Beast Machines: Transformers
A serialized sequel to Beast Wars on Cybertron.
Beast Machines: Transformers is a North American animated series from Mainframe Entertainment, falling under the Transformers brand. Hasbro has held full distribution rights since 2011. The show directly follows the events of Beast Wars and fits within the original Transformers timeline. It aired across two seasons on YTV and Fox Kids between September 18, 1999, and November 18, 2000. Among all Transformers cartoons made in North America, this one stands out because its entire story was planned and outlined before production began, resulting in a more serialized, linear narrative.
The plot picks up after the Maximals win the Beast Wars. Four survivors—Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Blackarachnia, and Rattrap—make it back to Cybertron. There they find the planet empty of their people and controlled by mindless Vehicons. Worse, they are stuck in their beast forms, have lost all the upgrades from the Beast Wars, and are rapidly forgetting everything except each other and two missing comrades. Forced underground, they locate the Oracle, a powerful supercomputer that gives them new, more powerful techno-organic bodies. The Maximals soon learn that their old enemy Megatron escaped before them and is the intelligence behind the Vehicons. He has declared war on beast modes and free will, imprisoning the sparks of Cybertron’s entire population. The Maximals must free those sparks, find out what happened to their allies Silverbolt and Rhinox, and bring organic life back to Cybertron.
The voice cast includes Garry Chalk as Optimus Primal, Scott McNeil as Rattrap, Silverbolt, and Waspinator, Ian James Corlett as Cheetor, Venus Terzo as Blackarachnia, David Kaye as Megatron and Savage/Noble, Christopher Gaze as the Diagnostic Drone, Brian Drummond as Jetstorm, Paul Dobson as Tankor, Obsidian, and Diagnostic Drone #2, Jim Byrnes as Thrust, Alessandro Juliani as Nightscream, Richard Newman as Rhinox, Kathleen Barr as Botanica, and Patricia Drake as Strika.
According to DVD commentary, the series was originally called Beast Hunters. The character Jetstorm was first named Skybolt, but the writers changed it to make it harder to guess Silverbolt’s connection to the Vehicon. The first five episodes were filed under the name Skybolt and later edited. At one point, Thrust was meant to carry Silverbolt’s spark, but the writers decided on a whim to give him Waspinator’s spark instead
- Production company
- Mainframe Entertainment
- First aired
- September 18, 1999
- Last aired
- November 18, 2000
- Network
- YTV and Fox Kids
- Number of seasons
- 2
- Distribution rights holder (as of 2011)
- Hasbro
- Notable for
- Only North American Transformers series fully conceptualized in advance
Lore & Background
Following their victory in the Beast Wars, four surviving Maximals – Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Blackarachnia and Rattrap – return to Cybertron to find their people vanished and the world ruled by mindless Vehicons. Trapped in beast modes and losing memories, they retreat underground and discover the Oracle, a supercomputer that reformats them into techno-organic forms. They learn that Megatron, who returned to Cybertron before them, is the intelligence behind the Vehicons, having declared war on beast modes and free will and imprisoned the sparks of Cybertron's population. The Maximals set out to free the sparks, discover the fate of allies Silverbolt and Rhinox, and bring organic life to Cybertron.
Reader's Guide
Beast Machines: Transformers holds significance as the only North American Transformers animated series that was completely conceptualized and outlined in advance, resulting in a more serialized and linear storyline. Its production was marked by independent development between show creators and toy creators in the first year, leading to toys that bore little resemblance to the show's characters in shape and color. The series introduced concepts such as techno-organic forms and a conflict against free will itself. Its legacy includes a notable discrepancy between the television series and toy line, with many toy characters never appearing on the show and the character Botanica never made into a toy. The series also featured a unique packaging approach where almost all Beast Machines toy packages had an illustration of Cheetor on the front, regardless of character or faction, with the exception of Nightscream.
Did You Know?
- The series was initially to be called Beast Hunters.
- The character Jetstorm was originally called Skybolt, but the name was changed to make it harder to theorize Silverbolt's connection to the Vehicon.
- In the episode 'Home Soil', Thrust made a gesture similar to the middle-finger to Optimus Primal.
- The transforming plant Botanica from the television series was not made into a toy for any related toy line.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Beast Machines: Transformers?
It is a two-season animated series produced by Mainframe Entertainment that serves as a direct sequel to Beast Wars: Transformers. The story follows the surviving Maximals and Predacons after they crash onto a new Cybertron, where they must physically rebuild themselves as 'Beast Machines' to endure.
How does the Beast Machines: Transformers story end?
The series wraps up with Optimus Primal and his allies defeating Megatron and his remaining forces in a final confrontation on the new Cybertron. In the aftermath, the surviving Maximals and reformed Predacons set out to rebuild their world together, bringing the Beast Wars saga to a close.
Why is Beast Machines: Transformers considered different from other Transformers cartoons?
The entire plot was fully outlined before production of a single episode began, which is unusual for the franchise. This allowed the show to deliver one continuous, serialized narrative across its two seasons instead of relying on disconnected standalone episodes.
Where does Beast Machines: Transformers fit in the Transformers timeline?
The series takes place immediately after the events of Beast Wars: Transformers, on a newly formed post-war Cybertron. It is set within the broader original Transformers continuity rather than in a separate or alternate continuity.
Who holds the distribution rights to Beast Machines: Transformers today?
Hasbro has held full distribution rights to the series since 2011. The show originally aired in North America on YTV and Fox Kids from September 18, 1999, through November 18, 2000.
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