IDW - Monstrosity #4

Story by: Chris Metzen & Flint Dille

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Optimus is in his office with Alpha Trion bemoaning his inability to keep the Cybertronians from leaving the planet when they hear about Trypticon's reactivation and his rampaging across Cybertron, they learn that he's heading towards the city of Harmonex. Optimus heads down into the inner chambers of Metroplex to find out more about the monster, where he learns his name, and that he's an ancient monster related to Mortilus in some way. Metroplex also claims that due to his low Energon supplies he cannot help them in the battle, and the Autobots will have to fight him alone.

At Kolkular Scorponok is watching his plan unfold on the monitors he's asked by Starscream to come into the main hall, as the troops wish to see him. In the hall he finds everyone gathered, including a returned Megatron, who blasts his usurper with his cannon.

The Autobots ambush Trypticon at Harmonex and manage to bury him under the rubble of the city, however they decide to investigate the body before jumping to conclusions.

Megatron squares off against the weakened Scorponok and manages to greatly injure him, leaving the Terrorcons to maul him, but makes sure that they don't outright kill him in the process. Megatron demands to know what has happened to Cybertron in his absence, and has his Decepticons prepare a new non-Junkon body for him as well.

At Trypticon's burial site, the Autobots are suddenly attacked by several of the monsters previously seen in Toraxxis, which Ratchet realizes means that they were created inside Trypticon, not at the cavern itself. Trypticon breaks free from the rubble and starts attacking the Autobots. Optimus attempts to open up the Matrix to use it's power against the giant robot, but it fails him, and he just gets swatted away by Trypticon instead.

Trypticon continues his rampage and severely injured Optimus when suddenly Grimlock and the Dynobots return to Cybertron and attacks the giant. Megatron appears behind Optimus and reveals that this was never part of his plans for Cybertron (he wants to rule the planet, not destroy it) and offers his help in defeating Trypticon. After a quick fight with Grimlock, who misunderstood the exchange, both Grimlock and Megatron get eaten up by Trypticon.

Inside Trypticon's body, Megatron and Grimlock form a temporary truce when they find themselves not alone (more of Trypticons baby dragons are inside). The two continue to fight the monsters inside Trypticon, whilst outside the Autobots try to save Optimus from dying.

Inside Trypticon, the duo find his Power Core, and start to smash it apart, after destroying one part of it, Grimlock starts to lose control of himself again, however Megatron manages to reach him, and snaps him out of it, allowing him to defeat Trypticon, causing him to die and collapse.

Megatron and Grimlock manage to escape the now dead body, Ultra Magnus tries to arrest Megatron, but suddenly the Decepticon army appears to back up Megatron, leaving the Autobots outnumbered, forcing them to leave with Optimus for repairs.

With the Autobots gone, Megatron implants Pentius' spark into Trypticons now dead body, and the beast begins to wake up again....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Badly Injured by Trypticon

Alpha Trion

Bumblebee - Car

Jetfire - Jet

Metroplex - City

Ultra Magnus - Truck

Grimlock - Tank/Monster

Slag - Armoured Vehicle/Monster

Snarl - Armoured Vehicle/Monster

Sludge - Armoured Vehicle/Monster

Swoop - Jet/Monster

Silverbolt - Jet

Skydive - Jet

Air Raid - Jet

Fire Flight - Jet

Barrel Roll - Jet

Slingshot - Jet

Brawn - Van

Ironhide - Van

Bluestreak - Speeder

Sunstreaker - Speeder

Blurr - Speeder

Hound - Jeep

Ratchet - Ambulance

Huffer - Truck

Prowl - Speeder

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Other Autobots

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Scorponok Badly Injured by Megatron, Mauled by Terrorcons

Starscream - Jet

Shockwave

Soundwave

Blackwall

Skywarp -Jet

Hun-Gar - Two Headed Monster

Sinnertwin - Two Headed Monster

Blot - Bipedal Monster

Cutthroat - Winged Monster

Rippersnapper - Shark Monster

Seekers - Jets

Other Decepticons

Other

Trypticon Killed by Grimlock, Being revived using Pentius' spark

Cyber Morphic Creatures

Dai Atlas (Mentioned) Evacuated from Cybertron

Mortilus (Mentioned)

Notes

• This is the print version of the digital releases of Monstrosity 10-12 and concludes the series
• Even though he's shown to be mutilated etc here, we all know Scorponok will be fine in the long run as he's shown active in the later stories.
• Also, the events shown here could explain why Scorponok seemed to go off on his own for a long time, and seemed to be against Megatron in a way.
• The Matrix failing for Optimus could be an indicator that he's not the "Chosen One" as has been alluded before with Optimus' feelings whilst using the Matrix etc, compared to Rodimus.
• Megatron has a new body whipped up for himself quite quickly doesn't he? (especially considering he was thought to be dead on Junkion by now)
• The beasts created in Trypticon seem a bit similar to the Predacons from the Prime series
• The spark used to reactivate Trypticon is the same one Megatron removed from Pentius.
• Speaking of Trypticon, in past comics we've only seen him in action up until just after the Thunderwing incident, wonder if he left them for some reason or something?
• The exchange between Scorponok and Megatron in the main hall, is clearly an homage to the Coronation scene in Transformers: The Movie
• It's mentioned that Jetfire and the others are going to work on fixing the Dynobot's beats mode problems.