Recap / Transformers G 1 Triple Takeover

Starscream, up to his usual antics, convinces Astrotrain and Blitzwing to help overthrow Megatron. Only for things to escalate when the Triple Changers turn the tables on him!

Tropes

• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Megatron proves at the end exactly why he's the leader of the Decepticons.
• Bad Boss: Blitzwing to the Constructicons after they build him his "Zone Defense" maze to trap the Autobots. They do not take this kindly.
• Bad Liar: Starscream, naturally, when he tries to cover up his own involvement in the plan as its instigator. Megatron sees through this almost instantly.
  Megatron: You led me into this trap!
  Starscream: I was tricked! The Triple Changers! They told me it was a power station!
  Megatron: You're either lying or you're stupid!
  Starscream: I'm stupid! I'm stupid!
• Batman Gambit: Optimus sics Megatron on the Triple Changers when he says he's looking for the real leader of the Decepticons, and calls Megatron a mosquito compared to them. Megatron responds by swearing he'll destroy the Triple Changers. Then Prime simply sits back and lets them work it out for themselves.
• Bullying a Dragon: Sure Blitzwing, mock and go back on your deal with the Constructicons, surely nothing bad will happen.
  Blitzwing: Tell you what, guys. Why don't you go build a bridge...and jump off it!
  Scrapper: Constructicons transform... into Devastator!
  [cue Oh, Crap! reaction from Blitzwing as a royally pissed off Devastator advances on him]
  Blitzwing: Hey! No offense, big guy!
• CPR: Clean, Pretty, Reliable: Spike is unconscious after Optimus pulls him out of the flood. Prime revives him by transforming into his truck mode, putting Spike behind the wheel, and blasting his air conditioning at him until he wakes up.
• Depending on the Artist: Astrotrain is consistently drawn and colored using outdated model sheets.
• Giant Wall of Watery Doom: Astrotrain's Astro Force accidentally destroys one of the city's water lines, and this trope is the result. The water is deep enough that it's up to Optimus Prime's chest, and he has to save Spike when he almost drowns. The Autobots have to clear the water from the city before they can go after the Triple Changers.
• Human Doorstop: Scrapper builds a throne out of several Autobots after they get taken out in the maze. Foreshadowing his own bid for power. The very same Autobots also do this willingly for Optimus, who turns down the offer.
• Human Popsicle: Starscream and the Triple Changers plan to do in Megatron by trapping him in a pipe filled with "absolute zero degree molecules". Only for Astrotrain and Blitzwing to pull this on Starscream as well.
• Idiot Ball: Once they betray Starscream, neither Astrotrain or Blitzwing have much in the way of brains, so they do things their own way, and neither work out as planned:
  • Astrotrain decides to attack a train station and commandeer the trains as his own personal army. It doesn't work between his lack of technical competence and the technology he has to work with, resulting in minions that don't do much other than crash into things and derail easily.
  • Blitzwing is not any better. Deciding that a football coach should be his sidekick and advisor in his bid to take command of the Decepticons. When he's finished with him, he hires the Constructicons and browbeats them for a bit until they have had enough and attack him. Things come to a head when Astrotrain and his trains and the recently freed Megatron and Starscream join the fray. Ending with Megatron the last one standing and cementing his leadership of the Decepticons.
• Let's You and Him Fight: While Megatron deals with his insubordinates, Ironhide tries to take a shot at them from afar. However, Optimus orders him to stand down and let the Decepticon leader handle everything. Megatron brings Starscream and the others back in line and leave the scene to avoid any further damage, saving the Autobots from lifting a servo to stop them.
• Mecha-Mooks: Astrotain attempts this with his train army. Unfortunately, they prove a little bit on the dumb side and crash into each other more often than not. One of them even inadvertently frees Megatron and Starscream from their frozen prison.
• Monumental Damage: The episode opens with Starscream, Astrotrain and Blitzwing carving their likenesses (and Megatron's) into a mountain ala Mount Rushmore. Only to then blow up the Megatron formation when they decide to overthrow him.
• Never Trust a Title: Implied to be about Starscream, Astrotrain, and Blitzwing enacting their plan to betray Megatron. However, Starscream is betrayed by the other two. Serves as a Double Meaning as Astrotrain and Blitzwing are known as "Triple Changers", thanks to possessing both air and ground vehicle forms.
• Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Astrotrain's "Astroforce" accidentally frees Megatron and Starscream, thus setting up his and Blitzwing's downfall. Blitzwing's treatment of the Constructicons doesn't exactly help things either.
• Nobody Calls Me "Chicken"!: This is how Starscream tricks Megatron into walking into the Triple-Changers' trap alone.
  Megatron: We'll need reinforcements.
  Starscream: Reinforcements? This our mission, Megatron, we don't need to share the glory! Unless...unless Megatron is afraid!
  Megatron (after shoving Starscream): Megatron knows no fear!
• Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: Astrotrain and Blitzwing immediately betray Starscream's betrayal by leaving him to freeze alongside Megatron.
• Pass the Popcorn: Once the Decepticon free-for-all kicks off, we see this trope in action.
  • The Seekers mostly watch and have a Side Bet.
  • The Autobots seem content to just watch and make sure no humans get hurt.
    Optimus Prime: <chuckles> I never get involved in domestic squabbles.
    Ironhide: I think we'll need a program to follow the players.
• Side Bet: Several of the Seekers do this as Megatron and Starscream head off to the arena to deal with Astrotrain and Blitzwing. Thundercracker and Thrust bet for and against Megatron, while Ramjet bets on Devastator to win.
• The Starscream: The Trope Namer himself comes up with the idea for the titular "Triple Takeover", only for the Triple Changers to backstab him and force him and Megatron to stop them. Things only get worse when the Constructicons, tired of Blitzwing bossing them around decides to turn on him. Then announce, as Devastator, their own bid for leadership.
  Blitzwing: We've got to band together to stop Devastator!
  Astrotrain: I'm with you guys.
  Blitzwing: No you're not, traitor!
  Megatron: I see two traitors here!
  Astrotrain: Megatron, you're making a mistake!
  Blitzwing: Starscream's the real traitor!
  Starscream: Don't listen to them, Megatron!
  Megatron: Why not? Are they too close to the truth?
• Status Quo Is God: Enforced by Megatron, after the four-way attempted coup between Starscream, the Triple Changers and the Constructicons end when them all on the ground defeated. With Megatron declaring himself the TRUE leader of the Decepticons.
  Megatron: Get this straight: I am Decepticon leader. You are recyclable!
• Villain Episode: As expected from a "Starscream tries to take over the Decepticons again" plot. Optimus is even content with just letting the whole thing play out after encountering Megatron.
• Wins by Doing Absolutely Nothing: The Autobots are noticeably more passive in the last part of the episode and are content to wait out the internecine fracas occurring at the stadium. By allowing Megatron, Starscream, Astrotrain, Blitzwing, and the Constructicons to kick each other around, Optimus Prime and his Autobots need only wait for the combatants to tire and the dust to settle (Optimus even has to wave off Ironhide before the latter joins the festivities blaster-first, wisely recognizing that letting the Decepticons waste their energy on each other is the sounder strategy). Megatron comes out on top but is not up for anything more taxing than collecting his crew of rebellious idiots and going back to their base, causing the coup attempt to collapse then-and-there without further input from our heroes.
• You Will Be Spared: Megatron's response over the downed troops that tried to backstab him. Though he adds that he'll go back on his word if they try again.
  Megatron: The Decepticon cause supersedes personal vengeance. But never forget that I, Megatron, will always be leader of the Decepticons!