Angered by the curbstomping his troops received at the hands of the Dinobots, Megatron decides to resort to a new strategy: Psychological warfare. Meanwhile, two new recruits join the Dinobot ranks and a meteoroid spells trouble for Earth.
- Artistic License - Astronomy: A rogue asteroid is called a meteoroid while it is in space, a meteor when it is in a planet’s atmosphere, and a meteorite once it has impacted.
- To be fair, Optimus does not call it a meteorite until after it has impacted, which is scientifically correct.
- Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Grimlock believes that he is stronger than Optimus Prime, and that consequently, he should lead the Autobots.
- Big "NO!":
- Cassandra Truth:
- Starscream is creeped out by the unstable meteorite, and warns Megatron that harnessing its energies will likely blow up in his face. Later, Optimus warns Megatron for the same reason. Megatron doesn’t listen either time.
- Starscream also warns Megatron that Grimlock won't destroy Optimus and is still a loyal Autobot. Grimlock is angered enough to open fire on Starscream.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good:
- After defeating Optimus, the Dinobots bring him to Megatron, who in turn is furious and demands to know why Prime still functions. Grimlock answers that he'll finish Prime when he's good and ready. As mentioned above, Starscream immediately realizes that Grimlock is still loyal to Optimus.
- This is what causes Megatron’s plan to turn the Dinobots against the Autobots to blow up in his face. When the meteorite reaches critical mass, Optimus heroically risks his own life to get himself and Grimlock to safety. Megatron was only concerned about saving himself.
Grimlock: You, Megatron, tricked us! Make us fight good leader, Optimus Prime. Prime risk own life to save us. Bad Megatron! - I Fight for the Strongest Side!: Sludge. This is treated as a failing, as he will not question bad orders from a leader who fits his criteria of strength (e.g. brute force).
- Oh, Crap!: Megatron after the Dinobots figure out that he has been lying to them.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: Deconstructed. The Dinobots play this trope to the hilt, but the wisdom and restraint of Optimus Prime is shown to be the better way to lead.
- Sci-Fi Writers Have No Sense of Scale: A celestial impactor the size of the one seen in this episode tends to impact a planet’s surface with a force roughly equivalent to a nuclear bomb, leaving a crater that is roughly ten times its diameter. This meteorite crashes into the middle of an urban downtown area, remains completely intact, and the only damage is a flattened hut and a large pothole.
- The Sixth Ranger: The addition of Snarl and Swoop upgrades the Dinobots from trio to quintet.
- The Starscream: Ironically, it's Optimus Prime who ends up suffering from this trope instead of Megatron (as Starscream simply plays Commander Contrarian in this episode). Grimlock believes himself to be stronger than Optimus Prime, and it doesn't take much for Megatron to convince him and the two other Dinobots that the strongest bot should lead.Grimlock: We destroy Optimus Prime!
Slag: And him, Grimlock, be new leader!
Sludge: Hail him, Grimlock! - Weaksauce Weakness: This episode clearly establishes the weaknesses of the original three Dinobots.
- Slag is hostile, always eager to pick a fight.
- Grimlock is arrogant, believing that he is stronger than Optimus Prime, and that this in and of itself would make him a better Autobot leader.
- Sludge is so preoccupied with fighting for the strongest side that he is too stupid to question orders.
- What You Are in the Dark: Grimlock stops Slag from getting in a final shot on Optimus, and admits he doesn't know why. Optimus believes that Grimlock is still loyal, which Grimlock warns him to keep quiet.Grimlock: No talk. Or we terminate you now!
