|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)
}}
[[File:Beast Era Compilation.jpg|thumb|upright=2.8|''Step right up and come on in, here's where the fun begins!'']]
'''New leaders are appointed as a new war begins.'''
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 ''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]'' franchises that preceded it, ''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: Transformers]]'', in late [[1999]], both produced by [[Mainframe Entertainment]]. Together, ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' are the primary components of the "[[Beast Era]]" and thus form the backbone of the '''Beast Era timeline'''.
{{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]].
Thanks to its engaging characters, superb storytelling, and enriched world-building, ''Beast Wars'' became ''immensely'' popular with fans both new and old. This quickly led to several other parties wanting to write their own takes on the greater world of the two cartoons, evolving the Beast Era 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 continuity of the two Beast Era cartoons, untouched by any additional media (barring some minute exceptions written specifically in context with the cartoons and nothing else). For more timelines of the Beast Era cartoons, see "[[#Other timelines|Other timelines]]" below.
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.
{{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.
Long ago, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] was originally a green, organic world filled with lush, plant-based ecosystems and animal wildlife. When the first [[Transformer]]s come to this planet and populate it (as foretold by the supercomputer originally known as [[Vector Sigma]] and later known as the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] {{storylink|The Reformatting}} {{storylink|The Key}}), the planet is gradually transformed into the metallic world of Cybertron. The Transformers (now "Cybertronians") build vast cities over the planet's original nature, constructing layers upon layers of civilizations, until all traces of Cybertron's original organic state are completely lost to time and buried within the planet's innermost layers. {{storylink|The Reformatting}} {{storylink|Forbidden Fruit}} {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent|Descent}} {{storylink|Revelations Part III: Apocalypse|Apocalypse}} {{storylink|Survivor}}
Over time, many of Cybertron's legends come to be immortalized in a sacred tome called the [[Covenant of Primus]]. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}} {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}} Civil war eventually breaks out between two factions on Cybertron, the [[Autobot]]s and the [[Decepticon]]s. {{storylink|Possession}} They are led by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], respectively. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}}
*[[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]] (2)
}}
===Four million years ago===
==Quotes==
The Autobots construct a mighty vessel, the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', to carry its finest heroes on a voyage into space. However, during its journey through the stars, the ''Ark'' is intercepted by the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', the flagship of the Decepticon space fleet. High above the planet [[Earth]], the two vessels engage in a fierce space battle, in which the ''Ark'' is ultimately shot down by the ''Nemesis'' before it too succumbs its battle scars. Both ships plummet to the planet below; the ''Ark'' crashes into the side of a [[Mount St. Hilary|volcanic mountain]] while the ''Nemesis'' plunges into the deep depths of an ocean. For the next four million years, the Autobots and Decepticons aboard the ''Ark'' lie dormant in [[stasis lock|emergency stasis]], Optimus Prime and Megatron included. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} {{storylink|Master Blaster}} {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}}
'''Galvatron''': "Your time is over, Megatron!"
{{--}}
==Other wars==
[[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] and his consort [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] fight and win a thousand wars together. The two of them go on to be revered as the greatest generals in Cybertronian history. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike|The Strike}}
{{-}}
==Distant past==
'''Lio Convoy''': "Please leave it to me! Optimus, sir!!"
[[File:Standing stones chain of command.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|The Standing Stones]]
[[File:Purple vok.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The Vok]]
An alien race known as the [[Vok]] comes to the planet [[Earth]]. They begin a mysterious experiment with the planet, {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}} seeding it with raw crystalline [[energon]] {{storylink|Before the Storm}} and placing several unnatural devices across the planet, including a set of [[Standing Stones]], {{storylink|Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command}} a [[Brigadoon|flying island]] with a powerful monument, {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 1}} {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 2}} an artificial [[Planet Buster|second moon]], {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}} {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}} a valley full of plantlife designed to metamorphose into a large [[Metal Hunter|flying fortress]], {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 1)}} {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 2)}} and a [[Golden Disk (Vok)|golden disk]] designed to control said fortress. {{storylink|Before the Storm}} {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}
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.
A [[unspace|transwarp]] portal opens in space, from which two ships emerge. The first is a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Darksyde (BW)|ship]] crewed by fugitives who had stolen a relic known as the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]]. The second is a [[Maximal]] science vessel, the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]''. The two ships battle above an unknown planet before crash-landing in different areas. Upon its descent, the ''Axalon'' ejects many [[stasis pod]]s into orbit. Since the planet is richly-seeded in raw, unstable [[energon]], both crews of Transformers adopt organic-skinned [[alternate mode|Beast Modes]] to protect themselves from the radiation. Believing they have come to the wrong planet, one of the Predacons, [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]], challenges his commander, [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], for Predacon leadership. For his insubordination, Dinobot is blasted away and exiled from Megatron's crew.
[[File:BeastWars2 clash.jpg|upright=1.74|thumb|]]
===Timeframe===
The Maximals—[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]—are soon met by the Predacons—Megatron, [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]], [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], and [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]]—and a battle ensues, from which the Maximals retreat. En route back to their base, they are met by Dinobot, who challenges Optimus Primal for Maximal leadership. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} Their duel is cut short by another Predacon attack, which unearths a large deposit of energon on a faraway mountain. 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 teams escape and Optimus declares that the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] have only just begun. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 2)}}
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''.
A month later, Cheetor finds himself captured by the Predacon scientist Tarantulas, but is rescued by 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 beacon hidden beneath the stones that shoots up into outer space. An [[Vok probe|alien probe]] touches down that night at the stones and captures Optimus Primal. The next day, another altercation at the stones sees Optimus released the probe, but which mysteriously vanishes. {{storylink|Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command}} The self-serving 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}}
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'').
[[File:Stasispod.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|left]]
===Optimus Primal and Megatron===
Both sides soon gain new additions to their ranks as stasis pods begin to crash down from the sky. The Maximals are joined by [[Tigatron]], {{storylink|Fallen Comrades}} while the Predacons add [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] to their ranks. {{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}} Meanwhile, Scorponok develops a virus that turns Optimus into a berserker. The Maximals storm the Predacon base to acquire a cure for their rampaging 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 prevented by Megatron. {{storylink|The Probe}} The Predacons then fake their demise to trick the Maximals into looting their ship in order to repair the ''Axalon'', in hopes that the Predacons may steal the ship and leave the Maximals stranded on the planet. Dinobot discovers their treachery and a scuffle aboard the airborne ''Axalon'' sees it grounded once more. {{storylink|Victory (episode)|Victory}}
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.
Megatron then begins taking more experimental measures against the Maximals. First, he captures Rhinox and forcibly reprograms him into a Predacon. But, Rhinox proves too cunning for Megatron to control and begins taking out each of 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 of using him to bypass the Maximals' 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 a success and the newcomer [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] joins the Maximals. {{storylink|The Spark}}
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.
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).
During one of Tigatron's field reports, he is attacked by Terrorsaur and Waspinator, who blast him into a cloud-filled gorge. Inside the cloud, they all discover a [[Brigadoon|flying island]] guarded by weapons of alien design. Seeking to protect this island, Tigatron 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 forced to destroy the island before it can be used to destroy the Maximal base. Upon the island's destruction, it sends a signal up to one of the planet's two moons, and is then sent out into space. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 2}} This ordeal puts Tarantulas on edge. Sensing the planet's forthcoming doom, he starts making plans to leave the planet when a new stasis pod crash-lands. He and Blackarachnia retrieve it and awaken the new Predacon [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]], but Tigatron destroys the pod to prevent Tarantulas from obtaining it. {{storylink|Spider's Game}}
'''''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.
The Predacons steal the ''Axalon''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[rectifier coil]], forcing the Maximals to remain in beast mode since 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. While 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 journey to the base. {{storylink|Dark Voyage}} The disembodied [[Spark]] of the ancient [[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. Optimus and Dinobot retake the ''Axalon'' and Blackarachnia double-crosses Starscream, blasting his spark out of Waspinator and back into space. {{storylink|Possession}}
A Predacon attack on the ''Axalon'' sees Tarantulas infect Rhinox with an [[energon discharge virus]]. The Maximals track down and acquire a cure from Tarantulas's lair. That is all. {{storylink|The Low Road}} As the Maximals search for any more alien sites, a Predacon attack sees Tigatron 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 quits the Beast Wars. Dinobot argues that the war is necessary to prevent Megatron from spreading more destruction to Cybertron and other planets, but Tigatron disagrees. Optimus arrives to break the tension. While he sympathizes with Tigatron, he also reminds him that the Maximals are the only ones who can protect their friends and the planet from any harm caused by the Predacons. This convinces Tigatron to rejoin the war as a defender of life. {{storylink|Law of the Jungle}}
===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".
[[File:VokUnicronHead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
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.
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 learns from the contents of the new disk 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 anomaly that creates a [[Bio-Dome|domed structure]]. When Optimus is captured inside the dome, 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 project. An energy beam shoots upward from the dome and strikes one of the moons; the ensuing energy surge knocks the remaining stasis pods out of orbit.
===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.
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''.
Meanwhile, 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 superheating the planet to ignite the energon deposits. The Maximals discover the modified stasis pod and Optimus decides to fly it up to the alien machine and destroy it with a transwarp explosion. However, Megatron's previous sabotage of its transwarp cell traps Optimus inside the pod. He is destroyed in the explosion, along with the alien machine. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}} The explosion creates a [[quantum surge]] that strikes the planet and drastically changes its environments. The surge also mutates 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 a couple of [[Fuzor]]s: [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] and [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]]. Both are recruited by Megatron, but Silverbolt has some reservations about the Predacons. While the Maximals recover another stasis pod (whose protoform is a [[blank]]), Tigatron and Airazor go off to search for other pods. Rhinox then conducts a dangerous experiment to access the [[Transformer afterlife|Matrix]].[[File:Coming of the Fuzors 1 Megatron fuzors.jpg|upright=1.15|thumb]]
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.
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 about 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 just in time for them 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 having lost the Golden Disks, the Predacons start building jamming towers to disrupt Maximal communications. Megatron also make plans for the future. {{storylink|Tangled Web}}
==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]].
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 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 certainly doom their race. He later discusses something urgent with Optimus. {{storylink|Maximal, No More}} Tigatron and Airazor find a valley with alien plant life that abducts the pair into space. Megatron steals back the alien Golden Disk from the ''Axalon'' and Tarantulas declares himself no longer under Megatron's command, but also Megatron's only hope of surviving the forthcoming alien attack. As both factions rendezvous at the alien site, a massive [[Metal Hunter|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)}}
*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").
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. Once the Maximals and Blackarachnia defeat the monster, 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}}
*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 damaged stasis pod brings forth [[Transmutate (BW)|Transmutate]], a deformed creature whom both Rampage and Silverbolt seek to befriend. As the two battle over the newcomer, Transmutate tries to stop their fight but gets caught in the crossfire and perishes. {{storylink|Transmutate (episode)|Transmutate}} Back when the aliens' "[[Planet Buster|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 opposing 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, having been planted into Megatron's gang by the [[Predacon Secret Police]]. Ravage, meanwhile, intends to leave no living witnesses.
[[Category:Pack-in material]]</nowiki>
[[File:Ark BWAgenda1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|]]
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 ancient 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 '''Beast Era''' is an umbrella term used by fans to refer to
[[File:Optimusx2.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2]]
==Origin==
Having been originally created from 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 Optimus Prime on life support, stabilizing 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, which 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}}
How the Beast Era came about.
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 erase humanity's existence. As the Maximals protect the anthropoids and destroy the cyber raptors, Megatron launches an assault on the understaffed Maximal base in hopes to reenter the ''Ark''. Luckily, he is beaten back by Depth Charge. {{storylink|Cutting Edge}}
==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]].
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.
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 seemingly killed. At the base, Depth Charge disposes of the driver, but Blackarachnia recovers it and keeps it for herself. Soon, 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 brings 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 decision to make. {{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 before she could fully install the cannon's stabilizer crystal, causing the weapon to explode. {{storylink|Go with the Flow}}
====Toyline====
====Cartoon====
====Comics====
[[File:Megatrontm2render.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3]]
===''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers'' (1997–1999)===
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 goes after 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}}
====Toyline====
====Cartoons====
====Movies====
====Comics====
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}}
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 as their emissary. Having not forgotten Quickstrike's recent doublecross and collaboration with Tarantulas, 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.
====Toyline====
====Cartoon====
====Comics====
Tigerhawk despatches Optimus but is quickly 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.
===''Transformers: Car Robots'' (2000)===
====Toyline====
====Cartoon====
[[File:BWNemesisPt1 rises.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
==Related post-Beast Era franchises==
Megatron sends Inferno, Quickstrike, and Waspinator to search for a new base while he, Dinobot, and Rampage explore one last option left by the late Tarantulas: At some point prior, the spider had found 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 one final duel with each other. The ''Nemesis'' rises from the sea {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}} and begins attacking the land.
*'''''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]''''' ([[2001]]–[[2003]])
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 desperately to reactivate the ''Ark'', but to no avail. The ''Nemesis'' reaches the mountain and Optimus enters the ship to battle Megatron one-on-one. All the while, 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|Hall of Fame 2010 Dinobot nominee bio}}
:x
[[File:RookWaspinatorGod.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
*'''''[[The Transformers: Super Spychanger Lottery]]''''' (2003)
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}}
:x
Four of the Maximals—Blackarachnia, Optimus, Rhinox, and Cheetor—meet with Waspinator in a jungle. {{storylink|Revelations Part II: Descent|Descent}} With Megatron shackled to the roof, the Autobot shuttle takes off and flies into transwarp space; the Maximals aboard declare the Beast Wars to be finally over. Back down on the planet, Waspinator remains behind as the anthropoids' new ruler. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}}
Eventually, 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}}
:x
{{note|Exactly what happens to Waspinator after this point is unknown, but he inevitably makes his way back to Cybertron through unspecified means that "took forever".}}
In [[1984]], the eruption of a [[Mount St. Hilary|volcano]] on [[Earth]] awakens the dormant [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s lying within the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', the Autobot starship now embedded within the volcano's mountainside. The Autobots, led by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], and the Decepticons, led by [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], resume their age-old conflict of civil war between the two factions, igniting a secret conflict that history would later come to call "the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]". {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} {{storylink|Master Blaster}} Around this time, the [[human]]s of Earth launch a spacecraft named ''[[Voyager spacecraft|Voyager]]'', aboard which a [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|golden disk]] is carried out into space. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}}
Among the Autobots who fight alongside Optimus Prime are [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} Those onthe Decepticon side include [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], {{storylink|Possession}} [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} and [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]]. {{storylink|Dark Designs}}
At some point, [[unspace|transwarp]] technology comes into development. Around this time, a defeated Megatron finds and intercepts the Earth spacecraft ''Voyager'' out in space. Hedging his bets should he ultimately lose the war, he inscribes a secret message onto the craft's golden disk, instructing any Decepticon descendants that may find the disk to use the new transwarp technology to ensure the Decepticons' total victory in the end. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}}
*'''''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (franchise)|Transformers: Rise of the Beasts]]''''' ([[2023]])
When Starscream betrays the new Decepticon leader [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], he is repaid in kind when Galvatron blasts him into oblivion. {{storylink|Possession}} However, Starscream's spark possesses a mutant, indestructible quality that grants him a sense of immortality, {{storylink|Bad Spark}} enabling his spark to endure without the need of a physical body. {{storylink|Possession}} The Autobots and Decepticons have an encounter with the giant Transformer known as [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], {{storylink|Possession}} {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}} whose head comes to orbit Cybertron (presumably upon his destruction). {{storylink|Prometheus Unbound}}
:x
A virus known as the "[[Hate Plague]]" breaks out, which boosts one's adrenaline, suppresses the neocortex, and shuts off self-diagnostics. (It is presumably cured by Optimus Prime.) {{storylink|A Wolf in the Fold}} Ultimately, the Great War ends with the Autobots defeating the Decepticons. {{storylink|Possession}} {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} A formal peace treaty, the [[Pax Cybertronia]], is ratified and signed by both factions. A few Decepticons are granted amnesty, most of whom simply retire. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}} An unstable peace begins and lasts for "centuries". {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}}
As a result of the Autobots winning the Great War, it is their descendants, the [[Maximal]]s, who become the ruling power on Cybertron, with the Decepticons' descendants, the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]], subordinate to Maximal authority. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} Organized as a [[democracy]], {{storylink|Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command}} the Maximals install a [[Maximal High Council|High Council]] to govern them. {{storylink|Deep Metal}} Over time, the members of this council become known as the [[Maximal Elder]]s. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} {{storylink|Master of the House}}
Eventually, Cybertron's population undergoes "the [[Great Upgrade|great upgrade]] from Autobot to Maximal." {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}} New city layers are built over the city-states of old, with the city of [[Cybertropolis]] built over the ancient Autobot city of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}} However, some Autobots and Decepticons do still remain, living in retirement. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 2)}} {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}
*'''''[[War for Cybertron: Kingdom]]''''' ([[2021]])
By now, the Predacons are governed by the [[Predacon Alliance]], {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 2)}} led by the [[Tripredacus Council]]. The Council secretly plots a long game, planning for such a time when the Predacons can rise up and take Cybertron for themselves. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}} Until that time, however, they must cooperate with the Maximal Elders to keep the peace on Cybertron. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} Unbeknownst to the general populace, the surving Decepticon [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] had been reprogrammed and rebuilt as a Predacon, and becomes a covert agent for the Tripredacus Council. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}
:x
At some point since its original space launch centuries ago, the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] of Planet Earth ends up on Cybertron and becomes the most carefully guarded relic on the planet, {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} ''locked away deep within the [[Hall of Records]].'' {{storylink|Transformers Hall of Fame/2011|Hall of Fame 2011 Waspinator bio}} While some historical records remain accessible to the public through the [[Chronicles of Cybertron]], certain information about the planet's war history is classified by the [[Maximal Elder]]s, {{storylink|Possession}} with all travel to Earth-space forbidden by the High Council. {{storylink|Deep Metal}} However, these restrictions seem to apply less so for the Predacons, as [[Dinobot (BW)|one Predacon]] is able to study Cybertron's military history. {{storylink|Possession}}
Meanwhile, [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|a certain Predacon]] reads excerpts from the [[Covenant of Primus]] about a legendary figure named "[[Megatron (myth)|Megatron]]". Inspired by these legends, the Predacon takes the name for himself, {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}} a name also shared by the greatest leader of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Master Blaster}} In time, The Predacon Megatron becomes a publicly known criminal. {{storylink|Home Soil}}
*'''''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers Again]]''''' (2023–[[2024]])
Three centuries after the Great War,<ref>While it is not stated explicitly, in either ''Beast Wars'' or ''Beast Machines'', when the Great War ended, the general consensus is that it ended at some point in the 21st century, which would place the home-time of the ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' cast in the 24th Century. Most expanded universes for the Beast Era agree with this.</ref> {{storylink|Dark Designs}}, the Pax Cybertronia remains in effect. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}} Cybertron and its Maximal populace are still governed by the High Council of Maximal Elders {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} {{storylink|Deep Metal}} {{storylink|Master of the House}} who reside within the [[Council Citadel]] in [[Cybertropolis]], the central city of the planet. {{storylink|Master of the House}} Out in space, the Tripredacus Council rules the Predacons from their space station, [[Predacon Command Outpost One]], {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}} with Predacon law is enforced by the [[Predacon Secret Police]]. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}}
[[File:Citadel.JPG|thumb|upright=1.3|left|The Council Citadel]]
==References==
During this time, the Great Wars of the past are most commonly referred to as a single event: the "Great War", {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} {{storylink|Law of the Jungle}} {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}} {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|The Search}} which is said to have been started by the Autobots and Decepticons on Earth in 1984, and said to have ended with the Autobots defeating the Decepticons {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} three centuries ago. Alternately, the wars of the past are occasionally referenced in the plural as the "Great Wars". {{storylink|Dark Designs}} Many historical facts have been obscured by time (and by data manipulation {{storylink|Possession}}) to the point that many details of the past are considered mere myths and legends by the general populace. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} {{storylink|The Reformatting}} {{storylink|The Key}} {{storylink|End of the Line}}
The Maximals and Predacons reside both on Cybertron and on various space stations, such as [[Colony Omicron]] and [[Starbase Rugby]]. {{storylink|Deep Metal}} {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}} Energon is mined as a natural resource in places like the [[Vespa System]]. {{storylink|Dark Voyage}} [[Stasis pod]]s equipped with [[DNA scanner]]s are used to carry protoforms on deep space missions to other planets, placed aboard vessels equipped with [[unspace|transwarp]] technology. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} {{storylink|The Spark}} [[Botanica's ship|Once such vessel]], captained by [[Botanica (BM)|a Maximal scientist]], leaves Cybertron on a voyage of exploration; its crew settles on a [[Regalis V|planet]] inhabited by chlorophyll-based lifeforms. The crew acquires new [[alternate mode]]s based on the planet's local lifeforms, adopting the forms of sentient plants. {{storylink|Home Soil}}
===Four stellar cycles ago===
Maximal scientists conduct an experiment on a protoform, attempting to replicate the immortal qualities of the ancient Decepticon Starscream's mutant indestructible spark. The result is "[[Rampage (BW)|Protoform X]]", an uncontrollable monster incapable of being recycled. {{storylink|Bad Spark}} Protofom X escapes to Colony Omicron and massacres everyone there. The only survivor is [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]], a Maximal who works as the colony's head of security. Filled with a thirst for <s>vengeance</s> justice, Depth Charge proceeds to hunt X down for four stellar cycles. {{storylink|Deep Metal}}
{{-}}
===Interim===
Protoform X continues his rampage. He pays a visit to Starbase Rugby, where some of Depth Charge's friends reside. They are slaughtered too. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}}
A young [[Rattrap (BW)|Maximal]] works as an energon miner in the [[Vespa System]]. {{storylink|Dark Voyage}} He, along with [[Cheetor (BW)|two]] [[Rhinox (BW)|others]], later joins the crew of the exploration ship the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' under the captaincy of the young and untested [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} (who was named after the legendary Autobot leader [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]). {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike|The Strike}}
Deeming the Predacon known as Megatron to be a dangerous rogue, {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}} the Predacon Secret Police plants a mole, Lieutenant [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], into Megatron's criminal gang, in hopes that Tarantulas's infiltrating Megatron's operations may eventually lead to the Predacon criminal's inevitable capture. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}}
After four long stellar cycles, Depth Charge finally captures the renegade monster Protoform X. He brings the creature back to Cybertron and asks the High Council to find a way for its spark to be destroyed. The Council, however, declines his request and instead turns Protoform X over to the science division to be placed into a stasis pod aboard the ''Axalon'' and be shipped off-world to be dumped someplace far away. Depth Charge is displeased with this decision and warns the Council that Optimus Primal is likely to botch the disposal of Protoform X. {{storylink|Deep Metal}} {{storylink|Bad Spark}}
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===Theft of the Golden Disk===
Dissatisfied with the Predacon Alliance's slow methods in taking over Cybertron, Megatron decides to take matters into his own hands, {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} ''by orchestrating a plot to steal the fabled Golden Disk.'' {{storylink|Transformers Hall of Fame/2012|Hall of Fame 2012 Megatron (Beast Wars) bio}} He gathers a band of subordinates to help him steal the Golden Disk, and instills loyalty in them with the prospect of the disk containing the location of a great source of energon {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} (hiding his true agenda from most of them). {{storylink|Tangled Web}} {{storylink|Maximal, No More}} {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} ''One of his subordinates is a lowly Predacon named [[Waspinator (BW)|Wasp]].'' {{storylink|Transformers Hall of Fame/2011|Hall of Fame 2011 Waspinator bio}}
The heist is a success. Megatron and his crew steal the Golden Disk and escape Cybertron aboard a [[unspace|transwarp]]-capable [[Darksyde (BW)|vessel]]. Due to being the only available ship that could lock onto to the warp signature of Megatron's ship, the ''Axalon'' and her crew are ordered to give pursuit, {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} in spite of the ''Axalon'' already carrying the captive Protoform X. {{storylink|Bad Spark}} The two ships activate their [[Transwarp Drive]]s and disappear through a portal. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}}
Furious over the disappearance of the ''Axalon'', Depth Charge leaves Cybertron aboard a [[Starhopper]] to seek out the missing vessel himself and finish what he started. {{storylink|Deep Metal}}
In time, the Maximals send out [[temporal probe]]s to search for the missing ''Axalon'' across space and time. {{storylink|The Probe}} Unfortunately, the probes' searches reveal no findings of the ''Axalon''. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}
A [[transwarp wavefront]] from the time of the Beast Wars travels into the future and arrives within Cybertron space about a deca-cycle<ref>The episode incorrectly used the term "mega-cycle", which is approximately one Earth hour. "Deca-cycle" was the likely intended term, as it is approximately one Earth month.</ref> after the disappearance of the ''Axalon'' and Megatron's ship. The wavefront hits Predacon Command Outpost One, where the Tripredacus Council identifies its signature as matching that of the ship stolen by Megatron.
Wanting to rid themselves of the threat of Megatron for good, the Council sends one of their agents, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], back in time aboard an experimental [[transwarp cruiser]] to eliminate Megatron and all witnesses to his mission. Wanting to handle this situation themselves, the Council also arranges for one of their satellites to "accidentally" explode in the path of the transwarp wavefront, preventing it from being detected by Maximal sensors on Cybertron.
Out in deep space, Depth Charge continues his search for the missing ''Axalon''. His Starhopper enters the forbidden Earth-space sector in defiance of the High Council. Conducting a quantum scan yields a positive detection of Protoform X's energy signature in the vicinity. Suddenly, a temporal anomaly materializes ahead; Depth Charge's ship is pulled into the vortex, which proceeds to [[Transmetal|Transmetalize]] Depth Charge. He and his ship disappear as the anomaly closes, pulling him back in time to the Beast Wars. {{storylink|Deep Metal}}
Back on Cybertron, the planet undergoes the [[Quantum Cycle Upgrade]], in which external DNA scanners and stasis pod technology are discarded in favor of incorporating internal DNA scanners directly into the superstructures of each Transformer, creating a more convenient method for scanning Beast Modes. {{storylink|Survivor}}
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===Megatron's return to Cybertron===
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}} However, 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}}
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}}He eventually begins a plan to make his victory absolute. Within a lab located in or near Cybertropolis, {{storylink|Mercenary Pursuits}}, he develops a [[Transformation virus|virus]] designed to inhibit one's [[transformation]] abilities and eventually induce permanent shutdown. {{storylink|Master of the House}}
{{-}}
===Spark War===
[[File:Megatron for life.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
There is no warning. Having perfected his transformation virus, Megatron sets it off, unleashing it all across the planet Cybertron, infecting and deactivating everyone in its path. {{storylink|Forbidden Fruit}} Then, Vehicon drones swarm through Cybertropolis, hunting down any survivors {{storylink|Forbidden Fruit}} to have their sparks extracted in special factories. {{storylink|Revelations Part I: Discovery|Discovery}} No one is spared from this fate. Even Waspinator, Megatron's old comrade from the Beast Wars, has his spark extracted.<ref>As noted further above, exactly how Waspinator returned to Cybertron in the 24th Century is never explained.</ref> {{storylink|The Catalyst}} Megatron installs himself as the new ruler of Cybertron inside the [[Council Citadel]], hooked up to a [[control harness|special harness]] that grants him full control over every facet of the planet. {{storylink|Master of the House}}
High above Cybertron, [[Autobot Shuttle Omega Delta]] finally 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}}. 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}}
[[File:Oracle (The Reformatting).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|]]
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 that his sparkless creations—the Vehicons—represent his 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}}
[[File:Vehicons Fires of The Past.JPG|upright=1.2|thumb|]]
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}}
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}} Rattrap finally learns how to transform, but finds his body to be without weapons. He also causes an accident at a Vehicon assembly 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}}
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}}
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 [[Fossil chamber|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}}
[[File:End of Line Tankor key holograms.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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 had actually 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}} Once tensions subside, the Maximals hold a funeral for Rhinox, unaware that he was secretly still alive.
[[File:End of Line Optimus Megatron energies.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
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 is Silverbolt. 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 false 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 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 on Cybertron between the organic and the technological, and is permitted 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}} while an ominous flying fortress—the ''[[Grand Mal]]''—emerges from Megatron's citadel. {{storylink|Fallout (episode)|Fallout}}
<nowiki>[[Category:Beast Era| ]]
[[Category:Fan terminology]]</nowiki>-->
[[File:BFH.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|left]]
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}} 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 had ended up in the organic half. He transfers his spark into the ''Grand Mal'' 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}}
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}}
[[File:Botanica5.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
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 there ahead of Thrust and find the ship to be full of alien plantlife. A monstrous plant creature attacks them and bores down into the Oracle's chamber. Recognizing symptoms of Megatron's virus in the creature, Optimus reformats it, revealing it to be a plant-based Maximal scientist 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 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}}
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}}
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''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s anti-gravity generators and uses a spark extractor to finish off Thrust.
[[File:BMEndgame3 Optimus Megatron begin fight.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3]]
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 in one final duel: {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}}
[[File:The Fall NNNNNOOOOOOO.JPG|thumb|upright=1.3]]
Megatron proves the victor and takes the fallen Optimus to the top of the Citadel, where he 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 enables 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. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future|Seeds of the Future}}
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}}
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==Other timelines==
Among the myriad alternate timelines in which the ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' cartoons are a part of, the following are the most major ones:
*[[Beast Era timeline (3H)]]—The very first expanded universe of the Beast Era, containing additional stories published by [[3H Productions]], and further expanded upon by [[Fun Publications]].
*[[Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline]]—One of, if not ''the'', biggest chronologies in the whole [[Transformers brand|brand]], this is the timeline containing the Japanese dubs of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Japan|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release|Beast Machines]]'', as well as the Japanese-original Beast Era series ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and (yes, really) ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Car Robots]]''.
*[[Dreamwave timeline]]—The chronology of the [[Dreamwave Generation One continuity|Generation One comics]] published by [[Dreamwave Productions]] from [[2002]] to [[2004]], which the ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' cartoons were strongly intimated to be a part of.
*[[Beast Wars timeline (IDW)]]—The expanded universe of the ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' cartoons as presented by comics published by [[IDW Publishing]] from [[2006]] to [[2008]], and briefly revisited in [[2016]]. Also contains "[[Dawn of Future's Past]]".
*[[Transformers: Wings Universe#Timeline|Wings Universe timeline]]—Another expanded universe by Fun Publications, one based heavily on the world of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]], featuring not only ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' but also "Dawn of Future's Past" and elements of 3H Productions' pre-''Universe'' stories.
==Footnotes==
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Latest revision as of 19:45, 7 May 2026
The Stage of Battle is the 2nd War... Beast Wars, Maximize!!
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.
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 IIanimated 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.
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 2Cybershark alluding to the Beast Wars IISeacons as his contemporaries, while the Beast Machines bio for DinobotsMagmatron 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 Neoopened 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).
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.
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.
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 Legendspack-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.
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 IIanimated series and manga series.
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").
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.
