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Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"

2010-05-02T00:14:19Z

121.72.162.224: /* Items of Note */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]'' #6
|prev=Enemies of the System
|next=The Transformers issue 7
|title="Earthworks"
|image=Transformers 6-A.jpg
|caption=Ohh s*** what are we going to do now?!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date= [[April 28]], [[2010]]
|coverdate=April 2010
|written by=[[Mike Costa]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[James Brown]] and [[Andrew Dalhouse]]
|letters by= [[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|associate editor=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2010)]]
}}
'''Major Witwicky and Optimus Prime come to terms with each other, while the giant gestalt, Menasor, wreaks havoc in the desert.'''

==Synopsis==
Spike Witwicky is is sitting in a Skywatch gunship with Corporal Henderson after being pulled from a flood channel after his near-death encounter with the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. Spike voices his frustration with how long it took for them to finally come and get him, to which Joe basically says that Spike did not need any help to get out of the channel in the first place.

The pilot turns to Joe and Spike and says that a call came in regarding a situation located about 20 miles northwest of their current position. Spike orders the pilot to take them there and Joe remarks that he can see it. Corporal Henderson immediately recognizes the giant robot as one of those gestalts and that he hasn't seen one of those since [[All Hail Megatron issue 2|the incident in New York]]. Spike asks the pilot what kind of weapons they have on board, but is told that there is nothing on board capable of even barely scratching the paint. Campologno makes a remark about how <i>these things are just not going to stop trying to kill each other,</i> to which Spike tells the pilot to get them back to base immediately.

Back at Skywatch base; Spike Witwicky decides to talk to Optimus Prime one last time as he he confronts Prime by saying that Prime turned himself in because [[Ironhide (G1)|his friend was killed]]. Prime says that he turned himself in because he realized that there had to be a change, and that it wouldn't have happened if he had told his comrades what he was doing. Spike asks if it was the death of his friend that set him in motion; Prime affirms, to which Spike starts pouring out his heart saying how Ironhide's death was all his fault because he wasn't present on the base the [[...For All Mankind|day of the raid]]. Optimus asks Spike about his sudden release of honesty, to which Spike replies by saying that he is a good soldier and that he's still trying to figure out just what it means to be a leader.

Spike offers Prime a way to to redeem himself. Prime balks at the offer at first, but Spike manages to convince him that if he doesn't, innocent people will most assuredly get hurt. Spike disables the cage surrounding Prime and allows him to walk outside. The other Skywatch personnel are shocked to see what their commanding officer is doing since [[Sparkplug Witwicky|the General]] will be at the base in a few hours. Spike tells his men that the only chance they have at stopping Menasor rests within Prime and that he doesn't want another incident like the one back in New York to occur again. Joe tells Spike that he can't let him do that, because Spike doesn't know how to fly.

Menasor has Ultra Magnus in his hands and ponders what to do with him. Menasor's limbs suggest different ways to kill him, but Menasor decides to ignore them, loudly declaring to smash Ultra Magnus instead. Swindle tells Magnus that he knew he was after him for stealing the gestalt technology because Magnus figured that Swindle would sell it to the highest bidder. However, Swindle tells Magnus that he figured out how to use it himself; even though the thought of it would have never occurred to Ultra Magnus. Swindle then mockingly asks Magnus who the idiot is now, only to have Optimus Prime drop right onto his head, transforming and heroically taking on Menasor.

Bumblebee is being strangled by Scrapper, who is apparently jealous that everyone is giving their undivided attention to Menasor. Scrapper states that no one should forget about the Constructicons as he smashes Bumblebee down into the ground. However, he ends up getting shot by Thundercracker, who states that he never liked the Constructicons. Bumblebee is shocked that Thundercracker saved him, to which he replies that Swindle will keep fighting no matter what because he is both a [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]] and a [[Starscream (G1)|liar]]. Thundercracker tells Bumblebee that because he used to be a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]], he has honor, and therefore meant it when he said that he didn't know why the Autobots and Decepticons were fighting anymore. Thundercracker then says that Swindle is not as smart as he says he is. Since Swindle didn't spend a proper amount of time applying the gestalt tech to the Stunticons, Thundercracker tells Bumblebee that he believes the Autobots could probably take Menasor down. Thundercracker then tells Bumblebee that he needs to help Rodimus, and runs off to do so.

Menasor is busy looking for a weapon, and ,deciding a sword would suffice, tears off a piece of the rocket that was built to help Swindle and the rest of the Decepticons escape, much to Swindle's chagrin. Bumblebee realizes that the Stunticons have some teamwork issues and that the best way to defeat Menasor is to break him apart. Bumblebee gives the order to target [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]], followed by [[Motormaster]]. Optimus then radios Spike to come in and pick up the pieces. Red Alert tells Prime (unaware that Prime was the one who called them in the first place), that Skywatch forces are inbound to their position and asks Prime what they should do. Prime tells Red Alert that he's not in charge and that he's returning himself to Skywatch's custody. Red Alert tells Prime that they need him, but Prime replies saying that he came to help, but they cannot go back to the way things were.

Red Alert then turns to Bumblebee who says that they stay, an idea that Red Alert doesn't seem to be too fond of. Bumblebee realizes that Prime was right and that living like a band of fugitives is no way for an Autobot. Spike walks over to Bumblebee and tells him that Skywatch will help treat some of the wounded Autobots. He tells Bumblebee that he's seen enough to be convinced that the Autobots are not the problem, and that he's willing to allow them to stay on [[Earth]]. Spike says that they can keep chiseling away at each other, or they can work together to eliminate common threats. Bumblebee is leery at such a proposal, but Spike assures Bumblebee that he isn't like [[Gordon Horiuchi|Horiuchi]].

Ultra Magnus, furious, suddenly emerges from the Autobot cave demanding to know where Swindle is. Spike tells him that he got away, along with a few of the Constructicons. Magnus seemingly gets distraught at the fact that Swindle has eluded justice once again and asks Bumblebee if anyone tried to pursue him. Bumblebee starts to answer, but Magnus suddenly notices Rodimus and begins to tell him that he is under arrest for willful collusion with the enemy. Rodimus attempts to justify his actions, but Silverstreak is fed up with him. Bumblebee intercedes between Magnus and Rodimus, telling Magnus to back off. Magnus, not one to be ordered around, attempts to supplant Bumblebee's authority. Bumblebee snaps, and he tells Magnus that they've felt lost and scared ever since [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] stole the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. He also says that he's in charge until the Matrix is recovered and it chooses someone else. Hot Rod overhears this, as he sneaks off and steals Ultra Magnus' shuttle. Silverstreak remarks about how cowardly Hot Rod is for doing so. However, Silverstreak states that he's glad that Bumblebee is still around, as it seems that he's the only leader that they have left.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (4)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod/"Rodimus Prime"]] (6)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (8)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (11)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (12)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (16)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (17)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (19)
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (21)
* [[Bluestreak|Silverstreak]] (22)
* [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] (23)
|c2=
* [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] (5)
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (10)
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (13)
* [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (14)
* [[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (15)
* [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (18)
* [[Drag Strip]] (20)
|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (1)
* [[Joe Henderson]] (2)
* [[Skywatch Pilot]] (3)
* [[Campologno]] (7)
* [[Skywatch]] Personnel (9)
}}

==Quotes==
"No. I turned myself in because there had to be a change, and my people would not have been able to enact it if I had told them what I was doing."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

"Everyone wants to focus on the big guy. Just 'cuz we have a new combiner."
:—'''Scrapper''' envies Menasor for not sharing the spotlight.

"Listen. Both of us can expend resources chiseling away at each other. Or we can work together to neutralize actual threats, like the one today."
:—'''Spike Witwicky''' [[Gordon Horiuchi|sounding a lot like someone else]] that offered [[The Hanging Sword|a similar proposal]].

"So you will '''listen''' to me. And you will '''obey'''. No Autobot is being arrested today while I'm here, regardless of their mistakes."
:—'''Bumblebee''' tells '''Ultra Magnus''' to shut up and deal with it now.

==Items of Note==
* The cover showing the Autobots fighting Menasor was originally advertized as a wraparound cover. However, this was changed into cover a and cover being two halves of that wraparound cover. [http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hAWK7DxnqXc/S1dzyDll7eI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/tKhiAjvz_4g/s1600-h/TF_O3_cvr_a.jpg]

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Close up of Menasor attacking Rodimus and Bumblebee; art by [[Don Figueroa]] and colors by [[James Brown]].
* '''Cover B:''' Close up of Optimus Prime; art by Don Figueroa and colors by James Brown.
* '''Cover RI:''' Optimus Prime admiring the forest scenery; art by [[Andrew Wildman]].

<gallery>
Image: Transformers 6-A.jpg|<strike>Hulk</strike> Menasor SMASH!
Image: Transformers 6-B.jpg|This cover was so epic that it cost Optimus Prime and arm and a leg... Literally.
Image: Transformers 6-RI.jpg|[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] came down with a serious case of [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] during the filming of the G1 Season 3 theme song.
</gallery>

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[[Category:IDW Generation 1 issues]]

Mouthplate

2010-05-01T10:54:50Z

121.72.162.224: /* Transformers Animated */

[[Image:Optimus face.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I am smiling on the outside, but crying on the inside... not that you could tell anyway.]]
Instead of regular human facial features, some Transformers have what looks like a plate affixed to their lower jaw, usually covering up to their nose. While no official name exists for these, they are usually called ''''mouthplates''' ' or ''''faceplates'''' (despite a 'regular' face once being described as a faceplate in the TV series). Two of the most famous examples are those of [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'s [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]].

In earlier series, a Transformer's mouthplate moved when they spoke, as if there were a working jaw underneath. In [[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]] and the [[Unicron Trilogy]], however, it remains static.

==Fiction/Toylines==
===Generation 1===
[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] featured a prominent mouthplate in both [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|toy]] form (as do all [[Action Master|other]] [[SCF|G1-based]] [[Revoltech|toyline]] [[Robot Heroes|versions]]). The 20th Anniversary figure featured a mouthplate that was movable via a button on the back of his head that slightly lowered the spring-supported mouthplate to recreate the talking action seen in the cartoons.

[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] had a similar mouthplate, but no apparent nose (whether any of his assumed face is visible or not is debatable, considering how visor-esque his eyes are). Like Optimus, both his cartoon and [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|toy]] form had the mask. No toys have yet been made with a moving mask feature.

[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s mouthplate was unique in that it was fixed, even in the cartoon. Instead of a movable mouthplate, you knew Wheeljack was speaking because his "ears" flashed.

Many early toys had mouthplates that were simply disregarded in favor of mouths in fictional appearances (barring the occasional toy-accurate rendering). [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] in particular had a mask in [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|toy]] form, but not in cartoon or [[Marvel Comics|comic]] form. A rare reissue of the toy features a [[Show-accuracy|cartoon-accurate]] face, however, as do most toys of him since. Conversely, as Goldbug, he featured a mask in both cartoon and toy form.

[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] in his newly reborn body from the Japanese continuity also feature a mouthplate.{{storylink|Hybrid Style Convoy Black Version}}

[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] sometimes has a mouthplate and sometimes he doesn't.

===Beast Wars===
[[Optimus Primal]] was shown to have a mouthplate which would slide into place when he entered battle. This was used to reconcile the presence of an actual mouth on his animation model with the lack thereof on his toy. Later [[Retool|retoolings]] of the toy reflected the animation model.

===Cybertron===
The [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] animation model displays a similar setup to Optimus Primal, with a mouthplate that slides into place when entering [[Super Mode]]. However in this case the toy reflects this, featuring a gimmick that allows the face to display either configuration.

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Bumblebeebattlemask.jpg|left|200px|thumb|25 years before someone realized his toy has no face.]]
In [[The War Within]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] was depicted as having a removable face mask with mouthplate that resembled the original sculpt of his toy. In [[War Within: The Dark Ages|The Dark Ages]], [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] was given a similar treatment with a flip-up faceguard. The [[Titanium Series]] release of this character design featured the faceguard, but it was not removable. [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] was depicted with a removable face mask like Bumblebee's in the ongoing Generation 1 series.
{{-}}

===IDW comics continuity ===
In [[Stormbringer (comics)|Stormbringer]], Jetfire has a removable mask with mouthplate as part of his battle gear. This feature was included in the [[Classics (2006)|Classics]] toy of this character design.
Most recently in [[All Hail Megatron]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] himself revealed he has a retractable mouthplate much like his [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Movie counterpart]]. This would be the first time in an official story that the G1 version<ref>Although [[Don Figueroa|the artist]] himself doesn't consider him to be a G1 version.[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=143991#143991]</ref> of the character is portrayed as being able to remove his mouthplate, revealing that he does have a mouth underneath it (which he uses to eat some energon).

===Live-action ''Transformers'' movies===
[[Image:ROTF Prime mouthplate shatter.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Megatron did that just to piss off the [[GEEWUN|purists]]. He's that evil.]]
[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] is depicted as having a combat mouthplate which closes over his normal mouth to protect his face. To date, only one of Prime's three [[Robot Heroes]] figurines displays his face and mouth, while all other merchandise features the plate. [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] also has a mouthplate, seen very briefly. [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] has two pieces that rest on the top of his head normally but slide down and clamp together over his whole face in battle. Bumblebee's faceplate has a very insectoid appearance, crediting his name. [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] has a visor that protects his upper-face in combat.

In ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Optimus Prime's faceplate is smashed to pieces when he is kicked in the face by [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but it is replaced when he combines with [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]]. While not noticeable in the film, [[Sideswipe (ROTF)|Sideswipe]]'s [[Human Alliance]] toy confirms he has an extra layer of armor plating (which was thought to be his actual face) protecting his main face.

===''Transformers Animated''===
All of the Autobots in [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s crew have retractable faceplates. Optimus, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], [[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] each have one. [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] has one, too, though his is unique in that it covers his whole face. Among the Decepticons, [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]] has a non-retractable mouthplate, much like his [[Soundwave (G1)|G1 predecessor]]'s. Optimus' mouthplate flaps up and down when he talks, just like that of G1 Optimus, but none of the others' do.

==Trivia==
* Fan commentator Zobovor nicknamed these distinctive items "'''woobers'''" (crediting the term to a younger relative), and the name became popular with some fans.
* Both the [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|''Armada'' Optimus Prime]] and the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|''20th Anniversary'' Optimus Prime]] toys have mouthplates that can move up and down when a button located on their heads is depressed, even though Armada Prime's mouthplate never moved in the series itself. Additionally, the ''20th Anniversary'' toy has teeth (or possibly a speaker grille) hidden behind the mouthplate, in reference to Optimus Prime's battle-damaged appearance in the [[Generation 2 (Marvel Comics)|''Generation 2'' comics]], though this detail cannot be seen without disassembling the entire head (or just looking down with it pulled down really far).
* The lack of a full-time mouthplate on [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|certain]] [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|characters]] has, in the past, been known to result in [[GEEWUN|certain]] [[Ruined FOREVER|reactions]] from the fandom. Oh well.

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Transformer anatomy]]