03x03 - Episode 3

[bunniefuu]

[Allspark whooshes]

[boom echoes]

[wind howling]

[electricity crackling]

[Allspark whirring]

[theme music plays]

[music fades out]

[Dinobot groans]

- [glitching murmur]
- [Dinobot groans]

- [glitching murmur]
- [Starscream] You're alive.

[disingenuously] Great.

What happened?

We ran into some major interference

once we got close
to the Allspark coordinates.

Shuttle went haywire.

How was I supposed to know
this would happen?

You were our spy,

listening in on the Golden Disk...

- The Allspark did this?
- [Starscream arguing indistinctly]

Ah! Get away from that thing!

- [rumbling]
- [Dinobot gasps]

[Starscream transforms]

[jets whoosh]

- [rumbling intensifies]
- [Dinobot grunts]

- [glitching murmur]
- [dramatic music plays]

[music fades out]

[jet whooshes]

[Primal over comms] Anything yet, Airazor?

Negative, Optimus.

My tracers are going crazy out here.

We're gonna have to look for him
the old-fashioned way.

[Primal] Already on it.

[engines revving]

[Prowl] Stay close, dammit!

This is a perimeter check, not a race.

Huh. Sorry!

I can't hear you from way up here.

[engines rev]

[footsteps approaching]

Proximity to the Allspark
was disrupting our onboard systems.

We have been forced to land
and will continue on foot.

- [Bumblebee over comms] Copy that.
- How are the Ark repairs proceeding?

- [Wheeljack grunts]
- [zap]

- Scrap.
- Uh, they're, uh... proceeding.

By the time you get back,

we'll be out of this volcano
and ready to go.

Bumblebee...

should we fail...

you will have to lead the Autobots.

I understand.

[comms beep]

I, uh, wanted to thank you for earlier.

[Prime] I should be the one thanking you.

What?

I know you are reluctant

to be enlisted in a w*r
you thought was long over.

Well, we are the results of your w*r.

We might as well participate in it.

[Prime]
It was never meant to end up like this.

I recognize the fear in your eyes

when you and your crew look at me.

Is that why you called me...

Nemesis?

[gasps]

We may be cautious,

but we have survived worse
than you and a few Autobots.

Do you know what I was trying to save?

The Cybertron that existed before the w*r.

We only have bits
and pieces of information.

It was a golden age... led by heroes.

We were all so alive and thriving,

and I was young.

It was flawed, of course.

There were injustices,

but we were working to solve them,

together, as one.

Until...

Until you and Megatron.

[glitching murmur]

[Megatron on tape] The surrounding forest
was transformed by the Allspark

as a sort of defense mechanism.

After the forest shifted,
I had lost the path.

I wandered for cycles,

not realizing I had to backtrack
toward the mountains to find my way again.

[sighs] But it... it wasn't enough.

[gasps]

I have to try again.

[Megatron grunts]

[panting]

[grunting]

[bots grunting]

[bots grunting and growling]

[Galvatron] Again and again!

[Megatron groans]

[gasps]

Megatron?

I'm... fine.

[Matrix hums]

- The Matrix...
- [Megatron grunts]

Is mine.

[Matrix whirs]

[distant whir]

Huh.

Uh... What's gotten into the truck?

Prime, what is it?

I have another way of tracking Megatron.

- [leaves rustle]
- [twig snaps]

[Starscream grunts]

[grunts]

[screams]

[transforms]

[grunts]

[growls]

[pants and grunts]

[jets blast]

[jets whoosh]

Quite the ally you've chosen.

[jets splutter]

[Starscream screams]

[loud crash]

Will you stop trying to fly away?

[growls]
The Allspark is out there somewhere.

I could find it
if I could just get enough altitude!

There's no way you are breaking out

of whatever field
the Allspark has us locked inside.

Your Megatron possesses
the Matrix of Leadership,

and yet, he wears it
around his neck like a trophy.

That's because the Matrix
belongs to Optimus Prime!

Our Megatron makes yours out
to be some kind of savior.

Your Megatron is an idiot!

My Megatron stole the Matrix.

They're both thieves then.

And the true Prime has arrived
to reclaim what's rightfully his.

Hmm.

I've studied the legends of the Primes.

They were warrior heroes with pure sparks,

leaders of wisdom and honor.

[distant footsteps]

Oh! The pink one's cute.

If they're here,
the Megatrons must be, too.

Oh, we have to keep moving!

They won't make it much longer down there.

Have you ever experienced
anything like this, Optimus?

No, Prowl.

But the Matrix has been a part of me
for so long, we share a connection.

So, you're guiding us
through an uncharted cyber-forest

based on a feeling?

Until we find something more solid,

this feeling is all we have to go off of.

[leaves rustling]

- [glitching murmur]
- [Cheetor] Huh?

- [glitching murmur]
- [Cheetor yells]

- [grunts]
- [Airazor] Heads up!

- [wind gusts]
- [glitching murmur intensifies]

Everyone, hold on!

[Primal grunts]

Hold on to what?

[loud rustling]

[branches breaking]

[tires screech]

[Ironhide grunts]

[Airazor] Cheetor!

Primal!

Rattrap?

Arcee?

Uh... The red one?

Uh!

[gasps]

[screams]

- [loud crunch]
- [Prime grunts]

Autobots, Maximals...

[grunts] ...sound off.

[gasps]

Alpha... Trion?

Guh... Wait.

Wait!

Cog?

[sighs] It can't be.

Sunstreaker.

[Starscream] It's beautiful.

At last...

everything I've ever wanted.

[chuckles] Everything I've ever deserved.

What is he looking at?

I don't know, but I'm reading
a huge energy spike in the area.

It must... [sighs]

[creatures howling]

What is that noise?

- Blackarachnia?
- [Starscream] Ah, yes...

I did it.

I did it!

[laughing maniacally]

[grunts]

- Get a hold of yourself!
- Wh...

What happened?

- [panicked gasping] Let go of me!
- [howling continues]

- There's a creature out there stalking us.
- [growling]

Illusions, nothing more.

The Allspark is playing tricks
with your minds.

But... [mutters]
[sighs] You should have seen it.

Me... in a crown!

You see yourself as a king? Ha!

You think that's funny, you animal?

- [Dinobot grunts]
- No one gets to laugh at me!

- [Dinobot] Touch me again and...
- And what?

I have survived millions of years
of abuse and humiliation!

And you use your pain
to justify your selfishness.

- There will be no place for kings.
- [Starscream grunts]

- [grunting]
- [Dinobot yells]

[seething] I am meant to rule!

[grunts] Quite the ally you've chosen.

What are you going to do about it?

[Dinobot growls]

[Starscream yelps in agony]

- [cicadas chirp]
- [faint footsteps]

[grunting]

[sniffs]

[Airazor groans]

Oh...

hey, Dinobot.

We gotta stop meeting like this.

- Are you an illusion?
- [Airazor exhales]

I don't think so.

I've been foolish enough to follow liars
who only gave me empty promises,

but I have denied my Predacon heritage.

I feel liberated, but...

things have become
increasingly complicated.

Yeah, that tends to happen.

- [Dinobot] I am a warrior.
- [eye whirs]

You've shown me
that my choices are my own.

And yet, how ironic.

The cause I want to fight for
leaves me with no choice at all.

What are you saying, Dinobot?

I'm saying...

if the Golden Disk
leads Megatron to the Allspark,

no one...

will be safe.

[yells angrily]

[Megatron on tape]
Lost for cycles, I searched.

[Soundwave]
We have veered too far off course.

- The Disk no longer applies.
- [grunts] Silence!

[Soundwave]
Megatron, you are malfunctioning.

- The Matrix of Leadership is...
- [Megatron growls] I need it!

Soon, I'll have the Matrix,
the Disk and the Allspark.

I'll be unstoppable!

[grunts]

I'm so close.

[bird cooing]

Do not succumb
to the illusions, Soundwave.

Not now.

[Soundwave] Something is coming.

[Megatron] I... don't hear anything.

[Soundwave] You wouldn't.

[Airazor] Dead ahead.

It's just him,
the tape deck and the tapes.

I can handle it from here.

You can't face them alone!

You're injured!

You'll just slow me down.

[roars and grunts]

- [rapid footsteps]
- [Dinobot pants]

- [roars]
- [Ravage grunts]

[Dinobot roars]

- [sh*t fires]
- [Dinobot gasps]

- [Dinobot grunts]
- [Laserbeak shrieks]

- [Dinobot grunts]
- [Ravage yelps]

[Dinobot grunts]

[Dinobot yells]

[roars]

[sound wave thrumming]

[Dinobot grunts]

[grunting]

[growling]

[groans]

[glitching murmur]

- [w*apon clangs]
- [Dinobot grunts]

- [metal clunks]
- [Soundwave grunts softly]

[glitching murmur fades]

[glitching murmur]

[Megatron grunts]

- [Dinobot yells]
- [Megatron grunts]

[Dinobot transforms]

[Megatron groaning]

I'll k*ll you! [grunts]

[clang]

You fight without restraint,

desperate, lacking discipline.

[grunts] I will show you the wrath

of a gladiator! [grunts]

- [weapons clang]
- [Megatron grunts]

- [growls]
- [wood crunches]

The wrath of a tyrant, perhaps.

- [wood creaking]
- [Megatron grunting]

This is why the Matrix of Leadership
rejects you!

- [Megatron growls]
- [wood cracks]

- [grunts]
- [w*apon whistles]

- [electricity crackling]
- [Megatron groans in agony]

- [Dinobot] Be still.
- [Megatron groans]

I shall destroy the burden

of the Golden Disk.

[Dinobot grunting]

[yells]

[grunting]

[sighs]

- Dinobot!
- [Dinobot groans]

- You traitor!
- [Dinobot groans]

[groans]

[straining] It's you who have betrayed us.

[grunts] Megatron!

Let me help you! [transforms]

You are injured, but I am here.

[surprised grunt]

[Dinobot] I know why you did this.

You admire him for what he is now.

You hope you can save him
from what he becomes.

- [Megatron grunting]
- But it's too late.

He's already on the path of becoming...

Decepticons and Predacons
will flourish under my rule!

A brave new world awaits us.

You could have been a part of it,
but you threw it all away!

At least I still have...

[Megatron's w*apon whirs]

My honor.

[loud blast]

[Megatron groaning]

[loud blast]

- [Predacon Megatron gasps] Lord Megatron!
- [Megatron groaning]

- [dramatic music plays]
- [Megatron growls]

[music fades out]

[footsteps]

[groans]

[weakened sigh]

[straining] I had hoped, with the Disk,
I could have found the Allspark...

[groans]

...ended this w*r.

But now I...

I'm not... pure-sparked...

nor wise or heroic...

but I've tried to live my life well.

[hoarse] Please...

Please, help me.

[groans faintly]

[groaning sigh]

- [Matrix hums]
- [Dinobot groans]

[ethereal whistling]

[grunts] Alpha Trion, please!

[groans] I need help.

- [faint whistle intensifies]
- I need...

[resounding boom]

[hoarse] It was...

all I could save.

- [boom]
- [whistling continues]

[Airazor gasps]

[gasps]

[Matrix whirs]

Thank you.

[groans]

[strained] Remember...

why the Matrix chose you.

[footsteps approaching]

Dinobot!

Uh, what's choppah-face doing here?

[weakly] Saving vermin...

[inhales deeply] ...like you.

[concerned groan]

[hoarse] Primal,

all of these cycles...

there were a thousand times
I thought of defecting...

- [footsteps approaching]
- ...coming to you.

Would you have accepted me?

[Primal] Yes.

But you would have
made a terrible Maximal.

[chuckles softly]

Maybe.

[fading whir]

[cicadas chirping faintly]

[ethereal whistling]

What's that?

[whistling continues]

[whistling continues]

The Allspark.

[theme music plays]

[music fades out]