While packing for college, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) finds a shard of the "All Spark," the previously-destoryed cube that has the ability to animate mechanical objects into transforming robots. The object soon fills his head with mysterious alien symbols, several times causing him to lose control of himself as he hurriedly scribbles his visions on any surface available. Meanwhile, a Decepticon known as Soundwave is in orbit around Earth. He intercepts a government transmission that reveals both the location of another shard of the All Spark and the resting place of the Decepticon's deceased leader, Megatron. Successfully rescued and resurrected, Megatron returns to Mars where he meets with The Fallen, an ancient Decepticon that once ruled over Earth centuries ago. Only the death of the Optimus Prime and acquisition of the Matrix of Leadership -- its resting place coded into the symbols Sam envisions -- will allow The Fallen to return to Earth and complete his task of destroying the planet once and for all.