IDW - Transformers vs Visionaries #5

Title: The Curtain

Written by: Magdelene Visaggio

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Lettered by: Shawn Lee

Edited by: Sarah Gaydos & David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Leoric makes it to the outskirts of New Prysmos, where he is met by Cryotek, and is snuck into the city, when inside, they make it to Witterquick and Mortdred's torture chamber, where they free the former, and leave the latter to die (I guess?). Leoric soon amasses the other Spectral Knights and brings them under his command again, leading them against the Darkling Lords.

Leoric quickly reaches Virulina's throne room, and the two fight it out, but it ends when Virulina uses a corruption spell on Leoric to try and kill him. However it turns out that Merklynn has betrayed her, and the spell she uses also affects her too. The two leaders slowly die as Merklynn announces his plans to use Arzon as his proxy and take over the planet.

Outside, Arzon slashes the Counter-wave bomb, but only damages the case, allowing the Autobots to still use it, assuming they can get to Vector Sigma in time to unleash it.

The group fights, with Ironhide taking the bomb into his chest to act as the casing. Galadria rushes to him and uses a healing spell on the Autobot, which spreads into the bomb, and further into the Talisman. The city is covered in a green light which soon spreads to the planet's surface.

One week later, Leoric and Virulina are recovering in a hospital, when Galadria comes to them, and explains that her spell reacted well with the bomb and Talisman, sending New Prysmos to the planet's surface, creating new plants and animal life, and even healing the corruption of Cybertron's Energon.

At Wheeljack's lab, Waspinator has been healed from his magic-induced wounds, along with Ironhide, and everything is starting to go back to normal. Tankor informs Ironhide about the patch of land taken over by the Prysmosians, which Ironhide says is fine, they can live together after all they've been through. Tankor suggests that he should learn how to do magic, which drives Ironhide to laughter.

In New Prysmos, Leoric finds Arzon and forgives him for his betrayal, and they begins planning to rebuild hey society anew.

In the dungeons of the city, Cindarr delivers some food for Merklynn in his jail cell, and promises to get him released. However Merklynn has seen the future and knows there is no point in trying to rebuild again...the end of the world is coming....

Characters

Autobot

Ironhide - Van

Wheeljack - Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Fat Tankor - Tank

Waspinator - Wasp Cured of Magic Poisoning

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Vector Sigma (Mentioned)

Spectral Knight

Leoric

Galadria

Ectar

Witterquick

Cryotek

Arzon 

Craggor

Ramak

Hydron

Other Spectral Knights

Feryl (Mentioned)

Darkling Lord

Virulina

Mortdred

Lexor

Cravex

Cindarr

Darkstorm (Mentioned)

Other Prysmosian

Merklynn Imprisoned by Prysmosians

Valorak Warlocks (Mentioned)

Other

Unicron - Ringed Planet (In Scrying Pool)

Notes

• Um....why are people acting like Mortdred did actually betray the Spectral Knights? He was captured and tortured along with Witterquick...
• This is really stupidly hypocritical when you remember that Leoric instantly forgives both Cryotek and Arzon, who DID literally betray him!
• Turns out the Visionary armour is able to change colour by tapping on the armour's shield...maybe it requires a spell from the faction's leader (we only see them being tapped) but wouldn't this make treachery an easy task for them?
• It isn't shown on screen, but due to the colour of his trousers, I'd guess that Arzon rejoined the Spectral Knights after his betrayal failed
• Just a small nit-pick, but the Leoric background on page 7 is really awkwardly stretched out..if you removed the panels his face would be way too long.
• Apparently Virulina and Galadria's spells are actually based on the ones featured in the Marvel comic series.
• Oh, turns out Merklynn was planning to betray Virulina all along...in order to put Arzon in charge? Did he plan this all along? That seems like a dumb plan.
• We don't know it yet (technically) but in Unicron #0 we learn that the pulse of energy that transported New Prysmos to Cybertron's surface sent out another message into space, saying "Unicron"
• Okay, my question remains. Why does New Prysmos have an atmosphere that they can breath, and seemingly has a nice breeze (based on Leoric's flowing hair). They only terraformed a couple hundred square miles of Cybertron....
• So...I wonder if Leoric decided to punish any of the Prysmosians who overthrew him and his team earlier in the series?
• Oh cool, Waspinator is okay after being turned into a chariot for Virulina...I bet he'll survive the events of the Unicron series.....
• Oh there's Fat Tankor! Last time we saw him he was guarding New Prysmos, and then we were told all the Cybertronians in the city were killed....I guess he ran away?
• Ahh what a happy ending. I bet nothing horrible will happen to New Prysmos or Cybertron in the Unicron series!
• So yep! My worry that the day would be saved by a deus ex machine turned out to be right! Galadria used a never established before spell to send healing energy into the counter wave bomb, so as to heal Cybertron and make everything okay again.
• I am actually shocked that they didn't bring back Kup with the power of love or something in this story!
• So...what was the point of Ectar exactly? I think he only said one line in this entire series!

IDW - Transformers vs Visionaries #4

Title: Good Men

Written by: Magdalene Visaggio 

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Lettered by: Shawn Lee

Edited by: Sarah Gaydos & David Mariotte

Published by: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Quickswitch is recruited by Ironhide's team due to his drill alternate mode, and is outfitted with the counter-wave bomb to be taken down to Vector Sigma and detonated to stop the Talisman's effects. Leoric and Ironhide are worried about how they haven't heard from Arzon's team yet, and believe they may have been killed.

In New Prysmos, Witterquick and Mortdred are being held in a torture chamber and are hurt by Reekon, until Cryotek arrives and takes over the torture. He tries to explain himself to Witterquick, when Virulina comes in and wants to talk to her ew Darkling Lord.

Elesewhere, in his chamber, Merklynn is talking with Arzon, and explains that he wants their people to go back to their magical ways and sees the Cybertronians are blasphemous. He tells Arzon that he wants him to overthrow Virulina and rule Prysmos the proper way, even showing him a vision of the future from his scrying pool, showing Virulina broken and beaten on a floor.

Virulina takes Cryotek to her throne room, where she attacks him to goad him into fighting back, making him prove that he will fight for his people, she is able to defeat him, and explains that she has used a spell on the torture chamber that will send their life-force to the Talisman to speed up it's activation, meaning that it'll be ready today, so long as Witterquick and Mortdred are killed by Cryotek.

Back in the lab, Quickswitch is having some last minute work done before the mission, when Leoric receives a message from Cryotek, telling him about what is happening with Witterquick and the Talisman, apologizing for his betrayal . Leoric heads off alone to confront Virulina himself, leaving Galadria in charge of the bomb team.

The team, heads out, but soon encounter Talsiman energy whilst drilling. Quickswitch manages to go through the energy, shielding the others, but is killed in the process. The group wind up in a chamber near Vector Sigma and Wheeljack prepares to set off the bomb. Unfortunately the group are not alone, Arzon, now wearing Darkling Lord armour, confronts the group. The Spectral Knights are captured by the Darkling Lords, whilst Arzon tries to convince Galadria to join him, but she cannot do so, as committing genocide is wrong. Arzon slaps her away, and slashes the counterwave bomb in half....

Characters

Autobot

Ironhide - Van

Wheeljack - Race Car

Quickswitch - Drill  Killed by Talisman Energy

Windblade - VTOL Jet (Image)

Spectral Knight

Leoric 

Galadria

Ectar

Witterquick Being Drained of Life Force

Arzon Joins Darkling Lords

Darkling Lord

Virulina

Cryotek

Reekon

Cravex

Lexor

Mortdred Being Drained of Life Force

Darkstorm (Flashback)

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Breakdown - Arnoured Van

Vector Sigma (Mentioned)

Other

Merklynn

Heskedor (Mentioned) Heart Became Arcana Vast

Notes

• Hey look it's Quickswitch! Let's hope he doesn't die within an iss-oh....he did... Funny story, I actually called this, I read the three page preview and called that he would die a "shock-death" Here's my tweet!
• Speaking of shock deaths...has anything been said of what happened with Fat Tankor? Last time we saw him he was guarding the alien city.
• Quickswitch's transformation capabilities seem a bit confused in this issue. He bemoans his drill mode, but doesn't he have 4 other alternate modes? (I would assume this was due to a change in his alternate modes for the series, except the roll call page says he's a multi-former)
• Virulina has big scary holographic versions of her head emitting from her base tower...how can the people of New Prysmos NOT see she is evil?!
• We learn a bit of the Visionaries creation story here, basically there was once a being who acted as the living universe, and over time she split apart with her heart forming the Arcana vast at the core of Prysmos, giving life to their planet and giving them their magical powers.
• So...from the dialogue here it sounds like Merklynn did intend to betray Virulina eventually, but not in the way I thought originally, he just wants someone else to take control of the city.
• Still waiting for all the air to escape New Prysmos here...it's a been a couple days at least now
• Apparently the totem shields can be used to contact other Visionaries, which emits the caller's face via magic...why didn't any of the left behind Spectral Knights use this to ask Leoric and the others what was happening rather than betraying him to Virulina?
• Oh, Arzon joined the Darkling Lords too, cool...seems like all the most loyal Spectral Knights aren't too loyal huh? I mean I guess it could just be a ruse for his ultimate plan to take down Virulina, but it seems a bit extreme to slap Galadria if that was the case.
• Also, remember how Mortdred was standing along with Virulina on top of the Thrustinator chariot last issue, implying that he was either betraying the Knights, or just getting close to her to assassinate her? Well I think Mags forgot! He's a prisoner here now!
• And yes, this issue ends with the Darkling Lords still with all the power and nothing good for the Spectral Knights, so if they have any chance of winning in the finale next issue it will be a Deus Ex Machina...yay....

IDW - Transformers vs Visionaries #3

Title: Desperate Measures

Written by: Magdalene Visaggio

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Lettered by: Shawn Lee

Edited by: Sarah Gaydos & David Mariotte

Published by: Greg Goldstein

Plot

In New Prysmos, Virulina declares to the Spectral Knights who were left behind in the city when Leoric and his crew left, that they should join her side, because Leoric and the others are wrong. Cryotek agrees to, which leads the others to defect to the Darkling Lords too. One of the Darkling Lords, Mortdred, leaves quietly as he knows that Virulina hates him and will likely kill him before long.

Soon, Mortdred reaches Leoric and his team, telling them what is happening in the city, and asks to join them, since he knows how Virulina thinks about him. Ironhide later questions Leoric on how he trusts the Darkling Lord, which he admits that he doesn't, but knows he has a survival instinct that is stronger than his corrupted personality, and he thinks they can use his skills.

In Wheeljack's lab, he attaches a new arm to Breakdown to replace his decayed one, before performing an experiment on the old rusted arm, which he manages to reverse the effects of the magic, for about a second before his crumbles again. This gives the Autobot an idea on how to save Cybertron from the effects of the Talisman.

Soon, the Spectral Knights are called to a meeting with the Autobots, who discuss the newly theorized "counter-wave" that can be used to negate the Talisman's effects on Cybertron's core, and inoculating it, and all Cybertronians from the future effects too, however they still need to work on it.

In the meanwhile, Witterquick, Arzon, and Mortdred are sent back to New Prysmos to assassinate Virulina, and force them back into the dominate role, with Leoric confident that Merklynn will simply back whoever has the best likelihood of winning this war.

The team arrive in the tunnels under New Prysmos, where Mortred is forced to take on his tiny beetle totem form to enter the city undetected. he makes it to Virulina's throneroom in the Darkling Lord Monastery where he witnesses Virulina experimenting with her magic, attempting to recreate an old technique from Prysmos where they powered old machinery with magic, and she attempts to trun Waspinator into a chariot for her to use.

Mortdred leaves and reports that the monastery is lightly guarded, with most Visionaries likely being on patrol in the city, and the team head into the city, via the sewers of the city itself.

Inside the monastery Witterquick speeds around to see if anyone is around, but finds no-one, soon however they notice a Darkling Lord and he knocks her out, not realizing that it's one of his fellow former Spectral Knights, Feryl.

Soon, the trio split up, with them all knowing their roles in the mission. Before too long, Arzon comes across the treacherous Cryotek and the two fight over who's side is right or not, that is until Virulina, now riding her monstrous Waspinator-chariot , with Mortdred by her side, and Witterquick trapped in Waspinator's mandibles....

Characters

Autobot

Ironhide - Van

Wheeljack - Race Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Waspinator - Tank Turned into Chariot by Virulina

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Spectral Knight

Leoric

Arzon

Witterquick Captured by Virulina

Ectar

Galladria

Cryotek (Joins Darkling Lords)

Feryl (Joins Darkling Lords) Knocked Out Cold by Witterquick

Craggor (Joins Darkling Lords)

Other Spectral Knights (Joins Darkling Lords)

Darkling Lord

Virulina

Mortdred

Cravex

Darkstorm (Mentioned) Dead

Other Prysmosian

Merklynn (Flashback)

Notes

• So....there were actually LOADS of Spectral Knights left behind in New Prysmos...why did Leoric not call on any of them to help defend the shield from the Darkling Lords?!
• We finally see this universe's version of Cryotek here, and he's kind of an idiot...he immediately decides that Leoric is wrong and joins forces with Virulina, even taking on Darkling Lord armour, and convincing the other Knights to do the same...even though in issue one he refused to join the meeting about the invasion of Cybertron situation because he found it "shameful"
• Also...was she just adding to her lies after he switched sides, since during the fight with Arzon he claimed that the Cybertronians were isolating and destroying them....THEY INVADED CYBERTRON AND THEN KILLED A BUNCH OF GUYS TRYING TO BROKER PEACE/PROTECT THEM FROM THE UNKNOWN DANGERS OF THE MECHANICAL PLANET THEY INVADED!!!!
• Seriously, is Cryotek just a moron or something?!
• So we see here that Wheeljack's new counter-wave can reverse the effects of the Visionary magic causing Cybertronians to rust to death, sure it doesn't last long right now, but it'll likely be ready by the end of issue 5....I really hope they don't bring Kup back just like that...that would really make his emotional death truly pointless...
• Leoric's plan is to send a team into New Prysmos to assassinate Virulina...why bother? without the shield the atmosphere will be gone soon, leading her to just suffocate to death...no I am not letting that bit of illogicality to pass...
• Okay, it is implied here that the Talisman is also going to transform Cybertron into an organic planet, with animal and vegetation....WHERE THE FUCK DID VIRULINA GET THAT FROM?!?! You cannot just add a huge plot point like that three issues into a series, and imply that that was stated from the start. The Talisman has only ever been shown to kill Cybertronians, disrupt technology, and turn people into Dire Wraith hybrids before. Nothing about it creating new life!
• Waspinator is mentioned to be the last remaining Cybertronian guard left in New Prysmos....does this mean that Tankor is dead? Did he run away with Ironhide?
• Why did Feryl have a face mask on? Was it just so that Witterquick wouldn't recognise her despite her distinctive hairstyle and animal totem?
• So, my guess is that the "twist" at the end of this issue that Mortdred has betrayed the Spectral Knights to Virulina is actually going to be revealed to be a double twist next issue, where it's revealed that Arzon's unmentioned plan was for him to pretend to betray them, just so they can attack her from behind or something.
• Waspinator's "chariot" form is actually based on the Fun Publications toy for Thrustinator, a fairly forgettable figure from the Subscription Service. I am impressed!
• We all know that Waspinator will survive this incident, that's his whole shtick, the universe hates him, so it won't let him just die, despite all the pain he goes through.
• As I said last issue, this issue still leaves the Transformers at a massive disadvantage to the Darkling Lords. The only real "advantage" they have at the moment is that they have a potential counter to the Talisman's effect, but it's far from being completed. My prediction is that this will continue next issue, with something being pulled out of Leoric's ass in issue 5 to save the day.

IDW - Transformers vs Visionaries #2

Title: Cybertron No More

Written by: Magdalene Visaggio

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Lettered by: Shawn Lee

Edited by: Sarah Gaydos & David Mariotte

Published by: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Ironhide races out of New Prysmos to alert the rest of his team of Virulina's murder of Kup, whilst Virulina races towards Merklynn's prison to free him, followed by Leoric, protesting what she has just done. Inside the cage, Leoric is horrified to see that Merklynn has also killed his guards using some magic he has managed to tap into, and leaves as Virulina heads to the balcony and declares that they can kill the Cybertronians and will take their planet to the people below, showing Kup's dead and severed head as proof.

Leoric soon calls a meeting of the Spectral Knights at their fortress, where they agree that they cannot take a world that is already inhabited, so they must fight the Darkling Lords, despite this leading to a war that will hurt their already lowered population.

Soon, the Darkling Lords have headed to the three pillars that generate the shield that keeps the Prysmosians inside their city, and prepare to destroy them, with the civilians of the city watching. The Spectral Knights arrive and fight off the Lords, seemingly winning in their fights, until the civilians turn against the Spectral Knights, telling them that they want to follow the Darkling Lords now.

Before long, the pillars are destroyed, and Virulina and Merklynn gloat over their impending victory. Leoric arrives behind them to battle Virulina, but she manages to overpower him, and he is forced to retreat with the others

Ironhide returns to Wheeljack's lab where he informs them of Kup's death, when Wheeljack gives him more bad news. When the Talisman reaches the planet's core it will taint all the Energon left in it, and turn all Cybertronians on the planet to dust, just like Kup, and it will hit in less than two days. Things look dark, until Leoric and the Spectral Knights arrive behind him.

Kup instinctively calls for them to be detained, but Leoric explains what just happened in the city, and explains that they do not agree with Virulina and want to help to stop the Talisman. Ironhide agrees to team up with them, but warns Leoric against betraying him...

Back in New Prysmos, Virulina is crowned the Chancellor of New Prysmos and vows to a cheering crowd that they will kill all the Cybertronians on the planet and take it for their new world!

Characters

Autobot

Ironhide - Van

Wheeljack - Race Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck (Head Only) Dead

Decepticon

Fat Tankor - Tank

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Merklynn's Guards Killed by Merklynn

Security Force Members

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Mentioned)

Spectral Knight

Leoric

Galadria

Arzon

Witterquick

Ectar

Darkling Lord

Virulina

Cindarr

Cravex

Lexor

Darkstorm (Mentioned)

Other Prysmosian

Merklynn

New Prysmosians

Notes

• Umm...Ironhide...maybe you should mention to Tankor about the killer organics inside the city he is guarding, rather than just ignoring him as you ram out of the city?
• So...the entire premise of this issue is that the Darkling Lords and the people of New Prysmos want the shield erected by the Cybertronians torn down so they can leave, but the Cybertronians didn't create the shield...Merklynn did. This only works if they created a second shield some time, or Merklynn has been lying about it's origins for some reason.
• Despite his name-drop last issue, Cryotek isn't amongst the Spectral Knights during their meeting or exile from New Prysmos.
• We get our first glimpses of the Visionary animal totems here. The animal forms are summoned from staffs, which are now possessed by all the Visionaries, rather than coming from their chest emblems, with the staffs being used for alternate magical spirits.
• On another note, the Spectral Knights retain their classic blue colouring, whilst the Darling Lords have been changed to purple. This is most likely to help differentiate the colours blue and green are quite similar, especially when they are lightly coloured.
• Despite the images on the totems being based on their traditional appearances the animal forms are now altered (most likely to resemble Prysmosian animals instead of Earth animals). These changes include a four eyes shark, a tusked lion and a horned dolphin.
• It takes all issue for Ironhide to reach Iacon to inform Wheeljack of what happened to Kup, but the Spectral Knights arrive just after him, having held their meeting and battle with the Darkling Lords in the process...maybe they can time travel?
• So....I know Metroplex pumped a breathable atmosphere into Iacon for the humans during First Strike...but how can the Prysmosians be sure that he's kept pumping it into their area since then? Also, what are they going to do when they kill all the Cybertronians? Just live in spacesuits? (And don't say that they happen to be able to breath the same air as what is natural on Cybertron, a planet without organic plant-life and was designed for mechanical life)
• So this story suffers from quite a bad problem so far...the Darkling Lords have the upperhand, and this is issue 2 of 5. Unless something happens to even slightly tip the scales next issue, then this is a very unbalanced series. If something happens to change the scale issue 4 or 5 then it's too late for it story-wise and will be seen just as a deus-ex-machine for our heroes. Maybe they will point out the atmosphere thing next issue or something?

IDW - Transformers vs Visionaries #1

Title: Schismatic

Written by: Magdalene Visaggio

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Lettered by: Gilberto Lazcano

Assistant Editor: David Mariotte

Edited by: Sarah Gaydos

With Assistance From: Carlos Guzman

Published by: Ted Adams

Plot

Merklynn has been imprisoned by his Visionaries, who have now arrived and taken residence in New Prysmos, shocked that it is in the more of an inhabited planet rather than a barren one that they were promised. The Visionaries are forced to hold talks with the Cybertronians due to his actions, but the Darkling Lords are dismissive of this, since they don't consider the Cybertronians to be real life, as they are mechanical.

Ironhide and Kup enter the city where they head towards meeting the two Visionary leaders, Leoric of the Spectral Knights, and Virulina of the Darkling Lords. Kup just wants peace between the two species, but Ironhide is himself dismissive of the peace talks, since he considers the Prysmosians as invaders and is worried that they are using Cybertron's now very limited resources too much.

The two groups meet and begin their talks, after Kup embarrasses everyone by trying the universal greeting on the newcomers.

Wheeljack and Breakdown, his new assistant, head towards the city on Windblade's orders to examine the effect the Talisman is having on Cybertron's environment, when Breakdown notices a surge of energy coming out of the ground. He touches it and his arm immediately turns to rust and begins spreading. Wheeljack quickly removes the arm with his laser scalpel, but both are horrified to see the severed arm crumple into nothing within seconds.

Inside the city, the meeting goes bad when Kup brings up that the Council of Worlds wants the Visionaries to hand over Merklynn as an act of good-will, leading Virulina to claim they just want to keep them imprisoned on the planet. Ironhide agrees and points out that if they don't start agreeing with their terms, then they'll be kept behind the energy grid indefinitely. Virulina and Ironhide both storm off, leaving Leoric and Kup alone, where they calmly discuss how both species have been in civil wars, and how Leoric had hoped their current situation would bring the two Visionary factions together, but sees that he is wrong. Kup tells Leoric about how even after their long standing war, the Cybertronians have made peace, and even had Megatron join the Autobots post war, so there is still hope for peace for the Visionaries.

In his cell, Merklynn continues to mope about his failed takeover of Cybertron, as he had hoped that the planet would be perfect to rebuild Prysmos on since it was vacant and war-torn...but he notices something in a cauldron that cheers him up...

Virulina meets with Cindarr in the Monastery of the Darkling Lords, where she bemoans the peace talks with him. He, however, informs her of what happened with Breakdown outside the city, and gives her the idea that their magic can hurt the Cybertronians, and has discovered something about the Talisman...

At Wheeljack's lab, Ironhide and Kup are shown what happened to Breakdown, and explains that the energy from the Talisman has a negative effect on Cybertronian bodies, causing them to decay at a rapid rate, just like what happened to Breakdown's arm. He also reveals that the Talisman is moving closer towards Vector Sigma, at the planet's core, and if it does it will fully infect the energon supply, poisoning it and likely killing all Cybertronian life on the planet. Ironhide storms off to confront the Visionaries about this discovery.

Back in New Prysmos, the Autobots confront Leoric and Virulina about this Leoric has no idea what is happening, but Virulina admits to knowing all about the Talisman's actions and is glad about it. She takes out a magically charged staff and lunges at Ironhide with it, but Kup pushes him away, taking the hit instead, and immediately is hit but the rusting effect and falls to the ground, dead, with Virulina declaring that Cybertron will be theirs!

Characters

Autobot

Kup - Pickup Truck Reduced to Rust by Virulina

Ironhide - Van

Wheeljack - Race Car

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Fat Tankor - Tank

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Cybertronian Guards

Council of Worlds (Mentioned)

Vector Sigma (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Spectral Knight

Leoric

Galadria

Arzon

Witterquick

Cryotek (Mentioned)

Darkling Lord

Virulina

Cindarr

Cravex

Lexor

Darkstorm (Statue Only) Killed with Prysmos' Destruction

Other Prysmosian

Merklynn/Garrison Kreiger Imprisoned by Visionaries

New Prysmosian Civilians 

Old Prysmos Population (Mentioned) Most Killed with Prysmos' Destruction

Notes

• I don't normally comment on the credits, but I don't understand the Carlos Guzman credit, they already had an assistant editor, so why did they need a non-assistant editor assistant editor credit too? My only guess is that Sarah Gaydos is new and she needed some extra help on her first project (I've never heard of her anyway)
• This story continues on from the end of the First Strike event, set at least a few weeks after the event. We also get verbal cues that this is set after the Till All Are One Annual, as Windblade is hinted at being in charge of Cybertron now.
• So turns out that the planet that Unicron burst out of was not Prysmos after all, as Prysmos is mentioned as being torn apart following Merklynn's spell...so what was the scene with Unicron being summoned due to the Talisman all about then?
• On topic of the Talisman, I'm a little confused as to why Merklynn didn't just use the device on Earth, it appears that the device used Energon for it's ability to re-create Prysmos...so why not tap into Earth's Ore-13 and create a city on there instead of trying to capture Cybertron? Surely Earth would have a more hospitable environment too...I mean if it was Vector Sigma they needed then that's different, but still...why Cybertron?
• It's implied in this story that the barrier around New Prysmos was erected as a containment field by the Cybertronians, but the First Strike event made it look like it was created by Merklynn. Maybe Metroplex erected a field around it as a self defence move, and it just looked otherwise.
• Oh a fun detail I noticed after reading this book about five times. The Visionaries only wear their face paint when they are interacting with the Cybertronians, when they are alone they look normal. This implies that the face paint is either a piece of formal wear or maybe a tribal thing. I like that little detail!
• We learn through dialogue that Darkstorm, the traditional leader of the Darkling Lords, was left to die on Prysmos when it was destroyed, leaving Virulina as their leader.
• Kup last tried using the Universal Greeting with the Micronauts in the Revolutionaries series. That time it actually worked, here, not so much.
• Hey look! Knockdown's previously unnamed Conjunx Endura is finally named in universe, and it is indeed Breakdown as it was in the Prime series! If we didn't already have several characters with shared named in this universe then I may be annoyed, but I'm fine with this :)
• We saw during the Revolutionaries series that the Talisman had the power to kill Cybertronians, so seeing it spread it's energies here makes sense.
• To be fair to her, despite looking fed up during the meeting with Kup and Ironhide, Virulina didn't act up until the Cybertronians suggested that they should hand Merklynn over to them as a sign of good will between the two species. Though to be fair to the Cybertronians, HE DID TRY TO DESTROY THEIR WORLD!!
• Virulina does lie to Cindarr however, when she claims that they just want the Visionaries to be prisoners and under their control, when they do offer them land to use for themselves on the planet if they still want to stay.
• Wheeljack states "Breakdown is a PRIME example"...HAH!!
• Oh no! Kup is dead! This has never happened before except that time he was sent to the Dead Universe for billions of years that is....
• The end of this comic sort of emulates the end of the first issue of Mike Costa's Transformers line where Ironhide is killed defending Hot Rod, a lot like how Kup "takes a bullet" for Ironhide himself here. We all know how that ended up too though...
• Okay I'm pretty sure if a delegate attacks another one, and kills them, then they are in massive trouble, so will Virulina get arrested for this or what?
• This issue is followed by a memorial to Kup and his IDW career, which is quite nice...especially if he stays dead, otherwise it's just emotional fluff designed to evoke sadness in the readers to make the end more impactful.
• I wonder how Ian/Action Man will take the news that his robot best friend is dead now? I smell a spin-off revenge plot!!