Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: The Pack
When Transformers Prime introduced the idea of Predacons in Season 3, a thought popped into my head; Where the Scrap are the Maximals? The Autobots with Beast modes never made an appearance in the show along with a bunch of other characters who were supposed to be in the series, but mostly due to the show not having the budget required to implement them. The idea of the Maximals never really existed in the showrunners list of lightbulbs, but what if they existed?
The Pack was introduced in IDW Publishing's Beast Wars Comics as a Maximal Imperium Covert ops unit under the Command of Lio Convoy. In my version, The Pack was an Autobot Infiltration/ Intelligence team that were sent behind enemy lines to extract info from Decepticon Facilities. The Crew consisted of:
Leobreaker (Lio Convoy): the steadfast, wise and compassionate leader who becomes the emissary of Onyx Prime
Skipjack: the cranky Inventor who used to be an architect
Bantor: strong and fast, but he's also an intelligent, disciplined warrior with a tactical mind and a keen understanding of guerilla warfare—useful traits to have when you're a demolitions specialist. His Fuzor beast mode means that he's at home in the trees or on the ground, stalking his prey slowly and silently through the jungle and into a carefully planned ambush. By that time, his victims have already walked right into one of his cleverly-disguised snares or explosive booby-traps.
Airrazor: She's calm and confident, but also adventurous and brave, with a healthy supply of dry humor. Her aerial skill in either mode, incredibly sharp eyesight and steady aim make her a dangerous opponent.
Wolfang: A team player through and through, effortlessly integrating himself into whatever unit he finds himself entrenched with.
Twinferno: Admittedly, Twinferno has always been undecided, but when he gained a twin Dragon Transmetal form it kind of made things harder, but the one thing that he always agrees on is the busting of Decepti-Chops.
Beastbox: A Mini-Con mercenary for hire, Beastbox thinks of himself as the king of the jungle, but nevertheless will work for for anyone willing to pay him in Energon bananas.
Divebomb: A Predacon clone created by Shockwave, he rejected his original path and now hunts his fellow Predacons with the same zeal with which they hunt others, and though he shares their lust for destruction, at least now it is harnessed in a more productive way.
After the reformation of Cybertron, The Pack opted to become a retrieval team hunting down any war criminals who fled war tribunals. Onboard their starship The Yukikaze, the Pack was intercepted by the Star Seekers' flagship Tidal Wave and crash landed on a Planet, unbeknownst to the Crew the planet they landed on was a Cybertronian Colonial World called Animatron. Upon Arrival, the crew quickly discovered that the planet was actually an experimental world founded by Onyx Prime to create a new generation of Cybertronians with Beast Modes. The Pack enters a temple containing Hieroglyphics, Leobreaker touches and says one of the words on the wall that says "Maximize". A flash of light appears and Leobreaker and the Pack are taken to the realm of the Primes and are met with a giant beast like-Cybertronian with four legs, wings and four eyes. "Greetings Leobreaker, I am Onyx Prime, you and your compatriots are on the planet Animatron a world in which I hoped to create a new species known as Maximals. A more peaceful animalistic society that was destroyed by the Quintessons. In the Aftermath, Thundertron in his youth scanned an alt-mode of one of my citizens and begun his plundering. I am in need of your Team's services, my close friend Micronus is guiding your Leader Optimus on his Journey to defeat Megatronus The Fallen, I need your help to find Thundertron before he seeks an ultimate power that will ultimately be cataclysmic. I give you and your team the alt-modes of my citizens. Leobreaker do you accept the Burden with all that you are?" Leobreaker replies with "I do". "Arise Lio Convoy, you will become my Emissary I will grant upon you an Energon Matrix, a supplementation of the Matrix of Leadership that was created by myself, Prima and my dearest Solus. It will give you powers that will be unimaginable to you, now go for there is much to do"
Notes: Okay, so lets get this out of the way
The Maximals here are the ones that never made it to pasture. The idea of the Maximals in Prime seemed entirely far-fetched, but why not let me give a crack at it.
Leobreaker becomes Lio Convoy, Granted the Energon Matrix and becomes the Emissary of Onyx Prime (Who we've not seen or heard of in a long time)
Skipjack is an alternate name for (Erector) a name in which I will never ever in a million years ever grant to any character in TF Lore ever. The design was for a Beast Wars/ Prime style reimagining.
Bantor was mentioned by Ratchet and I thought I should just get that ball rolling.
Airrazor and Wolfang were in a construct-bots toyline for Prime and have a kind of Airrazor/Tigatron Relationship.
Twinferno (Awesome name) was in the Robots In Disguise 2015 toyline and had a cool design and has a type of Turbo Revving young punk personality.
Beastbox is a Mini-Con with Tons of Optimus Primal References
Divebomb is a Predacon turned Autobot/Maximal with a dark past.
Thundertron and the Star Seekers are the main enemy and seek Solus' Creation Lathe.
Energon Matrix gives Lio Convoy similar abilities to that of Beast Wars 2nd Lio Convoy
P.S. this is Lio Convoy's Final Form
