IDW - Optimus Prime #17

Title: The Falling Part 3: The Ground

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Kei Zama

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

News about the explosion at the Spire, and the death of Alpha Trion reaches Earth, leading to Aileron deciding to head back to Cybertron to back up Optimus in this situation. Jetfire prepares the space bridge for her, as well as the Torchbearers to join in, when suddenly the city transforms, sending Aileron flying down a hole. Arcee chases after her, whilst the city flies into a space bridge portal, heading to Cybertron.

On Cybertron, Optimus denies Onyx Prime's claims that Soundwave and the Decepticons were involved in the explosion, causing arguments between the public and Optimus' allies, with Onyx planting the idea that Humans, Decepticons and the colonists have corrupted the Cybertronian race, and Optimus himself. He then adds more problems by playing a recording of Soundwave killing Horri-Bull and pinning the blame on Bumblebee, before leaving, saying they can do with Liege Maximo as they wish now, and heads back to his ship.

Needlenose, who loves Horri-Bull is furious with Soundwave for what he did, and for not telling him, further adding to the fire, and starting a riot in the city, with Marissa calling for the Dinobots to come help and the Constructicons to head off on their own mission now. Optimus contemplates what is going on, and why all this is happening, when Metrotitan appears and  begins attacking Onyx Prime's vessel, the Nemesis.

On the ground, Needlenose fires all his weapons at Soundwave, who just shrugs them off, before bitch-slapping him away, telling him there's more important things to deal with. The Constructicons appear and combine into Devastator, and attack the prison, rescuing Starscream, expecting him to lead them as the "Chosen One" again, despite his own protests.

Optimus calls out to Metrotitan to explain why he is on Cybertron, which he explains is to save Starscream. Optimus and Windblade fly to him to try and get him to calm down, but he simply attacks the "False Prime" Optimus, who he now distrusts (for some reason). Windblade loses her grip on Optimus and he falls, only to be caught by Onyx Prime, who immediately orders his Nemesis to fire on Metrotitan, who lows a hole in his chest, seemingly killing him and most likely everyone still on board the Titan.

Optimus attacks Onyx for killing his Titan, but Onyx easily defends himself, and reveals himself, by tearing off his face to reveal himself as....SHOCKWAVE!!!

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Aileron - Spaceship

Arcee - Sports Car

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Tracks - Muscle Car

Metrotitan - Autobot City Blasted Through Chest by "The Nemesis"

Slide - Rear of Oil Tanker

Midnight Express - Bullet Train

Alpha Trion - Shuttle Dead

Bumblebee - Car ("Ghost" Only)

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck (Flashback)

Zeta Prime - Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Torchbearers (Mentioned)

The Dinobots (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Swift - Helicopter

Dreadwind - Stealth Bomber Dead

Horri-Bull - Bull (Footage Only) Dead

Ratbat - Cassette (Footage Only) Dead

Skywarp - Fighter Jet (Voice in Footage Only)

Menasor - Stunticon Combiner (Flashback)

Swindle - Van (Flashback)

Galvatron - Tank (Mentioned) Dead

Colonist

Mistress of Flame

Elita One

Moonracer - Sports Car

Fireshot - Part of Jet

Sterling - Car (Flashback) Dead

Random Camiens (Flashback)

Other Cybertronian

Onyx Prime/Shockwave

Starscream - Fighter Jet Liberated from Jail Cell

Scoop - Front End Loader

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Hook - Crane

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Scavenger - Excavator

Devastator - Constructicon Combiner

D.O.C.

Circuit

Longtooth

Tappet - Car

Cybertronian Crowds

Zetca (Footage Only)

Prima (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Megatronus (Mentioned)

Liege Maximo (Mentioned)

The Other Primes (Mentioned)

The Darklanders (Mentioned)

The Titans (Mentioned)

Human

Marissa Faireborn

Rashid Nasir (Mentioned)

Other

Black Block Consortia (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue was released the same day as the digital releases of issue 18 and Lost Light 17. The physical copies of the latter two were released a week later.
• Oh look! The colonists are at the mines after all! (But I guess that storyline isn't important enough to really show)
• Unless you look closely, you won't notice that Dreadwind, who Tracks was trying to repair at the start, has died, he's turned grey and everything!
• Onyx claims that he got the "security footage" of Soundwave killing Horri-Bull remotely from hacking into the security network on the planet, however given the revelation of Onyx being Shockwave in disguise, this is likely actually his own memories being shown
• So Onyx flying around in a giant single eye makes sense considering he is actually Shockwave huh?
• The Dinobots were revealed to now be living in Trypticon, acting as the Earth embassy in "The Redemption"
• Small question here, Metrotitan has shoulder mounted cannons and other weapons...why does he shoot energy beams out of his fingers?
• Am I missing something? Is there a reason why Metrotitan suddenly believes Optimus to be a "False Prime"?
• Have I mentioned yet that Onyx Prime is actually Shockwave in disguise? He was last seen being willingly killed to deactivate the black-hole he created, resulting in the singularity in Crystal City.