Security Protocols

« Transformers: EarthSpark ep 14 »
"I don't have friends...I got family"
"Security Protocols"
Season	1
No. in season	14
Production company	Entertainment One Nickelodeon
Airdate	March 3, 2023 (Paramount+) June 15, 2023 (Nickelodeon)
Writer	Lorin Williams
Director	J.J. Conway
Animation studio	Icon Creative Studio
Watch this episode on Paramount+

Agent Schloder is hot on the trail of exposing Bumblebee, while a simmering conflict between the Terrans finally boils over.

Synopsis

There's a bee in this farm...

G.H.O.S.T. Cadets Kwan, Conway and Rosato are scanning for energon signatures at Witwicky Raceway when they spot a high-powered sports car doing laps before using a boost to leave the arena. Once Rosato successfully scans the energon traces, Kwan contacts Agent Schloder to report they've located Bumblebee.

Twitch, ready for another day of training, finds Hashtag, Thrash and Nightshade racing around the field, which Robby tells her is helping Bumblebee train for the Witwicky 500. Twitch is just wondering where Bee is, when the Autobot speeds into view and boosts past the other racers to reach the finish line first. Unfortunately Robby records Bee hasn't improved on his time of 3:36. Bumblebee zooms off for another attempt, while Twitch, annoyed at not doing actual training, starts shooting at Thrash. Bumblebee arrives back in time to separate the pair, and tells them to go cool off in the dugout.

The kids head down to the dugout, where Twitch and Thrash continue to argue. As Twitch is explaining that they need to train, an alarm sounds and the dugout goes into emergency lockdown mode. Nightshade explains that it's a measure they built in that triggers when a G.H.O.S.T. vehicle is detected nearby. Outside, Bumblebee spots Agent Schloder arriving and heads into the barn, only to find the dugout is sealed and he instead has to hide in the barn. Schloder heads into the barn looking for the Malto's sports car and is intercepted by Dot Malto, who claims that the vehicle is in the shop. Over drinks in the kitchen, Scholder shows the trail of photos of Bumblebee winning races across the world and shares his theory that the energon traces found at each location suggest it's Bumblebee. When he shows the Maltos a photo of Bumblebee from the raceway, Alex suggests that maybe Bumblebee scanned his car, and Schloder enlists his help. In the dugout, the kids see the Agent taking Alex away and attempt to leave, only to discover that the dugout is now on lockdown for ten hours, due to a mistake on Nightshade's part, and the manual override fails. Also the escape pods haven't been installed yet.

After Schloder drives off with Alex, Dot goes to have a word with Bumblebee. Bee's been trying to lure out an old friend from Cybertron who keeps entering races. When Dot points out that Schloder is laying a trap for him, Bumblebee points out he has energon suppressors to mask his signature, and also that if he now doesn't show up, Schloder will realize someone is helping him. Dot has a plan.

At the raceway, Bumblebee finds Breakdown hiding out in a building. The pair reflect on how the war drove them apart before Bee warns his friend about the trap G.H.O.S.T. have set. Breakdown is confident he can handle it, upsetting Bumblebee who has a family to think about, but further argument is interrupted as the pair have to hide while Cadet Conway wanders past. Breakdown makes a bet with Bumblebee, promising to retire if Bumblebee wins while Bumblebee will give him an energon suppressor if he wins.

Back in the dugout, as the countdown reaches five hours, Twitch is trying to think of ways for them to get out. Thrash is increasingly irritated by this, but as it turns out, Twitch is feeling like too much is depending on her. Thrash reassures her they're all in it together, and they go to watch the race, which Hashtag has tuned in to. Schloder and Alex take a seat at the raceway, and as Alex observes the audience are all G.H.O.S.T. agents, they're joined by Agent Croft. The cars pull out onto the track, at which point Schloder recognizes Bumblebee and G.H.O.S.T. vehicles crash out onto the track, surrounding the racers before they can even start the race. The agents move in on Bumblebee, only for Dot to step out with the story she's been secretly borrowing Alex's car to race. Croft insists they scan for energon anyway, and Rosato's scanner picks up Breakdown. The Con transforms and does his best to evade the G.H.O.S.T. forces, however during the fight, a rogue projectile hits the pole for a scoreboard, sending it crashing towards Schloder and the agents nearby him. With no other choice, Bumblebee transforms and catches the scoreboard, saving the lives of all present but also revealing himself.

There's always a choice. Just never had the guts to make the right one.

Still watching in the dugout, Twitch decides she needs out and starts attacking the door with her swords. G.H.O.S.T. soon has Bumblebee pinned down, but when Schloder orders him taken in, Breakdown frees the Autobot only for the pair to immediately be surrounded. Dot rigs a G.H.O.S.T. truck to crash into the arena, making an opening for Bee and Breakdown to escape through. A race ensues, and as the pair head for the only exit, they're blocked by Croft, who manages to force Breakdown to transform by firing at him. Bee tries to get his friend to move, but Breakdown has a new plan involving one of them acting as a diversion. They race towards the barricade, Breakdown taking heavy fire from the G.H.O.S.T. weapons before crashing and allowing Bumblebee to escape.

Croft stops Dot and Alex from leaving, but Schloder believes Bumblebee fooled the Maltos as much as anyone. Croft acquiesces and Schloder gives the Maltos a ride home. They arrive back just as the dugout finally frees the Terrans. Mo realizes Bumblebee is missing, and her parents explain that he will have to go into hiding for now, to protect them all. Twitch is especially upset at the news and throws her swords to the ground, despite Thrash's attempts to assure her Bumblebee did what was right.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"I'm tired of feeling scared when my family is danger! What if we're not ready? What if Dad needs us? What if I don't know what to do or...? That's why training is always so important to me. We've had so many close calls and I...I don't know what if I would do if I lost any of you on my watch."

—Twitch vents about the fears she has for her Terran siblings.

(chuckles) "...Slowpoke."

—Breakdown enjoys one last victory over Bumblebee as he helps his friend escape.

Notes

Continuity notes

• The Maltos previously fooled Schloder into thinking that Bumblebee was Alex's car back in "Classified".
• Schloder confirms that the Transformers' war ended 15 years prior, marking the first time we've been explicitly told how much time has passed since then.

Transformers references

• Breakdown mentions being a Stunticon.

Real-world references

• Several racetrack sponsor logos appear to reference real-life companies, albeit with fictional names such as FedUp, referencing FedEx; Ride, referencing Tide; and Sunny, referencing Sunoco, to name a few.

Errors

Trivia

Foreign localization

Brazilian Portuguese

• Title: "Protocolos de segurança" ("Security protocols")
• Original airdate: March 4, 2023

German

• Title: "Das große Rennen von Witwicky"
• Alternate Title: Sicherheitsprotokolle
• Original airdate: March 4, 2023

French

• Title: "Protocoles de sécurité" ("Security protocols")
• Original airdate: April 27, 2023

Hungarian

• Title: "Az előírás szentírás" ("Instructions are Sacred Texts")
• Original airdate: April 27, 2023
  • Though the dub for the most part makes an effort to stay true to the G1 Marvel Comics' Hungarian translations, Breakdown was understandably renamed from Vibrátor (Industrial Vibrator) to Membrán (Reed Valve).

Home video releases

DVD

2024 — Transformers: EarthSpark - Season 1: Episodes 11-26 (Paramount)