IDW - Robots in Disguise #26

Title: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9: Finis Temporis

Written by: John Barber and James Roberts

Art by: Andrew Griffith and Livio Ramondelli

Colours by: Josh Perez and Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

The Transformers are fending off the Necrotitan and Scoop continues to moan at Starscream, who is currently dying from the death mark. Starscream complains about how the only people around who may have helped him have just ignored his call when suddenly they answer.

The Lost Light and Metroplex apppear in Iacon, wiith Metroplex immediately attacking the Necrotitan, the Lost Light is unable to land properly so it crashes near the battle site as Bumblebee and the others watch and are amazed that their friends are indeed still alive.

Inside Metroplex Windblade asks Magnus if he knew Metroplex was going to have another Titan to fight when he landed, which he denies, but speculates that Metroplex himself knew though. Elsewhere inside the Titan Whirl reports that the Ammonites are still inside as well, so they still have to deal with them.

Outside, Bumblebee and the others approach the Lost Light and find Hound leading it as he starts to explain where Rodimus and the others are.

The groups discuss things and it's revealed that Metroplex's thumb is inside the Lost Light. Megatron notices that Metroplex keeps reaching for the ship, hich makes him realize what needs to be done to win the battle. He has Bumblebee take him inside the ship and finds the thumb, he uses the Space Bridge inside his body to transport it and himself to an unknown location, which Bumblebee is concerned will be just to hide on Luna-2.

In the Dead Universe Nova Prime attacks Orion Pax whilst his Robo-Zombies are fighting the rest of the Autobots and Cyclonus. During their fight Nova takes on the form of Sentinel Prime and then Zeta Prime to try and mess with Orion's mind.

Nova Prime is attacked by Kup who he easily whacks away then takes on the form of Optimus Prime himself. Orion is easily knocked down by his doppelganger, but the rest of the Autobots fight him off, except for Rodimus, who goes to give Orion a pep-talk about how despite his predecessors actions, HE is the one who has made the Prime name great again, and is the reason why he doesn't want to be a Prime, as the only true Prime is Optimus. 

After the talk Nova blasts Rodimus out of the way, angering Orion again, who attacks Nova, but not in anger, but confidence. He quickly tears off his arm and lands a punch right through Nova's chest, seemingly killing him.

Back on Cybertron Galvatron feels Nova Prime's death, he lets Shockwave know about it, which makes him glad as he can get on with the real plan now. He orders Metalhawk to kill Waspinator and informs Jhiaxus to get the machine ready.

Elsewhere, the Transformers are losing their respective battles until Megatron reappears in Metroplex's hand, allowing him to be restored to health using the healing ore inside it, and gives him the strength to kill the Necrotitan, which somehow heals those affected by his power before. With Metroplex healed up by his thumb his internal systems are repaired including the anti-bodies which kill the Ammonites. Megatron lays now nearby and seems happy, despite looking almost dead, that the "good guys" won today.

Elsewhere Galvatron is ready to admit defeat, with the death of Nova and the Necrotitan his plans to return Cybertron to it's former glory are gone. Shockwave however reveals that he was never planning to restore Nova and Galvatron to some throne, but his true goals are much gretaer. Metalhawk listens on from some cover with a still alive Waspinator as Jhiaxus makes finishing touches to a device that is designed to harness the powers of the Dead Universe from it's creation to it's end, and plans to use Galvatron as a link to power it.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime/Orion Pax - Truck Cab

Rodimus - Sports Car

Bumblebee - Muscle Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Prowl - Emergency Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Nightbeat - Sports Car

Ratchet - Ambulance

Brainstorm - Jet

Perceptor 

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Skids - Van

Getaway

Windblade - Jet

Chromia

Nautica

Hound - Jeep

Swerve - Van

Mainframe

Blaster

Hoist - Crane

Trailcutter - Van

Rung

Chromedome - Car

Slug - Triceratops

Metroplex - City/Space Ship

Sentinel Prime (Illusion)

Zeta Prime (Illusion)

Duobots (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Megatron Badly Damaged

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Soundwave - Van

Laserbeak - Data Disk

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Frenzy - Tank

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Astrotrain - Space Shuttle/Train

Hook - Crane

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Scavenger - Excavator

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Bludgeon - Tank

Waspinator - Wasp

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

United Cybertron

Starscream - Jet

Rattrap - Mole Rat

Scoop - Front End Loader

Blurr - Race Car

Landfill - Dump Truck

Flatline

Zetca

Iaconians

Cybertronian

Necrotitan - City/Space Ship Killed by Metroplex

Nova Prime - Truck Killed by Optimus Prime

Galvatron - Laser Tank

Jhiaxus - Jet

Metalhawk - Jet

Cyclonus - Jet

Robo-Zombies

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Nominus Prime (Mentioned)

Other

Ammonites Killed by Metroplex

Notes

• Andrew Griffith is back to his art duties, covering the Cybertron, Metroplex and Lost Light scenes with Livio Ramondelli continuing on as the Dead Universe artist.
• Bumblebee and the others are understandably confused about the Lost Light still existing considering the last time they saw it it was in an explosion!
• It also appears that Metroplex's brain module and his inhabitants have been moved into his head again (I can accept this considering Metroplex has just space bridged himself and the Lost Light to Cybertron, and it was shown in the 2012 Annual that the Titans can space bridge away smaller items accurately (ie Ore''s remains). Though as shown here he DIDN'T remove the Ammonites as well...
• Nova Prime transforms himself into all official Autobot Primes here (It's unclear if Nominus was an Autobot, and Rodimus was self appointed
• Metroplex's severed thumb is revealed here to be soaked in one of Shockwave's ores. The ore in Metroplex's thumb seems to have a healing effect that is able to spread across a great distance as it seems to be what heals those injured by the Necrotitan, unless the death of the Necrotitan is what healed them....
• Orion Pax takes back his name of Optimus Prime after Rodimus convinces him that it's HIS actions that have made the name great again following the dark actions of his predecessors 
• It's revealed here that the plan all along has been to wait for Nova Prime to die, along with his control over the Dead Universe so they can harness it's power for Shockwave's final victory, but using Galvatron as a link as well.
• It seems funny to me that Megatron was being used as a portal to the Dead Universe at the start of this storyline, and now it seems that Galvatron (who is a rebuilt version of Megatron in some continuities) is going to be used in a similar way here.
• According to Shockwave samples of all of the ores that he seeded across the galaxy that actually managed to survive have all returned to Cybertron now. So I guess we're getting to see the purpose in them soon!
• The Robo-Zombies in the Dead Universe are shown to be in more styles than just Sweeps, this could account for all the different body types in Galvatron's army in Heart of Darkness, or they could just be other members of the Ark-1 crew.

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #26

Title: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8: Burning Bright

Written by: James  Roberts and John Barber

Art by: James Raiz, Atilio Rojo and Livio Ramondelli

Colours by: Josh Perez and Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Bumblebee drives along the wilderness of Cybertron towards Iacon with Megatron hanging onto his roof, along the way the duo discuss what needs to be done. Megatron points out that due to it's composition the Necrtitan is neither dead or alive so it cannot be stopped by killing it, and begins formulating a new plan to save "his" people.

In Iacon itself the Necrotitan continues it's rampage and Starscream feels sorry for himself. Rattrap finds him, and Starscream congratulates him out out-scheming him with Scoop's help, but Rattrap reveals he's not there to take command, and reveals the returning Prowl, Soundwave and their armies who take control of the situation and begin a counterattack plan against the Titan.

Meanwhile, inside Metroplex Getaway diffuses the ensuing fight between the Autobots and Female Transformers when he reveals that they're all Autobots and they should work together against a common foe, namely the Ammonites who just broke down the doors into the chamber.

The Females lead Magnus and some of the others up their zip-line to help protect Metrooplex's brain (which was moved) whilst the rest of the Autobots fight off the Ammonites. Along the way Ratchet starts to bring up Chromia and Nautica's female natures, but stops when Chromia seems a bit snappy about the subject, they reach the left shoulder blade and find the brain, and Windblade guarding it.

In the Dead Universe Nightbeat leads the team to Kup and they take down a load of Sweeps along the way. Once there Orion has Cyclonus guard the door and Nightbeat starts separating Kup from the machines. Whilst this is happening Rodimus tells Orion about what happened with Overlord, and explains that he admitted his part in the incident to the crew and invoked the Crisis Act and asked the crew to vote on whether he should be captain anymore or not. 89 voted "no", but 101 voted "yes", so he reamined on as captain. However he decided to work harder to win back the trust of the 89 who voted "no" so he scratched the numbers into his hands as a reminder. Afterwards rather than giving him a "no-one's perfect" speech Orion tells him that he should have quit rather than forcing a vote and that he's ashamed of him.

Kup is revived fully and seems ready for battle, but suddenly Cyclonus is thrown into him by Nova Prime, who prepares to battle with Orion Pax, once and for all.

At Metroplex's brain the Females explain that they arrived here after being members of Thunderclash's crew when Alpha Trion ran into them and explained the problems with Metroplex, the three of them left the ship and started working on saving him, but it's not going well. Magnus however has an idea, and thinks he knows why Metroplex called out to them originally now as well. He has Metroplex's systems opened up somewhat and contacts the Lost Light asking them to send Quantum Jump energy from the engines to Metroplex (using the water as a conduit) so they can jump start him (like the Lost Light did with the Vis Vitalis in issue 22).

In Iacon, things are going bad still, the Medics aren't getting along well and they try to repair the big guns like Omega Supreme and the Aerialbots, but nothing seems to be working too well against the Necrotitan. During the battles Prowl asks Soundwave what Shockwave's real goal is, as none off this makes sense. Soundwave admits that Shockwave was never devoted to the Decepticon cause and has always had his own agenda, whatever it is. Prowl comments that they need a miracle, to which Megatron and Bumblebee appear (Megatron had Bumblebee wait for the perfect moment to appear). Megatron suggests that they send all the Cybertronians they can to Luna-2 until the battle is over, and he'll call for reinforcements in space to return and fight as well. Bumblebee refuses that option as he won't give up Cybertron to the Decepticons that way, and is determined that together they can win this war against Shockwave.

With that a Quantum Jump occurs and the Lost Light and Metroplex appear in Iacon, ready to face the Necrotitan.

Characters

Autobot

Orion Pax - Truck

Rodimus - Sports Car

Bumblebee - Muscle Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Prowl - Emergency Car

Nightbeat - Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Metroplex - City/ Space Ship

Getaway

Perceptor

Ratchet - Ambulance

Skids - Van

Brainstorm - Jet

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Windblade - Jet

Chromia

Nautica

Ironhide - Van

Arcee - Car

Swoop - Pteranodon

Slug - Triceratops

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Fixit - Ambulance

Alpha Trion (Mentioned)

Hound - Jeep (Mentioned)

Drift - Car (Mentioned)

Thunderclash (Mentioned)

Pharma - Jet (Mentioned)

Aerialbots - Jets (Mentioned) Out of Commission

Omega Supreme - Rocket and Base (Mentioned) Out of Commission

Jetfire - Jet (Mentioned) Out of Commission

Other Autobots

Decepticon

Megatron Legless

Soundwave - Van

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Ravage - Cassette

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Shockwave - Flying Artillery (Mentioned)

Overlord - Tank and Jet (Mentioned)

Squadron X (Mentioned)

Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned)

Other Decepticons

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Rattrap - Mole Rat

Scoop - Front End Loader

Blurr - Race Car

Flatline

Sky-Byte - Flying Shark Injured in Battle

Other Iaconians

Cybertronian

Nova Prime - Truck

Cyclonus - Jet Dying

Necrotitan - City/Space Ship

Sweeps - Space Ships

Other

Ammonites

Notes

• Judging by how Megatron keeps hanging onto Bumblebee's roof/back during his transformation, I guess he has no moving parts in that area during conversion
• It seems implied here that Starscream might not know Ironhide or the Dinobots by name/face as he just refers to them as "uh...everybody elsse..."
• Prowl calls Slag by his new name "Slug"...when did they have the chance to discuss his name change exactly?
• How did Getaway notice Nautica's Autobot insignia if it was covered in so much dirt?
• Chromia mistakes Ratchet for Pharma, which is understandable as they have the same head etc.
• Why are Chromia and the others having to catch up with Cybertronian history? Maybe something connected to their female natures?
• Optimus seems really mad with Rodimus here due to his actions involving Overlord and not stepping down as leader...wonder if he'll act the same way when he learns of Prowl's involvements in SEVERAL dubious acts.
• Also, it's weird that 101 of Rodimus' crew were OK with him remaining as captain despite being told about his involvement with Overlord...then again this is a crew that includes Whirl!
• Windblade being able to understand Meetrooplex through reading the flashes of light could be a reference to the strange language Skids couldn't understand in "Supposed-Cyberutopia".
• Alpha Trion isn't with Metroplex right now as he's almost found the "Holy Grail" and needed to recover it...wonder what it is? The Star Saber perhaps?
• Flatline's reaction to Fixit using a trailer to store the injured implies that the trailer wasn't designed for medical use, or is an outdated technology.
• The Lost Light finally returns to Cybertron after being thought to be dead by the rest of the planet.

IDW - Regeneration One #98

Title: The War To End All Wars Part 3

Writer: Simon Furman

Breakdowns: Guido Guidi

Finishes: Stephen Baskerville

Colourist: John-Paul Bove

Letterer: Chris Mowry

Editor: John Barber

Editor-in-Chief: Chris Ryall

Plot

The Autobot armada led by Rodimus Prime attacks the Hub, aiming to fire on a weak point they've detected and destroy the whole thing. Rodimus is confident this will work, and want's Jhiaxus to pay for all he's done, but Jetfire is concerned that it all seems too easy, and that perhaps Jhiaxus knows what's happening.

On Earth, the Space Bridge is completed and some humans Optimus are waiting for an arrival from Nebulos, but the person who comes through is a newly revived Fortress Maximus. The sight of his former partner stuns Circuit Breaker/Spike, Optimus goes to confront Max on why he's there, but the giant Autobot instead blasts him and captures Spike. Optimus tries to stop them from leaving, but is instead smashed apart by Maximus, leaving him badly injured and unable to stp them from leaving.

Back at the Hub, the attack against the weak point continues and it is hit...however it does nothing to the complete structure, revealing that Jetfire's concerns were correct, and the Cybertronian Empire's full force comes out of hiding and attack the Autobots, causing a lot of damage. 

Ultra Magnus' team, on the surface of the Hub roll out to hide from the Empire, however on the way Hound is killed, while Fastlane and Chromedome split up from the group. The troops chasing them blow out the road in front of Magnus and the others, forcing them to stop and fight on foot (and Nightbeat to crash).

Jhiaxus contacts Rodimus on his ship and shows footage of all the carnage, forcing Rodimus to surrender and end the battle.

On the Ark, the consciousness inside Starscream makes the ship land on Cybertron so they can find Jhiaxus and make him pay for what he did. In the process Starscream revives Shockwave into a new body so he can assist him, rather than keeping him trapped within the Ark.

In the Primus Chamber, the Acolytes of Unicron have delivered Galvatron to their master, Primus, who promptly kills them all, and continues with his plans of "One will be all" as he surges with green energon.

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus Prime - Caravan

Optimus Prime - Truck Badly Injured/Killed by Fortress Maximus

Fortress Maximus - Battle Platform Possessed by Matrix Spawn

Ultra Magnus - Car Carrier

Nightbeat - Sports Car

Chromedome - Car

Bumblebee - VW Beetle Car

Fastlane - Dragster

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Hound - Jeep Killed by Empire

Jetfire - Jet

Blurr - Race Car

Blaster - Boom Box

Blades - Rescue Chopper

Groove - Police Motorcycle

Powerglide - A-10 Thunderbolt

Scattershot - Jet

Wheeljack - Race Car

Jazz - Porsche

Skids - Van

Getaway - Race Car

Beachcomber - Dune Buggy

Sky High - Helicopter

Springer - Helicopter/Rocket Car (Mentioned) Dead

Other Autobots

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet Possessed by "The Four"

Shockwave - Ray Gun

Galvatron - Laser Cannon Unconscious

Human

Circuit Smasher/Spike Witwicky

Linda Chang

G.B. Blackrock

Gordon Kent

Other Humans

Other

Primus

Jhiaxus - Jet

Second Generation Cybertronians - Jets

Acolytes of Unicron Killed by Primus

"The Four" Possessing Starscream

Notes

• So...after Rodimus was shocked about Jhiaxus not needing a physical structure for Space Bridges, the Autobots are shown using them here...maybe they somehow copied Jhiaxus' technology in a day?
• Fort Max coming to Earth instead of (presumably) Quickmix and the others on Nebulos could imply that Max killed them offscreen
• Fort Max shouldn't be this big as his larger body was built after the Autobots left Nebulos originally.
• Getaway and Skids being on a team together is likely a reference to More Than Meets The Eye where the two are partners (though here it seems that Getaway is ranked higher than Skids)
• Starscream's Underbase powers are shown to be able to restore life to normal here, rather than just being a destructive force
• Fort Max's and Primus' new mantra of "One will be all" sounds a lot like Unicron's goal of Universal devuring. It's also of course a corruption of "Til All are One"