IDW - Transformers #20

Title: Rise of the Decepticons, Part 3: Swindle's

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Anna Malkova

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editors: David Mariotte

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Plot

Prowl is watching Andromeda's stream on the recent events, when he's interrupted by Nightbeat, who has a prisoner who needs to be interrogated.
He man-handles Singe, the prisoner, to get some information out of him, about who he was scavenging Energon for following the Tether's collapse.
Elsewhere, at an A'ovan sanctuary, Hound is mourning over the many animals killed when the Tether fell on the building, but is interrupted by Sideswipe, who wants to join Hound's team of Heavies to go after the Rise, but is denied as he lacks experience.

Later, as they're preparing for their next raid, Strongarm starts to believe that she's cursed, since every mission she's been on since she recently graduated has resulted in more problems, and the whole world is falling apart around them, with riots and protests from all factions, the Ascenticons blocking entry to their base from the Security Forces, and Lodestar needing heavy repairs before she can be refitted with weapons to go after Vigilem, and on top of that, the now loose Moon is heading to the Sun, with Wheeljack believed to be still onboard!
Prowl however, suggests that she not worry about the rest of the world's problems and deal with their mission. They're joined by Sideswipe and head towards Swindle's joint, where Bumper will go inside, since no one will likely know who he is.

Inside, a Skitter race is being held, but despite the attendance, Swindle and his crew realize that not much is being better on, most likely due to the recent events, so Trickdiamond offers a drink deal if people start spending more.
Mindwipe arrives, and tries to get Swindle to give him the Energon he promised to supply to him for his experiments, but Swindle renages, insisting that he would never of knowingly helped  a Rise member, Mindwipe starts to protest this, but then notices Bumper watching them from the crowd.
Bumper reports Mindwipe being there, and Prowl warns him not to look in his eyes, but Mindwipe appears behind him.

The security team bust through the doors and start their raid, Mindwipe hypnotises Bumper ordering him to kill Prowl, whilst Visper and Storm Cloud fight the Security team. Bumper tries attacking Prowl, but is subdued. Mindwipe and Visper manage to escape, but Storm Cloud is captured for interrogation. Swindle gets arrested for his illegal dealings (again) and Bumper to restrained until the hypnosis wears off.

Mindwipe reports Storm Cloud's capture to Shockwave, who is furious, and orders for the Rise base to be evacuated, in case it's location is compromised.
Suxshot goes to the lower quarters and tells Rumble and Quake to get moving, and to not get any further on his bad side for their murderous actions...

Characters

Security Operations/Autobot

Sentinel Prime - Space Shuttle
Orion Pax - Truck
Chromia - Car
Prowl - Police Vehicle
Nightbeat - Car
Sideswipe - Car
Strongarm - Police Vehicle
Bumper - Car
Hound - Jeep
Ironhide - Van
Pointblank - Car
Vibes
Novastar - Car (Mentioned)
Springer - Helicopter/Car (Mentioned)
Streetwise - Police Vehicle (Mentioned)

Ascenticon/The Rise

Mindwipe - Bat

Visper - Jet

Storm Cloud - Jet Arrested by Security
Sixshot - Car/Jet/Gun/Wolf/Tank
Frenzy
Quake - Tank
Runamuck - Car
Runabout - Car
Skytread - Tank and Jet
OtherAscenticon Guards
Shockwave - Flying Artillery (Voice Only)
Barricade - Police Vehicle (Mentioned)
Skystalker - Car (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Swindle - Van Arrested by Security
Trickdiamond - Car
Headlock - Forklift
Gutcruncher

Andromeda

Lightbright 

Lodestar - Senate Titan Ship Under Repairs
Singe In Custody

Vanquish - Jet

Seaspray - Hovercraft

Hubcap - Car

Machine Wars Starscream - Jet

Two Headed NAIL

Megaplex - Jet

Photon - Race Car

Anode - Bi-plane

Nucleon

Tentakil - Squid

Nautilator - Lobster

Trip-Up - Car

Big Daddy - Car

Hubs - Car

Riptide - Boat

Misfire - Jet

Sledge - Truck

Pipes - Truck

Sharpclaw - Car

Twirl - Jet

Third Plaza Patrons

Senate Protesters

Tagan Heights Rioters

Swindle's Patrons

Apeface (Poster Only)

Lugnut - Jet (Poster Only)

Strika - Battle Tank (Poster Only)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Thirteen (Mentioned)

Wheeljack - Car (Mentioned) Believed to be on the Winged Moon

Leviathan - Harvester (Mentioned)

Vigilem - Titan War Ship (Mentioned)

The Other Titans (Mentioned) Inert and Failing

Other Species

Green, the Flyt

A'ovan Pra'tyne

A'ovan Creatures One Tenth Killed in Tether Collapse

Racing Skitters

Voin Scavengers (Mentioned)

Notes

• There's quite a few new characters introduced this issue, including Andromeda from the Fun Publications lines, Twirl from the Linkage comics, Trick Diamond from the Japanese United lineeline, and even Nick Roche's daughters OC Sharpclaw to name a few notable ones.
• Prowls pet alien is revealed to be a Flyt named Green, because she is green!
• Singe was arrested following his scavenging mission and attack during issue 18.
• In an update to the aftermath of Vigilem's attack, the Winged Moon has floated off into space, and is approaching the Sun, and Vigilem himself has headed off into space.
• Trickdiamond's profile mentions her connection to Swindle, but it was never elaborated on in her comic appearances until now.
• Bumper getting mind controlled to attack Prowl is likely a reference to the similar plot line introduced at the end of Dreamwave's run, bit never went anywhere.
• The end of this issue all but confirms that Frenzy was the one who killed Brainstorm at the start of the series

IDW - Lost Light #17

Title: The Everlasting Voices Part 2: The God War

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

On the Afterspark, Ultra Magnus examines the area where Rodimus was struck by Primus' lightning, the group determine it wasn't normal lightning, since there would be remains. Suddenly Magnus is approached by his deceased brother, Dominus Ambus, who tells him that he has been watching over him and is proud of everything he has done. After hearing this, Magnus begins to ascend into the Matrix.

Elsewhere on the planet, Anode and Lug are pillaging the soft Ununtrium from a temple they found, as Anode isn't sure this even is the afterlife, she rations that if they are dead, then it doesn't matter, but if they are still alive, then she can get this rare alloy to set her and Lug up for life. The two thieves fly off to examine the Matrix, as Lug wants some of the blue crystals.

Nightbeat notices some crystals on the floor and starts to follow them, leaving Nautica, Brainstorm and Drift alone...that is until Drift is also struck down by divine lightning too.

Drift soon arrives by Rodimus' side in front of the Guiding Hand, soon followed by Ratchet and Ultra Magnus (who is peeved as he was about to ascend when he was scooped away). Rodimus has called his friends to help him convince the Guiding Hand to revive them, so they can get back to their real lives. At first Rodimus feels that he just wants revenge on Getaway for stealing his ship, but he quickly realizes that he really wants his friends to be happy again, and the Lost Light is where everyone was happy last. The Guiding Hand however reject this notion, since his crew are happy here in the Afterspark, and if they revived them now, they can never return. The Hand sends Rodimus and his team away, back into the Afterspark to await ascension.

Back in the Afterspark, Cyclonus and Tailgate catch up on what happened since they last saw each other. Cyclonus admits that he should never have left Necroworld without Tailgate, and the two promise to never separate again, as they travel towards the Matrix.

Rodimus and the others arrive back outside the temple, where Magnus immediately leaves to go be with Dominus some more, however, Ratchet notices some words over the archway into the temple, words that only he can see announcing "We are all trapped light".

On the other side of the temple, Nautica and Brainstorm are exploring, with Brainstorm convinced that the place is trying to distract everyone from exploring, and seems to be splitting them up. Just then, Brainstorm's crush, Quark appears and announces that he has always loved Brainstorm and wants to be his spark-mate. Brainstorm, despite knowing this is probably a trick drops his Early Early Warning Device and leaves with Quark. Nautica, now left alone notices that the device is now red hot, and also now notices a door reading "Danger. Do not enter" on it. She goes to open it, when Skids suddenly appears behind her, asking her to come walk with him...

Back with Rodimus' group, they follow a tunnel that leads them to a room bearing the markings "W0" on the door, again, with only Ratchet being able to see it. Inside the room, they all see an eclectic group of aliens hooked up to a device generating some light. The aliens all start chanting "Prepare. Confront. Repel" in unison and the group are surrounded from the shadows

Outside, Nightbeat has followed the trail of Crystals back towards the main group under the Matrix. He locates Whirl, who he asks where Rung is, because he wants to tell him his new discovery...the TRUE purpose to his alternate mode, however, upon announcing this, he rises up, and his spark is ripped from his body, re-entering the Matrix.

Inside the temple again, Nautica is unmoved by Skids' appearance, despite his best attempts to get her to come with him, she just dismisses him...causing his form to glitch out and start to distort. Nautica takes this to mean that she is doing the right thing, and opens the dangerous door, and coming face-to-face with the Scavengers, still stuck inside Grimlock's old cell on Garrus-9!!

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Drift - Car

Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus - Vehicle Transport

Ratchet - Ambulance

Nautica - Submarine

Brainstorm - Jet

Nightbeat - Car Ascended into Matrix

Velocity - Race Car

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Swerve - Van

Tailgate - Car (After Spark?)

Pipes - Truck (After Spark)

Trailcutter - Van (After Spark)

Dominus Ambus - Turbo Fox (After Spark)

Quark - Electron Microscope (After Spark)

Skids - Van (After Spark)

Getaway - Car (Mentioned)

Kaput (Mentioned) Dead

Rung - Photonic Crystal Generator? (Mentioned)

Chromedome - Car (Mentioned)

Rewind - Data Slug (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Misfire - Jet

Spinister - Helicopter

Krok

Crankcase - Van

Fulcrum - Bomb

Nickel - Rocket-Powered Buggy

Skip - Space Shuttle (Mentioned) Dead

Other Cybertronian

Primus (After Spark)

Mortilus (After Spark)

Solomus (After Spark)

Adaptus (After Spark)

Epistemus (After Spark)

Cyclonus - Jet

Anode - Bi-Plane

Lug - Backpack Equipment

Ancient Cybertronians (Flashback)

Vector Sigma (Flashback)

Ten (Flashback) Ascended into Matrix

Beta Trion (Mentioned)

Other

Trapped Light Aliens Attached to Strange Device

Verity Carlo (Mentioned)

Notes

• Hey look, we finally see Dominus Ambus in his "true" robot mode body, we briefly saw him in a schematic file at the end of MTMTE, but this is his first proper appearance
• Okay if anyone still thinks that this is the Cybertronian afterlife, when we have non-Cybertronians being held there, the dead characters appear to be glitching out or acting out of character amongst all the other issues, then they really need to read more comics...
• Rodimus' choice of Magnus, Ratchet and Drift to help him talking with the Guiding Hand is a light mirror to what Tyrest did with himself, Pharma and Star Saber, representing the three pillars of most societies, law, science and religion. Funnily enough, according to James Roberts on Twitter, he originally planned to have Rodimus refer to them as "Rodimus' Trinity", a further reference to "Rossum's Trinity" (aka the connection of the brain, spark and T-Cog in Transformers)
• Drift's story of the Guiding Hand is a little different to the one told by Cyclonus back in the MTMTE Annual, further implying that it was just a story, or not the complete truth. 
• If you pay attention, you'll notice that the Guiding Hand do not confirm or deny Drift's story of their conflict. This makes me think that they may be, at least partially, the real deal. Perhaps they are trying to keep Cybertronians safe here to preserve them following Unicron's oncoming attack.
• Also, one of the members paraphrases Unicron from the 1986 movie, when he warns Magnus that they will "proceed directly into oblivion". We previously saw that the mysterious "Grand Architect" did the same thing with Scorponok and Flame when he rescued them and conscripted them into his faction. Also the aliens in this issue repeat the phrase "Prepare. Confront. Repel." which is known to be related to that same group. Looks like my theory on Adaptus being the Architect may be true after all!
• I also want to believe that Tailgate is the real one here, having been transported to the "Afterspark" from his isolation cage on Necroworld, neither he nor Cyclonus appear to be acting off, so it doesn't match up with Pipes and the others. (Also given the logic of this world, wouldn't Cyclonus and/or Tailgate have ascended right after they reunited)
• Nightbeat realizes in this issue that because Rung creates his photonic crystals whilst in robot mode, that means his alternate mode's purpose has not been revealed after all. Well Nightbeat claims that he knows what it is, but he ascends right as he's about to mention it. Personally I believe his purpose is my original idea from all the way back at the start of MTMTE, he's a key of some sort.
• Rung is mentioned as being with Rewind and Chromedome. None of them have appeared in this storyline (at least not outside of flashbacks) This seems a little suspect. Also, wouldn't Rewind and Chromedome have ascended straight away, they have no known unfinished business, and they are known for being happiest when together.
• In case you forgot, the reason Nautica doesn't remember why she and Skids are best friends is because she had her emotions linked to him removed earlier in the series. It left her memories and experiences with him, but none of the emotions attached.
• Huh...that ending sure asks me two questions. Were Team Rodimus sent to Garrus-9 somehow, or were the Scavengers sent to the "Afterspark". I personally believe it would be the latter, since the Magnificence gave the Scavengers the coordinates to Garrus-9, and if my theory on that being Epistemus turns out to be true as well.

IDW - Lost Light #16

Title: The Everlasting Voices 1: Metastasis

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Rodimus and Cyclonus wake up in separate rooms and walk outside them, with them looking shocked and happy (respectively) to see a giant Matrix in the sky above them.

Soon afterwards, Rodimus contacts Ultra Magnus, who is also there, to see if he can identify where they are, arranging to meet "under the Matrix", where Rodimus comes across Ten, who thanks Rodimus for taking him in, and says that everyone made him so happy. At the moment of his happiness, Ten is stuck with light from the Matrix, his chest tears open and his spark leaves his body, leaving him dead on the ground. Ratchet arrives just afterwards, now not in his intangible form.

Back in the awakening rooms, Nautica is analysing the glyphs on her own bed when Brainstorm and Nightbeat arrive, Nautica deciphers the glyphs to be the creation story told by the Clavis Aurea, which tells about how Primus split into five individuals to start the Cybertronian race. Soon Drift arrives to tell them to come see what he's found outside...

Ratchet examines Ten's body and determines that he is indeed dead when Magnus arrives, with Whirl, Velocity and Swerve in tow. The assembled crew try to determine where they are, only for Swerve and Cyclonus to explain that they must be in the Afterspark, having been killed when Ten directed them to a portal where they were exposed to compressed space, and killed the entire crew.

The crew, especially Rodimus are distraught over this news, but Ratchet refuses to believe that he and the others are in some after-life, as that goes against everything he believes in. On cue, two of the long dead previous crewmates ppear from nowhere, Trailcutter and Pipes! The crew are shocked, and Cyclonus speeds off to find something...

Back with the other group, Drift explains to them how they died and is now in the Afterspark. Nightbeat is upset since this is yet another one of the great mysteries he has been denied of solving. Suddenly Roller appears with his friend from his days as a cop, Springarm, who was murdered on the job by Senate thugs. Roller rides off with him again after introducing him to his new friends, all whilst Brainstorms warning device freaks out and even burns his hands, showing that they are indeed in danger...

Ratchet examines Pipes to determine if he's actually alive or not, but can't find anything wrong. Trailcutter and Pipes explain that they are in a limbo-like location BEFORE entering the Afterspark, where their minds can be shielded from the intense emotions in the real Afterspark, but will be able to ascend when they "put their affairs in order".

On the note, Cyclonus locates what he was looking for, Tailgate, who was seemingly waiting for Cyclonus to arrive so they could pass on together, and the two embrace upon finding each other again.

The crew don't know what to do, but Whirl manages to get Rodimus out of his funk by asking him what he thinks Megatron would do in this situation. Rodimus immediately sets about to try and get answers, he asks Trailcutter who is in charge, which he just says "god" so Rodimus does the reasonable thing....he yells at the sky, demanding that Primus speak to him directly. The rest of the drew and embarrassed by his actions, until Rodimus gets struck by lightning and vanishes.

Rodimus arrives on a dias, where he is surrounded by the giant figures of the Guiding Hand, Primus, Epistemus, Mortilus, Solumus and Adaptus, and he offers them his hand in greeting!

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Drift - Car

Ratchet - Ambulance

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Swerve - Van

Velocity - Race Car

Nautica - Submarine

Nightbeat - Car

Brainstorm - Jet

Afterspark Tailgate - Car

Afterspark Trailcutter - Van

Afterspark Pipes - Truck

Rung - Photon Crystal Generator (Flashback Only)

Chromedome - Car (Flashback Only)

Rewind - Data Slug (Flashback Only) Injured by Sword Slash

Megatron - Tank (Mentioned)

Getaway - Car (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Skip - Space Shuttle (Flashback) Dead

Other Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet

Roller - Truck

Ten "Ascended" to Afterspark 

Afterspark Springarm - Motorcycle

Afterspark Primus

Afterspark Mortilus

Afterspark Adaptus

Afterspark Epistemus

Afterspark Solomus

Anode - Bi-Plane (Flashback Only)

Lug - Backpack Equipment (Flashback Only)

Wheelarch - Motorcycle (Mentioned) Dead

Kroma (Mentioned)

Notes

• We rejoin Team Rodimus following the events of issue 13
• I know all the crew are mentioned as being killed before this issue, but I don't believe it happened, so I wont be putting it in the character list section.
• So....Rodimus' communicator/phone works in the afterlife? hmm....
• Here's a weird thing...where are Anode, Lug, Chromedome, Rewind and Rung in the Afterspark? I could understand the former four as they would be "happy" and could instantly move on, but we know Rung has massive issues and worries in his life...so where is he?
• The characters in the Afterspark don't all remember what happened following Ten's big announcement...perhaps this is because they are false memories, planted by whoever placed them here?
• So...why is Pipes one of the guys summoned to show the crew the way to the real Afterspark? I mean I like seeing him again, but why is he there? His main joke was that no-one really cared about him. Wouldn't Skids have been a better choice, given the people assembled?
• Trailcutter being summoned and being of interest to Rodimus is a nice nod to how broken up he was over his death. He even tried to re-write history to make Trailcutter not die!
• Drift refers to Primus as the "Celestial Architect"...wonder if that is somehow connected to the "Grand Architect"? Perhaps he was called that before being split into five, and having the name inherited by one of his components? 
• It's confirmed here that the disappearances of Luna-1, Ark-1 and the purpose of Rung's alternate mode are the "Big Three" mysteries that Nightbeat has been investigating in his spare time since the start of IDW's Transformers line!
• Trailcutter's projection of what the Afterspark looks like seems VERY similar to what was believed to be Cyberutopia in issue 12 huh?
• If they are all in the Afterspark, then why are some of their belonging (Rodimus' phone and  Brainstorm's early warning device) with them?
• Pipes knows both who Velocity is, and what Nautica's nickname for her is....why? Pipes doesn't know who either of them are, having died well before either joined the crew. Maybe he can watch the Lost Light from the Afterspark? (or something more sinister!)
• Can I just say how perfect it is that the egotistical Rodimus is so confident in himself that upon meeting his creator Gods, he just asks for a handshake with a grin!
• Of note, the only four dead Cybertronians we see in this issue all died violent ways, Springarm was decapitated, Pipes was stomped to death, Trailcutter was torn apart and crushed against his own forcefield and Tailgate was (supposedly) killed by a spark explosion. Even if we count the Guiding Hand, they all were mentioned as dying or being turned into a new item during a war.
• Okay, it seems painfully obvious that the "Afterspark" isn't what it appears to be. There are so many things wrong there that it hurts. I've mentioned a few throughout these notes, but one major thing I haven't mentioned is that Brainstorm's Early Early Warning Device has been going off, and overheating throughout the issue, it even gets too hot to touch right after Roller rides off with Springarm.
• Here's my theory on what happened. At the end of issue 13, Ten told the crew what to do to save themselves and they wound up in the Warren and arrived at Cyberutopia, where they were knocked out and left to wake up in this scenario. The dead characters are facsimiles made from reading their memories, possibly including Ten himself who is noted as sounding different throughout the story. The crew are being tested to see if they can be used in whatever the Cyberutopians want to do to the Universe and that is what will be revealed over the next couple issues.
• Following the usual adverts, the back page features a funeral/memorial announcement for Kup, acting as an advert for Transformers vs Visionaries, where he died (and giving a small announcement about the "road to Unicron"underneath)

IDW - Lost Light #5

Title: Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Nightbeat has Rung meet him in an office in the Necroworld Fortress, where he asks him if he wants to talk about things, assuming that he is hurting due to the death of Skids, however Rung reveals that he is actually more concerned about something else that he discovered about himself...

Meanwhile on Functionist Cybertron, Rodimus is being held in a beam of light shot by Six-of-Twelve and his Matrix head. Rodimus claims that the Matrix he is using a fake, since he is used to the energies of the Matrix from his universe. Ratchet appears, holding Rung hostage, and threatens to kill him if he doesn't drop Rodimus, the Functionist drops him, knowing that they still need him for their big plans. The Autobots and Rung head to the matter transporter, where Rung mocks the Council for their own alternate modes turning out to be useless, since they combine into an elaborate ornament, as they transport away, leaving the Councillors at the centre of the planet, with no way to leave except by foot, due to them damaging the teleporter upon using it. The group arrive in the Cog, and Rung gets an idea on how to get back to Adaptica quickly.

In Adaptica, Luna 2 is still tearing apart the city, and starts to speed up it's attack by beginning to tear up buildings as well as Cybertronians. Megatron and the others decide to evacuate the city. Terminus uses a quiet moment to try and convince Megatron to stay in the Functionist Universe to help the AVL to fight the Council, but he refuses, before they can properly discuss it though, the AVL HQ in the statue of Adaptus is torn from it's foundations, and Megatron is left hanging onto a pylon for his life, as Luna 2 tries to suck him up...

Back on Necroworld, Brainstorm manages to rescue Ten and Swerve from the "pocket prison" that Killmaster sent them to, by reversing the effects of the wand (whilst leaving Killmaster behind). Whirl and Tailgate join the others, just as Brainstorm makes a discovery about the pocket prison that makes him happy.

Both versions of Rung explain to Nightbeat, and Team Rodimus respectively (the latter group having stolen the Cog and are using it as a spaceship, heading to Adaptica by the way) about their discoveries of their true functions, to create photonic crystals, which shocks everyone, showing them that the Silver Harvest by Nova Prime, and the process of Cold Construction was possibly pre-ordained by Primus after all. The Functionist Rung goes on to explain that the Council was using him to create thousands of crystals for their future plans...

Functionist Rung explains that the Functionist Council had decided that their own functions was for Functionism itself, and planned to go on a crusade across the universe, destroying everything that had no purpose according to Primus, leaving everyone on a sour note.

Rodimus receives a call from Brainstorm, to tell him that Killmaster's wand can be used to send Necroworld back to their home universe. Rodimus is happy, but thinks there's a horrible condition (there normally is) but Brainstorm says that there is no conditions this time, they just need to get back to the planet before the energy burns out. Rodimus tells Rung that they need to head to Luna 2, so they can use it's long range teleporter to get back to the planet, but Rung refuses, since he wants to destroy Luna 2, using the Cog as a battering ram, thus setting back the Council's plans by decades. He refuses to move, and tells Rodimus that he'll have to fight him to get control of the Cog....

In the Medibay of Necroworld, Anode interrupts the surgery on Fangry, following his injuries from Tailgate, looking for Lug, who has gone missing again, however she is shocked when no-one remembers her. She is shown footage of her leaving the Stasis Pod, and shows her alone, and talking to no one. Velocity attributes her see Lug as being a side effect of the Time Sickness, but Anode is determined. She heads to the Monument to the Disappeared, where she finds her name, and not Lug's, leaving her to conclude that she was left to die on Luna 2 by the Necrobot.

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Drift - Car

Megatron - Tank

Minimus Ambus - Minesweeper

Rung - Photonic Crystal Generator

Chromedome - Car

Rewind - Data Slug

Ratchet - Ambulance

Nightbeat - Car

Swerve - Van

Brainstorm - Jet

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Tailgate - Car

Velocity - Race Car

Nautica - Submarine

Kaput

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Skids - Van (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Fangry Under Repairs

Rapidfire - SUV

Killmaster (Mentioned) Left in Pocket Prison by Brainstorm

Anti-Vocationist League

Nine-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Functionist Anode - Bi Plane

AVL Members

Functionist Council Allied

One-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Two-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Three-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Four-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Five-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Six-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Seven-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Eight-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Ten-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Eleven-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

Twelve-of-Twelve- Part of Ornamental Key to Vector Sigma

50 Functionary Guards Defeated by Team Rodimus

Sweep (Flashback)

Other Cybertronian

Functionist Rung - Photonic Crystal Generator

Cyclonus - Jet

Ten

Terminus - Mining Vehicle

Roller - Truck

Anode - Bi Plane

Vector Sigma

Adaptus (Statue Only)

Lug - Backpack Equipment (Mentioned) Seemingly Died before Anode's Time Jump

Necrobot (Mentioned) Dead

Functionist Orion Pax - Truck (Mentioned) Location Unknown

Primus (Mentioned)

Mortilus (Mentioned)

Nova Prime - Truck (Mentioned)

The Primal Vanguard (Mentioned) Defunct

Notes

• Rung retired as a psychiatrist after the Sunder incident at the end of More Than Meets The Eye, following the revelation that he broke patient-doctor protocols in the past.
• Rodimus held the Matrix during the Space Opera storyline from the Costa Ongoing series, until he returned it to Optimus upon returning to Earth in time for the Chaos event.
• Rung's "Word" to the Functionist Council, by referring to them as ornaments and useless are direct references to how he was referred to by them and others due to his seemingly useless alternate mode. With the revelation that their combined mode as the Key to Vector Sigma being actually just ornamental and not actually needed to access the super computer.
• Roller brings up a good point that I've been wondering about, where is Orion Pax in the Functionist Universe? He and Megatron determine that he has probably died due to his heroic personality, but wouldn't it be really messed up if he was on the Functionist Council's side in this reality? Either that, or he'll turn up in an epilogue to this storyline finding the Matrix and becoming Optimus Prime here too.
• As previously assumed, Killmaster IS the key to getting Rodimus' team and Necroworld back to the normal Hasbroverse, but it's confirmed that it's due to his pocket prison being in the Hasbroverse, giving them a back door home.
• Just as an added insult, this means that Killmaster, a lowly Decepticon sort-of scientist is able to create technology that gets past the Shroud created by Nexus Prime to keep the Multiverse separate...good job there!
• Rung's original function is finally revealed, he was born to create photonic crystals, which are critical to holding spark energy for the Cold Construction process, meaning that by the logic of the Functionist Council, that means that Cold Construction is ordained by Primus himself. He re-learned his role when he "vomited" up a crystal when mourning for Skids, as seen at the start of the series.
• So...Lug was just a figment of Anode's imagination all this series so far! It's attributed to time sickness, but since she already got written off as not having time sickness by Velocity, maybe she should sue for malpractice? However, since the Necrobot kept detailed records on all deaths, I'll guess that there's no record of Lug's death either, giving us another series long bot-hunt.
• Terminus out-right brings up the idea that he and Megatron should remain in the Functionist Universe and help them fight the Functionists, but Megatron still wants to return home, so he can face his judgement.
• The Functionist Council's new scheme was to use the sparks procured from Vector Sigma, and stored within Rung's crystals to create a massive army to conquer the universe, and eradicate anyone who isn't seen with a role created by Primus, aka, everyone who isn't Cybertronian.
• Rewind accidentally created this universe when he almost killed Megatron at the time of his creation, creating a splinter universe where Decepticons were never formed and the Universe was kept safe from Cybertronian wars. It's revealed here that this actually only postponed the horror against the rest of the Universe, and the Functionists would have ended up attacking the Universe themselves
• Tailgate and Whirl's conversation about Whirl's "love story" isn't shown here, but it does seem to leave Tailgate a little kinder than he has been lately.

IDW - Lost Light #3

Title: Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Jack Lawrence

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Swerve, Ten and Whirl are investigating the life support pods, to make sure there are no more unaccounted for patients. They find one extra large pod locked, so Whirl decides to open it up, only for them to come face-to-face with someone holding a wand....

Elsewhere on Necroworld, Nightbeat is examining one of the death flowers and finds out that he can determine who's sparks were used to power the flowers, but Brainstorm is unimpressed since Kaput already determined that earlier, and even found a detailed record kept by the Necrobot, meaning Nightbeat has just wasted a lot of time.

Brainstorm manages to get in contact with Rodimus, who tells him that they've wound up on Cybertron, but not the one from THEIR universe. This news excites both Nightbeat and Brainstorm, as this means that THEY must be in this alternate universe too for the communications to work like this. They decide that the team on Cybertron needs to find a shuttle to get back to Necroworld, and not to get too involved in the lives of the people on this world.

The Cybertron team are introduced to the city of Adaptica, where they are able to seek sanctuary from the murders of the Functionist Council, since this is a sacred city, and cannot be attacked by the Council, so long as one of them allows it...which Nine-of-Twelve does....The city is also shielded by a jamming field blocking the genocide chips used by the council.

Back on Necroworld, Swerve starts to panic about Killmaster, Whirl's long-time nemesis, coming out of the pod, and the group hide behind one of the other pods. Whirl admires Killmaster for his destructive manners, but Swerve just keeps freaking out. Ten decides to try and save the day by confronting the Decepticon, but is blasted by his wand, leaving just a smoking set of footprints behind.

Swerve is distraught over the apparent death of his employee, and goes after Killmaster himself, however the Decepticon just flicks him away. Whirl joins in the fight, but asks Swerve to get hold of Cyclonus and Tailgate to help them fight off Killmaster, since Whirl has NEVER actually defeated him before, and doesn't believe he can!

Back on Cybertron, Nine-of-Twelve meets with the newcomers inside his headquarters, and hopes that they can help him, and the Anti-Vocationist League to stop the Council's plans. His second-in-command, Anode, joins the meeting, and talks about a UFO that has been detected in the airspace of Cybertron.

It's revealed that Cybertron has no space shuttles any more, and no means of long distance transportation, and that everyone is stuck on the planet, as part of the council's plans to keep everyone in fear, and get them ready for some war they think is coming.

Nine-of-Twelve explains that in this universe the Senate started to use the stockpile of sparks created by Nova Prime to bolster the population of the planet, but the Functionist Council saw this as blasphemy and led a revolution against them, killing them in the process. However after some time, Six-of-Twelve, the new Matrix bearer, has grown to believe that Primus is speaking to him, and is sanctioning him to create new life, which is why he defected to form the AVL. It is also revealed that the Senate sealed off Vector Sigma's chamber from the world in an Ununtrium case, which is impenetrable.

Back on Necroworld, Nautica and Velocity are interrogating Anode about her true intents. Velocity leaves to administer some more Mood Suppressants to the crew, to help ease the pain of Skids' death, and Anode opens up to Nautica that she is a blacksmith, and the snowflake she found is the remains of an expired protoform's spark, and so it is extremely rare and valuable. Velocity returns, and tries to expose Anode as a thief who stole a load of sentio metallico from her workplace, the Lighthouse, but Anode reveals that she falsified reports to make it just LOOK like she stole it, as she wanted to leave the planet, for unexplained reasons, reasons that she's never told anyone, not even Lug, who runs off upset about this revelation. Anode chases after her, abandoning the withered metal with Nautica and Velocity.

Downstairs, Whirl is having a hard time fighting against Killmaster, but he and Swerve are glad to see Cyclonus arrive, however they soon discover that he is alone, and also badly injured. The two Autobots try to find out what happened to him, when Swerve is suddenly hit by Killmaster's wand, and also disappears, leaving Whirl regretting that he opened up the pod...

On Cybertron, the citizens of Cybertron are gathered, waiting for Six-of-Twelve's announcement of Rung's alternate mode. Back in Adaptica, Rodimus wonders what the point of this is, so they explain that due to Rung's alternate mode seemingly having no purpose, it goes against their beliefs that everyone is created for a purpose, which is why the AVL was formed, to prove that same point. If they manage to reveal a purpose however, this negates the entire point of the AVL, and will delegitimize them.

Soon, Rung is revealed in a giant tank mode, and is identified as a mining machine designed specifically by Primus to break the case around Vector Sigma. The AVL and Rodimus' crew try to understand how that could be Rung, as he doesn't have any tank or drill parts in their universe, when Anode turns up, and reports to Nine-of-Twelve that she's located the UFO she detected earlier...Luna 2 has returned to orbit!

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Sports Car

Megatron - Tank

Ratchet - Ambulance

Drift - Race Car

Minimus Ambus - Minesweeper

Chromedome - Car

Rewind - Data Slug

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Swerve - Van Vanished by Killmaster's Wand

Nautica - Submarine

Velocity - Race Car

Nightbeat - Sports Car

Brainstorm - Jet

Kaput

Perceptor - Tank (Mentioned)

Tailgate - Car (Mentioned)

Skids - Van (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Killmaster

Turmoil - Tank (Mentioned) Dead

Anti-Vocationist League

Nine-of-Twelve

Functionist Universe Anode - Jet

Clicker - Laser Pointer

Troops and Civilians in Adaptica

Functionist Council

Six-of-Twelve

Functionary Enforcers

Twelve-of-Twelve (Flashback Only)

The Rest of the Functionist Council (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Space Jet Badly Injured

Ten Vanished by Killmaster's Wand

Anode - Jet

Lug - Backpack Equipment

Roller - Truck

Terminus - Mining Vehicle

Functionist Universe Rung - Super Ununtrium Drill Tank?

Functionist Universe Civilians

Functionist Universe News Crew

Nova Prime - Truck (Flashback Only)

Nominus Prime - Jet (Flashback Only) Killed by Twelve-of-Twelve

Adaptus (Statue Only)

Necrobot (Mentioned) Dead

Hydronaut (Mentioned) Dead

Lodestar (Mentioned) Dead

Flexor (Mentioned) Dead

Adjudicus (Mentioned) Dead

Marauder (Mentioned) Dead

Darkstar (Mentioned) Dead

Questex (Mentioned) Dead

Jab (Mentioned) Dead

Swivel (Mentioned) Dead

Piston (Mentioned) Dead

Poleaxe (Mentioned) Dead

Primus (Mentioned)

The Guiding Hand (Mentioned)

The Primal Vanguard (Mentioned)

The Old Senate (Mentioned) Killed by Functionist Council

Vector Sigma (Mentioned)

Other

Black Box Consortia (Mentioned)

Notes

• Killmaster's character model appears to be based on the Prime Insecticon model
• Amongst the names of the sparks that are trained to the death flower is Turmoil, who was killed by Starscream during the Decepticon riots before Dark Cybertron. This implies that the flower is form's Starscream's statue.
• Amongst the other names on the flower is Adjudicus, which was an early working name for Tyrest.
• AND! Since Starscream was responsible for the deaths of the Senate, it's likely that at least some of those names are from the Senate!
• Nightbeat's interest in being able to connect the sparks to the flowers, and thus their killer's is likely so he can solve some long unsolved deaths.
• It's revealed that the Geobomb actually did work at the end of MTMTE, but instead of blowing up the planet, it transported the planet to the neighbouring Functionist Universe (likely due to a malfunction, rather than design)
• Huh, it was mentioned in the past that Killmaster designed the Geobomb taken by the Galactic Council, and here he is on Necroworld right after they were subjected to one? I think he may be used to solve this solution.
• The Cyberutopia mentioned in the last issue is revealed to just be a nickname for Adaptica, which is the local version of Kalis from the main IDW universe.
• Turns out Whirl MAY HAVE exaggerated when he told everyone about how he killed Killmaster in his sleep...
• I seriously doubt that Swerve and Ten are actually dead, the wording from Whirl implies that they may just be invisible or some other sci-fi thing.
• Anode is revealed to have been a blacksmith as her birth-profession, which means she can help protoforms take on their true shape if they have issues. It's also confirmed that she is Camien, as she was in a sorority with Velocity, but she tried to leave at some point for currently unexplained reasons.
• The snowflake is revealed to be "withered metal" which is the remains of an unharvested spark and it's natural sentio metallico.
• It's shown that Nominus Prime stayed in power for a while longer in the Functionist Universe, likely due to the Decepticon causes never even getting it's early wind, since Megatron's writings were never published to inspire them, so Nominus and the others were never pushed to action. He later gets killed along with the Senate though
• Regarding Nova Prime, in the main universe he went "missing" when he was sent to the Dead Universe with his crew. In the main universe he also resurfaced a few times afterwards for his Expansionism projects. Since time didn't branch off in different directions until after Megatron was aborted, which was after Nova's disappearance, the Dead Universe he ended up in from the Functionist Universe is the same one as the one he went to in the main universe...time travel is confusing....
• The Matrix taken by Six-of-Twelve is likely the fake one that Nominus Prime held, since the real one was hidden long before Megatron was born, and likely is still hidden in this timeframe. The "new" sparks he has been creating though, are likely just leftovers from the ones from the silver harvest
• It's likely that Cyclonus' ill-condition is in some way connected to Tailgate's abuse of his powers, and possibly means that he wasn't attacked by the Decepticons earlier, but was simply injured somehow when Tailgate was recharging after showing off his power.
• I don't think I have to tell you that the one shown here is not Rung's actual alternate mode, it's a fake made to look like it could be. However, when we last saw this universe, we learned that his alternate mode's purpose was discovered. From what we've seen of it so far, it's likely a key, perhaps to Vector Sigma, which is where the Functionist Council is planning to take his "tank form"
• The reason for the cast seeming to not care about Skids' death is revealed here to be because they are taking Mood Suppressants to supress their grief (Though Nautica doesn't agree with this practise)