Having been retrieved from his close encounter with the Stunticons, Spike Witwicky is on his way back to base aboard a Skywatch gunship when the craft receives word of an altercation nearby. Heading to investigate, they find Ultra Magnus's Autobots locked in battle with a gestalt Decepticon. Lacking the ordnance to take out the monster themselves, Spike has the ship return to base, where he is able to convince Optimus Prime to help end the fight before human populations become endangered. Despite the mission not being officially sanctioned, Spike, Prime and a team of Skywatch troops set out for the battle site in a transport plane.

Meanwhile, the mentally fragmented Menasor has apparently defeated Ultra Magnus, and a smug Swindle gives a gloating monologue to his long-time adversary. The speech is interrupted, however, when Optimus airdrops in and lands directly onto the Decepticon. Whilst the former Autobot leader engages Menasor, Bumblebee is saved from Scrapper by Thundercracker, who has no desire to see the war continue.

The Seeker leaves to help Rodimus, as Bumblebee notices that Menasor's components are failing to work together. With this realization, he has the Autobots focus on each Stunticon in turn until their increasing arguments leaves the combiner completely incapacitated. As Spike's forces move in to clean up, Bumblebee orders that the Autobots do not flee, tired of living like fugitives.

After a short conversation, Spike and Bumblebee reach an agreement: the Autobots will work together with Skywatch to hunt Decepticons, and in return will be given accommodation and energy resources. A barely-recovered Ultra Magnus storms up to the two leaders, demanding to know what became of Swindle after the battle, but learns that he escaped. At that moment he notices Rodimus, who is sitting and moping about the failure of his plan to leave the planet. Magnus attempts to arrest him for colluding with Decepticons, but Bumblebee stands up to him, taking issue with the law enforcer undermining his position as Autobot leader. Whilst Bumblebee asserts his authority, Rodimus slips off, steals Magnus's ship, and flees Earth. Scornful of Rodimus' cowardice, the Autobots who followed him rejoin under the finally confident Bumblebee.

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