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Transformers: Beast Wars, Season 1, Part 2

Dark Designs

Airdate: 4 November 1996
Written By: Ian Weir
Japanese Title: "Rhinox Rampages"

Synopsis: In an energon vein, the Maximals meet with failure as the energon they were searching for is inaccessible. The Predacons attack them, but they are saved by Rhinox, who cause a rockslide which takes out all the Predacons. The Maximals return to base, jubilant because of their victory. Meanwhile, at the Predacon base, Megatron determines that Rhinox is one of the major threats to their war, and orders Tarantulas to capture the lumbering Maximal. The spider heads out and finds Rhinox lagging behind the other Maximals, and takes him out with a dose of cyber venom.

The Maximals realise that Rhinox had disappeared. Rattrap uses his communicator to listen through Rhinox's, and were able to eavesdrop on the events in the Predacon base where Megatron uses an evil device called the 'Transmuter' to reprogram Rhinox into a Predacon. Although the Maximals are outnumbered, Primal plans to wait for a while before the Maximals rescue Rhinox, smiling conspiratorily.

In the Predacon basae, Megatron and the reprogrammed Rhinox plots on how to destroy the Maximals. However, the computer they were using fizzles out, and Megatron sends off Rhinox to check up on Scorponok's repair of the system. The computer system's damage was actually Rhinox's doing, and when he arrives to check on Scorponok, the brainwashed Maximal topples massive crates of hardware on the Predacon. Megatron and Waspinator arrive later, without any idea of who took out Scorponok. Waspinator places Scorponok into a restoration chamber, but as he does so Rhinox slams a large piece of weight on top of Waspinator, driving him, literally, nuts, flying around the base claiming that he is Shrapnel or Wonko the Sane. Terrorsaur witnesses this, and tries to make an ally out of Rhinox for overthrowing Megatron. Rhinox refuses, and beats up the treacherous Predacon. Meanwhile, Megatron discovers that Tarantulas and Blackarachnia have been poisoned.

Meanwhile, Primal explains the plan to the rest of the Maximals: leave Rhinox in the evil state, so that the brainwashed Maximal will run over the Predacons. But just in case Megatron has an ace up his sleeve, the Maximals are ready to mount a rescue. Meanwhile, a repaired Scorponok informs Megatron of Rhinox's treachery, and the furious Predacon leader decides to kill Rhinox. Megatron, Scorponok and Terrorsaur confronts Rhinox, but the brainwashed Maximal uses Terrorsaur's attempt at treachery as well as Scorponok's blind loyalty to turn the two Predacon goons at each other. Rhinox easily takes them out, and opens fire on Megatron.

Rhinox taunts Megatron and monologues about who's the boss, without realising that he has stepped into the Transmuter. Megatron activates the machine, converting Rhinox back into his old self. The Maximals, hearing this, blast into the Predacon base to rescue Rhinox. During the battle, a stray shot from the still-crazy Waspinator blows up the Transmuter. The Maximals escape, and afterwards joke around about the Predacons' personality flaws.

Featured Transformers: Rhinox, Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Rattrap, Dinobot, Megatron, Tarantulas, Scorponok, Waspinator, Blackarachnia

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

Double Dinobot

Airdate: 5 Novermber 1996
Written By: Rowby Goren
Japanese Title: "Two Dinobots"

Synopsis: Megatron creates a clone of Dinobot using the Maximal's DNA. This Dinobot Clone possesses a copy of Dinobot's memories as well. However, it is unable to transform into robot mode. Terrorsaur attacks the real Dinobot, trapping him in a cave, before causing a landslide which traps Dinobot inside. Meanwhile, the clone is sent to infiltrate the Maximal Base. The clone tells Optimus Primal that there's a Predacon camp nearby and insists Primal should go investigate. Primal instead sends the fake Dinobot and Rattrap to pinpoint the camp's exact location.

As the two of them arrive at Grid Omega, Rattrap transforms in order to attack the Predacon base. Since Dinobot Clone is unable to transform, he tells Rattrap to stand down because it's a recon mission. When Rattrap crosses a tree trunk over a lava river, Dinobot Clone kicks the bridge out, causing the rodent Maximal to seemingly fall into the lava. Meanwhile, the real Dinobot manages to dig himself out of the rubble.

Dinobot Clone returns to the Axalon to find Optimus Primal alone (Cheetor and Rhinox are on their own missions). The clone fakes an injury, telling Optimus that they discovered the camp under cover of a stealth device and that Rattrap is captured by the Predacons. Primal activates Sentinel and flies off to rescue Rattrap. Alone, the clone tries to deactivate Sentinel, but without the authorization codes from Dinobot or the spark of the Maximal, the computer refuses to comply.

Primal and Cheetor meet up in Grid Omega, and meets up with Rattrap, who uses his nimble skills to escape from a lava waterfall. Rattrap informs Primal and Cheetor of Dinobot's seeming treachery.

The real Dinobot returns to the Maximal base and deactivates Sentinel. The clone, believing he was the one responsible for lowering the shield, calls Megatron to come. The two Dinobot come face-to-face, and the two mimic each other for a while before battling, Dinobot keeping in Beast Mode so as to fight honourably. The clone appears to knock Dinobot out with a cheap shot, and walks out to greet Megatron. Dinobot's eyes slowly open...

Megatron waits outside the base as Dinobot, masquerading as the clone, steps out and flatters Megatron. Apparently the Predacons intend to use Sentinel to destroy the Maximals when they return from Grid Omega. Dinobot activates Sentinel when Megatron is about to enter. Thinking that the Clone had betrayed him, Megatron is somewhat pleased when Dinobot reveals that he is not the clone. The Predacon then retreats when the other Maximals arrive.

The Maximals realise the existence of the Clone. Primal asks Dinobot what happened to it, and Dinobot nonchalantly replied that it was tasty.

Featured Transformers: Terrorsaur, Waspinator, Megatron, Scorponok, Clone 0ne (killed), Dinobot, Optimus Primal, Rattrap, Cheetor, Rhinox

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

The Spark

Airdate: 11 November 1996
Written By: Larry DiTillio
Japanese Title: "Falcon Warrior Airazor"

Synopsis: One of the stasis pods orbiting around the planet plummets down to the surface. Megatron dispatches Scorponok and Blackarachnia to retrieve it. Meanwhile, Rhinox happens to be around the general area, noting that the raw energon deposits in the area. He also sees the pod going down, but is unable to comm the base due to the energon radiation. He rushes to the pod's landing site. Elsewhere, Cheetor also sees the same thing, but is able to call Tigatron for backup before speeding there.

Rhinox is the first to arrive, but his robot mode is in risk of damage from the energon radiation. However, if Rhinox doesn't repair the stasis pod, the protoform will die. Meanwhile, Tigatron takes out Scorponok in the pursuit, but is taken down himself by Blackarachnia.

Cheetor arrives at the landing crater, and Rhinox tells him that Cheetor needs to donate some parts to save the protoform. Cheetor deactivates himself to allow Rhinox to take out the hardware. While in deactivation, Cheetor gets a vision of Rhinox teaching him of the concept and existence of sparks. He wakes up to see Rhinox install the hardware into the protoform. Meanhwile, Blackarachnia arrives in the battlefield, and Cheetor heads out to battle her, finally managing to defeat the Predacon. However, Terrorsaur and Waspinator arrive, and Cheetor lure them away from the stasis pod, since his robot mode couldn't take the radiation anymore.

Rhinox interfaces his own systems with the stasis pod to revive the protoform, but the feedback traps him in Beast Mode. Cheetor manages to trick Waspinator into flying into a geyser, but Terrorsaur takes out Cheetor easily, and flies towards the pod. However, the stasis pod activates and scans a bird circling overhead, and the pod opens to reveal the new Maximal falcon. Revealing her name to be Airazor, she literally blasts Terrorsaur into a dozen pieces. Later, the Maximals are introduced to Airazor in their base, with Rhinox quoting the words in Cheetor's vision about sparks coming online cryptically.

Featured Transformers: Tarantulas, Megatron, Rhinox, Cheetor, Tigatron, Scorponok, Blackarachnia, Waspinator, Terrorsaur, Airazor, Optimus Primal, Rattrap

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

The Trigger, Part 1

Airdate: 18 November 1996
Written By: Bob Forward
Japanese Title: "Flying Island Deathmatch Part 1"

Synopsis: Tigatron investigates an earthquake nearby snowy peaks, and uses a Maximal outpost to file his weekly report to Rattrap. Just then, Terrorsaur and Waspinator attacks him. Rattrap, hearing the commotion through the comms console, tells Primal, who jets off to help Tigatron. Meanwhile, Tigatron is blasted off the cliff by one of Terrorsaur's missiles, sending him plummeting to the misty chasm below. The two Predacons follows the Maximal's fall to gather Tigatron's remains, but they are blasted by something from inside the clouds. Primal arrives to find the ruined watchpost, and radios base, saying that Tigatron is MIA.

Airazor, who is spying on the Predacon base, sees the Predacon fliers return to base, battered and beaten-up. They report their failure to Megatron. Terrorsaur and Waspinator say that they discovered that Tigatron had landed on a gigantic flying island concealed in the clouds. However, as they were about to fire, energy beams from a monolith blast them. Megatron dispatches Scorponok and Blackarachnia to claim the floating island for him. Airazor, not hearing the conversation, thinks that Tigatron might be still alive and reports so to her teammates. Cheetor also reports the movement of Scoponok and Blackarachnia, so Airazor flies off to trail them.

Exploring the island, Tigatron is amazed at the peaceful paradise, with pretty plants and butterflies, unlike the icy terrain around the island. However, things are more than meets the eye as deadly (yet primitive) traps are activated whenever Tigatron passes through rocks with glyphs on it.

Blackarachia and Scorponok arrive under the veiled floating island. Scorponok sends a Cyberbee to recon the island, but Tigatron plucks it out of the sky. Using Blackarachnia's web strand, the two Predacons climb up to the island. Scorponok sees Airazor trailing them and takes her out with a missile. However, the usage of weaponry prompts a response from the monolith/tower thing, which opens fire on Scorponok, narrowly missing him. Blackarachnia, meanwhile, plans to take over the island for herself.

Tigatron and the wounded Airazor regroup. Tigatron reprogramms the Cyberbee to carry a message to the Maximal base. After narrowly being blown up by Cheetor, Primal and the others receive the message from Tigatron, which explains the importance of the powerful weapons in the floating island.

To be continued...

Featured Transformers: Tigatron, Terrorsaur, Waspinator, Rhinox, Optimus Primal, Rattrap, Cheetor, Dinobot, Airazor, Megatron, Scorponok, Blackarachnia, Cyberbee

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

The Trigger, Part 2

Airdate: 19 November 1996
Written By: Bob Forward
Japanese Title: Floating Island Death Match Part 2

Synopsis: Tigatron resolves to protect the Floating Island from the Predacons, who want to abuse its power. Carrying the injured Airazor on his back, he moves off to intercept the Predacons. Blackarachnia realise that the markings on rocks and trees trigger the traps, while the obelisk/monolith/tower thing must be where to control the island’s power. Meanwhile, Optimus Primal, carrying Rattrap, flies towards the island.

Primal and Rattrap tussle with Waspinator and Terrorsaur. However, Primal couldn’t fight as effectively with Rattrap on his back and is blasted by the Predacons. Rattrap blasts Terrorsaur and rides him, while Primal blows Waspinator up. They meet up with Airazor and Tigatron, who gives Primal a sit-rep. Rattrap speculates that the Floating Island, with all the traps in it, might be a test of survival for them.

Blackarachnia and Scorponok reach the tower at the center of the island. Seeing Optimus Primal and Airazor arriving, Blackarachnia taunts them into attacking her, which in turn cause the tower to blast them. Blackarachnia enters the tower while the Maximals are distracted, marveling at the alien technology inside. She gloats of her plan to use the island’s power to win the Beast Wars by herself. Scorponok tries to stop her, but Blackarachnia tricks him into falling into one of the Island’s traps, sending him plummeting down to the ground. Blackarachnia walks into the control room, which bathes her in strange energy, giving her control over the island’s power. She causes the tower to rain energy bolts on the Maximals on the island, and causes the tower to enlarge as she directs the island towards the Maximal base.

Primal orders Rhinox and the others to evacuate the Axalon. While Rattrap distracts the tower’s energy bolts to free himself from some debris which pinned him down, Tigatron enters the tower and destroys the Island’s reactor, although he regrets that this would doom the island paradise. Without the energy source, the Floating Island crashes, narrowly missing the Maximal base. The fallen tower sends a pulse of energy into the sky, which bounces off another similar tower on one of the planet’s moons, before being directed into space.

Tigatron ominously declares that the beam was a signal, telling the alien creators of how the Maximals and Predacons ruined the island paradise. As if to emphasize Tigatron’s point, a butterfly dies at his foot. The Maximals watch in space, dreading the aliens’ next move…

Featured Transformers: Tigatron, Airazor, Blackarachnia, Scorponok, Optimus Primal, Rattrap, Rhinox, Cheetor, Terrorsaur, Waspinator, Dinobot

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

Spider's Game

Airdate: 6 January 1997
Written By: Larry DiTilio
Japanese Title: "Inferno, The Ant Warrior From Hell"

Synopsis: Another stasis pod falls out of orbit. Tarantulas detects it first at his base, and sends out a magnetic pulse which disrupts the sensors of the Maximal and Predacon bases. Tarantulas sets off towards the landing site, but Blackarachnia discovers what he's up to and insists on accompanying him.

Tigatron, being out in the wild, also sees the pod but couldn't comm the other Maximals, so he sets out to intercept the pod alone. On the way, however, he meets Airazor (who helps him bat off Waspinator). Tigatron tells Airazor to get to the fallen pod first. Meanwhile, at the crash-site, Tarantulas and Blackarachnia arrive to pick a spider alt-mode for the protoform, but Tarantulas is able to reprogram the protoform into a Predacon.

The new Predacon, Inferno, emerges from his pod, but he attacks the two spiders, and begins patrolling the stasis pod. Tarantulas deduces that Inferno's beast instincts has overridden his logic circuits, and he thinks that he's a real soldier ant defending his colony, which is the stasis pod. Tarantulas wants no damage done to the pod and prevents Blackarachnia from firing on it.

Airazor arrives at the scene, but Inferno takes her out with Blackarachnia's help. While Blackarachnia talks to Inferno to convince him that the spiders aren't his enemy, Tarantulas makes off with his real goal—the stasis pod. Inferno pursues Tarantulas, with Blackarachnia behind him. Tigatron arrives, helps Airazor up and tells her to go back to base while he chases the Predacons.

As Tarantulas gets closer to his lair, Inferno catches up and demands the 'colony' to be returned. Tarantulas manages to slow Inferno down with his web, but Scorponok arrives, telling them that Megatron wants the pod. Before any of the Predacons could respond, however, Tigatron arrives and blows the pod up. The Predacons make short work of him. Megatron arrives on the scene shortly after, and the two spiders beat it. Inferno is enraged at the colony's destruction, and Megatron, impressed, tells the new Predacon to finish off the destroyer of the colony, namely Tigatron.

However, Optimus Primal and Airazor arrive, blowing Inferno into a million pieces. Megatron tells Scorponok to restore Inferno, while the Maximals bring Tigatron back to base. Back in Tarantulas' lair, he monologues about the planet being doomed, and the pod's destruction sealed his fate with it. Blackarachnia observes this, and deduces that Tarantulas might be planning to convert the pod into an escape shuttle, but is unable to find out more from the secretive Tarantulas.

Featured Transformers: Tarantulas, Megatron, Scorponok, Rhinox, Optimus Primal, Blackarachnia, Tigatron, Waspinator, Airazor, Inferno

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

Call of the Wild

Airdate: 7 January 1997
Written By: Bob Forward
Japanese Title: "Revive Beast Power"

Synopsis: Cheetor dreams of being swallowed by the ground while hunting antelopes, before being woken up rudely by alarms, triggered by a Predacon attack. The Maximals battle the Predacons. However, the Predacon flyers manage to make off with a piece of machinery from the Axalon's roof. Megatron and Terrorsaur makes sure Primal and the newly-arrived Airazor are in no shape to pursue them, then retreat.

Shortly after, the Maximals are licking their wounds in their base, when they suddenly experience energon build-up. Rhinox theorizes that without the rectifier coil that the Predacons stole, the Maximals would be forced to stay in Beast Mode to prevent energon build-up. The Predacons, meanwhile, are pleased with their successful mission.

Several days later, Optimus gets dreams of being a real ape, before being awakened by Rhinox, who report of Predacon activity. Rattrap, who's frustrated with his Beast Mode's short limbs, get into an argument with Optimus Primal, with their Beast personalities taking over. However, Rhinox acts as the peacemaker. After the Predacons left, the Maximals rest. However, the Maximals dream of being beasts, which overtake their personalities, causing them to wake up thinking that they are truly animals, and exit their base. With the Maximals being nothing more than animals, Megatron declares the start of the hunting season.

The only Maximals not affected are Airazor (being in the CR chamber most of the time) while Tigatron, who's used to being in Beast Mode all of the time. Tigatron goes off to stop the other Maximals before they kill themselves, while Airazor flies off to the Predacon base to steal back the rectifier coil.

In the jungle, Tigatron meets the feral Maximals one by one, and convinces them to follow him. Tigatron speaks to the dormant minds of the Maximals, explaining to them that the gap between the personalities of the two modes is a programming block, and that they have to embrace the beasts within. The Maximals then are cured and go off to attack the Predacons. The Maximals prove victorious and the Predacons retreat.

Featured Transformers: Cheetor, Scorponok, Tarantulas, Optimus Primal, Rhinox, Rattrap, Dinobot, Megatron, Waspinator, Terrorsaur, Blackarachnia, Airazor, Inferno, Tigatron

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

Dark Voyage

Airdate: 27 January 1997
Written By: Samuel Warren Joseph
Japanese Title: "Around and Around the Jungle"

Synopsis: Rattrap, Cheetor, Dinobot and Rhinox digs around, and they find several pieces of Energon crystals. Scorponok opens fire on the energon, and one of his darts hit the unstable energon, detonating it impressively. Scorponok and Waspinator, confident that nothing could survive the explosion and giddy with success, return to base to report their victory.

However, the four Maximals have survived, but energon poisoning suffered during their explosion causes them to go blind. Rhinox calms his panicked comrades down, telling them to transform into beast modes to prevent more poisoning, and that they had to get moving, in hopes of getting back to base, or at least present a moving target to their enemies. As they enter a jungle, their lack of vision causes numerous bickering to break out (especially among Dinobot and Rattrap), with Rhinox repeatedly being a peacemaker. A large snake attacks Cheetor. Dinobot tries to help, but comically runs into a tree. Rattrap distracts the snake, and Rhinox tosses it away.

Tigatron and Optimus Primal goes off to search for the missing Maximals. Meanwhile Scorpy and Waspy gets told off by Megatron for not ensuring the Maximals' deaths, and now follow the trail of energon radiation left behind by the blind Maximals. Waspinator opens fire on the blind Maximals when they cross a log bridge over a waterfall, causing the four to drop down to the churning water below. Terrorsaur arrives, and tells them to make sure the Maximals are really dead.

The four Maximals wash up on a shore, but Rhinox tells them not to give up. As the Predacon fliers pass overhead, the Maximals bar Rhinox transform. Rhinox tells them to imagine the targeting grid from training, and then, heightening his senses in a zen-like way, Rhinox tells the other three where to aim. The firefight alerts Tigatron to where the Maximals are, and the blinded Maximals take down Terrorsaur. However, being in robot mode causes the blinded Maximals to suffer from more energon poisoning, and drop into stasis. Luckily, their rescuers arrive in time. Later, the Maximals emerge from CR chambers, repaired. Rhinox says that the experience is educational, and goes off to sniff some flowers.

Featured Transformers: Rattrap, Cheetor, Dinobot, Rhinox, Scorponok, Waspinator, Megatron, Tigatron, Optimus Primal, Tarantulas, Terrorsaur

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

Possession

Airdate: February 3, 1997
Written By: Ian Weir
Japanese Title: "The Immortal Starscream"

Synopsis: A violent storm causes problems with the computers in both Maximal and Predacon bases. Waspinator works on a console, but a hauntingly familiar voice greets him from inside the console, and a pair of purple eyes stare at him. A burst of energy slams into Waspinator, and the other Predacons soon see Waspinator march in gallantly, proclaiming his return 'at long last' using the mysterious voice. As lightning strikes, Waspinator's silhouette shimmers into that of the legendary Starscream, revealing the possessor's identity.

Apparently, the Air Commander's spark had been tumbling through time and space for a long, long time before encountering Waspinator. He tells Megatron and the other Predacons that he had been destroyed defending Galvatron from the monster planet Unicron, but his spark survived. Starscream claims that the Maximals would be also experiencing difficulties in the storm and offers his help. Megatron allows Starscream/Waspinator into his ranks, but secretly warns Scorponok to watch their Decepticon ally.

As dawn breaks, the Maximals are making repairs to their base, when Starscream and Megatron leads the Predacons on an assault. In the ensuing battle, Starscream's superior flying skills forces even Optimus Primal to admit defeat, and the Predacons force the Maximals to abandon their base, with Dinobot getting heavily injured in the process. Megatron puts Starscream in charge of the Axalon, with Blackarachnia and Scorponok left there to watch Starscream. However, Blackarachnia reveals to Starscream that she knows that the Decepticon was lying, and knows from records that Starscream had been killed by Galvatron after he betrayed the first Megatron. However, Blackarachnia proposes an alliance with Starscream to overthrow Megatron and Optimus Primal.

Meanwhile, deep in a nearby forest, the Maximals lick their wounds, with Optimus Primal not entirely believing that Starscream had possessed Waspinator. Dinobot, being of Decepticon ancestry and having a knack for history, tells Primal that Starscream is pretty much defined as traitor. The Maximals prepare a gambit, and they return to the Maximal base, claiming that they are surrendering as long as Dinobot's 'mortal' wounds could be repaired with the ship's CR Chamber. Starscream allows Optimus and Dinobot in, but predictable as ever, locks them up without weapons. Starscream orders the leaderless Maximals to attack the Predacon base, much to Scorponok's chagrin.

Meanwhile, Optimus and Dinobot, ignored by Starscream for the time being, breaks free and attacks the Predacons, forcing them to retreat. Primal manages to defeat Starscream in an aerial battle, leaving Starscream pleading for his life, as usual. Blackarachnia shows up, and proves to be smart as she double-crosses Starscream, igniting some energon crystals underneath Starscream to exorcise his ghostly spark from Waspinator's body. Soon afterwards, Waspinator gets repaired, as Blackarachnia explains to Megatron that she 'betrayed' them to expose Starscream's true intentions. Megatron isn't fully convinced, but lets it go for now. Meanwhile, Starscream... screams as his spark tumbles back into space, swearing vengeance...

Featured Transformers: Starscream, Cheetor, Rhinox, Optimus Primal, Waspinator, Megatron, Terrorsaur, Rattrap, Scorponok, Blackarachnia, Tarantulas, Unicron (flashback), Dinobot, Airazor, Tigatron

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

The Low Road

Airdate: 10 February 1997
Written By: Bob Forward
Japanese Title: "Stop the Sneezing"

Synopsis: Dinobot and Rattrap bicker continuously as they weed out the vines which have grown all around the Maximal base. Rhinox detects incoming Predacons, but can't activate Sentinel because Rattrap and Dinobot are still outside. The Predacons ambush the bickering duo, and Rhinox comes out to assist them. While trying to cover his fellow Maximals (who are still arguing) Rhinox was hit by Tarantulas' device. The Predacons, however, are ultimately driven off.

Rhinox, meanwhile, has apparently been given a virus which causes him to 'spontaneously discharge energy', which basically means everytime the sick Maximal sneezes or hiccups, energy beams shoot out of him. Rattrap and Dinobot set off to find an antivirus before Rhinox destroys the base. As they trail Tarantulas, the two argue about who is to blame for Rhinox getting hit by the virus. Catching a glimpse of Tarantulas, the duo fall through a trapdoor and into an underground slide with a massive boulder behind them. But when they land on the bottom of the slide, the boulder slams onto Tarantulas. Rattrap and Dinobot drag the unconscious Predacon while they navigate through the underground tunnels to find Tarantulas' lab. In the Maximal base, Optimus notes that he paired the duo together so that they would learn to work together (or kill each other). Rhinox is kept on a life support system, but the system drains energy from the Maximal base.

Meanwhile, Megatron sends off his troops to find the AWOL Tarantulas, so that more of the virus could be developed to use on the rest of the Maximals. They arrive on Tarantulas' lab to find the spider missing, and the computer encrypted. However, Blackarachnia sees through security cameras that the two Maximals making their way through the underground tunnels. At the Maximal base, Optimus Primal leads the rest of the Maximals to assault the Predacon base and steal the antivirus. Rhinox wants to come with them, but Primal tells him to rest. Rhinox consumes the wild beans outside the Axalonto help stabilize his systems.

In Tarantulas' lair, Blackarachnia finds the antivirus, but the other Predacon stooges open fire onto the entrance, alterting Dinobot and Rattrap to the trap. Dinobot tries to use Tarantulas as a hostage, but Megatron simply blasts the spider apart. However, it serves as a distraction for Rattrap to sneak through ventilation tunnels and disarm the Predacon goons. Suddenly, an explosive sneeze courtesy of Rhinox creates an entrance for the Maximals, who pose heroically.

Rhinox turns around and lets rip a gigantic fart which is visible from space, literally blowing the entire Predacon army away. The Maximals grab the antivirus and Rhinox is healed, while Rattrap and Dinobot bicker around as usual. The unconscious Predacons, meanwhile, laments on their humiliating defeat.

Featured Transformers: Rattrap, Dinobot, Rhinox, Cheetor, Optimus Primal, Inferno, Waspinator, Terrorsaur, Tarantulas, Scorponok, Megatron, Blackarachnia, Airazor, Tigatron

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

Law of the Jungle

Airdate: 17 February, 1997
Written By: Mark Leiren-Young
Japanese Title: "Fare Thee Well, Tigatron"

Synopsis: Inferno and Terrorsaur ambushes Cheetor and Dinobot on a mountain road. As Inferno maniacally assaults the duo, Terrorsaur is about to drop a bomb from a weapons cache on Dinobot. He misses, and the three ground-bound combatants are knocked aside. Terrorsaur is knocked out, and he orders Waspinator to attack. Waspinator is about to drop another explosive from the weapons cache onto Cheetor, but he sees a white tiger which he mistakes for Tigatron. The real McCoy is actually on a mountaintop above Waspinator, and pounces on Waspy.

Tigatron knocks Waspinator out, but Inferno resumes his assault. Tigatron opens fire on Inferno, but while he knocks the Predacon out, a stray shot hits the Predacons’ weapons cache, detonating it. It causes an avalanche which kills Tigatron’s tiger companion (Snowstalker). Later, in the dusk, Tigatron creates a grave marker on Snowstalker’s resting place. Looking at the damaged terrain and nature after the fight, Tigatron quits the Beast Wars. DInobot argues that the destruction is a part of war, but Tigatron is adamant to leave. Dinobot trails Tigatron, while Optimus Primal trails the duo.

In the night, Dinobot shows Tigatron of the brutality of nature, as a tiger kills a gazelle. Dinobot explains that the Maximals battle the Predacons for peace on Cybertron. Dinobot explains that if Megatron wins, he will spread war to other worlds, destroying them in the process. However, Tigatron still disagrees, and Dinobot loses his patience and the two nearly come to blows. Primal arrives to stop them from killing each other. Dinobot leaves, and Primal tells Tigatron that he hates the Beast Wars too, but they have a duty to protect the planet from the Predacons.

Meanwhile, the three Predacons attack Dinobot, knocking him out. Optimus Primal arrives to rescue his comrade, knocking out Terrorsaur and Waspinator. However, Inferno gets in with a cheap shot, knocking the Maximal leader out. Tigatron arrives to help because he can’t just stand still and watch as his friends are killed. Inferno’s rampant attacks burns more plants, adding to Tigatron’s anger. The Maximal beats Inferno up, and extinguishes the flames. He resolves to rejoin the Beast Wars, knowing that he could do more good as a warrior than a bystander.

Featured Transformers: Cheetor, Dinobot, Inferno, Waspinator, Terrorsaur, Optimus Primal, Tigatron, Megatron (flashback)
Notable others: Snowstalker (killed)

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

Before the Storm

Airdate 21 February 1997
Written By: Larry DiTillio & Bob Forward
Japanese Title: "They Come"

Synopsis: Tigatron watches as a strange energy pulse is emitted from a distant mountain. The Predacon base’s sensors detect this as well and inform a sleeping Megatron. The computer reveals that the energy matches those of the Alien artifacts. Suspecting this to be the start of something big, Megatron sends Inferno to investigate. Inferno arrives on the mountain, burrows in and discovers a golden disk inside the mountain. The simple-minded Predacon tear it out of the mountain and fly back to base, handing it over to Megatron, who was pleased at his obedience (but is less than pleased at being called ‘queen’).

Optimus Primal arrives shortly after, scouting for the energy pulse. A probe flies past him and Primal follows it. After a short chase, the probe shows a hologram of Megatron, who speaks and proposes a truce on neutral ground between the two faction leaders. Soon, Primal and Megatron meet on a plateau. Megatron insists that the truce is not an act, because Megatron has no time to fight the Maximals and needs time to think. Primal, bound by Maximal code, has no choice but to agree. When he returns to base most of the Maximals are unhappy. Rhinox deduces that this might be related to the alien energy, to which Primal agrees, stating that something must’ve scared Megatron badly. An unwilling Rattrap is dispatched to enter the Predacon base.

In the Predacon base, Tarantulas sneaks and steals one of the Transwarp cells of the Darksyde. Waspinator sees this and holds him at gunpoint, but Tarantulas easily outwits the poor bug and blasts him into smithereens. Megatron sees this from security feeds, but decides to let Tarantulas do his plans for now. However, he sends Blackarachnia to know more about Tarantulas’ schemes.

Meanwhile, Airazor carries Rattrap near the Predacon territory. Airazor drops Rattrap off quickly, before dodging the bullets from the Predacon autoguns. Airazor comms Megatron, who casually switches off the perimeter defences and asks politely for Airazor to leave. As the Maximal flier turns, Megatron stops her for a moment and orders her to bring Rattrap back as well. Although the two’s snooping mission seems to have failed, it’s apparently a distraction for the real infiltrator—Tigatron—to enter the Predacon base.

Blackarachnia confronts Tarantulas, full with her own schemes. But as the two plotters bicker, Megatron manages to hack into the Transwarp cell from his chamber and adds his own programming. Elsewhere in the Predacon base, Tigatron hacks into the databases through a virtual reality console, and discovers about the second Golden Disk. Terrorsaur and Scorponok see him, but since they can’t fire a weapon in a truce, the Predacon thugs chase after Tigatron in the base. Tigatron escapes the Predacon base, and a fight between the Maximals and Predacons ensues, but they need to fight with unorthodox methods due to the rules of the truce not letting them use their weapons. The Predacons are outwitted, and the Maximals retreat. Megatron seems to have let them get away intentionally.

On the Maximal base, Tigatron explains about the Golden Disk. It’s similar with the one Megatron stole from Cybertron, but it’s created by the Aliens who seeded energon on the planet. Apparently the disk itself was part of a signal that the aliens sent, which basically says that the Aliens are on their way to the planet, and they were not happy.

Transformers Featured: Tigatron, Megatron, Inferno, Optimus Primal, Rattrap, Dinobot, Rhinox, Cheetor, Tarantulas, Waspinator, Blackarachnia, Airazor, Terrorsaur, Scorponok

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

Other Voices, Part 1

Airdate 31 March 1997
Written By: Larry DiTillio & Bob Forward
Japanese Title: "The King of Terror Arrives"

Synopsis: A wormhole opens above the planet, and an energy surge emerges from it. The Aliens have arrived. Rhinox detects the arrival and alerts Optimus, who hopes that the truce is still holding. Primal flies off to meet up Airazor and Rattrap, who are the closest to the landing site of the energy surge. Meanwhile, Tarantulas is programming his stolen Transwarp cell, when Blackarachnia arrives again, telling him that she could help him could steal a stasis pod from the Maximal base. Apparently, Tarantulas is planning to make an escape pod to get away from the planet. Megatron monitors the Spiders' scheming, and sends Waspinator off towards where the Aliens are supposed to land.

The Aliens' landing site is has been turned a large circular plain, pulsing with energy and containing stable energon crystals. Rattrap and Airazor arrives. Airazor transforms and tries to scan the energon crystals, but she is zapped, and a metallic dome-like structure appears, trapping Airazor inside and Rattrap outside it. Airazor wakes up inside the Alien structure, where a garbled voice speaks in an alien language. She tries to assure the Aliens that she means no harm and they zap her with lightning until she transforms into beast mode. The Aliens leave the nearly-unconscious Maximal on the ground, saying 'Cybertron' cryptically.

Meanwhile, as Waspinator arrives on the area, Rattrap brutalizes the Predacon and drives him off. Optimus Primal arrives, but the two Maximals are unable to breach the dome structure. Megatron, Terrorsaur and Scorponok arrives, and the Predacon leader mocks the Maximals for thinking that simple laser weapons could cut through the dome. Megatron remarks that the Aliens can create Energon, and simple weaponry just won't work. Scorponok fires some sort of acidic sting which eats through the wall of the dome, letting the Maximals in. Rattrap drags Airazor out, while Primal tries to reason with the Aliens. Suddenly, metal tentacles shoot out and binds Primal, lifting him up to a scanning grid of sorts.

Meanwhile, the Spiders make their way to the Axalon. Blackarachnia activates a device that creates a hole in the Sentinel forcefield, and the two move in. Inferno, who is trailing the treacherous Predacons, burrows through the ground and follows them in. Back in the dome structure, Rattrap pulls Airazor out of the dome just before the opening seals, and finds himself facing the Predacons, who declare that the truce is over.

The Aliens begin to talk to Optimus Primal. Since they had no form that Primal could comprehend, they take the form of Unicron's head. The Aliens tell Primal that the Transformers have contaminated their experiment, and the planet will be sterilized. Primal tries to negotiate, but the Aliens don't really care about his concerns, citing greater dangers that they couldn't possibly understand. The Aliens activate a 'Termination Sequence'. The Alien Dome begins to glow, distracting the Predacons for Rattrap and Airazor to overpower the Predacons. Optimus Primal breaks free of his bonds, and breaks through the dome with force. The Maximal retreats, even as the dome bursts open and sends a blast of energy into the sky.

The energy activates hidden systems on the surface of the second moon, burning away the rocky surface and revealling metal underneath it. The 'moon' begins to glow from the inside, and endless rows of weapon emplacements power up. The energy surge cause the stasis pods in orbit to crash land to the planet. Rhinox observes this all through the monitors on the base, getting increasingly worries even as sensors begin to blow up. So engaged at the display that he didn't notice the Spiders sneaking him up. Blackarachnia and Tarantulas take out Rhinox and Dinobot with ease, but Tarantulas sees the display and remarks that it is 'the beginning of the end'.

To be continued...

Featured Transformers: Rhinox, Optimus Primal, Tarantulas, Blackarachnia, Megatron, Waspinator, Airazor, Rattrap, The Vok, Terrorsaur, Scorponok, Inferno, Dinobot

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

Other Voices, Part 2

Airdate: 1 April 1997
Written By: Larry DiTillio
Japanese Title: "To Protect the Peace"

Synopsis: Cheetor and Tigatron stare in fear at the Vok superweapon as the moon continues powering up to space. Optimus Primal orders all Maximals to return to base. As usual, Rattrap says that they are all going to die, but Primal is sure that Rhinox can find a way for them to survive. Meanwhile, the dome structure finishes transferring energy to the weapon, and the Vok depart, returning to Nexus Zero. Megatron and his troops observe this from their base. As the troops panic, Megatron calmly scans the Maximal base, detecting Tarantulas, Blackarachnia and Inferno within.

Tarantulas is converting a stasis pod with the transwarp drive he stole from the Predacon ship into an escape ship. Blackarachnia observes that the pod is rather cramped for two, but she pulls out her weapon, double-crossing Tarantulas. Before the two could battle, though, Inferno arrives and blasts Blackarachnia, and sets Tarantulas on fire, knocking him out. Blackarachnia continues to battle Inferno, using her superior agility to elude Inferno and ultimately knocking the fire ant out with his own weapon. Blackarachnia uses Tarantulas' cyberlink goggles to obtain the data she needs to finish the pod ship, but as she stares into Tarantulas' mind, Tarantulas isn't as weak-minded as she thought...

The Maximals arrive at the base, shocked at seeing Sentinel down. As they enter they find Rhinox and Dinobot webbed to the ceiling. Rattrap and Airazor are dispatched to hunt down the infiltrators, while the damaged Maximals are placed in CR chambers. Megatron is delighted as the data flow from Tarantulas' body to the pod continues. Suddenly, the 'Planet Buster', having finished its transformation sequence, opens fire on the planet. Primal activates Sentinel just in time as the surroundings begins to burn. The Maximals and Predacons both deduce that the Vok intend to ignite the energon deposits. Megatron notes that this will obliterate the entire planet, an incredibly ruthless strategy that he admires. Megatron, however, assures his troops that he has one reliable card to play -- the unwitting Tarantulas.

Blackarachnia finishes uploading data at into the pod ship, only to find herself being held at gunpoint by Rattrap and Airazor. Primal and the Maximals begin to panic themselves, with Rhinox still out. However, Primal's outlook changes when he sees Blackarachnia's pod ship. Primal plans to use the pod ship so that he can fly up to the Planet Buster and detonate the transwarp cell to destroy it.

Blackarachnia reprograms the ship to respond to Optimus Primal, and after a farewell with his teammates, takes off. Megatron is delighted when he realizes that Primal is the one flying the vessel. The tension is high as Primal reaches the Planet Buster, and ignites the Transwarp cell. However, as he tries to blow the hatch seals, he discovers it to be locked. Apparently, Megatron has hacked into the stasis pod's software, planning to use the same trick with Tarantulas. His face appears in front of Primal as he gloats, stating that the pilot will go up with the ship. As Primal pounds on the sealed hatch, the Maximals wonder what is going on. Blackarachnia says that it's too late in Tarantulas' voice. The Planet Buster and the pod ship both explode, and with it, Optimus Primal as well...

Transformers Featured: Cheetor, Tigatron, Optimus Primal (killed), Rattap, Airazor, Terrorsaur, Scorponok, Waspinator, Tarantulas (transferred into Blackarachnia’s mind), Blackarachnia, Inferno, Dinobot, Rhinox

Reviews and Commentary: Reviewed by Blackjack

 

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