Last week, we discussed the opening episode of Beast Wars - a competent opening episode that did a good job of setting up the series as a whole while leading nicely into part 2 of the story. While the second part doesn't add as much in terms of setting up the series, it manages to tell it's story well while furthering the arcs of one of the show's most important characters and sprinkling in a breadcrumb or two to hint at where the show might be going later down the line.
This episode begins where the last episode left off, with Dinobot challenging Optimus Primal to a fight to the death on a narrow ledge over a chasm, with the leader assuming command of the Maximals. While reluctant to participate, Primal ends up having no choice but to try and fend off Dinobot's attacks. The fight is observed by the Predacons, who proceed to fire at the two, hoping to destroy both the leader of the opposition and their former comrade. After the battle between the two sides, a large cache of energon is uncovered. With the predacons hoping to obtain it, the Maximals seek the aid of Dinobot to prevent the Predacons from aquiring it.
On the surface, this episode's plot is pretty simple - a case of 'stopping the bad guys getting a hold of some energon that they need to further their goals'. For the most part, it feels largely disconnected from the events of the previous episode asides from the fact that the two episodes lead into one another. However, this can be excused as we get to see more of the Maximals interacting with each other and learn more about their respective personalities, as well as fleshing out Dinobot's character.
As we'll discuss more when we get to season 2 - Dinobot has the best arc out of all the characters throughout Beast Wars. This started off in the previous episode with Dinobot defecting from the Predacons to the Maximals. What's interesting is that this defection doesn't come from realising the error of his ways - he defects as he failed to take command of the Predacons from Megatron, and now wants to destroy them.
Initially, his aim is to take command of the Maximals through killing Optimus Primal in one on one combat. During this fight, we get to see that Dinobot has a sense of honour, as he spares Optimus after he slips and nearly falls off the narrow ledge they stand on, feeling that killing Primal in such a way wouldn't be an honourable victory. When the fight gets ambushed by the Predacons, he ends up owing Primal after he saves his life. This pays off at the end of the episode as Dinobot steps in and saves Primal from one of Megatron's missiles. However, he says himself that this doesn't indicate that he's suddenly loyal to Primal - this just made the two even in his eyes.
I like this dynamic to the character since it makes him more interesting than if he simply just joining the Maximals due to the Predacons being evil. It also adds another dynamic within the Maximals as him being a former Predacon is sure to cause tensions within the ranks.
While the rest of the Maximals are fine with Dinobot joining them, Rattrap isn't exactly thrilled with their new comrade, and is incredibly untrusting of him. This of course makes sense - Dinobot is, after all, a Predacon, and the whole reason that he and his fellow Maximals are in this predicament is because the group of Predacons that Dinobot had initially allied with had stolen the Golden Disk from Cybertron. It's understandable that Rattrap would be uneasy about aligning with a Predacon no matter where they claimed their alligience lay.
The battle at the start of the episode is also great for showcasing the personalities of the Maximals. Optimus Primal initially attempts to negotiate with Dinobot rather than engaging with him in combat, only taking up arms against him as a last resort in self defence. One thing I like about this fight is that, as it goes on, the two opponents express their admiration and respect for each other.
Cheetor's impulsive nature is shown when the fight begins, and he prepares to spring into action to assist Primal only for him to be stopped by Rattrap. Then, when the Predacons start attacking, the other Maximals are prepared to fight back asides from Rattrap - still unwilling to undertake any risks that could potentially endanger his life. However, Rhinox is able to aggressively convince him to assist.
Sadly, the Predacons still aren't as fleshed out in this episode. There is a cool moment with Megatron near the end where, after a defeat at the hands of the Maximals, fires a missile at Primal, preferring to take his opponent out with him if he is to lose. However, the remaining Predacons are shown to simply be Megatron's lackeys. While most of these Predacons do get their time to shine as the show goes on, in this episode they don't leave as much of an impression.
This episode drops an interesting breadcrumb into the series that will get expanded upon later on. On their way to the Energon Cache, Rhinox spots Stonehenge. He points out that it's unnatural, but it wasn't made by the Maximals or Predacons. This heavily hints at other intelligent life being present on the planet, adding in a sense of mystery that will be expanded upon as the show goes on.
While the plot of this episode isn't the strongest, this episode has some great character moments and allows us to get to know Dinobot a little bit better as well as planting a couple of seeds for future stories to build off of. The episode's ending does a pretty strong job of showing that, while the Maximals have won this battle - this is just the beginning...
Next week: Cheetor gets tangled up with Tarantulus in 'The Web'
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