IDW - Defiance

Plot

Starscream returns from the Eshems Nebula after a skirmish and is repaired by Ratchet before being asked to see Lord Megatron by Ironhide, who proceeds to meet with Megatron and Optimus, giving them a defense report. Elsewhere, some aliens from the Eshems Nebula prepare to attack Cybertron, so they can take the Allspark for themselves.

On Cybertron, Cliffjumper and Bumblebee are guarding the Allspark and the Simfur Temple, but are bored and want action, not knowing the alien invasion that's about to begin. Nearby, an excavation team led by Arcee find something very strange and Arcee speeds off to tell Optimus about it. Nearby again Optimus is explaining to Megatron that some of the artifacts found in this site seem to be as old as the Allspark itself, and may explain where it came from etc when Arcee arrives and tells them to come see what they've just discovered, a fully intact artifact.

Megatron orders for the artifact to be excavated and put in his office, before Optimus can object the aliens start their attack, Optimus does as he's told whilst Megatron and his forces take on the aliens, Megatron is injured during the attack on the temple and leaves for his office, where he finds the artifact there and he collapses. The artifact starts leaking a strange goo that creates a strange symbol on it it as Megatron touches it.

Meanwhile, on Earth the humans are building the pyramids, but still fear that the Decepticons who attacked before will return. On Cybertron, the Transformers start to rebuild after the attack and rummage through the rubble for any survivors. In his office Megatron awakens and is enticed by the artifact when it starts talking to him. Optimus leaves the rescue parties to see what Megatron thinks they should do next, when he arrives Megatron declares that they're going to war and tells him to gather his forces, Optimus is shocked as this isn't like the Megatron he knew of before.

Megatron leads the Transformers capable of flight against the aliens in space, and has those with land modes only to remain on the planet to pick off any evacuees from the aliens. Megatron's assault on the aliens in brutal. On Cybertron again Optimus is growing worried and has Prowl and Jazz help him break into Megatron's office

In the office, Optimus finds the artifact looking different to how it did before, but before he can properly examine it he hears that Megatron is returning, so he leaves. Megatron returns and the entity inside the artifact (The Fallen) tells him to grow and army and conquer for him, he'll allow Megatron to keep Cybertron for himself but everything else is for The Fallen to rule.

Elsewhere, the Autobots under Optimus' command look over the damaged artifacts from the excavation and keep coming across the same symbol, the one for "Prime", which is also on Optimus' helmet as well. Megatron is told by The Fallen that Optimus was in the office and saw the artifact, Megatron decides to kill Optimus for this (over-reaction much?). Megatron contacts Prowl and Starscream with different missions for them both.

Optimus and his team look over an excavation site when Prowl and his team arrive and tell Optimus that he's under arrest for treason, Optimus agrees to go with them to see what's happening along with his team, but whilst on a bridge they're attacked by Starscream's team, who aim to kill him and his team. Optimus manages to survive with his crew and the guys who came to arrest him and escape, but not before knocking down Starscream

Later, Megatron calls everyone he can to a meeting in Trypticon where he announces that Optimus is a traitor to their cause and unites all those there as Decepticons. Some of them, including Ironhide decide this isn't for them.

Ironhide wanders into the wilderness and is ambushed by the Autobots, whom he joins with.

Elsewhere, Megatron has his Decepticon building a starship on The Fallen's orders. The Fallen gives Megatron a brief history that Megatron didn't know of, in that the Allspark created the Transformers and was used to reform Cybertron into the metallic world it is now and that he and the rest of the Primes used Seekers to find planets with no life to build harvesters upon and drain their stars for energy to repower the Allspark, and then explains how he was betrayed by his brothers and trapped in another dimension, just for trying to destroy Earth with a harvester.

The Fallen tells Megatron that he will be going on the ship to hunt down the Harvester and the Matrix (it's key) whilst Megatron stays behind to deal with the Autobot resistance.

Bumblebee and Arcee monitor the ship's construction and report back to Optimus, who starts work on a ship for them as well, but Ironhide tells them that there's an old cargo ship they can just fix up instead of building a whole ship from scratch.

Later, The Fallen's ship leaves, with Soundwave and other Decepticons as the crew and the war on Cybertron continues, eventually the Autobots steal the Allspark from the temple and launch it whilst Megatron is distracted by a battle with Bumblebee's team. Megatron follows it into space, but along the way he picks up a signal from The Fallen's ship, which crashed on a planet, he goes to help, but The Fallen orders him to follow the Allspark. The Autobots set off as well, and over time the Allspark lands on Earth, then Megatron and is trapped in ice on the planet, all whilst The Fallen waits on his crashed ship.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Ratchet - Van

Ironhide

Arcee - Motorcycle

Elita One - Motorcycle

Bumblebee - Bouncing Ball

Cliffjumper

Prowl - Speeder

Jazz - Speeder

Smokescreen - Speeder

Breakaway

Clocker - Speeder

Grindcore

Warpath

Big Daddy

Inferno

Wingblade - Jet

Camshaft

Signal Flare

Crosshairs

Strongarm

Brawn

Evac - Aerial Craft

Cosmos - Orbiter

Armorhide

Skyblast - Jet

Air Raid - Jet

Other Autobots

Decepticon

The Fallen In another Dimension

Megatron - Jet

Starscream - Jet

Dreadwind - Jet

Thundercracker - Jet

Skywarp - Jet

Ramjet - Jet

Divebomb - Jet

Blackout - Aerial Craft

Soundwave

Wreckage

Payload

Swindle

Stockade

Crankcase

Brawl - Tank

Frenzy

Barricade

Bonecrusher

Payload Drones

Dreadwind Drones - Jets

Demolishor (Flashback)

Mixmaster (Flashback)

Jetfire - Space Shuttle (Flashback)

Other Decepticons

Other

Cybertronian Civilians

Eshems Nebula Aliens Killed by Megatron's troops

Ancient Egyptians

The Primes (Flashback)

The Seekers (Flashback)

Notes

• This is set before the Movie Prequel, and includes the scene with the Allspark being launched. This is part of a tradition in the movie comics where we get a prequel story that adds details to the early days of Cybertron.
• Like in Reign of Starscream, the characters in this comic are redesigned with Cybertronian Modes, although the alternate modes aren't very consistent 
• All alternate modes are Cybertronian, unless otherwise stated
• Megatron's eyes are white until he is corrupted by The Fallen
• Megatron is shown to be in charge here with Optimus as a subordinate, which contradicts the previous statement that they were joint leaders. This is explained away in Foundations.
• The Fallen communicates with Megatron through his tablet, this is a system only used in the comics and novels.