IDW - Transformers vs G.I. Joe #5

Title: Everybody Hates Metroplex

Written by: Tom Scioli and John Barber

Art, Colours and Lettering by: Tom Scioli

Production by: Chris Mowry

Edits by: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Optimus, Snake Eyes and Duke are being held by the Quintessons and are placed on trial for their theft of their own lives (they're delusional). Their minds are probed by the Quintessons and learn some of their darkest moments, and what made them who they are today. Optimus and the others manage to escape their captives (HOW?!) and start to drive back to normal space (....yeah...they drive back....)

On Cybertron, the Autobots and Joes, who have now teamed up are being attacked from the outside by the Decepticons and Cobra, by also burning away the terraformed area around Iacon. Some of the Autobots leave Metroplex to combat Fortress Maximus, who appears to have joined the Decepticon's side for unknown reasons. During the battle, Wild Bill is released from the infirmary, where he goes and opens the gates for Cobra to break in, revealing that he is actually Zartan in disguise.

Meanwhile, on Earth Cobra attack Blackwater Prison and free several captured Cobra agents, whilst Hawk is attacked at how by Storm Shadow, who is trying to steal his tomahawk, an old family heirloom.

Back on Cybertron, Tunnel Rat and several other Joes, along with Arcee enter Fort Max, fight past the Oktober Guard and manage to find Clyde (the pig....). Inside Max's brain Arcee and some Joes find Blackarachnia, who has implanted mines into Max's brain to make him essentially a zombie under her control. Meanwhile, the other Joe animals, also seemingly under her control attack their owners.

Rodimus returns to Metroplex with Blaster and his human "captives" and hands them over to the others for repairs etc.

On Earth, Destro and Serpentress visit the comatose body of Cobra Commander, planning to kill him off once and for all, but discover that it is in fact a replacement body, and not his own, meaning that he is out there somewhere!

Rodimus tries to make Metroplex transform to robot mode to help with the fight, but Grimlock stops him, declaring himself as king, and the two start to fight over leadership. However within a few seconds Grimlock jumps up into Trypticon's mouth and attacks Megatron head on.

Fortress Maximus rejoins the fight as an Autobot (we don't see how this happens, but let's assume Blackarachnia was defeated). Trypticon bites off Fortress Maximus' head, but the head changes to it's Cerebros mode, allows the Joes and Autobots to escape, along with his own head, Galen.

Megatron is victorious in his battle with Grimlock, and now has his head and tail added to his body.

All of a sudden Snake Eyes and Duke arrive on Cybertron and join the fight thanks to Optimus, who remains anonymous for some reason. Megatron decides to call a retreat, and leaves with a few Joes as prisoners. In the cells, Raptor offers the prisoners food, and an occult book to read.

Optimus arrives in Earth's orbit in killer butterfly mode, destroys the Colton Bolt WMD and begins to head down towards the PIT (to rescue Bumblebee's body I'd guess)

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Rodimus - Car

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex Killed by Megatron

Fortress Maximus

Cerebros - Fortress Maximus' Head

Galen - Cerebros' Head

Metroplex - Giant Slug Thing

Ratchet

Wheeljack - Car

Perceptor - Tank

Arcee - Car

Inferno - Fire Truck

Seaspray - Hovercraft

Ironhide - Treaded Vehicle

Jazz - Car

Sunstreaker

Trailbreaker

Hoist

Powerglide

Slag - Triceratops

Swoop - Pteranodon

Brawn - Van

Blaster Injured

Random Autobots

Bumblebee Head around Megatron's neck

Alpha Trion (Memory)

Ultra Magnus (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron

Trypticon

Blackarachnis Maybe dead?

Spectro

Spyglass

Viewfinder

Mixmaster

Scavenger

Bonecrusher

Flamefeather

Ruckus

Straxus

Random Decepticons

G.I. Joe

Duke

Hawk

Scarlett

Spirit

Shipwreck

Doc

Sci-Fi

Gung-Ho

Cutter

Spearhead

Stalker

Cover Girl

Beachhead

Roadblock

Mutt

Dusty

Alpine

Clutch

Lift-Ticket

Tunnel Rat

Breaker

Jinx

Lt. Falcon

Sandstorm

Mainframe

Chuckles

Barbecue

Psych Out

Frostbite

Steeler

Rock 'n Roll

Snow Job

Ace

Order

Clyde

Polly/Seasick

Max

Freedom

Junkyard

Wild Bill (Disguise used by Zartan)

General Flagg (Voice)

Cobra

Snake Eyes

Serpentress

Destro

Zartan

Raptor

Storm Shadow

Firefly

Zartan

Major Bludd

Tomax

Xamot

Cobra Troops

"Fake Cobra Commander"/Fred Comatose

Cobra Commander (Mentioned) Missing

Oktober Guard

Colonel Breakoff

Dragun

Munchnik

Other

Quintessons

Allicons - Alligators

Hawk's Ancestors (Flashback)

Duke's Mother (Memory)

Duke's Stepfather (Memory)

Blind Master (Memory)

Notes

• Ugh...it's back....
• The Quintessons are redesigned as Eldritch looking monsters here, who appear to believe they are the creators over all.
• I wonder if the Sharkticons inside Metroplex are anything to do with the Quintessons as well?
• It looks like Cybertron is now close to Earth....when did that happen?!
• It appears that Wild Bill didn't actually survive his earlier incident, as he was replaced by Zartan.
• Why is Wild Bill/Zartan sweeping in the medical bay? Also, why did the Joes bring a broom to Cybertron with them?
• Hawk's Tomahawk was hinted as being magical or something back in issue one when he used it to cleave into Ravage's skull
• Blackarachnia can only be identified here because she is name dropped...at least the other characters have some passing resemblance to who they are meant to be!
• It's unclear why the GI Joe pets are turned evil briefly, it's also not shown how they are returned to normal...nor how Fort Max is returned to normal....or what happened to Blackarachnia...or the Oktober Guard...
• So how did Optimus and the humans escape from the giant Quintessons?
• Cobra Commander is revealed to be thought to be in a coma since the incident with Snake Eyes, however it is also revealed that he was at some point replaced by a "Fred".
• Why did Grimlock randomly leave his battle with Rodimus just to attack Megatron?
• Galen is shown here to be a Cybertronian,, rather than a Nebulan as he normally is.
• Megatron with Grimlock's dino head and tail attached to his arms give him a pasing resemblance to Beast Era Megatron.
• WHY IS MEGATRON RETREATING?! HE IS WINNING THE FIGHT!!!
• When did Cobra capture the Joes?
• Optimus is using his trailer as a pair of wings....not in the cool way like in DOTM, Animated or Prime...it just looks like he's a robot butterfly....
• Despite his prominence on the cover, Tunnel Rat does basically nothing in this issue.