Hashtag Oops

Coding is power

Hashtag Oops is 11th episode of Transformers Earthspark

## Plot

Twitch helps Hashtag choose her alt mode. They both have to go on a wild journey where Bumblebee has to help them to escape.

## Story

At G.H.O.S.T. headquarters, Executive Agent Croft smugly observes Skullcruncher and Starscream in their prison cells as some form of experiment is performed on the former that leaves the imprisoned Decepticon in a weakened state as Starscream can only glare defiantly at her through the camera. She’s soon joined by Agent Schloder, surprised at her presence. She informs him that she finds G.H.O.S.T.’s Decepticon quota to be low this month and orders him to get out there and, despite his protests, start finding Decepticons regardless if they’re currently a threat.

At the Malto farmstead, Bumblebee calls the new Terrans to attention as he begins the first lesson plan of the day; choosing their alt-modes. He finds his efforts interrupted however first by some sass from Nightshade and then by Hashtag being more interested in showing off photos of him she found online of him sporting his classic V.W-inspired alt-mode. Ignoring their laughter, Bumblebee offers to let Twitch and Thrash take the lead on explaining the significance and importance of one’s alt-mode. Nightshade thanks them for the advice but departs saying they’re happy with how they are and have a project that requires their attention. Jawbreaker shows more interest but wants to make sure his alt-mode is perfect and not rush it so he departs as well. Left with only Hashtag, Bee lets Twitch take the lead on finding her sister an alt-mode. Still more interested in watching videos on the internet, Twitch hijacks her sister’s phone and runs off saying their going into town, Hashtag following after protesting the barn’s the only place she gets a good Wi-Fi signal.

Hiding out somewhere in a store's parking lot in Witwicky, Twitch tells her sister to gaze around and find the perfect alt-mode for her only to find her sister more concerned with getting a good Wi-Fi connection setup. Seeing this is getting nowhere, Twitch entices Hashtag with the sooner she gets an alt-mode the sooner they can go back home and get back on the Wi-Fi. Taking the bait, Hashtag begins looking around and scans the first thing to her liken; a G.H.O.S.T. Surveillance van. Twitch panics at Hashtag’s choice of alt-mode and tries to get her sister to scan something else only to be interrupted as three G.H.O.S.T. agents enter Hashtag. Mistaking the disguised Terran for their van that she scanned they drive off with Twtich following in hot pursuit. Back at the Malto Farm, Thrash tries to bond with Nightshade and introduces his sibling to Fluffy Ears. Taken in by the small calf’s cuteness, Thrash offers if there’s anything else he can help Nigtshade which they only responds with if Thrash knows anything about load-bearing timbers…

Back with Twitch and the hijacked Hashtag, Twitch implores her sister to remain calm and that she’ll get them out of this. While on the inside of Hashtag, she finds herself grossed out by the sticky fingers of the agents driving her and begins resisting their attempts to drive her. Coming up on what seems to be the side of a mountain, Hashtag warns Twitch to get out of the way only for Hashtag to go drive through it with seemingly no incident. Perplexed, Twtich learns G.H.O.S.T’s mountain base is shielded by a hologram. Unable to get past it’s security, she radios Bumblebee and alerts of him of the situation.

Meanwhile within G.H.O.S.T.’s base, the three agents who were driving Hashtag hurriedly depart the Terran-disguised van believing it to cursed and muttering they’ll get maintenance to look at it. Alone now, Hashtag finds herself panicking, unsure of how she’ll be able to escape without exposing herself. Alerted that she’s now hooked up G.H.O.S.T.’s internal Wi-fi, Hashtag’s consciousness is taken to some empty void where she’s presented with what looks to be a holographic control panel. Unsure of what she’s even looking at, she starts pressing all the options randomly hoping something will work. Back in the physical world however, Hashtag has completely hacked GHOST’s systems and inadvertently deactivates the containment cells of the many Decepticon prisoners , leading to a prison uprising.

Bumblebee arrives on the outskirts of G.H.O.S.T’s mountainside H.Q. and calms the panicking Twitch that she made the right decision calling him. Seeing the hologram shielding deactivate, Bee scouts ahead and sees that the security systems and cameras have all been shutoff. Sneaking in with Twitch, they find Hashtag and throw off the trail of GHOST security forces. With Bee and the Terran sisters reunited they deduce GHOST technical problems was Hashtag herself thanks to her abilities granted new alt-mode. With some encouragement, Hashtag puts these to uses these newfound abilities to try and find a way for the trio to escape while the guards and Decepticon prisoners are busy distracted fighting one another. Taking temporary refuge in what turns out to be Skullcruncher’s cell, the bestial Decepticon goes into a rage berserker rampage upon seeing the G.H.O.S.T. agents. Smashing all the through the mountainside walls, Skullcruncher is soon incapacitated by Twitch as the trio makes a break for it before G.H.O.S.T’ agents, lead by Director Croft, arrive to survey the scene.

Arriving back at the Malto farm, Hashtag covers for her big sister by saying Twitch brought her into town to get a new vehicle mode. Impressed at her choice of alt-mode, Dot inquires if that’s seriously all that happens with Bumblebee replying it wasn't anything they couldn’t handle. Asking where Nightshade is, they emerge from the barn to showcase what they’ve been working on all day; a new subterranean base with enough space to accommodate the whole Malto family (Fluffy Ears included). With Hashtag saying she can provide the Wi-Fi for the base, Twitch makes her good on her promise to Hashtag as the two sit down with the rest of the family to watch vides of sneezing puppies.

## Trivia

### Continuity notes

* Following her minor appearance in "Age of Evolution, Part 1", we learn in this episode that Executive Agent Croft and Agent Schloder are siblings.
* G.H.O.S.T. cadets Kwan, Conway and Rosato previously made silent cameos in "Age of Evolution, Part 1" arriving at the G.H.O.S.T.-Autobot Alliance ceremony, while agent Bagheri previously made minor appearances in the same episode and "Classified". This is the first time any of them have been given proper names or dialogue. Agent Bala, last seen getting attacked by Swindle in "House Rules", also makes a return.
* Soundwave was captured by G.H.O.S.T. back in "Decoy", while Hardtop, Bombshell, Shrapnel, and Skullcruncher were all taken way back in "Secret Legacy, Part 2".
* Hardtop lost his right arm in "Secret Legacy, Part 1", which causes the guards' attempts to use a pair of Cybertronian-sized handcuffs on him to fail miserably.
* Also all the way back in episode one, Robby complained about the shoddy internet connection in Witwicky, thus his excitement when Hashtag announces her ability to be a mobile Wi-Fi spot.

### Transformers references

* Bombshell and Shrapnel have a variation of the original Insecticons' self-cloning abilities that had not been previously shown... but then again, the only other time we saw them was when they were under Dr. Meridian's mind-control, which leaves the subjects *very* dull-witted and seemingly incapable of little more thought than "smash thing".

### Real-world references

* The G.H.O.S.T. cadets are all named after storyboard directors on the show—specifically Alex Kwan, J.J. Conway, and Jordan Rosato.
* The sound made when Hashtag connects to Wi-Fi is similar to the dial-up tone.
* Hashtag directly quotes the infamous line "All your base are belong to us" from *Zero Wing* when she successfully overtakes G.H.O.S.T's security systems.