Dark Voyage is the twentieth episode of the Beast Wars TV series.
Synopsis[]
Rattrap burrows through some rocks to uncover a piece of valuable energon. Cheetor congratulates Rattrap's discovery, while Dinobot, disgruntled with the labour, discovers a deposit of surface energon several times the size of Rattrap's harvest.
Suddenly, a dart from Scorponok lands on one of the larger pieces of energon. Rhinox recognizes the dart as an explosive, and rushes to toss it away from the unstable energon. However with the energon already fractured, there's no stopping the gigantic explosion. Once the fireball expands and rises into the sky, Scorponok and Waspinator are confident they've destroyed their enemies and return to base to report their conquest.
In the aftermath of the explosion, the four Maximals have all survived, but because of energon poisoning, all of them have lost their sense of vision. Cheetor, Rattrap, and even Dinobot panic and fret—until Rhinox puts his foot down and gets his team moving, in hopes they can overcome their disability and reach home—or at least avoid being easy targets.
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. Ignoring Rhinox's command not to panic, Dinobot comically runs into a tree. Rattrap fails to fight the snake off, but Cheetor is saved when the reptile decides 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 (finally!) decide to search for their 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 congratulates 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 Predacon 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 Dinobot to aim their weapons. Terrorsaur is hit, and the sound of fire alerts Tigatron to the missing group's location.
Another quick shot from Rattrap brings Waspinator down in flames as well, leaving the Maximals victorious despite their handicap. Before they can celebrate, the three gunners fall into stasis; being in robot mode for just a few extra minutes accelerated the energon contamination to near-lethal levels. Having transformed in reaction to the sound of something approaching, Rhinox loses consciousness as well-luckily, the sound was Optimus Primal, who retrieves the group before their sparks are extinguished.
Some time later, in the Maximal base, Rhinox exits the CR chamber and sees his comrades; literally, as they have all been cleansed of the energon poisoning. Rattrap and Cheetor thank him for getting them as far as he did, and even Dinobot commends Rhinox's leadership. For his part, Rhinox suggests that the whole ordeal was educational-the Maximals now have a greater appreciation for their senses and beast modes. With that in mind, Rhinox leaves to smell some flowers.
Deaths[]
If a Transformer stays in his robot mode just a few seconds while being blind, it accelerates the energon contamination to near lethal levels.
- Waspinator drowns in the ocean (If he didn’t die)
- Cheetor, Dinobot, Rattrap, and Rhinox all die from Spark extinguish because of Energon Contamination. (but all were later revived by Optimus Primal)
Transcript[]
- Dark Voyage/Transcript