Feral Scream Part 1



Megatron uses alien technology to create a new Transmetal 2 version of Dinobot, and Cheetor is caught in the blast as the device malfunctions.

Summary
In a dark and stormy night, Optimus Primal and Cheetor battle with Megatron and Waspinator for a stasis pod. Cheetor pulls out a massive rifle, but instead of hitting Waspinator, his shot explodes closer to Optimus, collapsing the ledge he's standing on and burying him in an avalanche. The two Predacons retreat with their prized pod, and Cheetor is left to see to the fallen Maximal Leader. Depth Charge arrives and helps uncover Optimus by blasting some rubble away with a "power pizza". After it's clear Primal is still alive, Depth Charge flies off to hunt Rampage. Primal drives back to the base, while Cheetor in instructed to wait for back up, and assist Depth Charge.

In a dramatic ceremony, Megatron loads the stasis pod into a machine, with cells from Dinobot for an identity, and half the spark of Rampage. Given life in blank protoform by lightning, and all tied together with the Transmetal driver, Dinobot II is born. Depth Charge crashes the birthday party, but the new Dinobot displays an intense ferocity against the manta. Cheetor "spices things up with Cheetor pepper" (shoots stuff).

Dinobot II transforms and inspects his new body, accidentally blowing off his own finger. Cheetor grabs a Predacon hover-thing and uses it to snatch the Transmetal driver from the apparatus Megatron assembled to create the new Dinobot. Cheetor tosses the driver to Depth Charge. Megatron, still on the scene, blasts Cheetor into the electrical current, frying the cat bot. Cheetor spends a minute, tortured by the machine, and the assembled transformers cover themselves as a large flash of white light explodes the mountainside. Apparently, Cheetor is dead.

Back in the Maximal's base, Primal is repairing himself. Depth Charge arrives and reports Cheetor's death. Depth Charge heads into a cave to scan the driver, and finds that it's a device of alien nature that has been altered by Megatron. He decides to destroy the device by tossing it into some lava, but once Depth Charge's back is turned, Blackarachnia catches the device before it is immolated.

Outside, Primal blames himself for Cheetor's death - but as it turns out, Cheetor is still alive, and in bad shape.

In the Predacon base, Rampage expresses displeasure over having his Spark's core given to the Dinobot clone. The king crab tries to reclaim the fragment of himself, but Dinobot uses his ability to tease his fragment of Rampage's spark, causing Rampage great pain. Dinobot is sent to recover the Transmetal driver. Rubber Ducky watches contently from the tub.

Depth Charge emerges from a CR Chamber, and sets out to Sub-Grid Zarak to hunt Rampage. When there, he's ambushed and captured by Dinobot. Dinobot and the Predacons interrogate Depth Charge, but a feral monster jumps out of the darkness and strikes down Megatron. Quickstrike follows the blur behind a rock, but is quickly dismembered. When the strange feline blur jumps out again, Rampage and his "brother" try to shoot it, but only end up blasting each other away.

Megatron is left on his own, and overprotective of himself, he blasts away the wandering Waspinator. The beast hits Megatron in the back, and Megatron stumbles and plants his own tail-claw-weapon thing into the ground, causing himself to spin out of control and over a cliff. Depth Charge is left alone to wonder who or what saved him, but his mysterious hero sneaks away when Primal returns.

Back at the Maximal base, Cheetor stumbles onto the scene and passes out. Primal and Rhinox rush to help him.

Quotes
"From the tempest's fury, the spark ignites...to sire new life! Transmetal 2 life! Ahaha-haha!"
 * -- Megatron channels his inner mad scientist

"Waspinator not like new lizard bot!" "I agree with the bug. But then, I'm not crazy about any of you."
 * -- Waspinator and Depth Charge

Stats
Writers: Greg Johnson Original Air Date: January 31, 1999

Characters (in order of appearance): Waspinator, Megatron, Cheetor, Optimus Primal, Depth Charge, Dinobot II Rhinox, Blackarachnia, Rampage, Quickstrike

Transformers References

 * There is a subgrid near the Maximal base called Zarak.

World References

 * Megatron's creation of the Dinobot clone is clearly based on the creation of the monster from Frankenstein, complete with Waspinator as Igor.


 * After grabbing the Transmetal driver, Cheetor yells for Depth Charge to "Go deep", a reference to American football.


 * Megatron spins around and over a cliff in a manner similar to the Tasmanian Devil "Taz" and Wile E. Coyote cartoon characters, respectively.

Animation Errors

 * During the top shot of the Darksyde, the ship is clearly mirrored. The (looking from top) left wing is whole and right wing is broken, when in reality the wings are reversed. It was shown correctly in part 2, however.