Transformers: Prime/Recap/S2/E03 Orion Pax Part 3

Jack and Arcee walk through Kaon, guided by the light of the Key to Vector Sigma. They come upon a circular clearing, and the key glows intensely, indicating that they must be close. Suddenly, the ground begins to shake, and cracks appear in the surface. The duo watch in awe as a passageway rises from the ground, its door illuminated the same as the Key. It opens, but just as the two are about to enter, an enormous creature rears up from atop the passage. Arcee's Autobot symbol catches its eye, and it charges her, Arcee's minute strength doing nothing to injure it. She is quickly incapacitated, and the creature notices Jack, giving temporary pursuit until distracted by Arcee. Jack radios Ratchet and is told that the creature is an Insecticon, one of many sentries left to guard the dead Cybertron. Arcee tells Jack to go, to his surprise, but he realizes the necessity. As he enters, the door closes behind him.

On the Nemesis, Megatron inquires as to Orion's progress on Project Iacon. Orion says it's tough work, but Megatron says otherwise, revealing to him that all of his unsanctioned research has been recorded. Orion takes the opportunity to ask about his reported affiliation with the Autobots, but Megatron merely tells him to get back to work. Orion decides that enough is enough, and erases his progress in the archives. Megatron laughs, and shows the clerk that he has been recorded and documented in his pursuits. Soundwave intrudes, to show Megatron that one of their sentries came online on Cybertron. Orion asks how anything is alive on the planet, but Megatron tells him to continue his work-or be terminated.

Back on Cybertron, Arcee tangles with the enormous bug, but is no match for its brute strength. Finished with her, the Insecticon turns its attention to the fleshling, and breaks its way into the tunnel.

In the depths of the tunnel, Jack hears a familiar noise, and uproots a metal bar for protection.

Back on the Nemesis, Megatron reviews the reports with Soundwave. He learns of the space bridge's activation, its endpoint, and the fact that it is still active. He quickly deduces the Autobots' plan.

In Cybertron's gullet, Jack arrives at the chamber of Vector Sigma. He proceeds to the center of a circular platform, where he places the Key. The entire chamber begins to transform and glow with the Key's energy, and the enormous supercomputer reveals itself, and begins to transfer its energy to the Key.

On the Nemesis, Orion is hassled by the guards. He appeals to their "good nature", saying that he believes Megatron will use the information he is agglomerating for nefarious purposes. Good-old fashioned police brutality ensues as the helpless clerk is kicked and punched by his guards.

In the chamber, Jack is antsy about the speed of his download. His problems lie beyond his dial-up, however, because behind him, a horde of Scraplets has just taken notice of the very alive metal before him in the form of the Key to Vector Sigma. Jack is helpless to fend them off, and they begin to snack on the download port. He reports frantically on his position to ground control

In the space bridge chamber, however, the Autobots have bigger fish to fry as Megatron steps out of a Ground Bridge to them. Ratchet vows to protect their charges, and the battle begins, Megatron easily flooring every Autobot, Ratchet and Bulkhead twice.

On Cybertron, Arcee awakes to find a Scraplet chewing on her foot. She blasts it off, and notices the opened passage—and the absent Insecticon. Transforming, she speeds into the passageway.

Jack valiantly smashes the Scraplets as they feed, but is unable to stop their progress towards the Matrix. Another problem presents itself behind him in the form of the Insecticon. It charges towards him, but stops in its tracks, staring at the key. Jack realizes why, and the Scraplets suddenly become a blessing. He formulates an idea, pulling a Scraplet off the Key and pointing it at the aggressor. The Insecticon turns tail as it realizes what's happening, but the Scraplets give chase and latch on, quickly chewing through the giant insect as it falls to its doom, limbs disconnected. The download completes, and Jack retrieves the key. Arcee finally arrives, and the two depart.

The Vehicon guards continue to beat down Orion, and one of them lets slip that it's a privilege to beat the former leader of the Autobots. Orion pleads with them to stop, and in his defense, he accidentally transforms his arms into blasters. Realizing they're in trouble, the guards fire on Pax, but he quickly dispatches them both.

Arcee and Jack arrive at the space bridge portal, and radio Ratchet about their position. Total silence on the comm tip them off that something is wrong, and, undetected on the other end of the portal, Megatron waits to end the lineage of the Primes. However, he is surprised by the sudden arrival of Orion Pax, who vows that, no matter what his heritage might be, his spark is aligned with the Autobots. He deploys his blades, and charges for Megatron, but is quickly defeated. Megatron says that he has much to learn, and prepares to kill him, but Arcee speeds through the bridge and collides with him, sending them both flying. In the light of the bridge, Jack presents the Key to Orion, who hesitates, but accepts his destiny.

The Key begins to upload the Matrix to its host. Megatron, preoccupied with fighting Arcee, notices this, and desperately runs at him. However, Orion Pax—now Optimus Prime once again—isn't ready to go down again, and trounces his enemy. A Ground Bridge portal opens up, and the Autobots retreat.

At base, the Autobots and humans rejoice at their reunion. Noticing his Decepticon symbol, Optimus asks Ratchet what had happened. He replies that it was their darkest hour, but at every point along the way, Optimus was truly an Autobot at spark.

Tropes:
"Orion Pax: I'm... armed?"
 * Barehanded Blade Block: Optimus blocks Megatron, effectively bookends the last six episodes
 * Big No: Megatron utters a magnificent one when Jack restores Optimus's memories.
 * Book Ends: Optimus blocks Megatron's strike, which had happened with their positions reversed in "One Shall Fall", effectively ending the storyline that spanned six episodes.
 * Curb Stomp Battle: Megatron against the Autobots.
 * The Determinator: You have to give it to Ratchet, Bulkhead and Bumblebee for refusing to stay down after getting beaten by Megatron
 * He's Back: Optimus regains his memories and returns just in time to give Megatron a good beatdown.
 * Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: The beatdown that the two Vehicon guards delivered to Optimus/Orion caused his arm cannons to appear and allowed him to defeat the Vehicons while firing blindly.


 * No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Two Vehicons decided to have some fun kicking and beating Optimus/Orion when he protests against Megatron's orders.
 * Oh Crap: The expression of the Vehicons when Optimus's arm cannons appeared.
 * Also Megatron when he realizes that Optimus regained his memories.
 * Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner: "Megatron... begone!"
 * You Shall Not Pass: Ratchet, Bulkhead and Bumblebee pulls this to keep Megatron from getting through the space bridge to get to Arcee and Jack.