IDW - Revolution #5

Title: Valley Forge

Written by: John Barber & Cullen Bunn

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: Sebastian Cheng

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Edited by: David Hedgecock

Chief Creative Officer: Chris Ryall

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

The Transformers, Micronauts and Snake Eyes fight against Karza, but the MASK team are tricked by Mayhem into thinking Karza is working with the Transformers, so they continue to fight them. Seeing his apparent allies fighting amongst themselves, Optimus grabs Rom, Snake Eyes and Acroyear, and forces them into his truck-mode cab, and he puts everyone straight on their shared target to destroy being Karza, which they all agree to.

As if on cue, GI Joe arrive in their vintage vehicles and join the battle, with Helix rationalizing that Karza is the enemy here. Victorion appears to join the battle, but is easily defeated by Karza, she de-combines to help add firepower to the battle, as Karza proceeds to tear apart the MASK vehicles.

Mainframe's helicopter is attacked by Karza, but the giant alien is shot at by the newly arrived Kup and Action Man. Soundwave manages to save the Joes in the plummeting by catching them, and Mainframe is glad to see Soundwave, since he has a plan. Nearby, Mayhem sees how things are going badly, and proceeds with his own plans.

At the Spacebridge, Biotron and Oziron are examining it, and wonder if they could use an Enerchange to combine with it and defeat Karza that way. Soundwave appears along with Rom, Mainframe and Matt Trakker, all of whom have their own role to play in Mainframe's plan to save the day...

Elsewhere, Windblade and Optimus notice that the Ore-13 is starting to detonate due to the battle, and will explode soon, Windblade communicates with Metrotitan and commands him to "arise" allowing him to levitate, keeping the city safe from the explosion, and lowers an escape route for everyone to use.

Soundwave is linked up to Matt's mask so they can combine their analytical skills whilst Rom resonates with the Space Bridge and all the Micronauts Enerchange with the bridge at the same time to take control of the Bridge.

With all the heroes in the city, they wait for the Ore to detonate, when Karza leaps up, and tries to take Optimus down with him, but is stopped when Mayhem smashes into Karza's side, loosening his grip, sending him plummeting back into the new crater, just as Soundwave and the others detonate the Bridge, setting off the Ore-13, and seemingly killing Karza and all those left below.

Rom manages to outfly the explosion, holding onto Trakker, with Soundwave, Mianframe and the Micronauts seemingly left for dead, and half of the MASK team missing in action.

Rom leaves in shame, having been unable to save people, but as he leaves Soundwave emerges from the flames, having shielded Mainframe in his chest cavity for safety, much to Scarlett's glee.

Optimus apologizes to the humans for annexing their planet, and now knows they don't need protection, but should be equals with the Transformers, and vows to work with them to protect the Earth together.

Elsewhere, the Micronauts have been captured by some scientists, who plan to vivisect them. A little later on, the Joes and MASK return to Governor's Island, where Scarlett reveals that the MASK vehicles were recovered, and suggests that Matt should continue the team, especially after a note is found from the seemingly dead Mayhem left on the windshield of his vehicle....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Arcee - Sports Car

Jazz - Sports Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Pyra Magna - Emergency Vehicle

Dust Up - Sports Car

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Stormclash - Helicopter

Sky Burst - Helicopter

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Decepticon

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Other Cybertronian

Metrotitan - Autobot City

Aileron - Space Shuttle

GI Joe

Scarlett

Snake Eyes

Mainframe

Agent Helix

Mayday

Roadblock

Rock 'n Roll

MASK Team

Matt Trakker

Brad Turner

Julio Lopez

Gloria Baker

Miles "Mayhem" Manheim Seemingly killed in Crash

Bruno Sheppard Missing after Battle

Vanessa Warfield Missing after Battle

Sly Rax Missing after Battle

Microspace Denizen

Baron Karza Dragged into exploding Space Bridge

Oziron Rael Captured after Battle

Larissa Captured after Battle

Phenolo-Phi Captured after Battle

Acroyear Captured after Battle

Microtron Captured after Battle

Biotron Captured after Battle

Dire Wraith

Axiom

Dire Wraith Swarm Merged with Karza

Other

Rom, the Space Knight

Action Man

Holding Facility Staff

Notes

• This issue marks the end of the Revolution story line (except for the one shots)
• It's revealed that Karza and the Micronauts are speaking in Ancient Cybertronian, this is understandable since their universe was forged by Micronus Prime, one of the Thirteen Primes. Rom can also speak Ancient Cybertronian, which adds to the mystery of the his armour being able to link up to Cybertronian technology.
• Most of the MASK vehicles are destroyed in this issue....I hope they know how to repair them in time for their new IDW series!
• Action Man and Kup arrive at the battle just in time to see it end, as set up by the end of the Action Man one shot
• Mainframe still claims to not know who Action Man is when asked.
• Windblade is shown to be able to command Metrotitan to fly on demand, this control over Titans was shown in the Combiner Wars cartoon, and that is ALL I will talk about that abomination!
• The end of this issue leads directly into the events of Rom #5 and Micronauts #7, showing Rom just after the battle, and the Micronauts in their enclosure.
• How did the Micronauts end up in the lab so fast by the way? Did the Spacebridge send them there when it exploded?