MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Crossing the Rubicon

2008-06-13T20:39:18Z

64.93.134.249: /* Technical/Animation Glitches */ spider legs

[[Image:Crossing the Rubicon title shot.JPG|thumb|350px|Man, female characters just can't catch a break.]]

{{episodenav |BW |season=3 |9 |prev=Go with the Flow |next=Master Blaster}}

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

==Summary==
Some distance from [[Mount St. Hilary]], Blackarachnia is setting up some equipment that will convert her into a [[Transmetal 2]]. However, [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] detects Blackarachnia's [[energy signature]], and, not understanding, pulls her from the machine. As Blackarachnia berates Silverbolt, she short ciruits. Heading to the [[Maximal]] base, Rhinox concludes that the [[shell program]] is starting to degrade, and will erase her [[core conciousness]] 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]], and deep down, she is one of the good guys. The touching moment is ruined when Blackarachnia short circuits again.

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 conciousness. 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|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.

[[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 conciousness. Rhinox blasts one, but Tarantulas fires a rocket which causes Rhinox to miss the other surge, which hits Blackarachnia's core conciousness and extinguishes her [[spark]]. Rhinox leaves to inform Optimus and allow Silverbolt to be alone. Upon leaving, Silverbolt snarls out "Tarantulas..."

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, but Rampage 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.

==Quotes==
"Ahh, the avenging hero!"
:-- '''Tarantulas''' on Silverbolt's attack

"Love the new look... good bye!"
:-- '''Rampage''' fires on the new transmetal Blackarachnia

"Missed. ''And'' you're ugly!"
:-- '''Blackarachnia''' evades Rampage's shot.

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

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[D.C. Fontana]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' February 22, 1999

'''Major Characters (in order of appearance):''' Characters<br>
'''Minor Characters (in order of appearance):''' Characters

==Notes==
===Technical/Animation Glitches===
*Just as in ''[[Proving Grounds]]'', when Blackarachnia sits up in the scanning machine, the spider legs on her arms are missing.

===Continuity Errors===
*Not only in this episode, but apparently throughout season 3, Blackarachnia (non-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 & talking with Silverbolt outside? Or does the bright light of the base conceal her damaged body?

===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.

===Real-World References===
*Reference

==External Links==
*Link
[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Feral Scream Part 2

2008-06-13T06:54:41Z

64.93.134.249: more lolspeak

[[Image:Feral Scream 2 title shot.JPG|thumb|350px|Oh hai! I upgraded ur cat.]]

{{episodenav |BW |season=3 |6 |prev=Feral Scream Part 1 |next=Proving Grounds}}

'''Cheetor is behaving oddly after the accident, and a new Transmetal 2 creature is stalking both camps.'''

==Summary==

Primal checks on Cheetor, who is napping after he collapsed in front of the Maximals' current base, heavily damaged from the fight with the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]. After making sure Cheetor's okay, Primal has a discussion with Rattrap, mentioning that Cheetor has refused to use the CR Chamber.

Cheetor doesn't sleep soundly, though. From the cat's chest, a strange appendage grows, and Cheetor dreams of himself revealed to the other Maximals (except Optimus) torturing him into an ugly, mutated monstrosity. Cheetor awakens, glad his dream was unreal, but finds himself caught in a green light expanding out of his spark.

Rattrap, awakened by the noise, heads to the lower level to see what's wrong. Before reaching Cheetor's room, a large cat monster bursts out of Cheetor's room and knocks Rattrap over, before rushing away. Optimus comes to help Rattrap, who (incorrectly) assumes that the big ugly monster has gotten Cheetor.

In the Predacon base, Megatron hears the roar of the roaming beast and checks the radar. He figures out that Cheetor has been upgraded, explaining who his nemesis from the most recent battle was. Waspinator is sent to capture Cheetor.

Silverbolt returns to the Maximals' base, having failed to locate Cheetor (and jealous of Blackarachnia's concern for the feline). Primal puts together what we already know, and forces an account of the previous episode out of Depth Charge.

Awakening in a cave, Cheetor finds back in his Transmetal (one) form again with only vague memories. Later, Dinobot II and Waspinator find the cave, and after shredding Waspinator into ribbons, Dinobot proceeds to hunt the mutant. But inside the cave, he finds Cheetor has already left.

Again, Cheetor shows up outside the Maximal base. He tries to explain that he's taken care of "the monster" (that the other Maximals yet aren't totally sure is actually Cheetor). Optimus, being less gullible than Cheetor is clever, takes him to find the creature's remains. Away from the other Maximals, Primal and Cheetor talk, but before Cheetor can admit the truth, Primal's chest is fried by Dinobot II.

The emotional stress of Cheetor's concern for Optimus tears the cat back into his Transmetal II form. He easily blasts Waspinator away. The two Transmetal II's duel with each other, slashing each other in their Beast Modes. When Rattrap and Silverbolt arrive, Dinobot is smart enough to retreat.

Optimus reaches into the feral Cheetor, awakening his intelligent persona. Back at the Maximal base, Cheetor tries to keep his cool while he flirts with Blackarachnia. Cheetor misinterprets the affection from Blackarachnia as something personal, when really she's more interested in his technology - and how she can [[Crossing the Rubicon|get some of it for herself]].

==Quotes==
'''Waspinator:''' Ooooohhh. Waspinator detects stink of unnatural Transmetal!<br>
(Dinobot II growls)<br>
'''Waspinator:''' <small> Oops. Waspinator exclude present company. </small>

"I think it's time to shred some Pred."
: -- '''Cheetor''' has fun rhyming

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[Jules Dennis]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' February 7, 1999

'''Major Characters (in order of appearance):''' '''[[Cheetor]]''', [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Rattrap]],
[[Rhinox]], [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]
[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]],
[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge)]]

==Notes==
*The contents of Cheetor's room:
** A photo of himself and Primal from the first season.
** A big trophy.
** A model of the solar system.
** What could possibly be a model of a [[Cybertronian]] city.
** A photo of Blackarachnia.
** A potted plant.
** A miniature model of the ''Axalon''.
** A clock with a kind of holographic display to indicate the stages of Solar cycle

*Megatron's observation that Cheetor is moving at Mach 2 is likely an exaggeration.
*Waspinator was able to find Cheetor, while Silverbolt didn't. So, Waspinator is a better tracker than Silverbolt? Most likely, Megatron's scan of Cheetor's "moonlight stroll" narrowed the search zone, whereas the Maximals had no information about his trajectory.
*Cheetor having trouble controlling his beast mode is similar to the plot of "[[Call of the Wild]]".
* Optimus gets another rare chance to use his beast mode when walking in the woods with Cheetor, and he seems to enjoy it. He scratches himself in stereotypical monkey fashion, then takes interest in a huge bunch of bananas.

{{epstub}}
[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Feral Scream Part 2

2008-06-13T06:28:21Z

64.93.134.249: lolspeak and prose fixes

[[Image:Feral Scream 2 title shot.JPG|thumb|350px|Oh hai! I upgraded yur cat.]]

{{episodenav |BW |season=3 |6 |prev=Feral Scream Part 1 |next=Proving Grounds}}

'''Cheetor is behaving oddly after the accident, and a new Transmetal 2 creature is stalking both camps.'''

==Summary==

Primal checks on Cheetor, who is napping after he collapsed in front of the Maximals' current base, heavily damaged from the fight with the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]. After making sure Cheetor's okay, Primal has a discussion with Rattrap, mentioning that Cheetor has refused to use the CR Chamber.

Cheetor doesn't sleep soundly, though. From the cat's chest, a strange appendage grows, and Cheetor dreams of himself revealed to the other Maximals (except Optimus) torturing him into an ugly, mutated monstrosity. Cheetor awakens, glad his dream was unreal, but finds himself caught in a green light expanding out of his spark.

Rattrap, awakened by the noise, heads to the lower level to see what's wrong. Before reaching Cheetor's room, a large cat monster bursts out of Cheetor's room and knocks Rattrap over, before rushing away. Optimus comes to help Rattrap, who (incorrectly) assumes that the big ugly monster has gotten Cheetor.

In the Predacon base, Megatron hears the roar of the roaming beast and checks the radar. He figures out that Cheetor has been upgraded, explaining who his nemesis from the most recent battle was. Waspinator is sent to capture Cheetor.

Silverbolt returns to the Maximals' base, having failed to locate Cheetor (and jealous of Blackarachnia's concern for the feline). Primal puts together what we already know, and forces an account of the previous episode out of Depth Charge.

Awakening in a cave, Cheetor finds back in his Transmetal (one) form again with only vague memories. Later, Dinobot II and Waspinator find the cave, and after shredding Waspinator into ribbons, Dinobot proceeds to hunt the mutant. But inside the cave, he finds Cheetor has already left.

Again, Cheetor shows up outside the Maximal base. He tries to explain that he's taken care of "the monster" (that the other Maximals yet aren't totally sure is actually Cheetor). Optimus, being less gullible than Cheetor is clever, takes him to find the creature's remains. Away from the other Maximals, Primal and Cheetor talk, but before Cheetor can admit the truth, Primal's chest is fried by Dinobot II.

The emotional stress of Cheetor's concern for Optimus tears the cat back into his Transmetal II form. He easily blasts Waspinator away. The two Transmetal II's duel with each other, slashing each other in their Beast Modes. When Rattrap and Silverbolt arrive, Dinobot is smart enough to retreat.

Optimus reaches into the feral Cheetor, awakening his intelligent persona. Back at the Maximal base, Cheetor tries to keep his cool while he flirts with Blackarachnia. Cheetor misinterprets the affection from Blackarachnia as something personal, when really she's more interested in his technology - and how she can [[Crossing the Rubicon|get some of it for herself]].

==Quotes==
'''Waspinator:''' Ooooohhh. Waspinator detects stink of unnatural Transmetal!<br>
(Dinobot II growls)<br>
'''Waspinator:''' <small> Oops. Waspinator exclude present company. </small>

"I think it's time to shred some Pred."
: -- '''Cheetor''' has fun rhyming

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[Jules Dennis]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' February 7, 1999

'''Major Characters (in order of appearance):''' '''[[Cheetor]]''', [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Rattrap]],
[[Rhinox]], [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]
[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]],
[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge)]]

==Notes==
*The contents of Cheetor's room:
** A photo of himself and Primal from the first season.
** A big trophy.
** A model of the solar system.
** What could possibly be a model of a [[Cybertronian]] city.
** A photo of Blackarachnia.
** A potted plant.
** A miniature model of the ''Axalon''.
** A clock with a kind of holographic display to indicate the stages of Solar cycle

*Megatron's observation that Cheetor is moving at Mach 2 is likely an exaggeration.
*Waspinator was able to find Cheetor, while Silverbolt didn't. So, Waspinator is a better tracker than Silverbolt? Most likely, Megatron's scan of Cheetor's "moonlight stroll" narrowed the search zone, whereas the Maximals had no information about his trajectory.
*Cheetor having trouble controlling his beast mode is similar to the plot of "[[Call of the Wild]]".
* Optimus gets another rare chance to use his beast mode when walking in the woods with Cheetor, and he seems to enjoy it. He scratches himself in stereotypical monkey fashion, then takes interest in a huge bunch of bananas.

{{epstub}}
[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Feral Scream Part 2

2008-06-13T06:13:56Z

64.93.134.249: /* Notes */ Optimus's beast mode

[[Image:Feral Scream 2 title shot.JPG|thumb|350px|Hi! I upgraded your cat.]]

{{episodenav |BW |season=3 |6 |prev=Feral Scream Part 1 |next=Proving Grounds}}

'''Cheetor is behaving oddly after the accident, and a new Transmetal 2 creature is stalking both camps.'''

==Summary==

Primal checks on Cheetor, who is napping after he collapsed in front of the Maximals' current base, heavily damaged from the fight with the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]. After making sure Cheetor's okay, Primal has a discussion with Rattrap, mentioning that Cheetor has refused to use the CR Chamber.

Cheetor doesn't sleep soundly, though. From the cat's chest, a strange appendage grows, and Cheetor dreams of himself revealed to the other Maximals (except Optimus) torturing him into an ugly, mutated monstrosity. Cheetor awakens, glad his dream was unreal, but finds himself caught in a green light expanding out of his spark.

Rattrap, awakened by the noise, heads to the lower level to see what's wrong. Before reaching Cheetor's room, a large cat monster bursts out of Cheetor's room and knocks Rattrap over, before rushing away. Optimus comes to help Rattrap, who (incorrectly) assumes that the big ugly monster has gotten Cheetor.

In the Predacon base, Megatron hears the roar of the roaming beast and checks the radar. He figures out that Cheetor has been upgraded, explaining who his nemesis from the most recent battle was. Waspinator is sent to capture Cheetor.

Silverbolt returns to the Maximals' base, having failed to locate Cheetor (and jealous of Blackarachnia's concern for the feline). Primal puts together what we already know, and forces an account of the previous episode out of Depth Charge.

Awakening in a cave, Cheetor finds back in his Transmetal (one) form again with only vague memories. Later, Dinobot II and Waspinator find the cave, and after shredding Waspinator into shred, Dinobot proceeds to hunt the mutant. But inside the cave, he finds Cheetor has already left.

Again, Cheetor shows up outside the Maximal base. He tries to explain that he's taken care of "the monster" (that the other Maximals yet are totally sure is actually Cheetor.) Optimus, being less gullible than Cheetor is clever and says go to find the creature's remains. Away from the other Maximals, Primal and Cheetor talk, but before Cheetor can admit the truth, Primal's chest is fried by Dinobot II.

The emotional stress of the concern for Cheetor tears the cat back into his Transmetal II form. He easily blasts away Waspinator away. The two Transmetal II's duel with each other, slashing each other in their Beast Modes. When Rattrap and Silverbolt arrive, Dinobot is smart enough to retreat.

Optimus reaches into the feral Cheetor, awakening his intelligent persona. Back at the Maximal base, Cheetor tries to keep his cool while he flirts with Blackarachnia. Cheetor misinterprets the affection from Blackarachnia as something personal, when really she's more interested in his technology - and how she can [[Crossing the Rubicon|get some of it for herself]].

==Quotes==
'''Waspinator:''' Ooooohhh. Waspinator detects stink of unnatural Transmetal!<br>
(Dinobot II growls)<br>
'''Waspinator:''' <small> Oops. Waspinator exclude present company. </small>

"I think it's time to shred some Pred."
: -- '''Cheetor''' has fun rhyming

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[Jules Dennis]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' February 7, 1999

'''Major Characters (in order of appearance):''' '''[[Cheetor]]''', [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Rattrap]],
[[Rhinox]], [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]
[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]],
[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge)]]

==Notes==
*The contents of Cheetor's room:
** A photo of himself and Primal from the first season.
** A big trophy.
** A model of the solar system.
** What could possibly be a model of a [[Cybertronian]] city.
** A photo of Blackarachnia.
** A potted plant.
** A miniature model of the ''Axalon''.
** A clock with a kind of holographic display to indicate the stages of Solar cycle

*Megatron's observation that Cheetor is moving at Mach 2 is likely an exaggeration.
*Waspinator was able to find Cheetor, while Silverbolt didn't. So, Waspinator is a better tracker than Silverbolt? Most likely, Megatron's scan of Cheetor's "moonlight stroll" narrowed the search zone, whereas the Maximals had no information about his trajectory.
*Cheetor having trouble controlling his beast mode is similar to the plot of "[[Call of the Wild]]".
* Optimus gets another rare chance to use his beast mode when walking in the woods with Cheetor, and he seems to enjoy it. He scratches himself in stereotypical monkey fashion, then takes interest in a huge bunch of bananas.

{{epstub}}
[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Changing of the Guard

2008-06-12T20:21:03Z

64.93.134.249: /* Errors */ more clear

[[Image:Changing of the Guard title shot.JPG|thumb|350px|Some days you just wish you hadn't gotten out of bed.]]

{{episodenav |BW |season=3 |3 |prev=Deep Metal |next=Cutting Edge}}

'''While trying to salvage the Sentinel module from the ruins of the Axalon, Rattrap finds himself caught between Depth Charge and Rampage.'''

==Summary==
Rhinox is in the process of engineering a way to use Teletraan-1's forcefield to protect the base. But mixing Autobot and Maximal tech is difficult, and the machinery fails. With that trick failed, Primal puts together a plan to salvage the Maximals' old force field module, Sentinel, from the wreckage of the Axalon. Depth Charge refuses to respond to any contacts. So instead the Maximals will use a [[subaquatic stealth vessel]] -- a single-occupant submarine developed by Blackararachnia. Rattrap is assigned to pilot the submersible, over his usual handful of whines and complaints.

Silverbolt delivers the submarine to the Axalon's resting site. Under the lake, Rattrap is surprised to find himself having a good time exploring the water and passing by schools of fish to the sound of a jolly tune. The tune changes as Rattrap finds the fallen corpse of what used to be the Maximal's home. He slowly enters, looking through the darkened hallways. He finds Sentinel, and carefully begins to extract it - and is suddenly frightened by an eel who was hiding in the machinery. As he calms down, his radar detects something else approaching, and he realizes it's time to panic for real. Rattrap frantically tries to escape the Axalon, but a massive claw emerges from the darkness and seizes the submarine -- Rampage has found him.

Rampage squeezes the entire ship, threatening to crush it completely. Luckily, Depth Charge, still hunting Protoform X, shows up and blasts him away, freeing Rattrap. Depth Charge agrees to keep Rampage busy while Rattrap continues his mission. He escapes the Axalon just as shockwaves from the battle cause the ship to fall over a ledge and plunge deeper into the lake. Rattrap surfaces and finds a worried Silverbolt, who starts to carry the submarine home. But Waspinator arrives, causing doggybot to drop his passenger and cargo.

While Rampage and Depth Charge continue their match underwater, on the beach, Quickstrike sends Waspinator to take Sentinel back to the Predacon base while the Fuzor takes care of the two Maximals. But Quickstrike ends up crushed by Rampage, tossed out of the water by Depth Charge. Silverbolt tries to convince Depth Charge to help recover Sentinel, but as usual, Depth Charge has no interest, wanting only to execute Protoform X, who has snuck away during the few seconds of conversation.

Together, using some incredible aerial acrobatics, Rattrap and Silverbolt steal back Sentinel from Waspinator. But Inferno pushes a tree into Silverbolt's path. Silverbolt passes Sentinel to Rattrap, who races away with it. Depth Charge hears explosions in the distance and decides to go help.

Unrelenting, Inferno blows up a bridge in Rattrap's path, causing the rat to plunge - back into Silverbolt's arms. But the two Maximals crash into the incoming Depth Charge, and drop Sentinel into Inferno's hands. Thanks to Depth Charge's ill-timed arrival, the Maximals have lost.

At the Maximal base, Rattrap and Primal chew out Depth Charge for getting in their way and handing another major strategic advantage to the Predacons - but he did save Rattrap's life (which Rattrap initially left out, and was ''very'' begrudging to admit). Primal offers Depth Charge a place with the Maximals so mistakes like this can be avoided in the future, and Depth Charge agrees to consider it.

Meanwhile, in the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]], Megatron activates Sentinel, encasing his base in an protective force field.

==Quotes==
'''Rattrap:''' What are you grinnin' about, litter-butt?<br>
'''Cheetor:''' I was just thinking; with you inside, this'd make a swell cat toy.
:—Cheetor will always remain a kid at heart.

'''Silverbolt:''' We're approaching the target area. How you faring in there, Rattrap?<br>
'''Rattrap:''' I'm hot, I'm cramped, I'm airsick. Eh, the next time that big ape asks me to do something for him, man I am gonna shove my blaster so far up hi--"<br>
'''Silverbolt:''' Target dead ahead. Prepare for drop.
:—DAMN IT SILVERBOLT!!! Why'd you have to cut Rattrap off?!

"Looks like that Pred friend of yours finally did something right!"<br>
"Yes, my beloved has...many skills."
:—'''Rattrap''' and '''Silverbolt''', who isn't about to let us know what those "other" skills might be.

"Waspinator having good day! Not get shot once."<br>
''*BLAM!*''
:—'''Waspinator''', not having such a good day after all

'''Depth Charge:''' I knew saving your hide was a mistake.<br>
'''Optimus:''' Rattrap?<br>
'''Rattrap:''' Oh, well, yeah, technically, he did ''kinda'' do that.... Um eh, thanks.
:— Rattrap gives credit where credit is due, but only because he has to.

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[Evan Somers]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' November 8, 1998

'''Characters (in order of appearance):''' '''[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]],''' [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], '''[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]],''' [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], [[Waspinator]], [[Quickstrike]]

==Notes==
*When Megatron contacts his henchmen, Inferno can been seen spending his free time playing cards with Waspinator and Quickstrike.

*Music begins to play when Rattrap gets the hang of the submarine. At first, the audience is led to believe that this is just the score for the scene, until Silverbolt is seen hearing the music over his walkie talkie, with a raised eyebrow, to boot.

===Real-World References===

* The "Changing of the Guard", traditionally refers to a formal ceremony in Merry Ol' [[wikipedia:England|England]] wherein the sentries providing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries. The ceremonies are often elaborate and precisely choreographed.

* Rattrap's submarine bounces like a pinball after being dropped by Silverbolt; after it comes to a halt, the word "TILT" flashes in Rattrap's eyes.

===Errors===

* Inexplicably, the communicator that Silverbolt holds has a green button in the first scene, then later it's red, then it turns green again afterwards.
* After Rampage yanks Depth Charge's tail out from under the wreckage, Depth Charge's legs seem to have been transplanted onto Rampage's body for one shot.

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Changing of the Guard

2008-06-12T19:52:18Z

64.93.134.249: /* Errors */ Rampage has Depth Charge's legs in a shot

[[Image:Changing of the Guard title shot.JPG|thumb|350px|Some days you just wish you hadn't gotten out of bed.]]

{{episodenav |BW |season=3 |3 |prev=Deep Metal |next=Cutting Edge}}

'''While trying to salvage the Sentinel module from the ruins of the Axalon, Rattrap finds himself caught between Depth Charge and Rampage.'''

==Summary==
Rhinox is in the process of engineering a way to use Teletraan-1's forcefield to protect the base. But mixing Autobot and Maximal tech is difficult, and the machinery fails. With that trick failed, Primal puts together a plan to salvage the Maximals' old force field module, Sentinel, from the wreckage of the Axalon. Depth Charge refuses to respond to any contacts. So instead the Maximals will use a [[subaquatic stealth vessel]] -- a single-occupant submarine developed by Blackararachnia. Rattrap is assigned to pilot the submersible, over his usual handful of whines and complaints.

Silverbolt delivers the submarine to the Axalon's resting site. Under the lake, Rattrap is surprised to find himself having a good time exploring the water and passing by schools of fish to the sound of a jolly tune. The tune changes as Rattrap finds the fallen corpse of what used to be the Maximal's home. He slowly enters, looking through the darkened hallways. He finds Sentinel, and carefully begins to extract it - and is suddenly frightened by an eel who was hiding in the machinery. As he calms down, his radar detects something else approaching, and he realizes it's time to panic for real. Rattrap frantically tries to escape the Axalon, but a massive claw emerges from the darkness and seizes the submarine -- Rampage has found him.

Rampage squeezes the entire ship, threatening to crush it completely. Luckily, Depth Charge, still hunting Protoform X, shows up and blasts him away, freeing Rattrap. Depth Charge agrees to keep Rampage busy while Rattrap continues his mission. He escapes the Axalon just as shockwaves from the battle cause the ship to fall over a ledge and plunge deeper into the lake. Rattrap surfaces and finds a worried Silverbolt, who starts to carry the submarine home. But Waspinator arrives, causing doggybot to drop his passenger and cargo.

While Rampage and Depth Charge continue their match underwater, on the beach, Quickstrike sends Waspinator to take Sentinel back to the Predacon base while the Fuzor takes care of the two Maximals. But Quickstrike ends up crushed by Rampage, tossed out of the water by Depth Charge. Silverbolt tries to convince Depth Charge to help recover Sentinel, but as usual, Depth Charge has no interest, wanting only to execute Protoform X, who has snuck away during the few seconds of conversation.

Together, using some incredible aerial acrobatics, Rattrap and Silverbolt steal back Sentinel from Waspinator. But Inferno pushes a tree into Silverbolt's path. Silverbolt passes Sentinel to Rattrap, who races away with it. Depth Charge hears explosions in the distance and decides to go help.

Unrelenting, Inferno blows up a bridge in Rattrap's path, causing the rat to plunge - back into Silverbolt's arms. But the two Maximals crash into the incoming Depth Charge, and drop Sentinel into Inferno's hands. Thanks to Depth Charge's ill-timed arrival, the Maximals have lost.

At the Maximal base, Rattrap and Primal chew out Depth Charge for getting in their way and handing another major strategic advantage to the Predacons - but he did save Rattrap's life (which Rattrap initially left out, and was ''very'' begrudging to admit). Primal offers Depth Charge a place with the Maximals so mistakes like this can be avoided in the future, and Depth Charge agrees to consider it.

Meanwhile, in the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]], Megatron activates Sentinel, encasing his base in an protective force field.

==Quotes==
'''Rattrap:''' What are you grinnin' about, litter-butt?<br>
'''Cheetor:''' I was just thinking; with you inside, this'd make a swell cat toy.
:—Cheetor will always remain a kid at heart.

'''Silverbolt:''' We're approaching the target area. How you faring in there, Rattrap?<br>
'''Rattrap:''' I'm hot, I'm cramped, I'm airsick. Eh, the next time that big ape asks me to do something for him, man I am gonna shove my blaster so far up hi--"<br>
'''Silverbolt:''' Target dead ahead. Prepare for drop.
:—DAMN IT SILVERBOLT!!! Why'd you have to cut Rattrap off?!

"Looks like that Pred friend of yours finally did something right!"<br>
"Yes, my beloved has...many skills."
:—'''Rattrap''' and '''Silverbolt''', who isn't about to let us know what those "other" skills might be.

"Waspinator having good day! Not get shot once."<br>
''*BLAM!*''
:—'''Waspinator''', not having such a good day after all

'''Depth Charge:''' I knew saving your hide was a mistake.<br>
'''Optimus:''' Rattrap?<br>
'''Rattrap:''' Oh, well, yeah, technically, he did ''kinda'' do that.... Um eh, thanks.
:— Rattrap gives credit where credit is due, but only because he has to.

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[Evan Somers]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' November 8, 1998

'''Characters (in order of appearance):''' '''[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]],''' [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], '''[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]],''' [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], [[Waspinator]], [[Quickstrike]]

==Notes==
*When Megatron contacts his henchmen, Inferno can been seen spending his free time playing cards with Waspinator and Quickstrike.

*Music begins to play when Rattrap gets the hang of the submarine. At first, the audience is led to believe that this is just the score for the scene, until Silverbolt is seen hearing the music over his walkie talkie, with a raised eyebrow, to boot.

===Real-World References===

* The "Changing of the Guard", traditionally refers to a formal ceremony in Merry Ol' [[wikipedia:England|England]] wherein the sentries providing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries. The ceremonies are often elaborate and precisely choreographed.

* Rattrap's submarine bounces like a pinball after being dropped by Silverbolt; after it comes to a halt, the word "TILT" flashes in Rattrap's eyes.

===Errors===

* Inexplicably, the communicator that Silverbolt holds has a green button in the first scene, then later it's red, then it turns green again afterwards.
* After Rampage yanks Depth Charge's tail out from under the wreckage, Depth Charge's legs seem to have been transplanted onto his body for one shot.

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Maximal, No More

2008-06-11T22:55:36Z

64.93.134.249: /* Quotes */ fixed spaces

[[Image:MaximalNoMore title.jpg|thumb|350px|This place never belonged to the Maximals anyway.]]

'''With the contents of the Golden Disks weighing heavily on his mind, Dinobot must decide which side of the conflict he truly belongs to.'''

{{episodenav |BW |season=2 |5 |prev=Tangled Web |next=Other Visits (Part 1)}}

==Summary==
Within the [[Axalon|Maximal base]], Dinobot compares [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] installation locations with the symbols on the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], and observes that Megatron's "plan proceeds, even without the disk." He ponders his fate should Megatron succeed, and wonders if he is willing to betray his Predacon heritage. Optimus contacts him for a survey mission, and Dinobot puts his research aside for the moment.

Later, he rides vehicle-mode Rattrap into Predacon territory, musing as he does that "there is always battle here". Rattrap ain't buyin' it, until Inferno bursts out of the ground and attacks. Inferno and Dinobot square off, while Rattrap gets the drop on Quickstrike. Silverbolt moves to assist Dinobot, but Waspinator shoots him down, causing him to crash into Dinobot, deactivating them both.

Inferno carries Dinobot off to the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]], but Rattrap takes out Waspinator before he can carry Silverbolt away.

At the Predacon base, Megatron is eager to chat with his former comrade-in-arms. Dinobot breaks free and reaches Megatron, sword in hand, but the guns of the other Predacons prevent him from doing any damage. Before the fight can continue, however, Dinobot offers to change sides. Unconvinced, the Predacons finally settle on a "Predacon challenge" to test Dinobot's loyalty. Quickstrike is selected as an opponent, an invitation he readily accepts.

Rattrap goes hunting for Dinobot, sending Silverbolt back to call in Optimus.

After a brutal fight, Dinobot triumphs over Quickstrike. Megatron orders Dinobot to finish him, but Dinobot refuses, saying Quickstrike is an able fighter. Megatron accepts this, then demands that Dinobot return the golden disks. The [[Golden Disk (Vok)|alien disk]] is in Rhinox's hands, but the other is hidden from both sides. Megatron orders it returned immediately.

Rattrap observes Megatron and Dinobot flying past, and follows. At the mountaintop grotto, Dinobot uncovers the Golden Disk, and, with some trepidation, returns it to Megatron, wondering as he does if he's dooming his race. Megatron is about to run him through when Rattrap arrives, blasting Megatron aside -- but Dinobot in turn blasts Rattrap.

Megatron orders Dinobot to finish off Rattrap as a final test of loyalty. After a long moment of hesitation... Dinobot turns his sword on Megatron instead, telling him that his ambitions are insane and will destroy [[Maximal]] and Predacon alike. With Optimus and Silverbolt incoming, Megatron retreats.

Dinobot confesses his betrayal to Optimus. Having foolishly believed he wanted to share in Megatron's imminent victory, he now wishes to fight with the Maximals till they win or are destroyed. Optimus accepts this, but leaves the final call up to Rattrap, who finally relents after some obligatory insults.

Dinobot tells Primal he has a matter of great importance to discuss... back at base. Dinobot's final punishment is having to hitch a ride on Rattrap back to base.

==Quotes==
Megatron: "Inferno, aid Quickstrike."<br>
Inferno: "Yes, my Queen."<br>
Dinobot: "I was not aware you had given yourself a new title."<br>
Megatron: [quickly] "The ant has some faulty programming."

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[Patrick Barry]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' November 23, 1997

'''Major Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], [[Rattrap]], [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]<br>
'''Minor Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Optimus Primal]], [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]], [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]], [[Waspinator]], [[Tarantulas]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]].

==Notes==
* Lots of hint-dropping about Megatron's grand schemes in this episode. On the surface, it seems that Dinobot is dreading Megatron's plan to alter history by attacking their stasis-locked Autobot ancestors -- "it will destroy Maximal and Predacon alike, and all who came before".
* However, the matching locations of Predacon installations (presumably the same jamming towers seen in the previous episode) seems more related to the alien arrival which happens in the next episode, "[[Other Visits (Part 1)|Other Visits]]", as the jamming towers result in Tigatron and Airazor's abduction, and otherwise play little or no part in the history-altering scheme.
* The consequences of this episode will haunt Dinobot [[Code of Hero|until the day he dies.]]

===Technical/Animation Glitches===
*Waspinator can be spotted without his stripes.

===Continuity Errors===
*So, you can prove you're loyal to Megatron by... killing one of his troops?

===Transformers References===
*References

===Real-World References===
*When the view through Rattrap's scanner is shown, a small wedge of cheese can be seen in the bottom right corner.

==External Links==
*Link

{{epstub}}
[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Deep Metal

2008-06-11T22:54:34Z

64.93.134.249: /* Quotes */ minor fixes

{{picsneeded}}
[[Image:Deep Metal title shot.JPG|thumb|350px|Looks trustworthy enough.]]

'''Depth Charge arrives on Earth, continuing his obsessive quest to hunt down Protoform X.'''

{{episodenav |BW |season=3 |2 |prev=Optimal Situation |next=Changing of the Guard}}

==Summary==
On Earth, in their new base in the newly fortified [[Mount St. Hilary]], Rhinox has trouble working with the hardware salvaged from the ''[[Axalon]]''. Primal considers this as another reason they need help from the [[Maximal Elder]]s to arrive soon as possible, but Rhinox doubts the help is coming. Yet as they speak, help from Cybertron is indeed coming—just not exactly the kind they were hoping for.

Outside, the mountain, Inferno leads Rampage in a planned invasion of the Maximals' current base. But the stranger entering Earth's atmosphere distracts Rampage away from the exercise, leaving Inferno to attack the Maximals on his own. The fire ant is easily defeated by a rock. It was a pretty big rock.

Cheetor also notices the [[starhopper|spacecraft]] descending and flies to check it out. Receiving a radio contact from Cheetor, Primal heads out to join him. Cheetor watches the spacecraft landing in a body of water, but in the middle of a radio update to Optimus, Rampage fires a rocket to blast the Maximal out of the air. Underwater, the newly arrived Maximal, Depth Charge, scans a manta for his beast mode and leaves his transport, eager to hunt Protoform X. Surveying the area, Depth Charge finds Cheetor sinking to the bottom of the water. Depth Charge rescues his fellow Maximal, but doesn't explain who he is or much of anything else when he strands the cat-bot on an island.

Megatron, wondering where Rampage went after abandoning Inferno, sends Quickstrike to hunt the giant crab.

Underwater again, Rampage surprises Depth Charge, greeting him as "old playmate". The two battle, and Depth Charge lifts their combat into the air. Rampage blasts the manta and the forces the fight onto the beach, but finds himself impaled on a stalagmite. While the two giant Transmetals are disabled, Primal arrives and meets with Cheetor, who fills in the Maximal commander on what's happened and tells him of Depth Charge...a name that Primal recognizes.

Rampage heals and approaches Depth Charge, but Depth Charge awakens and fights back. The two show off their abilities, but Depth Charge wins the fight by throwing his tail-spike into Rampage's weaponry, causing explosive feedback. Quickstrike shows up and fires at Depth Charge with a disabling poison blast, but Primal easily takes out Quickstrike. But thanks to Quickstrike's interruption, Rampage has had the time to sneak away. Primal and Cheetor bring Depth Charge back to their base.

As Depth Charge heals, Primal and Rhinox explain that Depth Charge was in charge of security for [[Colony Omicron]] before Protoform X devoured all the other inhabitants of it. Seeking vengeance, Depth Charge captured the maniac and petitioned the [[Maximal High Council|High Council]] to find some way of executing him, but instead Protoform X was placed on the ''Axalon'' to be dumped. Depth Charge thus followed the ''Axalon'' through [[transwarp]] by tracking X's energy signature, intending to finish the job he started.

Depth Charge awakens repaired and exits the CR Chamber. He blows off the Maximals, showing obvious contempt for Optimus Primal. He leaves to go hunt Protoform X, with no interest in the rest of the Beast Wars and saving history. Meanwhile, Rampage destroys the vehicle Depth Charge used to come to the planet.

==Quotes==
"Inferno blow up, Waspinator must salvage. Waspinator blow up, ''nobody'' salvage! Why universe hate Waspinator?
:—'''Waspinator''' bemoans his fate at the hands of cruel <strike>writers</strike> destiny.

"Greetings, old playmate. So glad you could come!"<br>
"X!"<br>
"I'm called Rampage now! A bit obvious, but to the point. Don't you think?"<br>
:—'''Rampage''' and '''Depth Charge''' reintroduce themselves.

"It's not revenge I'm looking for, it's justice."
:—Words to live by from '''Depth Charge'''

"X is not alone. He's a Predacon now under Megatron's control. There are six of them."<br>
"I gotta hand it to ya, Primal, when you screw up, you do it big time. But thanks for the tip."
:—'''Optimus Primal''' attempts to warn '''Depth Charge''', for all the good it does.

"It was really so very nice of you to come. So glad you could stay. Oh, we'll have such fun. Ho-ho, yeah! [crazed laughter]"
:—'''Rampage''' offers a hearty welcome to his arch-nemesis.

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[Larry DiTillio]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' November 1, 1998

'''Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]], '''[[Depth Charge]],''' [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], '''[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]],''' [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], [[Rattrap]]

==Notes==

*This is the debut appearance of Depth Charge.
*Waspinator appears in this episode and does not get scrapped in any way. Run for the bomb shelters, it's the end of the world!

===Technical/Animation Glitches===

*When Depth Charge first scans his beast form, he yells "Maximize" to transform to beast mode instead of saying "Beast mode." He does this many more times over the course of the season. It could be that Depth Charge has his activation code keyed for activating his alt-mode (now his beast mode), while most others prefer to use it for going to robot mode.

===Transformers References===

*When Depth Charge first enters Earth's solar system, he is informed by his ship's navi-computer that the area was declared off-limits by order of the High Council. This is a reference to backstory given by the story-editors that never got explicitly mentioned on the show, but was spelled out by their posts on the Internet, wherein Earth is off-limits because of some undecided-upon catastrophe, as well as to protect it from time-altering thieves such as Megatron.

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Michael Bay

2008-06-11T06:14:31Z

64.93.134.249: /* Trivia */ other commercial versions

[[Image:Michaelbay.jpg|thumb|250px|"I say [[Brawl (Movie)|Devastator]]. DE-VAS-TA-TOR!"]]

'''Michael Bay''' (February 17, 1965 -) is an American film director and producer. He is the director of [[Dreamworks]]' [[Transformers (2007)|Transformers live-action movie]]. He is better known as the director of several highly successful blockbuster motion pictures, such as ''Bad Boys'', ''The Rock'', and ''[[Armageddon]]''.

At times, other people involved with Bay's films have claimed to be Bay himself. It is not known if they are attempting to protect him from the [[fans|Romans]] or not.<ref> A comment Bay made during the ''Transformers'' promotional reel at [[BotCon 2006]]</ref>

He demands that things be AWESOME.

{{quote|I don't even know how you ''spend'' that much money on a movie.|Michael Bay on the budgets for other 2007 summer blockbusters, ''Transformers'' DVD commentary}}
{{quote|Remember the heart and the magic!|Michael Bay's catchphrase regarding ''Transformers 2''<ref>[http://www.eonline.com/movies/reelgirl/detail/index.jsp?uuid=03ff539b-dffa-4d60-ad7b-084f510128a7&sid=reel A very short interview on E!]</ref>}}

==Toys==
* "'''BayBot'''," a joking representation of Bay in toy form, was "advertised" in an [[easter egg]] on the ''Transformers'' DVD. The toy is an ''[[Alternators]]'' [[Ravage (G1)|Battle Ravage]] with a humanoid head and [[Autobot]] [[insignia]]. And puppies. It's quite disturbing, actually.

{{-}}

==Trivia==
*When the production required a fictional tail serial number to paint on the real MH-53 Pave Low helicopters representing [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], Bay decided to use the tail number from his own personal Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet, '''4500X'''. <ref>According to Michael Bay on the ''Transformers'' DVD commentary.</ref>

*During a television interview on June 13th, 2007 in Australia on the Ten Network's news hour, Bay stated that [[Hugo Weaving]] had recorded his lines as [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] in Australia while Bay directed him from the U.S. using Apple ''iChat'', and thus, he had never actually met the actor.

* Susan Bay, a relative of Michael Bay, is married to famed ''Star Trek'' actor (and the original voice of ''Generation 1'' [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]) [[Leonard Nimoy]], and apparently it was due to their substantial contributions to the [[Griffith Observatory]] that Michael was allowed to film ''Transformers'' at that location.<ref>According to Michael Bay on the ''Transformers'' DVD commentary.</ref>

*According to Bay on the ''Transformers'' DVD commentary, the human bystander that Megatron flicks aside during the Mission City sequence was Bay himself (one assumes he means it is a CGI puppet made in his appearance). This 'cameo' replaces one he filmed where he was the driver of the silver Mercedes-Benz ML320 that Megatron tosses aside.

* Two of Michael Bay's dogs are linked to Transformers. One, [[Mason the Mastiff|Mason]], is the dog Miles is seen giving a bath to during the film. A new puppy he got while working on the film was named [[Bonecrusher (Movie)| Bonecrusher]]. No word yet on what, if anything, the dog hates.

* He starred in a Verizon FiOS commercial in which he had an awesome pussy cat (a tiger), an awesome grill (with a life-size Bumblebee, also awesome), and an awesome pool. Typically, he had a switch to blow something up, which he did...three times. The cat was not blown up (which was fortunate), but all three explosions were '''''AWESOME'''''. Though one of the things being blown up was the (AWESOME) Verizon guy helping Bay set up his FiOS connection, so he would have something to say about that...if he wasn't in smoldering pieces.
** The awesome Verizon guy was only blown up in one of the (at least three) versions of the commercial. In the other two, Bay blows up another (awesome) grill instead. In one, he then invites the Verizon guy to help him blow up "something cool in the backyard." Needless to say, these awesome Verizon guys are much happier than the first.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000881/ Michael Bay on the Internet Movie Database]

[[Category: Directors|Bay, Michael]]
[[Category: DreamWorks|Bay, Michael]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Code of Hero

2008-06-11T02:58:07Z

64.93.134.249: /* Notes */ How did Tarantulus get put back together?

'''Dinobot makes the ultimate sacrifice to save those who are still to come.

[[Image:CodeofHero_titlepic.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The rest is silence...]]

{{episodenav |BW |season=2 |9 |prev=Bad Spark |next=Transmutate (episode)}}

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

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.

On the bridge, Rhinox announces that he's been calculating the path of the [[Transwarp Wave]] from the [[Planet Buster]]'s destruction -- it's travelling through time at an accelerated rate, and will reach [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the "present". Optimus fears Megatron has made similar calculations, and the group realizes they need to increase their defenses.

Dinobot, still somber, runs into Rattrap, who rips him a new one over his turning the Disk over to Megatron. Dinobot is left to reflect that his actions cannot be undone... but may yet be "mitigated". He arms himself and heads off into the wastes.

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

At [[Tarantulas' 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. Dinobot uses Tarantulas as his unwilling ride.

Megatron and Rampage have arrived at a particular mountain near the protohuman valley. Rampage sneers that the Maximals will come from Cybertron and that he anticipates Megatron's imminent demise. Megatron admits that's very likely, unless he changes reality. He pulls out the disk and explains that it contains images recorded in the future, including one of the same mountain. Megatron has Rampage destroy the mountain, and the image on the disk changes to suit the altered reality. Dinobot observes all this with dawning dread: Megatron has the power to change the future.

The Predacon leader intends to change the outcome of the [[Great War]] in the [[Decepticon]]s' favor... by destroying the protohumans and depriving the [[Autobot]]s of an important ally race. The rest of the Predacons arrive, and begin a full assalt on the valley. 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. He moves in to attack the entire Predacon force single-handed.

Dinobot is able to take out the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s, but he loses his weapons in the process, suffers considerable damage, and drains most of his energy supply, rendering his [[optic laser]]s unusable. Soon, it's just Megatron and Dinobot, who reveals a human captive. On his last bit of [[Energon]], Dinobot plunges a rock into a stick, creating a makeshift hammer. He knocks the disk out Megatron's hand and then destroys it with his optic lasers, expending his last bit of energy. Megatron flees as the [[Maximal]]s arrive, but it is too late for Dinobot. As he lays dying, Dinobot solidifies his friendship with Rattrap, and asks Optimus to tell the whole truth about him, the good and the bad, and allow him to be judged accordingly. With that, Dinobot's [[spark]] leaves his [[structure]], and he dies. The next morning, the Maximals hold a funeral for Dinobot. The fliers soar through the air in a salute, as Rattrap and Rhinox dissolve Dinobot's remains.

At the valley, a curious protohuman finds Dinobot's hammer. He soon figures out how to use it to help gather food... and to fend off predators like the giant snake. Dinobot's actions have not only saved the protohumans, but also helped them take a step toward evolving into [[human]]ity.

==Quotes==
'''Rhinox: ''' "Remember that transwarp cell explosion?"<br>
''[Primal gives him a serious look]''<br>
'''Rhinox:''' "Okay, stupid question..."
:—The rhino has a once-in-a-lifetime lapse in intelligence.

"Destroy this valley and everything in it! The human race shall never have existed!"
:—'''Megatron''', announcing the impending genocide of the proto-humans

"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." ''(Wiping fake tear)'' "I'm almost touched.... Fortunately, such moments pass quickly. Quickstrike, scrap him!"
:—'''Megatron''', observing '''Dinobot'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s fight to save the valley single-handedly

"What's a warrior without weapons, eh?"<br>
"A warrior ''still!''"
:—'''Quickstrike''' goading '''Dinobot''' into a fight

"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''."<br>
"Not just yet!"<br>
"Ah-ah-ah!" ''(Megatron reveals a proto-human bound in energon bindings.)'' "One more step, and it's raining bits of early anthropoid, yesss." ''(He sees Dinobot hesitate.)'' "Oh dear, how positively ''Maximal'' of you. You were weakened before you started, Dinobot. Weakened by ''compassion''."
:—'''Megatron''' confronting the severely damaged '''Dinobot'''.

'''Megatron:''' "Oh-ho-ho-ho, really, Dinobot, a ''stick''—against a ''Transmetal''? I think ''not''."<br>
'''Computer:''' "Final Warning: Power failing. Jeopardy extreme. Repeat: Extreme."<br>
'''Megatron:''' "Please. Face it, Dinobot. You're old technology. ''Obsolete''. What could ''you'' possibly do?"<br>
'''Dinobot:''' "Improvise."
:—'''Dinobot'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s down but not out yet.

"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."
:—'''Optimus Primal'''

"Like I said, you're just a blasted, slag-spouting saurian, but...it's nice to know where you stand."<br>
"Upwind of you, for preference, vermin."
:—'''Rattrap''' and '''Dinobot''' sharing one last banter.

"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..."<br>
:—'''Dinobot''''s last words

"He lived a warrior...and died a hero. Let his spark join the Matrix, the greatest of Cybertron."
:—'''Optimus Primal's''' eulogy to '''Dinobot'''

==Stats==
'''Written by:''' [[Ian Weir]]<br>
'''Original airdate:''' March 9, 1998 (Special Cartoon Network Preview); April 25, 1998 (Regular Syndication)

===Featured characters===
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
! style="background:#FFEEEE" | [[Maximals]]
! style="background:#EEEEFE" | [[Predacons]]
! style="background:#FFEEB8" | Others
|-
| style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top" |
* [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] (1)
* [[Optimus Primal]] (2)
* [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (3)
* [[Rattrap]] (4)
* [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (5)
* [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] (13)

| style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top" |
* [[Tarantulas]] (6)
* [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] (7)
* [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] (8)
* [[Waspinator]] (9)
* [[Blackarachnia]] (10)
* [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (11)
* [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] (12)

| style="background:#FFEEB8" valign="top" |

|}

==Notes==
===Technical/animation glitches===
* As Quickstrike approaches Dinobot, his left shin is backwards.
* At Dinobot's funeral, Rattrap is in his pre-Transmetal body.
* When Megatron is flying over the proto-human valley, his legs are missing and his body has very little detail.

===Continuity Errors===
* Rampage blasted Tarantulus into pieces in the last episode, and since he's a solo agent now, none of the Predacons are going to help him, so how did he get himself put back together?

===Transformers references===
*Megatron orders the destruction of the prehumans to prevent the development of mankind. Humans assisted the Autobots to win the Great War. Notable humans include [[Spike Witwicky]], [[Sparkplug Witwicky]], [[Daniel Witwicky]], and [[Chip Chase]].

===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. It is also reminiscent of the [[Wikipedia:Butterfly Effect|Butterfly Effect]], a principle of chaos theory which holds that a small change (a flap of a butterfly's wings, killing a few dozen hominids) can eventually lead to vast changes (changes in storm systems a world away, the dominion of Predacons over Maximals). Of course, the writers may have merely intended Rampage's act to symbolize how killing the hominids would be no more difficult for the Predacons than crushing a butterfly . . .
* 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.

===Miscellaneous 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' writers, but it's also the only episode to be done up in storyboards, traditionally, 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.
* This episode marks the very last appearance of [[Rhinox]] in beast mode.
* 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!!!"

==External links==
*Link

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

The Agenda (Part 1)

2008-06-10T22:13:19Z

64.93.134.249: /* Real-World References */ Rampage's missiles

{{cleanup}}

[[Image:Agenda1 title.jpg|thumb|350px|Featuring all your favourite G1 characters!]]

'''The Predacons of Cybertron send an agent to Earth to bring back Megatron and his band of criminals.'''

{{episodenav |BW |season=2 |11 |prev=Transmutate (episode) |next=The Agenda (Part 2)}}

==Summary==
Rhinox tracks the transwarp wave (not to be confused with the [[Transmetal]]-inducing [[quantum surge]] from "[[Aftermath]]") released by the destruction of the alien superweapon, announcing it will arrive at Cybertron in a few hours, and that the Maximals are going home.

Megatron also sees that the transwarp wave is on its way to Cybertron. After learning that [[Code of Hero|his attack]] on the early humans caused them to scatter, making their extinction an impossibility, he decides to implement one final plan. He calls up his security cameras, showing Blackarachnia leaving the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]].

Silverbolt flies to a secluded location where he meets up with Blackarachnia, handing her some sort of gadget (which is later revealed to be a levitation device of some kind) and he once again offers her a spot in the Maximal ranks. She refuses, but grabs Silverbolt and obviously some sort of robot lovin' goes down.

In the future, [[Predacon Command Outpost One|a Cybertronian outpost]] receives the transwarp wave quite violently. The Tripredacus Council convenes and destroys a satellite to make sure the Maximal sensors don't detect the wave. They decide to send an operative to find and capture Megatron, the rogue Predacon who stole the [[Golden Disk]] from the Maximals.

Back at the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'', the Maximals get ready for Megatron's inevitable final attack on their base. Waspinator and Inferno ready some attack systems, but Rampage decides to take the more direct approach and assaults [[Sentinel]]'s shields with his weapons. The battle begins, and the Predacons appear to be winning until reinforcements come from above. Megatron orders a retreat, and the invisible source of the Maximals' help lands.

The ''Axalon'''s hatch opens and Silverbolt's super doggie nose smells something. All the Maximals draw their weapons as two red lasers appear out of nowhere from the hatch. Optimus Primal finally realizes that their reinforcements came in the form of a Decepticon who after the [[Great War]] was granted amnesty and rebuilt as a Predacon.

Shots are fired, knocking all of the Maximals' weapons out of their hands. The mysterious assailant jumps into the bridge, and reveals himself—Ravage. He apologizes, and introduces himself as "Covert Agent Ravage, at your service." He offers the apologies of the [[Predacon Alliance]] for Megatron's unsactioned actions, but lies about the transwarp wave, saying that it was too weak for anything but the Predacon sensors to detect.

At the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]], Blackarachnia finishes work on a flying stasis pod with Silverbolt's device. Her celebration is cut short, however, when Megatron calls for her. Megatron correctly anticipates a Maximal retaliation, and sends everyone but Waspinator to fortify the base. Waspinator, he sends on a "secret mission", which Blackarachnia takes special note of.

Ravage's transwarp cruiser takes off from the ''Axalon'' with the Maximals onboard. This sets off alarms in Tarantulas' lair, and he transforms and rolls out in the same direction as the cruiser. Ravage and the Maximals attack the Predacon base. Silverbolt ignores Optimus' orders to kill Blackarachnia, who takes off towards Waspinator's secret location.

Ravage begins firing upon the downed Predacon ship. Megatron orders his troops to keep fighting, but suddenly is bound to his chair with energy rings. Ravage, Optimus, Rattrap, and Rhinox walk in, and Ravage places Megatron under arrest. Are the Beast Wars over? [[The Agenda (Part 2)|To be continued]]!

==Quotes==
Rattrap: "So, uh, Where ya' been, bird-dog?"<br>
Silverbolt: "Uh, scout patrol..."<br>
Rattrap: "Oh, yeah, yeah, scoutin' the enemy, heh heh. So...find any new ''positions''?"
:{{m-}} '''''Rattrap''', proving that Beast Wars is not above cheap innuendos.''

Rattrap: "Now whadda we do?"<br>
Silverbolt: "Well, given our proximity, I breathe through my mouth."<br>
:{{m-}} '''''Silverbolt''', picking up where Dinobot left off.''

Cheetor: "What do you think it is, Big Bot?"<br>
Optimus Primal: "Not what...but who. After the Great War, a few Decepticons were granted amnesty. Most have retired. But rumor has it that one was reprogrammed and rebuilt{{m-}}''as a Predacon!''"
:{{m-}}''Enter gratuitous G1 homage.''

Rattrap: "Oh, for bootin up cold, The only thing worse than a stinkin' Pred, is a stinkin' Deception!"
:{{m-}} '''''Rattrap'''about Ravage not useing the front door.''

"In the name of the Pax Cybertronia and the Predacon Alliance, you are under arrest."
:{{m-}}'''''Ravage''', upon apprehending Megatron''

==Stats==
'''Writer:''' [[Bob Forward]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' March 11, 1998 (Cartoon Network Preview); May 9, 1998 (Regular Syndication)

'''Major Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Optimus Primal]], [[Rattrap]], [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]], [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], [[Blackarachnia]], [[Waspinator]], [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]], [[Tarantulas]] <br>
'''Minor Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Sea Clamp]], [[Ramhorn (BW)|Ramhorn]], [[Cicadacon]] (together, The [[Tripredacus Council]]); [[Ravage]]

==Notes==
*In the opening shot, parts of Optimus Primal pre-transmetal fly at the screen.
*Ravage arrests Megatron in the name of the "Pax Cybertronia". This is a reference to the [[Wikipedia:Pax Romana|Pax Romana]].
*The Tripredacus Council shown at the beginning of the episode ''were'' meant to be the Tripredacus gestalt toy, and were even referred to by their individual names in the original script. However, time constraints prevented the renders for the figures to exactly match the toys they were based on, so Hasbro asked that their individual names not be referred to, though the gestalt name was still used for the group.

===Technical/Animation Glitches===
*None noticed

===Continuity Errors===
*None noticed

===Transformers References===
*The entire three-part season finale, "The Agenda", is a reference to the original Generation 1 cartoon. In this part, Ravage, the rebuilt Decepticon, is dispatched to the Maximals to assist them in capturing Megatron (who the Predacons see as a dangerous rebel as well, not knowing his true motives, which are revealed in [[The Agenda (Part III)|the third part]].) Ravage was one of the original cassette-robots to serve under [[Soundwave]].

===Real-World References===
*[[Six Lasers Over Cybertron]], which Cheetor gets excited about, is a reference to [[Wikipedia:Six Flags|Six Flags]] over various states.
*Rattrap speaks of places in Cybertron where the serverbots walk around "minus their torso plates" and then does sort of a "wink wink, nudge nudge" toward Silverbolt. He's referencing strip clubs, of course.
*"Rampage, position yourself in Subsector Hooks", spoken by Megatron, is a reference to fan Hooks.
*The three missiles Rampage fires at the Axalon to start the attack each bear a symbol: a [[Wikipedia:Bohr model|classical model of the atom]] (a nuclear warhead?), a death's head poison symbol, and a peace sign, of all things.

==External Links==
*[http://www.tv.com/beast-wars/the-agenda-1/episode/45431/summary.html TV.com episode summary]
[[Category:Beast Wars episodes|Agenda (Part 1)]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Code of Hero

2008-06-10T07:02:07Z

64.93.134.249: missing man formation

'''Dinobot makes the ultimate sacrifice to save those who are still to come.

[[Image:CodeofHero_titlepic.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The rest is silence...]]

{{episodenav |BW |season=2 |9 |prev=Bad Spark |next=Transmutate (episode)}}

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

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.

On the bridge, Rhinox announces that he's been calculating the path of the [[Transwarp Wave]] from the [[Planet Buster]]'s destruction -- it's travelling through time at an accelerated rate, and will reach [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the "present". Optimus fears Megatron has made similar calculations, and the group realizes they need to increase their defenses.

Dinobot, still somber, runs into Rattrap, who rips him a new one over his turning the Disk over to Megatron. Dinobot is left to reflect that his actions cannot be undone... but may yet be "mitigated". He arms himself and heads off into the wastes.

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

At [[Tarantulas' 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. Dinobot uses Tarantulas as his unwilling ride.

Megatron and Rampage have arrived at a particular mountain near the protohuman valley. Rampage sneers that the Maximals will come from Cybertron and that he anticipates Megatron's imminent demise. Megatron admits that's very likely, unless he changes reality. He pulls out the disk and explains that it contains images recorded in the future, including one of the same mountain. Megatron has Rampage destroy the mountain, and the image on the disk changes to suit the altered reality. Dinobot observes all this with dawning dread: Megatron has the power to change the future.

The Predacon leader intends to change the outcome of the [[Great War]] in the [[Decepticon]]s' favor... by destroying the protohumans and depriving the [[Autobot]]s of an important ally race. The rest of the Predacons arrive, and begin a full assalt on the valley. 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. He moves in to attack the entire Predacon force single-handed.

Dinobot is able to take out the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s, but he loses his weapons in the process, suffers considerable damage, and drains most of his energy supply, rendering his [[optic laser]]s unusable. Soon, it's just Megatron and Dinobot, who reveals a human captive. On his last bit of [[Energon]], Dinobot plunges a rock into a stick, creating a makeshift hammer. He knocks the disk out Megatron's hand and then destroys it with his optic lasers, expending his last bit of energy. Megatron flees as the [[Maximal]]s arrive, but it is too late for Dinobot. As he lays dying, Dinobot solidifies his friendship with Rattrap, and asks Optimus to tell the whole truth about him, the good and the bad, and allow him to be judged accordingly. With that, Dinobot's [[spark]] leaves his [[structure]], and he dies. The next morning, the Maximals hold a funeral for Dinobot. The fliers soar through the air in a salute, as Rattrap and Rhinox dissolve Dinobot's remains.

At the valley, a curious protohuman finds Dinobot's hammer. He soon figures out how to use it to help gather food... and to fend off predators like the giant snake. Dinobot's actions have not only saved the protohumans, but also helped them take a step toward evolving into [[human]]ity.

==Quotes==
'''Rhinox: ''' "Remember that transwarp cell explosion?"<br>
''[Primal gives him a serious look]''<br>
'''Rhinox:''' "Okay, stupid question..."
:—The rhino has a once-in-a-lifetime lapse in intelligence.

"Destroy this valley and everything in it! The human race shall never have existed!"
:—'''Megatron''', announcing the impending genocide of the proto-humans

"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." ''(Wiping fake tear)'' "I'm almost touched.... Fortunately, such moments pass quickly. Quickstrike, scrap him!"
:—'''Megatron''', observing '''Dinobot'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s fight to save the valley single-handedly

"What's a warrior without weapons, eh?"<br>
"A warrior ''still!''"
:—'''Quickstrike''' goading '''Dinobot''' into a fight

"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''."<br>
"Not just yet!"<br>
"Ah-ah-ah!" ''(Megatron reveals a proto-human bound in energon bindings.)'' "One more step, and it's raining bits of early anthropoid, yesss." ''(He sees Dinobot hesitate.)'' "Oh dear, how positively ''Maximal'' of you. You were weakened before you started, Dinobot. Weakened by ''compassion''."
:—'''Megatron''' confronting the severely damaged '''Dinobot'''.

'''Megatron:''' "Oh-ho-ho-ho, really, Dinobot, a ''stick''—against a ''Transmetal''? I think ''not''."<br>
'''Computer:''' "Final Warning: Power failing. Jeopardy extreme. Repeat: Extreme."<br>
'''Megatron:''' "Please. Face it, Dinobot. You're old technology. ''Obsolete''. What could ''you'' possibly do?"<br>
'''Dinobot:''' "Improvise."
:—'''Dinobot'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s down but not out yet.

"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."
:—'''Optimus Primal'''

"Like I said, you're just a blasted, slag-spouting saurian, but...it's nice to know where you stand."<br>
"Upwind of you, for preference, vermin."
:—'''Rattrap''' and '''Dinobot''' sharing one last banter.

"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..."<br>
:—'''Dinobot''''s last words

"He lived a warrior...and died a hero. Let his spark join the Matrix, the greatest of Cybertron."
:—'''Optimus Primal's''' eulogy to '''Dinobot'''

==Stats==
'''Written by:''' [[Ian Weir]]<br>
'''Original airdate:''' March 9, 1998 (Special Cartoon Network Preview); April 25, 1998 (Regular Syndication)

===Featured characters===
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
! style="background:#FFEEEE" | [[Maximals]]
! style="background:#EEEEFE" | [[Predacons]]
! style="background:#FFEEB8" | Others
|-
| style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top" |
* [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] (1)
* [[Optimus Primal]] (2)
* [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (3)
* [[Rattrap]] (4)
* [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (5)
* [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] (13)

| style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top" |
* [[Tarantulas]] (6)
* [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] (7)
* [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] (8)
* [[Waspinator]] (9)
* [[Blackarachnia]] (10)
* [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (11)
* [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] (12)

| style="background:#FFEEB8" valign="top" |

|}

==Notes==
===Technical/animation glitches===
* As Quickstrike approaches Dinobot, his left shin is backwards.
* At Dinobot's funeral, Rattrap is in his pre-Transmetal body.
* When Megatron is flying over the proto-human valley, his legs are missing and his body has very little detail.

===Transformers references===
*Megatron orders the destruction of the prehumans to prevent the development of mankind. Humans assisted the Autobots to win the Great War. Notable humans include [[Spike Witwicky]], [[Sparkplug Witwicky]], [[Daniel Witwicky]], and [[Chip Chase]].

===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. It is also reminiscent of the [[Wikipedia:Butterfly Effect|Butterfly Effect]], a principle of chaos theory which holds that a small change (a flap of a butterfly's wings, killing a few dozen hominids) can eventually lead to vast changes (changes in storm systems a world away, the dominion of Predacons over Maximals). Of course, the writers may have merely intended Rampage's act to symbolize how killing the hominids would be no more difficult for the Predacons than crushing a butterfly . . .
* 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.

===Miscellaneous 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' writers, but it's also the only episode to be done up in storyboards, traditionally, 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.
* This episode marks the very last appearance of [[Rhinox]] in beast mode.
* 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!!!"

==External links==
*Link

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Transmetal

2008-06-10T00:42:16Z

64.93.134.249: /* Toys */ he fires one hand in Other Visits Part 2

{{picsneeded|"Transmetals" logo}}

[[Image:Transmetal.JPG|thumb|300px|right|Rattrap admires his grasping forepaws while Cheetor flexes his pecs.]]

A '''Transmetal''' is a (generally) [[Vok]]-related enhanced form of a [[Beast Wars]] era Transformer, featuring a "mutated superstructure" which seems to be made out of some kind of organic metal.

==Transmetal (first wave)==
[[Image:Megs_transmetal.JPG|left|thumb|200px|"With the power of ''shininess'', I shall be unstoppable, yessss!"]]

In beast mode, the Transmetals seemed almost, if not entirely, mechanical, much like the animal forms of their [[Generation 1|predecessors]]. However, as part of a partial "inversion", many of their robot modes bore organic elements, such as [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]'s furry chest. Transmetals also typically featured a third "mobility" mode. While not full vehicular modes, these half-modes gave aspects of a vehicle to the existing beast forms. Examples included Rattrap as a wheeled rat, Primal as a sky-surfing gorilla, Cheetor as a jet-powered cat, and [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] as a [[Wikipedia:VTOL|VTOL]]-enhanced inline skating enthusiast.
{{-}}
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
[[Image:Optimus_transmetal.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Brass monkey.]]

The Transmetals were created as a result of Transformers being bathed in a [[quantum surge]] after the destruction of the Vok [[Planet Buster]]. {{storylink|Aftermath}} All the Beast Warriors who were not "born" from a [[protoform]] on Earth or shielded in a [[CR Chamber]] were altered. Why Earth-"born" Transformers were unaffected by the surge's effects are a mystery, especially considering that protoforms still in stasis pods were affected to various degrees.

The Transmetallized individuals were Megatron, [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], [[Rattrap]], and [[Cheetor]]. [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] and [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] were in the middle of their mutation when they fell into lava pits seeping into the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]] and perished. [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] was Transmetallized in his stasis pod. {{storylink|Bad Spark}} It's unclear whether he was a true protoform at the time, but when [[Optimus Primal]]'s spark was transplanted into a fresh new protoform, the resulting form was Transmetal as well. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)}} Other protoforms in evidence include [[Transmutate]], who was judged "partially Transmetal", {{storylink|Transmutate}} and the [[Fuzor]]s [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]], who displayed the Transmetal quality of immunity to the [[Metal Hunter]]'s weapon. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 2)}} Even a fair bit of time after the surge, [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] was turned into a full Transmetal as he approached Earth in his ship. {{storylink|Deep Metal}}

{{note|The [[Ain't No Rat|various]] [[Primeval Dawn|spinoff]] [[The Gathering|series]] of Beast Wars, despite being mutually exclusive, agree both that [[Ramulus|many]] [[Spittor|protoforms]] [[Optimus Minor|were]] Transmetallized, and that [[Razorclaw (BW)|some]] [[Bonecrusher (BW)|were]] not at all. There is no known determining factor.}}

[[Image:Depth_charge_tm.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Yep, he's a Transmetal too. That's what happens when [[transwarp|time itself]] gets messed with.]]

Most Transmetals had additional weapons and seemingly enhanced power levels. They were immune to some [[Vok]] weapons and did not show up on Vok scanners - Tarantulas took the view that the quantum surge's effects meant they were "one with [the Vok] now".

They are possibly immune to the effects of [[energon]] radiation. The evidence of the latter is scant, since most of the energon deposits on [[Earth]]'s surface had been destroyed or converted to stable [[energon cube]]s by the Planet Buster cannon. However, Transmetal Tarantulas was once seen standing beneath an energon cache, completely unaffected. {{storylink|Tangled Web}} Then not long afterwards, the non-Transmetal [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] suffered energon overload while in a cave containing energon crystals. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} So immunity to the radiation may be an effect of Transmetallization.

{{note|According to [[Ben Yee]], the Transmetals were originally conceived of by ''Beast Wars'' writers as "absorbing" energon radiation and then needing to discharge that energy later, typically as weapon energy.<ref>[http://www.bwtf.com/bw/tvshow/episodes/seasontwo/badspark/ Ben Yee's "Bad Spark" review]</ref> However, the only time this was hinted at in the series was during "[[Bad Spark]]", when Cheetor "farts" a little energon cloud.}}

{{-}}

===Toys===
In addition to the characters mentioned above, Transmetal toys were also produced for [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]], and technically [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]]. (The [[Scavenger (BW)|Scavenger]] toy was initially intended to be his Transmetal form, and was so in Japan and the UK.) None of these appeared on the show.

Scorponok, [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], and [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], though also not Transmetal in the show, were given their own Transmetal toys as Happy Meal pack-ins from McDonald's. [[Claw Jaw]] and [[Spittor]] were redecoed and sold as Transmetals in European markets with a VHS tape.

Initial Transmetal toys were not designed with guns, only melee weapons, contrary to the requirements of the animated series (kinda the opposite of the situation with [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and co.'s toys vs. their comic book depictions). As a result, [[Mainframe Entertainment]] was forced to come up with creative solutions to give these characters ranged weapons without diminishing the newly increased [[Show-accuracy|toy accuracy]] of the show. Thus, [[Tarantulas]]'s handheld buzzsaw functioned like a gun and the green markings on his shoulders were depicted as missile ports, [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s pincer/whip/flail/"whiplash cutlass" thing (read: he's holding his damn tail) gained the ability to stiffen and fire like a cannon, and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]'s hideous hands were capable of firing energy blasts, although only when placed together and thus temporarily making the halves of his beast-mode head whole, with the zaps emanating from its mouth (a pose impossible to achieve with the figure without unhinging the shoulders from the sides.) In [[Other Visits (Part 2)]], however, he fires only one hand.

Even more elaborate was the functional reconceptualization of [[Optimus Primal]]'s toy, whose hoverboard thruster/mace launcher was used as a laser pistol. Not content with this rather puny-looking firearm, some clever cove at Mainframe noticed that his shoulder-pad and mace-stowing bracket thing could be flipped over his head (a function of his transformation) and improperly positioned in such a way that the long handles of his dual maces pointed outwards like gun barrels and, with the shoulder-pads positioned over his outstretched fists like trigger-guards, the whole device was re-imagined as something resembling two machine guns mounted on a steadicam harness.

The only exception to these exotic re-imaginings was [[Rattrap]], who used his tail/whip/spear as intended but also retained his pre-Transmetal gun (albeit with a redeco to suit his new color scheme), despite the fact that the toy did not.

As an odd point of comparison, the later Transmetal [[Optimal Optimus]] was packaged with a rifle, which he never used in the show.

==Transmetal 2==
[[Image:Dinobot2-postcard.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Pose!]]

Near the end of the series, a new breed known as the '''Transmetal 2''' appeared. These new forms blurred the line between the mechanical and the organic even further, with equal parts of both appearing in both modes in an asymmetrical patchwork-like jumble. This often resulted in somewhat monstrous-looking designs.
{{-}}
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
[[Image:Ba_transmetal2.JPG|right|thumb|150px|This lasted five episodes. Then Megatron got his [[Transformation_lock_virus|new invention]] all over it.]]

The difference between a "Transmetal" and a "Transmetal 2" was somewhat vague. Only Cheetor, [[Dinobot II]], and Blackarachnia were explicitly described as Transmetals 2. Each of them was altered by an enigmatic piece of Vok technology known as the "[[Transmetal Driver]]", which appeared in Megatron's possession without explanation. Despite lacking the vehicle modes of the previous Transmetals, Transmetal-2-ness was generally viewed as an enviable upgrade. Cheetor, Blackarachnia and Dinobot II all displayed some degree of "supernatural" powers, with Cheetor showing vague visionary tendencies (which, admittedly, had happened before), Blackarachnia demonstrating telekinesis, {{storylink|Master Blaster}}and Dinobot II showing incredible speed, strength, and rate of healing. {{storylink|Feral Scream Part 2}}. Megatron also had the "supernatural" powers to breathe out fire and ice.

[[Image:Megs_tm2.JPG|left|thumb|"Optimal Megatron" didn't roll off the tongue.]]

{{note|Despite there being no overt involvement of the Transmetal Driver in the fiction, Megatron's dragon-form and [[Tigerhawk (BW)|Tigerhawk]] were sold as a Transmetal 2 toys. Also, [[Cryotek]]'s [[3H Productions|3H]] [[bio]]<ref>[http://botcon.com/archive/story/characters/cryotek.html Cryotek's 3H bio]</ref> described Megatron And Cryotek as Transmetals II. But "Optimal Optimus", who was upgraded in the same fashion (one body holding two sparks), was sold as a vanilla Transmetal. The fiction stayed quiet on the matter, other than portraying all of these characters as the most powerful of the Beast Warriors.}}

{{-}}

===Toys===
According to their toy packages and bios, the Transmetals 2 were all the results of Megatron's cloning experiments. This roughly aligned with the beginning of the cartoon story, as the first Transmetal 2, Dinobot II, was created by Megatron. This cloning experiment angle also helped to explain the presence of [[Optimus Minor]].

Unlike Transmetals, most Transmetals 2 did not have a third mode. Only the largest Transmetal 2 toys, Tigerhawk and Megatron, were designed to have more than two modes, but Megatron's was never featured in the TV show and Tigerhawk's was dropped entirely even from the toy. Neither vehicle mode was especially well-implemented.

Early on in the release of Transmetal 2 toys, the packaging used a Roman numeral "II", but a running change in the packaging was made to the Arabic number "2".

==Post-Transmetal==

===''Beast Machines'' cartoon===
[[image:Devolvinggas in-action.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Well, that was fun.]]

When the Maximals encountered Megatron's [[Transformation virus|virus]], the Transmetals among them had a strange reaction. Rather than becoming instantly paralyzed, as apparently happened to the majority of Cybertronians exposed, they simply lost their Transmetallization. Primal, Cheetor, Rattrap, and Blackarachnia reverted to their pre-Transmetal beast modes (or, in Primal's case, the form he would have had if he hadn't been "born" a Transmetal). {{storylink|The Reformatting}} They were able to stay mobile, though glitching and amnesic, while Rhinox and Silverbolt immediately succumbed to paralysis. It seems that whatever Transmetal properties had protected Silverbolt from the [[Metal Hunter]] couldn't save him from the virus. {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent}}

{{-}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category: Subgroups]]
[[Category: Transmetals| ]]
[[Category: Transmetals 2| ]]
[[Category:Technology]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Maximal, No More

2008-06-09T05:08:01Z

64.93.134.249: /* Quotes */

[[Image:MaximalNoMore title.jpg|thumb|350px|This place never belonged to the Maximals anyway.]]

'''With the contents of the Golden Disks weighing heavily on his mind, Dinobot must decide which side of the conflict he truly belongs to.'''

{{episodenav |BW |season=2 |5 |prev=Tangled Web |next=Other Visits (Part 1)}}

==Summary==
Within the [[Axalon|Maximal base]], Dinobot compares [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] installation locations with the symbols on the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], and observes that Megatron's "plan proceeds, even without the disk." He ponders his fate should Megatron succeed, and wonders if he is willing to betray his Predacon heritage. Optimus contacts him for a survey mission, and Dinobot puts his research aside for the moment.

Later, he rides vehicle-mode Rattrap into Predacon territory, musing as he does that "there is always battle here". Rattrap ain't buyin' it, until Inferno bursts out of the ground and attacks. Inferno and Dinobot square off, while Rattrap gets the drop on Quickstrike. Silverbolt moves to assist Dinobot, but Waspinator shoots him down, causing him to crash into Dinobot, deactivating them both.

Inferno carries Dinobot off to the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]], but Rattrap takes out Waspinator before he can carry Silverbolt away.

At the Predacon base, Megatron is eager to chat with his former comrade-in-arms. Dinobot breaks free and reaches Megatron, sword in hand, but the guns of the other Predacons prevent him from doing any damage. Before the fight can continue, however, Dinobot offers to change sides. Unconvinced, the Predacons finally settle on a "Predacon challenge" to test Dinobot's loyalty. Quickstrike is selected as an opponent, an invitation he readily accepts.

Rattrap goes hunting for Dinobot, sending Silverbolt back to call in Optimus.

After a brutal fight, Dinobot triumphs over Quickstrike. Megatron orders Dinobot to finish him, but Dinobot refuses, saying Quickstrike is an able fighter. Megatron accepts this, then demands that Dinobot return the golden disks. The [[Golden Disk (Vok)|alien disk]] is in Rhinox's hands, but the other is hidden from both sides. Megatron orders it returned immediately.

Rattrap observes Megatron and Dinobot flying past, and follows. At the mountaintop grotto, Dinobot uncovers the Golden Disk, and, with some trepidation, returns it to Megatron, wondering as he does if he's dooming his race. Megatron is about to run him through when Rattrap arrives, blasting Megatron aside -- but Dinobot in turn blasts Rattrap.

Megatron orders Dinobot to finish off Rattrap as a final test of loyalty. After a long moment of hesitation... Dinobot turns his sword on Megatron instead, telling him that his ambitions are insane and will destroy [[Maximal]] and Predacon alike. With Optimus and Silverbolt incoming, Megatron retreats.

Dinobot confesses his betrayal to Optimus. Having foolishly believed he wanted to share in Megatron's imminent victory, he now wishes to fight with the Maximals till they win or are destroyed. Optimus accepts this, but leaves the final call up to Rattrap, who finally relents after some obligatory insults.

Dinobot tells Primal he has a matter of great importance to discuss... back at base. Dinobot's final punishment is having to hitch a ride on Rattrap back to base.

==Quotes==
Megatron: "Inferno, aid Quickstrike."

Inferno: "Yes, my Queen."

Dinobot: "I was not aware you had given yourself a new title."

Megatron: [quickly] "The ant has some faulty programming."

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[Patrick Barry]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' November 23, 1997

'''Major Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], [[Rattrap]], [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]<br>
'''Minor Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Optimus Primal]], [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]], [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]], [[Waspinator]], [[Tarantulas]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]].

==Notes==
* Lots of hint-dropping about Megatron's grand schemes in this episode. On the surface, it seems that Dinobot is dreading Megatron's plan to alter history by attacking their stasis-locked Autobot ancestors -- "it will destroy Maximal and Predacon alike, and all who came before".
* However, the matching locations of Predacon installations (presumably the same jamming towers seen in the previous episode) seems more related to the alien arrival which happens in the next episode, "[[Other Visits (Part 1)|Other Visits]]", as the jamming towers result in Tigatron and Airazor's abduction, and otherwise play little or no part in the history-altering scheme.
* The consequences of this episode will haunt Dinobot [[Code of Hero|until the day he dies.]]

===Technical/Animation Glitches===
*Waspinator can be spotted without his stripes.

===Continuity Errors===
*So, you can prove you're loyal to Megatron by... killing one of his troops?

===Transformers References===
*References

===Real-World References===
*When the view through Rattrap's scanner is shown, a small wedge of cheese can be seen in the bottom right corner.

==External Links==
*Link

{{epstub}}
[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Maximal, No More

2008-06-09T05:07:20Z

64.93.134.249: /* Quotes */

[[Image:MaximalNoMore title.jpg|thumb|350px|This place never belonged to the Maximals anyway.]]

'''With the contents of the Golden Disks weighing heavily on his mind, Dinobot must decide which side of the conflict he truly belongs to.'''

{{episodenav |BW |season=2 |5 |prev=Tangled Web |next=Other Visits (Part 1)}}

==Summary==
Within the [[Axalon|Maximal base]], Dinobot compares [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] installation locations with the symbols on the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], and observes that Megatron's "plan proceeds, even without the disk." He ponders his fate should Megatron succeed, and wonders if he is willing to betray his Predacon heritage. Optimus contacts him for a survey mission, and Dinobot puts his research aside for the moment.

Later, he rides vehicle-mode Rattrap into Predacon territory, musing as he does that "there is always battle here". Rattrap ain't buyin' it, until Inferno bursts out of the ground and attacks. Inferno and Dinobot square off, while Rattrap gets the drop on Quickstrike. Silverbolt moves to assist Dinobot, but Waspinator shoots him down, causing him to crash into Dinobot, deactivating them both.

Inferno carries Dinobot off to the [[Darksyde|Predacon base]], but Rattrap takes out Waspinator before he can carry Silverbolt away.

At the Predacon base, Megatron is eager to chat with his former comrade-in-arms. Dinobot breaks free and reaches Megatron, sword in hand, but the guns of the other Predacons prevent him from doing any damage. Before the fight can continue, however, Dinobot offers to change sides. Unconvinced, the Predacons finally settle on a "Predacon challenge" to test Dinobot's loyalty. Quickstrike is selected as an opponent, an invitation he readily accepts.

Rattrap goes hunting for Dinobot, sending Silverbolt back to call in Optimus.

After a brutal fight, Dinobot triumphs over Quickstrike. Megatron orders Dinobot to finish him, but Dinobot refuses, saying Quickstrike is an able fighter. Megatron accepts this, then demands that Dinobot return the golden disks. The [[Golden Disk (Vok)|alien disk]] is in Rhinox's hands, but the other is hidden from both sides. Megatron orders it returned immediately.

Rattrap observes Megatron and Dinobot flying past, and follows. At the mountaintop grotto, Dinobot uncovers the Golden Disk, and, with some trepidation, returns it to Megatron, wondering as he does if he's dooming his race. Megatron is about to run him through when Rattrap arrives, blasting Megatron aside -- but Dinobot in turn blasts Rattrap.

Megatron orders Dinobot to finish off Rattrap as a final test of loyalty. After a long moment of hesitation... Dinobot turns his sword on Megatron instead, telling him that his ambitions are insane and will destroy [[Maximal]] and Predacon alike. With Optimus and Silverbolt incoming, Megatron retreats.

Dinobot confesses his betrayal to Optimus. Having foolishly believed he wanted to share in Megatron's imminent victory, he now wishes to fight with the Maximals till they win or are destroyed. Optimus accepts this, but leaves the final call up to Rattrap, who finally relents after some obligatory insults.

Dinobot tells Primal he has a matter of great importance to discuss... back at base. Dinobot's final punishment is having to hitch a ride on Rattrap back to base.

==Quotes==
Megatron: "Inferno, aid Quickstrike."
Inferno: "Yes, my Queen."
Dinobot: "I was not aware you had given yourself a new title."
Megatron: [quickly] "The ant has some faulty programming."

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[Patrick Barry]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' November 23, 1997

'''Major Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], [[Rattrap]], [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]<br>
'''Minor Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Optimus Primal]], [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]], [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]], [[Waspinator]], [[Tarantulas]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]].

==Notes==
* Lots of hint-dropping about Megatron's grand schemes in this episode. On the surface, it seems that Dinobot is dreading Megatron's plan to alter history by attacking their stasis-locked Autobot ancestors -- "it will destroy Maximal and Predacon alike, and all who came before".
* However, the matching locations of Predacon installations (presumably the same jamming towers seen in the previous episode) seems more related to the alien arrival which happens in the next episode, "[[Other Visits (Part 1)|Other Visits]]", as the jamming towers result in Tigatron and Airazor's abduction, and otherwise play little or no part in the history-altering scheme.
* The consequences of this episode will haunt Dinobot [[Code of Hero|until the day he dies.]]

===Technical/Animation Glitches===
*Waspinator can be spotted without his stripes.

===Continuity Errors===
*So, you can prove you're loyal to Megatron by... killing one of his troops?

===Transformers References===
*References

===Real-World References===
*When the view through Rattrap's scanner is shown, a small wedge of cheese can be seen in the bottom right corner.

==External Links==
*Link

{{epstub}}
[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Tangled Web

2008-06-09T04:32:18Z

64.93.134.249: /* Stats */ mislabeled link

{{epstub}}

[[Image:TangledWeb title.jpg|thumb|350px|What web? All I see is lava.]]

'''Megatron sends Tarantulas to build a new energon processing station, but the spider has other plans.'''

{{episodenav |BW |season=2 |4 |prev=Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2) |next=Maximal, No More}}

==Summary==
[[Image:Biogen scan.JPG|thumb|200px|left|Optimus raises the roof]]

As the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] busy themselves around their [[Darksyde|base]], Megatron summons [[Tarantulas]] and assigns him to work with [[Blackarachnia]] and [[Quickstrike]] to develop a refueling station at a newly detected store of [[energon]] cubes. Megatron also assigns Waspinator and [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] to develop a jamming tower to disrupt [[Maximal]] communications.

As the Predacons gather supplies and equipment for their assigned tasks, Tarantulas throws a transmitter into Quickstrike's collection of equipment with the hope of summoning the Maximals to undermine Megatron's plans.

Meanwhile at the [[Axalon (BW)|Maximal base]], [[Rhinox]] is conducting experiments on [[Optimus Primal]]'s new [[transmetal]] form to see if they can learn its limits. Their experiment is interrupted by a short-circuit and [[Cheetor]]'s report of a strange Predacon signal on a Maximal channel. [[Rattrap]] and [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] are near the signal and sent to investigate.

Quickstrike, Blackarachnia, and Tarantulas arrive at their assigned destination, and Tarantulas decides that the site is a perfect location for his new lair. (His last one had been destroyed [[Aftermath |previously]]) He destroys the transmitter that he had been using to signal the Maximals. Blackarachnia too realizes that this site would be an optimal fortress and mentions it to Tarantulas. He then tells her about his plan to commandeer the site for himself to overthrow Megatron and destroy the Maximals, then says that she must join him in his scheme because of their psychic link. He soon recruits Quickstrike to his cause.

Losing the Predacon signal, Rattrap and Silverbolt are forced to follow the Predacons' scent and soon come across their trail.

[[Image:Battle outside.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Basically how "No Country for Old Men" begins.]]

As he relaxes in his CR tank hot tub, Megatron learns that Waspinator and Inferno have finished their assignment. When Megatron attempts to contact the other Predacons, though, he only gets static and soon realizes that the arachnids are up to something.

[[Image:Cyber link.JPG|right|thumb|Meeting of the minds]]

Back at the Tarantulas's would-be lair, Blackarachnia is determined to end the psychic link that Tarantulas has been using to control her and threatens to blow up all of the energon there. While he initially is willing to let her do it, Tarantulas soon learns that their link goes both ways and that he shares her pain, so he agrees to break the link.

Outside the cavern, Rattrap and Silverbolt finally find the Predacons and engage in a battle with them. The fight begins to go the Maximals' way, but Silverbolt refuses to strike down Blackarachnia because she is [[Female Transformers |female]].

Soon the Maximals realize that the Predacons are guarding the cave and attempt to get in. Their plans are foiled when the entrance blows up. Rattrap congratulates Silverbolt on the blast, but Silverbolt says that he didn't do it. The Predacons are forced to retreat back to Megatron, who chastises them for their incompetence.

Later, though, it becomes clear that Tarantulas blew up the entrance so that he could return and have the cave for himself.

==Quotes==

==Stats==
'''Writers:''' [[Len Wein]]<br>
'''Original Air Date:''' November 16, 1997

'''Major Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]], [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], [[Tarantulas]], [[Blackarachnia]], [[Rattrap]], [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]]<br>
'''Minor Characters (in order of appearance):''' [[Waspinator]], [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], [[Optimus Primal]], [[Rhinox]], [[Cheetor]]

==Notes==
===Technical/Animation Glitches===
* When Tarantulas says ''"...and we do live to please Megatron."'', the green 'eyes' on his chestplate are missing.
* Every time Silverbolt growls in this episode, he sounds like Dinobot. (Of course, when the dude who does your voice does three other voices, you're gonna get mixed up every now and then.)

===Continuity Errors===
*Error

===Transformers References===
*References

===Real-World References===
*Tarantulas says "Of course, you realize this means war," at one point, a phrase commonly used by Bugs Bunny.

*Tarantulas says "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home," a reference to the traditional song [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home!_Sweet_Home!|"Home! Sweet Home!"]

===Other Notes===

* It is very unusual that Tarantulas is capable of tossing a probe on the building supplies without anyone noticing (especially since the probe collides with the load with a heavy clang.)

{{-}}

==External Links==
*Link

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

To sell toys

2008-06-03T04:08:02Z

64.93.134.249: /* Resurrection */ this appears to be backwards

[[Image:MarvelUS-19.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Hasbro]] wasn't quite sure whether to advertise [[Omega Supreme (G1)#Toys|this expensive toy]] until the fans forced their hand.]]To understand Transformers fiction, it is important to understand that it exists '''to sell toys.''' [[Hasbro]] and [[TakaraTomy]] are toy companies, and they are primarily interested in continuing to sell [[toy]]s to children and adults. The cartoons, comic books, etc., mostly exist to make this happen. To be sure, they normally make a profit in their own right, but this is regarded as mere gravy.

The "to sell toys" effect often distorts the fiction in interesting ways. Primarily, since you can't usually sell someone the same toy twice<ref>Except for repaints of [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]].</ref>, [[HasTak]] constantly introduces new toys, and often requires the creators of the fiction to introduce the new characters into ongoing storylines. Older characters (whose toys are no longer being sold) are shoved aside to make room.

Another effect of "to sell toys" is when the toys have gimmicks which must be explained in the fiction. Sometimes ([[Mini-Cons]]) this is relatively easy, while other times it requires a lot of imagination on the part of the writers (the in-comic explanations for the [[Headmasters]] and [[Targetmasters]] are kinda wonky).

The UK [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|movie-based Transformers comic]] takes this to more blatant heights. Not only do the movie toys like [[Clocker (Movie)|Clocker]] and [[Skyblast (Movie)|Skyblast]] appear in strips, not only has the editor told readers in Mech Mail that all the toys are great and should be bought... but there is a specific 4-page feature every week called ''Top Gear'', which exists solely to promote the newest Transformers merchandise. This has led to readers being told how great [[Optimash Prime]] was.

==Casting==
===Huge casts===
Hasbro makes a lot of toys at once, and they generally want all of them to appear in their fiction. This can force writers to bring in vast numbers of characters all at once, sometimes with awkward results. Examples include:
* The first issue of the [[Generation 1 (Marvel comic)|Generation 1 comics]], "[[The Transformers (comic issue)|The Transformers]]", in which 28 different robots appear and introduced themselves, even though only a handful are important to the plot.
* The 1987 ''[[Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters]]'' Limited Series, which introduced over 60 characters in the course of four issues, including all the first waves of [[Headmaster]]s and [[Targetmaster]]s, all their [[Nebulos|Nebulan]] partners, the [[Technobot]]s, [[Terrorcon]]s, and [[Monsterbot]]s.
* The cartoon episode "[[The Rebirth]]" likewise abruptly introduced a deluge of 1987 characters, mostly the same ones seen in ''Headmasters''.
* In the first four episodes of ''[[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'', eighteen characters are introduced in quick succession.

===Random casting===
The Hasbro-induced need to show all the toys can also cause stories to suddenly focus on a new character, sometimes dropping ongoing plot threads about older ones. Examples include:
* Season 2 of the cartoon introduced many new characters/buyable toys with no explanation; despite never having been seen before, the story treats them as though they have [[Beachcomber (G1)|been there]] [[Perceptor (G1)|the whole]] [[Tracks|time]].

[[Image:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|200px|thumb|After seven issues, it's finally time for these six dudes to do something!]]
[[Image:Optimusprimeg1preearthmarvel2.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Apparently, the [[Triggerbot]]s didn't make much of an impression on Prime.]]

* The comic issue "[[Pretender to the Throne!]]" suddenly introduces a dozen Autobots and Decepticons that we've never met before, and follows their adventures. The story adds nothing to the long-range plot that couldn't have been accomplished by using existing characters; these teams were added to the mix to promote their new toys.
* Many issues of the [[Generation 1 (Marvel Comics)|Marvel comic]] had cover blurbs in the form "Introducing the _______!", where the blank was whatever the latest line of toys was. The following issues specifically introduce new toys on the cover: [[Repeat Performance!|#8]], [[The Next Best Thing to Being There!|#10]], [[Brainstorm!|#11]], [[Command Performances!|#19]], [[Aerialbots over America!|#21]], [[Crater Critters|#29]], [[The Cure!|#30]], [[Pretender to the Throne!|#40]], [[People Power!|#41]], [[Ca$h and Car-nage!|#46]], [[Club Con!|#47]], and [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#60]]. Throw in a few covers where new characters were pictured but not named, and that's 1/5th of the series.
* In [[Spacehikers!|issue #36]] of the Marvel comics, when [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] decides that he needs help in dealing with [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s inept leadership, he doesn't turn to any of the ''dozens'' of Autobots aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', which include two combiner teams and Omega Supreme. No, he has to call in his "old buddy"/new toy, [[Sky Lynx]].
* In the prelude to the [[Underbase Saga]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] were the lead characters in a story set before the Transformers came to [[Earth]]. But rather than palling around with the likes of Jazz or Prowl, they are instead shown alongside the newest "gimmick" characters, the [[Triggercon|Triggercons]] and the [[Triggerbot|Triggerbots]].
* [[Mainframe]] planned to use [[Wolfang]] in ''Beast Wars'', but [[Tigatron]] appeared instead because he had an upcoming toy, and to save money as his cgi model was only a slight tweak of [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]'s.

===Limited casting===
On the opposite side of things, Hasbro doesn't want to pay to depict characters that aren't selling toys. This can force a story, particularly an animated cartoon, to have a smaller cast than it otherwise might.
* The early episodes of [[Armada (cartoon)|''Armada'']] featured only the toys available on the shelves. This resulted in two ridiculously small teams going to Earth for the all-important mission of gathering Mini-Cons, rather inexplicable in story terms. [[Armada (Dreamwave comic)|The comic book]] suffered exactly the same problem.

==Plot==
===Forced explication===
{{main|Introdump}}
Rather than simply showing up in the background, new toy/characters often overtly introduce themselves, often with a ridiculous description of their special abilities. The Marvel comic is rife with examples, but it shows up across numerous fictions.
* Again, [[The Transformers (comic issue)|''Transformers'' #1]] has two huge splash pages in which 28 characters do nothing but stand around and tell each other who they are and what they can do.
* The two-part Generation 1 cartoon episode "[[Dinobot Island, Part 1|Dinobot Island]]" features many new 1985 characters getting their own short little introductory scene, often with a characteristic bit of self-description ([[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]]: "I'd rather stay in my stunning auto mode!" [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]: "I'm ''always'' ready for action!" [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]: "Wow, like, I hope we don't destroy this place before we can study it!")

===Gimmicks===
When the toys can do something special, fiction writers must often go out of their way to show the gimmick in action.
* The Headmaster gimmick got [[Headmasters (comic)|an entire Limited Series comic book]] devoted to it.
* The comic issue "[[Pretender to the Throne!]]" features [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] proudly creating the [[Pretender]]s, gloating that they will hide the Decepticons' identities from the Autobots "until it is too late". Not only does the plan not actually work, it's also a plot point with absolutely zero lead-in or build-up -- at no point has Scorponok ever expressed concern about his troops being detected by the Autobots, and we've never even met the Pretender characters before. It was brought about solely because the new toys had to be jammed into the story.
The [[Unicron Trilogy]], noted for its gimmicks in all three toylines, was particularly notorious in this regard:
* The quest for power-enhancing [[Mini-Cons]] practically defined the plot of the ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon, with both factions out to recruit or capture all the Mini-Cons.
* [[Powerlinx]]ing is shown again and again and again in ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', despite having comparatively little relevance to most episode plotlines.
* Cyber key powerups are likewise shown repeatedly in ''[[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]].''
* All three series were also marked by lengthy transformation sequences which highlighted the gimmicks in very toy-accurate animation (and also made production cheaper, thanks to [[stock footage|recycled footage]]).

===Strange developments===
Shoehorning loads of new characters with new powers can compel the writers to do things with the plot that, in all probability, they otherwise wouldn't.
* Marvel UK had to promote the [[Special Teams]] toys ''before'' they knew how they'd be appearing in the US reprints. To get around this, [[Simon Furman]] wrote a story arc titled ''[[Second Generation!]]'', where [[Buster Witwicky]], Optimus and Shockwave <strike>watched an advert</strike> saw a Matrix-induced vision of the Special Teams.
* In the US Marvel comics, the simultaneous introduction of the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]]s and [[Stunticon]]s and the introduction of the Pretenders both saw a lot of rigamarole involved in explaining why both the Autobots and the Decepticons had new members with identical numbers/gimmicks at the same time.
* Season 3 of the [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] almost completely ignored the characters of the previous two seasons that were no longer on toy shelves. The 1985 Autobot cars, for example, are not seen at all. [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and the 1985 Mini-Vehicles, by contrast, show up now and again, as their toys were still shipping. Even Starscream, who was ''dead'', managed to get a couple of Season 3 episodes all to himself; again, his toy sold through 1986.
* The first thirteen issues of the ''[[Armada (Dreamwave comic)|Armada]]'' comic were focused around the Mini-Cons, with plots often revolving around their desire to be seen as equals and not be enslaved. Then without ''any'' prior set-up, the last five issues turn into a dimension-spanning battle against [[Unicron]] - who had just had a new and expensive toy.

===Power levels===
In order to make new characters seem more ''totally awesome'', they're often depicted as ultra-powerful in their initial appearances. Once they become old news, they frequently seem to lose their super-charged abilities.
* The Generation 1 cartoon introduced Devastator as the ultimate threat. Once newer combiner teams came along, however, he was less of a threat, easily defeated at various times by Menasor, Broadside and even Perceptor.
[[Image:Buzzsawyikes4.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Buzzsaw reminds Omega Supreme he's not a new toy any more.]]
* The Marvel comics feature [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] as nigh-invulnerable and ultimately powerful in [[Command Performances!|his début issue]]. Just [[Dark Star!|two years later]], he's getting his butt handed to him by the likes of [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]].
* In her first appearance on the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon, [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] effortlessly blasts [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] to pieces. She never displays such a level of power again.
* Similarly, [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] was presented as a huge threat when he first appeared, but just a few episodes later, he seems just slightly tougher than the average Predacon (save for a few notable occasions).
* [[Sky-Byte]] was actually a credible threat for his first couple of episodes.
* ''Any'' new toy character in the Unicron Trilogy cartoons is almost guaranteed to win the day's battle.
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] was a staggering behemoth as big as the sky in his introduction. By the time of the ''Energon'' cartoon, he's just this slightly tall guy.

===New bodies===
There's rarely a compelling reason for a Transformer to get an a brand-new body in fiction; it's simply to promote a new toy. It has become a default way to keep a popular character on shelves, rather than having to kill them off and introduce a new character to keep moving toys. Sometimes fiction writes are able to work these alterations in elegantly... sometimes not.
* Season 2 of ''Beast Wars'' introduced the new Transmetal toys in short order, requiring some strange sci-fi waffling to explain why members of both teams suddenly got special new bodies.
* The [[Unicron Trilogy]] cartoons feature [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] getting recolored and renamed "Galvatron" three times; at the start of each subsequent series, he's turned back into Megatron but with a different body. This is due to Hasbro's wanting to keep the [[trademark]]s "Megatron" and "Galvatron" as well as to sell more toys.
* Several times during the Unicron Trilogy, characters get new paint jobs as part of some magical power-up enhancement. These new color schemes exist solely to promote redecorated toys like "[[Ironhide (Energon)|Energon Ironhide]]" or "[[Hot Shot (Armada)|Powerlinx Hot Shot]]". Even the comics got in on the action, introducing the redecorated versions of [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] and [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus]] during the Unicron arc.
* The three future members of the [[Cybertron Defense Team]] get shot up by Megatron, then transmogrify through the power of BLAZING HEART OF JUSTICE into new forms. These new forms, of course, were just hitting shelves at a toy store near you.
* In the course of the [[Transformers (2007)|live-action movie]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] gets irritated at a slight against his alternate mode, and scans a new form. Voila, suddenly he's got ''two'' toys on the shelf!
That is, till Allspark Power came along. Now he's got '''''seven''''' toys.

===Abrupt conclusions===
Just as Transformers fiction lives at Hasbro's pleasure, so too does it die. Falling sales, a change of plans, and standard [[rebranding]] can all cause a storyline to come to a sudden end when Hasbro decides to pull the plug.

[[Image:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|thumb|150px|right|It's the end of the road for Transformers Generation 2! That can't bode well for the toyline.]]

* The American Generation 1 cartoon got a somewhat rushed conclusion in the form of "[[The Rebirth]]", rather than a full fourth season.
* The Generation 1 comics were nearly canceled at [[On the Edge of Extinction!|issue #75]], but granted a reprieve. The stay of execution was only temporary, however; with the Generation 1 toyline ending, the comic was terminated a mere five issues later, resulting in a rather hasty concluding plotline.
* Hasbro was only willing to support the ''[[Generation 2 (comic)|Generation 2]]'' comic for twelve issues, unless it proved an unqualified (perhaps phenomenal) success. Aware of this from the start, writer Simon Furman was able to plot a story arc that reached its finale as the series ended (and poked fun at it with a character whose name is a pun on "[[Jhiaxus|Gee, ax us]]".)
* The writers of the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon reportedly never had any idea if they'd be back for another season. When the ax fell with Season 3, they had only three episodes left to wrap up the whole series.
* Hasbro nearly killed off the just-begun comic series ''The Wreckers'' in 2001, wishing instead for [[3H]] to focus on a ''[[Universe (comic)|Universe]]'' comic advertising its current toyline.

==Death==
===Killing off old product===
[[Image:Tftm1986a.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Brawn|Guess who's]] no longer in the [[Mini Vehicles]] case assortment?]]

[[Image:Newyorkunderbase.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Marvel|Publisher]]'s clearing house.]]

[[Image:BW_Scorponok_Terrorsaur_deaths.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]], [[Terrorsaur]], we're condemning you to a fiery death 'cause [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] has a bigger fan club.]]

The most obvious To Sell Toys effect comes from the temporary nature of retail sales. Even in the 1980s, toys rarely stayed on the shelves past two years; today that timespan is much smaller. Once a toy is no longer selling, Hasbro has no interest in supporting fiction about that character -- especially when there's newer toys to promote. Therefore, writers are often compelled to remove characters from the story by killing them off. Sometimes this happens through carefully developed story arcs, but it's easier to do it with huge, apocalyptic battles with massive numbers of casualties.

This has become less common in recent year, as Hasbro has come to realize that their target audiences can actually get attached to certain characters, and might not enjoy seeing them die random, brutal, meaningless deaths.

* In ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', numerous main characters are killed or changed in the movie's first 30 minutes, including [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. They are replaced by a slew of new characters; in fact, the poster for the movie shows ''only'' new characters.

* Numerous characters are killed in the Marvel UK comics saga "[[Time Wars]]". The Grim Reaper seemed to spare either popular characters (Megatron and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]) or newer characters ([[Carnivac]], [[Catilla]], [[Springer]] and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], for example.)

* The [[Underbase Saga]] features a super-powerful [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] killing literally ''dozens'' of characters; some place the count over fifty. The survivors were mostly from the [[Pretender]], [[Headmaster]], and [[Targetmaster]] ranks, those being the then-current toy lines.

* The climactic [[On the Edge of Extinction!|battle with Unicron]] 25 issues later killed off many of the Underbase survivors, whose shelf run had ended.

* With its enormously expensive CGI animation, ''Beast Wars'' was particularly vulnerable to toy-based interference. The expense of creating and animating a CGI body model meant that the character roster had to remain fairly constant; the introduction of all-new characters usually required the removal of an equal number of pre-existing characters. And so, [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] and [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] die just in time for the arrival of [[Quickstrike]] and [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]]. (Frustrated with the situation, the writers carefully planned out [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]]'s demise, anticipating that someone would have to be removed to make way for [[Rampage (BW)|newer characters]].) [[Tigerhawk]] was introduced and then killed off within three episodes, due to corporate uncertainty about whether the toy would actually be produced.

===Hi-and-die===
[[Image:Chuffer cof.jpg|150px|thumb|right|Likely dialog: "[[Furmanism|SHEEEAAGH!!]]"]]

Kids don't want to buy a toy of a character who's dead. So if the plot calls for someone to die, smart money bets on the character who has a toy as the survivor. The guy without a toy, who you've never heard of before? Toast. This is the Transformers version of ''Star Trek's'' infamous [[wikipedia:redshirt syndrome|redshirt syndrome]].
* This approach was particularly common in the [[Generation 1 (Marvel comic)|UK comics]]. Characters created specifically so they could be killed off include Wrecker leader [[Impactor]], Autobot/zombie food [[Chuffer]], Tailgate's Autobot trainee buddies/mutant fodder [[Subsea]] and [[Flattop (Autobot)|Flattop]], and the 6th member of the "Magnificent Six", [[Stampede]].
* The US comics also used this approach on occasion, as with [[Blaster]]'s poignantly adorable buddy [[Scrounge]].
* The ''Energon'' cartoon introduced [[Padlock]], whose purpose was to die at [[Shockblast]]'s hands, proving motivation for toy-character [[Wing Saber]].

===Resurrection===
Killing off a character isn't always toy-motivated; sometimes it's a dramatic plot development. But it can also be a problem if Hasbro decides to make a new toy of that character.
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] has been resurrected so many times that it's practically a defining character trait. His original revival in the cartoon didn't correspond to any actual toy release, but the Marvel comic brought him back specifically to advertise his Powermaster form. A second death-and-revival introduced his [[Action Master]] body. And a ''third'' death-and-revival brought him into his Combat Hero toy form.
* Numerous "dead" characters were brought back into the Marvel comic series when their Classics and/or Action Master versions were released. Many were "deactivated" rather than outright dead; however, very few ''non'' Action Master characters showed up alongside them.
* The series writers for ''Beast Wars'' considered [[Optimus Primal]] dead and gone at the end of Season 1. Hasbro, however, had a [[Transmetal]] Optimus Primal toy to promote, and so he was returned to life in Season 2.
* At the end of Season 2 of ''Beast Wars'', [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] was pretty clearly shown being killed--being ''disintegrated''--but in the next season appeared to have just been bruised and cracked, because Hasbro was not ready to have a Mega-scaled toy removed from the series.

==Notable exceptions==

===Toys not released in the relevant market===

Occasionally the ''Transformers'' fiction released in a particular country features characters whose toys were not released in that country. The Marvel UK comic featured two variants of this phenomenon:

* Characters inherited from the US strips. Some, such as [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], were given fairly prominent roles in the US stories reprinted in the UK comic and so it was hard to ignore them completely in the UK originated material despite their toys not being around to need advertising. However the decision to develop the Predacons and also to keep Shockwave in continuity even after he'd been (supposedly) killed off in the US comic goes beyond this.
* Characters not featured in the US strips. Bizarrely the UK comic also made use of some characters such as [[Roadbuster]], [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], [[Chop Shop]] and [[Venom (G1)|Venom]], despite their toys not being available on UK toy shelves. None of these characters were inherited from the US material.

===Post-Marvel comics===
[[Image:Infiltration_1c.jpg|thumb|right|200px|"Hey, [[Runamuck]], it's our first appearance on a comic book cover in twenty years!"<br>"Heh heh, now if only [[Battlecharger|we]] could appear on toy store shelves..."]]

There's a notable exception to the To Sell Toys effect: the [[Dreamwave]] and [[IDW]] comics. The two recent holders of the license to publish Transformers comic books sometimes produce comics using whichever toy line is current (e.g., Dreamwave's ''[[Armada (Dreamwave comic)|Armada]]'' comic or IDW's [[Transformers (2007)|2007 movie]] tie-ins), and sometimes publish comics using whatever characters they please (e.g., ''[[The War Within]]'' and ''[[Escalation]]''). The characters in their "discretionary" comics are often not currently available in toy form ([[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], a current character in IDW's G1 continuity, has not had a toy in 20 years), sometimes are drawn with bodies that have ''never'' been toys (most of the ''War Within'' characters), and sometimes are toys that were never available outside of specific countries ([[Lio Convoy]] in IDW's ''Beast Wars'').

[[Chris Ryall]], IDW Editor-in-Chief and writer of the miniseries adapting the 2007 movie to comics [http://idwpublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=69377#69377 has confirmed on IDW's forums] that Hasbro do not dictate what comics IDW must make ("Nope, no dictates at all from Hasbro. We put the plan together, send to them for approval.").

Presumably, Hasbro do not now view the collector-based US comics market as a viable promotional exercise, and licences comic rights purely on the basis of how much money the licence itself will bring in.

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category: Toys]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>