IDW - Transformers: Beast Wars 2022 Annual

Title: Skold's No Good, Very Bad Day

Written by: Sam Maggs

Art by: Lanna Souvanny

Title: Rhinox's Amaze-ing Adventure

Written by: David Mariotte

Art by: Phillip Johnson

Title: The Morphlings

Written by: Nick Marino

Art by: Andrea Bell

Editor: Jazmine Joyner

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Skold's No Good, Very Bad Day

Skold decides that she is going to make this day go well, but I'd immediately assaulted by Terrorsaur, and pushed into a cell with Powerhug.

The other Predacons watch her, upset in the cell, on the security system.

Powerhug talks to Skold, and makes her feel better about herself, and is quickly decapitated by the Predacon, to use his circuitry to free herself from the cell, to the shock of the other Predacons, and the decapitated Powerhug.

Rhinox's Amaze-ing Adventure

Whilst out looking for fallen Protoform Pods, Rhinox ends up falling into a maze trap, set up by the Spider Predacons, where he also finds Waspinator, who was also trapped by the Spiders.

The two work together, and make it to the exit. Waspinator flies out, but leaves Rhinox behind to get out himself, much to Rhinox's annoyance.

The Morphlings

Whilst waiting for Optimus to return from a mission, the Maximals sit around a campfire, leading Cheetor to start telling a "spooky" story.

Cheetor starts telling a fan-fic about the Beast Wars cast, but kills them all off screen, except a few characters, before having them all killed or corrupted by small creatures called Morphlings.

Cheetor muses on whether his story could ever happen, with the others unimpressed.

Characters

Maximal

Rhinox - Rhino

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rattrap - Rat

Nyx - Bat

Powerhug - Pill Bug Decapitated by Skold

Optimus Primal - Ape (Mentioned)

Fallen Protoform Pods (Mentioned)

Predacon

Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Blackarachnia - Black Widow Spider

Waspinator - Wasp

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon 

Scorponok - Scorpion

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned)

Fictional Characters

Megasavage

Servicons

Nightshriek - Bat Corrupted by Megasavage

Botanicus - Plant Killed by Servicons

Silverklaw - Bird Killed by Morphlings

Unnamed Ape Dead

Unnamed Spider Dead

Unnamed Rat Dead

Unnamed Cat Dead

Notes

• This special issue of Beast Wars presents us with some side stories set at uncertain points in the series. At the most, we can assume they are all set following Blackarachnia's introduction, but with the first one set before Terrorsaur's death.
• The Maximal Powerhug being on the Darksyde is never explained. Is he a prisoner? A corrupted Protoform that has just arrived there? One of the Children of the Vok? Does he die at the end of the issue, after Skold decapitates him? Why are the Predacons shocked at her killing one of their enemies?
• In the second story, we see Waspinator speaking like he does in the original cartoon, which hasn't really been a thing in this series this far. Also his dismissive nature in the first story COULD be out of character, but that was also just in Skold's imagination.
• The third story's fictional tale is, obviously, based on the Beast Machines cartoon, with all the characters representing characters from the show, but with the Defiance (the Maximal counterparts) being completely destroyed in this story.
• The only character to transform during the fictional story is Nightshriek, so it's not really confirmed if any of the others even can transform (I'd assume so though)
• The preview included in this comic is for the upcoming Beast Wars 16, which is actually two issues after this comic was released, spoiling that Megatron and Optimus escape their captures from issue 14.
• Among the character designs shown in the extra features is Amordillo, a character who has yet to appear in the series yet. Due to his electric green eyes however, I'm going to guess that he's a Child of the Vok who will be revealed before the finale.
• Interestingly, Optimus Primal never appears in this special, even as a cameo (assuming you don't count the Morphlings Optimus stand-in). Also, Dinobot doesn't even get a mention in any of these stories!