IDW - Transformers: Escape #5

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Beth McGuire-Smith

Colours by: Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

The Insecticon Clone Swarm have begun their attack on the evacuation party outside Darkmount, and despite managing to fight off many of them, some of the Evacuation team are killed for their Energon, including Powerflash.

Some of the organic aliens work with their anti-Cybertronian weapons to fight off the Insecticons, while Straxxus orders the Arks to launch immediately, to evade the Insecticons.

Upon launch, the rear Ark, which held the terraforming compounds and Energon harvesters, required for their relocation is attacked and destroyed by the Insecticons, killing all aboard, as well as several Insecticons. Straxxus and his crew continue to fly off, while the remaining Insecticons fly back to their base.

At their base, the real Insecticons devour the returning clones so they can create more Ultra-Energon, so they can make more clones and conquer the planet.

Back at Darkmount, the Cybertronians agreed to give the leftover third Ark to the organics to get them to safety, joined by Dai Atlas to protect them, and plan to repair the final, fourth Ark to allow them to escape too in the future....

Characters

Autobot

Wheeljack - Car

Gears - Pick-up Truck

Hound - Jeep

Hoist - Tow Truck

Nautica - Submarine

Road Rage - Flying Car

Cromar - Jet/Back-mounted Weapons

Mudslinger - Truck

Powerflash Killed by Insecticons

Insecticon

Kickback - Locust

Bombshell - Boll Weevil

Skrapnel - Stag Beetle

Skystalker - Car

Clone Swarm - Insects

Darkmount Denizens

Straxxus - Tank

Ark-B Commander Killed by Insecticons

Ark-B Crew Killed by Insecticons

Ark-A Crew 

Other Cybertronian

Dai Atlas - Flying Tank

Speeder - Car

Leviathan - Metal Harvester

Cybertronian Evacuation Team

Clone-Drone Swarm - Jets (Flashback)

Exarchon (Mentioned)

Other

A'ovan Evacuees

Urtuskan Evacuees

Four-armed Alien

Other Evacuees

Left-over Organics (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue marks the end of the Escape mini series, but as seen in issue 31 of the main series, the storyarc will have a part in the ongoing series.
• The four-armed alien isn't name, nor is his species name given, but this story shows that his species have a history of violence against Cybertronians, implying either a previous war, or that deterrents created for them during the expansion were developed in the past. But he seems fine with Cybertronians now, since he shares the technology with Wheeljack and Gears.
• Cromar is shown converting into back mounted weapons armament here, but isn't not the same configuration that the real world figure would take on.
• I'm guessing that the destruction of Ark-B and their relocation efforts being messed up, which he blames on Wheeljack and the others, is what will eventually being Straxxus to joining the Decepticons like he does in most other continuities.
• It's not clear, but it's very likely that Speeder probably joined Dai Atlas in protecting the evacuated organics.
• The final, damaged Ark is revealed to be coloured and loosely designed to resemble the traditional G1 Ark design, implying this will be the one that will eventually being Optimus and his crew to Earth.

IDW - Transformers: Escape #3

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

Hound fights off the Insecticons, and is soon joined by Highjump and Powerflash to chase off the monsters, but not before they abduct two organics and a Cybertronian called Scrambler.

Elsewhere, at one of Shockwaves labs, Skystalker, under the mind control of the Insecticons steals a load of equipment for them, as well as the Thunder Arrow shuttle, Onslaught tries to stop him, but is stunned away instead, and the enthralled Decepticon leaves...

Back at the convoy, Hound asks Dai Atlas why he refuses to fight, considering he is a famous war hero. The old Cybertronian suggests that he only thought because he couldn't see any better option in the past, but following his Immersion he has come to respectball sparks, even those of his enemies, and cannot see a reason to kill one any more

The Insecticons make their way to their new base, inside the head of a long dead Titan, where Skystalker has set up the stolen cloning technology. Bombshell proceeds to monologue that they can use this equipment to recreate the cloning experiments of Exarchon and Shockwave during the past war and create an army of their own to devour all Energon on the planet and beyond.

At the Convoy again, Wheeljack notices the Titans still falling to the planet's surface, and wonders what is even happening to his planet now.

Soon however Highbrow and Gears arrive to join the crew on their way to Darkmount, where Straxxus orders them to stop outside the city, saying that he will still give them the Ark that he promised and some supplies, but they cannot enter the city as they don't not have the ability to accommodate them all. Hound isn't sure about this, but agrees...

Back at Shockwave's lab, Rage is brought to the boss, who informs him of Skystalker's betrayal, and orders him to go capture him, but forces him to team with Hydradread for the job, despite Rage hating him, he agrees however, and is pleased to see all of Hydradread's new experimental weapons that they can test out on their mission....

Characters

Autobot

Hound - Jeep

Nautica - Submarine

Road Rage - Flying Car

Hoist - Tow Truck

Wheeljack - Car

Tote - Van

Highjump - Van

Mudslinger - Pick up Truck

Powerflash

Cromar - Jet

Scrambler Killed by Insecticons

Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Soundblaster - Hovercraft

Bombshell - Boll Weevil

Skrapnel - Stag Beetle

Kickback - Locust

Skystalker - Car

Onslaught - Anti-aircraft Truck

Rage - Car

Hydradread - Car

Frenzy - Cassette

Rumble - Cassette

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Roughstuff - Truck (Mentioned) Captured

Fangry - Winged Wolf (Mentioned) Missing

Triggerhappy - Jet (Mentioned) Missing 

Team Stream (Mentioned)

The Combaticons (Mentioned)

Three-fold Spark

Exarchon (Flashback Only)

Skywarp - Jet (Flashback Only)

Clone-Drone Swarm (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Dai Atlas - Flying Tank

Straxxus

Highbrow - Helicopter

Gears - Van

Leviathan - Metal Harvester Injured

Cybertronian Evacuees

Crashing Titan

Immersant Titan Long Dead

Kup - Pick up Truck (Flashback Only)

Blitzwing - Tank/Jet (Flashback Only)

Speeder - Car (Flashback Only)

Quake - Tank (Flashback Only)

Hardhead - Tank (Flashback Only)

Leozack - Jet (Flashback Only)

The Seekers - Jets (Flashback Only)

Abominus - Terrorcon Combiner (Flashback Only)

Anti-Three-fold Spark Forces (Flashback Only)

Nominus (Mentioned)

Darkmount's Inhabitants (Mentioned)

Other

A'ovan Evacuees

Other Alien Evacuees

The Thraal (Mentioned)

Two Organics (Mentioned) Killed by Insecticons

Notes

• The Thunder Arrow shuttle that Skystalker steals this issue was the main vessel used by the Decepticons in the Victory cartoon, the toy version of it was a repaint of the shuttle that came with Skystalker's original toy.
• Though it was heavily hinted at during the first storyline of Galaxies, we get confirmation that it was Abominus who went on a rampage in the past. We learn here that DaibAtlas was also present for that conflict too.
• It's mentioned here that the Seekers were created by Nominus Prime to counter Exarchon's clone army. What isn't clear is if they were created from new sparks or recruited and rebuilt from volunteers etc?
• Leviathan is revealed to still be injured from when she collapsed into Quake, defeating the dangerous Riser, and is amongst those being evacuated from Jacob, though she does say that she doesn't want to leave Cybertron, no matter the risk.
• Most of the Rise group, who were being relocated from the old Rise base when Quake was captured are revealed to still be missing, with only RUmble, Frenzy and Rage returning. We know Roughstuff has been released from prison by Swindle and has now joined his crew, but the rest are currently MIA.
• Shockwave mentions that he doesn't want it known that the Combaticons are under his command. It's unclear if that is just to keep them a secret to the general population, or to the rest of the Decepticons too...regardless this explains why Cosmos doesn't know he is a Decepticon and invited him to the Winged Moon.

IDW - Lost Light #10

Title: The Plotters' Club, Part 1: Full Circle

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Jack Lawrence 

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

The Protectobots and Mirage finally return to the Lost Light, which appears to be under radio silence, but their shuttle is damaged and they are running on fumes, they wind up crashing into the shuttle bay, only to find a heavily armed security team greeting them, instead of a welcoming party. Getaway soon appears and greets them as friends, but he is cagey about the whereabouts of Rodimus, Megatron and the others, and suggests that First Aid take Blade to the medibay, as he was injured in the crash.

At the medibay, First Aid talks with Blades as he repairs him, and they find it odd how they STILL haven't seen their captains, and start reminiscing over Rodimus' antics. First Aid thinks something is happening, which makes Blades panic that there's a virus on the ship that's going to kill everyone. First Aid ignores this suggestion, but finds that the medibay's computer is now password protected to keep him out. First Aid uses another machine to perform a spark scan of the ship, and is shocked that there is less crew than there was before they left, but also finds that one of the sparks is in a locked room in the medibay.

Blades leaves to find some help, whilst First Aid takes out a blowtorch and tries to break into the room, only to be stopped by a newly arrived Getaway, who claims the door isn't actually opened, and shows him Thunderclash, who is back in a coma again. He claims that Hoist has tried everything, but cannot wake him up.

First Aid asks him about the missing crew members and the passwords on the computer. He says that he'll fix the password, but lies that Rodimus and the others left the ship to look for the Knights of Cybertron with the Necrobot without dealing with the antics of the rest of the crew. Getaway suggests that he go see Hoist about Thunderclash's situation, directing him to "Visages" which has taken "Swerve's'" as the go-to bar on the ship.

First Aid soon arrives at the bar, where he does indeed find most of the crew. He locates Hoist after a few awkward stares from Atomizer and the security crew. He learns from Hoist and a few others the names of the crew who "left" with Rodimus, and also that they are apparently only a couple of weeks away from Cyberutopia now, but First Aid begins to become further worried and leaves the bar...

First Aid finds his way to the locked-up "Swerve's" where he finds the power turned off, and he summons the rest of the Protectobots and Mirage for a talk. He expresses his concerns to them about the crew lying to them about what happened to Rodimus, and recalls a conversation about a possible mutiny with Getaway before they left Cybertron following the Dark Cybertron event, which the other Protectobots claim to have never been spoken to about. Mirage is unwilling to even discuss this as he trusts his friends, but Riptide soon appears in the bar and confirms the theory, but also adds that he believes that the DJD were summoned by Getaway to kill Rodimus, Megatron and the others, as well as him putting Thunderclash into a coma for also having second thoughts of the mutiny.

Getaway appears and dismisses the claims that he attacked Thudnerclash, but explains that he placed him into a looped memory coma, keeping him trapped inside his memories, reliving his decision to leave the ship. Streetwise finds the light switch and turns it on, revealing that the Engex distilleries are holding several severed brain modules inside them, revealing the location of the missing crew members.

Mirage turns invisible and attacks Getaway with a glass, and the returned Autobots are soo attacked by the security team. Riptide stays behind to buy the Protectobots time to escape, as they run off to the shuttle bay, intending to return to Cybertron to tell Optimus and everyone else what has happened on the ship. Blades' arm is injured in their escape, in the same way it was when he was patched up by First Aid at the start of this adventure....

The Protectobots find their own ship, fully repaired in record time, and take off within it. They are shot by a proton missile from the Lost Light, which damages their shuttle, and they are caught in a tractor beam, and forced back towards the Lost Light...and the events from the start of the issue start again...ending with First Aid being suggested to repair Blades again, with apparently no memory of what just happened....

Characters

Autobot

First Aid - Ambulance Trapped in Looped Memory Coma

Hot Spot - Fire Truck Trapped in Looped Memory Coma

Streetwise - Police Car Trapped in Looped Memory Coma

Groove - Police Motorcycle Trapped in Looped Memory Coma

Blades - Rescue Helicopter Trapped in Looped Memory Coma

Rook - Armoured SWAT Van Trapped in Looped Memory Coma

Mirage - F1 Race Car Trapped in Looped Memory Coma

Riptide - Boat

Thunderclash - Truck Trapped in Looped Memory Coma

Getaway - Car

Atomizer - Car

Hoist - Tow Truck

Hound - Jeep

Xaaron

Bluestreak - Car

Jackpot - Car

Crosscut - Van

Mainframe

Powerflash - Jet

Strafe - Jet

Boss - Car

Doublecross - Two Headed Dragon

Repugnus - Insect Monster

Grotusque - Winged Cat Monster

Sureshot - Baja Buggy

Pointblank - Car

Waverider - Submarine

Highbrow - Helicopter

Rad - Car

Dipstick - Car

Rollout - Bulldozer

Grapple - Crane

Siren - Car

Gears - Van

Smokescreen - Car

Inferno - Fire Truck

Brawn - Van

Huffer - Truck

Ammo

Aquabat - Hovercraft/Bat

Rodimus - Car (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus - Vehicle Transport/Minesweeper (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Nightbeat - Car (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Skids - Van (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Velocity - Race Car (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Nautica - Submarine (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Chromedome - Car (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Rewind - Data Slug (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Rung - Photon Crystal Generator (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Swerve - Van (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Tailgate - Car (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Prowl - Police Car (Mentioned)

Perceptor - Tank (Mentioned)

Blaster - Acoustic Tank (Mentioned)

Hosehead - Fire Truck (Mentioned)

Tiretread - Race Car (Mentioned)

25 Lost Light Crew Members (Mentioned) Missing

Decepticon

Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned)

Ravage - Cassette (Mentioned) "Exiled"

Other Cybertronian

The Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

The Necrobot (Mentioned)

Ten (Mentioned)

Cyclonus - Jet (Mentioned)

Other

The Black Block Consortia (Mentioned)

The Galactic Council (Mentioned)

Notes

• This is the first part of the "Mutineers Trilogy", following the return of both the Lost Light, it's mutinous crew and the Protectobots.
• It's mentioned that the Protectobots have been gone for "months". It has been over two years in real world time since they left for "Combiner Wars". I know time doesn't pass exactly the same in the comics as it does in the real world, but this seems a bit strange. However since they are stuck in a looping memory, it's possible that they actually returned a few months ago and have just been trapped for a while now.
• Similarly to the above note, how did the Protectobots never receive the message from the trapped Lost Lighters on Necroworld...also now I think about it, did that message ever mention the mutiny or Getaway betraying them? You'd think one of them would want that information to reach Optimus or the other authorities right?
• It's mentioned in the "Story so far" that Rook was just a random Autobot who just happened to be standing near the Protectobots when they were merged into Defensor...oops?
• Hoist being the interim medical officer on the Lost Light makes some...kind of sense...he was shown to have some medical knowledge when he worked on Tripodeca during Overlord's assault on the ship, though his patient did end up dying....
• First Aid asks Mirage for a "pint" of Engex. I would say this was a mistake, since a "pint" would be a relatively small drink for a Transformer, but after asking James Roberts on Twitter, this is just a Cybertronian equivalent to a pint (like it's short for a "mega-pint" or something)
• It's mentioned that Perceptor was shocked when he learned that Brainstorm left with Rodimus, considering that he is known for being the subject of Brainstorm's stalking, and him being absent from the bridge during the issue the crew were exiled, it's possible that he wasn't aware of what was happening with them. In fact, his absence in this issue could be due to him being one of the "missing" crew members.
• On the other hand, Mirage's assertion that Bluestreak would never do anything deceptive like mutiny is somewhat wrong, as he WAS amongst the bridge crew who was present during Getaway's talk with them.
• From the dialogue, it seems clear that Mirage and First Aid originally agreed to a mutiny with Getaway, but the latter has since changed his mind, the rest of the Protectobots rejected the plan and got their minds wiped. This is somewhat confirmed at the start and end scenes where Getaway only really talks to or addresses Mirage, First Aid and Rook, the latter of which wasn't a part of the crew before now.
• The teethmarks on the spinal columns of the detached brain modules are likely an attempt by Getaway to make it look like Helex of the DJD attacked these crew members, as that was his main method of torture.
• Mainframe was the one who suggested that Whirl leave with Rodimus back in Issue 50 of MTMTE, his glee at him having left here really shows what a jerk he is!
• Considering this issue is set within what is essentially a shared dream, it's possible, and likely that the events depicted were either modified by Getaway to make the crew seem happier, or to alter some facts.
• I'm going to assume that since Defensor is never brought up in this issue that the Protectobots will be freed from their looped memory coma by combining, since getaway doesn't know about him yet.
• My guess as to the main back story here, is that the Lost Light picked up the distress signal from Necroworld, which led the bridge crew at least to know that their exiled crew members were seemingly given to the DJD by Getaway, leading to Riptide's suspicions, Thunderclash's attempted escape and the fates of the missing 25 crew members. I'm also going to guess that most of the crew either weren't told about the exiled crew not actually leaving on their own, or have been lied to since the beginning by Getaway.
• The four pages at the end of the comic are a reprinting of the first four, with only the title being added at the end, and the final panel's dialogue having a single difference...First Aid saying "Ah", instead of "Oh". Also Getaway's dialogue is completed on this panel, instead of continuing to the next, non-existent page.
• For some reason, First Aid keeps proclaiming "God" rather than the usual "Primus" or another Transformers-related explicit.

IDW - Spotlight Hoist

Title: The Waiting Game

Story by: James Roberts

Art by: Agustin Padilla

Colours by: Joanna Lafuente

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editorial Assistant: Thomas Boeing

Editor: John Barber

Plot

On the planet Deimus Hoist is driving away from an unexpectedly present Tarn, but he manages to stall him, and returns to his crashed ship, inside he turns on the ship's cloaking device and explains to Swerve, Sunstreaker, Bob, and a half-melted to the ceiling/floor Perceptor. Swerve keeps talking, and drives everyone a bit mad, especially Sunstreaker who is blamed for crashing the ship (as he was distracted by his reflection), Sunstreaker also explains to Swerve where Bob came from (the Insecticon Swarm that Metroplex killed), and Swerve babbles on about his top five fears after Tarn, Megatron, Overlord, Sixshot, Shockwave, and a combination of those 4.

Later, with only 2 hours of power on the ship left Swerve is driving everyone even madder, and accidentally insults Hoist by saying he's just "green with a tow line". Later still, with just one hour of power left Sunstreaker talks about how he was left for dead on Cybertron, which Swerve jokes about, then forces Hoist to tell the story about his near-death experience too, when his ship crashed in the Rust Spot, and he was left alone, just trying to find his way back home. After story time, Hoist notices that Swerve's badly injured, his spark casing is damaged, and he's been babbling to distract everyone from it. Sunstreaker and Hoist decide they have to go outside, take down the DJD and take their ship to get Swerve to a medibay.

Outside, Sunstreaker and Hoist drive off, and Sunstreaker is quickly taken down by Tarn, Hoist goes to find him, and then sees Megatron, Sixshot, Shockwave and Overlord, who combine! He tries to fight them, but gets knocked down, however before he's crushed by the gestalt he disappears.

He drives back to the ship, where Perceptor says he got in contact with the Lost Light, and they're sending a rescue crew for them. Hoist explains what happened, and Perceptor realizes there's a Phobia Shield on the planet, which basically taps into a Cybertronian's mind and makes their fears come true and kill them, it was hacking into Swerve's mind, but he'd just recently passed out, suddenly the ship shakes, and Hoist knows whose mind is being hacked now...Bob's, as Metroplex has now appeared and stomps on the ship, crushing it, just as Hoist gets himself and the crew out.

Now outside, Hoist quickly knocks out Perceptor and Bob, leaving just him still conscious, Metroplex vanishes, and is replaced with the Red Spot, and Hoist is alone, which is his fear...

Characters

Autobot

Hoist - Tow Truck

Swerve - Van

Sunstreaker - Car

Perceptor

Metroplex - City/Ship (Flashback and Illusion)

Blurr (Mentioned)

Lost Light Crew (Mentioned)

Optimus Prime (Fantasy)

Prowl (Fantasy)

Autobots in Fantasies

Decepticon

Tarn (Illusion)

Megatron (Illusion)

Overlord (Illusion)

Sixshot (Illusion)

Shockwave (Illusion)

Overmegasixwave/Ugly (Illusion)

D.J.D. (Mentioned)

Decepticons in Fantasies

Other

Bob

Insecticon Swarm (Mentioned) Dead

Hoist's old Crew Mates (Mentioned) Dead

Notes

• For some reason Hoist has taken on his upcoming Generations toy's character model rather than his usual one...maybe he decided this planet needed a different alternate mode?
• Similarly Perceptor is in his old non-sniper body.
• Hey have you guys noticed that Metroplex has appeared/been mentioned in some way in all of these Spotlight stories? Almost like they're being used to promote some giant new toy or something!
• Sixshot is shown coloured like Black Shadow in his couple of Appearances, this could be an art mistake, or maybe Swerve just doesn't know what Sixshot's colours are?
• The ship shown to be hit by Orion Pax's ship back in his Spotlight is shown to have held Hoist and his crew on it. That's a nice way to keep this series circular!
• The bridge Sunstreaker tried to kill himself on during All Hail Megatron is named here as the Juda'S Bridge, obviously named after Judas from the bible
• Swerve references the Decepticon's obsession with combining, which has also been a major factor in this Spotlight series, and seemed to culminate in Robots in Disguise with the perfected Devastator.
• I wonder if Swerve finally won his Rodimus Star as he'd probably have been silent until he gets repaired on the Lost Light?
• The scene in Swerve's fantasy set just after Sunstreaker's "death" in AHM seems to be full of mistakes too, Optimus and Prowl are in completely the wrong bodies for one thing!

IDW - Spotlight Trailcutter

Title:The Reluctant Specialist

Story by: James Roberts

Art by: Matt Frank

Colors by: Thomas Deer

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editorial Assistant: Thomas Boeing

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Whilst on it's merry way through space the Lost Light is hit by a fragment of something, which tears open the hull, which requires Highbrow, Brainstorm and Chromedome to patch it up, with Trailbreaker helping them with his forcefields. Later, the team, minus Trailbreaker are all awarded medals for their actions, which leaves Trailbreaker annoyed. 

At the after after-party in Swerve's bar, Trailbreaker drowns his sorrows whilst the trio are admired by everyone, when Whirl turns up and tries to cheer up Trailbreaker by mocking him, and taunting him with his own medal, and makes Rodimus admit that the reason why he doesn't have one is because all he does is use forcefields.

Later, Whirl continues to try and "cheer up" Trailbreaker, he convinces him to improve his name and says that people respect fear and an attitude. He takes him to see Brainstorm to see if he can have a new weapon, but Brainstorm points out that he already has the best weapon (Magnawheels, not Forcefields) and Trailcutter gets annoyed and drives off to recharge. Whilst getting ready to recharge Swerve contacts him and annoys him by asking for him to put a forcefield around his mouth so he can stay quiet long enough to earn a medal too.

12 hours later, Trailcutter wakes up to find himself feeling somewhat hollow, and then finds the whole ship seemingly frozen. Trailcutter makes his way up to the bridge where he finds an incoming message from Hoist, which he goes to answer, when suddenly some Decepticons board the ship and shoot the communicator screen. Trailcutter tries to put up a forcefield, but his generators aren't working, so he uses the frozen Whirl as one instead.

Trailcutter makes a run for it and hides in the medibay, where he sets the doors to close violently, and it slams into Venom's head, knocking him out, after which, Trailcutter shocks Chop Shop with some resuscitation pads. Lockdown contacts Chop Shop, so Trailcutter imitates him and learns that the other Decepticons are all in Shuttle Bay 3, so he heads to Brainstorm's lab to get his "secret weapon", a remote.

In the Shuttle Bay Trailcutter arrives and acts tough against them, and learns from them that the fragment earlier is actually a part of Metroplex that was shed off some time ago due to his age, and that his team is hunting him down. Trailcutter tricks the Decepticons into thinking he's some unholy creature who's able to use his forcefields to do anything, like make them levitate (by using the remote to turn off the artificial gravity and using his Magnawheels to keep him on the ground. Next he tricks Lockdown into thinking he's going to make his spark explode with a forcefield, and scares off the Decepticons, who speed away.

Trailcutter returns to the bridge and watches them leave and relaxes in Rodimus' chair just as everyone recovers from the freezing and Rodimus goes to ask why he's in his chair, and freaks out the poor fella.

Later Hoist returns from his mission a bit dinged up and Trailcutter tells him what happened, explaining that Brainstorm was the reason for the freezing as one of his inventions went wrong. Then he reveals that he finally has a medal because of his actions during this...just when Hoist reveals that he has a giant version of the medal for his actions on his mission, as well as everyone who was frozen too. This leaves Trailcutter annoyed again, and he heads out to Swerve's bar to get courage to talk to Rodimus about this....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Drift - Car

Trailbreaker/Trailcutter - Van

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Brainstorm - Jet

Highbrow - Helicopter

Chromedome - Car

Swerve - Van

Fortress Maximus - Tank

Skids - Van

Hoist - Crane

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Ambulon - Leg

Perceptor

Sunstreaker - Car

Rewind - Giant Memory Stick

Energon Landmine - Armoured Tow Truck-Plough

Rad

Huffer - Truck

Dipstick - Car

Smokescreen - Car

Red Alert

Metroplex (Mentioned)

Rest of Lost Light Crew (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Lockdown 

Chop Shop Injured by Trailcutter

Venom Injured by Trailcutter

Barrage

TFA Blitzwing

Lugnut

Rest of Titan Hunters

Killmaster (Flashback)

Other

Tailgate - Car

Bob

Diagnostic Drone

Metrotitans (Flashback)

Lockdown's Employer (Mentioned -  Probably is Megatron...but maybe not.....)

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Scalp - Massive Head (Mentioned)

Notes

• Trailbreaker's name change to Trailcutter is explained here as being Whirl's doing, because having "break" in your name sounds weak.
• This issue is set between issue 5 and 6, of course it's very unfortunate that it has some appearances from characters who've just died in the most recent issue.
• Chromedome, Highbrow and Brainstorm all received their names from the Institute...wonder if Hardhead got his from there too?
• I wonder what Whirl did to earn his medal!!
• Energon Landmine is seen in the scene in Shuttle Bay 3, this is either an artistic mistake (ie it's meant to be G1 Landmine) or this is a new look for Landmine's Pretender shell, or just another character who uses this body type, but was mis-coloured as Landmine
• The scene where Red Alert turns in Rewind for his golden disks is shown here during Trailcutter's trip through the frozen ship
• Lockdown has taken over command of the Decepticon's Titan Quest from Bludgeon it seems. It's also worth noting that last time we saw Lockdown he was at the Crystal City, a known location for a Metrotitan.
• It's implied here through the silhouettes that Metrotitans can have different body types.
• Lockdown's team is filled with characters from other continuities, including Animated Blitzwing, who has a G1 Counterpart already active in this time period.
• Hoist's off-screen adventure alluded to here seems likely to be te plot of the next Spotlight issue.
• Trailcutter later gets Brainstorm to upgrade his legs with weapons like Fort Max's, also his heading to the bar at the end of this issue seems to lead right into the events of issue 6
• Ratchet is shown seeming to take stock of medical supplies from Delphi.