The Autobots were struggling to get themselves free of the giant Soundwave that was absorbing them.
"Huh, keep fighting. Remember, this is all an illusion created by Soundwave," said Optimus.
"Sure feels real to me," said Bumblebee.
In the real world, Soundwave was using his keytar to brainwash the Autobots.
"Operation: Autobot Reprogramming near completion," said Soundwave. "Autobots will succumb to the will of Soundwave."
However, a wire, which had snapped off earlier from Sari's attack, then fell upon his console, short-circuiting it.
"Error! Reprogramming interruption," said Soundwave.
In the virtual world, Bulkhead was using his wrecking ball to try and free them, but then the giant Soundwave disappeared, making the Autobot fall to the ground.
"Wow, don't know my own strength," said Bulkhead.
"More likely, there's a weakness in Soundwave's VR program," said Ratchet.
"Perhaps I can exploit that weakness," said Prowl, then he used his processor-over-matter technic.
"Not that processor-over-matter garbage again," Bumblebee muttered. "That trick never—"Prowl then disappeared. "—works."
Prowl work up to find himself on berth and found Soundwave busy fixing a wire. He took off his headset and moved to free Optimus, but then he was hit by a shockwave and hit into the wall.
"Foolish Autobot, there is no escape from Soundwave," said Soundwave.
Soundwave then plugged him back into the VR computer, and you joined the other Autobot.
"Prowl, what happened?" Optimus asked, running up to him.
"I underestimate Soundwave," said Prowl as he stood up. "A mistake I won't make twice."
Then suddenly, there was a bright light, and the Autobots turned back into their human forms.
"Not again," Bumblebee complained.
"He's regaining control of the virtual world," said Optimus.
"Come on, transform already. Don't leave me stuck in this fleshy bag!" Ratchet begged.
"Autobot Reprogramming will take longer than anticipated," Soundwave admitted. "Further interference must be prevented. Operation: Organic Control!"
He then unleashed a massive soundwave across the entire city, which began operating all the Soundwave toys. They then hypnotised every human, putting them all under Soundwave's control.
Meanwhile, in the virtual world, Bulkhead was smashing things in the hopes that it would get them out.
"I think he's finally blown a head gasket," said Bumblebee.
"I don't see anyone else getting us out of this crazy video game," said Bulkhead.
"That's because it doesn't work that way. Most of this is automated code. What we needed to find is Soundwave's interface." Ratchet explained.
Bulkhead then stopped smashing things.
"Right like visual icon something that suggests Soundwave," said Optimus.
"You mean like that?" Bumblebee asked, pointing at a Soundwave's vehicle mode, which was heading straight towards them.
They quickly jumped out of the way before it ran them over.
"Autohumans after that vehicle," Optimus ordered.
"How?" Bulkhead asked.
"In those pointing," said Optimus pointing at their own vehicle modes.
Then they all ran to their vehicles, but Bumblebee had to push virtual Captain Fanzone out of his car.
"Sorry, Captain, official business," said Bumblebee, and then he saw Optimus glaring at him. "What? It's not like the guy, real."
Then Optimus looked at the driving equipment. "Huh, maybe this isn't going to be easy as I thought."
Back in the real world, Sari had reached Sumdac Tower to get her father to help.
"Dad… Dad!" Sari called, trying to find him. Then she saw a shadow. "Huh, Soundwave!" She was about to fire an energy ball but then saw it was the Soundwave toy. "I don't have time for your old song and dance."
She then kicked it and walked away in search of her father.
Soundwave was watching her through the security cameras. "The female cybernetic and organic physique must make her immune to the music. She cannot be controlled. Therefore she must be destroyed."
Sari managed to locate her father in his lab.
"Dad!" she cried. Then she ran up and hugged him. "I'm so glad I found you. Soundwave has the Autobots jacked them in some crazy machine to reprogram them. We have to help." Then she noted that her dad wasn't doing anything and ran up in front of him. "Hello, Earth to Dad."
There was still no response, then she noted one of the Soundwave toys. "The techno-organic must be destroyed," said Professor Sumdac in a robotic-like voice before he jumped at her and missed.
"Dad, you're kind of freaking me out here. You're talking just like… Soundwave, he must have found a way to brainwash humans too," said Sari.
Then Professor Sumdac got back up. "The techno-organic must be destroyed."
Then he walked towards her Sari then blasted the Soundwave toy.
"This concert is over," she said.
"The techno-organic must be destroyed," said Professor Sumdac.
"Dad, listen! Soundwave is controlling you. You got to fight it," Sari pleaded as she backed up.
"The techno-organic must be destroyed," said Professor Sumdac.
"Don't come any closer. I… I don't want to hurt you," Sari warned, but when Professor Sumdac didn't stop, she fired an energy ball at the shelf, making it fall on him. "I'm really sorry about that, Dad."
She then activated her jetpack to fly out of the window.
In Soundwave's virtual reality, the Autohumans were following Soundwave's avatar, but they were having difficulties controlling their vehicles. Proven by Bulkhead when he smashed into a truck.
"Hey! Take it easy, leadfoot!" The driver yelled.
"What, it's not lead anymore!" Bulkhead said as he looked at his foot, making him crash into Bumblebee, denting the bumper.
"Virtual Fanzone's gonna be ticked!" said Bumblebee looking at the damage
"I have to hand it to the humans driving is much more difficult than it looks," said Optimus as the fire-suppressant equipment is out of control.
"This ain't so hard," said Ratchet as he drove backwards
"It's merely a matter of becoming one with the machiAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Prowl yelled as he accidentally did a wheelie.
"It certainly much easier when you're the vehicle!" said Elita as she attempted to stay in a straight line.
"I'm amazed we're actually keeping up with Soundwave," said Moonracer as she struggled to change gear.
They saw Soundwave entering a broken-down drive-in movie theatre and cornered him.
"Ha, now we've got him!" Ratchet shouted. Then dozen of the Soundwave vehicle modes appear and surround them. "Right where he wants us."
"Autohumans full reverse now!" Optimus ordered as revered.
"But I just get good going fronts," Bulkhead complained.
They all revered, but then the car doors locked and the seatbelts warped around them all except for Prowl, who got cuffed. Then Soundwave appeared on the movie screen.
"Resume Operation: Autobot Reprograming," said Soundwave. "All will obey Soundwave."
"Something tells me I'm going to hate this movie," said Bumblebee.
"I'm not a big fan of it myself," said Moonracer.
"Autobots obey Soundwave is your master! Autobots obey!" Soundwave ordered as broadcasted a reprogramming frequency.
"Uh, I'm feeling kind of foggy in my processor," said Bulkhead.
"Soundwave is distorting our core programming," said Ratchet.
"We have to fight his control," said Optimus.
"Easier said than done," said Elita.
Prowl begins another processor-over-matter attempt, but one by one, the Autobots' eyes begin to turn red.
Sari, meanwhile, was flying to Dinobot Island, trying to find the Dinobots. Swoop then landed in front of her, and Grimlock, Snarl and the brontosaurus walked out of the trees.
"Oh, man, I'm glad to see you," said Sari.
"What puny human want with Dinobots?" Grimlock asked.
"I need your help," Sari explained.
"Dinobots, not help puny human," said Grimlock.
"It's not me that needs help; it's the Autobots," Sari explained. "And you guys do owe them a few favours."
"Cyclebot and carbot did save Dinobots," Snarl pointed out.
"Twice," Swoop added.
"Sludge says we help Autobots," said Sludge.
"Plus, the guy that's brainwashed them once machines to rule over everyone," said Sari.
"Fine, Dinobots help puny human, but only this once," Grimlock grunted.
"Thank you," said Sari relieved, but noticed that there was one Dinobot missing. "Hey, where are five of you?"
"Grimlock not talking to him, him traitor," Grimlock growled. "Dinobots, not pets."
"Who would want a Dinobot for a pet?" Sari frowned.
"By the way, where's Snarl?" Sari asked.
Nearby the shore of the island was Scrapper, and he was currently writing in the sand.
"Day 48 still no sign of my collea-…my buds. I have befriended and trained one of the local wildlife," said Scrapper. Then the tide came in and erased writing. "Oh, not again!"
The Dinobots led Sari to the shore, though rather reluctantly.
"Just stay here; I'll do the talking," said Sari and then ran up to Scrapper. "Scrapper, I need your help!"
"Forget about it. I've already got a pet," said Scrapper. "Slug! Come on, boy! Come on, Sluggy."
"Slug, who's Slug?" Sari asked on the ground shook as the triceratops bot rushed over to them. "You name him Slug?"
Scrapper then tossed in an empty oil can, and Slug chased after it. He then promptly returned with it and rolled on his back like a dog.
"I was going to call him Slag, but I think you took it as an insult," Scrapper admitted. "Say, you haven't seen Mixmaster and Dirt Boss around, have you?"
"No, but I have a job for you, and you're… uh, pet," said Sari.
"Job, huh?" said Scrapper. "I don't know; it sounds like too much like work to me. I'm a free spirit now."
"There could be a few truckloads of premium grade motor oil in it for you," Sari offered.
"Look, kid, even if I wanted to help, we're stuck on this island," Scrapper pointed out. "So, what are you going to do?"
"You're Constructicons; why don't you just construct a boat?" Sari asked.
"Construct a—Hey, now, why didn't I think of that?" Scrapper asked himself.
"And it's going to have to be quite a big one," Sari added as the other Dinobots emerged from the trees.
A few minutes later, Sari, Scrapper and the Dinobots were riding on a raft which was being propelled by Scrapper's drill.
"Okay, once we land, we need to head right to where Soundwave is holding the Autobots," Sari ordered.
"Whoa, whoa, I never said we'd help you," said Sari.
"And Grimlock never said we'd listen to puny human," Grimlock added.
"What?" Sari glared.
"Yeah, once we hit sure, me and the big fella might head up north; I hear there's good oil country up there," said Scrapper.
"Listen up, oil brain, my family need your help, and you are going to help!" said Sari threateningly and then turned to Grimlock. "And you, you're going to follow my orders, and you're going to like it."
Both Scrapper and Grimlock nodded, clearly terrified by Sari.
"Now, whether you like it or not, you're going to be heroes!" Sari continued.
"Did someone say, hero?" A voice said underwater. Then something jumped onto the raft, and Sari stared in bewilderment because it was Wreck-Gar. "I'm Wreck-Gar; I'm a hero."
"You got to be pulling my leg," said Sari flying towards him.
"Okay, I got to be pulling your leg," said Wreck-Gar and literally pulled her leg. "I'm Wreck-Gar, the leg-pulling hero."
"How is this junk head?" Scrapper asked.
"Could you believe the newest member of the Substitute Autobots," Sari smiled.
All of them reached the mainland.
"All right, Substitute Autobots transform and roll out!" Sari ordered.
"Transform, what a good idea," said Wreck-Gar and transformed into vehicle mode and drove away, leaving a trail of garbage behind.
"Dinobots charge!" Grimlock roared, and Dinobots went after Wreck-Gar
"Hi-yo, Slug!" Scrapper yelled as he climbed on Slug's back.
Slug ran, but then the shipping over the garbage Wreck-Gar left behind, and Scrapper fell off.
"Hey, Slug! Wait for daddy!" Scrapper yelled and transformed into vehicle mode, chasing after him.
"Hey, wait for me! I'm your leader!" said Sari as she flew after them.
Sari managed to catch up to them and landed right in front of them, causing them to stop.
"You guy can't just go running off like that without a plan," she said. "Right now, we have the advantage. We have Soundwave outnumbered and the element of surprise."
Then Soundwave burst through the ground and into the air holding his keytar. "I'm Soundwave resistance is futile," he said.
"Some much for the element of surprise," said Scrapper.
"Substitute Autobots transform and attack!" Sari ordered.
They all transform into robot mode. Then Soundwave sent out a sonic wave, and the other Autobots appeared, but with optic red.
"Man, am I happy to see you guys," said Sari, relieved, and then gestured behind her. "I actually thought that I was going to have to leave these losers and do battle."
"The techno-organic must be destroyed," said Optimus.
"Oh, slag," Sari moaned.
"The techno-organic must be destroyed," Optimus repeated, and the other Autobots started to move toward them.
"Scrapper, you and the Dinobots take on Bulkhead, Prowl, Moonracer and Ratchet. Wreck-Gar, you're with me," Sari ordered.
"Gosh, so sudden, aren't we a little young to go steady," said Wreck-Gar.
They all then charged at them. Both Sari and Wreck-gar were facing Optimus, Elita and Bumblebee.
"Guy's, it's me, Sari. I know you guys don't want to hurt me. You have to tune out Soundwave's music," Sari pleaded.
"The Autobots will not be swayed by human emotions. Their reprogramming is complete destroy them all," Soundwave ordered as he sent out another sonic wave.
"Cover me!" Sari ordered.
"You got it," said Wreck-Gar and threw a blanket over Sari. Bumblebee then fired at them. "Let's see, there must be something heroic in here."
He then began searching through his backpack, throwing garbage around. Elita was able to dodge the incoming garbage but crashed into Bumblebee in the process. Soundwave then sent out another sonic wave and made Optimus walk over to Wreck-Gar.
"Un guard, monsieur!" Wreck-Gar yelled as he pulled out a giant root.
Optimus merely just slashed his axe around and cut the root into prices. Sari then flew next to him.
"The techno-organic must be destroyed," said Bumblebee.
"Oh, okay," said Wreck-Gar and grabbed Sari.
"HEY, HEROES DON'T ATTACK THEIR TEAMMATES!" Sari shouted.
"Right, I'm Wreck-Gar I'm a hero. Try to keep that story, would you," said Wreck-Gar and charged at them.
"Huh, with heroes like that, who needs Decepticons," Sari moaned. Then Laserbeak came straight at her. "I didn't mean it literally!"
Scrapper transformed into vehicle mode and began using his shovel to toss snow at the other Autobots.
"Take this! And that! And that!" Scrapper yelled. "Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!"
The snowballs hit the Autobots, but they were completely unfazed and merely looked at one another. Ratchet then fired a magnetic field, and Bulkhead launched his wrecking ball at Scrapper, knocking him back until he backed into Slug.
"Hey, boy," said Scrapper.
"Me Grimlock, show you how to fight!" Grimlock roared and charged him with his blazing sword.
He swung at Moonracer, but she leaned back and dodged his attack and then jumped into the air kicking him across the face. Swoop then swooped in, but Prowl launched himself into the air and quickly knocked him back, causing him to fall on top of Sludge and Snarl, who moved in to assist.
Sari was still firing energy balls at Laserbeak and managed to land a hit on him.
"Resistance is futile Soundwave rules all machines, including your jetpack," said Soundwave as he sent a sonic wave.
Then Sari's jetpack changed back into its scooter mode.
"Not good!" Sari yelled as she screamed and landed in the snow. Sari then got up and deactivated her helmet. "We are getting are cans kicked. They work much better as a team and their mindless zombies."
Then a split second later, Scrapper landed in the snow next to her.
"That's just cos one bot is controlling them all," Scrapper pointed out at the spitting out some snow.
Sari's eyes lit up. "That's it! We've got to divide up, attack on your own!"
Scrapper scratched his head in confusion. "But then you just tell us to work together?"
Wreck-Gar then landed next to him. "Don't you hate it when somebody can't make up their mind?"
Then the Dinobots then landed on the snow.
"Just do it!" Sari glared.
All of them then immediately jumped into action and charged at the Autobots.
Slug charged towards Ratchet at full speed, but Ratchet created a magnetic field causing him to bounce off it. Scrapper jumped into the air straight towards Bulkhead, who fired his wrecking ball. Scrapper dodged it and swung his drill at Bulkhead, which he was able to dodge, and soon the two of them wrestled with one another.
Swoop soared in towards Prowl, who somersaulted backwards to avoid his mace. Snarl was swinging his axe at Elita, who blocked his wings with her blades. Sludge was slamming his hammer at Moonracer, who was skating around him. Wreck-Gar quickly engaged Bumblebee and Grimlock duelled against Optimus.
Soundwave continued to play his keytar, but he was fine and extremely difficult to concentrate with so many battles taking place. Sari noticed this as Grimlock began to overpower Optimus, Ratchet's magnetic field was weakening, and Bulkhead was having trouble retracting his wrecking ball. Moonracer was having difficulty skating, tumbling over every now and then, and Bumblebee couldn't get a decent shot of Wreck-Gar and almost struck Elita Prowl with his stingers.
"It's working; he can't control all that once!" Sari beamed.
Sludge swung his hammer down at Moonracer and managed to trip her up, causing her to crash into a nearby car. Ratchet's magnetic shield had weakened enough for Slug to break through and knock him across the road. He then transformed into robot mode and quickly tied Ratchet with the barriers.
"Bulky Boy, time to put you on ice," said Scrapper as he released water from a fire hydrant which immediately turned to ice the moment it made contact with Bulkhead's body.
Wreck-Gar rushed up to Soundwave. "Haha, catchy… easy to dance to, but you know what it needs?" He then pulled out an accordion and began to play, only for Laserbeak to snatch it encrusted in his beak. "Everyone's a critic."
Bumblebee aimed his stingers directly at Sari, but just as he fired, Prowl swooped in and grabbed her. He then raised his fist, but Elita then fired some webbing catching his arm. Sari used this opportunity and fired an energy blast knocking him back into Elita.
"That was weird," said Sari.
Wreck-Gar then pulled out some Christmas tree lights and wrapped them around Bumblebee. "Ring the bot with strings of garbage, fafa la la la!" he sang.
Sari could barely believe her eyes. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you guys are beating the Autobots."
"Haha, not bad for a bunch of losers, huh?" Scrapper winked.
Optimus then suddenly managed to push Grimlock back in with a powerful swinging of his axe, sending all of them backwards.
"Your strategy is flawed, human," said Soundwave. "I can now focus all control on Optimus Prime."
Slug rose to his feet and charged at Optimus at full speed, but he was able to grab them by the horns. He then lifted him up and, with all his strength, tossed him straight at Snarl and Sludge, knocking him out cold.
Grimlock then charged him with his flaming sword, but Optimus managed to block it with his axe and then dealt a powerful punch to his face. Swoop flowed towards him, swinging his mace, but Optimus quickly fired a bunch of bolas that wrapped around him and then kicked him off towards the others.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Scrapper yelled as he placed himself between them. "That's cruelty to Dinobots!"
Optimus then fired his grapple at a nearby billboard and, with one good poor, had it all directly on top of Scrapper and the Dinobots. He then began making his way over to Sari and Wreck-Gar.
"All right, big guy," said Sari. "I hate to do this, but—"
She then fired one of her energy blasts at max power, but Optimus grabbed Wreck-Gar and used him as a shield. The blast struck him in the back, causing several things you are carrying in his backpack to be tossed all around the place. One of them, the kitchen sink, actually landed on his head.
"Hah, the mighty Wreck-Gar is no match for the might Wreck-Gar," said Wreck-Gar looking more confused than usual. "Wait? Whose side am I on again?"
He then lost consciousness, and Optimus tossed him aside.
Then Optimus walked over to Sari. "The techno-organic must be destroyed."
Optimus then pulled out his axe and raised it high, but it was clear that he was resisting Soundwave's control.
"Destroy the techno-organic!" Soundwave ordered, intensifying his soundwaves. "Destroy! Destroy! Destroy!"
Optimus then swung his Axe down on her, but then Prowl threw his shuriken st Soundwave knowing his keytar, out of his hands, and Elita fired her webbing to pull Optimus axe so it would miss Sari.
"Sari! No!" Optimus yelled in shock.
But Sari was fine though the axe missed her by two inches.
"That was way too close," she said, much to Optimus relief. Sari then deactivated her helmet and looked at Elita and Prowl. "And you two, you big fakers! Ha, I knew something was up."
"I wasn't just faking. It took a great deal of processor-over-matter to resist Soundwave's control," said Prowl defensively.
"And if I wasn't half organic, I would have been able to resist Soundwave's control also," Elita admitted.
Soundwave then flew down and picked up his keytar. "You will pay for this deception Ratbat deploy Origination: Autobot Destruction."
Then his Keytar transformed into a bat and charged at them.
"Okay, didn't see that one coming," said Sari.
Ratbat grabbed Prowl while Laserbeak grabbed Blackarachnia, but Optimus pulled his axe out of the ground and slashed it at them. Soundwave pinned Optimus to the ground knocking his axe out of the way. Then Laserbreak grabbed Elita, and Ratbat grabbed Prowl, carrying them into the air and dropping them, making them crash into a building.
Optimus tried to reach with his axe, but it was out of reach.
"Your axe is useless, Autobot," said Soundwave.
"But your isn't," said Optimus.
Then he fired his grapple and grabbed Laserbeak and knocked Soundwave with it. Optimus then pulled Laserbeak towards him and kept a firm grip on him.
Then Ratbat flew down transformed, and Soundwave grabbed him. "Obey, Soundwave! Obey! Obey! Obey!"
Soundwave then fired a sonic wave at Optimus, but he forced Laserbeak to transform. He then strung the guitar strings sending a sonic wave back at Soundwave, and was pushed back and then retaliated with a sonic wave himself.
"Time to change your tune, Soundwave," said Optimus. "Operation: Face The Music!"
Optimus charged towards him and jumped into the air. He then slammed his guitar down upon Soundwave hitting him again and again. Then he cut right through both Soundwave and Ratbat, freeing the humans from Soundwave's control. All that was left of Soundwave was his original form.
"Obey Soundwave obey, obey!" Soundwave ordered before Sari turned him off.
"It's supposed to be a silent night," said Sari.
Then Laserbeak flew down, picked up Soundwave, and flew away before anyone could stop him.
The trash-bots were collecting what was left of the Soundwave toy, and Powell was on a nearby monitor looking on the verge of tears.
"I'm ruined. I'll have to refund every last penny!" Powell cried.
"And you can start by refunding mine," said Professor Sumdac as he arrived.
"Well, I'm sure glad that over," said Sari.
"Tell me about it," Scrapper groaned. "This hero stuff is too much work, and there's no overtime. You didn't tell me there would be no overtime. I'm going back to Dinobot Island for a long vacation. Hi-yo Slug!"Files snarl
Scrapper ran over to Slug, who was leaving and attempted a jump on his back. However, Slug didn't seem to like that particular idea and kicked him back with his hind legs.
"I should have gotten a kitty cat," Scrapper muttered as he picked himself up.
"Autobots and Dinobots now even," said Grimlock as he and the other Dinobots walked away. "But me, Grimlock, glad that Autobots are back to normal."
"Hmm, weren't there seven under your command?" Bumblebee asked, looking at Sari.
Then Wreck-Gar dove up and transformed to robot mode. "Never fear Wreck-Gar; the hero will clean up this town."
Wreck-Gar pulled out a vacuum cleaner and started to help the trash-bots.
"I guess the Substitute Autobots are now officially disbanded," said Optimus.
"And not a minute too soon," said Sari looking immensely relieved. "That leader stuff really takes it out on you. I don't know how you do it."
"Honestly, Sari, we didn't know how hard it was being human either," Optimus admitted and then turned to Elita. "But now I have some feeling what it was like you all those stellar cycles ago."
"Believe me, it wasn't as bad as it was last time," Elita admitted.
"But it's ironic that technology led us to a greater understanding of what it means to be organic," said Prowl.
"Sounds if you miss being human," said Optimus.
"A wise organic once said that we should be thankful for the things we have," said Prowl.
"Like family," said Sari turning to face her father.
"Like family," Optimus nodded, looking at everyone around him.
"Hey, don't look now, but you two are standing under the mistletoe," said Sari pointing above Optimus and Elita.
They looked above them and saw the mistletoe. "So, what are we supposed to do?" Optimus asked.
"I'll show you," said Elita.
She then pulled him into a kiss, making everyone laugh.