IDW - Beast Wars #10

Title: Maximals Strike Back, Part 1

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: Jazmine Joyner

Supervising Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

After being on the defensive since they crashed on this planet, the Maximals are preparing for their strike on the Predacons. 

Dinobot uses this opportunity to explain how the Predacons came into possession of the Golden Disk, after it was discovered by the Science Ministry from the abandoned Voyager probe, and somehow became irradiated with Unspace energy, scaring them, leading them to try and hide it, but one of their members, Reptilion, betrays them to Galavar, who now goes by the name Megatron...

Dinobot further explains that Megatron used the disk to find the coordinates to this planet, to collect its massive cache of Energon for his conquest plans, and now Dinobot is concerned that the other files on the disk may be true too...

The Maximals have refitted an escape pod so they can use it as a shuttle, so they can attack the Predacons from the air. Optimus give out the missions, Dinobot and Nux are to infiltrate the Darksyde to try and take out the Transwarp engines, to stop them from potentially escaping in the future, while Rattrap goes to steal the disk, the rest of the team are to distract the Predacons in battle from the outside.

The bulk of the Predacons are outside the Darksyde training, when Terrorsaur starts voicing his complaints about their methods, and wants to go after the Maximals, angering Megatron, who attempts to kill the treacherous Predacon, but is stopped by Tarantulas, who sees killing him as a waste of resources. They still need fliers after all, and he'd be no use as spare parts if he is destroyed! Megatron agrees, and skulks away...

The Maximals launch their missiles towards the Predacons, who are forced to duck by Waspinator, who hears the missiles approaching. Before they can arm up however, Optimus Primal arrives, ready to fight, and asking where Megatron is...

Characters

Maximal

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Dinobot - Velociraptor

Rhinox - Rhino

Cheetor - Cheetah

Rattrap - Rat

Nyx - Bat

Razorbeast - Wild Boar

Botanica - Car (Flashback)

Labrat - Motorcycle (Flashback)

Ironhide - Treaded Vehicle (Mentioned)

Predacon

Megatron/Galavar - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Formerly Tank)

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon

Tarantulas - Tarantula

Waspinator - Wasp

Scorponok - Scorpion

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle

Blackarachnia - Black Widow Spider

Reptilion - Jet (Flashback)

Other Cybertronian

Wheeljack - Race Car (Flashback)

Landquake - Armoured Plough (Flashback)

Cybertronian Civilians (Flashback)

Box - Shuttle (Mentioned)

Primal's Old Commander (Mentioned)

Sharkticons (Mentioned)

Notes

• Oh...Razorbeast is up and about already! I guess his injuries weren't that serious after all! 
• The Wheeljack seen in the flashback seems to use the Animated character model of the character, but the statues seen in issue one were closer to his current G1 comic model. So maybe this is some new character who just resembles him, or has appropriated his name (like with Optimus and Megatron)
• Botanica appears to be using a modified version of the POTP female Autobot mould during her brief cameo.
• If the Wheeljack seen in the flashback IS the Autobot character, then either the Maximals are the same size as their predecessors (like in the Kingdom cartoon) or Wheeljack downgraded into a new, smaller body. I guess we'll see later down the line :) 
• The Maximals are shown to have mugshots of most of the Predacons on file (we don't see Scorponok, but he could be behind the speech bubble). Oddly though, they have one for Blackarachnia...when did they get this photo exactly?
• Waspinator being familiar with the sound of missiles, and panicking to protect his teammates from them is a nod to his usual date of blowing up in the original cartoon (though I'm assuming it'll have a bigger meaning later in the series too)

IDW - Transformers/My Little Pony: The Magic of Cybertron #4

The Mightiest Dinobot

Writer: Ian Flynn

Artist: Casey W. Coller

Colours: Joana LaFuente

Letterer: Jake M. Wood

Finale

Writer: James Asmus

Artist: Jack Lawrence

Colours: Luis Antonio Delgado

Letterer: Neil Uyetake

Editor: Megan Brown

Consulting Editor: David Mariotte

"The Mightiest Dinobot" Plot

Spike brings his friend Smolder to visit his Cybertronian friend Grimlock and the other Dinobot's. While Grimlock is still impressed with Spike due to their previous experiences, the other Dinobot's don't see him as impressive, especially compared to the other dragon.

Suddenly, the mind controlled Superion appears and attacks the Dinobot's on Sombra's orders, and easily subdues them.

spike realizes however that Combiners are usually unstable, but Superion isn't, meaning Sombra's mind control is what is keeping them together.

Spike and Smolder fly around the combiner, with Spike using his knowledge of Cybertronians to tap into all the components personalities, and causes them to fall apart.

The spell not strong enough to control all five of them parts when separated, the Aerialbots are freed of their mind control and everyone celebrates Spike as the hero, and as an honorary Dinobot.

"Finale" Plot

Optimus and his team have tracked the mind controlled Cybertronians and Equestrians to a desolate area of Cybertron, where they find them trying to excavate something. Optimus calls in for reinforcements and attacks the group early, it's soon revealed why Optimus was in such a rush, when Sombra merges himself with a long hidden underground Titan, Scorponok!

Just after the combination, the reinforcements arrive, which includes s new set of exosuits for the Equestrians which can be used to attack the mind controlled with Equestrian-powered weapons to break the mind control, as discovered by Ratchet and his team earlier.

Soon all the bots and horses who were mind controlled are freed and turn against "Sombranok", causing the controlled Titan to explode, and dazing the king.

Soon a truce is upheld, and Megatron agrees not to try and abuse Equestrian magic again, as it doesn't meld well with Cybertron, but does agree that if anyone else wants to interact with Equestria, he won't get in their way, leading to the ponies to hug him as their new friend.

Elsewhere, the scene is being watched by a Quintesson, who judges the ponies as 'innocent'.....

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck

Elita-1 - Car

Mirage - Race Car

Cliffjumper - Car

Bumblebee - Car

Trailbreaker - Van

Arcee - Car

Ratchet - Ambulance

Wheeljack - Race Car

Blades - Rescue Helicopter

Cosmos - Orbiter 

Greenlight - Car 

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Swoop - Pteranodon

Sludge - Apatosaurus 

Slug - Triceratops

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Silverbolt - Passenger Jet Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Slingshot - Fighter Jet Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Air Raid - Fighter Jet Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Skydive - Fighter Jet Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Fireflight - Fighter Jet Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Superion - Aerialbot Combiner Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Jetfire - Jet Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Clampdown - Emergency Vehicle Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Afterburner - Speedbike Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Huffer - Truck Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Warpath - Tank Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Doublecross - Two Headed Dragon Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Decepticon

Megatron - Tank Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Snapdragon - Jet/Dragon

Breakdown - Armoured Van

Skytread - Tank and Jet

Slipstream - Fighter Jet

Shadow Striker - Car 

Ravage - Cassette

Frenzy - Cassette

Rumble - Cassette Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Bombshell - Boll Weevil Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Ruckus - Buggy Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Squeezeplay - Crab Monster Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Caliburst - Gun Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Refraktor - Hovercraft Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Other Cybertronian

Scorponok - Scorpion Destroyed

Equestrian

Princess Twilight Sparkle Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Pinkie Pie Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Fluttershy Mind Controlled by Sombra, later Freed 

Rarity

Applejack

Rainbow Dash

Spike

Smolder 

King Sombra Defeated and Captured

Octavia Melody

Blaze

Wave Chill

Soarin

Fleetfoot

Surprise

Queen Chrysalis (Mentioned)

Yona (Mentioned)

Sandbar (Mentioned)

Other Young Sixers (Mentioned)

Other

Quintesson Judge

Scorponok's Controller (Mentioned)

Notes

• Despite being correct in the comic itself, the main cover features the enslaved characters with purple glowing eyes instead of green...very odd.
• Following his adventure in the original crossover, Spike decided to research all of the Transformers...he's a nerd!
• It's kind of shocking to me that in a comic that features all the Dinobot's and a combiner, we didn't see Volcanicus being formed!
• It's implied here that Optimus and the other main Autobots weren't seen in this series to this point because they were following the possessed bots to keep track of them.
• The exosuits used by the ponies are designed to be able to transform into weapons, unlike the design shown briefly in the previous crossover, making them a similar technology to the Western version of the G1 Targetmasters.
• The weaponry that the Equestrians transform into are a hammer for Applejack, an axe for Rainbow Dash, a sword for Twilight Sparkle, a party cannon for Pinkie Pie, a flamethrower for Spike and a shield for both Rarity and Fluttershy. Fluttershy's shield is only seen briefly being weilded by Ratchet in a background shot.
• Rarity jokes that it's been about 20 minutes since Twilight was mind controlled. This is a reference to how an MLP episode usually takes place over 20 minutes. It's POSSIBLE that these events could have taken place over that short time frame, but it would be very tight...
• The Refraktor shown being freed by Arcee has blue eyes, but later he has red eyes...maybe she accidentally turned one of them into an Autobot?
• Scorponok exploding at the climax of this story is the first confirmed, named character to be killed off in the MLP crossover continuity.
• Most of the Cybertronians shown in this issue are based on recent toys or prominent characters...so why is Clampdown there? Is this an early look at a future Selects toy?
• The end of this issue shows a Quintesson Judge taking an interest in the Equestrians, hinting at a future crossover plot, however, due to Generation 5 starting soon for MLP it's possible that Friendship is Magic will be abandoned for the new continuity. Time will tell I guess!

IDW - Beast Wars #1

Title: Savage Landing, Part 1

Written by: Erik Burnham

Art by: Josh Burcham

Letters by: Jake M. Wood

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz

Plot

On Cybertron, the Tripredacus Agent Galavar, now going by the same Megatron, after the long-gone Decepticon leader, has led a team of loyal Predacons to steal a golden disk from the Science Ministry, and steal a Transwarp ship, destroying most of the rest at the shipyard in the process, much to the annoyance of the Tripredacus Council, who consider taking credit for it if his plan actually works though...

Elsewhere, the Axalon is is on a delivery mission when they are contacted by Ironhide of Maximal Command, who informs Optimus Primal of the theft on Cybertron, and orders him to intercept the Predacons before they can time jump with the Transwarp drive, since the Axalon is the only active Transwarp capable shuttle still in the area.

Soon, the Predacon shuttle passes them, causing the Maximals to give chase, and try to take out their engines, but they initiate the Transwarp drive, and start their time jump. Primal orders Nyx to tether their coordinates to the Predacon's, and the Axalon is pulled through too...

Now in the distant past, the Predacons arrive above an unnamed planet with two moons, and open fire on the second-to-arrive Axalon, taking out their weapons. Not letting that defeat the, Nyx rams the Axalon into the Predacon ship and sends both plummeting to the surface. On the way down, Rhinox ejects the Stasis Pods being stored on-board, to keep them safe from the crash impact, hoping they will land safely at a later date.

The two ships manage to dislodge and crash on opposite sides of a vast valley, knocking out both crews in the process, prompting the ship's A.I.s to repair them, but upon detecting high levels of Energon in the area, they scan the local lifeforms to grant them an extra organic shield to the exposure.

The two factions all recooperate and aclimate to their new forms, and Megatron plots to continue his grand scheme, but first, he plans to take out their pursuers...

Characters

Maximal

Ironhide - Tank

Optimus Primal - Gorilla (Previously Hover Truck)

Rhinox - Rhino (Previously Bulldozer)

Cheetor - Cheetah (Previously Race Car)

Rattrap - Rat (Previously Motorcycle)

Nyx - Bat (Previously Hover Speeder)

Under-3 - Car Killed by Scorponok

Other Maximal Command Security Force Members - Car Stunned by Predacons

Maximal Protoforms (Mentioned) In Stasis Pods, in Orbit

Maximal Command (Mentioned)

The Science Ministry (Mentioned)

Predacon

Sea Clamp

Ram Horn

Cicadacon

Galavar/Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Previously Tank)

Dinobot- Velociraptor (Previously Jet) 

Terrorsaur - Pteranodon (Previously Jet)

Waspinator - Wasp (Previously Jet)

Tarantulas - Tarantula (Previously Dragster)

Scorponok - Scorpion (Previously Pincer Tank)

Skold - Alligator Snapping Turtle (Previously Tank)

Other Cybertronian

Wheeljack (Statue Only)

G1 Megatron (Mentioned Only)

Notes

• This series marks the start of the first official remake of Beast Wars since the cartoon began, other comic series have been sequel, prequels or side-quels. (Uprising was set in a universe where G1 Megatron was killed by Blackarachnia's venom, after Beast Megatron's attempt to kill G1 Optimus, making it a sequel too). The series is being marketed as a celebration of the line's 25th anniversary, and is supposed to be an ongoing. We'll see how long this new series lasts though :)
• This issue essentially remakes the "Theft of the Golden Disk" mini-episode produced for Botcon many years ago, and the opening scene of the original cartoon's first episode.
• Most of the guards at the Science Ministry are based on the MCSF from the Botcon parts of the franchise, but seemingly using the character model made for Unit-3 (Under-3) for the final Botcon, using the Combiner Wars Dead End mould as the basis...I don't think this version of him will be combining into Magnaboss any time soon though... The other ones seen are kind of hard to identify, but three might be Shatterpoint, Highbeam and Switchblade, but I'm just not sure...
• Most of the main cast are using older toy designs of the characters (mostly from the various Botcon figures) but a few are new designs with their own histories, like Dinobot using the IDW1 design for Metalhawk that originated in "The Death of Optimus Prime" or Tarantulas using his Mesothulas design from "Sins of the Wreckers".
• The new characters introduced this issue are also based on older characters too, Skold is designed using Beast Machines Tankor's design in her Cybertronian mode, and a modified version of Beast Wars Snapper for the beast mode body. Nyx doesn't seem to have a particular basis for her Cybertronian body, but her beast mode is likely based on Beast Wars Sonar, but without the Transmetal II parts. Her name is likely based on Onyx Primal, who was also a bat Transformer from the past.
• The main cast Maximal Cybertronians alternate modes are show in the backmatter of this issue (albeit, using very small images though), but the Predacons are just shown in bot mode, so I am guess on their alternate modes, based on the previous uses of their designs.
• It's been known for a long time that Megatron had a different name before taking on the former Decepticon leader's name in his honour, but we never knew his name before now (other than the Gnashteeth link from the Micron Booster character). Galavar is most likely derived from Galvatron, a character that G1 Megatron would become (assuming this follows the same basic historical timeline as the original Beast Wars).
• Unlike in the original, the Maximals and Predacons had their beast-themed names before they even took on their beast modes.
• The Axalon and Darksyde are redesigned somewhat to make them more boxy that the original versions, which were more streamlined.
• Optimus Primal is shown to be a bit more of a loose cannon than his cartoon counterpart, being interested in trying time travel, even before his orders were given.
• Unlike in the cartoon, the two ship's crews were knocked into stasis lock when they crashed, and were scanned automatically by their ship's computers into animals to protect them from the planet's Energon exposure. In the original they made the decision themselves whilst still conscious.
• It's not currently clear if the planet they crash on here is the Prehistoric Earth like in the original version, but the presence of Earth animals does imply that it is.

IDW - Lost Light #21

Title: Crucible Part 3: Farsickness

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 sets the Lost Light onto the surface of Mederi, allowing the rest of his team to load up the now cured, but injured, former Sparkeater crew members, so they can escape the strange rift now splitting across the sky. In the ship, Rodimus forgives Perceptor and the rest of the mutineers for what they did and allows them to recover.

Before the ship leaves, Rewind finds a Geobomb that has just teleported onto the surface, which Rung warns him against touching. The ship tries to escape, but the gravitational pull of the rift is too strong and they are pulled through it...

On the other side of the rift, the Grand Architect is waiting with his fleet of Worldsweepers, being repaired by Flame, and having his crew wait for an incoming danger, that the Architect knows is coming here, to this point in time and space.

The Lost Light is flung out of the rift, only to find five multicoloured Cybertrons. Rodimus has the ship land on one of the Cybertrons, so they can investigate, there, Cyclonus recognizes the layout as Ancient Cybertron, from his time there, however, Anode and Swerve use their skills to determine that the metal on the world is very new, so it can't be Ancient Cybertron. Nautica and Rung recognize the location as where Skids described to them as visiting when he went through Tyrest's portal.

The group are soon encountered by a fleet of Black Block consortia ships, and a large Worldsweeper. They are soon surrounded, and the Architect gives the order to kill them, but are quickly stopped when Nautica speaks the word for the symbol of the Knights of Cybertron. The Architect is intrigued and allows Rodimus to bring a small team to the ship, whilst the rest will be killed, however Rodimus refuses, saying that everyone will come with him, which the Architect agrees to, despite complaints from the rest of his team.

Annoyed by the Architect's actions, and Tyrest's complacency in letting him do anything, out of a sense of loyalty to him for saving his life. He contacts his new allies, Sunder and Froid to attack the Architect to try and find out his identity in his mind.

The Lost Light parks into one of the docking bays, where the active crew departs from the ship amd wait for their "host" to join them. Whilst they have a moment of peace, Rung and Rodimus as Nickel about the Magnificence and she remarks that they found it, and it's been quiet for a while now, however when Rung examines it, following hearing it whisper his name, he is forced into his alternate mode, shocking everyone, especially since he spoke the transformation sound as he did it...

Out of the window, they notice Mederi is flung through the rift, and it starts to close. The crew start to wonder why this has happened when Froid and Sunder are brought into the room, revealed to be a large jail cell. There, the two new arrivals reveal that they tried to read the Architect's mind to find his name, but only saw his recent memories before being kicked out, and Sunder losing his Mnemosurgery skills.

Froid explains that from what they learned, the Architect created these worlds using a hollow world with a mould of Ancient Cybertron within it and used the Warren to bring them here, and had the Consortia, which is under his control, and use it to create the "God Gun" to use it to punch a hole in the universe to the next one over, to send a great evil he has been expecting though there, and trap it.

They couldn't use the real Cybertron for this, as it needs to be a pristine Cybertron, and thanks to the wars, the planet has been damaged too much over the years.

After the explanation, the Architect has the God Gun activated, and it starts poking a hole into the universe. Scorponok is contacted by the Architect, who explains that he didn't have a vision of this evil coming here, he saw it when he time travelled using the Warren millions of years ago, and has been preparing ever since. Scorponok however detects a powerful signal through the portal and declares that the Architect is wrong, and that by doing this, he has just summoned the evil here, since it was on the other side all along.

The Grand Architect, revealed to be Pharma, enters the room and kills Scorponok for his rudeness, and sending Sunder after him earlier.

Outside, the portal opens, and a fleet of ships, led by what appears to be another Lost Light exit, just as both Rodimus and Magnus receive a call at the same time...Megatron has returned from the Functionist Universe!

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Drift - Car

Megatron - Tank

Thunderclash - Truck

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Velocity - Race Car

Swerve - Van

Riptide - Boat

Brainstorm - Jet

Chromedome - Car

Rewind - Data Slug

Whirl - Osprey helicopter

Nautica - Submarine

Tailgate - Car

Rung - Photonic Crystal Generator? Forced into Alternate Mode by Magnificence

Sunder - Van

Perceptor - Tank In Recovery

Hound - Jeep In Recovery 

Skids - Van (Mentioned) Dead

Getaway - Car (Mentioned) Dead

Nightbeat - Car (Mentioned) Dead

Metrotitan - City/Ship (Mentioned) Dead

Metroplex - City/Ship (Mentioned)

Rest of the Lost Light Crew (Mentioned) In Recovery

Decepticon

Misfire - Jet

Spinister - Helicopter

Crankcase - Van

Krok

Fulcrum - K-Class Bomb

Nickel - Rocket Powered Buggy

Overlord - Jet and Tank (Mentioned)

The Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned) Dead

The Firstborn (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet

Roller - Truck

Anode - Bi-Plane

Lug - Backpack Equipment

Wipe-out - Car

Froid - UAV

Primus - Cybertron (Mentioned)

The Necrobot (Mentioned) Dead

Proto-Functionists (Mentioned)

Grand Architect's Forces

The Grand Architect/Pharma - Jet

Tyrest

Scorponok - Scorpion Killed by The Grand Architect

Flame

Black Block Consortia Biomech Soldiers

Grand Architect's Troops

Other

Telepathic Aliens Comatose

Scraplets Quarantined in Lost Light Medibay

Galactic Council (Mentioned)

The Grand Architect's Enemy (Mentioned)

Notes

• First Aid refers to Misfire as "Flyhigh". This was his original name, implying that First Aid knew him before this encounter. He also refers to him as "red"...he's more of a pink....
• Nickel can be seen looking at Roller, seemingly interested. This is likely a reference to the long-standing theory that he was Tarn's identity under his mask, before it was revealed to be Damus/Glitch.
• Crankcase declares "we're being sucked into it!" a clear nod to the Transformers Movie, when Spike and Bumblebee were eaten by Unicron.
• Before the end of this issue, Flame was seemingly the only one to have seen the Grand Architect, considering Pharma's known hatred of Decepticons, this makes sense, since Pharma was originally an Autobot.
• The world Skids was sent to through Tyrest's spacebridge led him to one of these new Cybertrons, and that they were made using the hollow Necroworld in the past, which was a mould created of Ancient Cybertron, and was located in the Benzene Cluster, a part of space mentioned many times in this series.
• It's finally revealed that the Black Block Consortia were infiltrated by some of the Grand Architect's biomech troops to cause them to go to war with the Galactic Council
• It's revealed that when Tyrest was transported away after his capture on Luna-1, he only reached the planet's thrusters, where The Grand Architect was for some reason located at the time.
• Rung reacted to the Magnificence by involuntarily transforming...I'm gunna guess that they are connected in some way.
• Cybertron originally being a weapon or being converted into one has been a plot point explored a few times in the past of Transformers media.
• It's likely that Primus' intended target for the God Gun would have been Unicron.
• Scorponok is killed in a similar manner to Ambulon...I guess this means we can guess he is indeed dead now.
• It's implied at the end of this issue that the monster the Grand Architect was fearing was Megatron, but this seems unlikely since he's only been in the Functionist Universe for about a year now (maybe less in-universe). It's more likely, due to the big event this year, that it's Unicron he was fearing. Honestly, the Architect's plan to shunt Unicron to the next universe over is a good idea...so long as he doesn't have the ability to cross universes here...
• Pharma being the Grand Architect is quite unexpected...he was a loyal Autobot until he was coerced into harvesting his patients for their T-Cogs by the DJD, so how is he the "big bad" here? He was even active when Anode was first "killed" and when Scorponok and Flame were released from Garrus-9. The last time we saw Pharma, his headless, seemingly dead body was being dragged into the portal by some tentacles into what is now revealed to be one of these worlds. More than likely, the Grand Architect is actually the identity of that giant spark that Skids interacted with, and he is simply controlling the dead body of Pharma now.

IDW - Lost Light #20

Title: Crucible Part 2: Lustrare 

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Casey W. Coller

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

On Mederi, the team left on the surface continue to barricade themselves into Ward Zero, where First Aid manages to hack into Mederi's files discovers a possible cure for the Sparkeater disease, but it is a concussive medicine, meaning it has to be "punched" into the victims. They prepare to use a generator to administer the cure, but Misfire worries that the organic aliens in the ward could be harmed by the generator. First Aid agrees that this is a risk and tries to find another cure, only for Nickle to turn it on anyway. Outside the Sparkeaters are knocked out, and Velocity commends Nickel, since the organics would have been killed regardless if the monsters got inside, but luckily the generator didn't hurt them anyway. Nickel plays it off that she knew that...and not that she just didn't care about the aliens...

On the Lost Light, Cyclonus has flown off through the corridors with Star Saber chasing him, the two having unfinished business since their last encounter on Luna-1. Rodimus is left with Getaway and Scorponok, the former of which just watches as Scorponok pummels the Autobot. Rodimus taunts Getaway about how he'll never be a Prime, not just because of him not being worthy, but because "Getaway Prime" sounds stupid, to which Getaway just orders Scorponok to kill him.

In the now flooded Shuttle Bay Four, Grimlock manages to slice the Scraplet combiner in half, but it quickly reforms. It starts to grab for the team, until it notices Whirl and speeds off towards him. Whirl screams out a "No!" before being shocked at the Scraplets reforming into a hand and caress his face gently....

Back in the corridors, Star Saber is getting bored with just flying in circles, that is until Cyclonus transforms and draws his sword, bisecting the still speeding Star Saber from end to end, seemingly killing the murderous zealot. He offers him a brief prayer to hope Primus forgives his sins, as he also hopes the same for himself one day.

On the Bridge, Scorponok is about to squish Rodimus' head, but is teleported away by Tyrest, since the Grand Architect needs his "lieutenants" with him for the next stage of their plans. Getaway is left alone with Rodimus, and decides to run for his life rather than fight him there.

On Mederi, some of the Sparkeaters are brought into Ward Zero to complete their treatment, when suddenly the aliens begin a count-down, leaving everyone to worry about what they are counting towards...

Back on the Lost Light, Rodimus follows Getaway to the furnaces, where he contacts Cyclonus to let him know where he is, and he is ambushed by Getaway. The two fight, with Getaway threatening to use some Nucleon rods to destroy the ship. The two talk, and Getaway explains that when they arrived on "Cyberutopia" they found nothing, since the crew didn't have a consensus of what Cyberutopia would be like, and were soon attacked by the Grand Architect's Worldsweepers. Getaway managed to save his own life by claiming that Rodimus and Megatron, along with their allies would be coming to stop the Architect's plans, and offered to help them fight them off. As payment and a show of loyalty, he had his crew handed over to Scorponok to be turned into Sparkeaters.

Getaway admits that everything he ever wanted was pointless now, Cyberutopia was just a fantasy, and he'll never be a Prime. The only thing he has left is to kill Rodimus. Rodimus declares that Getaway is obsessed with him, but Getaway claims the opposite to be true, since he chased him across the universe, and rather than help out his crew on the surface of Mederi, he opted to come to the ship to kill him. This makes Rodimus pause for a moment to consider it, giving Getaway a chance to detonate the Nucleon rods...

LUCKILY, Cyclonus arrives and slices off Getaway's arm, leading him to run off in fear into the open furnace, planning to die by his own hands. Rodimus, having reconsidered things, runs in after his long-time enemy and recovers him, carrying him out as his paint job reverts back to its original state.

Rodimus puts Getaway on the ground as he and Cyclonus look for the sprinkler system controls to put out the furnace flames before they spread too far, however Getaway wakes up and grabs Cyclonus' discarded great sword. He goes to skewer the ancient Cybertronian, when he is stopped by an image of Primus himself in the now-activated Sprinklers. Primus holds out his hand to Getaway, which he takes to mean he has been chosen as the new Prime, he hold's his god's hand and is finally happy.

Then Primus breaks apart into the Scraplet army and tear Getaway apart, killing him in a violent fashion, leaving just a few scraps behind.

Behind the Scraplets, Whirl explains that the Scraplets that he looked after as a baby that snuck on the Lost Light from Luna-1 a few Christmas' ago were a part of the swarm and they have taken control of them. They hacking into the Mederi computers and gave Getaway his happiest wish, validation from god, before killing him.

All seems well, until Rodimus receives a call from Ratchet on Mederi, he explains about the organics having completed their countdown and tells his captain to look out the window, as there's a massive tear in space above Mederi.....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Drift - Car

Getaway - Car Eaten by Scraplets

Ratchet - Ambulance

First Aid - Ambulance

Velocity - Race Car

Brainstorm - Jet

Chromedome - Car

Rewind - Data Slug

Rung - Photonic Crystal Generator

Swerve - Van

Tailgate - Car

Nautica - Submarine 

Riptide - Boat

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex

Thunderclash - Truck

Whirl - Osprey Helicopter

Sparkeater Inferno - Fire Truck Knocked out by Concussive Medicine Wave

Sparkeater Waverider - Submarine Knocked out by Concussive Medicine Wave

Sparkeater Siren - Car Knocked out by Concussive Medicine Wave

Sparkeater Slamdance - Cassettes Knocked out by Concussive Medicine Wave

Sparkeater Gears - Van Knocked out by Concussive Medicine Wave

Sparkeater Powerflash - Jet Knocked out by Concussive Medicine Wave

Other Lost Lighter Sparkeaters Knocked out by Concussive Medicine Wave

Sparkeater Bluestreak - Car (Flashback Only)

Sparkeater Hound - Jeep (Flashback Only)

Sparkeater Hoist - Crane (Flashback Only)

Skids - Van (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon

Nickel - Rocket Powered Buggy

Misfire - Jet

Spinister - Helicopter

Fulcrum - K-Class Bomb

Crankcase - Van

Krok

Other Cybertronian

Scorponok - Scorpion

Star Saber - Jet Bisected by Cyclonus

Cyclonus - Jet

Roller - Truck

Wipe-Out - Car

Anode - Bi-Plane

Lug - Backpack Equipment

Primus (Scraplet Construct Only)

Tyrest (Voice Only)

Other

Scraplets

Alien Telepaths Comatose on Mederi

The Grand Architect (Mentioned)

The Beast (Mentioned)

Notes

• You may think it's harsh of Nickel to use the concussive wave generator around the organics, before they tested if it was safe for them, but do remember that her homeworld of Prion was destroyed by organics...so I guess it's okay for her to be a little kill-happy with them!
• Despite being the focus of the cover I got (Hey I love Star Saber!) His fight with Cyclonus lasts all of five panels....yay....we don't even get to see him transform into robot mode...
• Also....DAMMIT CYCLONUS! DON'T KILL MY STAR SABER SENPEI!! 
• Rodimus gets annoyed with Scorponok for referring to him as "Hot Rod", similarly to how he got annoyed with Fortress Maximus for the same reason. This is what you get for renaming yourself!
• Oh...what a shock...the scraplets are being controlled by the ones Whirl befriended in the Holiday Special...I totally didn't call that in the previous Lost Light review....
• According to Rodimus, Drift believes in what are essentially guardian angels named Slivers...hope they're not related to the poo aliens from the movies of the same names...
• Rung has "heard" the pronounced coat of arms for the Knights of Cybertron/the Grand Architect's faction before in the past...I wonder if this has some connection to his still unexplained alternate mode?
• Having finally taken back his ship, and gotten "revenge" on Getaway by not killing him like he wanted, but intending for him to be taken into custody for his crimes, Rodimus' colour scheme, which Drift gave him to signify that he wanted to kill someone, burns away in the flames, and returns to his classic look.
• Tyrest states that "The Beast" approaches. Considering this issue was originally meant to be released before Unicron #1 coming out, we can assume that this is referring to the planet eater.
• The crack in space near Mederi looks similar to the tear in time/space from the Marvel UK Time Wars event.
• My updated idea for the plot now, is that The Grand Architect's plan is to use the threadbare space created over the past few issues to try and trap Unicron within it, to try and save the Universe (obviously it'll fail, but whatever)