Transformers: Robots in Disguise Episode Guide
Episode 25: Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!
Original air date: October 13, 2001
Written by: Matthew V. Lewis
Continued from the previous episode....
When Ultra Magnus demands that Optimus Prime surrender the Matrix of Leadership, Optimus transforms back into a fire truck and drives away rather than fight him. Magnus opens fire on Optimus and forces him towards, then into a deep canyon. Nearby, Sky-Byte overhears the battle and hides to watch it unfold. Hurt but not beaten, Optimus is given one last chance to give up the Matrix, but then the Autobot car brothers Side Burn, Prowl and X-Brawn appear via the global space bridge to rescue Optimus. They take him away from Magnus through the space bridge, but not before Sky-Byte attaches a tracking device to Optimus. Sky-Byte follows the signal to a deserted island, the same one where Landfill and Ruination recently fought and created an oil well. Meanwhile, the Decepticon Movor watches Sky-Byte from orbit while Magnus follows Sky-Byte on his own.
On the island, Side Burn soaks in the oil well while Optimus recharges from his own trailer. Optimus tells Side Burn that Ultra Magnus is actually his brother, created at the same time on Cybertron, and explains that Magnus abandoned Cybertron when Optimus was given the Matrix of Leadership after the civil war. Optimus requests some time alone, and Side Burn leaves through the global space bridge. Sky-Byte blocks the portal to the space bridge, intending to destroy Optimus Prime himself, but is instead surprised to see Megatron and the Decepticons flying in to attack Optimus themselves, followed by Ultra Magnus using his rocket pack. Megatron and Ruination ignite the oil well, surrounding both Autobots in flames, and Magnus takes that opportunity to make amends with Optimus. Optimus accepts his hand of friendship, but it's a trick for Magnus to fuse with Optimus and take all his energy, leaving him helpless. They merge to form Omega Prime, but the Magnus' surprise he's unable to absorb Optimus' energy in that form. Instead, Omega Prime easily repels Megatron and the Decepticons, and after separating, Magnus flies off alone in anger.
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Optimus' story about Ultra Magnus spilled elements about Vector Sigma, Alpha Trion, and the Cybertronian civil war, all of which were related back in various episodes of the original Transformers cartoon. This is just one more link to previous Transformers continuity put in by the writers, but while it doesn't directly contradict anything we were told in the Generation One cartoon about Prime and Magnus, it doesn't really line up with it, either.
One unfortunate by-product of the arrival of Omega Prime is that we don't see Optimus in his battle mode ever again, except in the penultimate episode "Galvatron's Revenge". Optimus' battle armor occupies the same space as Ultra Magnus' parts in Omega Prime, so the two are mutually exclusive.
This episode was mispelled "Ultra Magnus: Forced Fushion!" on the title screen, and you'll find it under that name in some of the more literal episode guides.