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Simanzi Massacre

2025-04-17T17:14:35Z

Breech Loader: /* Notes */

The '''Simanzi Massacre''' was a watershed moment for the Cybertronian race–a titanic battle in the region known as [[Simanzi]] that raged for generations, annihilating half of the entire Cybertronian race and leaving the devastated planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] almost entirely under Decepticon control. Something called the [[Crucible]] was at the centre of it; an associated event was known as the [[Forced Flood]]. So great were the forces unleashed that the planet's southern hemisphere was superheated.

{{quote|They said that after Simanzi, Cybertron glowed purple in the heavens...|Megatron, "[[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
The Simanzi Massacre occurred in 1st Cycle 3178. As with many military campaigns, a number of [[M.T.O.|Made To Order]] soldiers such as [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] were created specifically to fight in it. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} The [[Wreckers]], however, ignored it in favour of chasing [[Squadron X]]. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

[[File:MTMTE16 magnus on simanzi.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"When they told me Simanzi was a toilet, I thought it was a metaphor."]]
The [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|contemporary Ultra Magnus]] was killed five miles from the Crucible in the first year of the conflict. He and [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] had waded through a muddy muck of some kind in an attempt to evade a troop of [[Cybernought]]s but were caught unawares. Magnus was gunned down {{storylink|The Gloaming}} and his replacement rushed into action.

The battle, or perhaps the Crucible, caused some kind of superheating of Cybertron's entire southern hemisphere, requiring some length of time to cool down. The planet still burnt your feet in cycle 3180. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} By the time it finally cooled, 99% of the planet was now under Decepticon control and ''half'' of the planet's population were dead. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} The Autobots responded with the [[Endless Retaliation]] {{Storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} and the tide was turned, but Megatron would still consider it as the closest he'd ever come to winning. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

Many Autobots would gain fame for their actions. Rotorstorm's timely intervention saved the Autobot 9th Battalion from annihilation, earning him the [[Novic Medal for Outstanding Valor]] {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} and decorated hero [[Countdown (G1)|Countdown]] was involved enough that [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] would call him "''Simanzi'' Countdown?". {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] saved over a thousand Autobots (such as [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]) and neutrals from falling into The Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] became famous for the amount of Decepticons he killed at Simanzi. {{storylink|Interiors}}

Long after the battle, some survivors, such as the [[Duobot]]s [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] and [[Ore]], simply noted it as one of their bigger events. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}} Others were left mentally scarred: Rotorstorm was so haunted by what he saw that he had to create a 'cover personality' to compensate and Pyro's road to ''[[primus apotheosis]]'' began at the Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} Fortress Maximus would recount he walked away from Simanzi with a smile. {{storylink|Animals}}

The Massacre was such an evil act on the behalf of the Decepticons that, years later, [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] used it to show [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] the true nature of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} When a repentant Megatron admitted he'd seen Simanzi as a victory, [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] was appalled. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

==Notes==
*"Simanzi" can mean grief, depression, or deep sorrow in Swahili.
* Transformer Energon is typically purple in IDW, implying that the planet glowed with the 'blood' spilt in the battle.
* A Crucible is a melting pot for metal.
* Theories include that should the Crucible be responsible for the southern hemisphere of Cybertron super-heating, this would kill any Transformer on the ground - and potentially cause the glowing effect that Megatron mentioned. Since Decepticons have a near-monopoly on flight-modes, this would result in huge losses for the Autobots during the battle, explaining Megatron seeing this as a victory.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Simanzi no Gyakusatsu''' (シマンジの虐殺 ''Shimanji no Gyakusatsu'', "Shimanzi Massacre")

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) history]]

Simanzi Massacre

2025-04-17T17:05:38Z

Breech Loader: /* Notes */

The '''Simanzi Massacre''' was a watershed moment for the Cybertronian race–a titanic battle in the region known as [[Simanzi]] that raged for generations, annihilating half of the entire Cybertronian race and leaving the devastated planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] almost entirely under Decepticon control. Something called the [[Crucible]] was at the centre of it; an associated event was known as the [[Forced Flood]]. So great were the forces unleashed that the planet's southern hemisphere was superheated.

{{quote|They said that after Simanzi, Cybertron glowed purple in the heavens...|Megatron, "[[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
The Simanzi Massacre occurred in 1st Cycle 3178. As with many military campaigns, a number of [[M.T.O.|Made To Order]] soldiers such as [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] were created specifically to fight in it. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} The [[Wreckers]], however, ignored it in favour of chasing [[Squadron X]]. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

[[File:MTMTE16 magnus on simanzi.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"When they told me Simanzi was a toilet, I thought it was a metaphor."]]
The [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|contemporary Ultra Magnus]] was killed five miles from the Crucible in the first year of the conflict. He and [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] had waded through a muddy muck of some kind in an attempt to evade a troop of [[Cybernought]]s but were caught unawares. Magnus was gunned down {{storylink|The Gloaming}} and his replacement rushed into action.

The battle, or perhaps the Crucible, caused some kind of superheating of Cybertron's entire southern hemisphere, requiring some length of time to cool down. The planet still burnt your feet in cycle 3180. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} By the time it finally cooled, 99% of the planet was now under Decepticon control and ''half'' of the planet's population were dead. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} The Autobots responded with the [[Endless Retaliation]] {{Storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} and the tide was turned, but Megatron would still consider it as the closest he'd ever come to winning. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

Many Autobots would gain fame for their actions. Rotorstorm's timely intervention saved the Autobot 9th Battalion from annihilation, earning him the [[Novic Medal for Outstanding Valor]] {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} and decorated hero [[Countdown (G1)|Countdown]] was involved enough that [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] would call him "''Simanzi'' Countdown?". {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] saved over a thousand Autobots (such as [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]) and neutrals from falling into The Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] became famous for the amount of Decepticons he killed at Simanzi. {{storylink|Interiors}}

Long after the battle, some survivors, such as the [[Duobot]]s [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] and [[Ore]], simply noted it as one of their bigger events. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}} Others were left mentally scarred: Rotorstorm was so haunted by what he saw that he had to create a 'cover personality' to compensate and Pyro's road to ''[[primus apotheosis]]'' began at the Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} Fortress Maximus would recount he walked away from Simanzi with a smile. {{storylink|Animals}}

The Massacre was such an evil act on the behalf of the Decepticons that, years later, [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] used it to show [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] the true nature of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} When a repentant Megatron admitted he'd seen Simanzi as a victory, [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] was appalled. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

==Notes==
*"Simanzi" can mean grief, depression, or deep sorrow in Swahili.
* Transformer Energon is typically purple in IDW, implying that the planet glowed with the Energon spilt.
* A Crucible is a melting pot for metal.
* Theories include that the Crucible was somehow activated, which caused the southern hemisphere of Cybertron to super-heat, which would kill any Transformer on the ground. Since Decepticons have a near-monopoly on flight-modes, this would result in huge losses for the Autobots during the battle, explaining Megatron seeing this as a victory.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Simanzi no Gyakusatsu''' (シマンジの虐殺 ''Shimanji no Gyakusatsu'', "Shimanzi Massacre")

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) history]]

Simanzi Massacre

2025-04-17T17:02:10Z

Breech Loader: /* Notes */

The '''Simanzi Massacre''' was a watershed moment for the Cybertronian race–a titanic battle in the region known as [[Simanzi]] that raged for generations, annihilating half of the entire Cybertronian race and leaving the devastated planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] almost entirely under Decepticon control. Something called the [[Crucible]] was at the centre of it; an associated event was known as the [[Forced Flood]]. So great were the forces unleashed that the planet's southern hemisphere was superheated.

{{quote|They said that after Simanzi, Cybertron glowed purple in the heavens...|Megatron, "[[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
The Simanzi Massacre occurred in 1st Cycle 3178. As with many military campaigns, a number of [[M.T.O.|Made To Order]] soldiers such as [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] were created specifically to fight in it. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} The [[Wreckers]], however, ignored it in favour of chasing [[Squadron X]]. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

[[File:MTMTE16 magnus on simanzi.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"When they told me Simanzi was a toilet, I thought it was a metaphor."]]
The [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|contemporary Ultra Magnus]] was killed five miles from the Crucible in the first year of the conflict. He and [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] had waded through a muddy muck of some kind in an attempt to evade a troop of [[Cybernought]]s but were caught unawares. Magnus was gunned down {{storylink|The Gloaming}} and his replacement rushed into action.

The battle, or perhaps the Crucible, caused some kind of superheating of Cybertron's entire southern hemisphere, requiring some length of time to cool down. The planet still burnt your feet in cycle 3180. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} By the time it finally cooled, 99% of the planet was now under Decepticon control and ''half'' of the planet's population were dead. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} The Autobots responded with the [[Endless Retaliation]] {{Storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} and the tide was turned, but Megatron would still consider it as the closest he'd ever come to winning. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

Many Autobots would gain fame for their actions. Rotorstorm's timely intervention saved the Autobot 9th Battalion from annihilation, earning him the [[Novic Medal for Outstanding Valor]] {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} and decorated hero [[Countdown (G1)|Countdown]] was involved enough that [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] would call him "''Simanzi'' Countdown?". {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] saved over a thousand Autobots (such as [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]) and neutrals from falling into The Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] became famous for the amount of Decepticons he killed at Simanzi. {{storylink|Interiors}}

Long after the battle, some survivors, such as the [[Duobot]]s [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] and [[Ore]], simply noted it as one of their bigger events. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}} Others were left mentally scarred: Rotorstorm was so haunted by what he saw that he had to create a 'cover personality' to compensate and Pyro's road to ''[[primus apotheosis]]'' began at the Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} Fortress Maximus would recount he walked away from Simanzi with a smile. {{storylink|Animals}}

The Massacre was such an evil act on the behalf of the Decepticons that, years later, [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] used it to show [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] the true nature of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} When a repentant Megatron admitted he'd seen Simanzi as a victory, [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] was appalled. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

==Notes==
*"Simanzi" can mean grief, depression, or deep sorrow in Swahili.
* Transformer Energon is typically purple in IDW, implying that the planet glowed with the Energon spilt.
* A Crucible is a melting pot for metal.
* Theories include that the Crucible was somehow activated, which caused the southern hemisphere of Cybertron to super-heat, which would kill any Transformer on the ground. Since Decepticons have a near-monopoly on flight-modes, this would result in huge losses for the Autobots during the battle, explaining Megatron seeing this as a victory. Autobot survivors of the Massacre are the rare exceptions with access to flight.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Simanzi no Gyakusatsu''' (シマンジの虐殺 ''Shimanji no Gyakusatsu'', "Shimanzi Massacre")

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) history]]

Simanzi Massacre

2025-04-17T17:01:02Z

Breech Loader: /* Notes */

The '''Simanzi Massacre''' was a watershed moment for the Cybertronian race–a titanic battle in the region known as [[Simanzi]] that raged for generations, annihilating half of the entire Cybertronian race and leaving the devastated planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] almost entirely under Decepticon control. Something called the [[Crucible]] was at the centre of it; an associated event was known as the [[Forced Flood]]. So great were the forces unleashed that the planet's southern hemisphere was superheated.

{{quote|They said that after Simanzi, Cybertron glowed purple in the heavens...|Megatron, "[[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
The Simanzi Massacre occurred in 1st Cycle 3178. As with many military campaigns, a number of [[M.T.O.|Made To Order]] soldiers such as [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] were created specifically to fight in it. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} The [[Wreckers]], however, ignored it in favour of chasing [[Squadron X]]. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

[[File:MTMTE16 magnus on simanzi.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"When they told me Simanzi was a toilet, I thought it was a metaphor."]]
The [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|contemporary Ultra Magnus]] was killed five miles from the Crucible in the first year of the conflict. He and [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] had waded through a muddy muck of some kind in an attempt to evade a troop of [[Cybernought]]s but were caught unawares. Magnus was gunned down {{storylink|The Gloaming}} and his replacement rushed into action.

The battle, or perhaps the Crucible, caused some kind of superheating of Cybertron's entire southern hemisphere, requiring some length of time to cool down. The planet still burnt your feet in cycle 3180. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} By the time it finally cooled, 99% of the planet was now under Decepticon control and ''half'' of the planet's population were dead. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} The Autobots responded with the [[Endless Retaliation]] {{Storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} and the tide was turned, but Megatron would still consider it as the closest he'd ever come to winning. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

Many Autobots would gain fame for their actions. Rotorstorm's timely intervention saved the Autobot 9th Battalion from annihilation, earning him the [[Novic Medal for Outstanding Valor]] {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} and decorated hero [[Countdown (G1)|Countdown]] was involved enough that [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] would call him "''Simanzi'' Countdown?". {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] saved over a thousand Autobots (such as [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]) and neutrals from falling into The Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] became famous for the amount of Decepticons he killed at Simanzi. {{storylink|Interiors}}

Long after the battle, some survivors, such as the [[Duobot]]s [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] and [[Ore]], simply noted it as one of their bigger events. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}} Others were left mentally scarred: Rotorstorm was so haunted by what he saw that he had to create a 'cover personality' to compensate and Pyro's road to ''[[primus apotheosis]]'' began at the Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} Fortress Maximus would recount he walked away from Simanzi with a smile. {{storylink|Animals}}

The Massacre was such an evil act on the behalf of the Decepticons that, years later, [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] used it to show [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] the true nature of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} When a repentant Megatron admitted he'd seen Simanzi as a victory, [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] was appalled. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

==Notes==
*"Simanzi" can mean grief, depression, or deep sorrow in Swahili.
* Transformer Energon is typically purple in IDW, implying that the planet glowed with the Energon spilt.
* A Crucible is a melting pot for metal.
* Theories include that the Crucible was somehow activated, which caused the southern hemisphere of Cybertron to super-heat, which would kill any Transformer on the ground. Since Decepticons have a near-monopoly on flight-modes, this would result in huge losses for the Autobots during the battle, explaining Megatron seeing this as a victory. Autobot survivors of the Massacre are the rare exceptions with flight modes.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Simanzi no Gyakusatsu''' (シマンジの虐殺 ''Shimanji no Gyakusatsu'', "Shimanzi Massacre")

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) history]]

Simanzi Massacre

2025-04-17T16:53:29Z

Breech Loader: /* Notes */

The '''Simanzi Massacre''' was a watershed moment for the Cybertronian race–a titanic battle in the region known as [[Simanzi]] that raged for generations, annihilating half of the entire Cybertronian race and leaving the devastated planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] almost entirely under Decepticon control. Something called the [[Crucible]] was at the centre of it; an associated event was known as the [[Forced Flood]]. So great were the forces unleashed that the planet's southern hemisphere was superheated.

{{quote|They said that after Simanzi, Cybertron glowed purple in the heavens...|Megatron, "[[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
The Simanzi Massacre occurred in 1st Cycle 3178. As with many military campaigns, a number of [[M.T.O.|Made To Order]] soldiers such as [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] were created specifically to fight in it. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} The [[Wreckers]], however, ignored it in favour of chasing [[Squadron X]]. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

[[File:MTMTE16 magnus on simanzi.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"When they told me Simanzi was a toilet, I thought it was a metaphor."]]
The [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|contemporary Ultra Magnus]] was killed five miles from the Crucible in the first year of the conflict. He and [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] had waded through a muddy muck of some kind in an attempt to evade a troop of [[Cybernought]]s but were caught unawares. Magnus was gunned down {{storylink|The Gloaming}} and his replacement rushed into action.

The battle, or perhaps the Crucible, caused some kind of superheating of Cybertron's entire southern hemisphere, requiring some length of time to cool down. The planet still burnt your feet in cycle 3180. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} By the time it finally cooled, 99% of the planet was now under Decepticon control and ''half'' of the planet's population were dead. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} The Autobots responded with the [[Endless Retaliation]] {{Storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} and the tide was turned, but Megatron would still consider it as the closest he'd ever come to winning. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

Many Autobots would gain fame for their actions. Rotorstorm's timely intervention saved the Autobot 9th Battalion from annihilation, earning him the [[Novic Medal for Outstanding Valor]] {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} and decorated hero [[Countdown (G1)|Countdown]] was involved enough that [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] would call him "''Simanzi'' Countdown?". {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] saved over a thousand Autobots (such as [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]) and neutrals from falling into The Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] became famous for the amount of Decepticons he killed at Simanzi. {{storylink|Interiors}}

Long after the battle, some survivors, such as the [[Duobot]]s [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] and [[Ore]], simply noted it as one of their bigger events. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}} Others were left mentally scarred: Rotorstorm was so haunted by what he saw that he had to create a 'cover personality' to compensate and Pyro's road to ''[[primus apotheosis]]'' began at the Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} Fortress Maximus would recount he walked away from Simanzi with a smile. {{storylink|Animals}}

The Massacre was such an evil act on the behalf of the Decepticons that, years later, [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] used it to show [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] the true nature of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} When a repentant Megatron admitted he'd seen Simanzi as a victory, [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] was appalled. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

==Notes==
*"Simanzi" can mean grief, depression, or deep sorrow in Swahili.
* Transformer Energon is typically purple in IDW, implying that the planet glowed with the Energon spilt.
* A Crucible is a melting pot for metal.
* Theories include that the Crucible was somehow activated, which caused the southern hemisphere of Cybertron to super-heat, which would kill any Transformer on the ground. Since Decepticons have a near-monopoly on flight-modes, this would result in huge losses for the Autobots during the battle, explaining Megatron seeing this as a victory.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Simanzi no Gyakusatsu''' (シマンジの虐殺 ''Shimanji no Gyakusatsu'', "Shimanzi Massacre")

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) history]]

Simanzi Massacre

2025-04-17T16:44:06Z

Breech Loader: /* 2005 IDW continuity */

The '''Simanzi Massacre''' was a watershed moment for the Cybertronian race–a titanic battle in the region known as [[Simanzi]] that raged for generations, annihilating half of the entire Cybertronian race and leaving the devastated planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] almost entirely under Decepticon control. Something called the [[Crucible]] was at the centre of it; an associated event was known as the [[Forced Flood]]. So great were the forces unleashed that the planet's southern hemisphere was superheated.

{{quote|They said that after Simanzi, Cybertron glowed purple in the heavens...|Megatron, "[[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
The Simanzi Massacre occurred in 1st Cycle 3178. As with many military campaigns, a number of [[M.T.O.|Made To Order]] soldiers such as [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] were created specifically to fight in it. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} The [[Wreckers]], however, ignored it in favour of chasing [[Squadron X]]. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

[[File:MTMTE16 magnus on simanzi.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"When they told me Simanzi was a toilet, I thought it was a metaphor."]]
The [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|contemporary Ultra Magnus]] was killed five miles from the Crucible in the first year of the conflict. He and [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] had waded through a muddy muck of some kind in an attempt to evade a troop of [[Cybernought]]s but were caught unawares. Magnus was gunned down {{storylink|The Gloaming}} and his replacement rushed into action.

The battle, or perhaps the Crucible involved, caused some kind of superheating of Cybertron's entire southern hemisphere, requiring some length of time to cool down. The planet still burnt your feet in cycle 3180. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} By the time it finally cooled, 99% of the planet was now under Decepticon control and ''half'' of the planet's population were dead. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} The Autobots responded with the [[Endless Retaliation]] {{Storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} and the tide was turned, but Megatron would still consider it as the closest he'd ever come to winning. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

Many Autobots would gain fame for their actions. Rotorstorm's timely intervention saved the Autobot 9th Battalion from annihilation, earning him the [[Novic Medal for Outstanding Valor]] {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} and decorated hero [[Countdown (G1)|Countdown]] was involved enough that [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] would call him "''Simanzi'' Countdown?". {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] saved over a thousand Autobots (such as [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]) and neutrals from falling into The Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] became famous for the amount of Decepticons he killed at Simanzi. {{storylink|Interiors}}

Long after the battle, some survivors, such as the [[Duobot]]s [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] and [[Ore]], simply noted it as one of their bigger events. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}} Others were left mentally scarred: Rotorstorm was so haunted by what he saw that he had to create a 'cover personality' to compensate and Pyro's road to ''[[primus apotheosis]]'' began at the Crucible. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Profile}} {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Profile}} Fortress Maximus would recount he walked away from Simanzi with a smile. {{storylink|Animals}}

The Massacre was such an evil act on the behalf of the Decepticons that, years later, [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] used it to show [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] the true nature of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} When a repentant Megatron admitted he'd seen Simanzi as a victory, [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] was appalled. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

==Notes==
*"Simanzi" can mean grief, depression, or deep sorrow in Swahili.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Simanzi no Gyakusatsu''' (シマンジの虐殺 ''Shimanji no Gyakusatsu'', "Shimanzi Massacre")

[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) history]]

Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely

2025-04-17T13:35:17Z

Breech Loader: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=20
|prev=Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self
|next=More than Meets the Eye issue 21
|image=MTMTE20 cvrA.jpg
|title="Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely"
|caption=Who knew babysitting was so dangerous?
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[August 28]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=August 2013
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Brian Shearer]] with Alex Milne
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]] with [[John-Paul Bove]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editorial assistant=[[Kevin Smead]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2013)]]
}}
'''Skids's secret is revealed as Tyrest's plan enters its endgame.'''

==Synopsis==
Chaos and confusion reign on multiple fronts all across [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], as [[Minimus Ambus]] lies dead, [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] and company meet [[Getaway]], [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] struggles to save [[Ambulon]], and [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and the [[Circle of Light]] clash with the [[Legislator]] army. An impressed [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]] congratulates Cyclonus on his ability to power a [[Great Sword]] with his [[spark]], an indicator of the strength of his faith, and leaves Whirl incredulous with his belief that Whirl and Cyclonus are friends.

[[File:ArmTheLonely-Chromedome.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
In the prison cell, Getaway tries to remind [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] of who he is with a friendly punch, an old act of intimacy between the two, but with no success. He relates [[Solomus|Tyrest]]'s plan to Rodimus, explaining that the Chief Justice's portal—pieced together from the inner workings of the dead [[Titan (group)|Titans]]—supposedly leads to [[Cyberutopia]], and Rodimus resolves that they will all go through it together after they stop Tyrest. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] points out that they will need to ''escape'' before they can do that, prompting [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] to wonder where Ambus has gone. A confused Getaway tells them that Ambus was responsible for luring them to Luna 1, and that he wants them to be there.

In Tyrest's control room, as [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] salivates over the [[universal killswitch]], Tyrest reminds him that he was only saved from [[Messatine]] to be one of the switch's test subjects. Pharma proved that forged Transformers were immune to the switch, so Tyrest abducted the Circle of Light to be his next guinea pigs, successfully killing the constructed cold Circle members with it. Tyrest is alerted to the Circle's escape by [[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]] and approves Saber's request to intervene. Star Saber teleports into the midst of the battle and is soon confronted by Dai Atlas, furious over his betrayal: Saber is revealed to have been a former Circle of Light member who deactivated [[Crystal City]]'s defenses when the Legislators attacked. With the final insult that his faith is real and that Dai Atlas's was only an affectation, Star Saber plunges his fist into Dai Atlas's chest and crushes his spark.

Back in the cell, Swerve calls upon Getaway to finally fill Skids in on his missing memories. Getaway explains that they were both members of Autobot [[Special Operations]], a covert organization headed by [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]], and had been tasked with tracking down the obviously unstable Tyrest with the intent of using a [[Institute|New Institute]] "[[nudge gun]]" to implant a foreign thought in Tyrest's brain, convincing him to retire. Unfortunately, the gun's "thought bullet" failed to work on Tyrest's damaged [[brain module]], and their actions only convinced him of the rightness of his crusade. Both deemed guilty of thought warfare, Getaway was captured by the Legislators, but Skids was able to escape, leaping aboard a shuttle made of Legislators, trapping them in that form with some [[mode lock]]s. Per his orders, Skids activated a homing device that would lead him to his nearest handlers (the [[Duobot]]s), and used the nudge gun's second charge to wipe his own mind of any incriminating knowledge of his covert actions (including knowledge of the gun itself). Skids wonders how he is able to retain memories of Getaway now, and Chromedome theorizes that the trace memory he detected months before is acting as a foundation for new memories. [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], meanwhile, is more interested in Getaway's expertise as an escapologist; although he has been unable to escape up until now, the assorted bits and pieces the other Autobots have brought with them give Getaway all he needs. The clasps of [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]]'s [[Time case|briefcase]] and Chromedome's finger-needles are combined to create spring-loaded syringes that topple their Legislator guard from afar, while [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s [[energon]] sticks are used to short out their cell bars, setting them free.

[[File:Scavengers arm the lonely.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|In fairness, playing Jenga does this to me too.]]
Meanwhile, Ratchet continues to toil over Ambulon's bisected form, refusing help from [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]. The frustrated junior medic allows some long-standing resentment to boil over, accusing Ratchet of refusing to believe that anyone will ever be as good as him. Ratchet insists that First Aid cannot save Ambulon any more than he can... because he is already dead. Ratchet has, in fact, converted his remains into a giant cannon that he uses to destroy the Legislator guarding them. First Aid tries to apologize, but Ratchet agrees with his accusations and promises to make him Chief Medical Officer if they survive their ordeal, though he insists they will do so without killing Pharma. Moving out, the pair are met by Rodimus's team; Tailgate tells Ratchet about Tyrest's miracle medibay and the potential it holds to cure his [[cybercrosis]], but Ratchet fears that only Pharma will be able to use the facility's equipment to accomplish the feat. The group proceed to storm Tyrest's control room, where they discover Ambus's body; when Rodimus rushes Tyrest, Pharma opens fire, a stray blast severing the handcuffs that hold Brainstorm's briefcase to his wrist. Tyrest order him to cease fire, and reveals another secret weapon: a "weapon of mass suggestion" based on the thought bullet, a suggestion beamed directly into the Autobots' minds that makes their bodies think they cannot move. With his foes rendered paralytic, Tyrest throws the killswitch...

All across the universe, constructed cold Transformers feel the painful effects of the switch, from the ''[[Lost Light]]'' to the ''[[Peaceful Tyranny]]'', from [[Gorlam Prime]] all the way to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] itself, Autobot or Decepticon, in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] or out in the wilderness. On the planet [[Constancy]], [[Fulcrum]] has just sprung [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] from death row, only for them to be made late for their extraction by Misfire's need for a detour to grab some energon. When their fellow [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]] fail to appear with their ship, Fulcrum tries radioing them, but there is no response, as they all too have fallen victim to the killswitch's effects.

As a forged Transformer, Rodimus is unaffected by the switch and vows vengeance on Tyrest, even if he has to tear Cyberutopia apart to get it. No sooner have those words passed his lips than Tyrest's portal opens, and the Chief Justice, imagining he can hear the [[Knights of Cybertron]] and the [[Guiding Hand]] singing to him of his victory from the other side, walks through...
{{--}}

==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-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Minimus Ambus]] (1)
* [[Getaway]] (2)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (3)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (4)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (5)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (6)
* [[Ambulon]] (8)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (10)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (14)
* [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (16)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (18)
* [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (19)
* [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (22)
* [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (24)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (25)
* [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (26)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (27)
* [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] (28)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] (29)
* [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (30)
* [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (40)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] (23)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] (31)
* [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] (32)
* [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (33)
* [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]] (36)
* [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]] (37)
* [[Fulcrum]] (38)
* [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (39)
* [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (41)
* [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (42)
* [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (43)
|c4=
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (7)
* [[Legislator]]s (11)
* [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]] (12)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] (13)
* Multiple [[Circle of Light]] members (15)
* [[Solomus|Tyrest]] (17)
* [[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]] (20)
* ''[[K'gard]]'' (21)
* [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (34)
* [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] (35)
}}

==Quotes==

"Let me '''help...!'''" 
"You can't." 
"Dammit, Ratchet, you think it's '''cheating?''' You think you '''lose the game''' if someone else has a go?" 
"Don't be ridiculous." 
"This is all your fault. You and your stupid hands and your—'''obsession''' with carrying on. "Ratchet, Chief Medical Officer '''In Perpetuity.'''" Because no one will ever be as good as '''you''', will they? Certainly not me." 
"Oh, we're having that conversation '''now''', are we?" 
"I'm just '''saying''' I can help you fix Ambulon!" 
"And '''I'm''' saying you '''can't!'''" 
"'''WHY CAN'T I?'''" 
"Because he died half an hour ago." 
:—'''First Aid''' and '''Ratchet'''

"First we find Pharma and put a bullet in his spark, right?" 
"'''No.''' If we kill him, we're no better than him. If we kill him, he wins." 
"Yeah, except—we '''are''' better than him and he '''doesn't''' win. He doesn't '''anything'''. He's '''dead'''. That's the point."
:—'''First Aid''' and '''Ratchet'''

"Your life is in the palm of my hand, Dai Atlas. Before I '''squeeze''', I offer up one last shining truth: '''Primus hates you.'''"
:—'''Star Saber'''

"Oh '''Rodimus'''. Do you know what I did to the last person who threatened me?" 
''(gestures to Ambus's dead body)'' 
"I turned him into a '''tripping hazard'''."
:—'''Tyrest'''

"The '''portal opens''' and the '''Primal Pantheon''' beckons. Primus! The Guiding Hand! The Knights of Cybertron! Can you hear them '''singing?''' ''<nowiki>'</nowiki>Tyrest, come closer, come closer, come closer/Tyrest, come closer, come closer... you've won.<nowiki>'</nowiki>''"
:—'''Tyrest'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* The mechanics of Great Swords were covered in the [[The Transformers: Drift|''Drift'']] mini-series.
* We get confirmation that, following Drift's forced amputation of hands back in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]], Pharma opted to allow himself to hit the ground, rather than transform and activate the [[Red Rust|virus]] within him.
* When comparing Special Ops to the [[Wreckers]], Getaway notes that "not every problem can be solved with brain bullets and bravado", alluding to [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'s [[Cerebro-sensitive bullet]]s from ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''.
* When talking about associates of Tyrest, Captain [[K'gard]] of the [[Galactic Council]] from [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|the 2012 annual]] (or another of his species wearing the same silly hat) is shown in flashback.
* All the wacky stuff Skids turned up with when he made his debut in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]] is explained at last, from the mode locks holding his Legislator-shuttle together, to the warp portal he emerged through and why it wasn't just coincidence he appeared near the ''Lost Light'', to his mysterious gun, now named a "nudge gun". Brainstorm dubbed it a "binary gun" and identified it as Institute tech back in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]].
** Also, this explains why Skids could not remember who Prowl was back in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], or what Titans were in [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|Annual 2012]].
* As the effects of the killswitch spread across the galaxy, outside of cameos by regular ''More than Meets the Eye'' cast members, we see Hardhead and Orion Pax, in the vicinity of Gorlam Prime shortly before [[Homecoming (IDW)|''Robots in Disguise'' #19]], Prowl, Soundwave, Ravage and Blitzwing, out in the wilderness on Cybertron after [[Second Exodus|''Robots in Disguise'' #18]], and Starscream and Rattrap, together after their alliance in [[Three Monologues|''Robots in Disguise'' #20]]. We also check in with the Decepticon Justice Division and the Scavengers, last seen in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
* The Scavengers are visiting Galactic Council outpost 113, another of James Roberts's [[113 (disambiguation)|references]] to the number.
* A quick checklist, based on the visible effects of the killswitch (and showing huge flaws in Tyrest's plan to eliminate 'bad' robots):
** Rodimus, Skids, Fortress Maximus, Orion Pax, Soundwave, Blitzwing, Rattrap, Tarn, Fulcrum, Misfire and Grimlock were forged.
** Getaway, Chromedome, Blaster, Mainframe, Red Alert, Hardhead, Prowl, Ravage, Starscream, Kaon, Krok, Spinister and Crankcase were constructed cold.
* Getaway's methods of escaping from prison (Brainstorm's briefcase, Chromedome's needles) are very similar to Tailgate's escape suggestions two issues earlier. (Of course coming from him, they were ignored!)
* Tailgate's suggestion that Brainstorm make all the naughty people in the universe disappear two issues earlier is pretty much Tyrest's plan executed this issue.

===Transformers references===
* Getaway flippantly numbers one of Tyrest's many rants as 332, a nod to the total number of issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Marvel UK Generation 1 comic]].
* The issue makes it seem like the identity of the head of Autobot Special Ops is going to go unsaid, until Rodimus flatly makes it clear he's figured out it's Prowl. The issue gives plenty of hints prior to that, though, noting a need for precision, guile and subtlety, and the fact that the Duobots also work for him. In a particularly wicked crack, Getaway notes that Tyrest's questionable actions have made his boss "prickly", a reference to... a-heh, well, have a look at [[Prowl (G1)|his TFWiki]] [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|articles]] and you'll get it.
* Knocked to the ground by Starscream's flailings are a model of his original F-15 alternate mode and his crown from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', previously seen in his quarters in [[The End of the Beginning of the World|''Robots in Disguise'' #11]].

===Real-life references===
* This issue's sub-title comes from the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvLIm2rh2K8 song of the same name] by Savoy Grand.
* Alex Milne's cover for the issue is an homage to the poster for the action film ''{{w|Hard Boiled}}''.

===Errors===
* Dai Atlas speaks of Cyclonus on page 2 as if he doesn't know him. They've met [[Primus: All Good Things|before]].
* On page 4, "smidgen" is misspelled "smidgem", this was corrected in the TPB.
* On page 2, part of Whirl's arm is miscolored the same gold color as the Legislator body obscuring it.
* On page 6, Tyrest tells Pharma, "Your survival proved that us purebreeds would be spared the cull," instead of the grammatically correct "we purebreeds." Curiously, a similar error was corrected in the TPB for the previous issue, but not for this one.

===Crew manifest===
* Ambulon dies of his injuries.
* Minimus Ambus ''really really'' seems to be dead, but we're still not ''quite'' buying it.
* Many, many crewmembers start to experience the effects of the killswitch.
* 13 deaths, one ''apparently'' dead, one 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 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}}

For this issue in particular:

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8nibIN7i6M "Hello"] by {{w|Shakespears Sister}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Hikari no Naka ni Tamarite 4: Kodokunaru Mono no Ken'''" (光の中に溜まりて4 孤独なる者の剣, "Gather in Light 4: Sword of the Lonely")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Stanna i ljuset 4 av 5: Beväpna de ensamma'''" ("Stay in the Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely)

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Rodimus cradles Tailgate as Legislators close in, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Tyrest just after drilling a hole into his brain, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Joana Lafuente]].
* '''Cover RI:''' Swerve, by [[Phil Jimenez]] and [[Romulo Fajardo Jr.]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE20 cvrA.jpg|Rodimus loves him some Tailgate.
File:MTMTE20 cvrB.jpg|Need any more proof that Tyrest is bat-shit insane?
File:MTMTE20 cvrRI.jpg|I want you... to buy this issue!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Three Monologues|#20]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Monstrosity|Monstrosity]]'' [[Monstrosity issue 3|#3]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Destiny, Part Four|#94]]
* ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rise of the Turtles''
* ''KISS Kids''
* ''[[My Little Pony]]: The Magic Begins'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 5''''' ([[November 13]], [[2013]]) ISBN 1613778023 / ISBN 978-1613778029 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #17–22.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, and the prose story "[[The Sound of Breaking Glass]]".
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' volumes 1–5.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 5]]''''' ([[February 22]], [[2017]]) ISBN 1631408445 / ISBN 978-1631408441
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Primacy|Primacy]]'' issues [[Primacy issue 1|#1]]–[[Primacy issue 4|4]], ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[Homecoming (IDW)|#19]]–[[Three Monologues|20]] & [[Shockpoint|#21]]–[[Soundwaves (issue)|22]], and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #17–21, #22 & "[[The Sound of Breaking Glass]]".
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 57: Remain in Light''''' ([[August 21]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #14–21, and "[[Signal to Noise]]" & "[[The Sound of Breaking Glass]]".
** Bonus material includes a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Krig och hågkomst''''' ([[July]], [[2021]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #14–22, a special illustrated version of "[[The Sound of Breaking Glass]]", and ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[Omega's Conundrum|Orion Pax]]''.
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol5.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 5''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V5.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 5''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and [[Tom B. Long]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v57.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 57: Remain in Light''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Skids) and Alex Milne (Overlord)
File:MTMTE SWE 03.jpg|'''''Krig och hågkomst''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez.

</gallery>

==External links==
* [http://tformers.com/transformers-more-than-meets-the/21091/news.html Preview]

My First Blaster

2025-04-17T13:01:07Z

Breech Loader: /* 2005 IDW continuity */

[[File:MyFirstBlaster.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Putting the "kool" back in [[Playskool]].]]
"'''My First Blaster'''" is a fun, safe way for [[Autobot]]s with hands too little for normal guns to rain hot death on any and all potential targets.

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:MyFirstBlaster DirectHit.jpg|upright=1.1|left|thumb]]
My First Blaster was built by [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] for [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] to suit the Autobot's smaller stature and inability to properly wield larger weapons, like the [[Shoomer]]. When confronted by a [[Legislator]] in [[Swerve's|his bar]], Swerve used the weapon to disable his attacker, prompting congratulations from My First Blaster. When attempting to save [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] from a [[Star Saber (G1)|mysterious attacker]], My First Blaster missed its shots, (because Swerve has lousy aim) but encouraged Swerve to keep practicing. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}}

Swerve also used the weapon when the ''Lost Light'' came under attack by the fiendish [[Ammonite]]s on an [[Hydrophena|ocean planet]]. This time, the weapon did not comment on Swerve's skill (or any absence thereof). {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}}{{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}}
{{-}}

===''Legends'' manga===
Swerve calls [[Phaser (G1)#Legends|Phaser]]'s weapon mode "First Blaster", but Phaser hates it. {{storylink|Transformers Legends (franchise)|''Legends'' Swerve bio}}

===IDW ''Robots in Disguise'' comic===
[[File:IDWRID1 Fixit blaster.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Who's Ready for Safe Fun?"]]
[[Fixit (RID)|Fixit]] carried My First Blaster while pretending to be a Decepticon during a training exercise. He dropped it after being pounced on by [[Sideswipe (RID)|Sideswipe]]. {{storylink|Robots in Disguise issue 1|Robots in Disguise #1}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
[[File:TFLegends-Swerve.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Swerve was armed with My First Blaster when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] assigned him to [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]]'s team. {{storylink|The B-Team Part Deux}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Legends''===
[[File:Legends Phaser.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Scooty Puff Jr. suuuuuuuuucks!"]]
*'''Swerve & Tailgate''' (Multi-pack, [[2015]]-[[January 24|01-24]])
**''Japanese ID number'': '''LG08'''

:''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' Phaser is a [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' [[Sky High (Micromaster)#Generations|Flanker]], transforming into a drone jet resembling the {{w|EADS Barracuda|Barracuda}} and {{w|Alenia Aermacchi Sky-X|Sky-X}} designs with a new wing configuration<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/96686-generations-legends-targetmaster-moulds/?p=2423893 Designer Joe Kyde on "The Allspark" messageboard confirming both the identity of 'Flanker' as well as the inspiration for the alternate mode]</ref> in the colors of a Space Shuttle. He also has a third blaster-cannon mode that can be used by any toy that uses the [[5 mm post|5mm post/hole system]]. In an awesome homage to the IDW comics, Phaser's blaster mode is colored to resemble a My First Blaster.

:He was only available in a four-pack with [[Swerve (G1)#Legends|Swerve]], his partner, and [[Tailgate (G1)#Legends|Tailgate]] and [[Groundshaker (Legends)|Groundshaker]].

:This mold was also used to make ''Generations'' [[Eagle Eye (G1)#Generations|Eclipse]], the smaller part of [[BotCon 2015]] [[Oilmaster#Timelines|Oilmaster]], and [[Transformers Figure Subscription Service|TFSS]] 5.0 [[Quickslinger (G1)#Generations|Quickslinger]] and [[Hi-Q#Combiner Wars|Hi-Q]].
{{--}}

==Notes==
*My First Blaster is outfitted with an orange cap on the barrel, [[for safety reasons]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''My First Blaster''' (マイファーストブラスター ''Mai Fāsuto Burasutā''), '''Boku no Hajimete no Blaster''' (ボクの初めてのブラスター)

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Blasters]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) weapons]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2015) weapons]]

M.T.O.

2025-04-17T12:55:10Z

Breech Loader: /* Notes */

:''M.T.O.s or Made to Order Soldiers are a type of [[Transformer]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]]''
[[File:TheLopsidedTriangle-MTOs.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6]]
'''Made to Order Soldiers''' are soldiers who were [[Reproduction#2005 IDW continuity|constructed cold]] by either [[Autobot High Command|Autobot]] or [[Decepticon High Command]] from a stockpile of [[spark]]s in response to numerous military campaigns. They are named after the military campaign that precipitated their creation.

Known M.T.O.'s include:
{{collist|2|
*[[Ammo]]
*[[Ambulon]] of Operation Split Infin-
*[[Biteback]]
*[[Dipstick]] of [[Operation: Doom Patrol]]
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Genitus]] of [[Operation: Solar Storm]]
*[[Getaway]] of the [[Corcapsia Incursion]]
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] of [[Simanzi Massacre|Simanzian Dawn]]
*[[Scattergun]] of the [[Vorsk Offensive|Fourth Vorsk Offensive]]
}}

{{bigquote|'''Three steps''', [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]: "from '''thaw to war''' in under an hour."|Skids, "[[Twenty Plus One]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
Before they were sent into battle, M.T.O.s had to go through a ten-step educational program that ensured that they had sufficient knowledge. As the war progressed, this was eventually cut down to eight steps, and then to just three: everything to do with [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s culture was stripped out and the test boiled down to who they should kill, who they should obey, and their own survival instincts (which could be compared to a warped version of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics). A sarcastic [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] later put this down to callousness, the M.T.O.s being seen as cannon fodder by High Command and not worth teaching to read.

An M.T.O. is a hundred times more likely to have a mystical vision than any other Transformer; [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] attributes this to their senses being forced into action too early, the neurological equivalent of running before being able to walk.

Ammo (ten-steps) was constructed in response to an attack on [[K'th Kinsere]], whilst Riptide (eight-steps) was constructed as a [[Hydrobot (G1)|Hydrobot]] in response to an event called the [[Forced Flood]]. Getaway was brought online and deployed in the middle of a heated battle over [[Corcapsia]].

With members of the ''[[Lost Light]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew disappearing rapidly, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] attempted to link the victims by method of construction. Despite it being unnecessary, Getaway revealed to everyone else present that he was a M.T.O., constructed in response to the [[Corcapsia Incursion]]. This prompted the other M.T.O.s on the [[Rodpod]] (Ammo, Dipstick, and Riptide) to reveal the events that led to their own creation. The number of M.T.O.s on the ship made Nautica muse that a lot of Autobots owed their lives to [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}}

At least some Decepticon M.T.O.s were constructed using raw material from Autobots who were captured and murdered. {{storylink|Speak, Memory! (Part 2)}} Ambulon was a known Decepticon M.T.O., but neither the exact campaign for which he was created nor what kind of educational program he might have received are known. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}}

==Notes==
* While getting his snark on, Skids says M.T.O.s have a three-minute life expectancy. This could be an ''average'', meaning millions of MTOs were dropped onto the battlefield to die within minutes while only a few survived the war.

==See also==
*[[Ultimate Autobot]]
*[[Decepticon supersoldier]]

[[Category:Autobot subgroups]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) subgroups]]
[[Category:Mass-produced Transformers]]
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]

M.T.O.

2025-04-17T12:51:47Z

Breech Loader: /* 2005 IDW continuity */

:''M.T.O.s or Made to Order Soldiers are a type of [[Transformer]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]]''
[[File:TheLopsidedTriangle-MTOs.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6]]
'''Made to Order Soldiers''' are soldiers who were [[Reproduction#2005 IDW continuity|constructed cold]] by either [[Autobot High Command|Autobot]] or [[Decepticon High Command]] from a stockpile of [[spark]]s in response to numerous military campaigns. They are named after the military campaign that precipitated their creation.

Known M.T.O.'s include:
{{collist|2|
*[[Ammo]]
*[[Ambulon]] of Operation Split Infin-
*[[Biteback]]
*[[Dipstick]] of [[Operation: Doom Patrol]]
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Genitus]] of [[Operation: Solar Storm]]
*[[Getaway]] of the [[Corcapsia Incursion]]
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] of [[Simanzi Massacre|Simanzian Dawn]]
*[[Scattergun]] of the [[Vorsk Offensive|Fourth Vorsk Offensive]]
}}

{{bigquote|'''Three steps''', [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]: "from '''thaw to war''' in under an hour."|Skids, "[[Twenty Plus One]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
Before they were sent into battle, M.T.O.s had to go through a ten-step educational program that ensured that they had sufficient knowledge. As the war progressed, this was eventually cut down to eight steps, and then to just three: everything to do with [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s culture was stripped out and the test boiled down to who they should kill, who they should obey, and their own survival instincts (which could be compared to a warped version of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics). A sarcastic [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] later put this down to callousness, the M.T.O.s being seen as cannon fodder by High Command and not worth teaching to read.

An M.T.O. is a hundred times more likely to have a mystical vision than any other Transformer; [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] attributes this to their senses being forced into action too early, the neurological equivalent of running before being able to walk.

Ammo (ten-steps) was constructed in response to an attack on [[K'th Kinsere]], whilst Riptide (eight-steps) was constructed as a [[Hydrobot (G1)|Hydrobot]] in response to an event called the [[Forced Flood]]. Getaway was brought online and deployed in the middle of a heated battle over [[Corcapsia]].

With members of the ''[[Lost Light]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew disappearing rapidly, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] attempted to link the victims by method of construction. Despite it being unnecessary, Getaway revealed to everyone else present that he was a M.T.O., constructed in response to the [[Corcapsia Incursion]]. This prompted the other M.T.O.s on the [[Rodpod]] (Ammo, Dipstick, and Riptide) to reveal the events that led to their own creation. The number of M.T.O.s on the ship made Nautica muse that a lot of Autobots owed their lives to [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}}

At least some Decepticon M.T.O.s were constructed using raw material from Autobots who were captured and murdered. {{storylink|Speak, Memory! (Part 2)}} Ambulon was a known Decepticon M.T.O., but neither the exact campaign for which he was created nor what kind of educational program he might have received are known. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}}

==Notes==
*While getting his snark on, Skids says M.T.O.s have a three-minute life expectancy. This is ''probably'' an exaggeration.

==See also==
*[[Ultimate Autobot]]
*[[Decepticon supersoldier]]

[[Category:Autobot subgroups]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) subgroups]]
[[Category:Mass-produced Transformers]]
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]

Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It

2025-04-17T12:36:06Z

Breech Loader:

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=1
|prev=Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime
|next=Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On
|next2=The Autonomy Lesson (issue)
|caption=
|image=MTMTE1_cvrE.jpg
|title="Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[January 11]], [[2012]] (1st printing) [[February 22]], 2012 (2nd printing)
|coverdate=January 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2011)]]
}}
'''It's launch day for Rodimus and the crew of the ''Lost Light''—what could possibly go wrong?'''

==Synopsis==
Following [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s [[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|departure]] from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] publicly announces his intent to do likewise aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', following the map found within the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] in hopes of locating the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] predicts virtually no [[Autobot]]s will respond to his open invitation to join him, but Rodimus winds up with a little over two hundred recruits, including (much to [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]]'s consternation) [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]—who believes he is getting old, a concern punctuated by his failure to save the life of a [[NAIL]] who has committed suicide as a political protest—[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]]—the loss of whose scientific talents particularly infuriates Prowl, prompting him to order the loading of a mysterious cargo onto the ''Lost Light''—and Chromedome's friend, [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], of course, has misgivings about nearly every recruit, but Rodimus is thrilled to have so many.

[[File:Whirl Sweeps Liars.jpg|This is not a good way to introduce yourself.|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
In the skies above Cybertron, [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] grieves in his own way for the loss of the world he had known and all the memories he made there. Detecting a life-sign resembling [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]'s, he investigates a small shack, only to find the unhinged [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] talking to a collection of [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]] corpses that he has strung up inside. Cyclonus enters and interrupts him just as he is about to burn down the [[energon]]-soaked building, and Whirl immediately attacks him, professing innocence and explaining the bodies were already dead: he had merely collected them. Cyclonus, for his part, doesn't care in the slightest, but can't convince Whirl of this fact.

[[File:HowToSayGoodbyeAndMeanIt-Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Elsewhere, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] is running security checks on the Autobots who have signed up to join the ''Lost Light'': [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]], carrying a mysterious [[Time case|briefcase]] but exempted from security checks by Rodimus; [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], in the mood for "a good quest"; and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], whom Red Alert does not recognize at first, despite having been a patient of his for six centuries. Rung tempts fate by commenting on his knack for staying out of trouble: before the sentence is even finished, Cyclonus and Whirl's running battle swoops through the area, and Rung winds up with his forearm cleaved off by Cyclonus's wing.

Ratchet, Chromedome, and Rewind, meanwhile, are making for the ''Lost Light'' through the [[Mitteous Plateau]], but are running behind schedule due to Rewind's lack of a vehicular [[alternate mode]], a trait of his that Chromedome has never understood. Just as the group are about to start having an argument about the validity of alt mode variety, Cyclonus and Whirl come crashing down out of the sky, their battle at an end with Whirl the victor. Whirl spins a few quick lies and is about to deliver a killshot when a sudden, unexpected energon explosion from beneath the ground blows him to bits. Peering into the blast crater, the Autobots find [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], who, unbeknownst to them, is a Cybertronian from six million years ago who was supposed to be on the ''[[Ark (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Ark-1]]'', but became trapped underground in a subsidence. He has spent the past six thousand millennia periodically going offline and reawakening, unaware that any time has passed, until he was just now finally able to detonate the energon rations he had with him in a bid for freedom. Panicking and passing out before he can tell anyone any of this due to his belief he has killed Whirl, Tailgate is brought aboard the ''Lost Light'' by the Autobots, as is Whirl. Rewind takes advantage of the brief confusion to slip off and purchase some golden discs from [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]].

[[File:Fizzle How to Say Goodbye and Mean it.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
Soon after, the ''Lost Light'' takes off, and Bumblebee complains to Prowl that he thought he had a plan... at which point the ship is crippled by a mysterious explosion that forces the ship to [[Quantum generator|quantum jump]] before preparation is complete, hurling it off to some far corner of the galaxy. A fifth of the ship's crew is sucked out into space before the breached hull repairs itself, and Rodimus orders them to set down on a desolate nearby planet, where they watch as the Autobots come raining down, burning up as they enter the atmosphere. All in all, as Rodimus succinctly puts it: "Not a good start."

And back on Cybertron, as Bumblebee sits in horrified mourning, back in Prowl's quarters a scrambled transmission plays. A transmission from one of the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew. A transmission that has been sent back in time, from the future. But it has arrived too late, and now Rodimus will never hear the warnings of the dangers that await them...
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (1)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (2)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (3)
* [[Dipstick]] (4)
* [[Xaaron]] (5)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] (6)
* [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (7)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] (10)
* [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (12)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (13)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (15)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (16)
* [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (17)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (18)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (19)
* [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (20)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (22)
* [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (23)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (24)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (25)
* [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (26)
* [[Fizzle]] (27)
* [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (28)
* [[Rollout (G1)|Rollout]] (29)
* [[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (30)
* [[Polaris]] (31)
* [[Waverider]] (32)
* [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]] (33)
* [[Rad (G1)|Rad]] (34)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (21)
|c4=
* [[NAIL protester|Dead protester]] (8)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] (11)
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (14)
}}

==Quotes==
"Did he give you all that scrap about finding the Knights of Cybertron and retracing our steps to the Golden Age? It's all scripted, you know, Drift writes it for him."
:—'''Bumblebee'''{{'}}s not bitter!

"You know what '''your''' problem is, Chromedome? You think that just because the war is '''over''', we can afford to stop '''fighting'''!"
:—'''Prowl''', summed up in one sentence.

"'''Please''' tell me you're here to wave us off." 
"No, no, no, I'm here for the quest. Love a good quest. Haven't been on a quest since the whole Luna 1 thing. The Moonquest." 
"Stop saying 'quest.'" 
"So, can I go on board?" 
"Of course—if you promise to never, ever speak."
:—'''Red Alert''' and '''Swerve''' evidently have a history.

"Oh, it's started. The alt mode bashing. Every time you get '''agitated'''... Let's have a go at Rewind because he turns into a '''giant memory stick''' and not a... '''super space tank''' or—or—whatever..."
:—'''Rewind''', on the defensive.

"Remember the old saying? 'Everyone's shape serves a purpose.'" 
"Yeah? Tell that to Sky Lynx."
:—'''Rewind''' and '''Ratchet''' have a difference of opinion.

"Don't open the coffin. Don't let them take [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. Don't go to Delphi. And do not — I repeat do not — look in the basement. And for the sake of the Cybertronian race itself, please don't''kzzzzzzzk''"
:—'''Ominous <s>Future</s> Message'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* [[NAIL protester|The NAIL]] who dies on Ratchet's table could previously be spotted in three scenes in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', carrying the placard that lies discarded in the corner of the room in this issue. He was red in that issue, indicating that he has turned grey upon his death, a trait that stretches back to ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', but which has only been seen in IDW continuity before now in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'', which was, not-coincidentally, the work of this issue's creative team.
* Tailgate thinks the ''Ark'' is doomed without him. We [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|later find out]] that Tailgate is lying about his service record. Since the ''Ark'' mission ''did'' go [[Spotlight: Galvatron|horribly wrong]], this line is a way of getting the reader to assume Tailgate must indeed be some hot shit.
* After having spent the entirety of ''[[Infestation (IDW)|Infestation]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Heart of Darkness|Heart of Darkness]]'', and ''[[Chaos (IDW)|Chaos]]'' being misidentified in-story as a Decepticon, Cyclonus is finally back to asserting that he is an unaffiliated Cybertronian.
* Several concepts introduced in Roberts's earlier story "[[Bullets]]" reoccur: Brainstorm's [[Time case|mysterious briefcase]], Rung's fondness for model spacecraft, Whirl being kicked off the Wreckers under unspecified circumstances, and an unseen Autobot named [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]].
* Ultra Magnus reads through the start of the list of crewmembers—just the A's—and comments on them: "He's dangerous... he's delusional... he's a liar... he's mad (I mean literally mad)... he was demoted after that incident with the turbofox... I arrested him for impersonating a senior officer... he owes me money... I don't trust him or him, especially not in their combined form... and if he's who I think he is, never, ever let him near a crossbow." So far, the list of known A's aboard the ''Lost Light'' includes [[Ammo]], [[Animus]], [[Aquabat]], [[Aquafend]], [[Aquastar]], and [[Atomizer]]; only Atomizer—the crossbow fiend—and Animus—the liar—have been clearly linked to Magnus's comments.
* It is hinted strongly that Prowl did something to the ''Lost Light'', but in a shocking twist next issue it'll turn out [[Ore|to be something else]] that dun it.
* The broadcast forewarns us of [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|the coffin in issue #29]], [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] being captured in issue #19, the Delphi adventure in [[Life After the Big Bang|#4]] and [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|#5]], the thing lurking in ''Lost Light''{{'}}s basement that gets out in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]], and a revelation about Brainstorm ("Cybertronian race itself").
** We see the message being broadcast (and what's "for the sake of the Cybertronian race itself") in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|#38]]. The time and place it was broadcast was always intended.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 37:40 to 38:59</ref>

===Transformers references===
* Prowl explicitly states one of the capabilities originally outlined in his ''[[The Transformers Universe (Marvel)|Transformers Universe]]'' profile, that he can observe 800 moving objects and almost instantly compute their trajectories.
* The trailer Tailgate is carrying his equipment in is a [[Micro Trailer]].
* Tailgate's role was originally going to be taken by [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] until the latter appeared in the present day during ''Chaos''.
* Brainstorm's security pass sports a [[Tech Spec]]s graph and a [[rubsign]].
* Their small size makes them hard to determine, but at least some of Rung's model spaceships are recognizable: they at least include the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' as it appeared in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]], the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' from the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon, and a [[Trident Attack Craft]]. We wager there are more familiar ships in there!
* Among the list of lost Autobots is one new name: [[Polaris]]. This ''might'' be a reference to online ''Transformers'' fanzine [http://www.polarismagazine.co.uk/ Polaris Magazine], whose publisher Graham Thomson is a long-time member of [[Transmasters UK|Transmasters]], the UK fan group that Roberts and Roche were both major contributors to.
* Geographic features that Cyclonus mourned the loss of due to the rebirth include the [[First City]], the [[Fragmented Whole]], [[Mesmerica]], [[Obex]], [[Pess Pess]], the [[Pious Pools]], [[Subterrania]], [[Tetrahex]], the [[Transeptum of Infinite Reach]], the [[Vaulted Heights of K'th Kinsere]], and the [[Warrior's Gate]].

===Real-world references===
* The title of this issue pays homage to the Dexy's Midnight Runners song, "Liars, A to E" (with A and D of course standing for "Autobot" and "Decepticon"). James Roberts previously used it as the title for a comic-strip prequel to his unofficial Transformers novel, "Eugenesis", published in the souvenir magazine for UK convention Transforce 2001.
* Tailgate's introduction is, nearly word for word, a reference to the opening scene of the ''Red Dwarf'' episode, "Terrorform", a series Roberts references throughout ''More than Meets the Eye''.
* One of the model spaceships in Rung's collection is drawn to resemble the guitar-shaped spaceship from ''{{w|Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem|Interstella 5555}}''.

===Trivia===
[[File:Mtmte brainstorm teaser.jpg|thumb|Because the picture just wasn't obvious enough.]]
* The release of this issue was preceded by a "scavenger hunt" of sorts on [[January 10]]th, with one each of a series of twelve images spotlighting individual characters being released to twelve different websites, both Transformers fansites and popular comic book new sites. Only eight actually made it up before the book's release: [http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/comics-16/transformers-mtmte-1-promo-image-out-tomorrow-174117/ Brainstorm at TFW2005] (at right), [http://www.newsarama.com/8925-exclusive-idw-teaser-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye.html Drift at Newsarama], [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36350 Ratchet at ComicBookResources], [https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/01/10/exclusive-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-image Red Alert at IGN], [http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/exclusive-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-promo-art/23642/ Rewind at Seibertron], [http://tformers.com/transformers-exclusive-transformers-more-than-meets/16985/news.html Rung at TFormers], [http://www.allspark.com/content/view/9829/ Swerve at the AllSpark] and [http://www.fullmetalhero.com/content/idw-transformers-more-than-meets-eye-1-treasure-hunt-exclusive-image-2604/ Whirl at FullMetalHero]. Subsequently revealed were [http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=269973&highlight=#269973 Chromedome on the IDW forums], Cyclonus on John Barber's Twitter,<ref>{{citesocial|quote=TFMTMTE. http://t.co/oJkYyInE|link=https://twitter.com/TheJohnBarber/status/157175756353585152/photo/1|name=John Barber|site=Twitter|year=2012|month=01|day=11|(defunct=)}}</ref> [https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150512162858279&set=a.10150239372238279.337626.8473603278&type=1 Rodimus on IDW's Facebook], and [http://ryalltime.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/mtmte-teaser-ultra-magnus/ Ultra Magnus on Chris Ryall's blog].
** Brainstorm's suitcase would become a running C-plot in the comic, following on from "[[Bullets]]", before finally erupting into a full-blown plot driver in [[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|issue #33]].
** Drift's poster says he's "Trying Too Hard", and his obsessive optimism in the quest will have a slight crash in the 2012 Annual.
** "Ratchet knows his time is up": Ratchet's character arc from this issue to #5, regarding his hands. It then came up again in #21, where Ratchet was forced to admit that he was refusing to leave the Chief Medical Officer position and gave it up.
** "Red Alert is hearing things": this happened in #5, starting a plot that would lead to horrific events in #15.
** "Rewind does things he shouldn't": applying to his deal with Swindle, and also his jumping into fights. Both things get their explanation in #12.
** "Rung wants to be remembered": the fact hardly anyone remembers the poor guy was a running C-plot throughout the series.
** "Swerve doesn't know": referring to an old war injury Swerve doesn't realize is still affecting him until #43.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Ha! I forgot we trailed the 'buried bullet' storyline as part of MTMTE's pre-launch publicity... https://t.co/fGuUNpnHKY|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/660378216536887296|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2015|month=10|day=31|(defunct=)}}</ref>
** "Whirl hates everyone": he so does.
** "Chromedome is being used": this is part of a character arc that starts in this very issue under our noses. What it means, we'll learn in #14.
** "Cyclonus is key": As it turns out in Chapter 5 of "[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]", he was a member of the [[Clavis Aurea]] religious order, which means "golden key" in Latin.
** "Rodimus believes his hype": for real.
** "Ultra Magnus won't make it": forewarning us of his experiences in #15, and #19, ''and'' #32, as well as the Necrobot's list in #8 and [[James Roberts|''possibly'']] all the way in ''Lost Light'' #25.
* The Autobots are all sporting new Cybertronian alternate modes in this issue, either lifted directly from ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|War for Cybertron]]'' or drawn in emulation of the game's style. It is explained in a later issue that these modes were provided by Wheeljack, marking one of the few times in the IDW universe that a change in alternate mode is given an in-story rationale, rather than being the result of "artistic license". (It doesn't explain why the Decepticons also got new bodies in the previous issue, but small steps.)
* Nick Roche's design for Ultra Magnus's vehicle mode went unused, but he revealed it on the blog [http://eclecticmicks.blogspot.com/2012/01/almost-met-eye.html Eclectic Micks] on January 6. Alex Milne chose to use a different design in the next issue.
* In the TPB Roberts claims that the hardest part about writing issue #1 was spelling the "transformation sound" phonetically. The result; 'Tsche-chu-chu-chu-tsche', is used when the NAIL suffers from rigor morphis.

===Crew Manifest===
* Drift stated the crew had 208 sign-ups and rising. The total number of crew members prior to launch is unknown. Whirl, Cyclonus, and Tailgate were included as last minute additions.

===Soundtrack===
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A8FK3C2OOk "Across the Universe"] by {{w|Fiona Apple}}
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r92_t9Qk9LU "Absent Friends"] by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Usohappyaku Part 1: Konjō no Wakare'''" (嘘八百パート1：今生の別れ, "Pack of Lies Part 1: Final Farewell")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Lögnare, Från A till D Del 1: Hur man säger farväl och menar det'''" ("Liars, from A to D Part 1: How to Say Farewell and Mean It")
** The [[Pious Pools]] are given their first translated name as "Fridfulla dammarna", which translates closer to "The Peaceful Pools".

===Covers (8)===
The seven first-printing covers to this issue feature a silver foil-stamped logo.
* '''Cover A:''' Ratchet, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Ultra Magnus, by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
* '''Cover C:''' Rodimus, by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
* '''Cover D:''' Drift, by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
* '''Cover E:''' The assembled cast by Nick Roche and Josh Burcham, in homage to [http://www.comics.org/issue/42881/cover/4/ 1987's ''Justice League'' #1].
* '''Cover RIA:''' Fold-out gatefold cover combining the interlinked covers A-D.
* '''Cover RIB:''' Hand-drawn Sketch Covers, by Josh Burcham
* '''Second printing:''' Rodimus addressing the masses, by Roche and Burcham, cropped from the first panel of page 1

<gallery>
File:MTMTE1_cvrA.jpg|So long,
File:MTMTE1_cvrB.jpg|farewell,
File:MTMTE1_cvrC.jpg|auf Wiedersehen,
File:MTMTE1_cvrD.jpg|good riddance.
File:MTMTE1_cvrE.jpg
File:MTMTE1_cvrRIA.jpg|Covers, A to D.
File:MTMTE1_cvrRIB.jpg|Finally, Polar Claw's time to shine!
File:MTMTE1_2ndptg.jpg|I AM THE HYPE
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]
* ''Heroic: A Womanthology''
* ''[[Infestation 2]]''
* ''Memorial''
* ''Danger Girl: Revolver''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' ([[June 13]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613772351 / ISBN 978-1613772355 
** Collects ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, 12 promotional images, "Meet the Crew" page, design sketches from [[Alex Milne]] for various characters and ship locations, and a 2-page editor's comment with "behind the scenes" information about the series.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' (Reissue) ([[May 21]], [[2014]]) ISBN 1613779658 / ISBN 978-1613779651
** Collects ''The Death of Optimus Prime'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3.
** New cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]].
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1]]''''' ([[September 3]], 2014) ISBN 1631400401 / ISBN 978-1631400407
** Collects ''The Death of Optimus Prime'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3 & #4–5, and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]–[[A Better Tomorrow|5]] & [[Syndromica (1)|#6]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' volumes 1–5.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' ([[December 26]], [[2018]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–6, and ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]]'' & ''[[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]''.
** Bonus material includes an all-new interview with James Roberts, rare archive material from the dawn of ''More than Meets the Eye'', Alex Milne's sketchbook, a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Mer än ögat kan se''''' ([[June 15]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–8 & Annual 2012, ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' & ''Hoist'', and a special illustrated edition of "[[Bullets]]".
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol1.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:MTMTE vol1 reissue.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V1.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v53.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE_SWE_01.jpg|'''''Mer än ögat kan se''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It

2025-04-17T12:34:51Z

Breech Loader:

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=1
|prev=Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime
|next=Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On
|next2=The Autonomy Lesson (issue)
|caption=
|image=MTMTE1_cvrE.jpg
|title="Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[January 11]], [[2012]] (1st printing) [[February 22]], 2012 (2nd printing)
|coverdate=January 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2011)]]
}}
'''It's launch day for Rodimus and the crew of the ''Lost Light''—what could possibly go wrong?'''

==Synopsis==
Following [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s [[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|departure]] from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] publicly announces his intent to do likewise aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', following the map found within the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] in hopes of locating the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] predicts virtually no [[Autobot]]s will respond to his open invitation to join him, but Rodimus winds up with a little over two hundred recruits, including (much to [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]]'s consternation) [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]—who believes he is getting old, a concern punctuated by his failure to save the life of a [[NAIL]] who has committed suicide as a political protest—[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]]—the loss of whose scientific talents particularly infuriates Prowl, prompting him to order the loading of a mysterious cargo onto the ''Lost Light''—and Chromedome's friend, [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], of course, has misgivings about nearly every recruit, but Rodimus is thrilled to have so many.

[[File:Whirl Sweeps Liars.jpg|This is the first time we see Whirl|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
In the skies above Cybertron, [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] grieves in his own way for the loss of the world he had known and all the memories he made there. Detecting a life-sign resembling [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]'s, he investigates a small shack, only to find the unhinged [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] talking to a collection of [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]] corpses that he has strung up inside. Cyclonus enters and interrupts him just as he is about to burn down the [[energon]]-soaked building, and Whirl immediately attacks him, professing innocence and explaining the bodies were already dead: he had merely collected them. Cyclonus, for his part, doesn't care in the slightest, but can't convince Whirl of this fact.

[[File:HowToSayGoodbyeAndMeanIt-Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Elsewhere, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] is running security checks on the Autobots who have signed up to join the ''Lost Light'': [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]], carrying a mysterious [[Time case|briefcase]] but exempted from security checks by Rodimus; [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], in the mood for "a good quest"; and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], whom Red Alert does not recognize at first, despite having been a patient of his for six centuries. Rung tempts fate by commenting on his knack for staying out of trouble: before the sentence is even finished, Cyclonus and Whirl's running battle swoops through the area, and Rung winds up with his forearm cleaved off by Cyclonus's wing.

Ratchet, Chromedome, and Rewind, meanwhile, are making for the ''Lost Light'' through the [[Mitteous Plateau]], but are running behind schedule due to Rewind's lack of a vehicular [[alternate mode]], a trait of his that Chromedome has never understood. Just as the group are about to start having an argument about the validity of alt mode variety, Cyclonus and Whirl come crashing down out of the sky, their battle at an end with Whirl the victor. Whirl spins a few quick lies and is about to deliver a killshot when a sudden, unexpected energon explosion from beneath the ground blows him to bits. Peering into the blast crater, the Autobots find [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], who, unbeknownst to them, is a Cybertronian from six million years ago who was supposed to be on the ''[[Ark (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Ark-1]]'', but became trapped underground in a subsidence. He has spent the past six thousand millennia periodically going offline and reawakening, unaware that any time has passed, until he was just now finally able to detonate the energon rations he had with him in a bid for freedom. Panicking and passing out before he can tell anyone any of this due to his belief he has killed Whirl, Tailgate is brought aboard the ''Lost Light'' by the Autobots, as is Whirl. Rewind takes advantage of the brief confusion to slip off and purchase some golden discs from [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]].

[[File:Fizzle How to Say Goodbye and Mean it.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
Soon after, the ''Lost Light'' takes off, and Bumblebee complains to Prowl that he thought he had a plan... at which point the ship is crippled by a mysterious explosion that forces the ship to [[Quantum generator|quantum jump]] before preparation is complete, hurling it off to some far corner of the galaxy. A fifth of the ship's crew is sucked out into space before the breached hull repairs itself, and Rodimus orders them to set down on a desolate nearby planet, where they watch as the Autobots come raining down, burning up as they enter the atmosphere. All in all, as Rodimus succinctly puts it: "Not a good start."

And back on Cybertron, as Bumblebee sits in horrified mourning, back in Prowl's quarters a scrambled transmission plays. A transmission from one of the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew. A transmission that has been sent back in time, from the future. But it has arrived too late, and now Rodimus will never hear the warnings of the dangers that await them...
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (1)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (2)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (3)
* [[Dipstick]] (4)
* [[Xaaron]] (5)
* [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] (6)
* [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (7)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] (10)
* [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (12)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (13)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (15)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (16)
* [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (17)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (18)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (19)
* [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (20)
* [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (22)
* [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (23)
* [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (24)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (25)
* [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (26)
* [[Fizzle]] (27)
* [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (28)
* [[Rollout (G1)|Rollout]] (29)
* [[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (30)
* [[Polaris]] (31)
* [[Waverider]] (32)
* [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]] (33)
* [[Rad (G1)|Rad]] (34)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (21)
|c4=
* [[NAIL protester|Dead protester]] (8)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] (11)
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (14)
}}

==Quotes==
"Did he give you all that scrap about finding the Knights of Cybertron and retracing our steps to the Golden Age? It's all scripted, you know, Drift writes it for him."
:—'''Bumblebee'''{{'}}s not bitter!

"You know what '''your''' problem is, Chromedome? You think that just because the war is '''over''', we can afford to stop '''fighting'''!"
:—'''Prowl''', summed up in one sentence.

"'''Please''' tell me you're here to wave us off." 
"No, no, no, I'm here for the quest. Love a good quest. Haven't been on a quest since the whole Luna 1 thing. The Moonquest." 
"Stop saying 'quest.'" 
"So, can I go on board?" 
"Of course—if you promise to never, ever speak."
:—'''Red Alert''' and '''Swerve''' evidently have a history.

"Oh, it's started. The alt mode bashing. Every time you get '''agitated'''... Let's have a go at Rewind because he turns into a '''giant memory stick''' and not a... '''super space tank''' or—or—whatever..."
:—'''Rewind''', on the defensive.

"Remember the old saying? 'Everyone's shape serves a purpose.'" 
"Yeah? Tell that to Sky Lynx."
:—'''Rewind''' and '''Ratchet''' have a difference of opinion.

"Don't open the coffin. Don't let them take [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. Don't go to Delphi. And do not — I repeat do not — look in the basement. And for the sake of the Cybertronian race itself, please don't''kzzzzzzzk''"
:—'''Ominous <s>Future</s> Message'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* [[NAIL protester|The NAIL]] who dies on Ratchet's table could previously be spotted in three scenes in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', carrying the placard that lies discarded in the corner of the room in this issue. He was red in that issue, indicating that he has turned grey upon his death, a trait that stretches back to ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', but which has only been seen in IDW continuity before now in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'', which was, not-coincidentally, the work of this issue's creative team.
* Tailgate thinks the ''Ark'' is doomed without him. We [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|later find out]] that Tailgate is lying about his service record. Since the ''Ark'' mission ''did'' go [[Spotlight: Galvatron|horribly wrong]], this line is a way of getting the reader to assume Tailgate must indeed be some hot shit.
* After having spent the entirety of ''[[Infestation (IDW)|Infestation]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Heart of Darkness|Heart of Darkness]]'', and ''[[Chaos (IDW)|Chaos]]'' being misidentified in-story as a Decepticon, Cyclonus is finally back to asserting that he is an unaffiliated Cybertronian.
* Several concepts introduced in Roberts's earlier story "[[Bullets]]" reoccur: Brainstorm's [[Time case|mysterious briefcase]], Rung's fondness for model spacecraft, Whirl being kicked off the Wreckers under unspecified circumstances, and an unseen Autobot named [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]].
* Ultra Magnus reads through the start of the list of crewmembers—just the A's—and comments on them: "He's dangerous... he's delusional... he's a liar... he's mad (I mean literally mad)... he was demoted after that incident with the turbofox... I arrested him for impersonating a senior officer... he owes me money... I don't trust him or him, especially not in their combined form... and if he's who I think he is, never, ever let him near a crossbow." So far, the list of known A's aboard the ''Lost Light'' includes [[Ammo]], [[Animus]], [[Aquabat]], [[Aquafend]], [[Aquastar]], and [[Atomizer]]; only Atomizer—the crossbow fiend—and Animus—the liar—have been clearly linked to Magnus's comments.
* It is hinted strongly that Prowl did something to the ''Lost Light'', but in a shocking twist next issue it'll turn out [[Ore|to be something else]] that dun it.
* The broadcast forewarns us of [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|the coffin in issue #29]], [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] being captured in issue #19, the Delphi adventure in [[Life After the Big Bang|#4]] and [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|#5]], the thing lurking in ''Lost Light''{{'}}s basement that gets out in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]], and a revelation about Brainstorm ("Cybertronian race itself").
** We see the message being broadcast (and what's "for the sake of the Cybertronian race itself") in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|#38]]. The time and place it was broadcast was always intended.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 37:40 to 38:59</ref>

===Transformers references===
* Prowl explicitly states one of the capabilities originally outlined in his ''[[The Transformers Universe (Marvel)|Transformers Universe]]'' profile, that he can observe 800 moving objects and almost instantly compute their trajectories.
* The trailer Tailgate is carrying his equipment in is a [[Micro Trailer]].
* Tailgate's role was originally going to be taken by [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] until the latter appeared in the present day during ''Chaos''.
* Brainstorm's security pass sports a [[Tech Spec]]s graph and a [[rubsign]].
* Their small size makes them hard to determine, but at least some of Rung's model spaceships are recognizable: they at least include the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' as it appeared in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]], the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' from the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon, and a [[Trident Attack Craft]]. We wager there are more familiar ships in there!
* Among the list of lost Autobots is one new name: [[Polaris]]. This ''might'' be a reference to online ''Transformers'' fanzine [http://www.polarismagazine.co.uk/ Polaris Magazine], whose publisher Graham Thomson is a long-time member of [[Transmasters UK|Transmasters]], the UK fan group that Roberts and Roche were both major contributors to.
* Geographic features that Cyclonus mourned the loss of due to the rebirth include the [[First City]], the [[Fragmented Whole]], [[Mesmerica]], [[Obex]], [[Pess Pess]], the [[Pious Pools]], [[Subterrania]], [[Tetrahex]], the [[Transeptum of Infinite Reach]], the [[Vaulted Heights of K'th Kinsere]], and the [[Warrior's Gate]].

===Real-world references===
* The title of this issue pays homage to the Dexy's Midnight Runners song, "Liars, A to E" (with A and D of course standing for "Autobot" and "Decepticon"). James Roberts previously used it as the title for a comic-strip prequel to his unofficial Transformers novel, "Eugenesis", published in the souvenir magazine for UK convention Transforce 2001.
* Tailgate's introduction is, nearly word for word, a reference to the opening scene of the ''Red Dwarf'' episode, "Terrorform", a series Roberts references throughout ''More than Meets the Eye''.
* One of the model spaceships in Rung's collection is drawn to resemble the guitar-shaped spaceship from ''{{w|Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem|Interstella 5555}}''.

===Trivia===
[[File:Mtmte brainstorm teaser.jpg|thumb|Because the picture just wasn't obvious enough.]]
* The release of this issue was preceded by a "scavenger hunt" of sorts on [[January 10]]th, with one each of a series of twelve images spotlighting individual characters being released to twelve different websites, both Transformers fansites and popular comic book new sites. Only eight actually made it up before the book's release: [http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/comics-16/transformers-mtmte-1-promo-image-out-tomorrow-174117/ Brainstorm at TFW2005] (at right), [http://www.newsarama.com/8925-exclusive-idw-teaser-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye.html Drift at Newsarama], [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36350 Ratchet at ComicBookResources], [https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/01/10/exclusive-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-image Red Alert at IGN], [http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/exclusive-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-promo-art/23642/ Rewind at Seibertron], [http://tformers.com/transformers-exclusive-transformers-more-than-meets/16985/news.html Rung at TFormers], [http://www.allspark.com/content/view/9829/ Swerve at the AllSpark] and [http://www.fullmetalhero.com/content/idw-transformers-more-than-meets-eye-1-treasure-hunt-exclusive-image-2604/ Whirl at FullMetalHero]. Subsequently revealed were [http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=269973&highlight=#269973 Chromedome on the IDW forums], Cyclonus on John Barber's Twitter,<ref>{{citesocial|quote=TFMTMTE. http://t.co/oJkYyInE|link=https://twitter.com/TheJohnBarber/status/157175756353585152/photo/1|name=John Barber|site=Twitter|year=2012|month=01|day=11|(defunct=)}}</ref> [https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150512162858279&set=a.10150239372238279.337626.8473603278&type=1 Rodimus on IDW's Facebook], and [http://ryalltime.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/mtmte-teaser-ultra-magnus/ Ultra Magnus on Chris Ryall's blog].
** Brainstorm's suitcase would become a running C-plot in the comic, following on from "[[Bullets]]", before finally erupting into a full-blown plot driver in [[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|issue #33]].
** Drift's poster says he's "Trying Too Hard", and his obsessive optimism in the quest will have a slight crash in the 2012 Annual.
** "Ratchet knows his time is up": Ratchet's character arc from this issue to #5, regarding his hands. It then came up again in #21, where Ratchet was forced to admit that he was refusing to leave the Chief Medical Officer position and gave it up.
** "Red Alert is hearing things": this happened in #5, starting a plot that would lead to horrific events in #15.
** "Rewind does things he shouldn't": applying to his deal with Swindle, and also his jumping into fights. Both things get their explanation in #12.
** "Rung wants to be remembered": the fact hardly anyone remembers the poor guy was a running C-plot throughout the series.
** "Swerve doesn't know": referring to an old war injury Swerve doesn't realize is still affecting him until #43.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Ha! I forgot we trailed the 'buried bullet' storyline as part of MTMTE's pre-launch publicity... https://t.co/fGuUNpnHKY|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/660378216536887296|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2015|month=10|day=31|(defunct=)}}</ref>
** "Whirl hates everyone": he so does.
** "Chromedome is being used": this is part of a character arc that starts in this very issue under our noses. What it means, we'll learn in #14.
** "Cyclonus is key": As it turns out in Chapter 5 of "[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]", he was a member of the [[Clavis Aurea]] religious order, which means "golden key" in Latin.
** "Rodimus believes his hype": for real.
** "Ultra Magnus won't make it": forewarning us of his experiences in #15, and #19, ''and'' #32, as well as the Necrobot's list in #8 and [[James Roberts|''possibly'']] all the way in ''Lost Light'' #25.
* The Autobots are all sporting new Cybertronian alternate modes in this issue, either lifted directly from ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|War for Cybertron]]'' or drawn in emulation of the game's style. It is explained in a later issue that these modes were provided by Wheeljack, marking one of the few times in the IDW universe that a change in alternate mode is given an in-story rationale, rather than being the result of "artistic license". (It doesn't explain why the Decepticons also got new bodies in the previous issue, but small steps.)
* Nick Roche's design for Ultra Magnus's vehicle mode went unused, but he revealed it on the blog [http://eclecticmicks.blogspot.com/2012/01/almost-met-eye.html Eclectic Micks] on January 6. Alex Milne chose to use a different design in the next issue.
* In the TPB Roberts claims that the hardest part about writing issue #1 was spelling the "transformation sound" phonetically. The result; 'Tsche-chu-chu-chu-tsche', is used when the NAIL suffers from rigor morphis.

===Crew Manifest===
* Drift stated the crew had 208 sign-ups and rising. The total number of crew members prior to launch is unknown. Whirl, Cyclonus, and Tailgate were included as last minute additions.

===Soundtrack===
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A8FK3C2OOk "Across the Universe"] by {{w|Fiona Apple}}
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r92_t9Qk9LU "Absent Friends"] by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Usohappyaku Part 1: Konjō no Wakare'''" (嘘八百パート1：今生の別れ, "Pack of Lies Part 1: Final Farewell")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Lögnare, Från A till D Del 1: Hur man säger farväl och menar det'''" ("Liars, from A to D Part 1: How to Say Farewell and Mean It")
** The [[Pious Pools]] are given their first translated name as "Fridfulla dammarna", which translates closer to "The Peaceful Pools".

===Covers (8)===
The seven first-printing covers to this issue feature a silver foil-stamped logo.
* '''Cover A:''' Ratchet, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Ultra Magnus, by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
* '''Cover C:''' Rodimus, by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
* '''Cover D:''' Drift, by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
* '''Cover E:''' The assembled cast by Nick Roche and Josh Burcham, in homage to [http://www.comics.org/issue/42881/cover/4/ 1987's ''Justice League'' #1].
* '''Cover RIA:''' Fold-out gatefold cover combining the interlinked covers A-D.
* '''Cover RIB:''' Hand-drawn Sketch Covers, by Josh Burcham
* '''Second printing:''' Rodimus addressing the masses, by Roche and Burcham, cropped from the first panel of page 1

<gallery>
File:MTMTE1_cvrA.jpg|So long,
File:MTMTE1_cvrB.jpg|farewell,
File:MTMTE1_cvrC.jpg|auf Wiedersehen,
File:MTMTE1_cvrD.jpg|good riddance.
File:MTMTE1_cvrE.jpg
File:MTMTE1_cvrRIA.jpg|Covers, A to D.
File:MTMTE1_cvrRIB.jpg|Finally, Polar Claw's time to shine!
File:MTMTE1_2ndptg.jpg|I AM THE HYPE
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]
* ''Heroic: A Womanthology''
* ''[[Infestation 2]]''
* ''Memorial''
* ''Danger Girl: Revolver''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' ([[June 13]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613772351 / ISBN 978-1613772355 
** Collects ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, 12 promotional images, "Meet the Crew" page, design sketches from [[Alex Milne]] for various characters and ship locations, and a 2-page editor's comment with "behind the scenes" information about the series.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' (Reissue) ([[May 21]], [[2014]]) ISBN 1613779658 / ISBN 978-1613779651
** Collects ''The Death of Optimus Prime'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3.
** New cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]].
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1]]''''' ([[September 3]], 2014) ISBN 1631400401 / ISBN 978-1631400407
** Collects ''The Death of Optimus Prime'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3 & #4–5, and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]–[[A Better Tomorrow|5]] & [[Syndromica (1)|#6]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' volumes 1–5.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' ([[December 26]], [[2018]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–6, and ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]]'' & ''[[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]''.
** Bonus material includes an all-new interview with James Roberts, rare archive material from the dawn of ''More than Meets the Eye'', Alex Milne's sketchbook, a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Mer än ögat kan se''''' ([[June 15]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–8 & Annual 2012, ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' & ''Hoist'', and a special illustrated edition of "[[Bullets]]".
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol1.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:MTMTE vol1 reissue.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V1.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v53.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE_SWE_01.jpg|'''''Mer än ögat kan se''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

Whirl (RBA)

2025-02-26T00:29:30Z

Breech Loader: /* Notes */

{{faction|autobot|rescuebot}}
{{featured}}
{{disambig3.5|the ''Rescue Bots Academy'' Autobot|the ''Fall of Cybertron'' Autobot|Whirl (FOC)|Whirl}}
:''Whirl the Flight-Bot is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (franchise)|Rescue Bots Academy]] portion of the [[Aligned continuity family]].''

[[File:RBA Whirl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|''Whirly Whirly Whirly Whirly girl'']]

'''Whirl''' aspires to be a [[Rescue Bot]] police officer like [[Chase (RB)|Chase]], though while her senior has a no-nonsense approach, Whirl is all optimism and heavily into [[Earth]] culture like fellow copter-bot [[Blades (RB)|Blades]]. Her enthusiasm for the work can be overwhelming, and her sense of judgement may lead to some simply ''ridiculous'' theories and quotes, giving her fellow recruits pause; more often than not she's proven right, though it may take some time for her friends to follow her advice.

{{quote|To be fair, I am not certain one can ''ever'' be as excited as Whirl.|[[Medix (RB)|Medix]]|"[[Mount Botmore]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Rescue Bots Academy'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Courtney Shaw]] (English)|[[Martina Tamburello]] (Italian), [[Marie Braam]] (French)}}
[[File:RecruitsI Whirl welcomes Hot Shot.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"What whirley great arms you've got!"]]
Whirl was among those selected to be a recruit at the [[Rescue Bot Training Center]] on [[Earth]]. She was first to enthusiastically greet [[Hot Shot (Prime)|Hot Shot]] when he arrived. She and the rest of the team subsequently took part in a rescue drill overseen by [[Heatwave (RB)|Heatwave]] but were unsuccessful in putting out a house fire thanks to the newcomer. {{storylink|Recruits Part I}} Whirl and [[Hoist (RB)|Hoist]] tried unsuccessfully to find Hot Shot when it looked like he'd given up, but he later returned with two new alternate modes. The team went on to successfully carry out a cave rescue exercise. {{storylink|Recruits Part II}} When [[Blades (RB)|Blades]] was summoned to the academy to help Hot Shot perfect his flying, Whirl enthusiastically volunteered to take part as well, and later took part in a rescue in [[Griffin Rock]] during which Hot Shot put the lessons into practice. {{storylink|The Secret of Flight}}

Following a rescue in [[Griffin Rock]], the recruits persuaded Hoist to make new rescue tools for them all. Whirl got new rotors on her arms, and though the initial test went horribly wrong, she and the other recruits enlisted the help of Boulder, and Hoist eventually perfected the tools. {{storylink|If at First...}} After Hot Shot badly damaged [[Tough Luck Chuck]] and was assigned the task of looking after the robot, he tried to foist the duty onto Whirl, who was trying to do some rescue research, only for Chuck to slip past them. They attempted to hunt him down, and eventually pursued him to [[Milford]]. {{storylink|Tough Luck Chuck (episode)|Tough Luck Chuck}} Whirl enthusiastically memorised all of the police codes Chase was teaching the recruits, and as a result, when the other recruits persuaded Chase to let them try a rescue and instead got stuck in the snow, Whirl was able to rescue them. {{storylink|Whirl'd View}} When the recruits didn't understand why Boulder was having them plant flowers, the Rescue Bot set them a task which taught them that all parts of nature are important. {{storylink|Plan Bee}}

[[File:MissionInaudible Whirl copter mode.jpg|thumb|right|300px|"I can hover like a bird. Don't you wish you could hover?"]]
Whirl and the other recruits were bugged when [[Wedge (RBA)|Wedge]] borrowed the trigger for the rescue alarm and had them constantly running drills to get their response time down. {{storylink|The Bot Who Cried Rescue}} The recruits had to contend with a runaway rock sculpture of Hot Shot's head when he decided to carve it into a mountain alongside the likenesses of the Rescue Bots. {{storylink|Mount Botmore}} When Hoist was put in charge of a rescue exercise, Whirl was the only one who actually followed any of his orders, and ended up dangling over a chasm with Hot Shot, Wedge and [[Medix (RB)|Medix]] dangling from her until Hoist successfully rescued them. {{storylink|Mission Inaudible}} After completing a simulated rescue, despite a glitch occurring, the recruits took part in a real rescue in Griffin Rock which was only successful because the glitch gave [[Medix (RB)|Medix]] an idea to complete it safely. {{storylink|Glitch (episode)|Glitch}}

[[File:RescuePromo Whirl filmmaker.jpg|thumb|left|270px|"I think railways are slow. They're not much use, and are quite out of date."]]
After a ride on the ''[[Sigma]]'', the recruits assumed the four command chairs meant one of their number wouldn't graduate. The team went on to botch a volcano rescue drill after staying up all night worrying, until Heatwave told them they'd assumed wrong. {{storylink|Five into Four}} Whirl took over filming a recruitment video for the training center, but all the footage she got was terrible and it wasn't until she told the other recruits that they were able to pitch in and help her make a workable video. {{storylink|Rescue Promo}} After a botched rescue had the recruits blaming each other, Heatwave assigned them to cleaning duties. Hot Shot sneaked out to do a rescue, and as a result, the rest of the recruits had to go help him when he hit trouble. {{storylink|Blame Game}} Whirl and the other recruits set up a surprise rescue mission for Medix, who didn't get the appeal of surprises. Unfortunately the mission did not go well, and the other recruits promised to stop with the surprises. {{storylink|Medix Surprise}}

The recruits got to try out some [[TX3000]]s on loan to the rescue center, and even used them during an actual rescue. {{storylink|The TX3000}} They had to round up a lost flock of sheep, but were hampered by Hoist malfunctioning. {{storylink|Little Bot Peep}} When [[Lad Pioneer|Teen Pioneer]] [[Wes]] visited the base and Wedge was reluctant to spend time with the boy due to low self-confidence, Whirl pointed out that Wedge was Wes's favorite Rescue Bot. {{Storylink|Driving a Wedge}} Boulder accompanied the recruits to the planet [[Parvus]] where they rescued the last surviving [[Galax]]. {{storylink|The Big, Small Rescue}}

[[File:RBA-Fright At The Museum-Shades.jpg|thumb|right|350px|She likes to watch reruns of ''CSI: Miami.'']]
When Hot Shot and Wedge decided to compete over who was qualified to get into the [[Heroes of Cybertron (cards)|Heroes of Cybertron]] card game, Medix and Whirl acted as commentators for the building and Cube challenges they undertook. {{storylink|Battle of the Bots}} After Hot Shot is blamed by his friends for stealing a space rock, Whirl sticks up for him and suggests they find the rock to prove his innocence. Discovering the rock to actually be an alien loose in the academy, Whirl gives chase but winds up temporarily trapped in her locker. {{storylink|About a Rock}} The recruits tried to keep secret the fact a dog had followed them home after the last rescue, only to discover that the dog was actually trying to alert them to the fact they'd missed someone who needed rescuing. {{storylink|Dog Stray Afternoon}} Whirl took part in rescuing [[Dr. Hart]] from a runaway iceberg. {{storylink|Lucky Ducky}}

Inspired by Blades, Whirl took it upon herself to get into cheerleading. Though the other recruits weren't as enthused, they soon discovered that the skills they were learning were helpful during rescues, and began practicing in earnest. {{storylink|Go Team, Go!}} When Boulder assigned the recruits smartphones so they could familiarize themselves with the devices, they began neglecting their lessons and chores, until they realized it was causing problems with their rescues. {{storylink|Screen Time}} During a trip to a museum in Milford, Whirl naturally assumed they'd encounter a heist in progress, and turned out to be right. Her policing skills resulted in her catching a thief in the act, and she was able to ferry him to the Griffin Rock jail. {{storylink|Fright at the Museum}}

[[File:AllAtSea Whirl mermaid.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"My job is to stay at sea in case of other emergencies."]]
When their teachers went missing on a space mission, the recruits worked together to pilot the ''Sigma'' and mount a rescue. {{storylink|Space Case (episode)|Space Case}} Boulder had the recruits cleaning up a park, though as Whirl spent the whole time chasing a rogue plastic bag, she didn't get much trash. The same thing happened during the follow up mission at the bottom of the sea, though Whirl did accidentally make herself look like a mermaid using seaweed. She and the other recruits later had to rescue Medix from a shark. {{storylink|All at Sea}} With the teachers on another off-planet mission, the recruits were left to tidy up the Academy, and had to deal with Hoist's [[Scrub-A-Dubber]] when it went rogue. {{storylink|All Washed Up}}

Heatwave suggested that the bored students try their hands at being teachers for the day. None of the recruits seemed to do well, with Whirl's lecture on transforming boring Heatwave and Cody, but their teachers later put what they'd learned to use during a real rescue. {{storylink|Who's Teaching Who?}} An attempt to rescue a balloon from a tree turned into a major disaster when the recruits went in without a plan. {{storylink|Balloon Up A Tree}} A fantasy simulation saw the recruits trying to corral a dragon, until they worked out that the dragon was actually trying to help, {{storylink|The Mystery of Dragon Mountain}} and yet another sim turned into chaos thanks to Hot Shot combining it with his game, forcing the recruits to deal with giant hedgehogs. {{storylink|Hack Attack}}

Whirl and the other recruits found their rescues complicated by Medix's attempts to loosen up after they suggested he was a stick in the mud. {{storylink|Life of the Party}} Whirl learned that the recruits were getting a new teacher, but was too excited to find out who. It turned out to be [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]]! {{storylink|Tyrannosaurus Wrecked}} Grimlock took Whirl and the others on a field trip to [[Wayward Island|Dino Island]]. After the GroundBridge was damaged, Whirl had to tow Grimlock back to the mainland. {{storylink|Dino Hard}} Assigned a stealth mission by Chase, Whirl and Hoist managed to find Tough Luck Chuck hiding in a barn, but were caught by Chase after Whirl accidentally demolished the structure. {{storylink|Buddy Cop}}

[[File:DigFest Whirl signalling.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
The recruits had to rescue some penguins from an island, and Whirl came up with the idea of building a raft after their ability to transform was disabled by an electrical storm. {{storylink|Escape from Penguin Island}} Whirl was surprised to learn Hoist had cheated during a search and rescue test that led to the recruits taking part in an Old West simulation. {{storylink|All that Glitters}} A hunt for a downed satellite resulted in the recruits hiding out backstage at [[Dig Fest (event)|Dig Fest]] while trying to signal Wedge. {{storylink|Dig Fest (episode)|Dig Fest}} The recruits took part in [[Halloween]] festivities and ended up having to deal with a house fire. {{storylink|Trick or Treat}}

Medix's confusion over a television commercial meant that the recruits had to mount a hasty coverup so he wouldn't blow their secret to all of Milford {{storylink|Monster Savings}} Whirl and the others got a tune stuck in their heads, impairing their performance on a training exercise. They managed to forget the tune, but this caused problems on a mission to the planet [[Herboo]], as it was the code needed for the [[Virtual Sonic Fence]] Hoist needed to use to stop the [[karknoid beetle]]. {{storylink|Tune Out}} A trip to survey a geyser field saw the recruits having to deal with a swarm of [[Scraplet]]s. {{storylink|Metal Munchers}}

[[File:WhirlsWiseBotQuest Whirl rotor blades.jpg|thumb|left|350px]]
Whirl and the other recruits took part in essential maintenance as directed by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], unlike Wedge who spent the whole time trying to impress his hero, and they were therefore fully functional for the following rescue drill. {{Storylink|Bee Prepared}} After Whirl failed to master a tricky maneuver, Blades told her about a Rescue Bot guru who had once helped him. Whirl set out to find the guru, unaware that Blades had made the story up, and along the way made a series of rescues. The rescues gave her the skills to master the maneuver, which she was later able to use to rescue her fellow recruits. {{storylink|Whirl's Wise-Bot Quest}}

Hot Shot's careless actions in ejecting his junk into space had Whirl and the others following his lead, resulting an a huge junk meteor that threatened the satellite they were trying to repair. {{Storylink|Flying Hunk-A-Junk}} A mission deep undersea forced the recruits to rely on each other as they rescued an automated drone from deep sea wildlife. {{storylink|Into the Depths}} Whirl joined the hunt for some dogs when Hoist's new comms system turned out to annoy animals. {{storylink|Milford Goes To The Dogs}} The recruits struggled to complete a rescue sim until Hot Shot realized they'd been trying to stop the disaster instead of saving the people. {{storylink|The Ice Wave}}

As graduation drew closer, the recruits successful competed against their teachers in a relay race carrying a pretend rescue victim. Whirl and the others were surprised and saddened when Hot Shot opted to abandon his Rescue Bot training and return to Cybertron to compete in the Cube finals. {{storylink|Best Bots Forever Part 1}} The remaining recruits decided to tune in to the final using the [[space bridge]] to boost the holo-emitter screen. Unfortunately this led to the creation of a slowly growing energon bubble which engulfed the academy. It was only when Hot Shot returned that the recruits were able to burst the bubble. The recruits were able to graduate from year one of their learning. {{storylink|Best Bots Forever Part 2}}

[[File:BackToSchool Whirl gets excited.jpg|thumb|right|260px]]
After the recruits returned to the Academy for year two, they were given personal areas—in Whirl's case a wind tunnel—and the news they'd be paired with mentors. Whirl was worried that [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]'s [[Aptitude Analyzer]] wouldn't find her worthy of a mentor, but it ended up pairing her with Chase. {{storylink|Back to School}} She and the other recruits got some new training simulations courtesy of Ratchet. {{Storylink|Mission Dinobot}} Whirl got to work with Chase ticketing jaywalkers. She and the other recruits later rescued some foxes from a tree in a forest fire. {{storylink|In Training}} The recruits went on a trip to Cybertron to visit Ratchet's lab, which ended up being disrupted by Medix's bat [[Mister Flappy]]. {{Storylink|Medix Steps Up To The Bat}}

When the recruits thought Cody was unhappy because he wasn't a giant robot like them, they built him a robotic suit which caused chaos during their mission to rescue a rogue bull. Cody later clarified that he was just missing hanging out with the recruits. {{storylink|Robo-Cody}} Heatwave tasked the recruits with acting in the play [[Jack and the Beanstalk]]. Whirl was assigned the role of Jack. Unfortunately the play ended when the stage almost collapsed, but Whirl stayed in character throughout. {{storylink|Acting Out}} Whirl and the others found Wedge's boredom was interfering with their study time. Wedge later surprised them by being enthusiastic about studying. {{storylink|Need to Know}}

[[File:ActingOut Whirl climbs beanstalk.jpg|thumb|left|290px]]
After Hot Shot and Hoist turned Grimlock's Cube into an unstoppable escaping machine, the other three recruits attempted to help them recapture it but eventually had to call on Grimlock's help. {{storylink|Trouble Cubed}} When Heatwave let the recruits pick their favorite rescue to do, Whirl's was a rain of meteors in a desert, from which they would need to rescue a bunch of animals. The disagreement over which simulation to run resulted in the recruits accidentally breaking the control unit and plunging the sim into chaos until they worked together to fix the unit. {{storylink|My Favorite Rescue}}

After Ratchet got trapped in an ancient sim, the five recruits entered the sim as well. They successfully negotiated their way through a tower full of traps and rescued their teacher, completing the sim and opening the vault to find four Mul-T-Cogs and an ancient artifact. {{storylink|The Vault Of The Primes}} Chase assigned Whirl the task of investigating the [[Charlotte Wayne|Lady of Griffin Rock]], so she enlisted Medix as a sidekick. They ended up locating Wayne's run-down mansion, but all they found inside was a family of opossums which they were able to rescue before the mansion collapsed. {{storylink|Wild Ghost Chase}} Following a soil-sampling mission on some dwarf planets, Whirl and the others found Medix had replanted the Galax in the academy garden, which it had promptly taken over, forcing them to relocate it to a more suitable home. {{storylink|Little Plot of Horrors}}

[[File:WildGhostChase Whirl Polyvisor.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Whirl and Chase were setting up security measures at the [[Museum of Future Tech Art]] when the prize sculpture [[Mano e Nano]] went missing. Though Chase suspected former criminals [[Evan (RB)|Evan]] and [[Myles]], Whirl consulted [[Ezra Greene|Doc Greene]], who determined that the nanotech statue had simply reverted to a shapeless form. {{storylink|Museum Mystery}} Whirl and Chase also took part in the rescue of Doc Greene and [[Frankie Greene|Frankie]] when a force field dome trapped the two humans in the lab. {{storylink|Partners (RBA)|Partners}}

Medix's overly-harsh criticism of the other recruits made them upset at him, however his overcompensation then led them to believe they had mastered a rescue technique when they had not. {{storylink|Critical Condition}} During a visit to [[Mechapark]], Whirl and Medix discovered that everything was malfunctioning, resulting in Whirl having to rescue the other recruits from the rides. {{Storylink|Fun Droids}} The [[Sparksayer]] gifted Whirl with a polyvisor which she put to good use during a volcano rescue. {{storylink|Power Up And Energize}} Cody had the five recruits learn some ballet to improve their poise and balance during rescues. {{storylink|Shall We Dance?}}

[[File:FiveLittleRescueBots Whirl and Chase.jpg|thumb|left|320px]]
Whirl and the others helped Hot Shot overcome his one-alternate-mode-per-day limitation by tricking him into thinking a sim rescue was real. {{storylink|Mul-T-Change of Pace}} Whirl's final exam on deductive reasoning was to take place during a camping trip on [[Natura Island]], and when her fellow recruits started disappearing, she correctly worked out the island's tech defense system was still active and transporting people to a junk yard. She and Chase successfully rescued everyone, only to discover that the actual test Heatwave had devised was to find him in his tree disguise. {{storylink|Five Little Rescue Bots}} After Hot Shot accidentally messed up Hoist's museum, Medix persuaded Whirl to help clean up. A diagnostic tool interfered with Whirl's wind tunnel and caused it to go crazy, which she actually extremely enjoyed. {{storylink|Good Advice}}

After a campout, the recruits noticed Hot Shot was acting oddly and eventually worked out his comm transmitter had fallen out, resulting in them having to go back for it and rescuing a bear cub in the process. {{storylink|Campfire Fright}} Hot Shot persuaded the other recruits to test out the new Mul-T-Cogs from the vault, only for them to discover that the cogs weren't charged enough and they could no longer transform. Hot Shot successfully fully activated them at the cost of his own ability to transform, at least until Whirl and the others found they could return the favor and use their cogs to reactivate his. {{storylink|Small Cogs}} Whirl quickly selected a police car as her new alternate mode, and was particularly pleased with the cupholders. {{storylink|Big Wheels}}

The recruits' first solo off-world mission took them to a deserted city, where they rescued Scorch and his Cube team from an arena and discovered the whole place was a long-lost [[Titan (group)|Titan]], [[Citadel Secundus]]. {{storylink|The Empty City}} After taking part in Mentor Training Day with Chase, Whirl teamed up with her mentor again for a "rescue-athon". {{storylink|First Responder}}

Boulder assigned the recruits the task of training Scraplets, which they attempted unsuccessfully for a while before giving up. During a subsequent mission to prevent a power plant from exploding down, it turned out Medix had managed to train the Scraplets after all, saving the day. {{storylink|How To Train Your Scraplet}} After Medix showed her up during a training sim, Whirl became worried that he was a better helicopter than her. She later realized during a fire fighting mission that he really was inexperienced and helped him to get the hang of his helicopter mode. {{storylink|Helicopter Heroes}}

[[File:RBA TheTiesThatBind towline.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
During a sim mission, Whirl didn't feel confident enough in her own decision making to switch a lever, resulting in the sim being failed. She and the rest of the recruits were dispatched to [[Australia]] to help [[Brushfire (RB)|Brushfire]], and being teamed up with the loner bot helped Whirl learn to be more self reliant, resulting in her rescuing a [[kangaroo]] from the fires they were fighting. {{storylink|Brushfire (episode)|Brushfire}} Whirl continued to have trouble getting used to her police car mode, which caused her trouble when racing with Hot Shot. When she was forced to tow Scorch back to base in car mode, she was at first irritated by his constant chatter, but he helped her get used to her car mode and even put himself in [[stasis lock]] to save her from being crushed by a falling boulder. She airlifted him back to base where Medix was able to revive him, and the two firm friends went racing. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (episode)|The Ties That Bind}}

[[File:RBA Whirl Bus Push.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
While the recruits were doing a sim mission where they had to rescue a crashed charter bus, Whirl tried to push the bus but she was too weak and needed help from Wedge. After their training, Whirl uploaded an embarrassing video of Hot Shot to the Rescue Network without consulting him, and later realized she'd made a mistake. She confessed what she'd done to him during a mission to prevent a sandstone butte from falling on a tree, but fortunately he liked that the video had gone viral. {{storylink|Bot Blog}} She, Medix and Heatwave were subjected to [[H.B. Luskey|Mayor Luskey]]'s comedy routine when the ice blocks needed for an ice sculpture contest failed to show up on time. Fortunately for all present, Whirl hit on the idea of using other materials to sculpt. {{storylink|The Icebot Cometh}}

After the recruits rescued the [[Decepticon]] [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] from a stricken spaceship, Whirl and the others learned that Wedge had originally been created as a Decepticon, and helped him track down the injured Laserbeak. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (RBA)|More Than Meets The Eye}} Whirl helped Hoist carry out an investigation into who had trashed the lab, with the pair coming to the erroneous conclusion that Sludge and Snarl were the culprits. {{storylink|Things That Go Bot In The Night}} Whirl and the others participated in a series of physics-related exercises set by Perceptor, and later had to rescue Medix when their fellow recruit ran into trouble trying to impress the teacher. {{Storylink|Medix Gets Schooled}} She and the other recruits experienced jealousy when a group of teens began carrying out rescues in Milford and getting press. {{storylink|Rescue Teens}}

[[File:TheTracker Whirl resets trap.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Perceptor sent the recruits to [[Sifrolicous-5]] to discover why the planet changed color, and they found [[mudlubber]]s, who turned out to be exactly suited to the environment. {{storylink|Enter The Flood}} Worried about spoiling her perfect score, Whirl avoided meeting with Optimus for her review. She was knocked out during a rescue and experienced a ''Wizard of Oz'' inspired dream which gave her the courage to meet with Optimus and discover she aced her review again anyway. {{Storylink|Wizard Of Botz}} When Chase sent Whirl to the [[Amazon]] to hunt for [[Huxley Prescott]], she teamed up with the Dinobot [[Slash (RBA)|Slash]]. Though Slash was not keen on having company, Whirl rescued her and Prescott from an ancient trap and she conceded company might be a good thing. {{storylink|The Tracker}} Heatwave assigned Whirl the task of checking the wind turbine, as part of doing maintenance on the academy. She and the others later had to cover up a holographic dragon when Hot Shot and Hoist let it escape Hero Hall and menace Milford. {{storylink|One Of Our Dragons Is Missing}}

[[File:DontBeAlarmed Whirl dashboard.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
Whirl and the other recruits were taken on a field trip by Perceptor to a tropical island to study volcanoes. {{storylink|Dino-mite Duo}} They joined Heatwave in responding to a vague message from Citadel Secundus, only to find the Titan was just in need of some company. {{storylink|The Lonely Titan}} The recruits teamed up with [[Finn O'Reilly]] to follow the clues on a [[Holokey]]. They expected treasure, but instead found a hidden cache of [[Tox-En]]. {{Storylink|X Marks The Bot}} Whirl, Hoist, and Medix helped Hot Shot modify the racing track so they could help Wedge get used to moving at speed. {{storylink|Making Tracks (RBA)|Making Tracks}} During a mission to the planet [[Krimol]], Whirl realized the loud sirens the other recruits had made themselves were aggravating the life forms. Unfortunately her warnings came too late and she had to rescue the others from annoyed tentacles so they could rescue Hoist from a crevasse. {{Storylink|Don't Be Alarmed}} Heatwave had Whirl and the other recruits retrieve toxic barrels from the seabed and rescue Jerry in order to teach them to exercise more restraint in using their power up tools. {{Storylink|Powerless}}

[[File:CrashOfTheTitan Hot Shot pilots Secundus.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
After discovering that Medix was into DJ Mechmaster's electronic music, the recruits joined him in rescuing the DJ during a charity concert in Griffin Rock, and even took part in the show masquerading as stage props. {{storylink|Griffin Rock Rocks!}} Whirl and the other recruits watched from the Academy as Chuck and Hot Shot entered the Bot Battle event at Dig Fest. {{storylink|Bot Battle}}

Following the successful completion of the last test of year two, the recruits were rewarded with a party aboard Citadel Secundus. When Hot Shot opted not to go in favor of building a nanobot sculpture to thank the teachers, Whirl also stayed back to help. The sculpture didn't turn out as planned, however the pair found they had a new emergency as Secundus had been hit by an asteroid, knocking out him and everyone on board except Wedge, and was on a crash course for Earth. {{storylink|Space Party}} Being short a few teammates, Whirl and Hot Shot rounded up some of the friends they'd made and with their help, were able to remotely take control of Secundus, landing the Titan safely near the Academy. Afterwards, the recruits finally got to have their graduation ceremony. {{storylink|Crash Of The Titan}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Rescue Bots Academy''===
[[File:RBA-Whirl-toy.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot''' (2019)

: Whirl's first toy is sized similarly to the previous Megabots line, at about 11 inches tall, transforming into a helicopter in a couple of "Easy 2 Do Conversion" steps. In either bot or vehicle mode, pressing a button on her rotor causes it to spin. She comes packaged in robot mode, and helpfully, a cutout in the package allows this gimmick to be tried in-store without removing her from the package. Her engineering and transformation pattern are based on the [[Blades (RB)#RescanCopter|Rescan helicopter version of Blades]].

{{-}}

{{anchor|Racecar}}
[[File:RBA-RaceCarWhirl-carded.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot''' (2019)

: Revealed at Toy Fair 2019,<ref name="RBToyFair2019">[https://www.seibertron.com/events/gallery.php?event_id=621 Seibertron.com - Toy Fair 2019: Transformers Rescue Bots Academy Photogallery]</ref> this Whirl is a redeco of the [[Heatwave (RB)#RescanRaceCar|race-car version of Heatwave]] - itself derived from the [[Blurr (Prime)#Rescue Bots|Blurr]]/[[MorBot]] mold - with a new head and some subtle retooling, mostly located in the chest and legs. She is curiously still identified as a "Flight-Bot" despite her new land-based alt-mode.

{{-}}

{{anchor|AcadRescTeam}}
[[File:RBA-AcademyRescueTeam-boxed.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|Medix drew the short straw.]]
*'''Academy Rescue Team''' (2019)

: First previewed at Toy Fair 2019,<ref name="RBToyFair2019" /> this version of Whirl is a new-head redeco of the [[Blades (RB)#RescanVTOL|VTOL jet version of Blades]] (itself a retool of VTOL Bumblebee). As such, she is one of the very few figures in the ''Rescue Bots'' franchise to have articulation unrelated to transformation. She comes in a set of four, similar to the previous "[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (toyline)#Rescan Series|Griffin Rock Rescue Team]]", with [[Hot Shot (Prime)#AcadRescTeam|Hot Shot]] (retool of Rock Rescue Team Bumblebee), [[Wedge (RBA)#AcadRescTeam|Wedge]] (retool of cement mixer Salvage) and [[Hoist (RB)#AcadRescTeam|Hoist]] (retool of ''Rescan'' Hoist). This version of Whirl was later [[#WhirlVTOL|released singly]].

{{-}}

{{anchor|FlipRacers}}
[[File:RBA-Flip-Racers-Whirl.JPG|thumb|right]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot Flip Racers''' (2018)

: Released (apparently) as the only new toy in the fifth and final wave of Flip Racers Single Packs.

{{-}}

{{anchor|WhirlVTOL}}
[[File:Whirl-VTOL-Single-2020W5.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot''' (2020)

: The [[#AcadRescTeam|VTOL version of Whirl]] from the Academy Rescue Team boxset was released singly in 2020's Wave 5, with no notable changes.
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====Mini Bot Racers====
{{-}}{{anchor|MBR}}
*'''Whirl'''
[[File:RBA Mini Bot Racers Whirl.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1|]]
{{charstubtoys}}
{{--}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:Whirl-RBA-early design.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|right]]
*''Rescue Bots Academy'' Whirl is the first incarnation of the character to be portrayed as a female ([[Whirl (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|IDW Whirl's]] [[holomatter]] avatar notwithstanding).
*Whirl's animation model was slightly modified from her [[:File:Rescue Bots Academy Whirl.jpg|initial promotional image]] by shifting the silver patch to the center of her head while recoloring the yellow chest harness sky blue.
*Early show concept art (at right) by character designer [[Francesco Giglio]] features a very different Whirl design much more closely based on that of her [[Whirl (G1)|Generation 1 counterpart]].<ref>[https://www.artstation.com/artwork/xzaZX4 ArtStation post by Francesco Giglio, April 2020]</ref>
* If the recruits were to have an official age order, [[Pete Slattery]] would write Whirl as the second oldest.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Okay, a few questions! The Bots are mid teens if they were human-like. Say 14 in year 1,15 year 2. We never got into who's older but if I were to write it, I'd say Wedge oldest, then Whirl, Hot Shot, Hoist and Medix the youngest!|link=https://twitter.com/PeteSlatteryIE/status/1276778456659918848|name=Pete Slattery|site=Twitter|month=06|day=27|year=2020}}</ref>
*Whirl's locker features a [[Media:RBA-Ep20-TwoWhirls.jpg|drawing]] of her and [[Whirl (FOC)|another Whirl]], using the character's [[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|''More than Meets the Eye'']] [[Whirl (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|design]]. This implies that this Whirl is not the Whirl of IDW, but may share a close connection.

===Foreign names===
*''Mandarin:'' '''Xuányì''' (旋翼, "Rotor")<ref>This name is different from the usual Mandarin translation for [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], ''Xuánrèn'' (旋刃).</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Rescue Bots Academy Autobots]]

Demus

2025-02-04T01:15:35Z

Breech Loader: /* 2005 IDW continuity */

{{factions|decepticon|adaptus}}
:''Demus is a [[Decepticon]] [[Monoformer]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Demus some of my best friends are autobots.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|His condition is "being an asshole".]]

'''Demus''' is a Decepticon turned trader with a [[transformation]] phobia.

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
Demus had such an aversion to [[Alternate mode|alt modes]] that he not only had all his [[kibble]] surgically removed, but became physically ill when seeing anyone transform. Not surprisingly he went on to become a member of [[Militant Monoform Movement|Triple-M]] alongside [[Krok (G1)|Krok]]. During the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], he enlisted with the Decepticons and served under the command of [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]].

After the [[Great War (G1)|war]] ended, Demus received an honourable discharge from his commander and set himself up as a scrap metal merchant on [[Tebris VII]]. He eventually branched out into building domestic appliances from what he couldn't sell, and, from there, set himself up as the inventor and proprietor of his "[[Roboid]]s", marketed as cute animal toys. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}} This business success hid a much darker secret: rather than building the Roboids, Demus simply kidnapped and "[[Domestication|domesticated]]" Transformers with [[beast mode]]s, shipping them to organic customers as "torture dolls" for them to vent their frustrations on. {{storylink|Animals}}

With his newfound wealth, Demus was able to indulge himself and became a collector of vintage moons, owning fourteen of them, {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}} but he was also aware that his illegal activities could not be ignored by the authorities forever. To this end, he managed to strike a deal with a group of Cybertronians who served the enigmatic "[[Adaptus|Grand Architect]]"; in exchange for his personal protection, he became one of their affiliates, using a secret basement underneath his scrapyard as a laboratory to fulfill the Grand Architect's goal of creating genetically altered Transformers.

For his repeated and flagrant violations of the [[Tyrest Accord]], Demus soon fell under the scrutiny of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], its Duly Appointed Enforcer. When Maximus warned Demus of his impending arrest, the trader defended his actions, stating that it was a "survivor's market." {{storylink|Animals}}

When the [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]] crash-landed on Tebris VII, months later, Demus made contact with [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] through a Triple-M subgroup on [[The Big Conversation]] and invited them to his headquarters to talk business. Once they had been fitted with [[Inhibitor/deterrence chip|inhibitor chips]] to prevent them from transforming, the noticeably jumpy Demus told them of his offer: they would receive half a billion [[Shanix]] each in exchange for their captive, the brain-damaged [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]. While the Scavengers discussed it amongst themselves, Demus excused himself to make a call, begging his patrons for protection, but was caught and summarily executed by Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}}

Two hours too late to rescue Demus, several of his associates arrived to dispose of his secret projects. They were more concerned about the condition of their stock than they were about Demus's demise. {{storylink|Animals}}

== Trivia ==

* By mutilating and selling Roboids, Demus is effectively a slave trader.
* Even though the term 'Torture Dolls' is used, there's no evidence that Organics actually know Roboids are sentient. In fact, they might just assume... they really are toys.

===''TransTech''===
In a segment on [[Axiom Nexus News]], Demus displayed [[Hydrophena|Hydrophenia]]n [[Antilian bumble-puppy|bumble-puppies]]. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/03/10}}

[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Merchants]]
[[Category:TransTech Decepticons]]

Whirl (RBA)

2025-02-03T22:21:38Z

Breech Loader: /* Notes */

{{faction|autobot|rescuebot}}
{{featured}}
{{disambig3.5|the ''Rescue Bots Academy'' Autobot|the ''Fall of Cybertron'' Autobot|Whirl (FOC)|Whirl}}
:''Whirl the Flight-Bot is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (franchise)|Rescue Bots Academy]] portion of the [[Aligned continuity family]].''

[[File:RBA Whirl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|''Whirly Whirly Whirly Whirly girl'']]

'''Whirl''' aspires to be a [[Rescue Bot]] police officer like [[Chase (RB)|Chase]], though while her senior has a no-nonsense approach, Whirl is all optimism and heavily into [[Earth]] culture like fellow copter-bot [[Blades (RB)|Blades]]. Her enthusiasm for the work can be overwhelming, and her sense of judgement may lead to some simply ''ridiculous'' theories and quotes, giving her fellow recruits pause; more often than not she's proven right, though it may take some time for her friends to follow her advice.

{{quote|To be fair, I am not certain one can ''ever'' be as excited as Whirl.|[[Medix (RB)|Medix]]|"[[Mount Botmore]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Rescue Bots Academy'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Courtney Shaw]] (English)|[[Martina Tamburello]] (Italian), [[Marie Braam]] (French)}}
[[File:RecruitsI Whirl welcomes Hot Shot.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"What whirley great arms you've got!"]]
Whirl was among those selected to be a recruit at the [[Rescue Bot Training Center]] on [[Earth]]. She was first to enthusiastically greet [[Hot Shot (Prime)|Hot Shot]] when he arrived. She and the rest of the team subsequently took part in a rescue drill overseen by [[Heatwave (RB)|Heatwave]] but were unsuccessful in putting out a house fire thanks to the newcomer. {{storylink|Recruits Part I}} Whirl and [[Hoist (RB)|Hoist]] tried unsuccessfully to find Hot Shot when it looked like he'd given up, but he later returned with two new alternate modes. The team went on to successfully carry out a cave rescue exercise. {{storylink|Recruits Part II}} When [[Blades (RB)|Blades]] was summoned to the academy to help Hot Shot perfect his flying, Whirl enthusiastically volunteered to take part as well, and later took part in a rescue in [[Griffin Rock]] during which Hot Shot put the lessons into practice. {{storylink|The Secret of Flight}}

Following a rescue in [[Griffin Rock]], the recruits persuaded Hoist to make new rescue tools for them all. Whirl got new rotors on her arms, and though the initial test went horribly wrong, she and the other recruits enlisted the help of Boulder, and Hoist eventually perfected the tools. {{storylink|If at First...}} After Hot Shot badly damaged [[Tough Luck Chuck]] and was assigned the task of looking after the robot, he tried to foist the duty onto Whirl, who was trying to do some rescue research, only for Chuck to slip past them. They attempted to hunt him down, and eventually pursued him to [[Milford]]. {{storylink|Tough Luck Chuck (episode)|Tough Luck Chuck}} Whirl enthusiastically memorised all of the police codes Chase was teaching the recruits, and as a result, when the other recruits persuaded Chase to let them try a rescue and instead got stuck in the snow, Whirl was able to rescue them. {{storylink|Whirl'd View}} When the recruits didn't understand why Boulder was having them plant flowers, the Rescue Bot set them a task which taught them that all parts of nature are important. {{storylink|Plan Bee}}

[[File:MissionInaudible Whirl copter mode.jpg|thumb|right|300px|"I can hover like a bird. Don't you wish you could hover?"]]
Whirl and the other recruits were bugged when [[Wedge (RBA)|Wedge]] borrowed the trigger for the rescue alarm and had them constantly running drills to get their response time down. {{storylink|The Bot Who Cried Rescue}} The recruits had to contend with a runaway rock sculpture of Hot Shot's head when he decided to carve it into a mountain alongside the likenesses of the Rescue Bots. {{storylink|Mount Botmore}} When Hoist was put in charge of a rescue exercise, Whirl was the only one who actually followed any of his orders, and ended up dangling over a chasm with Hot Shot, Wedge and [[Medix (RB)|Medix]] dangling from her until Hoist successfully rescued them. {{storylink|Mission Inaudible}} After completing a simulated rescue, despite a glitch occurring, the recruits took part in a real rescue in Griffin Rock which was only successful because the glitch gave [[Medix (RB)|Medix]] an idea to complete it safely. {{storylink|Glitch (episode)|Glitch}}

[[File:RescuePromo Whirl filmmaker.jpg|thumb|left|270px|"I think railways are slow. They're not much use, and are quite out of date."]]
After a ride on the ''[[Sigma]]'', the recruits assumed the four command chairs meant one of their number wouldn't graduate. The team went on to botch a volcano rescue drill after staying up all night worrying, until Heatwave told them they'd assumed wrong. {{storylink|Five into Four}} Whirl took over filming a recruitment video for the training center, but all the footage she got was terrible and it wasn't until she told the other recruits that they were able to pitch in and help her make a workable video. {{storylink|Rescue Promo}} After a botched rescue had the recruits blaming each other, Heatwave assigned them to cleaning duties. Hot Shot sneaked out to do a rescue, and as a result, the rest of the recruits had to go help him when he hit trouble. {{storylink|Blame Game}} Whirl and the other recruits set up a surprise rescue mission for Medix, who didn't get the appeal of surprises. Unfortunately the mission did not go well, and the other recruits promised to stop with the surprises. {{storylink|Medix Surprise}}

The recruits got to try out some [[TX3000]]s on loan to the rescue center, and even used them during an actual rescue. {{storylink|The TX3000}} They had to round up a lost flock of sheep, but were hampered by Hoist malfunctioning. {{storylink|Little Bot Peep}} When [[Lad Pioneer|Teen Pioneer]] [[Wes]] visited the base and Wedge was reluctant to spend time with the boy due to low self-confidence, Whirl pointed out that Wedge was Wes's favorite Rescue Bot. {{Storylink|Driving a Wedge}} Boulder accompanied the recruits to the planet [[Parvus]] where they rescued the last surviving [[Galax]]. {{storylink|The Big, Small Rescue}}

[[File:RBA-Fright At The Museum-Shades.jpg|thumb|right|350px|She likes to watch reruns of ''CSI: Miami.'']]
When Hot Shot and Wedge decided to compete over who was qualified to get into the [[Heroes of Cybertron (cards)|Heroes of Cybertron]] card game, Medix and Whirl acted as commentators for the building and Cube challenges they undertook. {{storylink|Battle of the Bots}} After Hot Shot is blamed by his friends for stealing a space rock, Whirl sticks up for him and suggests they find the rock to prove his innocence. Discovering the rock to actually be an alien loose in the academy, Whirl gives chase but winds up temporarily trapped in her locker. {{storylink|About a Rock}} The recruits tried to keep secret the fact a dog had followed them home after the last rescue, only to discover that the dog was actually trying to alert them to the fact they'd missed someone who needed rescuing. {{storylink|Dog Stray Afternoon}} Whirl took part in rescuing [[Dr. Hart]] from a runaway iceberg. {{storylink|Lucky Ducky}}

Inspired by Blades, Whirl took it upon herself to get into cheerleading. Though the other recruits weren't as enthused, they soon discovered that the skills they were learning were helpful during rescues, and began practicing in earnest. {{storylink|Go Team, Go!}} When Boulder assigned the recruits smartphones so they could familiarize themselves with the devices, they began neglecting their lessons and chores, until they realized it was causing problems with their rescues. {{storylink|Screen Time}} During a trip to a museum in Milford, Whirl naturally assumed they'd encounter a heist in progress, and turned out to be right. Her policing skills resulted in her catching a thief in the act, and she was able to ferry him to the Griffin Rock jail. {{storylink|Fright at the Museum}}

[[File:AllAtSea Whirl mermaid.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"My job is to stay at sea in case of other emergencies."]]
When their teachers went missing on a space mission, the recruits worked together to pilot the ''Sigma'' and mount a rescue. {{storylink|Space Case (episode)|Space Case}} Boulder had the recruits cleaning up a park, though as Whirl spent the whole time chasing a rogue plastic bag, she didn't get much trash. The same thing happened during the follow up mission at the bottom of the sea, though Whirl did accidentally make herself look like a mermaid using seaweed. She and the other recruits later had to rescue Medix from a shark. {{storylink|All at Sea}} With the teachers on another off-planet mission, the recruits were left to tidy up the Academy, and had to deal with Hoist's [[Scrub-A-Dubber]] when it went rogue. {{storylink|All Washed Up}}

Heatwave suggested that the bored students try their hands at being teachers for the day. None of the recruits seemed to do well, with Whirl's lecture on transforming boring Heatwave and Cody, but their teachers later put what they'd learned to use during a real rescue. {{storylink|Who's Teaching Who?}} An attempt to rescue a balloon from a tree turned into a major disaster when the recruits went in without a plan. {{storylink|Balloon Up A Tree}} A fantasy simulation saw the recruits trying to corral a dragon, until they worked out that the dragon was actually trying to help, {{storylink|The Mystery of Dragon Mountain}} and yet another sim turned into chaos thanks to Hot Shot combining it with his game, forcing the recruits to deal with giant hedgehogs. {{storylink|Hack Attack}}

Whirl and the other recruits found their rescues complicated by Medix's attempts to loosen up after they suggested he was a stick in the mud. {{storylink|Life of the Party}} Whirl learned that the recruits were getting a new teacher, but was too excited to find out who. It turned out to be [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]]! {{storylink|Tyrannosaurus Wrecked}} Grimlock took Whirl and the others on a field trip to [[Wayward Island|Dino Island]]. After the GroundBridge was damaged, Whirl had to tow Grimlock back to the mainland. {{storylink|Dino Hard}} Assigned a stealth mission by Chase, Whirl and Hoist managed to find Tough Luck Chuck hiding in a barn, but were caught by Chase after Whirl accidentally demolished the structure. {{storylink|Buddy Cop}}

[[File:DigFest Whirl signalling.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
The recruits had to rescue some penguins from an island, and Whirl came up with the idea of building a raft after their ability to transform was disabled by an electrical storm. {{storylink|Escape from Penguin Island}} Whirl was surprised to learn Hoist had cheated during a search and rescue test that led to the recruits taking part in an Old West simulation. {{storylink|All that Glitters}} A hunt for a downed satellite resulted in the recruits hiding out backstage at [[Dig Fest (event)|Dig Fest]] while trying to signal Wedge. {{storylink|Dig Fest (episode)|Dig Fest}} The recruits took part in [[Halloween]] festivities and ended up having to deal with a house fire. {{storylink|Trick or Treat}}

Medix's confusion over a television commercial meant that the recruits had to mount a hasty coverup so he wouldn't blow their secret to all of Milford {{storylink|Monster Savings}} Whirl and the others got a tune stuck in their heads, impairing their performance on a training exercise. They managed to forget the tune, but this caused problems on a mission to the planet [[Herboo]], as it was the code needed for the [[Virtual Sonic Fence]] Hoist needed to use to stop the [[karknoid beetle]]. {{storylink|Tune Out}} A trip to survey a geyser field saw the recruits having to deal with a swarm of [[Scraplet]]s. {{storylink|Metal Munchers}}

[[File:WhirlsWiseBotQuest Whirl rotor blades.jpg|thumb|left|350px]]
Whirl and the other recruits took part in essential maintenance as directed by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], unlike Wedge who spent the whole time trying to impress his hero, and they were therefore fully functional for the following rescue drill. {{Storylink|Bee Prepared}} After Whirl failed to master a tricky maneuver, Blades told her about a Rescue Bot guru who had once helped him. Whirl set out to find the guru, unaware that Blades had made the story up, and along the way made a series of rescues. The rescues gave her the skills to master the maneuver, which she was later able to use to rescue her fellow recruits. {{storylink|Whirl's Wise-Bot Quest}}

Hot Shot's careless actions in ejecting his junk into space had Whirl and the others following his lead, resulting an a huge junk meteor that threatened the satellite they were trying to repair. {{Storylink|Flying Hunk-A-Junk}} A mission deep undersea forced the recruits to rely on each other as they rescued an automated drone from deep sea wildlife. {{storylink|Into the Depths}} Whirl joined the hunt for some dogs when Hoist's new comms system turned out to annoy animals. {{storylink|Milford Goes To The Dogs}} The recruits struggled to complete a rescue sim until Hot Shot realized they'd been trying to stop the disaster instead of saving the people. {{storylink|The Ice Wave}}

As graduation drew closer, the recruits successful competed against their teachers in a relay race carrying a pretend rescue victim. Whirl and the others were surprised and saddened when Hot Shot opted to abandon his Rescue Bot training and return to Cybertron to compete in the Cube finals. {{storylink|Best Bots Forever Part 1}} The remaining recruits decided to tune in to the final using the [[space bridge]] to boost the holo-emitter screen. Unfortunately this led to the creation of a slowly growing energon bubble which engulfed the academy. It was only when Hot Shot returned that the recruits were able to burst the bubble. The recruits were able to graduate from year one of their learning. {{storylink|Best Bots Forever Part 2}}

[[File:BackToSchool Whirl gets excited.jpg|thumb|right|260px]]
After the recruits returned to the Academy for year two, they were given personal areas—in Whirl's case a wind tunnel—and the news they'd be paired with mentors. Whirl was worried that [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]'s [[Aptitude Analyzer]] wouldn't find her worthy of a mentor, but it ended up pairing her with Chase. {{storylink|Back to School}} She and the other recruits got some new training simulations courtesy of Ratchet. {{Storylink|Mission Dinobot}} Whirl got to work with Chase ticketing jaywalkers. She and the other recruits later rescued some foxes from a tree in a forest fire. {{storylink|In Training}} The recruits went on a trip to Cybertron to visit Ratchet's lab, which ended up being disrupted by Medix's bat [[Mister Flappy]]. {{Storylink|Medix Steps Up To The Bat}}

When the recruits thought Cody was unhappy because he wasn't a giant robot like them, they built him a robotic suit which caused chaos during their mission to rescue a rogue bull. Cody later clarified that he was just missing hanging out with the recruits. {{storylink|Robo-Cody}} Heatwave tasked the recruits with acting in the play [[Jack and the Beanstalk]]. Whirl was assigned the role of Jack. Unfortunately the play ended when the stage almost collapsed, but Whirl stayed in character throughout. {{storylink|Acting Out}} Whirl and the others found Wedge's boredom was interfering with their study time. Wedge later surprised them by being enthusiastic about studying. {{storylink|Need to Know}}

[[File:ActingOut Whirl climbs beanstalk.jpg|thumb|left|290px]]
After Hot Shot and Hoist turned Grimlock's Cube into an unstoppable escaping machine, the other three recruits attempted to help them recapture it but eventually had to call on Grimlock's help. {{storylink|Trouble Cubed}} When Heatwave let the recruits pick their favorite rescue to do, Whirl's was a rain of meteors in a desert, from which they would need to rescue a bunch of animals. The disagreement over which simulation to run resulted in the recruits accidentally breaking the control unit and plunging the sim into chaos until they worked together to fix the unit. {{storylink|My Favorite Rescue}}

After Ratchet got trapped in an ancient sim, the five recruits entered the sim as well. They successfully negotiated their way through a tower full of traps and rescued their teacher, completing the sim and opening the vault to find four Mul-T-Cogs and an ancient artifact. {{storylink|The Vault Of The Primes}} Chase assigned Whirl the task of investigating the [[Charlotte Wayne|Lady of Griffin Rock]], so she enlisted Medix as a sidekick. They ended up locating Wayne's run-down mansion, but all they found inside was a family of opossums which they were able to rescue before the mansion collapsed. {{storylink|Wild Ghost Chase}} Following a soil-sampling mission on some dwarf planets, Whirl and the others found Medix had replanted the Galax in the academy garden, which it had promptly taken over, forcing them to relocate it to a more suitable home. {{storylink|Little Plot of Horrors}}

[[File:WildGhostChase Whirl Polyvisor.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Whirl and Chase were setting up security measures at the [[Museum of Future Tech Art]] when the prize sculpture [[Mano e Nano]] went missing. Though Chase suspected former criminals [[Evan (RB)|Evan]] and [[Myles]], Whirl consulted [[Ezra Greene|Doc Greene]], who determined that the nanotech statue had simply reverted to a shapeless form. {{storylink|Museum Mystery}} Whirl and Chase also took part in the rescue of Doc Greene and [[Frankie Greene|Frankie]] when a force field dome trapped the two humans in the lab. {{storylink|Partners (RBA)|Partners}}

Medix's overly-harsh criticism of the other recruits made them upset at him, however his overcompensation then led them to believe they had mastered a rescue technique when they had not. {{storylink|Critical Condition}} During a visit to [[Mechapark]], Whirl and Medix discovered that everything was malfunctioning, resulting in Whirl having to rescue the other recruits from the rides. {{Storylink|Fun Droids}} The [[Sparksayer]] gifted Whirl with a polyvisor which she put to good use during a volcano rescue. {{storylink|Power Up And Energize}} Cody had the five recruits learn some ballet to improve their poise and balance during rescues. {{storylink|Shall We Dance?}}

[[File:FiveLittleRescueBots Whirl and Chase.jpg|thumb|left|320px]]
Whirl and the others helped Hot Shot overcome his one-alternate-mode-per-day limitation by tricking him into thinking a sim rescue was real. {{storylink|Mul-T-Change of Pace}} Whirl's final exam on deductive reasoning was to take place during a camping trip on [[Natura Island]], and when her fellow recruits started disappearing, she correctly worked out the island's tech defense system was still active and transporting people to a junk yard. She and Chase successfully rescued everyone, only to discover that the actual test Heatwave had devised was to find him in his tree disguise. {{storylink|Five Little Rescue Bots}} After Hot Shot accidentally messed up Hoist's museum, Medix persuaded Whirl to help clean up. A diagnostic tool interfered with Whirl's wind tunnel and caused it to go crazy, which she actually extremely enjoyed. {{storylink|Good Advice}}

After a campout, the recruits noticed Hot Shot was acting oddly and eventually worked out his comm transmitter had fallen out, resulting in them having to go back for it and rescuing a bear cub in the process. {{storylink|Campfire Fright}} Hot Shot persuaded the other recruits to test out the new Mul-T-Cogs from the vault, only for them to discover that the cogs weren't charged enough and they could no longer transform. Hot Shot successfully fully activated them at the cost of his own ability to transform, at least until Whirl and the others found they could return the favor and use their cogs to reactivate his. {{storylink|Small Cogs}} Whirl quickly selected a police car as her new alternate mode, and was particularly pleased with the cupholders. {{storylink|Big Wheels}}

The recruits' first solo off-world mission took them to a deserted city, where they rescued Scorch and his Cube team from an arena and discovered the whole place was a long-lost [[Titan (group)|Titan]], [[Citadel Secundus]]. {{storylink|The Empty City}} After taking part in Mentor Training Day with Chase, Whirl teamed up with her mentor again for a "rescue-athon". {{storylink|First Responder}}

Boulder assigned the recruits the task of training Scraplets, which they attempted unsuccessfully for a while before giving up. During a subsequent mission to prevent a power plant from exploding down, it turned out Medix had managed to train the Scraplets after all, saving the day. {{storylink|How To Train Your Scraplet}} After Medix showed her up during a training sim, Whirl became worried that he was a better helicopter than her. She later realized during a fire fighting mission that he really was inexperienced and helped him to get the hang of his helicopter mode. {{storylink|Helicopter Heroes}}

[[File:RBA TheTiesThatBind towline.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
During a sim mission, Whirl didn't feel confident enough in her own decision making to switch a lever, resulting in the sim being failed. She and the rest of the recruits were dispatched to [[Australia]] to help [[Brushfire (RB)|Brushfire]], and being teamed up with the loner bot helped Whirl learn to be more self reliant, resulting in her rescuing a [[kangaroo]] from the fires they were fighting. {{storylink|Brushfire (episode)|Brushfire}} Whirl continued to have trouble getting used to her police car mode, which caused her trouble when racing with Hot Shot. When she was forced to tow Scorch back to base in car mode, she was at first irritated by his constant chatter, but he helped her get used to her car mode and even put himself in [[stasis lock]] to save her from being crushed by a falling boulder. She airlifted him back to base where Medix was able to revive him, and the two firm friends went racing. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (episode)|The Ties That Bind}}

[[File:RBA Whirl Bus Push.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
While the recruits were doing a sim mission where they had to rescue a crashed charter bus, Whirl tried to push the bus but she was too weak and needed help from Wedge. After their training, Whirl uploaded an embarrassing video of Hot Shot to the Rescue Network without consulting him, and later realized she'd made a mistake. She confessed what she'd done to him during a mission to prevent a sandstone butte from falling on a tree, but fortunately he liked that the video had gone viral. {{storylink|Bot Blog}} She, Medix and Heatwave were subjected to [[H.B. Luskey|Mayor Luskey]]'s comedy routine when the ice blocks needed for an ice sculpture contest failed to show up on time. Fortunately for all present, Whirl hit on the idea of using other materials to sculpt. {{storylink|The Icebot Cometh}}

After the recruits rescued the [[Decepticon]] [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] from a stricken spaceship, Whirl and the others learned that Wedge had originally been created as a Decepticon, and helped him track down the injured Laserbeak. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (RBA)|More Than Meets The Eye}} Whirl helped Hoist carry out an investigation into who had trashed the lab, with the pair coming to the erroneous conclusion that Sludge and Snarl were the culprits. {{storylink|Things That Go Bot In The Night}} Whirl and the others participated in a series of physics-related exercises set by Perceptor, and later had to rescue Medix when their fellow recruit ran into trouble trying to impress the teacher. {{Storylink|Medix Gets Schooled}} She and the other recruits experienced jealousy when a group of teens began carrying out rescues in Milford and getting press. {{storylink|Rescue Teens}}

[[File:TheTracker Whirl resets trap.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Perceptor sent the recruits to [[Sifrolicous-5]] to discover why the planet changed color, and they found [[mudlubber]]s, who turned out to be exactly suited to the environment. {{storylink|Enter The Flood}} Worried about spoiling her perfect score, Whirl avoided meeting with Optimus for her review. She was knocked out during a rescue and experienced a ''Wizard of Oz'' inspired dream which gave her the courage to meet with Optimus and discover she aced her review again anyway. {{Storylink|Wizard Of Botz}} When Chase sent Whirl to the [[Amazon]] to hunt for [[Huxley Prescott]], she teamed up with the Dinobot [[Slash (RBA)|Slash]]. Though Slash was not keen on having company, Whirl rescued her and Prescott from an ancient trap and she conceded company might be a good thing. {{storylink|The Tracker}} Heatwave assigned Whirl the task of checking the wind turbine, as part of doing maintenance on the academy. She and the others later had to cover up a holographic dragon when Hot Shot and Hoist let it escape Hero Hall and menace Milford. {{storylink|One Of Our Dragons Is Missing}}

[[File:DontBeAlarmed Whirl dashboard.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
Whirl and the other recruits were taken on a field trip by Perceptor to a tropical island to study volcanoes. {{storylink|Dino-mite Duo}} They joined Heatwave in responding to a vague message from Citadel Secundus, only to find the Titan was just in need of some company. {{storylink|The Lonely Titan}} The recruits teamed up with [[Finn O'Reilly]] to follow the clues on a [[Holokey]]. They expected treasure, but instead found a hidden cache of [[Tox-En]]. {{Storylink|X Marks The Bot}} Whirl, Hoist, and Medix helped Hot Shot modify the racing track so they could help Wedge get used to moving at speed. {{storylink|Making Tracks (RBA)|Making Tracks}} During a mission to the planet [[Krimol]], Whirl realized the loud sirens the other recruits had made themselves were aggravating the life forms. Unfortunately her warnings came too late and she had to rescue the others from annoyed tentacles so they could rescue Hoist from a crevasse. {{Storylink|Don't Be Alarmed}} Heatwave had Whirl and the other recruits retrieve toxic barrels from the seabed and rescue Jerry in order to teach them to exercise more restraint in using their power up tools. {{Storylink|Powerless}}

[[File:CrashOfTheTitan Hot Shot pilots Secundus.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
After discovering that Medix was into DJ Mechmaster's electronic music, the recruits joined him in rescuing the DJ during a charity concert in Griffin Rock, and even took part in the show masquerading as stage props. {{storylink|Griffin Rock Rocks!}} Whirl and the other recruits watched from the Academy as Chuck and Hot Shot entered the Bot Battle event at Dig Fest. {{storylink|Bot Battle}}

Following the successful completion of the last test of year two, the recruits were rewarded with a party aboard Citadel Secundus. When Hot Shot opted not to go in favor of building a nanobot sculpture to thank the teachers, Whirl also stayed back to help. The sculpture didn't turn out as planned, however the pair found they had a new emergency as Secundus had been hit by an asteroid, knocking out him and everyone on board except Wedge, and was on a crash course for Earth. {{storylink|Space Party}} Being short a few teammates, Whirl and Hot Shot rounded up some of the friends they'd made and with their help, were able to remotely take control of Secundus, landing the Titan safely near the Academy. Afterwards, the recruits finally got to have their graduation ceremony. {{storylink|Crash Of The Titan}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Rescue Bots Academy''===
[[File:RBA-Whirl-toy.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot''' (2019)

: Whirl's first toy is sized similarly to the previous Megabots line, at about 11 inches tall, transforming into a helicopter in a couple of "Easy 2 Do Conversion" steps. In either bot or vehicle mode, pressing a button on her rotor causes it to spin. She comes packaged in robot mode, and helpfully, a cutout in the package allows this gimmick to be tried in-store without removing her from the package. Her engineering and transformation pattern are based on the [[Blades (RB)#RescanCopter|Rescan helicopter version of Blades]].

{{-}}

{{anchor|Racecar}}
[[File:RBA-RaceCarWhirl-carded.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot''' (2019)

: Revealed at Toy Fair 2019,<ref name="RBToyFair2019">[https://www.seibertron.com/events/gallery.php?event_id=621 Seibertron.com - Toy Fair 2019: Transformers Rescue Bots Academy Photogallery]</ref> this Whirl is a redeco of the [[Heatwave (RB)#RescanRaceCar|race-car version of Heatwave]] - itself derived from the [[Blurr (Prime)#Rescue Bots|Blurr]]/[[MorBot]] mold - with a new head and some subtle retooling, mostly located in the chest and legs. She is curiously still identified as a "Flight-Bot" despite her new land-based alt-mode.

{{-}}

{{anchor|AcadRescTeam}}
[[File:RBA-AcademyRescueTeam-boxed.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|Medix drew the short straw.]]
*'''Academy Rescue Team''' (2019)

: First previewed at Toy Fair 2019,<ref name="RBToyFair2019" /> this version of Whirl is a new-head redeco of the [[Blades (RB)#RescanVTOL|VTOL jet version of Blades]] (itself a retool of VTOL Bumblebee). As such, she is one of the very few figures in the ''Rescue Bots'' franchise to have articulation unrelated to transformation. She comes in a set of four, similar to the previous "[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (toyline)#Rescan Series|Griffin Rock Rescue Team]]", with [[Hot Shot (Prime)#AcadRescTeam|Hot Shot]] (retool of Rock Rescue Team Bumblebee), [[Wedge (RBA)#AcadRescTeam|Wedge]] (retool of cement mixer Salvage) and [[Hoist (RB)#AcadRescTeam|Hoist]] (retool of ''Rescan'' Hoist). This version of Whirl was later [[#WhirlVTOL|released singly]].

{{-}}

{{anchor|FlipRacers}}
[[File:RBA-Flip-Racers-Whirl.JPG|thumb|right]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot Flip Racers''' (2018)

: Released (apparently) as the only new toy in the fifth and final wave of Flip Racers Single Packs.

{{-}}

{{anchor|WhirlVTOL}}
[[File:Whirl-VTOL-Single-2020W5.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot''' (2020)

: The [[#AcadRescTeam|VTOL version of Whirl]] from the Academy Rescue Team boxset was released singly in 2020's Wave 5, with no notable changes.
{{-}}
====Mini Bot Racers====
{{-}}{{anchor|MBR}}
*'''Whirl'''
[[File:RBA Mini Bot Racers Whirl.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1|]]
{{charstubtoys}}
{{--}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:Whirl-RBA-early design.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|right]]
*''Rescue Bots Academy'' Whirl is the first incarnation of the character to be portrayed as a female ([[Whirl (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|IDW Whirl's]] [[holomatter]] avatar notwithstanding).
*Whirl's animation model was slightly modified from her [[:File:Rescue Bots Academy Whirl.jpg|initial promotional image]] by shifting the silver patch to the center of her head while recoloring the yellow chest harness sky blue.
*Early show concept art (at right) by character designer [[Francesco Giglio]] features a very different Whirl design much more closely based on that of her [[Whirl (G1)|Generation 1 counterpart]].<ref>[https://www.artstation.com/artwork/xzaZX4 ArtStation post by Francesco Giglio, April 2020]</ref>
* If the recruits were to have an official age order, [[Pete Slattery]] would write Whirl as the second oldest.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Okay, a few questions! The Bots are mid teens if they were human-like. Say 14 in year 1,15 year 2. We never got into who's older but if I were to write it, I'd say Wedge oldest, then Whirl, Hot Shot, Hoist and Medix the youngest!|link=https://twitter.com/PeteSlatteryIE/status/1276778456659918848|name=Pete Slattery|site=Twitter|month=06|day=27|year=2020}}</ref>
*Whirl's locker features a [[Media:RBA-Ep20-TwoWhirls.jpg|drawing]] of her and [[Whirl (FOC)|another Whirl]] holding hands, using the character's [[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|''More than Meets the Eye'']] [[Whirl (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|design]]. This means Whirl exists in the RBA world and is friends with Whirl. To be fair, Whirl is totally the kind of guy who would name his little sister after himself if given the chance.

===Foreign names===
*''Mandarin:'' '''Xuányì''' (旋翼, "Rotor")<ref>This name is different from the usual Mandarin translation for [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], ''Xuánrèn'' (旋刃).</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Rescue Bots Academy Autobots]]

Whirl (RBA)

2025-02-03T22:18:33Z

Breech Loader: /* Notes */

{{faction|autobot|rescuebot}}
{{featured}}
{{disambig3.5|the ''Rescue Bots Academy'' Autobot|the ''Fall of Cybertron'' Autobot|Whirl (FOC)|Whirl}}
:''Whirl the Flight-Bot is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (franchise)|Rescue Bots Academy]] portion of the [[Aligned continuity family]].''

[[File:RBA Whirl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|''Whirly Whirly Whirly Whirly girl'']]

'''Whirl''' aspires to be a [[Rescue Bot]] police officer like [[Chase (RB)|Chase]], though while her senior has a no-nonsense approach, Whirl is all optimism and heavily into [[Earth]] culture like fellow copter-bot [[Blades (RB)|Blades]]. Her enthusiasm for the work can be overwhelming, and her sense of judgement may lead to some simply ''ridiculous'' theories and quotes, giving her fellow recruits pause; more often than not she's proven right, though it may take some time for her friends to follow her advice.

{{quote|To be fair, I am not certain one can ''ever'' be as excited as Whirl.|[[Medix (RB)|Medix]]|"[[Mount Botmore]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Rescue Bots Academy'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Courtney Shaw]] (English)|[[Martina Tamburello]] (Italian), [[Marie Braam]] (French)}}
[[File:RecruitsI Whirl welcomes Hot Shot.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"What whirley great arms you've got!"]]
Whirl was among those selected to be a recruit at the [[Rescue Bot Training Center]] on [[Earth]]. She was first to enthusiastically greet [[Hot Shot (Prime)|Hot Shot]] when he arrived. She and the rest of the team subsequently took part in a rescue drill overseen by [[Heatwave (RB)|Heatwave]] but were unsuccessful in putting out a house fire thanks to the newcomer. {{storylink|Recruits Part I}} Whirl and [[Hoist (RB)|Hoist]] tried unsuccessfully to find Hot Shot when it looked like he'd given up, but he later returned with two new alternate modes. The team went on to successfully carry out a cave rescue exercise. {{storylink|Recruits Part II}} When [[Blades (RB)|Blades]] was summoned to the academy to help Hot Shot perfect his flying, Whirl enthusiastically volunteered to take part as well, and later took part in a rescue in [[Griffin Rock]] during which Hot Shot put the lessons into practice. {{storylink|The Secret of Flight}}

Following a rescue in [[Griffin Rock]], the recruits persuaded Hoist to make new rescue tools for them all. Whirl got new rotors on her arms, and though the initial test went horribly wrong, she and the other recruits enlisted the help of Boulder, and Hoist eventually perfected the tools. {{storylink|If at First...}} After Hot Shot badly damaged [[Tough Luck Chuck]] and was assigned the task of looking after the robot, he tried to foist the duty onto Whirl, who was trying to do some rescue research, only for Chuck to slip past them. They attempted to hunt him down, and eventually pursued him to [[Milford]]. {{storylink|Tough Luck Chuck (episode)|Tough Luck Chuck}} Whirl enthusiastically memorised all of the police codes Chase was teaching the recruits, and as a result, when the other recruits persuaded Chase to let them try a rescue and instead got stuck in the snow, Whirl was able to rescue them. {{storylink|Whirl'd View}} When the recruits didn't understand why Boulder was having them plant flowers, the Rescue Bot set them a task which taught them that all parts of nature are important. {{storylink|Plan Bee}}

[[File:MissionInaudible Whirl copter mode.jpg|thumb|right|300px|"I can hover like a bird. Don't you wish you could hover?"]]
Whirl and the other recruits were bugged when [[Wedge (RBA)|Wedge]] borrowed the trigger for the rescue alarm and had them constantly running drills to get their response time down. {{storylink|The Bot Who Cried Rescue}} The recruits had to contend with a runaway rock sculpture of Hot Shot's head when he decided to carve it into a mountain alongside the likenesses of the Rescue Bots. {{storylink|Mount Botmore}} When Hoist was put in charge of a rescue exercise, Whirl was the only one who actually followed any of his orders, and ended up dangling over a chasm with Hot Shot, Wedge and [[Medix (RB)|Medix]] dangling from her until Hoist successfully rescued them. {{storylink|Mission Inaudible}} After completing a simulated rescue, despite a glitch occurring, the recruits took part in a real rescue in Griffin Rock which was only successful because the glitch gave [[Medix (RB)|Medix]] an idea to complete it safely. {{storylink|Glitch (episode)|Glitch}}

[[File:RescuePromo Whirl filmmaker.jpg|thumb|left|270px|"I think railways are slow. They're not much use, and are quite out of date."]]
After a ride on the ''[[Sigma]]'', the recruits assumed the four command chairs meant one of their number wouldn't graduate. The team went on to botch a volcano rescue drill after staying up all night worrying, until Heatwave told them they'd assumed wrong. {{storylink|Five into Four}} Whirl took over filming a recruitment video for the training center, but all the footage she got was terrible and it wasn't until she told the other recruits that they were able to pitch in and help her make a workable video. {{storylink|Rescue Promo}} After a botched rescue had the recruits blaming each other, Heatwave assigned them to cleaning duties. Hot Shot sneaked out to do a rescue, and as a result, the rest of the recruits had to go help him when he hit trouble. {{storylink|Blame Game}} Whirl and the other recruits set up a surprise rescue mission for Medix, who didn't get the appeal of surprises. Unfortunately the mission did not go well, and the other recruits promised to stop with the surprises. {{storylink|Medix Surprise}}

The recruits got to try out some [[TX3000]]s on loan to the rescue center, and even used them during an actual rescue. {{storylink|The TX3000}} They had to round up a lost flock of sheep, but were hampered by Hoist malfunctioning. {{storylink|Little Bot Peep}} When [[Lad Pioneer|Teen Pioneer]] [[Wes]] visited the base and Wedge was reluctant to spend time with the boy due to low self-confidence, Whirl pointed out that Wedge was Wes's favorite Rescue Bot. {{Storylink|Driving a Wedge}} Boulder accompanied the recruits to the planet [[Parvus]] where they rescued the last surviving [[Galax]]. {{storylink|The Big, Small Rescue}}

[[File:RBA-Fright At The Museum-Shades.jpg|thumb|right|350px|She likes to watch reruns of ''CSI: Miami.'']]
When Hot Shot and Wedge decided to compete over who was qualified to get into the [[Heroes of Cybertron (cards)|Heroes of Cybertron]] card game, Medix and Whirl acted as commentators for the building and Cube challenges they undertook. {{storylink|Battle of the Bots}} After Hot Shot is blamed by his friends for stealing a space rock, Whirl sticks up for him and suggests they find the rock to prove his innocence. Discovering the rock to actually be an alien loose in the academy, Whirl gives chase but winds up temporarily trapped in her locker. {{storylink|About a Rock}} The recruits tried to keep secret the fact a dog had followed them home after the last rescue, only to discover that the dog was actually trying to alert them to the fact they'd missed someone who needed rescuing. {{storylink|Dog Stray Afternoon}} Whirl took part in rescuing [[Dr. Hart]] from a runaway iceberg. {{storylink|Lucky Ducky}}

Inspired by Blades, Whirl took it upon herself to get into cheerleading. Though the other recruits weren't as enthused, they soon discovered that the skills they were learning were helpful during rescues, and began practicing in earnest. {{storylink|Go Team, Go!}} When Boulder assigned the recruits smartphones so they could familiarize themselves with the devices, they began neglecting their lessons and chores, until they realized it was causing problems with their rescues. {{storylink|Screen Time}} During a trip to a museum in Milford, Whirl naturally assumed they'd encounter a heist in progress, and turned out to be right. Her policing skills resulted in her catching a thief in the act, and she was able to ferry him to the Griffin Rock jail. {{storylink|Fright at the Museum}}

[[File:AllAtSea Whirl mermaid.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"My job is to stay at sea in case of other emergencies."]]
When their teachers went missing on a space mission, the recruits worked together to pilot the ''Sigma'' and mount a rescue. {{storylink|Space Case (episode)|Space Case}} Boulder had the recruits cleaning up a park, though as Whirl spent the whole time chasing a rogue plastic bag, she didn't get much trash. The same thing happened during the follow up mission at the bottom of the sea, though Whirl did accidentally make herself look like a mermaid using seaweed. She and the other recruits later had to rescue Medix from a shark. {{storylink|All at Sea}} With the teachers on another off-planet mission, the recruits were left to tidy up the Academy, and had to deal with Hoist's [[Scrub-A-Dubber]] when it went rogue. {{storylink|All Washed Up}}

Heatwave suggested that the bored students try their hands at being teachers for the day. None of the recruits seemed to do well, with Whirl's lecture on transforming boring Heatwave and Cody, but their teachers later put what they'd learned to use during a real rescue. {{storylink|Who's Teaching Who?}} An attempt to rescue a balloon from a tree turned into a major disaster when the recruits went in without a plan. {{storylink|Balloon Up A Tree}} A fantasy simulation saw the recruits trying to corral a dragon, until they worked out that the dragon was actually trying to help, {{storylink|The Mystery of Dragon Mountain}} and yet another sim turned into chaos thanks to Hot Shot combining it with his game, forcing the recruits to deal with giant hedgehogs. {{storylink|Hack Attack}}

Whirl and the other recruits found their rescues complicated by Medix's attempts to loosen up after they suggested he was a stick in the mud. {{storylink|Life of the Party}} Whirl learned that the recruits were getting a new teacher, but was too excited to find out who. It turned out to be [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]]! {{storylink|Tyrannosaurus Wrecked}} Grimlock took Whirl and the others on a field trip to [[Wayward Island|Dino Island]]. After the GroundBridge was damaged, Whirl had to tow Grimlock back to the mainland. {{storylink|Dino Hard}} Assigned a stealth mission by Chase, Whirl and Hoist managed to find Tough Luck Chuck hiding in a barn, but were caught by Chase after Whirl accidentally demolished the structure. {{storylink|Buddy Cop}}

[[File:DigFest Whirl signalling.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
The recruits had to rescue some penguins from an island, and Whirl came up with the idea of building a raft after their ability to transform was disabled by an electrical storm. {{storylink|Escape from Penguin Island}} Whirl was surprised to learn Hoist had cheated during a search and rescue test that led to the recruits taking part in an Old West simulation. {{storylink|All that Glitters}} A hunt for a downed satellite resulted in the recruits hiding out backstage at [[Dig Fest (event)|Dig Fest]] while trying to signal Wedge. {{storylink|Dig Fest (episode)|Dig Fest}} The recruits took part in [[Halloween]] festivities and ended up having to deal with a house fire. {{storylink|Trick or Treat}}

Medix's confusion over a television commercial meant that the recruits had to mount a hasty coverup so he wouldn't blow their secret to all of Milford {{storylink|Monster Savings}} Whirl and the others got a tune stuck in their heads, impairing their performance on a training exercise. They managed to forget the tune, but this caused problems on a mission to the planet [[Herboo]], as it was the code needed for the [[Virtual Sonic Fence]] Hoist needed to use to stop the [[karknoid beetle]]. {{storylink|Tune Out}} A trip to survey a geyser field saw the recruits having to deal with a swarm of [[Scraplet]]s. {{storylink|Metal Munchers}}

[[File:WhirlsWiseBotQuest Whirl rotor blades.jpg|thumb|left|350px]]
Whirl and the other recruits took part in essential maintenance as directed by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], unlike Wedge who spent the whole time trying to impress his hero, and they were therefore fully functional for the following rescue drill. {{Storylink|Bee Prepared}} After Whirl failed to master a tricky maneuver, Blades told her about a Rescue Bot guru who had once helped him. Whirl set out to find the guru, unaware that Blades had made the story up, and along the way made a series of rescues. The rescues gave her the skills to master the maneuver, which she was later able to use to rescue her fellow recruits. {{storylink|Whirl's Wise-Bot Quest}}

Hot Shot's careless actions in ejecting his junk into space had Whirl and the others following his lead, resulting an a huge junk meteor that threatened the satellite they were trying to repair. {{Storylink|Flying Hunk-A-Junk}} A mission deep undersea forced the recruits to rely on each other as they rescued an automated drone from deep sea wildlife. {{storylink|Into the Depths}} Whirl joined the hunt for some dogs when Hoist's new comms system turned out to annoy animals. {{storylink|Milford Goes To The Dogs}} The recruits struggled to complete a rescue sim until Hot Shot realized they'd been trying to stop the disaster instead of saving the people. {{storylink|The Ice Wave}}

As graduation drew closer, the recruits successful competed against their teachers in a relay race carrying a pretend rescue victim. Whirl and the others were surprised and saddened when Hot Shot opted to abandon his Rescue Bot training and return to Cybertron to compete in the Cube finals. {{storylink|Best Bots Forever Part 1}} The remaining recruits decided to tune in to the final using the [[space bridge]] to boost the holo-emitter screen. Unfortunately this led to the creation of a slowly growing energon bubble which engulfed the academy. It was only when Hot Shot returned that the recruits were able to burst the bubble. The recruits were able to graduate from year one of their learning. {{storylink|Best Bots Forever Part 2}}

[[File:BackToSchool Whirl gets excited.jpg|thumb|right|260px]]
After the recruits returned to the Academy for year two, they were given personal areas—in Whirl's case a wind tunnel—and the news they'd be paired with mentors. Whirl was worried that [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]'s [[Aptitude Analyzer]] wouldn't find her worthy of a mentor, but it ended up pairing her with Chase. {{storylink|Back to School}} She and the other recruits got some new training simulations courtesy of Ratchet. {{Storylink|Mission Dinobot}} Whirl got to work with Chase ticketing jaywalkers. She and the other recruits later rescued some foxes from a tree in a forest fire. {{storylink|In Training}} The recruits went on a trip to Cybertron to visit Ratchet's lab, which ended up being disrupted by Medix's bat [[Mister Flappy]]. {{Storylink|Medix Steps Up To The Bat}}

When the recruits thought Cody was unhappy because he wasn't a giant robot like them, they built him a robotic suit which caused chaos during their mission to rescue a rogue bull. Cody later clarified that he was just missing hanging out with the recruits. {{storylink|Robo-Cody}} Heatwave tasked the recruits with acting in the play [[Jack and the Beanstalk]]. Whirl was assigned the role of Jack. Unfortunately the play ended when the stage almost collapsed, but Whirl stayed in character throughout. {{storylink|Acting Out}} Whirl and the others found Wedge's boredom was interfering with their study time. Wedge later surprised them by being enthusiastic about studying. {{storylink|Need to Know}}

[[File:ActingOut Whirl climbs beanstalk.jpg|thumb|left|290px]]
After Hot Shot and Hoist turned Grimlock's Cube into an unstoppable escaping machine, the other three recruits attempted to help them recapture it but eventually had to call on Grimlock's help. {{storylink|Trouble Cubed}} When Heatwave let the recruits pick their favorite rescue to do, Whirl's was a rain of meteors in a desert, from which they would need to rescue a bunch of animals. The disagreement over which simulation to run resulted in the recruits accidentally breaking the control unit and plunging the sim into chaos until they worked together to fix the unit. {{storylink|My Favorite Rescue}}

After Ratchet got trapped in an ancient sim, the five recruits entered the sim as well. They successfully negotiated their way through a tower full of traps and rescued their teacher, completing the sim and opening the vault to find four Mul-T-Cogs and an ancient artifact. {{storylink|The Vault Of The Primes}} Chase assigned Whirl the task of investigating the [[Charlotte Wayne|Lady of Griffin Rock]], so she enlisted Medix as a sidekick. They ended up locating Wayne's run-down mansion, but all they found inside was a family of opossums which they were able to rescue before the mansion collapsed. {{storylink|Wild Ghost Chase}} Following a soil-sampling mission on some dwarf planets, Whirl and the others found Medix had replanted the Galax in the academy garden, which it had promptly taken over, forcing them to relocate it to a more suitable home. {{storylink|Little Plot of Horrors}}

[[File:WildGhostChase Whirl Polyvisor.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Whirl and Chase were setting up security measures at the [[Museum of Future Tech Art]] when the prize sculpture [[Mano e Nano]] went missing. Though Chase suspected former criminals [[Evan (RB)|Evan]] and [[Myles]], Whirl consulted [[Ezra Greene|Doc Greene]], who determined that the nanotech statue had simply reverted to a shapeless form. {{storylink|Museum Mystery}} Whirl and Chase also took part in the rescue of Doc Greene and [[Frankie Greene|Frankie]] when a force field dome trapped the two humans in the lab. {{storylink|Partners (RBA)|Partners}}

Medix's overly-harsh criticism of the other recruits made them upset at him, however his overcompensation then led them to believe they had mastered a rescue technique when they had not. {{storylink|Critical Condition}} During a visit to [[Mechapark]], Whirl and Medix discovered that everything was malfunctioning, resulting in Whirl having to rescue the other recruits from the rides. {{Storylink|Fun Droids}} The [[Sparksayer]] gifted Whirl with a polyvisor which she put to good use during a volcano rescue. {{storylink|Power Up And Energize}} Cody had the five recruits learn some ballet to improve their poise and balance during rescues. {{storylink|Shall We Dance?}}

[[File:FiveLittleRescueBots Whirl and Chase.jpg|thumb|left|320px]]
Whirl and the others helped Hot Shot overcome his one-alternate-mode-per-day limitation by tricking him into thinking a sim rescue was real. {{storylink|Mul-T-Change of Pace}} Whirl's final exam on deductive reasoning was to take place during a camping trip on [[Natura Island]], and when her fellow recruits started disappearing, she correctly worked out the island's tech defense system was still active and transporting people to a junk yard. She and Chase successfully rescued everyone, only to discover that the actual test Heatwave had devised was to find him in his tree disguise. {{storylink|Five Little Rescue Bots}} After Hot Shot accidentally messed up Hoist's museum, Medix persuaded Whirl to help clean up. A diagnostic tool interfered with Whirl's wind tunnel and caused it to go crazy, which she actually extremely enjoyed. {{storylink|Good Advice}}

After a campout, the recruits noticed Hot Shot was acting oddly and eventually worked out his comm transmitter had fallen out, resulting in them having to go back for it and rescuing a bear cub in the process. {{storylink|Campfire Fright}} Hot Shot persuaded the other recruits to test out the new Mul-T-Cogs from the vault, only for them to discover that the cogs weren't charged enough and they could no longer transform. Hot Shot successfully fully activated them at the cost of his own ability to transform, at least until Whirl and the others found they could return the favor and use their cogs to reactivate his. {{storylink|Small Cogs}} Whirl quickly selected a police car as her new alternate mode, and was particularly pleased with the cupholders. {{storylink|Big Wheels}}

The recruits' first solo off-world mission took them to a deserted city, where they rescued Scorch and his Cube team from an arena and discovered the whole place was a long-lost [[Titan (group)|Titan]], [[Citadel Secundus]]. {{storylink|The Empty City}} After taking part in Mentor Training Day with Chase, Whirl teamed up with her mentor again for a "rescue-athon". {{storylink|First Responder}}

Boulder assigned the recruits the task of training Scraplets, which they attempted unsuccessfully for a while before giving up. During a subsequent mission to prevent a power plant from exploding down, it turned out Medix had managed to train the Scraplets after all, saving the day. {{storylink|How To Train Your Scraplet}} After Medix showed her up during a training sim, Whirl became worried that he was a better helicopter than her. She later realized during a fire fighting mission that he really was inexperienced and helped him to get the hang of his helicopter mode. {{storylink|Helicopter Heroes}}

[[File:RBA TheTiesThatBind towline.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
During a sim mission, Whirl didn't feel confident enough in her own decision making to switch a lever, resulting in the sim being failed. She and the rest of the recruits were dispatched to [[Australia]] to help [[Brushfire (RB)|Brushfire]], and being teamed up with the loner bot helped Whirl learn to be more self reliant, resulting in her rescuing a [[kangaroo]] from the fires they were fighting. {{storylink|Brushfire (episode)|Brushfire}} Whirl continued to have trouble getting used to her police car mode, which caused her trouble when racing with Hot Shot. When she was forced to tow Scorch back to base in car mode, she was at first irritated by his constant chatter, but he helped her get used to her car mode and even put himself in [[stasis lock]] to save her from being crushed by a falling boulder. She airlifted him back to base where Medix was able to revive him, and the two firm friends went racing. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (episode)|The Ties That Bind}}

[[File:RBA Whirl Bus Push.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
While the recruits were doing a sim mission where they had to rescue a crashed charter bus, Whirl tried to push the bus but she was too weak and needed help from Wedge. After their training, Whirl uploaded an embarrassing video of Hot Shot to the Rescue Network without consulting him, and later realized she'd made a mistake. She confessed what she'd done to him during a mission to prevent a sandstone butte from falling on a tree, but fortunately he liked that the video had gone viral. {{storylink|Bot Blog}} She, Medix and Heatwave were subjected to [[H.B. Luskey|Mayor Luskey]]'s comedy routine when the ice blocks needed for an ice sculpture contest failed to show up on time. Fortunately for all present, Whirl hit on the idea of using other materials to sculpt. {{storylink|The Icebot Cometh}}

After the recruits rescued the [[Decepticon]] [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] from a stricken spaceship, Whirl and the others learned that Wedge had originally been created as a Decepticon, and helped him track down the injured Laserbeak. {{storylink|More Than Meets The Eye (RBA)|More Than Meets The Eye}} Whirl helped Hoist carry out an investigation into who had trashed the lab, with the pair coming to the erroneous conclusion that Sludge and Snarl were the culprits. {{storylink|Things That Go Bot In The Night}} Whirl and the others participated in a series of physics-related exercises set by Perceptor, and later had to rescue Medix when their fellow recruit ran into trouble trying to impress the teacher. {{Storylink|Medix Gets Schooled}} She and the other recruits experienced jealousy when a group of teens began carrying out rescues in Milford and getting press. {{storylink|Rescue Teens}}

[[File:TheTracker Whirl resets trap.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Perceptor sent the recruits to [[Sifrolicous-5]] to discover why the planet changed color, and they found [[mudlubber]]s, who turned out to be exactly suited to the environment. {{storylink|Enter The Flood}} Worried about spoiling her perfect score, Whirl avoided meeting with Optimus for her review. She was knocked out during a rescue and experienced a ''Wizard of Oz'' inspired dream which gave her the courage to meet with Optimus and discover she aced her review again anyway. {{Storylink|Wizard Of Botz}} When Chase sent Whirl to the [[Amazon]] to hunt for [[Huxley Prescott]], she teamed up with the Dinobot [[Slash (RBA)|Slash]]. Though Slash was not keen on having company, Whirl rescued her and Prescott from an ancient trap and she conceded company might be a good thing. {{storylink|The Tracker}} Heatwave assigned Whirl the task of checking the wind turbine, as part of doing maintenance on the academy. She and the others later had to cover up a holographic dragon when Hot Shot and Hoist let it escape Hero Hall and menace Milford. {{storylink|One Of Our Dragons Is Missing}}

[[File:DontBeAlarmed Whirl dashboard.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
Whirl and the other recruits were taken on a field trip by Perceptor to a tropical island to study volcanoes. {{storylink|Dino-mite Duo}} They joined Heatwave in responding to a vague message from Citadel Secundus, only to find the Titan was just in need of some company. {{storylink|The Lonely Titan}} The recruits teamed up with [[Finn O'Reilly]] to follow the clues on a [[Holokey]]. They expected treasure, but instead found a hidden cache of [[Tox-En]]. {{Storylink|X Marks The Bot}} Whirl, Hoist, and Medix helped Hot Shot modify the racing track so they could help Wedge get used to moving at speed. {{storylink|Making Tracks (RBA)|Making Tracks}} During a mission to the planet [[Krimol]], Whirl realized the loud sirens the other recruits had made themselves were aggravating the life forms. Unfortunately her warnings came too late and she had to rescue the others from annoyed tentacles so they could rescue Hoist from a crevasse. {{Storylink|Don't Be Alarmed}} Heatwave had Whirl and the other recruits retrieve toxic barrels from the seabed and rescue Jerry in order to teach them to exercise more restraint in using their power up tools. {{Storylink|Powerless}}

[[File:CrashOfTheTitan Hot Shot pilots Secundus.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
After discovering that Medix was into DJ Mechmaster's electronic music, the recruits joined him in rescuing the DJ during a charity concert in Griffin Rock, and even took part in the show masquerading as stage props. {{storylink|Griffin Rock Rocks!}} Whirl and the other recruits watched from the Academy as Chuck and Hot Shot entered the Bot Battle event at Dig Fest. {{storylink|Bot Battle}}

Following the successful completion of the last test of year two, the recruits were rewarded with a party aboard Citadel Secundus. When Hot Shot opted not to go in favor of building a nanobot sculpture to thank the teachers, Whirl also stayed back to help. The sculpture didn't turn out as planned, however the pair found they had a new emergency as Secundus had been hit by an asteroid, knocking out him and everyone on board except Wedge, and was on a crash course for Earth. {{storylink|Space Party}} Being short a few teammates, Whirl and Hot Shot rounded up some of the friends they'd made and with their help, were able to remotely take control of Secundus, landing the Titan safely near the Academy. Afterwards, the recruits finally got to have their graduation ceremony. {{storylink|Crash Of The Titan}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Rescue Bots Academy''===
[[File:RBA-Whirl-toy.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot''' (2019)

: Whirl's first toy is sized similarly to the previous Megabots line, at about 11 inches tall, transforming into a helicopter in a couple of "Easy 2 Do Conversion" steps. In either bot or vehicle mode, pressing a button on her rotor causes it to spin. She comes packaged in robot mode, and helpfully, a cutout in the package allows this gimmick to be tried in-store without removing her from the package. Her engineering and transformation pattern are based on the [[Blades (RB)#RescanCopter|Rescan helicopter version of Blades]].

{{-}}

{{anchor|Racecar}}
[[File:RBA-RaceCarWhirl-carded.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot''' (2019)

: Revealed at Toy Fair 2019,<ref name="RBToyFair2019">[https://www.seibertron.com/events/gallery.php?event_id=621 Seibertron.com - Toy Fair 2019: Transformers Rescue Bots Academy Photogallery]</ref> this Whirl is a redeco of the [[Heatwave (RB)#RescanRaceCar|race-car version of Heatwave]] - itself derived from the [[Blurr (Prime)#Rescue Bots|Blurr]]/[[MorBot]] mold - with a new head and some subtle retooling, mostly located in the chest and legs. She is curiously still identified as a "Flight-Bot" despite her new land-based alt-mode.

{{-}}

{{anchor|AcadRescTeam}}
[[File:RBA-AcademyRescueTeam-boxed.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|Medix drew the short straw.]]
*'''Academy Rescue Team''' (2019)

: First previewed at Toy Fair 2019,<ref name="RBToyFair2019" /> this version of Whirl is a new-head redeco of the [[Blades (RB)#RescanVTOL|VTOL jet version of Blades]] (itself a retool of VTOL Bumblebee). As such, she is one of the very few figures in the ''Rescue Bots'' franchise to have articulation unrelated to transformation. She comes in a set of four, similar to the previous "[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (toyline)#Rescan Series|Griffin Rock Rescue Team]]", with [[Hot Shot (Prime)#AcadRescTeam|Hot Shot]] (retool of Rock Rescue Team Bumblebee), [[Wedge (RBA)#AcadRescTeam|Wedge]] (retool of cement mixer Salvage) and [[Hoist (RB)#AcadRescTeam|Hoist]] (retool of ''Rescan'' Hoist). This version of Whirl was later [[#WhirlVTOL|released singly]].

{{-}}

{{anchor|FlipRacers}}
[[File:RBA-Flip-Racers-Whirl.JPG|thumb|right]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot Flip Racers''' (2018)

: Released (apparently) as the only new toy in the fifth and final wave of Flip Racers Single Packs.

{{-}}

{{anchor|WhirlVTOL}}
[[File:Whirl-VTOL-Single-2020W5.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*'''Whirl the Flight-Bot''' (2020)

: The [[#AcadRescTeam|VTOL version of Whirl]] from the Academy Rescue Team boxset was released singly in 2020's Wave 5, with no notable changes.
{{-}}
====Mini Bot Racers====
{{-}}{{anchor|MBR}}
*'''Whirl'''
[[File:RBA Mini Bot Racers Whirl.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1|]]
{{charstubtoys}}
{{--}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:Whirl-RBA-early design.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|right]]
*''Rescue Bots Academy'' Whirl is the first incarnation of the character to be portrayed as a female ([[Whirl (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|IDW Whirl's]] [[holomatter]] avatar notwithstanding).
*Whirl's animation model was slightly modified from her [[:File:Rescue Bots Academy Whirl.jpg|initial promotional image]] by shifting the silver patch to the center of her head while recoloring the yellow chest harness sky blue.
*Early show concept art (at right) by character designer [[Francesco Giglio]] features a very different Whirl design much more closely based on that of her [[Whirl (G1)|Generation 1 counterpart]].<ref>[https://www.artstation.com/artwork/xzaZX4 ArtStation post by Francesco Giglio, April 2020]</ref>
* If the recruits were to have an official age order, [[Pete Slattery]] would write Whirl as the second oldest.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Okay, a few questions! The Bots are mid teens if they were human-like. Say 14 in year 1,15 year 2. We never got into who's older but if I were to write it, I'd say Wedge oldest, then Whirl, Hot Shot, Hoist and Medix the youngest!|link=https://twitter.com/PeteSlatteryIE/status/1276778456659918848|name=Pete Slattery|site=Twitter|month=06|day=27|year=2020}}</ref>
*Whirl's locker features a [[Media:RBA-Ep20-TwoWhirls.jpg|drawing]] of her and [[Whirl (FOC)|another Whirl]], using the character's [[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|''More than Meets the Eye'']] [[Whirl (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|design]]. This proves that Whirl is not actually the same Whirl as Whirl. To be fair, Whirl is totally the kind of guy who would name his little sister after himself if given the chance.

===Foreign names===
*''Mandarin:'' '''Xuányì''' (旋翼, "Rotor")<ref>This name is different from the usual Mandarin translation for [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], ''Xuánrèn'' (旋刃).</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Rescue Bots Academy Autobots]]

Ambulon

2025-01-14T01:02:13Z

Breech Loader: /* 2005 IDW continuity */

{{factions|decepticon|autobot|ascenticon}}
:''Ambulon is an [[Autobot]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:AlexMilne-ambulon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|"[[Pharma (G1)|Poor <s>Kenny</s> Ambulon, he was too young to die and be taken away from us.]]" "Dude, you're the one who ''[[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|cut him in half with a chainsaw.]]''"]]

'''Ambulon''' is the ward manager stationed at [[Delphi]]. He's known to be easily offended, and his fellow Delphi medic [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] notes that he can be "a real gearstick sometimes." The gaps in his uneven paintwork reveal evidence of an earlier, buried portion of his life. Hint: He used to be purple.

Ambulon's alt-mode is entirely redundant — he turns into a leg. Just a leg. This unfortunate [[alternate mode]] is all that remains from his former life, where he was used as a guinea pig for a botched [[combiner]] experiment. He doesn't even have a combiner team to transform into it with.

{{quote|Ambulon: From the verb "to ambulate," meaning "to walk about." It's a stupid name...}}
{{quote|...but all the best names are taken.|Ambulon and [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]|"[[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|"[[Bullets]]" (text story); [[Life After the Big Bang|''More than Meets the Eye'' #4]] (depicted on-panel)}}
[[File:Ambulon CLEAR Life After the Big Bang.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|left|"These legs are almost as nice as me. ''Almost''."]]

The robot who would come to be known as "Ambulon" was originally a [[Decepticon]] [[M.T.O.]] created for an offensive whose name started with "Operation Split Infin—". {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} He eventually became a test subject for the Decepticon [[Combicon]] project, and was modified to transform into a right leg.<ref>http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/viewtopic.php?p=309412#p309412</ref> {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} While the other four Combicons enjoyed their new lot in life, Ambulon chafed under his humiliating new [[alternate mode]]; {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}} circa [[2002]], he abandoned the Decepticons and joined the Autobots, partaking in the [[Act of Affiliation]]. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

Ten years after his defection, Ambulon and his team of paramedics were on duty on [[Delphi]] when [[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight]]'s squad arrived at Delphi after a skirmish with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. A soldier named [[Schema]] had taken serious fire and was Ambulon's primary concern while staff medic [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] examined Dogfight, [[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] and [[Dodger (G1)|Dodger]] for less-serious injuries. When First Aid began touching all their [[insignia]]s, Ambulon looked up from Schema long enough to tell Dogfight's crew that was just the medic's personal quirk. {{storylink|Bullets}}

When the [[Red Rust]] virus was unleashed, [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], First Aid, and Ambulon rushed to treat the infected. They were later accompanied by [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]], and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] and while First Aid was bringing them up to speed, Ambulon worked on the wounded Backstreet. Later on, when Ratchet, Pharma, and Ambulon were exploring Delphi, they were cornered by the [[Genericon]]s, who had escaped during the outbreak of the virus. They were rescued by an angry Fortress Maximus {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} who made short work of the Genericons.

[[File:NoGunsNoSwordsNoBriefcases-Ambulonleg.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.9|"I'm coming, Baby Legs! I'm... Regular... Legs!"]]

Pharma blamed Ambulon for the Red Rust incident, since he had been a Decepticon, but it was soon revealed that Pharma was behind this. Pharma shot the life support machine and fled through a tunnel in a [[CR chamber]], which had the medics scramble to save the failing patients. After Delphi's inhabitants of the virus were cured with the vaccine, Ambulon left aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'' with other survivors. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} Although Ambulon hoped to keep his embarrassing alternate mode a secret from the rest of the crew, a curious [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] bonked him on the [[Neural cluster|back of the neck]], forcing him into his leg mode. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}} Just a leg.

Ambulon was working in the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s medical bay when he, along with nearly everyone on board of the Lost Light, was frozen in place due to one of Brainstorm's experimental weapons accidentally going off. After he recovered, he was awarded a [[Rodimus Star]] "for exceptional endurance in the face of adversity." {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

[[File:IDWMtMtE15-AmbulonLegOfAction.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|left|"Okay, so, ten out of ten for style, but minus several million for good thinking, okay?"]]

Following Fortress Maximus's psychotic episode on board the ''Lost Light'' (during which he shot five of the crew and held [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] hostage), Ambulon, along with First Aid and Ratchet, was instrumental in saving Rung's life after he was accidentally shot in the head by Swerve. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} When a number of offline Autobots suddenly awoke and squeezed their audio sensors, Ambulon was assigned to watch over them in the medibay. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} When [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s deactivated body was retrieved and put on life support, Ambulon assisted First Aid in investigating. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}

Ambulon took care of [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] following the injuries he'd sustained on [[Temptoria]]. {{storylink|Before & After}} During [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'s rampage on the ''Lost Light'', Ambulon crashed a [[Mobile Autobot Repair Bay]] into him. It...lost the ''Lost Light'' a M.A.R.B. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}} Rewind, a casualty of the battle, stitched together a final message for [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] using footage from his database, including a recording of Ambulon saying "apart". {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

Following the disappearance of Ultra Magnus from the medibay, Ambulon was questioned as to where the [[Diagnostic Drone|medibot]] had been at the time. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Along with First Aid, Ambulon gave a pretty good effort in fighting off the [[Legislator]]s when they invaded the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}}

[[File:Ambulondeath.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|Sorry guys, but it looks like I gotta "split"]]

The ship was soon overrun, and both 'bots found themselves teleported to Pharma's new lab on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]. Unfortunately for Ambulon, he was to play a part in a med-bot contest between Pharma and Ratchet, a contest precipitated by Ambulon being horrifically sawn in half, ''lengthwise''. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} He did not survive the experience, but Ratchet made good use of Ambulon's senseless death. By fashioning a cannon from Ambulon's bisected remains, Ratchet was able to destroy the Legislator assigned to oversee the operation. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} Following their adventure on Luna 1, Ambulon's corpse was returned to the ''Lost Light;'' at some point over the next few years, his body was repaired and returned to its original condition before it was interred within the ship's morgue. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

Before he left the ''Lost Light'' aboard the ''[[O Fortuna]]'', Tailgate gave First Aid a leaving present that contained a photograph of the ship's medical staff—himself, Ratchet, the [[Diagnostic Drone]], and Ambulon. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

Much later, on Luna 1, Red Alert erroneously remembered Ambulon as being in the queue to join the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s launch. {{storylink|Last Light (issue)|Last Light}}

Following [[Getaway]]'s mutiny, the Protectobots returned to the ''Lost Light'' to learn that the escapologist had seized control of the ship. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 1): Full Circle|Full Circle}} Unable to form [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] without the recently deceased [[Rook (CW)|Rook]], the team raided the morgue for Ambulon's body and used his leg mode as a suitable stand-in. Though Defensor attempted to overpower Getaway's forces, he was easily defeated by [[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]]. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

During the final battle for [[Earth]], [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] glimpsed Ambulon's spirit as the Decepticon used the [[Enigma of Combination]] to assist Optimus Prime against [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. {{storylink|Ceremony}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:Ambulon-Kreon.jpg|thumb]]
When [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] attacked Autobot City, Ambulon stood next to [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]] in facing the giant Decepticon. {{storylink|Behemoth Combination! But They're Cute? The Predacon Unit}}

===''TransTech''===
A [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] in [[Axiom Nexus]] knew of Ambulon and did not want to share his solitary alternate mode. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/28}}

=== 2019 IDW continuity ===
Ambulon was among the [[Ascenticon]]s who accepted branding with the new symbol of their movement. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part One}}

==Notes==
*According to [[James Roberts]], "Ambulon" was not his original name, but he sticks to it because someone else we know goes by that name too.<ref>Letters page, "[[Under Cold Blue Stars]]"</ref>
*Also according to James Roberts, Ambulon is the only name he's ever had.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Exclusive: Ambulon is the only name he's ever had. #MTMTE2015|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/681996130985484289|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2015|month=12|day=30|(defunct=)}}</ref>
*Ambulon's leg mode appears to have a ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]''-style peg. What should be noted is that while ''Combiner Wars'' toys in leg mode connect with the combiner torso by the ''knee'', Ambulon's joint is at the ''hip.''
*''Kre-O'' Ambulon uses Ratchet's helmet.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ambulon''' (アンビュロン ''Anbyuron'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 combiners]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) weapons]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Medics]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]

Ambulon

2024-11-09T22:21:49Z

Breech Loader:

{{factions|decepticon|autobot|ascenticon}}
:''Ambulon is an [[Autobot]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:AlexMilne-ambulon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|"[[Pharma (G1)|Poor <s>Kenny</s> Ambulon, he was too young to die and be taken away from us.]]" "Dude, you're the one who ''[[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|cut him in half with a chainsaw.]]''"]]

'''Ambulon''' is the ward manager stationed at [[Delphi]]. He's known to be easily offended, and his fellow Delphi medic [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] notes that he can be "a real gearstick sometimes." The gaps in his uneven paintwork reveal evidence of an earlier, buried portion of his life. Hint: He used to be purple.

Ambulon's alt-mode is entirely redundant — he turns into a leg. Just a leg. This unfortunate [[alternate mode]] is all that remains from his former life, where he was used as a guinea pig for a botched [[combiner]] experiment. He doesn't even have a combiner team to transform into it with.

{{quote|Ambulon: From the verb "to ambulate," meaning "to walk about." It's a stupid name...}}
{{quote|...but all the best names are taken.|Ambulon and [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]|"[[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back]]"}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|"[[Bullets]]" (text story); [[Life After the Big Bang|''More than Meets the Eye'' #4]] (depicted on-panel)}}
[[File:Ambulon CLEAR Life After the Big Bang.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|left|"These legs are almost as nice as me. ''Almost''."]]

The robot who would come to be known as "Ambulon" was originally a [[Decepticon]] [[M.T.O.]] created for an offensive whose name started with "Operation Split Infin—". {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} He eventually became a test subject for the Decepticon [[Combicon]] project, and was modified to transform into a right leg.<ref>http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/viewtopic.php?p=309412#p309412</ref> {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} While the other four Combicons enjoyed their new lot in life, Ambulon chafed under his humiliating new [[alternate mode]]; {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}} circa [[2002]], he abandoned the Decepticons and joined to the Autobots, partaking in the [[Act of Affiliation]]. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

Ten years after his defection, Ambulon and his team of paramedics were on duty on [[Delphi]] when [[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight]]'s squad arrived at Delphi after a skirmish with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. A soldier named [[Schema]] had taken serious fire and was Ambulon's primary concern while staff medic [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] examined Dogfight, [[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] and [[Dodger (G1)|Dodger]] for less-serious injuries. When First Aid began touching all their [[insignia]]s, Ambulon looked up from Schema long enough to tell Dogfight's crew that was just the medic's personal quirk. {{storylink|Bullets}}

When the [[Red Rust]] virus was unleashed, [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], First Aid, and Ambulon rushed to treat the infected. They were later accompanied by [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]], and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] and while First Aid was bringing them up to speed, Ambulon worked on the wounded Backstreet. Later on, when Ratchet, Pharma, and Ambulon were exploring Delphi, they were cornered by the [[Genericon]]s, who had escaped during the outbreak of the virus. They were rescued by an angry Fortress Maximus {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} who made short work of the Genericons.

[[File:NoGunsNoSwordsNoBriefcases-Ambulonleg.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.9|"I'm coming, Baby Legs! I'm... Regular... Legs!"]]

Pharma blamed Ambulon for the Red Rust incident, since he had been a Decepticon, but it was soon revealed that Pharma was behind this. Pharma shot the life support machine and fled through a tunnel in a [[CR chamber]], which had the medics scramble to save the failing patients. After Delphi's inhabitants of the virus were cured with the vaccine, Ambulon left aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'' with other survivors. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} Although Ambulon hoped to keep his embarrassing alternate mode a secret from the rest of the crew, a curious [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] bonked him on the [[Neural cluster|back of the neck]], forcing him into his leg mode. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

Ambulon was working in the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s medical bay when he, along with nearly everyone on board of the Lost Light, was frozen in place due to one of Brainstorm's experimental weapons accidentally going off. After he recovered, he was awarded a [[Rodimus Star]] "for exceptional endurance in the face of adversity." {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

[[File:IDWMtMtE15-AmbulonLegOfAction.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|left|"Okay, so, ten out of ten for style, but minus several million for good thinking, okay?"]]

Following Fortress Maximus's psychotic episode on board the ''Lost Light'' (during which he shot five of the crew and held [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] hostage), Ambulon, along with First Aid and Ratchet, was instrumental in saving Rung's life after he was accidentally shot in the head by Swerve. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} When a number of offline Autobots suddenly awoke and squeezed their audio sensors, Ambulon was assigned to watch over them in the medibay. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} When [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s deactivated body was retrieved and put on life support, Ambulon assisted First Aid in investigating. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}

Ambulon took care of [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] following the injuries he'd sustained on [[Temptoria]]. {{storylink|Before & After}} During [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'s rampage on the ''Lost Light'', Ambulon crashed a [[Mobile Autobot Repair Bay]] into him. It...lost the ''Lost Light'' a M.A.R.B. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}} Rewind, a casualty of the battle, stitched together a final message for [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] using footage from his database, including a recording of Ambulon saying "apart". {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

Following the disappearance of Ultra Magnus from the medibay, Ambulon was questioned as to where the [[Diagnostic Drone|medibot]] had been at the time. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Along with First Aid, Ambulon gave a pretty good effort in fighting off the [[Legislator]]s when they invaded the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}}

[[File:Ambulondeath.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|Sorry guys, but it looks like I gotta "split"]]

The ship was soon overrun, and both 'bots found themselves teleported to Pharma's new lab on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]. Unfortunately for Ambulon, he was to play a part in a med-bot contest between Pharma and Ratchet, a contest precipitated by Ambulon being horrifically sawn in half, ''lengthwise''. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} He did not survive the experience, but Ratchet made good use of Ambulon's senseless death. By fashioning a cannon from Ambulon's bisected remains, Ratchet was able to destroy the Legislator assigned to oversee the operation. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} Following their adventure on Luna 1, Ambulon's corpse was returned to the ''Lost Light;'' at some point over the next few years, his body was repaired and returned to its original condition before it was interred within the ship's morgue. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

Before he left the ''Lost Light'' aboard the ''[[O Fortuna]]'', Tailgate gave First Aid a leaving present that contained a photograph of the ship's medical staff—himself, Ratchet, the [[Diagnostic Drone]], and Ambulon. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

Much later, on Luna 1, Red Alert erroneously remembered Ambulon as being in the queue to join the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s launch. {{storylink|Last Light (issue)|Last Light}}

Following [[Getaway]]'s mutiny, the Protectobots returned to the ''Lost Light'' to learn that the escapologist had seized control of the ship. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 1): Full Circle|Full Circle}} Unable to form [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] without the recently deceased [[Rook (CW)|Rook]], the team raided the morgue for Ambulon's body and used his leg mode as a suitable stand-in. Though Defensor attempted to overpower Getaway's forces, he was easily defeated by [[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]]. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

During the final battle for [[Earth]], [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] glimpsed Ambulon's spirit as the Decepticon used the [[Enigma of Combination]] to assist Optimus Prime against [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. {{storylink|Ceremony}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:Ambulon-Kreon.jpg|thumb]]
When [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] attacked Autobot City, Ambulon stood next to [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]] in facing the giant Decepticon. {{storylink|Behemoth Combination! But They're Cute? The Predacon Unit}}

===''TransTech''===
A [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] in [[Axiom Nexus]] knew of Ambulon and did not want to share his solitary alternate mode. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/28}}

=== 2019 IDW continuity ===
Ambulon was among the [[Ascenticon]]s who accepted branding with the new symbol of their movement. {{storylink|The Change In Your Nature Part One}}

==Notes==
*According to [[James Roberts]], "Ambulon" was not his original name, but he sticks to it because someone else we know goes by that name too.<ref>Letters page, "[[Under Cold Blue Stars]]"</ref>
*Also according to James Roberts, Ambulon is the only name he's ever had.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Exclusive: Ambulon is the only name he's ever had. #MTMTE2015|link=https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/681996130985484289|name=James Roberts|site=Twitter|year=2015|month=12|day=30|(defunct=)}}</ref>
*Ambulon's leg mode appears to have a ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]''-style peg. What should be noted is that while ''Combiner Wars'' toys in leg mode connect with the combiner torso by the ''knee'', Ambulon's joint is at the ''hip.''
*''Kre-O'' Ambulon uses Ratchet's helmet.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ambulon''' (アンビュロン ''Anbyuron'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 combiners]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) weapons]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Medics]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]

How Ratchet Got His Hands Back

2024-11-09T22:17:19Z

Breech Loader: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=5
|prev=Life After the Big Bang
|next=Interiors
|caption=
|image=MTMTE5_cvrA.jpg
|title="How Ratchet Got His Hands Back"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 23]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=May 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''There's nothing left to lose as Ratchet confronts the 'bot behind the plague on Delphi.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:MTMTE5 firstaid takes charge.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
At the [[Delphi]] medical facility, the furious [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] dispatches the two [[Genericon]]s threatening the remaining Autobots there, tearing one in half and decapitating the other with his shoulder compartment. As [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] return to tending the inflicted, [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] pulls a gun on [[Ambulon]], accusing him of freeing the Decepticons and releasing the virus plaguing the facility, on the basis that he is a former Decepticon himself. First Aid, however, turns the tables on Pharma when he examines the Genericons' remains and discovers that they were ''not'' [[Monoformer]]s, as Pharma had claimed. Ratchet puts the final pieces of the puzzle together, and requests that Pharma transform; when he refuses, Ratchet diagnoses the virus as being activated through transformation. First Aid and Ambulon have not succumbed to its effects because First Aid has a malfunctioning [[transformation cog]], while Ambulon's alternate mode is completely redundant, being the leg of a prototype [[combiner]], but Pharma will not transform because he knows this already, being responsible for the plague in the first place. Pharma shoots out a life-support system to cover his escape, rabbiting down a hidden tunnel in a [[CR chamber]] while the other medics scramble to save the lives of their patients. [[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] fades particularly fast, forcing Ratchet to transform into ambulance mode in order to give him a full systems boost from his reboot coils. With the virus now activated within him, Ratchet sets off after Pharma.

Meanwhile, aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] meets with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and requests to undergo the [[Rite of the Autobrand]], having realized the foolishness of his earlier decision to be a [[Decepticon]]. Grudgingly impressed with Tailgate's skill set, Magnus agrees to teach him the [[Autobot Code]], nearly driving the poor little bot out of his head with intense study of the code's ten thousand pages. Tailgate's interest is caught by clause nineteen-eighty-five; remembering the [[Legislator|giant robots]] pursuing [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], he inquires about clause nineteen-eighty-four, which Magnus informs him relates to the supposedly non-existent "thought warfare".

[[File:Red Alert listens How Ratchet Got His Hands Back.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Elsewhere on the ship, [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] meets with one of his oldest patients, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], concerned that the paranoia he helped the security officer overcome is returning. Red Alert insists that he heard a noise emanating from a crack in the floor of the chamber in which the [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] was found, but that ''should'' be impossible, as that chamber is at the lowest point on the ship, with only outer space beyond. Despite Rung's skepticism, Red Alert produces a recording of the sound, which Rung recognizes as a distorted voice...repeating "kill me" over and over again...

[[File:Ratchet Red Rust.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Back in Delphi, Ratchet catches up to Pharma, who gleefully explains his master plan: he engineered the plague in order to shut Delphi down so that he could escape a deal he made with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that forced him to kill patients in order to harvest their transformation cogs for the [[Tarn (G1)|DJD's transformation addicted-leader]] in return for Delphi's safety. The two Genericons—[[Sonic (IDW)|Sonic]] and [[Boom]]—were paid by Pharma to surrender to the facility, and once locked up together, to merge into their audio-equipment alternate mode and project a blast of weaponized sound calculated by Pharma to corrode Transformers from within: the "big bang" that contaminated all who heard it. His vigorous monologuing has blinded Pharma to one thing, however: as Ratchet slowly rusts away in front of him, his liquefied innards have pooled around Pharma's feet, infecting him. Pharma escapes to the roof of the facility with the only vaccine, but is surprised by the appearance of Ratchet's remote-projected [[holomatter]] avatar, which distracts him long enough to let Ratchet catch up and tackle him, causing the vaccine to fall off the building. Ratchet and Pharma grapple, but when Ratchet's arm breaks off, Pharma tumbles off the roof, and is left clinging onto the edge, unable to transform to jet mode and fly to safety without activating the virus. Ratchet turns to leave him to his fate, and the traitorous medic tries to shoot him in the back: luckily, the near-dead [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] appears and slices Pharma's hands off, letting him plummet to his presumed doom.

Thanks to Pharma's vaccine, saved from its fall by Ratchet's holomatter projection, the virus is cured, and everyone leaves for the ''Lost Light''. On the return journey, Ratchet invites First Aid to succeed him as the ship's chief medical officer, recognizing both his skill, and his dedication and honor: it was he who transmitted the escalating death rates—caused by Pharma's cog harvesting—over the ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' frequency. The two doctors lament the loss of both [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] and the old Pharma, but First Aid remarks that Ratchet will always carry part of Pharma with him. Two parts, actually: Ratchet has replaced his worn-out hands with Pharma's!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear in flashbacks.) 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (2)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (5)
* [[Ambulon]] (6)
* [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (7)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (8)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] (9)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (13)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (14)
* [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (16)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* [[Sonic (IDW)|Sonic]] (1)
* [[Boom]] (4)
* ''[[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]]'' (15)
|c4=
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (10)
* ''[[Nova Prime]]'' (12)
}}

==Quotes==
"I have the '''world's worst alt mode:''' I turn into a '''leg.''' Ambulon: From the verb 'to ambulate,' meaning 'to walk about.' It's a stupid name..." 
"...but all the best names are taken."
:—'''Ambulon''' and '''Ratchet'''

"It's just—I thought it would be more of a '''ten-point plan...? One:''' Don't do bad things. '''Two:''' Don't, er, be rude... stuff like—'''three:''' don't be a Decepticon. Stuff like that."
:—'''Tailgate''' on the unexpected intricacies of the Autobot Code

"Relax! A few weeks of '''cripplingly intense study''' and it'll be '''over!''' It might even be '''fff'''— It might even be '''fff'''— I can't—my mouth just won't—I can't say it." 
"Fun...?" 
"'''That's''' the one!"
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Tailgate'''

"I'm not convinced you're paying attention." 
"...what? Oh. Sorry—I, er, I thought I saw some '''graffiti''' on your desk. Yeah, some—some really '''tiny''' graffiti. 'Ultra Magnus is an O.C.D. control freak who uses learning to hurt people.' But it was just a speck of dirt." 
"'''DIRT?!'''" 
"It's okay, sir—it's gone. It can't hurt you now."
:—'''Magnus''' and '''Tailgate''' quickly become this book's next great double-act.

"Pharma, I've been held at gunpoint by the '''best'''—[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], [[Killmaster]]—remember Killmaster? With the wand?—and I've never known anyone take '''so long''' to explain their grand plan."
:—With a dry cool wit like that, '''Ratchet''' could be an action hero.

"You died a long time ago, Pharma. And as for me... my hands don't work, I'm miles from anyone I truly care about, and I'm still coming to terms with the fact that after a '''four-million year build-up,''' peace has turned out to be a '''massive anticlimax.''' Bottom line? I've got nothing else to lose."
:—'''Ratchet'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* The absence of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s [[Moonbase One|first moon]] is mentioned again, previously noted in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]] and an important plot point over in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Stick Together|#3]]. Tailgate claims (falsely) to have coordinated the first search for it, meaning it's been missing since the early days of [[Nova Prime]].
* Speaking of Nova Prime, Tailgate claims (false) responsibility for persuading him to look beyond Cybertron. (He probably didn't know how [[Revelation (IDW)|that turned out]].)
* Ultra Magnus tells Tailgate to relax, a word he later [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|denies the existence of due to never having heard of it]].
* Ratchet's [[holomatter]] avatar returns, a concept only seen [[Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|once]] since [[Simon Furman]]'s time on the series ended. A quick explanation is offered for why the tech was phased out in universe: it's energy-intensive, it demands total concentration, and the hair never looks real.
* While talking about Red Alert's history, Rung mentions the security officer's belief in "the [[Institute]]", a mysterious facility previously mentioned in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". This scene has a very sneaky payoff in [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|#10]].
* Likewise, Drift mentions Ratchet having once saved his life long ago in [[Rodion]], a story that will be shown to us in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|#9]].

===Transformers references===
* The opening moments of the issue, as Fortress Maximus tears one of the Genericons in half and slams the pieces together, is an homage to ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|#5]], in which [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] did the same thing to [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]].
* A patient named [[Tracer (disambiguation)|Tracer]] is listed among those at Delphi. Whether this is supposed to be a new character or one of the existing Tracers is unknown; as the Micromaster [[Tracer (Micromaster)|Tracer]] was an Autobot in Japanese fiction, we'd guess it's him.
* Rung and Red Alert's session numbers are clearly evocative of issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]]: [[Prey!|#97]] was Roberts's first issue; [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|#113]] was the issue that hooked him; [[Front Line! (issue)|#288]] was the issue in which he got a [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|letter printed]]; and issue [[End of the Road! (US)|#332]] was the final installment of the series. The significance of [[The Last Stand|#7]] is not apparent.
* On the subject of numbers, Rung's patient number for Red Alert is the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|numbers]] used for Red Alert's Japanese toy releases (his [[Red Alert (G1)#Generation 1 2|original toy]] ID, [[Red Alert (G1)#Smallest Transforming Transformers|Smallest Transforming Transformers]], and [[Red Alert (G1)#Binaltech Asterisk|Binaltech Asterisk]] numbers respectively).

===Real-world references===
* Ironically, clause Nineteen Eighty-Four is not a direct reference to what [[1984|you might be thinking]]. Rather, "Nineteen Eighty-Four" and "thought warfare" homage {{w|Nineteen Eighty-Four|the novel of the same name}} by George Orwell, in which a totalitarian state controls the populace through "thought crime" and "double think," both forms of thought control, though "thought warfare" in the IDW continuity is often taken [[Mnemosurgery|more]] [[Nudge gun|literally]].

===Crew Manifest===
* Fortress Maximus, Ambulon, and First Aid return to the ''Lost Light'' with Ratchet.
* Red Alert admits finding 207 of his fellow crew suspicious.
* 5 deaths, 5 new arrivals since the launch.

===Errors===
* First Aid's hands are inconsistently colored. In some panels they are red with white fingers, while in other panels these colors are switched.

===Soundtrack===
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-aB4wtWiYI "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying"] by {{w|Belle & Sebastian}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fR21QVgJ84 "Carries On"] by {{w|Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros}}

When a thread was compiled for the soundtrack on the IDW boards, the second of these songs had been lost, so Roberts [http://web.archive.org/web/20150905164925/http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/viewtopic.php?p=305968#p305968 suggested] the following as a replacement:
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c7QRP8mIt8 "City Sickness"] by {{w|Tindersticks}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''"Meii" Ratchet no Fukkatsu'''" ("名医"ラチェットの復活, "The Resurrection of "Legendary Doctor" Ratchet")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Hur Ratchet fick händerna tillbaka'''" ("How Ratchet Got His Hands Back")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Ratchet, infected with Red Rust, by Alex Milne and [[Josh Perez]].
* '''Cover B:''' Ultra Magnus teaches Tailgate the Autobot Code, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]. This cover was accidentally printed in a blurry, low-resolution quality.
* '''Cover RI:''' Ratchet and Drift, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]], the first half of a combined image formed with the RI cover to ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[A Better Tomorrow|#5]].

<gallery>
File:MTMTE5_cvrA.jpg|This looks [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|familiar]].
File:MTMTE5_cvrB.jpg|You '''will''' deal with this now!
File:MTMTE5_cvrRI.jpg|I am cooler than you.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[A Better Tomorrow|#5]]
* ''[[Star Trek|Star Trek: The Next Generation]]/[[Doctor Who]]: Assimilation²''
* ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]''
* CGC
* IDW ''Ghostbusters'' comics
* [[John Byrne]]'s ''Trio''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' ([[October 17]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613774982 / ISBN 978-1613774984 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #4–8.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, "Meet the Crew" and "Meet the 'Cons" pages.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1]]''''' ([[September 3]], [[2014]]) ISBN 1631400401 / ISBN 978-1631400407
** Collects ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3 & #4–5, and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]–[[A Better Tomorrow|5]] & [[Syndromica (1)|#6]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' volumes 1–5.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' ([[December 26]], [[2018]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–6, and ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]]'' & ''[[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]''.
** Bonus material includes an all-new interview with James Roberts, rare archive material from the dawn of ''More than Meets the Eye'', Alex Milne's sketchbook, a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Mer än ögat kan se''''' ([[June 15]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–8 & Annual 2012, ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' & ''Hoist'', and a special illustrated edition of "[[Bullets]]".
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol2.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V1.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v53.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE_SWE_01.jpg|'''''Mer än ögat kan se''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]].
</gallery>

Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things

2024-11-09T21:01:53Z

Breech Loader: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=3
|prev=Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On
|next=Life After the Big Bang
|caption=
|image=MTMTE3_cvrA.jpg
|title="Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[March 14]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=March 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''''Something'' is loose aboard the ''Lost Light'', and the Autobots must hunt it down before it kills again!'''

==Synopsis==
Aboard the once-again-airborne ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] laments the passing of his fellow [[Duobot]] [[Ore]], and sets about removing all the evidence he can that they were [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s agents aboard the ship: in fact, Ore was too close to the engine block that he wound up being mashed into precisely because he was following Prowl's instructions to place a tracer on it. When Shock goes looking for the tracer, he is attacked by a monstrous creature hidden in the bowels of the ship, which pulls out his [[brain module]] and consumes his [[spark]]. His dead body is found a short time later by [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], who blames the death on a mythical Cybertronian creature called a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] and passes the news on to [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]].

[[File:Chromedome mnemosurgery ChaosOfWarmThings.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
Dubbing the scenario "cool", Rodimus calmly orders the assembled [[Autobot]]s to their quarters without explanation, has them locked in (because of ''course'' they'd disobey orders and sneak off), and takes [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]], [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]], [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], and [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] with him to investigate Shock's body. The group bickers about the potential existence or not of Sparkeaters, with Ratchet in particular loudly insisting they keep to a rational train of thought. At Rodimus's request, Chromedome reveals his hidden talents: he is a [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]], capable of tapping into a living or dead brain and reading its memories. Doing so to Shock, Chromedome discovers that whether or not a "Sparkeater" is the proper term for it, there is definitely a spark-munching monster loose on the ''Lost Light''. Knowing that it will seek out the "brightest spark", the Autobots split into teams to hunt it down, with Rodimus remaining on the lower decks on the cocksure belief that the Sparkeater will be coming for him.

Meanwhile, the other crew members deal with the situation in their own ways. Realizing that they know each other from millions of years past, [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] helps [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]—stuck in mid-transformation—to a set of quarters, where he grimly relates the history of the war that Tailgate slept through, and ponders which side the little 'bot would have taken. [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] get a little lost and wind up not in a habitation suite but a bar, where Swerve wistfully remembers the old pre-war plans he had with [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] to open a joint of his own. Skids, on the other hand, takes a distinct dislike to being locked in, and leaves via a ceiling duct, on the justification that his lack of memories is allowing him to make up his life and personality as he goes along.

[[File:LiarsAtoD3-Animus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Kids, don't lock your crewmates out of the room to tease them, you never know when a Sparkeater is stalking the spaceship.]]
[[Animus]], having been unable to find a unit of his own, knocks on [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'s door to be allowed back in. While previously teasing, Whirl can no longer open the door as they are auto-locked, and Animus is set upon and killed by the vicious Sparkeater. Whirl blasts his way out of his quarters and opens fire on the Sparkeater, but at the last second, Trailbreaker appears and surrounds the creature with a forcefield to prevent the undigested sparks in its stomach from igniting. The Sparkeater flees, and the Autobots realize that since there's only one room in the direction its going, it must have found the brightest spark—[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s! The creature bursts into the psychiatrist's office, but Skids suddenly pops out of the ceiling and drags Rung up into the ducts to relative safety.

[[File:Sparkeater rips The Chaos of Warm Things.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7]]
Below decks, Rodimus and Drift discover that the Sparkeater had been trapped by the previous [[Neutral]] owners of the ship, who kept it docile by feeding it [[turbofox]]es. Hitting upon a plan, he contacts Rung and Skids and orders them to lure the pursuing Sparkeater back down into the engine room. Skids has them take the direct route route, moving from duct to elevator shaft and into the carriage below, much to the surprise of its occupant, [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]]. The Sparkeater is hot on their heels, but Brainstorm finds himself lucky enough to be spared by the monster as it continues its pursuit of Rung and it probably had nothing to do with [[Unmentionable|his briefcase]]...

Once Rung and Skids reach the engine room, Rodimus grabs hold of the therapist and uses him as live bait to lure the Sparkeater in close. At the last moment, Rodimus throws Rung to safety and grapples with the creature, ordering [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] to initiate a quantum jump. Manoeuvring the Sparkeater into place, Rodimus teaches it the first lesson of interstellar travel: never stand next to a quantum generator when it's about to flout the laws of nature! Like Ore before it, the Sparkeater is mashed into the generator and perishes, though the heroic act costs Rodimus his arms as well.

A little later, in the medibay, Rodimus has been outfitted with some new arms by Ratchet, and is lambasted by Ultra Magnus for his reckless risking of Rung's life: something that he feels nobody else is willing to do, and says with concern that third-in-command Drift has too much awe for Rodimus. The boss does not take kindly to this and snaps that on ''this'' ship, Magnus takes orders from ''him''.

And across the room, as Ratchet works to unjam his stuck transformation, Tailgate announces that he has chosen a faction based on what he has learned from Cyclonus: he wants to be a [[Decepticon]]!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear in flashbacks.) 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Ore]] (1)
* [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] (2)
* [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (3)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (5)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (6)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (7)
* [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] (9)
* [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (10)
* [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (11)
* [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (12)
* [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (13)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (14)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Pointblank]] (15)
* [[Animus]] (16)
* [[Xaaron]] (17)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (18)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (19)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (20)
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (21)
* [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (22)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (23)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (24)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (25)
* [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (26)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (28)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (29)
* [[Boss (G1)|Boss]] (30)
* ''[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'' (34)
* ''[[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]]'' (36)
* ''[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'' (37)
* ''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'' (38)
* ''[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]'' (41)
* [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (44)
* [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (45)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* ''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (32)
* ''[[Vos (G1)|Forestock]]'' (33)
* ''[[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]]'' (35)
* ''[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]]'' (39)
* ''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (42)
* ''[[Decepticon agitator]]'' (43)
|c4=
* [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] (4)
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (8)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] (27)
* ''[[Nominus Prime]]'' (31)
* ''[[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]]'' (40)
}}

==Quotes==
"Nickel, iron, cobalt, chrome, 
He'll eat your soul, 
Turn your spark to stone, 
Nickel, iron, cobalt, chrome, 
Run, little robot, run away home."
:—Traditional Cybertronian rhyme

"I once arrested a Decepticon who thought he was a Sparkeater. He called himself the Dark Assassin, Devourer of Souls and Propagator of Infinite Sin. His real name was '''[[Blip]]'''."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' isn't one for superstition.

"A '''brain module''' sitting outside a body without a head wound. Now I'm no doctor, but that strikes me as '''intensely wrong'''." 
"Woah. '''Two questions'''. One: Are we saying he '''vomited up his own brain?''' And '''two:''' can I please go home now?"
:—'''Trailbreaker''' handles things a little better than '''Rewind''' does.

"Ratchet, could you put his brain back in his head? With corpses, I prefer to go through the '''eye sockets'''." 
"I cannot '''begin''' to tell you what's wrong with that sentence."
:—'''Chromedome''' and '''Drift'''

'''Drift:''' "This is a '''dark and troubling omen'''. Sparkeaters are drawn to pain and emotional trauma. I don't know what the Neutrals were up to, but '''horrific''' things must have happened on this ship. We're being '''punished'''." 
'''Ratchet:''' "With all due respect, Drift, I don't think I've ever heard such a load of—" 
'''Rewind:''' "'''Shock!''' I said Ore. I meant Shock. His name's Shock. Sorry everyone."

"Must admit, I had you pegged as a fellow '''rule breaker'''." 
"Me? No, no, no, I'm all mouth. My nickname at the academy was 'Shut the Hell Up.'"
:—'''Skids''' and '''Swerve'''

"It's '''Trailbreaker''', the one-trick pony, here to spoil the fun." 
"If your missiles had connected with an '''unprotected spark''', you could've '''destroyed''' half the ship!" 
"Which half?"
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Ultra Magnus'''

"I'm too '''smart''' to die!"
:—'''Brainstorm''', showing that he has replaced Sunstreaker as the Autobot's resident sociopath

"I've shielded the thrusters like you asked, but this '''plan''' of yours—I want to place on record my '''severe reservations'''." 
"Duly noted and ignored. Now '''get ready!'''"
:'''Perceptor''' and '''Rodimus''' set the status quo for the latter's leadership style

"If you want to put your '''own''' life at risk, go ahead. But using Rung like that..." 
"Are you '''lecturing''' me? Is this a '''lecture?'''" 
"No, this is me telling you something that no one else will."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus''' face off

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Shock refers to several events from Cybertronian history that he and Ore survived, which have all been mentioned in one or more previous IDW works by Roberts: the [[Battle for Hell's Point]], the [[Crucible]], and the various horrors of [[Babu Yar]].
* The [[Shimmer]] and the beverage [[Engex]] crop up in this issue, having put in their sole previous appearances in Roberts's earlier work ''[[Bullets]]''. Also debuting in that story was the Autobot [[Animus]], who made his first pictorial appearance in a crowd scene last issue, before being named and, in short order, meeting his end in this issue. Trailbreaker also mentions the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] and the [[Moonbase One|Seething Moon]], both of which will figure into the plot further down the line.
* Back in [[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|issue #24]] of the ongoing, the name of the planet [[Varas Centralus]]—originally introduced in ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]''—was accidentally misspelled "[[Veras Centralus]]". In this issue, that mistake is papered over when Rewind refers to the two as separate but similarly named planets that he mixes up with one another. Turns out there's also a [[Verus Centralus|Ver'''u'''s Centralus]], too!
* Skids asks Swerve if he knows much about music. He does this again, to Brainstorm, [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|two issues later]]. In "[[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?]]", we find out Skids keeps hearing the aria "[[The Empyrean Suite]]" in his head.
* The montage panel illustrating Cyclonus's war history features a number of different scenes, many of them either seen or implied in other Roberts issues:
** [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] fighting a Senate-employed Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, likely depicting the miner's arrest following his bar fight in "[[Chaos Theory Part 1]]".
** The wall-mounted screen smashed by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s thrown datapad at the end of the same issue.
** Prowl investigating the death of [[Sherma]], later seen in full in "[[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc]]".
** Sentinel aiming a nasty looking device at a bed-ridden [[Nominus Prime]]'s chest, following on from the revelation in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]" that the attack on the Prime was orchestrated to allow the Senate access to the [[Matrix of Leadership]].
** [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]], who would later appear in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]].
** [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] branding [[Decepticon agitator|a Decepticon recruit]]'s bicep with a faction insignia. This would later be the first Decepticon symbol ever seen by [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #4]].
** Starscream executing Senator [[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]], a character expanded upon during the later "Shadowplay" story.
** The destruction of the [[Grand Imperium]] by the Decepticons, an event first mentioned in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and referenced again [[Life After the Big Bang|next issue]].
** Megatron aiming the 'bot who would become [[Vos (G1)|Vos]] in weapon mode at an unseen target. This is likely an artefact of James Roberts' original intention for [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] to have been assassinated by sniper rifle, mentioned in '[[Bullets]]', but this was later overwritten by a far more up-close-and-personal defeat shown in [[Choices|''Autocracy'' #7]].
** An apparently indecisive Grimlock looking between Autobot and Decepticon [[insignia]] in his hands. This would never be fully explained but [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]] would establish Grimlock to be on the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]'s List, which compiles Decepticons who have betrayed the cause.
* Brainstorm thrusts his briefcase at the Sparkeater in an attempt to ward it off. It then leaves despite clearly having him cornered. Brainstorm's miraculous survival is eventually explained in "[[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet]]". Meanwhile, his briefcase's purpose is explained in [[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|issue #35]].

===Real-life references===
* Chromedome refers to a principle of Transformer biology called "[[Rossum's Trinity]]", a reference to the 1920 Czech science fiction play "Rossum's Universal Robots", which was significant for introducing the word "robot" into the English language. The principle seems an attempt by Roberts to harmonize a few elements of Transformer life, and explains how damage to a Transformers [[brain module]] can cause [[death]], as it did in his earlier work ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' (an idea pulled right out of the Marvel UK series), when [[spark]]s have long since surpassed the idea of the module as the seat of Transformer life. The third part of the trinity is the [[transformation cog]], damage to which was not historically known to be fatal prior to [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]] of this series, which saw a [[NAIL]] commit suicide by essentially burning his cog out through overuse.
* According to the TPB Rewind's comment that he has footage of a Sparkeater from the Gimlin Facility is a reference to Robert Gimlin, who with Roger Patterson claimed to have caught Bigfoot on film.

===Trivia===
* This issue's title was previously used by James Roberts as the title of the first chapter of his unofficial Transformers novel, ''Eugenesis''.
* Rodimus' quote to Perceptor "Duly noted and ignored," was used [[Masquerade|at least]] [[Nemesis Part 2|twice before]] in previous Transformers media.

===Crew Manifest===
* Animus is killed by the Sparkeater.
* 5 deaths, 2 new arrivals since the launch.

===Errors===
* The ''story so far'' page is missing a space between "Cybertron" and "an".
* Despite Skids being established as never letting go of the handgun in his right hand, he's drawn without it in the panel where he reveals the grappling hook in his left hand.
* Whirl's canopy is fully repaired, even though it was still damaged at the end of the last issue.

===Soundtrack===
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv3-vANWwcU "Love Love Love"] by {{w|the Mountain Goats}}
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqNxaIqKbT0 "Tonight We Fly"] by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Usohappyaku Part 3: Ikidzuku Konton'''" (嘘八百パート3：息づく混沌, "Pack of Lies Part 3: Living Chaos")

* ''Title:'' "'''Lögnare, från A till D Del 3: Varma sakers oordning'''" ("Liars, From A to D Part 3: The Disorder of Warm Things")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Trailbreaker shields Ultra Magnus and Red Alert with his forcefield, by Alex Milne and [[Josh Perez]].
* '''Cover B:''' Chromedome reads Shock's mind, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Joana Lafuente]].
* '''Cover RI:''' Black and white lineart version of Cover A.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE3_cvrA.jpg|How often does Trailbreaker get a cover? Awesome!
File:MTMTE3_cvrB.jpg|Chromedome's been dropping acid
File:MTMTE3_cvrRI.jpg|Cover RI
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' #3
* ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy]]''
* ''Rocketeer Adventures 2''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' ([[June 13]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613772351 / ISBN 978-1613772355 
** Collects ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, 12 promotional images, "Meet the Crew" page, design sketches from [[Alex Milne]] for various characters and ship locations, and a 2-page editor's comment with "behind the scenes" information about the series.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' (Reissue) ([[May 21]], [[2014]]) ISBN 1613779658 / ISBN 978-1613779651
** Collects ''The Death of Optimus Prime'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3.
** New cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]].
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1]]''''' ([[September 3]], 2014) ISBN 1631400401 / ISBN 978-1631400407
** Collects ''The Death of Optimus Prime'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3 & #4–5, and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]–[[A Better Tomorrow|5]] & [[Syndromica (1)|#6]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' volumes 1–5.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' ([[December 26]], [[2018]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–6, and ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]]'' & ''[[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]''.
** Bonus material includes an all-new interview with James Roberts, rare archive material from the dawn of ''More than Meets the Eye'', Alex Milne's sketchbook, a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Mer än ögat kan se''''' ([[June 15]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–8 & Annual 2012, ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' & ''Hoist'', and a special illustrated edition of "[[Bullets]]".
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol1.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:MTMTE vol1 reissue.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V1.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v53.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE_SWE_01.jpg|'''''Mer än ögat kan se''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]].
</gallery>

Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things

2024-11-09T20:59:46Z

Breech Loader: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=3
|prev=Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On
|next=Life After the Big Bang
|caption=
|image=MTMTE3_cvrA.jpg
|title="Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[March 14]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=March 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''''Something'' is loose aboard the ''Lost Light'', and the Autobots must hunt it down before it kills again!'''

==Synopsis==
Aboard the once-again-airborne ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] laments the passing of his fellow [[Duobot]] [[Ore]], and sets about removing all the evidence he can that they were [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s agents aboard the ship: in fact, Ore was too close to the engine block that he wound up being mashed into precisely because he was following Prowl's instructions to place a tracer on it. When Shock goes looking for the tracer, he is attacked by a monstrous creature hidden in the bowels of the ship, which pulls out his [[brain module]] and consumes his [[spark]]. His dead body is found a short time later by [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], who blames the death on a mythical Cybertronian creature called a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] and passes the news on to [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]].

[[File:Chromedome mnemosurgery ChaosOfWarmThings.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
Dubbing the scenario "cool", Rodimus calmly orders the assembled [[Autobot]]s to their quarters without explanation, has them locked in (because of ''course'' they'd disobey orders and sneak off), and takes [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]], [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]], [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], and [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] with him to investigate Shock's body. The group bickers about the potential existence or not of Sparkeaters, with Ratchet in particular loudly insisting they keep to a rational train of thought. At Rodimus's request, Chromedome reveals his hidden talents: he is a [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]], capable of tapping into a living or dead brain and reading its memories. Doing so to Shock, Chromedome discovers that whether or not a "Sparkeater" is the proper term for it, there is definitely a spark-munching monster loose on the ''Lost Light''. Knowing that it will seek out the "brightest spark", the Autobots split into teams to hunt it down, with Rodimus remaining on the lower decks on the cocksure belief that the Sparkeater will be coming for him.

Meanwhile, the other crew members deal with the situation in their own ways. Realizing that they know each other from millions of years past, [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] helps [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]—stuck in mid-transformation—to a set of quarters, where he grimly relates the history of the war that Tailgate slept through, and ponders which side the little 'bot would have taken. [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] get a little lost and wind up not in a habitation suite but a bar, where Swerve wistfully remembers the old pre-war plans he had with [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] to open a joint of his own. Skids, on the other hand, takes a distinct dislike to being locked in, and leaves via a ceiling duct, on the justification that his lack of memories is allowing him to make up his life and personality as he goes along.

[[File:LiarsAtoD3-Animus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|It really was an accident, you know...]]
[[Animus]], having been unable to find a unit of his own, knocks on [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'s door to be allowed back in. While previously teasing, Whirl can no longer open the door as they are auto-locked, and Animus is set upon and killed by the vicious Sparkeater. Whirl blasts his way out of his quarters and opens fire on the Sparkeater, but at the last second, Trailbreaker appears and surrounds the creature with a forcefield to prevent the undigested sparks in its stomach from igniting. The Sparkeater flees, and the Autobots realize that since there's only one room in the direction its going, it must have found the brightest spark—[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s! The creature bursts into the psychiatrist's office, but Skids suddenly pops out of the ceiling and drags Rung up into the ducts to relative safety.

[[File:Sparkeater rips The Chaos of Warm Things.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7]]
Below decks, Rodimus and Drift discover that the Sparkeater had been trapped by the previous [[Neutral]] owners of the ship, who kept it docile by feeding it [[turbofox]]es. Hitting upon a plan, he contacts Rung and Skids and orders them to lure the pursuing Sparkeater back down into the engine room. Skids has them take the direct route route, moving from duct to elevator shaft and into the carriage below, much to the surprise of its occupant, [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]]. The Sparkeater is hot on their heels, but Brainstorm finds himself lucky enough to be spared by the monster as it continues its pursuit of Rung and it probably had nothing to do with [[Unmentionable|his briefcase]]...

Once Rung and Skids reach the engine room, Rodimus grabs hold of the therapist and uses him as live bait to lure the Sparkeater in close. At the last moment, Rodimus throws Rung to safety and grapples with the creature, ordering [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] to initiate a quantum jump. Manoeuvring the Sparkeater into place, Rodimus teaches it the first lesson of interstellar travel: never stand next to a quantum generator when it's about to flout the laws of nature! Like Ore before it, the Sparkeater is mashed into the generator and perishes, though the heroic act costs Rodimus his arms as well.

A little later, in the medibay, Rodimus has been outfitted with some new arms by Ratchet, and is lambasted by Ultra Magnus for his reckless risking of Rung's life: something that he feels nobody else is willing to do, and says with concern that third-in-command Drift has too much awe for Rodimus. The boss does not take kindly to this and snaps that on ''this'' ship, Magnus takes orders from ''him''.

And across the room, as Ratchet works to unjam his stuck transformation, Tailgate announces that he has chosen a faction based on what he has learned from Cyclonus: he wants to be a [[Decepticon]]!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear in flashbacks.) 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Ore]] (1)
* [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] (2)
* [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (3)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (5)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (6)
* [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (7)
* [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] (9)
* [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (10)
* [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (11)
* [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (12)
* [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (13)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (14)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Pointblank]] (15)
* [[Animus]] (16)
* [[Xaaron]] (17)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (18)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (19)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (20)
* [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (21)
* [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (22)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (23)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (24)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (25)
* [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (26)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (28)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (29)
* [[Boss (G1)|Boss]] (30)
* ''[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'' (34)
* ''[[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]]'' (36)
* ''[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'' (37)
* ''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'' (38)
* ''[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]'' (41)
* [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (44)
* [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (45)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* ''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (32)
* ''[[Vos (G1)|Forestock]]'' (33)
* ''[[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]]'' (35)
* ''[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]]'' (39)
* ''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (42)
* ''[[Decepticon agitator]]'' (43)
|c4=
* [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] (4)
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (8)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] (27)
* ''[[Nominus Prime]]'' (31)
* ''[[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]]'' (40)
}}

==Quotes==
"Nickel, iron, cobalt, chrome, 
He'll eat your soul, 
Turn your spark to stone, 
Nickel, iron, cobalt, chrome, 
Run, little robot, run away home."
:—Traditional Cybertronian rhyme

"I once arrested a Decepticon who thought he was a Sparkeater. He called himself the Dark Assassin, Devourer of Souls and Propagator of Infinite Sin. His real name was '''[[Blip]]'''."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' isn't one for superstition.

"A '''brain module''' sitting outside a body without a head wound. Now I'm no doctor, but that strikes me as '''intensely wrong'''." 
"Woah. '''Two questions'''. One: Are we saying he '''vomited up his own brain?''' And '''two:''' can I please go home now?"
:—'''Trailbreaker''' handles things a little better than '''Rewind''' does.

"Ratchet, could you put his brain back in his head? With corpses, I prefer to go through the '''eye sockets'''." 
"I cannot '''begin''' to tell you what's wrong with that sentence."
:—'''Chromedome''' and '''Drift'''

'''Drift:''' "This is a '''dark and troubling omen'''. Sparkeaters are drawn to pain and emotional trauma. I don't know what the Neutrals were up to, but '''horrific''' things must have happened on this ship. We're being '''punished'''." 
'''Ratchet:''' "With all due respect, Drift, I don't think I've ever heard such a load of—" 
'''Rewind:''' "'''Shock!''' I said Ore. I meant Shock. His name's Shock. Sorry everyone."

"Must admit, I had you pegged as a fellow '''rule breaker'''." 
"Me? No, no, no, I'm all mouth. My nickname at the academy was 'Shut the Hell Up.'"
:—'''Skids''' and '''Swerve'''

"It's '''Trailbreaker''', the one-trick pony, here to spoil the fun." 
"If your missiles had connected with an '''unprotected spark''', you could've '''destroyed''' half the ship!" 
"Which half?"
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Ultra Magnus'''

"I'm too '''smart''' to die!"
:—'''Brainstorm''', showing that he has replaced Sunstreaker as the Autobot's resident sociopath

"I've shielded the thrusters like you asked, but this '''plan''' of yours—I want to place on record my '''severe reservations'''." 
"Duly noted and ignored. Now '''get ready!'''"
:'''Perceptor''' and '''Rodimus''' set the status quo for the latter's leadership style

"If you want to put your '''own''' life at risk, go ahead. But using Rung like that..." 
"Are you '''lecturing''' me? Is this a '''lecture?'''" 
"No, this is me telling you something that no one else will."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus''' face off

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Shock refers to several events from Cybertronian history that he and Ore survived, which have all been mentioned in one or more previous IDW works by Roberts: the [[Battle for Hell's Point]], the [[Crucible]], and the various horrors of [[Babu Yar]].
* The [[Shimmer]] and the beverage [[Engex]] crop up in this issue, having put in their sole previous appearances in Roberts's earlier work ''[[Bullets]]''. Also debuting in that story was the Autobot [[Animus]], who made his first pictorial appearance in a crowd scene last issue, before being named and, in short order, meeting his end in this issue. Trailbreaker also mentions the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] and the [[Moonbase One|Seething Moon]], both of which will figure into the plot further down the line.
* Back in [[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|issue #24]] of the ongoing, the name of the planet [[Varas Centralus]]—originally introduced in ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]''—was accidentally misspelled "[[Veras Centralus]]". In this issue, that mistake is papered over when Rewind refers to the two as separate but similarly named planets that he mixes up with one another. Turns out there's also a [[Verus Centralus|Ver'''u'''s Centralus]], too!
* Skids asks Swerve if he knows much about music. He does this again, to Brainstorm, [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|two issues later]]. In "[[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?]]", we find out Skids keeps hearing the aria "[[The Empyrean Suite]]" in his head.
* The montage panel illustrating Cyclonus's war history features a number of different scenes, many of them either seen or implied in other Roberts issues:
** [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] fighting a Senate-employed Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, likely depicting the miner's arrest following his bar fight in "[[Chaos Theory Part 1]]".
** The wall-mounted screen smashed by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s thrown datapad at the end of the same issue.
** Prowl investigating the death of [[Sherma]], later seen in full in "[[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc]]".
** Sentinel aiming a nasty looking device at a bed-ridden [[Nominus Prime]]'s chest, following on from the revelation in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]" that the attack on the Prime was orchestrated to allow the Senate access to the [[Matrix of Leadership]].
** [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]], who would later appear in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]].
** [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] branding [[Decepticon agitator|a Decepticon recruit]]'s bicep with a faction insignia. This would later be the first Decepticon symbol ever seen by [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #4]].
** Starscream executing Senator [[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]], a character expanded upon during the later "Shadowplay" story.
** The destruction of the [[Grand Imperium]] by the Decepticons, an event first mentioned in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and referenced again [[Life After the Big Bang|next issue]].
** Megatron aiming the 'bot who would become [[Vos (G1)|Vos]] in weapon mode at an unseen target. This is likely an artefact of James Roberts' original intention for [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] to have been assassinated by sniper rifle, mentioned in '[[Bullets]]', but this was later overwritten by a far more up-close-and-personal defeat shown in [[Choices|''Autocracy'' #7]].
** An apparently indecisive Grimlock looking between Autobot and Decepticon [[insignia]] in his hands. This would never be fully explained but [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]] would establish Grimlock to be on the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]'s List, which compiles Decepticons who have betrayed the cause.
* Brainstorm thrusts his briefcase at the Sparkeater in an attempt to ward it off. It then leaves despite clearly having him cornered. Brainstorm's miraculous survival is eventually explained in "[[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet]]". Meanwhile, his briefcase's purpose is explained in [[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|issue #35]].

===Real-life references===
* Chromedome refers to a principle of Transformer biology called "[[Rossum's Trinity]]", a reference to the 1920 Czech science fiction play "Rossum's Universal Robots", which was significant for introducing the word "robot" into the English language. The principle seems an attempt by Roberts to harmonize a few elements of Transformer life, and explains how damage to a Transformers [[brain module]] can cause [[death]], as it did in his earlier work ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' (an idea pulled right out of the Marvel UK series), when [[spark]]s have long since surpassed the idea of the module as the seat of Transformer life. The third part of the trinity is the [[transformation cog]], damage to which was not historically known to be fatal prior to [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]] of this series, which saw a [[NAIL]] commit suicide by essentially burning his cog out through overuse.
* According to the TPB Rewind's comment that he has footage of a Sparkeater from the Gimlin Facility is a reference to Robert Gimlin, who with Roger Patterson claimed to have caught Bigfoot on film.

===Trivia===
* This issue's title was previously used by James Roberts as the title of the first chapter of his unofficial Transformers novel, ''Eugenesis''.
* Rodimus' quote to Perceptor "Duly noted and ignored," was used [[Masquerade|at least]] [[Nemesis Part 2|twice before]] in previous Transformers media.

===Crew Manifest===
* Animus is killed by the Sparkeater.
* 5 deaths, 2 new arrivals since the launch.

===Errors===
* The ''story so far'' page is missing a space between "Cybertron" and "an".
* Despite Skids being established as never letting go of the handgun in his right hand, he's drawn without it in the panel where he reveals the grappling hook in his left hand.
* Whirl's canopy is fully repaired, even though it was still damaged at the end of the last issue.

===Soundtrack===
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv3-vANWwcU "Love Love Love"] by {{w|the Mountain Goats}}
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqNxaIqKbT0 "Tonight We Fly"] by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Usohappyaku Part 3: Ikidzuku Konton'''" (嘘八百パート3：息づく混沌, "Pack of Lies Part 3: Living Chaos")

* ''Title:'' "'''Lögnare, från A till D Del 3: Varma sakers oordning'''" ("Liars, From A to D Part 3: The Disorder of Warm Things")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Trailbreaker shields Ultra Magnus and Red Alert with his forcefield, by Alex Milne and [[Josh Perez]].
* '''Cover B:''' Chromedome reads Shock's mind, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Joana Lafuente]].
* '''Cover RI:''' Black and white lineart version of Cover A.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE3_cvrA.jpg|How often does Trailbreaker get a cover? Awesome!
File:MTMTE3_cvrB.jpg|Chromedome's been dropping acid
File:MTMTE3_cvrRI.jpg|Cover RI
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' #3
* ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy]]''
* ''Rocketeer Adventures 2''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' ([[June 13]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613772351 / ISBN 978-1613772355 
** Collects ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3.
** Bonus material includes art from most covers, 12 promotional images, "Meet the Crew" page, design sketches from [[Alex Milne]] for various characters and ship locations, and a 2-page editor's comment with "behind the scenes" information about the series.
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' (Reissue) ([[May 21]], [[2014]]) ISBN 1613779658 / ISBN 978-1613779651
** Collects ''The Death of Optimus Prime'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3.
** New cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]].
** Trade paperback format.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1]]''''' ([[September 3]], 2014) ISBN 1631400401 / ISBN 978-1631400407
** Collects ''The Death of Optimus Prime'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–3 & #4–5, and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' issues [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]–[[A Better Tomorrow|5]] & [[Syndromica (1)|#6]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
** Collects ''More Than Meets the Eye'' volumes 1–5.
** Bonus material unknown at this time.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' ([[December 26]], [[2018]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–6, and ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]]'' & ''[[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]''.
** Bonus material includes an all-new interview with James Roberts, rare archive material from the dawn of ''More than Meets the Eye'', Alex Milne's sketchbook, a cover gallery and a forward by Simon Furman.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Mer än ögat kan se''''' ([[June 15]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #1–8 & Annual 2012, ''Spotlight: Trailcutter'' & ''Hoist'', and a special illustrated edition of "[[Bullets]]".
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol1.jpg|'''''More than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:MTMTE vol1 reissue.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V1.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1''''' – cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v53.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE_SWE_01.jpg|'''''Mer än ögat kan se''''' – cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]].
</gallery>

A Fistful of Energon

2024-11-02T23:53:58Z

Breech Loader:

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|ep=23
|ep2=21
|prev2=Velocity (episode)
|next2=SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy
|image=AFistfulofEnergon-StarscreamPurpleclone.jpg
|caption=Has the Allspark Power line ended yet? Is it safe for redecos to come out now?
|title="A Fistful of Energon"
|airdate=[[May 24]], [[2008]] (Canada) [[May 31]], 2008 (USA)
|season=2
|season ep=7
|written by=[[Andrew Robinson]]
|directed by=[[Irineo Maramba]] [[Matt Youngberg]] [[Makoto Fuchigami]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]
|video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxiBGnFhLZk
|videosite=YouTube
}}

'''Prowl goes off on his own to capture the fugitive Starscream, but finds some competition in the form of a Decepticon bounty hunter. '''

==Synopsis==
[[File:TFA Fistful Energon Starscream escape.JPG|thumb|left|"Okay, Starscream farted on us and escaped during our confusion. Let's never talk about this again." "Agreed."]]

As the [[Elite Guard]]'s [[Sigma Supreme|ship]] proceeds on its journey, an explosion rocks the hull, and out flies [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], declaring vengeance against [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] once again.

On [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]], [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] are on the lookout for their feral friends in response to reports of some rampaging going on. Prowl has been sent along with [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet's]] EMP generator and some [[stasis cuffs]], but doubts he will need them since the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] are such gentle spirits when left alone and he has always been able to reason with them. [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] soon contradicts Prowl's perspective by charging into the clearing like an angry rhino. Prowl is still determined to take it easy on the big guy until Grimlock's jaws get dangerously close to a nest filled with adorable little baby birdies. Using an EMP blast, Prowl quickly incapacitates Grimlock.

[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-ProwlEMPGenerator.jpg|thumb|We can use my wrist thingy to track Bender's [[Personality component|brain]].]]

Prowl and Bulkhead are both surprised that it came to that, but Prowl rationalizes that he did what he had to do to save the little birds. At this point, he notices a thorn stuck in Grimlock's paw as the likely source of the Dinobot's extra aggression. With some advice from Ratchet over the comm, Prowl uses controlled bursts from the EMP to stabilize the affected area, and Bulkhead yanks out the spike. Grimlock sighs in relief, and everything is all better.

Before they can head home, however, [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] contacts the [[Autobot]] base with a message that Starscream has escaped and was last seen headed back to Earth. They would have sent that message sooner, but it seems [[Mission Accomplished|their tachyon transmitter has gone missing]]. Megatron, who has been intercepting the message, takes a look at his own tachyon transmitter and sarcastically wonders where the Autobots' could have gone. He then wastes no time putting out a bounty on the escaped [[Decepticon]] traitor.

Back on the island, Prowl is feeling pretty tough after taking down the big, bad Grimlock all by himself and is already contemplating a similar hunt for Starscream. At the very least, while they're in the neighborhood, he and Bulkhead use [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Teletran-1]]'s sensitive scanners to locate Starscream's [[AllSpark]] fragment...on the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]. Prowl believes they have everything they need to go after him right away, but Bulkhead reminds him that Starscream is a little out of their league if it's just the two of them. Prowl agrees, but as soon as Bulkhead is off the ship and his back is turned, Prowl takes off in the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|ship]]'s [[emergency shuttle]] by himself and heads for the Moon.

Prowl tracks the AllSpark fragment to the remains of the Decepticon warship. Optimus and Ratchet try to warn him how crazy his plan is and order him to return, but Prowl disregards them with some unconvincing fake static and heads inside the ship. He believes the mission of apprehending Starscream is best suited to a single bot built for stealth. Then, as he's sneaking around, his target finds him first and asks him derisively whom he's seeking here. Way to use that stealth...

[[File:TFA Fistful Energon Prowl vs Lockdown.JPG|thumb|left|[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowls]] and their [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|sexual tension]].]]

Before Starscream can fire his null ray, a well-placed [[shuriken]] disables it. The fight begins, and thanks to the EMP, Prowl manages to hold his own. Starscream eventually gets in a direct hit, but on a hologram. The real Prowl gets into position, and an EMP blast knocks out the Decepticon. As soon as the fugitive is stasis-cuffed, a newcomer walks up and offers to take the bounty off his hands. It's [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]...wearing a poncho? He and Prowl start to fight over the prize. Meanwhile, Starscream comes to and yells at them to stop fighting because (as he says) he is afraid of rusting well before anybody wins. Neither combatant appreciates Starscream's comments, and both yell back at him to shut up and to lie still. He follows their orders and keeps silent for some time. But soon the fighters notice that their "prize" is silent for a bit too long. Looking down, they discover that he has already released his stasis cuffs and escaped safely. Outside, Starscream (who is strangely brown-coloured) blasts Prowl's shuttle and flies off toward Earth. Lockdown decloaks [[Death's Head (Animated)|his own ship]] and takes pursuit, with Prowl hitching a ride on the hull.

Lockdown is finding it difficult to locate Starscream's Decepticon signal when Prowl ambushes him, deflecting a counter-attack with a shield mod borrowed from Lockdown's own display case. Once they're at a standstill, Prowl points out that he knows how to track Starscream's AllSpark fragment, but he'll need Lockdown's sensors to do it. Thus a partnership is created, and Lockdown offers his new friend a few more upgrades to make sure they get the job done right.

[[File:Samprowl.jpg|thumb|Okay, let's '''ignore''' the fact that Samurai and Ninja are polar opposites, and bask in the '''total''' awesomeness that is Samurai Prowl.]]

Lockdown's ship touches down in Detroit and disguises itself as a building again. Lockdown and Prowl transform and roll out, with Prowl enjoying the feel of his new samurai armor/sidecar. They track the signal to a highway where Starscream is cowering beneath a bridge. When they confront him, they notice that there's something wrong with him. He behaves considerably more cowardly than usual, and is painted considerably more purple. Prowl shows off his upgrades, flying circles around the fleeing Decepticon and eventually taking him down with an EMP blast. Lockdown is impressed. With the bounty secured, he contacts Megatron and arranges a meeting at an abandoned warehouse. Prowl is shocked to learn the two-faced bounty hunter he'd partnered with had been working for someone evil. When Starscream begs Lockdown not to hand over him to Megatron, Prowl tells him to calm himself and attempts to cross Lockdown. Seeing their partnership is no long profitable, the bounty hunter incapacitates Prowl, tying him up with a bola, and drives off with his bounty in tow.

The other Autobots show up to untie their errant companion and chew him out, but Prowl is more interested in continuing pursuit of Starscream. The rest of the team follow, but point out that Prowl is starting to sound too much like Lockdown, as the mods are going to his head.

They almost catch up with Lockdown and the purple Starscream when they're stopped on the road by the arrival of ''another'' Starscream. This one sports a brown and off-white color scheme and is something of a sycophant... He attempts to negotiate a pact with the Autobots to work together and destroy Megatron, but Prowl turns down the offer and attacks. Using his new arsenal, he leads, disarms, and disables the brown Starscream. It's a cool but messy victory. Ratchet scolds Prowl for not just taking him out with a single EMP blast. Prowl attests that his way was more fun, but Ratchet points out all the collateral damage he caused, including a knocked down bird's nest with its eggs broken all over the sidewalk. On the contrary, Starscream praises Prowl's "fine and effective sneak attack" and even doubts if he is really an Autobot "from top to toe". Prowl feels awful upon realizing what he has done, but chasing Lockdown is still more important for him.

[[File:TFA Fistful Energon Decepticons turbulence.JPG|thumb|left|"Augh, Primus! Even his CLONES' gas is rancid!"]]

Prowl sneaks into the warehouse where Lockdown had set up the meeting with Megatron, intending to prevent the Decepticon leader from dealing with Starscream. Megatron declares his intention to punish Starscream exemplarily. But before he has the chance, Prowl accidentally gives away his presence. Megatron orders Blitzwing and Lugnut to take "the Autobot offender" in charge, but the other Autobots burst in, bringing yet another Starscream. Before anyone can figure out which is the real one, the two Starscreams open their cockpits to reveal a pair of ticking time bombs. The real Starscream's voice announces that it was all part of his plan to take his enemies all out at once. Megatron isn't about to sit around and be blown up, though, so he shoots the skylight and calls for the Decepticons to transform and rise up. Lockdown escapes safely, though rewardless.

The blast will take out half the city, so Prowl uses his mods to weld the Starscreams together and jam their jets on so they rocket straight up into the atmosphere. The explosion doesn't harm the city (besides setting off a lot of car alarms) but does do a number on the fleeing Decepticons.

While Lockdown is escaping from the planet again, he contacts Prowl and offers a permanent partnership, since they're so much alike. Prowl turns down the offer, claiming it was fun while it lasted, but the super-charged bounty hunter life just wasn't his style. With all his upgrades shorted out or gone, Prowl detaches the one mod that got out without a scratch, Ratchet's EMP generator, and returns it to its rightful owner.

[[File:Lotta starscreams.jpg|thumb|Begun, the [[Clone Wars|Clone War]] has.]]

Later, Starscream sits within his new base aboard the wreckage of the [[Nemesis (Animated)|Decepticon warship]] and watches an announcement from Megatron stating that the bounty on the fugitive has been increased, but whoever captures him had better make sure it's the real deal. Starscream himself is furious that his trap failed, but it doesn't matter, as he has plenty more decoys where that came from...
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] (1)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (2)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] (3)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (5)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (6)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (8)
*[[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] (9)
*[[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] (10)
*[[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] (11)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (4)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (12)
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (13)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Icy Blitzwing]] (14)<ref>Yes, it's true. Blitzwing went the entire episode without switching personalities.</ref>
*[[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] (15)
*[[Clone number 2716057|Clone #2716057]] (16)
*[[Clone number 3370318|Clone #3370318]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
''[Ratchet and Prime are communicating with Prowl and Bulkhead over the radio]'' 
'''Ratchet''': Prowl, any sign of the Dinobots? 
'''Prowl''': Negative, Ratchet. I'm starting to think those reports of rampages were nothing but exaggeration. 
'''Optimus''': We're not taking any chance, Prowl. That's why I had Ratchet lend you his EMP generator and those stasis cuffs. 
'''Prowl''': Still, I hardly think they're necessary. The Dinobots are territorial, but if left alone, they're perfectly happy. 
''[Grimlock roars, then runs out of the forest, charging the Autobots]'' 
'''Bulkhead''': He doesn't look too happy to me!
:—The Autobots are Dinobot hunting...and things are not going well.

"Me Grimlock...''better''."
:—'''Grimlock''' after Bulkhead removes the spike, but before he passes out.

"I'm afraid Sari and Bumblebee left on an important fact-finding mission this morning. To someplace called... 'Five Banners Roller Coaster Kingdom'."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' gets duped.

"Prowl, exactly what line of JUNK CODE is scrambling your software?!"
:—Prowl is in hot water with '''Ratchet'''.

"Personally, I've always found Bumblebee's fake static to be a lot more convincing."
:—'''Ratchet''' doesn't get duped.

'''Starscream''': You call this a fight? I'll rust before someone wins! And I'm in a vacuum! 
'''Prowl''' and '''Lockdown''': Will you keep quiet?!
:—Prowl and Lockdown tell Starscream where to stick it.

"No! No, please! Leave me alone!" 
"Maybe it's me, but that doesn't sound like the Starscream I know..."
:—His reaction to '''Coward Starscream'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s plea for mercy leaves one wondering if '''Lockdown''' has ever met the real Screamer...

'''Sycophant Starscream''': Well, if it isn't my favorite band of plucky little Autobots. 
'''Optimus''': Autobots, prepare for battle! 
'''Sycophant Starscream''': Wait, you misunderstand. Noble Optimus Prime, wise Ratchet, stealthy Prowl and ''mighty''...eh... 
'''Bulkhead''': Bulkhead! 
'''Sycophant Starscream''': Ooh, that's too bad.
:—'''Starscream''' pulls a [[Transform and Roll Out#Quotes|Bumblebee]]

"Did you really think I would offer so little a challenge? I allowed you to capture these ''clones'' to fulfill my plan to eliminate you all! Especially you, MegaFOOL! Mwa-hah-ha-ha-ha! In moments you will be blown to bits, and I will become the Supreme Leader of ALL DECEPTICONS!"
:—Speaking through his clones, the real '''Starscream'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s speech-making tendencies are undimmed, even if he now prefers to do it from a safe distance.

'''Megatron''': Attention all Decepticons. I, Megatron, am increasing the bounty on the traitor Starscream. Only this time, make sure you find the ''real'' Starscream. 
'''Starscream''': Curse you Megatron! What does it take to destroy you? Oh well, plenty more where they came from.
:—'''Starscream''' intercepting a transmission from '''Megatron'''.

==Notes==

===Transformers references===
* The Starscream clones are, of course, a reference to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] of [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]], most notable for being [[Air Warrior|hordes of disposable Decepticons]] in "[[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More than Meets the Eye]]" (and then kinda vanishing save for [[Rainmaker|rare appearances later]]).

===Continuity notes===
*It seems that since the [[Rise of the Constructicons|events of the last episode]] Bulkhead has grown a taste for oil, as he can be seen drinking it when he and Prowl are first on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]].
*Starscream's cloning process will be revealed in "[[A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]", using pieces of his Allspark fragment to power them and explaining why they show up on the Allspark scanners in this episode. Exactly where he got the raw material for the clones won't be revealed until "[[Endgame, Part I]]", in which we're told they're made from the [[protoform]]s stolen back in "[[Five Servos of Doom]]".
*It's not the first time in ''Animated'' that an Autobot [[Nanosec (episode)|sacrifices a new upgrade to launch a bomb that could destroy Detroit into upper atmosphere]].

===Real-world references===
[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-Lockdowninponcho.jpg|thumb|Space banditos? Never heard of them.]]
*This episode contains numerous references to ''{{w|A Fistful of Dollars}}'', including the title, Lockdown wearing a poncho in his first appearance, and the Mexican standoff scene in the warehouse.
*''A Fistful of Dollars'' is, in turn, a Western adaptation of ''{{w|Yojimbo (film)|Yojimbo}}'', which also accounts for Prowl's samurai armor.
*Grimlock's foot problem recalls "The Lion and the Mouse", an Aesop's fable about a mouse who befriends a lion by pulling a thorn out of his paw. Or the tale of the Christian Saint Jerome, whose life was saved by the lion he'd helped when he later encountered it in a Roman circus. Or the story of Androcles and the Lion...it's been done a lot.
*Five Banners Roller Coaster Kingdom is a reference to the {{w|Six Flags}} chain of amusement parks and possibly {{w|Magic Kingdom}} as well.

===Animation or technical errors===
[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-Grimlockfootshard.jpg|thumb|So painful, resting in between my toes harmlessly!]]
* The large spike stuck in Grimlock's foot is nowhere to be seen in the full-body shots previous to Prowl discovering it.
* The dialogue suggests that the spike is jammed through Grimlock's foot, but the animation shows it merely stuck between his toes.
* When Lockdown first appears, his head is missing the design across his forehead.
* Just after mud-coloured Starscream tells the Autobots of his plan in joining forces, his mouth disappears.
* Ratchet's war wound disappears when he's telling Prowl to get rid of his mods, just after his showy (and destructive) capture of the red Starscream clone.
* After Lockdown's ship lands and he and Prowl transform, Lockdown's head is seen forming the engine block. In the next shot, his engine emerges from the hood, where his head previously formed it.
* Blitzwing's "missing wings" bit from "[[Mission Accomplished]]" returns when we first see him.

===Continuity errors===
* When Starscream tells them he'll rust, in a ''vacuum'', Lockdown and Prowl tell him to shut up, an action that should be impossible, given that sound cannot carry in space. In fact, during all the time spent in space, the characters interact with each other as if they were under atmospheric conditions - of course, they could have open commlinks to each other.
* Why doesn't anyone notice that the Starscreams are different colors? Sure, the coward's paint job isn't that noticeable, but wouldn't they notice that the other guy's orange?

===Trivia===
*This episode was first aired in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] are absent from this episode, with Optimus saying that they're on an "important fact-finding mission" (an amusement park). Therefore, we don't get to see if Sari's hair grew back since [[Rise of the Constructicons|last episode]].
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] and [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], on the other hand, appear but say nothing, as do [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] and even [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]]. Result!
*The clones seem to embody elements of Starscream's personality, the purple Starscream representing Starscream's cowardice and the reddish-brown Starscream representing Starscream's sycophantic, flattering nature. This is confirmed to be the case in "[[A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]."
*Both altered-color clones use Starscream's original colors as a base, but the sycophantic one runs towards "hotter" colors playing up the red and white (a little devilish, perhaps?), while the cowardly one has colors more on the "cold" end, leaning into purple and stony grey.
[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-Lockdownwithhelmet.jpg|thumb|I can't believe they ran out of voice-changer helmets!]]
*While you could be forgiven for assuming Prowl's armor was a Hasbro idea, it actually predates the toy. Hasbro decided to make a toy of it after watching the episode.<ref>http://community.livejournal.com/tf_animated/271043.html</ref>
*The other Autobots, and eventually Prowl as well, treat his upgrades as a bad thing. In the story, this makes sense because Lockdown acquires his trophies by hacking them off other Cybertronians, a practice the other characters had [[The Thrill of the Hunt|previously shown]] to find extremely distasteful (at best). Oddly, this goes against [[retool|everything Hasbro wants us to believe]].
*While Ratchet seems to be the moral compass of this episode, the day is only saved by Prowl's use of his upgrades.
*Why is Prowl so surprised that Lockdown is working for the Decepticons? That's ''exactly'' what he was doing the last time they met. And Lockdown specifically tells Prowl that Starscream has a large bounty. With that, along with knowing Starscream is a traitor, this one really is on Prowl.
*Apparently Starscream put a few extra zeros in when programming the timer on the clones. His plot might have worked if he hadn't given Megatron three minutes to run away.
*Exactly ''why'' does Lockdown wear a poncho? Apparently it's a handy dandy stealth device. That's right people, stealth poncho! No good ninja pretending to be Mexican should be without it.
*When the probe from ''Teletran-1'' deploys, there is a [[Star Trek]] communicator chirp clearly heard.
*When the Ark shuttle lifts off behind Bulkhead, there is a [[Star Wars]] hyperspace docking ring engine sound able to be heard.
*This episode was adapted in comic book format using screen captures as half of "[[Transformers Animated Volume 10]]", with "[[Rise of the Constructicons]]" making up the other half. It was also adapted in book format as "[[Starscream Flies Again]]".

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Pour une poignée d'Énergon'''" ("For a Fistful of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''Spanish (Latin America)'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Un Puñado de Energon'''" ("A fistful Of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[October 25|25 October]] [[2008]]

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Der doppelte Starscream'''" ("Double Starscream")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 23|23 July]] [[2008]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''La Potenza non è Tutto'''" ("Power is not Everything")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[February 28|28 February]] [[2009]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zōshoku-suru Teki'''" (増殖する敵, "Increasing Enemies")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[August 21|21 August]] [[2010]]
::* New stock footage of Starscream transforming and delivering the warning, with Prowl doing the intro.
::* The [[Otoboto family]] segment has all four members participating in a quiz contest, [[Hiroyuki Otoboto|Hiroyuki]] wondering where the announcer's voice is coming from in a no-fourth-wall moment. The first question asks what was the second half of the title to 2007 ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> sequel. They respond with "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge]]"—[[Megumi Otoboto|each]] [[Yūka Otoboto|family]] [[Tatsuya Otoboto|member]] writing the individual katakana "リベンジ" separately. The prize for the second question is the gold [[Lucky Draw figure|Lucky Draw]] Optimus figure, although it has nothing to do with Transformers—it's regarding 5-time Olympic judo medalist {{w|Ryoko Tani|Ryōko "Yawara-chan" Tani}}.

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Garść Energonu'''" ("A Fistful of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Um Punhado de Energon'''" ("A Fistful of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season Two ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Five: Fistful of Energon (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Five: Fistful of Energon (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Fünf: Der Doppelte Starscream (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2011 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 6 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2014 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season Two ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers Animated'' — The Complete Series ([[Shout! Factory]])

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fistful of Energon}}
[[Category:Animated episodes]]

A Fistful of Energon

2024-11-02T23:44:07Z

Breech Loader: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|ep=23
|ep2=21
|prev2=Velocity (episode)
|next2=SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy
|image=AFistfulofEnergon-StarscreamPurpleclone.jpg
|caption=Has the Allspark Power line ended yet? Is it safe for redecos to come out now?
|title="A Fistful of Energon"
|airdate=[[May 24]], [[2008]] (Canada) [[May 31]], 2008 (USA)
|season=2
|season ep=7
|written by=[[Andrew Robinson]]
|directed by=[[Irineo Maramba]] [[Matt Youngberg]] [[Makoto Fuchigami]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]
|video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxiBGnFhLZk
|videosite=YouTube
}}

'''Prowl goes off on his own to capture the fugitive Starscream, but finds some competition in the form of a Decepticon bounty hunter. '''

==Synopsis==
[[File:TFA Fistful Energon Starscream escape.JPG|thumb|left|"Okay, Starscream farted on us and escaped during our confusion. Let's never talk about this again." "Agreed."]]

As the [[Elite Guard]]'s [[Sigma Supreme|ship]] proceeds on its journey, an explosion rocks the hull, and out flies [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], declaring vengeance against [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] once again.

On [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]], [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] are on the lookout for their feral friends in response to reports of some rampaging going on. Prowl has been sent along with [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet's]] EMP generator and some [[stasis cuffs]], but doubts he will need them since the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] are such gentle spirits when left alone and he has always been able to reason with them. [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] soon contradicts Prowl's perspective by charging into the clearing like an angry rhino. Prowl is still determined to take it easy on the big guy until Grimlock's jaws get dangerously close to a nest filled with adorable little baby birdies. Using an EMP blast, Prowl quickly incapacitates Grimlock.

[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-ProwlEMPGenerator.jpg|thumb|We can use my wrist thingy to track Bender's [[Personality component|brain]].]]

Prowl and Bulkhead are both surprised that it came to that, but Prowl rationalizes that he did what he had to do to save the little birds. At this point, he notices a thorn stuck in Grimlock's paw as the likely source of the Dinobot's extra aggression. With some advice from Ratchet over the comm, Prowl uses controlled bursts from the EMP to stabilize the affected area, and Bulkhead yanks out the spike. Grimlock sighs in relief, and everything is all better.

Before they can head home, however, [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] contacts the [[Autobot]] base with a message that Starscream has escaped and was last seen headed back to Earth. They would have sent that message sooner, but it seems [[Mission Accomplished|their tachyon transmitter has gone missing]]. Megatron, who has been intercepting the message, takes a look at his own tachyon transmitter and sarcastically wonders where the Autobots' could have gone. He then wastes no time putting out a bounty on the escaped [[Decepticon]] traitor.

Back on the island, Prowl is feeling pretty tough after taking down the big, bad Grimlock all by himself and is already contemplating a similar hunt for Starscream. At the very least, while they're in the neighborhood, he and Bulkhead use [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Teletran-1]]'s sensitive scanners to locate Starscream's [[AllSpark]] fragment...on the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]. Prowl believes they have everything they need to go after him right away, but Bulkhead reminds him that Starscream is a little out of their league if it's just the two of them. Prowl agrees, but as soon as Bulkhead is off the ship and his back is turned, Prowl takes off in the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|ship]]'s [[emergency shuttle]] by himself and heads for the Moon.

Prowl tracks the AllSpark fragment to the remains of the Decepticon warship. Optimus and Ratchet try to warn him how crazy his plan is and order him to return, but Prowl disregards them with some unconvincing fake static and heads inside the ship. He believes the mission of apprehending Starscream is best suited to a single bot built for stealth. Then, as he's sneaking around, his target finds him first and asks him derisively whom he's seeking here. Way to use that stealth...

[[File:TFA Fistful Energon Prowl vs Lockdown.JPG|thumb|left|[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowls]] and their [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|sexual tension]].]]

Before Starscream can fire his null ray, a well-placed [[shuriken]] disables it. The fight begins, and thanks to the EMP, Prowl manages to hold his own. Starscream eventually gets in a direct hit, but on a hologram. The real Prowl gets into position, and an EMP blast knocks out the Decepticon. As soon as the fugitive is stasis-cuffed, a newcomer walks up and offers to take the bounty off his hands. It's [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]...wearing a poncho? He and Prowl start to fight over the prize. Meanwhile, Starscream comes to and yells at them to stop fighting because (as he says) he is afraid of rusting well before anybody wins. Neither combatant appreciates Starscream's comments, and both yell back at him to shut up and to lie still. He follows their orders and keeps silent for some time. But soon the fighters notice that their "prize" is silent for a bit too long. Looking down, they discover that he has already released his stasis cuffs and escaped safely. Outside, Starscream (who is strangely brown-coloured) blasts Prowl's shuttle and flies off toward Earth. Lockdown decloaks [[Death's Head (Animated)|his own ship]] and takes pursuit, with Prowl hitching a ride on the hull.

Lockdown is finding it difficult to locate Starscream's Decepticon signal when Prowl ambushes him, deflecting a counter-attack with a shield mod borrowed from Lockdown's own display case. Once they're at a standstill, Prowl points out that he knows how to track Starscream's AllSpark fragment, but he'll need Lockdown's sensors to do it. Thus a partnership is created, and Lockdown offers his new friend a few more upgrades to make sure they get the job done right.

[[File:Samprowl.jpg|thumb|Okay, let's '''ignore''' the fact that Samurai and Ninja are polar opposites, and bask in the '''total''' awesomeness that is Samurai Prowl.]]

Lockdown's ship touches down in Detroit and disguises itself as a building again. Lockdown and Prowl transform and roll out, with Prowl enjoying the feel of his new samurai armor/sidecar. They track the signal to a highway where Starscream is cowering beneath a bridge. When they confront him, they notice that there's something wrong with him. He behaves considerably more cowardly than usual, and is painted considerably more purple. Prowl shows off his upgrades, flying circles around the fleeing Decepticon and eventually taking him down with an EMP blast. Lockdown is impressed. With the bounty secured, he contacts Megatron and arranges a meeting at an abandoned warehouse. Prowl is shocked to learn the two-faced bounty hunter he'd partnered with had been working for someone evil. When Starscream begs Lockdown not to hand over him to Megatron, Prowl tells him to calm himself and attempts to cross Lockdown. However, the tough bounty-hunter ''double''-crosses Prowl, tying him up with a bola, and drives off with his bounty in tow.

The other Autobots show up to untie their errant companion and chew him out, but Prowl is more interested in continuing pursuit of Starscream. The rest of the team follow, but point out that Prowl is starting to sound too much like Lockdown, as the mods are going to his head.

They almost catch up with Lockdown and the purple Starscream when they're stopped on the road by the arrival of ''another'' Starscream. This one sports a brown and off-white color scheme and rather a sly and manipulative personality. He attempts to negotiate a pact with the Autobots to work together and destroy Megatron, but Prowl turns down the offer and attacks. Using his new arsenal, he leads, disarms, and disables the brown Starscream. It's a cool but messy victory. Ratchet scolds Prowl for not just taking him out with a single EMP blast. Prowl attests that his way was more fun, but Ratchet points out all the collateral damage he caused, including a knocked down bird's nest with its eggs broken all over the sidewalk. On the contrary, Starscream praises Prowl's "fine and effective sudden attack" and even doubts if he is really an Autobot "from top to toe". Prowl feels awful upon realizing what he has done, but puts it aside. Chasing Lockdown is still more important for him.

[[File:TFA Fistful Energon Decepticons turbulence.JPG|thumb|left|"Augh, Primus! Even his CLONES' gas is rancid!"]]

Prowl sneaks into the warehouse where Lockdown had set up the meeting with Megatron, intending to prevent the Decepticon leader from dealing with Starscream. Megatron declares his intention to punish Starscream exemplarily. But before he has the chance, Prowl accidentally gives away his presence. Megatron orders Blitzwing and Lugnut to take "the Autobot offender" in charge, but the other Autobots burst in, bringing yet another Starscream. Before anyone can figure out which is the real one, the two Starscreams open their cockpits to reveal a pair of ticking time bombs. The real Starscream's voice announces that it was all part of his plan to take his enemies all out at once. Megatron isn't about to sit around and be blown up, though, so he shoots the skylight and calls for the Decepticons to transform and rise up. Lockdown escapes safely, though rewardless.

The blast will take out half the city, so Prowl uses his mods to weld the Starscreams together and jam their jets on so they rocket straight up into the atmosphere. The explosion doesn't harm the city (besides setting off a lot of car alarms) but does do a number on the fleeing Decepticons.

While Lockdown is escaping from the planet again, he contacts Prowl and offers a permanent partnership, since they're so much alike. Prowl turns down the offer, claiming it was fun while it lasted, but the super-charged bounty hunter life just wasn't his style. With all his upgrades shorted out or gone, Prowl detaches the one mod that got out without a scratch, Ratchet's EMP generator, and returns it to its rightful owner.

[[File:Lotta starscreams.jpg|thumb|Begun, the [[Clone Wars|Clone War]] has.]]

Later, Starscream sits within his new base aboard the wreckage of the [[Nemesis (Animated)|Decepticon warship]] and watches an announcement from Megatron stating that the bounty on the fugitive has been increased, but whoever captures him had better make sure it's the real deal. Starscream himself is furious that his trap failed, but it doesn't matter, as he has plenty more decoys where that came from...
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] (1)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (2)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] (3)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (5)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (6)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (8)
*[[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] (9)
*[[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] (10)
*[[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] (11)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (4)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (12)
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (13)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Icy Blitzwing]] (14)<ref>Yes, it's true. Blitzwing went the entire episode without switching personalities.</ref>
*[[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] (15)
*[[Clone number 2716057|Clone #2716057]] (16)
*[[Clone number 3370318|Clone #3370318]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
''[Ratchet and Prime are communicating with Prowl and Bulkhead over the radio]'' 
'''Ratchet''': Prowl, any sign of the Dinobots? 
'''Prowl''': Negative, Ratchet. I'm starting to think those reports of rampages were nothing but exaggeration. 
'''Optimus''': We're not taking any chance, Prowl. That's why I had Ratchet lend you his EMP generator and those stasis cuffs. 
'''Prowl''': Still, I hardly think they're necessary. The Dinobots are territorial, but if left alone, they're perfectly happy. 
''[Grimlock roars, then runs out of the forest, charging the Autobots]'' 
'''Bulkhead''': He doesn't look too happy to me!
:—The Autobots are Dinobot hunting...and things are not going well.

"Me Grimlock...''better''."
:—'''Grimlock''' after Bulkhead removes the spike, but before he passes out.

"I'm afraid Sari and Bumblebee left on an important fact-finding mission this morning. To someplace called... 'Five Banners Roller Coaster Kingdom'."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' gets duped.

"Prowl, exactly what line of JUNK CODE is scrambling your software?!"
:—Prowl is in hot water with '''Ratchet'''.

"Personally, I've always found Bumblebee's fake static to be a lot more convincing."
:—'''Ratchet''' doesn't get duped.

'''Starscream''': You call this a fight? I'll rust before someone wins! And I'm in a vacuum! 
'''Prowl''' and '''Lockdown''': Will you keep quiet?!
:—Prowl and Lockdown tell Starscream where to stick it.

"No! No, please! Leave me alone!" 
"Maybe it's me, but that doesn't sound like the Starscream I know..."
:—His reaction to '''Coward Starscream'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s plea for mercy leaves one wondering if '''Lockdown''' has ever met the real Screamer...

'''Sycophant Starscream''': Well, if it isn't my favorite band of plucky little Autobots. 
'''Optimus''': Autobots, prepare for battle! 
'''Sycophant Starscream''': Wait, you misunderstand. Noble Optimus Prime, wise Ratchet, stealthy Prowl and ''mighty''...eh... 
'''Bulkhead''': Bulkhead! 
'''Sycophant Starscream''': Ooh, that's too bad.
:—'''Starscream''' pulls a [[Transform and Roll Out#Quotes|Bumblebee]]

"Did you really think I would offer so little a challenge? I allowed you to capture these ''clones'' to fulfill my plan to eliminate you all! Especially you, MegaFOOL! Mwa-hah-ha-ha-ha! In moments you will be blown to bits, and I will become the Supreme Leader of ALL DECEPTICONS!"
:—Speaking through his clones, the real '''Starscream'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s speech-making tendencies are undimmed, even if he now prefers to do it from a safe distance.

'''Megatron''': Attention all Decepticons. I, Megatron, am increasing the bounty on the traitor Starscream. Only this time, make sure you find the ''real'' Starscream. 
'''Starscream''': Curse you Megatron! What does it take to destroy you? Oh well, plenty more where they came from.
:—'''Starscream''' intercepting a transmission from '''Megatron'''.

==Notes==

===Transformers references===
* The Starscream clones are, of course, a reference to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] of [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]], most notable for being [[Air Warrior|hordes of disposable Decepticons]] in "[[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More than Meets the Eye]]" (and then kinda vanishing save for [[Rainmaker|rare appearances later]]).

===Continuity notes===
*It seems that since the [[Rise of the Constructicons|events of the last episode]] Bulkhead has grown a taste for oil, as he can be seen drinking it when he and Prowl are first on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]].
*Starscream's cloning process will be revealed in "[[A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]", using pieces of his Allspark fragment to power them and explaining why they show up on the Allspark scanners in this episode. Exactly where he got the raw material for the clones won't be revealed until "[[Endgame, Part I]]", in which we're told they're made from the [[protoform]]s stolen back in "[[Five Servos of Doom]]".
*It's not the first time in ''Animated'' that an Autobot [[Nanosec (episode)|sacrifices a new upgrade to launch a bomb that could destroy Detroit into upper atmosphere]].

===Real-world references===
[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-Lockdowninponcho.jpg|thumb|Space banditos? Never heard of them.]]
*This episode contains numerous references to ''{{w|A Fistful of Dollars}}'', including the title, Lockdown wearing a poncho in his first appearance, and the Mexican standoff scene in the warehouse.
*''A Fistful of Dollars'' is, in turn, a Western adaptation of ''{{w|Yojimbo (film)|Yojimbo}}'', which also accounts for Prowl's samurai armor.
*Grimlock's foot problem recalls "The Lion and the Mouse", an Aesop's fable about a mouse who befriends a lion by pulling a thorn out of his paw. Or the tale of the Christian Saint Jerome, whose life was saved by the lion he'd helped when he later encountered it in a Roman circus. Or the story of Androcles and the Lion...it's been done a lot.
*Five Banners Roller Coaster Kingdom is a reference to the {{w|Six Flags}} chain of amusement parks and possibly {{w|Magic Kingdom}} as well.

===Animation or technical errors===
[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-Grimlockfootshard.jpg|thumb|So painful, resting in between my toes harmlessly!]]
* The large spike stuck in Grimlock's foot is nowhere to be seen in the full-body shots previous to Prowl discovering it.
* The dialogue suggests that the spike is jammed through Grimlock's foot, but the animation shows it merely stuck between his toes.
* When Lockdown first appears, his head is missing the design across his forehead.
* Just after mud-coloured Starscream tells the Autobots of his plan in joining forces, his mouth disappears.
* Ratchet's war wound disappears when he's telling Prowl to get rid of his mods, just after his showy (and destructive) capture of the red Starscream clone.
* After Lockdown's ship lands and he and Prowl transform, Lockdown's head is seen forming the engine block. In the next shot, his engine emerges from the hood, where his head previously formed it.
* Blitzwing's "missing wings" bit from "[[Mission Accomplished]]" returns when we first see him.

===Continuity errors===
* When Starscream tells them he'll rust, in a ''vacuum'', Lockdown and Prowl tell him to shut up, an action that should be impossible, given that sound cannot carry in space. In fact, during all the time spent in space, the characters interact with each other as if they were under atmospheric conditions - of course, they could have open commlinks to each other.
* Why doesn't anyone notice that the Starscreams are different colors? Sure, the coward's paint job isn't that noticeable, but wouldn't they notice that the other guy's orange?

===Trivia===
*This episode was first aired in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] are absent from this episode, with Optimus saying that they're on an "important fact-finding mission" (an amusement park). Therefore, we don't get to see if Sari's hair grew back since [[Rise of the Constructicons|last episode]].
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] and [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], on the other hand, appear but say nothing, as do [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] and even [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]]. Result!
*The clones seem to embody elements of Starscream's personality, the purple Starscream representing Starscream's cowardice and the reddish-brown Starscream representing Starscream's sycophantic, flattering nature. This is confirmed to be the case in "[[A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]."
*Both altered-color clones use Starscream's original colors as a base, but the sycophantic one runs towards "hotter" colors playing up the red and white (a little devilish, perhaps?), while the cowardly one has colors more on the "cold" end, leaning into purple and stony grey.
[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-Lockdownwithhelmet.jpg|thumb|I can't believe they ran out of voice-changer helmets!]]
*While you could be forgiven for assuming Prowl's armor was a Hasbro idea, it actually predates the toy. Hasbro decided to make a toy of it after watching the episode.<ref>http://community.livejournal.com/tf_animated/271043.html</ref>
*The other Autobots, and eventually Prowl as well, treat his upgrades as a bad thing. In the story, this makes sense because Lockdown acquires his trophies by hacking them off other Cybertronians, a practice the other characters had [[The Thrill of the Hunt|previously shown]] to find extremely distasteful (at best). Oddly, this goes against [[retool|everything Hasbro wants us to believe]].
*While Ratchet seems to be the moral compass of this episode, the day is only saved by Prowl's use of his upgrades.
*Why is Prowl so surprised that Lockdown is working for the Decepticons? That's ''exactly'' what he was doing the last time they met. And Lockdown specifically tells Prowl that Starscream has a large bounty. With that, along with knowing Starscream is a traitor, this one really is on Prowl.
*Apparently Starscream put a few extra zeros in when programming the timer on the clones. His plot might have worked if he hadn't given Megatron three minutes to run away.
*Exactly ''why'' does Lockdown wear a poncho? Apparently it's a handy dandy stealth device. That's right people, stealth poncho! No good ninja pretending to be Mexican should be without it.
*When the probe from ''Teletran-1'' deploys, there is a [[Star Trek]] communicator chirp clearly heard.
*When the Ark shuttle lifts off behind Bulkhead, there is a [[Star Wars]] hyperspace docking ring engine sound able to be heard.
*This episode was adapted in comic book format using screen captures as half of "[[Transformers Animated Volume 10]]", with "[[Rise of the Constructicons]]" making up the other half. It was also adapted in book format as "[[Starscream Flies Again]]".

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Pour une poignée d'Énergon'''" ("For a Fistful of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''Spanish (Latin America)'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Un Puñado de Energon'''" ("A fistful Of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[October 25|25 October]] [[2008]]

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Der doppelte Starscream'''" ("Double Starscream")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 23|23 July]] [[2008]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''La Potenza non è Tutto'''" ("Power is not Everything")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[February 28|28 February]] [[2009]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zōshoku-suru Teki'''" (増殖する敵, "Increasing Enemies")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[August 21|21 August]] [[2010]]
::* New stock footage of Starscream transforming and delivering the warning, with Prowl doing the intro.
::* The [[Otoboto family]] segment has all four members participating in a quiz contest, [[Hiroyuki Otoboto|Hiroyuki]] wondering where the announcer's voice is coming from in a no-fourth-wall moment. The first question asks what was the second half of the title to 2007 ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> sequel. They respond with "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge]]"—[[Megumi Otoboto|each]] [[Yūka Otoboto|family]] [[Tatsuya Otoboto|member]] writing the individual katakana "リベンジ" separately. The prize for the second question is the gold [[Lucky Draw figure|Lucky Draw]] Optimus figure, although it has nothing to do with Transformers—it's regarding 5-time Olympic judo medalist {{w|Ryoko Tani|Ryōko "Yawara-chan" Tani}}.

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Garść Energonu'''" ("A Fistful of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Um Punhado de Energon'''" ("A Fistful of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season Two ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Five: Fistful of Energon (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Five: Fistful of Energon (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Fünf: Der Doppelte Starscream (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2011 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 6 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2014 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season Two ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers Animated'' — The Complete Series ([[Shout! Factory]])

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fistful of Energon}}
[[Category:Animated episodes]]

A Fistful of Energon

2024-11-02T23:40:57Z

Breech Loader: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|ep=23
|ep2=21
|prev2=Velocity (episode)
|next2=SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy
|image=AFistfulofEnergon-StarscreamPurpleclone.jpg
|caption=Has the Allspark Power line ended yet? Is it safe for redecos to come out now?
|title="A Fistful of Energon"
|airdate=[[May 24]], [[2008]] (Canada) [[May 31]], 2008 (USA)
|season=2
|season ep=7
|written by=[[Andrew Robinson]]
|directed by=[[Irineo Maramba]] [[Matt Youngberg]] [[Makoto Fuchigami]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]
|video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxiBGnFhLZk
|videosite=YouTube
}}

'''Prowl goes off on his own to capture the fugitive Starscream, but finds some competition in the form of a Decepticon bounty hunter. '''

==Synopsis==
[[File:TFA Fistful Energon Starscream escape.JPG|thumb|left|"Okay, Starscream farted on us and escaped during our confusion. Let's never talk about this again." "Agreed."]]

As the [[Elite Guard]]'s [[Sigma Supreme|ship]] proceeds on its journey, an explosion rocks the hull, and out flies [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], declaring vengeance against [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] once again.

On [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]], [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] are on the lookout for their feral friends in response to reports of some rampaging going on. Prowl has been sent along with [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet's]] EMP generator and some [[stasis cuffs]], but doubts he will need them since the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] are such gentle spirits when left alone and he has always been able to reason with them. [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] soon contradicts Prowl's perspective by charging into the clearing like an angry rhino. Prowl is still determined to take it easy on the big guy until Grimlock's jaws get dangerously close to a nest filled with adorable little baby birdies. Using an EMP blast, Prowl quickly incapacitates Grimlock.

[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-ProwlEMPGenerator.jpg|thumb|We can use my wrist thingy to track Bender's [[Personality component|brain]].]]

Prowl and Bulkhead are both surprised that it came to that, but Prowl rationalizes that he did what he had to do to save the little birds. At this point, he notices a thorn stuck in Grimlock's paw as the likely source of the Dinobot's extra aggression. With some advice from Ratchet over the comm, Prowl uses controlled bursts from the EMP to stabilize the affected area, and Bulkhead yanks out the spike. Grimlock sighs in relief, and everything is all better.

Before they can head home, however, [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] contacts the [[Autobot]] base with a message that Starscream has escaped and was last seen headed back to Earth. They would have sent that message sooner, but it seems [[Mission Accomplished|their tachyon transmitter has gone missing]]. Megatron, who has been intercepting the message, takes a look at his own tachyon transmitter and sarcastically wonders where the Autobots' could have gone. He then wastes no time putting out a bounty on the escaped [[Decepticon]] traitor.

Back on the island, Prowl is feeling pretty tough after taking down the big, bad Grimlock all by himself and is already contemplating a similar hunt for Starscream. At the very least, while they're in the neighborhood, he and Bulkhead use [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Teletran-1]]'s sensitive scanners to locate Starscream's [[AllSpark]] fragment...on the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]. Prowl believes they have everything they need to go after him right away, but Bulkhead reminds him that Starscream is a little out of their league if it's just the two of them. Prowl agrees, but as soon as Bulkhead is off the ship and his back is turned, Prowl takes off in the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|ship]]'s [[emergency shuttle]] by himself and heads for the Moon.

Prowl tracks the AllSpark fragment to the remains of the Decepticon warship. Optimus and Ratchet try to warn him how crazy his plan is and order him to return, but Prowl disregards them with some unconvincing fake static and heads inside the ship. He believes the mission of apprehending Starscream is best suited to a single bot built for stealth. Then, as he's sneaking around, his target finds him first and asks him derisively whom he's seeking here. Way to use that stealth...

[[File:TFA Fistful Energon Prowl vs Lockdown.JPG|thumb|left|[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowls]] and their [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|sexual tension]].]]

Before Starscream can fire his null ray, a well-placed [[shuriken]] disables it. The fight begins, and thanks to the EMP, Prowl manages to hold his own. Starscream eventually gets in a direct hit, but on a hologram. The real Prowl gets into position, and an EMP blast knocks out the Decepticon. As soon as the fugitive is stasis-cuffed, a newcomer walks up and offers to take the bounty off his hands. It's [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]...wearing a poncho? He and Prowl start to fight over the prize. Meanwhile, Starscream comes to and yells at them to stop fighting because (as he says) he is afraid of rusting well before anybody wins. Neither combatant appreciates Starscream's comments, and both yell back at him to shut up and to lie still. He follows their orders and keeps silent for some time. But soon the fighters notice that their "prize" is silent for a bit too long. Looking down, they discover that he has already released his stasis cuffs and escaped safely. Outside, Starscream (who is strangely brown-coloured) blasts Prowl's shuttle and flies off toward Earth. Lockdown decloaks [[Death's Head (Animated)|his own ship]] and takes pursuit, with Prowl hitching a ride on the hull.

Lockdown is finding it difficult to locate Starscream's Decepticon signal when Prowl ambushes him, deflecting a counter-attack with a shield mod borrowed from Lockdown's own display case. Once they're at a standstill, Prowl points out that he knows how to track Starscream's AllSpark fragment, but he'll need Lockdown's sensors to do it. Thus a partnership is created, and Lockdown offers his new friend a few more upgrades to make sure they get the job done right.

[[File:Samprowl.jpg|thumb|Okay, let's '''ignore''' the fact that Samurai and Ninja are polar opposites, and bask in the '''total''' awesomeness that is Samurai Prowl.]]

Lockdown's ship touches down in Detroit and disguises itself as a building again. Lockdown and Prowl transform and roll out, with Prowl enjoying the feel of his new samurai armor/sidecar. They track the signal to a highway where Starscream is cowering beneath a bridge. When they confront him, they notice that there's something wrong with him. He behaves considerably more cowardly than usual, and is painted considerably more purple. Prowl shows off his upgrades, flying circles around the fleeing Decepticon and eventually taking him down with an EMP blast. Lockdown is impressed. With the bounty secured, he contacts Megatron and arranges a meeting at an abandoned warehouse. Prowl is shocked to learn the two-faced bounty hunter he'd partnered with had been working for someone evil. When Starscream begs Lockdown not to hand over him to Megatron, Prowl tells him to calm himself and attempts to cross Lockdown. However, the tough bounty-hunter ''double''-crosses Prowl, tying him up with a bola, and drives off with his bounty in tow.

The other Autobots show up to untie their errant companion and chew him out, but Prowl is more interested in continuing pursuit of Starscream. The rest of the team follow, but point out that Prowl is starting to sound too much like Lockdown, as the mods are going to his head.

They almost catch up with Lockdown and the purple Starscream when they're stopped on the road by the arrival of ''another'' Starscream. This one sports a brown and off-white color scheme and rather a sly and manipulative personality. He attempts to negotiate a pact with the Autobots to work together and destroy Megatron, but Prowl turns down the offer and attacks. Using his new arsenal, he leads, disarms, and disables the brown Starscream. It's a cool but messy victory. Ratchet scolds Prowl for not just taking him out with a single EMP blast. Prowl attests that his way was more fun, but Ratchet points out all the collateral damage he caused, including a knocked down bird's nest with its eggs broken all over the sidewalk. On the contrary, Starscream praises Prowl's "fine and effective sudden attack" and even doubts if he is really an Autobot "from top to toe". Prowl feels awful upon realizing what he has done, but puts it aside. Chasing Lockdown is still more important for him.

[[File:TFA Fistful Energon Decepticons turbulence.JPG|thumb|left|"Augh, Primus! Even his CLONES' gas is rancid!"]]

Prowl sneaks into the warehouse where Lockdown had set up the meeting with Megatron, intending to prevent the Decepticon leader from dealing with Starscream. Megatron declares his intention to punish Starscream exemplarily. But before he has the chance, Prowl accidentally gives away his presence. Megatron orders Blitzwing and Lugnut to take "the Autobot offender" in charge, but the other Autobots burst in, bringing yet another Starscream. Before anyone can figure out which is the real one, the two Starscreams open their cockpits to reveal a pair of ticking time bombs. The real Starscream's voice announces that it was all part of his plan to take his enemies all out at once. Megatron isn't about to sit around and be blown up, though, so he shoots the skylight and calls for the Decepticons to transform and rise up. Lockdown escapes safely, though rewardless.

The blast will take out half the city, so Prowl uses his mods to weld the Starscreams together and jam their jets on so they rocket straight up into the atmosphere. The explosion doesn't harm the city (besides setting off a lot of car alarms) but does do a number on the fleeing Decepticons.

While Lockdown is escaping from the planet again, he contacts Prowl and offers a permanent partnership, since they're so much alike. Prowl turns down the offer, claiming it was fun while it lasted, but the super-charged bounty hunter life just wasn't his style. With all his upgrades shorted out or gone, Prowl detaches the one mod that got out without a scratch, Ratchet's EMP generator, and returns it to its rightful owner.

[[File:Lotta starscreams.jpg|thumb|Begun, the [[Clone Wars|Clone War]] has.]]

Later, Starscream sits within his new base aboard the wreckage of the [[Nemesis (Animated)|Decepticon warship]] and watches an announcement from Megatron stating that the bounty on the fugitive has been increased, but whoever captures him had better make sure it's the real deal. Starscream himself is furious that his trap failed, but it doesn't matter, as he has plenty more decoys where that came from...
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] (1)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (2)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] (3)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (5)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (6)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (8)
*[[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] (9)
*[[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] (10)
*[[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] (11)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (4)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (12)
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (13)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Icy Blitzwing]] (14)<ref>Yes, it's true. Blitzwing went the entire episode without switching personalities.</ref>
*[[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] (15)
*[[Clone number 2716057|Clone #2716057]] (16)
*[[Clone number 3370318|Clone #3370318]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
''[Ratchet and Prime are communicating with Prowl and Bulkhead over the radio]'' 
'''Ratchet''': Prowl, any sign of the Dinobots? 
'''Prowl''': Negative, Ratchet. I'm starting to think those reports of rampages were nothing but exaggeration. 
'''Optimus''': We're not taking any chance, Prowl. That's why I had Ratchet lend you his EMP generator and those stasis cuffs. 
'''Prowl''': Still, I hardly think they're necessary. The Dinobots are territorial, but if left alone, they're perfectly happy. 
''[Grimlock roars, then runs out of the forest, charging the Autobots]'' 
'''Bulkhead''': He doesn't look too happy to me!
:—The Autobots are Dinobot hunting...and things are not going well.

"Me Grimlock...''better''."
:—'''Grimlock''' after Bulkhead removes the spike, but before he passes out.

"I'm afraid Sari and Bumblebee left on an important fact-finding mission this morning. To someplace called... 'Five Banners Roller Coaster Kingdom'."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' gets duped.

"Prowl, exactly what line of JUNK CODE is scrambling your software?!"
:—Prowl is in hot water with '''Ratchet'''.

"Personally, I've always found Bumblebee's fake static to be a lot more convincing."
:—'''Ratchet''' doesn't get duped.

'''Starscream''': You call this a fight? I'll rust before someone wins! And I'm in a vacuum! 
'''Prowl''' and '''Lockdown''': Will you keep quiet?!
:—Prowl and Lockdown tell Starscream where to stick it.

"No! No, please! Leave me alone!" 
"Maybe it's me, but that doesn't sound like the Starscream I know..."
:—His reaction to '''Coward Starscream'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s plea for mercy leaves one wondering if '''Lockdown''' has ever met the real Screamer...

'''Sycophant Starscream''': Well, if it isn't my favorite band of plucky little Autobots. 
'''Optimus''': Autobots, prepare for battle! 
'''Sycophant Starscream''': Wait, you misunderstand. Noble Optimus Prime, wise Ratchet, stealthy Prowl and ''mighty''...eh... 
'''Bulkhead''': Bulkhead! 
'''Sycophant Starscream''': Ooh, that's too bad.
:—'''Starscream''' pulls a [[Transform and Roll Out#Quotes|Bumblebee]]

"Did you really think I would offer so little a challenge? I allowed you to capture these ''clones'' to fulfill my plan to eliminate you all! Especially you, MegaFOOL! Mwa-hah-ha-ha-ha! In moments you will be blown to bits, and I will become the Supreme Leader of ALL DECEPTICONS!"
:—Speaking through his clones, the real '''Starscream'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s speech-making tendencies are undimmed, even if he now prefers to do it from a safe distance.

'''Megatron''': Attention all Decepticons. I, Megatron, am increasing the bounty on the traitor Starscream. Only this time, make sure you find the ''real'' Starscream. 
'''Starscream''': Curse you Megatron! What does it take to destroy you? Oh well, plenty more where they came from.
:—'''Starscream''' intercepting a transmission from '''Megatron'''.

==Notes==

===Transformers references===
* The Starscream clones are, of course, a reference to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] of [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]], most notable for being [[Air Warrior|hordes of disposable Decepticons]] in "[[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More than Meets the Eye]]" (and then kinda vanishing save for [[Rainmaker|rare appearances later]]).

===Continuity notes===
*It seems that since the [[Rise of the Constructicons|events of the last episode]] Bulkhead has grown a taste for oil, as he can be seen drinking it when he and Prowl are first on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]].
*Starscream's cloning process will be revealed in "[[A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]", using pieces of his Allspark fragment to power them and explaining why they show up on the Allspark scanners in this episode. Exactly where he got the raw material for the clones won't be revealed until "[[Endgame, Part I]]", in which we're told they're made from the [[protoform]]s stolen back in "[[Five Servos of Doom]]".
*It's not the first time in ''Animated'' that an Autobot [[Nanosec (episode)|sacrifices a new upgrade to launch a bomb that could destroy Detroit into upper atmosphere]].

===Real-world references===
[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-Lockdowninponcho.jpg|thumb|Space banditos? Never heard of them.]]
*This episode contains numerous references to ''{{w|A Fistful of Dollars}}'', including the title, Lockdown wearing a poncho in his first appearance, and the Mexican standoff scene in the warehouse.
*''A Fistful of Dollars'' is, in turn, a Western adaptation of ''{{w|Yojimbo (film)|Yojimbo}}'', which also accounts for Prowl's samurai armor.
*Grimlock's foot problem recalls "The Lion and the Mouse", an Aesop's fable about a mouse who befriends a lion by pulling a thorn out of his paw. Or the tale of the Christian Saint Jerome, whose life was saved by the lion he'd helped when he later encountered it in a Roman circus. Or the story of Androcles and the Lion...it's been done a lot.
*Five Banners Roller Coaster Kingdom is a reference to the {{w|Six Flags}} chain of amusement parks and possibly {{w|Magic Kingdom}} as well.

===Animation or technical errors===
[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-Grimlockfootshard.jpg|thumb|So painful, resting in between my toes harmlessly!]]
* The large spike stuck in Grimlock's foot is nowhere to be seen in the full-body shots previous to Prowl discovering it.
* The dialogue suggests that the spike is jammed through Grimlock's foot, but the animation shows it merely stuck between his toes.
* When Lockdown first appears, his head is missing the design across his forehead.
* Just after mud-coloured Starscream tells the Autobots of his plan in joining forces, his mouth disappears.
* Ratchet's war wound disappears when he's telling Prowl to get rid of his mods, just after his showy (and destructive) capture of the red Starscream clone.
* After Lockdown's ship lands and he and Prowl transform, Lockdown's head is seen forming the engine block. In the next shot, his engine emerges from the hood, where his head previously formed it.
* Blitzwing's "missing wings" bit from "[[Mission Accomplished]]" returns when we first see him.

===Continuity errors===
* When Starscream tells them he'll rust, in a ''vacuum'', Lockdown and Prowl tell him to shut up, an action that should be impossible, given that sound cannot carry in space. In fact, during all the time spent in space, the characters interact with each other as if they were under atmospheric conditions - of course, they could have open commlinks to each other.
* Why doesn't anyone notice that the Starscreams are different colors? Sure, the coward's paint job isn't that noticeable, but wouldn't they notice that the other guy's orange?

===Trivia===
*This episode was first aired in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] are absent from this episode, with Optimus saying that they're on an "important fact-finding mission" (an amusement park). Therefore, we don't get to see if Sari's hair grew back since [[Rise of the Constructicons|last episode]].
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] and [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], on the other hand, appear but say nothing, as do [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] and even [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]]. Result!
*The clones seem to embody elements of Starscream's personality, the purple Starscream representing Starscream's cowardice and the reddish-brown Starscream representing Starscream's sycophantic, flattering nature. This is confirmed to be the case in "[[A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]."
*Both altered-color clones use Starscream's original colors as a base, but the sycophantic one runs towards "hotter" colors playing up the red and white (a little devilish, perhaps?), while the cowardly one has colors more on the "cold" end, leaning into purple and stony grey.
[[File:AFistfulofEnergon-Lockdownwithhelmet.jpg|thumb|I can't believe they ran out of voice-changer helmets!]]
*While you could be forgiven for assuming Prowl's armor was a Hasbro idea, it actually predates the toy. Hasbro decided to make a toy of it after watching the episode.<ref>http://community.livejournal.com/tf_animated/271043.html</ref>
*The other Autobots, and eventually Prowl as well, treat his upgrades as a bad thing. In the story, this makes sense because Lockdown acquires his trophies by hacking them off other Cybertronians, a practice the other characters had [[The Thrill of the Hunt|previously shown]] to find extremely distasteful (at best). Oddly, this goes against [[retool|everything Hasbro wants us to believe]].
*While Ratchet seems to be the moral compass of this episode, the day is only saved by Prowl's use of his upgrades.
*Why is Prowl so surprised that Lockdown is working for the Decepticons? That's exactly what he was doing the last time they met. And Lockdown specifically tells Prowl that Starscream is his bounty. With that, and knowing Starscream is a traitor, and knowing Lockdown is a merc, this one really is on Prowl.
*Apparently Starscream put a few extra zeros in when programming the timer on the clones. His plot might have worked if he hadn't given Megatron three minutes to run away.
*Exactly ''why'' does Lockdown wear a poncho? Apparently it's a handy dandy stealth device. That's right people, stealth poncho! No good ninja pretending to be Mexican should be without it.
*When the probe from ''Teletran-1'' deploys, there is a [[Star Trek]] communicator chirp clearly heard.
*When the Ark shuttle lifts off behind Bulkhead, there is a [[Star Wars]] hyperspace docking ring engine sound able to be heard.
*This episode was adapted in comic book format using screen captures as half of "[[Transformers Animated Volume 10]]", with "[[Rise of the Constructicons]]" making up the other half. It was also adapted in book format as "[[Starscream Flies Again]]".

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Pour une poignée d'Énergon'''" ("For a Fistful of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''Spanish (Latin America)'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Un Puñado de Energon'''" ("A fistful Of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[October 25|25 October]] [[2008]]

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Der doppelte Starscream'''" ("Double Starscream")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 23|23 July]] [[2008]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''La Potenza non è Tutto'''" ("Power is not Everything")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[February 28|28 February]] [[2009]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zōshoku-suru Teki'''" (増殖する敵, "Increasing Enemies")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[August 21|21 August]] [[2010]]
::* New stock footage of Starscream transforming and delivering the warning, with Prowl doing the intro.
::* The [[Otoboto family]] segment has all four members participating in a quiz contest, [[Hiroyuki Otoboto|Hiroyuki]] wondering where the announcer's voice is coming from in a no-fourth-wall moment. The first question asks what was the second half of the title to 2007 ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> sequel. They respond with "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge]]"—[[Megumi Otoboto|each]] [[Yūka Otoboto|family]] [[Tatsuya Otoboto|member]] writing the individual katakana "リベンジ" separately. The prize for the second question is the gold [[Lucky Draw figure|Lucky Draw]] Optimus figure, although it has nothing to do with Transformers—it's regarding 5-time Olympic judo medalist {{w|Ryoko Tani|Ryōko "Yawara-chan" Tani}}.

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Garść Energonu'''" ("A Fistful of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Um Punhado de Energon'''" ("A Fistful of Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season Two ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Five: Fistful of Energon (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Five: Fistful of Energon (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Fünf: Der Doppelte Starscream (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2011 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 6 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2014 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season Two ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers Animated'' — The Complete Series ([[Shout! Factory]])

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fistful of Energon}}
[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Whirl (G1)

2023-07-17T21:01:41Z

Breech Loader: /* 2005 IDW continuity */

{{factions|autobot|wreckers}}
{{disambig3|Whirl}}
:''Whirl is an [[Autobot]] [[Deluxe Vehicle]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:G1Whirl boxart.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Whirl enjoys making hand puppets in his own image.]]
[[Units of time|Vorns]] before [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] coined the phrase "Sometimes crazy works", '''Whirl''' was living it in action. Whirl believes that, logically speaking, insanity makes an extremely effective weapon. Enemies flee in terror before the absolutely insane maneuvers he pulls on the battlefield. His extreme maneuverability in helicopter mode lets him spin, bob, weave, dive, and bank like someone totally out of control. Or totally out of his mind.

Needless to say, Whirl is a rather reckless fighter and can take damage because of it. He's okay with that, because he absolutely LOVES his job... perhaps a little ''too'' much. Many of Whirl's comrades remain unsure if his wild behavior is truly an affectation, or if his increasingly-fleeting displays of rationality are actually the facade hiding a troubled psyche.

Whirl is (or was) a member of the elite [[Wreckers]] unit.

Sometimes he is known as '''Jetstream'''.

{{quote|This is reckless suicide, plain and simple.|quote2=I ''know!'' What a great plan!|[[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] and Whirl|"[[Loose Ends, Part 4]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics===
{{noteukexclusive|Whirl}}
Whirl was a member of the elite Wreckers unit under the command of [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]. Alongside [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]], he accompanied his commander as Impactor argued with [[Xaaron]] over [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s trip to [[Earth]] to investigate the disappearance of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]].

[[File:Whirl copter Target 2006.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|This is one choppah you cannot get to.]]
Later, the Wreckers continued preparing for [[Operation: Volcano]], an attempt to eliminate some of the [[Decepticon]]s' [[Ten Deadliest Killers|deadliest killers]]. During the simulation, Whirl demonstrated his trademark aerial combat style to draw fire away from his teammates. As the simulation concluded, Impactor decided that without Ultra Magnus' support, the operation would basically become a suicide mission for the Wreckers. Whirl and the others agreed with him and Impactor left to tell Xaaron that the Wreckers were bowing out of Volcano. Taking some downtime, Whirl, Roadbuster, and [[Twin Twist]] went to [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] to unwind. While Roadbuster and Twin Twist were having uneasy feelings about the decision to ditch Volcano, Whirl seemed fine with it, pointing out that it was only logical and no one would say that they were in the wrong. Their discussion was interrupted when they noticed [[Fang]], a Decepticon who began bullying a [[Tusks|smaller Transformer]] in the place. Twin Twist violently intervened, realizing that as Autobots, it was their duty to always do their best to stop the Decepticons. His sudden revelation seemed to energize Whirl and Roadbuster, and after Impactor was convinced by Xaaron to go through with Operation: Volcano, the rest of the Wreckers eagerly volunteered.

[[File:Target 2006 Whirl Roadbuster Do It.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|My face is down here, Roadbuster...I think.]]
Unfortunately, Operation: Volcano failed when most of the targeted Decepticons were unknowingly ordered clear of the ambush by [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]. Only [[Macabre]] went ahead and attempted to assassinate Xaaron, shooting and mortally-wounding Impactor instead. Whirl and the rest of the Wreckers immediately gunned Macabre down in retaliation. {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

Later, Whirl was seen alongside Ultra Magnus and his fellow Wreckers on a hunt for a Decepticon spy posing as Optimus Prime. This was revealed, thanks to the efforts of [[Outback (G1)|Outback]], to be a product of Decepticon misinformation and Prime was welcomed back into the fold. {{storylink|Distant Thunder!}}

====Marvel UK future timelines====
[[File:Whirl Triton Peace.jpg|left|upright=0.6|thumb|Hands, glorious hands!]]
In an alternate version of [[2510]], Whirl and the Wreckers led the final Autobot offensive against Decepticon held territory, bringing the war to a close. At the ceremony where he officially announced the end of the war, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] chose to make [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], leader of the Wreckers, his successor as Autobot leader and carrier of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]]. One Autobot named [[Triton]] objected to the idea, though: he said Springer was a fighter, not a tactician, and Ultra Magnus would be a better leader for a world at peace. Whirl took offense to Triton putting down his commanding officer, and shoved the little guy in the back, asking where was his "precious Ultra Magnus" when the Wreckers were winning the war? Triton struck back, and the situation turned from bad to worse as the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] sided with Ultra Magnus against the Wreckers. Shots were fired, battle lines were drawn, and a new war picked up where the old one left off. Tragically, it seems no one took the time to examine Triton's fallen body, and the hidden Decepticon insignia on his chest. The last act of the last Decepticon was to see that there would never truly be peace on Cybertron. {{storylink|Peace}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{NoteRG1}}
[[File:Whirl LooseEnds2.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Seen and done some crazy things? Pffft. Call us when you're responsible for [[Chaos Theory Part 1|sparking the Autobot/ Decepticon civil war.]]]]
Along with the other [[Wreckers]] Whirl voted to follow [[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]]'s plan to leave Cybertron to visit the other planets touched by the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and so they hitched a ride with [[Berko]]'s [[Cosmic Carnival]] to Earth. Whirl looked on in horror as their surveillance drones showed a devastated planet, and worse still—Megatron! Before any of the Wreckers could react, the Decepticon promptly launched nuclear warheads at their shuttle, apparently destroying it. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 1}}

The Wreckers managed to make it to Earth's surface in escape pods, and Whirl was sent to survey the ruined planet. He spied an incoming horde of [[Zombie|reanimated Decepticons]] sent by Megatron and reported back to the others. The Wreckers' priority then became to get a message back to Cybertron about the situation on Earth. They eventually found the [[Deep Space Network]] located in [[Goldstone]], and put a plan into action to utilize its radio transmitter to send a distress call. Whirl joined Kup and Springer in making a break for the facility while the other Wreckers distracted Megatron's forces. They succeeded in sending their message to Cybertron, but Kup was captured in the process. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}}

The Wreckers soon encountered [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Circuit Smasher]]—formerly Spike Witwicky, one of the last vestiges of resistance on Megatron's conquered Earth. Despite some initial hostility on his part, the Wreckers were soon invited to [[Argus Base]], the human resistance's headquarters. On the way there, Whirl asked Spike how things had gotten so bad on Earth. Spike filled them in on the tale of Megatron's rise and humanity's fall. After arriving at Argus Base and convening with the leader of the resistance, [[G.B. Blackrock]], the Wreckers agreed to aid them in destroying Megatron's chief power base—the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3}}

Whirl embarked on a rescue mission with Springer and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] to retrieve Kup and also to divert Megatron's forces from the assault on the Ark. While Sandstorm considered the plan to be "reckless suicide", Whirl cheerfully voiced his approval of it. They soon encountered Megatron's air defenders, and experienced trouble fighting them, as the undead Decepticons apparently no longer felt any pain. While Whirl managed to fly circles around [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] for a bit, he was eventually shot down. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 4}}

[[File:Topspin whirl destiny.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.95]]
After returning to Cybertron, Whirl was present with the other Wreckers as they attempted to defuse a tense situation between civilians on a main highway road. They failed and it erupted into a brawl. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Two}} He later participated in an attack on [[Fort Scyk]] to root out [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]]'s cell of Decepticon insurgents, but was flung through the air when the whole place exploded. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Three}}

Whirl was with the Wreckers when the entire Autobot fleet attacked the [[Hub (G2)|Hub Network]]. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 3}} While the rest of the fleet was shot down or captured, the Wreckers covertly infiltrated the Hub's [[slam rail]] tube system and began wreaking havoc from within. The Wreckers traveled from point to point, seeking to destabilize the Hub by severing its planetary links with targeted nuclear explosions. Whirl and the others engaged the troops of [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] in a crowded slam tube and managed to blow them out into space. Eventually, the surviving Autobots managed to escape as the Hub suffered catastrophic damage. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 4}}
{{--}}

====''Transformers '84''====
[[File:SecretsAndLies4 AbominusWhirlRacknRuin.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2]]
After [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] sought to reactivate [[Project Dreadnought]], Whirl was recruited by Impactor to be part of a [[Wreckers|new team]] to take out the [[Planetary engine|planetary turbines]]. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 3|Secrets & Lies #3}}

Arriving in [[Stanix]], Whirl airlifted [[Rack'n'Ruin (G1)|Rack'n'Ruin]] in his copter mode to scout ahead, only to find [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] defending the target. Whirl brought Rack'n'Ruin within striking distance of the [[combiner]]'s face and the conjoined duo whacked Abominus with a hammer blow hard enough to knock him down. The Wreckers then engaged the individual [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] and other Decepticons until they managed to plant and detonate explosives that destroyed Project Dreadnought. From thereon, the Wreckers functioned as an autonomous unit within the Autobot army, engaging in hit-and-run raids against Straxus' forces as the war continued to rage on for years. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 4|Secrets & Lies #4}}

===Milton Bradley mini-comic===
Whirl was among the Autobots under [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]'s command who launched in the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] to clear a path through an asteroid belt. When the Decepticons attacked the ship, Jetfire sent it crashing into [[Earth]], knocking everyone aboard offline. Four million years later, they were repaired when the ship's systems were reactivated by a volcanic eruption. {{storylink|In the Transformers}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:War and Peace 4 RoadbusterWhirl.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"RAGH, WHIRL NOT IN [[The Transformers (cartoon)|CARTOON]]! MENASOR REMOVE FROM STORY!"]]
When the Autobots split into multiple factions after the disappearance of their leaders, Whirl joined Springer's group, known as the Wreckers. During one of the group's missions, he participated in an attack against [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], who sought to claim the [[Tagan Heights]] for [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] and the [[Ultracon]]s. {{storylink|Escalation}} [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] joined in to battle the Decepticon combiner, but the resulting clash was so brutal that Whirl and the other Wreckers were forced to retreat to avoid becoming collateral damage. {{storylink|Devastation (issue)|Devastation}}

Much later, during [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s rule of Cybertron, Whirl continued with the Wreckers, now a small unit of Autobots dedicated to keeping the peace wherever (and however) necessary. {{storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}} When [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] released the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] from their imprisonment in Cybertron's [[Detention Banks]], the Wreckers were sent in to deal with the escapees. Unfortunately, both Whirl and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] were crushed before [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] brought down the Stunticons' combined form, [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. {{storylink|Passive Aggression}}
{{-}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Stormbringer issue 2|''Stormbringer'' #2]]}}
[[File:Stet WhirlPreEmpurataFlashback.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|left|Well, I'm different now. I feel I've been given a chance to start over. A new life, new identity. New purpose.]]
{{quote|Twice voted "Autobot most likely to defect".|[[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Meet the Crew]]}}

[[File:Interiors WhirlPreEmpurataFlashback.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|HAPPY DAYS]]In the pre-war era, under the reign of [[Nominus Prime]], '''Whirl of [[Polyhex]]''' {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations}} was a member of the [[Aerial Corps]]. Dissatisfied with his lot, Whirl managed to accomplish what was thought impossible, defying the function he was created with and actually changing professions to become a watchmaker. And Whirl was ''good'' at what he did—so good that the [[Functionist Council]], angry that a moderate functionary had given him permission to switch jobs, decided to teach him a lesson. They had the local criminal elements demand a cut of his profits so that when he refused, the [[Heavies]] would be sent to destroy his business and leave the Council's hands 'clean'. Whirl was left destitute and roamed the [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]], where he hung out with a bad crowd and started getting into fights. His combat prowess caught the attention of the [[Senate]]'s agents, who press-ganged a reluctant Whirl into their service. Whirl was made to do despicable things in the Senate's employ. When he tried to resist, he was put through the barbaric [[empurata]] ritual, costing him his original hands and effectively neutering his watchmaking skills. The Senate had, in fact, been ''arranged'' to hire him for all this by the vindictive Functionist Council. {{storylink|Interiors}} {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}

[[File:Ongoing22 WhirlbeatsMegatron.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|''I'M THE HERO I CAN DO WHAT I WANT!'']]
Whirl was eventually granted a position in the [[Rodion]] police force. When a rabble-rousing miner named [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] was brought in for brawling with other law enforcement officers, the Senate ordered Whirl to kill him, presumably to silence his increasingly loud voice of dissension. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} {{storylink|Interiors}} Failing to finish the job, Whirl was arrested by his captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]], so the Senate sent more men to free him, fearing his actions would be exposed. Their men attacked the Rodion police station and freed Whirl, but Orion Pax wouldn't stand for it and defeated them, shooting Whirl's leg off in the process. Whirl warned his captain that the Senate would not be happy if any further harm came to him, but Orion merely picked him up, went to the [[Grand Imperium]] in person and confronted the entire Senate with his actions. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory #2}}

[[File:Whirl Impactor Patternism.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Due to Orion Pax's public display of Whirl's crime, the Senate had no choice but to send him to [[Garrus-1]]. After Whirl's mistreatment of Megatron in Rodion was exposed, he found himself suffering constant attacks and beatings in prison by Decepticon sympathizers. Whirl saved his one [[communicube]] call for an appropriate occasion, and found it when his former handler [[Kroma]] briefly became his cellmate. Whirl was told of an impending Senate plot involving assassination and a city-destroying bomb. He consequently used his one call to bring Orion Pax to Garrus-1, where he informed his former captain of all he had heard. While Orion initially assumed Whirl was acting out of compassion, Whirl immediately corrected him, explaining that he just wanted revenge against the Senate for mutilating, using, and abandoning him. After Orion left, Whirl was introduced to his new cellmate—[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]], who promptly beat him into critical condition. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}

Whirl eventually wound up in the [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] Security Service, where he witnessed the full extent of what his actions had wrought, as Megatron, now convinced that violence was the only way forward, assaulted the city and slew [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], beginning the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}} Orion Pax—now Optimus Prime—personally invited Whirl to join the Autobots before the Decepticons reached him: "forgiveness as a weapon of war", as Whirl put it. After "bouncing around a bit", he changed his name to "Jetstream" and became a flight instructor at the [[Iaconian Aerial Academy]]. {{storylink|Interiors}}

One of his most promising cadets at the academy was [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]], but he insisted on berating him in private, his verbal abuse eventually evolving into regular unprovoked beatings. After one particularly savage beating, "Jetstream" shoved Rotorstorm into the academy's newly installed [[CR chamber]], and by the time Rotorstorm recovered, his instructor had moved to a training facility in another province. Whirl later returned to using his original name, and attended the ceremony when Rotorstorm received the [[Novic Medal for Outstanding Valor]], applauding and cheering from the front row. {{storylink|Bullets}}

[[File:LastStandoftheWreckers4-triumphoverevil.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66|Category: Things That Do Not Exist.]]
Whirl eventually joined the Autobot special operations taskforce, the Wreckers. He was present with the entire team to greet [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] on the rookie's first day. {{storylink|Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers|Requiem of the Wreckers}} Whirl was with the team when they triumphed in final battle over their longtime rivals [[Squadron X]] on the planet [[Pova]], only to discover they had no jurisdiction on the planet and would be required to let the Squadron go. Refusing to accept this, Wrecker leader Impactor murdered the entire squadron while Whirl looked away in apparent shame, but took no action. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}} {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}} The incident was covered up by [[Autobot High Command]], and to avoid being implicated in the crime alongside their leader, Whirl and the other Wreckers lied and told Springer that they had no idea what Impactor was planning on doing. Springer believed them and defended their inaction at Impactor's trial, also agreeing to become the new leader of the Wreckers at Whirl and the others' request. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

[[File:Spotlight Trailcutter Killmaster.jpg|thumb|upright=2|left|]]

At some point during the war, Whirl established a rivalry with the wand-wielding Decepticon known as [[Killmaster]]. Both of them called each other "nemesis". Whirl never, ''ever'' beat him in a fight and always, ''always'' lied about it to other Autobots. When Killmaster was MIA and presumed dead, Whirl told people he'd killed him after breaking into a medical center where Killmaster was recharging, crushing the Decepticon's brain as he slept, and shoving his wand up his—''AHEM!'' {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}{{storylink|Dissolution_Part_3:_A_World_Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

[[File:Whirl copter Stormbringer4.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Is [[Obsidian (BM)|"Obsidianesque"]] a word?]]
Years later, Whirl was deployed with the other Wreckers to [[Varas Centralus]] to help [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]'s counter-insurgency team deal with the Decepticon [[infiltration protocol|infiltration team]] there, which had just activated Siege Mode. Partway into the battle, they were forced to pull out and return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] when news came through of the possible resurgence of [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} Arriving at their homeworld, the team saved the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] and [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] from a patrol of [[Centurion droid]]s, then joined Optimus Prime in attacking [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s secret base. Whirl and Roadbuster helped Jetfire from his imprisonment, but they were too late: Bludgeon had indeed recalled Thunderwing home. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}} Whirl joined Springer and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] in attacking the mindless [[Pretender]], but their weapons were disabled when he ionized the air around them, forcing them to back off. Fortunately, a team of Decepticons led by [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] arrived to supplement the Autobot forces and the day was soon won. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}}

The Wreckers got a rematch with Thunderwing some time later when the denizens of the [[Dead Universe]] took control of him and stationed him on [[Corata-Vaz]] to guard one of the [[Nega-Core]]s required for their [[Expansion]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} Whirl fought hard alongside his teammates {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}} and eventually the Wreckers were able to disable the Nega-Core when [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] lost control of Thunderwing. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

During the [[Surge (event)|Surge]], when the Decepticons launched a devastating simultaneous attack against the Autobots across the galaxy—Whirl and several other Wreckers were captured by Decepticons under the command of [[Turmoil]]. [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] led an extraction team to rescue the Autobots from a Decepticon cruiser, and they were ultimately saved thanks to the efforts the former Decepticon [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Drift}}

[[File:Whirl Sparkeaterweapon Interiors.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|left|"What, ''this''? It's uhm...just his new [[Transformers: Prime (toyline)|Beast Hunters]] armor! Yeah, that's it."]]
Around three years later, when putting together a squad to liberate [[Garrus-9]] from the clutches of the deranged Decepticon [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]], Springer ruled Whirl out of the mission on account of his recently becoming something of a liability. {{storylink|Bullets}} The mission to Garrus-9 left Springer in a comatose state, and Whirl and Roadbuster were assigned the task of watching over him and tending to his needs until he awoke. Convinced that this was never going to happen, Whirl attempted to euthanize his leader with Roadbuster's [[Sparkeater (weapon)|Sparkeater weapon]], but was caught in the act by Roadbuster and ejected from the Wreckers by the power of "the veto"—the ability of a Wrecker to have another member of the unit removed at any time. {{storylink|Interiors}} He wound up in prison for his actions, but was released and given a "final warning" by Ultra Magnus to stay out of trouble. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

After the war was ended and Cybertron was returned to a primordial state, Whirl and [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]] were tasked with policing a mob of [[NAIL|neutral Transformers]] that had recently returned to Cybertron. They came upon Optimus Prime being harassed by [[Tappet|one of the mob]], and promptly began bullying the smaller neutral. Optimus Prime had to pointedly lower Whirl's gun and asked to be filled in on current events. Later, the mob revolted and dragged Whirl to the ground during the ensuing riot. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

[[File:Whirl Sweeps Liars.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Dear God...they're no longer mint in box!]]
Frustrated with the NAILs and having been kicked out of the Wreckers, Whirl acquired a disturbing method of stress relief: gathering up several leftover [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]] carcasses, pinning them to a wall inside a shabby structure out in Cybertron's wastelands, and apparently mutilating them. Eventually deciding that he'd had his fun, Whirl doused the ruins with fuel and bid a very creepy thank you and farewell to the remains, planning to burn it all—quite possibly, himself included. Interrupted by [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]], who had misidentified the Sweeps' energy readings as those of [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], Whirl immediately attacked him and set the place ablaze to cover his tracks. Their battle carried them to the [[Mitteous Plateau]], where they were discovered by [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]], and [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]], prompting Whirl to try and pin all the blame on Cyclonus before killing him so he couldn't contradict his story. Before he could, however, a huge subterranean explosion triggered by [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] erupted beneath Whirl, heavily damaging him and knocking him offline. Figuring that Whirl was too dangerous to leave lying around, Ratchet had him brought along with Tailgate aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'' as it left Cybertron. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

[[File:HangersOn Whirl Cyclonus.jpg|thumb|left|110px|Expressions, glorious expressions!]]
Whirl awoke in the medibay of the ''Lost Light'', his first instinct being to reach out and throttle the nearest person to him, which turned out to be [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. Brought to his senses with the warning that he'd go back to prison if he didn't behave, Whirl left to skulk around the hallways, where he was found by Ultra Magnus and brought him into a meeting between [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] and Cyclonus. Advised to make his peace with Cyclonus, Whirl continued to dodge all responsibility for starting the fight but nonetheless offered him a hand of "forgiveness", only to have Cyclonus respond by drawing him into a ''hug''... followed by a whispered threat that he would kill him at some point and the Autobot would never see it coming.

Later, Rodimus addressed the crew to update them on the situation. When he asked if there were any important questions, Whirl made a point to speak up and state that he was embarrassed to be among this group and that they at least needed a decent name. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

When a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] was reported to be loose on board the ''Lost Light'', the crew were ordered to pair off and lock themselves into habitation suites until the creature was dealt with. In what was originally a prank, Whirl locked out temporary roommate [[Animus]], only for an unfortunately timed automatic lockdown to keep him from re-opening the door, resulting in his being killed by the Sparkeater. Whirl blew open the door and attacked the creature, but his missiles were intercepted by [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]'s [[force field]] to prevent the catastrophic detonation of the sparks the monster was digesting inside it. Whirl was nonplussed. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

During a therapy session with Rung, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s extra-sensitive ears overheard Whirl having a "blazing row" with... himself. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} Whirl later attempted to cheer up and advise a despondent Trailbreaker on changing his image. His advice consisted of telling Trailbreaker to change his name, always talk big of himself, and then suggested he get [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] to build him a new weapon. After one of Brainstorm's inventions malfunctioned the entire crew of the ''Lost Light'', save the newly rechristened Trail''cutter'', were temporarily frozen in place when a [[Titan Hunter|group of Decepticons]] inconveniently boarded the ship. Whirl was in the middle of watching a furious Rodimus chew Rewind out on the bridge when he was frozen, and Trailcutter was forced to use his inert body as a shield against gunfire, stealing the guns mounted on Whirl's chest to return fire. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

[[File:Whirl Interiors yes.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Whirl: '''1'''. {{-}} Hostage situation: '''-2'''.]]
Not long thereafter, Whirl was having a session with Rung when recent crew addition [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] had an acute psychotic episode and went on a rampage through the ship, holing up in Rung's office and immobilizing Whirl by stabbing him to the floor with a pipe. Unfazed, Whirl taunted Maximus, trying to bait him into killing him, but Maximus only grew more curious about Whirl's mental state and reputation, and threatened Rung in order to force Whirl into telling his life story. The story provided Rewind and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] enough time to position themselves outside Rung's office and distract Maximus with a projection of his tormentor, Overlord. Whirl used the distraction to tear the pipe out of his gut, unpinning himself from the floor. When a shot intended to take Maximus out went wild and hit Rung in the head instead, Whirl took the opportunity to stab the distraught Max with the pipe, ending the hostage situation after three-plus hours. {{storylink|Interiors}}

[[File:Whirl graffiti MTMTEAnnual2012.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|left|"Yeah well, I'll gonna go build my own spaceship! With blackjack! And hookers! In fact, forget the spaceship!"]]
Whirl joined Rodimus, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] in being shrunk down and sent to deal with a swarm of [[Nanocon]]s that had been revived within Ultra Magnus's body, where he showed some difficulty with his "no guns" orders. After Magnus smiled them to death, Whirl managed to leave some graffiti inside Ultra Magnus, a fact that he would proudly inform First Aid of during Tailgate's [[Act of Affiliation]] ceremony.

Later, Whirl was among the Autobots that were teleported to the surface of [[Theophany]] by representatives of the [[Galactic Council]]. After the group found [[Crystal City]] in ruins, Whirl openly mocked Drift's despair at seeing the desolation and was decked by the former Decepticon for his irreverence. The group ventured into the ruins and soon discovered an inert [[Titan (group)|Titan]], which had once been used to power the city. An abortive attempt by Chromedome to hack into the giant's [[brain module]] accidentally woke the Titan, causing it to fire an eye-blast that hit the Council's ship, ''[[The Benign Intervention]]''. Whirl was ordered to take a team to hold off the troops sent to take revenge on the Cybertronians, with Rodimus stressing to the trigger-happy bot that there should be ''no fatalities''. Whirl and the others successfully fended off their attackers until the Autobots were all teleported back to the ''Lost Light'' by the freed Titan, before the ship quantum-jumped to safety. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

[[File:Mtmte-before-and-after-whirl-weaponup.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|right|You'd be angry too if you had to bust Decepti-chops in high heels.]]
Whirl declined to attend Rewind's movie night when he learned the [[Proteus|subject matter]] of the film. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}} He did, however, agree to aid in Rewind's attempt to expedite Rung's mental recovery. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Rewind brought together a group who each took turns telling their parts in a story of past events from before the war. When Whirl's turn began, he became quite agitated when Ratchet brought up the tender subject of Whirl's encounter with Megatron in Rodion. He settled down and told the others of Orion Pax's visit to Garrus-1 and what they had discussed. When Whirl mentioned that Impactor was his cellmate for a while, Rewind became excited and posited that Impactor had earmarked Whirl then and there for the Wreckers. Whirl shot down that suggestion and admitted that he just got badly beaten-up and he and Impactor met again years later under different circumstances. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} Everyone took a break from storytelling, giving Swerve an opportunity to leave and bring back some booze. Whirl wouldn't let him back into the room without uttering the password—''"Whirl is a million billion times tougher than Cyclonus"''. He later had fun positioning Rung's eyebrows to make the still-unresponsive psychiatrist look cross. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

[[File:BeforeAndAfter-WhirlLocksCyclonusIn.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|left]]
When Rodimus led a mission to [[Temptoria]] to fight Decepticons, Whirl was only too happy to volunteer. Aboard the ''[[Leading Light]]'', he had Rewind record him limbering up, and joined in with some impromptu battle chants with the other Autobots. As they fought Decepticons, his attempt to bond with Cyclonus was rebuffed rather bluntly. He subsequently faked a door malfunction, trapping Cyclonus and Rewind with an exploding bomb. He apparently at least had the courtesy to take Rewind back to the ''Leading Light'', and when it turned out he had a compatible [[spark]], allowed First Aid to use him to jumpstart Rewind, earning him Chromedome's gratitude. {{storylink|Before & After}}

Whirl tagged along with Swerve's group when the crew of the ''Lost Light'' was granted leave on the planet [[Hedonia]]. He was granted a new human-based [[holomatter]] avatar, which he seemed to approve of based solely on the fact that it carried weapons. When the group found a Transformer-friendly bar, Whirl got Ultra Magnus black-out drunk after slipping him a drink containing weapons-grade [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]], much to everyone's chagrin. While waiting for Magnus to regain consciousness, the group played "the nemesis game", each sharing their own personal arch-enemies. Whirl named Killmaster as his, and proceeded to describe the graphic nature of how he ended their rivalry before being cut off by Rung. When Magnus began to stir, the group left Swerve to deal with him and took a trip to a nearby gift shop. Whirl opted to remain outside and continually bang his head against a display case—something he felt relieved pressure on his brain. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}{{storylink|Signal to Noise}}

[[File:Whirlholomatter.jpg|right|thumb|Because {{w|Carl Grimes|one trigger-happy kid with a missing eye}} wasn't bad enough.]]
Sometime later, the group encountered a group of [[Ammonite]]s—a mechanical race similar to Transformers who were entangled in a long and bitter war with their hated foes, the [[Terradore]]s. Whirl and Skids engaged in a bit of a "my war is bigger than yours" contest with them, with the Ammonites outclassing them in most categories. When [[Imperius Drax]], the leader of the Terradores unexpectedly entered the same bar as them, Whirl took it upon himself to show the Ammonites a thing or two about war. He walked up to chat with Drax, things escalated, and then Whirl simply killed the guy, which resulted in the war escalating again. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

Ultra Magnus was still out cold when they returned to check on him, so Whirl hatched a plan to get him back in time for pick-up. He ferried the others to the shuttle, then they projected their holomatter avatars back to the bar to drive Magnus's [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] through an organics-only section. While forcing Magnus into vehicle mode proved difficult, they eventually managed it and drove him home. Whirl admitted to the others that, difficulties aside, he had a fun time. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}

Whirl was among those interviewed for Rewind's documentary, "Little Victories". A "Person You'd Like To Punch" theme night at [[Swerve's]] had an overwhelming majority of people who attended pick Whirl. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] allowed Whirl to vent some frustration and blow up a few asteroids in the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s path. They were interrupted by [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]], who wanted to record a message to send back to Cybertron whenever Blaster managed to repair the subspace communications channel. Whirl and Blaster would be the last Autobots to see Pipes alive, as the hapless [[Mini Vehicle|Minibot]] was murdered by [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] minutes later. Having escaped from his cell underneath the ''Lost Light'', Overlord was quickly discovered and dozens of Autobots threw themselves into battle with him. For Whirl's part, he only managed to be used as a club and smashed into [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] during the fight. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}} In the aftermath, Whirl attended the funeral of those who lost their lives fighting Overlord and engaged in some speculation with Swerve and Skids over what was in Brainstorm's ever-present briefcase. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

[[File:Whirl Cyclonus HouseOfAmbus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95]]
When a search for the abducted Ultra Magnus led the ''Lost Light'' to discover the long-missing [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], Rodimus asked Whirl to be part of an advance landing party. Finding the "miracle moon" to be a hot spot seething with newborn [[spark]]s, Tailgate asked the others to define for him the difference between being "forged" and being "constructed cold". When Chromedome identified himself as someone who had been constructed cold, Whirl couldn't help but point out that he himself had been forged and "perfected" in a hot spot just like the one they were standing in. Shortly thereafter, the group was attacked by [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]]'s [[Titan Hunter]]s, forcing Whirl and the others to flee from superior numbers. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Retreating didn't sit well with Whirl, and he invited Cyclonus to join him in a counterattack on their pursuers. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}}

Their attack was successful only in that they didn't get captured along with the others. Whirl couldn't help himself in claiming that he had killed more Decepticons than Cyclonus during the battle. On smelling the enriched Nucleon of a nearby armory close to a jail suspended over a [[smelting pool]], Whirl was eager to organise a jailbreak to free Rodimus and the others.

In company with a far more cautious Cyclonus, Whirl found that he couldn't open the armory door due to his unwieldy claws and needed Cyclonus to help him. Occupied with the door mechanism, Cyclonus inquired of Whirl why he never had his empurata features "fixed". Whirl replied that he was messed up, that he had done and would continue to do bad things. While he remained angry about his mutilations, he was insulated against the voice of his conscience. If fixed he "really would be screwed". In the spirit of ''quid pro quo'' Whirl tried to ask Cyclonus about the gashes on his face, but the reply was lost when a stealthy [[Legislator]] stabbed Cyclonus through the midriff with his sword.

[[File:Whirl Cyclonus TheDividedSelf.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66|"You know what I keep thinking about, Cyclonus? You know the end of Butch Cassidy? Redford and Newman are almost out of ammunition, and the whole Bolivian army is out in front of this little hut?"{{-}} "Whirl, I'm going to make you pay for this."]]

Fortunately (or unfortunately) for Whirl, he fought Cyclonus's attacker off so that Cyclonus could remove the blade without too much injury. The pair then teamed up with other rescued prisoners, [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]] and the remaining survivors of the ill-fated [[Circle of Light]], just as an army of Legislators attacked en masse. Whirl asked Cyclonus to call off his previous death threats if they made it out of the fight alive as they rushed into battle wielding [[Great Sword]]s procured from the armory. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

In the middle of the battle Whirl noticed something very unusual about Cyclonus's Great Sword, it was, in Whirl's words, "frikkin nuclear-powered", glowing with light and cutting a swathe through the attacking Legislator army. Cyclonus had a surprisingly deep connection with his sword for a novice, as only Dai Atlas could manage a similar feat with his own sword. Dai Atlas suggested to Whirl that "your friend is clearly ''devout''". Whirl was more surprised by the use of the word "friend" than the rest of Atlas's explanation.

However much headway they were making, it wasn't fast enough for Cyclonus. Cyclonus's rather obtuse comment of being "needed elsewhere" made Whirl respond cattily that he was dragging their battle out for fun, that he would just finish up himself. Dai Atlas asked Cyclonus if Whirl was being sarcastic, and Cyclonus replied that he didn't believe that even Whirl knew. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}}

Whirl and the surviving members of the Circle of Light continued to fight the Legislators, but they were eventually overwhelmed. Moments from being killed, Whirl was saved when Chief Justice [[Solomus|Tyrest]] called all remaining Legislators to his position. In the battle's aftermath, Whirl and Cyclonus conferred on the edge of the smelting pool. A heavily damaged and unable-to-fly Whirl asked Cyclonus if he was still willing to let bygones be bygones in regards to their mutual death threats against one another. Despite briefly entertaining a fantasy of shoving Whirl into the smelting pool, a preoccupied Cyclonus agreed and departed.

Later aboard the ''Lost Light'', Whirl would reveal that Dai Atlas had commented on the unnatural strength of Cyclonus's spark—demonstrated while Cyclonus was wielding a Great Sword. Atlas had wondered if Cyclonus had the spark of a newborn with the intense energy he was producing. Relaying this information to Cyclonus, Whirl indirectly helped save Tailgate's life, as Cyclonus consequently used his excess spark energy to revitalize his dying roommate. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}}

[[File:Whirl fightfightfight BlackMetal.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|"Yay, now is fighty time, fighty time, blood blood blood!"]]
The ''Lost Light'' received a distress call from Orion Pax and headed to [[Gorlam Prime]]. They rescued the ''[[Skyroller]]'' from the collapsing planet's gravity well and welcomed Orion and his crew aboard. Whirl derived amusement from [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]'s outright hostility toward Cyclonus. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Later, when Orion and Rodimus were looking for volunteers to journey into the [[Dead Universe]], Hardhead took another verbal potshot at Cyclonus. Whirl was gleeful at first, but then disappointed when they didn't come to blows. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}}

After the ''Lost Light'' was by guided by to an unknown planet, the Autobots found themselves underwater and attacked by thousands of Ammonites. Whirl was among those who boarded the [[Rodpod]] to launch a counterattack. Eventually, the Autobots found the inert [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] hiding on the ocean floor. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}}

The Rodpod entered Metroplex's empty eye socket and made its way to the [[Brain module|brain]], where the group discovered it missing. The Autobots disembarked and after journeying around in Metroplex's head for a brief time, they ended up right back where they started at the Rodpod. Whirl took his frustration out on the garish vehicle, but it was soon discovered to be booby-trapped by an Ammonite. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} The Rodpod exploded, but the Autobots were shielded from the blast by a wall that had suddenly sprung up within the chamber. Ratchet worryingly noticed that Whirl had gone missing in the chaos. Whirl quickly returned, however, having captured the Ammonite that blew up the Rodpod. After some strong-arming, the Ammonite revealed that they had been ordered by [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] to sabotage the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s efforts to return to Cybertron. Before the Autobots could discuss these revelations further, they were confronted by [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]]. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}}

[[File:FinisTemporis DeaderThanADuobot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|right|Whirl, paragon of sensitivity.]]
After a brief introduction, the two [[Female Transformer|female]] Autobots offered to lead the others to Metroplex's brain. Another horde of Ammonites appeared, and Ultra Magnus ordered the others to follow Nautica and Chromia. Whirl opted to stay behind and fight the Ammonites with a few others, noting that he was in his element in battle. Eventually, the Autobots were able to connect Metroplex to the ''Lost Light'', which he used as a makeshift life support system. He quantum-jumped back to Cybertron, bringing the ''Lost Light'' with him. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Unfortunately, this didn't solve the problem of the Ammonite infestation, and Whirl's group was still fighting for their lives within Metroplex as the giant Autobot squared off with the [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]]. The Ammonites kept combining into larger and larger forms, prompting Whirl to admit that even he was tired of fighting with them. Thankfully, through the efforts of [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] and Megatron, Metroplex was given a sudden boost of power, which reactivated his internal defenses. This immediately eliminated any Ammonite invaders, with Whirl charmingly referring to them as being "deader than a [[Duobot]]". {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}}

[[File:Whirl Arcee DCFinale.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Arcee knows that when things aren't [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave's]] fault, they're almost certainly Whirl's.]]
After the Necrotitan was felled, Whirl, putting aside past enmities he may have for the Decepticons, sang along to a tune alongside several of them in Swerve's bar, including [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} The moment of levity was cut short, however, by the arrival of a 70 ''billion''-strong Ammonite army. Whirl was once again thrust into Ammonite-murdering duty. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Whirl joked around with [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] about accidentally causing the re-escalation amongst the Ammonites' war, and made a little remark about his role in the start of their own war. When the Ammonites all spontaneously exploded, Whirl called foul on the whole thing for ruining his fun. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:Whirl Megatron MTMTE28.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|''HUEVOS RANCHEROS!!!'']]
Whirl attended Megatron's trial, standing next to Arcee. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}}

Six months after that, Whirl was still on board the ''Lost Light'', only this time due to a series of events, the captain (or rather, co-captain) of the ship was, in fact, Megatron. Whirl began collaborating with [[Getaway]] and [[Atomizer]] to bait Megatron into attacking an Autobot so that they would have an excuse to have him re-imprisoned. {{storylink|The Lopsided Triangle}} Whirl first messed up Megatron's door with graffiti, and then attacked him with a crossbow before making a physical assaulted. Whirl claimed that he was tired of waiting for Megatron to make his first move, and had instead taken the initiative. However, the fight offered a shocking revelation from Megatron: the only reason Whirl had survived for so long was because Megatron had ensured it by giving an order for the Decepticons never to kill Whirl as a kind of 'gratitude' for teaching him that words were not enough—informing the ex-Wrecker that he was not as good a fighter as he, or other Autobots, believed. The enraged Whirl attempted to punch a hole in Megatron's torso, only to lose his arm through a wormhole within the ex-Decepticon. Megatron then used his revelation as leverage to get the humiliated Whirl to clean up the graffiti and left him in the engine rooms. Whirl later reported to his co-conspirators with a communicator that his attempt to bait Megatron into attacking him had failed. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

Whirl and his co-conspirators began planning to manipulate an Autobot into being assaulted or killed by the ex-con; once that happened, Autobot security would either arrest or kill Megatron. Getaway decided Tailgate would be the perfect patsy. {{storylink|The Lopsided Triangle}}

[[File:PredestinationABeginnersGuide WhirlBraidingHair.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.3|Maturing? Nah. I'm just trying a new style of edgy.]]
Later on, suspected to be behind the theft of Ultra Magnus's desk tidy (which was more likely caused by the ship disappearing piece by piece), Whirl was confined to his quarters. As 'protest' for this, Whirl watched off-world cinema at Swerve's using his holomatter avatar. While braiding his hair, Whirl revealed that he was a fan of Jean-Luc Godard's works. During the subsequent alarm as portions of the ''Lost Light'' began to disappear, Whirl's holomatter disappeared. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} Whether he made it to a lifepod or not, Whirl presumably disappeared along with the rest of the original crew of the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}}

Eventually, the remaining crew found the ruins of a quantum duplicate ''Lost Light'', which had been attacked by the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. The on-course ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Whirl had his arms torn off before having his head blown off by [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]]. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}}

Whirl was part of Rodimus' intrepid band of heroes chosen to chase down the rogue Brainstorm and gleefully raided Brainstorm's experimental weaponry. When asked by Magnus on why Rodimus would bring Whirl on such a high risk mission, Rodimus answered it was because Whirl would be eager to take a bullet for Orion Pax. The group travelled back to the [[Alyon]] [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]] where Whirl bluffed to the past Orion Pax that he was on day release from prison. When the larger group regrouped to compare notes, they realized that Sentinel wasn't trying to snuff out the Sparks but was experimenting on them with Whirl putting forth the idea that the [[Elite Guard]] had assumed Orion's group was trying to steal the Sparks. After the Sparks had been shielded by Trailbreaker's forcefield, Whirl joined Cyclonus in attacking the hovering weapons platform. When that mess was sorted, the group continued to follow Brainstorm but Whirl (unlike everyone else) expressed no grief that they had not prevented Trailbreaker's death. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}}

[[File:Stet WhirlAttacksHeavies.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|right]]
Travelling further back to [[Rodion]], Whirl exchanged (rather terrible) banter with Rodimus as they overlooked the police station. After Brainstorm had escaped Cyclonus, the group followed him back a year and split up. Whirl went with Chromedome and Rewind back to the police station and interrupted their tense, romantic conversation to show off his past self's arrest of [[Crossbar]] giddily realizing this was the day Megatron would be arrested. His good mood was ruined when the [[Heavies]] arrived. Utterly trashing them, Whirl was only stopped by Chromedome as the Heavies had to live to ensure future (past?) events happened as they had. Hammer had heard everything about the future and proceeded to taunt Whirl that they had mutilated him at the order of the [[Functionist Council]]. In rage, Whirl turned the [[Sparkeater Gun]] on the third chap who'd come with them declaring him guilty by association. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}

[[File:PredestinationAnExpertsGuide WhirlSavesMegatron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|"Everything is Shockwave's fault, huh? Well, now everything he does is MY fault!
Your move!" ]]
The group then arrived at [[Con Facility 113]] and though Rodimus and Rung had talked down Brainstorm, Rewind killed the unborn Megatron convinced the galaxy would be a better place without him as the myriad of aliens would survive despite the Functionists remaining in power. Whirl respectfully disagreed as he felt countless aliens (they were organics anyway) dying was a price worth paying if it meant Megatron would kill the Functionists and thus inserted a [[Point One Percenter]] Spark that Brainstorm had swiped from [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] into Megatron's body, securing the timeline. Upon returning to the ''Lost Light'', Whirl joined the crew in movie night for ''[[Back to the Future|Back to the Future Part II]]'' but found it inferior to {{w|Alphaville (film)|''Alphaville''}}. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}}

At some point, he scrawled "WHIRL WUZ HERE" on a chair in Swerve's. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}} He was present at Rodimus's first real announcement of progress. He went to Thunderclash's pre-wake, did some crazy dancing, and returned to the ''Lost Light'' with most of the crew. {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}}

[[File:TheLopsidedTriangle WhirlOffersAdvice.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right|"Today on Doctor Whirl, I listen to a stupid idiot with dumb problems. Love should be tough, and I'm the toughest there is."]]
Later on, Cyclonus went to Whirl's room to ask for advice on Tailgate and Getaway. Whirl was astonished and amused that Cyclonus would ever ask him for advice on such a personal matter, and pointed out that saving Tailgate's life and caring about him did not make him Cyclonus' property. He also pointed out that Cyclonus hadn't really shown Tailgate he cared, while Getaway did so. Just as Cyclonus was about to leave, Whirl asked why he came to him. Cyclonus replied that he believed Whirl would tell him the truth, because Whirl didn't care about what he (or anybody) thought. Troubled, Whirl summoned Getaway and [[Atomizer]], with whom he was working to bring belated justice to Megatron. Whirl was having second thoughts about their plan to bring about Megatron's downfall if it resulted in Tailgate's murder. Getaway shot him in the head with a nudge gun, wiping Whirl's memories of the plan. Just before he passed out, Whirl projected his avatar outside Cyclonus' staring-window. Cyclonus rushed to Whirl's room to find out what was going on, only to find Whirl possessed no memory of their earlier conversation, and all of his digital clocks had been set to 1:13 - Megatron's room number. {{storylink|The Lopsided Triangle}}

[[File:SilentLight WhirlandScraplets.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
Later, Brainstorm's contrivance engine was due to be activated, and despite only having 15 minutes to get to their B.E.D.s, Whirl, Swerve, and Nautica loitered to get drunk off sub-space filtered engex. They then heard a knock at the bar door. Whirl answered and found a new [[protoform]] in an engex box. Since they couldn't afford to risk the extra spark being detected by Maulers, the group decided to send it back to Luna 1. After various escapades, Whirl was left 'holding the baby'. Worse, when he decided the only remaining option to protect the crew was to flush it out the airlock, he discovered it had imprinted on him, adopting claws and a singular optic. Whirl gave in to his remaining threads of compassion and soft-terminated his own spark to hide the protoform with him in his B.E.D. He later woke up in the med-bay, with Velocity telling him he was lucky to be alive. Oh, and that it wasn't a protoform he was incubating—it was an infestation of [[Scraplet]]s, manipulating him so that they could survive to kill again. But Whirl wasn't upset... he was ''proud'' of the little pests. {{storylink|Silent Light}}

Whirl invited Megatron to the regular Movie Night. Don't worry, he hadn't mellowed out, he was being a dick: the film was a war documentary and watching it would make Megatron unhappy. When Megatron was late, they passed the time by starting without him. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}} Soon after, Whirl was part of a group that observed the second launch of the ''Lost Light'' via a magic window unaware that he and the others were being observed by a repentant [[Getaway]] from further in the future. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

As revenge for turning his back on the mutiny, Whirl was tricked into boarding the [[Rodpod]] to be turned over to the [[Galactic Council]] on [[Necroworld]]. When the group arrived they were attacked by the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] and barricaded themselves in the [[Mortilus|Necrobot's]] "fortress" with Whirl glaring at Getaway when they made contact with him. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

[[File:HowBrightTheirFrailDeeds WhirlNoFuneral.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|''*sniff*'' We're not crying, we just-''*sob*'' shut up]]

No sooner had Whirl voiced his protest at simply sitting inside and dying did the attackers back off, promising to return at sunset. When the group split to explore the fortress, Nightbeat had come through by discovering a teleport chamber. Nautica, Velocity and Swerve however had discovered a chamber full of stasis pods containing organic lifeforms, lifeforms Whirl was eager to abandon. But after Megatron had made a rousing speech about understanding and companionship, Whirl decided to stay behind. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} Thinking death was imminent, Rewind recorded final messages from each of the group to be broadcast into space, although they weren't received by anyone until three weeks later. For his part, Whirl wanted no funeral. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

As sunset approached and a forcefield had been set up, Whirl and Cyclonus finished the turrets and discussed relationships. But when Whirl tried to fire on the baddies however, it turned out the forcefield worked in both directions preventing the turrets from being used. When nightfall arrived, Whirl joined everyone for a group hug. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} The single most important group hug ever as Tailgate's strong grip had given Velocity the idea to temporarily boost everyone to [[Outlier (group)|outlier]] levels via traumatizing someone. That someone was Skids and after his Spark unleashed a burst of energy, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} the new superpowered Autobots charged out to meet their fates. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}}

But when Skids died, the upgrade went with him and the group was surrounded to be saved by Megatron now having donned a [[fusion cannon]] and irritably told the crew to fall back while he confronted [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} Whirl went off to explore the fortress and found his severed arm that had been lost to Megatron's internal space bridge portal months ago, which Ravage recognized as an indicator that Megatron had figured out how to safely mine [[antimatter]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

After Megatron defeated the Decepticon Justice Division, Brainstorm rebuilt the teleport chamber and Rodimus took a group to go back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Rodimus placed Cyclonus in charge of those left behind on Necroworld, and when Whirl asked why he wasn't chosen, Rodimus responded that he wouldn't trust Whirl to be "in charge of his own feet." Whirl took this jab in stride, admitting that he respected people who mouthed off to him. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}}

[[File:AWorldMisplaced WhirlVKillmaster.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.0]]
Called down to find a closed, ''massive'', stasis pod and utterly bored, Whirl released the 'bot inside and found it was Killmaster, his old nemesis. The Decepticon immediately went on a rampage ("what a pro") and the two rivals once again engaged in combat... combat that Whirl admitted he needed help with, telling Swerve he'd never won before and screaming for him to get Tailgate. Help arrived in the form of a badly wounded Cyclonus, much to Whirl's dismay. Ten and Swerve got zapped by Killmaster's teleporting wand {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}} before Cyclonus was able to lop his arm off and Whirl used the wand on ''Killmaster''. Before they went to Brainstorm to get Swerve and Ten teleported back, Whirl probed Cyclonus's cover story about his wounds and learned Tailgate had been fitting in his sleep. Cyclonus refused Whirl's advice about telling Tailgate the truth before it killed him, so Whirl—refusing Cyclonus' advice to drop it—crept into Tailgate's room to tell him "a story". {{storylink|Dissolution_Part_4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}} After telling Tailgate the truth behind Cyclonus' wounds, he accompanied the minibot back to the main room and discussed Killmaster's inventions, with Whirl commenting that the only thing Killmaster loved more than teleportation weaponry was being a master of killing. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} He was present to greet the returning crew when [[Necroworld]] returned to its own universe. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} At some point, Whirl and Ultra Magnus watched Springer's final message before the Wreckers' leader entered the [[Timemaze]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers|Requiem of the Wreckers}} When Rodimus revealed his [[Skip|back-up plan to return to Cybertron]], Whirl asked if they could leave Swerve behind. Once the team was ready to take off, Whirl stopped Cyclonus from mutilating himself, following his and Tailgate's "breakup", and sat next to him for support. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

[[File:Sardines WhirlcomfortsCyclonus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]
Aboard Skip, Whirl kept to himself, lying down while taking up as much space as possible. When an outraged howl of despair sounded from the captain's quarters, Whirl recognized it as Cyclonus and deduced the cause. After Cyclonus had accidentally raked Rewind with his sword, Chromedome socked Cyclonus in the jaw before Whirl broke up the fighting. When Whirl asked Cyclonus about Tailgate, Cyclonus promptly broke down in the ex-Wrecker's arms. Soon enough, the mass displacement began wearing off only for [[Ten]] to speak up and tell everyone to listen to him.{{storylink|Sardines}} What no one knew was that Ten had been possessed by the [[Omega Guardian]]s and who guided the group to the original [[Mederi]] in the year [[2018]] via the [[Warren]]. When the group arrived, they were forced to bail out, supercompressed space ravaging their bodies. Crash landing on Mederi, the moon fixed them up and presented itself as the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]] based on Cyclonus' desire to reunite with Tailgate. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

[[File:YouAreHere WhirlhasDoubts.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
Ever the grump, Whirl found little to love about heaven, only socking Ratchet for bringing them here due to his condition. With Rodimus moping about, Whirl rallied him into action by asking "What Would Megatron Do?", which rallied their leader enough for him to demand an audience with "[[Primus]]" giving Whirl the joy of watching Rodimus be struck by a bolt of divine lightning. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} As more and more "ghosts" began to appear, Whirl was approached by [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] who claimed to have solved the mystery of Rung's alternate mode. Before Nightbeat could utter this revelation, he "ascended", the method of the act rousing Whirl's suspicions. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}} With everyone else lined up to "ascend", Whirl called Ultra Magnus to inform him of his trepidations. Magnus's group soon discovered where they were causing the Afterspark to glitch and fade away leaving Whirl with the task of telling Cyclonus that Tailgate was but a facsimile. As the two lovers said they goodbyes however, it turned out Tailgate really was himself. The happy moment was then ruined by Team Rodimus reuniting with the mutineers, now mutated into ravenous [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]]. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

[[File:Lustrare WhirlRedScraplets.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Daddy's little monsters.]]
Once reinforcements had arrived, Whirl was part of the group that boarded the ''Lost Light'', being quickly caught in a red [[scraplet]] trap. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}} Though [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] managed to initially deter the predators, they soon regrouped and lunged at Whirl... for his Luna 1 scraplets had been thrown into the mix. With his tamed beasts, Whirl went to back up Rodimus, having his boys devour [[Getaway]]. The moment was again ruined when a massive tear in the [[Warren]] appeared above the moon. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}}

While Whirl quarantined the scraplets in the medbay, everyone else boarded the ''Lost Light'' as they prepared to escape. When the ship launched however, it proved unable to match the rift's gravity being dragged through to the [[Benzene Cluster]], now populated by five multi-coloured copies of ancient Cybertron. As they touched down on one, the group came under attack from the [[Black Block Consortia]], now reduced to a puppet state controlled by the [[Adaptus|Grand Architect]]. The being invited them all aboard his [[Worldsweeper]] where the group bore witness to the five Cybertrons being used to drill a hole between universes. From the other universe came a fleet, with a duplicate of the ''Lost Light'' flying point, who's captain called and revealed himself to be [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}} Following Megatron through was the [[Functionist Universe]]'s version of Cybertron, now transformed into a robot mode cast in the likeness of Primus. Though Megatron tried to free the group, the Architect sealed the hull breach before everyone could escape. Part of the group left behind, Whirl confronted the Architect, who was dressed like [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] and claimed to be Adaptus. Though everyone doubted this claim, the Architect verified it by revealing the other members of the [[Guiding Hand]] namely that the Necrobot had been [[Mortilus]], Tyrest was [[Solomus]], and that the Magnificence was [[Epistemus]]. Though Whirl presumed Functionist Cybertron to be Primus, Adaptus laughed off the notion... because Rung was Primus! {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

[[File:LL 24 Even Team Whirl.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.60|"Here lies the bravest soldier I've seen since my mirror got grease on it. I hereby order that in Whirl's honour, he be melted down and made into a statue of himself."]]

Despite Whirl's open disbelief of such a claim, Rung soon proved it to be the truth, demonstrating his self-healing abilities and revealing the truth of the [[God War]]. As the group conversed however, they failed to notice that Solomus had also regained his ancient memories which drove him to attack Adaptus. Though Adaptus proved a better fighter, Solomus was able to fell his brother, causing both to explode into inert sentio metallico (which Whirl decided was ''exactly'' how he wanted to go out). With no resistance, Rodimus teleported to the ''Lost Light'' and freed everyone, bringing them all aboard for a brainstorming session. Though Whirl was eager for Rung to unleash his divine might on the false Primus, Rung had no divine might to unleash. Soon enough however, the group came to the conclusion of having Rung create twelve duplicates of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and use their power to overload [[Vector Sigma]] via the [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]]s, thereby erasing the [[Functionist Council]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} Sent to [[Mesmerica]] with Ultra Magnus, Whirl functioned as his bodyguard until Magnus was caught unawares by a [[Functionary]] and knocked out his armor and into stasis. When Whirl landed to seize the Matrix, he was struck by an RPG blast and grievously wounded but, thanks to Rodimus's inspirational speech, found enough strength to open the Matrix. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

[[File:LL25 WhirlhugsCyclonus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.7]]

New Cybertron, as it came to be known, was soon visited by Prowl who decided to decommission the ''Lost Light'' so its quantum engines could be used to double the planet's energon reserves but allowed the crew the luxury of a victory lap, which Whirl found boring. Before jumping back home, however, the crew decided to recreate the quantum explosion that marked the beginning of their voyage in the hopes that they could once again duplicate themselves, so that their adventures would never end. Although the crew of the ''Lost Light'' would never truly know if their experiment worked, the ''Lost Light'' crew ''did'' successfully pull the stunt off; their duplicates ''did'' materialize in an alternate universe, eager to continue their adventures.

In the primary universe, Whirl proved unable to adapt to peacetime life, and served eighty-four sentences at a dozen prisons, including [[Garrus-10]]. When Ratchet passed away, Whirl was serving another prison sentence at G-10 but, on account of being low-risk, received permission to attend the funeral and left a vial of [[innermost energon]] for his old friend. As part of Ratchet's will, Whirl was gifted the late medic's hands. As he was leaving, Cyclonus approached Whirl and offered him the opportunity to live with him and Tailgate in [[Tetrahex]] once he'd been released. Whirl responded to this act of kindness with a great big hug and had Ratchet's hands returned to Drift. Though touched by the gesture, Whirl had finally come to understand that he wasn't broken and didn't need fixing. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-3-Whirl.jpg|100px|thumb|left|W1-not V1]]
After being asked to by [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]], the [[Autobot]]s attacked the Decepticon Base and chased away [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]], who wasn't letting ''anyone'' in the base, not even Megatron. In thanks, Megatron hosted a party in the base, which Whirl attended. {{Storylink|A Reliable Warrior!? Vortex the Lookout from Hell}}
{{-}}

===Legends World===
[[File:LG04 comic Roadbuster.jpg|thumb|]]
Whirl and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] were built in the [[Legends World]] by [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], inspired by designs from a {{w|Special Armored Battalion Dorvack|certain '80s giant robot anime}}, to aid him in his plans to return the world to how it was in the '80s. In spite of Tankor's design intentions, however, [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] recognized them as Autobots from a [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|British ''Transformers'' comic]], an origin story that confused the pair. Setting out to take humans hostage to further their cause, Whirl then encountered an [[Whirl's friend|innocent little girl]] and had a change of heart about his role in life. Placing the girl in his chest canopy, he decided to fight for her sake as a hero of justice and turned on Roadbuster, only to later get admonished by the girl for being too violent. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 4|Bonus Edition Vol. 4}} [[File:LG05 comic Whirl.jpg|thumb|left]] Entrusted with Tankor's '80s Transformation Beam, Roadbuster then started turning everyone present into various '80s forms, though the weapon didn't affect Whirl since he was already from the '80s. When Tankor's resolve was broken by a speech from [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], Whirl took the chance to air-drop the rat onto the villains like a bomb, defeating Roadbuster. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 5|Bonus Edition Vol. 5}}

Waspinator later taught [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] about Whirl and Roadbuster during his ''Transformers'' lesson, again explaining that they first appeared in a British comic. The concept of British Transformers had Megatron thinking of the pair as English stereotypes, imagining Whirl as a gentleman in a top hat and monocle, and he confused himself thinking about how Whirl could enjoy a cup of tea without a mouth. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 15#Whirl and Roadbuster Now on Sale, Buzz|Whirl and Roadbuster Now on Sale, Buzz}} On [[Christmas]], Whirl and his little girl friend watched charitable Roadbuster and Tankor give away '80s toys. {{storylink|Merry X'mas!!}}

Running into Roadbuster again while spending time with the girl, Whirl took his new friend hostage to prevent Roadbuster from attacking, shocking his former partner with the decidedly un-heroic act. The girl was upset and took control of Whirl from the inside, forcing him to heroically pick up garbage instead. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 17#Whirl Versus Roadbuster!|Whirl Versus Roadbuster!}} For some undisclosed reason, Whirl eventually returned to Tankor and Roadbuster's side and the three went back to terrorizing the population, but it all came to an end when a dimensionally-displaced [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] defeated Tankor for good. Whirl and Roadbuster were left lost and confused about what to without their leader, so Jetfire invited them back to his [[G1 World|home dimension]], reasoning they would fit in better there. The pair accepted his offer and traveled through a [[solitarium]] portal to the year [[2004]] of his universe, where they joined the Autobots. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7|Bonus Edition Vol. 7}}

Upon meeting the [[Jumpstarter]]s, Whirl and Roadbuster introduced themselves as "Wreckers", something Waspinator had identified them as. Overhearing this, [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] thought it was a great team name and founded the Wreckers as a new Autobot unit, recruiting the duo into it. {{storylink|Jumpstarter Chapter#LG-07 Jetfire Sequel|LG-07 Jetfire Sequel}} [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] then charged the team with cleaning up around [[Mount St. Hilary]], something Whirl took well to since he had previous experience. {{storylink|Jumpstarter Chapter#G1 Wreckers Birth Story|G1 Wreckers Birth Story}} At one point he and Roadbuster explained their origins to the Jumpstarters, who would later create Legends World to begin with in order to ensure their comrades would be born. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 66|Bonus Edition Vol. 66}} In the year [[2021]], [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] recalled Whirl and Roadbuster's origins when he and his soldiers were reduced to heads and needed new bodies built. Using residual radiation acquired from the two Wreckers, Fortress located the Legends World and traveled there in search of the expertise used to build them. {{storylink|Headmaster Chapter Prologue}}

As Wreckers, Whirl and Roadbuster fought under Springer for many years. In the late [[2030]]s, they noticed their leader was starting to get fat, and Whirl accidentally hurt him by bluntly commenting that his neglect for his appearance was the reason his relationship with [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] had failed. Springer then sought to become his old macho self again, so Whirl and Roadbuster suggested he go to the Legends Universe and have their creator, Tankor (now [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]), build him a cool new body. They two came with him for a chance to revisit their old home, where Whirl was reunited with his friend and let her sit inside him again. {{storylink|LG19 Sprung Prologue}} They then returned to the G1 World where they pushed Springer into asking Arcee out. {{storylink|Jumpstarter Chapter#LG19 Springer Sequel|LG19 Springer Sequel}} Upon learning that the Legends World was under attack by [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]], Whirl and Roadbuster volunteered to return and defend their homeworld. {{storylink|Jumpstarter Chapter#LG65 Twin Twist Prologue|LG65 Twin Twist Prologue}} On arrival, they were pinned down by Windblade's [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]], leaving [[Twin Twist]] to take her on. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 65|Bonus Edition Vol. 65}}

After the Legends World was destroyed, Whirl ended up back in the G1 World. In [[2038]], he and Roadbuster were on [[Micro|Zone]], where he watched the [[Powered Master]]s duke it out with [[Violengiguar]] in their old bodies. {{Storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 2}}

===''The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe''===
Pursuing the AllSpark after it had been launched into space, Whirl was one of the many Autobots that found their way to Earth. There, he participated in a great battle within a human settlement against the Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe|The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
Whirl was considered to be brave and loyal by [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], being counted among his potential recruits for the [[Wreckers]]. {{storylink|Tread & Circuits Part 4}}

==Games==
===3D Battle-Card Game===
Whirl was one of [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]'s many Autobot allies in a fight against [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s Decepticon forces, in what might possibly have been an inter-universe battle. {{storylink|3D Battle-Card Game#Energon Wars expansion|Energon Wars Expansion Set}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
Whirl was involved in a chaotic kerfuffle. What outcome the battle yielded is unclear. {{storylink|By Land, Sea, or Air}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsWhirl.jpg|thumb|right|400px| Adorably crazy.]]
Whirl participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Rare character who could be recruited by collecting 100 units of Cybermetal, 50 units of Transmetal, and 30 exclusive cores.
{{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
{{chargamestub|{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Whirl was a bombardment specialist who recklessly attacked his foes. His chaotic tactics gave him an edge on the battlefield, allowing him to bombard his enemies with payload after payload. {{storylink|Transformers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook|Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
{{anchor|Generation 1}}
[[File:G1Whirl toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Shockwave's younger brother? Only in the wild world of [[Fan fiction|fanfic]]s.]]
*'''Whirl''' (Deluxe Vehicle, [[1985]])
**''Accessories'': "Null-Ray Module", "[[Paralyzo box]]", "Photon Beam Rifle", "Shell Cannon"

:''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' Whirl transforms into a light blue Cybertronian attack helicopter, similar to a Bell {{w|AH-1 Cobra}}. In this mode, he has two wing-mounted weapons installed: a Gatling-like "Shell Cannon" and a four-tube "Photon Beam Rifle".

:In [[robot mode]], Whirl is unusual in that he appears quite different from the other Transformers in the line at the time. He has no humanoid hands; instead, his arms end in a pair of mechanical pincers. A "[[Null-ray|Null-Ray]] Module" cannon can be fitted over either pincer, while his "Paralyzo-Box" weapon slides onto the fin on his right leg. Though not strictly an accessory, his head features a swiveling antenna that is very easily detached and lost.

:There is a variation in the construction of his canopy; while most are smooth and featureless, some have raised "cage" outlines on the edges.

::*''[http://www.transformerland.com/wiki/toy-info/transformers-g1-deluxe-vehicles-whirl/602/ Patent info, price guide, and further reading on Whirl at Transformerland.com]''
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Whirl/whirl.htm More information on Whirl at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Classics''===
[[File:ClassicsWhirl toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Am I blue? Am I blue? Ain't these tears in my eye tellin' you?]]
*'''Autobot Whirl''' (Legends Class, [[2007]])
**''Accessories'': Rotor blade
{{toydesigner|[[Joe Kyde]] (deco artist)}}

:A [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' [[Legends Class (2005)|Legends of Cybertron]] [[Evac (Cybertron)#Cybertron|Evac]], ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Whirl transforms into a blue Eurocopter Dauphin rescue helicopter. A ''heavily'' simplified version of the [[Evac (Cybertron)#Voyager|Voyager Class Evac toy]], his [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] has a back mounted (non-firing) twin missile launcher which is carried onto his robot mode, and he is also armed with a rotor blade on his left arm which can rotate, but does not spin freely.

:In terms of articulation, he has ball-jointed hips and knees and can rotate his arms, although the arms can otherwise barely move beyond pointing straight down due to his ball-jointed shoulders being blocked by plastic.

:This mold was also used to make ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' Legends Class [[Blades (G1)#LOC|Blades]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/ClassicsWhirl/whirl.htm More information on ''Classics'' Whirl at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
[[File:Whirl generations voyager.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Not as super-unvincible as people were hoping.]]
*'''Autobot Whirl''' (Voyager Class, [[2014]])
**''Series / Number:'' '''02 / 006'''
**''Accessories'': Null-Ray Module, Paralyzo box, Shell Cannon, Photon Beam Rifle
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)}}

: ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)#T30|Generations: Thrilling 30]]'' Whirl is heavily styled after his Generation 1 toy, but sports a more curved head and reverse knee "chicken legs" which evoke (but do not match) his appearance in [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]''. He also has a third, Gerwalk-esque mode known as a "Heloped". Just as with his original toy, he has a pair of mechanical pincers which a weapon similar to his "Null-Ray Module" cannon can be fitted over. All four of his weapons can attach via c-clips to various sculpted rods.

:Unmentioned in the instruction sheet is that his shoulder-struts can collapse into his torso for a more pleasing robot mode. Also, in robot mode, you can rotate the shoulder-struts so that the thin tabs on top face down to allow for greater shoulder poseability. When his antenna is angled 90 degrees, his monocular light piping gimmick is activated. It's also likely that the knee transformations are swapped between robot and heloped mode in the instructions, so that the robot mode has the digitigrade legs and the heloped mode has the "gerwalk"-style backwards knees, and this hypothesis is supported by the [[:File:RID26 subcvr.jpg|packaging art]]. A smaller detail of note is that Whirl's neck is on an extra hinged panel that allows the head to be raised up a few millimeters from where it normally sits.

:Some copies have been known to come with bent rotor blades, as well as to suffer from extremely tight upper knee joints, in extreme cases causing the whole knee to snap in half rather than move.

:Whirl comes with a sticker sheet, with one sticker referencing [[Wild Bill|CW-4 William S. Hardy]].

:This mold was [[redeco]]ed into ''[[Transformers Cloud|Cloud]]'' [[Shockwave (Cloud)#Cloud|Shockwave]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenWhirl/whirl.htm More information on ''Generations'' Whirl at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.yojoe.com/archive/actfig/whirl/ Additional information at YoJoe.com]''

===''Legends''===
[[File:Legends-toy Whirl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Whirl''' ([[November 29]], 2014)
**''ID number:'' '''LG05'''
**''Accessories'': Null-Ray Module, Paralyzo box, Shell Cannon, Photon Beam Rifle

:''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' Whirl is a redeco of ''Generations'' Voyager Class Whirl featuring a lighter blue closer to his original toy and additional paint detail on his canopy and shoulders but dropping the black off his nape and the red stripe pattern on his rotor blades. Some of his black plastic (on his toes and head) is replaced with blue. The antenna mounted on his head when angled 45 degrees lower towards the front deactivates his monocular light piping feature. He does not have a sticker sheet, though two of his Autobot symbols and a single canopy detailing are now tampographed. He now comes with a leaflet featuring a character profile, tech specs, and the [[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 5|''Legends'' Bonus Edition Vol. 5]] mini-comic.
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
{{anchor|3DBattleCardGameMerch}}
===3D Battle-Card Game===
[[File:3DBattleCard Whirl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Soi soi soi soi]]
*'''Whirl''' (2007)

:A 30-point "rare" character in the [[3D Battle-Card Game]]'s "Energon Wars" expansion, Whirl "transforms" into a blue helicopter. He uses the same parts layout as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Evac (Movie)|Evac]], and [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Vortex]].
{{-}}
===Transformers Trading Card Game===
[[File:W5AutobotWhirl.jpg|thumb]]
*'''Autobot Whirl, Aerial Assault''' (2020)
**'''Wave 5: Titan Masters Attack'''
**''Rarity: '''''SRT'''
**''Card Number: '''''T07/T46'''
**''Stars: ''12

:This card's set was originally set for an April 2020 release, however due to the global COVID-19 pandemic the release was pushed back to May 29, 2020.
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Both [[Deluxe Vehicle]]s were licensed from [[Takatoku Toys]] by [[Hasbro]] for inclusion in the [[1985]] line, and hence were not included in the Japanese line. Whirl was originally the '''Ovelon Gazzette'''<ref>Yes. The secondary English spelling given on the Japanese toy packaging was literally "Ovelon Gazzette". Many Western fans prefer to interpret it as "Oberon Gazette", but your mileage may vary.</ref> {{sic}} (オベロンガゼット) from the ''{{w|Special Armored Battalion Dorvack}}'' toyline, although the toy's dark and light blues were inverted for the ''Transformers'' release. The ''Dorvack'' anime was produced by [[Ashi Productions]], and their name appears on the [[Copyright#Copyright markings|copyright marking]] of the mold, in addition to an "AP" sticker included on Whirl's ''Transformers'' packaging.
*Whirl disappears without explanation from the main Marvel UK timeline after "[[Distant Thunder!]]," despite later appearances by the rest of the Wreckers (including fellow deluxe vehicle Roadbuster).
*Poor Whirl never got a printed ''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' bio. One was written though, and finally revealed to the fans on [[Jim Sorenson]]'s blog [http://boltax.blogspot.com/2011/01/extended-bio-whirl.html ''Disciples of Boltax''] in [[2011]].
*Like all non-toy robot [[Kreon]]s in the ''Kre-O'' comics, Whirl is made from existing ''Kre-O'' parts. He uses [[Knock Out (Prime)#Kre-O|Knock Out]]'s helmet (in order to better emulate his appearance in the [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] [[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|''More Than Meets the Eye'' comics]]) and the Vortex rotor/harness assembly... and a yellow brick on the front of the harness, likely a sloped 1x1 brick to be the "cockpit".

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Whirl''' (ホワール ''Howāru'')
*''French:'' '''Tourbillon''' (Canada, "Whirlwind")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Xuàn Rèn''' (China, 旋刃, "Turning Blades")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:3D Battle-Cards]]
[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Legends World natives]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Autobots]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Wreckers]]

Holomatter

2022-12-26T11:52:38Z

Breech Loader: /* Fiction */

[[File:Ratchet Holomatter.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Please state the nature of the [[Pīpō|medical emergency]].]]
'''Holomatter''' is a solid-light projection technology, used by [[Autobot]]s operating on alien worlds. Holomatter projectors can create projected facsimiles of native species which are too small or [[Human|fleshy]] for the Autobots to mimic with their mechanical [[Alternate mode|altmodes]]. The avatar isn't just a friendly image to fool human beings; it's also the Autobot equivalent of a remotely operated vehicle, allowing Autobots to go places and perform actions that would otherwise be prevented by their size and the need to camouflage their true identities. Having an avatar in a location is like the Autobot being there themself. An avatar can function up to at least 400 miles away from the controlling Autobot, even when separated by solid walls.

The avatar is created and maintained by "holomatter generators". They can cause the avatar to blink into sudden existence with no warning. Holomatter avatars can be intangible, or as solid as a real object. Much like [[Pretender]] shells before them, holomatter avatars carry a strong connection to the consciousness of its generating Autobot. Damage to the avatar can cause severe impairment to the controlling Autobot if their consciousness is not withdrawn in time. Holomatter disguises are also limited by their operator's understanding of the lifeform they mimic.

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
All the Autobots operating covertly on [[Earth]] used holomatter avatars to act as their [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] drivers. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration #1}} Through a lack of understanding of humans, the holomatter avatars of the Autobots wore a fixed smile which their human friends found creepy, and the male Autobots [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] had female avatars. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}}

[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] was able to deliver a massive electrical surge at very close range through his holomatter avatar. This was powerful enough to stun [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], though at the cost of burning out Ratchet's holomatter generators. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}}

After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] arrived on Earth, [[Hunter O'Nion|Hunter]] gave the Autobots a "crash course in Earth culture"; [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] noted that the Autobots never realized that humans found the smiles of their avatars disturbing. After this, the Autobots' holomatter avatars became much more expressive. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

In a [[Psycho-Prism]] fueled battle between Autobots and [[Avengers]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] used his avatar to distract [[Luke Cage]]. [[Wolverine (Marvel)|Wolverine]] was not fooled since the holomatter projection gave off no scent. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} After that misunderstanding was resolved, vehicle mode Autobots used their holomatter avatars to carry on conversations with the Avengers and [[Doctor Doom]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two|Man and Machine, Parts Two,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three|Three,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four|and Four}}

Holomatter could be detected by devices called "holomatter readers", which the [[Machination]] possessed. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} Ironhide's avatar was capable of lifting [[Verity Carlo]] and [[Jimmy Pink]] at the same time, and he could increase the size of his avatar to over 9' (3m) tall so as to manhandle the pair through a hole in the ceiling. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] and [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] used their holomatter avatars to trick [[Sandra (G1)|Sandra]] into coming with them, to help in their investigation of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike]]. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|Only Forward}}

Over time, the long-range projection of holomatter avatars fell out of common use because of the energy cost and total concentration required (as well as the fact that hair never looked right). Ratchet used this technology to distract the traitorous [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] during their fight, and used it to retrieve the cure to the [[Red Rust]] virus when Pharma dropped it off Delphi's roof. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] modified the holomatter avatars of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' crew to better reflect their personalities. The avatars were used during a trip to [[Hedonia]] to avoid annoying some of the more mech-unfriendly locals. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Several crew members later used their holomatter avatars to search for [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] on the bartender's projection of Earth. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

The [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] used holomatter avatars to blend in with the natives on [[Magisteria VI]]. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}} [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] and [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] disguised themselves as [[M.A.S.K.]] agents on a visit to Earth, but their poor grasp of human design led to some issues. {{storylink|Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!}}

====Known avatars====
<gallery widths="150px" heights="100px">
File:Bluestreak Avatar.jpg|'''[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]'''—An ambiguously brown young woman in fashionably ripped, pink/purple clothes. Wears hoop earrings, a studded belt with Autobot belt buckle, and a blue MP3 player with headphones. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:Bumblebeeholomatter.jpg|'''[[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]]'''—Brunette white/Hispanic female in a tank top and jeans, based on {{w|Lindsay Lohan}}.<ref name=idea>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160322111449/http://www.protodepot.com/archive/2007_11_01_archive.html Idea: Holomatter Projection]</ref> {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth-chromedome.jpg|'''[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]]'''—Young, gangly white man with blond hair, wearing a red sweater, khaki pants, and a white overshirt. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth-cyclonus.jpg|'''[[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]]'''—Stern, handsome woman of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent, dressed like a Victorian school teacher in various shades of purple. Features a hair accessory that evokes his horns. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:PrimelessPart2-HolomatterAvatars.jpg|'''[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]''' and '''[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'''—Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield from {{w|Pulp Fiction}}. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 2}} Given their later affinity for movie making, {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}} it's possible this was a deliberate choice.
File:OnlyForward Holomatter Groove.jpg|'''[[Groove (G1)|Groove]]'''—White police officer in black uniform with a white helmet, riding Groove's motorcycle mode. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward}}
File:Hotrodholomatter.jpg|'''[[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]]'''—Heavily built white man with brown hair in a ponytail and a shirt unbuttoned to expose his chest. Basically {{w|Steven Seagal}}, then. {{storylink|The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation}}
File:MTMTE43 Rodimus's holoavatar.jpg|Later, as '''Rodimus''', he was <s>the physical embodiment of the 80s</s> a young, white male with a flame tattoo and [[Marty McFly]]'s outfit (with the addition of an [[Autobot]] T-shirt and minus most of the sleeves). {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:Infiltration6 Holomatter Ironhide.jpg|'''[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]'''—Older "military brass-type" white male with well-groomed silver hair and mustache and a gray suit. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:Infiltration6 Holomatter Jazz.jpg|'''[[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]]'''—Young black male with a close-cropped fade and a thin chin goatee. Wears a black suit and grey tie. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:MTMTE43 the old man.jpg|'''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'''—Elderly white man resembling a retired super-villain, with a scarred and lined face resembling the [[Decepticon]] insignia. Wears a long coat and a skull belt buckle (and initially carried a Decepticon insignia cane). {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:MTMTE Revolution-alex.jpg|'''[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]]'''—"Alex 'Anti-Spill' Higgins", a male [[M.A.S.K.]] agent in armour loosely resembling Misfire. Lacking the necessary knowledge to replicate a human visage, "Alex"'s face is a poorly-composited cyclopean affair. {{storylink|Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth-nautica.jpg|'''[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]'''—White woman with short, auburn hair, wearing a purple turtleneck and a mechanic's overalls, equipped with a tool belt and googles around her neck. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth-nightbeat.jpg|'''[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'''—{{w|Idris Elba}} as {{w|Luther (TV series)|Luther}}, a handsome, bearded black man, wearing a dark trenchcoat, blue shirt, and yellow tie. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:Primeholomatter.jpg|'''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'''—A well-built white trucker with a brown beard and a blue or red shirt and cap. Modelled after {{w|Ulysses S. Grant}}.<ref name=idea/> {{storylink|The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation}}
File:Infiltration6 Holomatter Prowl.jpg|'''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'''—A "federal agent"-type: ginger hair, receding hairline, middle-aged white male with dark sunglasses and a gray suit. In short: {{w|Horatio Caine}}. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:Ratchetholomatter.jpg|'''[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]'''—Blond, middle-aged, sightly hefty white male. Wears an EMT uniform, minus the jacket. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:MTMTE13 Rewind's holomatter avatar.jpg|'''[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'''—Blond, spiky-haired, young white male with goatee, wearing cargo pants and a black T-shirt for {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}. Carries a video camera. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:MtMtE13 Holomatter Rung.jpg|'''[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'''—A tall, thin, bespectacled white nebbish with graying hair, wearing a green sweater vest, dark shirt, and an orange formal suit and cap. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:MTMTE13 cvrA Rung.jpg|Later, Rung appears as a short, thin, red-haired white man in a dark, patterned waistcoat, a wingtip-collared shirt with rolled up sleeves, a salmon cravat, tan trousers, and gloves. Wears steampunk-ish spectacles, and sometimes a brown overcoat. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:Magisteria vi some of my best friends are autobots.jpg|'''[[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]]'''—At least three of the team, including [[Fulcrum]], had avatars resembling the inhabitants of [[Magisteria VI]]. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}}
File:MtMtE13 Holomatter Skids.jpg|'''[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'''—A white male with a floppy brown side parting and a prominent chin. Dressed in a blue suit jacket, and trousers, a red V-neck sweater, and a blue bow tie. Essentially a palette swap of {{w|Matt Smith}} as the [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|Eleventh Doctor]]. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth Skids shut up.jpg|Skids' second avatar is straight up just {{w|Christopher Eccleston}} as the [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|Ninth Doctor]]: a gaunt, middle-aged white man with close-cropped black hair and prominent ears and nose. Wears a leather jacket, a red V-neck top, and jeans. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:MTMTE13 cvrA Skids.jpg|At some stage, Skids may have had an avatar of a blond, middle-aged white man with an aquiline nose and a sharp grey suit. Basically {{w|Daniel Craig}} as {{w|James Bond}}. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues|Cybertronian Homesick Blues (cover only)}}
File:MTMTE Revolution-dennis.jpg|'''[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]]'''—"Dennis 'Suds' Taylor", a towering female M.A.S.K. agent in armour resembling Spinister. Underneath is another helmet, showing a total lack of imagination is not such a bad thing after all. {{storylink|Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!}}
File:OnlyForward Holomatter Streetwise.jpg|'''[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]]'''—A white police man in full uniform. Has a sensible, brown hairstyle and aviators. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward}}
File:Infiltration6 Holomatter Sunstreaker.jpg|'''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'''—Conventionally attractive, white adult woman with blonde hair and minimalist makeup. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration}}
File:Huntstreaker.jpg|After becoming a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], Sunstreaker's avatar is a copy of his partner [[Hunter O'Nion]], while the actual Hunter is secreted away somewhere in Sunstreaker's vehicle mode. {{storylink|The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots}}
File:CybertronianHomesickBlues-holomatterswerve.jpg|'''[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]'''—A short, rotund white male "surfer" type with prominent body hair, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, sandals, and wraparound sunglasses. On [[Hedonia]], he carried Tailgate around in a papoose (see below). {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:TheFrailGaze Oh boy.jpg|At some point during the ''[[Lost Light]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s second voyage, Swerve allowed his body to fall into neglect, and he interacted with the crew solely through an avatar of himself. This only became evident to his crewmates when his avatar vanished while he was tending bar. {{storylink|The Frail Gaze}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth Planet Swearth.jpg|As his condition worsened, a combination of factors led to Swerve's overloading holomatter generator to create an life-size replica of Earth as depicted in an amalgam of his favourite sitcoms. Rodimus dubbed the planet "[[Swearth]]". {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth Three Swerves Yes.jpg|Swearth's inhabitants included a trio of wacky room-mates: priest Ted, dermatologist Sheldon, and schlubby comedian Jerry–each of whom represented a facet of Swerve's personality, with their infighting representing his self-loathing. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth Amalgam Swerve.jpg|After becoming aware of his predicament, Swerve's three avatars recombined into a more conventional representation of Swerve, now with longish, swept back hair, a white V-neck Tee, a light grey, unbuttoned shirt, and jorts. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:MtMtE13-BabyTailgate.jpg|'''[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]'''—A white infant with a curl of blond hair, wearing a blue frilly romper and a white hat with the letter "T" on it. Has a pacifier. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth Tailgate avatar.jpg|Tailgate's later avatar is a pale female toddler with white hair, wearing a dungaree dress, long socks, and Mary Janes. The "T" hat now better resembles a sailor cap, and a blue visor hangs down beneath it. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:SpotlightUltraMagnus_MagnusHoloavatar.jpg|'''[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]''' infiltrates the [[Zarak Consortium]] building by replicating at least four of its employees, all of whom are peach-skinned, white-eyed [[Nebulan]]s. They include an armoured security guard, a besuited director of marketing, a man in a HAZMAT suit, and a scientist in a white labcoat. {{storylink|Spotlight: Ultra Magnus}}
File:MtMtE13-VerityMagnus.jpg|Ultra Magnus later chooses to make his avatar a copy of his old friend, [[Verity Carlo]]. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:Infiltration6 Holomatter Wheeljack.jpg|'''[[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]]'''—Balding "mad scientist"-type older white male with blond/white hair, glasses, goatee, and a white Nehru jacket. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:Whirlholomatter.jpg|'''[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'''—A young white girl with blue pigtails, an eyepatch, and a missing front tooth. Wears a pale T-shirt, dungaree shorts, knee-high stripey socks, and Mary Janes. Alarmingly, carries two Mac-10 machine pistols. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:PredestinationABeginnersGuide WhirlBraidingHair.jpg|Whirl's later avatar is a teenaged punk version of the former, adding twin-pronged eyebrows, studded fingerless gloves, spiky arm- and knee-pads, combat boots, and chains. Wears a watch on each wrist (aww). {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}
</gallery>

===Live-action film series===
The Decepticons [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] maintained their ruse of being human-driven vehicles by using a holographic pilot or driver known as [[Moustache Man]]. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] created a holo-driver for himself in the likeness of [[Peter Cullen]]. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}} [[Mohawk]] sported a holographic rider. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

<gallery>
File:Movie MustacheMan.jpg|Blackout, Barricade, Starscream
File:AllianceOptimusHoloDriver.jpg|Optimus Prime
</gallery>

===Unicron Trilogy bios===
[[Strongarm (Cybertron)|Strongarm]] was equipped with a holomatter projector.<ref>[http://www.transformersclub.com/ Official Transformers Collectors' Club site] members' section, Micro-Sized Online! Mini-Con Profiles, 2007/03/02</ref>

===Ask Vector Prime===
The [[Thirteen]] and the [[Guiding Hand]] visited Earth in the days of ancient [[Greece]], utilizing holomatter to interact with the humans while the Thirteen themselves sat at the top of [[Mount Olympus|a mountain]] since Earth technology at the time was not developed enough for them to be able to assume inconspicuous disguises. Their presence on Earth inspired the legends of the {{w|Twelve Olympians}}. [[Vector Prime]] presented himself as {{w|Hermes}}; [[Prima]] as {{w|Zeus}}; [[Onyx Prime|Onyx]] as {{w|Artemis}}; [[Last Autobot|Autonomous Maximus]] as {{w|Apollo}}; [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] as {{w|Ares}}; [[Nexus Prime|Nexus Maximus]] as {{w|Hera}}; [[Liege Maximo|Liege]] as {{w|Aphrodite}}; [[Solus Prime]] as {{w|Hephaestus}}; [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] as {{w|Athena}}; and [[Alchemist Prime]] as {{w|Dionysus}}; [[Epistemus]] as {{w|Demeter}}; [[Adaptus]] as {{w|Poseidon}}; and [[Mortilus]] as {{w|Hades}}.

Vector Prime sometimes had difficulty finding depictions of himself and his fellow Olympians that did not trip the [[Axiom Nexus Auto-Censors]], due to frequent depictions of his external socket configuration. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/14}}

After the Shroud, the Vector Prime of [[Nexus 208.0 Epsilon]] was dispatched to Nebulos, where he planned to disguise himself as a factory and use his holomatter avatar to interact with the locals. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/11/01 }} Taking the appearance of an elderly Caucasian human male, dressed in a dark suit with accompanying opera cape, Vector's hope was his apparent status as a non-native would cover any gaps in his knowledge of the planet to the native Nebulans. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2016/02/15}}

<gallery>
File:Hermes.jpg|Vector Prime
File:Prima's Holomatter Avatar Zeus.jpg|Prima
File:AutonomousApolloAVPHolomatter.jpg|Autonomous Maximus
File: OnyxArtemisAVPHolomatter.jpg|Onyx Prime
File:AphroditeLiegeMaximoAVP.jpg|Liege Maximo
File:HephaestusSolusPrimeAVP.jpg|Solus Prime
File:DionysusAlchemistPrimeAVP.jpg|Alchemist Prime
File:DemeterEpistemusAVP.jpg|Epistemus
File:AresMegatronusAVP.jpg|Megatronus
File:HeraNexusPrimeAVP.jpg|Nexus Prime (right) with Prima
File:PoseidonAdaptusAVP.jpg|Adaptus
File:HadesMortilusAVP.jpg|Mortilus
File:AthenaAlphaTrionAVP.jpg|Alpha Trion
</gallery>

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Human-built [[second-born intellect]]s such as [[Screwball]] and [[Pox]] interacted with their organic [[Confederated Terran Colonial Fleet|CTCF]] colleagues through holomatter avatars, which could be easily and quickly customized to encompass a wide variety of contradictory and sometimes fantastical appearances. {{storylink|Intersectionality}} {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

==Toys==
===Masterpiece===
*'''Loudpedal''' (2016)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MP-25B'''
:A recolor of the Raoul figurine release with ''Masterpiece'' Tracks, this time Raoul is done up in his deco from "[[Auto-Bop]]" but is otherwise the same. Technically, this figure represents '''C Shadow''', the human musician alter-ego of [[Loudpedal]]'s holomatter avatar.

==Notes==
*Holomatter bears a resemblance to the [[solid light simulation]]s from the Marvel comics, also created by Simon Furman, based on TV show ''Red Dwarf''.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Holobussitsu avatar''' (ホロ物質アバター ''horobussitsu abatā''), '''holomatter avatar''' (ホロマター・アバター ''horomatā abatā''), '''solid light avatar''' (ソリッドライト・アバター ''soliddo raito abatā'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cybertron technology]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) technology]]
[[Category:Movie technology]]

Holomatter

2022-12-26T11:50:29Z

Breech Loader: /* Known avatars */

[[File:Ratchet Holomatter.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Please state the nature of the [[Pīpō|medical emergency]].]]
'''Holomatter''' is a solid-light projection technology, used by [[Autobot]]s operating on alien worlds. Holomatter projectors can create projected facsimiles of native species which are too small or [[Human|fleshy]] for the Autobots to mimic with their mechanical [[Alternate mode|altmodes]]. The avatar isn't just a friendly image to fool human beings; it's also the Autobot equivalent of a remotely operated vehicle, allowing Autobots to go places and perform actions that would otherwise be prevented by their size and the need to camouflage their true identities. Having an avatar in a location is like the Autobot being there themself. An avatar can function up to at least 400 miles away from the controlling Autobot, even when separated by solid walls.

The avatar is created and maintained by "holomatter generators". They can cause the avatar to blink into sudden existence with no warning. Holomatter avatars can be intangible, or as solid as a real object. Much like [[Pretender]] shells before them, holomatter avatars carry a strong connection to the consciousness of its generating Autobot. Damage to the avatar can cause severe impairment to the controlling Autobot if their consciousness is not withdrawn in time. Holomatter disguises are also limited by their operator's understanding of the lifeform they mimic.

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
All the Autobots operating covertly on [[Earth]] used holomatter avatars to act as their [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] drivers. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration #1}} Through a lack of understanding of humans, the holomatter avatars of the Autobots wore a fixed smile which their human friends found creepy, and the male Autobots [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] had female avatars. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}}

[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] was able to deliver a massive electrical surge at very close range through his holomatter avatar. This was powerful enough to stun [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], though at the cost of burning out Ratchet's holomatter generators. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}}

After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] arrived on Earth, [[Hunter O'Nion|Hunter]] gave the Autobots a "crash course in Earth culture"; [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] noted that the Autobots never realized that humans found the smiles of their avatars disturbing. After this, the Autobots' holomatter avatars became much more expressive. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

In a [[Psycho-Prism]] fueled battle between Autobots and [[Avengers]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] used his avatar to distract [[Luke Cage]]. [[Wolverine (Marvel)|Wolverine]] was not fooled since the holomatter projection gave off no scent. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} After that misunderstanding was resolved, vehicle mode Autobots used their holomatter avatars to carry on conversations with the Avengers and [[Doctor Doom]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two|Man and Machine, Parts Two,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three|Three,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four|and Four}}

Holomatter could be detected by devices called "holomatter readers", which the [[Machination]] possessed. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} Ironhide's avatar was capable of lifting [[Verity Carlo]] and [[Jimmy Pink]] at the same time, and he could increase the size of his avatar to over 9' (3m) tall so as to manhandle the pair through a hole in the ceiling. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] and [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] used their holomatter avatars to trick [[Sandra (G1)|Sandra]] into coming with them, to help in their investigation of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike]]. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|Only Forward}}

Over time, the long-range projection of holomatter avatars fell out of common use because of the energy cost and total concentration required (as well as the fact that hair never looked right). Ratchet used this technology to distract the traitorous [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] during their fight, and used it to retrieve the cure to the [[Red Rust]] virus when Pharma dropped it off Delphi's roof. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] modified the holomatter avatars of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' crew to better reflect their personalities. The avatars were used during a trip to [[Hedonia]] to avoid annoying some of the more mech-unfriendly locals. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Several crew members later used their holomatter avatars to search for [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] on the bartender's projection of Earth. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

The [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] used holomatter avatars to blend in with the natives on [[Magisteria VI]]. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}} [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] and [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] disguised themselves as [[M.A.S.K.]] agents on a visit to Earth, but their poor grasp of human design led to some issues. {{storylink|Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!}}

====Known avatars====
<gallery widths="150px" heights="100px">
File:Bluestreak Avatar.jpg|'''[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]'''—An ambiguously brown young woman in fashionably ripped, pink/purple clothes. Wears hoop earrings, a studded belt with Autobot belt buckle, and a blue MP3 player with headphones. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:Bumblebeeholomatter.jpg|'''[[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]]'''—Brunette white/Hispanic female in a tank top and jeans, based on {{w|Lindsay Lohan}}.<ref name=idea>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160322111449/http://www.protodepot.com/archive/2007_11_01_archive.html Idea: Holomatter Projection]</ref> {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth-chromedome.jpg|'''[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]]'''—Young, gangly white man with blond hair, wearing a red sweater, khaki pants, and a white overshirt. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth-cyclonus.jpg|'''[[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]]'''—Stern, handsome woman of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent, dressed like a Victorian school teacher in various shades of purple. Features a hair accessory that evokes his horns. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:PrimelessPart2-HolomatterAvatars.jpg|'''[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]''' and '''[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]'''—Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield from {{w|Pulp Fiction}}. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 2}} Given their later affinity for movie making, {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}} it's possible this was a deliberate choice.
File:OnlyForward Holomatter Groove.jpg|'''[[Groove (G1)|Groove]]'''—White police officer in black uniform with a white helmet, riding Groove's motorcycle mode. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward}}
File:Hotrodholomatter.jpg|'''[[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]]'''—Heavily built white man with brown hair in a ponytail and a shirt unbuttoned to expose his chest. Basically {{w|Steven Seagal}}, then. {{storylink|The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation}}
File:MTMTE43 Rodimus's holoavatar.jpg|Later, as '''Rodimus''', he was <s>the physical embodiment of the 80s</s> a young, white male with a flame tattoo and [[Marty McFly]]'s outfit (with the addition of an [[Autobot]] T-shirt and minus most of the sleeves). {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:Infiltration6 Holomatter Ironhide.jpg|'''[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]'''—Older "military brass-type" white male with well-groomed silver hair and mustache and a gray suit. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:Infiltration6 Holomatter Jazz.jpg|'''[[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]]'''—Young black male with a close-cropped fade and a thin chin goatee. Wears a black suit and grey tie. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:MTMTE43 the old man.jpg|'''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'''—Elderly white man resembling a retired super-villain, with a scarred and lined face resembling the [[Decepticon]] insignia. Wears a long coat and a skull belt buckle (and initially carried a Decepticon insignia cane). {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:MTMTE Revolution-alex.jpg|'''[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]]'''—"Alex 'Anti-Spill' Higgins", a male [[M.A.S.K.]] agent in armour loosely resembling Misfire. Lacking the necessary knowledge to replicate a human visage, "Alex"'s face is a poorly-composited cyclopean affair. {{storylink|Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth-nautica.jpg|'''[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]'''—White woman with short, auburn hair, wearing a purple turtleneck and a mechanic's overalls, equipped with a tool belt and googles around her neck. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth-nightbeat.jpg|'''[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'''—{{w|Idris Elba}} as {{w|Luther (TV series)|Luther}}, a handsome, bearded black man, wearing a dark trenchcoat, blue shirt, and yellow tie. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:Primeholomatter.jpg|'''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'''—A well-built white trucker with a brown beard and a blue or red shirt and cap. Modelled after {{w|Ulysses S. Grant}}.<ref name=idea/> {{storylink|The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation}}
File:Infiltration6 Holomatter Prowl.jpg|'''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'''—A "federal agent"-type: ginger hair, receding hairline, middle-aged white male with dark sunglasses and a gray suit. In short: {{w|Horatio Caine}}. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:Ratchetholomatter.jpg|'''[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]'''—Blond, middle-aged, sightly hefty white male. Wears an EMT uniform, minus the jacket. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:MTMTE13 Rewind's holomatter avatar.jpg|'''[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'''—Blond, spiky-haired, young white male with goatee, wearing cargo pants and a black T-shirt for {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}. Carries a video camera. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:MtMtE13 Holomatter Rung.jpg|'''[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'''—A tall, thin, bespectacled white nebbish with graying hair, wearing a green sweater vest, dark shirt, and an orange formal suit and cap. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:MTMTE13 cvrA Rung.jpg|Later, Rung appears as a short, thin, red-haired white man in a dark, patterned waistcoat, a wingtip-collared shirt with rolled up sleeves, a salmon cravat, tan trousers, and gloves. Wears steampunk-ish spectacles, and sometimes a brown overcoat. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:Magisteria vi some of my best friends are autobots.jpg|'''[[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]]'''—At least three of the team, including [[Fulcrum]], had avatars resembling the inhabitants of [[Magisteria VI]]. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}}
File:MtMtE13 Holomatter Skids.jpg|'''[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'''—A white male with a floppy brown side parting and a prominent chin. Dressed in a blue suit jacket, and trousers, a red V-neck sweater, and a blue bow tie. Essentially a palette swap of {{w|Matt Smith}} as the [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|Eleventh Doctor]]. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth Skids shut up.jpg|Skids' second avatar is straight up just {{w|Christopher Eccleston}} as the [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|Ninth Doctor]]: a gaunt, middle-aged white man with close-cropped black hair and prominent ears and nose. Wears a leather jacket, a red V-neck top, and jeans. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:MTMTE13 cvrA Skids.jpg|At some stage, Skids may have had an avatar of a blond, middle-aged white man with an aquiline nose and a sharp grey suit. Basically {{w|Daniel Craig}} as {{w|James Bond}}. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues|Cybertronian Homesick Blues (cover only)}}
File:MTMTE Revolution-dennis.jpg|'''[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]]'''—"Dennis 'Suds' Taylor", a towering female M.A.S.K. agent in armour loosely resembling Spinister. Underneath the "Dennis"' helmet is another helmet, showing a total lack of imagination is not such a bad thing after all. {{storylink|Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!}}
File:OnlyForward Holomatter Streetwise.jpg|'''[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]]'''—A white police man in full uniform. Has a sensible, brown hairstyle and aviators. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward}}
File:Infiltration6 Holomatter Sunstreaker.jpg|'''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'''—Conventionally attractive, white adult woman with blonde hair and minimalist makeup. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration}}
File:Huntstreaker.jpg|After becoming a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], Sunstreaker's avatar is a copy of his partner [[Hunter O'Nion]], while the actual Hunter is secreted away somewhere in Sunstreaker's vehicle mode. {{storylink|The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots}}
File:CybertronianHomesickBlues-holomatterswerve.jpg|'''[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]'''—A short, rotund white male "surfer" type with prominent body hair, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, sandals, and wraparound sunglasses. On [[Hedonia]], he carried Tailgate around in a papoose (see below). {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:TheFrailGaze Oh boy.jpg|At some point during the ''[[Lost Light]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s second voyage, Swerve allowed his body to fall into neglect, and he interacted with the crew solely through an avatar of himself. This only became evident to his crewmates when his avatar vanished while he was tending bar. {{storylink|The Frail Gaze}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth Planet Swearth.jpg|As his condition worsened, a combination of factors led to Swerve's overloading holomatter generator to create an life-size replica of Earth as depicted in an amalgam of his favourite sitcoms. Rodimus dubbed the planet "[[Swearth]]". {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth Three Swerves Yes.jpg|Swearth's inhabitants included a trio of wacky room-mates: priest Ted, dermatologist Sheldon, and schlubby comedian Jerry–each of whom represented a facet of Swerve's personality, with their infighting representing his self-loathing. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth Amalgam Swerve.jpg|After becoming aware of his predicament, Swerve's three avatars recombined into a more conventional representation of Swerve, now with longish, swept back hair, a white V-neck Tee, a light grey, unbuttoned shirt, and jorts. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:MtMtE13-BabyTailgate.jpg|'''[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]'''—A white infant with a curl of blond hair, wearing a blue frilly romper and a white hat with the letter "T" on it. Has a pacifier. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:TheOneWhereTheyGoToEarth Tailgate avatar.jpg|Tailgate's later avatar is a pale female toddler with white hair, wearing a dungaree dress, long socks, and Mary Janes. The "T" hat now better resembles a sailor cap, and a blue visor hangs down beneath it. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}
File:SpotlightUltraMagnus_MagnusHoloavatar.jpg|'''[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]''' infiltrates the [[Zarak Consortium]] building by replicating at least four of its employees, all of whom are peach-skinned, white-eyed [[Nebulan]]s. They include an armoured security guard, a besuited director of marketing, a man in a HAZMAT suit, and a scientist in a white labcoat. {{storylink|Spotlight: Ultra Magnus}}
File:MtMtE13-VerityMagnus.jpg|Ultra Magnus later chooses to make his avatar a copy of his old friend, [[Verity Carlo]]. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:Infiltration6 Holomatter Wheeljack.jpg|'''[[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]]'''—Balding "mad scientist"-type older white male with blond/white hair, glasses, goatee, and a white Nehru jacket. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration ''et al''}}
File:Whirlholomatter.jpg|'''[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'''—A young white girl with blue pigtails, an eyepatch, and a missing front tooth. Wears a pale T-shirt, dungaree shorts, knee-high stripey socks, and Mary Janes. Alarmingly, carries two Mac-10 machine pistols. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}
File:PredestinationABeginnersGuide WhirlBraidingHair.jpg|Whirl's later avatar is a teenaged punk version of the former, adding twin-pronged eyebrows, studded fingerless gloves, spiky arm- and knee-pads, combat boots, and chains. Wears a watch on each wrist (aww). {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}
</gallery>

===Live-action film series===
The Decepticons [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] maintained their ruse of being human-driven vehicles by using a holographic pilot or driver known as [[Moustache Man]]. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] created a holo-driver for himself in the likeness of [[Peter Cullen]]. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}} [[Mohawk]] sported a holographic rider. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

<gallery>
File:Movie MustacheMan.jpg|Blackout, Barricade, Starscream
File:AllianceOptimusHoloDriver.jpg|Optimus Prime
</gallery>

===Unicron Trilogy bios===
[[Strongarm (Cybertron)|Strongarm]] was equipped with a holomatter projector.<ref>[http://www.transformersclub.com/ Official Transformers Collectors' Club site] members' section, Micro-Sized Online! Mini-Con Profiles, 2007/03/02</ref>

===Ask Vector Prime===
The [[Thirteen]] and the [[Guiding Hand]] visited Earth in the days of ancient [[Greece]], utilizing holomatter to interact with the humans while the Thirteen themselves sat at the top of [[Mount Olympus|a mountain]] since Earth technology at the time was not developed enough for them to be able to assume inconspicuous disguises. Their presence on Earth inspired the legends of the {{w|Twelve Olympians}}. [[Vector Prime]] presented himself as {{w|Hermes}}; [[Prima]] as {{w|Zeus}}; [[Onyx Prime|Onyx]] as {{w|Artemis}}; [[Last Autobot|Autonomous Maximus]] as {{w|Apollo}}; [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] as {{w|Ares}}; [[Nexus Prime|Nexus Maximus]] as {{w|Hera}}; [[Liege Maximo|Liege]] as {{w|Aphrodite}}; [[Solus Prime]] as {{w|Hephaestus}}; [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] as {{w|Athena}}; and [[Alchemist Prime]] as {{w|Dionysus}}; [[Epistemus]] as {{w|Demeter}}; [[Adaptus]] as {{w|Poseidon}}; and [[Mortilus]] as {{w|Hades}}.

Vector Prime sometimes had difficulty finding depictions of himself and his fellow Olympians that did not trip the [[Axiom Nexus Auto-Censors]], due to frequent depictions of his external socket configuration. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/14}}

After the Shroud, the Vector Prime of [[Nexus 208.0 Epsilon]] was dispatched to Nebulos, where he planned to disguise himself as a factory and use his holomatter avatar to interact with the locals. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/11/01 }} Taking the appearance of an elderly Caucasian human male, dressed in a dark suit with accompanying opera cape, Vector's hope was his apparent status as a non-native would cover any gaps in his knowledge of the planet to the native Nebulans. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2016/02/15}}

<gallery>
File:Hermes.jpg|Vector Prime
File:Prima's Holomatter Avatar Zeus.jpg|Prima
File:AutonomousApolloAVPHolomatter.jpg|Autonomous Maximus
File: OnyxArtemisAVPHolomatter.jpg|Onyx Prime
File:AphroditeLiegeMaximoAVP.jpg|Liege Maximo
File:HephaestusSolusPrimeAVP.jpg|Solus Prime
File:DionysusAlchemistPrimeAVP.jpg|Alchemist Prime
File:DemeterEpistemusAVP.jpg|Epistemus
File:AresMegatronusAVP.jpg|Megatronus
File:HeraNexusPrimeAVP.jpg|Nexus Prime (right) with Prima
File:PoseidonAdaptusAVP.jpg|Adaptus
File:HadesMortilusAVP.jpg|Mortilus
File:AthenaAlphaTrionAVP.jpg|Alpha Trion
</gallery>

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Human-built [[second-born intellect]]s such as [[Screwball]] and [[Pox]] interacted with their organic [[Confederated Terran Colonial Fleet|CTCF]] colleagues through holomatter avatars, which could be easily and quickly customized to encompass a wide variety of contradictory and sometimes fantastical appearances. {{storylink|Intersectionality}} {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

==Toys==
===Masterpiece===
*'''Loudpedal''' (2016)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MP-25B'''
:A recolor of the Raoul figurine release with ''Masterpiece'' Tracks, this time Raoul is done up in his deco from "[[Auto-Bop]]" but is otherwise the same. Technically, this figure represents '''C Shadow''', the human musician alter-ego of [[Loudpedal]]'s holomatter avatar.

==Notes==
*Holomatter bears a resemblance to the [[solid light simulation]]s from the Marvel comics, also created by Simon Furman, based on TV show ''Red Dwarf''.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Holobussitsu avatar''' (ホロ物質アバター ''horobussitsu abatā''), '''holomatter avatar''' (ホロマター・アバター ''horomatā abatā''), '''solid light avatar''' (ソリッドライト・アバター ''soliddo raito abatā'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cybertron technology]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) technology]]
[[Category:Movie technology]]

Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!

2022-12-26T11:41:34Z

Breech Loader: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye]]: [[Revolution]]'' one-shot
|prev=Last Light (issue)
|next=Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron
|image=MTMTERev regcvr.jpg
|caption=Worlds will live. Worlds will die.
|title=The Scavengers in: "Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[December 7]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=November 2016
|written by=[[Nick Roche]] and [[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}
'''The Scavengers visit Earth so Crankcase can meet his online crush, who turns out to look quite different from his profile pic.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:NothingWillEverBeTheSameAgain-MP3.jpg|thumb|left|Seems like a Joe named "MP3" should be pirate-themed.]]
The [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] have come to [[Earth]] so that [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] can meet "[[CONS4EVA]]," a fellow poster on [[The Big Conversation]] messageboard with whom he has grown close. The group sets [[Weak Anthropic Principle|their ship]] down in the [[New Mexico]] desert, but while [[Fulcrum]] and [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] are busy helping Crankcase get ready for his date, [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] breaks out and starts charging across the country into [[Texas]]. Keen to hide another of the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]'s episodes from their shipmates, [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] and [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] secretly take off after him, following the trail of destruction to the town of [[Amarillo]]. There, using [[holomatter]] avatars to disguise themselves as "Alex Higgins" and "Dennis Taylor," agents of [[M.A.S.K.]], they cross paths with over-keen local [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] representative and complete no-hoper [[MP3]], right after he fails to impress a [[Brandon|disaffected young bystander]] with an official G.I. Joe-branded souvenir ink pen. MP3 joins the pair in tracking Grimlock, but as they follow the Dinobot's trail to [[Arlington]], the Joe's "[[Action Van]]" breaks down. Considering himself no longer able to help on the mission, MP3 takes his helmet off, prompting the Decepticons to have their avatars do the same - whereupon the sight of the misshapen, poorly-composited, one-eyed face Misfire has made for his avatar causes MP3 to faint (showing that maybe Spinister's total lack of imagination isn't such a bad thing after all). Not realizing the human has merely passed out, the two think he is dead and bury him, then head on to Arlington, where they survey the damage Grimlock has caused. Watching as an EMT resuscitates an injured woman, the pair realize their mistake with MP3, and Spinister heads back to dig him up while Misfire continues after Grimlock.

Meanwhile, back at the ''Weak Anthropic Principle,'' Crankcase, Krok, and Fulcrum step outside to look for "CONS4EVA," but no sooner have they done so than the mystery of Crankcase's penpal's identity is seemingly solved, as the massive form of [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] looms over them! Having encountered the apocalyptic [[Decepticon]] before, Crankcase is paralyzed with fear, forcing Krok to hit him a smack in order to activate his weapons, blasting Thunderwing and buying them all a moment to get back inside the ship. Thunderwing pursues... then holds his hands up, revealing that he is ''not'' Thunderwing, but, in fact, one of the shape-shifting [[Dire Wraith]]s! Familiar with the alien race's evil ways, Krok is immediately untrusting, but the Wraith—who is indeed "CONS4EVA," and who unknowingly took Thunderwing's form because Crankcase talks about him a lot—explains that he does not share his species' taste for conquest and consumption, and hopes that Crankcase can help him perform "The Crossover"—a ceremony from [[Temptoria]]n religion expressing ultimate loyalty to the Temptorian deity known as "The Brand," which opens a portal that leads the way to a new life. Crankcase laments his poor romantic luck, but otherwise has no desire to leave his life behind; still, he agrees to help his new friend perform the ceremony. The Wraith goes on to detail how The Crossover requires the involvement of a third species, at which point Spinister arrives with the unconscious MP3.

[[File:GrimlockPresent.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Me Grimlock can has sord-burger?]]
Misfire finally catches up to Grimlock in [[Dallas]], where he is digging through a construction site. Grimlock hurls a boulder at Misfire's avatar, prompting the Decepticon to transform and sternly tell him that he can't continue to act so carelessly, especially where there's no obvious objective to his actions. From the dirt, Grimlock suddenly pulls a huge sword, and charges at Misfire... only, rather than attack, he sadly presents him with the weapon, which bears the names of Grimlock's Dinobot comrades, all carved in the hilt. Realizing that the sword is Grimlock's, left on Earth before the Dinobot leader was taken to [[Garrus-9]], Misfire is thrilled that Grimlock has displayed a real memory, having feared that he was lost for good when he ran off. "Never so happy to lose a bet with myself," Misfire grins... to which Grimlock smirks and replies, "Loser..."

Back at the Scavengers' ship, Spinister apologizes to MP3 for burying him alive. Fortunately, the G.I. Joe has survived the experience by using the casing of his souvenir pen as a breathing tube! The glum MP3 explains that he is the last member of the G.I. Joe "[[Admin Force]]", the paper-pushers of the group who have all gone their own way. Tired of the job himself, he has even written a letter of resignation that he always keeps on his person, but has never had the courage to post. Intrigued by the prospect of getting to live a new life, MP3 agrees to take part in The Crossover... but when the Wraith, Crankcase, and he enact the "Brand loyalty" ceremony, the portal that it opens is so tiny, none of them are able to fit through it!

A little later, after Misfire and Grimlock have returned, Crankcase asks the Wraith and MP3 if they want to join the Scavengers. The Wraith politely declines, interested in finding his own way in life, having decided after meeting the Scavengers that maybe being "different" isn't so bad. MP3, on the other hand, is raring to go, and runs off to send his resignation letter to Joe command through the little portal. Fulcrum has other ideas; the big-chinned 'Con ''hates'' humans, and quickly blasts off, leaving MP3 desperately trying to reach through the portal to get his letter back!

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (1)
|c2=
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (4)
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (5)
*[[Fulcrum]] (6)
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (7)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (8)
|c4=
*[[MP3]] (2)
*[[Brandon]] (3)
*"[[CONS4EVA]]" (9)
}}

==Quotes==
"When I '''want''' your opinion, '''Fulcrum,''' I'll '''kill''' myself."
:—'''Krok'''

"It's '''humans''' I hate. I mean have you '''seen''' them? Absolutely '''covered''' in pores. And when they '''exert themselves''' they secrete this— this—" ''(gags)'' "I can't even describe it."
:—'''Fulcrum'''

"Be who you are. Within reason, obviously. Be a '''less abrasive''' version of who you are."
:—'''Krok''' gives Crankcase dating advice

"Typical! It's typical of my '''luck'''! Every time I take the '''tiniest''' step towards some '''loose approximation''' of happiness, '''fate''' comes along to '''shoot me in the face!'''"
:—'''Crankcase'''

"'''The Brand''' is a '''deity'''—one that's normally worshipped by the '''Temptorians'''. Dire Wraiths steal everything—including gods."
:—'''Krok'''

"At least '''three''' distinct species are required to make it a proper crossover. With just two, it's... we have a word for it: '''t'mup.'''"
:—'''CONS4EVA'''

"Again, about the '''premature burial'''... I'm sorry you weren't dead. Also: I'm glad you weren't dead." 
"I was '''conscious''' when you did it, '''Spinister'''! I '''resisted'''...!" 
"I thought it was '''human post-death reflex syndrome'''...!"
:—'''Spinister''' and '''MP3'''

"I hope you're proud of yourselves, 'cos that wasn't bad for your first crossover. Sure, we didn't get what we asked, but I think it might be The Brand's way of telling us to make the most of '''this''' life. Or, as they call it, the 'one shot'."
:—'''CONS4EVA'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*We first heard about The Big Conversation website back in [[Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots|issue #45]].
*Misfire explains to Spinister that G.I. Joe is led by [[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]]; however, Misfire's data is outdated, Duke having departed G.I. Joe in between {{i|G.I. Joe vol. 3|''G.I. Joe'' vol. 3}} and {{i|G.I. Joe vol. 4|''G.I. Joe'' vol. 4}} (over two years prior in-universe).
*Crankcase does not wish to disclose his alt-mode beforehand due to the risk of trolling by neo-[[Functionism|Functionists]]; the Decepticon movement and the Great War broke out largely as a result of Functionist oppression.
*Been a good few years since we saw Thunderwing; he last appeared under the control of [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] in ''[[Spotlight: Sideswipe]]'', just over eight years before the publication of this issue. As explained in footnotes, he attacked [[Nebulos]] in [[Stormbringer issue 3|''Stormbringer'' #3]], in which Crankcase—making his first IDW continuity appearance—was indeed shown to be part of the infiltration unit on the planet.
*The planet Temptoria previously appeared in [[Before & After|issue #12]].
*Though not mentioned by name, the third and final city Grimlock ends up in must be Dallas, as that was—per the footnote in this issue—where he fought [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] in the [[Maximum Dinobots issue 5|final issue of ''Maximum Dinobots'']]. Grimlock's sword was last seen in that issue when he stabbed it into the ground so he could free his hands to attend to a wounded [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]], and it has evidently remained there ever since. We'd be remiss if we didn't point out that the sword designs don't match between issues, but we'll chalk that up to artist variance.
**The sword is scored with the names of the other Dinobots, and uses Slug's original name, having been left behind before he was informed of the "offensiveness" of his name.
*Grimlock displayed the ability to suddenly and inexplicably speak despite appearing incapable of the feat in [[Animals|issue #46]].

===Transformers references===
*Other posters on The Big Conversation include "Starscream's Ghost", referring to the [[Starscream's Ghost|Generation 1 cartoon episode]] of the same name and the legacy of supernatural shenanigans surrounding Starscream it birthed, and "Cassette Man", named after the original ''[[Microman|Micro Change]]'' toy that became [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Generation 1 Soundwave]].
*[[Aquaria]], the planet which CONS4EVA claims to have been stationed on originates from [[James Roberts]]'s 2001 fan novel ''Eugenesis''.

===Other franchise references===
*[[John Barber]] asked Roche and Roberts to "do an Ennis" and emulate DC's ''Hitman'', a [[DC Comics]] series by Garth Ennis that did very barbed and sneaky contributions to crossovers. Roberts cited the ''Hitman'' stories for ''DC One Million'' (which gleefully skewers the very concept) and ''Final Night'' (a bar conversation as people wait for the apocalypse to end) as examples.<ref>[https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/808430903303274496 Roberts' Twitter, 12th December 2016]: "True story: @NickRoche and I were specifically asked by outgoing TF editor @TheJohnBarber to "do an Ennis" à la Final Night and DC 1,000,000"</ref> ''Unlike'' some of the Ennis stories, they didn't mean to diss ''Revolution''.<ref>[https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/808431311413243904 "Not mocking Revolution, you understand - just having fun with the idea of crossovers and getting to be the playful standalone title."]</ref>
*Brandon compares Grimlock to the robotic animals of the ''[[Zoids]]'' franchise, an 80s toyline produced by [[TakaraTomy|Tomy]]. Though today better known for its 1999 relaunch in Japan and the various anime series that were produced as a result over the following years (that's how Brandon knows about it, we imagine!), Roberts and Roche are assuredly more familiar with the brand from the European version of the 80s toyline and the highly memorable {{w|Spider-Man and Zoids|''Zoids'' comic}} published by [[Marvel Comics|Marvel UK]] to go along with it.
*MP3 gets cut off trying to deliver the famous ''G.I. Joe'' [[Public service announcement|PSA]] catchphrase, "Knowing is half the battle." PSAs were recorded and animated for the Generation 1 cartoon that saw the Autobots use this catchphrase too, but they never aired.
*Misfire and Spinister quote the ''M.A.S.K.'' theme song in a substantially more on-the-nose way than the main ''Revolution'' series did.
*Action Van... [[Action Man]]. Admin Force... [[Action Force (team)|Action Force]]. Get it? 'Course you get it. Now go do something with your life.
*The portal opened by The Crossover ceremony, which grants anyone who passes through it a new life, depositing them somewhere else, seems to owe something to the [[wikia:marvel:Siege Perilous|Siege Perilous]] from Marvel's ''[[X-Men]]'' comics, which accomplishes the same effect.
*Crankcase refers to the Dire Wraiths as "the reason Megatron steered clear of the [[Dark Nebula]]", home of the Dire Wraiths in the Marvel ''{{w|Rom: Spaceknight}}'' comics; but see "Errors", below.
**Both the ''Rom'' and ''Transformers'' franchises independently utilized a "Dark Nebula" back in the 80s, and appropriately enough they have been worked together for the newly-unveiled Hasbro Universe.

===Real-life references===
*With its talk of "brand loyalty" and "t'mup"s, this whole issue is about poking fun at big comic crossovers in general, and its title is a reference to the hyperbolic promotion such events often receive. The phrase was genuinely used to promote Marvel's "{{w|House of M}}" event in 2005 (the first major modern crossover event after a dry period of many years which reintroduced the concept and made it a regular, recurring fixture of the comic book industry landscape again) and has become a bit of a parodic buzz-phrase in the years since.
*Real-world landmarks visible in Grimlock's rampage through {{w|Amarillo, Texas}} include the Amarillo National Bank, the Courtyard hotel, and the Petroleum Building. Later, in {{w|Arlington, Texas|Arlington}}, the damaged {{w|AT&T Stadium}} can be seen, before MP3's radio reports that he has also hit {{w|Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth}}, no big loss (sorry, Fort Worth!)
*Misfire and Spinister's human aliases are taken from rival snooker players {{w|Alex Higgins}} and {{w|Dennis Taylor}} (hence the subtle gag in MP3's line about them "bringing tricks to the table"). Clearly not grasping stereotypical norms regarding human sexual dimorphism, Spinister's female holoform is "Dennis" (and ''towers'' over Misfire's "Alex")!
*One of the other members of G.I. Joe's "Admin Force" is named "Blue Tick," after the famous Twitter verification icon.

===Errors===
*Maybe we're overthinking the comedy here, but Misfire's got two eyes, a nose, and a mouth in proper human proportion on his ''own'' face, so why wouldn't he know to replicate that on his holo-avatar's face...?
*CONS4EVA's ability to shapeshift into a form of his choosing, whilst something [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]]'s [[Dire Wraith]] were capable of, is not consistent with how they have been depicted in this continuity; in the current {{i|ROM (comic)|''ROM'' comic}}, it has been established that IDW's Wraiths essentially function like parasites, having to merge themselves with a victim's body in order to take on their appearance. Similarly, given how the Marvel ''Rom'' license is known to have worked, it's unlikely that the IDW Dire Wraiths hail from the Dark Nebula (although it's possible the Dark Nebula in this continuity is merely a Wraith-controlled area, rather than their point of origin).

===Other trivia===
*This issue was originally intended to be released in November, prior to the [[Valley Forge|final issue]] of ''Revolution''. Delays pushed it into December, after the crossover had concluded, but that's not a problem since it's a humorous issue not directly connected to anything going on in the event.

===Covers (4)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Misfire and Crankcase grab some takeout with [[Rom]], [[Matt Trakker]], [[Brad Turner]], [[Gloria Baker]], [[Scarlett]], [[Snake-Eyes]], [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]], and [[Lady Jaye]], by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]. M.A.S.K. vehicle "[http://www.albertpenello.com/mask/hurricane.html Hurricane]" is sitting off to the side by Trakker's [[Thunderhawk]]; neither this vehicle nor its classic driver Hondo MacLean have appeared in IDW continuity yet.
*'''Subscription cover A:''' Grimlock versus Rom and lesser-known M.A.S.K. operative Ace Riker, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]. Riker is based on his 1987 action figure, wearing a black, silver, and gold flight-suit and his "Cruise Control" mask, but the mask has been colored red like the "Ricochet" mask worn by his 1986 action figure.
*'''Subscription cover B:''' Blank cover for sketches
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Grimlock, Misfire, and Spinister, by [[Ken Christiansen]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTERev regcvr.jpg|The food sucks here. Let's go to [[Burger Bot]].
File:MTMTERev subcvrA.jpg|Where's Riker's trombone?
File:MTMTERev subcvrB.jpg|Blank cover for sketches.
File:MTMTERev cvrRI.jpg|Didn't these guys see ''Jurassic World''?
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|Lost Light]]'' [[Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|#1]]
*''Revolution'' tie-in one-shots
*End of ''Revolution'' and the start of ''[[Reconstruction]]'', including [[New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|''Optimus Prime'' #1]] and {{i|M.A.S.K. issue 1|''M.A.S.K.'' #1}}.

===Reprints===
*'''''Revolution: Transformers''''' ([[March 8]], [[2017]]) ISBN 1631408429 / ISBN 978-1631408427
:* Contains the ''[[Informed|Til All Are One]]'', ''[[Thundercracker & Buster Save the World|The Transformers]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' one-shots, as well as ''[[The Transformers Holiday Special]]''.
:* Bonus material UNKNOWN.

*'''''Revolution''''' ([[March 29]], 2017) ISBN 978-1631409370
**Hardcover, exclusively sold through the comic book direct market.
**Contains ''Revolution'' #0–5 and all one-shots.
**Bonus material includes a cover gallery.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 81: Revolution''''' ([[February 19]], [[2020]])
:* Hardcover collection of ''Revolution'' #0–5, and the tie-in one-shots for ''The Transformers'', ''Til All Are One'' and ''More than Meets the Eye''.
:* Bonus content includes an intro from [[Simon Furman]].

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Three: Volume 1|The IDW Collection Phase Three: Volume 1]]''''' ([[November 17]], [[2021]]) ISBN 1684058422 / ISBN 978-1684058426
:* Contains ''[[Revolution]]'' [[Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|#0]]–[[Valley Forge|5]], ''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]'': [[Informed|Revolution one-shot]], ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'': [[Thundercracker & Buster Save the World|Revolution one-shot]], [[The Modern World|''Action Man'': Revolution one-shot]], ''More than Meets the Eye'': Revolution one-shot, ''Till All Are One'' [[Ping|#5]]–[[Rubicon|8]] and ''[[Revolutionaries]]'' [[Crisis Intervention|#1]]–[[The Iron Klaw|4]].

<gallery>
File:Revolution-Transformers-TPB.jpg|'''''Revolution: Transformers''''' TPB cover by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:Revolution-HC.jpg|'''''Revolution''''' Direct Market Hardcover by [[James Biggie]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v81.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 81: Revolution'''''; cover art by [[Dreamwave Productions]] (Blitzwing) and [[Fico Ossio]] (retro)
File:IDWCollectionP3V1.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection, Phase Three, Vol. 1'''''; cover art by [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]]
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/32218-the-worst-of-the-worst-decepticons-invade-in-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-revolution-1.html Preview]

[[Category:IDW More than Meets the Eye issues]]
[[Category:Revolution issues]]

Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers

2022-12-26T01:36:34Z

Breech Loader: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' #24
|prev=Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering
|next=How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2
|image=LL24 cvrA.jpg
|title="Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers"
|caption=And so on to infinity.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 26]], 2018
|coverdate=September 2018
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Brendan Cahill]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[David Mariotte]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}
'''With twelve Matrices in hand, our heroes must embrace the best parts of themselves if they want to use them to stop the Functionist Council once and for all in the penultimate chapter of their adventure.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:LL24 Moon VS Cybertron.jpg|thumb|left|150px|'''CONK''']]
As the ''[[Lost Light]]'' makes straight for the Functionists' effigy of [[Primus]], darting between the giant robot's fingers, [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] hesitantly raises a question: they're planning to attack [[Vector Sigma]] by simultaneously unleashing the energies of twelve [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices]] through the planet's twelve [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]]s... but aren't the connections between the hot spots and Vector Sigma severed thanks to the [[Functionist Council]] changing [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] into a robot mode? [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] realizes too late that they have made a huge mistake—but fortunately, a solution to their problem arrives a moment later when the [[Warren]] opens, and [[Moonbase One#2005 IDW continuity|Luna 1]] comes flying out. At [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]]'s instruction, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] flies the moon straight into the back of "Primus's" neck, triggering an involuntary transformation back to planet mode.

[[File:LL24 Rung's Last Transformation.jpg|thumb|right|200px|So all shall stand, one shall fall.]]
Concurrently, elsewhere on the ''Lost Light,'' [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] and [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] accompany [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] to his quarters. Rung bids them to wait outside—wistfully remarking that the couple are lucky to have each other, and that they must learn to forgive themselves—then enters his room and shuts the door. Aware of the consequences of what he is about to do, Rung deletes all his patient files, and take a moment to think back on his first meeting with the departed [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] one last time. Finally, he transforms into his alternate mode, the true function of which is finally revealed as it flares to life: it is a Matrix maker. A little later, Rodimus opens the door to Rung's quarters to discover twelve Matrices... lying amidst the dust that is the remains of Rung's body, dissolved into inert [[living metal|sentio metallico]], the exertion having killed him.

Rodimus presents the Matrices to the rest of the crew, with some bad news: like the original, they are all sealed by the "[[morality lock]]" that means only those who are "pure of spirit" can open them. Even the spiritual [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] is at a bit of loss to explain exactly what that ''means,'' and the crew all start chiming in with their views on the relativity of "goodness." But there's no time for a debate; Rodimus distributes the Matrices, and each carrier is quickly flown to a hot spot on the surface of Functionist Cybertron by the [[Infinite]]s, along with some muscle to cover them. Tailgate goes to [[Rivets Field]] with [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]]; [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] to [[Vespertine Blue]] with Drift, where they confess they both feel the same way about each other; [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] to [[Automica]] with [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]]; [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to the [[Pious Pools]] with [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]]; [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] to [[Vauvaire]] with [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]], who joins hands with her; [[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] to [[Sansaw Sanserre]] with [[Anode]] (with whom she shares a kiss and a declaration of love) and [[Wipe-Out]]; [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] to [[Warrior's Gate]] with [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]; [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] to [[Port Residua]] with Chromedome and Rewind; [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] to [[Eugenesis]] with [[Krok (G1)|Krok]]; [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] to [[Alyon]] with [[Nickel]] and [[Fulcrum]]; [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] to [[Mesmerica]] with [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]; and lastly, Rodimus to [[Nova Point]] with [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]].

[[File:LL24 Rodimus Opens Matrix.jpg|thumb|left|250px|He's got The Tooth.]]
Unfortunately, as the [[Functionary]] armies of the Functionist Council descend and chaos erupts, none of the Matrix-carriers are able to open their Matrix. Rodimus is at a loss; he ''knows'' his crew are good people, but Megatron explains that the ''crew themselves'' don't truly believe that, and urges Rodimus to tell them so over their shared comm-line. Rodimus begins a final speech, extolling the virtues of the wonderful, screwed-up family that the crew have become, and assuring them that they are ''good enough'', but it seems it may be too late. All across Functionist Cybertron, our heroes are worn down; [[Minimus Ambus]] is blasted out of the [[Magnus Armor]]... Swerve loses an arm, requiring Misfire to hold his Matrix with him... Whirl's legs are blown off... but little by little, as Rodimus's words hit home, the Matrices begin to glow in their hands and slowly start to open. Just then, however, Rodimus is hit with a blast that takes off his left hand, requiring Megatron to take over opening his Matrix — but for all the great changes Megatron has made in his life, still the Matrix will not open for him. Or from another point of view, perhaps he has finally assumed responsible for all the terrible things he's done, no longer laying excuses on others? Out of time and options, Rodimus uses his remaining hand and his ''teeth'' to pull the Matrix open, and its energies join those of the other eleven, flooding through Cybertron, straight into Vector Sigma, obliterating the Functionist Council for good. The blast of life-energy radiates back outward from Vector Sigma, striking Luna 1 and igniting the long-dormant hot spot on its surface. Rodimus looks up at the moon, and sees, written among the light of the newborn sparks, a final message from the departed Rung: "DON'T FORGET ME."

In the aftermath of the victory, our heroes regroup, and Rodimus asks Fortress Maximus how his team even knew to come to the [[Benzene Cluster]] to aid them. Max explains that they were following instructions from ''Rodimus himself''; they have actually come from the near-future, following instructions that Rodimus is going to send to them shortly that directed them to use the Warren to travel back in time using the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]]'s cloak as a map, and crash Luna 1 into Primus's neck. Rodimus is a little confused, but happy it all worked out—whereupon Tailgate asks another question. Now that it ''has'' all worked out... now that they've finished their quest, recovered the ''Lost Light'', defeated the baddies, and ''saved the universe''... is this the end?

"Nah," Swerve pipes up. "Not quite."

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (1)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (2)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (4)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus]] (5)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (6)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (7)
*[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] (8)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (9)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (10)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (11)
*[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (12)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]/[[Primus]] (13)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (14)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (19)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (20)
*[[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] (21)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (22)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (23)
*''[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'' (31)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (33)
*[[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] (36)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (39)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (15)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (34)
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (35)
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (38)
*[[Nickel]] (42)
*[[Fulcrum]] (43)

|h3=[[Functionist Council|Functionists]]|c3=
*[[Five-of-Twelve]] (27)
*[[Twelve-of-Twelve]] (28)
*[[Three-of-Twelve]] (29)
*[[One-of-Twelve]] (30)
*Multiple [[Functionary|Functionaries]] (40)
*[[Six-of-Twelve]] (44)
*[[Eleven-of-Twelve]] (45)
*[[Two-of-Twelve]] (46)

|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] (3)
*[[Beak]] (17)
*[[Outrigger]] (18)
*[[Anode]] (24)
*[[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] (25)
*[[Wipe-Out]] (26)
*[[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] (32)
*Multiple [[Infinite]]s (37)
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] (41)

'''[[Anti-Vocationist League]]'''
*[[Clicker]] (16)
}}

==Quotes==
"Faster, '''Crankcase!''' Get us '''clear!'''" 
"If 'get us clear' is a heroic way of saying 'let's run away,' can I just say I am '''all for that?'''"
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Brainstorm'''

"I've done good things." 
"You done bad things, too." 
"Oh, God, loads."
:—'''Misfire''' and '''Krok''' discuss the former's potential for opening the Matrix

"We're '''Autobots.''' Being good's '''what we do.''' It's what '''sets us apart.'''" 
"I don't know if it's as simple as that any more—I don't know if it ever '''was.'''"
:—'''Thunderclash''' and '''Rodimus'''

"This is your co-captain speaking—and I've got a '''question.''' Have you ever wondered how we made it this far? I mean—we're not the '''smartest''' or the '''strongest''' or the '''bravest''' or the '''best.''' We don't have the '''most firepower''' or the '''largest army''' or the '''fastest ships.''' And God knows we're not '''natural bedfellows.''' I mean '''think about it'''—an archivist, a retired mnemosurgeon, a gunsmith, an archaeologist, a waste disposal expert, a quantum mechanic, a poet, a watchmaker, a barkeep... it shouldn't work—but it does. And it works because we've got '''one thing''' in common. '''Each other.''' Think of who's listening to this message and I bet you'll think of someone you '''respect.''' Someone whose judgement you '''trust.''' Someone who makes you '''laugh.''' Someone who makes you '''happy.''' Someone who makes you feel its okay to be exactly who you are. And I '''promise'''—in fact, I '''guarantee'''—that someone listening to this is thinking about '''you''' in exactly the same way. Okay, so you've made some '''bad decisions'''. You've '''hurt''' people. You've hurt '''yourself.''' You've stumbled through life from one '''self-inflicted disaster''' to the next without anything even '''approaching''' a plan. To which I say—'''welcome aboard.''' Maybe you're not good... but you're sure as hell '''good enough.'''"
:—'''Rodimus'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s final speech to the crew

"Even… Team… Whirl."
:—'''Whirl'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:MTMTE 40 LL 24 Tailgate Matrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Fore…glowing?]]
*The idea that a blow to the back of the neck can trigger an involuntary transformation was introduced in [[Little Victories|''More than Meets the Eye'' #22]], when Swerve tried to do it to Rung (the ''real'' Primus, rather than the fake Primus it's used on here!).
*Rung remembers his first meeting with Skids, when the theoretician hauled him into the ceiling vents to escape the [[sparkeater (creature)|sparkeater]] back in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|''More than Meets the Eye'' #3]].
*Rung's alternate mode, which has been a long-running mystery since [[Little Victories|''More than Meets the Eye'' #22]], is at last revealed: a Matrix maker. This was subtly hinted at in [[The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|''Lost Light'' #17]] when [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] was trying to solve the mystery for himself; notice how he's gazing up at the giant Matrix in the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]] right when he finally deduces it.
*Whirl calls Ultra Magnus "Chunky" again, a nickname he coined for him in [[The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|issue #18]].
*In addition to previously-established hot spots [[Rivets Field]] (first seen in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|''More than Meets the Eye'' #1]], first named in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|''More than Meets the Eye'' #21]]), [[Vespertine Blue]], [[Port Residua]] (both first named in [[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|''Robots in Disguise'' #27]]) and [[Alyon]] (visited in [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|''More than Meets the Eye'' #36]]), Cybertron's other eight hot spots are established to be: the [[Pious Pools]], [[Warrior's Gate]], [[Mesmerica]] (three ancient features of Cybertron first mentioned in ''More than Meets the Eye'' #1), [[Nova Point]] (in the mines of which Megatron once worked, mentioned many times), and the never-previously-heard-of [[Automica]], [[Vauvaire]], [[Sansaw Sanserre]], and [[Eugenesis]] (see "Transformers references," below).
*In [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|''More than Meets the Eye'' #40]], [[Ten]] decorates Tailgate's hoverboard with an image of Tailgate opening the Matrix. When he opens his Matrix here, he's standing in the same position.
*Whirl's use of "Team Whirl" comes from Rodimus's other big speech in [[Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|''Lost Light'' #21]].
*Luna 1's hot spot has been dormant since briefly flaring to life back in [[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|''More than Meets the Eye'' #17]]. At the time, the characters presumed that the flare-up was due to Rodimus (carrying half the Matrix within him) touching the moon's surface, but many eagle-eyed readers spotted that Rung touched down at the same moment Rodimus did, and though it is not directly addressed, it seems safe to conclude it was Rung's presence, rather than Rodimus's, that caused the hot spot to light up.
*Fortress Maximus and Red Alert recovered the Necrobot's cloak and discovered that its starmap-surface showed the Benzene Cluster back in [[Sardines|issue #13]].
*Luna 1 emerging and hitting Primus is a {{w|causal loop}}; it only happened because Rodimus saw it happen, and then caused it to happen via time travel shenanigans. This isn't the first time this has happened in the series. Back in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|''More than Meets the Eye'' #38]], the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s quantum engines were upgraded in the past based on their specifications in the future.
*James Roberts confirmed on his [[Yatter|Twitter]] account<ref>[https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/1054298399279706112 James Roberts (@jroberts332) on Twitter, 22 October 2018]</ref> that thanks to being exposed to Brainstorm's [[Metafictional bomb|meta-bomb]] back in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|''More than Meets the Eye'' #15]], Swerve could 'see' the words "To Be Concluded" in the final panel.
*In [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|the MTMTE 2012 Annual]], Drift says to Rodimus: "You're important, Rodimus. More important than even you realize. One day, ''everything'' will depend on you." This comes true here, when Rodimus opens the final Matrix to shut down the false Primus.

===Transformers references===
*The hot spot "Eugenesis" shares its name with James Roberts's unofficial 2001 ''Transformers'' novel.
*Either just a coincidence or an actual reference, Ultra Magnus was also surrounded by enemies when he tried to open the Matrix in [[The Transformers: The Movie|the movie]]. His attempts to open it are about as successful.
*When naming qualities that his crew does not embody, Rodimus uses terms referencing, respectively, [[Tech Spec|intelligence, strength, courage, skill, firepower, rank, speed, and teamwork & cooperation]].

===Real-world references===
*"We've made a planet-sized mistake," murmurs Rodimus, which might be a reference to G.O.B.'s catchphrase from ''{{w|Arrested Development}}''.
*An [[wikia:starwars:All Terrain Scout Transport|AT-ST]] walker from ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' appears amongst the models in Rung's office.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDfAWuZP5go The Shepherd's Boy]" from the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' {{w|Doctor Who: Series 9 (soundtrack)|series 9 OST}}.<ref>[https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/1037469277283135488 James Roberts on Twitter] — "Hey. I’ve not posted many songs for Crucible, but now LL23 is out and we’re heading into the final showdown I can finally share with you LL24’s song — and the unofficial theme for the story/series finale. / When the first scripts for Crucible had been sent out I shared this piece with @JLawrence_Art @JoanaLafuente @bpcahill and @IDW_David_M, to sell the mood for the story. I’d never done that before. / So here it is. Listen after you’ve read the end of LL23 and think of the Crusadercons heading into battle one last time"</ref>

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Minimus Ambus bursts out of the Magnus armor, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Cover B:''' Rung is going to give someone ''such'' a finger-wagging, by [[Geoff Senior]] and [[Josh Burcham]]; an homage to Senior's cover for [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK]] [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue #113]], which was famously the first issue James Roberts read, and to which he has made [[113 (disambiguation)|many references]] over the last seven years.
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Roche's black and white lineart from Cover A
<gallery>
File:LL24 cvrA.jpg|
File:LL24 cvrB.jpg|
File:LL24 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''Lost Light'' #25
*[[Assembly (Unicron)|''Unicron'' #5]]
*''[[Transformers vs. Visionaries]]'' TPB
*''[[Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Prequel|Bumblebee: From Cybertron with Love]]'' TPB
*''[[Transformers: Bumblebee - Win If You Dare]]'' graphic novel
*''[[G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero]] vs. the Six Million Dollar Man'' TPB
*''G.I. Joe: Silent Option'' #1
*''Femme Manifique''
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (character)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' Vol. 1 TPB
*IDW ''Dick Tracy'' series

===Reprints===
*'''''Transformers: Lost Light''''' Vol. 4 TPB ([[January 30]], [[2019]]) ISBN 1684054109 / ISBN 978-1684054107
:Contains ''Lost Light'' issues #19 to #25.
:Bonus material CURRENTLY UNKNOWN.

*'''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]] Volume 87: Crucible''''' ([[July 29]], [[2020]])
:Contains ''Lost Light'' issues #19 to #24.
:Bonus material includes the second half of ''[[Transformers: Historia]]'' (after ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''), including the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] profile, a cover gallery and an intro by [[Simon Furman]].

<gallery>
File:LLvol4 TPBcvr.jpg|'''Vol. 4''' cover by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v87.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection Volume 87: Crucible''''' cover by [[Dreamwave Productions]], [[Casey Coller]] and [[Tom B. Long]]
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL180823 Preview]

[[Category:Lost Light issues]]

Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things

2022-12-25T23:24:31Z

Breech Loader: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=3
|prev=Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On
|next=Life After the Big Bang
|caption=
|image=MTMTE3_cvrA.jpg
|title="Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[March 14]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=March 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''''Something'' is loose aboard the ''Lost Light'', and the Autobots must hunt it down before it kills again!'''

==Synopsis==
Aboard the once-again-airborne ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] laments the passing of his fellow [[Duobot]] [[Ore]], and sets about removing all the evidence he can that they were [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s agents aboard the ship: in fact, Ore was too close to the engine block that he wound up being mashed into precisely because he was following Prowl's instructions to place a tracer on it. When Shock goes looking for the tracer, he is attacked by a monstrous creature hidden in the bowels of the ship, which pulls out his [[brain module]] and consumes his [[spark]]. His dead body is found a short time later by [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], who blames the death on a mythical Cybertronian creature called a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] and passes the news on to [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]].

[[File:Chromedome mnemosurgery ChaosOfWarmThings.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
Dubbing the scenario "cool", Rodimus calmly orders the assembled [[Autobot]]s to their quarters without explanation, has them locked in (because of ''course'' they'd disobey orders and sneak off), and takes [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]], [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]], [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], and [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] with him to investigate Shock's body. The group bickers about the potential existence or not of Sparkeaters, with Ratchet in particular loudly insisting they keep to a rational train of thought. At Rodimus's request, Chromedome reveals his hidden talents: he is a [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]], capable of tapping into a living or dead brain and reading its memories. Doing so to Shock, Chromedome discovers that whether or not a "Sparkeater" is the proper term for it, there is definitely a spark-munching monster loose on the ''Lost Light''. Knowing that it will seek out the "brightest spark", the Autobots split into teams to hunt it down, with Rodimus remaining on the lower decks on the cocksure belief that the Sparkeater will be coming for him.

Meanwhile, the other crew members deal with the situation in their own ways. Realizing that they know each other from millions of years past, [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] helps [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]—stuck in mid-transformation—to a set of quarters, where he grimly relates the history of the war that Tailgate slept through, and ponders which side the little 'bot would have taken. [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] get a little lost and wind up not in a habitation suite but a bar, where Swerve wistfully remembers the old pre-war plans he had with [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] to open a joint of his own. Skids, on the other hand, takes a distinct dislike to being locked in, and leaves via a ceiling duct, on the justification that his lack of memories is allowing him to make up his life and personality as he goes along.

[[File:LiarsAtoD3-Animus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
[[Animus]], having been unable to find a unit of his own, knocks on [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'s door to be allowed back in. While previously teasing, Whirl can no longer open the door as they are auto-locked, and Animus is set upon and killed by the vicious Sparkeater. Whirl blasts his way out of his quarters and opens fire on the Sparkeater, but at the last second, Trailbreaker appears and surrounds the creature with a forcefield to prevent the undigested sparks in its stomach from igniting. The Sparkeater flees, and the Autobots realize that since there's only one room in the direction its going, it must have found the brightest spark—[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s! The creature bursts into the psychiatrist's office, but Skids suddenly pops out of the ceiling and drags Rung up into the ducts to relative safety.

[[File:Sparkeater rips The Chaos of Warm Things.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7]]
Below decks, Rodimus and Drift discover that the Sparkeater had been trapped by the previous [[Neutral]] owners of the ship, who kept it docile by feeding it [[turbofox]]es. Hitting upon a plan, he contacts Rung and Skids and orders them to lure the pursuing Sparkeater back down into the engine room. Skids has them take the direct route route, moving from duct to elevator shaft and into the carriage below, much to the surprise of its occupant, [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]]. The Sparkeater is hot on their heels, but Brainstorm finds himself lucky enough to be spared by the monster as it continues its pursuit of Rung and it probably had nothing to do with [[Unmentionable|his briefcase]]...

Once Rung and Skids reach the engine room, Rodimus grabs hold of the therapist and uses him as live bait to lure the Sparkeater in close. At the last moment, Rodimus throws Rung to safety and grapples with the creature, ordering [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] to initiate a quantum jump. Manoeuvring the Sparkeater into place, Rodimus teaches it the first lesson of interstellar travel: never stand next to a quantum generator when it's about to flout the laws of nature! Like Ore before it, the Sparkeater is mashed into the generator and perishes, though the heroic act costs Rodimus his arms as well.

A little later, in the medibay, Rodimus has been outfitted with some new arms by Ratchet, and is lambasted by Ultra Magnus for his reckless risking of Rung's life: something that he feels nobody else is willing to do, and says with concern that third-in-command Drift has too much awe for Rodimus. The boss does not take kindly to this and snaps that on ''this'' ship, Magnus takes orders from ''him''.

And across the room, as Ratchet works to unjam his stuck transformation, Tailgate announces that he has chosen a faction based on what he has learned from Cyclonus: he wants to be a [[Decepticon]]!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear in flashbacks.) 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ore]] (1)
*[[Shock (G1)|Shock]] (2)
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (3)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (5)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (6)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (7)
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] (9)
*[[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (10)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (11)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (12)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (13)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (14)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Pointblank]] (15)
*[[Animus]] (16)
*[[Xaaron]] (17)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (18)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (19)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (20)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (21)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (22)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (23)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (24)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (25)
*[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (26)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (28)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (29)
*[[Boss (G1)|Boss]] (30)
*''[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'' (34)
*''[[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]]'' (36)
*''[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'' (37)
*''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'' (38)
*''[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]'' (41)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (44)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (45)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (32)
*''[[Vos (G1)|Forestock]]'' (33)
*''[[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]]'' (35)
*''[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]]'' (39)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (42)
*''[[Decepticon agitator]]'' (43)
|c4=
*[[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] (4)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (8)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] (27)
*''[[Nominus Prime]]'' (31)
*''[[Proteus]]'' (40)
}}

==Quotes==
"Nickel, iron, cobalt, chrome, 
He'll eat your soul, 
Turn your spark to stone, 
Nickel, iron, cobalt, chrome, 
Run, little robot, run away home."
:—Traditional Cybertronian rhyme

"I once arrested a Decepticon who thought he was a Sparkeater. He called himself the Dark Assassin, Devourer of Souls and Propagator of Infinite Sin. His real name was '''[[Blip]]'''."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' isn't one for superstition.

"A '''brain module''' sitting outside a body without a head wound. Now I'm no doctor, but that strikes me as '''intensely wrong'''." 
"Woah. '''Two questions'''. One: Are we saying he '''vomited up his own brain?''' And '''two:''' can I please go home now?"
:—'''Trailbreaker''' handles things a little better than '''Rewind''' does.

"Ratchet, could you put his brain back in his head? With corpses, I prefer to go through the '''eye sockets'''." 
"I cannot '''begin''' to tell you what's wrong with that sentence."
:—'''Chromedome''' and '''Drift'''

'''Drift:''' "This is a '''dark and troubling omen'''. Sparkeaters are drawn to pain and emotional trauma. I don't know what the Neutrals were up to, but '''horrific''' things must have happened on this ship. We're being '''punished'''." 
'''Ratchet:''' "With all due respect, Drift, I don't think I've ever heard such a load of—" 
'''Rewind:''' "'''Shock!''' I said Ore. I meant Shock. His name's Shock. Sorry everyone."

"Must admit, I had you pegged as a fellow '''rule breaker'''." 
"Me? No, no, no, I'm all mouth. My nickname at the academy was 'Shut the Hell Up.'"
:—'''Skids''' and '''Swerve'''

"It's '''Trailbreaker''', the one-trick pony, here to spoil the fun." 
"If your missiles had connected with an '''unprotected spark''', you could've '''destroyed''' half the ship!" 
"Which half?"
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Ultra Magnus'''

"I'm too '''smart''' to die!"
:—'''Brainstorm''', showing that he has replaced Sunstreaker as the Autobot's resident sociopath

"I've shielded the thrusters like you asked, but this '''plan''' of yours—I want to place on record my '''severe reservations'''." 
"Duly noted and ignored. Now '''get ready!'''"
:'''Perceptor''' and '''Rodimus''' set the status quo for the latter's leadership style

"If you want to put your '''own''' life at risk, go ahead. But using Rung like that..." 
"Are you '''lecturing''' me? Is this a '''lecture?'''" 
"No, this is me telling you something that no one else will."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus''' face off

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Shock refers to several events from Cybertronian history that he and Ore survived, which have all been mentioned in one or more previous IDW works by Roberts: the [[Battle for Hell's Point]], the [[Crucible]], and the various horrors of [[Babu Yar]].
*The [[Shimmer]] and the beverage [[Engex]] crop up in this issue, having put in their sole previous appearances in Roberts's earlier work ''[[Bullets]]''. Also debuting in that story was the Autobot [[Animus]], who made his first pictorial appearance in a crowd scene last issue, before being named and, in short order, meeting his end in this issue. Trailbreaker also mentions the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] and the [[Moonbase One|Seething Moon]], both of which will figure into the plot further down the line.
*Back in [[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|issue #24]] of the ongoing, the name of the planet [[Varas Centralus]]—originally introduced in ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]''—was accidentally misspelled "[[Veras Centralus]]". In this issue, that mistake is papered over when Rewind refers to the two as separate but similarly named planets that he mixes up with one another. Turns out there's also a [[Verus Centralus|Ver'''u'''s Centralus]], too!
*Skids asks Swerve if he knows much about music. He does this again, to Brainstorm, [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|two issues later]]. In "[[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?]]", we find out Skids keeps hearing the aria "[[The Empyrean Suite]]" in his head.
*The montage panel illustrating Cyclonus's war history features a number of different scenes, many of them either seen or implied in other Roberts issues:
**[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] fighting a Senate-employed Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, likely depicting the miner's arrest following his bar fight in "[[Chaos Theory Part 1]]".
**The wall-mounted screen smashed by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s thrown datapad at the end of the same issue.
**Prowl investigating the death of [[Sherma]], later seen in full in "[[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc]]".
**Sentinel aiming a nasty looking device at a bed-ridden [[Nominus Prime]]'s chest, following on from the revelation in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]" that the attack on the Prime was orchestrated to allow the Senate access to the [[Matrix of Leadership]].
**[[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]], who would later appear in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]].
**[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] branding [[Decepticon agitator|a Decepticon recruit]]'s bicep with a faction insignia. This would later be the first Decepticon symbol ever seen by [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #4]].
**Starscream executing Senator [[Proteus]], a character expanded upon during the later "Shadowplay" story.
**The destruction of the [[Grand Imperium]] by the Decepticons, an event first mentioned in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and referenced again [[Life After the Big Bang|next issue]].
**Megatron aiming the 'bot who would become [[Vos (G1)|Vos]] in weapon mode at an unseen target. This is likely an artefact of James Roberts' original intention for [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] to have been assassinated by sniper rifle, mentioned in '[[Bullets]]', but this was later overwritten by a far more up-close-and-personal defeat shown in [[Choices|''Autocracy'' #7]].
**An apparently indecisive Grimlock looking between Autobot and Decepticon [[insignia]] in his hands. This would never be fully explained but [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]] would establish Grimlock to be on the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]'s List, which compiles Decepticons who have betrayed the cause.
*Brainstorm thrusts his briefcase at the Sparkeater in an attempt to ward it off. It then leaves despite clearly having him cornered. Brainstorm's miraculous survival is eventually explained in "[[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet]]". Meanwhile, his briefcase's purpose is explained in [[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|issue #35]].

===Real-life references===
*Chromedome refers to a principle of Transformer biology called "[[Rossum's Trinity]]", a reference to the 1920 Czech science fiction play "Rossum's Universal Robots", which was significant for introducing the word "robot" into the English language. The principle seems an attempt by Roberts to harmonize a few elements of Transformer life, and explains how damage to a Transformers [[brain module]] can cause [[death]], as it did in his earlier work ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' (an idea pulled right out of the Marvel UK series), when [[spark]]s have long since surpassed the idea of the module as the seat of Transformer life. The third part of the trinity is the [[transformation cog]], damage to which was not historically known to be fatal prior to [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]] of this series, which saw a [[NAIL]] commit suicide by essentially burning his cog out through overuse.
*According to the TPB Rewind's comment that he has footage of a Sparkeater from the Gimlin Facility is a reference to Robert Gimlin, who with Roger Patterson claimed to have caught Bigfoot on film.

===Trivia===
*This issue's title was previously used by James Roberts as the title of the first chapter of his unofficial Transformers novel, ''Eugenesis''.

===Crew Manifest===
*Animus is killed by the Sparkeater.
*5 deaths, 2 new arrivals since the launch.

===Errors===
*The ''story so far'' page is missing a space between "Cybertron" and "an".
*Despite Skids being established as never letting go of the handgun in his right hand, he's drawn without it in the panel where he reveals the grappling hook in his left hand.
*Whirl's canopy is fully repaired, even though it was still damaged at the end of the last issue.

===Soundtrack===
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv3-vANWwcU "Love Love Love"] by {{w|the Mountain Goats}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqNxaIqKbT0 "Tonight We Fly"] by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Usohappyaku Part 3: Ikidzuku Konton'''" (嘘八百パート3：息づく混沌, "Pack of Lies Part 3: Living Chaos")

:*''Title:'' "'''Lögnare, från A till D Del 3: Varma sakers oordning'''" ("Liars, From A to D Part 3: The Disorder of Warm Things")

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Trailbreaker shields Ultra Magnus and Red Alert with his forcefield, by Alex Milne and [[Josh Perez]].
*'''Cover B:''' Chromedome reads Shock's mind, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Joana Lafuente]].
*'''Cover RI:''' Black and white lineart version of Cover A.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE3_cvrA.jpg|How often does Trailbreaker get a cover? Awesome!
File:MTMTE3_cvrB.jpg|Chromedome's been dropping acid
File:MTMTE3_cvrRI.jpg|Cover RI
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' #3
*''[[The Transformers: Autocracy]]''
*''Rocketeer Adventures 2''

===Reprints===
*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' ([[June 13]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613772351 / ISBN 978-1613772355 
:*Contains issues #1 to #3, as well as the preceding ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'' one-shot.
:*Bonus material includes art from most covers, 12 promotional images, "Meet the Crew" page, design sketches from [[Alex Milne]] for various characters and ship locations, and a 2-page editor's comment with "behind the scenes" information about the series.

*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' (reissue) ([[May 21]], [[2014]]) ISBN 1613779658 / ISBN 978-1613779651
:*Contains issues #1 to #3, and ''The Death of Optimus Prime'' one-shot.
:*New cover by [[Livio Ramondelli]].
:*Bonus material UNKNOWN

*'''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1]]''''' ([[September 3]], 2014) ISBN 1631400401 / ISBN 978-1631400407
:*Includes "The Death of Optimus Prime", ''More than Meets the Eye'' #1–5 and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' #1–6.

*'''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
:*Contains ''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye'' Volumes 1 to 5.
:*Bonus content UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' ([[December 26]], [[2018]])
:* Hardcover collection of ''Robots in Disguise'' #25 to #27, ''More than Meets the Eye'' #1 to #6, ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'' and ''[[The Waiting Game|Spotlight: Hoist]]''.
:* Bonus content includes an all-new interview with James Roberts, rare archive material from the dawn of ''More than Meets the Eye'', and Alex Milne's sketchbook.

* '''''Transformers: Mer än ögat kan se''''' ([[June 15]], [[2019]])
:* Swedish reprint volume.
:* Collects issues #1-8, [[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]], [[The Waiting Game|Spotlight: Hoist]], [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|The 2012 Annual]] and a special illustrated edition of [[Bullets]].

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol1.jpg|'''Volume 1'''; cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:MTMTE vol1 reissue.jpg|'''Volume 1 reissue'''; cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V1.jpg|'''''IDW Collection Phase 2 Vol. 1'''''; cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''Box Set'''; cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v53.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 53: Liars, A to D'''''; cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE_SWE_01.jpg|'''''Mer än Ögat kan Se'''''; Cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]].
</gallery>

Talk:Whirl (G1)

2016-07-13T14:57:56Z

Breech Loader: /* Casual Discussion */

Minor trivia about the Oberon Gazzette: The pilot figure that came with it was actually a woman. So I guess before he was a Transformer, Whirl was a girl.

:Given the pilot of the Oberon Gazzette was "Louie Oberon", I suspect he just LOOKS like a girl. Which should be no shock; this is anime, after all. -[[User:LV|LV]] 12:24, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

::And a quick fact check since then has proven my info was quite outdated. Thankyou, kind LV, for helping me learn. Now I know!

:::And knowing is half the battle! '''G I JOOOOOOOOOOE!''' - [[User:Dark T Zeratul|Dark T Zeratul]] 23:31, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

::Ugh, odd, nerdy compulsion that makes me need to comment on a seven year old (almost to the day?) discussion thread. It's actually Louise Oberon, so yeah, Whirl was a girl before.[[User:EShadowP|EShadowP]] ([[User talk:EShadowP|talk]]) 16:37, 16 April 2014 (EDT)

Hey there, please dont make edits to the Wiki based on speculation alone. I know you love Rotorstorm and want to spice up his history, but until it has been actually stated in the comics or by the writeres that Whirl is Jetstream, it doesnt belong in the Wiki. [[User: Apple Pie]]

==Liability==
Granted, I unfortunately still haven't read Chaos Theory part II, and this likely falls under speculation, but is the "liability" thing from Bullets linked at all to Chaos Theory? If not, I'd be fine with this talk page edit getting reverted. Also, heh, Whirl's Go Box popped up while I was editing. [[Special:Contributions/24.11.110.62|24.11.110.62]] 14:52, 13 August 2011 (EDT)

:Not...really. Perhaps on something of a tangent insofar as Whirl used to hang with a rather unsavory crowd. But he does seem to have legit regard for Orion/Optimus as he tries to save face with him and then gives him a rather earnest warning about crossing the corrupt Senate. --[[User:Nu-Priest|Nu-Priest]] 15:26, 13 August 2011 (EDT)

==Jetstream==
In MTMTE #6, Whirl states that "I bounced around a bit, changed my name, became a flight instructor, and then eventually I joined the Wreckers." Knowing his tendency to spew lies and be inconsistent, and the lack of any solid connection between him and Jetstream, I don't think we should include the Theory that he IS Jetstream until such has been confirmed in the comic or by the Writers.
:This would be true if it were BASELESS speculation. But all the current evidence explicitly points to the fact that Jetstream and Whirl were the same guy. Until something in-canon contradicts it (like recently, the manner of Zeta Prime's death), it should stay. --[[User:Nu-Priest|Nu-Priest]] 15:36, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
: All of Whirl's lies have been self-serving. He doesn't do it randomly. And there's no reason for him to lie about a minor detail of his life that illuminates data from another story in which he wasn't present. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 16:12, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
Quoting Bullets, page six "Jetstream was standing over him, fists clenched"
Whirl doesnt have fists, and has never been shown to save for in the Toy only Universe version. --[[User: Apple Pie]]
: Now you're just grasping at straws. Which is something you can do with your brain, despite it not having fingers. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 18:56, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
::[[:Image:Ongoing22 WhirlbeatsMegatron.jpg|He has claw things... that he can clench to form a fist-like punching tool]]. For him to punch prisoners with. --[[User:Detour|Detour]] 18:59, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
:::He used to be a watchmaker, so I presume he had hands at some point? --[[User:Abates|abates]] 21:43, 29 June 2012 (EDT)
Alright, I'll give you that, but there is a serious continuity error in MTMTE #6. Either that, or Whirl is lying. Up until the point, Springer had said he personally kicked Whirl out of the wreckers, prior to G-9. So Whirl could not have been with Roadbuster to try and kill Springer, or kicked out by RB.
: I think you need to read the section again. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 16:12, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
:I like to think that the reason Whirl is so selfish and cruel is because of council performing empurata on him, I mean, look what it did to [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], maybe it messed Whirl up to, and he was a decent guy before. --[[User:Hhall3|Hhall3]] 7:01, 16 May 2013 (EDT)

==Main image==

The original box art is fine, but isn't there some Roche-y goodness we could throw up there? --[[User:Xaaron|Xaaron]] 15:22, 18 May 2013 (EDT)
:Unless Roche has ever draw a nice clean picture of Whirl's original body...I think we're out of luck. I'm fairly certain in recalling the DW MTMTE Whirl art was pretty bad, so that's probably the best mainpic of Whirl we're gonna get for the time being. --[[User:Nu-Priest|Nu-Priest]] 19:13, 18 May 2013 (EDT)

==Casual Discussion==

I identify with Whirl. He's clearly got body image issues what with hating his face and hands, and I think I'm hideous too. In fact, I'd rather look like him than look like me, and that's how I know I've got a problem. I wish I could give him a big hug, 'cus lord knows I'd like a few. [[User:Breech Loader|Breech Loader]] ([[User talk:Breech Loader|talk]]) 10:54, 13 July 2016 (EDT)

Talk:Whirl (G1)

2016-07-13T14:54:24Z

Breech Loader: /* Casual Discussion */

Minor trivia about the Oberon Gazzette: The pilot figure that came with it was actually a woman. So I guess before he was a Transformer, Whirl was a girl.

:Given the pilot of the Oberon Gazzette was "Louie Oberon", I suspect he just LOOKS like a girl. Which should be no shock; this is anime, after all. -[[User:LV|LV]] 12:24, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

::And a quick fact check since then has proven my info was quite outdated. Thankyou, kind LV, for helping me learn. Now I know!

:::And knowing is half the battle! '''G I JOOOOOOOOOOE!''' - [[User:Dark T Zeratul|Dark T Zeratul]] 23:31, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

::Ugh, odd, nerdy compulsion that makes me need to comment on a seven year old (almost to the day?) discussion thread. It's actually Louise Oberon, so yeah, Whirl was a girl before.[[User:EShadowP|EShadowP]] ([[User talk:EShadowP|talk]]) 16:37, 16 April 2014 (EDT)

Hey there, please dont make edits to the Wiki based on speculation alone. I know you love Rotorstorm and want to spice up his history, but until it has been actually stated in the comics or by the writeres that Whirl is Jetstream, it doesnt belong in the Wiki. [[User: Apple Pie]]

==Liability==
Granted, I unfortunately still haven't read Chaos Theory part II, and this likely falls under speculation, but is the "liability" thing from Bullets linked at all to Chaos Theory? If not, I'd be fine with this talk page edit getting reverted. Also, heh, Whirl's Go Box popped up while I was editing. [[Special:Contributions/24.11.110.62|24.11.110.62]] 14:52, 13 August 2011 (EDT)

:Not...really. Perhaps on something of a tangent insofar as Whirl used to hang with a rather unsavory crowd. But he does seem to have legit regard for Orion/Optimus as he tries to save face with him and then gives him a rather earnest warning about crossing the corrupt Senate. --[[User:Nu-Priest|Nu-Priest]] 15:26, 13 August 2011 (EDT)

==Jetstream==
In MTMTE #6, Whirl states that "I bounced around a bit, changed my name, became a flight instructor, and then eventually I joined the Wreckers." Knowing his tendency to spew lies and be inconsistent, and the lack of any solid connection between him and Jetstream, I don't think we should include the Theory that he IS Jetstream until such has been confirmed in the comic or by the Writers.
:This would be true if it were BASELESS speculation. But all the current evidence explicitly points to the fact that Jetstream and Whirl were the same guy. Until something in-canon contradicts it (like recently, the manner of Zeta Prime's death), it should stay. --[[User:Nu-Priest|Nu-Priest]] 15:36, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
: All of Whirl's lies have been self-serving. He doesn't do it randomly. And there's no reason for him to lie about a minor detail of his life that illuminates data from another story in which he wasn't present. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 16:12, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
Quoting Bullets, page six "Jetstream was standing over him, fists clenched"
Whirl doesnt have fists, and has never been shown to save for in the Toy only Universe version. --[[User: Apple Pie]]
: Now you're just grasping at straws. Which is something you can do with your brain, despite it not having fingers. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 18:56, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
::[[:Image:Ongoing22 WhirlbeatsMegatron.jpg|He has claw things... that he can clench to form a fist-like punching tool]]. For him to punch prisoners with. --[[User:Detour|Detour]] 18:59, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
:::He used to be a watchmaker, so I presume he had hands at some point? --[[User:Abates|abates]] 21:43, 29 June 2012 (EDT)
Alright, I'll give you that, but there is a serious continuity error in MTMTE #6. Either that, or Whirl is lying. Up until the point, Springer had said he personally kicked Whirl out of the wreckers, prior to G-9. So Whirl could not have been with Roadbuster to try and kill Springer, or kicked out by RB.
: I think you need to read the section again. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 16:12, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
:I like to think that the reason Whirl is so selfish and cruel is because of council performing empurata on him, I mean, look what it did to [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], maybe it messed Whirl up to, and he was a decent guy before. --[[User:Hhall3|Hhall3]] 7:01, 16 May 2013 (EDT)

==Main image==

The original box art is fine, but isn't there some Roche-y goodness we could throw up there? --[[User:Xaaron|Xaaron]] 15:22, 18 May 2013 (EDT)
:Unless Roche has ever draw a nice clean picture of Whirl's original body...I think we're out of luck. I'm fairly certain in recalling the DW MTMTE Whirl art was pretty bad, so that's probably the best mainpic of Whirl we're gonna get for the time being. --[[User:Nu-Priest|Nu-Priest]] 19:13, 18 May 2013 (EDT)

==Casual Discussion==

I identify with Whirl. He's clearly got body image issues what with hating his face and hands, and I think I'm hideous too. If he ever stopped struggling I don't know if I'd be happy for him, or stop liking for him, but at the least I'd be glad he was happy. [[User:Breech Loader|Breech Loader]] ([[User talk:Breech Loader|talk]]) 10:54, 13 July 2016 (EDT)

Talk:Whirl (G1)

2016-07-13T14:49:00Z

Breech Loader: /* Main image */

Minor trivia about the Oberon Gazzette: The pilot figure that came with it was actually a woman. So I guess before he was a Transformer, Whirl was a girl.

:Given the pilot of the Oberon Gazzette was "Louie Oberon", I suspect he just LOOKS like a girl. Which should be no shock; this is anime, after all. -[[User:LV|LV]] 12:24, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

::And a quick fact check since then has proven my info was quite outdated. Thankyou, kind LV, for helping me learn. Now I know!

:::And knowing is half the battle! '''G I JOOOOOOOOOOE!''' - [[User:Dark T Zeratul|Dark T Zeratul]] 23:31, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

::Ugh, odd, nerdy compulsion that makes me need to comment on a seven year old (almost to the day?) discussion thread. It's actually Louise Oberon, so yeah, Whirl was a girl before.[[User:EShadowP|EShadowP]] ([[User talk:EShadowP|talk]]) 16:37, 16 April 2014 (EDT)

Hey there, please dont make edits to the Wiki based on speculation alone. I know you love Rotorstorm and want to spice up his history, but until it has been actually stated in the comics or by the writeres that Whirl is Jetstream, it doesnt belong in the Wiki. [[User: Apple Pie]]

==Liability==
Granted, I unfortunately still haven't read Chaos Theory part II, and this likely falls under speculation, but is the "liability" thing from Bullets linked at all to Chaos Theory? If not, I'd be fine with this talk page edit getting reverted. Also, heh, Whirl's Go Box popped up while I was editing. [[Special:Contributions/24.11.110.62|24.11.110.62]] 14:52, 13 August 2011 (EDT)

:Not...really. Perhaps on something of a tangent insofar as Whirl used to hang with a rather unsavory crowd. But he does seem to have legit regard for Orion/Optimus as he tries to save face with him and then gives him a rather earnest warning about crossing the corrupt Senate. --[[User:Nu-Priest|Nu-Priest]] 15:26, 13 August 2011 (EDT)

==Jetstream==
In MTMTE #6, Whirl states that "I bounced around a bit, changed my name, became a flight instructor, and then eventually I joined the Wreckers." Knowing his tendency to spew lies and be inconsistent, and the lack of any solid connection between him and Jetstream, I don't think we should include the Theory that he IS Jetstream until such has been confirmed in the comic or by the Writers.
:This would be true if it were BASELESS speculation. But all the current evidence explicitly points to the fact that Jetstream and Whirl were the same guy. Until something in-canon contradicts it (like recently, the manner of Zeta Prime's death), it should stay. --[[User:Nu-Priest|Nu-Priest]] 15:36, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
: All of Whirl's lies have been self-serving. He doesn't do it randomly. And there's no reason for him to lie about a minor detail of his life that illuminates data from another story in which he wasn't present. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 16:12, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
Quoting Bullets, page six "Jetstream was standing over him, fists clenched"
Whirl doesnt have fists, and has never been shown to save for in the Toy only Universe version. --[[User: Apple Pie]]
: Now you're just grasping at straws. Which is something you can do with your brain, despite it not having fingers. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 18:56, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
::[[:Image:Ongoing22 WhirlbeatsMegatron.jpg|He has claw things... that he can clench to form a fist-like punching tool]]. For him to punch prisoners with. --[[User:Detour|Detour]] 18:59, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
:::He used to be a watchmaker, so I presume he had hands at some point? --[[User:Abates|abates]] 21:43, 29 June 2012 (EDT)
Alright, I'll give you that, but there is a serious continuity error in MTMTE #6. Either that, or Whirl is lying. Up until the point, Springer had said he personally kicked Whirl out of the wreckers, prior to G-9. So Whirl could not have been with Roadbuster to try and kill Springer, or kicked out by RB.
: I think you need to read the section again. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 16:12, 27 June 2012 (EDT)
:I like to think that the reason Whirl is so selfish and cruel is because of council performing empurata on him, I mean, look what it did to [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], maybe it messed Whirl up to, and he was a decent guy before. --[[User:Hhall3|Hhall3]] 7:01, 16 May 2013 (EDT)

==Main image==

The original box art is fine, but isn't there some Roche-y goodness we could throw up there? --[[User:Xaaron|Xaaron]] 15:22, 18 May 2013 (EDT)
:Unless Roche has ever draw a nice clean picture of Whirl's original body...I think we're out of luck. I'm fairly certain in recalling the DW MTMTE Whirl art was pretty bad, so that's probably the best mainpic of Whirl we're gonna get for the time being. --[[User:Nu-Priest|Nu-Priest]] 19:13, 18 May 2013 (EDT)

==Casual Discussion==

I identify with Whirl. He's clearly got body image issues what with hating his face and hands, and I think I'm hideous too. [[User:Breech Loader|Breech Loader]] ([[User talk:Breech Loader|talk]]) 10:49, 13 July 2016 (EDT)

Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet

2016-07-12T19:10:59Z

Breech Loader: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=37
|prev=Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays
|next=Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide
|image=MTMTE37 regcvr.jpg
|title="Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[February 4]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=January 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]] [[Josh Burcham]] (pgs 7–8)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}

'''Rodimus's team continues their pursuit of Brainstorm through time, only to find that they are more involved in past events than expected—and that Brainstorm's goal is not what they believed it to be.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s team has followed [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] back to [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]]-era [[Rodion]], and have spread out to search for the rogue scientist. While Rodimus watches for [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] at the police station alongside [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], he checks in with the others: [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] is surveying the city from his position on an airship; the bored [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] is watching the waterways; a nervous [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] is riding the rails to avoid the risk of running into his past self; and [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] look down on the city from a nearby cliff. Emotionally moved by the sight of the pristine planet, unblemished by war, to the point that he is struck dumb, Cyclonus doesn't respond to Rodimus, so Tailgate takes the communicator and quickly makes up a story about having set down for repairs. After a moment of silence, Cyclonus apologizes to Tailgate for physically abusing him in the past.

Rodimus then calls [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], who expresses concern over the fact that Rewind's database is being overwritten, as it implies that Brainstorm's alteration to the timeline may have already happened, or is destined to. As such, if they cannot stop him, Perceptor must dismantle the time machine to undo the paradox, warning that many things could "go wrong". Reminded by those words that he had forgotten about [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], Rodimus contacts the psychotherapist, who is staking out [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's New Oil House]]. Unfortunately, Brainstorm is also watching the bar, and when he spots Rung building a model of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', he realizes that he has been followed back in time and abandons his plans. Brainstorm's flight is spotted by Rewind, and Cyclonus gives chase, but just before he can land a missile-hit, Brainstorm's [[time case|briefcase]] activates and he time-jumps away. At Perceptor's instruction, the team regroups at Maccadam's, and he sends them after their quarry.

Arriving one year further in the past, in 4th Cycle 499, the team are contacted by Perceptor and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], who believe that Maccadam's is important, and that the deductions they made about Brainstorm's plans may have been hasty. Accordingly, the group splits in two: Chromedome, Rewind, and Whirl head for the police station while the rest remain at the bar. But Brainstorm has gone to neither, and is, in fact, at a wellbeing clinic several miles away, where he ambushes and knocks out the Rung of the past...

Later at the police station again, Chromedome and Rewind spend time stargazing, but Rewind is preoccupied with thoughts of the unknown fate of [[Dominus Ambus]]. He proposes using the time-case to finally discover what befell his former [[Conjunx Endura]], but Chromedome worries that he will want to change history and save Dominus's life, which would mean that his and Rewind's relationship would never happen. Before they can discuss those unfortunate ramifications too deeply, Whirl alerts them to the arrival of his own past self at the station. This day being so important in his life, Whirl is able to recognize the 'nobody' he's bringing in as being [[Crossbar]], and then realizes what specific day it is — the day [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] is arrested.

Back at Maccadam's, the rest of the team watch the younger Megatron and [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] sitting at a nearby table. When Rung goes to fetch a [[curly straw]] for Tailgate, however, he accidentally knocks over a jumped-up cadet's drink, and winds up being thrown into Megatron and Impactor's table when he refuses to clean up the mess. This instigates the famous bar-room brawl that leads to Megatron's arrest, and as the ''Lost Light''ers make themselves scarce, Brainstorm, looking on from outside, grimaces at the realization his attempt to prevent it by incapacitating the past-Rung has failed.

A few hours later, at the police station, after Megatron has been arrested and subsequently released by Pax, the [[Senate]]'s goon squad arrives for payback and kills officers [[Springarm]] and [[Wheelarch]]. Chromedome refuses to let Rewind intervene, regrettably understanding that history must be preserved, but is too slow to stop the deranged Whirl leaping into the fray when three new thugs come stomping up—including the [[Heavies]], who destroyed Whirl's life when they wrecked his watchmaking business. Hungry for revenge, Whirl takes the two huge 'bots down with violent ease; Chromedome intervenes before he can kill them, reminding Whirl that they ''have'' to live, so that Chromedome can have his own encounter with them in a year's time. Whirl justifies his actions by explaining his history with the Heavies... a history which is then elaborated upon by Hammer, who tells Whirl that the pair acted on the orders of the [[Functionist Council]], who wanted him punished him for abandoning his assigned job in the Aerial Corps, and who were also responsible for his later [[empurata]]. With icy detachment, Whirl vents his rage by [[Sparkeater Gun|shooting]] the third 'bot, who is unfamiliar to him, but whom he deems guilty by association.

Back in the present, on the ''Lost Light'', Perceptor discovers that time has ceased to flow in all other parts of the universe, indicating the imminent collapse of the original timeline. Studying the dates Rodimus's team has travelled to, Megatron realizes that they have been working on a flawed principle: the dates correspond to major events in ''Megatron's'' life, not Orion Pax's. It is Megatron's life that Brainstorm is trying to unmake... and even as Ultra Magnus's internal criminal database is overwritten, and Megatron disappears from his records, in the past, Brainstorm appears at the moment of Megatron's creation, and levels his weapons at the once and future Decepticon leader's half-built form...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (1)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (2)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (3)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (5)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (6)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (8)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (9)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (11)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (14)

|c2=
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (15)

|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Proteus]] (4, billboard)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (7)
*[[Quark]] (12)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (13)
*"[[Streaker]]" and "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]" (16, 18)
*[[Sherma]]'s body (17)
*[[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]] (19)
*[[Crossbar]] (20)
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (21)
*Cadets (22-23)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]? (24)
*Senate thugs (25, 28, 30)
*[[Wheelarch]]'s head (26)
*[[Springarm]] (27)
*[[Heavies|Anvil]] (29)
*[[Heavies|Hammer]] (31)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"You said the station was always busy. You said—" 
"I '''said''' it was a '''non-stop cop shop'''. An' I only said '''that''' 'cos it '''rhymed'''." 
"I can't tell if you're joking." 
"Welcome to the club."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Whirl'''

''Tailgate, after taking the communicator from Cyclonus and covering for his silence to Rodimus:'' 
"Is it the time travel? 'Cos I'm only just wrapping my head around it myself. I mean, '''think about it''': I'm somewhere out there right now, buried underground. Me! Underground! Right now! Me! The way I see it, you just have to accept what's happening as something that's... happening. And I think that's true of so many things in life." 
"It's beautiful." 
"Oh! Rodion." 
"Cybertron." 
"Yes, well, umm..drink it in, I guess." 
"It's been so '''long'''. So long since I saw it as it '''should''' be seen." 
''Both stare at the beauty of the city, then Cyclonus glances down at Tailgate'' 
"I'm sorry." 
"Noted." 

"No offense, but you couldn't draw attention to yourself if you '''tried'''. Even '''mirrors''' ignore you."
:—'''Rodimus''', to Rung

"Okay, as entrances go, that was only '''slightly''' less conspicuous than projecting "'''Your Attention Please'''" on a mushroom cloud."
:—'''Chromedome''' on the team's arrival in 4th Cycle 499

"Rodimus? It's Ultra Magnus speaking." 
"Listen, whatever I've done, it was an accident and I'm sorry." 
"The '''big picture:''' Brainstorm trying to kill Pax. We drew it at speed because we '''had to'''. But the more we look at it, the less it makes sense." 
"Magnus, the '''last''' thing I want to do is dissuade you from exploring the power of metaphor, but I really don't have the remotest idea what you're talking about."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus'''

'''Rodimus:''' "The back door's this way. No one make eye contact with anybody. Especially not you, Tailgate." 
'''Tailgate:''' "Why especially not me?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "Because you've got one of those faces." 
'''Tailgate:''' "What's wrong with my face?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "It's basically a '''punch magnet.'''" 
'''Tailgate:''' "So '''rude!''' Cyclonus, did you hear that?" 
'''Cyclonus:''' "No. Was it about your face?"

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*''The Custom-Made Now'' is the third part of a trilogy of flashback stories, following ''Chaos Theory'' and ''Shadowplay''.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 36:00 to 36:07</ref>
*The first time period our heroes jump to is that of the first chapter of the "Shadowplay" trilogy, from [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], while the second is that of the first part of "Chaos Theory", from [[Chaos Theory Part 1|issue #21]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing series]]. Two pages from each issue are reprinted in context.
*The billboard-airship that Rewind hitches a lift on was seen in issue #9, and can be seen again in the reprinted pages.
*Cyclonus apologises for kicking Tailgate back in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
*We get another look at "Magnus-vision", the way Magnus sees the world around him, seen before in [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|the 2012 annual]].
*As Brainstorm flies away from Maccadam's, we see two 'bots carrying a body along the bridge below him. The corpse is that of [[Sherma|Senator Sherma]], who is about to be hung from the bridge, as we saw in issue #9; logically, it would follow that the two 'bots carrying it are the unnamed killers from [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|issue #10]], before their [[spark]]s are implanted in the bodies of [[Streaker]] and [[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]].
*Rung has previously been described as a "historical constant" by Rewind in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]], because of his presence at many important points in Cybertronian history. It now appears that this reputation is partly a product of the present-day Rung travelling back in time to these points in time, rather than his just happening to be there in the regular flow of history—we find out this issue that the Rung who appeared in the past sequences in "Chaos Theory" and "Shadowplay" were both the present-day Rung, in turn validating last issue's implication that the actions Rodimus's team are taking are and were always part of the timeline they knew.
*In-keeping with that, now we know why Rung didn't have any memory of the bar-room brawl when Megatron brought it up back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]] - for him, it hadn't happened yet.
*Previously, issue 9's scene of Rung assembling a model of the ''Lost Light'' seemed to imply a history to the ship, which was further hinted at when Nightbeat appeared to recognize the vessel in [[...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|''Dark Cybertron Finale'']]. Now we understand that Nightbeat was remembering the model and recognizing its anachronistic nature.
*Past-Rung's scooter is his wheeled backpack, which we learned was a separate attachment back in [[Little Victories|issue #22]].
*The song that past-Rung whistles as Brainstorm ambushes him is "[[The Empyrean Suite]]", the enigmatic piece of music with sinister connotations of which we are not yet aware, previously mentioned in issues [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]] and [[The Gloaming|#16]]. The notes in Rung's speech balloon match those when Swerve played the tune in #16.
*Chromedome and Rewind stargaze, imagining constellations in the shape of Prowl being beaten up, a habit of theirs mentioned in issue #16.
*Rewind brings up his and [[Dominus Ambus]]'s search for [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], originally discussed in [[Before & After|issue #12]].
*Rung groans "always the head" after he gets clobbered, hearkening back to the grave cranial injuries he took in [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*When the police arrive to break up the bar fight, the vehicle they arrive in appears to be [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]], or at least a 'bot with his [[alternate mode]]. The policebots themselves share a [[body-type]] with [[Springarm]] and [[Wheelarch]].
*The Heavies and their history with Whirl were originally introduced in issue #6. Chromedome's encounter with them took place in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]], in which they, [[Kroma]] and [[Macabre]] raided the police station in order to capture [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Senator Shockwave]]. In the issue, [[Kroma]] noted in passing that Shockwave's whereabouts had been revealed through a tip-off from parties unknown; the Heavies go conspicuously ''un''-mindwiped at the end of this story, and hear Chromedome tell Whirl about the attack and Shockwave's presence. Could ''they'' have been the source of the information?
*Whirl kills the Heavies' unnamed cohort (who we've never seen before, for retroactively obvious reasons) with [[Sparkeater Gun|the curious weapon]] he took from Brainstorm's armory last issue.
*We learn that last issue's events, in 1st Cycle 502, took place on the same day as [[Megatron Origin issue 1|''Megatron Origin'' #1]].
*Though he has always been unforthcoming about his origins, we know that Megatron, as a [[Point One Percenter]], should have a green spark, but the one seen inside his half-built frame on the final page of this issue is the traditional blue. However, we ''very'' much doubt that's an error...

===Transformers references===
*Rodimus keeps his eye on the Rodion police station using a telescopic visor that slides down out of his helmet over his eyes, just like the one he used to zoom in on the captured shuttle in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
*A generic working the waterway is colored like [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]].
*The train track that Chromedome rides is labelled "C-131", the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|Japanese ID number]] of [[Raiden]], combined form of the [[Trainbot|''TRAIN''bots]].

===Real-life references===
*This issue's title, "Stet", is a Latin word meaning "let it stand", used in proofreading to indicate that a previously-marked change is to be ignored, much like Brainstorm's attempts to change time.
*When trying to recall Quark's name, Rung believes it might be "{{w|QWERTY|Qwerty}}", after the most common modern-day keyboard layout.
*The address of Rung's wellbeing clinic is NX-74205, the registry number of the [[wikia:c:memoryalpha:USS Defiant (2370)|USS ''Defiant'']] on ''[[Star Trek|Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]''.
*To add even more to the image of [[Jesus]] established in #21 of this series in which he's literally crucified for the sins of others, Rodimus refers to the past in which he was not born yet as P.R: Pre-Rodimus, similar to how we refer to everything that happened before year 1 as B.C: Before Christ.
*The reprint of ''Chaos Theory'' and ''Shadowplay'' scenes was inspired by ''Back To The Future II'', which showed scenes from the first film from a different angle. Roberts has said this story is the most self-referential the comic will get, and he was conscious that showing the origin of the Sparkeater and the ship might be skirting the line.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 50:10 to 51:11</ref>

===Errors===
*The credits on the inside front cover mistakenly claim that the reprinted pages of Megatron and Rung's bar-room escapades are from [[Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|issue #20]] of the ongoing, rather than #22.
*On the same page, Kotteri's variant cover (see below) is listed as a "30th Anniversary cover", but the 30th anniversary is over; per the [[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|''The Transformers'' #37]], the third variant should be back to being a "retailer incentive" cover.
*The bar brawl and Megatron's arrest are dated here to 4th Cycle 499; issue #28 previously gave a date of 4th Cycle 496 for those same events.
*On page 5, panel 5 Percy is missing his microscope mount.

===Other trivia===
[[Image:Stet WhirlPreEmpurataFlashback.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|right|You're broken… I can fix it.]]
*Originally intended for release in January 2015, month-long delays afflicting multiple IDW titles saw this issue pushed to the first week of February.
*The pages reprinted from previous issues are included in addition to the regular 22 pages of story, making for a 26-page story.
*This issue features the first visible instance of Whirl's original, pre-Empurata face.
*Roberts had vaguely planned for a "Let's Kill Hitler" time-travel story for ages but Megatron becoming captain turned it into a more "multi-layered" story.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 43:20 to 44:10</ref>
* Nightbeat mentions that 'some lunatic', an Ex-Primal Vanguard with integrated weapons shot up a [[Relinquishment Clinic]] in {{Apophenia}}. ''Whirl'' is ex-Primal Vanguard at the time of the story, and while his present self is in prison, his future self is aware that Relinquishment Clinics were a cover for the Institute...
{{-}}

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WMjwlRhjGY Where Damage Isn't Already Done]" by {{w|The Radio Dept.}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPUrWmajIP4 The Certainty of Chance]" by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2NaqB_aVgI The Psychiatrist Is In]" from {{w|God Help the Girl}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaxpAhDPboI A Europewide Search for Love]" by {{w|Ballboy (band)|Ballboy}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Impactor, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' The Heavies, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Skids, Cyclonus, and a glum Tailgate enjoy a drink, by [[Kotteri]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE37 regcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE37 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE37 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #38
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|#37]]
*''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|Drift - Empire of Stone]]'' [[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|#3]]
*''Machi Koro'' (back cover)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://tformers.com/comics-preview-the-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-issue-37/25786/news.html Preview]

Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet

2016-07-12T19:07:58Z

Breech Loader: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=37
|prev=Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays
|next=Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide
|image=MTMTE37 regcvr.jpg
|title="Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[February 4]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=January 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]] [[Josh Burcham]] (pgs 7–8)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}

'''Rodimus's team continues their pursuit of Brainstorm through time, only to find that they are more involved in past events than expected—and that Brainstorm's goal is not what they believed it to be.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s team has followed [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] back to [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]]-era [[Rodion]], and have spread out to search for the rogue scientist. While Rodimus watches for [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] at the police station alongside [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], he checks in with the others: [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] is surveying the city from his position on an airship; the bored [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] is watching the waterways; a nervous [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] is riding the rails to avoid the risk of running into his past self; and [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] look down on the city from a nearby cliff. Emotionally moved by the sight of the pristine planet, unblemished by war, to the point that he is struck dumb, Cyclonus doesn't respond to Rodimus, so Tailgate takes the communicator and quickly makes up a story about having set down for repairs. After a moment of silence, Cyclonus apologizes to Tailgate for physically abusing him in the past.

Rodimus then calls [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], who expresses concern over the fact that Rewind's database is being overwritten, as it implies that Brainstorm's alteration to the timeline may have already happened, or is destined to. As such, if they cannot stop him, Perceptor must dismantle the time machine to undo the paradox, warning that many things could "go wrong". Reminded by those words that he had forgotten about [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], Rodimus contacts the psychotherapist, who is staking out [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's New Oil House]]. Unfortunately, Brainstorm is also watching the bar, and when he spots Rung building a model of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', he realizes that he has been followed back in time and abandons his plans. Brainstorm's flight is spotted by Rewind, and Cyclonus gives chase, but just before he can land a missile-hit, Brainstorm's [[time case|briefcase]] activates and he time-jumps away. At Perceptor's instruction, the team regroups at Maccadam's, and he sends them after their quarry.

Arriving one year further in the past, in 4th Cycle 499, the team are contacted by Perceptor and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], who believe that Maccadam's is important, and that the deductions they made about Brainstorm's plans may have been hasty. Accordingly, the group splits in two: Chromedome, Rewind, and Whirl head for the police station while the rest remain at the bar. But Brainstorm has gone to neither, and is, in fact, at a wellbeing clinic several miles away, where he ambushes and knocks out the Rung of the past...

Later at the police station again, Chromedome and Rewind spend time stargazing, but Rewind is preoccupied with thoughts of the unknown fate of [[Dominus Ambus]]. He proposes using the time-case to finally discover what befell his former [[Conjunx Endura]], but Chromedome worries that he will want to change history and save Dominus's life, which would mean that his and Rewind's relationship would never happen. Before they can discuss those unfortunate ramifications too deeply, Whirl alerts them to the arrival of his own past self at the station. This day being so important in his life, Whirl is able to recognize the 'nobody' he's bringing in as being [[Crossbar]], and then realizes what specific day it is — the day [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] is arrested.

Back at Maccadam's, the rest of the team watch the younger Megatron and [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] sitting at a nearby table. When Rung goes to fetch a [[curly straw]] for Tailgate, however, he accidentally knocks over a jumped-up cadet's drink, and winds up being thrown into Megatron and Impactor's table when he refuses to clean up the mess. This instigates the famous bar-room brawl that leads to Megatron's arrest, and as the ''Lost Light''ers make themselves scarce, Brainstorm, looking on from outside, grimaces at the realization his attempt to prevent it by incapacitating the past-Rung has failed.

A few hours later, at the police station, after Megatron has been arrested and subsequently released by Pax, the [[Senate]]'s goon squad arrives for payback and kills officers [[Springarm]] and [[Wheelarch]]. Chromedome refuses to let Rewind intervene, regrettably understanding that history must be preserved, but is too slow to stop the deranged Whirl leaping into the fray when three new thugs come stomping up—including the [[Heavies]], who destroyed Whirl's life when they wrecked his watchmaking business. Hungry for revenge, Whirl takes the two huge 'bots down with violent ease; Chromedome intervenes before he can kill them, reminding Whirl that they ''have'' to live, so that Chromedome can have his own encounter with them in a year's time. Whirl justifies his actions by explaining his history with the Heavies... a history which is then elaborated upon by Hammer, who tells Whirl that the pair acted on the orders of the [[Functionist Council]], who wanted him punished him for abandoning his assigned job in the Aerial Corps, and who were also responsible for his later [[empurata]]. With icy detachment, Whirl vents his rage by [[Sparkeater Gun|shooting]] the third 'bot, who is unfamiliar to him, but whom he deems guilty by association.

Back in the present, on the ''Lost Light'', Perceptor discovers that time has ceased to flow in all other parts of the universe, indicating the imminent collapse of the original timeline. Studying the dates Rodimus's team has travelled to, Megatron realizes that they have been working on a flawed principle: the dates correspond to major events in ''Megatron's'' life, not Orion Pax's. It is Megatron's life that Brainstorm is trying to unmake... and even as Ultra Magnus's internal criminal database is overwritten, and Megatron disappears from his records, in the past, Brainstorm appears at the moment of Megatron's creation, and levels his weapons at the once and future Decepticon leader's half-built form...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (1)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (2)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (3)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (5)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (6)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (8)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (9)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (11)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (14)

|c2=
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (15)

|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Proteus]] (4, billboard)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (7)
*[[Quark]] (12)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (13)
*"[[Streaker]]" and "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]" (16, 18)
*[[Sherma]]'s body (17)
*[[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]] (19)
*[[Crossbar]] (20)
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (21)
*Cadets (22-23)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]? (24)
*Senate thugs (25, 28, 30)
*[[Wheelarch]]'s head (26)
*[[Springarm]] (27)
*[[Heavies|Anvil]] (29)
*[[Heavies|Hammer]] (31)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"You said the station was always busy. You said—" 
"I '''said''' it was a '''non-stop cop shop'''. An' I only said '''that''' 'cos it '''rhymed'''." 
"I can't tell if you're joking." 
"Welcome to the club."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Whirl'''

''Tailgate, after taking the communicator from Cyclonus and covering for his silence to Rodimus:'' 
"Is it the time travel? 'Cos I'm only just wrapping my head around it myself. I mean, '''think about it''': I'm somewhere out there right now, buried underground. Me! Underground! Right now! Me! The way I see it, you just have to accept what's happening as something that's... happening. And I think that's true of so many things in life." 
"It's beautiful." 
"Oh! Rodion." 
"Cybertron." 
"Yes, well, umm..drink it in, I guess." 
"It's been so '''long'''. So long since I saw it as it '''should''' be seen." 
''Both stare at the beauty of the city, then Cyclonus glances down at Tailgate'' 
"I'm sorry." 
"Noted." 

"No offense, but you couldn't draw attention to yourself if you '''tried'''. Even '''mirrors''' ignore you."
:—'''Rodimus''', to Rung

"Okay, as entrances go, that was only '''slightly''' less conspicuous than projecting "'''Your Attention Please'''" on a mushroom cloud."
:—'''Chromedome''' on the team's arrival in 4th Cycle 499

"Rodimus? It's Ultra Magnus speaking." 
"Listen, whatever I've done, it was an accident and I'm sorry." 
"The '''big picture:''' Brainstorm trying to kill Pax. We drew it at speed because we '''had to'''. But the more we look at it, the less it makes sense." 
"Magnus, the '''last''' thing I want to do is dissuade you from exploring the power of metaphor, but I really don't have the remotest idea what you're talking about."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus'''

'''Rodimus:''' "The back door's this way. No one make eye contact with anybody. Especially not you, Tailgate." 
'''Tailgate:''' "Why especially not me?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "Because you've got one of those faces." 
'''Tailgate:''' "What's wrong with my face?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "It's basically a '''punch magnet.'''" 
'''Tailgate:''' "So '''rude!''' Cyclonus, did you hear that?" 
'''Cyclonus:''' "No. Was it about your face?"

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*''The Custom-Made Now'' is the third part of a trilogy of flashback stories, following ''Chaos Theory'' and ''Shadowplay''.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 36:00 to 36:07</ref>
*The first time period our heroes jump to is that of the first chapter of the "Shadowplay" trilogy, from [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], while the second is that of the first part of "Chaos Theory", from [[Chaos Theory Part 1|issue #21]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing series]]. Two pages from each issue are reprinted in context.
*The billboard-airship that Rewind hitches a lift on was seen in issue #9, and can be seen again in the reprinted pages.
*Cyclonus apologises for kicking Tailgate back in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
*We get another look at "Magnus-vision", the way Magnus sees the world around him, seen before in [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|the 2012 annual]].
*As Brainstorm flies away from Maccadam's, we see two 'bots carrying a body along the bridge below him. The corpse is that of [[Sherma|Senator Sherma]], who is about to be hung from the bridge, as we saw in issue #9; logically, it would follow that the two 'bots carrying it are the unnamed killers from [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|issue #10]], before their [[spark]]s are implanted in the bodies of [[Streaker]] and [[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]].
*Rung has previously been described as a "historical constant" by Rewind in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]], because of his presence at many important points in Cybertronian history. It now appears that this reputation is partly a product of the present-day Rung travelling back in time to these points in time, rather than his just happening to be there in the regular flow of history—we find out this issue that the Rung who appeared in the past sequences in "Chaos Theory" and "Shadowplay" were both the present-day Rung, in turn validating last issue's implication that the actions Rodimus's team are taking are and were always part of the timeline they knew.
*In-keeping with that, now we know why Rung didn't have any memory of the bar-room brawl when Megatron brought it up back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]] - for him, it hadn't happened yet.
*Previously, issue 9's scene of Rung assembling a model of the ''Lost Light'' seemed to imply a history to the ship, which was further hinted at when Nightbeat appeared to recognize the vessel in [[...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|''Dark Cybertron Finale'']]. Now we understand that Nightbeat was remembering the model and recognizing its anachronistic nature.
*Past-Rung's scooter is his wheeled backpack, which we learned was a separate attachment back in [[Little Victories|issue #22]].
*The song that past-Rung whistles as Brainstorm ambushes him is "[[The Empyrean Suite]]", the enigmatic piece of music with sinister connotations of which we are not yet aware, previously mentioned in issues [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]] and [[The Gloaming|#16]]. The notes in Rung's speech balloon match those when Swerve played the tune in #16.
*Chromedome and Rewind stargaze, imagining constellations in the shape of Prowl being beaten up, a habit of theirs mentioned in issue #16.
*Rewind brings up his and [[Dominus Ambus]]'s search for [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], originally discussed in [[Before & After|issue #12]].
*Rung groans "always the head" after he gets clobbered, hearkening back to the grave cranial injuries he took in [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*When the police arrive to break up the bar fight, the vehicle they arrive in appears to be [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]], or at least a 'bot with his [[alternate mode]]. The policebots themselves share a [[body-type]] with [[Springarm]] and [[Wheelarch]].
*The Heavies and their history with Whirl were originally introduced in issue #6. Chromedome's encounter with them took place in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]], in which they, [[Kroma]] and [[Macabre]] raided the police station in order to capture [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Senator Shockwave]]. In the issue, [[Kroma]] noted in passing that Shockwave's whereabouts had been revealed through a tip-off from parties unknown; the Heavies go conspicuously ''un''-mindwiped at the end of this story, and hear Chromedome tell Whirl about the attack and Shockwave's presence. Could ''they'' have been the source of the information?
*Whirl kills the Heavies' unnamed cohort (who we've never seen before, for retroactively obvious reasons) with [[Sparkeater Gun|the curious weapon]] he took from Brainstorm's armory last issue. If he hadn't, there could have been ''three'' people attacking Chromedome and Optimus - meaning that the conclusion of the battle might have been much more unpleasant.
*We learn that last issue's events, in 1st Cycle 502, took place on the same day as [[Megatron Origin issue 1|''Megatron Origin'' #1]].
*Though he has always been unforthcoming about his origins, we know that Megatron, as a [[Point One Percenter]], should have a green spark, but the one seen inside his half-built frame on the final page of this issue is the traditional blue. However, we ''very'' much doubt that's an error...

===Transformers references===
*Rodimus keeps his eye on the Rodion police station using a telescopic visor that slides down out of his helmet over his eyes, just like the one he used to zoom in on the captured shuttle in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
*A generic working the waterway is colored like [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]].
*The train track that Chromedome rides is labelled "C-131", the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|Japanese ID number]] of [[Raiden]], combined form of the [[Trainbot|''TRAIN''bots]].

===Real-life references===
*This issue's title, "Stet", is a Latin word meaning "let it stand", used in proofreading to indicate that a previously-marked change is to be ignored, much like Brainstorm's attempts to change time.
*When trying to recall Quark's name, Rung believes it might be "{{w|QWERTY|Qwerty}}", after the most common modern-day keyboard layout.
*The address of Rung's wellbeing clinic is NX-74205, the registry number of the [[wikia:c:memoryalpha:USS Defiant (2370)|USS ''Defiant'']] on ''[[Star Trek|Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]''.
*To add even more to the image of [[Jesus]] established in #21 of this series in which he's literally crucified for the sins of others, Rodimus refers to the past in which he was not born yet as P.R: Pre-Rodimus, similar to how we refer to everything that happened before year 1 as B.C: Before Christ.
*The reprint of ''Chaos Theory'' and ''Shadowplay'' scenes was inspired by ''Back To The Future II'', which showed scenes from the first film from a different angle. Roberts has said this story is the most self-referential the comic will get, and he was conscious that showing the origin of the Sparkeater and the ship might be skirting the line.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 50:10 to 51:11</ref>

===Errors===
*The credits on the inside front cover mistakenly claim that the reprinted pages of Megatron and Rung's bar-room escapades are from [[Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|issue #20]] of the ongoing, rather than #22.
*On the same page, Kotteri's variant cover (see below) is listed as a "30th Anniversary cover", but the 30th anniversary is over; per the [[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|''The Transformers'' #37]], the third variant should be back to being a "retailer incentive" cover.
*The bar brawl and Megatron's arrest are dated here to 4th Cycle 499; issue #28 previously gave a date of 4th Cycle 496 for those same events.
*On page 5, panel 5 Percy is missing his microscope mount.

===Other trivia===
[[Image:Stet WhirlPreEmpurataFlashback.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|right|You're broken… I can fix it.]]
*Originally intended for release in January 2015, month-long delays afflicting multiple IDW titles saw this issue pushed to the first week of February.
*The pages reprinted from previous issues are included in addition to the regular 22 pages of story, making for a 26-page story.
*This issue features the first visible instance of Whirl's original, pre-Empurata face.
*Roberts had vaguely planned for a "Let's Kill Hitler" time-travel story for ages but Megatron becoming captain turned it into a more "multi-layered" story.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 43:20 to 44:10</ref>
* Nightbeat mentions that 'some lunatic', an Ex-Primal Vanguard with integrated weapons shot up a [[Relinquishment Clinic]] in {{Apophenia}}. ''Whirl'' is ex-Primal Vanguard at the time of the story, and while his present self is in prison, his future self is aware that Relinquishment Clinics were a cover for the Institute...
{{-}}

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WMjwlRhjGY Where Damage Isn't Already Done]" by {{w|The Radio Dept.}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPUrWmajIP4 The Certainty of Chance]" by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2NaqB_aVgI The Psychiatrist Is In]" from {{w|God Help the Girl}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaxpAhDPboI A Europewide Search for Love]" by {{w|Ballboy (band)|Ballboy}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Impactor, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' The Heavies, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Skids, Cyclonus, and a glum Tailgate enjoy a drink, by [[Kotteri]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE37 regcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE37 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE37 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #38
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|#37]]
*''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|Drift - Empire of Stone]]'' [[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|#3]]
*''Machi Koro'' (back cover)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://tformers.com/comics-preview-the-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-issue-37/25786/news.html Preview]

The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage

2016-07-06T01:01:04Z

Breech Loader: /* Other trivia */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=54
|prev=The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day
|next=The Dying of the Light Part 6
|image=MTMTE54_regcvr.jpg
|title="The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage"
|caption=''"REAR RANK, FIRE!"'' ''"Reload!"'' ''"REAR RANK, FIRE!"'' ''"Reload!"''
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[June 22]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=June 2016
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]] and [[Christa Miesner]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2016)]]
}}

'''Through the sacrifice of one of their comrades, the Autobots are given the means to fight back... and Megatron takes up arms once more.'''

==Synopsis==
On the blasted ground outside the [[Censere|Necrobot]]'s fortress, the [[Autobot]]s tear into the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] and their allies with fire and fervor. As [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] man laser turrets built into the shoulders of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s new "Maximus Ambus" armor, Rewind tries to tell Magnus of the recent discovery he made about [[Dominus Ambus|his brother]], but the battle has all of Magnus's attention. [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] swoops in low to bear down on [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], but the [[Decepticon]] sadist punches him into the ground. [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] blasts Overlord in the face to draw his attention away, and the grinning monster proceeds to describe in grisly detail how he dismembered the original Rewind before Chromedome blew up the cell containing them both. Chromedome screams a scream of passion and rage, and hurls a punch at Overlord... a punch of such freakish strength that it lifts Overlord off the ground and sends him flying backward! As [[Nickel]] proceeds to shoot Chromedome in the arm with [[Vos (DJD)|Vos]]'s rifle mode, [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] observes that the Autobots are fighting with unprecedented strength. [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] assures him it is merely a last-gasp effort, and is more interested in the absence of Megatron, but Deathsaurus is certain that something has happened to the Autobots to give them this boost...

''Minutes earlier, as the Autobots engage in their group hug inside the fortress, an off-hand remark by [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] about the tightness of [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]'s super-strength hug causes [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] to have a brainwave. Reasoning that Tailgate's recent [[spark]] spasm released an energy wave that transformed him and, temporarily, those Transformers nearest to him, into super-strong [[Outlier]]s, it should theoretically be possible to induce such a spasm in someone ''else'', thereby duplicating the effect on those assembled. The prospect of deliberately causing someone to have a nervous breakdown seems untenable, but [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] volunteers for the job and asks Chromedome to finally unlock his forgotten traumatic memories in order to accomplish it. Chromedome is unwilling to use his [[mnemosurgery]] needles, but as Tarn begins blaring "[[The Empyrean Suite]]" in advance of the DJD's attack, and the memories associated with the music begin to tickle the back of Skids's consciousness, Chromedome agrees to take another tactic: nothing more than a few awful, well-chosen words. Every memory from his time in [[Grindcore (prison)|Grindcore]] including the horrific, smelting death of [[Quark]] comes rushing back to Skids, and his spark erupts with light.''

Powered up into Outliers by Skids's sacrifice, the Autobots tear their way through their enemies, with Rodimus even pulling off his old "Flame Out" maneuver to incinerate a dogpile of Decepticons. Unfortunately, no sooner has he sizzled their circuits that he collapses to his knees, suddenly weakened, as the power-up begins to wear off!

[[File:RageRage-Megatronappears.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Such heroic nonsense.]]Inside the fortress, Ratchet tends to Skids, who has been so badly traumatized by the experience that his spark has shrunk away to almost nothing. Ratchet attempts to stabilize him so that he can join the fight and leave the job of tending Skids to [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], but the ex-Decepticon is having some health problems of his own, suffering from cramps caused by [[Fool's Energon]]. Ratchet insinuates that they are actually the product of fear and anxiety, but Megatron refutes the allegation, and explains to the medic that he is refusing to fight not because he fears the DJD, but because he fears what he himself will become if he straps a weapon to his arm once more. As far as Megatron is concerned, if he allows himself to commit violence again, he will be unable to stop himself from committing more and more, endlessly. This forces Ratchet into a confession: Fool's Energon is a placebo. It has never sapped Megatron's strength; Megatron only ''believed'' that it did, and every time he fought someone since he began taking it, he was—however subconsciously—acting with self-imposed restraint. Just then, Megatron looks at the monitor displaying the fight outside, and sees [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] being torn in half by Tarn. Ratchet is distracted when Skids wakes up and falls off the med-slab, desperate to find [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] and tell him what became of Quark. When the medic looks up again, screaming that he needs help getting Skids back on the slab before he dies, Megatron is gone...

Outside, the upgrade process has well and truly worn off, as Brainstorm finds when his fist crumples against [[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]]'s armor. He turns to the Necrobot's holographic statue of Skids to offer his thanks for the temporary advantage, only to find that the statue has been switched off... because Skids's body now lies lifeless on the floor of the fortress med-bay, his spark extinguished.

The weakened Autobots seem certain to join him in death, surrounding by the enemy on all sides—until salvation is heralded by the thunderous retort of a [[fusion cannon]]. With his newly-built weapon now attached, Megatron strides onto the battlefield, silently obliterating all opposition. Deathsaurus, fearing for the lives of his men, prepares to order a retreat but in the end, in the face of Tarn's orders, capitulates and sends them to ''all'' in to 'wear out' the tyrant. (He doesn't know that Tarn has ordered ''his'' men to retreat, but a disappointed Nickel knows). Megatron reaches his comrades in fire and blood, gathers up the two pieces of the still-living Ravage, and orders them back to the fortress to get his feline friend help: ''he'' needs nobody's help.

Megatron roars for Tarn to come out but a well-placed shot from Nickel and Vos soon disables Megatron's cannon and leaves him open to attack. As the other Autobots watch through the monitor inside the fortress, Tarn and Overlord stand over the unarmed Megatron, and level their weapons as the man sinks, tired and distraught, to his knees. Tarn asks Megatron if it was worth it; the once and former Decepticon leader remains silent as he looks up at his would-be executioners, but shock crosses his features... just as three shots ring out...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (1)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Maximus Ambus]] (2)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (5)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] (statue, 6)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (9)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (10)
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (11)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (14)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (19)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (20)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (21)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (22)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (23)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (24)
*''[[Quark]]'' (25)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (27)

|c2=
*[[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] (3)
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] (8)
*[[Doryu]] (12)
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (13)
*[[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] (15)
*[[Nickel]] (16)
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] (17)
*[[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] (18)
*[[Blue Bacchus]] (26)
*[[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]] (28)

|c4=
*[[Ten]] (4)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (7)

}}

==Quotes==
"The mnemosurgeon! I was '''hoping''' we'd meet again—I wanted to tell you something. I'm afraid your '''skinny little friend''' died before the missiles hit. I managed to pull off '''three''' of his limbs before the pain '''really''' drove him over the edge. The '''noises''' he made...! And he kept calling your name! ''"Domey! Domey! Save me!"'' I had to put his '''head''' in my mouth just to '''shut him up'''. Just popped it in and—chomp!—bit down 'til he stopped '''twitching'''."
:—'''Overlord'''

"Ask me what I used to do for a living!" 
"What?" 
"Ask me what I used to do for a living!" 
"'''What?'''" 
"Same thing as I do now, '''dirtwad'''—'''waste disposal!'''"
:—'''Tailgate''' tries some action hero banter, but a '''Decepticon''' doesn't play along

"You're not a '''coward''', Megatron—'''or''' a pacifist, for that matter. At least not in the way '''I''' understand the word." 
"I'm not afraid of the DJD. I am, however, afraid of '''rediscovering''' what I'm capable of. I'm afraid that if I got out there and fight—'''really''' fight—I won't be able to stop. '''Ever.''' Because I '''won't want to'''. Every day is a '''battle''', Ratchet. Every hour. Every '''second'''. A battle between me and the '''real''' me—and I wish I knew which was which." 
"So either way, it's about you. ''Quelle suprise.''" 
"It's not about me—it's about '''everyone else.'''" 
"Riiiiight." 
"If I step outside, '''that's''' just the beginning—the first of a '''thousand''' battlefields. If I don't keep myself in check, the '''war''' could reignite—and if it '''did''', it would make what's gone before seem '''trivial''' by comparison. I'd surrender myself '''completely''' to my darker impulses—because I'd '''have''' to. If I were to avoid another day like '''this''' one—another day of being '''torn in two'''—I'd have to. I don't give a damn if '''Fool's Energon''' has sapped my strength or dulled my mind—I '''would not be stopped.'''"
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Megatron'''

"Sleep tight, soldier."
:—'''Ratchet''' bids farewell to Skids

"I don't need your help. I don't need ''anybody's'' help. But Ravage does."
:—'''Megatron's''' line has two meanings!

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Overlord reveals what happened to the original Rewind, after they were trapped in the [[slow cell]] together in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]]. Given the time dilation involved in the cell's function, either he was lying to hurt Chromedome or Overlord works disturbingly fast.
*Skids recalls the two previous instances in which Chromedome stopped him from remembering his lost memories, in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]] and [[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|#49]]. As Tarn blares "The Empyrean Suite", Skids starts to feel hot, as memories of the smelting chamber seen in issue #49 start to creep in.
*If you're wondering why Transformers aren't turning into Outliers as a result of traumatic experiences all the time, recall that it's only the unique mixture of quantum energy that the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' have been exposed to in their travels that has mutated their sparks to the point that they are capable of this stress-induced evolution, as explained in issue #49.
*Rodimus uses his "Flame Out" ability for the very first time since it was introduced all the way back in [[Maximum Dinobots issue 3|''Maximum Dinobots'' #3]]. He even remarks on how long it's been since he last did it.
*Fool's Energon is revealed to be a placebo, in actuality being standard yet disgusting tasting Energon; its foul taste was previously evidenced when [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] snuck some in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|issue #29]]. Ratchet explains they couldn't give Megatron a ''real'' sedative because of the damaged state of his internal organs, caused by [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], which we learned about in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]], meaning Megatron's apparant physical weakness and change in personality were merely psychosomatic. In an ''incredibly'' subtle bit of foreshadowing of this, Ratchet let slip a "What is it?" while trying to get his story straight to Rodimus in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|issue #30]] as he outlined the bogus chemical's effects.
*Ratchet recalls previous instances in which Megatron restrained his strength: fighting [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] in issue #28, punching [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue #38]], and lashing out at Tailgate in [[The Lopsided Triangle|issue #47]].
*As Skids crawls along the floor after falling off the med-slab, he calls himself "scum" for what he unknowingly helped Tarn do in Grindcore. This hearkens ''aaaaaall'' the way back to his first appearance in this series in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]], in which, while struggling to remember anything about himself, the last vestiges of this memory caused the amnesiac Skids to briefly think his name was "Scum".
*Tarn sounds almost glad to find Megatron to have his "fire" back while Overlord dismisses this as him just finding a big gun. Both views fit into their ongoing desire to kill Megatron: Tarn was angry and upset that Megs, by surrendering, was no longer the 'real' Megs back in [[The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|part 3]], while Overlord has been constantly talking down and demeaning Megatron in protests-too-much way since [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|"Last Stand of the Wreckers" #2]].
*This issue marks the first time Velocity is shown in her vehicle mode, while the Autobots retreat with the severely wounded Ravage back into the Necrobot's fortress.
*Ten is distraught to see Skids' corpse. Back in "[[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme]]", Skids was in his mural of favourite crewmembers.

===Transformers references===
* When Rewind attempts to tell Magnus about what happened to Dominus last issue, Ultra Magnus paraphrases his most famous line from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'': "I can't deal with that now."
* Ravage being torn in two by Tarn hearkens back to the fate of [[Ravage (ROTF)|his movie counterpart]]. It's also evocative of [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]'s dismemberment of [[Myskrion]]'s [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] partner, also a felinoid, in "[[Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb]]."
* In a cute touch, Autobot Megatron's new fusion cannon fires orange beams, just like all Autobot weaponry in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]], rather than Decepticon purple. Having been built by Brainstorm, it brings to mind his talk of weapons that could differentiate between Autobot and Decepticon by firing different coloured lasers back in issue #28, but the cartoon color-coding has actually always been in effect for pretty much all weaponry throughout "season two."
** In that issue, Velocity pointed out the ethical questions raised by creating a weapon that was not merely distinguishing between Autobot and Decepticon when fired, but by extension between good and bad. It would be just like Brainstorm to go ahead and do it anyway.

===Real-life references===
*As with the previous chapters, this issue's title (and the title of the multi-parter itself) is taken from the poem "{{w|Do not go gentle into that good night}}," by {{w|Dylan Thomas}}.
*In the left-side background on page 14, in the big crowd of Decepticons, you can just see a dead ringer for [[Evangelion Unit-01]].

===Errors===
*In the Story So Far recap, Minimus Ambus is said to be the alter ego of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Sounds like someone at IDW had ''[[Transformers: Generations#Titans Return|Titans Return]]'' on the brain when writing that!
*On page five, panel 1, Ratchet tells Tailgate not to squeeze so tightly as they hug—but his speech bubble's been stuck right on top of Tailgate, making him almost unnoticeable in the panel.
*On the same page, Ratchet says Tailgate was "taken the brink," rather than "taken '''to''' the brink."

===Other trivia===
*Vos's sole speech bubble in this issue, spoken when Tarn forgets to credit him along with Nickel for blasting Chromedome, translates to "Bears love sushi." Eh??
*The Autobot emblems are exceptionally emotive this issue, ranging from sad with "tears" (Ratchet), enraged (Megatron) and OH GOD IT BURNS (Rodimus).
*Skids dies to get the fight scenes going in this comic: it's explicit that he's near death to give the Autobots a temporary boost of power, and suggests that Megatron leaving for his big action scene meant Skids couldn't get back onto his medical slab.
** The fight scenes just leads to the Autobots back where they left off in #53 rather than achieving anything and only the cannon fodder Decepticons, given orders by Tarn to charge 'over the top' directly at Megatron simply to wear him down, get killed. All of this feels pretty intentional by the writer who said "Next: In Flanders' Fields" last issue and tied in to Megatron's themes that violence, however justified or necessary, is only turning out badly for him and those around him.
* The month that this issue came out in Europe, the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, the bloodiest and most brutal battle of World War 1 was commemorated - the battle in which hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers died within moments of going 'over the top', forced to run straight towards German guns as little more than cannon fodder. ''Technically'' the Allies won that battle, but casualties for both sides were catastrophic.

===Soundtrack===
For all of "The Dying of the Light":
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCdBc5uByFQ Hurt]" by {{w|Johnny Cash}}

For this issue alone:
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeaeFgBI2ns Slow Parade]" by {{w|Broken Records (band)|Broken Records}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq5pC0MS1ww Superman]" by {{w|Cinerama (band)|Cinerama}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxSJklULfJ0 The Birds Will Sing For Us]" by {{w|Ed Harcourt}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Our heroes, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] versus [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Cyclonus, Tailgate, Nautica, and Velocity all share a drink with [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]], by [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]] and [[Josh Perez]]; one of three retailer incentive covers by Pitre-Durocher for June's Transformers titles, which all feature Windblade in commemoration of the launch of ''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]''.
<gallery>
File:MTMTE54 regcvr.jpg|Thanks to Tarn, Decepticon costume parties have a ''very'' strict dress code.
File:MTMTE54 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE54 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #55
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|#54]]
*''[[The Transformers: Titans Return|Titans Return]]'' one-shot
*''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]'' [[07:00:00|#1]]
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[The War Never Ends|#13]]
*''The Electric Sublime''
*IDW ''[[Action Man]]'' comic

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/29778-megatron-leads-the-autobots-in-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-54-preview.html Preview]

The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage

2016-07-06T00:58:25Z

Breech Loader: /* Transformers references */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=54
|prev=The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day
|next=The Dying of the Light Part 6
|image=MTMTE54_regcvr.jpg
|title="The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage"
|caption=''"REAR RANK, FIRE!"'' ''"Reload!"'' ''"REAR RANK, FIRE!"'' ''"Reload!"''
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[June 22]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=June 2016
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]] and [[Christa Miesner]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2016)]]
}}

'''Through the sacrifice of one of their comrades, the Autobots are given the means to fight back... and Megatron takes up arms once more.'''

==Synopsis==
On the blasted ground outside the [[Censere|Necrobot]]'s fortress, the [[Autobot]]s tear into the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] and their allies with fire and fervor. As [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] man laser turrets built into the shoulders of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s new "Maximus Ambus" armor, Rewind tries to tell Magnus of the recent discovery he made about [[Dominus Ambus|his brother]], but the battle has all of Magnus's attention. [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] swoops in low to bear down on [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], but the [[Decepticon]] sadist punches him into the ground. [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] blasts Overlord in the face to draw his attention away, and the grinning monster proceeds to describe in grisly detail how he dismembered the original Rewind before Chromedome blew up the cell containing them both. Chromedome screams a scream of passion and rage, and hurls a punch at Overlord... a punch of such freakish strength that it lifts Overlord off the ground and sends him flying backward! As [[Nickel]] proceeds to shoot Chromedome in the arm with [[Vos (DJD)|Vos]]'s rifle mode, [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] observes that the Autobots are fighting with unprecedented strength. [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] assures him it is merely a last-gasp effort, and is more interested in the absence of Megatron, but Deathsaurus is certain that something has happened to the Autobots to give them this boost...

''Minutes earlier, as the Autobots engage in their group hug inside the fortress, an off-hand remark by [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] about the tightness of [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]'s super-strength hug causes [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] to have a brainwave. Reasoning that Tailgate's recent [[spark]] spasm released an energy wave that transformed him and, temporarily, those Transformers nearest to him, into super-strong [[Outlier]]s, it should theoretically be possible to induce such a spasm in someone ''else'', thereby duplicating the effect on those assembled. The prospect of deliberately causing someone to have a nervous breakdown seems untenable, but [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] volunteers for the job and asks Chromedome to finally unlock his forgotten traumatic memories in order to accomplish it. Chromedome is unwilling to use his [[mnemosurgery]] needles, but as Tarn begins blaring "[[The Empyrean Suite]]" in advance of the DJD's attack, and the memories associated with the music begin to tickle the back of Skids's consciousness, Chromedome agrees to take another tactic: nothing more than a few awful, well-chosen words. Every memory from his time in [[Grindcore (prison)|Grindcore]] including the horrific, smelting death of [[Quark]] comes rushing back to Skids, and his spark erupts with light.''

Powered up into Outliers by Skids's sacrifice, the Autobots tear their way through their enemies, with Rodimus even pulling off his old "Flame Out" maneuver to incinerate a dogpile of Decepticons. Unfortunately, no sooner has he sizzled their circuits that he collapses to his knees, suddenly weakened, as the power-up begins to wear off!

[[File:RageRage-Megatronappears.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Such heroic nonsense.]]Inside the fortress, Ratchet tends to Skids, who has been so badly traumatized by the experience that his spark has shrunk away to almost nothing. Ratchet attempts to stabilize him so that he can join the fight and leave the job of tending Skids to [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], but the ex-Decepticon is having some health problems of his own, suffering from cramps caused by [[Fool's Energon]]. Ratchet insinuates that they are actually the product of fear and anxiety, but Megatron refutes the allegation, and explains to the medic that he is refusing to fight not because he fears the DJD, but because he fears what he himself will become if he straps a weapon to his arm once more. As far as Megatron is concerned, if he allows himself to commit violence again, he will be unable to stop himself from committing more and more, endlessly. This forces Ratchet into a confession: Fool's Energon is a placebo. It has never sapped Megatron's strength; Megatron only ''believed'' that it did, and every time he fought someone since he began taking it, he was—however subconsciously—acting with self-imposed restraint. Just then, Megatron looks at the monitor displaying the fight outside, and sees [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] being torn in half by Tarn. Ratchet is distracted when Skids wakes up and falls off the med-slab, desperate to find [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] and tell him what became of Quark. When the medic looks up again, screaming that he needs help getting Skids back on the slab before he dies, Megatron is gone...

Outside, the upgrade process has well and truly worn off, as Brainstorm finds when his fist crumples against [[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]]'s armor. He turns to the Necrobot's holographic statue of Skids to offer his thanks for the temporary advantage, only to find that the statue has been switched off... because Skids's body now lies lifeless on the floor of the fortress med-bay, his spark extinguished.

The weakened Autobots seem certain to join him in death, surrounding by the enemy on all sides—until salvation is heralded by the thunderous retort of a [[fusion cannon]]. With his newly-built weapon now attached, Megatron strides onto the battlefield, silently obliterating all opposition. Deathsaurus, fearing for the lives of his men, prepares to order a retreat but in the end, in the face of Tarn's orders, capitulates and sends them to ''all'' in to 'wear out' the tyrant. (He doesn't know that Tarn has ordered ''his'' men to retreat, but a disappointed Nickel knows). Megatron reaches his comrades in fire and blood, gathers up the two pieces of the still-living Ravage, and orders them back to the fortress to get his feline friend help: ''he'' needs nobody's help.

Megatron roars for Tarn to come out but a well-placed shot from Nickel and Vos soon disables Megatron's cannon and leaves him open to attack. As the other Autobots watch through the monitor inside the fortress, Tarn and Overlord stand over the unarmed Megatron, and level their weapons as the man sinks, tired and distraught, to his knees. Tarn asks Megatron if it was worth it; the once and former Decepticon leader remains silent as he looks up at his would-be executioners, but shock crosses his features... just as three shots ring out...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (1)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Maximus Ambus]] (2)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (5)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] (statue, 6)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (9)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (10)
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (11)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (14)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (19)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (20)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (21)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (22)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (23)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (24)
*''[[Quark]]'' (25)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (27)

|c2=
*[[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] (3)
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] (8)
*[[Doryu]] (12)
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (13)
*[[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] (15)
*[[Nickel]] (16)
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] (17)
*[[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] (18)
*[[Blue Bacchus]] (26)
*[[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]] (28)

|c4=
*[[Ten]] (4)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (7)

}}

==Quotes==
"The mnemosurgeon! I was '''hoping''' we'd meet again—I wanted to tell you something. I'm afraid your '''skinny little friend''' died before the missiles hit. I managed to pull off '''three''' of his limbs before the pain '''really''' drove him over the edge. The '''noises''' he made...! And he kept calling your name! ''"Domey! Domey! Save me!"'' I had to put his '''head''' in my mouth just to '''shut him up'''. Just popped it in and—chomp!—bit down 'til he stopped '''twitching'''."
:—'''Overlord'''

"Ask me what I used to do for a living!" 
"What?" 
"Ask me what I used to do for a living!" 
"'''What?'''" 
"Same thing as I do now, '''dirtwad'''—'''waste disposal!'''"
:—'''Tailgate''' tries some action hero banter, but a '''Decepticon''' doesn't play along

"You're not a '''coward''', Megatron—'''or''' a pacifist, for that matter. At least not in the way '''I''' understand the word." 
"I'm not afraid of the DJD. I am, however, afraid of '''rediscovering''' what I'm capable of. I'm afraid that if I got out there and fight—'''really''' fight—I won't be able to stop. '''Ever.''' Because I '''won't want to'''. Every day is a '''battle''', Ratchet. Every hour. Every '''second'''. A battle between me and the '''real''' me—and I wish I knew which was which." 
"So either way, it's about you. ''Quelle suprise.''" 
"It's not about me—it's about '''everyone else.'''" 
"Riiiiight." 
"If I step outside, '''that's''' just the beginning—the first of a '''thousand''' battlefields. If I don't keep myself in check, the '''war''' could reignite—and if it '''did''', it would make what's gone before seem '''trivial''' by comparison. I'd surrender myself '''completely''' to my darker impulses—because I'd '''have''' to. If I were to avoid another day like '''this''' one—another day of being '''torn in two'''—I'd have to. I don't give a damn if '''Fool's Energon''' has sapped my strength or dulled my mind—I '''would not be stopped.'''"
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Megatron'''

"Sleep tight, soldier."
:—'''Ratchet''' bids farewell to Skids

"I don't need your help. I don't need ''anybody's'' help. But Ravage does."
:—'''Megatron's''' line has two meanings!

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Overlord reveals what happened to the original Rewind, after they were trapped in the [[slow cell]] together in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]]. Given the time dilation involved in the cell's function, either he was lying to hurt Chromedome or Overlord works disturbingly fast.
*Skids recalls the two previous instances in which Chromedome stopped him from remembering his lost memories, in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]] and [[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|#49]]. As Tarn blares "The Empyrean Suite", Skids starts to feel hot, as memories of the smelting chamber seen in issue #49 start to creep in.
*If you're wondering why Transformers aren't turning into Outliers as a result of traumatic experiences all the time, recall that it's only the unique mixture of quantum energy that the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' have been exposed to in their travels that has mutated their sparks to the point that they are capable of this stress-induced evolution, as explained in issue #49.
*Rodimus uses his "Flame Out" ability for the very first time since it was introduced all the way back in [[Maximum Dinobots issue 3|''Maximum Dinobots'' #3]]. He even remarks on how long it's been since he last did it.
*Fool's Energon is revealed to be a placebo, in actuality being standard yet disgusting tasting Energon; its foul taste was previously evidenced when [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] snuck some in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|issue #29]]. Ratchet explains they couldn't give Megatron a ''real'' sedative because of the damaged state of his internal organs, caused by [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], which we learned about in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]], meaning Megatron's apparant physical weakness and change in personality were merely psychosomatic. In an ''incredibly'' subtle bit of foreshadowing of this, Ratchet let slip a "What is it?" while trying to get his story straight to Rodimus in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|issue #30]] as he outlined the bogus chemical's effects.
*Ratchet recalls previous instances in which Megatron restrained his strength: fighting [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] in issue #28, punching [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue #38]], and lashing out at Tailgate in [[The Lopsided Triangle|issue #47]].
*As Skids crawls along the floor after falling off the med-slab, he calls himself "scum" for what he unknowingly helped Tarn do in Grindcore. This hearkens ''aaaaaall'' the way back to his first appearance in this series in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]], in which, while struggling to remember anything about himself, the last vestiges of this memory caused the amnesiac Skids to briefly think his name was "Scum".
*Tarn sounds almost glad to find Megatron to have his "fire" back while Overlord dismisses this as him just finding a big gun. Both views fit into their ongoing desire to kill Megatron: Tarn was angry and upset that Megs, by surrendering, was no longer the 'real' Megs back in [[The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|part 3]], while Overlord has been constantly talking down and demeaning Megatron in protests-too-much way since [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|"Last Stand of the Wreckers" #2]].
*This issue marks the first time Velocity is shown in her vehicle mode, while the Autobots retreat with the severely wounded Ravage back into the Necrobot's fortress.
*Ten is distraught to see Skids' corpse. Back in "[[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme]]", Skids was in his mural of favourite crewmembers.

===Transformers references===
* When Rewind attempts to tell Magnus about what happened to Dominus last issue, Ultra Magnus paraphrases his most famous line from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'': "I can't deal with that now."
* Ravage being torn in two by Tarn hearkens back to the fate of [[Ravage (ROTF)|his movie counterpart]]. It's also evocative of [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]'s dismemberment of [[Myskrion]]'s [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] partner, also a felinoid, in "[[Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb]]."
* In a cute touch, Autobot Megatron's new fusion cannon fires orange beams, just like all Autobot weaponry in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]], rather than Decepticon purple. Having been built by Brainstorm, it brings to mind his talk of weapons that could differentiate between Autobot and Decepticon by firing different coloured lasers back in issue #28, but the cartoon color-coding has actually always been in effect for pretty much all weaponry throughout "season two."
** In that issue, Velocity pointed out the ethical questions raised by creating a weapon that was not merely distinguishing between Autobot and Decepticon when fired, but by extension between good and bad. It would be just like Brainstorm to go ahead and do it anyway.

===Real-life references===
*As with the previous chapters, this issue's title (and the title of the multi-parter itself) is taken from the poem "{{w|Do not go gentle into that good night}}," by {{w|Dylan Thomas}}.
*In the left-side background on page 14, in the big crowd of Decepticons, you can just see a dead ringer for [[Evangelion Unit-01]].

===Errors===
*In the Story So Far recap, Minimus Ambus is said to be the alter ego of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Sounds like someone at IDW had ''[[Transformers: Generations#Titans Return|Titans Return]]'' on the brain when writing that!
*On page five, panel 1, Ratchet tells Tailgate not to squeeze so tightly as they hug—but his speech bubble's been stuck right on top of Tailgate, making him almost unnoticeable in the panel.
*On the same page, Ratchet says Tailgate was "taken the brink," rather than "taken '''to''' the brink."

===Other trivia===
*Vos's sole speech bubble in this issue, spoken when Tarn forgets to credit him along with Nickel for blasting Chromedome, translates to "Bears love sushi." Eh??
*The Autobot emblems are exceptionally emotive this issue, ranging from sad with "tears" (Ratchet), enraged (Megatron) and OH GOD IT BURNS (Rodimus).
*Skids dies to get the fight scenes going in this comic: it's explicit that he's near death to give the Autobots a temporary boost of power, and suggests that Megatron leaving for his big action scene meant Skids couldn't get back onto his medical slab.
** The fight scenes just leads to the Autobots back where they left off in #53 rather than achieving anything and only the cannon fodder Decepticons, given orders by Tarn to charge 'over the top' directly at Megatron simply to wear him down, get killed. All of this feels pretty intentional by the writer who said "Next: In Flanders' Fields" last issue and tied in to Megatron's themes that violence, however justified or necessary, is only turning out badly for him and those around him.
* As a real life connection, the month that this issue came out in Europe, the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, the bloodiest and most brutal battle of World War 1 was commemorated - the battle in which hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers died within moments of going 'over the top', forced to run straight towards German guns as little more than cannon fodder. ''Technically'' the Allies won that battle, but casualties for both sides were catastrophic.

===Soundtrack===
For all of "The Dying of the Light":
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCdBc5uByFQ Hurt]" by {{w|Johnny Cash}}

For this issue alone:
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeaeFgBI2ns Slow Parade]" by {{w|Broken Records (band)|Broken Records}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq5pC0MS1ww Superman]" by {{w|Cinerama (band)|Cinerama}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxSJklULfJ0 The Birds Will Sing For Us]" by {{w|Ed Harcourt}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Our heroes, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] versus [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Cyclonus, Tailgate, Nautica, and Velocity all share a drink with [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]], by [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]] and [[Josh Perez]]; one of three retailer incentive covers by Pitre-Durocher for June's Transformers titles, which all feature Windblade in commemoration of the launch of ''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]''.
<gallery>
File:MTMTE54 regcvr.jpg|Thanks to Tarn, Decepticon costume parties have a ''very'' strict dress code.
File:MTMTE54 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE54 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #55
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|#54]]
*''[[The Transformers: Titans Return|Titans Return]]'' one-shot
*''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]'' [[07:00:00|#1]]
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[The War Never Ends|#13]]
*''The Electric Sublime''
*IDW ''[[Action Man]]'' comic

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/29778-megatron-leads-the-autobots-in-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-54-preview.html Preview]

The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage

2016-07-06T00:46:45Z

Breech Loader: /* Other trivia */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=54
|prev=The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day
|next=The Dying of the Light Part 6
|image=MTMTE54_regcvr.jpg
|title="The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage"
|caption=''"REAR RANK, FIRE!"'' ''"Reload!"'' ''"REAR RANK, FIRE!"'' ''"Reload!"''
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[June 22]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=June 2016
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]] and [[Christa Miesner]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2016)]]
}}

'''Through the sacrifice of one of their comrades, the Autobots are given the means to fight back... and Megatron takes up arms once more.'''

==Synopsis==
On the blasted ground outside the [[Censere|Necrobot]]'s fortress, the [[Autobot]]s tear into the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] and their allies with fire and fervor. As [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] man laser turrets built into the shoulders of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s new "Maximus Ambus" armor, Rewind tries to tell Magnus of the recent discovery he made about [[Dominus Ambus|his brother]], but the battle has all of Magnus's attention. [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] swoops in low to bear down on [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], but the [[Decepticon]] sadist punches him into the ground. [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] blasts Overlord in the face to draw his attention away, and the grinning monster proceeds to describe in grisly detail how he dismembered the original Rewind before Chromedome blew up the cell containing them both. Chromedome screams a scream of passion and rage, and hurls a punch at Overlord... a punch of such freakish strength that it lifts Overlord off the ground and sends him flying backward! As [[Nickel]] proceeds to shoot Chromedome in the arm with [[Vos (DJD)|Vos]]'s rifle mode, [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] observes that the Autobots are fighting with unprecedented strength. [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] assures him it is merely a last-gasp effort, and is more interested in the absence of Megatron, but Deathsaurus is certain that something has happened to the Autobots to give them this boost...

''Minutes earlier, as the Autobots engage in their group hug inside the fortress, an off-hand remark by [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] about the tightness of [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]'s super-strength hug causes [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] to have a brainwave. Reasoning that Tailgate's recent [[spark]] spasm released an energy wave that transformed him and, temporarily, those Transformers nearest to him, into super-strong [[Outlier]]s, it should theoretically be possible to induce such a spasm in someone ''else'', thereby duplicating the effect on those assembled. The prospect of deliberately causing someone to have a nervous breakdown seems untenable, but [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] volunteers for the job and asks Chromedome to finally unlock his forgotten traumatic memories in order to accomplish it. Chromedome is unwilling to use his [[mnemosurgery]] needles, but as Tarn begins blaring "[[The Empyrean Suite]]" in advance of the DJD's attack, and the memories associated with the music begin to tickle the back of Skids's consciousness, Chromedome agrees to take another tactic: nothing more than a few awful, well-chosen words. Every memory from his time in [[Grindcore (prison)|Grindcore]] including the horrific, smelting death of [[Quark]] comes rushing back to Skids, and his spark erupts with light.''

Powered up into Outliers by Skids's sacrifice, the Autobots tear their way through their enemies, with Rodimus even pulling off his old "Flame Out" maneuver to incinerate a dogpile of Decepticons. Unfortunately, no sooner has he sizzled their circuits that he collapses to his knees, suddenly weakened, as the power-up begins to wear off!

[[File:RageRage-Megatronappears.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Such heroic nonsense.]]Inside the fortress, Ratchet tends to Skids, who has been so badly traumatized by the experience that his spark has shrunk away to almost nothing. Ratchet attempts to stabilize him so that he can join the fight and leave the job of tending Skids to [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], but the ex-Decepticon is having some health problems of his own, suffering from cramps caused by [[Fool's Energon]]. Ratchet insinuates that they are actually the product of fear and anxiety, but Megatron refutes the allegation, and explains to the medic that he is refusing to fight not because he fears the DJD, but because he fears what he himself will become if he straps a weapon to his arm once more. As far as Megatron is concerned, if he allows himself to commit violence again, he will be unable to stop himself from committing more and more, endlessly. This forces Ratchet into a confession: Fool's Energon is a placebo. It has never sapped Megatron's strength; Megatron only ''believed'' that it did, and every time he fought someone since he began taking it, he was—however subconsciously—acting with self-imposed restraint. Just then, Megatron looks at the monitor displaying the fight outside, and sees [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] being torn in half by Tarn. Ratchet is distracted when Skids wakes up and falls off the med-slab, desperate to find [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] and tell him what became of Quark. When the medic looks up again, screaming that he needs help getting Skids back on the slab before he dies, Megatron is gone...

Outside, the upgrade process has well and truly worn off, as Brainstorm finds when his fist crumples against [[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]]'s armor. He turns to the Necrobot's holographic statue of Skids to offer his thanks for the temporary advantage, only to find that the statue has been switched off... because Skids's body now lies lifeless on the floor of the fortress med-bay, his spark extinguished.

The weakened Autobots seem certain to join him in death, surrounding by the enemy on all sides—until salvation is heralded by the thunderous retort of a [[fusion cannon]]. With his newly-built weapon now attached, Megatron strides onto the battlefield, silently obliterating all opposition. Deathsaurus, fearing for the lives of his men, prepares to order a retreat but in the end, in the face of Tarn's orders, capitulates and sends them to ''all'' in to 'wear out' the tyrant. (He doesn't know that Tarn has ordered ''his'' men to retreat, but a disappointed Nickel knows). Megatron reaches his comrades in fire and blood, gathers up the two pieces of the still-living Ravage, and orders them back to the fortress to get his feline friend help: ''he'' needs nobody's help.

Megatron roars for Tarn to come out but a well-placed shot from Nickel and Vos soon disables Megatron's cannon and leaves him open to attack. As the other Autobots watch through the monitor inside the fortress, Tarn and Overlord stand over the unarmed Megatron, and level their weapons as the man sinks, tired and distraught, to his knees. Tarn asks Megatron if it was worth it; the once and former Decepticon leader remains silent as he looks up at his would-be executioners, but shock crosses his features... just as three shots ring out...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (1)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Maximus Ambus]] (2)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (5)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] (statue, 6)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (9)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (10)
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (11)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (14)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (19)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (20)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (21)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (22)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (23)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (24)
*''[[Quark]]'' (25)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (27)

|c2=
*[[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] (3)
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] (8)
*[[Doryu]] (12)
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (13)
*[[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] (15)
*[[Nickel]] (16)
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] (17)
*[[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] (18)
*[[Blue Bacchus]] (26)
*[[Lugnut (TF 2010)|Lugnut]] (28)

|c4=
*[[Ten]] (4)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (7)

}}

==Quotes==
"The mnemosurgeon! I was '''hoping''' we'd meet again—I wanted to tell you something. I'm afraid your '''skinny little friend''' died before the missiles hit. I managed to pull off '''three''' of his limbs before the pain '''really''' drove him over the edge. The '''noises''' he made...! And he kept calling your name! ''"Domey! Domey! Save me!"'' I had to put his '''head''' in my mouth just to '''shut him up'''. Just popped it in and—chomp!—bit down 'til he stopped '''twitching'''."
:—'''Overlord'''

"Ask me what I used to do for a living!" 
"What?" 
"Ask me what I used to do for a living!" 
"'''What?'''" 
"Same thing as I do now, '''dirtwad'''—'''waste disposal!'''"
:—'''Tailgate''' tries some action hero banter, but a '''Decepticon''' doesn't play along

"You're not a '''coward''', Megatron—'''or''' a pacifist, for that matter. At least not in the way '''I''' understand the word." 
"I'm not afraid of the DJD. I am, however, afraid of '''rediscovering''' what I'm capable of. I'm afraid that if I got out there and fight—'''really''' fight—I won't be able to stop. '''Ever.''' Because I '''won't want to'''. Every day is a '''battle''', Ratchet. Every hour. Every '''second'''. A battle between me and the '''real''' me—and I wish I knew which was which." 
"So either way, it's about you. ''Quelle suprise.''" 
"It's not about me—it's about '''everyone else.'''" 
"Riiiiight." 
"If I step outside, '''that's''' just the beginning—the first of a '''thousand''' battlefields. If I don't keep myself in check, the '''war''' could reignite—and if it '''did''', it would make what's gone before seem '''trivial''' by comparison. I'd surrender myself '''completely''' to my darker impulses—because I'd '''have''' to. If I were to avoid another day like '''this''' one—another day of being '''torn in two'''—I'd have to. I don't give a damn if '''Fool's Energon''' has sapped my strength or dulled my mind—I '''would not be stopped.'''"
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Megatron'''

"Sleep tight, soldier."
:—'''Ratchet''' bids farewell to Skids

"I don't need your help. I don't need ''anybody's'' help. But Ravage does."
:—'''Megatron's''' line has two meanings!

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Overlord reveals what happened to the original Rewind, after they were trapped in the [[slow cell]] together in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]]. Given the time dilation involved in the cell's function, either he was lying to hurt Chromedome or Overlord works disturbingly fast.
*Skids recalls the two previous instances in which Chromedome stopped him from remembering his lost memories, in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]] and [[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|#49]]. As Tarn blares "The Empyrean Suite", Skids starts to feel hot, as memories of the smelting chamber seen in issue #49 start to creep in.
*If you're wondering why Transformers aren't turning into Outliers as a result of traumatic experiences all the time, recall that it's only the unique mixture of quantum energy that the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' have been exposed to in their travels that has mutated their sparks to the point that they are capable of this stress-induced evolution, as explained in issue #49.
*Rodimus uses his "Flame Out" ability for the very first time since it was introduced all the way back in [[Maximum Dinobots issue 3|''Maximum Dinobots'' #3]]. He even remarks on how long it's been since he last did it.
*Fool's Energon is revealed to be a placebo, in actuality being standard yet disgusting tasting Energon; its foul taste was previously evidenced when [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] snuck some in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|issue #29]]. Ratchet explains they couldn't give Megatron a ''real'' sedative because of the damaged state of his internal organs, caused by [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], which we learned about in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]], meaning Megatron's apparant physical weakness and change in personality were merely psychosomatic. In an ''incredibly'' subtle bit of foreshadowing of this, Ratchet let slip a "What is it?" while trying to get his story straight to Rodimus in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|issue #30]] as he outlined the bogus chemical's effects.
*Ratchet recalls previous instances in which Megatron restrained his strength: fighting [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] in issue #28, punching [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue #38]], and lashing out at Tailgate in [[The Lopsided Triangle|issue #47]].
*As Skids crawls along the floor after falling off the med-slab, he calls himself "scum" for what he unknowingly helped Tarn do in Grindcore. This hearkens ''aaaaaall'' the way back to his first appearance in this series in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]], in which, while struggling to remember anything about himself, the last vestiges of this memory caused the amnesiac Skids to briefly think his name was "Scum".
*Tarn sounds almost glad to find Megatron to have his "fire" back while Overlord dismisses this as him just finding a big gun. Both views fit into their ongoing desire to kill Megatron: Tarn was angry and upset that Megs, by surrendering, was no longer the 'real' Megs back in [[The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|part 3]], while Overlord has been constantly talking down and demeaning Megatron in protests-too-much way since [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|"Last Stand of the Wreckers" #2]].
*This issue marks the first time Velocity is shown in her vehicle mode, while the Autobots retreat with the severely wounded Ravage back into the Necrobot's fortress.
*Ten is distraught to see Skids' corpse. Back in "[[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme]]", Skids was in his mural of favourite crewmembers.

===Transformers references===
*When Rewind attempts to tell Magnus about what happened to Dominus last issue, Ultra Magnus paraphrases his most famous line from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'': "I can't deal with that now."
*Ravage being torn in two by Tarn hearkens back to the fate of [[Ravage (ROTF)|his movie counterpart]]. It's also evocative of [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]'s dismemberment of [[Myskrion]]'s [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] partner, also a felinoid, in "[[Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb]]."
*In a cute touch, Autobot Megatron's new fusion cannon fires orange beams, just like all Autobot weaponry in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]], rather than Decepticon purple. Having been built by Brainstorm, it brings to mind his talk of weapons that could differentiate between Autobot and Decepticon by firing different coloured lasers back in issue #28, but the cartoon color-coding has actually always been in effect for pretty much all weaponry throughout "season two."

===Real-life references===
*As with the previous chapters, this issue's title (and the title of the multi-parter itself) is taken from the poem "{{w|Do not go gentle into that good night}}," by {{w|Dylan Thomas}}.
*In the left-side background on page 14, in the big crowd of Decepticons, you can just see a dead ringer for [[Evangelion Unit-01]].

===Errors===
*In the Story So Far recap, Minimus Ambus is said to be the alter ego of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Sounds like someone at IDW had ''[[Transformers: Generations#Titans Return|Titans Return]]'' on the brain when writing that!
*On page five, panel 1, Ratchet tells Tailgate not to squeeze so tightly as they hug—but his speech bubble's been stuck right on top of Tailgate, making him almost unnoticeable in the panel.
*On the same page, Ratchet says Tailgate was "taken the brink," rather than "taken '''to''' the brink."

===Other trivia===
*Vos's sole speech bubble in this issue, spoken when Tarn forgets to credit him along with Nickel for blasting Chromedome, translates to "Bears love sushi." Eh??
*The Autobot emblems are exceptionally emotive this issue, ranging from sad with "tears" (Ratchet), enraged (Megatron) and OH GOD IT BURNS (Rodimus).
*Skids dies to get the fight scenes going in this comic: it's explicit that he's near death to give the Autobots a temporary boost of power, and suggests that Megatron leaving for his big action scene meant Skids couldn't get back onto his medical slab.
** The fight scenes just leads to the Autobots back where they left off in #53 rather than achieving anything and only the cannon fodder Decepticons, given orders by Tarn to charge 'over the top' directly at Megatron simply to wear him down, get killed. All of this feels pretty intentional by the writer who said "Next: In Flanders' Fields" last issue and tied in to Megatron's themes that violence, however justified or necessary, is only turning out badly for him and those around him.
* As a real life connection, the month that this issue came out in Europe, the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, the bloodiest and most brutal battle of World War 1 was commemorated - the battle in which hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers died within moments of going 'over the top', forced to run straight towards German guns as little more than cannon fodder. ''Technically'' the Allies won that battle, but casualties for both sides were catastrophic.

===Soundtrack===
For all of "The Dying of the Light":
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCdBc5uByFQ Hurt]" by {{w|Johnny Cash}}

For this issue alone:
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeaeFgBI2ns Slow Parade]" by {{w|Broken Records (band)|Broken Records}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq5pC0MS1ww Superman]" by {{w|Cinerama (band)|Cinerama}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxSJklULfJ0 The Birds Will Sing For Us]" by {{w|Ed Harcourt}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Our heroes, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] versus [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Cyclonus, Tailgate, Nautica, and Velocity all share a drink with [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]], by [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]] and [[Josh Perez]]; one of three retailer incentive covers by Pitre-Durocher for June's Transformers titles, which all feature Windblade in commemoration of the launch of ''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]''.
<gallery>
File:MTMTE54 regcvr.jpg|Thanks to Tarn, Decepticon costume parties have a ''very'' strict dress code.
File:MTMTE54 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE54 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #55
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|#54]]
*''[[The Transformers: Titans Return|Titans Return]]'' one-shot
*''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]'' [[07:00:00|#1]]
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[The War Never Ends|#13]]
*''The Electric Sublime''
*IDW ''[[Action Man]]'' comic

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/29778-megatron-leads-the-autobots-in-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-54-preview.html Preview]

Before & After

2016-05-16T01:47:29Z

Breech Loader: It's not actually made clear whether Whirl wanted to kill Cyclonus, or wanted to fake a rescue to be pals.

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=12
|prev=Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading
|next=More than Meets the Eye issue 13
|caption=Call me crazy, but I think it's a bomb...
|image=MTMTE12_cvrA.jpg
|title="Before & After"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[December 19]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=December 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]] (before) [[Brendan Cahill]] (after)
|inks by=[[Atilio Rojo]] with Alex Milne (before) [[Brian Shearer]] (after)
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}

'''In the wake of a battle with the Decepticons on the planet Temptoria, Rewind lies at death's door and Chromedome is pushed to the edge.'''

==Synopsis==
''Before... Aboard the scout ship ''[[Leading Light]]'', a shuttle of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', the rambunctious, fight-hungry 'bots in the craft's fore section are led in a war-chant by [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], and have to be silenced by [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] so he can deliver their mission briefing: they are heading for the planet [[Temptoria]], current home to a group of Decepticons they suspect of kidnapping the [[Circle of Light]]. Around the ship, [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] employ "[[Rung (G1)|Rungian]] Re-Experience Therapy", going to their "happy places" to calm themselves before battle; [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] discuss [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s appointment in the stead of the wounded [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]; [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] compliments [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] on his new leg-guns; and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] and [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] argue over a promise Rewind has broken. Before that particular argument can get going, Whirl barges into the rear section and calls for Rewind to accompany him on the front lines to take footage.''

''In "the [[Battery]]", the Decepticon base down on Temptoria, [[Blip]] responds to a summons from [[Nautilator (G1)|Nautilator]], but finds himself more interested in the fact that the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]] sounds exactly like [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]. When Nautilator finally gets him to pay attention to the security monitor, he sees that the Autobots are air-dropping out of the ''Leading Light'' right on top of them! A ferocious battle soon erupts; while Rodimus and Drift squabble over who gets to take on which 'cons, Tailgate and Swerve head off to sneak into the enemy base, though Tailgate delays a moment to marvel at Ultra Magnus's fighting prowess.''

After... The Autobots return to the ''Lost Light'', but the battle is not without victims: twenty-one crew-members have been gravely injured, including "massive contributors to the Autobot cause" [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]]... and Rewind. A panicked Chromedome tries to ask Swerve what happened, but discovers the little 'bot has had his face blown off. [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] rushes Rewind to the medibay where his [[spark]] is diagnosed to be rapidly fading. As Rewind's [[Conjunx Endura]], Chromedome is given the option of using First Aid's spark-jumpstarting procedure to save him—an easy choice to make, and with his spark a match for Rewind's rare type, he volunteers for the process himself. Just before they begin, Tailgate bursts in, dragging the wounded [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] behind him, begging for help.

''While the other members of their team handle the fighting, Rewind and Tailgate search the Battery for the Circle of Light, and discover that the Decepticons have captured not them, but the native organic Temptorians, and are somehow [[pink alchemy|converting them into fuel]]. A bomb is wired to the door of their cell, which Tailgate sets to work disarming while Rewind films; when Rewind asks what he is going to do, Tailgate calls upon him to hypothesize what the correct procedure would be, then proceeds to carry it out exactly as he describes. Whirl, Cyclonus and Swerve keep the Decepticons at bay just outside... although Swerve'' does ''manage to shoot himself in the face when Whirl tosses him [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]'s newest weapon, the [[Shoomer]].''

The jumpstart procedure complete, Chromedome waits with Tailgate outside the medibay. After Chromedome explains that the little vials left in the bay are symbolic offerings of [[innermost energon]] from the crew for Rewind, Tailgate is prompted to ask how the pair met. A little reluctantly at first, Chromedome relates Rewind's history: he was a member of the "[[disposable class]]" in the days of functionism, and was recruited to work as a data receptacle by campaigner [[Dominus Ambus]]. Rewind became friends with his new employer (whose list of achievements prompts Tailgate to take an immediate dislike to him), who was moved to fight for Disposables' rights, and accompanied him on a quest for [[Moonbase One|Luna-1]], only returning to Cybertron after the war had broken out. After some time, Dominus disappeared and Rewind began searching [[Relinquishment Clinic]]s—since repurposed as assisted suicide facilities—in hopes of discovering his friend's fate. It was in such a clinic that he met Chromedome, who was seeking death to escape the war, and together, the pair gave each other something to live for. But Rewind has never given up his search for Dominus—this is the reason for his hoarding of "snuff movies", and why he has broken his promise to Chromedome to stop entering danger zones. Tailgate argues that perhaps Rewind only goes into battle to be beside Chromedome, but then, First Aid emerges with bad news: Chromedome's own weak spark means the process has not worked.

The call goes out for other donors to save Rewind while Chromedome goes to his quarters in a grief-filled haze. As he sits in silence, a voice calls to him through the door... a voice that tells him it has discovered a way to wipe out the Decepticons and stop what happened to Rewind from ever happening again... an answer that lies in [[Overlord (Masterforce)|the basement]]. Suddenly, First Aid calls Chromedome on his comm and summons him to the medibay: Whirl has proven to have a compatible spark and has saved Rewind's life. On the other side of the bay, Tailgate is about to leave some of his innermost energon for Cyclonus when he suddenly awakens and knocks the vial from Tailgate's hand, shattering it. Cyclonus mocks the small 'bot for believing they share a bond, but upon noticing how many offerings have been left for Rewind by the others, while none were left for him, he silently kneels to help Tailgate pick up the pieces of glass.

''After Whirl and Cyclonus finish off the remaining Decepticons, Whirl compliments Cyclonus on his fighting ability, and suggests they become friends and put that whole "death threat" business behind them. Cyclonus is not interested and reiterates his intent to kill Whirl some day, at which point Rewind calls for their aid: Tailgate has triggered a timer on the bomb, but refuses to leave until he can drain the explosives so the blast won't reach the prisoners. Cyclonus seizes his diminutive contemporary and hurls him out of the chamber to safety, only to be trapped inside as Whirl surreptitiously fakes a door malfunction to lock his would-be killer in with the bomb. Unfortunately Rewind is trapped inside with Cyclonus, but in the last second before the bomb detonates, Cyclonus tries to shield the little archivist from the blast, even as just outside, Whirl is blowing the door open.''

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Powerflash]] (1)
*[[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (2)
*[[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight]] (3)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (4)
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (5)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (6)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (7)
*[[Atomizer]] (8)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (9)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (10)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (11)
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (12)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (14)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (15)
*[[Ambulon]] (16)
*[[Xaaron]] (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (18)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (20)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (21)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (22)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (23)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (24)
*[[Fizzle]] (27)
*[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (28)
*[[Rollout (G1)|Rollout]] (29)
*[[Dipstick]] (30)
*Little generic's head (33)
*[[Pincher (G1)|Pincher]] (35)
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]]'s fist (38)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (43)
*[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]] (47)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Blip]] (25)
*[[Nautilator (G1)|Nautilator]] (26)
*[[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]] (31)
*[[Rage (G1)|Rage]] (32)
*[[Bulletbike (G2)|Bulletbike]] (34)
*Sureshot's generic victim (36)
*[[Seawing (G1)|Seawing]] (37)
*[[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Gar]] (39)
*[[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]] (40)
*[[Turbo Master]] (41)
*[[Tailwind (G1)|Tailwind]] (42)
*[[Tentakil (G1)|Tentakil]] (44)
*[[Snaptrap (G1)|Snap Trap]] (45)
*[[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]] (46)
|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (13)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (19)
*''[[Flip Sides (G1)|Flip Sides]]'' (48)
*''[[Rosanna (KP)|Rosanna]]'' (49)
*''[[Dominus Ambus]]'' (50)
}}

==Quotes==
"Ultra Magnus informs me that running through the ''Lost Light'' shouting 'Who's up for a fight?' doesn't '''technically''' qualify as a 'briefing.'"
:—'''Rodimus'''

"I'm '''Nautilator''', by the way, one of '''Snap Trap''''s crew. I thought you'd want to see this." 
"Woah. Say that again." 
"What?" 
"You sound '''exactly''' like Megatron." 
"Everyone says that, but I really think you should look at the '''monitor'''." 
"'''Ha!''' Brilliant. Is that your actual voice? Say, ''um'', you know—something something '''tyranny.'''"
:—'''Nautilator''' and '''Blip'''

"D'you mind if I film this? If I die, I don't want my last recorded footage to be of Whirl punching himself in the face to prove he's ''''super-unvincible.''''"
:—'''Rewind'''

"The day I snuggle up to a bomb and '''don't''' fear for my life is the day I get '''sloppy'''."
:—'''Tailgate''', eyes flashing with panic as he sets to work.

"Please! I surrender! Don't shoot!" 
"That is un'''canny'''! Has anyone ever—?" 
"Megatron, yes, I know! Just '''don't shoot!'''" 
"Okay, you be Megatron, I'll be Prime. "You who are without mercy, now plead for it?" Wait wait wait. Try again: "You who are without—" Not '''deep''' enough. "You who are—" How can anyone's voice '''be''' that low? Ah, frag it."
:—'''Nautilator''' and '''Whirl''', just before Whirl shoots Nautilator in the head.

"I'll admit I've made no real '''effort''' to understand the '''warped moral code''' by which you live your '''atrocity''' of a life, but I assume you think that by helping me fight a common foe you've atoned for past sins. You're wrong. There's no '''before''' or '''after''' to our 'relationship': I'm still going to kill you. All that changes is the manner of your death, which becomes more elaborate and protracted by the day."
:—'''Cyclonus''', to Whirl

==Notes==

===Continuity notes===
*Magnus was seen returning from his reconnaissance mission in [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|issue #10]]. Now we know where he went!
*Tailgate claims that, when in the [[Primal Vanguard]], he fought and killed organics. While immediately a bit jarring for such a naive, innocent little guy, it's been established for a while now that the Vanguard were [[Nova Prime]]'s off-world army, and given his [[expansion]] ideals, it shouldn't really come as any surprise that this is what they were up to for all those years.
*Judging from the 'bots present, Tailgate's "happy place" would appear to specifically be the "movie night" he attended in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
*Trailbreaker has added guns to his legs in emulation of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], after drunkenly grumbling about the latter's legs back in [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*Blip was previously mentioned by Ultra Magnus as a Decepticon who thought he was a [[sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]]. His slobbering monster [[alternate mode]] certainly helps sell his delusion, and explains why Nautilator confuses him with [[Blot (G1)|Blot]], who's also a filthy beast.
*While the Terrorcon leader has had his name spelled quite a few ways across various Transformers stories at this point, "Hun-Gar" is a new one. He was "Hun-Grrr" in his only named IDW appearance before now, in ''[[Spotlight: Sixshot]]''.
*One of the Decepticons in this issue is [[Tailwind (G1)|Tailwind]], who is usually a [[Micromaster]]. A Gorlamite appearing to be Tailwind appeared back in ''[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]''.
*On page 5, we see Pipes unconscious on the ground, apparently one of those Autobots injured in the fighting. This is the latest incident in his streak of bad luck that began in issue 4 (brought down by plague) and continued in issue 6 (gunned down by Fortress Maximus).
*Chromedome off-handedly mentions Rewind is "allergic" to ultraviolet light, the only known way to illuminate neuro-surgery insertion scars. But hey, that's probably a coincidence.
*The footnote regarding the conversion of organics into energon points readers to the deluxe hardback edition of ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''; specifically, the process was seen in the short story included in that tome, "[[Escape (G1)|Escape]]".
*The substance [[propex]] was previously mentioned in "Shadowplay." There, "propex conduits" were blamed for some explosions.
*The nature of innermost energon is expanded upon after passing mentions in issues [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|
#3]], [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|#7]] and [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8.]]
*Dominus Ambus was mentioned by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] in ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]]''.
*The disease cybercrosis was previously mentioned by Swerve in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 Annual]].
*At this point, quite a few characters have mentioned seeking the missing [[Moonbase One|Luna-1]], intimating that many searches for it have taken place. We get a little bit of a reason for that with this issue, in that the moon lies at the centre of romanticized legend. We also find out that it's the same thing as the "Seething Moon", something included in a list of non-existent folk legends by Trailbreaker in issue #3.
*A relinquishment clinic was heavily implied to have played a role in Chromedome and Rewind's first meeting back in issue #6; we get the full story here.
*Rewind's "snuff movies" were introduced in issue #6.
*Tailgate's innermost energon is green, rather than the pink seen in all the other offerings. Although this gives it a resemblance to the propex Tailgate was seen draining earlier in the issue, James Roberts confirmed<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=325247&highlight=#325247 Post on the IDW Publishing Forums</ref> that it was his real energon being decanted.

===Transformers references===
*When Blip asks Nautilator to say "something something tyranny", he is evidently trying to recall Megatron's motto: "Peace through tyranny."
*The Decepticon base on Temptoria has [[Energon Driller]]s from ''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Transformers: Prime]]'' stationed outside.
*Tailgate identifies the bomb as a "C-61"; this was the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|Japanese ID number]] of Tailgate's Generation 1 toy. Further, he recalls the bomb's progenitor, the "C-12S"; "12" was the ID number of [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] toy, which was [[retool]]ed to create Tailgate's.
*In attempting his Optimus Prime impression, as transcribed above, Whirl is, of course, quoting from Prime and Megatron's famous exchange from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.

===Real world references===
*Whirl's upcoming film, ''Harder, Faster, Stronger, Wrecker'', is presumably a reference to the 2001 [[Wikipedia:Daft Punk|Daft Punk]] song, "[[Wikipedia:Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger|Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger]]".

===Trivia===
*The bomb Tailgate is studying on Cover A matches the alt modes of [[K-Class]] Decepticons seen in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]]. This, coupled with a solicitation for the issue that mentioned "a band of rogue Decepticons", led pretty much the entire fandom to the conclusion that the ''Lost Light'' crew would be meeting [[Fulcrum]] and the [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]]. Whoops!
*Also, in an amusing little bit of foreshadowing of what will happen, the bomb Tailgate is examining on Cover A has the words "Keep Out of Reach of Small Bots" scrawled on the side of it.
*The transition from page 4 to page 5 makes a semantic juxtaposition of the phrases, "It's raining Autobots" and "Autobot down!"
*If you hadn't ''got'' Chromedome and Rewind's relationship from the rest of the issue, note that "Conjunx"—from "Conjunx Endura", the Transformer term for "significant other"—is Latin for "spouse". Not Roberts's [[Empurata|first use]] of Latin wordplay!

===Crew manifest===
*21 crew members are seriously injured, but with no fatalities as of yet.
*5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders) and 1 boxed since the launch.
*A number of Decepticons — those "too dumb to run" — are incarcerated in the ship's brig.

===Errors===
*Temptoria's capital is spelled differently the two times it's mentioned: "Sensensica" (page 2, panel 2) and "Sensenica" (page 4, panel 1). In the TPB the latter was corrected to Sensensica.
*On page 15, panel 2, "Cybertronian" is misspelled "Cybetronian". This was also corrected in the TPB.
*On the very last page, panel 3, Cyclonus' fingertips are colored green.

===Soundtrack===
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgE29oRPhrI "Airbag"] by [[Wikipedia:Radiohead|Radiohead]]
*[http://vimeo.com/23717610 "Prelude for Time Feelers"] by [[Wikipedia:Eluvium (musician)|Eluvium]]

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Tailgate looks over a Decepticon bomb, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Cover B:''' Ultra Magnus and Rodimus under fire, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Cover RI:''' The assembled crew of the ''Lost Light'', by [[Casey Coller]] and [[Joana Lafuente]], in homage to the cover of the [[Fab Four|Beatles]] album, ''[[Wikipedia:Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band|Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]''. Part of a theme month along with [[City on Fire|''Robots in Disguise'' #12]], which also features an incentive cover based on a famous album.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE12_cvrA.jpg|
File:MTMTE12_cvrB.jpg|
File:MTMTE12_cvrRI.jpg|The ''[[Lost Light]]'' class of 2012.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[City on Fire|#12]]
*''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight:]] [[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Thundercracker]]''
*IDW Limited
*''[[Doctor|Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time]]'' (back cover)

==References==
{{reflist}}

Whirl (G1)

2016-05-16T01:29:43Z

Breech Loader: Whirl locked Animus out as a 'joke', but changed his mind.

{{factions|autobot|wreckers}}
{{disambig3|Whirl}}
:''Whirl is an [[Autobot]] [[Deluxe Vehicle]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:G1Whirl boxart.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Whirl enjoys making hand puppets in his own image.]]
[[Units of time|Vorns]] before [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] coined the phrase "Sometimes crazy works", '''Whirl''' was living it in action. Whirl believes that, logically speaking, insanity makes an extremely effective weapon. Enemies flee in terror before the absolutely insane maneuvers he pulls on the battlefield. His extreme maneuverability in helicopter mode lets him spin, bob, weave, dive, and bank like someone totally out of control. Or totally out of his mind.

Needless to say, Whirl is a rather reckless fighter and can take damage because of it. He's okay with that, because he absolutely LOVES his job...perhaps a little ''too'' much. Many of Whirl's comrades remain unsure if his wild behavior is truly an affectation, or if his increasingly-fleeting displays of rationality are actually the facade hiding a troubled psyche.

Whirl is (or was) a member of the elite [[Wrecker]]s unit.

Sometimes he is known as '''Jetstream'''.

{{bigquote|You wanna know a '''secret''', [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|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.|Whirl, psychotic and unapologetic|"[[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics===
{{noteukexclusive|Whirl}}
Whirl was a member of the elite Wreckers unit under the command of [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]. Alongside [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]], he accompanied his commander as Impactor argued with [[Xaaron]] over [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]' trip to [[Earth]] to investigate the disappearance of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]].

[[File:Whirl copter Target 2006.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|This is one choppah you cannot get to.]]
Later, the Wreckers continued preparing for [[Operation: Volcano]], an attempt to eliminate some of the [[Decepticon|Decepticons']] [[Ten Deadliest Killers|deadliest killers]]. During the simulation, Whirl demonstrated his trademark aerial combat style to draw fire away from his teammates. As the simulation concluded, Impactor decided that without Ultra Magnus' support, the operation would basically become a suicide mission for the Wreckers. Whirl and the others agreed with him and Impactor left to tell Xaaron that the Wreckers were bowing out of Volcano. Taking some downtime, Whirl, Roadbuster, and [[Twin Twist]] went to [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] to unwind. While Roadbuster and Twin Twist were having uneasy feelings about the decision to ditch Volcano, Whirl seemed fine with it, pointing out that it was only logical and no one would say that they were in the wrong. Their discussion was interrupted when they noticed [[Fang]], a Decepticon who began bullying a [[Tusks|smaller Transformer]] in the place. Twin Twist violently intervened, realizing that as Autobots, it was their duty to always do their best to stop the Decepticons. His sudden revelation seemed to energize Whirl and Roadbuster, and after Impactor was convinced by Xaaron to go through with Operation: Volcano, the rest of the Wreckers eagerly volunteered.

[[File:Target 2006 Whirl Roadbuster Do It.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|My face is down here, Roadbuster...I think.]]
Unfortunately, Operation: Volcano failed when most of the targeted Decepticons were unknowingly ordered clear of the ambush by [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]. Only [[Macabre]] went ahead and attempted to assassinate Xaaron, shooting and mortally-wounding Impactor instead. Whirl and the rest of the Wreckers immediately gunned Macabre down in retaliation. {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

Later, Whirl was seen alongside Ultra Magnus and his fellow Wreckers on a hunt for a Decepticon spy posing as Optimus Prime. This was revealed, thanks to the efforts of [[Outback (G1)|Outback]], to be a product of Decepticon misinformation and Prime was welcomed back into the fold. {{storylink|Distant Thunder!}}

====Marvel UK future timelines====
[[File:Whirl Triton Peace.jpg|left|upright=0.6|thumb|Hands, glorious hands!]]
In an alternate version of [[2510]], Whirl and the Wreckers led the final Autobot offensive against Decepticon held territory, bringing the war to a close. At the ceremony where he officially announced the end of the war, [[Hot Rod/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] chose to make [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], leader of the Wreckers, his successor as Autobot leader and carrier of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]]. One Autobot named [[Triton]] objected to the idea, though: he said Springer was a fighter, not a tactician, and Ultra Magnus would be a better leader for a world at peace. Whirl took offense to Triton putting down his commanding officer, and shoved the little guy in the back, asking where was his "precious Ultra Magnus" when the Wreckers were winning the war? Triton struck back, and the situation turned from bad to worse as the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] sided with Ultra Magnus against the Wreckers. Shots were fired, battle lines were drawn, and a new war picked up where the old one left off. Tragically, it seems no one took the time to examine Triton's fallen body, and the hidden Decepticon insignia on his chest. The last act of the last Decepticon was to see that there would never truly be peace on Cybertron. {{storylink|Peace}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
[[File:Whirl LooseEnds2.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb]]
Along with the other [[Wrecker]]s Whirl voted to follow [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]'s plan to leave Cybertron to visit the other planets touched by the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and so they hitched a ride with [[Berko]]'s [[Cosmic Carnival]] to Earth. Whirl looked on in horror as their surveillance drones showed a devastated planet, and worse still—Megatron! Before any of the Wreckers could react, the Decepticon promptly launched nuclear warheads at their shuttle, apparently destroying it. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 1}}

The Wreckers managed to make it to Earth's surface in escape pods, and Whirl was sent to survey the ruined planet. He spied an incoming horde of [[Zombie|reanimated Decepticons]] sent by Megatron and reported back to the others. The Wreckers' priority then became to get a message back to Cybertron about the situation on Earth. They eventually found the [[Deep Space Network]] located in [[Goldstone]], and put a plan into action to utilize its radio transmitter to send a distress call. Whirl joined Kup and Springer in making a break for the facility while the other Wreckers distracted Megatron's forces. They succeeded in sending their message to Cybertron, but Kup was captured in the process. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}}

The Wreckers soon encountered [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Circuit Smasher]]—formerly Spike Witwicky, one of the last vestiges of resistance on Megatron's conquered Earth. Despite some initial hostility on his part, the Wreckers were soon invited to [[Argus Base]], the human resistance's headquarters. On the way there, Whirl asked Spike how things had gotten so bad on Earth. Spike filled them in on the tale of Megatron's rise and humanity's fall. After arriving at Argus Base and convening with the leader of the resistance, [[G.B. Blackrock]], the Wreckers agreed to aid them in destroying Megatron's chief power base—the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3}}

Whirl embarked on a rescue mission with Springer and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] to retrieve Kup and also to divert Megatron's forces from the assault on the Ark. While Sandstorm considered the plan to be "reckless suicide", Whirl cheerfully voiced his approval of it. They soon encountered Megatron's air defenders, and experienced trouble fighting them, as the undead Decepticons apparently no longer felt any pain. While Whirl managed to fly circles around [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] for a bit, he was eventually shot down. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 4}}

[[File:Topspin whirl destiny.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.95]]
After returning to Cybertron, Whirl was present with the other Wreckers as they attempted to defuse a tense situation between civilians on a main highway road. They failed and it erupted into a brawl. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Two}} He later participated in an attack on [[Fort Scyk]] to root out [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]]'s cell of Decepticon insurgents, but was flung through the air when the whole place exploded. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Three}}

Whirl was with the Wreckers when the entire Autobot fleet attacked the [[Hub (G2)|Hub Network]]. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 3}} While the rest of the fleet was shot down or captured, the Wreckers covertly infiltrated the Hub's [[slam rail]] tube system and began wreaking havoc from within. The Wreckers traveled from point to point, seeking to destabilize the Hub by severing its planetary links with targeted nuclear explosions. Whirl and the others engaged the troops of [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] in a crowded slam tube and managed to blow them out into space. Eventually, the surviving Autobots managed to escape as the Hub suffered catastrophic damage. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 4}} What became of Whirl after this point is unknown, but if he managed to return to Cybertron and survive the battle with the Dark [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] creature, he likely [[Death|died]] of old age after [[Hot Rod/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] severed their reality's link to the [[multiverse]]. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 5}}
{{-}}

===Milton Bradley mini-comic===
Whirl was among the Autobots under [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]'s command who launched in the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] to clear a path through an asteroid belt. When the Decepticons attacked the ship, [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] sent it crashing into [[Earth]], knocking everyone aboard offline. Four million years later, they were repaired when the ship's systems were reactivated by a volcanic eruption. {{storylink|In the Transformers}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:War and Peace 4 RoadbusterWhirl.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"RAGH, WHIRL NOT IN [[The Transformers (cartoon)|CARTOON]]! MENASOR REMOVE FROM STORY!"]]
When the Autobots split into multiple factions after the disappearance of their leaders, Whirl joined Springer's group, known as the Wreckers. During the Dark Ages of Cybertron, he participated in an attack against [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages}}

Much later, during [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s rule of Cybertron, Whirl continued with the Wreckers, now a small unit of Autobots dedicated to keeping the peace wherever (and however) necessary. When [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] released the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] from their imprisonment in Cybertron's [[Detention Banks]], the Wreckers were sent in to deal with the escapees. Unfortunately, both Whirl and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] were crushed before [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] brought down the Stunticons' combined form, [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Escalation}} {{storylink|Devastation}} {{storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}} {{storylink|Passive Aggression}}}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[File:Stet WhirlPreEmpurataFlashback.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|right|Well, I'm different now. I feel I've been given a chance to start over. A new life, new identity. New purpose.]]
{{quote|Twice voted "Autobot most likely to defect".|{{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|''Meet The Crew''}}}}

[[File:Interiors WhirlPreEmpurataFlashback.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|HAPPY DAYS]]In the pre-war era, under the reign of [[Nominus Prime]], Whirl of [[Polyhex]] {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations}} was a member of the [[Aerial Corps]]. Dissatisfied with his lot, Whirl managed to accomplish what was thought impossible, defying the function he was created with and actually changing professions to become a watchmaker. And Whirl was ''good'' at what he did—so good that the [[Functionist Council]], angry that a moderate functionary had given him permission to switch jobs, decided to teach him a lesson. They had the local criminal elements demand a cut of his profits so that when he refused, the [[Heavies]] would be sent to destroy his business and leave the Council's hands 'clean'. Whirl was left destitute and roamed the [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]], where he hung out with a bad crowd and started getting into fights. His combat prowess caught the attention of the [[Senate]]'s agents, who press-ganged a reluctant Whirl into their service. Whirl was made to do despicable things in the Senate's employ. When he tried to resist, he was put through the barbaric [[empurata]] ritual, costing him his original hands and effectively neutering his watchmaking skills. The Senate had, in fact, been ''arranged'' to hire him for all this by the vindictive Functionist Council. {{storylink|Interiors}} {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}

[[File:Ongoing22 WhirlbeatsMegatron.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|''I'M THE HERO I CAN DO WHAT I WANT!'']]
Whirl was eventually granted a position in the [[Rodion]] police force. When a rabble-rousing miner named [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] was brought in for brawling with other law enforcement officers, the Senate ordered Whirl to kill him, presumably to silence his increasingly loud voice of dissension. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} {{storylink|Interiors}} Failing to finish the job, Whirl was arrested by his captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]], so the Senate sent more men to free him, fearing his actions would be exposed. Their men attacked the Rodion police station and freed Whirl, but Orion Pax wouldn't stand for it and defeated them, shooting Whirl's leg off in the process. Whirl warned his captain that the Senate would not be happy if any further harm came to him, but Orion merely picked him up, went to the [[Grand Imperium]] in person and confronted the entire Senate with his actions. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory #2}}

[[File:Whirl Impactor Patternism.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Due to Orion Pax's public display of Whirl's crime, the Senate had no choice but to send him to [[Garrus-1]]. After Whirl's mistreatment of Megatron in Rodion was exposed, he found himself suffering constant attacks and beatings in prison by Decepticon sympathizers. Whirl saved his one [[communicube]] call for an appropriate occasion, and found it when his former handler [[Kroma]] briefly became his cellmate. Whirl was told of an impending Senate plot involving assassination and a city-destroying bomb. He consequently used his one call to bring Orion Pax to Garrus-1, where he informed his former captain of all he had heard. While Orion initially assumed Whirl was acting out of compassion, Whirl immediately corrected him, explaining that he just wanted revenge against the Senate for mutilating, using, and abandoning him. After Orion left, Whirl was introduced to his new cellmate—[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]], who promptly beat him into critical condition. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}

Whirl eventually wound up in the [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] Security Service, where he witnessed the full extent of what his actions had wrought, as Megatron, now convinced that violence was the only way forward, assaulted the city and slew [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], beginning the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}} Orion Pax—now Optimus Prime—personally invited Whirl to join the Autobots before the Decepticons reached him: "forgiveness as a weapon of war", as Whirl put it. After "bouncing around a bit", he changed his name to "Jetstream" and became a flight instructor at the [[Iaconian Aerial Academy]]. {{storylink|Interiors}}

One of his most promising cadets at the academy was [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]], but he insisted on berating him in private, his verbal abuse eventually evolving into regular unprovoked beatings. After one particularly savage beating, "Jetstream" shoved Rotorstorm into the academy's newly installed [[CR chamber]], and by the time Rotorstorm recovered, his instructor had moved to a training facility in another province. Whirl later returned to using his original name, and attended the ceremony when Rotorstorm received the [[Novic Medal for Outstanding Valor]], applauding and cheering from the front row. {{storylink|Bullets}}

[[File:LastStandoftheWreckers4-triumphoverevil.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66|Category: Things That Do Not Exist.]]
Whirl eventually joined the Autobot special operations taskforce, the Wreckers. He was with the team when they triumphed in final battle over their longtime rivals [[Squadron X]] on the planet [[Pova]], only to discover they had no jurisdiction on the planet and would be required to let the Squadron go. Refusing to accept this, Wrecker leader Impactor murdered the entire squadron while Whirl looked away in apparent shame, but took no action. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}} {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}} The incident was covered up by [[Autobot High Command]], and to avoid being implicated in the crime alongside their leader, Whirl and the other Wreckers lied and told Springer that they had no idea what Impactor was planning on doing. Springer believed them and defended their inaction at Impactor's trial, also agreeing to become the new leader of the Wreckers at Whirl and the others' request. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

At some point during the war, Whirl established a rivalry with the wand-wielding Decepticon known as [[Killmaster]]. The rivalry ended when Whirl broke into a medical center where Killmaster was recharging, crushed the Decepticon's brain as he slept, and shoved his wand up his—''AHEM!'' {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}

[[File:Whirl copter Stormbringer4.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Is [[Obsidian (BM)|"Obsidianesque"]] a word?]]
Years later, Whirl was deployed with the other Wreckers to [[Varas Centralus]] to help [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]'s counter-insurgency team deal with the Decepticon [[infiltration protocol|infiltration team]] there, which had just activated Siege Mode. Partway into the battle, they were forced to pull out and return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] when news came through of the possible resurgence of [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} Arriving at their homeworld, the team saved the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] and [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] from a patrol of [[Centurion droid]]s, then joined Optimus Prime in attacking [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s secret base. Whirl and Roadbuster helped Jetfire from his imprisonment, but they were too late: Bludgeon had indeed recalled Thunderwing home. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}} Whirl joined Springer and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] in attacking the mindless [[Pretender]], but their weapons were disabled when he ionized the air around them, forcing them to back off. Fortunately, a team of Decepticons led by [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] arrived to supplement the Autobot forces and the day was soon won. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}}

The Wreckers got a rematch with Thunderwing some time later when the denizens of the [[Dead Universe]] took control of him and stationed him on [[Corata-Vaz]] to guard one of the [[Nega-Core]]s required for their [[Expansion]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} Whirl fought hard alongside his teammates {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}} and eventually the Wreckers were able to disable the Nega-Core when [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] lost control of Thunderwing. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

During the [[Surge (event)|Surge]], when the Decepticons launched a devastating simultaneous attack against the Autobots across the galaxy—Whirl and several other Wreckers were captured by Decepticons under the command of [[Turmoil]]. [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] led an extraction team to rescue the Autobots from a Decepticon cruiser, and they were ultimately saved thanks to the efforts the former Decepticon [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Drift}}

[[File:Whirl Sparkeaterweapon Interiors.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|left|"What, ''this''? It's uhm...just his new [[Beast Hunters]] armor! Yeah, that's it."]]
Around three years later, when putting together a squad to liberate [[Garrus-9]] from the clutches of the deranged Decepticon [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], Springer ruled Whirl out of the mission on account of his recently becoming something of a liability. {{storylink|Bullets}} The mission to Garrus-9 left Springer in a comatose state, and Whirl and Roadbuster were assigned the task of watching over him and tending to his needs until he awoke. Convinced that this was never going to happen, Whirl attempted to euthanize his leader with Roadbuster's [[Sparkeater (weapon)|Sparkeater weapon]], but was caught in the act by Roadbuster and ejected from the Wreckers by the power of "the veto"—the ability of a Wrecker to have another member of the unit removed at any time. {{storylink|Interiors}} He wound up in prison for his actions, but was released and given a "final warning" by Ultra Magnus to stay out of trouble. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

After the war was ended and Cybertron was returned to a primordial state, Whirl and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] were tasked with policing a mob of [[NAIL|neutral Transformers]] that had recently returned to Cybertron. They came upon Optimus Prime being harassed by [[Tappet|one of the mob]], and promptly began bullying the smaller neutral. Optimus Prime had to pointedly lower Whirl's gun and asked to be filled in on current events. Later, the mob revolted and dragged Whirl to the ground during the ensuing riot. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

[[File:Whirl Sweeps Liars.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Dear God...they're no longer mint in box!]]
Frustrated with the NAILs and having been kicked out of the Wreckers, Whirl acquired a disturbing method of stress relief: gathering up several leftover [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]] carcasses, pinning them to a wall inside a shabby structure out in Cybertron's wastelands, and apparently mutilating them. Eventually deciding that he'd had his fun, Whirl doused the ruins with fuel and bid a very creepy thank you and farewell to the remains, planning to burn it all—quite possibly, himself included. Interrupted by [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]], who had misidentified the Sweeps' energy readings as those of [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], Whirl immediately attacked him and set the place ablaze to cover his tracks. Their battle carried them to the [[Mitteous Plateau]], where they were discovered by [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]], [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]], prompting Whirl to try and pin all the blame on Cyclonus before killing him so he couldn't contradict his story. Before he could, however, a huge subterranean explosion triggered by [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] erupted beneath Whirl, heavily damaging him and knocking him offline. Figuring that Whirl was too dangerous to leave lying around, Ratchet had him brought along with Tailgate aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'' as it left Cybertron. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

[[File:HangersOn Whirl Cyclonus.jpg|thumb|left|110px|Expressions, glorious expressions!]]
Whirl awoke in the medibay of the ''Lost Light'', his first instinct being to reach out and throttle the nearest person to him, which turned out to be [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. Brought to his senses with the warning that he'd go back to prison if he didn't behave, Whirl left to skulk around the hallways, where he was found by Ultra Magnus and brought him into a meeting between [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] and Cyclonus. Advised to make his peace with Cyclonus, Whirl continued to dodge all responsibility for starting the fight but nonetheless offered him a hand of "forgiveness", only to have Cyclonus respond by drawing him into a ''hug''... followed by a whispered threat that he would kill him at some point and the Autobot would never see it coming.

Later, Rodimus addressed the crew to update them on the situation. When he asked if there were any important questions, Whirl made a point to speak up and state that he was embarrassed to be among this group and that they at least needed a decent name. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

When a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] was reported to be loose on board the ''Lost Light'', the crew were ordered to pair off and lock themselves into habitation suites until the creature was dealt with. Being a jerk, Whirl locked himself in without waiting for his temporary roommate [[Animus]] and ignored the other Autobot's pleas to enter. By the time he had changed his mind, Rodimus had locked all hab-suite doors, resulting in Animus being killed by the Sparkeater. Whirl blew open his door and attacked the creature, but his missiles were intercepted by [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]'s [[force field]] to prevent the catastrophic detonation of the sparks the monster was digesting inside it, irritating Whirl. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

During a therapy session with Rung, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s extra-sensitive ears overheard Whirl having a "blazing row" with...himself. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} Whirl later attempted to cheer up and advise a despondent Trailbreaker on changing his image. His advice consisted of telling Trailbreaker to change his name, always talk big of himself, and then suggested he get [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] to build him a new weapon. After one of Brainstorm's inventions malfunctioned the entire crew of the ''Lost Light'', save the newly rechristened Trail''cutter'', were temporarily frozen in place when a [[Titan Hunter|group of Decepticons]] inconveniently boarded the ship. Whirl was in the middle of watching a furious Rodimus chew Rewind out on the bridge when he was frozen, and Trailcutter was forced to use his inert body as a shield against gunfire, stealing the guns mounted on Whirl's chest to return fire. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

[[File:Whirl Interiors yes.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Whirl: '''1'''. {{-}} Hostage situation: '''-2'''.]]
Not long thereafter, Whirl was having a session with Rung when recent crew addition [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] had an acute psychotic episode and went on a rampage through the ship, holing up in Rung's office and immobilizing Whirl by stabbing him to the floor with a pipe. Unfazed, Whirl taunted Maximus, trying to bait him into killing him, but Maximus only grew more curious about Whirl's mental state and reputation, and threatened Rung in order to force Whirl into telling his life story. The story provided [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] enough time to position themselves outside Rung's office and distract Maximus with a projection of his tormentor, Overlord. Whirl used the distraction to tear the pipe out of his gut, unpinning himself from the floor. When a shot intended to take Maximus out went wild and hit Rung in the head instead, Whirl took the opportunity to stab the distraught Max with the pipe, ending the hostage situation after three-plus hours. {{storylink|Interiors}}

[[File:Whirl graffiti MTMTEAnnual2012.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|left|"Yeah well, I'll build my own spaceship! With blackjack! And hookers! In fact, forget the spaceship!"]]
Whirl joined Rodimus, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] in being shrunk down and sent to deal with a swarm of [[Nanocon]]s that had been revived within Ultra Magnus's body, where he showed some difficulty with his "no guns" orders. After Magnus smiled them to death, Whirl managed to leave some graffiti inside Ultra Magnus, a fact that he would proudly inform First Aid of during Tailgate's [[Act of Affiliation]] ceremony.

Later, Whirl was among the Autobots that were teleported to the surface of [[Theophany]] by representatives of the [[Galactic Council]]. After the group found [[Crystal City]] in ruins, Whirl openly mocked Drift's despair at seeing the desolation and was decked by the former Decepticon for his irreverence. The group ventured into the ruins and soon discovered an inert [[Metrotitan (body-type)|Metrotitan]], which had once been used to power the city. An abortive attempt by Chromedome to hack into the giant's [[brain module]] accidentally woke the Metrotitan, causing it to fire an eye-blast that hit the Council's ship, ''[[The Benign Intervention]]''. Whirl was ordered to take a team to hold off the troops sent to take revenge on the Cybertronians, with Rodimus stressing to the trigger-happy bot that there should be ''no fatalities''. Whirl and the others successfully fended off their attackers until the Autobots were all teleported back to the ''Lost Light'' by the freed Metrotitan, before the ship quantum-jumped to safety. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

[[File:Mtmte-before-and-after-whirl-weaponup.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|right]]
Whirl declined to attend Rewind's movie night when he learned the [[Proteus|subject matter]] of the film. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}} He did, however, agree to aid in Rewind's attempt to expedite Rung's mental recovery. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Rewind brought together a group who each took turns telling their parts in a story of past events from before the war. When Whirl's turn began, he became quite agitated when Ratchet brought up the tender subject of Whirl's encounter with Megatron in Rodion. He settled down and told the others of Orion Pax's visit to Garrus-1 and what they had discussed. When Whirl mentioned that Impactor was his cellmate for a while, Rewind became excited and posited that Impactor had earmarked Whirl then and there for the Wreckers. Whirl shot down that suggestion and admitted that he just got badly beaten-up and he and Impactor met again years later under different circumstances. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} Everyone took a break from storytelling, giving Swerve an opportunity to leave and bring back some booze. Whirl wouldn't let him back into the room without uttering the password - ''"Whirl is a million billion times tougher than Cyclonus"''. He later had fun positioning Rung's eyebrows to make the still-unresponsive psychiatrist look cross. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

[[File:BeforeAndAfter-WhirlLocksCyclonusIn.jpg|thumb|upright|left]]
When Rodimus led a mission to [[Temptoria]] to fight Decepticons, Whirl was only too happy to volunteer. Aboard the ''[[Leading Light]]'', he had Rewind record him limbering up, and joined in with some impromptu battle chants with the other Autobots. As they fought Decepticons, his attempt to bond with Cyclonus was rebuffed rather bluntly. He subsequently faked a door malfunction, trapping Cyclonus and Rewind with an exploding bomb. He apparently at least had the courtesy to take Rewind back to the ''Leading Light'', and when it turned out he had a compatible [[spark]], allowed First Aid to use him to jumpstart Rewind, earning him Chromedome's gratitude. {{storylink|Before & After}}

Whirl tagged along with Swerve's group when the crew of the ''Lost Light'' was granted leave on the planet [[Hedonia]]. He was granted a new human-based [[holomatter]] avatar, which he seemed to approve of based solely on the fact that it carried weapons. When the group found a Transformer-friendly bar, Whirl got Ultra Magnus black-out drunk after slipping him a drink containing weapons-grade [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]], much to everyone's chagrin. While waiting for Magnus to regain consciousness, the group played "the nemesis game", each sharing their own personal arch-enemies. Whirl named the deceased Killmaster as his, and proceeded to describe the graphic nature of how he ended their rivalry before being cut off by Rung. When Magnus began to stir, the group left Swerve to deal with him and took a trip to a nearby gift shop. Whirl opted to remain outside and continually bang his head against a display case - something he felt relieved pressure on his brain. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}{{storylink|Signal to Noise}}

[[File:Whirlholomatter.jpg|right|thumb|Because [[wikipedia: Carl Grimes|one trigger-happy kid with a missing eye]] wasn't bad enough.]]
Sometime later, the group encountered a group of [[Ammonite]]s - a mechanical race similar to Transformers who were entangled in a long and bitter war with their hated foes, the [[Terradore]]s. Whirl and Skids engaged in a bit of a "my war is bigger than yours" contest with them, with the Ammonites outclassing them in most categories. When [[Imperius Drax]], the leader of the Terradores unexpectedly entered the same bar as them, Whirl took it upon himself to show the Ammonites a thing or two about war. He walked up to chat with Drax, things escalated, and then Whirl simply killed the guy, which resulted in the war escalating again. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

Ultra Magnus was still out cold when they returned to check on him, so Whirl hatched a plan to get him back in time for pick-up. He ferried the others to the shuttle, then they projected their holomatter avatars back to the bar to drive Magnus's [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] through an organics-only section. While forcing Magnus into vehicle mode proved difficult, they eventually managed it and drove him home. Whirl admitted to the others that, difficulties aside, he had a fun time. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}}

Whirl was among those interviewed for Rewind's documentary, "Little Victories". A "Person You'd Like To Punch" theme night at [[Swerve's]] had an overwhelming majority of people who attended pick Whirl. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] allowed Whirl to vent some frustration and blow up a few asteroids in the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s path. They were interrupted by [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]], who wanted to record a message to send back to Cybertron whenever Blaster managed to repair the subspace communications channel. Whirl and Blaster would be the last Autobots to see Pipes alive, as the hapless [[Mini Vehicle|Minibot]] was murdered by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] minutes later. Having escaped from his cell underneath the ''Lost Light'', Overlord was quickly discovered and dozens of Autobots threw themselves into battle with him. For Whirl's part, he only managed to be used as a club and smashed into [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] during the fight. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}} In the aftermath, Whirl attended the funeral of those who lost their lives fighting Overlord and engaged in some speculation with Swerve and Skids over what was in Brainstorm's ever-present briefcase. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

[[File:Whirl Cyclonus HouseOfAmbus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95]]
When a search for the abducted Ultra Magnus led the ''Lost Light'' to discover the long-missing [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], Rodimus asked Whirl to be part of an advance landing party. Finding the "miracle moon" to be a hot spot seething with newborn [[spark]]s, Tailgate asked the others to define for him the difference between being "forged" and being "constructed cold". When Chromedome identified himself as someone who had been constructed cold, Whirl couldn't help but point out that he himself had been forged and "perfected" in a hot spot just like the one they were standing in. Shortly thereafter, the group was attacked by [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]]'s [[Titan Hunter]]s, forcing Whirl and the others to flee from superior numbers. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Retreating didn't sit well with Whirl, and he invited Cyclonus to join him in a counterattack on their pursuers. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}}

Their attack was successful only in that they didn't get captured along with the others. Whirl couldn't help himself in claiming that he had killed more Decepticons than Cyclonus during the battle. On smelling the enriched Nucleon of a nearby armory close to a jail suspended over a [[smelting pool]], Whirl was eager to organise a jailbreak to free Rodimus and the others.

In company with a far more cautious Cyclonus, Whirl found that he couldn't open the armory door due to his unwieldy claws and needed Cyclonus to help him. Occupied with the door mechanism, Cyclonus inquired of Whirl why he never had his empurata features "fixed". Whirl replied that he was messed up, that he had done and would continue to do bad things. While he remained angry about his mutilations, he was insulated against the voice of his conscience. If fixed he "really would be screwed". In the spirit of ''quid pro quo'' Whirl tried to ask Cyclonus about the gashes on his face, but the reply was lost when a stealthy [[Legislator]] stabbed Cyclonus through the midriff with his sword.

[[File:Whirl Cyclonus TheDividedSelf.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66|"You know what I keep thinking about, Cyclonus? You know the end of Butch Cassidy? Redford and Newman are almost out of ammunition, and the whole Bolivian army is out in front of this little hut?"{{-}} "Whirl, I'm going to make you pay for this."]]

Fortunately (or unfortunately) for Whirl, he fought Cyclonus's attacker off so that Cyclonus could remove the blade without too much injury. The pair then teamed up with other rescued prisoners, [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] and the remaining survivors of the ill fated [[Circle of Light]], just as an army of Legislators attacked en masse. Whirl asked Cyclonus to call off his previous death threats if they made it out of the fight alive as they rushed into battle wielding [[Great Sword]]s procured from the armory. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

In the middle of the battle Whirl noticed something very unusual about Cyclonus's Great Sword, it was, in Whirl's words, "frikkin nuclear-powered", glowing with light and cutting a swathe through the attacking Legislator army. Cyclonus had a surprisingly deep connection with his sword for a novice, as only Dai Atlas could manage a similar feat with his own sword. Dai Atlas suggested to Whirl that "your friend is clearly ''devout''". Whirl was more surprised by the use of the word "friend" than the rest of Atlas's explanation.

However much headway they were making, it wasn't fast enough for Cyclonus. Cyclonus's rather obtuse comment of being "needed elsewhere" made Whirl respond cattily that he was dragging their battle out for fun, that he would just finish up himself. Dai Atlas asked Cyclonus if Whirl was being sarcastic, and Cyclonus replied that he didn't believe that even Whirl knew. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}}

Whirl and the surviving members of the Circle of Light continued to fight the Legislators, but they were eventually overwhelmed. Moments from being killed, Whirl was saved when Chief Justice [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]] called all remaining Legislators to his position. In the battle's aftermath, Whirl and Cyclonus conferred on the edge of the smelting pool. A heavily-damaged and unable-to-fly Whirl asked Cyclonus if he was still willing to let bygones be bygones in regards to their mutual death threats against one another. Despite briefly entertaining a fantasy of shoving Whirl into the smelting pool, a preoccupied Cyclonus agreed and departed.

Later aboard the ''Lost Light'', Whirl would reveal that Dai Atlas had commented on the unnatural strength of Cyclonus's spark - demonstrated while Cyclonus was wielding a Great Sword. Atlas had wondered if Cyclonus had the spark of a newborn with the intense energy he was producing. Relaying this information to Cyclonus, Whirl indirectly helped save Tailgate's life, as Cyclonus consequently used his excess spark energy to revitalize his dying roommate. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}}

[[File:Whirl fightfightfight BlackMetal.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66]]
The ''Lost Light'' received a distress call from Orion Pax and headed to [[Gorlam Prime]]. They rescued the ''[[Skyroller]]'' from the collapsing planet's gravity well and welcomed Orion and his crew aboard. Whirl derived amusement from [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]'s outright hostility toward Cyclonus. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Later, when Orion and Rodimus were looking for volunteers to journey into the [[Dead Universe]], Hardhead took another verbal potshot at Cyclonus. Whirl was gleeful at first, but then disappointed when they didn't come to blows. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}}

After the ''Lost Light'' was by guided by to an unknown planet, the Autobots found themselves underwater and attacked by thousands of Ammonites. Whirl was among those who boarded the [[Rodpod]] to launch a counterattack. Eventually, the Autobots found the inert [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] hiding on the ocean floor. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}}

The Rodpod entered Metroplex's empty eye socket and made its way to the [[Brain module|brain]], where the group discovered it missing. The Autobots disembarked and after journeying around in Metroplex's head for a brief time, they ended up right back where they started at the Rodpod. Whirl took his frustration out on the garish vehicle, but it was soon discovered to be booby-trapped by an Ammonite. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} The Rodpod exploded, but the Autobots were shielded from the blast by a wall that had suddenly sprung up within the chamber. Ratchet worryingly noticed that Whirl had gone missing in the chaos. Whirl quickly returned, however, having captured the Ammonite that blew up the Rodpod. After some strong-arming, the Ammonite revealed that they had been ordered by [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] to sabotage the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s efforts to return to Cybertron. Before the Autobots could discuss these revelations further, they were confronted by [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]]. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}}

After a brief introduction, the two [[Female Transformer|female]] Autobots offered to lead the others to Metroplex's brain. Another horde of Ammonites appeared, and Ultra Magnus ordered the others to follow Nautica and Chromia. Whirl opted to stay behind and fight the Ammonites with a few others, noting that he was in his element in battle. Eventually, the Autobots were able to connect Metroplex to the ''Lost Light'', which he used as a makeshift life support system. He quantum-jumped back to Cybertron, bringing the ''Lost Light'' with him. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Unfortunately, this didn't solve the problem of the Ammonite infestation, and Whirl's group was still fighting for their lives within Metroplex as the giant Autobot squared off with the [[Necrotitan]]. The Ammonites kept combining into larger and larger forms, prompting Whirl to admit that even he was tired of fighting with them. Thankfully, through the efforts of [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] and Megatron, Metroplex was given a sudden boost of power, which reactivated his internal defenses. This immediately eliminated any Ammonite invaders, with Whirl charmingly referring to them as being "deader than a [[Duobot]]". {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}}

[[File:Whirl Arcee DCFinale.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66|Arcee knows that when things aren't [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave's]] fault, they're almost certainly Whirl's.]]

After the Necrotitan was felled, Whirl, putting aside past enmities he may have for the Decepticons, sang along to a tune alongside several of them in Swerve's bar, including [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} The moment of levity was cut short, however, by the arrival of a 70 ''billion''-strong Ammonite army. Whirl was once again thrust into Ammonite-murdering duty. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Whirl joked around with [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] about accidentally causing the re-escalation amongst the Ammonites' war, and made a little remark about his role in the start of their own war. When the Ammonites all spontaneously exploded, Whirl called foul on the whole thing for ruining his fun. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:Whirl Megatron MTMTE28.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.45]]

Six months after that, Whirl was still on board the ''Lost Light'', only this time due to a series of events, the captain (or rather, co-captain) of the ship was, in fact, Megatron. Whirl was apparently upset by this turn of events, first messing up Megatron's door with graffiti and attacking him with a crossbow. Whirl then physically assaulted Megatron, the brawl taking both of them to the fuel furnaces. Whirl claimed that he was tired of waiting for Megatron to make his first move, and had instead taken the initiative. However, the fight offered a shocking revelation from Megatron: the only reason Whirl had survived for so long is because Megatron had ensured it by giving an order for the Decepticons never to kill Whirl as a kind of 'gratitute' for teaching him that words were not enough - informing the ex-Wrecker that he was not as good a fighter as he, or other Autobots, believed. He used this information as leverage to get the humiliated Whirl to clean up the graffiti and left him in the engine rooms. Whirl then reported to someone with a communicator that his attempt to bait Megatron into attacking him had failed. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

Later on, suspected to be behind the theft of Ultra Magnus's desk tidy (which was more likely caused by the ship disappearing piece by piece), Whirl was confined to his quarters. As 'protest' for this, Whirl watched off-world cinema at Swerve's using his holomatter avatar. While braiding his hair, Whirl revealed that he was a fan of Jean-Luc Godard's works. During the subsequent alarm as portions of the ''Lost Light'' began to disappear, Whirl's holomatter disappeared. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} Whether he made it to a lifepod or not, Whirl presumably disappeared along with the rest of the original crew of the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}}

Eventually, the remaining crew found the ruins of a quantum duplicate ''Lost Light'', which had been attacked by the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. The on-course ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Whirl had his arms torn off before having his head blown off by [[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]]. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}} {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}} {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}}}}

Later on, Cyclonus went to Whirl's room to ask for advice on Tailgate and Getaway. Whirl was astonished and amused that Cyclonus would ever ask him for advice on such a personal matter, and pointed out that saving Tailgate's life and caring about him did not make him Cyclonus' property. He also pointed out that Cyclonus hadn't really shown Tailgate he cared, while Getaway did so. Just as Cyclonus was about to leave, Whirl asked why he came to him. Cyclonus replied that he believed Whirl would tell him the truth, because Whirl didn't care about what he (or anybody) thought. Troubled, Whirl summoned Getaway and [[Atomizer]], with whom he was working to bring belated justice to Megatron. Whirl was having second thoughts about their plan to bring about Megatron's downfall if it resulted in Tailgate's murder. Getaway shot him in the head with a nudge gun, wiping Whirl's memories of the plan. Just before he passed out, Whirl projected his avatar outside Cyclonus' staring-window. Cyclonus rushed to Whirl's room to find out what was going on, only to find Whirl possessed no memory of their earlier conversation, and all of his digital clocks had been set to 1:13 - Megatron's room number. {{storylink|The Lopsided Triangle}}

Later, Brainstorm's contrivance engine was due to be activated, and despite only having 15 minutes to get to their B.E.Ds, Whirl, Swerve and Nautica loitered to get drunk off sub-space filtered engex. They then heard a knock at the bar door. Whirl answered and found a new sparkling in an engex box. Since they couldn't afford to risk the extra spark being detected by Maulers, the group decided to send it back to Luna 1. After various escapades, Whirl was left 'holding the baby'. Worse, when he decided the only remaining option to protect the crew was to flush it out the airlock, he discovered it had imprinted on him, adopting claws and a singular optic. Whirl gave in to his remaining threads of compassion and soft-terminated his own spark to hide the sparkling with him in his B.E.D. He later woke up in the med-bay, with Velocity telling him he was lucky to be alive. Oh, and that it wasn't a sparkling he was incubating - it was an infestation of [[Scraplet]]s, manipulating him so that they could survive to kill again. But Whirl wasn't upset... he was ''proud'' of the little pests. {{storylink|Silent Light}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}} {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}}}}

Three weeks after the mutiny, a broadcast went through space of the abandoned crewmembers, guns to their heads, recording how they wanted their corpses to be disposed of. Whirl wanted no funeral. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

===''Kre-O'' comic===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-3-Whirl.jpg|100px|thumb]]
After being asked to by [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]], the [[Autobot]]s attacked the Decepticon Base and chased away [[Vortex (Kre-O)|Vortex]], who wasn't letting ''anyone'' in the base, not even Megatron. In thanks, Megatron hosted a party in the base, which Whirl attended. {{Storylink|A Reliable Warrior!? Vortex the Lookout from Hell}}
{{-}}

===''Cloud''===
[[File:Cloud Whirl.jpg|thumb|right]]

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Metamorphosis (Cloud)|Metamorphosis}} {{storylink|Overwhelm}}}}

===''Transformers Legends'' comic===
Whirl and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] were built in the [[Legends Universe]] by [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], inspired by designs from a [[w:Special Armored Battalion Dorvack|certain '80s giant robot anime]], to aid him in his plans to return the world to how it was in the '80s. In spite of Tankor's design intentions, however, [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] recognized them as Autobots from a [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|British ''Transformers'' comic]], an origin story that confused the pair. Setting out to take humans hostage to further their cause, Whirl then encountered an [[Whirl's friend|innocent little girl]] and had a change of heart about his role in life. Placing the girl in his chest canopy, he decided to fight for her sake as a hero of justice and turned on Roadbuster, only to later get admonished by the girl for being too violent. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 4|Bonus Edition Vol. 4}} Entrusted with Tankor's '80s Transformation Beam, Roadbuster then started turning everyone present into various '80s forms, though the weapon didn't affect Whirl since he was already from the 80s. When Tankor resolve was broken by a speech from [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], Whirl took the chance to air-drop the rat onto the villains like a bomb, defeating Roadbuster. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 5|Bonus Edition Vol. 5}}

Waspinator later taught [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] about Whirl and Roadbuster during his ''Transformers'' lesson, again explaining that they first appeared in a British comic. The concept of British Transformers had Megatron thinking of the pair as English stereotypes, imagining Whirl as a gentleman in a top hat and monocle, and he confused himself thinking about how Whirl could enjoy a cup of tea without a mouth. {{storylink|Transformers Legends (comic)#Whirl and Roadbuster Now on Sale, Buzz|Whirl and Roadbuster Now on Sale, Buzz}} On [[Christmas]], Whirl and his little girl friend watched charitable Roadbuster and Tankor give away 80s toys. {{storylink|Transformers Legends (comic)#Christmas|Merry X'mas!!}}

Running into Roadbuster again while spending time with the girl, Whirl took his new friend hostage to prevent Roadbuster from attacking, shocking his former partner with the decidedly un-heroic act. The girl was upset and took control of Whirl from the inside, forcing him to heroically pick up garbage instead. {{storylink|Transformers Legends (comic)|Whirl Versus Roadbuster!}} For some undisclosed reason, Whirl eventually returned to Tankor and Roadbuster's side and the three went back to terrorizing the population, but it all came to an end when a dimensionally-displaced [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] defeated Tankor for good. Whirl and Roadbuster were left lost and confused about what to without their leader, so Jetfire invited them back to his [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|home dimension]], reasoning they would fit in better there. The pair accepted his offer and traveled through a [[solitarium]] portal to his universe, where they joined the Autobots and became founding members of a new unit: the Wreckers. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7|Bonus Edition Vol. 7}}

As Wreckers, Whirl and Roadbuster fought under [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] for many years. In 2030, they noticed their leader was starting to get fat, and Whirl accidentally hurt him by bluntly commenting that his neglect for his appearance was the reason his relationship with [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] had failed. {{storylink|Transformers Legends (comic)#LG19 Sprung Prologue Part 1|Sprung Prologue Part 1}} Springer then sought to become his old macho self again, so Whirl and Roadbuster suggested he go to the Legends Universe and have their creator, Tankor (now [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]), build him a cool new body. They two came with him for a chance to revisit their old home, where Whirl was reunited with his friend and let her sit inside him again. {{storylink|Transformers Legends (comic)#LG19 Sprung Prologue Part 2|Sprung Prologue Part 2}}

===''Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe''===
Pursuing the AllSpark after it had been launched into space, Whirl was one of the many Autobots that found their way to Earth. There, he participated in a great battle within a human settlement against the Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe|The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe}}

==Games==
===3D Battle-Card Game===
Whirl was one of [[Optimus Primal]]'s many Autobot allies in a fight against [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s Decepticon forces, in what might possibly have been an inter-universe battle. {{storylink|3D Battle-Card Game#Energon Wars expansion|Energon Wars Expansion Set}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
Whirl was involved in a chaotic kerfuffle. What outcome the battle yielded is unclear. {{storylink|By Land, Sea, or Air}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsWhirl.jpg|thumb|right|400px]]
Whirl participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Rare character who could be recruited by collecting 100 units of Cybermetal, 50 units of Transmetal, and 30 exclusive cores.
{{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Whirl toy.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Shockwave's younger brother? Only in the wild world of [[Fan fiction|fanfic]]s.]]
*'''Whirl''' (Deluxe Vehicle, [[1985]])
**''Accessories'': "Null-Ray Module", "[[Paralyzo box]]", "Photon Beam Rifle", "Shell Cannon"

:Whirl transforms into a light blue Cybertronian attack helicopter, similar to a Bell [[Wikipedia:AH-1 Cobra|AH-1 Cobra]]. In this mode, he has two wing-mounted weapons installed: a Gatling-like "Shell Cannon" and a four-tube "Photon Beam Rifle". Both [[Deluxe Vehicle]]s were licensed from [[Takatoku Toys]] by [[Hasbro]] for inclusion in the 1985 line, and hence were not included in the Japanese line. Whirl was originally the "Oberon Gazette" from the ''Armored Trooper Dorvack'' toyline, although the toy's dark and light blues were inverted for the ''Transformers'' release.

:In [[robot mode]], Whirl is unusual in that he appears quite different from the other Transformers in the line at the time. He has no humanoid hands; instead, his arms end in a pair of mechanical pincers. A "[[Null-ray|Null-Ray]] Module" cannon can be fitted over either pincer, while his "Paralyzo-Box" weapon slides onto the fin on his right leg.

:There is a variation in the construction of his canopy; while most are smooth and featureless, some have raised "cage" outlines on the edges.

::*''[http://www.transformerland.com/wiki/toy-info/transformers-g1-deluxe-vehicles-whirl/602/ Patent info, price guide, and further reading on Whirl at Transformerland.com]''
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Whirl/whirl.htm More information on Whirl at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Classics''===
[[File:ClassicsWhirl toy.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Am I blue? Am I blue? Ain't these tears in my eye tellin' you?]]
*'''Autobot Whirl''' (Legends, [[2007]])
**''Accessories'': Rotor blade

:A [[redeco]] of ''[[Legends Class (2005)|Legends of Cybertron]]'' [[Evac (Cybertron)#Cybertron|Evac]], Whirl transforms into a blue Eurocopter Dauphin rescue helicopter. A ''heavily'' simplified version of the Voyager Class Evac toy, his [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] has a back mounted (non-firing) twin missile launcher which is carried onto his robot mode, and he is also armed with a rotor blade on his left arm which can rotate, but does not spin freely.

:In terms of articulation, he has ball-jointed hips and knees and can rotate his arms, although the arms can otherwise barely move beyond pointing straight down due to his ball-jointed shoulders being blocked by plastic.

:This mold was also used to make ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' [[Blades (G1)#LOC|Blades]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/ClassicsWhirl/whirl.htm More information on ''Classics'' Whirl at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
[[File:Whirl generations voyager.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Not as super-unvincible as people were hoping.]]
*'''Autobot Whirl''' (Voyager, [[2014]])
**''Series / Number:'' '''02 / 006'''
**''Accessories'': Null-Ray Module, Paralyzo box, Shell Cannon, Photon Beam Rifle

: Whirl is heavily styled after his Generation 1 toy, but sports a more curved head and reverse knee "chicken legs" which evoke (but do not match) his appearance in [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]''. He also has a third, Gerwalk-esque mode known as a "Heloped". Just as with his original toy, he has a pair of mechanical pincers which a weapon similar to his "Null-Ray Module" cannon can be fitted over. All four of his weapons can attach via c-clips to various sculpted rods.

:Unmentioned in the instruction sheet is that his shoulder-struts can collapse into his torso for a more pleasing robot mode. Also, in robot mode, you can rotate the shoulder-struts so that the thin tabs on top face down to allow for greater shoulder poseability. It's also likely that the knee transformations are swapped between robot and heloped mode in the instructions, so that the robot mode has the digitigrade legs and the heloped mode has the "gerwalk"-style backwards knees, and this hypothesis is supported by the [[:File:RID26 subcvr.jpg|packaging art]]. A smaller detail of note is that Whirl's neck is on an extra hinged panel that allows the head to be raised up a few millimeters from where it normally sits.

:Whirl comes with a sticker sheet, with one sticker referencing [[Wild Bill|CW-4 William S. Hardy]].

:This mold was [[redeco]]ed into ''[[Transformers Cloud|Cloud]]'' [[Shockwave (G1)/toys#Cloud|Shockwave]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenWhirl/whirl.htm More information on ''Generations'' Whirl at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Legends''===
[[File:Legends-toy Whirl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Whirl''' (Voyager, [[November 29|11-29]]-2014)
**''ID number:'' '''LG05'''
**''Accessories'': Null-Ray Module, Paralyzo box, Shell Cannon, Photon Beam Rifle

:''Legends'' Whirl is a redeco of ''Generations'' Whirl featuring a lighter blue closer to his original toy and additional paint detail on his canopy and shoulders but dropping the black off his nape and the red stripe pattern on his rotor blades. Some of his black plastic (on his toes and head) is replaced with blue. The antenna mounted on his head is angled 45 degrees lower towards the front as opposed to the 90 degrees in the Generations version. He doesn't have a sticker sheet, though two of his Autobot symbols and a single canopy detailing are now tampographed. He now comes with a leaflet featuring a character profile, tech specs and [[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 5|volume 5]] of the ''[[Transformers Legends (comic)|Transformers Legends]] Comic: Bonus Edition'' mini-comic.
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===3D Battle-Card Game===
[[File:3DBattleCard Whirl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Soi soi soi soi]]
*'''Whirl''' (2007)

:A 30-point "rare" character in the [[3D Battle-Card Game]]'s "Energon Wars" expansion, Whirl "transforms" into a blue helicopter. He uses the same parts layout as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Evac (Movie)|Evac]], and [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Vortex]].
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Poor Whirl never got a printed ''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' bio. One was written though, and finally revealed to the fans on [http://boltax.blogspot.com/2011/01/extended-bio-whirl.html ''Disciples of Boltax''] in 2011.
*Like all non-toy robot [[Kreon]]s in the ''Kre-O'' comics, Whirl is made from existing ''Kre-O'' parts. He uses [[Knock Out (Kre-O)|Knock Out]]'s helmet (in order to better emulate his appearance in the [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] [[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|''More Than Meets the Eye'' comics]]) and the Vortex rotor/harness assembly... and a yellow brick on the front of the harness, likely a sloped 1x1 brick to be the "cockpit".

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Whirl''' (ホワール ''Howāru'')
*''French:'' '''Tourbillon''' (Canada, "Whirlwind")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Xuán Rèn''' (China, 旋刃, "Turning Blades")

[[Category:3D Battle-Cards]]
[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Cloud Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends franchise]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Autobots]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Wreckers]]

The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds

2016-05-15T16:35:20Z

Breech Loader: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=50
|prev=Speak, Memory! (Part 2)
|next=No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases
|image=MTMTE50_regcvr.jpg
|title="The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds"
|caption="Why is it us? Why us?" "Because we're here, lad. Nobody else. Just us."
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|published in=[[More than Meets the Eye issue 50|''More than Meets the Eye'' #50]]
|date=[[February 24]], [[2016]] (digital, parts of Europe and Asia) [[March 9]], 2016 (rest of world)
|coverdate=February 2016
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=Alex Milne and [[Brian Shearer]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]] (pg. 1-10), [[Priscilla Tramontano]] (pg. 11-15, 22-23, 27-32), [[John-Paul Bove]] (pg. 17-21, 24-26)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2016)]]
}}

'''A psychic attack leads Team Rodimus back to the Necrobot's planet, where a mutiny in the ranks of the ''Lost Light'' spells their doom.'''

==Synopsis==

''On [[Earth]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] receive a haunting transmission: a series of videos from crewmembers of the ''[[Lost Light]]''—[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]], [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Minimus Ambus]], [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], and [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]]—explaining that they are about to die and leaving individual instructions for how they wish to be interred. The broadcast also reaches [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], and the ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]'', but the ''Lost Light'' remains silent, unresponsive to any hailing requests. Optimus Prime proposes using the [[space bridge]] to go to their rescue, but Jetfire reveals the awful truth... the message claims the speakers have six hours left to live, but it was sent three weeks ago.''

Three weeks earlier, the ''Lost Light''ers help liberate the planet [[Miliarium]] from the clutches of the [[Rust Giant]]s, with the super-strong [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] taking out their biggest, meanest member. [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]—remotely supervising the battle from the ship on account of his newfound pacifism—is a little prickly when he discovers that everyone hid from him the fact that Millarians are organic, but softens when [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] lets him give the "[[roll out]]" order.

A little later, after everyone has returned to the ship, Megatron holds the latest in a series of classes on the [[Knights of Cybertron]], and focuses his attention on the mysterious, gear-like hieroglyph that the crew have come upon several times in the course of their quest. Pooling their knowledge, the class concludes that the symbol is a kind of "coat of arms," representing just one of multiple clans that existed within the Knights' ranks. The discussion is interrupted, however, when Megatron suddenly reels in pain, clutching his head; when Minimus Ambus attempts to go to his aid, the ex-Decepticon reflexively lashes out, punching Minimus across the room. Horrified at his own actions, Megatron retreats to his quarters, where Velocity checks him over and administers his latest dose of [[Fool's Energon]]. She worries that the sedative could be the reason for Megatron's actions, as it has been known to cause fluctuations in a 'bot's personality, but he explains that he was bombarded with agonizing, screaming voices in his mind—an experience, it soon turns out, that a handful of ''other'' crew members also underwent at the same time, each hearing their own unique horrific sound. [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] are able to trace the signal of this "psychic attack" back to its source, and plans are quickly made to go and investigate.

The group all piles into the Rodpod: Rodimus, Magnus, the victims of the attack (Megatron, Tailgate, Rewind, Chromedome, Rung, and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]), their partners and friends ([[Ten]], [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], and [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]), "Team Rodimus" (Nightbeat, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]], and Nautica), and team doctor Velocity, who is convinced by Mainframe to bring Whirl along for extra muscle. [[Quantum jump]]ing to the signal's point of origin, the pod materializes in utter blackness, which the team soon realize means they have jumped ''inside'' a huge, hollow object. One more small jump to the object's surface, and they discover they have returned to the [[Censere|Necrobot]]'s [[Necroworld|planet]]... but no sooner have they stepped out of the Rodpod than a squadron of attack craft suddenly appears in the skies and opens fire on them! Totally outnumbered, everyone boards the pod again and tries to quantum jump away, only to discover the teleport engines are dead. The team sets course for the Necrobot's fortress, but the Rodpod is shot down right in front of it; everyone manages to survive and haul themselves out of the wreckage before the Rodpod finally explodes.

Taking cover inside the fortress, the team discovers the Necrobot's dead body in the middle of the floor. While Ravage sneaks out to examine the single enemy fighter they managed to bring down during the escape, Nightbeat snaps into analytical mode, and he and Brainstorm piece together what has occurred: the "psychic attack" was originally an ordinary transmission sent by their attackers to lure the group to the planet, but the fatally-wounded Necrobot, with the last of his strength, corrupted the signal in a failed attempt to warn them off. Using the Necrobot's computer, Rodimus re-establishes contact with the ''Lost Light''... but is shocked when the 'bot who answers his hail turns out to be [[Getaway]]! The escapologist explains that he has been freed from his cell by the ''entire crew'', who have finally tired of Rodimus's leadership and the way in which Megatron has been accepted into their ranks, and are staging a full-blown mutiny. Getaway and [[Atomizer]] have been planning this since before the ship left Cybertron, having identified all "Megatron sympathizers" through judicious questioning and application of Getaway's [[nudge gun]], and have now isolated and trapped them on the Necrobot's world, so that the rest of the crew can ''actually get on with their quest'' to find the Knights and save the Cybertronian race. Even the mystery attackers are part of their plan—attackers whose identities Megatron has already figured out, making him severely doubt Getaway's promise that nobody but Megatron will be harmed. As Getaway shuts off the comm-link, a wounded Ravage limps back inside to confirm his leader's suspicions: the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] has arrived... and everyone is going to die.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (1)
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] (2)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] (3)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (4)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (5)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (6)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (9)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (10)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (12)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (13)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (19)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (20)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (21)
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (22)
*[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]] (23)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (24)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (25)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (26)
*[[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] (27)
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (28)
*[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (29)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (30)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (31)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (32)
*? (33) 
*[[Boss (G1)|Boss]] (34)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (35)
*[[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]] (36)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (37)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] (38)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (39)
*[[Xaaron]] (40)
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] (41)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (42)
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (43)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Powerflash]]? (44) 
*[[Splashdown]]? (45) 
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (statue, 48)
*[[Getaway]] (50)
*[[Atomizer]] (51)
*[[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] (52)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (53)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (54)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (55)
{{!}}}
|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (14)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (15)
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (16)
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (17)
*[[Fulcrum]] (18)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (46)
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] (55)
*[[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]] (56)
*[[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] (57)
*[[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] (58)
*[[Blue Bacchus]] (59)
*[[Killbison]] (60)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Drillhorn (Victory)|Drillhorn]] (61)
*[[Leozack]] (62)
*[[Guyhawk]] (63)
*[[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] (64)
*[[The Pet]] (65)
*[[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]] (66)
{{!}}}
|c4=
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] (8)
*[[Rust Giant]]s (23)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (27)
*[[Ten]] (47)
*[[Censere]] (49)
}}

==Quotes==

"I was particularly impressed by '''your''' efforts, '''Riptide'''. You clearly put in a lot of work." 
"Did I pass?" 
"No, but I'll talk to you afterwards to explain why."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Riptide''' on the latter's academic skills

"I'm not usually a '''fan''' of group discussion, or brainstorming, or waiting for other people to stop speaking, but that was actually pretty impressive."
:—'''Nightbeat''', on the benefits of talking out a problem

"'''Stress''' is another side effect of the chemo-sedatives." 
"It's not stress." 
"How do you know?" 
"Because I've never been happier."
:—'''Velocity''' and '''Megatron'''

'''Ultra Magnus:''' "Hold on. Someone '''fired on us''' and you want to '''run towards the gun'''?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "'''Yep'''—and '''disarm''' them before they take another shot. It's a perfectly good plan! '''Team Rodimus''' are well up for it!" 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "'''Is''' well up for it. Team Rodimus '''is''' well up for it. Singular. One team." 
'''Rodimus:''' "Whatever. Chop-chop!" 
'''Megatron:''' "When did you first realize that he uses '''bad grammar''' to distract you whenever you raise an objection to something he wants to do?" 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "He does '''WHAT'''?"

"This is the new '''teleport drive'''. Nautica built it as a '''thank-you present''' after I stopped going on and on about how much I wanted a teleport drive."
:—'''Rodimus'''

'''Rodimus:''' "I'm sorry if not all of us are catlike and unpanickable." 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "Not a word." 
'''Rodimus:''' "Jeez, Magnus. Time and place." 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "No, no, no. You can't have people throwing '''made up words''' around willy-nilly. There are impressionable 'bots on board." 
'''Brainstorm:''' "Magnus is right. Making up words leads to criminanarchy and pandebordination." 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "Brainstorm! One more and you're on '''remand.'''"

"By what '''tortured logic''' did '''High Command''' conclude that letting an '''unrepentant mass murderer''' off the hook represented anything '''other''' than an '''insult''' to the memory of the '''billions''' he killed? Seriously—can someone explain to me how the war can end with the '''instigator''' being allowed to go about his business '''as if nothing happened'''? The death camps! The massacres! The cities razed to the ground! Apparently all of them were just '''missteps'''—painful but necessary—on Megatron's '''path to self-discovery'''! (...) By helping that '''maniac''' find peace you're excusing his past behavior. And so it falls to us—'''the 99%'''—to remind you how '''wrong''' this is. Forgiveness? Rehabilitation? Reintegration? No. Not him. Not now. Not ever."
:—'''Getaway'''

"I'm not a bad person. I just have strong beliefs."
:—'''Getaway'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Optimus and Jetfire are in the ''[[Skyroller]]'' when they receive the crew's message, outside [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]'s "house," placing this story after the events of [[All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|''The Transformers'' #50]].
* We see that the Scavengers were sent a copy of the recording of the crew's last requests too. Back in #45 Misfire mentioned that he had a 'contact' among the Autobots. In #46 [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fort Max]] confirmed that the Scavengers had been supplying Brainstorm with parts. It looks like Brainstorm hasn't broken his ties with his handlers after all, especially if he's sending messages to them in last-ditch pleas for help. Still, the Anti-Villainous [[Scavengers]] hardly pose a threat to the Lost Light...
** If they are still in contact this would explain how the Scavengers finally got up to date on how the Autobots won the war and the unreliable [[Starscream]] is in charge - Brainstorm is still sending them useless information.
* When Nightbeat delivers his part of the message, he talks about how he can prepare himself "this time," and strokes the centre of his forehead: a reference to when he died before, shot right through the head, in ''[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]''.
* Nightbeat requests his funeral ceremony be Neoprimalist, the sect of Primalism that [[Flywheels]] was noted to belong to in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]].
*Magnus sputters as he tries to say the word "fun," just as he did back in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]], but this time, he finally gets it out.
*Rung requests that, should he die in alt mode, he be disassembled—an allusion to the mystery of his alternate form, and the fact that, whatever it is, it may still be able to serve its purpose after his death.
*Megatron mentions [[information creep]] during his class, the memory-altering mental malady mentioned before in [[Twenty Plus One|issue #31]]. In the same issue, it was established that Riptide was rubbish at exams, which is followed through on here as he fails his assignment in Megatron's class.
*The mysterious gear symbol raises its figurative head once again. Skids remembers how he saw it in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]], Thunderclash remembers seeing it in the map from his dreams in [[The Sensuous Frame|issue #41]], and Perceptor mentions that Rodimus drew it into his own map from [[The Not Knowing|issue #44]].
*Nautica recounts how she spent time on [[Troja Major]], where we know from [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]] she picked up a copy of ''[[Towards Peace]]''. She says she visited a "heritage museum"; presumably, this is the business run by Decepticon antiquarian [[Agonizer]], mentioned in [[Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots|issue #45]] as having set up shop on the planet.
*Rodimus brings "Team Rodimus" together again, who were last referred to by that name back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|issue #30]] when they assembled to examine the alternate-Rodimus's coffin.
*The crew previously visited the Necrobot's planet in issue #44. Back in that issue, the Necrobot described it as a "shell of a world," quoting his departed friend [[Tusk]]. That line suddenly becomes a lot more literal with this issue's revelation that the planet is hollow.
*Note how Magnus's right arm takes a bad hit during the explosion of the Rodpod. It's deliberately kept off-panel for the remaining portion of the issue, likely to obscure the fact that the arm has been completely severed—'cause remember, as we know from [[The Gloaming|issue #16]] and [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]], that's the arm containing [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]]'s recall switch/teleporter. No quick escapes with ''that'', Magnus!
*Brainstorm identifies the Necrobot's computers as using elements of the same technology as the guilt-detecting computer [[Aequitas]], from ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'', which is why everyone who suffers from the "psychic attack" experiences a unique, tailor-made terror.
*Getaway says he realised Rodimus was crap when he saw "that ridiculous Rodpod". Getaway's first response to the Rodpod waaaay back in "[[Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss]]" was "And this guy is your ''leader''", while later including it in his freakout in "[[No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit]]". And you thought these were just jokes!
*The full extent of Getaway and Atomizer's scheme is revealed, tying back into their attempt to dispatch Megatron from [[The Lopsided Triangle|issue #47]], and Atomizer's manipulation of Rodimus from [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|issue #29]]. They obviously arrange to have Mainframe suggest that Whirl accompany Team Rodimus not because he holds any favour for Megatron, like the rest of the exiles, but because he discussed having second thoughts about Getaway's methods in #47.
*Getaway also mentions the only real side effect from the nudge gun and its memory wipes is a slight headache. Sure enough, Skids and Nightbeat mention having inexplicable headaches off-hand in [[The Sensuous Frame|#41]] and [[The Not Knowing|#44]], respectively, while Tailgate had one in [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issue #40]] that was ''implied'' to be the result of too much drink, but about which we now know better. Finally, to spell it out for us, Whirl was shown having a headache after being nudge-gunned in [[The Lopsided Triangle|#47]].
**In Tailgate's case, that revelation also implicitly tells us who ''really'' told Getaway about Tailgate's deathbed confession; not Cyclonus, as Getaway claims, but Tailgate himself, who then had the memory of telling Getaway erased.
** In Whirl's case, considering the action he took against Megatron in #28 it is likely that he agreed to a potential mutiny from early on, right up until he had second thoughts about Getaway's extreme methods and Getaway decided he couldn't be relied upon.
*The Decepticon Justice Division allied with Deathsaurus' forces back in [[The Permanent Revolution|issue #39]]. 'Bots from that issue who appear among their team on the story's final page include Leozack, Killbison, Drillhorn, and Blue Bacchus.

===Transformers references===
*The neoprimalist ceremony involves saving the head. Now '''why on Earth''' would Nightbeat's head [[Titan Master#Toys|be coming up?]]
*Deathsaurus's sword shares the shape of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] from the [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|''Prime'' cartoon]].

===Real-life references===
*Both this multi-parter's title and this issue's sub-title are quotes from the poem "{{w|Do not go gentle into that good night}}," by {{w|Dylan Thomas}}. The work urges one to survive, to not willingly embrace death, to "Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
*Roberts has said the creepy video was meant to be an "ISIS-style" execution video<ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 05:40 to 6:00]</ref>, refering to Islamic State's habit of making victims spout propaganda before being killed on-screen.
*The planet Miliarium takes its name from the Latin word for "milestone," in reference to the 50-issue milestone ''More than Meets the Eye'' has reached.
*Velocity's ringtone ("I'm a doctor, not a performance artist!") is, of course, a spoof of Doctor McCoy's catchphrase from the original ''[[Star Trek]]''. She notes it's a gift from Swerve, who has recently indulged himself in all of Earth's television, and refers to Velocity's decision to go into medicine rather than [[Caminus]]'s highly-venerated performing arts.
*Getaway calls Team Rodimus's trip a "journey into mystery," referencing the {{w|Journey into Mystery|Marvel comic}} of the same name.
*"The 99%" is a populist political slogan, along with "the 1%": the 99% are the alleged majority being stepped on by the elites of the 1%.
*The concept of one small brave band of heroes facing down impossible odds as legions of enemies close in on their position, unable to retreat, is (as Roberts would acknowledge) lifted from the movie ''[[Zulu]]''—which the crew were shown watching back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|issue #30]], in a bit of very deliberate foreshadowing. Swerve makes the reference explicit with his "Patients - '''thousands''' of 'em!" line.

===Errors===
*For his one-panel appearance, Scoop is his traditional orange, but he ought to be in [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]-green these days, since becoming part of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], as seen in [[All That Remains|''Windblade'' #3]].
*Hard to spot in the rust giant throng on the left of the double-page title spread is [[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]], recognizable by his shoulder cannons, square-head-thing, and the treads on his upper arms, which he had when he appeared on Cybertron in issue #29. This is the first time we've seen him among the ''Lost Light'' crew—but he's colored almost entirely cream instead of his normal red and blue. Not unlike his [[Slamdance (SG)|''Shattered Glass'' counterpart]], actually!
*In Fortress Maximus's early appearance, his name is misspelled "Fotress". This has possibly been corrected in physical copies of the issue.
*The headline on the [[Galactic Bulletin]] reads "AUTOBOTS LIBERATE MIL'''L'''ARIUM".
*When Nightbeat discovers the Necrobot's body, his face is colored gray instead of yellow.
*In that same scene, Censere is misspelled "Censerre", with an extra R.
*In the group shot of the DJD and Deathsaurus's forces on the last page, Guyhawk is visible in the background, between Helex's legs, but he's colored grey and red with a green face, instead of his usual red and white.

===Production notes===
James Roberts went into lenghty detail about the comic at [http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Comics.]:
* Roberts had actually forgotten to ''do'' the Previously On page until late in the day! <ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 10:10 to 10:41]</ref>
* Originally the execution vid was going to open with a character buying it. <ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 05:55 to 06:12]</ref>
* The broadcast was inspired by [[Doctor|''Doctor Who'']] episode ''The Pandorica Opens'', where characters from across the series cameo at the start. This was to 'ground' the comic into the continuity of its sister titles, as ''MTMTE'' is usually detached from the rest of the line and Roberts wanted to nod to it.<ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 06:45 to 8:24]</ref>
* Roberts (acknowledging some criticism of the strip being meandering) notes that previous stories had been very insular on the ship but here they are actually ''helping'' people at the start! This flags up that "Heroic Autobot" thing before it all goes wrong. Also intentional was Megatron deliberately giving non-lethal tactics to the Autobots. <ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 15:59 to 17:40]</ref>
* Megatron was going to teach classes in other issues but there was never space for it. Roberts used it as a way to give some love to lesser-seen characters by giving them a seat.<ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 22:50 to 23:40]</ref>
* Roberts was told that the are/is thing ''is'' gramatically correct in America. "I didn't know that." <ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 36:47 to 36:54]</ref>
* Alex Milne decided to put the flower in Censere's mouth. <ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 48:30 to 48:50]</ref>
* Roberts clarifies that Getaway was "treated in a way he would find objectionable" in the previous issue and while it "had to be" done that way due to his skills, it "plays into Getaway's larger plan" as "the rules" are clearly different for ''his'' crimes than Brainstorm of Megatron's.<ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 53:26 to 54:14]</ref>
*The mutineers shown are deliberately shown to be "B-listers you know and like and trust" for impact. Hoist is specifically there because of his Spotlight and Riptide because he'd once been a 'main' guy.<ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 54:15 to 55:11]</ref>
* It was noted that what Getaway is saying is similar to what fans were saying back when they learned about Auto-Megs. <ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 56:30 to 57:10]</ref>
* Roberts alludes to an unplanned reflection of ''[[Community]]'' that a fan noted: that every so often, ''Community'' would show what the main cast look like to other people and what they look like are arseholes. <ref>[http://www.orbitalcomics.com/orbital-directors-commentary-james-roberts-on-transformers-mtmte-50-audio/ Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 58:30 to 1:00:00]</ref>

===Other notes===
*The "story so far" page that opens this issue recaps the entire series, summing up each individual story or multiparter with a simple description: a schism ([[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|''The Death of Optimus Prime'']]), an accident (issues [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|#1]]-[[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|2]]), a sparkeater ([[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]]), a virus (issues [[Life After the Big Bang|#4]]-[[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|5]]), a hostage situation ([[Interiors|issue #6]]), an interlude (issues [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|#7]]-[[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|8]]), a calling ([[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 annual]]), a ''Spotlight'' or two (''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]]'' and ''[[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]''), a story (issues [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|#9]]-[[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|11]]), a mix-up ([[Before & After|issue #12]]), a night out ([[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|issue #13]]), a mistake ([[Remembrance Day|issue #14]]), a death ([[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]]), a funeral ([[The Gloaming|issue #16]]), a lost moon ([[Remain in Light|issues #17-21]]), a diversion ([[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|issues #22-27]]), a trial (issues [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|#28]]-[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|30]]), an exodus ([[Twenty Plus One|issue #31]]), another ''Lost Light'' (issues [[slaughterhouse|#32]]-[[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|33]]), a loss ([[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|issue #34]]), an alternate universe ([[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|issue #35]]), a race against time (issues [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|#36]]-[[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|38]]), an alliance ([[The Permanent Revolution|issue #39]]), a farewell ([[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issue #40]]), a reunion (issues [[The Sensuous Frame|#41]]-[[The Frail Gaze|42]]), a sitcom ([[The One Where They Go to Earth|issue #43]]), an epiphany ([[The Not Knowing|issue #44]]), another interlude (issues [[Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots|#45]]-[[Animals|46]]), a betrayal ([[The Lopsided Triangle|issue #47]]), and a resignation (issues [[Speak, Memory: Part 1|#48]]-[[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|49]]).
*Megatron notes that it has been about a year since the ''Lost Light'' left Cybertron after his trial, meaning that about 18 months (one year plus the six-month gap between "[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]" and "season 2") have passed in the last two years' worth of comics.
*Some fans thought maybe the ''Light'' crew didn't know the DJD were coming for the exiles. James Roberts made it clear at Orbital that, nope, they all totally knew.

===Soundtrack===
For all of "The Dying of the Light":
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCdBc5uByFQ Hurt]" by {{w|Johnny Cash}}

For this part alone:
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXYT2yy2s24 Heroes]" by {{w|David Bowie}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROlCPlnCIfo Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe]" by {{w|Okkervil River}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsOuOR7TNKc Nonphenomenal Lineage]" by {{w|Grandaddy}}

===Crew manifest===
*Exiled: Brainstorm, Chromedome, Cyclonus, Megatron, Minimus Ambus, Nautica, Nightbeat, Ravage, Rewind, Rodimus, Rung, Skids, Swerve, Tailgate, Ten, Velocity and Whirl were effectively removed from the crew by Getaway's mutiny.

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/28256-megatron-seeks-redemption-in-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-50-preview.html Preview]

Animals

2016-05-15T16:29:11Z

Breech Loader: /* Other trivia */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=46
|prev=Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots
|next=The Lopsided Triangle
|image=MTMTE46_regcvr.jpg
|title="Animals"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 4]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=October 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Brian Shearer]], [[John Livesay]], [[John Wycough]], and Alex Milne
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]] and [[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}

'''The Scavengers face down Fortress Maximus to save Grimlock, and learn a little something about helping others in the process.'''

==Synopsis==
Aboard his ship the ''[[Concordat]]'', on approach to [[Tebris VII]], [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] is listening to the paranoid [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] ramble on over the comm about a hidden message he thinks he's found in ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' when he spots the crashed ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]'' on the planet's surface. Red identifies the craft and looks up its owners, unaware that he's reading the [[Autopedia]] articles the Scavengers themselves have vandalized with hyperbolic backstories for themselves, and Max heads down to the planet's surface to confront his original target, [[Demus]].

A short time later, Demus lies dead on the floor of his office, and Maximus places the Scavengers under arrest. [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] succeeds in distracting the Autobot long enough for [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] to blast him, and the Scavengers scatter into the scrapyard outside, hiding amongst the junk. When [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] starts anxiously clicking his "clicker" once again, Misfire finally loses his temper and snatches the device from Krok's hand, revealing it to be not a communicator, but a severed finger. Krok explains that the finger belonged to a member of his old squad named [[Radar]], who was killed alongside the rest of his teammates by the [[Wrecker]]s. Radar turned into a telecommunications array, and while Krok admits that he ''does'' click his finger when nervous, he also does it to use the finger's still-functioning mechanism to scan for Decepticons in the area. He almost always detects none... but today, as he snatches the finger back from Misfire, Krok can see it has detected hundreds of Decepticons all around them. Stalking the Scavengers through the yard, Fortress Maximus calls out to them with an explanation: Demus is actually a slave trader, and his "[[Roboid]]" toys are not toys at all, but lobotomized Cybertronians trapped in a beast-mode and sold as "torture dolls" to organic races to take their frustrations out on.

To get Maximus off their backs, Crankcase radios Misfire to express concern for [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], deliberately allowing Max to hear him in hopes that Grimlock will be considered a more important target. Red Alert confirms Grimlock's presence, and Max heads off to investigate, leaving the Scavengers to pull themselves together. [[Fulcrum]] is annoyed that Krok has never told them about the fate of his old squad before, but Krok retorts that they took neither his depression, nor the self-delusion that his squad was still alive that he once labored under, seriously. ''That'', Krok tells them, is why he wanted Demus's money: he planned to use it to build a treatment center for those Cybertronians like himself, who are suffering from various mental disorders as a result of the war. Fulcrum calls him out on his hypocrisy—the fact that he was willing to ''sell'' the mentally-disabled Grimlock—and the suitably shamed Krok admits he was letting the ends justify the means. Knowing that Grimlock, as a former [[Garrus-9]] inmate, will be re-arrested by Maximus, Misfire insists they go to his aid, and a repentant Krok agrees. Unable to fly thanks to Demus's inhibitor chips, the Scavengers saddle up some [[Equinoid]] Roboids, and ride out to their ship.
[[File:Equinoids.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|Somewhere there's a MLP joke waiting to happen.]]
The Scavengers arrive to witness Grimlock and Maximus grappling with one another, and manage to talk Max down by explaining that they ''found'' Grimlock in his current condition. Maximus proposes taking him to Luna 1 for help, and Misfire reluctantly agrees, knowing that it is what's best for Grimlock—but [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] objects, suggesting they ask Grimlock himself what he wants. To everyone's surprise, Grimlock is able to stammer out Misfire's name—not that it matters to Maximus, since he's intending to take them ''all'' in anyway. Krok has other ideas: he tells Maximus that he has planted a bomb in Demus's office that will destroy all the Roboids, and, pretending that Radar's finger is a control device, "primes" the non-existent explosive with a single click. He then tosses the finger to Crankcase, who threatens to click it again and detonate the bomb... and thanks to a sudden bout of facial paralysis brought on by his head injuries, he is able to stare Max down without blinking! Unable to take the risk, Max heads back to Demus's office, while the Scavengers quickly depart the planet. Krok, realizing that he is much better off now than he was years ago thanks to the stability and support offered by his friends, has a new plan and purpose for the group: to help other Decepticons the way they have helped each other. Krok plugs radar's finger into the ship's computer, allowing it to detect nearby Decepticons, and the Scavengers are about to head off until Misfire pulls a gun on Krok...

...and one lost game of [[Cybertronian games#Shoot Shoot Bang Bang|Shoot Shoot Bang Bang]] later, Misfire escorts Grimlock back to his wrecked quarters, promising there won't be locks on the door when they rebuild it. Misfire is agog when Grimlock eloquently replies "Thanks. I appreciate it", but when the Dinobot says nothing more, the Decepticon is left with another reminder that there ''is'' something going on inside Grimlock that he can't see. What he also fails to see is what Grimlock has drawn on the wall of his room: a familiar gear-shaped symbol and the message "PREPARE - CONFRONT - REPEL"...

[[File:FortMaxCuddles.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Aww, the widdle maniac enforcer just wanted cuddles.]]
Aboard the ''Concordant'', Maximus contacts [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] to tell him about the day's events. Rung advises him to rethink his approach to peace-keeping: times have changed, and the Scavengers are now the rule, rather than the exception, when it comes to Decepticons. Maximus cannot deny it, especially since Spinister left him instructions on how to reverse the brain-damage to the Roboids, who now surround him on his ship.

Two hours later, at Demus's now-abandoned junkyard, a Decepticon [[Worldsweeper]] arrives, piloted by Demus's mystery co-conspirators. The two robots open a hatchway to a hidden chamber beneath Demus's office, containing rows of strange pods inside which ''something'' is growing. One suggests moving the operation, but the other refuses, warning that to do so threatens their ability to meet their deadline, and will incur the wrath of the "Grand Architect". As the robot advocates aborting and starting again, they both turn, revealing the gear-like hieroglyph on their chests...

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (1)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (2)
*''[[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]]'' (9)
*''[[Springer (G1)|Springer]]'' (11)
*''[[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]]'' (12)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (14)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (15)
|c2=
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (3)
*[[Fulcrum]] (4)
*[[Demus]]'s corpse (5)
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (6)
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (7)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (8)
*''[[Radar]]'' (10)
*''[[Gatoraider]]'' (13)
|c4=
*Mystery 'bots (16-17)
}}

==Quotes==

"'''Misfire of Pretendia''' is a debonair sharp shooter who once fired a bullet through a bullet-shaped hole in a slightly larger bullet. Whilst riding a bullet train. Feared and respected by his colleagues, he is credited with introducing Megatron to the world of '''interpretive dance.'''"
:—'''Red Alert''' reads from Misfire's vandalized Autopedia page

"This shouldn't take long." 
"For something that shouldn't take long, you're carrying an awful lot of firepower." 
"The two are connected."
:—'''Fortress Maximus''' and '''Red Alert'''

"Hate to do you out of a '''job''', but our '''"high tech"''' isn't that '''high''' anymore. It's just... tech. About four million years go we stopped '''reaching for the stars''' 'cos we needed both hands to '''beat the crap out of each other.'''"
:—'''Misfire'''

'''Fulcrum:''' "Hey, Krok, what you said just now—about Radar, about your squad. You should've told me earlier." 
'''Krok:''' "For a while I couldn't talk about it at all. In fact for a while I convinced myself that the rest of my squad were still '''out there'''—that they were '''safe.'''" 
'''Misfire:''' "Yeah, Crankcase used to say you were '''nuts.'''" 
'''Krok:''' "See? And people wonder why it's so hard to talk about mental health." 
'''Misfire:''' "Hey, I'm a paragon of sensitivity." 
'''Krok:''' "It's not just the '''labeling'''—it's the '''distancing'''. It's this idea that experiencing mental illness marks you out as '''bad''' different. Show me someone who '''hasn't''' been affected by all the fighting. Show me someone who's "normal" and I'll show you someone who knows how to hide things. We are our brains. Subject this ball of circuitry to four million years of '''war''' and '''hate''' and '''pain''' and '''death''' and '''loss''' and '''grief''' and don't be surprised if it has to find new ways to cope with the stress. People should be more understanding. That's what I was going to do with my half a billion—build a '''treatment center''' for '''vulnerable Decepticons.''' Because there are a lot of people out there who are only just about holding it together."

"I've spent years comparing myself with Decepticons who've done well for themselves—people like '''Agonizer''' and '''Skullcruncher'''. Today I realized that y'know what? '''I've''' done well. For a while I was a '''mess'''. My squad had died. I was directionless, I was '''delusional'''... I got better thanks to you guys. Even when I've made bad decisions, you've given me '''stability''' and '''support''' and—and '''companionship'''... and maybe it's time we gave those things to other Decepticons." 
"What you're descirbing sounds suspiciously like '''helping people.'''" 
"I know. Because guess what? I think we'd be pretty good at it."
:—'''Krok''' and '''Crankcase'''

"Y'know, Grimsy, sometimes you remind me of Spinister. Every now and then you'll say something that makes me think there's a lot more going on in there than we realize. More than '''you''' realize, too. Guess all I can do is be patient, pay attention... and see what you do next."
:—'''Misfire'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Like Fortress Maximus, Red Alert was last seen in [[The Sound of Breaking Glass|issue #21]], in which he elected to stay on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] with Maximus.
*Red Alert mentions that the Scavengers supplied [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] with spare parts, indicating he is the Autobot "contact" that Misfire mentioned last issue. This is likely also intended to indicate that Misfire was Brainstorm's Decepticon "handler," spoken of in [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issue #40]], whom he supplied with information in exchange for parts for his time machine.
*The Scavengers were previously established to get their kicks by vandalizing Autopedia last issue issue. Clearly the admins of Autopedia aren't particularly speedy when it comes to reverting edits...
*Crankcase makes reference to [[Killmaster]], a super-powerful Decepticon mentioned occasionally throughout ''More than Meets the Eye''.
*Fortress Maximus's pose and placement on page 3 hearken back to page 3 of [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]], where he had similarly brutalized a 'con (or two) following a long absence and a dramatic return in the [[Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots|preceding]] [[Life After the Big Bang|issue.]]
*Fortress Maximus's involvement in the [[Simanzi Massacre]] is mentioned, something we heard about before in [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*Krok describes Radar's death at the hands of the Wreckers—specifically, Roadbuster, who tore out his spine and "made him eat it"—as "a terrible affair." The use of the term "affair" isn't random; Roberts [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/656957570490474497 noted on Twitter] before this issue's release that it would feature "a specific link [to] [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]] - a *tiny* loose end that's taken nearly six years to tie up." This indicates that the incident was the mysterious "[[Roadbuster affair]]" mentioned in that issue.
**This is also our first look at Roadbuster's extreme brutality, which we soon see more of in ''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers|Sins of the Wreckers]]''. This is possibly a subtle setup!
*In the same flashback sequence, Krok is seen wielding [[Gatoraider]], who was alluded to by [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]] as Krok's "dead pet" in the previous issue.
*Fortress Maximus says that Grimlock is "a 'Con again". We don't know the full story behind this, but way back in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]], a flashback montage featured an image of Grimlock staring down at his hands, an Autobot insignia in one, a Decepticon insignia in the other, indicating that there had been a moment in his past when he had been forced to choose between the two factions. In [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]] Tarn confirmed Grimlock has a spot on [[The List]], presumably for changing sides.
*Also in issue #8, Spinister was revealed to be an exceptional surgeon despite his eccentricities. It seems his talents also extend to ''neuro''surgery, having figured out how to reverse the Roboids' lobotomies with just a quick look.
* That worryingly familiar gear-hieroglyph that appears on both the wall of Grimlock's room and the chests of the mystery robots is the icon seen on the surface of [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]] and on [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]'s map to [[Cyberutopia]] in [[The Sensuous Frame|issue #41]].
*The mystery 'bots, meanwhile, are obviously the owners of the Worldsweeper on which the Scavengers found Grimlock back in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]]. The horrific bio-mechanical sights the Scavengers saw on that ship seem connected to... ''whatever'' is brewing in the pods beneath Demus's office; what little we see shows us an arm that ''looks'' human, but which has some kind of circular, mechanical component embedded in its palm. Their fear that moving the pods will risk "contamination" feels like a reference to the Worldsweeper we saw in that earlier issue, which crashed when organic blood contaminated its fuel supply.
*One of the enigmatic pair notes they have another facility like the one beneath Demus's office in [[Fortuna]]. The ''Lost Light'' visited Fortuna, capital city of [[Scarvix]], in [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issue #40]].

===Transformers references===
*The ''Weak Anthropic Principle'' is described as an exploration vessel that formerly belonged to the Autobots, a reference to the fact it's based on the animation model of the [[Ark (G1)|original Ark]], which certainly fits that description. It's a "model 84", referring, of course, to [[1984]].
*Roadbuster killed Radar while in the throes of the drug [[Syk]], which originally appeared in the Marvel UK story, "[[Secrets (G1)|Secrets]]". James Roberts featured the narcotic in his own works previously in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]".
*The idea that Grimlock was formerly a Decepticon seems to owe something to [[Dreamwave Productions]]' various ''[[War Within (franchise)|War Within]]'' comics, which indicated (but did not explore the story behind the fact) that Grimlock had once been on the 'Con side.
*Red Alert mentions [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]], the 'bot who is typically Fortress Maximus's [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] partner in most Generation 1 stories. If he is stationed on Luna 1 with Red and Max, that suggests he might be a member of the [[Circle of Light]].
*Among the Roboids is a Generation 1 version of [[Nook]] from ''Transformers Animated'', and a [http://adelightfultedium.tumblr.com/post/130214882372/cavisetticon-djw-transformersanimated-cassette Cavisetticon] created by [[Derrick J. Wyatt]].

===Real-life references===
*The "Next:" box at the bottom of the last page reads "stop all the clocks"; these are the first words of the {{w|W. H. Auden}} poem "{{w|Funeral Blues}}", which prominently featured in the [[1994]] film ''{{w|Four Weddings and a Funeral}}''.

===Other trivia===
* This issue arrives just a teeny bit late, shipping in the first week of November, rather than the last week of October.
* If the Scavengers are Brainstorm's contacts rather than any member of the DJD, it is reasonable to assume that Brainstorm-A of the dead Lost Light sent Overlord-A's location to ''them'' in issue #9 to try and prove his loyalty and keep getting parts, and the signal was simply intercepted by the DJD who happened to be present at the time.

===Errors===
*Misfire mutters about taking back his remark about Spinister having trouble with double negatives... but it's actually Crankcase who makes the remark earlier.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghgl-Zy7PCg It's Not Funny Anymore]" by {{w|Babybird}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSuqV9-atWc Living With the Human Machines]" by {{w|Strangelove (band)|Strangelove}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmiRWwAXexY Bowl of Oranges]" by {{w|Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Grimlock tears it up, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Blank cover for sketches, including blue-line art board borders and a small thumbnail sketch of Grimlock by Milne, from inside the issue, in the corner
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Fortress Maximus by [[Nick Roche]]; part of October's series of black-and-white "Artist's Edition" incentive covers.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE46 regcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE46 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE46 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #47
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|#46]]
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 10|#10]]
*''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers|Sins of the Wreckers]]'' [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 1|#1]]
*''[[The Transformers: Punishment|Punishment]]'' motion comic
*IDW ''Samurai Jack'' graphic novels
*''Atomic Robo: The Ring of Fire''
*IDW ''Skylanders: SuperChargers'' comic
*''Walt Disney's Comics and Stores'' 75th Anniversary
*[[Mickey Mouse]] is back in action at IDW!
*IDW ''Transformers'' graphic novel library
*"More than Meets the iPad" - IDW Transformers Comics app
*''Uncle Scrooge: The Grand Canyon Quest" (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/26576-fortress-maximus-is-a-killer-cop-in-transformers-mtmte-46-preview.html Preview]

Animals

2016-05-15T16:28:00Z

Breech Loader: /* Other trivia */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=46
|prev=Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots
|next=The Lopsided Triangle
|image=MTMTE46_regcvr.jpg
|title="Animals"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 4]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=October 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Brian Shearer]], [[John Livesay]], [[John Wycough]], and Alex Milne
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]] and [[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}

'''The Scavengers face down Fortress Maximus to save Grimlock, and learn a little something about helping others in the process.'''

==Synopsis==
Aboard his ship the ''[[Concordat]]'', on approach to [[Tebris VII]], [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] is listening to the paranoid [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] ramble on over the comm about a hidden message he thinks he's found in ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' when he spots the crashed ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]'' on the planet's surface. Red identifies the craft and looks up its owners, unaware that he's reading the [[Autopedia]] articles the Scavengers themselves have vandalized with hyperbolic backstories for themselves, and Max heads down to the planet's surface to confront his original target, [[Demus]].

A short time later, Demus lies dead on the floor of his office, and Maximus places the Scavengers under arrest. [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] succeeds in distracting the Autobot long enough for [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] to blast him, and the Scavengers scatter into the scrapyard outside, hiding amongst the junk. When [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] starts anxiously clicking his "clicker" once again, Misfire finally loses his temper and snatches the device from Krok's hand, revealing it to be not a communicator, but a severed finger. Krok explains that the finger belonged to a member of his old squad named [[Radar]], who was killed alongside the rest of his teammates by the [[Wrecker]]s. Radar turned into a telecommunications array, and while Krok admits that he ''does'' click his finger when nervous, he also does it to use the finger's still-functioning mechanism to scan for Decepticons in the area. He almost always detects none... but today, as he snatches the finger back from Misfire, Krok can see it has detected hundreds of Decepticons all around them. Stalking the Scavengers through the yard, Fortress Maximus calls out to them with an explanation: Demus is actually a slave trader, and his "[[Roboid]]" toys are not toys at all, but lobotomized Cybertronians trapped in a beast-mode and sold as "torture dolls" to organic races to take their frustrations out on.

To get Maximus off their backs, Crankcase radios Misfire to express concern for [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], deliberately allowing Max to hear him in hopes that Grimlock will be considered a more important target. Red Alert confirms Grimlock's presence, and Max heads off to investigate, leaving the Scavengers to pull themselves together. [[Fulcrum]] is annoyed that Krok has never told them about the fate of his old squad before, but Krok retorts that they took neither his depression, nor the self-delusion that his squad was still alive that he once labored under, seriously. ''That'', Krok tells them, is why he wanted Demus's money: he planned to use it to build a treatment center for those Cybertronians like himself, who are suffering from various mental disorders as a result of the war. Fulcrum calls him out on his hypocrisy—the fact that he was willing to ''sell'' the mentally-disabled Grimlock—and the suitably shamed Krok admits he was letting the ends justify the means. Knowing that Grimlock, as a former [[Garrus-9]] inmate, will be re-arrested by Maximus, Misfire insists they go to his aid, and a repentant Krok agrees. Unable to fly thanks to Demus's inhibitor chips, the Scavengers saddle up some [[Equinoid]] Roboids, and ride out to their ship.
[[File:Equinoids.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|Somewhere there's a MLP joke waiting to happen.]]
The Scavengers arrive to witness Grimlock and Maximus grappling with one another, and manage to talk Max down by explaining that they ''found'' Grimlock in his current condition. Maximus proposes taking him to Luna 1 for help, and Misfire reluctantly agrees, knowing that it is what's best for Grimlock—but [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] objects, suggesting they ask Grimlock himself what he wants. To everyone's surprise, Grimlock is able to stammer out Misfire's name—not that it matters to Maximus, since he's intending to take them ''all'' in anyway. Krok has other ideas: he tells Maximus that he has planted a bomb in Demus's office that will destroy all the Roboids, and, pretending that Radar's finger is a control device, "primes" the non-existent explosive with a single click. He then tosses the finger to Crankcase, who threatens to click it again and detonate the bomb... and thanks to a sudden bout of facial paralysis brought on by his head injuries, he is able to stare Max down without blinking! Unable to take the risk, Max heads back to Demus's office, while the Scavengers quickly depart the planet. Krok, realizing that he is much better off now than he was years ago thanks to the stability and support offered by his friends, has a new plan and purpose for the group: to help other Decepticons the way they have helped each other. Krok plugs radar's finger into the ship's computer, allowing it to detect nearby Decepticons, and the Scavengers are about to head off until Misfire pulls a gun on Krok...

...and one lost game of [[Cybertronian games#Shoot Shoot Bang Bang|Shoot Shoot Bang Bang]] later, Misfire escorts Grimlock back to his wrecked quarters, promising there won't be locks on the door when they rebuild it. Misfire is agog when Grimlock eloquently replies "Thanks. I appreciate it", but when the Dinobot says nothing more, the Decepticon is left with another reminder that there ''is'' something going on inside Grimlock that he can't see. What he also fails to see is what Grimlock has drawn on the wall of his room: a familiar gear-shaped symbol and the message "PREPARE - CONFRONT - REPEL"...

[[File:FortMaxCuddles.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Aww, the widdle maniac enforcer just wanted cuddles.]]
Aboard the ''Concordant'', Maximus contacts [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] to tell him about the day's events. Rung advises him to rethink his approach to peace-keeping: times have changed, and the Scavengers are now the rule, rather than the exception, when it comes to Decepticons. Maximus cannot deny it, especially since Spinister left him instructions on how to reverse the brain-damage to the Roboids, who now surround him on his ship.

Two hours later, at Demus's now-abandoned junkyard, a Decepticon [[Worldsweeper]] arrives, piloted by Demus's mystery co-conspirators. The two robots open a hatchway to a hidden chamber beneath Demus's office, containing rows of strange pods inside which ''something'' is growing. One suggests moving the operation, but the other refuses, warning that to do so threatens their ability to meet their deadline, and will incur the wrath of the "Grand Architect". As the robot advocates aborting and starting again, they both turn, revealing the gear-like hieroglyph on their chests...

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (1)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (2)
*''[[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]]'' (9)
*''[[Springer (G1)|Springer]]'' (11)
*''[[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]]'' (12)
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (14)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (15)
|c2=
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (3)
*[[Fulcrum]] (4)
*[[Demus]]'s corpse (5)
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (6)
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (7)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (8)
*''[[Radar]]'' (10)
*''[[Gatoraider]]'' (13)
|c4=
*Mystery 'bots (16-17)
}}

==Quotes==

"'''Misfire of Pretendia''' is a debonair sharp shooter who once fired a bullet through a bullet-shaped hole in a slightly larger bullet. Whilst riding a bullet train. Feared and respected by his colleagues, he is credited with introducing Megatron to the world of '''interpretive dance.'''"
:—'''Red Alert''' reads from Misfire's vandalized Autopedia page

"This shouldn't take long." 
"For something that shouldn't take long, you're carrying an awful lot of firepower." 
"The two are connected."
:—'''Fortress Maximus''' and '''Red Alert'''

"Hate to do you out of a '''job''', but our '''"high tech"''' isn't that '''high''' anymore. It's just... tech. About four million years go we stopped '''reaching for the stars''' 'cos we needed both hands to '''beat the crap out of each other.'''"
:—'''Misfire'''

'''Fulcrum:''' "Hey, Krok, what you said just now—about Radar, about your squad. You should've told me earlier." 
'''Krok:''' "For a while I couldn't talk about it at all. In fact for a while I convinced myself that the rest of my squad were still '''out there'''—that they were '''safe.'''" 
'''Misfire:''' "Yeah, Crankcase used to say you were '''nuts.'''" 
'''Krok:''' "See? And people wonder why it's so hard to talk about mental health." 
'''Misfire:''' "Hey, I'm a paragon of sensitivity." 
'''Krok:''' "It's not just the '''labeling'''—it's the '''distancing'''. It's this idea that experiencing mental illness marks you out as '''bad''' different. Show me someone who '''hasn't''' been affected by all the fighting. Show me someone who's "normal" and I'll show you someone who knows how to hide things. We are our brains. Subject this ball of circuitry to four million years of '''war''' and '''hate''' and '''pain''' and '''death''' and '''loss''' and '''grief''' and don't be surprised if it has to find new ways to cope with the stress. People should be more understanding. That's what I was going to do with my half a billion—build a '''treatment center''' for '''vulnerable Decepticons.''' Because there are a lot of people out there who are only just about holding it together."

"I've spent years comparing myself with Decepticons who've done well for themselves—people like '''Agonizer''' and '''Skullcruncher'''. Today I realized that y'know what? '''I've''' done well. For a while I was a '''mess'''. My squad had died. I was directionless, I was '''delusional'''... I got better thanks to you guys. Even when I've made bad decisions, you've given me '''stability''' and '''support''' and—and '''companionship'''... and maybe it's time we gave those things to other Decepticons." 
"What you're descirbing sounds suspiciously like '''helping people.'''" 
"I know. Because guess what? I think we'd be pretty good at it."
:—'''Krok''' and '''Crankcase'''

"Y'know, Grimsy, sometimes you remind me of Spinister. Every now and then you'll say something that makes me think there's a lot more going on in there than we realize. More than '''you''' realize, too. Guess all I can do is be patient, pay attention... and see what you do next."
:—'''Misfire'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Like Fortress Maximus, Red Alert was last seen in [[The Sound of Breaking Glass|issue #21]], in which he elected to stay on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] with Maximus.
*Red Alert mentions that the Scavengers supplied [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] with spare parts, indicating he is the Autobot "contact" that Misfire mentioned last issue. This is likely also intended to indicate that Misfire was Brainstorm's Decepticon "handler," spoken of in [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issue #40]], whom he supplied with information in exchange for parts for his time machine.
*The Scavengers were previously established to get their kicks by vandalizing Autopedia last issue issue. Clearly the admins of Autopedia aren't particularly speedy when it comes to reverting edits...
*Crankcase makes reference to [[Killmaster]], a super-powerful Decepticon mentioned occasionally throughout ''More than Meets the Eye''.
*Fortress Maximus's pose and placement on page 3 hearken back to page 3 of [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]], where he had similarly brutalized a 'con (or two) following a long absence and a dramatic return in the [[Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots|preceding]] [[Life After the Big Bang|issue.]]
*Fortress Maximus's involvement in the [[Simanzi Massacre]] is mentioned, something we heard about before in [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*Krok describes Radar's death at the hands of the Wreckers—specifically, Roadbuster, who tore out his spine and "made him eat it"—as "a terrible affair." The use of the term "affair" isn't random; Roberts [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/656957570490474497 noted on Twitter] before this issue's release that it would feature "a specific link [to] [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]] - a *tiny* loose end that's taken nearly six years to tie up." This indicates that the incident was the mysterious "[[Roadbuster affair]]" mentioned in that issue.
**This is also our first look at Roadbuster's extreme brutality, which we soon see more of in ''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers|Sins of the Wreckers]]''. This is possibly a subtle setup!
*In the same flashback sequence, Krok is seen wielding [[Gatoraider]], who was alluded to by [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]] as Krok's "dead pet" in the previous issue.
*Fortress Maximus says that Grimlock is "a 'Con again". We don't know the full story behind this, but way back in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]], a flashback montage featured an image of Grimlock staring down at his hands, an Autobot insignia in one, a Decepticon insignia in the other, indicating that there had been a moment in his past when he had been forced to choose between the two factions. In [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]] Tarn confirmed Grimlock has a spot on [[The List]], presumably for changing sides.
*Also in issue #8, Spinister was revealed to be an exceptional surgeon despite his eccentricities. It seems his talents also extend to ''neuro''surgery, having figured out how to reverse the Roboids' lobotomies with just a quick look.
* That worryingly familiar gear-hieroglyph that appears on both the wall of Grimlock's room and the chests of the mystery robots is the icon seen on the surface of [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]] and on [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]'s map to [[Cyberutopia]] in [[The Sensuous Frame|issue #41]].
*The mystery 'bots, meanwhile, are obviously the owners of the Worldsweeper on which the Scavengers found Grimlock back in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]]. The horrific bio-mechanical sights the Scavengers saw on that ship seem connected to... ''whatever'' is brewing in the pods beneath Demus's office; what little we see shows us an arm that ''looks'' human, but which has some kind of circular, mechanical component embedded in its palm. Their fear that moving the pods will risk "contamination" feels like a reference to the Worldsweeper we saw in that earlier issue, which crashed when organic blood contaminated its fuel supply.
*One of the enigmatic pair notes they have another facility like the one beneath Demus's office in [[Fortuna]]. The ''Lost Light'' visited Fortuna, capital city of [[Scarvix]], in [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issue #40]].

===Transformers references===
*The ''Weak Anthropic Principle'' is described as an exploration vessel that formerly belonged to the Autobots, a reference to the fact it's based on the animation model of the [[Ark (G1)|original Ark]], which certainly fits that description. It's a "model 84", referring, of course, to [[1984]].
*Roadbuster killed Radar while in the throes of the drug [[Syk]], which originally appeared in the Marvel UK story, "[[Secrets (G1)|Secrets]]". James Roberts featured the narcotic in his own works previously in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]".
*The idea that Grimlock was formerly a Decepticon seems to owe something to [[Dreamwave Productions]]' various ''[[War Within (franchise)|War Within]]'' comics, which indicated (but did not explore the story behind the fact) that Grimlock had once been on the 'Con side.
*Red Alert mentions [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]], the 'bot who is typically Fortress Maximus's [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] partner in most Generation 1 stories. If he is stationed on Luna 1 with Red and Max, that suggests he might be a member of the [[Circle of Light]].
*Among the Roboids is a Generation 1 version of [[Nook]] from ''Transformers Animated'', and a [http://adelightfultedium.tumblr.com/post/130214882372/cavisetticon-djw-transformersanimated-cassette Cavisetticon] created by [[Derrick J. Wyatt]].

===Real-life references===
*The "Next:" box at the bottom of the last page reads "stop all the clocks"; these are the first words of the {{w|W. H. Auden}} poem "{{w|Funeral Blues}}", which prominently featured in the [[1994]] film ''{{w|Four Weddings and a Funeral}}''.

===Other trivia===
* This issue arrives just a teeny bit late, shipping in the first week of November, rather than the last week of October.
* If the Scavengers are Brainstorm's contacts rather than any member of the DJD, it is reasonable to assume that Brainstorm-A of the dead Lost Light sent Overlord-A's location to ''them'' to try and prove his loyalty and keep getting parts, and the signal was simply intercepted by the DJD who happened to be present at the time.

===Errors===
*Misfire mutters about taking back his remark about Spinister having trouble with double negatives... but it's actually Crankcase who makes the remark earlier.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghgl-Zy7PCg It's Not Funny Anymore]" by {{w|Babybird}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSuqV9-atWc Living With the Human Machines]" by {{w|Strangelove (band)|Strangelove}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmiRWwAXexY Bowl of Oranges]" by {{w|Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Grimlock tears it up, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Blank cover for sketches, including blue-line art board borders and a small thumbnail sketch of Grimlock by Milne, from inside the issue, in the corner
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Fortress Maximus by [[Nick Roche]]; part of October's series of black-and-white "Artist's Edition" incentive covers.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE46 regcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE46 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE46 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #47
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|#46]]
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 10|#10]]
*''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers|Sins of the Wreckers]]'' [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 1|#1]]
*''[[The Transformers: Punishment|Punishment]]'' motion comic
*IDW ''Samurai Jack'' graphic novels
*''Atomic Robo: The Ring of Fire''
*IDW ''Skylanders: SuperChargers'' comic
*''Walt Disney's Comics and Stores'' 75th Anniversary
*[[Mickey Mouse]] is back in action at IDW!
*IDW ''Transformers'' graphic novel library
*"More than Meets the iPad" - IDW Transformers Comics app
*''Uncle Scrooge: The Grand Canyon Quest" (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/26576-fortress-maximus-is-a-killer-cop-in-transformers-mtmte-46-preview.html Preview]

Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet

2016-05-15T15:57:10Z

Breech Loader: /* Real-life references */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=37
|prev=Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays
|next=Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide
|image=MTMTE37 regcvr.jpg
|title="Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[February 4]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=January 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]] [[Josh Burcham]] (pgs 7–8)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}

'''Rodimus's team continues their pursuit of Brainstorm through time, only to find that they are more involved in past events than expected—and that Brainstorm's goal is not what they believed it to be.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s team has followed [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] back to [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]]-era [[Rodion]], and have spread out to search for the rogue scientist. While Rodimus watches for [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] at the police station alongside [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], he checks in with the others: [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] is surveying the city from his position on an airship; the bored [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] is watching the waterways; a nervous [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] is riding the rails to avoid the risk of running into his past self; and [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] look down on the city from a nearby cliff. Emotionally moved by the sight of the pristine planet, unblemished by war, to the point that he is struck dumb, Cyclonus doesn't respond to Rodimus, so Tailgate takes the communicator and quickly makes up a story about having set down for repairs. After a moment of silence, Cyclonus apologizes to Tailgate for physically abusing him in the past.

Rodimus then calls [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], who expresses concern over the fact that Rewind's database is being overwritten, as it implies that Brainstorm's alteration to the timeline may have already happened, or is destined to. As such, if they cannot stop him, Perceptor must dismantle the time machine to undo the paradox, warning that many things could "go wrong". Reminded by those words that he had forgotten about [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], Rodimus contacts the psychotherapist, who is staking out [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's New Oil House]]. Unfortunately, Brainstorm is also watching the bar, and when he spots Rung building a model of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', he realizes that he has been followed back in time and abandons his plans. Brainstorm's flight is spotted by Rewind, and Cyclonus gives chase, but just before he can land a missile-hit, Brainstorm's [[time case|briefcase]] activates and he time-jumps away. At Perceptor's instruction, the team regroups at Maccadam's, and he sends them after their quarry.

Arriving one year further in the past, in 4th Cycle 499, the team are contacted by Perceptor and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], who believe that Maccadam's is important, and that the deductions they made about Brainstorm's plans may have been hasty. Accordingly, the group splits in two: Chromedome, Rewind, and Whirl head for the police station while the rest remain at the bar. But Brainstorm has gone to neither, and is, in fact, at a wellbeing clinic several miles away, where he ambushes and knocks out the Rung of the past...

Later at the police station again, Chromedome and Rewind spend time stargazing, but Rewind is preoccupied with thoughts of the unknown fate of [[Dominus Ambus]]. He proposes using the time-case to finally discover what befell his former [[Conjunx Endura]], but Chromedome worries that he will want to change history and save Dominus's life, which would mean that his and Rewind's relationship would never happen. Before they can discuss those unfortunate ramifications too deeply, Whirl alerts them to the arrival of his own past self at the station. This day being so important in his life, Whirl is able to recognize the 'nobody' he's bringing in as being [[Crossbar]], and then realizes what specific day it is — the day [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] is arrested.

Back at Maccadam's, the rest of the team watch the younger Megatron and [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] sitting at a nearby table. When Rung goes to fetch a [[curly straw]] for Tailgate, however, he accidentally knocks over a jumped-up cadet's drink, and winds up being thrown into Megatron and Impactor's table when he refuses to clean up the mess. This instigates the famous bar-room brawl that leads to Megatron's arrest, and as the ''Lost Light''ers make themselves scarce, Brainstorm, looking on from outside, grimaces at the realization his attempt to prevent it by incapacitating the past-Rung has failed.

A few hours later, at the police station, after Megatron has been arrested and subsequently released by Pax, the [[senate]]'s goon squad arrives for payback and kills officers [[Springarm]] and [[Wheelarch]]. Chromedome refuses to let Rewind intervene, regrettably understanding that history must be preserved, but is too slow to stop the deranged Whirl leaping into the fray when three new thugs come stomping up—including the [[Heavies]], who destroyed Whirl's life when they wrecked his watchmaking business. Hungry for revenge, Whirl takes the two huge 'bots down with violent ease; Chromedome intervenes before he can kill them, reminding Whirl that they ''have'' to live, so that Chromedome can have his own encounter with them in a year's time. Whirl justifies his actions by explaining his history with the Heavies... a history which is then elaborated upon by Hammer, who tells Whirl that the pair acted on the orders of the [[Functionist Council]], who wanted him punished him for abandoning his assigned job in the Aerial Corps, and who were also responsible for his later [[empurata]]. With icy detachment, Whirl vents his rage by shooting the third 'bot, who is unfamiliar to him, but whom he deems guilty by association.

Back in the present, on the ''Lost Light'', Perceptor discovers that time has ceased to flow in all other parts of the universe, indicating the imminent collapse of the original timeline. Studying the dates Rodimus's team has travelled to, Megatron realizes that they have been working on a flawed principle: the dates correspond to major events in ''Megatron's'' life, not Orion Pax's. It is Megatron's life that Brainstorm is trying to unmake... and even as Ultra Magnus's internal criminal database is overwritten, and Megatron disappears from his records, in the past, Brainstorm appears at the moment of Megatron's creation, and levels his weapons at the once and future Decepticon leader's half-built form...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (1)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (2)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (3)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (5)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (6)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (8)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (9)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (11)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (14)

|c2=
*[[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] (15)

|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Proteus]] (4, billboard)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (7)
*[[Quark]] (12)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (13)
*"[[Streaker]]" and "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]" (16, 18)
*[[Sherma]]'s body (17)
*[[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]] (19)
*[[Crossbar]] (20)
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (21)
*Cadets (22-23)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]? (24)
*Senate thugs (25, 28, 30)
*[[Wheelarch]]'s head (26)
*[[Springarm]] (27)
*[[Heavies|Anvil]] (29)
*[[Heavies|Hammer]] (31)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"You said the station was always busy. You said—" 
"I '''said''' it was a '''non-stop cop shop'''. An' I only said '''that''' 'cos it '''rhymed'''." 
"I can't tell if you're joking." 
"Welcome to the club."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Whirl'''

''Tailgate, after taking the communicator from Cyclonus and covering for his silence to Rodimus:'' 
"Is it the time travel? 'Cos I'm only just wrapping my head around it myself. I mean, '''think about it''': I'm somewhere out there right now, buried underground. Me! Underground! Right now! Me! The way I see it, you just have to accept what's happening as something that's... happening. And I think that's true of so many things in life." 
"It's beautiful." 
"Oh! Rodion." 
"Cybertron." 
"Yes, well, umm..drink it in, I guess." 
"It's been so '''long'''. So long since I saw it as it '''should''' be seen." 
''Both stare at the beauty of the city, then Cyclonus glances down at Tailgate'' 
"I'm sorry." 
"Noted." 

"No offense, but you couldn't draw attention to yourself if you '''tried'''. Even '''mirrors''' ignore you."
:—'''Rodimus''', to Rung

"Okay, as entrances go, that was only '''slightly''' less conspicuous than projecting "'''Your Attention Please'''" on a mushroom cloud."
:—'''Chromedome''' on the team's arrival in 4th Cycle 499

"Rodimus? It's Ultra Magnus speaking." 
"Listen, whatever I've done, it was an accident and I'm sorry." 
"The '''big picture:''' Brainstorm trying to kill Pax. We drew it at speed because we '''had to'''. But the more we look at it, the less it makes sense." 
"Magnus, the '''last''' thing I want to do is dissuade you from exploring the power of metaphor, but I really don't have the remotest idea what you're talking about."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus'''

'''Rodimus:''' "The back door's this way. No one make eye contact with anybody. Especially not you, Tailgate." 
'''Tailgate:''' "Why especially not me?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "Because you've got one of those faces." 
'''Tailgate:''' "What's wrong with my face?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "It's basically a '''punch magnet.'''" 
'''Tailgate:''' "So '''rude!''' Cyclonus, did you hear that?" 
'''Cyclonus:''' "No. Was it about your face?"

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*''The Custom-Made Now'' is the third part of a trilogy of flashback stories, following ''Chaos Theory'' and ''Shadowplay''.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 36:00 to 36:07</ref>
*The first time period our heroes jump to is that of the first chapter of the "Shadowplay" trilogy, from [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], while the second is that of the first part of "Chaos Theory", from [[Chaos Theory Part 1|issue #21]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing series]]. Two pages from each issue are reprinted in context.
*The billboard-airship that Rewind hitches a lift on was seen in issue #9, and can be seen again in the reprinted pages.
*Cyclonus apologises for kicking Tailgate back in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
*We get another look at "Magnus-vision", the way Magnus sees the world around him, seen before in [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|the 2012 annual]].
*As Brainstorm flies away from Maccadam's, we see two 'bots carrying a body along the bridge below him. The corpse is that of [[Sherma|Senator Sherma]], who is about to be hung from the bridge, as we saw in issue #9; logically, it would follow that the two 'bots carrying it are the unnamed killers from [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|issue #10]], before their [[spark]]s are implanted in the bodies of [[Streaker]] and [[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]].
*Rung has previously been described as a "historical constant" by Rewind in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]], because of his presence at many important points in Cybertronian history. It now appears that this reputation is partly a product of the present-day Rung travelling back in time to these points in time, rather than his just happening to be there in the regular flow of history—we find out this issue that the Rung who appeared in the past sequences in "Chaos Theory" and "Shadowplay" were both the present-day Rung, in turn validating last issue's implication that the actions Rodimus's team are taking are and were always part of the timeline they knew.
*In-keeping with that, now we know why Rung didn't have any memory of the bar-room brawl when Megatron brought it up back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]] - for him, it hadn't happened yet.
*Previously, issue 9's scene of Rung assembling a model of the ''Lost Light'' seemed to imply a history to the ship, which was further hinted at when Nightbeat appeared to recognize the vessel in [[...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|''Dark Cybertron Finale'']]. Now we understand that Nightbeat was remembering the model and recognizing its anachronistic nature.
*Past-Rung's scooter is his wheeled backpack, which we learned was a separate attachment back in [[Little Victories|issue #22]].
*The song that past-Rung whistles as Brainstorm ambushes him is "[[The Empyrean Suite]]", the enigmatic piece of music with sinister connotations of which we are not yet aware, previously mentioned in issues [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]] and [[The Gloaming|#16]]. The notes in Rung's speech balloon match those when Swerve played the tune in #16.
*Chromedome and Rewind stargaze, imagining constellations in the shape of Prowl being beaten up, a habit of theirs mentioned in issue #16.
*Rewind brings up his and [[Dominus Ambus]]'s search for [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], originally discussed in [[Before & After|issue #12]].
*Rung groans "always the head" after he gets clobbered, hearkening back to the grave cranial injuries he took in [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*When the police arrive to break up the bar fight, the vehicle they arrive in appears to be [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]], or at least a 'bot with his [[alternate mode]]. The policebots themselves share a [[body-type]] with [[Springarm]] and [[Wheelarch]].
*The Heavies and their history with Whirl were originally introduced in issue #6. Chromedome's encounter with them took place in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]], in which they, [[Kroma]] and [[Macabre]] raided the police station in order to capture [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Senator Shockwave]]. In the issue, [[Kroma]] noted in passing that Shockwave's whereabouts had been revealed through a tip-off from parties unknown; the Heavies go conspicuously ''un''-mindwiped at the end of this story, and hear Chromedome tell Whirl about the attack and Shockwave's presence. Could ''they'' have been the source of the information?
*Whirl kills the Heavies' unnamed cohort (who we've never seen before, for retroactively obvious reasons) with the curious weapon he took from Brainstorm's armory last issue.
*We learn that last issue's events, in 1st Cycle 502, took place on the same day as [[Megatron Origin issue 1|''Megatron Origin'' #1]].
*Though he has always been unforthcoming about his origins, we know that Megatron, as a [[Point One Percenter]], should have a green spark, but the one seen inside his half-built frame on the final page of this issue is the traditional blue. However, we ''very'' much doubt that's an error...

===Transformers references===
*Rodimus keeps his eye on the Rodion police station using a telescopic visor that slides down out of his helmet over his eyes, just like the one he used to zoom in on the captured shuttle in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
*A generic working the waterway is colored like [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]].
*The train track that Chromedome rides is labelled "C-131", the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|Japanese ID number]] of [[Raiden]], combined form of the [[Trainbot|''TRAIN''bots]].

===Real-life references===
* This issue's title, "Stet", is a Latin word meaning "let it stand", used in proofreading to indicate that a previously-marked change is to be ignored, much like Brainstorm's attempts to change time.
* When trying to recall Quark's name, Rung believes it might be "{{w|QWERTY|Qwerty}}", after the most common modern-day keyboard layout.
*The address of Rung's wellbeing clinic is NX-74205, the registry number of the [[wikia:c:memoryalpha:USS Defiant (2370)|USS ''Defiant'']] on ''[[Star Trek|Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]''.
* To add even more to the image of [[Jesus]] established in #21 of this series in which he's literally crucified for the sins of others, Rodimus refers to the past in which he was not born yet as P.R: Pre-Rodimus, similar to how we refer to everything that happened before year 1 as B.C: Before Christ.
* The reprint of ''Chaos Theory'' and ''Shadowplay'' scenes was inspired by ''Back To The Future Part II'', which showed scenes from the first film from a different angle. Roberts has said this story is the most self-referential the comic will get, and he was conscious that showing the origin of the Sparkeater and the ship might be skirting the line.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 50:10 to 51:11</ref>
* Rung's encounter with the barflies in Maccaddam's reflects a scene in ''Back To The Future Part III''. Rung agrees to replace the barflies' drinks but refuses to clean up the spill, whereas Doc Cotton agrees to re-shoe Tannen's horse but refuses to replace his liquor. Both events lead to the alteration of time itself.

===Errors===
*The credits on the inside front cover mistakenly claim that the reprinted pages of Megatron and Rung's bar-room escapades are from [[Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|issue #20]] of the ongoing, rather than #22.
*On the same page, Kotteri's variant cover (see below) is listed as a "30th Anniversary cover", but the 30th anniversary is over; per the [[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|''The Transformers'' #37]], the third variant should be back to being a "retailer incentive" cover.
*The bar brawl and Megatron's arrest are dated here to 4th Cycle 499; issue #28 previously gave a date of 4th Cycle 496 for those same events.
*On page 5, panel 5 Percy is missing his microscope mount.

===Other trivia===
[[Image:Stet WhirlPreEmpurataFlashback.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|right|You're broken… I can fix it.]]
*Originally intended for release in January 2015, month-long delays afflicting multiple IDW titles saw this issue pushed to the first week of February.
*The pages reprinted from previous issues are included in addition to the regular 22 pages of story, making for a 26-page story.
*This issue features the first visible instance of Whirl's original, pre-Empurata face.
*Roberts had vaguely planned for a "Let's Kill Hitler" time-travel story for ages but Megatron becoming captain turned it into a more "multi-layered" story.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 43:20 to 44:10</ref>
* Nightbeat mentions that 'some lunatic', an Ex-Primal Vanguard with integrated weapons shot up a [[Relinquishment Clinic]] in {{Apophenia}}. ''Whirl'' is ex-Primal Vanguard at the time of the story, and while his present self is in prison, his future self is aware that Relinquishment Clinics were a cover for the Institute...
{{-}}

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WMjwlRhjGY Where Damage Isn't Already Done]" by {{w|The Radio Dept.}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPUrWmajIP4 The Certainty of Chance]" by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2NaqB_aVgI The Psychiatrist Is In]" from {{w|God Help the Girl}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaxpAhDPboI A Europewide Search for Love]" by {{w|Ballboy (band)|Ballboy}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Impactor, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' The Heavies, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Skids, Cyclonus, and a glum Tailgate enjoy a drink, by [[Kotteri]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE37 regcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE37 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE37 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #38
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|#37]]
*''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|Drift - Empire of Stone]]'' [[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|#3]]
*''Machi Koro'' (back cover)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://tformers.com/comics-preview-the-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-issue-37/25786/news.html Preview]

Holomatter

2016-05-05T13:51:46Z

Breech Loader: /* Other */

:''Holomatter is a technology from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Ratchet Holomatter.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Please state the nature of the [[Pīpō|medical emergency]].]]
'''Holomatter''' is a solid-light projection technology, used by [[Autobot]]s operating on alien worlds. Holomatter projectors can create projected facsimiles of native species which are too small or [[Human|fleshy]] for the Autobots to mimic with their mechanical [[Alternate mode|altmodes]]. The avatar isn't just a friendly image to fool human beings; it's also the Autobot equivalent of a remotely operated vehicle, allowing Autobots to go places and perform actions that would otherwise be prevented by their size and the need to camouflage their true identities. Having an avatar in a location is like the Autobot being there himself. An avatar can function up to at least 400 miles away from the controlling Autobot, even when separated by solid walls.

The avatar is created and maintained by "holomatter generators". They can cause the avatar to blink into sudden existence with no warning. Holomatter avatars can be intangible, or as solid as a real object. Much like Pretender shells before them, holomatter avatars carry a strong connection to the consciousness of its generating Autobot. Damage to the avatar can cause severe impairment to the controlling Autobot if their consciousness is not withdrawn in time. Holomatter disguises are also limited by their operator's understanding of the lifeform they mimic.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
All the Autobots operating covertly on Earth used holomatter avatars to act as their [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] drivers. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration #1}} Through a lack of understanding of humans, the holomatter avatars of the Autobots wore a fixed smile which their human friends found creepy, and the male Autobots [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] had female avatars. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}}

[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] was able to deliver a massive electrical surge at very close range through his holomatter avatar. This was powerful enough to stun [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], though at the cost of burning out Ratchet's holomatter generators. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}}

After Optimus Prime arrived on Earth, Hunter gave the Autobots a "crash course in Earth culture"; Jazz noted that the Autobots never realized that humans found the smiles of their avatars disturbing. After this, the Autobots' holomatter avatars became much more expressive. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

In a [[Psycho-Prism]] fueled battle between Autobots and [[Avengers]], Bumblebee used his avatar to distract [[Luke Cage]]. [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]] was not fooled since the holomatter projection gave off no scent. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} After that misunderstanding was resolved, vehicle mode Autobots used their holomatter avatars to carry on conversations with the Avengers and [[Doctor Doom]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two|Man and Machine, Parts Two,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three|Three,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four|and Four}}

Holomatter could be detected by devices called "holomatter readers", which the [[Machination]] possessed. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} Ironhide's avatar was capable of lifting [[Verity Carlo]] and [[Jimmy Pink]] at the same time, and he could increase the size of his avatar to over 9' (3m) tall so as to manhandle the pair through a hole in the ceiling. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] and [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] used their holomatter avatars to trick [[Sandra (G1)|Sandra]] into coming with them, to help in their investigation of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|Only Forward}}

Ratchet used this technology to distract the traitorous [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] during their fight, and used it to retrieve the cure to the [[Red Rust|Red Rust virus]] when Pharma dropped it off Delphi's roof. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] modified the holomatter avatars of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' crew to better reflect their personalities. The avatars were used during a trip to [[Hedonia]] to avoid annoying some of the more mech-unfriendly locals. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Several crew members later used their holomatter avatars to search for [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] on the bartender's projection of Earth. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

The [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] used holomatter avatars to blend in with the natives on [[Magisteria VI]]. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}}

====Known avatars====
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] — Young Hispanic or South Asian woman with headphones.
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] — Brunette white/Hispanic female based on {{w|Lindsay Lohan}}.<ref name=idea>[http://www.protodepot.com/archive/2007_11_01_archive.html Idea: Holomatter Projection]</ref>
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] — Young man of Mediterranean descent in a red sweater, khaki pants, and a white overshirt.
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] — Stern, handsome female Victorian school teacher of Middle Eastern or Indian descent.
*[[Groove (G1)|Groove]] — Police rider.
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus]] — {{w|Steven Seagal}}; later a young, white male with a flame tattoo and {{w|Marty McFly}}'s outfit (with the addition of an [[Autobot]] t-shirt and minus most of the sleeves).
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] — Older "military brass-type" white male with silver hair and mustache in a gray suit.
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] — Young black male in a black suit.
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] — Scarred, elderly white man resembling a retired super-villain. Wears a long coat and a skull belt buckle (and initially featuring a cane with a [[Decepticon]] insignia).
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] — White woman with short, auburn hair and wearing a tool belt and goggles around her neck.
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] — {{w|Idris Elba}} as {{w|Luther (TV series)|Luther}}.
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] — Well-built-and-bearded trucker modelled after {{w|Ulysses S. Grant}}.<ref name=idea/>
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] — "Federal agent"-type: Red hair, receding hairline, middle-aged white male with dark sunglasses and a gray suit. In short: Horatio Caine. Later, in Police Action, Prowl used a younger looking police officer with brown hair and sunglasses.
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] — Blond middle-aged, sightly hefty white male. Wears EMT uniform (without jacket).
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] — Blonde haired young man with a camera and a T-shirt for {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}.
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] — A tall, thin bespectacled man with graying hair, wearing an orange formal suit and cap, later a short, thin, ginger-haired bespectacled man in orange Victorian dress.
*[[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] — at least three of the team had avatars resembling inhabitants of [[Magisteria VI]].
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] — {{w|Matt Smith}} as the [[Doctor|Eleventh Doctor]]; later {{w|Christopher Eccleston}} as the [[Doctor|Ninth Doctor]].
*[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] — A police man.
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] — Blonde female; after becoming a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], his avatar is [[Hunter O'Nion]].
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] — A short, rotund male "surfer" wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, sandals, and wraparound sunglasses.
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] — An infant; later a female toddler with white hair.
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] — Various, including a [[Nebulan]] scientist & security guard (he switches avatars during the story), and a copy of [[Verity Carlo]].
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] — Balding "mad scientist"-type older white male with blond/white hair, glasses, goatee.
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] — A young girl with an eyepatch, a missing front tooth and two Mac-10 machine pistols; later a slightly older, more punk-influenced version of the former, with twin-pronged eyebrows, a few band-aids, and various "edgy" accessories.

<gallery>
File:Bluestreak Avatar.jpg|Bluestreak
File:Bumblebeeholomatter.jpg|Bumblebee
File:Groove_avatar.PNG|Groove
File:Hotrodholomatter.jpg|Hot Rod
File:Ironhide avatar.PNG|Ironhide
File:Jazz avatar.PNG|Jazz
File:Primeholomatter.jpg|Optimus Prime
File:Prowl avatar.PNG|Prowl
File:Ratchetholomatter.jpg|Ratchet
File:MTMTE13 Rewind's holomatter avatar.jpg|Rewind
File:CybertronianHomesickBlues-SkidsRung.jpg|Skids and Rung
File:Magisteria vi some of my best friends are autobots.jpg|Scavengers
File:Streetwise_avatar.PNG|Streetwise
File:Sunstreaker avatar.PNG|Sunstreaker
File:Huntstreaker.jpg|Sunstreaker/Hunter
File:MtMtE13-BabyTailgate.jpg|Tailgate
File:SpotlightUltraMagnus_MagnusHoloavatar.jpg|Ultra Magnus (Nebulan)
File:MtMtE13-VerityMagnus.jpg|Ultra Magnus (Verity Carlo)
File:Wheeljack avatar.PNG|Wheeljack
File:Whirlholomatter.jpg|Whirl
</gallery>

===Live-action film series continuity===
The Decepticons [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] maintained their ruse of being human-driven vehicles by using a holographic pilot or driver known as [[Moustache Man]]. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] created a holo-driver for himself in the likeness of [[Peter Cullen]]. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}}

<gallery>
File:Movie MustacheMan.jpg|Blackout, Barricade, Starscream
File:AllianceOptimusHoloDriver.jpg|Optimus Prime (Movie)
</gallery>

===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
[[Strongarm (Cybertron)|Strongarm]] was equipped with a holomatter projector.<ref>[http://www.transformersclub.com/ Official Transformers Collectors' Club site] members' section, Micro-Sized Online! Mini-Con Profiles, 3/02/07</ref>

===Ask Vector Prime===
The [[Thirteen]] and the [[Guiding Hand]] visited Earth in the days of ancient [[Greece]], utilizing holomatter to interact with the humans while the Thirteen themselves sat at the top of [[w:Mount Olympus|a mountain]] since Earth technology at the time was not developed enough for them to be able to assume inconspicuous disguises. Their presence on Earth inspired the legends of the [[w:Twelve Olympians|Twelve Olympians]]. [[Vector Prime]] presented himself as [[w:Hermes|Hermes]]; [[Prima]] as [[w:Zeus|Zeus]]; [[Onyx Prime|Onyx]] as [[w:Artemis|Artemis]]; [[Last Autobot|Autonomous Maximus]] as [[w:Apollo|Apollo]]; [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] as [[w:Ares|Ares]]; [[Nexus Prime|Nexus Maximus]] as [[w:Hera|Hera]]; [[Liege Maximo|Liege]] as [[w:Aphrodite|Aphrodite]]; [[Solus Prime]] as [[w:Hephaestus|Hephaestus]]; [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] as [[w:Athena|Athena]]; and [[Alchemist Prime]] as [[w:Dionysus|Dionysus]]; [[Epistemus]] as [[w:Demeter|Demeter]]; [[Adaptus]] as [[w:Poseidon|Poseidon]]; and [[Mortilus]] as [[w:Hades|Hades]].

Vector Prime sometimes had difficulty finding depictions of himself and his fellow Olympians that did not trip the [[Axiom Nexus Auto-Censors]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

<gallery>
File:Hermes.jpg|Vector Prime
File:Prima's Holomatter Avatar Zeus.jpg|Prima
File:AutonomousApolloAVPHolomatter.jpg|Autonomous Maximus
File: OnyxArtemisAVPHolomatter.jpg|Onyx Prime
File:AphroditeLiegeMaximoAVP.jpg|Liege Maximo
File:HephaestusSolusPrimeAVP.jpg|Solus Prime
File:DionysusAlchemistPrimeAVP.jpg|Alchemist Prime
File:DemeterEpistemusAVP.jpg|Epistemus
File:AresMegatronusAVP.jpg|Megatronus
File:HeraNexusPrimeAVP.jpg|Nexus Prime (right) with Prima
File:PoseidonAdaptusAVP.jpg|Adaptus
File:HadesMortilusAVP.jpg|Mortilus
File:AthenaAlphaTrionAVP.jpg|Alpha Trion
</gallery>

==Other==

There are multiple other ways that Transformers have been portrayed as human, whether being ''turned into'' humans, or less imaginative avatars that just give the impression of a driver.

* [[Arcee]]: Turned into a human in G1, an attractive blonde woman with her hair in a bun, who hastily donned pink dungarees and lighter pink under clothes.
** In [[Transformers Prime]] she sometimes activated an image of a shapely female whose body and face were entirely obscured by black leather motorcycle gear and a helmet.
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]: A small african-american child of about ten years old with a yellow baseball cap with horns, and yellow school-clothes and a backpack.
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead:]] An extremely broad, almost seven foot jock-style teenager with dark-blond hair.
* [[Optimus_Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]: A brown-haired, slightly greyed, well-chinned man in a red jacket that closely resembled his robot chassis, blue pants and black shoes.
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]: A middle-aged cop wearing black motorcycle gear, shades and a well-groomed moustache.
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]: A greyed, elderly man with stubble and a strong paunch dressed in red and white with red circles on the shoulders. It is clearly intended to appear to be a paramedic's uniform, despite having no actual resemblance to modern paramedics.
* [[Rodimus Prime (G1)]]: A blue-eyed, brown-haired young man who wore red dungarees, a yellow t-shirt and white gloves.
* [[Springer (G1)]]: A blue-eyed, darker-brown haired young man who wore green dungarees and a green t-shirt with yellow accents.
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)]]: An still-aging, rather greying man wearing blue dungarees and a red t-shirt on top of a white shirt.

==Trivia==
*Holomatter bears a resemblance to the [[solid light simulation]]s from the Marvel comics, also created by Simon Furman, based on TV show 'Red Dwarf'.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cybertron technology]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 technology]]
[[Category:Movie technology]]

Holomatter

2016-05-05T13:36:12Z

Breech Loader: /* Known avatars */

:''Holomatter is a technology from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Ratchet Holomatter.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Please state the nature of the [[Pīpō|medical emergency]].]]
'''Holomatter''' is a solid-light projection technology, used by [[Autobot]]s operating on alien worlds. Holomatter projectors can create projected facsimiles of native species which are too small or [[Human|fleshy]] for the Autobots to mimic with their mechanical [[Alternate mode|altmodes]]. The avatar isn't just a friendly image to fool human beings; it's also the Autobot equivalent of a remotely operated vehicle, allowing Autobots to go places and perform actions that would otherwise be prevented by their size and the need to camouflage their true identities. Having an avatar in a location is like the Autobot being there himself. An avatar can function up to at least 400 miles away from the controlling Autobot, even when separated by solid walls.

The avatar is created and maintained by "holomatter generators". They can cause the avatar to blink into sudden existence with no warning. Holomatter avatars can be intangible, or as solid as a real object. Much like Pretender shells before them, holomatter avatars carry a strong connection to the consciousness of its generating Autobot. Damage to the avatar can cause severe impairment to the controlling Autobot if their consciousness is not withdrawn in time. Holomatter disguises are also limited by their operator's understanding of the lifeform they mimic.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
All the Autobots operating covertly on Earth used holomatter avatars to act as their [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] drivers. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration #1}} Through a lack of understanding of humans, the holomatter avatars of the Autobots wore a fixed smile which their human friends found creepy, and the male Autobots [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] had female avatars. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}}

[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] was able to deliver a massive electrical surge at very close range through his holomatter avatar. This was powerful enough to stun [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], though at the cost of burning out Ratchet's holomatter generators. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}}

After Optimus Prime arrived on Earth, Hunter gave the Autobots a "crash course in Earth culture"; Jazz noted that the Autobots never realized that humans found the smiles of their avatars disturbing. After this, the Autobots' holomatter avatars became much more expressive. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

In a [[Psycho-Prism]] fueled battle between Autobots and [[Avengers]], Bumblebee used his avatar to distract [[Luke Cage]]. [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]] was not fooled since the holomatter projection gave off no scent. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} After that misunderstanding was resolved, vehicle mode Autobots used their holomatter avatars to carry on conversations with the Avengers and [[Doctor Doom]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two|Man and Machine, Parts Two,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three|Three,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four|and Four}}

Holomatter could be detected by devices called "holomatter readers", which the [[Machination]] possessed. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} Ironhide's avatar was capable of lifting [[Verity Carlo]] and [[Jimmy Pink]] at the same time, and he could increase the size of his avatar to over 9' (3m) tall so as to manhandle the pair through a hole in the ceiling. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] and [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] used their holomatter avatars to trick [[Sandra (G1)|Sandra]] into coming with them, to help in their investigation of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|Only Forward}}

Ratchet used this technology to distract the traitorous [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] during their fight, and used it to retrieve the cure to the [[Red Rust|Red Rust virus]] when Pharma dropped it off Delphi's roof. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] modified the holomatter avatars of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' crew to better reflect their personalities. The avatars were used during a trip to [[Hedonia]] to avoid annoying some of the more mech-unfriendly locals. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Several crew members later used their holomatter avatars to search for [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] on the bartender's projection of Earth. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

The [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] used holomatter avatars to blend in with the natives on [[Magisteria VI]]. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}}

====Known avatars====
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] — Young Hispanic or South Asian woman with headphones.
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] — Brunette white/Hispanic female based on {{w|Lindsay Lohan}}.<ref name=idea>[http://www.protodepot.com/archive/2007_11_01_archive.html Idea: Holomatter Projection]</ref>
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] — Young man of Mediterranean descent in a red sweater, khaki pants, and a white overshirt.
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] — Stern, handsome female Victorian school teacher of Middle Eastern or Indian descent.
*[[Groove (G1)|Groove]] — Police rider.
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus]] — {{w|Steven Seagal}}; later a young, white male with a flame tattoo and {{w|Marty McFly}}'s outfit (with the addition of an [[Autobot]] t-shirt and minus most of the sleeves).
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] — Older "military brass-type" white male with silver hair and mustache in a gray suit.
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] — Young black male in a black suit.
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] — Scarred, elderly white man resembling a retired super-villain. Wears a long coat and a skull belt buckle (and initially featuring a cane with a [[Decepticon]] insignia).
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] — White woman with short, auburn hair and wearing a tool belt and goggles around her neck.
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] — {{w|Idris Elba}} as {{w|Luther (TV series)|Luther}}.
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] — Well-built-and-bearded trucker modelled after {{w|Ulysses S. Grant}}.<ref name=idea/>
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] — "Federal agent"-type: Red hair, receding hairline, middle-aged white male with dark sunglasses and a gray suit. In short: Horatio Caine. Later, in Police Action, Prowl used a younger looking police officer with brown hair and sunglasses.
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] — Blond middle-aged, sightly hefty white male. Wears EMT uniform (without jacket).
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] — Blonde haired young man with a camera and a T-shirt for {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}.
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] — A tall, thin bespectacled man with graying hair, wearing an orange formal suit and cap, later a short, thin, ginger-haired bespectacled man in orange Victorian dress.
*[[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] — at least three of the team had avatars resembling inhabitants of [[Magisteria VI]].
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] — {{w|Matt Smith}} as the [[Doctor|Eleventh Doctor]]; later {{w|Christopher Eccleston}} as the [[Doctor|Ninth Doctor]].
*[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] — A police man.
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] — Blonde female; after becoming a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], his avatar is [[Hunter O'Nion]].
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] — A short, rotund male "surfer" wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, sandals, and wraparound sunglasses.
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] — An infant; later a female toddler with white hair.
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] — Various, including a [[Nebulan]] scientist & security guard (he switches avatars during the story), and a copy of [[Verity Carlo]].
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] — Balding "mad scientist"-type older white male with blond/white hair, glasses, goatee.
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] — A young girl with an eyepatch, a missing front tooth and two Mac-10 machine pistols; later a slightly older, more punk-influenced version of the former, with twin-pronged eyebrows, a few band-aids, and various "edgy" accessories.

<gallery>
File:Bluestreak Avatar.jpg|Bluestreak
File:Bumblebeeholomatter.jpg|Bumblebee
File:Groove_avatar.PNG|Groove
File:Hotrodholomatter.jpg|Hot Rod
File:Ironhide avatar.PNG|Ironhide
File:Jazz avatar.PNG|Jazz
File:Primeholomatter.jpg|Optimus Prime
File:Prowl avatar.PNG|Prowl
File:Ratchetholomatter.jpg|Ratchet
File:MTMTE13 Rewind's holomatter avatar.jpg|Rewind
File:CybertronianHomesickBlues-SkidsRung.jpg|Skids and Rung
File:Magisteria vi some of my best friends are autobots.jpg|Scavengers
File:Streetwise_avatar.PNG|Streetwise
File:Sunstreaker avatar.PNG|Sunstreaker
File:Huntstreaker.jpg|Sunstreaker/Hunter
File:MtMtE13-BabyTailgate.jpg|Tailgate
File:SpotlightUltraMagnus_MagnusHoloavatar.jpg|Ultra Magnus (Nebulan)
File:MtMtE13-VerityMagnus.jpg|Ultra Magnus (Verity Carlo)
File:Wheeljack avatar.PNG|Wheeljack
File:Whirlholomatter.jpg|Whirl
</gallery>

===Live-action film series continuity===
The Decepticons [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] maintained their ruse of being human-driven vehicles by using a holographic pilot or driver known as [[Moustache Man]]. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] created a holo-driver for himself in the likeness of [[Peter Cullen]]. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}}

<gallery>
File:Movie MustacheMan.jpg|Blackout, Barricade, Starscream
File:AllianceOptimusHoloDriver.jpg|Optimus Prime (Movie)
</gallery>

===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
[[Strongarm (Cybertron)|Strongarm]] was equipped with a holomatter projector.<ref>[http://www.transformersclub.com/ Official Transformers Collectors' Club site] members' section, Micro-Sized Online! Mini-Con Profiles, 3/02/07</ref>

===Ask Vector Prime===
The [[Thirteen]] and the [[Guiding Hand]] visited Earth in the days of ancient [[Greece]], utilizing holomatter to interact with the humans while the Thirteen themselves sat at the top of [[w:Mount Olympus|a mountain]] since Earth technology at the time was not developed enough for them to be able to assume inconspicuous disguises. Their presence on Earth inspired the legends of the [[w:Twelve Olympians|Twelve Olympians]]. [[Vector Prime]] presented himself as [[w:Hermes|Hermes]]; [[Prima]] as [[w:Zeus|Zeus]]; [[Onyx Prime|Onyx]] as [[w:Artemis|Artemis]]; [[Last Autobot|Autonomous Maximus]] as [[w:Apollo|Apollo]]; [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] as [[w:Ares|Ares]]; [[Nexus Prime|Nexus Maximus]] as [[w:Hera|Hera]]; [[Liege Maximo|Liege]] as [[w:Aphrodite|Aphrodite]]; [[Solus Prime]] as [[w:Hephaestus|Hephaestus]]; [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] as [[w:Athena|Athena]]; and [[Alchemist Prime]] as [[w:Dionysus|Dionysus]]; [[Epistemus]] as [[w:Demeter|Demeter]]; [[Adaptus]] as [[w:Poseidon|Poseidon]]; and [[Mortilus]] as [[w:Hades|Hades]].

Vector Prime sometimes had difficulty finding depictions of himself and his fellow Olympians that did not trip the [[Axiom Nexus Auto-Censors]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

<gallery>
File:Hermes.jpg|Vector Prime
File:Prima's Holomatter Avatar Zeus.jpg|Prima
File:AutonomousApolloAVPHolomatter.jpg|Autonomous Maximus
File: OnyxArtemisAVPHolomatter.jpg|Onyx Prime
File:AphroditeLiegeMaximoAVP.jpg|Liege Maximo
File:HephaestusSolusPrimeAVP.jpg|Solus Prime
File:DionysusAlchemistPrimeAVP.jpg|Alchemist Prime
File:DemeterEpistemusAVP.jpg|Epistemus
File:AresMegatronusAVP.jpg|Megatronus
File:HeraNexusPrimeAVP.jpg|Nexus Prime (right) with Prima
File:PoseidonAdaptusAVP.jpg|Adaptus
File:HadesMortilusAVP.jpg|Mortilus
File:AthenaAlphaTrionAVP.jpg|Alpha Trion
</gallery>

==Other==

There are multiple other ways that Transformers have been portrayed as human, whether being turned into humans, or less imaginative avatars that just give the impression of a driver.

* [[Arcee]]: Turned into a human in G1, an attractive blonde woman who hastily donned pink dungarees. In [[Transformers Prime]] she sometimes activated an image of a shapely female whose body and face were entirely obscured by black leather motorcycle gear and a helmet.
* [[Bumblebee_TFA|Bumblebee]]: A small african-american child of about ten years old with a yellow baseball cap with horns, and yellow school-clothes and a backpack.
* [[Bulkhead_TFA|Bulkhead: An extremely broad, almost seven foot jock-style teenager with dark-blond hair.
* [[Optimus_Prime_TFA|Optimus Prime]]: In a dream, Optimus dreamed that he looked like a brown-haired, slightly greyed, well-chinned man in a red jacket that closely resembled his robot chassis, blue pants and black shoes.
* [[Prowl_TFA|Prowl]]: A middle-aged cop wearing black motorcycle gear, shades and a well-groomed moustache.
* [[Ratchet_TFA|Ratchet]]: A greyed, elderly man with stubble and a strong paunch in what is clearly meant to be a paramedic's uniform, entirely red and white. The actual uniform has no resemblance to modern paramedics but the meaning is clear.

==Trivia==
*Holomatter bears a resemblance to the [[solid light simulation]]s from the Marvel comics, also created by Simon Furman, based on TV show 'Red Dwarf'.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cybertron technology]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 technology]]
[[Category:Movie technology]]

Holomatter

2016-05-05T13:35:31Z

Breech Loader: /* Ask Vector Prime */

:''Holomatter is a technology from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Ratchet Holomatter.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Please state the nature of the [[Pīpō|medical emergency]].]]
'''Holomatter''' is a solid-light projection technology, used by [[Autobot]]s operating on alien worlds. Holomatter projectors can create projected facsimiles of native species which are too small or [[Human|fleshy]] for the Autobots to mimic with their mechanical [[Alternate mode|altmodes]]. The avatar isn't just a friendly image to fool human beings; it's also the Autobot equivalent of a remotely operated vehicle, allowing Autobots to go places and perform actions that would otherwise be prevented by their size and the need to camouflage their true identities. Having an avatar in a location is like the Autobot being there himself. An avatar can function up to at least 400 miles away from the controlling Autobot, even when separated by solid walls.

The avatar is created and maintained by "holomatter generators". They can cause the avatar to blink into sudden existence with no warning. Holomatter avatars can be intangible, or as solid as a real object. Much like Pretender shells before them, holomatter avatars carry a strong connection to the consciousness of its generating Autobot. Damage to the avatar can cause severe impairment to the controlling Autobot if their consciousness is not withdrawn in time. Holomatter disguises are also limited by their operator's understanding of the lifeform they mimic.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
All the Autobots operating covertly on Earth used holomatter avatars to act as their [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] drivers. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration #1}} Through a lack of understanding of humans, the holomatter avatars of the Autobots wore a fixed smile which their human friends found creepy, and the male Autobots [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] had female avatars. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}}

[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] was able to deliver a massive electrical surge at very close range through his holomatter avatar. This was powerful enough to stun [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], though at the cost of burning out Ratchet's holomatter generators. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}}

After Optimus Prime arrived on Earth, Hunter gave the Autobots a "crash course in Earth culture"; Jazz noted that the Autobots never realized that humans found the smiles of their avatars disturbing. After this, the Autobots' holomatter avatars became much more expressive. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

In a [[Psycho-Prism]] fueled battle between Autobots and [[Avengers]], Bumblebee used his avatar to distract [[Luke Cage]]. [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]] was not fooled since the holomatter projection gave off no scent. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} After that misunderstanding was resolved, vehicle mode Autobots used their holomatter avatars to carry on conversations with the Avengers and [[Doctor Doom]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two|Man and Machine, Parts Two,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three|Three,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four|and Four}}

Holomatter could be detected by devices called "holomatter readers", which the [[Machination]] possessed. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} Ironhide's avatar was capable of lifting [[Verity Carlo]] and [[Jimmy Pink]] at the same time, and he could increase the size of his avatar to over 9' (3m) tall so as to manhandle the pair through a hole in the ceiling. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] and [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] used their holomatter avatars to trick [[Sandra (G1)|Sandra]] into coming with them, to help in their investigation of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|Only Forward}}

Ratchet used this technology to distract the traitorous [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] during their fight, and used it to retrieve the cure to the [[Red Rust|Red Rust virus]] when Pharma dropped it off Delphi's roof. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] modified the holomatter avatars of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' crew to better reflect their personalities. The avatars were used during a trip to [[Hedonia]] to avoid annoying some of the more mech-unfriendly locals. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Several crew members later used their holomatter avatars to search for [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] on the bartender's projection of Earth. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

The [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] used holomatter avatars to blend in with the natives on [[Magisteria VI]]. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}}

====Known avatars====
*[[Arcee_(WFC)]] - A shapely female dressed entirely in black leather riding gear, face obscured by a motorcycle helmet.
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] — Young Hispanic or South Asian woman with headphones.
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] — Brunette white/Hispanic female based on {{w|Lindsay Lohan}}.<ref name=idea>[http://www.protodepot.com/archive/2007_11_01_archive.html Idea: Holomatter Projection]</ref>
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] — Young man of Mediterranean descent in a red sweater, khaki pants, and a white overshirt.
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] — Stern, handsome female Victorian school teacher of Middle Eastern or Indian descent.
*[[Groove (G1)|Groove]] — Police rider.
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus]] — {{w|Steven Seagal}}; later a young, white male with a flame tattoo and {{w|Marty McFly}}'s outfit (with the addition of an [[Autobot]] t-shirt and minus most of the sleeves).
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] — Older "military brass-type" white male with silver hair and mustache in a gray suit.
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] — Young black male in a black suit.
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] — Scarred, elderly white man resembling a retired super-villain. Wears a long coat and a skull belt buckle (and initially featuring a cane with a [[Decepticon]] insignia).
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] — White woman with short, auburn hair and wearing a tool belt and goggles around her neck.
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] — {{w|Idris Elba}} as {{w|Luther (TV series)|Luther}}.
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] — Well-built-and-bearded trucker modelled after {{w|Ulysses S. Grant}}.<ref name=idea/>
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] — "Federal agent"-type: Red hair, receding hairline, middle-aged white male with dark sunglasses and a gray suit. In short: Horatio Caine. Later, in Police Action, Prowl used a younger looking police officer with brown hair and sunglasses.
** In [[Transformers Animated]], Prowl appeared as a slim, tall police officer in black motorcycle gear, wearing shades and a well-groomed moustache.
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] — Blond middle-aged, sightly hefty white male. Wears EMT uniform (without jacket).
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] — Blonde haired young man with a camera and a T-shirt for {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}.
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] — A tall, thin bespectacled man with graying hair, wearing an orange formal suit and cap, later a short, thin, ginger-haired bespectacled man in orange Victorian dress.
*[[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] — at least three of the team had avatars resembling inhabitants of [[Magisteria VI]].
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] — {{w|Matt Smith}} as the [[Doctor|Eleventh Doctor]]; later {{w|Christopher Eccleston}} as the [[Doctor|Ninth Doctor]].
*[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] — A police man.
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] — Blonde female; after becoming a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], his avatar is [[Hunter O'Nion]].
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] — A short, rotund male "surfer" wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, sandals, and wraparound sunglasses.
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] — An infant; later a female toddler with white hair.
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] — Various, including a [[Nebulan]] scientist & security guard (he switches avatars during the story), and a copy of [[Verity Carlo]].
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] — Balding "mad scientist"-type older white male with blond/white hair, glasses, goatee.
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] — A young girl with an eyepatch, a missing front tooth and two Mac-10 machine pistols; later a slightly older, more punk-influenced version of the former, with twin-pronged eyebrows, a few band-aids, and various "edgy" accessories.

<gallery>
File:Bluestreak Avatar.jpg|Bluestreak
File:Bumblebeeholomatter.jpg|Bumblebee
File:Groove_avatar.PNG|Groove
File:Hotrodholomatter.jpg|Hot Rod
File:Ironhide avatar.PNG|Ironhide
File:Jazz avatar.PNG|Jazz
File:Primeholomatter.jpg|Optimus Prime
File:Prowl avatar.PNG|Prowl
File:Ratchetholomatter.jpg|Ratchet
File:MTMTE13 Rewind's holomatter avatar.jpg|Rewind
File:CybertronianHomesickBlues-SkidsRung.jpg|Skids and Rung
File:Magisteria vi some of my best friends are autobots.jpg|Scavengers
File:Streetwise_avatar.PNG|Streetwise
File:Sunstreaker avatar.PNG|Sunstreaker
File:Huntstreaker.jpg|Sunstreaker/Hunter
File:MtMtE13-BabyTailgate.jpg|Tailgate
File:SpotlightUltraMagnus_MagnusHoloavatar.jpg|Ultra Magnus (Nebulan)
File:MtMtE13-VerityMagnus.jpg|Ultra Magnus (Verity Carlo)
File:Wheeljack avatar.PNG|Wheeljack
File:Whirlholomatter.jpg|Whirl
</gallery>

===Live-action film series continuity===
The Decepticons [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] maintained their ruse of being human-driven vehicles by using a holographic pilot or driver known as [[Moustache Man]]. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] created a holo-driver for himself in the likeness of [[Peter Cullen]]. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}}

<gallery>
File:Movie MustacheMan.jpg|Blackout, Barricade, Starscream
File:AllianceOptimusHoloDriver.jpg|Optimus Prime (Movie)
</gallery>

===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
[[Strongarm (Cybertron)|Strongarm]] was equipped with a holomatter projector.<ref>[http://www.transformersclub.com/ Official Transformers Collectors' Club site] members' section, Micro-Sized Online! Mini-Con Profiles, 3/02/07</ref>

===Ask Vector Prime===
The [[Thirteen]] and the [[Guiding Hand]] visited Earth in the days of ancient [[Greece]], utilizing holomatter to interact with the humans while the Thirteen themselves sat at the top of [[w:Mount Olympus|a mountain]] since Earth technology at the time was not developed enough for them to be able to assume inconspicuous disguises. Their presence on Earth inspired the legends of the [[w:Twelve Olympians|Twelve Olympians]]. [[Vector Prime]] presented himself as [[w:Hermes|Hermes]]; [[Prima]] as [[w:Zeus|Zeus]]; [[Onyx Prime|Onyx]] as [[w:Artemis|Artemis]]; [[Last Autobot|Autonomous Maximus]] as [[w:Apollo|Apollo]]; [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] as [[w:Ares|Ares]]; [[Nexus Prime|Nexus Maximus]] as [[w:Hera|Hera]]; [[Liege Maximo|Liege]] as [[w:Aphrodite|Aphrodite]]; [[Solus Prime]] as [[w:Hephaestus|Hephaestus]]; [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] as [[w:Athena|Athena]]; and [[Alchemist Prime]] as [[w:Dionysus|Dionysus]]; [[Epistemus]] as [[w:Demeter|Demeter]]; [[Adaptus]] as [[w:Poseidon|Poseidon]]; and [[Mortilus]] as [[w:Hades|Hades]].

Vector Prime sometimes had difficulty finding depictions of himself and his fellow Olympians that did not trip the [[Axiom Nexus Auto-Censors]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

<gallery>
File:Hermes.jpg|Vector Prime
File:Prima's Holomatter Avatar Zeus.jpg|Prima
File:AutonomousApolloAVPHolomatter.jpg|Autonomous Maximus
File: OnyxArtemisAVPHolomatter.jpg|Onyx Prime
File:AphroditeLiegeMaximoAVP.jpg|Liege Maximo
File:HephaestusSolusPrimeAVP.jpg|Solus Prime
File:DionysusAlchemistPrimeAVP.jpg|Alchemist Prime
File:DemeterEpistemusAVP.jpg|Epistemus
File:AresMegatronusAVP.jpg|Megatronus
File:HeraNexusPrimeAVP.jpg|Nexus Prime (right) with Prima
File:PoseidonAdaptusAVP.jpg|Adaptus
File:HadesMortilusAVP.jpg|Mortilus
File:AthenaAlphaTrionAVP.jpg|Alpha Trion
</gallery>

==Other==

There are multiple other ways that Transformers have been portrayed as human, whether being turned into humans, or less imaginative avatars that just give the impression of a driver.

* [[Arcee]]: Turned into a human in G1, an attractive blonde woman who hastily donned pink dungarees. In [[Transformers Prime]] she sometimes activated an image of a shapely female whose body and face were entirely obscured by black leather motorcycle gear and a helmet.
* [[Bumblebee_TFA|Bumblebee]]: A small african-american child of about ten years old with a yellow baseball cap with horns, and yellow school-clothes and a backpack.
* [[Bulkhead_TFA|Bulkhead: An extremely broad, almost seven foot jock-style teenager with dark-blond hair.
* [[Optimus_Prime_TFA|Optimus Prime]]: In a dream, Optimus dreamed that he looked like a brown-haired, slightly greyed, well-chinned man in a red jacket that closely resembled his robot chassis, blue pants and black shoes.
* [[Prowl_TFA|Prowl]]: A middle-aged cop wearing black motorcycle gear, shades and a well-groomed moustache.
* [[Ratchet_TFA|Ratchet]]: A greyed, elderly man with stubble and a strong paunch in what is clearly meant to be a paramedic's uniform, entirely red and white. The actual uniform has no resemblance to modern paramedics but the meaning is clear.

==Trivia==
*Holomatter bears a resemblance to the [[solid light simulation]]s from the Marvel comics, also created by Simon Furman, based on TV show 'Red Dwarf'.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cybertron technology]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 technology]]
[[Category:Movie technology]]

Holomatter

2016-05-05T13:09:04Z

Breech Loader: /* Known avatars */

:''Holomatter is a technology from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Ratchet Holomatter.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Please state the nature of the [[Pīpō|medical emergency]].]]
'''Holomatter''' is a solid-light projection technology, used by [[Autobot]]s operating on alien worlds. Holomatter projectors can create projected facsimiles of native species which are too small or [[Human|fleshy]] for the Autobots to mimic with their mechanical [[Alternate mode|altmodes]]. The avatar isn't just a friendly image to fool human beings; it's also the Autobot equivalent of a remotely operated vehicle, allowing Autobots to go places and perform actions that would otherwise be prevented by their size and the need to camouflage their true identities. Having an avatar in a location is like the Autobot being there himself. An avatar can function up to at least 400 miles away from the controlling Autobot, even when separated by solid walls.

The avatar is created and maintained by "holomatter generators". They can cause the avatar to blink into sudden existence with no warning. Holomatter avatars can be intangible, or as solid as a real object. Much like Pretender shells before them, holomatter avatars carry a strong connection to the consciousness of its generating Autobot. Damage to the avatar can cause severe impairment to the controlling Autobot if their consciousness is not withdrawn in time. Holomatter disguises are also limited by their operator's understanding of the lifeform they mimic.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
All the Autobots operating covertly on Earth used holomatter avatars to act as their [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] drivers. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration #1}} Through a lack of understanding of humans, the holomatter avatars of the Autobots wore a fixed smile which their human friends found creepy, and the male Autobots [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] had female avatars. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}}

[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] was able to deliver a massive electrical surge at very close range through his holomatter avatar. This was powerful enough to stun [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], though at the cost of burning out Ratchet's holomatter generators. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}}

After Optimus Prime arrived on Earth, Hunter gave the Autobots a "crash course in Earth culture"; Jazz noted that the Autobots never realized that humans found the smiles of their avatars disturbing. After this, the Autobots' holomatter avatars became much more expressive. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

In a [[Psycho-Prism]] fueled battle between Autobots and [[Avengers]], Bumblebee used his avatar to distract [[Luke Cage]]. [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]] was not fooled since the holomatter projection gave off no scent. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} After that misunderstanding was resolved, vehicle mode Autobots used their holomatter avatars to carry on conversations with the Avengers and [[Doctor Doom]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two|Man and Machine, Parts Two,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three|Three,}} {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four|and Four}}

Holomatter could be detected by devices called "holomatter readers", which the [[Machination]] possessed. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} Ironhide's avatar was capable of lifting [[Verity Carlo]] and [[Jimmy Pink]] at the same time, and he could increase the size of his avatar to over 9' (3m) tall so as to manhandle the pair through a hole in the ceiling. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] and [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] used their holomatter avatars to trick [[Sandra (G1)|Sandra]] into coming with them, to help in their investigation of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]. {{storylink|Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|Only Forward}}

Ratchet used this technology to distract the traitorous [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] during their fight, and used it to retrieve the cure to the [[Red Rust|Red Rust virus]] when Pharma dropped it off Delphi's roof. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] modified the holomatter avatars of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' crew to better reflect their personalities. The avatars were used during a trip to [[Hedonia]] to avoid annoying some of the more mech-unfriendly locals. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Several crew members later used their holomatter avatars to search for [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] on the bartender's projection of Earth. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

The [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] used holomatter avatars to blend in with the natives on [[Magisteria VI]]. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}}

====Known avatars====
*[[Arcee_(WFC)]] - A shapely female dressed entirely in black leather riding gear, face obscured by a motorcycle helmet.
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] — Young Hispanic or South Asian woman with headphones.
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] — Brunette white/Hispanic female based on {{w|Lindsay Lohan}}.<ref name=idea>[http://www.protodepot.com/archive/2007_11_01_archive.html Idea: Holomatter Projection]</ref>
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] — Young man of Mediterranean descent in a red sweater, khaki pants, and a white overshirt.
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] — Stern, handsome female Victorian school teacher of Middle Eastern or Indian descent.
*[[Groove (G1)|Groove]] — Police rider.
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus]] — {{w|Steven Seagal}}; later a young, white male with a flame tattoo and {{w|Marty McFly}}'s outfit (with the addition of an [[Autobot]] t-shirt and minus most of the sleeves).
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] — Older "military brass-type" white male with silver hair and mustache in a gray suit.
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] — Young black male in a black suit.
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] — Scarred, elderly white man resembling a retired super-villain. Wears a long coat and a skull belt buckle (and initially featuring a cane with a [[Decepticon]] insignia).
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] — White woman with short, auburn hair and wearing a tool belt and goggles around her neck.
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] — {{w|Idris Elba}} as {{w|Luther (TV series)|Luther}}.
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] — Well-built-and-bearded trucker modelled after {{w|Ulysses S. Grant}}.<ref name=idea/>
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] — "Federal agent"-type: Red hair, receding hairline, middle-aged white male with dark sunglasses and a gray suit. In short: Horatio Caine. Later, in Police Action, Prowl used a younger looking police officer with brown hair and sunglasses.
** In [[Transformers Animated]], Prowl appeared as a slim, tall police officer in black motorcycle gear, wearing shades and a well-groomed moustache.
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] — Blond middle-aged, sightly hefty white male. Wears EMT uniform (without jacket).
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] — Blonde haired young man with a camera and a T-shirt for {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}.
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] — A tall, thin bespectacled man with graying hair, wearing an orange formal suit and cap, later a short, thin, ginger-haired bespectacled man in orange Victorian dress.
*[[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] — at least three of the team had avatars resembling inhabitants of [[Magisteria VI]].
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] — {{w|Matt Smith}} as the [[Doctor|Eleventh Doctor]]; later {{w|Christopher Eccleston}} as the [[Doctor|Ninth Doctor]].
*[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] — A police man.
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] — Blonde female; after becoming a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], his avatar is [[Hunter O'Nion]].
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] — A short, rotund male "surfer" wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, sandals, and wraparound sunglasses.
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] — An infant; later a female toddler with white hair.
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] — Various, including a [[Nebulan]] scientist & security guard (he switches avatars during the story), and a copy of [[Verity Carlo]].
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] — Balding "mad scientist"-type older white male with blond/white hair, glasses, goatee.
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] — A young girl with an eyepatch, a missing front tooth and two Mac-10 machine pistols; later a slightly older, more punk-influenced version of the former, with twin-pronged eyebrows, a few band-aids, and various "edgy" accessories.

<gallery>
File:Bluestreak Avatar.jpg|Bluestreak
File:Bumblebeeholomatter.jpg|Bumblebee
File:Groove_avatar.PNG|Groove
File:Hotrodholomatter.jpg|Hot Rod
File:Ironhide avatar.PNG|Ironhide
File:Jazz avatar.PNG|Jazz
File:Primeholomatter.jpg|Optimus Prime
File:Prowl avatar.PNG|Prowl
File:Ratchetholomatter.jpg|Ratchet
File:MTMTE13 Rewind's holomatter avatar.jpg|Rewind
File:CybertronianHomesickBlues-SkidsRung.jpg|Skids and Rung
File:Magisteria vi some of my best friends are autobots.jpg|Scavengers
File:Streetwise_avatar.PNG|Streetwise
File:Sunstreaker avatar.PNG|Sunstreaker
File:Huntstreaker.jpg|Sunstreaker/Hunter
File:MtMtE13-BabyTailgate.jpg|Tailgate
File:SpotlightUltraMagnus_MagnusHoloavatar.jpg|Ultra Magnus (Nebulan)
File:MtMtE13-VerityMagnus.jpg|Ultra Magnus (Verity Carlo)
File:Wheeljack avatar.PNG|Wheeljack
File:Whirlholomatter.jpg|Whirl
</gallery>

===Live-action film series continuity===
The Decepticons [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] maintained their ruse of being human-driven vehicles by using a holographic pilot or driver known as [[Moustache Man]]. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] created a holo-driver for himself in the likeness of [[Peter Cullen]]. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}}

<gallery>
File:Movie MustacheMan.jpg|Blackout, Barricade, Starscream
File:AllianceOptimusHoloDriver.jpg|Optimus Prime (Movie)
</gallery>

===Unicron Trilogy continuity family===
[[Strongarm (Cybertron)|Strongarm]] was equipped with a holomatter projector.<ref>[http://www.transformersclub.com/ Official Transformers Collectors' Club site] members' section, Micro-Sized Online! Mini-Con Profiles, 3/02/07</ref>

===Ask Vector Prime===
The [[Thirteen]] and the [[Guiding Hand]] visited Earth in the days of ancient [[Greece]], utilizing holomatter to interact with the humans while the Thirteen themselves sat at the top of [[w:Mount Olympus|a mountain]] since Earth technology at the time was not developed enough for them to be able to assume inconspicuous disguises. Their presence on Earth inspired the legends of the [[w:Twelve Olympians|Twelve Olympians]]. [[Vector Prime]] presented himself as [[w:Hermes|Hermes]]; [[Prima]] as [[w:Zeus|Zeus]]; [[Onyx Prime|Onyx]] as [[w:Artemis|Artemis]]; [[Last Autobot|Autonomous Maximus]] as [[w:Apollo|Apollo]]; [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] as [[w:Ares|Ares]]; [[Nexus Prime|Nexus Maximus]] as [[w:Hera|Hera]]; [[Liege Maximo|Liege]] as [[w:Aphrodite|Aphrodite]]; [[Solus Prime]] as [[w:Hephaestus|Hephaestus]]; [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] as [[w:Athena|Athena]]; and [[Alchemist Prime]] as [[w:Dionysus|Dionysus]]; [[Epistemus]] as [[w:Demeter|Demeter]]; [[Adaptus]] as [[w:Poseidon|Poseidon]]; and [[Mortilus]] as [[w:Hades|Hades]].

Vector Prime sometimes had difficulty finding depictions of himself and his fellow Olympians that did not trip the [[Axiom Nexus Auto-Censors]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}}

<gallery>
File:Hermes.jpg|Vector Prime
File:Prima's Holomatter Avatar Zeus.jpg|Prima
File:AutonomousApolloAVPHolomatter.jpg|Autonomous Maximus
File: OnyxArtemisAVPHolomatter.jpg|Onyx Prime
File:AphroditeLiegeMaximoAVP.jpg|Liege Maximo
File:HephaestusSolusPrimeAVP.jpg|Solus Prime
File:DionysusAlchemistPrimeAVP.jpg|Alchemist Prime
File:DemeterEpistemusAVP.jpg|Epistemus
File:AresMegatronusAVP.jpg|Megatronus
File:HeraNexusPrimeAVP.jpg|Nexus Prime (right) with Prima
File:PoseidonAdaptusAVP.jpg|Adaptus
File:HadesMortilusAVP.jpg|Mortilus
File:AthenaAlphaTrionAVP.jpg|Alpha Trion
</gallery>

==Trivia==
*Holomatter bears a resemblance to the [[solid light simulation]]s from the Marvel comics, also created by Simon Furman, based on TV show 'Red Dwarf'.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cybertron technology]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 technology]]
[[Category:Movie technology]]

Scavengers (G1)

2016-05-05T04:23:28Z

Breech Loader:

{{disambig3|Scavenger}}
:''The Scavengers are a ragtag bunch from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:MTMTE7 scavengers.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|So an [[Action Master]], a [[Triggercon]], a [[Duocon]], two [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]], and a [[K-Class|K-Con]] walk into a bar...]]
Imagine if you will, the cream of the Decepticon crop. The '''Scavengers''' are not those Decepticons — according to [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'s analysis of [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzai-Tron's]] files, they are in fact the six worst Decepticons in history.

Still, they've survived when countless others have died. That's got to count for something.

The individual members of the team are:
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]], the leader and obsessive-compulsive 'con searching for his squad.
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]], who's missing a big chunk of his head.
*[[Flywheels]], who's found Primus and can't tell a lie without transforming.
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]], who got his name from an incident involving a "misunderstanding and a dozen dead Decepticons".
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], an ''idiot savant'' with an itchy trigger finger.
*[[Fulcrum]], a convicted coward.

They travel the galaxy in the ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]'' and have currently taken the mentally damaged Autobot powerhouse [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] into their care... for totally altruistic and not even remotely self-serving reasons. Really.

Every member of the Scavengers is part of a toy-class that sported a particular [[gimmick]] from the 80's, three of which involved 'partners' - whom they no longer seem to possess. Even the purely fictional K-Class clearly shows the gimmick of [[Autotransformation]], more specifically of the type first seen in the [[Bat-Robô]], simple toys for younger children.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
Krok was separated from his squad and gathered up the group to become his new squad. At some point, [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] joined after surviving [[Thunderwing (G1)|a very disastrous attack]] and [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] joined after leaving [[Cybertron (planet)|their homeworld]].

[[File:MTMTE8 Krok surveys.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
After the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the Scavengers were scavenging on the planet [[Clemency]]. Misfire was tasked in scavenging a [[Monstercon]] for its energon and [[circuit speeder]]s which it had died from overdosing on. Later, they discovered a (they assumed) dead robot around a wasteland where a battle from the war took place. While they were scavenging the robot, Spinister found an explosive charge inside the dead bot and disabled it. To their surprise, the robot came to life and told them his name was Fulcrum. After a serious discussion on whether he was a [[zombie]] or not, the group decided to make him a member and Misfire introduced Fulcrum to the others. Later, they came across a P-6 [[Worldsweeper]] which housed some deformed [[protoform]]s, a ceiling covered with [[brain module]]s, and organic flesh that had been bled into the ship's fuel supply, polluting it. Krok was then contacted by [[Decepticon Justice Division|the D.J.D.]] through Flywheels's [[communicube]] that one of them was being targeted and they were to hand over one of their seven party members for their own good. Confused since there were only six of them, the group found a [[Stasis lock|stasis-locked]] [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

[[File:Crankcase krok whos afraid of the djd.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Krok decided it really didn't matter which of them was wanted; any or all of them might be on [[the List]], for any stupid reason, and might have no idea. Having noted that they hadn't bothered to name their target, Misfire believed that the D.J.D. would kill them all anyway. The group then went over some options on what to do and decided to stay and fight the D.J.D. because, according to Crankcase, the D.J.D. didn't deserve the Decepticon badge. They decided to use the scavenged circuit speeder laced energon to jump-start Grimlock when the D.J.D. arrived to pick him up and let Grimlock beat all of the members up in the process.

They contacted the D.J.D. that their target was dead and waiting for pick-up. To their surprise, Tarn answered that he preferred to have killed Fulcrum himself but it was fine with him. Before Fulcrum could explain, the D.J.D. arrived on [[Peaceful Tyranny|their ship]] and went towards Grimlock's pod, which the group had laid out in the open—Tarn was already anticipating a trap, but couldn't resist the closed coffin.

[[File:Flywheels tesarus whos afraid of the djd.jpg|thumb|left]]
Krok released Grimlock and got unexpected results as the D.J.D. started quickly overpowering the Dinobot. Before they could flee, the D.J.D. found the group and began to fight them. During the battle, Krok was impaled with [[Vos (DJD)|Vos's]] mask, which was covered in drills, and shot multiple times by Misfire's horrible aim at an attempt to save him. Flywheels was grinded to death inside [[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]], but his huge feet meant he had to go head first. As the battle became gruesome, Fulcrum decided to destroy the D.J.D. with his bomb mode, unaware that the explosive charge had been disabled by Spinister, and gave a speech, telling about how sickening the D.J.D. was, and despite the incompetentence and recently met Scavengers, they were worth 10 of the D.J.D. Fulcrum then jumped off the [[Worldsweeper]], transformed, and crashed into the ground. The D.J.D. assumed he was offline, but left for [[Overlord (Masterforce)|a bigger priority]] and announced Grimlock and the Scavengers were now all on the List for aiding Fulcrum.

Recovering, Fulcrum found out why he hadn't exploded when Spinister told him and Crankcase told Fulcrum that Krok would recover but would never find his squad because, frankly, what Krok insisted was a communicationer was really nothing but a green tube. When asked by Spinister, Fulcrum explained he had joined the Decepticons, agreeing with their goal of cleansing the galaxy of organic races, who were too backward to see their own inferiority. His own "superiority" came into question, however, when he was the Project Manager in charge of [[Eco-structuring|cyberforming]] [[B'lahr 39]], the Autobots attacked and he legged it as far and as fast as he could. A few weeks later, he got caught. Convicted of cowardice, he was sent to [[Styx]] to die by [[Traitor's wheel]]—which got changed to dying as a [[K-Class]] bomb on the planet Clemency when the order came down that all Decepticon prisoners were to be re-engineered as such. As the moment came to jump and die, he was sullen and silent, ignoring the perky K-Squad member [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], until the moment came to jump.

This time, his own cowardice actually saved him—his systems, paralyzed by fear, failed to trigger the auto-transformation to bomb mode and he crashed to the ground without exploding. Still, although he didn't die, he was damaged and knocked into stasis lock for an unknown period of time. After he told his story, he realized everybody was paying attention to Grimlock, who was revealed to be very brain damaged. The group then decided to fix Krok, set off for Cybertron, and use Grimlock as a bargaining chip when they got there. Before they left, they scavenged parts from the dead Flywheels. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}}

[[File:Scavengers IRL.jpg|thumb|upright=2]]
Instead of making it to Cybertron, the Scavengers instead got caught up in an escalating series of misadventures: rescuing Misfire from the [[Galactic Council]] on [[Constancy]] (with Krok, Spinister, and Crankcase falling victim to [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest's]] [[universal killswitch]] partway through), {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} being cursed to only speak in song, accidentally summoning an ancient horror, dealing with images coming alive from their datapads, disguising themselves as [[Magisteria VI|Magisterians]] through [[holomatter]] avatars, playing [[Jenga]] for the fate of the universe, being caught in a perspective trap, and somehow being transformed into toys. By this point, between [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron's]] defection to the Autobots and [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream's]] leadership of Cybertron, the Scavengers had given up on returning home. They spent their time playing [[Cybertronian games|Shoot Shoot Bang Bang]], vandalizing [[Autopedia]], and keeping an eye on the very-slowly-recovering Grimlock.

After crashing the ''Weak Anthropic Principle'' on [[Tebris VII]], the Scavengers received an offer from [[Demus]], an ex-Decepticon tradesman who had set up a lucrative scrap metal dealership on the planet. Believing that he wanted to give them jobs, the Scavengers decided to pay a visit... only to learn that he wasn't interested in their employment. What Demus wanted was Grimlock, and the merchant was willing to pay half a billion [[Shanix]] to have him.

[[File:Equinoids.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
The Scavengers were divided on Demus's offer: Krok, Crankcase, and Spinister were in favor of taking it, while Fulcrum and Misfire refused to sell off the Dinobot for a quick buck. Their deliberations were interrupted by the sudden arrival of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], the new Duly Appointed Enforcer of the [[Tyrest Accord]], who shot Demus dead in front of them and placed them all under arrest. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}}

The Scavengers were able to evade Fortress Maximus and took shelter in Demus's warehouse of [[Roboid]] dolls, where Crankcase managed to lure the enforcer away with a mention of Grimlock (who was still aboard their ship). In the following lull, the Scavengers reconciled their differences regarding the brain-damaged Dinobot and rode out on [[Equinoid]]s to rescue him from Maximus.

The group confronted Fortress Maximus aboard the ''Weak Anthropic Principle'', where, working together, they bluffed him into retreating and leaving Grimlock in their care. Once the ship was repaired, Krok declared a new plan: rather than always looking out for themselves, the Scavengers would now dedicate themselves to helping out other Decepticons, providing them with the same support and companionship that the Scavengers had always given to each other.

But first, they played one last game of Shoot Shoot Bang Bang. {{storylink|Animals}}

Aboard the ''Weak Anthropic Principle'', the Scavengers received the transmissions of supposedly soon-to-die crewmembers of the ''[[Lost Light]]''; they dismissed the dark news. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 subgroups]]

Scavengers (G1)

2016-05-05T04:20:31Z

Breech Loader:

{{disambig3|Scavenger}}
:''The Scavengers are a ragtag bunch from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:MTMTE7 scavengers.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|So an [[Action Master]], a [[Triggercon]], a [[Duocon]], two [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]], and a [[K-Class|K-Con]] walk into a bar...]]
Imagine if you will, the cream of the Decepticon crop. The '''Scavengers''' are not those Decepticons — according to [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'s analysis of [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzai-Tron's]] files, they are in fact the six worst Decepticons in history.

Still, they've survived when countless others have died. That's got to count for something.

The individual members of the team are:
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]], the leader and obsessive-compulsive 'con searching for his squad.
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]], who's missing a big chunk of his head.
*[[Flywheels]], who's found Primus and can't tell a lie without transforming.
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]], who got his name from an incident involving a "misunderstanding and a dozen dead Decepticons".
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], an ''idiot savant'' with an itchy trigger finger.
*[[Fulcrum]], a convicted coward.

They travel the galaxy in the ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]'' and have currently taken the mentally damaged Autobot powerhouse [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] into their care... for totally altruistic and not even remotely self-serving reasons. Really.

Every member of the Scavengers is part of a toy-class that sported a particular [[gimmick]] from the 80's, three of which involved 'partners' - whom they no longer seem to possess. Even the purely fictional K-Class clearly shows the gimmick of [[Autotransformation]], more specifically of the type in the [[Cyber Slammers]] or [[Gravity Bot|Gravity Bots]] which are simple toys for younger children.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
Krok was separated from his squad and gathered up the group to become his new squad. At some point, [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] joined after surviving [[Thunderwing (G1)|a very disastrous attack]] and [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] joined after leaving [[Cybertron (planet)|their homeworld]].

[[File:MTMTE8 Krok surveys.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
After the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the Scavengers were scavenging on the planet [[Clemency]]. Misfire was tasked in scavenging a [[Monstercon]] for its energon and [[circuit speeder]]s which it had died from overdosing on. Later, they discovered a (they assumed) dead robot around a wasteland where a battle from the war took place. While they were scavenging the robot, Spinister found an explosive charge inside the dead bot and disabled it. To their surprise, the robot came to life and told them his name was Fulcrum. After a serious discussion on whether he was a [[zombie]] or not, the group decided to make him a member and Misfire introduced Fulcrum to the others. Later, they came across a P-6 [[Worldsweeper]] which housed some deformed [[protoform]]s, a ceiling covered with [[brain module]]s, and organic flesh that had been bled into the ship's fuel supply, polluting it. Krok was then contacted by [[Decepticon Justice Division|the D.J.D.]] through Flywheels's [[communicube]] that one of them was being targeted and they were to hand over one of their seven party members for their own good. Confused since there were only six of them, the group found a [[Stasis lock|stasis-locked]] [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

[[File:Crankcase krok whos afraid of the djd.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Krok decided it really didn't matter which of them was wanted; any or all of them might be on [[the List]], for any stupid reason, and might have no idea. Having noted that they hadn't bothered to name their target, Misfire believed that the D.J.D. would kill them all anyway. The group then went over some options on what to do and decided to stay and fight the D.J.D. because, according to Crankcase, the D.J.D. didn't deserve the Decepticon badge. They decided to use the scavenged circuit speeder laced energon to jump-start Grimlock when the D.J.D. arrived to pick him up and let Grimlock beat all of the members up in the process.

They contacted the D.J.D. that their target was dead and waiting for pick-up. To their surprise, Tarn answered that he preferred to have killed Fulcrum himself but it was fine with him. Before Fulcrum could explain, the D.J.D. arrived on [[Peaceful Tyranny|their ship]] and went towards Grimlock's pod, which the group had laid out in the open—Tarn was already anticipating a trap, but couldn't resist the closed coffin.

[[File:Flywheels tesarus whos afraid of the djd.jpg|thumb|left]]
Krok released Grimlock and got unexpected results as the D.J.D. started quickly overpowering the Dinobot. Before they could flee, the D.J.D. found the group and began to fight them. During the battle, Krok was impaled with [[Vos (DJD)|Vos's]] mask, which was covered in drills, and shot multiple times by Misfire's horrible aim at an attempt to save him. Flywheels was grinded to death inside [[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]], but his huge feet meant he had to go head first. As the battle became gruesome, Fulcrum decided to destroy the D.J.D. with his bomb mode, unaware that the explosive charge had been disabled by Spinister, and gave a speech, telling about how sickening the D.J.D. was, and despite the incompetentence and recently met Scavengers, they were worth 10 of the D.J.D. Fulcrum then jumped off the [[Worldsweeper]], transformed, and crashed into the ground. The D.J.D. assumed he was offline, but left for [[Overlord (Masterforce)|a bigger priority]] and announced Grimlock and the Scavengers were now all on the List for aiding Fulcrum.

Recovering, Fulcrum found out why he hadn't exploded when Spinister told him and Crankcase told Fulcrum that Krok would recover but would never find his squad because, frankly, what Krok insisted was a communicationer was really nothing but a green tube. When asked by Spinister, Fulcrum explained he had joined the Decepticons, agreeing with their goal of cleansing the galaxy of organic races, who were too backward to see their own inferiority. His own "superiority" came into question, however, when he was the Project Manager in charge of [[Eco-structuring|cyberforming]] [[B'lahr 39]], the Autobots attacked and he legged it as far and as fast as he could. A few weeks later, he got caught. Convicted of cowardice, he was sent to [[Styx]] to die by [[Traitor's wheel]]—which got changed to dying as a [[K-Class]] bomb on the planet Clemency when the order came down that all Decepticon prisoners were to be re-engineered as such. As the moment came to jump and die, he was sullen and silent, ignoring the perky K-Squad member [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], until the moment came to jump.

This time, his own cowardice actually saved him—his systems, paralyzed by fear, failed to trigger the auto-transformation to bomb mode and he crashed to the ground without exploding. Still, although he didn't die, he was damaged and knocked into stasis lock for an unknown period of time. After he told his story, he realized everybody was paying attention to Grimlock, who was revealed to be very brain damaged. The group then decided to fix Krok, set off for Cybertron, and use Grimlock as a bargaining chip when they got there. Before they left, they scavenged parts from the dead Flywheels. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}}

[[File:Scavengers IRL.jpg|thumb|upright=2]]
Instead of making it to Cybertron, the Scavengers instead got caught up in an escalating series of misadventures: rescuing Misfire from the [[Galactic Council]] on [[Constancy]] (with Krok, Spinister, and Crankcase falling victim to [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest's]] [[universal killswitch]] partway through), {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} being cursed to only speak in song, accidentally summoning an ancient horror, dealing with images coming alive from their datapads, disguising themselves as [[Magisteria VI|Magisterians]] through [[holomatter]] avatars, playing [[Jenga]] for the fate of the universe, being caught in a perspective trap, and somehow being transformed into toys. By this point, between [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron's]] defection to the Autobots and [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream's]] leadership of Cybertron, the Scavengers had given up on returning home. They spent their time playing [[Cybertronian games|Shoot Shoot Bang Bang]], vandalizing [[Autopedia]], and keeping an eye on the very-slowly-recovering Grimlock.

After crashing the ''Weak Anthropic Principle'' on [[Tebris VII]], the Scavengers received an offer from [[Demus]], an ex-Decepticon tradesman who had set up a lucrative scrap metal dealership on the planet. Believing that he wanted to give them jobs, the Scavengers decided to pay a visit... only to learn that he wasn't interested in their employment. What Demus wanted was Grimlock, and the merchant was willing to pay half a billion [[Shanix]] to have him.

[[File:Equinoids.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
The Scavengers were divided on Demus's offer: Krok, Crankcase, and Spinister were in favor of taking it, while Fulcrum and Misfire refused to sell off the Dinobot for a quick buck. Their deliberations were interrupted by the sudden arrival of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], the new Duly Appointed Enforcer of the [[Tyrest Accord]], who shot Demus dead in front of them and placed them all under arrest. {{storylink|Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots}}

The Scavengers were able to evade Fortress Maximus and took shelter in Demus's warehouse of [[Roboid]] dolls, where Crankcase managed to lure the enforcer away with a mention of Grimlock (who was still aboard their ship). In the following lull, the Scavengers reconciled their differences regarding the brain-damaged Dinobot and rode out on [[Equinoid]]s to rescue him from Maximus.

The group confronted Fortress Maximus aboard the ''Weak Anthropic Principle'', where, working together, they bluffed him into retreating and leaving Grimlock in their care. Once the ship was repaired, Krok declared a new plan: rather than always looking out for themselves, the Scavengers would now dedicate themselves to helping out other Decepticons, providing them with the same support and companionship that the Scavengers had always given to each other.

But first, they played one last game of Shoot Shoot Bang Bang. {{storylink|Animals}}

Aboard the ''Weak Anthropic Principle'', the Scavengers received the transmissions of supposedly soon-to-die crewmembers of the ''[[Lost Light]]''; they dismissed the dark news. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 subgroups]]