Starscream's Brigade

Exiled by Megatron, Starscream builds his own army of Combaticons to seize the Decepticon throne.

In 1943, at the height of World War II, humans waged war on one another on the island of Guadalcanal in the south Pacific. Their wrecked and useless vehicles lay there untouched through the decades, until the present time—1985.

Within Decepticon Headquarters, Starscream and Megatron are having a spat over the fact Megatron favors Shockwave. Predictably, it ends with Starscream shooting Megatron in the back and proclaiming himself the new leader. Megatron recovers after a few seconds, knocking Starscream to the ground. The rest of the Decepticons refuse to obey Starscream's order to kill Megatron, so he attempts to flee, only to be shot down by Megatron. At the Decepticon leader's order, Laserbeak carries Starscream away and dumps him on Guadalcanal.

Humiliated and infuriated, Starscream stumbles upon the remnants of some old World War II vehicles, which inspire him to create an army of his own. He forces his way past Thundercracker and Skywarp, who are guarding the space bridge, and travels to Cybertron. There he breaks into a Decepticon Detention Center and liberates the personality components of five Renegade Decepticons. Returning to Guadalcanal, he installs them into the wrecked vehicles, which transform into the Combaticons. The quarrelsome warriors are not happy with their new bodies and threaten simply to beat Starscream to a pulp, until he reveals that their new bodies do not contain energy absorbers, without which they cannot refuel: "No energy, no life." In exchange for the needed equipment, the Combaticons agree to obey Starscream's orders for the moment.

Jazz and Cliffjumper are making a public appearance at the unveiling of the Optimus Prime memorial when Starscream and the Combaticons attack. The two Autobots are badly outnumbered. The statue is soon in ruins, and pair are abducted in Vortex's cargo bay. The Decepticons return to Guadalcanal, where Starscream celebrates triumphantly and the Combaticons squabble over who was responsible for the victory. He tells them to settle down and informs them that until they obtain five energy absorbers, no one is getting one.

At the Decepticon base, Shockwave informs Megatron that the Combaticons' personality components are missing. Assuming the Autobots are responsible, Megatron launches an attack on the Ark. The Autobots, meanwhile, have learned of the attack on the memorial and the abduction of Jazz and Cliffjumper, and they have assumed Megatron is responsible. When the Decepticon forces attack, the Autobots are confused by Megatron's demand for the personality components, and Optimus Prime's demand to turn over Jazz and Cliffjumper causes Megatron to suspect Starscream. Before he can complete his thought, a hit from Optimus knocks him to the ground and, realising that he and his men are low on energy, he orders a retreat. The Autobots consult Teletraan I again for the scoop on the personality components.

Starscream and the Combaticons attack the Decepticons while they're attempting to refuel at a train station. With the refueling incomplete, Megatron and his forces are compelled to retreat, allowing Starscream to capture Dirge and Ramjet as well. The energy absorber count is now four, and Starscream and his men retire to the Amalgamated Water and Power Plant to recharge.

Megatron, meanwhile, rallies his troops (except the Stunticons, who are "busy"), and moves against Starscream and his army. In the ensuing battle, Megatron pulls out his trump card: Devastator. Unfortunately for him, Starscream pulls out his trump card when he reveals that the Combaticons can likewise combine into a single titan—Bruticus! Bruticus makes short work of Devastator, laying out the combined Constructicons. The massive combiner then scoops up Megatron in one hand and forces him to acknowledge Starscream as the new Decepticon leader.

The Autobots use the battle's distraction to rescue Jazz and Cliffjumper; meanwhile, the late-arriving Stunticons look over the situation and decide that Starscream is too likely to continue his rampage. Merging into Menasor, they defeat the unsuspecting Bruticus with one massive punch.

—Starscream, as Megatron turns his back on him.

—Megatron inadvertently giving Starscream his scheme of the week.

—Onslaught and Blast Off, fashion critics.

—the Combaticons do a little bit of introdumping toy salesmanship.

—Megatron to Starscream, after the latter fails in his attempt to destroy the Decepticon leader.