The newly elected Mayor of Central City is holding a ceremony for the grand opening of a solar energy facility, which was donated by his campaign opponent, Shawn Berger. Although he defeated him at the polls in what some would say was a bitter race, he says he takes his hat off to him. At his office, Berger is watching the ceremony on TV, and says that his contributions have just begun.

The Mayor is about to declare the facility open when he sees several Decepticons approaching. Starscream, Thrust, Ramjet and Dirge are all on the way, but Berger sees this as a good sign, as the Decepticons have taken the bait. He calls the tank crews and tells them to prepare for combat.

The Decepticons swoop in and cause all of the crowd to run away, but Starscream transforms and tells them to ignore the humans -they need to fill the energon cubes. They create some cubes and try to collect energy from the solar panels, but Dirge says there's no energy here!

Starscream says it's a trap, so they all jump back. Some of the panels open up, revealing several tanks. The tanks move out and fire at the Decepticons, destroying their empty energon cubes.

The Mayor sees that Berger has taken the law into his own hands... again. He takes a new presenter's microphone and calls for the Autobots to help. The tanks open fire on the Decepticons, but they can't do any damage. Starscream starts firing back...

...and the tanks are quickly destroyed. A group of Autobots led by Optimus Prime then arrive, but Berger isn't happy -how dare they interfere!

Most of the Autobots transform, but Tracks takes to the air and uses his black beam gun to take out Dirge.

Ramjet turns around and rams into him, sending him back down to the ground. The other Autobots attack Starscream, who hasn't taken off like the other Decepticons, and he tells Thrust to help him. Thrust dives down and fires some missiles...

...which scatter Ironhide, Smokescreen and Warpath. Smokescreen returns fire and damages Thrust's guidance system.

Starscream orders for a retreat, as he transforms and takes off. With the Decepticons repelled, the Mayor praises the Autobots, but Ironhide tells everyone to relax -this is all in a day's work!

The Mayor tells Prime that he wants to officially honor all of the Autobots at city hall. Prime shakes his hand, as Berger sees this on TV. He switches the TV off and says if it wasn't for the Autobots, he'd be the hero. He tells his guards to get out, as he wants to think. As they leave, he thinks he must find another path to glory.

He then picks up a cassette left on his desk, but the cassette suddenly transforms: it's Laserbeak! He captures Berger and shoots his way out of the Berger building.

Laserbeak drops Berger off on a cliff, where Megatron and a few other Decepticons confront him. Megatron introduces himself, but Berger says he's a powerful man and if he hurts him, he'll suffer for it. Megatron says he wants to help him, as it pains him to see a man of his obvious brilliance deceived by Autobot propaganda. Berger questions what he means by that.

Megatron explains Berger is so brainwashed by it that he doesn't even suspect that Autobots are evil, and Decepticons are good... the power of public relations. Berger asks if he really expects him to believe this, and Megatron says not yet -it is hard to tear away the veil of ignorance, but if he showed him proof, would he use his power and influence to help the Decepticons? Berger says that, supposed he was telling the truth -what's in it for him? Megatron says the entire city will be his. Berger says he must first prove that the Autobots are evil.

Megatron says he shall, and tells Dirge to transform so he can take their friend home. As Megatron picks Berger up, Berger says his price is two cities. Megatron says there is no limit to what he can have -if he joins them. Dirge takes off with Berger, and as soon as they're gone, Megatron calls Berger a pompous, gullible fool. Berger thinks he'll be a King, but he'll never be more than a pawn.

The next day, Berger takes a helicopter with several crew over an oil field. They have cameras at the ready, and see a small group of Autobots down below. Berger says to roll the cameras.

Optimus Prime says the workers aren't here yet -so that gives them plenty of time to drain this oil field dry! Berger and his crew are surprised to see what's happening, as the Autobots start creating energon cubes.

Prime says this is another raid they can blame on the Decepticons. Ironhide spots Berger's helicopter and asks Prime if he can swat them, but Prime says he'll do it. He starts firing at the helicopter.

Help is on the way from the Decepticons, as Megatron tells his forces to attack and save the humans! They fire missiles at the Autobots, and then move in. Thrust takes down Sunstreaker by colliding into him.

Wheeljack gets zapped by Starscream's null ray, whilst Megatron confronts Prime. Megatron says they won't tarnish their reputation again, as today is the day Earth learns the truth! He blasts Prime and shoots him down.

The other Decepticons transform and open fire, causing the Autobots to give up and flee. Prime tells Megatron he yields.

Megatron contacts Berger and asks if he believes him now. Berger says he does, and he has it all on videotape for the world to see. As the helicopter leaves, Wheeljack tells them to not come back, and fires a laser at it.

The laser blast causes a camera to drop off the helicopter. Dirge retrieves it and wants to make some home movies, but Megatron takes it and says they must take this tape to Berger, as it contains valuable evidence.

Meanwhile, the Autobots are taking part in Autobot Day, as they head towards the Mayor's office. They arrive, transform and head inside, where the Mayor begins his speech.

As the Mayor continues with his speech, Berger is at a TV station, and forces a worker to play a video tape. The Mayor is about to officially honor the Autobots, and tells people to watch their heroic actions at the solar plant yesterday...

...but the video cuts to Berger's footage of the Autobots stealing energy! Megatron's voice can be heard over the footage, and he says he's grateful for this opportunity to expose the Autobots for the base metal that they really are. Ironhide wonders what Megatron is trying to pull, as he tells everyone to watch carefully.

Outside, Chip says he can't believe it. Prime says this is an obvious fake, and the people will never believe it. Megatron says this second tape, secured at great risk, shows why Deceptions have acted irrationally on occasion. The footage shows Wheeljack explaining to Prime about a device that can convert even the noblest being to evil.

Prime decides to put it to the test, and uses it on Dirge, Ramjet and Thrust. The three jets wonder what just happened, but Thrust says he suddenly feels the urge to steal energy and destroy!

Megatron shows the last piece of evidence, secretly taped at Autobot HQ. The footage shows Prime telling the Autobots that, once they are fully trusted, and the Decepticons vanquished, they'll claim the Earth for their own! At the Mayor's office, Ironhide says they're putting words in Prime's mouth and tells him they've got to get to the bottom of this. Cliffjumper is with Ironhide, but Prime says they won't do anything rash, as they'll only be playing into their hands. Bumblebee asks the Mayor if he really believes the tapes, to which he says he doesn't, but as Mayor he has to consider every possibility.

He asks them not to leave the area, so Prime tells him they will return to their HQ. As the Autobots walk out, the crowd outside turn on them, telling them to go home.

Spike, Sparkplug and Chip say they'll go with the Autobots, to which Prime thanks them for their confidence. The Autobots transform and roll out, and once they get back to their HQ, Sunstreaker complains he knew the humans would turn on them someday. They're such undependable creatures, inferior lifeforms!

Bumblebee says he's not so sure about that -some of his best friends are humans. Prime says they've got to expose this Decepticon hoax, but how? Before they can do anything, Teletraan I's perimeter alarms go off, and they find out that several tanks are heading towards their HQ, led by Berger in a helicopter. Berger tells the Autobots to surrender at once.

The Autobots go outside, and Ironhide wants to trash the tanks, but Prime tells him they mustn't stoop to their level. Prime tells Berger they'll only surrender to a legitimate law enforcement officer, only for the Mayor to start speaking. He tells him that all Autobots are under arrest!

Prime tells the Autobots to offer no resistance, and to transform and starts their engines. As they head to the city, public opinion on the Autobots has quickly shifted -one presenter asks a construction worker if he thinks the Autobots are innocent or guilty. He says he used to think those metal guys were ok, but after he saw those tapes... meanwhile, Berger broadcasts a speech where he says for too long these robots have wield too much power. They must rid themselves of these meddlesome beasts!

The trial of the Autobots takes place in a stadium, which the Decepticons attend. The judge allows them to stay, and then tells Berger to continue.

Berger says that he was present when the Autobots raided the oil fields, he watched them make energon cubes with his own eyes. Spike says something bugs him about Berger's testimony, he's not sure what, but he asks his father and Chip to try and stall the trial until he gets back. As Spike runs off, the Decepticons see him.

Megatron has Soundwave deploy Ravage to go after Spike. Spike gets inside the TV studio and starts watching the footage that was broadcast earlier. But he makes a big discovery -the "Autobots" who raided the oil field were really Decepticons in disguise! Spike knows this proves the Autobots were innocent, and has to get back to the trial.

However, before he can leave, Ravage finds him. At the trial, the judge says he is ready to give his verdict. Chip shouts for him to wait, as his friend is bringing more evidence.

But the judge says the wheels of justice do not stop turning for children. The trial has been concluded, and it is the decision of this court that the defendants be found guilty as charged. The Autobots are sentenced to banishment from Earth forever! Prime says they will respect and comply with the decision of this court.

Later on, the Autobots are taken to a launch site. The Mayor tells Berger it was most generous of him to provide the spacecraft that will take the Autobots away. Berger says it was a paltry sum to rid themselves of those menacing robots. Sparkplug asks Prime if he can do anything, but he says no -any action they take now would be viewed as an admission of their guilt. The Decepticons tell them to board the rocket.

As they head onto the ship, Chip asks where the Autobots will go. Prime says somewhere, maybe Cybertron, wherever they go they will miss him, Spike and Sparkplug. Sparkplug asks where Spike is, and Chip says he's still searching for evidence, although he guesses it's too late for that now. Berger wonders what would happen if the election were held today. The Mayor says his quest for power will destroy him, although Berger doesn't think it looks that way from where he's standing.

The ship blasts off, and soon enters space. Later on, Megatron and Berger go to the Autobot HQ. Berger is getting frustrated, as he wants his reward -Megatron promised him three cities.

Megatron tells him to have patience, as first comes his reward. He turns on Teletraan I and makes some adjustments to the Autobot ship's flight plan. He disables the comm link, and then also changes the flight path from Cybertron...

...to the sun! He says now nothing can save the Autobots, who are now going to become one with oblivion!

NOTES

-SCRIPT DIFFERENCES: Click here for details.

-Usually, the Decepticons have to have Soundwave create the empty energon cubes, but this episode has Starscream, Dirge, Thrust and Ramjet create their own.