IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #21

Title: Remain in Light Part 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Alex Milne

Colours by: Josh Burcham with Joana Lafuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Tyrest is about to step through the portal to Cyberutopia, when Tailgate, who cannot hear the signal from Tyrests weapon jumps on his head and jabs his finger in the hole in his forehead, incapacitating him, Tailgate then turns off the signal, allowing the others to move again. Tyrest gets ready to kill Tailgate, but Rodimus points one of the claimed Legislator weapons to threaten him, and Tailgate pleads with him to just do it, as he's going to die from Cybercrosis within 2 days anyway. However the situation is put out of Rodimus' hands when Tyrest is shot in the back by an even smaller Minimus Ambus!

Outside, at the Smelting Pool the Circle of Light and Whirl fight off the Legislators, whilst Cyclonus goes on to challenge Star Saber, after a short battle, Cyclonus jabs Star Saber in one eye with his horn and prepares to kill him, but Star Saber teleports away at the las moment

Inside the Control Room again, Rodimus is shocked by Ambus's new appearance, and he reveals that THIS is actually his true form, and that he just had 2 body suits. Perceptor and the others get to work to try and reverse the effects of the Kill Switch, when Pharma escapes from his cuffs and heads to the portal. Skids, Rung and First Aid go after him, but Pharma reveals he can't go through anyway, as there's a forcefield, which Rung realises is similar to Aequitas technology, and only one without guilt, and flly at peace can pass through, which only Skids in the group matches, so he heads on through. After Skids has gone, Pharma taunts First Aids, and laughs about killing Ambulon, prompting First Aid to simply blast off his head. Rung consoles his distraught friend.

Rodimus is hooked up to the Kill Switch by Perceptor, who plans to use his Matrix half to reset the sparkcode in all the Cold Constructed Transformers, allowing them to be saved, but in the process it may kill Rodimus, and will certainly destroy the Matrix half. Before he potentially dies he wants to talk to Ambus though. Nearby, Swerve hears Tyrest talking, as he states "One, One". This causes all the Legislators to stop their attack outside, and rush to his aid.

Ambus reveals to Rodimus that he DID lure the Lost Light to Luna-1, but having Tyrest remotely access the armour to return it to him, rather than teleporting, so that they would follow, and Tyrest would knock some sense into Rodimus for his poor leadership style, this was of course before he knew Tyrest had gone coo-coo-bananas. Rodimus in turn reveals that he was involved in Overlord being on the ship, as Prowl basiclaly goaded him into doing it, b ut he promises that if he survives the Kill Switch reset, then he'll make amends. Perceptor activates the switch.

Skids, on the other side of the portal arrives on a strange world with several nearby metallic plants floating around, he is greeted by a giant multi-coloured spark who speaks to him in a strange language he doesn't understand.

The Kill Switch works, and all the Cold Constructed are returned to normal, all across the universe, however, the Matrix half is destroyed in the process. Before long, the Legislators have marched into the room, and start attacking the Autobots. Outside, Cyclonus and Whirl meet on top of the Smelting pool, with Whirl glad about their victory, he asks Cyclonus if they're cool, to which Cyclonus imagines himself pushing Whirl into the pool, killing him, but instead just leaves, agreeing to end their fued.

Skids rushes back through the portal after hearing Rung call for help, and Pharma's headless body is grabbed by some tendrils and pulled through the portal. During the battle, Tailgate learns about Tyrest's computer and how the Legislators are linked to it, so he modified the last accord, which repeals the entire thing, making the Legislators stop in their tracks, however Tailgate collapses from his illness

The next day, Cyclonus is with Chromedome in a medibay with Tailgate, who knows that his death is near now, he tells Cyclonus that he has a gift for him in their hab-suite and how he was only born a couple of weeks before the Ark-1 launch, and he's just wanted to do something with his life, he begs Cyclonus to kill him, but he refuses. Ratchet contacts Cyclonus to tell him they've found the cure in Pharma's medibays with Swerve's help, but it's too late to apply it, as Tailgate's spark is too weak. Cyclonus goes off in a strop, but is stopped by Whirl...a short time later, he arrives at Tailgate's deathbed again, with his great sword, and skewers him with it.

The Lost Light leaves soon afterwards, with Ambus back in the Ultra Magnus armour, and Rodimus beginning his plans to make amends, but is worried about his crew, since Ambulon and several others were killed, First Aid's gone quiet, and Brainstorm's locked himself in his workshop (unknown to others, with the Point One Percentor spark), and they wonder how Luna-1 was kept missing for so long, when Tyrest found it so easily, which is revealed to be, unknown to them as well, because the planet has a massive rocket on the back.

Later, Ultra Magnus visits Cyclonus in his hab suite, now sporting a new horn, thanks to Tailgate, and asks how Tailgate is doing, which Cyclonus replies that he needs to recover still from the treatment, revealing that he used the Great Sword to transplant some of his own spark into him, as he had excess energies, and that it was Whirl's idea. Magnus is impressed, and finally officially welcomes him aboard the ship.

The Sound of Breaking Glass

Earlier on, Rodimus and Ambus lead a mission on Luna-1 to try and recover what they can from the planet before they plan to leave. Brainstom finds his misplaced briefcase, but the space bridge itself is beyond fixing, they wonder about Pharma's missing body, but it's not that important right now. Meanwhile, Perceptor finds Tyrest's communications array, and starts work on repairing it.

At Swerve's bar on the Lost Light, Fort Max meets with Rung, and explains that he's been offered a new job, but it involves leaving the ship.

Rodimus returns to his office, and decides immediately to have Atomizer help him redecorate it appropriately, and remembers his last proper conversation with Drift, when he said he'll take the full consequences for Overlord being on the ship, as Rodimus is needed for the future.

Swerve returns to his bar, happy that he's helped Ratchet decipher the cure to Cybercrosis, when Brainstorm comes in, and asks him to keep an ear out for any chatter about his briefcase, which he's worried was opened during the problems on Luna-1, and that it'd be dangerous if that happened.

At the morgue, Ratchet finds Ambus trying to put the Magnus armour back on, and he reveals that he knows how it works, and helps him put it back on, and tells him that he's always thought of him at the TRUE Ultra Magnus, as he's done it the longest. After Magnus leaves, Ratchet goes on to his true job, and starts reviving Red Alert.

On Luna-1, Rodimus and Getaway are trying to make the hot spot ignite again, but with no luck, as the Matrix was clearly what made it ignite originally, though they do wonder why it has died out anyway, since hot spots tends to stay active after they activate. Soon, Fort Max and Red Alert join them, with Max glad to be taking over as the Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord, and with Red Alert helping him on Luna-1, along with some of the Circle of Light, so they can keep up the job of enforcing the laws, which are still needed, and also protect the moon, and watch over Tyrest's unconscious body. Red Alert plans to reprogram the Legislators to guard Luna-1 as well.

Perceptor has the communications activated, and plans to make a copy for the ship, when they get in contact with Cybertron though, they're shocked to find Starscream responding.

Later, after the ship has gone, Outrigger, a member of the Circle runs and tells Red that Tyrest has moved, but when they get there, he's gone (having activated a recall button of his own, and teleported away)

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Minimus Ambus/Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport Middle body decapitated, back in main Armour

Skids - Van

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Chromedome - Car

Swerve - Van

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Rung - Maintenance Buggy

Brainstorm - Jet

Perceptor

Getaway

Prowl - Car

Pharma - Jet Decapitated by First Aid, Kidnapped by Tendrils

Fortress Maximus - Tank Stayed on Luna-1

Red Alert Revived, and Stayed on Luna-1

Grapple

Inferno

Drift - Car (Flashback) Self Exiled

Optimus Prime (Mentioned)

Ambulon (Mentioned) Dead

Bumblebee (Mentioned)

Duobots (Mentioned) Dead

Wheeljack (Mentioned)

Atomizer (Mentioned)

High Command on Cybertron (Mentioned)

Pipes - Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Rewind - Giant Memory Stick (Mentioned) Dead

Lancet (Mentioned) Maybe Dead

Lockstock (Mentioned) Maybe Dead

Suture (Mentioned) Died as Ultra Magnus

Datum (Mentioned) Died as Ultra Magnus

Ramp (Mentioned) Died as Ultra Magnus

Blockus (Mentioned) Died as Ultra Magnus

Original Ultra Magnus (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Kaon

Krok

Spinister

Overlord (Mentioned)

Lockdown (Mentioned)

Circle of Light

Dai Atlas (Mentioned) Killed by Star Saber

Outrigger Stays on Luna-1

Other Members Several killed in battle, some stayed on Luna-1

Other

Cyclonus - Jet

Tailgate - Car Cured from Cybercrosis

Chief Justice Tyrest Badly injured by Minimus Ambus, Gone missing

Star Saber Eye stabbed by Cyclonus, teleported away

Starscream - Jet

Legislators Disabled by Tailgate

Strange Giant Spark

Tendrils

The Pet

Brainstorm's Point One Percenter Spark

Nominus Prime (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Sparkeater (Mentioned)

Galactic Council (Mentioned)

Thunder-Something (Mentioned)

Vector Sigma (Mentioned)

NAIL's (Mentioned)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Notes

• This comic featured a small prose story afterwards, which I have included the brief synopsis for here as well
• I'm pretty sure I predicted that there would be a smaller Minimus inside the larger one at some point as well...
• From the looks of him when he's teleporting, it looks like Cyclonus may have sliced off Star Saber's arm
• Brainstorm is revealed here to be Cold Constructed.
• Rung seems to feel guilty or something, judging by how he can't enter the portal...wonder if that'll be brought up later...
• First Aid killing Pharma the way he does is pretty much exactly what he planned to do last issue, but Ratchet told him not to.
• Oddly, Tyrest accidentally saved Whirl's life, as he called for his Legislators to come to his aide just as one was about to kill him!
• Rodimus reveals that he was in on the Overlord conspiracy from the start, this is sort of hinted at back when Drift comments about Red Alert is snooping around, as Drift mentions to him that he's worried he'll find something he shouldn't.
• The giant spark's speech is made of just images. It's unclear what they mean, but from them, you could see it as meaning "Skids, what, Autobots, Decepticons, (or Cybertronian), The Lost Light, Not the Lost Light, Luna-1" which could be translated as "Skids? Did you come from a Cybertronian ship?", "Not a ship...Luna-1!"
• I really, really do think the alien world Skids went to has something to do with Quintessons, and the tendrils taking away Pharma's body sort of adds to that too!
• Tailgate finally learns the importance of a semi-colon, when it saves the day against the Legislators.
• Tailgate is revealed here to have only been 2 weeks old when he was trapped underground, which reveals why his holo-avatar looked like a baby.
• Tailgate also finally had his arm's writing redone to it's proper state "Waste Disposal"
• Brainstorm has kept the Point One Percenter spark, which seemed to be kept in his chest during the mission on Luna-1
• Cyclonus' connection to the Great Sword (which he's now wearing like Drift did) is explained as being because of his rebirth at Vector Sigma, as it gave him a more powerful and "newer" spark.
• The Space Bridge to "Cyberutopia" was destroyed during the battle with the Legislators.
• Fort Max, Red Alert (who's been revived) and several of the Circle of Light have stayed behind on Luna-1 to maintain it, and to watch over the injured Tyrest (who goes missing)
• Drift's exile is revealed to have been his idea, as a vision he had during the Chaos event showed him that Rodimus was vital to the future.
• Brainstorm thinks someone looked into the briefcase, which he asks Swerve to look into. hey, remember a few issues ago when Swerve said he'll look in that briefcase even if he dies trying?
• Ratchet is revealed to have known about the Magnus Armour since it was created
• The Lost Light now has possession of cures to various fatal illnesses to Cybertronians, thanks to Pharma's Medi-Bay.
• The hot spot on Luna-1 has died out, and Rodimus sprinkles the remains of the Matrix half on it out of respect.
• Rodimus plans to have a memorial to all those who have died under his watch set up in his office now.
• Ambus mentions Rodimus having an incident with someone starting with "Thunder-", since the next issue's solicit shows that Thunderclash is set to appear somehow, it could be him (then again, it could be Thundercracker, finally having left Earth for all we know, or Thunderwing, Thunderblast etc)
• The Lost Light finally make contact with Cybertron, but it's Starscream who answers the call, as he's now leader of the Cybertronians.
• Perceptor plans to create a copy of Tyrest's communications array for the Lost Light.
• It's mentioned here that some of the Circle of Light stay on Luna-1 to help out, that could mean that some went away with the Lost Light.