Optimal Situation

Writers: Bob Forward

With Optimus Prime in critical condition after Megatron's attack, Optimus takes on his spark to save the timestream.

Major characters (in order of appearance): Characters

Minor characters (in order of appearance): Characters

Original air date: October 24, 1998

Summary
As a time storm ravages reality, Megatron gloats to the fading Maximals, since his attack on Optimus Prime ensures that the Autobots lose to the Decepticons, resulting in the Predacons having control of Cybertron. However, Blackarachnia is also affected by the time storm and activates Teletraan I's security system, forcing Megatron out of the Ark. She finds help in Silverbolt, and the two manage to stabilize Optimus Prime. The other Maximals arrive, and upon seeing Prime, realize that they must save him. However, his spark is fading. Believing there is no other choice, Optimus Primal merges his spark with Prime's to save it. He succeeds, and Rhinox begins repairs, but holding Prime's spark causes Primal to transform into a new, larger body, similar to the Autobot leader's.

Megatron and Inferno arrive and attack, though Primal manages to save the Maximals, while Blackarachnia uses the commotion to escape. Outside, Waspinator provides cover fire by shooting the rocks above the Ark. The Predacons destroy the cave entrance and flee, but Megatron notices a trapped Blackarachnia. Enraged by her betrayal, Megatron shoots her as the Maximals break free. Knowing that they are heading for the Axalon, Primal and Cheetor race off. As Silverbolt cradles the damaged Blackarachnia, he begs her to fight on and praises her defiance of Megatron. She maintains that what she did was self-preservation, but Silverbolt points out that she also saved him and the universe. He then tells Blackarachnia that he loves her, something which seems to shock her. Believing she is dying, Silverbolt askes her one last time to join the Maximals. Although she maintains that she's still a Predacon, Blackarachnia joins the Maximals for him, then goes off-line. However, Rhinox reveals that she's merely in stasis lock.

Primal and Cheetor manage to down Megatron, Inferno, and Waspinator, but Primal discovers that Rampage and the Arachnoids are literally trying to drag the base away. Optimus manages to sever the lines and dispatch Rampage, but not before Rampage fires a missile which deflects off Primal and hits the Axalon. The Axalon plummets off the cliff and crashes into the river. Knowing that he must return Prime's spark, Optimus withdraws with Cheetor to rejoin the Maximals.

Back in the Ark, the repairs are finished. Returning the spark causes Optimus Prime to reactivate briefly, but he almost immediately returns to stasis lock. Rattrap is less than happy, as they now have the difficult task of protecting the Ark from the Predacons. With the time stream safe&mdash;for the moment&mdash;Optimus orders the Maximals, including Blackarachnia (who still maintains she's a Predacon), to begin rounding up every piece of salvage and make fortifications.

They're moving into Mount St. Hilary.

Quotes

 * [The Maximals discover Optimus Prime's damaged body] Optimus: Well, that's just prime. Rattrap: Or what's left of him. [Rhinox gives Rattrap a well deserved smack]


 * Megatron: This is not the end of it, Optimal Optimus. Nooo. The universe cowered once in fear at the name of Megatron, and it shall do so again! Optimus: Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, Megatron. Megatron: Then they'd better stay out of my way!


 * Silverbolt: Blackarachnia, dark poison of my heart, abide with me yet still. Blackarachnia: You got a way with words there, Rover. You almost make me wish I was a better girl. [Offscreen, Rattrap resists the urge to shoot both of them.]


 * Cheetor: Jumping gyros, Optimus sure learns a new body fast! Rattrap: Well wha'd ya expect? He changes 'em often enough!

Technical/animation glitches

 * Glitch

Continuity errors



 * The "spark container" which held Optimus Prime's spark was hauntingly similar to the Matrix of Leadership. According to Ben Yee's site, the Mainframe animators used Optimus Prime's death sequence from the Transformers movie to base a visual reference on, and used the Matrix's design as a spark container because they didn't know its significance. This, of course, leads us to ask the question: how do you get involved with Transformers, and not know the most important McGuffin in the entire continuity?

Transformers references

 * After Optimus Prime's spark is returned to him, he reactivates, but almost immediately returns to stasis lock.
 * When confronting Megatron on the Ark's bridge, Optimus Primal tells Megatron, "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings," the motto of Optimus Prime. Later, he tells the Maximals to "transform and roll out."

Real-world references

 * Reference