“Beast Wars G1” Options

[Starfield]

Has anyone ever charted how the back story of Beast Wars was similar and different to existing G1 continuities? Let's see, off the top of my head:

• Autobots and Decepticons crash landed in the Ark in a volcano four million years ago.
• The Nemesis crash landed on Earth at that time.
• Transformers had Sparks.
• The Insecticons probably were not active in Demon Swamp the whole time, because of the radiation and the Beast Warriors probably would have met them at some point.
• There probably isn't a Savage Land where Shockwave and the Dinobots are stuck in the mud.

[Darth_Prime]

[*]There probably isn't a Savage Land where Shockwave and the Dinobots are stuck in the mud.
[/list]

Depends on which G1 continuity you want to follow, comics or TV shows.

[Starfield]

• There probably isn't a Savage Land where Shockwave and the Dinobots are stuck in the mud.

Depends on which G1 continuity you want to follow, comics or TV shows.

I was thinking about comparing Beast Wars G1 to both the cartoon and comic. The Insecticons in Demon Swamp thing is from the TV show and the Savage Land is from the comic.

[mignash]

The original Beast Wars were set after G2, with Optimus Prime and Megatron on modern Earth. You could follow that.

Alternately I always liked the idea of crossing over with Skull Island from King Kong. Have the Ark crash on the island, with it's dinosaurs and giant animals. Then it scans alternate modes for the Autobots and Decepticons. Make Optimus Prime a giant gorilla, make Megatron a T-Rex. The other Transformers are all giant animals and dinosaurs. It works.

[D.M]

It's set in G1 cartoon universe as you can clearly see that G1 Megatrons helmet isn't black nor was Soundwave purple. Oh, and Ark wasn't gray. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-hotrod.gif)

AAAaaaaaaaaaaand in the comics, Nemesis didn't crash. It was floating in space (see Target: 2006).

This post has been edited by D.M: Apr 23 2012, 12:07 PM

[Otaku]

Is it mentioned anywhere if the Insecticons activated right away?

[Starfield]

Is it mentioned anywhere if the Insecticons activated right away?

I don't remember the Insecticons ever being unactivated. They didn't crash with the Ark. But I'll double check!

Edit: Yup. They ejected from the Nemesis and their idento-computers reformatted them.

This post has been edited by Starfield: Apr 24 2012, 03:02 PM

[Destron D-69]

the G1 of beast wars was a parallel universe to both the Cartoon and the comic, possessing elements of both and its own unique concepts.

Sparks for example, Protoforms, and in fact, crystallized energon are all concepts that did not pre-exist in any G1 continuity known Prior to the historically referenced one mentioned in Beast wars.

So while Optimus Prime is one of Optimus Primal's ancestors ... it isn't either of the ones we met previously.

[Starfield]

the G1 of beast wars was a parallel universe to both the Cartoon and the comic, possessing elements of both and its own unique concepts.

Sparks for example, Protoforms, and in fact, crystallized energon are all concepts that did not pre-exist in any G1 continuity known Prior to the historically referenced one mentioned in Beast wars.

So while Optimus Prime is one of Optimus Primal's ancestors ... it isn't either of the ones we met previously.

Well, yea.

I was just wondering if anyone ever charted out Beast Wars' G1-esque history and how it was similar and different to the old cartoon and comic.

I forgot about Protoforms. That's a good one.

[Kil]

I was just wondering if anyone ever charted out Beast Wars' G1-esque history and how it was similar and different to the old cartoon and comic.

One pretty big difference: the war between Autobots and Decepticons on Earth was a secret one. At least, that's what Megatron said in "The Agenda" when recounting the history of the Golden Disk.

This post has been edited by Kil: Apr 24 2012, 03:00 PM

[Destron D-69]

another thing to note is the mysterious 'third' non-autobot/Decepticon cybertronians that Tarantulas and the tripredicus council had sprung from...

n.a.i.l.'d it

This post has been edited by Destron D-69: Apr 24 2012, 03:19 PM

[▲ndrusi]

I was just wondering if anyone ever charted out Beast Wars' G1-esque history and how it was similar and different to the old cartoon and comic.

One pretty big difference: the war between Autobots and Decepticons on Earth was a secret one. At least, that's what Megatron said in "The Agenda" when recounting the history of the Golden Disk.

Yeah, I bet that's what the 'Bots and 'Cons told their successors.

"We took on forms resembling Earth vehicles so we could be robots in disguise."
"Oh, cool! So then you kept your existence a secret, right?"
"...yes. That is exactly what we did."

[D.M]

the G1 of beast wars was a parallel universe to both the Cartoon and the comic, possessing elements of both and its own unique concepts.

Sparks for example, Protoforms, and in fact, crystallized energon are all concepts that did not pre-exist in any G1 continuity known Prior to the historically referenced one mentioned in Beast wars.

So while Optimus Prime is one of Optimus Primal's ancestors ... it isn't either of the ones we met previously.

Sparks originate from early TF:TM drafts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-hotrod.gif)

[Msol]

Did any of the BW writing staff have access to those scripts? I doubt it.

[D.M]

Did any of the BW writing staff have access to those scripts? I doubt it.

Whatever you say. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-hotrod.gif)

[Otaku]

Is it mentioned anywhere if the Insecticons activated right away?

I don't remember the Insecticons ever being unactivated. They didn't crash with the Ark. But I'll double check!

Edit: Yup. They ejected from the Nemesis and their idento-computers reformatted them.

Not what I was getting at. Heck, I went and watched the episode because I was sure there was a comment that the Insecticons had only reactivated 700 years earlier, but sure enough I either imagined it or made a mistake. Plus, I actually know exactly who gave that statement. Okay, I don't know exactly who because Skywarp and Thundercracker are too similar for my tastes. XD Still, it was one of them stating what he figures must have happened.

There is quite a bit of leeway with retcons in Transformers already, but if one wishes to place Beast Wars into a more cartoon G1 friendly timeline, just assume the Insecticons didn't activate until sometime after the Beast Wars had resolved. I mean, that escape pod didn't look like it had fared all that much better than the Ark did in the crash.

[Destron D-69]

or just assume any number of other scenarios...

they could have stayed on cybertron with pre-beastwars Shockwave, Only Shrapnel could have survived (since he's the only one mentioned in Beastwars) ... that's really how open ended this all is.

[Starfield]

Is it mentioned anywhere if the Insecticons activated right away?

I don't remember the Insecticons ever being unactivated. They didn't crash with the Ark. But I'll double check!

Edit: Yup. They ejected from the Nemesis and their idento-computers reformatted them.

Not what I was getting at. Heck, I went and watched the episode because I was sure there was a comment that the Insecticons had only reactivated 700 years earlier, but sure enough I either imagined it or made a mistake. Plus, I actually know exactly who gave that statement. Okay, I don't know exactly who because Skywarp and Thundercracker are too similar for my tastes. XD Still, it was one of them stating what he figures must have happened.

There is quite a bit of leeway with retcons in Transformers already, but if one wishes to place Beast Wars into a more cartoon G1 friendly timeline, just assume the Insecticons didn't activate until sometime after the Beast Wars had resolved. I mean, that escape pod didn't look like it had fared all that much better than the Ark did in the crash.

If the escape pod crashed, it would have been a pretty poor escape pod. The escape pod was four million years old, so it might look a little dinged up.

Their idento-computers reformatted them to be able to live off the land. But they didn't say how long it took to reformat them. Transformers don't go around reformatting themselves with their idento-computers, so maybe it is really, really slow. They reformatted themselves from the inside with minimal energy reserves. Maybe it took millions of years? Or maybe the radiation knocked them out of commission for a while.

You know, it doesn't look like Beast Wars is that incompatible with the cartoon.

• Retcon them into having Sparks. If cartoon Optimus can be retconned into having a Matrix, Sparks aren't a big deal.
• Assume they invented Protoforms later on.
• Assume the Nemesis crashed the second time in South America.
• Assume Megatron was stretching the truth about the war being secret.
• Leave the Insecticons' absence a mystery. Maybe they were just hanging out in Demon Swamp.

[Destron D-69]

yeah but as soon as you make all those 'assumptions' you aren't in cannon anymore.

[Otaku]

yeah but as soon as you make all those 'assumptions' you aren't in cannon anymore.

If you're Megatron's arm-mounted, fusion based energy projection weapon are you cannon? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-arcee.gif)

Playful kidding about typos aside, we are discussing Transformers: canon is basically whatever Hasbro says is canon, or those working under Hasbro with appropriate authority. Even I know not to treat this backstory as sacred writ that never changes. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-fire.gif)

After all, pretty sure it is canon for Beast Wars to be a part of G1 in Japan... because almost everything they have that is canon is a part of G1 over there. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-blitz.gif)