The Rebirth, Part 2
Title card via TFWiki, fan-archive fair use
Autobots and Nebulans bond into Headmasters and Targetmasters as the race for the Plasma Energy Chamber intensifies.
On Nebulos, the modifications to the Autobots' heads are nearly complete. All that is left is to select their partners. Duros, the combat veteran, takes Hardhead; Arcana, the oldest and wisest among them, takes Brainstorm; Stylor takes Chromedome; Gort takes Highbrow; and Daniel is placed in Arcee. Upon activating, the Autobots feel different and decide to make a test run. The Headmaster process is thus proven as good an idea as Brainstorm believed, as with the rebels' guidance, the Autobots trash the Hive's machines. Satisfied with their trial run, the Autobots and rebels decide that it's time to get the Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber. But the Hive is watching and recognizes Gort and Arcana within the robots. Some of them decide it's time to bring the pain, but their leader decides to watch...
Meanwhile, on Cybertron, the battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons appears evenly matched. However, there is no sign of Hot Rod and Kup's team, or the Key. Optimus Prime decides that it's time to find some answers, and leaves the battle, with Ultra Magnus following.
Back on Nebulos, Scourge is torturing the captive Autobots for the key, to the amusement of Apeface. However, Cyclonus realizes that these Autobots don't have the Key, or the others would be all over them. Bad choice of words, as the Autobot Headmasters appear. They quickly overwhelm the Decepticons and free the captives, taking the Decepticon ship in the process. Some of the Hive members believe that the Decepticons should be destroyed as well, but their leader has other plans. Capturing the Decepticons, Lord Zarak offers them a deal: Submit to the Headmaster process and allow the Hive to be their partners, giving them the strength to destroy the Autobots. Scourge tells them to get bent, but Zarak reveals that the offer was only a formality. Grabbing the Decepticons, Cyclonus and Scourge agree to deal, but only with the heads of the animals. Apeface objects, but Cyclonus shows him who is boss. The "vehicle" Decepticons offer their weapons. Zarak agrees, and the modifications begin.
Back on Cybertron, Optimus and Magnus have reached the source of the Autobot leader's quest: the chamber of Vector Sigma. Using the Matrix as an interface, Prime activates the supercomputer to communicate with the spirit of Alpha Trion. Alpha explains that the Key is on Nebulos, and that Vector Sigma arranged for Galvatron to learn of it. All of this is being done to bring about a second Golden Age, which depends on the merging of a human with an Autobot. Before the discussion is ended, Alpha Trion tells Prime to preserve the key at all costs. Prime is confused, but it's kinda hard to argue with God's will, after all. Optimus departs for Nebulos, leaving Ultra Magnus in command of the Autobots until his return.
On Nebulos, the modifications are complete, and the Hive members bond with the Decepticons. Zarak, however, remains behind, having plans for the Hive's city. Meanwhile, the Autobots are dragging the ship to the rebel base, when Cerebros arrives, badly damaged and mumbling that he found a city. The Autobots are able to stabilize him, but the Decepticons show up. Brainstorm is pissed that the Decepticons have their own Headmasters. He's even more pissed when Mindwipe takes the Key from him. However, Brainstorm manages to run a scan on Nightstick before the Decepticons run off. Using the scans gives Spike an idea. Sometime later, Optimus Prime lands and is introduced to the Headmasters and the Targetmasters. With this force, the Autobots prepare to retake the Key.
Elsewhere, the Decepticons are getting grumpy, having to wait for Zarak and with nothing to shoot. Their boredom is relieved when Prime leads the Autobots in an attack. Arcee and Daniel manage to take the Key and get it to Prime. The Autobots circle Prime and Arcee, vowing to let nothing get through. However, from beneath them, Zarak raises the Hive's city. Suddenly, it begins to transform into something else. The city lands on the ground, and from the dust rises... Scorponok!
—Gort and Highbrow, discussing combat tactics.
—Zarak, addressing the Decepticons.
—Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime after the Autobot leader's communion with Vector Sigma.
—Nightstick and Cyclonus see eye-to-eye.
—Caliburst tells Slugslinger about his life.
- Optimus seems rather dazed and confused throughout this entire episode. It's as if coming back from the dead left him as more of an old man than the hero from earlier episodes.
- Brainstorm announces his plan to sue for the theft of his Headmaster idea. Aside from the peculiar idea of a Cybertronian engaging in legal warfare, exactly who he would sue in the first place is a mystery.
- Cyclonus seems frighteningly willing to murder Apeface over a minor disagreement. Why not just let Apeface be a Targetmaster instead? Considering how few soldiers are on hand right now it seems like quite a risk to start shooting them right and left and still expect to be able to take on the Autobots.
- After Spasma and Krunk tell the Horrorcons to stay in line, Spasma spits on the floor. This causes a small trail of smoke to fume from the ground suggesting that Spasma's spit was some kind of corrosive acid. That's hardcore.
- Both Vector Sigma and Alpha Trion make a reappearance here, after long absences.
- Vector Sigma suddenly gains a whole lot of new powers, having complex plans and motives of its own, and arranging for certain events to happen in the outside world. Outside the realm of the cartoon, this would eventually be retconned as Primus working his god shtick.
Screencaps via TFWiki (Teletraan I), used under fan-archive fair use.