IDW - Unicron #1

Main Story

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Alex Milne

Colours by: Sebastian Cheng

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Side Story

Title: Ad Infinitum

Script by: Chris Ryall

Art by: David Messina

Colours by: Alessandra Alexakis

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Edits by: David Mariotte

Main Plot

Long ago....Unicron and Primus battled, resulting in the former's loss, and Primus turning himself into Cybertron. Over time the people of Cybertron believed Unicron to just be a story and eventually forgot about him, but now he has awoken...

Since his awakening, he has devoured the active, and even lost colony worlds of LV-117, Prion, Gorlam Prime, Velocitron, Elonia, Eukaris, Arduria, Tsehshi and Devisiun and is now approaching Caminus. This time however, the Transformers are ready, and along with Rom of the Solstar Order, wanting revenge for Elonia's destruction, are ready to defend the colony world in orbit. Unfortunately, the now defeated Shockwave's Maximal army have joined forces with Unicron and fight off the Transformers in the skies of Caminus.

Back on Cybertron, Windblade monitors the battle from a planning station, whilst unhappy with the plan at hand, but is still convinced that this is their best chance to defeat Unicron.

On Caminus' surface, the population of the colony are rushing to the Temple of Light for salvation from their very literal apocalypse, whilst Stormclash and Skyburst work on repairing the Spacebridge to evacuate the planet. Pyra berates the Mistress of Flame for still believing in the gods and hoping they'll help them, but the religious leader keeps her faith.

In orbit, the Transformers fight off the Maximals whilst Optimus leads and team of himself, Arcee and Bumblebee into a hole they've managed to make on Unicron's surface, so they can try and destroy him from the inside.

Outside, things are going badly with several Transformers, including Dirge being killed by the Maximals.

Inside Unicron's body, Optimus' team find themselves coming across the remains of several planets Unicron has eaten, and even come across the Quintesson mural from LV-117, the first known world eaten by Unicron, indicating they're getting close. 

The crew locate a cavern made up of several worlds that appears to have been merged into a forest, where Arcee even locates the dead body of an ancient Omega Sentinel, which leads them to believe the stories of Primus and Unicron battling in the past, since the Sentinels have been gone for millenia. Before they can really check further however, they are attacked by some creatures made up of mismatched people eaten by Unicron.

Unicron begins his direct attack on Caminus, shooting a beam at the planet, then beginning to pierce the surface. The twins have completed the Spacebridge repairs and the population start filtering away to Cybertron, though it's taking some time...

The Maximals break through the orbital defence and start attacking the surface, intending to trap enough Camiens there to be eaten too, but the Mistress of Flame steps up, and declares it to be her duty to defend her people. She gives he staff to Pyra and sends her and the others away, as she shoots fire from her chest at the Maximals.

The Unicron team are overwhelmed by Unicron's Antibodies, but are able to be teleported back to Ark Zero, just as Unicron devours Caminus, and the Mistress of Flame is devoured with it...

Luckily, thanks to the Mistress of Flame's sacrifice, the population of Caminus were able to escape, including Pyra, who cradles the staff, mourning her former leader's death...

At the jail, Starscream has come to visit the captured Shockwave, who wanted to speak to him, he reveals that his plans when attacking Cybertron were to poison the planet, so that when Unicron attacks, he will be killed. He wants Starscream to free him so they can create a new Decepticon empire, but Starscream isn't interested. He watches as Optimus' ship and the rest of the fleet return to Cybertron and gets an idea...

Optimus leaves the ship, held up by his team, having been injured by the Antibodies, and reports to a disappointed Windblade about how they failed to get information on Unicron, despite sacrificing Caminus to try.

Optimus is now concerned that Unicron will come after Carcer, Cybertron and Earth now and will destroy everything they have built up. Bumblebee points out that, assuming Cybertron isn't counted as a colony, then they've only accounted for twelve of them, when there's supposed to be thirteen!

Starscream appears, now bearing his insignias again, and waving a Decepticon flag, and declares to the displaced colonists that HE knows how to save them all, and will lead them to defeating Unicron.

Optimus, and the others, are of course not having any of this....

Side Story Plot

Rom meets with his fellow surviving Solstar Knights with Bumblebee and Imperator Carax, to try and involve them in the battle with Unicron, since they need to avenge the destruction of Elonia, and all the other worlds eaten by the creature. Q'b is vocally opposed to joining the fight, since they've already lost.

Rom however reminds him that despite the odds, they have to fight for what is right, as that is what the Solstar Order is for!

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Arcee - Sports Car

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Bumblebee - Car

Beachcomber - Buggy

Silverbolt - Concorde Jet

Fireflight - Fighter Jet

Skydive - Fighter Jet

Air Raid - Fighter Jet

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Stormclash - Helicopter

Skyburst - Helicopter

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Dust Up - Sports Car

Roadmaster - Van

Javelin

Proxima

Metroplex - Iacon City

Omega Supreme - Ship (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet (Rejoins Decepticons)

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Acid Storm - Fighter Jet

Dirge - Fighter Jet Killed by Maximal Rampage

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Dino Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Drago Megatron - Dragon

Rampage - Crab

Saberback - Stegosaurus

Guiledart - Triceratops

Killer Punch - Styracosaurus

Sea Clamp - Lobster

Buzzclaw - Lizard-Mantis

Scorponok - Scorpion Killed by Dirge

Cataclysm - Panther Killed by Dirge

Sandstorm - Scorpion Killed by Dirge

Wolfang - Wolf Killed by Dirge

Razorbeast - Wild Boar Killed by Soundwave

Inferno - Ant Devoured by Unicron

Other Maximals

Solstar Order

Rom K'atsema

Livia (Ad Infinitum Only)

Imperator Carax (Ad Infinitum Only)

Q'b (Ad Infinitum Only)

Nikomi (Ad Infinitum Only)

Sata (Ad Infinitum Only)

Guar (Ad Infinitum Only)

Plor (Ad Infinitum Only)

Orphion (Flashback) Dead

Fy-Laa (Flashback) Dead

Maur (Flashback)

Cybertronian/Colonist

Mistress of Flame Devoured with Caminus

Caminus - Ship Devoured with Colony World

Knock Out - Sports Car

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Lightbright

Vigilem - Carcer Ship Dead, Mode Locked

Pink Camien - Jet

Camien Civilians

Cybertronians and Colonist Warriors/Civilians

Omega Sentinel - Ship Dead Body inside Unicron

Prion - Ship Dead, Body Devoured by Unicron (Flashback)

Navitas - Delta City Devoured by Unicron (Flashback)

Quintesson Judge (Mural Image)

"The Arisen" (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

Other

Unicron - Ringed Planet

Antibodies

Ardurian Rocs Devoured by Unicron (Flashback)

Primus - Cybertron (Flashback)

Dire Wraiths (Mentioned)

The Absence Dead (Mentioned) 

The Presence Dead (Mentioned)

Nikomi's Kids Devoured by Unicron (Mentioned) 

Shah K'atsema Dead (Mentioned) 

Benna K'atsema Dead (Mentioned)

Reyn K'atsema Dead (Mentioned) 

Notes

• Here it is! The finale to the Hasbroverse has properly begun! However as is common with IDW, this issue is released on time, but Optimus Prime and Lost Light #21 were supposed to be released BEFORE this one, so expect some spoilers in this one!
• This series includes a side story and some background interviews and articles. This one's interviews are with Simon Furman and EJ Su
• When we left Unicron in #0, he was just attacking Eukaris. Since then he's taken out Arduria, Tsehshi and Devisiu, the latter of which is one of the founding worlds of the Council of Worlds
• Optimus' new double barrelled shoulder cannons seem to be emulating his Powermaster counterpart's
• It's so dark inside Unicron's body (in places) that Optimus and the others use headlights and even energon weapons to light their way
• The idea of Unicron's antibodies being made of his victims was actually seen in DDP's GI Joe vs Transformers Black Horizon, though they weren't merged together like these ones are...
• Amongst the Cybertronian bodies used for the Antibodies also appears to be the bodies of Elonians...ewww…
• So...does anyone wanna bet that we'll get a mind-freak scene of several beloved Transformers being turned into Antibodies, just to mess with the main characters towards the end of this series?
• Why is Beachcomber still allowed to be a prison guard?! He keeps getting blackmailed and beaten up!
• Shockwave's claim that he has been working to poison Cybertron for some time to in turn kill Unicron is actually plausible! He was shown to be the one who created the Talisman, which was used to poison Cybertron's energy supplies. He really is a master planner!
• Whilst the 13th Colony is likely going to be revealed to be Quintessa, since we know Quintus Prime and Quintessons exist in this continuity, but how do we know that LV-117 was the first colony destroyed like Bumblebee and the others are assuming?
• Also, why does Optimus think Unicron will come to Cybertron before Earth? It would make more sense to go after all the colonies first BEFORE going for Primus' body (Cybertron) itself
• Starscream has gotten back his Decepticon insignias, having gotten rid of them when he announced himself the new leader of Cybertron back in Robots in Disguise.
• It's not mentioned here, but remember that the Titan Caminus was also killed along with the planet itself
• Omega Supreme is referenced in passing. He's been off panel and injured since the end of the pre-Dark Cybertron storyline of Robots in Disguise
• The bronze-looking Solstar Knight seen in Ad Infinitum is apparently based on Plor the Pulsar from the Marvel series...but we shouldn't talk about him because of legal issues...shhhhh
• Nikomi and Q'b are revealed to still be alive, despite being part of the team who were killed by Unicron in #0. It can be assumed they just escaped somehow
• Ad Infinitum includes a credit for Christos Gage, the co-writer of the Rom series, as a victim of Unicron...I guess he was visiting Eukaris when it was eaten then?
• We also get a credit of thanks to Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema, the creators of the original Marvel Rom comics
• Judging by the advert at the end of this comic, it seems like every Hasbroverse franchise will be involved in this event...most likely a lot of these will be in the side stories to wrap up their story arcs.

IDW - Optimus Prime #16

Title: The Falling Chapter 2: Another Mine

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Kei Zama

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Soundwave, acting as the foreman of the Ore-13 mine on Earth has a daydream to his past as a supervisor on Luna-2, and how even then he was looked down on by the Prime of the time, Sentinel. He then thinks back to when Optimus blackmailed him into helping him on Earth when he threatened to reveal his involvement in Horri-Bull's death a few years earlier, but he justified that as Optimus looking for freedom for everyone.

Back in the present, Soundwave is called by Autobot City, saying that Optimus needs him on Cybertron, leading him to leave the President and her Joe guards behind. Soundwave soon heads through the space bridge to Cybertron, leaving Pyra and her team behind for backup if needed, and arrives to find a giant eye in the sky above Iacon, and everyone in a bit of a panic.

Onyx Prime delivers Liege Maximo to the Council of Worlds and Optimus, explaining that he wants Maximo to be tried for his crimes against Cybertron, and also wants to help out the new social order by repairing the tainted Energon on the planet, and break up alliances with Earth and any other organic world, much to the distaste of the councillors and Optimus.

The Primes, including Alpha Trion, and the Council head to the Spire to discuss these matters in private, rather than in public.

Scoop watches the events from a rooftop, and is now convinced again that Starscream is the Chosen One, since he knew about the arrival of Onyx Prime, despite being in a windowless cell, unaware that Bumblebee's "ghost" was the one to inform him of the events.

Soundwave goes to meet with some of his fellow Decepticons at a shooting range, and they decide to go to the Spire themselves to find out what is happening with the Primes themselves.

They soon arrive at the Spire, where Soundwave manipulates Beachcomber into letting him speak to the imprisoned Liege Maximo briefly, to which Soundwave is horrified to discover that he cannot read his mind, unlike everyone else, and leaves to see the Council next.

Things get heated in the Council chambers with no one really trusting Onyx and his goals, thanks to the warnings of Galvatron in the past. Mistress of Flame brings up Onyx killing Praesidia and Magrada in the past, event invading Caminus in the past, shocking Windblade, who knew nothing about this. Optimus tries to calm the situation, and concedes that Galvatron was a terrible person and they should probably not trust his word on Onyx being evil before they hear his side on the matter.

At this point, Soundwave enters the Council chamber and accuses Optimus of betraying them and trying to bring back the rule of the Primes, thanks to him siding with the other Prime.

Optimus tries to explain his meaning, whilst Windblade yells at Mistress of Flame for keeping secrets and Alpha Trion realizes something, something important about Onyx Prime....

Suddenly, the building explodes, everyone panics, the Councillors go into defensive mode, protecting the weaker members, and Soundwave rushes to Alpha Trion, who took the brunt of the blast, but finds him already dead and faded to grey.

In the aftermath, Onyx declares that Soundwave, and his Decepticons are responsible for this, either by action or reputation, and they must be tried along with Maximo, if he survived the blast, for their mutual crimes....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime/"The Arisen" - Truck Cab

Alpha Trion - Space Shuttle Killed in Explosion 

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Arcee - Sports Car

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Dustup - Sports Car

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Skyburst - Helicopter

Stormclash - Helicopter

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Tracks - Muscle Car

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Beachcomber - Dune Buggy

Seaspray - Hovercraft 

Metrotitan - Autobot City

Powerglide - A-10 Jet

Silverbolt - Passenger Jet

Alpha Bravo - Helicopter

Skydive - Fighter Jet

Fireflight - Fighter Jet

Air Raid - Fighter Jet

Bumblebee - Car ("Ghost")

Sentinel Prime - Truck (Flashback Only) Dead

Prowl - Police Vehicle (Flashback Only)

Chromia - Speedbike (Mentioned)

Zeta Prime - Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Dinobots (Mentioned)

Wreckers (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Dreadwing - Stealth Bomber

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Swift - Helicopter

Laserbeak - Cassette

Buzzsaw - Cassette 

Ravage - Cassette (Flashback Only)

Sky-Byte - Shark (Flashback Only)

Slugslinger - Two Nosed Jet (Flashback Only)

Scrapper - Front End Loader (Mentioned) Dead

Galvatron - Tank (Mentioned) Dead

Horri-Bull - Bull (Mentioned) Dead

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Onyx Prime

Liege Maximo In Custody

Mistress of Flame

Elita One

Airazor - Falcon

Tigatron - Tiger

Knock Out - Sports Car

Moonracer - Sports Car

Fireshot - Part of Jet

Vanquish - Part of Jet

Starscream - Fighter Jet In Custody

Scoop - Front End Loader

Bonecrusher - Bulldozer

Hook - Crane

Long Haul - Dump Truck

Mixmaster - Mixing Truck

Scavenger - Excavator

Ramulus - Ibex

"Beast Megatron" - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Sharkticons - Sharks

Junkions

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet (Flashback Only)

Luna-2 Miners (Flashback Only)

Teletraan (Voice)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Other Primes (Mentioned)

Chromia's Team (Mentioned)

Ironhide's Security Team (Mentioned)

Praesidia (Mentioned) Dead

Magrada (Mentioned) Dead

Human

Marissa Faireborn

Madame President

Flint

Chameleon

Human Miners

The Iron Ring (Mentioned) In Custody

Other

Buster the Dog (Flashback Only)

Notes

• Interesting...unless it's just an artistic difference, it looks like Needlenose was eavesdropping when Optimus blackmails Soundwave over his involvement in Horri-Bull's death...I wonder if this will be a plot point later?
• Despite how it sounded last issue, the Colonists do not go to visit Soundwave at the Ore-13 mine this issue. They don't even appear in this issue in fact!
• Another interesting thing....Alpha Trion apologizes to Soundwave for stabbing him during the Titans Return event...why does he remember that? Sovereign/Blackrock was controlling his body and replaced his head during those events.
• Onyx Prime refers to his Beast army as "Maximals", the name of the heroic faction from Beast Wars.
• It may just be a nick-name or something here, but one of the Constructicons calls Scoop "Scooper" in one instance, possibly to refer to him being a replacement for the dead Scrapper.
• Bumblebee brings up the good point that Starscream obsessing over what his "true self" should have been is a bit stupid, since he can just get his body changed to match it, since he did that multiple times over the past few years anyway.
• Beachcomber's guilt from helping Starscream is a reference to his actions in the Optimus Prime Annual, where he almost got Thundercracker killed by essentially putting a hit on him for Starscream.
• Beachcomber and fellow guard, Seaspray are drawn to match their recent Power of the Primes and Titans Return toys.
• For some reason Moonracer is shown with a new sigil on her shoulder, showing a crescent moon and two stars...I like it, don't get me wrong, but where did it come from? It doesn't appear to be part of her new toy, and I don't remember her having it before now, just weird!
• Liege Maximo is referred to as the Prime of Lies here...the same title given to Quintessa in "The Last Knight", further adding to my theory that she is actually Liege Maximo in disguise.
• Okay, here's my crazed conspiracy theory for the day! Onyx Prime is an imposter, and so is the imprisoned Liege Maximo, they are just illusions created by the real Maximo, who has been hiding on Cybertron or something ever since the end of the Titan invasion. Soundwave not being able to read the minds of either Maximo or Onyx is very damning, since he's never had a problem reading minds in the past. It's also very likely that Maximo caused the explosion, when he realized that Alpha Trion figured it all out, just to get rid of him and pass the blame onto Soundwave and his crew. It even looks like someone is shoving Trion into a wall during the explosion, if you look closely to his cape, or rather under it.

IDW - Optimus Prime #15

Title: The Falling Part 1: Surfeit of Primes

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Kei Zama

Colours by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Assistant Editor: David Mariotte

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

The Mistress of Flame, having come to speak with Alpha Trion, recounts her mission to Antilla, and reveals that when there, she saw Onyx Prime, and a giant mountain-sized eyeball. One of her crew, Magrada was killed there. and recounts how Praesida was killed by Onyx years later when on Caminus, telling her that Onyx was after her and her friends.

Scoop, now dismissive of believing in "gods" after his experience with Starscream being the "Chosen One" scoffs at the Mistress' story, having been invited there by Alpha Trion as he was the one who unearthed the Dark Cybertron prophecy. Trion suggests that the two of them could learn something from each other, but Mistress has to leave, however she does suggest to Scoop that perhaps his anger is better aimed towards the one who actually betrayed him, rather than the Primes.

The Mistress leaves and heads towards the space bridge where she meets with Windblade, in preparation for a visit from Optimus.

On Earth, Optimus officially opens up an Ore-13 mine along with Marissa and the President with human and Cybertronian workers to help with the rebuilding of Cybertron, whilst also providing jobs for the people of Earth. Some humans are protesting the event as they still hate Cybertronians, and even feel that Joe Colton and his crew (which includes several known terrorists mind you) should be freed.

On Autobot City, above the mine, Arcee hangs out with Aileron, and discusses the new Protoforms on Cybertron, with Arcee looking forward to seeing them develop and hopefully living in peace. The two are interrupted when they notice Slide screaming about Optimus again, and almost spills the cover-up of Frenzy and Rumble smuggling weapons in front of Arcee.

Optimus returns to the city with the first shipment of Ore-13, where Optimus is a bit annoyed with the protestors and is flippant with Pyra when she asks how it went, with him even joking about Pyra being happy they "got the humans to do their bidding", just as Marissa berates him for the poor joke.

Optimus is about to head back to Cybertron, when Aileron arrives dragging Slide with her to explain her attitude to Optimus. She begins to explain things, but Optimus has to leave, but reminds her that they have lost a lot of innocent life in the war, and they should celebrate their lives instead of having them stagnate their own lives. Pyra suggests that Slide and the other Colonists go to the Ore-13 mines to learn what they are trying to do on Earth.

Optimus soon on Cybertron and presents the Ore-13 to the Council of Worlds to use as they please amongst Cybertron and the colonies. The Mistress approaches Optimus to ask him about his past vision on Earth, just after the annexation, but before they can talk the sky suddenly goes dark...

Scoop visits Starscream in his cell, but before they can really do anything Bumblebee's "ghost" tells Starscream that there's a giant eye in the sky!!

Onyx Prime addresses the Council, presenting Liege Maximo as his prisoner to be judged for his crimes, along with anyone else who works against Cybertron. Optimus addressed himself as the defender of Cybertron and it's allies and demands Onyx to speak with him. Onyx agrees, especially since he holds Optimus, as the "Arisen", responsible for Cybertron's fall!

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime/"The Arisen" - Truck Cab

Alpha Trion - Shuttle

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Arcee - Sports Car

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Dust Up - Sports Car

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Skyburst - Helicopter

Stormclash - Helicopter

"Getout" - Dragster Car

Bumblebee - Car ("Ghost" Only)

Autobot Colonist Recruits

Slide - Rear of Oil Tanker

Roulette - Muscle Car

Midnight Express - Bullet Train

Bump - Armadillo

Gimlet - Lobster

Oiler - Front of Oil Tanker (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

United Cybertron

Starscream - Fighter Jet In Jail

Scoop - Front End Loader

Iaconian Civilians

Beast Horde

Onyx Prime

"Optimus Primal" (Flashback Only)

"Beast Megatron" (Flashback Only)

Other Beasts (Flashback Only)

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Mistress of Flame/Former Matriarch of Incaendium

Liege Maximo Captured by Onyx Prime

Rum-Maj

Wreck-Gar Still Just a Head

Airazor - Eagle

Moonracer - Sports Car

Knock Out - Sports Car

Elita One

Strika - Battle Tank

Fireshot - Part of Jet

Vanquish - Part of Jet

Cybertronian Miners

Sharkticons - Sharks

Praesidia (Flashback Only) Seemingly Killed by Onyx Prime

Magrada (Flashback Only) Seemingly Decapitated by Onyx Prime

Former Mistress of Flame (Mentioned) Dead

The Thirteen Primes (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned) 

New Protoforms (Mentioned)

Protoform Sideswipe (Mentioned)

Sterling - Car (Mentioned) Dead

Nova Prime - Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Metalhawk - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

The Old Senate (Mentioned) Defunct

Human

Marissa Faireborn

Madame President

Flint

Chameleon 

Human Miners

Human Protestors 

Joe Colton (Mentioned) Jailed on Cybertron

The Iron Ring (Mentioned) Jailed on Cybertron 

Other

The Solstar Order (Mentioned)

Notes

• This issue is set after the Till All Are One Annual, as it features Starscream in jail and Windblade as the leader of the planet. This also means that this issue is set about a month after issue 14 as that was the period of time spent in the Annual
• Okay I know it looks bad, but we don't actually see Onyx kill Magrada here, maybe he was trying to save her from a ninja or something? I just think he may be a secret "good guy".
• So....Caminus' star started to die as Mistress of Flame returned to the colony following the mission to Antilla, and the previous Mistress died as well...does anyone else think she was involved with these "events" too?
• Also...are we going to learn Mistress' real name soon?
• Amongst the Beast Horde are Optimus Primal and Beast Megatron, considering the formers role in the new Power of the Primes toy line, I think they'll get properly introduced in this storyline.
• So...a giant mountain sized eye? I wonder if that is related in some way to Unicron? Well it's either that, or the Triptych Mask is much bigger than expected...
• So the Mistress and Windblade are on better terms now, following their last meeting where the former slapped the latter for heresy.
• In the Ore-13 mine on Earth, one of the workers appears to be Skram, but he died by Sandstorm's hands in Punishment. So I am renaming him Getout here, which was a member of the Maximal Command Security Force that was seemingly based on him.
• Awwww...Arcee looks actually happy when talking to Aileron about the new Protoforms and the new Sideswipe.
• Why is Elita on Cybertron with the Council of Worlds representatives? She's not one of them, and at least Strika is there to represent Carcer.
• Hey...Starscream's cell sure looks quite nice...almost like a hotel room (in fact most hotel rooms I stay in are comparatively smaller than his cell!)
• The hologram of Starscream's "true self" appears to be able to move, as it's in a totally different pose to what it was in the Annual.
• Oh cool! Onyx Prime has captured Liege Maximo...guess someone should call Chromia and her crew and let them know they can come home now huh?
• Onyx appears to confirm that Optimus is the thirteenth Prime "The Arisen", unless he just refers to him as that because he knows that others believe him to be it.
• It's mentioned in this issue about "the last time Liege Maximo attacked Cybertron"....when did this happen? The only thing Maximo has done really is escape from jail, and evade further capture since the end of the Titan Swarm attack.
• Windblade off-handedly jokes that Optimus has annexed the Solstar Order...considering the apparent events of the upcoming Darkest Hour storyline including Unicron attacking Elonia, the HQ of the Solstar Order...maybe he should?

IDW - Till All Are One Annual 2017

Title: The Chosen One

Written by: Mairghread Scott

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Assistant Editor: David Mariotte

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Windblade wakes up for her first day back at work on the Council, but is a little disillusioned following the recent attacks. On the way there, she looks over a message from Chromia, explaining that she has been charged with the job of hunting down and killing Liege Maximo, but promises to return once their job is done, assuming they survive the mission.

Windblade enters the Council chamber to find all the councillors applauding her, she is at first overwhelmed, but soon realises what this is about, when she sees Circuit and Longtooth filming the event. Windblade begins to discuss Maximo, but is interrupted by Starscream ushering out the press. The Council are upset that Maximo's presence has been kept from them til now, but Starscream hushes them up, saying they need to maintain the secrecy of this, in order to stop public panic.

Windblade is furious about this being kept a secret, and is angry that the Mistress was okay with this. the Mistress begins to refute that she is the living will of the Primes, and her decisions are not to be questioned, leading to Windblade defying her and decrying the Primes themselves...leading to a swift slap from the Mistress.

The two Camiens argue, leading to Windblade storming off, intending to expose the secret. The Mistress of Flame chases after her, but is too late, as Windblade has already started talking to Circuit and Longtooth.

By the next morning, the news is all out, and the population of Cybertron and it's colonies all know that Liege Maximo is on the loose and he has vowed to return to destroy Cybertron, Windblade has also been removed as Caminus' delegate and also exiled from her homeworld for her heresy.

The reactions are varied, with some people angry that the people of Carcer held a Prime prisoner, whilst others hate Windblade for hi-jacking a Titan like Vigilem, and of course others are scared of their impending doom. However Blurr, Fat Tankor amd Waspinator all appear to Windblade and ask her to run for office, and promise her that more people want it too. At first she's not sure if she should, since she doesn't want to represent and talk for others any more, but they point out that her running to lead the planet will have her talking for the people HER way, instead of being manipulated.

Starscream continues as planned, and keeps the planned elections going, despite him having an excuse to delay them again, that being Liege Maximo's return. Soon, three candidates are picked and are in the running for the office, Starscream, Elita One and Windblade. Windblade leaves her celebration party for some quiet, and visits Metroplex. There, she explains that she is worried that her "desire" to rule is just leftover from Vigilem being inside her mind, however Metroplex denies this, stating that Vigilem only listened to Maximo, but Windblade listens to others, and will use that skill to rule the planet properly.

Later, Windblade starts her campaign with a bar-sit where people can have a drink with her for free, along with a conversation. Everyone comes to see her and wants her to help diversify and keep Cybertron peaceful, and all seem to be on her side. After the meetings, Rattrap comes to see her in secret, giving her a briefcase filled with incriminating evidence about Starscream and his actions over the past few years. He explains that he planned to release it himself, but he's not sure now, since he appears to have changed since Windblade and him shared a mind, but he figures that Windblade can decide what to do with it better than he can, and leaves her to decide.

Starscream talks with "Bumblebee" again, but is interrupted by Windblade chucking the briefcase at him and declaring him insane. The two head into a back-room where they can talk in secret, where Starscream tries to get her to not expose his secrets, but she instead promises to reveal everything at the debates, and leaves. Starscream begins to panic and starts looking through the evidence to find a way to spin his crimes in his favour, but Bumblebee's "ghost", despite knowing that Starscream really does want to help Cybertron now, and believes that Windblade cannot contend with Elita or any other contests to her leadership, refuses to help him try to destroy Windblade's character.

On Carcer, Elita One is confident that she will win the election, since her troops will block-vote her, and the others will split their votes between the other candidates, and so she starts plans for Maximo's attack.

The day of the debate comes, and despite her declaration, Windblade asks for the people of Cybertron and it's colonies to come together as Cybertron is becoming a world where everyone can express themselves, and they need to now work hard to protect it, and eachother from their oncoming threats. Starscream approaches the podium, and....admits to all his crimes to the crowd for over an hour....

Windblade wins the election with a landslide, and is quickly ushered into office, where her first decision is to change her title from "Supreme Ruler" to "First Delegate". Next she is given the charges for Starscream and signs them, sentencing him to life-long imprisonment, and arranges to meet with him in jail.

For their parts in his crimes, the Combaticons, Rattrap and Airachnid have all been arrested too. Windblade meets with Starscream, but not to talk with him, she knows why he gave himself up...she just gives him a present, a small pendant with an image of his "true self" that they both saw inside his mind, and he smiles....

Characters

Autobot

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Ironhide - Van

Metroplex - Iacon City Centre 

Bumblebee - Car ("Ghost" Only)

Chromia - Speedbike (Flashback)

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Firestar (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Fat Tankor - Tank

Waspinator - Wasp

Onslaught - Anti-Aircraft Missile Truck Arrested

Blast Off - Space Shuttle Arrested

Vortex - Helicopter Arrested

Brawl - Tank Arrested

Swindle - Jeep Arrested

Tall Tankor - Oil Tanker/Cargo Plane (Mentioned)

Bruticus - Combaticon Combiner (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Starscream - Fighter Jet Arrested

Elita One

Mistress of Flame

Rattrap - Mole Rat Arrested

Obsidian - Osprey Stealth Helicopter

Moonracer - Sports Car

Knock Out - Sports Car

Airazor - Eagle

Tigatron - Tiger

Fireshot - Part of Jet

Vanquish - Part of Jet

Circuit 

Longtooth

Blurr - Race Car

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Airachnid - Spider Arrested

Vigilem - Carcer Ship Dead

Bar Patrons

Random Crowdfiller

Titan Swarm (Flashback) Dead

Sparkstalker - Insect Monster (Flashback)

Lightbright (Flashback)

Greenlight (Flashback)

Lancer (Flashback)

Liege Maximo (Artistic Rendition Only)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Primes (Mentioned)

Solus Prime (Mentioned)

Other Cityspeakers (Mentioned)

Human

Marissa Faireborn

The Iron Ring (Mentioned) Defeated/Arrested

Other

New Prysmodians (Mentioned)

Notes

• This special issue marks the end of Till All Are One, and thus brings us some nice closure on both Windblade and Starscream, arguably the main characters of Mairghread Scott's stories in IDW.
• Windblade....why are you living in a building with a wall missing? Why haven't you just put up a sheet for privacy or something?
• From what we see here, Chromia's team to hunt down Liege Maximo includes Sparkstalker, Lightbright, Lancer and Greenlight, with the latter two being volunteers from Carcer, the ship where Maximo was originally imprisoned.
• Continuity seems to be a little wobbly in this story. It's implied that Windblade is only just now coming back to the council in this issue, but immediately gets "fired" from the role, but we saw her active and acting somewhat delegate-like during First Strike, which was set after her coma...
• It's explained that the Mistress of Flame was working on the Council in Windblade's place whilst she was injured, explaining why she was involved in the meetings.
• From their reactions in this issue, it seems like most of the Council were unaware of Liege Maximo being freed from his cell, but they were discussing him openly during First Strike...AHHH!!!
• Mistress of Flame refers to Airazor as "beast" here....can we agree that is racist or at least functionism? I think we're learning more about Caminus here!
• The artist's rendition of Liege Maximo is actually a frame from the G2 comic, showing him in a more monstrous form.
• So along with her delegate duties being removed, Windblade appears to also have been fired from her role as a Cityspeaker for Metroplex.
• Metroplex finally refers to Windblade by her name, instead of "Wind-Voice"
• Shocking approximately no-one, Rattrap is revealed to be DC-357, the informant trying to lead Onslaught and the Combaticons against Starscream early in Till All Are One.
• When was the debate arena built? Why was it built? If it was the Rascol Arena on Luna-2 I'd be fine, but this is clearly on Cybertron and looks brand new...
• Windblade refers to the "creatures underground" referring to the New Prysmodians as shown in the upcoming Transformers vs Visionaries comic.
• We don't get to hear his confession, but I would guess it is just stuff since the end of the war, since his "war crimes" would have been absolved as part of the post-war rebuilding.
• Looking in the cells, Blast Off is off on his own, implying that the other Combaticons are slightly pissed off with him for betraying them to Starscream, especially Onslaught who Starscream had his feelings towards Blast Off altered just to help control him!
• It's a nice image, but where did Windblade get a hologram of Starscream's "true form"? Did she make the image? Did she have it extracted from her memories? I need to know!!
• The story is followed by a letter from Mairghread Scott thanking the fans, and hoping that Windblade will be continued to be used in the future, as well as thanking her fellow creators from the series. She also reminds people to always accept criticism as it can help you grow as a creator, which is very important given the current climate of comic creators blocking fans for criticising their work.