Really Big Fight at the End

A great many of the Earthbound conflicts of the Great War contained common elements in the strategies of heroic Autobot and evil Decepticon forces alike. The eventual deciding battle of all these campaigns is known to history as the Big Fight At The End, or BFATE.

''Step 1. EI/AD'' Discovery of MacGuffin leads to early Decepticon victories and collection of significant quantities of energon.

Ending State (Decepticons) - triumphant Ending State (Autobots) - desperate Ending State (Earth) - groaning under Decepticon rule

''Step 2. Regrouping.'' While the victorious Decepticons party hearty, sit on thrones made of used cars or Autobots, and generally rest on their laurels, the Autobots retreat to their base and discover a means to combat the EI/AD.

Ending State (Decepticons) - lazy, possibly intoxicated Ending State (Autobots) - hopeful Ending State (Earth) - usually down to its last chance

''Step 3. BFATE'' Autobots and Decepticons meet in a Big Fight At The End. Megatron fights Optimus Prime. Battle ends when Megatron calls for a retreat, or in some cases, when Decepticons are Gone Forever.

Ending State (Decepticons) - probably not gone forever Ending State (Autobots) - laughing at somebody's pathetic joke Ending State (Earth) - none the worse for being down to its last chance