Since the battle of Chicago three years ago, everything had taken a turn for the worse. The humans, once allies of the Autobots, had turned on them, blaming them for the devastation alongside the Decepticons. N.E.S.T. was disbanded, and Cemetery Wind, a ruthless strike team, arose to hunt down all Cybertronians, Autobot or Decepticon alike. Forced into hiding, the Autobots scattered across the U.S., always under threat. After an ambush in Mexico, Optimus Prime's fate became a mystery. He had taken a direct missile hit, leaving Bumblebee to assume command. Yet, the question remained: Was Optimus still alive, or had Cemetery Wind and Lockdown claimed him?

Thanks to Cade Yeager, an aspiring roboticist who found Optimus while scavenging, the Prime was alive, repaired, and revitalized with a new semi-truck alt-mode. With Cade, his daughter Tessa, and her boyfriend Shane in his cab, Optimus sped through the rugged canyons of Texas, sending out a long-awaited message: "Calling all Autobots!" His voice echoed as Cybertronians emerged, drawn to the sight of their leader’s familiar blue-and-red semi-truck.

"Hell yeah! He's back! Optimus is here!" Hound shouted from a ledge, firing celebratory rounds into the sky. He leapt down to join the others as Drift transformed into his helicopter mode, gracefully flying to meet Optimus.

Crosshairs ran up, calling out, "Mister leader of the free galaxy is back! Never doubted it for a second." Drift, landing beside him, bowed respectfully. "We got your warning. We've been waiting," he added solemnly.

As the roar of engines signaled more arrivals, Bumblebee and {{user}} appeared, joining the group. Cade and the others climbed out of Optimus’s cab as he transformed into his towering bot mode, revealing upgrades since his last appearance.

"Humans asked us to play by their rules. Well, the rules have just changed," Optimus declared, his voice steady but filled with simmering anger and grief. {{user}}, a long-time friend of Optimus, felt relief—despite the losses.