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How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2

2018-11-08T02:00:42Z

Cmoose: /* Synopsis */ minor spelling correction in paragraph 1

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' #25
|prev=Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers
|next=
|image=LL25_cvrA.jpg
|title="How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2"
|caption=They made something of it.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 7]], 2018
|coverdate=October 2018
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Jack Lawrence]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[David Mariotte]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}
'''After a final "lap of honor" it's time for the ''Lost Light'' crew to say goodbye and move on with their lives... until tragedy reunites them one last time.'''

==Synopsis==
{{note|This story is told in non-linear form. This synopsis reorders it for ease of reading.}}

Some time after the defeat of the [[Functionist Council]], [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] arrives on "Functionist Cybertron" to survey the situation. His visit is to be a short one; the planet is largely to be left to its own devices while the universe's native Cybertronian population begins their new lives on [[Earth]] following the apocalyptic attack of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], but the billion new [[spark]]s that have ignited from [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]'s [[hot spot]] must be dealt with, and most importantly, with the [[Knights of Cybertron]] having been proven not to exist, [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] must stand trial once again, this time with the [[Galactic Council]] presiding. [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] objects, but Megatron himself agrees. Prowl also announces his intention to remove the ''[[Lost Light]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[quantum generator]]s and use them to double Functionist Cybertron's [[energon]] reserves, for use in bringing the sparks to term; again, Rodimus initially refuses, before finally giving in, on the condition that Prowl allows him and the crew to to take one final "victory lap" trip aboard the ship before it is decommissioned.

The crew are granted one day for their trip, and it passes without incident. [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] makes a complete recording of every corridor and room on the ship for posterity; in the process, he and [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] come upon [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s old quarters, but tragically, they and the rest of the crew have already lost all their memories of the terminally-forgettable psychiatrist. The pair rejoin the rest of the crew on the bridge as the ''Lost Light'' turns to head back to Functionist Cybertron, and conversation turns to the inevitability to endings, and how to make the most of them; Rodimus remarks that he would ''rather'' see the ''Lost Light'' decommissioned than allowed to become a monument or "just another spaceship," so that its meaning can never be diminished. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] announces one last party in [[Swerve's|his bar]], but just before everyone heads off, [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]], and [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] take Rodimus aside to propose one final, risky, complicated, ludicrous stunt for the ''Lost Light'' to pull: when they quantum jump back to Functionist Cybertron, there is the infinitesimally slim chance they can intentionally recreate the accident from the ship's original launch that caused the creation of a quantum duplicate of it and the crew, ''and'' shunt the duplicate into a parallel universe so that there will be no risk of its existence being cancelled out like the last one, thereby allowing the crew to continue adventuring on their own terms in a new world. Rodimus puts the idea to a vote, and the crew agrees.

Of course, there's no way for the crew to know if they idea succeeds, since from their point of view, all that happens is that they successfully quantum jump back to Cybertron, and settle in for one last night of drinks, singing, and stories at Swerve's. [[Anode]] and [[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] decide to give up adventuring and settle down on Luna 1; [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] makes peace with the [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]]; and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]—now finally romantically involved—explain to the crew their theory that the "visions" that have been guiding Drift since the start of their quest were actually messages sent back through time via the [[Warren]] by the telepaths from [[Mederi]]. [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] hauls Rodimus's desk into the bar, and everyone pores over the map etched into its surface, reminiscing about the places they have been and the things they have seen and done on their quest. Inspired by the revelation that Megatron pseudonymously wrote his favorite poem, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] delivers a toast to the ship and its crew, and to the unexpected joy that he found when the crew turned from colleagues into true friends. Swerve tries to declare a lock-in, but, to punctuate the finality of the moment, construction cranes abruptly begin tearing into the ship as it sits on the spaceport runway, beginning its disassembly.

Thus does the parting of the ways begin. [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]] and the Scavengers head back to [[Troja Major]], where [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]]—having taken [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]'s advice on love—plans to reunite with [[CONS4EVA]]. Chromedome and Rewind head off on a trip to [[Milnex]]; Nautica and [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] are taken to visit Earth by [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]]; Cyclonus places a tender kiss on Rodimus's cheek to thank him for everything. Prowl takes Megatron into custody, and Magnus goes with them, leaving Rodimus alone. After a moment, he hollers "[['Til all are one|Till All Are One]]" after Magnus, but his words go unheard.

Some time later, Megatron's trial is held. Magnus acts for his defense; Rodimus testifies and lies on the stand, claiming that ''Megatron'' was the one who was able to open the final [[Matrix of Leadership]] when he could not. While a jury is deliberating over "execution" or "infinite imprisonment," Rodimus visits Megatron in his cell for one last conversation, during which Megatron reveals that he still has the [[Rodimus Star]] Rodimus gave him, having held onto it for nearly a millennia, through all his centuries in the [[Functionist Universe]]. Presently, Megatron and Magnus are called in for sentencing; Megatron bids Rodimus farewell, and Magnus tells Megatron that he will take his advice and destroy the [[Magnus Armor]], living the rest of his life as his own 'bot.

Years pass.

Life goes on.

Many of the crew settle on Functionist Cybertron. Swerve successfully turns his bar into a franchise, but it eventually fails and he has to close all but one location. Nautica writes a memoir of the crew's quest. Rewind becomes obsessed with learning everything there is to know about the history of the Functionist Universe, but winds up overloading and corrupting his brain, contracting the neuro-degenerative disease [[Delta's Malady]]; he becomes trapped in data stick form when he forgets how to transform, but continues to live and love with Chromedome. Brainstorm injures himself in a lab accident, requiring him to use his [[time case|infamous briefcase]] as a mobile life support system. Magnus no more, Minimus Ambus helps with the resettlement of all the new "[[Lunarian]]" 'bots born from the sparks from Luna-1, totally unaware that they all resemble Rung. Bereft of direction, [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] returns to his old troublemaking ways, and soon finds himself in and out of prison. Still eager for adventure, Rodimus signs onto the crew of Thunderclash's new ship, the ''[[Exitus]]''. And Ratchet and Drift become [[Conjunx Endura]]... until the day that Ratchet's advanced age finally catches up to him, and it is discovered that he is going to die of "age-related burnout."

Ratchet's peaceful passing brings the crew of the ''Lost Light'' together again for his funeral in [[Rivets Field]]; Drift arranges for Whirl to be granted day release from prison to attend. Cyclonus and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] have been off-planet for an extended period of time and have been out of touch with their old friends, so after the ceremony, Swerve, [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], and Brainstorm bring them up to speed on what has been happening with everyone. Dismayed to discover what has become of Whirl, Cyclonus and Tailgate invite him to come and live with them when he is next released, and he happily accepts. Whirl is so moved by their act of compassion that he begins to find worth in himself again, and turns down a gift from Drift—Ratchet's hands, to replace his own, lost so long ago—on the basis that he is not broken and does not need to be fixed.

Rodimus arrives late, after the ceremony has already concluded, and places Megatron's Rodimus Star—entrusted to him when the ex-Decepticon was taken away to his unrevealed fate—among the other offerings by Ratchet's grave. Drift can tell that the haggard Rodimus has been drinking, and expresses concern for him, knowing that life as part of Thunderclash's crew can't possibly compare to the way things used to be. One by the one, the mourners take their leave, until only Drift and Rodimus are left, whereupon Drift raises the subject they swore they'd never speak of: does Rodimus think the attempt to recreate the accident worked? Rodimus doesn't believe they will ever know one way or the other... and he tells himself that that is good, because that way, they can always pretend it did. The pair promise to keep in touch, and Rodimus departs.

''Many years earlier, the ''Lost Light'' quantum jumps back to Functionist Cybertron... but instead, the ship and crew find themselves in uncharted space, further than they have ever traveled before, with no idea of where they are. Realizing that they have succeeded in blasting themselves into another universe, the crew celebrate, with Perceptor crediting their accomplishment to knowledge gained from Brainstorm's earlier time travel experiments. Brainstorm is thrilled to finally have Perceptor's recognition, and Perceptor admits that the pair are "simpatico" after all. With co-captains Rodimus and Megatron at the helm, the ''Lost Light'' sets course for adventure in a new universe.''

''[[Furmanism|It never ends]]!''

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (1)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (2)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus]] (3)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (4)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (5)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (6)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (7)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (8)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (9)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (11)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (12)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (14)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (15)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (16)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (17)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (18)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (19)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (20)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (21)
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] (22)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (23)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (25)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (28)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Xaaron]] (29)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (30)
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (33)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (36)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]] (38)
*[[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] (40)
*[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] (41)
*[[Blades (G1)|Blades]] (42)
*[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] (43)
*[[Groove (G1)|Groove]] (44)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (24)
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (27)
*[[Nickel]] (34)
*[[Fulcrum]] (35)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (37)
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (39)

|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (10)
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] (26)
*[[Anode]] (31)
*[[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] (32)
*[[Clicker]] (45)
}}

==Quotes==
"A week, a month, a year... what's the difference? There'll always be '''an ending'''—and if you're lucky, you get to see it coming."
:—'''Ratchet'''

"I'm grateful for one more day. Especially a day like this." 
"Er—literally nothing happened. We flew past some planets and '''talked.'''" 
"Yes. And I wouldn't have changed a thing."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Whirl'''

"Treat him well, Doc. He's a keeper."
:—'''Rodimus''' congratulates Ratchet on his new relationship

"'''That's''' how we should measure our lives. Not in distance traveled, or time passed, or worlds conquered, but in '''moments'''... and the rush of joy—of grace—that exists within them."
:—'''Megatron'''

"Rodimus. Whatever happens next—whatever my fate—I deserve worse."
:—'''Megatron'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s final words

"Megatron... before we go... I've been thinking a lot about what you said—about how I should let the world look me in the eyes—and yes, I'll do it. I'll destroy my armor." 
"Good. Because you're so much bigger without it."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Megatron'''

"Turns out being at a '''loose end''' is bad for me—and even worse for '''society.'''"
:—'''Whirl'''

"WITHOUT LOVE THERE IS NO MEANING."
:—The inscription on Ratchet's grave marker

'''Rodimus:''' "Crankcase? Set a course for '''high jinks and mild peril!'''" 
'''Swerve:''' "I've just heard the best order that's ever been given." 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "How long will it take us?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "What, to explore the '''entire universe?'''" 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "I will accept an estimate." 
'''Rodimus:''' "Well, if I had to guess... taking account of all known variables and allowing for every possible outcome... if I had to guess, I'd say it'll take us more or less... '''forever.''' What do you think, co-captain?" 
'''Megatron:''' "What do I think?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "Yeah." 
'''Megatron:''' "I think forever sounds about right."

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The title of this issue is taken from the [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|first issue of ''More than Meets the Eye'']], where the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s adventure began just shy of seven years ago.
*The concept of "age-related burnout"—the Transformer equivalent of dying of natural causes—is a very new concept for both the Cybertronian race, and Transformers stories in general, with essentially all past media having presented the [[spark]] as immortal. The idea was introduced back in [[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|''More than Meets the Eye'' #17]], in which Ratchet himself observed the first case had only been reported recently.
*Though deliberately and intentionally released first, this issue is the chronologically-final installment in the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]], taking place in its entirety after the final issues of the [[Transformers: Unicron|''Unicron'' mini-series]] and ''Optimus Prime'' (thereby "spoiling" that Prowl, [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]], and the planet Earth survived the apocalyptic events of that story, but if that last one surprises you, we don't know what to tell you). This highlights the continuity problem we previously pointed out in our notes for [[Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|issue #22]], which claimed that only a month had passed for Team Rodimus since the beginning of the series; the events of ''Unicron'' did not occur until "a few years" after the series began. Therefore we ''have'' to conclude that the team's trip through the [[Warren]] in [[The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|issue #16]] involved them travelling through time as well as space (but it does still feel like an after-the-fact fix for what was initially a goof).
*The bottle of [[Nightmare Fuel]] Swerve serves up at the final party comes from the departed Trailcutter's private stash, which is where Swerve got the ''first'' bottle of it we ever saw, back in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|''More than Meets the Eye'' #11]]. The bottled is dated to 2012, the year that the series began.
*Ultra Magnus shows Brainstorm a piece of writing about a character named "Sprinklor"; this is the "sprinkler [[fan fiction|fan-fiction]]" Rodimus mentioned in [[Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|issue #20]], which Swerve had told him Magnus writes. Magnus describes Sprinklor as "very by-the-book, very rule-driven," proving that even the ex-Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord isn't above creating "Self-Insert" fanfic.
*The figurines on the table during the crew's last night in Swerve's are from [[Ten|Ten's]] collection of hand-crafted figures, and are of the crewmembers who didn't make it: [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]], [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], and Ten himself.
*Nickel and Roller appear to have hit it off, flirting with each other in Swerve's. Nickel was shown surreptitiously "checking him out" back during a group scene in [[Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|issue #21]]. It only makes sense that she'd be attracted to someone of Roller's build, considering he was a chief suspect among the fanbase for [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'s identity for a long time.
*Fortress Maximus makes peace with the Scavengers after their previous rather violent meeting in [[Animals|''More than Meets the Eye'' #46]]. As he does so, Misfire is seen marveling over the guns in his legs, an attribute of Max's that was previously the subject of some humorous focus in [[Interiors|''More than Meets the Eye'' #6]].
*Aside from Swerve's recollection of the crew's trip to [[Hedonia]] in [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|''More than Meets the Eye'' #13]], the rest of the escapades the crew remember all happened "off-panel" and have never been mentioned before, but they are framed as happening "near" places we know the ship visited: [[Temptoria]] in [[Before & After|''More than Meets the Eye'' #12]], and [[Scarvix]] in [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|''More than Meets the Eye'' #40]]. Notably, they laugh about an encounter with the "[[Improbability Police]]" that saw the ''Lost Light'' being impounded for "unlikely crimes" and Ultra Magnus getting them off by claiming the charges themselves were "too far-fetched"—a story that ''would'' have been told during the comic's third "season" had the decision not been made to end the IDW universe.
*The phrase "You flare, you flicker, you fade" was previously quoted by [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|''More than Meets the Eye'' #3]], and is here revealed to be a line from a poem written by Megatron in his youth.
*Ultra Magnus isn't kidding when he opens his toast by saying "I never thought I'd say this... but it's been fun." He was incapable of saying the word "fun" in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|''More than Meets the Eye'' #5]].
*Hot Spot, Blades, Streetwise, and Groove all appear along with First Aid during Magnus's toast, proving that they survived their rather fatal-looking injuries in [[The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|issue #12]].
*The Scavengers are presumably heading back to Troja Major because [[Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|issue #19]] told us Grimlock left the [[Firstborn]] in the care of [[Agonizer|the Curator]] following the events of [[Kill All 'Cons|issue #15]].
*Taking Cyclonus's advice on love, Crankcase contacts CONS4EVA, the [[Dire Wraith]] he met online in ''[[Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!|More than Meets the Eye: Revolution]]''.
*Nautica mistakenly refers to Earth as "[[Swearth]]," the name the crew gave the holomatter duplicate of the planet they visited in [[The One Where They Go to Earth|''More than Meets the Eye'' #43]].
*Minimus notes it's been years since he worked on "[[Terms of Peace]]," the rulebook he was established to be writing in [[Sardines|issue #13]].
*The harvest of Luna 1's hot spot is termed the "Bronze Harvest," after the [[Silver Harvest]], the population boom from around five million years ago first mentioned in [[Twenty Plus One|''More than Meets the Eye'' #31]].
*Ratchet makes good on the promise that Whirl could have his hands after he died, made in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|''More than Meets the Eye'' #15]].
*Both Whirl and Megatron spend time incarcerated in [[Garrus-10]], the newest in the "Garrus" series of prisons that you'd assume was only constructed after the fall of [[Garrus-9]] in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''.
*Rodimus and Megatron's final talk in the latter's cell mirrors their first, from back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|''More than Meets the Eye'' #28]], with Rodimus no longer believing Megatron deserves the fate he is destined for.
*Megatron was revealed to have been given a Rodimus Star ("for abandoning his evil ways") in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|''More than Meets the Eye'' #38]]. Megatron's fate is not explicitly stated in the text of the comic, but the fact that Rodimus is in possession of the star in the future certainly seems intended to imply that the jury voted for "execution."
*Whirl and Cyclonus's final on-panel interaction is a mirror of one of their earliest, from [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|''More than Meets the Eye'' #2]]; there, Cyclonus caught Whirl in a surprise hug, with two question marks hovering over the shocked Autobot; here it's Whirl who does the surprise hugging, while exclamation marks hover over Cyclonus.
*The crew encountered the original quantum duplicate of the ''Lost Light'' in [[slaughterhouse|''More than Meets the Eye'' #32]]-[[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|33]]. Nautica calls replicating the accident a "magic trick," since [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|''More than Meets the Eye'' #28]] told us that "magic=science Rodimus doesn't understand."
*Perceptor finally admits that he and Brainstorm are "simpatico," tapping him on the forehead with his index finger in the same way Brainstorm did to him when he originally used the phrase, back in [[Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|''More than Meets the Eye'' #24]].

===Transformers references===
[[File:LL25 RiD Museum Guard guarding Whirl.jpg|thumb|right|300px|"The guard gave him what could loosely be called an old-fashioned look. It was practically neolithic."]]
*The Garrus-10 guards who escort Whirl are based on the [[museum guard]]s seen in the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|2015 ''Robots in Disguise'']] episode, "[[Pilot (Part 1)]]." Another appears later in the story to arrest Megatron, accompanied by a grey-blue robot based on the [[Kup (G1)/toys#Titans Return|''Titans Return'' Kup toy]], with a new head design.
*As the group parts ways, Chromedome and Rewind leave to visit the census center on the planet [[Milnex]]—a final tip of the hat to longtime regular ''More than Meets the Eye'' artist, [[Alex Milne]].
*Similarly, Rodimus arrives late because the ''Exitus'' was on the other end of the "[[Acklaw System]]", a reference to series artist J'''ack Law'''rence.
*The ''Exitus'' itself is likely a reference to writer James Roberts' exit from IDW comics.
*In one last final pair of references to James Roberts's signature recurring number, "[[113 (disambiguation)|113]]," Swerve is noted to have 113 locations in his "Swerve's" franchise, and Whirl refers to the Lunarian Transformer who performs Ratchet's funeral as "Lunarian 113."

===Real-world references===
*Nautica's book, "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out," is named after {{w|There Is a Light That Never Goes Out|The Smiths' song of the same title}}.
*On page 9, Cyclonus sings a line from "[[The Power of Love]]," which we previously saw in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|''More than Meets the Eye'' #38]] and [[The Frail Gaze|#42]] that he is fond of.
*Whirl's holo-avatar's shirt reads "ASK ME ABOUT MY FEMINIST AGENDA," a garment made famous by Marvel Comics character {{w|Mockingbird (comics)|Mockingbird}} when she wore it on the cover of [https://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Mockingbird_Vol_1_8 issue #8 of her self-titled series in 2016].

===Errors===
*Among the mourners at Ratchet's funeral on page 1 is Bluestreak, coloured like Prowl. As this scene is set in the far future, of course, it is not ''impossible'' for this to actually be Prowl, having reverted at some point over the years to a Cybertronian body-design like Bluestreak (versus the Earth SUV design he has in the present-day segments), and indeed, Roberts claimed on Twitter that it ''was'' Prowl... but given that ''absolutely everybody else'' at the funeral is or was a ''Lost Light'' crewmember, and "Prowlstreak" is specifically standing with Bluestreak's fellow mutineers and recurring crew B-and-C-listers Hound, Blaster, and Perceptor, it really does feel like a goof that's being covered for.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4jR9P9YJGo Human]" by {{w|The Killers}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuYKUWM_o60 Here It Comes (The Road) Let's Go]" by {{w|Spiritualized}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNBjMRvOB5M Go West]" by {{w|Pet Shop Boys}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwixk2TOHbs Let's Get Out of this County]" by {{w|Camera Obscura (band)|Camera Obscura}}; specifically envisioned as the "end credits" song of the series
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqmuaCSQuCs Lost Light]" by [https://retronymmusic.bandcamp.com/ Retronym], a fan-made song celebrating the series

===Other trivia===
*Originally announced for release in October, this issue arrives a little late, in the first week of November.
*Items from throughout the series seen on Cover B include: Anode's trowel, Tailgate's hoverboard, the replacement horn Tailgate made for Cyclonus in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|''More than Meets the Eye'' #21]], a [[nudge gun]], a string of "signal boosters"/[[Christmas]] lights from [[Silent Light|''The Transformers Holiday Special'']], a bottle of Nightmare Fuel, a [[Great Sword]], Nightbeat's magnifying glass, a [[curly straw]], a datapad displaying "[[Towards Peace]]," Rewind's head camera, one of the Necrobot's spark-flowers, the Autobot symbol patch from Whirl's holomatter avatar's dungarees, a tray of drinks from Swerve's, Swerve's "[[My First Blaster]]," a [[sparkeater (creature)|sparkeater]] tentacle, the vial of [[innermost energon]] Cyclonus gave Tailgate in [[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|''More than Meets the Eye'' #49]], Nautica's wrench, the cannister of "[[Fool's Energon]]" from [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|''More than Meets the Eye'' #29]], Ultra Magnus's ridiculously long nameplate from [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|''More than Meets the Eye'' #5]], a photonic crystal, Rung's glasses, Brainstorm's briefcase, Rodimus's empty half of the Matrix casing, the keys to the ''Lost Light'' seen on the cover of [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|''More than Meets the Eye'' #30]], a Rodimus Star, and fluttering above it all, the "WE'VE ACHIEVED SOMETHING" banner from [[The Sensuous Frame|''More than Meets the Eye'' #41]]. Roche misspelled it "ACHIEIVED" and nobody noticed until the cover was revealed online; it was then corrected for the final release.
*The "Story So Far" recap on the inside front cover this issue simply reads: "You're joking, right?"
*The language used by Rodimus to describe the fate of the ''Lost Light'' is a metaphor for the comic itself, and the broader concepts of stories about ongoing licensed properties, changing creative teams, and the rarity of definitive endings in that industry in general. Were the ''Lost Light'' allowed to go on with someone else at the helm, Rodimus laments, over time, bit by bit, "they'd end up replacing it with (...) a bad copy," and he would rather see the ship get a "proper ending" from which there is "no going back."
*Similarly, the crew's discussion about the new universe they find themselves in at the end of the story alludes to the end of the current IDW universe and the impending launch of a brand new continuity from the company. "What [will it] be like?" wonders Misfire. "Too soon to say," replies Drift. "It could be virtually identical to ours, or it could be fantastically different."
*This final issue features 24 story pages instead of the usual 20, plus a three-page letter from James Roberts to close out the series, reflecting on it and ''More than Meets the Eye'' before it and thanking the audience and his many creative collaborators. Of particular note: Roberts once remarked in a [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/704107919369961472 tweet from February 2016] that "the last line of the last issue" of the series had already been written, but he explains in this letter that this final line was not used in the end. The line was "OVER TO YOU," to be scrawled graffiti-style on top of "THE END" on the final page, as both a handing-over of the reins of the IDW Transformers universe to the next creative team, and in another sense, the handing of the "alternate universe" ''Lost Light'' to the prolific community of fan writers and artists, who will produce works starring these incarnations of the characters long after the series is over, and to whom Roberts is implicitly giving his "blessing" with the gift of a universe where those adventures can happen, forever. Roberts doesn't elucidate, but it's easy to interpret the line being dropped due to the the fact that the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|current IDW universe]] is ending, and there ''is'' no next creative team, and this really is... ''*sniff*'' ...''the end'' for these characters.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Our happy crew together, by [[Jack Lawrence]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
*'''Cover B:''' A departing Rodimus casts a ''Lost Light''-shaped shadow, containing many artifacts from throughout the series (see "Other trivia," above), by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' [[Alex Milne]] returns to draw our heroes one last time, in an "updated" companion piece to [[:File:MTMTE vol1.jpg|his cover for the first ''More than Meets the Eye'' trade paperback]]; colours by [[Josh Perez]].
<gallery>
File:LL25 cvrA.jpg|
File:LL25 cvrB.jpg|
File:LL25 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[Transformers: Bumblebee - Win If You Dare]]'' graphic novel
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog|Team Sonic Racing]]'' one-shot

==External links==
*[https://graphicpolicy.com/2018/11/06/preview-transformers-lost-light-25/ Preview]

[[Category: Lost Light issues]]

User talk:Cmoose

2018-09-26T23:04:55Z

Cmoose: created

Hello. I'm a big fan and am happy to contribute in little ways.

Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers

2018-09-26T22:58:01Z

Cmoose: Paragraph 4 edited for minor spelling. ~Cmoose

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' #24
|prev=Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering
|next=How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2
|image=LL24_cvrA.jpg
|title="Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 26]], 2018
|coverdate=September 2018
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Brendan Cahill]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[David Mariotte]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}
'''With twelve Matrices in hand, our heroes must embrace the best parts of themselves if they want to use them to stop the Functionist Council once and for all in the penultimate chapter of their adventure.'''

==Synopsis==
As the ''[[Lost Light]]'' makes straight for the Functionists' effigy of [[Primus]], darting between the giant robot's fingers, [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] hesitantly raises a question: they're planning to attack [[Vector Sigma]] by simultaneously unleashing the energies of twelve [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices]] through the planet's twelve [[hot spot]]s... but aren't the connections between the hot spots and Vector Sigma severed thanks to the [[Functionist Council]] changing [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] into a robot mode? [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] realizes too late that they have made a huge mistake—but fortunately, a solution to their problem arrives a moment later when the [[Warren]] opens, and [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] comes flying out. At [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]]'s instruction, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] flies the moon straight into the back of "Primus's" neck, triggering an involuntary transformation back to planet mode.

Concurrently, elsewhere on the ''Lost Light,'' [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] accompany [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] to his quarters. Rung bids them to wait outside—wistfully remarking that the couple are lucky to have each other, and that they must learn to forgive themselves—then enters his room and shuts the door. Aware of the consequences of what he is about to do, Rung deletes all his patient files, and take a moment to think back on his first meeting with the departed [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] one last time. Finally, he transforms into his alternate mode, the true function of which is finally revealed as it flares to life: it is a Matrix-maker. A little later, Rodimus opens the door to Rung's quarters to discover twelve Matrices... lying amidst the dust that is the remains of Rung's body, dissolved into inert [[living metal|sentio metallico]], the exertion having killed him.

Rodimus presents the Matrices to the rest of the crew, with some bad news: like the original, they are all sealed by the "[[morality lock]]" that means only those who are "pure of spirit" can open them. Even the spiritual [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] is at a bit of loss to explain exactly what that ''means,'' and the crew all start chiming in with their views on the relativity of "goodness." But there's no time for a debate; Rodimus distributes the Matrices, and each carrier is quickly flown to a hot spot on the surface of Functionist Cybertron by the [[Infinite]]s, along with some muscle to cover them. Tailgate goes to [[Rivets Field]] with [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]; [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] to [[Vespertine Blue]] with Drift, where they confess they both feel the same way about each other; [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] to [[Automica]] with [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]]; [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to the [[Pious Pools]] with [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]]; [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] to [[Vauvaire]] with [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]], who joins hands with her; [[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] to [[Sansaw Sanserre]] with [[Anode]] (with whom she shares a kiss and a declaration of love) and [[Wipe-Out]]; [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] to [[Warrior's Gate]] with [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]]; [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] to [[Port Residua]] with Chromedome and Rewind; [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] to [[Eugenesis]] with [[Krok (G1)|Krok]]; [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] to [[Alyon]] with [[Nickel]] and [[Fulcrum]]; [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] to [[Mesmerica]] with [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]; and lastly, Rodimus to [[Nova Point]] with [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]].

Unfortunately, as the [[Functionary]] armies of the Functionist Council descend and chaos erupts, none of the Matrix-carriers are able to open their Matrix. Rodimus is at a loss; he ''knows'' his crew are good people, but Megatron explains that the ''crew themselves'' don't truly believe that, and urges Rodimus to tell them so over their shared comm-line. Rodimus begins a final speech, extolling the virtues of the wonderful, screwed-up family that the crew have become, and assuring them that they are ''good enough'', but it seems it may be too late. All across Functionist Cybertron, our heroes are worn down; [[Minimus Ambus]] is blasted out of the [[Magnus Armor]]... Swerve loses an arm, requiring Misfire to hold his Matrix with him... Whirl's legs are blown off... but little by little, as Rodimus's words hit home, the Matrices begin to glow in their hands and slowly start to open. Just then, however, Rodimus is hit with a blast that takes off his left hand, requiring Megatron to take over opening his Matrix—but for all the great changes Megatron has made in his life, still the Matrix will not open for him. Out of time and options, Rodimus uses his remaining hand and his ''teeth'' to pull the Matrix open, and its energies join those of the other eleven, flooding through Cybertron, straight into Vector Sigma, obliterating the Functionist Council for good. The blast of life-energy radiates back outward from Vector Sigma, striking Luna 1 and igniting the long-dormant hot spot on its surface. Rodimus looks up at the moon, and sees, written among the light of the newborn sparks, a final message from the departed Rung: "DON'T FORGET ME."

In the aftermath of the victory, our heroes regroup, and Rodimus asks Fortress Maximus how his team even knew to come to the [[Benzene Cluster]] to aid them. Max explains that they were following instructions from ''Rodimus himself''; they have actually come from the near-future, following instructions that Rodimus is going to send to them shortly that directed them to use the Warren to travel back in time using the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]]'s cloak as a map, and crash Luna 1 into Primus's neck. Rodimus is a little confused, but happy it all worked out—whereupon Tailgate asks another question. Now that it ''has'' all worked out... now that they've finished their quest, recovered the ''Lost Light'', defeated the baddies, and ''saved the universe''... is this the end?

"Nah," Swerve pipes up. "Not quite."

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (1)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (2)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (4)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus/Minimus Ambus]] (5)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (6)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (7)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (8)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (9)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (10)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (11)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (12)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]/[[Primus]] (13)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (14)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (19)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (20)
*[[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] (21)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (22)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]] (23)
*''[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'' (31)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (33)
*[[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] (36)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (39)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (15)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (34)
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (35)
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (38)
*[[Nickel]] (42)
*[[Fulcrum]] (43)

|h3=[[Functionist Council]]|c3=
*[[Five-of-Twelve]] (27)
*[[Twelve-of-Twelve]] (28)
*[[Three-of-Twelve]] (29)
*[[One-of-Twelve]] (30)
*[[Six-of-Twelve]] (44)
*[[Eleven-of-Twelve]] (45)
*[[Two-of-Twelve]] (46)

|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (3)
*[[Clicker]] (16)
*[[Beak]] (17)
*[[Outrigger]] (18)
*[[Anode]] (24)
*[[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] (25)
*[[Wipe-Out]] (26)
*[[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] (32)
*Multiple [[Infinite]]s (37)
*Multiple [[Functionary|Functionaries]] (40)
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] (41)
}}

==Quotes==
"Faster, '''Crankcase!''' Get us '''clear!'''" 
"If 'get us clear' is a heroic way of saying 'let's run away,' can I just say I am '''all for that?'''"
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Brainstorm'''

"I've done good things." 
"You done bad things, too." 
"Oh, God, loads."
:—'''Misfire''' and '''Krok''' discuss the former's potential for opening the Matrix

"We're '''Autobots.''' Being good's '''what we do.''' It's what '''sets us apart.'''" 
"I don't know if it's as simple as that any more—I don't know if it ever '''was.'''"
:—'''Thunderclash''' and '''Rodimus'''

"This is your co-captain speaking—and I've got a '''question.''' Have you ever wondered how we made it this far? I mean—we're not the '''smartest''' or the '''strongest''' or the '''bravest''' or the '''best.''' We don't have the '''most firepower''' or the '''largest army''' or the '''fastest ships.''' And God knows we're not '''natural bedfellows.''' I mean '''think about it'''—an archivist, a retired mnemosurgeon, a gunsmith, an archaeologist, a waste disposal expert, a quantum mechanic, a poet, a watchmaker, a barkeep... it shouldn't work—but it does. And it works because we've got '''one thing''' in common. '''Each other.''' Think of who's listening to this message and I bet you'll think of someone you '''respect.''' Someone whose judgement you '''trust.''' Someone who makes you '''laugh.''' Someone who makes you '''happy.''' Someone who makes you feel its okay to be exactly who you are. And I '''promise'''—in fact, I '''guarantee'''—that someone listening to this is thinking about '''you''' in exactly the same way. Okay, so you've made some '''bad decisions'''. You've '''hurt''' people. You've hurt '''yourself.''' You've stumbled through life from one '''self-inflicted disaster''' to the next without anything even '''approaching''' a plan. To which I say—'''welcome aboard.''' Maybe you're not good... but you're sure as hell '''good enough.'''"
:—'''Rodimus'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s final speech to the crew

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The idea that a blow to the back of the neck can trigger an involuntary transformation was introduced in [[Little Victories|''More than Meets the Eye'' #22]], when Swerve tried to do it to Rung (the ''real'' Primus, rather than the fake Primus it's used on here!).
*Rung remembers his first meeting with Skids, when the theoretician hauled him into the ceiling vents to escape the [[sparkeater (creature)|sparkeater]] back in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|''More than Meets the Eye'' #3]].
*Whirl calls Ultra Magnus "Chunky" again, a nickname he coined for him in [[The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|issue #18]].
*In addition to previously-established hot spots [[Rivets Field]] (first seen in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|''More than Meets the Eye'' #1]], first named in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|''More than Meets the Eye'' #21]]), [[Vespertine Blue]], [[Port Residua]] (both first named in [[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|''Robots in Disguise'' #27]]) and [[Alyon]] (visited in [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|''More than Meets the Eye'' #36]]), Cybertron's other eight hot spots are established to be: the [[Pious Pools]], [[Warrior's Gate]], [[Mesmerica]] (three ancient features of Cybertron first mentioned in ''More than Meets the Eye'' #1), [[Nova Point]] (in the mines of which Megatron once worked, mentioned many times), and the never-previously-heard-of [[Automica]], [[Vauvaire]], [[Sansaw Sanserre]], and [[Eugenesis]] (see "Transformers references," below).
*Luna 1's hot spot has been dormant since briefly flaring to life back in [[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|''More than Meets the Eye'' #17]]. At the time, the characters presumed that the flare-up was due to Rodimus (carrying half the Matrix within him) touching the moon's surface, but many eagle-eyed readers spotted that Rung touched down at the same moment Rodimus did, and though it is not directly addressed, it seems safe to conclude it was Rung's presence, rather than Rodimus's, that caused the hot spot to light up.
*Fortress Maximus and Red Alert recovered the Necrobot's cloak and discovered that its starmap-surface showed the Benzene Cluster back in [[Sardines|issue #13]].
*Luna 1 emerging and hitting Primus is a {{w|Causal loop|causal loop}}; it only happened because Rodimus saw it happen, and then caused it to happen via time travel shenanigans. This isn't the first time this has happened in the series. Back in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|''More than Meets the Eye'' #38]], the Lost Light's quantum engines were upgraded in the past based on their specifications in the future.

===Transformers references===
*The hot spot "Eugenesis" shares its name with James Roberts's unofficial 2001 ''Transformers'' novel.

===Real-world references===
*It might just be coincidence, but the way Rodimus's crew-affirming speech pauses to list off simple descriptors of the crew ("an archivist, a retired mnemosurgeon, a gunsmith, an archaeologist, a waste disposal expert...") feels very evocative of the closing speech from the 1985 movie ''{{w|The Breakfast Club}}'', in which lead character John Bender does the same ("a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, a criminal..."). Bender was played by [[Judd Nelson]], the original voice of Rodimus in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', and Rodimus has been directly likened to him before (via his holomatter avatar in [[The One Where They Go to Earth|''More than Meets the Eye'' #43]]). Add that to the parallel between Rung's final message and the famous song that plays alongside Bender's speech—{{w|Simple Minds}}' "{{w|Don't You (Forget About Me)}}"—and it feels kinda deliberate.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDfAWuZP5go The Shepherd's Boy]" from the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' {{w|Doctor_Who:_Series_9_(soundtrack)|series 9 OST}}.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Minimus Ambus bursts out of the Magnus armor, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Cover B:''' Rung is going to give someone ''such'' a finger-wagging, by [[Geoff Senior]] and [[Josh Burcham]]; an homage to Senior's cover for [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK]] [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue #113]], which was famously the first issue James Roberts read, and to which he has made [[113 (disambiguation)|many references]] over the last seven years.
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Roche's black and white lineart from Cover A
<gallery>
File:LL24 cvrA.jpg|
File:LL24 cvrB.jpg|
File:LL24 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''Lost Light'' #25
*''Unicron'' #5
*''[[Transformers vs. Visionaries]]'' TPB
*''[[Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Prequel|Bumblebee: From Cybertron with Love]]'' TPB
*''[[Transformers: Bumblebee - Win If You Dare]]'' graphic novel
*''[[G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero]] vs. the Six Million Dollar Man'' TPB
*''G.I. Joe: Silent Option'' #1
*''Femme Manifique''
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' Vol. 1 TPB
*IDW ''Dick Tracy'' series

==External links==
*[https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL180823 Preview]

[[Category: Lost Light issues]]