Volcano (episode)
A volcanic plot
But Sky-Byte's true mission is
Arguing with Scourge
Detailed synopsis
Megatron has discovered a volcano at a Caribbean resort holds vast amounts of energy that could be tapped into, and he dispatches the Predacon trio to investigate - while Scourge and Sky-Byte guard the volcano (and glare at each other). While investigating, the Predacons accidentally trigger a volcanic eruption and have to flee for their lives from molten lava. (This happens to be the same resort Kelly is at and using the hot springs - as it gets hotter under the eruption, she relaxes thinking the hotel workers turned the heat up for her)
Discovering the situation and realising the resort could be wiped out, Optimus Prime heads there with the Spychangers. Sky-Byte is eager to take on his enemy once more - and has composed a haiku for the occasion - but Scourge wants to kill Optimus himself, and interferes with Sky-Byte's attack to launch his own. Sky-Byte is livid but can't get the Decepticon to let him in on the battle.
Optimus is unable to convince the enemy to call off the fight until after the volcano is stopped and when T-AI reports in that only his Blizzard Storm attack can stop a lava overflow, he orders the Spychangers to take on Sky-Byte & Scourge while he stops the eruption. Unfortunately for him, the Commandos have arrived and attempt to shoot him down!
The Spychangers quickly regroup to shoot it out with the Commandos, while Hot Shot orders Mirage to hold off Scourge - that doesn't work very well, and Optimus Prime is blasted from behind. W.A.R.S. intervenes to hold Scourge back, allowing Optimus to use his Blizzard Storm and freeze the lava, but this will only last for eight minutes. To make matters worse, the Commandos combine into Ruination and unleash a rapid-fire barrage on the Spychangers. Down below, the resort is evacuated... except for Kelly, still relaxing in the spring and not noticing what's going on.
Sky-Byte decides to get rid of both Optimus and Scourge in one swoop, destroying the ice plug and part of the volcano to speed up the lava flow. Under orders, the Spychangers quickly take down Ruination (by... pushing him over) and then erect a makeshift rock barricade to hold the lava back. (Meanwhile, Kelly finds the spring getting too hot but is too embarrassed to get out & ask for it to be turned down after she asked it turned up) Ruination recovers and attacks the barricade, forcing Prime to take him down again - but now they're surrounded by lava and the island is doomed. Scourge confronts Sky-Byte over his attacks trying to hit him, with the shark desperately lying he was only after Optimus.
The Predacon trio finally escapes the lava flow only to emerge outside the volcano with even more lava - "it's following us!".
Hot Shot quickly figures out they can save the resort by redirecting the lava flow, and the Spychangers initiate their group attack Inferno Blast to carve a path for it. The Predacons - still fleeing - are ordered to attack and stop the Autobots, with Scourge joining in with a barrage attack (which deliberately hits the Preds too - "what goes around comes around, Sky-Byte."), but it fails to stop them successfully finishing their path to the ocean. As Optimus takes down Ruination, the Predacons fall into the ocean and are blasted off when the lava comes after them.
With the resort saved, Optimus thanks the Spychangers for their help. Hot Shot tells him they'll always be ready for action. And back at the resort, Kelly finally decides to emerge from the spring - boiled to the point of collapse.
Stats
Written by: Tom Wyner
Notable quotes
Sky-Byte: "No! Optimus is mine! Welcome, Optimus. I've composed a Haiku especially for this occassion.
Blasted into dust
Optimus Prime is destroyed
Day of reckoning"
T-AI: "Optimus, we're running out of time! The volcano's gonna blow!"
Optimus: "Be with you in a minute, T-AI."
- -T-AI and Optimus, while Optimus has been attacked & is crashing down the inside of a volcano
Optimus: If you two insist on fighting us, name the time and the place. But not here and not now. That volcano is already unstable. If it is hit by a missile cell or a laser beam, it's likely erupt, which would endanger the lives of everyone on this island. A battle here is too risky."
Scourge: "Why should I care what happens to the humans? I am a Decepticon warrior. My only concern is defeating my enemy."
- -Optimus and Scourge
Dark Scream: "Aaaah!"
Gas Skunk: "It's following us almost as if..."
Slapper: "...It's alive!"
- -The Predacon trio on lava
Gas Skunk: "We did it! We beat the lava!"
Sky-Byte: "Incoming! Dive! Dive!"
"Just a little bit longer. I may never get another chance to relax in a volcanic hot spring, I should make it last as long as I can."
- -Kelly, being boiled to death
Notes
- Kelly is capable of both surviving intense heat and ignoring volcanic eruptions, robot battles and mass evacuations occuring out of earshot. Those constant "talking car" encounters have left their mark...
- Ruination believes he can survive a volcanic eruption.
- The Predacons are given the harder and more boring jobs than the Decepticons, or so they believe. The two groups still hate each other to the point of murder.
- The Spychanger's Inferno Blast is only a short-term move - the longer it's used, the more danger there is of burning out their engines. This is the longest they've done it.
- Lava is alive!
