Transmetals
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Transmetals is a subline of Beast Wars in the fictional Transformers Universe, featuring toys with mechanical animal modes and techno-organic robot modes . The subline was released in conjunction with Beast Wars' second and third seasons, for the price points of 10, 15, 20 and 35 USD.
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[edit] Transmetals
Transmetal technology is an adaptation accidentally discovered by the Beast Wars era Transformers. During a transwarp explosion which claimed the life of Optimus Primal, a "quantum surge" was created which had several repercussions for the Beast Wars. Rattrap, Cheetor, the reincarnated Optimus Primal, Tarantulas, and Megatron were all changed by the wave into the first generation of Transmetals. Rampage and Depth Charge also became subjected to this, and several expanded universe Transformers also underwent the process.
The Transmetal technology allows the Transformers to withstand and actually absorb raw energon radiation and exist in a non-beast mode in these environments without issue. In addition, Transmetals can utilize a "vehicle" mode, such as wheeled (Rattrap, Tarantulas, Rampage) or flight (Megatron, Cheetor, Optimus Primal, Depth Charge). Although not explicitly stated in the cartoons or comics, it's hinted at in the toy line's tech specs that the quantum surge's Transmetalization process essentially turned the Transformers 'inside out', making their alternate modes the one that is largely mechanical, instead of the other way around as normal. This can be borne out by the fact that some Transmetals have organic elements in their robot mode.
One thing to note, is that in the cartoon series, a few of the Beast Warriors were not changed into Transmetals by the quantum surge, although they did have Transmetal toys. While their lack of Transmetalized forms in the cartoon was explained for a few characters (specifically, Rhinox, Dinobot and Waspinator, who were in CR chambers recuperating from damage, and Scorponok and Terrorsaur, who fell into a lava pool, presumably dying during their Transmetallizations), the others weren't (Blackarachnia, Airazor, Inferno, and Tigatron); however as these characters were all introduced as being 'born' from stasis pods who had landed on Earth prior to the wave, it is assumed by fans that this lent them protection from the wave. Also, although Scorponok is shown being affected by the Transmetal wave, he does not receive a Transmetal action figure, not including a premium offered by McDonald's in Happy Meals the following summer.
[edit] Transmetal 2
Later, through experimentation with a Vok device, Megatron was able to create Transmetal 2 Transformers, stronger than the original Transmetals. The first Transmetal 2s were a clone Megatron created of Dinobot, and Cheetor, who was accidentally exposed to the machine while fighting with Dinobot 2. They were later joined by Blackarachnia, who sought the extra power she would gain by such a transformation. Transmetal 2 technology blurs the lines between which mode has the technological and which has the organic, making them a partially assymmetrical technorganic hybrid, though far less refined than the process used in Beast Machines. They are noticably stronger than the original Transmetals and have been seen on several occasions to be able to heal themselves using their Spark energy, although they do not have "vehicle" modes. Depth Charge's analysis of the Transmetal Driver indicates that it enhances Transmetal attributes beyond their own limits.
Although their toys were marketed as Transmetal 2s, Tigerhawk and Megatron's new dragon form are not technically Transmetal 2s in the series; they did not use the Vok's Transmetal Driver to obtain their Transmetal forms like the other Transmetal 2 characters in the series. However, in IDW Publishing's mini-series Beast Wars: The Gathering some of the protoforms discovered had been turned into Transmetal 2s because of interference from the quantum wave responsible for the original Transmetals, implying that the Transmetal Driver is not the only way of obtaining a Transmetal 2 body. Accordng to the bios that came with some of the toys many more Transmetal 2s were created by Megatron's cloning experiments.
[edit] Dreamwave Comics
In the Dreamwave More Than Meets the Eye guidebook series, the term "Transmetal" was expanded to include any Transformer with a metallic animal-themed alternate mode - for example the Dinobot leader Grimlock turned into a Transmetal Tyrannosaurus. This use of the term, however, has not reached widespread use amongst the fandom, and with the closure of Dreamwave is unlikely to see much further use.
[edit] Transformers: Cybertron
Somewhat in-keeping with the Dreamwave Productions interpretation of the term, the tech spec for Scourge, leader of the Jungle Planet, (who turned into a robotic dragon) notes that he has a "transmetal claw."
[edit] IDW Publishing
In the IDW Beast Wars comics more protoforms emerge from stasis pods - some normal, some Transmetal or Transmetal II, some Fuzors and some mutants (Transformers with no robot mode, instead transforming from one beast mode to another). It's assumed damage to them from the quantum wave and their crashing to Earth caused these variations.
[edit] List of Transmetal Toys - sans later repaints and remolds
- Maximals
- Optimus Primal
- Rhinox
- Cheetor
- Airazor
- Rattrap
- Depth Charge (no "normal" version)
- Predacons
- Megatron
- Tarantulas
- Waspinator
- Terrorsaur
- Scavenger (Inferno)
- Rampage (no "normal" version)
[edit] List of Transmetal 2 Toys - sans later repaints and remolds
- Maximals
[edit] Trivia
- Visually Scavenger looks like a Transmetalized Inferno. The prototype was even called Transmetal Inferno and many fans still call it that. Furthermore he was released as TM Inferno in Japan. It's speculated the change was made to keep the copyright for "Scavenger".
