The recent defeat has not dampened Starscream and the Combaticons' resolve, which spells bad news for everyone else. They tamper with the space bridge to bring Earth and the sun a lot closer together. All is indeed going well for Starscream, until the Combaticons start thinking for themselves. With Cybertron soon also in danger, a battle royale involving Optimus, Megatron and Bruticus awaits. Meanwhile, chaos on Earth leaves the Protectobots with their hands full.
Tropes:
- Bittersweet Ending: Leaning towards the route of The Bad Guy Wins. While the Earth is saved, Starscream has rejoined the Decepticons and the Cons now have Bruticus who will be reprogrammed and fight the Autobots.
- Contrived Coincidence: Even though Starscream was heading away from Cybertron and Shockwave was randomly tossed off its surface and out of its orbit, the two randomly crash into each other.
- The only way to shut down Bruticus is to shoot three spots in his back. Good thing Onslaught (who forms the torso of Bruticus) removed his backpack beforehand, exposing those three spots just when they needed to be visible.
- Dirty Coward: Who else?Starscream: Help! Save me! It was the Combaticons! They locked us in here, and they forced me to threaten you, Megatron, believe me!
Shockwave: He is lying.- Also shown in how Megatron gets Starscream to help, after which he promptly divulges Bruticus' vulnerabilities.Starscream: Why should I help you? What's in it for me?
Megatron: [grabs Starscream and shoves his cannon into Starscream's face] Help us preserve the Earth, and I might preserve you.
- Also shown in how Megatron gets Starscream to help, after which he promptly divulges Bruticus' vulnerabilities.
- Enemies List: After Starscream abandons them on the asteroid while hurling insults, the Combaticons note he's on their revenge list.Brawl: Place Starscream on the revenge roster.
Swindle: After Megatron, Cybertron, and the planet Earth. - Enemy Mine:
- The Autobots and Decepticons join forces to stop Bruticus.
- Megatron and Starscream must also put aside their differences and work together to stop Bruticus.
- Finishing Each Other's Sentences: Swindle manages to this with his own combined form, Bruticus.Swindle: Some refer to us as Combaticons. But... [transforms]
Bruticus: I am also known as Bruticus. - Forgot About His Powers: In the midst of the frantic search for the missing Space Bridge component, it never occurs to Optimus or Megatron they could put their best troops into Omega Supreme and Astrotrain, respectively, and fly to Cybertron the old fashioned way.
- Guns Akimbo: Optimus wields two blasters during the final battle.
- Helicopter Blender: Bruticus uses Vortex's rotors, which are attached to his shoulder, to shred a few mooks.
- Hologram: Shockwave uses this to distract Bruticus. It is later used by Starscream to trick the Autobots into thinking Bruticus is destroyed.
- Hollywood Hacking: Onslaught reprogramming the Space Bridge, which he describes as far more advanced technology than anything he has previously seen, with the missile guidance systems in his backpack has a "tapping-a-few-keys-and-saying-'We're-in'" vibe to it.
- Hurl It into the Sun: The Combaticons' plan to have the planet Earth be sent hurtling to the sun.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: After learning the Autobots' goal, Megatron and the Decepticons try to reactivate the Space Bridge only to find the Insecticons had eaten the device to do it.
- No Endor Holocaust: Although the Autobots restore Earth to its natural orbit, it got close enough to the sun that its heat evaporated water reservoirs, boiled the oceans, and caused plant life (such as crops and brush) to spontaneously combust. As TF Wiki, among others, points out, this would be Class 5 damage if hard science was being followed. Yet humanity survives, and the Autobots appear to repair the damage rather easily, if subsequent episodes are any indication.
- Remember the New Guy?: This is the first episode the Protectobots appear but it's unknown when they joined Optimus and the Autobots.
- Rule of Three: Shockwave's holograms: First, he uses them as target practice with the Sentinel Drones. Second, Tricking the Combaticons. Third, tricking the Autobots into thinking Bruticus was destroyed.
- Sci-Fi Writers Have No Sense of Scale: TF Wiki put it best:The animation would have us believe that 1) Earth was about two seconds from falling into the sun, and that 2) the sun is only 4-5 times bigger than the Earth. 1) would mean everything on Earth was already long dead; 2) is just flat out wrong.
- Sequel Episode: This episode continues where Starscream's Brigade left off.
- Shout-Out: The Day the Earth Caught Fire had the Earth getting knocked off its axis, sending it on a collision course with the sun.
- Turned Against Their Masters: Unlike in the previous episode, the Combaticons turn on Starscream and even consider killing him.
- Villainous Rescue: Also doubling as Save the Villain, Megatron is the one who frees Starscream from the cell activated by Bruticus.
