IDW - Transformers: Last Bot Standing #3

Written by: Nick Roche

Art by: E.J. Su & Nick Roche

Colours by: Rebecca Nalty

Letters & Design by: Johanna Nattalie

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

The Last Cybertronians work on preparing Shib to be converted into biofuel, while Rodimus meets a badly damaged Wheelie, who is part of the group, but still refuses to join Steeljaw's crew, but the other Cybertronians are determined to convert him to using biofuel too. Steeljaw and most of the team leave to gather up the nearby townsfolk for farming and harvesting...

Moon is convinced by Shib, whom he has become fascinated by, and Wheelie to allow her to say goodbye to Rodimus before she is killed. She rusn over, and jabs the key her family has been protecting for centuries into Rodimus' chest, fully restoring him to his prime.

Rodimus quickly destroys the biofuel converter, and takes out most of the left behind Cybertronians, with Moon sacrificing himself when Shib is in danger of dying too. Wheelie sends two of the Cybertronians to warn the others, but Rodimus just kicks the smaller robot into orbit to die.

Rodimus chases the last two members, and kills them, with Shib wondering if Rodimus is actually the good guy...

Steeljaw and his crew reach Fembrance and start gathering up the townsfolk, but also start detecting Cybertronian technology in the area. Steeljaw makes his way to Shib's home, and destroys it, locating the box with the last two Energon keys and a data pad that Rodimus left for Shib's ancestors.

Rodimus and Shib soon return to Fembrance to find the town in ruins, and the townsfolk in caged trailers.

Rodimus is about to do something about it, when Steeljaw returns with Shib's family captive and reveals that he knows Rodimus' secret now....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Gripper - Buggy (Flashback) Died from Accidental Fall

Strongarm - Van (Flashback) Died in Ship Crash

Last Cybertronians

Steeljaw - Van

Sharpclaw - Car

Wheelie Launched into Orbit by Rodimus

Wildwheel - Car Killed by Rodimus

Moon - Rabbit Accidentally Killed by Wildwheel 

Vex - Car Killed by Rodimus

Treadshock - Tank Killed by Rodimus

Riotgear - Tank

Override - Car

Cyberwarp - Jet

Wedge - Front End Loader

Lunaclub - Helicopter

Scylla - Squid

Nitro Dead 

Donnokt Denizens

Shib Wallkis

Beets Wallkis Captured by Steeljaw 

Trayvon Wallkis Captured by Steeljaw 

Errold 

Fembrance Rangers

Fembrance Townsfolk Captured

Shib's Mother (Flashback)

Shib's Father (Flashback)

Wallkis Family Ancestors (Flashback)

Primitive Donnokt People (Flashback)

Fembrance Miners (Mentioned)

Notes

• As predicted before, the keys are filled with liquid Emerging that is designed to be used on the 3 Autobots who landed on Donnokt.
• The keys being able to open up a hidden hatch on a Transformer, and empower them, repairing injuries etc, resembles the Allspark Key from Animated.
• Wheelie being the "Veteran" here is treated like a big reveal, but the preview last issue revealed it to us...
• I mentioned last issue that it looked like Rodimus altered his robot mode when he became the wagon, but this issue reveals that it's the same design, but worn down from a lack of Emerging.
• Rodimus implies that there is something else hidden on Donnokt, and seemed very interested in if the Miners in town had found out about him. I'm guessing that Donnokt has a natural surplus of Energon, which Rodimus is trying to hide.
• The deaths of Gripper and Strongarm seem a bit suspicious to me. I think, based on the previous note, that they tried to leave the planet with the new source of Energon to save their species, but Rodimus stopped them by killing them.
• The secret discovered by Steeljaw is likely not about the Energon, since Steeljaw and the others already said they couldn't really convert back to using Energon now, so it most likely is something more than that.
• The art on Cover B shows Rodimus seeing past Cybertronians, most based on past designs, but Blaster appears to be a fully new design...and now I am desperate to know what he turns into...