With the fire getting worse, the Autobots help each other out. Brawn helps Huffer get his arm free, whilst Optimus Prime tells Trailbreaker to use his force shield on the fire. He circles the fire from the air, and contains it with the force shield. Wheeljack then helps out by covering the fire up with foam, putting it out.

Prime manages to lift up the debris, allowing Spike and Sparkplug to get out and climb onto him. Jazz then throws him a line, which he grabs onto and is reeled in. Sparkplug tells him that whilst he doesn't know who he is, he's saved their lives. Prime says they're Autobots, from Cybertron, a planet far from Earth. The ones who tried to harm them are called Decepticons, who the Autobots must stop.

Spike asks if they can help, but Prime tells him the Autobots are the only ones who can stop the Decepticons. Sparkplug tells him that he and his son know more about Earth than Prime does, which makes Prime reconsider -maybe they can help them. Later on, the two are taken back to the Autobot's ship, and Spike writes in his journal that the Autobots are a highly advanced form of robot. He doesn't really know if they're from the past or future, but they can think and have real feelings.

As Spike heads back to the ship, he comes across a cassette recorder. He wonders who left is there and picks it up, taking it inside with him. He places it down and then goes up to Trailbreaker and asks him for more details about Cybertron. He wants to know why they all transform into cars and things. Trailbreaker tells him it's simple: disguise -plus it sure beats walking!

They go to Ratchet's repair workshop, and meet with Mirage and Hound. Trailbreaker says Spike wants to know how they transform. Hound says it's easy: like this! He transforms into his vehicle mode, and then also displays a driver. Spike asks who he is, but is told that the guy is just a hologram, and not a real person.

Mirage then shows off one of his tricks, which is making himself invisible. He moves around the room and reappears, and Spike says that invisibility is the best disguise of all. Hound then takes Spike out for the ride of his life.

Meanwhile, back in the ship, the recorder Spike placed down was actually Soundwave, who transforms and sends out Ravage. He has Ravage transform and enter Teletraan I, and starts to gather information about various Earth power resources. Back outside, Hound says the Earth must be a nice place to live. Spike says it's ok, but he wants to know more about Cybertron. Hound tells him that before the war with the Decepticons, it was peaceful there.

They head back and Spike goes to Teletraan I, only to see the recorder he left by it... which suddenly transforms! Spike asks who he is, but Soundwave just goes to grab him. Spike manages to avoid him, and sets off an alarm.

Ravage ejects as he and Soundwave run for it. They get outside and Soundwave gets away, but Ravage is cornered by the Autobots, and tries to hide in the mountains. The Autobots follow him and use their lights to find him. Prime tells Gears to switch to infrared...

...which he does, and Ravage is soon found. The Autobots use an energy net to capture him. Meanwhile, Soundwave returns to the Decepticon base, and plays back some of his findings. The report mentions Sherman dam, a hydroelectric power planet which has a capacity of 1,750,000 kilowatts. Starscream says that's not enough power to fill their energon cubes, but Megatron tells him they'll create a tidal wave, one with enough power surging through that dam to make all the energon cubes they'll need.

The next morning, the Decepticons arrive at the dam. Megatron has Soundwave send Rumble out, who enters the waters and start using his piledrivers to start up the tidal wave. Back on land, Megatron and the others see that it's working, so they let Rumble continue as they all head to the dam.

The river starts rising, and this unusual activity gets picked up by Teletraan I. Jazz tells Spike that this could be the Decepticons, so goes to tell Optimus Prime. Back at the dam, the Decepticons enter and quickly take control. However one of the human workers tells Megatron they need to get out of here, as the whole place is going to blow. Megatron tells him that's perfect -the electrical output it at its peak, which is exactly where he wants it.

He then has Starscream use his null ray to disable some of the generators, as Soundwave creates empty energon cubes that Reflector puts into place. Back outside, the Autobots arrive at the dam, and see the waters raging. Prowl wonders if the Decepticons did this...

...and gets an answer when Megatron shoots at them. Prime leads most of the Autobots towards Megatron, but Hound and Spike stay behind. Spike thinks the heart of the tidal wave is here, and Hound decides to find out. He enters the waters and soon finds Rumble, and starts to fight him.

With the waters still raging, Bumblebee and Ironhide decide to do something about it. Ironhide transforms and Bumblebee uses his laser cannon to carve up the ground, letting part of the wave fill up the cracks and stop it from wiping out a village.

Back at the dam, the Decepticons have started filling up the energon cubes. Megatron orders for the cubes to be gathered, and for them to return to base, but the Autobots then enter and start their attack. Sparkplug finds the workers, and leads them out.

Starscream uses a slingshot to create a mighty blast, which causes a large explosion, rocking the entire building. Megatron yells at him for being so careless, but as he's distracted, Prime tackles him and the two tumble outside.

They starting fighting atop of the dam, with Prime telling Megatron everything he destroys everything he touches. Megatron tells him it's because everything he touches is food for his hunger -his hunger for power! Prime switches one of his hands to an axe, whilst Megatron switches one of his hands to a mace. As they continue their battle, Spike is still waiting for Hound to come back, but then sees Rumble climb out of the water. Rumble shoves Spike out of the way...

So Spike tackles him. Rumble grabs Spike, who starts yelling out for help. This distracts Optimus Prime, and Megatron is able to hit him off the dam. Prime tumbles into the waters below, as Megatron and the other Decepticons gather up their energon cubes and withdraw.

Prime is able to save himself when Jazz throws out a line. Elsewhere, Rumble has left with the other Decepticons, allowing Spike to go after Hound. He enters the waters and finds Hound covered up with rocks, so he removes one, allowing Hound to get himself out. Spike is running out of air, so Hound quickly gets him and himself out of the water.

The Autobots regroup and discuss their next move. Mirage suggest they repair their own ship, go back to Cybertron and forget about the Decepticons. Prime says they can't do that -if Megatron succeeds here, he'll be impossible to beat on Cybertron. Huffer says that they just aren't fighters like the Decepticons are. Prime says they must have courage -they can't ignore the danger, they must conquer it.

Meanwhile, the Decepticons start plundering more energy resources across the entire planet, making many more energon cubes in the process. Megatron and Soundwave discuss their plans, as their new space cruiser is nearing completion. They still need one last big source of energy, and Soundwave knows one place they've yet to hit: the ruby crystal mines of Burma. They then hear something, so they head outside to see Starscream using some of their energon cubes to power a laser cannon.

Megatron isn't happy since he's just wasted a load of their energon, but Starscream says he was testing the energon, as Megatron didn't know if it would work. Now he's proven it does work. Megatron chews him out, as now they'll need two strikes instead of one to gather enough energy to return to Cybertron. Starscream doesn't see the difference, as there's still plenty of energy left, but Megatron tells him the difference is time -he's now set them back! Soundwave then says that rocket fuel is another form of highly concentrated energy. Megatron decides that despite Starscream's stupidity, their mission will still succeed. They'll strike the Burma crystal mines, then they'll locate the rocket fuel.

What the Decepticons don't realize is they're entire conversation has been listening in on by Trailbreaker, Spike and Sparkplug. Sparkplug says this is what they've been waiting to hear, and decides to radio Prime. Back with the Decepticons, Starscream has had enough of Megatron, telling him not to push him and his desire for power as great as his. Megatron says power flows to the one who knows how -desire alone is not enough. Starscream says time makes all things possible, and he can wait.

The Decepticons organize a strike force and head out to the mine. As Trailbreaker, Spike and Sparkplug head back to the Autobot's ship, they are attacked by a couple of Decepticons. Sparkplug radios for help, and Sideswipe and Sunstreaker arrive to assist them.

Sunstreaker shoots back at the Decepticons, hitting one of them and causing them both to retreat. With them out of the way, the Autobots head back to their ship.

Meanwhile, the other Decepticons have quickly taken over the mine, and are successfully creating energon from the crystal rubies. Megatron thinks this place is magnificent, whilst Soundwave says there is enough energy here to power the entire planet of Cybertron. Megatron says he'll build the ultimate weapon to defeat the Autobots, control the planet and conquer the universe!

Outside the mine, the Autobots have arrived. Prime thinks the Decepticons must be inside, and Ironhide suggest they blast them out. Wheeljack says he has just the thing, and pulls out a small but highly powerful bomb. Prime says not so fast -whilst they know the Decepticons are in there, they don't know where. Sparkplug volunteers to go as he's worked at these mines before, so knows his way around. Bumblebee also steps up since he's the smallest, so he's got the most chance of getting through.

Wheeljack explains how the bomb works, as Prime tells them that if it gets too dangerous, they need to get out of there. Bumblebee transforms and takes Sparkplug up to the mine's entrance, and transforms back. The two head inside, and Bumblebee says he's never seen anything like this. Sparkplug explains that it's the ruby crystals that make things glow.

They then hear something and quickly take cover in a cavern, just as Thundercracker and Skywarp pass by, complaining about how they don't like Earth and can't wait to get back to Cybertron. Bumblebee and Sparkplug head on and find the rest of the Decepticons, as Megatron says they've now got enough and they need to prepare to pull out. Bumblebee quickly plants the bomb and activates it, which has a 60 second countdown. He and Sparkplug then run back the way they came...

...only for them to bump into Thundercracker and Skywarp. Back outside, Prime thinks something is wrong and decides to check it out himself, telling the other Autobots to wait here -if he's not back in 5 minutes, they can come and get him. Back inside, Thundercracker and Skywarp have easily defeated the intruders, and wonder if they should take Bumblebee to Megatron as a present.

Prime arrives at the mine's entrance, and decides to send in Roller. Prime opens his trailer's door and Roller heads out into the mine. But seconds later, the bomb explodes, with the blast smashing through the entrance...

...right onto Optimus Prime! The Autobots can only watch in horror as their leader is sent flying off the cliff edge, tumbling down the mountain, out of control!

NOTES

SCRIPT DIFFERENCES: Click here for details.

-This episode opens with a short recap of things that happened in part 1. Oddly, there is a shot of Optimus helping Spike and Sparkplug in this preview which looks different to what it actually looked like in the episode:

The left image is from the preview, the right is from the first episode. The piece of debris in the preview isn't quite as chunky and is also colored white instead of orange.

-The end of the previous episode had Prime state he couldn't lift the debris, but manages it just fine at the start of this one.

-I may as well mention this now: Transformers are able to change their size if needed, such as Soundwave shrinking himself in this episode. It never gets mentioned or explained how this works, so just go with it.

-Ratchet's repair workshop is in a separate building from the Autobot's ship. This building isn't present in most future episodes, but will make a couple of random appearances.

-Trailbreaker tells Spike the reason they transform is for "disguise" and that it "beats walking". This will get retconned later on in the third season.

-Starscream uses a slingshot in this episode, which is the only episode he ever uses it. And no, his toy didn't come with one.

-As you may have noticed in some of the above images, the Decepticons have some new members in this episode. They're recolors of Starscream, Reflector and Rumble, who never get named and will quickly disappear from the series. This was most likely done to try and cover up the fact that the Autobots had roughly twice as many characters as the Decepticons.