History Recap / TransformersPrimeS1E1DarknessRisingPart1

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The first time he appears, Agent Fowler angrily ribs Optimus Prime for the recent slew of Decepticon rampages upon the human highway, claiming that he's very close to just about authorizing US military action on the Decepticons. Optimus pleads Fowler to leave the fighting to the Autobots, citing that humans do not stand a chance against Starscream's military.

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The first time he appears, Agent Fowler angrily ribs Optimus Prime for the recent slew of Decepticon rampages upon the human highway, claiming that he's very close to just about authorizing US military action on the Decepticons. Optimus pleads Fowler to leave the fighting to the Autobots, citing that humans do not stand a chance against Starscream's military.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: When Jack first sees Arcee's vehicle mode, he admires the design and caresses the seat. In a sense, it's like he was feeling up Arcee's ass.

* [[BloodFromTheMouth Energon From The Mouth]]: Cliffjumper, by the time he's brought before Starscream, is leaking energon badly. [[CoughingUpBlood He's even coughing some up]].

* WeHardlyKnewYe: Cliffjumper is quickly and unceremoniously killed off not five minutes into the episode.

* RealitySubtext: "Decepticons! [[Creator/FrankWelker I]] have [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers returned]]!"

* WeHardlyKnewYe: Cliffjumper is quickly and unceremoniously killed off barely ten minutes into the episode.

* BigDamnHeroes: Subverted; the other Autobots are literally seconds too late to help Cliffjumper.

* BigDamnHeroes: Subverted, the other Autobots are literally seconds too late to help Cliffjumper.

* BigGuyFatalitySyndrome: Cliffjumper is the series first official victim of this trope.

* DefiantToTheEnd: Even weakened and held prisoner, Cliff' never stops teasing and backtalking to Starscream.

* [[BloodFromTheMouth Energon From The Mouth]]: Cliffjumper, by the time he's brought before Starscream is leaking energon badly. [[CoughingUpBlood He's even coughing some up]].
* KilledOffForReal: [[WeHardlyKnewYe Poor Cliff'.]]

* BigDamnHeroes: Subverted, the other Autobots are literally seconds too late to help Cliffjumper. Played straighter when Bulkhead arrives at Arcee and Bumblebee's aid.

* DefiantToTheEnd: Even weakened and held prisoner, Cliff never stops teasing and backtalking to Starscream.

* KilledOffForReal: [[WeHardlyKnewYe Poor Cliff.]]

* [[BloodFromTheMouth Energon From The Mouth]]: Cliffjumper, by the time he's brought before Starscream is leaking energon badly. [[CoughingUpBlood He's even coughing some up]].

* BloodFromTheMouth: Cliffjumper, by the time he's brought before Starscream. [[CoughingUpBlood He's even coughing some up]].

* StuffBlowingUp: For those unfamiliar with {{Transformers}}, this is the part where you learn that Energon + ammo = kablooie.

Cliffjumper is on the open road, boasting to Arcee over the comm about how he's been messing with the humans, when he detects a large amount of Energon nearby. As he goes to investigate, a Decepticon ship appears over the crater and Decepticon troopers drop down to attack him. Arcee alerts the rest of the Autobots, who head back to base. Cliffjumper fights on, destroying several of the Decepticons, but their blasts detonate the Energon, causing a huge explosion. They drag his defeated form back to the ship, where Starscream is upset about the loss of the Energon. Cliffjumper is defiant, but Starscream executes him. The Autobots arrive at the crater via Ground Bridge, only to find the aftermath of the fight. Arcee picks up a horn Cliffjumper lost during the battle, and Ratchet reports that Cliffjumper's life signal has terminated.

In a nearby drainage canal, Rafael Esquivel is playing with a remote-controlled car when Arcee and Jack literally drop in. The Decepticons drop in as well, and first Arcee, then Bumblebee is blasted to the ground. Raf draws the 'Cons' attention, which unfortunately works too well, and the two kids are forced to flee into a drain. While they make their escape, Bumblebee and Arcee stand defiant against the Decepticons and, as Bulkhead joins the fight, the two Decepticons flee.

* StuffBlowingUp: For those unfamiliar with {{Transformers}}, this is the part where you learn that Energon + ammo = kablooie.

* RealitySubtext: "Decepticons! [[FrankWelker I]] have [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers returned]]!"

* StuffBlowingUp: For those unfamiliar with {{Transformers}}, this is the part where you learn that energon + ammo = kablooie.

Cliffjumper is on the open road, boasting to Arcee over the comm about how he's been messing with the humans, when he detects a large amount of energon nearby. As he goes to investigate, a Decepticon ship appears over the crater and Decepticon troopers drop down to attack him. Arcee alerts the rest of the Autobots, who head back to base. Cliffjumper fights on, destroying several of the Decepticons, but their blasts detonate the energon, causing a huge explosion. They drag his defeated form back to the ship, where Starscream is upset about the loss of the energon. Cliffjumper is defiant, but Starscream executes him. The Autobots arrive at the crater via ground bridge, only to find the aftermath of the fight. Arcee picks up a horn Cliffjumper lost during the battle, and Ratchet reports that Cliffjumper's life signal has terminated.

Optimus reminds the other Autobots that they must continue to survive in order to honor the memory of their fallen comrade. Arcee refuses to dwell on it and drives off. In Jasper, Nevada, Jack Darby is working at the KO Burger drive-thru. Arcee finds herself being chased by a couple of Decepticons, and she ducks into the KO Burger parking lot, where Jack mistakes her for a real motorcycle and, fantasizing about one day having a motorcycle of his own, hops on.

In a nearby drainage canal, Rafael Esquivel is playing with a remote-controlled car when Arcee and Jack literally drop in. The Decepticons drop in as well, and first Arcee, then Bumblebee is blasted to the ground. Raf draws the 'cons' attention, which unfortunately works too well, and the two kids are forced to flee into a drain. While they make their escape, Bumblebee and Arcee stand defiant against the Decepticons and, as Bulkhead joins the fight, and the two Decepticons flee.

At Autobot headquarters, Optimus Prime informs the Autobots that since the Decepticons have seen the boys, the two humans may be targeted. At high school, Jack and Raf meet up again, and Bumblebee and Arcee come to take them to HQ. Though Raf roars off in Bumblebee, Jack walks away. Miko Nakadai, sitting outside the school, draws Arcee, but when the motorcycle disappears, she peeks around the corner and spots Arcee in robot mode arguing with Jack. She takes both kids and catches up to Bumblebee. They drive to the Autobots' HQ, concealed in a mountain, where the three kids marvel at the rest of the Autobots and Optimus Prime gives them some exposition regarding the Transformers' war. Optimus fears the imminent return of Megatron.

Soundwave detects a transmission from deep space, and Starscream orders the space bridge activated. As it opens, Megatron emerges, announcing his return.

Cliffjumper is on the open road, boasting to Arcee over the comm about how he's been messing with the humans, when he detects a large amount of energon nearby. As he goes to investigate, a Decepticonship appears over the crater and Decepticon troopers drop down to attack him. Arcee alerts the rest of the Autobots, who head back to base. Cliffjumper fights on, destroying several of the Decepticons, but their blasts detonate the energon, causing a huge explosion. They drag his defeated form back to the ship, where Starscream is upset about the loss of the energon. Cliffjumper is defiant, but Starscream executes him. The Autobots arrive at the crater via ground bridge, only to find the aftermath of the fight. Arcee picks up a horn Cliffjumper lost during the battle, and Ratchet reports that Cliffjumper's life signal has terminated.

* RealitySubtext: "Decepticons! [[FrankWelker I]] have [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers returned]]!"

!!Tropes

Optimus Prime and the Autobots investigate the return of the Decepticons while being forced to account for a group of young humans who have unwittingly become involved in their centuries-old conflict.