Past, Part 2

Hot Shot refuses to do to Side Swipe what he did to Wheeljack.


 * Original air date: April 5th, 2003
 * Preceded by: Past, Part 1
 * Followed by: Sacrifice
 * Major characters (in order of appearance): Hot Shot, Wheeljack, Sideswipe, Optimus Prime, Blurr, Thrust, Megatron, Rad, Carlos, Alexis, Billy, Fred.

Synopsis
Wheeljack fires a shot into Hot Shot's chest at close range, to finalize his switch to the Decepticons. His business for the day concluded, Wheeljack vanishings, leaving an injured Hot Shot wondering how his friend could have made such a dramatic turn for the worse. Unable to cope with the trauma, he blacks out.

Hot Shot wakes up in the Autobot's infirmary, having been brought back to the Autobot's base by Sideswipe. Wondering how he could have been so betrayed, Hot Shot tries to recall the last time he saw Wheeljack.

''On a firey battlefield on Cybertron, Wheeljack is left held down while Hot Shot runs to get some help to help lift the debris. But after getting out of the blaze, Hot Shot's superior refuses to allow Hot Shot to return. Ignoring his superior's orders and threats, Hot Shot runs back into the fire, but passes out from the heat. Later, he wakes up alone''.

Optimus reveals to Blurr that he knew about Hot Shot losing his friend, which is why Hot Shot was one of the troops chosen to come to Earth. Back in the infirmary, Side Swipe tries to convince Hot Shot to forgive himself, even if Wheeljack won't. Trying to collect his thoughts, Hot Shot drives out on his own, and runs into Thrust.



Wheeljack and Hot Shot meet up at an abandoned industrial station. Wheeljack relates the Transformer's obsession with wars to the human's own tendency to wage wars. The two battle, but Hot Shot shows an initial reluctance to fight back. When Wheeljack draws his weapon, Hot Shot offers to let Wheeljack execute him with no resistance. Sideswipe interferes, and a failed attempt to save Hot Shot sets the industrial complex on fire. Wheeljack laughs and takes advantage of the situation by abducting Sideswipe. As Wheeljack carries Side Swipe into the inferno, he mockingly suggests Hot Shot saves his sidekick.

Hot Shot crawls through the burning factory looking for his friend. Thrust tries to play a part in Wheeljack's grudge match, but Wheeljack blasts the Decepticon jet away  - revealing his own location to Hot Shot. Working his way through the flames and metal, Hot Shot locates and frees Side Swipe. The two barely manage to get away as the container Side Swipe was set on explodes. Meanwhile, Wheeljack encounters Megatron.



On the moon, Wheeljack pledges his loyalty to the Decepticon family.

At the Autobot base, Side Swipe declares himself "like family" to Hot Shot and chases Hot Shot for hugs. The other kids have a laugh at Alexis becoming too attached to the video game she learned to play from Billy and Fred.

Quotes

 * Hot Shot: "Side swipe, I'm on my way to help you! Sit tight!
 * Sideswipe: No, don't come up here, it's too dangerous! Wouldya get out of here? This tank is gonna explode
 * Hot Shot: No chance pal, I'm coming to save ya?
 * Side Swipe: Then would ya hurry up?



Aberrations, Errors, Contrarietiese

 * How did Hot Shot know to meet Wheeljack where he did? Blame translation.
 * So the videogame the kids are playing somehow involves recovered Mini-con at puppets, forcing them to battle each other? Are we sure these are the good guys?
 * Animation Error: Hot Shot is briefly drawn with a Decepticon logo.