IDW - Transformers: Windblade #3

Title: Combiner Wars Part 5

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Story by: Mairghread Scott & John Barber

Pencils by: Marcelo Ferreira & Corin Howell

Inks by: Corin Howell, Brian Shearer & John Wycough

Colours by: Yamaishi [Coordination: Phases] & Thomas Deer

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Plot

The combined form of Optimus and the others walk through the Spacebridge  and tries to take control of the other combiners, but suddenly he starts to malfunction, since the component parts aren't able to unite their minds. Devastator attacks the newcomer, seeing him his replacement as Prowl's team. The two Autobot combiners hold off the Decepticons, and defends Optimus and the others.

Back at the Spacebridge control room on Cybertron, Windblade and Wheeljack hold their ground against the Decepticons, but are saved in the end when Stasrcream appears ans shoots Swindle right through the chest. A quick fight starts off, and Wheeljack manages to stabilize the Spacebridge enough to set the coordinates to Caminus, allowing Chromia and the others to come through and help in the battle. The Decepticons surrender and has them arrested. Wheeljack reports that the Spacebridge is still damaged, and starts working on repairing it.

Rattrap secretly talks to the dying Swindle, who reveals that he knew he was dead the moment Starscream arrested him before. He reveals that he has proof of his deal with Starscream to attack Caminus. Starscream appears behind them, where Rattrap claims that Swindle, who has now died, had done so before he even hit the floor...

On the colony world, the new combiner is still catatonic whilst the other combiners fight to defend him. Inside it's mind, Optimus and the others speak to Prowl, and make him realise that his way is wrong, and his views of the world using numbers and facts is flawed. Prowl finally understands this, allowing his mind to merge with the others, and not trying to control it. the combiner is complete again.

The new combiner joins the battle and manages to turn the tide. On Cybertron, the Spacebridge is repaired enough to work again, and Defensor manages to come through with Menasor subdued, however Optimus fights with Devasatator through the Spacebridge, appearing in various places through the portals, causing damage in each new location, eventually returning to Cybertron, where the Autobot combiners gang up on Devastator and force him to separate. 

Starscream has the Constructicons and Scoop placed under arrest...at least until they can figure out how to control Devastator. The new combiner, who now identifies as Optimus Maximus, separates and surrenders Prowl over to Starscream with no resistance. Superion mourns the "death" of Optimus Maximus with Prowl's arrest.

Before long, things are starting to get back to normal, the Council of Worlds is founded, and Rattrap is named as Cybertron's representative, Prowl is arrested, but Optimus comes to visit him, to show him that there is still hope.

However, all is not okay in the universe, on Velocitron and Eukaris the colonists investigate the damage caused by the Combiner Wars and report their findings to their leaders.

In distant space, a spaceship is flying around, and Obsidian reports that the signals from the Spacebridge that opened earlier match Cybertron, which pleases his leader, Elita One, on her throne made of dead Cybertronians......

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Ironhide - Van

Mirage - Race Car

Sunstreaker - Sports Car

Optimus Maximus - Autobot Gestalt

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Wheeljack - Race Car

Chromia - Speedbike

Superion - Aerialbot Gestalt

Defensor - Protectobot Gestalt

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Metroplex - City/Space Ship (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Waspinator - Wasp

Fat Tankor - Tank

Tall Tankor - Cargo Plane/Oil Tanker

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Menasor - Stunticon Gestalt Presumably Arrested

Scrapper - Front End Loader (MISTAKE!) Arrested

Generic Decepticons Arrested

Unaligned Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Rattrap - Rat

Swindle - Van Killed by Starscream

Devastator - Constructicon and Scoop Gestalt Arrested

Scoop - Front End Loader Arrested

Long Haul - Dump Truck Arrested

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck Arrested

Hook - Crane Arrested

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer Arrested

Scavenger - Excavator Arrested

Badgeless Officers

Caminus

Mistress of Flame

Yellow Leader

Red Leader

Other Colonists

Elita One

Obsidian

Moonracer - Car

Knock Out - Car

Airazor

Tigatron

Override (Mentioned)

Other

Spike Witwicky (In Prowl's Eyes)

Council of Worlds (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Statues)

Notes

• Unlike the rest of Combiner Wars, this issue has no subtitle visible (most likely this will be added for the trade version)
• The army of Decepticons that Swindle gathered last issue have been replaced by generics here.
• Also, Swindle appears to have been coloured in Constructicon colours rather than his normal ones.
• The dead Scrapper is seen amongst the Constructicons and Scoop after their de-combination...this is almost certainly a mistake and not him being revived.
• Elita One's throne made of dead Cybertronian parts seems to be a reference to the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones, it could also be a reference to the throne made of Autobot parts from the G1 cartoon episode Triple Takeover.
• It's not shown here, but it's likely that Menasor's components were arrested too
• Each of the three Lost Colonies shown here introduces one new female Transformer.