Beast Wars International

We begin with a view of stasis pods orbiting the planet. One pod breaks orbit and decides to attempt landfall.

Then we see Tarantulas in his lair, working at his computer. The computer alerts him to the incoming stasis pod. He brings his ECM array online and has it emit a magna pulse. It fires beams in two directions: at the Maximal base and at the Predacon base.

In the Predacon base, Megatron and Scorpinok are doing something involving computers when the power goes out. The platforms they're using go offline, dropping them to the ground. Scorpinok lands on his face while Megs makes a more dignified landing. Scorpinok complains about not being able to see and Megs tells Scorpinok to tell everyone to come back to base (can't he do it himself?) because the Maximals are probably mounting an attack.

Little does Megsie know, the Maximals are experiencing the same problem, and blame it on the Preds. Optimus decides to fly out and warn everyone, and orders Rhinox to get the base back online.

Back in Tarantulas' lair, his computer informs him both bases' scanners are disabled. He asks the computer where the stasis pod will land and it replies something that sounds like "Grid Haelix" or "Helix" or something. It's hard to tell.

Blackarachnia shows up and insults Tarry's lair. He doesn't want her to figure out what he's doing. Tarry acts all nervous, so she tells him to chill out. She didn't come to pick a fight. He tells her he's busy with important research for Megatron (oh, puh-leeze!) Blackarachnia, who isn't stupid, quickly figures out he's actually trying to steal a stasis pod and reprogram the Maximal inside so it'll be a Predacon loyal to himself. She decides to help him.

The scene switches to a tropical rainforest with lovely poisonous frogs and Tigatron wandering around. He hears something and quickly goes to a clearing to investigate. He sees the stasis pod coming down and exclaims, "A stasis pod!" proving once and for all he knows what a stasis pod is. He is happy to know another Maximal warrior is arriving.

He attempts to contact the base, but has no luck, since the communication systems are down. He decides to get to the pod before the Preds do.

The camera goes to a close-up of an anthill. The stasis pod makes a perfect landing, for once. The pod's computer announces planetfall was successful, and commences activation programming. A rod comes out of the pod and scans the area. Right when it finishes, Tarry and BA enter the scene. Tarry is happy the pod is completely in tact. For once.

He accesses the pod's control panel and pushes a few buttons and the pod's hatch opens. BA brownnoses some. The computer announces the DNA sequencers are online. Tarry realizes he needs to work faster. He removes the pod's Maximal chip and happily replaces it with a Predacon one. The computer accepts the program and starts scanning for compatible life forms.

Tarry picks up a caged spider (what- ANOTHER black widow?? As if one isn't enough? I mean, really, do we want TWO Blackarachnias running around?) Anyways, before the spider is scanned, the computer finds a life form and begins replication.

"No!!!" Tarry exclaims.

"What's wrong?" BA asks in a non-butkissing tone. Tarry explains he wanted to create another spider, but the pod's computer has already picked a form. He says he can't stop the process, but is happy at least it's a Predacon.

The scene cuts to Tigatron running. Waspinator, lounging in a tree, spies the tiger and, since the Maximal's all alone, decides to destroy him. Waspy blasts Tigatron from the rear and sends him flying right into a rock. Tigatron hears birdies twittering in his head.

Just as "Wazzpinator sez goodbye to Tiger-bot," he gets blasted by Airazor. He decides to scrap her. Airazor is amused. He shoots a stinger at her, which she bats away, and then she shoots his wings off. He falls to the ground headfirst, and his head goes underground, where his antennae are chewed on by a small gray rat.

Airazor lands beside Tigatron and helps him up. He says he isn't hurt and tells her she can reach the stasis pod faster then he can. He'll catch up, he says. As she flies off, he begins internal repairs, because he was lying to Airazor when he said he wasn't hurt.

Tarantulas and Blackarachnia watch as the pod emits smoke and a blinding light. It shakes around a bit, and then ant legs, followed by an ant head, and then the rest of the ant, emerge.

"Eew, another insect. How depressing," Blackarachnia comments.

Tarry introduces himself to the ant as his creator and orders him to identify himself. Thinking they're enemies of the colony, the ant, called Inferno, transforms into a very tall Predacon with a big... abdomen and sharp teeth. He screams/yells/makes noise, brings up his big gun, and shoots. The spiders get blown out of the clearing. Inferno begins defending the colony, i.e. the stasis pod. Tarry decides Inferno's beast mode is dominating his logic circuits. Inferno thinks he's a real ant and anyone who threatens the colony is an enemy. Blackarachnia decides cyber-venom would improve Inferno's attitude. Tarry stops her, saying he doesn't want to risk damage to the pod. He won't tell her why he wants the pod.

Airazor flies around, and spies Inferno guarding the colony. She determines the new Maximal's already online. Inferno sees Airazor coming. He flies up to meet her. Blackarachnia sees an opportunity. Airazor asks Inferno's name, and he shoots at her. Blackarachnia shoots her out of the air and she falls to the ground, skidding a ways. She collapses.

Inferno is confused. Blackarachnia plants her foot on Airazor's head and says she'll destroy any enemy of the colony. Inferno tells her she isn't of the colony, and she tells him she's actually a personal friend of the Royalty.

While BA and Inferno talk, Tarry puts a device on the pod, attaches some web, and proceeds to drag the pod away, calling it "the REAL prize." He also says he now has the means to escape the planet.

Inferno lands, short-circuiting and wonders what's going on with him. BA explains he's been in robot mode too long, and he needs to transform. Inferno doesn't get it. BA tells him he's a Predacon. and it's his destiny to conquer and rule. He replies he only defends the colony, and realizes the colony/pod is missing. He transforms and runs after Tarantulas. BA figures out Tarry was after the pod the entire time, and wonders why.

Tigatron appears as Airazor gets up. She explains the Predacons got there first, they turned the protoform into a Predacon, and took off with the pod. Tigatron decides to get the pod while Airazor goes and gets Optimus. She offers backup, and he tells her he likes to be alone.

"Boy, sometimes you can be TOO alone," she says when he's gone.

Scorpinok watches Tarantulas dragging something behind him. Megatron messes with a still-malfunctioning computer screen, grumbling that it's Tarantulas' job. Scorpinok reports to Megatron that Tarry's coming, and something's chasing him. He's talking about the pod, but he's too dense to figure it out. Megatron, however, does figure it out, and realizes the spider's up to his old tricks again. When did he stop?

Tarry hides from Inferno, who is still chasing after the colony.

Inside the Predacon base, Megatron unsuccessfully tries to identify Inferno.

"Praise the Royalty, I found it!" 'Ferno exclaims as he nears the unguarded stasis pod. Tarantulas hops out of hiding and shoots Inferno with a web, trapping the ant to a rock. The web shorts out poor Inferno.

"Megatron orders the stasis pod to be brought to him at once!" Scorpinok tells Tarantulas. "And that creature as well." Scorpinok means Inferno. Poor Inferno.

A blast explodes the pod into little bitty bits, sending Scorpinok and Tarantulas flying. Scorpinok flies into a rock, and a rock falls onto his head, flattening it. Tarry sees the burning wreckage of the pod (the only thing Inferno DIDN'T want to burn- figures.) and yells, "NOOOOOOOO!!!" because he is unhappy.

Tigatron makes his entrance, Blackarachnia rises up behind him and smacks him in the back of the head, causing him to fall off his rock and hit the ground below. Tigatron gets up, and Tarantulas uses his leg-blaster thingies to pummel Tigatron.

Megatron arrives on the scene and roars at everyone.

"Oh, no!" Tarry runs away. Blackarachnia follows suit, but Tigatron is too injured to do so. Inferno has chewed through the web enough to get his head free, putting him back in the picture. He transforms, escaping completely from the web, and takes to the sky, yelling insanely.

"Ooh, I like him, yesssssss," Megatron comments.

Megatron fires on Tigatron as Inferno closes in. One blast from Inferno's gun sends Tigatron flying. Inferno lands on Tigatron and points a gun to his head. Before Inferno pulls the trigger, a blast blows him apart, sending Inferno pieces flying.

Inferno's head lands at Megatron's feet as Megatron sees Optimus and Airazor fly in. Optimus fires on Megatron and sends him flying. Optimus picks Tigatron up, Tigatron thanks Airazor, and then a beam from Megatron reminds them they're not out of danger.

They fly off as Megatron futilely shoots at them. Scorpinok points out the Maximals are out of range. Megatron throws Inferno's head at him and tells him to gather the pieces of Inferno.

"Defend the colony, dee-fend the colony, defend the colony..." Inferno's head says over and over until Scorpinok bops it.

Snow falls outside the Maximal base as Tigatron walks out of the CR all healed up. He decides to return to his post. Optimus tells him there's no hurry, because Dinobot, Cheetor, and Rattrap are out there. Tigatron wants to go anyways, because he prefers the wild to the base. Airazor mentions it wouldn't hurt to visit the base now and then, and Tigatron agrees. He leaves.

Blackarachnia decides angrily she was insane to help Tarantulas. "Megatron does not see the webs within the webs," Tarry says. "Nor do you." He then tells her the planet they're on is doomed. BA figures out Tarry's going to build an escape ship. BA leaves and they call each other names.

Comments: Well, after going on an Inferno drought ever since Beast Wars was taken off air (excepting a 6-second video clip with bad audio), I can honestly say Inferno isn't the same as I remember him. He's so much cooler!!! Well, from a reviewer's perspective, poor Inferno got very little screentime for it being his introductory episode, even though he emerges from his pod early on. Well, the episode IS called Spider's Game, so I GUESS it's okay for the spiders to hog the spotlight. Poor Inferno. This episode adds intrigue and alludes to what happens later, and is entertaining. Or at least I think so.