IDW - Transformers #38

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.

IDW - Transformers #21

Title: Rise of the Decepticons, Part 3: Tremors

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Billie Montfort & Blacky Shepherd

Colours by: Joana LaFuente & John-Paul Bove

Letters & Design by: Jake M. Wood

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Plot

Following another tremor, a geological team consisting of Azimuth, Geomotus, Landmine and Beachcomber find the giant Cybertronian Leviathan tracked down a crevice, who says that she won't transform and wants them to help her out.

Elsewhere, Bumblebee has been placed into a safe house under Stakeout's guard, but is visited by Windblade when they see a giant hologram of Megatron in the sky over Cybertron, claiming that the Autobots are trying to use the Tether's collapse to turn the people against the Ascenticons, who he points out are now being called "Decepticons" by the Autobots.

Orion Pax and Chromia see the hologram too, and Pax regrets that his old friend has gone this far, and is sure now that HE is the one responsible for the recent troubles on the planet, and not just rogue members of his faction.

Several high-risk Risers are being transported to their new base by Roughstuff when another tremor causes them to fall down another crevice. Being nearby, the geological team head out to see if they can help the injured, not knowing whose there. Once they reach the ledge, they recognize Quake, and report him to SecOps, knowing that he's one of Cybertron's most wanted right now. On hearing this, Geomotus decides to head back to Leviathan for safety.

Down the crevice, Triggerhappy shoots Roughstuff for crashing, and Rage reports the accident to Sixshot for help, though he's not very interested. Frenzy notices the geological team over the ledge and Triggerhappy transforms to go after them.

Triggerhappy quickly shoots Beachcomber and evades Landmine's attempt to ram into him when Windblade and the rest of Novastar's team arrive to take on the Risers. Fangry is quickly shot and taken out of the fight, and Quake gets caught in an electrified net by Novastar, seeing the state of the fight, Triggerhappy flies away, being chased by Windblade, and Rage drives away too.

Sixshot arrives and quickly knocks Blades out of the fight and joins Rumble and Frenzy to fight the remainder of the Security team.

Whilst the battle goes on, the Voin Asserter is being taken around Iacon by Nautica, who is just trying to keep the violent alien from levelling the city with it's firepower.

At the Titan Control Hub, Blaster okays Lightbright and Lodestar to leave Cybertron, whilst he continues to try and get the other Titans back online, now joined by Glyph, due to her data-wrangling expertise, and Tap-out and Steeljaw for guards.

Near to the battle site, Leviathan hears the noises and asks what's happening, to which Geomotus explains that his friends are fighting the Rise, which is all the motivation the giant Cybertronian needs. She transforms for the first time in ages and prepares to join the fight too....

Characters

Autobot/Security Operations

Orion Pax - Truck

Chromia - Car

Novastar - Car

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Blades - Helicopter Injured by Sixshot

Springer - Helicopter/Car

Sureshot - Buggy

Smokescreen - Car

Stakeout - Police Vehicle

Sentinel Prime - Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Prowl - Police Vehicle (Mentioned)

Ascenticon/The Rise

Megatron - Mining Vehicle

Sixshot - Car/Jet/Gun/Tank/Winged Wolf

Rage - Car

Quake - Tank Ensnared in Electric Net by Novastar

Triggerhappy - Gun Mounted Jet

Fangry Shot by Springer

Rumble - Cassette

Frenzy - Cassette

Roughstuff - Truck Badly Shot by Triggerhappy

Termagax - Truck (Mentioned)

Soundwave - Hovercraft (Mentioned)

Shockwave - Battle Platform (Mentioned)

Storm Cloud - Jet (Mentioned)

Astrotrain - Trackless Train/Space Shuttle (Mentioned)

Slipstream - Jet

Other Cybertronian

Azimuth

Beachcomber - Buggy Shot by Triggerhappy

Geomotus -  Satellite-Mounted Buggy

Landmine - Treaded Plough 

Leviathan - Metal Harvester

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft

Pointblank - Car

Nautica - Submarine

Road Rage - Flying Car

Blaster 

Wavelength

Playback

Steeljaw

Glyph - Car

Tap-Out - Car

Lodestar - Senate Shuttle

Lightbright (Voice Only)

Highbrow (Mentioned)

Hoist (Mentioned)

Halonix Maximus (Mentioned)

Preditron (Mentioned)

Vigilem - Titan Warship (Mentioned) Missing

Disabled Titans (Mentioned) "Gone Dark, and on Slow Fall"

Other

Voin Asserter 

Enslaved Organics

Flyt Swarm

Murdered Voin (Mentioned) Dead

Notes

• We have two new artists for this issue, but I have no idea who did what pages, however whichever one did the artwork using Windblade's Thrilling 30 toy character model is no friend to anyone! GUH!
• Azimuth is based on the Kronoform toy from the pre-G1 Micro Change toy line, though I'm pretty sure she doesn't turn into a wristwatch here...
• Cybertron's Earthquake problem seems to be increasing...maybe Primus is angry about the recent events, or maybe someone is doing something dodgy under the planet's surface?
• Bumblebee is officially out of the Ascenticons now, but still needs his insignia removed.
• Megatron is outright shown lying this issue when he says he didn't cause the Tether to fall, when he was the one to order it. Before now he's only really stretched the truth, but now he's outright lying to everyone.
• Triggerhappy is shown to use his most recent toy, the Titans Return figure, for his character model
• Though he's still groaning the last time we see him, I'm going to assume that Roughstuff died from his wounds, considering the battle that started shortly after the wounding.
• Despite his robot mode being based on his Titans Return figure, his alternate mode looks totally different.
• We don't see Rumble transform in this issue, but since he shares a character model with Frenzy, we can assume he shares his alternate mode. 
• Enough time has passed since the last issue that Lodestar has been repaired enough to head to get her refits to take on Vigilem in the future.
• Blaster mentions that the Titans are dark and on a slow fall, implying that they are going to fall down to Cybertron's surface if they aren't fixed soon.

IDW - Transformers (2019) #9

Title: The Cracks Beneath Your Feet, Part 3
Written by: Brian Ruckley
Art by: Angel Hernandez & Anna Malkova
Colours by: Joana LaFuente
Letters by: Tom B. Long
Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

Chromia, Windblade and Sideswipe head to the memorial, where they locate the entrance to the hidden base, once there, Chromia contacts Geomotus, who confirms her theory that the micro-fissures he found during their earlier mission had to be caused by mining, confirming to her that the base was built recently. Chromia bemoans that Barricade isn't responding to her calls and that they have to do this mission without him. The trio arm up with weapons with the armoury and head inside, with Sideswipe standing guard outside...

Elsewhere, Prowl tracks down one of his black market contacts, Headlock, and threatens him to give him all the information he has on the Voin and the recent killings, to which he admits that he's already given all the information he has to Barricade, who came to see him on "behalf" of Security...much to Prowl's surprise.

In the Rise base, the team are detected by Sixshot, Flamewar and Shadow Striker, who are the only members left after the evacuation, and Sixshot bemoans their actions that led Security straight to them.

Whilst exploring the base, Chromia and Windblade find a lot of supplies and equipment, but Chromia gets excited when she sees some Energon stations that haven't had their monitors disabled, so if they use a detector they can discover everyone who has used them! Windblade runs off to get the detector, leaving Chromia alone with the stations, unaware that Sixshot has arrived behind her...

At Ascenticon HQ, Bee is shocked to see the line of potential Ascenticon Guard members, and is surprised to see Barricade has been allowed to try out, despite him being current Security, which he waves off as him just having more to "offer" than Bee did...

Back outside the Rise base, Windblade grabs the detector and rushes back inside, when alone, Sideswipe is attacked by Flamewar.

Inside, Chromia and Sixshot fight it out, and Sixshot appears to be winning, until Windblade arrives and skewers her sword through his chest. Sixshot runs off, with the sword still in his chest, but throws a grenade to slow down the Securities. Chromia gives chase, whilst Windblade attached the detector, and they hear Shadow Striker on the intercom saying to escape before the "boom".

Shadow Striker and Sixshot escape, and Flamewar, seeing them leave, drives off as well, leaving Sideswipe alive behind her.

Chromia gets outside, but is shocked that Windblade hasn't escaped yet, just as the Rise base explodes, destroying the monument and Windblade's broken body is thrown miles away from the site.

Characters

Security Forces

Chromia - Car

Windblade - VTOL Jet Caught in Rise HQ Explosion, Thrown Miles away

Sideswipe - Car

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Barricade - Police Vehicle (Defecting to Ascenticons)

Security Trainees (Mentioned)

The Rise

Sixshot - Jet 

Shadow Striker - Car

Flamewar - Motorcycle

The Rise Commander (Mentioned)

Other Risers (Mentioned)

Ascenticon

Elita-1 - Car

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft

Soundwave - Hovercraft (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Headlock

Ascenticon Potential Recruits

Geomotus - Radar Mounted Rover (Hologram Only)

Cyclonus - Jet (Mentioned)

Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Rubble (Mentioned) Dead

Landmine (Mentioned)

The Missing Cybertronians (Mentioned)

Other

Unlicensed Voin Scavenger (Mentioned) Dead

Notes

• Despite the main cover, and the solicits for the issue, Sentinel, Starscream Nautica, Orion Pax and Hound do not appear in this issue at all. At least Bumblebee has a page of content though I guess...
• Geomotus mentions a co-worker of his being named Landmine. Since this is a G1 series, we should assume this is the G1 character of the same name, but this series has had a fair few surprises so far, so maybe this is another version!
• Prowl mentioned that he was going to be looking into his black market contacts, just before Rubble died, implying that this is how Quake learned about the Voin Scavenger and went out to look for him.
• Shadow Striker outright names her group "Risers", pretty much confirming that they are the Rise, and not Ascenticons (unless the groups are connected like I originally believed)
• Oh hey! Sixshot is back! Let's hope he doesn't get lobotomized again this time!
• Also, we only see Sixshot in his jet alternate mode, so we don't know if he's a six-changer yet or not (though, based on the wheels on his shoulders, he most likely also turns into a car as well)
• Barricade getting information from Headlock about the Voin, and being instantly admitted into the Ascenticons instead of going through barriers like Bee had to would imply that he's been a mole for Soundwave for a while within the Security Forces, and likely gave them the information that led to the Voin and Rubble being killed by Quake.
• Sideswipe's Thermal Lance seems to be designed after the Decepticon Hunter used by his RID2015 counterpart.

IDW - Transformers (2019) #7

Title: The Cracks Beneath Your Feet, Part One

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Angel Hernandez, Andrew Griffith & Anna Malkova

Colours by: Joana LaFuente & Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

Prowl and Chromia meet with Greenlight and Ratchet in the medical center, where they confirm that the Voin and Rubble were both killed via blunt force, rather than gunshots like Brainstorm was, meaning that there is likely two killers on the loose, rather than just one, as they were hoping.

Chromia tells Prowl that it's not his fault, but Prowl feels bad for not being able to find the Voin himself, and for not being able to help Rubble when he called for help, and he vows to solve this case.

Elsewhere, Bee is mourning for the death of his charge and Windblade reassures him that he isn't to blame for this.

Orion comes to see him, but Bee doesn't want to talk to him right now and leaves. Orion offers his condolences for Rubble's death and leaves him be. Soon, Ironhide contacts him to let him know that following the newest deaths, the colony tours has been called off, and Sentinel and his crew are returning to Cybertron via the spacebridge, which Orion was expecting...

Bee heads to the Ascenticon HQ where Elita is shocked to see him, following his recent loss. Bee explains that he wants to join now more than ever, to make the world safer, and also says that Soundwave told him that the rest of the crew can decide if he joins or not. 

Skytread and Refraktor aren't impressed, and try to push him around due to him only being a scout, and being chucked out of the security forces in the past, but when Skytread points out that Bee coulsn't even keep his charge alive, Bee snaps and takes down Skytread and Refraktor with relative ease. Elita puts an end to the fight and Bee notices that Quake wasn't there too...

Meanwhile, at the memorial crater, Cyclonus stands watch, in case Exarchon and the Threefold Spark ever return, and continues to be haunted by the ghosts (or delusions) of his old friends. Cyclonus notices a new wire in the land around the memorial and decides to tear it out, considering it disrespectful, when he is attacked by Flamewar, who silently opens fire on him. Cyclonus tries to escape in jet mode, but is shot down.

Pissed at being forcibly grounded twice recently, he openly challenges Flamewar to a fight..

Characters

Autobot/Security Forces

Orion Pax - Truck

Chromia - Car

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Ironhide - Van (Hologram)

Nominus Prime (Mentioned)

Sentinel Prime (Mentioned)

Ascenticon

Elita-1 - Car

Skytread - Tank and Jet

Refraktor

Soundwave (Mentioned)

Quake - Tank (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft

Ratchet - Ambulance

Greenlight - Car

Cyclonus - Jet

Flamewar - Motorcycle

Cybertronian Pedestrians

Rubble (Body) Killed by Quake

Gridlock (Ghost)

Highfire (Ghost)

Grudge (Ghost)

Provoke (Ghost)

Primus (Mentioned)

Starscream - Jet (Mentioned)

Nautica - Submarine (Mentioned)

Perceptor (Mentioned)

Arcee - Car (Mentioned)

Arcee's Charge (Mentioned)

Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Exarchon (Mentioned)

The Threefold Spark (Mentioned)

Other Species

Unlicensed Voin Scavenger (Body) Killed by Quake 

Notes

• Well this issue confirms it! Rubble was indeed killed in issue five. I am so glad they haven't given him a hand-waved save, thus negating the whole concept of death in the continuity from the onset :D
• This issue's art duties are divided up as follows: Hernandez does the Bumblebee scenes, Griffith does the Prowl and Orion Pax scenes, and Malkova finishes it off with the Cyclonus scene at the end.
• This issue comes with a free booster pack of the Wave One Transformers TCG. Mine didn't have anything too good in it unfortunately :( Also, the advert on the cover is kind of irritating...
• Greenlight is revealed to be a Xenobiologist (ie an alien specialist), the name of her and Arcee's new charge is still not known however...curious...
• Orion starts to suggest something to Bee in this issue, which he ignores and proceeds to the Ascenticon HQ, further adding to the idea that he is joining them as a ruse for Orion and the Senate. 
• Nautica and Starscream are mentioned as being part of Sentinel Prime's crew, possibly meaning they are also Senators, or at least high ranking individuals
• This issue gives our first proper mention of Spacebridges in this new continuity.
• Elita-1 is very different from her previous IDW self, with this one seeming to be more in line with her G1 cartoon self, as a protective and caring personality, but still a strong warrior who commands respect.
• Oh wow! It's Flamewar! We haven't seen her since her brief cameo in the TAAO Annual! Looks like she still has her motorcycle mode too! (NOW GIVE US A DECENT TOY FOR HER ALREADY HASBRO!!)
• Cyclonus mentions that this was his second forced landing, referring to the one he suffered at Windblade's hands in issue four.

IDW - Transformers (2019) #4

Title: The World In Your Eyes, Part Four

Written by: Brian Ruckley

Art by: Sara Pitre-Durocher, Angel Hernandez & Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Joana LaFuente & Josh Burcham

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editors: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz

Plot

Windblade, Chromia and Geomotus investigate the area around the Transmission Station, where Geomotus notices that the land has been disturbed lately, but isn't sure if it was natural, or caused by a device. Windblade sees someone nearby, and Chromia recognizes him as Cyclonus, she sends Windblade after him.

Windblade pounces on Cyclonus, and Chromia knocks him over too, and they convinces him that they just want to talk. Cyclonus confirms that he saw Brainstorm arrive a while ago, but saw nothing else. Chromia orders him to come to Iacon to discuss this properly, but he's stand-offish about it. After they leave, Cyclonus talks with the ghosts from his past, and they ask him why he didn't mention the other bot who was with Brainstorm before his death...

Elsewhere, Rubble and Bumblebee join a large crowd in welcoming another new Cybertronian into the world, which is unprecedented due to the closeness to Rubble's own forging, and the proximity to Brainstorm's death.

They watch as the new female Cybertronian is introduced to Arcee, her mentor and Rubble reminisces on his few memories of his own first day.

The two of them leave after the ceremony, but Bee comes across an Autobot officer and a Rise member arguing about the Rise being suspected of killing Brainstorm, and Bee breaks it apart. Prowl soon arrives and is clearly stressed out from the investigation, even dismissing Rubble's offers to help identify the Voin Scavenger who may have been involved due to him seeing it before, and he sends them on their way.

Bee says goodbye to Rubble on his way home again, as he is going to attend Brainstorm's funeral that night, but also apologizes for being a bit flaky as a mentor recently.

Later, several high ranking individuals, as well as friends and cohorts attend the funeral for Brainstorm, which is being presided over by a Revertionist, despite Brainstorm's atheism. Orion explains that this was to appease them, as the council were worried that they may join the Ascenticons if they weren't allowed this high profile ceremony.

Megatron gets into a short argument with Ironhide about not using the funeral to try and discuss politics, after Orion asks Megatron to get Termagax to denounce the recent riots and violence by Megatron's faction.

As Brainstorm's body is placed into a furnace for incineration, all in attendance are silent and mourn for their fallen friend....

Characters

Autobot/Security Forces

Orion Pax - Truck

Ironhide - Van

Chromia - Car

Windblade - VTOL Jet

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Barricade - Police Vehicle

Green Officer

Ascenticon

Megatron - Treaded Vehicle

Soundwave - Hovercraft

Termagax (Mentioned) In Seclusion

Other Cybertronian

Bumblebee - Winged Hovercraft

Rubble

Cyclonus - Jet

Geomotus - Radar Mounted Rover

Perceptor

Wheeljack - Car

Ratchet - Ambulance

Arcee - Car 

Greenlight - Car

Newly Forged Cybertronian

Two Senators

Reversionist Funeral Director

Reversionist Followers

Rise Member

Funeral Attendees 

Welcoming Ceremony Crowd

Cyclonus' Ghost Friends Dead, Visions

Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned) Body Incinerated

Sentinel Prime (Mentioned)

Starscream (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

"Blue-ish Bot" (Mentioned)

Other

Aliens in Welcoming Ceremony Crowd

Unlicensed Voin Scavenger (Mentioned) 

Notes

• The art duties this issue have been shifted around a bit. Hernandez is still doing the Rubble story-line, but Sara Pitre-Durocher (Till All Are One) provides the art for the opening scenes, and Andrew Griffith (Robots in Disguise 2012) does the final scene.
• After his brief cameo last issue, we see Cyclonus is full here, and he is indeed based on his Combiner Wars counterpart, but with sharper nails to match his MTMTE counterpart.
• The ghosts we see with Cyclonus are most likely victims of the war with the Threefold Spark that was mentioned last issue.
• The ghosts mention a blue-ish bot that was with Brainstorm before he died, this is clearly trying to hint towards Rubble being the killer, but there are other blue/blue-ish bots in the series so far
• The building that the new Cybertronians come out of and are shown off is referred to as "the Pyramid"....it doesn't really look like a Pyramid to me...
• Greenlight is clearly using her upcoming Siege toy design (you can tell from the backpack) but Arcee is too far away and lacks enough detail to identify her body design, but I would assume she is based on either her Thrilling Thirty design or the new one made for the Synergy one shot.
• Judging from the dialogue and their proximity it is assumed that Arcee and Greenlight are in a relationship.
• Rubble comments that his first thoughts about Bee was that he was very yellow, which Bee seems to be a bit offended by. Whilst he was likely referring to his colour scheme, being "yellow" is often a euphemism for cowardice...perhaps this is a hint to why he left the security forces?
• With Orion Pax meeting the new Cybertronian are two larger robots, whom we can assume are Senators, maybe my thoughts on older Cybertronians just being larger is true after all?
• This issue confirms that the Voin Scavengers are just the brain module thing, with the organic creatures being enslaved creatures.
• Interestingly, the dialogue suggests that Termagax is still alive, but in seclusion somewhere, so I guess she wasn't the prisoner Froid was forbidden from meeting after all!
• Perceptor is shown using a classic looking design, rather than his now usual sniper redesign...I'm kind of glad about this reversion!
• Ratchet makes a cameo showing his new Siege toyline deign off as well :)