Triangulation

Triangulation is the thirty-ninth episode of Transformers: Prime. Aired on May 12th, 2012.

Premise
Optimus Prime travels to Antarctica to search for the next relic, but finds himself shifting between alliances.

Synopsis
Megatron notes that the second Iacon relic is in Antarctica, and Dreadwing volunteers to search for the relic there. In the Harbinger, Starscream is about to operate on himself to install the T-cog of his traitorous clone. He is clearly nervous to have to perform the procedure alone, when the ship's computer picks up the fact that the Decepticons are dispatching teams to four continents. Starscream postpones the operation to investigate.

At the Autobot base, Bulkhead departs through the Ground Bridge. Optimus Prime announces he's heading for the Antarctic, and announces that Ratchet will need backup on his mission—Wheeljack.

Starscream uses a Ground Bridge remote control to head to the Antarctic on a hoverscooter. He's quickly spotted by Dreadwing and some Vehicons who knock him off his hoverscooter. Starscream at first mistakes Dreadwing for Skyquake, and soon has some cuffs slapped on him. The group trudges through the snow to where the relic is located, to find it has already been dug out of the ice and is gone. The Vehicons start searching and find vehicle tracks. They're approached by Optimus, who demands the return of the relic, and the standoff quickly turns into a firefight. After Prime takes out two of the Vehicons and scores a hit on Dreadwing, the Decepticon starts breaking out heavier weapons, and proves to be formidable with a sword. They take a dive off a cliff, following which Optimus brings the ice crashing down, burying Dreadwing. With Starscream's help, Optimus takes care of the remaining two Vehicons, and demands Starscream lead him to the relic.

Optimus and Starscream take a long walk through the ice and snow until they finally reach a human base. Starscream is puzzled as to why they must be so careful around humans when retrieving the relic, but Optimus radios home and gets Agent Fowler to evacuate the human base so he can safely retrieve the relic. Meanwhile, Dreadwing breaks free of the ice and heads out to find Prime. With the base clear, Optimus and Starscream venture inside to find the relic still frozen in a chunk of ice. They're interrupted by Dreadwing. While Optimus and Dreadwing fight, Starscream sets about liberating the relic from the ice, which turns out to be the Apex Armor. Outside, Dreadwing has Optimus on the ropes and is about to strike when Starscream, now wearing the armor, crashes out of the building.

Both Dreadwing and Optimus attack the rogue Decepticon, but he swats them aside, repeatedly. Optimus suggests to Dreadwing that they will need to team up in order to defeat Starscream. While Dreadwing flies around, Optimus slaps a bomb onto Starscream, but the Apex Armor proves invulnerable even to that. Optimus realizes that Starscream still has a vulnerability—his inability of flight. While Optimus keeps Starscream's attention once more, Dreadwing plants explosives on the ground, and just as Starscream works out that the pair are up to something, the bombs detonate. Starscream disappears into a hole blasted in the ice. With no relic left to claim, Dreadwing and Optimus go their separate ways, though Dreadwing swears to terminate Optimus next time.

At the bottom of the ocean below, Starscream walks along, still protected by the invincible Apex Armor.

Trivia

 * Starscream's map shows where each of the four "Iacon relic" episodes take place:
 * The Phase Shifter is in New York (obviously).
 * The Apex Armor is in Antarctica (obviously).
 * The Resonance Blaster is near the border of Arizona and California.
 * The Tox-En is in the volcanoes of Central-South America, near the equator.
 * Unless the recap from the beginning counts, this marks the first episode in which Arcee has not made an appearance.
 * Dreadwing reveals that he has a sword. While his gun has a bayonet that is very similar to his various toys' swords, this is the first time in-series he has ever used an independent sword.
 * For an unknown reason, Dreadwing seems to want to kill Optimus to avenge his twin, but technically, it was Bumblebee who killed him. He even saw it on Soundwave's monitor. What, does Megatron think killing a scout isn't really impressive?

Gallery
Main Article: Triangulation Gallery