- Starscream: [Opening lines] I have been a fool. Made mistakes. Monumental ones. I now realize I was never destined to be leader, or even an equal partner. And, I am at peace with that. I have gained a clear understanding of my place in the universe. Of who I am. Of who I was always meant to be. Starscream: second in command, humble servant to Lord Megatron. Thank you for listening, Soundwave.
- Starscream: Lord Megatron, please excuse Airachnid's impertinence. Now... what was it that I allegedly failed to mention?
- Megatron: The Harbinger.
- Starscream: [gasps] W-what about it?
- Airachnid: Eons ago, a Decepticon transport crash landed on this planet.
- Megatron: Oh please, common knowledge. I scouted the crash site when we first arrived on Earth.
- Airachnid: Then I presume you recovered the experimental weapon prototype the Harbinger had been transporting?
- Starscream: [Starscream is taken back by the question]
- Megatron: Where is the crash site?
- Airachnid: It was never logged into your ship's database.
- Megatron: You failed to record the coordinates of a Decepticon transport?
- Starscream: [sheepish] An oversight, master. But I've noted it's exact location.
- Megatron: Then you can lead Airachnid there, so she can retrieve the prototype for me.
- Airachnid: My personal native guide. How delightful.
- [At Cliffjumper's gravesight]
- Arcee: Hey partner, heck of a view you got up here. If there's even a small chance your spark is out there listening, well, we could really use you Cliff. Seems like everyday a new Decepticon arrives on the scene. We're outnumbered and outgunned. Yeah, I know what you'd say, "Sounds like a fair fight", and if that's the world we live in, so be it. I just want you to know, I haven't given up. I'm going to find the Con who took you from us.
- Starscream: I will reveal the exact location of the Harbinger when you tell me exactly what we're looking for.
- Airachnid: That information is need to know, and right now, you don't.
- Starscream: Oh, you would do well to respect me, Airachinid. Before I joined Megatron, I was Air Commander of a squadron of Energon Seekers.
- Airachnid: On Cybertron, and how many eons ago was that?
- Starscream: Just recently, I personally vanquished one of Optimus Prime's fiercest warriors. Cliffjumper.
- Airachnid: You snuffed an Autobot?
- Starscream: Yes I did. Without mercy.
- Airachnid: Ooh... even Megatron showed you mercy when he planned to terminate you at the mine.
- Starscream: What? He told you about that?
- Airachnid: We talk.
- Optimus Prime: Starscream's loyalty to Megatron has always been questionable. If he has truly split from the Decepticons, our prisoner's knowledge of their agendas could make him a valuable ally.
- Bulkhead: You don't mean "permanently"? As in keys to the base and everything?
- Optimus Prime: However unlikely that scenario, every sentient being deserves an opportunity for redemption.
- Arcee: Even Bot-killers? Even Airachnid?
- Optimus Prime: Without that hope, we may never achieve lasting peace.
- Starscream: I'm not really soo bad, you know. Megatron, he's the evil one.
- Arcee: Tell it to someone who cares.
- Starscream: Like whom? Airachnid? What I wouldn't do to get my hands around wretched throat.
- Arcee: So we can agree on one thing.
- Starscream: Oh, you have no idea. She showed up one day, and the next thing you know, she's acting like she runs the place. She whispers lies into Megatron's ear, maneuvered to rob me of my rightful place.
- Arcee: Well, she terminated my partner.
- Starscream: What? She's taking credit for scraping him now too? That was my doing!
- Arcee: ...What? You won't there.
- Starscream: Uh, of course I wasn't! I don't know what I was thinking.
- Arcee: Who were you talking about?
- Starscream: No one, who were you talking about?
- Arcee: Tailgate.
- Starscream: Ah... who's Tailgate?
- Arcee: ...You were the one. You extinguished Cliffjumper!
- Starscream: You're tougher to scrap than your former partner, at least the one I scrapped. Was Tailgate weak like Cliffjumper?
- Arcee: Just keep talking Starscream.
- Optimus Prime: It is the external wounds that heal the quickest.
- Arcee: I thought settling scores would allow me to move on. Instead I chased away our hope of winning this war anytime soon.
- Optimus Prime: Wisdom cannot be granted, Arcee. It must be earned. Sometimes at a cost.
- Starscream: [Closing lines] I have been a fool. Made mistakes. Monumental ones. But I have gained a clear understanding of my place in the universe. Of who I am. Starscream: aligned with no side; servant, to no one.
- Starscream: [Captured by the Autobots] No need to use force. I'll tell you anything you want to know.
- Bulkhead: Is that right? And what do you want in return?
- Starscream: I want to be... on your side.
- [the Autobots pause for a moment]
- Bulkhead: On our side? Haha, yeah right! And I've been lobbying with the Fallen!
- Arcee: You wouldn't betray the Decepticons.
- Starscream: Wouldn't I? What have they done for me lately, besides humiliate me, spy on me, demote me? Megatron tried to extinguish my spark in cold blood, then all but replaced me with that traitorous wretch Airachnid! She abandoned me! Left me for scrap! So why not rat them out?
- [Optimus, Bulkhead and Arcee move away from Starscream to talk in private]
- Arcee: He's telling the truth about Megatron trying to scrap him. I saw it with my own eyes.
- Bulkhead: You're not saying you actually trust Starscream?
- Arcee: Trust him? Never. But this may be the one time our objectives align.
- Optimus Prime: You're right to be weary, Bulkhead. But I agree with Arcee.