Galvatron wants Octane destroyed. Octane survives an assassination attempt when a bomb explodes on his spacecraft, and he seeks refuge in Autobot City on Earth. He tells Octane about his problems, but the two are then attacked by the Combaticons. They decide to head to Cybertron, but when they stop at a place to get their ship refueled, Octane gets attacked by a Skuxxoid. Octane finds out Galvatron sent the Skuxxoid after him.

Octane and Sandstorm get to Cybertron. A group of Decepticons manage to get themselves onto the planet, where they chase after Octane. Octane enters the Decepticon crypt, looking for somewhere to hide. But he finds an unexpected ally: Starscream! Now a ghost, Starscream still plots revenge on Galvatron for destroying him. Starscream takes over Cyclonus, and tells the other Decepticons that they'll head back to Chaar with Octane as a trophy for Galvatron.

The Decepticons try to leave Cybertron, but are spotted and attacked by the Autobots. Rodimus tells Cyclonus to let Octane go, but gets a surprise when he realizes he's actually talking to Starscream. Starscream comes up with a plan, so Rodimus allows the Decepticons to leave. The Decepticons return to Chaar, where Starscream, still pretending to be Cyclonus, "interrogates" Octane. Octane pretends to reveal information about where Rodimus Prime is. Galvatron, Cyclonus and Octane head to the place, where Galvatron starts fighting Rodimus. But Rodimus has backup from a lot of other Autobots, whilst Cyclonus and Octane leave and return to Chaar.

Starscream and Octane believe they've seen the last of Galvatron. However, Galvatron returns, damaged but alive. Starscream reveals himself to Galvatron, so Galvatron responds by shooting him. Starscream leaves Cyclonus' body just before Galvatron's blast hits. Galvatron orders for Cyclonus to be repaired, but as Scourge starts to carry this order out, Starscream takes over him...

Notes

-The Secret Files segment for this episode is about the Autobots.

-This episode was animated by an unknown studio. It looks better than an AKOM episode, but has a few pretty big mistakes in it (see below).

-Starscream's crypt marker appears to just be the lower parts of his legs, which was all that was left of him once he'd been shot by Galvatron in the movie.

-This episode was broadcast before Fight or Flee (which explains Sandstorm's origins) and Thief in the Night (which has Octane take Trypticon). Some DVD sets actually have the episodes sorted in chronological order to get around this.

-Originally, this episode was to feature Blitzwing instead of Octane, as Blitzwing was banished from the Decepticons in this episode. But as Octane had a newer toy, he was used instead.

-As silly as the idea of robot ghosts may sound, the real reason for Starscream's inclusion in this episode is much more corporate: despite being killed off in the movie, Starscream's toy was still available in the 1986 lineup, so it was justified to have him appear in season three occasionally.

-This episode's story is followed up in Ghost in the Machine.

Errors

-Galvatron is missing during this shot, making it look like the Skuxxoid is cowering before an empty throne.
-A space background is used for this shot, but Octane and Sandstorm are meant to be at Autobot City on Earth.
-When Blast Off asks to go after Sandstorm, Onslaught appears to be speaking. Then when Onslaught replies telling him no, Blast Off appears to be the one speaking.
-When Octane is seen dodging Cyclonus and the Sweep's laser fire, the lasers are colored pink and yellow, they should only be pink.
-When the Decepticons realize Octane has entered the crypt, there are bars over the entrance hole. These bars were destroyed earlier and vanish again moments later.
-Octane's mouth is moving when Starscream wonders if Galvatron is slag-iron now. Then when Octane replies, Cyclonus/Starscream's mouth is moving.