Ep 19. The Human Factor

The episode, The Human Factor, is the nineteenth episode of the second season of the television show Transformers: Prime. The show follows the story of the Autobots, a group of alien robots who have come to Earth to protect the planet from their enemies, the Decepticons.

In this episode, the humans' behavior towards the Autobots is changing, and not for the better. Agent Fowler tells the Autobots that the US government has decided to take over their operations, leaving them under the supervision of their chief, General Bryce. The Autobots are not pleased with this new development, especially when they are asked to report to a new human liaison, Silas.

Silas is not interested in building a positive relationship with the Autobots. He considers them to be mere machines, with no emotions or feelings. He wants to use them for his own advantage, to learn more about their technology and to use it for military purposes. He believes that the best way to do this is to treat the Autobots as machines, not as sentient beings.

Meanwhile, Megatron has a new plan to capture the Autobots. He sends Soundwave to infiltrate the Autobot base and plant a device that will allow him to control their actions. Soundwave manages to enter the base undetected and successfully plants the device. However, when Megatron tries to activate the device, he discovers that it only works on robots, not on the Autobots themselves.

Silas realizes that the Autobots' emotions are their weakness. He plans to use this weakness to his advantage by forcing the Autobots to undergo "emotional control" tests. These tests are designed to suppress the Autobots' emotions and turn them into unfeeling machines, which can be controlled by humans. The Autobots are not happy about this, but they agree to undergo the tests, hoping that it will help them build a better relationship with their human allies.

As the Autobots undergo the emotional control tests, they begin to experience strange and disturbing visions. They see themselves as unfeeling machines, devoid of any emotions or personality. They realize that this is the future that Silas and his team wants for them: to become machines that can be controlled by humans. However, the Autobots also realize that emotions are what make them unique and special. They refuse to give up their emotions, no matter what the consequences.

In the end, the Autobots manage to break free from the emotional control tests. They confront Silas and his team, informing them that they will not become unfeeling machines, and that they will continue to fight for the freedom of all sentient beings. Megatron's plan to capture the Autobots also fails, and the Autobots are able to continue their mission, protecting Earth from the Decepticons.

The Human Factor is an episode that explores the theme of emotions and how they make us unique. It shows how the Autobots, despite being machines, have emotions and feelings just like humans. It also shows the dangers of trying to control emotions, as this can lead to the loss of our individuality and identity. In the end, it is a powerful message about the importance of embracing our emotions and being true to ourselves.