MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

End of the Road! (US)

2010-04-18T02:41:29Z

121.45.205.220:

{{disambig3|End of the Road}}
{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #80
|prev=The Last Autobot?
|next=Unfoldings!
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #331-332
|prev2=The Last Autobot?
|next2=Another Time and Place
|title=End of the Road!
|image=MarvelUS-80.jpg
|caption="I am victorious! Is there any who can challenge [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]?!" "[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Me]]." "...Oh, [[Slag (slang)|slag]]."
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=May 1991
|coverdate=July 1991
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|penciler=[[Andrew Wildman]]
|inker=[[Stephen Baskerville]]
|colorist=[[Nelson Yomtov|Nel Yomtov]]
|letterer=[[Rick Parker]]
|editor=[[Rob Tokar]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''All good things...'''

==Synopsis==
Sometime after the end of the last issue, the [[Autobot|Autobots]] '''came''' to [[Klo]], '''saw''' a [[Decepticon]], and were '''conquered'''. As Octopunch leads a tracker team to hunt down the remaining survivors, Grimlock is trying to keep the last five Autobots alive. Unfortunately for him, Prowl is one of the survivors, and spares no breath berating Grimlock for the situation. It seems the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were led into an obvious trap upon the Autobots' arrival on Klo, and the resulting melee was a slaughter. Prowl's pontificating is cut short when Fangry leads the hunting party to double-back, and the Decepticons move in for the kill.

Back at the scene of the first battle, Bludgeon is about to administer another execution when he and his warriors are suddenly caught off guard by the arriving [[Neo-Knights]]. The Decepticons quickly learn that the humans were only the first wave, and onto the battlefield drops the second wave — Optimus Prime, alive and kicking. Despite Bludgeon's disbelieving cries, Prime is indeed back, and he introduces his new friend, the legendary Last Autobot. The child of [[Primus]] relates how he first encountered Hi-Q and the [[Neo-Knights]] on Cybertron, and reformatted the [[Nebulos|Nebulan]] into a [[Nucleon]]-enhanced [[Action Master]] version of Optimus Prime.

The Decepticons dogpile on Prime, but prove less than effective. What's more, the Last Autobot begins using his powers to reanimate all of the fallen Autobots, increasing their forces by the minute. As Grimlock and his group of survivors charge over the hillside, the tide of battle quickly turns towards the Autobots, and Bludgeon's troops are put to retreat. As Bludgeon proclaims he will lead his troops into the voluntary exile that honor demands, he quietly tells Stranglehold to gather their forces, to live to fight another day.

As the Autobots wrap up, Optimus Prime informs his brethren that [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] survives, restored by the Last Autobot's power and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] energy that washed over the planet in the final battle with [[Unicron]]. The Autobots prepare to help the Klozians rebuild, take the Neo-Knights home and, finally, return to their home planet for a new era of peace and enlightenment.

[['Til all are one]].

{{note|This story is continued in several mutually-exclusive directions:''
* The UK Annual story "[[Another Time and Place]]".
* The ''G.I. Joe'' issue "[[Unfoldings!]]", leading into the ''[[Generation 2 (Marvel Comics)|Generation 2]]'' series.
* The Fun Publications story "[[Crossing Over, Part 1]]".

''It never ends!''}}
==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Getaway]] (1)
* [[Siren]] (9)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (14)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (15)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (16)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (17)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (18)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (19)
* [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]
* [[Last Autobot]] (23)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (24)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (29)
* [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (30)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]
|c2=
* [[Dreadwing (G1)|Dreadwing]] (2)
* [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (3)
* [[Stranglehold]] (5)
* [[Battletrap]] (6)
* [[Snapdragon]] (7)
* [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (8)
* [[Fangry]] (10)
* [[Quake (G1)|Quake]] (11)
* [[Weirdwolf]] (12)
* [[Octopunch]] (13)
* [[Horri-Bull]] (25)
* [[Squeezeplay]] (28)
* [[Skullcruncher]]
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
|c3=
* [[Thunderpunch]] (20)
* [[Dynamo]] (21)
* [[Rapture]] (22)
* [[G.B. Blackrock]] (26)
* [[Circuit Breaker]] (27)
|h4=[[Nebulos|Nebulans]]
|c4=
* [[Hi-Q]] (26)
}}

==Quotes==
"Do you not understand? [[Furmanism|It's OVER—FINISHED!]]"
:—Bludgeon, executing Siren.

"And now... it is time for this mindless war to cease. It is [[Furmanism|done, finished.]]"
:—the Last Autobot.

"ENOUGH! Do you not understand, Decepticons? [[Furmanism|It is over—FINISHED!]]"<ref>There's a lot of uses for that [[Furmanism]] here.</ref>
:—Optimus Prime, in a mockery of Bludgeon.

"For me, personally, [[Furmanism|it never ends!]]"
:—Simon Furman, giving mixed messages as he concludes the letters page.

==Items of note==
* Optimus Prime appears in his Action Master design, but Nucleon is not explicitly mentioned here as being a part of his transformation. However, Hi-Q absorbed energy during Grimlock's metamorphosis to Action Master form in "[[Still Life!]]", an indirect appropriation of Nucleon that is confirmed in Transformers UK Annual #7, "[[Another Time and Place]]".
* If a (Fill in the Blank)master is killed with their partner, could the Last Autobot still resurrect them?
* Apparently Crankcase is perfectly fine surviving without a head.
* With typical Marvel humor, this issue is billed as '''#80''' in a '''four-issue''' limited series.
* Nobody gets the final US cover corner box; instead, an orange and yellow beveled [[Decepticon]] [[Insignia|insignia]] appears here, contrasting the [[Autobot]] symbol featured in the cover's logo.
* Simon Furman's "send-off" message at the end of the issue claims that this will almost certainly mark the end of Transformers as a story, but that he hopes to continue to write stories about the Neo-Knights. Wonder how that turned out?
* Game over, man — game over.

===Covers===
<gallery>
Image:MarvelUS-80.jpg|'''US issue #80''' - Wheeljack never gets a break.
Image:MarvelUK-331.jpg|'''UK issue #331''' - All action, no [[Powermaster|'Master]].
Image:MarvelUK-332.jpg|'''UK issue #332''' - It's the end... but the moment has been prepared for.
</gallery>
* '''US cover:''' Bludgeon about to dismember Wheeljack by [[Andrew Wildman]].
* '''UK issue #331 cover:''' Optimus Prime by Andrew Wildman; recolored version of page 12 of the story.
* '''UK issue #332 cover:''' recolored version of US cover.

===Advertisements===
* None yet identified.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]

Blitzwing Bop

2010-04-18T01:49:00Z

121.45.205.220: /* Transformer references */

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=[[Timelines (fiction)|Timelines]]
|prev=Wings of Honor
|next=At Fight's End
|seriesissue2=[[Shattered Glass (fiction)|Shattered Glass]]
|prev2=Eye in the Sky
|next2=Transhuman
|image=Blitzwingbop.jpg
|caption=
|title="Blitzwing Bop"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|date=[[November 17]], [[2009]]
|written by=[[Trent Troop]] and [[Greg Sepelak]]
|illustrations by=[[Chad Porter]]
|cover=[[Chad Porter]]
|pagecount=35pp
|continuity=[[Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]
}}
'''Blitzwing inadvertently becomes a musical countdown, and not the kind that sounds like Bluestreak.'''

==Synopsis==
The media of [[Earth]] are abuzz with news of the arrival of two crews of Cybertronians, the press trying to figure out what to make of the fantastic extraterrestrial visitors, and especially the heroic deeds of the Decepticons. Beyond the planet, a single vessel catches the transmissions and diverts its course towards the blue orb.

Meanwhile on the planet's surface, a young human is speaking with a Decepticon. Making small talk as he works inside Blitzwing, Will satisfies his curiosity by asking the Triple Changer of his homeworld. Blitzwing is less than enthusiastic to relate about his war-torn home, which leaves Will somewhat nonplussed. The human's descriptions of organic life prove far more compelling to the Cybertronian, who is eager to see more. Unfortunately, Will hasn't finished his ministrations on Blitzwing's systems, and thus he holds the Decepticon back a few more moments as he completes the last connections. Closing the casing, Will reveals that he has wired his new friend for sound by integrating an [[oPod|O-Pod]] into Blitzwing's circuits. The Cybertronian is a bit bewildered by what the organics call "music" and scoffs at the device's meager storage capacity. Will initially tries to convince Blitzwing of the merits of music in promoting higher ideals, but is quickly distracted by the prospect of a ride in the Decepticon's alternate modes. The two of them exit the base to cruise for a bit.

Elsewhere, Goldbug is overseeing a project of his own. Having played off of the mentally erratic scientist Wheeljack's ego, he has convinced his fellow Autobot to construct an ambitious [[Stellar Spanner]] with the help of Sideburn. Though Wheeljack is madly certain of the accuracy of his calculations, the probability of error given to Goldbug leaves something to be desired. Suggesting that Sideburn take the first trip (in the name of science), Goldbug's scheming is outmaneuvered by the slippery Autobot's reminder that he will be needed to fix the device in the event of failure, and Sideburn's subsequent suggestion that they send a Scrounge in his stead. This makes Goldbug exceedingly nervous, as he does not wish to alert Rodimus to the Spanner's existence.

During their travels, Will and Blitzwing's discussion of Earth music is interrupted by a sudden spike on the Decepticon's scanners. A major convergence of Autobot technology is lighting up the dials, which is an oddity, considering their habit of masking their signals. Blitzwing plays to type and heads straight for it, but calls for backup at Will's insistence. The Decepticons are thin on the ground in the area due to the task of excavating Astrotrain, but thankfully, Heatwave is inbound.

Taking up positions around the Autobot build site, Will and Blitzwing spot Heatwave already observing the construction. Though the Triple Changer doesn't recognize what is being built, Heatwave quickly identifies its intent and explains to the other two. Grasping the implications of a working Stellar Spanner, Blitzwing decides he doesn't like leaving it up to chance whether Wheeljack will succeed in his project. Heatwave agrees and moves to intervene well before his fellow Decepticon manages to call in the intended backup.

{{issuestub}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Decepticon]]s|c1=
* [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] (2)
* [[Soundwave (SG)|Soundwave]] (6)
* [[Heatwave]] (7)
* [[Starscream (SG)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Slugslinger (SG)|Slugslinger]] (18)
* [[Sideswipe (SG)|Sideswipe]] (19)
* [[Bombshell (SG)|Bombshell]] (20)
* [[Thunderwing (SG)|Thunderwing]] (27)
* [[Whisper (SG)|Whisper]] (28)
|h2=[[Autobot]]s|c2=
* [[Goldbug (SG)|Goldbug]] (3)
* [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]] (4)
* [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] (5)
* [[Rodimus (SG)|Rodimus "Prime"]] (13)
* [[Elita-One (SG)|Elita-One]] (15)
* [[Swoop (SG)|Swoop]] (16)
* [[Star Saber (SG)|Star Saber]] (17)
* [[Brawn (SG)|Brawn]] (21)
* [[Blaster (SG)|Blaster]] (22)
* [[Ratchet (SG)|Ratchet]] (23)
* [[Beachcomber (SG)|Beachcomber]] (24)
|c3=
* [[Will Hayes|Will]] (1)
* [[Professor Arkeville]] (9)
* [[Sephie Beller|Sephie]] (11)
* [[Rick Ottman|Rick]] (12)
* [[Big Steve Ludwig (SG)|Big Steve Ludwig]] (25)
* [[Wyatt]] (26)
|c4=
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (8)
* [[Teletraan-X]] (14)
}}

==Quotes==
"So tell me about Cybertron." 
"Why?" 
"I've never been there, Blitzwing. Thought it'd be interesting." 
"Okay. Imagine a junk yard. Now make it the size of a planet, and set big patches of it on fire. I suppose that's interesting in a horrible sort of way, but there's nothing appealing about it."
:—'''Will''' finds out from '''Blitzwing''' that Cybertron is not a good tourist destination.

"If my examination of Starscream's systems is accurate, unless we can stop the subspace transmission, Blitzwing's signal will eventually cause permanent memory damage... possibly even catastrophic data corruption." 
"Whoah, that means-" 
"If it's not stopped, this 'rock and roll' assault will rapidly become... '''death metal'''."
:—'''Arkeville''' and '''Soundwave''' engage in bad puns.

"Right now, I gots two idiot humans yammerin' 'bout venting exhaust stuck in my head. They will not shut up. An' I can still bend your fenders in a knot an' stick 'em in your reactor linkage! So '''up your tube with an energon cube! Capiche?!'''"
:—'''Rodimus''' lets Blaster know who's the boss.

''Beachcomber had survived the decon bath, the optic calibration process, the hallway filled with zero-friction lubricant and three chemical explosions since breaching the outer defenses of the Decepticon base. He had been thrown about, smashed and lit on fire by four puddles of organic waste.'' 
''He was not happy.'' 
''Now, however, the enemy was out of tricks, and out of places to run.'' 
''That made him happy. Insanely happy.''
:—Beachcomber deals with getting the "Home Alone" treatment from the humans.

==Notes==
===Errors===
*Heatwave's feelings of "joy, happiness, compassion, love, and satisfaction" should probably be "joy, ''peace'', compassion, love, and satisfaction" to be a completely accurate reference to [[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]].

*While Cliffjumper in-character almost calls the [[Stellar Spanner]] a [[space bridge]], at one point the narration itself also calls it a "spacebridge".

*Not an error: Soundwave mentions that Astrotrain crashed in the Arctic instead of the Antarctic, but it's Soundwave's mistake, not the story's.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=64373&st=0&p=1390930#entry1390930 Trent Troop answers "Shattered Glass"-related questions]</ref>

===Transformer references===
*[[Crasher (SG)|Crasher]] is mentioned as being granted honorary [[Ottoman Confederacy|Ottoman citizenship]] after saving [[Abdul Fakkadi (SG)|President Fakkadi]].

*The Decepticons save [[Blackrock Industries|Blackrock Oil]] members from the Autobots.

*Soundwave attends a joint [[Misfits]]/[[Cold Slither]] concert, and the (opposite-themed) lyrics to a few Cold Slither songs from an album ''[[Thunder Hammer]]'' are included at the back of the story.

*Astrotrain is a [[Jetfire (G1)|shuttle that crash lands in Antarctica]].

*As noted in the [[#Errors|Errors]], the Stellar Spanner is essentially a [[redeco]]ed space bridge.

*[[Jet judo]] is a martial art done ''by'' jets instead of ''to'' jets.

*The Stellar Spanner is labeled with [[Cybertronian languages|Autobot letters]].

*One of the Autobots' schemes involves creating drone cars at a "[[Wash and Roll|Roll-N-Wash]]".

*Brawn is a practitioner of [[Tekkaido]].

*Rick's little sister fawns over [[Brad White]], the "dreamy" punk-ass counterpart to [[Rad White|some kid]].

*Sephie communicates via e-mail with someone who has the username "[[Stormbringer (disambiguation)|Stormbringer99]]".

*Will and Rick try to use on Beachcomber the same fire extinguisher trick they used on Goldbug in "[[Eye in the Sky]]". Sadly, it doesn't work nearly as well this time around.

*Soundwave mentions having gone through [[primary programming]] four million [[Units of time|stellar cycles]] ago.

*Thunderwing mentions that one of the criminals he's been chasing is a crime boss named [[Beta (SG)|Beta]].

*As noted in the Errors, when Heatwave gets sent through the Stellar Spanner, part of his trip involves the sensations of joy, happiness, compassion, love, and satisfaction, as well as a rainbow hue, no doubt coinciding with Aquarius activating the recall program that also [[Reunification|summoned the rest of the Nexus Prime gestalt to Cybertron]].

*Blaster on the Moon is a reference to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|G1 episode]] "[[Blaster Blues]]". Or it could be a reference to his heroic counterpart's duel with Grimlock on the moon in the Marvel comics issue "[[Totaled!]]"

===Real-world references===
*The title of the story is a reference to the song "[[wikipedia:Blitzkrieg Bop|Blitzkrieg Bop]]" by the [[wikipedia:Ramones|Ramones]].

*Starscream, at some point before the story begins, fights a super-criminal known as "[[Spider-Man|Arachnolord]]".

*Congressman Shore is mentioned, a reference to Blackthorn Shore from ''[[wikipedia:The Inhumanoids|The Inhumanoids]]''.

*Will listens to [[wikipedia:The White Stripes|"The Pale Lines"]] on his [[oPod|O-Pod]].

*Ratchet thinks the lyrics to "Zydrate Anatomy" from ''[[wikipedia:Repo! The Genetic Opera|Repo! The Genetic Opera]]'' are catchy.

*Rodimus complains about being stuck listening to "Jim-Bob and Willy", a reference to obnoxious southern-US morning show deejays [[wikipedia:John Boy and Billy|John Boy and Billy]].

*Rodimus' line, "So up your tube with an energon cube!" is based on [[wikipedia:Welcome_Back, Kotter#Vincent .22Vinnie.22 Barbarino|Vinnie Barbarino]]'s famous line, "Up your nose with a rubber hose!".

*Beachcomber's dialogue in the story is full of song lyric snippets:
**"[[wikipedia:Won't Get Fooled Again|Won't Get Fooled Again]]" by [[wikipedia:The Who|The Who]]
**"[[wikipedia:Carry On Wayward Son|Carry On Wayward Son]]" by [[wikipedia:Kansas|Kansas]]
**"Transmaniacon MC" by [[wikipedia:Blue Öyster Cult|Blue Öyster Cult]]
**"[[wikipedia:Magic Carpet Ride|Magic Carpet Ride]]" by [[wikipedia:Steppenwolf|Steppenwolf]]
**"PDA" by [[wikipedia:Interpol (band)|Interpol]]
**"Fire Poem" by [[wikipedia:Arthur Brown|Arthur Brown]]
**"[[wikipedia:(Don't Fear) The Reaper|(Don't Fear) The Reaper]]" by Blue Öyster Cult
**"[[wikipedia:Another One Bites the Dust|Another One Bites the Dust]]" by [[wikipedia:Queen|Queen]]
**"[[wikipedia:Helter Skelter (song)|Helter Skelter]]" by [[wikipedia:The Beatles|The Beatles]]
**"Nowhere to Run (Vapor Trail)" by [[wikipedia:The Crystal Method|The Crystal Method]]
**"[[wikipedia:One Way or Another|One Way or Another]]" by [[wikipedia:Blondie|Blondie]]
**"[[wikipedia:Psycho Killer|Psycho Killer]]" by [[wikipedia:Talking Heads|Talking Heads]]
**"[[wikipedia:Ace of Spades (song)|Ace of Spades]]" by [[wikipedia:|Motörhead]]
**"[[wikipedia:Spirit in the Sky|Spirit in the Sky]]" by [[wikipedia:Norman Greenbaum|Norman Greenbaum]]

*Aquarius leaves a message for Heatwave to "[[wikipedia:Keep on Truckin'|Keep on Truckin']]".

*The Cold Slither album liner notes at the back of the story have a number of references:
**One of the album's producers is "Synergy Music Ltd.", a reference to Synergy from ''[[wikipedia:Jem (TV series)|Jem and the Holograms]]''.
**Some of the song writer credits reference various members of [[Cobra]]: Buzzer and Torch from the [[Dreadnok]]s and [[Destro]].
**The songs "[[wikipedia:Battle Song of Liberty|Battle Song of Liberty]]" and "[[wikipedia:The Star-Spangled Banner|The Star-Spangled Banner]]" are on the album.

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersclub.com/members/fiction.cfm Transformers Collectors' Club exclusive fiction] (must be a logged-in member to access)

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Shattered Glass issues]]
[[Category:Text stories]]

Blitzwing Bop

2010-04-18T01:47:38Z

121.45.205.220: /* Transformer references */

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=[[Timelines (fiction)|Timelines]]
|prev=Wings of Honor
|next=At Fight's End
|seriesissue2=[[Shattered Glass (fiction)|Shattered Glass]]
|prev2=Eye in the Sky
|next2=Transhuman
|image=Blitzwingbop.jpg
|caption=
|title="Blitzwing Bop"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|date=[[November 17]], [[2009]]
|written by=[[Trent Troop]] and [[Greg Sepelak]]
|illustrations by=[[Chad Porter]]
|cover=[[Chad Porter]]
|pagecount=35pp
|continuity=[[Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]
}}
'''Blitzwing inadvertently becomes a musical countdown, and not the kind that sounds like Bluestreak.'''

==Synopsis==
The media of [[Earth]] are abuzz with news of the arrival of two crews of Cybertronians, the press trying to figure out what to make of the fantastic extraterrestrial visitors, and especially the heroic deeds of the Decepticons. Beyond the planet, a single vessel catches the transmissions and diverts its course towards the blue orb.

Meanwhile on the planet's surface, a young human is speaking with a Decepticon. Making small talk as he works inside Blitzwing, Will satisfies his curiosity by asking the Triple Changer of his homeworld. Blitzwing is less than enthusiastic to relate about his war-torn home, which leaves Will somewhat nonplussed. The human's descriptions of organic life prove far more compelling to the Cybertronian, who is eager to see more. Unfortunately, Will hasn't finished his ministrations on Blitzwing's systems, and thus he holds the Decepticon back a few more moments as he completes the last connections. Closing the casing, Will reveals that he has wired his new friend for sound by integrating an [[oPod|O-Pod]] into Blitzwing's circuits. The Cybertronian is a bit bewildered by what the organics call "music" and scoffs at the device's meager storage capacity. Will initially tries to convince Blitzwing of the merits of music in promoting higher ideals, but is quickly distracted by the prospect of a ride in the Decepticon's alternate modes. The two of them exit the base to cruise for a bit.

Elsewhere, Goldbug is overseeing a project of his own. Having played off of the mentally erratic scientist Wheeljack's ego, he has convinced his fellow Autobot to construct an ambitious [[Stellar Spanner]] with the help of Sideburn. Though Wheeljack is madly certain of the accuracy of his calculations, the probability of error given to Goldbug leaves something to be desired. Suggesting that Sideburn take the first trip (in the name of science), Goldbug's scheming is outmaneuvered by the slippery Autobot's reminder that he will be needed to fix the device in the event of failure, and Sideburn's subsequent suggestion that they send a Scrounge in his stead. This makes Goldbug exceedingly nervous, as he does not wish to alert Rodimus to the Spanner's existence.

During their travels, Will and Blitzwing's discussion of Earth music is interrupted by a sudden spike on the Decepticon's scanners. A major convergence of Autobot technology is lighting up the dials, which is an oddity, considering their habit of masking their signals. Blitzwing plays to type and heads straight for it, but calls for backup at Will's insistence. The Decepticons are thin on the ground in the area due to the task of excavating Astrotrain, but thankfully, Heatwave is inbound.

Taking up positions around the Autobot build site, Will and Blitzwing spot Heatwave already observing the construction. Though the Triple Changer doesn't recognize what is being built, Heatwave quickly identifies its intent and explains to the other two. Grasping the implications of a working Stellar Spanner, Blitzwing decides he doesn't like leaving it up to chance whether Wheeljack will succeed in his project. Heatwave agrees and moves to intervene well before his fellow Decepticon manages to call in the intended backup.

{{issuestub}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Decepticon]]s|c1=
* [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] (2)
* [[Soundwave (SG)|Soundwave]] (6)
* [[Heatwave]] (7)
* [[Starscream (SG)|Starscream]] (10)
* [[Slugslinger (SG)|Slugslinger]] (18)
* [[Sideswipe (SG)|Sideswipe]] (19)
* [[Bombshell (SG)|Bombshell]] (20)
* [[Thunderwing (SG)|Thunderwing]] (27)
* [[Whisper (SG)|Whisper]] (28)
|h2=[[Autobot]]s|c2=
* [[Goldbug (SG)|Goldbug]] (3)
* [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]] (4)
* [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] (5)
* [[Rodimus (SG)|Rodimus "Prime"]] (13)
* [[Elita-One (SG)|Elita-One]] (15)
* [[Swoop (SG)|Swoop]] (16)
* [[Star Saber (SG)|Star Saber]] (17)
* [[Brawn (SG)|Brawn]] (21)
* [[Blaster (SG)|Blaster]] (22)
* [[Ratchet (SG)|Ratchet]] (23)
* [[Beachcomber (SG)|Beachcomber]] (24)
|c3=
* [[Will Hayes|Will]] (1)
* [[Professor Arkeville]] (9)
* [[Sephie Beller|Sephie]] (11)
* [[Rick Ottman|Rick]] (12)
* [[Big Steve Ludwig (SG)|Big Steve Ludwig]] (25)
* [[Wyatt]] (26)
|c4=
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (8)
* [[Teletraan-X]] (14)
}}

==Quotes==
"So tell me about Cybertron." 
"Why?" 
"I've never been there, Blitzwing. Thought it'd be interesting." 
"Okay. Imagine a junk yard. Now make it the size of a planet, and set big patches of it on fire. I suppose that's interesting in a horrible sort of way, but there's nothing appealing about it."
:—'''Will''' finds out from '''Blitzwing''' that Cybertron is not a good tourist destination.

"If my examination of Starscream's systems is accurate, unless we can stop the subspace transmission, Blitzwing's signal will eventually cause permanent memory damage... possibly even catastrophic data corruption." 
"Whoah, that means-" 
"If it's not stopped, this 'rock and roll' assault will rapidly become... '''death metal'''."
:—'''Arkeville''' and '''Soundwave''' engage in bad puns.

"Right now, I gots two idiot humans yammerin' 'bout venting exhaust stuck in my head. They will not shut up. An' I can still bend your fenders in a knot an' stick 'em in your reactor linkage! So '''up your tube with an energon cube! Capiche?!'''"
:—'''Rodimus''' lets Blaster know who's the boss.

''Beachcomber had survived the decon bath, the optic calibration process, the hallway filled with zero-friction lubricant and three chemical explosions since breaching the outer defenses of the Decepticon base. He had been thrown about, smashed and lit on fire by four puddles of organic waste.'' 
''He was not happy.'' 
''Now, however, the enemy was out of tricks, and out of places to run.'' 
''That made him happy. Insanely happy.''
:—Beachcomber deals with getting the "Home Alone" treatment from the humans.

==Notes==
===Errors===
*Heatwave's feelings of "joy, happiness, compassion, love, and satisfaction" should probably be "joy, ''peace'', compassion, love, and satisfaction" to be a completely accurate reference to [[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]].

*While Cliffjumper in-character almost calls the [[Stellar Spanner]] a [[space bridge]], at one point the narration itself also calls it a "spacebridge".

*Not an error: Soundwave mentions that Astrotrain crashed in the Arctic instead of the Antarctic, but it's Soundwave's mistake, not the story's.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=64373&st=0&p=1390930#entry1390930 Trent Troop answers "Shattered Glass"-related questions]</ref>

===Transformer references===
*[[Crasher (SG)|Crasher]] is mentioned as being granted honorary [[Ottoman Confederacy|Ottoman citizenship]] after saving [[Abdul Fakkadi (SG)|President Fakkadi]].

*The Decepticons save [[Blackrock Industries|Blackrock Oil]] members from the Autobots.

*Soundwave attends a joint [[Misfits]]/[[Cold Slither]] concert, and the (opposite-themed) lyrics to a few Cold Slither songs from an album ''[[Thunder Hammer]]'' are included at the back of the story.

*Astrotrain is a [[Jetfire (G1)|shuttle that crash lands in Antarctica]].

*As noted in the [[#Errors|Errors]], the Stellar Spanner is essentially a [[redeco]]ed space bridge.

*[[Jet judo]] is a martial art done ''by'' jets instead of ''to'' jets.

*The Stellar Spanner is labeled with [[Cybertronian languages|Autobot letters]].

*One of the Autobots' schemes involves creating drone cars at a "[[Wash and Roll|Roll-N-Wash]]".

*Brawn is a practitioner of [[Tekkaido]].

*Rick's little sister fawns over [[Brad White]], the "dreamy" punk-ass counterpart to [[Rad White|some kid]].

*Sephie communicates via e-mail with someone who has the username "[[Stormbringer (disambiguation)|Stormbringer99]]".

*Will and Rick try to use on Beachcomber the same fire extinguisher trick they used on Goldbug in "[[Eye in the Sky]]". Sadly, it doesn't work nearly as well this time around.

*Soundwave mentions having gone through [[primary programming]] four million [[Units of time|stellar cycles]] ago.

*Thunderwing mentions that one of the criminals he's been chasing is a crime boss named [[Beta (SG)|Beta]].

*As noted in the Errors, when Heatwave gets sent through the Stellar Spanner, part of his trip involves the sensations of joy, happiness, compassion, love, and satisfaction, as well as a rainbow hue, no doubt coinciding with Aquarius activating the recall program that also [[Reunification|summoned the rest of the Nexus Prime gestalt to Cybertron]].

*Blaster on the Moon is a reference to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|G1 episode]] "[[Blaster Blues]]". Or it could be a reference to his heroic counterpart's duel with Grimlock on the moon in the Marvel comics issue [[Totaled!]]

===Real-world references===
*The title of the story is a reference to the song "[[wikipedia:Blitzkrieg Bop|Blitzkrieg Bop]]" by the [[wikipedia:Ramones|Ramones]].

*Starscream, at some point before the story begins, fights a super-criminal known as "[[Spider-Man|Arachnolord]]".

*Congressman Shore is mentioned, a reference to Blackthorn Shore from ''[[wikipedia:The Inhumanoids|The Inhumanoids]]''.

*Will listens to [[wikipedia:The White Stripes|"The Pale Lines"]] on his [[oPod|O-Pod]].

*Ratchet thinks the lyrics to "Zydrate Anatomy" from ''[[wikipedia:Repo! The Genetic Opera|Repo! The Genetic Opera]]'' are catchy.

*Rodimus complains about being stuck listening to "Jim-Bob and Willy", a reference to obnoxious southern-US morning show deejays [[wikipedia:John Boy and Billy|John Boy and Billy]].

*Rodimus' line, "So up your tube with an energon cube!" is based on [[wikipedia:Welcome_Back, Kotter#Vincent .22Vinnie.22 Barbarino|Vinnie Barbarino]]'s famous line, "Up your nose with a rubber hose!".

*Beachcomber's dialogue in the story is full of song lyric snippets:
**"[[wikipedia:Won't Get Fooled Again|Won't Get Fooled Again]]" by [[wikipedia:The Who|The Who]]
**"[[wikipedia:Carry On Wayward Son|Carry On Wayward Son]]" by [[wikipedia:Kansas|Kansas]]
**"Transmaniacon MC" by [[wikipedia:Blue Öyster Cult|Blue Öyster Cult]]
**"[[wikipedia:Magic Carpet Ride|Magic Carpet Ride]]" by [[wikipedia:Steppenwolf|Steppenwolf]]
**"PDA" by [[wikipedia:Interpol (band)|Interpol]]
**"Fire Poem" by [[wikipedia:Arthur Brown|Arthur Brown]]
**"[[wikipedia:(Don't Fear) The Reaper|(Don't Fear) The Reaper]]" by Blue Öyster Cult
**"[[wikipedia:Another One Bites the Dust|Another One Bites the Dust]]" by [[wikipedia:Queen|Queen]]
**"[[wikipedia:Helter Skelter (song)|Helter Skelter]]" by [[wikipedia:The Beatles|The Beatles]]
**"Nowhere to Run (Vapor Trail)" by [[wikipedia:The Crystal Method|The Crystal Method]]
**"[[wikipedia:One Way or Another|One Way or Another]]" by [[wikipedia:Blondie|Blondie]]
**"[[wikipedia:Psycho Killer|Psycho Killer]]" by [[wikipedia:Talking Heads|Talking Heads]]
**"[[wikipedia:Ace of Spades (song)|Ace of Spades]]" by [[wikipedia:|Motörhead]]
**"[[wikipedia:Spirit in the Sky|Spirit in the Sky]]" by [[wikipedia:Norman Greenbaum|Norman Greenbaum]]

*Aquarius leaves a message for Heatwave to "[[wikipedia:Keep on Truckin'|Keep on Truckin']]".

*The Cold Slither album liner notes at the back of the story have a number of references:
**One of the album's producers is "Synergy Music Ltd.", a reference to Synergy from ''[[wikipedia:Jem (TV series)|Jem and the Holograms]]''.
**Some of the song writer credits reference various members of [[Cobra]]: Buzzer and Torch from the [[Dreadnok]]s and [[Destro]].
**The songs "[[wikipedia:Battle Song of Liberty|Battle Song of Liberty]]" and "[[wikipedia:The Star-Spangled Banner|The Star-Spangled Banner]]" are on the album.

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersclub.com/members/fiction.cfm Transformers Collectors' Club exclusive fiction] (must be a logged-in member to access)

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Shattered Glass issues]]
[[Category:Text stories]]

End of the Road! (US)

2010-04-16T02:43:02Z

121.45.205.220:

{{disambig3|End of the Road}}
{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #80
|prev=The Last Autobot?
|next=Unfoldings!
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #331-332
|prev2=The Last Autobot?
|next2=Another Time and Place
|title=End of the Road!
|image=MarvelUS-80.jpg
|caption="I am victorious! Is there any who can challenge [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]?!" "[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Me]]." "...Oh, [[Slag (slang)|slag]]."
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=May 1991
|coverdate=July 1991
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|penciler=[[Andrew Wildman]]
|inker=[[Stephen Baskerville]]
|colorist=[[Nelson Yomtov|Nel Yomtov]]
|letterer=[[Rick Parker]]
|editor=[[Rob Tokar]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''All good things...'''

==Synopsis==
Sometime after the end of the last issue, the [[Autobot|Autobots]] '''came''' to [[Klo]], '''saw''' a [[Decepticon]], and were '''conquered'''. As Octopunch leads a tracker team to hunt down the remaining survivors, Grimlock is trying to keep the last five Autobots alive. Unfortunately for him, Prowl is one of the survivors, and spares no breath berating Grimlock for the situation. It seems the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were led into an obvious trap upon the Autobots' arrival on Klo, and the resulting melee was a slaughter. Prowl's pontificating is cut short when Fangry leads the hunting party to double-back, and the Decepticons move in for the kill.

Back at the scene of the first battle, Bludgeon is about to administer another execution when he and his warriors are suddenly caught off guard by the arriving [[Neo-Knights]]. The Decepticons quickly learn that the humans were only the first wave, and onto the battlefield drops the second wave — Optimus Prime, alive and kicking. Despite Bludgeon's disbelieving cries, Prime is indeed back, and he introduces his new friend, the legendary Last Autobot. The child of [[Primus]] relates how he first encountered Hi-Q and the [[Neo-Knights]] on Cybertron, and reformatted the [[Nebulos|Nebulan]] into a [[Nucleon]]-enhanced [[Action Master]] version of Optimus Prime.

The Decepticons dogpile on Prime, but prove less than effective. What's more, the Last Autobot begins using his powers to reanimate all of the fallen Autobots, increasing their forces by the minute. As Grimlock and his group of survivors charge over the hillside, the tide of battle quickly turns towards the Autobots, and Bludgeon's troops are put to retreat. As Bludgeon proclaims he will lead his troops into the voluntary exile that honor demands, he quietly tells Stranglehold to gather their forces, to live to fight another day.

As the Autobots wrap up, Optimus Prime informs his brethren that [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] survives, restored by the Last Autobot's power and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] energy that washed over the planet in the final battle with [[Unicron]]. The Autobots prepare to help the Klozians rebuild, take the Neo-Knights home and, finally, return to their home planet for a new era of peace and enlightenment.

[['Til all are one]].

{{note|This story is continued in several mutually-exclusive directions:''
* The UK Annual story "[[Another Time and Place]]".
* The ''G.I. Joe'' issue "[[Unfoldings!]]", leading into the ''[[Generation 2 (Marvel Comics)|Generation 2]]'' series.
* The Fun Publications story "[[Crossing Over, Part 1]]".

''It never ends!''}}
==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Getaway]] (1)
* [[Siren]] (9)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (14)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (15)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (16)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (17)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (18)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (19)
* [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]
* [[Last Autobot]] (23)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (24)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (29)
* [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (30)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]
|c2=
* [[Dreadwing (G1)|Dreadwing]] (2)
* [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (3)
* [[Stranglehold]] (5)
* [[Battletrap]] (6)
* [[Snapdragon]] (7)
* [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (8)
* [[Fangry]] (10)
* [[Quake (G1)|Quake]] (11)
* [[Weirdwolf]] (12)
* [[Octopunch]] (13)
* [[Horri-Bull]] (25)
* [[Squeezeplay]] (28)
* [[Skullcruncher]]
* [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
|c3=
* [[Thunderpunch]] (20)
* [[Dynamo]] (21)
* [[Rapture]] (22)
* [[G.B. Blackrock]] (26)
* [[Circuit Breaker]] (27)
|h4=[[Nebulos|Nebulans]]
|c4=
* [[Hi-Q]] (26)
}}

==Quotes==
"Do you not understand? [[Furmanism|It's OVER—FINISHED!]]"
:—Bludgeon, executing Siren.

"And now... it is time for this mindless war to cease. It is [[Furmanism|done, finished.]]"
:—the Last Autobot.

"ENOUGH! Do you not understand, Decepticons? [[Furmanism|It is over—FINISHED!]]"<ref>There's a lot of uses for that [[Furmanism]] here.</ref>
:—Optimus Prime, in a mockery of Bludgeon.

"For me, personally, [[Furmanism|it never ends!]]"
:—Simon Furman, giving mixed messages as he concludes the letters page.

==Items of note==
* Optimus Prime appears in his Action Master design, but Nucleon is not explicitly mentioned here as being a part of his transformation. However, Hi-Q absorbed energy during Grimlock's metamorphosis to Action Master form in "[[Still Life!]]", an indirect appropriation of Nucleon that is confirmed in Transformers UK Annual #7, "[[Another Time and Place]]".
* If a (Fill in the Blank)master is killed with their partner, could the Last Autobot still resurrect them?
* Apparently Crankcase is perfectly fine surviving without a head.
* With typical Marvel humor, this issue is billed as '''#80''' in a '''four-issue''' limited series.
* Nobody gets the final US cover corner box; instead, an orange and yellow beveled [[Decepticon]] [[Insignia|insignia]] appears here, contrasting the [[Autobot]] symbol featured in the cover's logo.
* Simon Furman's "send-off" message at the end of the issue claims that this will almost certainly mark the end of Transformers as a story, but that he hopes to continue to write stories about the Neo-Knights. Wonder how that turned out?
* Game over, man — game over.

===Covers===
<gallery>
Image:MarvelUS-80.jpg|'''US issue #80''' - Wheeljack never gets a break.
Image:MarvelUK-331.jpg|'''UK issue #331''' - All action, no [[Powermaster|'Master]].
Image:MarvelUK-332.jpg|'''UK issue #332''' - It's the end... but the moment has been prepared for.
</gallery>
* '''US cover:''' Bludgeon about to dismember Wheeljack by [[Andrew Wildman]].
* '''UK issue #331 cover:''' Optimus Prime by Andrew Wildman; recolored version of page 12 of the story.
* '''UK issue #332 cover:''' recolored version of US cover.

===Advertisements===
* None yet identified.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]