IDW - Robots In Disguise #23

Title: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3: Winners & Losers

Written by: John Barber and James Roberts

Art by: Atilio Rojo and James Raiz

Colours by: Josh Perez

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Starscream visits Metalhawk's corpse again, and talks too him about the Titan returning, and asks for his silent advice again, unknown to him though, Rattrap is spying on him and overhears him apologizing for killing him once again.

Iacon is soon filled with hysteria as the people have heard about the Dark Cybertron prophecy from someone (Scoop's partners Holepunch and Tracer most likely) and Starscream vows to go speak with the Titan, Rattrap goes to him seemingly out of respect, but Starscream points out that he was in Rattrap's position of being the traitor-to-be for a long time, and advises him to not make his first move unless he's sure about his last, pointing out Megatron's disabled body in the process. Starscream then flies off to meet the Titan.

At the Necrotitan's location, Soundwave's Decepticcons and Bumblebee's Autobots are battling, but stop when they notice Starscream approaching the Titan's shoulder.

Back in Iacon, Rattrap has gone to meet with Scoop, who shows him that Starscream's meeting with the Titan is also part of the prophecy, and that he believes that Starscream is destined to destroy Cybertron, rather than save it. Rattrap seems to agree and begins plotting with Scoop to dethrone their leader.

On the Lost Light, Ultra Magnus is commanding the ship, when he notices that the ship is subtly changing course without being piloted to do so, Brainstorm contacts him and asks him to come to Shuttle Bay 3 with Getaway, as he knows the most about Titans from his time with Tyrest. When they arrive in the Shuttle Bay, they find Trailcutter and Brainstorm with what is believed to be Metroplex's thumb levitating. Brainstorm believes that this may be Metroplex, or another Titan trying to call for help, and that they can use the thumb to locate the source of the activity.

At the Necrotitan's location, Arcee is ready to kill Starscream, but Bumblebee isn't sure what to do, the two factions consider joining forces to stop what is happening, but Prowl is throwing a fit about working with the Decepticons (especially after what happened to him with Soundwave and Bombshell). Meanwhile, Starscream lands on the Necrotitan's shoulder and begins to talk to him, and asks what he's there for, and if he's the same Titan he spoke to before, when suddenly the Titan's eyes light up, and he sends out a massive wave of energy.

Starscream quickly transforms and heads off the shockwave of energy before it reaches Iacon, whilst at ground zero the Autobots and Decepticons are injured in varying ways, Bumblebee orders for them to deal with repairs before going in to attack the Titan, which Prowl hates the idea of.

Starscream just beats the wave back to Cybertron, and warns everyone to get away, but too late as the wave hits and damages the city. In another side-effect though, Metalhawk is revived and attacks Starscream, announcing out loud that he was the one who killed him, but he'll wait for his revenge as he goes into the room Megatron's being held in, de-activates his force-field bubble and abducts him.

A newly escaped Scoop and Rattrap see Metalhawk flying away with Megatron, but decide to help the injured before worrying about that or dethroning Starscream, especially since it seems that the public have turned against Starscream now anyway.

On the Lost Light, Ultra Magnus is deliberating on whether to follow Orion Pax's orders to hunt down Jhiaxus, or go after Metroplex, Perceptor and Brainstorm point out that Meroplex is extremely important, and he wouldn't be calling for help if he didn't need it, and point out that Orion Pax isn't their leader anymore. Magnus agrees and sets course for the signal. The ship Quanttum Jumps into a red ocean, and is surrounded by an army of small robots.

Back on Cybertron, in the Crystal City, Metalhawk has delivered Megatron to Shockwave, who needed him to create a new Space Bridge to the Dead Universe, now that the one created by the Titan is gone.

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Ironhide - Van

Prowl - Emergency Car

Arcee - Car Badly Injured by Dark Energy

Slag - Triceratops Badly Injured by Dark Energy

Swoop - Pteranodon

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Perceptor

Trailcutter - Van

Ratchet - Ambulance

Mainframe 

Blaster

Highbrow - Helicopter

Brainstorm - Jet

Getaway

Metroplex (Mentioned)

Optimus Prime/Orion Pax - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Xaaron (Mentioned)

Swerve - Van (Mentioned)

Rung (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron Abducted by Shockwave and Metalhawk

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Soundwave - Van

Ravage - Cassette

Skywarp - Jet

Needlenose - Jet

Astrotrain - Space Shuttle/Train Badly Injured by Dark Energy

Blitzwing - Jet/Tank

Other Decepticons

Constructicons (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Starscream - Jet

Metalhawk - Jet Reanimated by Dark Energy

Necrotitan - Battleship

Rattrap - Mole Rat

Scoop - Front End Loader

Holepunch

Tracer

Skybyte - Flying Shark

Blurr - Race Car

Other Cybertronians

Prophecy Titan (Mentioned) Dead

Titans (Mentioned)

Knights of Cyebrtron (Mentioned)

Chief Justice Tyrest (Mentioned)

Jhiaxus (Mentioned)

Other

Small Robots in Red Ocean

Verity Carlo (Mentioned)

Notes

• Rattrap is shown to be very sneaky here, as he begins spying on Starscream when he's alone (ie when he visits Metalhawk's corpse)
• The crowd of NAIL's shown here includes a few cameos from other continuities, like the Mini-Con Skyblast, and even what looks like Live Action Movie Salvage as well.
• Scoop reveals that he believes Starscream is the Chosen One, but that he is chosen to destroy Cybertron rather than save it.
• Metroplex's thumb was brought on board the Lost Light in Spotlight: Trailcutter.
• It's also pointed out here that it's not clear if the thumb IS Metroplex's or another Titan's.
• The wave of energy from the Necrotitan seems to have affected the Transformers hit by it to differing extents (Prowl was barely injured, but Astrotrain looks dead for instance)
• The re-animated Metalhawk seems to be in contact with Shockwave in some way, as he takes in Megatron as he wished.
• It seems likely that the small robots in the red ocean are the Ammonites and Terrordores, first shown in MTMTE#22.
• Shockwave must have implanted the Space Bridge technology from Megatron's old body into his new one as well (seems a bit odd though, why didn't he just put it inside Dreadwing or someone he could easily control?)
• Ultra Magnus being a small guy in a suit is a conspiracy theory on Cybertron, this is actually true!