Daniel gets reoccurring nightmares and it's up to the Autobots (and a group of reluctant Predacons} to figure out why this is.
Tropes:
- Agony of the Feet: After escaping the dream; the Predacons decide to continue attacking the Autobots. Unfortunately for them, Headstrong's left shin is busted, forcing Razorclaw to order retreat.
- Badass Boast: When Rodimus and Headstrong encounter dream Galvatron, they see him grow into a giant after Headstrong tries to get his help against Rodimus. The moment this happens, Rodimus points out that Galvatron shouldn't be that big to the Predacon.Galvatron: FOOL! Galvatron can be any size he wants!
- Damsel in Distress:
- Springer and Razorclaw encounter one after being taken away by a dragon. She convinces the two to work together to fight the dragon. Springer is surprised to find out that she didn't follow the group when they return to Cybertron, Rodimus having to point out that she never existed.
- A male example occurs with Daniel; as he's kidnapped by the Quintessons and begins having nightmares as part of their experiments.
- Defiant Captive: Despite getting captured and tested on; Daniel manages to subconsciously help out the Autobots and Predacons in the nightmare, which the Quintessons try to stop.
- Depending on the Artist: A rather troubling case for a Toei-helmed episode, as the animation not only switches style every scene (or shot) changenote , but many moments of animation have a visible lack of even basic in-betweening going on. Springer mounting Razorclaw as they charge in to attack the dragon and the fight between the giant versions of Galvatron and Rodimus are but two examples. The episode's animation is so incomplete that two "Secret files of Teletran II'' (one of them fittingly of the Quintessons) were used to pad out the runtime to the standard 22 minutes.
- Rodimus and Ultra Magnus's hands are considerably larger than their bodies after Rodimus defeats the witch with a bucket of water.
- Rodimus gets red eyes on several occasions.
- Enemy Mine: The Predacons very reluctantly enter one with the Autobots; And are quick to try to return to being enemies more than once during this alliance.
- Evolving Music: The first episode (in production and airing order) to use new synthesized music made for Season 3.
- Foreshadowing: When Daniel has the first nightmare of giant Galvatron, Spike comforts his son by suggesting dreaming a giant Rodimus to fight back. Later on when giant Galvatron nearly crushes the life out of Rodimus and Headstrong, a giant Rodimus comes out and fights him.
- Gold Fever: The only reason Razorclaw even agrees to help the princess against the dragon is the promise of gold.
- Halloween Episode: Perhaps unintentionally, the episode was originally released on October 31, 1986. Given the imagery on display, as well as the plot of nightmares coming to life, it certainly fits.
- Kaiju: All of the enemies in Daniel's nightmare are giants, be they a witch, clowns, a dragon, or Galvatron.
- Monster Clown: An army of them attack the Cybertronians in Daniel's dream.
- Nightmare Sequence: Most of the episode focuses on this; and the Autobots and Predacons' attempt to wake Daniel from this state.
- Save the Princess: Springer and Razorclaw are roped into doing this after getting themselves kidnapped by a dragon. Razorclaw refuses to help out until the Princess offers him some gold.
- Wicked Witch: In the vein of The Wizard of Oz, one encounters Magnus and Rodimus during the nightmare. Like her inspiration, she is defeated with a bucket of water.Ultra Magnus: How did you know that would work?Rodimus: I spent time talking TV with Wreck-Gar.
- Would Hurt a Child: The Quintessons decide to experiment on Daniel, and have no qualms of him dying or them killing him if the experiment fails.
