Recap / Beast Wars S 2 E 9 Code Of Hero

"The rest... is silence..."

"The question that once haunted my being has been answered. The future is not fixed, and my choices are my own. And yet, how ironic... for I now find I have no choice at all! I am a warrior... Let the battle be joined."

As Dinobot struggles to atone for his past actions, Megatron embarks on a plan to change the future itself.

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Tropes:

• Ask a Stupid Question...: Rhinox asked Optimus if he remembers the explosion in "Other Voices, Part 2". Considering Optimus was temporarily killed by it and it was Rhinox who brought him back, this earns Rhinox a Death Glare and Rhinox concedes he slipped up in asking.
• The Atoner: Dinobot hopes to mitigate giving Megatron the Golden Disk.
• Batman Gambit: Dinobot lures Tarantulas out into the open by making it appear the spider caught something tasty in his web.
• Be All My Sins Remembered: Dinobot's last words:
  "Tell my tale to those who ask. Tell it truly, the ill deeds along with the good, and let me be judged accordingly. The rest... is silence."
• Big "NO!": Waspinator's one line in the entire episode. He says it right before Dinobot Goomba Stomps him into the ground.
• Bittersweet Ending: Dinobot dies, but his sacrifice saves humanity and preserves the future.
• Bookends: The episode opens with a snake picking off one of the early humans. It returns in the final scene, but it makes the mistake of attacking the one with the hammer.
• Boulder Bludgeon: Tarantulas shoots Dinobot in the back, but Dinobot notices that he's standing under a rock formation. A shot from Dinobot's Eye Beams dislodges a rock that flattens Tarantulas.
  Tarantulas: You shouldn't turn your back on a spider. They tend to be venomous!
  Dinobot: But they still squash!
• Bring It: "I am a warrior. Let the battle be joined."
• Brought Down to Badass: Dinobot is exhausted and badly damaged after beating Inferno, Blackarachnia, Waspinator, and Rampage. When faced by Quickstrike, he barely has the energy to use his Eye Beams. He makes do by beating Quickstrike with his bare hands, and later wounds Megatron with an improvised hammer.
• The Cavalry Arrives Late: The other Maximals arrive after Dinobot has been mortally injured and defeated all the Predacons, though Cheetor and Silverbolt put out the fire and Optimus drives Megatron off, so they did something. The truly sad thing is they arrived only minutes late. Had they arrived just a little while sooner, Dinobot might have lived.
• Death Glare: Optimus glares at Rhinox for asking if he remembers the explosion in "Other Voices, Part 2" that temporarily killed him and after which Rhinox himself resurrected him.
• Due to the Dead: Optimus and Rattrap speak well of Dinobot's sacrifice. The team also holds a funeral and cremates his body. What makes this extra heartwarming and respectful is that, as Maximals, they wouldn't normally cremate, or "recycle", his body; that's a Predacon custom, and it's a practice they don't agree with. The fact that they DO cremate his body shows how much they respect and want to respect their fallen comrade, by honoring his heritage. Also, Optimus, Silverbolt, and Cheetor, who are all air-capable at the time, fly in a missing man formation over the pyre, a gesture that the military-minded Dinobot would have no doubt appreciated.
• Dying Moment of Awesome: Dinobot defeats all of the Predacons in a single episode before the damage he takes and energy he expends kill him.
  Optimus: He lived a warrior, and died a hero. Let his spark join the Matrix, the greatest of Cybertron.
• Establishing Character Moment: The Japanese version has Rampage constantly throw threats and insults at Cheetor due to the fact that "Bad Spark" only premiered in Japan as part of a Transformers film special.
• "Eureka!" Moment: The early human in the final scene has one of these when he realizes he can use the hammer defensively.
• Final Solution: Megatron believes that the humans played a part in the Autobots' victory in the Great War. If there are no humans alive, then the Decepticons would stand a chance. He has his Predacons attack the protohumans.
• Foreshadowing: The transwarp wave moving into the future.
  • Crows are seen early in the episode, foreshadowing Dinobot's death.
  • When Dinobot contemplates committing seppuku, he stops when he sees three birds flying in "missing man" formation. At his funeral, Optimus, Cheetor, and Silverbolt fly over the base in the "missing man formation".
  • Megatron's plan here is to attempt to change history so the Decepticons win the Great War. In the season finale he'll attempt an even more drastic way of doing that.
• Friend to All Living Things: Dinobot briefly holds back when Megatron takes an early human prisoner. He also frees a deer that Tarantulas caught in a web and was intent on eating.
• Good Old Fisticuffs: By the time Dinobot faces Quickstrike, he's lost his gun, his sword, and his spinny-tail-shield-thingy, and he doesn't even have enough energy left to use his Eye Beams. However, Quickstrike learns the hard way that a warrior without weapons is still a warrior as Dinobot proceeds to beat the crap out of him barehanded.
• Goomba Stomp: Dinobot does this to Waspinator. Of course, nobody could have ever predicted that Waspinator would be the one he did it to.
• Gravity Is a Harsh Mistress: Waspinator shoots Dinobot out of the air. Too bad for him that Dinobot lands on top of him. When Tarantulas shoots at Dinobot, he's standing under a rock formation. Dinbot blasts a boulder loose with his Eye Beams and it squashes Tarantulas like his namesake.
• Grievous Harm with a Body: After Dinobot stuns Waspinator with a Goomba Stomp, he shoves Waspinator right into the barrel of Rampage's main tank mode gun. Rampage's shell explodes in the barrel, blowing Dinobot back but mangling Rampage and shockingly blasting Waspinator apart.
• Heroic RRoD: Although his onboard computer warns him about his depleted energy, Dinobot overrides his stasis lock so he can keep fighting in order to stop Megatron and save humanity.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Despite being gravely injured and low on Energon, Dinobot uses the last of his reserves to destroy the Megatron's Golden Disk. Ironically, Dinobot doesn't view his death in this light. He sees it as a balancing of the scales to correct his mistakes, nothing more.
• I Regret Nothing: Played for Drama. By saving the protohumans and destroy Megatron's means of changing the future, Dinobot feels he has completed his mission and redeems his honor to the end.
  Optimus Primal: Well fought, my friend. You saved the valley. You saved the lives of those who live here, and of those who are still to come.
  Dinobot: Then, there is nothing to regret...
• Improbable Weapon User: It figures into the climax, but there's also the amusing sight of Dinobot stopping Rampage's cannon by lodging Waspinator in the barrel.
• Improvised Weapon: Dinobot is so exhausted all he can initially do is attack Megatron with a stick. Then he shoves a rock through the top of it and bashes Megatron with an improvised hammer. Megatron is so startled he loses his grip on the Golden Disk, allowing Dinobot to destroy it. The early humans later find the hammer and use it to protect themselves from predators, implying that Dinobot taught them toolmaking.
• In Spite of a Nail: Despite the Transformers' arrival on prehistoric Earth and everything the Predacons put the early humans through, the interference of Dinobot and the other Maximals ensures that humanity will still develop normally and the timeline is not changed.
• Ironic Echo: At the beginning of the episode, Rattrap chews out Dinobot for his past betrayal, saying the line "You know, I used to figure I had you pegged. 'Oh, yeah, he's a slag-spoutin' saurian, but at least you know where he stands.' Guess we live and learn, huh?" During Dinobot's death he calls back to the line in a nicer way: "It's like I said, you're just a slag-spoutin' saurian... but it's nice to know where you stand."
  Dinobot: Upwind of you for preference, vermin.
• Irony: As noted by Dinobot, the knowledge that the future can be changed, and that any choices he makes are of his own will rather than something that "already" happened ironically makes him feel as though he has no choice in what to do next.
• Jerkass Has a Point:
  • Dinobot argues with Rattrap when the latter hits him with a What the Hell, Hero? but after walking away admits Rattrap was on point in regard to Dinobot's actions.
  • As always, Rattrap is cynical in a dire situation, saying the Maximals will not be able to arrive in time to save Dinobot. He is right.
• Killed Off for Real: Dinobot goes beyond his limits to stop Megatron. Unfortunately, Rhinox states that he has become too injured to be healed back to base, even if he wasn't too far from it. Soon enough, Dinobot succumbs to his wounds.
  • A variation with the Golden Disk. Having been part of the series since the very beginning (let alone its catalyst), the MacGuffin is destroyed by Dinobot as his final action.
• Lost in Translation: After the Predacons arrive in the valley, Rampage points his gun at Megatron only to catch Megatron grinning at him in his scope. Megatron's grin eventually results in Rampage lowering his gun as he can't wipe the grin off of Megatron's face. In the Japanese version, Rampage talks about shooting Megatron and Megatron tells him about the consenquences...with his mouth quite visibly shut.
• MacGyvering: Dinobot hits Megatron with a stick, but does little damage. Add in a nearby stone, however, and he's got a makeshift hammer.
• Make Wrong What Once Went Right: Megatron hates humanity because they helped the Autobots defeat the Decepticons and win the Great War. By killing humanity before they can evolve, Megatron is sure the Decepticons will win.
• Mandatory Line: Averted. Silverbolt appears without dialogue since Scott McNeil had a very full plate already. Inferno and Blackarachnia also go without dialogue, though they recycle some grunt noises.
• My Greatest Failure: The thing that kicks off Dinobot's quest for redemption this episode. Dinobot's betrayal of the Maximals a few episodes prior is clearly such a burden that he contemplates taking his own life! Dinobot gets a chance to atone for his misdeeds, but at a terrible price.
• Near-Villain Victory: Megatron and the Predacons attack a place that's mostly too far away for the Maximals to quickly reach, with only Dinobot to stop them. Dinobot's already got one foot in the grave when he finally runs into Megatron, and Megatron's also taken an early human hostage. The only reason Megatron loses is because he underestimated Dinobot's ability to come up with an Indy Ploy. To make matters worse, the other Maximals finally arrive and douse the fires he started in the humans' valley. As Megatron himself put it:
  Megatron: SO CLOSE!! I WAS SOOO CLOOOOOSE!!!
• Off with His Head!: To ensure Inferno stays out of the picture, Dinobot shoots his head clean off.
• Oh, Crap!: Megatron's eyes widen in alarm when Dinobot charges him with the hammer. Waspinator also does this right before Dinobot lands on him.
• Omnicidal Maniac: Megatron's plan is to exterminate humanity's earliest ancestors so their descendants can't help the Autobots during the Great War.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
  • Dinobot’s internal computer urging him to enter Stasis Lock with increasing franticness emphasises that unlike the usual damage the characters takes, he’s putting his very life at risk. Not that Dinobot didn’t already know his choice would lead to this, but the reality hits for the audience in this regard.
  Computer: WARNING. POWER RESERVES 96% DEPLETED. STASIS LOCK COMMENCING.
  Dinobot: Override.
  Computer: REPEAT: POWER LOSS CRITICAL. FURTHER EXPENDITURES WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF SPARK. STASIS LOCK MUST COMMENCE.
  Dinobot: OVERRIDE!
  Computer: ...ACKNOWLEDGED.
  • When Megatron explains the transwarp wavefront is moving into the future, Rampage states he awaits Megatron's execution at the hands of the Maximals, and the proud Megatron does not deny that is a likely outcome unless he changes history to ensure the Maximals will not be coming.
• Pet the Dog: When Predacons shoot upon Cheetor, Dinobot immediately becomes alarmed and asks if he's been injured. Some of Cheetor's follow-up dialogue in the original script would have lampshaded this, showing him express annoyance and disbelief that Dinobot of all bots would care, though this was cut.
• Pragmatic Villainy:
  • Megatron’s heinous plan is this in hindsight, as he knows that the alternative of killing Optimus Prime himself (which he attempts in the season finale) has far more risk of backfiring on him.
  • Tarantulas is no longer affiliated with Megatron's team, but after realizing his plan, he shoots Dinobot in the back.
• Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: Two courtesy of Dinobot, see Shut Up, Hannibal!.
• Properly Paranoid: When Dinobot questions Tarantulas about the contents of the Golden Disk, Tarantulas insists he doesn't know because Megatron learned his lessons from the security breach at beginning of the Season. There are no more copies, only the original Disk — which Megatron is now keeping on his person at all times.
• Real Life Writes the Plot: Due to a combination of promoting the toys and the cost of CGI animation, the writers knew that adding a new character meant space would need to be cleared. They deliberately crafted Dinobot's arc this season knowing it would lead to his death.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: After Dinobot stands down rather than risk harm to an early human.
  Megatron: My ears are burning. Why, Dinobot, what a delightful surprise! Let's see, where are we now? I have the Golden Disk, I have the power to change the future, and the only remaining obstacle in my path to unimaginable glory...is yourself. Exhausted. Damaged beyond recovery. Defeated.
  Dinobot: Not just yet!
  Megatron: Ah-ah-ah. [reveals he's taken an early human prisoner] One more step, and it's raining bits of early anthropoid, yessss. [Dinobot remains still] Oh, dear, how positively Maximal of you. You were weakened before you started, Dinobot. Weakened by compassion.
• Redemption Equals Death: How Dinobot sees it.
• Retgone: Megatron’s goal is to genocide the protohumans before they can evolve any further, as doing so would deprive the Autobots of valuable allies in winning the war against the Decepticons. To test if this is possible, he has Rampage obliterate a mountain that’s been recorded on the Golden Disc, and the image changing to reflect this proves that doing so is possible.
• Ripple Effect Indicator: Besides using it to effectively track down the protohumans, the Golden Disc’s main use for Megatron is this — as that mountain can attest.
• Ripple-Effect-Proof Memory: The Maximals and Predacons don't have their memories effected by changes in the timeline, otherwise they wouldn't have noticed when the mountain exploded and the disk's image changed.
• Rock Beats Laser: Somewhat literally, Dinobot defeats Megatron with a stone hammer despite Megatron dismissing the idea of "a stick" as a weapon against a Transmetal.
• Run the Gauntlet: Dinobot has to fight his way through the entire Predacon force, and they all damage him. By the time he gets to Megatron, he's running on fumes and is forcing himself to stay out of stasis lock.
• Saved From Their Own Honor: Dinobot is seen ready to commit Seppuku, fresh from the events of "Maximal No More" and his rejection from the rest of the Maximals. He ends up stopping from his own volition, trying to pursue a redemption path that leads to the events of the rest of the episode.
• Screw Destiny: An interesting variant of it applied here. Dinobot's personal conclusion isn't so much that destiny is a force that must be pushed back against, but rather that it doesn't exist period and every choice we make is entirely ours. Therefore he, ungoverned by some intangible force, opts to save the proto-humans of his own volition.
• Shout-Out: When jumping into the valley, Rampage lands on a butterfly.
• Shut Up, Hannibal!:
  • By the time he faces Quickstrike, Dinobot has taken heavy damage and no longer has his weapons.
    Quickstrike: What's a warrior without weapons, eh?
    Dinobot: A warrior still.
  • During the climax, Megatron ridicules Dinobot for using a stick against him and still trying to fight.
    Megatron: Oh, please. Face it, Dinobot: you're old technology, obsolete. What can you possibly do?
    Dinobot: Improvise.
• Spanner in the Works: Megatron is certain that the Decepticons would've beaten the Autobots if not for humans getting involved in the Great War. The question of whether he's right is thankfully never answered. Curiously, Megatron never considered the possibility of this backfiring as the result of some other species on Earth evolving in humanity's place and just doing the same thing, creating a spanner in his own plans. Though considering humans are the dominant species on Earth millions of years later with nothing truly evolving anywhere near the same way as mankind did, he might have been right not to be concerned over it.
• Tempting Fate: Quickstrike mocks Dinobot for being unarmed, sarcastically asking what a warrior is without weapons. Dinobot points out he's a warrior still!
• To Be Lawful or Good: Dinobot's entire dilemma this season was this - he initially turned on Megatron as he believed Megatron had betrayed him. Realizing this was not the case threw Dinobot's entire sense of honor in question. Ultimately this episode Dinobot resolves to be good, realizing he can't turn back his decision, nor can he abide the Predacons slaughtering the defenseless humans.
• Took a Level in Badass: The early humans. At the start of the episode two of them are presumably killed and eaten by a giant snake. At the end of the episode the same snake attacks the human who picked up the makeshift hammer Dinobot bludgeoned Megatron with. When attacked by the snake, he uses the hammer to kill it with a blow to the head. The human calls out in triumph with the hint Dinobot inspired humanity to stop being helpless prey.
• Villainous Breakdown: After Dinobot destroys the Golden Disk and the other Maximals arrive, Megatron is forced to retreat while screaming in rage over coming so close to winning.
  Megatron: So close... I WAS SOOOO CLOOOOOSE!!
• Villain Respect: Subverted.
  Megatron: One lonely turncoat battling on against impossible odds. I'm almost touched. [wipes away a fake tear] Fortunately, such moments pass quickly. Quickstrike, scrap him!
• Vitriolic Best Buds: Deconstructed. Rattrap and Dinobot always argue, but this time, the rat's insults are pretty harsh and motivate Dinobot to reevaluate what he's done. Rattrap is also sincerely saddened by Dinobot's death.
• Warts and All: Dinobot's dying wish is for his teammates to not sugarcoat his life story. If he should be judged, it should be based on his times as both Maximal and Predacon.
• We Win, Because You Didn't: Dinobot stood no chance against Megatron's group. By destroying the Golden Disk, however, he can be sure to take the Predacon's attempt to change the future with him to the grave.
• Wham Episode: Megatron confirms that the future can be changed. Dinobot sacrifices himself to thwart one of his schemes, making sure to destroy the Golden Disk.
• Wham Shot: Megatron has Rampage blow up a mountain he finds recorded in the Golden Disk. The projection changes after its destruction, confirming to Megatron that he has the means of changing the future as he sees fit.
• What the Hell, Hero?:
  Rattrap: Funny, you know not much changes around here... except maybe the occasional allegiance.
  [Dinobot freezes, turns back to face Rattrap]
  Rattrap: Find any Golden Disks lately, hmm? Pass them on to any Predacons?
  Dinobot: I don't need to explain my actions to you, mouse!
  Rattrap: Yeah, that's right you don't! 'Cause they pretty much speak for themselves.
  Dinobot: Go ahead, rodent. Push it one more inch.
  [Rattrap shoves him, which surprises Dinobot]
  Rattrap: You know, I used to figure I had you pegged. "Oh, yeah, he's a slag-spoutin' saurian, but at least you know where he stands." Guess we live and learn, huh?
• What You Are in the Dark: The entire episode, really. Dinobot risks himself to atone for giving Megatron the Golden Disk.
  Dinobot: The question that once haunted my being's been answered. The future is not fixed; my choices are my own. And yet, how ironic, for I now find I have no choice at all. I am a warrior. Let the battle be joined.
• You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: Rattrap drops the nicknames and refers to Dinobot by his name when he's really worried his friend won't last against Megatron's entire band.
• You Can't Fight Fate: Subverted in general, as it's shown that the future can be changed. Double subverted for Dinobot, who says that specifically because the future can be changed, he ironically feels as though has no choice but to fight in order to prevent it from being changed.