As is the case with all pages detailing Moments of Awesome, Spoilers Off
This is just how it all begins. Image courtesy of Framraw
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R1: Rebellion
Chapter 2 & 3
- The Battle of Shinjuku is just as awesome as in canon, if not even more so thanks to the arrival of the Autobots. The biggest highlight though has to be the final segment (pictured above), where we get to see Bumblebee vs the Lancelot!
- During the battle, Bumblebee keeps Suzaku entirely on the defensive, unable to really gain any advantage during the fight until the very end. This is just a taste of what we will be getting in the future!
- The mission to rescue Suzaku is even cooler:
- To elaborate, this time around, he doesn't arrive in a car stylized to resemble Clovis's personal vehicle. Instead, he uses Optimus' vehicle mode.
- And what does he do when Jeremiah demands that Zero remove his mask? Call in the rest of the Autobots, who arrive via Groundbridge and transform while doing so!
- Adding to that, they do this on Live Television, meaning we get to see how everyone reacts to this. Even Tohdoh is stunned by the sight.
- And finally, when the Purists try to stop them, The Autobots defeat them without killing a single person!
- One for Megatron and Soundwave. After the mask-stealing incident, Laserbeak manages to relay the information to Soundwave, who uses the video, a voice clip of Lelouch, and some easy hacking to instantly determine his identity as Zero and his heritage. Megatron then uses some sensible thinking to determine Lelouch's goals, his relation with the Autobots, and how long they've been in contact. Except for learning about his Geass, the two manage to peg everything about Lelouch and his Autobot alliance in less than five minutes.
- Optimus' duel with Cornelia, a challenge that he personally offered. Although the lauded Goddess of Victory was able to deal Optimus a superficial wound, she was ultimately no match for the battle-hardened commander of the Autobots. Optimus also made Cornelia promise that should he win, she would never again consciously endanger the lives of civilians, regardless of nationality. Despite feeling humiliated by her defeat and insulted by Optimus' refusal to grant her a warrior's death, Cornelia does intend to honor her end of the deal.
- Suzaku and Dreadwing working together to take out the Raiko. For their first mission together, they display excellent teamwork.
- But the crowning moment is perhaps the speech given when the hostages are rescued and returned. Unlike in canon, both Zero and Optimus give a speech broadcast to all of Japan (and the Nemesis), showing the Black Knights aren't subservient to the Autobots, but equals.Zero: People of the Earth! Fear us or rally behind us as you see fit! We are the Autobots and the Black Knights!
Optimus Prime: We of this alliance of Autobots and Black Knights stand with all sentient beings unable to defend themselves; regardless of their nationality! Kusakabe led a faction of the Japan Liberation Front to take multiple Britannian civilians hostage and even threatened to execute them!
Zero: It was a wanton and meaningless act, and they were therefore punished. But it was not just them. The Decepticons, a faction of sentient alien machines, with the same morals as the Britannian Empire and the true masters of the Empire, used this incident as bait to lure us out in the open with the intent of destroying us and sacrificing the hostages in the process! The Decepticons themselves have yet to be punished, but I promise you, they will receive justice all the same!
Optimus Prime: Prince Clovis la Britannia as well acted the same when he ordered the execution of the populace of Shinjuku without remorse. We stood up to him as well as the oppressive empire because we will not allow this madness to continue! We will not stand by and allow the weak and innocent to suffer at the hands of the corrupt!
Zero: We will not repudiate battle on a fair and level field, but neither will we tolerate a one-sided massacre of the weak by the strong! The only ones who should kill are the ones who are prepared to be killed!
Optimus Prime: Freedom is the right of all sentient beings! We will fight to protect that freedom, no matter the cost! Whosoever will endanger the weak and helpless will face us in battle, and we will do everything in our power to stop you!
Zero: Those of you with power, fear us! Those of you without it, rally behind us! We, the Black Knights and the Autobots, shall be the ones who stand in judgment of this world!
- Cliffjumper recounts while helping Kallen and her mother pack up (whilst in vehicle mode) and was about to leave the Stadtfeld mansion, Kallen's stepmother attempts to prevent them from leaving, only for Kallen to call her a 'royal bitch' and deliver a right hook to her face!
- During the Scraplet outbreak, Lelouch in a Knightmare is the one who draws away the pests instead of Bulkhead, risking his life to save the Autobots from getting eaten alive.
- Kallen, in her Glasgow, managing to hold her own against a Decepticon. And not just any Decepticon, but Airachnid! Of course, the she-Con disassembles the Glasgow after she manages to mess with Kallen's head, but you gotta give Zero's Queen props for holding out as well as she did.
- Rai shows his piloting chops by holding off Knock Out and Breakdown, then destroying the Energon Harvester (and literally disarming Starscream in the process).
- Wheeljack's debut is even more awesome than in canon as he actually challenges Megatron to a fight! Even though it's clear that Megatron is the more skilled and more powerful of the two, as he keeps Wheeljack on the defensive throughout most of the fight, Wheeljack is still able to hold his own and is even able to get a few scratches in on the Decepticon leader before managing to escape to the Ark.
Battle of Narita
Chapter 15 & 16- The entirety of the Battle of Narita revision!
- Kallen once again shows her mettle by personally taking on Soundwave in her newly acquired Guren and actually being a match for the silent Decepticon.
- Rai, this time being the one to take out one of Breakdown's optics with his Gekka's Radiant Wave Surger Claw.
- Tohdoh (in his Burai) interrupting Starscream's gloating with a chest slice and a roundhouse kick to the Seeker's face!
- Ironhide and Dreadwing going at each other physically, with the veteran Autobot managing to nearly get Dreadwing to blow himself up with his own bomb, having figured out his tricks.Ironhide: I may be old, but I still know a few tricks.
- Suzaku, thanks to upgrades provided by Knock Out and Lloyd, can hold his own against Bumblebee and disable Zero's Knightmare before C.C. intervenes.
- And lastly, Optimus Prime and Megatron's first clash in 50 years. The two are evenly matched as ever, with the Autobot leader ramming Megatron through the forest in his vehicle mode and Megatron tearing through a dozen Knightmares with ease when they try to fight him. Not even heated magnesium, which is effective against Cybertronians and Knightmares, is enough to faze him!
- How about the battle of Port Yokosuka?
- First off the battle literally starts with a bang, Wrecker-style, courtesy of Wheeljack after the JLF is evacuated from the ship, taking out several Vehicons and Britannian soldiers in the process.
- Optimus' victory against Suzaku/the Lancelot shows why a millennia of battlefield experience and understanding of conflict wins this fight.
- Kallen outsmarting Thundercracker and sending him crash-landing in his jet mode!
- Ironhide single-handily taking out Darlton and Guilford's Gloucesters shows that he's still going strong since the War for Cybertron!
- Bumblebee's Big Damn Heroes moment when he takes out Viletta to save Shirley and an unconscious Zero/Lelouch.
- Rai and Bumblebee saving Shirley and Lelouch from Mao. Rai uses his Geass for the first time in the story on Mao to make him release Shirley, and Bumblebee sends him flying with a backhanded slap, breaking Mao's arm and forcing him to flee.
- During the battle for the Polarity Gauntlet, alongside Arcee and Bulkhead, Kallen and Rai prove how skilled they've gotten in their Guren and Gekka Knightmares by fighting on par with Breakdown, Suzaku, and Airachnid. And they win, even pulling off a Combination Attack to stop Airachnid from flying off with the gauntlet.
- Megatron shows why he's the leader of the Decepticons by finally putting his figurative (and literal) foot down onto the Seekers and Airachnid and tear down their Chronic Backstabbing Disorders followed by more wailing on their hides. After he's finished, Megatron makes it clear to them that they will learn to work together, and if they again let their actions impede him, themselves, or the Decepticons as a whole, he will terminate them all without distinction. After spending several chapters bearing through their arrogant and condescending natures, it is refreshing to see Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, and even Airachnid yielding timorously.
- Let's give credit to Starscream. When he got captured by the Autobots and Black Knights, he plays them like a fiddle.
- Credit also has to be given to the Knights of the Round, as they are able to hold their own against the Autobots, Kallen and Rai without having their Knightmares suffering much damage, showing why they're the Emperor's best Knightmare pilots.
- Lelouch completely outplays Mao by having Rai and Suzaku rescue Nunnally and disable his bomb while Shirley gets the Autobots... and having Rai use his Geass to make Lelouch forget said plan, meaning that he had to rely solely on his belief that his friends could finish their mission without his input. It works flawlessly, leaving Mao completely uncomprehending of what happened.
- This is followed by a battle between Mao (using a hijacked Sutherland) and Autobots Arcee and Cliffjumper. Mao ends up retreating into the Nemesis due to simply being unable to keep up with his opponents. Which leads to...
- Megatron deciding to hand Mao over to Shockwave for his failures. And just before that, Megatron reveals that he already knows who Zero is and that Mao had far less leverage than he thought he did. After Mao implied that he was going to take C.C., Cornelia, and Euphemia as sex slaves, it is extremely satisfying to see him suffer this way.
- After driving off Mao, Arcee and Cliffjumper were left in full view of the entire Ashford Academy student body. Shirley (and Kallen soon after) seize the moment to make it appear that the two Autobots had just saved them all from a terrorist threat (which they did technically do). For Shirley, this is a rather impressive display of initiative and ingenuity.
- C.C. finally severing her ties with Marianne. After seeing just how much of an Evil Matriarch Marianne was in canon, it's quite satisfying to see her take a loss.
- Lelouch and Rai quickly cover up their actions by erasing their and Nunnally's information from the school archives, then Geassing the headmaster into calling all students and staff together, where they then have their memories erased of the three until the investigation ends.
- Later on, when Knock Out and Breakdown are about to decapitate Bulkhead to obtain the formula for Synthetic Energon, Rai and Shirley come to Bulkhead's rescue in a monster truck that Rai managed to hotwire. They manage to temporarily trip up Breakdown and even run over Knock Out, doing damage to his paint job while they're at it. While Breakdown manages to crash the truck moments later, it's still brave of them to fight two Decepticons with just a normal monster truck.
- Rai: There's more than one way to wreck a Con than just with a Knightmare.
- Megatron and Soundwave (plus Soundwave's Minicons) taking down the Dark Energon monster that had earlier sent Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Airachnid running. Special mention goes to their impeccable teamwork (one of the rare few between Decepticons) and how fearlessly Megatron stared down the creature when they first encounter it. He's not called "The Gladiator of Kaon" for nothing — he may be evil and supremely arrogant, but Megatron truly possesses the valor befitting of a leader.
- Lelouch proves both his analytical and leadership skills in the rescue of Tohdoh. He assigns Kallen, Rai, the Autobots, and the Four Holy Swords to specific targets whom they then defeat:
- Kallen and Arcee vs. Nonette (and Airachnid)
- Bulkhead and Rai vs. Breakdown
- Cliffjumper and Chiba vs. Knock Out and Gino
- Wheeljack and Urabe vs. Dreadwing and Monica
- Senba, Asahina and Ironhide vs. Anya, Thundercracker, and Skywarp
- Meanwhile, Bumblebee alone doesn't do bad at all against Soundwave's Mini-Cons, Optimus and Megatron, as usual, are evenly matched, and Tohdoh alternates between fighting Suzaku and Starscream.
- Megatron meanwhile purposely lets Soundwave broadcast the entire battle in order to get a reaction out of Charles or V.V.
- In a way, Ironhide putting his foot down about the conditions for Suzaku supposedly joining their ranks. Even though he trusts Optimus and Lelouch with his life and would do anything for them, he still makes it clear that Suzaku's Never My Fault attitude is unacceptable, and that the only way the old Autobot would accept the boy as a comrade is if he admits his mistakes.
- Later, Ironhide makes it crystal clear to Diethard that he's got his eye on the turn-of-the-century Britannian.
- Shirley for her part makes both compassionate and valid arguments for welcoming Suzaku into the Black Knights. She also suggests bringing Euphemia into the fold, seeing as she is a genuinely sweet person as well as a princess.
- One for Rakshata: she successfully implements the Immobilizer's technology in the Gefjun Disturber to not only stop Britannia's Knightmares, but also Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Dreadwing in their tracks.
- Doubling as a moment of funny: Euphemia standing up to Starscream, without any signs of being intimidated. Even Thundercracker and Skywarp were smirking!
- Megatron captures V.V. when he foolishly reveals himself, uses his regenerative abilities to reverse-engineer the Cortical Psychic Patch to humans, and learns about the Ragnarok Connection.
- Lelouch, Kallen, Rai, Suzaku, Euphemia, and Nonnette successfully take down an Insecticon without Knightmares, but with just their environment.
- Optimus destroys the Thought Elevator on the island, causing V.V. to have a Freak Out, with C.C. getting a crack in on that's what Charles and company get for underestimating Optimus.
- Kallen spends most of the chapter as Suzaku and Dreadwing's prisoner, but she shows no fear and refuses to cooperate with them. She also calls out Suzaku on his Never My Fault attitude, ignoring the atrocities committed by Britannia and the Decepticons, and killing his father. She also calls out Dreadwing as well, telling him that his Noble Demon status means nothing if he willingly sides with monsters like Megatron. She then finishes by making it clear that her loyalty to the Black Knights and Autobots will never waver and she knows what she's fighting for, asking Suzaku if he does.
- Soundwave prevents Airachnid from committing a mutiny through controlling the Insecticon Hive by perfecting the sonic frequency that the Insecticons use to communicate with each other. Hardshell is also proven to be immune to Airachnid's influence, refusing to betray Megatron. Soundwave then reminds Airachnid of Megatron's ultimatum from Chapter 22. She's forced to yield, as she knows that she has no chance of taking on Soundwave and winning.
- For those who weren't fans of Suzaku's character in the anime, it's epic and satisfying to see Megatron give Suzaku a brutal verbal beatdown, tearing apart his ideals and methods as well as calling him out for his inability to accept responsibility for his failures and misdeeds, all while showing it to him via the Cortical Psychic Patch. It's also worth mentioning that this is the moment where Suzaku finally begins to realize that he's on the wrong side of this war.
- Just when it looks like Suzaku, Dreadwing and the Knights of the Round are done for at the hands of the Chinese Federation's forces, the Autobots and the Black Knights, with Lelouch and Ohgi piloting the Gawain taken from Kamine Island, arrive via Groundbridge to turn the tide.
- Special credit as well to Ratchet and Rakshata for making the Gawain much more maneuverable than it was in canon. With Lelouch in the pilot's seat, it could maybe stand on equal ground with Optimus or Megatron!
- For once, Suzaku actually tried something clever: when his death (and Dreawing's) appears inevitable, he tells Euphemia on a supposedly secure line that Lelouch and Nunnally are alive and at Ashford Academy, the very information Megatron was blackmailing him with. That way, Euphie can get them to safety. Sure, he comes out of the fight alive, and Soundwave's too good at his job, but the attempt still impresses Megatron enough that he'll let it slide. For now...
- By mixing the distilled Geass energy from Shockwave's experiments with a shard of Dark Energon, Megatron manages to give himself a Geass. Specifically, the Dark Geass of Absolute Terror, which is powerful enough to even work on Cybertronians and Code bearers.
- While it was pure evil, Megatron's False Flag Operation succeeded without question.
- Props to the Autobots and Black Knights for managing to save half the people gathered.
- Optimus gets to show just how good he is with his new axe, cutting down Vehicons and Britannian soldiers easily. When Bismarck challenges him, the Autobot leader and the Knight of One prove evenly matched. Bismarck even admits to himself that Optimus is the strongest warrior he's ever faced since Marianne, which excites him.
- Speaking of Marianne, she takes over Anya's body during the massacre and proves to be a match for Bulkhead, who realizes something is strange about Anya's fighting style.
- While Lelouch still wants to reform Suzaku, even he has limits when the latter continues to blame others for his own shortcomings. So, Lelouch grabs him by the collar and smacks him around all the while pointing out to the boy plain and simple that he is on the wrong side and he should no longer whine like a baby and just accept that fact. He then asks Suzaku to join him so they can save Euphemia and stop Megatron together. Thankfully, it works.
- While you got to give Cornelia credit for taking down three Vehicons (with only her Gloucester and no magnesium bullets), it's Megatron that single-handily takes her down with little effort, in a mirror of the former's defeat against Optimus in Saitama.
- On a bit more positive note, let's just say Cornelia managed to take on the two Transformers leaders, put up a good fight, and live to see another day. Rarely has there been a human who ever dared this feat in various other media.
- The Black Knights' broadcast to the entire world, where Zero and Optimus reveal the existence of the Decepticons to the entire world, Britannia's hypocrisy, the truth of the SAZ Massacre, and their intention to free Japan from Britannia, is this as well. It may very well top their speech from Chapter 9.Zero: Attention, people of the planet Earth! You have been deceived! The Special Administrative Zone of Japan, created by the kindhearted Princess Euphemia, was a genuine attempt to unite the world against a common enemy and end the fighting that has long since plagued our world, spearheaded by the fascist Britannian Empire! And how was she repaid for such an act of selflessness?! She was replaced by a soulless machine in her likeness to start a massacre!
Optimus: However, this is not the only deception. The Britannian Empire itself, for all its power and strength, is nothing more than a shadow. A facade for an even greater evil: The Decepticons, a faction of autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron.
Zero: Despite being a mere puppet-empire, Britannia is not innocent in their acts of aggression and even outright genocide! And they must be held accountable for that! Charles zi Britannia, and those who willingly follow him, are the living embodiment of Britannia's hypocrisy! They're seemingly devoted to evolution, yet refuse to change with the rest of the planet! The world wants peace! Euphemia wanted peace! But Charles zi Britannia and the even more vile Decepticons do not! Their massacre of the Special Administrative Zone...their attempt to sully Princess Euphemia's good name is proof enough of that!
Optimus: This madness must come to an end. We will not allow the atrocities of Britannia and the Decepticons to continue! This is the goal of the Black Knights and the Autobot alliance: to free the planet Earth from this tyranny! Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, and we will fight to preserve that freedom from all those who would take that freedom away, regardless of their origin!
Zero: With that, we hereby declare the independence of Area 11 from Britannian subjugation! However, this is not the resurrection of the old Japan, but the birth of something new; a nation where nobody is oppressed for their gender, race, ideology, or even species! This is the United States of Japan!
Optimus: This is our declaration to the Britannian government and Decepticon forces occupying this new nation! You are to be exiled from the United States of Japan immediately! Citizens who are of Britannian nationality, and yet support freedom and equality, are welcome to stay; you will not be persecuted or prejudiced against in the USJ. If the Britannian government leaves peacefully, we will respect it and their will be no need for battle. However, if you resist and choose to wage war, the alliance of Black Knights and Autobots will fight you with everything we have, and we will win!
Zero: You have twenty-four hours to make your peace, Britannia! Declare your surrender and leave the United States of Japan! And for the Decepticons...your time is at an end! You can either leave Earth now and forever, or you will face total destruction!
Optimus: TILL ALL ARE ONE!
The Autobots: TILL ALL ARE ONE!
The Black Knights: TILL ALL ARE ONE!- Despite hesitating at first, Suzaku ultimately joins in the chant!
- Rakshata and Fixit get an awesome moment as well by successfully reverse-engineering the Lancelot's Blaze Luminous Shield system and outfitting the Gawain with it in a short time. The opening shots of the subsequent battle, therefore, have the Gawain No Selling an attack from the Avalon.
- The chapter ends with the beginning of the Battle of Tokyo, and it literally starts with a bang as Wheeljack and Dreadwing both cause a massive earthquake in the Tokyo Settlement with their explosives to cripple Britannia's forces.
- It's revealed that the Black Rebellion is what Megatron wanted to happen. He knew that the Black Knights and Autobots would retaliate against the SAZ Massacre by declaring war, and with all of Britannia's strongest forces focused on Area 11, as well as the Autobots and Black Knights, he can go to Pendragon with the Decepticons, invade it, kill Charles, and become the new ruler of Earth before anyone in Area 11 is aware of it.Megatron: We launch a full-scale assault on Pendragon immediately! And wipe the traitorous Charles zi Britannia and his pathetic empire off the face of the planet!
- Adding on top of that, the Nemesis is finally repaired, which means Megatron will be bringing his starship into the battle!
- The entirety of the Decepticons' invasion of Pendragon. They manage to bring down the Britannian Empire in less than an hour.
- The invasion starts with a Rousing Speech from Megatron, who also delivers one of his most badass lines in the entire franchise:Megatron: Long have we been in hiding, ruling from the shadows! Too long! The Britannian Empire has forgotten its place, believing its false power to be true might! All due to the treachery of Charles Zi Britannia! But that is about to change… no more disguises! No more mercy! The time has come to remind this world... who it's true masters are! DECEPTICONS! TRANSFORM AND RISE UP!
- Megatron was very ready for his attack. Not just leading a forward assault from the air, but having a traitor and a stealth operation ready to get through everything.
- Starscream got the honor to lead the main assault and hold everyone's attention.
- Kanon was the inside traitor to disable the palace defenses, allowing their total capture of the royal family.
- And Soundwave has the most important secret job: seizing the Thought Elevator and jamming all communications to ensure no reinforcements.
- Starscream manages to kill Beatrice Franks, the former Knight of Two, by taking advantage of her disbelief of seeing the fall of Britannia.
- A small one goes to both Thundercracker and Skywarp who put the Britannian Royal Family back in their place.
- After decimating much of his forces and reducing his Knightmare to a pile of scrap, Megatron unleashes his Dark Geass upon Charles and exposing him as the weak, pathetic coward he really is.
- It's only after Pendragon has been destroyed that Megatron delivers the coup de grace on his treacherous pupil. All Hail Megatron indeed!
- Wheeljack sets his ship to ram Jeremiah, ejecting just before it crashes into the Siegfried... while the ship is still airborne.
- This is followed by Jeremiah's Knightmare, the Siegfried, transforming into a robot twice as big as Optimus and Megatron, thanks to Shockwave's work on it. Wheeljack and Dreadwing are in complete surprise upon witnessing it.
- Gino saving Kallen from Luciano, deciding to defect from Britannia.
- Nonette finally pulls a Heel–Face Turn, choosing to stand with Rai against Dorothea.
- Optimus and Bismarck clash again, with the latter breaking out his Geass to have a chance against the Autobot leader.
- Earlier on in the Assault on the Tokyo Settlement (mirroring Megatron's Curb-Stomp Battle against a dozen Burais in the Battle of Narita), it's Optimus' turn to unleash the hurt on twelve of twenty Gloucesters, taking them down single-handedly! The Four Holy Swords (who took down the other eight), were in awe as a result!Urabe: Damn... he's a real beast.
Senba: I'd hate to say it, but he'd definitely give Colonel Tohdoh a run for his money.
Asahina: Sure glad he's on our side. - Monica choosing to help Ratchet, Bumblebee, and Cecile save the Student Council from the Insecticons.
- A couple of moments of awesome from Shirley: One was that she was able to convince Nina not to go through with her misguided revenge (detonating the prototype nuclear reactor via the Ganymede), asking her if sacrificing herself and the Tokyo Settlement just to destroy the Decepticons would be just what Euphemia would want. The second was when Shirley herself piloted the Ganymede to send Hardshell away from the Settlement via a Groundbridge into outer space (thanks to Fixit, and ejecting just in time), allowing Nina the honor of wiping out the Insecticon via nuclear explosion!
- Ratchet, Monica, and Cecile manage to take out the other two Insecticons with Hardshell by tricking them to crash into a power generator.
- Optimus managing to beat Bismarck by creating a dust cloud so Bismarck can't use his Geass to see Optimus' next moves.
- Rai killing Breakdown and destroying Dorothea's Knightmare (though Dorothea survives) to save Nonette and Bulkhead.
- Suzaku and Dreadwing managing to save Cornelia and Euphemia before Airachnid kills the two princesses.
- When Dreadwing's T-Cog is damaged fighting Airachnid and the Insecticons, leaving him unable to transform and escape with Suzaku, Euphie, and Cornelia, he decides to make a final stand, blowing up an Energon deposit that takes him and the Insecticons in the resulting explosion. Although Airachnid survives, she ends up losing her right arms and the right side of her face!
- Cliffjumper making a Heroic Sacrifice, taking Luciano Bradley with him in an electric generator explosion. He makes the Vampire of Britannia lose his cool and even makes sure that his grinning face is the last thing Luciano sees alive. There's also his defiant words to him.Cliffjumper: Question... What does... the super cool... good looking... conversationalist named Cliffjumper... value most? Answer... the lives of his friends... even more than his own.
Luciano: Why are you still talking?! Why can't you just shut up and die?!
Cliffjumper: Too bad... cause I'm gonna chat... your ears out... all the way to Hell! - Megatron's New Era Speech to the entire world after he obliterates Pendragon:Megatron: Attention humanity! I am Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons, and the new master of planet Earth! You may all rejoice, for I have ended the life of the foolish and weak Charles zi Britannia, and laid waste to the capital city of Pendragon! As of this moment, the Holy Empire of Britannia no longer exists! Everything that was owned and controlled by this pathetic excuse of a superpower now belongs to me. Every resource, every conquered nation, every single human under its care, be it man, woman, or child, all of it is now the property of the Decepticon cause! And this is only the beginning. Soon, all of Earth shall be assimilated into a new galactic order under my leadership! No longer shall the humans of Earth be plagued by the burdens of freedom and choice. This may sound as a form of slavery, but I assure you, this is the beginning of a new and glorious era for your world. Your freedom and will to choose are the cause of all conflict on your planet, which has set the human race on a path of inevitable self-destruction! But I am here to save you. You will only have one burden to carry: my will. It is the only guidance you shall require as I lead your race to a prosperous future! All I ask in return, is your complete and total submission. The Holy Britannian Empire is already in the process of being completely uprooted! I shall tear it down to its foundations and leave nothing left! All those who dare to resist the will of my cause, shall suffer the same fate, I assure you. This is the dawn of a new age, an age far brighter than any golden age you could ever conceive of! Welcome to the Platinum Age of the Decepticons! Embrace our new way of life, and reap its rewards! Or resist, and suffer the same fate as Britannia, as well as the Autobots and Black Knights.
- Lelouch, C.C. and Suzaku fighting Megatron at the remains of Pendragon. While they manage to put up a better fight than most Knightmare pilots against the Decepticon leader, Megatron ultimately wins, thrashing the Gawain and the Lancelot.
- Megatron subjects Prime to his Dark Geass. But then the latter comes back and punches Megatron up into the air. You want to know how? BECAUSE HE'S OPTIMUS EFFIN PRIME!Optimus Prime: Megatron... begone!
- When Lloyd's reaction to Lelouch being put in a Dark Geass-induced nightmare that might kill him is to casually suggest they start planning a funeral, Kallen punches him in the face and lays him out flat.
- C.C. channeling the Matrix of Leadership through Optimus and Nunnally's connections to Lelouch, allowing the three of them to break him free of his nightmare.
- Ohgi's Rousing Speech, complete with a Precision F-Strike, in response to Megatron's New Era Speech, shows how far he has come since the beginning of the story from an inexperienced soldier to a hardened warrior worthy of being the Black Knights' deputy commander.Ohgi: We've built an entire army from nothing before, and we can do it again! I for one am not gonna sit by as Megatron conquers, ruins, and kills countless lives! If I die here, fighting for a cause like this, then it's about a good a cause as any to die for. I know I probably won't be the only one. So, the question is, how do you check out? Do you want it on your feet, or on your goddamn knees, begging?! Even before I became a Black Knight, I never begged! I didn't beg to Britannia, and I sure as hell am not gonna beg to Megatron! He wants our submission?! Well, I say fuck him! Let's fight that monster!
- Nina gets an awesome moment when she suggests hacking into the Decepticons' communications channel so the Autobots can be able to send out a distress call to any Autobots scattered throughout the galaxy for help. The hacking trick is a success as Optimus is able to send the message by the end of the chapter.
- Optimus Prime gets a Geass of his own through Cera in order to fight Megatron on even ground.
R2: Revolution
Chapter 1
- Of the villainous variant in The Renewed Revolution, starting with a bang! Devastator and Bruticus single-handedly annihilating the Britannian Navy along with the majority of forces led by the remaining Knights of the Round. Even Dorothea and Bismarck weren't spared from the onslaught!
- Small props to Bismarck for giving Devastator trouble with his Geass. Too bad Shockwave already outfitted the big guy with a Geass Canceller that deprives the Knight of One of his only advantage.
- One small moment of triumph for the Britannians during the montage of the 'Cons wiping out their forces — General Schwarzer buys time for Marrybell and the Glinda Knights to escape, then blows his base up to take the attacking Vehicons with him.
- The Autobots and Black Knights making their triumphant return by assaulting the Fuji mines, freeing the humans the Decepticons were using as slave labor, and then destroying the entire mountain rather than let the Decepticons get any more use out of it (after stealing an Energon shipment for good measure).Tamaki: The Black Knights are back, bitches!
- Lelouch now has total control of his Geass, able to use it at full power yet still able to turn it off at will. Oh, and now it's capable of affecting Cybertronians now.
- Optimus demonstrates the power of his own, the Prime Geass of Absolute Conviction. It allows him to reignite the hope of others through his words, notably without imposing any sort of control over them. Those affected only have their spirit raised and retain full control and knowledge of their own actions - which is the natural counter to Megatron's Dark Geass and a big spit in the eye to Megatron and Britannia's Social Darwinist beliefs.
- Lelouch, Kallen, Suzaku, Rai, and Ohgi are all equipped with brand-new Knightmares; the Shinkiro, the Guren of Eight Elements, the Lancelot Albion, the Raiden of Seven Elements, and the Gawain Nerion, respectively. And one can safely say there is no other Knightmare quite like these five because they've each been made with a Cybertronian protoform from the Harbinger.
- All of the new Autobots get moments to shine during the attack. Highlights include Ultra Magnus destroying four Vehicons with one swing of his Energon hammer, Prowl showing off his ninja skills with Strongarm providing cover-fire, Hot Shot taking down a Destroyer by himself, Chromia displaying her sniper skills, and the Aerialbots' assault on the Energon transport with Ohgi and Wizard.
- Zero and Optimus' Rousing Speech to the world, calling on humanity to unite and rise up against the Decepticons. The best part being Megatron's reaction to seeing that Lelouch is still alive — for once, old Buckethead is caught completely off guard.Zero: I am... Zero! [...] People of Earth... we have returned! [...] Hear us, Decepticons! All those of you who have power, heed our words carefully! We are burdened by sorrow! War and discrimination! Malicious deeds carried out by the strong... Britannia may be gone, but the world has not changed! The people still suffer! That is why the resurrection of the revolution is necessary!
Optimus: The Autobots and the Black Knights live! During our absence, our forces have grown! We apologize for not being there as the Decepticons have shaken this world to its core, but now we are ready to face them! The strong will no longer oppress the weak! It begins today, with the liberation of the United States of Japan!
Zero: We shall fight against all those who abuse their power!
Optimus: Once again, here and now, we hereby declare war on the Decepticon regime that wrongfully and unjustly occupies this planet!
Zero: We now direct this message to the leader of the Decepticons himself, Megatron himself! You can torture us, bomb us, threaten to burn our homes and nations to the ground, but you will not break the will of humanity! Our army will continue to grow, and we will not stop till your forces either leave this planet now and forever or are brought down by our blade!
Optimus: To the people of Earth who are oppressed, and who also wish to take a stand, we invite you to join us, to join the Autobot-Black Knight Alliance, and fight for the freedom of all sentient beings! Whatever differences in race, gender, ideology, even species no longer matter once you are a part of this coalition, your only requirement is to fight for what is just!
- Suzaku using the new Lancelot's Cybertronian jet alt-mode to swipe the Spark Extractor out of Megatron's hands mid-Groundbridge.
- Lelouch has improved drastically as a Knightmare pilot, even considering the upgraded tech in things.
- Orpheus fooling Steeljaw and his "pack" by using his Geass to impersonate Megatron, allowing the others to sneak in and rescue Kallen, Arcee, and Strongarm.
- Optimus would have managed to get through to Anya if Marianne hadn't intervened.
- Kallen and Suzaku's Combination Attack sending the pack running.
- The Wreckers, Aerialbots, and Black Dragon get to square off against Squadron X, the Seekers, and Combaticons respectively, with both sides being pretty evenly matched.
- Tohdoh also manages to acquire the grudging respect of Onslaught in their duel. The Miracle Worker of the Japanese Armed Forces now has two Decepticon commanders for rivals.
- Fed up with Lloyd, Rakshata, and Fixit squabbling, Nunnally comes up with a successful plan to get them to work properly together.
- Jetstorm and Safeguard capturing the shield generator relic for the Autobots.
- The Autobots and Black Knights fighting the Terrorcons, Dark Knights, Dark Pawns, and Headmaster units.
- Rai getting some catharsis by electrocuting V.V.'s Knightmare and frying the bastard. Then, for good measure, Bulkhead smashes it, and Nonette blows up what's left, either delaying V.V.'s resurrection or outright killing him again (depending on whether he'd come back already).
- Lelouch comes up with a plan that has Megatron on the ropes, keeping him at range and making his split his focus between avoiding their attacks and keeping control of his Dark Pawns. If Megatron hadn't brought out the "Dark Queen", he might have beaten the Decepticon leader right there.
- With Optimus' Geass aiding her, Anya is actually able to fight Marianne's control.
- The entire battle by the Autobots and Black Knights to defend the Ark, guided by Lelouch using a device called an "Omniglobe" to keep track of everything.
- Optimus not only countering Megatron's Dark Geass with his own but having a counter to his every verbal jab, including his attempts to drive a wedge between him and Cera.
- Sayoko helps fight against a Decepticon Mini-Con team trying to sabotage the Ark... sans a Knightmare. And they win. Bonus points for Sayoko as she manages to kill Frenzy. Even Rivalz, Milly, and Shirley aid in the fight by using turrets.
- Rai manages to short out the Dark Tristan and save Gino instead of killing him.
- In the end, the Nemesis ends up where the Ark was on the ocean floor and is further damaged by lava. Megatron has a minor Villainous Breakdown when he realizes that Lelouch was the one who organized the battle and handed him his first major defeat since arriving on Earth.
- Horai Island is not only hidden by a shield from both sight and radar but save for the Geassed Gao Hai, none of the High Eunuchs even know that the artificial island exists.
- The introduction of Akito Hyuga, i.e. the infamous Ghost of Hannibal. It plays as it did in Akito the Exiled, but is no less awesome to see. And the best part is that readers already know it's a matter of time before he and the Wyvern squad join the Black Knights, who are now off to Europia Union to recruit more allies.
- Lelouch and Suzaku politely argue against Smilas' ideas of having one single ruler in command by telling him and Leila of how the Cybertron war began, offering valid points of thought as Smilas concedes and impressing Leila as well.
- Ryo's group attacks the convoy where the Autobots and Black Knights are negotiating with Smilas. They didn't stand a chance.
- While the rest of the Autobots reduce the twenty drones to scrap metal in no time at all, Yukiya notices through his frustration that one of them is missing. Cue Prowl making his presence known. Oh, and he disarms the boy's suicide bomb too.Yukiya: How in the hell... Someone as big as you... something so small?!
Prowl: (smirks) Proper training. - Ayano doesn't have a chance against Suzaku in a straight-up fight, and even when she manages to give him the slip, as in canon, Leila pins her down with one move.
- Kallen, Rai, and Orpheus take out the right arm of Ryo's Knightmare with new guns that shoot the magnesium bullets and can even convert into smaller forms for practical carrying. Even outside their Knightmares, those three are not to be trifled with.
- Lelouch's new armor, designed by Perceptor, isn't just for show: with twin short Energon wrist blades and Hover Skates, he keeps up with Akito himself to disable Ryo's Knightmare. Special credit to Sayako and Tohdoh for whipping him into shape during the timeskip.
- Lelouch's strategy during the battle catches Steeljaw completely off-guard.
- Shin coolly using a Groundbridge to escape when the Autobots and Black Knights have him cornered.
- Steeljaw managing to confirm that Megatron knows what Geass is.
- Prowl effortlessly spotting Smokescreen and Sideswipe when they try to sneak up on him.
- It's also Nightmare Fuel, but Airachnid wiping out the House of Lords to allow the Decepticons to take over Euro-Britannia.
- Thanks to Shockwave's enhanced Knightmare for him, Rolo's not only overcome the "cardiac arrest" issue of his Geass, but he can focus it on a single target now.
- The moment Grimlock is woken up, he immediately transforms into his T-Rex mode and proceeds to completely trounce Shockwave's forces, damaging the Dark Siegfried, temporarily killing V.V., and even managing to kill Rolo, Castor, and Pollux!
- His transformation to his T-Rex mode deserves a mention, as he unleashes a Mighty Roar that stops all the fighting going on in the Sahara Desert. Suffice to say, everbody is completely stunned by his transformation, even Tohdoh and Optimus.
- Optimus proves why he's the leader of the Autobots by calming Grimlock down with his Geass. He then successfully negotiates for the Dinobot leader's cooperation.
- The effort to free Marrybell and Akito from Shin's Geass, full stop. C.C. even manages to tap into a little of the power of the Primes to get the final boost needed to let them push past it.
- Joseph Fenette, Marianne and Anya are slowly implementing a plan to regain their freedom, right under Shockwave's eye. Step one was Anya delivering a secret message to Nonette that Shirley, Joseph's daughter, would understand. Step two is beginning to give Jeremiah his free will back.
- Shockwave has quite a few projects in store...
- Nunnally giving a Shut Up, Hannibal! speech to Shin and Steeljaw.
- Lelouch not only anticipating Steeljaw’s trap, but turning it against him.
- When Jean was about to shoot Shirley for calling out to Shin for siding with the Decepticons, Milly quickly comes to the rescue by disarming Jean! That definitely took guts from the former Ashford Student Council President herself!
- Leila's impressive Rousing Speech to the capital of Europia, convincing the rioting citizens to unite against the Decepticons and to stand alongside the Black Knights & the Autobots to save the world.Leila: Citizens of Europia, please listen to my words with an open mind! [...] I understand why you are afraid, the hostile regime known as the Decepticons do indeed pose a great threat to us. But it is the height of foolishness to panic in response to their threats and manipulations. [...] The Decepticons believe us to be powerless, that we are unable to defend ourselves against them. But we all know that is not true. There is a force out there, an alliance that stands their ground against them even know, fighting for a future where we no longer have to live in fear. They are the Black Knights and the Autobots, warriors of true justice. I give you my word, that the Black Knights are every bit as human as we are, even the masked revolutionary named Zero is among us, an ordinary human. Yet despite that, they chose to take a stand and fight alongside the Autobots, not as subserviates but as equals. They are a brotherhood that sees the best in our people as a whole and are prepared to lay their lives down for each and every one of us, and they are not alone. I lead a Europian military unit covertly that has been battling Euro Britannia, but we have now joined forces with the Black Knight-Autobot alliance in their struggle against the Decepticons. During our time together, I have seen that people from all ethnicities are included in their ranks; Japanese, European, Chinese, even former Britannians. My unit also comprises of the Japanese, the very same people that our government has kept in internment camps out of fear, first that fear was of the Britannian Empire, now it is fear of the Decepticons. It is true that the Decepticons have all but eliminated Britannia, but humanity still has a chance! For decades, the people of our world have been divided by war, prejudice, and hatred; and if the actions of the Decepticons continue to feed our fear, then there is no hope. Not just for Europia, but the entire planet! Why do we continue to hurt one another? Why must we… find solace in the demonizing and pain of others? We can no longer allow ourselves to be ruled by hate! We can no longer be defined by our petty differences! We may all come from different places, practice different cultures, see the world from very different perspectives, but it's our differences that make us strong! Now is the time to come together despite our differences! Now is the time to work alongside the people who spill their blood and Energon for our sakes! Even if they come from a different planet, the Autobots are people just like the Black Knights that fight alongside them! Just like us, the people they continue to protect! We need freedom, in every aspect of our existence! I have every confidence that the Decepticons will be defeated, but if our world is to have a peaceful future, we must be willing to take responsibility for every action we take, both good and bad. My father, Bradow Von Breisgau, always believed that a future of peace and equality was a future worth striving toward! So I will not give up! I'll stand alongside Zero and Optimus Prime and face the darkness with them! My name is Leila Breisgau, and I pledge my full support toward the Autobot-Black Knight alliance and the cause they fight for! Please join me in our struggle! Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, and we must stand to preserve that freedom for each and every one of us! For every man, woman, and child that occupies this Earth!
- Leila confronts Smilas about her father’s death, but when he tries to kill her it turns out to be a disguised Zero, who quickly takes him down and Geasses him into obedience, but not before telling Smilas that Optimus would have seen right through him.
- Not only is Akito now immune to Shin’s Geass, but Cera is able to suppress it for the time being.
- Kallen and Arcee’s killing of Airachnid. First Arcee dismembers Airachnid’s spider legs, then Kallen follows up by stabbing her by the face with her Radiant Wave Surge, followed by charging it full of energy, and the she-con finally goes down. Arcee puts it best.Arcee: Good riddance.
- Similarly, Rai killing Quillfire the same way.Rai: My regards to Breakdown.
- Shirley managing to talk Jean into a Heel–Face Turn. Despite Jean firing some shots in order to scare her away and threatening to kill her, Shirley, despite not being armed or a soldier, manages to convince her to fight for the world she loves, even if no one reciprocates her love.
- Nina hijacking the Anti-Groundbridge satellite, which the Autobots rig so that the Decepticons think it's still working. This allows them to evacuate Castle Weisswolf without the Cons realizing it, and lure them and the rest of Shin's forces inside before blowing the castle up, wiping the entire Order of Michael out.
- Optimus and Schneizel's chess game is extremely impressive, with everyone in the room watching intently as the two match wits.
- Just when it seems that the Decepticons and the High Eunuchs' forces are about to overwhelm the Autobots and the Chinese rebels, Grimlock drops into the battlefield, knocking down Bruticus. He's followed by Autobot/Black Knight reinforcements, and the tide of battle swiftly turns.
- Optimus manages to also expose the High Eunuchs for the corrupt traitors they are through an Engineered Public Confession, destroying their power, plunging China into rebellion, and pushing China into the Autobots' corner.
- Xingke slaughtering the bastards for trying to kill his charge, the Empress, selling out China to the Deceptions, and murdering the royal family for their own gain. Slowly and painfully with a sword.
- Despite it being mostly a Breather Episode, this chapter shows just how much progress the Autobots and Black Knights have made:
- All the newcomers from the EU and Chinese Federation are integrated effectively into existing ranks, with Leila's team becoming a new unit called the Black Wyverns under Leila's command, and the remnants of the Glinda Knights and Asura Strike Force merging into the Crimson Knights under Marrybell's command.
- Then Zero and Euphemia attend a conference with Kaguya and Kyoto's council, Leila, a still-Geassed Smilas, Tianzi, Duke Velaines, and the representatives of several other nations around the world. The aim of the conference is to establish a coalition that will fairly and peacefully govern the world after the Decepticons are defeated. This proves that the Black Knights and Autobots aren't just focused on winning the war but also on creating a world of "peace through unity." As for why Optimus himself isn't attending the meeting, he both trusts Zero with handling this, and the Autobots shouldn't look as though they wish to control the humans.
- Megatron's fury over the loss of EU and the Chinese Federation is shown near the end of the chapter. Starscream attempts to pacify him by offering the fleet to scour the world and destroy their base, but as Megatron points out, they don't have a clue where said base is, and scouring the planet to find it would leave Darkmount vulnerable to invasion. The Decepticons only have complete control of one continent, after all.
- It's small, but Lelouch manages to earn some of Grimlock's respect with his resolve.
- To buy her team just a little extra time through overclocking the AI, T-AI engages in cyber warfare with Trypticon. And as part of her defense is an "Ark Protocol" where she can create digital copies of the Autobots' greatest warriors to fight.
- One awesome moment from Suzaku: his suggestion of removing the Dark Energon from the Nemesis' core, thanks to learning that each Cybertronian ship's power core having a reverse mechanism for removing corroded or corrupted Energon from the infuser. All thanks to spending time with Lloyd Asplund for so long!
- Bumblebee defeats Jeremiah in the Dark Siegfried singlehandedly. Granted, it's implied Jeremiah held back because he wanted to test the Autobot's dedication to protecting Nunnally, but he repeatedly praises his opponent's strategy and determination.
- As had been previously hinted at, Marianne and Joseph have freed Jeremiah from his brainwashing. He proceeds to defect to the Autobots and Black Knights during the fight in the Paris subway, offering up the location of the Geass Cult and the Thought Elevators.
- Jeremiah goes so far as to tear out his power core/tracking device with his own hands. Don't worry, Joseph installed a backup in him that isn't on Shockwave's systems.
- Beta Team uses Springload's obsession with Doradus against him. First, Bumblebee and Arcee pretend to know where it is so that he'll separate from Knock Out and chase them. Then, Nunnally and Milly pretend to be the spirits of Doradus condemning him, which distracts him enough for Bumblebee, Arcee and Sayoko to jump him, pinning him to the third rail and electrocuting him to death.
- Smokescreen luring Knock Out in front of a train car that Shirley's hot-wired, which proceeds to run him over. Enraged over how much this messed up his bodywork, he tries to counterattack, only for the whole team to aim their weapons at him, scaring him off.
- When the two groups encounter each other and it's made clear neither has the Relic yet:Sky-Byte: Which would mean that we are on equal footing, were it not for the fact that you are all outnumbered two to one.
Kallen: Yeah, you should have brought a lot more guys with you. - To counter Sky-Byte's natural advantage of being able to attack them from beneath the ice, Kallen supercharges the ice and water beneath it, rendering it so boiling hot that the Sharkticon leaps out in pain, allowing Ohgi a chance to take him out of commission.
- As a side effect of the ice melting, Optimus and Elita are able to take Thundercracker and Slipstream by surprise and win their fights with them.
- When Slipstream wonders as to why Megatron would keep Starscream around, Sky-Byte suggests that it's because it's to keep the Decepticon leader looking over his own shoulder and expecting betrayals. Slipstream admits that it's actually a pretty clever idea.
- Admit it, watching Starscream thrash the Autobots and the Black Knights around with the Apex Armor was fun to watch.
- To defeat Starscream after he becomes Nigh-Invulnerable thanks to the Apex Armor, Lelouch hits him with a full power attack from the Shinkaro's Wave-Motion Gun. While this doesn't do much to damage the armor, it distracts Starscream long enough for the others to destroy the ice beneath him, dropping into a watery abyss.
- The relic that the Black Wyverns recover is the Enigma of Combination. A Relic that contains a fragment of Nexus Prime’s power. When they’re cornered by Steeljaw’s pack, along with a resurrected Shin, the Relic, working in tandem with Lelia’s Geass, allows their Alexanders to combine into a super Knightmare they dub the Hercules. With it, they utterly wipe the floor with Shin’s new Knightmare, the Thanatos.
- During Shin’s fight with the Hercules, Akito and the rest of the Black Wyverns give him one hell of a "The Reason You Suck" Speech, with Akito telling him that deep down, he wants to lose to them, because of how he doesn’t want to live in the world since all he sees is pain and suffering, with the rest of the Black Wyverns telling Shin about how despite all of the darkness in the world, it still has things worth fighting for. In the end, Akito tells Shin about how he pities him, which causes Shin to have a Villainous Breakdown, allowing the Black Wyverns to slice the Thanatos in two.
- During the battle, Steeljaw and his pack try to assist Shin, only for Gino, Grindcore, Sideswipe, and Strongarm to get in their way, and together, they send the pack, well packing.
- Jetstorm and Safeguard coming up with a plan to exploit the Combaticons' various Fatal Flaws in order to divide them and rescue the captive Drift, Tohdoh and Xingke.
- Urabe sacrificing himself to destroy the Red Energon before Bruticus can escape with it, damaging the Combaticons enough in the process that they're forced to flee.
- Despite warping into Schneizel's ambush, you got to give Gamma Team credit for making out of the chapter mostly unscathed! Highlights include:
- Ultra Magnus holding his own against Scorponok, despite losing his Energon Hammer. In their rematch, he later puts the Skyboom Shield to good use even though he isn't a Prime!
- Monica proves her credentials as a Knight of a Round by literally disarming Glowstrike, then finishing the Insecticon off with a decapitation blow!
- Guilford and Saberhorn prove themselves to be Worthy Opponents to each other's eyes. Though their duel ended with a draw (Guilford losing his Akatsuki and Saberhorn sustaining heavy injuries), they both part on good terms.
- Even when captured, Cornelia and Chigusa aren't taking their imprisonment lying down, with the former princess escaping her bonds by dislocating her right index and middle fingers and killing the two guards on duty! And after being freed, Chigusa helps bring down the Avalon by sabotaging the engines!
- The Driller is revealed to be the relic in stasis under Chernobyl, and proves itself strong enough to match Grimlock.
- Cera killing Mao, putting him out of his misery.
- Sancia, Dalque, and Lucretia are revealed to be working with Marianne/Anya and Joseph to bring down the Geass Order from within.
- On the villainous side, Soundwave and the Constructicons prove to be a match for Sigma Team.
- Tink's Dying Moment of Awesome. As the rest of their team is being sucked into Devastator's Vortex Grinder, he and Wizard launch a joint maximum power attack at the Combiner, blowing him apart and saving the others, at the tragic cost of Bonecrusher being launched at Tink's Knightmare from the force of the blast and crushing him.
- Megatron casually revealing that the Dark Energon used to make Nemesis Prime slaves him to Megatron's will, keeping V.V. from rebelling.
- Barricade calling V.V. out for his immaturity, telling the immortal-turned-Cybertronian to act his age.
- The team's trick with a grenade and fragments of Tox-En succeeds in taking out Overload.
- Rai Taking the Bullet to save Nonette's life from Nemesis Prime. Then, when Nemesis mocks him for caring for his friends Bulkhead shuts him up by pushing him and the Tox-En into the lava.
- Hot Shot's absence turns out to have been because he snuck onto the Nemesis, hiding and waiting until he can steal back the Iacon Relics that the Cons managed to claim.
- Optimus' "The Reason You Suck" Speech to V.V., calling him out on how everything bad that's ever happened to him is his own fault.
- Lelouch tricking V.V. by switching Knightmares with Cera in order to get close enough to him in order to leap aboard Nemesis Prime and stab its optics out, blinding it. Cera then leaps onto it and proceeds to Mind Rape the bastard into unconsciousness.
- Lelouch isn't fooled by Megatron's trick with the decoy beacon in this story, and only Leila's team is sent to investigate just in case it's actually the real deal.
- When Megatron finds that he cannot remove the Star Saber from the stone, he decides to have the Nemesis lift up the mountain where the stone is imbedded.
- The Hercules and Gino teaming up to fight Devastator, taking advantage of their greater mobility compared to the Combiner.
- Optimus cutting the mountain dropped on him by the Nemesis in half with the Star Saber is rightfully praised as awesome in-universe.Lelouch: Long live the king.
- The Ashford Student Council, Misty, Sayako, Rai, Toto and Nunnally declare their intent to lead the infiltration to rescue the hostages of the Geass Order. That regardless of their own skills and military training, the other Black Knights and Autobots have worked so hard to bring about the better world. And these "outside non combatants" won't hesitate to find a way to do the same even if the leaders say no.
- While Megatron was away temporarily, Lelouch thought it would be the perfect time to use his many attack squads to strike the thought elevators simultaneously. Little did he suspect that Shockwave had been preparing for just such a move, turning a surprise attack into an ambush.
- Sayoko takes out Madd with a shot to the head, all while the wicked colonel isn't aware of her presence until it's too late.
- Grimlock defeats the Driller by having Alice drop him into its mouth so he can use his fire breath to burn it alive from the inside.
- Nephew and Uncle working together to destroy Clara's knightmare.
- Cera's plan to defeat Meagtron: she lures into the Sword of Akasha, then has T-AI trap him in a Shadowzone, before destroying the last Thought Elevator to cut the Sword off from Earth. The chapter notes compare it to locking something in an airtight vault, then throwing it into the sea.
- In a villainous example that is as horrifying as it is impressive, Shockwave and Soundwave free Megatron from his imprisonment by means of an artificial Thought Elevator. He then hijacks the global broadcast of the UFN's commencement ceremony to announce his return, and challenge the Autobots and Black Knights to a showdown.
- Also, Megatron is well aware of Starscream and Schneizel's planned coup, and is intending to let it happen so that they'll keep the Autobots busy.
- But does Megatron's return shatter our heroes' resolve? Not if Optimus Prime has anything to say about it. He draws the Star Saber and rallies the Autobots, Black Knights and Federation members with a chant of just four words.TILL ALL ARE ONE!
- Thanks to the Forge of Solus Prime, Bumblebee has finally regained his voice. In addition, Nunnally is regaining her ability to walk without the use of her exo-casts.
- Bumblebee surprising Megatron by revealing his voice has been restored.Bumblebee: You took my voice, but I took it back.Suzaku: And we'll make sure that you never rob anyone of anything ever again!
- The Knightmares of Lelouch and Suzaku, as well as Kallen and Rai, are now Combiners thanks to the Forge of Solus Prime. Getter Robo would be proud.
- The heroes manage to take out several prominent Decepticons:
- The Hercules kicks Underbite off of the Ark to fall to his death.
- Grindcore rips off Thunderhoof's antlers and stabs him with them.
- Lugnut is about to kill Bulkhead with his axe, only for Chromia to shoot him in the eye, causing him to drop it. Bulkhead then grabs it and uses it to demolish Lugnut's head.
- Nonette kicks Blitzwing into the path of a heavy cannon, obliterating him.
- Barricade is decapitated by Drift.
- Scorponok is crushed by Grimlock.
- Saberhorn is impaled by Alice.
- Kallen and Rai overload Bruticus with a duel Surger attack, causing him to explode.
- A villainous example, but just as it seems that the heroes might win, Starscream and Schneizel whip out their trump card: the Damocles. And with one blast, it proceeds to take out a massive chunk of the Autobots and the Black Knights!
- Megatron unveils his trump card against Starscream and Schneizel's coup — the Predacons!
- Megatron showing once and for all why he's the one true Big Bad of this story, crashing Starscream and Schneizel's joint coronation and killing them and all their supporters with Predaking and a synthetic Rust Plague created by Shockwave. This one act wipes out what's left of the Britannian aristocracy (except the more noble ones who defected to the Black Knights) and cements his leadership of what's left of the Decepticons.
- Even if Megatron's immortal now, being rapidly disintegrated into Cosmic Rust would surely still feel agonizing. Megatron, however, practically treat the whole experience like taking an afternoon shower.
- Predaking's involvement in the counter-coup deserves mention, as he not only matches Devastator but ultimately completely overwhelms him, blowing him into his component Constructicons and then picking them all off in rapid succession.
- Lelouch utterly refuses to be intimidated even when learning that Megatron is now both immortal and about to bring the Damocles down on Horai Island. He instead gives a Rousing Speech to everyone on the island, bringing them all back from the Despair Event Horizon and uniting them in a chant of "Til All Are One" as they prepare to face the attack.
- While also a tearjerker, there's a dying Optimus declaring Lelouch as worthy of inheriting the Matrix of Leadership.
- Lelouch proves that he is indeed worthy to wield the Matrix of Leadership, because when offered it by Optimus, he rejects it.
- Lelouch makes it clear to Megatron that being immortal now doesn't mean a thing to him; one way or another, Lelouch is going to stop him. What's particular ballsy about this is that it's one of the rare moments Lelouch engages in snark.Megatron: Tell me, Lelouch. How exactly do you plan to dispose of me, seeing as I am now immortal?
Lelouch: How about I put you in stasis and drop you into a black hole. Let's see if that works. - When the Decepticons assault Horai Island, it seems like Megatron will emerge victorious, with even Grimlock looking like he’s about to be defeated by Predaking, when suddenly, the Dinobots arrive and together they turn the tide in the Alliance’s favor. And not just the Dinobots, but Omega Supreme arrives as well.Omega Supreme: I… Am… OMEGA SUPREME!
- Just when it seems like Optimus will die, Nunnally immediately runs for the Forge of Solus Prime to try to use it to save him. Due to her size she can’t move it, but Ratchet can, so he picks it up, and puts it into Optimus’ hand, and the remaining energy in the forge resurrects Optimus and grants him a new form complete with a jetpack.
- Even with the arrival of the Dinobots and Omega Supreme, it still seems like the Decepticons will win when Megatron orders two fusion cannons to fire at the Ark and Horai Island. Fortunately the first shot is blocked by Omega Supreme supplying the Ark with enough energy to give the shield a boost, and the second shot is blocked by none other Optimus Prime wielding the Skyboom Shield.
- Optimus then uses the Star Saber to tear the Damocles apart, soon leaving it as a pile of scrap sinking into the ocean.
- While unable to act on his own ambitions, Steeljaw happens to get an exit strategy from the remaining higher up Decepticons, creating a new splinter team thanks to Thundercracker, Slipstream and Sky-Byte.
- Soundwave refuses to give anything up to the Autobots. And when they threaten to cut him open and rip out his surveillance data, he deletes it and shuts off his drives. And when pressed by Suzaku on why he still follows Megatron, Soundwave utters his most iconic line:Soundwave: Soundwave, superior. Autobots and humans, inferior.
- Ravage and Laserbeak manage to infiltrate Horai Island, with the former breaking into the vaults and getting back the Resonance Blaster and the Dark Star Saber, and the latter freeing Soundwave from captivity. The minute he's back online, Soundwave plows through everybody in the lab, disabling Wheeljack and the Raiden with his tentacles, throwing Bulkhead into Ratchet and Perceptor, and rendering everybody else unconscious with the Resonance Blaster. The chapter ends with Soundwave escaping through a Groundbridge with not only the Dark Star Saber, but Cera and Nunnally as well, giving Megatron everything he needs to initiate Neo Ragnarök.
- The renegade Decepticon faction commits tiny acts of treason working to throw Megatron off and clear an easier path for the Alliance.
- Thundercracker cleverly hides a comm in Nunnally's soup bowl, letting them warn her of the plan.
- Sky-Byte and Slipstream use their rank and "generosity" to temporarily get control of the defensive fusion cannons and try to overload them.
- And when Megatron and his most loyal lieutenants go to deal with that, Steeljaw swerves in and gets Cera and Nunnally out of captivity.
- Megatron's plan to compensate for fewer living Decepticons than the Alliance has? A horde of dead ones, brought from Cybertron, and energized by Dark Energon.
- Lelouch and Optimus bring the Alliance all together at the scorched plains of what was once Britannia, now the Decepticon capital of Darkmount. While the enemy has changed, and the motivation has been purified, Lelouch's dream of overthrowing Britannia and creating his peaceful world has finally come to pass. Bringing the entire world alongside him, Lelouch prepares to lead Autobot and human alike to take the fortress, save his sister, and the world.Lelouch: Let's roll!
- Euphie being willing to use the Omniglobe in order to better coordinate the Alliance's attack on Darkmount. Even when it's clear that it's taking a toll on her, she powers through it.
- Just when the Predacon is about to attack the Grandberry, Grimlock drops onto it out of a Groundbridge and takes it to the ground. He's then joined by the other Dinobots, and together they take it on.Grimlock: Dinobots... charge!
- Jeremiah tackling the Terrorcon-Driller to keep it from attacking the Longdan. The other Irregulars then join him in facing the monstrosity down.
- Ratchet being willing to take on Shockwave, despite knowing he's outmatched even with help from Sky-Byte and Thundercracker.
- When Soundwave pins down Lelouch's group with the Resonance Blaster, Steeljaw counters him with a sonic grenade that knocks him off his feet and gives everyone else breathing room.
- Ultra Magnus' group managing to infiltrate and seize control of the Nemesis.
- Lelouch's group easily sees through Steeljaw's plan to trap everyone in the Sword of Akasha by destroying the artificial Thought Elevator, so Kallen and Arcee stay behind to deal with him.
- Akito decapitating Shin, finally killing his psychotic brother for good.
- When the Terrorcon Driller manages to get aboard the hijacked Nemesis, Smokescreen has the idea to fly it far away and then blow up the ship, destroying it and the Driller in one fell swoop.
- Rai figuring out how to use Soundwave's connection with his Mini-Cons against him, uploading the virus into Ravage and causing it to spread to Laserbeak and Soundwave himself, giving the Wreckers a chance to smash the disabled Mini-Cons while taking away Soundwave's ability to use Groundbridges at will, giving them an edge against him.
- Bulkhead follows up on this, smashing Soundwave repeatedly until finally firing pointblank into his chest to kill him.
- Ratchet using the grenade Wheeljack gave him to blow up Darkmount's fusion cannons, eliminating the fortress as a threat.
- Shockwave meeting his fittingly Karmic Death at the hands of three of his victims — Jeremiah stabs him in the eye, Alice cuts off his hand, and finally Grimlock crushes his head.
- Anya saving Kallen and Arcee by suddenly shooting Steeljaw from behind, blasting him into a chasm.
- During the battle in the Sword of Akasha, Megatron sends a slash of energy from the Dark Star Saber at the Shinkiro that kills Lelouch! But Lelouch, and Marianne, then find themselves in the Realm of the Primes, and in order to stop Neo-Ragnarök, the Primes all grant Lelouch a fragment of their power, with Marianne acting as a filter to give him a chance to survive its power. And when Lelouch comes back, he’s shown wielding the Star Saber and the Skyboom Shield, and with it, he annihilates Megatron!Lelouch: I am… Zero Prime!
