Trials

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This reminds me of a puzzle...
"Trials"
Season	2
No. in season	5
Production company	Allspark Animation
Airdate	August 31, 2019 (Australia/NZ) September 27, 2019 (CN app/website) October 5, 2019 (USA)
Writer	Peter Di Cicco
Director	Jean Texier
Animation studio	Boulder Media Studio
Watch this episode on YouTube

Optimus and Megatron finally locate the Allspark, but will need to pass its guardian's trials to claim it.

Synopsis

Both the Autobots and Decepticons have been sending their forces through the network of GroundBridges that the AllSpark has created on Earth, mapping out where each one emerges to help determine the relic's resting place. Finally, after much searching, both Wheeljack and Shockwave locate the AllSpark in Africa. As each side celebrates, they open new GroundBridges to its location. Optimus Prime and Megatron step through their respective portals, but when their forces try to follow, they find the GroundBridge does not respond, leaving them behind. Wheeljack explains that something has shut the GroundBridge down from the other side, leaving it unable to be opened.

Optimus emerges in a cave surrounded by a ring of inactive GroundBridge portals, with the AllSpark suspended at its center. The victory is short-lived, however, as Megatron appears in the cave as well and demands the AllSpark. The two immediately begin fighting, but are suddenly disarmed by the "moon cheetah", who transforms to robot mode and introduces himself as Cheetor, guardian of the AllSpark. Cheetor asks why they seek the AllSpark; Optimus seeks to restore Cybertron to life, while Megatron claims Optimus wants to wipe out the Decepticons and rule over a purely Autobot race. Cheetor agrees to give them both a chance to earn the AllSpark through "the Trials". Back at the Nemesis, Shockwave orders Slipstream to use her seekers to search the GroundBridge network and find Megatron. She attempts to contact them, but receives no response.

This is the ONLY episode in which we see him wear it.

Cheetor positions the two leaders and tells them to begin the first trial. Optimus and Megatron prepare to battle, but the trial is actually one of knowledge. Cheetor begins asking each one questions about the other, but neither knows any of the correct answers. Megatron eventually becomes fed up, so Cheetor instead suggests a trial by combat. Before they can begin, however, Cheetor claims they must demonstrate the ability to wield great power and steps through the GroundBridges before emerging with a jet and a helicopter, claiming it is their "new armor". Both are confused, but Cheetor infuses them with power from the AllSpark that bonds the vehicles to their bodies, forming powerful new spark armor. Impressed, both Optimus and Megatron finally engage in combat. Elsewhere, Slipstream finally detects her seekers on radar. She follows the signal to the desert, but only finds their trackers, having been removed. Undaunted, Slipstream follows their energon trails further.

"You cheated on me!"

The two faction leaders seem fairly evenly matched. Megatron finally knocks Optimus to the ground, but Optimus holds him at gunpoint, intending to sacrifice them both. As Cheetor watches the fight, he fails to notice one of the GroundBridges open behind him. Without warning, Starscream appears from the portal and grabs the AllSpark, to everyone's horror. Optimus and Megatron attempt to stop him, but Starscream uses the AllSpark to strip their spark armor away and escapes through the GroundBridge. Megatron, attempting to save face, nervously claims this was his plan all along before making a hasty retreat. Meanwhile, Slipstream tracks the seekers' trail back to the abandoned missile silo they once used as an outpost. Inside she finds Thundercracker and demands answers. He leads her further inside where Acid Storm, Nova Storm and Thrust are waiting. Slipstream is ready to execute them for their betrayal, but is shocked as Starscream arrives and reveals that they were following his orders. Back at the Ark, Optimus returns and reports that the AllSpark was taken by the Decepticons, but they have gained a new ally as Cheetor emerges behind him. Bumblebee is excited to have finally met his moon cheetah, while Cheetor is eager to win their friendship.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"We're still here? Someone will be punished."

—Soundwave lets out his frustration after GroundBridge failure.

"Megatron! I should've expected this from you!"
"Y-yes! You should have! This was part of my plan all along! And... er... and now I must go!"

—Optimus unwittingly gives Megatron a way to save face after Starscream steals the AllSpark right from under their noses.

"Acid Storm! Nova Storm! Thrust! You disappear, you steal Vector Sigma, you betray my command! I should execute you for this, what do you think you're doing?"
"Exactly what I ordered them to."
"Starscream?!"

— Slipstream discovers Screamer's still alive.

Notes

Continuity notes

• The Decepticons learned of the existence of the AllSpark GroundBridges in the previous episode, when Cheetor used one to escape before Megatron could order him captured.
• Bumblebee emerges from one of the GroundBridges onto the moon, implying this might've been the one Cheetor used to observe the battle from "Sea of Tranquility" and "Bad Moon Rising".
• Slipstream finds the Seekers at the abandoned missile silo they previously used as an outpost, first seen in "Teletraan-X"

Transformers references

• Megatron claims his most famous match in his gladiator career was his victory against "Devastator Maximus," referencing the Constructicon combiner Devastator and the Energon combiner Constructicon Maximus.

Real-world references

Trivia

• Cheetor gives Optimus a jet and Megatron a helicopter as armor. This refers to their elite class toys' respective "Sky Turbine" and "Chopper Cut" spark armors. The armors used onscreen, however, are considerably altered, and the vehicle colors don't match the toys.
• An unproduced joke for this episode would have involved Decepticons and Autobots popping all over the world, with Soundwave popping in Brazil during a music festival. He would then crash the concert and hang out.^[1]

Animation and technical errors

Foreign localization

French

• Title: "Épreuves" ("Trials")
• Original airdate: September 15, 2019

German

• Title: "Prüfungen zur Macht"
• Original airdate: October 5, 2019

Japanese

• Title: "Armor Up!" (アーマーアップ!)
• Original airdate: October 12, 2019

Portuguese

• Title: "Desafios" ("Challenges")
• Original airdate: October 16, 2019

Home video releases

• TBA

References