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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 what all [[The Transformers (franchise)|came]] [[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|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.
=The Stage of Battle is the 2nd War... Beast Wars, Maximize!!=
{{comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: Beast Wars (Japanese toyline)|Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers]]'' catalog story
|prev=
|next=
|image=BWIICatalogCover01.jpg
|caption=You have NO idea how much strife this one little catalog story has caused.
|title="The Stage of Battle is the 2nd War... Beast Wars, Maximize!!"
|japanese=闘いの舞台は{{ruby|2|セカンド}}戦争... ...ビーストウォーズ、変身!!
|romaji=Tatakai no Butai wa Sekando Sensō...Bīsuto Wōzu, Henshin!!
|date=Spring [[1998]]
|packaged with=Spring 1998 Japanese ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars (Japanese toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' toy releases
|continuity=[[Micro-continuity|Its own]] (see "Continuity" below)
}}


Throughout the late 1990s and into the 2000s, additional stories that weaved in and around the two series was 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 that came before, as well as exploring brand new avenues such as alternate timelines, points set before and after the cartoons, and even the [[multiverse]]!
'''New leaders are appointed as a new war begins.'''
{{TOC}}
==Synopsis==
While [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] are off fighting their own [[Beast Wars (event)|life-or-death struggle]], a new conflict, the "2nd War", is about to unfold on a [[Gaia|planet]] within a [[Solar System|star system]] located in a remote part of the [[Milky Way|galaxy]]. The participants of this conflict are members of the heroic [[Maximal]] Space Guard and the evil [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] Armored Corps, respectively. Their battle is fought over a mysterious weapon hidden in ancient ruins of the planet, a weapon known as the "[[Angolmois Energy|Great King of Angolmois]]". It is said that the victor of this conflict, be it Maximal or Predacon, will be decided in the [[July|seventh month]] of the Cosmic Year [[1999]].


However, between various parties all wanting to write their own take on the cartoons, the Beast Era would evolve to encompass more than one continuity, each with 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.
The leaders of both sides of this new conflict are introduced by each of their immediate predecessors. Megatron introduces [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]] as the [[Emperor of Destruction|New Emperor of Destruction]], and recalls a time when, back on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the two once disagreed over how to conquer the universe. This led to a fight between the two, in which Galvatron bested Megatron after catching him off guard. Though he now acknowledges Galvatron's ambition and his care for those under his command, Megatron also begrudgingly admits that Galvatron may hold enough dignity to succeed him as Emperor.
*''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.}}
Meanwhile, Optimus Primal introduces the new Maximal leader, [[Lio Convoy (BW)|Lio Convoy]], who was originally an ace in the Maximal Space Guard. Optimus notes that he is strong, valiant, and even kind, but also, admittedly, a bit too frank at times. Nevertheless, Optimus considers him to be an ideal leader, and remains hopeful that he can count on Lio Convoy to do all that he can to help maintain peace throughout the universe.


{{inprogress}}
==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] (3)
*[[Lio Convoy (BW)|Lio Convoy]] (4)


==Before the dawn of time==
|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s|c2=
* ''There once was a universe full of god-like beings, until [[Unicron]] ate them all and the universe they inhabited. But remnants coalesced, forming a new universe, and this new universe created [[Primus]] to protect it. ''
*[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]] (2)
}}


==Dawn of time==
==Quotes==
* ''Primus traps Unicron and himself inside planetoids.  Unicron reforms his physical form into a being that can transform between robot and planet modes. Primus plans to create a race of tiny beings that can do the same, but first he practices by cyberforming a moon, [[Protos]], and he creates a prototypical race, the [[Covenant (group)|Covenant]], to inhabit it. The Covenant are charged with preparing against [[Point Omega]], a future cataclysm.  {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}}''
'''Galvatron''': "Your time is over, Megatron!"


* ''[[Unicron]] enlists the [[Quintesson]]s to seek out the body of [[Primus]]. After discovering it in the form of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the Quintessons decided to tell Unicron about it ... later. Forming a grand business venture, they tried to devise crude ways to control Primus's power, rejecting such prototype devices such as the [[Divine Light]] (which was lost). The Quintessons eventually constructed a shell program for [[Vector Sigma]], called the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]]. {{storylink|Disclosure}}''


* ''But their creations, the Transformers, rebelled, and the Quintessons were forced off-planet. {{storylink|Disclosure}}''
'''Lio Convoy''': "Please leave it to me! Optimus, sir!!"


==Four million years ago==
==Continuity==
[[File:Arkbw.jpg|100px|thumb|Italicize its name and die.]]
This catalog story was originally written for the express purpose of explaining the premise of the then-upcoming Japanese-original series ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers#Beast Wars II|Beast Wars II]]'', which had been created to fill the gap left by the delayed Japanese release of the second and third seasons of the American [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]]. Once the first season had finished airing, it would be succeeded by the ''Beast Wars II'' [[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|animated series]], along with an accompanying [[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (manga)|manga series]] published by ''[[Comic BomBom]]''. This little story was released about a month ahead the ''Beast Wars II'' cartoon's debut, and attempted to explain just how ''Beast Wars II'' was supposed to fit into the continuity of the American ''Beast Wars'' cartoon.
*The resources on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] dried up due to the long-term [[Great War (G1)|war]]. An [[Autobot]] space exploration team aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] led by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] left. While [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] led a crew of [[Decepticon]]s aboard the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' and chased the Ark.  Both the Ark and Nemesis crashed on [[Earth]]. The Transformers enter a long period of [[stasis lock]] due to the impact.
{{-}}
==About 180,000 BCE<ref>[[Primeval Dawn Part 2]]</ref>==
===The 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}}
===Timeframe===
[[File:MegatronGalvatronBW1.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|This didn't happen.]]
As described above in the Synopsis, it is stated that ''Beast Wars II'' is set concurrent to the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] fought between [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] on what was, at the time, not yet revealed to be prehistoric [[Earth]]<ref>At least, in Japan. By March 1998, the English version of the American cartoon had already [[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)|revealed]] the planet to be Earth.</ref> (in Japan, the planet was instead known as "[[Energoa]]" prior to its reveal as Earth). But, it was not initially made clear if this meant it took place during the same timeframe as the Beast Wars (since the time travel aspect had not yet been confirmed in the Japanese dub) or if took place in the far future timeframe that Optimus Primal and Megatron's crews had originally come from before traveling back in time to prehistoric Earth. Needless to say, the latter became the most widespread interpretation once it was made clear on both sides of the Pacific that the American ''Beast Wars'' cartoon was set on Earth in prehistoric times. Additional support for this interpretation came from the setting ''Beast Wars II'' itself, [[Gaia]]—a post-apocalyptic planet overrun by plant and wildlife—which bore a strong resemblance to Earth (with the manga making even more explicit hints to the planet's identity by featuring city ruins that heavily resembled [[Tokyo]]). The manga even featured guest appearances by Optimus Primal that depicted him as native to the timeframe of ''Beast Wars II''. This notion even bled back over into some American media, with the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' toy bio for ''[[Transmetal 2|Transmetals 2]]'' [[Cybershark#TM2|Cybershark]] alluding to the ''Beast Wars II'' [[Seacon (BW)|Seacons]] as his contemporaries, while the ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Machines]]'' bio for ''[[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobots]]'' [[Magmatron (BW)#Beast Machines|Magmatron]] positioned the events of ''Beast Wars Neo'' as having occurred before ''Beast Machines''.


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}} Meanwhile, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] sends out [[temporal probe]]s to search for Optimus Primal and his missing crew. The Maximals attempt to make contact with one, 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}}
By the [[Emissary of the Fourth Planet|thirty-sixth episode]] of ''Beast Wars II'', it was revealed that Gaia's ancient inhabitants hadn't lived on the planet for several tens of thousands of years, which placed ''Beast Wars II'' that far into the future. Conversely, the [[Dark Designs|thirteenth episode]] of the American ''Beast Wars'' cartoon stated that the cast of that show originally hailed from only three centuries into the future.<ref>Though, a later [[Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|episode from the ''Beast Wars'' sequel ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' stated the future era was set "eons" later.</ref> However, the specific "three centuries" line from the English version had actually been omitted from the Japanese dub of the episode, so there was no contradiction there. That said, a few discrepancies did eventually begin to crop up in the immediate sequel series to ''Beast Wars II'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]''. Namely, ''Beast Wars Neo'' [[Big Convoy, Move Out|opened]] with explicit confirmation that the Maximals and Predacons were at war with each other, and had been for some time, while in the [[Beast Wars (Part 1)|first episode]] of the American cartoon, Optimus Primal stated that the Maximals and Predacons were instead at peace with each other, and had been for centuries (this line was kept faithfully in the Japanese dub). Likewise, the supercomputer [[Vector Sigma]] was shown to be a known public figure on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], residing in a [[Tower of Light|tower]] as the highest authority on the planet. By contrast, the [[The Reformatting|first episode]] of the American ''Beast Wars'' sequel series ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' showed that Vector Sigma had long ago evolved into a new form called the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], and presented it as a long lost legend hidden deep within the planet (though, to be fair, since ''Beast Wars Neo'' was made first, there was no way the Japanese production staff could have predicted the future developments of ''Beast Machines'').


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}}
===Optimus Primal and Megatron===
[[File:PrimalLioConvoyCatalog01.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|This didn't happen either.]]
Besides the timeframe discrepancies, there were other factors that ended up contradicting this catalog story's depiction of Optimus Primal and Megatron. The two are presented here as Maximal and Predacon authority figures in positions of power that allow them to appoint other individuals with official titles of leadership; Optimus in particular is treated as Lio Convoy's senior officer. This is in stark contrast to how, in the English version of ''Beast Wars'', Optimus was merely the captain of a science vessel, while Megatron was, indeed, originally perceived as the main leader of all Predacons in the cartoon's first season, but [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Megatron and the Predacons|changes]] made during the show's second season revealed that he was instead a wannabe tyrant with delusions of grandeur, and was considered a criminal on Cybertron even by his own people (but, like the Vector Sigma contradiction, there was no way the Japanese could have predicted what the second season would change after the first season). Nonetheless, the first-season depiction of Megatron as a true leader likely influenced the depictions of Predacon leaders [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]] and [[Magmatron (BW)|Magmatron]] in ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Neo'', respectively. Both were the captains of their own spacefaring vessels, were known by all as fearsome emperors, and answered to no higher authorities within the Predacon ranks. This stood in contrast to how, later in ''Beast Wars'', the [[Tripredacus Council]] was revealed to be the true head of government for the Predacons, with Megatron being labeled a dangerous renegade.


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}}
The early Japanese depiction of Optimus Primal and Megatron as high-ranking Maximal and Predacon leaders seems to have stemmed from an early perception of the two that originally pegged them as being the same characters as their Generation 1 namesakes, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. When the original [[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|''Beast Wars'' toyline]] started up in [[1996]], the earliest toy bios and [[Optimus Primal vs Megatron!|pack-in comic]] presented the Maximals and Predacons on present-day Earth and as just [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s having been upgraded by "Bio-Genetic Engineering". While this idea was dropped when the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon came along, it seems Takara hadn't quite gotten the memo over in Japan, as the earliest Japanese toy bios for Optimus and Megatron were based on their earliest American toy bios, with both giving them the lofty titles of "Supreme Commander" and "Emperor of Destruction" just like their namesakes. Optimus Primal was even given the same Japanese name as Optimus Prime, "Convoy", and his toy bio treated him as if he was the same Convoy of old. Special Japanese-only redeco toys even mentioned a "trailer truck" and a "Walther P-38" as having been Primal and Megatron's previous [[alternate mode|altmodes]]. Likewise, the Maximal and Predacon factions themselves were given the same Japanese names as those of the Autobot and Decepticon faction, being "Cybertron" and "Destron", respectively, in a seeming attempt to remove as much distinction between the two sets of factions as possible.


''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}}
This perception even appeared to bleed over into other Japanese ''Beast Wars'' media: The [[Free the Captured Matrix!|third chapter]] of the ''Beast Wars II'' manga featured a short bio for Optimus Primal that described him as "A fierce fighter who has fought against the Destron army for thousands of years."<ref>数千年にわたり、デストロン軍と戦いつづけで猛者。コンボイの称号を与える軍の評議会の一員でもある。エネルゴン探索の任務遂行中に消息をたったともいわれていたが...!?</ref> And when he later guest-starred in the [[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!|''Beast Wars II'' movie]], he was depicted as a "legendary Supreme Commander" that everyone knew and was in awe of, complete with his own [[Energon Matrix|Matrix]]. That same movie also had [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]] refer to a "Megatron" as "the greatest and most vicious legendary Transformer in history." But, it was never clarified if this grandiose description was in reference to Generation 1 or ''Beast Wars'' Megatron... likely because, at the time, the movie treated the two as if they were the same person, just as it seemed to do for Optimus (Although, when Lio Convoy and Optimus Primal first interacted with each other in the movie, Lio Convoy at one point asks "Please forgive me. But, who are you?" when looking directly at Optimus, casting some doubt over whether they actually knew each other beforehand like this catalog story claimed).


''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}}
'''''BUT''''', within the Japanese dub of the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon's first season itself, this perception was ''not'' the case. While the dub did insert references to Optimus being a Supreme Commander and Megatron being Emperor of Destruction, the dub was more or less accurate on the matter to the original English version. The two were ''never'' described as being the same characters as their Generation 1 namesakes, and even when the Decepticon [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] made his [[Possession|famous guest appearance]], the episode's Japanese dub made it even ''more'' explicit than the English version that Megatron had ''no'' familiarity with him at all.<ref>In the Japanese dub of "[[Possession]]", when hearing [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] describe Starscream's history, Megatron actually says "I've never heard of him."</ref> Consequently, this show of restraint by the dub turned out to be fortuitous in the long run, as the later two seasons of the series made it [[The Agenda (Part III)|abundantly clear]] that Optimus Primal and Megatron were completely separate individuals from Optimus Prime and the original Megatron.


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.  
===The Great King of Angolmois===
One last contradiction in this catalog story is the fact that it refers to a "weapon" called the "Great King of Angolmois" (アンゴルモアの大王 ''Angorumoa no Daiō'') that lies within ancient ruins of the planet. In both the cartoon and manga, it was instead a lava-like substance called "[[Angolmois Energy]]". Evidently, this was an early concept for the main plot device that was to be fought over by the forces of Lio Convoy and Galvatron, and even made it into the bio for [[Megastorm (BW)#Toys|Megastorm's toy]]; bios for later toys would instead reflect the cartoon and manga by referring to "Angolmois Energy".


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]].  
Interestingly, the concept of a powerful weapon hidden deep within ancient ruins on Earth would later be recycled wholesale and fully utilized just two years later in the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|''Car Robots'' cartoon]], with [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]] being said weapon.


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}}
===Conclusion===
In the mid-2000s, [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] began to make some serious efforts to organize the ever-growing [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline]] that included all of the cartoons from the [[Beast Era]]. Due to all of the contradictions laid out above, Takara made the decision to ignore this catalog story entirely, throwing out every claim and character-depiction it made in order to clean up all of the issues between the American and Japanese cartoons. Opting to lean into  "several tens of thousands of years" statement given by ''Beast Wars II'', it was decided to relocate the two American cartoons away from the two Japanese ones, by acknowledging the "three centuries" statement given by the English version of ''Beast Wars'' that the Japanese dub had originally omitted. When fans in the west first learned of this timeline, the placement of ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Neo'' being set so long ''after'' the ''Beast Machines'' cartoon came as quite a startling shock, having long since taken both this catalog story and the ''Beast Machines'' Magmatron toy bio as gospel, since all the continuity issues described above were virtually unknown to anyone outside of Japan due to ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Neo'' having not yet been fully translated into English at the time.


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}}
There was, however, one ''more'' discrepancy created by this attempt to fix all of the others: With the relocation of ''Beast Machines'' set before ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Neo'', this now placed the [[Great Transformation|technorganic reformatting]] Cybertron underwent at the end of ''Beast Machines'' as happening ''before'' its appearances in ''Beast Wars Neo'' as a metallic planet. This last hole would be filled in [[2019]] by a ''[[Transformers Legends (comic)|Transformers Legends]]'' [[LG-EX Blue Big Convoy|pack-in comic]], which explained how and why Cybertron was turned back into a metallic world several eons after the end of ''Beast Machines''.


''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 device inside her brain wipes it clean, leaving Megatron more intrigued than ever.'' {{storylink|Herald}}
Thus, with the discarding of this catalog story from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]], its events have since been relegated to a little [[micro-continuity]] all unto itself. If anything, it still somewhat fits with the ''Beast Wars II'' and ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (manga)|Beast Wars Neo]]'' manga, which stuck to the catalog story's placing all the characters in the same timeframe. Though, the subsequent ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Metals (manga)|Beast Wars Metals]]'' manga still treats Optimus Primal and Megatron as separate individuals from Optimus Prime and G1 Megatron, meaning they'd just be high-ranking Maximals and Predacons all on their own without any inherent ties to their namesakes.


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 [[protohuman|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.  
==Notes==
===Transformers references===
*The "Maximize" in the title of this story is actually "Henshin" (変身), a Japanese word for "transformation" that was used in the Japanese dub of the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]] as the Japanese equivalent/replacement for both "Maximize" and "Terrorize" in the original English version. "Maximize", rather than "Transform", is used here to reflect that dubbing decision, and also because ''Beast Wars II'' would distinguish "Henshin" from "Transform" by specifically using the former for those with [[beast mode]]s, while the latter would be used by those with mechanical vehicle modes.
*Also included in this catalog is a brief recap of the final events of "[[Other Voices, Part 2]]", which had, at the time, recently aired in Japan on [[March 25]], [[1998]]. Said recap is given the title of '''~Convoy's Great Explosion~''' (〜コンボイ大爆発編〜 ''~Konboi Dai Bakuhatsu-hen~''). At the bottom of this recap is also an ad for the then-new ''Beast Wars II'' [[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|animated series]] and [[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (manga)|manga series]].


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|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)}}
===Real-world references===
*The "seventh month of the Cosmic Year 1999" and "Great King of Angolmois" are both derived from ''{{w|Les Prophéties|The Prophecies}}'' of [[France|French]] seer {{w|Nostradamus}},<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20170430004120/http://www.maar.us/tenth_century_nostradamus_quatrains.html The text of Nostradamus's ''Prophecies'', Century X, in the original French with an English translation.] See Quatrain 72.</ref> whose prophecies were popular in [[Japan]] at the time. What these two bits actually ''mean'', however, is a ''lot'' to unpack, but most interpretations basically boil down to either a prophecy of doom brought about by either a tyrannical warlord like {{w|Genghis Khan}} or by terrorism, or a prophecy of prosperity brought about by either a rich philanthropist or a king like {{w|Francis I of France}}, occurring at some point in [[July]]–[[September]] of the year [[1999]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=PSiN-CVROJYC&q=Angolmois+mongolian&pg=PA67#v=snippet&q=Angolmois%20mongolian&f=false ''Saint Germain's Prophecy for the New Millennium: Includes Dramatic Prophecies from Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce and Mother Mary''] at Google Books</ref> In reality, it is still not entirely certain what, if anything, this prophecy referred to.
*[[Lio Convoy (BW)|Lio Convoy]] addresses [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] with the honorific of "{{w|Senpai and kōhai|senpai}}", which is used to refer to a person of senior experience, hierarchy, level, and/or age, who offers guidance, friendship, and general assistance to a newer, younger, and/or inexperienced person (known as the "{{w|Senpai and kōhai|kōhai}}") belonging to the same group, like a personal mentor. It is commonly used in the Japanese education system to refer to older students of higher grades by younger students of lower grades. In this case, it is used to indicate that Optimus Primal is Lio Convoy's personal mentor/superior (and is translated in the Quotes section above as "sir").


The Predacons and Ravage launch a full assault on the ''Axalon'', which the Maximals barely manage to stop, destroying Ravage and his ship in the process. Megatron retreats, but not back to his base. Optimus notes this and worriedly orders a pursuit. Back at the mountain, Blackarachnia and Silverbolt discover what was buried inside the tunnel: 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 help him gain 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 and change the course of history.  
===Other trivia===
*Galvatron is depicted here mostly in shadow because, at the time, the color scheme for his toy had not yet been finalized. Indeed, his toy pictured elsewhere in the catalog is represented by an unpainted gray [[prototype|hardcopy]].


A vast [[timestorm]] is unleashed, tearing apart the fabric of reality itself. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} ''The effects of this temporal crisis are felt throughout the timestream, creating a massive paradox that sends the time deity, the [[Chronarchitect]], reeling in agony.'' {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}} 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 stabilize the storm by putting Prime on life support. 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 destroying the unguarded ''Axalon'', sinking it at 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}} ''However, unbeknownst to everyone, the storm leaves behind a small tear in the fabric of space-time deep inside a remote, underground cavern.'' {{storylink|Paradox}} {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}}
==References==
{{reflist}}


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 [[protohuman]]s in another attempt to prevent humanity's existence. As the Maximals work to protect the protohumans 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.
<nowiki>[[Category:Beast Wars II media]]
[[Category:Pack-in material]]</nowiki>


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 protohuman friends, a young girl named [[Una]], is kidnapped by the Predacons. They use her to finish construction on a [[disruptor cannon|weapon]] designed to vaporize the ''Ark'', but Una is rescued by Rattrap and Depth Charge. She also failed to install the weapon'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 conciousness 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. The Fuzor grants Megatron access to the ''Ark'' and the Predacon leader takes the Decepticon 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.
<!--=Beast Era=
The '''Beast Era''' is an umbrella term used by fans to refer to  


Blackarachnia frees Optimus of Quickstrike's control and she 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 recent arrival from the far future via transwarp portal.'' {{storylink|Schism (story)|Schism}}
==Origin==
How the Beast Era came about.


==Franchises of the Beast Era==
===''Beast Wars: Transformers'' (1996–2001)===
[[File:Optimusprimalvsmegatronsplash.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|Before 'toon began, there was... the comic!]]
In the very beginning, when the toyline debuted in 1996, the line presented itself as a complete reinvention of the ''Transformers'' brand, but one that was still set on [[Earth]] in the present day. Numerous references to "Bio-Genetic Engineering" being the source of the Maximals' and Predacons' organic [[beast mode]]s were given in the toys' packaging blurb, in a short [[Optimus Primal vs Megatron!|comic]] [[pack-in material|included]] with the very first [[Optimus Primal (BW)/toys#Beast Wars|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)/toys#Beast Wars|Megatron]] toys, and in many of the toys' [[bio]]s. Combined with the bio for that first Optimus Primal toy closely paraphrasing the motto of the original [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Optimus Prime toy]] from [[1984]] ("Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."), the original implication was that ''Beast Wars'' was simply another continuation of the [[The Transformers (franchise)|first]] [[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|two]] iterations of the ''Transformers'' brand, with the Maximals and Predacons merely being genetically-enhanced Autobots and Decepticons, and Optimus Primal and Megatron being the very same individuals as their [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Generation 1]] [[Megatron (G1)|namesakes]].


[[File:BeastWars2 clash.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|They fight! And bite! They fight and bite and fight! Fight fight fight! Bite bite bite!]]
Granted, the line wasn't ''explicit'' about this connection at the time, but there was no reason ''not'' to think so. Plus, the [[1997]] release of the Maximal [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Beast Wars|Grimlock]] toy featured a bio that made it abundantly clear that he was, indeed, the very same Autobot [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] of old, which further reinforced these implications. But after the cartoon took off and cemented itself as the dominant ''Beast Wars'' fiction, the toyline gradually shifted away from its original continuity to one more closely resembling that of the cartoon. A number of 1997 toy bios mentioned "[[energon crystal]]s" (a prominent part of the cartoon's first season), while [[Drill Bit (BW)|Drill Bit]]'s bio referred to the ''Beast Wars'' setting not as "Earth" but instead "the mysterious planet" (as it was known in the cartoon's first season). By [[1998]], the original toy continuity was practically dropped entirely, with the packaging blurbs for the [[Transmetal]]s, [[Fuzor]]s, and [[1999]]'s [[Transmetal 2|Transmetals 2]] directly mentioning events specific to the cartoon's second and third seasons.
*[[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] come from the future via [[unspace|transwarp]] technology and scan the animals of the planet for [[alternate mode]]s. The [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] begin. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}}


*The immortal life force of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] crosses time and space to reach Earth. He possesses a [[Waspinator (BW)|Predacon]] and attempts to take over, but fails. He returns to being a ghost and vanishes into the far reaches of time and space. {{storylink|Possession}}
====Toyline====
====Cartoon====
====Comics====


*Due to the Maximals' and Predacons' interference in the [[Vok]] experiment on Earth, the Vok begin to terraform the planet. [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] sacrifices his life to stop this. As a result, Earth loses its second, mechanical moon, and the [[quantum surge]] is generated. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}
===''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' (1997–1999)===
====Toyline====
====Cartoons====
====Movies====
====Comics====


*[[Protohuman|Humanity's ancestors]] develop the ability to create and use tools. [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] saves them from destruction at the hands of the Predacons by sacrificing himself. {{storylink|Code of Hero}}
===''Animorphs'' (1999)===
====Toyline====


*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] is sent from the future to kill everyone. He captures the Predacon [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], but fails in his mission and is destroyed by [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]'s sabotage. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}}
===''Beast Machines: Transformers'' (1999–2001)===
====Toyline====
====Cartoon====
====Comics====


[[File:G1Prime BWMegs.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Well that's hardly sporting.]]
===''Transformers: Car Robots'' (2000)===
*In [[Mount St. Hilary|the volcano]] where the dormant Ark is located, the Predacon Megatron unearths the Ark and attacks Optimus Prime in an attempt to change history. As a result, a [[timestorm]] occurs, but [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] stops it. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}
====Toyline====
====Cartoon====


*[[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] tracks [[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]] from the future, winding up on prehistoric Earth. {{storylink|Deep Metal}}
==Related post-Beast Era franchises==
*'''''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]''''' ([[2001]]–[[2003]])
:x


* ''[[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]] arrives from the future.  The [[Covenant (group)|Covenant]] travel to prehistoric Earth to join the Beast Warriors' battle with [[Shokaract]], a pawn of Unicron. By defeating him, they prevent a cataclysmic future that will destroy the universe. {{storylink|Terminus (issue)|Terminus}}''
*'''''[[Transformers: Expanded Universe]]''''' ([[2002]])
:x


*The ''Nemesis'' is found by Predacon Megatron. Megatron tries to use the ''Nemesis'' to change history. However, the plan was stopped by the Maximals led by Optimus Primal. Predacon Megatron is captured and everyone returns to their own time on one of the Ark's shuttles, except for Waspinator who stays behind to be worshipped by the protohumans. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}}  {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}}
*'''''[[The Transformers: Super Spychanger Lottery]]''''' (2003)
:x


*''[[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], thought dead, was left behind on prehistoric Earth and begins the Beast Wars anew. The Vok create a champion, [[Primal Prime]], but Tarantulas defeats him in battle and steals the [[Matrix of Leadership]], forcing the Vok to revive him all over again.{{storylink|Primeval Dawn}}''
*'''''[[Transformers: Dinobots]]''''' (2003)
{{note|3H ceased production of Transformers comics at this point so the storyline was never completed; artist [[Dan Khanna]] would eventually relay that the intended, largely unscripted denouement would have featured the recreated Primal Prime — along with [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]], [[Tigatron]], [[Packrat]], and [[Ramulus]] — defeating Tarantulas.  Something unspecified would have happened to Airazor. The survivors would have returned to Cybertron's future along with Apelinq, [[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]], and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] via a transwarp portal.  As these story elements were never completed or published, their actual place in a timeline is up to the reader's [[personal canon]].}}
:x
{{-}}


==1984 CE==
*'''''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|Transformers: Universe]]''''' (2003–[[2008]])
* After four million years of dormancy, the inhabitants aboard the Ark are awakened and reignite the Great War. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}}
:x


==2005 CE==
*'''''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]''''' ([[2004]]–[[2006]])
[[File:Skidswreckers2.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Woo, science!]]
:x
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] is killed by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. Starscream's mutant indestructible [[spark]] wanders through time and space.  {{storylink|Possession}}


* ''[[Unicron]] is defeated. {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}}''
*'''''[[Transformers Timelines (franchise)|Transformers: Timelines]]''''' ([[2005]]–[[2016]]) / '''''[[Combiner Wars (franchise)|Transformers: Combiner Wars]]''''' ([[2015]]–[[2018]])
:x


* ''The new Autobot leader, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], commissions a science team shortly after [[Unicron]]'s defeat.  The ''[[Sojourner's Passage]]'', crewed by [[Glyph (Universe)|Glyph]], [[Tap-Out (Universe)|Tap-Out]], and others, is launched.  It crashlands on the distant planet of [[Akalo|Archa Nine]] and is lost to the ages. {{storylink|Betrayal|Betrayal}}''
*'''''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]''''' ([[2014]]–2016)
{{-}}
:x
==Around 2015 CE{{fact}}==
* ''An outbreak of an army of [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbirds]] results in the death of [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]].  [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] goes into mourning.  {{storylink|Departure}}''


==Latter 21st century CE==
*''''''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Transformers: Legends]]''''' (2014–[[2019]])
* ''The [[Pax Cybertronia]] is signed as the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] truly ends.  Autobots begin undergoing the [[Great Upgrade|Maximal Upgrade]] process.  Arcee, still in mourning for Daniel, leaves this new society, and eventually becomes a techno-organic spider who can foresee others' deaths.  {{storylink|Departure}}''
:x
*The Transformers develop two offshoot factions/species on Cybertron, the [[Maximal]]s from the Autobots and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] from the Decepticons, all members of which begin their lives as [[protoform]]s.
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] is granted amnesty.  {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}


==Around 311 [[AU]]==
*'''''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (franchise)|Transformers: Rise of the Beasts]]''''' ([[2023]])
*The Maximals create a Transformer based on Starscream's indestructible spark. They try to use him as an immortal warrior, but his mind proves too unstable to control. {{storylink|Bad Spark|Bad Spark}}  This "Protoform X" massacres [[Colony Omicron]]. All its residents are killed except for the heavily injured Depth Charge, the [[Imperial Peace Marshal]] of the colony. This event sets Depth Charge on a tireless hunt for Protoform X.  {{storylink|Deep Metal}}
:x


==Around 315 AU==
==Commemoration franchises==
*Four [[Units of time|stellar cycles]] after the massacre on Colony Omicron, Protoform X is captured and turned over to the [[Maximal Elder]]s by Depth Charge. The Maximal Elders decide to place Protoform X in a [[stasis pod]] and dump him on some barren world in deep space. The mission is assigned to [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and his ship, the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]''. {{storylink|Bad Spark}}
*'''''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary]]''''' (2006)
:x


[[File:Megatronbwtheft.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Where it all started, despite being most of the way down the page.]]
*'''''[[Beast Wars Reborn]]''''' (2006)
*''Under [[Cryotek (Universe)|Cryotek]]'s orders, [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] steals the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], which the Maximals have been safeguarding.  {{storylink|Theft of the Golden Disk|Theft of the Golden Disk}} With his underlings, Megatron travels to prehistoric Earth. [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and his crew, who are departing for a deep-space exploration mission (with a covert stop to dispose of Protoform X), are ordered to chase down Megatron instead. Colony Omicron's former chief of security, [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]], begins tracing their ship.  {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past|Dawn of Future's Past}}''
:x


*The Predacon [[Tripredacus Council]] view Megatron's independent actions as dangerous and send Ravage traveling back into the past to assassinate all Maximals and Predacons involved with the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]. Their plan ends in failure. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}} {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}}
*'''''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Telemocha Series]]''''' ([[2007]])
:x


*Depth Charge travels back in time, still in pursuit of X. {{storylink|Deep Metal}}
*'''''[[War for Cybertron: Kingdom]]''''' ([[2021]])
:x


*A "Quantum Cycle Upgrade" takes place on Cybertron, the entire population is fitted with [[DNA scanner]]s. {{storylink|Survivor}}
*'''''[[Vintage|Vintage Beast Wars]]''''' (2021–2023)
{{-}}
:x


==316 AU <ref>The date for Beast Machines, given in years "After Unicron," is established in [[Apelinq's War Journals]].  Other dates are established by working backwards and forwards from this.</ref>==
*'''''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers Again]]''''' (2023–[[2024]])
[[File:Thereformattingmaximalsmaximize.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|It was an evolution revolution.]]
:x
*As Optimus Primal and his crew return to Cybertron via transwarp with the captured Megatron, Megatron escapes. He emerges on Cybertron in an earlier time period and uses a virus bomb to conquer the planet before Primal and his crew get there.  {{storylink|Fires of the Past}}


*''All of the [[Wrecker]]s except for [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] and [[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]] are defeated by Megatron's drone armies. Apelinq disappears through a transwarp portal with an antidote to Megatron's virus during a fight with Vehicon [[Mirage (BM)|Mirage]].  They both arrive in the middle of the Beast Wars. {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals}}''
==Notes==
*Machine Wars note


*Primal and his crew are affected by the virus bomb and lose their memories and ability to transform, but through the guidance of Oracle, they are reformatted into new bodies. {{storylink|The Reformatting}}
==References==
 
{{reflist}}
[[File:Sentinelcryotekwreckersfinale.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Several licensees died to bring you this information.]]
*''Apelinq returns from the Beast Wars along with Primal Prime, his crew, and Waspinator.  Along with Rodimus, all but Waspinator form the new Wreckers team under Primal Prime's leadership. {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals}}  The Wreckers are given a mission from the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] to find the [[Divine Light]] and keep it from falling into the wrong hands.  {{storylink|Departure}} They travel to [[Akalo|Archa Nine]], where they meet up Glyph and Tap-Out, but they fail!  {{storylink|Betrayal}}''
 
*It is revealed that Primal was sent into the past to bring organic beast bodies back to Cybertron as part of the Oracle's plan. Primal takes Megatron with him as he throws himself into the core of Cybertron, a fountain of organic energy. They die. The [[spark]]s Megatron captured are all freed, and Cybertron is reformatted into a verdant world with a balance of organic and mechanical.  {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future}}


*'' One week after the [[Great Transformation]], Cryotek and the [[Quintesson]]s invade Cybertron, but are repelled by the newly-technorganic natives.  Cryotek is banished. Rodimus dies. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}''
<nowiki>[[Category:Beast Era| ]]
{{-}}
[[Category:Fan terminology]]</nowiki>-->
 
==317 AU==
[[File:Optimusprimaluniverseend.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|So this is how the Universe ends.  Not with a bang, but with a two-panel speedy wrap-up.]]
*''One year later, Cybertron welcomes home a ship full of exiled [[Autobot]]s. When they and [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] are abducted by [[Unicron]], a new battle begins. Optimus Primal is reborn by the power of [[Primus]] to guide the [[Child of Primus|Children of Primus]] against the [[Minion of Unicron (Universe)|Minions of Unicron]], but Primal's rebirth necessitates Megatron's return as well. {{storylink|Abduction}} {{storylink|Escape (Universe)|Escape}}''
 
==Undetermined point in the future==
*''The [[Universe War]] ends with victory for the Children of Primus, as Unicron himself dissipates below the combatants as a result of the [[Unicron Singularity]]'s formation in another universe. {{storylink|Revelations Part 2}}''
 
*[[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] is reborn, who plans to bring the Predacon army back to its former glory and crush the Maximals.  {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past}}
 
{{-}}
 
==32nd century C.E. (undone)==
*''At this point in time, would it not have been prevented, [[Shokaract]] rules Cybertron and a good portion of the rest of the universe. When he notices disturbances in the timestream that could endanger [[Matrix of Conquest|his current might]], he sends [[Herald of Shokaract|two of his elite]] to the past to secure it and later goes back in time himself to finish the job. However, Shokaract's reign is not unchallenged and some of his enemies too manage to get to the past to stop him.''
 
==References==
<references />

Latest revision as of 19:45, 7 May 2026

The Stage of Battle is the 2nd War... Beast Wars, Maximize!!

[edit]
Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers catalog story

You have NO idea how much strife this one little catalog story has caused.
"The Stage of Battle is the 2nd War... Beast Wars, Maximize!!"
闘いの舞台は2 (セカンド)戦争... ...ビーストウォーズ、変身!!
(Tatakai no Butai wa Sekando Sensō...Bīsuto Wōzu, Henshin!!)
First published Spring 1998
Continuity Its own (see "Continuity" below)
Packaged with Spring 1998 Japanese Beast Wars toy releases

New leaders are appointed as a new war begins.

Synopsis

[edit]

While Optimus Primal and Megatron are off fighting their own life-or-death struggle, a new conflict, the "2nd War", is about to unfold on a planet within a star system located in a remote part of the galaxy. The participants of this conflict are members of the heroic Maximal Space Guard and the evil Predacon Armored Corps, respectively. Their battle is fought over a mysterious weapon hidden in ancient ruins of the planet, a weapon known as the "Great King of Angolmois". It is said that the victor of this conflict, be it Maximal or Predacon, will be decided in the seventh month of the Cosmic Year 1999.

The leaders of both sides of this new conflict are introduced by each of their immediate predecessors. Megatron introduces Galvatron as the New Emperor of Destruction, and recalls a time when, back on Cybertron, the two once disagreed over how to conquer the universe. This led to a fight between the two, in which Galvatron bested Megatron after catching him off guard. Though he now acknowledges Galvatron's ambition and his care for those under his command, Megatron also begrudgingly admits that Galvatron may hold enough dignity to succeed him as Emperor.

Meanwhile, Optimus Primal introduces the new Maximal leader, Lio Convoy, who was originally an ace in the Maximal Space Guard. Optimus notes that he is strong, valiant, and even kind, but also, admittedly, a bit too frank at times. Nevertheless, Optimus considers him to be an ideal leader, and remains hopeful that he can count on Lio Convoy to do all that he can to help maintain peace throughout the universe.

[edit]

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Maximals Predacons

Quotes

[edit]

Galvatron: "Your time is over, Megatron!"


Lio Convoy: "Please leave it to me! Optimus, sir!!"

Continuity

[edit]

This catalog story was originally written for the express purpose of explaining the premise of the then-upcoming Japanese-original series Beast Wars II, which had been created to fill the gap left by the delayed Japanese release of the second and third seasons of the American Beast Wars cartoon. Once the first season had finished airing, it would be succeeded by the Beast Wars II animated series, along with an accompanying manga series published by Comic BomBom. This little story was released about a month ahead the Beast Wars II cartoon's debut, and attempted to explain just how Beast Wars II was supposed to fit into the continuity of the American Beast Wars cartoon.

Timeframe

[edit]
This didn't happen.

As described above in the Synopsis, it is stated that Beast Wars II is set concurrent to the Beast Wars fought between Optimus Primal and Megatron on what was, at the time, not yet revealed to be prehistoric Earth[1] (in Japan, the planet was instead known as "Energoa" prior to its reveal as Earth). But, it was not initially made clear if this meant it took place during the same timeframe as the Beast Wars (since the time travel aspect had not yet been confirmed in the Japanese dub) or if took place in the far future timeframe that Optimus Primal and Megatron's crews had originally come from before traveling back in time to prehistoric Earth. Needless to say, the latter became the most widespread interpretation once it was made clear on both sides of the Pacific that the American Beast Wars cartoon was set on Earth in prehistoric times. Additional support for this interpretation came from the setting Beast Wars II itself, Gaia—a post-apocalyptic planet overrun by plant and wildlife—which bore a strong resemblance to Earth (with the manga making even more explicit hints to the planet's identity by featuring city ruins that heavily resembled Tokyo). The manga even featured guest appearances by Optimus Primal that depicted him as native to the timeframe of Beast Wars II. This notion even bled back over into some American media, with the Beast Wars toy bio for Transmetals 2 Cybershark alluding to the Beast Wars II Seacons as his contemporaries, while the Beast Machines bio for Dinobots Magmatron positioned the events of Beast Wars Neo as having occurred before Beast Machines.

By the thirty-sixth episode of Beast Wars II, it was revealed that Gaia's ancient inhabitants hadn't lived on the planet for several tens of thousands of years, which placed Beast Wars II that far into the future. Conversely, the thirteenth episode of the American Beast Wars cartoon stated that the cast of that show originally hailed from only three centuries into the future.[2] However, the specific "three centuries" line from the English version had actually been omitted from the Japanese dub of the episode, so there was no contradiction there. That said, a few discrepancies did eventually begin to crop up in the immediate sequel series to Beast Wars II, Beast Wars Neo. Namely, Beast Wars Neo opened with explicit confirmation that the Maximals and Predacons were at war with each other, and had been for some time, while in the first episode of the American cartoon, Optimus Primal stated that the Maximals and Predacons were instead at peace with each other, and had been for centuries (this line was kept faithfully in the Japanese dub). Likewise, the supercomputer Vector Sigma was shown to be a known public figure on Cybertron, residing in a tower as the highest authority on the planet. By contrast, the first episode of the American Beast Wars sequel series Beast Machines showed that Vector Sigma had long ago evolved into a new form called the Oracle, and presented it as a long lost legend hidden deep within the planet (though, to be fair, since Beast Wars Neo was made first, there was no way the Japanese production staff could have predicted the future developments of Beast Machines).

Optimus Primal and Megatron

[edit]
This didn't happen either.

Besides the timeframe discrepancies, there were other factors that ended up contradicting this catalog story's depiction of Optimus Primal and Megatron. The two are presented here as Maximal and Predacon authority figures in positions of power that allow them to appoint other individuals with official titles of leadership; Optimus in particular is treated as Lio Convoy's senior officer. This is in stark contrast to how, in the English version of Beast Wars, Optimus was merely the captain of a science vessel, while Megatron was, indeed, originally perceived as the main leader of all Predacons in the cartoon's first season, but changes made during the show's second season revealed that he was instead a wannabe tyrant with delusions of grandeur, and was considered a criminal on Cybertron even by his own people (but, like the Vector Sigma contradiction, there was no way the Japanese could have predicted what the second season would change after the first season). Nonetheless, the first-season depiction of Megatron as a true leader likely influenced the depictions of Predacon leaders Galvatron and Magmatron in Beast Wars II and Neo, respectively. Both were the captains of their own spacefaring vessels, were known by all as fearsome emperors, and answered to no higher authorities within the Predacon ranks. This stood in contrast to how, later in Beast Wars, the Tripredacus Council was revealed to be the true head of government for the Predacons, with Megatron being labeled a dangerous renegade.

The early Japanese depiction of Optimus Primal and Megatron as high-ranking Maximal and Predacon leaders seems to have stemmed from an early perception of the two that originally pegged them as being the same characters as their Generation 1 namesakes, Optimus Prime and Megatron. When the original Beast Wars toyline started up in 1996, the earliest toy bios and pack-in comic presented the Maximals and Predacons on present-day Earth and as just Autobots and Decepticons having been upgraded by "Bio-Genetic Engineering". While this idea was dropped when the Beast Wars cartoon came along, it seems Takara hadn't quite gotten the memo over in Japan, as the earliest Japanese toy bios for Optimus and Megatron were based on their earliest American toy bios, with both giving them the lofty titles of "Supreme Commander" and "Emperor of Destruction" just like their namesakes. Optimus Primal was even given the same Japanese name as Optimus Prime, "Convoy", and his toy bio treated him as if he was the same Convoy of old. Special Japanese-only redeco toys even mentioned a "trailer truck" and a "Walther P-38" as having been Primal and Megatron's previous altmodes. Likewise, the Maximal and Predacon factions themselves were given the same Japanese names as those of the Autobot and Decepticon faction, being "Cybertron" and "Destron", respectively, in a seeming attempt to remove as much distinction between the two sets of factions as possible.

This perception even appeared to bleed over into other Japanese Beast Wars media: The third chapter of the Beast Wars II manga featured a short bio for Optimus Primal that described him as "A fierce fighter who has fought against the Destron army for thousands of years."[3] And when he later guest-starred in the Beast Wars II movie, he was depicted as a "legendary Supreme Commander" that everyone knew and was in awe of, complete with his own Matrix. That same movie also had Galvatron refer to a "Megatron" as "the greatest and most vicious legendary Transformer in history." But, it was never clarified if this grandiose description was in reference to Generation 1 or Beast Wars Megatron... likely because, at the time, the movie treated the two as if they were the same person, just as it seemed to do for Optimus (Although, when Lio Convoy and Optimus Primal first interacted with each other in the movie, Lio Convoy at one point asks "Please forgive me. But, who are you?" when looking directly at Optimus, casting some doubt over whether they actually knew each other beforehand like this catalog story claimed).

BUT, within the Japanese dub of the Beast Wars cartoon's first season itself, this perception was not the case. While the dub did insert references to Optimus being a Supreme Commander and Megatron being Emperor of Destruction, the dub was more or less accurate on the matter to the original English version. The two were never described as being the same characters as their Generation 1 namesakes, and even when the Decepticon Starscream made his famous guest appearance, the episode's Japanese dub made it even more explicit than the English version that Megatron had no familiarity with him at all.[4] Consequently, this show of restraint by the dub turned out to be fortuitous in the long run, as the later two seasons of the series made it abundantly clear that Optimus Primal and Megatron were completely separate individuals from Optimus Prime and the original Megatron.

The Great King of Angolmois

[edit]

One last contradiction in this catalog story is the fact that it refers to a "weapon" called the "Great King of Angolmois" (アンゴルモアの大王 Angorumoa no Daiō) that lies within ancient ruins of the planet. In both the cartoon and manga, it was instead a lava-like substance called "Angolmois Energy". Evidently, this was an early concept for the main plot device that was to be fought over by the forces of Lio Convoy and Galvatron, and even made it into the bio for Megastorm's toy; bios for later toys would instead reflect the cartoon and manga by referring to "Angolmois Energy".

Interestingly, the concept of a powerful weapon hidden deep within ancient ruins on Earth would later be recycled wholesale and fully utilized just two years later in the Car Robots cartoon, with Brave Maximus being said weapon.

Conclusion

[edit]

In the mid-2000s, Takara began to make some serious efforts to organize the ever-growing Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline that included all of the cartoons from the Beast Era. Due to all of the contradictions laid out above, Takara made the decision to ignore this catalog story entirely, throwing out every claim and character-depiction it made in order to clean up all of the issues between the American and Japanese cartoons. Opting to lean into "several tens of thousands of years" statement given by Beast Wars II, it was decided to relocate the two American cartoons away from the two Japanese ones, by acknowledging the "three centuries" statement given by the English version of Beast Wars that the Japanese dub had originally omitted. When fans in the west first learned of this timeline, the placement of Beast Wars II and Neo being set so long after the Beast Machines cartoon came as quite a startling shock, having long since taken both this catalog story and the Beast Machines Magmatron toy bio as gospel, since all the continuity issues described above were virtually unknown to anyone outside of Japan due to Beast Wars II and Neo having not yet been fully translated into English at the time.

There was, however, one more discrepancy created by this attempt to fix all of the others: With the relocation of Beast Machines set before Beast Wars II and Neo, this now placed the technorganic reformatting Cybertron underwent at the end of Beast Machines as happening before its appearances in Beast Wars Neo as a metallic planet. This last hole would be filled in 2019 by a Transformers Legends pack-in comic, which explained how and why Cybertron was turned back into a metallic world several eons after the end of Beast Machines.

Thus, with the discarding of this catalog story from the Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity, its events have since been relegated to a little micro-continuity all unto itself. If anything, it still somewhat fits with the Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo manga, which stuck to the catalog story's placing all the characters in the same timeframe. Though, the subsequent Beast Wars Metals manga still treats Optimus Primal and Megatron as separate individuals from Optimus Prime and G1 Megatron, meaning they'd just be high-ranking Maximals and Predacons all on their own without any inherent ties to their namesakes.

Notes

[edit]

Transformers references

[edit]
  • The "Maximize" in the title of this story is actually "Henshin" (変身), a Japanese word for "transformation" that was used in the Japanese dub of the Beast Wars cartoon as the Japanese equivalent/replacement for both "Maximize" and "Terrorize" in the original English version. "Maximize", rather than "Transform", is used here to reflect that dubbing decision, and also because Beast Wars II would distinguish "Henshin" from "Transform" by specifically using the former for those with beast modes, while the latter would be used by those with mechanical vehicle modes.
  • Also included in this catalog is a brief recap of the final events of "Other Voices, Part 2", which had, at the time, recently aired in Japan on March 25, 1998. Said recap is given the title of ~Convoy's Great Explosion~ (〜コンボイ大爆発編〜 ~Konboi Dai Bakuhatsu-hen~). At the bottom of this recap is also an ad for the then-new Beast Wars II animated series and manga series.

Real-world references

[edit]
  • The "seventh month of the Cosmic Year 1999" and "Great King of Angolmois" are both derived from The Prophecies of French seer Nostradamus,[5] whose prophecies were popular in Japan at the time. What these two bits actually mean, however, is a lot to unpack, but most interpretations basically boil down to either a prophecy of doom brought about by either a tyrannical warlord like Genghis Khan or by terrorism, or a prophecy of prosperity brought about by either a rich philanthropist or a king like Francis I of France, occurring at some point in July–September of the year 1999.[6] In reality, it is still not entirely certain what, if anything, this prophecy referred to.
  • Lio Convoy addresses Optimus Primal with the honorific of "senpai", which is used to refer to a person of senior experience, hierarchy, level, and/or age, who offers guidance, friendship, and general assistance to a newer, younger, and/or inexperienced person (known as the "kōhai") belonging to the same group, like a personal mentor. It is commonly used in the Japanese education system to refer to older students of higher grades by younger students of lower grades. In this case, it is used to indicate that Optimus Primal is Lio Convoy's personal mentor/superior (and is translated in the Quotes section above as "sir").

Other trivia

[edit]
  • Galvatron is depicted here mostly in shadow because, at the time, the color scheme for his toy had not yet been finalized. Indeed, his toy pictured elsewhere in the catalog is represented by an unpainted gray hardcopy.

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ At least, in Japan. By March 1998, the English version of the American cartoon had already revealed the planet to be Earth.
  2. ↑ Though, a later [[Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|episode from the Beast Wars sequel Beast Machines stated the future era was set "eons" later.
  3. ↑ 数千年にわたり、デストロン軍と戦いつづけで猛者。コンボイの称号を与える軍の評議会の一員でもある。エネルゴン探索の任務遂行中に消息をたったともいわれていたが...!?
  4. ↑ In the Japanese dub of "Possession", when hearing Blackarachnia describe Starscream's history, Megatron actually says "I've never heard of him."
  5. ↑ The text of Nostradamus's Prophecies, Century X, in the original French with an English translation. See Quatrain 72.
  6. ↑ Saint Germain's Prophecy for the New Millennium: Includes Dramatic Prophecies from Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce and Mother Mary at Google Books

[[Category:Beast Wars II media]] [[Category:Pack-in material]]


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