The Junkions are watching some TV, and are unaware that they are being monitored by the Quintessons. The Quintessons say that the Junkions regard their accumulated refuse as their native soil, and will defend it as such. The primitive television transmissions from Earth constitute their entire culture. One of them says this will make retrieving the journal more difficult, so they must attack via more subtle means.

They move their ship into position and send out a bunch of Sharkticons, who start digging through the junk. One of them finds what they are looking for: the Quintesson journal.

The Quintessons see they've found it, and tell them to return to the ship immediately. But before they can, a laser blast knocks the journal out of the Sharkticon's hands. Wreck-Gar announces that live, from New York, it's their hit parade! He and the other Junkions start firing.

The Sharkticons quickly retreat back to the ship, as Wreck-Gar waves goodbye to them. He then reunites with his lady friend.

Nearby, Sky Lynx is about to report to Rodimus Prime, when Astrotrain attacks him. Astrotrain tells him to eat hot plasma, but Sky Lynx says he isn't hungry and fires back.

However, before they can really go at it, they both get blasted at by the Junkions. Wreck-Gar tells them to fly somebody else's friendly skies, and they split up and withdraw. Wreck-Gar says that's the name of that tune.

On Cybertron, the Autobots are restoring part of the planet. Ultra Magnus explains that the new hyper generator will restore power to the entire seventh grid sector, but notices Rodimus isn't paying much attention. He says he knows he's bored, but with the mantle of leadership come obligations. Rodimus asks if he could interest him in a used mantle.

Sky Lynx then arrives, and says something very odd happened at Junkion. As he explains what happened, Magnus thinks that perhaps the Junkions mistook Sky Lynx for another Decepticon. Rodimus thinks that's possible, but not likely. He decides to send have the Aerialbots sent to scope out the situation. Meanwhile, Astrotrain returns to Cybertron.

He says he has something strange to report, but Galvatron knocks him out the way and asks if he thinks he cares. Cyclonus tries to reason that if the Junkions have turned against the Autobots, perhaps... Galvatron cuts him off and says perhaps he still wouldn't care. He tells both of them to leave him, whilst they still can.

Back at Junkion, the Quintessons are implanting subliminal messages into the airwaves, which tell the Junkions to have an intense distrust of all other life forms, whilst instilling the principals of neatness and organization. As the Junkions tidy up bits of junk, one of them finds the journal.

The Quintessons see that the journal has been found. One of them says to initiate the ship's camouflage, as the Junkions now mistrust all other lifeforms, themselves included. They don't want to let them know they're coming... yet. The ship emits a large cloud which completely covers it up.

A little later on, the Aerialbots arrive at Junkion. Silverbolt says there's nothing unusual to report, although Air Raid says there's nothing period -other than the big, cosmic dust cloud. The Quintessons see the Autobots approaching, one one says to stop them quickly, before they penetrate their camouflage.

The Quintesson ship starts firing at the Aerialbots, and when the Junkions see what's going on, they join in at shooting at them as well. Silverbolt has the Aerialbots unite into Superion.

The Quintessons fire on Superion, but can't do any damage. He flies through the cloud and collides with their ship, rocking it. One of the Quintessons says his strength is formidable, and has the ship's pressor field activated.

This emits a large, green force field out of the ship, knocking Superion back. Superion fires a shot which breaks through the force field and hits the ship, resulting in a massive explosion.

Superion is sent flying through space, and sends out a may day to Cybertron. The Quintessons find out that their life support is functional, but their weapon system is charred beyond recognition. They initiate a strategic withdrawal, just as Cyclonus, Scourge and the Sweeps arrive. They see the Quintesson ship leave, and Cyclonus says something peculiar is going on here. He decides he wants a closer look at Junkion.

The Junkions are watching more TV, as Wreck-Gar declares he pities the fool who messes with them. But then it's pointed out to him that, up in the sky, it's a bird... it's a plane... it's... the Decepticons!

The Junkions fire at them and the Decepticons fire back, and Wreck-Gar's lady friend gets blown apart -only to pull herself back together immediately. She says she's back, and she's beautiful, whilst Wreck-Gar tells her she's the greatest. The Decepticons continues their assault...

...and Wreck-Gar gets blown back. He lands in front of the TV, where a instructress states to kick high and be a winner. Wreck-Gar says he's a winner, as he believes in himself, and mans another laser cannon.

Cyclonus says he's learned what he needed to know, and tells the Decepticons to break off and return to Chaar. As the Junkions celebrate, Wreck-Gar moves the journal.

Sky Lynx retrieves Superion and takes him back to Cybertron. First Aid checks him over and says there seems to be no permanent damage. Superion weakly says that there was a Quintesson starship in the cloud. Magnus wonders what the Quintessons are after, and Rodimus says they'll find out.

The Junkions resume watching TV, where they view a game show. A Quintesson appears, stating that to care is to share, and to share is to care. As Wreck-Gar mumbles these words back, the Quintessons view him.

They wonder where share and care came from, and realize that the explosion damaged the subliminal message inductor -they've been sending out the wrong message ever since! On Junkion, Wreck-Gar states their five year mission is to share their signal with all the sloppy lifeforms, who are their enemies. A signal is emitted from Junkion, which travels across space.

Wreck-Gar states that their is nothing wrong with your television set...they are controlling the transmission. They control the horizontal... they control the vertical... they've got the touch! The Quintessons finds out that the Junkion's omni-directional relay is reaching nearly every corner of the galaxy. They are still unable to cut off the feed, or the subliminals. They decide to analyze what's going on at some other worlds...

...starting with the situation developing on Delta Pavonis IV. The cat people there see a man announcing that now it's time for another exciting adventure of Space-Age Jack. As the episode starts, Jack says they'll get those lousy reptiles once and for all!

A Quintesson appears on the screen and states that all other lifeforms are their enemies... their enemies! The cat people repeat this and quickly rush off to their fighter jets.

Elsewhere on the planet, a bunch of dog people are minding their own business when the cat people launch their attack. The Quintessons watch this, and one says a similar situation is developing on...

...the green moon of Antar. On the planet, races of insect creatures start attacking each other, believing any other life form is their enemy.

On Cygnus Seven, the Earth embassy is being attacked. The Quintessons think they may be witnessing the start of an interstellar dark age. One of them believes they could turn this tide of barbarism to their advantage. Another one agrees, saying they could supply arms and materials to the various forces. However, another says that if the journal was discovered by any of these armies, it would ruin them. They decide that the journal must remain their primary objective.

Cyclonus returns to Chaar, and tells Galvatron he's convinced that the Junkions have been re-programmed somehow. He suggests setting them against the Autobots, but Galvatron reminds him that he has said, has he not, that the Junkions are of no interest to him. He throws Cyclonus and asks why does he continue to bother him about them? Cyclonus apologizes and says it won't happen again.

Galvatron tells him to see that it doesn't. Scourge sees that Galvatron hasn't changed his mind, but Cyclonus tells him to summon the Sweeps, as the Decepticons can't afford to miss this opportunity. They head off to Junkion.

The Autobots are also heading to Junkion, riding in Omega Supreme to get there. Kup tells Blaster to turn his music off, as he can't hear himself compute! Rodimus asks how much further to Junkion, and Magnus says they've still got two sectors to cross.

The Decepticons then appear and shoot Omega, causing him to crash into an asteroid. The Autobots run out and see the Decepticons approaching.

The Decepticons dive, and Cyclonus says to destroy the Autobots, as they much reach Junkion first. Blaster thinks they're outgunned and don't have a chance, but Kup says that's what makes life interesting. Rodimus says it could make life over.

Meanwhile, the Quintessons see that the Junkion signal is reaching across the galaxy, and war rages everywhere. They also find out that the interstellar armies are converging on Junkion, to the broadcast source. As this increases the likelihood that someone other than themselves will find the journal, one says that can't be permitted -they must find it first! They continue making their way back to Junkion.

Back at the asteroid, Magnus says he thinks he can get Omega operational again -if there are no more interruptions. The other Autobots split up and head away from Omega.

Kup gets blasted, whilst two Sweeps go after Blaster. Cyclonus goes after Rodimus, but gets shot in the leg.

As Cyclonus compliments his shot, more Decepticons join him. Meanwhile Magnus is able to finish making repairs in Omega just in time. Omega transforms and starts firing at the Decepticons...

...as Blaster tells him good timing. Omega then saves Kup by kicking two Sweeps away from him, and then pops up in front of Rodimus and Cyclonus.

Cyclonus tells Rodimus another time, and he and the other Decepticons leave. Magnus asks if they can go on to Junkion, and Rodimus says he's got it. As Cyclonus and his group retreat, they come across Galvatron. Cyclonus asks Galvatron where he's going.

"To the signal... to be a winner... 'cause I believe in me!"

Galvatron knocks Cyclonus out of the way and heads off, as Scourge says wasn't that what Wreck-Gar said? Cyclonus sees their leader is heading for Junkion, and follows him. At Junkion, the fleets of various armies appear and start attacking each other. Wreck-Gar says it's laser wars... nothing but laser wars!

They man their own defenses and start firing back. The Quintessons arrive and think they're too late, but one suggests using the battle as a cover, whilst they search for the journal. A couple of them board a smaller ship, and descend onto the planet.

The Autobots arrive and see what's going on, and Magnus thinks half the galaxy is involved in this war. The Decepticons then also arrive, and start to attack the Autobots. The Autobots crash land onto Junkion, as Omega transforms.

The Decepticons also land and Galvatron says that the Autobots are here... this is indeed the promised land. He transforms and fires at them, but Omega protects them by taking the hit.

Galvatron transforms back and tells Rodimus a scrap yard is an appropriate place for him to meet his end, but Rodimus tells him he's the one who's going to be junked. As they start fighting, the Quintessons locate the journal, and lock onto it with a tractor beam. Meanwhile, Galvatron picks up Rodimus and throws him onto a junk pile.

Galvatron tells him farewell, and he fires, but Rodimus deflects his shot by bouncing it off a piece of junk. The shot hits the Quintesson's ship...

...which results in the journal being sent out into space. Meanwhile Magnus thinks that if they knew what was causing this insanity, maybe they could stop it. Blaster says his sensors say that the antenna is pulling in hypnotic bop from space. He thinks he can counteract it, and asks Omega for some altitude. They head up into the sky, and Blaster emits a new signal.

This effects the Junkions and Galvatron, who regain their senses. Galvatron says it was the television that bewitched him, so he destroys it.

However, that doesn't mean he doesn't hate Rodimus -he does hate him. But the Junkions then come to the assistance of the Autobots, and fire at the Decepticons. Galvatron realizes there are too many of them.

He leads the Decepticons off of Junkion. As the other Autobots come back, Rodimus asks Wreck-Gar what happened, but he doesn't know -he was a victim of circumstance! Magnus wonders if they'll ever know who broadcast those mysterious programs, but Rodimus says he doesn't care -so long as they're off the air for good.

The Quintessons head back to their main ship, and reveal that the journal is lost in space. They are prepared to pay the penalty, which is death, but another one says whilst he'd be happy to oblige them, they must find the journal first -before the information in it sets everyone in the galaxy against them.

NOTES

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

-This episode was adapted into an issue of the Transformers comic, and was published in 1988.

-It's believed that the opening scenes of this episode were edited incorrectly. The Quintessons say they need to attack via subtle methods, but then are seen sending the noisy Sharkticons out. It would make more sense for these scenes to be switched around, but unless the original script gets found, we won't know for sure.

-Several lines of dialogue seemed to get cut as well. Astrotrain says he has something strange to report, but he never gets to say what, as Galvatron hits him.

-Omega Supreme makes his only third season appearance in this episode. It's surprising as from what I can tell, his toy wasn't on sale any more in the 1986 Transformers lineup, and usually toys that weren't on store shelves any more wouldn't be featured in the cartoon.

-The scene showing the Earth embassy being attacked on Cygnus Seven shows Marissa Faireborn being grabbed, but she has a Texan accent when she speaks her line. The dialogue script doesn't refer to her as Marissa, instead calling her "young woman", so this was most likely a case of AKOM using her character model when they shouldn't have done.

-Space-Age Jack is a parody of G.I. Joe, another Hasbro-owned franchise.

-This episode may or may not be a prequel to The Quintesson Journal, which had been broadcast before this episode. Whilst there is a journal featured in the episode, it looks different to the one featured in this episode, and a line of dialogue from one of the Quintessons hints that they've got more than one journal to find.