IDW - Robots in Disguise #19

Title: Homecoming

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Dheeraj Verma

Colours by: Joana Lafuente

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Waspinator is hanging out in a bar when he's asked to tell about his time as a Titan Hunter, such as how he used a weapon to kill a Metrotitan, and then managed to somehow pilot it's space bridge systems afterwards, something that Jhiaxus and Bludgeon (his audience) find very interesting, and asks if he can do it again.

Orion Pax and his team arrive on the now deserted Gorlam Prime (as it's inhabitants died during Heart of Darkness) and start exploring the place, during their exploration Garnak notices that some of the rocks underground have similarities to those found on Arduria and LV-117 (ie Ore infused planets) and Hardhead shows the team to the Catacombs, a Cybertronian looking city hidden underground, which he assumed Jhiaxus built after Ark-1 went missing (he lived there for a while remember)

Whilst exploring the Catacombs Wheelie touches a building, and his arm starts to rust away like what happened when someone was touched by a denizen of the Dead Universe, Hardhead blasts off the infected arm to stop the spreading.

Soon, Waspinator flies nearby screaming for help, as he's being chased by the Monstructor-Six, however he's rescued by Orion and the others. The six Decepticons combine into Monstructor, and destroy's the Autobot's ship (Ark-27). During the battle Orion figures that the Decepticons are after the city underneath, and he and Waspinator realize that it's a Metrotitan in disguise, Waspinator manipulates Orion into waking up the Titan, like he did with Metroplex in the past, and Orion figures this out too late that Waspinator's working with Monstructor and the others.

The Titan wakes up and Monstructor reports it to his bosses who appear in a de-cloaked ship above them, Monstructor rejoins the others, and Waspinator uses his weapon to hooks up to the Titan and pilots it, sending himself, the Titan and Bludgeon's ship to Cybertron, with Jhiaxus taunting Prime, wishing him "Pax Cybertronia"

In the aftermath, Gorlam Prime starts to rust away with the Titan gone, and the Ore-2 going off, Orion reveals that he knew something was happening, which is why he had his OWN ship, the Skyroller, cloaked as well, and has himself and his team board it, ready to return home to stop Jhiaxus and the others with their plots, and save everyone.

Characters

Autobot

Orion Pax/Optimus Prime - Truck

Hardhead - Personnel Carrier

Wheelie - Car

Metroplex - City/Ship (Flashback)

Decepticon

Waspinator - Wasp

Bludgeon - Tank

Birdbrain - Monster

Bristleback - Monster

Icepick - Monster

Scowl - Monster

Slog - Monster

Wildfly - Monster

Monstructor - Gestalt

Titan Hunters (Flashback)

Megatron (Mentioned)

Shockwave (Mentioned)

Other

Garnak

Jhiaxus - Jet

Gorlam Prime Titan - City/Ship Killed/Controlled by Waspinator

Flashback Titan - City/Ship Killed by Waspinator (Flashback)

Bar Aliens

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Gorlam Prime Civilians (Mentioned) Dead

Nova Prime (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• Waspinator was last seen amongst the Titan Hunters in Spotlight: Thundercracker
• The art in the issue is kind of....weird - Seriously what's up with Hardhead?
• All the Metrotitans shown here have Autobot insignias, which they shouldn't have since they went away before the factions were set up
• Why does Monstructor ride on top of Bludgeon's ship? Why not just de-combine and go INSIDE it?
• Gorlam Prime is shown here to possess Ore-2 (Death) which explains it's connection to the Dead Universe...wonder how Nova Prime and his crew reached the Dead Universe in the first place then, since they went missing BEFORE the Regenesis Project
• Due to him losing an arm, Wheelie has to use his mouth to fire his slingshot
• They seem to be hiding re-revealing that Gorlam Prime was renamed Cybertron by it's inhabitants here...wonder if this means something big for the future?
• Optimus' ship is called the Skyroller, perfect for him considering his past police partner and drone buddy, and toy-based gun pal.
• Most likely the bright light seen at the end of RID #18 is this same space bridge