Tangled Web

Tangled Web is the thirtieth episode of the Beast Wars TV series.

Synopsis

As the Predacons busy themselves around their base, Megatron summons Tarantulas and assigns him to work with Blackarachnia and Quickstrike to develop a refueling station at a newly detected store of energon cubes. Megatron also assigns Waspinator and Inferno to develop a jamming tower to disrupt Maximal communications.

As the Predacons gather supplies and equipment for their assigned tasks, Tarantulas throws a transmitter into Quickstrike's collection of equipment with the hope of summoning the Maximals to undermine Megatron's plans.

Meanwhile at the Maximal base, Rhinox is conducting experiments on Optimus Primal's new transmetal form to see if they can learn its limits. Their experiment is interrupted by a short-circuit and Cheetor's report of a strange Predacon signal on a Maximal channel. Rattrap and Silverbolt are near the signal and sent to investigate.

Quickstrike, Blackarachnia, and Tarantulas arrive at their assigned destination, and Tarantulas decides that the site is a perfect location for his new lair. (His last one had been destroyed previously) He destroys the transmitter that he had been using to signal the Maximals. Blackarachnia too realizes that this site would be an optimal fortress and mentions it to Tarantulas. He then tells her about his plan to commandeer the site for himself to overthrow Megatron and destroy the Maximals, then says that she must join him in his scheme because of their psychic link. He soon recruits Quickstrike to his cause.

Losing the Predacon signal, Rattrap and Silverbolt are forced to follow the Predacons' scent and soon come across their trail.

As he relaxes in his CR tank hot tub, Megatron learns that Waspinator and Inferno have finished their assignment. When Megatron attempts to contact the other Predacons, though (failing to notice the jamming tower falling on Waspinator), he only gets static and soon realizes that the arachnids are up to something.

Back at Tarantulas's would-be lair, Blackarachnia is determined to end the psychic link that Tarantulas has been using to control her and threatens to blow up all of the energon there. While he initially is willing to let her do it, Tarantulas soon learns that their link goes both ways and that he shares her pain, so he agrees to break the link.

Outside the cavern, Rattrap and Silverbolt finally find the Predacons and engage in a battle with them. The fight begins to go the Maximals' way, but Silverbolt refuses to strike down Blackarachnia because she is female.

Soon the Maximals realize that the Predacons are guarding the cave and attempt to get in. Their plans are foiled when the entrance blows up. Rattrap congratulates Silverbolt on the blast, but Silverbolt says that he didn't do it. The Predacons are forced to retreat back to Megatron, who chastises them for their incompetence.

Later, though, it becomes clear that Tarantulas blew up the entrance so that he could return and have the cave for himself.