Double Jeopardy
Title card via TFWiki, fan-archive fair use
Optimus and Dinobot are trapped retrieving a stasis pod while a traitor is suspected inside the Maximal base.
Dinobot and Optimus Primal explore one of the planet's frozen regions looking to retrieve the latest stasis pod. They find the pod overhead, hanging over the edge of a cliff, and protected by the three Predacon goons. While Terrorsaur and Scorponok bomb the Maximal duo, Waspinator grabs the pod to lift it back to the Predacon base. Primal sees the theft and flies after the bug, but is brought down by a shot in the back from Terrorsaur. With Primal downed, the Predacons scamper away.
At the Maximal base, Optimus Primal laments regarding the frequency of the Maximals being ambushed. Primal calls Rattrap into a private meeting, making it clear he suspects Rattrap has been feeding information to the Maximals' enemies. Rattrap denies this, and Cheetor and Rhinox can't believe it. As a test of loyalty, Rattrap is sent on a mission into one of the more dangerous sectors.
At the Predacon base, Tarantulas reveals the new Predacon made from the captured Maximal protoform: Blackarachnia. Afterwards, they use their radio to eavesdrop on Rattrap's radio reports on how Rattrap's mission is going. Hearing that the rodent is by himself, Terrorsaur is sent to destroy Rattrap.
Terrorsaur and Rattrap battle, and with Rattrap unable to hit his target, Terrorsaur is able to stand over his enemy, his gun right in Rattrap's face. Desperate for his own survival, Rattrap bargains his own loyalty to Terrorsaur and the Predacons, while the rest of the Maximals listen, astonished by the change.
Back at the Predacon base, Terrorsaur introduces his new underling and, with said underling's aid, overthrows Megatron (who is placed into the Predacon brig). Because he still can't be trusted, Rattrap is also imprisoned. The two captives are placed in cages and suspended over a flow of lava. Of course, Megatron has anticipated his own imprisonment and escapes with a few simple computer commands. Once Megatron is out of sight, Rattrap picks the lock on his own cage and jumps over the lava to freedom (barely).
Sneaking through the base, Rattrap follows another, actual rat. He passes by a Predacon computer console and discovers it contains a Maximal computer chip, explaining how they were able to listen to Maximal radio frequencies and anticipate the Maximals' movement. After removing the chip, he continues his sneaking, but activates a security alarm and is caught in a security web. He escapes, but Tarantulas follows Rattrap back to the suspended cages, compromising Rattrap's operation, or so he would be, were it not for Rattrap silencing the arachnid with a gun shot.
The Maximals begin an attack on the Pred base to retrieve Rattrap. With the other Predacons looking to him for leadership, Terrorsaur panics—even more so when Megatron pops up right next to him, free from his cage. But he deigns to give Terrorsaur rope to hang himself follow Terrorsaur's leadership as the Predacons counter-attack. Rattrap is freed to help in the defense and, on Terrorsaur's order, opens fire on Optimus Primal, scoring a direct hit on his former leader. After the two armies bounce off each other a bit, Megatron gives Rattrap the opportunity to destroy Dinobot, but Rattrap declines and shoots Terrorsaur instead, giving Dinobot the time to free himself by kicking out some of Megatron's teeth. The Maximals take Rattrap and retreat. With Terrorsaur's command shown to be a total frak-up, Megatron effortlessly resumes command of his forces and rubs in the defeat.
Back in the Axalon, Optimus Primal explains to his friends that the entire betrayal was a charade—a ploy to let Rattrap into the Predacon base and find out how the Predacons have been listening to the Maximals' radio communications.
—Terrorsaur—shortly before looking up to see Waspinator flying off with the pod.
—Tarantulas after creating Blackarachnia.
—Dinobot gets burned by Rhinox.
—Megatron after getting out of his cage.
—Tarantulas being creepy as usual.
- The female black widow is seen eating her tiny mate, in a reference to real-world spider mating habits.
- Unlike Tigatron being recycled from Cheetor in the previous episode, Blackarachnia's character model was not simply retooled from Tarantulas as the toy had been. While this unquestionably resulted in a more feminine figure, it also meant her toy was deeply inaccurate to the show, the only similarity being the beast mode. Blackarachnia is the second and final retooled-toy character introduced in the show.
- Throughout Terrorsaur's big speech to gain leadership, Rattrap is making gestures in the background to punctuate his remarks.
- When Rattrap blasts Tarantulas for discovering his escape, Tarantulas is shown to have ball joints. It even matches his toy. Score one for toy accuracy!
- While sneaking through the Predacons' ventilation duct, Rattrap encounters a small rat, which seems to acknowledge his presence with a nod. Later on, Rattrap inadvertently saves the same rat from being eaten by accidentally walking into Tarantulas's web and triggering his alarm.
- Someone at Mainframe Entertainment apparently got new "Battle Damage" software. Optimus looks like hell after he's shot down at the beginning of the episode, as does Tarantulus after Rattrap shoots him. All the Predacons are sporting various knocks and discoloured parts at the end as well.
Screencaps via TFWiki (Teletraan I), used under fan-archive fair use.