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Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self

2016-12-17T07:17:17Z

AgenderArcee: /* Transformers references */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=19
|prev=Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus
|next=Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely
|image=MTMTE19 cvrRI.jpg
|title="Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 31]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=July 2013
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Brian Shearer]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editorial assistant=[[Kevin Smead]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2013)]]
}}
'''Answers come thick and fast as the history of Ultra Magnus is revealed, Tyrest's plan is laid bare, Ratchet gets in over his head, and Cyclonus and Whirl get ready to stage a daring rescue.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Ambus Unveiled.jpg|thumb|left]]
''Carried to [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] by his stolen shuttle, the comatose [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s body is recovered by [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]] and brought to [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], who is able to save his shrinking spark. Awakening, Magnus is immediately punched in the face by Tyrest; the Chief Justice is angry over Magnus's slide from fearsome lawman to public joke, which he considers the product of a nervous breakdown caused by Magnus applying the weight of the rules of war to those of everyday life in order to cope with the onset of peacetime. Tyrest deactivates Magnus's armor, which falls away from his body and reveals his true form, [[Minimus Ambus]], within. When Ambus mistakes the [[Legislator]]s for his replacement, Tyrest corrects him by introducing his new enforcer: [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]].''

Ambus explains the history of the Ultra Magnus identity to a confused [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], which originated with a no-nonsense law enforcer whose reputation inspired Tyrest to keep his legend alive after his passing with a suit of armor cast in his likeness. Tyrest selected multiple 'bots to wear the armor, take the name, and serve as his enforcer, each one's body returned to Tyrest after they died by a recall trigger in the armor so the identity could be passed on to the next. Ambus was particularly suited to the job, as he is a kind of [[Point One Percenter]] known as a "load bearer", possessing a [[spark]] with a particularly strong animating force that allows his body to integrate the Magnus armor where a normal 'bot could not. This talk of the strength of Ambus's spark prompts [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] to ask how he can still be alive, given his fatal condition when last they saw him, and seems to find hope for his own worsening [[Cybercrosis]] in Ambus's explanation of Tyrest's miracle-working doctor. At Rodimus's further inquiry, Ambus continues to explain that the ''Lost Light''ers are to be put to death for "harboring a criminal suspect", and that he had himself placed in the cell so he could record their conversation and prove to Tyrest that they were ignorant of the criminal: [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. Having been unaware of Tyrest's alliance with [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] or the presence of the [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]], and baffled by their supposed crimes against creation, Ambus lets himself out to investigate. A moment after he leaves, the unconscious Skids and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] appear in the cell in a flash of light.

[[File:Whirl Cyclonus TheDividedSelf.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
Meanwhile, just outside the prison—revealed to be suspended over a giant [[smelting pool]]—[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] concoct a strategy to rescue their teammates. Though Cyclonus is reluctant to bring their time on Luna 1 to an end yet, he nevertheless follows Whirl to a nearby armory, where the cyclopean Autobot rambles about his worldview and coping strategies while struggling with some door handles. Cyclonus opens the door for him, but as he steps back, a Legislator suddenly impales him from behind. Whirl springs into action, chopping the Legislator to bits with one of the many swords in the armory, blaming his own reflexes for saving Cyclonus's life. The pair investigate further, and soon discover the swords' captive owners, the [[Circle of Light]]. The Circle are quickly freed, and they all tool up for an attack on the wall of Legislators guarding the prison.

In Tyrest's medibay, the unhinged Pharma espouses the virtues of facility's bleeding-edge tech, with which he professes he can perform supposedly impossible medical procedures. Observing that Pharma has not taken back his original hands, [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] tries taunting him, accusing him of not being ''able'' to remove them from his body. Ratchet proposes a contest: the pair will work on two patients with the same injury, and the first to complete the surgery wins the hands. Pharma agrees and reattaches Ratchet's head and spark to his body, but Ratchet awakens to see with horror that his deranged counterpart has selected [[Ambulon]] and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to be their patients. Pharma ignores his attempts to beg off the contest, and announces he will be cutting them in half. Ratchet assures them that bisection from the waist is an easy fix... until Pharma buries his chainsaw in Ambulon ''lengthways'', splitting him from head to crotch!

[[File:Getawaymtmte.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
Back in the prison, Swerve has come around and explained to Rodimus and the others about the capture of the ''Lost Light'', and that he and Skids were taken by Star Saber, who they know as a holy warrior from Cybertron's past who tried to orchestrate the genocide of unbelievers. Theorizing on Skids's possible crime, [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] recalls his "invisible gun", believing he must have stolen it. Just as Skids starts to awaken, Star Saber himself arrives outside their cell with another prisoner in tow, and Chromedome realizes something: when he read Skids's memories months ago and detected only a "need to escape", he had actually been sensing a ''name''. The name of Skids's old partner, who stands before them in chains now: [[Getaway]]!

[[File:Tyrest and the matrix.jpg|thumb]]
Elsewhere, Ambus confronts Tyrest and demands answers, which Tyrest flatly supplies. He was one of those appointed by [[Nova Prime]] to develop the means by which Transformers were "constructed cold", in response to Nova's (correct) fear that the pulsewaves that generated new "forged" sparks would eventually stop. But contrary to what the public believes, constructed Transformers were ''not'' brought to life using the energy of other sparks: their sparks were, in fact, generated from the [[Matrix of Leadership]] by Tyrest and his team's manipulations of the talisman, before a team member had an attack of conscience and hid it away. Years later, during the [[Aequitas]] trials, Tyrest realized that every single Autobot prosecuted had been constructed cold, and came to believe that he had perverted the forces of creation and was responsible for spawning a tainted, evil subspecies. Wracked with guilt, he began drilling holes in his armor in a form of self-flagellation, eventually drilling one into his own brain that caused an "epiphany". Tyrest believed he had found the location of the [[Knights of Cybertron]] and their [[Cyberutopia]], and now plans to use his [[space bridge]] to join them there after atoning for his sins: destroying every Matrixed spark through the activation of a [[universal killswitch]]. Ambus refuses to allow Tyrest to complete his plan, so Tyrest implements the newest amendment to his self-titled accord—pre-emptive execution—and has a Legislator crush Ambus's head to powder.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashback.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]/[[Minimus Ambus]] (2)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (3)
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (4)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (7)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (8)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]'' (9)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (10)
*''[[Delta Magnus]]'' (11)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (12)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (14)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (15)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (17)
*[[Ambulon]] (18)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (19)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (21)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (22)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (23)
*[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (24)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (25)
*[[Getaway]] (26)
{{!}}}
|c4=
*[[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]] (1)
*[[Legislator]]s (5)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (6)
*[[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] (13)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (16)
*[[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] (20)
*''[[Nova Prime]]'' (27)
*''Matrix thief'' (28)
}}

==Quotes==

"How many Decepticons did you kill back there? Y'know, overall." 
"I wasn't keeping count. 
... 
Six. You?" 
"Dunno. More than six."
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Cyclonus'''

"This medibay, Ratchet—it's an '''embarrassment of riches.''' Every piece of ''avant garde'' Cybertronian technology that Magnus has ever repossessed... it's all here. Stuff I've never even '''seen''' before." 
"You always did like your instruments." 
"Ah, but it's not just the instruments—it's the way they're played. A skilled musician can make sounds no one's ever '''heard''' before."
:—'''Pharma''' shows off to '''Ratchet'''

"You think—wait. You think I wired '''your''' hands—the ones I attached to '''my''' body—you think I '''wired them to explode?'''" 
"I... think it's a possibility, yes." 
"Or maybe... maybe you're scared of '''failure.''' Maybe you're afraid you won't be able to pick the lock or loosen the wiring, so you want '''help.''' I get it, Pharma. It took me a while, but—it makes sense now. '''I'm better than you.'''" 
"A better doctor? '''Please.''' I overtook you years ago. I don't need my hands back to slap you down."
:—'''Ratchet''' goads '''Pharma'''

"I don't understand why you don't get yourself '''fixed.''' If not the face, then the claws." 
"You wanna know a '''secret''', hornhead? Life's messed up. '''I'm''' messed up. I've done bad things and I '''continue''' to do bad things, because the voice telling me '''not to'''...? He's not said much for a while. And y'know what keeps me going? <big>'''ANGER.'''</big> Anger's an '''insulator'''. Stops life getting '''too close'''. If I got myself "fixed," maybe the anger would leave me—and then I really '''would''' be screwed."
:—'''Cyclonus''' gets the inside scoop on '''Whirl'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s worldview

"So here's the plan: I'll watch your back and you watch mine. And if we make it out of this alive, then all scores are '''settled,''' okay? No more trying to kill me. What do you say?" 
"I say focus on the fight."
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Cyclonus''' prepare for battle

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The screen in Tyrest's "Repository" reads "Tyrest Accord Section 19 (80) 4: Thought Warfare". This clause was mentioned back in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]], at which time it was obvious Tailgate had drawn the connection with the chants of "1984" (here revealed to be more like "nineteen, eighty, four") uttered by the Legislators as they hunted Skids in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]]. It's obvious at this point that this is the crime Skids is guilty of.
*[[Delta Magnus]] is shown as a former comrade of the original Ultra Magnus; he was previously mentioned in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]]. He's only called "Delta" here, but his similarity to Ultra Magnus (see Transformers references, below) makes his identity evident, and indicates that they are both related and members of the "House of Magnus" Tyrest mentions in this issue.
*Minimus Ambus's description of how people perceived the original Ultra Magnus ("People loved and feared him in equal measure.") strongly resembles Whirl's own feelings about him, as expressed in [[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]].
*In retrospect, there have been a number of hints in past IDW stories as to Ultra Magnus's true nature:
**Since [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]] we had been given occasional instances of seeing the action from his point of view. But unlike with any other character's POV panels, these were presented with comprehensive Heads Up Displays, distortion effects and outlines of his visor.
**He was mentioned to have miraculously recovered from a [[zero point]] in the prose story, uh, "[[Zero Point]]". We can now surmise the truth behind that.
**In [[Interiors|issue #6]], Skids mentions that he used to be more prone to wisecracks.
**In the MTMTE [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|annual]], he prescriptively describes himself using the third person, twice.
**The fatal damage done to Magnus in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|#15]], the damage First Aid says can't be fixed, is the same type of damage First Aid says Magnus survived once before in [[Before & After|#12]].
**[[The Gloaming|Issue #16]]: See below.
*The series of flashbacks shown in issue #16 are revealed not to be the past experiences of Minimus Ambus, but the deaths of the multiple previous holders of the Ultra Magnus name. In addition to the three scenes from that issue ([[Clemency]], [[Simanzi]], and the [[Battle for Hell's Point]]), another Magnus's death is mentioned in connection with something called "the [[Fast-Folding Sun]]". It is now clear that Magnus displaying traits he was actively known for not possessing in these scenes was not intended to chart the evolution of his personality, but were actually hints that the 'bots within the armor were not the same as the present-day Magnus. Only two of them are named: [[Suture]] and [[Datum]], the latter being the Magnus who fell from ''[[Hell's Point]]''.
*It is revealed that the Magnus armor has a trigger that returns it to Tyrest upon the wearer's death; the comatose Magnus clenching his fist in the final moments of issue #16 is now revealed to be the activation of that trigger, rather than an expression of rage at the announcement of Drift's betrayal, as the visual juxtaposition of the scene intimated at the time. Similarly, the slow clenching of Magnus's fist across the flashback sequence in #16 was not a metaphorical representation of his fading life, but each of the past Magnuses (Magni?) tripping the trigger themselves.
*The Ultra Magnus armor is revealed to contain [[attention deflector]]s to prevent anyone from discovering the 'bot inside; these devices were just introduced last issue.
*Tailgate is able to recall that "harboring a criminal suspect" violates section 17 (21) of the Tyrest Accord, thanks to the education Magnus gave him in the code starting back in issue #5. This was the number the Legislators were chanting as they attacked the ''Lost Light'' across the last two issues.
*When Rodimus is speculating on the identity of the criminal aboard the ''Lost Light'', he lists off known unstable crew members Whirl and [[Atomizer]]. Two new names are revealed: [[Lancet]] and [[Ammo]]; given that his name starts with A, Ammo is more than likely one of the undesirables listed off by Magnus way back in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]].
*Though the cast themselves never seemed to quite become aware of it, a flash of images revealed to the audience that the Circle of Light had been captured by the Legislators in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 ''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]].
*Skids's mysterious "invisible gun" hasn't been mentioned in a good long time; here, Chromedome recounts its debut from issue #2.
*Chromedome read Skids's memories back in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
*Getaway's only appearances in IDW continuity before now was a brief crowd-filling cameo in ''[[Spotlight: Blaster]]''.
*The mysterious history of the Matrix of Leadership is finally explained in full, after [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]] revealed that it was replaced at some point with a fake. Here we learn that Nova Prime did indeed hold the real thing, after some doubt had been cast on that matter. The identity of the robot who steals the Matrix is unknown, but it is noted that he hid the talisman in the [[Undergrid]], where it would then be found by Orion Pax in [[Transformation (issue)|''Autocracy'' #9]].
*Tyrest lists off some of Ultra Magnus's experiences that led to the enforcer no longer being respected, including [[Nanocon]]s, which forced him to smile in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|annual]], Hedonia, where he got drunk in [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|issue #13]], doorframe audits, which were mentioned by Rung in [[The Gloaming|issue #16]], and his constant obsession with badges. "Hugging" would not be explained until later, in the flashback from [[Little Victories|issue #22]].
*On the letters page, Roberts establishes that [[Railspike (RID)|Railspike]] is a crew member of the ''Lost Light'' ("sure, why not") and he turns into the Cybertronian equivalent of a train. The character would later appear in an actual story far away from the ''Lost Light'', ruling out this questionable canon.

===Transformers references===
*Delta Magnus is visually based on the ''[[Diaclone]]'' "Powered Convoy" toy, the figure which would be recolored to become the original Generation 1 Ultra Magnus toy.
*Tyrest's fears that Matrixed sparks are predisposed to sin is reminiscent of the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] of the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Marvel G2]] comics, who actually ''were'' amoral and ruthless because [[Reproduction#Budding|the method of their creation]] had led to the dilution of Primus's essence within them.
*The Legislators being mindless drones created from the recycled bodies of their victims is reminiscent of ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'' [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon forces]] being created in a similar manner.
*Ultra Magnus being a small robot inside a big robot is [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#Generation 1|a feature of the original toy]].
*Minimus Ambus was "just a soldier" before becoming Ultra Magnus, referencing one of Ultra Magnus's lines in [[The Transformers: The Movie]].

===Real-life references===
*This issue's subtitle is taken from {{w|R. D. Laing}}'s ''The Divided Self'', a seminal work on understanding madness. On the surface, the title's usage can obviously simply refer to the dual identity of Minimus Ambus/Ultra Magnus, but on a deeper level, aspects of the work's examination of insanity (broadly, the manifestation of an alternate self to cope with doubt in the place one's real self has in the world) are also incorporated into the story. Plus, in a more literal sense, Ratchet's condition and the fate of poor Ambulon.
*Pharma's claim of being "a doctor, not a bomb-disposal expert" is reminiscent of Dr. McCoy of ''[[Star Trek]]'' fame.
*The decision to present the normally squeaky-clean hero of heroes, Star Saber, as a brutal villain in [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]] is pretty clearly drawn from [[James Roberts]]'s days as part of the [[Transmasters UK|Transmasters UK fanfic group]], which depicted the character in this way. He's a ''different'' type of villain as Roberts wanted to respect his former collaborators and not poach their ideas.<ref>[http://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2015/02/26/james-roberts-on-idws-transformers-more-that-meets-the-eye/ Women Write About Comics: "James Roberts on IDW’s Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye" 19:24 - 31:07]</ref>

===Errors===
*Pages 4–5, panel 8: "Soldier" is misspelled "solider", this was corrected in the TPB.
*When describing himself, Ambus draws a distinction between himself and "heavyweight class" Point One Percenters, naming [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] and [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] as examples of that group. However, ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' informed us that Impactor had been found guilty during the Aequitas trials, and this issue tells us that all those found guilty were Constructed Cold, while one has to be Forged in order to be a Point One Percenter. The text was amended for the trade to remove this mistake, replacing Impactor's name with [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s.
*Page 18, panel 4: Tyrest says, "Only us higher beings are troubled..." which technically should be "Only we higher beings..." While plenty of people disregard this rule in casual conversation, the high-falutin' Chief Justice really doesn't seem the type. Apparently IDW editorial agree and this was also corrected in the TPB.

===Crew manifest===
*Contrary to Rodimus's claim of 300 "give or take" last issue, on the letter's page James Roberts says the crew has about 230, including Delphi's Faders.
*Tailgate's cybercrosis continues to advance, as he can now barely move.
*Minimus Ambus and Ambulon both suffer arguably fatal injuries, but are not yet confirmed deceased. (You're not fooling us again, [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism#Crew Manifest|Red Alert]]!)
*12 deaths, three in terminal condition, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), one boxed, and one banishment since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
For all of "Remain in Light":
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjmGZfHHC80 "A Dazzling End"] from the ''[[Doctor|Doctor Who]]'' {{w|Doctor Who: Series 4 (soundtrack)|Series 4 soundtrack}}, by {{w|Murray Gold}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPJAX7Cu-4k "The Universal"] by {{w|Blur (band)|Blur}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Star Saber, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Cover B:''' Cyclonus and Whirl, ready for action with some scavenged swords, by [[Sean Chen]] and [[Tom Chu]].
*'''Cover RI:''' Ultra Magnus's empty helmet, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE19 cvrA.jpg|
File:MTMTE19 cvrB.jpg|
File:MTMTE19 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Homecoming (IDW)|#19]]
*''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Destiny, Part Three|#93]]
*''KISS Kids''
*''[[My Little Pony]]: The Magic Begins'' (back cover)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://tformers.com/transformers-more-than-meets-the/20857/news.html Preview]

Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron

2016-12-17T07:13:02Z

AgenderArcee:

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' #1
|prev=Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!
|next=Dissolution Part 2
|image=LL1_regcvr.jpg
|title="Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[December 14]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=December 2016
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Jack Lawrence]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]] (pg. 1-4) and [[John-Paul Bove]] (pg. 5-20)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2016)]]
}}
'''The stranded ''Lost Light''ers take stock following their victory.'''

==Synopsis==
On [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]], [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] treasure-hunters [[Anode]] and [[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] find themselves under attack by a [[Decepticon]] [[Cybernought]]. Anode activates a forcefield to protect them while she digs up the artifact they've come looking for, which they intend to sell to a buyer named [[Techy]]. Lug is quite convinced they are about to die; fortunately for them, moments before the Cybernought breaks through the forcefield, the [[Censere|Necrobot]] appears before them and spirits them away to the future.

Five hundred years later, Anode and Lug awaken from their stasis capsules on [[Necroworld]], just two of the many believed-dead 'bots the Necrobot has rescued from throughout time. The last to wake, they belatedly join a "debriefing" held by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], who gets them up to speed, explaining what has happened to them, and about the Autobots' recent battle with and victory over the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]—though he and the energetic Anode immediately butt heads when she complains about his dry delivery. Anode and Lug head out to mingle, where they are intercepted by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], who has allegedly been assigned to carry out "background checks." Anode begins to suspect otherwise as the little bartender's questions become more and more ludicrous, so she changes the subject to ask about his [[Autobot]] [[insignia]], now black in color. Swerve explains he and the others are in mourning for [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]; Anode remarks that he doesn't ''seem'' very upset, to which Swerve rightly takes umbrage, and stomps off, sarcastically remarking that Anode should have [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] check her for "timesickness." Anode realizes too late the harshness of her words, but is immediately more concerned to hear Velocity's name...

Elsewhere in the crowd, [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] introduces [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] to Velocity and [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], but the medic has to rush off and drags Nautica with her. Nearby, Decepticons [[Rapidfire]] and [[Fangry]] watch this exchange, suspicious and discontented with the news that the war is over, and spoiling for a fight. Fangry suggests they pick a fight with the toughest 'bot in the room to establish dominance, and eyes the super-strong [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] as he shows off for the crowd, lifting Roller over his head and describing his various feats in the recent battle. As the wary [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] drags Tailgate aside to tell him off for grandstanding, Fangry saunters over and deliberately shoulders them as he goes past.

Meanwhile, [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] applies a new paintjob to [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], replacing his reds, yellows, and oranges with black, blue, and purple—colors that, in the [[Spectralism]] doctrine, express both grief for a fallen comrade, and a "promise to kill." Rodimus implies this dual intent is intentional and that he is quite willing to kill [[Getaway]] for everything he has done to them when they get back to the ''[[Lost Light]]'', but before he can say it aloud, a tremor shakes the whole fortress.

The quake is also felt out in the Necrobot's flower fields by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], who has been telling his old friend [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] about the war, much as he might doubt his own objectivity on the matter. Before heading back, Megatron pauses at the plinth of [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]]'s now-deactivated holographic statue, and bids his departed friend farewell... whereupon [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] suddenly burst out of the ground beneath his feet! They all return to the fortress, where [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] explains that he teleported the pair back from the depths of the planet (just not ''quite'' all the way to the surface!) using the Necrobot's teleportation chamber, which he has rebuilt back out of the [[fusion cannon]] he turned it into. Nightbeat relates what he and Rung discovered, as well as the appearance of the [[Galactic Council]]'s [[geobomb]]—which apparently just burned out without effect, causing the earlier tremor. Rung, meanwhile, learns of Skids's fate from [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]], and sorrowfully goes to pay his last respects to his friend. As he grieves by Skids's bedside, however, a shaft of light unexpectedly bursts out of Rung's chest and he retches into his hand...

Tailgate awakens from a recharge to find that Cyclonus has been badly beaten. Suspecting Fangry is to blame, Tailgate storms off to find him, despite Cyclonus's pleas to the contrary. Concurrently, Anode and Lug attempt to use the teleporter; though Lug doesn't know the story behind it, Anode and Velocity apparently know one another, and Anode needs to get away from her as fast as possible. They are caught in the act by Rodimus and Drift, who explain that there's only enough energy for one use of the device... but Anode has already gone off on another tangent, fascinated by Drift's [[Great Sword]]. When she attempts to analyze it, he pushes her away, but the instant he makes contact, Drift collapses to the ground, and sees a terrifying vision of [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] leading an army of [[sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]] and [[Worldsweeper]]s, all bearing down on himself, Rodimus, and [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]], and a mysterious message etched in the ground!

Keeping his vision a secret, Drift subsequently joins the rest of the selected team—Rodimus, [[Minimus Ambus]], Ratchet, [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]], Rewind, Megatron, Terminus, and Roller—in using the teleporter to return to Cybertron so they can obtain a ship and then go back and collect everyone else. The machine appears to function perfectly, though it doesn't survive the trip... but as the group looks out over where [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] should be and sees a glittering metropolis, rather than the half-rebuilt city they left behind, they begin to suspect that something has gone wrong. A moment later, they are confronted by [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] of the [[Functionist Council]] and his [[Functionary]] enforcers, and Rewind realizes what has happened—they ''are'' on Cybertron... but they're in an [[Functionist Universe|alternate universe]]!

==Featured characters==
Character in ''italic text'' appear only in Drift's vision. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus]] (5)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (8)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (9)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (10)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (13)
*[[Wavelength (G1)|Wavelength]] (14)
*[[Syphon]] (16)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (17)
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (18)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (19)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (21)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (22)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (23)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (24)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (25)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'s body (27)
*''[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]'' (28)
*''[[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]]'' (30)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (31)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (32)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Rapidfire]] (11)
*[[Fangry]] (12)
|c4=
*[[Anode]] (1)
*[[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] (2)
*[[Cybernought]] pilot (3)
*[[Censere]] (4)
*Miscellaneous unnamed "Disappeared" (6)
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] (7)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (15)
*[[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] (20)
*[[Ten]] (26)
*''Multiple [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]]'' (29)
*Multiple [[Functionary|Functionaries]] (33)
*[[Twelve-of-Twelve]] (34)
}}

==Quotes==
"In my experience, no matter how bad the problem, no matter how insurmountable the odds, if you '''stand around''' long enough, someone else will sort it out."
:—'''Anode'''

"I think I speak for everyone here—particularly those of us who've spent the last 50 slides trying to '''punch ourselves to death'''—when I say: next time, just skip to that bit. The bit you said just now. The end bit. And maybe a few '''jokes''' to spice things up. Because that was so '''dull''' it made my '''life''' cry." 
"Those were '''statements''', not questions. I asked for questions. Do you have any?" 
"Does this count?"
:—'''Anode''' and '''Ultra Magnus'''

"'''Magnus?''' Last time he gave a speech, people '''died'''." 
"I know. The only winner that day was '''medical science'''. We finally know what happens when the brain is totally deprived of stimulus."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Drift'''

"Goodbye, dear friend. The universe is emptier now, but you live on in its echoes."
:—'''Megatron''' bids farewell to Ravage

'''Brainstorm:''' "'kay, so, bear in mind that when you turn something into something else and then '''reverse''' the process you have to make some... '''aesthetic compromises.'''" 
''(The teleport chamber is revealed to be a ramshackle half-pipe lying on the floor.)'' 
'''Rodimus:''' "It's a '''den''', Brainstorm. You've built a '''den.'''" 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "Does it work? As a teleporter, I mean. Not a den. I'm not qualified to pass judgement on a den."

"Whirl, I'm—" 
"—putting me in charge? '''Finally'''." 
"'''You'''? I wouldn't put you in charge of your own '''legs.'''" 
"Ouch. Lucky for you I respect people who hurt my feelings."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Whirl'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*After a five-month gap in real-world time, we rejoin Team Rodimus on the Necroworld directly following on from the end of [[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|''More than Meets the Eye'' #55]]. That issue saw the defeat of the DJD, the death of Ravage, the return of the "Disappeared" Transformers, recovered from throughout time by the Necrobot (including Roller and Terminus), and the ''apparent'' detonation of the Galactic Council's geobomb.
*Cybernought battle suits were introduced in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|''More than Meets the Eye'' #8]].
*Anode suspects Swerve's questions aren't genuine; of course, he's holding his own self-governed "Crewditions" again, asking silly questions, like he did back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|''More than Meets the Eye'' #28]]. All Swerve's "checks" reference the escapades of his various ship-mates: Brainstorm time-travelled to save someone he loved ([[Quark]]); Ultra Magnus is a [[loadbearer]] in disguise (in the form of [[Minimus Ambus]]); Megatron attempted to take over the universe (on numerous occasions); Skids had a dark secret (that he was responsible for Quark's death, as well as hundreds more); Tailgate had suppressed powers (triggered by a quantum-filled mutation). The reference to "villainous ex-partners" could be Chromedome—whose ex-partner [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] put [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] on the ship—but is more likely Getaway, who was Skids' former secret agent buddy.
*The crew are all wearing black Autobot insignias in memory of Skids, who died in [[The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|''More than Meets the Eye'' #54]].
*Rung's reaction to Skids's death is understandable, if due a little more exploration; he and Skids had grown closer over the last year of ''More than Meets the Eye'', and they shared a notably awkward parting for unclear reasons in [[The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|issue #53]].
*Drift's vision includes features various separate but interlinked components of the primary over-arcing mystery of ''More than Meets the Eye''. Grimlock was found aboard a Worldsweeper in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]], and it was revealed in [[Animals|issue #46]] that the ships are connected to a group of robots who wear the mysterious gear-like hieroglyph that has repeatedly appeared throughout the series, including on the surface of Luna-2, and on [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]'s map to [[Cyberutopia]]. This symbol was identified in [[The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|issue #50]] as a coat-of-arms linked to the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Pharma, meanwhile, was last seen in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]] when his dead body was dragged through an experimental spacebridge by forces unknown; on the other side of this bridge Skids briefly encountered a gigantic [[spark]] that spoke only in images, which included the symbol. Finally, the message Drift finds etched into the ground (see "Transformers references" below) translates to "PREPARE, CONFRONT, REPEL"—the same message Grimlock was shown to have written under a drawing of the glyph in issue #46. None of this seems to bode well for the true fate of the supposedly great and legendary Knights of Cybertron.
*Drift refers to the "last time" he has a vision. We never saw it happen, but, as revealed in the prose backup story from issue #21, "[[The Sound of Breaking Glass]]," this occurred when he stabbed himself with his [[Great Sword]] in [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|issue #28]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing series]], giving him a vague glimpse of the future that inspired his dedication to Rodimus.
*Our heroes have wound up in the parallel [[Functionist Universe]], an alternate timeline where Megatron never lived to start the war, introduced in [[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|''More than Meets the Eye'' #35]]. That issue featured the debut of [[Twelve-of-Twelve]], the [[Functionist Council]]'s [[Functionary]] enforcers, and the advanced form of [[Empurata]] that sees a 'bot's head replaced with a screen, as one of the councilman's retinue seen here has been subjected to. A "chest cavity search" is mentioned which was also seen in that issue, consisting of an examination of a 'bot's [[transformation cog]]. Rewind recognizes the universe from his previous glimpse of it, granted when his database was slowly overwritten when history was changed.
*The Empurata-afflicted 'bot is holding captive three other smaller robots, who are evidently protesters of the same kind as seen in issue #35—ones who have modified the appearance of their bodies to look like Rung, an individual who the disenfranchised in Functionist society have rallied around for his mysterious, apparently purposeless alternate mode. In [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue #39]], however, Functionist council member [[One-of-Twelve]] told that universe's captive Rung that they had figured out the mystery of his alt mode at last... which, coupled with Rung's intriguing physical reactions to the death of Skids this issue, indicates this long-standing puzzle may soon be solved!
*The two protestors whose faces we can see appear to have black, bleeding, empty eye-sockets. This is almost certainly connected to the Functionist Council's plan to install cameras in the eyes of everyone on Cybertron, detailed in issue #35.

===Transformers references===
*Lug turns into Anode's backpack. His transformation scheme is based on that of the ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Rewind (G1)#Generations|Rewind]] toy.
*A few of the generic "Disappeared" Transformers look to have stolen the color schemes of other characters, including [[Greejeeber|''Adventure'' Greejeeber]], [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]], and [[Smokescreen (Prime)|''Beast Hunters'' Smokescreen]]/"[[Bluestreak (Masterpiece)|Blue Bluestreak]]".
*Rodimus's new color scheme is based on the [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive character, [[Black Rodimus Convoy]].
*The sword Grimlock is holding in Drift's vision is the [[Grimlock (WFC)|''Fall of Cybertron'' Grimlock]] toy's.
*The message Drift sees in his vision is written in "[[Cybertronian language|Ancient Autobot]]," a substitution cypher/font created by [[Jim Sorenson]], based loosely on the hieroglyphics seen in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust]]."
*Upon arrival in the Functionist Universe, the Autobots are met by what Twelve-of-Twelve calls a [[Sky Spy|Sky-Spy]], after the Autobot satellite from the Generation 1 cartoon. Rather than share its design with that device, though, (as the Sky Spies that appeared in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|''More than Meets the Eye'' #11]] did), its appearance is that of a ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' [[Diagnostic Drone]], a design previously used by the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s medical drone, seen in multiple issues.

===Real life references===
*Any significance it might have to the story going forward notwithstanding, the "treasure" Anode digs up on Luna 2 sure looks like a [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Special%20Snowflake%20Syndrome special snowflake].
*When Rewind realizes what has happened at the end of the issue, he quotes Arthur Dent from the ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}'' novel ''{{w|Mostly Harmless}}'' when he remarks "Right planet, wrong universe."

===Other trivia===
*''Lost Light'' takes the place of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' on the IDW schedule, and remains written by James Roberts, continuing on the story begun in the previous title's pages. This issue's story is followed by a five-page recap of the ''More than Meets the Eye'' story so far.
*Would you believe this is Fangry's first appearance in IDW continuity? I know! Talk about overdue!

===Errors===
*Tailgate's insignia is mourning-black on page 9, but red on page 15. Brainstorm and Megatron's, meanwhile, are consistently colored red, even on pages where other characters' are black, so that might be deliberate. We mean, Brainstorm ''is'' a bit of an arsehole...
*The overview/recap of the crew's adventures so far blames the events of [[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]] on [[D-Void]], not Shockwave. Not even IDW themselves understand what that crossover was about, we suppose....
*The recap also claims that Fortress Maximus was the one to accidentally shoot Rung in [[Interiors]], when it was actually Swerve.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rFfRo0SRAg This Is Why We Fight]" by {{w|The Decemberists}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxT0cUFbJyw Magic In Here]" by {{w|The Go-Betweens}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcE8YWdGtnI Water From the Same Source]" by {{w|Rachel's}}

===Covers (9)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Rodimus, Ratchet, Drift, and Nautica, by [[Jack Lawrence]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
*'''Subscription cover A:''' Rodimus and the ''Lost Light'', by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Subscription cover B:''' [[Getaway]] and the mutineers, by [[Andrew Griffith]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover C:''' Blank cover for sketches

<gallery>
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File:LL1 subcvrA.jpg|
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File:LL1 subcvrC.jpg|
</gallery>

*'''Retailer incentive cover A:''' Graffiti of Megatron, Rodimus, and Nautica by [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]]; part of a series of "graffiti" variants by Pitre-Durocher which combines with covers from [[New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|''Optimus Prime'' #1]], [[Revolutionaries issue 1|''Revolutionaries'' #1]], {{i|M.A.S.K. issue 1|''M.A.S.K.'' #1}}, and {{i|G.I. Joe Vol 5 issue 1|''G.I. Joe'' #1}} to form a complete image.
*'''Retailer incentive cover B:''' Megatron by [[Sonny Liew]]; one in a series of variants by Liew on the above-mentioned issues.
*'''Retailer incentive cover C:''' Megatron by [[Paul Pope]]; one in a series of variants by Pope on the above-mentioned issues.
*'''Bad Wolf Comics exclusive cover:''' Rodimus and the spectre of Megatron's past self, by [[Sajad Shah]] and [[Juan Fernandez]]; available exclusively from [http://www.badwolfcomics.com/ Bad Wolf Comics].
*'''Ript Apparel exclusive cover:''' the cast recreate the movie poster for ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', by [[Ninjaink|Timothy Lim]]. In a cute touch, Rodimus and Magnus's spots are swapped, meaning Rodimus gets to stand front and center while Magnus is way off to the side, in the distance, in vehicle mode. Available exclusively from [https://www.riptapparel.com/ Ript Apparel].

<gallery>
File:LL1 cvrRIA.jpg|
File:LL1 cvrRIB.jpg|
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File:LL1 BadWolfcvr.jpg|
File:LL1 Riptcvr.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''Lost Light'' #2
*"Hasbro Tribune" promoting November's [[Hasbro Universe]] "[[Reconstruction]]" titles, including this issue

==External links==
*[http://www.cbr.com/transformers-lost-light-1/ Preview]

[[Category: Lost Light issues]]