Recap / Transformers: Animated, S3E2: Three's a Crowd

Bulkhead seeks the help of the Constructicons for a vital construction project, but, thanks to their new leader, the Constructicons have bigger and deadlier plans.

Tropes:

• And Then What?: Bulkhead asks the Constructicons where they're going to get their oil from if they destroy the oil refinery. Dirt Boss' response to this question is to try and kill Bulkhead.
• Breather Episode: Compared to the significantly darker episodes that precede and succeed it, Three's A Crowd is a significantly lighter and more comedic episode, focusing on the generally humourous Constructicons.
• Broken Record: "YOU GOT A PROBLEM?!"
• Chekhov's Gun: The plasma dynamic thruster that Professor Sumdac is seen lugging around for most of the episode turns out to be vital in diverting the explosion away from Detroit.
• Create Your Own Villain: Bulkhead literally does this due to his carelessness with his own strength. See Unwitting Instigator of Doom below.
• A Day in the Limelight: This episode is generally pretty Bulkhead-focused.
• Deadpan Snarker: While Bulkhead usually isn't this, he gets out a jab or two at the expense of Mixmaster and Scrapper.
  Bulkhead: So how come I didn't see [the other Decepticons] anywhere? They didn't... run out on you, did they?
  Scrapper: They'll be back.
  Bulkhead: Oh yeah, sure they will. So you're just gonna sit here and rust while you wait for them. Good plan!
  • And right after that, when Mixmaster and Scrapper agree to help Bulkhead retrieve the forklift:
  Scrapper: But remember, this is strictly off the books! 'Cause if Megatron ever found out, he would blow a head-gasket!
  Bulkhead: Right. 'Cause me and Megatron, we talk all the time!
• Didn't Think This Through: When Bulkhead throws his wrecking ball at Mixmaster, he catches it and is able to lug Bulkhead around with ease, being much bigger and stronger than him. Dirt Boss chides Bulkhead for not thinking his actions through.
• Does This Remind You of Anything?: Mixmaster and Scrapper are first seen watching a car getting disassembled, which in terms of car robots, is probably analogous to watching someone stripping.
• Establishing Character Moment: Dirt Boss' first words leave quite an impression.
  Dirt Boss: What're you cogs lookin' at? You wanna piece of me? Try it, and you'll be going to the scrapyard in a crankin' box.
• Fake Defector: Bulkhead pretends to be a Bad Boss towards Professor Sumdac to protect him from the Constructicons.
• Grievous Harm with a Body: Bulkhead gets his flail stuck in Mixmaster's hand, which causes him to be used as a weapon when Bulkhead tries to attack the Autobots.
• Horrible Judge of Character: Professor Sumdac fails to realize that Bulkhead is only pretending to turn on him to protect him from Dirt Boss and the Constructicons, not even getting the hint when Bulkhead gives him a wink. Bulkhead has to explain himself later when Professor Sumdac still thinks he's coercing him.
• I Have a Family: When Professor Sumdac thinks Bulkhead's turned on him, he cries out he's a father in an attempt to dissuade him from attacking.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Bulkhead hiring the Constructicons to help him fix the collapsed floors leads Dirt Boss to take command of them and set off the plot of the episode.
• People Puppets: Dirt Boss uses the drill on his head to control Scrapper, Mixmaster and Bulkhead, but he only has one drill.
• Shy Finger-Twiddling: Bulkhead, of all people, does this when Dirt Boss asks him if he has a problem.
• Spinning Paper: Three of them appear over a montage of the Constructicons stealing oil from various places. Either the newspapers were quickly printed out over the course of one night, or the Autobots spent three days trying to pull Lugnut out of that crater.
• This Is Gonna Suck:
  • This is Bulkhead's reaction to seeing Dirt Boss.
  Scrapper: What the slag is that?
  Bulkhead: If I had to guess, a forklift, a Headmaster Unit, an AllSpark fragment, and a whole lot of trouble.
  • When Optimus sees the oil fire, his only response is "I so don't have time for this."
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Bulkhead carelessly leaning his elbow on Sumdac's forklift causes the floor to collapse under it, leading to the AllSpark fragment combining the vehicle with the Headmaster Unit that fell with it to create Dirt Boss.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: invoked After the Constructicons "explode away", Mixmaster and Dirt Boss' fates are left unknown. However, if there had been a Season 4, we would have seen just what exactly happened to them.