At Central City, another ceremony is taking place, but this time, it's for the Decepticons. Shawn Berger says it gives him great pleasure to declare today "Decepticon Day".

Sparkplug says this makes him sick, and Chip feels the same way. Starscream asks Megatron why are they wasting time, they should take the city now. Megatron tells him he has his reasons, reasons which are far beyond his meager understanding. Sparkplug still can't believe the public believed those Decepticon lies, but Chip says they didn't buy them, and neither did Spike. Right now Spike's searching for proof of the Autobot's innocence.

Spike has found a tape proving the Decepticons are behind everything, but Ravage has him cornered. He tries to fend the Decepticon off with a chair, but Ravage smacks it out of his hands. He then charges into a cabinet, knocking it over and allowing him to escape. Ravage pulls himself out.

The Decepticons decide to take things easy, and Soundwave takes his cassettes to a teen dance. Rumble is dancing and tells Soundwave to get down, but Soundwave is proving to be a hit with the ladies.

Ravage enjoys being petted by a girl whilst Laserbeak happily dances, until some kid offers him a cracker, causing him to stop and evilly glare at him.

Meanwhile, in space, the Autobots are still on their way, unaware that their destination is now the sun. Ironhide is getting really frustrated, but Prime tells him he did what was necessary. Huffer says they've got a one way ticket to nowhere, but Cliffjumper says there is still time for them to change their minds, and goes to the controls.

Prime says perhaps he did make the wrong decision, and tells Cliffjumper to turn them around so they can go back to Earth. But Cliffjumper says the controls aren't responding, and their course is locked in. Prime says their guidance system has been changed, and tells Hound to check their destination. Hound finds out it's not good: they're going straight into the sun!

Prime contacts Cosmos, who is in front of their ship. He tells him to link in with Teletraan I, but Cosmos says he can't interface with the computer. The Autobot ship starts to burn up.

The Autobots realize they're going to be vaporized, so Prime tells Cosmos to take action, but Cosmos doesn't know what he wants him to do. So he transforms and goes into the ship, and tries to get through to Teletraan I. As Ironhide asks him if he's had any luck, Cosmos is blunt with his answer: no.

At the Decepticon HQ, Berger reminds Megatron he had promised him three cities. Megatron laughs at him for still trying to up the ante, which he says is pathetic, then displays a video feed of the Autobot's ship. He watches excitedly as the ship gets closer and closer to the sun, until it explodes!

Megatron says it's over, and the Autobots are subatomic particles. He then tells Berger that they have a press conference to attend, so the Decepticons move out and take Berger with them. Meanwhile, Spike shows the Mayor the tape he found showing that the Decepticons framed the Autobots. The Mayor says that this evidence is conclusive, and how could they have been so stupid. Spike says they've got to bring the Autobots back, but the Mayor says that's impossible... but there may be something they can do.

Megatron and the Decepticons arrive at the press conference. Megatron takes the first question, and the reporter asks that now the Autobots are gone, what are his plans here on Earth? Megatron is glad the Earth germ asked that.

His plan is to conquer this mud ball of a planet, and suck it dry of energy. The audience realize they've been had, and Megatron says yes -thanks to his partner, Shawn Berger. Everyone in the room quickly turns on him, including his own security. They point their guns at him, but Starscream zaps them.

Megatron asks if there is anyone brave or stupid enough to oppose them, and declares that this city is now under marshal law -and he is the marshal. Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge are sent out to teach the humans a lesson in sorrow, which they do by attacking the city, destroying buildings and cars in the process.

Megatron christens this city as "Megatronia 1" and says soon there will be many more. Berger breaks down and says it's over -he saw the Autobots ship streaking into the sun, which it collided with, and the Autobots died. Megatron says that all flesh creatures shall fill energon cubes at once. Spike says the Autobots may be gone, but he still has to clear their names. He runs off, so Soundwave sends Ravage and Laserbeak to get him.

Spike trips and drops the tape, allowing Laserbeak to fly in and destroy it completely.

Spike then has to avoid Ravage, as Berger comes to his aid. He hits Laserbeak out of the way with a light, and Spike gets Ravage to back off by shining a bright light into his eyes.

Starscream and Soundwave take Sparkplug and Chip as hostages, so Spike asks Megatron not to hurt them. Megatron asks why would he want to hurt them, as healthy slaves can do much more work. He then asks Berger if he still wants his reward, which he says he does. Megatron tells him he shall have everything he's earned. Soon, across the city, the human population is put to work...

...filling up energon cubes. Spike and Chip are working in a power plant, and Chip says these generators have never worked so hard before. They see that Berger doesn't have many friends here, as everyone hates him. Spike still can't forget how he tried to help him earlier.

Out in space, the Autobots have survived -Trailbreaker has contained everyone in his force field, and Cosmos is pulling the group. Prime tells Cosmos to take them back to Earth, but sees Cosmos is taking them back towards the sun. Cosmos says his navigational systems are still controlled by Teletraan I!

Back at the power plant, Chip says he's got to get to the Autobot HQ, as maybe he can get Teletraan to get them out of this fix. Spike creates a distraction by charging into a cart full of energon cubes, sending it through the plant and straight into Rumble.

Rumble gets flung into a machine and electrocuted, so Megatron orders for the power to be switched off. Chip uses this opportunity to escape, but as he leaves, he sets off an alarm. Soundwave reports that the mobilized human has escaped, but Megatron says he is harmless. He tells Thrust to go and bring him back.

Chip evades Thrust and sees a truck being loaded up nearby. He gets into the trailer and hides, as the truck then moves out. There is a hole in the side of the trailer that Chip peers through, and after a while he sees that the truck has passed where he wants to go. Not long after, the truck comes to a stop at a diner.

Chip gets out and tells the driver that this is his stop -thanks. Chip gets inside the Autobot HQ, and operates Teletraan I. He finds out that the flight plan for the Autobot's rocket was altered by Megatron, but even worse, the rocket was sent into the sun and has been destroyed! Chip is left distraught, but tries to find out...

...about Cosmos. But before Teletraan I can find out, Thrust charges into the HQ and transforms. He tells Chip they miss him back at the power plant, and asks why is he here. Did he come here to just see this left over computer?

Thrust takes aim at Teletraan I, as Chip begs him to stop as that's all they have left. But Thrust fires and blows it up. Chip calls him a pile of rejected parts...

...but he just laughs and takes him back to the plant. Chip tells Spike he should never have gone to the Autobot HQ, as now Teletraan is destroyed. Spike says at least he tried, and Teletraan wouldn't have been much help without the Autobots anyway. Soundwave then fires a warning shot at them, telling them to work. Chip says now there is no hope at all.

However, out in space, Cosmos says he's gotten control back, he's not sure who did what, but he doesn't care -they're heading back to Earth! Back at the plant, Soundwave says he's detected strong energy transmissions, from primitive jet engines.

Megatron tells Starscream to go out, as the jet engines are from fighter craft sent in by the air force. Starscream leads several Decepticons into battle.

Things go terribly for the humans, as several of their jets quickly get shot down. As the rest retreat, Starscream says that any further rescue attempts will result in the termination of the city. Megatron tells Spike, Sparkplug and Chip that even Earth's mightiest warriors cannot stop them. Soon, other cities will fall, then others, one after the next until Earth is theirs.

Berger says he won't let him, so Megatron shoves him to the floor and tells him to grovel for his amusement. Everyone then hears noise outside, and Prime calls out Megatron's name. Megatron can't believe it, so creates a new exit by blasting...

...away part of the wall. He runs outside, and is shocked to see that the Autobots have returned, as he saw them disintegrated. Prime tells him it was an illusion, just like how he made the people of Earth see the Autobots as villains. So now they too have staged an illusion.

Megatron gathers his forces and shouts no mercy, as a massive battle begins. However, the Autobots have the Decepticons heavily outnumbered, and soon the Decepticons start to fall.

It doesn't take long for all of the Decepticons to be bested, and Megatron says they've lost the advantage. He and the other Decepticons retreat. Ironhide frees Chip and the others from their bonds.

The Mayor asks Optimus Prime for forgiveness, and says the Autobots can stay here on Earth. Berger says he doubts anyone will forgive him, but he says he'll make amends, such as disbanding his private army. Sparkplug tells him that's real big of him -his army had all quit once they found out what a dog lunch he is!

Prime tells Berger he will face justice, and may it be kinder to him than it was to them. Prime orders the Autobots to transform and roll for home.

NOTES

-This episodes introduces a new Autobot character: Cosmos. I get the feeling none of the writers liked Cosmos that much, as in his debut he proves to be pretty useless, nearly flying himself and all the other Autobots straight into the sun! Later episodes have him getting beaten up a lot.

-The Decepticons also get a new character: Astrotrain. Astrotrain does nothing and says nothing in this episode. It's also clear that his character model for the cartoon was based on an early prototype for this toy, which had a gray robot mode (see here), whilst when the actual toy was released, it was in white.

-Blitzwing is also featured in this episode. He was introduced here, but has been missing from the last few episodes, and has yet to say anything.

He doesn't really do much in this episode, but I just want to mention he's seen holding this nice sword, something his toy came with. He never has this sword again.