Age of Evolution, Part 2

Age of Evolution, Part 2 is the 10th episode of transformers Earthspark and the 10th episode of season 1

## Plot

**The Malto family, including its three newest members, band together to rescue Dot and Megatron from Mandroid.**

## Story

As the cave begins to collapse around them, the Maltos guide the new Terrans towards the exit, only to be cut off by a sudden rockslide that knocks the Emberstone from Mo's hands into the water. The family is nearly crushed by falling debris, only to be saved by the new Terrans, who recognize them as family thanks to the link from their cyber-sleeves. Outside, Optimus Prime is placing stasis cuffs on Nova Storm and Skywarp while Bumblebee desperately chips away at the rubble. Fortunately, the rubble is pushed away as the Maltos emerge unharmed, and while the Autobots are disappointed at the loss of the Emberstone, it pales in comparison to their joy at seeing more Terrans emerge. Optimus introduces himself, and the kids use their link to identify each of the newcomers: Hashtag, Jawbreaker, and Nightshade. However, Alex's feelings are tempered by the knowledge that Dot is still in Mandroid's clutches. Sensing the others' sadness and fear, the new Terrans offer to help however they can. Knowing G.H.O.S.T. will be arriving soon to retrieve the Seekers, Optimus suggests they reconvene elsewhere to plan the rescue. At Witwicky Donuts, the group discusses "Operation Terran Horse": the new Terrans will pose as Decepticons seeking safe haven from G.H.O.S.T. and the Autobots, and offer up Optimus, Twitch and Thrash to Mandroid; when the time comes, they will free themselves and surround Mandroid. Meanwhile, Bumblebee will use the distraction to infiltrate the lab and extract Dot and Megatron. With the plan decided, the group rolls out.

At Mandroid's lab, he examines the captive Megatron, deciding to take his fusion cannon for himself first. As the machine begins cutting through Megatron's arm, Dot creeps across the lab's scaffolding, careful to avoid the Arachnamechs' sensors. Unable to get a message to her family, she severs a cable, cutting the power to Mandroid's laser cutter. He orders his Arachnamechs to pursue her as they begin to cover the lab's interior. Fortunately, the Maltos remember his lab's location from their last encounter and are now approaching it...but unfortunately, Mandroid has anticipated this and moved the entire facility elsewhere. With no leads, the group is forced to split into teams and search at random. Though Alex is concerned for her safety, Bumblebee reassures him that they'll find her, even playing his and Dot's song, "Purple Storm Clouds", to help him feel better. Meanwhile, Dot sees a naval yard through a window and finally gets a cell signal, but the vibration noise from all of Alex's missed texts alerts the Arachnamechs, and they destroy her phone before she can send a message. Dot attempts to escape them, nearly getting thrown into an incinerator, but she manages to throw her attacker in instead, causing a plume of purple smoke to emerge from the factory smokestacks. Seeing the purple smoke from a distance, Alex sees it as a sign and he and Bumblebee speed off to the naval yard, calling the others to follow.

Dot is eventually cornered and restrained as Mandroid finishes repairing the damage to the machine and resumes slicing Megatron's arm. He prepares to have his Arachnamech kill Dot, but they are interrupted as Optimus, Twitch and Thrash enter in chains, flanked by their "captors". Hashtag attempts to pass herself off as Skywarp's former roommate "Sparkleplug", and the Terrans do their best to sell their phony story to Mandroid, despite Nightshade's obvious fear. Not far away, Bumblebee and the Maltos are sneaking through the naval yard, looking for an opening to extract the prisoners. Unfortunately, Mandroid sees right through their story and the fake Decepticon insignia stuck on them, and attacks the impostors. Optimus attempts to intervene, only to be restrained by the Arachnamechs, but Hashtag manages to get a lucky shot off and hits the one holding Dot captive, who in turn frees Megatron. Optimus frees himself as well, and the group begins tearing through the Arachnamechs and the rest of the lab. Now on the back foot, Mandroid decides to take drastic measures and enters a nearby elevator. The ground begins to violently shake beneath them, and those outside watch as the truth is revealed: the factory sits atop a giant mech, one Mandroid is now actively piloting as it emerges from the ground. As the mech shifts, the occupants are thrown from inside and plummet towards the ground, saved during their fall by Megatron and Twitch. As Dot embraces her children and Alex, their reunion is interrupted by Mandroid targeting the group with his mech's frontal laser cannon, and the group runs for cover from its enormous blast.

Optimus forms a new plan: one ground team will focus on providing cover fire, while another team focuses on taking out the mech's cameras so it can't target them. As they split up, Mandroid recognizes Alex and attempts to crush him, but he, Robby, Mo and Jawbreaker manage to avoid his blows and launch themselves onto the mech's leg. They begin taking out each of the cameras one by one, as Mandroid sends his Arachnamechs to intercept them. Unable to damage the titanic mech, Bumblebee has another idea, and he and Optimus begin wrapping a nearby battleship's anchor around its legs. Before Alex and Robby can take out the last camera, they are surrounded by Arachnamechs, only to be saved by Twitch and Megatron's cover fire, giving them the opportunity they need. As Robby attempts to pull the last camera loose, Mandroid tries to attack him, but the chain around his legs throws off the mech's balance, and the force of its shifting dislodges the last camera, sending the Maltos flying along with the Arachnamechs trying to pull the camera back. Twitch destroys their tether and catches her family as they destroy the last camera, but Mandroid continues to attack blindly in the hopes of landing a hit. His wild laserfire manages to clip Megatron, forcing the Decepticon to the ground, and his mech's legs finally prove stronger than the chain, flinging the battleship into the air and causing it to crashing down, nearly crushing the Maltos.

As they take cover beneath a nearby warehouse, Optimus declares the cannon to be their next target. Megatron volunteers to take it out, but his arm is too injured from Mandroid's laser cutter and the mech's cannon. Before anyone can stop her, Twitch takes off, dodging weaponsfire as she approaches the cannon. Before a swarm of Arachnamechs can overtake her, they are destroyed as Optimus, Bumblebee, and the rest of her family charge out, ready to have her back. As the cannon targets them and begins charging up, Twitch slices through its cables with her laser swords, causing the aiming mechanism to go haywire and fire right through the mech's front leg. As the Mech begins to explode and Mandroid seethes at his failure, Megatron gives Dot a signal and she fires a cannon shot from the battleship right through the mech causing it to topple backwards into the water, erupting into flames as it begins sinking with no sign of Mandroid. Mo introduces Dot to the three new Terrans, whom she thanks and welcomes into the family. Optimus turns to find Megatron nursing his wound and bemoaning that they had no G.H.O.S.T. backup, despite their supposed partnership. Optimus, however, turns Megatron's attention to the happy Malto family, pointing out that *they* are the true embodiment of the human-Cybertronian alliance, and a sign of the future they hope to one day achieve.

## Trivia

### Continuity notes

* Nightshade asking to be represented by the owl bobblehead is a sneaky bit of foreshadowing, hinting at the owl alternate mode they'll receive just a few episodes later in "Missed Connection".
* Mandroid briefly slips into a raspy voice and minor cough when confronting the disguised Terrans. We'll learn later in "Home, Part 2" this is a result of him grafting Cybertronian body parts to him.
* The Maltos first check the site of Mandroid's original lab, where they previously encountered him in "Secret Legacy, Part 2".
* Like the previous episode, this one also continues the hints at Alex and Mandroid's shared past, first implied in "Traditions".

### Transformers references

* The soda cans used to act out the "Operation: Terran Horse" plan have the brand name "Sari" on them.

### Real-world references

* The assorted snack foods include several items which seem to parallel real brands, such as Orbitade for Gatorade, and Zig Zag candy resembling Tic Tacs.
* "Operation Terran Horse" alludes to the legend of the Trojan Horse and the term's modern metaphorical use as a trick designed to lower someone's guard by masking their intentions.
* Bumblebee's use of the anchor to tie up the mech's legs feels more than a bit evocative of the Rebel Alliance using Snowspeeder tow cables to trip an AT-AT in *The Empire Strikes Back*.