Editing History Lessons

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' (2015) ep 40
|prev=Decepticon Island (Part 2)
|next=Strongarm's Big Score
|title="History Lessons"
|airdate=[[September 10]], [[2016]] (Canada)
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
|writer=
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|director=
}}

'''A visit to the original Autobot base reveals a dangerous new enemy with an agenda of his own.'''

==Synopsis==
As the Autobots prepare to embark through the [[GroundBridge]], [[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]] laments that he always misses the adventures the others go on. [[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]] tells him he hasn't missed much, somewhat annoyed at [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s enthuiasm about taking his team on a "history lesson". The Bridge opens, and the team steps through...into [[Hangar E|a human military base]], much to [[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]]'s panic about their being exposed, and she frantically calls Fixit for a groundbridge out before they're discovered...

...only to be countermanded by Bumblebee, who tells them there's nothing to worry about, and invites them to analyse the surrounding base and tell him what they discover. Strongarm notes that everything is covered in dust, while [[Drift (RID)|Drift]] observes that whoever had previously occupied the base had terrible taste in furnishings. Commenting that the base is only abandoned ''now'', Bumblebee leads them outside, where the team scans a nearby abandoned Jeep for desert camoflauge colors - except for [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]], who has to pretend he's only a "green, giant robot from outer space who transforms into a giant dinosaur". Bee then leads them to where they can get a good look at the surrounding area, where - to Strongarm's wonderment and Sideswipe's annoyance, they see another piece of history, the ruined mesa that once housed [[Autobot Outpost Omega One]].

The team transforms to drive to the outpost, where Bumblebee warns them to be cautious, as they had left security systems operating when they abandoned the base. Waxing nostialgic about days of hiding from invading Decepticons and arm-wrestling with Bulkhead, he muses that they should retrieve some of the "important artifacts" that were stored on the lower levels, levels they had kept secret even from the humans "for their own protection", his reminicing about having once kept a diary is cut short by Sideswipe's observation that a nearby "artifact" looks rather newer than it should be - and it is, in fact, a bomb.

After fighting off the indiscriminent security systems with the help of [[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] and [[Slipstream (RID)|Slipstream]], Bumblebee calls to have Fixit start work on decyphering the bomb, while the team splits up to try and find who placed it. Bumblebee and Sideswipe head directly down into the base...

...where they stumble across a scorpion-like Decepticon who introduces himself as [[Paralon]], and declares that the base, and everything in it, is his by right of salvage. His partner, the Mini-Con [[Buzzstrike]], transforms into an Energon axe, and the Autobots marvel at the energy reading he's giving off, along with the fact he's powering up Paralon, before Sideswipe runs out of patience and charges. Bumblebee calls for bacup as Sideswipe is sent flying, but the call is garbled when the others receive it, and they assume it was a normal check-in.

Elsewhere, Strongarm and Grimlock are exploring when Grimlock steps on something that goes ''click''. Alarmed, the two call Bumblebee for advice, only to find no response. Strongarm starts trying to decide exactly how to deal with what they're certain is a mine - much to Grimlock's discomfiture - as Drift, Jetstorm and Slipstream have their search route take them close enough to detect the sounds and flashing lights of combat, and charge in. Paralon is quickly taken down - but he throws Buzzstrike with his last strength; Bumblebee catches him, and the Mini-Con immediately interfaces with him, taking control of his body and forcing him to attack Drift as Paralon comes around.

Between them, Paralon and the Mini-Con take down the team; Paralon, noting that the base could be "swarming with Autobots" at any moment, observes they don't have time to finish them off, signaling the bomb to accellerate its countdown. Buzzstrike balks, noting he didn't sign up to hurt people; Paralon tells him that anyone who gets in the way of [[Scavengers (RID)|Scavengers]] has brought their fate on their own servos, and he transforms into scorpion mode, a pensive Buzzstrike climing aboard as they hurry off to the central command center where they will be safe from the blast. Sideswipe comes to just in time to see them leave, and he decides to follow and take them down once and for all.

Strongarm, meanwhile, realises she and Grimlock are in over their heads, and she transforms to find Bumblebee to solve the problem, in the process driving by the bomb and noting with shock that it's activating. She finds the others as they come to, and they rush back to the bomb. The interference from earlier is worse now, and they can't contact Fixit for advice; Bumblebee declares there is only one option left, and he activates his [[Decepticon Hunter]] and strides towards the bomb, raising the weapon...

Sideswipe catches up with Paralon and Buzzstrike as the scavengers discover a plasma rifle in the wreckage, bluffing that the others are right behind him, only to have his bluff cut short by an earthquake from the bomb's explosion. Recovering, he stuns Paralon, grabs the rifle and transforms, driving back into the base as Buzzstrike looks on thoughtfully.

Back with Bumblebee, Strongarm compliments him on his using the Decepticon Hunter to create a force shield to contain the bomb's explosion, then tells him that Grimlock needs his help ''now'', leaving Bee to sigh about how the day just keeps getting worse. Elsewhere, Paralon grouches about the base having so many levels, only to be ambushed by Sideswipe, who had ducked into the secret storage levels to hide. The two duel, Sideswipe knocking out the Decepticon once again - only to have Buzzstrike take over Paralon's unconsious body. He offers to let Sideswipe keep the weapon they'd found if they are allowed to go; the hot-headed Autobot counters that he intends to take the weapon ''and'' the scavengers in, sparking a fight that Buzzstrike-Paralon quickly wins...only to leave Sideswipe, and the weapon, sprawled on the floor as he turns to walk away.

Bumblebee finds Grimlock, the Dinobot having resigned himself to his fate, and pushes him off the 'mine'...explaining to the shocked Grimlock that they didn't ''place'' any mines when they left, and the click had just been his crushing an old armor buffer that [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] had discarded. Strongarm finds Sideswipe coming to, informing him that everything is fine; he wonders why the scavengers didn't finish him off ''or'' take their prize...

...even as Buzzstrike releases Paralon from his control, letting the Decepticon come around in bewilderment. Buzzstrike explains to the somewhat pissed scorpion that they had been "surrounded by Autobots" and he'd had to run for it, without there being time to recover the plasma rifle. Paralon grudgingly accepts this, but he warns Buzzstrike not to say anything to "the others" about their failure, as he intends to be the greatest scavenger of all and it won't do to be laughed at, even as he pushes aside a false rock face to reveal the ramp of a Cybertronian scout-ship, which the two board, Buzzstrike still looking not quite convinced of their virtues.

Regrouping outside the base's ruins, Bumblebee compliments Sideswipe on his initiative; Sideswipe admits that knowing about history might have been helpful after all. Bee cals up Fixit - the intereference having cleared - and getting the word that they are all-clear of Decepticon signals. Sideswipe then observes that he had grabbed an artifact on his way out, that he produces; Bumblebee panics at seeing the small disc, insisting it be handed over, but Sideswipe activates it...revealing it to be Bumblebee's old holodiary, showing the Autobot scout in legwarmers as he tried to make the Cybertronian equivilant of an exercise video, the team cracking up as Bee stammers, then grabs for the device, the two Autobots scuffling and then transforming into car form to chase each other as the others resume laughing.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]] (1)
*[[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]] (2)
*[[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]] (3)
*[[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]] (4)
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] (5)
*[[Drift (RID)|Drift]] (6)
*[[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] (7)
*[[Slipstream (RID)|Slipstream]] (8)

|c2=
*[[Paralon]] (9)

|c4= 
*[[Buzzstrike]] (10)
}}

==Quotes==

==Notes==

===Animation and technical errors===

===Continuity errors===
*The military base the team first enters is implied to be [[Hangar E]], yet it is shown to be right outside of the destroyed [[Autobot Outpost Omega One]]. In Prime, the two bases were never shown to be this close, as the entire point of relocating to the hangar was to get ''FAR AWAY'' from the original base.
*Bumblebee mentions having fought Decepticons inside the base, which could have never happened. The entire plot of the first two seasons of Prime revolved around the Decepticons never knowing the location of the Autobot base. Unless he was referring to [[Makeshift (Prime)|Makeshift]], in which case he was GROSSLY exaggerating what he did during that event.
*Though not necessarily an error, Bumblebee is shown in his RID model in his workout video. Since this footage was implied to have been taken many years earlier (probably the 80s), Bee should be in his Prime model.

===Continuity notes===

===Prisoner manifest===
* ''In stasis'': [[Hammerstrike (RID)|Hammerstrike]], [[Chop Shop (RID)|Chop Shop]], [[Terrashock]], [[Filch]], [[Minitron]], [[Ped]], "that one with all the eyes", [[Malodor]] and the [[Skunkticon]]s, [[Nightstrike]], [[Vertebreak (RID)|Vertebreak]], [[Octopunch (RID)|Octopunch]], [[Headlock (RID)|Headlock]], [[Scowl (RID)|Scowl]], "[[Fancyclaws]]", [[Zizza]], [[Pseudo]], [[Fracture (RID)|Fracture]], [[Airazor (RID)|Airazor]], [[Divebomb (RID)|Divebomb]], [[Underbite]], [[Backtrack (RID)|Backtrack]], [[Ransack (RID Mini-Con)|Ransack]], [[Polarclaw]], [[Razorpaw]], [[Swelter]], [[Glacius]], [[Torpor]], [[Simacore]], [[Axiom]], [[Theorem]], [[Scorponok (WFC)|Scorponok]], [[Crazybolt (RID)|Crazybolt]], [[Slicedice]], [[Bludgeon (RID 2015)|Bludgeon]], [[Clout]], [[Bisk]], [[Hammer (RID)|Hammer]], [[Anvil (RID)|Anvil]], [[Silverhound]], [[Quillfire]], [[Back]], [[Forth]], [[Stockade (RID)|Stockade]], [[Major Mayhem]](s), unknown Decepticon captured by Ratchet, [[Clampdown (RID)|Clampdown]], [[Steeljaw (RID)|Steeljaw]], [[Groundpounder (RID)|Groundpounder]], [[Thunderhoof]], [[Overload (RID)|Overload]], [[Saberhorn]], [[Glowstrike]], unknown number of Decepticon Island inhabitants
* ''Known at large'': N/A
* ''Released'': Grimlock
* ''Status unknown'': [[Springload]], [[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]]
* ''Unknown number missing, presumed at large''


===Transformers references===

===Real-world references===

===Trivia===

===Foreign localization===
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'''Italian'''
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'''Japanese'''
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==Home video releases==
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[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2015) episodes]]