Siege episode 3
From Transformers Wiki
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 I'm a doctor, not a repairman! | ||||||
| Episode 3 | ||||||
| Production company | Allspark Animation, Rooster Teeth | |||||
| Airdate | July 30, 2020 (Netflix) | |||||
| Written by | George Krstic | |||||
| Director | Takashi Kamei | |||||
| Animation studio | Polygon Pictures | |||||
 Watch this episode on Netflix
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While Jetfire contends with dissent in the ranks, Ratchet is forced to choose a side.
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Synopsis
Megatron transmits a message to all Decepticons: the Autobots are responsible for the death of Impactor, and he implores the Autobots to turn themselves in at any available Surrender Station.
As Ratchet scavenges the battle-scarred service of Cybertron for parts, he finds a severed arm and hears a weak voice nearby. It is the voice of Impactor, barely clinging to life after being impaled and buried under rubble.
At Autobot Command, Prowl and Elita-1 discuss strategy with Optimus Prime and conclude that if Megatron were to find the Allspark, the war would quickly end in the Decepticons' favor. Prime immediately has an epiphany: what if the Allspark were taken off-planet? It is unclear to the trio what would transpire in that case, but Elita recalls a myth that if the Allspark were to be removed from Cybertron, the planet would be destroyed. She brings up a logistic problem: even if they were able to find the Allspark, the Ark couldn't get it off of Cybertron since the Decepticons would shoot it down easily. But Wheeljack finally gets to tell Prime about his recent and unexpected discovery of an old spacebridge, and he knows that his old friend Ratchet is the perfect candidate for getting it repaired. Prime approves the plan, but Elita and Prowl view this as a move of pure desperation.
On the Decepticon front, Starscream talks to a group of Decepticons and conveys his disgust at Shockwave's proposal to reformat the Autobots into Decepticons. The reformatted Decepticons wouldn't be true Decepticons in his eyes, and this constitutes proof of Megatron's poor character. The gathered Decepticons agree with him but they quickly disperse as Jetfire arrives. As Jetfire and Starscream criticize each other, Megatron arrives. Jetfire orders Starscream and the other Seekers to go on patrol. Megatron tells Jetfire that even Starscream has his uses and, like any tool, he can always be replaced.
Shockwave reports that he has not been able to extract the location of the Autobots from Ultra Magnus and complains to Megatron that he is restricted in his use of interrogation. This incurs Megatron's wrath, and he points his fusion cannon at the one-eyed scientist at point-blank range. Jetfire's shocked protest pulls Megatron out of his rage, and he relents. However, his patience is at a minimum, and he authorizes Shockwave to use any methods he wishes, as long as the Autobots are discovered soon.
On the surface, Mirage, now sporting a Decepticon symbol, approaches a team of Decepticons, and informs them that he's tracking Autobots. Skytread and Spinister agree to join his hunt and express glee at the Autobots they've killed so far. Mirage can barely contain his disgust at the grotesque sight of impaled and dismembered Autobots as the Decepticons laugh. Mirage's disguise fails him, and Chromia tenses nearby as she, Prime, Elita and Wheeljack prepare for an ambush. The battle begins and the Autobots make short work of the Decepticons, with Mirage employing hologram clones and Prime knocking Spinister onto a sharp spike, impaling him through the chest.
The Autobots finally reach their goal: a dilapidated theater that serves as a hidden neutral clinic for Ratchet. Prime and Wheeljack ask Ratchet to help them rebuild the spacebridge, but the engineer-turned-medic is bitter towards Prime for prolonging the war. Mirage becomes impatient and threatens violence, but this provokes a restored Impactor to tackle him to the ground. The Autobots are shocked that Ratchet would repair Decepticons while Impactor chastises Mirage for ignoring the plight of those from lower classes. Wheeljack convinces Ratchet to hear Prime out. Ratchet is not swayed; the spacebridge work would distract him from his patients, and he won't help spread the war to other worlds. Prime tells him that Megatron will weaponize the Allspark, and this ultimately convinces Ratchet. Impactor intends to protect Ratchet while he repairs the spacebridge, and the prospect of working alongside a Decepticon causes friction with the Autobots. Prime accepts the compromise, and they begin their journey to the spacebridge.
At Decepticon headquarters, Ultra Magnus is being tortured by Shockwave, but will not divulge the location of Autobot Command, forcing Shockwave to consider more unorthodox approaches. Jetfire watches the torture with silent disdain and leaves the torture chamber with Megatron. Magnus collapses, and as the Decepticons move to collect them, he attacks them by surprise and catches up to Megatron and Jetfire, aiming a gun at his back. Jetfire prepares to disarm him, but Megatron is not concerned and need not even turn to face him; he knows that Magnus would never shoot him in the back since he is constrained by his sense of honor. Megatron's guess proved correct, and soon Magnus is recaptured and shackled. Jetfire learns a lesson from his leader: always take the shot.
Magnus's torture is steadily increased, but the Autobot will not give up. In pure agony, Magnus begs Megatron to not become like one they once fought against, and Megatron's only reply is stone-faced silence. As his body begins to break apart, Magnus finally relents and agrees to share information about the Autobots.
Before the Autobots enter their hidden base, Elita demands that Impactor remove his comm. Ratchet regards such a thing as barbaric, but Impactor consents to it, saying that he believes in protecting the Cybertronians, not allegiance to factions.
The removed comm's signal is detected by Jetfire and Skywarp, who land and investigate. Skywarp's scan reveals the entrance of Autobot Command, and is eager to report the discovery to Megatron. However, Jetfire has misgivings about annihilating the Autobots without giving them a chance to surrender. Skywarp takes this as proof that Starscream was right about Jetfire's weakness and attacks him. Before Skywarp can leave, Jetfire ironically takes Megatron's advice and shoots him in the back, critically wounding him. He can only regretfully apologize before the wounded Seeker flies off.
Megatron addresses the Decepticons in a grand speech, claiming that the Autobots wish to destroy the Allspark. He orders them all to search for the ancient relic so that they may use it to rewrite the Autobots' programming and end the war. Damaged Skywarp barely makes it back to Starscream, and confirms Jetfire's betrayal as he dies. With a fist raised to the sky, Megatron shouts: Till all are one!
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons |
|---|---|
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Quotes
"Starscream has his uses, but never forget, he’s just a weapon."
"If you ask me, he’s more like a tool."
"And tools are easily replaced."
- — Megatron and Jetfire roast Starscream behind his back.
Notes
Transformers references
- Optimus trying to get the Allspark off Cybertron to keep the Decepticons from it is a plot point as old as the Allspark itself, originating in the first live-action film.
- Chromia is a Camien, like her 2005 IDW and Cyberverse counterparts.
- Impactor states that he was a former miner, similar to his 2005 IDW incarnation. He also points out all Autobots as originating as higher class bots, a description that fits with Mirage's original bio.
- Among the sea of Generic Decepticons, one can spot several based on Refraktor in his SDCC "Reconnaissance Team 3-Pack" colors. These color schemes make another appearance in the final episode of the Siege chapter.
- Mirage is seen generating illusory clones, a rarely-used technique from his original bio.
- Mirage appearing as a Decepticon in this episode is a call back to the Generation 1 episode "Traitor".
- Megatron uses the familiar Autobot rallying cry of "'Til all are one!", though the context here is far more sinister than usual.
Animation and technical errors
- Skywarp was hit by a single blast, yet both barrels on Jetfire's blaster are smoking.
Trivia
- Impactor and Mirage have a tussle in this episode, serving as a tie-in to the toyline's rivalry 3 Pack.
- Mirage's Decepticon disguise was released as a Walmart exclusive.
- During the battle between the Mirage clones and Refraktors, all of Mirage's clones are seen holding their "C-20 Electro-Disruptor Cannons" in their right hands, while Mirage himself actually holds it in his left hand in both this episode and the previous episode.
- While Ratchet has a toy-accurate head design in the cartoon, the rest of his body is just a redressing of Ironhide's model, as evident by the lack of the remolded details that the toy received.
