The Autobot team, having obtained the same coordinates for four Iacon relics as the Decepticons, plan their next course of action. Optimus suggests a dispersal, so they can obtain all the relics simultaneously. Despite initial resistance from Arcee, the New York site, and the relic contained beneath its streets, are selected for Arcee and Bumblebee to scout. With Agent Fowler still recovering after the Nemesis ordeal, Miko volunteers her knowledge of subways and Jack his ability to cover, and they get underway.
Having moved away from Manhattan, Megatron assigns Knock Out the discreet task of obtaining the relic there as well. At a disadvantage without Breakdown, Knock Out is unwillingly appointed an Insecticon partner, along with a small detachment of Vehicon miners. Beyond frustrated with Knock Out's lack of concern beyond his paint job, Megatron sends them off.
In a New York alleyway, Arcee and Bumblebee bridge in. They quickly locate a construction site, their entrance to the vast subway network. As they walk, Bumblebee nearly steps on a third rail, but Jack cautions against its danger in time. A familiar sound echoes through the tunnels—a Decepticon drill, which Miko pinpoints the direction of. She tears off through an access tunnel, Jack in tow. On the other side, they are confronted by Vogel, a sweeper train operator, and Miko constructs a hasty lie that saves their tail. He offers to take them for a ride.
Vogel's personality soon becomes clear as he recounts tales of monsters that creep through the subways—including the mole men, who he believes are amassing their armies. Miko and Jack make an escape through the back of the train, Vogel totally oblivious.
Arcee and Bumblebee find Knock Out's party, but are unaware of the Insecticon creeping up on them. It beats down the duo, alerting Knock Out to their presence. Arcee and Knock Out exchange blows while Bumblebee occupies the Insecticon, and the former makes a grab for the relic—but is halted by an electron prod to the back. Bumblebee is also quickly floored by the Insecticon. Satisfied, Knock Out cracks the relic's packaging and prepares to field-test the device on his new subjects.
Jack and Miko bicker in the tunnel about Jack's sojourn to Cybertron, but are stopped in their tracks by the sound of footprints. It's Vogel, none too happy about being ditched. Miko, capitalizing on the man's conspiratorial bent, gets Jack to tell him the truth. Vogel is enthralled, and they all board his train to meet their friends.
Knock Out's field test is interrupted by the arriving sweeper, and while the Insecticon sidesteps it, Knock Out is ground between wall and train, suffering serious cosmetic damage. The Insecticon takes off after the train, and Knock Out peels out with the relic. Arcee and Bumblebee, now concious, split up to meet the train and secure the relic respectively.
On the train, Vogel reveals that the brake line went out—and that their course is for a dead end. To make matters worse, the Insecticon soon comes into view. Making surprising time, Arcee passes the Insecticon and gets on the back of the train. Informed of the approaching wall, she makes for a turn switch. Trying to turn it, she snaps the lever, and turns to changing the track alignment physically. She succeeds just in time, and, the train safe, she faces her foe. Relying on Bumblebee's previous encounter, Arcee lures the Insecticon into touching the third rail, which instantly kills it.
Knock Out faces off against Bumblebee, who accidentally activates the relic, which clamps onto his wrist. The train barrels in, and heads straight for an oblivious Bumblebee, whom it passes right through without a scratch. It instead clobbers Knock Out, grinding his face on the pavement for a quarter mile. Horrified at his total cosmetic disfigurement, he flees. The relic is revealed to be a phase shifter, which allows the user to pass through solid objects. The problem turns to Vogel, who knows about the Cybertronians. A hasty call forces Fowler, back at base, to deputize the worker as a "deputy of interstellar relations". Vogel is once again enthralled and ordered to keep quiet until the Autobots call for him.
With one relic acquired, the Autobots hope the get the other three as well.
Tropes:
- A Day in the Limelight: For Miko and Jack, who've been Out of Focus since the "Orion Pax" arc.
- Bait-and-Switch: The Autobots anticipate a violent battle in New York since the end of last episode. To their surprise, they sense the Deception warship leaving the city. They anticipate Megatron sending individual 'Cons to retrieve the relics more delicately, so they choose to do the same.
- Beauty Is Never Tarnished: Averted. Knock Out hates getting scuffed or scratched up while on missions, but he suffers the worst damage to his finish in the series before retreating. He's more than a little displeased about it.
- Big "NO!": Knock Out lets one out when he sees his reflection after getting hit by the train and seeing his paint job is completely ruined.
- Breather Episode: This episode is very comedic compared to the previous and next episodes.
- Casting Gag: A sixteen-year-old character voiced by Josh Keaton needs to protect New York City from forces that would destroy it while also keeping who he is/what he's doing a secret from the city's civilians. Sound familiar?
- Chekhov's Gun: Come on, you knew that subway rail was going to come in handy eventually.
- Conspiracy Theorist: Vogel, natch.
- Continuity Nod: The phase shifter device was first mentioned by Megatron in "Sick Mind".
- Foreshadowing: Agent Fowler gets better near the end of the episode and is seen telling a "soldier" to "dump that rock and come on home" before being called by Miko. We find out who he was talking to before, and what that "rock" is in "Toxicity".
- Free Wheel: Knock Out leaves one of his wheels behind when he retreats at the end of the episode.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Miko is still jealous that Jack got to go to Cybertron in "Orion Pax, Part 2."
- Let's Split Up, Gang!: Both Autobot and Decepticon teams have this idea in mind to cover more ground and grab the four Iacon relics.
- Nice Guy: Despite his (completely reasonable) frustration at finding two teenagers in the tunnels (who lied to him about why they were there), Vogel is fairly nice to the kids and makes it clear that he's concerned for their safety.
- Runaway Train
- Simultaneous Arcs: Following last episode, this and the other three take place almost simultaneously, as the Autobots and Decepticons race to acquire four newly-discovered Iacon relics.
- Sinister Subway: And it's inhabited by albino alligators and mole men, if Vogel is to be believed.
- Status Quo Is God: Despite Vogel's knowledge of the Autobots and Decepticons, he's hurriedly given an explanation from Fowler and informed to keep his mouth shut, and is never seen again.
- Theme Naming: This and the next three episodes, happening simultaneously, all have titles starting with the letter T.
- Watch the Paint Job: Knock Out. Of course, he gets scratched and beaten up by the end of the episode.
- Wipe the Floor with You: Happens to Knock Out, courtesy of Vogel's train. Twice.
