Transformers: Armada - Premiere Movie

The Transformers: Armada - Premiere Movie is a 90-minute movie composed of the initial 3 episode story arc of Transformers: Armada: "First Encounter", "Metamorphosis" and "Base". The movie aired only once on Cartoon Network as a special sneak preview of the upcoming series. The movie premiered on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block on August 23, 2002 from 4:00-5:30 PM.

First Encounter
Eons ago, the Transformers were sent out as explorers by a "unique digital entity." One of the first planets they inhabited was Cybertron. But the Transformers battled with one another over tiny robots named Mini-Cons, who were used as tools to boost the Transformer's power. Eventually, the Mini-Cons were awakened by an internal protocol and joined forces to resist domination by either Autobots or Decepticons. After a long war, the Autobots and Decepticons called a truce. A craft was constructed for the Mini-Cons and blasted into space to stop them from being used in another war. It traveled for millions of years until it collided with a moon; damaged, it crashed to the surface of the moon's parent planet, Earth. The Mini-Cons lay dormant for millions of years as the planet's terrain shifted and changed around them.

In the present day, a group of children, Rad, Carlos and Alexis head to explore a cave, followed by two of their classmates (Billy and Fred). While advancing deep into the cave, Carlos treads on a stone plate by accident which begins to slide downwards with the boys on top. At the bottom, the boys find themselves in a strange artificial building of an unknown purpose. There they discover a glowing green stone, a Mini-Con storage panel, and Rad picks it up, activating a beacon that causes an earthquake.

Alexis notices the earthquake and heads off to investigate. The beacon disables the Space Research Center's computers and fires out of the cave in three parts, one red, one purple, and one green. The green portion of it activates the Moon's spaceship wreckage, causing Mini-Con panels across the earth to activate. The other two parts alert the Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron to the location of the Mini-Cons. The best warriors of the opposing sides teleport to Earth to seek the Mini-Cons.

Back on Earth, with the earthquake subsided, Rad and Carlos exit the cave safe and sound. Suddenly, they see a strange purple halo in the sky. Then the warp gate opens with a gigantic robot inside: Megatron. At this moment, Alexis shows up and tells the boys not to panic, but it is too hard for them. When Megatron moves towards Rad, the boy drops the panel; it activates, and High Wire emerges. High Wire scans Rad's bike and reformats himself so he can transform into a bicycle. The three kids ride High Wire to try and escape Megatron, but Megatron flicks a boulder at them, knocking them off the Mini-Con. Megatron blocks their path, claiming High Wire belongs to him and demanding they return High Wire to him or else. But suddenly, another giant robot (Optimus Prime) teleports in, and the two giants square off in battle.

Metamorphosis
Billy and Fred find that a cave-in has trapped them both underground. Above ground, the fight between Optimus Prime and Megatron continues. Rad, Carlos, and Alexis attempt to flee with their new Mini-Con friend, only to be cut off by two new robots teleporting in: Starscream and Demolishor. As Demolishor reaches for Rad and Carlos, two more robots appear, and the youngsters find themselves surrounded. Alexis begins to lead her friends away, but Starscream spots High Wire and moves to grab the Mini-Con. However, Hot Shot blocks him, and the pair grapple.

Alexis has enough time to spy the Autobot sigil on Hot Shot's shoulder before Rad announces they're heading for the caves. Before Demolishor can make a move to stop them, he's tackled by Red Alert and repeatedly pummeled so that his optical sensor is damaged. Megatron scornfully calls him "a weakling," but he is knocked down to the ground by Optimus Prime a moment later. Optimus demands that they surrender, but Megatron suddenly disappears, promising that he will return. The other two Decepticons also quickly retreat via teleport, leaving three surprised Autobots. Optimus tells his troops they have to stop Megatron from getting hold of the Mini-Cons. Hot Shot points out the Decepticons are using short-warp equipment and must have a base nearby, which leads to Red Alert suspecting they're on the Moon.

The Decepticons are indeed using the crashed Mini-Con spaceship as a base. The three Decepticons arrive there, waking Cyclonus, who is taking a nap in a hallway. The latter immediately begins fawning over Megatron and is ignored. His inquiry over whether they found the Mini-Cons is met with glares, and Starscream suggests Megatron could put him in charge of finding them. Megatron agrees but makes the price of failure clear.

Back in the caves, Rad thinks they're safe, but Alexis is sure the giant robots will come after them, or, more specifically, High Wire. None of the kids can understand High Wire's speech, but they follow the Mini-Con into another chamber, and a door slowly slides closed behind them. Rad and Carlos assure Alexis this is a good thing. The lights come up, and the trio realizes they're standing on the threshold of a spaceship. Rad accesses the ship's computer, letting the kids learn about Megatron and Optimus Prime. Alexis recognizes the Autobot symbol from earlier.

On the Moon, Megatron stands outside the ship musing over how he will find the Mini-Cons and spies a glint of light on the Moon's surface. High Wire goes nuts, much to the confusion of the three children. He opens a wall panel, revealing two Mini-Con storage panels, which Alexis and Carlos activate. The panels unveil an orange Mini-Con and a blue Mini-Con, who pair up with Alexis and Carlos, respectively. Back on the Moon, Megatron has found another storage panel, which he activates to reveal his old Mini-Con Leader-1. Fred and Billy finally manage to free themselves from the cave, only to panic upon seeing a giant footprint. Underground, Carlos and Alexis let the Mini-Cons scan their skateboard and scooter for alternate modes.

Back on the Moon, Megatron demands to know why Cyclonus was unable to detect a Mini-Con right under his nose. Cyclonus can offer no excuse, and Starscream's chuckle only enrages the Decepticon leader further. Megatron tells them to witness the power of his Mini-Con, prompting Leader-1 to show his firepower. The two Decepticons are frightened and astonished. Demolishor arrives to report with the news that two more Mini-Cons were activated on Earth. Megatron puts Cyclonus in charge of the recovery team and gives his troops new alt-modes based on Earth vehicles. Starscream transforms into a supersonic fighter jet; Demolishor can become a self-propelled gun; Cyclonus looks like a military helicopter, and Megatron himself transforms into a tank. They return to Earth.

Meanwhile, the three kids have a good time with their new Mini-friends. They race on the Mini-Cons through a forest, across water, and up a cliff. Then they unexpectedly run right into Megatron and his troops. They try to escape, but the Decepticons surround them, as does Megatron's triumphant laughter. It seems to Rad that they're done for... until Megatron is rammed into a rock wall by a big red-and-blue truck. Cyclonus and Starscream are so astonished that they remain poised in mid-air instead of doing anything. The truck pulls up by the three kids and asks them to get in; Alexis recognizes the Autobot symbol on its side and jumps right in. Rad and Carlos are more hesitant until Demolishor looms up behind them. The Decepticon attempts to stop the truck from leaving but gets shot repeatedly in the face and run over. Then a yellow sports car promptly rams him when trying to pursue.

Safely out of danger, the truck lets them out and transforms into robot mode — it's Optimus Prime. Likewise, Hot Shot and Red Alert appear in vehicle mode and transform into robots. The kids observe the oncoming Decepticon forces, and Optimus combines with his trailer to enter Super Mode. Rad reflects that the Autobots might need his help while on Earth, and the Autobots and Decepticons prepare to battle.

Base
The Decepticons open fire on Optimus Prime, forcing him to his knees. Megatron reveals Leader-1 and combines with the Mini-Con, activating the giant cannon at his waist. The cannon fires with such force that Megatron gets flung backward. Fortunately, the shot misses its intended target and destroys the hill behind Optimus. Though Optimus is amused, Megatron merely states that it was only a taste of his power and laughs maniacally at length. Then he begins repeatedly firing on the Autobots while sliding backward and finally falling over on his back. Unfortunately, the blasts cause a landslide that tumbles towards Alexis, Carlos, and Rad. Hot Shot shields the kids, keeping them safe, while Red Alert does the same with the Mini-Cons. Alexis wonders what happened to Megatron before spotting three glints of light: more Mini-Con storage panels.

Starscream and Demolishor rush to their fallen leader to check on his health, and he tells them to destroy Prime. Optimus interrupts, grabs Starscream by the head, and throws him at Demolishor before grappling with Megatron. Red Alert pulls one of the Mini-Con panels from the ground, activating it. Hot Shot gains the Mini-Con Jolt while Red Alert combines with Longarm, and the pair fire on the Decepticons with the new weapons they've unlocked. Megatron, Starscream, and Demolishor promptly retreat. Cyclonus sticks around long enough to steal two Mini-Cons the children just dug up and warps away as well, cackling insanely. On the Moon, Megatron is not at all pleased—until Cyclonus arrives and presents one of the stolen Mini-Cons.

Optimus tells the kids that Megatron is likely to return, now that he knows there are more Mini-Cons on Earth. Rad complains that the whole thing was an accident, leading to a flashback of him finding High Wire; he'd never have done it had he known it would start a war. Everyone makes proper introductions, and Optimus gives further exposition about the Mini-Cons' function and the Decepticons' purpose on Earth. Rad asks if the Autobots want the Mini-Cons for power like the Decepticons, and Optimus assures him that the Autobots treat Mini-Cons as equals while the Decepticons treat them as slaves. The three kids offer to help the Autobots in their quest. After Rad and Carlos joke that they tricked Alexis about understanding the Mini-Con language, they make amends and bump fists. The Autobots are intrigued by this Earth custom and bump fists as well, making the ground shake.

The next day at school, there's a basketball game, and Fred gets hit in the face with the ball several times. Rad and Carlos play dumb when Billy asks them about the earthquake, and Alexis points out that they would have heard about an earthquake on the radio. Rad and Carlos also explain away their new bicycle and skateboard, though Billy still suspects them of being up to something.

On the Moon, Starscream and Demolishor argue about who's going to be Megatron's right-hand man when he conquers the universe, and they end up fighting. Demolishor is bigger and stronger, but Starscream proves to be faster and more skillful, ultimately winning. But Megatron himself interrupts and orders them to stop wasting their energy, reminding them of their mission to hunt the Mini-Cons. He activates one of the Mini-Cons Cyclonus recovered, Blackout, and presents him to Demolishor. While Starscream fumes, Megatron tells him he has to capture his Mini-Con himself.

Billy and Fred go into the mountains again and observe that it looks like a bulldozer drove through. Underground, Carlos and Rad are marveling at the activated spaceship. The Autobots present the kids with Laserbeak, a small bird that transforms into a video camera. After Optimus explains its purpose, High Wire alerts them more Mini-Cons are coming online, so everyone enters the command center.

Autobots

 * Optimus Prime
 * Hot Shot
 * Red Alert
 * Laserbeak

Decepticons

 * Megatron
 * Starscream
 * Demolishor
 * Cyclonus

Mini Cons

 * High Wire
 * Sureshock
 * Grindor
 * Leader-1
 * Jolt
 * Longarm
 * Crumplezone
 * Blackout

Humans

 * Rad
 * Carlos
 * Alexis
 * Billy
 * Fred