Battlegrounds, Part 2 TFP

Battlegrounds, Part 2 is the twenty-sixth episode of Transformers: Robots in Disguise and the final episode of season 1.

Plot
Reunited with Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and his team must use everything they've learned to stop the annihilation of both Earth and Cybertron.

Synopsis
As the Autobots pick themselves up following Megatronus' arrival, Drift contacts Fixit to find out who the newcomer is and Fixit is able to tell him that it was Megatronus, who is one of the original Thirteen Primes until he betrayed them and destroyed Solus Prime. While Optimus Prime faces Megatronus, Bumblebee and Drift went to free Windblade, Sideswipe, and Strongarm, only to be hit be a deflected blast from Optimus's Prime Decepticon Hunter. Optimus is prevented from going to their aid by Megatronus, who proceeds to attack him.

Over on the bridge, Denny and Russell pose as fake filmmakers to try and cover up the giant robot battle; however, their attempts to get a police officer to clear the area are hampered when the officer turns out to be a wannabe screenwriter.

As Megatronus attempts to terminate Optimus with his drill, Grimlock grabs onto the drill, only to be slung at Drift. Jetstorm and Slipstream prevent Megatronus from moving in on Drift and the other Autobots long enough for Optimus to get up and resume combat. Though Optimus boasts the power of the Primes, Megatronus says he has been granted power too, and soon sends Optimus flying into the river. Megatronus moves to pick up a staff, but Windblade manages to break free from her bonds and immediately opens fire on him. Bumblebee runs to attend to Optimus, leaving Drift to free Sideswipe and Strongarm. With Windblade down, Drift and the two freed Autobots attempt to stop Megatronus reaching the staff, only to be seen off with a barrage of firepower and are then attacked by the other Decepticons.

Megatronus picks up the staff and reveals the extent of his plan to Steeljaw: the staff will draw the remanents of the Anti-Spark from Unicron, who was still in the Earth's core, then summon the AllSpark from Cybertron. Steeljaw realizes this will destroy both planets. As the staff creates a shaft of energy that lances into the sky, the enraged Steeljaw attacks Megatronus but is soon thrown to the side. Not fancying their chances, the other Decepticons flee, only to run into the Autobots. As Sideswipe and Strongarm draw their Decepticon Hunters, their weapons touch and momentarily surge with power. A fight ensues between the two sides. Meanwhile, as Bumblebee remained with Optimus, Optimus's wound heals as it magically closes up.

On the bridge, Denny is still having no luck convincing the officer to clear the area.

Optimus awakens and identifies the staff Megatronus is carrying as a spark fuser. Steeljaw continues fighting Megatronus, but is tossed into the distance shortly before Optimus and Bumblebee return to the fight. Megatronus blasts Optimus, sending Bumblebee flying, and the Autobot takes advantage of his momentum to take out Underbite. The rest of the Decepticon team is taken out in short order, leaving only Megatronus and Optimus locked in combat.

After turning their Decepticon Hunters into the same forked sword shape as the Prime Decepticon Hunter, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, and Strongarm are endowed with new armor. With the combined power of the Hunters, they give Megatronus a brief blast, but has little effect. Bumblebee has a new plan and contacts Optimus over the comm. It may be already too late, as the AllSpark appears through a portal in the sky and moves down towards Megatronus. Optimus, not willing to give up to easily, flings his Decepticon Hunter at the spark fuser, thus destroying device. The AllSpark returns to the sky and the Anti-Spark to the ground. Megatronus starts attacking the Autobots furiously with his armed guns, mainly at Optimus.

Denny is still trying to convince the officer to clear everyone from the area when a stray blast destroys the officer's hat. The officer is suddenly very keen for everyone to evacuate.

While Optimus keeps Megatronus busy, Drift, Windblade, and Sideswipe head up to the top of the Crown City Colossus and begin hacking the arm. Megatronus blasts Optimus and was about to finish him off when Grimlock joins in. Between Grimlock, Optimus, and the other Autobots, Megatronus is kept busy until the arm of the immense statue falls on him.

This doesn't stop him, and he lifts up the enormous arm. Bumblebee, Sideswipe, and Strongarm combine the power of their Decepticon Hunters again, unleashing a powerful blast of energy on him, seemingly destroying Megatronus. When the smoke clears, there is only a crater where Megatronus stood. With the news that emergency crews are on the way, Bumblebee finally manages to nail a rallying cry, and the Autobots rev up and roll out.

Back in the scrapyard, the captured Decepticons are all safely placed in stasis pods. Though Bumblebee says the other Autobots are free to go back to Cybertron, the other Autobots are all in favor of staying with Bee. Optimus says he's no longer needed, but Bumblebee insists he should stay. Optimus agrees so long as he's Bumblebee's equal rather than his leader. He places his hand on Bee's shoulder as Bumblebee looks on at his team, he states that he can work with it.

Autobots

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

Decepticons

 * Megatronus
 * Steeljaw
 * Underbite
 * Thunderhoof
 * Clampdown

Humans

 * Russell Clay
 * Denny Clay
 * Police officer

Quotes
"Don't get too comfortable with your new dance partner, Windblade."

"Don't worry, Slick. You can have the next twenty dances."

"I do not understand. The plan does not call for any danciiiiiing!"
 * —Sideswipe, Windblade and Drift discuss "brief playful banter"

"All I wanted was a place for Decepticons to call their own! A place I could rule!"

"I'm very sorry for your loss."
 * —Steeljaw bemoans his foolishness and Megatronus tells him to man up

"You've earned your reward, Steeljaw. Though I can't imagine why you would want a pile of dust."

"Dust?"

"This staff will first extract what remains of the Anti-Spark from Unicron, lying dormant at the earth's core. Then I will summon the Allspark from Cybertron, and bring the two together!"

"But combining the Sparks will blow both planets to…!"

"Precisely."
 * —Megatronus reveals his plan, and Steeljaw sees what happens when you deal with ancient evils

"I waited years in exile, burned with desire for vengeance, and I will not be denied!"
 * —Megatronus tells the Autobots that he's through being a soccer ball

Bumblebee: Let's rev up and roll out!

[silence]

Sideswipe: Now there's a battle cry!

Grimlock: I'm feelin' all inspired!

Strongarm: That's the one, sir!
 * — It only took twenty-six episodes, and a short, but Bumblebee scores

"If I stay, it would no longer be as your leader, but as your equal."
 * — Optimus Prime has spoken
 * Grimlock is sent flying into drift and jetstorm and slipstream deploy
 * Come no closer we will protect our master and this planet with our very sparks isn't that correct jetstorm
 * Jetstorm stares at Megatronus frightened
 * Jetstorm
 * Jetstorm nods still looking frightened
 * Optimus attacks Megatronus
 * _jetstorm and slipstream standing up to Megatronus
 * _jetstorm and slipstream standing up to Megatronus

Continuity notes

 * Fixit's brief exposition about Megatronus is a more-or-less faithful retelling of Transformers: Prime and The Covenant of Primus: Megatronus was a member of the Thirteen, was responsible for the death of Solus Prime, and provided the inspiration for Megatron's name. However, this is the first piece of Aligned continuity family fiction to return to the character's evil roots; up until now, retellings of his story have depicted him as a tragic figure, a victim of circumstance manipulated by others, but this version has much more in common with the unambiguously villainous earlier version of the character (see "Transformers references", below).
 * Megatronus's ultimate plan involves the Anti-Spark of Unicron, who was established to have formerly dwelled at the core of Earth in the Prime cartoon.

Prisoner manifest

 * In stasis: Hammerstrike, Bisk, Chop Shop, Terrashock, Filch, Minitron, Springload, Ped, Quillfire, "that one with all the eyes", Malodor and the Skunkticons, Nightstrike, Vertebreak, Octopunch,  Groundpounder, Headlock, Scowl, Scratch, Zizza, Pseudo, Thunderhoof, Underbite, Clampdown
 * New prisoners in stasis: Fracture, Airazor, Divebomb
 * Known at large: Steeljaw, Kickback
 * Released: Grimlock
 * Countless others all missing, presumed at large

Transformers references

 * Megatronus is introduced as the "first Decepticon", a role for the character that originated with his live-action counterpart (aka The Fallen); up to now, the Aligned version of Megatronus has had no direct connection to the Decepticons, except for having a helmet shaped like their insignia, something else he takes from the live-action film character. He also exhibits the movie character's telekinetic powers.
 * Additionally, Megatronus enigmatically refers to having been "granted additional power from a source far greater than the Primes"; though there's room for this plot to go a different route, it's certainly evocative of the original character's pact with Unicron, as originally described in Transformers: The Ultimate Guide.
 * Megatronus's listed quote about his desire for revenge and Bumblebee mentioning his energy signature should stand out like a bonfire are probably a reference to The Fallen's usual flame-wreathed appearance.

Trivia

 * Optimus Prime is back from the dead once again. The first time he cheated death in Transformers history was in the G1 episode "The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2".