Alpha/Omega

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You have forgotten me, Simba. Wait, wrong franchise.
"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 in the hands of Optimus Prime, the Decepticons will not stand a chance against him and must find a means of meeting that power. As the Seeker mentions the Forge of Solus Prime, Megatron counters that it will only work for a Prime, but then comes up with an idea.

Optimus telepathically communicates with Alpha Trion, or rather a recorded message from same, through the Star Saber. 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 hold the power 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 Earth's Moon, beyond which is the Decepticon space bridge, hidden there after the Autobots discovered its previous location on Earth. 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 their homeworld and truly restore it, but quickly realize they will 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 sciences and so starts decoding the last four coordinates.

Insert Voldemort joke here.

On Cybertron, Megatron and Dreadwing break into a sealed tomb which contains the lifeless shell of a Prime. Though Dreadwing does not like the place, as it reminds him of his lost twin, Megatron has him crack open the coffin and "respectfully" takes 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. Arcee reminds everyone that they still need to locate the four Omega Keys first before leaving Earth.

Having returned to the Nemesis, Megatron directs Knock Out to attach his new arm. Though the doctor suggests inducing stasis lock for the procedure, Megatron refuses and insists he witness the transplant.

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. As they search, Smokescreen attempts to apologise again for endangering Jack, but Arcee rebuffs him by saying that she does not want to lose a third partner.

Megatron tests his new appendage on the Forge and is elated to see it react to his touch. He starts using the Forge to pound out a new weapon from a chunk of Dark Energon. He is interrupted by Soundwave, who has decoded more Iacon coordinates.

Why do the Decepticons always get the good shit?

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 spares Arcee so she can tell Optimus to come get the Omega Key personally. 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 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

"Yeah, I don't think I'd ever wanna leave Miko."
"We've made friends here. Family."
"We could always... 'text' them."

—Bulkhead, Arcee, and Ratchet.

"By the AllSpark, Megatron, what have you done?!"
"This? I find it affords me certain advantages, such as the use of the Forge of Solus Prime."

—Megatron and Optimus Prime discuss Megatron's new arm.

"My first creation, fashioned from the very blood of Unicron. I call it the Dark Star Saber, Slayer of Primes, if you will."

—Megatron introduces his newest signature weapon.

"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 exchange banter during battle.

Notes

Animation & Technical Errors

• While the green glow can be seen from Arcee's right side, there is no rupture sound when the Groundbridge portal opens while Megatron tells Arcee to send Optimus his challenge message.

Continuity errors

• Megatron's eyes become purple when he's around Dark Energon due to the fact that he has Dark Energon within him, but this is not consistent in this episode.
• Smokescreen had the phase shifter on most of the episode. Why did no one—especially Arcee—notice he had it?

Continuity notes

• The episode continues from the end of the previous one, showing the message from Alpha Trion.
• The Autobots learned the location of the second space bridge in "Orion Pax, Part 2", necessitating its relocation.
• 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 uses the Forge of Solus Prime, which he acquired in "Operation Bumblebee, Part 2". The Dark Energon he uses it on was acquired in "One Shall Rise, Part 1".
• Smokescreen uses the phase shifter again, and Ratchet allows him to keep it as a "signature weapon".

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. A singular Omega Key also appears in War for Cybertron, which grants access to Cybertron's core.
• Megatron and Dreadwing loot the tomb of an unnamed Prime. In Transformers: Exodus, Sentinel Zeta Prime was laid to rest in a funeral vault somewhere in Iacon.
• The Dark Star Saber is most likely based on the Dark Sabers from Transformers: Armada, one of which appeared in the comics as a form of the Star Saber when held by Megatron, and the other of which was used by Nemesis Prime which was ultimately renamed the Vorpal Saber.

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. The outdoor plaza in front of the tomb containing the Omega Key strongly resembles the area where Optimus Prime killed the Fallen.

Foreign localization

German

• Title: "Die Omega-Schlüssel" ("The Omega-Keys")
• Original airdate: 20 February 2013

Japanese

• Title: "Yogen Henkei! Toki wo Koeta Message" (予言変形!時を超えたメッセージ, "Prophetic Transformation! A Message from Beyond Time")
• Original airdate: 23 February 2013
• Like the Star Saber in the previous episode, the Dark Star Saber is renamed and said to be one of the Super Combo Weapons from the Arms Micron gimmick present in TakaraTomy's Prime toyline. It's now called the "Dark Energon Saber", which in the toyline is an upgraded form of the Dark Matter Calibur included with Final Battle Megatron.

Brazilian Portuguese

• Title: "Ferido" ("Hurt")
• Original airdate: 1 August 2013

Trivia

• Smokescreen has a vague knowledge of Earth religion. Maybe Jack told him about it.