IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #30

Title: World, Shut your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: a Beginner's Guide

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Alex Milne

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editorial Assistance: Rebecca Huard

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Six months ago, Megatron has Ultra Magnus begin his declaration, rescinding his guilty plea, when suddenly the Decepticons who were being held on the Lost Light break out and rush the stadium, intending to rescue Megatron. However Megatron refuses to be rescued, proving his intent to see the trial through. Afterwards the trial is forced to have a recess. During the recess Magnus explains that since the trial is being held on Luna-2 and not Cybertron, Megatron has the right to seek an audience with the Knights of Cybertron themselves to resolve the trial (due to an ancient law), which of course angers Starscream and Prowl, but the others think about what would work out best in the public's eyes.

Optimus visits Megatron in his cell, and confronts him on insisting on the trial being on Luna-2, due to the stadium being big enough for all his victims to gather in, and Megatron confirms that he was holding the Knight's as a back-up plan, as he now wants to be remembered as more than just a tyrant when he is executed (as he believes will happen). Optimus agrees to let him join the Lost Light on their quest on the condition that he reads a statement that Optimus has prepared in front of the crowd in the trial.

Megatron is brought back to the trial, where he reads off Optimus' message, where he disbands the Decepticons, and publicly renounces them, and urges all other Decepticons to do the same. Afterwards Optimus thanks Megatron, and allows him to join the Lost Light, after he leaves Megatron puts his head in his hands, seemingly distraught.

Nearby, Rodimus is showing off the new Rodpod the crew built for him (due to the old one blowing up) and Rodimus is told the result and fallout of the trial. Rodimus reveals that he has the list of people who voted against him, and shows Ratchet. He says he won't do anything about it as he wants to change his ways. Ratchet leaves, but tells him the list is fake, as HIS name wasn't on it.

In the present day, Megatron has called off today's Knights of Cybertron education class due to the issue with Rodimus' corpse suddenly appearing. Ratchet has First Aid perform an autopsy on Rodimus' body to verify the identity and cause of death, whilst Magnus calls in Rodimus himself...

Rodimus is understandably upset to come face to face with his own corpse, and argues with Megatron over their shared captaincy again, and about how Rodimus has been sulking since they took off from Cybertron.

Rodimus calls on a team of specialists to help identify the body further. First Aid confirms that this IS Rodimus due to the age of the innermost energon, but a little older. Chromedome confirms it by reading his mind and seeing his major life events. Nautica identifies the coffin as being Spectralist in design, which Rodimus recognizes as Drift's religion. They also determine that his cause of death was a hack-job of a shadowplay.

The group determine that at some point Rodimus reunites with Drift, is killed and is somehow sent back in time. This leads the group to discuss pre-determined futures and how they can alter them. During which Rodimus reveals he removed the crisis vote numbers from his hand, just as the wall behind his vanishes.

At Swerve's Bar, Tailgate is telling the story of how he beat Tyrest again, when Getaway comes in and gives him way more attention than what can be comfortable. During their moment, the alarms sound off.

The Lost Light is quickly vanishing, and the crew is evacuated in the shuttles. Rodimus, Megatron and several others leave via the Rodpod. Rodimus and Megatron continue to argue as the ship leaves, until Magnus points out that the entire ship is now gone!!

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Sports Car

Future Rodimus - Sports Car Killed by poor Shadowplay

Megatron - Tank

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Chromedome - Car

Skids - Van

Nautica - Submarine

Brainstorm - Jet

Nightbeat - Sports Car

Tailgate - Car

Getaway

Rung

Doublecross - Two Headed Dragon

Bluestreak - Car

Whirl - Opsrey Helicopter

Riptide - Boat

Swerve - Van

Smokescreen - Car

Siren 

Hosehead

Perceptor

Groove

Streetwise

Blades

Hot Spot

Dipstick

Slapdash

Atomizer

Highbrow - Helicopter

Blaster

Hoist - Crane

Jackpot

Mainframe

Hound - Jeep

Powerglide - Jet

Regugnus - Lizard Monster

Mirage

"Matrix Thief"

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Flashback Only)

Prowl - Emergency Speeder (Flashback Only)

Broadside - Jet (Flashback Only)

Sandstorm - Helicopter/Buggy (Flashback Only)

Ironhide - Van (Flashback Only)

Windblade - VTOL Jet (Flashback Only)

Chromia - Speedbike (Flashback Only)

Metroplex - City/Space Ship (Mentioned)

Ambulon - Leg (Mentioned) Dead

Drift - Car (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Hun-Grrr - Two Headed Dragon

Rippersnapper - Land Shark

Seawing

Tentakil

Snap Trap

Blip - Monster

Rage - Car

Bullletbike - Motorcycle

Snapdragon

Hydradread - Car

United Cybertron

Starscream - Jet (Flashback Only)

Rattrap - Mole-Rat (Flashback Only)

Other Cybertronians (Flashback Only)

Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet

"Ten"

Tyrest (Mentioned)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Notes

• Ultra Magnus uses a giant hammer like his Prime and Animated counterparts
• Bluestreak collected Earth movies during his time there
• Whirl's avatar is able to braid her hair, guess the hair design has improved a lot after all!
• Rodimus is revealed to be still on the Lost Light AND still in command, just a shared command with Megatron now as part of his release conditions.
• Megatron's dislike or fear of Mnemosurgery is shown again here when he winces at Chromedome's work on the Rodimus corpse
• Yeah...Getaway is acting a bit like a creepy sexual Predator this issue...let's see how this plays out before jumping to conditions though...
• This also gives a potential new context to his "Bomping" where it's implied he kisses Tailgate here whilst saying it.
• The list Atomizer gave to Rodimus is fake, but Rodimus still read it.
• The fuel Megatron has to take, and that Trailcutter accidentally took, is a power dampening fuel that makes him weaker, as part of his parole.
• To summarize Megatron's current situation: he hasn't been declared innocent, but he has to go with the Lost Light to find the Knights of Cybertron so THEY can judge his crimes. His position as (co) captain is so that he can't hide, as will be watched by the crew at all times.
• Someone who looks an awful lot like the Matrix Thief from Remain in Light, with some beast mode kibble is shown on the Lost Light in the scene where the bar is vanishing.