The Beast Within
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 Grimlock has a Chest Burster. | |||||||||||||
| "The Beast Within" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | Metrodome | ||||||||||||
| First published | May 2004 (included with Season 2, Part 2 DVD set) | ||||||||||||
| Script | Darren Jamieson | ||||||||||||
| Art | Dylan Gibson | ||||||||||||
A profound and moving narrative that forces the audience to re-evaluate all conceptions of their identity. Both thrilling and immersive, "The Beast Within" redefines the era as it forces a new standard of storytelling. Starting on an epic battle comparable to The Lord of the Rings or Akira, but the conflict pales in comparison to the internal emotional struggle of Grimlock as he is forced to restrain his own emotions for the sake of his tactical ideology. Pushed to both physical and psychological limits, he and his compatriots do the unthinkable and fuse, physically and conceptually, into a unified truth that mirrors us all. But with the revelation of this most sacred ability comes a new threat to the Autobots… a threat that is somehow familiar.
Synopsis
In the war-torn battlefields of an Autobot-Decepticon battle, Grimlock meditates on releasing his full power onto the ruthless Decepticons. But, alas, he cannot! For if he let go of any restraint, he would let loose the Beast! The casualties mount; despite losses on their side, the Decepticons are gaining victory! Optimus Prime is battered and surrounded by Megatron and his troops.
Truly, Grimlock has no choice; he must release the Beast within! With Grimlock calling out, "Dinobots! UNITE!!!", a large amount of wires sprout out from everywhere. The end result is an awesome titan of power! Stricken with fear, Megatron orders the Decepticons to destroy the massive creature! Predaking forms! The opposing titans battle, but it is already lost for Predaking, for a slash of the Beast's sword takes care of the Predacon combiner. The Seekers and Laserbeak try to attack the Beast, but their attacks are pitiful! The Beast destroys them in one fell swoop! Devastator and Bruticus are next, but the Beast simply tears them apart, and does the same for Menasor, even though the Stunticon combiner pleads for his life.
With no Decepticons left to destroy, the Beast turns to the Autobots! Prime calls to Grimlock to regain mental control, but the Beast utters one thing… "K …I …L …L".
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Decepticons | |||||
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Errors
- This comic was produced.
Items of note
- Thankfully, this comic cannot take place in any previously-established continuity, due to the various characters being alive alongside other characters who were not around at certain times, the rampant gratuitous deaths, etc.
- As far as Hasbro is concerned, "There never was a Dinobot combiner."[1] While the most likely explanation for this comment is that this particular Hasbro representative is unaware of an obscure UK only DVD pack-in comic it's also possible Hasbro has erased "The Beast Within" from the canon entirely using special canon cannons.
- Simon Furman is thanked for "help and support in the production of this comic." One can only wonder what "help" this was, but it's best not to contemplate what this comic might have been like without it.
- Gibson stated that he wanted the comic to look like a Transformers comic you could buy off the shelf, which explains the Pat Lee like art.
- This issue features digitally-applied lettering that is rarely aligned correctly and features virtually no periods or commas.
- Grimlock's line "I cannot let him out…not again" hints at a prior appearance of the Beast that the world was fortunate enough to avoid witnessing.
- There's a combiner set kitbash that allows you to recreate The Beast with the Dinobot figures. God knows why you'd want to in the first place.
Covers
- Grimlock goes all tentacle-y while Optimus watches, mocked by Megatron and Soundwave, and Starscream does his best chicken impression.
- Cover by Dylan Gibson.
