IDW - Foundation

Plot

Optimus is leading a small team through a battletorn field, through the acidic rain in order to get to Megatron, Elita and Ironhide are worried about their friend during this when the group of Autobots encounter a larger group of Decepticons.

A long time ago, Optimus and Megatron, along with their combined troops defended their leader, Sentinel Prime and his device which he's using to try and save the planet from a group of rival robots, who disagree with Sentinel's plans. After a short exchange Sentinel and Wheeljack activate their device which brings a star into proximity with Cybertron, giving the planet, and the Allspark life once more. The enemy Thetacons surrender and pledge allegience to Sentinel's team, and Sentinel declares that all Cybertronians shall now know freedom, a word not known on Cybertron in some time now.

Later, Hatchlings have starting being formed again, meaning that there are new Cybertronians being given off by the Allspark and everyone is happy, except Megatron and Shockwave who still wish to have a war to fight, amongst some other Cybertronians too.

Later still, Sentinel tells Optimus that he wishes to retire now and that he wants Optimus to become the new Prime in his stead, as Megatron watches in secret.

In the present, the Autobots have taken down the Decepticons and Optimus continues his charge towards Megatron, Elita decides to stay behind whilst Ironhide continues to follow his leader to Megatron.

Back in the past Sentinel continues to try and convince Optimus to take his place as Prime, but Optimus refuses, not thinking of himself as a leader. Later Megatron tells this to Shockwave who find sit interesting, but the duo soon come across Starscream fighting off a driller monster attacking some Hatchlings and their carer and they help him. Megatron is impressed with Starscream and invites him to join his team.

Later Sentinel gathers all Cybertronians and announces that Optimus and Megatron shall now be co-leaders of the United Cybertron, with Optimus leading the scientific divisions and Megatron in charge of the defensive teams.

Soon the new divisions have been formed with Optimus leading excavation teams to look into their past, whilst Megatron's teams start taking down the "Malcontents" of Cyebrtron. Ironhide, one of Megatron's troops doesn't really feel at home with them, despite his love of battle. Ironhide later sees Optimus and tells him of his concerns with Megatron's forces and Optimus shows Ironhide some artifacts, leading Opitmus to believe that the Dynasty of Primes really existed in the past.

Optimus is asked to come see Megatron, and his insists that Optimus allows him to take a majority power of Cybertron as his troops are needed to protect their world, Optimus reluctantly agrees.

In the present, Optimus and Ironhide arrive at Megatron's fortress.

At the fortress Megtatron opens a smelting pool upon Opitmus, but even this doesn't deter him from his goal.

In the past Optimus has defeated Starscream after his attempt to assassinate him on the bridge (As seen in Defiance) and escapes with Ironhide and Chromia, members of Megatron's forces, watching from a hiding place. Soon Megatron has his Decepticon army formedand begins an attack on all those who oppose him.

Soon, Sentinel Prime's research facility is attacked, meaning that he and his team are forced to flee and are rescued by Optimus and a defecting Chromia. The Autobots under Optimus' command go into hiding.

Some time later The Fallen leaves Cybertron on the first Decepticon ship with Soundwave. Optimus and Sentinel watch as the ship teakes off and begin their next retaliations against the Decepticons still on Cybertron.

After several battles Sentinel gets a plan to remove all the Decepticons from Cybertron, thus ending the war, but they need some energy from the Allspark to give it power. The Autobots head to the Simfur temple with the Torch, which will be used to power the invention, but when they arrive they find Megatron waiting for them

In the present, Optimus infiltrates the fortress and finds Megatron hiding behind a shield of innocent Hatchlings, but Opitmus doesn't care, he wants to kill Megatron, even if it means killing the innocent to do so.

Outside the fortress in the present Ironhide is under attack from Shockwave and Starscream.

In the past, the Autobots are taking on Megatron, who is easily taking down the Autobots, when suddenly Starscream notices that the female Autobots are missing from the battle. The three females break into the temple and Elita uses the Torch to take some of the energy whilst Optimus distracts Megatron long enough for her to drive away. Starscream gives chase, but Elita escapes in a tunnel.

Elita arrives at Sentinel's location and gives him the Torch, he takes it aboard his ship, the Ark and tells Wheeljack to take the second ship to help the Auotbots out at Simfur. The Ark flies above the temple, but before it can do anything it is blasted out of the sky by Starscream, causing both Optimus and Megatron to scream out in anger. The Autobots rush off to examine the wreckage for Sentinel, but find no trace of him, leading Optimus to angrily go hunting for Megatron for revenge (ie the present day stuff)

In the present, Optimus ultimately decides he cannot kill the innocent Hatchlings, but instead gives the signal to Wheeljack to proceed, and with that word Arcee and Chromia remove the Allspark from it's podium, and sends the star far away, bathing the planet in darkness and dooms it to death. The Hatchlings attack Megatron, needing Energon, even his to survive and Optimus leaves, helping Ironhide with Starscream and Shockwave in the process. Megatron vows to retake the Allspark.

The Autobots load the Allspark into their remaining ship for safety and Optimus looks to the future and hopes they will find peace and freedom again one day.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Sentinel Prime Seemingly killed by Starscream

Ironhide - Gun Mounted Van

Elita One - Motorcycle

Arcee - Motorcycle

Cromia - Motorcycle

Wheeljack

Ratchet

Prowl - Speeder

Bumblebee

Cliffjumper

Smokescreen - Speeder

Jazz - Speeder

Cosmos - Orbiter

Wingblade - Jet

Strongarm

Crosshairs

Cannonfodder Killed by Decepticons

Deadguy Killed by SIlver Brawl

Other Autobots

Decepticon

Megatron - Jet

The Fallen In his Dimension

Starscream - Jet

Shockwave - Jet

Soundwave

Barricade

Fracture

Astrotrain

Brawl - Tank

Flatline

Dreadwing - Jet

Stockade

Ramjet - Jet

Thundercracker - Jet

Ravage

"Rhinox" Killed by Chromia

"Terrorsaur" Killed by Chromia

Silver Brawl - Tank Killed in Framing Story Battle

Silver Hardtop Killed in Framing Story Battle

Silver Crankcase Killed in Framing Story Battle

Green Stockade Killed in Framing Story Battle

Silver Payload Killed in Framing Story Battle

Purple Wreckage Killed in Framing Story Battle

Silver Swindle Killed in Framing Story Battle

"Cyclonus" - Jet Killed in Framing Story Battle

"Sunstorm" - Jet Killed in Framing Story Battle

Other Decepticons

Other

Hatchlings

"Paradron Medic"

Dynasty of Primes (Flashback)

Primus (Mentioned)

Cybertronians

Thetacons Defunct Tribe

Malcontents Killed by Megatron's Team

Notes

• Following in the vein of Defiance, this comic is a prequel to the series adding to the events of the previous prequels, which gives some background info for the upcoming (at the time) movie
• This comic is set before and during Defiance and ends with the Allspark being stolen, just in time for the events shown in the Movie Prequel.
• This story is mostly shown in flashback, but with a framing story set in the relative present (ie set after the events of the flashbacks)
• All alternate modes in the character list are Cybertronian, unless otherwise stated
• Most of the Decepticons shown in the framing scenes of this story are made of generics using existing character models (such as a green Stockade, a Cyclonus coloured Conehead Seeker and so on. Maybe we'll get toys of some of these guys one day?
• The Thetacons built the temple around the Allspark
• The Allspark was all that kept a star near Cybertron, which also repowered the cube as well. Thus the removal of the Allspark plunged the planet into darkness
• This comic explains that whilst Optimus and Megatron held the same amount of power originally, Megatron was able to essentially bully is way into being superior to Optimus.
• Some of the generics seem to be based on existing characters from former toylines, like 2 of the Decepticons killed by Chromia look quite a lot like Terrorsaur and Rhinox from Beast Wars in their Transmetal bodies.
• The Ark escapes because, clearly the Space Bridge was activated just as Starscream fired upon it, sending it far away and out of control (it of course is different from it's "destruction" in the movie itself as well.