Alpha/Omega

« Transformers: Prime ep 47 »
"Alpha/Omega"
Production company	Hasbro Studios
Airdate	September 28, 2012
Written by	David McDermott
Directed by	Todd Waterman
Animation studio	Polygon Pictures

Megatron takes extreme measures to harness the power of the Primes, while Optimus learns the secret of the Omega Keys.

Synopsis

Dreadwing volunteers to counterattack the Autobots, but Megatron points out that with the power of the Star Saber, the Decepticons won't stand a chance against Optimus Prime. However he has a sudden idea how to use the Forge of Solus Prime.

Optimus communicates with Alpha Trion, or rather a recorded message from same. Alpha Trion tells Prime that through the Covenant of Primus, he foresaw the battle against the Decepticons on Earth and intentionally transported the Iacon relics there for use by the Autobots. He furthermore informs Prime of the most important of the relics, the Omega Keys which will allow them to restore Cybertron. After Optimus comes out of his trance, he tells the other Autobots about their new mission to retrieve the keys.

The Nemesis reaches the Moon, beyond which is the Decepticon space bridge, hidden there after the Autobots found it. Megatron and Dreadwing head through it to Cybertron.

The Autobots are overjoyed at the fact they're going to be able to go back to Cybertron, but quickly realize if they go back, they'll have to leave their human friends behind. Smokescreen wonders if the keys can really restore Cybertron, and Optimus assures him that the Ancients possessed knowledge beyond current science. Prime starts decoding the last four coordinates.

On Cybertron, Megatron and Dreadwing break into a tomb. Though Dreadwing doesn't like the place, Megatron has him crack open a coffin and starts taking what he needs.

Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee ponder if they really want to go back to Cybertron if it means leaving their friends on Earth, with Bulkhead wondering if he can do anything other than fight. Ratchet suggests he go back to construction as the cities will still be in ruin.

Having returned to the Nemesis, Megatron directs Knock Out to attach his new arm.

Optimus finishes decoding the first Omega Key coordinates. Smokescreen immediately volunteers to go look and Arcee joins him to keep an eye on him. They arrive in Egypt and start tracking down the relic, while Smokescreen attempts to apologise again for endangering Jack.

Megatron starts using the Forge to pound out a new weapon from a lump of Dark Energon. He's interrupted by Soundwave, who has decoded more Iacon coordinates.

Arcee and Smokescreen follow the signal through underground ruins until they pull aside a stone and find the Omega Key they're after. They're soon back in the open air, only to find Megatron waiting for them with a shiny new sword. He sends them flying with an energy wave and when Smokescreen tries to charge at him, the Autobot is sent flying into the side of a pyramid. Megatron gives Arcee a message to tell Optimus to come get the Omega Key. Returning to base, Arcee reports Smokescreen's death and the other Autobots are ready to exact revenge. Optimus insists on going alone with the Star Saber. When he arrives, he's shocked to see Megatron has a new arm and a Dark Star Saber. The pair use their swords to send energy waves at each other but each manages to dodge or dispel the energy waves. They move in to close combat but it doesn't take long before Megatron's sword smashes right through the Star Saber. Megatron's about to make the killing blow when Smokescreen speaks up, having grabbed the Omega Key while Megatron was occupied. Optimus takes advantage of Megatron's distraction to renew his assault on the Decepticon leader, but after a short struggle, Megatron throws him off and flings a wave of energy. The energy wave to passes right through Prime and Smokescreen, who disappear through the GroundBridge.

Back at base, Smokescreen reveals that he borrowed the phase shifter again, and that's how he escaped destruction. Ratchet says Smokescreen can keep the device, but Smokescreen's joy is short-lived as they contemplate the destroyed Star Saber. Optimus, however, is right back at work decoding coordinates.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots	Decepticons
Optimus Prime (3) Ratchet (4) Alpha Trion (5) Arcee (6) Smokescreen (7) Bulkhead (8) Bumblebee (9)	Dreadwing (1) Megatron (2) Knock Out (10) Soundwave (11)

Quotes

"So, did Alpha Trion ask about me?"

—Smokescreen

"At last we take our rightful places, Optimus, as gods, wielding the power of the cosmos."
"I am but a soldier, Megatron, and you are a prisoner of your own twisted delusions."

—Megatron and Optimus Prime

Notes

Continuity notes

• The episode continues from the end of the previous one, showing the message from Alpha Trion.
• Dreadwing feels uneasy being in a tomb due to what happened to his twin brother Skyquake, and Megatron uses that and recalls Dreadwing's proclamation that every Autobot shall pay to egg Dreadwing on.
• Megatron and Dreadwing loot the tomb of an otherwise unnamed Prime. In Transformers:Exodus, Sentinel Zeta Prime was laid to rest in a funeral vault somewhere on Cybertron.
• Megatron uses the Forge of Solus Prime, which he acquired in "Operation Bumblebee, Part 2".
• Smokescreen uses the phase shifter again, and Ratchet allows him to keep it as a "signature weapon".
• Optimus loses yet another sword to Megatron in battle, as he did in "Darkness Rising, Part 5" and "One Shall Fall".

Transformers references

• The idea that the Covenant of Primus could give Alpha Trion a blurry glimpse into the future as well as be a recording of the past was belabored in Transformers: Exodus.
• The Omega Keys are an amalgam of the Omega Lock and Cyber Planet Keys from Transformers: Cybertron, which together had the power to reawaken Primus.
• The Spacebridge is at the dark side of the moon.

Real-world references

• The battle takes place at the pyramids of Giza, which was also the site for the final battle of Revenge of the Fallen.