IDW - The End of an Era?

Okay then, I'm sure most people reading this will already have heard the rumours, but it looks like the IDW Transformers comic series is rebooting at the end of 2018/start of 2019. This will also mean the end of the Hasbroverse in the process of course, which has been met with mixed reactions.
One thing I wish to discuss here however, is what sort of reboot this will be, a "hard reboot", where everything is reset and nothing from the past decade is canon in that universe, or a "soft reboot", where things will be set in the same universe we've been experiencing, but following a new storyline. Personally, I wouldn't mind it either way, whilst a new universe would be a nice and refreshing take on the G1 comics, I would also be a little sad to leave out current universe, but a clean slate could be worth it for fresh storylines and character arcs.

Regardless of which type of reboot we get, I'm sure I'll be happy, and we still have at least 10 months left with the current loads. So before I discuss how I think this universe could end, let's look at the current lines:

Rom and the Micronauts is the (apparent) finale crossover for Rom and the Micronauts (duh) it's currently just a standard crossover story with characters from both series interacting and experiencing each other's worlds.

I believe the series will end with Baron Karza betraying the Dire Wraiths, killing their leaders and The Presence (their god), leading to Rom and the Micronauts fighting him and finally killing/defeating him, maybe with help from the currently absent Oz, leading to both series coming to a satisfying conclusion.

I've already talked enough about what Scarlett's Strike Force is, but the basic information is that it was originally planned as a continuation of GI Joe and MASK, which later just dropped the MASK aspect, except for Matt Trakker's involvement.

Due to the series being pre-emptively cancelled at issue 3 (out next week) which will lead to none of the storylines being resolved. Maybe the left-over plots will be resolved in a future issue of another series, but it seems unlikely. The only major plot point that seems to never be resolved now is what happened to Brad Turner of the MASK team. But honestly, who really cares at this point?

Transformers vs Visionaries is a current series following the aftermath of the First Strike event following the newly arrived people of Prysmos on Cybertron, and the conflict that ensues.

My only real prediction for this series would be that by the end, the Prysmosians are displaced to another planet to call their own, isolating them from the rest of the Hasbroverse and the Transformers following the reboot, allowing the Visionaries to potentially continue on as a solo series.

Lost Light follows the continuing adventures of Rodimus and his crew, as well as a few other teams on the galactic-side of things in the Transformers storyline.
The current plot line in the comics is following the Scavengers, showing us their "final" story, and is seemingly wrapping up all the other ongoing plots, most importantly the existence of Cyberutopia and the identity of the mysterious gear faction
This series is extremely unpredictable by nature, but my only real prediction for the finale storyline would be that Rodimus and his friends manage to reunite with the Lost Light crew at Cyberutopia, and Rodimus finally getting revenge on Getaway for his mutiny.

Optimus Prime follows the actions of the Transformers residing on Earth, and (since the end of Till All Are One) on Cybertron. The current storyline is following the return of a couple of members of the Original Thirteen Primes to Cybertron, and what that means for the cast.

From the side stories in the series so far, we can probably assume that Optimus Prime will be heavily involved in the events of the "Darkest Hour" storyline, possibly being the main venue for the event.

Requiem of the Wreckers is a double size one-shot issue due to be released May, designed to wrap up the loose ends of the "Wreckers Saga", which began with Last Stand, and was followed by Sins.
Requiem is a total mystery so far, but we can tell that Verity, Springer and Impactor are involved, and it seems to be in relation to Kup as well, despite his death in the Visionaries crossover. So maybe the two previous Wrecker leaders are fighting over how to honour his memory? We'll see in a couple of months.

Finally, we have Unicron/Darkest Hour, the supposed end of this incarnation and the start of the reboot.
From what we know of the series so far, we know that the newly awoken Unicron (seen waking up in First Strike) will head to Elonia (Rom's homeworld) and the Transformers head there with Rom to try and either stop it, or rescue as many survivors as possible.
From the preview pages we have seen, we know that before this event, Rom will return from Microspace and get in contact with the Autobots for some reason, leading to them heading to Elonia to starts this story. We also know that Bumblebee is due to return to life before this event...which is kind of a big reveal for a preview comic to give...

Now, here's my theory on what is happening: Unicron is going to the planets that Shockwave sent his Regenesis Ores to and is eating the worlds to use the ores to power himself up. It is widely believed and accepted that the strange ores on Elonia that create the Solstar armour is one of the Regenesis Ores, so that explains why he is going to Elonia of all worlds.
I think that Unicron will succeed in devouring Elonia, which cripples one of the great powers in the Hasbroverse, following this, the Galctic Council will attack Unicron, resulting in them being destroyed too. Unicron will continue to the other worlds with Regenesis Ores, including LV-117, the world where Wheelie was stranded before escaping, which was shown being destroyed by something in the sky, and was in a weird state of temporal flux due to the Regenesis Ore there.
If you are following my train of thought here, you may see where this is going, Unicron will head to Earth eventually, which I would guess the cast will figure out and warn the populace, offering them transport to Cybertron or another world for safety, which, knowing the humans of this universe will be met with a scream of "Them robots want to steal our planet!!"
Whilst some humans will leave the world, most will not, hoping that either Unicron is a lie or something they can deal with without the Transformers, leading to Earth being attacked and possibly destroyed, leaving the remaining humans homeless, and in fear as Unicron heads to Cybertron, finally taking on his robot mode.

The series will end with an all out battle on/around Cybertron with Unicron between all the survivors from the various franchises, leading to whatever happens in the end.
If this continuity carries on, then I think the remaining humans and others species will be sent to another planet to resettle, leaving the Transformers and other species separated, and left to rebuild, and lead to whatever happens next.
HOWEVER! If this is the start of a new continuity, then I have a suggestion on how to lead into it. During the final battle, have a shuttle filled with various characters hit with some sort of energy, which could be dismissed as them being destroyed on contact by the other characters, but reveal in the final panels of the series that they were just transported to the new universe instead, ready to act as a jumping-on point for new readers, with a set of characters who need the new universe explained to them.

SO let me know what you think of this idea, or anything about this topic and what you want to happen to IDW's series in the upcoming years :D

IDW - Lost Light #14

Title: The Scavengers in: The Ties That Bind

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher and Brendan Cahill

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Several years ago, Shockwave flies away from Garrus-9 during it's occupation by Overlord, he has several other prisoners with him for plans that he is keeping quiet for now. Shockwave received a call from Tarn of the DJD during his escape, and the two exchange pleasantries, Shockwave knows that he is at the top of the DJD's hit-list and offers the rest of his crew, other people on the list, in place of him going free. Tarn rejects the offer, since he plans to complete the list in exact order. This causes Shockwave to have a small meltdown since it makes no sense to do things in that way, leading Tarn to use his manipulative voice ability to try and cause Shockwave's spark to explode.

Flywheels and Flame have been listening to this call in secret and rush to Scorponok to escape before the DJD can actually kill Shockwave, and come after them afterwards. The three of them jump from the ship, just before Shockwave shoots his communicator, stopping Tarn's attack. Before the DJD can go after him again however, Bludgeon and his team arrive on the scene to rendezvous with Shockwave, forcing the DJD to abandon this target for now...

Today, Nickel tries calling Deathsaurus on his own communicator from Troja Major, which is where she and the Scavengers were spirited to before by Agonizer. Nickel is unimpressed by the Scavengers, especially Grimlock however since he was a major target on the DJD's list.

Nickel soon joins the Scavengers inside Agonizer's store where they are informed that Flame stole the Magnificence from a friend of Agonzier's, Mengel, and that after studying her files on it, believes that the Magnificence is one of the Knights of Cybertron's final forms. He asks the Scavengers to retrieve it in exchange for literally anything they want. They agree for an absurd amount of money and are warped to the planet, Confluence, where Flame's signal was last located.

The team arrive on the planet, in the middle of a forest, however Fulcrum realizes that something is wrong, as Confluence is supposed to be a desert planet. Suddenly the trees around them transform and surround the Scavengers, reminding them of the first time they found Grimlock and saw a dead one of these robots in a chair on the ship.

Grimlock goes to action and takes down the "Treecons" with ease. During the battle, Nickel reveals that she is a member of the DJD, but before the Scavengers can do anything, Grimlock tells them to leave her alone, as she is one of them now.

Soon, Scorponok explodes from the ground and attacks the Scavengers, Grimlock goes to attack him, but Scorponok just waves a claw, sending Grimlock unconscious.

Scorponok's crew put the Scavengers on their Worldsweeper ship and leave the planet. The Scavengers, bar Grimlock wake up in a cell, where the team explain how they found Grimlock on Clemency and have been trying to fix his mind ever since. They decide to look inside Grimlock's chest to see if Scorponok has a device in there that allowed him to knock him out before, but all they find inside is an empty cavity, with what looks like a brace for the Matrix to sit inside....

Scorponok arrives with Flame and some guards, who reveals that it's not for the Matrix, but the Magnificence. He and Flame reveal that they stole it from Grimlock after driving him mad and discarding his body on the ship he was found on.

Scorponok wakes Grimlock up using his claw trick again, having determined that the Scavengers are not part of the group he thought they were originally. Upon seeing Spinister next to him seemingly messing with his inner-chest parts, Grimlock reacts badly and tears off his arm. Scorponok and the others leave as Grimlock proceeds to seemingly attack his cellmates as they scream in pain...

Later, the guards notice one of the bars on the cell is shorting out, so they approach it, where they find Grimlock standing over his dismembered friends, demanding to speak to Scorponok...

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Decepticon

Misfire - Fighter Jet Torn Apart by Grimlock

Fulcrum - K-Class Bomb Torn Apart by Grimlock

Spinister - Helicopter Torn Apart by Grimlock

Crankcase - Van Torn Apart by Grimlock

Krok Torn Apart by Grimlock

Nickel - Rocket Car Torn Apart by Grimlock

Damus/Tarn - Tank (Flashback Only)

Amp/Kaon - Variable Voltage Harness (Flashback Only)

Scissorsaw/Tesarus - Metal Grinder (Flashback Only)

Crucible/Helex - Smelting Chamber (Flashback Only)

Dominus Ambus/Vos/The Pet - Turbofox (Flashback Only)

Forestock/Vos - Rifle (Flashback Only)

Shockwave - Flying Artillery (Flashback Only)

Flywheels - Tank/Jet (Flashback Only)

Bludgeon - Tank (Flashback Only)

Skip - Space Shuttle (Flashback Only)

Bomb-Burst - VTOL Jet (Flashback Only)

Finback - Hovercraft (Flashback Only)

Skullgrin - Tank (Flashback Only)

Kakuryu - Monster (Flashback Only)

Rairyu - Monster (Flashback Only)

Doryu - Monster (Flashback Only)

Goryu - Monster (Flashback Only)

Birdbrain - Monster (Flashback Only)

Bristleback - Monster (Flashback Only)

Scowl - Monster (Flashback Only)

Icepick - Monster (Flashback Only)

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Deathsaurus - Dragon (Mentioned)

Overlord - Tank and Jet (Mentioned)

Howlback - Cassette (Mentioned)

Mystery Gear Faction

Scorponok - Scorpion

Flame

Prison Guards

"Treecons" - Trees Many Killed by Grimlock

Other Cybertronian

Agonizer/The Curator

The Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Other

Mengel (Mentioned) Killed by Black Block Consortia 

The Black Block Consortia (Mentioned)

The Omega Guardians (Mentioned) Ascended to a Higher Realm

Notes

• So we finally see who was in Shockwave's specially selected team! It was a bunch of Decepticons who were also on the DJD's list, so he could use them as bargaining chips for his own freedom. Good guy! Judging from the Dinoforce and Skip being amongst the guys there however, it seems likely that they ended up joining with Deathsaurus after Shockwave abandoned them some time after this flashback scene.
• This also shows how Scorponok and Flame escaped from Garrus-9, which was where we last saw them in continuity.
• Bomb-Burst, Skullgin and Finback were last seen during the Stormbringer era where they appeared to be killed during the story. I guess it's possible they survived their "deaths" and were captured afterwards though.
• Also the planet Garrus-9 is officially named as Elba in IDW now, after being named that in the Animated continuity
• The Vos seen in the opening flashback is clearly supposed to be Dominus Ambus in disguise, with the hooked hands, but he's otherwise drawn like the later Vos, which was not his character model.
• Flywheels isn't seen floating with Scorponok and Flame in space after escaping the ship, most likely he's flown away in jet mode to eventually join with the other Scavengers.
• Bludgeon's role in this story is a bit confusing. Scorponok's dialogue implies that Bludgeon and his crew were amongst the escapees with Shockwave. However Shockwave was freed after the bulk of the opening attacks from the Purge, when we saw Bludgeon and his team going after Kup's team at the very start of the Purge...so...was he somehow freed early and kept in touch with Shockwave in some way?
• So, turns out I was wrong, and the guy who rescued the Scavengers and Nickel last we saw them was Agonizer. He was previously mentioned as being familiar with Krok in the past, so I guess this makes sense!
• It's implied by Nickel that Grimlock was the one who caused Tarn's facial scars.
• It's theorized in this issue that the Magnificence was originally a member of the Knights of Cybertron who shed his body to focus solely on knowledge. This is somewhat similar to the story of Epistimus, one of the Guiding Hand who was reduced to a brain module in the final battle of the Hand...maybe this is the same brain?
• Nickel confirms this issue that Grimlock WAS at one point a Decepticon, and defected to the Autobots.
• Wow this issue resolves a lot of loose plot threads around the Scavenger's adventures! The Treecons, Worldsweeper, Grimlock locked in a Stasis Pod and even the strange experiments they encountered on Clemency were all caused by Scorponok's group
• The mystery around Grimlock's condition is also explained. When Garrus-9 was attacked, the Magnificence, which was previously stored under the Aequitas computer was moved into a special brace placed into Grimlock's chest, which could only be opened by Grimlock being broken mentally. Scorponok used the Warren (currently being used by Getaway to reach Cyberutopia) to steal Grimlock from G-9 and drove him mad to release the orb.....wait...then why did it end up in Mengel's hands if they got it out of Grimlock's chest?
• Hmmm...looking at the bodies of the Scavengers, none of them look any worse than just piecing themselves back together, especially since both Spinister and Nickel are medics.I doubt they're dead (plus the solicit for next issue seems to imply they survive too)
• I don't know why, but the weird storm on Troja Major makes me think that it's going to be under attack from Unicron soon...maybe the radiation is an early attack of his in this universe?

IDW - Transformers vs Visionaries #2

Title: Cybertron No More

Written by: Magdalene Visaggio

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Lettered by: Shawn Lee

Edited by: Sarah Gaydos & David Mariotte

Published by: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Ironhide races out of New Prysmos to alert the rest of his team of Virulina's murder of Kup, whilst Virulina races towards Merklynn's prison to free him, followed by Leoric, protesting what she has just done. Inside the cage, Leoric is horrified to see that Merklynn has also killed his guards using some magic he has managed to tap into, and leaves as Virulina heads to the balcony and declares that they can kill the Cybertronians and will take their planet to the people below, showing Kup's dead and severed head as proof.

Leoric soon calls a meeting of the Spectral Knights at their fortress, where they agree that they cannot take a world that is already inhabited, so they must fight the Darkling Lords, despite this leading to a war that will hurt their already lowered population.

Soon, the Darkling Lords have headed to the three pillars that generate the shield that keeps the Prysmosians inside their city, and prepare to destroy them, with the civilians of the city watching. The Spectral Knights arrive and fight off the Lords, seemingly winning in their fights, until the civilians turn against the Spectral Knights, telling them that they want to follow the Darkling Lords now.

Before long, the pillars are destroyed, and Virulina and Merklynn gloat over their impending victory. Leoric arrives behind them to battle Virulina, but she manages to overpower him, and he is forced to retreat with the others

Ironhide returns to Wheeljack's lab where he informs them of Kup's death, when Wheeljack gives him more bad news. When the Talisman reaches the planet's core it will taint all the Energon left in it, and turn all Cybertronians on the planet to dust, just like Kup, and it will hit in less than two days. Things look dark, until Leoric and the Spectral Knights arrive behind him.

Kup instinctively calls for them to be detained, but Leoric explains what just happened in the city, and explains that they do not agree with Virulina and want to help to stop the Talisman. Ironhide agrees to team up with them, but warns Leoric against betraying him...

Back in New Prysmos, Virulina is crowned the Chancellor of New Prysmos and vows to a cheering crowd that they will kill all the Cybertronians on the planet and take it for their new world!

Characters

Autobot

Ironhide - Van

Wheeljack - Race Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck (Head Only) Dead

Decepticon

Fat Tankor - Tank

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Merklynn's Guards Killed by Merklynn

Security Force Members

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Mentioned)

Spectral Knight

Leoric

Galadria

Arzon

Witterquick

Ectar

Darkling Lord

Virulina

Cindarr

Cravex

Lexor

Darkstorm (Mentioned)

Other Prysmosian

Merklynn

New Prysmosians

Notes

• Umm...Ironhide...maybe you should mention to Tankor about the killer organics inside the city he is guarding, rather than just ignoring him as you ram out of the city?
• So...the entire premise of this issue is that the Darkling Lords and the people of New Prysmos want the shield erected by the Cybertronians torn down so they can leave, but the Cybertronians didn't create the shield...Merklynn did. This only works if they created a second shield some time, or Merklynn has been lying about it's origins for some reason.
• Despite his name-drop last issue, Cryotek isn't amongst the Spectral Knights during their meeting or exile from New Prysmos.
• We get our first glimpses of the Visionary animal totems here. The animal forms are summoned from staffs, which are now possessed by all the Visionaries, rather than coming from their chest emblems, with the staffs being used for alternate magical spirits.
• On another note, the Spectral Knights retain their classic blue colouring, whilst the Darling Lords have been changed to purple. This is most likely to help differentiate the colours blue and green are quite similar, especially when they are lightly coloured.
• Despite the images on the totems being based on their traditional appearances the animal forms are now altered (most likely to resemble Prysmosian animals instead of Earth animals). These changes include a four eyes shark, a tusked lion and a horned dolphin.
• It takes all issue for Ironhide to reach Iacon to inform Wheeljack of what happened to Kup, but the Spectral Knights arrive just after him, having held their meeting and battle with the Darkling Lords in the process...maybe they can time travel?
• So....I know Metroplex pumped a breathable atmosphere into Iacon for the humans during First Strike...but how can the Prysmosians be sure that he's kept pumping it into their area since then? Also, what are they going to do when they kill all the Cybertronians? Just live in spacesuits? (And don't say that they happen to be able to breath the same air as what is natural on Cybertron, a planet without organic plant-life and was designed for mechanical life)
• So this story suffers from quite a bad problem so far...the Darkling Lords have the upperhand, and this is issue 2 of 5. Unless something happens to even slightly tip the scales next issue, then this is a very unbalanced series. If something happens to change the scale issue 4 or 5 then it's too late for it story-wise and will be seen just as a deus-ex-machine for our heroes. Maybe they will point out the atmosphere thing next issue or something?

IDW - Scarlett's Strike Force #2

Written by: Aubrey Sitterson 

Art by: Nelson Daniel

Colours by: Ryan Hill

Letters by: Taylor Esposito

Editors: Tom Waltz & Chase Marotz

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

The Joes in the North Pole Jungle are surrounded by various dinosaurs, but are forced to use non-lethal force due to them being extinct/endangered creatures (I think, it's not really explained). Cover Girl's new vehicle is damaged in the process, rendering it useless, but the team are soon rescued when a caveman appears from nowhere and scolds the dinosaurs, like dogs, making them leave.

Nearby at the Cobra Temple, Crystal Ball is preparing for the next stage in his Cobra-La ritual, when Destro arrives to inform Cobra Commander about the Joes being in the Jungle, and how he believes Cesspool betrayed their location to them. She is angry at Destro since Cesspool was HIS business contact and sends out the new recruits, Croc Master and Raptor out to deal with the Joes.

At the Lemuria base, Spectrum is looking over Grand Slam's wheelchair and commends him on the work he did with it, but has some ideas on how to adapt it with some MASK technology. Skywarp enters the lab to ask them about fixing his teleport drive again. Grand Slam immediately rejects it as they don't have the technology available to fix it, however Spectrum points out that they could use some of the Ore-13 from the newly opened mine to fix him, before being interrupted by Grand Slam who says that all the shipments are reserved from Cybertron right now. Disappointed, Skywarp leaves, but not before he overhears Grand Slam shout at Spectrum for telling Skywarp he can be fixed, since they don't want a "killer robot" at full power again.

Elsewhere on the ship, Shipwreck shows Scarlett a newly found hydrothermal vent that the Lemuria is set upon, which will give them a source of renewable energy, however Gung-Ho just wants to use it for a hot tub. Scarlett leaves, after making what Shipwreck takes as a fat joke about him as Gung-Ho starts stripping to use the "hot tub".

Back in the Jungle, Salvo watches as Quick Kick has started training the caveman, nicknamed "Friday", in martial arts, which Salvo points out seems to be so he has someone to help him fight Storm Shadow with, which Quick Kick immediately dismisses, just claiming to be aiming to train him to be master himself, as that itself is a great skill to master.

Spirit and Roadblock locate Raptor and Croc Master in the jungle, so they set up an ambush for them at their camp-site. Once the two Cobras arrive at the camp, they are surrounded by the Joes in the trees, and are ordered to take them to the Cobra Temple, however the two Cobras summon a pair of dinosaurs, that they use to attack the Joes.

In the fight, Friday is almost immediately eaten by one of them, but is vomited up after Quick Kick punches it in the gut. The fight itself doesn't last much longer as Spirit finds some mind-control devices on the giant creatures and destroys them, freeing the dinosaurs from their control. The two Cobras escape via another flying creature and the Joes proceed to chase them.

In Dukes office, he receives a call from who he assumes is Roadblock, changing his mind on breaking off his spy role, but is shocked to find Skywarp on the other end, offering to join forces with him in exchange for some Or-13, and to bring Duke some "valuable assets"

Characters

GI Joe

Scarlett

Roadblock

Salvo

Cover Girl

Quick Kick

Spirit

Spitfire

Skywarp - Fighter Jet

Grand Slam

Spectrum

Rock 'n Roll

Shipwreck

Polly the Parrot

Gung-Ho

Cobra

Cobra Commander

Destro

Crystal Ball

Raptor

Raptor's Falcon

Croc Master

Celeste the Gator

Vipers

Cesspool (Mentioned)

Male Storm Shadow (Mentioned)

Other Human

Duke

Earth Defense Command (Mentioned) Defunct

Other

Multiple Dinosaurs

"Friday" Partially Digested by Dinosaur, Vomited back up

Notes

• Oh wow...Cover Girl's new and amazing MASK-tech type vehicle is disabled from just one hit from an Ankylosaur's tail...what great endurance!
• "Friday" is designed after the "Intruder" action figures, though they were originally designed as villains, so maybe this guy will turn out to betray the team?
• Crystal Ball doesn't state it outright, but he is clearly intending to capture Rock 'n Roll to use his blood for his Cobra-La ritual.
• It's implied in this issue that the reason there is a lush prehistoric jungle in the North Pole because Cesspool's businesses have been polluting the air and melting the ice caps, seemingly meaning that "Friday" and the Dinosaurs were revived at the same time.
• So according to Spectrum and Grand Slam, the latter's wheelchair is actually very hi-tech, has been cobbled together from several other designs and even incorporates some Cybertronian technology....yet it still leaves him pretty much unable to do anything but roll around....
• I'm actually shocked! They referenced that Skywarp is a known killer, and even state that that is the reason they haven't repaired his teleport drive is because they don't fully trust him...pity this is only being brought up in the PENULTIMATE ISSUE!
• Also shockingly, this series actually references other events in the Hasbroverse rather than just playing by itself, it mentions how Skywarp was originally under the EDC's watch to get repaired, and also references the new Ore-13 mine opened in Optimus Prime #15.
• I have no idea why the scene with Shipwreck and Gung-Ho showing Scarlett the new hydrothermal vent /hot tub exists...I just guess they wanted a page with Scarlett in it in her own title series maybe? 
• So turns out that Croc Master and Raptor have been arguing about the genealogy of dinosaurs and not crocodiles like we all thought in the MASK First Strike one-shot
• Skywarp was shown last issue to be spying on Roadblock when he called Duke, this issue we see that he was acquiring the contact information too
• Gee it would be a real pity if next issue was the final issue and all these lingering plot threads would be left incomplete....oh wait....
• My guess would be at the "valuable assets" that Skywarp refers to are going to be the two Docs, being Dire Wraiths.