Optimus Prime comes to a stop, and the other Autobots fly over to help him. They find he's still alive, and roll him over onto his wheels. Prime asks about Roller, and is relieved to see Roller come back out of the mine unharmed.

Ratchet asks if Prime can transform, and after a lot of struggling, he eventually manages to. Prime wonders what's happened to Bumblebee and Sparkplug, and the Autobots see how much rock has fallen down. They wonder how they'll get through it all, and Ironhide says there is only one way. Revealing a large drill out of his arm, Ironhide gets to work.

The other Autobots help out and soon, Bumblebee and Sparkplug are found by Jazz. They get them out and Prime tells them that thanks to them, the Decepticons are finished. With the Decepticons buried under all of that rock, they can continue their search for the resources they need, and return to Cybertron.

However, part of the mine that explodes. Inside, the Decepticons have survived -Megatron has just blown apart some of the ceiling. He says they're invincible, and Soundwave says their energon cubes are still functional. The Decepticons grab the cubes and fly out of the mine, and are seen by the Autobots.

Ironhide wants to go after them, but Prime tells him they're too fast for them in the air. Ironhide is fed up and says he'll stop them. He goes after them, despite Prime's order to stop. Bluestreak says he'll stop him and catches up with Ironhide in the air, telling him to call it off as there are too many Decepticons. Ironhide says this is his fight, and fires a rocket at the Decepticons, hitting Skywarp.

Skywarp doesn't seem to take any damage and asks Megatron for permission to teleport. Megatron grants this and tells him to destroy, as he and the other Decepticons continue on. Skywarp teleports and gets behind the two Autobots, and then starts firing at them. They manage to avoid a lot of the shots, but Ironhide gets hit and plummets.

He lands in a lake, and Bluestreak goes in to get him as the other Autobots arrive. Ironhide is brought back onto dry land and says he can't move, so Ratchet says he'll check it, and transforms. Ironhide says this is nothing, like the time on Cybertron when... Prime cuts him off and says to save the war stories, but he needs to remember there's a thin line between being a hero, and being a memory.

Ironhide is loaded into Ratchet, and the Autobots head back to their ship. Spike writes in his journal that Optimus Prime cares for his fellow robots, and doesn't want anything to happen to them. He thinks Prime would make for a neat President! Elsewhere, Hound taunts Ravage, saying this key isn't for him. Mirage is surprised the Decepticons haven't tried to rescue him, but Hound isn't surprised -they don't care about anyone, not even their own.

Hound decides to make a Megatron hologram, to keep Ravage company. Mirage ask that when they get back to Cybertron, could Hound make him a holographic big house, with a 4 car garage? His holograms look so real, nobody will be able to tell the difference! Hound says he's just given him an idea, and he goes off to tell Prime. His idea is to create a gigantic holographic illusion which will trick the Decepticons into coming to them. Prowl asks what the hologram will be of, and Prime says he's got an idea.

Hound heads back outside to Mirage and Ravage, and says Teletraan I has just found out about a secret supply of rocket fuel, located about 140km from here. Mirage thinks they can use it to get back to Cybertron, and Hound tells him there's about enough fuel there to make 4 trips. They decide to go and tell Ironhide, to make him feel better, but as they walk, Hound deliberately loses the key to Ravage's cage, which lands right in front of it. Ravage quickly grabs the key and escapes.

Some of the Autobots head out, but are too late to stop Ravage from escaping. They report back to Prime, and Hound tells him that Ravage has escaped. Prime thinks that's perfect, much to everyone's surprise.

Ravage returns to the Decepticons and informs them about the rocket fuel. Megatron is pleased, as this will be the last resource they'll need to defeat the Autobots, and control Cybertron. Starscream says they're right on schedule, but Megatron tells him this is no thanks to him. Starscream says he's made his contribution to their efforts, but Megatron says he's also made it clear his desire to replace him as leader of the Decepticons -mistake #1. Starscream thinks it's time for change, time for action instead of words, he's the leader of the future! Megatron doesn't think he could lead androids to a picnic -how can he pretend to lead the Decepticons?

Megatron starts to walk off, but Starscream gets angry and takes aim at him. Just before he fires, Soundwave calls out, giving Megatron enough time to turn around and block the shot. He tells Starscream he's failed to dispose of him -mistake #2. Now it's his turn! Starscream begs for him to not fire...

... but Megatron doesn't grant him this mercy, and shoots him in the arm. Starscream survives but has clearly been put in his place, and Megatron says that they'll attack the rocket base at sunrise.

The next morning, Hound creates a massive holographic rocket base. It doesn't take long for the Decepticons to show up, as Megatron leads the attack on the base. But down below, the Autobots reveal themselves to be the base's workers, and start to fight back.

A battle breaks out between the two sides, but it doesn't last long. The Autobots are able to completely break apart the Decepticons with just a few attacks, and Prime realizes they've been had. Megatron gloats that's right, he was onto his scheme from the start. Did he really think he could fool him by pretending to let Ravage escape? Whilst they've been fighting these fakes, the real Decepticons have been at the real rocket site.

Prime says the race isn't over yet, but Megatron says it's over -he just doesn't know it. At the rocket site, the staff pick up several unidentified aircraft approaching, who don't respond to their demands to identify themselves. It's the Decepticons, who transform, land and begin their attack.

The Decepticons get what they want in no time, and head back to their completed space cruiser, which Soundwave says is now fully fueled, and the course plotted back to Cybertron. Back at the Autobot ship, Optimus Prime tells everyone they've come to a moment of truth, as the Decepticons are now ready to return to Cybertron. They've got no choice but to attack them directly. This battle will be most dangerous, and asks for volunteers. Jazz says for any volunteers to step forward, and every Autobot does -and Spike and Sparkplug also step forward.

The Autobots transform and roll out. They arrive at the Decepticon base, and the ship is hidden inside a small mountain. Prime tells everyone to encircle the base, just as Megatron tells the Decepticons it's time to return to Cybertron, and conquer the Autobots forever! They all begin to board the space cruiser.

The Autobots transform and circle around the Decepticons, and Megatron says they're under siege. Megatron transforms to his gun mode and Skywarp opens fire with him, as the other Autobots and Decepticons fight each other. Hound goes out of his way to get Rumble -he owes him one from Sherman dam.

The battle continues, as Megatron transforms back to robot mode and confronts Optimus Prime. Prime uses his trailer's cannons to fire at Megatron, just as Megatron fires back at the trailer and destroys it, but Prime's blast knocks his cannon off.

Prime says only one of them will be going back to Cybertron, but Megatron assures him that it won't be him! Prime manages to pin him down and tells him to call it off, but Megatron says never -he and every other Autobot are to be destroyed! Ravage then tackles Prime and knocks him off of Megatron. Megatron orders the Decepticons to board the space cruiser. The Decepticons stop fighting and retreat.

They get onto an elevator platform and ascend, as the Autobots fire at them from below. Finally boarding the space cruiser, Megatron orders for an immediate blast off, and within seconds, the Decepticons are on their way to space. Jazz tells Prime it's over, and they've lost, but Prime tells him it's not over yet.

Prime tells Sideswipe to give him his rocket pack now, which he does. Jazz fits it onto Prime's back but tells him this is crazy, he'll never make it. Prime says he'll be back and takes off after the Decepticons at top speed. Inside the cruiser, Megatron says it's done, and they have seen the last of the Autobots, and Optimus Prime.

Starscream tells him that's not the case just yet, as Optimus Prime is right behind them. Megatron orders for the artillery hatch to be opened, and a cannon on the back of the ship is raised. The cannon fires and lands a direct hit on Prime, who is flung back down to Earth.

He crash lands and is surrounded by the Autobots, but he tells them that he's fine. Sparkplug tells him he did as much as anyone could do. Prime says maybe he did, but then wonders where Mirage is. Prowl says he saw him during the fight, but Jazz says he's gone now.

The Decepticons continue their journey, as Megatron says total victory is within his grasp. Starscream calls out and says it's not within Megatron's grasp, it's within his! Megatron thinks Starscream has learned nothing, but Starscream says he's learned a great deal -he won't miss this time! Megatron tells him to beware -if he disposes of him, they will always be someone else who'll want to dispose of him.

As they continue to bicker, Mirage appears inside the cruiser, having used his invisibility powers to sneak onboard. He starts firing, blowing up several control panels, until he gets shot down by Starscream.

With Starscream distracted, Megatron uses this chance to shoot him down, saying extinction to all traitors! However, Soundwave then reports the space cruiser is losing power. The bridge is going up in flames, and the Decepticons can't do anything about it. The cruiser starts to lose height and heads back down to Earth.

Mirage gets up and tells Megatron he'll say hello to Prime for him -happy landing! He then jumps out, as the cruiser continues its descent. The other Autobots see it coming down, and Prime says they're going to crash.

The Decepticons crash into the sea, and the Autobots celebrate their foe's demise. Prime says the Decepticons are gone, and their path is clear now. Jazz says the Decepticons were on their way back to Cybertron, but they must have had a mechanical failure. Prowl tells him he doesn't think it was a mechanical failure, and points out something in the sky...

...it's Mirage! The Autobots congratulate him on stopping the Decepticons. Prime says he knew he was anxious to get back to Cybertron, but at least he could have waited for the rest of them. Mirage apologizes and explains that the ship was full. As everyone laughs, Prime congratulates Mirage once more.

Jazz says they should head back to base, as they've got a ship of their own to repair. Spike asks if he can come with them to Cybertron, but Prime thinks he'd best ask his father for permission first. Sparkplug says he can, but only if he gets to also go with them. With everything settled, the Autobots head back home.

Sometime later, the Autobot's ship is being repaired. Spike notes in his journal that because the Autobots got rid of the Decepticons, the governments of the world agreed to give Optimus Prime the energy he needs to revitalize Cybertron. It's probably the first time all the governments have ever agreed on anything. But that's it from Earth for now, next stop: Cybertron! Optimus Prime goes up to Spike and asks him if he's ready, as it's almost time to blast off. Spike says he'll be right there, and makes one last note in his journal: he's sure glad they don't have to worry about Megatron and the Decepticons any more.

However, unbeknown to Spike and any of the Autobots, the Decepticon space cruiser lies on the ocean floor... and Megatron lives!

NOTES

SCRIPT DIFFERENCES: Click here for details.

-Oddly, when Prime says "perfect" when finding out Ravage has escaped, Jazz, Prowl, Mirage and Hound act shocked when he says this. It makes sense for Mirage since he wasn't informed, but the other three are supposed to know about Prime's plan, so why do they look surprised?

-Ravage speaks in this episode! His voice can be heard when he plays back his intel about the rocket fuel. In all future appearances, he only makes animal noises.

-This episode also marks the appearance of Prime's combat deck, which is very rarely used in the series, but is a feature the toy had. The trailer can open up, revealing a dual-missile launcher.