The War Never Ends

2016-07-01T16:12:51Z

BotchTheCrab: added standard cover's reference to final Marvel G.I.Joe cover (flag-folding)

{{Comicstory|series=tfvsjoe
|issueno=13
|prev=Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12
|next=
|image=TFvsJoe13_regcvr.jpg
|title="The War Never Ends"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[June 29]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=June 2016
|written by=[[Tom Scioli]] and [[John Barber]]
|art by=Tom Scioli
|colors by=Tom Scioli
|letters by=Tom Scioli
|production by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]
}}

'''There's only one 'bot who can stop Megatron's mad plan to have Primus consume the Sun. It all ends here... but will anyone be left standing when it's all over?'''

==Synopsis==
As battle rages around him, [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] hitches a ride on [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s jet mode in order to reach the top of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s head, where [[Destro]] stands with [[Doctor Venom]]. As Destro and Hawk trade blows, the arms dealer is shocked to recognize the Joe's lucky tomahawk as the warhammer of the Viking [[Thor FalkenHauser]], whom he slew in his youth. Suddenly, both combatants are simultaneously felled—Destro by a javelin hurled by [[Lady Jaye]], Hawk by the [[Baroness|Serpentress]]'s snake-staff. Doctor Venom wrenches the javelin from Destro's wound, and the masked man reaches for the tomahawk to finish the injured general off, only to be stymied when [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]] swoops down on his jetpack and snatches the weapon away. What neither man realizes is that the tomahawk is actually [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] technology given to Duke's Viking ancestor in ages past... and now that it is back in the hands of the FalkenHauser bloodline, its true power is unleashed! Duke brings the weapon crashing down on the gem that hangs around Destro's neck, and as the gem shatters, Destro perishes, his body reduced to a smoking corpse. The gun in Destro's hand—a gift given to him by Megatron—reveals itself to be a [[Mini-Megatron|tiny Decepticon]] when it transforms and attacks Duke, but the Joe sergeant ends it threat by simply crushing it beneath his booted heel. Duke rushes to Hawk's aid, but finds the general is beyond saving; the fresh wound has agitated the injury he took on the day the [[Decepticon]]s arrived on [[Earth]]. Duke blames [[Snake-Eyes]] for originally wounding Hawk, but Hawk now reveals that [[Storm Shadow]] was the one responsible, and that the shot Snake-Eyes fired had been to throw off his ninja brother's aim, saving Hawk's life. Ever since then, Snake-Eyes has been acting as Hawk's deep-cover agent within [[Cobra]]. Hawk dies in Duke's arms, much to Doctor Venom's amusement; the furious Duke shoves a live grenade in the doctor's mouth, killing him.

Super-charged by the energy of the [[Sun]] that [[Primus]] is in the process of draining, Megatron combines the energies of his [[black hole]] heart with the [[Matrix of Leadership]], seizing control of all the [[Autobot]]s' bodies and drawing them in, combining them with his own and turning himself into "Mega-Megatron." The Joes are unwilling to hurt their friends by pressing their attack, and things seem to go from bad to worse when the Decepticon flagship ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' appears in the sky. However, the vessel is revealed to have been captured by [[Shipwreck]] and [[Polly]], who crash it into Megatron, scattering the Autobots free! Further, the fact that Shipwreck—last seen on Earth—still lives portends a joyous revelation: through clouds of space dust that have obscured it until now, the Earth comes into view! Though a new continent has been gouged into the planet's surface by its collision with Cybertron, the Joes' homeworld is still in one piece, and a radio transmission from the Joes on Earth soon informs them that the "Atlas Protocol" has been initiated...

''Having lost contact with Cybertron, the remaining Joes on Earth open the ancient, sealed envelope kept on file "in case of Armageddon." Within, they find a set of co-ordinates, which [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] follows to a hidden bunker in the South American jungle, where he finds the body of G.I. Joe founder [[Joe Colton]] preserved in suspended animation. Once awakened from his cold sleep, Colton instructs Flint to take him back to [[T.H.E. P.I.T.]], where he reveals the existence of a second secret facility hidden even ''further'' below the already-underground base. Instructing the Joes to don ceremonial helmets cast in the shape of the Autobot symbol, Colton leads them down into the depths... where an impossibly huge cybernetic eyeball watches their arrival...''

When [[Cobra Commander]]'s cowl is snatched away by one of the [[U.S.7]] animals, he calls for someone to bring him a replacement. Snake-Eyes takes this as his cue to appear, bowing before the commander and offering him his original helmet and faceplate, which the ninja has kept since their last encounter. The moment is interrupted by the arrival of [[Billy (G.I. Joe)|Billy]]—his lost human limbs replaced with reptilian equivalents courtesy of [[Koh-Buru-Lah (creature)|Koh-Buru-Lah]]—and Storm Shadow, who is determined to settle his score with Snake Eyes. As Billy and his father duel, the two ninjas engage in a short battle of their own, which ends when Snake-Eyes stabs Storm Shadow in the chest. The white-clad ninja congratulates Snake-Eyes on his victory, then passes away in peace. Billy is distracted by his teacher's death and finds himself surrounded by Cobra Commander and his retinue... but just then, Snake-Eyes reveals his final trick, remotely triggering the anti-tamper mechanism built into the commander's helmet. The commander shrieks and tries to pull the helmet off, but too late: the plastic explosive lining his headgear detonates, killing the commander and all those around him.

The frenzied pace of the battle does not slow down, as suddenly, the legendary Autobot "god of death" [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] comes crashing through Primus's eye, and challenges Megatron to face him in a one-on-one confrontation on the Sun. Megatron, eager to slay all old gods that he might take their place in his new age, accepts, and the pair relocate to the mechanical surface of the Dyson sphere that Primus has surrounded the star with to drain its energy. There, Magnus snatches the Matrix from Megatron's chest, but when Megatron mockingly inquires if Magnus thinks that reclaiming the talisman will make him king, Magnus replies that he is no king, but rather a placeholder for the ''true'' ruler. At that point, Magnus's armor opens, and from within his body... his physical form restored, and his spirit recovered from the afterlife by [[Scarlett]] using the [[Brainwave Scanner]]... [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] emerges! With one mighty punch, the reborn Optimus sends Megatron hurtling over the edge of an aperture in the sphere, tumbling into the heart of the sun, the Matrix falling with him. Starscream appears to reach out to save his leader... but in actuality, the treacherous air commander is reaching for the ''Matrix'' instead, grabbing it as Megatron disappears into the solar inferno.

A giant game of "hot potato" ensues, as [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] snatches the Matrix from Starscream's grasp, and the Joes, Autobots, Cobras, and Decepticons all engage in a mad scramble to recover it. Finally, it is snagged by [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], who returns it to Optimus Prime... but this is not the victory it appears to be, as Prime soon discovers that even with the Matrix, he cannot stop the hunger-maddened Primus's consumption of the Sun. Fortunately, [[General Flagg]] has the answer, and sends word to Colton on Earth to put the final step of the Atlas Protocol into action. As all assembled watch in awe, the Earth itself ''transforms'' into the giant robot [[Atlas (G1)|Atlas]], lost sibling of Primus, and punches its brother-planet square in the face, shattering the Dyson sphere and saving the Sun. With the danger over, Snake-Eyes makes one final request of Optimus Prime, petitioning the Autobot leader to heal his scarred features. At the touch of Optimus's thumb, Snake-Eyes's face is repaired, and he and Scarlett embrace, ready to move on to the next stage of their lives together.

The Joes return to Earth to celebrate their victory in "Space War I," where Hawk is buried with honors, and Flagg is given the death sentence for his war crimes, only to be spared by Presidential pardon at the last minute. Scarlett and Snake-Eyes retire to live on Earth's new continent, which becomes home to [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and all those who live within him. [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Cover Girl]] get married and use a combination of techno-organic technologies to conceive a child. Billy—representing the perfect fusion of man, machine, reptile, Joe, Cobra, and Arashikage—takes up the mantle of both Snake-Eyes ''and'' Cobra Commander, assuming control of his father's organization as a force for good and using it to colonize and terraform [[Mars (planet)|Mars]]. The pregnant Serpentress—now the Baroness once more—retreats to the planet [[Venus (planet)|Venus]] to await the birth of her's and the deceased commander's prophesied [[Serpentor|child]]. Megatron, trapped in the burning core of the sun, tries to use his black hole heart to teleport himself into another universe; his charred remains are deposited in a world of magic and rainbows, where they are found by a group of [[My Little Pony|little ponies]]. Under Optimus Prime's direction, Primus/Cybertron is set on course to return to its original orbit, and once it has left Earth's [[Solar System]], Prime departs on the ''[[Ark II|Ark 2]]'' with a hand-picked crew of Joes and Autobots on a mission to track down the [[Quintesson|Makers]], creators of all life in the universe. Appointed king once more and now ready to face the role, [[Hot Rod|Rodimus]] is left to rule Cybertron in Optimus's stead.

Some time later, as the Joes get back to normal life, Duke and [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] see Roadblock's two daughters off on their first day of school. Just before the school bus drives away, however, Roadblock notices something odd about the driver... it's [[Dreadnok|Buzzer]]! Snatching his girls to safety just before the bus reveals itself to be [[Bus Decepticon|a Decepticon]], Roadblock and Duke open fire on the Dreadnok and his robotic ally, realizing that the war never truly ends, and that they must ''always'' be vigilant for robots in disguise!

[['Til all are one]]!

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (14)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (16)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (23)
*[[Hot Rod|Rodimus]] (24)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (25)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (26)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (31)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (32)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (56)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (57)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (58)
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (63)
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (64)
*[[Primon]] (73)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (74)
*[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] (75)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (87)
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (90)
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (91)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (1)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (11)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (12)
*[[Mini-Megatron]] (19)
*''[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]'' (20)
*''[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'' (21)
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (33)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (65)
*[[Bus Decepticon]] (92)

|h3=[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]|c3=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]] (2)
*[[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] (3)
*[[Snake-Eyes]] (4)
*[[Jinx]] (6)
*[[Alpine]] (7)
*[[Wild Bill]] (8)
*[[Lady Jaye]] (15)
*[[Flash (G.I. Joe)|Flash]] (17)
*? (27)
*[[Blowtorch]] (28)
*[[Stalker (G.I. Joe)|Stalker]] (29)
*[[Scarlett|Scarlett/Zkarlett]] (30)
*[[Shipwreck]] (34)
*[[Polly|Polly/Seasick]] (35)
*[[Footloose]] (36)
*[[Dial-Tone]] (37)
*[[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] (38)
*[[Spirit]] (39)
*[[Ghostrider]] (40)
*[[Joe Colton]] (41)
*[[Law]] (42)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Order]] (43)
*[[Ripcord]] (44)
*[[Bazooka (G.I. Joe)|Bazooka]] (48)
*[[Gung-Ho]] (59)
*[[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] (60)
*[[Mutt]] (61)
*[[Junkyard (G.I. Joe)|Junkyard]] (62)
*[[Rock 'n Roll]] (66)
*[[Snow Job]] (67)
*[[Freedom]] (68)
*[[Deep Six]] (71)
*[[General Flagg]] (72)
*[[Falcon (G.I. Joe)|Falcon]] (76)
*[[Tripwire (G.I. Joe)|Tripwire]] (78)
*[[Mainframe (G.I. Joe)|Mainframe]]? (79)
*[[Sandstorm (G.I. Joe)|Sandstorm]] (84)
*[[Clyde (G.I. Joe)|Clyde]] (85)
*[[Max (G.I. Joe)|Max]] (86)
*[[Cover Girl]] (88)
*[[Quick Kick]] (89)
{{!}}}
|h4=[[Cobra]]|c4=
*[[Destro]] (9)
*[[Doctor Venom]] (10)
*[[Baroness|Serpentress/Baroness]] (13)
*[[Storm Shadow]] (22)
*[[Cobra Commander]] (45)
*[[Tomax and Xamot]] (46, 54)
*[[Firefly]] (47)
*[[Major Bludd]] (53)
*[[Nemesis Enforcer]] (69)
*[[Raptor (Cobra)|Raptor]] (70)
*[[Dreadnok|Buzzer]] (93)

|h5=Others|c5=
*''[[Thor FalkenHauser]]'' (18)
*[[Billy (G.I. Joe)|Billy]] (49)
*[[Blind Master]] (50)
*[[Soft Master]] (51)
*[[Hard Master]] (52)
*[[Primus]] (55)
*[[Atlas (G1)|Atlas]] (77)
*[[My Little Pony|My Little Ponies]] (80-83)
*Roadblock's daughters (94-95)
|}}
==Quotes==
"I've lived through '''many''' cataclysms, but as long as someone needs a '''gun''', there will always be a place for '''Destro'''."
:—'''Destro'''

"That was a '''beautiful''' stroke. Fighting you was an honor. All these years we were better served as '''enemies''' than as '''friends.''' Steel sharpens steel, as the Hard Master taught us. You made me better, as I hope I did the same for you. If the karmic cycle demands that I die four thousand times, I hope all of those deaths shall be at your hand."
:—'''Storm Shadow's''' dying words to Snake-Eyes

"Don't you realize, Billy? Daddy '''always''' wins. The secret of my success is simple. It's all in my '''manifesto.''' My secret is that I '''cheat.''' If you '''break''' the rules, you '''make''' the rules."
:—'''Cobra Commander'''

"'''Starscream''' is here for you! I've '''got''' you!" 
"Loyal Starscream... I '''knew''' I could count on you. You've served me well." 
"I was talking to the Matrix." 
''KICK!''
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Megatron'''

'''Falcon:''' "If GoBot Jesus can't do it, how can '''we''' stop Primus?" 
'''Bazooka:''' "Got any '''ideas''', General?" 
'''Flagg:''' "Don't worry. Joe's got this one covered." 
''(beat)'' 
'''Flagg:''' "Right, Joe?" 
'''Colton:''' "'''Right,''' Larry."

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Wild Bill's skin and clothes are all a bleached-white color following his return from the dead last issue. On the surface this creates a kind of spectral, "ghostly" look to go along with his resurrected status, plus he's clearly display inhuman powers, able to project a lasso and shoot six-gun style from his index fingers. Tom Sciloi notes in the issue's commentary that he's been transformed into a "superhuman man-machine hybrid," in-keeping with the overarching themes of this series.
*Destro recognizes Hawk's "tomahawk" as the warhammer of Thor FalkenHauser, viking ancestor of Duke, who he encountered when he was still a youth back in [[Stick To Your Guns|issue #9]]. The hammer has been in the care of Hawk's bloodline since Destro killed FalkenHauser and [[Aberneth the Hawk-Helmed|Hawk's ancestor]] picked it up. The tomahawk is revealed to actually be Cybertronian technology, explaining how it so easily cleaved Ravage's head open all the way back in [[I Saw Three Ships|issue #1]].
*The narration tells us that FalkenHauser was given his warhammer "for his role in a long-forgotten war of the worlds," which—taken together with the revelation about Earth's true nature from this issue—shows that Destro was ''far'' from the first human to gain access to Cybertronians and their technology. As indicated by the presence of the warhammer's symbol on the walls of the secret passage below the Pit, the Vikings were an earlier (the earliest?) incarnation of a secret society entrusted with guarding the secret of the planet, which G.I. Joe is just the newest incarnation of. The Vikings were previously shown to have a connection to Cybertron in a flashback in [[Everybody Hates Metroplex|issue #5]] (set after issue #9), in which Aberneth was shown captaining a longboat with Autobot symbols on the sails, rowed by men wearing Autobot masks. These masks appear again this issue, when Joe Colton has the Joes don them to awaken Atlas, indicating they are the society's "ceremonial garb" of sorts.
*Duke mentions that "the scum who killed [his] daddy used a Destro gun;" we learned about his father's death by gunshot in [[Escape from Primus|issue #11]].
*Megatron gave Destro "a gift" in [[Funeral for a Friend|issue #3]], which turned out to be a Cybertronian gun in issue #5. This issue, we find out the gun was a Transformer itself, "Mini-Megatron," explained by his "filecard" to be an Autobot-created anti-Megatron propaganda tool that Megatron co-opted.
*Hawk dies when the Serpentress agitates the wound he took in issue #1. We saw Storm Shadow try to finish his failed assassination attempt by attacking Hawk up close and personal in issue #5.
*Scarlett was previously subjected to the Brainwave Scanner in [[Headmasters (issue)|issue #7]]. Among the many haunting experiences she subsequently endured in that issue was hearing the ghostly voices of the many dead [[Nebulan]]s on whose back [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] was built; she subjects herself to the scanner again so that she can once more make contact with "the other side," as it were, and thus lead Optimus's spirit home.
*Scarlett mentions that Optimus helped her when she was "at her lowest." This must refer to events that occurred off-panel between issues #7 and [[Pax Megatronus|#8]], as Scarlett shed the rage that drove her and took control of Scorponok.
*Scarlett gave Snake-Eyes Cobra Commander's old helmet, recovered from the wreckage of the plane he went down in, in [[The Golden Boys|issue #0]].
*Billy's remaining organic arm and leg were torn off by Koh-Buru-Lah in issue #8, but he was revealed to still be alive, held within the creature's body, in [[Earth: R.I.P.|issue #10]]. We see this issue that the beast regenerated his limbs as reptilian counterparts.
*Ultra Magnus was last seen taking possession of Optimus Prime's dead body in issue #10. With this issue, we learn he is not some mythical ferryman of the dead; rather, he was taking the body to repair it (see "Transformers references," below).
*It was suggested that Earth, like Cybertron, might also have been a creation of the legendary [[Daiakuron]] in issue #10, and with this issue, we get our answer: yep!!
*Cobra Commander was granted dominion over Mars by Megatron last issue, which Billy now inherits.
*The Baroness is pregnant with the child who will grow up to become Serpentor, following her passionate encounter with Cobra Commander last issue.
*Brawn and Cover Girl's child is conceived using "a combination of [[binary bonding]], [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and [[technoactive cube|technoactive core]] technology." In this series, binary-bonding was previously featured as the means by which Doctor Venom turned himself into Soundwave's head, and was also used to describe [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] and Scarlett's Headmaster bond to Scorponok, so why those would be listed as different things, eh, who knows. Technoactive technology, meanwhile, was the means used by Perceptor to bring Wild Bill back from the dead, apparently an outgrowth of the Decepticons' "[[Pretender|people-growing]]" experiments.
*General Flagg's war crimes include murdering the [[Jugglers]] in [[Expelled from the Garden|issue #6]].
*Buzzer appeared in die in issue #3, shot through the head by Doctor Venom; the way he is shown to reconfigure his arms into a gun and his signature chainsaw here indicate his resurrection owes something to Cybertronian technology. His unnamed bus Decepticon partner, meanwhile, appeared before in issue #6.

===Transformers references===
*Megatron's "Mega-Megatron" form is styled after the jagged, many-faceted look of [[Megatron (Movie)|the live-action movie Megatron]], and his pose in his introductory panel is based on one of the the promotional CGI renders of Megatron released for the [[Transformers (film)|first film]]. John Barber notes in the commentary the similarity of his combining all the Autobots with the [[Deceptigod]] from IDW's [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing comic book]], but it's just coincidence.
*The ''Nemesis'' is drawn just as it appeared in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]].
*The montage of Megatron artwork from the original [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] on page 18 includes: Megatron standing against the army's firepower from [[The Last Stand|issue #4]]; Megatron issuing orders to the Decepticons from [[Power Play!|issue #2]]; splintered reflections of Megatron's face from the cover of [[A Savage Circle|issue #78]], and Megatron turning on Galvatron with "raw, naked aggression" from the issue's interior, Megatron under attack from the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] from the cover of [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|issue #25]], and swearing Optimus Prime will die by his hand from the issue's interior; and Megatron being blasted by Cobra from [[Realignments|''G.I. Joe'' #139]].
*Ultra Magnus crashes through Primus's eye in homage to the way the Autobots burst through [[Unicron]]'s eye in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''. On the same page, Springer, Arcee, Ultra Magnus, and Kup recreate the poster for the movie, with Wreck-Gar standing in for Blurr.
*Magnus has repaired Optimus Prime's body by taking it into himself, in homage to the original Ultra Magnus toy, which featured a white Optimus Prime redeco as a cab and "inner robot." As the reborn Prime (now bleached white, of course, like Wild Bill!) emerges, a caption declares "THE RETURN OF OPTIMUS PRIME," re-using the name of the [[The Return of Optimus Prime|Generation 1 cartoon episode]] in which Prime was resurrected from his death in the movie.
*The narration promises that Megatron will eventually return as [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], though as it turns out, it's not [[Unicron|Uni''cron'']] he is found by, but some uni''corns''...
*The plaque on General Hawk's statue reads "[[Pax Cybertronia]]," a reference to the peace accord from the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]].
*Snake-Eyes is given a real name for the first time in ''Joe'' history: Francis [[Witwicky]].
*The Ark 2's destination is [[Quadrant X]], a region space featured in the Generation 1 cartoon episode "[[The Face of the Nijika]]." In the cartoon, the Quintessons were known to be active in the area, hence its use here as the crew's first port of call in search of answers about the Makers.

===G.I. Joe references===
*The standard cover for this final issue appears to reference the cover to the final Marvel issue of ''G.I. Joe'' (#155) in which Stalker and Duke are folding the American flag.
*As Hawk and Destro battle, the first panel on page 4 is an homage to the pair's first meeting from issue #26 of the original Marvel ''G.I. Joe'' comic, and the classic panel is included as a background image.
*Hawk dies when the Serpentress impales him with her snake-staff, an homage to Duke's (would-be) death from ''G.I. Joe: The Movie," in which [[Serpentor]] stabbed him with one of his snakes.
*As he dies, Hawk tells Duke to let Flagg know: "I win. I'm the Joe general who died a hero's death. I'm the one who gets a statue."—a grim riff on General Flagg's own martyr complex and eagerness for glory in death from the Marvel ''Joe'' series, in which he perished. Two full, silent pages from issue #22 of the Marvel series, depicting Flagg's funeral at Arlington, are re-used wholesale for this issue to represent Hawk's funeral, with Scioli noting in the commentary that he re-used them because he knew he couldn't top them.
*Doctor Venom's death hearkens back to his time in the Marvel ''Joe'' comic, in which the Eskimo mercenary Kwinn threatened to shove a grenade in his mouth. Duke follows through!
*The country in which Colton's bunker is buried is not specified, but the appearance of a tribe who lead Flint there suggest an answer: these are the Tucaro Indians, native people of Sierra Gordo, one of numerous fictional countries invented for the Marvel comic book.
*The concept of a secret Pit beneath the Pit, containing a gigantic alien eyeball, is lifted not from any classic ''Joe'' media, but from IDW's own continuation of the Marvel series!
*The "stairway to heaven" that Storm Shadow ascends as he dies is the repeating Arashikage hexagram, the tattoo of their ninja clan that both he and Snake-Eyes wear. Three silhouettes are seen waiting for him at the top, the [[Hard Master]], [[Soft Master]], and [[Blind Master]].
*Cobra Commander's helmet being lined with plastic explosive as a sacrificial anti-tamper precaution originates with issues #24 of the Marvel comic, a panel from which is re-used by way of explanation.
*When General Flagg finally takes off his aviator sunglasses and hat, he is revealed to look like [[Larry Hama]], principal creator of the ''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' comic and characters. Colton even says that "Larry" is Flagg's real name!
*Like the Pit-under-the-Pit idea, the notion of someone else taking on the identity of Snake-Eyes also originates from IDW's continuation of the Marvel series, though in that book, it was a different ''Joe'' character named Throwdown.
*Roadblock having two daughters is taken from the live-action movie, ''{{w|G.I. Joe: Retaliation}}'', as is his close civilian friendship with Duke.
*The final page of the issue includes a panel of Duke and Roadblock's side-by-side introduction from issue #22 of the Marvel comic.

===Jack Kirby references===
*The visual of Megatron and Ultra Magnus battling on the surface of the Dyson sphere that surrounds the Sun is deliberately evocative of the planet {{w|Apokolips}} from Jack Kirby's DC Comics ''{{w|Fourth World (comics)|Fourth World}}'' series, complete with gouts of flame shooting up through apertures in the sphere like the planet's famous flame pits. Completing the reference, Megatron rages about becoming the {{w|New Gods|new god}} of the universe.
*When Optimus heals Snake-Eyes's face, it at first looks as if he is refusing when he offers a "thumbs-down" gesture in response to Snake-Eyes's request, only to then touch Snake's face with said thumb, emblazoned with a glowing tech-pattern. This is a reference to Arishem of the Celestials, from Kirby's Marvel series ''The Eternals'', the godlike alien being charged with deciding if the Earth was worthy of survival. If he decided it was not, he would offer a thumbs-down gesture, releasing the formula inscribed on his thumb that would end the world.
*Of all of Jupiter's 63 moons, the fact that Metroplex settles on Europa is almost certainly a reference to ''{{w|2001: A Space Odyssey}}'', which featured the moon as a key element of its story, and which Kirby produced a comic book adaptation of for Marvel.

===Real-life references===
*On Scioli's subscription cover, Snake-Eyes recreates the famous pose struck by [[Spider-Man]] on the cover of 1964's ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #19.
*Atlas is named for obvious reasons. Optimus Prime notes he is also known as "Terra," the Latin name for Earth, and in a Cybertronian document called the "[[Laser Scrolls]]," he is named "Pangaiden," a dual reference to {{w|Pangea}} (the ancient supercontinent that once encompassed all the land mass of Earth), and the Japanese word "{{w|gaiden}} (外伝) meaning "side story" or "tale."
*Megatron, of course, winds up in the world of ''[[My Little Pony]]'', described as a realm in which "magic is science, and friendship is magic," in reference to the subtitle of the 2010 reinvention of the brand. All four ponies who find his body are recognizable as "real" characters, from right to left: Moondancer, who licks his charred remains; Rarity from My Little Pony's third generation; ''Friendship is Magic'' protagonist Twilight Sparkle; and ''Friendship is Magic'' background character Lyra Heartstrings. All four are "unicorn" ponies, playing into the narration's pun mentioned above.
*Page 38, in which Scarlett and Snake-Eyes receive their invitation to Brawn and Cover Girl's wedding, is modelled after the final page of 1982's ''Wolverine'' #4, in which the [[X-Men]] receive their invitation to [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]]'s wedding. Cover Girl and Wolverine have both hand-written the same note on the invites: "Don't forget the beers!"

===Errors===
*A ''lot'' of loose ends get tied up this issue, but one glaring omission is what becomes of [[Koh-Buru-Lah (creature)|Koh-Buru-Lah]]. Last seen floating right next to Megatron in the last few pages of the previous issue, the eldritch beast does not appear in this issue.
*Megatron's diminutive counterpart's name is parsed "MINIMEGATRON" on his file card, but "Mini-Megatron" all through the commentary. We've opted to side with the commentary for the parallel with the parsing of "Mega-Megatron."
*Law is seen with his dog, Order, on Earth, but Order last appeared active as part of U.S.7 on Cybertron.

===Other notes===
*This final issue is an extra-sized 48-page "prestige" perfect-bound special with a cardstock cover, containing 43 pages of story, the usual commentary from Scioli and Barber, a farewell message from Scioli, and no ads.
*Just poking her pink-haired head out from behind [[Zartan]] on Scioli's subcscription cover is the Dreanok leader's sister [[Zarana]], a major ''G.I. Joe'' character who has been head-scratchingly notable by her otherwise complete absence from this series. Everyone else on the cover has appeared in the series at least once (or ''just'' once, in the case of [[Croc Master]]).
*A joking footnote claims that the story of how Shipwreck captured the ''Nemesis'' will be told in "Shipwreck: Space Pirate," released in July 2025.
*A lot of info about the state of the solar system post-war is given that doesn't fit easily into our synopsis above, including:
**[[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]] becomes a vacation spot for Transformers.
**The wreckage of the Dyson sphere becomes a new planet named [[Sunshadow]].
**The planetary matter gouged out of Earth by its collision with Cybertron becomes a [[Luna Secundus|second moon]], home to a sect of Megatron loyalists.
**Shipwreck polices interplanetary trade in the [[asteroid belt]], fending off attacks from [[Zanzibar]] and his space pirates.
**Former Decepticons and newly-airborn Autobots live in the "floating aviaries" of [[Jupiter]]. [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] takes up residence on [[Europa]].
**Cobra accountant [[Raptor (Cobra)|Raptor]] establishes an interplanetary tax haven on [[Saturn]]'s moon [[Mundilfari]].
**Uranus becomes home to [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]. Rodimus and Wreck-Gar like to meditate there.
**A colony name [[New Atlantis]] is settled on [[Neptune]], with residents including [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] and [[Deep Six]]. A proliferation of [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]] and [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] causes the colony to relocate to the moon of [[Triton (moon)|Triton]].
**The [[Oktober Guard]] claim [[Pluto]] for [[Transylvania]]. The world becomes home to the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], and to all those humans and Transformers who have returned from the dead. Some choose to worship [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]].
*In a dual reference we can't place under just one of our headings above, the bus Decepticon has "6484" written on its side, referencing 1964 and 1984, the inaugural years of the ''G.I. Joe'' and ''Transformers'' brands, respectively.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Standard cover:''' Optimus Prime and Bumblebee fold up the United States flag, by Tom Scioli. The cover is a wraparound, but the back cover is blank.
*'''Subscription cover:''' Wraparound cover of our heroes and villains facing off, by Tom Scioli.
*'''Roll Out Roll Call Exclusive cover:''' Wraparound cover of the 'Bots, 'Cons, Joes, and Cobras at war, by [[Robert Atkins]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]. Produced exclusively for the [[unofficial conventions|unofficial convention]] Roll Out Roll Call 2016, the cover features includes numerous characters voiced by [[Neil Ross]] and [[Morgan Lofting]], the convention's guests of honor, including [[Shipwreck]], [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Dreadnok|Buzzer]], [[Sixshot]], [[Dusty]], [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], Thunder, [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]], [[Baroness]], and [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]]. Limited to 500 copies; 250 sold at the convention, and a further 250 sold through [https://www.dcbservice.com/ Discount Comic Book Service].
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File:TFvsJoe13_subcvr.jpg
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==External links==
*[http://comicsalliance.com/transformers-vs-gi-joe-13-final-issue-preview/ Preview]

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