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Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism

2013-06-05T23:42:16Z

CAPTAIN-STATIC: /* Featured characters */

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=10
|prev=Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc
|next=Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading
|caption=Act Like A Prick To Catch A Prick.
|image=MTMTE10_cvrB.jpg
|title="Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[October 31]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=October 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}

'''As Rewind's tale of the past continues, the senator murders lead Chromedome and Prowl to uncover the truth behind an urban legend, and Orion Pax to discover just how deep the corruption in the Senate runs.'''

==Synopsis==
''On Cybertron, before the war, [[Roller (G1)|Roller]] flips between the latest news bulletins covering the murder of Senator [[Sherma]] and the death of [[Nominus Prime]]. Tensions are high as the deadline date for "[[Proteus's Promise]]" draws near, the vow made by Senator [[Proteus]] that the [[Decepticon]]s will be recognised as a legitimate political party if 10,000 sign up with the [[Decepticon Registration Act]]. Then, an update on the missing [[Pious Maximus]] is interrupted by breaking news of a high-speed pursuit in [[Translucentica Heights]]...''

In the present day, said pursuit is now the subject [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]'s story, with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] describing how he followed the killer of Senator [[Momus]] in an aerial chase, which ended when the murderer collided with one of the reinforced glass walls of the region and exploded against a billboard. On his way back to the crime scene, Chromedome met the warden of Translucentica Heights, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], who was able to provide evidence that Momus was not killed ''by'' Decepticons—he was killed because he secretly ''was'' a Decepticon. Prowl's study of the crime scene quickly determined the involvement of a second killer, who then made himself known by opening fire. Pinned down and with Prowl never having seen combat before, the trio seemed doomed until the surprise appearance of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]], who brought the killer down, only for his [[Spark]] to collapse before he could be questioned.

Meanwhile, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] returns to the ''[[Lost Light]]'' from a reconnaissance mission, and is filled in by [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] on the mysterious attack on Red Alert, whose spark is faint but still pulsing. In a makeshift interrogation room converted from [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]'s lab, [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] is trying to get a confession out of [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]], but when things turn violent, Rodimus and Magnus have to step in. At that point a communique from [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] clears Cyclonus, as the medic reports that he has discerned the killer's identity.

Before handing the story over to [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], Rewind explains that the ex-watchmaker was, at the time, incarcerated in [[Garrus-1]] on [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]]. When [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] points out that Whirl was in prison for assaulting [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], the event allegedly responsible for turning him "bad", Whirl furiously interrupts and quickly picks the story up, describing how he summoned Orion away from investigating the senator killings to give him a message. In hopes of revenge against the [[Senate]] for ruining his life, Whirl shared with Orion information from a [[Kroma|cellmate]] about a Senate plot involving the death of [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Pax's senator friend]] and a bomb "hidden in plain sight". Orion left to act upon this information (leaving Whirl to be viciously beaten by his new cellmate [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] just a few minutes later), sending Ratchet and Roller to the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology|Academy of Advanced Technology]], where trainee theoretician [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] watched them take Orion's senator friend into protective custody.

Narration returns to Chromedome, who prepares to recount how he and Prowl investigated the nearest [[Relinquishment Clinic]], suspecting that the killers had been using borrowed bodies. Rewind is dissatisfied at Chromedome's decision to preface this with a recollection of how he and Prowl stopped to watch a Decepticon protest and talk about what they would do if war broke out on the way, hurrying him along to the events that took place in the clinic itself. While waiting in its lobby, Chromedome remembers how the pair saw a news report based on their findings that cleared the Decepticons of the murders, which left Prowl frustrated as the results were only preliminary. They were then met by clinic tech [[Trepan]], who they easily pegged as squirrelly and promptly cuffed so they could investigate. The pair eventually found a secret facility beneath the clinic that Chromedome was horrified to realize was the [[Institute]], a supposedly-fictitious government facility that practises a forbidden science—brainwashing so heinous it is known only as "[[Shadowplay]]". Accessing its mainframe and verifying it as the source of the bodies their killers were using, the pair took the data and absconded without incident, prompting Rewind to resume the position of storyteller and sum up how the pair met back up with Orion, Ratchet, Roller and the senator in [[Rodion]]. When the senator identified the list of names from The Institute as all those currently signed with the Decepticon Registration Act, Pax was able to put all the evidence he and his friends have gathered together. Proteus arranged the murders so that the Decepticons could expressly ''not'' be found guilty, thereby demonstrating his fairness and leading to a surge in registrants. The bomb mentioned by Whirl would then be pinned on the Decepticons as supposed proof of their "true colors", giving Proteus and [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]] the excuse needed to use The Institute to brainwash all those registered. Chromedome lamented their lack of knowledge at the bomb's location, but a news report immediately provided the answer: it was the fake [[Matrix of Leadership]] in the chest of the deceased Nominus Prime, whose body was to be lain in state the next day. The course of action for Orion's team was clear: they had to steal the Matrix!

==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"{{!}}
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (7)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (8)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (9)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (11)
*[[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]] (13)
*[[Rad]] (14)
*[[Rollout (G1)|Rollout]] (15)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (16)
*[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]] (17)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (18)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (19)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (21)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (22)
*[[Ambulon]] (23)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]'' (24)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (25)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (26)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (27)
*[[Rung]] (28)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (29)
{{!}}}
|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Roller (G1)|Roller]] (1)
*''[[Proteus]]'' (2)
*''[[Nominus Prime]]'' (3)
*''[[Pious Maximus]]'' (4)
*''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (5)
*''"[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]"'' (6)
*''[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'' (10)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''"[[Streaker]]"'' (12)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (20)
*''Garrus-1 warden'' (30)
*''[[Kroma]]'' (31)
*''[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'' (32)
*''[[Glitch (IDW)|Glitch]]'' (33)
*''[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Conspicuously-unnamed senator]]'' (34)
*''[[Trepan]]'' (35)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==

"You do '''read''' my memos, don't you, '''Rodimus?'''" 
"If there's a reason '''not to,''' I've yet to find it. I read '''all''' your memos. And every one of your many, '''many''' reports. And since you're finally here, you can read one of '''mine.'''" 
"'We found '''Red Alert''' in the oil reservoir. No head. Pretty sure '''Cyclonus''' is to blame—obv. watch this space.'" 
"'Obv' stands for obviously." 
"No, I, er—I guessed that."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus'''

'''Tailgate:''' "No. Frikkin'. Way. '''Orion Pax''' landed on the guy's '''back?''' Where'd he even '''come from?'''" 
'''Chromedome:''' "I always assumed he jumped off the '''roof,''' Tailgate. He did that sort of thing quite a lot." 
'''Tailgate:''' "Pax is '''so''' cool." 
'''Swerve:''' "More of this, please. More jumping off roofs. Rooves. Roofs. More jumping off things."

"You must be '''Prowl'''. I've heard a lot about you. I'd '''assumed''' most of it was exaggerated."
:—'''Orion Pax'''

"Well, I hope I never get as '''jaded''' and '''cynical''' as '''you''', Orion Pax."
:—'''Prowl'''

'''Whirl:''' "It was Pax's fault I was in prison—" 
'''Ratchet:''' "'''Rubbish!''' It was '''your''' fault you were in prison! Pax was the one who '''arrested''' you!" <to Tailgate> "Whirl attacked '''Megatron''' in his cell." 
'''Tailgate:''' "But wasn't Megatron the '''main bad guy?''' Or... have I missed something very important?" 
'''Ratchet:''' This was '''before''' he went bad. In fact, many say that the '''reason''' he went bad was—" 
'''Whirl:''' <big>'''HEY!'''</big> Can I just tell my part of the story? It's only a frikkin' '''cameo''' as it is! Yeah? Yeah? '''Right.'''"

"Five minutes. Ten if I hear him screaming."
:—'''Garrus-1's warden''', on letting Orion Pax visit Whirl

"The Senate '''mutilated''' me, got me to do their dirty work, and '''abandoned''' me. I want you to '''hurt''' them. I want you to '''crush''' them. I want—I want—I want my hands back."
:—'''Whirl'''

'''Rewind:''' "'''Impactor?!''' Impactor was your '''cellmate?!''' That's how you '''met?!''' And—and I bet he promptly added your name to the list of warriors who would one day become... '''The Wreckers!'''" 
'''Whirl:''' "No—he promptly '''beat me''' to the brink of fade-out and left me in a '''critical condition'''—and '''years''' later we met '''again.'''" 
'''Swerve''': "But that's a '''whole other story.''' Sorry—I always wanted to say that. That, and 'Impossible! Our laserfire is just making him '''stronger!'''' Ahem. Go on..."

==Notes==
*[[Kremzeek]] drinks reappear—in "juice box"-style this time.
*We've linked Roller to his [[Roller (G1)|Generation 1 self]] in this article for convenience, but whatever relationship this character may or may not have to Prime's longstanding buggy-companion, we don't know it yet.
*"Proteus's Promise" has been referenced in issues [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]] and [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|#9]]; here, we finally learn what it was.
[[File:NAILProtesterShadowplay.jpg|thumb|200px]]
*The robot speaking out against Nominus's policies at the J.A.A.T. lectures on page 1 appears to be the placard-carrying [[NAIL protester]] from "[[The Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]", who transformed himself to death in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]] of this series.
*The speaker mentions racism based on whether you're forged or 'constructed', something Roberts first introduced in "[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]" (and is an idea he first came up with in ''Eugenesis'').
*And speaking of the J.A.A.T. lectures, the "A.A.T." part of the name refers to the Academy of Advanced Technology seen in this story. What the J stands for, we won't find out until next issue.
*Fallout's alternate mode is a Thunderbolt fighter from ''[[Wikipedia: Babylon 5|Babylon 5]]''.
*The classic Generation 1 "tetrajet"—Cybertronian alternate mode of the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]]—can be seen on the billboard "Fallout" crashes into.
*Red Alert's body in Rewind's story is a Cybertronic adaptation of his original Generation 1 look, quite far removed from the bulky, rounded form he's wearing in the modern day.
*One of the Decepticon tracts Red Alert finds is titled "The Illusion of Progress: Revisited", evidently a sequel to Megatron's earlier work, "Nominus Prime and the Illusion of Progress", mentioned in "[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]".
*When the ultraviolet light is on in Senator Momus's suite, a small panel shows five puncture marks on the back of Red Alert's neck. As Chromedome explained in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]], [[mnemosurgery]] marks only show up under UV light, and the ideal entry point is from the back of the neck. As Trepan is later seen with the spiked finger-extrusions Chromedome has been shown to use in mnemosurgery in issues #8 and [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|#3]], it seems obvious this was the work of the Institute, presumably using Red in order to feed Chromedome and Prowl the required evidence. Seems Red Alert's paranoia about the organization as mentioned in his sessions with Rung from [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]] was justified. All that from one inset panel, folks! Roberts, take a bow.
*Speaking of Senator Momus, whilst his name could well be a reference to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momus the ancient Greek deity], given [http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=12527 James Roberts' noted predilection towards indie music] it's more likely to be a reference to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momus_(artist) the eccentric Scottish musician] who also uses the name.
*Prowl's ability to "observe 800 moving objects and compute their direction of travel" is an ability from his original ''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' profile.
*A small statuette, plaque or screen-projection of some kind (it's tiny, it's hard to tell!) can be seen in Perceptor's lab, sporting the likeness of [[Nijika]], the tiny female geisha droid that Perceptor's mind was transferred into in the Generation 1 cartoon episode "[[The Face of the Nijika]]".
*Cyclonus mentions Rossum's Rule of Thirds in regards to Red Alert's survival. This would have to do with Rossum's Trinity, the designation for the three parts of the Cybertronian body (the brain module, spark, and transformation cog) that are interlinked such that damage to one can damage the others, mentioned in issue #3.
*First Aid is seen working on a [[Diagnostic Drone]], likely the same one that watched Red Alert visit [[Rung]] in [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*Momus lived in hab suite 113, yet another of Roberts' references to [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue #113]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|UK Marvel comic]].
*Whirl's cellmate is one of the trio of Senate enforcers who pay Pax a visit in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". That story previously established Whirl's connection to that band of nogoodniks, as did the appearance of the trio's apparent leader in his flashback in issue #6.
*Scrawled on the wall of Whirl's cell is the Wreckers' catchphrase, "Wreck 'n' Rule". However, since the Wreckers don't ''exist'' yet at this point in time, the implication might be that this is where Impactor picked up the phrase for later use.
*Also written on Whirl's cell wall, and on a wall near the Decepticon protest, is "Free in 63", a similar message to one seen on Megatron's cell wall in "Chaos Theory," "Free in Cycle 63".
*Whirl's brutalization of Megatron was previously chronicled in the first part of "Chaos Theory". Left unsaid in the comic itself, the fact that Impactor immediately beats Whirl up upon meeting him is obviously because of the fact that Impactor and Megatron were once friends.
[[File:Unnamed senator in Patternism.jpg|thumb|200px]]
*Orion Pax's still-unnamed senator friend has had his color scheme completely overhauled in this issue, going from white, blue and gold to red, white and blue. We're not calling it an error, though, because like his namelessness, this is surely intentional for reasons we are not yet privy to...
*The helmet Glitch is wearing in the scene of Roller and Ratchet arriving at the Academy is Doc Brown's [http://backtothefuture.wikia.com/wiki/Brain-wave_analyzer brain-wave analyzer] from ''[[Wikipedia: Back to the Future|Back to the Future]]''.
*Prowl's pacifism, and his promised attempt to leave Cybertron to escape a potential war, were alluded to back in "The Death of Optimus Prime", where it was revealed that he ''did'' try to leave, but didn't make it.
*The main speaker at the Decepticon protest is the same 'bot seen getting branded with the Decepticon insignia in issue #3's montage of the war's beginnings. The vehicle he is standing on is in Constructicon green-and-purple; logical, given that the Decepticon movement at this time is largely made up of menial-class characters like them.
[[File:The institute Shadowplay2.jpg|thumb|250px]]
*The Institute has been referred to several times in Roberts's work, stretching back to "Chaos Theory". At last, the mystery revealed!
*All the 'bots we see working in the Institute can be divided into two general body types: Ones visually similar to Rung/Trepan/the Necrobot (possibly a neurologist/psychologist body type) and ones who resemble Quark, with microscope cylinders on the tops of their heads. This makes sense, as who else would a brain experimentation facility employ but mind specialists and scientists?
*Pious Maximus, noted as having disappeared 18 months ago, shows up in one of the rooms of the Institute. Guess we know what happened to him.
*The Institute also contains the bodies of numerous [[Empty|Empties]] from the [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]]. This seems to imply that [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]] and [[Boom]] from last issue, who were paid by a mysterious "them" to attack homeless residents of the Dead End, were actually hired by The Institute to bring them guinea pigs.
*In the bottom left panel of page 19, Artist Alex Milne leaves a shoutout to series Colorist Josh Burcham: the glyphs beneath Fallout and Streaker's pictures spell out 'DCJOSH', Josh Burcham's chosen online handle.

===Crew Manifest===
*Our bad. Red Alert's headless <strike>corpse</strike> but still functional body was recovered from the oil reservoir last issue.
*5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders) since the launch.

===Errors===
*On page 11, panel 1, the word "foment" is misspelled as "forment." This was corrected in the TPB.
*As Whirl mocks Chromedome for his history with Prowl on page 12, it's Skids who gets offended by it. The speech bubble was correctly assigned in the TPB.

===Soundtrack===

For the three-part "Shadowplay" story:

*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnAt0xpO2HU Comforting Sounds]'' by [[Wikipedia:Mew (band)|Mew]]

For this issue:
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU_LRUkjbKk Action/Reaction]'' by [[Wikipedia:Choir of Young Believers|Choir of Young Believers]]
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIfR_jMM2Hw Traffic Music]'' by [[Wikipedia:Hjaltalín|Hjaltalín]]

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Chromedome riding a sky-dart, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Cover B:''' Chromedome and Prowl, by [[Casey Coller]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Orion Pax and Ratchet, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]

<gallery>
Image:MTMTE10_cvrA.jpg|
Image:MTMTE10_cvrB.jpg|
Image:MTMTE10_cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Syndromica (2)|#10]]
*''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Loose Ends, Part 4|#84]]
*''Magic: The Gathering - Path of Vengeance''
*''The Real Ghostbusters'' 100 Page Spooktacular
*IDW ''[[My Little Pony|My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'' comic

==External links==
*[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/content/idw-more-than-meets-eye-10-preview-5166/ Preview]
*[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-ongoing-10-creator-commentary-with-james-roberts/26143/ Creator Commentary with James Roberts]

Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc

2013-06-05T23:41:25Z

CAPTAIN-STATIC: /* Featured characters */

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=9
|prev=Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?
|next=Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism
|caption=
|image=MTMTE9_cvrA.jpg
|title="Shadowplay (A Totally Epic Story Based On Real Events That Definitely Happened) Part 1: Post Hoc"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 26]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=September 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}

'''A group of Autobots are gathered by Rewind to tell a story of corruption, conspiracy and murder from long ago on Cybertron.'''

==Synopsis==

''On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], before the war, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Quark]] meet outside [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's New Oil House]] to discuss the increase of violence in the face of the [[Clampdown]] and the rise of the [[Decepticon]] movement. Nightbeat is sympathetic to the worker class cause, while the science-class Quark fears for the future... but their argument ends when a drop of [[energon]] lands in Quark's drink, and the pair look up to discover the dead body of [[Sherma|Senator Sherma]], suspended from the Interstate Bridge!''

In the present day, aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] arrives late to a meeting called by [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] in [[Swerve's]]: the archivist has called him, [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] together (with [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] as an audience) to help him tell a story that will aid in [[Rung]]'s mental recuperation. The true-life tale is set shortly after the instigation of the Clampdown, beginning with the assassination of Senator Sherma, and reveals how, thanks to one Autobot, all those present played a role in a greater story than they ever realized...

Chromedome begins the story by recalling how he and his partner in [[Iaconian Mechaforensic Division|Mechaforensics]], [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], were called in to investigate Sherma's murder, easily deducing the Decepticons as the culprits from the presence of their [[insignia]], graffitied on Sherma's back. Skids interrupts to ask for some clarification on Prowl, who he doesn't remember; Swerve has a few choice words to describe him, and Rewind tries to emulate his fondness for flipping tables over, but can't quite manage it. Drift, receiving some messages from [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], tries to hurry the story along, so Rewind turns narration over to him, asking about his time as a homeless [[circuit booster]] addict in the [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]]. Drift recounts how he was attacked by [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]] and [[Boom]] and was saved by decorated police officer [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] and brought to a medical drop-in center run by [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]. Ratchet takes issue with Drift's embellishment of the facts, as he jokingly claims the atheistic medic was praising [[Adaptus]] and [[Primus]] as he worked, but what he begrudgingly is unable to deny is that he told Drift that he was special. Drift tells of how he lied to Ratchet about going to a local [[Relinquishment Clinic]], prompting Tailgate to ask exactly what the clinics were; Rewind plays an infomercial for one, which explains that they were used in the days of [[functionism]] to give 'bots the chance to experience life in bodies with other [[alternate mode]]s via Sparkswap technology. Never a fan of the clinics, Ratchet picks up the story, remembering the news broadcast that played immediately after he had repaired Drift: the broadcast that announced the death of [[Nominus Prime]], with its claim that he was the victim of a rust infection that Ratchet, having operated on Nominus following the attempt on his life, knew was a lie. His part in the story complete, Drift leaves to respond to an increasingly irate Rodimus, while Ratchet goes on to summarize how he accompanied Orion to a rendezvous with his [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|senator friend]]. The senator confirmed Orion's suspicions that Nominus was killed by the Senate after the [[Matrix of Leadership]] within his chest was revealed to be a fake, and revealed his fears that the Senate's head of security, [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]], was planning something involving the Decepticons. For the sake of drama, Rewind has Ratchet stop there, turning things back over Chromedome to have him carry on with the story of Sherma's murder. Having discovered through autopsy that the senator was shot to death, Chromedome describes how he and Prowl traced fragments of [[cerulean glass]] found in Sherma's boots and treads back to the privileged community of [[Translucentica Heights]] and headed there on [[Skydart]]s. They discussed Prowl's upbringing in the strict town of [[Petrex]] and the existence or not of the [[Institute]] along the way, but upon their arrival, a corpse came flying out a high-rise window and landed in front of them, sporting another graffitied Decepticon symbol...

Meanwhile, down in the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s oil reservoir, Drift arrives to answer Rodimus's call. The reason is anything but pleasant... dredged out of the oil by [[Grapple]], they have discovered the remains of [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], and Rodimus blames [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] for his death!

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Rung]] (4)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (6)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (7)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (8)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (9)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (10)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (11)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (12)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (13)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] (20)
*[[Grapple]] (24)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (25)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (26)
|c4=
*''[[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]]'' (1)
*''[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'' (2)
*''[[Quark]]'' (3)
*''[[Sherma]]'' (5)
*''[[Nominus Prime]]'' (14)
*''[[Proteus]]'' (15)
*''[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]'' (16)
*''[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'' (17)
*''[[Boom]]'' (18)
*''[[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]]'' (19)
*''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (21)
*''[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Conspicuously-unnamed senator]]'' (22)
*''[[Momus]]'' (23)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Ratchet''': By the vaulted heights of— 
'''Drift''': You had him '''hidden behind the bar?!''' 
'''Chromedome''': So '''embarrassing'''. 
'''Skids''': —not '''seriously''' telling me that he's been here the '''whole time?!''' 
'''Whirl''': Cool.
:—Reactions to Rewind pulling Rung's catatonic body out from behind the bar in Swerve's.

"The Decepticons are behind this." 
"What makes you say that? Does the '''upside down corpse''' reference the Decepticons' plans to '''upend''' societal hierarchies? Is the position of the body such that at sunset, the shadow will point to the '''Functionalist council building''' where the first Decepticon activists were '''arrested?'''" 
"There's all that, '''obviously.''' But for me the real '''clincher''' is the '''massive Decepticon symbol''' graffitied on his back."
:—'''Chromedome''' and '''Prowl'''

"It's '''Prowl!''' 'Prowl the Pragmatist!' You know—'''Prowl!'''" 
"'''Oh!''' Turns into a Predabot? Posted at Delphi? Likes a hug?" 
"'''No!''' Prowl with the '''head spikes''' and the '''cruel mouth''' and the--'''cross''' all the time! '''Epically, pre-emptively, existentially''' cross. And cold! Supercilious and cold! Imagine '''Ultra Magnus''' without the '''warmth''' and '''people skills.'''"
:—'''Swerve''' and '''Skids'''

"How many times has he flipped a table?" 
"Prowl? Ooh, four times." 
"Y'know, when we left his office for the ''Lost Light'' I '''swear''' I heard-" 
"You're '''right!''' Five times."
:—'''Rewind''' and '''Chromedome'''

"So I'm laying on a circuit slab in Ratchet's Dead End workshop—and he says: 'Primus guide me, Primus protect me, I beseech you, oh might Primus, please—' '''MMMPH!'''" 
"'''Unreliable narrator alert!''' Do '''not''', I repeat '''do not''' listen to what he says!"
:—'''Drift''' and '''Ratchet'''

==Notes==
* [[Wikipedia:Post-hoc analysis|"Post hoc" analysis]], from the Latin meaning "after this", is the examination of data in search of patterns after the fact. As Rewind explains, this is the purpose of his story: to reveal to the gathered characters' how their exploits all crossed over with one another without any of them knowing.
* This story is essentially a direct sequel to Roberts's "[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]" [[Chaos Theory Part 2|two-parter]] from the [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], published a little over a year before this story began. It follows up on events established by that story, like the injury of Nominus Prime by a suicide bomber, the establishment of the [[Clampdown]], Orion Pax's reconstruction with a new chamber in his chest, and his dalliance with an enigmatic senator who conspicuously continues to go unnamed. The window of Maccadam's is even still cracked from where Rung collided with it in the first few pages of "[[Chaos Theory Part 1]]".
* Furthermore, the issue's opening line, "What am I looking at again? Not more violence?" is a call back and deliberate contrast to Chaos Theory's opening line, "What am I looking at again? Not more poetry?"
* Roberts previously used "Quark" as the name for an Autobot in his ''Eugenesis'' fan-novel, but that's about as far as similarities between the two characters go. This Quark's head is based on [[Perceptor (Animated)|''Animated'' Perceptor]], as they both turn into microscopes.
* Speaking of ''Animated'', the luckless Scrounge makes a cameo in the first panel with an appearance based predominantly on his [[Scrounge (Animated)|''Animated'' counterpart]], carrying a bundle of [[Conductor|energy conductors]] (though probably [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|not enough to last a quartex]]). Also visible is [[Rattrap|''Beast Machines'' Rattrap]].
* This issues gives us our second mention of the [[Primal Vanguard]], the unit to which Tailgate was attached, as he mentioned back in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]].
* The Primal Vanguard shooting took place somewhere called "Apophenia." The word means the experience of seeing connections in meaningless or random data, a fitting title given what Rewind and this story are doing.
* Several references are made to "Proteus's Promise", an unspecified political promise made by [[Proteus|Senator Proteus]] from "Chaos Theory". This was the title of the public information film shown by Rewind in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
* A billboard reading "Everyone's Shape Serves A Purpose" can be spotted outside Maccadam's; this slogan was repeated by Rewind in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]].
* The model ship Rung is building on page 2 is the ''Lost Light'' itself, or at least a ship of the same class.
*Ratchet comments that he spray-paints his hands red; and well he should, as they're replacements gained from [[Pharma]] in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]] which are actually blue. Some paint even transitions onto Drift's face when Ratchet tries to gag him during the storytelling.
*A jug on the bar table has the same unique shape as the chemical flasks seen in the [[Lithone scientist|Lithone scientist's]] workshop at the beginning of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
*Red Alert's name is also present on Rewind's hotspot diagram, yet unlike the others, he is not present at the storytelling meeting. With the last page's cliffhanger, the reason for that becomes graphically clear.
* [[Sherma Bridge]] has cropped up in several places in Roberts's stories, starting with "Chaos Theory Part 1". Here we learn it was formerly the "Interstate Bridge", and was renamed (formally or colloquially, it's not specified) after the dead senator hung from it.
* Chromedome is sporting a body based on his original Generation 1 toy in the flashback sequences. He notes that he was not ''called'' "Chromedome" at this point in his life, but for clarity's sake Rewind just has him use his current name while telling the story. His old name would be revealed in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]], and was ''not'' some crazy secret conspiracy, thank you very much internet forums.
* Skids confuses Prowl with [[Dent]], who we met back in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]], where it was explained that he ''used'' to be named "Prowl" as well. His suggested animalistic alternate mode is confirmed (as a "Predabot"), and humorously, the reason he was shambling towards [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] in that issue despite being infected with [[Red Rust]] is because he "likes a hug".
* Drift's time as a homeless drifter (snort, giggle) was previously shown in [[Drift issue 2|issue #2 of his self-titled mini-series]].
* Sonic and Boom previously appeared in issues #4 and #5, where they were likewise enjoying the upper hand on would-be victims before getting quickly and thoroughly trounced by a new arrival.
* Mentioned several times but perennially silent and off-screen is an allegedly chatty, teasing cohort of Orion's named "Roller". If this is an earlier incarnation of Orion's [[Roller (G1)|future component]], or perhaps someone for whom that component would be named in honor, we don't know yet.
* We first got a glimpse of a Relinquishment Clinic in [[Interiors|issue #6]], where one was implied to have some link to Chromedome and Rewind's shared history. The images used in the clinic's infomercial are redrawn from the original Generation 1 toy [[instructions]] for the [[Zetar (G1)|Drill Powerdasher]] and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]].
* A few of the names on the memorial for the Ark-1 are obscured by Ratchet's hand. While "Cyclonus" can be easily figured out from what we can see of it, the final name, starting with "Hype...", raises more questions. Could this be a hint at a greater backstory for Roberts-original character [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]]? A reference to the obscure Transformer seen only in [[Skyquake (G1)|Skyquake's]] Megavisor, [[Hyperdrive (Turbomaster)|Hyperdrive]]?
* A name beginning with "Tail" is also on the memorial. [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|Issue #13]] reveals that this is ''not'' short for Tailgate.
* Pax's unnamed senator friend has had his color scheme tweaked a little in this issue compared to "Chaos Theory", with some more blue added to his chest.
* [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'s involvement in Nominus Prime's unfortunate fate was implied in a montage of images in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]], and made explicit here.
* With the revelation that the Matrix within Nominus Prime was a fake, combined with the fact that his predecessor [[Nova Prime]] has never been shown to hold the talisman and Optimus Prime's discovery of it in the [[Undergrid]] in ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'', a picture is emerging that suggests the Matrix may actually have been missing since ancient times, only being rediscovered by Optimus Prime and ''never actually held'' by any of the other Primes, despite what the Senate has told the population.
* "Chaos Theory" and ''[[The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin]]'' are bridged with the revelation that Megatron was shipped off-planet after the earlier story, to [[Messatine]], previously established to be home to [[nucleon]] mines and future home of both the [[Delphi]] medical facility and [[Decepticon Justice Division]], . This presumably places [[Mining Outpost C-12]] from ''Megatron Origin'' on that planet.
* In a big retcon, the Decepticons exist ''before'' the events of ''Megatron Origin''.
* The mysterious "Institute" gets another mention this issue, one of several that have been peppered throughout Roberts's works.

===Crew Manifest===
*Red Alert's headless corpse is recovered from the oil reservoir.
*6 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders) since the launch.

===Errors===
*In the panel where Nightbeat and Quark first see Sherma's hanging, dead body, Sherma's hands are drawn backwards.
*On page 7, Prowl refers to "the Functionalist council"; the council's ad on the same page, and page 2 before it, says "Functionist" and that's what Quark called them on the second page. This was corrected for the TPB.
*On page 16, panel 3, "understanding" is misspelled as "undersanding", this was corrected for the TPB.
*On the same page, on a subsequent panel, "someone" is misspelled as "somone", this was corrected for the TPB.
*Mechaforensics recovers glass from Senator Sherma's traction treads, but his body is not depicted as actually having any treads. We can't even argue that they're folded on the inside when he's in robot mode because we don't see any at the autopsy either.
*On page 18, panel 3, assuming that the names on the Ark-1 memorial are all of Cybertronian polities already established in fiction, "[[Protihex]]" is misspelled as "Protohex".

===Soundtrack===

For the three-part "Shadowplay" story:

*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnAt0xpO2HU Comforting Sounds]'' by [[Wikipedia:Mew (band)|Mew]]

For this issue:

*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYY3GzENE58 Our Hearts Burn Like Damp Matches]'' by [[Wikipedia:The Leisure Society|The Leisure Society]]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI-YR4LBzL0 Theme from ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind]'' by [[Wikipedia:Jon Brion|Jon Brion]]

It's also worth noting that the title is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadowplay_(song) also a song], by the 1980s English band Joy Division.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Many key characters in fractured panels that together make up a close-up of the Decepticon insignia, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Cover B:''' Orion Pax in a shadowed alley, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Optimus Prime, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]

<gallery>
Image:MTMTE9_cvrA.jpg|
Image:MTMTE9_cvrB.jpg|
Image:MTMTE9_cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Night and the City|#9]]
*''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Loose Ends, Part 3|#83]]
*Joe Kubert's ''Tarzan of the Apes'' Artist's Edition
*''[[Primus: All Good Things|Robots in Disguise Annual 2012]]''
*''[[My Little Pony|My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'' comic

Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?

2013-06-05T23:37:38Z

CAPTAIN-STATIC: /* Featured characters */

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=8
|prev=Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations
|next=Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc
|seriesissue2="Scavengers"
|prev2=Rules of Disengagement
|caption=Grimlock is the king of hide and seek!
|image=MTMTE8_cvrA.jpg
|title="Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[August 22]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=August 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}

'''The Scavengers use Grimlock to fight back against the D.J.D.'''

==Synopsis==
''Years ago, above the planet [[Clemency]], a regiment of [[K-Class]] [[Decepticon]]s prepare to drop into the battle raging below. The perky [[Torque (G1)|Torque]] introduces himself to a somber [[Fulcrum]], who says nothing. And then, the order is given to disembark and enter the conflict...''

On Clemency today, within a crashed ''P-6 [[Worldsweeper]]'', the rag-tag team of [[Decepticon]] "[[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]]" desperately try to figure out what to do about the approach of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. With none of their number willing to own up to being the unfortunate soul the D.J.D. are looking for, [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] proposes that they stand and fight, and although Fulcrum laughs in his face, the other Decepticons get behind the idea and begin a plot to use the comatose [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] to their advantage.

Across space, on the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]—his tune changed about his amnesia following a recent conversation with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]]—requests that the mnemosurgeon use his mind-reading abilities to see if he can unlock his lost memories. Chromedome discovers that Skids's memories of the last year have not just been suppressed: they have been ''erased'', replaced with an imperative to "escape". However, all the memories from before that point that Skids has lost are indeed still locked inside his head, buried away by the trauma of the erasure of the others... but upon getting a glimpse of them, Chromedome is so horrified that he pulls out, assuring Skids that he's better off ''not'' remembering them. Skids grimly accepts this, but reveals to Chromedome that he always hears a piece of music playing inside his mind. Having heard it as well, Chromedome identifies it as "[[The Empyrean Suite]]", and hopes that Skids never understands its significance...

Back on Clemency, the Scavengers lug the capsule containing Grimlock out into the open, transmitting to the D.J.D.'s ship the ''[[Peaceful Tyranny]]'' that they have killed their target and left him for them to collect, learning in the process that the Division is looking for Fulcrum. Presently, the D.J.D. arrive and approach the capsule, at which point Krok triggers the [[circuit speeder]]s he laced it with, jolting Grimlock awake and into a berzerker rage. The Scavengers delay leaving until they see which way the battle is going, but Grimlock quickly tires to their shock, and their subsequent attempt at escape goes nowhere as [[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] appears, mocking Misfire's timing and blocking their path. The battle that follows is a gruesome one as [[Flywheels]] is killed by [[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]]'s chest grinder, and [[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] removes his face, laden with spikes, and jams it over Krok's own. [[Misfire]] accidentally shoots Krok when he tries to help him, and is then mauled by [[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]]'s [[The Pet|pet Sparkeater]]. Tarn, meanwhile, turns his "weaponized conversation" on Grimlock, but before he can end his life, [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] comes to the rescue in the most unexpected way: he has recovered a [[cybernought]] battle-mech from the ''Worldsweeper'', and begins raining destruction down on the D.J.D. Unfortunately, an electric shock from Kaon cripples both mech and pilot, and the giant robot is quickly taken down by Tarn. In answer to Tarn's bellowed challenge, Fulcrum then appears atop the ''Worldsweeper'' and delivers a speech decrying the D.J.D. as symbolic of everything that went wrong with the Decepticon movement. He leaps from the ship, and transforms... into a bomb! He lands with the least dramatic impact possible, barely causing a cloud of dust, at which point Kaon alerts Tarn to his detection of the [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'s [[energy signature]]. Considering Fulcrum dead, the D.J.D. pull out to pursue this new target, warning the Scavengers that they are all on the List now.

Fulcrum, however, is anything but dead, much to his own surprise: it turns out that the very first thing the Scavengers did upon finding him the previous day was remove his explosive charge—apparently Spinister was capable of the difficult manual task despite his lack of intelligence. Fulcrum tries to explain his story to them—how he was convicted of desertion of duty and, after initially being sentenced to death by [[Traitor's wheel]], was conscripted into a K-Squad and reconfigured to auto-transform into a bomb upon deployment, only for his systems to become paralyzed with terror—but they lose interest very quickly and check up on Grimlock instead. However, the former Dynobot leader soon reveals what's wrong with him, when he can barely struggle out a "Me Grimlock" and inspects his hands as if he doesn't know what they're for. Assuming he was left behind because "he's practically brain-dead", Misfire suggests the Scavengers take him back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] figuring they can use him as a bargaining chip regardless of whether the [[Autobot]]s or Decepticons are in charge of the planet. The others agree, but before they depart, Misfire delivers a eulogy for the fallen Flywheels, mocking his search for the [[Necrobot]]<ref name="bigfatmistake">[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=12478 James Roberts:] It seems that a line of dialogue on the last page of issue 8 is causing some confusion. Standing over Flywheels' remains, Misfire says, "His ludicrous search for the Necrobot remains unfulfilled." Yet in issue 7, it is clearly established that Misfire himself is the Scavenger with the Necrobot obsession. This is what is known - in comic book industry jargon - as a big, fat mistake. [...] P.S. We'll fix the dialogue for the trade - unless someone comes up with a truly amazing explanation.</ref>, and the team then descend upon his body to Fulcrum's shock, doing what they do best: scavenging.

Eighteen months later... a shadow falls over Flywheels's skeletal remains. The all-too-real Necrobot has come to mark his passing, and adds his name to a list of the recently deceased: right after [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], Chromedome, [[Dipstick]], [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]...

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (8)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (9)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (10)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (11)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (12)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (13)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (14)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (15)
|c2=
*''[[Torque (G1)|Torque]]'' (1)
*[[Fulcrum]] (2)
*[[Misfire]] (3)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (4)
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (5)
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (6)
*[[Flywheels]] (7)
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] (16)
*[[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] (17)
*[[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]] (18)
*[[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]] (19)
*[[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] (20)
|c4=
*[[The Pet]] (21)
*[[Necrobot]] (22)
}}

==Quotes==

"'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>Fighting the D.J.D.<nowiki>'</nowiki>''' is just ''''<nowiki>'</nowiki>certain death<nowiki>'</nowiki>''' with more letters! It's—it's '''suicide''' with '''delusions of survival!'''"
:—'''Fulcrum'''

"Anyway, I thought you '''liked''' having amnesia." 
"Who told you that?" 
"You told '''Swerve''', right? So assume everyone on board knows. In fact, assume everyone on '''Cybertron''' knows. In fact, assume that distant '''alien races''', otherwise untouched by civilization—" 
"Okay, okay, point taken."
:—'''Chromedome''' and '''Skids'''

"I was lucky. I was forged when the Decepticon Empire was at it's peak. We'd overthrown our '''oppressors,''' we'd torn down a system that served only those at the top, and we'd turned '''outwards'''—refining the galaxy by cleansing it of organic races too backward to reconfigure their inferior nature. And you know what went wrong? People like '''you.''' The thugs and the sadists and the psychos—people for whom the war was a convenient excuse to inflict pain. Yesterday, my faith in the Decepticon was '''restored.''' I met six scavengers—and they were average and normal and brilliant, and they fought on my behalf when I really, '''really''' didn't deserve it. And I know you look down on them, but each one of them is worth '''ten''' of you. So what I'm about to do, I do for '''them'''—and for everyone else the D.J.D. has murdered. This is for everyone who's ever turned and fled in protest at what the Decepticons have become!"
:—'''Fulcrum'''

'''Misfire:''' "A senseless waste. His ludicrous search for the Necrobot ends unfulfilled. A terrible, terrible tragedy. Boo hoo." 
'''Fulcrum:''' "'Boo hoo'? I though Flywheels was your '''friend!''' You're just going to leave him here?" 
'''Misfire:''' "You're '''right.''' What were we '''thinking?'''" 
'''Crankcase:''' "I'm having his rotor system—" 
'''Misfire:''' "There's probably enough for a '''sip''' of [[innermost energon]] each..." 
'''Spinister:''' "Leave the knees for me."

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Flywheel's 'psychosomatic hyperreflexia flares up again on page 3 indicating that his is lying about believing that Primus cares about them.
*Rewind screens a public information film named "[[Proteus's Promise]]" for his crewmates; the title character is [[Proteus|Senator Proteus]] from "[[Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory]]", and the titular promise itself would be expanded upon in "Shadowplay", the next arc.
*Skids and Chromedome's conversation is footnoted to have occurred in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|''More than Meets the Eye'' 2012 annual]], which was released a few weeks after publication of this issue. This tactic seems to deliberately hearken back to the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK]] days, when important story beats would appear in the [[Transformers Annual|Annual]] stories.
*Chromedome knows Skids from a "heist" pulled back on Cybertron before the war. This heist is also dealt with in the upcoming "[[Shadowplay]]" storyline.
*Skids had been asking other people if they knew much about music in the third and fifth issues; this is now revealed to be an attempt to identity the aria in his head.
*Torque has "Ultra Magnus" written on him while in bomb mode, indicating that he was targeting this specific Autobot - this would be expanded upon [[The Gloaming|later]].
*This issue makes clear Tarn's transformation addiction, as alluded to [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|previously]]. When he steps off the ship, he transforms while everyone else walks the short distance, then transforms again to inspect Grimlock. When fighting Grimlock, he transforms to run over him with his treads, then transforms again to try his "talk to death" trick. When Crankcase unleashes the Cybernought, Tarn transforms to shoot it, despite having a perfectly good gun on his arm, then transforms again to address Fulcrum.

===Transformers references===
*The return of Grimlock coincidences with that of the rest of [[Dinobot (G1)|his team]] in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Dinobot Hunt|#8]] and another appearance by Big Grim himself in ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One]]'' [[Loose Ends, Part 2|#82]] for a micro-event called out on the August covers as "Dinobot Month!"
*Skids is revealed to be a master of Cybertronian martial art [[Metallikato]], and in the same breath name-drops the [[Povian]]s of [[Pova]], from ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''.
*Tarn calls Krok a [[Genericon]], a pejorative intended to indicate a 'Con of little importance last used in reference to [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]] and [[Boom]] in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
*Fulcrum refers to his imprisonment in [[Styx]], the Decepticon penal colony only previously seen in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''.

===Real-world references===
*The title likely refers to the children's song, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?".
*We're not told what the "K" in "K-Class" stands for, but given their suicidal job description, "[[Wikipedia:kamikaze|kamikaze]]" seems almost certain.

===Trivia===
*The D.J.D.'s [[turbofox]], glimpsed last issue and referred to in the cast list at the end of this issue as "The Pet", is also a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] (well, more of a "sparkchewer"). Here it's specifically identified as Kaon's pet, but Helex was holding its chain last issue; Kaon was in alternate mode at the time, so perhaps he was just holding it for him.
*The normal cast list at the end of the issue is replaced with a new list showcasing the D.J.D. members, The Pet, the Scavengers, and Fulcrum.

===Errors===
*Perhaps not strictly an error, but while the in-story text consistently abbreviates "Decepticon Justice Division" as "D.J.D.", the title renders it "DJD" without the periods, perhaps to avoid a period followed by a question mark.
*Reference is repeatedly made to Fulcrum's impressive, distinctive [[chin]]... but it's not any bigger or more notable than many of the other characters, and certainly not more than Misfire's and Grimlock's in their profile-angled shots on page 21, which are positively ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'' in their chintasticness. The only thing notable about it is its 'chin strap' styling.
*Issue #7 saw Helex given the task of scanning for Overlord's energy signature, but in this issue, it's Kaon who reports finding it. When these issues were collected in the second ''More than Meets the Eye'' trade paperback, issue #7's dialogue was edited so Kaon was given the task.
*Fulcrum says yesterday he met "six Scavengers"... but there were only five of them. This error was also fixed for the trade.
*This issue ends with Misfire lamenting over Flywheels's "ludicrous search" for the Necrobot... except last issue, it was ''Misfire himself'' who was searching for him! Roberts admitted the mistake and said it would be fixed for the trade.<ref name="bigfatmistake"/> Despite the idea of Flywheels being played as a born-again religious type, which belief in the Necrobot would sit alongside well, and the poetry of the final scene, with the Necrobot coming to record the death of one who has searched for him for so long, the eventual fix involved simply deleting the first line of Misfire's eulogy, removing the reference to Flywheels's belief. Roberts notes that this was the intention from the outset. <ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=313133&highlight=#313133 Roberts on the correction at the IDW forums]</ref>

===Crew Manifest===
*Fulcrum and Grimlock join the crew of the ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]''.
*Flywheels was killed by the D.J.D. on Clemency.
*1 death, 2 new arrivals since their introduction last issue.

===Soundtrack===
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4qmqcug3Vc Die]'' by [[Wikipedia:Iron & Wine|Iron & Wine]]
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zYOKFjpm9s Do You Realise]'' by [[Wikipedia:The Flaming Lips|The Flaming Lips]]

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Grimlock looms, art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]].
*'''Cover B:''' Grimlock in T-Rex mode, art by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]].
*'''Cover RI:''' Grimlock (notice a pattern?) breathing fire; art by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]], the fourth quarter of a combined image formed with the RI cover to ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Interference Patterns|#7]], [[Dinobot Hunt|#8]], and ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Rules of Disengagement|#7]].

<gallery>
Image:MTMTE8_cvrA.jpg|This scene does not occur in the issue...
Image:MTMTE8_cvrB.jpg|...and he doesn't transform to T-Rex mode...
Image:MTMTE8_cvrRI.jpg|...and his T-Rex mode doesn't even look like this!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Dinobot Hunt|#8]]
*''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Loose Ends, Part 2|#82]]
*''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]''
*''[[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|More Than Meets the Eye Annual 2012]]''
*''Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom'' (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album_view.php?gid=4452&page=9 Preview]
*[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-ongoing-8-creator-commentary/25652/ Creator commentary with James Roberts]

==References==
<references/>

Interiors

2013-06-05T23:35:49Z

CAPTAIN-STATIC: /* Featured characters */

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=6
|prev=How Ratchet Got His Hands Back
|next=Rules of Disengagement
|caption="NO! SHOOT WHIRL, SHOOT WHIRL!"

|image=MTMTE6_cvrA.jpg
|title="Interiors"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[June 27]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=June 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}

'''A hostage situation grips the ''Lost Light'' as Fortress Maximus snaps, and not everyone escapes the experience unscathed...'''

==Synopsis==

After his vicious display on [[Delphi]], [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] is instructed to undergo mandatory psychological evaluation with [[Rung]]. The sessions go very poorly, as Maximus actively lies about what he remembers of his experiences at the hands of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] on [[Garrus-9]]—about how the deranged Decepticon never wanted [[Aequitas]], but what it served to hide—but Rung insists they continue.

Meanwhile, at [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]'s [[Swerve's|bar]], [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] is displaying his talent for identifying an Autobot based purely on the sound of their [[transformation]] and ducking [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]'s questions about how he and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] met, while Tailgate himself bemoans his current education in the [[Autobot Code]] and [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] gripes about Fortress Maximus's overblown reputation. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] soon arrives and arrests Swerve for running a speakeasy, assigning him the demeaning punishment of replacing every rivet on the exterior of the ship, after which Maximus himself enters the bar... and promptly shoots [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]]!

Maximus proceeds to go on a rampage through the ''[[Lost Light]]'', shooting [[Boss (G1)|Boss]], [[Dogfight]], [[Turbine]] and [[Doubletap]] apparently at random, before holing himself up in Rung's office and impaling the psychiatrist's current patient, [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], with a pipe. As [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] and Ultra Magnus watch through a security camera hacked by [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], and listen through an audio feed surreptitiously being broadcast by Rung through his thumb-microphone, Maximus beats the mocking Whirl into silence so he can issue his demands: take the ''Lost Light'' back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] so [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] can answer for taking three years to send help to Garrus-9, or the former warden starts killing hostages. Discovering that the conversation is being broadcast, Maximus rips off Rung's thumb, and Whirl resumes his taunting, deliberately trying to bait Maximus into killing him. He refuses to tell Maximus ''why'' he has a death wish, so Maximus threatens Rung instead, and Whirl is convinced to tell him his life story: how before the war, he defied Cybertronian convention by giving up his function to become a watchmaker, only to fall on hard times and wind up being press-ganged into the service of the [[Senate]]. He even reveals why he was kicked off the [[Wrecker]]s: he attempted to euthanize the comatose [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] using [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]]'s [[Sparkeater (weapon)|Sparkeater weapon]].

As Whirl tells his story, Rodimus notices that Rung is tapping one of his model spaceships, indicating the windows. Catching his meaning, Rodimus contacts [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]], also on rivet duty with Swerve as punishment for bringing "snuff movie" data discs on board, and orders the pair to the window of Rung's office, from which a rivet gun can be used to take Maximus out. Before they can get there, however, Maximus flies into a fury upon realizing the ship has not yet changed course and prepares to kill Whirl. Rung tries to stop him, having come to the same conclusion that [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] have simultaneously reached by studying the uniform coloration of his Autobot victims: this is not about Prowl, it's about Overlord and the revenge Max will never get to have. At Rodimus's suggestion, Rewind projects footage of Maximus's torture and dismemberment at Overlord's hands through the porthole in order to shock and distract him, giving Swerve the chance to take the shot. Swerve protests, both because of his lack of skill and the fact that Rung, ever the dedicated carer, has knelt by the traumatised Maximus to calm him, but Rodimus insists that he try... and the deadly blast strikes not Maximus, but Rung, blowing his head open. Whirl uses the distraction to rip out the pipe pinning him, and takes Maximus down by impaling him with it.

A little later, after a speech has been delivered for Rung and Maximus has been locked in the ship's brig, Rodimus talks with Drift about recent events. Drift comments warily on the absence of [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], who, unbeknownst to either, has taken the deceased [[Ore]]'s drill-arm to widen the crack in the bottom of the ship through which he believes he can hear a voice. And through the crack, where by all rights there should only be empty space, he finds in a hidden chamber, in which, immobilized, his weapons systems removed, begging to be killed...

...hangs Overlord.

==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"{{!}}
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (1)
*[[Rung]] (2)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (4)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (5)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (6)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (7)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (8)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (9)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (11)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (12)
*[[Boss (G1)|Boss]] (13)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (14)
*[[Brainstorm]] (15)
*[[Dogfight]] (16)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (18)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (19)
*[[Aquafend]] (20)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (21)
*[[Deftwing]] (22)
*[[Powerflash]] (23)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (24)
*[[Siren]] (25, voice only)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (26)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (27)
*[[Doubletap]] (28)
*[[Turbine]] (29)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (33)
*''[[Springer (G1)|Springer]]'' (34)
*[[Ore]] (35)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (3)
|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (10)
*''[[Heavies]]'' (30-31)
*''Senate thug'' (32)
}}

==Quotes==

"You were in charge when G9 was attacked." 
"Yes." 
"What happened next?" 
"You '''know''' what happened next. '''Everyone''' knows. Even '''Tailgate''' knows, and someone had to draw him a picture of '''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]''' the other day..."
:—'''Rung''' and '''Fortress Maximus'''

"We just spent six hours discussing the relevance of a '''semicolon.''' I say 'discussing'—it was more like a thrilling Magnus monologue. I say 'thrilling'—it was actually '''very, very boring'''." 
"And the semicolon?" 
"Ah! Turns out the semicolon isn't relevant '''at all'''."
:—'''Tailgate''' and '''Chromedome'''

"I mean, 'Fortress Maximus'—come '''on'''. What kind of a name is that? But everyone's like, 'Oh, Fortress Maximus, you're my '''hero!''' You've got '''guns in your legs''' and you killed tons of 'Cons at Simanzi...' And I'm like 'That was a '''thousand years ago!'''<nowiki>'</nowiki> He's a '''relic!''' He's a '''has-been!''' He's—" 
"Just walked in." 
"Great to '''see''' you, Max! Come on over! We were just talking about '''Simanzi!''' With the '''thing''' and the—the '''stuff!''' So... oh '''wow!''' You've got guns in your '''legs!''' How's that working out for you? That's '''awesome,''' man. '''You're''' awesome."
:—'''Trailbreaker''' and '''Chromedome'''

"'''Seriously''', all of this is a bit—it's a bit '''pathetic''' though, isn't it? Even for an epic, epic '''failure''' like you. I mean, not only do you practically '''beg''' the Decepticons to take G9 off your hands, but you curl up into a ball the moment Overlor—" 
''(Fortress Maximus pistol-whips Whirl.)'' 
"Wow. If I'd known '''that''' was the best you've got, I'd have said something '''genuinely''' offensive."
:—'''Whirl'''

"You never told '''me''' any of that!" 
"Well '''you''' never threatened to shoot a '''friend''' of '''mine'''!"
:—'''Whirl''' shows '''Rung''' that he actually does care.

==Notes==
*The cast page at the end of the comic is updated this issue, removing Rung and adding First Aid, Trailbreaker and Pipes. Several of the brief write-ups have been modified to reflect what we've learned about the cast of late.
*Fortress Maximus's suffering at the hands of Overlord, of course, all occurred within the span of ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'', off-panel between issues [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|#1]] and [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3|#3]].
*Skids is again missing his gun this issue, but the updated cast page makes a point of highlighting this, suggesting that instances in past issues where wasn't holding it may not have all been the errors they appeared to be at the time.
*Trailbreaker's whole personality here might seem a bit new, as he's never acted like this in any fiction before, but it's all actually derived from his original bio, which described him as very self-conscious as a result of the fact he is exceptionally fuel-inefficient. Here, Roberts adapts the "fuel consumptive" idea to mean he needs to drink a lot of strong stuff regularly, which gets him inebriated, at which point he starts bitterly taking pops at other characters because of his own issues with himself. Trailbreaker's fondness for really hard "liquor" will reoccur in future issues.
*Fortress Maximus is revealed to have been part of the [[Simanzi Massacre]], an event in Cybertronian history mentioned in several places throughout James Roberts's previous IDW works.
*Brainstorm claimed that he tried to save Dogfight from Fort Max. In the panel in question, Brainstorm is ''actually'' cowering in fear.
*Whirl's brief involvement in "[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]" is alluded to, along with the circumstances that brought him to that point. In particular, it is noted that he used to be a flight instructor, and that he once changed his name: facts which combine to make it all but explicit that he was the "Jetstream" mentioned in [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]]'s backstory in "[[Bullets]]".
*The multi-coloured robot who appears prominently in Whirl's flashback, but is not directly named, is the leader of the Senate thugs who menaced [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] back in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]".
*Whirl makes a reference to the persuasive powers of someone or something called "[[Empurata]]", while casting a glance at his left hand. We'll find out what's going on with this in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]].
*Rewind was seen obtaining the incriminating data discs from [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] back in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]], who hinted at the perverse nature of their content. Red Alert implied he had found them [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|last issue]].
*Roadbuster's current assignment to watch over the recuperating Springer was the subject of "[[Zero Point]]".
*Roadbuster was noted to have been involved in some kind of "Sparkeater business" in "[[Bullets]]"; this issue implies that said business was his invention of the device seen here (or perhaps the repercussions of its creation). Logically, he must have named the weapon after the mythological Cybertronian [[Sparkeater (creature)|creature]], which we learned more about in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]].

===Errors===
*The lettering on Tailgate's arm is written as "Waste Disposal" when it should read "Bomb Disposal". This is fixed for the trade.
*When Drift is in Rodimus' office at the end of the issue, he's holding one of Rung's model ships. It is however, mis-colored as part of his hands. This was also fixed for the trade.

===Crew Manifest===
*Dogfight, previously assigned to Delphi with known Fader [[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] in ''[[Bullets]]'', is first seen with the crew this issue. This suggests the remaining staff and patients from Delphi were evacuated last issue, along with First Aid and [[Ambulon]]. Still, the fate of Delphi's Faders and other patients is not specifically addressed.
*5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (confirmed) since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2_yhViC8bY Sinister in a State of Hope]'' by [[Wikipedia:Loney, Dear|Loney, Dear]]
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LKyNBdMlwg A Good Man Is Easy to Kill]'' by [[Wikipedia:Beulah (band)|Beulah]]
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gOpULt67dU Easter Parade]'' by [[Wikipedia:Emmy the Great|Emmy the Great]]

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Rung in the sights of Fortress Maximus's gun, by Alex Milne and [[Josh Perez]].
*'''Cover B:''' Fortress Maximus is hurled to a mob of Overlords, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]].
*'''Cover RI:''' Black and white lineart versions of Cover A.

<gallery>
Image:MTMTE6_cvrA.jpg|Eep!
Image:MTMTE6_cvrB.jpg|I'm getting too old for this sh...!
Image:MTMTE6_cvrRI.jpg|Scared colorless.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===

*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' #7
*''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #5: Splinter''
*IDW's ''Mars Attacks'' comic
*IDW's ''Judge Dredd'' comic

How Ratchet Got His Hands Back

2013-06-05T23:34:22Z

CAPTAIN-STATIC: /* Featured characters */

{{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=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}

'''There's nothing left to lose as Ratchet confronts the 'bot behind the plague on Delphi.'''

==Synopsis==

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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] return to tending the inflicted, [[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'' [[Militant Monoform Movement|Monoformers]], 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 the former has a malfunctioning [[transformation cog]], while the latter has no reason to transform, his alternate mode being only 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)/IDW Generation 1 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 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".

Elsewhere on the ship, [[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 "me... kill... me... kill" over and over again...

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 (DJD)|DJD's transformation addicted-leader]] in return for Delphi's safety. The two Genericons—[[Sonic (G1)|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=
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (5)
*[[Ambulon]] (6)
*[[Pharma]] (7)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (8)
*[[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] (9)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (10)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
*''[[Nova Prime]]'' (12)
*[[Rung]] (13)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (14)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (16)
|c2=
*[[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]] (1)
*[[Boom]] (4)
*''[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'' (15)
|c4=
}}

==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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 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==
*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 (Masterforce)|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 only the Japanese-exclusive [[Tracer (ROC)|Tracer]] was an Autobot, we'd guess it's him.
*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]]. Seems it's been missing since the days of [[Nova Prime]], and Tailgate co-ordinated the first search for it, suggesting the quest [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] went on was not the first.
*Speaking of Nova Prime, Tailgate claims responsibility for persuading him to look beyond Cybertron. Oo-er. Let's hope he doesn't find out how [[Revelation (IDW)|that turned out]].
*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]]".
*Rung and Red Alert's session numbers are clearly evocative of issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]]: #97 was Roberts's first issue; #113 was the issue that hooked him; and issue #332 was the final installment of the series. The significance of #7 and #288 is not apparent, aside from being the first chapters of the final story from the original US mini-series and the final UK-original story, respectively.
*On the subject of numbers, Rung's patient number for Red Alert is the numbers used for Red Alert's Japanese toy releases (his original toy ID, Smallest Transforming Transformers, and Binaltech Asterisk numbers respectively).
*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, demands total concentration, and the hair never looks real.

===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.

===Soundtrack===
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS_DcqPkEYM Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying]'' by [[Wikipedia:Belle & Sebastian|Belle & Sebastian]]
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpZcO_OSIcA Carries On]'' by [[Wikipedia:Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros|Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros]]
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkMzxYdrRj8 City Sickness]'' by [[Wikipedia:Tindersticks|Tindersticks]]

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

===Advertisements===

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

Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon

2013-06-05T23:08:12Z

CAPTAIN-STATIC: /* Featured characters */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=17
|prev=The Gloaming
|next=Remain in Light 2 of 5
|caption=''Damn you for ruining our class photo!''
|image=MTMTE17 cvrA.jpg
|title="Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 29]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=May 2013
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editorial assistants=[[Toni Korde]] and [[Mariel Romero]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2013)]]
}}
'''Everything has built to this! As Rodimus leads the ''Lost Light'' crew on a quest straight out of Cybertronian myth, old enemies reappear, old friends return, and new life waits to be born...'''

==Synopsis==
''Somewhere, in a darkened room, Rodimus relates the grim tale of recent events to an unseen listener...''

[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] verifies the [[death clock]]'s scan of [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], sadly confirming that the little 'bot has a fatal case of [[cybercrosis]], brought about by nothing more than old age, which will kill him in just over three days. As the medic details the stages of the disease, including blindness, paralysis, and memory loss, Tailgate flees the medibay in a panic, racing back to his quarters, where he explains his news to [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]. Cyclonus stoically advises Tailgate to make his peace and face death boldly, but then leaves the room in silence, and stops in the hallway to observe his reflection... which he almost punches in a sudden, furious rage, only to stop and instead tear gouges in his own face with his claws.

Examining security footage to determine what has become of the missing [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], [[Ambulon]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] observe as the comatose Magnus suddenly sits bolt upright with impossible speed and appears to ''float'' to the shuttle bay. [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] reports that the signal from the shuttle Magnus left in has been detected, and the ''[[Lost Light]]'' sets course after it, soon finding that it leads through a colossal wormhole. Rodimus informs the crew that the ship will be going through the portal, giving anyone who wishes the option not to come, but nobody takes it. The ship enters the portal, and what lurks on the other side proves beyond imagining: the lost satellite of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], alleged home to the answer to every question, found at last.

As Rodimus waits in his quarters, morosely examining unread messages from Ultra Magnus on his datapad, [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] enters to report his preliminary findings: a lifesign scan, amazingly, suggests the moon is home to a billion lifeforms. Rodimus handpicks a small team to join him on the first expedition to the moon, confidentially informing them that all he really wants to do is find out what became of Ultra Magnus: [[Rung]] (to fill Magnus's role and tell him things he doesn't want to hear); [[Brainstorm]]; [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (in case there's any fighting to be done, though Whirl suspects it's positive discrimination); [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (who [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] urges to search the moon for a solution to his lost memories); Ratchet; and Cyclonus, for his familiarity with the creation myth that Luna 1 is part of. Cyclonus agrees to come only on the condition that Tailgate gets to accompany them, desiring to give his tiny friend a great experience before his death, but he cautions Tailgate to disabuse himself of the notion that the moon may hold a cure to his condition. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] begs to come along, citing his metallurgical skills, but Rodimus refuses, accusing him of having abandoned that function to be a bartender.

Leaving the ''Lost Light'' under the stewardship of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], the Autobots head down to the moon and deploy in [[Mobile Autobot Repair Bay|M.A.R.B.]]s. They soon discover Magnus's shuttle, smashed open from the outside-in, but when Rodimus hops off the M.A.R.B. to examine it, his feet touching the moon's surface for the first time, the incredible happens: the entire moon lights up, as a billion [[spark]]s suddenly flare to life all over its surface. Luna 1, it transpires, is a gigantic "hot spot", a field where sparks are born, that has been fertilized after an ages-long wait when Rodimus touched it. As Rodimus wonders if the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-half he is carrying could have been responsible, the other Transformers look in wonder on the field, the like of which Chromedome remarks had mostly ceased to be by his lifetime, since he was "constructed cold". Tailgate has heard this term thrown around a lot without understanding it, and the others explain that Chromedome was created using the energy from an extant spark, as opposed to "forged", born in a hot spot (which Whirl is eager to point out ''he'' was). Cyclonus calls the group's attention to a spark glowing green, which Brainstorm recognizes as a "superspark"—a vanishingly rare, insanely powerful [[Point One Percenter]]—and immediately begins excavating it over Perceptor's horrified protestations. Everyone discusses whether or not this is the right thing to do, but moral debates are promptly tabled by an explosive, unexpected arrival: a platoon of Decepticons led by [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]], who descend from the sky, weapons blazing, decrying Rodimus's team as trespassers!

Back on the ''Lost Light'', the transmission from Rodimus's team is abruptly cut off, but Blaster and Maximus aren't sure if it's the moon or the ship that's being isolated. Down in the ship's oil reservoir, Skids is spending some time alone with this thoughts when suddenly, a familiar phrase gurgles out of the darkness: "Nineteen eighty-four". A platoon of the [[Legislator|giant golden warrior robots]] he last saw just before joining the ''Lost Light'' crew bursts out of the reservoir's black depths, chanting their familiar refrain... but that's not all. More of the robots appear all across the ship: in [[Swerve's]], which he has decided to close down; on the bridge; and everywhere in-between, these ones brandishing huge guns and declaring "Seventeen twenty-one".

''Rodimus pauses in his story, reflecting on how many impossible things happened in one day, and realizes he has not even asked the name of his mystery listener. The older bot introduces himself as [[Dominus Ambus|Ambus]]...''

On Luna 1, as Rodimus's team flees the Decepticon attack, Ratchet's M.A.R.B. is hit and explodes, throwing the medic to the ground. A figure appears before the fallen Ratchet and offers its hand... and Ratchet looks up to see [[Pharma]] looming over him!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (1)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (3)
*[[Ambulon]] (4)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (5)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (6)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (7)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (8)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (9)
*[[Rung]] (10)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (11)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (12)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (14)
*[[Grapple]] (15)
*[[Brainstorm]] (16)
*[[Atomizer]] (17)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (18)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (19)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (20)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (21)
*[[Dominus Ambus]] (28)
*[[Pharma]] (30)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Barrage (Insecticon)|Barrage]] (22)
*[[Ransack (G1)|Ransack]] (23)
*[[Venom (G1)|Venom]] (24)
*[[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] (25)
*[[Chop Shop]] (26)
*"[[Den-O]]" (27)
|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (2)
*[[Legislator]]s (29)
}}

==Quotes==

"You're visiting Luna 1 for the '''experience''', nothing else. This can't be about finding a '''cure.'''" 
"'Course not! 'Course it can't. ...'''why''' can't it?" 
"It just '''can't.'''" 
"Right. Fine. So I'm not allowed to '''hope.'''" 
"Listen to me. <big>'''Never. Hope.'''</big> Hope is a '''lie.'''"
:—'''Cyclonus''' and '''Tailgate'''

"Time to break out the '''[[M.A.A.B.]]s''' and play 'Hunt the Crewmember.'" 
"Wait—'''M.A.R.B.s''' or '''M.A.A.B.s'''"? 
"'M.A.A.B.s or M.A.A.B.s?' What?" 
"'''M'''obile '''A'''utobot '''R'''epair '''B'''ay, or '''M'''obile '''A'''nti-'''A'''ssault '''B'''attlesuit?" 
"The ones that turn into—the '''cool ones.''' The battlesuits." 
"Right. We don't have any of those."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Brainstorm'''

'''Brainstorm:''' "I was '''anti-apartheid.''' Went on the marches and everything. 'Equal rights for '''knock-offs!''''" 
'''Tailgate:''' "Eh?" 
'''Chromedome:''' "Ignore him—he thinks it's four million years ago and he's being '''progressive.'''"

"What are you—" 
"'''Harvesting''' it." 
"No, because harvesting takes '''skill'''. And '''patience.''' And '''time.''' You can't just—you can't just do '''precisely what you're doing now...!" 
:—'''Perceptor''' and '''Brainstorm'''

"Where are you going to put [the spark], Brainstorm? In your '''briefcase?'''" 
"I '''wasn't''', but if I '''did'''... oh, man. You've just '''blown my mind.'''"
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Brainstorm

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Popular-but-unseen [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]], mentioned in issues [[Before & After|#12]] and [[The Gloaming|#16]], get another name-drop in this issue, where it turns out they're just as well-liked by the ship's medibot—the [[Diagnostic Drone]] seen floating around the ship in multiple past issues (perhaps most prominently [[Rules of Disengagement|issue #7]]—as they are by their crewmates.
*Rodimus likens himself, Magnus and Drift to [[Rossum's Trinity]], the principle of Transformer biology introduced in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]].
*Following last issue's surprise ending, Tailgate's looming death is revealed to be the result of [[cybercrosis]], a rotting disease first mentioned in [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|the ''More than Meets the Eye'' 2012 annual]]. For a dash of added irony, Tailgate was heard to hope in issue #12 that a cure for the disease had ''not'' been found, when expressing dislike of Dominus Ambus's do-goodery.
*Ratchet notes that the cybercrosis has likely curdled Tailgate's [[innermost energon]], which is sure to be the reason it appeared a sickly green color when Tailgate was seen pouring some out in issue #12, compared to the traditional pink-purple of everyone else's in that same issue. It is also pointed out that Tailgate's [[transformation cog]] likely no longer works, which he has not noticed because he hasn't transformed in so long; in fact, we've never seen him ''successfully'' transform at all through the run of the series, as when he last attempted it in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]] he got stuck halfway.
*Ratchet also comments on Tailgate's 'full life', as everybody except Cyclonus still believes he's extremely well-read and accomplished.
*It's not immediately clear what Rung might be referring to when he says he has a sense of ''déjà vu'' at the sight of the portal, but it's appropriate that he would be the one to feel it, as past issues have established him as a "historical constant" who has been around a ''long'' time and been present for nearly every major event in Cybertron history.
*The portal looks a heckuva lot like the one Skids and the gold robots flew out of all the way back in issue #2.
*Having lost his arm in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]], Chromedome is seen with a skeletal replacement on page 7 like that worn by Rodimus in issue #3, after he lost his own limbs. It has been built back up to a proper arm by page 10.
*Fortress Maximus appears to be back in everyone's good graces, as he's seen with the group listening to Rodimus' opt-out speech, and is left in charge of the ''Lost Light'' when Rodimus travels to Luna 1.
*Luna 1! This famous missing satellite of Cybertron's has been regularly mentioned across both ''More than Meets the Eye'' and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' since its legend was introduced in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]''. Reference is made to the quests that Swerve and Rodimus both undertook for it, which were originally commented on in issue [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|#1]] and the 2012 annual, respectively (though it's not clear if they were both on the ''same'' moonquest or not).
*Callbacks are made to the deaths of [[Polaris]] and [[Shock]] (both from issue #2), [[Animus]] (issue #3) and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (issue #15) .
*The origin of Luna 1's nickname, "The Seething Moon", is revealed, as it is "seething" with unborn life. We got our first hint toward the sheer scope of what we see here back in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]], when we saw [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'s spark emerge from Luna 2. That story saw Overlord's spark denoted as a "Point One Percenter" by its green coloration, which is how the Autobots identify another this issue.
*We get a clear explanation for terminology we've been hearing since ''[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]'': [[Reproduction#IDW_Generation_1_continuity|"Forged"]] Transformers are those whose sparks were grown naturally from the metal of Cybertron or one of its moons, while Transformers [[Reproduction#IDW_Generation_1_continuity|"constructed cold"]] were created using energy from another's spark. This process, in turn, is revealed to be another name for [[spark splicing]], a population-enhancement program introduced by [[Nova Prime]], mentioned in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]].
*Skids is moping around in the ship's oil reservoir, where he was also seen ruminating in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
*The Decepticons who attack Rodimus's team are Lockdown's "[[Titan Hunters]]" from ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]''. Ransack was not seen among the group in that issue; his presence here marks the first time all four [[Insecticon (G1)|Deluxe Insecticons]] have appeared together in IDW continuity. He was last seen in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Stick Together|issue #3]], implying that he somehow left Cybertron in the interim.
*Dominus Ambus is Rewind's old friend and master, seen in flashbacks in issue #12. He has a new color scheme here, appearing with a white helmet and green face, as opposed to the gold helmet and white face seen in his previous appearance.
*The giant gold robots previously appeared back in issue #2. They've not been named in-story as of yet, but concept art from the first ''More than Meets the Eye'' trade paperback identified them as "Legislators", a term that has gone on to be used in IDW's catalogue solicitations for "Remain in Light".
*Bonkers Autobot doctor Pharma appeared in issues #4 and [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|#5]], in which he got his hands lopped off. He's replaced one of them with a chainsaw. Groovy.

===Transformers references===
*The Legislator's declarations of "seventeen twenty-one" refer to the issues of ''More than Meets the Eye'' that the five-part "Remain in Light" story appears in, starting with this issue, #17, and running until #21.
*[[Pharma]]'s chainsaw hand is not inappropriate, given that he is now apparently working with [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]], whose [[Lockdown (Animated)|''Transformers Animated'' counterpart]] counted such a weapon among his arsenal.

===Real-life references===
*''[[Wikipedia:Remain in Light|Remain in Light]]'' is the title of an album by the band [[Wikipedia:Talking Heads|Talking Heads]].
*For the language-fanciers among you, "fecund" means "fertile". The full moon is often described as "fecund" in literature, owing to its mythological connections to fertility; here, that figurative language is given a far more literal double-meaning, as the moon in this story is literally bursting with life waiting to be born.
*Brainstorm has a tiny model of [http://robocop.wikia.com/wiki/Enforcement_Droid_Series_209 ED-209] from ''[[Wikipedia: RoboCop|RoboCop]]'' on his desk.
*Continuing the trend started by "[[V3]]" from ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'', another new member of the Titan Hunters appears to be based on one of the title characters from the Japanese tokusatsu franchise Kamen Rider, in this case ''[[wikipedia:Kamen Rider Den-O|Kamen Rider Den-O]]''.

===Other notes===
*Like the "[[Duobot|Shock and Ore]]" gag before it, the "M.A.A.B.s or M.A.R.B.s" joke is another one that works better if you imagine it spoken with James Roberts's native British accent, where the pronunciation of the words is virtually identical, versus the more obvious difference a North American accent yields.

===Crew manifest===
*Tailgate discovers he is terminally ill.
*11 deaths, two crewmembers in terminal conditions, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), and one banishment since the launch.

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

For this issue alone:
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zNdMc6wGtU Heaven]'' by the aforementioned Talking Heads
*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4XHx_boqTI A Comet Appears]'' by [[Wikipedia:The Shins|The Shins]]

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' The ''[[Lost Light]]'' crew face an onslaught of [[Legislator]]s, art by [[Alex Milne]], colours by [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Cover B:''' Rodimus flees a Legislator, art by [[Sean Chen]], colours by [[Tom Chu]].
*'''Cover RI:''' A despondent Tailgate alone beside a porthole, art by [[Nick Roche]], colours by Josh Perez.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE17 cvrA.jpg|
File:MTMTE17 cvrB.jpg|
File:MTMTE17 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
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*IDW [[Dynamic Forces]] exclusives
*''[[Doctor|Doctor Who]]: Prisoners of Time'' trade paperback
*IDW Limited Transformers books
*''[[My Little Pony]]: Color Me Treasury Edition''
*''Regular Show''
*IDW ''Popeye'' graphic novels (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/content/more-than-meets-eye-17-full-preview-6586/ Preview]