Dweller in the Depths

Generation One >  Season 3 The Quintessons, as part of a new attempt at regaining Cybertron, unleash the most dangerous creature known.

Detailed synopsis
On Cybertron, the Autobots have just successfully activated Perceptor ’s new power core, which should be able to triple the planet’s energy reserves. A short distance away in their ship, the Quintessons watch, disgusted by the success and progress of their creations. One Quintesson unveils a plan to release the Dweller, one of the early biomechanical experiments called Trans-Organics that were developed by the Quintessons that predate the creation of the Transformers. Unable to even perform rudimentary assignments, the Trans-Organcs were unstable monsters that were eventually sealed away in a hibernation chamber deep within Cybertron.

On Charr Galvatron is lamenting his Decepticon troops incompetence when the Quintessons beam down to talk. The Quintessons inform Galvatron about the Autobot’s new power core but purposely give him the wrong location. Galvatron, Cyclonus and the Sweeps arrive on Cybertron, and break into the tunnel that leads below, soon pursued by Ultra Magnus, Arcee, Kup, Springer, and Wreck-Gar. The Decepticons uncover the storage chamber of the Trans-Organics, and accidentally release them from their stasis pods. The creatures soon attack both the Decepticons and the Autobots. In trying to escape, the Decepticons open another chamber and release the most powerful of the monstrous experiments: The Dweller, a giant energy leech that drains their energy and turns the Transformers into energy vampires. Running and fighting through the maze of chambers and tunnels in the dark depths of Cybertron, The Dweller quickly whittles down the Decepticon and the Autobot forces, leaving only Galvatron, Ultra Magnus, and Arcee to escape. Of course, many of the Decepticon losses can be attributed to Galvatron thowing his own soldiers at the Dweller to buy himself time.

The two Autobots make it back to headquarters where they update Rodimus Prime and Perceptor of the situation, the energy vampires bursting in right behind them. Perceptor determines that the vampires are suffering from a unique form of energy depletion and that a power surge should restabilize their levels. The Autobots form a chain with Perceptor at the end who plugs himself into the console and they inject the crowd of vampire with an Energon surge. The surge returns the Autobots and Decepticons to normal. Cyclonus, Scourge, and the other Sweeps quickly escape and rejoin Galvatron.

Meanwhile, The Dweller is breaking free to the surface, getting bigger from its energy absorption, and heading for Perceptor’s generator. Knowing that it will be unstoppable once it has attached itself to it, Perceptor uses the emergency eject switch to launch both the generator and the Dweller on top of it into space. Floating far away from Cybertron, The Dweller instead attaches itself to the ship of the Quintessons who started everything in the first place.

Trivia
This isn’t the only energy leech to plague the Transformers as a few episodes later Tornadron will make an appearance in Call of the Primitives.

Stats
Original airdate:

Written by: Paul Dini

Featured characters
Dweller,

Notable quotes
"A remarkable accomplishment. It makes me hate our constructs more then ever. Once we Quintessons were the masters of Cybertron." "Until the Autobots ancestors forced us into exile." "Through the ages, many groups of Quintessons have tried to retake Cybertron but none have succeeded." "Until now, to secure Cybertron for the future, we can draw on help from our distant past." "What do you mean?" "Surely, you have not forgotten our first experiments in cybernetic construction, the Transorganics." "Transorganics? Those are only a myth." "Not to the one who built them."
 * -- Quintesson Prosecutor and the Quintessons as they spy the Autobots construction of a new power core on Cybertron and make a new plot to regain the metallic world.

"You cringy, cowardly, weak willed fools! Why am I still stuck on this worthless, cosmic trashbin! Why have I not retaken Cybertron?! And most importantly, why have I been saddled with such a useless pile of junk for followers!" "But mighty Galvatron, we humble Sweeps need energon to-" "Its power you want?! I will give you power!"
 * -- Galvatron in his rage demands to know from Scourge and the Sweeps why he isnt victorious. He takes out his frustrations on them until the Quintessons arrive.

"Quintesson! You have betrayed us to the Autobots once before, why should I trust you?" "Hehe. Please Galvatron, you can't lay one bad experience on the doorstep of the whole Quintesson race. Besides, how can you be so certain that we were the ones who betrayed you?" "Well... you all do look alike. State your offer."
 * -- Galvatron and the Quintessons as the latter manipulate the Decepticon leader as part of their new plan to retake Cybertron.

"Hold it! Stop where you are Galvatron!" "Of course Ultra Magnus."
 * -- Ultra Magnus demanding Galvatron to stop his recent activity, the response from the Decepticon leader to the Autobots is a weapon blast.

"YO JOE! Here I come to save the day. Ayay-yaya-yai! Can this be... the end... of little Wreck-gar? Oh no!"
 * -- Wreck-gar as he saves Ultra Magnus from the Dwellers energy draining web only to be trapped in it himself and getting his energy stolen by the beast.

"Come on Wreck-gar buddy! They haven't cancelled your series yet!"
 * -- Springer as he frees the energy drained Wreck-gar from the Dwellers rear pouch.

"Leaving so soon?"
 * -- Galvatron smirking as he blocks the Autobots escape route.

"No, stay back! NOOOOOO!."
 * -- Arcee as the energy vampires approach her while she is encased in the Dweller's web.

"They seem drawn to our energy lifeforce."
 * -- Cyclonus commenting on the energy vampires as the 'undead' Transformers attack the Decepticons.

"Be a good soldier and help him." "Galvatron, NO! I beg you!"
 * -- Galvatron sacrificing another Sweep to the energy vampires that are approaching.

"I don't know what that thing is back in the tunnels, but even if it gets me as well, I'll die with the satisfaction that the universe will have two more Autobots to mourn!"
 * -- Galvatron as he is about to attack Ultra Magnus and Arcee, not realising that the Dweller is fast approaching.

"Chew on this!"
 * -- Arcee as she uses Galvatron's gun to send the Dweller crashing into the wall.

"Ya'll don't come back now, you hear!"
 * -- Wreck-gar as the power core and the Dweller are jettisoned into space.

"Is it an Autobot ship?" "No, its not a ship, its organic... and metallic combined! NOOOO!"
 * -- Quintesson Prosecutor inquiring about the object approaching their ship which the Quintesson Scientist shockingly realises is the jettisoned Dweller that is now about to attack them.

Animation and/or technical glitches

 * Reference

Continuity errors

 * Reference

Transformer references

 * The Quintessons remark on the Autobots ancestors being the ones responsible for their exile from Cybertron.

Real-world references

 * This episode is heavily influenced by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft.

Miscellaneous trivia

 * Paul Dini, writer for this episode, would later go on to create "Batman: The Animated Series", and later on, the entire "DC Animated Universe".

Keywords
Energy Vampire