Big Bad Beetleborgs
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| BeetleBorgs | |
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| Format | Action-Adventure-Comedy |
| Created by | Haim Saban ea. |
| Starring | Wesley Barker Shannon Chandler Brittany Konarzewski Herbie Baez Billy Forester Vivian Smallwood Joe Hackett Blake Torney David Fletcher Christopher Cho Claudine Barros Kyle Jordan Marshal Hilton e.a. |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 88 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | FOX/UPN (1996-1999) |
| Original run | September 7, 1996 – February 23, 1998 |
| External links | |
| IMDb profile | |
Big Bad Beetleborgs (and later Beetleborgs Metallix, see below) is an American television series produced by Saban. It aired for 88 episodes on FOX, and ran for two seasons between September 7, 1996 ending its run on March 2, 1998, around the same time that Power Rangers: Turbo stopped airing and Power Rangers in Space started airing.
Reruns aired for a period on UPN, between the 1998-1999 television season.
The combat footage for the series was taken from the Metal Hero tokusatsu-series Juukou B-Fighter for the first season and B-Fighter Kabuto for the second, though the plot itself is a parallel of Power Rangers, as the main characters use morphers (here called Beetle Bonders in season 1 and Data Bonders in Season 2) to call upon their powers.
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[edit] Synopsis
Set in the fictional town of Charterville, three typical average kids, Drew, Jo, and Roland, enter the supposedly haunted Hillhurst Manor after accepting a dare from rich snobs Van and Trip. The house is revealed to be the home of real monsters when the kids accidentally bump a pipe organ, releasing a phantasm named Flabber. He proves to be friendly, and in return for releasing him, offers to grant them one wish. They wish to become their comic book heroes, The Big Bad Beetleborgs. However, this also brings the Beetleborgs' sworn enemies to life: the Magnavores, led by the evil Vexor, and they would summon monsters from the comic books to battle the Beetleborgs. Roland's mom and dad run the Comic book shop along with his grandmother Nano. In a 6 parter, Vexor created his own Beetleborg, Shadowborg, which was a match for the Beetleborgs and briefly took their powers and they had to call a temporary Beetleborg (White Blaster Beetleborg) Josh, and after Shadowborg was destroyed, Josh lost his powers. The Beetleborgs meet the Beetleborg comic creator, Art Fortunes.
In the final episode of the first season, the Magnavores steal a picture of a new villain named Nukus. They bring him to life to enlist his help in destroying the Beetleborgs. Nukus assists them by planning devastating attacks on the city and creating Borgslayer, a hybrid of all the Magnavore monsters. Unbeknownst to the Magnavores, Nukus was actually plotting to get rid of them. Nukus tells Van and Trip (who were fleeing Charterville during Borgslayer's attack to their father's country estate) how to defeat Borgslayer, and orders them to take the information to the Beetleborgs. They succeed in destroying Borgslayer, causing the Magnavores to be swept back into the comics. Nukus challenged the kids to one last battle and despite Art Fortune's warning that he is too powerful, they face him anyway. Nukus quickly wipes them out, and destroys their armor, weapons, and powers.
These events lead directly into the second season, Beetleborgs Metallix. In it the Crustaceans have replaced the Magnavores as the Beetleborgs arch-enemy. Nukus discovers that his creator is actually Art Fortune's incarcerated brother, Les Fortunes. Nukus busts Les out of prison, Les now serves him by creating new villains and monsters for him. In turn, Art creates new powers, armor, and weapons for the kids; rechristening themselves as Beetleborgs Metallix, hence the title (in actuality, Art Fortunes drew the costumes but Flabber used his magic to bring them to life).
They are later assisted by the Astralborgs, four Beetleborgs created by Art Fortunes as a child when he and Les worked together on their only collaboration, the Lost Comic.
Nukus formed his own evil group, named the Crustaceans. He would later recruit more faithful followers from the Lost Comic in the form of the Mantrons.
Nukus and Vilor eventually gained upgraded Mega forms. To counteract this, the Beetleborgs were given an upgrade by Roboborg, who fused their Metallix powers with their original powers, creating the Mega Spectra Beetleborgs. Vilor's "mega" form did not last long and he quietly returned to his original look without explanation; however, Mega Nukus retained his upgraded look.
The series concluded with the Beetleborgs gaining the enemy Roboborg Boron as an ally, stripping Nukus of his greatest weapon, and Les Fortunes made the decision to return willingly to Charterville prison, disabling Nukus' ability to create new monsters out of illustrations. With no known way of returning the Crustaceans to the comic world, the Beetleborgs were left with an unresolved final battle with what was left of their foes.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Beetleborgs
- Andrew "Drew" McCormick - The Blue Stinger Beetleborg, and later the Chromium Gold Beetleborg in the second season, is the leader of the Beetleborgs. He was granted the ability of telekinesis by Flabber, which he activated by pointing at an object and nodding his head. Drew received an upgrade, Mega Blue Beetleborg, after he used the machine that powered Shadowborg on his original armor. After Roboborg arrived, Drew received a new upgrade, Mega Spectra Chromium Gold Beetleborg, after Nukus and Vilor went Mega themselves. His armor was modeled after a goliath beetle. He was portrayed by Wesley Barker.
- Roland Williams - The Green Hunter Beetleborg, and later the Titanium Silver Beetleborg in the second season, his family owns a local comic book shop named Zoom Comics, where he, Jo, and Drew usually hang out. He was granted the ability of super speed by Flabber, which he activated by snapping his fingers. After Roboborg arrived, Roland received an upgrade, Mega Spectra Titanium Silver Beetleborg, after Nukus and Vilor went Mega themselves. His armor was modeled after a stag beetle. He was portrayed by Herbie Baez. Roland's Mega form in Metallix looks similar to the later Magna Defender from Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy.
- Josephine "Jo" McCormick - The Red Striker Beetleborg, and later the Platinum Purple Beetleborg in the second season, Drew's little sister, she was granted the ability of super strength by Flabber, which she activated by cracking her knuckles. After Roboborg arrived, Jo received an upgrade, Mega Spectra Platinum Purple Beetleborg, after Nukus and Vilor went Mega themselves. Her Red Striker armor was modeled after a flower beetle, and her Platinum Purple armor after a ladybug. She was originally portrayed by Shannon Chandler, and later Brittany Konarzewski.
- Josh Baldwin - The White Blaster Beetleborg, granted the ability of invisibility by Flabber, which he activated by dusting his hands. He was on the team for a very short period of time. The White Blaster Beetleborg was created after Shadowborg, an evil clone of the Beetleborgs, stole their powers. He succeeded in getting their powers back. However, it was soon discovered that the White Blaster and Shadowborg were linked in a fashion of yin and yang, meaning if one was destroyed, the other would lose his power forever (it could be assumed that it didn't really bother him, seeing as he felt he couldn't handle a superhero life). Josh accompanied the Beetleborgs in the final battle against Shadowborg, where he transformed for the final time. Shadowborg was destroyed, taking the White Blaster powers along with him. At which point, Josh returned to a normal life. Although he said that if the others ever needed him again, he'd be there, but this was the last we saw of him. It was slightly hinted that Jo had a crush on him. His armor was modeled after a hercules beetle. He was portrayed by Warren Berkow.
[edit] Allies
- Karato (voiced by Richard Epcar) and Silver Ray: Two other comic book superheroes that the kids are fans of. When the Magnavores released an army of monsters while trying to kidnap Art Fortunes from a comic book convention, the Beetleborgs were afraid of being unable to beat them all by themselves. Flabber agreed to use his magic on just that one occasion to summon other superheroes from the comics to help.
- Astralborgs: Four heroes of the Lost Comic.
- Dragonborg (voiced by Doug Stone): Modeled after a dragonfly, leader of the Astralborgs. Had a voice reminiscent of Sean Connery.
- Fireborg (voiced by Gene Holliday): Modeled after a firefly.
- Lightingborg (voiced by Richard Epcar): Modeled after a cicada.
- Ladyborg (voiced by Barbara Goodson): Modeled after a butterfly.
- Hillhurst Inhabitants
- Flabber (Billy Forrester): As described above, Flabber is a phantasm (phasm) who was trapped inside a pipe organ, and was freed by the kids. Out of gratitude he granted their wish to become their comic book heroes, the Big Bad Beetleborgs. Flabber was released by playing 3 notes. He acts as an advisor and best friend, he offers needed magic to the kids when fighting the Magnvavores, and later the Crustaceans. Although his magic doesn't always work the way he would hope for it to. He is the head of the Hillhurst Mansion and is usually the one to keep the house monsters in check. The producers of the show said that he was based on Elvis Presley, although he more closely resembles Jay Leno to some.
- Mums (played by Blake Torney, voiced first by Michael Sorich and later by Torney): Mums is a 5,000 year-old Egyptian mummy, but he can unwrap his bandages to reveal a "Grim Reaper"-like form under his bandages. He has 703 brothers and sisters. In one episode, two archaeologists came to return Mums to the crypt in which they found him in order to get rid of a curse placed on them.
- Frankenbeans (David Fletcher): Called "Frankie" for short, he is a strange, lumbering Frankenstein-type monster. He was once kidnapped by the Magnavores, and held by ransom in exchange for the Beetleborgs' Beetle Bonders. Dr. Baron von Frankenbeans, his creator, showed up in a few episodes.
- Count Fangula (Joe Hackett): Loosely modeled after Count Dracula, Count Fangula is a vampire, a not so good one, but a vampire nonetheless.
- The Pipettes (Traci Bellusci): A multicolor spirit-like trio of ladies who live in the pipe organ. They act as Flabber's back-up singers. They stop appearing midway through the first series.
- Ghoulum (voiced by Dan Letlow for one episode only): A living stone statue type monster that resides in Hillhurst Mansion who often had little to say or do other than what statues do best, stand in place. While not the most active monster of Hillhurst Mansion on rare occasions he would join in on the other monsters' mischief. In one episode, he was accidentally exposed to a 'Bad Potion' turning him evil and causing him to grow into a giant under Noxic's control.
- Wolfgang "Wolfie" Smith (Frank Tahoe, voiced by Michael Sorich, later Scott Page-Pagter): Wolfie is a werewolf and is treated more like a family dog than a monster at Hillhurst. His voice sounds similar to Astro and Scooby-Doo. Only Fangula can translate what Wolfie is saying most of the time. Probably the bravest and most cunning of the Hillhurst Monsters because he's the only one of the group who tangled with the bad guys at least once.
- Little Ghoul (Lina Godouse): A Jawa-like addition to the Hillhurst group in season two, she lives in the basement and rarely comes out. A niece of the Grim Reaper, she is a grim reaper-in-training who loves collecting. She also has a short temper, which scares the other monsters even more than her true appearance under her hood. She has little to no respect for anyone; she does, however, have a great deal of respect for the Astralborgs.
- Arthur "Art" Fortunes (Rigg Kennedy): Creator of the Beetleborgs comics, who shows up time and time again with new ways to help the kids. During the series, he becomes a Zordon and Billy-like ally.
- "Nano" Williams (Vivian Smallwood): Roland's grandmother, Aaron's mother, and Abbie's mother-in-law, Nano is one hip granny and a trained martial artist. When she's not running Zoom Comics, or practicing her moves, she's often seen riding her motorcycle. Nano often helps out the kids when they're in a jam. If nothing else, she enjoys teasing her son Aaron.
- Aaron Williams (Kim Delgado): Roland's father. He ran Zoom Comics full time and is often embarrassed by his mother's antics. Aaron was soon called away on business, leaving the shop in the hands of his wife.
- Abbie Williams (Channe Nolan): Roland's mother. She primarily works as a real estate agent. When her husband, Aaron, gone on business, she assumed running Zoom Comics. She and her mother in-law don't see eye to eye but she didn't really know how to run a comic book shop. With a little help from Flabber's magic, Abbie's heart opened up and rekindled fond childhood memories of a comic she once loved reading. She ran the shop for the remainder of the series.
- Heather (Elizabeth Z. Lund): Drew's crush. No matter what, Drew could never tell Heather what he really felt. She would sometimes help out at the comic shop, and she also enjoyed reading them. During the Shadowborg saga, she developed a crush on Josh.
- Trip & Van (Todd Hurst & Patrick Seaborn): the comic relief of the series, the brothers constantly pestered the kids daily lives by flaunting their wealth and self-accalaimed superiority. Trip was the smarter of the two, whereas Van was a bit slow. They often came up with get-rich-quick schemes, ways to humiliate the Beetleborgs, or simply to cause mischief; often dragging their unwitting chauffeur, Dudley, into their schemes. They were the one's who dared Jo, Roland, and Drew to enter Hillhurst, which led to them becoming Beetleborgs. During the Borgslayer fiasco they left town to go live at their father's country estate, never to be heard from again.
[edit] Villains
- Magnavores (2-53): The first set of villains the Beetleborgs faced.
- Vexor (first played by Rick Tane and later by Kisu; voiced by Joey Pal): The leader of the Magnavores. He loses patience with his Magnivores' incompetence and does not appear in every episode. He appeared to have been destroyed by the combined efforts of all three Beetleborgs stabbing their Beetle Battlers into his body and pulling him to the ground, after Drew battled with and destroyed Shadowborg, but quickly revived himself, sprouting a new body and face and even managed to grow giant. In his following appearance, he somehow switched back to his old self/appearance.
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- Typhus (played by Kyle Jordan and voiced by Dave "Foots" Footman): Chimera/composite-like humanoid monster, prefers brawn over brain and his whale-like flattop is an extra mouth with which he eats food or other objects. In battle, he sometimes wields a sword-like weapon that latches to his arm or his mouth. This weapon can also blast lasers when latched to his extra mouth. Temporarly turned into Mega Typhus.
- Noxic (played by Lee Whey and voiced by David Umansky): Android with coils for hair who wears a white labcoat-like jacket. Can control machinery and other objects by removing his head and attaching it to them. In a dream of his, he took control of a bulldozer with his head and tried to destroy the Beetleborgs. He later used this same technique to take control of Ghoulum, went he went bad from the comic book's formula. He has an unseen wicked friend, from the comic books as well, named Dr. Cackle, who created the evil formula. Prefers to eat donuts all day long instead of doing Vexor's bidding. He has an older brother named Super Noxic, though technically Noxic was created first. In battle, he sometimes wields an umbrella-like weapon.
- Jara (played by Balinda English in U.S. Footage, and voiced by Rajia Baroudi): Female humanoid clad in red attire and a white mask. She speaks with a Russian accent. Despite her face being remade 3-dimensional, she cannot consume food or smile in the real world because the mouth on her mask could never open (she emphasizes this by saying that she has no mouth). She was bitten by Wolfgang in one episode and became a werewolf and enamored with Wolfgang, but by the end of the episode was returned to her normal form and retained none of her affection for Wolfgang. In battle, she sometimes wields a whip that when cracked releases destructive energy.
- Shadowborg (voiced by the late Bob Papenbrook) (26-31): Black evil Beetleborg created by Vexor from ionic DNA and insectite material stolen from the Blue Stinger Beetleborg. Not only is Shadowborg created from the basic materials as Blue Stinger, but he is enhanced with some of the powers of the other Beetleborgs. Shadowborg can run faster than the Green Hunter, jump higher than Red Striker, and remain underwater for 51 minutes. Shadowborg's architectural armor is modeled after a longicorn beetle. With his Shadow Claw, Shadowborg can cut through any substance know to the planet. He was finally destroyed by the Blue Stinger Beetleborg in his Mega Blue Form.
- Scabs (3-53): Yellow-black goon squad. Unlike in most Saban adaptations, these grunt soldiers were barely used.
- Magnavore Jet Fighters (3-53): Air-borne, wasp-resembling machine jets. Summoned to attack the Beetleborgs on several occasions.
- Crustaceans (52-88): Villains created by Les Fortunes, the second set of villains the Beetleborgs faced.
- Nukus (Christopher Cho) (52-88): A creation of Les Fortunes, the Triceratops-based Overlord of the 2nd Dimension. Hid away in Art Fortune's vault until the Magnavores took the picture and Vexor brought him to life. Nukus quickly set a plan to dispose the Magnavores and take over as the new villain. He broke Les out of jail to use the artist's skills to create deadly monsters that could be brought to life with the use of his sword. He had an advantage over the Beetleborgs as he destroyed both the paper he came out of and the copy Art Fortunes owned. Nukus also destroyed the Beetleborgs' original armor, weapons, and powers. He later gained a mega form, Mega Nukus, from touching Les Fortunes' transmographier device which he destroyed soon after to ensure no one else received a upgrade from it.
- Horribelle (Claudine Barros) (54-88): Second in command of the Crustaceans, an insect-based sword-toting fighter and Nukus' right-hand woman. Like Nukus, she can summon a face-mask in battle. She also wields two swords that resemble mantis arms. She once rebelled against the Crustaceans by having Les Fortunes create the Astral Axe, so she could control its' powers out of a scorn for not receiving a mega form like the main male villains.
- Vilor (played by Kyle Jordan and voiced by Dave "Foots" Footman) (54-88): Third in command of the Crustaceans, a fish-based, trident-toting fighter. He briefly gains a second form, Super Vilor, when the Mantrons arrived, and later a brief mega form, Mega Vilor, after touching Les Fortunes' transmographier device prior to its destruction, though he somehow reverted back to his normal state.
- Lester "Les" Fortunes (Marshal Hilton) (54-88): The black sheep in the Fortunes family, Art's older brother. He was in jail when Nukus recruited him to his cause. Despite creating all the Crustacean monsters and their arsenal, Les never gets any respect or credit for it. At the end of the series, he goes back to jail for some peace and quiet.
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- Mantrons (75-82): Evil counterparts of the Astralborgs. Created by Les Fortunes as a child to rival Art Fortunes' Astralborgs in their only collaboration, the Lost Comic. They were there to aid Nukus in his plans to get Roboborg, who ultimately made it to the good hands of the Beetleborgs. In 'Roboborg' (part 8 of the Lost Comic saga), the Mantrons were finally sent back to the Lost Comic for good by the combined attacks of the Beetleborgs, Astralborgs and Roboborg.
- Scorpix (voiced by Bob Papenbrook): Modeled after a scorpion, leader of the Mantrons.
- Centipix (voiced by Lee Hondo Woodford): Modeled after a centipede.
- Mantix (voiced by Ethan Murray): Modeled after a praying mantis.
- Hornix (voiced by Bob Johnson): Modeled after a hornet.
- Dregs (55-88): Assorted monsters used as foot soldiers. Dregs came in two groups. One group was based on land animals and wore brown slacks and black boots (Spider Dreg, Stego Dreg). The other based on sea creatures and wore blue spandex pants and white boots (Fish Dreg, Jellyfish Dreg, Squid Dreg). Each group consisted of five different types of Dregs.
- Worm Tanks (55-88): Giant worm like vehicles summoned to attack the Beetleborgs on several occasions.
- Crustacean Jet Fighters (56-88): Air-borne machines based on the design of the Worm Tank summoned to attack the Beetleborgs on several occasions.
- Mantrons (75-82): Evil counterparts of the Astralborgs. Created by Les Fortunes as a child to rival Art Fortunes' Astralborgs in their only collaboration, the Lost Comic. They were there to aid Nukus in his plans to get Roboborg, who ultimately made it to the good hands of the Beetleborgs. In 'Roboborg' (part 8 of the Lost Comic saga), the Mantrons were finally sent back to the Lost Comic for good by the combined attacks of the Beetleborgs, Astralborgs and Roboborg.
- Monsters:
[edit] Weaponry & Arsenal
[edit] Big Bad Beetleborgs
- Beetle Bonders: The Beetleborgs' transformation devices. Once summoned, the kids transformed into the Beetleborgs with a cry of "Beetle Blast!".
- Sonic Laser Saber
- Sonic Lasers: The Beetleborgs' fire-arms.
- Pulsabers: The weapons that the Beetleborgs use to summon Gargantis. It can combine with the Sonic Laser to become the Sonic Laser Saber for more firepower.
- Beetle Battlers: The Beetleborgs' main weapons of their own design;
- Stinger Blade: The Blue Stinger Beetleborg's weapon.
- Stinger Drill: The Blue Stinger Beetleborg's more powerful enhanced Beetle Battler.
- Hunter Claw: The Green Hunter Beetleborg's weapon.
- Striker Blaster: The Red Striker Beetleborg's weapon.
- Thunder Stinger: More powerful than any Sonic Laser, only the Blue Stinger Beetleborg can use it. This weapon also helps transform Blue Stinger Beetleborg into the Mega Blue Beetleborg.
[edit] Beetleborgs Metallix
- "Bugging out" - in the first two episodes of Metallix (or the last two episodes of Big Bad BeetleBorgs), Drew and his teammates use Flabber's book of spells (or Phasm Handbook) to try and change him back to normal after Nukus turns him to ice. One spell gives all three the power to change into somewhat larger versions of their respective insects (about the size of their fists), then revert back to human. By saying "Bug out!", they change into bugs. To become human again, they say "Bug back!" The trio are able to use this ability in either human or Beetleborg form, and will never lose it.
- Data Bonders: The Beetleborgs' transformation devices. Unlike the Beetle Bonders, the kids had to insert the Input Cards into the Data Bonders after they were summoned. The kids transformed into the Metallix Beetleborgs with a cry of "Beetle Blast!".
- Metallix Battlers: The Beetleborgs' main weapons of their own design;
- Metallix Lancer: The Chromium Gold Beetleborg's weapon.
- Metallix Grappler: The Titanium Silver Beetleborg's weapon. Much like the Hunter Claw, it could also grab an enemy.
- Metallix Baton: The Platinum Purple Beetleborg's weapon.
- Sector Cycles / Mega Spectra Sector Cycles: The Beetleborgs' new bikes used when they need to get to another part of the city. When Roboborg arrived, he changed the cycles into the new Mega Spectra Sector Cycles by combining their old powers with their Metallix powers.
- Chromium Gold Sector Cycle / Chromium Gold Mega Spectra Sector Cycle: Chromium Gold Beetleborg's Sector Cycle.
- Titanium Silver Sector Cycle / Titanium Silver Mega Spectra Sector Cycle: Titanium Silver Beetleborg's Sector Cycle.
- Platinum Purple Sector Cycle / Platinum Purple Mega Spectra Sector Cycle: Platinum Purple Beetleborg's Sector Cycle.
- Astral Sword: See Battleborgs - Roboborg.
- Astral Blaster: Combination of a Data Laser, Astral Laser, Astral Datadex & Astral Pulsar, usually held by Chromium Gold Beetleborg.
- Data Lasers: The Beetleborgs' fire-arms.
- Astral Laser: Laser weapon used by either Dragonborg or Chromium Gold Beetleborg.
- Astral Pulsar: Hand-held weapon used by Platinum Purple to ruin or restore.
- Astral Datadex: Weapon used by the Titanium Silver Beetleborg.
- Astral Bonders: The Astralborgs use this device to give the Beetleborgs new weapons to use in battle.
- Astral Arsenal: Weapons used by either the Beetleborgs or Astralborgs.
- Astral Launcher: Arm-cannon used by Fireborg.
- Astral Sabers: Long swords used by Lightningborg.
- Astral Sonic Cannon: Weapon on Lightningborg's chest used to give his enemy ear aches, later involving a laser blast afterwards.
- Astral Bazooka: Weapon used by Ladyborg.
- Astral Ax: See Battleborgs - Boron.
[edit] Assault Vehicles
- Attack Vehicles: The A.V.'s are the Beetleborgs' heavy artillery to use when the city is attacked by Magnavor Jet Fighters. Housed in the Beetle Battle Base, minus Gargantis. The Beetle Battle Base and the A.V.'s were destroyed by the Magnavor Jet Fighters missiles at the end of the first season.
- Gargantis Mega Cannon: Combination of the Beetleborgs A.V.'s and Gargantis. It is their most powerful weapon of all.
- Blue Stinger A.V.: Blue Stinger Beetleborg's A.V.
- Green Hunter A.V.: Green Hunter Beetleborg's A.V.
- Red Striker A.V.: Red Striker Beetleborg's air-borne A.V.
- Gargantis the Attack Mobile Carrier: Most powerful attack vehicle the Beetleborgs had, it can open its back so the smaller A.V.s can ride atop of it for the Gargantis Mega Cannon. Gargantis ended up getting destroyed by the powerful Borgslayer at the end of the first season.
- Gargantis Mega Cannon: Combination of the Beetleborgs A.V.'s and Gargantis. It is their most powerful weapon of all.
- Battle Vehicles: The B.V.'s are the Beetleborgs' heavy artillery to use when the city is attacked by Crustacean Jet Fighters & Worm Tanks. Housed in the Beetle Battle Station.
- Chromium Gold B.V.: Chromium Gold Beetleborg's B.V.
- Titanium Silver B.V.: Titanium Silver Beetleborg's B.V.
- Platinum Purple B.V.: Platinum Purple Beetleborg's air-borne B.V.
[edit] Battleborgs
- Roboborg (voiced by Michael Sorich): Arrived on Earth when all eight of the Astral Coins were reunited with the Astral Sword. Roboborg is summoned when the Chromium Gold Beetleborg holds the Astral Sword in the air and shouts “Roboborg!”. It wields a weapon called Robo Sword, with which he can perform the Robo Cyclone.
- Boron (voiced by Y.I. Otta): Les Fortunes created the Astral Ax, the evil counterpart to the Astral Sword, and with it Roboborg's evil counterpart, Boron. Used by Mega Nukus to summon Boron, simply by shouting out, “Boron, Arise!”. In the battle against Repgillian, the Beetleborgs tricked the Crustaceans into giving up the Astral Ax so it could fall into the hands of Titanium Silver Beetleborg. Boron then switched to the side of good.
[edit] On Location
The show was filmed in a number of locations.
- Much of the show was filmed in Santa Paula, California, a small rural town in Ventura County.
[edit] Production
It was not uncommon to see cardboard cut-outs and wall decorations of the Beetleborgs characters on the walls of Zoom Comics where the 3 kids worked. Other decorations used included the costume heads of King Sphinx of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and the original head from the monster costume Kappa from Ninja Sentai Kakuranger (The monster was used as "Parrot Top" in MMPR) which was used to create the costume Malavex. Toys from the Bandai Beetleborgs toyline could also be seen in various displays. Including the Special Edition Deluxe Shadowborg figure, in an episode which preceded Shadowborg's character ever appearing on the show.
Like other adaptations, some of the original source footage was altered for Beetleborgs. The Input Magnums, the original B-Fighter's guns, looked very realistic due to the black-and-silver coloring. In Beetleborgs, the gun's colors were changed to bright red and purple, and all Japanese footage of the Input Magnum's keypad being used was replaced with American footage using the red and purple gun. However, the colors of the guns changed from time to time due to the blending in of the B-Fighter footage. Similarly, the American version of the toy was done in red and purple colors instead of the Input Mangum's black and silver coloring. In Metallix, the Input Cardgun colors remained unchanged (grey and black), but the toy line changed the weapons to a white-and-blue color scheme. More violent scenes from B-Fighter were either covered up with large , Batman-esque sound effects or were cut out through comic-book-panel transitions.
Big Bad Beetleborgs and Beetleborgs Metallix ultimately ended because the Saban crew were left with no more Juukou B-Fighter and B-Fighter Kabuto footage to adapt. Their predecessor, VR Troopers also ended for the same reason. Ironically, B-Fighter Kabuto was also the last series of the Metal Hero genre to air on Japanese television in Japan.
Various monsters from both Beetleborgs seasons were re-used along with un-used Juukou B-Fighter and B-Fighter Kabuto monsters as enemy monsters in the Power Rangers series:
- In Power Rangers in Space, Terror Bear, Triplesaurus Rex, and a Stego Dreg were seen at the Onyx Tavern in "Flashes of Darkonda." In "Invasion of the Body Switcher," the monsters Body Switcher transformed into included Rocket Man, Cataclaws, LottaMuggs, Unctuous, and Firecat. In "A Date With Danger", Astronema was attacked by a monster named Destructoid, which was actually Mole Monster with a different hairstyle. Aqualungs, Cataclazmic, Changeling, Crimson Creep, Furocious, Kombat Knat, LottaMuggs, Porkasaurus, Torch Mouth, Triplesaurus Rex, Ultra Vulture, and Unctuous were each seen with each army in "Countdown to Destruction." Unused B-Fighter monsters Anemolala, Kapparapa, and Pineappler also appeared there.
- In Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy, a Stego Dreg, Cataclaws, and Ultra Vulture were seen at the Onyx Tavern. Cataclaws and Furocious were seen at the auction of the Pink Quasar Saber there.
- In Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue, Emily the Seed of Evil, Hagfish of Gar, and Torch Mouth were seen in the Shadow World in "The Fate of Lightspeed" Pt. 2.
- In Power Rangers: S.P.D. Mucant appeared at Piggy's diner in "Shadow" Pt. 1. El Scorpio was re-used in the episode "S.W.A.T." Part I as the scorpion monster that was a holographic monster Sergent Silverback used as a way to train the rangers to use S.W.A.T. Mode.
Some of the monsters costumes from Beetleborgs appeared in the The Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog in repainted form. Among these costumes are Scorpix, Shellator, Emily the Seed of Evil, Fangula Bat Monster, and 3 monsters from B-Fighter Kabuto that were unused in this series (the ant monster Baneria, the anemone monster Anemolala, and the porcupine/stingray monster Porcuay).
Five suits of some of each Borg were re-used in the Power Rangers: Wild Force episode Forever Red as remnants of the Machine Empire, who would plan to reactivate Serpentera.
The episode Convention Dimension had The Beetleborgs attending the comic convention. Among costumes worn at the convention were: Spider-Man, The Tick and Guido Anchovy. At that time Saban owned airing rights to Spider-Man The Animated Series, The Tick and Samurai Pizza Cats. In Episode 54 Saban featured in "Gravesoul Owns"
Sixteen suits of some each Borg can also be re-used in the animated film version of Power Rangers: Super Legends as Lord Zedd's warriors in his camp mob, animated by Shinichi Suzuki and Hisashi Wada.
[edit] See also
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