{{factions|terran}}
{{disambig2|the Terran from ''EarthSpark''|the BotBot|Nightshade (BotBots)}}
:''Nightshade is a [[Terran]] from the [[Transformers: EarthSpark (franchise)|EarthSpark]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Nightshade-earthspark-stock.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.1|Give a hoot! Read a book!]]

A [[Terran]] with a flair for the dramatic and boundless confidence, '''Nightshade Malto''' can seem weirdly distant at times. It's not that they're unfriendly by any measure: while they can certainly be glib and quick with a quip, they approach nearly everything and everyone with bright eyes and a huge smile. They're fascinated and delighted with the world they've found themselves in, and long to experience as much of it as possible. It's just that they'll do so on ''their'' terms. Nightshade prefers a quiet time reading rather than the energetic physical play of their siblings (or the endless online media onslaught that [[Hashtag (ES)|Hashtag]] enjoys). They're often in their lab tinkering away on some new device to aid their family, though they have a tendency to spring these surprises without warning, which can be awkward, or worse, depending on how ambitious Nightshade was feeling at the time. But as much time as they spend alone, they always come back in time, ever happy to join in family game nights and group celebrations.

But their bright, easygoing, giving nature should not be mistaken as weakness. Though they're generally averse to conflict, they do not abide threats to family, friends or even strangers they've just met, and they ''will'' fight with everything they have to protect those in need. Their incredible aerial maneuverability and quick thinking make them a very unpredictable opponent who aims to stop the fight as quickly as possible... after all, there are so many, many much nicer things to be doing.

{{bigquote|I always knew my pronouns felt right, but... what a wonderful word for a wonderful experience.|Nightshade on "nonbinary", "[[Home, Part 1]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''EarthSpark'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Z Infante]] (English), [[Kappei Yamaguchi]] (Japanese)|[[Benjamin Bollen]] (French), [[Mario Heras]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Adolfo Moreno]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Carole Fernandez]] (Brazilian Portuguese), [[Lorenzo Crisci]] (Italian)}}
{{ongoing}}
[[File:AgeOfEvolution1-Nightshadeonline.jpg|thumb|upright=1.33|]]
Nightshade was brought to life at the same time as their other siblings [[Jawbreaker (ES)|Jawbreaker]] and [[Hashtag (ES)|Hashtag]] by the Malto siblings [[Mo Malto| Mo]] and [[Robby Malto| Robby]] via the [[Emberstone]] in the same cave where their other siblings, [[Twitch]] and [[Thrash (ES)|Thrash]], were first created. The otherwise happy moment was interrupted by a cave-in caused by a battle outside the cave between [[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (ES)|Bumblebee]] against the Decepticon Seekers, [[Skywarp (ES)| Skywarp]] and [[Nova Storm (ES)| Nova Storm]]. {{storylink|Age of Evolution, Part 1}} Despite being only a few seconds old, Nightshade and the other new Terrans instinctually came to their new family's rescue by shielding them from the collapsing cave rubble.

Emerging from the collapsed cave, they were warmly greeted by Optimus, who inquired about Nightshade and their siblings' names. Unlike Hashtag and Jawbreaker, Nightshade instinctually knew their name right off the bat and said what a delight it was to meet them. Sensing the pain the other Maltos and Terrans felt about learning their [[Dot Malto|mother]] was held captive by someone called [[Mandroid]], Nightshade volunteered to help them. While planning "Operation: Terran Horse", Nightshade, via their connection to Mo through her [[cyber-sleeve]], informed Optimus their pronouns were "they" and "them" and that male or female pronouns didn't fit them. While infiltrating Mandroid's base with Jawbreaker and Hashtag by posing as Decepticons who had captured Optimus, Nightshade was unable to hide their horror at Mandroid's experiments he was performing on the captured [[Megatron (ES)|Megatron]]. Their ruse quickly exposed, a battle erupted that saw Mandroid's base turn into a walking mech that required the combined efforts of the Malto family and their allies to take down. Following the battle, Nightshade was formally introduced to Dot and welcomed into her family. {{storylink|Age of Evolution, Part 2}}

Now a formal member of the Malto household, Nightshade found the cramped living quarters of the family barn unsuitable as a living space for their Terran siblings and set out to construct a new one. They covertly ended up recruiting Thrash to aide them in this, who was looking to try and bond with his new younger sibling. When Hashtag and Twitch returned with Bumblebee from a mishap with G.H.OS.T., Nightshade used the family gathering to introduce everyone to the [[Dugout|new base]] they had constructed beneath the farmstead. {{storylink|Hashtag: Oops}} Nightshade was present at the family movie night that showed off the movie Hashtag made while trying to find Jawbreaker an alt-mode. {{storylink|Outtakes}}

[[File:NightshadeOwlMode MissedConnection.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.33|'''Tarantulas:''' "We offer power and purpose. What can you offer us? What can you offer me?" '''Nightshade:''' "I have a [[Mo Malto|sister]]"]]
Worried that Nightshade was isolating themself from their family because they didn't share many interests, Alex introduced Nightshade to the ''[[Winged Sentinel]]'' books by his favorite author, [[D.E. O'Neil]]. Taken by the stories of daring heroism, Nightshade resolved to meet O'Neil, who was a Witwicky local, feeling they had found someone they could bond with. They quickly worked out O'Neil's current address and took off to visit... only to discover their "current address" was a cemetery, as the author was in fact deceased. But an encounter with a "groundskeeper" soon led to Nightshade instead discovering the reclusive Decepticon scientist, [[Tarantulas (ES)|Tarantulas]]. Bonding with the Decepticon spider over their shared interests in science and shared ''lack'' of interest in continuing the Autobot/Decepticon conflict, Nightshade aided Tarantulas in constructing a holographic projector that would allow him to completely avoid detection from G.H.O.S.T. During this partnership, Tarantulas expanded the young Terran's mindset on what alt-modes could be. Following a miscommunication, Tarantulas came to believe Nightshade was a prisoner of their human parents and kidnapped the two with the intent of wiping their memories so he could take Nightshade on the run with him. When Nightshade rescued their parents, they scanned a statue of the ''Winged Sentinel'' owl, granting them a new [[beast mode]]. Besting Tarantulas in combat just as the rest of Nightshade's family arrived on scene, Nightshade convinced Bumblebee to give the spider a second chance. When G.H.O.S.T. showed up, Tarantulas decided to make the best of this second chance and volunteered to lead G.H.O.S.T. away to let the Maltos escape. {{storylink|Missed Connection}}

When [[Jon Schloder|Agent Schloder]] arrived at the Malto family farm hot on Bumblebee's trail, Nightshade and Hashtag used the opportunity to show off the new "Emergency Lockdown" protocol they had installed in the Terran base. Sealing up the base whenever a G.H.O.S.T. vehicle (Hashtag excluded) approached the area, it made entry or exit of the dugout virtually impossible. Unfortunately the two hadn't worked out all the kinks yet and discovered that instead of keeping the lockdown going for 10 minutes after Schloder departed, it was instead set for 10 ''hours''. Stuck in the base, Nightshade and the others were unable to help Bumblebee and Dot in their attempts to evade G.H.OS.T. When Dot and Alex returned later that night and informed them Bee had to go back on the run, Nightshade comforted the devastated Twitch. {{storylink|Security Protocols}}

[[File:HomePart1-Nightshadeowl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.33|'''Random civilians:''' "Oh, what a perfect stuffed owl." '''Nightshade:''' "STUFFED!? I beg you pardon!?"]]
Still new to the concept of gift-giving, for their present to Dot on Mother's Day, Nightshade made several secret modification to their mother's prosthetic leg in hopes of making her life easier. While it proved critical in aiding Dot and the others in taking care of a mutated mother bear that was terrorizing them, Nightshade was confronted by Dot that they needed to ask for permission when tampering with something as personal as Dot's leg. Nightshade apologized and in the future promised to work with Dot if they wanted to modify her leg. {{storylink|Bear Necessities}} When Nightshade, and their other siblings, were taken to [[Spacebridge Memorial Park]] by Megatron to learn of the history of the Cybertronian War, they found their meeting interrupted by the return of the dormant Decepticon [[Shockwave (ES)|Shockwave]]. When Shockwave initiated an overload of the power chamber of the derelict Space Bridge, Nightshade worked with Robby and Thrash to disconnect them while Megatron battled it out with Shockwave. {{storylink|Warzone}}

[[File:NightshadeAndSamChat HomePartOne.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.33|"Now, child, flying is not merely some crude, mechanical process. It is a delicate art. Purely aesthetic. Poetry of motion. And the best way to learn it is to do it."]]

When the Terrans were taken on a nightly visit to [[Philadelphia]] by Robby and Mo, Nightshade went by themself when the group split up and got a chance to act out their heroic fantasies when they saved a young person from an attempted mugging. Taking note of the pronoun pins on <choose><option>their</option><option>her</option></choose> purse, Nightshade introduced themself to [[Sam (ES)|Sam]], who warmed up to the Terran when they told <choose><option>them</option><option>her</option></choose> of their own pronouns. It was talking with Sam where Nightshade learned of the concept of being "non-binary", which they felt was a wonderful word to describe themself. Upon reuniting with their family, Nightshade was surprised to see Bumblebee along with them. Needing help in tracking down the lost Autobot, [[Grimlock (ES)|Grimlock]], Nightshade eagerly joined him. {{storylink|Home, Part 1}} However, the search for Grimlock soon turned into a battle with the returning Mandroid. After taking down one of Mandroid's newest Arachnamech creations, Nightshade and the rest of their family found themselves having to fight the mind-controlled Hashtag. Taking the fight to the city above, Nightshade discovered attempts to forcibly remove her control chip were blocked by a forcefield. Eventually, they were all able free their sister when they were empowered by a mysterious energy that originated from the cave where the Terrans had been born. With their sister freed, Nightshade and the others raced back to Witwicky in hopes of getting home before their parents woke up. {{storylink|Home, Part 2}}

The kids encountered Grimlock while collecting flowers in the woods and had to flee back to the farm, where they eventually fought the Dinobot into submission.{{storylink|A Stygi Situation}} When Robby's cyber-sleeve manifested a new shield ability, Optimus smuggled the entire Malto family into G.H.O.S.T. HQ to have [[Teletraan I (ES)|Teletraan I]] scan the devices. The kids were later training in the base's rec room when Mandroid took control of it, unleashing a holographic Megatron on them, and though Hashtag was able to shut it down, the fight resulted in Robby's cyber-sleeve becoming inactive and the emotional link between the kids was lost. {{storylink|Disarmed}}

While trying to reactivate the cyber-sleeves with the cave water that the Maltobots were using to energize, the kids stumbled on a cave system through which [[Starscream (ES)|Starscream]], Nova Storm and Skywarp were trying to escape. Things were complicated more when they encountered the energon-feeding [[Dweller (ES)|Dweller]], forcing them to try to enact a desperate plan to imprison it so it couldn't escape the caves. {{storylink|What Dwells Within}} Robby's cyber-sleeve began affecting his health, and Dot assured the other kids that they'd do all they could to help the boy get better. When the other human members of the Malto family lapsed into unconsciousness, the Maltobots took care of them until they recovered, having had an encounter with Quintus Prime that restored both Robby's health and the cyber-sleeves. {{storylink|Prime Time (episode)|Prime Time}}

When Bumblebee was assigned the task of infiltrating G.H.O.S.T. HQ, he borrowed Nightshade's [[mobile hologram emitter]] and the latest Smart Trainer. The kids resolved to help their mentor, and to this end, once Twitch located the entrance to the HQ, Nightshade, Thrash and Robby joined her in sneaking in. They bumped into Schloder and managed to persuade him to help them, leading them to find G.H.O.S.T. had taken possession of the space bridge. During the ensuing fight with [[Karen Croft|Agent Croft]]'s [[Ghoid]]s, the group used the space bridge to escape to the outside. {{storylink|Stowed Away, Stowaways}} Pursued by a Mandroid-controlled Shockwave, the group headed into Witwicky where they were joined by the rest of the Malto kids and managed to take down the Decepticon, shortly before being surrounded by G.H.O.S.T. agents. With a timely intervention by their parents, they were able to escape back to the farm and revive Shockwave, only for Croft to arrive with an army of Ghoids. A battle ensued during which the Maltos, with the help of the Autobots, overcame the Ghoids, only to face Croft deactivating the Autobots and the arrival of Mandroid, grotesquely enhanced into a new robotic form. {{storylink|The Battle of Witwicky}}

The Malto family attempted to escape from Mandroid and his two [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] henchmen, however eventually family members were picked off and only Twitch and Nightshade were left. The pair again sneaked into G.H.O.S.T. HQ to free Bumblebee, Schloder and the captive Decepticons, though the latter were unenthusiastic about helping and simply left. The remaining quartet found Mandroid preparing to use the space bridge to wipe out all Cybertronian life on the planet and during the resulting fight, the group escaped through the space bridge portal. {{storylink|The Last Hope, Part 1}} On their way to the huge Spire Mandroid had erected, the group encountered mind-controlled Autobots but were also reunited with Hashtag, Jawbreaker and Thrash. Nightshade battled the Sharkticons with Jawbreaker and Hashtag, allowing Twitch and Thrash to go on ahead, however Mandroid successfully activated his superweapon, putting Nightshade and the other Transformers on Earth into shutdown. Fortunately Mo and Robby were able to reverse the process using their cyber-sleeves to channel the power of Quintus Prime, and the Malto family were reunited. {{storylink|The Last Hope, Part 2}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: EarthSpark - Expedition''===
{{voiceactor|[[Aaron Landon]] (English)|[[Frans Limburg]] (Dutch), [[Emmanuel Rausenberger]] (French), [[Andi Kroesing]] (German), [[Mosè Singh]] (Italian), [[Robert Ciszewski]] (Polish), [[David García]] (Spanish)}}
{{charfictionstub|{{storylink|Transformers: EarthSpark - Expedition}}}}

==Toys==
===''EarthSpark''===
[[File:TF-Earthspark-Deluxe-Nightshade.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|That's the kind of thousand-yard stare that only comes from a veteran of the Culture Wars. ''(Hasbro Version Pictured)'']]
[[File:TF-ES-JP-ESD-05-Deluxe-Nightshade.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|''(TakaraTomy Version Pictured)'']]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Terran Nightshade''' (Deluxe, 2023)}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy ID Number'': '''ESD-05'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[November 1]], 2023
:*''Accessories'': Owl wings, 2 knives, Mandroid torso (Hasbro release only)

: Released as part of the third wave of Hasbro's ''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (toyline)|EarthSpark]]'' Deluxe Class toys, Nightshade transforms into a robotic/statuesque hawk owl in thirteen steps. Nightshade's wings, owl face, and back of the robot head are made of a rubber material. The wings come separately in the packaging and must be assembled. While they can be removed for [[show-accuracy]], they are not designed to, and doing so can stress the rubber connection points. The wings can be removed at the sturdier ball joint connection though. Nightshade has two knives that can be stored in slots on top of the wings.

: This toy also comes packed with the torso to the [[Mandroid]] [[Build a Figure|build-a-figure]] though there are releases spotted in Europe that omit that part and remove all mention of it from the packaging. A later variant released in the fifth wave features new packaging and omits the Mandoroid BAF piece.

: The TakaraTomy release of the toy features a much more screen-accurate paint deco and omits the Mandroid piece. The wings come pre-assembled in this release.

: Nightshade was first listed on the Portuguese toy website ''fnac.pt'', before any official announcement by Hasbro. They were spotted alongside their wavemate Grimlock about a month later in Taiwan.

==Notes==
* An early concept for Nightshade was that they identified as "Terran" rather than male or female, as they did not consider gender to be an important part of their identity. This concept was dropped at some point during ''Earthspark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s development in favor of making the character explicitly non-binary, but this early draft persisted long enough that a version of the backstory found its way into the [[Transformers EarthSpark The Official Guidebook|official ''Earthspark'' guidebook]], as well as several foreign-language websites.
* While other nonbinary characters like [[Screwball]] had previously been introduced in other extended ''Transformers'' media, Nightshade is the first character to be openly identified as such in a ''Transformers'' cartoon. ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' previously featured a sort of edge case in the form of [[Acid Storm (Cyberverse)|Acid Storm]], but the character was not intentionally written that way, instead falling into the realm of [[pseudocanon]] via [[authorial intent]] in response to a recurring [[animation error]].
* Originally, Nightshade's alternate mode was to be a monstrous gargoyle. This idea was tweaked at some point during the show's development, and Nightshade ultimately wound up with a stylized owl alternate mode instead. Notably, ''The Official Guidebook'' still refers to their alternate mode as a gargoyle.
* Different localizations have interpreted Nightshade's gender depending on the availability of gender-neutral pronouns in the relevant language:
** In the Hungarian dub, which lacks gendered pronouns entirely, Nightshade initially speaks in the plural, using ''mi'' and ''minket'' ("we" and "us") instead of ''én'' and ''engem'' ("I" and "me"), and the subject of Nightshade's gender is not addressed. This speech quirk is dropped in subsequent episodes.
** In the Brazilian Portuguese dub, Nightshade is referred to as ''elu'', a neologistic system popularized on the Internet to accommodate the lack of formal gender-neutral pronouns in the Portuguese language.
** In the Italian dub, Nightshade is simply described as "not identifying in either gender" and dialogue tries to avoid using gendered pronouns as much as possible, albeit in a few occasions they end up using male-coded terms when it's impossible to do otherwise.
** In the Japanese dub, Nightshade's first-person {{w|Japanese pronoun|pronoun}} is ''boku'' (僕, ボク), commonly used in real life as an informal pronoun by males, but can be used by women with tomboyish or feminist connotations, especially in media. (Pronouns in Japanese are not strictly gendered. Second-person and third-person pronouns are not gendered most of the time.)
** In the German dub, Nightshade's pronouns are pronounced "dei" and "dem", which are two of many different pronouns used by nonbinaries in the German language.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Nightshade''' (ナイトシェード ''Naitoshēdo'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Gyorsacél''' ("High-Speed Steel")
*''Mandarin Chinese:'' '''夜影''' (yè yǐng "night shadow")

[[Category:Nonbinary characters]]
[[Category:Terrans]]

2023-07-11T10:54:24Z

Ravendesk: /* Errors */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (cartoon)|Transformers: EarthSpark]]'' ep 9
|image=Earthspark-AOEP1-MandroidMegatronCaptive.jpg
|caption=
|prev=Decoy (episode)
|next=Age of Evolution, Part 2
|title="Age of Evolution, Part 1"
|season=1
|season ep=9
|airdate=[[November 11]], [[2022]] (Paramount+) [[March 3]], [[2023]] (Nickelodeon)
|production company=[[Entertainment One]] [[Nickelodeon]]
|writers=[[Nicole Dubuc]] & [[Dale Malinowski]]
|animation studio=[[Icon Creative Studio]]
|director=[[J.J. Conway]]
|video=https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/video/dM2rADnK3nw82eQFOvFP_5IIONiFvtQk/
|videosite=Paramount+
}}

'''Mandroid sets his eyes on his latest targets, while the Terrans uncover the secrets of their creation.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Earthspark-AOEP1-RunForCover.jpg|thumb|left|300px|"[[Transform and Roll Out|Odd. I thought I only paid for six jets.]]"]]
It's a day for celebration as [[G.H.O.S.T.]] is holding a G.H.O.S.T.-[[Autobot]] Alliance ceremony at one of their bases. Agents [[Karen Croft|Croft]] and [[Jon Schloder|Schloder]] welcome [[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (ES)|Megatron]] to the hangar, giving them their instructions for the ceremony. Megatron is none too pleased to be told what to do, but Optimus reminds him that their alliance with the humans is important and needs to be maintained. The Malto family is also in attendance, watching as two jets circle above the base. Suddenly, Optimus warns the others to get down as the jets begin firing on him, and the humans all scramble to take cover. Megatron and Optimus immediately recognize the attackers as [[Skywarp (ES)|Skywarp]] and [[Nova Storm (ES)|Nova Storm]], who transform and demand Prime's left arm. As Optimus engages Skywarp and Megatron fends off Nova Storm, [[Alex Malto|Alex]] and [[Dot Malto|Dot]] do their best to shield [[Robby Malto|Robby]] and [[Mo Malto|Mo]], quickly retreating to the hangar as they avoid the carnage around them. A news cameraman captures the whole thing live, his footage being seen back in the Maltos' barn by [[Thrash (ES)|Thrash]], [[Twitch]] and [[Bumblebee (ES)|Bumblebee]]. The [[Terran]]s are itching to rush over and protect their family, but Bumblebee reminds them that G.H.O.S.T. can't know they exist, trying to reassure them that Optimus and Megatron will take care of things.

Skywarp attempts to sever Optimus's arm, but Megatron slams Nova Storm into the ground and intervenes, knocking Skywarp away with his rotor. Nova Storm attempts to lunge at Prime, but he knocks her aside and the two faction leaders manage to get the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] pinned at weapon point. Megatron orders them to stand down, but Skywarp teleports out from under Prime's axe and decks Megatron, allowing the two Seekers to escape. Despite Optimus's claims that everyone saw the Seekers attack first, Megatron is convinced this will only increase the [[human]]s' hatred of their kind, storming off. As Croft cuts the footage off, [[Mandroid]] is shown watching from his new lab, where he is interrupted by the arrival of Skywarp and Nova Storm. He chastises the two for their failure as his [[Arachnamech]]s restrain them, reminding them that their parts will work for his plans just as easily as Prime's. However, he is glad to see Prime and Megatron painted in such a poor light by the media, knowing that he won't be able to wipe out the [[Transformer|Cybertronians]] while their strength exceeds his own. He then decides the Seekers will make perfect bait for his next plan...

[[File:Earthspark-AOEP1-UpsetTerrans.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
Optimus and the Maltos regroup back at the farm, where the Terrans remain indignant at being left behind and unable to protect their family. Optimus again echoes his worry that G.H.O.S.T. would claim the Terrans before they could understand their origins, something the young bots also impatiently seek answers for. He and Bumblebee explain that they believe the Cybertronians on Earth are the last of their kind, and that they suspect the Terrans are the key to rebuilding their species. When Twitch mentions being created by a glowing rock, Optimus has a moment of realization, and decides finding this rock has just become priority number one. As the Terrans celebrate, Optimus receives a call from Schloder—the Seekers have been apprehended and need to be taken to the holding facility. Optimus asks Dot to assist Megatron in transport, to which she agrees, and he and the others head off.

Megatron and Dot rendezvous with Schloder at a rail yard, where Skywarp and Nova Storm are currently bound up. Schloder orders them to put the Seekers in the transport, but as Megatron attempts to do so, Skywarp teleports herself and Nova Storm away as Arachnamechs burst from inside and bind Megatron. The G.H.O.S.T. agents reveal themselves as holographic disguises used by the Arachnamechs, and Dot attempts to hold them off while Megatron struggles in vain against the Seekers. As the Arachnamechs pin Dot down, "Schloder" similarly reveals himself to be Mandroid. While he is eager to take Megatron's arm in place of Prime's, he remains cordial to Dot, even when she punches him out, and asks her to follow him, to which she reluctantly agrees.

[[File:Earthspark AOEP1 trapped.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
At his lab, Mandroid explains to Dot that he too served in the war, having been drafted by G.H.O.S.T. as a roboticist. During the [[Battle of the Bay]], his building ended up getting struck by Autobot friendly fire. Though his Arachnamechs saved him, he lost his arm as a result, something Dot sympathizes with having similarly lost her leg during the encounter. As a result of his experience, Mandroid decided to become humanity's "hero" and rid the world of Cybertronians. As if to prove this, he reveals the restrained Megatron, his machine preparing to disassemble the Decepticon leader. Mandroid asks Dot to join his crusade, but is temporarily caught off guard by seeing the last name on her badge. Dot uses this as an opportunity to make a run for it, but Mandroid appears unfazed. Having grabbed Dot's badge, he orders Skywarp and Nova Storm to take it to Optimus as proof of Dot's capture, knowing he will come willingly to ensure her safety. He also orders them to retrieve the Terrans, as Dot watches from the shadows.

At long last, the Autobots and Maltos reach the cave, but Optimus and Bumblebee opt to wait outside, as they are too large to fit. Inside, they find the rock just where they left it, and Twitch and Thrash immediately propose Robby and Mo attempt to create more Terrans like themselves. However, their attempts to activate the rock yield no reaction, to their confusion, so they decide to take it to Optimus instead. Not far away, Skywarp and Nova Storm detect the Autobots and begin moving towards their location.

[[File:Earthspark-AOEP1-NewTerransBorn.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
As Optimus examines the rock, his suspicions are confirmed: it is the [[Emberstone]], the gift of [[Quintus Prime]]. Alex explains that Quintus was one of the [[Thirteen]] original Primes, who seeded life across the universe using the Emberstone. Though unsure how it came to be here, Optimus is now certain that the Terrans are the next natural evolution of their species. His musing is interrupted, however, when the Seekers appear and snatch the Emberstone, demanding Optimus, Bumblebee and the Terrans in exchange for Dot and Megatron's lives. The Maltos aren't going down without a fight, though, and as they ready, the kids hear the voice of Quintus Prime from the Emberstone: "Evolution of hope." Twitch manages to snatch the Emberstone back from Skywarp, and Optimus orders the family to retreat to the cave and guard it. As he and Bumblebee square off against the Seekers, their cockpits open to reveal Arachnamechs hiding inside, forcing the Autobots to contend with them as well.

As the Maltos return to the cave, a swarm of Arachnamechs follow them inside. Twitch and Thrash take up defensive positions while Alex guides Robby and Mo back to the plinth where they found the Emberstone. The Terrans attempt to fend off the attackers, but there are just too many and they quickly become overwhelmed. Desperate, Mo calls out to Quintus for aid. The Prime's voice rings out again, and a shockwave from the stone deactivates the Arachnamechs as the pool once again glows green. Realizing what is happening, the family watch as three new Terrans manifest from the pool's waters. Above ground, Bumblebee and Optimus restrain Skywarp and Nova Storm, but the latter fires a missile barrage at Bumblebee that ends up striking the cave, and Bumblebee can only watch in horror as the cave begins to collapse.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]] (6)
*[[Bumblebee (ES)|Bumblebee]] (17)

|c2=
*[[Megatron (ES)|Megatron]] (5)
*[[Skywarp (ES)|Skywarp]] (14)
*[[Nova Storm (ES)|Nova Storm]] (15)

|c3=
*[[Rosato|Cadet Rosato]] (1)
*[[Conway|Cadet Conway]] (2)
*[[Kwan|Cadet Kwan]] (3)
*[[G.H.O.S.T.]] agents (4)
*[[Bagheri|Agent Bagheri]] (7)
*[[Karen Croft|Executive Agent Croft]] (8)
*[[Jon Schloder|Agent Schloder]] (9)
*[[Mo Malto]] (10)
*[[Dot Malto]] (11)
*[[Robby Malto]] (12)
*[[Alex Malto]] (13)
*[[Mandroid]] (18)

|h4=[[Terran]]s||c4=
*[[Thrash (ES)|Thrash]] (16)
*[[Twitch]] (17)
*[[Nightshade (ES)|Nightshade]] (21)
*[[Jawbreaker (ES)|Jawbreaker]] (22)
*[[Hashtag (ES)|Hashtag]] (23)

|h5=Others||c5=
*[[Arachnamech]]s (19)
*[[Quintus Prime]]* (20)
}}
:''*Voice-only appearance''

==Quotes==
'''Skywarp:''' Sorry to crash the peace party. 
'''Nova Storm:''' We propose a new partnership... 
'''Both:''' Your parts in pieces!

"Uhhhh...we're not going to fit, are we?" 
"Not even going to try."
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Optimus''' know their limits.

"Megatron, relax. This will only hurt ''as much as I want it to.''"
:—'''Mandroid'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* This is the first time the Emberstone has been seen since the [[Secret Legacy, Part 1|pilot episode]].
* Dot was previously shown to have a prosthetic leg in "[[Moo-ving In]]", though here we learn the circumstances behind it.
* Alex previously implied in "[[Traditions]]" that he and Mandroid used to be colleagues, something once again hinted at with Mandroid's reaction to Dot's badge.

===Transformers references===
* Skywarp retains the teleporting ability of her [[Skywarp (G1)|Generation 1 counterpart]].
* Skywarp shows she has a retractable buzzsaw that can fold out of her arm, similar to [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] from the live-action movies.
* When the kids first attempt to use the Emberstone, Alex tells them "[[The Touch|You've got the touch]]." A few notes from the song even play as he does so.
* The story of Quintus and the Emberstone was first told in ''[[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus]]''. ''EarthSpark'' marks the artifact's first appearance in any media released since.

===Real-world references===
* A {{w|Wilhelm scream}} can be heard when Skywarp flings a G.H.O.S.T. agent at the rail yard.

===Errors===
* Though G.H.O.S.T. has been referred to in previous episodes as a ''secret'' military agency, they sure don't seem to have any problem with local news documenting their existence for all to see.
* Twitch is the first to use the name "Emberstone," saying "we still have nine combinations for interacting with the Emberstone," despite not knowing the stone's name or origin at this point.

===Trivia===
* Most online distribution platforms, such as [[Paramount+]], do not list this episode separately from [[Age of Evolution, Part 2|Part 2]], instead choosing to combine both parts into a single 44-minute video.
* While not explicitly shown, Croft's dialogue reveals that the [[President of the United States|President]] in this continuity is female.
* The Cybertronian text when the new Terrans are created translates to "evolution of hope", as Quintus said earlier.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Le temps de l'évolution - Partie 1'''" ("Evolution Time - Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 8]], 2022

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zeitalter der Evolution Teil 1'''"
:*''Original airdate:'' December 8, 2022

'''Hungarian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Az evolúció kora, 1. rész'''" ("The Age of Evolution, Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' December 8, 2022

'''Brazilian Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Era da evolução Pt 1'''" ("Age of evolution Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 31]], 2022

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''L'era dell'evoluzione parte 1'''" ("The age of evolution part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[November 11]], 2022

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Era ewolucji część1'''" ("The age of evolution part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' TBA

[[Category:EarthSpark episodes]]

Age of Evolution, Part 2

2023-07-11T10:51:25Z

Ravendesk: /* Foreign localization */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (cartoon)|Transformers: EarthSpark]]'' ep 10
|image=Earthspark AOEP2 staredown.jpg
|caption=Mandroid's Moving Castle
|prev=Age of Evolution, Part 1
|next=Hashtag: Oops
|title="Age of Evolution, Part 2"
|season=1
|season ep=10
|airdate=[[November 11]], [[2022]] (Paramount+) [[March 3]], [[2023]] (Nickelodeon)
|production company=[[Entertainment One]] [[Nickelodeon]]
|writers=[[Nicole Dubuc]] & [[Dale Malinowski]]
|animation studio=[[Icon Creative Studio]]
|director=[[J.J. Conway]]
|video=https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/video/dM2rADnK3nw82eQFOvFP_5IIONiFvtQk/
|videosite=Paramount+
}}

'''The Malto family, including its three newest members, band together to rescue Dot and Megatron from Mandroid.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Earthspark AOEP2 OutliningPlan.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
As the cave begins to collapse around them, the Maltos guide the new [[Terran]]s towards the exit, only to be cut off by a sudden rockslide that knocks the [[Emberstone]] from [[Mo Malto|Mo]]'s hands into the water. The family is nearly crushed by falling debris, but are saved by the new Terrans, who recognize them as family thanks to the link from their [[cyber-sleeve]]s. Outside, [[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]] is placing [[stasis cuffs]] on [[Nova Storm (ES)|Nova Storm]] and [[Skywarp (ES)|Skywarp]] while [[Bumblebee (ES)|Bumblebee]] desperately chips away at the rubble. Fortunately, the rubble is pushed away as the Maltos emerge unharmed, and while the Autobots are disappointed at the loss of the Emberstone, it pales in comparison to their joy at seeing more Terrans emerge. Optimus introduces himself, and the kids use their link to identify each of the newcomers: [[Hashtag (ES)|Hashtag]], [[Jawbreaker (ES)|Jawbreaker]], and [[Nightshade (ES)|Nightshade]]. However, [[Alex Malto|Alex]]'s feelings are tempered by the knowledge that [[Dot Malto|Dot]] is still in [[Mandroid]]'s clutches. Sensing the others' sadness and fear, the new Terrans offer to help however they can. Knowing [[G.H.O.S.T.]] will be arriving soon to retrieve the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], Optimus suggests they reconvene elsewhere to plan the rescue. At [[Witwicky Donuts]], the group discusses "Operation Terran Horse": the new Terrans will pose as [[Decepticon]]s seeking safe haven from G.H.O.S.T. and the [[Autobot]]s, and offer up Optimus, [[Twitch]] and [[Thrash (ES)|Thrash]] to Mandroid; when the time comes, they will free themselves and surround Mandroid. Meanwhile, Bumblebee will use the distraction to infiltrate the lab and extract Dot and [[Megatron (ES)|Megatron]]. With the plan decided, the group rolls out.

At Mandroid's lab, he examines the captive Megatron, deciding to take his [[fusion cannon]] for himself first. As the machine begins cutting through Megatron's arm, Dot creeps across the lab's scaffolding, careful to avoid the [[Arachnamech]]s' sensors. Unable to get a message to her family, she severs a cable, cutting the power to Mandroid's laser cutter. He orders his Arachnamechs to pursue her as they begin to cover the lab's interior. Fortunately, the Maltos remember his lab's location from their last encounter and are now approaching it...but unfortunately, Mandroid has anticipated this and moved the entire facility elsewhere. With no leads, the group is forced to split into teams and search at random. Though Alex is concerned for her safety, Bumblebee reassures him that they'll find her, even playing his and Dot's song, "Purple Storm Clouds", to help him feel better. Meanwhile, Dot sees a naval yard through a window and finally gets a cell signal, but the vibration noise from all of Alex's missed texts alerts the Arachnamechs, and they destroy her phone before she can send a message. Dot attempts to escape them, nearly getting thrown into an incinerator, but she manages to throw her attacker in instead, causing a plume of purple smoke to emerge from the factory smokestacks. Seeing the purple smoke from a distance, Alex sees it as a sign and he and Bumblebee speed off to the naval yard, calling the others to follow.

[[File:Earthspark AOEP2 HashtagSkywarpTale.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
Dot is eventually cornered and restrained as Mandroid finishes repairing the damage to the machine and resumes slicing Megatron's arm. He prepares to have his Arachnamech kill Dot, but they are interrupted as Optimus, Twitch and Thrash enter in chains, flanked by their "captors". Hashtag attempts to pass herself off as Skywarp's former roommate "Sparkleplug", and the Terrans do their best to sell their phony story to Mandroid, despite Nightshade's obvious fear. Not far away, Bumblebee and the Maltos are sneaking through the naval yard, looking for an opening to extract the prisoners. Unfortunately, Mandroid sees right through their story and the fake Decepticon insignia stuck on them, and attacks the impostors. Optimus attempts to intervene, only to be restrained by the Arachnamechs, but Hashtag manages to get a lucky shot off and hits the one holding Dot captive, who in turn frees Megatron. Optimus frees himself as well, and the group begins tearing through the Arachnamechs and the rest of the lab. Now on the back foot, Mandroid decides to take drastic measures and enters a nearby elevator. The ground begins to violently shake beneath them, and those outside watch as the truth is revealed: the factory sits atop a giant mech, one Mandroid is now actively piloting as it emerges from the ground. As the mech shifts, the occupants are thrown from inside and plummet towards the ground, saved during their fall by Megatron and Twitch. As Dot embraces her children and Alex, their reunion is interrupted by Mandroid targeting the group with his mech's frontal laser cannon, and the group runs for cover from its enormous blast.

[[File:Earthspark AOEP2 GiantMechLaser.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
Optimus forms a new plan: one ground team will focus on providing cover fire, while another team focuses on taking out the mech's cameras so it can't target them. As they split up, Mandroid recognizes Alex and attempts to crush him, but he, [[Robby Malto|Robby]], Mo and Jawbreaker manage to avoid his blows and launch themselves onto the mech's leg. They begin taking out each of the cameras one by one, as Mandroid sends his Arachnamechs to intercept them. Unable to damage the titanic mech, Bumblebee has another idea, and he and Optimus begin wrapping a nearby battleship's anchor around its legs. Before Alex and Robby can take out the last camera, they are surrounded by Arachnamechs, only to be saved by Twitch and Megatron's cover fire, giving them the opportunity they need. As Robby attempts to pull the last camera loose, Mandroid tries to attack him, but the chain around his legs throws off the mech's balance, and the force of its shifting dislodges the last camera, sending the Maltos flying along with the Arachnamechs trying to pull the camera back. Twitch destroys their tether and catches her family as they destroy the last camera, but Mandroid continues to attack blindly in the hopes of landing a hit. His wild laserfire manages to clip Megatron, forcing the Decepticon to the ground, and his mech's legs finally prove stronger than the chain, flinging the battleship into the air and causing it to come crashing down, nearly crushing the Maltos.

[[File:Earthspark AOEP2 DestroyedMech.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
As they take cover beneath a nearby warehouse, Optimus declares the cannon to be their next target. Megatron volunteers to take it out, but his arm is too injured from Mandroid's laser cutter and the mech's cannon. Before anyone can stop her, Twitch takes off, dodging weaponsfire as she approaches the cannon. Before a swarm of Arachnamechs can overtake her, they are destroyed as Optimus, Bumblebee, and the rest of her family charge out, ready to have her back. As the cannon targets them and begins charging up, Twitch slices through its cables with her laser swords, causing the aiming mechanism to go haywire and fire right through the mech's front leg. As the Mech begins to explode and Mandroid seethes at his failure, Megatron gives Dot a signal and she fires a cannon shot from the battleship right through the mech causing it to topple backwards into the water, erupting into flames as it begins sinking with no sign of Mandroid. Mo introduces Dot to the three new Terrans, whom she thanks and welcomes into the family. Optimus turns to find Megatron nursing his wound and bemoaning that they had no G.H.O.S.T. backup, despite their supposed partnership. Optimus, however, turns Megatron's attention to the happy Malto family, pointing out that ''they'' are the true embodiment of the human-[[Transformer|Cybertronian]] alliance, and a sign of the future they hope to one day achieve.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (ES)|Bumblebee]] (1)
*[[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]] (11)

|c2=
*[[Nova Storm (ES)|Nova Storm]] (10)
*[[Skywarp (ES)|Skywarp]] (12)
*[[Megatron (ES)|Megatron]] (13)

|c3=
*[[Alex Malto]] (6)
*[[Mo Malto]] (7)
*[[Robby Malto]] (8)
*[[Mandroid]] (14)
*[[Dot Malto]] (15)

|h4=[[Terran]]s||c4=
*[[Nightshade (ES)|Nightshade]] (2)
*[[Hashtag (ES)|Hashtag]] (3)
*[[Jawbreaker (ES)|Jawbreaker]] (4)
*[[Twitch]] (5)
*[[Thrash (ES)|Thrash]] (9)

|h5=Others||c5=
*[[Arachnamech]]s (16)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Nightshade:''' Ooh, may I be the bobblehead? 
'''Optimus:''' Of course. Morgan, can you switch...um... 
'''Mo:''' Nightshade's pronouns are "they/them". 
'''Nightshade:''' "He" or "she" just doesn't fit who I am. 
'''Optimus:''' My apologies. Please switch ''their'' piece.

"Careful, little bird. Too much confidence often ends in rubble."
:—'''Megatron''' gives Twitch some guidance.

"Fine. I'll destroy you all blind! There's enough pests out there that if I swat, I'm bound to hit something!"
:—'''Mandroid''' refuses to give up.

"One thing you gotta learn about this family is..." 
"We do things together!"
:—'''Mo''' and '''Jawbreaker''' have their sister's back.

"Holy smokes! Is every day like this for you?" 
"Only every other day."
:—'''Nightshade''' and '''Robbie'''

"For all our purported partnership, somehow we always bear the scars." 
"Look again, old friend. ''This'' is the human-Cybertronian alliance. G.H.O.S.T. has growing to do, yes, but this is what we can achieve together, for the future of both our species."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus''' look to the future.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Nightshade asking to be represented by the owl bobblehead is a sneaky bit of foreshadowing, hinting at the owl alternate mode they'll receive just a few episodes later in "[[Missed Connection]]".
* The Maltos first check the site of Mandroid's original lab, where they previously encountered him in "[[Secret Legacy, Part 2]]".
* Mandroid briefly slips into a raspy voice and minor cough when confronting the disguised Terrans. We'll learn later in "[[Home, Part 2]]" this is a result of him grafting Cybertronian body parts to him.
* Like the previous episode, this one also continues the hints at Alex and Mandroid's shared past, first implied in "[[Traditions]]".

===Transformers references===
* The soda cans used to act out the "Operation: Terran Horse" plan have the brand name "[[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]]" on them.

===Real-world references===
* The assorted snack foods include several items which seem to parallel real brands, such as Orbitade for Gatorade, and Zig Zag candy resembling Tic Tacs.
* "Operation Terran Horse" alludes to the legend of the {{w|Trojan Horse}} and the term's modern metaphorical use as a trick designed to lower someone's guard by masking their intentions.
*Bumblebee's use of the anchor to tie up the mech's legs feels more than a bit evocative of the [[Rebel Alliance]] using [[Snowspeeder]] tow cables to trip an [[AT-AT]] in ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|The Empire Strikes Back]]''.

===Errors===
*

===Trivia===
* Most online distribution platforms, such as [[Paramount+]] and YouTube, do not list this episode separately from [[Age of Evolution, Part 1|Part 1]], instead choosing to combine both parts into a single 44-minute video.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Le temps de l'évolution - Partie 2'''" ("Evolution Time - Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 9]], 2022

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zeitalter der Evolution Teil 2'''"
:*''Original airdate:'' December 9, 2022

'''Hungarian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Az evolúció kora, 2. rész'''" ("The Age of Evolution, Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' December 9, 2022
:**Since the language lacks gendered pronouns, Nightshade's character was reinterpreted in the dub. Rather than being non-binary, Nightshade refers to themselves in plural terms, using "we" and "us" instead of "I" and "me" to justify the plural pronoun, and the subject of gender is not brought up at all.

'''Brazilian Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Era da evolução Pt 2'''" ("Age of evolution Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 31]], 2022
:**Nightshade is referred to as "elu/delu", an expression recently created and rapidly popularized on the internet to accommodate for the lack of official gender neutral pronouns in the Portuguese language. For context, male pronouns are "ele/dele" and female pronouns are "ela/dela".

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''L'era dell'evoluzione parte 2'''" ("The age of evolution part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[November 11]], 2022
:**As Italian lacks gender neutral pronouns, Nightshade is just described as "not identifying in either gender" and no pronoun whatsoever is used when referring to them.

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Era Ewolucji Częśc 2'''" ("The age of evolution part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' TBA

'''Cantonese'''
:*''Title:'' TBA
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 3]], 2023
:**Since the language lacks gendered pronouns, the dialog is changed to Optimus forgetting Nightshade's name and Mo reminding him. Instead of saying "he or she just doesn't fit who I am," Nightshade said, "Maybe my name is just hard to remember."

[[Category:EarthSpark episodes]]