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Code of Hero

2012-06-19T16:35:28Z

174.59.206.249:

{{episode|
|series=BWtoon
|ep=35
|series2=Metals
|ep2=8
|prev2=Other Visits (Part 2)
|image=CodeofHero titlepic.jpg
|caption=The rest is silence...
|title="Code of Hero"
|production company=[[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|airdate=[[March 9]], 1998
|packaged with=[[Dinobot (BW)#Beast_Wars_10th_Anniversary|Dinobot]]
|written by=[[Ian Weir]]
|directed by=[[Bob Forward]]
|animation studio=[[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|continuity= [[Beast Wars continuity]]
}}
'''Dinobot makes the ultimate sacrifice to save those who are still to come.'''

==Synopsis==
In a wild valley, a group of [[Protohuman|primitive hominids]] forage for food. A gargantuan snake attacks two of their number, and the protohumans are helpless to stop it...

[[Image:Dinobot meditate.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"I have no other choice, I have dishonored my comrades."]]
At the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'', a haunted Dinobot meditates on his sword... and holds its blade ominously over his chest. But after a long moment of tension and hesitation, he casts it aside with a growl of frustration.

Rhinox has been calculating the path of the [[Transwarp wavefront|Transwarp Wave]] from the [[Planet Buster]]'s destruction—it's traveling through time at an accelerated rate, and will reach [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the "present", thus alerting Cybertron to their location. Optimus fears Megatron has made similar calculations, and the group realizes they need to increase their defenses.

Dinobot, still somber, runs into Rattrap, who nearly goads him into a fight over his turning the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Disk]] over to Megatron. Rattrap stalks off, concluding that he'd thought Dinobot was at least forthright. Dinobot is left to reflect that his past actions cannot be undone... but they "may yet be mitigated". He arms himself and heads off into the wastes.

On aerial recon, Cheetor observes Megatron and Rampage out for a stroll. They drive him off with some damage, but Cheetor calls in the sighting to Dinobot, who promises to follow up.

At [[Tarantulas's lair|his lair]], Tarantulas has captured a tasty antelope for his dinner. But as he creeps up to the struggling beast, Dinobot bursts out of the ground, holding him at gunpoint and demanding to know what information is on the Golden Disk. Tarantulas doesn't know—there are no more copies remaining, and Megatron is keeping the Disk on his person at all times. Still holding him at gunpoint, Dinobot uses Tarantulas as his unwilling ride.

[[Image:Megatron GoldenDisk.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The hills are alive, with The Sounds of Earth!]]
The protohumans scatter and panic as Megatron flies overhead and lands. Rampage sneers that the Maximals will soon arrive from Cybertron, and that he anticipates Megatron's imminent demise. Megatron admits that's very likely... but only if history remains as it is.

Megatron explains that the Golden Disk contains images recorded in the future, including one of a nearby mountain. Megatron has Rampage destroy the mountaintop. After a moment, the image on the disk changes to suit the altered reality, to Megatron's delight. Dinobot observes all this with dawning dread: Megatron has the power to change the future.

The valley they are standing above, Megatron explains, spawned the human race. Their interference helped the Autobots win the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], thereby allowing the Maximals to rule over the Predacons today. But Megatron has a different history in mind. Summoning the rest of his troops, he orders them to annihilate the valley and its inhabitants. With the protohumans destroyed, the human race will never have existed!

[[Image:BWDinobot decision.jpg|left|170px|thumb|A picturesque image is required before a dramatic death.]]
While Dinobot's back is turned, Tarantulas blasts him; Dinobot reciprocates by squashing him under a rock. Dinobot contacts Optimus, who orders him to maintain position, but Dinobot knows there is no time to wait. With his questions answered, Dinobot is ready to face his destiny.

Dinobot moves in to attack the entire Predacon force single-handed. He blasts Inferno and Blackarachnia (stabbing the former for good measure), stomps Waspinator, forces Rampage's cannon to backfire (using Waspinator's head), and pummels Quickstrike (with his bare hands), but loses his weapons, suffers considerable damage, and drains most of his energy supply. His computer warns him that he must enter [[stasis lock]] to survive... a command which Dinobot overrides.

Megatron confronts the damaged warrior, gloating over his near-total victory; when Dinobot starts to attack, Megatron reveals a protohuman captive. The hostage is enough to make Dinobot halt; Megatron rebukes him for weakness. But Dinobot is a warrior still. Forging a makeshift hammer from a rock and stick, he knocks the Disk out of Megatron's hand and frees the protohuman. With the last of his energy, he summons one final optic blast, shattering the Disk.

Nearly mad with frustration, Megatron flees as the [[Maximal]]s arrive. Rattrap gasps in horror at the sight of his comrade, while Cheetor douses the flames of the burning valley. The Maximals gather around the fallen Dinobot, but it is too late to help him. Optimus assures him that he has saved untold lives yet to come. Dinobot exchanges a final round of barbs with Rattrap; he asks them all to tell his story truthfully, both the good and the bad, and allow him to be judged accordingly. "The rest is silence." With that, the proud warrior dies. Rattrap leads the others in a salute as Dinobot's [[spark]] leaves his body, with Primal wishing it on to the Matrix, there to join Cybertron's finest.

[[Image:Dinbot funeral.jpg|right|170px|thumb|Old soldiers don't die, they just fade away...]]
The next morning, the Maximals hold a funeral for Dinobot. The fliers soar through the air in a [[wikipedia:missing man formation|salute]], as Rattrap and Rhinox dissolve Dinobot's remains.

At the valley, a curious protohuman (presumably the same one Dinobot rescued) finds Dinobot's hammer. He soon figures out how to use it to help gather food... and to fend off predators, such as the giant snake. The protohuman's yell of triumph echoes through the valley; and high above, a brief flicker appears in the void of space.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
* [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] (2)
* [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] (3)
* [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (4)
* [[Rattrap]] (5)
* [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (6)
* [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] (14)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
* [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] (7)
* [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (8)
* [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] (9)
* [[Waspinator]] (10)
* [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] (11)
* [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (12)
* [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] (13)

|h3=[[Protohuman]]s|c3=
* [[Leader Neanderthal]] (1)
}}

==Quotes==
"Remember that transwarp cell explosion?" 
[''Primal just glares''] 
"Okay, stupid question..."
:—'''Rhinox''' has a once-in-a-lifetime lapse in intelligence.

"The rodent's words give off the stench of truth. Destiny is one great test in store for us all. Has mine already come and have I failed it? A deed once done cannot be undone, but perhaps, it may yet be mitigated."
:—'''Dinobot''' embarking on his destiny

"The question that once haunted my being has been answered. The future is not fixed, and my choices are my own. And yet, how ironic... for I now find that I have no choice at all! I am a warrior... let the battle be joined."
:—'''Dinobot''', realizing his destiny

"One lonely turncoat, battling on against impossible odds." ''[Wipes fake tear]'' "I'm almost touched! ...Fortunately, such moments pass quickly. Quickstrike, scrap him!"
:—'''Megatron''', observing Dinobot's solo fight to save the valley.

"What's a warrior without weapons, eh?" 
"A warrior ''still!''"
:—'''Quickstrike''' totally underestimates '''Dinobot'''.

"Hmm, my ears are burning! Yesss! Why, Dinobot, what a delightful surprise! Let's see, where are we now? I have the Golden Disk, I have the power to change the future, and the only obstacle in my path to ''unimaginable'' glory... is yourself. Exhausted. Damaged beyond recovery. ''Defeated''." 
"Not just yet!" 
"Ah-ah-ah!" ''[Megatron reveals a bound proto-human]'' "One more step, and it's raining bits of early anthropoid, yesss." ''[Dinobot hesitates]'' "Oh dear, how positively ''Maximal'' of you. You were weakened before you started, Dinobot. Weakened by ''compassion''."
:—'''Megatron''' confronts the severely damaged '''Dinobot'''.

"Face it, Dinobot! You're old technology, obsolete. What could you possibly ''do''?" 
"Improvise."
:—'''Megatron''' is about to find out that '''Dinobot''' has one more trick up his sleeve.

'''Optimus Primal: ''' "Well fought, my friend. You saved the valley. You saved the lives of those who live here... and of those who are still to come." 
'''Dinobot:''' "Then... there is nothing to regret." 
'''Rattrap:''' "Like I said, you're just a blasted, slag-spouting saurian, but... it's nice to know where you stand." 
'''Dinobot:'''"Upwind of you, for preference, vermin. ...Tell my tale to those who ask. Tell it truly, the ill deeds along with the good, and let me be judged accordingly. The rest... is silence."
:— Dinobot shares last words with his comrades

"He lived a warrior... and died a hero. Let his spark join the Matrix, the greatest of Cybertron."

:—'''Optimus Primal'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s eulogy for Dinobot

==Notes==
* In this episode, the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Voyager Disk]] resembles an old record (complete with being labeled "The Sounds of Earth") instead of the design used since its appearance in [[Beast Wars (Part 1)|the first episode]]. Given its origin as a record in a canister, however, it's possible that Megatron has simply taken it out of its case to test his theory of time-meddling.

===Animation and technical errors===
* The interior of the ''Axalon'', and thus the doors to Dinobot's quarters, were made at a different scale to his character model, so he could not actually fit through the doorway. Bob Forward explained that it had to be faked by a cut.
* When Rattrap is working at the wall panel, his right forearm is backwards and remains thus until he is grandly gesturing.
* When Megatron is flying over the proto-human valley, his legs are missing and his body has very little detail. It's especially noticeable when he flies towards the camera and transforms into robot mode-at which point his legs appear out of nowhere.
* As the Maximals head out, Rhinox's running animation is being played unnaturally fast to keep up with the others.
* As Quickstrike approaches Dinobot, his left shin is backwards.
* At Dinobot's funeral, Rattrap is in his pre-Transmetal body. On the [[Madman]] DVD commentary for this episode, Bob Forward could not believe how the production team (who had viewed this scene at least a hundred times trying to get everything right) did not notice the fact they used the wrong Rattrap, and yet every fan did.

===Continuity errors===
* The strategy of the Maximal cavalry seems a bit odd. Granted, arriving in ones and twos would make them more vulnerable to attack but surely there would be some advantage in sending at least Cheetor on ahead? Or are we supposed to assume that every single Maximal, from jet-powered cheetah to bog-standard rhino, has the same top speed? (It's especially odd for Rhinox, considering that vehicle-mode Rattrap has given someone a lift [[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)|before]], and Primal will give Rhinox a lift [[The Agenda (Part III)|later]]).
* When Dinobot laments about Megatron's power being limitless, Megatron and Rampage can be seen on the cliff right behind him. This and the previous shot also indicate that Dinobot is ''right out in the open'', possibly exposing himself in full view of both Predacons. So...exactly ''why'' didn't Megatron or Rampage notice Dinobot, now?
* Towards the end of the episode, a mechanical thud can be heard when the snake hits the ground, making it sound as if the snake is made of metal.
*Rattrap mentions that Dinobot would be up against six Predacons when there was a total of seven. (Out of universe, this is likely for the audience's benefit, in case they weren't keeping track.) Either he had totally forgotten about Tarantulas, somehow heard Dinobot defeating Tarantulas over his open comlink, or assumed that Tarantulas would still not be working with Megatron.
* Megatron's strategy of destroying the human race before it evolves has a critical deterministic error; if he succeeds in preventing the human race from coming into being, then the golden disk would never have been created by [[NASA]] in the future. Megatron would never have been able to acquire the disk in the first place, and thus would not have the foresight to attempt to destroy the human race, and then the human race would have evolved as normal, creating the golden disk in the future... and so on and so forth.

===Transformers references===
*Megatron orders the destruction of the prehumans to prevent the development of mankind. Humans assisted the Autobots to win the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. Most of these were probably [[Witwicky]]s.

===Real-world references===
* As the Predacons jump into the valley to destroy the hominids, Rampage crushes a butterfly. This evokes the famous Ray Bradbury short story "[[wikipedia:A Sound of Thunder|A Sound of Thunder]]", in which a time traveler in the past steps on a butterfly, thus dramatically altering the future of humanity.
* When Dinobot is leaving the base, he comments that "a deed, once done, cannot be undone", a slight modification of the Shakespearean quote "what is done cannot be undone".
* Dinobot's final words, "The rest is silence", are taken directly from Shakespeare's ''Hamlet''.
* In a bit of foreshadowing, while Dinobot is contemplating suicide, three ravens fly past his window in the [[wikipedia:Missing man formation|missing man formation]], which the Maximal fliers use in their salute to him at his funeral. The formation was also used when 3 protohumans were wandering through the forest prior to the Predacon attack.
* Right after Dinobot crash-lands on [[Waspinator]], Rampage points his cannon at Dinobot. The brief image from within the cannon's barrel appears similar to the gun barrel views from numerous James Bond movies.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Code du Héros'''" (Canada, "Code of Hero")

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Abayo!'''" (あばよッ!, "Farewell!")

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Un grande eroe'''" ("A Grand Hero")

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Código de Herói'''" ("Code of Hero")

'''Spanish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''El Código del Héroe'''" ("The Code of Hero")

:*''Title:'' "'''El Código de un Héroe'''" (America, "The Code of a Hero")

===Trivia===
* ''Beast Wars'' co-story editor [[Bob Forward]] drew storyboards for this episode. Not only is it the only ''Beast Wars'' episode to be directed by the series's writers, but it is also the only episode to be done up in storyboards rather than being directed on-the-fly. Bob Forward worked in person with the [[Mainframe Entertainment|Mainframe]] animators for this episode.
* The original storyboards were auctioned for charity at a [[BotCon]].
* According to Bob Forward, Megatron's transformation sequence had to be reconstructed to be able to show his transformation from underneath for one shot. Previously, the animation only "worked" when seen from eye-level or above.
* During the recording of this episode, [[Scott McNeil]] was attempting to deliver Dinobot's last words, but was continually interrupted by the recording crew's laughter. He is reputed to have said while still in character, "Do you mind?! I'm trying to die here!"
* According to McNeil, Dinobot knew he was going to die five episodes before he did, as right up until the last second, he believed Dinobot to only be "cartoon dead" as opposed to "''dead'' dead".
* When originally broadcast in the [[United Kingdom]], this episode was edited, with Dinobot's contemplated suicide completely excised and his hallway altercation with Rattrap cut down to only a fraction of its actual length. In the latter case, this seem to serve no other purpose than the elimination of the word "[[Slag (slang)|slag]]", and Dinobot's dying exchange with Rattrap was likewise altered to purge the word.
* It's no surprise that a DVD containing this episode was packaged with Dinobot for ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary]]''. This is the only post-Season 1 episode included with any ''10th Anniversary'' figure.
* Bob Forward considers this to be his favorite ''Beast Wars'' episode, as well as the "The Agenda" three-parter.<ref>http://www.infinitefrontiers.0catch.com/AutoAssembly/BobForward.htm Interview with Bob Forward</ref>

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1998 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Bad Spark / Code of Hero ([[KB Toys]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 1998 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Series 2 / Volume 3 ([[wikipedia:Siren Visual|Siren Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Huh? The Face? ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2001 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 7 ([[Universal]])

;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — English and Japanese audio. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Second Season ([[Rhino Entertainment|Rhinomation]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Beast Wars'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]
[[Category:Beast Wars 10th Anniversary]]
[[Category:MSTF]]
[[Category:Pack-in material]]

Code of Hero

2012-06-19T16:32:48Z

174.59.206.249:

{{episode|
|series=BWtoon
|ep=35
|series2=Metals
|ep2=8
|prev2=Other Visits (Part 2)
|image=CodeofHero titlepic.jpg
|caption=The rest is silence...
|title="Code of Hero"
|production company=[[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|airdate=[[March 9]], 1998
|packaged with=[[Dinobot (BW)#Beast_Wars_10th_Anniversary|Dinobot]]
|written by=[[Ian Weir]]
|directed by=[[Bob Forward]]
|animation studio=[[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|continuity= [[Beast Wars continuity]]
}}
'''Dinobot makes the ultimate sacrifice to save those who are still to come.'''

==Synopsis==
In a wild valley, a group of [[Protohuman|primitive hominids]] forage for food. A gargantuan snake attacks two of their number, and the protohumans are helpless to stop it...

[[Image:Dinobot meditate.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"I have no other choice, I have dishonored my comrades."]]
At the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'', a haunted Dinobot meditates on his sword... and holds its blade ominously over his chest. But after a long moment of tension and hesitation, he casts it aside with a growl of frustration.

Rhinox has been calculating the path of the [[Transwarp wavefront|Transwarp Wave]] from the [[Planet Buster]]'s destruction—it's traveling through time at an accelerated rate, and will reach [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the "present", thus alerting Cybertron to their location. Optimus fears Megatron has made similar calculations, and the group realizes they need to increase their defenses.

Dinobot, still somber, runs into Rattrap, who nearly goads him into a fight over his turning the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Disk]] over to Megatron. Rattrap stalks off, concluding that he'd thought Dinobot was at least forthright. Dinobot is left to reflect that his past actions cannot be undone... but they "may yet be mitigated". He arms himself and heads off into the wastes.

On aerial recon, Cheetor observes Megatron and Rampage out for a stroll. They drive him off with some damage, but Cheetor calls in the sighting to Dinobot, who promises to follow up.

At [[Tarantulas's lair|his lair]], Tarantulas has captured a tasty antelope for his dinner. But as he creeps up to the struggling beast, Dinobot bursts out of the ground, holding him at gunpoint and demanding to know what information is on the Golden Disk. Tarantulas doesn't know—there are no more copies remaining, and Megatron is keeping the Disk on his person at all times. Still holding him at gunpoint, Dinobot uses Tarantulas as his unwilling ride.

[[Image:Megatron GoldenDisk.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The hills are alive, with The Sounds of Earth!]]
The protohumans scatter and panic as Megatron flies overhead and lands. Rampage sneers that the Maximals will soon arrive from Cybertron, and that he anticipates Megatron's imminent demise. Megatron admits that's very likely... but only if history remains as it is.

Megatron explains that the Golden Disk contains images recorded in the future, including one of a nearby mountain. Megatron has Rampage destroy the mountaintop. After a moment, the image on the disk changes to suit the altered reality, to Megatron's delight. Dinobot observes all this with dawning dread: Megatron has the power to change the future.

The valley they are standing above, Megatron explains, spawned the human race. Their interference helped the Autobots win the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], thereby allowing the Maximals to rule over the Predacons today. But Megatron has a different history in mind. Summoning the rest of his troops, he orders them to annihilate the valley and its inhabitants. With the protohumans destroyed, the human race will never have existed!

[[Image:BWDinobot decision.jpg|left|170px|thumb|A picturesque image is required before a dramatic death.]]
While Dinobot's back is turned, Tarantulas blasts him; Dinobot reciprocates by squashing him under a rock. Dinobot contacts Optimus, who orders him to maintain position, but Dinobot knows there is no time to wait. With his questions answered, Dinobot is ready to face his destiny.

Dinobot moves in to attack the entire Predacon force single-handed. He blasts Inferno and Blackarachnia (stabbing the former for good measure), stomps Waspinator, forces Rampage's cannon to backfire (using Waspinator's head), and pummels Quickstrike (with his bare hands), but loses his weapons, suffers considerable damage, and drains most of his energy supply. His computer warns him that he must enter [[stasis lock]] to survive... a command which Dinobot overrides.

Megatron confronts the damaged warrior, gloating over his near-total victory; when Dinobot starts to attack, Megatron reveals a protohuman captive. The hostage is enough to make Dinobot halt; Megatron rebukes him for weakness. But Dinobot is a warrior still. Forging a makeshift hammer from a rock and stick, he knocks the Disk out of Megatron's hand and frees the protohuman. With the last of his energy, he summons one final optic blast, shattering the Disk.

Nearly mad with frustration, Megatron flees as the [[Maximal]]s arrive. Rattrap gasps in horror at the sight of his comrade, while Cheetor douses the flames of the burning valley. The Maximals gather around the fallen Dinobot, but it is too late to help him. Optimus assures him that he has saved untold lives yet to come. Dinobot exchanges a final round of barbs with Rattrap; he asks them all to tell his story truthfully, both the good and the bad, and allow him to be judged accordingly. With that, the proud warrior dies. Rattrap leads the others in a salute as Dinobot's [[spark]] leaves his body, with Primal wishing it on to the Matrix, there to join Cybertron's finest.

[[Image:Dinbot funeral.jpg|right|170px|thumb|Old soldiers don't die, they just fade away...]]
The next morning, the Maximals hold a funeral for Dinobot. The fliers soar through the air in a [[wikipedia:missing man formation|salute]], as Rattrap and Rhinox dissolve Dinobot's remains.

At the valley, a curious protohuman (presumably the same one Dinobot rescued) finds Dinobot's hammer. He soon figures out how to use it to help gather food... and to fend off predators, such as the giant snake. The protohuman's yell of triumph echoes through the valley; and high above, a brief flicker appears in the void of space.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
* [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] (2)
* [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] (3)
* [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (4)
* [[Rattrap]] (5)
* [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (6)
* [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] (14)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
* [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] (7)
* [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (8)
* [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] (9)
* [[Waspinator]] (10)
* [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] (11)
* [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (12)
* [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] (13)

|h3=[[Protohuman]]s|c3=
* [[Leader Neanderthal]] (1)
}}

==Quotes==
"Remember that transwarp cell explosion?" 
[''Primal just glares''] 
"Okay, stupid question..."
:—'''Rhinox''' has a once-in-a-lifetime lapse in intelligence.

"The rodent's words give off the stench of truth. Destiny is one great test in store for us all. Has mine already come and have I failed it? A deed once done cannot be undone, but perhaps, it may yet be mitigated."
:—'''Dinobot''' embarking on his destiny

"The question that once haunted my being has been answered. The future is not fixed, and my choices are my own. And yet, how ironic... for I now find that I have no choice at all! I am a warrior... let the battle be joined."
:—'''Dinobot''', realizing his destiny

"One lonely turncoat, battling on against impossible odds." ''[Wipes fake tear]'' "I'm almost touched! ...Fortunately, such moments pass quickly. Quickstrike, scrap him!"
:—'''Megatron''', observing Dinobot's solo fight to save the valley.

"What's a warrior without weapons, eh?" 
"A warrior ''still!''"
:—'''Quickstrike''' totally underestimates '''Dinobot'''.

"Hmm, my ears are burning! Yesss! Why, Dinobot, what a delightful surprise! Let's see, where are we now? I have the Golden Disk, I have the power to change the future, and the only obstacle in my path to ''unimaginable'' glory... is yourself. Exhausted. Damaged beyond recovery. ''Defeated''." 
"Not just yet!" 
"Ah-ah-ah!" ''[Megatron reveals a bound proto-human]'' "One more step, and it's raining bits of early anthropoid, yesss." ''[Dinobot hesitates]'' "Oh dear, how positively ''Maximal'' of you. You were weakened before you started, Dinobot. Weakened by ''compassion''."
:—'''Megatron''' confronts the severely damaged '''Dinobot'''.

"Face it, Dinobot! You're old technology, obsolete. What could you possibly ''do''?" 
"Improvise."
:—'''Megatron''' is about to find out that '''Dinobot''' has one more trick up his sleeve.

'''Optimus Primal: ''' "Well fought, my friend. You saved the valley. You saved the lives of those who live here... and of those who are still to come." 
'''Dinobot:''' "Then... there is nothing to regret." 
'''Rattrap:''' "Like I said, you're just a blasted, slag-spouting saurian, but... it's nice to know where you stand." 
'''Dinobot:'''"Upwind of you, for preference, vermin. ...Tell my tale to those who ask. Tell it truly, the ill deeds along with the good, and let me be judged accordingly. The rest... is silence."
:— Dinobot shares last words with his comrades

"He lived a warrior... and died a hero. Let his spark join the Matrix, the greatest of Cybertron."

:—'''Optimus Primal'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s eulogy for Dinobot

==Notes==
* In this episode, the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Voyager Disk]] resembles an old record (complete with being labeled "The Sounds of Earth") instead of the design used since its appearance in [[Beast Wars (Part 1)|the first episode]]. Given its origin as a record in a canister, however, it's possible that Megatron has simply taken it out of its case to test his theory of time-meddling.

===Animation and technical errors===
* The interior of the ''Axalon'', and thus the doors to Dinobot's quarters, were made at a different scale to his character model, so he could not actually fit through the doorway. Bob Forward explained that it had to be faked by a cut.
* When Rattrap is working at the wall panel, his right forearm is backwards and remains thus until he is grandly gesturing.
* When Megatron is flying over the proto-human valley, his legs are missing and his body has very little detail. It's especially noticeable when he flies towards the camera and transforms into robot mode-at which point his legs appear out of nowhere.
* As the Maximals head out, Rhinox's running animation is being played unnaturally fast to keep up with the others.
* As Quickstrike approaches Dinobot, his left shin is backwards.
* At Dinobot's funeral, Rattrap is in his pre-Transmetal body. On the [[Madman]] DVD commentary for this episode, Bob Forward could not believe how the production team (who had viewed this scene at least a hundred times trying to get everything right) did not notice the fact they used the wrong Rattrap, and yet every fan did.

===Continuity errors===
* The strategy of the Maximal cavalry seems a bit odd. Granted, arriving in ones and twos would make them more vulnerable to attack but surely there would be some advantage in sending at least Cheetor on ahead? Or are we supposed to assume that every single Maximal, from jet-powered cheetah to bog-standard rhino, has the same top speed? (It's especially odd for Rhinox, considering that vehicle-mode Rattrap has given someone a lift [[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)|before]], and Primal will give Rhinox a lift [[The Agenda (Part III)|later]]).
* When Dinobot laments about Megatron's power being limitless, Megatron and Rampage can be seen on the cliff right behind him. This and the previous shot also indicate that Dinobot is ''right out in the open'', possibly exposing himself in full view of both Predacons. So...exactly ''why'' didn't Megatron or Rampage notice Dinobot, now?
* Towards the end of the episode, a mechanical thud can be heard when the snake hits the ground, making it sound as if the snake is made of metal.
*Rattrap mentions that Dinobot would be up against six Predacons when there was a total of seven. (Out of universe, this is likely for the audience's benefit, in case they weren't keeping track.) Either he had totally forgotten about Tarantulas, somehow heard Dinobot defeating Tarantulas over his open comlink, or assumed that Tarantulas would still not be working with Megatron.
* Megatron's strategy of destroying the human race before it evolves has a critical deterministic error; if he succeeds in preventing the human race from coming into being, then the golden disk would never have been created by [[NASA]] in the future. Megatron would never have been able to acquire the disk in the first place, and thus would not have the foresight to attempt to destroy the human race, and then the human race would have evolved as normal, creating the golden disk in the future... and so on and so forth.

===Transformers references===
*Megatron orders the destruction of the prehumans to prevent the development of mankind. Humans assisted the Autobots to win the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. Most of these were probably [[Witwicky]]s.

===Real-world references===
* As the Predacons jump into the valley to destroy the hominids, Rampage crushes a butterfly. This evokes the famous Ray Bradbury short story "[[wikipedia:A Sound of Thunder|A Sound of Thunder]]", in which a time traveler in the past steps on a butterfly, thus dramatically altering the future of humanity.
* When Dinobot is leaving the base, he comments that "a deed, once done, cannot be undone", a slight modification of the Shakespearean quote "what is done cannot be undone".
* Dinobot's final words, "The rest is silence", are taken directly from Shakespeare's ''Hamlet''.
* In a bit of foreshadowing, while Dinobot is contemplating suicide, three ravens fly past his window in the [[wikipedia:Missing man formation|missing man formation]], which the Maximal fliers use in their salute to him at his funeral. The formation was also used when 3 protohumans were wandering through the forest prior to the Predacon attack.
* Right after Dinobot crash-lands on [[Waspinator]], Rampage points his cannon at Dinobot. The brief image from within the cannon's barrel appears similar to the gun barrel views from numerous James Bond movies.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Code du Héros'''" (Canada, "Code of Hero")

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Abayo!'''" (あばよッ!, "Farewell!")

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Un grande eroe'''" ("A Grand Hero")

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Código de Herói'''" ("Code of Hero")

'''Spanish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''El Código del Héroe'''" ("The Code of Hero")

:*''Title:'' "'''El Código de un Héroe'''" (America, "The Code of a Hero")

===Trivia===
* ''Beast Wars'' co-story editor [[Bob Forward]] drew storyboards for this episode. Not only is it the only ''Beast Wars'' episode to be directed by the series's writers, but it is also the only episode to be done up in storyboards rather than being directed on-the-fly. Bob Forward worked in person with the [[Mainframe Entertainment|Mainframe]] animators for this episode.
* The original storyboards were auctioned for charity at a [[BotCon]].
* According to Bob Forward, Megatron's transformation sequence had to be reconstructed to be able to show his transformation from underneath for one shot. Previously, the animation only "worked" when seen from eye-level or above.
* During the recording of this episode, [[Scott McNeil]] was attempting to deliver Dinobot's last words, but was continually interrupted by the recording crew's laughter. He is reputed to have said while still in character, "Do you mind?! I'm trying to die here!"
* According to McNeil, Dinobot knew he was going to die five episodes before he did, as right up until the last second, he believed Dinobot to only be "cartoon dead" as opposed to "''dead'' dead".
* When originally broadcast in the [[United Kingdom]], this episode was edited, with Dinobot's contemplated suicide completely excised and his hallway altercation with Rattrap cut down to only a fraction of its actual length. In the latter case, this seem to serve no other purpose than the elimination of the word "[[Slag (slang)|slag]]", and Dinobot's dying exchange with Rattrap was likewise altered to purge the word.
* It's no surprise that a DVD containing this episode was packaged with Dinobot for ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary]]''. This is the only post-Season 1 episode included with any ''10th Anniversary'' figure.
* Bob Forward considers this to be his favorite ''Beast Wars'' episode, as well as the "The Agenda" three-parter.<ref>http://www.infinitefrontiers.0catch.com/AutoAssembly/BobForward.htm Interview with Bob Forward</ref>

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 1998 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Bad Spark / Code of Hero ([[KB Toys]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 1998 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Series 2 / Volume 3 ([[wikipedia:Siren Visual|Siren Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Huh? The Face? ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2001 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 7 ([[Universal]])

;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD Box 1 (Pioneer LDC) — English and Japanese audio. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Second Season ([[Rhino Entertainment|Rhinomation]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Beast Wars'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]
[[Category:Beast Wars 10th Anniversary]]
[[Category:MSTF]]
[[Category:Pack-in material]]

The Low Road

2012-06-19T15:16:47Z

174.59.206.249:

{{episode
|series=BWtoon
|ep=22
|image=Low Road Rhinox fart.jpg
|caption=AKA "The Low Brow"
|title="The Low Road"
|production company=[[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|airdate=[[February 10]], [[1997]]
|written by=[[Bob Forward]]
|directed by=[[J. Falconer]]
|animation studio=[[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|continuity=[[Beast Wars continuity]]
}}
'''Rhinox is infected with a strange energon discharge virus, and if a cure isn't found, he'll destroy the Maximal base as he literally sneezes himself to death.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Low Road Rattrap Dinobot fight.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Objection!"]]
The [[Maximal]]s use their tools to garden, trimming the wild bean vines that have grown around the Maximal base and, as [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] explains, could be exploited by the Predacons. [[Rattrap]] and Dinobot get into a fight. Inside, [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] detects [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] coming to attack, but can't activate the [[Sentinel (BW)|Sentinel]] shields because of the two arguing Maximals outside. Rhinox comes down the elevator with his guns ablaze and commands the two to get inside, but they are too busy arguing to obey. Trying to cover his teammates' withdrawal, Rhinox is hit by a strange weapon from [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]]. Dinobot blasts Tarantulas several times, and with the crucial shot fired, the Predacons retreat.

Inside, the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'''s computer reports on the strange effect the device had on Rhinox, giving him a [[Energon discharge virus|disease]] that causes the larger Maximal to "spontaneously discharge energy." Rhinox demonstrates this by hiccuping energy beams around the base, causing much collateral damage. It's decided a counter-virus must be found.

[[Image:Low Road Rattrap Dinobot Taratulas.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hello? You're at gunpoint!]]
Rattrap and Dinobot attempt to trail the injured Tarantulas. The two get into an argument about who is to blame for Rhinox becoming sick, which quickly degenerates into name-calling. Eventually forgetting why they started the argument, the two follow Tarantulas's scent. Running after a glimpse of the Predacon, they fall though a hole and onto a long slide—with a heavy boulder close behind them. But after they land at the bottom of the slide, the boulder actually hits Tarantulas. Rattrap and Dinobot continue bickering as they search through the underground caverns for Tarantulas's lab.

Aboard the ''Axalon'', [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus]] reveals to [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] that he paired Dinobot and Rattrap together so they could either learn to work together or kill each other. Rhinox is meanwhile kept on a life support system which drains energy from the rest of the (now heavily damaged) Maximal base.

Back at the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]], [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] sends his own forces to reclaim Tarantulas so more of the virus can be developed to use on the rest of the Maximals. They head to his [[Tarantulas's lair|laboratory]] to see if they can locate the missing arachnid there. On Tarantulas's security sensors, [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] notices the two wandering Maximals making their way through the caverns towards the hideout.

[[Image:Low Road Optimus Rhinox.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Hey, handsome. Come here often?"]]
Primal rallies his available soldiers for action against the Predacons to seize the antidote to Rhinox's ailment forcibly. Rhinox attempts to come along with the others, but Primal orders his friend to stay behind and consume some food to help stabilize his systems. Naturally, the first option on Rhinox's menu happens to be the wild beans conveniently surrounding the ''Axalon''.

[[Image:Low Road Megatron countervirus.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Megatron discovers what has been making his beast head go all green.]]
Back in Tarantulas's lair, Blackarachnia discovers where Tarantulas stored the counter-virus. When [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] detects the two Maximals getting closer, the Predacon goons open fire, wildly hoping to hit something, but instead just ruin any chance they have of ambushing their targets. Dinobot tries to use Tarantulas as a hostage, but this tactic doesn't work on Megatron, who has no reservations about abusing his own soldiers. However, the distraction has bought Rattrap (who was supposed to be covering Dinobot) the time to sneak through some tubes to arrive behind the Predacons, leaving him close enough to disarm them quickly.

A nasal energon-expulsion from Rhinox provides a hole for the other Maximals to enter the chamber once they finish posing heroically. Megatron mentions that he alone has the counter-virus that could save Rhinox.

But then Rhinox shoots an incredible energon fart (visible from space) that blows the Predacons far away, giving the Maximals the chance to grab the counter-virus and live happily ever after. Rattrap and Dinobot still bicker like kids, though. As for the Predacons? They landed on a dead tree in very uncomfortable positions.

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal|Maximals]]
|c1=
*[[Rattrap]] (1)
*[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] (2)
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (3)
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (4)
*[[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] (5)
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] (13)
*[[Tigatron]] (14)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]
|c2=
*[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (6)
*[[Waspinator]] (7)
*[[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] (8)
*[[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] (9)
*[[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] (10)
*[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (11)
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] (12)
}}

==Quotes==
"Excuse me. Are ''you'' implying that the current situation is somehow...''my'' responsibility?!" 
"Well, you did start it...''gearhead''!" 
"I BEG to differ...cheese lips!" 
"Pre-evolved birdbrain!" 
"Eater of garbage!!"
:—'''Dinobot''' and '''Rattrap''' trade insults

"Sheesh, and they call ''me'' the immature one."
:—'''Cheetor''''s response to above argument

"A bargaining chip should remain in play until the game is over, yesss." 
"Why do you always talk to yourself?" 
"Ah, I simply have a penchant for...''intelligent conversation''."
:—'''Megatron''' ripostes rather well to '''Blackarachnia'''.

''(Dinobot enters, holding Tarantulas)'' 
"Do not fire, Megatron! I have a HOSTAGE!" 
"Why, so you do..." 
''(Megatron shoots Tarantulas)''
:—Hostage negotiations with '''Dinobot''', '''Megatron'''-style

"This is ''certainly'' the most humiliating defeat of my entire career. Yess..."
:—'''Megatron''' after Rhinox defeats the Predacons single...erm, handedly

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* When Tarantulas first speaks, his open mouth provides a clear window through his ''entire body'', so that the mountain behind him is clearly visible.
* After the boulder hits Tarantulas, it cracks in a most unconvincing way — the cracks appear to be extremely shallow.

===Continuity notes===
*In this episode Blackarachnia mentions that Tarantulas encrypted all the information on his computers, foreshadowing that he has something to hide.

===Continuity errors===
*When Rattrap and Dinobot fall through the trapdoor leading to the underground tunnels, Rattrap's gun is left spinning in mid-air. The next shot is upwards from underground, as they fall, and the gun is not visible. Indeed, when Rattrap lands on Dinobot, the gun doesn't fall on top of them. Later, as they approach Tarantulas' lab, Rattrap has his gun back.
*Megatron's decision to blast Tarantulas is pretty reckless and flat out moronic. Tarantulas is the one who created the virus and thus is probably the only one who knows how to make it. Megatron seems to be acting as if he holds all the cards but all he really has is the antidote. How exactly Megatron plans on infecting the Maximals with a virus using THE CURE FOR THE VIRUS isn't clear.

===Real-world references===
[[Image:LowRoad fart.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The same results can be obtained by eating at Taco Bell.]]
* Dinobot refers to a [[Silicon Valhalla]] as some kind of afterlife, dually referencing both [[wikipedia:Valhalla|ancient Norse mythology]] and [[wikipedia:Silicon_Valley|Silicon Valley]] (and at a stretch [[wikipedia:Red_Dwarf|Red Dwarf's]] [[wikipedia:Silicon_Heaven|Silicon Heaven]]).
*Some of the slapstick, particularly temporarily defying gravity, and Rattrap's gun being momentarily left in the air when they do fall, is reminiscent of classic [[wikipedia:Warner_Bros.|Warner Bros.]] cartoons, such as [[wikipedia:Road_Runner_(cartoon)|Road Runner]].
* During one of their squabbles, Rattrap refers to Dinobot as a 'pre-evolved birdbrain', riffing on the recent scientific theory that birds evolved from Dromaeosaurid dinosaurs ("raptors") like Dinobot.
*When the Maximals burst into Tarantulas's lab, Airazor is kneeling at Optimus's feet, with one hand affectionately placed on his leg. Instead of, y'know, ''pointing a gun at the bad guys.'' The shot is a parody of the stereotypical heroic entrance/posturing scene, such as found on the theatrical poster for the original ''[[wikipedia:Star_Wars_Episode_IV:_A_New_Hope|Star Wars]]'' film. Once Rattrap undermines the moment, as evidenced by the musical score, Airazor can be seen standing normally with the other Maximals. All part of the fun, folks.
*When the rhino-fart shakes the globe, the epicenter is clearly in Africa, providing more evidence for the show being set there. In fact, it appears to be in the middle of the [[Sahara]], which would have been less arid in the prehistoric time of the Beast Wars than it is today.
*Rhinox dons a beer-hat style contraption from which to sip his treatment.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Le Virus'''" ("The Virus")

:*''Title:'' "'''Le Virus'''" (Canada, "The Virus")

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Il virus'''" ("The Virus")

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Stop the Kushami'''" (ストップ･ザ･くしゃみ, "Stop the Sneezing")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[February 25|25 February]] [[1998]]

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''O Caminho Subterrâneo'''" ("The Underground Way")

'''Spanish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''El Subterráneo'''" ("The Underground")

===Trivia===
*In the beginning of the episode, Rattrap is using one of Optimus Primal's swords to cut down the vines.
*The details of exactly ''why'' Optimus decided it was a good idea to send Rattrap and Dinobot together on a life saving mission is beyond anyone. He later confesses, "They'll either learn to work together or destroy each other. Right now I don't really care which." He apparently doesn't hold Rhinox's safety in very high regard.
*While turning around to deliver his energon fart, Rhinox's *ahem* anus is clearly visible. Now that's classy.
*The virus which infected Rhinox and which Megatron intended to use to infect the rest of the Maximals was never mentioned again. Can you blame him for washing his hands of the entire affair?
*Rattrap actually does eat garbage<ref>[http://www.tfarchive.com/toys/techspecs/beast-era/1996__Rattrap_(1996a).jpg Tech spec bio].</ref>.
*Rattrap's declaration that he and Dinobot have the Predacons under control is a bit exaggerated. He may have shot the guns from their hands, but that still leaves six Predacons with a variety of built-in weapons (Scorponok's missiles, Terrorsaur's shoulder cannons, Blackarachnia's spider-leg machine guns, etc.) against two Maximals. Either Rattrap has a lot of faith in his and Dinobot's fighting abilities, or he has an incredibly low view of Predacon skill...
*Farts are funny. Hence, this episode is very funny if you like farts. And who doesn't?
*Episode writer Bob Forward summed up the reaction to the episode thusly: "[...] After 15 Years And A Couple Of Hundred Scripts, [I] Will Be Remembered Forever For A Rhinocerous {{sic}} Fart."<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/70dc1b8dd547cba9 Post on alt.toys.transformers by Bob Forward]</ref>
*For some reason, Tarantulas seems to have one of Waspinator's arms in his lab.
*How the heck did the Maximals manage to locate Tarantulas' lair ? Optimus sent Rattrap and Dinobot precisely to find it, it took nearly the whole episode for them to do just that, it was impossible for the Maximals to contact either Rattrap or Dinobot... And then suddenly they all burst inside Tarantulas' lair, as if they had always known where it was. Odd.
*Speaking of which, why is Rhinox accompanying the rest of the team when he's been explicitly ordered to stay behind ?
*A dart-riddled picture of Megatron hangs in Tarantulas's lab.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Starscream's Invulnerability ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2001 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 4 ([[Universal]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Predacon Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — English and Japanese audio.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — English and Japanese audio. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete First Season ([[Rhino Entertainment|Rhinomation]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 2005 — ''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 4 — The Predacons Advance! ([[Alliance Atlantis]]) — English and French audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 2005 — ''Beast Wars'' — The Complete First Season (Alliance Atlantis) — English and French audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Beast Wars'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)

==References==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Low Road}}
[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]

Nemesis Part 1

2012-06-19T14:57:28Z

174.59.206.249:

{{episode
|series=BWtoon
|ep=51
|image=BWNemesisPt1 rises.jpg
|caption="The most powerful warship ever built! ...and I just had it washed."
|title="''Nemesis'' Part 1"
|production company= [[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|airdate= [[May 6]], 1999
|written by= [[Bob Forward]]
|directed by= [[Ezekiel Norton]]
|animation studio= [[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|continuity= [[Beast Wars continuity]]
}}

'''Down but not out, Megatron discovers Tarantulas's secret tunnel network that leads to the Decepticon warship, the ''Nemesis''.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Nemesis Part 1 Optimus book.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"And the Bay said 'Let there be light', and there was a sunset."]]
The [[Maximal]]s, secure for the first time since they moved into [[Mount St. Hilary]], begin searching for the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], who have been vulnerable since [[Tigerhawk]] destroyed the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]]. [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] quotes a verse from the [[Covenant of Primus]], believing Tigerhawk's arrival to be divine prophecy.

[[Image:Nemesis Part 1 Dinobot hatch.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Dinobot II discovers why no one can get down Bugs Bunny's rabbit hole.]]
Meanwhile, the Predacons are growing disaffected with [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. (Even [[Waspinator]] is mouthing off.) [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], ever loyal to his "queen", declares that a new "colony" will resecure them. Megatron orders him to take Waspinator and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]], while he, [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], and [[Dinobot II|Dinobot]] search the remains of [[Tarantulas's lair]]. Dinobot finds a hatch which leads to an underwater tunnel and a computer. Accessing the computer, Megatron becomes quite excited by what he discovers, and takes the rail car with Dinobot II, while Rampage follows in tank mode.

[[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] and [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] spot Inferno, Waspinator, and Quickstrike leaving. Optimus orders them to fall back, but Depth Charge heads in. Optimus leaves with [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], and Tigerhawk to support them. As Primal arrives, Depth Charge finds the hatch—and a bomb. The explosion fails to kill any of the Maximals, but Silverbolt is damaged, and Blackarachnia and Cheetor escort his parts back to base.

At the protohumans' cave dwellings, Inferno declares that the caves will be their new "colony". He orders Quickstrike and Waspinator to engage, but Waspinator angrily refuses. Something has finally snapped in Waspy's central processor, and he declares that he is out of the Beast Wars. After a tirade against Megatron, the Predacons, life in general, and always being blown up, Waspinator tells them that they can kiss his stinger. Inferno and Quickstrike blast him, and proceed to attack the protohumans (who have become much tougher, having learned from the example of [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] and the Maximals).

[[Image:Nemesis Part 1 Megatron nemesis.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Where is all the furniture?]]
In the tunnels, Primal, Tigerhawk, and Depth Charge continue searching. After locating a data terminal, Primal accesses it and discovers what Tarantulas found and Megatron desires—the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', the flagship of the [[Decepticon fleet]] and the vessel which [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] used to shoot down the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. Realizing the threat the Decepticon warship holds, Depth Charge heads out to locate it. Optimus sends out an emergency warning to the Maximals, and he and Tigerhawk head out to the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s location through the air.

Meanwhile, Megatron and Dinobot are able to board the ship, where they discover that Tarantulas had been a busy spider: not only did he repair the vessel, he added a [[transwarp]] cell and installed a Predacon control console. Best of all, in Megatron's optics, Tarantulas left behind a copy of the Covenant of Primus to boot: the tome from which he [[Megatron (myth)|took his name]]! Megatron and Dinobot begin powering up the vessel for an attack.

[[Image:Nemesis Part 1 Depthcharge blade.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Why so serious?]]
Reaching the sunken behemoth, Depth Charge informs Optimus of his discovery, and Optimus in turn authorizes Depth Charge to neutralize the ''Nemesis'' by any means necessary. Before Depth Charge can start, he is engaged by Rampage. The two enemies fight, and Depth Charge grabs an [[energon crystal]]. He drives it into Rampage's [[spark]], and the explosion destroys both Transformers and also causes Dinobot to cry out in pain. Optimus, though mourning Depth Charge's loss, is relieved to know the threat of the ''Nemesis'' has been dealt with.

That is, until the ''Nemesis'' rises from the ocean, fully operational. [[Nemesis Part 2|To be continued...]]
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Tigerhawk]] (1)
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (2)
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] (3)
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (4)
*[[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] (5)
*[[Rattrap]] (6)
*[[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] (7)
*[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] (8)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
*[[Dinobot II|Dinobot]] (9)
*[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] (11)
*[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] (12)
*[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (13)
*[[Waspinator]] (14)

|h3=[[Protohuman]]s|c3=
*[[Una]] (15)
*Protohumans (16)
*[[Leader Neanderthal]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
[''Silverbolt has been injured in an explosion''] 
'''Silverbolt''': "Worry not, my love. It's just a...scratch." 
[''Silverbolt's arm falls off''] 
'''Optimus''': "Maybe. But I think you're due some time in the CR chamber." 
'''Silverbolt''': "Sir, I'm fine. I —" 
'''Blackarachnia''': "Shut up and obey your commander, bone-brain." 
[''Silverbolt's head falls off''] 
'''Silverbolt''': "Yes, dear."
:—Silverbolt is pretty whipped.

"There! That will be our new colony!" 
"Eww, I don't wanna move in there. It got all them hairy critters in it. Unless... unless you mean, we's gonna slag 'em! Oh, oh, ''please'' tell me that's what yer plannin'!" 
"The royalty demands a new colony, and we shall take it, by force" 
"YA-HOO! Now yer talkin', haha!"
:—'''Inferno''' and '''Quickstrike''' discuss a possible new home.

"I said '''no!''' [[Megatron (BW)|Dragon-Bot]] command ''you,'' [[Second-in-command|Sub-Commander]] [[Inferno (BW)|Kiss-Butt]]! Dragon-Bot not command Waspinator! Not any more! Waspinator sick of being evil. Sick of being Predacon! ''And'', Waspinator especially sick of getting blown to '''scrap''' all the time! Sooo, Waspinator ''quit!'' As of ''now'', which means [[Inferno (BW)|Ant-Bot]] and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Two-Head]] can just pucker their mandibles and plant [[Kiss|big, wet, juicy one]] right here on Waspinator's big...fat...stripy...a..." 
[''BAM!!!'']
:—'''Waspinator''' finally stands up for himself...and gets blown to scrap by Inferno and Quickstrike.

"I've no time for you, X." 
"Like you had no time for Starbase Rugby? You had friends there as I recall. Tasty ones too!"
:—'''Depth Charge''' and '''Rampage'''.

"I was [[Depth Charge (BW)|your]] assignment, and you failed!"
:—'''Rampage'''

"Raw energon! Right through your twisted spark! Take it! Take it straight to the pit, you SICKENING PIECE OF SLAG!"
:—'''Depth Charge''''s final words before killing Rampage.

==Notes==
* The death of Rampage is the only time in the series that a Maximal kills a Predacon (not for lack of trying).
* "Nemesis" was originally going to be a three-part episode, but was later compressed to two. {{fact}}
* Bob Forward and Simon Furman both worked together on the "Nemesis" outline, to the extent that it wasn't decided for a while who would be writing which part. Originally they'd had bigger, grander plans, but many of them got dropped when it was clear a fourth season wouldn't be coming. [http://www.bwint.net/interviewsimonfurman.htm]
* Flying, flying, everywhere! Apparently Cheetor can now fly outright in his Transmetal 2 form's beast mode, rather than merely being restricted to his previous rocket-boosted running. Furthermore, Depth Charge has developed the ability to fly in both his regular stingray and robot modes, and Optimus (although shown hovering and such in robot mode beforehand) now demonstrates the capability to fly at high speeds in this form as well. This does rather raise the question of what point their respective flight modes actually serve anymore.
* At the beginning of the episode, when Rattrap holds up the Covenant of Primus, the Maximal variant of [[Cybertronix]] text can be seen. It reads "7 613 were cast out with him a cork one fork and a bowl of beans between them". This presumably follows the portion of the Covenant read by Primal, Datatrack 7.613: "And a mighty warrior came down from the sky, and a rainbow was upon his head, and his feet as pillars of fire. And the great dragon was cast out onto the earth, and his followers were cast out with him."
* The copy of the Covenent of Primus on the Nemesis has the Autobot symbol on the cover.
* This is clearly the only time Waspinator refers to himself as "I." This is also (regrettably) the last time Waspinator is slagged as a participant of the Beast Wars.
* Rattrap kisses Rhinox for the second time, much like he did in [[The Agenda (Part III)]]. He still didn't enjoy it.
*Since Transmetal 2 Megatron has his beast-mode head as a robot-mode arm as his original T-Rex body did, Megatron's... odd relationship with his hand has returned. In this two-parter, he can not only be seen petting the dragon-head, but at one point, he turns from a monitor he's watching, and his head-hand turns toward it, and actually moves back and forth as it observes the on-screen events.
*This is the first time we hear that Megatron's name is ''not'' a reference to [[Megatron (G1)|that other Megatron]].
*After saying that he quits, Waspinator rips off his Predacon icon, but when he tells Inferno and Quickstrike to kiss his stinger, it's still on his head.

===Animation and technical errors===
* When Dinobot squeezes the piece of Rampage's spark he possesses to pacify his "half-brother", his shoulder pads are missing. Also, the spark seems to float freely when it is released, in contrast to previous episodes where it was held in place by Dinobot's spark chamber.
* At the very beginning when Optimus is reciting, Cheetor is visible in the background in his normal Transmetal body, walking with Blackarachnia.
*Megatron must have had a tight fit climbing down the hatch that Dinobot found.
*Una must be a very strong protohuman to smash a sizable lump into Waspinator's skull.
*After saying that he quits, Waspinator rips the his Predacon icon off his head, but when he tells Inferno and Quickstrike to kiss his stinger, it's still on.

===Continuity errors===
*The ''Beast Wars'' retelling of the Ark's crash and the Nemesis differs from any previous version. In the original cartoon, the Decepticons used the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s tractor beam to lock onto the Ark, and it was the Autobot/Decepticon fight inside the Ark that caused it to crash. (As elaborated in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" and "[[Microbots]]".) In the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comics]], the Decepticons boarded the ship, and Optimus ''deliberately'' crashed the Ark onto Earth, in "[[The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers]]", with the ''Nemesis'' being left abandoned. (The UK comics had [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] destroy it in "[[Target: 2006]]".) As ''Beast Wars'' is intentionally not a direct continuation of any specific continuity, instead seeking to treat all previous Generation 1 stories as if they were Arthurian legend, this would imply that those accounts are not canonical in this series. Alternatively, Optimus could just have the details wrong.
* The flashbacks to the battle between the Ark and the ''Nemesis'' recounted by Optimus Primal and Megatron neglect to mention that the Decepticons boarded the Ark before the crash. This was probably done either to simplify the retelling, increase the significance of the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s involvement, or both.
* The bomb Megatron left behind as a trap for the Maximals has some very curious properties. It has enough power to severely damage Silverbolt and creates a powerful energy wave that is felt by the approaching Cheetor and Tigerhawk, who are miles away (even disintegrating a butterfly in the process). However, despite all of the above, Optimus and Depth Charge suffer absolutely no ill effects from the bomb, despite being at extremely close range and having very little time (or even room, given the terrain) to run for cover. Depth Charge opened the hatch, but Silverbolt is the one who got damaged. Assuming that there was very little time to get away, Silverbolt could have jumped in front of Depth Charge to protect him (but why would he?), but it is still misleading going into the commercial break.
* How ''exactly'' did Megatron construct a bomb from scratch to begin with? With his base destroyed in the previous episode, it seems very unlikely that he would have the materials to create one on hand.

===Transformers references===
*Megatron refers to Tarantulas as [[Unicron]]'s spawn. While from the context this appears to have been a generic insult (equivalent to "bastard" or "son of a bitch"), convention-exclusive fiction like ''[[Primeval Dawn]]'' have depicted Tarantulas as a literal creation of Unicron.
*This is the first source to give the Decepticon vessel that attacked the Ark a name.
*Optimus Primal tells Depth Charge to stop Megatron "at any cost", which echoes Optimus Prime ("no matter the cost") in [[The Transformers: The Movie|the ''Transformers'' movie]] during the [[Battle of Autobot City|Decepticon siege of Autobot City]] on Earth.
*When [[Dinobot II]] cries out in pain after the death of Rampage, brief flashes of the original Dinobot's animation model can be seen as he looks upward. This possibly alludes to the plot of the unproduced episode "[[Dark Glass]]", where Rattrap uploads the original Dinobot's datatrax into the clone. For more information on that controversy, please refer to [[Dinobot II|these]] [[Dark Glass|articles]].

===Real-world references===
*Inferno calls Rampage a drone at least once in this episode. It is unknown whether the writers knew that a drone is a male ant whose main purpose is to mate with the queen, who in this case would be Megatron.
*When contacting the Maximals, Optimus encodes transmission "M Sipher", a reference to [[Greg Sepelak]].
*Silverbolt's remark "It's just a scratch" followed by the dismemberment of his arm could be a reference to the immortal line of the Black Knight in ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail''. Coincidentally, the Black Knight is able to survive fatal mutilation.
* Inferno utilizes the classic cartoon method of hiding, appearing from behind an impossibly skinny tree.
* When Megatron powers up the Nemesis, external ship lights illuminate [[Cybertronix]] text in the Predacon variant, which spells out "Red Dwarf", a reference to the British sci-fi comedy show.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''''Némésis'' 1'''" (Canada)

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Destini - Parte 1'''" ("Fates - Part 1")

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Dokkān'''" (ドッカーン, "Ka-Boom")

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''''Nemesis'' Parte 1'''" ("''Nemesis'' Part 1")

'''Spanish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''''Nemesis'' Primera Parte'''" ("''Nemesis'' First Part")

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — We Have Returned ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 4 ([[Universal]])
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD Box 2 (Pioneer LDC) — English and Japanese audio. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Third Season ([[Rhino Entertainment|Rhinomation]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 3 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Beast Wars'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]

Nemesis Part 1

2012-06-19T14:56:03Z

174.59.206.249:

{{episode
|series=BWtoon
|ep=51
|image=BWNemesisPt1 rises.jpg
|caption="The most powerful warship ever built! ...and I just had it washed."
|title="''Nemesis'' Part 1"
|production company= [[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|airdate= [[May 6]], 1999
|written by= [[Bob Forward]]
|directed by= [[Ezekiel Norton]]
|animation studio= [[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|continuity= [[Beast Wars continuity]]
}}

'''Down but not out, Megatron discovers Tarantulas's secret tunnel network that leads to the Decepticon warship, the ''Nemesis''.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Nemesis Part 1 Optimus book.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"And the Bay said 'Let there be light', and there was a sunset."]]
The [[Maximal]]s, secure for the first time since they moved into [[Mount St. Hilary]], begin searching for the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], who have been vulnerable since [[Tigerhawk]] destroyed the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]]. [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] quotes a verse from the [[Covenant of Primus]], believing Tigerhawk's arrival to be divine prophecy.

[[Image:Nemesis Part 1 Dinobot hatch.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Dinobot II discovers why no one can get down Bugs Bunny's rabbit hole.]]
Meanwhile, the Predacons are growing disaffected with [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. (Even [[Waspinator]] is mouthing off.) [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], ever loyal to his "queen", declares that a new "colony" will resecure them. Megatron orders him to take Waspinator and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]], while he, [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], and [[Dinobot II|Dinobot]] search the remains of [[Tarantulas's lair]]. Dinobot finds a hatch which leads to an underwater tunnel and a computer. Accessing the computer, Megatron becomes quite excited by what he discovers, and takes the rail car with Dinobot II, while Rampage follows in tank mode.

[[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] and [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] spot Inferno, Waspinator, and Quickstrike leaving. Optimus orders them to fall back, but Depth Charge heads in. Optimus leaves with [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], and Tigerhawk to support them. As Primal arrives, Depth Charge finds the hatch—and a bomb. The explosion fails to kill any of the Maximals, but Silverbolt is damaged, and Blackarachnia and Cheetor escort his parts back to base.

At the protohumans' cave dwellings, Inferno declares that the caves will be their new "colony". He orders Quickstrike and Waspinator to engage, but Waspinator angrily refuses. Something has finally snapped in Waspy's central processor, and he declares that he is out of the Beast Wars. After a tirade against Megatron, the Predacons, life in general, and always being blown up, Waspinator tells them that they can kiss his stinger. Inferno and Quickstrike blast him, and proceed to attack the protohumans (who have become much tougher, having learned from the example of [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] and the Maximals).

[[Image:Nemesis Part 1 Megatron nemesis.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Where is all the furniture?]]
In the tunnels, Primal, Tigerhawk, and Depth Charge continue searching. After locating a data terminal, Primal accesses it and discovers what Tarantulas found and Megatron desires—the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', the flagship of the [[Decepticon fleet]] and the vessel which [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] used to shoot down the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. Realizing the threat the Decepticon warship holds, Depth Charge heads out to locate it. Optimus sends out an emergency warning to the Maximals, and he and Tigerhawk head out to the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s location through the air.

Meanwhile, Megatron and Dinobot are able to board the ship, where they discover that Tarantulas had been a busy spider: not only did he repair the vessel, he added a [[transwarp]] cell and installed a Predacon control console. Best of all, in Megatron's optics, Tarantulas left behind a copy of the Covenant of Primus to boot: the tome from which he [[Megatron (myth)|took his name]]! Megatron and Dinobot begin powering up the vessel for an attack.

[[Image:Nemesis Part 1 Depthcharge blade.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Why so serious?]]
Reaching the sunken behemoth, Depth Charge informs Optimus of his discovery, and Optimus in turn authorizes Depth Charge to neutralize the ''Nemesis'' by any means necessary. Before Depth Charge can start, he is engaged by Rampage. The two enemies fight, and Depth Charge grabs an [[energon crystal]]. He drives it into Rampage's [[spark]], and the explosion destroys both Transformers and also causes Dinobot to cry out in pain. Optimus, though mourning Depth Charge's loss, is relieved to know the threat of the ''Nemesis'' has been dealt with.

That is, until the ''Nemesis'' rises from the ocean, fully operational. [[Nemesis Part 2|To be continued...]]
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Tigerhawk]] (1)
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (2)
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] (3)
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (4)
*[[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] (5)
*[[Rattrap]] (6)
*[[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] (7)
*[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] (8)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
*[[Dinobot II|Dinobot]] (9)
*[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] (11)
*[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] (12)
*[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (13)
*[[Waspinator]] (14)

|h3=[[Protohuman]]s|c3=
*[[Una]] (15)
*Protohumans (16)
*[[Leader Neanderthal]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
[''Silverbolt has been injured in an explosion''] 
'''Silverbolt''': "Worry not, my love. It's just a...scratch." 
[''Silverbolt's arm falls off''] 
'''Optimus''': "Maybe. But I think you're due some time in the CR chamber." 
'''Silverbolt''': "Sir, I'm fine. I —" 
'''Blackarachnia''': "Shut up and obey your commander, bone-brain." 
[''Silverbolt's head falls off''] 
'''Silverbolt''': "Yes, dear."
:—Silverbolt is pretty whipped.

"There! That will be our new colony!" 
"Eww, I don't wanna move in there. It got all them hairy critters in it. Unless... unless you mean, we's gonna slag 'em! Oh, oh, ''please'' tell me that's what yer plannin'!" 
"The royalty demands a new colony, and we shall take it, by force" 
"YA-HOO! Now yer talkin', haha!"
:—'''Inferno''' and '''Quickstrike''' discuss a possible new home.

"I said '''no!''' [[Megatron (BW)|Dragon-Bot]] command ''you,'' [[Second-in-command|Sub-Commander]] [[Inferno (BW)|Kiss-Butt]]! Dragon-Bot not command Waspinator! Not any more! Waspinator sick of being evil. Sick of being Predacon! ''And'', Waspinator especially sick of getting blown to '''scrap''' all the time! Sooo, Waspinator ''quit!'' As of ''now'', which means [[Inferno (BW)|Ant-Bot]] and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Two-Head]] can just pucker their mandibles and plant [[Kiss|big, wet, juicy one]] right here on Waspinator's big...fat...stripy...a..." 
[''BAM!!!'']
:—'''Waspinator''' finally stands up for himself...and gets blown to scrap by Inferno and Quickstrike.

"I've no time for you, X." 
"Like you had no time for Starbase Rugby? You had friends there as I recall. Tasty ones too!"
:—'''Depth Charge''' and '''Rampage'''.

"I was [[Depth Charge (BW)|your]] assignment, and you failed!"
:—'''Rampage'''

"Raw energon! Right through your twisted spark! Take it! Take it straight to the pit, you SICKENING PIECE OF SLAG!"
:—'''Depth Charge''''s final words before killing Rampage.

==Notes==
* The death of Rampage is the only time in the series that a Maximal kills a Predacon (not for lack of trying).
* "Nemesis" was originally going to be a three-part episode, but was later compressed to two. {{fact}}
* Bob Forward and Simon Furman both worked together on the "Nemesis" outline, to the extent that it wasn't decided for a while who would be writing which part. Originally they'd had bigger, grander plans, but many of them got dropped when it was clear a fourth season wouldn't be coming. [http://www.bwint.net/interviewsimonfurman.htm]
* Flying, flying, everywhere! Apparently Cheetor can now fly outright in his Transmetal 2 form's beast mode, rather than merely being restricted to his previous rocket-boosted running. Furthermore, Depth Charge has developed the ability to fly in both his regular stingray and robot modes, and Optimus (although shown hovering and such in robot mode beforehand) now demonstrates the capability to fly at high speeds in this form as well. This does rather raise the question of what point their respective flight modes actually serve anymore.
* At the beginning of the episode, when Rattrap holds up the Covenant of Primus, the Maximal variant of [[Cybertronix]] text can be seen. It reads "7 613 were cast out with him a cork one fork and a bowl of beans between them". This presumably follows the portion of the Covenant read by Primal, Datatrack 7.613: "And a mighty warrior came down from the sky, and a rainbow was upon his head, and his feet as pillars of fire. And the great dragon was cast out onto the earth, and his followers were cast out with him."
* The copy of the Covenent of Primus on the Nemesis has the Autobot symbol on the cover.
* This is clearly the only time Waspinator refers to himself as "I." This is also (regrettably) the last time Waspinator is slagged as a participant of the Beast Wars.
* Rattrap kisses Rhinox for the second time, much like he did in [[The Agenda (Part III)]]. He still didn't enjoy it.
*Since Transmetal 2 Megatron has his beast-mode head as a robot-mode arm as his original T-Rex body did, Megatron's... odd relationship with his hand has returned. In this two-parter, he can not only be seen petting the dragon-head, but at one point, he turns from a monitor he's watching, and his head-hand turns toward it, and actually moves back and forth as it observes the on-screen events.
*This is the first time we hear that Megatron's name is ''not'' a reference to [[Megatron (G1)|that other Megatron]].
*After saying that he quits, Waspinator rips off his Predacon icon, but when he tells Inferno and Quickstrike to kiss his stinger, it's still on his head.

===Animation and technical errors===
* When Dinobot squeezes the piece of Rampage's spark he possesses to pacify his "half-brother", his shoulder pads are missing. Also, the spark seems to float freely when it is released, in contrast to previous episodes where it was held in place by Dinobot's spark chamber.
* At the very beginning when Optimus is reciting, Cheetor is visible in the background in his normal Transmetal body, walking with Blackarachnia.
*Megatron must have had a tight fit climbing down the hatch that Dinobot found.
*Una must be a very strong protohuman to smash a sizable lump into Waspinator's skull.

===Continuity errors===
*The ''Beast Wars'' retelling of the Ark's crash and the Nemesis differs from any previous version. In the original cartoon, the Decepticons used the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s tractor beam to lock onto the Ark, and it was the Autobot/Decepticon fight inside the Ark that caused it to crash. (As elaborated in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" and "[[Microbots]]".) In the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comics]], the Decepticons boarded the ship, and Optimus ''deliberately'' crashed the Ark onto Earth, in "[[The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers]]", with the ''Nemesis'' being left abandoned. (The UK comics had [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] destroy it in "[[Target: 2006]]".) As ''Beast Wars'' is intentionally not a direct continuation of any specific continuity, instead seeking to treat all previous Generation 1 stories as if they were Arthurian legend, this would imply that those accounts are not canonical in this series. Alternatively, Optimus could just have the details wrong.
* The flashbacks to the battle between the Ark and the ''Nemesis'' recounted by Optimus Primal and Megatron neglect to mention that the Decepticons boarded the Ark before the crash. This was probably done either to simplify the retelling, increase the significance of the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s involvement, or both.
* The bomb Megatron left behind as a trap for the Maximals has some very curious properties. It has enough power to severely damage Silverbolt and creates a powerful energy wave that is felt by the approaching Cheetor and Tigerhawk, who are miles away (even disintegrating a butterfly in the process). However, despite all of the above, Optimus and Depth Charge suffer absolutely no ill effects from the bomb, despite being at extremely close range and having very little time (or even room, given the terrain) to run for cover. Depth Charge opened the hatch, but Silverbolt is the one who got damaged. Assuming that there was very little time to get away, Silverbolt could have jumped in front of Depth Charge to protect him (but why would he?), but it is still misleading going into the commercial break.
* How ''exactly'' did Megatron construct a bomb from scratch to begin with? With his base destroyed in the previous episode, it seems very unlikely that he would have the materials to create one on hand.

===Transformers references===
*Megatron refers to Tarantulas as [[Unicron]]'s spawn. While from the context this appears to have been a generic insult (equivalent to "bastard" or "son of a bitch"), convention-exclusive fiction like ''[[Primeval Dawn]]'' have depicted Tarantulas as a literal creation of Unicron.
*This is the first source to give the Decepticon vessel that attacked the Ark a name.
*Optimus Primal tells Depth Charge to stop Megatron "at any cost", which echoes Optimus Prime ("no matter the cost") in [[The Transformers: The Movie|the ''Transformers'' movie]] during the [[Battle of Autobot City|Decepticon siege of Autobot City]] on Earth.
*When [[Dinobot II]] cries out in pain after the death of Rampage, brief flashes of the original Dinobot's animation model can be seen as he looks upward. This possibly alludes to the plot of the unproduced episode "[[Dark Glass]]", where Rattrap uploads the original Dinobot's datatrax into the clone. For more information on that controversy, please refer to [[Dinobot II|these]] [[Dark Glass|articles]].

===Real-world references===
*Inferno calls Rampage a drone at least once in this episode. It is unknown whether the writers knew that a drone is a male ant whose main purpose is to mate with the queen, who in this case would be Megatron.
*When contacting the Maximals, Optimus encodes transmission "M Sipher", a reference to [[Greg Sepelak]].
*Silverbolt's remark "It's just a scratch" followed by the dismemberment of his arm could be a reference to the immortal line of the Black Knight in ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail''. Coincidentally, the Black Knight is able to survive fatal mutilation.
* Inferno utilizes the classic cartoon method of hiding, appearing from behind an impossibly skinny tree.
* When Megatron powers up the Nemesis, external ship lights illuminate [[Cybertronix]] text in the Predacon variant, which spells out "Red Dwarf", a reference to the British sci-fi comedy show.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''''Némésis'' 1'''" (Canada)

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Destini - Parte 1'''" ("Fates - Part 1")

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Dokkān'''" (ドッカーン, "Ka-Boom")

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''''Nemesis'' Parte 1'''" ("''Nemesis'' Part 1")

'''Spanish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''''Nemesis'' Primera Parte'''" ("''Nemesis'' First Part")

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — We Have Returned ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 4 ([[Universal]])
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD Box 2 (Pioneer LDC) — English and Japanese audio. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Third Season ([[Rhino Entertainment|Rhinomation]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 3 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Beast Wars'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]