IDW - Transformers #27

Title: War World: Moon

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Novastar's team, on board Sky Lynx, approach the Winged Moon, which has been attacked by the Decepticons, using the element of surprise due to the Moon having communications problems.

On the surface, Team Stream are trying to break into the inner facilities, but the engineers left on the Moon to try and save it have managed to barricade themselves in securely.

Shadow Striker leads some of the team, via a drill, directly into Enemy's holding cell, unaware that he was even stationed there, much to the Infiltration Trooper's annoyance.

On the surface, Astrotrain detects Sky Lynx approaching, and goes after him, however he doesn't know that only half of the giant Autobot is approaching, his other half has already landed carrying the Autobot team, who attack the Decepticons, and seem to have the upper hand.

Inside, the Decepticons sneak around to find the Energon stores, but find the corridors booby-trapped, so go after Systems Control instead, to take the whole Moon instead if just the Energon.

Sunstirm tries to break in, but the engineers rig the Energon supplies to detonate, sending Sunstorm into orbit, irradiating him in the process.

Seeing this, Slipstream calls for a retreat, and they collect the now glowing Sunstirm, mumbling about seeing something, and head back to Cybertron.

Back on the Moon, Sky Lynx collects the Autobots and engineers to return them to Cybertron too, but Cosmos opts to remain on the Moon to defend it from further attacks, but asks Lancer to deliver a message to Blast-Off, inviting him to join him....

Characters

Autobot/Security Forces/Senate Guard

Novastar - Car

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Springer - Car/Helicopter

Sureshot - Buggy

Smokescreen - Car

Sky Lynx - Space Shuttle

Decepticon/The Rise

Slipstream - Jet

Shadow Striker - Car

Flamewar - Motorcycle

Astrotrain - Trackless Train/Space Shuttle

Sunstorm - Jet Irradiated by Energon Explosion

Hotlink - Jet

Hyperdrive - Car

Blackjack - Car

Tracer - Helicopter

Enemy - Cassette Missing In Action

Shockwave - Flying Artillery (Mentioned)

Blast-Off - Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Cosmos - Orbiter

Huffer - Truck

Gears - Van

Lancer - Car

Wheeljack - Race Car (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue's story presumably takes place just following Novastar leaving during the crisis meeting in issue 25, meaning it is likely occuring during the previous issue's events.
• Fico Ossio was the main artist for the Revolutionaries series as well as a few other series in the old IDW continuity, this is his first appearance on interiors in the new continuity.
• The engineer team refer to the Decepticons as "Risers" here. This is due to them not knowing about Megatron's uprising and their true nature yet.
• Sunstorm's newly irradiated firm is most likely a reference to his Dreamwave character, especially with his comments about seeing something afterwards. Maybe we'll finally get some proper use out of the character this time around!
• Enemy disappears from the Decepticon team before they can leave the Winged Moon, my guess is that this will be a recurring joke for the poor guy in this series...always getting left behind in horrible situations.
• It's unclear yet if Cosmos knows that Blast-Off is a member of the Decepticons or not.

IDW - Rom: Dire Wraiths #3

Writer: Chris Ryall

Letterer: Shawn Lee

Editor: David Mariotte

Main Story Title: One Small Step for Dire-Wraith-Kind, Part 3

Main Story Artist: Ron Joseph

Main Story Colourist: Jim Boswell

Side Story Title: One Small Step for a Spaceknight, Part 3

Side Story Artist: Guy Dorian Sr. & Maria Keane

Side Story Colourist: Ross Campbell

Main Story Plot

On the Moon, the Human astronauts figure out that the last surviving Wraith soldier is too weak to take them on, causing him to run away towards the remains of their gateway, hoping to escape them, but the humans chase him.

When the Wraith reaches the remains of the portal, he stalls for a moment , allowing Dodger to leap at him, but the astronaut goes right through the illusion, and into the portal, activating it again. The real Wraith grabs one of the remaining astronauts to further power the portal to send him back to where he came from, but Rom, on the other side of it fires on the monster, killing him.

As the portal closes, Rom congratulates the humans in their victory and salutes them...

On the Advebture-One Station the Mystic, Aby'ss, is searching for the only Human onboard, Sandra Shen, so she can be absorbed too, however the human scientist is smarter and manages to blast her with an energy weapon, and jabs needles into the alien to take samples for humanity to be prepared to take them on better in the future, killing the creature in the process

In the aftermath, the remaining astronauts complete their moonwalk, and replant the American flag. Shen contacts them and says she will complete the cleanup of the lander site, and lock down the area so noone will know what happened as the duo return to their shuttle.

Reunited with Collins on the Apollo shuttle, the three astronauts head back towards Earth, with two if them unaware that Collins was replaced by a Wraith whilst waiting for them....

Side Story Plot

The adrift Solar Knights manage to take down the Wraith-possessed Dhorian, finally putting their old friend out if his pain. Unfortunately the portal that sent them to this distant part of space is closing, forcing Nikomi to send Rom through alone, while he hibernates until he can be found again...

Rom, grateful for the sacrifice doesn't waste his time, now back where this all started, he opens up the portal again, and sees two Human astronauts being harassed by a line Dire Wraith, whom he kills, congratulating and saluting the two Humans in the process and flying off to continue his long mission to defeat the evil species....

Characters

Adventure Team

Sandra Shen

Dodger/James Brightside Killed by the Wraith Portal

Mixmaster/Martin Flannery (Mentioned) Dead

Arsenal/Anatoli Kiev (Mentioned) Dead

Scalpel/Elmo Aubreyson (Mentioned) Dead

Hank Armstrong (Mentioned, Images used by the Wraiths) Dead

NASA

Neil Armstrong

Buzz Aldrin

Mike Collins (Mentioned, Replaced by Sky'sm) Dead

Other Human

Franco Columbo (Mentioned)

President Eisenhower (Mentioned)

President Kennedy (Mentioned)

Dire Wraith

Mystic Aby'ss Killed by Sandra Shen

Mystic Sky'sm (Posing as Mike Collins)

Third Mystic (Posing as Dhorian) Killed by Rom

Axlar Killed by Rom

Sular (Corpse Only) Dead

Solar Order

Rom

Nikomi Stranded in Deep Space

Dhorian (Corpse Puppeted by Wraiths) Dead

Notes

• This issue was VERY delayed, but after about a year, this three issue miniseries is finally complete!
• Since they never get properly identified this issue, I've decided to use logic to name the Mystics who have different dates this issue. Aby'ss is the one who dies and Sky'sm is the one who survived. If a later story changes that, then oh well.
• As I speculated last issue, it's revealed that Collins has been replaced by the surviving Wraith at the end of this issue.
• Somehow, the Wraith who attacks Sandra turns into Hank to try and trick her, and is implied to be the one who absorbed him, but the one who replaced Collins was also the one who replaced Hank and this is confusing....
• Nikomi being lost in space, seemingly acting as a "death" this issue really loses its edge when you remember this is a prequel, and we see Nikomi later, alive and well.
• And as the series ends, we still don't have a name (or status) for the third Wraith soldier, orca name for the Mystic who took over Dhorian's suit/corpse.
• Rom somehow knows that the beings on Earth's Moon are Humans, despite not knowing about them later in the timeline before Earthfall.

IDW - Transformers #26

Title: War World: Awakenings

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Anna Malkova

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Some time ago, Termagax witnesses the Tether collapse, and is infuriated, she orders her workshop "House" to construct something for her...

Now, Pyra Magna has been freed from her prison by the newly appointed Optimus Prime. 

Ironhide is unsure if people will be happy with Pyras release, and questions Sentinel's final orders to kill Starscream, which Optimus has no intention of doing, as he hopes to not kill anyone, and end this uprising peacefully.

At the prison, Pyra sends out a signal to one if her loyal Companions, Jumpstream, who uses her teleportation abilities to get to her nearly instantly, informs her about what's been happening recently, and agrees that this may be a worthy cause for them to fight for, and heads out to find the rest of their team for Pyra.

Andromeda speeds towards Tarn to get away from the problems happening in Iacon, but gets ordered by Soundwave to report to the Decepticon's Headquarters so they can control what news is being spread.

Elsewhere, some Decepticons are patrolling the streets in Iacon, when they discuss that Sizshit us going to be leading their forces soon, which a hiding Cyclonus overhears, and, along with the ghosts of his former allies, gets to work...

The Decepticon Senators are angered about the Rainmakers killing Sentinel Prime, but Megatron insists that they know he is infuriated with them too, but they need to move on from this problem for now, and heads off to meet with Starscream at the Arena, whilst the other Senators are to isolate their captured fellow Senators until they agree to join them.

Starscream tries to manipulate Megatron into needing him, and offers two pieces if information, one did now, and one for when he has some sense if power. Soundwave however, not liking Starscream already simply attacks the Intelligence Head, and Megatron proceeds to join him in thewtenibg the bot's life, until Starscream reveals that he has information on the Enigma of Combination and Titan Sparks, peaking Megatron's interest.

Before anything else can be said however, Skytread interrupts with news that Termagax is in the Arena...

Termagax is publicly denouncing Megatron's actions to the other Decepticons, and asks them to explain their terrorist actions, whuc Megatron defends thatvhevus doing what she couldn't.

Termagax realizes that Megatron was not who she thought he was, he just wanted to have a war so he could be in charge, and doesn't care about Cybertron"s future like he claims. 

Megatron swufkt shoots Termagax, seemingly killing her before everyone assembled. He begins to announce that anyone who defies him will be treated as a traitor, and killed like her...except Ratbat reveals that this isn't Termagax, but a drone made to look like her...

Elsewhere, Termagax is inside "House" and orders her workshop to relocate somewhere else, as she is now a target if Megatron's anger...

Characters

Autobot/Security Forces/Senate Guard

Optimus Prime - Truck

Chromia - Car

Ironhide - Van

Froid - Jet

Blaster

Crosshairs - Van

Hound - Jeep

Nautica - Submarine

Ratchet - Ambulance

Red Alert - Emergency Vehicle

Streetwise - Police Car

Fixit - Ambulance

Inferno - Fire Truck

Hot Spot - Fire Truck

Hoist - Tow Truck

Grapple - Crane

Kup - Pick-up Truck

Highjump - Van

Zetar - Drill Tank

An Infiltration Trooper - Cassette

Other Assembled Autobots

Sentinel Prime - Space Shuttle (Corpse) Dead

Roulette - Car (Mentioned) Dead

Chainclaw - Bear (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon/Ascenticon

Megatron - Tank

Soundwave - Hovercraft

Strika - Battle Tank

Ratbat - Cassette

Acid Storm - Jet

Ion Storm - Jet

Nova Storm - Jet

Swift - Helicopter

Roadtrap - Van

Battleslash - Helicopter

Crasher - Car

Termagax - Armoured Van

Skytread - Tank and Jet

Gutcruncher

Obsidian - Helicopter

Lugnut - Jet

Scatterspike - Van

Runabout - Car

Runamuck - Car

Laserbeak - Cassette

Nautilator - Lobster

Other Assembled Decepticons

Sixshot - Tank/Jet/Winged Wolf/Gun/Car (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Pyra Magna - Truck

Jumpstream - Car

Roadmaster

Starscream - Jet

Andromeda - Car

Cyclonus - Jet

"House"

Far-off Building Team

Highfire (Ghost Only)

Gridlock (Ghost Only)

Provoke (Ghost Only)

Grudge (Ghost Only)

Nominus Prime - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

The Captured Senators (Mentioned)

Perceptor (Mentioned)

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport (Mentioned)

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft (Mentioned)

Pyra Magna's Other Companions (Mentioned)

The Threefold Spark (Mentioned)

Notes

• Termagax's home base is revealed to be called "House". It's unclear yet if it is just an A.I. controlling a structure, if perhaps a repurposed Titan/larger bot yet.
• Pyra Magna is confirmed as the prisoner that Froid was banned from visiting, here explained as him getting too sympathetic towards her.
• Amongst the Autobots under Optimus Prime is an Infiltration Trooper, so it's most likely either Rewind or Eject, but it could be a more obscure character like Rosanna or Flip Sides. I like to think it's Eject though, since Rewind got all the love last time around.
• Inferno looks more of less like his normal character model here, even though last time we say him, his alternate mode was based on his Energon series toy.
• The odd colourings on the group shot of the Autobots is most likely due to the Matrix shining over them, causing a yellowish light to hit some, and darker shadows to be cast over others.
• Megatron has acquired his Fusion Cannon since the last issue. It goes unmentioned here (but is used, so it's not an art mistake) so I'm assuming we'll get a backstory issue explaining it before long.
• The Rainmakers are mentioned as being mute, whether this is by choice or inability has yet to be revealed.
• Roadmaster finally gets a speaking role, following her cameos in the old IDW.
• Jumpstream is shown to have a teleporting ability
• Pyra Magna and Jumpstream's character models are slightly modified versions of their Combined Wars toys, we can also assumed that the other "Companions" are the same.
• Andromeda's alternate mode shares quite a few similarities to Cybertron series Override.
• The Enigma of Combination mentioned by Starscream here was found in the flashbacks of the first Galaxies plotline, which combines the Constructions. Considering he's the head of Cybertronian Intelligence it makes sense he would have learned about it.
• Sentinel's order to kill Starscream is probably due to him knowing about the Enigma and the Titan Sparks, so that Megatron can't get them for his needs.

IDW - Transformers Galaxies #12

Title: Storm Horizon,  Part 3

Written by: Brandon Easton

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Plot

Ultra Magnus gears up in extra armour and attacks the Kworian vessels attacking Alpha Trion's ship, but is only taking out their weapons, as he sees no need to kill the alien species.

He makes it to Trion's ship, but I'd stopped from rescuing him by Sounbkaster, who insisted that the ancient Cybertronian fulfill his side of their agreement and attacks them.

The doomed ship is caught in the gravity well of the Black Sphere, but Magnus us able to grab Trion and escape in time, with Trion making sure the ship is still capable of flying, so Soundblaster can try to escape too.

Later, after Magnus and Trion return to the Fist of Iacon they make the concerning discovery that their proximity to the Black Sphere has altered their perception of time, and they've been gone for seventy cycles more than they thought.

They return to Cybertronian space, but are disturbed by the news of Megatron's revolution, though Alpha Trion suggests that they can use the artefacts of the past that he's been researching and hunting for to try and help defeat Megatron in the present...

Meanwhile, 66 cycles earlier Soundblaster returned to Cybertron long before his foes, where his master, Shockwave, is displeased with his failure, but Soares his life since he's in a good mood, as his army if Insecticons are ready to bring in the future for the Decepticons...

Characters

Cybertronian Expeditionary Force/Colonial Security

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Chromedome - Car

Victory Leo - Lion/Jet

Fist of Iacon Crew Members

Decepticon

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Soundblaster - Hovercraft

Octane - Truck/Jet Imprisoned by Magnus

Spinister - Helicopter Imprisoned by Magnus

Bombshell Clones - Bill Weevils

Skrapnel Clones - Stag Beetles

Kickback Clones - Locusts

Megatron - Mining Vehicle (Footage Only)

Other Cybertronian

Alpha Trion

Omega Supreme - Battle Station (Mentioned)

Termagax - Armoured Van (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Senate (Mentioned) Overthrown

The City Guardians (Mentioned)

Other

Kworians (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue marks the end of the Galaxies series, to be followed by the new Escape mini series.
• The background characters in Magnus' crew are just generics, rather than any of the previously seen characters from the earlier issues.
• Magnus' armour upgrade looks sort of similar to his Prime counterpart's second design, with the wings and rounder design.
• Due to the time dilation from the Black Sphere, over seventy cycles have passed in the outer universe. This might sound like a lot, but that works out as about 2 Earth months in real time (one Cycle is shorter than one Earth Day) So they won't be too late when rejoining the war.
• Megatron's speech being played on repeat from Cybertron is the one we see being broadcasted in issue 25 of the main series.
• The ending with the army of Insecticon clones is the culmination of Shockwave's experiments with Exarchon's cloning technology, which was also alluded to in Escape #1
• Soundblaster's master (and by extension the rest of the Splice Traders too) is revealed to be Shockwave.
• Soundblaster's resemblance to Soundwave isn't explained yet, but since his master is Shockwave, we can probably assume he's a clone of the Senator, possibly implying more clones in the future of other characters.

IDW - Transformers Escape #1

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Beth McGuire-Smith

Colours by: Priscilla Tramontano

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

When the Tether fell, the A'ovan biosphere on Cybertron was damaged, which has left the endangered people vulnerable.

Hound picks up a distress signal from them, and finds a few of the animals dead, luckily he finds a few people huddled under some rubble, hiding from Skrapnel of the Insecticons.

Nautica and Road Rage, who are also responding to the distress signal, arrive and save Hound from Skrapnel, , but are soon joined by the other Insecticons. The trio team up to chase off the Insecticons, but leaving them, and the A'ovan Pra'tyne to realize that Cybertron is no longer safe for them.

Whilst flying away, the Insecticons start fighting over a Skitter to eat, but Bombshell tells the others that they need to get back onto eating sparks, not organics, but they'll need an army of themselves to harvest the planet of life, and he knows how to do it...  

Elsewhere, Wheeljack has been healed following his I'll dated mission on the Winged Moon, when Gutcruncher and some Decepticons try to drag out some Autobot-allied patients, but are stopped by Hoist, showing Wheeljack and the medics just how bad Megatron's New army are...

Outside, Wheeljack and Hoist see a Titan starting to skim the atmosphere above them, and they know the world is coming apart, but all the able ships left a while ago, however Wheeljack believes that there could be four Ark shuttles in Darkmount, but they would be under the care of Straxxus, which is a problem.

Later, Nautica and Hound get permission from Optimus Prime to arrange a mass-exodus of all non-Cybertronian life on the planet for their safety.

The duo soon call a meeting of all the alien species currently calling Cybertron their home so update them on the situation, and asks for their cooperation in the Exodus.

Afterwards, Pra'tyne walks with Hound, when the Cybertronian hears another alarm, but the A'ovan explains that it is an old beacon given to them by Dai Atlas in case they ever need help in the future, but Hound explains that Atlas has gone Immersant and will not wake up again, which the A'ovan understands, but explains that some of the children set it off out if panic earlier during the Insecticon attack.

Elsewhere, the sleeping Dai Atlas hears the old beeping sound, and wakes up, tearing the cables from his body that were attaching him to Cybertron...

Characters

Autobot/Security Forces/Senate Guard

Optimus Prime - Truck

Hound - Jeep

Nautica - Submarine

Road Rage - Flying Car

Sentinel Prime - Space Shuttle (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon/The Rise

Gutcruncher

Airwave 

Refraktor - Hovercraft

Skrapnel - Scarab Beetle

Kickback - Locust

Bombshell - Boll Weevil

Team Stream (Mentioned)

Megatron - Mining Vehicle (Mentioned

Other Cybertronian

Wheeljack - Race Car

Hoist - Tow Truck

Ratchet - Ambulance 

Flatline - Van

Dai Atlas - Tank and Jet

The Titans Skimming Cybertron's Atmosphere

Sonic Bomber -Jet (Flashback)

Roadfire - Tank (Flashback)

Straxxus (Flashback)

Colony Ark Escort Titan (Flashback)

Blaster (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

The Reversionists (Mentioned)

Other

Pra'tyne

A'ovan Species Almost Extinct

Various Alien Species

Diagnostic and Treatment Drones

A Skitter

The Thraal (Mentioned)

Slaargs (Mentioned) Extinct

Notes

• This series acts as a follow-up to the Galaxies series, and also as the B story for the main comic, following the non Cybertronian exodus from Cybertron.
• It's revealed that Dai Atlas and his team were the ones who spearheaded the rescue of the A'ovan species from the attack by the Thraal.
• The Insecticons were last seen in the Galaxies opener, and the Reversionists are mentioned to still be stuck in Cybertron, this makes me wonder if the other focal characters from Galaxies will have a role in this series.
• Hoist finally makes an appearance after loads of references.
• The medics seem to be acting as neutrals so far, so I'll be considering them as such, regardless of their traditional future factions.
• Since returning to Cybertron, the Insecticons have developed a taste for organic life, implying they've been on a bit of a secret killing spree.
• Bombshell's comments about becoming countless is a reference to their cloning ability, that is being worked on by Shockwave throughout the main series
• Hoist mentions that the Titans are still slowly plummeting following the Rise's mind bomb in issue 17...Blaster needs to get in fixing that problem huh?
• Straxxus is a slight renaming of Straxus, most likely for trademark reasons.
• The presumed Titan seen with the Arks in the flashback is unidentified, but something about him reminds me of Tidal Wave.
• Despite the previous examples of Cybertronians going Immersant being essentially near comatose, and used to give their bodies and energy back to Cybertron, Dai Atlas seems quite well after being woken up!
• Dai Atlas being involved in an Exodus type storyline is reminiscent of his role in the old IDW continuity...let's hope this one gets to do more than the old one!
• Dai Atlas's design appears to be based on his newer Legends toy design, so most likely his teammates are based on their designs from that same set, though we don't see them too much.

IDW - Transformers #25

Title: War World: Prime

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Anna Malkova

Colours by: Joana LaFuente 

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

Following his rescue of the Winged Moon, Wheeljack crashes on Cybertron, looking for help in rescuing it again from a team who have usurped it again. Unfortunately he only finds the Battlechargers, who attack him on sight, but gets rescued by Streetwise and Slapdash and taken to safety.

At the Senate building, the captured Guards are stuck in one of the lower cells, whilst Sentinel Prime and Orion Pax are imprisoned in the high security cells above them, guarded by Ravage and Laserbeak, and both taunted by Megatron.

At a security facility, Chromia, Hound, Novastar and Ironhide are debating how to deal with the Decepticons and save the Senators when Wheeljack is brought in, who tells them about the Decepticon team capturing the Moon, prompting Nova Star to lead a team to rescue it, while Wheeljack is sent for repairs.

Whilst planning, Megatron declares that the Decepticons are in charge now, and imposes a lockdown, on punishment of death, until their enemies are all gone.

Kip is given a new team to lead, replacing the firm Heavies from the old war, and everyone is given their missions, Prowls team is to stay behind for back up at a safe house, while Ironhides crew breaks into the Senate to resume the captured bots and Kup's crew provide a distraction by attacking the senate building from the outside.

Inside the building, Megatron us trying to convert the captured Senators to the Decepticons when he hears the explosions from outside, and sends Strika and HER new team of Heavies to confront them.

Ironhide's team break into the cell holding the guards, quickly freeing them and break into the upper cells, where they chase off Laserbeak and Ravage before freeing the isolated Senators. Ironhide splits his team up again, with half of them escorting the two Senators to the safe house, whilst the rest will join him in trying to free the other Senators. Megatron learns of this attack from laserbeak, and redirects Strika's team to take them out.

Roulette is quickly killed, and the rest of the crew are pinned down by the other Heavies. Forced to escape, Ironhide, Groove and Backstreet break out of the Senate building, but Chainclaw is killed by Clench's roof mounted rail gun.

Bumper tries to save Chainclaw, but I'd also shot by the Decepticon. Sideswipe goes to help out Bumper, while their sniper, the recently recovered Javelin, is having a panic attack.

Sunrunner drops a beacon next to Clench from the air, allowing Flak and Sidetrack to use homing missiles to destroy the gun and it's operator.

In the aftermath, Sideswipe appears cradling the dead body of Bumper, and requires medical attention himself.

Soon, Sentinel and Orion are brought to safety, but Sentinel rushes away to get to a communications tower to let the people know he is still in charge. Clench spots his launch and warns Megatron, who sends the Rainmakers after him.

Sentinel tries to outfly the Rainmakers, but gets grounded by them, before being mortally wounded by the trio after a quick battle.

Chromia, Orion, Brawn and Flare-up arrive too late, with Sentinel's last words being to pass the Matrix to Ultra Magnus and to kill Starscream. Orion takes the Matrix, intending to fulfill his promise, but the Matrix reacts to him, and compels him to place it within his own chest, reforming it to hold the Matrix, and Orion collapses.

Inside the Matrix, Orion is met by the Mediator, in the form of his own mentor, Codexa, where it shows him the past if Cybertron and the lineage if Primes, warning Orion of the upcoming shadow, and their need if the true "Thirteenth Prime" to save them all.

Orion wakes up in reality again, and declares his name as Optimus Prime

Characters

Autobot/Security Forces/Senate Guard

Orion Pax/Optimus Prime - Truck

Sentinel Prime - Space Shuttle Killed by the Rainmakers

Chromia - Car

Novastar - Car

Ironhide - Van

Hound - Jeep

Kup - Pick-up Truck

Springer - Helicopter/Car

Sunrunner - Bomber Jet

Sidetrack - Anti-aircraft Tank

Flak - Missile Tank

Top Shot - Self Propelled Gun Truck

Prowl - Police Car

Streetwise - Police Car

Slapdash - Race Car

Bumper - Car Killed by Clench

Strongarm - Police Vehicle

Pointblank - Car

Javelin

Sideswipe - Car

Zetar - Drill Tank

Brawn - Van

Backstreet - Car

Pipes - Truck

Groove - Motorcycle

Chainclaw - Bear Killed by Clench

Flareup - Motorcycle

Roulette - Car Killed by Blitzwing

Subsea - Submarine

Grotesque - Winged Tiger Monster

Decepticon/The Rise

Megatron - Mining Vehicle

Soundwave - Hovercraft

Laserbeak - Cassette

Ravage - Cassette

Nova Storm - Jet

Ion Storm - Jet

Acid Storm - Jet

Strika - Battle Tank

Snap Trap - Turtle

Heavywait

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet

Apeface - Ape/Jet

Clench - Truck Killed by Flak and Sidetrack

Refraktor - Hovercraft

Crasher - Race Car

Runamuck - Car

Runabout - Car

Team Stream (Mentioned)

Mindwipe - Bat (Mentioned)

Quake - Tank (Mentioned) Dead

Other Cybertronian

Wheeljack - Race Car

The Senate Most Captured by the Decepticons

Primus (In Matrix/Statue Only)

The Thirteenth Prime (In Matrix Only)

Nominus Prime - Jet (In Matrix Only)

Zeta Prime - Truck (In Matrix Only)

Nova Prime - Truck (In Matrix Only)

Other Matrix Bearers (In Matrix Only)

Prediction (In Matrix Only)

Halonix Maximus (In Matrix Only)

Zarak Maximus (In Matrix Only)

Solus Prime (In Matrix/Stained Glass Only)

Vector Prime (Stained Glass Only)

Codexa (Image Used for The Mediator)

Exarchon (Mentioned)

The First Forged (Mentioned)

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

Solomus (Mentioned)

Mortilus (Mentioned)

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft (Mentioned)

Starscream - Jet (Mentioned)

Vigilem - Titan War Ship (Mentioned)

Warpath - Tank (Mentioned) In Stasis

Powerglide - Jet (Mentioned)

Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Rubble (Mentioned) Dead

Tether Victims (Mentioned) Dead

Swindle - Van (Mentioned)

Ratchet - Ambulance (Mentioned)

Hoist - Tow Truck (Mentioned)

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport(Mentioned)

Perceptor (Mentioned) 

Other

Flying Eye Drones

The Mediator (In Matrix Only)

"It" (In Matrix Only)

Turbofoxes (In Matrix Only)

Slaargs (Mentioned)

"The Coming Shadow" (Mentioned)

Notes

• The Autobots, Security Forces and Senate guards are pretty much acting as one faction from this issue, so we can probably assume that the Autobot moniker will be applied to all of them soon
• Wheeljack's crash landing back on Cybertron is following the cliffhanger from issue 24 where the Stream Team started their attack on the Moon.
• Sentinel's fear that if Cybertronians venture too far from Cybertron with expansion etc will cause the rest of the universe to fear and hate them, much like what happened to them in the previous IDW continuity.
• Zetar is seen transforming in his brief cameo, but doesn't parts-form like his recent toy does.
• Nova Storm is referred to as female here, much like her Cyberverse counterpart
• The new character Heavywait was previously seen in flashbacks in the Optimus Prime comic, albeit her gender and name weren't revealed then.
• Clench's railgun weapon is most likely a reference to his original toys weaponry
• Javelin's inability to use her gun is most likely due to her getting shot the last time she used one.
• Bumper's death here continues the seeming tradition of him dying early on, or having horrible things happen to him.
• The bar where Sentinel has his final stand-off is called the "Slaarg and Turbofox". We learn in Escape #1 that Slaargs are extinct, either meaning this place was established before their extinction, or this would be the human equivalent to calling your bar "the Dodo and the fox"
• Through the Mediator, we see Codexa in her full glory for the first time.
• Through the Matrix journey we learn that the Hate Plague occured in Cybertron's past, and this version caused a lot if death, with several sparks returning to the Allspark.
• Exarchon is mentioned to have not returned to the Allspark, implying he is still alive, like Cyclonus suggested earlier in the series.
• The journey through the Matrix implies that the Thirteen Primes being connected to Primus has been restored, after the previous continuity made them just bots used by Shockwave for his grand scheme.
• Among the past Matrix-bearers we see who can be assumed to be Nova Prime, using his Timelines toy as the basis.
• Zeta Prime in this comic is based on his retconned appearance from the G1 cartoon, rather than his unique design from the previous IDW continuity.
• The Mediator mentions a "coming shadow", which is likely not the Decepticons, since they're already a threat, implying a future terror for Cybertron (Quintessons, Unicron, Exarchon, who knows?)
• Orion Pax's design doesn't change when he becomes Optimus Prime. Just saying, he has a lot of WFC figures that could have been used to distinguish the evolution.

IDW - Transformers/Back To The Future #2

Written by: Cavan Scott

Art by: Juan  Samu

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Letters by: Neil Uyetake

Editors: David Mariotte & Chase Marotz

Plot

In 1985, Gigawatt tries to get Marty to help him to save the future, but the human is scared at the sight of another giant robot, assuming he's with the ones who have enslaved his family. As a result, Starscream attacks the newcomer, and almost takes him out, until Marty throws the skateboard he's carrying at the Seeker, and it unexpectedly transforms into the Autobot Skilz, who manages to knock down Starscream, allowing Gigawatt to transform, and Marty and Skilz get onboard, and they time travel to 2015.

The 2015 they arrive in, turns out to be one where the Decepticons have been ruling the planet for over 30 years now, with the remaining Autobots led by Rodimus Prime. Once there, the Autobots explain to Marty that Emmett Brown is responsible for this future, as when he travelled to the original version of 2015, Rumble stowed away, a D feigned innocence to get Emmett to fix him up from his I juries following the earlier battle with Bumblebee.

Now in the future, Rumble contacts Megatron, telling him that he's finally gotten ahold of the time machine, and gives his location in Emmett's lab, but when he arrives, Megatron is revealed to be beaten down and near dead, having been overwhelmed by Optimus and the Autobots. seeing this sad sight, Rumble steals the time machine and travels back to 1974, where he enslaved Biff Tannen, and forces him to help him collect Energon for ten years.

In 1984, the future version of Rumble leads Tannen to Mt St Hillary, where they activate the Ark, and command it to only revive the Decepticons, allowing Megatron to slaughter most of the still sleeping Autobots. Afterwards, Megatron decides they don't need two Rumbles, so he kills the time travelling one, but saves his head, so the scientists can study it to learn his secrets.

One of the Decepticons, Gigawatt, realized just how evil Megatron is when he executed some humans for their teams getting behind schedule, so he scans the captured Time Machine, and escapes, quitting the Decepticons, but gets shot in his chest, damaging his flux capacitor.

Afterwards, Gigawatt joined the Autobot resistance and told them about what happened. Gigawatt intended to travel to 1974 to stop Rumble's mission from the start, but his flux capacitor's damage sent him to 1985 instead, where he happened to find Marty. Rodimus, knowing of Marty from their data on Emmett Brown ask if he knows how to fix the flux capacitor, but he states that the doctor is the only one who knows his to do that, and they don't know where he is now...

Meanwhile, in the Hill Valley Workcamp, George McFly stumbles out of exhausting, prompting Scrapper to prepare to terminate him and his wife, until he is shot from behind and electrocuted by Emmett Brown, who asks the McFlys if they will help him to save the world from the Decepticons...

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus Prime - Caravan

Gigawatt - Modified DeLorean Time Machine

Skilz - Skateboard

Bumblebee - VW Beetle

1984 Optimus Prime (Flashback Only) Killed by 1984 Megatron

Hound (Flashback Only) Likely Killed by Megatron

Jazz (Flashback Only) Likely Killed by Megatron

Original 2015 Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Scrapper - Front End Loader Electrocuted by Doc Brown

1985 Rumble - Cassette (Flashback Only) Killed by 1984 Megatron

1984 Megatron - Gun (Flashback Only)

Original 2015 Megatron - Gun (Flashback Only) Near Death

Soundwave - Cassette Player (Flashback Only)

1984 Rumble - Cassette (Flashback Only)

Flamewar - Motorcycle (Flashback Only)

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet (Flashback Only)

Shockwave (Flashback Only) Being Rebuilt

A Seeker (Flashback Only) Being Rebuilt

Other Decepticons (Flashback Only) Being Rebuilt

Human

Marty McFly

Doc Emmett Brown

George McFly

Lorraine Baines-McFly

Other Hill Valley Slaves

Biff Tannen (Flashback Only)

Pasadena Workcamp Coordinator (Flashback Only) Killed by Megatron

Arleta Workcamp Coordinator (Flashback Only) Killed by Megatron

Other

Einstein, the Dog

Notes

• Skilz, the newly introduced Autobot who was disguised as a skateboard is (obviously) based on the Armada character, Grinder, but with a slimmer body and new colour scheme
• From the characters available in the dark future of 2015, we can assume that bumblebee was the only survivor of the Autobot slaughter in 1984, with Rodimus, and others like Skilz arriving afterwards from Cybertron.
• Due to the nature of time travel, some alternate versions of the same character appear in this issue, so the character list might get a bit confusing....I'm assuming this will be the same in the next two issues too...
• As I guessed in the last issue, Rumble snuck aboard the DeLorean and used it to manipulate the timeline in the Decepticon's favour.
• Gigawatt being a former Decepticon could be a reference to his toy not featuring an Autobot insignia.
• So, if Gigawatt can scan the DeLorean to turn into a fully working time machine...can the others do the same too?