IDW - Beast Wars #12

Title: Maximals Strike Back, Part 3

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: Jazmine Joyner

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

The Maximals and Predacons continue their fights inside and out of the Darksyde.

Nyx manages to disable the Transwarp engine, and also knock out Tarantulas. Rattrap calls her for help when Megatron's room locks itself up, with him on the inside, having stolen the Golden Disk.

Outside, Cheetor manages to knock out Scorponok and handles Blackarachnia.

Skold, angry that the Maximals brought Razorbeast here, leading to his death, fights with Rhinox, who refuses to fight back, seeing that she is upset.

Dinobot gets attacked by Waspinator, wanting revenge for Terrorsaur's death, but Dinobot blasts him away.

Optimus and Megatron continue their battle, but when Nyx requests assistance in freeing Rattrap, he gives up on the rise, and finishes off Megatron, leaving him beaten down on the ground in shock.

Blackarachnia abandons the battle seeing her leader was defeated, and Skold gives up on her one sided fight with Rhinox...

Inside the ship, Optimus manages to free Rattrap, and they, aloh with Nyx, try leavib this ship, only to encounter a forcefield.

Megatron gloats that he'll keep them there until he can be repaired in a CR Chamber, so he can kill them all.

Unfortunately for him though, Optimus threatens to destroy the disk if he doesn't let them go, and without their Transwarp drive they can't even leave the planet. 

Megatron is forced to let them go, but swears to not rest now until Optimus is dead...

The Maximals head into the shuttle, where Rattrap reveals he made a copy of the contents of the disk, so they can study it too.

Later, Tarantulas has collected Terrorsaur's corpse, and starts experimenting on it...

Characters

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Rhinox - Rhino

Dinobot - Velociraptor

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rattrap - Rat

Nyx - Bat

Razorbeast - Wild Boar (Mentioned) Dead

Maximal Command (Mentioned)

Predacon

Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Blackarachnia - Black Widow Spider

Scorponok - Scorpion

Waspinator - Wasp

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon Dead, Corpse being Experimented on

Rhinox's Old Friends (Mentioned) Some Dead

Other

"The Ones Before" (Mentioned)

Muhammad Ali (Mentioned)

Notes

• The roll call page this issue has been updated with crosses over the Terrorsaur and Razorbeast, due to their deaths last issue.
• Megatron's beast mode head gets stripped of its artificial skin, revealing a head based on Animated Grimlock's
• Blackarachnia  comments that she may have to switch allegiances after Megatron lost to Optimus. Her switching sides was one of her major plot lines in the original Beast Wars cartoon.
• Rhinox references that he had friends amongst the Predacons back on Cybertron, including some he even loved. We previously have heard from him that not all Predacons are evil, and that the two factions have had working relationships for centuries. It's even possible that he was the one to have that Predacon transmission that was briefly mentioned early in the series.
• Megatron had a forcefield generator set up inside the Darksyde, inspired by the Maximals using theirs to keep them at bay earlier.
• Rattrap is shown to have made a copy of the Golden Disk for them to analyse. This must have happened when he lingered in Megatron's room after retrieving it.
• Tarantulas previously told Terrorsaur that he wanted him to stay in one piece, so he had more parts for his experiments. My guess would be that we'll see something like his Transmetal form come from these experiments.
• Terrorsaur's spark isn't seen with his body during the end scene, implying it either was taken (possibly by the Vok) or just simply extinguished without a body to house it.

IDW - Beast Wars #6

Title: Savage Landing, Part 6

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Outside the Axalon, the battle between the Maximals and Predacons is in full swing, and with Dinobot joining their side, the Maximals are now in a better position, but are still not winning the fight.

Inside the Axalon, Tarantulas is trying to find a way to destroy the ship, when he discovers the Maximal stasis pods are in orbit. He tries to hack their systems so he can convert them all into an army of his own, but Rattrap stops him by using a mech suit to bash him out of the ship.

Now alone, he finishes fixing the Axalon's defense systems and gets the shields active, allowing the Maximals to race back inside for protection.

Unfortunately though, Dinobot is still seen by the computer as a Predacon and isn't allowed through the shields, leaving him to get beaten down by the Predacons.

Primal shoots at the Predacons using the Axalon's minimal weapons, bluffing that they have more, forcing the villains to retreat.

Several days later, Dinobot has been patched up, but tries to leave, assumig that the Maximals won't want him due to his injuries, but Optimus insists that he stays, even if it's just to tell him everything about Megatron....

Characters

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rhinox - Rhino

Rattrap - Rat

Nyx - Bat

Dinobot - Velociraptor Badly Injured by Predacons

Maximal Protoforms (Mentioned) Orbiting Planet in Stasis Pods 

Predacon

Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Scorponok - Scorpion

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon

Waspinator - Wasp Injured by Dinobot

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Other Cybertronian

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Flashback Only) "Disappeared"

Snapdragon - Dragon/Jet (Flashback Only) Killed by Grimlock

The other Dinobots (Mentioned) "Disappeared"

Notes

• This issue marks the end of the opening storyline of this series, and pretty much brings it up to speed with the end of episode two of the original cartoon. The preview for the next issue featuring Black Arachnia means that this series is going out of order for the rest of the series.
• Waspinator having his arm torn off and hit with it is likely a reference to the traditional joke of Waspinator being broken apart various times during the original cartoon.
• Dinobot being ganged up on by the Predacons and almost killed is possibly a reference to Code of Hero where he gets ganged up on, and killed by the Predacons. Luckily he fared a bit better this time around though...
• The flashback of Grimlock shows him in colours based on his Beast Era toy, which is getting a Generations remake very soon, possibly hinting at his arrival in the series.
• Primal mentions that Grimlock and the Dinobots disappeared, which makes me think they'll make an appearance as a group or have that backstory explored at some point in the future.
• The Decepticon killed by Grimlock in the flashback appears to be Snapdragon, using his Earthrise character model, but with a slightly different face (the eyes are connected, rather than separate)

IDW - Beast Wars #5

Title: Savage Landing, Part 5

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

After returning Nyx to the Axalon, Dinobot is placed in a holding cell within the crashed ship, where Optimus tries to figure out if Dinobot is being serious about his request to join the Maximals. Soon, he is joined by a newly recovered Nyx, who he leaves to talk with the Predacon alone.

Nyx asks him why he helped her, and he explains that he only joined the Predacons as Megatron lied to him, exploiting his honourable nature, after seeing Nyx resisting her torture, he saw her as honourable, and hoped that the other Maximals were too.

Unknown to the duo, Rattrap is watching the interaction on a security feed. Cheetor walks in, and Rattrap tries to distract him from his intrusion when he sees a warning signal from outside.

The Predacons have managed to locate the Axalon, and prepare to attack it. Unfortunately for the Maximals, due to the drama with Nyx, Rattrap hasn't been able to bring the Axalon's defenses back online.

Optimus, Rhinox and Cheetor leave the ship to distract the Predacons, and they soon engage in battle, with the Maximals able to hold their own, but outnumbered.

Inside the ship, Dinobot and Nyx hear the fighting, and the Predacon defector convinces Nyx to free him, so they can both join the battle and help the Maximals.

Elsewhere in the Axalon, Rattrap is trying to repair the defense systems, when he is attacked by Tarantulas. Rattrap manages to shoot Tarantulas and hide, leaving Tarantulas to skulk off, planning to "deal" with the Axalon.

The Maximals are starting to become overwhelmed by the Predacons, but Megatron is startled when Dinobot and Nyx join the battle too...

Characters

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Nyx - Bat

Rhinox - Rhino

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rattrap - Rat

Maximal Science Ministry (Mentioned)

Predacon

Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Dinobot - Velociraptor

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon

Waspinator - Wasp

Scorponok - Scorpion

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Nyx's University Mate (Mentioned)

Notes

• Primal mentions that the cell that Dinobot was held in was designed for malfunctioning Protoforms. Whilst this could be just a general feature in Axalon-type ships, it's possible this was designed with Protoform X in mind.
• Dinobot's joke about him and Primal having a fight for leadership is a reference to his attempt at leadership in the original cartoon.
• I'm not sure how long it's been between issues in-universe, bit Nyx got fixed up quite quickly huh?
• It's explained here that the fundamental difference between Maximals and Predacons is that the latter tend to be more aggressive and active, leaning towards careers like athletics, peacekeeping etc, while Maximals tend to be more akin to scientists or explorers.
• Cheetor appears to have super speed in his robot mode, it's unclear yet if this is due to him scanning a fast animal, or just a natural ability of his.

IDW - Beast Wars #4

Title: Savage Landing, Part 4

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Having escaped from the Darksyde, Nyx tries to make her way back to the Axalon, but is too injured to fly or walk too far. Soon, the Maximal is attacked by a strange green feline, but is saved by Dinobot, who she eventually realises is the same Predacon who helped her escape earlier, but she starts to suffer badly from Energon exposure and collapses.

Dinobot carries her, and asks her computer to direct him back to the xalon to save her life (after a lot of anti-Predacon firewalling).

The next morning, the Maximals have been working on fixing up their systems, when Cheetor finds a logged message to the Predacon Technolab, sent just before they left Cybertron, which automatically deletes itself. Rhinox dismisses his concerns, since they share information all the time, but Cheetor seems unconvinced.

Before anything can be done about it though, Optimus' experimental sensor boost, using the orbiting stasis pods, detects Nyx's signal, but she's moving a lot slower than normal, concerning them all.

Elsewhere, Tarantulas manages to break through the security program Dinobot activated and opens the Darksyde up again, freeing the Predacons. Megatron, still angered by Dinobot's betrayal, orders the team to hunt him down, and sets the Darksyde to self destruct if anyone enters the ship, unless he cancels the order.

Back at the Axalong, the Maximals have gathered outside the ship to start searching for Nyx, when Optimus sees Dinobot arriving, carrying Nyx on his back. Cheetor goes after him, assuming that he's the one who hurt her, but the Maximal cat is easily kno led down, however, rather than finishing off his for, like a typical Predacon crinal would, Dinobot instead requests to join the Maximals instead after handing over Nyx to be healed up.

Characters

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Nyx - Bat Injured from Energon Exposure

Rhinox - Rhino

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rattrap - Rat

Predacon

Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Dinobot - Velociraptor Requests to join Maximals

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Waspinator - Wasp

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Scorponok - Scorpion

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon

Other

Strange Feline Chased off by Dinobot

Notes

• The strange feline seen attacking Nyx is interesting, it doesn't look like any Earth creature, implying this might not be prehistoric Earth like we have been led to assume, however it's possible that this cat is a Vok experiment, or perhaps another Cybertronian in an alien cat mode? We'll just hBe to wait and see I guess...
• I know she can't fly in her bat mode, but why doesn't Nyx just transform back to Beast mode to stop herself from dying from Energon exposure?
• The Predacon message seen in the Axalon computer could be just a red herring, but if I had to guess who could have sent it, based on their locations in issue one, and assuming there isn't another currently unseen Maximal on the Axalon, I'd guess it was Rattrap who sent the message.
• So with this issue, we've reached the point of the cartoon where DInobot asks to join the Maximals, but not try to claim leadership (yet), so this is around the end of episode one of the series.
• Dinobot's motives for leaving the Predacons here differ from those he gave in the cartoon. Here he joins the Maximals because he considers them more honourable than the Predacons, whilst in the original he just wanted to get the better of Megatron and to command a crew of his own originally.
• From the preview image for next issue, it looks like Dinobot is in a prison cell, so I guess his faction shift request will be initially rejected.

IDW - Beast Wars #3

Title: Savage Landing, Part 3

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Nyx has been brought to the Predacon's crashed ship, the Darksyde, and is strapped to an interrogation table, where she is grilled for information on the Maximal ship and how many there are on the planet. During the interrogation, Dinobot gets distressed, and even forces them to stop when they almost kill her by putting the electrical charge to maximum. However, Tarantulas deduces through her silence that there must be more Maximals, or she wouldn't be trying so hard to protect them.

On the Axalon, Cheetor is getting worried about Nyx still being missing, but Primal says that she probably got lost, and they should wait until the morning to find her, so they don't get lost too. They also start making plans to use the stasis pods in orbit to help enhance their scanning and communications feed across the planet.

As a reward for his interrogation, Megatron allows Tarantulas to experiment on Nyx, and he uses an experimental device in her, that forces her to stay in robot mode, which will slowly kill her, due to the planet's Energon radiation. The Predacons shoot at her to toy with her, but Dinobot betrays them, but destroying the device, allowing the weakened Nyx to finally transform.

The Predacons turn on Dinobot, and he manages to knock them all back, and traps them in the Darksyde using a lockdown program, which the Predacons will need to reset the computers to reverse...

Megatron however is impressed by how flawless Dinobot's betrayal was...but, he promises to kill him for his actions...

Characters

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Rhinox - Rhino

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rattrap - Rat

Nyx - Bat Injured by the Predacons

Maximal Protoforms (Mentioned) In Orbit

Predacon

Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Dinobot - Velociraptor On Run, after betraying Predacons

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Waspinator - Wasp

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon 

Scorponok - Scorpion

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Decepticon

Megatron (Mentioned)

Notes

• The Darksyde is finally named on panel this issue. It's still unclear if that is the ship's official name, or one renamed by the Predacons who stole it.
• Nyx mentions that the original Megatron is mostly forgotten to history, something that was shown a lot in the original cartoon, where most of the G1 characters were considered legends, even to the point that the Predacons didn't know about Starscream's traitorous nature.
• The device used by Tarantulas to mode-lock Nyx is based on the Transformation Lock Lens from the original cartoon, however that version forced the victim into their beast mode, the exact opposite of this version.
• Dinobot's betrayal of the Predacons is a little more pronounced in this version of the story, in the cartoon he basically just tried to revolt against Megatron because he thought they were brought to the wrong planet, here, he outright attacks the other Predacons and frees their Maximal prisoner.
• Nyx's alternate mode is constantly referee to as "alt-mode" here, rather than "Beast mode" like in the cartoon and previous comics, this is most likely due to trademarking reasons.
• Skold is mentioned as being "young" this issue, possibly a reference to her being created for this series, much like Nyx.

IDW - Beast Wars #2

Title: Savage Landing, Part 2

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Rhinox is studying the layout of the planet they're found themselves crashed on, but can't understand how this world works and ends up having an argument with Rattrap over his consumption of some of the local fruit. Unknown to thyem however, they are being watched by a trio of Vok, who are themselves trying to figure out what is going on. The trio transport themselves to the Predacons next, and realize that they are rival factions and could cause damage to their experiments on the planet.

In lieu of cleansing the planet of the invasion, the Vok decide to watch the newcomers to see what happens...

Terrorsaur thinks someone is watching them, but decides he's just going stir-crazy so he goes out for a flight. Scorponok goes to see Megatron to see if he needs help deciphering the stolen Golden Disk, but the Predacon leader flat-out refuses, stating he doesn't want to be disturbed.

Elsewhere, at the Axalon's crash site, Nyx is working on the hull, when Optimus approaches her to say she should take a flight break, which she eagerly accepts, having wanted to try out her new wings since she got them.

Back at the Predacon ship, Dinobot tries to get a situation update from Tarantulas about the local environment and any dangers it contains, but the scientist tells him that it's not his job, and he's more interested in the globules of Unspace that Skold detected on the ship, much to Dinobot's annoyance.

Out on her flight, Nyx is exploring the environment. She tries contacting the Axalon to report the strange landmarks etc, but is soon attacked by Terrorsaur, who easily out-manoeuvres her, shooting her out of the sky in the process. Later, Megatron is still trying to decrypt the Golden Disk when he is interrupted by a returning Terrorsaur, carrying the uncious Nyx in his arms, saying he'll be interested in this.... 

Characters

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Rhinox - Rhino

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rattrap - Rat

Nyx - Bat Shot and Captured by Terrorsaur

Predacon

Megatron - Tyrannosaurs Rex

Dinobot - Velociraptor

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Waspinator - Wasp

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon

Scorponok - Scorpion

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Vok

Pakak

Tokaani

Tonrar

Notes

• Continuing from last issue's remake of the first episode of the Beast Wars cartoon. This issue continues the story, leading up the end of the battle between Waspinator and Cheetor, but now retold with Terrorsaur and Nyx (and ending with Nyx being captured instead)
• The Predacon's ship hasn't been named in the series yet, so I'm just going to assume they haven't named it yet (since it was stolen anyway)
• Whilst the reveal of the Vok was left for the finale story of Beast Wars Season One, and their real forms were left until the finale of the series in general. Here we see them in full early on.
• The planet's patchwork environments are a direct reference to the original series' varied landscapes, all within easy walking distance of eachother.
• Megatron's rubber ducky returns, though he's using it as a stress toy, rather than a bathtub toy here.

IDW - Beast Wars #1

Title: Savage Landing, Part 1

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

On Cybertron, the Tripredacus Agent Galavar, now going by the same Megatron, after the long-gone Decepticon leader, has led a team of loyal Predacons to steal a golden disk from the Science Ministry, and steal a Transwarp ship, destroying most of the rest at the shipyard in the process, much to the annoyance of the Tripredacus Council, who consider taking credit for it if his plan actually works though...

Elsewhere, the Axalon is is on a delivery mission when they are contacted by Ironhide of Maximal Command, who informs Optimus Primal of the theft on Cybertron, and orders him to intercept the Predacons before they can time jump with the Transwarp drive, since the Axalon is the only active Transwarp capable shuttle still in the area.

Soon, the Predacon shuttle passes them, causing the Maximals to give chase, and try to take out their engines, but they initiate the Transwarp drive, and start their time jump. Primal orders Nyx to tether their coordinates to the Predacon's, and the Axalon is pulled through too...

Now in the distant past, the Predacons arrive above an unnamed planet with two moons, and open fire on the second-to-arrive Axalon, taking out their weapons. Not letting that defeat the, Nyx rams the Axalon into the Predacon ship and sends both plummeting to the surface. On the way down, Rhinox ejects the Stasis Pods being stored on-board, to keep them safe from the crash impact, hoping they will land safely at a later date.

The two ships manage to dislodge and crash on opposite sides of a vast valley, knocking out both crews in the process, prompting the ship's A.I.s to repair them, but upon detecting high levels of Energon in the area, they scan the local lifeforms to grant them an extra organic shield to the exposure.

The two factions all recooperate and aclimate to their new forms, and Megatron plots to continue his grand scheme, but first, he plans to take out their pursuers...

Characters

Maximal

Ironhide - Tank

Optimus Primal - Gorilla (Previously Hover Truck)

Rhinox - Rhino (Previously Bulldozer)

Cheetor - Cheetah (Previously Race Car)

Rattrap - Rat (Previously Motorcycle)

Nyx - Bat (Previously Hover Speeder)

Under-3 - Car Killed by Scorponok

Other Maximal Command Security Force Members - Car Stunned by Predacons

Maximal Protoforms (Mentioned) In Stasis Pods, in Orbit

Maximal Command (Mentioned)

The Science Ministry (Mentioned)

Predacon

Sea Clamp

Ram Horn

Cicadacon

Galavar/Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Previously Tank)

Dinobot- Velociraptor (Previously Jet) 

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon (Previously Jet)

Waspinator - Wasp (Previously Jet)

Tarantulas - Tarantula (Previously Dragster)

Scorponok - Scorpion (Previously Pincer Tank)

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle (Previously Tank)

Other Cybertronian

Wheeljack (Statue Only)

G1 Megatron (Mentioned Only)

Notes

• This series marks the start of the first official remake of Beast Wars since the cartoon began, other comic series have been sequel, prequels or side-quels. (Uprising was set in a universe where G1 Megatron was killed by Blackarachnia's venom, after Beast Megatron's attempt to kill G1 Optimus, making it a sequel too). The series is being marketed as a celebration of the line's 25th anniversary, and is supposed to be an ongoing. We'll see how long this new series lasts though :)
• This issue essentially remakes the "Theft of the Golden Disk" mini-episode produced for Botcon many years ago, and the opening scene of the original cartoon's first episode.
• Most of the guards at the Science Ministry are based on the MCSF from the Botcon parts of the franchise, but seemingly using the character model made for Unit-3 (Under-3) for the final Botcon, using the Combiner Wars Dead End mould as the basis...I don't think this version of him will be combining into Magnaboss any time soon though... The other ones seen are kind of hard to identify, but three might be Shatterpoint, Highbeam and Switchblade, but I'm just not sure...
• Most of the main cast are using older toy designs of the characters (mostly from the various Botcon figures) but a few are new designs with their own histories, like Dinobot using the IDW1 design for Metalhawk that originated in "The Death of Optimus Prime" or Tarantulas using his Mesothulas design from "Sins of the Wreckers".
• The new characters introduced this issue are also based on older characters too, Skold is designed using Beast Machines Tankor's design in her Cybertronian mode, and a modified version of Beast Wars Snapper for the beast mode body. Nyx doesn't seem to have a particular basis for her Cybertronian body, but her beast mode is likely based on Beast Wars Sonar, but without the Transmetal II parts. Her name is likely based on Onyx Primal, who was also a bat Transformer from the past.
• The main cast Maximal Cybertronians alternate modes are show in the backmatter of this issue (albeit, using very small images though), but the Predacons are just shown in bot mode, so I am guess on their alternate modes, based on the previous uses of their designs.
• It's been known for a long time that Megatron had a different name before taking on the former Decepticon leader's name in his honour, but we never knew his name before now (other than the Gnashteeth link from the Micron Booster character). Galavar is most likely derived from Galvatron, a character that G1 Megatron would become (assuming this follows the same basic historical timeline as the original Beast Wars).
• Unlike in the original, the Maximals and Predacons had their beast-themed names before they even took on their beast modes.
• The Axalon and Darksyde are redesigned somewhat to make them more boxy that the original versions, which were more streamlined.
• Optimus Primal is shown to be a bit more of a loose cannon than his cartoon counterpart, being interested in trying time travel, even before his orders were given.
• Unlike in the cartoon, the two ship's crews were knocked into stasis lock when they crashed, and were scanned automatically by their ship's computers into animals to protect them from the planet's Energon exposure. In the original they made the decision themselves whilst still conscious.
• It's not currently clear if the planet they crash on here is the Prehistoric Earth like in the original version, but the presence of Earth animals does imply that it is.