IDW - Micronauts #4

Written by: Cullen Bunn

Art by: Max Dunbar

Colours by: David Garcia-Cruz

Letters by: Tom B Long

Editor: John Barber

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Baron Karza is looking into the Entropy Cloud, thinking about the past, when he is joined by Shazraella, and the two begin to reminisce about their shared past...

In the past, Baron Karza and Baron Daigon aid the Emperor in controlling the Council of Worlds in Microspace, and are joined by the Emperor's son, Red Falcon.

The Pharoids are complaining because their temples are being attacked across Microspace, and their people are being slaughtered. Red Falcon is concerned due to the Pharoids being unpopular with the rest of Microspace, but volunteers to save them himself.

Afterwards, Karza is wandering the halls when he sees his future wife, Shazraella, with Red Falcon, much to his displeasure.

Before long, the Ministry of Defense, with Red Falcon leading them, attack the Pharoid's enemies and manage to liberate the temple. The attackers are killed by the Ministry, but one of them warns Karza that the Pharoids have done something that will wind up destroying everything. Karza isn't interested however, and kills him.

Afterwards, Karza makes his way inside the temple, where he finds Red Falcon amongst the Time Travelers in their caskets, and he claims to be able to see his great future.

Later, they return to the Emperor, where Red Falcon convinces his father to allow him to be the messenger for the Time Travelers, as they can help their people grow further. Both Daigon and Karza become concerned with Red Falcon's new attitude and covetous nature.

After the meeting, Karza and Daigon are talking, and Karza decides that for the greater good, they may need to kill Red Falcon, Daigon disagrees and considers it treason, but doesn't report it.

Karza watches the city for some time to consider his options, when Shazraella appears and they start an affair. Shazraella claims that she is worried about Red Falcon, as he has become obsessed with the Time Travelers and their prophecies to him, so Shazraella agrees to help Karza to stop him.

Shazraella takes Karza to a secret lab, where she gives him some poison to give to Red Falcon. Karza soon meets with Red Falcon, and poisons him, stopping him from fulfilling his new destiny.

Karza remembers further that the Time Travelers never appeared before them again, and wonders if they even appeared before Falcon himself.

In the present, Shazraella claims that the Emperor would have understood why Karza killed his son, had he not been in cryo-hiberation, then leaves him to watch the cloud some more.

Following this meeting, a Devil Head Microtron enters the room and presents Baron Karza with another copy of his helmet, stating that it was found in the debris from around the Entropy Cloud, and proceeds to send himself to a smelting chamber, leaving Karza to ponder the meaning of his own helmet being found exiting the cloud....

Characters

Emperor's Envoy

The Emperor (Flashback Only) In Cryo-Hibernation

Red Falcon (Flashback Only) Killed by Baron Karza

Council of Worlds Members (On Monitors)

Ministry of Defense

Baron Karza

Shazraella

Shazraella's Attendants

Devil Head Microtron Sent self to Smelting Chamber

Acroyears (Flashback Only)

Scavenger Units (Mentioned) Destroyed by Devil Head Microtron

Ministry of Science

Baron Daigon (Flashback Only)

Other

The Pharoid's Enemies Killed by Ministry of Defense Forces

Time Travelers (Mentioned)

Notes

• Despite this being issue 4 of the series, this entire issue, including the framing device seems to be set before the actual start of the series, this is proven when next issue has Karza and Shazraella continuing their conversation from issue 3.
• The "Council of Worlds" shown in the past here in Microspace shares a name with the new Cybertronian alliance with their Colony worlds. Whilst this is a fairly common seeming title due to their shared roles, a later revelation will show us that this universe was created by Micronus Prime, a Cybertronian...could they have taken the name through that in some way?
• True to continuity, we see the Ministry of Defense army filled with Acroyear I units in the past.
• One of the Pharoid's enemies seems to allude to the Pharoids and Time Travelers being the same beings and are dangerous. This is a plot that will continue on in the series
• It's revealed that the two Ministries were created to assist the Emperor in running the Microspace, when the Emperor entered cryo-hibernation, their rift happened, and they went to war.
• Baron Karza is revealed to have been having a secret relationship with Shazraella, even when she was in a relationship with the Red Falcon, aka the son of the Emperor.
• Shazraella claims that Falcon had a vision of himself as emperor, her as empress and with the Time Travelers as his advisors. Knowing Shazraella's duplicity, she may have made up all of this just to convince Karza to kill him. Karza even wonders if he ever met with the Time Travelers in the first place.
• Baron Daigon is named "Daegon" in this issue. This also happens next issue...it is confusing...