Rhinox and Cheetor work to save a damaged stasis pod that's crashed in Predacon territory.
Tropes:
- Action Girl: Airazor is introduced in this episode.
- All for Nothing: Subverted. It initially seems like after everything Rhinox and Cheetor did to keep the protoform in the pod alive, it will still die due to there being no life to scan, but then the falcon arrives.
- The Cavalry Arrives Late: While Cheetor went after the stasis pod, Tigatron tried to get within in range of the Maximal Base to alert the others to the situation. He is gets taken out by Blackarachnia before then, meaning Rhinox and Cheetor won't be getting any back-up anytime soon. By the time the adventure is over and everyone is back at base, Rhinox jokingly notes that Optimus was late for the action this time.
- Catch and Return: How Cheetor defeats Blackarachnia.
- Chekhov's Gunman: In the beginning of the episode, a falcon is in the same tree as Cheetor, and it is shown to follow him when he heads for the pod. Right when all seems lost, it gets to the pod in time to be scanned.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Airazor obliterates Terrorsaur.
- Dreaming of Things to Come: Cheetor has yet another prophetic dream, foreseeing Rhinox's words at the end of the episode.
- Foreshadowing: Tarantulas seems pleased to locate the stasis pod, and is frustrated when Megatron overhears his discovery.
- Freeze Ray: Tigatron incapacitates Scorponok with such a blast.
- From Bad to Worse: Seeing Waspinator approaching the stasis pod, Cheetor draws his attention—only to then be faced with Terrorsaur, too.Cheetor: Oh, gimme a break!
- Greater Need Than Mine: The first order of business is replacing the damaged locking chip, and Cheetor volunteers his. When Rhinox explains the increased danger of energon exposure, Cheetor says the protoform needs the chip more and that Rhinox is needed to make the remaining repairs.
- Hoist by Her Own Petard: Cheetor uses Blackarachnia's own cyber-venom against her.
- Innocuously Important Episode: While a different episode first mentioned the Sparks, this episode went into more detail about what they were. It would prove an extremely important part of the Transformers mythos and has been featured in every incarnation since.
- Little "No":
- Terrorsaur when he realizes the falcon has triggered the stasis pod's DNA scanners.
- Rhinox when the stasis pod computer projects the protoform has only 8.6 cycles to be saved.
- Negated Moment of Awesome: Lampshaded when Rhinox notes Optimus showed up late this time.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Blackarachnia delivers one to Cheetor when she sneaks up behind him.
- Oh, Crap!: Terrorsaur when the stasis pod scans the bird.
- Our Souls Are Different: The Sparks.Rhinox: The very thing which makes us what we are. Every Cybertron, Maximal, or Predacon has one, and each is different. When a spark goes online, there's great joy. When one's extinguished, the universe weeps.
- Race Against the Clock: Upon arriving on the scene, Rhinox learns he only has 8.3 cycles to save the protoform. With Cheetor's help, he quickly gets to work and performs a locking chip transfer, which buys a little extra time but not much. When Cheetor suggests taking the pod back to base rather than try to finish repairs out in the field, Rhinox says there simply isn't enough time for such a trek, even with stasis lock restored.
- Spanner in the Works: Airazor's stasis pod was safely in orbit, but then it got hit by space debris and was sent crashing.
- Tempting Fate: Megatron was right; Predacons do gloat too much.
- Blackarachnia gloats when it looks like she's about to finish Cheetor.Blackarachnia: Goodbye, Maximal. [fires]
[Cheetor catches the projectile and throws it back at her] - Terrorsaur was just asking for what Airazor does to him.Terrorsaur: Rhinox and a stasis pod? This is my lucky day, and your last.
[Falcon suddenly squawks, activating the stasis pod]
- Blackarachnia gloats when it looks like she's about to finish Cheetor.
- Unwitting Pawn: Blackarachnia uses Scorponok to distract Tigatron.
- Wham Line: The protoform is about to extinguish due to no lifeforms around for the stasis pod to scan, Rhinox is stuck in beast mode, and Terrorsaur is holding a gun to his head. Then out of the blue comes the screech of a falcon. Cue the pod scanning it, the protoform reformatting on time, and Airazor flying out of the pod to save Rhinox's hide.
- Who Dares?: "Who dares attack Waspinator?!" note
- Worf Had the Flu: Rhinox also has to reroute some of the damage stasis pod's functions through his own circuitry in order to run the DNA scanning program, which damages him and forces him into beast mode unable to fight. Even moreso, he was only able to stay in robot mode for so long to repair the pod by diverting power from his weapons to his field dampers, with the implication being that he wouldn't be able to defend himself if he was attacked before Cheetor arrived.
