IDW - Unicron #5

Main Story

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Alex Milne

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Side Story

Title: A World and a Future

Written by: Magdalene Visaggio

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colours by: David Garcia Cruz

Lettered by: Curtis Fandango

Edited by: David Mariotte

Main Story Plot

Shockwave watches on from the CN Tower in Toronto as his Maximals continue to destroy the city, readying it for a new Cybertronian Empire. And he determines that the Talisman must have been transported to Earth with the Transformers, so he links up with his Titan, Nemesis, who is within Unicron to scan the planet to find the device so he can retrieve it and use it on Unicron. He is however unaware that Snake Eyes and a group of Ninjas are currently approaching his location...

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Thundercracker is helping to put out fires and rescue trapped Humans, due to Unicron's proximity to Earth causing natural disasters. He soon realizes that he forgot to return a call to Marissa, which he tries to do, but is told they cannot talk, as she is in a meeting.

Marissa hangs up on her friend as she stands with Scarlett, Flint and a few world leaders, preparing a mission with the assembled forces of Earth, including the Action Man programme, GI Joe, Cobra, Dire Wraiths and the Dinobots, amongst others. Soon, the meeting is intruded on by Shockwave, Swift, Ironhide, Rom and Livia, who are acting as representative of Cybertron and the colonies.

After a short altercation between the Solstar Knights and Dire Wraiths, Trypticon orders everyone to get along, for the sake of everyone, including the still forming new Cybertronians within him.

Back in Africa, the refugees from Cybertron are preparing for battle, and reuniting with their friends  when Prowl's shuttle arrives with his crew and the Autobot Colonists in tow, willing to help in the final battle.

Soon, Jetfire calls everyone together to explain to them that Unicron devoured the black hole that his original planet form orbited, which is why he is also blinking out he stars whenever he devours a planet, meaning this threat is to everyone and everything, not just them. Optimus appreciates this, but they have to focus on defeating Unicron before fixing the damage, and they plan to use the Talisman to do it...

Shockwave has located the Talisman using the Nemesis and relays it's location to Bludgeon, ordering him to bring it to Unicron to kill him before he gets to Earth. Unfortunately Bludgeon's loyalties are now with Unicron, so he sends the Maximals down to destroy it instead....

In a moment of quiet, Optimus looks out to the stars and is joined by Arcee, who is now worried for her future, since she is finally happy with Aileron, and is worried that she'll lose her in this war. Optimus tells her that despite what happens, she has to cherish what she has now, and not dwell on what could happen. Their moment is soon ended however when Aileron reports that the Maximals are approaching the city.

Earth's militaries, including GI Joe meet the Maximals head-on, with several being killed on both sides, but the Maximals manage to slip past them. Luckily they gave the city enough time and Destro links his Mass transport device to Metroplex, allowing the city and all the ships around it to be transported away, to the confusion of the Maximals.

Thundercracker reaches Mount Rushmore, which Trypticon has also left and gives Buster to Marissa to look after for him, shocking her as Thundercracker loves his dog more than anything. He leaves to join the battle and asks her to explain that she left her out of love..

In Toronto, the Ninjas attack Beast Megatron, whom is shot in the throat by Helix with a sniper rifle, soon Stardrive arrives to help them out with Prowl heading to the CN Tower to take on Shockwave himself.

Thundercracker joins up with Starscream and Skywarp as they head towards Unicron, seemingly alone, with Thundercracker carrying the Talisman whilst the others carry Optimus and Arcee in their undercarriages. Bludgeon sees this and laughs at Starscream's feeble attack, sending Monstructor to kill him, unaware that the surviving Torchbearers have been handing onto the side of the ship this whole time.

Before Monstructor can get too far, Metroplex and Trypticon appear before him, and unleash the entire Cybertronian army, and other space-faring warriors upon him, utterly shocking Bludgeon.

Whilst the bulk of the forces face off with the corrupted Decepticons and Maximals, Starscream and the others sneak the Talisman, Optimus and Arcee to Unicron, for their final battle...

Side Story Plot

Virulina wakes up on what she assumes is Earth, but soon finds foliage and landmarks that tells her it is actually Prysmos, despite the planet's destruction. She is soon joined by Galadria, Cindarr and Witterquick, and they toy with the idea that they are in heaven, but Cindarr soon explains that they are actually on an ancient version of Prysmos, having been transported there by the Talisman.

The team start to look for more of their people and start planning some shelters, but find themselves on a cliff-ledge where they bask in the beauty of their untouched world, ready to start anew.

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab

Arcee - Sports Car

Aileron - Space Shuttle

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Chromia - Speedbike

Bumblebee - Car

Ironhide - Van

Jetfire - Fighter Jet

Jazz - Sports Car

Metroplex - Cybertronian City

Garrison Blackrock/Sovereign - Head

Prowl - Police Vehicle

Wheelie - Car

Goldbug - Car

Slide - Part of Oil Tanker

Bump - Armadillo

Roulette - Muscle Car

Midnight Express - Bullet Train

Sandstorm - Buggy/Helicopter

Slug - Triceratops

Swoop - Pteranodon

Snarl - Stegosaurus

Sludge - Apatosaurus

Tracks - Muscle Car

Sunstreaker - Sports Car

Pyra Magna - Fire Truck

Rust Dust - Motorcycle

Jumpstream - Sports Car

Dust Up - Sports Car

Skyburst - Helicopter

Primus (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Starscream - Fighter Jet

Shockwave - Flying Artillery

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Tall Tankor - Oil Tanker/Cargo Plane

Fat Tankor - Tank

Needlenose - Fighter Jet

Acid Storm - Fighter Jet (Mentioned)

Red Wing - Fighter Jet (Mentioned)

Dirge - Fighter Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Maximal/Corrupted Decepticon

Bludgeon - Tank

Monstructor - Monster Gestalt

Broadside - Tank

Sledge - Backhoe-Payloader

Wideload - Dump Truck

Decepticon Vengeance Division

Beast Megatron - Tyrannosaurus Rex Throat Shot out by Helix

Optimus Primal - Gorilla

Rhinox - Rhino

Inferno - Ant

Maximal Army

Other Cybertronian/Colonist

Trypticon - Earth Embassy

Thundercracker - Fighter Jet

Stardrive - Car/Jet

Centurion - Luxury Car

Swift - Helicopter

Strafe - Car/Two Headed Dragon

D.O.C.

Bob the Insecticon

G2 Sideswipe - Sports Car

Next Generation Cybertronians

Cybertron/Colony Survivors

Nemesis - Unicron's Eye/Titan Ship (Mentioned) Merged into Unicron

GI Joe

Skywarp - Fighter Jet

Scarlett

Flint

Stalker

Snake Eyes

Agent Helix

Mayday

Spike

Talon

Slip-Stream Killed by Maximals

Ace

Chameleon

Hi-Tech

Action Man Programme

Action Man, Ian Noble

Terrence Salmons

Bryce Chan

Solstar Order

Rom

Livia

Cobra

Cobra Commander/Krake

Cobra Commander/Tomax

Cobra Commander/Baroness

Major Bludd

Destro

Tempest

Red Shadow Ninjas

Storm Shadow (Mentioned)

Iron Ring

Joe Colton

Miles Mayhem

Colditz

Iron Klaw

Doctor X

Lady Shazraella

Dire Wraith

Countdown

Various Wraiths

Other Human

Madame President

Chinese President

British Prime Minister

Marissa Faireborn

Sergeant Savage

Bulletman

Jet Pilots Many Killed by Maximals

Toronto Civilians Being Killed by Shockwave's Maximals

L.A. Civilians

L.A. Emergency Responders

Visionaries

Virulina

Cindarr

Galadria

Witterquick

Leoric (Mentioned)

Other

Unicron

Buster the Dog

Garnak

Notes

• How does Shockwave not know that the Maximals now work for Unicron? He seems to know literally everything else in the Hasbroverse! Why is he being out of character in trusting Bludgeon so much to assume that he is blindly loyal to him and no-one else?
• The Nemesis is revealed to have actually been a Titan, and that was how it's absorption into Unicron gave him a T-cog. Apparently Shockwave also still has contact with it, and can see through it....making my earlier point about him not knowing that the Maximals have betrayed him even worse now....
• It's still unclear whether Beast Megatron, Optimus Primal and Rhinox are actually still loyal to Shockwave, or if they are just acting as double agents for Unicron.
• Matt Trakker is mentioned as being missing from the assembled heroes and villains of Earth, he was shown to be in Detroit with his team back in an earlier side story, showing them helping protect the people from the effects of Unicron's arrival.
• Amongst the assembled villains are THREE Cobra Commanders! The Krake version from before the Revolution event, Tomax, who was shown inheriting the title in Revolutionaries, and Baroness who became the new Commander for the last few issues of the Sitterson GI Joe run.
• Also, noticeably absent from the crowd are most of the cast of Sitterson's GI Joe team, further implying that they were probably killed in the Maximal attack on the Lemuria.
• Destro mentions that he has repaired Skywarp's teleportation powers, which have been messed up since the start of Robots in Disguise.
• Unicron having devoured and become a black hole explains how he can consistently devour planets without getting "full". It also explains the side-effect of the stars blinking out of existence whenever he eats a world, rather than it just being a poetic ending to this continuity.
• Not to be that guy, but this issue confirms a fear I had regarding Arcee and Aileron's new relationship. It was only started up because they wanted to give Arcee someone to worry about and not want to lose, rather than just having her not want to let her friends and family (aka the Autobots) die horribly...yay...
• The Earth forces include a ton of GI Joe vehicles, but since I'm not really a Joe fan, I wont be talking about them beyond this.
• It's revealed in this issue that not all of the new Cybertronians have actually be fully formed yet, with G2 Sideswipe and a couple of other generics being the only ones
• Thundercracker, assuming that he will die and not wanting to risk Buster's life in space, returns her to Marissa, who gave the puppy to him as a peace offering at the start of Season Two of Robots in Disguise.
• Tempest mentions that she wants to see if she is equal to her predecessor, implying Storm Shadow...but she lost that title when another/the original Storm Shadow arrived...maybe he died in the unreleased issues of Scarlett's Strike Force and she ended up taking the title back
• Tempest and her Red Shadows gained their Dire Wraith powers from the Talisman before the events of Revolutionaries.
• Amongst the Maximals appear to be characters using the models of the Predacons from Prime and Dinobots from Age of Extinction. Though due to the block colouring and some simplified details it can't be certain
• Uh oh, the last time Prowl and Shockwave battled it resulted in the destruction of Junkion...good luck Toronto!!
• All three original Seekers, albeit all in different body deigns, are reunited for the first time since the events of All Hail Megatron.
• If you look closely to Starscream and Skywarp in space, you can just see Arcee and Optimus underneath them, albeit heavily shadowed.
• Centurion, despite not being a Titan Master, has apparently had some sort of training from Blackrock to allow him to assist Trypticon in battle.
• Bludgeon's text box is white in his last lines, implying that he's been putting on a scaryvoice before now (much like Sunder did in MTMTE)
• This story ends with a "To be Continued". Shouldn't that be "Concluded" since it's the final issue?
• The Visionaries are revealed to have been sent to a prehistoric Prysmos, from before their civilization developed, without weapons and with a fresh start, implying this could be the backdoor pilot to a new series...
• HOWEVER! This isn't exactly a good thing for them! Assuming this isn't another dimension and was just time travel, that means that they are doomed to eventually lose their planet in the same way, with their descendants ending up on Cybertron and everything happens again
• Why does everyone act like Virulina got them to Prysmos? It was Leoric who used the Talisman to do this (you can tell this was his plan from his face last issue!)

IDW - Dawn of the Predacus

Writer/Colourist: John-Paul Bove

Artist: Corin Howell

Letterer: Chris Mowry

Colour Assists: Ed Pirrie

Editor: John Barber

Plot

On Cybertron, in the last few days of the Great War, Blades reports from an new crater that Optimus Prime and his team have died. Prowl, Silverbolt and Ironhide accept his report and prepare their next steps.

Meanwhile, a trio of Decepticon generals, Ramhorn, Cicadacon and Seaclamp are experimenting on some more Decepticons from inside Unicron's near-dead head, still in orbit around Cybertron when they are informed by Tarantulas that Galvatron has been killed in battle. They receive a message from the new Megatron, who insists that they use this event to stage a full on attack on the Autobots, but the Generals refuse his plan, as they have their own ideas. Megatron cuts off the transmission, and ignores their plans, intending to attack the Autobots anyway.

The Generals, however need a cease-fire, so they can build up a new army, as at the moment the war will not end in their favour, so they make their own plans too....

At Nova Plenum, the current Autobot HQ, the remaining Autobot leaders are discussing what to do now, and who to have replace Optimus as their commander, when the last member of Unit-3 arrives, telling them that everyone in his team, including Perceptor was killed by Decepticons.

Soon a plan is decided, and they send a treaty envoy to meet with the Decepticons, led by Tigatron, hoping to use the deaths of both commanders to force a cease-fire between the factions.

The starship Axalon is returning to Cybertron after an expedition, and have been ordered to perform some orbital scans to try and locate any Decepticon cells.

On Cybertron, at the former Omega Spaceport, Megatron's team are approached by Tigatron's peace-team, but rather than accepting peace, he orders his Decepticons to attack the Autobots. Most of the Autobots are wiped out by the Decepticons, including Predaking. With the Autobots distracted, Megatron leads a team to attack the Autobots at their own HQ. Tigatron manages to escape, so he can help the others, but Airazor and the others are left behind, ready to die.

Megatron's crew infiltrate Nova Plenum, but are quickly attacked by Ironhide and the others, leading to Ironhide, Prowl, Silverbolt, Unit-3, and the newly returned Tigatron combine into Magnaboss, who pummel the Decepticons.

In orbit, the Axalon discovers the Decepticons working from Unicron's head, but before they can discover who is there, the head explodes, raining a strange substance to Cybertron. the substance, upon contact with any Cybertronian, forced them into a strange protoform state, effectively killing them, keeping them in a state between life and death anyway.

Preakind is concerned about what is going on, but the Generals arrive, and combine into Predacus, and they quickly kill Predaking, using his own sword to do it.

Everyone at the battle is confused about what is happening with the protoforms, but Tarantulas arrives and claims that this was a failsafe of Galvatron's in the event of his death to try and kill everyone on the planet, then claims that Predaking killed himself upon discovering this horror. Megatron disbelieves this, as Galvatron was once Megatron, and would never do this, and continues his attack on the Autobots. Tarantulas calls Ravage, and has him shoot Megatron, taking him down.

In the aftermath, the Generals surrender on behalf of the Decepticons, to the shock of everyone, especially the Autobots.

In the aftermath, the Pax Cybertronia is signed, and the past factions are disbanded, and peace is reborn again. The Predacons are named in honour of Predaking, and those who were affected by the protoform weapon are placed into statis, where Optimus Primal will watch over them, until they can be fixed.

Some past Decepticons are granted amnesty for their efforts of "peace" during the war, like Tarantulas and Ravage, whilst war criminals, like Megatron are stripped down in size and form.

But all of this was planned by the Predacus Council, who now use this era of peace to build up a new army, so they can get their revenge on the Autobots/Maximals…..

Characters

Autobot/Maximal

Prowl - Police Car

Ironhide - Pick Up Truck

Silverbolt - Concorde Jet

Tigatron - Sports Car

Unit-3 - Sports Car

Magnaboss - Autobot Command Gestalt

Airazor - VTOL Fighter Jet Turned into a Protoform

Blades - Rescue Helicopter

Hot Spot - Fire Truck

Lio Convoy - Lion

Big Convoy - Spider Tank

Air Hammer

White Propionica

Rest of Unit-2 Most Killed by Predaking

Optimus Primal - Rocket Car

"Rattrap" - Motorcycle

"Rhinox" - Front End Loader

Not-Cheetor - Convertible Car

Mainframe

Razorbeast - Motorcycle

Inferno - Fire Truck Turned into a Protoform

Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (Mentioned) Turned into a Protoform

Optimus Prime - Truck (Mentioned) Dead

Perceptor - Microscope (Mentioned) Dead

Jetfire - Fighter Jet (Mentioned) Dead

Swoop - Pteranodon (Mentioned) Dead

Sunstreaker - Sports Car (Mentioned) Dead

Fortress Maximus - Battle Station (Mentioned) Dead

Springer - Rocket Car/Helicopter (Mentioned)

The Rest of Unit-3 (Mentioned) Dead

Decepticon/Predacon

General Cicadacon - Fighter Jet

General Ramhorn - Drill Tank

General Seaclamp - Gun Jet

Tarantulas - Armoured Vehicle

Ravage - Sports Car

Predacus - Decepticon General Gestalt

Megatron - Two Headed Dragon/Car Captured and Downsized

Predaking - Predacon Gestalt Killed by Predacus

Waspinator - Fighter Jet Stomped on by Predaking

Terrorsaur - Fighter Jet

"Scorponok" - Hovercraft

Terradive

Buzzsaw - Fighter Jet

Drill Bit 

Manta Ray

Beetle

Snapper

"Dinobot"

Retrax

Bomb-Burst - Jet Being Tortured by Predacus Generals

Iguanus - Motorcycle Being Tortured by Predacus Generals

Megatron's Troops

Decepticon Experiments Being Tortured by Predacus Generals

Magmatron (Plans on Screen Only)

Galvatron - Laser Cannon (Mentioned) Dead

Megatron - Pistol (Mentioned) Became Galvatron

Other

Unicron's Head Destroyed by Tripredacus Council

Megatronus/The Fallen (Mentioned)

The Swarm (Mentioned)

Notes

• This was the comic released for the final Botcon in 2016. It was published by IDW instead of Fun Publications, but was never mass released (I had to get my copy by asking a member of the creative team to sell me one!)
• This story is set about 30 years after the events of the animated movie, setting it approximately in the year 2035
• This story is also slated to be set in the IDW Beast Wars comic continuity (along with The Gathering, Ascending and the Sourcebook, as well as the previously released Dawn of Future's Past). Now since there is about 300 years between the events of this comic and the events of Beast Wars, I won't point out any apparent continuity errors, unless they are extremely glaring, since they can be theoretically fixed in that missing time.
• The soldier who takes on the name "Unit-3" is based on the McDonalds Happy Meal toy "Under-3" which was a large lion face. His real name is not revealed though.
• Ironhide mentions how he died in the past. Considering this is in continuity with the cartoon this would be from when he was killed by Megatron on the Autobot Shuttle in the Movie. This also tells us, whilst unsaid here, that Prowl was also revived with Ironhide at some point.
• The fourth member of the Axalon crew is a repaint of Cheetor, since it was decided that he would not have been a part of the Axalon crew for over 300 years by the start of Beast Wars
• From his dialogue, it appears that Beast Megatron named himself after Megatronus (The Fallen), whom he believed was also the source of the original Megatron's name too.
• Despite him appearing quite prominently on the cover (likely due to him being a toy available at Botcon that year), Terrorsaur doesn't seem to do anything of note in this story
• Megatron is shown to be at least a triple changer in this story, with him showing his dragon and car modes here. If he follows his toy, then he'd be a decaformer, but I'm guessing that wouldn't be the case here....
• Unicron's head being destroyed here explains why it's not present in any shots of Cybertron during Beast Wars and Beast Machines.
• They aren't shown to combine with the Generals, but in case you didn't see the actual toys, the legs of Predacus are formed by Tarantulas and Ravage (the latter of which had only a couple of panels all together...)
• Amongst the victims of the protoform virus is Inferno, implying that he eventually becomes the insane Predacon of the same name during Beast Wars. Grimlock is also amongst the victims, but him being in the Axalon's care was shown to be confirmed in The Gathering.
• Similarly, amongst the Decepticon experiments appears to be Iguanus, another character who has been rumoured to be a G1 character turned Beast Wars character.
• The bot who would later become Dinobot in Beast Wars is shown watching over Grimlock's stasis pod. Implying that this is how he got the inspiration to take on this name.
• The Predacon being designed by Tripredacus Council at the end is Magmatron. It's unclear if this is a complete construction of him being shown, or him being modified from an existing character.
• Megatron being downsized, and having his body changed in this story's conclusion, brings him to what is pretty much his original body from the start of Beast Wars.
• Since this is supposed to be set in the IDW Beast Wars continuity, if we cannot see their alternate mode, I'll just assume it is the same as it was in those comics (pre-beast mode that is)
• The Maximal seen with Air Hammer, White Propionica is the pre-Earth version of Black Arachnia.

IDW - Bumblebee #4

Title: From Cybertron with Love

Written by: John Barber

Art by: Andrew Griffith

Colours by: Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Bee and his secret agent friends are surrounded by Malignus' Decepticons, where the leader discloses that his plan is to disrupt Earth by causing a nuclear war, thus allowing him to raid the planet of it's ancient Cybertronian artefacts. Before they can do anything though, Lux reveals that she secretly converted Bee's homing beacon, that he placed on Diabla, into a bomb, which she detonates.

Bee grabs his friends and transforms, deploying some submarine attachments and dives into the Sharkticon tank, he deploys his oil slick, darkening the water and blinding the Sharkticons. Bee escapes the water where he comes across Diabla, who shoots one of the Sharkticons, who was about to attack Bee, leading to Bee all-but confirming her loyalty to him.

Malignus, seeing this, sets Dead End, a cannibal, upon the Decepticons to teach them to not betray him. Diabla pushes Runabout in the way, leading to him being killed by Dead End. Bee thanks his old friend, but she reveals that she is working for EIDOLON, an evil human group and shoots Bee in revenge for him killing Wildrider on their last mission against the villainous team.

Malignus begins launching his missile, in order for it to spark an all-out war between various nations. Blitzwing orders Astrotrain to take out Diabla, but he decides that he's had enough and takes off alone. Lux takes on Malignus, and due to his small size, she manages to plant one of Bee's homing beacon bombs into him, and destroys the tiny Decepticon.

Diabla flies after the missile, as it is headed towards the Soviet Union, the homeland of her new Human allies, she manages to redirect the missile back down towards the Decepticon's base, allowing Bee and his friends to escape, whilst Blitzwing uses Dead End as a shield.

As the missile hits, Bee dives into the nearby ocean and shoots after Blitzwing as he escapes. Bee soon finds one of Diabla's wheels, and whilst the Humans take this to mean that she has died, Bee still has hope, but does vow to take down Blitzwing if he cannot find Diabla, since he still believes that he dragged her into the Decepticons.

Over time, Bumblebee continues to chase Blitzwing, eventually leaving his Human allies and one day finds him...and prepares to battle him....

Characters

Autobot

Bumblebee - Aston Martin

Decepticon

Malignus Killed by Diana Lux

Blitzwing - Fighter Jet/Tank

Diabla - Lamborghini Islero Possibly Killed in Missile Explosion

Astrotrain - Space Shuttle/Train

Dead End - Porsche 365 Killed by Blitzwing

Runabout - Rolls Royce Limo Killed by Dead End

Sharkticons

Wildrider - Shelby Cobra (Mentioned) Dead

Human

Agent David Reeve

Agent Diana Lux

P.R.O.G.R.A.M.M.E. (Mentioned)

E.I.D.O.L.O.N. (Mentioned)

Notes

• Malignus mentions that Earth is home to a large cache of Cybertronian artefacts. This is quite true! Look at the Allspark, Star Harvester, Matric of Leadership, Staff of Merlin, UNICRON, and others just for a starter!
• Bumblebee is shown to be able to convert his car mode into a submarine (though not in a triple-changer manner)
• Diabla is revealed to be working with humans as well, but not the good guys, revealing that the original intel given to Reeve was correct, in that some Decepticons ARE working with Humans.
• Astrotrain escaping with his life in this issue leads to his later return in the Dark of the Moon prequel comics

IDW - Lost Light #24

Title: Crucible Part 6: A Spark Among Embers

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Brendan Cahill

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

Whilst the Lost Light is evading the grasp of Functionist Primus, Tailgate brings up the point that their plan to use the Hot Spots to kill the Functionist Council requires him to be in his Cybertron mode, which he clearly isn't.

As if on cue, Luna-1 appears from the Warren, having been told to come here, and Red Alert pilots the moon into the back of "Primus'" neck, forcing him into Cybertron again. Inside, the Functionists begin to panic and begin the process of transforming the planet again.

Meanwhile, Chromedome and Rewind lead Rung to his office, where he prepares to create the twelve Matrixes they need for their plan, before he goes in however, he tells the two of them that they're lucky and that they need to forgive themselves.

Inside his office, Rung accesses his patient files, recalls his first ever meeting with Skids, then deletes all his files. He removes his glasses, transforms and begins to create the Matrixes.

Soon, Rodimus arrives and opens the office, to find twelve Matrixes, and the room filled with inert Sentio Metallico, all the remains of Rung...

Flame has the Infinites, now under his command prepare to escort and protect the teams of Lost Lighters and Scavengers to Functionist Cybertron so they can open them and kill the Functionist Council...however Rodimus gives them a new problem. The new Matrixes all have the morality lock attached...

The crew start to debate the nature of morality and what decides if you are moral or not, but Rodimus doesn't have time to debate, so he delegates teams to work together to open them on the planet.

Tailgate goes to Rivet's Field with Cyclonus, Ratchet heads to Vespertine Blue with Drift, where they both admit their feelings with each other. Thunderclash goes to Automica with Spinister, First Aid to the Pious Pools with Crankcase, Nuatica with Brainstorm at Vauvaire. Lug goes to Sansaw Sanserre with Anode and Wipe-Out, Swerve is at Warrior's Gate with Misfire and Grimlock, Port Residua has Roller with Chromedome and Rewind. Velocuty is at Eugenesis with Krok, Riptide goes to Alyon with Fulcrum and Nickel. Magnus is at Mesmerica with Whirl, and finally Rodimus and Megatron go to Nova Point.

Despite Rodimus knowing that all his choices are good people, none of them can open their Matrixes. However Megatron points out that perhaps they don't KNOW they are good, and need to be told. Rodimus sends out a message to his crew and explains why he chose them, giving them all hope and allows them to start opening their Matrixes. Magnus is hit in the back by a missile, which blasts his innermost form out and is knocked out. Whirl picks up the Matrix and begins opening it, even as his legs are blown off too. Swerve's arm is blasted away, so Misfire holds one end of the Matrix to help him open it.

Just as he finishes his speech, Rodimus is shot and knocked down, Megatron tries to open the Matrix in his place, but it wont open for him, despite his changes, so Rodimus gets up, and opens it with one hand and his teeth.

With the power of the twelve Matrixes unleashed, their energies fly through Functionist Cybertron, knocking out the Functionist troops and killing the Council inside Vector Sigma.

The Matrix energy spreads to Luna-1, where the formerly dormant spark field is ignited and the lights spell out the words "Don't forget me"...Rung's last message to his friends.

In the aftermath, the Lost Light heads to Luna-1 where Fortress Maximus tells Rodimus that Rodimus HIMSELF told him to bring Luna-1 to the Benzene Cluster through sending a message back in time through the Warren, which majorly confuses Rodimus due to the paradoxical problems this causes, and Tailgate asks everyone if their quest is over now....but Swerve sees the "To be Concluded" sign below him, and says that it's not quite over yet....

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car
Megatron - Tank
Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus - Vehicle Transport/Minesweeper Armor Blown Up
Primus/Rung - Matrix Forge Died from Over-exertion
Thunderclash - Truck
Grimlock - Tyrannosaurus Rex
Ratchet - Ambulance
Drift - Car
Whirl - Opsrey Helicopter Potentially Killed by Functionaries
Brainstorm - Jet
Nautica - Submarine
Velocity - Race Car
Tailgate - Car
Swerve - Van
Chromedome - Car
Rewind - Data Slug
Riptide - Boat
First Aid - Ambulance
Fortress Maximus - Tank
Cerebros - Car
Red Alert - Car
Skids - Van (Flashback Only) Dead

Decepticon

Krok
Misfire - Jet
Spinister - Helicopter
Fulcrum - K-Class Bomb
Nickel - Rocket Powered Buggy
Crankcase - Van

Grand Architect

Flame

Inifinite 6690

Multiple Infinites

Adaptus (Mentioned) Dead

Functionist

One-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Two-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Three-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Five-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Six-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Eleven-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Twelve-of-Twelve Killed by Matrix Energy

Functionist Primus - Cybertron Forced back to Alternate Mode

Multiple Functionaries

Other Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet

Roller - Truck

Lug - Backpack Equipment

Anode - Bi-Plane

Wipe-Out - Car

Clicker - Laser Pointer

Beak - Bird

Outrigger - Crane

Notes

• The auto-transformation from being knocked on the neural cluster has been established as being a thing since the MTMTE days when Swerve tried it on Rung, and successfully used it on Ambulon. It was established last issue that when the Council created the Primus facsimile they gave it a proper Cybertronian anatomy as well, explaining how it could work here.
• So Rung can literally just create the Matrixes from nothing? I mean, he does use up all of his energy killing him, and I can accept him creating the inner crystal from "nothing" (with them being basically crystalized lights) but where does the material for the casing come from?
• Following the deaths of Adaptus and his other generals, Flame apparently has control of his forces
• Brainstorm and Nautica hold hands, seemingly bringing up an old story arc of them potentially starting a relationship (especially with her wiping out her memories of Skids)...let's just hope that Nautica's hand holds aren't a death sentence for Brainstorm like they were for Skids....
• Ultra Magnus is STILL yet to open a Matrix, with him being the only member of the team to be replaced in opening one up. This is very clearly a reference to his role in the 80's animated Movie
• One of the Hot Spots is named as "Eugenesis" This was the name of James Robert's now famous fan-fic.
• This story also shows us that two people can open the Matrix together, with Swerve having help from Misfire to open his. Whether this means that the Matrix just hones in on the one who was intending to open it, or judged both of them together is unknown though.
• Considering the wobbly speech bubbles and lettering, as well as Whirl's general condition, and him not appearing after the scene, it seems likely that he dies after opening the Matrix, but we'll know better next issue I guess.
• Megatron is unable to open the Matrix. Either this means that he still did so much bad stuff that he can never be clean enough to be forgiven, or that he doesn't believe he has changed enough himself. Of course a third option could be that due to him being a Forged spark inside a Cold Constructed body, maybe the Matrix cannot recognize him.
• The spark field on Luna-1 has finally been reignited, having gone dark after the events of Remain in the Light.
• It seems likely that Rung used his spark energy in some way to power the new Matrixes, meaning that since that was all poured into Vector Sigma he COULD technically come back in the form of the Functionist Primus (but good now)
• At the end Swerve clearly looks towards the "To be Concluded" line, showing that he's still under the influence of the Meta-bomb.
• Since all the big bad guys of this series are either dead, unable to enter the universe or are now good, I'll guess that the final issue will just be a wrap-up one, leading the crew back to Cybertron...where they will all be eaten by Unicron :)

Star Trek vs Transformers #1

Title: Prime's Directive Part One

Written by: John Barber & Mike Johnson

Art by: Philip Murphy

Colours by: Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Christa Miesner

Edits by: Chase Marotz & David Mariotte

Publisher: Greg Goldstein

Plot

The Federation ship, the Enterprise, is called to a remote Dilithium mine on Cygnus Seven, which is under attack. Kirk, Sulu, Spock and M'Ress beam down to the surface and are shocked to see, not Klingons as expected, but last 20th Century aircraft!

The Federation crew are confused by what they are seeing, and discover that their communications are being blocked by something. Suddenly a tunnel is blasted open and another time-displaced vehicle, a truck, appears. Spock soon realizes that none of these vehicles have pilots or drivers. Kirk determines that the Klingons must be controlling them somehow, so he shoots the truck with a phaser, which shockingly starts screaming and transforms into a large red robot, Optimus Prime. Kirk tries to figure out if there is someone in there piloting the robot, when he starts worrying about dragging more humans into his war, before passing out from the pain.

Kirk demands for the aircraft to identify themselves, resulting in the Decepticons transforming and revealing themselves too. Soundwave soon launches a sonic attack on them, to incapacitate them, however in the process this lifts the communications block, allowing the crew to contact the Enterprise to get them to fire on the Decepticons.

Soundwave is injured in the blast from space, forcing the Decepticons to escape and plan what to do about their unknown enemies. Whilst escaping, Soundwave picks up another Decepticons signal, so they head towards it.

The Enterprise crew start examining Optimus, whilst the medical team go to fix up the injured miners and staff of the Federation facility, when they determine that Optimus is more than just a robot, as he seems to have energy coursing through him, like a human would with blood. Soon they discover more, similar signals from inside the mine tunnel he came out of originally, so they decide to investigate.

The Decepticons locate the Decepticon signal, and are shocked to see Trypticon in his city mode, with a downed Klingon Bird of Prey nearby. The Decepticons and the Klingons soon realise they have a common enemy in the Enterprise crew, so they ally together to take them and the Autobots down...

Kirk and his team find a wall with a large Autobot insignia on it, made of an unknown alloy, which seemly explodes, revealing more robots within, demanding to know where Optimus Prime is!

Characters

Autobot

Optimus Prime - Truck Injured by Phaser Fire

Ratchet - Ambulance

Bumblebee - VW Beetle

Windblade - VTOL Fighter Jet

Arcee - Sports Car

Jazz - Porsche

Decepticon

Megatron - Pistol

Soundwave - Cassette Player

Airachnid - Helicopter

Starscream - F15 Fighter Jet

Thundercracker - F15 Fighter Jet

Skywarp - F15 Fighter Jet

Acid Storm - F15 Fighter Jet

Ramjet - F15 Fighter Jet

Thrust - F15 Fighter Jet

Dirge - F15 Fighter Jet

Trypticon - Battle Station

Federation

Captain Kirk

Mr Spock

Sulu

M'Ress

Lt Arex

Uhura

Scotty

Doctor McCoy

Cignus Seven Mine Staff and Miners

Enterprise Medical Team (Mentioned)

Klingon

Commander Kuri

Klingon Warriors

Notes

• This mini-series is set in a universe based on the Star Trek animated TV series. The Transformers characters seem to be based on the 80's animated series as well, but it's unclear how this works yet (my guess would be time travel)
• Assuming time travel is involved, we can guess from the Transformers characters present that this story is set during the time skip between Season Two and the Movie
• The Star Trek setting is apparently set between Season One and Two of their series
• So...from the artwork it looks like the Decepticon laser fire doesn't really harm Optimus, but Kirk's phaser can cause him immense pain and damage
• Airachnid's resign is mostly just a simplification of her Prime counterpart, but with an added head-crest that features some extra eyes.
• Trypticon's role here is confusing to me, in the US media he was created in 2006 by the Constructicons, so he shouldn't be here really. However if we also take the Japanese Scramble City specials into account then he was created earlier, but just lost somewhen and rebuilt later. So maybe this will show us what happened to him between Scramble City and Season Three?