Editing Savage Landing Part 6

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: Beast Wars]]'' #6
|prev=Savage Landing Part 5
|next=Pod Part 1
|title="Savage Landing Part 6"
|image=BW21 6 cvrA.jpg
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 28]], 2021
|coverdate=July 2021
|written by=[[Erik Burnham]]
|art by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Jake M. Wood]]
|editor=[[David Mariotte]], [[Tom Waltz]] and [[Riley Farmer]]
|continuity=''[[Transformers: Beast Wars]]''
}}

'''Loyalties are tested as the Maximals and Predacons clash in the first battle of the Beast Wars.'''
 
==Synopsis==
A deadly game of hide-and-seek plays out in the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' as [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] searches for [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] and tries to bait the little [[Maximal]] into confronting him. Rattrap's too smart to fall for the trick, however; as he spies on the Predacon from the ceiling in his [[beast mode]], he watches as the Predacon loses interest in the hunt and turns his attention to a nearby science laboratory. Rattrap watches as Tarantulas breaks into their lab, musing that he still might be able to plunder some Maximal science for his own use before he destroys the ship.

As the battle outside rages on, [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] joins the fray and immediately drops [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] by tearing his arms off. As [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] grapples with [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] fights [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]], the ever-ambitious [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] takes in the fight from above; although he's confident that Dinobot will take out Megatron and leave ''him'' in a position of power, [[Nyx]] takes him by surprise and challenges the Predacon flier to a rematch! 

From his vantage point inside the ship's duct system, Rattrap watches as Tarantulas hacks into the Maximal computer network and accesses the flight log. The Predacon scientist discovers that the ship was hauling a cargo of [[protoform]]s; now that they're in orbit around the planet, all he has to do is hack the system, call the [[stasis pod]]s down to the surface, and raise an army for himself! Rattrap can't let Tarantulas get the stasis pods, but knows that he'll come off the worse in any direct confrontation. This gives him another idea, however, and the rat skitters off down the shaft, towards another section of the cargo hold...

Megatron overpowers Optimus, and the Predacon leader gloats that killing Optimus and his crew are just the first step on the road to galactic conquest. Magnanimous as ever, Megatron gives them a bargain: surrender now and die with dignity, and he'll memorialize them in the historical records. Primal has no intention of going down that easily, however, and frees himself from Megatron's grip with his own two fists. As he charges his cannon, Megatron decides that he'll ''still'' immortalize Primal... but as he prepares to fire, Nyx saves her captain by throwing Terrorsaur into Megatron's way!

While Tarantulas wrestles with the uncooperative Maximal security system, Rattrap has just enough time to spring an unpleasant surprise on the Predacon scientist; after goading him into the ship's corridor, Rattrap powers up the ship's [[GCMG-Five|cargo-loading exoskeleton]] and uses it to toss Tarantulas out the window before he finishes repairing the ship's shields force field. As the force field flares to life, the Maximals fall back towards the ship; Nyx encourages Dinobot to fall back with them, as the screen is specifically keyed to prevent Predacons from getting through... unfortunately, that restriction extends to ''Dinobot'', who's left stranded on the outside as the Predacons close in. Although the honorable warrior is confident that he can take them alone, Megatron points out that he only got as far as he did because he had surprise on this side. ''This'' time, however, that advantage is ''theirs''... and no sooner does he say this before Tarantulas leaps from behind and stabs Dinobot through the chest! The warrior promptly collapses, and the other Predacons close in to finish the job; as the grisly beatdown plays out, Nyx shouts that they have to do ''something''. Primal hits on the idea of using their ship's weapons to penetrate the force field—his first volley is a warning shot, and when Primal tells Megatron to gather his cronies and leave before he fires again, Megatron does so... but not before getting in one last kick on Dinobot's prone body. As the Predacons transform and retreat, Megatron warns Primal that he was a fool for not pushing the advantage when he had it; one day, he will pay for that mistake with his life.

A few days later, Optimus and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] hold another sparring match as the Maximal leader tries to clear his head. Megatron's parting words weighed on him heavily—after all, his actions nearly got Nyx killed and his reluctance to trust Dinobot nearly cost them the fight. Rhinox reminds him that nobody's perfect, but Primal can't second-guess himself, not with rogue Predacons breathing down their necks. Rhinox asks how Dinobot's doing, but Optimus admits he doesn't know if he'll pull through; the damage was extensive, and the shipboard [[CR chamber]] can only do so much... but he finds his question answered when Dinobot limps into the gymnasium on an improvised walking stick to deliver the news—although he'll live, the injuries he sustained were severe. Unsure if he'll ever be able to fight the way he used to, Dinobot's stopped by to say his goodbyes before he exiles himself in the wilderness, but Primal stops and asks him to reconsider. The Maximal leader reminds Dinobot that he was named for [[Dinobot (G1)|the original Dinobot]]s; in Dinobot, Primal sees their ferocious brand of heroism. No matter his condition, Primal would be honored if Dinobot joined the Maximals, and after a moment's reflection Dinobot hesitantly accepts the offer.

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashback.)<br> 
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s/[[Autobot]]s|c1=
* [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] (2)
* [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (6)
* [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] (8)
* [[Nyx]] (10)
* [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (11)
* ''[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'' (13)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s/[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
* [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] (1)
* [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] (3)
* [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] (4)
* [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] (5)
* [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] (7)
* [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] (9)
* [[Skold]] (12)
* ''[[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]]'' (14)
}}


==Quotes==
"The '''history of Cybertron''' is being written, yes! Here and now! But if you '''surrender''' and die with '''dignity''', I shall allow a '''brief mention''' of your pointless '''valor''' in the '''official record!'''" <br>
"Megatron—nff—'''YOU TALK TOO MUCH!'''"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Primal'''


"This thing has so much power I bet I could chuck you right through the reinforced polymer of the windows! What odds ya give me?" <br>
"No!" <br>
"No odds? That ain't very sporting. I don't think I wanna play with bad sports."
:—'''Rattrap''' versus '''Tarantulas'''


"Maximals never did understand the difference between winning a battle and winning a war. You were a fool not to press your advantage, Optimus Primal, and you will pay for it with your life one day! Mark my words—'''Megatron will be victorious!'''"
:—'''Megatron'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Nyx is eager for a rematch after her last bout with Terrorsaur in [[Savage Landing Part 2|issue #2]], where he managed to knock her unconscious and capture her.
* Tarantulas gloats that he's finally gotten revenge on Dinobot for destroying his [[Transformation Lock Lens|transformation lock lens]], the device he used to torture Nyx in [[Savage Landing Part 3|issue #3]].
* The first arc of the series closes as it began, with Optimus Primal and Rhinox holding a sparring session in the ship's gymnasium as per [[Savage Landing Part 1|issue #1]]. 
* The flashback to the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] features another glimpse of the unusual "gashed" moon that orbits Cybertron as seen in issue #1, which was itself a reference to a background detail in the ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' cartoon. 

===Transformers references===
* Tarantulas derisively refers to Rattrap as "vermin", the insult-slash-nickname Dinobot frequently used in the original ''Beast Wars'' cartoon.
* To defeat Tarantulas, Rattrap uses an [[GMCG-Five|industrial exoskeleton]] to overpower and dispose of the Predacon scientist. Visually, this walker takes some inspiration from the mech suit Rattrap briefly donned in the ''Beast Machines'' episode "[[The Weak Component]]"... though it takes a few visual cues from another robot suit famously used to fight space bugs (See "Real-world references"  below for more on that).
* Tarantulas swears by the [[Pit (BW)|Pit]], a frequent Predacon curse in the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon.
* Optimus namedrops the original [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s as he discusses the inspiration for Dinobot's name. While multiple sources, including ''[[Dawn of the Predacus]]'' and "[[The Hot Rod]]", have ''implied'' that the ever-honorable Dinobot took his name from the legendary Autobot warriors, this is the first work to draw an ''explicit'' connection between the two. Intriguingly, the Dinobots are noted to have "disappeared" at some point during the conflict, a detail which may or may not be relevant down the line...
* The flashback to the Great War features a glimpse of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. Although he's wearing a version of his original ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' form, he sports a white, black, and gold colour scheme that matches his [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#War_for_Cybertron:_Kingdom|''Kingdom'' toy]]—fitting livery for a ''Beast Wars'' comic.

===Real-world references===
* Rattrap's exo-walker includes a few details inspired by the famous [[wikia:avp:P-5000 Powered Work Loader|power loader]] from ''{{w|Aliens (film)|Aliens}}'', most prominently the big hazard-striped clamp-hands.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Cry havoc and let slip the Beast Wars, by [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Cover B:''' Nyx and Skold, by [[Dan Schoening]] and [[Luis Antonio Delgado]].
*'''Cover RI:''' The Maximals, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[John-Paul Bove]]

<gallery>
File:BW21 6 cvrA.jpg
File:BW21 6 cvrB.jpg
File:BW21 6 cvrRI.jpg

</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''Bermuda''

==External links==
[http://majorspoilers.com/2021/07/27/preview-transformers-beast-wars-6/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=preview-transformers-beast-wars-6 Preview]

[[Category:Beast Wars (2021) issues]]