Giddy at Megatron's apparent demise, Starscream speaks to the Decepticons, promising a grand new empire under his rule, but the Vehicons are less than motivated and question what hope they have if Megatron failed to conquer Earth. Annoyed with the lack of morale, Starscream decides to resurrect a slumbering Decepticon stationed on Earth to serve as a loyal soldier and inspire the troops.
At the Autobot base, Optimus confides in Ratchet that he mourns Megatron's death, having secretly wished to change his ways. The discussion is abruptly ended when Raf's volcano explodes; the kids are working with their partners on their science fair projects, much to Ratchet's derision. Bumblebee later shares with Raf his desire to be promoted to warrior class, just as the Autobots pick up a sample of Energon in transit on their radar, correctly deducing the Decepticons as the culprit. Optimus and Bumblebee head out, while Ratchet decides to commandeer the kids' science fair projects.
In the desert, Starscream and Soundwave uncover the slumbering Decepticon, and bring him back online. Though Starscream welcomes him to his command, Skyquake rejects him, claiming he's only on Earth to fulfill his mission ordered by his true master, Megatron. Skyquake is shocked when Starscream reveals Megatron's demise, but Optimus arrives on the scene and invites Skyquake to do away with Megatron's ways in the name of peace. Skyquake refuses, and engages the Autobot leader and Bumblebee.
Back at the base, Ratchet is having a Mad Scientist episode as he has completely taken over the kids' projects.
Soundwave alerts Starscream to a weak life signal out in the vicinity of their destroyed space bridge, which the new Decepticon leader realizes to his horror that it is likely that of Megatron. Starscream orders Soundwave to keep recording the battle while he investigates. Suspicious, Soundwave sends Laserbeak to tail him. Later, in the depths of space, Starscream indeed finds Megatron's devastated and barely living body, held to life by a single thread - the shard of Dark Energon in his chest. Starscream gleefully removes the shard, rendering Megatron unresponsive, but Starscream is forced to cover his aft when Laserbeak arrives on the scene.
Optimus and Bumblebee manage to defeat Skyquake, but Agent Fowler shows up as air support in a fighter jet, Skyquake scans it and takes on his new vehicle mode. Skyquake enters a dogfight with Fowler, and Bumblebee is able to leap onto Skyquake and tear him apart, sending him crashing to Earth as a crumpled mess of robot and jet parts. As Skyquake dies, Optimus bemoans the lost chance for peace with the mighty warrior.
At the base, Ratchet learns that his Cybertronian science fair projects have failed to attain the kids a passing grade. That, and two of them helped partially destroy the school.
Megatron's body is now in stasis and in intensive care aboard the Nemesis, and Starscream sincerely hopes he gets better soon.
Tropes:
- Alas, Poor Villain: Invoked by Optimus after Skyquake is killed.
- Bad Boss: A barely functional and rotting Megatron wastes the very last of his strength trying to beat up Starscream yet again.
- Big Damn Heroes: Fowler swoops in so Bumblebee can jump onto his plane before Skyquake crashes.
- Control Freak: Ratchet "helping" with the children's science projects.Ratchet: You want them to be right, don't you? Then WATCH a MASTER at work!Miko: Control fuh-reak.
- Cool Plane: Fowler flies to the scene of Skyquake's awakening in one in order to help Optimus and Bumblebee. Unfortunately, Skyquake scans Fowler's jet and acquires a vehicle mode.
- Due to the Dead: Optimus and Bumblebee bury Skyquake.
- Foreshadowing:
- It's clear from Ratchet's science projects that he hasn't learned anything about human science, something he eventually comes to regret.
- Starscream taking the Dark Energon and Skyquake being buried will both come into play later.
- Innocuously Important Episode:
- This will be nowhere near the last episode the characters find something Transformer-related kept in stasis on Earth.
- Skyquake awakening and dying will be used to explain his twin, Dreadwing, coming to Earth in Season 2.
- Kneel Before Zod: Starscream continually tries to get people, including Skyquake and Optimus, to bow to him throughout the episode. His efforts usually meet with mixed results.
- Monster of the Week: Skyquake is first mentioned, introduced, and killed this episode, although his death does intersect the plot again later. A lot actually.
- Never My Fault: Ratchet insists the kids were ungrateful after they told him that got bad grades thanks to his help.
- Never Say "Die": Averted after Starscream pulls the Dark Energon that's keeping Megatron alive out of his spark chamber.
- Starscream: And this time, stay dead!
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
- Bumblebee and Optimus are on the verge of beating Skyquake until Fowler shows up in a jet, allowing Skyquake to scan and obtain the jet as a vehicle mode, taking the upper hand.
- If the kids had stuck with their original plans for their science projects, they likely would've passed the science fair. Ratchet's "improvements", however, meant that they all failed and got in trouble for destroying part of the school.
- No One Could Survive That!: Starscream says this almost verbatim when he explores the wreckage of the space bridge while searching for Megatron.
- Not Quite Dead: Megatron, albeit so badly damaged that he'll be in stasis for half the season.
- Outside Ride: Bee with both Skyquake and Fowler's jet.
- Properly Paranoid: After Megatron's signal is detected, Starscream orders Soundwave to continue observing the fight while he investigates. Soundwave does so, but he also secretly sends Laserbeak to follow Starscream as a precaution.
- Spanner in the Works:
- Optimus believes they have Skyquake under control until Fowler and his plane arrive.
- Megatron was as good as dead, but a sliver of Dark Energon was lodged in his spark chamber. Starscream pulled it out and was ready to finish him for good, but then Laserbeak entered the area.
- The Starscream: Starscream attempts to finish off a damaged Megatron by pulling out the Dark Energon in his chest. As TFWiki.net put it, "Starscream pulls off his most hardcore takeover attempt ever!"
- Still Got It: Fowler.
- Played for Laughs with Ratchet's attempt to help the kids with their science projects. His impulsiveness and lack of knowledge of Earth led to him designing projects that would be considered good by standards of Cybertron, but not by Earth standards. He built a model of Cybertron instead of Earth for Miko, the machine he built for Jack went ballistic and broke the door down, and the model volcano he built for Raf blew a hole in the school roof.
- Tempting Fate: Optimus notes that Skyquake is at a disadvantage for not acquiring a vehicle mode.... then Agent Fowler shows up in a fighter jet.
- Unwanted Rescue: Fowler appears in his jet to help Optimus and Bumblebee fight Skyquake. Sadly Optimus and Bee had the situation in hand until he showed up and gave Skyquake a new vehicle to scan.
- [Verb] This!: Skyquake reacts to Starscream's orders to bow:"Again? Bow to THIS!"
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Skyquake's first, and last, episode alive.
- Worthy Opponent: Skyquake remarks it will be a shame to crush Bumblebee.
