IDW - Transformers: Last Bot Standing #3

Written by: Nick Roche

Art by: E.J. Su & Nick Roche

Colours by: Rebecca Nalty

Letters & Design by: Johanna Nattalie

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

The Last Cybertronians work on preparing Shib to be converted into biofuel, while Rodimus meets a badly damaged Wheelie, who is part of the group, but still refuses to join Steeljaw's crew, but the other Cybertronians are determined to convert him to using biofuel too. Steeljaw and most of the team leave to gather up the nearby townsfolk for farming and harvesting...

Moon is convinced by Shib, whom he has become fascinated by, and Wheelie to allow her to say goodbye to Rodimus before she is killed. She rusn over, and jabs the key her family has been protecting for centuries into Rodimus' chest, fully restoring him to his prime.

Rodimus quickly destroys the biofuel converter, and takes out most of the left behind Cybertronians, with Moon sacrificing himself when Shib is in danger of dying too. Wheelie sends two of the Cybertronians to warn the others, but Rodimus just kicks the smaller robot into orbit to die.

Rodimus chases the last two members, and kills them, with Shib wondering if Rodimus is actually the good guy...

Steeljaw and his crew reach Fembrance and start gathering up the townsfolk, but also start detecting Cybertronian technology in the area. Steeljaw makes his way to Shib's home, and destroys it, locating the box with the last two Energon keys and a data pad that Rodimus left for Shib's ancestors.

Rodimus and Shib soon return to Fembrance to find the town in ruins, and the townsfolk in caged trailers.

Rodimus is about to do something about it, when Steeljaw returns with Shib's family captive and reveals that he knows Rodimus' secret now....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Gripper - Buggy (Flashback) Died from Accidental Fall

Strongarm - Van (Flashback) Died in Ship Crash

Last Cybertronians

Steeljaw - Van

Sharpclaw - Car

Wheelie Launched into Orbit by Rodimus

Wildwheel - Car Killed by Rodimus

Moon - Rabbit Accidentally Killed by Wildwheel 

Vex - Car Killed by Rodimus

Treadshock - Tank Killed by Rodimus

Riotgear - Tank

Override - Car

Cyberwarp - Jet

Wedge - Front End Loader

Lunaclub - Helicopter

Scylla - Squid

Nitro Dead 

Donnokt Denizens

Shib Wallkis

Beets Wallkis Captured by Steeljaw 

Trayvon Wallkis Captured by Steeljaw 

Errold 

Fembrance Rangers

Fembrance Townsfolk Captured

Shib's Mother (Flashback)

Shib's Father (Flashback)

Wallkis Family Ancestors (Flashback)

Primitive Donnokt People (Flashback)

Fembrance Miners (Mentioned)

Notes

• As predicted before, the keys are filled with liquid Emerging that is designed to be used on the 3 Autobots who landed on Donnokt.
• The keys being able to open up a hidden hatch on a Transformer, and empower them, repairing injuries etc, resembles the Allspark Key from Animated.
• Wheelie being the "Veteran" here is treated like a big reveal, but the preview last issue revealed it to us...
• I mentioned last issue that it looked like Rodimus altered his robot mode when he became the wagon, but this issue reveals that it's the same design, but worn down from a lack of Emerging.
• Rodimus implies that there is something else hidden on Donnokt, and seemed very interested in if the Miners in town had found out about him. I'm guessing that Donnokt has a natural surplus of Energon, which Rodimus is trying to hide.
• The deaths of Gripper and Strongarm seem a bit suspicious to me. I think, based on the previous note, that they tried to leave the planet with the new source of Energon to save their species, but Rodimus stopped them by killing them.
• The secret discovered by Steeljaw is likely not about the Energon, since Steeljaw and the others already said they couldn't really convert back to using Energon now, so it most likely is something more than that.
• The art on Cover B shows Rodimus seeing past Cybertronians, most based on past designs, but Blaster appears to be a fully new design...and now I am desperate to know what he turns into...

IDW - Transformers: Last Bot Standing #2

Written by: Nick Roche

Art by: E.J. Su & Nick Roche

Colours by: Rebecca Nalty

Letters & Design by: Johanna Nattalie

Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer

Editor: David Mariotte

Plot

Rodimus investigates the pod used by the Visitor, but keeps being interrupted by Shib, who followed him, and explains that she, and her family, have been hiding him for generations.

Rodimus tries to use the stars to determine exactly how long it's been since he went into hiding, but is shocked to see the stars  linking out of existence, which Shib says has been happening since at least her grandfather's time.

The elderly Autobot laments that his species is to blame for the stars dying, and for so many world's dying, all because of their war.

Soon, a mob from the town arrives, and they intend to take Rodimus away for a town meeting to determine his fate, and also intend to imprison Shib and her family for hiding an alien robot. Rodimus agrees to be captured, but on the condition that Shib and her brothers not be blamed at all.

Elsewhere, Moon, formerly Spine-Shucker, guards the new base of his crew of eclectic Cybertronians, who have landed on the planet to look for a new home, and for more biofuel to power them.

Override and Riotgear are sent out to find Nitro, their scout, and locate his pod, which is being guarded by two of the townsfolk, whom Riotgear quickly grabs and learns that another Cybertronian was taken to town. Riotgear proceeds to devour the townsfolk to use as fuel...

At her homestead, Shib speaks with her brother Beets, before silently sneaking out of the house, slipping past the sleeping guard.

The next morning, Rodimus has been strapped to the ground, and is being guarded by some townsfolk, but they are soon distracted when Override and Riotgear arrive, and completely ignore them when they notice Rodimus.

Shib tries to free Rodimus, but he's afraid for her safety due to more of his kind appearing. Shib hides, at Rodimus' request, but the two other Cybertronians "rescue" him, and drive back towards their base.

The town's Alderman is told about the "rescue" and he's furious, despite their weapons having no effect on the giant robots regardless. He is further angered when he learns that Shib escaped from her house, and now considers her a conspirator with the aliens.

Rodimus is soon brought to the Cybertronian camp, where everyone is shocked to see another member of their species. Rodimus intends to fight them all, but his energy depletion gets to him, and he passes out.

While offline, Rodimus recalls how he, Gripper and Strongarm landed on the planet, with Rodimus intending to have them all just die out here, and not cause any further problems for the universe, hoping they're the last of their species.

Rodimus soon wakes up, and is shocked when no-one recognises his name, and learns that the Last Cybertronians have been overwriting their old memories to help themselves survive, and also now power themselves on Biofuel, and reveals that they already have a new subject to be converted into fuel...Shib, who was hiding in Rodimus' cape!

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Wagon Base (Previously Car)

Strongarm - Van (Flashback)

Gripper - Buggy (Flashback)

Powermaster Optimus Prime - Truck (Flashback)

Grandus - Battle Platform (Flashback)

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Flashback)

Thunderclash - Truck (Flashback)

Windblade - VTOL Jet (Flashback)

Tigerhawk - Winged Tiger (Flashback)

Bulkhead - Van (Flashback)

Armada Red Alert - Van (Flashback)

Arcee - Car (Flashback)

Decepticon

Galvatron - Cannon (Flashback)

Gigatron - Jet/Bat/Car/Dragon/Hand (Flashback)

Predaking - Predacon Gestalt (Flashback)

Starscream - Tetrajet (Flashback)

Sixshot - Car/Jet/Tank/Gun/Winged Beast (Flashback)

Strika - Battle Tank (Flashback)

Flamewar - Motorcycle (Flashback)

Snarler - Drill-Beast (Flashback)

Noisemaze - Space Jet (Flashback)

Calcar - Car (Flashback)

The Last Cybertronians

Steeljaw - Van

Sharpclaw - Car

Moon/Spine-Shucker - Rabbit

Override - Car

Riotgear - Tank

Cyberwarp - Jet

Vex

Wedge - Bulldozer

Treadshock - Tank

Nitro - Car (Mentioned) Dead

Scylla (Mentioned) In Stasis

Lunaclub (Mentioned In Stasis

"The Veteran" (Mentioned) In Stasis 

Donnokt Denizens

Shib Wallkis Captured by the Last Cybertronians

Alderman Errold 

Beets Wallkis

Wallkis Homestead Guard

Tunp

Spletsil

Rodimus' Third Guard

Buck Eaten by Riotgear

Buck's Co-Guard Eaten by Riotgear 

Fembrance Townsfolk/Mob

Donnokt Steeds

Trayvon Wallkis (Mentioned)

Grandpappy Wallkis (Mentioned)

Mr Wallkis (Mentioned)

Shib's Ancestors (Mentioned)

Fembrance Town Council (Mentioned)

Other

Primus (Mentioned)

Humans (Mentioned)

Nebulans (Mentioned)

Klovians (Mentioned)

Notes

• Despite a couple of IDW #1 nods this issue, I don't believe this can fit in that continuity, since the Optimus Prime shown was in his Powermaster body, which that version of Prime never took on. (Though I guess he could be Ginrai...)
• The "Last Cybertronians" we meet this issue are an eclectic group from most Transformers generations. Quite fitting for a series designed to end an era, and celebrate the brand.
• The "Visitor" from last issue, who Rodimus killed, is revealed to be named Nitro.
• Rodimus' design changes between the flashbacks and the modern day scenes, most likely due to scanning the wagon he's been using for decades, but it could also be from spare parts from the Wallkis family.
• Rodimus believes that the Cybertronians are the reason that the stars are dying in the sky, most likely because of the war (we have seen Star Harvesters in some past continuities etc).
• Strongarm is confirmed to be one of Rodimus' comrades, but the other is Gripper, not Prowl as I guessed last issue. oh well.
• We can assume from Rodimus' behaviour that Strongarm and Gripper are most likely dead.
• The Last Cybertronians have overwritten their older memories, in luding many famous names from the past, a nod to Information Creep from IDW #1, an explanation on why beings able to live for billions of years, can forget their distant past.
• The Last Cybertronians are revealed to use "biofuel", where they process organic life into fuel for them to use. This process was referred to as Pink Alchemy in IDW #1, and was hinted at with the Insecticons in IDW #2.
• The "Veteran" mentioned here is heavily implied to be Wheelie, based on the next issue promo. However, the name originates from an alias used by Swoop in the 3H comics Beast Era comics and prose.
• Rodimus seems to have an attachment for his cape/tarp, potentially meaning it was a gift from Strongarm or Gripper, or perhaps the original Wallkis ally. Though it is also possible that he just realised that Shib was in the cloth, and was worried for her.
• The energy keys that Shib owns are still not explained, but I still believe they are to be used to jumpstart Rodimus' spark, and would have been given to her ancestors when Rodimus first went into hiding.