Beast Machines

Episode 12: The Catalyst

SPOILERS AHEAD

SYNOPSIS:

Maximals mourn the "loss" of Rhinox.
Meanwhile, Tankorr (the corrupt Rhinox) uses the drone to lure Megatron into
using they Key to Tankorr's own ends.  Megatron has the key duplicated for a
squad of Thrust and Jetstorm drones.

Black Arachnia convinces Rattrap to give her some of the goo (Cybertron's
organic core) so she can try to rescue Silverbolt from Rhinox's fate.

Rattrap finds a computer file that can enhance the goo's growth factor.
In experimenting with it, the trees grow fines as if they were tentacles.

The diagnostic drone tries (poorly) to divert the Generals from the Maximals.
They detect Black Arachnia and the drone can't talk them out of it this time.
BA jumps Thrust and they fall.  BA webs Thrust up and throws some goo on him.
Unfortunately, it's not her beloved Silverbolt underneath.  It's Waspintator!
Turns out that Waspy got bored and got kicked out of the proto-human tribe.
He doesn't say how he got home but he comments it took a long time but it was
worth it.

Jetstorm barges in bopping Black Arachnia on the head.  The canister goes
flying and dumps goo on Jetstorm.  Silverbolt is now revealed to be inside
Jetstorm as he claims Black Arachnia as "the black poison of his heart".

A brief competition for Black Arachnia ensues.

In an attempt to get more answers from the Oracle, Primal is suprised he can't
access the Oracle.

The drones catch up to the trio of Black Arachnia, Thrust, and Jetstorm.
Forgeting about their control of the drones, the drones (all armed with Keys)
fire on the group and hit the Vehicon Generals.  They revert back to their
Vehicon persona.  Rattrap and Cheetor, astride a wildly growing vine, burst
into the room and sweep up Black Arachnia.

Black Arachnia "Whose got the green thumb?"

The drones fire on the mess of vines and the Maximals are forced to jump to
the underground.  The fire is so intense that the techno matter spreads
deep towards the Maximal base.  With Cybertron's organic core threatened,
the Maximals rush to catch up with the infection's spread.

Fortunately, Primal catches on to what's happening and starts snapping vines.
His hedge-clipping is rewarded and the spread of the mechanical infection
is stopped.  The Maximals argue a bit more.  But Primal alerts them to a
more important danger -- the Oracle appears to have been tampered with
(no doubt by Tankorr and the drone in the last episode "The Key").

Tankorr, manipulating the diagnostic drone, convinces Megatron to give the
copies of the Key to the Tankorr drones.  Tankorr claims that Megatron and
Primal (his "pawns") are poised to finish each other off.

Next week is the "end game" for this season.


DESIGN NOTES:

Not really much in the way of impressive explosions or anything.
I like the "windshield" wiper Rattrap has on his visor -- good gag.
I liked Thrust's eye's when Waspinator's persona emerged.  The hex pattern
looked so neat.


ANSWERS:

For those of you who did suspect Black Arachnia was incorrect, your suspicions
have been confirmed.  When (in episode 7) Thrust had his flashback, Thrust
comments that the rest of the Maximals looked like they weren't happy to see
him.

I'll bet some faithful fan has already found which Beast Wars episode the
flashback was taken from and already knew that Thrust was Waspinator.


FINAL NOTE:

This episode really didn't build up the tension for me.  At least, we aren't
presented with any new conflict.  Of course Megatron and Primal are heading
for a determined confrontation.  And of course, Tankorr's hopes of eliminating
both foes by setting them against one another only leads to the two opponents
figuring it out and joining to defeat the manipulator. Duh!


--