bring the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Now ''Dark'' Scorponok, this undead creature stalked the evacuated planet surface, screaming in hunger and pain, crying out for [[Spark|Sparks]] upon which to feast. At first Dark Scorponok assaulted [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]], {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 2}} who survived due to his powerful forcefield ability, but the monster was drawn away by [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]]'s evil [[Mini-Con]] minions, towards the [[Kalis Primary Energon Reserves Control]], where [[Vector Prime]] and [[Sentinel Maximus]] were located. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 3}} After a prolonged fight, Sentinel Maximus was able to defeat Dark Scorponok, after which he and Vector Prime realized this was just a diversion. Leaving what was left of Dark Scorponok, unable to solve his affliction, their attentions were needed elsewhere, below the planet's surface. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 4}}

===Titan Magazines movie comic===
[[Image:ZombieConsTitan.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Mission City--28 Minutes Later...]]
Immediately after [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] death, [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] appointed himself the commander of the Decepticons... who were all dead. Noticing the [[Allspark Mutation|mechanical devices]] that the [[AllSpark (Movie)|All Spark]] had animated, Starscream tore the solidified All Spark energy from them and used it to turn the Decepticon corpses into undead soldiers. Without any mental functions whatsoever, they simply walked forward and attempted to kill, and very nearly tore apart the weakened Autobots before [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] worked out how to stop them. {{storylink|Starscream's Militia}}

{{-}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[Image:Prowlspacebarnacles.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I'll swallow your SPARK!]]
[[Space barnacles]] are parasitic life-forms that can be considered "zombie-inducing" in their quest for energy. Some of them attached themselves to the dead body of [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] and managed to reanimate it, evolving themselves into semi-awareness and later absorbing other machines. In this state, they shared with zombies the property to "infect" other robots by simple contact, turning them also into mindless drones, ready to spread the infection. ("Normal" space barnacles simply drain energy, but presumably do not take over Transformer minds.) [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] were finally cured from their contact with the creature when [[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] blasted the space barnacles off with hot [[water]]. {{storylink|Nature Calls}}
{{-}}

===''Prime'' cartoon===
{{spoiler|Darkness Rising, Part 2|December 8, 2010}}
[[Image:DarknessRising4-beholddarkenergon!.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Night of the Living Generics.]]
After [[Cliffjumper (Prime)| Cliffjumper]] was killed in a battle against the [[Eradicon]]s, his body was saved by [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] for use in experiments. When [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] returned, he wished to test the then-theoretical property of [[Dark Energon]] to revive the dead. It worked, to an extent. Cliffjumper was reborn as a screaming beast, and promptly destroyed two Eradicons before leaping at Megatron. Megatron commented that the creature before him was no longer an Autobot and sliced the zombie Cliffjumper in half with his claw. The half with the head remained alive, and attacked [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] when she tried to rescue it. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 2}}

{{spoiler|Darkness Rising, Part 4|December 9, 2010}}
Megatron realized the potential for brutal, undead warriors from the encounter with Cliffjumper and decided to use the Dark Energon more extensively. When [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] realized that the substance they were dealing with was Dark Energon, he and [[Ratchet (Prime)| Ratchet]] put two and two together and realized Megatron was up to something, that something being raising the dead. Eons ago, there had been a war on Earth after the smuggling of Energon to the planet. Since Cybertronian bodies do not decompose, there were some still buried in the ground. Megatron appeared to Optimus Prime and Ratchet in a large canyon, and threw a chunk of Dark Energon into the ground, which promptly began to glow bright purple along with Megatron himself. The ground opened up and the undead robots crawled out from the edges, brandishing the same deadly weapons they carried in the previous war. Optimus and Ratchet were quick to dispose of the zombie hoard, only to be informed by Megatron that this was merely the prelude to his main event. That event, they soon discovered, was raising the countless dead on [[Cybertron]] itself. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 3}} {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 4}}

{{spoiler|Darkness Rising, Part 5|December 10, 2010}}
Unfortunately for the Autobots, Megatron was already a step ahead of them in implementing his plan, since he already had a working [[space bridge]] and a ship to get to it. The Autobots used their [[ground bridge]] to reach the space bridge, but failed to stop Megatron from throwing his supply of Dark Energon through, raising the entire deceased population of Cybertron. Before the undead warriors could pass through the bridge, the Autobots managed to reverse the power flow, causing the bridge to explode, taking the zombies and Megatron with it. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part h}}
{{-}}

==Honorable mentions==
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], while he was an animated unliving Transformer controlled by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and later [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster]], was not strictly a zombie. He was not given life until after he was used as a mindless puppet by diabolical masters.
* [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] is not a reanimated [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] as was [[Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers|commonly believed]] for some time.
* [[Dinobot II]], though he looked like an undead [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot I]], was more of a [[Frankenstein's monster]] than a zombie.
* [[Primeval Dawn]]'s "Zombie [[Tarantulas]]," as referred to by some fans, did inhabit the reconfigured remains of his previous body. This seemed to be a full return to life, despite his new black and gray color scheme, rather than being undead.
* [[Energon (franchise)|''Energon'']] [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], though brought back from the dead, was more ghosty than zombie-y. Even [[Aaron Archer]] referred to him as an "[[Energon (Energon)|Energon]] ghost."
* [[Transformers Animated|''Animated'']] [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] was kept alive by a fragment of the All-Spark, despite his spark having been extinguished, making him a Zombie of sorts.
* [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Dark Crumplezone]], though he was also brought back from the dead, likewise wasn't very zombie-y; indeed, he even came back smarter (according to his on-package [[bio]]) and with his personality intact.
* [[Dead End (ROTF)|Dead End]] was a decomposing, bestial creature that cannibalised other Transformers, but was doing that to ''stave off'' death.

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Masterforce]]
[[Category:Zombies| ]]

Darkness Rising, Part 5

2010-12-04T08:45:31Z

76.246.16.8: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=5
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|next=
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 5"
|airdate=[[December 3]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Joseph Kuhr]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}

==Synopsis==
[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] imagines in dread what will happen if [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] uses the [[Dark Energon]] to raise an army of [[zombie]]s on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and uses them to conquer [[Earth]].

[[Jack Darby|Jack]] arrives at [[KO Burger]], and encounters [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]], who says she's already lost one friend recently. The Autobots have pinpointed Megatron's [[space bridge]] in Earth orbit and must use the [[ground bridge]] to reach it, despite the risks this poses. Arcee and Jack arrive back in time for Arcee to join the mission, and Optimus leads the team (minus [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]]) through the bridge. They land up on the space bridge terminal and look up to see the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] moving into position. Megatron observes their presence, but [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] says that [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] is locking on to Cybertron's coordinates.

Optimus notes that ship is damaged, and the Decepticons will be unable to use it to aim the space bridge. Raf reasons that the Decepticons may be using a radio dish array in [[Texas]], but Fowler is still too out of it to alert the array staff of the danger. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] attempts to hack in, but the array's firewalls are too good. Jack thinks they should go on site, and they talk Optimus into letting them do it.

Meanwhile Megatron sends out the Decepticon forces to attack the Autobots. Battle commences.

The kids ground bridge to the array and sneak in. In a small unused room, Raf finds a computer and determines that the Decepticons have also hacked in, but takes the opportunity to download their space bridge plans onto his flash drive. Little do the kids know that [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] is in the very next room, plugged into the computer system as well. He aligns the array, which sets the space bridge ready to use, but Raf promptly realigns it. Responding to Starscream's requests to know what's going on, Soundwave taps into the installation's security systems and locates the three kids. While the kids are discussing what the Decepticons could do, Soundwave's tentacle slithers into the room behind them and attacks. As it goes after Raf, [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] grabs an ax and strikes at it. She completely misses, and the tentacle strikes her backward before picking up the ax itself. Though the kids believe it's about to attack them with the weapon, the tentacle withdraws. The kids run to the next room, where they found Soundwave has realigned the dishes and used the ax to cut the hard line.

Starscream activates the space bridge and Megatron physically throws a huge chunk of Dark Energon through. The Dark Energon strikes Cybertron, swiftly covering the planet and turning millions of dead Transformers into millions of [[zombie]]s. Optimus realizes that the only course of action left to them is to destroy the space bridge. Raf supplies the specs he downloaded earlier, and Ratchet sets about working out a way to do so. As Optimus faces Megatron, Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee go to implement some sabotage.

Megatron manages to defeat Prime, but as he raises his sword, Starscream alerts him to the actions of the other Autobots. Optimus takes advantage of the distraction to blast Megatron, but the Decepticon leader transforms and flies off to find the other Autobots. Arcee's team has succeeded in rigging the space bridge to blow when Megatron attacks and blasts Arcee off into space. The Autobots jump into the ground bridge, Bumblebee collecting Arcee on the way. Megatron realizes his ship appears to be absent, but before his army of zombies can come through, the space bridge explodes in his face.

A short distance away in the ship, Starscream notes that there's totally no way Megatron could have survived that, and he is leader now.

The Autobots make it back to their base, though Arcee's in a bad way. Optimus announces that there's totally no way Megatron could have survived the space bridge explosion. Fowler thanks the Autobots for saving him, and leaves. Optimus gives a big speech, and sends a signal into space to let the galaxy know that Earth is defended by the Autobots.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (6)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (11)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (7)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (8)
* [[William Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (14)

}}

==Quotes==
"Optimus, if you leave me on a planet teeming with humans, I'll never forgive you."
:—'''Ratchet'''

"Optimus Prime never disappoints. Unlike YOU, Starscream!"
:—'''Megatron'''

"Surely, Lord Megatron, the Autobots are up to something." 
"Really, Starscream?"
:—'''Starscream''' observes the Autobots and '''Megatron''' lays on the sarcasm.

"I hold no illusions of engaging your army, Megatron. But I might derail its objective... [[Decapitation|By removing its head.]]"
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|solution to most problems]].

"Decepticons, it is with deep sorrow, that I note for the log, Megatron's spark has been extinguished. All hail Starscream."
:—Looks like '''Starscream''' is back to his old self again.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
*It ''seems'' to take a lot longer for the zombie army to come from Cybertron across the space bridge than it took for the Dark Energon to get there in the first place.

===Transformers references===
*There are two references which are directly related to the 1986 animated movie. Ratchet says the first one in "Now light our darkest hour." Optimus has the second with his showdown with Megatron: "One shall stand, one shall fall."
*Megatrons have been known to survive space bridge [[Transport to Oblivion|accidents]] and [[A Bridge Too Close, Part II|malfunctions]] and even [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|space bridge-related suicide attempts]]. Hope Starscream and Optimus don't expect to relax.
*Optimus's Energon blade and Megatron's hidden fusion cannon blade are references to [[Optimus Prime (Movie)| their movie]] [[Megatron (Movie)| counterparts]]
*Optimus' speech at the end is similar to the ones Movie Optimus gives at the end of both movies.
*[[All hail Starscream|Reign of Sarscream]]

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===
* Winged versions of the Eradicons make their appearance here.
* The Decepticons are unable to simply warp to Cybertron thanks to Bulkhead ripping off a vital piece of equipment in the previous episode.
* While it's unlikely anything from ''[[Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron|Exodus]]'' applies to the cartoon, a number of Autobots including [[Ultra Magnus (Prime)| Ultra Magnus]], [[Omega Supreme (Prime)| Omega Supreme]] and the [[Wreckers (Prime)| Wreckers]] were left behind on Cybertron at the end of that book. Sure hope they weren't around when the zombies came crawling. In a similar vein, [[Shockwave (Prime)|Shockwave]] is also still on Cybertron at the end of the novel. Given the established fact that the war had continued on other worlds after Cybertron's shutdown, though (as stated by [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] in the [[Transformers: Prime (comic)|prequel comic]]), it's probable that all of them have since moved on to less hostile locales in the intervening years.
* When Starscream tries to convince Megatron to retreat, there is a surprising tone of concern in his voice. Either that, or he's a much better actor than certain other [[Starscream (Animated)| Starscreams]].

==Home video releases==

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 4

2010-12-03T23:28:24Z

76.246.16.8: /* Transformers references */

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=4
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 3
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 5
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 4"
|airdate=[[December 2]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Steven Melching]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''While Optimus and Ratchet battle Megatron's zombie horde, the others attempt to rescue Agent Fowler.'''

==Synopsis==
As [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]'s army of [[Dark Energon]]-powered [[zombie]]s march, [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] are horrified at the desecration. The Dark Energon flowing through Megatron gives him control over this new army, and he directs them to destroy the two Autobots. When the zombies keep getting up as fast as Optimus can blast them down, Ratchet discovers that dismemberment is a more effective way of dealing with them.

At the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] rescues [[Jack Darby|Jack]] and [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]], who are under fire from the [[Eradicon|Decepticon sentries]]. They explain they were worried about [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]], who pops up from Bulkhead's back seat. Bulkhead drops everyone off behind some cover before driving under the Decepticon ship, scaling a nearby cliff, and jumping on board. After dealing with a bunch of Decepticons, Bulkhead realizes that Miko's not with the other kids, and she pops out of his chest, having stowed away. Miko finds herself in the middle of the fight between Bulkhead and the cons, which the Autobot swiftly terminates with the help of a piece of deck plating. While the pair move into the ship, problems are occurring outside; Jack and Raf are captured by the Decepticons and taken on board the ship, where [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] abruptly appear and rescue them. The two parties run into each other in a corridor, and Jack and Raf let Arcee know where [[William Fowler|Fowler]] is, having heard their guard talking.

[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s interrogation of Fowler is finally beginning to bear fruit when the distant sound of gunfire can be heard, and Fowler stops being helpful. Starscream gives him a jolt with the prod, stunning him into unconsciousness, and sends the two guards to find out what's going on.

Back at the zombie battle, Ratchet notes that exposure to the Dark Energon is sapping their strength. The fight on, but first Optimus, then Ratchet disappear under piles of zombies. Megatron laughs... but with a cry, Optimus breaks free and helps Ratchet up.

The Autobots clear out a room on the Decepticon ship for the kids to hide in. Miko and Jack immediately begin arguing over their situation, which upsets Raf. Jack and Miko try to reassure him, before Jack notices a huge computer display. Raf thinks it has important information on it.

Fowler's interrogation is complicated by the man's now-dazed state. It's further complicated when Bulkhead and Bumblebee appear in the doorway. They aim their guns at Starscream, who aims his at Fowler, only to feel a tap on the head — Arcee is balanced in a shaft right above his head, aiming her gun downwards.

The kids know they've found important information, but are at a loss as to how to get it back to Optimus. As Raf's contemplating using a flash drive, a Decepticon walks in. The kids dive for cover, but Raf goes back for his backpack and is spotted by the Decepticon.

The Mexican standoff in the brig is broken when Fowler distracts Starscream, and the Autobots start firing. Starscream decides discretion is called for, and flies off down the nearest corridor.

The Decepticon starts firing on Raf. Jack heroically runs out and tackles Raf behind one of the Decepticon corpses, before instructing Miko to take a picture. She snaps a picture of the Decepticon, before Jack redirects her at the computer screen. The kids leg it from the room, followed by the Decepticon which is promptly taken out by Bulkhead. Reunited, the kids and Autobots make their escape.

Optimus and Ratchet finish off the zombie horde, and Optimus starts climbing up to Megatron. Megatron boasts that the battle was simply a prelude to the main event, and flies off. Ratchet wonders ominously what Megatron has in store for them.

Back at base, Ratchet's damaged arm is tended to, and Optimus tells off Bulkhead for letting the kids accompany him into battle. Miko defends Bulkhead, but Jack's upset about the fact they were all almost killed and decides he wants out of the whole affair. After some sad farewells (except from Ratchet), they send him home by [[ground bridge]].

Back on the Decepticon ship in orbit, Megatron abuses Starscream for disobeying his orders. Starscream manages to quell his master's anger by announcing he has a way to get their plans back on course.

Miko pays Jack a visit and tries to talk him into returning to the Autobots, but he's content to go back to his normal life.

Ratchet, meanwhile, is checking out the data Miko photographed, and realizes that it's the specs for a [[space bridge]] part. Bulkhead thinks it's great that Megatron's thinking of leaving, but Optimus points out that he's probably intending to bring an army to [[Earth]] with it, and there's only one place he can find enough Transformer corpses to build a new army — [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (2)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (8)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (10)
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (11)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (4)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drone]]s (5)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (13)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (14)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (6)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (7)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (9)
* [[William Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (1)

}}

==Quotes==
"Megatron has desecrated the resting place of our fallen ancestors, and his own!" 
"Not even the dead are free from his war mongering."
:—'''Ratchet''' states the obvious in a less-than-obvious sort of way while '''Optimus''' states the depth of Megatron's evil.

"I heaved on your floormats. Sorry!"
:—'''Miko'''

"Wake up, you pathetic lump of flesh!" 
"Grandma? Is it cookie time?"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Fowler'''

"I wouldn't." 
"Oh, but I MIGHT..."
:—'''Arcee''' threatens '''Starscream''', who doesn't feel very threatened.

"I like pie. Can we stop for pie?" 
"You found Fowler! ROCK ON!"
:—'''Fowler''' and '''Miko'''

"No point in long good-byes. Here's the door."
:—'''Ratchet''' showing he doesn't give a damn

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
*Did Optimus forget that Arcee was supposed to be in charge? He tells Bulkhead off, but Bulkhead wasn't supposed to be in charge in the first place. Of course, Optimus could simply have been referring to the fact Bulkhead got the kids in danger (which, admittedly, was in part his fault).

===Transformers references===
*As in part 1, Cybertron appears with the same model as that used in ''War for Cybertron''.
*Optimus's guns and swords look very similar to another [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]].
*Optimus's response to Jack wanting to leave is very similar to the response Optimus Prime gave to Director Galloway in ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''.
*Starscream's escape from Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead almost exactly mirrors [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]'s exit from [[Hoover Dam]] in [[Transformers (2007)|the first live-action film]].

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* The children's slow-time reaction to the fighting on the ''Nemesis'' is reminiscent of [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''Saving Private Ryan''.

===Trivia===
*While not the first time [[Flame (Marvel)| someone]] has used zombies as soldiers, Megatron seems to intend to make them the bulk of his forces.
*The zombies Optimus and Ratchet fight do not seem to be as tough as Cliffjumper's was (seeing as how he was still functioning despite being cut in half), but that could be chalked up to Cliff's corpse being 'fresh'.

==Home video releases==
{{epstub}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 4

2010-12-03T23:22:24Z

76.246.16.8: /* Transformers references */

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=4
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 3
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 5
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 4"
|airdate=[[December 2]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Steven Melching]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''While Optimus and Ratchet battle Megatron's zombie horde, the others attempt to rescue Agent Fowler.'''

==Synopsis==
As [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]'s army of [[Dark Energon]]-powered [[zombie]]s march, [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] are horrified at the desecration. The Dark Energon flowing through Megatron gives him control over this new army, and he directs them to destroy the two Autobots. When the zombies keep getting up as fast as Optimus can blast them down, Ratchet discovers that dismemberment is a more effective way of dealing with them.

At the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] rescues [[Jack Darby|Jack]] and [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]], who are under fire from the [[Eradicon|Decepticon sentries]]. They explain they were worried about [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]], who pops up from Bulkhead's back seat. Bulkhead drops everyone off behind some cover before driving under the Decepticon ship, scaling a nearby cliff, and jumping on board. After dealing with a bunch of Decepticons, Bulkhead realizes that Miko's not with the other kids, and she pops out of his chest, having stowed away. Miko finds herself in the middle of the fight between Bulkhead and the cons, which the Autobot swiftly terminates with the help of a piece of deck plating. While the pair move into the ship, problems are occurring outside; Jack and Raf are captured by the Decepticons and taken on board the ship, where [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] abruptly appear and rescue them. The two parties run into each other in a corridor, and Jack and Raf let Arcee know where [[William Fowler|Fowler]] is, having heard their guard talking.

[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s interrogation of Fowler is finally beginning to bear fruit when the distant sound of gunfire can be heard, and Fowler stops being helpful. Starscream gives him a jolt with the prod, stunning him into unconsciousness, and sends the two guards to find out what's going on.

Back at the zombie battle, Ratchet notes that exposure to the Dark Energon is sapping their strength. The fight on, but first Optimus, then Ratchet disappear under piles of zombies. Megatron laughs... but with a cry, Optimus breaks free and helps Ratchet up.

The Autobots clear out a room on the Decepticon ship for the kids to hide in. Miko and Jack immediately begin arguing over their situation, which upsets Raf. Jack and Miko try to reassure him, before Jack notices a huge computer display. Raf thinks it has important information on it.

Fowler's interrogation is complicated by the man's now-dazed state. It's further complicated when Bulkhead and Bumblebee appear in the doorway. They aim their guns at Starscream, who aims his at Fowler, only to feel a tap on the head — Arcee is balanced in a shaft right above his head, aiming her gun downwards.

The kids know they've found important information, but are at a loss as to how to get it back to Optimus. As Raf's contemplating using a flash drive, a Decepticon walks in. The kids dive for cover, but Raf goes back for his backpack and is spotted by the Decepticon.

The Mexican standoff in the brig is broken when Fowler distracts Starscream, and the Autobots start firing. Starscream decides discretion is called for, and flies off down the nearest corridor.

The Decepticon starts firing on Raf. Jack heroically runs out and tackles Raf behind one of the Decepticon corpses, before instructing Miko to take a picture. She snaps a picture of the Decepticon, before Jack redirects her at the computer screen. The kids leg it from the room, followed by the Decepticon which is promptly taken out by Bulkhead. Reunited, the kids and Autobots make their escape.

Optimus and Ratchet finish off the zombie horde, and Optimus starts climbing up to Megatron. Megatron boasts that the battle was simply a prelude to the main event, and flies off. Ratchet wonders ominously what Megatron has in store for them.

Back at base, Ratchet's damaged arm is tended to, and Optimus tells off Bulkhead for letting the kids accompany him into battle. Miko defends Bulkhead, but Jack's upset about the fact they were all almost killed and decides he wants out of the whole affair. After some sad farewells (except from Ratchet), they send him home by [[ground bridge]].

Back on the Decepticon ship in orbit, Megatron abuses Starscream for disobeying his orders. Starscream manages to quell his master's anger by announcing he has a way to get their plans back on course.

Miko pays Jack a visit and tries to talk him into returning to the Autobots, but he's content to go back to his normal life.

Ratchet, meanwhile, is checking out the data Miko photographed, and realizes that it's the specs for a [[space bridge]] part. Bulkhead thinks it's great that Megatron's thinking of leaving, but Optimus points out that he's probably intending to bring an army to [[Earth]] with it, and there's only one place he can find enough Transformer corpses to build a new army — [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (2)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (8)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (10)
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (11)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (4)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drone]]s (5)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (13)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (14)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (6)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (7)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (9)
* [[William Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (1)

}}

==Quotes==
"Megatron has desecrated the resting place of our fallen ancestors, and his own!" 
"Not even the dead are free from his war mongering."
:—'''Ratchet''' states the obvious in a less-than-obvious sort of way while '''Optimus''' states the depth of Megatron's evil.

"I heaved on your floormats. Sorry!"
:—'''Miko'''

"Wake up, you pathetic lump of flesh!" 
"Grandma? Is it cookie time?"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Fowler'''

"I wouldn't." 
"Oh, but I MIGHT..."
:—'''Arcee''' threatens '''Starscream''', who doesn't feel very threatened.

"I like pie. Can we stop for pie?" 
"You found Fowler! ROCK ON!"
:—'''Fowler''' and '''Miko'''

"No point in long good-byes. Here's the door."
:—'''Ratchet''' showing he doesn't give a damn

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
*Did Optimus forget that Arcee was supposed to be in charge? He tells Bulkhead off, but Bulkhead wasn't supposed to be in charge in the first place. Of course, Optimus could simply have been referring to the fact Bulkhead got the kids in danger (which, admittedly, was in part his fault).

===Transformers references===
*The final sequence between Megatron and Starscream harkens back to the old G1 dynamic.
*As in part 1, Cybertron appears with the same model as that used in War for Cybertron.
*Optimus' guns and swords look very similar to another [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]].
*Optimus' response to Jack wanting to leave is very similar to the response Optimus Prime gave to Director Galloway in ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''.
*Starscream's escape from Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead almost exactly mirrors that of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] exit from [[Hoover Dam]] in [[Transformers (2007)|the first live-action film]].

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* The children's slow-time reaction to the fighting on the ''Nemesis'' is reminiscent of [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''Saving Private Ryan''.

===Trivia===
*While not the first time [[Flame (Marvel)| someone]] has used zombies as soldiers, Megatron seems to intend to make them the bulk of his forces.
*The zombies Optimus and Ratchet fight do not seem to be as tough as Cliffjumper's was (seeing as how he was still functioning despite being cut in half), but that could be chalked up to Cliff's corpse being 'fresh'.

==Home video releases==
{{epstub}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 4

2010-12-03T23:22:02Z

76.246.16.8: /* Transformers references */

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=4
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 3
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 5
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 4"
|airdate=[[December 2]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Steven Melching]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''While Optimus and Ratchet battle Megatron's zombie horde, the others attempt to rescue Agent Fowler.'''

==Synopsis==
As [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]'s army of [[Dark Energon]]-powered [[zombie]]s march, [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] are horrified at the desecration. The Dark Energon flowing through Megatron gives him control over this new army, and he directs them to destroy the two Autobots. When the zombies keep getting up as fast as Optimus can blast them down, Ratchet discovers that dismemberment is a more effective way of dealing with them.

At the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] rescues [[Jack Darby|Jack]] and [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]], who are under fire from the [[Eradicon|Decepticon sentries]]. They explain they were worried about [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]], who pops up from Bulkhead's back seat. Bulkhead drops everyone off behind some cover before driving under the Decepticon ship, scaling a nearby cliff, and jumping on board. After dealing with a bunch of Decepticons, Bulkhead realizes that Miko's not with the other kids, and she pops out of his chest, having stowed away. Miko finds herself in the middle of the fight between Bulkhead and the cons, which the Autobot swiftly terminates with the help of a piece of deck plating. While the pair move into the ship, problems are occurring outside; Jack and Raf are captured by the Decepticons and taken on board the ship, where [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] abruptly appear and rescue them. The two parties run into each other in a corridor, and Jack and Raf let Arcee know where [[William Fowler|Fowler]] is, having heard their guard talking.

[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s interrogation of Fowler is finally beginning to bear fruit when the distant sound of gunfire can be heard, and Fowler stops being helpful. Starscream gives him a jolt with the prod, stunning him into unconsciousness, and sends the two guards to find out what's going on.

Back at the zombie battle, Ratchet notes that exposure to the Dark Energon is sapping their strength. The fight on, but first Optimus, then Ratchet disappear under piles of zombies. Megatron laughs... but with a cry, Optimus breaks free and helps Ratchet up.

The Autobots clear out a room on the Decepticon ship for the kids to hide in. Miko and Jack immediately begin arguing over their situation, which upsets Raf. Jack and Miko try to reassure him, before Jack notices a huge computer display. Raf thinks it has important information on it.

Fowler's interrogation is complicated by the man's now-dazed state. It's further complicated when Bulkhead and Bumblebee appear in the doorway. They aim their guns at Starscream, who aims his at Fowler, only to feel a tap on the head — Arcee is balanced in a shaft right above his head, aiming her gun downwards.

The kids know they've found important information, but are at a loss as to how to get it back to Optimus. As Raf's contemplating using a flash drive, a Decepticon walks in. The kids dive for cover, but Raf goes back for his backpack and is spotted by the Decepticon.

The Mexican standoff in the brig is broken when Fowler distracts Starscream, and the Autobots start firing. Starscream decides discretion is called for, and flies off down the nearest corridor.

The Decepticon starts firing on Raf. Jack heroically runs out and tackles Raf behind one of the Decepticon corpses, before instructing Miko to take a picture. She snaps a picture of the Decepticon, before Jack redirects her at the computer screen. The kids leg it from the room, followed by the Decepticon which is promptly taken out by Bulkhead. Reunited, the kids and Autobots make their escape.

Optimus and Ratchet finish off the zombie horde, and Optimus starts climbing up to Megatron. Megatron boasts that the battle was simply a prelude to the main event, and flies off. Ratchet wonders ominously what Megatron has in store for them.

Back at base, Ratchet's damaged arm is tended to, and Optimus tells off Bulkhead for letting the kids accompany him into battle. Miko defends Bulkhead, but Jack's upset about the fact they were all almost killed and decides he wants out of the whole affair. After some sad farewells (except from Ratchet), they send him home by [[ground bridge]].

Back on the Decepticon ship in orbit, Megatron abuses Starscream for disobeying his orders. Starscream manages to quell his master's anger by announcing he has a way to get their plans back on course.

Miko pays Jack a visit and tries to talk him into returning to the Autobots, but he's content to go back to his normal life.

Ratchet, meanwhile, is checking out the data Miko photographed, and realizes that it's the specs for a [[space bridge]] part. Bulkhead thinks it's great that Megatron's thinking of leaving, but Optimus points out that he's probably intending to bring an army to [[Earth]] with it, and there's only one place he can find enough Transformer corpses to build a new army — [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (2)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (8)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (10)
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (11)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (4)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drone]]s (5)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (13)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (14)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (6)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (7)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (9)
* [[William Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (1)

}}

==Quotes==
"Megatron has desecrated the resting place of our fallen ancestors, and his own!" 
"Not even the dead are free from his war mongering."
:—'''Ratchet''' states the obvious in a less-than-obvious sort of way while '''Optimus''' states the depth of Megatron's evil.

"I heaved on your floormats. Sorry!"
:—'''Miko'''

"Wake up, you pathetic lump of flesh!" 
"Grandma? Is it cookie time?"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Fowler'''

"I wouldn't." 
"Oh, but I MIGHT..."
:—'''Arcee''' threatens '''Starscream''', who doesn't feel very threatened.

"I like pie. Can we stop for pie?" 
"You found Fowler! ROCK ON!"
:—'''Fowler''' and '''Miko'''

"No point in long good-byes. Here's the door."
:—'''Ratchet''' showing he doesn't give a damn

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
*Did Optimus forget that Arcee was supposed to be in charge? He tells Bulkhead off, but Bulkhead wasn't supposed to be in charge in the first place. Of course, Optimus could simply have been referring to the fact Bulkhead got the kids in danger (which, admittedly, was in part his fault).

===Transformers references===
*The final sequence between Megatron and Starscream harkens back to the old G1 dynamic.
*As in part 1, Cybertron appears with the same model as that used in War for Cybertron.
*Optimus' guns and swords look very similar to another [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]].
*Optimus' response to Jack wanting to leave is very similar to the response Optimus Prime gave to Director Galloway in ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''.
*Starscream's escape from Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead almost exactly mirrors that of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] exit from [[Hoover Dam]] in ''[[Transformers (2007)|the first live-action film]]''.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* The children's slow-time reaction to the fighting on the ''Nemesis'' is reminiscent of [[Steven Spielberg]]'s ''Saving Private Ryan''.

===Trivia===
*While not the first time [[Flame (Marvel)| someone]] has used zombies as soldiers, Megatron seems to intend to make them the bulk of his forces.
*The zombies Optimus and Ratchet fight do not seem to be as tough as Cliffjumper's was (seeing as how he was still functioning despite being cut in half), but that could be chalked up to Cliff's corpse being 'fresh'.

==Home video releases==
{{epstub}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 3

2010-12-03T08:11:06Z

76.246.16.8: /* Transformers references */ add

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=3
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 2
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 3"
|airdate=[[December 1]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''This is what happens when you leave Bulkhead in charge.'''

==Synopsis==
The three kids and their Autobot guardians head back to [[Autobot Central Command|the Autobot base]], where [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] is being attacked by a piece of animated equipment. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] deals with it, but now suspects that both it and [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] were animated by [[Dark Energon]].

Megatron, now powered up by the Dark Energon, has decided his next move and leaves the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] in [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s hands. Starscream thinks Megatron's gone a bit loopy, and orders [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] to increase surveillance.

Optimus has realized Megatron's plan to create an undead army. As the rest of the Autobots arrive, Optimus announces he's going on a mission with Ratchet, who doesn't take kindly to [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]]'s suggestion he may be a little rusty. Leaving Arcee in charge, the pair [[ground bridge|bridge]] out. Arcee immediately puts [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] in charge and goes out on patrol with [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]]. [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] attempts to organize an impromptu band practice, but while she's belting out an electric guitar solo, the proximity alert goes off. The kids hide behind Bulkhead as [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] walks in to complain about the energon mine explosion. Unfortunately Miko's guitar gives them away, and Fowler announces he's taking them into federal custody, but Bulkhead puts his foot down, and Fowler storms out.

In a remote region, Prime explains to Ratchet that they're looking for the remains of an old Transformer battlefield, from the period in the war when energon started being hidden on other planets.

As Fowler flies from the Autobot base in his copter, he radios in a report, which is intercepted by Soundwave. Starscream orders Fowler captured, so Soundwave sends a drone. The drone catches up with Fowler, who engages in some deft maneuvers to try and avoid it, and even gets some shots off before it slices the tail off his copter and abducts him.

Fowler's distress call is picked up at the Autobot base. Though Bulkhead is reluctant to help, the others point out Fowler knows the location of the base. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] sets about hacking into a federal computer so they can locate Fowler. Bulkhead leaves [[Jack Darby|Jack]] in charge and heads out. Bulkhead finds himself near the Decepticon ship, but is surprised when Miko pops up next to him. After dealing with a Decepticon sentry, he contacts Arcee. Back at base, Jack and Raf have realized Miko is gone, and use the ground bridge to follow. Unfortunately this leaves the base unmanned when Arcee rings in to get use of the ground bridge. Jack and Raf arrive at Bulkhead's location, and immediately manage to attract the attention of the Decepticon drones on guard.

Starscream interrogates Fowler without much success, so he resorts to getting out the energon prod.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Ratchet reach the Transformer graveyard they've been searching for. Unfortunately so does Megatron, who uses a chunk of Dark Energon to raise an army of [[zombie]]s.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (3)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (8)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (11)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (4)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (6)
* [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (14)
}}

==Quotes==
"I NEEDED THAT!"
:—'''Ratchet''''s tools suffer further abuse... from one of his already abused tools.

"I fear that when our master reached for the stars, he came down with a touch of... space madness."
:—'''Starscream''', ever ready to undermine Megatron.

"Do I look like I do country? Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming."
:—'''Miko''' doesn't appreciate Jack's harmonica skills.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===
* Ratchet's comment that his hearing is still good even though his servos are rusty is a reference to the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], who made a similar comment when [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] made a joke about his age.
* Bulkhead has a compartment similar to his ''Animated'' [[Bulkhead (Animated)|incarnation]], but higher up on his chest.
* When Soundwave deploys his Mini-con, the method is more simillar to the [[Breastforce]] rather than the previously known method.
* Soundwave's drone resembles [[Ratbat]].

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===
* This episode tries to resolve some of the continuity issues with Dark Energon the previous episode causes. Both Optimus and Ratchet know of its existence and even the rumor that it brings the dead back to life. Supplies of it were just so scarce as to be non-existent, hence their inexperience with it.

==Home video releases==

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

Darkness Rising, Part 4

2010-12-03T04:51:16Z

76.246.16.8: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=4
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 3
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 5
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 4"
|airdate=[[December 2]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Steven Melching]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''While Optimus and Ratchet battle Megatron's zombie horde, the others attempt to rescue Agent Fowler.'''

==Synopsis==

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (2)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (8)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (10)
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (11)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (4)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drone]]s (5)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (13)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (14)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (6)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (7)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (9)
* [[William Fowler]] (12)

|c4=
* [[Zombie]]s (1)

}}

==Quotes==
"Megatron has desecrated the resting place of our fallen ancestors, and his own!" 
"Not even the dead are free from his war mongering."
:—'''Ratchet''' states the obvious in a less-than-obvious sort of way while '''Optimus''' states the depth of '''Megatron''''s evil.

"I heaved on your floormats. Sorry!"
:—'''Miko'''

"Wake up, you pathetic lump of flesh!" 
"Grandma? Is it cookie time?"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Fowler'''

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===

==Home video releases==
{{epstub}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 3

2010-12-02T07:19:13Z

76.246.16.8: /* Quotes */ add.

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=3
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 2
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 3"
|airdate=[[December 1]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''This is what happens when you leave Bulkhead in charge.'''

==Synopsis==
The three kids and their Autobot guardians head back to [[Autobot Central Command|the Autobot base]], where [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] is being attacked by a piece of animated equipment. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] deals with it, but now suspects that both it and [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] were animated by [[Dark Energon]].

Megatron, now powered up by the Dark Energon, has decided his next move and leaves the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] in [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s hands. Starscream thinks Megatron's gone a bit loopy, and orders [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] to increase surveilance.

Optimus has realised Megatron's plan to create an undead army. As the rest of the Autobots arrive, Optimus announces he's going on a mission with Ratchet, who doesn't take kindly to [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]]'s suggestion he may be a little rusty. Leaving Arcee in charge, the pair [[ground bridge|bridge]] out. Arcee immediately puts [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] in charge and goes out on patrol with [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]]. [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] attempts to organise an impromptu band practice, but while she's belting out an electric guitar solo, the proximity alert goes off. The kids hide behind Bulkhead as [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] walks in to complain about the energon mine explosion. Unfortunately Miko's guitar gives them away, and Fowler announces he's taking them into federal custody, but Bulkhead puts his foot down, and Fowler storms out.

In a remote region, Prime explains to Ratchet that they're looking for the remains of an old Transformer battlefield, from the period in the war when energon started being hidden on other planets.

As Fowler flies from the Autobot base in his copter, he radios in a report, which is intercepted by Soundwave. Starscream orders Fowler captured, so Soundwave sends a drone. The drone catches up with Fowler, who engages in some deft manouvreing to try and avoid it, and even gets some shots off before it slices the tail off his copter and abducts him.

Fowler's distress call is picked up at the Autobot base. Though Bulkhead is reluctant to help, the others point out Fowler knows the location of the base. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] sets about hacking into a federal computer so they can locate Fowler. Bulkhead leaves [[Jack Darby|Jack]] in charge and heads out. Bulkhead finds himself near the Decepticon ship, but is surprised when Miko pops up next to him. After dealing with a Decepticon sentry, he contacts Arcee. Back at base, Jack and Raf have realised Miko is gone, and use the ground bridge to follow. Unfortunately this leaves the base unmanned when Arcee rings in to get use of the ground bridge. Jack and Raf arrive at Bulkhead's location, and immediately manage to attract the attention of the Decepticon drones on guard.

Starscream interrogates Fowler without much success, so he resorts to getting out the energon prod.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Ratchet reach the Transformer graveyard they've been searching for. Unfortunately so does Megatron, who uses a chunk of Dark Energon to raise an army of [[zombie]]s.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (3)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (8)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (11)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (4)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (6)
* [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] (12)

}}

==Quotes==
"I NEEDED THAT!"
:—'''Ratchet''''s tools suffer further abuse... from one of his already abused tools.

"I fear that when our master reached for the stars, he came down with a touch of... space madness."
:—'''Starscream''', ever ready to undermine Megatron.

"Do I look like I do country? Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming."
:—'''Miko''' doesn't appreciate Jack's harmonica skills.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===
* Ratchet's comment that his hearing is still good even though his servos are rusty is a reference to the ''Animated'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], who made a similar comment when [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] made a joke about his age.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===
* This episode tries to resolve some of the continuity issues with Dark Energon the previous episode causes. Both Optimus and Ratchet know of its existence and even the rumor that it brings the dead back to life. Supplies of it were just so scarce as to be non-existent, hence their inexperience with it.

==Home video releases==

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

Water

2010-12-02T07:12:36Z

76.246.16.8: /* Animated */ add

[[Image:Water.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Cybertron gave up water eons of your Earth years ago.]]
'''Water''' is a chemical substance. As it makes up close to 70 percent of their bodies and its consumption is necessary for their survival, it can be considered the [[human]] equivalent of [[energon (fuel)|energon]].

==Fiction==
===Generation 1===
====Marvel Comics continuity====
Water is so rare on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] that [[Wide Load]] and [[Rollbar (G1)|Rollbar]] had never even heard of it.

It cures [[Scraplet]]s. {{storylink|The Cure!|The Cure!}}

Cybertron's surface is covered by at least a few seas, but these seas are not of water. The [[Rust Sea]], for example, is a sea of, uh, rust. There are chambers deep inside Cybertron which also run with liquid, {{storylink|Primal Scream (issue)|Primal Scream}} {{storylink|Out of Time!}} but they have been confirmed to be not water. {{storylink|Letters page (Marvel UK)}}

{{note|The Transformers who are unfamiliar with water are likely confused or just not very worldly, as [[Neo-Knights|several humans]] later managed to exist without environmental protection gear on Cybertron without drying up like old corn. Not all Transformers are unfamiliar with water; in the very first issue of the Marvel comic, [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] mentioned his "[[water gun]]," and Bumblebee was excited to learn that so much of Earth was covered with water, since he loved a good swim. Before the Scraplets crisis, Ratbat devised a fuel-harvesting scheme involving an Earthen [[Wash and Roll|carwash]], which of course used water.}}

====Cartoon continuity====
Water applied to a [[human]]'s epidermis frees him from the controlling effects of [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s hypnotic ultrasonic suggestions. {{storylink|Auto-Bop}}

[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] seemed to end up getting tossed in to water quite a bit. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}} {{storylink|Thief in the Night}} {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}} {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 6}}

===Generation 2===
Some Transformers, namely the [[Aquaspeeder]]s and [[Stormtrooper (G2)|Stormtroopers]] and [[Color Changer]]s, use high-pressure water-cannons as armaments. This is after they apparently re-discovered water, or something.

===Unicron Trilogy===
====''Cybertron'' cartoon====
After scanning a fire engine as his new [[alternate mode]], [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] began carrying a supply of water which he could spray from his cannons to extinguish fires and on one occasion a Decepticon warp gate. {{storylink|Inferno (episode)|Inferno}} {{storylink|Trust (Cybertron)|Trust}} {{storylink|Revelation (episode)|Revelation}} Most of the other Autobots were also capable of carrying water, although their efficacy at extinguishing flames was not as great. {{storylink|Unfinished}}

===''Animated''===
This [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] also has a water cannon.

[[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]] would end up immersed in the stuff for quite some time. {{storylink|Garbage In, Garbage Out}} {{storylink|Human Error, Part II}}

Boiling hot water can kill [[Space barnacles|space barnacles]] and remove them from their host. {{storylink|Nature Calls}}

[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] hates most features of organic planets, and water is no exception. He especially hates that it falls from the sky on Earth. [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]], on the other hand, was highly appreciative of a planet that could double as a car wash. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting}}

===''Transformers: Prime''===
====''Transformers: War for Cybertron''====
The [[Kaon]] prison complex was seen in what appeared to be heavy rainfall during the Autobot campaign.

==Toys==
{{main|Water-squirting gimmick}}

==Notes==
* Occasionally, the fleshlings like to hand out [[Transformers the Movie water|minuscule samples of this substance]] as promotions for their [[Transformers (2007)|documentary footage of Cybertronians]].

{{stub}}

[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Substances]]

Darkness Rising, Part 3

2010-12-02T06:59:10Z

76.246.16.8: /* Continuity errors */ add

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=3
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 2
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 3"
|airdate=[[December 1]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''This is what happens when you leave Bulkhead in charge.'''

==Synopsis==
The three kids and their Autobot guardians head back to [[Autobot Central Command|the Autobot base]], where [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] is being attacked by a piece of animated equipment. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] deals with it, but now suspects that both it and [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] were animated by [[Dark Energon]].

Megatron, now powered up by the Dark Energon, has decided his next move and leaves the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] in [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s hands. Starscream thinks Megatron's gone a bit loopy, and orders [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] to increase surveilance.

Optimus has realised Megatron's plan to create an undead army. As the rest of the Autobots arrive, Optimus announces he's going on a mission with Ratchet, who doesn't take kindly to [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]]'s suggestion he may be a little rusty. Leaving Arcee in charge, the pair [[ground bridge|bridge]] out. Arcee immediately puts [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] in charge and goes out on patrol with [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]]. [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] attempts to organise an impromptu band practice, but while she's belting out an electric guitar solo, the proximity alert goes off. The kids hide behind Bulkhead as [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] walks in to complain about the energon mine explosion. Unfortunately Miko's guitar gives them away, and Fowler announces he's taking them into federal custody, but Bulkhead puts his foot down, and Fowler storms out.

In a remote region, Prime explains to Ratchet that they're looking for the remains of an old Transformer battlefield, from the period in the war when energon started being hidden on other planets.

As Fowler flies from the Autobot base in his copter, he radios in a report, which is intercepted by Soundwave. Starscream orders Fowler captured, so Soundwave sends a drone. The drone catches up with Fowler, who engages in some deft manouvreing to try and avoid it, and even gets some shots off before it slices the tail off his copter and abducts him.

Fowler's distress call is picked up at the Autobot base. Though Bulkhead is reluctant to help, the others point out Fowler knows the location of the base. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] sets about hacking into a federal computer so they can locate Fowler. Bulkhead leaves [[Jack Darby|Jack]] in charge and heads out. Bulkhead finds himself near the Decepticon ship, but is surprised when Miko pops up next to him. After dealing with a Decepticon sentry, he contacts Arcee. Back at base, Jack and Raf have realised Miko is gone, and use the ground bridge to follow. Unfortunately this leaves the base unmanned when Arcee rings in to get use of the ground bridge. Jack and Raf arrive at Bulkhead's location, and immediately manage to attract the attention of the Decepticon drones on guard.

Starscream interrogates Fowler without much success, so he resorts to getting out the energon prod.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Ratchet reach the Transformer graveyard they've been searching for. Unfortunately so does Megatron, who uses a chunk of Dark Energon to raise an army of [[zombie]]s.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (3)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (8)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (11)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (4)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (6)
* [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] (12)

}}

==Quotes==
"I fear that when our master reached for the stars, he came down with a touch of... space madness."
:—'''Starscream''', ever ready to undermine Megatron.

"Do I look like I do country? Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming."
:—'''Miko''' doesn't appreciate Jack's harmonica skills.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
* This episode tries to resolve some of the continuity issues with Dark Energon the previous episode causes. Both Optimus and Ratchet know of its existence and even the rumor that it brings the dead back to life. Supplies of it were just so scarce as to be non-existent, hence their inexperience with it.

===Transformers references===
* Ratchet's comment that his hearing is still good even though his servos are rusty is a reference to the ''Animated'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], who made a similar comment when [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] made a joke about his age.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===

==Home video releases==

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

Darkness Rising, Part 3

2010-12-02T06:24:10Z

76.246.16.8: /* Transformers references */ sp

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=3
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 2
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 3"
|airdate=[[December 1]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''This is what happens when you leave Bulkhead in charge.'''

==Synopsis==
The three kids and their Autobot guardians head back to [[Autobot Central Command|the Autobot base]], where [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] is being attacked by a piece of animated equipment. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] deals with it, but now suspects that both it and [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] were animated by [[Dark Energon]].

Megatron, now powered up by the Dark Energon, has decided his next move and leaves the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] in [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s hands. Starscream thinks Megatron's gone a bit loopy, and orders [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] to increase surveilance.

Optimus has realised Megatron's plan to create an undead army. As the rest of the Autobots arrive, Optimus announces he's going on a mission with Ratchet, who doesn't take kindly to [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]]'s suggestion he may be a little rusty. Leaving Arcee in charge, the pair [[ground bridge|bridge]] out. Arcee immediately puts [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] in charge and goes out on patrol with [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]]. [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] attempts to organise an impromptu band practice, but while she's belting out an electric guitar solo, the proximity alert goes off. The kids hide behind Bulkhead as [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] walks in to complain about the energon mine explosion. Unfortunately Miko's guitar gives them away, and Fowler announces he's taking them into federal custody, but Bulkhead puts his foot down, and Fowler storms out.

In a remote region, Prime explains to Ratchet that they're looking for the remains of an old Transformer battlefield, from the period in the war when energon started being hidden on other planets.

As Fowler flies from the Autobot base in his copter, he radios in a report, which is intercepted by Soundwave. Starscream orders Fowler captured, so Soundwave sends a drone. The drone catches up with Fowler, who engages in some deft manouvreing to try and avoid it, and even gets some shots off before it slices the tail off his copter and abducts him.

Fowler's distress call is picked up at the Autobot base. Though Bulkhead is reluctant to help, the others point out Fowler knows the location of the base. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] sets about hacking into a federal computer so they can locate Fowler. Bulkhead leaves [[Jack Darby|Jack]] in charge and heads out. Bulkhead finds himself near the Decepticon ship, but is surprised when Miko pops up next to him. After dealing with a Decepticon sentry, he contacts Arcee. Back at base, Jack and Raf have realised Miko is gone, and use the ground bridge to follow. Unfortunately this leaves the base unmanned when Arcee rings in to get use of the ground bridge. Jack and Raf arrive at Bulkhead's location, and immediately manage to attract the attention of the Decepticon drones on guard.

Starscream interrogates Fowler without much success, so he resorts to getting out the energon prod.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Ratchet reach the Transformer graveyard they've been searching for. Unfortunately so does Megatron, who uses a chunk of Dark Energon to raise an army of [[zombie]]s.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (3)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (8)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (11)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (4)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (6)
* [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] (12)

}}

==Quotes==
"I fear that when our master reached for the stars, he came down with a touch of... space madness."
:—'''Starscream''', ever ready to undermine Megatron.

"Do I look like I do country? Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming."
:—'''Miko''' doesn't appreciate Jack's harmonica skills.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===
* Ratchet's comment that his hearing is still good even though his servos are rusty is a reference to the ''Animated'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], who made a similar comment when [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] made a joke about his age.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===

==Home video releases==

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

Darkness Rising, Part 3

2010-12-02T06:23:44Z

76.246.16.8: /* Quotes */ add

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=3
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 2
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 3"
|airdate=[[December 1]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''This is what happens when you leave Bulkhead in charge.'''

==Synopsis==
The three kids and their Autobot guardians head back to [[Autobot Central Command|the Autobot base]], where [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] is being attacked by a piece of animated equipment. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] deals with it, but now suspects that both it and [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] were animated by [[Dark Energon]].

Megatron, now powered up by the Dark Energon, has decided his next move and leaves the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] in [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s hands. Starscream thinks Megatron's gone a bit loopy, and orders [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] to increase surveilance.

Optimus has realised Megatron's plan to create an undead army. As the rest of the Autobots arrive, Optimus announces he's going on a mission with Ratchet, who doesn't take kindly to [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]]'s suggestion he may be a little rusty. Leaving Arcee in charge, the pair [[ground bridge|bridge]] out. Arcee immediately puts [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] in charge and goes out on patrol with [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]]. [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] attempts to organise an impromptu band practice, but while she's belting out an electric guitar solo, the proximity alert goes off. The kids hide behind Bulkhead as [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] walks in to complain about the energon mine explosion. Unfortunately Miko's guitar gives them away, and Fowler announces he's taking them into federal custody, but Bulkhead puts his foot down, and Fowler storms out.

In a remote region, Prime explains to Ratchet that they're looking for the remains of an old Transformer battlefield, from the period in the war when energon started being hidden on other planets.

As Fowler flies from the Autobot base in his copter, he radios in a report, which is intercepted by Soundwave. Starscream orders Fowler captured, so Soundwave sends a drone. The drone catches up with Fowler, who engages in some deft manouvreing to try and avoid it, and even gets some shots off before it slices the tail off his copter and abducts him.

Fowler's distress call is picked up at the Autobot base. Though Bulkhead is reluctant to help, the others point out Fowler knows the location of the base. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] sets about hacking into a federal computer so they can locate Fowler. Bulkhead leaves [[Jack Darby|Jack]] in charge and heads out. Bulkhead finds himself near the Decepticon ship, but is surprised when Miko pops up next to him. After dealing with a Decepticon sentry, he contacts Arcee. Back at base, Jack and Raf have realised Miko is gone, and use the ground bridge to follow. Unfortunately this leaves the base unmanned when Arcee rings in to get use of the ground bridge. Jack and Raf arrive at Bulkhead's location, and immediately manage to attract the attention of the Decepticon drones on guard.

Starscream interrogates Fowler without much success, so he resorts to getting out the energon prod.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Ratchet reach the Transformer graveyard they've been searching for. Unfortunately so does Megatron, who uses a chunk of Dark Energon to raise an army of [[zombie]]s.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (3)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (8)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (11)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (4)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (6)
* [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] (12)

}}

==Quotes==
"I fear that when our master reached for the stars, he came down with a touch of... space madness."
:—'''Starscream''', ever ready to undermine Megatron.

"Do I look like I do country? Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming."
:—'''Miko''' doesn't appreciate Jack's harmonica skills.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===
* Ratchet comment that his hearing is still good even though his servos are rusty is a reference to the ''Animated'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], who made a similar comment when [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] made a joke about his age.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===

==Home video releases==

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

Darkness Rising, Part 3

2010-12-02T06:21:31Z

76.246.16.8: /* Transformers references */ add

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=3
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 2
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 3"
|airdate=[[December 1]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''This is what happens when you leave Bulkhead in charge.'''

==Synopsis==
The three kids and their Autobot guardians head back to [[Autobot Central Command|the Autobot base]], where [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] is being attacked by a piece of animated equipment. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] deals with it, but now suspects that both it and [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]] were animated by [[Dark Energon]].

Megatron, now powered up by the Dark Energon, has decided his next move and leaves the [[Nemesis (Prime)|Decepticon ship]] in [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]]'s hands. Starscream thinks Megatron's gone a bit loopy, and orders [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] to increase surveilance.

Optimus has realised Megatron's plan to create an undead army. As the rest of the Autobots arrive, Optimus announces he's going on a mission with Ratchet, who doesn't take kindly to [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]]'s suggestion he may be a little rusty. Leaving Arcee in charge, the pair [[ground bridge|bridge]] out. Arcee immediately puts [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] in charge and goes out on patrol with [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]]. [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] attempts to organise an impromptu band practice, but while she's belting out an electric guitar solo, the proximity alert goes off. The kids hide behind Bulkhead as [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] walks in to complain about the energon mine explosion. Unfortunately Miko's guitar gives them away, and Fowler announces he's taking them into federal custody, but Bulkhead puts his foot down, and Fowler storms out.

In a remote region, Prime explains to Ratchet that they're looking for the remains of an old Transformer battlefield, from the period in the war when energon started being hidden on other planets.

As Fowler flies from the Autobot base in his copter, he radios in a report, which is intercepted by Soundwave. Starscream orders Fowler captured, so Soundwave sends a drone. The drone catches up with Fowler, who engages in some deft manouvreing to try and avoid it, and even gets some shots off before it slices the tail off his copter and abducts him.

Fowler's distress call is picked up at the Autobot base. Though Bulkhead is reluctant to help, the others point out Fowler knows the location of the base. [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]] sets about hacking into a federal computer so they can locate Fowler. Bulkhead leaves [[Jack Darby|Jack]] in charge and heads out. Bulkhead finds himself near the Decepticon ship, but is surprised when Miko pops up next to him. After dealing with a Decepticon sentry, he contacts Arcee. Back at base, Jack and Raf have realised Miko is gone, and use the ground bridge to follow. Unfortunately this leaves the base unmanned when Arcee rings in to get use of the ground bridge. Jack and Raf arrive at Bulkhead's location, and immediately manage to attract the attention of the Decepticon drones on guard.

Starscream interrogates Fowler without much success, so he resorts to getting out the energon prod.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Ratchet reach the Transformer graveyard they've been searching for. Unfortunately so does Megatron, who uses a chunk of Dark Energon to raise an army of [[zombie]]s.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (3)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (5)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (7)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (8)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (9)
* [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (11)
* [[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (13)

|c3=
* [[Jack Darby]] (1)
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (4)
* [[Rafael Esquivel]] (6)
* [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] (12)

}}

==Quotes==
"I fear that when our master reached for the stars, he came down with a touch of... space madness."
:—'''Starscream'''

"Do I look like I do country? Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming."
:—'''Miko'''

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===
* Ratchet comment that his hearing is still good even though his servos are rusty is a reference to the ''Animated'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], who made a similar comment when [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] made a joke about his age.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===

==Home video releases==

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

Fortress Maximus (Animated)

2010-11-29T22:27:47Z

76.246.16.8: /* Animated cartoon */ add

{{disambig3|Fortress Maximus}}
:''Fortress Maximus is a fortified stronghold from the [[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]] continuity.''
[[Image:TFAni ThisisWhyIHateMachines FortMax.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]
The central base of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]], '''Fortress Maximus''' boasts significant amounts of firepower dedicated to the defense of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Naturally, this requires a fair amount of [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] to be diverted to it if it's to bring its full arsenal to bear.

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
As acting [[Magnus]], [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] ordered that all available strategic energon reserves be directed to Fortress Maximus, to bring its main gun online and target [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]. Luckily for Omega (and Cybertron), it missed when Omega transwarped away at the last second. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

==Notes==
*To date, there has been no indication that this Fortress Maximus is a Transformer, sentient or otherwise.

[[Category:Animated locations]]
[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:Planet Cybertron]]

Darkness Rising, Part 2

2010-11-29T22:23:30Z

76.246.16.8: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''
|ep=2
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 1
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 3
|image=
|caption=
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 2"
|airdate=[[November 26]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Nicole Dubuc]]
|directed by=[[Dave Hartman|David Hartman]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
}}
'''The Autobots try to get Cliffjumper back, unaware of what the Decepticons have done to him.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] shows off the massive [[energon (fuel)|energon]] deposit that the [[Decepticon]]s have located. After [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] reminds his subordinate who's boss, he shows off what ''he's'' found — [[Dark Energon]], the blood of [[Unicron]], which Starscream claims is said to have the power to resurrect the dead. Though Megatron inquires if Starscream is willing to volunteer to try it out, it turns out they still have [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]]'s corpse handy.

In Autobot HQ, Optimus Prime tells the kids that the Autobots will have to protect them, as the Decepticons will likely be interested in the Autobots' new allies. A proximity alert lets the Autobots know that Agent [[Fowler]], their liaison with the US government, is paying them a visit. Fowler is not happy with the Autobots' antics during the recent freeway chase, but [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] points out no humans were hurt. After Prime's assurances that the Autobots will take care of things, Fowler leaves.

Megatron uses the Dark Energon on Cliffjumper, who revives as a snarling savage beast and immediately attacks a couple of Decepticon soldiers. The thing that was Cliffjumper then turns on Megatron, who slices him in two and announces that the Dark Energon is the key to a vast indestructible army.

Ratchet reports that he's detected Cliffjumper's signal and the chance that Cliffjumper's alive is too much for the Autobots to resist. Leaving the kids with Ratchet, they take the [[ground bridge]] out. Ratchet explains the ground bridge to the amazed kids, and threatens to send them to Tokyo. Meanwhile the rest of the Autobots arrive in the energon mine and start fighting Decepticon drones. Starscream alerts Megatron, who feels he needs more time to prepare to face Optimus, and orders the ship made ready for departure. He also order Starscream to blow up the mine. As the battle rages, [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] spots Cliffjumper. The other Autobots cover her, and she reaches her fellow Autobot, or what's left of him, only to discover what the Decepticons have done. Starscream stops by to drop off a bomb, before making a rapid exit. The Autobots race through the mine ahead of the explosion, back to their entry point as Optimus radios Ratchet to order the opening of the Ground Bridge.

After the team arrives back at base, Arcee tells the others what she saw. She becomes dizzy, and Ratchet scans her and finds contamination on her wrist. While Arcee goes and gets cleaned up, the kids explain to Optimus that they really need to get home, or their relatives will send the cops out looking for them. Prime assigns Bulkhead to take [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] home, [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] to take care of [[Rafael Esquivel|Raf]], and Arcee to [[Jack Darby|Jack]]. Arcee and Jack arrive home shortly before [[June Darby|Jack's mother]] hauls up in her car. Mom's less than impressed that Jack appears to have bought a motorcycle, but Jack talks her around. The next morning, despite Jack's protests that it's a Saturday, Arcee insists that they need to get to HQ.

On the Decepticon ship, Megatron is skeptical that Optimus perished in the destruction of the energon mine. Starscream is concerned that Megatron is being affected by too much exposure to the Dark Energon, but Megatron responds by taking a sliver of the substance and plunging it into his own spark.

Ratchet's analysis of the Dark Energon sample he retrieved from Arcee is incomplete due to his lack of the necessary technology. As he moves the sample to another part of the lab, some of it drips on the manipulator arm Bulkhead broke earlier. Unseen by Ratchet, the arm twitches into life, turning into a one eyed, spider like creature.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]]'s corpse (4)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (6)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (7)
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (9)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (1)
*[[Eradicon|Decepticon drones]] (2)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (3)

|c3=
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (10)
*[[Jack Darby]] (11)
*[[Rafael Esquivel]] (12)
*[[Fowler]] (13)
*[[June Darby]] (14)

}}

==Quotes==
"Then as your humble servant, shall I ready the space bridge to bring forth the Decepticon army you have surely gathered during your three years in space."
:—'''Starscream''' drips with sarcasm.

"They have no protective shell! If they get underfoot they will go... squish." 
:—'''Ratchet''' on humans.

"Team Prime knows when to use force, and how much to use." 
"Ah Bulkhead, I NEEDED THAT!!!!""
:—'''Bulkhead''' destroys '''Ratchet''''s medical claw.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===
*Dark Energon is a central MacGuffin for Megatron in this continuity, first being used in the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron|War for Cybertron]]'' games, as well as in the ''[[Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron|Exodus]]'' novel. Megatron and Starscream's introductory conversation about the substance is ''very'' expository for the benefit of viewers who haven't read the book or played the game, to the extent that it sounds like neither of them has encountered it before, and neither Arcee nor Ratchet is indicated to have any familiarity with the substance, despite having seen it first-hand back during the war. And yet, Arcee does compare Decepticon experiments during the war on Cybertron to the substance's effect on Cliffjumper, without explicitly naming the stuff (though previously it didn't make anyone crazed zombies... on the other hand, it was never used on a dead guy before (that we know of). Sorry Cliff, thems the breaks). It's all a bit wobbly; while the cartoon almost certainly seems to have been written as if it is the characters' first encounter with Dark Energon, the dialogue does have enough wiggle room if you're obstinate, like us!
*The purple goo shares the property of changing ordinary machines into Transformers with the [[AllSpark]].

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===

==Home video releases==
{{epstub}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]