Title: Darkness, Once Gazed Upon, Part Two
Written by: Brian Ruckley
Art by: Anna Malkova
Colours by: David Garcia Cruz
Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood
Editor: David Mariotte
Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer
Supervising Editor: Tom Waltz
Plot
Megatron meets with Mindwipe in secret, to entrust a Titanspark to him, intending for him to use it to create a new Titan, and eventually restore the Forge to create a new Decepticon army for Megatron's cause.
Soundwave calls Megatron away to deal with the newly imprisoned Ultra Magnus. The war general tries to make Megatron see sense, and warns him that Ruckus is somehow connected to a returning Exarchon.
The Decepticons don't believe him, and Megatron has him imprisoned with the captured Senators. Strika however, knowing that Magnus wouldn't lie, suggests that they do look into Ruckus, in case there's any validity to Magnus' claims.
Elsewhere, Cyclonus goes to see "Provoke" again, but finds her researching Cybertron's history some more, and not seeming to have regained her own memories any further.
After leaving, the ghosts of his former teammates/his inner thoughts further suspect Provoke isn't actually herself due to her strange behaviour and even speak patterns...
The Autobots send a small strike team into Iacon to recover Ultra Magnus, with Smokescreen getting them inside using a hidden tunnel through Swindle's bar, calling in a favour with the bartender to give them free passage to leave the city later.
Magnus is taken to the Senate prison, where he finds the Senators dying, but refusing to give in to Megatron's demands.
The Autobot team break into the prison, and manage to free Magnus, but can't manage to save the Senators as well, due to their limited numbers and time, with the rest of the Autobots reinforcing Crystal City for an expected attack from Megatron.
Magnus joins the other Autobots in escaping, reluctantly leaving the Senators behind, potentially to die, and manage to get to a closed Swindle's.
Swindle tries to protest having the Autobots there, due to the Decepticon's rules, but he's ignored by the Autobots, who also want him to allow Bumblebee and Elita-1 to escape with them, and to arm the two of them, as well as Magnus, so they can defend themselves when the Decepticons give chase.
Unknown to any of them, Trickdiamond disapproved of Swindle's deal with Smokescreen, so she informed Starscream, who passed it on to Sixshot, who is now outside the bar, ready to kill everyone inside....
Characters
Autobot
Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport
Chromia - Car
Windblade - VTOL Jet
Smokescreen - Car
Arcee - Car
Greenlight - Car
Gauge - Energon Detector Vehicle
Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned)
Decepticon
Megatron - Tank
Soundwave - Hovercraft
Sixshot - Jet/Car/Tank/Gun/Winged Beast
Strika - Battle Tank
Starscream - Jet
Slipstream - Jet
Flamewar - Motorcycle
Blackjack - Car
Mindwipe - Bat
Twirl - Jet
Tentakil - Squid
Nautilator - Lobster
Cy-Kill - Motorcycle Crushed Under Senator Prison Door
Offroad - Van
Triton
Scatterspike - Van
Cindersaur - Lizard Monster
Flamefeather - Bird Monster
Jolt - Car
Ravage - Cassette
Gutcruncher
Treadshot
Catgut
"Green Horns" Killed by Smokescreen
"Green Antennae" Kicked into Senate Prison by Chromia
Rest of Sixshot's Team
Ruckus/Exarchon - Buggy (Mentioned)
Other Cybertronian
Cyclonus - Jet
Provoke/Exarchon - Big Wheeled Vehicle
Crisscross Dying from lack of Energon
Swindle - Van
Trickdiamond - Car
Roughstuff - Truck
Kaskade Comatose
The Imprisoned Senators Dying from lack of Energon
Highfire (Ghost)
Paragon (Ghost)
Gridlock (Ghost)
Grudge (Ghost)
Flatline - Van (Mentioned) Missing
Termagax - Van (Mentioned)
Streetwise - Car (Mentioned)
Motormaster - Truck (Mentioned)
Headlock - Forklift (Mentioned)
Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft (Mentioned)
Elita-1 - Car (Mentioned)
Primus (Mentioned)
Insecticons Swarm (Mentioned)
Other
The "last" Titanspark
Rust Worms (Mentioned)
Notes
- This issue confirms the assumption that just about everyon had, that Megatron did recover at least one of the Titansparks from the Pyramid Forge before it was destroyed. He says it was just the one that survived, but I think it's safe to say he's lying again...
- We've known that Arcee was part of the Autobots for a few issues now, but we now learn that Greenlight and Gauge joined her.
- Soundwave appears to be under the impression that Ruckus is still comatose, and no-one seems to deny this. We learned he (really Exarchon) joined the Decepticons last issue, so maybe they're just letting anyone join, without going through Sixshot and the others now?
- Gridlock mentions that his body was taken by Termagax to try and figure out the weapon that killed him. We have seen his head amongst her belongings whenever we've seen inside "House". This also implies that she probably doesn't know the answer still though.
- Roughstuff has lost his Decepticon badge since last issue, so maybe he only has it for when on duty?
- The Senate building being turned into a prison has been referenced since the uprising, but we actually see it here. The main Senate meeting room is holding the shackled Senators, who are being deprived of Energon until they join the Decepticons. The windows and holes in the walls and ceiling are also covered in energy grates that can slice up anything on contact.
