Other Voices, Part 2

Writers: Larry DiTillio and Bob Forward

As the Planet Buster begins destroying the planet's energon, Optimus devises a desperate plan to destroy the alien device.

Major Characters (in order of appearance): Characters

Minor Characters (in order of appearance): Characters

Original Air Date: April 1, 1997

Summary
Out on patrol, Cheetor and Tigatron stare in awe at "the light at the end of the world", as the alien machine continues powering up in space. Primal makes contact and orders them to return to base. Rattrap is pessimistic about their chances of survival, but Primal assures him that Rhinox will find a way for them to survive.

The alien bungalow finishes transferring power to the moon, and in a flash the aliens depart: "Termination sequence engage. Return to Nexus Zero."

Megatron and the Predacons observe this from their base. Confronted with a machine intended to destroy them, Megatron activates a special program and scans the Maximal base, finding the positions of the spiders and Inferno within.

Tarantulas is nearly finished converting a stored stasis pod into his escape ship. Blackarachnia observes that it's a little cramped for two... but, weapon drawn, she has no intention of sharing the ride. Inferno arrives just then, blasts her, and sets Tarantulas on fire, knocking him out. Back at the Predacon base, Megatron detects the aborted flow of data to the stasis pod ship, and reacts with fury.

The Maximals arrive at base, alarmed to find the shields down. Inside, they find Rhinox and Dinobot cyber-webbed to the ceiling. Primal sends Rattrap and Airazor to bring in their unwelcome visitors.

Inferno starts to examine Tarantulas's wok, but is attacked by Blackarachnia, who eludes him with a display of gymnastics, before blasting him with his own gun. Picking up Tarantulas's cyber-link goggles, she forms a link with Tarantulas to obtain the data needed to finish the pod-ship -- but she also gets a frightening look inside Tarantulas's mind.

Megatron observes the data flow resuming, just as the altered moon opens fire on the planet with a broad, blinding power ray. Primal charges the Maximal base's shields as the external temperature begins climbing, and deduces that the aliens intend to ignite the energon deposits. Megatron notes that this will obliterate the entire planet, an incredibly ruthless strategy that he rather admires. He assures his panicked troops that Tarantulas will, inadvertently, save them.

Blackarachnia finishes the pod ship, only to be held at gunpoint by Rattrap and Airazor, who summon the rest of the crew. Primal is impressed... and orders Blackarachnia to change the command codes to respond to him. He intends to fly the ship up to the Planet Buster and detonate the tranwarp cell to destroy it. With little alternative, Blackarachnia agrees.

Primal has poignant words with his worried crew, before sealing the ship and launching it. Megatron scans this and notes with delight that Primal is flying the vessel. Primal reaches the Planet Buster, starts the ignition sequence, and gives the order to blow the hatch seals. But the hatch is sealed and locked. Megatron appears on his comm screen to gloat that in his version of events, the ship's pilot goes "up with the ship". As the timer counts down, Primal pounds on the sealed hatch, to no avail.

The transwarp cell explodes, and high above the planet, the Planet Buster is annihilated... along with the pod ship, and Optimus Primal.

Technical/Animation Glitches

 * Glitch

Trivia

 * A planned but never produced G1 cameo was planned for Other Voices Part 2. The cameo was for Megatron to gloat Primal while in the stasis pod- by linking a direct communique with Autobot leader, Optimus Prime!  Prime was to show on Primal's viewscreen as Primal raced for the false moon and met his demise.

Continuity Errors

 * Error

Transformers References

 * Megatron says, referencing the newly revealed Planet Buster, "I'd say it was the instrument of our destruction." This may or may not be a reference to Instruments of Destruction, one of the songs used in The Transformers: The Movie.
 * Megatron's line "You Optimuses do enjoy sacrificing yourselves" is a reference to the original Optimus Prime and his numerous deaths.

Real-World References

 * Reference