Botanica

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Botanica is the name of two fictional characters from the Transformers series. The original Botanics was a regular character in the Beast Machines animated series. The second was a homage to the first who had a cameo for Transformers Animated. They are both female.

Beast Machines

Transformers character
Name Botanica
Maximal
Series Beast Machines
English voice actor Kathleen Barr
Japanese voice actor Atsuko Tanaka
First appearance Beast Machines episode "Home Soil"
Information
Alternate modes Alien plant
Gender Female

The original Botanica was one of the central heroes in the animated series Beast Machines.

Animated series

Like Optimus Primal and his crew aboard the Axalon, Botanica was commissioned on the same extensive deep-space research mission funded by the Maximal Elders. Her ship monitored and landed on a planet populated by plant-based creatures. Thus, to survive and study the environment, the few members of the crew DNA-scanned plant modes, Botanica's form resembling a sort of wild orchid. When Botanica returned to Cybertron (in response to a false distress signal, implemented by Megatron, designed to lure any planetary inhabitants back to their doom), her ship was shot down by Cybertron's orbital defenses and she was instantly infected with Megatron's transformation virus. At first thought to be an alien life form by the Maximals, Optimus Primal realized Botanica was suffering from the virus and reformatted her into a technorganic body.

Botanica turned out to be a botanist. Botanica's vast knowledge and love of plant life was instrumental in maintaining the technorganic trees Optimus' team had been recently caring for. However, as with most die-hard scientists, her pacifist nature led to disputes with her fellow battle-hardened Maximals. Botanica was eventually coerced into action by the Oracle, and helped her comrades escape the newly-forged Obsidian and Strika.

As time passed and the tense battle wore on, Botanica and Rattrap developed an interesting love for each other, as they were mutually attracted to their differing personalities. During the final conflict, Botanica was drained of her spark (along with all the other Maximals) by Megatron, but later revived by the Oracle when both Megatron and Optimus reformatted Cybertron, adding her own feminine touch to the overall design, by making flowers all over Cybertron bloom.

Despite her key role in Beast Machines Botanica was not featured, or even mentioned, in the follow-up series Transformers: Universe and was not mentioned in the proposal for Transtech.

Fun Publications

After the events of Beast Machines Botanica and Rattrap remained a couple on Cybertron, and helped fight off an infasion by Cryotek and the Quintessons.[1]

Transformers Animated

Transformers character
Name Botanica
Autobot
Series Transformers Animated
Information
Alternate modes Mazda 323
Gender Female

A character based on the original Botanica appeared as one of the character designed for Transformers Animated.

Fun Publications

Botanica appeared in the Transformers: Timelines story "The Stunt-Con Job". After the events of Transformers Animated Botanica attended the Stunt Convoy show given in former gladiatorial arena in Kaon.[2]

References

  1. Greg Sepelak & S. Trent Troop (2007). Wreckers: Finale Part II. Illustrator Guido Guidi, Colorist Drew Eiden. Fun Publications. 
  2. Marty Isenberg, Derrick J. Wyatt & Matt Youngberg (w), Marcelo Matere (p), Marcelo Matere (i), Thomas Deer & Jesse Wittenrich (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair & Brian Savage (ed). ""The Stunt-Con Job"" Transformers: Timelines v2, 6 (Summer 2011), Fun Publications