IDW - Lost Light #24

Title: Crucible Part 6: A Spark Among Embers

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Brendan Cahill

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Whilst the Lost Light is evading the grasp of Functionist Primus, Tailgate brings up the point that their plan to use the Hot Spots to kill the Functionist Council requires him to be in his Cybertron mode, which he clearly isn't.

As if on cue, Luna-1 appears from the Warren, having been told to come here, and Red Alert pilots the moon into the back of "Primus'" neck, forcing him into Cybertron again. Inside, the Functionists begin to panic and begin the process of transforming the planet again.

Meanwhile, Chromedome and Rewind lead Rung to his office, where he prepares to create the twelve Matrixes they need for their plan, before he goes in however, he tells the two of them that they're lucky and that they need to forgive themselves.

Inside his office, Rung accesses his patient files, recalls his first ever meeting with Skids, then deletes all his files. He removes his glasses, transforms and begins to create the Matrixes.

Soon, Rodimus arrives and opens the office, to find twelve Matrixes, and the room filled with inert Sentio Metallico, all the remains of Rung...

Flame has the Infinites, now under his command prepare to escort and protect the teams of Lost Lighters and Scavengers to Functionist Cybertron so they can open them and kill the Functionist Council...however Rodimus gives them a new problem. The new Matrixes all have the morality lock attached...

The crew start to debate the nature of morality and what decides if you are moral or not, but Rodimus doesn't have time to debate, so he delegates teams to work together to open them on the planet.

Tailgate goes to Rivet's Field with Cyclonus, Ratchet heads to Vespertine Blue with Drift, where they both admit their feelings with each other. Thunderclash goes to Automica with Spinister, First Aid to the Pious Pools with Crankcase, Nuatica with Brainstorm at Vauvaire. Lug goes to Sansaw Sanserre with Anode and Wipe-Out, Swerve is at Warrior's Gate with Misfire and Grimlock, Port Residua has Roller with Chromedome and Rewind. Velocuty is at Eugenesis with Krok, Riptide goes to Alyon with Fulcrum and Nickel. Magnus is at Mesmerica with Whirl, and finally Rodimus and Megatron go to Nova Point.

Despite Rodimus knowing that all his choices are good people, none of them can open their Matrixes. However Megatron points out that perhaps they don't KNOW they are good, and need to be told. Rodimus sends out a message to his crew and explains why he chose them, giving them all hope and allows them to start opening their Matrixes. Magnus is hit in the back by a missile, which blasts his innermost form out and is knocked out. Whirl picks up the Matrix and begins opening it, even as his legs are blown off too. Swerve's arm is blasted away, so Misfire holds one end of the Matrix to help him open it.

Just as he finishes his speech, Rodimus is shot and knocked down, Megatron tries to open the Matrix in his place, but it wont open for him, despite his changes, so Rodimus gets up, and opens it with one hand and his teeth.

With the power of the twelve Matrixes unleashed, their energies fly through Functionist Cybertron, knocking out the Functionist troops and killing the Council inside Vector Sigma.

The Matrix energy spreads to Luna-1, where the formerly dormant spark field is ignited and the lights spell out the words "Don't forget me"...Rung's last message to his friends.

In the aftermath, the Lost Light heads to Luna-1 where Fortress Maximus tells Rodimus that Rodimus HIMSELF told him to bring Luna-1 to the Benzene Cluster through sending a message back in time through the Warren, which majorly confuses Rodimus due to the paradoxical problems this causes, and Tailgate asks everyone if their quest is over now....but Swerve sees the "To be Concluded" sign below him, and says that it's not quite over yet....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car
Megatron - Tank
Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus - Vehicle Transport/Minesweeper Armor Blown Up
Primus/Rung - Matrix Forge Died from Over-exertion
Thunderclash - Truck
Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex
Ratchet - Ambulance
Drift - Car
Whirl - Opsrey Helicopter Potentially Killed by Functionaries
Brainstorm - Jet
Nautica - Submarine
Velocity - Race Car
Tailgate - Car
Swerve - Van
Chromedome - Car
Rewind - Data Slug
Riptide - Boat
First Aid - Ambulance
Fortress Maximus - Tank
Cerebros - Car
Red Alert - Car
Skids - Van (Flashback Only) Dead

Decepticon

Krok
Misfire - Jet
Spinister - Helicopter
Fulcrum - K-Class Bomb
Nickel - Rocket Powered Buggy
Crankcase - Van

Grand Architect

Flame

Inifinite 6690

Multiple Infinites

Adaptus (Mentioned) Dead

Functionist

One-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Two-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Three-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Five-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Six-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Eleven-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Twelve-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Functionist Primus - Cybertron Forced back to Alternate Mode

Multiple Functionaries

Other Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet

Roller - Truck

Lug - Backpack Equipment

Anode - Bi-Plane

Wipe-Out - Car

Clicker - Laser Pointer

Beak - Bird

Outrigger - Crane

Notes

• The auto-transformation from being knocked on the neural cluster has been established as being a thing since the MTMTE days when Swerve tried it on Rung, and successfully used it on Ambulon. It was established last issue that when the Council created the Primus facsimile they gave it a proper Cybertronian anatomy as well, explaining how it could work here.
• So Rung can literally just create the Matrixes from nothing? I mean, he does use up all of his energy killing him, and I can accept him creating the inner crystal from "nothing" (with them being basically crystalized lights) but where does the material for the casing come from?
• Following the deaths of Adaptus and his other generals, Flame apparently has control of his forces
• Brainstorm and Nautica hold hands, seemingly bringing up an old story arc of them potentially starting a relationship (especially with her wiping out her memories of Skids)...let's just hope that Nautica's hand holds aren't a death sentence for Brainstorm like they were for Skids....
• Ultra Magnus is STILL yet to open a Matrix, with him being the only member of the team to be replaced in opening one up. This is very clearly a reference to his role in the 80's animated Movie
• One of the Hot Spots is named as "Eugenesis" This was the name of James Robert's now famous fan-fic.
• This story also shows us that two people can open the Matrix together, with Swerve having help from Misfire to open his. Whether this means that the Matrix just hones in on the one who was intending to open it, or judged both of them together is unknown though.
• Considering the wobbly speech bubbles and lettering, as well as Whirl's general condition, and him not appearing after the scene, it seems likely that he dies after opening the Matrix, but we'll know better next issue I guess.
• Megatron is unable to open the Matrix. Either this means that he still did so much bad stuff that he can never be clean enough to be forgiven, or that he doesn't believe he has changed enough himself. Of course a third option could be that due to him being a Forged spark inside a Cold Constructed body, maybe the Matrix cannot recognize him.
• The spark field on Luna-1 has finally been reignited, having gone dark after the events of Remain in the Light.
• It seems likely that Rung used his spark energy in some way to power the new Matrixes, meaning that since that was all poured into Vector Sigma he COULD technically come back in the form of the Functionist Primus (but good now)
• At the end Swerve clearly looks towards the "To be Concluded" line, showing that he's still under the influence of the Meta-bomb.
• Since all the big bad guys of this series are either dead, unable to enter the universe or are now good, I'll guess that the final issue will just be a wrap-up one, leading the crew back to Cybertron...where they will all be eaten by Unicron :)