IDW - Robots in Disguise #30

Title: Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Flashback Art (pgs 1-6) by: Casey W. Collier

Flashback Art (pgs 16-18) by: Brendan Cahill

Colours by: Josh Perez

Flashback Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

10 Million years in the past, Galvatron slaughters the Headmasters during the first civil war. After his victory, he is approached by Alpha Trion, who offers him Cybertron itself.

4 Months ago from the present, the Decepticons, now under Galvatron's command have returned from their meeting with the EDC, and Galvatron doesn't understand why they don't just conquer the planet and take what they want that way. Soundwave tells him that the best method is to be straight with the humans, since they seem to be the only survivors of the war.

In the present, Devastator has been formed, and he challenges Galvatron to a battle, who seems excited to finally have a challenge. The Decepticons all converge on Devastator, whilst the Autobots try to get the humans to safety.

From a short way away the EDC are angry that the Decepticons are breaking protocol, and about the Cybertronian exposure, they discover that Soundwave has erected a dampening field to stop the exposure from spreading, and that he at least is trying to contain the situation.

Faireborn contacts Skywarp and tells him to transport the Decepticons away, but he cant due to Soundwave's field, so Faireborn tries another idea, she sets off a "Mind Bomb" that only affects Cybertronian brain waves they have on file (the Decepticons) and weakens them, allowing the field to go down and Skywarp to teleport them away. The Autobots escape in Sky Lynx before the EDC arrive.

On their way back to the Ark-7, the EDC lock down the town to stop any news from spreading, whilst Optimus loudly scolds Prowl for his actions. Prowl defends himself by saying that he needed to try and expose them, as it was clear they wanted to be hidden for a while. He also wanted to see if the EDC would kill the civilians of the town to keep their secret (they aren't yet)/ All of which seems to disturb Optimus.

Arcee flashbacks to just after the trial of Megatron, when Prowl asked her what she thought about the newly arrived Female Transformers, and she admits to feel nothing for them. Afterwards she talks to Optimus about how Hardhead died and asked to go with him to Earth, as it seems to have an effect on their species.

Back in the present, Prowl, corroborated by Jetfire explain that the EDC's weapon appears to use a Cybertronian brain to work it. Meaning they have one in their possession somewhere, which they all believe to be Alpha Trion. Jetfire tracks down the originating signature to the Marshall Islands, where they head off to. Meanwhile, unknown to them, Scavenger has been spying on them, and sneaks off to send this information to Soundwave.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Jazz - Sports Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Prowl - Police Car

Arcee - Sports Car

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Jetfire - Jet

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle

Cosmos - Orbiter

Alpha Trion - Speeder (Flashback)

Windblade - Jet (Flashback)

Chromia (Mentioned)

Nautica (Mentioned)

Megatron (Mentioned)

Hardhead Dead (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Galvatron - Tank

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Blitzwing - Tank/Fighter Jet

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Brawl - Tank

Astrotrain - Train/Space Shuttle

Rumble - Cassette

Frenzy - Cassette

Laserbeak - Cassette

Buzzsaw - Cassette Wings Crushed by Devastator

Skywarp Hooked up to Decepticon Ship

Human

Director Marissa Faireborn

General Daniel Witwicky

Dr. Sanjay Bharwaney

EDC Soldiers

Poverty Flats Civilians Placed under Arrest

The President (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Scavenger - Excavator

Hook - Crane

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Devastator - Construction and Prowl Gestalt

The Headmasters Killed by Galvatron (Flashback)

Myskrion Killed by Galvatron (Flashback)

Myskrion's Partner Killed by Galvatron (Flashback)

Nexus (Mentioned)

Nova Prime (Mentioned)

Other

D.O.C.

Notes

• The opening scene of Galvatron shows us the Headmaster faction mentioned in Heart of Darkness
• The notion of the 13 tribes is also hinted at here too, with the leader of the Headmasters being hinted at as being Nexus Prime (one of the original 13)
• Galvatron's "barbarian" body is based on his original G1 toy
• Galvatron seems to be very defensive over the idea that he has a master at several times here...I think he's trying to hide something....
• Alpha Trion's speeder mode was first shown in the notes for the Ironhide mini-series, but not in the actual comics themselves.
• The Decepticon ship in the present is designed to look like the Revenge from the 80's Movie. Very fitting with Galvatron as the Decepticon's leader now!
• For some reason Prowl is the only one of the Devastator combination to have a "bloody nose"...maybe he's starting to become injured from the gestalt process?
• Skywarp has been hooked up the the Decepticon ship and appears to control parts of it now, following his injuries that made him intangible in the past.
• Since Devastator requires perfectly in-sync minds to form porperly, it seems unlikely that Scavenger could be a real spy, implying that either all the Constructicons and Prowl are siding with Soundwave now, or Soundwave is himself a double agent now, and the Autobots know about it.
• Prowl has learned Chromia and Windblade's name, but not Nautica's...how insulting!