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Prey (episode)

2013-03-30T22:16:26Z

Jumana Pearl: /* Quotes */

{{disambig3|Prey}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 55
|prev=Scattered
|next=Rebellion (Prime)
|image=
|caption=
|title="Prey"
|airdate=[[March 15]], [[2013]] (Singapore)<br/>[[April 5]], 2013 (USA)
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''A new Autobot arrives just as the Decepticons unleash the ultimate hunter.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] reveals the [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]] he's cloned in his laboratory. [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] is impressed, and as the scientist gives the Predacon a wiff of [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]]'s energon, announces that the hunt has begun.

[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]], Wheeljack and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] scope out an energon mine, planning to blow it up to hopefully draw the attention of nearby Autobots, while in the ''[[Harbinger]]'', [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]], [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] and [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] work on getting the ship systems up and running. On a deserted road, [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] introduces [[Jack Darby|Jack]] to [[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]], who has followed the Omega beam to Earth. Jack is discouraged by the fact that Ultra Magnus's sensors have only picked up five out of seven Autobots, but Arcee reminds him that the sensors wouldn't pick up shielded Autobots.

[[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] heads in to [[Darkmount (Earth)|Darkmount]] to find the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] and figures it may be being kept aboard the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]''. Using the [[phase shifter]], he moves through the ship and eventually stumbles on where both [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] and the Forge are being stored.

Wheeljack and Bulkhead finish planting explosives in the mine, but as they prepare to detonate, they spot the incoming Predacon. After dodging its initial blast of flame, they try to counterattack, and Wheeljack is knocked flying by the thing's tail. Bulkhead belts the creature shortly before it knocks him flying with a blast of flame, sending him flying. They quickly realise it's after Wheeljack, who lures it over a grenade. The beast is unscathed by the explosion, so Wheeljack instead leads it into the energon mine before speeding out and setting off the explosions. The dust barely has time to settle before the creature digs its way out. As the Wreckers prepare to fight, Ultra Magnus's ship streaks into view, striking the Predacon with its cannons and picking the trio up. Though a joyous reunion ensues, the ship's still being pursued. Magnus manages to get the ship behind the Predacon and shoots at it, but it damages an engine and jumps on top of the ship. Magnus takes the ship down into a canyon and flies along it, succeeding in knocking the creature off.

[[William Fowler|Fowler]] gets another call, but this time it's not Megatron but Ratchet, who has hacked into the Decepticon frequencies. Ratchet doesn't have any news of Jack for [[June Darby|June]], but before he can tell them much else, Bumblebee interrupts the call. Running outside, they find Ultra Magnus's ship landing, and more reunions take place.

The Predacon returns empty-handed to Darkmount, and Starscream reflects that it's a pity the creature can't tell them what went wrong.

Ratchet reports that the ''Harbinger'' [[GroundBridge]] is fully operational. The group of Autobots is soon joined by Fowler and Jack's mom. They wonder where Smokescreen's gotten to, as all the Autobot traces Magnus could detect are now accounted for. Regardless, they prepare to fight back against Megatron without either of the missing Autobots—Ultra Magnus assumes command and takes the other Autobots to equip themselves with weapons.

Smokescreen drags the Forge back to the cavern where Optimus is sheltered, but Optimus insists the Forge's power is limited and must be conserved to repair the Omega Lock. Smokescreen points out that if Optimus dies, there won't be a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] to work the Forge, but Optimus says it's time for a new leader, and believes Smokescreen is it.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (7)
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (8)
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] (11)
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] (12)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (14)
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] (15)
*[[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] (16)
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] (22)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (2)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (3)
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (4)
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] (5)
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] (6)
*[[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] (17)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s (18)
*[[Decepticon Miner]]s (19)

|c3=
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (9)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (10)
*[[Jack Darby]] (13)
*[[William Fowler]] (20)
*[[June Darby]] (21)

|h5=[[Predacon (Prime)|Predacons]]|c5=
*[[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]] (1)
}}

==Quotes==

"Yes! Snuff the Tragic Dragon!"
:—'''Miko''' making a funny quip.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
* Repeating the error from "[[Darkmount, NV]]", Ratchet claims that Smokescreen was the last to depart in "[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]", and only Optimus knows where to. Ratchet was in fact operating the GroundBridge when Smokescreen left. If anyone should know where Smokescreen was sent (not to mention the rest of the team), it would be him.
* In "[[Regeneration (Prime)|Regeneration]]", Optimus claimed that recreating the Omega Keys was beyond his skill. Unless repairing an existing object doesn't require such skill, it seems even less likely that he or any Autobot given Prime status would be capable of repairing the far more complex device they were intended to operate (not to mention the keys themselves, which were doubtless lost in the blast).

===Continuity notes===
===Transformers references===
* Taking note of Bumblebee's inverted paint job, Arcee comments that doing the same in her case would render her mostly pink, the dominant color for virtually every other version of Arcee.

===Real-world references===
* Optimus tells Smokescreen "the fate of all our kind is more vital than any one of us", a variation on Spock's "the needs of the many" line in ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.
* When Miko believes the explosion of the energon mine set off by Bulkhead and Wheeljack has successfully destroyed [[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]], she shouts "Snuff the Tragic Dragon"; a play on the words of the song "Puff the Magic Dragon" by Peter, Paul, and Mary.

===Trivia===
*The worldwide premiere of "Prey" was on okto, a Singaporean channel, where it aired back-to-back with "[[Darkmount, NV]]" and "[[Scattered]]".

{{epstub}}

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkmount, NV

2013-03-24T15:50:50Z

Jumana Pearl: /* Quotes */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 53
|prev=Darkest Hour (episode)
|next=Scattered
|image=DarkmountNV-Jasper.jpg
|caption=Sigh. Tourists.
|title="Darkmount, NV"
|airdate=[[March 15]], [[2013]] (Singapore)<br />[[March 22]], 2013 (USA)
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Optimus struggles to survive while the other Autobots try to find each other.'''

==Synopsis==
The [[Decepticon]]s search the ruins of [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|Outpost Omega One]]. [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] has investigated the wreckage of the ''[[Jackhammer (Prime)|Jackhammer]]'', and returns with [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] as captive. [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] orders him taken back to [[Darkmount (Earth)|Darkmount]] for questioning while the troops continue to search not far from where [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus]] is half-buried. The Decepticons eventually dig up [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]], still trapped in her stasis chamber, and the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] but are unable to find any bodies. This turns out to be because [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] has spirited Optimus away using the [[phase shifter]]. The young [[Autobot]] shelters his badly-damaged leader in an underground cavern. Meanwhile, as Megatron orders [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] to monitor frequencies Earth-wide for Autobot communications, Starscream spots an incoming human military force and offers to dispatch the armada to deal with them. Megatron instead turns Darkmount's [[fusion cannon]]s on them, devastating the human forces as well as [[Jasper]].

[[File:DarkmountNV-Bumblebee.jpg|left|thumb|300px|''Black and yellow, black and yellow, black and yellow.'']]

Megatron contacts [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]], warning him that the Decepticons should not be interfered with, but with the news that Megatron bears the humans no ill will and simply wants to settle on Earth in peace. Starscream is impressed with Megatron's talent for deception. Fowler, meanwhile, reports to [[Bryce|his superior]] that Jasper's evacuation was completed in time and a cover story in place, but the military want to nuke the Decepticons. [[June Darby]], working as a medic on the military base, asks if there's been any word from the others, but there's no way to contact anyone without giving away their position.

A patrolling [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] scans cars moving along a road, but fails to recognize [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], who has a new paint job. Bumblebee and [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] stop and discuss how they're going to find the rest of the team, concluding the best bet is to continue heading towards Jasper. In the Rockies, [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] head towards a [[Wrecker]] meeting spot Bulkhead and Wheeljack had decided on.

Back in Darkmount, Starscream's interrogation of Wheeljack is not bearing fruit as Wheeljack doesn't know anything. Megatron orders [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] to take a team back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to search for Iacon relics at their previous battle site.

[[File:DarkmountNV-SmokescreenOptimus.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Smokescreen, am I... turning grey yet?]]

Optimus stirs, and Smokescreen relates how he snuck back to the base during the evacuation, and used the phase shifter to get Optimus out. While Smokescreen is keen to go find Ratchet, Optimus stops him, saying cryptically that there is "no hope" of finding Ratchet, but powers back down into unconsciousness before he can explain.

[[Jack Darby|Jack]] and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] pause in their travels and spot a helicopter. Arcee leaves Jack to go investigate, whereupon Jack decides that sending a text message to his mother might be safe. Unfortunately his message is detected by Soundwave, and the Decepticons swiftly dispatch a force. Jack only has time to put away his phone before a Vehicon starts strafing him. Arcee, having identified the helicopter as civilian, sees the explosions and heads back. Jack unsuccessfully seeks shelter under a truck, but Arcee gets back in time to save him. The pair set up a trap at a nearby gas station, destroying it to take out the two Vehicons and [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]], before fleeing.

The search for relics on Cybertron turns up the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]], and... something else. Back on Earth, Soundwave is examining Laserbeak and failing to retrieve any of the surveillance data when Knock Out's call comes through. Knock Out returns triumphantly through the space bridge with a surprise guest: [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]]!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (5)
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] (6)
*[[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] (11)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (13)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (17)

|c2=
*[[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticon]]s (1)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s (2)
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (3)
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (4)
*[[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] (7)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (15)
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] (18)
*[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] (19)
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] (20)

|c3=
*[[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] (9)
*[[June Darby]] (10)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (12)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (14)
*[[Jack Darby]] (16)
}}

==Quotes==

"He's feeding me a load of horse puckey, trying to crush our spirit."
:—'''Agent Fowler''' is not buying what Megatron is telling him.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
[[File:DarkmountNV-Louisiana.jpg|right|thumb|250px|]]
*Wheeljack is dirty and grimy after being dragged from the wreckage of his ship, but is clean during his torture session. The same holds true for his alternate mode later on.
*As previously seen in "[[The Human Factor]]", the map of the continental [[United States]] shows [[Louisiana]] rendered within [[Texas]], with a noticeable gap along the coastline where Louisiana should be.
*In "[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]", Optimus Prime had his mouthplate retracted when he was preparing to destroy the Groundbridge controls. When he is seen lying in the rubble, he is wearing it, only for it to disappear once Smokescreen pulls him into the cavern.

===Continuity errors===
*The Decepticon citadel was previously named as "New Kaon" in "[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]", only to be called Darkmount in this one. While a change of heart regarding the name isn't out of the question, there can't be more than a few hours' difference between this episode and the previous one.
*Smokescreen's return to the base is inconsistent with the previous episode, or even the flashbacks to it in this episode. He is shown to have returned within moments of the base's destruction, but was the second-to-last to use the GroundBridge, Ratchet being the last. Since Ratchet changed the coordinates, he should have returned well before the blast, and should have been spotted by Optimus when he did.

===Continuity notes===
*Fowler contacts his superior, [[Bryce|General Bryce]], previously seen in "[[Grill]]".
*This episode covers the fates of the various Iacon relics and other things left unattended in the previous episode. With the exception of the phase shifter, the relics taken by Prime's team were left on Cybertron. The Forge of Solus Prime and Airachnid both survived the destruction of the Autobot base. Still unaccounted for are Prime's [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] and Megatron's [[Dark Star Saber]] (and the [[Dead Prime|Dead Prime's]] arm that goes with it).
*Megatron has his original arm back, last seen being removed by Knock Out in "[[Alpha/Omega]]". Evidently he kept it in storage.
*Starscream expresses surprise at Megatron's diplomatic skills, echoing an exchange in ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]''.
*The [[Milky Way]] is shown outside Cybertron, consistent with the geography in ''Exodus''.

===Transformers references===
*The name "Darkmount" comes from the [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|fortress of the same name]] first introduced in the [[The Smelting Pool!|G1 comic]]; the name was later used for a toy representing [[Straxus (G1)|the commander of Darkmount]].
*Bumblebee's new black-and-yellow paint job resembles an [[Bumblebee (Movie)#Robot mode and CG model(s)|unused redesign]] for him in ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''.

===Real-world references===
===Trivia===
*This episode was initially revealed in [[The Hub]]'s March highlights document under the name "Darkmouth, NV".
*The worldwide premiere of "Darkmount, NV" was on okto, a Singaporean channel, where it aired back-to-back with "[[Scattered]]" and "[[Prey]]".

[[Category:Prime episodes]]