TFCC #52 - Beast Wars Shattered Glass Part 4

Title: Shattered Hope

Writers: Benson Yee & Pete Sinclair with Matt Frank

Pencils & Inks: Matt Frank

Colours: Thomas Deer

Letters: Letters

Managing Editor: Pete Sinclair

Plot

The Decepticons hang out around their new base whilst Megatron is working on his next big plan. Meanwhile the Autobots are in their crashed ship with Depth Charge sending out his probes to look for the Matrix, and also to find the ship's Energon purifier that was lost during the crash (as the local Energon is unstable).

After a while the probes locate the purifier and head out to recover it, however when they reach it, the Seacons are already there, and combine into their new Gestalt form of God Neptune. Prowl, Ironhide and Silverbolt in turn combine into their new Gestalt form of Magnaboss and fights the Seacons on a more level footing.

Whilst the others are battling, Magnus and Grimlock go after the purifier but are stopped by Autolauncher and Autojetterwho steal the purifier from inside it and escape along with God Neptune, who swats aside Magnaboss and the others with ease.

Back at the Autobot's ship, Depth Charge receives a message from one of his probes that has found the Matrix!

Characters

Autobots/Maximals

Ultra Magnus - Big Blue Beast

Depth Charge - Frequent Flyer Jet

Grimlock - Raging Raptor

Prowl - Lion

Ironhide - Elephant

Silverbolt - Eagle

Magnaboss - Maximal Gestalt

Decepticons/Predacons

Megatron - Terrible Tank

Dirge - Sky Terror Jet

Autojetter - Winged Warrior Jet

Autolauncher - ATV

Scylla - Beastly Bottom Feeder

Snap Trap - Turtle

Overbite - Shark

Seawing - Manta Ray

Skalor - Coelacanth 

God Neptune - Seacon Gestalt

Gigastorm (On Screen only)

Notes

• From the images on the screens, and the fact that they seem to be using a few Beast Wars II characters here, I'd guess Megatron's plan is to build Gigastorm
• Why is it that Grimlock has had his head redesigned here to look like his usual form rather than his Beast Era toy, whilst Silverbolt and the others all look like their toys instead?
• Why is it that, despite them only changing one component part, the Seacons changed their gestalt form's name from Piranacon to God Neptune?
• ALSO. Why do the three random Autobots/Maximals who have no past connections have the ability to combine?! How did they ever have time to reformat their bodies to combine?!
• What kind of weird coincidence is it that Megatron sends his teams to go after the things the Autobots are after at the same time as them again?!

Other Features

Mastering the Art of the Game Interview with someone who makes Pinball games

Botcon 2013 in San Diego! Article about the recent Botcon

Ultra Mammoth Profile

Megatron Profile

Transformers I.Q. - Quiz about Japanese Beast Era stuff

Transformers I.Q. Trivia Bonus - More info on Big Convoy's origins

Redordicons Minicomic about cassettes

Dreamwave - Armada FCBD

Written by: Brandon Easton

Penciled by: Don Figueroa

Inks by: Elaine To

Colours by: Alan Wang, Rob Ruffolo, David Cheung, Stuart Ng, Susan Luo, Felipe Smith

Flats by: Sigmund Torre

Letters by: Paul Villafuerte

Graphic Design: Matt Moylan

Pre-Press: Kell-O-Graphics

Plot

Millions of years ago, the Autobots and Decepticons began fighting over the Mini-Cons, leading to the smaller robots self-exiling themselves off Cybertron, and they crashed into Earth's Moon, and Earth itself.

In the present day Rad and Carlos are riding their bikes on a nature hike (yeah) when they come across the Mini-Con Swindle, who claims to have escaped the Decepticons, they quickly become friends, and the kids offer to take Swindle to see the Autobots, and he offers to ride them to school. Suddenly the kids and Swindle are spotted by Starscream, who is after the escaped Mini-Con, so the small group start to hide, however Cyclonus and Demolishor also appear from no-where, and they capture the kids, however they're soon rescued when Hot Shot, Red Alert and Smokescreen appear (they were tracking Swindle as well) and fight off the Decepticons, all is going well until Megatron appears and blasts the three Autobots.

Megatron then orders Swindle out of hiding, and he's forced to bring the kids with him, revealing that he "escaped" on a mission for Megatron. The kids try to reach Swindle with the power of friendship, and he does let them go, however Megatron catches them himself soon afterwards. Swindle asks, that since he's completed his mission, and the Autobots are defeated and the kids captured, if he can be free now, which invites laughter from the meanie Decepticons. Megatron reveals that he plans to try and fuse humans with Cybertronian tech to create a new power source, but before he can really elaborate, Optimus Prime arrives and interrupts him, and rescues the kids from his grasp.

Optimus and Megatron have a quick battle, but it ends when Starscream shoots Optimus in the back, Starscream suggests that he should be leader due to him defeating Optimus, leading Megatron to aim his cannon at him, asking him to repeat that.

The Autobots are all tied up with Energon bonds, that Red Alert deduces will short out if exposed to a strong energy blast. The kids hide in some bushes, and are approached by Swindle, who's sick of the Decepticons now, and wants to help out, he turns into his alternate mode and speeds past the Decepticons, reaches the Autobot's discarded weapons, and blasts's Optimus' bonds, freeing him. Optimus in turn frees his teammates and the Autobots chase off the Decepticons with surprising ease.

As the Decepticons retreat, Swindle cheers along with the humans and Autobots, until Starscream hits him with a tractor beam of sorts and drags him away. The kids are sad to see him taken away, but still can't forgive him for lying to them before, and wonder if they can trust another Mini-Con again. Optimus assures them that everyone deserves a second chance, even the Decepticons. With that they all drive off, ready for the next adventure.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hot Shot - Sports Car

Red Alert - Emergency SUV

Smokescreen - Crane-Mounted Tow Truck

Other Combatants (Flashback)

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Cyclonus - Helicopter

Demolishor - Tank

Other Combatants (Flashback)

Mini-Con

Swindle - F1 Race Car

Leader-1 - Gun-Mounted Buggy (Flashback)

Runway (Flashback)

Wreckage (Flashback)

Spiral (Flashback)

Jolt (Flashback)

Blackout (Flashback)

Sparkplug (Flashback)

Human

Rad

Carlos

Carlos' Parents (Mentioned)

Notes

• WHY DOES A FREE COMIC BOOK NEED SO MANY COLOURISTS?!?!?
• The present day parts of this comic are set between issues 5 and 6 of the main comic
• Gee, have you noticed how every single character in this comic gets a name-drop? Almost like this comic is used as an advert for the series or something!
• The only Mini-Con to appear in the present day scenes is Swindle, seems a bit odd since you'd expect at least the Decepticons to come armed with Mini-cons to kill the Autobots with, wouldn't you?
• Where is Scavenger and Alexis during this issue?
• Why did Megatron have the Decepticons ambush the kids and Swindle? Why not let them take him to the Autobot's base, and let them know where they're hiding?!
• Megatron's plan to fuse humans with Cybertronian tech is never mentioned again...would have been cool though! Imagine Mini-Con Powermasters!!
• Rad considering not trusting another Mini-Con seems a bit odd, since he's pretty close to the Street Action Team and Sparkplug.
• Speaking of them, why weren't Rad and Carlos riding with High Wire and Grindor?

IDW - Official Movie Prequel Special

Written by: Simon Furman & Chris Ryall

Art by: Don Figueroa & Andrew Wildman

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Robbie Robbins

Edits by: Ted Adams

Plot

On Cybertron, in the past, the planet is at war over the Allspark, Megatron believes he's found it, and sends Blackout to join Starscream's troops. Brawl and Starscream's other troops are taking care of some Autobots elsewhere, and Brawl reports that Megatron thinks he knows where the Allspark is, Starscream gets worried, as he wants it's power of himself, but is stopped from continuing by a newly arrived Blackout.

Before they know it, they see the Allspark being launched into space, Starscream attempts to follow it, but Blackout stops him, the team of Decepticons witness Megatron launching off into space after the cube, and they decide to follow him.

Much later, the Decepticon team arrive in Afghanistan and crash in the desert, they're attacked by some military personnel, but Wreckage destroys their personnel carrier, and takes on it's form as his alternate mode.

Before long, the Decepticons attack the nearby Bargam Airbase, looking for local alternate modes of their own, they slaughter the humans there and take on their new forms, but Wreckage is rendered disabled and abandoned in the battle.

Later, Bumblebee arrives on Earth, and starts searching for information on where the Allspark is, he learns of Captain Witwicky's incident in 1897 and decides to track down his descendants as a clue to it's location. When he looks up the captain externally, Sector Seven detect his presence and send out teams to find and capture him.

Bumblebee continues his mission, and evades the Sector Seven agents along the way, as well as also evading Barricade a couple of times, as he continues his search for Captain Witwicky's ancestors, who may know where the Allspark is kept (via the map on his glasses)

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Classic Camaro

Optimus Prime (Flashback)

Autobot Soldiers

Decepticon

Megatron - Cybertronian Jet Frozen Off-Screen

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Former Comet)

Blackout - Military Helicopter (Former Comet)

Scorponok - Scorpion Drone

Barricade - Police Car (Former Comet)

Brawl - Tank (Former Comet)

Bonecrusher - Mine Clearing Vehicle (Former Comet)

Wreckage - Personnel Carrier (Former Comet) Disabled by Sector Seven, Abandoned 

Decepticon Soldiers

Human

Sector Seven Guys

Archibald Witwicky (Flashback)

Clarence Witwicky (Mentioned)

Herbert Witwicky (Mentioned)

Ben Witwicky (Mentioned)

Witwicky's Ancestors (Mentioned)

Agent Simmons (Mentioned)

Notes

• This comic was originally 2 smaller comics sold at Target
• This story is meant to also be able to fit in with the existing IDW Movie Prequel comics (though some parts are contradictory)
• Scorponok is shown in his toy's robot mode a couple of times here
• The truck Bumblebee passes seems to be advertising All Hail Megatron
• Megatron's tip on where the Allspark is, is likely when he arrives at the trap at Tyger Pax

IDW - Robots in Disguise #20

Title: Three Monologues

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

In the aftermath of the battle in Iacon, Starscream visits the corpse of Metalhawk, and apologizes to him for killing him, but says he did it, as it was the only way to save Cybertron in the end, and by martyring Metalhawk he made it possible for the Autobots and Decepticons to be forced out of the city, so they could rebuild, and reveals that he truly liked him as a friend.

Starscream meets with Blurr, who is rebuilding his bar, and wants him to help him reach the "Common Cybertronian" in his bar, which leads Blurr to laughing in his face. Just as he's showing him the way out, the power goes out. Blurr tells Starscream that if he wants the people to like him, then he needs to fix the city, and earn some respect, as the only reason he's in charge is because he was the lesser evil at that moment.

Elsewhere, Circuit interviews Scoop, who vows to, with his team, rebuild Iacon and repair all the injured battlers, like Superion. Starscream goes to speak with Dirge, as he's the last Seeker left in the city, and wants him to help him out as he was one of the heroes in the battle, but Dirge refuses by just punching his former commander. Starscream threatens to kill him, but is reminded that the eyes of Iacon are always on him now, as he's their leader. Just as Starscream is making his excuses for "assaulting a hero" the power in the city is turned back on, with Scoop being responsible, and gets more popular with the people, which just annoys Starscream.

Soon, Rattrap appears to him, and reveals that the power system Wheeljack made couldn't have failed so easily, and shows a power coupling that's been burned with Phosphex, suggesting it was sabotaged. Rattrap also reveals that Scoop's always been jealous of other engineers etc who got flashier jobs and always wants attention.

Starscream goes and meets with the disabled Megatron, and mocks him, that he's finally in charge, and Megatron's loyal followers have been cast into the wilds of Cybertron. Later again, Starscream goes to the communications array, that was damaged in the battle, and sees SCoop about to climb it to repair the thing. Scoop sees Starscream, and bows to him, and reveals to him that he and his team are religious, and believe that Starscream is some sort of messiah after what the Metrotitan said to him.

After this, he meets with Rattrap, who starts pestering Starscream about his "theory" that Scoop is causing incidents just so he can fix them, before long Scoop has finished fixing the array and climbs down to a cheering crowd. Rattrap however trips him up, and forces his tool box to fall open, and a used can of Phospex to be revealed to the crowd.

Starscream reveals that an investigation into the blackout revealed Phosphex damage, and accuses Scoop of sabotage, and has him taken away and arrested until a trial can be set up. Scoop is dragged away screaming his innocence. Starscream then promises into the cameras that he'll fix everything.

Later, Rattrap returns to his home in the sewers and finds Starscream waiting for him. Screamer reveals that he knows Rattrap framed Scoop for this whole thing, as Scoop was truly just trying to help, and he can tell a liar when he sees one, as he's one himself. Rattrap asks what he wants, and Starscream offers him a "government job"

Later again, Starscream is looking out to the early-rising sun and talks about how he's going to need a lot of good help in the rebuilding of Cybertron, and reveals (to the reader) that he's placed Wheeljack into a CR tube, and he's in fact still alive and being repaired!

Characters

Cybertronians

Starscream - Jet

Scoop

Rattrap - Z'Verein Mole-Rat

Circuit

Longtooth

Dirge - Jet

Flatline - Van

Cloudraker

Fastlane

Blurr - Race Car

Sky Byte - Flying Shark

Tappet - Car

Swindle - Van

Landfill

Boomer

Ricochet

Quickmix

Takedown

Groundpounder

Metalhawl - Jet Corpse

The Injured Being Repaired

Metrotitan (Mentioned) Dead

Cybertronian Civilians

Autobot

Wheeljack - Car In CR Chamber

Superion - Aerilabot Gestalt Being Repaired

Aerialbots (Mentioned) Being Repaired

Optimus Prime (Mentioned)

Metroplex (Mentioned)

Bumblebee - Car (Mentioned)

Prowl - Car (Mentioned)

Autobot Forces Exiled

Decepticon

Megatron Paralyzed by Fore Field Bubble

Seekers (Mentioned) Disbanded

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt (Mentioned)

Decepticon Forces Exiled

Other

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story is taking place at the same time as the story that follow's Arcee (as shown by the early sunrise), and is still set the night/morning after the battle of Iacon
• Metalhawk's body is being kept in a light-cage with a photo of him and Starscream on display.
• Blurr's the only character shown to still have his Autobot insignia here, but this is probably because it'd be too difficult for him to safely remove it (and considering it's been just hours since the battle, he might not have had a chance yet)
• Flatline seems to use the new Generations Skids toy as a basis, apparently just as an artistic nod to the toy, but you know, I can hope!
• Flatline mentions that Starscream has a new body being made (likely because of him having to tear off his canopy to get rid of his insignia). It's probably just a coincidence, but there's a new Generations toy based on Armada Starscream coming soon....
• Circuit seems to know that Starscream's full of crap, as he points out when he starts making a speech that the microphone's not on, making him stop
• Rattrap's body is based on his original Beast Wars body (even with a beast mode).
• Megatron is still in his forcefield bubble prison
• The communications array being damaged could be an explanation for the Lost Light's messages not reaching Cybertron from MTMTE
• Scoop and his team apparently only joined the Autobots because Optimus raised Metroplex, and left when the Titan told Starscream he was the chosen one.
• VERY confusingly one of the guards to take away Scoop at the end looks like a blue version of Circuit, who is also in the scene too!!
• Wheeljack's alive!! (Well in a CR tank, being repaired anyway)

IDW - Monstrosity #3

Story by: Chris Metzen & Flint Dille

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long & Shawn Lee

Editor: John Barber

Plot

On Junkion, Megatron and Pentius have finally reached the Pillar of Rust, where they wait for a shuttle to arrive for them to take, Megatron begins to doubt that anyone will come, but suddenly the Terrorcon's shuttle arrives and the crew get ready to kill Megatron for his failures, and attack him. Of course, being Megatron, he easily defeats all 5 Terrorcons, by also removing the spark from Pentius and using it to heal his own weakened spark.

Back on Cybertron, Optimus learns about the Energon deposit under the Toraxxis Crater, and the sleeping Trypticon as well. he asks Jetfire and the other scientists to examine the Energon to make it safe to use, and has them make the crater off-limits without permission from him.

On Junkion, Megatron has made sure the Terrorcons survived their battle, and re-recruits them to his side, he leaves with them on their shuttle back to Cybertron, where he plans to deal with Scorponok, and he bids Pentius farewell.

At the Toraxxis Crater, Kup is searching the radiation wastes, looking for Grimlock and finds him, as well as the other Dynobots, who agree to go with him to see Optimus, and surrender themselves for their crimes.

At the Starsreach Spaceport in Iacon, the Autobots are trying to get any of the non-aligned Transformers (future NAIL's) who want to leave the planet into shuttles to leave, but things are getting heated up, as there don't seem to be enough shuttles to go around. Dai Atlas resigns from his position on the Convocation as he plans to leave with the Circle of Light, meanwhile Bulkhead and others plan to stay behind to help with the rebuilding.

Optimus receives a report from Prowl that the civilians are getting antsy, and a riot is starting. Optimus sends out his troops to intervene, Dai Atlas tries to get him to try a more peaceful response, but Optimus reminds him that he no longer has any position in the running of Cybertron any more.

On the way back from Toraxxis, Kup and the Dynobots receive the message about the riot, and redirect themselves, inside Sky Lynx to help out as well.

At the Spaceport, Optimus has arrived, and after a small skirmish, he convinces the civilians that he's not there to stop any of them, or to harm them, they just want the civilians out of the way. Dai Atlas and the Circle of Light board their shuttle, and Atlas has some last words about how incompetent Optimus is as a leader, then leaves.

Kup and the Dynobots arrive just after the small riot, where Grimlock explains to Optimus that their strange new alt modes are due to their 6th member Skar tinkering with their scanning equipment and they scanned the monsters at Toraxxis, which made them unpredictable, and also reveals that Grimlock himself accidentally killed Skar after losing control, Optimus promises to help him out.

Suddenly the civilian shuttles are attacked by the Decepticons, who also blast a hole into the Spaceport control room too, Grimlock gets angry and turns into his monster form and goes on a rampage.

Grimlock tears through the Decepticons and forces several to escape, Optimus manages to get the monster into a head-lock, and calms him down, forcing him to revert back to robot mode. The other Autobots look on worried, and wonder whether the scientific Autobots can really help or not.

On their way back to base, the attacking Decepticons are contacted by Scorponok, who orders them to head to Toraxxis. Back at Starsreach, the Dynobots have decided to leave Cybertron again, as they don't think they can be helped, and Optimus feels he has to agree, despite his true desire to help. Their shuttle takes off, and Optimus looks on sadly.

Astrotrain and the others arrive at Toraxxis where they find Scoponok watching several jets blasting at the crater, breaking the seal on Trypticon's "cage" and then witness the giant beast, Tyrpticon rise from the ground!!

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Grimlock - Toraxxian Monster

Snarl - Toraxxian Monster

Swoop - Toraxxian Monster

Sludge - Toraxxian Monster

Slag - Toraxxian Monster

Kup - Pick Up

Bumblebee - Car

Hound - Car

Prowl - Car

Springer

Blaster

Sky Lynx

Jetfire - Jet

Wheeljack

Ratchet

Perceptor

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Scorponok

Shockwave

Soundwave

Starscream - Jet

Hun-Gar - Two Headed Monster

Sinnertwin - Two Headed Monster

Cutthroat - Winged Monster

Rippersnapper - Shark Monster

Blot - Bipedal Monster

Skywarp - Jet

Dirge - Jet

Ramjet - Jet

Thrust - Jet

Astrotrain - Shuttle

Blackwall

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Other

Dai Atlas

Trypticon

Pentius Spark torn out by Megatron

Bulkhead

Circle of Light

Leaving Cybertronians

Grimlock's Victims Killed by Grimlock

Skar (Flashback) Killed by Grimlock

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• This is the collected print version of issues 7,8 and 9 of the digital releases (made so people like me who hate digital copies can read this before TPB-time)
• Pentius is shown to have a green spark, much like those of the point one percenters shown in MTMTE right now, he's shown using it to seem and repair himself as well.
• It's a bit ominous that our last view of Penitus is of his "death" face, smirking off watching Megatron leave isn't it?
• Bulkhead is shown deciding to stay on Cybertron here, possibly hinting that he eventually joins the Autobots (like all his other continuity counterparts).
• Grimlock's "beast" mode is revealed in full here, I'm guessing at some point before the events of Spotlight: Shockwave, he'll get rid of that and retain a tank mode again.
• It's shown here that Skar fitted the team with scanners to take on new alt modes, which activated when the Dynobots went up against the monsters in the Toraxxis caverns.

Titan - Prime #16

Comic Title: Fury From the Deep

Writer: Chris Cooper

Art: Dario Brizuela

Lettering: Comicraft

Cover Price: £3.99

Cover Date: August 2013

Poster: Optimus and Ratchet try to kill you

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Urbana 500 Sports Car

Decepticon

Piranacon - Seacon Gestalt Fatally wounded by a rock

Snaptrap Dead

Other Seacons (Mentioned)

Human

Jack

Miko

Raf

Al

Diner Owner

Crew of the Mary Jane (Flashback) Killed by Piranacon

Plot

Al, a retired sailor recalls an incident from about 10 years ago to the kids, who are on vacation, where he was attacked by a giant sea monster, who destroyed his ship, and killed his crew. They don't believe him at first, but when Miko notices a metal tooth arouns his neck, they start to think it could be the Decepticons.

Raf looks into the matter and discovers that a ship was sunk with only one survivor, with the same name as Al said, and they think the Decepticons could be involved, so they decide to go to the ocean to check it out (well they don't actually take it that seriously and just plan to have fun there).

The kids reach "Devil's Cove" with Bumblebee and go into the water on a small boat, Bumblebee starts to get agitated and suddenly the kids are dragged under water. Bumblebee dives underneath to save them, but he comes face to face with the giant sea monster.

Inside a nearby cavern, the kids wake up and find several torn apart wrecks, seemingly used for repairs, and they also find a dead Decepticon, who Raf identifies (using TFWiki on his laptop or something, they call it the "Autobot Archive" though) that it's Snaptrap and tells the others that he's normally found with the 5 other Seacons, who can combine into Piranacon. They figure out that this must be the sea monster who's attacking boats, but Raf also says that Snaptrap works as Piranacon's main mind, so without him Piranacon is basically a mindless monster.

Outside Piranacon and Bumblebee have their underwater fight (FINALLY) with Piranacon's sole consious thought being to kill the Autobots with maximum force. Inside the cave the kids have no luck in finding a way to escape, until Jack finds some old WWII Sea Mines still active. The kids place them near the blocked entrance and it explodes shooting rocks outwards with one fatally wounding Piranacon. The kids are sucked out of the cave to their doom, however Bumblebee rescues them before it's too late and takes them back to shore, where they warm up next to a fire, and decide that next year they'll have a "staycation" instead.

Notes

• This issue is clearly the one meant to be put in issue 12, but for some reason was held back. Having read the issue it seems most likely because it's set during the kid's summer holidays (ie, NOW!)
• The comic also announces that the next issue is out on the 10th of October, with a giant issue and with it being Beast Hunters related, so from the sounds of that we ARE getting the Beast Hunters rebrand for the comic, and it is becoming a more regular comic too, but they just wanted to get this older comic story done with before that
• Oh there's a lot of "stronger" language at the start of this comic than we tend to see in kid's comics, "hell" and "god's sake" are both used by the doomed sailors, whilst appropriate in the situation, it seems a bit out of place here
• The boat, the Mary Jane, or MJ, is probably a reference to the Spider-Man character for some reason
• Piranacon looks like he's just a slightly altered version of his G1 self...still we could use the G1 Seacons as him on our Prime toy shelves now of course!
• Yeah...Piranacon has survived for at least 10 years of attacking ships etc, yet gets killed by a single rock to the face? I think they just wanted to end his storyline rather than have to return to it again!
• I like how when Raf is drowning he still holds onto his laptop...and it's probably okay too!!

Other Features

Adverts

Competition

Beast Hunters Sneak Peak - A sneak peak (from the UK perspective) of Season 3

Front Line! - Faux Newspaper talking about the Transformers 4 rumours so far

All About Ultra Magnus - Info on everyone's favourite easy going character

Kre-O Transformers Conundrums! - Wonderful Kre-O based puzzles

Bumblebee's Beach Bonanza! - More puzzles!!

Soundwave's Stumpers! - WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PUZZLES?!?

Mega Mouth - Megatron and Arcee read more small human's letters

X Marks the Bot! Solve the clues and find Bumblebee...in other words, skip this one!

IDW - More Than Meets the Eye #19

Title: Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self

Written by: James Roberts

Pencils by: Alex Milne

Inks by: Brian Shearer

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editorial Assistant: Kevin Smead

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Earlier, Ultra Magnus arrives on Luna-1 in his shuttle and is recovered by Tyrest who has Pharma repair him. Once Magnus wakes up he screams about Overlord, before realizing that Tyrest is there, then he's punched by the Chief Justic, who considers it fully deserved.

Later, in the cell, Rodimus is confused by Ambus' claim that he IS Ultra Magnus, but the smaller Autobot goes on to explain that there is no real Ultra Magnus, he's just a symbol, and he was the most recent one. He then goes on to explain that Tyrest is unhappy with his work over the past 18 months, and has just relinquished the armour from him, planning to retire it, and replace him with the Legislators and Star Saber.

Ambus explains to his fellow prisoners that there was once a real Ultra Magnus, but he died in battle, however his reputation was so great that Tyrest decided to create an immortal lawman, using his name and appearance, and that all the times Magnus has almost died in the past, have in fact been real deaths, and he's just been recalled each time and had a new inner robot placed inside. He also explains that only a Point One Percenter and a Load Bearer (someone who can keep adapting his body, with his spark not giving up on him) can use the armour. He also gives Tailgate some hope in his own situation, by claiming that the doctors here are miracle workers, and fully repaired him, despite only having 10 days left to live.

Ambus begins to wonder about what Tyrest's real plans are, as he had no idea about the dead Titans, Lockdown or any of the other weird things on Luna-1, so instead of continuing his mission to get evidence that the crew had no idea about Skids' crimes, he goes to investigate his boss. As soon as he leaves though Skids and Swerve are teleported into the cell, unconscious.

Nearby, Whirl and Cyclonus have found a massive smelting pool with a cell perched above it (which is surmised to be Rodimus' cell, ready to be dropped when they are ready to be executed. The two frenemies know there's an armory nearby (as Whirl can smell it) and head off for weapons to help in the jailbreak...however Cyclonus is unwilling to do so yet, as he needs to find something on the moon first.

In the Medibay Pharma is taunting the bodyless Ratchet, who in turn taunts him by claiming that Pharma has left Ratchet's hands connected to his body because he can't remove them with his lack of skills. Pharma however refutes the claims as Tyrest has supplied him with all sorts of weird toys on Luna-1, and agrees to a contest where they perform the same surgery on 2 patients, and the winner get's Pharma's old hands.

Whirl and Cyclonus manage to break into the armory, but Cyclonus gets skewered by a sword. Meanwhile, back in the Medibay, Pharma has reattached Ratchet to his body, and has had the Legislators bring First Aid and Ambulon from the Lost Light, Ratchet tries to cancel the contest, but Pharma won't allow it, he makes the contest to repair them after being slices in half...lengthwise! And he slices Ambulon in half, from head to groin!!! (WHATS?!??!!?!?). 

Back at the armory, Whirl has killed the Legislator who skewered Cyclonus with a Great Sword, who just slides out the sword. Cyclonus asks where Whirl got the sword, and he says he found hundreds there, leading them to find a large prison, with the survivors of the Circle of Light imprisoned!

In the cell, Perceptor examines Skids, and comments on how stab wounds are so rarely fatal, and tend to miss the sparks, and Swerve reveals that Star Saber, aka the crazy religious nut who wanted to perform an Atheist holocaust, was the one who attacked them, and also reveals that the whole ship was under attack, last he heard. Skids wakes up and apologizes for whatever crime he did, when Star Saber turns up with Skids' partner in crime in tow, Getaway.

In the Control Room, Ambus approaches Tyrest, and learns from him about how Nova Prime realized that the energy pulses that powered new sparks on the moons around Cybertron were weakening, so he had Tyrest tap into the Matrix to create artifical sparks (ie those Constructed Cold). After a while however someone in his inner circle found out about all this and stole the Matrix, hiding it in the Undergrid (until Orion Pax finds it later). He also revealed that he discovered that all of the guilty parties in the Aequitas Trials were Constructed Cold, thus meaning, to him anyway, that their bastardizing the Matrix had created Cybertronians more likely to sin, than others. After his discovery for atonement Tyrest started drilling into his own body, and one day drilled into his own brain, and had an epiphany, that Primus, and all the other religious myths in the Cybertronian race are true, and is now convinced that the space bridge portal he has set up, will lead him to Cyberutopia itself!

Outside, Whirl and Cyclonus are armed with Great Swords and are joined by the Circle of Light, and begin to take on the Legislators en masse!

Tyrest explains that he cannot go to Cyberutopia yet, as he is filled with sin, and only the pure can go there, he plans to remove his greatest sin however by triggering an energy wave that will kill all Cold Constructed Cybertronians (as they all have a similar energy source inside them too). Magnus goes to stop him from starting the process, but Tyrest reveals that he set up a new rule 90 (16) Pre-emptive execution, meaning that if the Chief Justice believes himself to be in danger then the Legislators will protect him. As such, one of them crushed Ambus' head, which Tyrest feels was fully deserved as well.....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Sports Car

Minimus Ambus - Truck Cab Head crushed by Legislator

Ratchet - Ambulance

Pharma - Jet

Ambulon - Leg Sliced in Half by Pharma

First Aid - Ambulance

Skids - Van

Swerve - Van

Rung - Maintenance Buggy

Perceptor

Brainstorm - Jet

Chromedome - Car

Getaway

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Fortress Maximus - Tank

Mainframe

Highbrow - Helicopter

Blaster Badly Injured

Ultra Magnus Armour - Vehicle Transport (Flashback)Retired

Orion Pax (Flashback)

Original Ultra Magnus (Flashback)Dead

Delta Magnus (Flashback)

Drift - Car (Mentioned) Exiled

Suture (Mentioned) Died as Ultra Magnus

Datum (Mentioned) Died as Ultra Magnus by Megatron

Rewind - Giant Memory Stick (Mentioned) Dead

Impactor (Mentioned)

Roller (Mentioned)

Atomizer (Mentioned)

Ammo (Mentioned)

Lancet (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Snake Monster (Flashback)

Megatron (Mentioned)

Overlord (Mentioned) Believed to be Dead

Lockdown (Mentioned)

D.J.D. (Mentioned)

Circle of Light

Dai Atlas

Other Members

Other

Tailgate Dying of Cybercrosis

Cyclonus - Space Jet

Chief Justice Tyrest

Star Saber

Legislators

Nova Prime (Flashback)

Vector Sigma (Flashback)

Matrix Thief/Tigatron? (Flashback)

Nanocons (Mentioned)

Titans (Mentioend) Dead

Primus (Mentioned)

Sparkeaters (Mentioned)

Guiding Hand (Mentioned)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Notes

• Ambus' spark is green, like Overlord's, further showing how he's a point one percenter
• Ultra Magnus being just an armour suit is of course a reference to his G1 toy, which was basically a suit for his inner robot
• If you look at Ambus' back kibble, you can sort of see parts that resemble his truck mode's cab, so technically he's been seen since Spotlight: Ultra Magnus, just not named!
• Delta Magnus seems to be based on the Powered Convoy version of the Ultra Magnus mold
• Rather than being the nice fella we all knew from Victory, Star Saber seems to be a religious nut here (and not an Autobot from the looks of it)
• The Magnus armour is covered in Attention Deflectors, which explains why no one's ever noticed the inner robot
• This story implies that Impactor and Roller are Point One Percenters as well
• Skids has been disarmed, from the looks of his shoulder cannons
• Cyclonus seems to want to find something or someone on Luna-1, perhaps a cure for Tailgate, or Scourge?
• Pharma's turned into the crazy ex-girlfriend from hell here....seriously!
• Cyclonus asks why Whirl hasn't had his Empurata reversed over the years, but WHirl claims it's because the world is messed-up. Cyclonus is resistant to talk about why he scratched up his face (after hearing of Tailgate's condition)
• The Circle of Light were revealed to be captured by the Legislators back in the 2012 Annual
• 17 (21), which the Legislators were screaming about the past 2 issues is revealed here to be "harbouring a criminal suspect", revealed here to be Skids
• Skids' overwhelming desire and single thoughts to escape that Chromedome read in his mind, was actually someone's name - Getaway!
• It's revealed here that Nova Prime DID have the Matrix at one point, but it was stolen from him by a thief as he was abusing it to Cold Construct new Cybertronians
• The Matrixes thief looks a bit like Tigatron
• Tyrest's holes are revealed to be because after the Aequitas Trials, he started self-harming, which led to him drilling into his brain, and making him "see the light" (and decide to cause genocide, you know, it happens!
• Star Saber going to Dai Atlas for aid in his quest and him being laughed away is sort of a reversal of what happened int Transformers Zone, where Star Saber asks Atlas to be the new Autobot Commander, and he happily accepts!
• Tyrest killing Transformers and using their dead bodies as raw material to build his Legislators is similar to what Megatron does in Beast Machines to build his Vehicon armies.

Speculation

• I think that Tyrest's computer that allows him to alter the Tyrest Accord will eventually be his downfall, as someone else could alter it, to make Tyrest seem to break the law, and the Legislators will take him out...ie someone else names themselves as Chief Justice, or says his actions are unlawful etc.
• Due to his instability, it's possible that Star Saber is Cold Constructed, and will turn on Tyrest before he tries to kill them all
• As implied here Luna-1 was meant to receive those energy pulses from Robots in Disguise 3, which would have revitalized the sparks here. So theoretically, shouldn't Luna-2, still in orbit of the planet, and receiving the energy, be producing sparks again now?