02x07 - Misdirection

[bunniefuu]

For my next trick, an ordinary coin.

Now, watch carefully.

Huh? Ugh.

I can't believe you're making me do this.

You're the Great Rust
-ini! You love magic! Loved, past tense.

Hocus
-pocus, try and focus because now you see it and now you don't.

Ooh.

All right, let me interrogate Russell, lieutenant.

I know I can break him.

There's no need, cadet.

I know exactly how Russell made the coin vanish.

How? He dissolved it with a miniaturized
- spectronomic atom de
-sequencer.


- Probably not.

I suspect Russell performed a simple illusion, masterfully.

See, when you think I'm taking the coin with my right hand, actually, I let it drop into my left.

Then I made sure you were all looking at my right hand while I said all those magic words.

Huh? So you wouldn't see me drop the coin into my pocket.


- Ooh.


- Whoa! A little flimflammery.

Magicians call it misdirection.

Decepticon signal.

Very close.

Headed right for the Scrapyard's front gate.

Denny, Russell, Fixit, hang back.

If this 'Con's making a frontal as*ault, he must be pretty confident in his firepower.

Be ready for anything.

I gotta be honest.

I was not ready for that.

Transformers Robots in disguise Robots in disguise Robots in disguise Robots in disguise Arms to the sides and fingers out, so I can see your claws, Steeljaw.

Scorponok brother Decepticon Can't believe betrayed What did he say? Something about being tricked by another Decepticon.

Steeljaw was flimflammed? Whatever the case, let's get him into stasis.

Why would Steeljaw come to us if he was ambushed by another Decepticon? Steeljaw seemed delirious.

He might not have known where he was or what he was doing.

Grim, let's double
-check the seal on the pod.

Pretty sure we're at quadruple
-check by now.

You're right.

I'm sorry, I just I never feel comfortable around this 'Con.

Lieutenant? I have some information about not having information.

Scorponok's name is not on the Alchemor's prisoner manifest.

Just like Saberhorn? Precisely.

So I accessed the larger Cybertronian law enforcement database and found his rap sheet there.

Scorponok is an intimidator.

He preyed on outlying communities on Cybertron, ones without much of a law enforcement presence.

He'd pillage them, then tear the structures to the ground for pure enjoyment.

How can a Decepticon have been on the Alchemor, but not been on the Alchemor? Flimflammery? There's an explanation for all of this.

Steeljaw was trailing Energon when he walked in here.

Maybe we can follow that trail all the way back to where he fought Scorponok.

Let's rev up and roll out.

More Energon from Steeljaw's wounds, and it leads through there.

What is this place? A drive
-in movie theater.

Humans travel here in their vehicles and park next to these speakers, so they can watch and listen to a film that's projected on that giant screen.

A reward for their vehicles.

Very considerate.

Not exactly.

He's not here.

Quiet.

Or I cr*ck you two next time instead of the ground.

Where are those insufferable speed freaks? Who is he talking about? Hmm.

You're late.

No open road, no beckoning horizon, no Steeljaw? No point in being here.

You gotta a lot of nerve wasting Crazybolt's time! This is the only warning you're going to get.

I lead the Island.

Crazybolt's time is my time.

And if there's one thing I hate more than anything else, it's any bot whining.

This is where Steeljaw told us to meet.

Hmm.

He said he'd bring us elite warriors.

Oh, scrap.

We should never have trusted anything that deceitful Decepticon said.

Scorponok is here to meet Steeljaw? But didn't Steeljaw tell you Scorponok was the one who took him down? Fixit.

Fixit, come in.

Strongarm, I need you back at the Scrapyard immediately.

Grim and I will cover your exit.


- What is it, lieutenant?
- We've been tricked.

The broken white line calls to me, Scorponok.

And Crazybolt has to answer.

Illumination through acceleration! Hmm.

You had your one warning.

Go! Freeze, 'Cons! Ugh! Can we just split this stationary scene, boss? I'll make it quick.

Scrap.

Subsonic force field.

Correct.

But this time, instead of rewiring your equipment to project such a field, I brought my own.

It also let me cast a barrier around myself to protect me from your Cryo
-Gas, and pop your stasis pod's lock from the inside.

And it was so easy to hide.

I just had to convince you to let me in.

Heh.

So gullible.

Just a couple of scratches.

Bee's on his way back here, Steeljaw,
- and you're
- No, he's not.

Your friends are busy being taken apart by acquaintances of mine.

Or the other way around.

I'm fine with either.

Just stay there in case I need you.

Now, excuse me while I reunite with some old friends.

Uh
-oh.

Hey, boss, if you have a higher temperature setting, feel free Aah! Get ready for a speedy trip to stasis, 'Cons.

If there's two things I hate, it's whiners and cowards! Fight, Dinobot! This Ugh.

is how I fight! Ugh! Ugh! Oh, that's gonna Stop playing with him, boss! Punch the gas and punch him out! Autobot! Be smart.

Greetings, brothers, old and new.

It is time to return to our work.

And at last succeed in making this planet a utopian haven for Decepticons.

Our work? Why would I work with you again, Steeljaw? You and that first Decepticon got most of us tossed back into stasis in the first place! And now I've freed you.

And while you slept, I have allied with many Decepticons who will help make our dreams a reality.

I don't blame you for not trusting me, Thunderhoof, but see for yourself.

Go to these coordinates.

If you do not like what you find, enjoy my gift of your freedom.

If you're messing with us again You have my word.

Go.

I shall rejoin you shortly.

They are so easily led.

Or is it misled? Now, then The last time I was here, you demonstrated impressive weaponry.

I'd hoped to take some with me.

Steeljaw freed most of his old pack and took off down there.

I see you've come alone.

The inexperienced student.

Save yourself, Strongarm! Forget that! Kick his metal tail! I am more than experienced enough now to take you down, Steeljaw.

Ugh!
- Take it to him!
- Sweet! Give him the praxis piledriver! You've improved, cadet.

But this is no sanitized academy exercise.

In real life, enemies fight dirty! Ugh! Ugh! You lose, Steeljaw, to a cadet.

Not quite yet.

Quite a decision you have to make, Strongarm.

Either let me go free, or they'll all be squeezed to pulp by my subsonic field.

Let them go! Now! Happy to.

When you hand over your intriguing w*apon.

Promise you won't hurt Grimlock further, and I'll tell you everything I know about Steeljaw.

You know Steeljaw? I don't care what you know.

I've wasted too much time being stationary when there are miles of road to be run.

I'm going to Stop! Enlighten me about Steeljaw.

Steeljaw wants this planet for himself because of its magic.

There's no magic here.

That's what I used to think.

But you haven't been on this planet long enough to realize its power seeps into you.

I'll show you.

Natives call this flimflam.

Hocus
-pocus, try and focus, because now you see it, and now you don't.

How did you? Alakazam! Ugh! Ugh! You've been flimflammed! Grim, secure Scorponok and Crazybolt, and keep the Mini
-'Cons unconscious.

I'll be back.

Tick
-tock, Strongarm.

Ugh! Now, now.

Frustration never solved I'm starting to like you, cadet.

Hang on.

Hang on, hang on.

Ugh.

Oh, there's too many buttons! Anyone broken? Where's Steeljaw? Gone.

And he took some cronies with him.

Fixit, we've closed the pods.

Are you reading positive locks? Confirmed, lieutenant.

And the modifications we made are functioning perfectly.

Subsonics should no longer affect the pods.

Better late than never.

Steeljaw sent his pack somewhere, but we couldn't see the coordinates.

And he talked about forming an army with a bunch of other 'Cons.

An army is what Steeljaw wanted initially.

If he's trying to build one again, that means he's probably learned from his past mistakes.

And that makes him twice as dangerous.

Well done, Steeljaw.

These elite warriors of yours seem more than Ugh.

Adequate.

Pity that Scorponok chose to betray us.

But I'd say that what you've brought us more than makes up for that scoundrel's loss.

You're going to go far with us, Steeljaw.

Very far indeed.