Regeneration

Regeneration is the fifty-first episode of Transformers: Prime. Aired on October 26, 2012

Premise
After getting the Forge of Solus Prime back, with the help from Dreadwing, Optimus was able to repair the Star Saber. The Autobots and Decepticons travel back to Cybertron to battle over the Omega Lock.

Synopsis
Inside the Autobot base, Miko is already making misguided plans to move in with Bulkhead on Cybertron while Jack is feeling left out of the loop. Arcee said things were getting intense. Ratchet points out they no longer have the Omega Keys, let alone any way to get to Cybertron. They speculate that Starscream has used the keys to bargain his way back with the Decepticons. While they're wondering why Starscream didn't just try to sell the keys to the highest bidder, they are contacted by Dreadwing, who requests a meeting with them.

Bridging out to a remote location, they find and point their blasters at Dreadwing, who presents them with the Forge of Solus Prime. While Bulkhead questioned it could be rigged to blow, Optimus asks Dreadwing what he wants in return and Dreadwing merely wishes for them to use it wisely. Disillusioned by the fate of his brother, Dreadwing makes it clear that he no longer believes in the Decepticon cause. While Optimus attempts to appeal to Dreadwing into joing their cause, Dreadwing makes it clear he's not interested in joining the Autobots either. He turns away and transforms off the cliff while the Autobots stare at him and at the Forge.

Back at base, the Autobots wonder what Megatron will do with the Omega Keys, and Optimus Prime believes he will use them to restore Cybertron for political points. Optimus is aware that Megatron doesn't know of the existence of the Omega Lock, which is needed to use the keys. He reveals to the others that Alpha Trion entrusted him with knowledge of the Lock and its location on Cybertron during the message stored in the Star Saber. Optimus starts using the Forge to modify the Ground Bridge.

Dreadwing returns to the Nemesis where Megatron encounters him in a corridor and makes sure to stress that the Decepticons must be united to restore Cybertron. For his part, Dreadwing intends to personally reach out to Starscream. In the medical bay, Knock Out has just finished restoring Starscream's T-Cog when Dreadwing arrives and immediately attempts to kill Starscream by firing his Energon Cannon. As Knock Out flees, Dreadwing drops his cannon and advances on the patient with his sword drawn, but as he raises his sword, Megatron arrived and demands he stand down. Dreadwing refuses to, and Megatron is forced to blast a hole through his chest with Dreadwing's own cannon. Starscream pledges eternal loyalty to Megatron while the Decepticon leader sternly tells him to never make him regret choosing to let him live over Dreadwing.

The Autobots wonder why Optimus has been hiding things from them. Smokescreen points out that Megatron would have learned about the Omega Lock by now if Optimus had been more open.

Knock Out and Starscream work on studying the Omega Keys in an attempt to discover how they work. Starscream resorts to hitting one against the table, and then against Knock Out, he gets mad and picks up another key to use it against Starscream, and so they inadvertently discover that the keys lock together. By combining all four, they reveal a holographic map of Cybertron with a location marker on it. Pleased, Megatron orders the Space Bridge fired up.

Optimus finishes turning the Ground Bridge into a Space Bridge. The base sensors detect the Decepticon Space Bridge firing up, and the Autobots realize that time is short. Optimus believes they still have the element of surprise. The Autobots pull the various Iacon relics they possess from storage. Meanwhile, Megatron leaves Starscream in command of the ship and takes a platoon of Vehicons with the Omega Keys through the Space Bridge. As the Autobots likewise fire up their Space Bridge, Optimus uses the Forge to recreate the Star Saber, and they too head through. Megatron and his men soon stand at the edge of the Sea of Rust.

Jack gives Ratchet a call, as school's out and he, Miko and Raf haven't been picked up by the Autobots yet. Ratchet merely tells them the others are busy and hangs up. Jack suspects what their Autobot friends are doing to keep them "out of the loop".

As Megatron and his men walk through the Sea of Rust, Smokescreen rises out of the ground and attacks them from behind.Bumblebee drops scrap on them using the Polarity Gauntlet, Bulkhead zaps them with the Immobilizer, and Arcee smashes through them while wearing the Apex Armor. Megatron himself faces Optimus and the Star Saber, and while the pair fight, the other Autobots take back the Omega Keys. With a swipe of his blade, Optimus sends Megatron flying so the Autobots can retreat.

As Megatron orders his men to follow, Smokescreen phases out of some nearby scenery and drops the Spark Extractor before disappearing again. The device obliterates the Vehicons before Megatron hurls the Dark Star Saber, impaling the device in the process. As he extracts his sword from the destroyed Spark Extractor, Megatron orders Starscream to send reinforcements, but Starscream and Soundwave have an even better idea.

The Autobots reach the Omega Lock, an unassuming dimple on the landscape. When Smokescreen offers his key to Optimus, the Keys began to glow, and the location transforms, creating a huge ring over their heads that fills with a shimmering energy field. Suddenly, Megatron arrives and demands they hand over the Keys. While the Autobots are wondering what motivation Megatron could give them for doing that, a Space Bridge opens up to their location. Starscream, Knock Out and Soundwave step out of the bridge to reveal that they were carrying the kids in airtight containers. Much to the surprise, Optimus asks Megatron what would be the outcome if they refuse to hand over the keys. Megatron threatens to expose all three of the kids to Cybertron's toxic atmosphere unless they return the Keys to him. Optimus stares in deep thought.

To be continued...

Quotes
"Then I appeal to you again. Join us and help end this conflict once and for all." "Betraying my kind is not the same as accepting yours."
 * —Optimus Prime appeals to Dreadwing, to no avail.

 "Rise and shine! Your T-Cog transplant was a success! Yes, I am just that good."
 * —Knock Out

 "There must be something I can do! Some form of reparation I can offer you to alleviate your anguish!" "YOUR SPARK WILL SUFFICE!"
 * —Starscream and Dreadwing

 "Do not ever make me regret which one of you I spared."
 * —Megatron to Starscream, right after blowing a hole through Dreadwing's chest.

 "Megatron must be stopped, no matter the cost."
 * —Optimus Prime makes the obligatory shoutout

 "I will have those keys or I will have your sparks!" "I can help with the last part."
 * —Megatron and Smokescreen

Gallery
Main Article: Regeneration Gallery

Trivia

 * This episode is generally considered one the greatest Transformers episodes ever produced, due to the enormous battle and the Autobots obliterating a large army.
 * If Megatron took the large group of Vehicons with him to defend against any Cybertron-based Autobots, why didn't he take the Insecticons?
 * Optimus claims "Megatron must be stopped no matter the cost" which is a reference to the The Transformers The Movie, where the G1 Optimus said exactly the same line.
 * Ratchet claims that if Megatron revived Cybertron he would poison the sparks and minds of its returning citizens, yet those citizens saw the actions he committed and would not follow him. It is more likely, Ratchet meant to say that Megatron's lies would affect any Cybertronians born after the war and under Decepticon rule.
 * It is unknown why the Autobots didn't call Wheeljack for backup as he would have proven very valuable. It is likely that Ractchet and some of the other Autobots are still holding a grudge due to the events in Hurt.
 * Megatron said "Do not ever make me regret which one of you I spared". This foreshadows all the problems Starscream causes Megatron in attempts to please him in Season 3, usually, and ironically by accident.
 * It remains unknown why Cybetron's atmosphere would be toxic to humans. Considering it is a different planet, humans can not survive without air or if the planet has different substances in its atmosphere that could harm humans.