Transmetals
Transmetals are a subgroup of the Beast Wars and Beast Machines characters in the fictional Transformers universe. Ordinary Transformers in the Beast Wars universe have a mechanical robot form and an organic animal form, also known as a "beast mode", which helped them deal with high Energon levels. Transmetals on the other hand are Transformers that due to mutation caused by a powerful energy wave are highly resistant to Energon overload.[1] This mutation also granted them additional abilities and a transport mode.[1] The Transmetal subline of toys was released in 1998 in conjunction with Beast Wars' second and third seasons.[2]
A more mutated form of Transmetals known as Transmetal 2 was introduced later in the Beast Wars storyline, with toys released in 1999.
Background
Arrival on Earth
At the start of the Beast Wars series two Transformers factions, the Maximals and Predacons, land on an Energon rich planet,[3] which is later established as being Earth.[4] Energon can be used as a power source for Transformers, however exposure to too much causes damage. To compensate for this, both factions scanned the planet for local lifeforms to create organic "beast modes", which allowed them to be on the planet's surface and around Energon without fear of damage.[3]
Planetbuster
Prior to the arrival of the Transformers on Earth during Beast Wars, an alien race known as the Vok had been performing experiments on the planet.[5] These experiments were contaminated with the Transformers arrival resulting in the Vok deciding to destroy Earth with the Planetbuster, a weapon that they had disguised as one of Earth's moons.[5]
Before the Planetbuster could complete its mission, the leader of the Maximals, Optimus Primal, managed to destroy the weapon.[6] The resulting destruction of the Planetbuster caused a powerful energy wave known as the Quantum Surge to spread throughout space and time.[7][8] This Quantum Surge irradated the Transformers space-ships Axalon and Darksyde, causing the mutation of several of the Transformers rendering them into what became known as "Transmetals".[8] These Transmetals had gained extra abilities along with a vehiclar transport mode.[7] The Quantum Surge also altered the basis of the Transmetals themselves rendering them invisible from Vok devices such as the "Metalhunter".[7]
Transmetal characters
Maximals
- Cheetor[9] - Became a Transmetal when irradated with radiation from the Quantum Surge.[8]
- Depth Charge[10] - Became a Transmetal when his ship was pulled into a temporal anomaly and sent back in time becoming irradated with the Quantum Surge in the process. The resulting time travel and crash on Earth brought him into the Beast Wars.[11]
- Optimus Primal[12] - Died when destroying the Vok's Planetbuster weapon, however his spark was put into a Transmetal protoform bringing him back to life.[13]
- Rattrap[14] - Became a Transmetal when irradated with radiation from the Quantum Surge.[8]
Predacons
- Megatron - Became a Transmetal when irradated with radiation from the Quantum Surge.[8]
- Rampage - Became a Transmetal when the Quantum Surge irradated his statis pod.[15]
- Tarantulas[16] - Became a Transmetal when irradated with radiation from the Quantum Surge.[8]
Beast Machines
In the Beast Machines series that came out after Beast Wars, the Maximals lose their Transmetal forms after they are exposed to Megatron's transformation virus, which reverted them back to their previous "beast modes".[17]
Later fiction
In the Dreamwave More Than Meets the Eye guidebook series, the term Transmetal was expanded to include any Transformer with a metallic animal-themed alternate mode - for example the Dinobot leader Grimlock turned into a Transmetal Tyrannosaurus.
In the Transformers: Cybertron toyline, the character profile of Scourge, states that he has a "Transmetal claw" without expanding any further on it.[18]
Toys
The Transmetal sub-line of Beast Wars toys ran from 1998 to 2001. Several Transmetal figures would also be recolored and released as exclusive toys at BotCon or in Transformers Universe, some of them being associated with the Beast Machines line.
- Blackarachnia
- Dinobot
- Scorponok
Basic class
- Claw Jaw
- Spittor
Deluxe class
- Airazor
- Airazor (Fox Kids exclusive)
- Cheetor
- Cheetor (Fox Kids exclusive)
- Metals Jaguar
- Metals Rattle (Puzzle exclusive)
- Rattrap
- Rattrap (Wal-Mart exclusive)
- Rattrap (Fox Kids exclusive)
- Rhinox
Deluxe class continued
- Rhinox (Fox Kids exclusive)
- Tarantulas
- Tarantulas (Fox Kids exclusive)
- Terrorsaur
- Tigatron
- Waspinator
- Waspinator (Fox Kids exclusive)
Mega class
- Inferno (same toy as Scavenger)
- Megatron
- Optimus Primal
- Scavenger
Ultra class
- Depth Charge
- Rampage
Super class
- Optimal Optimus
BotCon
- Apelinq (repaint of Transmetal Optimus Primal)
- Primal Prime (repaint of Optimal Optimus)
- Shokaract (repaint of Rampage)
- Universe Depth Charge (repaint of Beast Wars toy)
- Tigatron (repaint of Metals Jaguar)
References
- 1 2 The Transformers Beast Wars Source Book. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ↑ Lee's Action Figure New and Toy Review issue #71, September 1998, page 34
- 1 2 Beast Wars - Part 1
- ↑ Beast Wars - "Coming of the Fuzors: Part 1
- 1 2 Simon Furman, Ben Yee. The Transformers Beast Wars Source Book. p. 197. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ↑ Beast Wars episode 26 - Other Voices, Part 2
- 1 2 3 Simon Furman, Ben Yee. The Transformers Beast Wars Source Book. pp. 197–8. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Beast Wars episode 27 - Aftermath
- ↑ Simon Furman, Ben Lee. The Transformers Beast Wars Source Book. p. 35.
- ↑ Simon Furman, Ben Lee. The Transformers Beast Wars Source Book. p. 43.
- ↑ Beast Wars episode 41 - Deep Metal
- ↑ Simon Furman, Ben Lee. The Transformers Beast Wars Source Book. p. 105.
- ↑ Beast Wars episode 29 - Coming of the Fuzors, Part 2
- ↑ Simon Furman, Ben Lee. The Transformers Beast Wars Source Book. p. 121.
- ↑ Beast Wars episode 34 - Bad Spark
- ↑ Simon Furman, Ben Lee. The Transformers Beast Wars Source Book. p. 165.
- ↑ Beast Machines - Revelations Part II: Descent
- ↑ TF Archive - Scourge
