Recap / Beast Wars S 1 E 25 Other Voices Part 1

When the aliens finally arrive, both sides converge on their landing point. Meanwhile, the spiders infiltrate the Maximal base.

Tropes:

• A Form You Are Comfortable With: Well, the featured Vok takes the form of an authority figure that Optimus would know of: Unicron. So, "comfortable" might not be the right word in this particular case.
• Bad Boss: When Waspinator complains about getting another lousy assignment, Megatron pointedly reminds him that the current cease-fire only applies to Maximals. A cowed Waspinator immediately gets going.
• Big "NO!": Optimus when the Vok activate the termination sequence.
• Blackmail: Blackarachnia annoys Tarantulas by pointing out she could easily tell Megatron about the recently stolen transwarp cell.
• Boring Yet Practical: Blackarachnia and Tarantulas get through the shield on the Maximal base with a device the former made which creates a small breach in it. The device shorts out by the time Inferno shows up, so he digs his way under the shield instead.
• Catastrophic Countdown: Within moments after activating the termination sequence, the structure lights up and fires a beam into space.
• Cliffhanger: The new device powering up.
• Combat Pragmatist: During his "fight" with Waspinator, Rattrap trips him up, kicks dirt in his optics, knees his crotch, and adding insult to injury tops it all off with a robo-noogie.
• Continuity Nod:
  • The Vok note they've analyzed Optimus before.
  • Tarantulas points out the Axalon is permanently grounded.
• Copycat Mockery: While pummeling Waspinator, Rattrap briefly imitates his buzzing drawl. Fitting, as they're both voiced by Scott McNeil.
• The Cynic: To Airzor's annoyance, Rattrap believes that being the first to arrive at the alien site means being the first to die.
  Airazor: Do you ever think positively?
  Rattrap: Hey, that was positive, sister. Y'know, I could'a said, "Now, we can be the first ones to get tortured and then vaped."
  Airazor: You're a real fun-bot, you know that?
• Dramatic Irony: When asked by Tarantulas, the Predacon Computer projects that another stasis pod won't crash for roughly another 30 mega-cycles. Thanks to the Vok, they all come crashing down across the planet at the end of the episode (albeit it's unlikely they would be in any useful condition to Tarantulas).
• The End of the World as We Know It:
  Blackarachnia: What is it?
  Tarantulas: The beginning of the end.
• Exact Words: When Waspinator gets the drop on him, Rattrap says the teams still have a cease fire. Waspinator insists he won't shoot right before punching Rattrap in the face.
• Foreshadowing:
  • Megatron briefly mentions having given Inferno a job to do. We later see that it's to follow Tarantulas and Blackarachnia.
  • The Vok mention that the there is more danger on the planet than the Maximals know. They will soon learn about it in the next season.
• Friend to All Living Things: Optimus balks at the Vok's intention to destroy Earth, saying they'd be killing the indigenous creatures.
• Gadgeteer Genius: Blackarachnia has whipped up a device capable of opening a small breach in the Maximal Base's shield.
• Groin Attack: Rattrap shows Waspinator how he fights dirty.
• Know When to Fold 'Em: The Vok believe the Beast Wars have severely harmed their work, so they're going to throw in the towel and destroy the entire planet.
• Lost in Translation: The Japanese version translates Rattrap's "robo-noogie" as "Whirling Attack".
• Mandatory Line: Averted with Terrorsaur, unless you want to count that brief shout as he gets shot.
• Motive Misidentification: When Blackarachnia first suggests breaking into the Maximal Base, Tarantulas mocks her for wanting to commandeer a ship that's too damaged to ever fly again. Blackarachnia says the point is to get to the intact stasis pods still in the ship's hold.
• Oh, Crap!: Optimus in response to something that looks exactly like Unicron. He's only slightly reassured when told it's a (disturbing) case of A Form You Are Comfortable With.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Upon being repaired, Waspinator is seriously pissed about what Tarantulas did to him in the previous episode and immediately wants to settle up.
• Race Against the Clock: The reason that Tarantulas goes along with Blackarachnia's idea is because the aliens have arrived and another stasis pod isn't due to crash for at least another 30 mega-cycles.
• Reality Has No Subtitles: The language the Vok speak in after Airazor is captured goes un-translated.
• The Reveal: The larger moon is revealed to be another device, and it's beginning to power up.
• Schmuck Bait: The stable energon crystal at the center of the alien site. The second Airzor transforms to scan it, she gets zapped and trapped in an enclosure (with Rattrap getting booted aside in the process).
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here:
  • Played for laughs after Rattrap pummels Waspinator. Feeling the area is secure enough, a dazed Waspinator buzzes off.
  • Played for drama after the Vok activate the termination sequence. Everyone there just clears out.
• This Cannot Be!: Rattrap over the energon crystal at the alien site being perfectly stabilized.
• This Is Gonna Suck:
  • The emergence of the alien signal prompts a glib response from Optimus.
    Optimus: Just what we need: a visit from the landlord.
  • After dragging Airazor to safety, Rattrap sees Megatron and Scorponok taking aim at him.
    Rattrap: Lemme guess, the truce is over.
• Understatement: Once Airazor is trapped, Rattrap notes, "This is not good."
• Villain Has a Point: Megatron is unsympathetic to Waspinator's beef with Tarantulas, but he's right that "petty squabbles" distract from a situation that has put the entire planet in jeopardy.
• Wham Episode: The Vok arrive and announce their intention to destroy the planet. Also, all of the remaining stasis pods crash as the new device powers up.
• Wham Line: Following some alien dialogue, we hear the word "Cybertron."