Credulous

'''Hot Shot and Sideways's bogus journey."

Major Characters (in order of appearance): Demolishor, Cyclonus, Starscream, Megatron, Hot Shot, Sideways, Optimus Prime, Smokescreen, Red Alert, Rad, Carlos, Billy, Fred, Alexis, Scavenger, Air Defense Mini-Con Team, Leader-1,

North American air date: December 27, 2002

Summary
At another battle for a precious Mini-Con, the Autobots and the Decepticons face each other, with Scavenger suspiciously absent. When Sideways and Hot Shot press forward, Starscream retreats, while Cyclonus and Demolishor also unenthusiastic about the notion of goign against the Star Saber. With all the Decepticons literally running away (having apparently forgotten their alt modes), Prime and Smokescreen look for the Mini-Con.

At the battlefield, Sideways announces he's found the Mini-Con, causing him to be rushed by Megatron who sits on the bike. Megatron is able to grasp the Mini-Con, but Sideways in turn holds onto Megatron. And Hot Shot uses his hyperdrive to grab on to Sideways. Together, the three are all caught in Megatron's teleportation back to the Decepticon base. Scavenger, who was apparently passively monitoring the fight from a distance, considers the teleportation "An interesting turn of events." Prime and Smokescreen are left to look for their partner.

On the [[Moon (moon)|Moon], Megatron in unable to awaken the Mini-Con, finding the panel to be a fake, he crushes it into dust. Then Sideways reveals (via a retroactive foreshadowing flashback) to Hot Shot that this was all part of his plan to get Hot shot inside of the Decepticon base so that he might eliminate the Decepticons. Cyclonus and Demolishor arrive and Megatron orders the battle to begin again.

Scavenger returns to the damaged Decepticon base. Sideways and Hot Shot take cove in a hallway and the Decepticons lead the two Autobots outside, revealing that the Decepticon base is on the moon. The duo follow the Decepticons knowing that they might be heading into a trap. Megatron's disembodied voice taunts Hot Shot. Soon, the couple are surrounded by shadowy figures, and when Hot Shot attempts to plow through one of them to get clear, he sees that one the shadows is Optimus Prime. Or is it? After attempting to converse with a suspiciously hostile Optimus, Sideways points out that the Optimus Hot Shot is talking to isn't actually Optimus at all but actually a clever ruse. The two take cover in a Moon hole and the two agree to split up to defeat the holographic doppelgangers.

Megatron meanwhile announces that whomever can claim the Star Saber from Hot Shot is allowed to keep it. Hot Shot and Sideways finish off the holograms and Hot Shot briefly hops on Sideway's bike mode as the Decepticons begin their attack. Hot Shot leaps off of Sideways, cutting off Cyclonus's rotor, and knocking over Demolishor as he lands, ready to duel Starscream.

Starscream gains the upper hand against the exhausted Hot Shot, but when Megatron reveals that he's taken Sideways prisoner and is ransoming him for the Star Saber. Hot Shot is conflicted, but concedes that it's his duty to save Sideways and gives up the sword. Megatron releases Sideways, but before he can claim the Star Saber, Hot Shot verbally commands the three Mini-Cons to separate and return.

At that moment, Sideways changes sides, knocking the Star Saber away from Hot Shot to Starscream. Sideways changes his head and logo, and Hot Shot emotionally laments how he was easily deceived. Cyclonus and Demolishor literally kick Hot Shot while he's down. Starscream is about to kill Hot Shot to earn the Star Saber, but Scavenger arrives and suggest that Hot Shot has had enough.

Back at the Autobot base, the Autobots and kids have been anxiously waiting. While Carlos, Billy, and Fred believed that Hot Shot would easily defeat the Decepticons, the rest of the Autobots weren't so optimistic. However they were forced in a passive position as they were unaware of the location of the Decepticon base. When Hot Shot arrives in brutal shape and falls offline, Red Alert rushes to provide aid.

Starscream celebrates his new sword, while Megatron shoots some monitors. Sideways has an evil laugh.

Quotes

 * Fred: "I love that save the universe stuff. I mean - we cool!"


 * Hot Shot: "The sword stays with me, pal. Now get your microprocessors out here!"
 * Megatron: *laughs* "Want to play the hard way, do you? Well, suits me just fine, I'd love the chance to initialize your disc."
 * Megatron: *laughs* "Want to play the hard way, do you? Well, suits me just fine, I'd love the chance to initialize your disc."


 * Starscream: "At last, the Star Saber is mine once again!"