Trivia for
"Beast Wars: Transformers" (1996) More at IMDbPro »

• Originally, Hasbro intended Primal to be a bat and Megatron was to be a crocodile (or perhaps an alligator) instead of an ape and a t-rex, respectively. This explains why Primal is the only Maximal in the series who can fly in his robot form and not his beast form. The jet pack was a leftover from the previous form.
  
  
• Originally, the character Tigatron was supposed to be another character Wolfang. The personality traits were kept, but the character was changed per request of Hasbro.
  
  
• Though not seen or mentioned in the show, Optimus Primal's original "Alternate mode" (what he transformed into) was a Monster truck and Megatron's was a "moble battle-base" prior to being turned into a gorilla and a t-rex.
  
  
• Both Optimus Primal and Megatron were originally supposed to have the ability to transform into four forms, two beast (bat/gorilla for Opitmus, croc/T-rex for Megatron) and two robot. Due to the limitations of computer technology at the time, the idea was scrapped.
  
  
• Several of the early figures in the Beast Wars toy line had a feature that fans dubbed "mutant heads", which were basically subsititute heads for the figures. These "mutant heads" can be seen on the early computer models for some of the characters, but adding this feature would have made the cost too prohibitive at the time, so they were not added. However, at least two of the characters - Waspinator and Tarantulas - still feature their "mutant heads" as the heads of their robot forms.
  
  
• The "Golden Disk" that Megatron stole in the pilot is from one of the Voyager spacecraft, though we're never told *which* Voyager craft the disk is from.
  
  
• The writers had originally intended Beast Wars to be a separate continuity from the original Transformers series, not the sequel as it eventually became.
  
  
• Throughout the entire series, ten known stasis pods fell. Tigatron, Blackarachnia, Airrazor, Inferno, Silverbolt, Quickstrike, Transmetal Optimus's blank, Rampage, Transmutate and Transmetal Two Dinobot.
  
  
• Early on, during the original broadcast, there have been major "clashes" between the fans of Transformers. Some were unable to accept this series, as it didn't feature the original characters and because the robots turned into organic animals rather than mechanical machinery. As the show progressed, though, more and more mechanical-looking robot modes began to emerge with vehicle modes, and the references and easter-eggs that tied it to its predecessor "Transformers" (1984) became more common. Finally the infamous sarcastic phrase "TRUKK NOT MUNKY" ("truck not monkey") was born, which represents the haters' anger over Optimus Primal being an ape and not a truck like the original Optimus Prime. Since then, Transformers fans have used it derisively towards those that complain about changes to the mythos. It is worth to note that the rants the phrase is based on were baseless from the start, since Optimus Primal and Optimus Prime are two different characters, and Primal is not in fact a monkey but an ape. It is unfortunate, however, that there are still fans who cannot accept organic or animal-like Transformers (or, in fact, any kinds of Transformers that differ from the original characters) and the fights between the "haters" and "supporters" still take place from time to time.
  
  
• Cheetor is the first character to speak, Scorponok is the first character to fire his weapon, Megatron is the only one ever completely shown before getting a beast mode, and Dinobot is the first character to transform into robot-mode.
  
  
• This cartoon introduced the concepts of the Spark (basically the "spirit" inside a Transformer body) and the Allspark to Transformers lore. These have been used excessively since in cartoons, comics, and other media. Although in "Transformers" (1984), there was a mention of a thing called "laser-core" (most probably an early concept of the Spark), it was quickly forgotten.
  
  
• Aside from the above mentioned concepts, Beast Wars also introduced the word "slag" as a frequently used Transformer profanity and swear word. Being a cartoon for kids, the writers naturally couldn't use such expressions as "shit" or "fuck", and thus a new meaning of "slag" was born. "Slagging" was also used as an adjective to describe things when the characters were feeling angry.
  
  
• The episodes that feature the extraterrestrial race the Vok are deliberately titled with two words, the first word being "Other" and the last word starting with V."
  
  
• In beast mode, Tarantulas possesses nine eyes instead of a spider's traditional eight eyes.
  
  
• The character of Rattrap was based on comedian Lou Costello, whose partner Bud Abbott was the inspiration for Rattrap's close friend Rhinox.
  
  
• The character of Dinobot holds parallels with "Dragon Ball Z" (1989/I)'s Piccolo, both voiced by Scott McNeil: both start out as enemies but eventually become respected allies.
  
  
• The Predacon Waspinator's beast mode is a female wasp. This was perhaps a deliberate decision, as the female wasp carries a stinger that serves as an effective weapon (and which male wasps do not possess), and such a mode would fit the male (and continually put-upon) Waspinator.
  
  
• The Maximal Tigatron spent a lot of time with his animal friend (known in the series as Snowstalker), who apparently was the one from which he scanned and acquired his beast mode. This would make the male Maximal's alternate mode a female tiger.
  
  
• Voice actors Gary Chalk, Ian James Corlett, Scott McNeil, Colin Murdock and Venus Terzo had previously collaborated in Warriors of Virtue (1997).
  
  
• When the series was released in Japan, certain changes in characterization/plot were carried out (some of which did not go down well):
  - Foolish questions would be asked at the beginning of each episode - an infamous instance reports the robot Optimus Primal asking "Where is my banana?"
  - There was plenty of fourth-wall humor and over-the-top and in-your-face jokes, even at the most inappropriate of moments.
  - Clipshows would feature the characters interacting in silly game shows and contests (e.g. in the episode "" Megatron acted as a judge in a celebrity impersonation contest);
  - the Predacon Megatron was rendered a bumbling fool who often made high-pitched screams (which replaced his "Yeesss" and "Nooo" exclamations);
  - the Maximal Cheetor would almost always end his comments with a long, stressed "Ja-n!" (which is meant to be a feline growl)
  - the Maximal Rattrap would often break the fourth wall, sniffing in the viewer's direction and commenting on what food he could smell;
  - the Predacon Tarantulas had a high-pitched voice, shrieked constantly and had his trademark cackle altered to be more feminine;
  - the female robot Blackarachnia carried a "bipolar" voice, switching from a sultry flirtatious drawl to a bloodthirsty maniacal scream; she also became less independent (though still a strong female character) and was occasionally prone to begging for mercy from her enemies;
  - the Maximal Tigatron was made a samurai-inspired warrior, acting and speaking in a formal tone;
  - the female Maximal Airazor was made a male to increase sales, and HIS relationship with Tigatron was reestablished as a relationship between a protective guardian and his young apprentice (where certain unavoidable scenes were featured that presented otherwise, the Japanese gently informed viewers that "these things sometimes happen between people")
  - the Maximal Silverbolt was made an rigidly cheerful and polite character who would always end his sentences with the word "desu!" (a Japanese phrase for "Yay!")
  - and the Maximal Depth Charge would sing a fishing song ("Ito Maki-Maki," or "Wind the Thread") whenever he transformed.
  
  
• Of all the surviving Predacons and Maximals at the end of the series, only Rhinox and Waspinator were never changed to Transmetals throughout the entire series
  
  
• According to scriptwriter Bob Forward, the show's first season cost eighteen million dollars to produce.
  
  
• Depth Charge is the only additional transformer not to originate from a stasis pod. Tigerhawk doesn't count because Tigatron and Airrazor which created him, both came from stasis pods.
  
  
• Much of Dinobot's dialogue was taken from William Shakespeare's plays, particularly "Hamlet," whose title character underwent many crises of deceit and nobility, revenge and sacrifice, destiny and fate and ultimately heroism.
  
  
• Voice actors Ian James Corlett, Richard Newman, Pauline Newstone and Scott McNeil voice Maximals Cheetor (Corlett), Rhinox (Newman), Airazor (Newstone) and Rattrap, Dinobot, and Silverbolt (McNeil, who also did the Predacon Waspinator). They have collaborated in "Dragon Ball Z" (1989/I), where Newstone had voiced Frieza, Newman had voiced Captain Ginyu and McNeil had voiced Piccolo (Cortlett voiced the series protagonist Son Goku early in the series before Sean Schemmel replaced him).
  
  
• Voice actor Scott McNeil considers this show his best and most favourite show, and his roles in it (Rattrap, Dinobot, Waspinator, Silverbolt) are the ones he is most proud of.
  
  
• Megatron says "Yeesss." 166 times and "Nooo!" 54 times in the course of the show.
  
  
• According to story editor Bob Forward, Dinobot is a descendant of Grimlock, one of the original Dinobots from "Transformers" (1984).
  
  
• Throughout the series, there are various texts displayed in Cybertronix (a language developed and used in the Beast Wars saga). These texts spell out various Easter-egg messages to pick up.
  
  
• The voices that bellow "Beast Wars!" in the opening sequence are those of Leslie West and Joe Lynn Turner.
  
  
• While the Japanese version of the show was reviled by many TFans and was seen as a disgrace (especially considering TransFormers had originated in Japan), it remained a hit with young children and created the sequels "Beast Wars Second: Chô seimeitai Transformer" (1998), "Chô semeitai Transformer: Beast Wars Neo" (1999) and "Toransufômâ: Bîsuto uôzu metarusu" (1999). Years later, the English version was released in Japan with subtitles, allowing viewers to get a proper viewing of the show.
  
  

• SPOILER: The Maximals and Predacons are the descendants of the Autobots and Decepticons from "Transformers" (1984). Before they accidentally landed on prehistoric Earth, they lived on Cybertron some 300 years after the end of the original series.
  
  
• SPOILER: The third season of the series was originally going to include an episode called "Dark Glass," written by Christy Marx. In this episode, Rattrap finds the original Dinobot's personality program, and goes on a suicide mission to install it into Dinobot II clone in a desperate bid to bring his old comrade back (succeeding in his mission, but without effect). However, the script was seen as "too dark" for children to watch, and so the episode never made it past the script; in its place, the lighter, more jocular episode "Go with the Flow" was created. However, the story is now considered part of the Beast Wars saga, and provides an explanation on how the Dinobot clone regained the original's personality in the finale.
  
  
• SPOILER: From the original teams of five Maximals and five Predacons that begin the Beast Wars, only four Maximals (Optimus Primal, Rhinox, Rattrap and Cheetor) and two Predacons (Megatron and Waspinator) are around at the end of the Beast Wars.
  
  
• SPOILER: From the second-generation Maximals (Tigatron, Airazor, Silverbolt, Depth Charge) and Predacons (Blackarachnia, Inferno, Quickstrike, Rampage) that joined the Beast Wars, only two on each side (Silverbolt and Blackarachnia) survived to the end of the series and Beast Machines.
  
  
• SPOILER: Originally, Waspinator was supposed to fall in the lava and die in the beginning of season two while Terrorsaur survived and became a transmetal. However due to his growing popularity the writers killed off Terrorsaur and let Waspinator live.
  
  
• SPOILER: Out of the surviving 10 original transformers and the eventual 14 from season 1, only Waspinator and Rhinox keep their first forms by the end of the series.
  
  

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