User:Sabrblade/sandbox

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

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

However, between various parties all wanting to write their own take on the cartoons, the Beast Era would evolve to encompass more than one continuity, each with their own timeline containing the same Beast Wars and Beast Machines cartoons surrounded by different supplementary media. Below is a chronology of the original, very first North American continuity of the Beast Era cartoon universe, consisting of the Beast Wars and Beast Machines cartoons and additional info gleaned from certain toy bios, packaging blurbs, and stories by 3H Productions and Fun Publications.

• For the timeline of the Japanese Beast Wars cartoons (including original sequels Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo) see Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan).
• For the cartoon timeline of IDW Publishing's 2006–2008 Beast Wars comics, see Beast Wars timeline (IDW).
• For the timeline of Fun Publications' "Wings Universe", see Transformers: Wings Universe.

Events from outside the Beast Wars and Beast Machines cartoons are in italics.

Before the dawn of time

• There once was a universe full of god-like beings, until Unicron ate them all and the universe they inhabited. But remnants coalesced, forming a new universe, and this new universe created Primus to protect it.

Dawn of time

• Primus traps Unicron and himself inside planetoids. Unicron reforms his physical form into a being that can transform between robot and planet modes. Primus plans to create a race of tiny beings that can do the same, but first he practices by cyberforming a moon, Protos, and he creates a prototypical race, the Covenant, to inhabit it. The Covenant are charged with preparing against Point Omega, a future cataclysm. Covenant

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

• But their creations, the Transformers, rebelled, and the Quintessons were forced off-planet. Disclosure

Four million years ago

Italicize its name and die.

• The resources on Cybertron dried up due to the long-term war. An Autobot space exploration team aboard the Ark led by Optimus Prime left. While Megatron led a crew of Decepticons aboard the Nemesis and chased the Ark. Both the Ark and Nemesis crashed on Earth. The Transformers enter a long period of stasis lock due to the impact.

About 180,000 BCE

The Beast Wars

In space above an unknown, primitive planet with two moons, a transwarp portal opens, from which two vessels emerge: A stolen craft crewed by Predacon fugitives, and a Maximal science vessel, the Axalon. The two ships battle above the planet before crash-landing in different areas, with Axalon ejecting many stasis pods into orbit on its way down to the planet. Seeing that the planet is richly-seeded in raw, unstable energon, both crews adopt organic-skinned beast mode to shield themselves from the radiation. The Maximal crew, led by Optimus Primal, explore the new terrain, while the Predacons, led by Megatron, seek out the Maximals to destroy them. Both team soon encounter one another and a battle ensues, sending the Maximals in retreat. En route back to their base, a former Predacon named Dinobot blocks their way. He had previously attempted to overthrow Megatron, believing his former leader had brought the Predacons to wrong planet, and was kicked out by Megatron. Dinobot challenges Optimus for Maximal leadership, Beast Wars (Part 1) but their duel is cut short by another Predacon attack. This second battle unearths a large deposit of energon on a faraway mountain and both team race to secure it, Dinobot joining the Maximals. At the mountain, both sides clash in beast mode as the radiation is too much for their robot modes. Megatron risks transforming to fire a missile at Optimus, but Dinobot deflects to hit the energon, causing a massive explosion. Both sides retreat and Optimus declares that the Beast Wars have only just begun. Beast Wars (Part 2)

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

Soon, both sides gain a new addition to their ranks as two stasis pods crash down from the sky. The Maximals are joined by Tigatron, Fallen Comrades while the Predacons acquire Blackarachnia. Double Jeopardy The Maximals also create a new defense grid for their base in form of Sentinel, A Better Mousetrap while the Predacon Scorponok develops a virus that turns Optimus Primal into a berserker. The Maximals unleash him on the Predacons and storm their base to acquire a cure for their leader. Gorilla Warfare Meanwhile, Cybertron sends out a temporal probe to search for Optimus Primal and his missing crew. The Maximals attempt to contact it, but are thwarted by Megatron. The Probe The Predacons then fake their demise to trick the Maximals into looting the Predacon ship to repair the Axalon, in hopes that the Predacons may seize it and leave the Maximals behind. But Dinobot discovers their hiding place and a scuffle aboard the airborne Axalon sees it grounded once more. Victory

Megatron soon begins taking more experimental measures against the Maximals. First he captures the Maximal engineer Rhinox and forcibly reprograms him into a Predacon. But, Rhinox proves too cunning for Megatron to control as he begins eliminating the Predacons one by one, forcing Megatron to change him back to his Maximal self. Dark Designs Megatron then creates a clone of Dinobot to bypass the Maximal's defense grid Sentinel. However, the clone is defeated by the real Dinobot. Double Dinobot

Another stasis pod comes down and Rhinox nearly risks everything to keep the pod's injured protoform from dying. His efforts are success and Airazor joins the Maximals. The Spark Two weeks later, Airazor joins the other Maximals in an attempt to stop Megatron from launching an orbital weapons satellite that could target anywhere on the planet. Though she is nearly beaten by Megatron himself, she is successful with help from Dinobot and Tigatron. The Razor's Edge prologue and epilogue From another stasis pod emerges the Predacon geochemist Fractyl, who prefers to work in the field. Fractyl's BotCon 1997 Universe profile The Maximals are also joined by Packrat, who prefers to work alone, Packrat's BotCon 1997 Universe profile having been a thief back on Cybertron who was stuffed into a stasis pod for his crimes. Betrayal

During one of Tigatron's field reports, he is attacked by the Predacon fliers Terrorsaur and Waspinator, who blast him into a cloud-filled gorge. When they enter the cloud to finish the job, they are blasted back by a powerful weapon. Hidden within the cloud is a flying island guarded by weapons of alien design. Tigatron seeks to protect this island first with Airazor The Trigger, Part 1 and then with Optimus and Rattrap, but Blackarachnia and Scorponok reach the island's control center first. Blackarachnia then seizes the island's power for herself. Tigatron is regrettably forced to destroy the island before Blackarachnia can use it to destroy the Maximal base. Upon the island's destruction, it sends a signal up to one of the planet's moons, which is then sent out into space. The Trigger, Part 2 This ordeal puts Tarantulas on edge as he senses the planet's inevitable doom. He makes plans to leave the planet as a new stasis pod crashes to the planet. He and Blackarachnia retrieve it and awaken the new Predacon Inferno, but Tigatron prevents Tarantulas from stealing the pod by destroying it. Spider's Game

Fractyl develops a new energon armor from a substance called furmanite. As he tests it for Blackarachnia, Inferno spots Packrat spying on them, who then steals the furmanite. An explosive reaction with pure energon reveals the furmanite to be "anti-energon". Fractyl tries to stop Packrat from entering the energon-rich Badlands, as contact between energon and the furmanite could spell doom for the planet. Fractyl is knocked out by Packrat, but Rhinox convinces the thief to stand down and give up the furmanite. Ground Zero Later, the Predacons steal the Axalon's rectifier coil, forcing the Maximals to remain in beast mode since their base is no longer shielded by the planet's energon. This causes them to act feral and animal-like until Tigatron helps restore them back to sanity. As the Maximals battle the Predacons in a jungle, Airazor retrieves the stolen rectifier coil. Call of the Wild An energon explosion leave most of the Maximals blinded and desperate to return to base. Rhinox leads them on a dangerous trek back to the Axalon. Dark Voyage

The disembodied Spark of the Decepticon Starscream arrives on the planet and possesses the body of Waspinator. He helps the Predacons take control of the Axalon, but plots to betray Megatron and takes on Blackarachnia as an apprentice. However, Optimus and Dinobot retake the Axalon and Blackarachnia double-crosses Starscream, blasting his spark out of Waspinator and back into space. Possession

They fight! And bite! They fight and bite and fight! Fight fight fight! Bite bite bite!

• Maximals and Predacons come from the future via transwarp technology and scan the animals of the planet for alternate modes. The Beast Wars begin. Beast Wars (Part 1)

• The immortal life force of Starscream crosses time and space to reach Earth. He possesses a Predacon and attempts to take over, but fails. He returns to being a ghost and vanishes into the far reaches of time and space. Possession

• Due to the Maximals' and Predacons' interference in the Vok experiment on Earth, the Vok begin to terraform the planet. Optimus Primal sacrifices his life to stop this. As a result, Earth loses its second, mechanical moon, and the quantum surge is generated. Other Voices, Part 2

• Humanity's ancestors develop the ability to create and use tools. Dinobot saves them from destruction at the hands of the Predacons by sacrificing himself. Code of Hero

• Ravage is sent from the future to kill everyone. He captures the Predacon Megatron, but fails in his mission and is destroyed by Rattrap's sabotage. The Agenda (Part III)

Well that's hardly sporting.

• In the volcano where the dormant Ark is located, the Predacon Megatron unearths the Ark and attacks Optimus Prime in an attempt to change history. As a result, a timestorm occurs, but Blackarachnia stops it. The Agenda (Part III) Optimal Situation

• Depth Charge tracks Protoform X from the future, winding up on prehistoric Earth. Deep Metal

• Apelinq arrives from the future. The Covenant travel to prehistoric Earth to join the Beast Warriors' battle with Shokaract, a pawn of Unicron. By defeating him, they prevent a cataclysmic future that will destroy the universe. Terminus

• The Nemesis is found by Predacon Megatron. Megatron tries to use the Nemesis to change history. However, the plan was stopped by the Maximals led by Optimus Primal. Predacon Megatron is captured and everyone returns to their own time on one of the Ark's shuttles, except for Waspinator who stays behind to be worshipped by the protohumans. Nemesis Part 1 Nemesis Part 2

• Tarantulas, thought dead, was left behind on prehistoric Earth and begins the Beast Wars anew. The Vok create a champion, Primal Prime, but Tarantulas defeats him in battle and steals the Matrix of Leadership, forcing the Vok to revive him all over again.Primeval Dawn

3H ceased production of Transformers comics at this point so the storyline was never completed; artist Dan Khanna would eventually relay that the intended, largely unscripted denouement would have featured the recreated Primal Prime — along with Airazor, Tigatron, Packrat, and Ramulus — defeating Tarantulas. Something unspecified would have happened to Airazor. The survivors would have returned to Cybertron's future along with Apelinq, Spittor, and Waspinator via a transwarp portal. As these story elements were never completed or published, their actual place in a timeline is up to the reader's personal canon.

1984 CE

• After four million years of dormancy, the inhabitants aboard the Ark are awakened and reignite the Great War. The Agenda (Part III)

2005 CE

Woo, science!

• Starscream is killed by Galvatron. Starscream's mutant indestructible spark wanders through time and space. Possession

• Unicron is defeated. Covenant

• The new Autobot leader, Rodimus Prime, commissions a science team shortly after Unicron's defeat. The Sojourner's Passage, crewed by Glyph, Tap-Out, and others, is launched. It crashlands on the distant planet of Archa Nine and is lost to the ages. Betrayal

Around 2015 CE

• An outbreak of an army of Nightbirds results in the death of Daniel Witwicky and Wheelie. Arcee goes into mourning. Departure

Latter 21st century CE

• The Pax Cybertronia is signed as the Great War truly ends. Autobots begin undergoing the Maximal Upgrade process. Arcee, still in mourning for Daniel, leaves this new society, and eventually becomes a techno-organic spider who can foresee others' deaths. Departure
• The Transformers develop two offshoot factions/species on Cybertron, the Maximals from the Autobots and Predacons from the Decepticons, all members of which begin their lives as protoforms.
• Ravage is granted amnesty. The Agenda (Part 1)

Around 311 AU

• The Maximals create a Transformer based on Starscream's indestructible spark. They try to use him as an immortal warrior, but his mind proves too unstable to control. Bad Spark This "Protoform X" massacres Colony Omicron. All its residents are killed except for the heavily injured Depth Charge, the Imperial Peace Marshal of the colony. This event sets Depth Charge on a tireless hunt for Protoform X. Deep Metal

Around 315 AU

• Four stellar cycles after the massacre on Colony Omicron, Protoform X is captured and turned over to the Maximal Elders by Depth Charge. The Maximal Elders decide to place Protoform X in a stasis pod and dump him on some barren world in deep space. The mission is assigned to Optimus Primal and his ship, the Axalon. Bad Spark

Where it all started, despite being most of the way down the page.

• Under Cryotek's orders, Megatron steals the Golden Disk, which the Maximals have been safeguarding. Theft of the Golden Disk With his underlings, Megatron travels to prehistoric Earth. Optimus Primal and his crew, who are departing for a deep-space exploration mission (with a covert stop to dispose of Protoform X), are ordered to chase down Megatron instead. Colony Omicron's former chief of security, Depth Charge, begins tracing their ship. Dawn of Future's Past

• The Predacon Tripredacus Council view Megatron's independent actions as dangerous and send Ravage traveling back into the past to assassinate all Maximals and Predacons involved with the Beast Wars. Their plan ends in failure. The Agenda (Part 1) The Agenda (Part 2)

• Depth Charge travels back in time, still in pursuit of X. Deep Metal

• A "Quantum Cycle Upgrade" takes place on Cybertron, the entire population is fitted with DNA scanners. Survivor

316 AU

It was an evolution revolution.

• As Optimus Primal and his crew return to Cybertron via transwarp with the captured Megatron, Megatron escapes. He emerges on Cybertron in an earlier time period and uses a virus bomb to conquer the planet before Primal and his crew get there. Fires of the Past

• All of the Wreckers except for Rodimus and Apelinq are defeated by Megatron's drone armies. Apelinq disappears through a transwarp portal with an antidote to Megatron's virus during a fight with Vehicon Mirage. They both arrive in the middle of the Beast Wars. Apelinq's War Journals

• Primal and his crew are affected by the virus bomb and lose their memories and ability to transform, but through the guidance of Oracle, they are reformatted into new bodies. The Reformatting

Several licensees died to bring you this information.

• Apelinq returns from the Beast Wars along with Primal Prime, his crew, and Waspinator. Along with Rodimus, all but Waspinator form the new Wreckers team under Primal Prime's leadership. Apelinq's War Journals The Wreckers are given a mission from the Oracle to find the Divine Light and keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Departure They travel to Archa Nine, where they meet up Glyph and Tap-Out, but they fail! Betrayal

• It is revealed that Primal was sent into the past to bring organic beast bodies back to Cybertron as part of the Oracle's plan. Primal takes Megatron with him as he throws himself into the core of Cybertron, a fountain of organic energy. They die. The sparks Megatron captured are all freed, and Cybertron is reformatted into a verdant world with a balance of organic and mechanical. Endgame Pt. III: Seeds of the Future

• One week after the Great Transformation, Cryotek and the Quintessons invade Cybertron, but are repelled by the newly-technorganic natives. Cryotek is banished. Rodimus dies. Wreckers: Finale Part II

317 AU

So this is how the Universe ends. Not with a bang, but with a two-panel speedy wrap-up.

• One year later, Cybertron welcomes home a ship full of exiled Autobots. When they and Silverbolt and Blackarachnia are abducted by Unicron, a new battle begins. Optimus Primal is reborn by the power of Primus to guide the Children of Primus against the Minions of Unicron, but Primal's rebirth necessitates Megatron's return as well. Abduction Escape

Undetermined point in the future

• The Universe War ends with victory for the Children of Primus, as Unicron himself dissipates below the combatants as a result of the Unicron Singularity's formation in another universe. Revelations Part 2

• Razorclaw is reborn, who plans to bring the Predacon army back to its former glory and crush the Maximals. Dawn of Future's Past

32nd century C.E. (undone)

• At this point in time, would it not have been prevented, Shokaract rules Cybertron and a good portion of the rest of the universe. When he notices disturbances in the timestream that could endanger his current might, he sends two of his elite to the past to secure it and later goes back in time himself to finish the job. However, Shokaract's reign is not unchallenged and some of his enemies too manage to get to the past to stop him.