MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Scrapheap (episode)

2011-02-24T07:38:19Z

Shinji:

{{disambig2|the ''Prime'' episode|the Generation 1 Junkion|Scrapheap (G1)}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 7
|prev=Masters & Students
|next=Con Job
|image=PrimeScrapletsEp7.gif
|caption=Aw, look at the cute little—
|title="Scrapheap"
|airdate=[[February 18]], [[2011]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''While Optimus and Arcee are trapped in the Arctic, the base is invaded by deadly Scraplets.'''

==Synopsis==
Trudging through the [[Arctic]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] and [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] locate a huge pod buried in the snow. They take it back to [[Autobot Central Command|base]], where their systems are checked over by [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]]. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus]] asks about the pod, but Ratchet says it can't be opened while it's still frozen. Even as it sits defrosting in another part of the base, the pod cracks open from the inside.

[[Image:Scrapheap-adorableScraplet.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Leprosy was never this adorable. As far as we know.]]

Optimus and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] prepare to travel to the Arctic to look for more clues regarding the pod's origins, and Ratchet gives them some temperature sensors so they can tell when their core temperatures drop to dangerous levels. The kids arrive in time to see them off, and [[Jack Darby|Jack]]'s initially keen on going with them, until he finds out where they're headed. [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]]'s still interested in seeing some snow, but Optimus says the conditions are too harsh. No sooner have Prime and Arcee stepped through the [[ground bridge]] than the ground bridge system goes down. While the Autobots start trying to repair it, Jack and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] start playing video games, and Raf wanders off. He's playing "being in the Arctic" in a corridor when he stumbles on a tiny, cute metal critter. He plays Fetch with it using a bolt...which it promptly eats. Happy with his new pet, he heads back to the control room, unaware that there's a sparking hole in the equipment behind him.

Ratchet's just dug out a damaged ground bridge component when Raf returns with his find. The Autobots react in terror to the tiny critter. The kids are surprised at the reaction to what the Autobots are calling a [[Scraplet]], but then the creature starts chowing down on Bumblebee, and Raf has to beat it to death with a crowbar. Ratchet's suspicions as to the Scraplet's origin are confirmed when they check the Arctic pod and find it's been broken open—thousands of Scraplets now infest the base.

In the Arctic, Optimus and Arcee find their core temperatures have dropped into the danger zone, but Optimus is unable to contact base to request use of the ground bridge.

[[Image:Scrapheap-Ratchetinfected.jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[wikipedia:Botfly|Ro-botflies]]]]

Ratchet discovers that the Scraplets have broken the comm system. Bulkhead's in favor of bugging out, but doing that will mean certain doom for Optimus and Arcee. After hearing Bulkhead's detailed description of what Scraplets can do to a 'bot, the kids volunteer to help. Since the Scraplets aren't interested in eating them, they pair off with the three Autobots, Jack helping Ratchet repair the ground bridge while the others hunt for the Scraplets. Miko and Bulkhead explore the corridors where Raf saw the first Scraplet, and after an embarrassingly girly scream and an encounter with a bunch of overhead cables, Bulkhead is set upon by the little monsters. Elsewhere, Raf and Bumblebee likewise run into a group of the things. Ratchet has meanwhile finished repairing the ground bridge, but it still refuses to function. As he investigates further, a swarm of Scraplets enter the main control room via a vent and begin flying overhead. They attack Ratchet, but Jack uses a nearby fire extinguisher to freeze them off. There are more of the pests flying overhead, however, and as the others return from their search, the Scraplets attack and overwhelm the Autobots.

[[Image:Scrapheap-huddleforwarmth.jpg|left|thumb|300px|And not a tauntaun for miles.]]

While Arcee and Optimus try to keep themselves conscious and functional by talking, the kids manage to eliminate the Scraplets attacking their friends. However, from the sounds elsewhere in the base, it's clear there are many more lurking about. They come up with a plan to send the Scraplets to the Arctic by getting the ground bridge working, and Ratchet works out there must be an [[energon (fuel)|energon]] fuel line breach preventing the system from starting. The three kids take a tool kit and go to fix the breach. They're just finishing when the Scraplets decide it's time for lunch and break into the main control room.

Back in the Arctic, Arcee bemoans the frozen death that apparently awaits her and Optimus, especially after all they've survived so far. Optimus offers what words of philosophical comfort he can, and she says it's an honour to serve with him.

At the base, the kids rush back to the command room and let Ratchet know that the ground bridge is back online. He opens the bridge to the Arctic before collapsing, and Bulkhead acts as bait, leading the Scraplets through. He arrives in the Arctic to see Optimus and Arcee staggering towards the bridge, and the Scraplet horde bursts through behind him. Optimus braces for attack, but the Scraplets rapidly freeze in the air and bounce harmlessly off him.

Back at base, Ratchet supervises repairs on Bumblebee and Bulkhead. He and Optimus pay tribute to the strength of their human allies, but just then Miko spots a spider and runs away screaming.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (1)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (2)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (5)

|c3=
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (6)
* [[Jack Darby]] (7)
* [[Raf Esquivel]] (8)

|c4=
* [[Scraplet]]s (9)

}}

==Quotes==
"The Arctic? I've always wanted to see snow." 
"I would invite you to join, Rafael, but the conditions are much too extreme, even for we Autobots." 
"I understand..." 
"But, I will bring you back a snowball."
:—'''Raf''' is snow deprived and '''Optimus''' says things you would not expect a giant alien robot to say.

"Bulkhead, you ''never'' run." 
"Miko, you haven't seen a swarm of these things devour a bot. I ''have''. They pick you apart from the inside out, going for the small juicy bits first, fuse by fuse, circuit by circuit, 'til there's nothing left, and I mean ''nothing''... not even your optics."
:—'''Miko''' gets some nightmare fuel from '''Bulkhead'''.

"I get to be your bodyguard for once. How cool is that?" 
"Raf found the first one here, right?" 
''(lights turn off for a second and Bulkhead screams loudly)'' 
"Did you just scream like a little girl?" 
"No! .... Maybe.... Can we talk about this later?"
:—'''Miko''' and '''Bulkhead''' searching, and a more hilarious reversal of roles cannot be found.

"What do you suggest...wait, how about a game? Let's play 'Who Screwed Things Up Back at Base'." 
"Our predicament could be the result of a simple malfunction." 
"Caused by Bulkhead."
:—'''Arcee''' and '''Optimus''' prove that when things go wrong, blame it on Bulkhead.

"Bulkhead may be...too large for this world. But his inner strength is without bounds. One should not be measured by size alone."
:—'''Optimus''' gives us a life lesson while finding a nice way to call Bulkhead fat.

"Ready for the main course? Come and get it!"
:—'''Bulkhead''', king of one-liners.

"I'd invite you in, but the place is a mess."
:—Seriously, give '''Bulkhead''' a crown.

"We're just fortunate that this infestation happened...on a Saturday."
:—'''Ratchet''' finds there's an upside to having human companions.

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

===Continuity errors===
*When Jack, Miko and Raf reach the damaged energon fuel line, the breach on the duct is shown beneath, where the energon is seen dripping. When the kids seal the duct, they are shown doing so only on its side.

===Transformers references===
*To everyone's surprise, these Scraplets behave similar to their [[Scraplet|namesakes]], but are closer in appearance to [[Mecannibal]]s.
*Bumblebee's interest in video games isn't unlike another [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]'s; indeed, we previously saw him and Raf playing this same racing game in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]".
*Arcee mentions Bulkhead running into power lines shortly after arriving on Earth, which recalls a different [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]'s [[Transformers (2007)|"tingly" encounter]].
*At the episode's conclusion, Bumblebee is hooked up to an "electro-pulse" monitor, a feature of Transformer biology that got its first and only previous mention waaaay back in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1]] cartoon episode, "[[Divide and Conquer]]", when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] declared his to be fading.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* A [[wikipedia:dolly zoom|dolly zoom]] happens when Raf realizes the Scraplet is attacking Bumblebee.
* Ratchet remarks the Scraplet's bites on Bumblebee's are "[[Wikipedia:Black Knight (Monty Python)|just a mesh wound]]".
* The initial search for the scraplets is called a "[[Wikipedia:Aliens (film)|bug hunt]]"

===Trivia===
*Raf never did get that snowball. Guess Optimus was too busy dying to scoop some up.
*This is the first episode which doesn't feature the [[Decepticon]]s.
*It is not an error that the Autobots can freeze in the [[Arctic]] but not in space. The idea that being in space will immediately freeze you up like a popsicle is a [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SpaceIsCold lie perpetuated by bad science fiction]. This isn't the [[Fire in the Sky|first time]] [[Megatron (Movie)|it's happened]].
*Bulkhead [[Sentinel_Prime_(Animated)|is not the only Autobot]] with a "girlish scream".

==Home video releases==

==External links==

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Masters & Students

2011-02-24T07:37:04Z

Shinji:

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 6
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 5
|next=Scrapheap (episode)
|image=Masters&Students-SkyquakePrimefaceoff.jpg
|caption="One shall stand, one-" "Yeah yeah, 'one shall fall'. We've all heard it a million times now, Prime."
|title="Masters & Students"
|airdate=[[February 11]], [[2011]]
|written by=[[David Slack]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''While Skyquake battles Optimus Prime, Starscream recovers the nearly dead Megatron.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] reviews the footage of [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]'s destruction and decides to make a rousing speech to the [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] troops. When one of the troops questions whether they have any chance of defeating the Autobots without Megatron, Starscream proclaims himself [[Emperor of Destruction]], but is disappointed with the less-than-enthusiastic response from his men. Starscream recalls that there is a [[Decepticon]] on the planet who is worthy to follow him.

[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] is unhappy about how their recent conflict turned out, as he had still hoped to convince Megatron that peace was possible. His conversation with [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] is interrupted by an explosion, but it's just [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]]'s volcano—the kids are working on their science projects with the help of their guardian [[Autobot]]s. Ratchet's annoyed about the whole matter, but Optimus thinks it's a good opportunity to learn more about Earth.

Hanging out near a canyon in the desert, [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] detects one of the many warriors left on Earth aeons ago to protect the [[energon (fuel)|energon]] deposits. He and Starscream head over to find the lost [[Decepticon]].

Raf and Bumblebee discuss 'Bee's lowly status in the Autobot army. Bumblebee aspires to become part of the warrior class, but Optimus says Bumblebee has much to learn before he can reach that rank. The base sensors detect the Decepticon activity in the desert, so Optimus decides to head out with Ratchet. Ratchet makes a quick excuse that he needs to help the kids with their projects, so Optimus takes Bumblebee instead.

Starscream and Soundwave haul the warrior out of the ground and use an [[energon cube]] to revive him, revealing him to be none other than [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]]. Skyquake announces he still serves Megatron, and he doesn't take kindly to Starscream declaring himself leader. They're interrupted by Optimus, who's familiar with Skyquake from the [[Battle of Technar]]. Optimus tries to talk peace, but Starscream will only agree to a truce if Optimus bows to him. Skyquake's patience has run out, and, knocking Starscream aside, he charges Optimus. Starscream retires to a nearby clifftop with Soundwave and muses that all Decepticons will follow him once Skyquake destroys Prime while under his command. Optimus and Skyquake trade fire, but Bumblebee decides to take the initiative and attacks Skyquake as well. Starscream orders Soundwave to record it all. Optimus observes that Skyquake hasn't yet taken on a [[Alternate mode|vehicle mode]], so the two Autobots transform and fall back.

Meanwhile Ratchet is "helping" Raf build a volcano, in that's he's pretty much building it himself, and he intends to help Miko and Jack with their projects also.

[[Image:Masters&Students-BeeQuake.jpg|left|thumb|250px|]]

Having lost sight of the combatants, Soundwave picks up a Decepticon signal from the location of the [[space bridge]] explosion. Starscream tries to dismiss it as a false signal, but realizes he has to investigate it to keep up appearances. He leaves Soundwave, who surreptitiously dispatches the [[Deployer (Prime)|Minicon]] from his chest to follow his master.

[[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] investigates the communications coming from the area. He arrives on the scene just as Optimus and Bumblebee have managed to knock Skyquake down, and the Decepticon [[Scanning|scans]] his hi-tech jet. Taking to the air, Skyquake strafes the Autobots below, only for Fowler to attack him in turn. Skyquake fires some heat-seeking missiles at the human, who manages to evade them.

Starscream arrives at the space bridge debris and is disappointed to find Megatron floating in space. The Decepticon leader is barely sustained by a sliver of [[Dark Energon]], which Starscream rips from him. Starscream then spies Soundwave's drone and, realizing he's being watched, is forced to transport Megatron back to the sick bay on the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]''.

[[Image:Masters&Students-Megatronstasis.jpg|right|thumb|250px|]]

As the chase below continues, Bumblebee jumps onto Skyquake, who unsuccessfully tries to knock the Autobot off. Optimus asks for Fowler's help, as high above the desert, Bumblebee rips pieces out of Skyquake, sending the Decepticon into a crash dive. Fowler draws alongside so Bumblebee can jump aboard his jet before Skyquake crashes into the ground below. Optimus observes that had Skyquake chosen peace, they would not be burying him.

Back at base, repairs on Bumblebee are complete, and Prime commends him on his performance. The kids arrive back with the news that Ratchet's science projects did not go down well; the Autobot Medic had built Miko a model of Cybertron rather then the solar system, Jack a flying saw, and Raf a volcano that blew a hole right through the school roof. Ratchet is disappointed.

On board the ''Nemesis'', the Decepticons have gotten Megatron into [[Stasis lock|stasis]], and Starscream ''sincerely'' hopes he gets better.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (6)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (8)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (10)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (12)

|c2=
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (2)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (3)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (4)
*[[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] (13)

|c3=
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (7)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (9)
*[[Jack Darby]] (11)
*[[William Fowler]] (14)

}}

==Quotes==
"If we failed to conquer Earth under Lord Megatron's command, what hope do we have now while the Autobots still defend it?" 
"Ah, allow me to be crystal clear: I studied for millennia under our former master, thus I am ''equipped'' to lead you—I, Megatron's true heir, Lord Starscream, [[Emperor of Destruction]]!" 
[''Vehicons murmur'']
:— The '''Vehicons''' find '''Starscream''' leaves a lot to be desired.

''[Holding up an exhaust pipe]'' "Maybe it needs one of these doohickeys..." 
"You're a motorcycle, Arcee. Shouldn't you know how to build a motorcycle engine?" 
"You're a human, Jack. Can you build me a small intestine?"
:— '''Arcee''' and '''Jack''' attempt to build a motorcycle

"Air superiority achieved!" 
:— '''Skyquake''' does an impression of [[Omega Supreme (Prime)|Omega Supreme]].

==Notes==
*'''Cameos''': School teachers (voice only)
===Animation or technical errors===
[[Image:MastersandStudents-Skyquakeunderjet.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Fowler's jet has this stuff too, but in gray.]]
*Fowler flies a jet without wearing a jumpsuit, helmet, or oxygen mask.
*Weirder still, Fowler's jet already has Skyquake's arms and legs attached as undercarriage. No wonder Skyquake wanted to scan it.
*Starscream finds Megatron in space because he hears Megatron gasping in pain. However, sound cannot travel in a vacuum. It could be excused as Megatron broadcasting via a radio transmission, but a short time later, Starscream is alerted to the presence of Soundwave's drone by the sound of it flying through space.
*Bumblebee's optic sensors look different from the previous episodes, as if they are missing their central part.
*In the first shot when a Vehicon gets Starscream's attention during the latter's speech about the loss of Megatron, Starscream's image on the screen is seen turning in the opposite direction, as if giving his back to a camera. In the next sequence, the image on the screen is seen as if the camera were now at the same angle of the viewer.
* The close-up on Agent Fowler before Bumblebee jumps off his jet is the same used in the sequence where he says "I still got it", only mirrored.

===Continuity errors===
*Optimus claims Skyquake can't transform because he hasn't scanned a vehicle mode yet, but why doesn't he still have a Cybertronian mode?
*Soundwave is on the ground when Skyquake awakens, but is suddenly on top of the canyon behind them when Starscream retreats.

===Transformers references===
*Starscream styles himself "[[Emperor of Destruction]]", the title used in the Japanese continuities for the leader of the Decepticons.
*As described in ''[[Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron|Exodus]]'', Ratchet's model of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] has [[Moonbase One|two]] [[Moonbase Two|moons]].

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===
[[Image:Masters&Students upcloseandpersonal.jpg|thumb|250px|Seriously, it's not like fans need encouragement at this point.]]
*Starscream is ''very'' touchy-feely with Megatron's body at the site of the explosion. The writers walked right into ''that'' slash plot.
*Skyquake is, up to this point, the only 'bot to have a hand-held gun, as everyone else has guns that are either equipped to their wrists or transformed from their hands.
*Fowler's first name is mentioned onscreen for the first time. It had previously been revealed in the credits for "[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]".
* This is the first in the series time that shows full intro is used. It has a slight resemblance to WFC game trailer.

==Home video releases==

==External links==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Masters and Students}}
[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 5

2011-02-24T07:36:03Z

Shinji:

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 5
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 4
|next=Masters & Students
|image=DarknessRising5-BulkheadMiko.jpg
|caption=Spoilers: the good guys win.
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 5"
|airdate=[[December 3]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Joseph Kuhr]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}
'''The Autobots race to stop Megatron from raising an undead army on Cybertron.'''

==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 [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcons]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and brings them to conquer [[Earth]].

[[Jack Darby|Jack]] arrives at [[KO Burger]] and encounters [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]], who muses that her recent loss of a [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|friend]] makes it hard for her to say goodbye to him. 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 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 the 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 to 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 undo his work. Miko then takes a cell phone photo 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 Terrorcons. 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.

[[Image:DarknessRising5-Megatronsword.jpg|right|thumb|220px|He can do the ''ultimate'' bird flip.]]

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 Prime's team. Arcee's team has succeeded in rigging the space bridge to blow when Megatron attacks and blasts her 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 Terrorcons 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, then 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)
* [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (11)
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (13)

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

|c4=
* [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcons]] (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''', burning a disappointing '''Starscream'''

"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.

"Without a means of leaving this world, we Autobots take strength in the bonds we have forged with our three young friends - true warriors. If not in body, then in spirit. My name is Optimus Prime, and I send this message. Though we did not choose to be of Earth, it would seem that we are here to stay. If you approach this planet with hostile intent, know this: We will defend ourselves. We will defend humanity. We will defend... our home."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
===Continuity errors===
* The Terrorcons 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 Terrorcon would.
* Despite Megatron being able to ''cut off half of Prime's blade'' earlier in their battle, when Optimus resisted, the other blade was nearly as resistant as Megatron's own blade.

===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!'' (Though a possible explanation for this is that the ground bridge creates its own gravity.)

===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, 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 standing at ground zero of [[Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2|ginormous explosions]]. Hope Starscream and Optimus don't expect to relax. Megatron doubtless has [[to sell toys|a powerful drive]] to survive and return.
* Optimus's Energon blade and Megatron's hidden fusion cannon blade are references to [[Optimus Prime (Movie)| their movie]] [[Megatron (Movie)|counterparts]].
* Optimus's 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''. Of course, both attempts fail.

* 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 Vehicons 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 [[Wrecker]]s, were left behind on Cybertron at the end of that book. Sure hope they weren't around when the Terrorcons came crawling. In a similar vein, [[Shockwave (Prime)|Shockwave]] is also still on Cybertron at the end of the novel. Granted, it's 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 Terrorcon 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 4

2011-02-24T07:35:09Z

Shinji:

{{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!...Well, if you still ''can''.
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 4"
|airdate=[[December 2]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Steven Melching]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}
'''While Optimus and Ratchet battle Megatron's Terrorcon horde, the others attempt to rescue Agent Fowler.'''

==Synopsis==
As [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]'s army of [[Dark Energon]]-powered [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcons]] 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 Terrorcons 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 [[Vehicon (Prime)|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 Terrorcon 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 Terrorcons. Megatron laughs...but with a cry, Optimus breaks free and helps Ratchet up.

[[Image:Optimus Prime Ratchet Zombies Darkness Rising 4.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. He looks up to find Arcee is balanced in a shaft right above him, 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 he 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, who is promptly taken out by Bulkhead. Reunited, the kids and Autobots make their escape.

Optimus and Ratchet finish off the Terrorcon 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 he 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)
* [[Vehicon (Prime)|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=
* [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcons]] (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 slightly novel way while '''Optimus''' rues the depth of Megatron's evil.

"I heaved on your floor mats. 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 schoolwork, 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]]''.
*Jack's quitting to the Autobots is similar to Sam's decision to deny Optimus' request in Revenge of The Fallen.
** Also, reference to being a normal teen is made. And that they cannot be normal.

===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 intent on making them the bulk of his forces.
*The Terrorcons 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".
*This episode shows one of the only times a Transformer has switched to robot mode while carrying a human passenger. This also happens in "[[The Human Element]]" and "[[The Secret of the Ruins]]," but in both those cases the passenger was ejected during transformation.

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

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 3

2011-02-24T07:33:57Z

Shinji:

{{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=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}
'''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.

[[Image:DarknessRising3-disgust.jpg|left|thumb|160px|Ratchet, turn on the ''Evil Dead'' theme. We'll need all the charisma we can get.]]
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. [[Raf 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 [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcons]].
{{-}}
==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)
* [[Vehicon (Prime)|Decepticon drones]] (13)
* [[Deployer (Prime)|Deployer]] (14)

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

|c4=
* [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcons]] (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.

"Besides, Ratchet hasn't been in the field since the war." 
"My pistons may be rusty, but my hearing is sharp as ever!"
:—'''Arcee''', on '''Ratchet''''s current military qualifications.

"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.
*When Optimus reacts in disgust to Megatron reviving the Terrorcons, the white dot in his left eye is in a different position than the other.

===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. Objects inside his vehicle mode end up there when he transforms.
* 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 Vehicon'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 2

2011-02-24T07:33:08Z

Shinji:

{{picsneeded}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 2
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 1
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 3
|image=DarknessRising2-letsgetyouhome.jpg
|caption=Ohh, Dark Energon brings back the dead, so ''that's'' how they're getting out of killiOH GOD ARRRRGGG!
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 2"
|airdate=[[November 26]], [[2010]]
|written by=[[Nicole Dubuc]]
|directed by=[[Dave Hartman|David Hartman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}
'''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. Megatron inquires if Starscream is willing to volunteer to try it out, but it turns out they still have [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cliffjumper]]'s corpse handy.

[[Image:DarknessRising2-Fowler.jpg|right|thumb|200px|He's not taking the words of a group of unaccountable aliens with their own agenda as gospel. ''Bastards!'']]

At 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 [[William Fowler|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.

[[Image:Autobots Battle Darkness Rising 2.jpg|left|250px|thumb|]]

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 orders 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.

[[Image:DarknessRising2-girltrouble.jpg|thumb|250px|"That ''better'' not be Barry Manilow you're playing, Jack."]]

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)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Decepticon drones]] (2)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (3)

|c3=
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (10)
*[[Jack Darby]] (11)
*[[Rafael Esquivel]] (12)
*[[William 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.

"Blood of Unicron, how I might fathom the depths of your mystery, become worthy of wielding your astonishing power!"
:—'''Megatron''' in a private moment with his prize.

"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!" 
"Bulkhead, I ''NEEDED THAT''!"
:—'''Bulkhead''' destroys '''Ratchet''''s medical claw.

"Robots who get dizzy?" 
"Robots with emotions." 
"Robots who can [[death|die]]."
:—'''Miko''', '''Raf''' and '''Jack''' recognize the lasting appeal of Transformers.

"Well, if I don't call my mom, like, now, I'm pretty sure the cops will be out looking for me." 
"Have you broken a law?"
:—'''Jack''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"You can watch cartoons back at base with Bumblebee." 
"Cartoons? I'm sixteen."
:—'''Arcee''''s suggestion of weekend entertainment meets '''Jack''''s disapproval.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
* The Autobots have no shadows when they walk into the main mine.

===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, them's 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===
* The Energon Mine is in Nebraska as Fowler will point out in the next episode. 
* Megatron stabbing himself would later keep him from dying.....or at least [[Masters & Students|until he's found.....]]

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

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Darkness Rising, Part 1

2011-02-24T07:32:07Z

Shinji:

{{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=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}
'''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==
[[Image:DarknessRising1-Starscreamsneer.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Pleased to introduce myself! I'm a man of wealth and taste...]]

[[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 [[Vehicon (Prime)|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 survive in order 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 she ducks into the KO Burger parking lot, where Jack mistakes her for a real motorcycle and, fantasizing about one day having a motorcycle of his own, hops on.

[[Image:DarknessRising1-thisisjasper.jpg|left|thumb|300px|But can he make out with his girlfriend on the hood of it?]]

[[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 go, 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 boys, the two humans 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 Transformers' 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=
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|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

"Friend of yours?" 
"[[Relatives|Family]]."
:—'''Jack''' and '''Arcee''' on Bumblebee's arrival

"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===
*When Ratchet attempts to scan for Cliffjumper's life signal, only five Autobots are shown on his screen, despite there being a total of six Autobots in the range of his scan (including the soon-to-be-dead Cliffjumper). This might be explained as being because Ratchet's own life signal doesn't appear on his own scanner.
*Upon this episode's original airing, the [[insignia]] on the floor of the Autobot base was the [[insignia#Live-action_movie_franchise|live-action movie Autobot insignia]], rather than the standard Autobot insignia used on the characters themselves. This however was swiftly changed upon the re-airing weeks later, suggesting the rendering team either originally took note in time to effect the change, or they REALLY DO read everything on this Wiki to make the show better. This is us waving at you! *waves* {{fact}}
*In the credits, Cliffjumper's name is parsed "Cliff Jumper".

===Continuity errors===
* ''[[Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron]]'' is the basis of the ''Prime'' continuity's backstory, according to [[Hasbro]]. However, ''Exodus'' has the split between Optimus and Megatron causing the war, whereas this episode says 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.
*The Decepticon "drones" are extremely similar to the Decepticon troops in the Autobot campaign of ''War for Cybertron.''

===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 was 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]]