Dark Voyage

Writers: Samuel Warren Joseph Original Air Date: January 27, 1997 After an energon explosion, Rhinox must lead the blinded Maximals back to base.

Summary
Rattrap burrows through some rocks to find a piece of valuable Energon. Cheetor congratualtes Rattrap's discovery. Dinobot, disgruntled with the labour, discovers a deposit of surface Energon several times the size of Rattrap's harvest.

A dart from Scorponok lands on one of the larger pieces of Energon. Rhinox identifies the dart as being an explosive, and knowing how explosive energon is, maximizes to prevent the blast from annihilating the Maximals. However with the Energon already hit, there's no stopping the gigantic explosion. Once the fireball expands and rises into the sky, Scorponok is confident the Maximals are all goners. Waspinator agrees, and the two decide to report their victory to Megatron.

In the aftermath of the explosion, the four maximals have all survived and are in somewhat functional condition (a small miracle)for the time being but they each discover that somehow, they've all lost their vision - causing all of them to panic, (even Dinobot freaks out!). Rhinox, ever level-headed, takes charge of the crippled group and after Transforming, leads the crew in the direction they hope their base is in.

Rhinox, at the front of the train of blind Maximals, comes to a sudden stop, causing the Maximals behind him to bump into his large posterior. Dinobot hops back onto his feet (and onto one of Rattrap's as well). Rhinox silences the group so he can use his ears to detect if something is near the group - his suspicion is confirmed as a large Snake grabs Cheetor. Dinobot comically runs into a tree. Rattrap fails to fight the snake off, but Cheetor is saved due to the reptile deciding that Rattrap would be a better meal. Luckily, Rhinox is able to save Rattrap by tossing the snake over the horizon.

Tigatron and Optimus Primal decide to continue searching for thsie comrades who never reported home. Scorponok and Waspinator, searching for evidence of the expiry of the Maximals, decide to follow the trail of energon radiation their enemies left as the four walked away from the area. Waspinator finds the four as they cross a log over a waterfall, and the Predacon easily unhinges the log, causing the quartet to plunge into the water far beneath. As Waspinator congratualtes himself, Terrorsaur arrives, demanding proof of the wasp's endeavor.

The four maximals all manage to wash up on a shore together. Dinobot feels doomed by the situation but Rhinox remains hopeful. The Predacons fliers pass overhead at high speed, finding their targets. In response, Rhinox commands his group to transform to their robot modes. Next Rhinox instructs the group to imagine the targeting grid from their training. Using all his senses to extend his sensory awareness, Rhinox gives directions for Cheetor, Rattrap, and Dinobots to aim their weapons. Terrorsaur is hit, and the sound of fire alerts Tigatron to the missing group's location.

Being in robot mode for just a few extra minutes however, accelerated the energon poisoning blinding the maximals to the point that is knocks the three into stassis. Luckily Primal arrives before the group's sparks are extinguished.

After Primal has brought his friends back to the Axalon, Rhinox exits the CR Chamber, the energon poisoning washed out of his system and his eyesight restored. Rhinox suggests that the whole ordeal was educational, and leaves to smell some flowers.

Featured characters
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)