Missed Connection

## Plot

When Nightshade feels isolated from the rest of the Malto family, they find a new connection in the most unlikely of places.

## Story

On a day of no school with most of the whole Malto family enjoying some time out in the sun, Dot wonders where Nightshade is. Her question is soon answered with an explosion originating from the dugout beneath the family barn. All rushing inside to see one of Nightshade's inventions, the "Smart Trainer 5007", going haywire and shooting everything in site. Following Bumblebee taking it out, Nightshade gets to work on a new one and inquires if any of their siblings would like to assist them. With most just going back outside, Dot and Alex try to talk to Nightshade, assuring them their siblings do care for them even if they don't share Nightshade's interests. Seeing Nightshade could use some other interests, Alex offers the young Terran a favorite childhood book of his; "Winged Sentinel" by local Witwicky author, D.E. O'Neil. Enraptured with the fantasy novel about daring heroes, Nightshade sets out to find O'Neil as they feel they have someone they can finally relate to.

Getting O'Neill's last known address thanks to Hashtag, Nightshade soon finds themself in a desolate graveyard where it turns out the last known address was O'Neill's burial site. Nightshade's attention however is soon taken by an odd lone human in the graveyard telling them to leave. Seeing the human is in fact a hologram, Nightshade follows it into what seems to be a secret laboratory hidden beneath the cemetery filled with Cybertronian and G.H.O.S.T.. tech. Nightshade is soon attacked by a giant mechanical spider ordering them to stay away from their work. Transforming to his bot mode and revealed to be a Decepticon, they soon realize Nightshade is still in their protoform body, and thus unaffiliated, and orders the young Terran to leave. Realizing this is rather un-Decepticon-like behavior, Nightshade introduces themself and the Decepticon introducing introducing himself as Tarantulas. Seeing that Tarantulas is working on some sort of human holographic projector, Nightshade points out that while it was good at projecting an image of a human it lacked the behavioral pattern in order to properly fit in. Nightshade deduces this was because Tarantulas was working from a purely Cybertronian perspective, rather than trying to integrate it with Earth technology. Amazed and pleased with this info, Tarantulas says he'll soon be able to complete this and successfully go into hiding to avoid capture by G.H.O.S.T.

Nightshade hurries back to the Malto farm to get the remains of the Smart Trainer and presents it to Tarantulas as something he can use for the parts to finish his holographic projector. Wondering what the catch is, Nightshade only asks if they could provide assistance with working on it. Reluctantly agreeing, Nightshade eagerly rushes back into Tarantulas' lab. When asked by Nightshade why he would want to hide as a human, Tarantulas explains he'll be able to use the holographic projector to finally leave the Autobot/Decepticon war behind him. Comparing to it using an alternate mode, Tarantulas also opens up the young Terrans eyes about the concept alternate modes; saying they're as much about expressing who you are than it is to "complete yourself". Taken in by these words, Nightshade boasts they'll use theirs to be a scientist and protector. Tarantulas can't but admire Nightshade's strong sense of self at such a young age.

Completing the mobile holographic projector after a day's work, Tarantulas offers Nightshade to come with him believing the war between the Autobots and Decepticons will soon erupt again. Thanking him, Nightshade declines however saying they still have obligations in Witwicky. Back at the Malto farm, Nightshade asks Dot about how the world came to accept Megatron's change of heart. Dot saying everyone deserves a second chance, though when Nightshades inquires about "Decepticons hiding in the shadows", Dot begins to wonder if Nightshade has been secretly meeting other Decepticons. All the while Tarantulas, in the form of his human avatar, can be seen observing them from a distance. Later that night, after misinterpreting a conversation between Dot and Alex, Tarantulas abducts the pair and takes them back to his lair. With the other Terrans and Malto children scrambling, Nightshade sneaks off having correctly realized it was Taranutlas.

Back at Tarantulas' lair he prevents an escape attempt by Dot and Alex, threatening them with a modified G.H.O.S.T. device capable of wiping the memories of organics. Nightshade soon arrives on scene, taking their parents and making a break for it. Tarantulas, doing this because he believes Nightshade is the Malto's prisoner, rushes after Nightshade imploring them to stay. Webbing up Nightshade and preparing to erase the Malto's memories, Nightshade scans the statue of a Sentinel Owl and upgrades their form with a new owl alt-mode. Engaging in a battle with Tarantulas, their newfound power of flight quickly gives them the advantage over the more experienced Tarantulas. With Bumblebee and the other Terrans arriving on scene, Bumblebee attempts to arrest Tarantulas but Nightshade explains this was all one big misunderstanding and asks everyone to give Tarantulas a second chance. Hashtag however soon alerts everyone that a G.H.O.S.T. unit is being dispatched to the area and they need to make a break for it. Seeing that Nightshade and their siblings are in hiding as much as he is, Tarantulas offers to lure G.H.O.S.T. away so the Maltos can escape undetected, saying he wants to make good on the second chance Nightshade is offering him.

Seeing that Tarantulas left behind the holographic projector, Nightshade departs with Alex as Tarantulas races through the forests trying to outpace G.H.O.S.T.'s helicopters.

## Trivia

### Continuity notes

* Nightshade's alt-mode being an owl was first, obliquely, hinted at in "Age of Evolution, Part 2" where they excitedly asked if they could be the owl bobblehead when planning "Operation: Terran Horse

### Transformers references

* Tarantulas being portrayed as ultimately a sympathetic character calls-back to his depiction in *Sins of the Wreckers*. This was confirmed by episode writer, Mae Catt on their twitter.

### Real-world references

* Alex and Bumblebee's note that days off are made for teachers is actually a *very* sly reference to an infamous line from the *Dexter's Laboratory* episode "A Dad Cartoon", in which Dexter's dad declares "Ah, yes! Saturdays are made for dads! And dad's car!"

* D.E. O'Neil is named in reference to Denny O'Neil.
* Nightshade's Smart Trainer 5007 bears a strong resemblance to the lightsaber training drone from *Star Wars*.