Recap / Transformers Prime S 2 E 7 Crossfire

"The surprises never cease."

- Megatron

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Tropes:

• Adaptational Badass: In the original cartoon, the Insecticons were simply Decepticons with insect-based alt modes, who sometimes helped the Decepticons (usually if food was promised) but almost always betrayed them and ended up chased away by an angry Megatron. In this series (especially in this episode),they are savage beast-like Decepticons who follow whoever they deem their leader blindly, and even one Insecticon almost kills Starscream and is able to take on Megatron in a fair fight (keep in mind that only a few Cybertronians are capable of that, and one of them is Optimus Prime).
• Bad Boss: Megatron makes an extremely pointless betrayal of the ceasefire at the end of the episode. The only result of which is that a bunch of his troops are killed while he runs off. Why he did this instead of leaving with all of his troops is anyone's guess.
• Badass Boast:
  • After getting kicked around by the Insecticon a bit, Megatron effortlessly knocks it into a wall.
    "You and your beast would do well to remember: I honed my skills in the pits of Kaon!"
  • And after he slices off the Insecticon's head:
    "Let that be a warning to anyone who dares cross a gladiator of Kaon—be they Decepticon... or Autobot."
• Bait-and-Switch Comment: When Megatron and Dreadwing escape the Autobots at the end, Megatron comments on how Dreadwing disobeyed his direct orders, right before officially promoting him to his second-in-command.
  Megatron: You disobeyed my orders in following me here. You will make a fine first lieutenant.
• Berserk Button: Airachnid goads Breakdown into lashing out by making obvious puns about his missing eye.
• Continuity Nod:
  • When Megatron asks for a reminder of Airachnid's trustworthiness, Soundwave plays a recording from "One Shall Fall, Part 2."
    "I believe we must consider the possibility of a future without Megatron."
  • When asking how she got damaged, Starscream asks if Megatron brought her on "one of his field trips."
  • When trying to get medical help from Ratchet, Starscream recalls how he helped the Autobots get Orion Pax away from the Decepticons in "Orion Pax, Part 3". Bulkhead says that, immediately after, he helped MECH steal Bumblebee's T-Cog. Starscream admits that this was a mistake, as MECH then double-crossed him and stole his T-Cog (both events are seen in "Operation: Bumblebee").
• Determinator: Megatron, despite taking a huge beating from the Insecticon at first, doesn't let it slow him down, and ultimately rips its head off.
• The Dragon: Dreadwing is formally promoted to first lieutenant at the end of the episode.
• Dropped a Bridge on Him: Breakdown's death comes abruptly and unceremoniously.
• Due to the Dead: Megatron is furious with Dreadwing for not recovering Breakdown's remains.
• The End... Or Is It?: While fuming about her setbacks in this episode, Airachnid stumbles upon a hive's worth of Insecticons in stasis pods.
• Enemy Mine: Starscream, after barely escaping the Insecticon, calls Ratchet and Bulkhead for help. While they (and the rest of their team) are certain he'll double-cross them, he actually honors their temporary truce by providing (mostly) accurate information in exchange for medical care and saving Arcee (even if it was just to get back at Airachnid and repay Arcee for not killing him when she had a chance).
• Exact Words: Dreadwing agrees to trade the Autobots' lives for Megatron's but the second Megatron is safe, he orders the Vehicons to attack, saying he never made such a promise.
• Face Death with Dignity: With Optimus poised to execute him instead of simply take him alive, Megatron gives an unflinching stare.
• Get It Over With: Arcee to Starscream, word-for-word. He declines, though not without dragging the moment out.
• History Repeats: Starscream clearly didn't learn his lesson the last time he instigated his own Villain Team-Up, especially with Airachnid involved. The attempt results in him being in another injured state, once more forcing him to call for Ratchet's aid in exchange for information.
• Hope Spot: Ratchet and Bulk are relieved that Megatron rid Earth of the lone Insecticon. Unbeknownst to them, Airachnid learns that Insecticon was just a scout... and stumbles into an entire nest of its brethren.
• Hypercompetent Sidekick: Megatron appreciates that Dreadwing knew better than to obey an order not to follow his liege in case reinforcements are needed.
• Hypocrite: Optimus has been rumbling about how he's willing to kill Megatron, but when he has the chance, he lets him go when suddenly surrounded by a bunch of Vehicons.
  • To be fair, he and the others were hopelessly outnumbered by the Vehicons and a very competent warrior in the form of Dreadwing.
• I Did What I Had to Do: Starscream admits teaming up with MECH was a very bad idea, but he says being a loner forces him to do whatever he can to survive.
• I Gave My Word: And even though he's a Decepticon, Dreadwing will actually keep it. Megatron, on the other hand...
• I Owe You My Life: Starscream spares a trapped Arcee, calling them even for when she did similarly in "Partners".
• I Surrender, Suckers: Airachnid's trap play on Breakdown has shades of this. Also, a variant on the Wounded Gazelle Gambit, using injuries that weren't self-inflicted.
• Ironic Echo: Before siccing the Insecticon on Starscream, Airachnid comments that "payback would be sweet." Later on, after shooting Airachnid before she could finish Arcee, Starscream exclaims, "How right you were, Airachnid! Payback is sweet!"

• Like You Would Really Do It: In-universe.
  Megatron: Optimus, it would seem that I am at your mercy. Are you going to take me alive? Or end this here and now?
  • And then finds that yes, he would.
• Makes Us Even: Starscream spares Arcee's life on the grounds that she did the same for him.
• Mêlée à Trois: This episode shows skirmishes between all currently existing Cybretronian factions. At first there's Airachnid vs Starscream; then she lures Megatron to fight her minion while Starscream lures the Autobots to the same spot in the hopes of invoking this trope; his plan succeeds and the Autobots turn on Megatron when he dispatches the Insecticon while Arcee pursues Airachnid; finally, a Decepticon force rescues Megatron while Starscream saves Arcee from Airachnid.
• Mexican Standoff: Between the Autobots and the Decepticons.
• New Powers as the Plot Demands: Starscream discovers that Airachnid has the power to control Insecticons. The only reason she never showed this ability was because she was the only bug-like robot in the series, and on Earth, until now.
• No Kill like Overkill: Airachnid didn't just kill Breakdown, she reduced him to pieces and littered them all over the floor. MECH takes this opportunity to gather all of his remains before Dreadwing arrived.
• Off with His Head!: How Megatron puts down the Insecticon for good.
• Oh, Crap!: Ratchet and Bulkhead over learning an Insecticon is on Earth.
• Pun: Also counts as an obvious Stealth Insult.
  Airachnid: Breakdown, I know we've never seen eyes-to-eye, but that doesn't mean we can't patch things up.
• Revenge Before Reason: Arcee leaves the team yet again to chase after Airachnid, and is once more walks into her trap. Luckily, Starscream arrives to save the Autobot.
• Rock Bottom: How Starscream views having to go to great effort to try to claim a small piece of energon.
• Scream Discretion Shot: When Airachnid finishes off Breakdown. MECH agents later come across the result, and it ain't a pretty sight.
• Status Quo Is God: Optimus has the perfect chance to kill the weakened Megatron on the spot, but decides to let him go once Dreadwing and a horde of Vehicons show up. Keep in mind, these are the same Vehicons who get mowed down in seconds once Megatron unleashes them on the Autobots and never last more than a few seconds against anything.
• Taught by Experience: Once Arcee is webbed up, Airachnid forgoes her usual sadistic games and gloating that previously allowed her quarry to escape. This time, she's prepared to go in for the kill immediately (only being stopped by Starscream).
• Thou Shalt Not Kill: Zigzagged. On the subject of what should've been done about Starscream, Optimus says they lack the means to contain a prisoner and that he won't condone killing a defenseless life form. On the other hand, when Megatron is too battered to stand after his bout with the Insecticon, Optimus is ready to put him down and only refrains when Decepticon back-up arrives.
  • Optimus' actions make more sense when you remember who he's talking about. Starscream is ultimately a Dirty Coward and, well, Starscream. He wants power, but the second he has it he has no idea what to do with it (as, when he was in charge of the Decepticons, his actions basically amounted to "doing random attacks For the Evulz"). Megatron, on the other hand, is a deadly warrior with no regard for sentient life who seeks domination and doesn't care who or what he destroys to accomplish his goals. Starscream by himself doesn't do any severe damage.
• Villainous Breakdown:
  • Seems like Airachnid almost expected Megatron to just lie down and die when she sicced the Insecticon on him, acting as smug and confident as can be. When Megatron starts turning the tables on the fight, she starts becoming panicked and screaming orders at it.
    Airachnid: Finish him!
  • At this point, the Insecticon is not in any position to realistically accomplish this... Megatron rips off its limbs and kills it moments later.
• Villainous Rescue: Starscream saving Arcee from Airachnid due to his hatred of the latter and because the former spared him in battle, and he wanted them to be even.
• Villainous Vow: After Starscream ruined her chance to kill Arcee, Airachnid vows to settle up with him someday.
• "You!" Exclamation: Airachnid after Arcee gets the drop on her in the cave.

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