Icebird is the leader of the group of "Mutant" Beast Wars toys to be released in the 2000 line. This concept is explained above, but adds a nice link between the Beast Wars and Beast Machines toy universes. Beast Machines involves Megatron beginning his new assault on the Transformers by using a anti-transformation virus, and the virus that affects the Mutant Beast Wars appears to be a predecessor to that virus.

In 1996 Kenner made a bold and radical change to the Transformers toy line.  Gone were Autobots and Decepticons.  In their place were their descendents: the Maximals and Predacons!  Featuring techno-organic beast modes and highly stylized robot modes, Beast Wars Transformers was unlike anything fans had seen before.  While controversial at the time, the series has gone on to be recognized as the line that revitalized the Transformers brand.