IDW - Transformers #38

Title: Darkness, Once Gazed Upon, Part Two

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

Megatron meets with Mindwipe in secret, to entrust a Titanspark to him, intending for him to use it to create a new Titan, and eventually restore the Forge to create a new Decepticon army for Megatron's cause.

Soundwave calls Megatron away to deal with the newly imprisoned Ultra Magnus. The war general tries to make Megatron see sense, and warns him that Ruckus is somehow connected to a returning Exarchon.

The Decepticons don't believe him, and Megatron has him imprisoned with the captured Senators. Strika however, knowing that Magnus wouldn't lie, suggests that they do look into Ruckus, in case there's any validity to Magnus' claims.

Elsewhere, Cyclonus goes to see "Provoke" again, but finds her researching Cybertron's history some more, and not seeming to have regained her own memories any further.

After leaving, the ghosts of his former teammates/his inner thoughts further suspect Provoke isn't actually herself due to her strange behaviour and even speak patterns...

The Autobots send a small strike team into Iacon to recover Ultra Magnus, with Smokescreen getting them inside using a hidden tunnel through Swindle's bar, calling in a favour with the bartender to give them free passage to leave the city later.

Magnus is taken to the Senate prison, where he finds the Senators dying, but refusing to give in to Megatron's demands.

The Autobot team break into the prison, and manage to free Magnus, but can't manage to save the Senators as well, due to their limited numbers and time, with the rest of the Autobots reinforcing Crystal City for an expected attack from Megatron.

Magnus joins the other Autobots in escaping, reluctantly leaving the Senators behind, potentially to die, and manage to get to a closed Swindle's.

Swindle tries to protest having the Autobots there, due to the Decepticon's rules, but he's ignored by the Autobots, who also want him to allow Bumblebee and Elita-1 to escape with them, and to arm the two of them, as well as Magnus, so they can defend themselves when the Decepticons give chase.

Unknown to any of them, Trickdiamond disapproved of Swindle's deal with Smokescreen, so she informed Starscream, who passed it on to Sixshot, who is now outside the bar, ready to kill everyone inside....

Characters

Autobot

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Chromia - Car

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Smokescreen - Car

Arcee - Car

Greenlight - Car

Gauge - Energon Detector Vehicle

Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

Soundwave - Hovercraft

Sixshot - Jet/Car/Tank/Gun/Winged Beast

Strika - Battle Tank

Starscream - Jet

Slipstream - Jet

Flamewar - Motorcycle

Blackjack - Car

Mindwipe - Bat

Twirl - Jet

Tentakil - Squid

Nautilator - Lobster

Cy-Kill - Motorcycle Crushed Under Senator Prison Door

Offroad - Van

Triton

Scatterspike - Van

Cindersaur - Lizard Monster

Flamefeather - Bird Monster

Jolt - Car

Ravage - Cassette

Gutcruncher

Treadshot

Catgut

"Green Horns" Killed by Smokescreen

"Green Antennae" Kicked into Senate Prison by Chromia 

Rest of Sixshot's Team

Ruckus/Exarchon - Buggy (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet

Provoke/Exarchon - Big Wheeled Vehicle

Crisscross Dying from lack of Energon

Swindle - Van

Trickdiamond - Car

Roughstuff - Truck

Kaskade Comatose

The Imprisoned Senators Dying from lack of Energon

Highfire (Ghost)

Paragon (Ghost)

Gridlock (Ghost)

Grudge (Ghost)

Flatline - Van (Mentioned) Missing

Termagax - Van (Mentioned)

Streetwise - Car (Mentioned)

Motormaster - Truck (Mentioned)

Headlock - Forklift (Mentioned)

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft (Mentioned)

Elita-1 - Car (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Insecticons Swarm (Mentioned)

Other

The "last" Titanspark

Rust Worms (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue confirms the assumption that just about everyon had, that Megatron did recover at least one of the Titansparks from the Pyramid Forge before it was destroyed. He says it was just the one that survived, but I think it's safe to say he's lying again...
• We've known that Arcee was part of the Autobots for a few issues now, but we now learn that Greenlight and Gauge joined her.
• Soundwave appears to be under the impression that Ruckus is still comatose, and no-one seems to deny this. We learned he (really Exarchon) joined the Decepticons last issue, so maybe they're just letting anyone join, without going through Sixshot and the others now?
• Gridlock mentions that his body was taken by Termagax to try and figure out the weapon that killed him. We have seen his head amongst her belongings whenever we've seen inside "House". This also implies that she probably doesn't know the answer still though.
• Roughstuff has lost his Decepticon badge since last issue, so maybe he only has it for when on duty?
• The Senate building being turned into a prison has been referenced since the uprising, but we actually see it here. The main Senate meeting room is holding the shackled Senators, who are being deprived of Energon until they join the Decepticons. The windows and holes in the walls and ceiling are also covered in energy grates that can slice up anything on contact.