Transformers: Animated: Shadows of Redemption

Chapter 5: The Pursuit

Inside the high tribunal, Optimus Prime gives his testimony relating to his initial encounter with Megatron as he attacked the Autobot ship which ultimately transwarped through a space bridge to Earth where Megatron was ejected from the ship and crashed to the planet below. "No further questions!" declares Sentinel. Alpha Trion asks Rattletrap if he wishes to cross-examine the witness. "If it pleased the court, I'd like to save all my cross-examinations for the end," says Rattletrap. Alpha Trion agrees and orders Optimus to step down.

Back at Trypticon prison where the Minicons, eyes still glowing evil red, skitter out of the cell block past the stasis still Lugnut, Blitzwing, Shockwave, and the Starscream clones. Back at the high tribunal, as Sari, looking tiny on the giant witness stand relates the showdown on Dinobot Island, illustrated with refused footage from Megatron Rising Part 2 in which Megatron attempted to place the Allspark into his own spark chamber, but she and Optimus were able to thwart Megatron and disperse this Allspark with her key. 

Back at Trypticon prison, where a pair of full-sized Autobot prison guards stop the Minicons. "Shouldn't you be attending to the prisoners?" The Minicons extend their nasty-looking interface spikes which crackle with energy as they swarm over the guards, overcoming them. The guards disappear under a sea of Minicons and all they can hear are their screams. Meanwhile, in the shadows at Trypticon prison, a shadowy figure with glowing red eyes smiles as he sees the prison guards being torn apart. The shadowy figure chuckled evilly as he intended to free Megatron and his Decepticons from prison while controlling the Minicons. The Minicons were about to attack the stranger in the dark when the stranger gazed into their optics with his red optics, hypnotizing them and influencing them to do his bidding.

Back at the high tribunal later as Bulkhead relates his kidnapping by Megatron who forced him to help complete the space bridge he would use in his attempt to take over Cybertron. Back at Trypticon prison where the Minicons activate a secret panel in the floor and descend, down, down, down a long elevator shaft, emerging at a hidden operations center. Lots of control panels and computer display screens with schematics of the complex, the City of Kaon, the entire planet of Cybertron, the Minicons go to work at the control stations. Back to the high tribunal as Ratchet relates Megatron's hijacking of Omega Supreme, Sentinel Prime glares at Optimus Prime, his spark full of envy as he still remembers that the gravely ill Ultra Magnus had chosen Optimus specifically to be his successor, but Sentinel wanted to make sure that his rival doesn't become Magnus anytime soon. As for Zeta Maxus, he disappeared from Metroplex and he wasn't there to witness the trial of Megatron because he was busy working on the Dark Energon in his lab.

Back at Trypticon prison, as the Minicons open a confiscated weapon storage unit, removing Shockwave's pulse cannon, Lugnut's explosive fist, Blitzwing's shoulder cannons, the Starscream clones' laser blasters, and finally, Megatron's twin swords and fusion cannon, completely battered from his encounter with Optimus Prime in Endgame Part 2. The Minicons begin to repair the fusion cannon. Meanwhile, in the cell block, bulletproof glass cell windows hiss open, stasis cuffs and mouth clamps pop Shockwave, Lugnut, Blitzwing, and the Starscream clones who all look around in confusion and stretch their arms and legs. The shadowy figure with the glowing red eyes smiled in the dark as if things seemed to be going according to plan. Back to the high tribunal, as Bumblebee relates Megatron's attack on Earth with the Lugnut Supremes, illustrated with reused footage from Endgame Part 2, he finishes with Optimus' final battle against Megatron, including the part about sparing his life, but rather than painting it as the cowardly act Sentinel wants, Bumblebee looks Optimus Prime in the eye and goes into a rousing speech about what a noble, inspiring act it was and how he could never endorse a manipulative creep like Sentinel for madness.

Sentinel Prime tries to cut him off but Bumblebee emphatically declares, "I'm with Optimus Prime all the way!" he then adds, hanging his head, "Even if he and all my friends never speak to me again." The courtroom erupts with cheers, mostly from Ratchet, Bulkhead, and Sari. Alpha Trion brings the room to order. Sentinel declares, "No further witnesses!" Alpha Trion asks Rattletrap if he would now like to cross-examine the witnesses. "Oh, you bet your racho grease I would!" cries Rattletrap as he approaches Bumblebee on the witness stand. "Just one point of clarification." He declares as he projects a holographic star chart. "This is testimony all referred to a planet called oyith." Alpha Trion turns to Rattletrap, confused. "Did you say oyith?" Rattletrap straightens himself up all proper like. "Excuse me your honor," he says, "I said oyith? I meant to say Earth." Now understanding, Alpha Trion calls for Rattletrap to proceed. "Proceeding," continues Rattletrap, turning to Bumblebee on the witness stand. "Mr. Bumblebee, could you point out said planet Earth on this here official like Cybertronian galactic star chart?" Bumblebee hesitates. It's not on the chart. Rattletrap gets all up in Bumblebee's face. "Are you saying Mr. Bumblebee that this planet oyith doesn't exist?!" he says. "Of course it exists," insists Bumblebee. He lived there for nearly a stellar cycle. "But how can that be?" asks Rattletrap. "The galactic star chart lists every planet in Cybertronian space."