energon, though he loses the former to the Autobot Smokescreen. After learning of the Omega Keys, powerful Cybertronian relics that can be used to revive Cybertron, Starscream decides to steal them from the Autobots and give them to Megatron as a peace offering, wishing to rejoin the Decepticons. He succeeds, and soon regains his old position as Megatron's first lieutenant after his current second-in-command, Dreadwing, is killed. Starscream is later instrumental in the kidnapping of the Autobots' human allies, the creation of the Decepticon fortress Darkmount on Earth, and the destruction of the Autobot base. In season three, Starscream is forced to share his high-ranking position with Shockwave, and tries to earn Megatron's respect by finding the Autobots before his rival, which results in an outbreak of energon vampires when he foolishly combines Dark Energon with unstable Synthetic Energon, resulting in the loss of over half of the Decepticon forces and the Insecticons Hive. Starscream is also distrustful of Predaking, the Predacon cloned by Shockwave to hunt down the Autobots, a feeling which is proven correct when Predaking shows he is sentient and capable of transforming. It is also he who suggests terminating the Predacon soldiers they have been creating, including Predaking, and blames it on the Autobots, later causing Predaking to turn against them after he learns the truth. In the season finale, "Deadlock", Starscream helps the other Decepticons fight the Autobots when they board the Nemesis, and later witnesses Bumblebee slay Megatron with the Star Saber, before escaping with Shockwave to go into hiding. In the TV movie Predacons Rising, which functions as the finale to Transformers: Prime, Starscream and Shockwave are the only remaining Decepticons on Cybertron, as the others have either been taken prisoners or joined the Autobots, forcing the pair to constantly move labs to avoid detection. Starscream helps Shockwave clone two Predacons, Skylynx and Darksteel, as part of their plan to rebuild the Decepticon army, and is later witness with Shockwave to the arrival of Unicron (possessing Megatron's upgraded and resurrected body), who plans to destroy his brother Primus, who forms Cybertron's core. Believing Unicron cannot be stopped, Starscream frees the captive Decepticons, including Knock Out, and attempts to take command of the Nemesis and flee Cybertron, but is stopped after Knock Out betrays him and sides with the Autobots. Starscream is then imprisoned along with the other Decepticons, though he eventually escapes and