Heart Like A Wheel Still piloting the shuttle he stole from Ultra Magnus for his getaway on Earth, Rodimus begins his daring assault on the Decepticons' asteroid base. On the ground, Acid Storm notices the incoming Autobot craft. Too late to call it in, Shrapnel makes the decision to blow it out of the sky, inadvertently destroying the Decepticon defense grid when the debris of Ultra Magnus's shuttle crashes into the base. Bombshell reports the incident to a withdrawn and disinterested Starscream, who is still wearing the Matrix around his neck. The Matrix catches Bombshell's eye, but when he reaches out for it, Starscream snaps at him and orders him away.
Back outside, Rodimus emerges from the osmium-alloy safe he hid in to survive the ship's destruction. Bombshell, Acid Storm and Shrapnel show up, looking for useful items to scavenge from the wreckage. Rodimus ambushes them and takes them out in short order, including using part of the safe as armor to block Bombshell's cerebro-shell attack. Thinking himself safe, Rodimus is then ambushed in turn by Razorclaw. Before Razorclaw can eviscerate him, Rodimus grabs the cerebro-shell and stuffs it down Razorclaw's throat, temporarily mind-controlling him.
Inside the base, Rodimus sends Razorclaw to attack Starscream. Starscream easily defeats the mind-weakened Razorclaw and then is confronted by Rodimus. Starscream is unimpressed, noting that his new position as Decepticon leader has led him to armor himself beyond anything Rodimus could damage him with. Without missing a beat, Rodimus shoots the Matrix instead, causing a discharge of energy which sends Starscream to the ground in a crumpled heap. Rodimus grabs the Matrix, feeling the pieces are falling into place for his destined escape...
...when he runs into a fully rebuilt Megatron. Rodimus holds up the Matrix threateningly, but Megatron blasts him through the torso, then blasts him into space with the Matrix. With Starscream having lost possession of the Matrix, Megatron orders Soundwave to gather the Decepticons, as they have work to do. Rodimus floats adrift in space, the Matrix still chained around his neck...
