Viewer Log: Beast Wars ep 4

Cheetor is racing into trouble once again. 

Last time on Beast Wars, Cheetor was given a simple mission to test out a communicator. It didn’t go well. He stumbled upon Scorponok digging out a Mega Cannon that was broken off the Darksyde in their fire fight and tried to stop him but was ambushed by Tarantulas. He lost the cannon, and the communicator was destroyed in the tussle. Trying to redeem himself, Cheetor ran off on hi own to try to take out the cannon but was captured by Tarantulas. The creepy spider intended to drain him of energy and then drain him dry. Cheetor is saved by Rattrap, and the two bid a hasty retreat. Rattrap covers for Cheetor and then threatens the kid to try to ensure he never tries something like that again. The next episode proves that the lesson didn’t stick. Oh, and the Mega cannon never comes up again to my knowledge.

 

This episode begins with Optimus Primal watching a lightning strike obliterate the side of a mountain. It reveals a massive Energon deposit. Optimus radios into the command center and tries to tell them to scrub the planned mission due to the destructive potential of the storm, but radio interference keeps his message from reaching the ship.

 

Dinobot has space issues.

Meanwhile, Rhinox finishes setting up the relay posts they’re going to use for said mission. They’re long spear like poles that shrink and collapse into hockey puck sized disk. Rhinox asks if there’s any word from Optimus, but Rattrap isn’t getting anything, also due to the storm. Dinobot examines the other part of this mission, a bomb, saying that the mission is too important to delay due to bad weather. He’s going make an adjustment, but needs a special laser for it, Cheetor has it and tries to casually make the adjustment himself but instead knocks the bomb over. Everyone freaks out for a moment as it rolls away, but thankfully Optimus caught it in the elevator before he hit anything with enough force to set it off. Cheetor takes the bomb and tells Optimus that they just need to do one more little adjustment before it’s ready to send the Predacon base back into orbit. He almost sets the bomb off again, but it powers down. Optimus tells them they’re scrubbing the mission. Cheetor still wants to do the mission, as even though Optimus says that the storm will hit in the hour, he thinks he’ll be able to outrun the storm with time to spare. Optimus says no, for fear that rushing planting the posts would lead to, ya know, death and destruction. They need to set the posts up in a specific line to avoid other Energon deposits. Cheetor begs for the chance to still do it, asking Optimus to have faith in him, but Optimus still says no. Dinobot lobbies to just set the bomb without the survey posts, as the worst thing that could happen is they blow up a Predacon. Optimus tells him this isn’t about killing (they use every other word for that, because 90s TV but that’s what they mean) but destroying the Predacon base and limiting their resources. He says that winning doesn’t mean annihilation. Dinobot counters that with reverse roles, Megatron would destroy then and spare the base. Optimus claims Dinobot’s judgement is clouded due to his desire to scrap Megatron. Dinobot transforms and storms off. Rattrap tries to lobby for trying the mission, as the relays are just to scan for Predacon energy signature, so what’s the harm? But Rhinox is with Optimus that the Energon makes the mission too risky.

 

 

Later, Dinobot goes to Cheetor’s room. Cheetor is sulking and is thus really susceptible to Dinobot’s… manipulations. He does just enough flattery to convince Cheetor that he can outrun the storm and set up the posts correctly, and that doing so is the only way to prove himself to Optimus. Cheetor exits the base and starts running. He quickly runs to each point, transforms, places a relay, and then runs to the next point over the course of the hour. He makes it all the way to the last relay, but a lightning strike hits him before he can plant it. It hits an Energon deposit they hadn’t detected. Cheetor tries to pull the relay out, but the Energon is making it spark with energy.

 

At the Predacon base, Terrorsaur is on lookout duty. He detects something, hoping it’s a Maximal, but ultimately dubs it just storm interference. That is until Cheetor tries to pull the relay out again and somehow ends up teleporting onto his station. Terrorsaur transforms and the two of them start firing on each other. Terrorsaur almost finishes him off, but Cheetor shifts to beast mode and tackles him. He knocks Terrorsaur into a console and he teleports as well. Cheetor marvels at the coolness of that but is interrupted by Scorponok and Waspinator. The two chase Cheetor, ultimately blowing a hole in their ventilation system and giving Cheetor a means of escape. And to reenact Die Hard if he wants. Scorponok orders Waspinator to tell Megatron what happened.

 

Terrorsaur teleports into the Maximal base. He comes face to face with Dinobot. The two of them almost throw down, but Dinobot notices the console is sparking with energy. They realize that somehow the storm and the relays created a transporter of some kind, Terrorsaur confirming it by mentioning that Cheetor ended up at the Darksyde. Dinobot proposes a truce, Terrorsaur taking it further, saying that together they can defeat the Maximals and then rule the Predacons with two iron fists. They pump fists, but Dinobot’s smile suggests he’s plotting something.

 

Scaredycat.

Meanwhile, Cheetor is being chased through the vents by Waspinator and Scorponok. Waspinator shooting darts through the vent, leading Cheetor towards Scorponok who tries to hit him with a missile. Cheetor dodges the initial explosion, but is knocked through the vent by the shockwave, and Scorponok and Waspinator are blasted back as well.

 

On the Axalon, Dinobot confirms from Terrorsaur that just touching the console was all they needed to use the transporter. Dinobot thanks him, then kicks his ass and sticks him a launcher and fires him out into space. Terrorsaur tries to plead for him not to do it, saying they’re partners, but Dinobot casually reminds Terrorsaur that he is not a team player. Optimus arrives a moment later, having noticed the missing relays and cat and wants an explanation. Dinobot lies to Optimus, saying that Cheetor “must have” gone out on his own to set the charges and that he “intercepted a communication” saying that Cheetor had ended up in the base and has surely been destroyed by now. He uses Optimus’ anger at the thought of Cheetor’s death to try to convince him to send the bomb through the portal to finish Megatron off.

 

On th Darksyde, Waspinator and Scorponok are still looking for Cheetor. He slips into one of the computer bays and starts downloading their maps and survey data. It’s super lucky he did this, as he’s able to combine both their survey data and learns that the Energon deposit that allows the transporter to work runs under both bases. Blow up the Darksyde with the bomb, and the chain reaction will take the Axalon with it. Cheetor makes a copy of the disk right before being caught. He dodges a missile from Scorponok and keeps running. 

 

One crispy dino-nugget.

At the Axalon, Optimus confirms from Dinobot that the bomb he set will give the Predacons enough time to evacuate. Dinobot says yes, that they will give them 30 seconds to escape. They send the bomb just as Cheetor sends the data disk.  Cheetor is captured by Terrorsaur, whom I guess had just arrived back at the base and gotten Megatron. Megatron tells Terrorsaur to disarm the bomb, but they don’t have time, its anchored down and they only have 20 seconds. Cheetor offers to disarm it, which Megatron allows. He disengages the anchors and Terrorsaur flies up and throws the bomb, but still gets scorched. Megatron goes to execute him, but Cheetor jumps on the console and teleports away. After, the others congratulate Cheetor, though Optimus promises him he’ll put Cheetor’s tail in a sling if he tries a stunt like that again. Cheetor promises not to… until next time and runs off. Everyone gets a good chuckle out of that.

 

This episode was an interesting look at the psyche of my favorite former Predacon, Dinobot. While the carnivorous dinosaur is usually all about honor, one-on-one combat, and fair play, when it comes to Megatron he’s blinded by rage. He unabashedly used Cheetor’s desire to prove himself and headstrong nature to his own end of killing Megatron. He then was either willing to sacrifice Cheetor to see the mission be completed or had even less faith in the kid’s ability to stay alive than anyone else. It’s not exactly evil in and of itself but does show a ruthlessness that seems hardwired into his faction. For Cheetor, this is largely a rehashing of his story from last time. He’s an impulsive teenager that is more confident than he probably should be and is reckless because of it. He’s incredibly trusting, willing to listen to Dinobot’s praises and his idea to earn respect. Like, anyone with even a little more experience would have seen that Dinobot was using him to get his vengeance. But, kid, so he genuinely believes that Dinobot wants to help him earn street cred. This will be somewhat ironic, as Dinobot ends up being incredibly protective of Cheetor in the future, but that’s the future. We also get a bit more of Terrorsaur. So, he’s a red flyer with an inflated ego and constantly one good day away from betraying Megatron… yes, he’s basically Starscream. It’s not the most original character type, but the “constant traitor” archetype does separate him from the general clump that most of the villains are in currently. Oh, and Cheetor’s line when he returns to the base at the end of the episode “Hiya cats, miss me?” is one of his most iconic lines. I love it. And that’s all I have to say about that. Have a good night. 

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/83809990

Twitter: @BasicsSuperhero