IDW - Transformers #57

Title: White Heat

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Following the forced spacebridge journey, Optimus wakes up to find Soundwave standing next to him, opposite Sentinel Prime and Sovereign, who is now using Alpha Trion's decapitated body as his own. Sentinel informs them that they are in the shadow of the now dead Titan, Prion, who was abandoned by Micronus Prime, and offers Optimus to join him and prepare for his master, Onyx Prime's return.

On Earth. the newly reformed GI Joe attack the Cybertronians in the Indian Ocean, and go under water to try and secure the downed ship. Sky Lynx and the others fight them off and begin collecting up the injured, before the humans can capture any of them.

Back on Prion, Sentinel explains that the population of the planet were descendants of Micronus Prime that the Black Block Consortia razed, and the one survivor (Nickle) was corrupted by the Decepticons and joined them. Sentinel explains that he wants Optimus to use his power as a Prime to conquer Earth, to "protect" it from a similar fate to what happened here.

Sentinel asks Soundwave why he is now allied with Optimus, and the Decepticon explains that when he witnessed him raising the Titan on Earth, he realized that he was a true Prime. Sentinel is happy with this, and have Sovereign slash Soundwave with his energy blade, glad that he can die a believer now.

Back on Earth, Blitzwing has escaped the Autobots and plans to go off on his own, however Zilong Qian, now going by Talon, skewers him on mecha and plans to fly him back to Governor's Island (their new HQ) much to Spike's disgust,

The Torchbearers form into Victorion and use her gravitational powers to mess up the GI Joe jet's targeting systems, and Jetfire worries that this will all cause more problems.

On Prion again, Optimus flat out refuses Sentinel's offer and knocks him down. Soundwave removes the blade from his body and smacks Sovereign off of Alpha Trion's body. Soundwave then confronts the Titan Master and reactivates the "Blackrock" program within him, reverting him to his human personality.

Before the freed Titan Master can do anything, Sentinel grabs him and sends both of them through the spacebridge towards their next target. Soundwave cannot find the target location on the spacebridge's records, but Optimus doesn't care, he has Soundwave set the bridge to Cybertron so they cab get Alpha Trion medical attention.

On Earth, the Autobots retreat, with Vitcorion levitating the injured with her gravitation powers. The Joes leave as well, glad that they have a Decepticon prisoner and the remains of the ship as well.

Shortly later, Alpha Trion has had his head reattached on Cybertron, and Fixit is confident that he'll recover. Optimus and Soundwave head back to the spacebrodge to return to Earth, and Soundwave confirms his belief that Optimus is right in his actions on Earth now, and now feels confident in the belief that all life is equal, not just Cybertronian life. He believes that they need to work together to deal with the upcoming dangers of Onyx Prime and his followers, as warned by Galvatron and Sentinel alike....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Sentinel Prime/Infinitus - Truck/Jet (and Head)

Alpha Trion - Space Shuttle Under Repairs by Fixit

Arcee - Sports Car

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Tracks - Sports Car

Jazz - Sports Car

Sunstreaker - Sports Car

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Pyra Magna - Emergency Truck

Stormclash - Helicopter

Dust Up - Sports Car

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Skyburst - Helicopter (Part of Victorion Only)

Jumpstream - Sports Car (Part of Victorion Only)

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Ironhide - Van

Wheeljack - Race Car

Fixit - Ambulance

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet Captured by GI Joe

Rumble - Motorcycle

Frenzy - Motorcycle

Swift - Helicopter

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Mindwipe - Bat

Slugslinger - Twin Nosed Jet

Decepticon Ghetto Victims Dead

Galvatron - Tank (Footage) Dead

Nickel (Mentioned)

Ravage - Cassette (Mentioned) Dead

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Sovereign/Garrison Blackrock - Head Reverted to Blackrock Persona by Soundwave

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Lightbright

Bob the Insecticon

D.O.C.

Prion - City/Space Ship Dead

Mini-Cons Dead

Nexus Prime (Footage) Killed by Galvatron

Metrotitan - Autobot City (Mentioned)

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

Liege Maximo (Mentioned)

Micronus Prime (Mentioned)

Onyx Prime (Mentioned)

GI Joe/EDC

Spike Witwicky

Zilong Qian/Talon

Deep Six

Wild Bill

GI Joe/EDC Troops

Joe Colton (Mentioned)

Other

Buster the Dog

Black Block Consortia (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue marks the end of the Transformers Ongoing, which will be rebranded as "Optimus Prime" at the end of the year, except for one issue of Transformers Ongoing to tie in with Revolution.
• Hey look! we get to see Prion...but he's dead...and a load of Mini-Cons! They're dead too...I don't like this planet....
• Sovereign taking on Alpha Trion's head is a clear reference to his toy counterpart forming the ancient Autobot's head.
• This issue shows us that the EDC members have started taking on GI Joe codenames (this was shown in Revolution #1 with Ayana Jones now being Mayday, but that is set after this event).
• Sentinel/Infinitus talks about what happened to Prion, the Mini-cons and Micronus Prime leaving their planet as if he was present for it, if I'm remembering correctly, he has only just finished recovering from his assassination attempt...where is he getting his information from?
• Micronus' location is revealed in Revolution: Micronauts, where it is shown that he has formed the core of the Miroverse
• Blitzwing is captured here, allowing for him to be experimented on by GI Joe and Mile Manheim
• Soundwave grabs an energy sword by the blade and uses that to knock Sovereign off of Trion's head....badass...
• Sovereign is revealed to use Perception Filters to make him resemble a human
• Sentinel and Sovereign end up on Luna-1 following their departure on the spacebridge, leading to the events of the More Than Meets The Eye portion of this event.
• It looks like Fixit's medical bay is located on the top of a spindly tower....HOW IS THAT REASONABLE!??!
• Optimus' plan to send his troops to Cybertron to aid in the relief following Sentinel's attack on the Decepticon Ghetto is to explain why only a few Transformers are on Earth during Revolution. Optimus' comments that he hopes to see Windblade again soon also connects to her role on Earth during the crossover too.
• Soundwave reveals that Ravage died to Optimus, which we saw him feeling in MTTME #55