‘THE PROBE’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

‘The Probe’ was the second ‘Beast Wars’ episode I saw in the half-term week of October in 1998. It was also the second episode I recorded on VHS after seeing ‘Double Jeopardy’ on Monday. I saw ‘The Probe’ on Tuesday and found it a pretty tense and gripping episode.

In the episode, temporal probes are sent out from the planet Cybertron – the Transformers’ home planet – to search for the Maximals following their disappearance in pursuing after Megatron and the Predacons in the two-part ‘Beast Wars’ series opener. 🙂

The Maximals are thrilled that a Cybertron probe is looking for them. Dinobot isn’t so keen, as he knows him joining the Maximals on their return journey to Cybertron will mean punishment for him as much as it will mean punishment for Megatron and the Predacons.

The scene where Dinobot shares his fears of returning to Cybertron is one of my favourites in the ‘Beast Wars’ TV series. It showcases how well-developed Dinobot is as a character as well as reminding audiences that he was a Predacon first before becoming a Maximal.

Tigatron returns in this ‘Beast Wars’ episode, following his debut in ‘Fallen Comrades’. He keeps patrol whilst the Maximals set up a signal array to make contact with the probe. He first runs into Waspinator before running into Tarantulas who has a new transformation locking lens.

This device can trap the Maximals in beast mode. Tarantulas uses the locking lens on Tigatron and then on Cheetor who attempted to come to his rescue. Very soon, Megatron and the Predacons become aware of the Maximals’ plans of sending a signal to the probe.

This leads to a battle between Optimus Primal, Rattrap and Dinobot against the Predacons. They fight off Scorponok and Terrorsaur, but Rattrap and Dinobot get hit by the locking lens when they and Optimus fight Megatron, Tarantulas and Blackarachnia. 😐

Optimus also gets hit by the locking lens. Rhinox manages to save him by giving Megatron a big punch. Unfortunately, Rhinox is hit by the locking lens and is unable to enter the code for the signal array, leading to Megatron destroying the array and the Predacons winning.

‘The Probe’ rating – 10/10