The Agenda (Part III)

Writers: Bob Forward

His plans crumbling, Megatron takes a final stab at winning the Beast Wars and changing history.

Major characters (in order of appearance): Characters

Minor characters (in order of appearance): Characters

Original air date: March 12, 1998 (Cartoon Network Special); May 23, 1998 (Regular Syndication)

Summary
With Ravage and his Transwarp Cruiser backing them up, the Predacons unleash a full assault on the Maximal base. It doesn't take long for Ravage and Rampage to bring down the base's shield. Ravage has Tarantulas transfer all the cruiser's power into one enormous missile. Before it can fire, Rattrap bursts into the ship's weapons hold and tosses a pair of magnetic bombs that adhere to Tarantulas's hands. The bombs obliterate Tarantulas, the ship's interior, and Ravagewho faces the onrushing fireball with a stoic cry of "Decepticons forever!" The cruiser falls out of the sky, coming to rest mere feet from Rampagewho is then blasted by the still-armed missile.

With the cruiser destroyed and his minions out of commission, Megatron flees. Optimus notes that he's not headed back to base, realizes where he's probably going, and orders the Maximals to pursue.

Meanwhile, Blackarachnia and Silverbolt make their way into the caves of the volcano, uncovering the object of Blackarachnia's questthe Ark. Blackarachnia explains to Silverbolt that the ship contains the Autobots' "finest heroes", but was attacked by Decepticons, with members of both factions stored inside, who will awaken in the distant future to re-start the Great War. Blackarachnia is concerned only with the power it possessesbut Megatron arrives just then, blasting Silverbolt offline and sealing the entrance to the caves behind him.

The Maximals arrive hot on his heels, find the sealed entrance, and start digging their way in. Inside, Megatron threatens to vaporize Silverbolt, convincing Blackarachnia to use the access codes to gain access to the Ark (though she vehemently maintains it's only so they'll have some cover in the face of the imminent Maximal attack). The Maximals burst through in time to see the two Predacons sealing the Ark behind them.

Blackarachnia activates the ship's defenses to hold off the Maximals, while Megatron goes to "effect a more permanent solution." Entering the main bridge of the ship, he hovers among the fallen Autobots and Decepticons, eulogizing the Decepticons and cursing the Autobots, until he comes face to face with his intended targetOptimus Prime, the original leader of the Autobots, who kept the Decepticons from victory (and therefore left their Predacon descendants in a subservient position to the dominant Maximals). Megatron charges his main weapon and prepares to fire.

In the caves, the Maximals are pelted by fire from the ship's cannon, till Rattrap manages to force a backblast that deactivates the cannon and shields. Rhinox struggles to open the mighty doors of the Ark. But the Maximals are too lateMegatron unleashes a full-power blast at Optimus Prime's head, destroying it.

A time storm immediately wells up, spreading outward from the Ark and into space. The Maximals find themselves phasing in and out of past bodiesas well as out of existenceas Megatron emerges from the Ark, triumphant.

Quotes
"What're you looking at?" "That star. Well, planet, actually.  Venus. It reminds me of you." "You mean hot, poisonous, and deadly? Aww, you're sweet."
 * Blackarachnia and Silverbolt take a break from clearing rocks away to make an in-joke about the former's voice actress

"Aw, man! That ship wasn't built. It was poured!" "Die-cast construction." [He looks at the audience.] It's a lost art."
 * Rattrap and Optimus Primal comment on the sturdiness of the Ark

"Now I enter these hallowed halls... a conquerer... yesss. Autobots and Decepticons, still frozen in emergency stasis, awaiting the moment, four million years hence, when they will awaken to start the Great War. Hmmm, a Great War, when the Autobots defeated the Decepticons, and thus their descendants the Maximals that rule we Predacons... archaic energon guzzlers! How dare they? Unwilling, though I was to follow my namesake's instructions, it has all come down to this: the ultimate risk, for the ultimate prize. A day of reckoning, with those who made us slaves!"
 * Megatron enters the command bridge of the Ark

"So, we are now face to face, Optimus Prime. In one future you awaken and become the great leader of the Autobots. But time shall take a different track, now... computer! All available power to primary weapon! ... And now, Optimus Prime, in memory of the Decepticons... for the glory of the Predacons... for the Cybertron that is rightfully ours, and mine to rule! ... I unleash the storm of vengeance... farewell..."
 * Megatron rewrites history

"Say goodbye to the universe, Maximals! The future has changed. Yessssss. The Autobots lose, evil triumphs, and you... YOU NO LONGER EXIST!"
 * Megatron

Technical/Animation glitches

 * Glitch

Continuity errors

 * This episode called into sudden question the location of the Maximal and Predacon bases. The events of "Code of Hero" seem to firmly place the series somewhere in Africa, where early humanity evolved; the templates for the Maximals' beast modes (gorillas, cheetahs, rhinos) would seem to back this up. However, the Ark is traditionally seen to have crashed in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. If this is the case, the Maximals pursued Megatron across the Atlantic Ocean and over an entire continent!
 * Beast Wars, however, does not use a strict interpretation of any Generation 1 storyline; it could be that in this version of the Generation 1 history, the Ark also landed somewhere in Africa. The question is never directly addressed in the show.


 * Either way, it doesn't make much sense that the Maximals make no attempt to shoot down Megatron while he's still on the run, rather than waiting till he reaches his destination.

Transformers references

 * In reference to the strength of the Ark, Rattrap claims, "That ship wasn't built, it was poured!". Primal replies "Die-cast construction. It's a lost art." This is a reference to the original Transformer toys, which featured some die-cast parts.


 * The final act features a bonanza of cameo appearances by the original Generation 1 Transformers, including Prowl, Optimus Prime, Megatron, Ironhide, Thundercracker, Soundwave, and Starscream.

Real-world references

 * Rattrap refers to his vehicle mode as Knievel mode, a reference to Evel Knievel.
 * As Rattrap rides the missile connected with Ravage's ship, he lets out a cowboy yell. This is a homage to Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.