IDW - Transformers #18

Title: Arcee/Greenlight: Run

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Umi Miyao & Bethany McGuire-Smith

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Plot

Gauge, Arcee's new mentee is trying out a new job as an architect, whilst Arcee and Greenlight are arguing a out how they should leave Cybertron, due to the recent escalating violence, and especially Rubble's murder. Arcee doesn't want to leave, but is willing to discuss it later, when Gauge finds her place in the world first.
Soon the sky goes dark, and the trio notice the now detached Tether, which was just torn from the Winged Moon by Vigilem, is collapsing into Iacon.

They manage to avoid the initial collapse, but can hear it still falling further away, due to it's size, and they start trying to help the injured.
Gauge tries to help out when she hears some screaming in the distance, but ends up caught in a firefight (albeit with non lethal rounds) and is injured. Arcee goes mad and takes down the looters who are trying to loot an Energon store and agrees with Greenlight that it's now time to leave.

Greenlight and Arcee, with Gauge holding on, due to not having an alternate mode yet, speed past a damaged Energon store, which is detonating, but manage to make it to the spaceport, where they find it crowded.
The trio barge their way to the front, attempting to reach the Reversionist ship, the Exodus, but are barred from boarding by Security, since the Autobots are trying to block space travel following the recent attack.
Arcee distracts them by attacking them, allowing Greenlight and Gauge to board, they are concerned as the doors shut, as they need to leave, but when Arcee leaps in, at the last second, the little surrogate family embrace, looking forward to their new adventure together....

Characters

Security Operations

Strongarm - Police Van
Number - Car
"Red Tailgate" - Car
Spaceport Security Guards

Other Cybertronian

Arcee - Car
Greenlight - Car
Gauge
Red Alert - Emergency Vehicle
Inferno - Fire Truck
Fixit - Ambulance
Grapple - Crane
Lug
Green Architect
Gutcruncher
Purple Looter Arrested
Exodus Ship Greeter
Primus (Mentioned)
Exaarchon (Mentioned) Presumably Dead
Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned) Dead
Rubble (Mentioned) Dead
The Immersant Titan (Mentioned) Dead
The Rise (Mentioned)
The Reversionists (Mentioned)
Random Cybertronians

Notes

• This issue follows on from the cliffhanger of last issue, but also acts as a prequel to the upcoming storyline starting in Galaxies #7
• Lug is shown to be an architect in this continuity, when we last saw her she was Anode's assistant in archaeology/thievery in the old IDW continuity
• Strongarm us revealed to be a new cop, much like her status as a cadet in the RID cartoon, where she originated from
• Her partner, Bumper, was last properly seen in Megatron Origin, where he was killed for spying on the early Deceptions...let's hope he doesn't suffer the same fate here...
• Arcee is revealed to be a war veteran, and even assassinated one of Exaarchon's bodies, both references to her past in the previous IDW continuity 
• Rather than using his most recent toy as his basis, Inferno appears to be using his Energon incarnation's alternate mode.
• He is also paired up with Red Alert, a reference to the long standing joke that they're in a relationship following their roles in the G1 cartoon.
• The main guard at the spaceport appears to be using the Thrilling Thirty Tailgate character model, but in more Windcharger looking colours, but still with Tailgate's head... VERY confusing!!
• The opening excerpt on being a mentor mentions how Titan mentors have a different role, most likely meaning that those mentors become that Titan's Cityspeaker.