‘DEEP METAL’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

The first time I saw this ‘Beast Wars’ episode was on an official VHS tape, ironically called Volume 1. At the time, Season 3 of ‘Beast Wars’ was not shown on GMTV. So, it was a joy to check out the Season 3 episodes on official VHSs and without the need to record them.

I also saw ‘Deep Metal’ after seeing ‘The Agenda’. So, it came as a surprise to me when I saw Optimal Optimus already established, without seeing ‘Optimal Situation’ beforehand. Nevertheless, I was so keen to see the first three Season 3 episodes on VHS.

In ‘Deep Metal’, we’re introduced to a new Maximal character called Depth Charge, voiced by David Sobolov. When he ends up on prehistoric Earth, he can transform from a Transmetal manta ray into a robot and vice versa. 🙂 He also has the vehicular mode to fly.

Depth Charge has come to prehistoric Earth on a mission to destroy Protoform X, who happens to be Rampage. There’s a history between Depth Charge and Rampage, as Rampage destroyed his Cybertronian colony. Depth Charge has been seeking revenge since.

I recall having the Rampage toy when growing up as a kid in the 1990s and early 2000s. Sadly, I didn’t have the Depth Charge toy. It’s a shame, as it would have been ideal to have both Depth Charge and Rampage as toys since they’re both mutual enemies in the series.

Depth Charge, although he’s a Maximal, isn’t necessarily a nice character. He’s obsessed with Rampage and didn’t like it when Optimus Primal and the Maximals were ordered to carry Rampage as Protoform X on board the Axalon, which was established in ‘Bad Spark’.

Optimus attempts to persuade Depth Charge to stay with the Maximals and help them fight against the Predacons as well as protecting the Ark containing the Autobots. Depth Charge isn’t interested and he goes off seeking Rampage, determined to destroy him forever.

Rampage also makes sure that Depth Charge doesn’t escape planet Earth, as he blows up his ship, which crashed underwater. For a while, I didn’t think Depth Charge would make an appearance in ‘Beast Wars’ after seeing Season 2. I was pretty wrong about that.

‘Deep Metal’ rating – 9/10