The Autobots complete a new power core that will triple the planet's energy output. The Quintessons are outraged over the progress their former slaves have made in their absence and plan their revenge. They trick the Decepticons into releasing the Trans-Organics, a race of cybernetic monsters the Quintessons built before they made the Transformers. The Autobots and Decepticons are soon hunted down by the energy-sucking Dweller, the most ferocious Trans-Organic of all.
Tropes
- Always a Bigger Fish: The Decepticons flee from the Trans-Organics they run into, but soon stumble upon the Dweller. The Dweller chases after them and quickly dispatches the other Trans-Organics.
- Animation Bump: The episode features some particular highlights in regards to its animation that's filled with detailed shadows and poses, such as the flashback where the Dweller destroys the face of the Quintesson scientist, Galvatron's energetic ranting towards the Sweeps, and Arcee struggling against the Dweller's web.
- Continuity Nod: Galvatron is distrustful of the Quintessons, citing how they betrayed the Decepticons once before in "Five Faces of Darkess".
- Facial Horror: One of the Quintesson scientists recalls how the Dweller destroyed one of his faces shortly after it was created. The flashback shows the Dweller smashing its tentacle through the scientist's race, ripping it to pieces.
- Hoist by Their Own Petard: The Quintessons trick the Decepticons into releasing the Dweller so it can destroy the Autobots and Decepticons at once. The Autobots launch the Dweller into space and it happens to collide with the Quintesson ship, which leads to the beast turning against the Quintessons and sucking their ship dry.
- Lovecraft Lite: The episode has shades of Lovecraftian horror, with the origin of the Trans-Organics being quite similar to the Shoggoths from At the Mountains of Madness. The episode plays up the horror elements of ancient monsters from the distant past being unleashed and wreaking havoc, but the Autobots are able to dispose of the Dweller and prevent it from destroying Cybertron.
- Our Vampires Are Different: The Dweller turns its victims into "energy vampires" that feed off the energy of other living beings and feed it back to its master. The energy vampires act more like traditional zombies with their undead look and gait, but are able to return back to normal once they're subjected to a power surge.
- Psycho Prototype: The Trans-Organics were the Quintessons' first attempt to create a slave race when they conquered Cybertron. However, the beasts proved to be too unstable to properly control and became feral monsters. The Quintessons locked them away deep under the surface of Cybertron while they went to work creating the Transformers.
- Racial Face Blindness: Galvatron is distrustful of the Quintessons after they betrayed him the last time they worked together. They ask Galvatron how can he be sure they're the same Quintessons he worked with before, and he answers that they all look alike to him. Ironically, the Quintessons in this episode have quite varied designs compared to the Magistrates he encountered back in "Five Faces of Darkness".
- Sealed Evil in a Can: The Trans-Organics were sealed deep beneath the surface of Cybertron after they turned against the Quintessons and have lay dormant for millions of years. The Quintessons trick the Decepticons into unleashing the Trans-Organics with the purpose of having the beasts destroy the Transformers and allowing them to retake Cybertron.
