An excellent example of anyone forcefully changing his or her personality without any magic spells. I loved it!

 

            The beginning of the eleventh episode of season one is a view of the waterfall, which is by the Maximal base. The camera moves over to a boulder on the ground by the riverbank. Next to the boulder, is a purple flower, which happens to be caught underneath it and is barely seen at all. Optimus Primal then appears in the scene, notices the specimen then has to call DinoBot out to the area (apparently, he was supposed to be assisting). The Predacon traitor then reluctantly comes out of hiding and began with: “Of course. Pardon my lack of enthusiasm for a bunch or worthless weeds” and finishing with: “You do realize we’re targets out here—TARGETS! But nooo, you stop to smell the roses.”

 

            Optimus explains to DinoBot (much to his detest of another speech) that he signed onto the Axalon as an explorer and that they didn’t need to act like the whole planet was filled with Predacons. DinoBot argued by saying that he would give a song and dance performance of ‘I told you so’ if the Predacons found and destroyed them (ok, not exactly his words). After a few more minutes, DinoBot said that he will blast the boulder away. Before he transformed, Optimus showed DinoBot a way to free the flower without violence. DinoBot insults the flower and walks away. The Flower then leaned back and tossed some hard shell at the unsuspecting transformer. After a freak out, Optimus got the shell off of DinoBot’s neck. The shell moved and turned into a flower, thus revealing that it was actually a seed. After a sarcastic remark from DinoBot, he and Optimus then got into an attack by Scorpinok. During the battle, DinoBot was crushed under a boulder and when Optimus went to help him, Scorpinok launched his cyberbee and landed on Optimus’ chest. Ignoring the bee, Optimus fired a shot a Scorpinok and sent him falling down a waterfall. The cyberbee then attached itself onto the Maximal commander.

 

            Back at base, Cheetor yelled at DinoBot in anger. The traitor then retorted with: “Don’t tell me what my duties are, fur ball, or you will be serving several recycling bins.”. After Rattrap broke them up, Rhinox explained to his comrades that it was a viral mind which was big trouble because 1, the mind fused with Optimus’ net core and he can’t transform with the thing on him, making it a big deal considering the amount of energon on the planet, and 2, if anyone pulled the device off, Optimus wouldn’t survive since his life support functions were transferred into it. DinoBot used his Predacon knowledge to inform them that the device was programmed to turn the Maximal commander into a coward, causing the Maximals to suffer a horrific defeat. He also informed them of the anti-virus which would cure him however; it is in the Predacon base in Scorpinok’s lab. Before anyone could even try to think of another way to get the trinket off, the CR Chamber shuts down suddenly. The door is then busted down as an enraged Optimus Primal steps out with murder in his optics.

 

            Rhinox holds Optimus back before he could try and hurt anyone. Optimus then proceeds to say: “I don’t fear you. I DON’T FEAR ANY OF YOU!!!” which makes the others remember that Scorpinok is an idiot and realizes that he must have screwed up with the mind’s programming, thus making him into the opposite of what it was supposed to make him—a Berserker! Struggling for control, Optimus orders that he be disarmed and locked up.

 

            Scorpinok reports his progress to Megatron, not knowing how badly he screwed up. Megatron then announces his plan to us viewers.

 

            When Cheetor visits Optimus in the lock hold, the Maximal commander is trying to break through the bars. He then tries to get through to Optimus, who then suggests that they use his disadvantage to their advantage. DinoBot suggests the same idea: for Optimus to be armed up and sent into the Predacon base, ready to mutilate them. “If we want the anti-virus,” he said “then that’s the only way we can get it.” Rhinox comments that Optimus would’ve been killed before he reached the doorsteps. Optimus and Cheetor then enter the room causing a commotion with Rattrap and Rhinox while DinoBot only flinched in surprise. After a question of suspicion, Optimus gets mad and begins to fire holes in the Axalon, causing the others to hide behind anything that can withstand the blasts. Finally, Rhinox tackles Optimus down. Then, and only then, did Rattrap and Cheetor help him. Optimus Finally throws all three off of him and stands back up saying: “Y-you don’t understand. It’s like DinoBot said. (DinoBot looked at the others and shrugged sheepishly) We have to hit the Preds the only way they understand. Hard, Fast and right where it hurts.” With ammo and a sharp katana sword baring, Optimus blatantly told them where to go, how to get there and then left.

 

            Cheetor, feeling guilty for all that happened, went straight to the armour hold and prepared for combat. Surprisingly, DinoBot entered and tried to talk some sense into the young Maximal saying: “It is a doomed mission. There’s no strategy, just mindless aggression” and convinced him to try and think what the old Optimus would do—negotiate.

 

            With that, Cheetor contacts the Predacon base and warns them that Optimus is coming their way and it’s not about an invite to a tea party. Megatron doesn’t sound scared when he tells the young Maximal that no one will enter their base alive. The tyrant then turns off the comlink and proceeds to harm Scorpinok for his screw-up. Cheetor informs the others about what happened and glares at DinoBot for the idea.

 

            Optimus breaks into the Predacon base where Tarantulas is ordered to stop the intruder. The psychotic spider then fires a sharp blade at the Maximal commander, who merely catches it. As he walks towards him, Tarantulas begins to batter Optimus with the spider-legs missiles, who didn’t seem fazed by it; even as the blasts began damaging his entire body. He slams Tarantulas to the wall by the spider’s neck. He then shows his enemy the blade that was fired at him, jammed it into the spider’s stomach and moves on. Megatron orders Blackarachnia and Terrorsaur to defend the perimeter and tells Waspinator to stop Optimus. The Wasp is happy not to get a slagging assignment—until he hears Optimus screaming and backed up into a wall. Hearing the footsteps shaking the ship every step that is taken, Waspinator thinks that he is safe when the footsteps stop. He is wrong. Optimus slams through the wall and pulls Waspinator inside and slams him through another one. He then proceeds to shoot him and moves on again.

 

            Meanwhile, the other Maximals rush towards the enemy ship as Blackarachnia and Terrorsaur run out, weapons flaring. Both sides continue to fire against each other without showing any sign of weakening. After a while, Rhinox sends Cheetor inside the Predacon base to find Optimus before he hurts himself.

 

            Optimus finally enters Scorpinok’s lab in search for the anti-virus but only finds the stand that held it. As the condition worsens, Optimus collapses to the ground in pain as Megatron, in beast mode, comes out with what the Maximal commander has been looking for. The T-rex comments on how well Optimus did with the Gorilla Warfare on. Megatron then gives Optimus a proposition—an allegiance with the Predacons for exchange for the anti-virus. He then ends the proposition with ‘Join me or perish!’. As his answer, Optimus rips off the Viral Mind in front of the tyrant. The Predacon leader attempts to escape when the Maximal throws the mind onto the back of Megatron’s neck, causing him to lose grip of the anti-virus but continue to run.

 

            Cheetor enters the room, jumps, transforms and catches the Anti-virus. He was able to give it to Optimus just in the knick of time. As the Maximals retreat back to base, Scorpinok gets the mind off of Megatron’s neck and both watch as it explodes.

 

            A few hours after the sun rises, Optimus wakes up in his own quarters and notices DinoBot sitting next to him. They talk a little bit, then the warrior gets up and leaves. As DinoBot exits the room, Optimus notices the flower he saw on their exploration trip earlier, chuckles and goes back to sleep.

 

End of episode.

 

Episode Review:

 

            I feel that this is a great example of an excellent series such as Beast Wars. Gorilla Warfare shows that even the unexpected Maximal can have a different personality as plan gets together. Scorpinok being a reeeeeeeeaaaally bad scientist was excellently proven when Optimus didn’t become a coward as planned (though, I wouldn’t mind watching him cower in a corner. That would be priceless to see). And Cheetor with all that weaponry, getting ready to back up his commander… *does the Italian kiss with her fingers*… excellent. DinoBot and Megatron’s reactions to when they got hit in the one place they can’t reach—the back of the neck, was priceless! LOL! I especially liked how it looked like Optimus and DinoBot practically switched personalities in that episode, with Optimus as the one who wants to fight fight fight and DinoBot being the reasonable one. I dare someone to say otherwise about this episode because I give this five thumbs up.

Reviewed by: Wicked Woman