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WISE FWOM YOUR GWAVE
"Darkest Hour"
Season	2
No. in season	26
Production company	Hasbro Studios
Airdate	November 2, 2012
Written by	Steven Melching
Directed by	Vinton Heuck
Animation studio	Polygon Pictures
Watch this episode on YouTube

When Megatron turns the power of the Omega Lock on Earth, Optimus is forced into making a risky decision that could have inescapable consequences for the entire Autobot team.

Synopsis

Jack: It's all because of us.
Miko: We're so fragged.
Raf: Can I go to the bathroom?

The two groups stand on Cybertron, locked in a face-off. While the Autobots have the Omega Keys, the Decepticons have Jack, Raf and Miko. Megatron orders Starscream to get ready to expose Jack to Cybertron's toxic atmosphere. Though the kids are ready to sacrifice themselves to save the planet, Optimus Prime isn't, and the Autobots throw down their weapons. Bulkhead hands over his key in exchange for Miko, Bumblebee hands over his for Raf, and Megatron insists that as someone who was entrusted with the Matrix of Leadership, Jack is surely worth two keys, so Arcee and Smokescreen are compelled to hand over theirs. The exchange done, a space bridge opens and the Autobots are quickly surrounded by Vehicons.

On Earth, Ratchet gets a call from June Darby, worried as she can't get in touch with Jack. Ratchet, unable to get in touch with Optimus and unaware that the kids are on Cybertron, is more concerned with keeping the comm lines clear, and quickly ends the call.

Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave and Knock Out each hold a key, and activate the Omega Lock. At a touch from Megatron, the lock sends out a beam of energy that recreates a nearby ruin, turning it into a pristine building. Though Optimus requests he be allowed to take the humans back to Earth, Megatron announces they'll be safer where they are. He has Starscream open up a space bridge portal over the Omega Lock site, and unleashes a mechaforming beam through it... to Earth, just outside of Jasper, Nevada. A horrified June drops her phone, and the Autobot base's systems go haywire from the energy overload.

"I've been watching far too many movies."

Miko wonders aloud if the beam will simply restore Earth, but Optimus says that this won't be the case; the beam will instead cyberform the planet, tuning it into another metallic world, and in the process destroy all indigenous life. Unable to let Earth die, Optimus leaps into action, slicing his way through the guards with his blade and lunging for the Star Saber. Though Megatron tries to respond with the Dark Star Saber, Optimus neatly cleaves the purloined Prime arm off of the Decepticon leader and sends the Dark blade flying, charging the Lock. Starscream gets his face stamped on as he tries to stop Optimus, and the other two Decepticons dive for cover as the Star Saber finds its mark, resulting in a massive explosion.

The cyberforming beam dissipates, and Ratchet's equipment clears up in time to get a transmission from Optimus requesting a space bridge. As the Decepticons pick themselves out of the rubble, the Autobots retreat through back to Earth. Knock Out quips, earning a quick backhand from Starscream, snarling that he needs to attend to their wounded leader. Starscream's ranting at Optimus's actions is cut of by a burst of maniacal laughter from Megatron... "They can run, but they can never again run home!"

Always check the (future) neighbors out before you sign the lease.

Ratchet is aghast as the Autobots return carrying the children, and even more so when they tell him Optimus has destroyed the Omega Lock. He staggers, lamenting that the sheer depth of loss the war has brought has all come to naught, with Cybertron now doomed to forever be a lifeless husk. Smokescreen snaps at Ratchet, claiming it's not his place to question Optimus's battlefield decisions, and Ratchet does not exactly react well to that. The discussion is cut short by a call from an absolutely furious Agent Fowler, suggesting they take a look outside. As the Autobots reach the mountaintop via elevator, they find a huge Cybertronian fortress now stands right on their doorstep. Fowler, landing his helicopter next to them, wonders why they picked Jasper. As the Nemesis arrives, the answer becomes painfully clear: the Decepticons have found the Autobot base.

Megatron, still missing his arm, rallies his air troops with a speech damning Optimus for his actions, and Starscream launches his armada of silver-toned Jet Vehicons, followed by the Insecticon horde. The Autobots retreat into the base, but Fowler jumps back into his helicopter and flies directly through the oncoming Decepticon formations. While he's soon outgunned and being chased by Vehicons, the Jackhammer streaks into view—Wheeljack has come to lend a hand, much to the surprise of the Autobots, since their last parting was not exactly on friendly terms.

We're going 'til the world stops turning, while we burn it to the ground tonight!

Optimus orders the Autobots to abandon base via GroundBridge, each departing to different locations in the USA in the hopes that it will allow them to evade capture easier and regroup. Bumblebee and Raf head out first, then Bulkhead and Miko, then Arcee and Jack. Outside, Fowler avoids more Decepticons only to see the Nemesis moving into position over the Autobot base. At the same time, June is approaching the base by car in search of her son, but is stopped by a low-flying Vehicon. Fowler moves fast, gunning the Decepticon down and pulling June to safety. Though Wheeljack has bought the Autobots time, the numbers are against him, and a pair of seeking missiles from Starscream soon send the Jackhammer plummeting to Earth in a trail of smoke.

Smokescreen having departed on his own, Ratchet and Optimus are the last ones left in the base. Optimus tells Ratchet to go on, while he will make sure the Decepticons can't follow. Realizing the implications, Ratchet sadly takes his leave. Optimus moves to use the Star Saber to destroy the space bridge controls, but at that moment his task is rendered moot as the Nemesis fires a colossal cannon, destroying the Autobot base in a huge explosion.

Megatron and Starscream fly down to the remains, landing on the Autobot insignia. The two gloat over their victory... and not far, all that can be seen of Optimus is his hand sticking out from the burning rubble...

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"I guess we should cancel the welcome home party."

—Knock Out

"Optimus... we needed that."

—Ratchet

"Our opportunity to revive Cybertron has been lost, due to the treachery of Optimus Prime. But from our fortress of New Kaon, we will instead seize control of this world! Decepticons! Transform and rise up!"

—Megatron

"We're still on the same team Doc. Always will be."

—Wheeljack

"And that's how you wreck a Wrecker!"

—Starscream

"I... never imagined it would end like this."
"Neither did I, old friend."

—Ratchet and Optimus Prime on the breaking of Team Prime

"This is the place, all right."
"This was the place."
"United we stand, divided they fall."

—Starscream and Megatron

Notes

Continuity notes

• Megatron remembers that Jack was entrusted with the Matrix of Leadership back in "Orion Pax, Part 3". Technically, Jack was entrusted with the Key to Vector Sigma, but the end result is the same.
• Ratchet vaguely references the events of "Hurt" when expressing surprise at Wheeljack's arrival. This also seems to be the reason why no one enlisted his aid for the events of the previous episode.
• Optimus cuts off Megatron's Prime arm, which he acquired in "Alpha/Omega".
• Soundwave began narrowing down the location of the Autobots' base through knowledge of their human allies' residences within Jasper in "Hard Knocks", and Laserbeak was in driving distance of the base when he found Smokescreen. Though considering Megatron was angrily ranting about finding the base at the end of "Inside Job", the Decepticons must've finally found it in the short span of time between then and Megatron's departure to Cybertron in the previous episode, considering Megatron decided to plant New Kaon right on the Autobots' doorstep in this episode.

Transformers references

• "Darkest hour", yet again.
• Megatron commands his troops to "Transform and rise up!", a phrase coined by the Animated Megatron in "Megatron Rising - Part 2".
• Megatron plans to cyberform Earth.

Real-world references

• Optimus Prime explains that the Omega Lock will "cyberform your planet in favor of its new matrix, destroying all indigenous life in the process," a reference to the Genesis Device in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Spock, describing the effect of the Device on an inhabited world, explains that it "would destroy such life, in favor of its new matrix."

Animation and technical errors

• As in previous episodes, Megatron's jet mode retains the fusion cannon even though he no longer has it.
• During Ratchet's last scene before he enters the GroundBridge, part of his helmet goes through his chest.
• When Optimus transforms his arm into his regular sword, the Vehicons behind him are suddenly ground units.
• When Starscream takes off with his Vehicon armada, one of the Vehicons transforms and stops mid-air mid-transformed behind Knock Out.
• The Autobots must really be in disarray after the Omega Lock's destruction if they thought it was a good idea to just stand on top of their base (which was already marked with a conspicuous helicopter pad for Fowler) when they know that Laserbeak was within driving distance of the base during "Hard Knocks". Arcee even makes a point about the gravity of the Decepticons being close enough to the base to be able to find the kids right before Fowler alerts them to New Kaon's presence.

Trivia

ARE YOU SARAH CONNOR?

• A new type of Decepticon flyer debuts, sporting a silver and grey paint job. According to the season three DVD commentary, they were an off-screen gift from Megatron to Starscream for returning to the Decepticons.
  • They also possess a red Decepticon insignia just like Starscream.
• June has evidently bought a new car, her old one having been destroyed in "One Shall Rise, Part 1".
• Optimus makes use of his integrated sword for the first time since the arrival of the Star Saber.
• Fowler manages to kill four Decepticons in this episode, two of which he shoots down with the gun on his helicopter. He must have gotten an upgrade after its lackluster performance in "Darkness Rising, Part 3" and "Crisscross".
• Soundwave actually cackles along with Megatron, Starscream, and Knock Out during the activation of the Omega Lock on Earth. His voice is not audible, but the laughing motion of his head is noticeable.
• Optimus' "death" was added in so there would be a reason to give Optimus a new body in season three.^[1]

Foreign localization

French

• Title: "Le Nouveau Kaon" ("The New Kaon")
• Original airdate: ?

German

• Title: "Die Entscheidung" ("The Choice")
• Original airdate: 27 February 2013

Japanese

• Title: "Kyūkyoku Henkei! Tatakae! Transformers" (究極変形!戦え!トランスフォーマー, "Ultimate Transformation! Fight! Transformers")
• Original airdate: 30 March 2013
• The title is a reference to Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers, the Japanese title of the original Generation 1 franchise.
• Cut: As the Japanese broadcast of Prime had to limit the show to only 52 episodes, "Darkest Hour" became the series finale. To accommodate this new role, the entire cliffhanger ending in which the Autobot base is destroyed was cut and the series ends on a more ambiguous tone (the final shot is of Optimus destroying the control panel). Editing like this would make 4Kids blush.

Italian

• Title: "L'ora più buia" ("The darkest hour"), "L'Ora più Oscura" (2017 airing, "The Darkest Hour")
• Original airdate: 19 February 2013

Portuguese

• Title: "A Hora Mais Escura" (The Darkest Hour")
• Original airdate: ?

Home video releases

DVD

2012 — Transformers Prime — Season Two (Shout! Factory)
2013 — Transformers Prime — Vol. 26 (Avex Trax) — Japanese audio only.
2014 — Transformers Prime — Volume 5: Advance on Cybertron (Madman Entertainment)
2014 — Transformers Prime — Folge 12: Die Entscheidung (EDEL:kids) — English and German audio.
2014 — Transformers Prime — Season Two Collection (Madman Entertainment)
2014 — Transformers Prime — Saison 2 Vol. 4: Bataille épiques (Primal Screen)
2015 — Transformers Prime — Season 2 Vol. 4: Darkest Hour (Primal Screen)
2015 — Transformers Prime — Intégrale Saison 2 (Primal Screen)
2015 — Transformers Prime — Stagione 2 Vol. 4: L'ora più buia (Primal Screen) — English, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Norwegian audio.
2015 — Transformers Prime — The Complete Season 2 (Primal Screen)
2015 — Transformers Prime — La Seconda Stagione Completa (Primal Screen) — English, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Norwegian audio.

Blu-ray

2012 — Transformers Prime — Season Two (Shout! Factory)
2015 — Transformers Prime — Season Two Collection (Madman Entertainment)

References