Powerglide is flying around when Skywarp appears behind him and starts firing. Powerglide evades his shots and fires back, hitting one of his wings and forcing him to retreat.

However Starscream then appears, and says what goes up, must come down -and the harder, the better! He hits Powerglide, he goes into a spin and crashes. Back at the Autobot HQ, Grapple tells Hoist with one more connection, his solar tower model will be finished. He completes it and shows how it would work by shining a light on it, which represents the sun. The tower opens up and generates solar energy. Hoist thinks this is a magnificent accomplishment, but Grapple wonders if Optimus Prime will like it. Hoist is sure their leader will be impressed, but Grapple worries that if Prime isn't impressed, he'll be depressed.

Hoist tells him not to worry, and he'll help him present it. Elsewhere in the HQ, Prime is learning about basketball from Spike, and turns out to be pretty good at dribbling! But he tosses the ball back to Spike when Grapple and Hoist arrive. Prime asks what the device does and Grapple says nothing really, it's just a model of a solar power tower. Hoist tells him not to be modest and demonstrates what it can really do, explaining that it could generate gigawatts of energy. Grapple says they want to construct a full size tower, as the energy benefits would be enormous.

Prime agrees, but asks how he would protect it from the Decepticons -it seems he hadn't thought of that. Grapple says he didn't, so Prime tells him he regretfully withdraws approval of the tower, as if it ever fell into Megatron's hands... just then a warning alarm goes off on Teletraan I. The computer tells them Powerglide has been shot down in sector 3, and this is an emergency.

Prime says Powerglide is in trouble, so Hoist volunteers himself and Grapple to go and find him. They head out and quickly locate Powerglide, and are able to repair his damaged wing. Powerglide gives them a zillion thanks, and then takes off.

Hoist and Grapple transform and head back to the Autobot HQ. Grapple asks Hoist if he sees the value of the power tower, and he says he does. Grapple then says they should build it -just the two of them. Hoist tells him he must have a glitch in his circuits, as Optimus Prime said no. Grapple tells him they can't let the Decepticons intimidate them -think of the energy the tower would create! Hoist is more worried about the energy it would take to build it, and the two of them couldn't do it alone. Grapple says he supposes it is a selfish dream, but someday, somehow... his solar power is going to become a reality. As they prepare to continue on, they don't realize the Constructicons have been spying on them.

They see them and attempt to leave, but the Constructicons push down a couple of giant boulders to block them off. Scrapper jumps down and asks them to hold their fire, but Hoist says there is no way they'll miss a chance to nail him. He fires a missile at Scrapper, which forces him to jump out of the way.

Bonecrusher transforms and shoves a huge part of the canyon down onto the Autobots, which breaks up and causes a landslide. The two get swept away and are stuck. Scrapper tells them to relax, as they aren't their enemy. Megatron knows nothing of this meeting, so Grapple decides to let him speak. Scrapper says it's simple -if they'd wanted to destroy them, they would be ten feet under by now.

Bonecrusher says they could still finish the job, but Scrapper tells him none of that, as they have no grievances with these two. He goes on to tell them that they've left Megatron, as he took them for granted and ignored their potential. Back on Cybertron they all admired Grapple's buildings, as they were works of art. As he talks, he's unaware that everything is being seen by Megatron and Starscream via a hidden camera. Scrapper goes on to say that why don't they pool their skills now?

Starscream thinks the Constructicons are traitors are should be deconstructed at once, but Megatron says to leave them to him. Grapple tells Hoist that with the Constructicon's help, they could build the tower easily. Hoist says they're Decepticons -could they ever trust them completely? Scrapper wants a decision, but Grapple wants proof that he is telling the truth. Hoist tells Grapple this feels dangerous, but Scrapper says they will give them the proof.

He fires a laser which destroys the rocks that were covering up the two Autobots, as he and the other Constructicons fly away. They head back to their HQ, but are immediately confronted by the Decepticons. Megatron asks his "loyal" Constructicons if they are loyal, but then calls them traitors...

...and they can't deny it! Scrapper says he has it all wrong. Hook tells him they are still working for him, and for the glory of the Decepticons. Bonecrusher says they eavesdropped on the two Autobot's plans. Long Haul says what the plans are -to build a whopper solar tower, which Scavenger explains can produce megawatts of energy. Mixmaster says that energy could be used to destroy the Autobots, get it?

Megatron says perhaps this can be useful, but warns them not to betray him. They say they won't, but they need proof of their good faith to convince Grapple. Megatron says they must give him his most precious possession. Scrapper later heads towards Grapple and Hoist. Hoist still worries that this is a trick, but Grapple tells him they've got to risk it. Scrapper lands and points out the proof he has. Bonecrusher, Long Haul and Hook arrive, and drive up to them.

Hook transforms and pulls off a sheet which was covering up Long Haul's load: energon cubes! Scrapper explains that these cubes are ones that they've stolen from Megatron. Hoist says that the cubes have enough energy to build the tower, and Grapple says his dream is coming true.

The Constructicons head off to a building site, and annoy the foreman when they drive up, since he didn't send for any more trucks. But Mixmaster transforms and tells him to stand aside. Hook says they need their building materials, so they decide to help themselves to what they need. Unsurprisingly the foreman says he doesn't mind.

The Constructicons head back to their construction site, and soon construction begins on the solar power tower.

Grapple says as soon as his tower is finished, he must find a place to sign his name -in very large letters! At the Autobot HQ, Prime likes basketball so much he has had a Transformer-sized court constructed near their base. He tells Spike he's going to drive for a layoff, and as Spike explains it's a layup, Prime gets past Tracks and scores a slam dunk.

Tracks stumbles and Prime tells him it sounds like it's time he had a maintenance check. Tracks agrees, but says he can't get an appointment with Hoist. Prime says that's not like Hoist, and plans to call him in for a talk, but Spike says Hoist isn't here, as he and Grapple have been gone all day. Prime decides to send Powerglide out to search for them.

Back at the solar power tower site, Scavenger is struggling to weld the joints -on Grapple's plan they are neat, but when he does them, they come out sloppy. Grapples goes up with him onto the tower and explains that the secret is temperature and timing. Hook then says they have a panel problem, so Grapple goes to take a look. He fixes the problem with the panel's swivel, and Hook tells him he'd better do a couple more of them, as he doesn't think he's got it just yet. He tells Long Haul to get more panels.

Get this, bring that... Long Haul complains that he thought that he was finally going to build something. As he goes down, Grapple shouts that he is, he's building his greatest creation -he's so excited, he's shorting his own circuits! Later on Hoist thinks this is monumental, and Grapple says it's amazing what friends can do together.

Powerglide finds what he was sent to search for, and contacts Optimus Prime. Via a video feed, he shows him that not only has the solar power tower been constructed, but Grappled and Hoist and working with the Constructicons! Prime says they'd better have a good explanation, and then goes to setup a strike force.

At the construction site, Grapple says the tower will be powerless unless they can get the sun-focusing sphere up to the top of it. Hoist says they'll get it up there somehow, but Scrapper then appears and says he thinks they can help. He and his team merge into Devastator, who lifts Grapple and the sphere up onto the tower.

Grapple places the sphere onto the top of the tower, and then is brought back down. But no sooner is he placed next to Hoist, the two of them get blasted from behind by Megatron. They fall into a hole, and Megatron calls them fools.

Devastator gets them out and takes them away. Megatron says the tower is magnificent, and now the gullible twosome shall perish in it. Later on, energon production is started at the tower, and Scrapper reports that they've charged 400 energon cubes so far, with more on the way.

Nearby, Prime leads a group of Autobots towards the tower's location. They arrive and Prime says there is no sign of Grapple or Hoist -which means their liaison with the Decepticons may have had an unexpected twist. He orders the Autobots to attack.

They start firing, and the site is rocked with explosions. Megatron orders the Constructicons to fall back and regroup, so they retreat and hide around the other side of the tower. The Constructions quickly transform into Devastator.

The Autobots go after them, but Prime warns it could be a trap. As they go around they comes across Devastator, who tells Prime a trap it is, one with no way out. He fires his eye lasers at them, causing them to scatter and move back.

Prime and Warpath fire at him, but their lasers can't faze him. Cliffjumper tries his glass gas, but Devastator creates a powerful wind just by waving his arms, which destroys Cliffjumper's attack.

Megatron spots Powerglide moving, so he has Ramjet go and intercept him. As Powerglide dives, Ramjet follows him, only for Devastator to accidentally swipe him after missing Powerglide.

Warpath rolls up and starts firing at Devastator, enough to make him fall, but it's just a ruse. Devastator shoves one of his arms into the ground, and as Warpath moves in, he pops his fist out of the ground and pushes Warpath out of the way.

Prime says they have to turn Devastator's strength to their advantage. He tells Smokescreen to head towards the tower without being seen by Devastator. Smokescreen transforms and manages to do this, and gets behind Devastator. Prime yells for him to let Devastator know he's there, so Smokescreen insults him. Devastator turns around and goes to kick him, but he drives off, resulting in Devastator kicking the tower instead.

The tower has been damaged, and Prime tells the Autobots to fire. They all shoot and hit Devastator's back, causing him to stumble forward and crash into the tower. The tower can't take it, and collapses with a series of explosions.

Megatron sees the tower has been turned into nothing but junk, and the Constructicons have had to transform back to their individual selves. He tells the Autobots they'll pay for this, and then retreats. The Constructions take off after him, leaving the Autobots to celebrate, but Prime is worried about Grapple and Hoist. He tells the Autobots to clear the debris away, as their friends may be underneath it.

The Autobots start clearing out the tower wreckage, and Brawn finds a sheet of metal... that has Grapple and Hoist encased in it! He punches the sheet and breaks it up.

They are both ok, but Grapple says he is ashamed, as is Hoist. Prime tells them their apologies are accepted, but now they'd better get to HQ for repairs. After those are done, they are to return here to clean up this rubble -by themselves.

Most of the Autobots transform and move out. Grapple finds the damaged small model of the tower, and Hoist tells him there will be other towers to design and build. Grapple says it was magnificent, for a little while... wasn't it? Hoist says it was incredible... absolutely incredible.

NOTES

-SCRIPT DIFFERENCES: Click here for details.

-When this episode was originally broadcast, it was titled The Master Builders. However, on many (possibly all?) of the DVD sets....

...it's called The Master Builder. It's unknown why this happened, but the original title is the correct one.

-The Constructicons state they admired Grapple's buildings on Cybertron, despite the fact that back in their debut they had only recently been built on Earth. This hints as a retcon, which will come around a little later on in this season.