Ceremony

2018-11-15T14:15:53Z

Bloodhawk268:

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: Unicron]]'' #6
|prev=Unicron issue 5
|image=TFUnicron6_cvrA.jpg
|caption="What did it cost?" "''Everything.''"
|title=Ceremony
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 14]], [[2018]]
|coverdate=October, 2018
|written by=[[John Barber]]
|art by=[[Sara Pitre-Durocher]] (pg 1-10), [[Andrew Griffith]] (pg 11-14, 17, 32, 36) [[Alex Milne]] (pg 15-16, 20, 26-29, 33-35, 37-40), [[Kei Zama]] (pg 18-19, 21-25, 30-31)
|colors by=[[David Garcia Cruz]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[David Mariotte]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}

'''In the final battle against Unicron and his servants, many of our heroes are called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to prove that faith and compassion can triumph over the fear and chaos born from the legacy of the Primes.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Mount Rushmore]] has become the new home of all the [[spark]]s that were being nurtured within [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], having been removed from the [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] to keep them safe during the battle that now rages in [[Earth]] orbit. As [[Marissa Faireborn]] comforts [[Buster (IDW)|Buster]], [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] and [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] arrive with the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], who have been brought at the request of [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] to help with a plan that may yet save the day...

[[File:Unicron6 All Out War.jpg|thumb|300px|left|"I think you'll find our will equal to yours!"]]
Chaos reigns above the Earth as an army of [[Autobot]]s, [[Decepticon]]s, and everyone in-between—transported into space by Trypticon and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]—attack [[Unicron]] and its servants, keeping them occupied in order to allow [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]], and [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]] to transport [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]], and the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]] down to Unicron's surface. The stubborn [[Slide]] is reluctant to join the battle, unwilling to fight and die in the name of Optimus Prime. Punctuating her words, Trypticon becomes the first to fall, slain by one of Unicron's eye-beams.

Down below, all across the Earth, from [[Venice]] to [[Sao Paulo]], the planet's heroes and villains fight alongside their alien allies to defend their world against Unicron's [[Maximal]]s. In [[Toronto]], [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] watch from the [[CN Tower]] as [[Stardrive]] and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] battle the Maximals in the streets below. Shockwave deems the fight a lost cause, and contacts [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], ordering him to bring his [[Worldsweeper]] down from orbit to collect Shockwave and Rhinox so that they may leave the Earth to its fate, and deal with Unicron another day. Bludgeon, however, refuses; always a servant of chaos, he has thrown in his lot with Unicron, rapturous at the notion that he will be able to watch the entire universe be uncreated at the planet-eater's hands. Shockwave is dumbfounded at the very idea, but barely has time to process Bludgeon's betrayal before he is attacked from behind by Rhinox; this once-loyal Maximal has also decided to side with Unicron after learning that the divine "Onyx Prime" whom he once believed in was nothing but a trick played by Shockwave. Shockwave attempts to fire on Rhinox, only to discover that the new cannon-arm the Maximal provided him with will not work on the Maximals. Rhinox overpowers Shockwave and tears the cannon-arm off, preparing to turn it on his former master... only for his head to suddenly be blown off by a blast from behind, fired by [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]!

[[File:Unicron6 Starscream's Sacrifice.jpg|thumb|250px|left|"You will ''never'' be a god."]]
Up in orbit, Thundercracker is hit by Maximal fire and falls behind the rest of his group, finding himself surrounded by enemy forces. After depositing Arcee on Unicron with Starscream and Optimus, Skywarp reluctantly goes to his fellow [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]'s aid, teleporting into the path of a Maximal blade to save Thundercracker's life so that he can get the Talisman to the others. Refusing to leave Skywarp behind, Thundercracker tosses the Talisman to Starscream down on Unicron's surface and dives into the fight. It doesn't seem possible that the two can survive, and that poses a problem to the rest of the group: without Skywarp's teleporting powers, they can't get through Unicron's miles-thick armor. Starscream hits upon a solution and implements it before anyone can object; with one last egotistical grin born of the knowledge that he was the one to save the day, he asks Prime and Arcee to give Windblade his best, then activates the Talisman, sacrificing his life as its magical energies consume him and begin burning their way down into Unicron.

Watching from the battlefield, [[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] and [[Aileron]] are stunned by Starscream's sacrifice, but [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] always knew he had it in him. [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] isn't interested in debating Starscream's merits right now, as the Maximals continue to attack; a moment later, [[Icebird|one of the beasts]] pounces on Ironhide and tears him in half. As Bumblebee fends the Maximal off, Jazz rushes to Ironhide's side, assuring him that he will make it through—but Ironhide is too far gone, and dies in peace in his friend's arms, feeling that he finally understands the meaning of the phrase "[['Til all are one|'til all are one.]]"

Nearby, Slide continues to find other things to complain and argue about rather than the actual threat at hand when the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] approach her. She and [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] immediately start fighting over the tragic outcome of [[Time Will Rust|their recent clash on Earth]], but [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] interrupts them, motioning toward Bludgeon's Worldsweeper as it heads down to Earth to rain devastation on the planet. Slide relents, and she, the colonists, and the Dinobots head down to the planet to lend their aid.

[[File:Unicron6 Optimus Into The Void.jpg|thumb|250px|right|"A soul... for a soul."]]
Following the path the Talisman is burning through Unicron, Optimus Prime and Arcee venture into the depths of the planet-eater once more, fighting their way through its [[Unicron's antibodies|antibody monsters]]. Arcee proposes that Prime leave the mission to her, that she may make amends for her part in the devastation of [[Antilla]] that began this nightmare, but Prime refuses; as "[[The Arisen]]," one of the [[Thirteen|Thirteen Primes]], he ultimately traces all their misfortunes to the failures of himself and his lineage. Arcee is confused; she ''knew'' the Thirteen, and ''knows'' that Optimus wasn't one of them, but before she can press the issue, the pair arrive at Unicron's heart, where the supermassive black hole around which the monster planet once orbited now rests. As they watch, the Talisman disappears into the singularity... and a moment later, Optimus bids Arcee farewell and leaps in after it. His physical body is compressed to pure information, and Prime once again finds himself in [[Infraspace]], the transitional limbo between life and death, with the Talisman at his feet. But he is not alone in this twilight realm: from out of the darkness appears the form of the [[Unicron's creator|Antillan scientist]] who created the Talisman, whose rage and desire for vengeance is what is driving Unicron from beyond the veil. Prime attempts to talk to the scientist, telling him that his anger toward the Cybertronians is justified, but the alien is not interested in words and lashes out at him.

[[File:Unicron6 Superion VS Monstructor.jpg|thumb|200px|left|"Let him have his fun."]]
Prowl drags Shockwave out into the street, where Stardrive stands ready to play her part in the complex plan Prowl and Soundwave have assembled. While Stardrive uses her Wraith magicks to invade Shockwave's body and mind, across the continent, [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] follows Soundwave's instructions, remotely linking Stardrive into the [[Enigma of Combination]]—saved from Cybertron by Soundwave—via their communications systems. Next, the Aerialbots combine into [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] for the first time since absorbing the duplicate Enigma created by [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] out of Earth's communications network years ago. The energies of the Earth Enigma fill the air—but they're not ''all'' that are in the air, as Bludgeon's Worldsweeper appears overhead, and [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] leaps out to attack Superion! As the two combiners clash, [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] arrives with the Dinobots and colonists. The Dinobots all leap aboard the Worldsweeper, intent on taking the ship down, while Slide and the colonists argue about what to do. Some unexpected help arrives in the form of [[Pyra Magna]] and the surviving [[Torchbearer]]s, who have been clinging to the hull of Bludgeon's ship, and who now boldly attempt to form [[Victorion]], despite the loss of [[Stormclash]], to buy the Dinobots the time need to enter the ship and defeat Bludgeon. As a partial combiner herself, Slide feels the energies of the Earth Enigma running wild around her, and embraces them, joining with the Torchbearers as they merge, becoming the new leg of Victorion. Together, Victorion and Superion overpower and finally destroy Monstructor.

Meanwhile, the Dinobots fight their way onto the Worldsweeper's bridge and seize the [[Void Scepter]] Bludgeon is using to control the vessel, sending the ship flying away in the direction of [[Washington, D.C.]], in order to give Soundwave time to execute his plan. [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] are slain in the subsequent fight; as Bludgeon and Slug grapple, the Decepticon tells Slug that their deaths mean nothing, as Unicron will still destroy them all. Slug disagrees; he has faith that Unicron will be stopped, and moreover, he knows the Dinobots are relics of the war, unable to let go of their old hatred, and so they ''must'' die if the Cybertronian race is to move forward unburdened by them. With that, both Bludgeon and Slug die as the Worldsweeper crashes into the [[White House]]. Some of the Maximals aboard survive and emerge to menace the [[President of the United States|President]] and her G.I. Joe bodyguards [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] and [[Chameleon (G.I. Joe)|Chameleon]], but at the last minute, [[Rum-Maj]] and [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] arrive with their [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] to finish off the beasts and save the humans.

[[File:Unicron6 Operation Absolution.jpg|thumb|300px|right|"There was no other way."]]
Back at Mount Rushmore, Soundwave senses that the time is right to execute the final step of his plan. The Enigma of Combination has always had the power to combine not just ''bodies'', but hearts, minds, and ''spirits''—and now, by the power of ''two'' Enigmas, using his own faith as an anchor, Soundwave is able to make contact with and unite the spirits of all those who have died in the war against Unicron, and more. In Toronto, via Stardrive, Shockwave can feel what is happening and begs Prowl to convince Soundwave the plan will not work—that "faith" is a fabrication invented by Shockwave himself millions of years ago, incapable of accomplishing anything. But Prowl disagrees; "faith," he says, is just another name for having the strength to conquer the fears within yourself. And Shockwave... the original false Prime, progenitor of a corrupt lineage that has loomed over Optimus Prime all his life and been the root cause of every conflict that has brought Cybertronian history to this climactic moment... Shockwave represents everything that Optimus Prime has ever feared. Soundwave disintegrates as the combined spirits of the dead are united with Shockwave's thoughts via Stardrive, and sent by her Wraith magicks, linked to the Talisman, to Optimus Prime.

[[File:Unicron6 The Last Hug.jpg|thumb|200px|left|"I just feel you."]]
In Infraspace, all this wonder and terror floods into Optimus; every fear he has ever known, embodied in Shockwave's thoughts, and the memory of everyone who has ever stood behind him, which gives him the strength to face those fears and overcome them. As the Talisman surges back to life and the landscape of Infraspace begins to crumble away under its power, Prime now knows what he must do: rather than attempting to ''defeat'' the spirit of Unicron's creator, he instead extends a hand toward him in peace, and asks him his name. Confused and in pain, the scientist admits that he can no longer remember... but he does remember the name of his daughter, who died during Antilla's war with Cybertron, setting him on this path of death and revenge. Prime pulls the alien into an embrace, and calls upon him to remember that name now, at the end. Thus do they die in peace together, the last of the Primes overcoming the legacy of his ancestors by showing compassion to the monster birthed by their crimes, as the power of the Talisman collapses Unicron's body into the black hole at its own heart.

[[File:Unicron6 Unicron Collapses.jpg|thumb|300px|right|"I told you, you'd die for that."]]
As Unicron collapses, all the combatants in Earth orbit make for the planet's surface, save for Bumblebee and Aileron, who fly through the maelstrom to rescue Arcee before she is sucked into the singularity. The trio set down on Earth's moon, where Aileron and Arcee joyously reunite, and they are presently joined by [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], revealed to have survived Bludgeon's attack on [[Sanctuary Station]]. At Mount Rushmore, Marissa believes Thundercracker must surely have perished, but Buster thinks otherwise, and is proven right seconds later when Thundercracker descends from the sky, carrying the damaged but also-still-living Skywarp with him. At Thundercracker is welcomed by his friends, Skywarp laughs at the ridiculousness of the situation, but recognizes his brother-in-arms as a true Seeker. Prowl and Stardrive take a despondent Shockwave into custody; [[Rom]] and [[Livia]] console a young [[Elonian]] orphan; [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] thinks of [[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|his brother]] as he watches Buster, [[D.0.C.]], and [[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] play; Windblade and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] discuss Windblade's future as the leader of Cybertron on Earth; [[Swift (G1)|Swift]] digs the lone surviving Dinobots, Swoop and [[Strafe (IDW)|Strafe]], from the wreckage of the Worldsweeper; and with the survivors of Cybertron and its colonies now destined to be permanent residents of Earth, the President starts making plans for their future together.

Pyra Magna recovers the [[Mistress of Flame]]'s [[Forgehammer]] from where she left it, wedged in Metroplex's armor, and realizes now that "faith" is not what ''others'' tell you to believe, but what you believe in your own heart. Pyra takes the mantle of Mistress of Flame upon herself, and invites Slide to join the Torchbearers full-time; Slide, overjoyed to know belonging once again, and realizing that she and Pyra were wrong about Optimus Prime all along—that he never wanted to ''rule'' them, but to build a better world for them to live in—tearfully accepts.

With Earth now lit by twin stars of light and darkness—the [[sun]] and Unicron's black hole in perfect balance—the Transformers enter a new era on a new homeworld, an era without Primes, without Autobots or Decepticons, without even the distinction between Cybertronian, colonist, or Earthling. Thanks to Optimus Prime, his sacrifice, and his belief in those who followed him...

...all are one.
[[File:Unicron6 Peace At Last.jpg|thumb|300px|center|"Where to, Cap?" "... ''home.''"]]

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic'' text appear only in spirit form. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]]? (4)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (5)
*[[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]]? (6)
*[[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] (7)
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (8)
*[[Alpha Bravo]] (9)
*[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]? (10)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] (12)
*[[Aileron]] (13)
*[[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] (15)
*[[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] (16)
*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] (19)
*[[G.B. Blackrock|Garrison Blackrock]] (20)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] (23)
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (25)
*? (27)
*[[Slide]] (28)
*[[Roulette (Universe)|Roulette]] (29)
*[[Bump]] (30)
*[[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]]? (31)
*[[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] (33)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] (34)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (36)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slug]] (37)
*[[Strafe (IDW)|Strafe]] (38)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (39)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (40)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] (44)
*[[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] (46)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (47)
*[[Strongarm (BW)|Strongarm]] (62)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (81)
*[[Superion (G1)|Superion]] (88)
*[[Dust Up]] (90)
*[[Jumpstream]] (91)
*[[Pyra Magna]] (92)
*[[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]] (93)
*[[Rust Dust]] (94)
*[[Victorion]] (95)
*''[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'' (96)
*''[[Ambulon]]'' (99)
*''[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'' (101)
*''[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'' (103)
*''[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]]'' (104)
*''[[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]]'' (105)
*''[[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]]'' (106)
*''[[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]]'' (108)
*''[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]'' (109)
*''[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'' (110)
*''[[Fastlane]]'' (111)
*''[[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]]'' (112)
*''[[Cloudraker (G1)|Cloudraker]]'' (113)
*''[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]]'' (120)
*''[[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]]'' (121)
*''[[Gimlet]]'' (123)
*[[Goldbug (IDW)|Goldbug]] (133)
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (134)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] (3)
*[[Tankor (BM)|Fat Tankor]] (21)
*[[Octane|Tall Tankor]] (22)
*[[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] (26)
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] (43)
*[[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] (52)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (63)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (64)
*[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] (70)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (72)
*[[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] (73)
*[[Broadside (Classics)|Broadside]] (74)
*''[[Horri-Bull]]'' (98)
*''[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]'' (107)
*''[[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]]'' (114)
*''[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]'' (115)
*''[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]]'' (116)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (131)

|c3=
'''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'''
*[[Scarlett]] (56)
*[[Matt Trakker]] (57)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (58)
*[[Zilong Qian|Talon]] (59)
*[[Ayana Jones|Mayday]] (65)
*[[Snake-Eyes|Snake Eyes]] (67)
*[[Agent Helix]] (69)
*[[Cover Girl]] (84)
*''[[Mainframe (G.I. Joe)|Mainframe]]'' (119)
*[[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] (125)
*[[Chameleon (G.I. Joe)|Chameleon]] (126)

'''[[Cobra]]'''
*[[Red Shadows]] (51)
*[[Tempest (Cobra)|Tempest]] (68)

'''[[V.E.N.O.M.]]'''
*[[Miles Mayhem]] (48)
*[[Sly Rax]] (53)

'''[[Iron Ring]]'''
*[[Iron Klaw]] (49)
*[[Doctor X]] (50)

'''[[Action Man Programme|AMP]]'''
*[[Action Man]] (54)
*[[Terrence Salmons]] (55)

'''Others'''
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (1)
*[[President of the United States|President of the US]] (124)

|h4=Other Cybertronians|c4=
'''[[Maximal]]s'''
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] (66)
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (71)
*[[Rampage (BW)|''Beast Wars'' Rampage]] (75)
*[[Archadis]] (76)
*[[Icebird]] (see Errors, 77)
*[[Apache]] (78)
*"Transmetal II [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] (79)
*[[Inferno (BW)|''Beast Wars'' Inferno]] (80)
*[[Transquito]]/[[Bigmos]] (see Errors, 82)
*[[Soundwave (BW)|''Beast Wars'' Soundwave]]? (83)
*[[Tasmania Kid]] (see Errors, 85)
*[[Coelagon]] (127)

'''[[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]'''
*[[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] (128)
*[[Rum-Maj]] (129)
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (130)

'''Others'''
*[[Sideswipe (IDW)|Sideswipe]] (11)
*[[Swift (G1)|Swift]] (14)
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (35)
*[[Centurion (IDW)|Centurion]] (41)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]] (42)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] (45)
*[[Stardrive]] (86)
*''[[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]]'' (97)
*''[[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]]'' (100)
*''[[Mistress of Flame]]'' (102)

|h5=Others|c5=

'''Space Knights'''
*[[Rom]] (17)
*[[Livia]] (18)
*''[[Maur]]'' (117)
*''[[Prim]]'' (118)

'''Others'''
*[[Buster (IDW)|Buster]] (2)
*[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] (24)
*[[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] (32)
*[[Dire Wraith]]s (60)
*Wraith [[Countdown (G.I. Joe)|Countdown]] (61)
*[[D.0.C.]] (87)
*''[[Unicron's creator]]'' (89)
*[[Garnak]] (132)
}}

==Quotes==
"Faith. The last refuge of those '''left behind.'''"
:—'''Marissa Faireborn'''

"Never before have I thought this... but that is a big one." 
"Imagine how '''I''' feel. You're the size of a '''city'''—I'm only '''six feet tall.'''" 
"You are 5'10<nowiki>''</nowiki>, Garrison."
:—'''Metroplex''' and '''Garrison Blackrock''' discuss the size of Unicron

"I never imagined the fate of '''everything''' would end up in '''your''' hands, Starscream." 
"That's funny, because '''I''' always knew it '''would.'''"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Starscream'''

"Tell '''Windblade''' to take good care of '''Earth''', will you? Aw, who am I kidding? She probably won't even '''try''' to conquer the place."
:—'''Starscream''''s last words

"[Orion] thinks the '''shadowplay''' that stripped me of emotion changed me '''fundamentally.''' But as Rhinox said, I was '''always''' pulling strings. '''I''' gave Orion the capacity to carry a '''Matrix.''' I '''made''' him into '''Optimus Prime'''. He was the one who changed... when he stopped viewing my actions as '''just.'''"
:—'''Shockwave'''

"Slug—you won't last a '''minute.'''" 
"Then we'll get this done in '''forty-five seconds.'''"
:—'''Pyra Magna''' gives '''Slug''' some "encouragement"

"Faith is a '''lie!''' I '''invented''' it! '''Faith''' will not stop the '''uncreator!'''" 
"You '''still''' don't see. Soundwave believes in a '''higher power''', sure. But guys like '''you''' and '''me'''—we don't '''have''' to. All we need to believe in is the inherent '''good''' of '''doing good'''... and that someday, '''ultimately,''' that will be enough to stop '''evil.'''" 
"'''Logic''' is neither good '''nor''' evil. '''None''' of us are. We contain the capacity for '''both.'''" 
"Faith is just '''one path''' to the '''ultimate trick:''' '''confronting''' the evil in '''ourselves'''... and defeating '''that.'''"
:—'''Shockwave''' and '''Prowl''' discuss belief

"Operation: '''Absolution.'''"
:—'''Soundwave'''s last words

"I am '''not''' a piece of '''your''' history... I am the '''end''' of my '''own!'''"
:—'''Unicron's creator'''

"I was forged '''Orion Pax.''' As war began, I was called '''Optimus Prime.''' Now some call me The '''Arisen''', the Thirteenth Prime. But the '''masks''' are gone now. I am '''Orion Pax'''. Before this... who were '''you?'''" 
"So long ago... I can't '''remember.''' But I know the name of my '''daughter''', who your kind '''murdered'''..." 
"Then that shall be the '''word.''' Rather than the fire of '''hatred'''... let her name—her '''memory'''—'''light''' this dark hour."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' allows '''Unicron's creator''' to die knowing compassion

"I thought... I would make us '''strong...'''" 
"Take it from me: strong doesn't mean '''right.'''"
:—A defeated '''Shockwave''' is carted away by '''Stardrive'''

"'''Optimus Prime''' is gone... and with him ends the era of Autobot and Decepticon, Cybertronian and colonist, human and machine. What survives is his '''faith.''' Perhaps he never believed in any '''higher power''' guiding our hands... but he believed in '''us.''' I am '''Pyra Magna'''... the '''Mistress of Flame'''. '''Spiritual leader''' of my people; defender of my homeworld... '''Earth.''' And we will light our way against '''all''' our '''darkest hours'''... as '''one.'''"
:—'''Pyra Magna''''s closing monologue

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Unicron6 Predaking.jpg|thumb|250px|right|"We have a combiner."]]
*In the montage of heroes and villains fighting around the Earth, Predaking is seen in the service of Iron Klaw. The Predacons have been under his control since before the events of [[The Iron Klaw|''Revolutionaries'' #4]]; it seems he's managed to repair [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] after Kup blew his head off in that story.
*Action Man declares "This is for Kup" as he blasts a Maximal; the pair were buddies in ''Revolutionaries'', until Kup's death in [[Schismatic|''Transformers vs. Visionaries'' #1]].
*Terrence Salmons is now wearing the Action Man uniform too. As seen in the {{i|''Action Man'' comic}}, he was considered next-in-line for the position until Ian Noble, the current Action Man, slipped in ahead of him, but it looks like extenuating circumstances have seen him take up the mantle alongside Ian.
*Scarlett has joined Matt Trakker in Detroit, where his team were located when we last saw them in [[Our Finest|issue #3]]'s {{i|back-up strip}}.
*Last issue, as the battle with the Maximals concluded, it was abruptly noted that Mayday was now in command of the human forces, despite the fact that nothing had been shown to happen to previously-established leaders Spike and Talon on-panel. This issue shows that Spike got shot down by the Maximals, and unintentionally took Talon down with him, but both men have survived and are stranded in a jungle somewhere. Spike notes that he "always figured [he'd] have a bigger role" in the final battle; while most IDW readers are no doubt glad he doesn't, this hearkens back to the fact Spike leads his life like he's "the star of an action movie," as originally observed in [[Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|''The Transformers'' vol. 1 #27]].
*Pressed into fighting alongside Strongarm in defense of Earth, Rumble and Frenzy grumble that they "shoulda unionized," a joking reference to the recent success the pair have found in Hollywood, as seen in [[Starscream: The Movie (comic)|the 2018 ''Optimus Prime'' annual]].
*Starscream uses the Talisman to burrow through Unicron's surface, in the same manner as it burrowed its way down through Cybertron in ''[[Transformers vs. Visionaries]]''.
*Slug and the Dinobots continue to clash with Slide following the events of [[Time Will Rust|''Optimus Prime'' #23]]-[[A Sunrise Dark|24]], which included the death of her fellow colonist soldier [[Gimlet]].
*Rhinox provided Shockwave with his new gun-arm in [[Road's End|issue #4]]. He evidently built it himself, indicating this Rhinox shares the engineering abilities of his counterpart in the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]].
*Shockwave notes that he didn't simply become evil when subjected to Shadowplay, having always been a manipulator with dodgy leanings. He illustrates this with the specific example that he was the one who gave Optimus a Matrix chamber (which we learned in [[Chaos Theory Part 2|''The Transformers'' vol. 1 #23]]), but the darker side of his pre-Shadowplay life was previously emphasized in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|''More than Meets the Eye'' #11]] when [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] and [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] dug up some intel on him and learned about the various covert projects he was investing in, which he was keeping secret from his allies.
*Soundwave got the Enigma of Combination out of storage in issue #3.
*Galvatron turned Earth into a large-scale Enigma of Combination in [[All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #53]]. Superion absorbed the Earth Enigma code to prevent it from working in [[All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #54]]; this is the first time the team have combined since then.
*Optimus Prime returns to Infraspace by entering the black hole at the heart of Unicron, the same way he did by entering the singularity in Crystal City in [[The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|''Optimus Prime'' #19]].
*The Dinobots settle their recurring rivalry with Bludgeon, begun in ''[[The Transformers: Redemption|Redemption]]'' and continuing through ''[[The Transformers: Salvation|Salvation]]'' and [[The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|''Optimus Prime'' #13]]-[[The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|14]].
*Bludgeon previously used his Void Scepter to control Trypticon in ''Salvation''.
*The ability of the Enigma to combine not just bodies, but hearts and minds, has always been implicit in the way combiners work, with a gestalt personality emerging as Transformers' bodies are merged together. However, it was previously established that it was possible for it to work in a more spiritual way, combining minds ''without'' combining bodies, back in [[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #37]], when it was credited with subtly uniting the thoughts and ideas of early humans, leading to the development of human cities and civilizations.
[[File:Unicron6 Spirits of the Dead.jpg|thumb|250px|right|]]
*The spirits who appear before Soundwave specifically include all those notables who have died throughout the ''Unicron'' mini-series itself (Wheeljack, Cliffjumper, and the Solstar Knights from [[Our Darkest|issue #0]], Dirge and the Mistress of Flame from [[Unicron issue 1|issue #1]], Omega Supreme from [[Stranger Eons|issue #2]], Scattershot, Fastlane, and Cloudraker from [[Our Finest|issue #3]], Blurr, Elita One, Cosmos, Sky-Byte, and Laserbeak from [[Road's End|issue #4]], and Ironhide from this issue) and its tie-in issues in ''Optimus Prime'' (Mainframe and Gimlet), along with other significant characters who have died during "Phase 2" of the IDW Universe: Alpha Trion ([[The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|''Optimus Prime'' #16]]), Ambulon ([[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|''More than Meets the Eye'' #19]]), Horri-Bull ([[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|''Robots in Disguise'' #1]]), Kup ([[Schismatic|''Transformers vs. Visionaries'' #1]]), Metalhawk ([[Heavy Is the Head|''Robots in Disguise'' #16]]), Pipes ([[Under Cold Blue Stars|''More than Meets the Eye'' #15]]), Ravage ([[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|''More than Meets the Eye'' #55]]), Rung ([[Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|''Lost Light'' #24]]), Sideswipe ([[The Life of Sideswipe|''Optimus Prime'' #10]]), Skids ([[The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|''More than Meets the Eye'' #54]]), and Trailcutter ([[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|''More than Meets the Eye'' #34]]).
*The president notes that the White House has been reinforced since the "last attack," referring to the [[Dire Wraith]] attack in ''[[Thundercracker & Buster Save the World|The Transformers: Revolution]]'' one shot.
*Optimus Prime had a vision of a Worldsweeper crashing into the White House in [[All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #50]].
*Buzzsaw was implied to have perished in issue #4, but is here revealed to have survived his brush with death.
*The Elonian girl and her [[Mutt (IDW)|pet creature]] are presumably the same ones that appeared in [[Our Darkest|''Unicron'' #0]], and on the last page they're drawn posed as they were on the first page of issue #0.
*It's the end of ''Transformers: Unicron'', but not quite the end of the universe; the story continues into [[Post|''Optimus Prime'' #25]], the final issue and epilogue to the entire [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]].

===Transformers references===
*The Maximal who kills Ironhide is [[Icebird]], one of the [[Mutant (BW)|''Beast Wars'' Mutants]], who had two beast modes, but no robot mode, save for a robot head hidden inside their bodies. Icebird is here drawn with his robot head deployed; notably, the character's head is red as per the toy's prototype, rather than the blue of the mass-market release. But, see "Errors" below.
*Sky Lynx recalls an adventure on [[Regulon Four|Regulon IV]], a planet with several previous mentions in Transformers media, originating in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[The Rebirth, Part 1]]."
*After Ironhide's death, Aileron rallies the others with a variation on a well-used [[Furmanism#CAN_I_DO_LESS.3F|Furmanism]].
*Rhinox's doublecross of Shockwave harkens back to the doublecross Rhinox himself had suffered in the ''[[Beast Machines]]'' episode "[[End of the Line]]", complete with a rigged betrayal-proof cannon and sarcastically calling his target "master."

===Real world references===
*Wreck-Gar's classic habit of peppering his speech with snippets of pop culture continues:
**He greets the humans in the White House with the cry of "Hi-ho, True Believers and Believerettes," the blusterous term {{w|Stan Lee}} regularly used to refer to faithful fans of [[Marvel Comics]].
**He quotes the opening theme to ''{{w|Mister Rogers' Neighborhood}}'', declaring it a "beautiful day in the neighborhood," and hoping they'll "be [the Junkions'] neighbors."
**He paraphrases the title of the 1987 movie ''{{w|Good Morning, Vietnam}}'' with a whoop of "Goooood Morning, Planet Earth!"
*The Action Men are fighting Maximals outside {{w|London King's Cross railway station|King's Cross station}}, one of London's major train stations.
*The final page, pictured above, has a small note saying "So long and thanks for all the fish :)" on the rock on the lower right corner just below Alex Milne's signature. This is a reference to the title of the fourth volume of the ''Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' series, left here as a way of saying farewell to the audience.

===Errors===
*As a helicopter, Alpha Bravo is easily identifiable among the Aerialbots arrived on page 1, panel 3, and Air Raid appears roughly-on model as well, but the other Aerialbots don't seem to match their ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' designs, and aren't really recognizable as any particular members of the group, hence the "?"s in our list above.
*Trypticon is credited as a "Decepticon Titan," but he hasn't been a Decepticon for ages.
*Rumble and Frenzy's ID captions (or colors!) are [[FIRRIB|swapped]].
*Shockwave's conversation with Bludgeon almost beat-for-beat repeats their exchange from the prior issue: Shockwave observes the deteriorating situation, concludes that alternative measures must be taken to destroy Unicron, and then commands Bludgeon to help carry out this plan, whereupon Bludgeon refuses, stating that his true allegiance is to Unicron rather than to Shockwave himself. It's not at all clear why Shockwave is in this issue surprised at Bludgeon's disobedience (or why he issued those same orders a second time), given Bludgeon's statements in the last issue.
**Additionally, Bludgeon's claim that he serves the science of chaos rather than Shockwave's science of order seems rather ignorant of Shockwave's explicit statements during The Falling that ''he'' now serves "the higher order that is chaos."
*On page 11, Thundercracker states "''I'm'' think I'm in trouble."
*Icebird was among the dead Maximals seen in [[The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|''Optimus Prime'' #20]]. This is about to become a theme.
*A Maximal with the body-type shared by Transquito and his Japanese counterpart Bigmos appeared on page 17, panel 1. While the block-coloring used in the pages of ''Optimus Prime'' made identifying Maximals and discerning between American and Japanese characters tricky, in this case, ''both'' these characters should be dead, with the remains of one appearing in ''Optimus Prime'' #20, and the other dying on-panel in [[The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|''Optimus Prime'' #21]].
*Likewise, a Maximal sharing the body type of [[Snarl (BW)|Snarl]] and Tasmania Kid appears in the same panel. Both these characters are also accounted for; one was also among dead remains seen in ''Optimus Prime'' #20, and the other is a native Eukarian, not a Maximal, who was seen in ''Optimus Prime'' #23.
*Starscream's absence from the spirits of the dead is so pronounced it ''can't'' be an error, but the fact that ''Stormclash'' isn't among them (given the inclusion of nobodies like Fastlane, Cloudraker, and the dead Space Knights) feels like an oversight.
*One last time, the chart at the end of the issue misspells "[[Devisiun]]" as "Divisiun."
*The bonus material refers to [[Prion]] has having been devastated by the Black Box Consortia, which should be the [[Black Block Consortia|Black ''Block'' Consortia]]. It isn't a complete error, though - the Black Box Consortia was the equivalent organisation in the [[Functionist Universe]], as seen over in [[The Transformers: Lost Light|''Lost Light'']]

===Deathlist===
*Trypticon; killed by one of Unicron's eye-beams
*Starscream; sacrifices himself activating the Talisman
*Ironhide; torn in half by Icebird
*Rhinox; killed by Prowl
*Optimus Primal; finished off by Stardrive and Snake Eyes
*Monstructor; killed by Victorion and Superion
*Broadside; roasted by Strafe
*Soundwave; gives up his life to combine the spirits of the dead with the Enigma of Combination
*Sludge and Snarl; die in the battle aboard the Worldsweeper
*Slug and Bludgeon; die in the crash of the Worldsweeper
*Unicron; consumed by the black hole at its own heart
*Optimus Prime; sacrifices himself to destroy Unicron

===Other trivia===
*Intended for release in October, this issue arrived late in the middle of November. ''Optimus Prime'' #25 was consequently pushed back to ensure it was released afterward.
*This super-sized final issue is 48 pages in length, with 40 pages of story. In addition to the the sixth and final installment in a series of interviews with creators from IDW history, this time with ''Unicron'' writer and artist [[John Barber]] and [[Alex Milne]], backmatter for this issue also includes a complete listing of all thirteen [[Cybertronian colonies]], complete with Prime, [[Regenesis]] ore, Titan, current status, and (if applicable) representative on the [[Council of Worlds]], filling in several pieces of information that have never been revealed on-panel (like which Prime goes with which planet, and the names of previously-unidentified ores and Titans). Of note is the confirmation that Carcer did somehow posesses an ore, despite not being based on a planet.

===Covers (6)===
*'''Cover A:''' Unicron surrounded by shards of reality depicting images from throughout IDW history, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Sebastian Cheng]]
*'''Cover B:''' Optimus Prime, Prowl, Ironhide, Doctor X, and [[Baroness|Cobra Commander]], by [[James Raiz]] and [[David Garcia Cruz]]; connects to Raiz's other covers for the series to form [[:File:Unicron-Bcovers-JamesRaiz.jpg|a larger image]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover A:''' Optimus Prime, Starscream, Bumblebee, Soundwave, Windblade, and Unicron, by [[E. J. Su]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover B:''' Jetfire by [[Francesco Francavilla]]; connects to Francavilla's other covers for the series to form a larger image
*'''KRS Comics exclusive cover A:''' Unicron takes the place of Thanos in an homage to the cover of [https://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Infinity_Gauntlet_Vol_1_4 ''The Infinity Gauntlet'' #4], beckoning unseen parties toward him and declaring "You belong to me!" (a line from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'') by [[John Paras]]
*'''KRS Comics exclusive cover B:''' Paras's ''Infinity Gauntlet'' homage, but with a blank white background and a blank speech bubble

<gallery>
File:TFUnicron6_cvrA.jpg|An entire universe, once and for all.
File:TFUnicron6_cvrB.jpg|Yibambe!
File:TFUnicron6_cvrRIA.jpg|Bring me Unicron!
File:TFUnicron6_cvrRIB.jpg|DOC, give me some juice!
File:TFUnicron6_cvrREA.jpg|We’re in the endgame now.
File:TFUnicron6_cvrREB.jpg|I finally rest; watch the sun rise on a grateful universe.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Post|''Optimus Prime'' #25]] and [[How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2|''Lost Light'' #25]], with a tagline that reads: "THE TRANSFORMERS WILL RETURN IN 2019."
*''Go-Bots'' #1
*''Unicron'' checklist

==External links==
*[https://www.comiccrusaders.com/exclusive-preview-transformers-unicron-6-of-6/ Preview]

[[Category:Unicron issues]]

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