Similarly Different TFP

Similarly Different is the twenty-second episode of Transformers: Robots in Disguise season 1.

Plot
Grimlock discovers another Dinobot fugitive named Scowl with whom he sympathizes. He helps him flee, but it does not take long to destroy everything and terrorize the humans as Grimlock is unaware that Scowl was a hired muscle of Thunderhoof. Our heroes will have to join forces to stop Scowl. Meanwhile, Denny redecorates a motor home and Russell is afraid of what his father made.

Synopsis
Russell Clay is having a rough time sleeping in his dad's trailer; his father's constant snoring is keeping him awake, forcing him to sleep in the diner. The next morning, a groggy Russell confesses that their current living arrangements may not be ideal, inspiring Denny to build a brand-new trailer for his son. In his own words, it'll be the "coolest trailer ever," a statement that worries both Russell and Fixit.

Meanwhile, Grimlock is on a boring solo patrol out in the woods. Grimlock is feeling increasingly restless and bored, and fondly remembers the days when he could smash things for fun. He eventually stumbles onto a human demolition site, where he notices something tearing down the abandoned stadium. The "something" turns out to be another Dinobot, who introduces himself as Scowl. Scowl explains that he was also locked up on the Alchemor, and invites the impressed Grimlock to help him smash the building. Grimlock, realizing that the building is already going to be demolished, happily joins his new friend. Together, they make short work of the stadium and most of the construction machinery. In the aftermath, though, Grimlock realizes that he has to do the right thing and arrest Scowl. However, Scowl wins him over, promising not to harm any of the "screamers," and Grimlock reluctantly lets him walk free.

Back at the scrapyard, an increasingly worried Russell tries to spy on his dad's construction efforts. Russell worries to Fixit about his dad's tendency to do things "Denny-style," although Fixit doesn't quite understand. They're interrupted by a suspiciously cheery Grimlock, who hastily assures Bumblebee and the gang that his patrol was completely uneventful.

Fixit, however, picks up a Decepticon signal in the woods, suspiciously close to where Grimlock was patrolling. Grimlock breaks down and confesses that he let Scowl go, but insists that Scowl wouldn't deliberately hurt anyone. Fixit calls up Scowl's criminal record, which reveals that Scowl used to work for Thunderhoof as hired muscle. Realizing that Scowl might lead them to Thunderhoof and the rest of Steeljaw's gang, Bumblebee orders his team to roll out, but still hasn't nailed a good rallying cry. Meanwhile, Fixit and Russell continue to try and peek inside Russell's new RV, but Denny manages to keep his project a secret.

In the woods, Grimlock maintains that Scowl isn't a bad bot, and even suggests to Bumblebee that he could mentor Scowl in the same way that Bumblebee did with him. Before they can discuss the matter further, they're interrupted by Scowl himself, who pounds Grimlock and accuses him of being a traitor. Although Grimlock tries to talk to his "buddy," Scowl brings down a tree on the Autobots and flees.

The Autobots catch up to Scowl at a nearby train station. Scowl throws a bus at his pursuers, then clambers up onto the tracks. Although Bumblebee tries to talk him down, Scowl simply smashes the bridge, intending to bring down the elevated tracks and derail the next train. The other Autobots work to repair the bridge in time while Grimlock and Scowl face off. Eventually, Grimlock gains the upper hand against Scowl, and punts him into the station roof, temporarily taking him out. Bumblebee realizes they can't hold up the badly-damaged bridge, and together the Autobots resort to grabbing the train and turning it around, sending it back the way they came. By the time they're ready to capture Scowl, however, they discover that the Decepticon has already disappeared.

Russell finally confronts Denny over his pet project. Denny admits that although the job isn't easy, it's something that he genuinely enjoys, and intends to finish off his work with a roof-mounted arcade, a feature that Russell finds genuinely cool. Unfortunately, the arcade is too heavy, and ends up flattening the rest of the RV. Denny is momentarily disappointed, but he and Russell agree to work together to re-build it.

Scowl is terrorizing humans at a local spa, although he's pursued by the Autobots, who split up to keep Scowl contained on the property. Drift and his two students search the shower for Scowl, although he quickly gets the drop on the trio. Scowl and Grimlock tussle again, until Scowl comes across a group of meditating humans. He tries to bring the roof down on them, only to be stopped by Grimlock, who keeps Scowl at bay while protecting the humans. Scowl manages to overpower Grimlock and knock him into the wall. Before he can finish him off, Grimlock has an apparent change of heart, and confesses that smashing is more fun and easy. Instead of giving him a tail-five, Grimlock dislodges a nearby fountain sphere and sends it rolling toward Scowl, taking the Decepticon out of commission, Before Scowl passes out, Grimlock tells him just because something looks easy and fun... doesn't means it's right. Bumblebee consoles a saddened Grimlock, who muses that you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped.

With Scowl in tow, the Autobots return to their base, where Denny, Russell, and Fixit are putting the finishing touches on Russell's new trailer. Russell decides to add a disco ball to the hood, and the trio decide to boogie down... much to the confusion of the other Autobots.

Autobots

 * Bumblebee
 * Strongarm
 * Sideswipe
 * Grimlock
 * Fixit
 * Drift
 * Jetstorm
 * Slipstream

Decepticons

 * Scowl

Humans

 * Denny Clay
 * Russell Clay

Quotes
"I detect early onset stubbornness in Denny Clay."

"Me too. He's going to build me my own place to live and says it's going to be the coolest place ever."

"That sounds ominous."
 * —Fixit and Russell showing confidence in Denny's interior design skills

"That was just a warmup! Let's you and me smash this lousy planet to splinters!"

"Uh, well Scowl, the thing is… I kinda have to arrest you now."

"What!?"
 * —Scowl discovers that friendship is magic with Grimlock

Bumblebee: Ok, Autobots. Let's wreck and roll! [silence] You see, 'wreck' because Scowl wrecks, and then I was like 'roll' because… that's what we do.

Sideswipe: And 'lame' because that was lame.
 * —Bumblebee still doesn't have it

"What if I take him under my... claw? I could be what you were for me! Y'know, a-a minotaur."

"Mentor. And I don't think that's a good idea, Grimlock. Based on his rap sheet, Scowl seems unlikely to change his ways any time soon."

"His name is Scowl. I mean, it's totally a bad guy name."
 * —Grimlock, Bumblebee and Sideswipe discuss Scowl

"If you can't get in there, I'm gonna be stuck with a room decorated with all my father's favorite things! Eight-track tapes. Flowered wallpaper. Shag carpet!"

"It's too horrible to even imagine! And I don't even know what those things are!"
 * —Russell and Fixit continue to show their confidence in Denny's skills

"It's the mailman"

"It's Sunday."
 * —Fixit tries to pull off an old deceptive tactic, but Denny ain't falling for that

"Scowl is being seen by too many humans! I have an idea."

"Sigh. Go for it."

"Please exit the spa! A rare kangaroo has escaped from the exotic animal park."

(Humans scream in distance)

"A kangaroo?"
 * —It's Sideswipe's turn to make up the unbelievable cover-up, much to Bumblebee's disbelief.

Continuity notes

 * Scowl firmly establishes Dinobots as a "species" of Transformer like Chompazoids or Corvicons, not just a specific sub-team of individuals as is the norm for Dinobots in the Transformers multiverse (which includes this universe's own version of that team).

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
 * Known at large: Steeljaw, Thunderhoof, Underbite, Clampdown, Kickback
 * Released: Grimlock
 * Countless others all missing, presumed at large

Transformers references

 * Bumblebee's attempt on a catchphrase is "wreck and roll", a play on the Wreckers' classic "Wreck and Rule!"