TFNation - Animated: Trial & Error

Script: Chris McFeely and Jim Sorenson

Cover Art: Josh Perez

Chapter One Art and SFX by: Ed Pirrie

Chapter Two Art by: Herzspalter, Colour Assist from Nathalie Suter

Chapter Three Art by: Gavin Spence

Lettering by: Andrew Turnbull

Plot

At the Metroplex in Iacon, Alpha Trion has called Sari Sumdac as well as some of her Autobot allies, along with her father, to a meeting to discuss the situation with the Allspark. Whilst he is glad that the Allspark has returned to Earth, and under Autobot custody, he is worried that due to it missing several shards, due to being used to create several Transformers on Earth, it is not at full power. He wants Sari to go to the Well of Allsparks to return the Allspark to it, and restore it to full power, due to her noted natural affinity with it. Isaac Sumdac is at first upset with this idea, but agrees when Sari simply states that she has to do this, as she can feel something calling to her. Bumblebee and Bulkhead join her as her bodyguards, which Trion agrees to.

Meanwhile at the Fortress Maximus, Sentinel has officially announced Megatron's trial as a public event, that will be televised across the planet. Optimus is unsure about how this will go down, but Sentinel is sure he can handle any possible insurgencies caused by this with the help of his new Powermaster armour, and he has some plans for how to render Megatron helpless during the trial as well.

At Trypticon Prison, Megatron is musing in his cell, following the failed rescue attempt by Team Stunticon, leading to their imprisonment too. Megatron gets the attention of one of the Mini-Con guards and requests to send out a message...

Sari and her group are led to the foot of Metroplex, where a tunnel will lead them directly towards the Well, during their goodbyes, Alpha Trion receives a message that distracts him and the groups split up. Sari is in good spirits to finally travel to the centre of Cybertron and learn who she really is...until some time passes and she gets bored in the long tunnels. Along the way, Bulkhead finds some etchings on the walls that explains the story of how the Allspark was a holy object that creates Cybertronians, and was one day placed into a contained, built by a powerful individual using a hammer that fell from the skies, and became the symbol of the Cybertronian leader, aka, the Magnus. Bumblebee interjects that the story is just a fairy-tale that was made up to show how strong the Autobots are. Bulkhead keeps on reading, and learns that the primitive Cybertronians created Centurion Droids to guard the Well from anyone who may want to harm it, including the monsters in the tunnels. Bumblebee dismisses the idea of monsters in the tunnels...until one appears behind them and attacks the group!

Elsewhere, at the Metroplex, Optimus Prime has been summoned by Alpha Trion on Megatron's request for him to act as his defendant, due to him being honourable and Megatron not trusting Sentinel to fairly conduct the trial. Though wary of the decision, the two Autobots agree to this request. At the Fortress Maximus, Sentinel is talking with a mysterious individual over the communicator, when he is interrupted by Cliffjumper informing him about Optimus' appointment as Megatron's defendant. He screams loud enough to interrupt the protestors below his office (they're unhappy with how the Decepticon prisoners are being treated)

Back in the tunnels, Sari and the others encounter another monster, and are trapped in a large spider-web. Soon, Blackarachnia appears along with Waspinator, and reveals that the two monsters are two of her new Predacons, Inferno and Antagony. Sari questions how she survived the transwarp explosion that seemed to kill her on Dinobot Island. Blackarachnia doesn't go into too much detail, but explains that she got the attention of the Decepticons by using residual transwarp energy from Waspinator's body. Arachnia plans to experiment on Sari to explore her technorganic origins to further her own research, but Sari uses her blades to free herself and the Autobots from the web, and run away...right into a chamber filled with Centurion Droids guarding the Well of Allsparks!

At the Jekka Amphitheatre, Sentinel begins the trial of Megatron, and reveals his plan to humiliate the Decepticon leader, by having him carted in on a pedestal, reduced to only his head. Alpha Trion reads Megatron a list of the crimes he is being tried for, and he declares himself as "Not Guilty". Sentinel screams at Megatron for his plea of innocence, and starts calling witnesses against the Decepticon...

In the Well Chamber, the Centurions prepare to attack the Autobots to defend the Well from attackers, but stop when they see Sari is carrying the Allspark, and declare their loyalty to her. The Predacons enter the chamber, and the Centurions attack them, in order to protect both the Allspark and it's bearer. Sari and the Autobots run towards the Well's inner chamber, whilst the Predacons are distracted.

They enter the inner chamber, and the Allspark reacts to the Well, and levitates itself into the Well. After a few seconds of nothing happening, the ghost of Prowl appears from the Well, and thanks Sari for what she just did, then shares the Allspark's power with her and the other Autobots to show her why she was created. The Allspark can see through history and knows everything that will ever happen, so it sent a special Protoform, designed to perfectly mimic humans when it was touched by one, and was able to access the full powers of the Allspark itself, to Earth as it knew it would eventually wind up there. Prowl fades back into the Allspark, but issues one last mission from it to Sari and the others...

Back at the trial, the witnesses, aka the inner-circle Decepticons, are declaring how Megatron will conquer Cybertron, and are making it so much harder for Optimus to defend him. Optimus eventually gets his turn to call witnesses, which Optimus simply calls one, Megatron himself.

Megatron addresses the court and paints himself as a freedom fighter against the oppressive Autobots, and claims that all of his actions were to protect Cybertron. The crowd appears to be wavering to his way of thinking, which Optimus suddenly realizes was Megatron's plan all along, to corrupt a younger generation of Cybertronians who never experienced the war, and to ensure Optimus made it happen

Trion calls for order in the court, but Megatron comments that it was long enough. Optimus notices this, as well as a beeping sound from Sentinel's wrist, just as one of the walls cave in, and Team Chaar, led by Strika, break in. The Autobots charge against them, whilst Sentinel sneaks away to get into his Powermaster armour, only to be disabled by Scalpel slicing into his neck and disabling him.

With Sentinel disabled, Strika has the rest of the team release a new body for Megatron, which he is attached to by Scalpel, greatly pleasing the Decepticon....

Inside Omega Supreme, Ratchet is too preoccupied on watching the trial on the monitors to notice that Cyclonus has entered the medical bay, and is heading towards Ultra Magnus, planning to kill the Autobot's true leader.

Megatron tears through the Autobots with his new triple changer body, leading to the Autobots being outpowered, and the remaining Decepticon prisoners being freed and joining the battle. Suddenly the Autbots, Predacons, Centurions and Sari from the tunnel are plonked into the court, having been teleported there by the Allspark. Sari is now fused with Allspark power, and shares a vision into the past with everyone present. Sentinel was contacted by Strika earlier, claiming to want Megatron executed during his trial, so she can take full command of the Decepticons, then Sentinel can "defeat" them using his new armour to be the hero for all of Cybertron. Which he agreed to.

In the aftermath of this revelation, the Autobots pretty much disown Sentinel, and Megatron gloats on his inevitable victory, however Optimus has taken the Powermaster armour, and wears it himself (much to Sentinel's horror), with the Magnus Hammer in hand to boot. Optimus and Megatron lead their respective armies in a final battle to decide Cybertron's fate once and for all.

Sari slips away to get to Omega Supreme, where she exposes Cyclonus' assassination attempt before he is successful, having been warned of it by the Allspark, she uses her new powers to recreate the Allspark Key and uses it to power up Ratchet, allowing him to overpower and blast Cyclonus out of the ship.

The battle at the court is fairly even, however Sari arrives to help out Optimus, she uses her abilities to superchange the Magnus Hammer, which exudes the Allspark energy throughout it, and Optimus, allowing Optimus to charge at Megatron, and cleave his head back off the Triple Changer body, defeating him, and dissuading the other Decepticons...

Some time later, the defeated Decepticons have been captured, and forced to work in the Nucleon mines, Megatron, still just a head, is under heavy guard and Alpha Trion has been named the new interim-Magnus. Sentinel has been demoted and removed from the Elite Guard, and now works as a repair-bot with Hosehead, Nightbeat and Siren, who are driving him mad. Optimus has been given Sentinel's old position in the Guard, and Sari is now the official liaison to the Allspark.

Optimus visits Ultra Magnus to tell him all about this, but just as he goes to leave...Ultra Magnus wakes up, and says that he was wrong when he told Optimus that he wasn't a hero...

The End.

Characters

Autobot

Ultra Magnus - Missile Truck Comes off Life Support

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Sentinel (Magnus) - Cybertronian Truck Loses Rank

Alpha Trion

Bumblebee - Hatchback

Bulkhead - SWAT Van

Ratchet - Ambulance

Prowl - Police Motorcycle Dead, Part of Allspark

Jazz - Sports Car

Arcee - Sports Car

Rodimus Prime - Car

Ironhide - Treaded Vehicle

Red Alert - Ambulance

Brawn - Treaded Vehicle

Hot Shot - Car

Jetfire - Jet

Jetstorm - Jet

Safeguard - Jet Twin Combiner

Perceptor - Mobile Laboratory

Wheeljack - Race Car

Cliffjumper - Car

Autotrooper - Treaded Vehicle

Horsepower - Motorcycle

Sparkride - Motorcycle

Omega Supreme - Starship Orion

Dug Base - Mobile Platform

Leader-1

Grindor

High Wire

Jackpot - Car

Ransack - Motorcycle

Rattletrap - Motorcycle

Scrounge - Wheel

Lickety-Split - Motor-Trike

Lightbright - Hovercraft

Seaspray - Hovercraft

Wheelie - Car

Moscardo - Car

Tap-Out - Car

Mirage - Race Car

Tracks - Car

Botanica - Car

Glyph - Car

Warpath - Radar Tank

Chase - Car

Cosmos - Mobile Observatory

Rosanna

Sedan - Car

Ferak - Car

Star Upper

Dai Atlas

Chromia - Motorcycle

Hosehead - Snow Plough Pick Up Truck

Nightbeat - Sports Car

Siren - Hatchback

Cybertron Civilians/Crowd Filler

Powered Convoy Magnus - Armoured Vehicle (Flashback Only)

Wreck-Gar - Garbage Truck (Allspark Vision Only)

Blurr - Race Car (Allspark Vision Only)

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Allspark Vision Only)

Snarl - Triceratops (Allspark Vision Only)

Swoop - Pternodon (Allspark Vision Only)

Shattered Glass Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Allspark Vision Only)

Shattered Glass Bumblebee - Hatchback (Allspark Vision Only)

Decepticon - All implied to be incarcerated by end

Megatron - Tank/Jet, Formerly Osprey Helicopter Incarcerated

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Lugnut - Bomber Plane

Shockwave - Tank/Crane/Lomgarm

Strika - Battle Tank

Oil Slick - Motorcycle

Cyclonus - Space Jet

Sky-Byte - Bomber Plane

Scalpel

Mindwipe

Blot - Treaded Vehicle

The Motor Master - Truck

Drag Strip - Sports Car

Wildrider - Muscle Car

Dead End - Sports Car

Breadown - Race Car

Toxitron - Truck

Reflector - Light Cannon (Flashback Only)

Straxus - Jet (Flashback Only)

Starscream - Harrier Jet (Allspark Vision Only)

Slipstream - Harrier Jet (Allspark Vision Only)

Ramjet - Harrier Jet (Allspark Vision Only)

Skywarp - Harrier Jet (Allspark Vision Only)

Sunstorm - Harrier Jet (Allspark Vision Only)

Swindle - SUV (Allspark Vision Only)

Soundwave - Van (Allspark Vision Only)

Dirt Boss - Fork Lift Truck (Allspark Vision Only)

Scrapper - Excavator (Allspark Vision Only)

Mixmaster - Bulldozer-Mixing Truck (Allspark Vision Only)

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt (Allspark Vision Only)

Predacon - All implied to be incarcerated by end

Blackarachnia - Spider

Waspinator - Wasp

Inferno - Wasp

Antagony - Wasp

Other Cybertronian

Sari Sumdac - Young Human Woman

Centurion Droids

Primitive Cybertronians (Carvings Only)

Lockdown - Muscle Car (Allspark Vision Only)

Shattered Glass Sari Sumdac - Young Human Woman (Allspark Vision Only)

Human

Isaac Sumdac

Master Disaster (Allspark Vision Only)

Headmaster (Allspark Vision Only)

Slo-Mo (Allspark Vision Only)

Professor Princess (Allspark Vision Only)

Angry Archer (Allspark Vision Only)

Nanosec (Allspark Vision Only)

Porter C. Powell (Allspark Vision Only)

Meltdown (Allspark Vision Only)

Other

A Rocklord (Allspark Vision Only)

Kremzeek (Allspark Vision Only)

Notes

• This is a non-canon comic made for TFNation 2017 to help conclude the Animated TV series. It also has visual references to previous follow-up comics/stories, The Stunti-Con Job and The Return of Blurr.
• This comic utilizes some plans and concepts for the fourth season of Animated, a lot of which could be found in the Allspark Almanac books.
• This story is introduced by Vector Prime, simply explaining that he wanted to finally give some resolution to this universe. This design was made by Andrew Turnbull, the letterer for this comic.
• The new Centurion Droids were designed by Cover Artist, Josh Perez
• The two new Predacons, Antagony and Inferno, as well as Blackarachnia's new colour-scheme were first shown in the Almanacs
• One big difference in this comic to the information from the Almanac is that Ultra Magnus was going to eventually succumb to his injuries, but here he manages to survive.
• In the original plan, Megatron's trial would have been interrupted by Trypticon Prison being launched into space and towards Earth, leading to his experimentations with Blackarachnia to create his new Triple Changer body. This was fast-tracked here of course.
• The new Powermaster armour, which can be used by both Optimus and Sentinel is a detail lifted from the plans for the franchise from the Almanacs, though here we actually see it in full colour rather than a resin prototype.
• Unnamed here, the figure shown in the flashback to early Cybertron is Powered Convoy Magnus, the precursor to Ultra Magnus.
• The rat seen in the sewers is based on the Special Edition Japanese Metals Rattle (Rattrap) toy
• Quite a lot of the crowd-filler characters are generics, which seems a bit odd, since a lot of characters from the Almanacs didn't appear in this book, including most of the multitudes of Bumblebee mould-mates
• Amongst the crowd-fillers is a white Bumblebee remould with long ears. I'm not sure why, but I get a Ferak vibe from him, and so I will name him that! :D
• The flashback to Omega Supreme during the war is based on a planned scene from Transwarped that was scrapped, where Straxus and Reflector were due to appear too.
• The view into time from the Allspark shows us a few more aborted plot lines, including the Constructicons working on creating the Devastator Combiner, the Shattered Glass Animated Universe, and even the line up of the Autobots on Earth for Season Four (Ironhide, Elite Guard Bumblebee and Ratchet, all in new colours)
• Prowl returning as an Allspark ghost was also a planned plot point too, though he would have possessed other Allspark-powered Transformers in the series proper
• Megatron's new Triple Changer mode was first shown in the Allspark Almanac as well, in the series it would have been made by studying Blitzwing, but removing the insanity part, but here it was just gifted to him by Blackarachnia. His head was based on his first Beast Machines body
• The epilogue gives us a nice little bit of vengeance for Optimus, he swaps ranks with Sentinel, with Sentinel becoming a repair-bot, and Optimus becoming second-in-command for Alpha Trion, the new Acting-Magnus.
• Whilst it is unsaid, it seems likely that when Sari used the Allspark Key on Ratchet, the energies helped to heal Ultra Magnus, leading to his ultimate revival.
• Megatron's guards in the Epilogue are the very obscure characters Horsepower and Sparkride from the Jet Twin toy tie-in comic.
• I can understand Dirge and Thrust not getting shown in the Allspark vision...but where is Thundercracker?!