Mini-Con Madness

Mini-Con Madness is the fifth episode of Season 2 1/2 and the fortieth-fourth overall of Transformers: Robots in Disguise.

Plot
The Mini-Cons are given, and the Mini-Cons are taken away.

Synopsis
Bumblebee is manhandled onto the bridge of Starscream's ship, where Starscream reflects on the good fortune he's had recently : To escape and damage Skylynx and Darksteel with Megatron's weapons on Darkmount, on Cybertron, then to find a lab with the Mini-Cons and to gain his new form. After Starscream reveals that he intends to keep both Bumblebee and the captured Mini-Cons as hostages, despite the agreement, Bumblebee makes a break for it. Driving through the ship's corridors in search of the Mini-Cons, he's stopped by Starscream's men and, though he puts up a fight, Shadelock manages to stun him.

In the scrapyard, the rest of Team Bee has filled Optimus Prime in on recent events. While Denny and Russell man the command center, the Autobots split up to search for Starscream.

With Bumblebee now more securely restrained, Starscream relates the story of how he managed to escape the Predacons back on Cybertron by finding some autoguns, and how he found a lab in Darkmount containing the seven Weaponizer Mini-Cons. He believes that Megatron's theory that linking all seven Mini-Cons with one host will give that host immense power will enable him to defeat his old master and conquer the galaxy. He starts scanning to try to find the Mini-Cons.

Sideswipe and Strongarm strike gold in their search when they stumble on Tricerashot and Lancelon, however as they're calling for backup, more of the Mini-Cons appear and the pair are soon under Mini-Con control. Grimlock is first to arrive, and finds himself under attack by the Mini-Cons and his controlled friends. Grimlock momentarily pins his teammates against a tree with his tail, but quickly finds himself overwhelmed. The Mini-Cons are discussing their next step when Optimus arrives and forcibly separates Windstrike and Sawtooth from Strongarm and Sideswipe. Aerobolt recognizes the Autobot leader, and the two groups cease fighting.

On Starscream's ship, Jetstorm and Slipstream are having no luck in breaking through the force field on their cell until Fixit suggests an alternate route. They manage to get Jetstorm up to a grate in the ceiling.

The Mini-Cons finish telling the Autobots their story, and Strongarm brings up the fact that she felt a power surge when Sawtooth linked to her, and Aerobolt says the full surge requires the trust and acceptance of both participants. He and Optimus attempt to link, however they're unsuccessful as Optimus does not trust Aerobolt enough. The group continues on their search for the captured Autobots, though Tricerashot is not altogether convinced about the arrangement.

While Starscream continues trying to track the Mini-Cons, Jetstorm reaches the bridge, though he makes so much noise that Bumblebee has to distract Starscream by baiting the Seeker into further monologing so the Mini-Con can get to cover.

As the group of Autobots and Mini-Cons walks, Tricerashot expresses his misgivings to Buzzstrike, who points out Tricerashot himself thought he felt something when he tried to link to Grimlock. Though Tricerashot's thinking of going it alone, Buzzstrike convinces him to stay with the group. The group is halted when they run into the Scavengers, who demand the Mini-Cons. The scavengers pull out the relics they've found and the Autobots begin fighting. As the Mini-Cons discuss linking with their Autobot allies, Tricerashot slinks off, however Sawtooth decides to take the initiative and transforms to weapon mode, jumping into Strongarm's hand and allowing her to knock Paralon flying.

Starscream detects the power surge, and starts piloting his ship towards the source. After knocking down Paralon, Strongarm and Sawtooth link properly and make short work of Scatterspike, however when they separate and Sawtooth is injured by Thermador, the other Mini-Cons go to the aid of their comrade. Clawtrap uses a relic to capture the five Autobots in an energy web, leaving them helpless, however as he prepares to do the same with the Mini-Cons, Starscream's ship appears overhead and snatches the Mini-Cons up in a tractor beam before flying off, Starscream gloating to Bumblebee that he's finally won.

Featured Characters
Characters in italic text appear only in flashbacks.

Autobots

 * Optimus Prime
 * Bumblebee
 * Strongarm
 * Sideswipe
 * Grimlock
 * Drift
 * Jetstorm
 * Slipstream
 * Fixit
 * RoughEdge

Decepticons

 * Starscream
 * Shadelock
 * Razorhorn
 * Clawtrap
 * Paralon
 * Scatterspike
 * Thermidor

Humans

 * Denny Clay
 * Russell Clay

Predacons

 * Darksteel
 * Skylynx

Others

 * Aerobolt
 * Buzzstrike
 * Sawtooth
 * Tricerashot
 * Windstrike
 * Bashbreaker
 * Lancelon

Quotes
"How adorable. Bumblebee thinks he still has a chance."
 * —Starscream then gets to practice his Evil Overlord Laugh.

"Starscream. He's harder to eliminate than servo rust."
 * —Even Optimus Prime is tired of the cockroach emulation.

"Apparently it thinks I'm not totally worthy of it."

"Shocking."
 * —Starscream gives a captive Bumblebee a good laugh.

"...are we all friends now, or-"

"Attack!"

"That would be a NO!"
 * —Grimlock asks a silly question, and Aerobolt gives a definitive answer.

"I don't feel right about this."

"You never feel right."

"And I'm usually correct."
 * —Tricerashot voices his concerns to Sawtooth.

"But you're going to take me seriously, Bumblebee. You and Megatron!"

"Yeah, good luck with that."
 * —Starscream just can't win.

"Finally. Finally! I've WON!"
 * —Starscream counts his robo-chickens before they hatch...

Trivia

 * In a rare instance of calling out character model changes between series, Bumblebee notes that Starscream has gone back to his "old body-style", alluding to his similarly Generation 1-inspired look in the High Moon Studios video game series.
 * Starscream explains how he escaped the Predacons at the end of the Predacons Rising television movie.
 * Starscream's ship takes design cues from the Nemesis, most notably the two-pronged, pane-covered prow and the pointy bits around the engines.
 * Denny Clay mentions that he and Russell have been taking the training sessions Fixit was scheduled to give them after their screw-ups in "Strongarm's Big Score".