IDW - Micronauts: Wrath of Karza #1

Written by: Cullen Bunn and Jimmy Johnston

Art by: Andrew Griffith and Ron Joseph

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Assistant Editor: David Mariotte

Editor: David Hedgecock

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Meanwhile, in Microspace, Karza meets with his wife Shazraella, and recounts to her how he travelled to Earth and lost to the combined might of the forces of the planet's protectors, but they seem confident that Karza will succeed THIS time, due to him not being alone this time.

Karza explains that during his time in the Entropy Cloud, he witnessed several of his own lifespans all at once, and found that the species living in there are living out of sync with the rest of reality, being from various points in time. He also confirms that the Time Travelers accidentally created the Entropy Cloud when they tried, and failed to Enerchange with time itself, but also led to him finding Micronus Prime, the creator of their universe, at the centre of it.

The MASK team head to Ferren Woods, a small settlement in the middle of nowhere to meet with a contact of Brad Turner's, but soon discover that he isn't there. As they begin to leave however, they discover that their masks and vehicles aren't working together properly any more, only barely noticing a large "bug" leaving their vehicles...

Scarlett's GI Joe team arrive at a cottage near Aberdeen, where they break in and find a small group of Dire Wraiths hiding out, they are soon taken down, but before the Joes can head off further, Skywarp is attacked by a small drone, and is forced to shut down to auto-repair, causing the team to take shelter and wait for his repairs to complete.

A small team of Autobots head to the former site of Autobot City in Monument Valley, where they argue about why Optimus is bothering to seek atonement from the humans for what was partially their own fault with the Ore-13 causing problems during the Revolution. Optimus reveals that he has detected a disturbance in space-time here, which he has been monitoring since the incident and received a signal recently. He determines that this must just be a mistake, and plans to leave, only for them to be defeated easily but a giant Karza, who has Enerchanged with Micronus Prime's inert body.

Karza returns to Microspace again, and admits to his wife that every time he combines with Micronus, he feels a part of himself getting lost too, despite all the knowledge he is gaining about the Cybertronians and others through it, and so, despite the difficulties he still plans to lead the army on Earth, to conquer it for Microspace to use as a new home, due to their own universe being slowly destroyed, however he still has one concern to deal with...Oz's team of Micronauts....

Characters

Micronauts

Oziron Rael

Larissa

Phenolo-Phi

Acroyear

Biotron

Microtron

Other Microspace Denizens

Baron Kazra

Shazraella

Ministry of Defense Army

Baron Daegon (Flashback) Defeated

Doomed Microspace Denizens (Flashback)

The Reptos (Flashback) Trapped in Entropy Cloud

Alternate Versions of Baron Karza (Flashback)

Time Travelers (Flashback)

Ministry of Science (Mentioned) Defeated

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab Defeated by Baron Karza

Arcee - Sports Car Defeated by Baron Karza

Jazz - Sports Car Defeated by Baron Karza

M.A.S.K.

Matt Trakker/Spectrum

Julio Lopez/Gulliver

Brad Turner/Eclipse

Gloria Baker/Aura

G.I. Joe

Skywarp - Fighter Jet Defeated by Baron Karza's Troops

Scarlett

Snake Eyes

Rock 'n' Roll

Grand Slam (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Micronus Prime Near Death

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

Other

Old Mitch

Two Dire Wraiths Killed by GI Joe

Rom the Space Knight (Flashback)

Mitch the Butcher (Mentioned)

Rodrigo Gutierrez (Mentioned)

Notes

• This comic continues on from the recently seemingly concluded Micronauts comic line...hopefully it'll continue on after this storyline though
• Despite being shown in the flashback, Karza doesn't seem to consider Rom or the Space Knights a threat to his plans so he doesn't send his troops after any of them.
• The crater that Optimus visits in this issue was the former location of Autobot City, before Metrotitan took to the air to keep them mobile and to get away from the Ore-13 and Spacebridge explosion.
• So...turns out Micronus Prime may be larger than the regular Transformers, judging by the Enerchanged version of him with Karza, despite him being the original Mini-Con, aka, a tiny robot.
• Karza mentions that he now has some of Micronus' memories after Enerchanging with him, and likens him to a god for the Transformers, but without any mention of the OTHER twelve Primes
• Karza's army is comprised of some Acroyears, Giant Acroyears, Biotrons and several animal themed vehicles...following the revelation of the new breed of Acroyear being fully mechanical, I think his army is made up fully of machines
• Still no confirmation yet on if Baron Daegon was killed by Karza or not.

IDW - Revolution: Transformers: Till All Are One

Title: Informed

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Art by: Naoto Tsushima

Colours by: DAI-XT

Letters by: Tom B Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Windblade is recharging in her quarters on Cybertron when she is approached by Pyra Magna and Soundwave to come to Earth to assist him in a delicate matter, though unhappy with the sudden request, she agrees, since she cannot refuse a Prime.

The trio soon arrive on Earth and Optimus explains that Metrotitan hasn't spoken to anyone in some time, since forming Autobot City, and he wants Windblade to find out what's wrong with him. Windblade, Pyra and Soundwave examine Metrotitan's systems and find nothing wrong with him. Several days later, Pyra gets annoyed and claims that it's like Metrotitan is giving them the cold shoulder, making Windblade realize that there's nothing wrong with Metrotitan, but he just doesn't want to talk to them.

Windblade locates Metrotitan's interface port and realizes that he wants to talk directly to Optimus, but she knows they don't know if this will be safe, so she interfaces instead.

Inside his mind, Windblade is angrily confronted by Metrotitan, who is insulted that Optimus sent a "speck" in his place to speak to him, but allows her to speak to the one who really wanted to speak to Optimus...Micronus Prime....

Windblade's mind is transported into Microspace, where she encounters Micronus, who has a message for Optimus regarding the destruction of Microspace, but tells Windblade that she has to experience what is happening, in order to fully understand it...

Soon, Windblade is shot out of the Entropy Cloud where she is collected by the Ministry of Defense, who find her interesting, as she has been reformatted into a pure energy being. Shazraella is called to interrogate the mysterious creature, and explains about the entropy cloud destroying Microspace, and also explains about the war between the Ministries of Defense and Science, but makes it sound like the MOD are the ones in the right.

Windblade doesn't trust Shazraella, so she doesn't give any real information to her, but is pressured by Shazraella, who is insistent that she is an alien from the cloud, using it as a weapon. Windblade gets tortured through electrocution , which event harms her physical body in Macrospace.

Windblade is forced to tell Shazraella about Cybertron and the war, but hides that the planet is currently under uneasy leadership, in case the Microspace residents ever come to their universe. Soon, one of her handmaidens calls Shazraella away to see her husband, before being attacked by another handmaiden.

The traitor handmaiden releases Windblade from her restraints and asks her for help, but doesn't believe in getting it through torture. Windblade begins to assure her that she'll help, but she fades away from Microspace, as the handmaiden is killed for her treason.

Windblade sees Micronus' face before her and begins to pass on his message to her....

Soon, Windblade wakes up in Autobot City, where she tells Optimus about Micronus Prime's universe being destroyed, and begs him for help there. Optimus however refuses, as he wants to concentrate on protecting Earth from the current Ore-13 instabilities, and due to him now being resistant to aiding another Prime following their past mistakes. Windblade points out that Optimus is no better than them, as he annexed Earth in the name of the Primes, and they accepted that due to him being a Prime. Optimus still denies her request, but asks her to remain on Earth to help him, which she accepts...because he is a Prime....she goes off alone, watched by the newly arrived Rom....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Sentinel Prime - Truck/Jet (Mentioned)

Chromia - Speedbike (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Illusion)

Bruticus - Combaticon Gestalt (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Metrotitan - Autobot City

Micronus Prime In Life-Death State

Windblade's Possible Pasts and Futures (In Metrotitan's Mindscape)

Liege Maximo (Mentioned)

Vigilem - City/Space Ship (Mentioned)

The Primes (Mentioned)

Mistress of Flame (Mentioned)

Microspace

Baron Karza

Shazraella

Traitor Handmaiden Killed for treachery

Shazraella's Handmaidens

Acroyear II Unit

Ministry of Defense Troops (Footage)

Ministry of Science Troops (Footage)

Other

Rom, the Space Knight

Notes

• The start of this issue begins between the end of the Titans Return event, but before Revolution #1. The "present day" part is set between Revolution #2 and #3, as evident by Windblade's knowledge of Microspace, and Rom's presence in Autobot City.
• Despite being made by the series regular artist, Sara Pitre-Durocher, the main cover for this issue features Windblade with the wrong facial markings. Also Metrotitan is shown with an Autobot insignia, which he doesn't have, and on top of that, the Micronauts don't appear ANYWHERE in this issue...
• Metrotitan has a tower in his city mode that is topped by his robot mode head...that's creepy...
• The ancient symbol of the Primes that Metrotitan uses here is based on the symbol seen on the earliest Prime from Five Faces of Darkness.
• Micronus' character model in this issue is pretty much his character model from Robots in Disguise, rather than the design based on that character seen so far in the crossover.
• The servants who assist Shazraella during Micronauts are identified as "handmaidens" here
• Shazraella's official role is given here as leader of the Ministry of Defense - Intelligence Division, before we only knew she was at one point the "mistress of spies"
• Windblade's trip into Microspace appears to have sent her back in time as well, since Baron Karza should be working from Micronus' body by this point, rather than still being in normal Microspace. It's likely that this is due in part to the time-altering nature of the entropy cloud, as shown when Baron Karza entered the cloud after the Heliopolis, but wound up exploring it for years whilst the Heliopolis was only there a couple of days.
• Windblade compares Shazraella to Starscream in personality....I don't know who should be more insulted there!

IDW - Revolution #3

Title: O Ship of State

Written by: John Barber & Cullen Bunn

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: Sebastian Cheng

Letters by: Tom B Long

Edited by: David Hedgecock

Editor-in-Chief: Chris Ryall

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

In Microspace, the Heliopolis is at the centre of the Entropy Cloud, and the ship approaches the planet sized (to their point of view) body of Micronus Prime, the progenitor of Microspace itself, and is now being used as Baron Karza's base of operations to try and save Microspace,

Karza contacts the crew of the Heliopolis and explains that he has been in the cloud for many years now, trying to learn how to save the universe, and explains that time works differently in the cloud. He asks for the crew's help in saving the universe along with him, which they reluctantly agree to do, despite his evil past.

In the Macroverse, Matt Trakker returns to Governor's Island and confronts Scarlett about not telling him and his team about the Cybertronians being sentient, and accidentally reveals that Miles has captured one of them, without her knowledge. Miles turns up and escorts Matt away, to speak with him.

Elsewhere, Kup is hooked to a torture device and watched by Sly and Vanessa of MASK, and Vanessa tricks him into revealing all he knows about Ore-13 and the reason it is exploding, along with the knowledge of the stash of Ore-13 under Autobot City.

Rom has been taken back to Autobot City for both parties to explain their actions to eachother, and Rom explains how he only killed Dire Wraiths, and warns the Autobots about them infiltrating the planet's infrastructure, and are using Ore-13 to cloak themselves from his analyzer. Windblade reveals her recent finding that the Titan has a connection to another universe where Micronus Prime lies, dead, and explains that the Microspace is dying as well. Optimus is sympathetic to the situation, and decides that they must prioritize Earth's safety over another universe's, which Windblade agrees to, disgruntledly.

Aileron returns to Autobot City and reports that Kup has been captured, and he the Ore-13 is being sent away through a spacebridge to another universe, causing it to detonate. Aileron is prepared for repairs, whilst Rom looks at the spacebridge and begins thinking about things...

Back at Governor's Island, Scarlett is wondering if they can trust Manheim since he's hiding things from her and his own team, when suddenly Doc enters the room and reveals that the Joe corpses weren't humans after all, including Colton. The group are unnerved by this revelation, and wonder if the alien infiltrators are their allies, or enemies.

Scarlett gets in contact with an "old friend" to try and solve this issue out once and for all...

In Microspace, Karza receives  communication from his ally in the Macroverse, who tells him to not take any more Ore-13 yet, as the transport is causing the Ore to explode on Earth. Karza doesn't care however, as he sees the safety of Microspace to be more important than one planet, so he activates the spacebridge regardless.

On the Heliopolis, a Time Traveler suddenly appears and informs the crew that their true mission is about to begin, just as the spacebridge is deployed from Micronus' chest...

At Autobot City the Autobots try to figure out the link between Aileron's report and Rom's mission, when Rom examines the spacebridge and gets shocked when his suit reacts to it, and the Ore-13 around the room...

Back in Microspace, the spacebridge is opened, and to Karza's shock Ore-13 begins shooting through it, and starts detonating in the space around Micronus, he believes that his ally has turned against him. Elsewhere, the Time Traveler tells Oz and the crew to head through the portal so they can save the universe, including Microspace, which they agree to...

Back on Earth, Rom has taken control of the spacebridge in Autobot City, and the Ore-13 and is the one sending it through the portal to Microspace, justifying it as sacrificing an unknown universe to save this planet. Windblade stops him however when she points out to both him and Optimus that sacrificing anyone for their own mission is just wrong.

Rom surrenders, and shuts down the spacebridge, and allows himself to be restrained by the Cybertronians, and agrees that they must fight to protect both Earth and Microspace.

Unnoticed by anyone else, the Heliopolis flies through the portal and the Micronauts find themselves in a large metallic maze, unaware that they are tiny in this universe. They look for a way out of the metallic world they're in when they run into what they believe to be a giant version of Baron Karza, but is actually a human in a black ninja suit...Snake-Eyes...who is preparing for battle....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Kup - Pick Up Truck In MASK Captivity

Victorion - Torchbearer Gestalt

Arcee - Sports Car

Jazz - Sports Car

Decepticon

Soundwave - Personnel Carrier

Other Cybertronian

Micronus Prime Maybe Dead in Microspace

Metrotitan - Autobot City

GI Joe

Scarlett

Mainframe

Doc

Snake-Eyes

M.A.S.K.

Miles Manheim

Matt Trakker

Vanessa Warfield

Sly Rax

Other Human

Madame President (Mentioned)

EDC (Mentioned) Absorbed into GI Joe

Matt Trakker's Dad (Mentioned) Dead

Dire Wraith

Example Wraith (Projection Only)

Joe Colton (Mentioned) Dead

Other Dead GI Joes (Mentioned) Dead

Micronaut

Oz Rael

Phenolo-Phi

Larissa

Biotron

Acroyear

Microtron

Other Microspace Denizens

Baron Karza

Time Traveler

Other Biotron Units Dead

Other

Rom, the Space Knight

Karza's Ally

Notes

• The start of this issue retells and continues on from the end of the Micronauts Revolution one-shot
• Despite Micronus being believed to be dead, his optics are still lit up, indicating that he is probably still alive in some manner
• It's explained that Ore-13 is being used by Karza to suppress the effects of the Entropy Cloud
• Rom resolved his issues with Optimus and the others pretty quickly huh? Last we saw them they were still fighting
• Windblade reveals that she learned about Micronus creating Microspace and now lays there "dead" during the Till All Are One Revolution one-shot...this issue hasn't been released yet...SPOILERS!!!!
• Aileron is identified as "Autobot Idealist" here, marking the first official point where she is identified as an Autobot...then again she could just be idealistic towards the Autobot cause without being one of them yet.
• Why does Scarlett have Snake-Eyes on her phone as "classified"? Is it just for the end of the issue cliffhanger? That's dumb...
• The identity of Karza's ally is unidentifiable here, but I would guess it's Miles Mayhem, as he contacts Karza right after his agents learn about the Ore-13 detonating when being transported elsewhere, and he is pretty much one of the only other villains in the series so far...
• Micronus' spacebridge ejects from his body from his chest, out of the detailing that resembles a Mini-Con powerlinx port.
• Rom mentions that spacebridges were thought to be lost. Before the resurgence of the Titans in modern issues, the only spacebridges being used were Nova Prime's ones from the Dead Universe, and the ones created by Bombshell and Shockwave in All Hail Megatron and the Costa Ongoing.
• Rom's armour has an affinity with both Ore-13 and the Titan spacebridges, implying that his armour could have connections with Cybertron.
• Rom confirms his dislike for Cybertronians is due to the galactic opinions of the species, but also appears to accept that they are trying to make up for their "crimes" now.
• Despite their smaller size, the Micronauts ship appears to be visible to Snake-Eyes.

IDW - Revolution: Micronauts

Written by: Cullen Bunn

Art by: Chris Panda

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Letters by: Tom B Long

Editor: John Barber

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Within the Entropy Cloud, the Heliopolis is attacked by a group of Reptos, which were on the planet Sauria when it was swallowed by the cloud, and assumed to have all died. The Reptos manage to break into the ship and attacks the crew, however, by working together they are able to defeat most of the Reptos. The group are however grabbed by some Reptos, who prepare to kill them when a Time Traveler appears to them, and uses his powers over time to destroy all the Reptos  in the ship, and causes the ones still outside to flee.

The crew try to get some information out of the Time Traveler, but he shows them a glimpse into their histories, and even shows them most of their (probable) deaths, and an image of the Earth, outside of this universe, before vanishing himself.

The group continue on their way towards the centre of the Entropy Cloud where they hope to find the cause of it, and want to save the Microverse.

The closer they get to the centre, the more debris they locate, however despite the debris being of modern machinery, they have aged a lot faster than they should have.

The ship is hailed by another vessel, and it's revealed to be the Micronaut's enemy, Baron Karza, who claims to have been waiting for them for years, despite them having only seen him days before, he tells them that he doesn't want to fight, and instead reveals that he has located what lies at the middle of their universe, and the Entropy Cloud, it is the body of the creator of the Microverse....the Cybertronian Micronus Prime....

Characters

Heliopolis Crew

Oziron Rael/Pharoid

Phenolo-Phi/Space Glider

Larissa/Orbital Defender

Biotron

Microtron

Acroyear

Other Microverse Denizens

Baron Karza

Time Traveler Vanished into time

Biotron Units Aged and Destroyed

Reptos Several Killed by Time Traveler

Cybertronian

Micronus Prime Laying inert at centre of the Microverse

Notes

• Quick disclaimer: I haven't read issues 1-6 of Micronauts yet, but I have ordered them to start collecting the series, so if I get any details wrong here due to that, I am sorry.
• Since Micospace was created by Micronus Prime, it's possible that the Reptos, a species that looks like a melding of mechanical and organic materials, have something to do with Nexus and Onyx Prime, as they were shown in the past to be trying to merge their two niches (beasts and combiners)
• So...the time travellers can actively affect time to the point of causing individuals to turn to dust within seconds? That is actually frightening!
• Though it could just be the word chosen to describe the cloud, the word entropy has been used in Transformers media to represent The Fallen/Megatronus, so due to the other "Thirteen" relationship here, I wonder if he has something to do with the cloud surrounding Micronus?
• An explanation for why Baron Karza beat the Micronauts to Micronus' boy could be due to time dilation and Micronus simply acts like a black hole, making time go faster or slower at different points.
• Remember when looking at the image of Micronus Prime, Mini-Cons are usually around the size of a human, so 4-7 foot normally...you cannot even see the Micronaut's ship on him without magnification!

RID - The Trials of Optimus Prime

Plot

Optimus leads Bumblebee's team into battle against some Decepticons, but end up being helplessly outnumbered and outgunned, causing the entire team to be killed.

Micronus ends the simulated battle, and gloats that Optimus isn't as ready as he had hoped, Micronus heals Optimus' false wounds. Optimus begs to be allowed to return to Earth so he can aid Bumblebee in his mission, and prepare for the upcoming trouble there. Micronus is hesitant but goes to ask the other Primes for their opinions. Once with the others, the Primes flat out refuse, but one of them, Liege Maximo, begins to mock how useless and weak Optimus seems to be, then quietly decides to "help" Optimus with his training too.

Micronus gives Optimus the bad news, but Optimus is still insistent. Micronus simply sets up another test, and creates a recreation of and Earth city, and has Optimus protect some holographic humans from some attacking Decepticons. Whilst Optimus deals with three of the Decepticons, Maximo suddenly enters the simulation, and hides, taking control of the last Decepticon, to make it a lot more powerful.

Optimus is able to defeat the powerful robot, but Micronus is concerned, as he is certain he didn't conjure up something that dangerous for Optimus to fight with. Maximo seems happy that he's messed with the training unnoticed, and plots to cause more mischief.

Micronus opens a portal to Earth for Optimus to watch Bumblebee's team through for a break, whilst he goes to investigate something by himself.

On Earth, the Autobots are playing a football game with Russell, whilst Bumblebee is in the command centre doing some work.

Optimus is happy after seeing his friends again, but it is cut short when Micronus returns and closes the portal. Micronus asks Optimus to go get recharged, whilst he prepares for the next training exercises. However Maximo has been secretly watching them and decides to play with Bumblebee as well...

Back on Earth Liege Maximo sends Bumblebee a fake image of Optimus, and using that image, tells Bumblebee that he has had a change of heart, and has now joined the Decepticons, and that he's coming to attack the Autobots soon. Bumblebee is disturbed, and thinks about how to tell the rest of the team, but Fixit suddenly declares that another Decepticon has appeared on his sensors, Stinkbomb, who is a demolitions expert.

The Autobots head out to Crown City Bridge, where Stinkbomb was detected where they engage the Decepticon, however Bumblebee is distracted when "Optimus" appears in the water beneath them and continues taunting Bumblebee with him switching sides. Sideswipe pushes Bee out of the way as Stinkbomb throws a bomb at him, but ends up being badly injured in the process, unnerving Bumblebee that it was because of him.

Stinkbomb sets off his tail-bomb which allows him to escape, whilst the Autobots try to prevent damage, and get the injured Sideswipe to safety. They head back to the Scrapyard for repairs without their target.

In the Realm of the Primes, Maximo closes his portal to Bumblebee and turns his attention back to Optimus. He finds the Autobot meditating with Micronus, and decides to strike, sending in several small attack-bots to hit him, with Optimus assuming this is a test to keep himself aware at all times. Micronus levitates both of them, and reveals that he didn't create those holograms, and someone else is messing with him, he creates a pyramid for Optimus to wait on top of, whilst he goes to talk to the other Primes about the situation.

Back on Earth, Sideswipe is taken to Fixit for repairs, and Bumblebee seems distracted still. The team grow worried, and due to his lapses in judgement lately and strange attitude, Fixit thinks their leader is suffering with brain rust.

Micronus meets with the other Primes, where he learns that they haven't attacked Optimus, and they then realize that Maximo is missing...

Elsewhere in the realm, Maximo goes after Optimus again, and creates a copy of Bumblebee, but turned evil, and claims that he's there because Earth was destroyed and he was sent to the realm as punishment of some sort. "Bumblebee" attacks Optimus, Optimus is able to defeat the copy, believing it to be a test of Micronus' again. Micronus then returns and tells Optimus that he didn't create the Bumblebee clone, but he thinks Maximo did.

Maximo is annoyed that Micronus is messing with his new "toy" and decides to "play" with Bumblebee again instead.

Bumblebee thinks he's located Stinkbomb on the scanners again, but it turns out to be Maximo's Optimus clone's eyes playing a trick on him. "Optimus" continues with his declarations of evil, but Bee is starting to believe this is all just a trick as well. Bee attempts to destroy the scanner to stop the imposter's messages, but the others stop him, and confront him about his "brain rust" but Bee convinces them that he's fine, and that someone has been sending him fake messages from Optimus. Despite how it sounds, the team respects Bumblebee and believes his story, just in time for them to go after Stinkbomb again.

In the Realm of the Primes, Maximo has a tantrum about how boring the Autobots are. He conjures up a small army of attack-bots, and plans to send them to attack Bumblebee and the others.

Elsewhere, Micronus explains who Maximo is to Optimus, and how despite not really being evil, he is mischievous and will cause problems if he can. Optimus notes that the fake Bumblebee seemed to give up when he didn't believe he was real, which makes Micronus believe he has a chance against Maximo's efforts after all. 

On Earth, Bee and the others locate Stinkbomb refuelling himself, and building a new tail-bomb, during the battle however, Bumblebee notices Optimus looking at him evilly again.

Maximo is ready to mess with Bumblebee again, but is suddenly interrupted by Micronus, who confronts his attacks on Optimus and Bumblebee. He tells Maximo to stop with his games, but Maximo ignores him, and continues with his game with Bee.

The Optimus clone on Earth begins screaming at Bee, which catches the notice of everyone in the group, confirming for everyone that Bee hasn't just been seeing and hearing things. The group manage to defeat Stinkbomb, and capture him, essentially ignoring the copy of Optimus, and ruining his schemes.

Back in the realm, Optimus is encountered by "evil" versions of all of Bumblebee's team, claiming that he's failed them again, but he realizes straight away that it's just Maximo's tricks again, and easily destroys them.

Following their defeats, Maximo goes off him a tantrum again, moaning about how unfair it all is. Micronus reappears before Optimus and commends him for his defeat of Maximo, and promises that he will be punished by the other Primes accordingly. He also reveals that Maximo has been messing around with Bumblebee as well, but he managed to fend off the attacks too. He opens a portal so Optimus can tell Bumblebee what was happening.

Back on Earth again Sideswipe has woken up, and everyone is gathered around him. Optimus communicates with them, and assures them that this isn't a trick this time, and the two thank each other for not being deluded by their attackers. Optimus promises to be joining Bumblebee on Earth just as soon as he can, once his trials are over, so they can really be a team again, like the old days...

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Semi Truck

Bumblebee - Compact Coupe

Strongarm - Police Cruiser

Sideswipe - Sports Car

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Fixit

Drift - Race Car (Mentioned)

Jetstorm - Buzzsaw Deployer (Mentioned)

Slipstream - Buzzsaw Deployer (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Stinkbomb Captured by Team Bee

Megatron - Jet (Mentioned)

Cybertronian

Micronus Prime

Liege Maximo

"Deep Voice" Prime

The Other Primes

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Human

Denny Clay

Russell Clay

Other

Holograms and Illusions

Primus (Mentioned)

Unicron (Mentioned)

Notes

• This story shows a couple more of Optimus' trials in the realm of the Primes, which is what he spent most of season one doing.
• This story also shows that Optimus is able to communicate with Bumblebee and the others by utilizing portals in the realm of the Primes. It also shows that other Primes are able to do so too.
• Liege Maximo is shown to be one of the Primes in the realm. None of the others (bar Micronus) are identified, but Solus is mentioned in an expressive form, implying that she isn't there for some reason. It's a bit confusing since the last we saw them, Optimus, Maximo and Micronus were all dead and were sent here...so why wasn't Solus?
• The only other one of the Primes described here is mentioned as having a deep voice, this could honestly be any of them, but I would guess either Vector Prime or Prima due to him seemingly having the final say on decisions.
• Liege Maximo is shown to be able to manipulate his horns to create hard-light holograms or illusions, much like the character he's loosely based on, Loki from Marvel comics.
• The main difference between Micronus' holograms and Maximo's seems to be that Maximo's can actually cause physical damage to others, whilst Micronus' are just cosmetic.
• Micronus' attitude towards not trusting Maximo is more than likely due to him manipulating Megatronus into killing Solus Prime back in the early years of their existence .
• Micronus hints that Optimus may be learning some things from the other Primes as well as him before he leaves the realm, but we haven't been shown that to any extent in the cartoon or comics yet.
• Despite him creating a small army and planning to attack Bee's team on Earth, Maximo appears to give up on the idea before the end of the book.