The Maximals are the bad guys

[Nocturn]

Over-violent? NEW POINT!

In Dark Designs, Megatron converts Rhinox to the Predacon side, which instantly - and inexplicably- turns him from a pacifist scientist type into a straight up killing machine. If simply the experience of BEING a Predacon drives one to be such an aggressive force, then a bloody revolt should have been foreseen.

At he same time, why is it that he turns so bloodthirsty?

Well, the only real explanation is that Predacon programming is built for one thing, fighting, leaving little room for rational thought. Couple this with the fact that all show charcters bill Dinobot as being a "warrior", and, well, it's starting to seem like Predacons are more of a manufactured soldier type as under the Maximals. By keeping the division, you're able to have a standing army of bots that exist only to kill. Considering the span of time having elapsed from the Maximal occupancy, it would be an easy thing to do. All Predacons are seen as either being Cybertronian born or perhaps of Unicron's design, the latter being few and far between. Assuming new Predacons are born into the Maximal's rule, there's no reason to promote such violent processors unless you're using them for a specific purpose, the only logical one would be for combat.

Seeing as how their once clashing yet equal races being used in such a way would certainly drive one like Megatron off the deep end

Almost like... slavery?

[Sideswipe]

I will find the episode where Megatron screams that predacons are conquerors....

And this will be over.

[Richter]

Sounds like what we did to the French

Predacons are the French?

[Whisky Tango Foxtrot]

As far as the actual characters of the show go, it's pretty clear that Primal's crew are, on the whole, good, while Megatron is evil (not so sure about how I'd classify his crew and many of them are just too stupid to know any better.)

The organizations that they represent back on Cybertron, however, are much murkier in their disposition. They missed a great opportunity to address this somewhat when they returned to Cybertron in Beast Machines, but other than a single throw-away line the Predacons weren't even mentioned and Cybertron was portrayed as a Maximal-only zone.

[Team Jetfire]

The predicons weren't some peaceful organisation that was trying to co-exist with the Maximals. They were like the Nazi's and does anyone feel sorry for the Nazi's?

[Nocturn]

Except the Nazi's were post wartime occupation, while Predacons are during.

[Team Jetfire]

Huh? Are you talking about during the actual Beast Wars? Or prior to the Beast Wars on Cybertron.

[Nocturn]

On Cybertron

[Cheers Ian]

Originally Posted by Team Jetfire

The predicons weren't some peaceful organisation that was trying to co-exist with the Maximals. They were like the Nazi's and does anyone feel sorry for the Nazi's?

This.

Cheers!
-Ian

[Team Jetfire]

Originally Posted by Nocturn

On Cybertron

Now, I am a little hazy on the life of the Maximal's and Predicons on Cybertron, but I am assuming that it was much like the Autobot/Decepticon relationship of the past.

Two factions, two different ideals. One is rooted in peaceful co-existence and one rooted in violence and tyranny. Sometimes the only way to ensure 'peaceful co-existence' is to take the power away from the people who want to do harm to you.

I think Energon is a great example of the peace time relationship between the Autobots and Decepticons. There is always tension between the races, but in order to keep the peace the Autobots have to also keep the Decepticons in check.

That being said, to paraphrase from the great Jessica Rabbit.
'I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way...'