Comics Bon-Bon Manga Summary for September, 1999 - Beast Wars Neo Capsule Summary: After collecting the rest of the Angolmois Capsules, the Maximals bring them to a mysterious floating arena...only to find it's a trap! Magmatron finds himself in the trap as well, and he teams up with Big Convoy to fight the extremely evil Blentrons...and UNICRON. Page 2: Three panels summarize other adventures the group has in seeking out Angolmois Capsules. Samurai robots, giant jellyfish and a prison planet are among the places they grab capsules from. And then... Page 3: The Cybertrons all stand over a hold full of Angolmois Capsules, as a mysterious black ball tells them where to go with them. Break isn't sure this is a good idea, but Big Convoy trusts this message. Heinrad leaves the room with an oddly purposeful look, which worries Stampy. Page 4: Gung Ho comes out of warp over a floating arena in orbit around a mechanical planet (presumably Cybertron). Blentron flags fly on the arena, but the Cybertrons aren't familiar with the symbol. Page 5: They land and unload the capsules. The place seems to be deserted, and Stampy checks to make sure they got the right coordinates. Then there's a noise from the rim of the arena.... Page 6: It's Magmatron! They've fallen into his little trap! Break is defiant, feeling confident that together they can whomp Magmatron. Too bad Magmatron's not alone, as figures burst out of the ground. Page 7: Hordes of Blentrons jump out...Raatoraatas, Elephaorphas and Drancrons. They take up positions on the three tiers of the arena, completely encircling the Cybertrons. Corahda suddenly has the shock of recognition...these are the THINGS that destroyed his people and killed his father! Page 8: Corahda leaps to the attack, but is quickly knocked back down by the extendable tusks of an Elephaorpha (Torca). The remaining Elephaorphas surround the Cybertrons in a barrier of pointy tusks. Page 9: Big Convoy sees to Corahda, who is injured but not fatally. Magmatron gloats from his throne, a pair of Raatoraatas (Injectors) holding his sword and his shield like squires. The sword-bearer starts to draw the sword... Page 10: ...and slashes Magmatron across the face with it! As Magmatron falls into the arena, the Raatoraata contemptuously throws the sword in after him, pointing out that he'll no longer take orders from the Destron. Page 11: With more contempt, the Raatoraata kicks Magmatron's shield into the arena and proclaims that his true master is arriving. A warp sphere manifests, and something large comes out...the head of Unicron! This, by the way, is the face seen in the first installment of the manga, the one who was muttering about things coming together. Page 12: Unicron's head comes out of the shadows and is fully revealed. Longrack has actually gained enough courage that he's the first to speak, basically asking what's going on. Page 13: Unicron explains. Millions of years ago, he was destroyed and his energy taken from him, hidden in Gaea. He created the Blentrons as his minions to seek out the energy, following its minutest traces. One spoor they tracked was the energy of the BWII Cybertrons, who created the Five Races of Corahda, Longrack, Break, Stampy and Heinrad. Corahda now knows why the creatures destroyed his family. Page 14: Big Convoy speaks, probably asking about his own role in all this. Unicron replies that Big Convoy and Magmatron were both his creations, energized by the capsule that fell on their world. Page 15: More explanation. Unicron guided that capsule, with the intention of creating both a powerful Cybertron and a powerful Destron to serve his purposes...with both factions seeking out the capsules under the leadership of one of his pawns, he could be certain the capsules would all be reunited with him! [It gets worse...according to Doug Dlin, Big Convoy and Magmatron ARE Angolmois Capsules, and Unicron must consume them to become whole.] Page 16: Big Convoy has traumatic flashbacks to his origins, recalling some suppressed memories. He starts to freak out. Page 17: As more becomes clear, he realizes he's been subtly controlled all along, a pawn of Unicron! He weeps openly, with sorrow realizing the evil he has been party to. Page 18: "ENOUGH!" cries Magmatron, slashing out with his sword and cutting the tips off all the encircling tusks. He turns to the prostrate Big Convoy, and says something like, "We have both been pawns of this mad scheme. Let us put aside our differences and destroy our common foe!" Then he transforms. Page 19: Big splash page of Big Convoy in robot mode astride the Fuzasaur combined dino mode of Magmatron. Pages 20-21: Many panels of Big Convoy and Magmatron blowing the slag out of the Blentrons. Explosions, beheadings, all sorts of mangling. Page 22: The two leaders charge at the head of Unicron, swearing to destroy him even at the cost of their lives. Page 23: Unicron opens his mouth wide, fangs dripping with the remnants of great oceans, and welcomes them to oblivion. Heinrad leaps into action. Page 24: Time freeze! Heinrad sits down with Big Convoy and lets him know the score. Here I'll need to ask for translation help, since it's a lot of backstory and not very informative art. Page 25: More backstory, and it contains some painful truths. Denying them, Big Convoy lashes out at Heinrad, smashing his head in. Page 26: Big Convoy shouts something, then is astonished to find that now Heinrad has blocked the attack with his wine bottle, exercising a use of his time control powers. Heinrad points out that the good Gaea energy resides in the descendants of those visited by the BWII crew, and Big Convoy must work together with Break, Stampy, Corahda and Longrack to defeat Unicron. Then, his power exhausted, Heinrad fades away. Page 27: Big Convoy finds himself back on the arena floor as there is a horrible gnashing of teeth. Unicron chews up Magmatron and spits him out. Only his head, the battered remains of Skysaurus, remains, plus his sword. Page 28: Magmatron asks Big Convoy to kill him...a quicker, more merciful death than he will suffer now that two thirds of him has been devoured by Unicron. Big Convoy acceeds, putting Magmatron's own sword through the Destron's head. Magmatron's eyes go dark. Page 29: Meanwhile, Unicron has been busy. He's reabsorbed the Angolmois energy and is making grand proclamations about his power, when he's interrupted by some explosions. The Cybertron home fleet is cruising in at maximum burn, firing all guns. Page 30: Unicron ignores the gnat bites and starts heading for Cybertron. The fleet is impotent against his regained power. Page 31: Unicron's head lands and sends out tentacles all over the planet, merging his body with it. Page 32: Cybertronians flee in terror as the ground beneath them shifts and changes. Unicron is transforming Cybertron into his new body! Page 33: Left behind in the deserted arena, the Gung Ho crew realizes that the spark has hit the fan. But they've grown in the past few months, none is the child he was before. They're all prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy Unicron. To arms! Page 34-35: Dramatic two-page sideways spread of Unicron in full robot mode, with the Maximals arrayed heroically before him. Big Convoy holds Magmatron's sword. This is a classic theme in anime and manga. The somewhat honorable villain realizes he's on the wrong side, but right after he changes sides he's killed by the real threat. He passes on something of importance to the hero(es), like a sword or a key or armor. And it will be the deciding factor in the final battle, covering for some flaw or lack of the hero's. Dave Van Domelen, notes that the toy Big Convoy cannot hold the toy Magmatron's sword, due to a peg in the side of the handle. Well, not very well, anyway.