IDW - Prime

Plot

Cliffjumper returns to Cybertron after picking up a Decepticon signature and upon arriving is attacked by several Vehicons. The Autobot is captured by them and taken to their base where they order him to decrypt an encrypted Autobot message for them (it's Optimus' message to his forces to come to Earth), but Cliffjumper lies and tells them a joke about the contents. The Vehicons prepare to kill him, but Arcee breaks in and takes out the Vehicons and frees Cliffjumper with ease. Arcee says that the Decepticons are builidng something big in Kaon, and she's going to stop them, Cliff decides to join her, and then to head to Earth together afterwards.

The two Autobots arrive at Kaon and break into the location of the building site using the ancient tunnels under the city that Arcee knows about where they find Starscream and a group of Vehicons in front of a completed Space Bridge, targeted towards Earth. The two realize that they have to destroy the Space Bridge to stop them from sending an army to fight against Optimus. Cliff causes a distraction whilst Arcee sabotages the Bridge with the controls, the Autobots are fired upon by the Decepticons, but they escape through the Space Bridge just as it starts to explode.

The two Autobots fall from the Space Bridge on Earth in a desert an celebrate their small victory. The two look for local disguises and take on vehicle modes, then start to look for Optimus and the others. The Space Bridge opens up again briefly and flings Starscream out of it as it finally destabilizes fully. Starscream sees a couple of jets fly over him, and scans one. The two Autobots are riding along the road when they're attacked by Starscream in jet mode, Arcee is badly injured and Screamer gloats over them.

Starscream defends an injured Arcee against Starscream and has the advantage until Breakdown appears and starts beating on him. Arcee wakes up and starts shooting at Breakdown to stop him from hurting Cliff anymore. Breakdown throws Cliff down and goes to rescue Starscream, who is trapped under some rocks, thanks to Cliffjumper. The two Autobots regroup again and go into hiding, the Decepticons chase them, but are stopped when Optimus and Bumblebee appear, having detected their arrival. The Decepticons run/fly away, and Optimus takes the new arrivals back to base via a Ground Bridge from Ratchet.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Arcee - Motorcycle

Cliffjumper - Muscle Car

Bumblebee - Sports Car

Ratchet - Ambulance (Voice)

Bulkhead - Off Road Vehicle (Group Shot Only)

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Breakdown - Armored Van

Vehicons

Megatron (Mentioned)

Other

Unicron (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story was re-done in Season 2 of the TV series, but altered some details, like Arcee and Cliffjumper being captured together, Shockwave being the interrogator and Space Bridge developer, and other small details like that (annoying continuity)
• The Vehicons in this story use different colourschemes...this appears to be random
• Two of the vehicles Cliffjumper passed on to scan were a caravan and a truck, both vehicles are used by Rodimus and Optimus in G1....just a weird coincidence...or more?
• Arcee seems to almost die at Starscream's hand in this story...ironic considering how Cliffjumper actually does die by Starscream's hand in the TV series premier
• Breakdown is shown to be on Earth at this point, but isn't seen/mentioned in the TV series until a few episodes into it
• Bulkhead only appears in this issue on the last page in the "group shot" of the Autobots.