Editing User:Sabrblade/sandbox

=Beast Era timeline=
In [[1996]], the [[Transformers brand|''Transformers'' brand]] was given a complete overhaul in the form of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars: Transformers]]''. A radical departure from [[The Transformers (franchise)|all that had]] [[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|come before]], ''Beast Wars'' was headlined by an [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|animated series of the same name]] and followed by a direct sequel, ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'', in late [[1999]]. Together, these two are the primary components of the "[[Beast Era]]" and thus make up the backbone of the '''Beast Era timeline'''. While early bios and packaging blurbs for the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' toys originally set the series as a close follow-up to Generation 1 and 2 set on modern-day Earth, the cartoon established a new setting, declaring its main cast of [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] as distant-future descendants of the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s of old, displaced through time to battle each other on Prehistoric Earth. ''Beast Machines'' would then shift the cast back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the far future some 300 years after the 21st century. Later ''Beast Wars'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Machines]]'' toy bios and blurbs would be written to better reflect this world of the cartoons.

Throughout the late 1990s and into the 2000s, additional stories that weaved in and around the two series were published for both the official ''Transformers'' fan convention [[BotCon]] and the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]], first by [[3H Productions]] and then by [[Fun Publications]]. These extra stories created a sprawling "expanded universe" for the Beast Era, further tying the ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' cartoons to certain events of the Generation 1 media of old, as well as exploring brand new avenues such as alternate timelines, points set lon before and after the cartoons, and even across the [[multiverse]]!

However, between various parties all wanting to write their own take on the cartoons, the Beast Era would evolve to encompass more than just a single universe, with each having their own timeline containing the same ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' cartoons surrounded by different supplementary media. Below is a chronology of the original, very first North American continuity of the Beast Era cartoon universe, consisting of the ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' cartoons and additional info gleaned from certain toy bios, packaging blurbs, stories by 3H Productions and Fun Publications, and ''[[Transformers Hall of Fame]]'' character bios.
*''For the timeline of the Japanese Beast Wars cartoons (including original sequels [[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]] and [[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]) see [[Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)]].''
*''For the cartoon timeline of [[IDW Publishing]]'s [[2006]]–[[2008]] Beast Wars comics, see [[Beast Wars timeline (IDW)]].''
*''For the timeline of Fun Publications' "Wings Universe", see [[Transformers: Wings Universe]].''

{{note|Events from outside the ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' cartoons are in italics.}}

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{{TOC}}

==Before the Big Bang==
old universe stuff from Covenant

==Dawn of time==
Big Bang stuff from Covenant/Schism/Paradox

==Millions of years ago==
Quintesson rule of Cybertron

===First Great War (9 million BC–onward)===
"the first Great War" {{storylink|Flamewar (G1)#Timelines 2|Flamewar's BotCon 2005 toy bio}} <ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20071210145150/http://www.bwtf.com/timelines/descent/flamewar/ Ben Yee's review of BotCon 2005 Flamewar]: "Inspired by Ravage's portrayal in Beast Wars' "The Agenda" three parter, I wanted to write Flamewar was one of G1 Megatron's original warriors recruited nine million years ago."</ref> {{storylink|The Razor's Edge}}

4 million years ago, the Ark and Nemesis crash on Earth

Autobot General Obsidian continues the Great War on Cybertron during this time, with Saber serving under him. (AVP Facebook 15/9/2015)

===Other wars===
Obsidian and Strika fight and win ''a thousand wars'' together. They are hailed as the greatest generals in Cybertronian history. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike|The Strike}}

==Unknown ancient time==
Vok begin their experiment many millennia before the Beast Wars {{storylink|Abduction}}

Dark Essence comes to Earth

==180,000 BC<ref>[[Primeval Dawn Part 2]] and [[Primeval Dawn Part 3|Part 3]]</ref>==
===Beast Wars===
In space, above an unknown planet with two moons, two ships emerge from a [[unspace|transwarp]] portal. The first is a [[Darksyde (BW)|Predacon ship]] crewed by fugitives who stole a relic called the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]]. The second is a Maximal science vessel, the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]''. The two ships battle above the planet before crash-landing in different areas, with the ''Axalon'' ejecting many [[stasis pod]]s into orbit upon its descent. The planet is richly-seeded in raw, unstable [[energon]], so both crews adopt organic-skinned [[alternate mode|beast modes]] to protect themselves from the radiation. Both teams soon find each other and a battle ensues, sending the Maximals in retreat. En route back to their base, a former Predacon named [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] blocks their path. He had previously challenged [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] for Predacon leadership—believing they had come to the wrong planet—and was kicked out of the Predacons. Dinobot now challenges [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] for Maximal leadership, {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} but their duel is cut short by another Predacon attack. This battle unearths a large deposit of energon on a faraway mountain and both teams race to secure it, with Dinobot joining the Maximals. At the mountain, both sides clash in beast mode until Megatron risks transforming to fire a missile at Optimus. But Dinobot deflects the missile to hit the energon, causing a massive explosion. Both sides retreat and Optimus declares that the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] have only just begun. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 2)}}

A month later, the reckless Maximal youth [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] finds himself captured by the Predacon scientist [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], and has to be rescued by fellow Maximal [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]. {{storylink|The Web}} Cheetor then gets himself teleported inside the Predacon base during a lightning storm, but uses his wits to escape. {{storylink|Equal Measures}} The Maximals later investigate a mysterious rock formation of [[Standing Stones|standing stones]] that bear an unnatural design. A battle with the Predacons triggers a hidden beacon within the stones that shoots up into outer space. That night, an [[Vok probe|alien probe]] of some kind touches down at the standing stones, where it captures Optimus Primal. The next day, another altercation with the Predacons at the stones sets Optimus free of the probe, which then mysteriously vanishes. {{storylink|Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command}} The self-serving Predacon [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] makes a bid for power against Megatron when he finds a floating mountain full of raw energon that supercharges his body. However, his reign is cut short when Optimus and Rattrap blow up the mountain. {{storylink|Power Surge (episode)|Power Surge}}

Both sides soon gain a new addition to their ranks as two stasis pods crash down from the sky. The Maximals are joined by [[Tigatron]], {{storylink|Fallen Comrades}} while the Predacons acquire [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]. {{storylink|Double Jeopardy}} The Maximals also create a new defense grid for their base in the form of [[Sentinel (BW)|Sentinel]], {{storylink|A Better Mousetrap}} while the Predacon [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] develops a virus that turns Optimus into a berserker. The Maximals unleash him on the Predacons and storm their base to acquire a cure for their leader. {{storylink|Gorilla Warfare}} Soon, a [[temporal probe]] arrives from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in search of Optimus Primal and his missing crew. The Maximals attempt to make contact with it, but are thwarted by Megatron. {{storylink|The Probe}} The Predacons then fake their demise to trick the Maximals into looting their ship to repair the ''Axalon'', in hopes that the Predacons may seize it and leave the planet. But Dinobot discovers their hiding place and a scuffle aboard the airborne ''Axalon'' sees it grounded once more. {{storylink|Victory (episode)|Victory}} Megatron then begins taking more experimental measures against the Maximals.

First he captures the Maximal engineer [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] and forcibly reprograms him into a Predacon. But, Rhinox proves too cunning for Megatron to control and begins eliminating the Predacons one by one, forcing Megatron to change him back into a Maximal. {{storylink|Dark Designs}} Megatron then creates a [[Clone One|clone of Dinobot]] in hopes to use him to bypass the Maximal's defense grid Sentinel. However, the clone is defeated by the real Dinobot. {{storylink|Double Dinobot}} Another stasis pod comes down and Rhinox nearly risks everything to keep the pod's damaged [[protoform]] from dying. His efforts are success and [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] joins the Maximals. {{storylink|The Spark}} ''Two weeks later, the Predacons develop an orbital weapons satellite that can target anywhere on the planet. The Maximals stop the satellite's launch and Airazor destroys it.'' {{storylink|The Razor's Edge|The Razor's Edge prologue and epilogue}} ''From another stasis pod emerges the Predacon geochemist [[Fractyl]], who prefers to be out in the field.'' {{Storylink|Fractyl#Beast Wars|Fractyl's BotCon 1997 ''Universe'' profile}} ''The Maximals are also joined by [[Packrat]], who prefers to work alone.'' {{storylink|Packrat#Beast Wars|Packrat's BotCon 1997 ''Universe'' profile}} ''Having been a thief back on Cybertron who was stuffed into a stasis pod for his crimes,'' {{storylink|Betrayal}} ''he is a chronic hoarder and kleptomaniac who leaves the other Maximals wary of him.'' {{storylink|Packrat#Timelines|Packrat's BotCon 2015 toy bio}}

During one of Tigatron's field reports, he is attacked by the Predacon fliers Terrorsaur and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], who blast him into a cloud-filled gorge. Inside the cloud, they discover a [[Brigadoon|flying island]] guarded by weapons of alien design. Tigatron seeks to protect this island and is joined first by Airazor {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 1}} and then Optimus and Rattrap. But Blackarachnia and Scorponok arrive and reach the island's control center first; Blackarachnia then seizes the island's power for herself. Tigatron is regrettably forced to destroy the island before she can use it to destroy the Maximal base. Upon the island's destruction, it sends a signal up to one of the planet's moons, which is then sent out into space. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 2}} This ordeal puts Tarantulas on edge as he senses the planet's doom. He starts making plans to leave the planet as a new stasis pod crashes to the planet. He and Blackarachnia retrieve it and awaken the new Predacon [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], but Tigatron destroys the pod to prevent Tarantulas from stealing it. {{storylink|Spider's Game}}

''Fractyl develops a new [[energon armor]] from a substance called [[furmanite]]. It is them stolen by Packrat. When an explosive reaction with pure energon reveals the furmanite to be "anti-energon", Fractyl tries to stop Packrat from entering the energon-rich [[Badlands (Earth)|Badlands]]. Fractyl is knocked out by Packrat, but Rhinox convinces the thief to stand down and give up the furmanite.'' {{storylink|Ground Zero}} Later, the Predacons steal the ''Axalon''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[rectifier coil]], forcing the Maximals to remain in beast mode as their base no longer shields them from the planet's energon. This causes them to act feral and animal-like until Tigatron helps to bring them back to sanity. As the Maximals battle the Predacons in a jungle, Airazor recovers the stolen rectifier coil. {{storylink|Call of the Wild}} An energon explosion leaves most of the Maximals blinded and in urgent need of repair. Rhinox leads them on a dangerous trek back to the base. {{storylink|Dark Voyage}} The disembodied [[Spark]] of the [[Decepticon]] [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] arrives on the planet and possesses the body of Waspinator. He helps the Predacons take control of the ''Axalon'', but plots to betray Megatron and takes on Blackarachnia as an apprentice. However, Optimus and Dinobot retake the ''Axalon'' and Blackarachnia double-crosses Starscream, blasting his spark out of Waspinator and back into space. {{storylink|Possession}} 

''A new Predacon named [[Onyx Primal]] is rehabilitated as a Maximal and begrudgingly joins his new comrades. A former assassin for the [[Tripredacus Council]], he keeps his past secret in hopes to avoid termination by his ex-employers.'' {{storylink|Onyx Primal#Beast Wars|Onyx Primal's BotCon: Beyond profile}} A Predacon attack on the ''Axalon'' sees Tarantulas infect Rhinox with an [[energon discharge virus]]. Dinobot and Rattrap pursue Tarantulas for a cure. Thanks to some wild bean vines Rhinox had eaten, they succeed. That is all. {{storylink|The Low Road}} As the Maximals search for any more alien sites, a battle leads Tigatron to accidentally fire a stray shot at a mountain where his tiger friend [[Snowstalker]] is, causing an avalanche that claims her life. Grief-stricken, Tigatron takes a vow of pacifism and leaves the Beast Wars. Dinobot argues that the war is necessary to prevent Megatron from spreading more destruction to Cybertron and other planets, the Maximal/Predacon conflict being the legacy of the Autobots and Decepticons. Tigatron disagrees, but Optimus arrives to break the tension. He sympathizes with Tigatron and reminds him that the Maximals are the only one who can protect their friends and the planet from the Predacons. {{storylink|Law of the Jungle}} 

An alien energy anomaly inside a mountain reveals a mysterious [[Golden Disk (Vok)|second golden disk]], which Inferno brings to Megatron. Wanting to analyze the disk, Megatron declares a truce with the Maximals. Skeptical, the Maximals have Tigatron sneak into the Predacon base to find out what's going on. He discovers the new disk and learns from its contents that the aliens who created the flying island and seeded the planet with energon... are on their way. Meanwhile, Tarantulas furthers his plans to leave the planet by stealing a [[Transwarp cell]] from the Predacon base. Megatron takes notice and secretly adds his own programming to the cell. {{storylink|Before the Storm}} Together with Blackarachnia, Tarantulas decides to steal a stasis pod from the ''Axalon'' while some of the Maximals are out investigating another energy anomaly. The anomaly creates a [[Bio-Dome|a domed structure]] inside which Optimus is captured; the aliens assume the visage of [[Unicron]] to speak with him. They declare that the Maximals and Predacons' presence on the planet has contaminated an experiment they've been conducting, and prepare to "sterilize" the planet. An energy beam shoots upward from the dome and strikes one of the moons, the ensuing energy surge knocking the remaining stasis pods from orbit. 

While this is going on, Tarantulas and Blackarachnia break into the ''Axalon'' {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}} and proceed to convert a stasis pod into a flight-capable vessel. The moon is transformed into a [[Planet Buster|planet-destroying machine]] and begins to superheat the planet in order to ignite its energon deposits. The Maximals discover the modified pod and Optimus decides to fly it up to the alien machine and destroy it with a transwarp explosion. However, Megatron's previous sabotage prevents Optimus from leaving the pod and is destroyed in the explosion along with the machine. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}} The explosion creates a [[quantum surge]] that strikes the planet and drastically changes its environments; it also reformats several Maximals and Predacons into new forms called [[Transmetal]]s. {{storylink|Aftermath}} Two stasis pods that survived the mass planetfall had their [[DNA scanner]]s damaged, resulting in the [[Fuzor]]s: [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] and [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]]. Both are recruited to the Predacons by Megatron, but Silverbolt has his reservations. The Maximals recover another stasis pod but whose protoform is a [[blank]]; Tigatron and Airazor depart to go look for other pods. Rhinox then conducts a dangerous experiment to access the [[Transformer afterlife|Matrix]]. 

Observing the presence of a single [[Moon (moon)|moon]], Dinobot deduces that this planet is actually [[Earth]]. He sneaks into the Predacon base and steals both Golden Disks. He returns to the Maximal base just as Cheetor calls in a Predacon attack. Rattrap and Dinobot come to his aid and a massive battle begins. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)}} Back at the Predacon base, Blackarachnia finds and downloads Megatron's backup data for the Golden Disks, and then destroys the computer. The battle goes well for the Predacons and their fliers take off for the ''Axalon''. The Maximals manage to stop them and spare Silverbolt's life. When Rhinox's experiment ends, he joins the others in time to be thoroughly overwhelmed by Predacon firepower. But the tide is turned by the miraculous return of Optimus Primal, reborn as a Transmetal by Rhinox's experiment with the blank protoform. Silverbolt also chooses to join to the Maximals. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)}} Despite losing the Golden Disks, the Predacons start building jamming towers to disrupt Maximal communications while Megatron plans for the future. {{storylink|Tangled Web}}

With the contents of the original Golden Disk weighing on his mind, Dinobot questions his place in the Beast Wars and considers rejoining the Predacons. He reluctantly returns the disk to Megatron as a test of loyalty, but ultimately chooses to remain a Maximal, unwilling to aid Megatron's "insane" ambition that will doom their race. He later discusses something urgent with Optimus. {{storylink|Maximal, No More}} Tigatron and Airazor find a valley with alien plantlife that abduct the pair into space. Megatron steals the alien Golden Disk back from Rhinox and Tarantulas declares himself no longer under Megatron's command, but also Megatron's only hope of surviving the oncoming alien attack. As both factions rendezvous at the abduction site, an [[Metal Hunter|alien spacecraft]] materializes. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 1)}} Megatron takes control of the ship and prepares to take it back to Cybertron. But, thanks to Tarantulas's help, the Maximals are able to destroy the vessel—along with the alien disk—before it leaves the planet. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 2)}} ''A new Predacon named [[Vice Grip]] proves himself to be very loyal and reliable to Megatron, taking all of his missions seriously and having excellent tracking skills. The other Predacons come to respect him and look to him for advice and guidance.'' {{storylink|Vice Grip#Beast Wars|Vice Grip's BotCon 1998 toy bio}}

''In a remote region of the planet,'' {{storylink|Visitations}} ''a transwarp portal brings the Maximal [[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]] from the future, following a tussle through time with the [[Vehicon general]] [[Mirage (BM)|Mirage]]. Observing his new surroundings, Apelinq notices that one or two of his belongings are missing.'' {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Timewrecked}} ''One of them lands in Predacon territory, where it is found by Packrat and Onyx Primal and taken for an "artifact" of Predacon origin. The two Maximals are attacked by Fractyl and Vice Grip, but Rattrap and Silverbolt help fend them off.'' {{storylink|Visitations}} ''During the battle, the "artifact" is secretly taken by Apelinq.'' {{storylink|Visitations}} {{Storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Re-visitations}} ''After the battle, another transwarp portal suddenly opens to reveal a new female Predacon, [[Antagony (BW)|Antagony]], who demands the artifact be given to her. Megatron and Optimus arrive and Antagony faces each of them before being felled and captured by Megatron.'' {{storylink|Visitations}} ''Having recovered his belongings, Apelinq opts to observe other Maximals and Predacons from afar.'' {{Storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Re-visitations}} ''At the Predacon base, Megatron's attempts to interrogate Antagony have proven futile. He knows she comes from a future time much farther than his own, but nothing more. He uses one of Tarantulas' inventions, the [[mind-drill]], to try prying more info from her mind, but a failsafe in her brain wipes it clean, denying Megatron any answers.'' {{storylink|Herald}}

A massive stasis pod emblazoned with an X is discovered, containing the monstrous "[[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]]". The Maximals and Predacons fight over it, but an explosion separates Blackarachnia and Silverbolt from their respective teams. They work together to get back to the others, but run afoul the newly-awakened Protoform X. The Maximals and Blackarachnia defeat the monster and Megatron carves out a portion of X's spark to make him a loyal Predacon, naming him "[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]]". {{storylink|Bad Spark}} Realizing the severity of Megatron's ability to alter history with the Golden Disk, Dinobot sacrifices his life to stop the Predacons from exterminating the early [[anthropoid|ancestors]] of [[human|humankind]], destroying the Golden Disk in the process. {{storylink|Code of Hero}} A new stasis pod damaged yields [[Transmutate (BW)|Transmutate]], a deformed creature whom both Rampage and Silverbolt seek to befriend. The two battle over Transmutate, who tries to stop their fight but gets caught in the crossfire and perishes. {{storylink|Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate}} Back when the aliens' "planet buster" was destroyed, it not only created the quantum surge but also a [[transwarp wavefront]] that was traveling forward in time {{storylink|Code of Hero}} and would soon reach Cybertron in the Maximals' home-time. 

However, both the Maximals and Predacons are surpised to find that the one who arrives from Cybertron in response to the wavefront is ex-Decepticon [[Ravage (G1)|Covert Agent Ravage]] of the [[Predacon Alliance]]. He allies himself with the Maximals and helps them to finally arrest Megatron. Meanwhile, Blackarachia takes off for a distant location {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}} and is pursued by Silverbolt. He tries to get her to leave the Predacons and join him as a Maximal, but she refuses. She tries to make him to leave, but he refuses. The two lovers from opposite sides arrive at a [[Mount St. Hilary|volcanic mountain]] where Megatron had previously dug a tunnel and sealed it back up. They work together to unearth it. Back aboard [[Transwarp cruiser|Ravage's ship]], Megatron is interrogated in a holding cell. Tarantulas is revealed to have been an ally of Ravage all along, a member of the [[Predacon Secret Police]]. Megatron then reveals to Ravage the real reason he stole the Golden Disk from Cybertron: It not only contained the location of a large energon source, but also a secret message from the [[Megatron (G1)|original Megatron]]. Recalling his original loyalty to the Decepticon leader, Ravage frees his Predacon captive and joins forces with him. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}}

The Predacons launch a full assault on the ''Axalon'', which the Maximals barely overcome, destroying Ravage and his ship in the process. Megatron retreats, but not back to his base. This worries Optimus, who orders a pursuit. At the mountain, Blackarachnia and Silverbolt discover what was buried there: The legendary Autobot spacecraft, the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', containing the still-sleeping Autobot and Decepticon ancestors of the Maximals and Predacons. Having previously acquired the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s access codes from her download of Megatron's backup Golden Disk files, Blackarachnia plans to take control of the ship for herself. However, Megatron arrives and threatens Silverbolt's life if Blackarachnia doesn't give him access to the ship. She begrudgingly complies and stalls the approaching Maximals with one of the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s cannons. Megatron enters the ship's bridge and finds his prize: the dormant body of Autobot leader [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. With nothing left to lose, Megatron takes a gamble by blasting Prime's head to kill him, hoping to change the course of history. This creates a massive [[timestorm]] that threatens to erase all Maximals from existence. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} ''The effects of this temporal crisis are felt throughout the timestream, creating a paradox that sends the time deity, the [[Chronarchitect]], reeling in fatal agony.'' {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}}

''Invisible to all, divine intervention from [[Vector Prime]], the Guardian of Space-Time, helps to sustain Optimus Prime's life during the storm.'' {{storylink|Vector Prime: In the Beginning}} Having been a Maximal protoform, Blackarachnia refuses to die for Megatron's sake and ejects him from the ''Ark'' with its security system. She and Silverbolt put Prime on life support, stabiling the storm. The other Maximals arrive and work to repair their ancestor's damaged form. Optimus Primal takes Prime's fading spark into his body to save it; this causes Primal to mutate into a new, larger "Optimal Optimus" form. The Predacons are driven off from the ''Ark'' but succeed in sinking the unguarded ''Axalon'' to the bottom of a deep river. The Maximals salvage what they can from their former base and establish a new one inside the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s mountain to safeguard it. Blackarchnia joins Silverbolt as a Maximal-allied Predacon, Optimus Prime is repaired, and the timestorm finally ends. {{storylink|Optimal Situation}} ''Unbeknownst to all, however, the storm leaves behind a small tear in the fabric of space-time deep inside an underground cavern about two hundred miles away.'' {{storylink|Paradox}} {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}}

Still hoping for a response to the transwarp wavefront from the [[Maximal Elder]]s, the Maximals are instead met with the surprise arrival of [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]], who has come in pursuit of Protoform X (now Rampage). He becomes a reluctant ally to their cause. {{storylink|Deep Metal}} Seeking to fortify their new base, the Maximals attempt to salvage Sentinel from the sunken ''Axalon''. However, their efforts are thwarted by the Predacons, who steal Sentinel and install it into their own base. {{storylink|Changing of the Guard}} Megatron creates [[cyber raptor]] drones to hunt the early-human [[anthropoid]]s in another attempt to prevent humanity's existence. As the Maximals work to protect the anthropoids and destroy the cyber raptors, Megatron launches an assault on the understaffed Maximal base. He is thwarted by Depth Charge. {{storylink|Cutting Edge}} ''From afar, Apelinq observes Megatron's attempts to breach the Ark and is sorely tempted to take him out, but resists for the sake of preserving the timeline.'' {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|The Frontiers of Our History}} After acquiring a stasis pod, Megatron uses an alien [[Transmetal driver]] and the carved out spark fragment of Rampage to create another clone of Dinobot, [[Dinobot II|Transmetal 2 Dinobot]]. Cheetor and Depth charge steal the driver, but the former is caught in the overload of Megatron's organic Transmetal unit and is presumably killed. 

Back at the base, Depth Charge disposes of the driver, but Blackarachnia secretly saves it for herself. Meanwhile, a savage cyber-creature begins terrorizing Predacon and Maximal alike. {{storylink|Feral Scream Part 1}} The creature is revealed to be Cheetor, having been mutated into a new "Transmetal 2" form. His beast mode is still feral, but Optimus helps bring him back to his senses. {{storylink|Feral Scream Part 2}} An examination of Blackarachnia reveals that the removal of her Predacon [[shell program]] could potentially wipe her [[core consciousness]]. Believing the others will force this procedure on her, Blackarachnia takes off on her own, only to be tracked by the new Dinobot. Silverbolt comes to her aid and Optimus explains that the procedure was always going to be her choice. {{storylink|Proving Grounds}} One of Cheetor's anthropoid friends, a young girl named [[Una]], is kidnapped by the Predacons. They use her to finish construction on their new [[disruptor cannon|Disuptor Ray]], but Una is rescued by Rattrap and Depth Charge. She also failed to install the cannon's stabilizer crystal, causing the weapon to explode. {{storylink|Go with the Flow}} 

Using the Transmetal driver, Blackarachnia attempts to turn herself into a Transmetal 2. Silverbolt intervenes and her shell program begins to degrade. Before Rhinox attempts to remove it, Blackarachnia transfers the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s access codes to Optimus. Tarantulas finds out about the procedure and tries to disrupt it with a Predacon attack on the Maximal base. One of his safeguards in the shell program reaches Blackarachnia's core consciousness and leaves her braindead. Vengeful, Silverbolt pursues Tarantulas and near kills him in cold oil before Rampage steps in. However, the Transmetal driver revives Blackarachnia as a Transmetal 2 Maximal, allowing her to save Silverbolt from Rampage. {{storylink|Crossing the Rubicon}} Megatron and Tarantulas use a control suit piloted by Quickstrike to possess Optimus's body. Megatron is granted access to the ''Ark'' and the Predacon leader takes the original Megatron's spark into his own body. Tarantulas has Quickstrike attempt to drown Megatron in a lava pool so that Tarantulas can rig the ''Ark'' to explode. But Megatron survives, upgraded into a new giant dragon form. 

Blackarachnia frees Optimus from Quickstrike's control and stops the ''Ark'' from blowing up. After a battle with Optimus, Megatron retreats, flying out of the mountain's volcano mouth. {{storylink|Master Blaster}} ''From a distance, his retreat is observed by [[Windrazor (BW)|Windrazor]], a [[Swoop (G1)|Maximal]]/[[Cub|Predacon]] hybrid from the far future who arrives via transwarp portal.'' {{storylink|Schism (story)|Schism}} ''He had arrived after fighting and destroying his fission-brother, [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]], who—like Antagony before him—served a future tyrant named [[Shokaract]]. Stranded in this time, Windrazor decides to search for what Cataclysm had been originally dispatched to this time to locate: a substance called the [[Dark Essence]]. Back at the the ''Ark'', Rhinox detects the newcomer's arrival. The Maximals go to search for him but are ambushed in a canyon by the Predacons, who had likewise detected the visitor. Elsewhere, Windrazor locates the Dark Essence in a pit deep inside an underground cavern; floating high above the pit is a swirling rift in the fabric of space-time that threatens to pull the Dark Essence up into the timestream. Windrazor is then attacked by Megatron, who identifies the Dark Essence as the lifeforce of the [[Dark God]] Unicron.'' 

''As Optimus arrives and tries to save him, Windrazor is soon overcome by the Dark Essence, which possesses his body as a new host vessel for Unicron. The Chaos Bringer defeats both Optimus and Megatron before leaving to attack Maximal and Predacon alike. Optimus recovers and deduces that the Dark Essence must have been displaced through time to reside here in this cave following Unicron's destruction in [[2005]]. Before Unicron can finish off the Maximals, his essence is expelled from Windrazor's body, exorcized by the completed fusion of Windrazor's dual mind. The Dark Essence returns to its resting place and Windrazor can answer no questions before another transwarp portal opens: Out steps the future tyrant himself, Shokaract.'' {{storylink|Paradox}} ''And so begins [[Point Omega]], a battle prophesized to determine the fate of the future. Shokaract attacks the Maximals as Megatron watches from afar.'' {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}} ''Nearby, the equally-unnoticed Apeling also observes the attack and considers leaving,'' {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}} {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Point of No Return}} ''but is stunned by the sudden arrival of legendary warriors known as the [[Covenant (group)|Covenant of Primus]]!'' {{storylink|Terminus  (issue)|Terminus}} {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Witness to the Covenant}} ''The Covenant attack Shokaract, but he slaughters many of them.'' {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}} 

''Inspired, Apelinq abandons his reservations and joins the fight with a cry of "WRECK AND RULE!"'' {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}} {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Beyond Point Omega}} ''Meanwhile, Megatron attacks the pit of the Dark Essence, spurring Shokaract to revive Antagony and Cataclysm. The two Heralds battle Apelinq and the Covenant while their master deals with Megatron. Then, a warrior from the future named [[Sandstorm (BW)|Sandstorm]] arrives, reuniting with his comrade Windrazor. They and Optimus Primal are soon met by other Beast Warriors from other universes, brought here by Point Omega's timestorm. As Shokaract secures the Dark Essence and disables Megatron, he is blasted by these new arrivals and uses his [[Matrix of Conquest]] to destroy them. As the Covenant and Apelinq destroy Shokaract's heralds, Sandstom is revealed to be the Covenant's missing member Scorpius. He weakens Shokaract's defenses at the cost of his own life. The Covenant take advantage of Shokaract's new vulnerability by becoming pure energy and entering the Matrix of Conquest, wherein they destroy an apparition of Unicron. No longer bound to its resting place on Earth, the Dark Essence is pulled into the timestream via the overhanging rift. With the arrival of "Legends" from a place called [[J'nwan]], everyone fires on Shokaract, finally destroying him in a massive explosion.'' {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}} 

''Transwarp portals open to return all displaced participants back to their points of origin. Apelinq grabs Windrazor and disappears through time. The native Beast Warriors, however, are caught in the epicenter of the timequake and lose most of their of memories of this battle.'' {{storylink|Departure}} Elsewhere in the universe, two members of the alien race known as the [[Vok]] notice a temporal disruption at "Nexus Earth". Still possessing the abducted Tigatron and Airazor, they fuse the two Maximals together into a new being, [[Tigerhawk]], whom they possess and dispatch to Earth to fix the disturbance. Having ''not'' forgotten Quickstrike's recent doublecross, Megatron puts the Fuzor on trial. The court is cut short by the sudden arrival of Tigerhawk, who destroys the Predacon base upon impact. He defeats all of the evacuated Predacons and is about to eliminate Megatron before Optimus arrives to stop him, since Megatron still possesses the original Megatron's spark. Tigerhawk deals with Optimus but is then subdued by Tarantulas. The spider tries to control the Vok emissary, but the two aliens emerge from Tigerhawk and enter Tarantulas; all three are killed by Tarantulas's own machine. Cheetor rescues Tigerhawk and the combined spark of Tigatron and Airazor takes its proper place within Tigerhawk's body. {{storylink|Other Victories}}

The Maximals observe that Tigerhawk's arrival coincides with a prophecy written in the [[datatrax]] of the [[Covenant of Primus]], suggesting the whole Beast Wars to have been preordained. Meanwhile, now lacking a base, the Predacons become more desperate than ever. Megatron sends Inferno, Quickstrike, and Waspinator to seek a new base while he, Dinobot, and Rampage explore one last option left by the late Tarantulas: At some point prior, the spider had uncovered and restored the sunken Decepticon warship ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' at the bottom of the sea. Now it falls into Megatron's hands. Meanwhile, Waspinator quits the Predacons after growing sick of all the suffering he's endured. The Maximals race to stop the ''Nemesis'' from launching and both Depth Charge and Rampage perish in a final duel with each other. The ''Nemesis'' rises from the sea {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}} and begins attacking the land. Tigerhawk dies in a brave last stand against the vessel, Inferno and Quickstrike are caught in the blast of the ship's [[fusion cannon]], and the Maximals try futily to reactivate the ''Ark''. The ''Nemesis'' reaches the mountain and Optimus enters the ship to fight Megatron.

Meanwhile, Dinobot develops a change of heart. Upon Rampage's passing, his spark became "complete" {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}}, ''miraculously made whole by the consciousness of the first Dinobot.'' {{storylink|Transformers Hall of Fame/2010|Dinobot's 2010 Hall of Fame nominee bio}} He secretly leaks word to the Maximals of an [[Autobot Shuttle Omega Delta|Autobot shuttle]] aboard the ''Ark'', and then refuses Megatron's order to fire on the ''Ark'' with the ''Nemesis''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s fully-charged fusion cannon. Rhinox takes the Autobot shuttle and flies it up to the ''Nemesis''; he crashes through the warship's bridge, disabling the ''Nemesis'' and causing it to crash-land somewhere far beyond the horizon. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}} ''With Megatron finally defeated, the Maximals return the stolen spark of the original Megatron back to its rightful owner.'' {{storylink|Source:Ask_Vector_Prime/Facebook#July 23, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/23}} Four of the Maximals—Blackarachnia, Optimus, Rhinox, and Cheetor—meet with Waspinator in a jungle. {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent|Descent}} Later, with Megatron shackled to its roof, the Autobot shuttle takes off and flies into transwarp space; the Maximals aboard declare the Beast Wars finally over. Back down below on the planet, Waspinator remains behind as the anthropoids' new ruler. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}}

===The Post-Beast Wars Era===
''In truth, Tarantulas was secretly a servant of Unicron and his death had been a ruse. He was able the capture the two Vok and infuse their powers into his very spark, reviving himself in an undead form. The Tripredacus agent Ravage is likewise restored to life in a new form, {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}} his spark having been salvaged by the Vok. {{storylink|Ravage (G1)/toys#TM2|Transmetals 2 Tripredacus Agent's toy bio}} Aware of this, other Vok take action to create new soldiers to combat Tarantulas's threat. Using the recovered Transmetal driver (which they call the "Datasphere"), Quickstrike's discarded control suit, and the [[Matrix of Leadership]] within the sleeping Optimus Prime, they create the Prime of Justice, [[Primal Prime]], to be their champion. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}} {{storylink|Primal Prime#Beast Machines|Primal Prime's toy bio}} The Vok had also saved Tigerhawk's binary spark from death and use it to revive Airazor and Tigatron in new Transmetal bodies; Airazor from a stasis pod and Tigatron from the remains of Ravage's old body.'' {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}} ''Elsewhere on the planet are the Maximal Packrat and the Predacon Fractyl, both having survived the Beast Wars'' {{storylink|Primeval Dawn II}} '' while, apparently, Vice Grip did not.'' {{storylink|Departure}} ''Packrat had also somehow acquired a new Transmetal form through unknown means.'' {{storylink|Primeval Dawn II}}

''While out in the field, Primal Prime, Tigatron, and Airazor find a stasis pod from which emerges [[Ramulus]], an angry Maximal who assumes Optimus Primal had abandoned him. The four are soon attacked by Ravage, along with new Predacons [[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]], [[Iguanus (BW)|Iguanus]] and [[Razorclaw (BW)|Razorclaw]]. Tarantulas joins the fight and goes straight for Primal Prime, disabling him and seizing his real target: The Matrix of Leadership, which the Vok had placed into Primal Prime's body for protection.'' {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 2}} ''With the Matrix in their possession, the Predacons scurry back to their base, a massively fortified cavern. They continue construction on a transwarp portal that will enable Tarantulas to bring the Matrix back to Unicron in the future. Back at the ''Ark'', Primal Prime is in a coma. Inside his mind, he receives a vision from the Vok, who explain their intentions to safeguard the [[Grand Plan]], the [[Primus|Creator's]] vision for [['Til all are one|the one and the all]], which is once again threatened by the [[Unicron|Enemy]]. The Vok choose to merge into a state of pure ener that rivals the Matrix itself, with Primal Prime as their vessel. Meanwhile, Ravage leads a Predacons attack on the ''Ark'' as Tarantulas's portal is nearly complete. When all hope seems lost, the revived and newly-empowered Primal Prime steps forward.'' {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 3}}

''Known liar [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] once claimed to have been sent back in time to witness this battle and, pretending to be [[Maximal Command Security Force|MCSF]], helped the Maximals fend off Ravage's forces. Sideways also claimed Tigatron and Airazor were so badly injured in the battle that he merged the pair back into a single composite being to save their lives. He claimed to have begun a "long con" with Primal Prime by also pretending to have been sent by the Vok to aid the Maximals in their time of need. However, the validity of all these claims remains questionable.'' {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Sideways#July 6, 2015|Ask Sideways, 2015/06/06}}

At some point around this time, Waspinator grows bored of ruling the anthropoids, who likewise grow sick of worshipping him. They decide to kick him out of the tribe and send him off into the night. {{storylink|The Catalyst}} ''[[Packrat#Transtech|Someone]] observes this from afar.'' {{storylink|Collections}}
{{note|It is not fully known what all happens after this point. 3H Productions lost the license to produce ''Transformers'' fiction at this point and the storyline was never completed. In 2007, artist [[Dan Khanna]] revealed that the largely unscripted conclusion would see the Vok-empowered Primal Prime defeat Tarantulas in battle. Ramulus would recruit more allies in the form of Maximals [[Sonar (BW)|Sonar]] and Packrat and Predacons Fractyl and Waspinator. And "something" would happen to Airazor (perhaps an abduction by Unicron). Afterward, Primal Prime and all his remaining comrades would return to Cybertron in the future via Tarantulas's transwarp portal.<br>Plus, further clues from later-set stories reveal the following: Spittor apparently defects to side with the Maximals. Ravage, Iguanus, and Razorclaw are all presumably destroyed. The Matrix is recovered from Tarantulas and presumably placed back into Optimus Prime's body. Tarantulas survives and somehow makes back to Unicron (likely through his portal). Waspinator somehow gets back to Cybertron first (again, probably via the portal), well ahead of the others. Primal Prime's final team roster consists of himself, Tigatron, Ramulus, Sonar, Packrat, Fractyl, and Spittor. And finally, this team gets back to Cybertron in the future not simply via the portal but aboard a ship that travels through it. What this ship is and how they came to obtain it is not known.}}

==Several thousand years ago==
''[[Packrat#Transtech|A duplicate copy of Packrat]] created prior to his Transmetalization is left behind on Earth. He devotes his time to scavenging and hoarding various objects (including many Maximal and Predacon body parts) left behind from the Beast Wars. He has even recovered and installed Sentinel within the Maximals' former volcano base. However his presence serves as a temporal anomaly that catches the attention of multiversal agent [[Waspinator (BW)|Thrustinator]]. Before Packrat can enact his plan to begin looting the ''Ark'', he is met and apprehended by Thrustinator, who brings him to the city of [[Axiom Nexus]] on [[Nexus 208.0 Epsilon|another universe's]] Cybertron, removing the anomaly from this universe's timeline.'' {{storylink|Collections}}

''The Quintesson prism falls from the sky to the planet [[Akalo]]. The [[Akalouthan]]s reverse it as a "[[Divine Light]]".'' {{storylink|Betrayal}}

==14th Century==
''[[Akalouthan]] prophetic texts tell of a "[[Wreckers#3H comics|protective force]]" that will one day come to [[Akalo]] to safeguard the "[[Divine Light]]" from the "[[Quintesson|five-faced demons]]".'' {{storylink|Betrayal}}

==20th–21st Century==
===Second Great War (1984–2005)===
A TON of stuff from LOTS of sources

Other names:
*"the Third Great War" {{storylink|Tap-Out (Universe)#Expanded Universe|Tap-Out's BotCon 2002 ''Universe'' profile}} -- Later edited to just "the Great War" {{storylink|Betrayal|Tap-Out's OTFCC 2004 profile}} so the first name is retconned away

==21st Century==
===2005===
Peacetime following the destruction of Unicron

Betrayal flashback to Sojourner's Passage voyage

===Third Great War===
Multiple sources. This is the war that finally saw the Decepticons defeated and surrender to the Autobots

*"the Third Cybertronian War" {{storylink|Razorclaw (G1)#Timelines|Razorclaw's BotCon 2009 toy bio}}

Rodimus Prime vs. Galvatron

Departure second flashback, Daniel and Wheelie sacrifice their lives in one final blaze of glory

The Swarm is purified by the Matrix

The first Maximals and Predacons come into being near the end of the war.  Apelinq, Crossblades, and Cryotek are among the first generation of Maximals and Predacons.

Emperor of Destruction Deathsaurus is defeated by Star Saber

The war ends with the Autobots defeating the Decepticons. The Predacons overthrow the Decepticons.

==21st—23rd Century==
Lotsa background stuff mostly from profiles and such

The Maximal Upgrade comes about, with some Autobots undergoing it while others do not

Cryotek begins his criminal empire, starting small with petty smuggling and illegal gambling

The Maximals rise to power, forming the Maximal Imperium headed by the High Council consisting of the Maximal Elders, and protected by the Maximal Defense Command (or "Maximal Command" for short)

The Predacons are led by Razorclaw and form the Predacon Empire. They instigate wars of their own against the Autobots and Maximals

Optimus Primal graduates from the Maximal Military Academy

===Last Great War===
Another "Great War", this time fought by Predacons against the Autobots and Maximals, {{storylink|Razorclaw (G1)#Timelines|Razorclaw's BotCon 2009 toy bio}} {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past|Optimus Primal's profile}} Predacon Megatron serves as a field commander in the Predacon army. {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past|Megatron's profile}} Some Decepticons fight too, forming a "Decepticon/Predacon Alliance". Deathsaurus is recreated as a Decepticon General and leads several successful campaigns before the Autobots and Maximals overwhelm the Alliance. {{storylink|Deathsaurus (G1)#Timelines 2|Deathsaurus's toy bio}} Eventually, Razorclaw is (seemingly) assassinated by the three who would become the Tripredacus Council, and the Decepticons abandon this war, leaving the Predacons to fight it alone. {{storylink|The Razor's Edge}} 

The war ends when the Tripredacus Council surrenders. A temporary accord is made until the Pax Cybertronia can be written.

The Predacon Empire becomes the Predacon Alliance

For the next fifty years after this war, Ratchet travels the galaxy

==23rd Century==
===~209 AU===
Autobot Intelligence begins hunting Flamewar

===~214 AU===
Descent into Evil<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20160304194643/http://www.bwtf.com/comicbooks/funpub/descent/ Ben Yee's review of "Descent into Evil"]: "For those keeping track, I estimate this tale happening roughly one hundred years before Optimus Primal and gang take off in the Axalon."</ref> 

Intimidation Game

===~244 AU===
The Razor's Edge

The signing of the Pax Cybertronia by the Tripredacus Council and the Maximal Elders

To protect the "fragile peace" of the Pax Cybertronia, two law enforcement organizations are formed: the Imperial Peace Marshals, who serve the Maximal High Council, and the Maximal Command Security Force, who answers to Maximal Command.

Devcon joins the Imperial Peace Marshals

Departure second flashback, Hot Rod, Springer, and Arcee undergo the Maximal Upgrade. Arcee disappears.

===After ~244 AU===
Apelinq becomes an acclaimed researcher in Cybertron's private sector

Cryotek works as a gifted engineer and colleague of Apelinq, but is also dissatisfied with the Tripredacus Council. He continues to grow his criminal empire

Predacon Megatron is also dissatisfied with the Pax Cybertronia

==24th Century==
===310 [[AU]]===
Protoform X's creation

===314 AU===
Some background info from bios and such

Theft of the Golden Disk

Cryotek arrested, disappears from Cybertron society

Dawn of Future's Past

Onyx Primal flees from Tripredacus Council

Depth Charge leaves Cybertron

Cybertron scenes from "The Probe"

Tripredacus Council sends Ravage back in time

Depth Charge goes back in time

===314–316 AU===
Various info

===316 AU===
In [[unspace|transwarp space]], the Maximal victors of the Beast Wars travel back to their future home-time aboard [[Autobot Shuttle Omega Delta]], with the Predacon criminal Megatron bound to the ship's roof as their captive. {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent|Descent}} ''Suddenly, their ship is hit by a disruption in the timestream, which loosens Megatron's bonds.'' {{storylink|Abduction}} Megatron manages to break free of his bonds and tumbles off and away from the ship, disappearing in transwarp space before a massive blast rocks the shuttle and its crew. Unbeknownst to the Maximals, Megatron lands back on Cybertron well ahead of his captors, {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent|Descent}} ''arriving through a transwarp anomaly.'' {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Pieces of a Puzzle}} During this time, he somehow develops a strong distaste for his beast mode and all organic life in general. He makes it his life's mission to purge both himself and all of Cybertron of any and all organic material, to create a sense of pure technological perfection. {{storylink|Master of the House}}


Covenant

Megatron takes up residence at Shuttle Complex Ohm in Dodecahex and launches his initial Vehicon attacks from there

Apelinq's War Journals 1-2

AWJ Journals 3-4

AWJ Journals 5-6

Forbidden Fruit flashback - Megatron unleashes his virus, Vehicons swarm Cybertropolis

Beast Machines Beast Riders packaging blurb and Mechatron toy bio - Beast Riders created to enhance Vehicon invasion

T-Wrecks and Magmatron toy bios - T-Wrecks and Magmatron each return to Cybertron to find it overrun with Vehicons

Beast Machines Dinobots packaging blurb - Oracle desperately creates Dinobots to counter Megatron's virus

AWJ Journals 7-8





'''''Placements in relation to the above yet to be determined:'''''


2008 Cryotek profile info - Cryotek escapes from prison

2001 Cryotek profile info - Cryotek's bargain with Megatron that gets him Megatron's TM2 body but also puts him in stasis lock

Megatron steals Cryotek's spark extractor tech

Cyclonus, Skywarp, Rotorbolt, Peace Marshal Devcon, and others are all put into Vehicon bodies

2002 Cyclonus toy bio info - Cyclonus escapes and leaves Cybertron




Megatron begins experimenting to create his virus

Mutant Beast Wars packaging blurb - Megatron tests his still-experimental virus on four Fuzors, creates Mutants instead




2001 Cryotek profile info - Cryotek recovers, sees Cybertron now under Megatron's control, presumably slips away to team up with Quintessons

Vehicon-bodied victims escape. Devcon, Skywarp, Rotorbolt, and others all go into hiding (maybe in Polyhex?)




====Spark War====
High above Cybertron, [[Autobot Shuttle Omega Delta]] emerges from transwarp space only to be fired upon {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent|Descent}} and shot down by the planet's automated defenses. {{storylink|Fires of the Past}}. ''Maximal Wrecker Apelinq attempts to contact the shuttle, but it falls out of range.'' {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Back from the Past}} The shuttle's Maximal crew is immediately set upon by Vehicon [[Tank Drone]]s that incapacitate each Maximal with Megatron's virus. While the paralyzed Rhinox and Silverbolt have their sparks taken, the other four are devolved from their [[Transmetal]] bodies back into their organic beast mode forms and cannot transform. {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent|Descent}} They go into hiding and go offline for a time. {{storylink|Fires of the Past}} They each awaken with amnesia, unaware of how they got back to Cybertron and why they're back in their older forms and cannot transform. Vehicons continue to hunt them down until a mysterious voice leads Optimus Primal to reunite with Rattrap, Cheetor, and Blackarachnia. The voice guides them down deep into Cybertron's underground and reveals to them its identity as the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], an ancient supercomputer. The Oracle reformats the Maximals into new [[Technorganic]] bodies in which they must re-learn how to transform. {{storylink|The Reformatting}} Cheetor and Blackarachnia go topside to visit [[Cybertropolis]], only to find the whole city completely depopulated. Optimus investigates the [[Council Citadel]] for answers, but is shocked to find none other than Megatron inside and in full control of Cybertron! 

Megatron claims to have won the Beast Wars and has conquered all of Cybertron. The Vehicons are his sparkless creations, representing Megatron's vision of a technologically pure Cybertron devoid of the organic life that the Maximals represent. The Maximals best the Vehicons at first, but are forced to retreat. {{storylink|Master of the House}} Frustrated with the Maximals continuing to defeat his Vehicons, Megatron creates the [[Vehicon general|Vehicon Generals]]—[[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], [[Jetstorm (BM)|Jetstorm]], and [[Thrust (BM)|Thrust]]—from three stolen sparks. Meanwhile, Blackarachnia begins having flashes of the past that set her curious to discover what happened when she and the others first returned to Cybertron. She and Rattrap uncover their old Autobot shuttle, but its destruction prevents them from learning more beyond recovering their memories of Rhinox and Silverbolt. {{storylink|Fires of the Past}} ''Inside the Wrecker Command Base, Apelinq develops a shield suit to protect him from Megatron's virus, and decides to finally leave the base and determine to state of things on the rest of the planet.'' {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|The Wait is Over}} ''He is elated to discover that Rodimus is still alive, having miraculously been immune to the virus! Rodimus informs Apelinq that the rest of the Wreckers, and the rest of the planet, are all dead. Yet, both are resolved to continue the fight against Megatron.'' {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Two Against a World}}

The Vehicon Generals compete against each other in capturing the Maximals to receive a reward from Megatron. As the Maximals search for a potential survivor, Cheetor and Rattrap find the laboratory where Megatron created his virus. Rattrap uses a transformation enhancer to stimulate his transformation abilities, but his inability to control it gets all of the Maximals captured. Inside the Citadel, he manages to free himself and the others and a battle ensues. Optimus tries to contact Tankor's spark to sway him to the Maximals' side, but Megatron undoes Optimus's effort, restoring Tankor to normal. {{storylink|Mercenary Pursuits}} As Rattrap continues to struggle learning how to transform, his efforts are observed by a bat, who turns out to be a Maximal survivor. The bat leads them to an organic tree whose fruit has sustained him, but the fruit regresses the other Maximals to primitive, feral mindsets when they eat it. Cheetor is forced to destroy the tree and Optimus reformats the bat into a technorganic form, introducing himself as [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]]. {{storylink|Forbidden Fruit}}

''Using Rodimus's immunity, Apelinq is able to synthesize an inoculant for Megatron's virus.'' {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|A Cure is Found}} At a Vehicon assembly plant, Rattrap finally learns how to transform, but find his body to be without weapons. He also causes an accident at the plant that sees a complete power outage for the whole city. Overhearing the other Maximals discuss Rattrap as a liability, he risks bargaining with a now weakened Megatron; in exchange for weapons, Rattrap promises no harm will come to Megatron until he's repaired himself. Megatron offers Rattrap to join his side for one night; should any harm befall Megatron, Rattrap gives up his weapons. The other Maximals arrive and mistake Rattrap for a traitor, unaware of his deal with Megatron. Dawn comes and Optimus arrives, arguing that Rattrap is stronger than everyone gives him credit for. Seeing that Rattrap kept his end of their bargain, Megatron does as well. Rattrap discards the weaponry and returns to the Maximals. {{storylink|The Weak Component}} During a field mission, the Maximals discover a factory yard full of bodies whose sparks were all removed. 

A battle with the Vehicon Generals sees Blackarachnia trapped inside the factory alone with Thrust, who begins to show some unusual concern for her. Blackarachnia deduces that this factory was used by Megatron to steal everyone's sparks, and begins to suspect that Thrust's spark may actually be that of the missing Silverbolt. This leads the Maximals to realize that all three of the Generals must be saved instead of destroyed. {{storylink|Revelations Part I: Discovery|Discovery}} As Optimus seeks guidance from the Oracle, Cheetor leads a mission to try to get through to the sparks of the Vehicon Generals. While he and Rattrap target Tankor, Blackarachnia attempts to get through the Thrust. Rattrap taps into Tankor's old memories and discovers that the Tank General is none other than Rhinox. Meanwhile, Blackarachnia's spark is extracted by Jetstorm, {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent|Descent}} but Nightscream recovers it. Below ground, Optimus receives a couple of haunting, nightmarish visions from the Oracle. {{storylink|Revelations Part III: Apocalypse|Apocalypse}} ''Unbeknownst to him, these disturbing visions are the work of the alien [[Quintesson]]s tapping into the Oracle and using it to manipulate Optimus, but which is all secretly part of an even greater plan by Primus—the ''true'' master behind the Oracle—manipulating the Quintessons to achieve his own ends.'' {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

As the Maximals try to reach Rhinox's spark within Tankor, Optimus meets Rhinox on the mental plane and is devastated to hear his old friend side with Megatron. His spark having apparently been corrupted, Rhinox's personality asserts itself over Tankor and declares himself in agreement with Megatron's vision of technological perfection. Optimus arrives and convinces the other Maximals to accept Rhinox's choice. Back at the Maximals' base, Optimus tells them that he now believes that they were sent to Earth by the Matrix to fight in the Beast Wars and bring the organic elements in their bodies back to Cybertron, to restore nature to the planet. {{storylink|Revelations Part III: Apocalypse|Apocalypse}} ''Independently, the Mutants come to a similar but much more extreme conclusion from the Oracle, believing that their mission is to eliminate all technology in the name of attaining a total organic existence.'' {{storylink|Icebird#Mutant Beast Wars|Icebird's toy bio}} {{storylink|Razor Claw#Mutant Beast Wars|Razor Claw's toy bio}}

Determined to rid himself of his organic beast mode, Megatron decides to capture Nightscream and figure out how he acquired an organic beast mode on Cybertron and then reverse it. He sends his [[Diagnostic Drone]] with the Vehicon Generals, but while Jetstorm and Thrust battle the Maximals, the new Tankor-Rhinox begins his own agenda to overthrow Megatron and reprograms the Diagnostic Drone to serve him instead. During the battle, Optimus and Nightscream discover a deep underground cavern filled with fossilized animal skeletons from Cybertron's ancient past—where Nightscream must have scanned his beast mode. While the Diagnostic Drone pretends to still be loyal to Megatron, Tankor discovers the location and existence of the Oracle. {{storylink|Survivor}} However, Megatron is no fool and suspects Tankor's treachery. {{storylink|End of the Line}} ''He also creates a new experimental general, [[Mirage (BM)|Mirage]], to breach the intelligence gap between the Vehicon Generals and their drones.'' {{storylink|Mirage (BM)#Beast Machines|Mirage's toy bio}} ''On the far side of Cybertron,'' {{storylink|Departure}} ''another transwarp portal opens closer to the planet's surface, releasing another ship that crash-lands in the [[Polyhex]] sector. Apelinq and Rodimus detect its arrival and head for the crash site.'' {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Call From the Heavens}} ''Megatron also detects the new arrivals in Polyhex and assembles a large force of Vehicons to send there.'' {{storylink|VEHICON ALERT!}} 

''When Apelinq and Rodimus reach Polyhex, they are met by Primal Prime and his crew. Apelinq prepares to close the transwarp portal before inoculating the newcomers with his cure for Megatron's virus, but is attacked by Mirage. The two are sent through the portal just as it closes behind them, leaving Rodimus the last Wrecker on Cybertron. In Apelinq's absence, Primal Prime assumes command'' {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|(Primal Prime) Assuming Command}} {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|Timewrecked}} ''and his crewmates become Wreckers as well.'' {{storylink|Betrayal}} ''They also become acquainted with others who happened to be in Polyhex at the time, such as the secluded Autobot [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], and the Vehicon-bodied Predacon [[Rotorbolt (Universe)|Rotorbolt]] and Decepticon [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]. Cyclonus also turns up,'' {{storylink|VEHICON ALERT!}} ''having wandered Cybertron alone. He allies himself with fellow fugitives Rotorbolt and Skywarp.'' {{storylink|Betrayal|Cyclonus's OTFCC 2004 profile}} ''A [[Deployer (BM)|trio of sparkless combat drones]] and a [[Alpha Trion (G1)|mysterious entity]] are also reportedly sighted in Polyhex. As is the Vehicon-bodied Devcon.'' {{storylink|VEHICON ALERT!}} Having taken up residence within the [[fossil chamber]], the Maximals begin drilling for water but instead unearth [[organic goop]] from the planet's [[organic core|core]]. Meanwhile, Tankor uses the Diagnostic Drone to access the ancient [[Vector Sigma|Vector Sigma Core]] inside the Oracle to acquire a program for the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], one that can turn organics into [[living metal|technomatter]]. He tests it on the Maximals and seemingly perishes from the key program overloading. 

However, he faked his death to throw himself off of both Optimus and Megatron's radars while he manipulates both sides to his own ends. Meanwhile, Cheetor becomes frustrated with Optimus's decisions and continues to butt heads with him. {{storylink|The Key}} ''In his frustration, he gets his hands on Megatron's Beast Rider blueprints and, creates his own Beast Rider, [[Che]], from a subterranean Quintessian alloy.'' {{storylink|Che#Beast Machines|Che's toy bio}} Once tensions subside, the Maximals hold a funeral for Rhinox, unaware that he faked his death. Wanting the Maximals and Megatron to destroy each other, Tankor enables Rattrap to find a catalyst program that rapidly increases plant growth. Cheetor uses it on some vines and Megatron decides to retaliated by downloading the Key to Vector Sigma program into his Tank Drones, all according to Tankor's plan. At the same time, Blackarachnia discovers that Thrust's spark is actually that of Waspinator, while Jetstorm's spark is Silverbolt's. Optimus also finds out that the Oracle has been tampered with. {{storylink|The Catalyst}} But when he hears about the Key program in the Tank Drones, Optimus throws caution to the wind and blindly follows a fake Oracle vision created by Tankor that leads the Maximals to the legendary [[Plasma Energy Chamber]], whose [[plasma energy|energy]] can overload any electro-mechanical system.

With Optimus and Megatron now each armed with a doomsday weapon, a great battle ensues. Both leaders confront each other before Tankor reveals himself as the mastermind behind this battle. However, Megatron was onto him all along and disables Tankor with a built-in failsafe. As the Tank Drones activate the Key program, Optimus unleashes the plasma energy, creating a storm of mixed energies that kills all three and threatens to destroy the whole planet. {{storylink|End of the Line}} Entering the Matrix, Optimus realizes his mistake and is consoled by the spirit of Rhinox, having been restored to his old self upon his death. Optimus is given a second chance to save Cybertron and redirects all the energies of both the Key program and the plasma energy through the Oracle into the Matrix. Cybertron is saved, but at the cost of Optimus's life. The other Maximals gather together and plead for Optimus to come back. Optimus now realizes that their mission is to create a balance of Cybertron between the organic and the technological, and is allowed by the Oracle to return to life. The Oracle then disappears from its chamber, {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}} placing itself inside Optimus, {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}} and an ominous flying fortress—the [[Grand Mal]]—emerges from Megatron's citadel. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}}

With the Vehicons now offline, the Maximals offer to let Jetstorm and Thrust join them, but the pair refuse. Another Maximal survivor named [[Noble (BM)|Noble]] is found, along with a savage creature that attacks Maximal and Vehicon alike. It is revealed that both Noble and "Savage" are one and the same, a fully organic Transformer with two beast modes. {{storylink|Savage Noble}} ''On the far side of Cybertron, Primal Prime, Acting Commander of the Wreckers, reflects on events since he first arrived on Cybertron.'' {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals|(Primal Prime) Assuming Command}} ''He and the other Wreckers busy themselves by attacking several of Megatron's key facilities on that side of the planet.'' {{storylink|Departure}} Noble begins exhibiting primal episodes where he uncontrollably tries to break into Megatron's citadel every night. On the sixth night, he successfully gets inside and reveals to everyone that he is really Megatron! Having finally split himself between his organic and mechanical halves, his spark ended up in the organic half. He transfers his spark into the Grand Mal, reactivates his Vehicon drones, and discards the organic Noble. {{storylink|Prometheus Unbound}} However, Noble develops an animal-like mind of his own and forms a bond with Nightscream. {{storylink|In Darkest Knight}} 

''The time-lost Apeling finally returns from the past to find Primal Prime now in full command of the Wreckers. At some point, the two of them find Shuttle Complex Ohm and spend their time retrofitting an old Autobot shuttle.'' {{storylink|Departure}} Now in command of his Grand Mal form, Megatron abducts Optimus and Cheetor, scanning the former to learn about the Oracle. Meanwhile, Blackarachnia takes matters into her own hands and uses a combination spark extractor/DNA scanner with some organic goop and bone fossils to reformat Jetstorm back into Silverbolt. However, he is less than grateful to her and full of vengeance toward Megatron. The two break into the Grand Mal and rescue Optimus and Cheetor. Silverbolt, however, is wracked with guilt over having secretly enjoyed his time as the villainous Jetstorm. {{storylink|In Darkest Knight}} Megatron spends his time studying his Oracle download from Optimus. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}} He also unleashes a new [[Hate Plague|hate-inducing virus]] on the Maximals to try to prove to Optimus how their chaotic existence goes against the Maximal leader's own ideals of harmony, but the Maximals overcome the viral infection. {{storylink|A Wolf in the Fold}}

Eventually, the technorganic orchard begins to wilt and die, just as a lost Cybertronian ship arrives and crashes near Cybertropolis. The Maximals race to get their ahead of Thrust and find the ship to be full of alien plant-life. A monstrous plant creature attacks them and bores down to the Oracle's chamber. Recognizing symptoms of Megatron's virus in the creature, Optimus reformats it, revealing it to be a female plant Maximal named [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]]. She defends the chamber from invading Vehicons and uses her plant knowledge to revitalize the orchard. {{storylink|Home Soil}} The new addition to the Maximals prompts Megatron to create two new Vehicon Generals. Using the sparks of the two greatest generals in Cybertron history, Megatron brings forth [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] and [[Strika (BM)|Strika]]. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike|The Strike}}  ''He also creates [[Spy Streak]] from the spark of a lowly Predacon named Attack Bird.'' {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#August 28, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/28}} ''Optimus and Nightscream travel to the far side of Cybertron,'' {{storylink|Departure}} ''where latter discovers three ancient task drones, the [[Deployer (BM)|Deployers]]—[[Rav (BM)|Rav]], [[Dillo]], and [[Mol]]—buried deep underground.'' {{storylink|Deployer (BM)|''Beast Machines'' Deployers packaging blurb}} ''Nightscream forms a bond of friendship with the three.'' {{storylink|Rav (BM)#Beast Machines|Rav's toy bio}} {{storylink|Dillo#Beast Machines|Dillo's toy bio}}

''On their way back to Cybertropolis, Optimus, Nightscream, and the Deployers are attacked by Vehicons and saved by the Wreckers Primal Prime, Apelinq, and Ramulus. The Wreckers escort them back to the Oracle's chamber, where the Oracle is suddenly active and issuing assignments to a large gathering of the Dinobots, the Mutants, and the other Wreckers. Optimus declares that this many allies could easily liberate Cybertron from Megatron, but the Oracle uncharacteristically wipes his and Nightscream's minds of this meeting. After delivering orders to the Dinobots and Mutants, the "Oracle" suddenly cries out "It has awakened! It has detected us!" A datastream of energy shoots out of the "Oracle" into Primal Prime's mind, mentally giving him the Wreckers' new mission. Meanwhile, Megatron continues to bolster his ranks with [[Quake (G1)|Quake]] and [[Blastcharge (BM)|Blastcharge]]. Back underground, the Wreckers locate the secluded Arcee and try to convince her to join their mission, but she refuses. The Predacon Fractyl shows empathy for her, but is shot by Quake and Blastcharge. This spurs Arcee into action, saving Fractyl's life by reformatting him into a Transmetal.''

''At Shuttle Complex Ohm in Dodecahex, Apelinq leads the others to the old Autobot shuttle he and Primal Prime had been retrofitting. They are soon attacked by Spy Streak and a massive swarm of early-model Vehicon drones. Reinforcement comes for both sides with Blastcharge and Quake aiding the Vehicons while Rotorbolt, Cyclonus, and Skywarp assist the Wreckers. Tigatron destroys Quake, Arcee and Fractyl arrive with the latter slicing up Blastcharge, and Spy Streak is taken out by an explosive that blows up the whole place just as the shuttle takes off with all the Wreckers and their new allies aboard.'' {{storylink|Departure}} ''Unbeknownst to them, Devcon had tracked Rotorbolt and Skywarp to Dodecahex and boarded the Wreckers' shuttle as a stowaway.'' {{storylink|The Wreckers: Finale Part 1}} ''Back in the Oracle's chamber, the "[[Vector Sigma|Oracle]]" senses a threat to its plans and summons the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] to guide Primal Prime on his mission.'' {{storylink|Departure}} ''Aboard the shuttle, the hotheaded Devcon "introduces" himself to the Wreckers.'' {{storylink|Departure}} ''Rodimus and Apelinq calm him down and explain their situation. Devcon distrusts both Packrat and the Wreckers' new Decepticon allies.'' 

''Fractyl, meanwhile, had been injured in the scuffle with Devcon and is brought to the repair bay. Apelinq uses his Transfer Interlink to create a medic in the form of [[CatSCAN]] to treat him. An explosion in the cargo hold spurs Packrat to make the rash decision to separate the shuttle's rear section, leaving Spittor, Sonar, and the Deployers to their fiery fates. Packrat is relieved of duty and the shuttle resumes its course. Primal Prime receives a vision from Alpha Trion, warning him of an eventual treachery.'' {{storylink|Betrayal}} As Megatron's plans for Cybertron near their completion, he uses his Oracle download to send Optimus a false vision about the missing sparks, sending the Maximals on wild goose chases to lure them into Vehicon ambushes. In the abandoned city of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], Megatron uses a hologram of Optimus Prime to trick Optimus Primal into granting him full access to the Oracle, but which Optimus also uses to download from Megatron the location of the sparks into himself, revealing that they are inside the Grand Mal. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}}

The Maximals prepare to storm the Grand Mal and liberate the sparks, but the reappearance of Noble complicates their plans. Nightscream is forced to get tough with him and orders him to stay behind. As the Maximals infiltrate the Grand Mal, Megatron begins his grand ascension by absorbing all the sparks into his own. His spark rises from the fortress and lashes out at the Maximals. Before he can strike Nightscream, Noble arrives and saves him. Megatron impales the creature, who dies in Nightscream's arms. An anguished Nightscream fires a sonic scream directly at Megatron's spark, depolarizing it and causing it to release the sparks back into their [[spark containment unit|containment grid]]. The Maximals take control of the Grand Mal and eulogize Noble for his sacrifice that gave them this victory. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege|The Siege}} However, as the Maximals celebrate and work to restore life to Cybertron, a mysterious force possesses various fallen bodies and attacks Maximal and Vehicon alike. This force is revealed to be Megatron's depolarized spark, which Rattrap re-polarizes and traps within a Diagnostic Drone. The still-loyal Obsidian and Strika seize him and retreat. {{storylink|Spark of Darkness}}

''On the planet [[Arkus]], the Dinobots find the planet in ruin, filled with [[zombie]]s and a [[Dweller (G1)|giant slug monster]].'' {{storylink|Betrayal}} ''Magmatron, Airraptor, Rapticon are lost in the ensuing conflict, while Striker mysteriously vanishes. The remaining Dinobots barely escape the planet with their lives.'' {{storylink|The Wreckers: Finale Part 1}} ''On the world of [[New Quintessa]], the Mutants are brought before a [[Quintesson Judge]], who sentences them to death by [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. In attendance of this court are the Predacon Cryotek and Judge [[Derodomontatus]], who discuss their current business arrangement. While the Dinobots and Mutants have been dealt with, Cryotek assures Derodomontatus that he has made sure that the Wreckers will not interfere with their plans for Cybertron.'' {{storylink|Betrayal}} ''As the Wreckers' shuttle approaches the planet [[Akalo]], they detect an old Autobot signal on the planet. They land and find [[Glyph (Universe)|Glyph]] and [[Tap-Out (Universe)|Tap-Out]], the only two survivors of an old Autobot exploration mission. Glyph explains that the Wreckers' arrival coicides with an ancient Akalouthan prophecy and protectors who would come to safeguard the "[[Divine Light]]".''

''However, the Wreckers are soon betrayed by Cyclonus, who kills Packrat, injures Rotorbolt, and steals the Divine Light for his master, Cryotek! Afterward, CatSCAN reconfigures Devcon from out of his Vehicon body back into his old Autobot body. Devcon then leaves Akalo to pursue the escaped Cyclonus.'' {{storylink|Betrayal}} On Cybertron, Megatron manufactures a massive army of Vehicon drones with Strika, Obsidian, and Thrust leading the charge. He also plans to build a new, more powerful body for himself. The Maximals work to defend the Grand Mal and prevent the Vehicons from accessing the sparks within, but eventually, the drones breach the fortress's shield and send it to crash-land into the Citadel. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. I: The Downward Spiral|The Downward Spiral}} As the Vehicons begin field repairs, Optimus confers with the Oracle one final time and receives a spark power boost that he passes on to the other Maximals. The final battle commences with the Vehicons' assault on the Grand Mal. They attack underground as well, destroying the technorganic orchard and the fossil chamber. The Maximals defend both fronts, but Megatron uses his access to the Oracle to depower their spark boosts. Cheetor faces all three Generals at once, sending Strika and Obsidian into orbit with the Grand Mal's anti-gravity generators and uses a spark extractor to finish off Thrust.

As Megatron's new body is completed, the Maximals are overwhelmed and all but Optimus have their sparks extracted. Megatron reveals himself to Optimus in a recreation of his old "Optimal Optimus" body (sans Beast Mode). {{storylink|Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall|When Legends Fall}} The last two living beings on Cybertron, Optimus and Megatron duke it out for the fate of the planet. Megatron proves the victor and takes the fallen Optimus to the top of the Citadel, where Megatron unleashes all of the sparks and absorbs them into his own, renewing his grand ascension. He then proceeds to activate the Oracle's Key to Vector Sigma program to fully mechanize the planet's organic core, but he cannot while he and Optimus are both still linked to the Oracle. Megatron severs Optimus's connection and fires the Key at the core, but the Oracle enable Optimus to reformat Megatron's throne into technorganic vines that ensnare Megatron. Optimus pushes him forward and blasts him free of the vines to send both of them plummeting down into the organic core, their deaths at last fulfilling the prophecy of the [[Great Transformation]]. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}}

====After the Spark War====
The deaths of Optimus and Megatron, both still connected to the Oracle, triggers the Great Transformation, a planetwide reformatting into a completely technorganic state. The dawn of a new day reveals Optimus's Maximal comrades restored to life, along with the entire population of Cybertron's spark now restored to new bodies. Even Waspinator is revived in a diminutive Thrust-headed wasp body. The downed Grand Mal now lies as a mountain covered in plants and trees. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}} ''It is renamed [[Grand Mal|Mount Megatron]] as a testament of Megatron's contribution.'' {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}} ''News journalist/reporter Rook is the first Autobot to return to Cybertron from the stars, and is quite shocked by the new state of the planet.'' {{storylink|Abduction}} ''On Akalo, the Wreckers help the Akalouthans recover from the loss of the Divine Light. Primal Prime does some soul searching and determines the Wreckers' next course of action. The next morning, Glyph and CatSCAN opt to remain behind on Akalo as the Wreckers, now joined by Tap-Out, take off for their next destination. On New Quintessa, the Quintessons and Cryotek discuss the end of their business together, noting the recent reformatting of Cybertron and the sudden loss of the Oracle. Cryotek awaits only to escort the Quintessons back to Cybertron.'' {{storylink|Disclosure}}

''On Cybertron, Waspinator eventually comes under the command of [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]], a Predacon leader who begins a massive construction project of building a fortified city at the new Predacon capital of [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]].'' {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}} ''In space, the Wreckers eventually land on a distant ice plant located ten star systems away, where they find a lone [[Quintesson Scientist]] in exile named [[Al-Badur]]. He explains to them the history of the Quintessons' ancient rule of Cybertron and reveals that the Oracle had originally been a Quintesson-built shell program meant to control Primus's physical form, Vector Sigma. Realizing it was Vector Sigma breaking through the "Oracle" who gave them their mission, the Wreckers are soon attacked by a platoon of Sharkticons. Defeating the horde, the Wreckers agree to bring Al-Badur with them in exchange for information on the true nature of the Divine Light: It is a prism that directly channels Primus's power into the prism's wielder. At the same time, Apelinq salvages a Sharkticon blaster weapon and examines its circuitry, noting that it looks familiar to him. Elsewhere, Devcon tracks down some individuals at [[Spaceport CSSB-16]] who could help him get revenge on Cyclonus, none other than the surviving Dinobots!'' {{storylink|Disclosure}}

====Quintesson invasion====
''One week after the planet's reformatting, the Quintessons' invasion fleet arrives at Cybertron, accompanied by Cryotek.'' {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}} ''As Cybertropolis is overrun by Sharkticons, Maximals [[Snarl (BM)|Snarl]] and [[Longhorn]] make a call for reserve troops to rally in Polyhex. Meanwhile, Devcon and the Dinobots head back to Cybertron in new vessel, the ''Rusty Mace.'' Aboard the Wreckers' shuttle, Apelinq studies the recovered Sharkticon weapon and discovers that his old colleague Cryotek was the one who created it. Learning that Cryotek is now in league with the Quintessons and plans to use the Divine Light to control Primus's power, the Wreckers head straight for Cybertron. There, Cryotek affixes the Divine Light to his chest and is escorted underground by Derodomontatus. The Maximal reserve forces are soon joined by the arrival of the Dinobots and Devcon.'' {{storylink|The Wreckers: Finale Part 1}} ''Still en route the Cybertron, Primal Prime has another vision from Alpha Trion, who assures him that the Oracle and the Technorganics are all part of Primus's plan. As the shuttle approaches Cybertron, the Wreckers are all shocked by the planet's newly-reformatted state.'' {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

''When they finally arrive, Primal Prime takes a small unit underground to confront Cryotek. They find him at an industrial access flue linked directly to the planet's core, where Cryotek prepares to draw Primus's power into himself. He unleashes a blast of primordial energy at Apelinq, but Primal Prime jumps in to take the blast himself; the divine energy envelopes the two and miraculously merges them together into a new being: [[Sentinel Maximus]]!'' {{storylink|The Wreckers: Finale Part 1}} ''Across the planet, the Quintessons face all kinds of resistance. Derodomontatus is killed by Cryotek's pet Deployer [[Chro]], whom Cryotek then mutates into a giant monster form. When the other Wreckers finally make landfall, Rodimus senses that they're needed underground and meet Cheetor on the way, who had likewise been summoned below by the Oracle.''<ref>The Oracle that summoned Cheetor was the ''real'' Oracle, the one that had previously hid itself inside Optimus Primal back in "[[Fallout (episode)|Fallout]]", rather than the one that the Quintessons and Cryotek used in "[[Departure]]" to send the Dinobots and Mutants on false missions.</ref> ''They join their comrades in the battle against Cryotek, Chro, and Cyclonus, until mysterious bolts of energy suddenly vaporize Skywarp and Tap-Out. On the surface, the Dinobot [[Triceradon (BM)|Triceradon]] and several Sharkticons all vanish as well. Snarl  is also nowhere to be found, leaving behind the Beast Rider Che.''<ref name="Snarl">The implication in "[[Wreckers: Finale Part II]]" is that Snarl also vanished in the same way that Skywarp, Tap-Out, Triceradon, and the Sharkticons did, having all been abducted by Unicron. However, Snarl's profile in the later-set "[[Abduction]]" (published three years before "Wreckers: Finale Part II") describes his life on Cybertron during the time between ''Beast Machines'' and ''Universe'', meaning he originally wasn't supposed to disappear until the time of "Abduction".</ref>

''Rodimus faces Cyclonus in personal combat while, high in orbit, a recovered Obsidian and Strika destroy a Quintesson warship with the planet's orbital defenses. Rodimus is gravely injured while the dying Cyclonus is finished off by Rotorbolt. Al-Badur brings the Wreckers and their allies to an ancient Quintesson banishment chamber, which he plans to use to finally destroy Cryotek. But when Sentinel Maximus arrives with the Predacon criminal, Al-Badur double-crosses the Wreckers by erecting a forcefield that ensnares both Maximus and Cryotek. He then opens a portal meant to pull the into into a formless void of nothingness. As the two combatants resist the pull of the portal, Ramulus sneaks behind Al-Badur and punches him into the forcefield, sending him helplessly through the portal. Cheetor and a dying Rodimus tap into their [[Matrix Templar]] abilities and drain Cryotek of his Primus power from the Divine Light. Cryotek destroys the Divine Light to stop them, but Sentinel Maximus manages to force both Cryotek and himself down into the portal, which finally shuts off as they disappear. Rodimus succumbs to his injuries and perishes; he is laid to rest by Arcee and Fractyl.''

''On New Quintessa, the Mutants Icebird and [[Poison Bite]] reveal themselves to have survived their previous execution. Using Icebird as a vessel, Primus himself speaks through the Mutant leader to [[Heirodyus|Judge Heirodyus]], declaring that ''he'' had been the true mastermind behind the Technorganic evolution of the Cybertronians, having manipulated the Quintessons into helping fulfill the prophesied Great Transformation. The two Mutants soon position themselves in charge of a gradually-reformatting New Quintessa, and use their Primus powers to grant the Sharkticons emotions of hope and joy. Back on Cybertron, the Quintessons are driven off the planet for good, with much of their forces destroyed and many of their retreating vessels obliterated by the orbital defenses.''

''In the formless void, Cryotek survives on a fragment of Primus's power he still carries. He is left alone in the void (or is he?) as Sentinel Maximus is suddenly pulled away by Primus.'' {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}} ''Now a Matrix Templar himself (in succession of the late Rodimus),'' {{storylink|Source:Ask_Vector_Prime/Facebook#August 18, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/18}} ''Sentinel Maximus is met by Windrazor, whom Primus saved from oblivion when Shokaract's future was erased. Now a spirit guide in service of Primus, Windrazor sends Sentinel Maximus off to complete a new mission to protect Primus in [[Unicron Trilogy cartoon timeline|another universe]].'' {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

===316–317 AU===
''Cybertron is restored to peace once more.'' {{storylink|Abduction}} ''Optimus Primal is revered as a legend among the populace,'' {{storylink|Escape (Universe)|OFTCC 2004 Optimus Primal profile}} ''while his surviving Maximal allies, such as Silverbolt, are hailed as heroes.'' {{storylink|Silverbolt (Fuzor)#Universe (2003)|''Universe'' Silverbolt toy bio}} ''Blackarachnia and Silverbolt live an idyllic life of happiness together,'' {{storylink|Blackarachnia (BW)/toys#Universe (2003)|''Universe'' Blackarachnia toy bio}} {{storylink|Silverbolt (Fuzor)#Universe (2003)|''Universe'' Silverbolt toy bio}} ''while Snarl (who had not disappeared after all)<ref name="Snarl"/> trains as a Matrix Templar under Alpha Trion, who has now become the avatar of Primus.'' {{storylink|Abduction|OTFCC 2004 Snarl profile}} ''The Oracle comes under the full control of Primus and Alpha Trion,'' {{storylink|Abduction}} ''but their existence is regarded as merely a legend by the elders of the reinstated Maximal High Council, who seek to conceal knowledge of their existence out of fear that the general populace is not yet ready to accept Primus as a real being.'' {{storylink|Homecoming (Universe)|Homecoming}} ''Though the planet is finally united as [['Til all are one|one]],'' {{storylink|Abduction}} ''occasional, trivial border skirmishes between Maximal and Predacon still occur every now and then.'' {{storylink|Abduction|OTFCC 2004 Snarl profile}}

===Universe War (317 AU–onward)===
''On the one-year (or one-stellar cycle) anniversary of the Great Transformation,'' {{storylink|Escape (Universe)|Escape}} ''a crowd of Maximals and Predacons gathers at the Memorial Spaceport to witness the return to Cybertron of five time-lost Autobots, veterans of the Great Wars. A ship lands and out steps Trailbreaker, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Roulette, and Shadow Striker. Just as the Maximals greet them, seven bolts of energy suddenly blast down from the sky and abduct the five Autobots, along with the Maximals Silverbolt and Blackarachnia. Deep inside Cybertron, Primus and Alpha Trion observe more abductions from both this and other universes; among which is the Maximal Snarl.<ref name="Snarl"/> The seven abductees from the spaceport are brought to a place called "[[Pit (Universe)|the Pit]]", where they are painfully and torturously rebuilt into new bodyforms. Emerging from the Pit, the seven are attacked by legions of [[Cauldron drone|drones]] that bring them to an arena called the [[Cauldron]], where they witness a battle to the death between [[Smokescreen (G1)|two]] [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreens]] overseen by generals Tankor, Obsidian, [[Razorclaw (Universe)|Razorclaw]], [[Reptilion]]—all from other realities—and the missing and now-brainwashed Dinobot Striker.''

''Obsidian reveals that the Cauldron lies deep within the remains of Unicron, who feeds upon the sparks of those defeated in the arena, filled with hate and rage that will serve to revitalize the Chaos Bringer. Back on Cybertron, Primus and Alpha Trion decide to bring forth a champion that will fight on their behalf. Reaching into the core of Cybertron, Primus uses the Oracle to resurrect Optimus Primal!'' {{storylink|Abduction}} ''Alpha Trion explains the situation to Optimus and uses the Oracle to send him between dimensions where Unicron resides, so that he may liberate the captured Transformers inside the monster planet.'' {{storylink|Escape (Universe)|Escape}} ''Once inside Unicron, Optimus meets a [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and a [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] from other universes and informs them of Unicron's abductions. The three venture deeper into Unicron and are set upon by Striker and Reptilion. while Megatron and Grimlock hold them off, Optimus reaches the Cauldron in time to witness the start of a battle between Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. Striker and Reptilion catch up to Optimus, but so do Grimlock and Megatron. Together, the three subdue Striker and ward off Reptilion.'' {{storylink|OTFCC Live-Action Drama}}

''Sideswipe and Sunstreaker's fight proceeds as Optimus tries and fails to heal Striker's corrupted mind. As Reptilion returns with Tankor and Obsidian, Megatron and Grimlock fight them as Optimus sneaks into the Cauldron. He is attacked by Razorclaw as Trailbreaker and Silverbolt try to break out of their cells by switching minds with each other. As Primal and Razorclaw duke it out, Trailbreaker and Silverbolt free all of the other prisoners—including the missing Snarl, Tap-Out, and Triceradon—inciting a massive jailbreak. The generals are all beaten back and the escapees make their way out of the Cauldron. However, Shadow Striker and Blackarachnia succumb to Unicron's influence and betray the others: Shadow Striker blasts away the bridge they're on and Blackarachnia abandons Silverbolt. As the generals give chase, Optimus uses Snarl's power as a Matrix Templar to reach out to Primus, who summons a portal of light into which the escapees flee. In the aftermath, Blackarachnia joins the generals and is brought to see a familiar face: Tarantulas!'' {{storylink|Escape (Universe)|Escape}} 

''Back on Cybertron, the Maximal High Council declines Optimus Primal's request to prepare Cybertron for the coming [[Universe War|war between the gods of order and chaos]], as he asks for too much to be taken on mere faith. Snarl goes behind the Council's back and brings Optimus to the Vector Sigma Chamber to meet with Primus and Alpha Trion. Trion informs Optimus of their plans to proceed without the Council; namely, the construction of an orbital platform to guard the planet, and a special unit to operate an "underground railroad" within Unicron. With the power to summon anyone from any time and place, Optimus asks for the revival of Rhinox and Depth Charge, who emerge from the other side of the Matrix via the Oracle. Rhinox is grateful for a chance to atone for his time as Tankor, but Depth Charge wants no part in this war. In his stead, Alpha Trion summons a warrior from another universe, [[Omega Prime]].'' {{storylink|Homecoming (Universe)|Homecoming}} 

''Unicron continues his abductions across the multiverse, recruiting more victims to become his [[Minion of Unicron (Universe)|minions]]. To combat this, Rhinox creates a device meant to deflect Unicron's efforts by intercepting the Dark God's tractor beams and depositing his would-be abductees somewhere away from him, where a retrieval/extraction team would be sent to rescue the redirected abductees. Two such attempts saw two teams of Autobots from different universes sent to an icy planetoid. A team consisting of Silverbolt, Rattrap, and Waspinator (now an ally of his former enemies) is sent to rescue them. However, a side effect from Rhinox's device also creates a temporal rift through which the Autobot stellar freighter ''[[OTFCC (Ship)|OTFCC]]''—crewed by Bumblebee, Tracks, and Cosmos—is sent from the past into this future time. The three time-displaced Autobots aid the two Maximals and Predacon in a battle against Reptilion and his forces. The two groups of stranded Autobots also join the battle and, together, all of the heroes fend off the villains as the ''OTFCC'' and her crew depart back to the past through another time rift.'' {{storylink|Voice Actor Drama}}

''Depth Charge eventually has a change of mind and willingly joins the underground refugee network headed by [[King Atlas]],'' {{storylink|Homecoming (Universe)|OTFCC 2004 Depth Charge profile}} ''another warrior from [[Unicron Trilogy cartoon timeline|a different universe]]'' {{storylink|Force of Habit}} ''who had been liberated from Unicron in the jailbreak.'' {{storylink|Escape (Universe)|Escape}} 



Universe comics, script readings, and profile info

===After the Universe War===
''At some point, years later in the future, a lone Predacon [[Shokaract|Hunter]] is pursued by some Maximal [[Skyblade]]s on a [[Earth|backwater planet]]. Forced to take cover behind a cliffside, the Hunter presses against the rock wall and unearths an ancient passage that leads to a dark cavern.'' {{storylink|Paradox}} {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}} ''At first, he thinks he hears a presence calling to him from deep within the darkness... but it's only the wind.''. {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}}

==Many stellar cycles later==
Razorclaw epilogue

==Alternate timeline (erased)==
{{note|This timeline is basically identical to the one above, save for some minor differences in the Beast Wars and a major divergence during the 24th Century onward. It was all erased by the outcome of Point Omega given above.}}
===180,000 BC===
''The Beast Wars happen basically the same way, only without the timestorm ever happening, meaning the Dark Essence remains undisturbed on prehistoric Earth, so Point Omega doesn't happen either. Megatron still acquires his dragon form and still gets back to Cybertron ahead of the Maximals.'' {{storylink|Paradox}}

===24th Century===
''Megatron returns from the Beast Wars and still conquers Cybertron, but with Predacons instead of Vehicons. His reign over Cybertron lasts for many years, with Predacons regularly hunting down and executing hapless Maximals. It isn't until many years later that the Maximals begin to make a more concerted effort to fight back against the Predacons.''

''At some point, years later in the future, a lone Predacon [[Shokaract|Hunter]] is pursued by some Maximal [[Skyblade]]s on a [[Earth|backwater planet]]. Forced to take cover behind a cliffside, the Hunter presses against the rock wall and unearths an ancient passage that leads to a dark cavern. A presence within calls to him and reveals the Dark Essence lying in wait.'' {{storylink|Paradox}} ''Fashioning an encased housing for the essence, the Hunter dubs it the "[[Matrix of Conquest]]" and comes to call himself "[[Shokaract]]".'' {{storylink|Shokaract#Beast Wars|Shokaract's toy bio}}

===32nd Century===
All the stuff about Shokaract's empire from Herald, Schism, and Paradox

And all the stuff about the Covenant during this time from Schism and Paradox

==Notes==
*Explain retcons and other oddities here

==References==
{{reflist}}