Law of the Jungle
After an innocent is killed, Tigatron questions his commitment to the Maximal cause.
Summary
Frogs eat bugs, snakes kill frogs, birds kill snakes. Things are mercilessly killing each other, as Nature intended. But Nature didn't intend for a giant crazed robotic fire ant to attack Cheetor and Dinobot. As the maniacal Inferno gleefully assaults the two, Terrorsaur brings out some heavy explosives from a mountaintop weapons cache to take out Dinobot, though he ends up knocking Inferno aside as well; Waspinator just hangs back, waiting for the signal that Terrorsaur never bothered to give. After getting blasted a good distance, Terroraur signals for Waspinator to attack. Cheetor radios for back-up.
Waspinator plans an attack on Cheetor using another heavy explosive, but overestimates his own strength and can't keep himself aloft when he's holding the weapon. While trying to keep airborn, Waspinator sees a tiger, which he naturally mistakes for Tigatron—who is actually a few feet higher on the mountain, ready to pounce on the Predacon. Tigatron holds on and guides the bug to a crash.
Inferno switches his weapon to a flamethrower to cook the cats. Tigatron transforms and blasts Inferno away, but a stray shot from his own gun passes Inferno and heads towards the mountain where both Snowstalker and the Predacon's weaponry cache are located. The entire supply of explosives detonates in a single blast, and Tigatron's animal friend is caught in the rockslide. Concerned for his companion, Tigatron hurries to unbury the wild tiger, but it's too late.
Later, as the sky darkens, Tigatron finishes constructing a marker for Snowstalker's resting place. Surveying the damage to the landscape from the fight, Tigatron resolves to quit being a participant in the Beast Wars. Dinobot argues that destruction is part of the nature of war, but Tigatron remains with his decision to stay out of the Maximal/Predacon conflict. After Tigatron leaves, Dinobot follows him, making it clear he has a sort of plan. Cheetor is relieved when Primal arrives to make sense of the situation.
The three Predacons meet to plan their next move.
In the dark of night, in thick foliage, Dinobot shows Tigatron an example of Nature in action: a tiger killing some gazelles. Slaughter for survival, just like the Maximals battle the Predacons for the survival of peace on Cybertron. Dinobot explains that if Megatron wins, he will spread war to other worlds, ultimately destroying Cybertron in the process. Thus, the Maximals must stop him. It is the legacy of the Autobots and the Decepticons: they will always oppose each other. Tigatron still disagrees, and Dinobot gets aggressive. Luckily, before Dinobot gets carried away, Primal arrives to take his turn at reasoning. Disgusted, Dinobot takes his leave.
The three Predacons attack Dinobot, overpowering the lone Maximal despite his inhumanly flexible neck. Primal arrives soon after, and the Predacons hope for another victory. Optimus puts up a better fight, knocking away both Terrosaur and Waspinator with one shot, but Inferno hits Optimus from behind with a strong blast. The two Maximals are too damaged to fight against the killer fire ant, when to their rescue comes Tigatron, who can't sit passively while his friends are close to death.
Inferno's flamethrower ignites a bush, adding to Tigatron's fury. The cat blasts Inferno into the distance, ending the Predacon's campaign. Tigatron extinguishes the fire and is welcomed back to the Beast Wars. Although he still hates the collateral damage, Tigatron now understands he can do more good as a warrior than a bystander.
Quotes
Terrorsaur: "Do something!"
Waspinator: "Terrorsaur has not given signal!"
Terrorsaur: "ATTACK, YOU IMBECILE!"
Waspinator: "Waspinator will engage enemy."
- —Predacon strategy
"The Royalty demands your wreckage, destroyer of the colony!"
"Give my regards to the Pit, Predacon!"
- —Tigatron remains unimpressed by Inferno's threats.
Tigatron: In my lust for battle, I caused the death of an innocent.
Dinobot: Hrah! There are no innocents. This is war! And this...well, this is simply a battlefield.
Tigatron: We made it so...and every time we do, this world suffers. But I will have no more of it. From this moment on, I am no longer part of the Beast Wars.
- —Tigatron discovers war is Hell.
Dinobot: You have the instincts of a warrior. You know when danger's approaching.
Tigatron: Why do you stalk me?
Dinobot: To...talk.
- —Dinobot refuses to give up on Tigatron.
"A Predacon wouldn't miss."
- —Dinobot proves he's either a liar or has a very bad memory.
"Hrah! Sentiment. The more time I spend with you Maximals, the more I wonder how you survived so long."
- —Dinobot protests too much.
Stats
Writers: Mark Leiren-Young
Original Air Date: February 17, 1997
Major Characters (in order of appearance): Dinobot, Cheetor, Inferno, Waspinator Terrorsaur, Optimus Primal, Snowstalker, Tigatron
Notes
- Dinobot says that the Great War began three centuries ago. What he meant to say was that it ended three centuries ago.
- Snowstalker had previously been seen in the episode "Fallen Comrades". Who's the fallen comrade NOW?
- Rattrap and Rhinox aren't seen or mentioned in the episode.
- As Tigatron berates Inferno, both Primal and Dinobot stand behind him, waving their fingers.
