Scourge (Cybertron episode)



'''Cybertron episode #44

Scourge comes to some tough decisions about himself, with the help of some little friends.

Detailed synopsis
As Scourge descends further into Gigantion's depths, he reflects on his past fight with Leobreaker. He doesn't take it well. Meanwhile, Evac and Coby have found Leobreaker and Snarl, left where Scourge beat them. Coby calls Lori and informs them of the situation, and Lori talks smack about Scourge.

At the main Autobot group, Bud has apparently been organizing the Mini-Cons, a feat that impresses Metroplex. Vector Prime gets the gate ahead of them open, and Bud leads Jolt, Reverb, Six-Speed and Drill Bit in to explore the next area, with the larger 'bots following. They notice reliefs of several small robots on the walls, more Mini-Cons! Lori accidentally triggers a switch that opens up a wall, sending Bud and the four Mini-Cons tumbling downward.

Elsewhere, the Cybertron Defense Team races along a highway to meet up with the other Autobots. However, they run across Galvatron and Menasor along the way. The Autobot trio challenges Galvatron to a rematch, but Menasor jumps in the way.

Back at Prime's group, Metroplex realizes that the legends of the secret Mini-Con passages must be true. Lori insists on going down the passage herself, but Optimus convinces her that they're better off finding Bud and the others by sticking together. Metroplex recounts the legend of a city built especially for Mini-Cons. Bud and the Mini-Cons explore their new surroundings, Six-Speed alerting them to a museum nearby. Inside, Jolt recounts the history data he found: after the war with Planet X, the citizens of Gigantion were too big, so the Mini-Cons did all the "detail work" and computer repair, which made them mentally similar to humans. (Uh, yeah. Just... go with us on this, okay?)  Bud instantly forgets everything, but Jolt shrugs it off.

Meanwhile, the Cybertron Defense Team triple-team Menasor, who is standing up to their assult pretty well. However, the three attack simultaneously in a triangle formation with their Cyber-Key-enhanced attacks, which fells the giant. Galvatron is not impressed.



Bud and the Mini-Cons have found a playground in the Mini-Con city, and Jolt remarks there's even a tale of an amusement park. The quintet leave to find it, but instead find a rubble-strewn wasteland with fresh claw-marks. Jolt and the Mini-Cons promptly panic, and Bud fakes a stomacheache to get them to calm down. They leave to go back to the museum, but literally run into Scourge. Scourge is still scared of running into Lori... and is impressed by Bud's handling of the Mini-Cons' panic. Bud decides he can teach Scourge to be a leader who doesn't have to bust a head to make a point.

Speaking of leaders busting heads, Galvatron ends up vaguely impressed at the Cybertron Defense Team's new power levels, even if he does simply shrug off their attacks.



Back at the playground, school is in session, complete with blackboard. Bud confounds Scourge with some hypothetical situations, telling Scourge that his solutions involving the stronger taking the spoils and the weaker going without are wrong. Scourge objects to Bud's solutions that involve just "making stuff up", which Bud then explains is the entire point: to be a good leader, you have to be a creative thinker, and who said he couldn't make stuff up? Scourge starts laughing, having had it put to him so plainly and innocently: he realizes he's been locked in his "might makes right" mentality so much it's actually weakened him.



The Autobots arrives on the scene, and Scourge challenges them to a duel, much to Bud's confusion, but Lori says it's okay. In an open field during a dramatic sunset, Metroplex goes first, soundly thrashing Scourge without the dragon landing a single blow. But Scourge challenges the next Autobot to step up, Vector Prime. Again, Scourge fails to fight back, and challenges another. Override steps up, but Optimus says he'll go next instead., and instructs Wing Saber to link up with him. Wing Saber is confused, but Scourge laughs and insists. The two do that anime rush-at-each-other-yelling-then-pass-each-other-then-pause deal. Prime shows a small wound, and Scourge laughs... then topples over backwards and admits defeat. The Autobots drive away, leaving Scourge, who is still chuckling to himself.

Elsewhere, Galvatron carries Menasor away from the city in flames, leaving the Cybertron Defense Team to pick themselves up, though he admits to himself they put up a good fight.

Stats
Original airdate: ???

Written by: ???

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

Notable quotes
"Strength is what leads the masses, commands their respect! My strength united an entire world!  Now it seems it's not enough?! Impossible!! Strength will save my world!  Strength must be enough! It must be!  It's all I have!!!"
 * -- Scourge

"They said that Scourge was still around here somewhere, so be careful." "Pfft, right. He should look out for me!" "Huh? Oh, man!  Lori just totally dissed a fire-breathing dragon! ... That's actually pretty awesome!"
 * -- Coby & Lori

"I'm fixin' to use your head as a hood ornament!" "Whoah, now that's some trash-talking!" "Straight up!"
 * -- Scattorshot & Hot Shot

"Being lost is what I do best!"
 * -- Bud

"And just what's that supposed to --UUUAGH!!!" (explosion clears) " Aye, that'll do. " (faints)
 * -- Menasor

"I wish I could use such guile. You brought order out of chaos... and you didn't even have to beat up anyone!"
 * -- Scourge

"But if you've been reborn, and I've been reborn, then that places us back where we started, doesn't it?"
 * -- Galvatron

"This is a duel of honor. Just like in the movies.  I think you should be able to understand that."
 * --Lori

Continuity errors

 * Not so much an error, but... where did the blackboard come from?

Transformers references



 * Several Armada Mini-Con character models show up in this episode. Nightbeat, Drill Bit (no relation), High Wire, Blackout, and Runway's models show up as reliefs on the walls of the hallway, while Runway is also seen in statue form inside the museum.

Miscellaneous trivia

 * This is like the second switch Lori accidentally activates on Gigantion. She's got some luck.


 * We get an explanation for the whole "Mini-Con brains work like humans' brains" thing, but it... doesn't make much sense at all. And seems like a fairly pointless piece of backstory in the first place.