Beast Wars (episode)
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Beast Wars is the two-part pilot episode of the series of the same name, which first aired on September 16, 1996.
[edit] Prologue
Although the pilot of Beast Wars with the arrival of two ships on Earth, comic based stories have been published of the events leading up to the pilot. The first was in Dreamwave Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye series. In issue 1 and 8 of that series a small story appeared of Megatron stealing the Maximal Golden Disk with Dinobot.
The second story published was by Fun Publications and featured the crews of both ships in the events leading up to the Beast Wars.
[edit] Part 1
The two-part pilot episode, entitled "Beast Wars", chronicles the arrival of both the Maximals and Predacons on a mysterious, uncharted planet. The Predacons have stolen a Golden Disk which was the most valued relic of the planet Cybertron (the home of the Transformers) and supposedly held the location of a rich energon source, which could make the Predacons invincible. The Predacons flee into outer space with the stolen Predacon ship, the Darkside, seeking Earth. (Their reasons for seeking Earth are first explained as finding Energon, but alternate motives are revealed later.) They are pursued by a Maximal exploration ship, the Axalon, which was the only ship in the vicinity able to lock on to the Predacon ship. The opening scene shows the Predacon ship emerging from an apparent wormhole, closely pursued by the Maximal ship.
Being an exploration vessel, the Axalon is not equipped for an all-out battle, a factor that the Predacons exploit, firing at the Axalon until it is severely crippled. However, a lucky shot (and timing) from the Maximals manages to deal damage to the Predacon ship as well. Thus, both ships are critically damaged and plummet to the planet surface. With the Axalon's stasis hold breeched and fearing for the lives of his crew still in stasis, the Maximals launch their stasis pods into orbit before crashing.
Both the Maximals and Predacons are stranded on the planet (which we later learn is prehistoric Earth), which they soon learn is rich in energon. Although energon is vital to the survival of the Transformers, an environment as energon-rich as that which they now find themselves in is harmful-causing them, to short-out within anywhere from a few minutes to a couple hours, depending on the energon concentration levels in the vicinity. Thus both the Maximals and Predacons scan the surrounding terrain for DNA lifeforms, which they can then use as a template for their new beast-forms that protect them from the radiation.
The four Maximals take on the forms of a gorilla (Optimus Primal, their leader); a cheetah (Cheetor); a rhinoceros (Rhinox); and, a giant rat (Rattrap). Meanwhile, the leader of the Predacons (named Megatron, like his Generation 1 counterpart) takes on the form of a purple tyrannosaurus rex. His minions take on the form of a velociraptor (Dinobot); a giant wasp (Waspinator); a giant tarantula (Tarantulas); a pterosaur (Terrorsaur); and a giant scorpion (Scorponok, also named after a Generation 1 Decepticon).
Dinobot feels Megatron has failed to bring them to the correct planet (as the planet has 2 moons, therefore doesn't seem to be Earth) and failed to defeat the Maximals when he had the chance. He calls Megatron an "idiot" and challenges him for leadership of the Predacons. However, he is subsequently attacked by Scorponok, and is blasted away from their company as a result.
Later, Cheetor encounters Waspinator when he runs off on the Maximals, too eager to test the speed limits of his new beast form. After a short battle, Cheetor is forced to retreat, and the other Maximals rush to his rescue, unaware that the other Predacons are also on their way. Both forces clash eventually, with Optimus taking a risk to save Cheetor (since Rattrap did not want to do so as ordered).
Having rescued Cheetor, the Maximals made a hasty retreat, with Optimus and Rattrap bickering over the post of leadership, the latter obviously dissatisfied with the former. It is here that Optimus makes one of his more popular statements: "I would not give an order that I was not willing to do myself!"
On their way back to the Axalon, the Maximals are forced to cross a narrow bridge of land overlooking a gorge, and (as luck would have it) Dinobot blocks their passage on the far side of the bridge, challenging the Maximals - for leadership.
[edit] Part 2
Optimus initially does not wish to fight, but Dinobot forces him into battle, and both Transformers duke it out on the narrow bridge. At first, Dinobot seems to have the upper hand, but refuses to strike Optimus when the latter slips and falls, stating that the move would be without honor.
Alas, the Predacons catch up to the Maximals, and Megatron wastes no time in exploiting the situation to its fullest, ordering his forces to fire on the bridge in an attempt to kill two birds with one stone. The bridge is blown up as the other Maximals make a dash for their leader (and their base), and Optimus saves Dinobot from certain death, earning the respect of the Predacon.
Though Megatron failed to destroy both traitor as well as Maximal commander, he is alerted that a wayward missile, fired during the battle, has blown the top off a nearby mountain, exposing an enormous deposit of energon within!
As expected, both factions make a mad dash for the energon, and a small skirmish between the Maximals (plus Dinobot now) and the Predacon fliers (Terrorsaur and Waspinator) on route to the mountain leaves Rattrap bickering with Dinobot over the ex-Predacon's would-be change in allegiance.
Eventually, both Maximals and Predacons arrive on the mountaintop, and a battle between beasts ensues (due to the rich energon concentrations, robot modes cannot be used), with the now evenly-matched factions dueling one-on-one. However, Megatron grows impatient, and transforms to robot mode after biting Optimus' leg, whereupon he fires a cluster grenade at the crippled Maximal commander. However, Dinobot deflects the grenade at the last moment with his tail, and it strikes the energon and starts a chain reaction!
With the mountain on the verge of exploding, the Maximals and Predacons made a hasty retreat, Megatron using one last burst of energy to leap from the mountain just as his robot mode shorts out. Optimus thanks Dinobot for his help and officially welcomes him to the Maximals, and Dinobot considers his debt to Optimus (during the battle on the bridge) paid in full.
Thus began the Beast Wars, as the Maximals and Predacons battle on the mysterious planet for control of the energon source.
