TheTransformersfilm franchise has been an absolute mess of conflicting creative visions and hilariously terrible big-screen outings. Fans and newcomers were using the series as shorthand for terrible blockbuster filmmaking for the entirety of the 2010s. However, in the wake of Travis Knight’sBumblebee, mankind is again convinced that a good movie can come from this franchise. Its sequel prepares to test the waters with some slightly dodgier source material.
Transformers: Rise of the Beastsisn’t the first film in the franchise to tease a new crop of robots in disguise as its main selling point. In fact, most entries have relied pretty heavily on their robot cast members to bring in the fanbase. However, seven entries in, it’s time to start making some very deep pulls.
RELATED:Which Transformers Will Be In Rise Of The Beasts?
When DidBeast WarsPremiere?
Beast Wars: Transformers, known asBeasties: Transformersin itsnative land of Canada, first aired on June 24, 2025. Some have credited it with the lofty title of the first fully CGI animated show, but it’s actually either the third or fourth to reach that peak. The series was the firstTransformersproperty to make use of computer animation, and that fact made it something of a pariah among hardcore fans. The most notable example that beatBeast Warsto the punch wasReBoot, which hit Canadian airwaves in 1994. The two projects share a production studio, the Vancouver-based computer animation company Mainframe Studios. With these two projects, Mainframe wouldpioneer the CGI crazethat would gradually take over all genres of cartoons.
What WasBeast WarsAbout?
Fans of otherTransformersprojects will find a lot of familiar elements inBeast Wars. The plot follows two factions of transforming robots, the noble Maximals and the insidious Predacons. Though the series has a prehistoric look and feel, these groups are actually distant descendants ofthe Autobots and Decepticons. Hundreds of years after the original series, both factions sent ships into orbit to hunt down Energon crystals on other planets. Both factions discovered the same massive deposit just under the surface of the same planet. In a race for the resource, both ships are sucked into a time/space anomaly that lands them on an unnamed uninhabited planet. Of course, this planet turns out to be a prehistoric Earth, leaving the Transformers in the role of ancient astronauts.
Once both sides reach their new home, the proper plot kicks into action. It turns out, the Maximals had a large contingent of infants of the species called “protoforms” who exist in stasis pods. Every so often, a stasis pod or two will drop from the sky and a new character will be introduced. If the Predacons manage to get their hands on a protoform, they canreprogram it for their team, increasing their ranks. The story follows the traditional back-and-forth of good and evil as they trade blows, switch teammates, and continue to fight for the fate of their new home world.
How didBeast WarsEnd?
The ending probably won’t shock anyone.Beast Warsran forthree seasons before culminating in the two-part finale entitled “Nemesis.” Released in 1999, this epic conclusion depicted the new Megatron getting his hands on a massive deadly warship that lends its name to the episode. Tons of Maximals give their lives to the cause of preventing Megatron from destroying the Earth. The Nemesis destroys the Maximals' ship called The Ark, stranding them on the possibly doomed planet. The Maximals discover a detachable shuttle that allows them to escape. In the final battle, Optimus Primal rams his new ship into the Nemesis, ejecting Megatron into space. After improving their shuttle, the Maximals leave Earth and return to Cybertron.
How HasBeast WarsAged?
AsTransformersshows from more than two decades ago go, one could do a lot worse thanBeast Wars. The narrative is mostly by-the-numbers, but the writing is better than many other entries. The unfortunate reality of the show, however, is that it’s extraordinarily unpleasant to look at these days. It’s been long enough to affirmativelydeclare that 3D animationsimply doesn’t age well. 2-D animation can still be breathtaking a century after its debut, but what was groundbreaking in the 90s simply isn’t today. Fans willing to sit through its visuals will find some solid stories within the traditionalTransformersformat.
Believe it or not,Beast Warsis available on a few free streaming services. Those looking to catch upbeforeRise of the Beastscomes out can check Pluto TV or Tubi. The elements of the series that are timeless hold up, butBeast Warswas celebrated in its era for its groundbreaking animation. With that in mind, it’s hard to say that the show has aged well. Hopefully,Rise of the Beastswill be the new standard in robots that transform into giant animals.
