Ink City/Recap/S3 Enter Megatron

As Ink City enters the new year, its Transformers population continues to rise... so perhaps it was only a matter of time before the Decepticon's true leader arrived. With an explosion of ink and a scream of "I LIVE!!!!!!", Megatron emerges from the Ink Well and steps into this new world.

Immediately, Starscream comes flying in to report, finding Soundwave already there -- and Megatron in a mood. Having just experienced a betrayal from his Starscream, he initially thinks this Starscream is playing dumb, and kicks and bashes him around. However, Starscream's continued pleas of innocence get him to stay his hand... not out of mercy, but rather confusion, for he knows the jet wouldn't continue to play innocent after being caught. Thus, he decides to spare him for now, asking both him and Soundwave for their status report. The news that they appear to be stranded in an alternate dimension is met with surprisingly minor frustration; the fact they've kept busy in his absence researching 9|new creatures and other things they might be able to exploit further mollifies him.

Upon seeing that Optimus Prime is also trapped in the City, Megatron can't help but try to bait his sworn enemy with mockery. Refusing to rise to the bait, Optimus informs him that fighting there is pointless -- among other reasons, death isn't permanent there, something Megatron immediately decides to test.

His first attack is met with Bumblebee immediately jumping into the fray, trying to protect his leader... only to get tossed aside, cracking one of his door wings against the fountain and sending Prime into a Tranquil Fury. Then his second shot, aimed right at Prime's shoulder, forces Aisling to scramble out of her favorite spot in a hurry. Though Optimus orders them both to flee, they hesitate -- and watch in horror as he lets Megatron kill him in order to prove the truth of his warning. Megatron's joy upon murdering his former friend turns to rage when he reemerges from the Well, fresh and ready to return the demonstration if need be. This transforms into cold, tranquil fury as he chooses to back down... However, when Optimus informs him he let him win, he threatens Aisling, stating that the only thing keeping him from repeatedly killing the little fleshling in front of the Autobot is that he's deemed it a waste of time. For now.

As he moves through the streets, still frustrated from having victory snatched from his grasp, Caroline happens to pass by. When he threatens her, she automatically defers to him:

"Caroline: I. I meant no disrespect, Lord Megatron."

--Too late, she realizes her mistake. Hearing a human address him by name both shocks and outrages the silver giant, and though she tries to justify her slip, Megatron sees right through it. When she tries sticking to her story, he snaps her leg, then suspends and swings her from it while demanding the truth. She confesses to working for Starscream as a field agent, but vainly to deflect when he asks why she stinks of energon.

So he decides to ask his second-in-command himself -- bringing her along for the ride back to the Nemesis. Starscream understandably panics when faced with his leader's anger, but tries to talk his way out of it, explaining their plan to set her up as a False Friend to Optimus Prime. This doesn't appease him, and his insistence that their relationship isn't a partnership and that she's more like a pet to him simply leads to his demanding that Starscream keep her caged. The only concession he makes is letting Knockout patch her up -- and only to keep her from escaping back to the Well through death.

Her disappearance doesn't go unnoticed. Cave Johnson soon realizes his assistant isn't around and starts looking for her, asking for help from their friends. Or, more accurately, assuming others will help while still acting rather condescending towards everyone.

Having managed to hold on to her communicator, Caroline discreetely contacts him and passes on some instructions, carefully phrased to minimize the chances of the Decepticons being able to use that information if any of them overhear. Following her directions, he collects some items from her room, which she instructs him to take to the Lucky 38 for further testing on a joint project of theirs.

Eventually, Megatron decides to formally introduce himself to the city at large -- and name himself their new lord and master. To drive this point home, he sends out a live broadcast where he throws Caroline to the floor, then squashes her underneath his foot, before announcing that he's going to retrieve her from the Well and continue torturing her afterward.

This claim is met with disgust, disdain and defiance -- especially from Cave and Gordon Freeman, who race to the Well with the fruits of her research, which they use to literally send the giant robot flying away. Megatron also finds himself rapidly being attacked by several other residents, both verbally and physically. Seems taking over the city won't be as easy as he expected...

This Event includes examples of (YMMV Tropes are located here):

 * The Atoner: Megatron believes Starscream is this.
 * Bad Boss: Megatron.
 * Big Damn Heroes: Bumblebee attempts this during Optimus and Megatron's battle, only to get swatted aside like a bug.
 * Cave and Gordon pull this off at the Well, keeping Megatron from reclaiming her.
 * Bold Inflation: Once again, Optimus uses this when going into a Tranquil Fury.
 * Cold-Blooded Torture
 * Disproportionate Retribution: All the pain Megs inflicts upon Caroline is sparked off by her knowing his name.
 * Entitled Bastard: Cave isn't exactly polite when asking for help in his search for Caroline. Or really asking, either.
 * Even Evil Has Standards: Starscream's sickened by how Megatron manhandles and abuses Caroline. Unfortunately, he's also too fearful for his own life to speak too strongly against it.
 * Soundwave brings Caroline food, witnesses her contacting Cave... but doesn't interrupt, giving her the food before quietly confinscating her communicator.
 * Evil Gloating
 * Forced to Watch: According to Megatron, the only reason he doesn't punish him by making him watch Aisling die endlessly is that he's deemed it a waste of time.
 * He also threatens Caroline with this (with Cave as the victim) and later inflicts this upon everyone who sees his public broadcast. Megatron likes this trope.
 * Gene Hunt Interrogation Technique
 * Hannibal Lecture: Megatron gives one to Optimus before their second battle, lamblasting him for rushing to defend/avenge a human who was plotting to betray him.
 * Hypocrisy Nod: When Trevor sarcastically congratulates Megatron for 'punishing a defenseless human', his mun comments in the narration brackets [You hypocrite.]
 * Incoming Ham
 * Irony: Before, Caroline told Cabrakan that she was content to serve Starscream. The Reaper didn't believe it, but uses a similar strategy on Megatron himself with more success, as Megatron is arrogant enough to believe he's got the seemingly weaker robot cowed.
 * Caroline allied herself with the Decepticons fully aware it could have grave implications for their homeworld, comfortable with the knowledge nobody SHE knew would be harmed... Except...
 * It's All About Me: Notably, amid all the defiance and mockery he garners after his announcement, what seems to piss Megs off the 'most is learning Jetstorm is no longer brainwashed and has rejoined his brother and the rest of the Autobots.
 * Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal: After everything she suffers at their hands, Caroline isn't too willing to help the Decepticons out anymore.
 * Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: By demonstrating the Well's regenerative properties, Optimus hoped to impress upon his enemy that continuing their war was completely pointless in the city. Megatron later uses this knowledge in his warning broadcast in a way the Autobot didn't intend at all.
 * Not Helping Your Case: Caroline threatens to kill herself to escape her cage; Megatron just takes this as proof that her will hasn't been sufficently broken by Starscream yet.
 * Not Me This Time: Due to being plucked from different Canon points, Megatron falsely accuses Ink City's Starscream of... well... being The Starscream, much to his confusion.
 * Obviously Evil: Megatron, and many of the more savvy residents point this out while mocking him.
 * Oh Crap: Starscream when Megatron arrives in the City, then again when he shows up with Caroline in tow.
 * Passive-Aggressive Kombat: Trevor and Megatron's entire discussion during the latter's broadcast.
 * Pull the Thread: When Caroline claims the other decepticons were preparing the city for his arrival, Megatron does this by asking where all the shrines to his glory are.
 * Take Over the City: Being far from the first villain with these designs on Ink City, Megs' declaration of his intent gets met with mockery and resistence. Most of the witnesses are more upset over what he did to Caroline than his boasting about taking over.
 * Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Between Cave and Mr. House.
 * Tranquil Fury: Optimus goes into this during their battle, while Megatron enters it afterward, once Prime regenerates and renders his temporary victory all but meaningless.
 * With Due Respect: Caroline says this while trying to convince Megatron to stop torturing her in the street, pointing out that Optimus might witness it. He responds by breaking her ankle and taking her back to the Nemesis.
 * You Can Always Tell a Liar: While trying to bluff her way out of Megatron's grasp, Caroline glances to the left, unintentionally tipping him off.
 * You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!: Megatron's reaction when Kirby shows up to attack him.