TRANSFORMERS: Robots in Disguise
Episode 1.

BATTLE PROTOCOL!

A view of space becomes a cityscape shot of Tokyo. Three emergency vehicles speed down a highway, sirens blazing, followed by a second fire engine. The scene changes to the front of Koji’s house, and his bedroom, where he sleepily reaches out to a ringing alarm clock and turns it off, he looks at the time, then exclaims that he has slept in. He jumps out of bed, forgetting he is on the top bunk, and falls to the floor. He crawls away, rubbing his back.

Koji walks into the lounge/kitchen of the house, Koji pulls on a robe and grabs the Television remote, he turns on the TV and we see that there is a celebration in progress somewhere in the world. He calls out to his mom to hurry up.

We see more of the celebration and then a news reporter, who identifies the event as the first international scientific symposium. The view changes to a panel of scientists and then on an aerial shot of the stage.

The reporter announces Dr. Onishi and he steps forward to commence his talk. The scene switches back to Tokyo and Koji telling his mother to hurry up.

As Dr. Onishi speaks a loud rumbling interrupts him, suddenly a large hand erupts from the building and hovers in mid air as the debris from the building falls amongst the scared onlookers.

Megatron transforms to robot mode and hovers above the frightened patrons, he announces himself as Megatron, leader of the Predacons and future ruler of the galaxy, he says he needs energy and that one of the scientists knows where to find all the energy on Earth, he pinpoints Dr. Onishi, but the doctor is defiant.

Koji picks up his mobile phone and calls his father, who is about to tell him something when the transmission is cut off. Koji cries that someone needs to save his father, Optimus Prime connects to Koji’s phone and tells him that he will help to rescue the doctor, and asks Koji if he can meet the Autobot leader outside his house in five minutes, Koji reluctantly agrees and the transmission ends.

At the scene of a recent fire a fireman steps up to his truck and radios his base, telling them the blaze is under control, a voice from nearby asks him to step away from the fire engine, he complains that he is delusional, but Optimus Prime’s image appears over the viewer and explains that he needs to borrow the truck (in actuality Optimus himself, in vehicle mode). The fireman steps away and the truck thanks him and drives off with no one at the wheel. The fireman thinks he’s gone crazy, as does one of his workmates.

The scene changes again to Koji, who is waiting outside his house for his unknown contact to arrive. A Fire Engine pulls up next to him and tells him to get in quickly. Koji gets in reluctantly and is bemused to find no one is driving, he is further alarmed when his seat belt activates on its own. He becomes excited and scared, Optimus’ image appears on the viewer and tells him to take it easy, he then introduces himself and tells the boy that he is an Autobot from Cybertron, Koji finds it a bit much, but Optimus is in a hurry and he speeds down the freeway, Koji insists that his father is in New York, and that it will be impossible to cross the Pacific Ocean to rescue him, Optimus tells him that anything is possible. Optimus informs Koji that what he is about to see is a secret, Koji doesn’t understand. Optimus takes a closed-off road and Koji yells that the road is a dead end, Optimus continues and the fire truck jumps off the road, Koji yells in fear, but an access ramp for the spacebridge extends in time for Optimus to land on it. He enters the Space bridge via the ocean and explains how it works to Koji, the Autobot leader locks on to New York and drives on. 

Megatron hovers above a fearful crowd, he tells dr. Onishi that he has no choice, and he will help the Predacon. Dr. Onishi is defiant, but Megatron tells him that his resistance is futile, and that he rules many worlds. Onishi is adamant that he will not betray earth, and as a display of power Megatron transforms into his third mode, that of an enormous Bat. He tells Dr. Onishi that his power is greater than the doctor can imagine, and uses his sonic beam wave to illustrate his point.

Optimus comes out of the Global Spacebridge in New York and speeds toward the confrontation, he tells Koji it is too dangerous for the boy to be near the fight and moves him to the aft compartment of the truck. Optimus detaches his cab section and launches himself at Megatron. They collide and Megatron is stunned, but boasts that a ‘puny fire engine’ is not enough to defeat him. But a voice erupts from the cab and Optimus Prime transforms into robot mode. Megatron greets his enemy and Optimus replies by insisting that the Predacon leader leave, stating that the planet is protected by the Autobots. Megatron laughs it off, saying that once he’s finished there will be nothing to protect. They exchange threats and Megatron transforms to robot mode.

Koji witnesses the exchange and comes to the assumption that Autobots and Predacons are one and the same species. Optimus comes over the viewer explaining that they are, indeed, both cybertonian. Koji deduces that this means the Autobots are after the Earths energy reserves as well, and that Optimus lied to him, but Optimus explains the true nature of the Autobot/Predacon relationship. Koji asks how he should know who to trust, but Optimus tells him that is a decision only he can make.

Megatron attacks, hitting several buildings and raining debris down on his opponent. Optimus tells the crowd to take cover and is himself buried in the rubble. Megatron laughs assuming victory, asking the buried Optimus if he really assumed he had a chance at victory. Optimus breaks out of the rubble and informs his enemy that he never doubted his chances for a second, then fires a flame blaster beam at Megatron, throwing him through a building. Optimus warns Megatron that he had better leave, but Megatron, defiant, transforms to his fourth mode, a double-headed Dragon, and shoots a wall of flame between himself and Optimus, then calls the Predacon vermin to destroy Optimus.

Slapper erupts from the water and transforms from toad to robot mode, as does Gas Skunk from the ground and Dark Scream, a bat, from the air, they land before Optimus and attack. Slapper with his Right Spark laser, Dark Scream with his Center Spark laser and Gas Skunk with his Left Spark laser. Optimus avoided the attack by jumping out of the way, in the air he spies Megatron walking away and wonders where he is going.

Prime faces off against the Predacons, but is distracted by Koji, who is running for his father, the Autobot tries to convince him to come back, but is caught by Slapper’s tongue lash attack, it lasso’s around him and Gas Skunk uses the advantage to strike with his tail, Optimus avoids the strike, and the next from Dark Scream’s sword, then wriggles free of Slapper’s tongue. Optimus decides he needs some help and calls on T.A.I. to bring up the member select board and initiate Battle Protocol.

The holographic form of T.A.I. appears in Autobot headquarters and she activates the member select board, telling Optimus that the Autobot brothers are in the area. She calls on X-Brawn first, who is a privately owned Mercedes-Benz sports SUV. He apologetically ejects his driver and speeds off to meet the confrontation. Sideburn, a blue modified Dodge Viper is chasing after a red sports car when sirens sound behind him. Prowl, a Lamborghini Diablo police car, tells his brother to get a move on, and Sideburn laments loosing the chance to get to know the sports car better, the two drive off to rendezvous with X-Brawn in the global space bridge. Sideburn complains that he missed his chance with the car and X-Brawn laughs that if he was as good at fighting as he was at flirting then the Predacons wouldn’t stand a chance. He and Prowl speed off toward their destination with sideburn behind.

Koji runs to his fathers side but is stopped by Megatron, he is saved by X-Brawn who tells him to take cover, Koji runs off and X-Brawn is joined by his two brothers, the three transform to robot modes and inform Prime that they have arrived. Optimus welcomes them and tells them to keep the vermin at bay while he takes Megatron. The brothers jump into the fray and Prime runs toward Megatron. The Predacon leader transforms to his bat mode and attacks Dr. Onishi with a Sonic Beam Wave when Optimus fires on him, Megatron responds in kind with a hurricane shockwave.

X-Brawn faces off against Slapper, who tells him to take his best shot, X-Brawn reveals his intentions to do just that, but asks the Predacon to wait while he ‘runs an errand’. The Autobot transforms and drives up the stairwell of a nearby building. He launches from the roof and transforms, attacking Slapper with a volley of shots from the air.

Gas Skunk attacks Prowl with his Skunk Tail attack, but Prowl blocks the blow with his shield, then retaliates with his fusion rockets, neutralising the Predacon.

Dark Scream transforms to beast mode and swoops Sideburn, who complains that his paintjob is scratched from the attack, he responds by launching a heat-seeking missile at his opponent, who tries to fly out of its range.

Optimus is still struggling under Megatron’s onslaught; Koji tries to distract Megatron and when his ploy works Optimus attacks with a flying fist attack from his mini base. The attack lands and Megatron is stunned Megatron tries to bargain with Prime, offering to share the planet’s energy, but Optimus refuses. Megatron calls a retreat and transforms to Jet mode. Optimus congratulates him on a wise decision, but Megatron tractors Dr. Onishi on board at the last instant and escapes victorious.

Slapper and Gas Skunk retreat, having got what they came for, but Dark Scream is still being trailed by Sideburn’s missile, which hits the three and launches them into the air and away.

Koji laments the loss of his father, Optimus apologises to the boy and promises to get his father back. Koji protests that the Autobots cannot defeat the Predacons because they are too powerful, Optimus attests that the Autobots are more powerful, and that with Koji’s help, they will get his father back and defeat the Predacons finally.