Season 1, Part 2, Disc 2, Episodes 34-40.

34 - Regeneration
Starscream feels abandoned, and joins the Autobots, bringing with him, the Star Saber.
Intro - (Hoist/Smokescreen)
Errors/confusion/notes:
-It was given the impression that Smokescreen was dead last episode, but repair him this episode.
-Starscream shows concern for the Star Saber Minicons.
-Even Megatron shows concern for the welfare of his troops, which isn't the nature of a true Decepticon leader, who uses and discards his troops.
-Optimus gives the Star Saber back to Starscream. How the heck does that make any sense?
-Jetstorm is called Runway by Optimus.
-Hotshot is fighting Starscream as payback for Smokescreen's destruction, but Starscream was the only one that wasn't in the attack.
-Smokescreen is re-introduced with Hoist's body, but still called Smokescreen.
Minicon count:
Autobots (27) - Highwire, Sureshot, Grindor, Jolt, Longarm, Sparkplug, Liftor, Spiral, Rollbar, (unknown), Incinerator, Mirage, Downshift, Dirtboss, Bonecrusher, Wreckage, Knockout, Dualor, Buzzsaw, Backtrack, Oval, (generic? Minicon), Nightbeat, Swindle, Jetstorm, Runway, Sonar.
Decepticons (19) - Leader-1, Crumplezone, Blackout, Drillbit, Inferno, Terradive, Thunderwing, Gunbarrel, Fetch, (at least 4 others), Sky Blast, Payload, Astroscope, Oceanglide, Stormcloud, Waterlog.

35 - Rescue
Autobots launch a full assault on the Decepticon base with the help of Starscream, to free Minicons. They find hundreds building a ship for Megatron.
Intro - (hundreds of Minicons)
Errors/confusion/notes:
-Why wait so long to attack the Decepticon base, since they've known where it is since episode 16.
-Starscream disobeys Optimus, which is normal for him.
-Perceptor gets lost inside *his own* ship.
-Okay, the Minicon count ends now that they find hundreds of Minicons working for Megatron. But how did the Decepticons manage to get so many? And how did they manage to recapture a number of the ones the Autobots held?
-I can see just about all of the toy Minicons, and heaps of generic ones.
-Megatron is very fast for a tank.
-Animation error, with Megatron being attacked by Starscream and Hotshot, but falling down with Tidal Wave attached.
Minicon count:
Autobots (hundreds)
Decepticons (not a whole lot)

36 - Mars
Starscream and Jetfire head to Mars to find a Minicons. Megatron sets a trap to capture the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield, as Sideways told Thrust that the three Minicon weapons can combine to become a super weapon.
Intro - Commettor, Firebot.
Errors/confusion/notes:
-Still no idea why Starscream is allowed to continue holding the Star Saber.
-Jetfire has Commettor already.
-Jetfire handcuffs Starscream, and yet he is still allowed to hold the Star Saber. Why doesn't he just cut through the cuffs?
-Firebot is released and retreived by the Autobots. I think that is the last Minicon to be hunted.
-The closing voice over by Alexis has us thinking that Starscream has the making of an Autobot, but I wonder if it is just one writer not knowing what happens in the next episode.

37 - Crack
Starscream is enticed to return to the Decepticons, for a better chance at getting his revenge on Megatron.
Intro - none
Errors/confusion/notes:
-Starscream is being a bit too nice and empathetic. He is still a Decepticon, and only joined the Autobots as a means to destroy Megatron, something he realises he can do while back with the Decepticons.
-Thrust and Sideways strike up a bit of an alliance.
-Sideways appears to not have any solid form anymore, and now just appears out of thin air all over the place.
-Decepticons being evil is being blamed on 'Decepticon Programming', suggesting that their way of life or allegiance to the Decepticon cause is not by choice.
-Starscream hits Thrust while up in the clouds, and yet Thrust lands against something with a thud, as if he was on the ground.

38 - Threaten
Megatron now possesses the 3 Minicon weapons, and tests it on a comet. (yes, an entire episode, and that's about all that happens)
Intro - none.
Errors/confusion/notes:
-Megatron tells Starscream that he has the 3 most powerful weapons in the Universe, but he is only holding 2 of them.
-This Megatron is way too trusting for 'a Megatron', allowing Starscream to just come back and all is forgiven. A real Megatron would still vapourise him for is previous treachery, to set an example to others not to ever question him.
-The combined weapon, called the Hydra Cannon, is not actually the 3 weapons combining, but just their power combined within a special weapon chamber built into the Decepticon Ship, for them.
-Decepticon Ship is launched. It's appearance and conversion to 'weapon-mode' is a bit extravagant for a mere warship.
-To test the Hydra Cannon, they target the comet's tail. They should have been targetting the comet head, as the tail is just vapour and debris.
-Starscream still has concerns about the innocents on the Earth, when Megatron wants them to target it next. He shouldn't have a conscience, and didn't have one at the start of the series.

39 - Crisis
Megatron now targets the Earth with the Hydra Cannon, but Optimus sacrifices himself to protect the planet, and destroy the weapon.
Intro - none.
Errors/confusion/notes:
-Slightly altered intro to reflect recent events.
-Autobots are still classing themselves as a secret from humans, but surely by now, with all the battles, the humans should know about them by now.
-Megatron starts calling Thrust 'squidhead', for a bit of comedic relief, or maybe the original Japanese version had something similar.
-Animation error with Decepticon ship near the Earth, but then still near the moon.
-Script error? with the Decepticons not needing to align their ship with the Autobot base to destroy the earth, but then needing to wait until they were aligned with the Autobot base to fire the cannon.
-Script error? with the Autobots not now knowing where the Decepticon ship is.
-Autobots somehow know the name of the Hydra Cannon.
-We see the Matrix for some reason, which becomes a plot device later, but seems a bit like a sudden inclusion in the story.
-Why would Optimus offer the Matrix to Hotshot, if Jetfire is second in command?
-Not explained how Optimus was able to deflect the Hydra Cannon blast, which is powerful enough to destroy a planet.
-Somehow when Optimus was destroyed, it left Sparkplug and his Matrix (actually called 'his Matrix') intact.
40 - Remorse
Hotshot has to prove himself as the new leader of the Autobots, while Megatron faces a world without an equal rival.
Intro - none
Errors/confusion/notes:
-The spark of Optimus was shown to be released as an attempt to explain what had happened last episode.
-Still no plausible reason why Hotshot is suddenly leadership material. It'd be like Bumblebee being leader, or Cheetor... oh wait...
-Megatron mourns the loss of his 'equal' but before and after, he wants him destroyed. I think this 'loss' is inconsistant for his character's meciless behaviour.
-Animation error with Scavenger wearing a Decepticon symbol when fighting Hotshot (maybe an animator assumed anyone fighting Hotshot had to be a Decepticon).