Other Visits is the thirty-second and thirty-third episodes of the Beast Wars TV series.
Synopsis[]
Part 1[]
Rhinox scans all the known alien sites, with Dinobot playing "back seat computer operator". Both notice a pattern, and Rhinox is concerned, as the next location looks like it is on course with Tigatron and Airazor's scout patrol. They try to alert the pair but are unable to due to Megatron's jamming tower. Dinobot announces he and Rattrap will go to destroy the tower. Rhinox informs the other Maximals of the danger Tigatron and Airazor are in, so the flyers set off to warn them.
Tarantulas is repairing his web in his lair, moaning to himself that no one will help him, as "they're all too busy helping Megatron, even that vile..." when he is interrupted by his computer alerting him to the presence of the aliens. He quickly transforms into his motorbike mode and races off.
In the Predacon base, Blackarachnia is nearly dozing off on scout duty, as "being loyal to Megatron sure is boring!" This doesn't please the purple guy much, as he happens to be eavesdropping. Suddenly, she notices Tarantulas on the scanners, zipping along at breakneck speed in Grid Vaxon. At the mention of the spider, Megatron reveals himself, accompanied by Inferno, and begins giving Blackarachnia orders, with Inferno enforcing his master's wishes. Blackarachnia suggests they follow Tarantulas to see what he's up to, but Megatron seems reluctant. Inferno then reports an attack on the jamming tower and asks if he should back up Waspinator and Quickstrike. Instead, Megatron reveals to the spider and Inferno that now is a prime time to get the Golden Disk back, with only Rhinox guarding the Axalon.
Tigatron and Airazor are patrolling when, to their delight and surprise, they see a hint of plant life in the form of a drifting seed. They continue to Grid Zeiram, where they discover a clearing full of plant life, an area of natural beauty that wasn't destroyed by the alien attack. Airazor is intrigued by the unique forms of vegetation, so she transforms to get a scan. BIG MISTAKE. Tigatron also transforms. BIG MISTAKE. They both seem to be overcome by it all, and share a brief romantic moment. But as the pair cuddle up, tendrils begin to snake up behind them, and suddenly, the two Maximals are entangled. Amidst their screams, they link hands, telling each other that their sparks will always find each other. As they are abducted, Cheetor flies up and tries to rescue them, but to no avail. He screams in protest as he realises he has lost them. As he bemoans the Maximals' inability to warn the abducted pair in time, Tarantulas pops up and blasts Cheetor, knocking him out cold. As Tarantulas begins to check out the site, he realises Optimus Primal is coming, so he retreats.
Optimus and Silverbolt land in the clearing, and Optimus gets Cheetor back online. He hurriedly asks what happened to Tigatron and Airazor, and Cheetor indicates the plant at fault for their disappearance. At this moment, Rattrap buzzes in, informing the Maximals that he and Dinobot have destroyed the jamming tower. (Actually, Dinobot is still landing a few final blows, which topple the tower on top of Quickstrike and Waspinator.) Upon learning about the fate of Tigatron and Airazor, all the Maximals head back to base, all deeply moved.
Optimus com-links Rhinox, who is also shocked by the news, but, being the cool cucumber that he is, goes straight back to scanning the alien abduction and notices two distorted figures in the beam: Tigatron and Airazor. Before he can investigate further, the base alerts go off, and he notices Megatron outside. Rhinox has no time for fun and games, so he literally brings out "the big guns." However, Megatron is merely acting as a diversion while Blackarachnia and Inferno sneak into the base and shut off the defense systems. Big Green realizes he's in trouble and desperately tries to get through to Optimus, but Inferno enters the room, swings Rhinox's chair up to the table, and puts him at gunpoint just as Optimus finally responds. Inferno offers a "Goodbye!" on Rhinox's behalf and simultaneously blasts Rhinox. Blackarachnia rushes for the disk, but Inferno is more hesitant: "The Royalty said we weren't to touch it until..." He is interrupted by Rhinox grabbing him and yanking him back to express his displeasure. Rhinox and Inferno start to rock 'n' sock each other with chin-punches, and Rhinox soon wins by popping Inferno's block off (or at least up). Blackarachnia grabs the disk, but Rhinox menaces her with "The Chaingun Of Doom." He barely has time to threaten her before Megatron appears behind him and lays verbal claim to the disk. Despite his fear, Rhinox quickly readies to smack Megatron in the face, but the Pred is too quick; he grabs Rhinox's hand in his claw, rips it off and sends him sprawling. Megatron grabs the disk, pushes Inferno's head back down, then takes his leave.
The Maximals make it back to the base, and Optimus re-attaches Rhinox's arm. The Maximals then have a council. Cheetor is still upset about Tigatron and Airazor, insisting they need to rescue those two. However, Dinobot says they need to stop Megatron before the aliens strike, to which Optimus agrees. They set off for the site where Tigatron and Airazor were abducted.
Megatron is back in the Darksyde, talking about the Golden Disk, but is interrupted by Tarantulas. The spider brags that he is no longer part of the Predacon command, but also reminds his ex-leader that he is Megatron's only chance of surviving the alien attack. Megatron allows Tarantulas to undertake his plan.
The Predacons head to the abduction site, where they go about ramming posts into the ground. Megatron questions Tarantulas's motives, but Tarantulas isn't telling. However, due to the fact they shared minds, Blackarachnia knows it is because he hates the aliens. Megatron doesn't mind, since hatred is an emotion he can trust. When the plan is complete, Megatron and Tarantulas have a brief laughing contest which is interrupted by Primal and the Maximals, who transform and prepare to attack. The Predacons also terrorize, ready for battle, when the aliens' beam comes down, causing a halt in the proceedings. All the Transformers stare on in amazement as a spaceship materializes in front of their very optics.
The top of the ship opens, releasing an energon surge, which blasts into everybody.
Part 2[]
The Beast Warriors lay inert after the Metal Hunter's energy surge… but the Transmetalized ones soon recover. Megatron begins investigating the alien base, finding it does not react to their presence. Tarantulas says that the surge has used most of their energy, and they must act quickly. Tarantulas activates the devices that the Predacons had previously planted around the alien site, creating a force field which repels a Maximal attack. Safe inside the web, Megatron casually uses the alien disk to enter the base, shrugging off Optimus Primal's warnings.
Primal sends Cheetor and Silverbolt to take Dinobot and Rhinox back to base for repairs, while he and Rattrap prepare to take down Tarantulas's shield.
Megatron boots Quickstrike into the main chamber of the alien base, but nothing happens. Tarantulas observes that their beast modes shield them from detection. Tired of hiding, Megatron transforms, but still nothing happens; he realizes that the quantum surge has rendered them invisible to the aliens.
Tarantulas hacks into the base's systems, but finds no trace of the aliens. A control interface appears, which Megatron activates with the alien disk. Energy surges down into him.
Rattrap produces a couple of bombs, which he and Primal use to take down the refractive web. Tarantulas realizes what's happened, and takes Quickstrike to defend the base, determined that it remain in Predacon hands. After they leave, the energy surge ends, a control chair descends, and Megatron laughs in triumph.
Primal and Rattrap puzzle over how to enter the base, only to have Tarantulas and Quickstrike pop out from a door and open fire. Primal charges and nearly makes it to the entrance, but the base rumbles to life just then, lifting off the ground. A single shot knocks out Primal and sends Rattrap flying away. A green energy beam scoops up all the Transformers and levitates them into the air. Only Rattrap avoids it, by diving into cover amid some boulders.
A giant version of Megatron's face emerges from the base, speaking to his troops. He tells Tarantulas that the aliens no longer matter, and that with his victory, their alliance is terminated—and thus drops Tarantulas back to the ground. The rest of his troops are repaired and, along with Primal, are brought inside the base. Just as Rattrap is wondering what else can go wrong, the base teleports away, and he finds himself held at gunpoint by a battered Tarantulas.
The alien base rematerializes over the mountaintop where Inferno found the alien disk. Megatron needs time to achieve his next goal; he sends Waspinator and Inferno on a special task.
At the Maximal base, Dinobot and Rhinox are back online. Silverbolt is unable to find the Metal Hunter; however, he does detect Rattrap incoming... along with Tarantulas! The spider wants access to the Maximals' computer system, which—after some initial distrust—he quickly uses to locate the base. He also scans Inferno and Waspinator, who are carrying Transwarp cells back to the base. Tarantulas urges an immediate attack.
At the Metal Hunter, Primal awakens to find that Megatron intends to take the base back to Cybertron. Again, he brushes off Primal's concerns about the aliens discovering Cybertron; he plans to destroy them, along with the Maximals and the Autobots. He reasons that the trophies of the base and Primal will convince the Predacon Alliance that conquest is the right path.
The Maximals attack, drawing out the Predacon troops and providing a distraction while Rattrap and Tarantulas infiltrate the base. With the Predacons drawn out, the Maximals fall back. Tarantulas sends Rattrap toward the control room, and vanishes.
Megatron engages a teleportation sequence, but Rattrap bursts into the control room and frees Optimus Primal. Megatron and Primal battle, while Rattrap attempts to stop the teleport sequence. Destroying the control chair doesn't do the trick, but just as Rattrap seems to have run out of ideas, Tarantulas arrives. He sends a download into the alien systems and hightails it out of the base, so even if the teleportation sequence is complete, the only thing that will be destroyed is the Metal Hunter. The combatants soon realize what's happened, and flee the alien base shortly before it teleports into space. A transwarp portal opens to receive it, but the base explodes before it can leave Earth.
Primal resolves to the gathered Maximals that, if Tigatron and Airazor's sparks are still online, they will recover them.
Transcript[]
- Other Visits/Transcript