The Agenda (Part 1)

Writer: Bob Forward

The Tripredacus Council sends an agent to Earth to bring back Megatron and his band of criminals.

Major Characters (in order of appearance): Rhinox, Cheetor, Optimus Primal, Rattrap, Silverbolt, Megatron, Inferno, Blackarachnia, Waspinator, Rampage, Quickstrike, Tarantulas

Minor Characters (in order of appearance): Sea Clamp, Ramhorn, Cicadacon (together, The Tripredacus Council); Ravage

Original Air Date: March 11, 1998 (Cartoon Network Preview); May 9, 1998 (Regular Syndication)

Summary
Rhinox tracks the transwarp wave (not to be confused with the Transmetal-inducing quantum surge from "Aftermath") released by the destruction of the alien superweapon, announcing it will arrive at Cybertron in a few hours, and that the Maximals are going home.

Megatron also sees that the transwarp wave is on its way to Cybertron. After learning that his attack on the early humans caused them to scatter, making their extinction an impossibility, he decides to implement one final plan. He calls up his security cameras, showing Blackarachnia leaving the Darkside.

Silverbolt flies to a secluded location where he meets up with Blackarachnia, handing her some sort of gadget (which is later revealed to be a levitation device of some kind) and he once again offers her a spot in the Maximal ranks. She refuses, but grabs Silverbolt and obviously some sort of robot lovin' goes down.

In the future, a Cybertronian outpost receives the transwarp wave quite violently. The Tripredacus Council convenes and destroys a satellite to make sure the Maximal sensors don't detect the wave. They decide to send an operative to find and capture Megatron, the rogue Predacon who stole the Golden Disk from the Maximals.

Back at the Axalon, the Maximals get ready for Megatron's inevitable final attack on their base. Waspinator and Inferno ready some attack systems, but Rampage decides to take the more direct approach and assaults Sentinel's shields with his weapons. The battle begins, and the Predacons appear to be winning until reinforcements come from above. Megatron orders a retreat, and the invisible source of the Maximals' help lands.

The Axalon's hatch opens and Silverbolt's super doggie nose smells something. All the Maximals draw their weapons as two red lasers appear out of nowhere from the hatch. Optimus Primal finally realizes that their reinforcements came in the form of a Decepticon who after the Great War was granted amnesty and rebuilt as a Predacon&mdash;Ravage.

Shots are fired, knocking all of the Maximals' weapons out of their hands. Ravage apologizes, and introduces himself as "Covert Agent Ravage, at your service." He lies about the transwarp wave, saying that it was too weak for anything but the Predacon sensors to detect.

At the Darkside, Blackarachnia finishes work on a flying stasis pod with Silverbolt's device. Her celebration is cut short, however, when Megatron calls for her. Megatron correctly anticipates a Maximal retaliation, and sends everyone but Waspinator to fortify the base. Waspinator, he sends on a "secret mission", which Blackarachnia takes special note of.

Ravage's transwarp cruiser takes off from the Axalon with the Maximals onboard. This sets off alarms in Tarantulas' lair, and in his only appearance in the episode, he takes off. The battle at the Darkside begins. Silverbolt ignores Optimus' orders to kill Blackarachnia, who takes off towards Waspinator's secret location.

Ravage begins firing upon the Darkside. Megatron attempts to retreat, but suddenly is binded to his chair with energy rings. Ravage, Optimus, Rattrap, and Rhinox walk in, and Ravage places Megatron under arrest. Are the Beast Wars over? Of course not, what do you think "Part 1" means? That's why its to be continued.

Trivia

 * In the opening shot, parts of Optimus Primal pre-transmetal fly at the screen.
 * Ravage arrests Megatron in the name of the "Pax Cybertronia". This is a reference to the Pax Romana.
 * The Tripredacus Council shown at the beginning of the episode were meant to be the Tripredacus gestalt toy, and were even referred to by their individual names in the original script. However, time constraints prevented the renders for the figures to exactly match the toys they were based on, so Hasbro asked that their individual names not be referred to, though the gestalt name was still used for the group.

Quotes
Rattrap: So, uh, Where ya' been, bird-dog? Silverbolt:  Uh, scout patrol... Rattrap: ''Oh, yeah, yeah! Scotin' the ememy, Heh heh. So..., find any now positions?
 * Silverbolt is just back from "visiting" Blackarachnia
 * Cheetor: What do you think it is, Big Bot? Optimus Primal: Not what...but who. After the Great War, a few Decepticons were granted amnesty. Most have retired. But rumor has it that one was reprogrammed and rebuilt - as a Predacon!
 * In the name of the Pax Cybertronia and the Predacon Alliance, you are under arrest. - Ravage, upon apprehending Megatron

Technical/Animation Glitches

 * None noticed

Continuity Errors

 * None noticed

Transformers References

 * The entire three-part season finale, The Agenda, is a reference to the original G1 cartoon. In this part, Ravage, the rebuilt Decepticon, is dispatched to the Maximals to assist them in capturing Megatron (who the Predacons see as a dangerous rebel as well, not knowing his true motives, which are revealed in the third part.) Ravage was one of the original cassette-robots to serve under Soundwave.

Real-World References

 * Six Lasers Over Cybertron, which Cheetor gets excited about, is a reference to Six Flags over various states.
 * Rattrap speaks of places in Cybertron where the serverbots walk around "minus their torso plates" and then does sort of a "wink wink, nudge nudge" toward Silverbolt. He's referencing strip clubs, of course.
 * "Rampage, position yourself in Subsector Hooks", spoken by Megatron, is a reference to fan Hooks.