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.