Awesome / Transformers: Generation 1

Optimus Prime: "You destroy everything you touch, Megatron!"
Megatron: "Because everything I touch is food for my hunger, my hunger for power!"

Season One

• The scene where the Autobots and Decepticons engage in battle until their ships crash into Earth in "More Than Meets The Eye: Part One".
• We get to see an insanely cool amount of Energon Cubes during "More Than Meets The Eye: Part Two".
  Soundwave: SPACE CUISER NEARLY COMPLETE.
  Megatron: And the Energon Cubes?
  Soundwave: 3,000 ASTROLITERS MORE REQUIRED.
  Megatron: We need one more source of energy, Soundwave.
  Soundwave: THE RUBY CRYSTALS OF BURMA?
  Megatron: Right. They're the richest source of energy on the face of the earth. I can almost see those ruby crystals now!
  He hears mechanical whirring
  Megatron: What was that? (He sees Starscream shooting energy lasers using the Energon Cubes) Starscream! What in the universe are you doing?!
  Starscream: Testing the Energon Cubes! They WORK!!
  Megatron: Of course they work.
  Starscream: You didn't know! You never tested them! I proved it!!
• Megatron's first conflict with Starscream in "More Than Meets The Eye: Part Three". Megatron mocks his commander openly planning to claim his position ("Mistake Number One!"), leading the furious Seeker to try and shoot him from behind. Megatron handily shields the laser after Soundwave warns him and quickly puts the terrified Starscream back in his place:
  Megatron: You failed to dispose of me while you had the chance. Mistake Number Two. Now It's My Turn.
• The climax of "More Than Meets The Eye: Part Three": Optimus tries to fly with Sideswipe's rocket pack and stop the Decepticon ship once it has taken off, but he's shot down...so Mirage is the one to save the day, by infiltrating the ship during the battle and making it crash, before jumping off with a one-liner:
  Mirage: I'll say "hello" to Prime for you, Megatron! Happy landing!
• "Roll For It" has Optimus go Papa Wolf when Starscream tries to crush Brawn and Cliffjumper:
  Starscream: (raising a piece of machinery above his head) You're about to become instant junk!
  Optimus: (runs over and starts grappling with Starscream) Try picking on a mechanism your own size!
• Part 1 of "The Ultimate Doom" has Megatron pulling an epic Sadistic Choice on Optimus Prime. Either Optimus activates the final space bridge pylon, which would pull Cybertron into Earth's orbit and pretty much doom humanity and give Megatron a nearly endless supply of energy, or leave the pylon alone, which would destroy Cybertron and kill everyone on it. Optimus activates it, leading to:
  Optimus: Have I saved Cybertron...only to destroy the Earth?
• In "A Plague of Insecticons", Megatron tries to blow up an oil refinery by crashing a burning oil tanker into it. Optimus leaps into its path and capsizes the burning ship before it reaches the shore. Moments later Megatron is about to fire on the Autobots when Optimus rises from the water holding the entire tanker over his head like it weighs nothing. Then he does exactly what you think he's going to do with it.
  Optimus Prime: Megatron...CATCH!

Season Two

• Omega Supreme gets one in the second-season intro to the cartoon. Blitzwing strafes the Dinobots and tries to take him on in a Tank Battle. Omega transforms... and steps off of Blitzwing as he turns to attack his next target.
• In the episode "Changing Gears", Ratchet flying-jumpkicks Thundercracker right in the chest.
• The end of "City of Steel", where Prime takes out Devastator with dialogue that would never be allowed in children's television these days:
  Devastator: It will take more than your puny arm to stop DEVASTATOR!
  Optimus: Right. Which is why it's lucky that the hand at the end of that arm... is holding a gun!
• Starscream in "Atlantis, Arise!" Throughout the whole episode, he's suspected that the Sub-Atlanticans are planning to betray the Decepticons, and he is proven right when Nergill, the Sub-Atlantican king, has a ray built which can shut down Transformers. Later, Nergill is about to fire the ray at Grimlock and Megatron (knowing full well that the ray will deactivate both mechs) when Starscream snatches it from him and calls him traitor. In case you don't get what's so awesome about it: the Trope Namer for The Starscream actually saves his leader's life. Of course, he doesn't get any gratitude for it, but even so...
  • In that same episode, the Dinobots get one (yes, they are walking CMoAs, but still...). While the Autobots are at the mercy of the Decepticons and Sub-Atlanticans, the Dinobots are called in, proceed to smash through the Force Field erected over the battlefield, and smash the Decepticons. Grimlock then goes after Megatron himself, shrugging off several shots from Megatron's fusion cannon.
    Grimlock: Once again, me Grimlock have to pull your diodes out of danger, Optimus Prime.
• Grimlock's Pre Ass Kicking One Liner in "Day Of The Machines", right before he's about to pull Optimus out of being shot to bits by semi-sentient tanks that shoot laser beams. Also hangs a great lampshade on the guy's role as well:
  Grimlock: Huh. Always get Autobots out of messes they get into. Dinobots, SMASH 'EM!!!
• In "Desertion of the Dinobots", Grimlock stops Devastator mid-combination by headbutting the robot that would have become his arm.
• "Triple Takeover" is one huge one for Blitzwing. Following a football coach's advice, he has the Contructicons build a giant maze (which he calls the Zone Defense) around his base, fires into the city, then waits. A squad of Autobots try to get through the Zone Defense, inevitably crashing into each other or the walls. When they finally reach him, he casually tramples them and makes a throne from their bodies.
  • The Autobots get one, too, for how they beat it: Powerglide simply flies over it and guides Smokescreen and Hoist through, then they free the others.
  • Optimus tracks down and goads Megatron and Starscream into fighting the Triple Changers and Constructicons, which turns into a 10 bot free for all. ^note If you still count the Constructicons as six separate robots once they combine into Devastator.
  • Megatron then gets an Offscreen Moment of Awesome when he defeats Blitzwing, Astrotrain, Starscream, and Devastator to reclaim leadership of the Decepticons. G1 Megatron may not be the most powerful or smartest incarnation of Megatron, but he's still a force to be reckoned with.
    Megatron: Get this straight: I am Decepticon leader. You are recyclable!
• Soundwave's Evil Laugh is both creepy and awesome at the same time. Special mention to the scene in "Autobop" when he’s moonwalking while laughing.
• Megatron tends to let a lot of impudence from Starscream pass by. In "Hoist Goes Hollywood", however, after one too many insults, Megatron finally snaps and beats the tar out of him — culminating in him punching through the Seeker's chest and violently ripping out a fistful of wires to disable him. Considering Starscream did not appear for several episodes afterward, Megatron must've done some real damage.
• "The Key To Vector Sigma" has four that stand out.
  • Megatron gloats after revealing to the Autobots that the Stunticons have a combined form — Menasor. Then Optimus commands the Aerialbots to "show 'em what you've got!" Cue This Cannot Be! from Megatron as Superion, the first Autobot combiner, introduces himself.
    Optimus Prime: Surprise, Megatron! Meet Superion!
  • The first-ever combiner-on-combiner battle, which of course starts with a great line from Superion before the mechs throw down.
    Menasor: Menasor crush! Destroy!
    Superion: Talk is cheap!
  • Just as Menasor is about to crush Superion, Omega Supreme returns and beats the ever-living scrap out of him.
    Omega Supreme: Repairs complete. Omega Supreme!
  • Silverbolt overcoming his fear of heights just long enough to destroy the key, then losing control and saying his farewells as he spirals to Earth ("So long, cruel world!"), and then a Big Damn Heroes moment from Slingshot just before he hits the ground.
• In "Starscream's Brigade", Megatron finally discharges Starscream from the Decepticons after he tried to play, well, The Starscream one too many times. So what does Starscream do? He creates the Combaticons and comes within inches of defeating the entire Decepticon army, and actually makes Megatron surrender before the deus ex machina cuts his triumph short. Said deus ex machina is Menasor sneaking up on Bruticus and punching him so hard it makes a crater dwarfing Bruticus several times over (Bruticus is already the size of a skyscraper).
  Megatron: It's no use! We must retreat!
  (He and his troops turn tail and run after trying to fight Bruticus and having him just No-Sell everything they hit him with.)
  Starscream: So, Megatron? Now, will you kindly tell the world who the new Decepticon leader is?
  Megatron: NEVER!
  Starscream: Bruticus?
  (Bruticus chases after Megatron and scoops him up, with Starscream looking on from a perch on Bruticus' shoulder)
  Megatron: Noooooo!
  Starscream: Now, Megatron... Who is the new Decepticon leader?
  (Bruticus begins to crush Megatron)
  Megatron: Enough! Uhm... you are...!
  Starscream: I can't hear you!
  Megatron: YOU ARE!
  • And then after Menasor deals with the problem, Megatron quickly reaffirms his position and gives Starscream an effective punishment:
  Starscream: Bruticus...?
  (Megatron appears from the crater and grabs Starscream by the neck)
  Megatron: No, Starscream. Not Bruticus. It's Megatron, your LEADER!
  Starscream: Megatron, don't! PLEASE!
  Megatron: (grins evilly) This time it really is goodbye, Starscream! Astrotrain, get him and his giant ally off this planet!
  (cut to Starscream and the Combaticons stranded on a small crater in space)
  Megatron: You're banished from Earth... FOREVER!
  Starscream: You'll regret that you did not destroy me, Megatron! I shall have my revenge!
• Pretty much any time the Autobots and Decepticons team up against a common threat was awesome, though a notable example is "The Core" where both groups fight to regain control of Devastator and stop the Earth's core detonating. It's probably this pragmatic reasoning from Megatron that sells it:
  Megatron: I do this only for the benefit of my Decepticons. It grieves me to think you may also profit.
• In "Enter the Nightbird", Megatron reveals his plans to replace Starscream. The usually-cowardly Seeker is so livid that he slugs Megatron in the face and requires an electric cage to be restrained. Then he later tops it by escaping and disabling Nightbird right as the Deceptions were about to win, saving the day for both himself and the Autobots by giving the ninja bot a long rest:
  Starscream: Looks like I'm just in time. Megatron's new assistant, huh? My Null-Ray will put her out of commission! (emerges from his hiding spot and fires at Nightbird, immediately disabling her in one shot)
  Megatron: Nightbird! NOOOOOO!
  Starscream: Hey! (steps out fully and waves at a livid Megatron) Say goodnight to your Nightbird, Megatron! (laughs mockingly at the Decepticons as he transforms and flies off)
  Megatron: (furiously begins to pursue Starscream, with all the other Decepticons following closely behind) Decepticons, after him! I WANT THAT TRAITOR'S STEEL HIDE!
• In the episode "Masquerade", Optimus and the autobots capture the Stunticons and decide to disguise as them to discover the nex plan of the Decepticons. The ruse works for a while and the Decepticons are all fooled except for Starscream, who in a moment of picking the Smart Ball the seeker notes the "Stunticons" are acting very weird, for example noting the usually crazy and unstable group is driving in an unusually careful manner ^note Megatron points out the Stunticons are being careful treating the stolen components for his new weapon. That being said, they're still the Stunticons, who are about as sane as a walking asylum., noting that Motormaster's voice (actually Optimus') doesn't sound right and even trying to warn Megatron in subtle ways, even telling him that he dismissed the Constructicons all too soon after the new weapon it's ready, knowing the Autobots could still capitalize the new knowledge against him. Granted, given that they are Megatron and Starscream, the air commander probably decided against openly going against his boss' judgement, but it's still impressive in its own right Starscream managed to see through the ruse just at first glance.

Season 3 & "The Rebirth"

• Blitzwing at the end of "Five Faces Of Darkness" saves the day, stands up against his psychotic leader and refuses to join the good guys, walking out of the series and into fanfiction forever.
  Galvatron: You will never be welcome in the ranks of the Decepticons again!
  Blitzwing: Sometimes it's better to be known for one's enemies.
  • In Part 3, Wheelie declares "Galvatron is strong, but Wheelie is mean!" and shoots a Sweep in the face, killing him.
  • In Part 4, the Constructicons somehow converted a human city into Trypticon without the inhabitants noticing. Seeing Trypticon transform to robot mode as the citizens evacuate to avoid getting crushed is a thing of beauty.
  Scavenger: Sleep soundly, Earth creatures. For your awakening shall be rude.
• A minor one comes for Wreck-Gar in "The Killing Jar" when he is abducted by the Quintesson scientist and placed in an immaculate room. Separated from the usual clutter of the planet of Junk, the Quint expects Wreck-Gar to have a breakdown. Instead, he simply tears strips off the wall until it's nice and junkified again.
  • Another is when the Quintesson scientist gloats over his prisoners in their cells. He zaps Marissa Faireborn with a "submission field" that pins her to the floor and enters her cell, intending to examine (read: dissect) her. Thinking quickly, Wreck-Gar fires a Rocket Punch through his bars that destroys the submission field's projector. The Quintesson barely has time to go Oh, Crap! before Marissa rises and beats him up.
• "Dark Awakening" has Optimus Prime rising from the grave to scare off the Decepticons. "Decepticons! Leave this place, or DIE!" Later, Hot Rod — not Rodimus Prime, ''Hot Rod'' — manages to fight the zombified Optimus to a standstill until Optimus shakes off the Quintesson brainwashing. Followed by Optimus doing another Heroic Sacrifice. "Til all are one!"
• "Nightmare Planet" has: Springer and Razorclaw forming an Enemy Mine to slay a dragon, giant!Galvatron versus giant!Rodimus Prime, and Daniel lucid dreaming and breaking free from the Quintessons' dream machine through sheer willpower.
• Starscream successfully betraying Unicron in "Ghost in the Machine". Other than Galvatron shooting him down as he was escaping, it was a pretty badass moment.
  Unicron: Now do my bidding. Complete the connection.
  Starscream: (throws away the wires, laughing) Do it yourself!
• "Webworld": The psychiatric-hospital-planet of Torkulon restrains Galvatron and tries to lobotomize him by invading and consuming his metaprocessor. What does Galvatron do? He invades Torkulon's mind by being just that powerful of mind and just that mad, and proceeds to tear the place apart.
  Galvatron: You cannot stop me! I am Galvatron! I am your destruction!
  Cyclonus: (awed) He is crazy.
  • Galvatron somehow making a gun in arts-and-crafts class. Also a Funny Moment.
  Galvatron: (quietly, while making the gun) I'll get this to work, and then I'll show them what they're dealing with. LET ME OUT OF HERE!
  • After ruining the entire planet:
  Galvatron: This, Cyclonus, is beauty! Devastation wrought with precision and care!
  Cyclonus: It will take the Torkuli centuries to rebuild.
  Galvatron: ONLY CENTURIES?! Are you certain? Then perhaps, my work here is not finished.
  • It may seem like an empty boast at first, but Galvatron made good on his threat of "I will gut this entire planet".
  • And for the Autobots, Sludge managed to kick aside a Sweep and knock a berserk Galvatron into a rock face, saving Ultra Magnus' life.
• "Call of the Primitives": Grimlock defeats Tornedron, the younger brother of Unicron.
  Grimlock: Grimlock saved universe! Grimlock hero!
  • The Predacons deciding they are Tired of Running and facing down Tornedron even though they cannot possibly win.
  Headstrong: I detest fleeing. I would rather die fighting!
  Razorclaw: He is right! Predacons, unite!
  (The Predacons combine into Predaking.)
  Predaking: Tornedron, face Predaking! To the end!
• In "The Burden Hardest To Bear", a young kendo student manages to topple a Decepticon by slashing at his legs with a katana. Later, Hot Rod manages to defeat a Matrix of Leadership-empowered Scourge and reclaim the talisman.
  • After the Stunticons steal the Matrix from Rodimus and depower him back into Hot Rod, Galvatron puts the device into his cannon. His dreams of conquest... utterly fail when the ghosts of Primes past, including Optimus, appear like Hamlet's father and order him to "RETURN THE MATRIX!" It's like getting a look into how Galvatron sees the world all of the time.
• The moment that had every kid of the 1980s going wild as the ending of "Only Human" reveals just who "Old Snake" truly is...
  Old Snake: They jusssst don't make terrorists like they used to...COOOOOOBR— (collapses into a coughing fit)
• "The Return of Optimus Prime" features the return of Optimus Prime. It also features something called a "Hate Plague" which is passed on by touch and drives the infected insane with hatred (mostly, people are also driven to infect others, and are just a little bit loopy when infected - Ultra Magnus cackles while chasing Rodimus, for example). Galvatron is scared witless by the plague (before infection). It's stated that it's spreading across the galaxy (and maybe the universe). By the end of Part 1, the only uninfected Transformers are Galvatron, Sky Lynx, an unnamed Quintesson and a small handful of Autobots (who were all wounded by a maddened Superion). Yep. No Ultra Magnus (one of the first infected). No Rodimus Prime (who spent half the episode eluding Ultra Magnus only to be infected by Wreck-Gar in a fraction of a second). Even the city-bots have been defeated or offlined. And the plague is still spreading. By the end of the story, only the reborn Optimus and the Quintesson are uninfected (and Optimus has special armour keeping him sane, he'd be maddened as well without the armour). Cue Optimus realising that wisdom beats hate... and unleashing the full power of the Matrix to the roaring tunes of "The Touch" by Stan Bush.
  • Wisdom beats hate. Prime saves the day. "The Touch" is played. It's frankly amazing. Especially if you're a little kid who watched as all the heroes and villains fell one by one.
    • Which is why many fans completely ignore "The Rebirth" episodes and consider this storyline the true grand finale of the original series.
  • Complete with the one thing you thought Galvatron would never say:
  "There will be no war today, Optimus Prime, you have earned Galvatron's respect".
  • And, of course, Optimus' actual return:
  Sky Lynx: There's no time left for mistakes! The world needs a leader, NOW!
  Quintesson: Once again we are ready. But, if this doesn't work, Optimus Prime will never live again!
  (The switch is thrown. Optimus's body is sitting in a chair. Then it stands up.)
  Sky Lynx: Optimus...
  Quintesson: I've DONE IT!!! Optimus Prime LIVES!!!!!
  Sky Lynx: It's true... Our leader is back!
  Optimus: Yes, Sky Lynx. And this time, no force in the universe can stop me!
• From "The Rebirth, Part 1:" "Sixshot! Show them what a one-robot-army is!" This is followed by Sixshot using all six of his modes to turn the Autobots into losers.
  • The Transformers Wiki calls it the "sell-my-toy routine". It certainly convinced me.
• From Part 3:
  Scorponok: I have your boy, and your Autobot friends. They're within my city banks. And when you die, they all die!
  Spike: Don't make any funeral arrangements yet!
  • Part 3 ends with the complete restoration of Cybertron (as it was during its Golden Age). At long last, thanks to some plasma energy from an overloading sun, Cybertron is fully energised and able to sustain life.