Tangled Web

« Beast Wars: Transformers ep 30 »
"Tangled Web"
Production company	Mainframe Entertainment
Airdate	November 16, 1997
Written by	Len Wein
Directed by	Craig McEwen
Animation studio	Mainframe Entertainment
Continuity	Beast Wars continuity

Megatron sends Tarantulas to build a new energon processing station, but the spider has other plans.

Japanese title: かっとびタランス (Kattobi Tarans, "Grand-Slam Tarans")

Synopsis

It is days like this I wish I were a Maximal.

As the Predacons busy themselves around their base, Megatron summons Tarantulas and assigns him to work with Blackarachnia and Quickstrike to develop a refueling station at a newly detected store of energon cubes. Megatron also assigns Waspinator and Inferno to develop a jamming tower to disrupt Maximal communications.

As the Predacons gather supplies and equipment for their assigned tasks, Tarantulas throws a transmitter into Quickstrike's collection of equipment with the hope of summoning the Maximals to undermine Megatron's plans.

Meanwhile at the Maximal base, Rhinox is conducting experiments on Optimus Primal's new transmetal form to see if they can learn its limits. Their experiment is interrupted by a short-circuit and Cheetor's report of a strange Predacon signal on a Maximal channel. Rattrap and Silverbolt are near the signal and sent to investigate.

Hmm, I can put the throw-pillows over there...

Quickstrike, Blackarachnia, and Tarantulas arrive at their assigned destination, and Tarantulas decides that the site is a perfect location for his new lair. (His last one had been destroyed previously) He destroys the transmitter that he had been using to signal the Maximals. Blackarachnia too realizes that this site would be an optimal fortress and mentions it to Tarantulas. He then tells her about his plan to commandeer the site for himself to overthrow Megatron and destroy the Maximals, then says that she must join him in his scheme because of their psychic link. He soon recruits Quickstrike to his cause.

Losing the Predacon signal, Rattrap and Silverbolt are forced to follow the Predacons' scent and soon come across their trail.

As he relaxes in his CR tank hot tub, Megatron learns that Waspinator and Inferno have finished their assignment. When Megatron attempts to contact the other Predacons, though (failing to notice the jamming tower falling on Waspinator), he only gets static and soon realizes that the arachnids are up to something.

A headache shared is still a headache.

Back at Tarantulas's would-be lair, Blackarachnia is determined to end the psychic link that Tarantulas has been using to control her and threatens to blow up all of the energon there. While he initially is willing to let her do it, Tarantulas soon learns that their link goes both ways and that he shares her pain, so he agrees to break the link.

En garde!

Outside the cavern, Rattrap and Silverbolt finally find the Predacons and engage in a battle with them. The fight begins to go the Maximals' way, but Silverbolt refuses to strike down Blackarachnia because she is female.

Soon the Maximals realize that the Predacons are guarding the cave and attempt to get in. Their plans are foiled when the entrance blows up. Rattrap congratulates Silverbolt on the blast, but Silverbolt says that he didn't do it. The Predacons are forced to retreat back to Megatron, who chastises them for their incompetence.

Later, though, it becomes clear that Tarantulas blew up the entrance so that he could return and have the cave for himself.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Maximals	Predacons
Optimus Primal (7) Rhinox (8) Cheetor (9) Rattrap (10) Silverbolt (11)	Waspinator (1) Inferno (2) Quickstrike (3) Megatron (4) Tarantulas (5) Blackarachnia (6)

Quotes

"While spider-bots argue, Waspinator and Inferno finish job. Megatron will be pleased!"

—Waspinator has such optimism.

"Well then, pardner, let's head 'em up and move 'em out."

—Even Tarantulas' cow-poke impression is creepy.

"Any progress, Rhinox?"
"Despite my tests, we still don't know what limits these new Transmetal states may have. Perhaps this new bio-gen scan will—" [shocks himself and Optimus] "Or perhaps not." [falls over]

—Optimus Primal and Rhinox

"Well, just ain't no figurin' a female."
[chuckles] "A fact of life, Fuzor."

—Quickstrike and Tarantulas

"Well, considering the honkers we got, it's worth a shot.

—Rattrap on using their noses.

"Destruction's better'n construction, ya get my drift?"

—Quickstrike knows what he likes.

"Maximals."
"Finally! Somethin' I can sink my teeth inta!"

—Tarantulas and Quickstrike, as Rattrap and Silverbolt approach

"That widow's about as female as a piston."

—Rattrap on Blackarachnia.

"Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home." [laughs]

—Tarantulas, settled in to his new lair

Notes

Technical/animation glitches

• When Tarantulas says "...and we do live to please Megatron", the green 'eyes' on his chestplate are missing.
• Every time Silverbolt growls in this episode, he sounds like Dinobot. (Of course, when the dude who does your voice does three other voices, you're gonna get mixed up every now and then.)
• Right after the their mental link is broken, before Quickstrike tells them the Maximals are coming, Tarantulas' gold abdomen is facing the wrong way.

Transformers references

• Tarantulas is researching the new transmetal forms gained in "Aftermath".

Real-world references

• "Grid Arrakis" is a reference to the planet from Frank Herbert's novel Dune.
• Tarantulas says, "Of course, you realize this means war", at one point, a phrase commonly used by Bugs Bunny.
• Tarantulas says, "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home", a reference to the traditional song "Home! Sweet Home!"

Other notes

• It is very unusual that Tarantulas is capable of tossing a probe on the building supplies without anyone noticing (especially since the probe collides with the load with a heavy clang).