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Beast WarsBWS01E14Season 1 · 1996

Double Dinobot

Written by Rowby Goren · First aired 1996-11-05 · Production code 14

Title card via TFWiki, fan-archive fair use

Synopsis

Megatron builds a non-transforming clone of Dinobot to infiltrate the Maximal base.

Megatron creates a Velociraptor clone based on the DNA of the Maximal Dinobot, Clone One, which also possesses a copy of Dinobot's mind.

Terrorsaur attacks the real Dinobot while on patrol, leading the Maximal into a cave where a swift move allows Terrorsaur to escape and bury Dinobot in a cave-in. Meanwhile, Clone One is sent to infiltrate the Maximal base in his place. Clone One tells Optimus Primal that there's a Predacon camp in Grid Omega and insists Primal himself should go. Primal instead sends the Clone and Rattrap to fix the camp's exact location.

Rattrap transforms to attack the alleged base and almost discovers the Clone's inability to transform, but stands down when the Clone reminds him this is a recon mission. Rattrap is puzzled by this uncharacteristic show of restraint, but stands down. While crossing an open lava flow, Clone One kicks the bridge out from under Rattrap, apparently sending him to his death.

In the meantime, the real Dinobot digs himself out of the rubble in the cave.

Clone One returns to the Axalon (now crewed only by Optimus Primal) and fakes an injury, telling Primal that they discovered the Predacon camp under cover of a "stealth device" and Rattrap is trapped. Despite having just received a report from Rhinox that Grid Omega shows no signs of Predacon activity, Optimus Primal activates Sentinel and leaves to rescue Rattrap. Clone One struggles to deactivate the shield without Dinobot's authorization codes and is repeatedly shocked by Sentinel, who recognises him as Dinobot, but doesn't detect a Maximal spark.

Optimus Primal and Cheetor rendezvous in Grid Omega, where they pick up Rattrap's trail. Rattrap, who landed on a chunk of rock, rides it along the lava flow, but is forced to leap for his life when the flow becomes a lava waterfall. He lands up on a ledge and then grenade jumps back to stable ground, where he encounters Cheetor and Primal and informs them of "Dinobot"'s treachery.

Meanwhile, the real Dinobot returns to the Axalon and deactivates the perimeter shield. Clone One believes he has finally succeeded and summons Megatron. The two Dinobots come face to face and are momentarily baffled as their identical reflexes cause them to mirror one another's reactions. Clone One realizes the situation first and attacks, but Dinobot transforms and challenges his clone to a fight. Discovering that his double cannot transform, Dinobot returns to beast mode and the two fight on equal terms. The Clone is losing ground, but a lucky blow appears to knock Dinobot unconscious. Clone One eagerly goes to meet Megatron, not realizing that Dinobot was playing roboto-possum.

Dinobot poses as his clone and greets Megatron outside the base and flatters his ego while discovering his plan to ambush the Maximals as they return from Grid Omega then use their own defense grid to finish them off. Dinobot activates the perimeter shield just as Megatron is walking through it, shocking him badly. Megatron initially believes the clone has betrayed him just as Dinobot did, but is cheered to learn that's not the case. With the arrival of the other Maximals, Megatron retreats.

Memorable quotes

—Dinobot, delighted to be attacked
—Rattrap jumps to the wrong conclusion.
—Dinobot meets Clone One
—Dinobot posing as his clone, to Megatron
—Optimus expresses his thoughts of Dinobot's actions

Notes of interest

  • Clone One's skin will later be seen on the wall of Dinobot's room.
  • Megatron was extremely pleased to learn the clone had not betrayed him. Had Dinobot led him to think his clones were unreliable, it probably would have saved the Maximals a lot of trouble.... Ah, hindsight.
  • When Dinobot first encounters his clone, and the two mimic each other's movements, it is perhaps a reference to the famous mirror scene from the Marx Brothers movie Duck Soup.
  • While the Dinobot clone is trying to deactivate Sentinel, a holographic Maximal logo appears with Cybertronix writing under it saying "who is this putz scally user". Then the shot changes to behind the projection as some more text appears next to a diagram that says "hey ian go f**k yourself", making one wonder what either Ian James Corlett or Ian Pearson did to piss off an animator. Then the words 'Merv Griffin' display.
  • When Dinobot's eyebeams are pushing against Megatron's own laser fire, smoke begins to bellow from his cheek vents to imply an overload.
  • The Beast Warriors possess DNA, either instead of or in addition to the CNA that other versions of Cybertronians have. Presumably this stems from their organic beast modes; Beast Machines would confirm that their beast modes incorporated organic material.

Characters in this episode

Full roster →
Megatron
Dinobot

Screencaps

6 stills
Double Dinobot screencap 1Double Dinobot screencap 2Double Dinobot screencap 3Double Dinobot screencap 4Double Dinobot screencap 5Double Dinobot screencap 6

Screencaps via TFWiki (Teletraan I), used under fan-archive fair use.

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