Editing Aligned timeline

The '''timeline of the [[Aligned continuity family]]''' has its roots in the so-called "[[Binder of Revelation]]", a brand bible assembled by [[Hasbro]] with the aim of drawing from the very best of previous ''Transformers'' fiction. This document lays out much of the backstory and important concepts for this new "Aligned" universe, and as such, the fiction derived from the Binder can in theory be assembled to paint a broader picture of the history of this world. 

In actuality, the leeway with the source material afforded to licensees by Hasbro, in the name of good storytelling, means that certain details fail to match up between separate pieces of fiction. Indeed, Hasbro has stated that they merely expect fiction to match up under a "squint test"<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2011-hasbro-story-building-panel-172316/ BotCon 2011 Hasbro story building panel]</ref> – so long as the main bullet-points pass inspection, some contradiction in specific details is not a concern. Consequently, this timeline follows the same approach: when a discrepancy arises, the relevant events are related in terms general enough that the inconsistencies can be ignored. 

{{bigquote|Cybertron, our home. For generations, it has been a peaceful world. Until pride and a lust for power divided us. Now we fight - enemies who were once our brothers.|Optimus Prime|''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|Transformers: War for Cybertron]]''}}

==In the beginning==
[[File:OneShallRise1-TheThirteen.jpg|thumb|upright=2.8|Solus, Unicron has escaped! Recruit a team of Cybertronians with attitude!]]

A single omnipotent being of unknown origin travels the galaxy, discovering life along the way. With no other creatures equaling its power, the being begins to converse with itself, and in time two unique personas form. The first is [[Primus]], a reassuring presence that accepts the universe at is; the second is [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]], who discovers and seeks to correct perceived flaws in the order of the universe. The two personas grow increasingly divergent from one another, and begin to argue. In time, the being splits physically, creating two separate bodies for each half of its warring psyche. Unicron grows increasingly rapacious and destructive, while Primus grows increasingly withdrawn. Eventually, Primus takes up arms to stop Unicron from devouring the galaxy. This struggle lasts for eons, with neither side able to gain an advantage over the other. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

==The Age of the Thirteen==
To try and turn the tide, Primus creates the [[Thirteen]], each given a unique role, nature, and artifact of power to aid the struggle. In order of their creation, they are [[Prima]], [[Vector Prime]], [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]], [[Solus Prime]], [[Micronus Prime]], [[Alchemist Prime]], [[Nexus Prime]], [[Onyx Prime]], [[Amalgamous Prime]], [[Liege Maximo]], [[The Fallen|Megatronus]], and [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|the Thirteenth Prime]]. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

===The Expulsion of Unicron===
The newly created Primes begin training and strategizing for the upcoming conflict. Solus Prime, the artificer of the Thirteen, creates many [[Artifacts of the Primes|weapons and icons of power]] for them to use. At the urging of Megatronus, she creates a [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|great weapon]] to fight Unicron, although Solus herself worries that this power could corrupt them. The Thirteen vote seven to six to keep the Requiem Blaster and not destroy it. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}} Ultimately, the Primes defeat Unicron, and the Chaos Bringer's inert form drifts off into space, where it later forms the core of [[Earth]]. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}} His fossilized blood, spilled in this conflict, becomes known as [[Dark Energon]]. Following the defeat of Unicron, Primus becomes one with the [[Core]] of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], where he gives life to future [[Transformer]]s through the [[AllSpark]], within the [[Well of All Sparks]]. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}} Although the Primes stand triumphant, Unicron's influences has tainted all of them with a touch of darkness. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

===The War of the Primes===
After a period of peaceful building and construction, tensions between the Primes slowly grow. Secretly manipulated by Liege Maximo, Megatronus kills Solus Prime, causing the first schism in the Primes. After Megatronus is defeated, the Liege Maximo makes his own play for power, but is defeated in the process. After this great battle, Nexus Prime fragments himself into five robots, each one carrying and guarding a fragment of the [[Cyber Caliber]]. His components are dubbed [[Clocker (Prime)|Clocker]], [[Mainspring]], [[Chaindrive]], [[Cannonspring]], and [[Pinion]]. The fight has lasting repercussions for the Thirteen—Megatronus, now "The Fallen", and the Liege have left the Primes for good, the once idealistic Vector Prime despairs and seals himself away in a pocket dimension, and Solus Prime is dead. Onyx Prime, Micronus Prime, and the Thirteenth Prime willingly enter the Well of All Sparks and sacrifice their lives in order to jump-start its creative processes, with the intent of creating a new race to inhabit the world.

[[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] and [[Alchemist Prime]] vow to remain on Cybertron and nurture this new civilization. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}} [[Quintus Prime]] travels into deep space with his [[Emberstone]], with the intention of creating new races that will ally with future Cybertronian civilizations. Meanwhile, far out in space, the forgotten Requiem Blaster gradually accrues a collection of space junk around it. As its gravitational pull increases, more and more drifting shipwrecks and space junk gather around it, eventually forming an artificial planetoid. This artificial planet will later become known as [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}} 

Sealed away in a parallel dimension, the Fallen swears revenge for his humiliation and exile. {{storylink|Battlegrounds, Part 1}}

==The Age of Evolution==
The three Primes that entered the Well activate the AllSpark, which in turns emits a great burst of energy. From this beam of energy comes a wide variety of mechanical life, including precursors to modern Cybertronians. Among them is a robot named Orion Pax; in reality, he is the Thirteenth Prime reborn in a humbler shape, unaware of his origins or true heritage. 
On the last stellar cycle, the Allspark's largest and most powerful creations of all, the [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]]s emerge. [[Predaking (COP)|Predaking]], their leader, is the first of their kind, followed by [[Lazerback (COP)|Lazerback]] and [[Twinstrike (COP)|Twinstrike]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} Many more follow, and some of them come into conflict with humanoid Cybertronians. 

Cybertron's fledgling ecosystems continue to grow and prosper for many thousands of years. Eventually, however, a passing {{w|red giant}} star interferes with Cybertron's own sun, causing meteor strikes and solar flares. While many humanoid Transformers take shelter underground in [[stasis lock]], the Predacons remain unshielded on the surface. They do not survive, though they leave behind a multitude of fossils containing extractable [[CNA]]. {{storylink|Prey (episode)|Prey}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} 

==The Age of Origins==
The surviving Cybertronians are quick to rebuild their wounded world. In the era that follows, many small settlements and villages form as protection from marauding warlords and barbarian armies. One such settlement, known as [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], becomes home to an influential group known as the [[Patterner]]s. Composed of survivors from the Great Cataclysm, this group of rationalists and philosophers rallies under the leadership of [[Azimuth]]. Their quest for knowledge leads them to study the movements and patterns of the stars, and eventually carve great geometric symbols into the face of Cybertron. Their movement eventually spawns many splinter groups and counter-cults, such as the cult of [[Random]] led by [[Galvatron (COP)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

At some point during this time, the [[Dark Spark]] is discovered and studied by the Patterners and [[Disciples of the Thirteen]], with some debate as to its origins. After witnessing its dark power, the [[Crystal Guardian]]s decided that it was too powerful for study to be allowed to continue, and locked it away in vaults deep beneath [[Crystal City|their city]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark}}

Eventually, the [[Quintesson]]s - creations of Quintus Prime - discover the world of Cybertron. Remotely observing the world by a system of probes secretly inserted into Cybertronians, the aliens begin preparing to invade the world, secretly intending to turn Cybertronians into mindless workers and selling them into slavery.

==The [[Age of Wrath]]==
A young [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] discovers a Quintesson probe inside the worker [[Coldwelder]]. Not long afterwards, the first Quintesson ships descend from the sky in a grand arrival, setting themselves up as benevolent emissaries sent to "uplift" Cybertron into the galactic community. They win the public support of Cybertronians by "teaching" them how to transform - in reality, they are simply activating the dormant [[transformation cog]]s in the bodies of all Transformers. 

Buoyed by popular opinion, the Quintessons soon establish a globalized puppet government ruled by [[Sentinel Zeta Prime]] and a [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] of thirteen Transformers. Under Quintesson guidance, Cybertronians rapidly develop both public and private infrastructure, and eventually master spaceflight and dimensional travel. Before long, however, cracks begin to show in their benign façade. The Quintessons establish a new [[Supreme Court]] in line with their twisted ideals of justice, while other Quintessons siphon off the fruit of Cybertron's labour for their own ends. Some Transformers are even modified to serve as transportation for their rulers, such as installing cockpits on the bodies of the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. The Quintesson occupation has a negative effect on the Well itself; Cybertronians begin emerging from the Allspark without names or personalities. One such Transformer is the newly born [[Megatron (WFC)|D-16]], who is assigned a position in Cybertron's mines.

When a resistance movement finally exposes the many lies of the Quintessons, they are overthrown and routed from the system in a war effort headed by Sentinel Prime himself, the [[Elite Guard]], and the aforementioned resistance. D-16 is one of the many working-class Cybertronians called to arms. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} With new [[space bridge]]s engineered from the Quintesson's half-completed projects, Cybertron enters its [[Golden Age]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

==The Golden Age==
The [[Golden Age]] brings sweeping changes to Cybertronian social structure and hierarchy. Sentinel Prime takes full control over the ex-Quintesson bureauccracy with the support of the High Council. The Well of All Sparks brings forth many new sparks, many of which are eventually harnessed as part of Cybertron's colonization efforts. Under Sentinel's rule, the new [[space bridge]] network allows trailblazing Cybertronians to colonize more than two hundred faraway planets, including [[Archon]], [[Neutronia]], [[Gigantion]], [[Velocitron]], [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]], [[Aquatron]], and the [[Hub (G2)|Hub]]. Concerted construction and cyberforming efforts turn many of these worlds into miniature Cybertrons. While these new colony worlds are initially supported by Cybertronian energon, many of them harness "torches" to create miniature Wells, rendering them completely independent from Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} 

The construction of the spaceport on the [[Hydrax Plateau]] begins, and [[Moonbase One|Moonbases One]] and [[Moonbase Two|Two]] are constructed on the [[Mini-Con]] inhabited moons of Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} 

[[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] Station is put into orbit as well, and a crew of Seekers are tasked with defending the Dark Energon stored within, remnants of Unicron's attack on the planet. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} The High Council encouraged the gathering and storage of Dark Energon aboard the vessel. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} The first [[Cybertronian data cylinder]]s are created, which store and preserve the accumulated knowledge of Cybertronian civilization. {{storylink|T.M.I.}}

At some point during the Golden Age, a civilization known only as the [[Ancient]]s arises. A civilization of explorers and astronomers, they travel the galaxy using Space Bridge technology, gather treasures from many worlds, and chart the known universe in their [[Ancient map room|stellar cartography chamber]]. Among the planets visited by the Ancients is Earth.<ref>In its brief appearance in ''Fall of Cybertron'', an intact {{w|Pangaea}} is present on Earth's surface, indicating that the Ancients arrived on Earth between the {{w|Late Permian}} and {{w|Early Jurassic}} periods, approximately 250-175 million years ago. The ''Fall of Cybertron'' comic, and its assertion that Space Bridges can warp time as well as space, make it impossible to tell whether or not Cybertron's Golden Age occurred concurrently during this time period.</ref> The Ancients are undone by a mysterious cataclysm that also devastates the nearby region, creating the lifeless, inhospitable region known as the [[Rust Sea]]. Many of their structures survive intact- albeit forgotten- including the large tomb that also houses their maps. {{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron}}

After 8,000 years of prosperity and exploration, the Golden Age draws to a close. The Well of All Sparks begins slowing down its production of new life, and other cracks begin to show in Cybertronian civilization. Meanwhile, among the colonies, the dreaded [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Rust Plague]] sweeps from star system to star system via the space bridge network, devastating some worlds and completely sterilizing others. In desperation, Sentinel orders the destruction of the space bridge network entirely to prevent the spread of the contagion. Cybertron is spared from destruction, at the cost of its many colony worlds. Millions of Transformers stranded across the galaxy continue adapting to their homeworlds, and many forget their origins entirely. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}} {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} 

As time goes by, various crises on the ex-colony worlds lead to drastic changes among their inhabitants. Velocitron's inhabitants, plagued by resource shortages, slip deeper and deeper into their racing obsession as a form of cultural diversion. The Junkions begin building cities and structures entirely out of their planetoid's bountiful supplies of garbage and trash, forming a stable and productive society. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}} The Neutronians discover Amalgamous Prime's mythical transformation cog, changing the entire population into omnicombinational [[shifter]]s known as [[Mutacon]]s. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}} Aquatron is re-colonized by Quintessons, who forcefully incorporate the planet into their Imperium while simultaneously tampering with the planet's inhabitants to create the [[Sharkticon (COP)|Sharkticon]]s. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}} 

==The Age of Rust==
[[File:WFCcomicD16.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|[[Gold Plastic Syndrome]] strikes again.]]

In the waning years of the Golden Age, the [[caste system]] is implemented, where civilian guilds oversee and assign newly created Transformers to jobs, and it eventually becomes a major social institution under the urging of Sentinel. Alpha Trion grows troubled with the increasingly oppressive social system, and consults the supercomputer [[Vector Sigma]] for guidance, hoping to use the Matrix to revitalize Cybertron's culture. Vector Sigma declines his request, but reassures him that the time will soon be right for the Matrix's reactivation. Instead, Vector Sigma gives him the [[Badge of Vector Prime]], a gift for Sentinel Prime. While Alpha Trion waits for the Matrix, he retreats further and further into the [[Hall of Records]], eventually becoming a recluse.

Cybertron abandons many ancient traditions, such as travelling through the Underworld. These controversial reorganizations do not go unnoticed, though, and many newly born Transformers become dissatisfied with their lot in life, some seeking change. Cybertron's culture and society stagnates greatly as a result; the dynamic architecture and artwork that characterize older eras of society are replaced by dull, drab buildings. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} 

The city-states of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] and [[Slaughter City]], populated mostly by low-caste miners and workers, soon turn to gladiatorial combat as a way to escape from the drudgery of their lives. The High Council, aware of why the games began, does nothing to stop them. D-16 begins a prosperous career of pit fighting, and eventually takes on the name Megatronus in honor of the Prime of the same name. He later shortens it to [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]. Megatron uses his newfound publicity to denounce the stifling caste system. His rhetoric inspires a group of followers that includes fellow gladiator and spymaster [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] and the sadistic scientist [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}} Realizing the threat that this upstart poses, Sentinel Prime sends his agents [[Bumper (WFC)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (WFC)|Fastback]] to infiltrate his organization. Megatron soon discovers the duo and has them executed.

At the same time, a young data clerk named [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Orion Pax]], monitoring transmissions from across Cybertron, befriends Megatron, and the two of them begin a secret correspondence. Alpha Trion encourages his protégé, in the hopes that Orion's ideals will temper Megatronus's extremism. They have intense but friendly debates over the nature of free will and the dangerousness of their ideals, and soon Orion begins training with [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]], learning to fire an ion-cannon and to fashion his arms into an axe and a sword. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

An energon thief named [[Drift (RID)|Drift]] comes to Megatron's attention who rebrands him "Deadlock". {{storylink|Drift's Samurai Showdown}} Deadlock trains under [[Shadow Raker]]. {{storylink|Out of the Shadows}}

[[File:OneShallRise3-corresponding.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|And so the fangirls leapt to their computers, and produced horrible things.]]

Before long, Orion visits Megatron in person in Kaon. Terrorists, calling themselves "[[Decepticon]]s", begin bombings in Megatron's name, attacking such popular spots as [[Six Lasers Over Cybertron]]. Megatron himself makes his first public announcement on the Grid, stating he is not responsible for the attacks and will bring the perpetrators to justice. In reality, however, Megatron had heard rumors about the bombings and terrorist attacks but did nothing to prevent them. Megatron and Orion are eventually granted a meeting with the High Council. In his speech, Megatron demands that he be named the next Prime, and threatens to violently overthrow the Council if they do not comply. Orion, does not believe in violence, and follows him up with a speech of his own. He argues that the members of Cybertron should be autonomous robots, or "[[Autobot]]s", and that everyone should be able to make their own choices in life. Orion's speech moves the Council and inspires them to appoint Orion a Prime. They give him the new name of "Optimus". Megatron is incensed by the fact that his speech went unnoticed. In a fit of anger, he kills the Council member [[Halogen (WFC)|Halogen]] and spitefully severs all ties with his former friend. At Optimus's urging, the two sides retreat for now to avoid further bloodshed in the Council halls. However, the Council itself has fragmented; [[Contrail (WFC)|Contrail]], [[Ratbat (WFC)|Ratbat]], and [[Drivetrain (WFC)|Drivetrain]] now support the Decepticon cause. Megatron officially declares war on Optimus Prime and his followers, sparking the [[Great War (Prime)|Great War]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

==Great War==
[[File:WarforCybertron-OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Yeah, why don't ya come over and say that to my face, tough guy? Bonk!]]

The war quickly spreads beyond the High Council, and before long battle lines are drawn as various city-states declare their allegiances. Autobots and their allies control the most important locations on Cybertron, including [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] and [[Kalis]]. Shortly after the declaration of war, the Allspark stops producing new Cybertronians; some interpret this as an act of divine rebellion. Undeterred, the Decepticons launch their first strike by seizing [[Fort Scyk]]. [[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] and his Council Guardians manage to hold the line long enough for the Autobots to send reinforcements. The Decepticons then attack and occupy the [[Hydrax Plateau]]. With this crucial region under Decepticon control, Megatron quickly takes over the majority of Cybertron's eastern hemisphere, which remains in Decepticon hands for the majority of the war. Decepticons then capture the [[Satellite Command Center]] at [[Polyhex]]. The battle of [[Crystal City]] sees the [[Constructicon (WFC)|Constructicons]] deploy their combined [[Devastator (WFC)|Devastator]] against the Autobots, razing the city. Many of its scientific treasures survive the destruction. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} Many dangerous weapons, such as the [[Cybonic plague]], are developed by the [[Decepticon Biological Warfare Program]]. {{storylink|Sick Mind}}

The Autobots win their first major victory at [[Kalis]], where Optimus Prime, Sideswipe, and Jazz topple the Decepticon [[combiner]] [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]]. Kalis remains in Autobot hands and the Autobots begin using long-range combat against Decepticons. Shockwave's armies occupy the cities of [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]] and [[Vos (polity)|Vos]]. Shockwave manipulates the two cities and turns them against one another, destroying them both. The Decepticon campaign reaches [[Praxus]], where they encounter stiff Autobot resistance. The city-state is ultimately leveled by the fighting, and to this day the outcome is unclear. [[Prowl (WFC)|Prowl]] and [[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]], citizens of Praxus, join the Autobot cause and become part of Optimus Prime's inner circle of confidants. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} 

Megatron, still stinging from the loss of Praxus, orders Bruticus Maximus to spearhead a massacre at [[Nova Cronum]]. In the meantime, Minicon saboteurs manage to steal and reverse-engineer Shockwave's secrets, and before long the Autobots create their own combiners. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} Optimus Prime assigns Ultra Magnus to lead the unruly squadron known as the [[Wrecker]]s in the hopes of instilling discipline into their ranks {{storylink|Project Predacon}}, and with the aid of the newly created [[Defensor (WFC)|Defensor]] the team defends the Tagan Heights against the Constructicons, although the fighting between Defensor and Devastator demolishes the area. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} 

At some point during the war, Optimus Prime survives an assassination attempt by [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] at the [[Battle of Technahar]]. {{storylink|Masters & Students}}

After centuries of stasis, the [[AllSpark]] creates a final generation of Transformers, most of whom side with the Autobots. Among them is the Autobot [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], who distinguishes himself on the battlefield and becomes one of Optimus Prime's closest compatriots. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} Another young Autobot named [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] enters the boot camp of the Elite Guard with hopes of becoming a full-fledged soldier. {{storylink|New Recruit}} 

[[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] and her combat partner [[Tailgate (Prime)|Tailgate]] serve in [[Delta Team]] for most of the war. After a raid on a Decepticon munitions depot, both of them are captured and interrogated by the Decepticon [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]]. Although Arcee is rescued by Bumblebee and [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]], they are too late to save Tailgate. {{storylink|Predatory}} At least some battles take place off Cybertron with the [[Wrecker]]s having an adventure on [[Sandokan]]. {{storylink|Loose Cannons}}

As the war continues, the Autobots are gradually outnumbered and outgunned. Optimus Prime makes the painful decision to eject the AllSpark from Cybertron, so that Megatron cannot create more Transformers. In the ensuing battle, the Allspark is fired into deep space from [[Tyger Pax]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} The Autobots also decide to eject the data cylinders from Cybertron to prevent Decepticons from using the vital knowledge within. {{storylink|T.M.I.}} With the Allspark gone, the Decepticons focus their attention on Iacon, one of the last regions still under Autobot control.

At some unspecified time, Primus warned [[Windblade (RID)|Windblade]] of a rising evil, and sent her to Earth after modifying her body and enhancing her sensors. {{storylink|The Buzz on Windblade}}

Seeking a new edge in the war, Megatron storms Trypticon Station and wrests control of it from [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], empowering himself and other Decepticons with the Dark Energon stored there. As part of their next strike, the Decepticon-allied Seekers travel deep underneath Cybertron in search of the long-abandoned [[Geosynchronous Energon Bridge]] beneath the ruins of Crystal City, which will allow the manufacture of new Dark Energon for the Decepticons' use. 

Megatron leads a group of Decepticons into Iacon, to find a means of travelling to the very core of Cybertron to spread the Dark Energon. Though Sentinel Prime attempts to stand in his way, he is soon defeated by the vengeful Decepticon—but unbeknownst to Megatron, [[Omega Supreme (WFC)|Omega Supreme]] is reactivated due to these events, and is intent on stopping the Decepticons. The Decepticon forces manage to cripple the Guardian's alternate mode, and Megatron and his troops soon defeat him on ground level. Because of this, the Decepticon leader manages to reach Cybertron's core and corrupt it with Dark Energon—a critical blow against the Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|War For Cybertron}}

The Autobots, however, are not yet defeated, and muster a counter-attack to rout the remaining Decepticons from Iacon. Sentinel, now imprisoned in Kaon, is able to send a transmission, and a small group of Autobots, lead by Optimus, soon launch an incursion into the prison to recover him. However, the former Prime perishes just as he has been rescued. The Autobots return the body to Iacon, and Optimus officially comes to accept that he is a Prime and must take up his role as leader. From then on, he fully becomes known as Optimus Prime, the last of the Primes. Optimus's first task as true Prime is to cleanse the infected core. Heading down through Cybertron's inner layers, Optimus finds much of the planet is thoroughly infected by Dark Energon. The core tells Prime that Cybertron is so greatly corrupted that it will take millions of years of shutdown in order to undo the grievous damage done by Megatron's Dark Energon. Optimus is given the [[Matrix of Leadership]] by the Core, a fragment of [[Prima]]'s powerful sword that contains a portion of Cybertron's spark. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|War For Cybertron}}

With the core's shutdown, Windblade is left in stasis on Earth. {{storylink|The Buzz on Windblade}}

==Great Exodus ("A few thousand years ago"<ref name="greatexodustime" />)==
[[File:WFCgalactic transports.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Just a little while back<ref name="greatexodustime">Assorted promotional material for the ''Fall of Cybertron'' video game dates this period to 70 million years ago. This seems ''particularly'' excessive, even for a race that normally measures its history in millions of years, and is clearly only employed to justify the presence of dinosaurs on Earth, so Shockwave can create the Dinobots by studying them. IDW's ''Fall of Cybertron'' comic addressed this by making it clear that Shockwave was looking through ''time'' as well as space, as he makes mention of the dinosaurs' extinction by meteorite, establishing that this era is ''after'' the dinosaurs died out. This is also reinforced (perhaps unintentionally) by the fact that Snarl and Sludge transform into a ''Stegosaurus'' and an ''Apatosaurus''- dinosaur species that lived almost a hundred million years before ''T. rex'', ''Pteranodon'', and ''Triceratops''. Later, solicitations for IDW's first ''Beast Hunters'' comic issue would establish that series's setting as "a few thousand years" after this era, and that comic's exact point in time would be spelled out in the final two ''Beast Hunters'' issues, placing it towards the end of the ''Prime'' cartoon in the present day era.</ref>]]

As soon as Prime reaches the surface, he orders that an exodus from Cybertron will take place immediately. Preparations are made to flee the planet, but many of the escaping [[galactic transport]]s are shot down by Trypticon Station before they can leave Cybertron's orbit. Trypticon itself comes to life, thanks to multiple sparks implanted by Shockwave, and Optimus Prime leads his forces in a battle to knock it out of orbit. The ensuing battle results in Trypticon hurtling towards Cybertron's surface. However, Trypticon is not killed, and it transforms into its robot form. After another battle with it, Optimus and his forces regroup at the site of the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', a deep-space interceptor and the flagship of the makeshift Autobot fleet. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|War For Cybertron}}

With the Decepticons in control of most of Cybertron, the remaining Autobots begin fuelling the ship with scavenged Energon. Both factions develop an interest in the ancient, powerful artifact known as the [[Dark Spark]], and the Decepticons manage to locate and open the vault below Crystal City that contains it. Shockwave makes contact with the [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]]s, subterranean creatures that have been driven to the surface after Cybertron's core shut down. The Decepticon scientist manages to form an alliance with these creatures, and their sentient representatives- [[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]], [[Hardshell]], and [[Sharpshot]]- join the Decepticons, pledging the support of their numerous feral brethren.

However, the Decepticons and Insecticons are tailed by the Autobots, and a running battle ensues, with both groups trying to return the artifact to their respective strongholds. Eventually, the Decepticons succeed in bringing the Dark Spark to Megatron at [[Kolkular]], where he places the artifact in his chest in imitation of the Matrix of Leadership. Optimus Prime arrives to confront the Decepticon leader, but is set upon by a horde of undead Autobots reanimated by the Dark Spark's power. The Autobot leader overcomes these corrupted foes and engages Megatron, and the two combatants unleash the powers of the artifacts in their chests. The power of the Matrix of Leadership wins out, violently ejecting the Dark Spark from the Decepticon leader and into space. With the artifact no longer a threat, Optimus orders the Autobots to fall back to Iacon and the Ark. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark}}

While most of the Autobots ready the ''Ark'' for liftoff, the [[Lightning Strike Coalition]] warrior [[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] discovers a massive reserve of untainted Energon in the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]]. He tries to contact [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] and the other Autobots, but is captured by Shockwave before he can reveal the nature of his discovery. Grimlock and the rest of his squadron disobey Prime's orders and hijack an Autobot dropship to rescue him. Grimlock, [[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]], [[Slug (FOC)|Slug]], and [[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]] reach the outskirts of Shockwave's tower, but are overwhelmed by Shockwave's [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]]s and taken captive by Shockwave, who has plans for the quintet of warriors. Inspired by [[Dinosaur (dinosaur)|alien lifeforms]] he has viewed with ancient Space Bridge technology, he begins experimenting on them. {{storylink|Transformers Hall of Fame}} {{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron}} {{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)|Fall of Cybertron}}

Shockwave uses the critically injured Sludge as a test run, successfully rebuilding his alternate mode into a sauropod dinosaur, before ordering [[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]] to dump his body in the tunnels underneath the Rust Sea. {{storylink|Beast Hunters issue 2|Beast Hunters #2}} Shockwave rebuilds the rest into powerful berserkers with saurian alternate modes and imprisons them in his tower, intending to use them as his own personal warriors. {{storylink|Transformers Hall of Fame}} {{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron}} {{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)|Fall of Cybertron}}

With Grimlock missing in action, Optimus leads his warriors to buy time for the Autobots to shut down Iacon and launch the Ark. Optimus discovers the existence of [[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]], an enormous Autobot incorporated into Iacon's structure who has lain dormant for millions of years. Optimus and Metroplex team up to help fight the Decepticons, and despite suffering numerous injuries Metroplex manages to deal a lethal blow to Megatron, grievously injuring him. However, the attack depletes all of the Autobot's remaining supplies of energon. With Megatron out of commission, Starscream takes advantage of the situation and declares himself the new leader of the Decepticons.

Jazz and Cliffjumper go searching for Grimlock and his forces in the Sea of Rust, where they find Shockwave's tower, Sludge's body in [[stasis lock]] and the uncorrupted Energon Swoop had discovered earlier. However, on Starscream's orders, the [[Combaticon (WFC)|Combaticons]] attack the Autobot convoy, then combine into Bruticus and crash the transport, recovering half of the Energon. Starscream is unimpressed with their performance and orders their imprisonment. 

Meanwhile, Soundwave has recovered Megatron's remains and rebuilds his body, using an infusion of [[Dark Energon]] to revive him. Megatron confronts Starscream and resumes control of the Decepticons. Seeking use of Trypticon, Megatron heads for his location in Iacon and successfully scavenges many of his components. 

In Shockwave's lab, a disgraced Starscream discovers Grimlock, who he attempts to recruit to his cause. Grimlock throws Starscream into the wall and escapes. As he fights his way through Shockwave's cadre of Decepticons and Insecticons, Grimlock reunites with the surviving members of the Lightning Strike Coalition, although he believes Sludge is dead. Now operating as the "[[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobot]]s", Grimlock confronts Shockwave and destroys his space bridge. Both are caught in the ensuing explosion.

Metroplex sacrifices his life to ensure that the ''Ark'' can launch. Optimus and many of the Autobots escape aboard the Ark. They are pursued, however, by Megatron aboard Trypticon, now a [[Trypticon (WFC)|spacecraft]] dubbed the ''Nemesis''. The two vehicles and their respective crews battle as they race for the space bridge above the planet, which explodes, scattering the two vessels across the galaxy. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}} {{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron}}

==After the Great Exodus==
Grimlock, having fallen to the ground from the collapsing space bridge tower, is found by his Dinobot comrades. {{storylink|Rage of the Dinobots issue 4|Rage of the Dinobots #4}} Four cycles after the launch of the Ark, an Autobot cleanup crew discovers Sludge's abandoned body and manage to bring him back online. {{storylink|Beast Hunters issue 2|Beast Hunters #2}}

Sludge, Grimlock, and the other Dinobots all join up with Ultra Magnus's Wreckers, and together they continue to fight against Shockwave's forces for control of Cybertron, even as the planet commences its shutdown sequence. 

The Space Bridge detonation takes the ''Ark'' and ''Nemesis'' to the outskirts of the [[Milky Way]] galaxy, where Optimus detects a faint signal left behind by the Allspark's passage. Prime and his crew are guided by the Matrix to nearby Velocitron, teetering on the brink of civil war. However, [[Makeshift (Prime)|Makeshift]], having infiltrated the crew, manages to provoke enough civil unrest among the Velocitronians that [[Ransack (Prime)|Ransack]] and his group of political malcontents attack Override, sparking a civil war. The Autobots manage to escape through a space bridge, Optimus having recovered two pieces of the Blades of Time on Velocitron's surface, though he mistakenly believes they are pieces of the Star Saber. The Autobots next travel to Junkion, where they befriend the native Junkions and begin repairs on the ''Ark''. However, Makeshift once again sabotages the repair effort, but is caught. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

Meanwhile, Alpha Trion is put under house arrest by Shockwave, but manages to send the Autobot Chaindrive to Optimus with another piece of the Blades of Time. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}} Armed with a hazy knowledge of the future from the [[Covenant of Primus]] that [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] would eventually end up on Earth, [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] launches Cybertronian relics located within the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] [[Hall of Records]] to Earth, not to keep them from the Decepticons, but to ensure that Optimus would eventually find them. {{storylink|Alpha/Omega}} Smokescreen, having ended up on security detail for Alpha Trion, is taken by Decepticon forces during their attacking the Hall of Records, {{storylink|New Recruit}} but not before Alpha Trion secretly manages to hide [[Omega Key|one of the relics]] within the young Autobot. {{storylink|Hard Knocks}}

The ''Nemesis'', following the trail of the ''Ark'', lands on Velocitron and later Junkion. Axer, an ex-Decepticon, recovers the Requiem Blaster from the core of Junkion, causing the demi-planet to tear apart. Prime, meanwhile, manages to contact Vector Prime in his pocket dimension, who also helps to reunite five bots the Autobots have met (Chaindrive among them) into Nexus Prime. A climatic battle takes place on Junkion, with the Autobots triumphant and the Blaster destroyed. However, the Junkions themselves are enslaved by space-pirate expatriate Transformers called the [[Star Seeker]]s and taken to places unknown. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}} 

With Autobot control over the planet steadily weakening, Shockwave and the remaining Decepticons take control of Iacon, forcing the Wreckers to retreat to Cybertron's comparatively barren polar regions to launch hit-and-run attacks on Decepticon convoys. Shockwave builds his newest tower in the center of Iacon and continues his experiments, studying the effects of Dark Energon on the city's beleaguered inhabitants. He eventually kidnaps Alpha Trion and tries to use him to access [[Vector Sigma]] to forge a [[Decepticon Matrix]] that will further enhance his control over Cybertron. The Wreckers team up with Omega Supreme to launch a rescue mission.

Simultaneously, out in space, Optimus Prime and company discover the seemingly utopic world of [[Aquatron]], inhabited by friendly amphibious robots. In reality, the Aquatronians are subjugated servants of the Quintessons, and their leader [[Inquirata (Prime)|Inquirata]] manipulates both Optimus Prime and Shockwave to further his own ends. The ''Nemesis'' arrives not long afterwards, following a skirmish with Thundertron, but the two sides are forced into a temporary truce by the Quintessons. When the Quintessons reveal their true colours, Optimus Prime and Megatron are forced to work together to escape from the Quintesson's twisted courtrooms Thanks to Shockwave's experiments with Dark Energon on Vector Sigma, the Quintessons are able to launch a second invasion of Cybertron using their [[Sharkticon (COP)|Sharkticon]] shock troops. Although the Wreckers manage to save Alpha Trion, they are too late to stop the invasion. General [[Tyrannicon]] storms Iacon, takes down both Omega Supreme and Devastator, and allies with Senator Ratbat to gain access to the Hall of Records. The invasion is only stopped when Megatron, still on Aquatron, discovers the [[Sharkticon Matrix of Leadership]] and uses it to override Tyrannicon's command over his troops. The Wreckers manage to keep the Hall of Records in Cybertronian hands while [[Rack n' Ruin]] splits off from the group and rigs Shockwave's tower to explode. In the ensuing fight underneath Aquatron, Tyrannicon and Inquirata are killed, while Optimus and Megatron barely manage to escape the detonation of the Space Bridge. The two factions depart the now-freed Aquatron while Optimus continues his search for the Allspark. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}}

Cybertron's conditions continue to deteriorate, and eventually Ultra Magnus puts out the call for the final Autobot evacuation of the planet. A convoy of ships escapes, but Magnus's personal craft is shot down, and the Wrecker leader is captured by the [[Forged]], a faction of ex-Decepticons serving under Shockwave. {{storylink|Rage of the Dinobots issue 1|Rage of the Dinobots #1}} The Dinobots mount a rescue mission to a Forged prison in the Sea of Rust, where they find not only Magnus, but scores of other Autobot prisoners. They stage a prison break, but are confronted by the leader of the group, [[Ser-Ket (Prime)|Ser-Ket]], who has been altered with [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]] [[CNA]] in much the same way that they were altered with [[Dinosaur (dinosaur)|dinosaur]] DNA. {{storylink|Rage of the Dinobots issue 2|Rage of the Dinobots #2}} Grimlock is able to defeat her in battle, but Shockwave arrives soon afterwards, {{storylink|Rage of the Dinobots issue 3|Rage of the Dinobots #3}} and Magnus and the Dinobots are recaptured.

The Decepticon scientist attempts to complete his work on Grimlock and erase the Dinobot's free will, but his teammates and Ultra Magnus are able to escape their cell in time to intervene, violently decapitating Shockwave. However, a hologram message reveals that Shockwave is in fact alive and well, and what the Dinobots just killed was merely a remote avatar. With the immediate threat passed, Magnus sets off to join the leaving fleet, whilst the Dinobots resolve to remain on Cybertron, seeking to hunt down their nemesis Shockwave and help the few Autobots that remain. {{storylink|Rage of the Dinobots issue 4|Rage of the Dinobots #4}}

Eventually, energon shortages force Cybertron's remaining population into the tunnels under the surface, where they scavenge fuel from underground deposits and by hunting the planet's subterranean fauna. Survivors group together to establish underground cities, one of which is led by "king" Grimlock, and the surface is left desolate and ruined. {{storylink|Beast Hunters issue 1|Beast Hunters #1}} 

Across the galaxy, the Great War continues on other planets. A battle sees the Decepticon Deadlock nearly destroyed before he is taken in by the [[Circle of Light]] and taught the ways of the warrior and blade. Retaking his original name, Drift abandons the Decepticon cause and defects. {{storylink|Drift's Samurai Showdown}} 

Another alien world to see combat is the planet [[Earth]], which is seeded with energon by Cybertronians. During Earth's Stone Age, a group of Autobots rescues a tribe of primitive humans from a meteor shower. {{storylink|Did You See What I Thaw?}}. Among the Decepticon combatants are a group of genetically engineered Predacons created by Shockwave. Their presence inspires the human legends of [[dragon]]s, although they eventually die, leaving behind remains. {{storylink|Project Predacon}} Other Decepticons include Skyquake, dispatched to Earth to guard its energon resources. {{storylink|Masters & Students}} At some point, a group of Autobots visits ancient [[Greece]], where they leave behind an [[Energon Harvester]]. {{storylink|Deus ex Machina}} The Cybertronians on Earth eventually leave, die, or enter stasis lock, leaving Earth abandoned... for the time being.

==Modern Era==
===1649===
[[File:ReignOfMorocco Horace Burns statue.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85]]
A North American island off the coast of Maine is founded by a group of settlers, led by [[Horace Burns]], from the mainland. The island becomes the town of [[Griffin Rock]], and a lighthouse with a [[Settlers' Bell|bell]] is erected in the town's port. {{storylink|The Reign of Morocco}} {{storylink|The Lost Bell}} Though [[King Charles]] offers to make Burns the king of the island, he declines via placing the proclamation into a bottle and throwing it into the sea. {{storylink|King Burns}}

===1800s===
In 1812, Griffin Rock is raided and looted by the pirates of the ''[[Oaken Crow]]''. The pirates set the town ablaze and make off with their booty, including the Settlers' Bell. Their ship gets caught in a storm and becomes trapped within a cave on an unknown island.{{storylink|The Lost Bell}}

At some point, [[Doctor Morocco|Thaddeus Morocco]] is born, who would go on to make a career in science by stealing the works of others, including a [[Chamber of Youth|rejuvenation chamber]] that would extend his life artificially with each use. {{storylink|It's a Bot Time}}

===1939===
The [[World's Fair]] takes place, which features the artificial volcano [[Mount Magma]]. Afterward, the volcano is relocated to Griffin Rock.{{storylink|Under Pressure}}

The [[Griffin Rock Technology Expo]] also occurs, during which Griffin Rock scientists attempt to create a [[Temporal Station|time machine]], but are incapable of powering it up.{{storylink|It's a Bot Time}}

On [[August 17]], the day after the Temporal Station's decommissioning, a group of time-displaced individuals consisting of four Rescue Bot Autobots, the human children [[Cody Burns]] and [[Frankie Greene]], and the Helper Bot [[Dither]], accidentally travels through the time machine from the future. They are discovered by Dr. Thaddeus Morocco, who takes interest in the robots and begins to study them. The two kids are sent away, but escape and, along with Dither, recover the Autobots in Morocco's captivity. A surprise intervention by Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, who subsequently followed the Rescue Bots through the time machine to help them, along with some assistance from [[Elma Hendrickson]], gives all of the time-travelers the chance to escape back to the future. However, a damaged Dither is accidentally left behind, and comes into Morocco's possession. {{storylink|It's a Bot Time}}

{{Note|It is from here that the timeline is split in two, as the time travel incident creates an alternate timeline (see below), but then erases it and has history put back on its corrected course.}}

Morocco starts to open up Dither to begin studying him, but the previous group of time travelers returns once again to retrieve their forgotten robot before returning to their own time, leaving Morocco unable to study the future technology. {{storylink|Bot to the Future}}

===1940s===
Around the late 1940s, the [[Cold War (history)|Cold War]] likely begins, in which a [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|missile silo]] is constructed inside a mountain in [[Jasper]], [[Nevada]], and a bunker is built under Griffin Rock. Both locations would eventually become occupied by the Autobots in the present day. {{storylink|Darkness Rising}} {{storylink|Family of Heroes}}

In 1949, Griffin Rock celebrates its tricentennial, which features holograms of some of its most prominent citizens, including its first female scientist Elma Hendrickson, on display in historical exhibits. {{storylink|The Haunting of Griffin Rock}}

===1950s===
Griffin Rock scientists experiment with [[Transwarp|subspace]] technology as part of the [[Sanctuary Plan]], in which the insect-like [[Tracer (RB)|tracers]] would transport the island's entire populace to a safe haven during the condition of a crisis. The plan is abandoned due to instability of the shelter, with the tracers being locked away in storage.{{storylink|Countdown (RB)|Countdown}}

===1960s===
The scientists of Griffin Rock install a magnetic pulse generator to disable all circuitry at [[Griffin Crest]], setting it as a safe zone in case an experimental machine ever went haywire on the island.{{storylink|Rules and Regulations}}

In [[1966]], the ''[[S.S. Isolde]]'' transports experimental technology to Griffin Rock from the mainland. During one of its voyages to the island, however, a piece of its cargo, the [[Sub-Zero Expander]], is accidentally damaged and activated. After contacting the island for advice, the ship's captain, [[Zachary Burns]], and crew are ordered to abandon the vessel and all of its cargo, leaving it to be encased completely within an iceberg. {{storylink|Tip of the Iceberg}}

===1980s===
A small group of Cybertronians return to Earth, unaware of its true nature. Bumblebee is the first Autobot to land on Earth, sent ahead of the others to scout out the planet.<ref>Bumblebee's [http://www.hubworld.com/hubworld/specials/transformers-prime-downloadables/printables/tprime-bumblebee-coloring-page.pdf online coloring page] at hubworld.com</ref> He is later joined by Optimus Prime, Bulkhead, and Ratchet, who set up a base inside the dormant volcano [[Mount St. Hilary]]. {{storylink|Strongarm's Big Score}}

===28 years ago===
Professor [[Anna Baranova]] begins an investigation of the [[Griffin Rock Triangle]] with [[Midgard|Project Midgard]]. Her mobile undersea laboratory, the ''Midgard'', fails in its mission and is rendered permanently submerged. {{storylink|The Griffin Rock Triangle}}

===Present day===
At some earlier point, Dr. Morocco, who had become Griffin Rock's lead scientist, is dismissed from his position due to his technology proving dangerous and inferior. He is replaced by [[Ezra Greene|Doc Greene]]. {{storylink|The Other Doctor}} {{storylink|The Reign of Morocco}}

[[File:CliffArcee ognpreview.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
The Decepticons begin mining the energon deposits left on earth with the intention of using it to restore Cybertron. Starscream is tasked by Megatron with recreating space bridge technology, so that the energon can be quickly transferred between planets. After scouring the galaxy on this mission, the Air Commander returns to their home planet with a number of troops to construct a space bridge. {{storylink|Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)|''Prime'' comic}}

The earthbound Autobots obtain terrestrial alternate modes and secretly ally themselves with the United States government. They are assigned [[William Fowler]] as a government liaison, and provided with an abandoned missile silo to use as a [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|base]] in exchange for keeping the Decepticon threat contained. A great deal of Cybertronian technology is installed there, including a [[GroundBridge]] of Ratchet's design. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 1}}

Optimus Prime sends a message into space, calling all Autobots to the new battleground. Arcee and Cliffjumper are both investigating the Decepticon activity on the desolate Cybertron when they receive the message. They hijack a Decepticon space bridge to travel to Earth. {{storylink|Out of the Past}} {{storylink|Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)|''Prime'' comic}} The Air Commander follows them through, but, after a brief confrontation, the two Autobots are able to join up with [[Team Prime]] and [[scanning|scan]] new terrestrial alternate modes. {{storylink|Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)|''Prime'' comic}} Subsequently, Megatron leaves Earth with the intention of gathering a new army. The Decepticons under Starscream avoid conflict with the Autobots, and continue to secretly mine the planet's energon, along with constructing a new space bridge in orbit. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 1}} During his three-year journey, meanwhile, Megatron finds a far greater prize than new troops: solidified crystals of Dark Energon. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 2}} 

At some unspecified time, Optimus Prime sets up a [[Rescue Force Sigma-17|team]] of [[Rescue Bot]]s on Griffin Rock, in which they live with a local family to better understand humanity and serve as their protectors. {{storylink|Family of Heroes}}

On Earth, hostilities between the Autobots and Decepticons resurface when Cliffjumper is executed by Starscream; later, he is reanimated by Megatron with the power of Dark Energon. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 1}} {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 2}} A series of accidents draws three [[human]]s—[[Jack Darby]], [[Raf Esquivel]], and [[Miko Nakadai]]—into the mayhem. Megatron's plan is to reanimate the thousands of dead Transformers on Cybertron and transport them to Earth via the orbital space bridge, but this is ultimately foiled by the Autobots. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 5}} Megatron himself is caught in the explosion of the bridge as it is destroyed, but survives thanks to the Dark Energon in his body. {{storylink|Masters & Students}} Megatron's wounded form is discovered by Starscream after a failed attempt to bring Skyquake under his control. Starscream attempts to kill him, but Soundwave's presence compels him to put the Decepticon leader in stasis in the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s sick bay instead. {{storylink|Masters & Students}} Wheeljack, now an interstellar nomad, briefly arrives on Earth, but after a run-in with [[Makeshift (Prime)|Makeshift]], he leaves. {{storylink|Con Job}}

An encounter with the mysterious human terrorist organization [[MECH]] introduces a second antagonistic party for the Autobots. {{storylink|Convoy (episode)|Convoy}} [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] and his partner [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]] arrive on Earth to aid with Megatron's repairs. {{storylink|Deus ex Machina}} Airachnid, too, lands on Earth to rekindle her standing grudge against Arcee and collect some "specimens", but she is stranded on Earth when her ship is destroyed by Jack and Arcee. {{storylink|Predatory}}

Events come to a head when Optimus Prime and Ratchet detect an ancient Autobot distress signal, and come across an abandoned Autobot ship infected with cybonic plague. Optimus is contaminated, and so to find a cure for the sickness Bumblebee and Arcee are forced to infiltrate the ''Nemesis'' and enter Megatron's mind. {{storylink|Sick Mind}} However, Megatron manages to download himself into Bumblebee's consciousness, and by taking control of the Autobot's body he restores his original body with Dark Energon and uploads his mind into it, restoring himself to life. {{storylink|Out of His Head}} Megatron grievously wounds Starscream sometime after this as punishment, but Starscream makes another play for power by reanimating Skyquake's corpse, which ends in failure. {{storylink|Shadowzone (episode)|Shadowzone}}

MECH enters the picture again, first capturing and mutilating Breakdown {{storylink|Operation: Breakdown}} and later teaming up with Airachnid to lure Arcee into a trap. {{storylink|Crisscross (episode)|Crisscross}} Both of these end in failure for MECH.

After Megatron and Starscream are trapped in the energon mine due to the actions of the Autobots {{storylink|Rock Bottom}}, Starscream renounces Megatron's command and tries to join the Autobots, but this ends in failure when Starscream lets slip that he killed Cliffjumper. {{storylink|Partners}}. Starscream becomes an independent faction in the war. Ratchet manages to devise a formula for synthetic energon from a retrieved data cylinder, but it proves to be incomplete and unsafe. {{storylink|T.M.I.}} {{storylink|Stronger, Faster}}. 

[[File:OneShallRise2-bigdude.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Megatron seeks more power from the Dark Energon, and refers to an ancient prophecy in the [[Covenant of Primus]] that a "rising darkness" will come when the planets in the Solar System align. In reality, the "rising darkness" is Unicron's slumbering form, and the alignment of the planets will create the correct gravitational pull sufficient to awaken him. {{storylink|One Shall Fall}}. As Unicron gradually awakens, the Dark Energon rising from his body causes several natural disasters to occur across the world. Optimus Prime confronts an avatar of Unicron head on, but diplomacy ends in failure when the chaos bringer decides to wipe out the many [[Human|"parasites"]] on his surface. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}} After another battle with Unicron, Megatron and the Autobots make a truce, as the Dark Energon in Megatron's system allows him to locate Unicron's spark core and provide the Autobots with a way to destroy him. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 2}} After the five Transformers bridge their way into Unicron, Megatron and Prime attempt to destroy Unicron's spark core with the Matrix of Leadership. The plan works- but Optimus loses many of his memories, believing that he is Orion Pax once again and that Megatron is his friend. Megatron takes him on board the ''Nemesis''. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

Megatron decides to use the fact that Orion Pax lost his memory to the Decepticon's advantage, and lies to Orion Pax about certain facts. He tells Orion that he was taken captive by the Autobots and kept in stasis long enough for the war to have moved to [[Earth|another planet]]. He then shows Orion a picture of a lifeless Cybertron, and informs him that [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] is responsible for the damage. Orion Pax vows to do his part to help the Decepticons, by completing [[Project Iacon]]. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} Soon however, Orion Pax starts to see through Megatron's lies. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 2}}

Eventually, with the help of [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], Orion Pax rebels against Megatron before completing Project Iacon. Using [[Vector Sigma]], [[Jack Darby]] is able to restore Prime's memory. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 3}}
[[File:OperationBumblebee1 Bumblebee's operation.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Soon, [[Team Prime]] is back to business. When [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] is investigating an ancient Autobot signal, [[MECH]] stuns him into temporary stasis, and removes his [[Transformation cog|T-cog]]. They use it to try to craft their own transformer, and seem to be making progress with [[Starscream (WFC)|help]]. Bumblebee starts to question his usefulness, as he has lost his speed, which is his primary attribute. {{storylink|Operation Bumblebee, Part 1}}

Megatron, still working with the information from Project Iacon, manages to find the [[Forge of Solus Prime]]. He sends Knockout to recover it, and with a fight, manages to accomplish his mission. However, Ratchet is able to restore Bumblebee's T-cog. {{storylink|Operation Bumblebee, Part 2}}

[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] returns to Earth, in pursuit of [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake's]] twin, [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]]. After an intense fight between [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]], [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]], Wheeljack, and Dreadwing, Wheeljack finally gets an [[Earth]] mode, and Dreadwing pledges his allegiance to [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Loose Cannons}}

Airachnid's [[One Shall Rise, Part 3|earlier]] remarks about leaving Megatron finally catch up to her, and she goes rogue. Megatron sends Dreadwing to exterminate her, something that Megatron would normally do himself. Dreadwing meets up with Airachnid and [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]] to investigate a suspected energon deposit. Airachnid succeeds in making Breakdown very angry, and the two go at it. Airachnid cuts up Breakdown, and leaves his remains for [[MECH]]. 

Airachnid finally goes for Megatron, and issues him a challenge. He accepts, and forbids Dreadwing to follow him. However, Dreadwing disobeys, and gets caught in the middle of the fight, and suddenly the Autobots appear. Prime, as always, does the honorable thing and lets Dreadwing go in return for his word that he would not kill any of the Autobots. Megatron, however, disagreed, and fires at the Autobots. Later, Megatron remarks that Dreadwing will make a fine first lieutenant. {{storylink|Crossfire}}
[[File:NemesisPrime-NemesisPrime.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|Punk ass Decepticon! Oh, wait...]]

After [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] seemingly tries to run [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] off the road and attacks a military base, the U.S. military gives orders to fire at any bot on sight. However, [[Team Prime]] finds out that [[MECH]] has succeeded with [[Project Chimera]], and that the bot that attacked the base was actually designed and built by MECH. [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] dubs this drone "Nemesis Prime". Optimus Prime and Nemesis Prime have a climatic battle on top of MECH's base of operations, and Nemesis falls on top of Silas, seemingly killing him. However, in an undisclosed location, Silas lays on an operating table, with Breakdown's corpse seemingly ready to transplant. {{storylink|Nemesis Prime (episode)|Nemesis Prime}}

Agent Fowler is called into [[Bryce|General Bryce's]] office to explain [[Nemesis Prime (episode)|recent events]]. Bryce tells Fowler that people higher up on the chain of command are questioning [[Team Prime|Team Prime's]] loyalty. Some are suggesting Team Prime's termination and a military tribunal for Fowler, who assures General Bryce that Prime, and the rest of the Autobots, are completely and totally loyal to the [[United States of America|United States]], and to humanity. {{storylink|Grill (episode)|Grill}}

Dual plots against Megatron's life, one orchestrated by Airachnid and her Insecticons and the other by Starscream and an army of clones, are hatched while Bulkhead found himself aboard the ''Nemesis''. The clones are destroyed, Arachnid is apprehended by the Autobots, the surviving Insecticons are integrated into Megatron's forces, and Bulkhead busts the ship's power core on his way out. {{storylink|Armada (episode)|Armada}} After [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] infuses the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'' with Dark Energon in an attempt to repair it, the ship becomes sentient and puts all the Decepticons on board into stasis. The ship starts to head toward the first set of new Iacon coordinates that it has decoded. Jack, Miko, Raf, and Fowler bridge aboard the ship and download the coordinates. In the process, Jack undoes the dark energon infusion, returning the ship to its normal state. {{storylink|Flying Mind}}

[[Team Prime]] splits up, and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]], [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], [[Jack Darby|Jack]], and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] travel to [[New York City]] to search for the first of the new Iacon relics. The new relic turns out to be a [[phase shifter]]. The Autobots are successful in recovering the device. {{storylink|Tunnel Vision}} Meanwhile, in the Antarctic, [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] goes hunting for the second relic. It turns out to be the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]] built by [[Solus Prime]]. After [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] takes the relic for his own, Optimus and [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] form a brief alliance, and force Starscream below the ice. {{storylink|Triangulation}}
[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] and [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] travel to search for the third relic, which turns out to be a [[Resonance Blaster|resonance blaster]]. [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] manages to recover the relic, Ratchet returns to base, and Wheeljack sets about repairing the ''[[Jackhammer (Prime)|Jackhammer]]''. {{storylink|Triage (episode)|Triage}}
[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] sets out to locate and retrieve the final relic. It turns out to be [[Tox-En]], a toxic form of energon. Bulkhead fights with the Insecticon named [[Hardshell]]. Though Bulkhead is initially victorious, Hardshell shoots him in the back just as he heads through the [[GroundBridge]]. {{storylink|Toxicity}}

As [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] tries to stabilize [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]], [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] arrives to base, having been alerted by [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] to what had transpired. In the ''[[Jackhammer (Prime)|Jackhammer]]'', he goes looking for whoever injured Bulkhead. As normal, [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] secretly tags along. After reaching an understanding, Miko and Wheeljack go looking for Hardshell, destroying an energon mine in the process. After an intense fight with Hardshell, Wheeljack emerges victorious. However, the rest of the [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]] hive pursues him and Miko as they take off in the ''Jackhammer''. Wheeljack uses a portion of his stash of grenades to dispatch them. However, the happiness doesn't last, as Ratchet reports that Bulkhead will survive, but will not likely be fully functional again. Wheeljack leaves again, stating that he is unable to see Bulkhead like this. {{storylink|Hurt}} Arcee comforts Miko by telling her the story of how she and [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] became partners and joined [[Team Prime]]. {{storylink|Out of the Past}}

A [[Decepticon]] escape pod is discovered on [[Earth]] at the same time as [[Red Energon]], a rare and volatile type of energon that gives the user hyperspeed. The escape pod turns out to belong to [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]], a former member of the [[Elite Guard]]. Although he appears to be [[Wheeljack (Prime)|another hotshot]], he proves himself by retrieving the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]] from [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], who manages to make off with the Red Energon. {{storylink|New Recruit}}

[[MECH]] reawakens their leader, [[Silas]], by integrating his body into Breakdown's corpse. Renaming himself "Cylas", he dispatches the MECH technical team and goes to [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] with a new weapon: the [[Project Damocles]] satellite. Megatron tries to utilize the Damocles satellite, but is foiled by the hacking efforts of [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]]. Angered with the satellite's failure, Megatron allows [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] to dissect Cylas. {{storylink|The Human Factor}}

[[File:Legacy-PrimeStarSaber.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Voldemort is ''evil'', [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Prime]]. Stop trying to be him. [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Unless...]]]]

The [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s both find the location of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]]. [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] is forced to try and retrieve it for the Autobots, while Megatron has an entire army of workers trying to get at it. However it takes the power of a [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Prime]] for the sword to finally come free from the rock that encases it. After almost crashing the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'' with the sword, Optimus and the Autobots emerge victorious. {{storylink|Legacy (episode)|Legacy}}

[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] receives a prerecorded message from [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] telling him to locate the four [[Omega Key]]s. [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] uses a [[space bridge]] to travel to Cybertron to retrieve the arm of a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]. He attaches it to his body and uses his new limb to craft the [[Dark Star Saber]] from the [[Forge of Solus Prime]]. The Dark Star Saber breaks the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] in half, but the Autobots come away with the first Omega Key. {{storylink|Alpha/Omega}}

Optimus dispatches [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] and [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] to go after the second relic, and [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] and [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] to go after the third. [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] wins over the second relic for the [[Decepticon]]s, while [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] beats out Bulkhead, Smokescreen, and [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] to get the third. Smokescreen is captured by the Decepticons when he is revealed to be the fourth and final key. {{storylink|Hard Knocks}}

Knock Out uses Smokescreen's phase shifter to remove the final Omega Key from within his body. However, Smokescreen manages to escape with the two Omega Keys that were in Megatron's possession, leaving the fourth one with Starscream. Starscream manages to invade the Autobot base and steal all three of theirs, acquiring all four. He then goes to Megatron on the ''Nemesis'' with the Omega Keys as bargaining chips. {{storylink|Inside Job}}

[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] uses a [[cortical psychic patch]] on [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] in order to find out his ''true'' motives for coming back to Megatron. However, he decides that Starscream is of more value fighting ''with'' Megatron, not against him, and welcomes him back to the [[Decepticon]]s. While viewing the results of the patch, [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] learns of his [[Skyquake (Prime)|twin's]] fate in the [[Shadowzone (episode)|Shadowzone]]. {{storylink|Patch (episode)|Patch}}

Knock Out operates on Starscream and repairs him, giving him a new T-cog. Infuriated by Starscream's treatment of Skyquake and Megatron's nonchalance, Dreadwing presents the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] to the [[Autobot]]s so that they can avenge his twin's death. After traveling back to the ''Nemesis'', he attempts to kill Starscream, but Megatron strikes him down before he gets the chance. Megatron and Starscream travel to Cybertron with a detachment of Vehicons to reactivate the planet. Using the Forge, Optimus modifies the Ground Bridge into a Space Bridge, and the Autobots launch an attack on the Vehicons using the gathered Iacon relics. They manage to retrieve the Omega Keys and reach the [[Omega Lock]]. However, Megatron reveals that the three kids have been captured by the Decepticons. {{storylink|Regeneration (Prime)|Regeneration}}

[[File:DarkestHour-Basedestroyed.JPG|thumb|left|upright=1.4|We didn't even pay off the rent for this place!]]
The Autobots are forced to turn over the Omega Keys in exchange for the kids, and Megatron reveals his master plan includes [[Eco-structuring|cyberforming]] Earth as well. Optimus uses the Star Saber to destroy the Omega Lock, and the Autobots return to Earth, only for the Decepticons to attack their base. The Autobots abandon base, scattering across country, except for Optimus who is still in the base when the Decepticons destroy it. {{storylink|Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour}}

[[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] spirits the badly damaged Optimus Prime away from the wreckage of [[Autobot Outpost Omega One]] using the [[phase shifter]]. Megatron sends [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to search for the rest of the relics. He returns with the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]], and something even better...[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] and his latest creation, a Predacon cloned from recovered CNA. {{storylink|Darkmount, NV}} {{storylink|Scattered}}

[[File:Rebellion-Autobotgroupshot.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb]]

Concurrently, [[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] lands on Earth and begins to reunite the disparate Autobot forces, who have gone into hiding. Among them are Raf and Bumblebee, who have turned the ''Harbinger'' into a new temporary base of operations with Ratchet's aid {{storylink|Scattered}}. Smokescreen, still in hiding, breaks into the ''Nemesis'' and recovers the Forge of Solus Prime. {{storylink|Prey (episode)|Prey}} The Autobots launch a final assault on the Decepticon fortress. With the help of Optimus Prime, given a new lease on life thanks to the Forge, their combined efforts bring down Darkmount for good, forcing the Decepticons into a retreat. {{storylink|Rebellion (Prime)|Rebellion}}

[[File:PlusOne-snatched.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb]]

Agent Fowler brings Optimus a new, beefed up truck to scan for his alternate mode, couresty of [[M.A.S.K.]] He also brings news of Decepticon activity in Texas and Scotland. He sends the Wreckers to Scotland, and brings Bumblebee and Smokescreen to Texas with him. Both parties discover the Decepticons transporting ancient Predacon fossils. Although the Autobots try to recover the fossils, both missions fail. Wheeljack drives off alone alone, fed up with Ultra Magnus and worried Bulkhead has gone soft. {{storylink|Project Predacon}} {{storylink|Chain of Command (Prime)|Chain of Command}}

Wheeljack bridges back to base without Ultra Magnus and Bulkhead. He and Arcee track down Decepticon activity in New Mexico, but end up having to rescue Fowler and [[June Darby|June]] after the latter two get themselves kidnapped by Knock Out. After returning to base, Wheeljack and Bulkhead make up. {{storylink|Plus One (Prime)|Plus One}}

Wanting Megatron's favor back, Starscream orders Knock Out to inject the imprisoned Cylas with a mix of Dark and Synthetic Energon, turning him into a vampiric Terrorcon who brings his plague upon the ''Nemesis''. Cylas ends up freeing Airachnid before being killed by her, and she retakes control of the Insecticons, but their attempt at a coup is halted when Soundwave bridges them to a desolate moon of Cybertron. Starscream ends up facing Megatron's wrath for losing them the Insecticons and more than half of the Vehicons while Shockwave speeds up progress on Project Predacon to make up for the extensive loss of manpower. {{storylink|Thirst}}

[[File:Evolution Predaking Stand.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Anyone wanna make a ''Dragon Ball Z'' joke?]]
On the verge of the project's completion, the Predacon reveals his newfound ability to transform as well as his sentience, and though he pledges loyalty to Megatron, his ambition does not go unnoticed, and the Decepticons decide to let the Autobots wipe out the Predacons for them. Ultra Magnus and Wheeljack end up facing off against Predaking, putting aside their past grievances with each other and forging a mutual respect, but are ultimately bested by the Predacon, who also destroys the Forge of Solus Prime and Magnus's hand. Optimus is able to save his men in the nick of time, while Shockwave finds the destruction of his lab and the presence of Synthetic Energon has produced [[Living metal|cyber-matter]]. {{storylink|Evolution}} Megatron decides to use this newfound discovery to rebuild the Omega Lock to cyberform Earth and restore Cybertron, believing the two planets to be two halves of one. While Starscream procures Earth technology for the project, the recently captured Soundwave brings Ratchet to Megatron to perfect the synthetic Energon formula. {{storylink|Minus One}} Raf and Wheeljack build a probe using Laserbeak's transponder that was broken off while capturing Ratchet, which will lead them to the ''Nemesis''. Megatron is able to persuade Ratchet to help produce the formula, having played to Ratchet's love for his home planet to override his justified reservations. {{storylink|Persuasion}} While the probe is destroyed by Starscream, it does not take long for Ratchet, Knock Out, and Shockwave to produce the formula, but Ratchet tries to make a run for it, only to be stopped by Megatron and tossed to Predaking for execution. Having caught Knock Out's slip of the tongue, Ratchet reveals Megatron's plot to exterminate the Predacons to Predaking, who goes on a rampage. Ratchet disables the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki> cloaking field, allowing the Autobots to storm the ship, just as Megatron is able to scrape a victory against Predaking by knocking him out of an airlock. {{storylink|Synthesis}}

[[File:Deadlock-Megatron-Decepticons-extinguished.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|Soundwave, what's happening to my glow in the dark tattoo?!?]]
The Autobots wage their final battle to defeat the forces of the Decepticons, with Megatron facing Optimus with his Dark Star Saber, Ratchet fighting Shockwave, the Wreckers aiming to secure the bridge, and Arcee's Stealth Team bringing the Star Saber to Optimus. When the Wreckers are bridged away by Soundwave, Jack and an Apex Armor-clad Miko banish him to the Shadowzone. As the Omega Lock is activated, Bumblebee tries to get the Saber to Optimus, but is blasted to death by Megatron and falls into the pool of Cybermatter created by the Omega Lock. Though enraged by his scout's death, Optimus is beaten and is soon hanging off the edge of the Lock by Megatron... who is then run through with the Star Saber by the revived Bumblebee, whose voices has been restored as well. Megatron dies and his corpse falls to Earth, while Starscream, Shockwave, and the surviving Vehicons abandon ship. After a failed attempt at abandoning ship as well, Knock Out receives little welcome from the Autobots when he tries to switch sides as well. Now in command of the ''Nemesis'', Optimus has it journey to Cybertron, where the Omega Lock is fired into the core, reviving the planet at last. The Autobots bid farewell to their human family, with Ratchet staying on Earth to support Unit:E, and depart to rebuild their home. Meanwhile, Predaking, having clung to the warship's hull, flies off into the distance of this new world with intentions unknown... {{storylink|Deadlock}}

Sensing Primus's reawakening, Unicron returns and possesses Megatron's corpse as a new vessel to destroy his eternal nemesis. Optimus and Wheeljack set off to retrieve the [[AllSpark]], whilst Starscream and Shockwave brought online two new Predacons, [[Darksteel (Prime)|Darksteel]] and [[Skylynx (Prime)|Skylynx]] in an effort to defeat the Autobots with a new army of beasts. The two are successful in heavily damaging Ultra Magnus, prompting Ratchet to return to Cybertron to treat him and leadership falling upon Bumblebee's shoulders. Unicron makes his presence known, and following a battle with Predaking, learns of an ancient burial ground of Predacons. Predaking takes command over Darksteel and Skylynx, while Knock Out defects to the Autobots after tiring of Starscream's abuse. At the burial ground, the Chaos Bringer raises a new army of the undead to destroy Primus, prompting a desperate last stand from the united Autobots, Decepticons, and Predacons. Their efforts buy enough time for Optimus to return and take on Unicron, but after being defeated, takes the drastic measure of taking the AllSpark into the Matrix of Leadership. Unicron is tricked into having his ethereal form sealed into the AllSpark's container, finally ridding Megatron of his torturous possession. Now knowing what oppression truly is, Megatron officially disbands the Decepticons and departs, leaving Starscream as the last active Decepticon. His reign is short-lived, as the Predacons trap him to enact revenge for all the trouble he's caused them. The Autobots gather at the Well of All Sparks, where Optimus announces that merging the AllSpark with the Matrix means he must sacrifice his life to restore Cybertron's ability to create new life, assuring his saddened comrades that this is not an end, but only a new beginning - another transformation. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}

Before Optimus can properly pass into the afterlife, his Spark is seperated from the AllSpark by the [[Thirteen]] and brought to the [[Realm of the Primes]]. {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 1)}}

==After Cybertron's revival==
===Immediate fallout===
With Cybertron rejuvenated, the remainder of Team Prime meet up with the Dinobots and work together to subdue a rogue Predacon. {{storylink|Beast Hunters issue 8|Beast Hunters #8}}

Though his ''natural cunning and guile'', Starscream is able to kill both Skylynx and Darksteel via [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]]'s intruder defence system. Exploring the fortress, he discovers the [[Weaponizer (RID)|Weaponizer]] Mini-Cons and makes plans to harvest their power before he reformats himself to his old body-style. After freeing the Mini-Cons, they manage to escape. {{storylink|Mini-Con Madness (RID)|Mini-Con Madness}} Starscream is subsequently presumed deceased by the Autobots but records of him survive. {{storylink|Mighty Big Trouble}}

As Cybertron rebuilds itself, a new High Council comes to govern the planet before [[Cyclonus (WFC)|Cyclonus]] and his troops overthrow them and take their place. Intending to restart the war and bring about the rebirth of the [[Decepticon Empire]], the five isolate Cybertron from the larger galaxy and blacklist any Autobot supporting Optimus Prime. Misinterpreting these actions as the will of the people, the Autobots do not protest and are subsequently given low positions in society. {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 1)}} {{storylink|Enemy of My Enemy (RID)|Enemy of My Enemy}} {{storylink|Freedom Fighters}} Ratchet's vocal protests of these actions results in him being <s>exiled</s> given a job hunting war criminals that causes him to spend a substantial amount of time off Cybertron. {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 1)}}

The prison ship ''[[Alchemor (RID)|Alchemor]]'' is launched, housing dangerous Decepticon criminals, such as [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]] and [[Steeljaw (RID)|Steeljaw]]. {{storylink|Pilot (Part 1)}} As a result of [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] pulling the strings from his prison dimension, {{storylink|Lockout}} the ship eventually crashes on Earth, deactivating its [[Stasis pod|stasis cells]] and unleashing hundreds of rogue Decepticons on the unsuspecting planet. {{storylink|Pilot (Part 1)}} Though the bow of the ship breaks off, the drive section remains largely intact and crashes in the bay outside [[Crown City]]. In the chaos, the freed Decepticons are able to overthrow the Mini-Con guards and seize control of the ship. Three Decepticons – [[Scorponok (WFC)|Scorponok]], [[Saberhorn]] and [[Glowstrike]] – manage to emerge as leaders and begin restoring the ''Alchemor'', intending to use the craft to plunder planets across the galaxy. {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 1)}}

===Post-''Alchemor'' crash===
Three years after Cybertron's rebirth, {{storylink|Uninvited Guest}} Bumblebee, now a lieutenant, was working as a beat cop while mentoring the Elite Guard cadet [[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]]. While chasing down the hoodlum [[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]], Bumblebee receives a vision from Optimus Prime urging him to travel back to Earth. Bumblebee hijacks a space bridge, but finds himself burdened by the two young Autobots. The trio encounters the wreckage of the ''Alchemor'' and the Minicon [[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]], who informs them about the dire circumstances. They eventually befriend the humans Denny and Russell Clay and, with the aid of [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]], successfully recapture the Decepticon [[Underbite]]. {{storylink|Pilot (Part 1)}} {{storylink|Pilot (Part 2)}}

The ambitious Steeljaw sees in Earth a chance to forge his own [[Decepticon Empire]]. His initial attempts at recruitment are thwarted by Strongarm and Sideswipe, {{storylink|Trust Exercises}} before he later recruits crime boss, [[Thunderhoof (RID)|Thunderhoof]]. {{storylink|As the Kospego Commands!}} Through the skills of [[Minitron]], Steeljaw recruits Underbite soon after. {{storylink|True Colors}}

The Autobot warrior [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] is eventually dispatched to Earth to investigate the ''Alchemor'' crash who discovers Bumblebee's team. After aiding them in subduing the Decepticon [[Ped (RID)|Ped]], Jazz returns to Cybertron, promising to smooth over Bumblebee's actions with the High Council. {{storylink|Can You Dig It?}} The High Council responds to Jazz's report by placing a bounty on Bumblebee's head with bounty hunters [[Drift (RID)|Drift]] and [[Fracture (RID)|Fracture]] travelling to Earth in an attempt to claim the Autobot. After becoming indebted to Bumblebee, Drift leaves Earth in peace. Fracture meanwhile is recruited into Steeljaw's Decepticon cell. {{storylink|Hunting Season}}

In the Realm of the Primes, Optimus Prime begins training, under [[Micronus Prime]], to combat the return of the Fallen. {{storylink|W.W.O.D.?}} {{storylink|Out of Focus}} {{storylink|Battlegrounds, Part 1}}

Steeljaw recruits the Decepticon blackmailer [[Clampdown (RID)|Clampdown]] who is instantly targeted by Thunderhoof in pursuit of revenge. The feud ends in all of [[Steeljaw's Pack]] being taken captive by the [[Bee Team (RID)|Bee Team]] only for Steeljaw to endanger human lives, allowing the Decepticons to escape. {{storylink|Sideways (episode)|Sideways}}

After improperly polishing Drift's sword, [[Jetstorm (RID)|Jetstorm]] begins to fear for his life and hops in an escape pod back to Earth. Drift follows, eventually deciding to stay and help the Bee Team. {{storylink|One of Our Mini-Cons Is Missing}} Approximately one month after the ''Alchemor'' crash, the team meets Windblade, who has been probably reactivated by [[Primus]] following Cybertron's rebirth. {{storylink|The Buzz on Windblade}} After a failed attempt at freeing the Decepticons captured by the Bee Team, Steeljaw is contacted by Megatronus and forced into servitude. {{storylink|Lockout}}

The ancient Prime forces Steeljaw to construct a modified GroundBridge into the [[Crown City Colossus]] via which he can escape his prison. The Thirteen return Optimus Prime to the physical world to the deal with the threat but he arrives too late to prevent Megatronus from escaping. {{storylink|Battlegrounds, Part 1}} After dispatching Optimus, Megatronus attempts to merge the [[AllSpark]] with the remnants of the Anti-Spark in an attempt to destroy both Primus and Unicron before Optimus Prime destroys his [[spark fuser]]. After his destruction, Steeljaw's Pack is arrested while their leader, having been hurled away by the corrupt Prime, remains at large.  {{storylink|Battlegrounds, Part 2}}

The threat passed, Micronus Prime strips Optimus of the power the other Primes bestowed upon him. This act leaves Optimus severely weakened with the exotic energies in his frame taking the GroundBridge offline separating the Earth-bound Autobots for a time. {{storylink|Overloaded, Part 1}} {{storylink|Overloaded, Part 2}} Running across [[Kickback (RID)|Kickback]], Steeljaw attempts to recruit him once again only to be rebuked. Tailing the race car, Steeljaw discovers the Decepticon group operating out of the ''Alchemor''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s drive section and smooth talks his way into the upper echelons of command, {{storylink|Metal Meltdown}} eventually setting up Scorponok for a fall so he can accumulate more influence. {{storylink|Misdirection}}

Fixit's attempts to repair the GroundBridge accidentally result in Soundwave managing to free himself from the Shadowzone. Instantly subduing the Bee Team, and sending Bumblebee to the Shadowzone as revenge, Soundwave begins construction of a galactic transmitter to contact Megatron. Once again exploiting Soundwave's penchant for combat via GroundBridge portals, the Autobots are able to free Bumblebee from the Shadowzone and send Soundwave back into his prison. {{storylink|Portals}}

After the two Autobot teams reunite, they cross paths with Ratchet, inviting him to stay and aid them in figuring out the mystery of "Decepticon Island". Though the Autobots initially attempt to interrogate Clampdown, intelligence comes from the escaped [[Toolbox]] who reveals the Decepticons' plan and location. Concurrently, Steeljaw overthrows Glowstrike and Saberhorn, intending to make the capital in his reborn Decepticon Empire. The Autobots makes plans to detonate a [[stasis bomb]] and render all convicts into stasis lock. Though confronted by Steeljaw, now empowered by the power of three [[Decepticon Hunter]]s, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee are able to detonate the bomb. With the ''Alchemor'' flight worthy once again, Ratchet and Windblade elect to join the Mini-Con crew in returning to Cybertron. Optimus Prime accompanies them, feeling a need to investigate the new regime on Cybertron. {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 1)}} {{storylink|Decepticon Island (Part 2)}}

During the flight back, Optimus makes contacts with several of his friends. {{storylink|Worthy}}

The Weaponizers, still fleeing Starscream, fall in line with a group of [[Scavenger (RID 2015)|Scavengers]] eventually winding up on Earth. With Earth now largely Decepticon-free, Bumblebee takes time to show his team around his adopted homeworld. While on an educational field trip to [[Autobot Outpost Omega One]], the Bee Team runs across [[Paralon (RID)|Paralon]] and [[Buzzstrike]]. {{storylink|History Lessons}} To track the Scavengers and Mini-Cons, the Autobots begin investigating sites of previous Cybertronian activity on Earth eventually coming to blows with [[Scatterspike]] and [[Sawtooth (RID)|Sawtooth]] at [[Mount St. Hilary]]. {{storylink|Strongarm's Big Score}}

The Scavengers eventually strike gold when they retrieve the [[Dark Star Saber]] but while they argue over their latest prize, the Weaponizers steal their shuttle. Concurrently, Starscream returns to Earth hunting down the Mini-Cons and claims the Dark Star Saber right out from under the Scavengers. Still seeking to possess the Mini-Cons, he has minions track down their signals and bring them to him. His minions bring him the wrong Mini-Cons but Fixit accidentally reveals Bumblebee is back on Earth. Using the Autobot Mini-Cons as hostages, Starscream is able to take Bumblebee hostage. Optimus Prime returns to Earth to provide aid. {{storylink|Mighty Big Trouble}} While tracking Starscream, the Autobots come across the Weaponizers and form a tentative alliance before the Scavengers return. The power unleashed during their battle alerts Starscream to their position and he manages to abduct six out of the seven Weaponizers. {{storylink|Mini-Con Madness (RID)|Mini-Con Madness}} The last of them, [[Tricerashot]] helps the Autobots defeat the Scavengers before he leads them to [[Starscream's ship]]. No sooner do they arrive does Starscream abduct him and merge himself with all seven Weaponizer Mini-Cons. An analysis of the machinery utilized reveals a way to undo this allowing the Autobots to free [[Aerobolt]] who [[powerlinx]]es with Optimus. With his power augmented, Optimus is able to hold Starscream off long enough for the other Mini-Cons to be freed though doing so leaves Starscream in vegetative state. Optimus departs back to Cybertron but not before revealing he is working with "old friends" to change the political situation on their home planet. {{storylink|Worthy}}

On Cybertron, the High Council's plans near completion. To keep the Bee Team occupied, they free Steeljaw and his pack, sending back to Earth with orders to kill, in exchange for a full pardon. {{storylink|Exiles}} Desiring to summon [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] back home, the Council genetically engineers a quartet of Activator Mini-Cons and sends them to Earth to free Soundwave from the shadowzone for his skills in communications. {{storylink|Collateral Damage}}

Concurrently, the Bee Team runs afoul of the unambitious [[Stunticon (Prime)|Stunticons]] who seek to "control [Earth's] roads" via automotive mayhem. {{storylink|King of the Hill (Part 1)}} {{storylink|King of the Hill (Part 2)}} 

The team briefly cross paths with [[Blurr (Prime)|Blurr]] {{storylink|Blurred}} who aids them for a while {{storylink|Sphere of Influence}} before returning to Griffin Rock. {{storylink|Bee Cool}} Drift's former mentor, [[Shadow Raker]], arrives on Earth seeking to reclaim Slipstream and Jetstorm. The two Mini-Cons feign loyalty to their old master who lowers his guard enough to be defeated and imprisoned. Afterwards, Drift promises his students more autonomy. {{storylink|Out of the Shadows}} Strongarm's old classmate, [[Nightra]] briefly stops by only to be imprisoned by [[Blastwave]] for her many crimes. {{storylink|Guilty As Charged}}

In their next confrontation, the Bee Team is met by the Stuncticon's combined form of [[Menasor (RID)|Menasor]] whom they manage to defeat with their own combined form, [[Ultra Bee]]. {{storylink|Combine and Conquer}} Optimus Prime then returns to Earth to seek Drift's aid in his quest, taking the defeated Stunticons back to Cybertron with them. {{storylink|Moon Breaker}}

Steeljaw's pack then strikes, decimating the scrapyard and forcing the Bee Team into hiding. {{storylink|Exiles}} The pack goes to work stealing the needed components for Soundwave but all but Steeljaw wind up captured following battles with the Autobots. In his anger, Steeljaw demands that Soundwave come collect the final components personally. {{storylink|Prisoner Principles}}

Acquiescing, Soundwave meets Steeljaw and reveals he is building a [[trans-galactic beacon generator]] to summon Megatron, which will irradiate Earth to the point of uninhabitability when activated. Though Steeljaw attempts to fight for his desired world, he is soundly defeated and sent running. With the aid of Optimus Prime, the Bee Team manages to defeat Soundwave before he can send his signal. Optimus returns to Cybertron, taking Soundwave as his prisoner. {{storylink|Collateral Damage}} Optimus then makes contact with [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] and orders him to Earth. {{storylink|Sick as a Bot}}

On Cybertron, the High Council develops mind control technology so as to use the Autobots as their new military force in rebuilding the [[Decepticon Empire]]. Using this technology, they send [[Dropforge]] and three of his officers to Earth to arrest the Bee Team only for Strongarm to free her mentor free of the signal. {{storylink|Five Fugitives}} Now far too recognizable to confront the Council directly, Optimus, and his team of All Stars, travel to Earth and inform the Bee Team that the High Council is preparing an invasion of Earth. The Bee Team travels to Cybertron, with Steeljaw as a stowaway, while Optimus's team hunts for the [[Space bridge|Space Bridge]] receiver. Though the Bee Team touches down on their homeworld, they are soon surrounded by the Council's forces. {{storylink|Enemy of My Enemy (RID)|Enemy of My Enemy}}

Dropforge then arrives to free them and directs them to the [[High Council Tower]]. Breaking into the Council chambers, the Bee Team discovers the Council's true Decepticon bodies and engages their combined form of [[Galvatronus (RID)|Galvatronus]] with Ultra Bee. On Earth, Optimus's team manages to destroy the Space Bridge much to Galvatronus's rage who rants off the Council's plans of conquest as Steeljaw and Fix-It disable the mind control. As a result of the hesitations of [[Cyberwarp]], the Bee Team is able to triumph and return Cybertron to Autobot control. Optimus declines rulership of Cybertron, instead placing the All Stars, as temporary rulers while the Bee Team returns to Earth as Cybertron's first ambassadors to the planet. {{storylink|Freedom Fighters}}

{{stub|All of Rescue Bots Academy}}

==Future==
At some point, all of humanity learns of the existence of Cybertronians. 

[[Jules Verne]] returns to the future and brings an apparently amnesic [[Doctor Morocco|Thaddeus Morocco]] with him to [[Paris]] to show him the sights. {{storylink|The Last of Morocco}}

==Alternate timeline==
{{Note|The events of this timeline diverge from the main timeline at 1939 of the Modern Era, in which a great time travel incident both created and subsequently erased this new timeline. As the exact extent of all that was changed beyond the borders of Griffin Rock is not known, this section will only cover the known divergences.}}

===1939===
The [[Griffin Rock Technology Expo]] occurs, during which Griffin Rock scientists attempt to create a [[Temporal Station|time machine]], but are incapable of powering it up.{{storylink|It's a Bot Time}}

On [[August 17]], the day after the Temporal Station's decommissioning, a group of time-displaced individuals consisting of four Rescue Bot Autobots, the human children [[Cody Burns]] and [[Frankie Greene]], and the Helper Bot [[Dither]], accidentally travels through the time machine from the future. They are discovered by Dr. Morocco, who takes interest in the robots and begins to study them. The two kids are sent away, but escape and, along with Dither, recover the Autobots in Morocco's captivity. A surprise intervention by Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, who subsequently followed the Rescue Bots through the time machine to help them, along with some assistance from [[Elma Hendrickson]], gives all of the time-travelers the chance to escape back to the future. However, a damaged Dither is accidentally left behind, and comes into Morocco's possession. {{storylink|It's a Bot Time}}

Studying Dither's future technology, Morocco falsely takes credit as the robot's inventor, redubbing it the MorBot 1.1. From this robot, Morocco gains great fame and power with the promise of technological prosperity for Griffin Rock. {{storylink|Bot to the Future}}

===Present day===
Morocco, having come to gain power over Griffin Rock, rules the now-dystopian island of "Moropolis" with an army of transformable MorBot mechanoids.{{storylink|It's a Bot Time}} {{storylink|Bot to the Future}} The Burns family are a family of mechanics, with Charlie Burns being a janitor at the [[Hall of Inspiration]], while all secretly heading a resistance movement against Morocco. Huxley Prescott is a taxi driver, Mr. Luskey owns a restaurant, no Cody Burns exists in this timeline, and no "Doc Greene" lives on the island. {{storylink|Bot to the Future}}

When the group of time-traveling Autobots and humans return from 1939 to the present, they find themselves in this timeline. The team splits up as Optimus and Bumblebee fend off the MorBots while the others seek answers. Learning of the altered history from the Hall of Inspiration, the group meets this timeline's Charlie Burns, who is suspicious of them at first, but eventually comes to aid them. The team accompanies Charlie back to his home, but Morocco has caught wind of their arrival. The Burns siblings are also initially skeptical of the newcomers, but agree to help once their home is attacked. As Morocco is about to destroy the fire house, the Burns family unveil its new secret weapon: The [[Mobile Headquarters]]. After a great battle, all six Autobots and the Burns family arrive at the Temporal Station. The departing time travelers are given the MHQ as a parting gift and vanish through the portal back to 1939, just as Morocco arrives and crashes his MorBot.{{storylink|Bot to the Future}}

{{Note|From here, the team retrieves Dither from 1939 and returns to the present in their corrected timeline, thus erasing this timeline from existence.}}

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Aligned history]]
[[Category:Chronologies]]