So, last month I bought the entire series on DVD and watched it twice...I want to post a thread with my feedback to it, but I think I might watch it one more time before doing so.

While watching Season 3, something confused me.

Tarantulas mentioned he wasn't a descendant of Decepticon or Autobot and neither was the Tripredacus Council. Later on, Megatron calls him 'Unicron Spawn.'

I pondered this for awhile, and started thinking about the 'Agenda' episode that had the scene with the Tripredacus council. I'n probably reading waaaaaay too much into this, but the guy that had what resembled bat wings on his head reminded me of Cyclonus, and the one to the left of the screen with the facial hair...Scourge? That would leave the third as Galvatron but that doesn't make too much sence since the bat-winged guy seemed to be in charge.

Like I said my imagination is probably running away with me and it's just a total coincidence that 'Unicron Spawn' wasn't explained in the show but can anyone shed any light on the subject?

Thanks!

 

There's been a lot of argument about just what Megs even meant by the term "Unicron's Spawn." Some say it was a statement of fact [that Tarantulas was created by Unicron much like Cyclonus and Scourge] while others think it was just a slur... like calling him a Son of a Bitch.

While Tarantulus did indeed state that he has other origins, we have no way of knowing whether or not they are Unicronian in nature... at least not in the show... if something was explained in the BotCon/OTFCC storyline then i'm unaware of it...

As for teh tri-Predacus council... I think its just your mind playing tricks on you.

 

Cool, thanks for the input!

 

You've got an interesting point, but I think you're reading into the resemblances too much.
Primal said most of the Decepticons retired after the great war, with Ravage alone being rebuilt and reprogrammed as a Predacon. That sort of implies that the Council aren't the original three. Also, if you look at Galvatron's personality, there is no way he'd have ever negociated any kind of peace. Cyclonus and Scourge, though, could have done. But at any rate, it's stated that Ravage is the only one who upgraded, so I'm afraid that is rather unlikely.

As far as the descent issue goes, I think it was confirmed Tarantulas was indeed Unicron's Spawn, but it could also be taken as a curse. After all, the Autobots and Decepticons in the Ark aren't the only members of each faction. There were all those, like Shockwave, left on Cybertron when the Ark and Nemisis departed. Tripredacus and Tarantulas could be descended from them, not the Earthbound Decepticons.

Which, I'm sorry to say, also debunks the Council = Unicron servants theory. The three Decepticons who would become Cyclonus and company were on Earth, so were they the Tripredacus Council, they would have indeed been descended from the Earthbound Decepticons.

 

The most prevalent theory is that Tarantulas and the Tripredacus council are descendants of the G2 Deceptions (those from the Marvel comics).

 

Yeah I remembered Primal mentioning Ravage was the only one...and I didn't even think about the fact Unicron reformatted the incecticons, seekers and Megatron into the minions...I have an overactive imagination 

 

Hey, good point never thought about that either.

 

I'm not sure about the council being minions of Unicron but Tarantulas is. In Primal Dawn he's working for Unicron and in the universe comics he is one of Unicron's generals.

I don't know if Unicron created him but it makes sence that he did. Think about it Unicron makes Tarantulas and sends him to join up with Megatron who goes back in time and what better way to destroy the matrix then while OP is still in stasis lock. In the first season Tarantulas was trying to get off of earth but he knew the Vok were going to destroy the planet anyway thus killing Prime.

So the signs are all there he was created by Unicron and is a servant of Unicron.

 

Also the Tripredacus were released in toy format, as a combiner.

However, for more info on the council try here

 

I think the G2 Decepticon descendent was really the intent. It also fits with his hatred of the Vok, who were IIRC supposed to be related to The Swarm.

 

Yeah, it was pretty heavily discussed, and confirmed at some point by the writers that the series followed the comics rather/moreso than the toon. The VOK were supposed to be the far future evolved version of the Swarm, post the Matrix enlightenment. Many of the Predacons were supposed to be descended from the G2 Decepticons, etc.

The statement, as explained at some time or another is that Spawn of Unicron was supposed to be an insult, like Son of a Bitch.

Though, this comes and goes, that's what the writers said (as I recall) at some point during an interview, so if you don't like it, you can interpret it how you will.

 

This is some great info, thanks guys.

I never knew Tripredacus was supposedly the Tripredacus council from the show...

 

Now you do  

 

Originally, the Tripredacus council were supposed to be shown clearly, and may have even been slated to appear for more than one episode, but there wasn't enough budget so they just used the rough early animatic of the scene and gave it bad lighting to hid the lack of textures.
Also, the Botcon comics are not cannon to the show.

 

Touche good sir, touche  

 

I nver knew that about the Tripredacus council, was supposed to be Trpredacus the toy.
Sweet, that puts alot more depth on the concept.

 

Have you even read the botcon comics? There a continuation of Beast Wars like Beast Machines is. Plus it's the same Tarantulas as in beast wars just in his Fox Kids repaint colours. Also it's not a question limited to just beast wars but was Tarantulus a servant of Unicron. I'm giving all the info avalible on Tarantulas not just focusing on one part of his story.

So seriously read Primal Dawn its good Tarantulas cuts open Primal Prime and rips out the Matrix!

 

the botcon comics are fan-fiction at best. there have never been any statements that make them part of the official story.

 

The preliminary intent of the writers was that Tarantulas and the Council were to be descended from the G2 cons, but Forward and Ditillio would be the first to tell you that they were careful not to burn too many bridges as they went so that if a new idea hit them or they decided to go in another direction, they could. Meaning that until their intentions hit the screen, it's not cannon. Hell, I forgot which guy it was, but either Forward or Ditillio was pushing the scenario that the VOK was an amalgamation of the enlightened Swarm, a lizard-like alien race, and the human race, which was completely devoured by the Swarm near the end of the G2 comic. It's very common for early intentions to get changed or outright eliminated.

And honestly, had there been a fourth season of BW (or Bob and Larry had been tapped to do BM), I have a feeling they'd have sensed the excitement in the fan community over the 'spawn of Unicron' statement and perhaps decided to go in that direction. It all goes back to not burning too many bridges, new things come up that inspire writers to change directions.

Also, while the script referred to the Tripredacus Council as Cicadacon, Ramhorn and Sea Clamp, those names were never mentioned in the show and their forms certainly didn't match the toys. Which means that there's nothing to stop IDW or some other writer from calling them Hook, Line and Sinker or whatever the heck they want.

Basically, there's absolutely nothing stopping current or future writers handling the official BW cannon to determine themselves whether to make Megatron's comment literal or figurative. Well, nothing other than Hasbro's influence, but somehow I think they'd rather make the comment literal - they seem to have had a big hard on for Unicron the last few years.

 

Fan Fics that were written by Simon Furman that were officially released. There have never been any statements saying that there not part of the official story.