When Beast Wars burst onto the small screen in 1996 it was immediately polarizing. Longtime Transformers fans were annoyed by the shift in style and did not like that the ‘bots were no longer cars or trucks, but rather animals. The toy line sold much better than the previous Generation 2 toys, however, and is credited with reviving the franchise as a whole.
The computer animation that the series is known for may look horribly dated at the point, but the stellar writing makes it more than worth disovering or even re-watching. The later inclusion of some of the characters in the IDW 2005 continuity and relaunching of a Beast Wars comic has revived online chatter about the original series and even boosted interest in a film adaptation.
9 Changed: Rattrap Went From Loyal To Selfish
Unlike the loyal Maximal from the Beast Wars cartoon, the Rattrap of the 2005 IDW comics was opportunistic and always looking out for himself. He cozied up to Starscream after renouncing his allegiance to the Autobots and became his right-hand ‘bot.
In Beast Wars, Rattrap always had a snide remark but was loyal to the core, instead using his sneaking skills for infiltrating Predacon bases. His loyalty in the IDW comics is to no one but himself and his own survival.
8 Didn’t Change: Both Versions Of Airazor Look Up To Tigatron
Airazor is the only Maximal to have a flying beast mode in the Beast Wars cartoon, which makes her invaluable for reconnaissance and missions requiring speed. Like the other late addition to the team in season 1, Airazor is not part of the central team, choosing to stay out on recon and exist somewhat separate from the main team.
In contrast to Tigatron, Airazor looks up to the ‘bots in her team and develops a rapport with them. She does focus most of her attention and energy on Tigatron, though, which is the same way things unfold in the comics. Airazor is a more friendly ‘bot, but she largely directs that at Tigatron, moving from their colony of Eukaris to Iacon to be with him.
7 Changed: Tarantulas Was Given A Backstory In The Comics That Better-Explained His Treachery
In the Beast Wars continuity Tarantulas is nothing more than a slightly treacherous scientist who likes to experiment on living creatures. The IDW comics, specifically the mini-series starring the Wreckers, give him a back story and explain how he became unhinged. Starting with Sins of the Wreckers writer/artist Nick Roche crafted the backstory of Mesothulas, a scientist in the Great War who made the impossible possible.
Creating Chimeracon technology and mass shifting with ore-13 planted by Shockwave on Earth, Mesothulas creates a Chimeracon body for himself and sets out to destroy his former companion, Prowl. The character from the Beast Wars cartoon, however, is only obsessed with getting himself off of prehistoric Earth— without his companions.
6 Didn’t Change: Tigatron Remained Mostly A Loner Who Only Came Around When Needed
Tigatron is the pacifist Maximal. In Beast Wars he did not feel comfortable living among his Maximal compatriots because of his time in the wild after being activated. Tigatron is an outsider in the comics, a Eukarian who has mostly abandoned his tribe to live his life the way he wants to. Similarly in the Beast Wars cartoon he lives mostly in the wilds and shows up only to help protect his people.
Becoming a delegate to the council of worlds and moving to Iacon was a way for him to live with his love, who is from another tribe, and to support the colony that rejected them.
5 Changed: Blackarachnia Was A Deadly Femme Fatale On The Show But A Benevolent Champion Of Her People In The Comics
The Beast Wars version of Blackarachnia is a Maximal protoform who was activated as a Predacon by Tarantulas, who also selected her beast mode. The character is treated somewhat as a femme fatale, befitting her beast mode as a Black Widow. Power-hungry and never a true believer, Blackaranchnia also tries to wipe out the Maximal base after taking control of the flying island in season one of Beast Wars.
By contrast, the Blackarachnia who is in the IDW comics is a Eukarian hermit and precognizant. She saw the coming of delegates from the other planets and prepared representatives from each tribe to receive them. She is the benevolent hermit of Eukaris and acts in a way to benefit her people rather than only herself.
4 Didn’t Change: Rampage Is A Mindless Killing Machine In Both Versions
Rampage is what happens when Maximal scientists become too preoccupied with whether or not they “can” and don’t stop to think about if they “should.” Protoform X, which would later become Rampage, was an attempt to create an immortal spark like Starscream’s. Tamed by Megatron stealing part of his spark, Rampage became a somewhat loyal Predacon.
In the comics Rampage is also a mindless killing machine. He is one of Onyx Prime’s Maximals and will kill indiscriminately if ordered. While readers aren’t told if there’s a mechanism that Onyx is using to control Rampage like in the cartoon, it is pretty clear that he exists only to kill, maim, and otherwise injure Transformers.
3 Changed: Dinobot Lost Some Of His Depth In The Comics But Also Some Of His Violent Tendencies
Rattrap’s reluctant compatriot from the Beast Wars cartoon, Dinobot, is not given the same treatment as he was afforded in his original incarnation. The original character is fully fleshed out as a Predacon-turned-Maximal who is able to not only have a full-featured character arc but also complete the hero’s journey.
In the comics, however, Dinobot is not really given much panel to work with, but the reader will note that gone is his intense lust for violence and domination. He is still willing to defend his home with extreme aggression if necessary. Writer Mairghread Scott and artist Corin Howell did work in a nice reference to Dinobot and Rattrap’s relationship in the cartoon, however.
2 Didn’t Change: Waspinator Is Mostly There For Comic Relief In The Show & The Comics
Beast Wars is known for its strong writing and memorable characters, and Waspinator is one that has survived in the Transformers mythos in a way that many other characters from the cartoon have not. Serving mostly as comic relief in the cartoon, his role does not change much in the 2005 IDW continuity.
While Waspinator doesn’t get the most panels to work with he does get fleshed out a little bit more as a character. Instead of just saying “Uh oh” and getting shot, he actually gets to help advance the plot. Sometimes he only gets tackled by Chromia.
1 Changed: Rhinox Went From Nature-Loving Scientist To Servant Of Onyx Prime
IDW’s Rhinox is very different from his Beast Wars counterpart. Where Rhinox was the scientist and medic of the Maximal crew aboard the Axalon, the IDW comics have him serving Onyx Prime as a duplicitous Maximal. When the Maximals turn on Onyx Prime, who had been revealed to be the Decepticon Shockwave, it is Rhinox who delivers the bad news.
Beast Wars portrayed Rhinox as a stark contrast to the rest of his Maximal teammates, as he would frequently stop to smell the flowers and cared greatly for the planet around them. His level-headed nature saved them more than once in a time of crisis.
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