The Decepticons

Megatron manages to obtain six Autobot protoforms and turns them into his newest fighting forcethe Decepticons.


 * Japanese title: Friend Or Foe!? Black Convoy

Detailed synopsis
Koji talks to Optimus Prime about UFO sightings that had occurred about sixty years ago. T-AI has managed to decode the microchip and found Castle Peak. The indicated location is grid co-ordinates L3, Delta 5.2. Prime decides to investigate the site with the Autobot Brothers. When they arrive they pass by Kelly.

The four Autobots at first find a expedition site run by the Predacons. Sky-Byte hits a weak point in the ground with his claw, causing a cave to collapse onto him and unearthing the ship in question. Caught in the disaster (of course), Kelly yells that another vacation has gone down the drain. The ship turns out to have come from Cybertron sixty years ago with six Autobots who'd been sent to Earth. Optimus scans the ship to find the six Autobots in protoform mode and intends to bring them to base to help the battle against the Predacons. The Predacons have other plans, arguing the ship is theirs because they found it first. Optimus counters that this is only valid if the ship is abandoned by its crew. Then Megatron arrives and renders the point moot by stealing the protoforms, with the Predacons stalling the Autobots enough to allow him to get away with it.

He then brings the protoforms to McKinley Army Base, where Kelly, who has been rescued by the soldiers there, is sitting on a jeep, griping that her vacation's been ruined again. Megatron hopes to make the protoforms scan the most powerful vehicles in the army base and then infuse them with his spark energy to turn them to his command. Dark Scream and Slapper then scan a missile truck, despite being fired at by the base's vehicles. T-AI informs Optimus what's happening at the base, but by the time the Autobots arrive, they're too late; Mega-Octane has been created. He transforms to robot mode, and Optimus welcomes him to Earth as an Autobot, only to be refused and fired upon.

While Mega-Octane provides cover for the completion of the scanning process, Slapper scans a tank, Gas Skunk scans a jeep armed with a large cannon, and Dark Scream scans a helicopter. Sky-Byte starts to look for a vehicle, only for Optimus Prime to intervene. Prime's action backfires when the beam scans a shuttle. Megatron infused all four protoforms with his spark energy, which turns them into Decepticons. He still holds the last protoform, however.

Kelly boards a tanker truck holding 10,000 gallons of rocket fuel and tries to get away, but almost overturns it. Optimus saves her, but this allows Megatron to scan the tanker, Optimus and Kelly all at once, creating Scourge. After a dramatic pause, Scourge declares allegiance to Megatron and says his purpose is to lead the Decepticons to victory. Mega-Octane at first objects, insisting he should be leader, but Scourge manages to retain his position. The Decepticons open fire on the Autobots with all weapons. Optimus tries to convince Scourge to reject Megatron's evil, but to no avail. Prime then fires a Blizzard Storm attack, which proves equally ineffective. Even so, Megatron tells Scourge that he is not at full strength and that they should withdraw. After the Decepticons leave, Optimus hopes that they will reject the evil in them and realize their true selves, but notes they are dangerous enemies until that happens. Meanwhile, the Predacons are (not unreasonably) concerned that they may be out of a job.

Stats
Original airdate:

Written by: Tom Wyner

Featured characters
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Notable quotes
"In the past 60 years, there have been thousands of UFO sightings all over the world. My dad is one of the scientists that would investigate them, Optimus." "It's a fascinating subject. I find it strange that many people on Earth still refuse to believe they exist."
 * Koji and Optimus Prime

"I have only one purpose: to serve Megatron. I have only one desire: to destroy Megatron's enemies. I have only one mission: to lead the Decepticons to victory!"
 * Scourge has a clear mission statement.

Continuity

 * The microchip T-AI finds the ship's location on was retrieved by the Autobots in "The Secret of the Ruins".