Call of the Wild

2011-02-15T19:40:45Z

90.28.24.170:

{{episode
|series=BWtoon
|ep=19
|image=Call of the Wild Optimus scope.jpg
|caption=Scopes munky trial?
|title="Call of the Wild"
|production company=[[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|airdate=[[January 7]], 1997
|written by=[[Bob Forward]]
|directed by=[[Jonathan Goodwill]]
|animation studio=[[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|continuity=[[Beast Wars continuity]]
}}
'''The Predacons steal the rectifier coil from the Maximal base, which causes the Maximals to revert into a more feral state.'''

:''French title:'' '''Chassez le Naturel''' ("Hunt the Natural")
:''French-Canadian title:'' '''Appel Sauvage''' ("Savage Calling")
:''Japanese title:'' よみがえれビーストパワー! (''Yomigaere Beast Power!'', "Revive, Beast Power!")
:''Latin-American title:'' '''El Llamado de la Bestia'''
:''Italian title:'' '''Il richiamo della foresta'''
:''Brazilian title:'' '''Instinto Selvagem''' ("Wild Instinct")

==Synopsis==
A cheetah enthusiastically chases some antelopes, when the ground around it breaks up and it is sent falling into hot lava. Before the cat gets burned, the sequence ends, revealed to be a dream of [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]'s. Cheetor awakens from his nightmare in time to hear the alarms triggered by a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] assault. As the other [[Maximals]] prepare [[Sentinel (BW)|Sentinel]], [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] drags Cheetor outside to battle.

[[Image:Call of the Wild Waspinator Terrorsaur.jpg|left|200px|thumb|What do we do about the slime?]]
[[Optimus Primal|Primal]] exits the Maximals' control room via the roof hatch, but is unable to prevent [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] from grabbing a piece of Maximal hardware off the roof and retreating with the other Predacons. A well-placed rocket from [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] prevents Primal from chasing the fliers. [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] is just able to catch the Maximal leader before he crashes into the ground, but lowering Primal after taking a hit from Terrorsaur seriously taxes Airazor's systems. On the upside, the Predacons are no longer attacking.

Inside the base, recuperating, the Maximals suddenly feel the harmful effects of [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] build-up. [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] explains that without the [[rectifier coil]] the Predacons stole, the Maximals will have to stay in Beast Mode. Meanwhile, the Predacons, after an uncharacteristically successful mission, enjoy a hearty laugh together.

[[Image:Call of the Wild Rhinox Optimus Rattrap.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The Maximals look on as [[Michael Bay]] attempts to direct a scene.]]
Days later, Rhinox interrupts a dream Primal has (of being a real ape) to mention that Predacons are still haunting the local area. [[Rattrap]] suffers frustration from his Beast Mode's diminutive size and limb length. Primal and Rattrap almost get into a fight with each other, their minds suffering from bestial traits leaking into their personalities, but Rhinox lays down the line. Once the Preds leave, the Maximals take some much-needed rest.

[[Image:Call of the Wild Hunt.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Shhh. Be vewy, vewy quiet. We'ah hunting Maxies. Heheheheheh.]]
In his dreams, Primal is tormented by eyes glowing in the dark, Dinobot dreams of hunting surprisingly tiny hadrosaurs, and Rattrap dreams of rat stuff. The dreams overpower their respective dreamers, and the Maximals awaken, trapped in the mindsets of the creatures whose forms they wear. The animals all eventually exit [[Axalon (BW)|their base]]. Their foes' intellects gone, Megatron and the Predacons begin their hunt.

Airazor exits the [[CR chamber]] to meet [[Tigatron]] in the empty Maximal base. Tigatron resolves to reform his Maximal companions before they're killed, while Airazor has her own mission. She heads to the unoccupied [[Darksyde|Predacon base]], deftly dodging the automated defenses. Inside, the rectifier coil is under no protection she can't destroy.

[[Image:Call of the Wild Optimus Megatron.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Peter Jackson likely watched this episode.]]
In the jungle, Tigatron comes to face the feral Cheetor and Rhinox. The two follow him for reasons their animal minds don't comprehend. Next Tigatron recruits the primal Optimus into his party, and finally Dinobot and Rattrap. His friends gathered, Tigatron speaks to the dormant minds of his friends. He explains how the schism that exists between the Maximals' two modes is a side effect of a programming block, and as long as that program exists, the animal and Maximal identities will never reach cohesion. Now embracing the beasts within, the restored Maximals are ready to "Slag some bot!"

Primal swings Megatron off of his throne as the two Maximal cats tackle the two Predacon goons who were carrying their leader. Dinobot's raptor mode conquers [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]. Rhinox knocks over a tree to ground the Predacon fliers, and a ratball special puts Rattrap into position to pump gunfire into Terrorsaur. After the Predacons start to feel the effects of Energon build-up, Megatron orders a retreat.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
* [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (1)
* [[Optimus Primal]] (4)
* [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (5)
* [[Rattrap]] (6)
* [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] (7)
* [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] (12)
* [[Tigatron]] (14)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
* [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]](2)
* [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] (3)
* [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] (8)
* [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] (9)
* [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] (10)
* [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] (11)
* [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (13)
}}

==Quotes==
"Man, I swear them polka-dots go clear through to the brain."
:—'''Rattrap''' on Cheetor.

"Trouble with the neighbours again."
:—'''Airazor''' spots the ''Axalon'' under attack.

"Predacons, fall back!" 
"Now he tells me!"
:—'''Megatron''''s order comes a wee bit too late to save '''Tarantulas'''.

"Hunting from the air with automatic weapons—now ''that's'' a sport!"
:—'''Terrorsaur'''

"She stoops to conquer!"
:—'''Airazor''' shows some wit.

"Rat...robot. Rat...robot. I'm a robot ''and'' a rat! Yeahh, I ''like'' it!" 
"Hrmf, I do not see why."
:—'''Rattrap''' and '''Dinobot'''

"Remember, do not fight your beast instincts. Let them help your robot forms both in battle and in peace. But for now, let us maximize (''transforms into robot mode), AND SLAG SOME BUTT!"''
:—'''Tigatron''' delivers solid advice.

==Other notes==
===Animation errors===

TBC

===Continuity errors===
* In one of the bigger continuity errors in ''Beast Wars''—because it is actually in the spoken dialogue and not a result of [[Code of Hero|careless animation]] or [[Transmutate (episode)|time-filling sound edits]]—Megatron says his plan is contingent on his research of Maximal programming, and Tigatron later confirms the existence of this specifically Maximal weakness. So ''why is Dinobot affected at all?''

===Other errors===
* In his beast dream, Dinobot—supposedly experiencing the instincts of his beast mode, Asia's ''[[wikipedia:velociraptor|Velociraptor]]''—dreams of chasing what appears to be a ''[[wikipedia:parasaurolophus|Parasaurolophus]]'', which only lived in the Americas and which furthermore is portrayed as far too small. Since the creature is never actually named, it may be taken as representing a different dinosaur species as-yet-undiscovered. Though, perhaps it was a mere baby.

===Transformers references===
===Real-world references===
* The episode was likely named after [[wikipedia:Jack_London|Jack London's]] 1903 novel ''[[wikipedia:The_Call_of_the_Wild|The Call of the Wild]]''.
* Airazor's "she stoops to conquer" line is a ''double'' reference: first, and most obviously, to 1773 play ''[[wikipedia:She_Stoops_to_Conquer|She Stoops to Conquer]]'', and secondly to a ''stoop'', which is the dive of a bird of prey. [[Ben Yee|Some people]] do not get it.

===Trivia===
* This episode marks the only use of Megatron's right arm-mounted missile launcher, which fires from the same port the laser beam emanates from. What is with Transformers and the one-use weapons?
* When Optimus is dreaming in his quarters, the plant that Dinobot left for him at the end of [[Gorilla Warfare]] is still seen next to his bed.
* This episode explores many themes that several of the same characters would later explore in ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]''. The idea of the Maximals taking on more bestial personalities because of their beast modes is used in the episode "[[Forbidden Fruit]]". A similar concept would have been touched on in the unproduced ''Beast Wars'' episode "[[A Greater Ape]]".
* When the Maximal computer announces that the Predacons are withdrawing from the area, text in the Maximal version of the Cybertronix [[Cybertronian languages|language]] scrolls by the bottom of the screen, and more text flashes in blue in the middle of the screen. The blue flashing text reads "area clear", and the text on the bottom reads "its been a long time since ive had sweet thistle pie".
* In Cheetor's dream, the cheetah falls into a pit of lava. [[Aftermath|Foreshadowing]] the death of a certain [[Scorponok (BW)|couple]] of [[Terrorsaur (BW)|characters]], perhaps?
* When Megatron "suggests" to his troops to laugh with him, Blackarachnia is the only one who refuses to pay him that courtesy. Clearly, Dinobot is not the only who's got some bearings of chrome steel.

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' — Resurrected Beast Power ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2001 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Beginning: Vol. 3 ([[Universal]])
;Laserdisc
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1998 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Predacon Edition ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — English and Japanese audio.
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — English and Japanese audio. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2003 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete First Season ([[Rhino Entertainment|Rhinomation]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 2005 — ''Beast Wars'' — Classic Episodes: Volume 3 — The Battle Rages On! ([[Alliance Atlantis]]) — English and French audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] 2005 — ''Beast Wars'' — The Complete First Season (Alliance Atlantis) — English and French audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 1 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Beast Wars'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]

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Call of the Wild