IDW - Robots in Disguise #14

Title: Before the Dawn

Written by: John Barber

Pencils by: Andrew Griffith

Inks by: Brian Shearer

Colors by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Circuit continues his interview with Metalhawk outside the ruined bar as the riots have stopped, when they both hear about the Decepticon breakout at the jail. Metalhawk contacts Bumblebee, who is joined by Blurr, Swindle and Dirge who reveal that Prowl is behind everything. Broadside can't get ahold of Prowl on his communicator, and his quarters aren't on the grid, so everyone starts to get worried, and decide to go look for him.

At the Black Room, Arcee has arrived, and Wheeljack and Starscream are Prowl's prisoners, both confused, Turmoil and Skywarp are sent out to set up the Decepticons in the city, whilst Megatron has Bombshell whip him up a new body, as his current one is too badly damaged.

Bumblebee, Blurr, Swindle, Sideswipe, Dirge and Metalhawk are out looking for Prowl for answers when the supposedly dead Astrotrain, Blitzwing and the Cassettes attack the group, taking down Swindle and Blurr, and badly injuring Metalhawk, everyone else (including Metalhawk) are lured into the Black Room where they find Prowl with the Decepticons, holding Screamer and Wheeljack prisoner.

Wheeljack starts talking to keep Bumblebee calm, but Prowl coldly executes him, blowing his head off tothe shock of everyone, especially with all the supposedly dead Decepticons being present too. Megatron reenters the room, in his new body, carrying his old one in his arms, and explains that he used the Ore-13 in his old body to create the strange effect on Cybertron, creating the wilderness. Then the Decepticons explain how Megatron gained the insight on how to create a perfect combiner whilst fighting the Deceptigod during the Chaos event, and that he was the one who captured, experimented on and combined the Aerialbots, and explains that he left them to kill the Dinobots and Ironhide, as well as themselves in the wilderness.

Bombshell explains that the reason the gestalt process always failed was because of the component's individuality, and so he came up with a plan to remove that. However their plans were a bit halted when the Titan arrived and announced Screamer was the chosen one, which could have harmed Megatron's ultimate plans, so Prowl took down Omega Supreme to allow the Decepticons to be blamed and halt Starscream's own plans.

It's revealed by Bombshell, that he's been controlling Prowl since they fought in the sewers and had the Constructicon's "killed" to take them out of sight so they can be worked on for the big plan.

Bombshell briefly frees Prowl's mind, so he can "say goodbye", Prowl asks how Bumblebee couldn't have known he wasn't in control of his mind, just as Megatron orders the Constructicons AND PROWL to combine into Devastator, with Prowl forming the head.

Devastator starts his attack on the city, smashing into Autobot HQ, seemingly killing Sky High and Broadside, as the Decepticons begin their ground assault. Soundwave reports that the highest number of Autobots is at the Med-Center, so Megatron orders Devastator to start there. Bumblebee starts to question why Megatron has told him everything if he's just going to kill him, in response Megatron crushed his head and orders his troops to kill the rest, with Arcee stabbing Sideswipe with her sword. Megatron turns on a projector which pits the Decepticon insignia on the moon as Devastator smashes through the city.

Just outside the city Ironhide, Swoop, Slag, Sludge, Snarl and Superion show up and watch the carnage, with Ironhide guessing they need to save the world.

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Car Head crushed by Megatron

Prowl - Car Under Bombshell's Control, Part of Devastator now

Arcee - Car

Sideswipe - Car Stabbed by Arcee

Blurr - Race Car Run Down by Astrotrain

Wheeljack - Car Killed by Prowl

Sky High - Helicopter Crushed by Devastator

Broadside  Maybe Killed by Devastator

Ironhide - Van

Slag - Triceratops

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Swoop - Pteranodon

Superion - Aerialbot Gestalt

Circuit

Longtooth

Jazz - Car

Fixit (Mentioned)

Omega Supreme (Flashback) Blown up by Prowl

Silverbolt - Jet (Flashback/Part of Superion)

Slingshot - Jet (Flashback/Part of Superion)

Skydive - Jet (Flashback/Part of Superion)

Air Raid - Jet (Flashback/Part of Superion)

Fireflight - Jet (Flashback/Part of Superion)

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank (Previously Stealth Bomber)

Starscream - Jet

Soundwave - Van

Shockwave - Flying Cannon

Devastator - Prowl and Constructicon Gestalt

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Scavenger - Excavator

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Hook - Crane

Astrotain - Train/Space Shuttle

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Bombshell

Laserbeak - Data Disk

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Ravage - Cassette

Dirge - Jet

Swindle - Car Run Down by Astrotrain

Turmoil - Tank

Skywarp - Jet

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Needlenose - Jet

Apeface

Sunstorm - Jet (Flashback)

Menasor - Stunticon Gestalt (Flashback)

Scrapper (Mentioned) Dead

Ratbat (Mentioned) Dead

Other Decepticons

NAIL

Metalhawk - Jet Badly injured by Blitzwing

Sky-Byte - Flying Shark

Tappet - Car

Zetca

Other

Metrotitan - City/Space Ship (Flashback) Dead

Deceptigod (Flashback)

Monstructor - Gestalt (Flashback)

The Titans - Cities/Space Ships (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Galvatron (Mentioned)

Jhiaxus (Mentioned)

Notes

• It seems that Prowl's been under Bombshell's control since they met in the sewers...Time to re-read the series!
• Arcee's role in this whole thing seems a bit more confusing though, as she was on Prowl's side BEFORE he was altered
• Megatron's new body seems to be based on his pre-Earth mode (though is different still)
• It's a bit ironic that just as Hasbro announce a toy based on his stealth bomber body, that he's be given a completely new charactrer model....
• As I'm sure is noted everywhere else, Broadside is shown talking to Fixit, however the guy who is on screen is Circuit, this is either an art mistake, script error, or Fixit's voice is coming from another unseen panel, and Broadside is just watching the news at the same point
• I do hope Bumblebee's face being smashed in isn't a lead up to him being mute like in most other continuities...lets just hope he stays dead please!
• It's mentioned here that Prowl's mind already had damaged memories...possibly hinting that Chromedome did things to him in the past?
• Remember, as seen a lot in MTMTE, and even with the Constructicons in this series, headshots aren't always fatal...don't count Jackie out yet!