Transmetal 2

Pose!

A Transmetal 2 (alternately Transmetal II; plural Transmetals 2) is a Vok-related form of Beast Wars Transformers. The Transmetals 2 blurred the line between the mechanical and the organic beyond the Transmetals, with equal parts of both appearing in both modes in an asymmetrical patchwork-like jumble. This often resulted in somewhat monstrous-looking designs.

Fiction

Toy bios

According to their toy packages and bios, the Transmetals 2 were all the results of Megatron's cloning experiments. This roughly aligned with the beginning of the cartoon story, as the first Transmetal 2, Dinobot, was created by Megatron. This cloning experiment angle also helped to explain the presence of Optimus Minor.

Beast Wars cartoon

This lasted five episodes. Then Megatron got his new invention all over it.

Only Cheetor, Dinobot II, and Blackarachnia were explicitly described as Transmetals 2. Each of them was altered by an enigmatic piece of Vok technology known as the "Transmetal driver", which appeared in Megatron's possession without explanation. Despite lacking the vehicle modes of the previous Transmetals, Transmetal-2-ness was generally viewed as an enviable upgrade. Cheetor, Blackarachnia and Dinobot II all displayed some degree of "supernatural" powers, the use of which was signified by glowing effects in their sparks and/or eyes: Cheetor showed vague visionary tendencies Go with the Flow (which, admittedly, had happened before), enhanced healing abilities, and telekinesis; Feral Scream Part 2 Blackarachnia demonstrated telekinesis; Master Blaster and Dinobot II showed enhanced healing (although this could also be attributed to him sharing a piece of Rampage's spark). Proving Grounds

File:Megs tm2.JPG

"Optimal Megatron" didn't roll off the tongue.

Despite there being no overt involvement of the Transmetal Driver in the fiction, Megatron's dragon-form and Tigerhawk were sold as a Transmetal 2 toys. While Tigerhawk definitely had extraordinary powers, this could be explained as the result of his unique origin as the "ultimate weapon" of the Vok; Megatron's only enhanced powers seemed to be an ability to breathe fire and ice, which might have been inherent in his mode of choice and were not shown to be involved with any supernatural glowing spark powers. Cryotek's 3H bio described Megatron and Cryotek as Transmetals II. But "Optimal Optimus", who was upgraded in the same fashion (one body holding two sparks), was sold as a vanilla Transmetal.

IDW Beast Wars comics

Ramulus, Optimus Minor, The Gathering #1 Scourge, Stinkbomb, Prowl, Night Glider, Sonar, The Gathering #2 and Scarem The Gathering #4 were Transmetals 2, despite only existing as protoforms beforehand. Ravage was reborn into a Transmetal 2 body. The Gathering #3 Why they are Transmetals 2 is not known.

Ain't No Rat

Optimus Minor was a Transmetal 2. Ain't No Rat How is unknown.

3H comics

Ravage was reborn in a Transmetal 2 body. Primeval Dawn Part 1

Iguanus, Primeval Dawn Part 1 Spittor, and Sonar Primeval Dawn Part 2 were obtained by Tarantulas from stasis pods left behind and were Transmetals 2.

Beast Machines cartoon

Well, that was fun.

When the Maximals encountered Megatron's virus, both the Transmetals and Transmetals 2 among them had a strange reaction. Rather than becoming instantly paralyzed, as apparently happened to the majority of Cybertronians exposed, they simply lost their Transmetallization. Primal, Cheetor, Rattrap, and Blackarachnia reverted to their pre-Transmetal beast modes. The Reformatting They were able to stay mobile, though glitching and amnesic, while Rhinox and Silverbolt immediately succumbed to paralysis. Revelations Part II: Descent

Toys

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Transmetals 2 (1999)

• Basic
  • Night Glider
  • Optimus Minor
  • Scarem
  • Sonar
  • Spittor
  • Stinkbomb

• Deluxe
  • Cheetor
  • Dinobot
  • Iguanus
  • Jawbreaker
  • Prowl
  • Ramulus
  • Tripredacus Agent (2001)
  • Scourge

• Mega
  • Blackarachnia
  • Cybershark

• Ultra
  • Megatron
  • Tigerhawk

The Transmetals 2 were sold at multiple price points as the dominant subline of Beast Wars in 1999. Like their predecessors the Transmetals, they feature vacuum metalizing as a dominant aesthetic feature, but their designs are more irregular and patchwork, featuring skeletal elements and lacking the smooth contours of the Transmetals.

Unlike the Transmetals, most Transmetals 2 did not have a third mode. Only the largest Transmetal 2 toys, Tigerhawk and Megatron, were designed to have more than two modes, but Megatron's was never featured in the cartoon and Tigerhawk's was dropped entirely even from the toy. Neither vehicle mode was especially well-implemented.

Early on in the release of Transmetal 2 toys, the packaging used a Roman numeral "II", but a running change in the packaging was made to the Arabic number "2", which is generally considered the 'correct' spelling of the term.