"The world in which we live is a different one than previously imagined. One which has spawned its own Decepticons... In human skin."
— Optimus Prime
Tropes:
- Armor-Piercing Response: Fowler starts a conversation with Prime thanking him for helping him get the prototype to it's location...and then accuses him and the Decepticons for bringing their war to Earth. Optimus then reminds him that humans have done just as much harm to each other as the Autobots have. Fowler is flustered, and tries to change the subject.
- Big Bad Ensemble: MECH is independent of the Decepticons, and while they're less inclined towards genocide than the 'Cons, they're still dangerous and their victory would qualify as a bad end.
- Big Damn Heroes: Optimus shows up just in time to stop the train that was carrying Jack, Miko and the DNGS from going off the rails.
- Bizarre Alien Biology: Ratchet lists all of the reasons why the kids shouldn't bridge onto the moving train, namely the fact that they could be injured. One of the injuries he lists is metal burn...and then he remembers he's talking to humans.Ratchet: Well, maybe not that one...
- Car Fu: The Autobots dispose of MECH's cars this way.
- Didn't Think This Through: Jack and Miko think that they could hold off MECH from the DNGS with their own efforts, even though two teenagers are definitely no match for a heavily armed militia. MECH responds by blowing up the train's tracks and then Miko starts blaming Jack for getting her into this, even though it's Miko herself who's always trying to get into the action cause it's exciting.
- Every Car Is a Pinto: Being flipped over causes MECH's cars to explode.
- From Bad to Worse: The plan to smuggle the DNGS away on a train would have worked...if Starscream hadn't dispatched a squadron of Vehicons to attack the Autobots for no reason. The Autobots are forced to transform in view of MECH agents (who develop a fascination with Cybertronians for the next season-and-a-half), and the Vehicons blowing up Prime's trailer reveal that the DNGS is no longer with them, leading to Silas realizing where it is.
- Fun with Acronyms: The DNGS, pronounced Dingus
- Gosh Dang It to Heck!: Fowler uses this when it's revealed that they aren't being pursued by Decepticons, but by human terrorists.
- Humans Are the Real Monsters: Optimus is disgusted that there are humans out there who are perfectly willing to pull off the same warmongering tactics Decepticons do.
- Hypocrite:
- Agent Fowler complains to Optimus that the Transformers are warlike in nature and should not have brought their war to Earth. Optimus rebuffs at him that humans have had their own wars on Earth as well, and Optimus's point really gets driven further when MECH, a human militia, ambushes them for the DNGS.
- Miko asks Jack why he dragged her along. Getting on the train to help was her idea.
- Idiot Ball:
- Optimus should know better than to take a phone call in the middle of a fight against Vehicon troopers.
- The usually sensible Jack gets to hold it when he goes along with Miko's plan to help defend the DNGS from MECH's soldiers. After all... (read below)
- In Harm's Way: Jack and Miko are two kids intercepting heavily armed goons. Really?
- Know When to Fold 'Em: Silas gives up trying steal the DNGS when Optimus catches up to and instead attempts to derail the train so the DNGS will get wrecked as he retreats.
- Mugging the Monster: When trying to steal the DNGS, MECH thinks they are only dealing with "an unarmed civilian truck". The Autobots don't even need to transform to trash the MECH cars.
- Mythology Gag: In Japan, most incarnations of Optimus Prime are renamed Convoy.
- Never My Fault: Miko for blaming Jack for taking her onto the train right when Silas blows up the tracks, when it's always Miko's own decision to get in on the action.
- No MacGuffin, No Winner: Silas tries this, but Optimus manages to save the DNGS.Silas: Never leave the enemy with the spoils! (pulls out a gun to aim at the train tracks)
- Not Me This Time: The Autobots are surprised to learn that their new adversaries are human, having at first blamed Starscream for shooting down Fowler.
- Papa Bear: Ratchet still isn't fond of most humans, but he immediately shuts down Miko's idea to bridge onto a moving train, citing all the ways that they could get hurt. Raf has to help talk him into it before he finally agrees.
- Real After All: Silas says seeing the Autobots transform confirms rumors he had heard.
- Ship Tease: One scene implies that Jack may have some feelings for Miko. Seems pretty one-sided, though.
- Simple Solution Won't Work: The idea fo simply groundbridging the DNGS to it's destination is veteod by Ratchet, who notes that, based on what he can tell of the device, the groundbridge would cause it to destabilize and explode.
- Telephone Polearm: Combined with Improvised Weapon, a Decepticon grunt uses a wooden log to knock Optimus off a cliffside. Bonus points for being large enough to actually use a log as an effective weapon.
- Train Job: Attempted by MECH.
- Train Stopping: Optimus does this. For bonus points, he stops it slowly enough to avert Inertia Is a Cruel Mistress.
- Villainous Underdog: MECH had no chance against the Autobots, even taking into account MECH had no idea who they were going up against. The only reason they even came close to stealing the DNGS was because of Starscream's intervention.
- Worthy Opponent: After Optimus both stops his attempt to steal the DNGS and keeps the train from crashing, Silas can only say, "Well played, visitor."
