Aftermath (ES episode)

The name or term "Aftermath" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Aftermath (disambiguation).

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Hasta la vista, baby.
"Aftermath"
Season	2
No. in season	1
Production company	Hasbro Entertainment Nickelodeon Productions
Airdate	June 7, 2024 (Paramount+) September 28, 2024 (Nickelodeon)
Writer	Dale Malinowski
Director	Sheldon Vella
Animation studio	88 Pictures
Watch this episode on Paramount+

A year after Mandroid's defeat, a new foe arises.

Synopsis

One year after Mandroid's defeat, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee race down a highway with Swindle in pursuit. Swindle's fire hits the storage container holding the Emberstone shard the Autobots are transporting, and though Mo attempts to grab it, Skywarp teleports in and beats her to it. Mo and Robby swing into action, successfully knocking the Decepticon off Prime's trailer. The kids recall how the Cons were initially helping them collect the shards of the Emberstone until the truce collapsed and under Starscream's leadership, are now competing with them for the shards.

The Autobots are almost to safety when Nova Storm snares the shard with an electromagnet cable, and though Mo tells Robby to let go, he's yanked off the trailer with the shard. Twitch severs the cable, picking up the end with Robby on it, but Nova Storm fires on them, causing Robby to drop the shard. Twitch saves Robby, and Optimus heads for the falling shard... only for Breakdown to reach it first. Thrash and Hashtag give chase, though the Con is stopped by Jawbreaker. Refusing to surrender the shard, Breakdown instead crushes its container and throws the shard. It lands in a puddle of water and unleashes energy wildly, spontaneously birthing a new Terran. The newcomer scans a towtruck which moments later crashes into him. After cutting his way through the towtruck, the newcomer starts attacking the other Terrans present, using his tow hook to slam Hashtag into the nearest highway support. Breakdown moves in and quickly talks the new Terran into going with him to join the Decepticons. The pair drive off as everyone goes to check on Hashtag.

At the Decepticon base, Starscream is outraged that Breakdown's actions have resulted in the new Terran, who introduces himself as Aftermath. As Starscream points out, he needs all of the Emberstone back to activate the weapon he's learned of which lies beneath Witwicky. Meanwhile at the Malto farm Bumblebee marvels at the idea anyone with a shard of the Emberstone can create a Terran, though Robby says Aftermath was more like a "Chaos Terran". Alex reasons that Starscream may be trying to build up a force of Chaos Terrans as soldiers. While Bumblebee is keen to go on the hunt for more shards, Robby thinks they should instead steal the shards Starscream has already recovered and he has a plan.

The Autobots head down a highway as Dot briefs them that they're after three shards located at the naval yard. Above them, Soundwave listens in and transmits the information back to Starscream, who orders the Decepticons into action. Not Breakdown, however, whom he tasks with babysitting Aftermath. As the Cons head out, Twitch, Nightshade and Robby sneak in through the open gate, avoiding the skies due to the base's anti-air defenses. They soon witness Breakdown failing to take charge of Aftermath, who starts pummeling the Con. The Autobots at the naval yard triumphantly hold up the three shards, just as the Decepticons swoop in. Chaos ensues with the Autobots doing their best to keep the shards out of Decepticon hands. The trio at the Decepticon base reach the command center and extract the Emberstone shards held there. Meanwhile Starscream and Skywarp finally manage to snag a shard from Megatron, only for Starscream to realize it's fake and he quickly orders everyone back to base.

At said base, Nightshade, Twitch and Robby are waiting for the main door to open so they can escape when Aftermath and Breakdown's tussle lands the pair right next to them. Seeing an opportunity, Breakdown sets the Chaos Terran on the intruders, and Aftermath's first shot breaks the door, slamming it closed. The Terrans plead for Aftermath to come with them, but their arguments fall on deaf ears. A blast from Aftermath bounces off Robby's shield and detonates the stockpile of ammunition, causing a massive explosion. Breakdown throws himself in front of Aftermath, shielding the latter from the blast. The Maltos head for the new hole in the base's defensive wall, but Aftermath hooks the shard container with his tow line, and in the ensuing tug of war, the Maltos are forced to let it go so they can escape before the rest of the Decepticons arrive. As they take flight, the base's anti-air defenses fire a swarm of missiles, which they successfully lead into Starscream and the other returning Decepticons.

Back at the farm, Alex bandages an unhappy Robby's arm and the family reassures the boy that there will be more opportunities in future. Outside, a recovered Hashtag rejoins the other Terrans.

Featured characters

Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons	Humans	Terrans	Others
Optimus Prime (1) Elita-1 (15) Bumblebee (26)	Swindle (2) Skywarp (5) Hardtop (11) Soundwave (12) Starscream (13) Megatron (14) Skullcruncher (22) Breakdown (23) Shockwave (24) Nova Storm (25)	Robby Malto (3) Mo Malto (4) Alex Malto (17) Dot Malto (18)	Hashtag (7) Jawbreaker (8) Twitch(16) Thrash (19) Nightshade (20) Aftermath (27)	Quintus Prime (6) Blitzwave (9) Razor-Fin (10)

Quotes

"Family first, always."

—Twitch

"Speed beats size every time."

—Breakdown

"Power beats speed every time!"

—Jawbreaker

"Anyone have eyes on Breakdown or the Chaos Terran?"
"He's probably looking for a rainbow to punch."

—Nightshade and Robby

Notes

Continuity notes

• The Emberstone shattered at the end of "The Last Hope, Part 2", when Robby and Mo used it to restore the Autobots, Decepticons and Terrans to life. This episode establishes that a year has passed since those events.

Transformers references

• The concept of new Terrans being created out of Embershards is similar to the Revenge of the Fallen film and the second season of Transformers Animated, where new characters would be brought to life by fragments of the AllSpark.
• This isn't the first time an episode titled "Aftermath" served as the second season premiere of a Transformers cartoon.

Errors

Now you see me... now you don't!

• After Starscream and Megatron face off, Starscream disappears for a frame when transforming. (This can be explained by the animation team swapping the robot and vehicle models, but missing a frame during the process).

Trivia

• Outside of the flashback scenes from the season 1 finale, this is the final time we see Blitzwave and Razor-Fin, and the show never bothers to explain what happened to them.

Foreign localization

French

• Title: "Aftermath"
• Original airdate: July 6, 2024

German

• Title: "Aftermath"
• Original airdate: July 6, 2024

Brazilian Portuguese

• Title: "Aftermath"
• Original airdate: July 6, 2024

Polish

• Title: "Aftermath"
• Original airdate: July 6, 2024