IDW - Transformers: Shattered Glass II #5

Written by: Danny Lore

Art by: Guido Guidi

Inks by: Matt Froese

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

The battle under Metroplex's shadow is in full force, Megatron relays the information of Magnus' plans to use the Titan, powered by Starscream's spark, to conquer the world, and about how Optimus has been held captive for a mystery operation too...

Soundwave finds the injured Slicer on his way to enter the Titan, where the two decide to team up to take down the Autobots, since he has grown a distaste for Magnus and his methods, and he wants to rescue his friend, Ratchet.

Soon after entering the Titan, the duo encounter Magnus' body, screaming in silence, but Soundwave's mind reading abilities tell him that it is Optimus' mind inside that body.

The real Magnus, now in Optimus' body, so he can lead the Autobots easier, and flanked by his Wreckers, and a captive Jetfire, arrive, with them still believing Slicer to be on his side, and that Soundwave is his captive too.

Slicer soon reveals his true nature, and attacks the Wreckers, intent to save his friend Ratchet and help his new ally Soundwave.

Before long, Jetfire is freed and Soundwave leads him to the spark chamber, where he frees Starscream's spark, and escapes from Metroplex with it, causing the Titan to collapse.

Magnus storms into the chamber and fights with Soundwave, for him ruining his plans, but the new Tyrant is shot from the Titans, to his apparent death, by Slicer. Soundwave is rescued from the Titan before his crashes, and is reunited with the other Deceptions.

In the aftermath, Jetfire has gone into hiding with Starscream's spark, while Slicer and Rachet are also hiding out, presumably to avoid further attacks from the remaining Wreckers. Meanwhile Prowl is the last Autobot Warlord still in power...

Characters

Autobot

Ultra Magnus - Truck Cab Killed by Slicer

Optimus Prime - Vehicle Transport Likely Killed in Metroplex Collapse

Jetfire - Jet

Slicer - Car

Ratchet - Ambulance

Rodimus - Car Killed by Soundwave

Drift - Car Shot in Gut by Soundwave

Springer - Helicopter/Car Killed by Slicer

Tailgate - Car

Jazz - Car

Ricochet - Car

Cosmos - Orbiter 

Prowl - Police Car

Blaster - Boombox (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Megatron - Jet

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Laserbeak - Cassette

Ravage - Cassette

Rumble - Cassette

Frenzy - Cassette 

Flamewar - Motorcycle

Slipstream - Jet

Hotlink - Jet

Starscream - Jet Spark and Ghost Only

Other

Metroplex - Titan Ship Disconnected from Starscream's Spark, Collapsed 

Notes

• Sorry I'm very late getting this review up, I guess it being the final issue of IDW's run got me to delaying it. Plus I've been busy.
• Like the rest of the series, the Hasbro Pulse release of this comic came with a figure of Soundwave with Ravage and Laserbeak. So that was nice :) 
• The issue starts with Megatron injured from the fight, but also knowing what Flamewar discovered last issue, showing at least a brief time skip between the issues.
• Metroplex has returned to not having his Autobot insignia again...
• Slicer is shown to have survived his fall from Metroplex.
• The inner robot gimmick from Ultra Magnus' toy is referenced this issue, with him replacing Optimus by swapping bodies with him. However, the physical toy of Magnus uses the Siege version of the mould, meaning the inner robot is very different. It also doesn't explain the new blue colour scheme either...
• Despite him still technically being alive when we last saw him, I can't see Optimus surviving Metroplex's crash, which everyone else was desperate to escape from.
• Once again, like the other ongoing series from IDW, this series ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger, with Prowl as a potential big villain, after manipulating the other Warlords in the first two storylines.

IDW - Transformers: Shattered Glass II #3

Written by: Danny Lore

Art by: Guido Guidi

Inks by: Matt Froese

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Colour Assists by: Ed Pirrie

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

 

Plot

Slicer meets with Ratchet, who has set up shop in a new location, following the taking of Gold City, where Ratchet explains that he doesn't care who wins the war, since his job is just to put the pieces back together. He also mentions that Slicer is due a new arm soon, as he has a habit of destroying his ones regularly.

Slicer drives through the Static Zone towards Metroplex's partially reactivated body, where he tests out the effectiveness of his modifications to Blaster's decapitated head, which is able to keep a partial signal to Soundwave's radio frequencies, despite the extreme interference in the Static Zone.

Inside the Titan, Slicer plants bombs, in case he needs them later, and searches for Starscream's spark, which he locates in Metroplex's control room. He also finds Goldbug, who is trying to get the Titan working, but doesn't really understand how to do so. Slicer pretends to be loyal to Goldbug, and helps him to fix the Titan's systems, but notices that the Titan seems to be reactive to the nearby patrolling Jetfire's presence.

Slicer tries to get Goldbug to report how often the Titan tends to activate for, but the former Gold City despot is unwilling to be helpful. Soundwave's voice on the Blaster-radio mentions a front line patrol from the Decepticons, which gives Slicer an idea...

The Air Strike Patrol fly through the Static Zone on their duty, when they are attacked, and all taken out by Slicer and Goldbug, as a ploy to bring Jetfire in closer. Before Jetfire can arrive, Goldbug turns on Slicer, revealing that he knows Slicer has been using him, and that he's still loyal to the Wreckers, but he's been using him too. Before he can kill Slicer however, Jetfire arrives, and lands on top of Goldbug, crushing Starscream's murderer, most likely killing him.

Jetfire prepares to kill Slicer too, but the latter activates a bomb in his arm to injure the rogue scientist, allowing the rest of the hidden Wreckers to ensnare him, with Slicer ordering them to keep him alive, as he isn't sure how needed he is to control Metroplex yet.

Slicer wonders if Ratchet foresaw his stunt with the bomb, or if his words put the idea of blowing up his own arm with his earlier comments, but doesn't have the time to contemplate it too far, as a troop of Decepticons, led by Flamewar come roaring towards him....

Characters

Autobot

Slicer - Car

Jetfire - Jet Captured by the Wreckers

Goldbug - Car Crushed by Jetfire

Ratchet - Ambulance

Rodimus - Car

Drift - Car

Tailgate - Car

Helicopter - Helicopter/Car

Blaster (Decapitated Head Only) Dead

Blurr - Car (Melted Corpse) Dead

Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned)

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Visper - Jet Killed by Slicer

Storm Cloud - Jet Killed by Slicer

Nightflight - Jet Killed by Goldbug

Tailwind - Jet Killed by Slicer

Flamewar - Motorcycle

Slipstream - Jet

Shadow Striker - Car

Hailstorm - Tank

Hotlink - Jet

Sunstorm - Jet

Tracer - Helicopter

Barricade - Police Car

Starscream (Disembodied Spark Only) Dead

"Exo-Suit"  (Arm Only)

Soundwave - Cassette Player (Voice Only)

Megatron - Jet (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Metroplex - Titan Ship Partially Reactivated 

Ratchet's "Patients" Disassembled to Death

Notes

• This Hasbro Pulse release of this issue comes with a Shattered Glass Collection Slicer, with Exo-Suit figure. Unlike the other members of the collection, this figure features a positive polarity Decepticon insignia, rather than a Negative polarity Autobot one (both are evil, but still, it's different). The figure is also designed to be used as the G1 character of Slicer too, who was originally an Action Master. It's still unknown why the character and figure was named Slicer, instead of Wheeljack, especially since Wheeljack is still in trademark, and has been used in very recent years.
• The Exo-suit figure that comes with this issue gets a very brief reference at the start of this issue, as the arm that Ratchet sets aside to use as a replacement for Slicer's, assuming he will damage his current one soon.
• Though not mentioned, it's very likely that the eyes that Slicer gives to Ratchet were Blaster's, since his decapitated head is seen eyeless this issue.
• On his way to the Titan, Wheeljack drives past, and ignores, the melted corpse of Blurr, from the first issue of the first series of Shattered Glass.
• Goldbug mentions that he's going to "punt" Blaster's head into space. While it's probably just a funny coincidence, that's what Rodimus did to Wheelie, who was a decapitated head, in the Last Bot Standing mini-series.
• Slicer references Goldbug as a "failed Wrecker" this issue. We saw his previous persona, Bumblebee, as a member of the Wreckers in issue one of this series. This implies that he was fired or left in disgrace from the group,
• Tailgate is seen amongst the Wreckers this issue, using the same body he sported from the Timelines comics. Surprisingly it still appears to use the Thrilling Thirty mould as the basis, rather than the newer Titans Return design.
• The team of Decepticons that make their entrance into the battle at the end of this issue are mostly made of "Team Stream" from the now completed IDW continuity.
• It seems like Metroplex is being powered by Starscream, with his spark resonating with Jetfire's presence, due to their close past relationship, so I'm going to guess that the Titan will end up joining the Decepticons, if he survives this series at all.
• Hailstorm, who appears at the end of the issue was originally a figure from the HFTD line, which is mostly aligned with the movie continuities, but this character did make a couple of cameos in IDW comics as a G1 character. His colourscheme seems to be based on Strika, originally a Vehicon General from Beast Machines, but has made appearances as an Autobot, Decepticon and even Neutral in G1-set comics since then.

IDW - Shattered Glass #5

Written by: Danny Lore

Art by: Guido Guidi

Inks by: Matt Froese

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Neil Uyetake

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

Design by: Jake Wood & Johanna Nattalie

Plot

The Decepticons, led by Megatron, have started their assault on Gold City to try and usurp it from Goldbug, and rescue Starscream from his clutches.

Inside the lab, Goldbug tries to force Starscream to give him access to the Titan codes within his spark, but he refuses, and Jetfire continues to try and defend his old friend from his current boss.

Eventually however, Starscream gets shot in the back by Goldbug, and his his spark ripped out through his back by the warlord.

Goldbug leaves, clutching the Seeker's spark casing, intending to use it to control the dormant Titans, and conquer Cybertron for himself. Jetfire is left behind, mourning over his dead friend, blaming himself for forcing him into this war, since he knew Starscream only ever wanted to live in peace.

Jetfire takes out Goldbug's guards, and once the Decepticons break into the building, he leaves, cradling Starscream's corpse.

Megatron sees this, and stops him, mistaking him for trying to do something to the body, but Jetfire soon breaks down, blaming himself for everything. Megatron soon manages to calm him down, and offers to help him take revenge on Goldbug for what he's done, which Jetfire considers...

Slicer makes his way into a sewer tunnel, where he makes contact with his real boss, Ultra Magnus, who isnt concerned with Goldbug having the Titan-control coded spark, as he's sure Optimus and Prowl allowed him to go this far, as they plan to take him out themselves so they can get the Titans instead...

At the Titan excavation site, Goldbug starts to reactivate the long dormant Metroplex....

Characters

Decepticon

Megatron - Jet

Starscream - Jet Spark Torn out by Goldbug

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Barricade - Police Car

Dirge - Jet

Refraktor - Hovercraft

Astrotrain - Train/Space Shuttle

Random Decepticons

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Goldbug - Hatchback

Prowl - Police Car

Jetfire - Jet

Slicer - Race Car

Blaster - Boom Box

Jazz - Car

Chromedome - Car

Ratchet - Ambulance

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport (Holo-Communicator Only)

Gold City Security Team - Hatchbacks Killed by Jetfire

Random Autobots

Other Cybertronian

Metroplex - Titan Ship Awakening

Notes

• Just as an update, in the sheer amount of time since I actually received this comic (with Jetfire) Hasbro have finally released issue 3 with Starscream, so the collection is now complete (so far)
• It's kind of hilarious, now I have the Jetfire figure, how out of scale the characters are in this series, in terms of the toys they are being used to promote.
• Refraktor was last seen as a victim of the Autobot Bodyscrappers, so seeing him here either means that was just one aspect of him (like Viewfinder or Spectro etc) or he managed to escape them.
• Jetfire's possible defection at the end of this issue is most likely a reference to the faction-switch feature on the toy, carried over from his Siege counterpart.
• Slicer working for Ultra Magnus, against Optimus, is likely a reference to his role in the Invasion comic, where Ultra Magnus is aided by Wheeljack to destroy another Universe...hopefully this doesn't happen again though...that was a mess to clean up!
• Metroplex is shown awakening at the end of this issue. However he appears to have been buried up to his head again, unlike how we saw him in issue one...

IDW - Transformers Shattered Glass #3

Written by: Danny Lore 

Art by: Guido Guidi

Colours by: John-Paul Bove

Letters by: Neil Uyetake

Editor: Riley Farmer

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

Design by: Jake Wood & Johanna Nattalie

Plot

Long ago, Starscream and his colleague Jetfire meet with Orion Pax to try and ask for funding in their Titan excavation project, which he seems interested in, but Starscream doesn't trust the Senator due to his shady nature, and walks off from the meeting...

Later, Starscream and Jetfire have managed to gather funds themselves and have managed to uncover the entire head of a sleeping Titan, Metroplex. Jetfire starts to worry about their finds running out before they can complete their work, but Starscream still refuses to even meet with Orion Pax due to his mistrust of him.

However, Jetfire goes against Starscream's wishes, and does go to Pax, and even joins the Autobot cause, with Jetfire even disavowing his friend when he refuses to join them. Starscream escapes from the Autobots and heads to the Titan site, where he destroys their research, while partially coding it to his own spark...

Much later, following the war's conclusion, Starscream returns to the long-abandoned Titan, where he completes the transfer, thus turning his spark into the key to awaking the Titans for the Decepticons to take back Cybertron...

In the present, Megatron and Starscream arrive in the Autobot-controlled Gold City, where they quickly find Soundwave, who is running a Decepticon Radio service for relating information to their scattered resistance fighters to ask him to help them relay their new plan to their forces.

Later, Megatron and Starscream meet in a bar, where they soon discover they are being spied on by Blaster and his minions, who quickly attack the Decepticons.

Megatron and Starscream put up a good fight, but Megatron is forced to restrain Blaster, allowing Starscream to fly to safety, as his spark is needed for their plans.

Starscream is shot out of the sky, but is found by Goldbug and his old friend Jetfire, who capture the Seeker...

Characters

Autobot

Goldbug/Bumblebee - Car

Jetfire - Jet

Blaster - Boom Box

Rewind - Cassette

Steeljaw - Cassette

Ramhorn - Cassette

Playback - Cassette Killed by Starscream

Gold City Denizens

Bar Patrons

Orion Pax - Truck (Flashback)

Prowl - Police Vehicle (Flashback)

Ironhide - Van (Flashback)

Jazz - Car (Flashback)

Chromedome - Car (Flashback)

Decepticon

Megatron - Jet

Starscream - Jet Captured by Goldbug

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Ravage - Cassette

Laserbeak - Cassette

Decepticon Soldiers (Mentioned)

Seekers (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Metroplex -Titan Ship (Flashback) Dormant

Scavenger - Excavator (Flashback)

Hook - Crane (Flashback)

Other Excavation Bots (Flashback)

Bots on Monitor (Images)

Notes

• You might notice that this issue's cover is in a different style to the other ones so far, that is because this is not the version that comes with the Starscream toy, since the toy has been (currently) delayed until early January. Incidentally, the next issue and the Goldbug figure have already been dispatched by Hasbro Pulse.
• Following the trend with this series, the returning characters from the Timelines continuity have been mostly reinterpreted with new personality quirks such as Ravage being overly talkative, but not speaking in 1337 speak.
• I can't really tell who the characters on Soundeave's screen are, die to them being just line arts, but I believe they use the Refraktor, Astrotrain and Fortress moulds, but they could still be anyone to be honest.
• Soundwave mentions that he's called the other Seekers to aide them, so we can assume they'll be making a reappearance soon, following their flashback cameos last issue (I know this happens with Skywarp next issue anyway, for the aforementioned reasons)
• This issue confirms that Metroplex, seen in the previous issues, is not actually an Autobot (yet) as he hasn't been awoken from his Titan sleep yet.
• Among the Cassettes deployed by Blaster is Playback, a character who appeared on Paradron in the G1 cartoon, and was named after a hi-and-die character from the Marvel comics of the same name.He doesn't last long...
• Starscream's unique spark is revealed here to be due to him reprogramming the Titan awakening system to be attuned to his spark signature, and later merging the programs fully to make him fully required for Metroplex and the others to wake up, essentially turning him into a Titan Master or Cityspeaker.
• The grid effects inside Starscream when he links up to the Titan system looks quite similar to the effects on him from merging with the Underbase in the Marvel continuity.
• The two bots that Starscream sees as he wakes up at the end of this issue are Goldbug and Jetfire, who are also the cover characters of the last two issues of this series. Nice touch! 

IDW - Unicron #3

Main Story

Title: Our Finest

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Alex Milne

Colours by: Sebastian Cheng & David Garcia Cruz

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Side Story

Title: Reunion

Written by: Brandon Easton

Art by: Juan Samu

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Lettered by: Curtis Fandango

Edited by: David Mariotte

Main Story Plot

Cybertron begins to counterattack against Unicron, with all available fliers and all shuttles going into orbit to fight. Elita recruits the Torchbearers to join her on Carcer to directly attack Unicron. Chromia returns to Cybertron in her shuttle, but is also joined by the Decepticon fleet, having been corrupted by Unicron.

Inside Metroplex's brain chamber Windblade and the others are discussing what to do about Unicron, with Starscream advocating for evacuation to Earth, but due to the colonists being outside of the city, they wont be teleported away with the city.

Chromia contacts Carcer to see why they are going directly to Unicron, with Elita explaining that Victorion is going to infiltrate Unicron's body and kill him from inside, and Carcer will give her backup.

Bumblebee arrives at the brain chamber with Aileron, and declares that Unicron was a doomsday device created by an alien race that also created the Dire Wraiths with Visionary magic, which Rom is disbelieving of. Aileron herself doesn't believe this, until Arcee arrives and explains what happened, as she was there...

When Cybertronians led by Onyx Prime invaded the planet Antilla, Onyx manipulated things to make the Antillans to attack them first, making Alpha Trion believe them to be the aggressors. A scientist used a device to kill everyone on the planet, and also turn it into Unicron, in order for him to get revenge against their attackers, and gets stronger with every world it devours.

The battle in orbit is going badly for the Cybertronians, and Victorion is fed up of watching people die. She attacks the lead Worldsweeper and slashed through the corrupted Decepticons inside, however, when she confronts Bludgeon he summons Monstructor to fight the powerful combiner. The two fight, but Monstructor defeats her by tearing off one of her legs and knocking her down.

Shockwave confirms Arcee's story about Antilla, but also explains that after he left Cybertron following the wars between the Primes, he and his loyalists wound up on Antilla, where Shockwave learned about Unicron and finds the Talisman, the device used to create it. He has the Talisman shipped away towards Earth, for it to be used to later poison Cybertron.

Optimus relays this story to Windblade, who isn't shocked now by all this nonsense. Starscream starts again about letting most of Cybertron and the colonists die, if it means Unicron will be deathly wounded, which drives Windblade to screaming that this is all Cybertron's fault and not the colonists, yet it is them who are being hurt.

Arcee points out that despite it being a terrible thing to happen, without Antilla, NONE of the other colonies would have been created, and none of the colonists would have been born in the first place. Windblade heads off, with Arcee grabbing hold of her, not allowing her to run away. However Windblade isn't trying to escape, but rather has a plan, and just needs some time to enact it.

In orbit, Carcer is under heavy fire, so Elita, in a last ditch attempt to protect Cybertron orders for the ship to ram into Unicron, only for the Chaos Bringer to shoot the ship with his eye beams and obliterates the dead Titan and everyone aboard along with him.

Back at Metroplex, Soundwave returns with the Enigma of Combination, intending to use to combine the entire population of the planet into a giant force to stop Unicron, however Jetfire reveals that even if they did that, they would only be at about a third of the size of Unicron. Soundwave realizes that the others are starting to consider using the space bridge and leave the people outside of the city to die, so he alerts the Decepticons outside, and they begin to riot, and storm the city, as Soundwave has given them a chance now.

Arcee returns and says that Windblade has a plan to save them, but she needs time, which Starscream agrees they have to allow her, as she has allowed them all to try before now.

All across Cybertron, the displaced colonists and Cybertronians watch and Unicron starts digging his claws into Unicron's surface...

Side Story Plot

On Earth, the MASK team have reunited and save some people from the natural disasters and destruction in the city. The team eventually arrive at one of their team, Julio Lopez's emergency medical centre where they learn that they have inspired the normal people of the city and the world to help each other and fight back, so they'll continue to do so, up to the end...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Arcee - Sports Car

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Bumblebee - Hatchback

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Chromia - Speedbike

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Skyburst - Helicopter

Stormclash - Helicopter Seemingly Killed by Monstructor

Dust Up - Sports Car

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Tracks - Muscle Car

Sizzle - Car

Silverbolt - Concorde Jet

Skydive - Fighter Jet

Fireflight - Fighter Jet

Not-Slingshot - Fighter Jet

Scattershot - Jet Killed by a Worldsweeper

Cloudraker - Jet Killed by a Worldsweeper

Fastlane - Car Killed by a Worldsweeper

Firestar

Metroplex - Iacon City (Voice and Interior Only)

Prowl - Police Vehicle (Mentioned)

Kup - Pic k Up Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Shockwave/Onyx Prime - Flying Artillery

Bludgeon - Tank

Monstructor - Monster Gestalt

Wideload - Dump Truck Killed by Victorion

Sledge - Backhoe-Payloader Killed by Victorion

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Fat Tankor - Tank

Tall Tankor - Oil Tanker/Cargo Plane

Decepticon Ghetto Denizens

Decepticon Vengeance Division Mutated into Unicron's Minions

Maximal

Domitius Major - Sauropod (Flashback Only)

Centurion - Beetle (Flashback Only)

"HOS Prowl" (Flashback Only)

Maximal Troops (Flashback Only)

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Elita One - Car Sent Adrift in orbit by Unicron's Attack

Obsidian - Osprey Helicopter Crushed by debris in ship

Vigilem - Carcer Ship Destroyed by Unicron

Swift - Helicopter

Zetca

Greenlight

Lancer

D.O.C.

Cybertronian Fleet

Colony Survivors

Carcerian Warriors Most Killed in Unicron's Attack

Alpha Trion - Tumbler (Flashback Only)

Galvatron - Tank (Flashback Only)

Omega Supreme - Rocket Base (Flashback Only)

Omega Sentinels - Rocket Bases (Flashback Only)

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Human

Matt Trakker/Spectrum (Side Story Only)

Gloria Baker/Aura (Side Story Only)

Brad Turner/Eclipse (Side Story Only)

Julio Lopez/Gulliver (Side Story Only)

Human Survivors (Side Story Only)

Med Centre Staff (Side Story Only)

MASK Fanboy (Side Story Only)

Miles Mayhem (Mentioned)

Solstar Order

Rom

Imperator Carax

Elonian Survivors

Other

Unicron - Ringed Planet

Antillans (Flashback Only) Dead

Unicron's Creator (Mentioned)

Dire Wraiths (Mentioned)

Visionaries (Mentioned)

Notes

• Slingshot is amongst the Aerialbots going into battle (albeit slightly miscoloured) he's supposed to be dead...but then again everyone else will be dead soon, so no long term harm!
• Swift appears to be amongst the Decepticons again...please make up your mind on your faction Decepticons!!
• Just like we saw a mass of Decepticon ships in the last issue, we get an Autobot fleet here with several existing ship types, like the different Arks, shuttles and a few generics.
• This issue reveals that the world we saw Onyx Prime and his group attack in a flashback was Antilla, which was also the world we saw turn into Unicron last issue, confirming that the planet orbiting the dark star was Antilla/Unicron, and is thirteenth colony world (implying that Unicron may have his own natural Ore too)
• Considering some Omega Sentinels were on Antilla when the Unicron device activated, it's likely that the one we saw inside Unicron in issue 1 was one of the attackers, rather than one that just found Unicron.
• Along with their ships, the Decepticon crew inside them are turned into Maximal-esque monsters. This is likely a reference to an old Unicron concept where he could corrupt individuals and turn them into his servants.
• Bludgeon is shown with an aura around him and what looks like his Void Spectre again, this is likely why he seems to have his mind intact rather than being mindless like the other Decepticons.
• Bludgeon reveals that Victorion's gravity powers are caused by her exposure to Ore-4 on Caminus.
• Shockwave's flashback reveals that the Talisman IS the device that created Unicron, which he found on Antilla after arriving there and sending it away to Earth with some of his followers (the guys who would later become the Hearts of Steel Transformers)
• It keeps getting mentioned how Metroplex can only spacebridge the people within his city mode away
• I still think there's another world out there with an Ore on it, since Liege Maximo's "world" is just a Titan ship, and not a planet, also Unicron just blows up Carcer, and doesn't devour it.
• Elita appears to survive her ship's destruction, as she is seen floating in space (why would they bother giving us a close-up if she was just dead?)
• The back-up strip is a MASK one of all things! It doesn't give us any real future spoilers, and just shows that Earth is under attack in the near future and that the MASK team are performing rescue missions to save the day.
• Since we last saw them, it looks like Brad Turner has been recovered, after being captured and replaced by Zartan.
• Also Matt Trakker is not a part of GI Joe anymore it seems...good for him!

IDW - Till All Are One #8

Title: Rubicon

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Metroplex, still with his brain disconnected from his own body detects that Windblade has made contact with Vigilem, and laments how he shouldn't have lied to her about the true identity of "Carcer" and wonders if he should have had him killed in the past, rather than just self-imprisoned for his war crimes.

Windblade is struggling with Vigilem's mind, but she does manage to transform the Titan into robot mode, and sends herself into battle against the Titan Swarm, taking full control of Vigilem's body, much to everyone's glee. Soon though, Vigilem manages to fight back, and starts taking control of his own body again, agreeing to take down the zombie Titans, but just so he can destroy the planet himself later, for revenge.

Metroplex, aware what Windblade is doing, manages to get in contact with Chromia, who is now in prison, and frees her from her captivity so she can rescue Windblade herself.

Vigilem manages to destroy the Swarm, but then starts to head towards Metroplex, intent on killing him too, but Windblade stops him. Unfortunately though, Vigilem starts to open a hidden chamber in his body, a chamber that is being aimed at by Strika's attack force, ready to destroy whatever is coming out of it.

Elita makes her way to the brain chamber, intent on destroying Vigilem's brain, to prevent his master from returning, but the other council members plead with her to wait until Windblade is disconnected, however when she sees that Vigilem is now in control of Windblade's body too, she opens fire on the brain of her Titan, utterly destroying it and knocking out Windblade, who was still connected to it, just as Chromia rushes into the room.

Unfortunately, Elita was too late, and the chamber finishes opening up, and Strika's team is immediately knocked down in the presence of Liege Maximo himself! The Liege thanks his now dead Titan, and promises to avenge both of them, as he teleports away.

Starscream and the other Cybertronians cheer over the defeat of Vigilem and the Titan Swarm, unaware that Windblade has been badly injured, and Chromia is left cradling her seemingly lifeless body....

Characters

Autobot

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet Mind Damaged by Vigilem

Chromia - Speed Bike

Ironhide - Van

Metroplex - Iacon City Brain Module detached from Body

Bumblebee - Car (Ghost Only)

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt

Carcerian

Elita One - Car

Strika - Battle Tank

Obsidian - Stealth Osprey Helicopter

Carcerian Soldiers

Lancer (Mentioned)

Other Colonists

Fireshot - Part of Jet

Moonracer - Sports Car

Tigatron - Tiger

Knock Out - Sports Car

Airazor - Falcon

Other

Liege Maximo

Vigilem - Titan Ship Carcer Killed by Elita One

Titan Swarm Destroyed by Vigilem

Cybertronian Populous

Prison Guards and Prisoners

Chela (Flashback)

Caminus (Flashback)

Primus (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Notes

• Vigilem's master being Liege Maximo was previously revealed in Till All Are One: Revolution, here we see that he was turned into a "prison" for his master too.
• Also, this issue confirms why the Carcerians have been so guarded about their ship, they were afraid that people would discover Liege Maximo inside the ship.
• Despite the ship Carcer clearly having some sort of artificial gravity on it (people weren't just floating around on the ship) Vigilem does not have artificial gravity whilst in robot mode, at least not in the non-brain module chamber parts of his body any way, or at least not intuitive gravity, since Elita and her troops are sent off the flooring in the corridor, with the latter being sent flying off.
• Vigilem is shown to have a battle mask that he deploys in battle...this is probably the largest battle mask ever seen...
• Liege Maximo's design is based on his Aligned continuity design, which further makes t seem likely that the IDW version of the Thirteen are going to all be the same as their Aligned counterparts.
• Windblade being injured during the battle was spoiled for us early on in the new Optimus Prime series, and we now that the Mistress of Flame is due to take her place on the Council for a period of time.
• The Carcerian pride in honesty is revealed somewhat to be due to their "founder" being known as a manipulator and a liar.

IDW - Till All Are One #6

Title: Desperate Times

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Metroplex is being overrun by the Titan Swarm, despite the united Cybertronian army fighting them off as well, he is taking too much damage. Windblade realizes that the Titans are fighting anything that moves, so she severs Metroplex's brain module, connecting it to an Energon stint, and causes him to effectively die, stopping the Titans from further attacking him.

Starscream sees this from his tower, and starts panicking further. He gets Elita One on the communicator again, but she still refuses to allow Carcer to transform and join the battle on the ground.

Following the bad exchange with Elita, Starscream calls the other Council members and allies to have them return to the Spire for an emergency meeting.

Once all gathered, Starscream explains that Elita is refusing Carcer to join the battle, and suggests that they evacuate the planet and escape from the Titans that way. No one is happy with this, but they understand what has to be done...

Ironhide starts filing civilians into the shuttles, but there's too many people trying to escape the planet. The prisoners are escorted to the shuttles, and Chromia sees Ironhide, warning him to get to Windblade, since she knows she'll do something stupid without someone to balance out her ideals.

Much to her prediction, Windblade speaks up, and suggests a mission for a team to head to Carcer, and take control of it to allow him to join the battle, despite Elita's arguments.

Windblade quickly assembles her team, which includes herself, Blurr, Tigatron, Airazor, Moonracer, Lightbright, Sparkstalker, Breakdown (the Veloctironian one) and Fireshot, who will take a ship, and hide amongst the others sent to attack Carcer from the outside. Sparkstalker gives Windblade a strange device that she asked him for, and they leave.

Elita contacts Starscream to ask him why he's sent shuttles to attack her, and he just says that she brought this on herself. Starscream has the Constructicons deployed, and combine them into Devastator to assault the hull of the Titan directly.

Obsidian tries to reason with Elita, pointing out that they are still their allies, and they should just explain the situation to them, but she ignores him, and orders her troops to open fire on the other Cybertronians.....

Characters

Autobot

Metroplex - Iacon City Deactivated by Windblade

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Blurr - Race Car

Ironhide - Van

Chromia - Speedbike

Bumblebee - Car (Ghost)

Decepticon

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Tall Tankor - Truck/Jet

Fat Tankor - Tank

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Constructicons - Construction Vehicles

Devastator - Constructicon Gestalt

Ironhide's Security Force

Cybertronian Civilians

Prison Warden - Truck

Prisoners

Colonist

Caminus (Mentioned)

Lightbright

Knock Out - Sports Car

Moonracer - Sports Car

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Quicklightning - Race Car

Vanquish - Part of Jet

Fireshot - Part of Jet

Tigatron - Tiger

Airazor - Falcon

Carcer - Space Shuttle

Elita One - Car

Obsidian - Osprey Stealth Bomber

Lancer

Greenlight

Other

Titan Swarm Several Killed in Battle

Notes

• Lightbright being a Cityspeaker was shown at the start of Combiner Wars, when we were introduced to Caminus itself. It just hasn't appeared too much since then...
• It's explained here that Caminus' brain was removed so that his body could be used throughout the planet
• Despite appearances, the Carcer crew appear to WANT to help Cybertron by Transforming their Titan, but Elita is just being stubborn due to the currently unknown secret of the Titan.
• The prison warden here looks a lot like Armorhide from the Live Action Movie toyline. A similar looking robot appeared in several flashbacks as the manager of the race track.
• Devastator is shown with a Decepticon insignia again now, this is most likely a mistake though, since Scoop is forming the centre of his consciousness now, and he is a Neutral/former Autobot.

IDW - Till All Are One #5

Title: Ping

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours by: Joana LaFuente & Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Tom B. Long & Chris Mowry

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Out in space, the Titan Ship Carcer picks up a disturbing signal on it's sensors, Greenlight and Lancer inform Elita of this troubling news.

Windblade returns to Cybertron, following her involvement in the Revolution on Earth, and she is fed up, she doesn't appreciate how Optimus doesn't listen to her any more, and feels tired of all the problems she's had lately with Chromia, Bruticus and every thing on Earth. Obsidian consoles her, and tries to convince her to stay on Cybertron as she's needed there, just as he received a message on his communicator...

Elsewhere, Starscream has been called to see Ironhide in his office, and he demands that the Enigma of Combination be given to him for safe-keeping following the various thefts lately, but he ends up arguing with him about it, culminating in Ironhide pointing out how Starscream hasn't done anything to earn the respect of the Cybertronians yet, so he isn't trusted with something as powerful as the Enigma, just as they all receive a message too.

A little while later, the Council of Worlds are convened at the Spire, where Obsidian and Windblade request for a declaration of war to be made, and explains that an army of undead Titans have been detected approaching Cybertron (heading from Luna-1). The council start to panic, but Starscream finally takes charge, and gives everyone their orders to prepare the planet for battle.

The injured are all sent to Caminus, and the Spacebridge is deactivated for safety, the healthy are armed and prepared for battle, all shuttles around Cybertron are conscripted for the battle, and Carcer is brought into orbit, whilst Metroplex is ordered to transform and prepare for battle too.

Soon, the Titan Swarm arrives, and is immediately attacked by the united Cybertron, with the skies being defended by the Titan Ship Carcer and the other shuttles.

Everyone works together to take down the Titans, but there are just too many to handle. Starscream contacts Elita on Carcer and asks her to transform the ship to robot mode, so he can help in the battle, but she simply refuses and hangs up on him, just to Starscream's shock and horror...

Characters

Autobot

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Ironhide - Van

Metroplex - Iacon City/Space Ship

Fizzle - Car

Sunder - Cassette

Bumblebee - Car (Ghost)

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Flashback)

Chromia - Speedbike (Flashback)

Sentinel Prime - Truck/Jet (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Fat Tankor - Tank

Tall Tankor - Truck/Cargo Plane

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Combaticons (Mentioned) Brain Damaged

Bruticus - Combaticon Gestalt (Mentioned)

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Rattrap - Mole Rat

Zetca

Colonist

Mistress of Flame

Elita One - Car

Obsidian - Osprey Stealth Jet

Strika - Battle Tank

Lancer

Greenlight

Carcer - Space Ship

Knock Out - Sports Car

Moonracer - Sports Car

Prime Breakdown - Armoured Truck

Airazor - Falcon

Tigatron - Tiger

Razorbeast - Boar

Vanquish - Part of Jet

Fireshot - Part of Jet

Other Cybertronian

Titan Swarm Undead

Injured Cybertronians Sent to Caminus

Ironhide's Security Force

Cybertronian Fighters

Notes

• This story acts as the TAAO part of the Titans Return event which MTMTE and Ongoing ended a couple months ago. This story occurs after Revolution's conclusion, but also follows on from the cliff-hanger at the end of MTMTE's part of the event.
• It's revealed that the Combaticons are brain damaged following their forced de-combination from Bruticus in the last issue
• Why are all of the injured being sent to Caminus? Isn't that the colony with the energy crisis? Why not send them to Eukaris, Divisiun, Velocitron or even Luna-1? I could understand them not going to Earth due to the delicate situation there, but wouldn't anywhere else be better?!
• I'm going to assume that Razorbeast is from Eukaris, since he has a beast mode and didn't know Fizzle during the war.
• So after all this time of building a city around Metroplex for people to live in, they have him transform and basically destroy it...PROGRESS!!
• Carcer has been moved into orbit around Cybertron...did he get spacebridged there? Was he just nearby? I'm genuinely curious here!
• Strika's statement that the Titans cannot take the ship, and Elita's refusal to allow Carcer to transform for the battle adds to the mystery of who Carcer really is, and what Elita's true motives are.