Optimus Prime recites a passage from the Covenant of Primus, foretelling that a perpetual conflict will culminate when the forty-seven spheres align. Despite the other Autobots' lack of faith, Ratchet realizes that the "world forged of chaos" referred to in the prophecy is Earth—and that the alignment will occur in a matter of days.
Aboard the Nemesis, Megatron explains to Knock Out that he sought the blood of Unicron so that he could conquer worlds with undead armies. Knock Out assures him that more Dark Energon awaits amongst the stars, but advises him not to push himself, since he was in stasis. Megatron then claims that he is the "rising darkness" of which the prophecy speaks.
Jack, Raf, and Miko find a picture of Bumblebee while searching a conspiracy website. Raf replaces the image with a dancing cat, which makes Ratchet laugh. Jack then invites Optimus to take a look, but is flatly denied. Ratchet then states that, before he became a Prime, Optimus behaved quite similarly to Jack. Agent Fowler suddenly interrupts and reveals that the Decepticons have been stealing components to build a second space bridge. Back aboard the Nemesis, Knock Out and Soundwave inform Megatron that the only item left on the list is an ample power source, which can be found in a heavily fortified human base. Airachnid could simply tunnel in, but Megatron rather angrily declares that the time for stealth is over, and he sends a massive squad of Vehicons to retrieve it. Optimus warns Fowler to have his troops evacuate, for fear of human casualties.
Optimus, Bulkhead, and Arcee arrive to fend off the Vehicons, and all goes well until Megatron himself heads out toward the battlefield. En route, he spots Bumblebee, who was taking Raf racing. Megatron opens fire, frying Bumblebee's systems and knocking Raf out cold. Megatron arrives at the base just as the Autobots disable the last of his drones, and he taunts Optimus as Bumblebee arrives whilst carrying a wounded Raf. Bulkhead restrains the enraged scout before Optimus orders Arcee to take him and Raf back to base. Megatron then ascends onto the Nemesis with the power source. Unbeknownst to Megatron, Optimus and Bulkhead climb aboard the Nemesis's hull.
Back at Autobot Outpost Omega One, Ratchet panics that his tools are wrong for human examination, and Jack suggests that they call in his mother. Meanwhile, Megatron has another vision in which he sees a sinister face and a volcano. He then orders Knock Out and Airachnid to complete the space bridge, as there is something he must attend to. June arrives at the Autobot base and quickly unnerves Ratchet with the knowledge that Raf will die unless she can stabilize him immediately. Bumblebee vents his frustration on a nearby wall, but Arcee manages to calm him...a little. Ratchet regrets having not bothered to learn human science and medicine, despite accepting the children into their lives. He then states that he has grown to need Raf, just as Raf needs him.
Bulkhead and Optimus storm the Nemesis, and Optimus claims to have had a change of heart: He orders Bulkhead back to base with the power source, declaring that there is something he must do. He then muses grimly that he has realized that Autobots and Decepticons will never co-exist peacefully, and he vows to destroy Megatron.
As the planetary alignment nears, Megatron arrives at the volcano site, and Optimus uses a Vehicon comm link to challenge him. Optimus soon joins him at the base of the volcano, and the two exchange brief banter before engaging each other in fierce battle.
Meanwhile, Ratchet realizes that Raf has been infected with Dark Energon and theorizes that exposure to normal energon should cure him. He takes a sample from Bumblebee, placing Raf in a sealed chamber to test his theory as the others watch helplessly. Raf soon opens his eyes, his pulse stabilizing.
Optimus appears to defeat Megatron and prepares to deal the final blow, but the Decepticon leader catches his sword with unusual strength as the volcano begins to erupt. Strange purple markings glow to life across his body, and he quickly overpowers Optimus. He realizes that the volcano is spewing forth Dark Energon, and he moves to kill Optimus, as he saw himself doing in a previous vision.
To be continued...
Tropes:
- Actually Pretty Funny: Ratchet, of all bots, laughs at an image of a dancing cat Raf uses to replace an image of Bumblebee on the Internet.
- Arbitrary Skepticism: Knock Out says legend has it that Dark Energon is literally the blood of Unicron, but his dismissive "Whatever" suggests he doesn't actually believe the Chaos Bringer ever existed.
- Armor-Piercing Question:Ratchet: Your mother may be a nurse but does she know anything about the effects of Energon on the human body?Jack: Do you know anything about the human body?(cue Ratchet having a stricken expression on his face)
- Barehanded Blade Block: Pulled off by Megatron against Optimus.
- Beyond Redemption: After Megatron attacks Bumblebee while taking Raf home, Optimus Prime realizes that there can be no diplomatic solution to the perpetual conflict between the Autobots and the Decepticons, and vows that Megatron must be destroyed.
- Blood from the Mouth: In his Unstoppable Rage, Optimus punches Megatron hard enough across the face to do this. Repeatedly.
- Car Fu: Performed by Optimus by grinding his tires into Megatron's face.
- Casual Danger Dialog:whilst fightingMegatron: Your defeat was foreseen here by the ancients. What was it they wrote? 'The weak shall perish'?Optimus: Do not believe everything you read.
- Climactic Volcano Backdrop: A volcano, a thunderstorm, and an eclipse, all at the same time.
- Combat Pragmatist: Both Optimus and Megatron don't play fair in this fight. Optimus grinds his tires into Megatron's face to temporarily blind him, and Megatron returns the favor by breaking one of Optimus's blades and ramming the piece in hand into his shoulder to cripple him.
- Cutting the Knot: When discussing obtaining the power source, Airachnid proposes tunneling into the facility and covertly stealing it. Megatron refuses to waste time on the usual stealth approach and orders a very public assault to brute force their way in.
- Death Glare: Optimus Prime, of all bots, pulls off a shocking Death Glare worthy of the Dark Knight himself
. It is both awesome and terrifying all at once, and you know that shit just got real. - Didn't See That Coming: Megatron's reaction to finding all the Dark Energon he could ever want erupting from the volcano instead of being somewhere deep in space.
- Don't Make Me Destroy You: Optimus gives several Vehicons the opportunity to just step aside, saying he is only there for Megatron. They don't listen, so he blasts them across the corridor.
- Eye Scream: Megatron gets this when Optimus knocks him off a cliff, lands on him and starts to grind his tires into Megatron's face.
- History Repeats: Optimus builds up to his Wham Line by noting how he consistently ignored the lessons of history. He's realized if there can be no diplomatic solution to "this perpetual conflict", then he must break the cycle. He fears Earth and other planets will suffer the same fate as Cybertron, if Megatron continues to live.
- Hope Spot: Optimus has beaten Megatron and is about to finally kill them. Then the volcano erupts, and Megatron becomes more powerful than ever.
- It's All My Fault: Ratchet blames himself for getting Raf harmed, cursing his "Cybertronian pride".Ratchet: We've accepted these humans into our lives, yet I bothered to learn so little of their science or medicine.
- Ironic Echo:Megatron: How was it that you put it, Optimus? "I could not have allowed this to end otherwise"?
- Kick the Dog: Megatron adds insult to injury he inflicted on Raf.Megatron: It seems I swatted a bee and squashed a bug.
- Mama Bear: Nurse Darby, full stop.
- Martial Pacifist: Optimus.Optimus: (Addressing Decepticon soldiers) I have come for Megatron and him alone. Stand down and be spared.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Optimus towards Megatron.
- No Sense of Humor:Jack: Hey Optimus! Want to see something funny?
- Oh, Crap!: Megatron is terrified when Optimus is about to kill him, having been so certain he was about to achieve his greatest triumph.
- The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Optimus takes advantage of this trope again by requesting to face Megatron himself. Megatron not only accepts the challenge but also says anybody who harms Optimus will answer to him.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Optimus decides to destroy Megatron when he learns that Megs was the one who harmed Raf.
- Pacifism Breaking Point: After Megatron severely injures Raf, Optimus finally reaches the conclusion that the Autobot/Decepticon War will never end peacefully as the two sides have become equally irreconcilable, and the only way to end it is to effectively remove Megatron out of the picture entirely, resulting in this Wham Line:Optimus: I have been foolish not to see what history has proven over and over again; that Autobots and Decepticons will never mend their ways. If there can be no diplomatic solution to this perpetual conflict, then I must not allow more darkness to fall, upon this or any planet. Megatron must be destroyed!
- Papa Wolf: Injuring Raf (or any "sentient being", especially a kid) is a sure way to trigger Optimus's Unstoppable Rage. He was going to kill Megatron if he hadn't been infused with dark energon at the last minute.
- Slasher Smile: Megatron gives a damn nasty one after finding out that he nearly killed Raf.
- This Cannot Be!: As Megatron is about to be finished by Optimus.Megatron: My destiny. This isn't how it's supposed to end!
- Turns out it's not.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Ratchet scans the area of the volcano and sees what's about to happen. He tells Arcee they need to recover Optimus immediately.
- Too Dumb to Live: Optimus tells a few Vehicons he's only there to kill Megatron and they won't be harmed if they stand down. They attack him anyways.
- Tranquil Fury: Optimus retains composure even while saying the episode's Wham Line.
- Unstoppable Rage: Optimus falls into this after Raf is almost killed, which while being disturbingly calm, is absolutely terrifying to behold.
- Wham Line:Optimus: Megatron must be destroyed.
- Wham Shot: When the volcano erupts, it's not lava that spews out of it; it's Dark Energon.
