An original script is available for this episode, which can be read in full at the Sunbow and Marvel Productions Script/Storyboard Archive. The script was written by David Wise on 02/15/1985.

There's a note on the cast list stating that Merrick is fifty, and Joan is his wife. Neither of these facts are mentioned in the episode.

ACT 1

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MERRICK Jose! El cepillo! Rapido --hurry!

Several changes here. In the episode, the only archaeologists around are Merrick and Joan, but the script wanted there to be a few others. Merrick was meant to have gray hair, but in the episode his hair is colored brown. The shot of a native passing him a brush was cut, he just suddenly has the brush between shots. Finally the script wanted him to find a bowl, but in the episode he finds a vase.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	JOAN Oh, probably a souvenir some tourist left behind!

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	MERRICK No way! It's at least thirteen-hundred years old!

Joan's "something!" was cut.

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	MERRICK Metal? Impossible!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MERRICK The Mayas didn't have spacecrafts! JOAN I know that...

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	JOAN ...but look at the strata. This thing's been here long that the hill. It could be millions of years old!

This was cut from the episode.

In the episode, Soundwave just stands still for this shot.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	NEWCASTER --the team of archaeologists believes the strange object may be part of a spaceship which crash landed on Earth four million years ago.

This line was cut.

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	MEGATRON It's a Decepticon ship! And you know what is inside of it...

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	MEGATRON (CONT) I must have it!

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	PERCEPTOR (VO) Well little microchip, what seems to be the matter with you today?

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	PERCEPTOR (CONT-VO) Hmm, a blocked linkage...

The script mentions Ironhide having the top of his head off for this shot, but in the episode he looks like normal.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	IRONHIDE Quit talkin' to that circuit and fix it! I can't remember a thing without it!

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	PERCEPTOR This is real work, Brawn.

Brawn was given a line here, which isn't in the script: "Real work is crushing Decepticons, now fussing with chips!"

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR If I didn't "fuss with chips"...

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	PERCEPTOR (CONT-VO) ...you couldn't crush Decepticons.

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	BRAWN Oh, bah...

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	BUMBLEBEE Hey, lay off, Brawn! Perceptor's as important as any of us!

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	BRAWN So where is he when we're fighting?

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	BUMBLEBEE Leave him alone Brawn, or you're gonna tangle with me!

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	BRAWN Oh, I'm shakin' in my proton boots!

Perceptor's response to Brawn's line here was cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME Brawn, Bumblebee -we're rolling out. Perceptor -finish repairing Ironhide, then both of you join us.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR But Prime, I can't go. I've got too much to do here. BRAWN Ha! That's a good one. OPTIMUS PRIME Alright Perceptor, stay here.

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	OPTIMUS PRIME (CONT-VO) And if he wants it, we don't want him to get it!

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	MEGATRON Faster! Faster!

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	RUMBLE Nice scenery!

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	SCAVENGER Yeah, let's waste it!

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	SCAVENGER (CONT VO) I hate nice things!

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	RUMBLE (laughs) Good shot, Starscream!

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	RUMBLE Hey, hold that pose! I wanna remember ya that way!

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	STARSCREAM Arrgh! Help! Get this thing off me!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	RUMBLE I think it looks stunning on ya, huh hahahaha!

The shot of Starscream here was cut. And in the episode, Ravage leaps out of the tree by himself, rather than the leopard knocking him out of it.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	STARSCREAM Enough of this! Let's fly!

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	MEGATRON No! We must remain on the ground to avoid satellite detection!

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	OPTIMUS PRIME (V.O.) This jungle's too thick. We'll have to hoof it! Autobots, transform!

In the episode, only Optimus and Ratchet are shown to transform here, everyone else transforms off-screen.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME That's not out style, Brawn.

The script has this dialogue happen after the Decepticons arrive at the site of the Decepticon ship and chase the humans away, but in the episode these scenes were switched around.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	RATCHET And besides, we don't have to -look!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME (VO) The Decepticons blazed a trail for us!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME (VO) Autobots, transform! But watch your sensors, it might be a trap!

In the episode, Scavenger can literally be heard making sniffing noises here, which I don't think is what the script really intended. Megatron's line was cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	SCAVENGER (VO) I'm picking up traces of Cybertroid alloy. The star drive is nearby!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	JOAN There's no radiation. Let's open it.

This sequence was changed around a bit for the finished episode. Merrick is seen walking towards the ship, but doesn't reach for the latch. Megatron's "leave at once" line was cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MERRICK Says who?

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON Decepticons -introduce yourselves!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MERRICK Run!

In the episode, this shot causes a large explosion, which the script didn't ask for.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON After millions of years... it's mine!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON (CONT) Hook! Your cyber-forceps!

In the episode, the device Hook passes to Megatron isn't a clamp. When Megatron uses it below and above the Heart of Cybertron, it creates some sparks, then he removes it with his hand.

In the episode, this line is not a voice over.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON (CONT) This tiny energy maximizer powered our ship all the way from Cybertron to this miserable planet! HOOK And what will you do with it now?

In the episode, Megatron says this line and then lies down, whilst in the script it was the other way around. The line was also shortened to just "implant it inside me.".

This line was cut. In the script, the next scene has the Autobots heading through the jungle, but in the episode this happens earlier, as noted above.

This was cut from the episode. Hook just places the heart inside Megatron's chest, and that's all he needs to do to install it.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	HOOK It is done, Megatron.

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	MEGATRON I know... for already the power courses through my circuits! OPTIMUS PRIME (VO) You'll need every bit of it Megatron!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME Autobots -attack!

Megatron's line here was cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON Come on Autobots! Follow your leader's orders, and attack!

ACT 2

The shot of Hound getting blasted was cut.

In the episode, a bunch of Autobots who weren't there in act 1 -like Cliffjumper, Smokescreen and more -suddenly turn up. This isn't an error by the animators, the script does start using these guys from act 2, despite them not being there in act 1.

This was cut from the episode.

It just wouldn't be a David Wise script without some over the top violence. Bluestreak is seen getting hit in the episode, but needless to say he doesn't lose any limbs.

This was changed in the episode so Ironhide warns Brawn, but doesn't get in front of him. Ironhide then gets blasted and just says "Ow", the rest of his line was cut. The next sequence, where he would take a hit for Ratchet, was cut. Instead, it was replaced with a shot of Ratchet getting blasted.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	HUFFER (VO) Hope I get lucky!

Huffer's line here was cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME No! Megatron must have gotten the Heart of Cybertron -we'll be slaughtered! Smokescreen -buy us some time!

This was cut from the episode. It was scripted to happen after Smokescreen heads out towards Megatron.

This was also cut. It was meant to happen after Smokescreen circles Megatron.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON You will suffer for this!

This was cut from the episode, it was scripted to happen after Megatron's "suffer for this" line.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME Now -blast the hill!

In the episode, Hoist is seen firing lasers rather than missiles.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME That should hold them for a while... damage report. BRAWN Five of us are functional.

This was cut, it was a response to Brawn's "functional" line above.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME Hoist, Grapple, Ratchet -get the wounded out of here!

In the episode, Prime's line isn't a voice over, whilst Hoist's line was cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	SPARKPLUG Good grief... PERCEPTOR What happened!?

In the episode, whilst the Autobots are looking worse for wear for this shot, none of them are missing limbs. Ironhide is also absent from this shot.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	BRAWN Funny -you don't have a scratch on you.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME Brawn, lay off Perceptor!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME (CONT) If I hear one more word against him you'll answer to me!

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	TELETRAAN I (VO) According to the date, a forcefield will not stop Megatron for long.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME It'll be better than nothing! Proceed.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON It was clever of Prime to collapse this hill on us! But he only succeeded in postponing the inevitable!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME Sorry Perceptor. We're diverting all power to the forcefield generator now. PERCEPTOR But that's absurd! BRAWN Do you have any better ideas!? Or is your intelligence as fleeting as your courage?

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR As a matter of fact I do. Get inside Megatron, and disconnect the Heart of Cybertron!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	BRAWN Are you defective!? How we gonna do that!?

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR Simple. We use my transmat reduction beam to shrink down to microscopic size. Then, we crawl into Megatron and rip the blasted heart out!

There was some extra dialogue added between these two lines, which wasn't in the script:

OPTIMUS: What do you think of his intelligence now, Brawn?
BRAWN: I reserve judgment.

Prime's other line was changed to this: "You and Bumblebee go with him. Powerglide, can you fly?"

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME You three ready?

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR Ready and waiting!

The script mentions something about a grappling hook/cannon which Sparkplug loads, but such a thing isn't seen in the episode.

This dialogue was cut, it was scripted to be said before Powerglide takes off.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	STARSCREAM Energy! We won't need to conserve it after tomorrow! We can bleed this planet dry!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	RUMBLE *HIC* Boy, these are good! *HIC* I needed to refuel! Energy!

In the episode, the ad libs have everyone chanting "energy!" instead of "more power!".

This was cut from the episode, it was scripted to happen before the below line from Thundercracker:

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	THUNDERCRACKER This stuff's the greatest!

All of the above was cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON Ahhhh, those were the good old days, back on Cybertron! Didn't have to sneak around in these ugly Earth disguises, heh!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	POWERGLIDE (VO) Time to cut the jets and glide!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON Good ol' Cybertron... land of the metal moon...

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	POWERGLIDE (VO) Looks like they over-energized! Now's our chance!

In the episode, Brawn doesn't punch the lid, he just pushes it open.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON I don't believe it! Argh, no matter...

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR Because the reductor beam will wear off, and we'll return to normal size!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	BRAWN Now ya tell us! BUMBLEBEE Yeah, and Megatron ain' t big enough for the three of us! BRAWN What's that?!

In the episode, the rays are colored pink instead of yellow.

ACT 3

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	BRAWN Let's move!

Perceptor's line here was cut, whilst part of Brawn's was changed to "a real Autobot" instead of "an Autobot".

Brawn was given a line here, which isn't in the script: "Follow me!"

This scene was cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR Megatron's shoulder-joint!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR (CONT) His chest must be around here somewhere!

Brawn was given a line between these two lines, which isn't in the script: "I'm glad you told us, I never could have figured that out myself."

In the episode, everything here after Bumblebee's "Jump, Perceptor!" line was cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	BRAWN Some hero! Next time stay home!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME Intelligence reports Megatron within one hundred miles and closing. ETA: ten minutes.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR Asleep, nothing! He's flying!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	BUMBLEBEE Look!

Bumblebee's line here was cut, whilst Perceptor's was shortened to just "Megatron's brain!".

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	BRAWN (CONT) Let's bash brain! PERCEPTOR No, Brawn!! It's too dangerous!

Bumblebee has a line here, which isn't in the script: "Listen to Perceptor! He's right!".

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	WHEELJACK There. The forcefield's all set to go. But it'll only hold up for five minutes against Megatron. OPTIMUS PRIME That's five minutes more than we'd have without it. RATCHET There he is!

This line was cut.

In the episode, Brawn isn't seen hurling Perceptor and Bumblebee away, they're both already off him. Perceptor's line here was changed slightly so he says "destroy" instead of "disconnect".

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	BRAWN It's our only chance!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR Brain impulses -evil brain impulses!

The brain impulse snakes were meant to be orange, according to the script. In the episode, they are colored dark purple.

This line was cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR That's Megatron's database conveying orders to the Heart of Cybertron!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR If we can hitch a ride, it'll lead us straight to it!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	BUMBLEBEE Here comes one!

This was mostly cut -in the episode, the forcefield is already activated without Prime having to say anything.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	BRAWN Let's rip the wires and get outta here!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR No! This thing's like a hyper bomb! One wrong move and the whole planet is rubble!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON Do you think a mere force shield can stop me?

This line was cut.

As was this one.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR One... last... wire...

In the episode, the antenna doesn't explode, it just dims out.

Megatron's "waited so long for" line was cut, and his "all over" line isn't a VO in the episode. Prime has a line in the episode after this, which isn't in the script: "Not until every Autobot program is erased, Megatron!"

The above was scripted to happen after Ratchet says "Perceptor did it!". However in the episode it was moved back, and happens after the below:

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR It's us -we're returning to out normal size! We've got to get out of here!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	MEGATRON You filthy retro rats! RAAARGH!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	PERCEPTOR We've got the Heart of Cybertron! BRAWN But it's destabilizing -it could explode at any second!

These lines were cut.

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	OPTIMUS PRIME Sharp shooting, Perceptor!

SCRIPT	EPISODE DIALOGUE
	RATCHET Do you realize that we just saved Megatron's life?!