Before the Storm

Inferno brings Megatron an alien golden disk that causes him to offer a too good to be true cease fire to the Maximals.

Summary
Within the Predacon base, Megatron is woken by his computer. It reports an energy anomaly in the mountainside, and that it is of alien origin. Megatron, suspects this count be the start of something big and thus sends Inferno to investigate. The fire ant burrows into a mountain pulsating with a suspicious energy, and he recovers a strange discus.

Primal is in a scouting run looking for the same energy anomaly that Megatron already found (Why the Axalon couldn't detect it as the Darksyde could is unclear). He sees a strange probe, and follows it. The probe stops and forms into a holoform of Megatron. He proposes to meet about a truce on neutral ground, between both leaders.

When they meet, Megatron insists that the truce is not an act of treachery. He explains that he has no time to fight Maximals, and he needs time to think. Primal reluctantly agrees to a truce, bound by Maximal code. Rhinox proposes that it's about the alien energy. Primal agrees, stating that something scared Megatron very badly. Rattrap is sent - despite his usual complaints - to infiltrate the Darksyde.

Meanwhile, Tarantulas hacks his way into a holding chamber to steal one of the Predacon ship's remaining Transwarp cells. Waspinator surprises him and demands an answer, and Tarantulas easily defeats him. Megatron, watching the exchange, decides to let Tarantulas do his work, and throw another kink in it - Blackarachnia.

Airazor delivers Rattrap to the Predacon base - unarmed - and drops him off quickly before hailing the Predacon channels. Megatron casually disarms the perimeter defenses and asks Airazor to leave. As she leaves, he stops her a moment and suggests she take Rattrap with her. Foiled, they return to the base and report to Primal, but exchange knowing glances - the distraction was enough for Tigatron to make his entrance.

Blackarachnia surprises Tarantulas, and in the confusion, Megatron hacks the Transwarp cell and adds his own programming.

Tigatron hacks the Predacon database in a cool VR world, and discovers the second Golden Disc's datatracks. Terrorsaur finds Tigatron hacking and sounds the alarm, but Tigatron uses Terrorsaur and Scorponok's goonery against each other. Under orders not to fire, the Predacons chase Tigatron, leading into a battle with the rest of the Maximals.

Under the limitations of a truce, the Predacons and Maximals battle without using their weapons. Primal steals a wire from Inferno's rocket. Terrorsaur fails at dodging a piece of sheet metal that Cheetor and Rhinox move into position. The spiders are smart enough to avoid one trap set by Dinobot, but in doing so, are crushed by another. Without firing a single shot, the Maximals have won the day... unless, of course, Megatron intentionally let them get away.

On the Maximal base, Tigatron explains what Megatron discovered: a golden disk similar in size to the one Megatron originally stole, this one created by the same aliens who crafted the flying island, and seeded the energon on the planet. The disk itself was part of a signal that the aliens sent, ensuring that the planet received a message:

The aliens are on their way. And they are not very happy...

Quotes
Inferno: Yes, my queen. Megatron: I wish he wouldn't call me that.

Optimus Primal: When Predacons talk truce, it just means they need time to reload their weapons. Megatron: Uh, normally, yes.

"What could I do? He was right, I'm a Maximal. I have to give peace a chance, no matter how unlikely it seems."
 * -- Optimus Primal channels John Lennon.

Rattrap: Ehhhh we're gonna diieeee! Airazor: Isn't there a rule that heroes have to face destruction with dignity? Rattrap: Hey! What's the use of dyin' if ya can't enjoy it?

"There is a storm approaching. A storm of such magnitude, of such power... it is beyond imagination. And to think, I was once satisfied with mere energon. To think that my ambitions lofted no higher than the conquest of Cybertron. *laughs* *coughs* Well, no longer. For I have been given a glimpse of power. Real power. And that power shall be mine!"
 * -- Megatron starts to acquire a taste for godhood.

Stats
Writers: Larry DiTillio and Bob Forward Original air date: February 21, 1997

 Characters (in order of appearance): Tigatron, Megatron, Inferno, Optimus Primal, Rattrap, Dinobot, Rhinox, Cheetor Tarantulas, Waspinator, Blackarachnia, Airazor, Terrorsaur, Scorponok

Technical/Animation errors

 * When Optimus arrives at the neutral territory to discuss with Megatron, his shoulder pads are missing.
 * While Megatron is in his closing words of the episode, he is missing his beast mode "kibble", except the head of course.

Transformers references

 * When Megatron is talking to Inferno in his room, there is a G1 seeker head on his shelf, with an expression of pure horror. Either this is a reference to Starscream's treachery in a previous episode, or Megatron has some weird taste in ornaments.
 * There's also a replica of G1 Megatron's fusion cannon on the shelf below the head.

Real-world references

 * On the shelf in Megatron's room (aside from the seeker head and a picture of himself), there is a Transformer sized trophy and bowling pin. Must be good at that non-sport until he traded his hand for another head.
 * When accessing the transwarp cell's programming, Megatron's code "A T T override" is a reference to the Usenet newsgroup alt.toys.transformers
 * Megatron mused that "There is a storm coming. A storm of such power, such magnitude, it is beyond imagination!" This was a reference to the website of fan James Hooks, called "Beyond Imagination," which itself was a reference to part of the tagline of the original movie.