On Cybertron, Bumblebee gets his Autobots organized in response to the sudden emergence of the undead "Necrotitan"; Ironhide is raring to go, Arcee is quietly sardonic, and the Dinobots are characteristically less than responsive to Bumblebee's commands. A verbal smackdown from Bumblebee leaves even Slag at a loss for words, and he begrudgingly falls into line. Unsure of exactly what to do, the team wonders if the Titan is the same one which proclaimed Starscream ruler of the planet...

On the Lost Light, Rodimus brings Orion Pax to Brainstorm's workshop, where they call upon him to put the data he has gathered studying the Dead Universe to use devising a means for them to enter it without it sensing their presence.

In Iacon, Starscream is in the process of loading up with advanced weapons in preparation for the attack he presumes the Titan will soon initiate. Rattrap, on the other hand, considers the notion of using conventional weapons on the Titan a mistake, and suggests Starscream try to get some information from the incarcerated Scoop, whose firm belief in the divine nature of the Titans can offer another perspective.

Orion and Rodimus meet Ultra Magnus for a drink in Swerve's, where he immediately questions the public nature of their meeting. Orion defers to Rodimus, and Magnus acquiesces, instead choosing to focus his ire on Swerve for taking pictures of the trio. Orion and Rodimus agree they can both feel a sense of foreboding and discussing the events that have led them to this point, including Starscream's election and Megatron's brief return. Presently, Brainstorm pages them down to his lab to present his latest invention: generators that project forcefields laced with the venom of the cyberwraith, a parasite from the Dead Universe, which will prevent the universe from recognizing them as outsiders. The pair recruit Hardhead and a momentarily-hesitant Cyclonus to join them on their mission, and after Whirl tries and fails to start a fight over the matter, everyone says their goodbyes. Rodimus charges Magnus and the Lost Light with finding Jhiaxus, reassuring the larger 'bot by showing him his palm, which contains something extra he will be bringing on the mission with him. The team then proceeds to depart the ship and travel through the portal created by the collapse of Gorlam Prime.

After managing to convince the reluctant Jazz to give him a few minutes alone with Scoop, Starscream is bewildered to diScover that the construction 'bot still believes in him as his leader despite his orchestration of his unwarranted arrest. His patience wearying due to Scoop's religious dogma, Starscream is about to leave until the ex-Autobot begins reciting an ancient prophecy he diScovered in the Covenant of Primes: a prophecy of an "uncreator" who will arrive with a Titan, and who will unmake the world. Holding up his datapad, Scoop shows Starscream the symbol of this "false prophet"... a hieroglyph of Shockwave's face.

In Crystal City, Shockwave calmly voices his surprise at seeing Nova Prime and Galvatron together, given their past disputes. Via communication from within the Dead Universe, the pair proclaim that those experiences have only strengthened their bond, though Nova is quick to lose patience with both his comrades when Shockwave informs him that the Titan's space bridge vanished upon its transformation, leaving him unable to open a portal to bring Nova through. But naturally, Shockwave has a plan...

Arriving in the Dead Universe, Orion's team observe that the whole universe is breaking up and contracting toward a specific point. Noticing Cyclonus has disappeared, they assume he has been accosted by a swarm of fully-grown cyberwraiths, which now descend on the group, believing them to be young cyberwraiths because of the venom in their forcefields and intending to eat them. When Cyclonus suddenly reappears, however, the beasts immediately flee—and when Cyclonus then vomits up a stream of black energon, it becomes apparent that something is very wrong. Cyclonus refuses to acknowledge the issue, though, so the team can only stick to the plan and head for the universe's contraction point... but once they have departed, a fifth figure emerges to examine the puddle of black energon Cyclonus left: Nightbeat!

Back on Cybertron, Bumblebee insists that he cannot make any moves without knowing what's happening, but Prowl contests that that slow-to-action attitude was the downfall of his leadership. Punctuating his words, the Decepticons suddenly crest a nearby ridge and charge forward, weapons blasting, with Soundwave at the fore, announcing the beginning of "Operation: Salvation"!