Crossing the Rubicon

2011-08-13T05:34:07Z

50.98.217.112: /* Real-world references */

{{episode
|series=BWtoon
|ep=48
|image=Crossing the Rubicon title shot.JPG
|caption=Man, female characters just can't catch a break.
|title="Crossing the Rubicon"
|production company= [[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|airdate= [[February 22]], 1999
|written by= [[D.C. Fontana]]
|directed by= [[Trenton Carlson]]
|animation studio= [[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|continuity= [[Beast Wars continuity]]
}}

'''After she experiments with the Transmetal Driver, Blackarachnia's core consciousness begins to crash.'''

:''French-Canadian title:'' '''Le Passage''' ("The Passage")
:''Japanese title:'' ぴかぴかーしゃ! (''Pikapikā Sha!'', "Sssshiny!")
:''Latin-American title:'' '''Cambiando de Bando'''
:''Brazilian name:'' '''Atravessando o Rubicon'''
:''Italian title:'' '''Addio Arachnia''' ("Goodbye Arachnia")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Crossing the Rubicon Blackarachnia driver.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Seriously, they never do get a break.]]
Some distance from [[Mount St. Hilary]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] is setting up some equipment that will convert her into a [[Transmetal 2]]. However, [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] detects Blackarachnia's [[energy signature]], and, not understanding, pulls her from the machine. As Blackarachnia berates Silverbolt, she short circuits. Heading to the [[Maximal]] base, Rhinox concludes that the [[shell program]] is starting to degrade, and will erase her [[core consciousness]] if not treated soon. He can remove the shell, but it's never been done before.

Wandering off to think, Blackarachnia is followed by Silverbolt. She maintains that she's still a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]], and that becoming a Maximal scares her. Silverbolt points out that she's only a Predacon due to [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], and deep down, she is one of the good guys. The touching moment is ruined when Blackarachnia short circuits again.

[[Image:Shell program.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Nice-looking arcade game.]]
In the lab, Blackarachnia has decided to go through with the procedure. Before she does, there is one last thing to do: transfer the access codes to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] to [[Optimus Primal]], thinking that he'd have the best chance to keep them from [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]. They begin the shell removal, but it has safe guards that will destroy Blackarachnia's core consciousness. Rhinox is able to destroy the first one. At his [[Tarantulas's lair|lair]], Tarantulas discovers the removal process. He contacts Megatron, informing him of the situation. Megatron notes that such an act risks destroying [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletron 1]]'s access codes, and conclude that she gave them to Primal. Tarantulas informs Megatron of his safeguards, but the Predacon leader decides to cause a little more trouble.

[[Image:Crossing the Rubicon Blackarachnia dead.jpg|left|200px|thumb|By Grabthar's hammer, you shall be avenged!]]
[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] are sent under Tarantulas to attack the Maximals. Optimus leads [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] and [[Rattrap]] in the defense of the base. Rhinox is almost finished, but two more power surges head for her core consciousness. Rhinox blasts one, but Tarantulas fires a rocket which causes Rhinox to miss the other surge, which hits Blackarachnia's core consciousness and extinguishes her [[spark]]. Rhinox leaves to inform Optimus and allow Silverbolt to be alone. Upon leaving, Silverbolt snarls out "Tarantulas…".

[[Image:Crossing the Rubicon Blackarachnia TM beast.jpg|right|200px|thumb|She's back and she's... uh, she's back!]]
Detecting that his creation is dead, Tarantulas orders the Predacons to break off, as Rhinox tells the others. Gathering around Blackarachnia, they express their regrets over not giving her their full trust, if only for Silverbolt's sake. As Rattrap notices that the Fuzor is absent, Primal realizes what he's planning to do, and the Maximals head to stop him. Unseen, the Transmetal Driver begins to glow. Tracking down Tarantulas, Silverbolt easily defeats him and, with the villain unconscious, prepares to execute him. However, Rampage has been watching this and defeats Silverbolt. Preparing to strike the killing blow, Rampage is stopped—by Blackarachnia, now a Transmetal 2. Blackarachnia quickly defeats Rampage, and takes Silverbolt back to base.

In the control room, Blackarachnia explains to the Maximals that she saw only [[Dark Awakening|darkness, then a light]], and thought Silverbolt was in danger. Primal points out that her actions weren't very Maximal, but Silverbolt express their gratitude at her return. Blackarachnia warns Silverbolt to stop rushing after her, but to show no hard feelings, [[kiss]]es him, sending a power surge through him and disorienting him.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] (1)
*[[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] (2)
*[[Optimus Primal]] (3)
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (4)
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (5)
*[[Rattrap]] (6)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
*[[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] (7)
*[[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] (8)
*[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] (9)
*[[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] (10)
*[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (11)
}}

==Quotes==
"Oh, yeah. Sure. Like you were gonna help the Pred get more power." 
"Maximal or Predacon, you're one of us! You should know that by now."
:—'''Blackarachnia''' and '''Optimus Primal'''

'''Rhinox''': How do you feel? 
'''Blackarachnia''': Like someone's been playing 'squash the spider' with an Energon bomb.
:—'''Blackarachnia''' gives a cheery view of her symptoms.

"See you soon, boys...if you're lucky."
:—'''Blackarachina''' says what she thinks may be her final words.

"Your power is useless against the royalty, fool!" 
"Target acquired." 
"Huh?"
:—'''Inferno''' and an '''[[autogun]]'''.

"Tarantulas! She's… gone, and it's all because of you! Silverbolt, maximize!"
:—'''Silverbolt''' intends to make Tarantulas pay

"Ahh, the avenging hero!"
:—'''Tarantulas''' on Silverbolt's attack

"Ah, such pain. I must help ''deepen'' it."
:—'''Rampage''', spying on Silverbolt

"Not a very Maximal approach." 
"Even when I'm good, I'm still bad."
:—'''Optimus Primal''' and '''Blackarachnia'''

==Notes==
*The Predacons' plan involved the whole Predacon army in a coordinated effort with the sole purpose to kill an incapacitated Blackarachnia so she stays dead. When you think about it, that's one of the more openly diabolical schemes in a cartoon that usually involves battles where the losers limp home to [[CR chamber]]s.
*Blackarachnia's spark produces a sound that's very similar to an electronic heartbeat. It even quickens and slows down at different points.
*Silverbolt isn't just trying to kill Tarantulas, he's trying to kill Tarantulas after the guy is already unconscious and utterly helpless. This is a rather dark take on the character, though one that inadvertently sets up [[Jetstorm (BM)|a plot arc in ''Beast Machines'']].
*Megatron refers to Tarantulas as "lieutenant". A reference to his rank in the Predacon secret police.

===Technical/animation glitches===
*Just as in "[[Proving Grounds]]", when Blackarachnia sits up in the scanning machine, the spider legs on her arms are missing.
*When the Predacons are attacking the Maximal base, Primal first has his blast shields on his shoulders while talking to Rattrap. Then, when the camera goes back to Optimus his blast shields are on his forearms where they are in his Beast Mode (and every other mode for that matter).

===Continuity errors===
*Not only in this episode, but apparently throughout season 3, Blackarachnia (pre-Transmetal) appears to have battle damage (grey areas) which disappears when she's in the base. It also seems that the damage is inconsistent, but in the same areas. Did she get into a fight between getting checked into the base and talking with Silverbolt outside? Or does the bright light of the base conceal her damaged body?
*Optimus Primal says "Maximize" despite already being in battle mode. Instead he changes to flight mode. In past episodes he has said "Optimus Primal - Flight Mode" to do this.
*Optimus Primal says that going off on your own isn't a very Maximal thing to do. Clearly he has not watched even a single episode of [[Beast_Wars_(cartoon)|Beast Wars]], since [[The_Web|Cheetor, Rattrap]], [[The_Agenda_(Part_2)|Silverbolt]], [[Deep_Metal|Depth Charge]], and [[Fallen_Comrades|Tigatron]] have all done so at one point or another.

===Transformers references===
*Megatron's "bath time [[Rubber Ducky|rubber duckie]]" is seen again in this episode, but it has undergone a slight makeover. It now has metallic rings around it and an antenna on its head, probably a reference to the Transformers' Transmetal changes.
*After Tarantulas deduces that Blackarachnia transmitted the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s access codes to Optimus, Megatron notes that "fits in nicely with our little plan for him." That foreshadows [[Master Blaster|the next episode]].

===Real-world references===
*The Rubicon is a river in Italy. During the Roman Republic era, it was illegal for a Roman general to have his army cross it, thus protecting Rome from a military threat. Julius Caesar crossed it and started a civil war which would eventually lead to Rome switching from a republic to an empire. During this, he uttered, "Alea iacta est", latin for "the die is cast". Today, "crossing the Rubicon" is an idiom meaning to go past the point of no return.
*When Blackarachnia goes offline, a flatline, as one from hospital monitoring equipment, can be heard in the background.
*The Maximals seem to treat Blackarachnia's Shell Program as a cancerous brain tumor. Rhinox's description of it, and the risky surgery to remove it, seems to reference that fact.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Sssshiny! ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Volume 3 ([[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]]

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Crossing the Rubicon