IDW - Transformers: War's End #3

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Colour Assists by: Ed Pirrie

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

In the Sonic Canyons, Pyra Magna's and Sixshot's forces fight against Exarchon and his followers. During the fight, Jumpstream arrives to warn about the return of Devastator, when she sees Onslaught about to kill Cyclonus, but she saves his life, seemingly changing history, and the fight comes to a brief halt.

Elsewhere, Devastator joins up with Exarchon's forces, along with Slipstream's team. Everyone is impressed with the combiner, especially Exarchon.

At Shockwave's hidden base, Exarchon is admiring Sunstorm, and his extreme energy exposure. Exarchon wants to infest him, but Shockwave denies him, explaining how dangerous he is.

Soon Megatron arrives at the base to speak to Shockwave, which interests Exarchon too.

Before Megatron arrives, Exarchon ignores Shockwave, and releases Sunstorm, intent on infesting him, as well as Megatron. The Decepticon leader however denies him too, shooting into his chest, and smashing him into Sunstorm, who proceeds to accidentally smelting him.

Megatron orders Skywarp to head to the Sonic Canyons to find out Exarchon's secrets and to return them to him, whilst he remains behind to discuss what Shockwave's been up to in secret.

Feeling his other body's destruction, and not wanting to risk being left in just one body, he attempts to infest Devastator as his own....

Characters

Autobot

Pyra Magna - Truck

Jumpstream - Car

Groundbreaker - Jet

Sunstreaker - Car

Windcharger - Car

Geomotus - Radar Buggy

Landmine - Plough Buggy

Sureshot - Buggy

Pointblank - Car

Zetar - Drill Tank

Perceptor (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank

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

Swift - Helicopter

Blackjack - Car

Acid Storm - Jet

Ion Storm - Jet

Nova Storm - Jet

Sunstorm - Jet

Rage - Car

Three-fold Spark/Affiliated Decepticons

Exarchon/Deathsaurus - Dragon

Exarchon/Flatline - Van Blasted by Megatron, Smelted by Sunstorm

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Soundblaster - Hovercraft

Onslaught - Tank

Brawl - Tank

Vortex - Helicopter

Shadow Striker - Car

Slipstream - Jet

Flamewar - Motorcycle

Hyperdrive - Car

Clone-Drone Army - Jets

Other Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet

Skywarp - Jet

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt

Grudge (Ghost)

Gridlock (Ghost)

Provoke (Ghost)

Paragon (Ghost)

Highfire (Ghost)

Constructicons (Mentioned)

Other

"The Quintessence" (Mentioned)

Notes

• This marks the penultimate issue of the Wars End comic :(
• Jumpstream appears to avert her predicted death by saving Cyclonus' life this issue. She even mentions feeling odd after doing it.
• Slipstream and most of her crew join up with Shockwave's crew under Exarchon.
• Shockwave is revealed to be the one to summon Devastator this issue, most likely initially to be used against Megatron and the Autobots.
• Sunstorm's energy exposure storyline, though most likely planned to be different, has been used for defeating part of Exarchon.
• It doesn't appear that Megatron killing Exarchon was a part of his intentions, he was most likely hedging his bets on who to ally himself with, perhaps intending for Exarchon to infest Megatron.
• Nova Storm appears to have recovered from her apparent death by magnetic crushing from Windcharger.
• I wonder if Exarchon infesting Devastator would affect the six components. Could this be a situation similar to the Aerialbots in the old IDW continuity, who were only the Earth Enigma when combined.

IDW - Transformers/My Little Pony: Friendship in Disguise #2

Inspiring

Writer: Ian  Flynn

Artist: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours: Joana LaFuente

Letterer: Jake M. Wood

They Eat Ponies, Don't They?

Writer: Sam Maggs

Artist: Casey W. Coller

Colours: Joana LaFuente

Letterer: Neil Uyetake

Editor: Megan Brown

Consulting Editor: David Mariotte

Group Editor: Bobby Curnow

First Story Plot

Spike, now in the Ark on Earth, spends time with Grimlock, who he idolizes due to his giant size and strength, when the ship's proximity alarms go off, alerting them to the Constructicons arrival, planning to destroy the Ark whilst it's undermanned.

Grimlock goes out to fight the Decepticons, but gets overwhelmed when they combine into Devastator. Spike, wanting to help, and noticing the engines of the downed Autobot ship, rushes back inside, quickly learns basic Cybertronian and starts up the ship's engines, using them to blast the combiner, who de-combines and the Constructicons retreat.

Afterwards, Grimlock thanks Spike, and tells him that he's inspired by his quick mind and skills, despite his small size, and says that he knows he'll get stronger as time goes on.

All this flattery causes Spike to pass out in joy however...

Second Story Plot

On Equestria, Pinkie Pie is hosting her cooking show, and introduces her very special guest, the newest Autobot, Gauge. The two show their favourite recipes as part of a cultural exchange of sorts, with Pinkie showing off her cupcakes, and Gauge showing an iron filling casserole, much to the horror of the pony audience, and Pinkie herself.

Before the two can start their cooking however, Shockwave arrives via another Spacebridge, and he declares his intent to test if ponies can be used to fuel Decepticons.

Pinkie and Gauge work together to defeat Shockwave using a bunch of kitchen utensils and manage to knock him back into the Spacebridge, sending it away again. Following his expulsion, the audience cheer, likely assuming it was just part of the show.

A while later, the duo finish preparing their meals, and both try the other's creations, and both immediately dislike the other's work, but at least try to be courteous about it...

Characters

Autobot

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Gauge

Other Autobots (Mentioned, On Other Missions)

Decepticon

Shockwave - Ray Gun

Hook - Crane

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Scrapper - Front End Loader

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Scavenger - Excavator

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt

Equestrian

Pinkie Pie

Spike, the Dragon

Derpy

Bon Bon

Lyra Heartstrings

Vinyl Scratch

Octavia

Cheerilee

Doctor Hooves

Roseluck

Thunderlane

Flitter

Minuette

Lily Valley

Apple Split

Diamond Rose

Cherry Berry

Lemon Hearts

Cloudkicker

Other Ponies in Audience

Princess Twilight Sparkle (Mentioned)

Notes

• We learn that at least one Equestrian was transported to the Transformers universe here, since Spike is on the Earth of their universe (and not the Equestria Girls one)
• Since the Transformers-side of the portal, as well as Grimlock, was on Cybertron last issue it's logical to assume that Spike ended up on Cybertron initially, and went back to Earth via Spacebridge afterwards. (the cartoon did show that Cybertron had a breathable atmosphere in this continuity)
• Spike's ability to quickly learn a new language and operational systems that are beyond that of Equestria is likely due to Twilight's book-worm influence.
• The Ark's engines can be converted easily into cannons it seems....that would be handy if Trypticon attacks the volcano and ship in a couple decades....
• Gauge is introduced as the newest Autobot, likely a reference to her status as the newest forged Cybertronian in the concurrent G1 comic series from IDW, though she isn't an Autobot in that continuity (yet)
• Shockwave shows the ability to convert his hands into new weapons etc
• Shockwave's plan to see if he can convert ponies into fuel could be a reference to pink alchemy from the previous IDW continuity, where organics are drained of life to create Energon
• Pinkie Pie's dislike of Gauge's food is quite funny when you look at a load of crap she's eaten over the franchise's run.

IDW - Transformers Galaxies #4

Title:  Constructicons Rising, Part Four

Written by: Tyler Bleszinski

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

The Constructicons decide to turn against the others on Mayalx, but are unsure of how best to take them out. The Insecticons watch them, and decide to help out by killing some random guys and use their living sparks to make over energised Energon and present it to the Constructicons the next day.
Now overpowered, the Constructicons combine and firm the newly christened Devastator, and wipes out a facility and all the crew manning it.

Afterwards, the Insecticons metabolize the dead bodies into Energon, ready for them to ship it, and themselves back to Cybertron.
Back on Mayalx, the Constructicons decide to stay on the planet and build whatever they want, and build their own home there.

Characters

The Rise

Kickback - Locust
Skrapnel - Scarab Beetle
Bombshell - Boll Weevil
Shockwave - Flying Artillery
Onslaught - Tank
Brawl - Tank
Blast Off - Space Shuttle
Vortex - Helicopter

Ascenticon

Megatron - Mining Vehicle (Mentioned)
Termagax - Armoured Van (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Scrapper - Earthmover
Scavenger - Excavator
Long Haul - Dump Truck
Mixmaster - Mixing Truck
Bonecrusher - Bulldozer
Hook - Crane
Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt
Mayalx Workers Killed by Insecticons and Devastator
Nominus Prime - Jet (Statue Only)

Notes

• So, this issue came out a couple months late huh? 
• Just as a reminder, last time we saw them, the Constructicons were not ready to kill everyone on the planet...they just decide to do that randomly this issue...
• The statue I could identify in issue one is confirmed as of Nominus Prime
• As I mentioned in the valentine's special, Blast Off and the Combaticons are revealed to be a part of the Rise
• Shockwave's appearance and demeaner this issue implies that it is set just before his beatdown from Megatron
• In case you can't tell, I'm not too impressed by this first storyline from Galaxies...let's hope the next ones are better!

IDW - Transformers: Galaxies #3

Title: Constructicons Rising! Part 3

Written by: Tyler Bleszinski

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

Wheeljack witnesses the Constructicons in their combined form complete a building, in the aftermath of the war, but is terrified when he sees the combiner destroy that same building, and smiles as he did so, much as he was expecting from the combination of all those minds.

Termagax manages to calm the giant down and gets him to de-combine. She suggests to Scrapper that the Constructicons need to control the seventh mind that appears when they combine, by allowing him to take the reigns in that form, which they agree to try out.

Later, in Iacon, Wheeljack meets with the Senate to report his concerns about the Constructicons, and despite Termagax's pleas to allow them to work to rebuild Cybertron as they are destined to, but the leader of the Senate, Nominus Prime, disagrees, concerned with the damage they can cause to Cybertron and it's population, and more importantly to him, the extreme amount of Energon needed to power their combined form. He allows them to fix the damage they caused recently, but after that, they need to be dealt with.

Some while later, the Constructicons complete their work in Iacon, having taken Termagax's suggestion about their combined form and are proud with their work. Nominus soon arrives and congratulates them on their hard work, and presents them with badges of honour.

Soon, Nominus gives the Constructicons a new mission, to help rebuild an energy processing plant on one of their outposts, so they can use that energy to further fix Cybertron. Termagax says she agrees with Nominus, but asks them to be wary and not everyone who has left Cybertron, has been for noble reasons.

The Constructicons leave Cybertron, heading to Mayalx, for which they hope to only be a short mission...

Characters

Cybertronian

Nominus Prime - Jet

Termagax - Van

Wheeljack - Car

Scrapper - Earthmover

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Hook - Crane

Scavenger - Excavator

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

"Devastator" - Constructicon Gestalt

Nominus' Senate Members

Nominus' Guards

Iacon Workers

Primus (Mentioned)

Megatron - Armoured Vehicle (Mentioned)

"The Abomination, Abominus" - Terrorcon Gestalt (Mentioned)

Iacon Rebuilding Teams (Mentioned)

Notes

• Sorry I'm so late on this one as well, but I've been busy with the new Pokémon games etc (plus as I mentioned last time, this series/storyline is kind of repetitive and boring)
• This issue is set entirely in a flashback showing what happened between the flashbacks in issue 1, and the present day scenes
• The scene of the Constructicons in "Devastator's" head seems to be based on the similar scene of the Combaticons inside Bruticus from Till All Are One.
• To possibly explain why the Constructicons blame Wheeljack for them being stranded on Mayalx, we see that he is the one who reported their violence to the Senate here...however Termagax tells them that SHE thought them leaving was a good idea, and we never see them learning that Wheeljack said anything...so.....what happened there?
• Nominus Prime finally makes a full appearance in a piece of media!!! YAY!!!
• Nominus directly references the early scenes from Issue 6 of the main comic, where he says that Megatron, the miners and archivists are pulling their weight in rebuilding, which we saw in that issue.
• The badges of honour shown this issue appear to be very simplified Autobot insignias, either meaning this is the origin of them, or that they simply base them off of their party's insignia for some reason.
• Since Nominus doesn't have a badge in this issue and it being set RIGHT AFTER the world changing war, we can assume that the Autobot party hasn't been fully formed yet, so I'm just going to class everyone as Cybertronian in the character lists.
• I think it's being implied from Scrapper noticing the workers also having the badges that there are some sort of symbol of trouble or perhaps an inhibiter of sorts, but we never see the Constructicons wearing them in this issue, or in the present day

IDW - Transformers Galaxies #1

Title: Constructicons Rising, Part 1

Written by: Tyler Bleszinski

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

On Mayalx, the Constructicons are finishing off the Energon processing complex, and reminisce over the past, and long to return home to Cybertron, they hope that after this project they can return, but are also well aware that the people of Cybertron are afraid of them...

Long ago, following the war against the Threefold Spark, Iacon has been mostly destroyed, so Termagax and Wheeljack lead the reconstruction project, and are soon accompanied by the Constructicons , a team of prodigy builders.

During their work at Rivet's Field, the Constructicons have an unexpected discovery, the Enigma of Combination. Termagax explains to them that this artefact allows Cybertronians to combine and pool their abilities together, and asks them if they would be willing to attempt a combination to make the reconstruction process go past quicker, which they agree to.

The Constructicons soon embrace the Enigma , but struggle to even move with the new form, however they do manage to use their powers to smash a hole in the ground, saving them ten cycles worth of work in the process. The team decombine, and are drained. Scrapper is unsure if he wants to combine again, but Termagax says they should, and reiterates that they make a great team, unlike the previous combiner, whose members did not have a shared goal, and it went on a rampage, before being separated.

Termagax and Wheeljack leave, with Wheeljack worried about the Constructicon's new ability, but Termagax states that so long as they concentrate on building, then the combiner should have the same desires, and wont go on the rampage too.

Soon, with the help of the Constructicon's new form, Iacon is rebuilt, and it is considered a masterpiece.

Back in the present, the Constructicons continue with work on the processing complex, unaware that Bombshell is watching them...planning to use them for his plan....

Characters

Cybertronian

Scrapper - Earth Mover

Hook - Crane

Scavenger - Excavator

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Bombshell

Mayalx Energon Processing Complex Staff

"Unnamed Devastator" - Constructicon Gestalt (Flashback Only)

Termagax - Truck (Flashback Only)

Wheeljack - Car (Flashback Only)

Abominus - Terrorcon Gestalt (Flashback Only) Defeated and Parts Scattered

Primus (Mentioned)

Megatron - Armoured Vehicle (Mentioned)

"The Threefold Spark" (Mentioned) Defeated

Notes

• The present day segments of this story appear to be set along with the present day of the main title. The flashback scenes however seem to tale place before the events shown in issue six of the main title, due to the future Senators discussing the Constructicons as established builders there.
• The flashbacks of this story appear to be the earliest set story in this new continuity so far, showing just after the war against the Threefold Spark
• The Constructicons are mentioned to have left their Mentors earlier than usual.
• Termagax is revealed to have been Megatron's Mentor in the past.
• Termagax mentions the need to "Ascend", likely showing us the birth of her future Ascenticon movement.
• The Constructicons blame Wheeljack for them finding the Enigma of Combination, and causing them to combine and be "exiled"...but Termagax was literally the one who suggested that they should combine...why isn't she to blame?
• The Enigma is located in Rivet's Field, which in the old IDW was one of the Hot Spots and later the launch site of the Lost Light.
• The Enigma was an artefact first seen in the old IDW, as the signature item of Nexus Prime, which, like here, allows Cybertronians to combine.
• Devastator is shown to have normal optics, with a retractable visor to go over them, referencing the different head models of Devastator from the G1 cartoon.
• The previous user of the Enigma isn't named here, but from the words "Terror" and "Abomination" as well as his recognizable silhouette, we can easily see it's the Terrorcons and Abominus 
• The last two pages are seemingly in the "present", even though the comic itself neglects to show that, with another "Now." caption, like with every other time skip.
• The statue that Bombshell is shown standing on at the end appears to be of Megatronus/The Fallen of the Thirteen.

IDW - Bumblebee - Go for the Gold!

Written by: James Asmus

Art by: Marcelo Ferreira

Inks by: Maria Keane

Colours by: Valentina Pinto

Cover by: Nicoletta Baldari

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

One day, a meteorite, made partly of Cybertonium strikes the Earth, attracting a team of Autobots and Decepticons to it's location to retrieve it. A fight quickly breaks out between the two groups, during which, Bumblebee keeps getting sidelined due to him not being the fastest, strongest etc.

Bee gets sent out to rescue some Humans that were driven away by the Decepticons when they tried to examine the meteorite, so he gets them to a safe area, and contacts the authorities to pick them up, before running back to the fight.

At the battle, the situation is getting worse when it is discovered that the meteorite is destabilizing from the firefight, and Starscream keeps shooting it to make things worse. Devastator grabs a piece of the meteorite, but it explodes before they can get away, forcing him to decombine, but Hook manages to recover a small piece and throws it to Screamer to escape with. Bee manages to grab Starscream and the explosive material in the air, but is sent falling, with it by Starscream, who shoots him, setting off the meteorite again.

The Decepticons escape inside Astrotrain, whilst the Autobots find an injured Bumblebee, who they take home for repairs, and Optimus considers how to make Bee realise his true worth, without comparing himself to the other Autobots

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Bumblebee - VW Beetle Badly Injured

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Wheeljack - Race Car

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Skywarp - Fighter Jet

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Astrotrain - Space Shuttle/Train

Hook - Crane

Scrapper - Front End Loader

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Scavenger - Excavator

Mixmaster - Cement Mixer

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt

Human

Trio of Scientists

Notes

• This story is a short prequel to the previously released "Bumblebee: Win if you Dare" comic, and explains how Bumblebee got injured, which was referenced in the previous release.
• You may have guessed, but this comic was released to coincide with the release of the Bumblebee Movie.
• Wheeljack is shown to have a display screen of some sort attached to his chest, that he can remove to show others things (though this does expose his inner-wires, which would be dumb to do in battle I'd say!)
• The three humans shown in this story seem to not know what Autobots are, but are seemingly easily persuaded to trust Bee, making this unlikely to actually be set in the G1 cartoon (ish) universe...though Humans were shown to be quite dumb in that continuity...
• Despite Bumblebee being so injured that he needed a new body...he doesn't look too messed up at the end of this issue...
• The front cover includes a tape cassette designed to look like Bumblebee's face. It's pretty cool, HASBRO! GET ON THIS!!!

IDW - Optimus Prime #21

Title: The Falling Part 6: Unforgivable

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Kei Zama, Sara Pitre-Durocher, & Livio Ramondelli

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Devastator and Victorion continue their fight, with Victorion concerned about how Devastator is able to withstand her gravitational powers.

Elsewhere, Aileron and Jetfire have been brought to the Crystal City Singularity, which is now shrouded in Matrix energies and Shockwave declares that he needs their help with something, and explains that Optimus has been deduced to data inside the Singularity, with his physical body, including the Matrix being destroyed.

Arcee, having been captured by Liege Maximo and his Maximals is being taken into the Nemesis, thanks to the use of Ore-4, which creates a gravitational field. Arcee manages to break free and grabs her sword from Maximo, in turn throwing it at the Ore, shattering it, and causing the field to vanish. The Maximals, Maximo and Arcee all fall down, with Maximo being impaled on Devastator's crane and the other Maximals falling to their deaths too. Arcee is rescued by Aileron before she meets a similar fate.

Vicorion now realizes why her powers weren't affecting Devastator, the Ore was causing a second gravitational field, disrupting her own one. Now that she is unhindered, she shreds Devastator apart, killing him. In the aftermath, Arcee grabs Aileron for a kiss, to say thanks for the rescue.

Following their victory, the Torchbearers decombine and rush to Jetfire's aid, where Shockwave is revealed to Pyra to be Onyx Prime's true form. She attacks him, but he waves off the attacks, explaining that he needs HER, and was just using Jetfire as bait to draw her in. He wants to have her combiner-receptive mind to store Optimus' digital consciousness into her head to rescue him from Infraspace.

Shockwave used some of the tainted energon from Cybertron and places it into the Singularity, drawing Optimus and Bumblebee into Pyra's mind. Following this, Pyra attacks Shockwave and rips off his arm cannon, preparing to kill him for all he's done, without any contesting voices from Optimus or Bee...

Elsewhere, Soundwave prepares to assassinate Starscream, who is gaining followers for a new Decepticon movement, but Needlenose stops him, saying that this is all he knows to do. Kill people who get in his way...

Starscream notices the Nemesis, with the remaining Maximals aboard leaving, leading him to believe that Shockwave has been defeated. He then agrees to lead the new Decepticons and takes them with him to plan..

Left behind, Swift is disillusioned by all this, and questions her allegiance, whist the nearby Needlenose finds his brother Tracks, and decides to go with him, deciding to stick with people who care for him. Soundwave, now left alone is approached by Windblade, who invites him to join them at the council to start planning their next moves. Soundwave however is worried if he made a mistake by allowing Starscream to live.

The Nemesis leaves orbit, without any attacks from Carcer, on orders of Windblade. On the surface, Elita demands to know why they couldn't destroy them, and also why Shockwave is still alive, Mistress of Flame agrees since she still hates him for killing her friends in the past.

Pyra explains that they will have Shockwave brought before the council for judgement, so he can be punished properly, and so they truth about the Primes being just mortal beings be broadcasted to the people.

Upon hearing this, Shockwave declares that she is ready and implants some of the tainted energon into her head, giving her, Optimus and Bumblebee a shared vision of the upcoming threat....Unicron, and to deal with him, they had to accept that their religion was false and would hurt them in the long run...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab Mind Displaced into Pyra Magna's Head

Bumblebee - Muscle Car Mind Displaced into Pyra Magna's Head

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Arcee - Sports Car

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Tracks - Muscle Car

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Skyburst - Helicopter

Stormclash - Helicopter

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Dust Up - Sports Car

Superion - Aerialbot Gestalt (Flashback)

Optimus Maximus - Autobot Gestalt (Mentioned)

Chromia - Speed Bike (Mentioned)

Alpha Trion - Shuttle (Mentioned) Dead

Metrotitan - Autobot City (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Shockwave/Onyx Prime - Flying Artillery Captured by Pyra Magna

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Devastator - Construction Gestalt Killed by Victorion

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Swift - Helicopter

Fat Tankor - Tank

Tall Tankor - Oil Tanker/Cargo Plane

Acid Storm - Fighter Jet

Squeezeplay - Crab Monster

Flip Sides - Cassette

"Armada Thrust" - Fighter Jet

Menasor - Stunticon Gestalt (Mentioned)

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Beast Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Skywarp - Eagle Killed by Arcee

Bigmos - Mosquito Killed by Arcee

Insecticon - Beetle Killed on Impact with Devastator

Rartorata - Lionfish-Hornet Killed on Impact with Devastator

Nightglider - Flying Squirrel Killed on Impact with Devastator

Razorclaw - Fiddler Crab Killed on Impact with Devastator

Rhino - Rhino Killed on Impact with Devastator

Scorponok - Scorpion Killed on Impact with Devastator

Randy - Wild Boar Killed on Impact with Devastator

Retrax - Pill Bug Killed on Impact with Devastator

Scarem - Scarab Beetle Killed on Impact with Devastator

CatSCAN - Big Cat Killed on Impact with Devastator

Apelinq - Gorilla Killed on Impact with Devastator

Scissor Boy - Earwig Killed on Impact with Devastator

Rav - Raven Killed on Impact with Devastator

Mol - Mole Killed on Impact with Devastator

Dillo - Armadillo Killed on Impact with Devastator

Other Maximals Several Killed on Impact with Devastator

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Mistress of Flame

Elita One - Car

Liege Maximo Killed on Impact with Devastator

Vigilem - Carcer Ship Dead, Corpse used as ship

Civilians

The Fallen/Megatronus (Mentioned) Dead

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

Scoop - Front End Loader (Mentioned) Died with Devastator

Praesidia Magna (Mentioned) Dead

Fastbreak (Mentioned) Dead

Magrada (Mentioned) Dead

Human

Marissa Faireborn

The Iron Ring (Mentioned)

Other

Unicron - Ringed Planet (Vision)

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue fully explains that the Torchbearers left their position on Caminus due to the Mistress of Flame trusting a Prime (Optimus) despite her, and the Torchbearers knowing that a Prime (Onyx) was evil and killed their friends.
• It's revealed here what Shockwave was looking for when he was on Caminus, and killed Magrada and the earlier version of the Torchbearers, one of his Regensis Ores. In this case, it is Ore-4, Gravity.
• Even though some of the Maximals could have survived their fall from the Nemesis, it's likely that Victorion's gravity crushing attack would have killed them regardless
• This issue marks the first on-panel, on the lips kiss between two Transformers...the question is though...why was is Arcee and Aileron? Why not an established couple like the Torchbearer cars or Anode and Lug? This feels like it's just been shoe-horned in for some reason.
• We learn here that the area inside the mind of a combiner where the component parts can communicate is called Antespace.
• Optimus' brief stint as the torso of a combiner in Combiner Wars gets lip-service here. I thought IDW had forgotten about that!
• Windblade says "he found someone named Bumblebee?" as if she doesn't know who he is...she has mentioned him various times, and even screamed at Starscream for him being crazy for talking to his "ghost"
• Fat Tankor is mentioned as a Decepticon again in this issue, despite just last issue being identified as "unaligned"...MAKE UP YOUR MIND!!!
• Likewise, Devastator is also shown in multiple views (even his components) with Decepticon insignias, so I guess he has re-joined them too?!
• So, Shockwave's ultimate plot has been to create the Primes, just so in the future he could reveal that they were a fiction and were not gods, giving the Cybertronian people the strength to deal with the upcoming Unicron, since they cannot rely on gods to save them, only themselves. This is a good idea, except one small thing....how did Shockwave know when Unicron was going to return?
• Shockwave mentions that the Maximals are going to join Unicron now, whilst we know this is true from Unicron #1, this doesn't explain how he knows this. Was he allied with Unicron in some way before his "defeat"?

IDW - Optimus Prime #19

Title: The Falling Part 4: The Hallowing

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Starscream mused to himself, via his memoirs about his rise to power, but that Optimus Prime kept getting in his way, so now that he is witnessing Onyx Prime throwing Optimus from his ship, and into the Crystal City singularity, seemingly killing him, he is glad.

Starscream has Devastator carry him towards the downed Metrotitan, so he can try and talk to him again, and along the way, Devastator puts forth his theory that Starscream is the reincarnation of Megatronus, the Fallen Prime. Starscream doesn't believe it, but thinks he can spin it in his favour.

At Shockwave's ship, the Nemesis, he orders Liege Maximo and his Maximals to head to Metrotitan to finish off the survivors, since he knows the crew have survived, as well as the Titan. Shockwave proceeds to remove his Onyx Prime disguise and prepares the next stages of his grand scheme...

At Metrotitan, Arcee, Aileron, Jetfire and the Torchbearers emerge from the crashed Titan, uncertain of what to do now, having also witnessed Optimus' apparent death. Devastator reaches Metrotitan as Maximo and his beast troops also arrive. Bumblebee's "ghost" starts talking to someone unseen to Starscream, confusing him, as Bumblebee simply vanishes before him. Starscream heads off to Metrotitan's head alone, and sends Devastator off to deal with the Autobots, and possibly the beasts.

Maximo and his troops start hunting the Auotbots, who are hiding. Arcee plans to take down the beasts and Maximo alone, knowing she's strong enough to handle them. Aileron is ordered to get the injured Jetfire to safety, whilst the Torchbearers are forced to combine into Victorion to fight the newly arrived Devastator. Victorion uses her gravitational powers to try and stall Devastator, but he is stronger than she expects and still continues towards her...

In Iacon, Windblade and the Mistress of Flame watch in shock at the battle going on at Metrotitan. Marissa Faireborn tries to get Trypticon and the Dinobots to join in on the fight, but Trypticon refuses to risk the lives of the new generation of Protoforms he holds within him, so he opens up a Spacebridge and sends himself and the Dinobots to Earth to both keep them safe, and replace Metrotitan as the Cybertronian city-link on Earth.

Starscream reaches Metrotitan's head, where Metrotitan confirms Starscream's claim to be the reincarnation of Megatronus. Starscream is elated to be so important, but is quickly put in his place by Shockwave, who appears behind him. Shockwave reveals that he used his Ores to alter the mind of Metrotitan to make him name Starscream as the Chosen One, having also created the Dark Cybertron prophecy as well, then used more Ores to send the Titan through space and time to place him in Crystal City and under Earth at the perfect times to manipulate Cybertron into electing Starscream it's leader. He reveals that he did this to weaken the planet by having a weak leader instead of someone like Optimus, Megatron or even Arcee.

Shockwave shoots Metrotitan in the face, finally killing him, his purpose being fulfilled, leaving Starscream distraught...and he asks for Bumblebee to come back to help him again...

Optimus wakes up in a dark, destroyed city, he first thinks it's the Afterspark, but soon realizes that he is in Infraspace, and notices some markings from others who have been there in the past, including himself and Blackrock. Soon he is greeted by an old friend...Bumblebee, who has been wondering where he was for some time now!

Characters

Autobot

Arcee - Sports Car

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Stormclash - Helicopter

Skyburst - Helicopter

Dust Up - Sports Car

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Metrotitan - Autobot City Killed by Shockwave

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Slug - Triceratops

Optimus Prime/Orion Pax - Truck Cab Sent to Infraspace

Bumblebee - Car Stuck in Infraspace

Ironhide - Van (Flashback Only)

Prowl - Police Car (Flashback Only)

Garrison Blackrock/Sovereign - Head (Mentioned)

Metroplex - Iacon City (Mentioned)

The Dinobots (Mentioned)

Zeta Prime - Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank (Flashback Only)

Soundwave - Acoustic Tank (Flashback Only) 

Maximal

Striker - Stegosaurus

Triceradon - Triceratops

Longhorn - Bull

Snarl - Lion

Quickstrike - Wolf

Night Viper - Viper

Iguanus - Iguana

Geckobot - Gecko

Rav - Raven

Dillo - Armadillo

Mol - Mole

Rest of Beast Hoard 

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Devastator - Construction Gestalt

Onyx Prime/Shockwave

Liege Maximo

Trypticon - Earth Embassy City

Mistress of Flame

Strafe - Two Headed Dragon/Car

Turbofoxes

Tux - Car (Flashback Only)

Grid - F1 Race Car (Flashback Only)

Past Cybertronians (Flashback Only)

Scoop - Front End Loader (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Megatronus/The Fallen (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

New Generation Cybertronians (Mentioned)

Human

Marissa Faireborn

Rashid Nasir

Notes

• The Cybertronian whom Starscream tries to sell a badge to in the past is based on the Go-Bot character Tux...since there's nothing that would contradict that, I'll say it is him! (Yay!)
• Starscream's senator-era partner is based on Armada Swindle, his Mini-Con partner. Due to there already being a Swindle in this continuity, I'll just name him Grid here, after his Japanese name.
• I'm guessing that Shockwave exposed his true identity to his beasts and Liege Maximo at some point in the past, since none of them appear to question taking orders from this one-eyed guy wearing their master's skin as a suit...
• So turns out, except for a few scratches, the only Autobot to be injured during Metrotitan's fall was Jetfire, who looks kind of mangled
• I love how Aileron and Starscream both point out how Optimus is likely to come back to life, despite his apparent death. They must read a lot of comics :)
• Liege Maximo mentions how Arcee, being an ancient Cybertronian knows more than the rest of her team about Onyx and the other Primes. This is true, since she (in her original form) was present when the Primes were united.
• Maximo also mentions how he can sense the spawn of Solus Prime amongst the Autobots, referring to the Torchbearers and Aileron, who all come from Caminus, Solus' colony. How he knows they are amongst them is another question though...does he have some sort of mind-reading power like Soundwave?
• Devastator mentions how he has been a combiner much longer than Victorion has, and how he once helped to conquer Earth... except that was two Devastator's ago, the one with Scrapper as a member.
• I ADORE how Shockwave is so condescending towards Starscream when he points out how he used the Ores to manipulate things to make him the leader of Cybertron, rather than a competent leader.
• We learn this issue that the Crystal City we saw Bumblebee in, in the past was actually Infraspace, the Cybertronian limbo.
• OH MY GOSH I NEVER THOUGHT BUMBLEBEE WOULD BE BACK IN THIS CONTINUITY! ESPECIALLY NOT AFTER READING THE EARLIER RELEASED UNICRON #0 WHICH HEAVILY FEATURED HIM!
• Just a real-world anecdote here, the same day I received this comic the same day I bought Power of the Primes Starscream, and the bio card was of "Megatronus Starscream". Seems kind of perfect considering Starscream's sub-plot this issue being that he might be the reincarnation of the Fallen :)