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 - Regeneration One #95

Title: Destiny Part 5

Writer: Simon Furman

Penciler: Guido Guidi

Inker: Stephen Baskerville

Colorist: John-Paul Bove

Letterer: Shawn Lee

Editor: John Barber

Editor-in-Chief: Chris Ryall

Plot

On the surface of Cybertron, Omega Supreme and Monstructor have a brutal battle, while nearby Blaster and Soundwave have a battle to settle a small score between them, Ultra Magnus races along the surface, having survived the battle with Galvatron, and in the skies the Autobots are assaulting the Warworld.

Inside the Warworld, Bludgeon excuses the other Decepticons to join the battle down below and leaves him alone on the ship. As the others leave, Jetfire causes a distraction, and the Wreckers land on top, and brreak into the ship and go hunting for Bludgeon, unaware that he' hunting them in turn.

Deep inside Cybertron in the Primus Chamber, the Dinobots help Grimlock to recover from his possession, unaware that he was possessed of course, as they were frozen at the time, when suddenly the Demons attack. Grimlock transforms and goes to attack them, however the Demons start bowing towards him. They wonder what's going on, but start to leave, with the Demons following as well, and hey wonder where Hot Rod vanished to.

On the Ark in orbit, Starscream plans to leave orbit, but Shockwave stops him, by taking control of his body as well as the ship.

Inside the Warworld, the Wreckers are looking around, but are soon attacked by Bludgeon, he manages o take out most of them, but Kup gets away and heads towards the source of the Matrix energy to stop it from powering the machines on the planet, however Bludgeon latches himself onto the train car he's travelling on, and starts to attack him too.

On the planet's surface the Autobots are being pushed into a corner and seem too be losing the battle. The Dinobots and Demons arrive on the surface again and join he battle against the Decepticons.

Back on the Warworld, Bludgeon is just about to kill Kup, when suddenly Rodimus Prime arrives through a time portal created by Primus.

On the surface again, Soundwave manages to push Blaster into a corner by essentially disabling his senses, and becomes over-confident, alllowing Blaster to overload Soundwave's own senses with a sudden burst of sound, knocking him out.

On the Warworld Rodimus easily defeats Bludgeon, and grants him his final request of killing him, by throwing him through the front screen and plummets him to the surface, seemingly killing him.

Kup and Rodimus examine the remains of Thunderwing and determine that he's the source of the Matrix energies, but before they can do anything Shocckwave on the Ark shoots at the Warworld and causes massive damage. Rodimus calls for an evacuation of the ship, and steers it to above the atmosphere, so when it explodes it won't cause much damage.

On the planet, the Decepticons are now being defeated, Monstructor has been killed, and the Wreckers and Rodimus escape the Warworld on the Wrecker's shuttle just before it explodes.

The Autobots cheer on at their victory, but Rodimus worries about the other unfinished pieces of business that Primus showed him on his journey through time. Meanwhile, in the Primus Chamber, Primus' eyes start to light up.

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus Prime - Caravan

Ultra Magnus - Car Carrier

Omega Supreme - Rocket and Base

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Slag - Triceratops

Swoop - Pteranodon

Blaster - Boom Box

Jetfire - Jet

Kup - Pick-Up Truck

Roadbuster - Jeep

Sandstorm - Helicopter/Buggy

Topspin - Jet Maybe killed by Bludgeon

Rack 'N' Ruin Maybe killed by Bludgeon

Rollbar - Jeep

Groove - Police Motorcycle

Guzzle - Tank

Jackpot

Tailgate - Sports Car Shot by Needlenose

Blurr - Race Car

Prowl - Police Car

Jazz - Sports Car

Ironhide - Van

Sunstreaker - Sports Car

Crosshairs - Off-Road Van-Buggy

Blades - Rescue Helicopter

Doubleheader - Twin Nosed Jet

Skyhammer - VTOL Jet Shell

Crossblades - Helicopter Shell

Cloudraker - Jet

Dogfight - Jet

Silverbolt - Concorde Jet

Skydive - Jet

Air Raid - Jet

Fireflight - Jet

Slingshot - Jet

"Red-Blue Guy"

"Green Guy" Killed by a Blitz Engine

Other Autobots

Hot Rod - Sports Car (Mentioned) Became Rodimus Prime

Star Saber (Statue Only)

Decepticon

Bludgeon - Tank Seemingly killed by Rodimus

Soundwave - Cassette Player Defeated by Blaster

Monstructor - Gestalt Killed by Omega Supreme

Starscream - Jet

Shockwave Hooked to Ark

Cindersaur - Lizard Monster

Needlenose - Jet

Weirdwolf - Wolf

Fangry - Winged Wolf

Stranglehold -Rhino

Krok

Occtopunch - Crab

Skullcruncher - Alligator

Horri-Bull - Bull

Blitz Engines

Thunderwing (Matrix drenched Corpse)

Galvatron - Laser Cannon (Flashback) Maybe Dead

Other

Primus

Demons

Jhiaxus - Jet (Flashback)

Spike Witwicky (Flashback)

Matrix Demon (Flashback)

Notes

• The battles between Omega Supreme and Monstructor, as well as Blaster and Soundwave seem to be leftovers from Simon Furman's shortened run on the mainline IDW series.
• We can see some of Thunderwing's inner robot here, implying that perhaps he's being repaired by the Warworld in some way.
• Grimlock appears to have some residual Primus powers following his possession by him, as the Demons seem to idolize him here. Also their reaction to him here is similar to the Sharkticons from the animated Transformers Movie.
• It appears here as though Shockwave has some control over Starscream's body.
• Rodimus' appearance from nowhere on the Warworld was previously spoiled in issue #0.

IDW - Regeneration One #94

Title: Destiny Part Four

Writer: Simon Furman

Penciler: Guido Guidi

Inker: Stephen Baskerville

Colorist: John-Paul Bove

Letterer: Shawn Lee

Editor: John Barber

Editor-in-Chief: Chris Ryall

Plot

Galvatron falls down from the sky and attacks Ultra Magnus, throwing him around and smashing him through buildings etc, all whilst claiming they've fought before, much to Magnus' surprise as he's never actually met him before.

In Primus' chamber Hot Rod speaks to the Primus-Possessed Grimlock (whilst the other Dinobots are frozen) and Primus declares that Hot Rod is in fact a Prime, and sends him to Zero Space to help solve what has gone wrong. Once gone, Primus vacates Grimlock's body and the Dinobots are unfrozen, and shocked to find Hot Rod gone, and Grimlock smoldering in front of them.

Back in Iacon Magnus and Galvatron continue their fight and Magnus fires off one of his shoulder rockets and sends the Decepticon flying. Shortly afterwards Blades appears and reports that the Autobots are fighting back against another threat, the Warworld!

The Warworld starts shooting off loads of pods, that open to reveal the Decepticon's Blitz Engines, and start attacking the people of Cybertron. the Autobots fight back, but it's not going too well. Meanwhile Magnus transforms to join the battle, but is attacked by a surviving Galvatron.

Prowl, Perceptor and Kup meet at an Emergency Command Bunker to work out what to do with the Warworld, and they watch footage of the Autobots fighting it, and discover that the Blitz Engines are able to self-heal and seem to be powered by an external source similar to the Matrix, which they determine to be on the Warworld itself. Kup prepares the Wreckers to attack the ship, whilst Prowl goes to wake a sleeping giant.

Magnus drives around trying to shake off Galvatron, but to no affect, Mganus then shoots off his missiles again and blasts the road ahead of him, then stops causing Galvatron to fall, however the mad Decepticon grabs ahold of Magnus at the same time, and drags him over the ledge too, sending both plummeting.

On board the Warworld, the Decepticons are growing restless and decide to use the Warworld's cannons to show off it's power, they target the injured Galvatron and Magnus, so they can take out both a rogue element and the Auotbot's figurehead, and fire, blowing up a chunk of city along with it.

Prowl witnesses this from nearby as he's just awoken Omega Supreme to join the battle, who manages to take out several Blitz Engines on his own.

Soundwave watches and comments on how predictable this fight has been so far, and orders Monstructor to fight the giant Autobot. Just afterwards though Blaster appears behind Soundwave, ready to fight him.

Elsewhere, out of the flames Ultra Magnus staggers away, still alive, with a deactivated Galvatron in tow.

Characters

Autobot

Hot Rod - Sports Car Sent to Zero Space

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Prowl - Police Car

Kup - Pick Up Truck

Perceptor - Microscope

Blaster - Boom Box

Omega Supreme - Rocket and Base

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurs Rex Possessed by Primus, Burned Out

Slag- Triceratops

Swoop - Pteranodon

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Blades - Rescue Helicopter

Silverbolt - Jet

Skydive - Jet

Slingshot - Jet

Air Raid - Jet

Fireflight - Jet

Jetfire - Jet

Dogfight - Jet

Skyhammer - VTOL Jet Shell

Huffer - Truck Cab

Hound - Jeep

Mirage - F1 Race Car

Chromedome - Car

Siren - Car

Jazz - Car

Brainstorm - Jet

Hardhead - Tank

Highbrow - Helicopter

Chainclaw - Bear

Catilla - Tiger Electrocuted by Blitz Engine

Meanstreak - Race Car

Turbofire - Pick Up Truck

Windbreaker - Muscle Car Skewered by Blitz Engine

Optimus Prime (Mentioned)

Xaaron (Mentioned)

Wreckers (Mentioned)

Ultra Magnus from Galvatron's Universe (Mentioned) Killed by Galvatron

Other Autobots

Decepticon

Galvatron - Laser Cannon Deactivated by Warworld Explosion

Bludgeon - Tank

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Wingthing

Monstructor - Monster Pretender Gestalt

Horri-Bull - Bull

Octopunch - Crab

Stranglehold - Rhino

Krok

Blitz Engines

Megatron (Mentioned) Dead

Straxus (Mentioned)

Scorponok (Mentioned)

Other Decepticons

Other

Primus (Inside Grimlock's body)

Cybertronian Civilians

Dead Guys in Primus Chamber Dead

God Ginrai (Mentioned)

Unicron (Mentioned)

Notes

• The multiple references to Magnus and Galvatron being long standing rivals (in Galvatron's head anyway) is both a reference to their original toys (being advertised as the new leaders to hide Megatron's transformation and Hot Rod's leadership back in the 80's) and also to the UK comics that had them fights multiple times, which of course never happened in this continuity.
• This also confirms that way, that this Galvatron killed his universe's Ultra Magnus as well
• Why are there pedestrians driving around Cybertron when the Decepticon's Warworld is hovering above?!?
• Primus possesses Grimlock in a similar manner to how he did so with Xaaron as well
• Primus also confirms that Unicron didn't really kill him, as he's a Multiversal Singularity
• The Zero Space, which keeps appearing is shown here to be something to do with Primus
• The Decepticons seem to think that Magnus is the Autobot leader as they target him to die (as their figurehead)
• A bit confusing as well, the Warworld's attack blows up a huge part of a city, yet Magnus and Galvatron have just a few dents etc...
• Omega Supreme about to be attacked by Monstructor seems to be a reference to their storyline in IDW's main G1 series.
• Also, Blaster confronting Soundwave could be a reference to their final battle in Headmasters (meaning they may both die/get upgraded soon)

IDW - Robots in Disguise #19

Title: Homecoming

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Dheeraj Verma

Colours by: Joana Lafuente

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

Waspinator is hanging out in a bar when he's asked to tell about his time as a Titan Hunter, such as how he used a weapon to kill a Metrotitan, and then managed to somehow pilot it's space bridge systems afterwards, something that Jhiaxus and Bludgeon (his audience) find very interesting, and asks if he can do it again.

Orion Pax and his team arrive on the now deserted Gorlam Prime (as it's inhabitants died during Heart of Darkness) and start exploring the place, during their exploration Garnak notices that some of the rocks underground have similarities to those found on Arduria and LV-117 (ie Ore infused planets) and Hardhead shows the team to the Catacombs, a Cybertronian looking city hidden underground, which he assumed Jhiaxus built after Ark-1 went missing (he lived there for a while remember)

Whilst exploring the Catacombs Wheelie touches a building, and his arm starts to rust away like what happened when someone was touched by a denizen of the Dead Universe, Hardhead blasts off the infected arm to stop the spreading.

Soon, Waspinator flies nearby screaming for help, as he's being chased by the Monstructor-Six, however he's rescued by Orion and the others. The six Decepticons combine into Monstructor, and destroy's the Autobot's ship (Ark-27). During the battle Orion figures that the Decepticons are after the city underneath, and he and Waspinator realize that it's a Metrotitan in disguise, Waspinator manipulates Orion into waking up the Titan, like he did with Metroplex in the past, and Orion figures this out too late that Waspinator's working with Monstructor and the others.

The Titan wakes up and Monstructor reports it to his bosses who appear in a de-cloaked ship above them, Monstructor rejoins the others, and Waspinator uses his weapon to hooks up to the Titan and pilots it, sending himself, the Titan and Bludgeon's ship to Cybertron, with Jhiaxus taunting Prime, wishing him "Pax Cybertronia"

In the aftermath, Gorlam Prime starts to rust away with the Titan gone, and the Ore-2 going off, Orion reveals that he knew something was happening, which is why he had his OWN ship, the Skyroller, cloaked as well, and has himself and his team board it, ready to return home to stop Jhiaxus and the others with their plots, and save everyone.

Characters

Autobot

Orion Pax/Optimus Prime - Truck

Hardhead - Personnel Carrier

Wheelie - Car

Metroplex - City/Ship (Flashback)

Decepticon

Waspinator - Wasp

Bludgeon - Tank

Birdbrain - Monster

Bristleback - Monster

Icepick - Monster

Scowl - Monster

Slog - Monster

Wildfly - Monster

Monstructor - Gestalt

Titan Hunters (Flashback)

Megatron (Mentioned)

Shockwave (Mentioned)

Other

Garnak

Jhiaxus - Jet

Gorlam Prime Titan - City/Ship Killed/Controlled by Waspinator

Flashback Titan - City/Ship Killed by Waspinator (Flashback)

Bar Aliens

Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Gorlam Prime Civilians (Mentioned) Dead

Nova Prime (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Notes

• Waspinator was last seen amongst the Titan Hunters in Spotlight: Thundercracker
• The art in the issue is kind of....weird - Seriously what's up with Hardhead?
• All the Metrotitans shown here have Autobot insignias, which they shouldn't have since they went away before the factions were set up
• Why does Monstructor ride on top of Bludgeon's ship? Why not just de-combine and go INSIDE it?
• Gorlam Prime is shown here to possess Ore-2 (Death) which explains it's connection to the Dead Universe...wonder how Nova Prime and his crew reached the Dead Universe in the first place then, since they went missing BEFORE the Regenesis Project
• Due to him losing an arm, Wheelie has to use his mouth to fire his slingshot
• They seem to be hiding re-revealing that Gorlam Prime was renamed Cybertron by it's inhabitants here...wonder if this means something big for the future?
• Optimus' ship is called the Skyroller, perfect for him considering his past police partner and drone buddy, and toy-based gun pal.
• Most likely the bright light seen at the end of RID #18 is this same space bridge

IDW - Robots in Disguise #10

Staff

Title: Syndromica (2)

Written by: John  Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

The Reflector Trio, fresh from stealing Turmoil's ship on Cybertron on Shockwave's orders, run into planet LV-117, a ghost world that appears from nowhere, and which starts sending the trio into the future, where they see Spectro dead in his chair with someone talking around him. When the vision ends the ship is sapped of it's energon and they fall into the planet's atmosphere. Orion Pax's ship follows them towards the planet, having picked up a Decepticon signal after hunting down Bludgeon and his crew, and mistakes them for them. Wheelie is frightened as he never wants to return to LV-117 when the crew also see the vision of Spectro's body. The team take their ship down to see what's happened.

On the planet's surface the team find the drained Decepticon ship, and find Spectro's dead body in his chair, just as they saw in the vision, and Hardhead says he's been there for over 70 years, despite them having just been following them 10 minutes before. Orion goes exploring and finds an orb (the time machine), and sees a vision of himself holding something and being told that Wheelie wouldn't leave without him. Orion touches the orb and is sent to another time where he sees a ship flying away whilst something screams behind him. He then warps to another time where Monstructor is being formed and defeats some local fauna, and then he reforms again, Bludgeon appears behind Orion and says that now they will understand all about "Ore-1", as he tried to explain before, but Orion's confused as Bludgeon never tried to explain anything last time he saw him on Arduria. Bludgeon is confused too, but then realizes that he hasn't had this conversation yet, and leaves on the ship with his master.

Orion is sent to another time, whee he finds Turmoil in front of his ship, where he has an army of aliens working on constructing his time machine, on Shockwave's orders he's there to investigate the effects of Ore-1 on the planet. After talking with the Decepticon for a while, Orion notices Bludgeon with one of the aliens skewered on his sword and chases after him. Turmoil tries to use one of the aliens as a bartering chip and threatens to kill him if Orion doesn't give up, but Orion just smashes his eye and runs off with the alien. When he jumps to another time again, along with the alien, whom he tries to communicate with, but is attacked by him (and introduces himself as Varta). Orion is able to calm down Varta, when they see the Decepticon ship falling from the sky, and Varta goes off to try and see what it is (leading into Spotlight: Wheelie). Bludgeon attacks Orion now, but doesn't seem to remember ever running from him before. The two are transported to the dark future (the planet is falling apart) where Orion meets with Wheelie and Varta, but of the past, Varta recognizes Orion and tells him to come with them on their ship before it's too late, but Bludgeon skewers the alien before he can finish.

Jhiaxus is there this time and reveals that when he saw the same future that Ironhide did after Chaos fell and that he now knows that his and Nova's old dream from the distant past is to come to pass. Jhiaxus declares that True Chaos is coming and that he plans to bring up the Gorlam Prime he saw, and the Orion will help him. Orion of course declines this offer, and Wheelie shoots at a door on his ship and releases two of the animals he was bringing with him to another world, who attack Monstructor, Wheelie then shoots at Jhiaxus and make shim drop the device he was going to use to bring forward the future of Gorlam Prime, which also helped to control the timeline too, which Orion catches and is sent back to his present where he finds the Time Machine ship gone, as well as the Decepticons and Jhiaxus, and he can't stop them, as he already saw them leave, so he can't alter the future, he's picked up by his crew and they tell him he was gone for a month and they leave the planet, having lost another 2 weeks and they try to figure out what Jhiaxus' true plan is by following him again, and also wonder what could have destroyed LV-117

Characters

Autobot

Orion Pax - Truck Cab

Hardhead - Personnel Carrier

Wheelie - Car

Wheeljack (Mentioned)

Prowl (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Bludgeon

Monstructor - Gesalt

Turmoil - Tank

Spectro Killed in Ship Crash

Viewfinder Killed by Wheelie in Spotlight

Spyglass Killed by Wheelie in Spotlight

Turmoil's Troops

Shockwave (Mentioned)

Other

Jhiaxus - Jet

Varta Killed by Bludgeon

Garnak

Arachnosaur

Chaosteros

Varta's People

Primus (Mentioned)

Nova Prime (Mentioned)

"True Chaos" (Mentioned as coming)

Notes

• Sorry if the plot section makes no real sense, but due to the messed up timeline here it's kind of confusing.
• This issue manages to sort out a few continuity burbs in the past, such as the Reflector Trio being killed in Spotlight: Wheelie, where Turmoil got his ship, where the ship went and a few more.
• The Reflector trio's deaths were shown in Spotlight: Wheelie
• This issue is very timey-wimey. Optimus and Bludgeon also seem to be meeting each other in the planet's timeline in opposite directions
• LV-117 seems to be being destroyed in a red field, much like what Unicron used on Lithone in the g1 Movie...hmmmm
• The planet LV-117 seems to be in a weird time-frame of it's own because of Shockwave's Regenesis Project, which seems to fling the inhabitants across time at random (with Orion etc being more affected due to the time machine ship. The era you are sent to is based on how you enter the atmosphere as well (which is why the Reflectors landed 70+ years before Orion and the others.
• Orion didn't know Turmoil is alive since he's been off Cybertron since he returned, this also places the attempt on his life (Spotlight: Drift) 5 years ago, however Turmoil is actually in an earlier time on the planet's history due to the planet's nature.
• The appearance of LV-117 fauna on LV-118 is explained here, as Wheelie bringing some with him to the planet when he left it (sort of like an Ark) This also shows that his ship was the Quintesson one he later used as a home on that planet, this implies that the Quintessons were on the planet at some time.
• Varta's people were indigenous to LV-117
• Orion is the one who smashed Turmoil's eye which needed him to wear a patch when we see him on Cybertron later (from his perspective)
• The Regenesis missile has a Quintesson image over the Decepticon insignia...dun dun dah!!!
• Due to LV-117's weird Ore-1 induced time-field it's impossible to tell if it's been destroy already or not (in terms of the present) However this does imply that Wheelie was still on LV-117 until the planet was destroyed and then left, being thrown back in the past (if it hasn't happened yet)....I know, confusing as hell!!!!

IDW - Robots in Disguise Annual 2012

Staff

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Brendan Cahill

Colour by: Joana Lafuente 

Flashback Art and Colours by: Guido Guidi

Letters by: Chris Mowry

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Plot

In the Distant Past....

Nova Prime and his friends are investigating an area after the end of a great war, and believe it to be the entrance way to the throne of Primus himself.

In the Underground, the small team find the ancient Crystal City, and the leader of the Omega Sentinels, Omega Supreme still active and guarding the city. The Transformers explain to Omega that they have just ended a long war, and they wish to have his help to rebuild Cybertron into a Golden Age again.

The Crystal City has been raised from it's hiding place, and now acts as Nova Prime's throne city, and he presents the future to Omega.

After some time of peace, Dai Atlas meets with Omega Supreme and starts to tell him of Nova Prime and Jhiaxus' newest creation, when the two of them appear to show him themselves. Nova explains that his idea was to use Primus' example of splitting from one into five to try and fulfill the prophecy of "til all are one" by creating the first Gestalt, Monstructor.

Omega is disgusted with Monstructor's existence, and of learning of Nova's plans for Expansionism too, and immediately attacks Monstructor. The two giants start destroying the city in their battle, but Nova doesn't care, as he plans to leave for the Expansion's beginning, and ancient trinkets mean nothing to him now.

Omega defeats Monstructor, and shows Dai Atlas a hidden location under the city, where a Metrotitan sleeps, Omega tells Dai Atlas that they cannot wake him up, but someone special can, at the right moment, but that Dai Atlas can use Metrotitan's energies to help him in the future (which he does to help power the Crystal City on Theophany later, which is where it's found in the MTMTE Annual)

The Ark leaves Cybertron for the Benzuli Expanse with it's crew, and the Crystal City sinks into the ground once more. Omega and Dai Atlas watch and seem less than hopeful for the future of their species.

In the Present....

Metalhawk and Starscream are helping in the hunt for Ironhide and the other missing Autobots when they notice Blurr racing along, on the same mission, when suddenly Blurr is caught in an explosion and disappears down a hole. The two fliers transform and go to see if the Autobot wants help, but he tells them to stay away due to it being dangerous and he calls for the High Command to send a team, as a Metrotitan has materialized in the underground, fused into the ruins of an ancient city below.

Prowl arrives with Sideswipe and Wheeljack to investigate the Titan, much to Blurr's annoyance (due to him being the reason for Blurr's accident before) but reluctantly leads him below, and they refuse to allow Metalhawk and Starscream down as well (for their safety of course)

Underground, the Autobots are shocked by the sudden appearance of the Metrotitan, and Wheeljack is concerned that the Titan is going to start to destabilize reality itself due to it's size and the circumstances of it Quantum Jumping into the planet. Sideswipe contacts Prowl to tell them he has a problem up top.

On the surface, Prowl is irked to find that Starscream and Metalhawk have called several Decepticons and Nails to the area, as a form of silent protest against Prowl not letting them in the hole too. Prowl tries to explain that this is majorly dangerous due to something (he doesn't say what it is down there) down there, and they might all die by standing there.

Down below Wheeljack has a plan to set up a controlled explosion around the Metrotitan, but is a bit concerned that the explosion might turn Cybertron into a black hole as well. Starscream sneaks into the area, and Prowl sees him, and begins to chase him...again, just for his own safety!

Prowl chases Starscream underground, where Starscream eventually runs into the Metrotitan's face, and it wakes up. The Titan tells Starscream that he is the one who will unite the Cybertronians, and then thanks him for allowing him to wake up once more, then he dies peacefully. Prowl wants them to keep this a secret, but too bad for him the crowd from up top must have followed Starscream down below and heard the whole exchange, and believe the Titan's words that Starscream is the rightful leader, much to Prowl's great anger.

The Titan is destroyed in a controlled explosion, and the Cybertronians leave for the city once more.

Starscream is paraded around Iacon and presented as the "conqueror", but Metalhawk isn't happy. Omega Supreme approaches him and asks him what the Titan said, Metalhawk says he called Starscream "the Conqueror" which Omega finds interesting, the two of them look out and wonder what's in store for the future now, as they look at the smoking crater where the Metrotitan was.

Characters

Autobot

Omega Supreme - Rocket and Base

Prowl - Car

Blurr - Race Car

Wheeljack - Car

Sideswipe - Car

Broadside

Bumblebee - Car (Mentioned)

Ironhide -Van (Mentioned) Missing

Aerialbots (Mentioned) Missing

Dinobots (Mentioned) Missing

Metroplex - City/Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Jetfire - Jet (Mentioned)

Sky Lynx (Mentioned)

Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned) Presumed Dead

Lost Light Crew (Mentioned) Presumed Dead

Zeta Prime (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Starscream - Jet

Wingspan - Falcon

Divebomb - Falcon

Apeface - Ape

Razorclaw - Lion

Buzzsaw - Cassette

Rumble - Cassette

Brawl - Tank

Acid Storm - Jet

Dead End - Car

Wildrider - Car

Blast Off - Space Shuttle

Astrotrain - Space Shuttle

"Vehicon Tankor" - Tank

Shockwave (Mentioned)

Nail

Metalhawk - Jet

Sky-Byte - Flying Shark

Hipotank - Tank

Tappet - Car

Other

The Metrotitan - City/Space Ship Deactivated 

Nova Prime - Truck (Flashback Only)

Dai Atlas (Flashback Only)

Jhiaxus - Jet

Bristleback (Flashback Only)

Icepick (Flashback Only)

Wildfly (Flashback Only)

Scowl (Flashback Only)

Birdbrain (Flashback Only)

Slog (Flashback Only)

Monstructor - Getsalt Defeated by Omega Supreme

Galvatron - Laser Cannon (Flashback Only)

Cyclonus - Space Jet (Flashback Only)

Tailgate - Car (Flashback Only)

Flashback Cybertronians

The Guiding Hand (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

"Primus' Opposite" (Mentioned)

Omega Sentinels (Mentioned)

Notes

• The flashback scenes in this story are drawn and coloured like the older G1 Marvel comics, and also homage some iconic images from those days too
• This comic leads right off from where RID#9 ends, with Blurr being sent out to look for Ironhide and the others
• This issue shows a fair few characters in their alternates for the first time, including Hipotank and Tappet (though we all knew what they'd turn into anyway)
• The bad side-effects of Quantum Jumping are highlighted here again, with the Metrotitan being fused with the ruins of Crystal City.
• It's not clear why Crystal City didn't get destroyed when Cybertron reformatted...maybe it only destroyed the surface buildings?
• If only a "chosen" individual can wake up the Metrotitan, then how did he wake up even briefly in the MTMTE Annual...is one of the present Lost Light crew members chosen too?
• The mention of the war before the Ark left solves a bit of a continuity hiccup from Heart of Darkness, where Thinkbox mentions the war, and knowing Galvatron, despite Galvatron going missing before the Autobot-Decepticon war.
• Omega refers to Nova Prime as a false Prime, this implies that the Matrix he holds is a fake, like Nominus' was revealed to be in MTMTE#9.
• Ore was teleported off the Lost Light by the Metrotitan in MTMTE Annual, but he's nowhere to be seen here...wonder if he'll be found somewhere on Cybertron?

IDW - Robots in Disguise #6

Comic Staff

Title: Syndromica [1]

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Livio Ramondelli

Letters by: Shawn Lee

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Storyline

Shockwave arrives at Arduria to investigate why the gas giant planet has suddenly frozen over, and he learns that it's due to one of his Regenesis Missiles. Whilst there he encounters some of the residents, the Ardurian Rocs who are dying and freezing, so Shockwave puts them out of their misery and kills the remaining members.

500,000 Years later, in the present day the travelling Orion Pax (formerly Optimus Prime) meets with Hardhead, Wheelie and Garnak who are travelling as well to keep a dangerous cargo away from Cybertron. They tell Orion that they've picked up a signal from Ardurian space, despite the residents there being gone for a long time now. Orion agrees to help them investigate it.

On their ship Orion meets with Hardhead's cargo, Jhiaxus, who seems to have gone mad from the reformatting of Cybertron after the Chaos event, and he sarts rambling about Shockwave's 13 missiles.

The ship later lands on one of the Ardurian Aeries, where the signal was detected and they discover the bodies of the Rocs left by Shockwave years earlier and also discover the frozen form of Monstructor as well, reaching for a missile. 

Whilst asking Wheelie to look up Monstructor's files from the ship when Monstructor breaks free from the ice and goes in to attack Orion and Hardhead, and Orion suddenly remembers that last time he was seen it was with Bludgeon, whom is now on the ship and has attacked Garnak and Wheelie.

Orion and Hardhead fight Monstructor and learns that someone has removed Monstructor's weakness, which Orion learned when he first fought him years earlier from Omega Supreme. Monstructor willingly separates and barges past the two Autobots and return to their own ship which is leaving the Aerie.

Orion returns to the ship and finds Jhiaxus gone and Wheelie and Garnak left for dead. Later on, after the Autobots are healed up (albeit with Garnak losing an eye) the group are hunting down Bludgeon's ship and they figure out that they're heading to the Lenocinium Velnero system, the system where Wheelie was stranded for centuries. Optimus says they have to go there, which visibly disturbs Wheelie to the extent that he doesn't even rhyme. Optimus says that they still need to go there to stop Bludgeon from doing whatever he's doing, especially since it seems to be involving the Regenesis Missiles.

Characters

Autobot
Orion Pax - Truck Cab
Hardhead - Personnel Carrier
Wheelie - Car
Bumblebee - Car (Mentioned)
Dynobots (Mentioned)
Rodimus - Speedy Car (Mentioned)
Crew of Light Light (Mentioned)

Decepticon
Bludgeon - Tank
Wildfly - Monster
Slog - Monster
Scowl - Monster
Icepick - Monster
Birdbrain - Monster
Bristleback - Monster
Monstructor - Gestalt
Shockwave - Ray Gun (Flashback)

Cybertronian
Jhiaxus - Jet Driven mad by Reformatting 
Galvatron (Mentioned) Destroyed during Reformatting

Other
Garnak
Ardurian Rocs Killed by Regenesis Missile/Shockwave
Station Bar Patrons
Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Comic Notes

• The Regenesis Missiles are what created the Ore-13 on Earth, and Froze Arduria, it's also been implied that one of them created the energon crystal laden world where Kup was trapped in his Spotlight as well.
• Orion learns from Hardhead that Rodimus is dead, but Orion doesn't believe it and is sure that he survived his ship's destruction (As the reader knows is the truth too). This also shows that Rodimus hasn't bothered to get in touch with Cybertron since their apparent deaths...I mean the Lost Light has basically EVERY scientist from Cybertron onboard! Seriously!! Why no radios?!
• Shockwave is mentioned as being on Cybertron right now
• In a nice touch, Orion and the others in this series are in their bodies from Chaos.
• The Ardurians are distant cousins to Transformers, much like how they are related to Battle Beasts in the 80's lines
• Jhiaxus is revealed to have survived his apparent death in Chaos, however he went mad from the reformatting.
• All the characters who were in some serious danger during Chaos are now accounted for
• It looks like we'll be getting some answers about what happened to Wheelie in the years between his Spotlight and Space Opera
• Oh look! The Monstructor Components have Alternate modes! Still no real name for their group yet though...