Hunter vs Hunted

« Transformers: Cyberworld episode 7
Prime finds a real-world use for his Monster Hunter skills.
Hunter vs Hunted
Season	1
No. in season	7
Airdate	August 30, 2025
Writers	Ryan Denham
Animation studio	Omens Studio LTD
Continuity	Cyberworld

It's Optimus vs Grimlock in a high-stakes game of tag!

Synopsis

Snarl walks through the forest, stalked by Optimus Prime, Elita-1, and Bumblebee. While they try to be stealthy, communicating in hand signals, they are still ambushed by Snarl and captured by a net. They say they are looking for Grimlock, and the Dinobot approaches, chiding them for not staying away. Grimlock reveals Snarl has been following them and recording their recent trip to Cyber City — he knows they want to defeat Scorponok, and has come to him for help, which he laughs off. He will not do as Prime demands. Module 1.01.88 activates behind him, and Prime strikes a bargain to earn his loyalty. He will challenge Grimlock, and if he wins, Grimlock will work with him and his group... but if Grimlock wins, the trio will serve him instead. Grimlock agrees, and the challenge begins.

The challenge is Hunter vs Hunted, with Optimus challenged to strike Grimlock as his weapons and onboard navigation are disabled. Grimlock disappears into the bushes, before jumping out to attack. Prime manages to turn the tables with a decoy, but as he moves in to win, Snarl comments that he has only sealed his own fate. Indeed, a timer sounds, and the roles are switched! Now Optimus is the hunted, in plain view of his hunter, Grimlock! Optimus is able to escape as Grimlock stalks him through the forest, until the roles switch again. Prime follows a large set of muddy tracks, suspicious that Grimlock is being so obvious, only to wind up stuck in a mud pool, unable to move. Grimlock approaches, praising Prime for lasting longer than most, but as the roles switch back, making Grimlock the hunter, Prime pulls his own trap. Yanking on a vine, Grimlock is whacked by a tree-trunk which Prime grabs on the rebound to escape. Pursuing Prime, it becomes Grimlock's turn to be caught by a net. The roles change one final time, and Grimlock is unable to escape as Prime casually walks up and lays a single finger on his snout, winning the bout. True to his word, Grimlock agrees to help Prime, even as Snarl warns him it will harm "the truce".

Featured characters

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

Autobots	Others
Snarl (1) Optimus Prime (2) Elita-1 (3) Bumblebee (4) Grimlock (5)	Mirage (6)

Quotes

Elita-1: We're looking for the other guy. He around?
Bumblebee: You know — tall, terrible breath, anger management issues?

—Grimlock gets no respect, he tells ya.

Bumblebee: You didn't see everything, did you?
[Snarl turns ominously]
Bumblebee: Oh Primus.

Notes

Continuity notes

• Snarl was shown to be following the group in the last two episodes from a distance. Turns out he's been conducting surveillance for Grimlock, even showing the group's attempted heist of Scorponok's tech specs from the previous episode

Character levels

• Before winning the challenge, Optimus Prime is a low level 2, down from the last time we saw his level in episode 4.

Transformers references

• Grimlock says there is "More to you than meet eye, little Prime".

Real world references

"Hmph! These fools don't stand a chance of beating my stand, 『WALK THE DINOSAUR』!!!"

• Bumblebee, Elita-1, and Snarl stand around commenting on the fight, explaining Optimus and Grimlock's tactics to the audience, in a very stereotypical shōnen anime fashion, complete with mono-colour backdrops. Snarl even pretends to push up his non-existant glasses as he says it's all part of the plan!
• The on-screen radar indicating Optimus and Grimlock's positions, complete with a "field of vision" for each player, is evocative of the Soliton Radar from the Metal Gear series. Complimenting the shout-out is Optimus diving from cover to cover to evade Grimlock's detection and creating sound distractions. Grimlock even responds "Huh, what was that noise?", much in the manner of enemy sentries when Solid Snake alerts them in the game.

Trivia

• As usual, this was initially uploaded in a combined video with the previous episode with an SEO-baiting title ("Hide and Seek with Optimus Prime!"). The individual title comes from series writer Ali Lightfoot's Twitter feed.

Foreign localization

French

• Title: "La loi du plus fort" ("Survival of the fittest")
• Original airdate: August 30, 2025

Italian

• Title: "Cacciatore e preda" ("Hunter and prey")
• Original airdate: August 30, 2025