IDW - Transformers #52

Title: All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Galvatron watches some footage of Optimus at the White House and comments to Blackrock about how corrupt he is becoming. Galvatron leaves for an "appointment" and Blackrock begins to sow seeds of doubt in Skywarp's loyalty to Galvatron, and asks him to help him with something.

On Cybertron, Starscream speaks to Bumblebee's ghost about how Optimus is ruining his own name, all by himself, and he doesn't have to manipulate anything to do it. Rattrap makes an appearance to tell him the meeting is beginning, but Starscream decides to be late, to make a point about who is in charge.

At the meeting room for the Council of Worlds, Optimus has been granted a meeting with the colony representatives, who want an explanation for his actions in annexing a populated world like Earth. Starscream takes the opportunity to point out that Optimus is simply following in the line of the Primes, and isn't the first one to try and claim another world for himself. The representatives appear to side with Starscream, and leaves.

On Earth, Galvatron is dropped off at a volcano by Astrotrain, and is immediately attacked by Arcee, who is angry for his attack on the Ark, despite their demi-alliance. The two warriors fight, and Galvatron gives Arcee his concerns about Optimus' recent actions being due to Prowl being merged with him briefly. Arcee denies this, and leaves, but promises that she will kill Galvatron one day.

Optimus and Aileron travel to Caminus through the Space Bridge, where they meet with the Mistress of Flame, who explains to Optimus that she believes that Optimus is one of the Thirteen Primes, and that, with all that has happened on Earth, it would make a perfect colony world for him to rule from.

Back on Earth, Arcee has returned to the Autobot's current base, where she checks up on the still injured Sideswipe. Tracks joins her and he reveals that his brother, Needlenose, hates the Autobots because of Bumblebee killing Horri-Bull. Arcee finds this interesting, and can use it to help the Autobots out further.

Outside, Optimus and Aileron return from Caminus, and Optimus prepares to head to the Decepticon's commune. Cosmos requests that Optimus send anyone else, but himself to the commune, as Soundwave won't work with a Prime. Optimus refuses, as he want's Soundwave to work for him. Arcee comes outside, and reveals a secret to Optimus, that will help him in his mission.

Optimus and Thudnercracker (along with Buster in a DOGGY SPACE SUIT!!!) arrive at the commune where Optimus meets with Soundwave in private (the meeting was set up on Needlenose's request, thanks to a favour asked for by Tracks) Soundwave relays that he believes that Galvatron simply wants chaos to reign on Earth, and has no real long-term goals. Optimus asks Soundwave to work with him to help save Earth from Galvatron, but Soundwave doesn't accept that Humans are equal life-forms, and shouldn't be worried about by them, and also cannot serve a Prime, after all the Decepticons have fought over.

Optimus uses the information that Arcee gave him, and blackmails Soundwave that he will reveal to the other Decepticons that HE was the one who killed Horri-Bull, and not Bumblebee like they all believe, especially Needlenose, who loved Horri-Bull. Soundwave reluctantly agrees...

On Cybertron, the next morning Starscream sets off a plan to make Optimus, and the line of Primes look bad for all to see. He has charged Circuit and Longtooth to head to Earth, and document EVERYTHING that is happening there, so that all of Cybertron, and the Colonies can see what he is really like....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Arcee - Sports Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Pyra Magna - Emergency Vehicle

Tracks - Sports Car

Cosmos - Orbiter

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Sideswipe - Sports Car On Life Support

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Bumblebee - Cybertronian Car (Ghost)

Sentinel Prime - Truck (Hologram)

Megatron - Tank (Hologram)

Alpha Trion - Tumbler (Mentioned)

Optimus Maximus - Autobot Combiner (Mentioned)

Prowl - Police Vehicle (Mentioned)

Sunstreaker - Sports Car (Mentioned)

Other Torchbearers (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Galvatron - Tank

Astrotrain - Space Shuttle/Train

Skywarp - Cybertronian Jet Out of Phase

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Sky-Byte - Flying Shark

Slugslinger - Twin Nosed Jet

Laserbeak - Cassette

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster (Footage)

Shockwave - Flying Artillery (Hologram) Dead

Brawl - Tank (Mentioned)

Horri-Bull - Bull (Mentioned) Dead

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Rattrap - Mole Rat

Circuit

Longtooth

Zetca (Footage)

Camien

Mistress of Flame

Aileron - Space Ship

Swift - Helicopter

New Torchbearers

Caminus Space Bridge Operator

Lightbright (Footage)

Sterling - Car (Footage) Dead

Other Colonists

Knock Out - Sports Car

Moonracer - Sports Car

Vanquish - Part of Jet

Airazor - Falcon

Tigatron - Tiger

Obsidian - Osprey Helicopter

Strika - Battle Tank

Other Cybertronian

Blackrock

Nova Prime - Truck (Hologram) Dead

Zeta Prime - Truck (Hologram) Dead

Crystal City Metrotitan (Hologram) Dead

Jhiaxus - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

The Primes (Mentioned)

The Fallen/Megatronus (Mentioned)

Thirteen Colony Titans (Mentioned)

Other

Buster the Astro-Dog

Thrust Drone - Jet (Footage)

Notes

• Blackrock's "no-human face" look reminds me a bit of Destro from the GI Joe franchise
• Speaking of whom, Blackrock appears to have now accepted his Cybertronian-heritage.
• Skywarp's condition appears to be getting worse, and appears to be just an outline now (though this could just be an artistic choice)
• Optimus' arm has been replaced following it's severing last issue, but hasn't been painted to match the rest of his colour scheme yet.
• From Starscream's dialogue, it appears that Nova, Sentinel and Zeta once tried to annex another planet. Nova is a definite, and we had a mention of Sentinel doing this earlier on, but Zeta is another story...what populated planet did he annex?
• Galvatron was apparently willing to give Brawl to Arcee for revenge for him "defeating" her back on the Ark.
• From their dialogue Arcee tells Galvatron that she's on the side she was supposed to be all along. This either refers to her forced gender switch by Jhiaxus, or her decision to join the Autobots just prior to the Dark Cybertron events.
• Galvatron believes that Optimus' mind has been corrupted by his combining with Prowl during Combiner Wars
• We learn here that one of the tenants of the Way of the Flame is to build up the future, and not dwell in the past.
• This seems a bit off when it comes to the Mistress of Flame, as she seems obsessed with the Thirteen Primes, even though they are purely in the past.
• This issue confirms that the Mistress believes that Optimus is one of the Thirteen Primes, and believes that he is destined to rule over Earth as a new Colony world.
• From the looks of them, the New Torchbearers are male Camiens.
• Arcee's knowledge of Soundwave killing Horri-Bull is due to her being temporarily aligned with the Decepticons, along with Prowl during the early issues of this series
• Sideswipe's current status in a life support pod could be a sneaky note that he has an upcoming Combiner Wars toy, that he's being kept out of the way until a reveal (I'm clutching at straws, but he would make a good replacement for Prowl in Optimus Maximus)
• Buster has a space suit......D'AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!
• Optimus tells Cosmos that he wants Soundwave to bow to him. When he blackmails Soundwave later, Soundwave DOES briefly dip his head as if he's bowing when considering his options.
• Just before Bumblebee's ghost appears, Starscream gets a cold chill, despite the light and area looking fairly warm....this could be a sign of Bumblebee's nature.