Protection

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 * Japanese title: The Planets That Must Be Protected

Summary
Kicker recounts the events leading up to the current crisis. Ironhide sights Alpha Q, who rejoices that his planets are finally free, absorbing the energon and growing.

The Decepticons send Terrorcons to recapture the energon. The Autobots are puzzled as a planet just explodes, and head to find Megatron. Kicker and Ironhide report in to Optimus. As Rodimus and Optimus wonder what to do with the tagalongs, Kicker senses energon on one of the planets.

On one of the worlds, Shockblast awakes, and is startled by a stone monolith erupting from the ground.

In space, the Decepticons and their Terrorcons fly toward Unicron. They find Scorponok's intert form; Megatron plans to revive him, reformatting him entirely to be loyal.

Shockblast anxiously shoots at the emerging rocks. Elsewhere on the same planet, Kicker and Ironhide are having similar troubles. Alpha Q tells Kicker that the planet is absorbing the energon, growing an energon nucleus at its core. Arcee reports a Decepticon presence on the planet; Ironhide and Kicker go hunting for it.

Prime's team arrives to hunt for Ironhide and Kicker. Prime asks Wing Saber how he's handling his new body; Wing Saber laments that he was unable to save Padlock.

Stats
Original airdate: July 16, 2004 (Japan); October 8, 2004 (North America).

Written by:

Featured characters
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes
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