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Sari Sumdac (Animated)

2020-03-27T10:57:43Z

Djelibaebi: if kids are gonna be looking for sari dont DIRECT them to kiss players like .... innapproriate ....

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Sari Sumdac}}
:''Sari Sumdac is a techno-organic humanoid [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Sari Animated.JPG|thumb|upright=0.85]]
'''Sari Sumdac''', the [[technorganic]] daughter of robotics genius [[Isaac Sumdac (Animated)|Isaac Sumdac]], used to not get out much. She spent all her time within her father's laboratories, receiving her education from [[Tutor Bot|robots]]. Despite this, she doesn't seem like a shut-in. She's curious, excitable, adventurous, and knows that crying can sometimes get her what she wants. She's just never known what it's like to be around other kids. Fortunately, she has [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] to help with that, and she claims that 'Bee is the best friend she's ever had. In fact, she's become very possessive of all her robotic friends.

It was believed that Sari was a normal human, until it was revealed that she was made from a [[protoform]] and her father's DNA. Hence, the [[AllSpark]] viewed her with great regard, bestowing upon her a [[AllSpark Key|key]] with miraculous powers (though her guardian, the robotic dog [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]], thought it was just another chew toy).

Since discovering her true origin, she has absorbed the power of her AllSpark-powered Key to gain Cybertronian abilities such as enhanced strength, speed, and the ability to create destructive spheres of energy with her hands, as well as the ability to transform into an armored form with several weapons (most of which [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] was forced to seal away after she proved unable to control them). She also owns a scooter which can transform into a [[jet pack]].

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
{{voiceactor|[[Tara Strong]] (English), [[Laura Hale]] ([[BotCon 2015]]), [[Jon Bailey]] ([[BotCon 2015]]; burping), [[Satomi Akesaka]] (Japanese)|[[Tanja Schmitz]] (German), [[Agnieszka Wajs]] (Polish), [[Tosawi Piovani]] (Italian), [[Flora Paulita]] (Portuguese), [[Vanesa Silva Santiago|Vanesa Silva]] (Latin American Spanish, season 1 and 2), [[Shirley Marulanda]] (Latin American Spanish, season 3), [[Adeline Chetail]] (French), [[Sin-Hui Park]] (Korean), [[Tiiamari Mikkola]] (Finnish)}}

[[File:TransWarpedProtoform.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Megatron was also a cute little protoform like this once. Makes you think, doesn't it?]]
Sari's origins are shrouded in mystery. She came into existence when a [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] [[protoform]] appeared in Isaac Sumdac's laboratory. The baffled scientist reached out to touch the small, liquid metal creature, and received an electric shock that knocked him unconscious. When he awoke, the protoform had scanned his [[DNA]] and reconfigured into a techno-organic creature that appeared to be a human baby. Sumdac "adopted" the robot child and named it "Sari", and raised it as his own daughter over the next eight years. {{storylink|TransWarped}} Understandably, Sumdac was reluctant to let Sari out into the world, and instead kept her mostly confined to [[Sumdac Tower]], educating her with [[Tutor Bot|robot tutors]] and creating robotic companions like her pet Sparkplug to keep her company. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}} Precisely ''how'' the protoform that became Sari appeared in Sumdac's lab is unknown; Sari herself seems to believe that she was one of the protoforms stolen from the [[Cyber-Ninja Corps]] by [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] millions of years ago and stored aboard the ''[[Nemesis (Animated)|Nemesis]]'', but given that those protoforms were [[blank]]s, and that it was a different size and shape to all the other protoforms seen, this seems unlikely. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

[[File:SariLayingDown1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Nothing like a long car ride to help your kids fall asleep.]]
One day, when Sparkplug stole her security key card, Sari chased it outside and was confronted by the Autobots [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], who hadn't quite yet fathomed what humans were, and spoke to her as if she were Sparkplug's pet. Naturally, she freaked out, but quickly befriended Bumblebee once he saved her from a giant bug that had grown from her father's [[nanite]] experiment gone awry. Stowing away on Bumblebee and coming aboard the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Autobots' ship]], she came across the [[AllSpark]], which infused part of its power into her security key, creating the [[AllSpark Key]]. This allowed her to heal [[Transformer]]s, such as the injured [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]], earning her brownie points with the 'Bots. She also managed to talk the police down from shooting the Autobots, saying they were friendly (except [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], who was grumpy, but not evil). Sari later helped teach the Autobots about [[Earth]] and [[human]]s, explaining their method of reproduction to a ''very'' startled [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]].

[[File:Sariprime.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.85|Prime was scarred for life.]]
During the unveiling of her father's new transit system, [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] arrived and attacked. Bumblebee took a shot meant for Sari, allowing Starscream to capture him, Professor Sumdac, the Mayor, and [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]]. Sari came up with the idea to distract Starscream while she and Prowl rescued the others (even faking some tears to make it happen). The Key later saved Optimus Prime's life when she used it, in concert with the AllSpark itself, to revive his [[Spark]]. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}} {{storylink|Dispatches}}

Later Sari, dutiful daughter that she was, came over to her dad's private lab to bring him a cup of tea. She discovered that her key could do more than just fix Autobots as it interfaced with the lock to the lab, granting her access to it. She didn't get far in before bumping into her father, who sleepily reminded her that she wasn't allowed in his private workshop. He still drank the tea though. Sari then dragged her father away for some breakfast when it became clear he hadn't eaten in quite some time.

During her daily session with Tutor Bot, Sari continued to test the abilities of her key, and used it to open a comm-link with Bumblebee... oh, and mess around with Tutor Bot's circuitry to cut class-time short. Her afternoon now free, Sari left to aid the Autobots set-up their secret base. She also helped immerse them in Earth culture through the age-old custom known as the "slumber-party." The numerous activities in which she got her friends to participate in included a game of Twister™ and scary stories told by the glow of a flashlight. She used her key to activate some machinery to amplify the telling of one of her stories, scaring Bumblebee out of his wits. Suddenly, the base's machinery came to life without the influence of Sari's Key. Sari had to scramble for cover as part of the assembly line began firing bolts at her. She was rescued by Optimus, and she in turn rescued Ratchet from the hostile machinery. Bumblebee eventually managed to shut everything down. Certain that her key wasn't to blame for the attack, Sari and the Autobots pondered over who could have orchestrated it. She didn't let the night's events phase her for long, and played another game of Twister™ with Prowl and Bumblebee to relax later on. {{storylink|Home Is Where the Spark Is}}

[[File:Stiletto-SarifixesProwl.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
''Sari watched the policemen investigating a break-in to her father's company alongside the Autobots. The group learned that the break-in was the handiwork of the industrial saboteur [[Stiletto (Animated)|Stiletto]]. The Autobots captured her after a brief battle, and Sari helped fix her friends with her key afterwards.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 3|Stiletto}}

[[File:Insincerest-Saridisguised.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
''Sari and the Autobots had to calm Bulkhead down when Porter C. Powell began to market Bulkhead's alt-mode as a vehicle for the everyday citizen, and further rubbed salt in the wound by using highly-doctored footage to have Bulkhead "promote" the vehicle. When Ratchet discovered that the "Bulkhead" vehicles were road-hazards, Sari and Bulkhead disguised themselves and entered a "Pimp my Bulkhead" contest to expose Powell's lies. Customizing Bulkhead to look like a shrine to Powell, Sari-in-disguise insisted that Powell check out her vehicle's interior. Bulkhead then took off, and had Powell admit on-camera that his vehicles were dangerous. Sari would later watch an announcement on television announcing that the Bulkhead line was being recalled.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 4|The Insincerest Form of Flattery}}

Sari would go on to be Bumblebee's usual partner in crime, encouraging him to engage in such questionable activities as high-profile wrestling matches. When Bumblebee was matched up against the bio-enhanced [[Colossus Rhodes]], Sari helped him along, healing him as he took a pounding. Eventually, Rhodes went berserk, and Sari was unable to keep up to heal her friend. Thankfully, the rest of Autobots came to Bumblebee's rescue, and ended the fight in short order. The next day, Sari assisted her father in a presentation to the city's representatives, to pitch Sumdac Industries' new model of police drones. The presentation didn't go too well, as the drone exploded before anything could really be demonstrated. Sari suspected foul play, and after the Autobots confirmed her suspicions, headed back to warn her father. Her group's progress was interrupted when they encountered Sumdac Tower’s force-field, erected in response to a business rival, now the mutated [[Meltdown (Animated)|Meltdown]], attacking the building. Sari and Bumblebee managed to get inside the shield, though further reinforcements were blocked off from joining the pair due to interference run by the returning Colossus Rhodes. Sari eventually managed to shut down the facility's force-field with her key and was then reunited with her dad... just in time for Meltdown to show up again and threaten them both. The Autobots managed to contain Metldown, using the same force-field that had kept them out of the tower. {{storylink|Total Meltdown}}

Sari invited the Autobots to visit her father’s new theme-park, "[[Dino Drive]]", which featured robotic dinosaurs. She guided her friends through the park alongside Tutor Bot. The first visit ended in disaster for the animatronics… Though the event didn’t compare to the Autobots’ second visit, which culminated in the animatronics attacking back! Bumblebee and Ratchet teamed up and unleashed an electro-magnetic pulse to shut down the "[[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]]." Intent on helping out, Sari added her Key’s power to that attack, unwittingly granting the trio Sparks. With newfound intelligence, [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]], [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] and [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] rampaged once more, only to be stopped once more by the Autobots. Even as her father made his plan known to melt the Dinobots down to scrap, Sari was oblivious that she had granted them consciousness. {{storylink|Blast from the Past}}

Sari "borrowed" a couple of rocket prototypes from her father’s laboratories, and offered them up to Bumblebee. Though Bumblebee was thrilled at the prospect of being able to go even faster, Ratchet would have nothing to do with attaching the rockets to his chassis. So Sari used her Key to do it instead. She rode along in Bumblebee’s car mode for his first test drive with the boosters, but the pair soon found themselves driving completely out of control. This caused a heap of trouble, since the Autobots were attempting to apprehend the super-thief "[[Nanosec]]" at the time. After nearly driving off a bridge, and being saved by Optimus, Sari rather sensibly rode with the Autobot leader for the rest of the adventure. Once Nanosec had been caught and Detroit was safe once more, Sari was carried back to Autobot base by Bumblebee, at a decidedly slower pace. {{storylink|Nanosec (episode)|Nanosec}}

[[File:Saricostume.jpg|thumb|100px|Trivia: Transformers [[The Transformers (franchise)|used to]] look like this.]]
As [[Halloween]] rolled around, Sari explained the meaning of the night to her Autobot friends: getting dressed up, eating candy, and pulling pranks... especially on Optimus, when Sari found out that he had a fear of spiders. Before heading out for some trick-or-treating with Bulkhead and Bumblebee, Sari made sure that Optimus saw her costume, a likeness of Prime himself. Before the candy-gathering was in full-swing, the trio encountered Blackarachnia, who stunned both Bumblebee and Bulkhead with her "download" power. Optimus, having been listening in on Bumblebee's comm-link, arrived just in time to stop Sari from handing over her Key to the Decepticon, but was overpowered by Blackarachnia. Blackarachnia grabbed Sari, hauling her off to the top of a building, with Optimus in pursuit. The two robots scuffled anew at this new location, though this time around Blackarachnia succeeded in snatching Sari's Key, and using it on herself. This caused waves of energy to emanate from Blackarachnia, harming all nearby organic life. Including Sari of course, who shriveled up like a prune. In this weakened state, Sari was unable to run from Blackarachnia, who pitched her off the rooftop. Sari managed to grab a flagpole, and hung on just long enough for Bumblebee and Bulkhead to come to her rescue. Sari returned to normal when Optimus removed the AllSpark Key from Blackarachnia's systems. Upon having the Key returned to her, Sari promised Optimus she would try to not over-use the Key's powers anymore. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

On Sari's eighth birthday, the only other kids who turned up were the children of her dad's employees. None of them really wanted to be there and soon focused their attention on the Autobots. Sari was left alone and shunned along with Bulkhead, both morose that the kids didn't like them. Her father's present, a music robot called [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]], cheered her up, and she soon began neglecting her friendship with Bulkhead in favour of her new toy. Repeated uses of the Key turned Soundwave into a malevolent, sentient being who tried to enslave humanity, and she learnt she'd been wrong to ignore her friend. {{storylink|Sound and Fury}}

When the [[Decepticon]]s [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] and [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] arrived on Earth, they manhandled the Autobots. Although they survived, it made apparent the fact that more would come looking for the AllSpark, so the Autobots decided to repair their ship and leave Earth. Sari's reaction to this was displeasure (in the form of a high pitch shout of "NO!"). However, they needed the Key to assist Ratchet in repairing the ship. Sari was unwilling to help them leave, and neither was she pleased to work with a grouch like Ratchet (who was not that keen on working with a [[Protoform]]), but they managed to get her to the ship. While alone with the AllSpark, Sari decided to try and sabotage the ship, thereby keeping the Autobots on Earth (and dooming her species to enslavement and/or extinction) but the Key repaired the damage. After that, the AllSpark showed her an image of [[Megatron (Animated)|a giant Transformer]]. In her panic, Sari opened the air lock, nearly drowning, but Ratchet saved her. Ratchet then explained that they were leaving because they couldn't risk anything happening to Earth or her. Swayed by his compassion, Sari used the Key to reactivate the Autobot ship's decommissioned weapons, reducing Blitzwing and Lugnut to pieces. {{storylink|Lost and Found (episode)|Lost and Found}}

Deciding that Sari, as keeper of the Key, would likely be a target for the Decepticons in the future, the Autobots began to train her in combat techniques. Sari was ecstatic about learning "ninja nerve blows" from Prowl, though she did not pick up the techniques quickly, often missing her target by a wide margin. Bulkhead was kind enough to feign injury whenever she kicked him though. When the time came to use what she had learned, Sari was too in awe of her aggressor to put her training to good use; Swoop kidnapped her from her room at night. As it happened, Swoop was forced to kidnap Sari for Metldown. The super-villain planned to transform Sari into a "human transformer," though the experiment was put on hold when Prowl, Bulkhead and Fanzone discovered his secret base on Lake Erie. Sari was left in the charge of Colossus Rhodes. She easily outsmarted her captor by telling him she needed to go to the toilet, only to lock him up in the washroom by giving him the run-around. Sari then used her Key to muck about the facility's security, allowing Prowl and Fanzone to join up with her. The three pals managed to make it back outside, though barely, and get to Bulkhead's side. Bulkhead had been severely injured by Meltdown, but Sari's Key took care of the damage. Meltdown and his goons were defeated, the Dinobots were freed, and Sari promised not to reveal too much as to what had happened to Optimus or the rest of the Autobots, keeping Prowl and Bulkhead's part in the Dinobots' initial escape a secret.{{storylink|Survival of the Fittest}}

After Bulkhead's latest rescue mission ended in destructive disaster, Sari attempted to cheer him up by suggesting he pick up a creative hobby. This way, he could prove that he could create as well as destroy. Bulkhead settled on painting, and Sari proved herself to be extremely supportive of her friend's new calling. She even managed to book Bulkhead an art show at a local gallery... though her announcement came at a bad time, leading to Bulkhead fleeing out of embarrassment. Later, [[Headmaster (Animated)|Henry Master]], aka "The Headmaster" took possession of Bulkhead's body, and used it to hold the city of Detroit ransom. The authorities pretended to comply to Masterson's demands, though it was a ruse to get the Autobots close enough to battle the super-villain. Sari accompanied her dad into the power plant to help him shut down its systems, and stop the core from overloading. Collateral damage caused by the Autobots' fight with Masterson made this impossible, unfortunately. Once the Autobots finally forced Masterson to flee, Sari reattached Bulkhead's head to his body with her Key, and everyone present brainstormed over how to stop the plant's core from overloading. The Autobots quickly built an "art piece" robot, which Sari animated with her Key, to go into the core to shut it down manually. The city now safe, Sari accompanied Bulkhead to his art show, which proved to be a success judging by the amount of people who attended it. {{storylink|Headmaster (episode)|Headmaster}}

When a non-sentient Cybertronian energy signature was detected in the woods outside of Detroit, Sari volunteered to accompany Prowl and Bumblebee on the investigative mission to track it down. She saw this development as the perfect excuse to have a camping trip with the two of them. But Sari's idea of a camping trip was based off what she had seen on television and movies, and she was woefully unprepared for the real experience. The camping trip proved not to be the usual kind anyways, as a "monster" soon stumbled upon their camping ground. The creature, as it turns out, was a mutated colony of "[[space barnacle]]s" that had infected some Earth machinery. Though the group managed to fell the "monster," Prowl was himself infected by the parasites, and begun to chase down Bumblebee and Sari. The pair wound up taking refuge in one of the local mines owned by Sari's father. Within, they found a boiler room, and Sari used the scalding water to kill the barnacles, who now controlled both Bumblebee and Prowl. The splash-back drenched her though. Without any dry clothes to change into, Sari wound up catching cold on her way back to civilization. At least she got the final word when Bumblebee began to argue with Prowl on the subject of nature versus technology, reminding them that the two concepts working together in harmony yielded the best results. {{storylink|Nature Calls}}

Eventually, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] decided that the Key was no longer safe in Sari's hands, and he ordered Ratchet to take it from her. Distraught, Sari ran off crying, only to be captured later by [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]], who was looking for the Key herself. Sari basically told her "too little, too late," and the two seemed to have a heart-to-heart about their gripes with the Autobots. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 1}}

[[File:Megatron Rising Sari chomp.JPG|thumb|left|Isaac isn't the world's best dad, but he does know a good dentist.]]
While Sari was leading Blackarachnia in circles around the frozen [[Lake Erie]], she was grabbed by Ratchet as he brought the Autobots' ship out of the lake. She was ticked that Ratchet had lost the Key and that her dad had helped rebuild [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], but the blame game ceased after the ship crashed on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. Prime told the Sumdacs to stay with the ship while they went to fight off Megatron. Fearing that they might die, Isaac Sumdac said that there was something that he needed to tell Sari, but she was more interested in finding something else the AllSpark could charge. The AllSpark refused to respond, other than cryptically displaying an image of a DNA strand. Suddenly, Megatron and Prime burst through the hull of the ship, and during their fight, the Key once again fell into her hands. Sari tossed it to Optimus Prime, who used the Key to partially destroy the AllSpark and disperse its energy. Acknowledging that he had been wrong in taking it from her, Optimus Prime gave the Key back to Sari, saying that since it was now the most powerful Cybertronian artifact in existence, it was too important to be left in the hands of an Autobot.

Unfortunately, all was not well, for Sari could not find her dad... as he was now a prisoner of Megatron. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 2}}

[[File:Dramatic change in plot.jpg|thumb|The tide has turned!]]
After her father's disappearance, Sari took over running [[Sumdac Systems]]. Board chairman [[Porter C. Powell]] opposed her, saying that she was too young and wasting company resources searching for her father. When the [[Elite Guard|Cybertron Elite Guard]] arrived, Sari was cut off from the Autobots and her only source of emotional support. She soon needed them, as police drones coming out of a Sumdac assembly line began to malfunction, and Powell was unwilling to do anything about it. Sneaking aboard the [[Sigma Supreme|Elite Guard flagship]], Sari put the fear of god into [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] before Bulkhead explained that Sari was okay (and Bumblebee explained that [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] was a jerk). With Optimus, Prowl, and Jazz's help, Sari managed to get into the plant's assembly line and shut down the systems. When she returned home, she found that she had been locked out of her office, as Powell was now CEO and Chairman of Sumdac Systems. Insisting that it was still her company, Sari was shocked when Powell revealed that she had no birth certificate, no adoption papers, and no social security number. Powell's smug revelation made Sari realize that not only was there no proof that she was Sumdac's daughter, there was no legal proof she even existed. {{storylink|The Elite Guard}}

After that, Powell kicked Sari out of Sumdac Tower, took Tutor Bot and Sparkplug, and gave her room to [[Headmaster (Animated)|Henry Masterson]] as an office. With nowhere else to go, she went to Autobot headquarters. Bumblebee and Bulkhead tried their best to cheer her up, employing such methods as loud music, inedible food, and unedifying teaching lessons. All they did was make things worse. Eventually, Prowl put the two bots in their place and told them to ''listen'' to her. Sari opened up about all her frustrations, such as her missing father, being kicked out of her home, her fear of Powell ruining her father's company, and the fact that there was no record of her existence. Bumblebee promised that they were there for her, no matter what, and Sari finally started to feel a little better. {{storylink|The Return of the Headmaster}}

[[File:MissionAccomplished-Fanzoneindressinggown.jpg|thumb|left|Peekaboo!]]
And then [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] decided that the Autobots couldn't be there for her, as the Decepticons had begun attacking the fringes of Autobot space, so Prime's crew were needed elsewhere. The Autobots decided that Captain Fanzone was the best human with whom to leave her. (Granted, their list of known humans was rather short and included [[Meltdown (Animated)|Prometheus Black]] and [[Nanosec]].) Before anything close to adoption could occur, they managed to convince Magnus that there were Decepticons on Earth (mostly because Starscream fell out of the sky and landed about ten feet in front of them), allowing them to stay on planet. {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}}

Sari accompanied her Autobot friends when they worked towards clearing trash from the city streets during a garbage dispute, in an effort to mend strained Autobot/human relations. Their progress was somewhat hampered by Ratchet's sour attitude, so Optimus assigned Sari and Bumblebee to coach the old 'bot towards projecting a more pleasant attitude. During their training, the three encountered the newly created Transformer [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]], who proceeded to cause all sorts of havoc throughout Detroit. The Autobots chased Wreck-Gar across the city to retrieve the experimental nanobots he had in his backpack, but Sari was not present during Ratchet's final confrontation with the confused 'bot. {{storylink|Garbage In, Garbage Out}}

Sari amused herself after settling in with the Autobots by hooking up illegal satellite TV, which she used to watch pay-per-view races. (The races were also illegal, as the Autobots found out from Fanzone.) When Bumblebee wanted to join the races to compete against a mysterious blue car, Sari came along with him. Sari discovered that man in charge of the races, [[Master Disaster (Animated)|Master Disaster]], had a remote control containing an AllSpark fragment, which he used to control the blue car. Blitzwing showed up to take the fragment, so and Bumblebee had to run for their lives. Eventually, she used the remote to get rid of Blitzwing, allowing the Autobots to get the AllSpark fragment. After that, Bumblebee severed her satellite connection, saying that he had to set a better example for her. Sari advised him not to try too hard, or she wouldn't recognize him. {{storylink|Velocity (episode)|Velocity}}

[[File:Rise Constructicons Sari no pigtails.jpg|thumb|Don't mess the 'do.]]
Sari was awakened from her night's rest by the loud cavorting of the [[Constructicon (Animated)|"Constructobots"]]. A game of flattened-oil-barrel frisbee severed her trademark pigtails, which left her none too pleased. {{storylink|Rise of the Constructicons}} Subsequently she proved that she was still more mature than Bumblebee in a number of ways, warning him off of taking on villains solo just to prove a point. Sadly he wouldn't realize this until the Decepticon behind the villains' success, [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] was revealed. By then it was too late, and she had to team up with those same villains to take his immobilized chassis to Sumdac Tower. Alarmed that the receptionist robot was now declaring it to be Powell Tower, she utilized the Key to rectify that little situation before heading off and successfully disabling Swindle's technology jamming device. {{storylink|SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy}}

Thinking that the criminal Meltdown might have some dirt on Porter C. Powell, Sari and Bumblebee visited him in prison, to try and coax some information out of him. Meltdown informed them that Powell was too slick to ever be caught red-handed, though he insinuated that if Sari and her friends found a way to spring him from prison, he could take care of Powell... permanently. Sari turned down the offer, and left immediately. Later, Sari and the Autobots learned that Meltdown had been broken out of prison via a news report. She stayed behind at the Autobots' headquarters while Optimus, Prowl and Bumblebee dealt with the situation. After Meltdown's threat had been neutralized, Sari accompanied her Autobot friends to explain what had transpired to Captain Fanzone. {{storylink|Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday}}

A while after, Prowl and Sari were honing their agility using the factory's old assembly line. Sari claimed she could complete the exercise at full speed, like Prowl, but it was set to a quarter-speed, which proved to be too much for her at that and got a massive whack upside the head for her pains. After the Autobots discovered the return of the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicons]], Sari was left at the base at the command of Optimus, who told reminded her that they had almost decapitated her [[Rise of the Constructicons|the last time they met]]. Also, he doubted she would be able to take on a pair of two-story robots. At first Sari sulked at her situation, before realizing that she was completely alone in the base and did what any eight-year-old kid would do in an abandoned factory: raid the vending machines, use cranes as miniature G-force slings and try to take on Prowl's obstacle course at full speed (which went as well as last time).

[[File:SariNoOne'sHome-Mixmaster,ScrapperandSari.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|They're here to kick aft and drink oil. And they're all out of oil.]]
While listening to her music, Sari failed to notice the alarms going off, which heralded the invasion of the Constructicons who were looking for [[Oil|a drink]]. After the two louts accidentally crushed her cell phone and left her with the option of sneaking to the communications room to call the Autobots for help, Sari decided—after a council of war with her teddy bear—to take on the two bots using her trusty hockey stick (which shatters soon after she strikes them with it). She escaped and made it to the communication room, contacting Bumblebee who told her to hide and wait until they finish fighting off the recently appeared [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], who was also looking for the Constructicons. Sari concluded that it would be too long and set up a trap for the two invaders, using three barrels of oil to trip them up and the plant's assembly line to knock them around for a while, forcing [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] and [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] to flee. The Autobots returned to find the place in ruins, but Sari showed them that she was all right. Optimus both apologized for his previous comments and lauded her for her bravery, and all was well for Sari—if she could just explain away the mountain of candy wrappers Optimus discovered.... {{storylink|Sari, No One's Home}}

Sari later posed for a Picasso-style picture done by Bulkhead. The results were...interesting, to say the least. After criticism by the Autobots, a depressed Bulkhead walked out, and Sari and Bumblebee went to cheer him up. During a walk in the park, Megatron attacked them, carrying an imprisoned Isaac Sumdac with him, and Sari realized that Megatron had kidnapped him all those months ago. (Apparently, that hadn't occurred to anyone else.) While she looked on helplessly, Megatron managed to kidnap Bulkhead. When she returned to the plant, she heard the Autobot [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] reveal that Professor Sumdac was helping the Decepticons build a [[space bridge]] to conquer Cybertron. Sari refused to believe that her father was willingly helping the Decepticons and got a promise out of Optimus Prime to bring him home alive. Heading to Dinobot Island, Ratchet and Sari worked to bring the Autobots' ship back online. Ratchet realized that they would need riskier repairs to bring achieve their goal. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}}

[[File:TFA ABTC Sari spoilers.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|It's a strange thing when the human companion's story arc is more interesting than the robots.]]
As Ratchet worked, he explained that the ship was an Autobot who had sacrificed his spark two million years ago. Sari was doubtful that it would come back online... until it spoke to her. She proceeded to use the Key on several of the ship's systems, under Ratchet's direction, until it was able to take off. Taking it to the mine where the Decepticons were based, Sari managed to give the ship enough power to transform into its robot mode, [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]. The massive Autobot turned the tide of the battle, but sacrificed himself to save the others from being sucked into the space bridge. The Autobots managed to escape, with both Sari and Isaac in tow, and Isaac revealed that he had been forced to work with the Decepticons. Overjoyed that her father was safe and still a good guy, Sari dubbed Isaac Sumdac the most honest and trust-worthy guy that anyone could hope to find. It was at that point that everyone assembled noticed that the skin on Sari's elbow had torn away, revealing robotic circuitry underneath. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

Although Sari was at first scared by this strange discovery, her fear quickly gave way to anger at her father for having kept the secret that she was a robot from her for years. As they returned to Detroit, Sumdac explained how he had found Sari in his lab years before, but the girl remained incredulous, and things only got worse when the pair confronted Porter C. Powell and Henry Masterson back in Sumdac Tower. When the two men refused to vacate the building, Sari's strained patience snapped, and her hands suddenly transformed into energy projectors, which created a shock wave that knocked the pair of do-badders into the elevator. Struggling to comprehend her true nature, Sari went with the Autobots to their headquarters, unable even to be in the same building as the man she could no longer even think of as her father. Optimus Prime did his best to patch up the damaged family relationship by tricking Sari into meeting with Sumdac at [[Burger Bot]], but it wasn't until Masterson returned with his Headmaster unit attached to Starscream's body that the bonds between father and daughter were repaired, as Sari and Sumdac defended each other from the villain.

[[File:TransWarpedSariFocus.jpg|thumb|left|Okay Sari, focus. Let go of old thinking, focus on the transformation within. The key is finding the balance in yourself. Then, and only then, can you truly say...]]
Sari quickly began to get a handle on her new Cybertronian abilities, learning to project beach ball-sized spheres of pure energy from her hands, but the Autobots still refused to allow her to accompany them into battle against a rock-like alien creature that had just [[transwarp]]ed into the middle of Detroit. Seeking a means to strengthen her abilities, Sari turned her Key upon herself and underwent a surprising metamorphosis: the key upgraded her into a teenager with a wide array of powers and battle armor.

[[File:TransWarpedSariUpgrade.jpg|thumb|150x200px|"...I am transformed!"]]
Although Sari's new abilities amazed the Autobots when she made short work of the rock-alien, things soon started to go wrong, as the Key's energy began overloading Sari's circuitry, causing her to run out of control. Unable to control her own body and causing objects around her to explode with her merest touch, Sari nearly killed Bumblebee by stabbing him with one of her blades before the Autobots were able to remove the key from her system. Even with the Key extracted, Sari's energies were still running wild, and she was in danger of exploding and destroying the entire city before Ratchet knocked her out with his EMP generator. Once they returned to the Autobot base, he bypassed the circuitry responsible for her overload.

As Sari convalesced, her father at her side, Megatron returned to Earth in control of Omega Supreme. Optimus Prime was forced to contemplate undoing the repairs done to Sari and using her to stop the rampaging superweapon as a last-ditch desperation play. When Starscream took control of Omega away from Megatron and locked down all the entrance hatches to prevent the Autobots from infiltrating the robot (again), he came to the point of ordering Ratchet to do so. Fortunately for Sari's (and Detroit's) continued existence, Ratchet refused, and the Autobots ultimately transwarped the threat off Earth. Soon after, Sari awoke and apologized to her friends for her foolishness, while her father apologized to her for holding back the truth for so long. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

[[File:TransWarpedBumblebeeSari.jpg|thumb|left|''You've been hit by/ You've been struck by/ A smooth criminal'']]

After convalescing, she was next seen on [[Christmas]] Eve, making some [[oilnog]] for the Autobots and warning them to stay off Santa's naughty list. When they went to bed early, thanks to a [[Sound Wave]] toy spiking the 'nog, she called them a bunch of party-poopers, but wished them a Merry Christmas and went home.

The next morning, she wasn't happy to receive another Sound Wave toy from her father, given [[Sound and Fury|what had happened with the last one]], and was further disappointed when she was given a motor scooter rather than a car... until she found out that it transformed into a [[jet pack]]. Overjoyed, she transformed to her robot mode and flew off to show Bumblebee. When she arrived at the Autobots' base, she found it apparently deserted, and was further puzzled when the base's scanners showed their energy signatures in the factory itself. The appearance of a [[Laserbeak (Animated)|creepy robot bird]], leading a number of Sound Wave toys from an elevator in the floor (which she'd not known about before), didn't help matters, so she used her palm blasters on them and took the lift down.

In the basement, she found the Autobots wired into a VR machine by a fully rebuilt Soundwave. With most of her weaponry offline, she was no match for him and his instruments when she tried to stop him. She was forced to retreat, promising to come back for her friends.... {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

While she was flying back to Sumdac Tower, Soundwave decided to take over the whole city of Detroit, using the small Sound Waves to carry his hypnotic tunes, since reprogramming the Autobots was taking too long. As such, she arrived back to find a Sound Wave toy blaring hypnotic music at her... and kicked it out of the way. Soundwave deduced that her techno-organic nature made her immune to the music, and he shifted focus to trying to force everyone ''else'' to kill her, starting with her father!

[[File:TFAni Human Error Part2 Substitute Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Matter-Eater Lass.]]

After reluctantly dropping a shelving unit on her dad to make her escape, she flew to Dinobot Island for help. Her initial foray met with little success, since [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] and [[Swoop (Animated)|his pteranodon comrade]] refused to help, tried to kill her, then left her alone when she blasted at them. Grimlock's mention that the third member of his group had been kicked out for becoming someone's "pet" raised her curiosity, though, and she soon found Scrapper, separated from the other two Constructicons by [[Three's a Crowd|a big explosion]], on the island's shore playing with "[[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]]", and she managed to conscript the two into rescuing the other Autobots.

On their way back to the mainland on a makeshift raft, [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]] abruptly popped up from the lake's bottom and immediately became the fourth member of the troupe of [[Substitute Autobot]]s. Once they were ashore, Sari's chaotic attempt to get them to transform and roll out nearly had them leave her behind, but it became moot before too long when Soundwave flew out of the ground, followed by the brainwashed Autobots. Initial attempts by her group at fighting them went badly, as the Substitute Autobots proved incapable of working at a team, while the zombie-Autobots acted as a single, elegant machine under Soundwave, and Soundwave could even control her own jet pack. Sari then changed tack, abandoning efforts to co-ordinate her group and ordering them to attack as individuals. Soundwave's single, elegant machine had trouble multitasking, apparently leading to Prowl saving Sari from death at Bumblebee's stingers in an attempt to deliver his own blow.

This lasted until, with four Autobots down, only Optimus Prime remained... whereupon Soundwave could concentrate on controlling just one Autobot properly. As a result, Sari was almost killed by the enslaved Optimus—but was saved again by Prowl, who openly revealed that he'd broken Soundwave's control in knocking Ratbat away from him. Shortly after, Soundwave was again shattered into many pieces, and Sari could once again concentrate on celebrating Christmas with her adopted family and her father. {{storylink|Human Error, Part II}}

[[File:TFA-DecepticonAir-SariHands.jpg|thumb|left|Ghost in the Shell? Don't you mean [[Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine]]?]]
When Bulkhead and her father belatedly completed the space bridge they'd been working on (after the purpose they'd been making it for had been accomplished), Sari objected that they would have gotten it working sooner if they'd let her help. They scoffed and went back to bickering about the final tweaks... so Sari took it upon herself to head over to the console, where her eyes glowed white, her hands separated into wires, and she finished the setup in seconds. When Optimus asked just ''how'' she'd managed that, she replied that she didn't know how, she just... had. Further, when Sentinel Prime sent an encoded message to Optimus that things had gone horribly wrong on the Elite Guard's ship, Sari managed to lock onto the transwarp signature of Swindle's personal storage dimension to get Optimus aboard, after Bulkhead wasn't sure it was even possible.

[[File:TFA-DecepticonAir-SariKnowsStuff.jpg|thumb|right|"I'm Sari Sumdac. I know stuff."]]
Later, after Swindle had departed the ship and Bulkhead wasn't sure he could retrieve Optimus, she claimed she could fix it and that she'd figured out why, guessing she must have upgraded her "processor... or brain or whatever" as part of her wider upgrade. However, putting it to the test wasn't necessary, as the ship dropped off Optimus at Sumdac Tower, safe and sound. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

When Optimus Prime abruptly decided he needed a [[jet pack]] of his own, Sari, along with Ratchet and her dad, was called into service to make it happen, which included Sari diagnosing a problem just by touching it. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}} The flight pack soon got its baptism of fire when Megatron unleashed a trio of [[Lugnut Supreme]]s on Detroit. Initially, Sari wanted to confront the giant Decepticons with Optimus and Prowl, but Optimus told her no. As she began to throw a hissy-fit about being kept back for her own safety again, he cut her off and told her he wanted her to help protect her "fellow organics" with the other Autobots. Embarrassed, she backed down.

Later, when Ratchet, Bumblebee and Bulkhead were about to depart for the Moon in an attempt to take back the original Omega Supreme, she insisted on transwarping there with them. Her worried father attempted to forbid her, but she told him that she knew there was something there she needed to do, and flew into the space bridge. Once there, Sari could hardly believe she was really on the Moon, but her amazement was soon tabled when Ratchet spotted Arcee, leading to the quartet being ambushed by [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]]. While Bumblebee and Bulkhead held the shape-shifting Decepticon off, Sari and Ratchet headed into Omega Supreme's inactive body with the damaged fembot and found the lab Shockwave had been using. Although slightly freaked out by the female robot's mindless repetition of lessons for young Cybertronian 'bots, Sari was able to use her technopathy to tell Ratchet how to restore her mind. Shortly after Arcee came fully back online, Bumblebee and Bulkhead came in with news for Sari. They took her down into the hold of the [[Nemesis (Animated)|Decepticons' ship]], where several blank protoforms lay. Believing that this was where she had come from, Sari reached out to touch one of the protoforms, confirming for herself that there really had been a reason for her to be there.

[[File:TFA-Endgame-PanAcrossEveryone.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Meanwhile, Ratchet and Arcee had broken Lugnut's hold over Omega Supreme and reactivated the giant Autobot, and Sari joined the others in flying back to Earth aboard the ship. As he fought with his purple duplicates, those inside were shaken about. After a particularly hard hit from the last clone standing, which forced Omega to transform to ship mode and crash-land, he checked that those inside were all right, whereupon Sari noted that "all Autobots, half-bots and almost-bots" were present and accounted for. Shortly afterward, Prowl gave his spark to shield the city from the last Omega-clone's detonation, and Megatron was defeated and arrested. Sari accompanied the Autobots back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to share in their triumphant return and learn of her true origins. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

''Sari used her "tech-savvy" powers to restore Arcee's lost memories. Arcee then took Sari along with her class on a field-trip to Cybertron's Metroplex. Before the fieldtrip was under way, Sari received some Burger-bot take-out from her dad via the spacebridge. She pulled out her meal during the field-trip, grossing out her classmates [[Siren (Animated)|Siren]], [[Hosehead (Animated)|Hosehead]] and [[Nightbeat (Animated)|Nightbeat]]. Embarassed, Sari snuck away from the group to dispose of her soda cup. Though she found a disposal hatch, she lost her balance upon opening it, and tumbled down into the facility's recycling center. There, dormant AllSpark energy within her brought back to consciousness [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]], who had previously been crushed into a cube by [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]], something that Sari was informed about over and over by the talkative Autobot. Grabbing the Blurr-cube, Sari poked around for an exit. She found an access panel, but when she used her tech-savvy powers to activate it, she inadvertantly awakened [[Kremzeek]], a Decepticon trojan virus and energy being. Kremzeek activated the center's systems, leading to Sari and Blurr finding themselves strapped down on a conveyor belt, heading towards all sorts of cutting, crushing and melting machinery. Thankfully, Arcee and the rest of the class turned up at the last possible moment and rescued them both. But Kremzeek continued to sow chaos. It jumped from Autobot to Autobot in order to escape, and make its way to Fortress Maximus, where it could deal great damage to Cybertron. Using her scooter/jet pack, Sari pursued Kremzeek, then in the body of Hosehead. But Kremzeek transferred itself to Sari's jet pack, and left the two of them behind. Hit by a sudden idea, Sari plugged the Blurr cube into her back, allowing her to access his super-speed powers somehow. Arcee grabbed hold of Sari before she took off, and both Blurr and Arcee took turns playing backseat driver as Sari made her way to Fortress Maximus.''

[[File:StunticonJob-Maincastbox.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right]]
''There, Kremzeek attempted to gain control of Sari herself, but was unable to do so because of Sari's techno-organic nature. Sari contained Kremzeek within her soda cup, saving Cybertron from destruction.'' {{storylink|The Return of Blurr}} ''Sari gave the Blurr cube to Cliffjumper, and accompanied her Autobot buddies to the latest performance of [[Team Stunticon]], where she and her friends were honored with a special box seat.'' {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}} ''Sari was later present when Optimus Prime used the AllSpark Matrix to restore Blurr, and everyone else learned a valuable lesson about not judging someone based on their appearance.'' {{storylink|The Return of Blurr}}

===''Be the Hero'' books===
{{notemultipath}}
====''Prime Suspect''====
When Optimus Prime was framed for a break-in at [[HomeTech]], Sari had the idea to break into the police station to look for clues. Teamed up with [[You|another kid]], she was almost caught, but the Autobots rescued them at the last moment. The pair then entered HomeTech's laboratory to look for the security tape on which Prime's image had been captured, and they found a vital clue which led them to HomeTech's main warehouse. There Sari was interested in the [[Pixie-6]] robots HomeTech was due to release, but was menaced by Blitzwing, the real perpetrator of the break-in. She was able to utilize her key to zap Blitzwing via the controller he was using on the Pixie-6 'bots. {{storylink|Prime Suspect}}

====''Quest for the AllSpark''====
Distraught after the Autobots went missing without telling her, Sari visited their base on the urging of another kid she'd just met. After being attacked by a rogue cleaning 'bot, she found Bumblebee, who revealed that Megatron had taken control of Detroit's fleet of robot workers and the Autobots had come up with a plan to keep the AllSpark safe, but the rest of the Autobots hadn't reported back. Sari and her new friend helped Bumblebee track down the others and defeat [[Crush-A]], a clearance 'bot Megatron was using to try to obtain the AllSpark. {{storylink|Quest for the AllSpark}}

====''Web of Deception''====
Sari was testing one of her father's inventions, the [[Sumdac Aquaskimmer Mk 1]], on Lake Erie with a young friend when they were attacked by a [[Sparkseeker]] torpedo. After a quick rescue by the Autobots, the group found the Autobot ship offline and Optimus Prime missing. Ratchet's scans revealed the involvement of Lockdown, and Sari and her friend accompanied Bumblebee, Prowl and Bulkhead in an attempt to rescue their leader. After tangling with Lockdown, the two humans caught up with Blackarachnia, who'd hired the bounty hunter in order to get her revenge on Optimus. Sari used her key to shock the Decepticon before she could complete her plan. {{storylink|Web of Deception}}

===Titan ''Animated'' comic===
[[File:Bumblebeepizza Titan25.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|left|Why said pizza didn't fly out of the box is another story.]]

When Starscream and [[Starscream clone (Animated)|his clones]] seized the Autobot base, Sari immediately went to Dinobot Island to get help. She found out the Dinobots were being made grouchy by the constant rain, so she promised they could stay in the Autobot base until it stopped if they drove out the Decepticons. That made Sari Grimlock's friend and left the Autobots crying when they saw the weather forecast. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17|Dino-MIGHT!}}

Being present for [[Quake-Maker|Quake-Maker's]] first attack on Detroit, she got to see the arrival of shiny new hero [[Afterburn]]. She was smitten at first sight. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 1|Burnout}} She even got to hang with him on a mission to Dinobot Island! As well as be stunned by his ace moves, she used her Key to heal a wounded Grimlock and suffered emotional abuse when Ratchet faked his death to test Afterburn. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 2|Ratchet & Grimlock Are DEAD?}}

Later, while watching a [[basketball]] game, Sari had to help stop an attack on the city by the villainous [[Crossroads]]. She'd met the supervillain when he'd worked at [[Sumdac Systems]] but his awesome disguise of a blue strip of cloth on his head threw her for a few minutes. Once she'd worked it out, she was able to inform the Autobots he was heading for [[Sumdac Tower]] and helped see to his defeat. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 3|Crossroads!}}

Sari hit on a solution to Bumblebee and Prowl's macho posturing, setting up a race between the two in [[Crazy Coyote Canyon]] to determine who was the fastest. And she drew [[:File:CoyoteCanyonmap.jpg|an adorable little map]] of the race track. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|The Race}}

{{--}}

===''TransTech''===
{{voiceactor|[[Tara Strong]] (English)}}

[[File:BeeintheCityPromotionalArtwork.jpg|thumb|right|150px]]

When her father's [[Bi-directional Unified Transit Terminal]] device malfunctioned, Sari, Bumblebee and Optimus Prime found themselves transported to [[Axiom Nexus]], a place where Cybertronians from all sorts of universes sometimes wound up. Officer [[Flareup (G1)|Flareup]] hoped to give them a fine and deport them, but Sari and her crew were soon beset upon by [[Shockwave (TransTech)|Shockwave]]. Hoping to experiment upon Sari, Shockwave took her Key. Bumblebee teamed up with "Joe Convoy" to rescue Sari, but Joe turned out to be [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] in disguise, who was also after the Key. Hijinks ensued, but thanks to the power of bureaucracy, Shockwave was made to send Sari and her pals home.

Upon returning home, all agreed to never speak of the incident again. {{storylink|Bee in the City}}
{{--}}

===Prevenge===
Sari had discovered everything there was to know about her mysterious origins, and was just about to fill in Arcee about it when Arcee was whisked away to another dimension. {{storylink|Prevenge}}

===''Transformers Legends'' comic===
[[File:LegendsBusinessTrip11-ChromiaTransform.jpg|thumb|right|150px|And in Japan, Sari's been reduced to fodder for Tigatron's imaginary harem. Stay progressive, Japan.]]

Sari, in her teenage form, was among the heroic female Transformers who appeared in one of [[Tigatron]]'s dreams to protect him from the evil female Transformers. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 11|Bonus Edition Vol. 11}}

The real Sari was one of the many women brought to the [[Legends World]] by [[Tigatron]] using the [[10.2 ultra-drill|ultra-drill]] in an attempt to get women who liked him better than [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]. It did not work out, as all of the women brought over eventually swooned over Springer. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}}
{{--}}

===''The Cool'' comic===
[[File:PrimeSaritheCoolHuggies01.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|Hug Players]]

While roaming aimlessly around the middle of the street, Sari was nearly run over by a fleet of vehicles. To her astonishment, they transformed into robots. Terrified, she asked who they were, and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] introduced them as the heroic [[Autobot]]s. Suddenly, [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] attacked, attempting to steal the [[AllSpark#Animated|AllSpark]]. Prime scooped Sari up, protecting her from a violent explosion as the Autobots and the [[Decepticon]]s clashed. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 1}}

Starscream eventually succeeded in stealing the AllSpark from [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and nearly made off with it. Prime, however, stopped him by releasing all the energy within it. Prime plummeted to the ground and died, but was instantly revived by Sari's [[AllSpark Key|key]]. Sari and Prime then properly introduced themselves as Sari wept and gave Prime a big, snuggly hug. Unbeknownst to Sari, though, she was being observed via closed circuit TV by the disembodied head of [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], who was very interested in the power of her key. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 2}}

[[File:SariTheCoolSailorScout01.jpg|right|thumb|100px|"In the name of Detroit, I will punish you!"]]

A good deal of time later, as the Autobots fought to keep the [[space bridge#Animated cartoon|Space Bridge]] out of Decepticon hands, Sari joined [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] in piloting the ''[[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Orion]]'' into battle, desperate that their allies could hold out until their arrival. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 7}}

They arrived just in time and transformed the ''Orion'' into [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]. They trounced the competition and won the day. After being reunited with her father, Sari suggested they all go home. However, her joy was short-lived, as Bumblebee pointed out to her that she had some robotics sticking out through her flesh. Sari turned to her father, who admitted he had a very important story to tell her.{{storylink|The Cool Episode 8}}

After a full body-scan at Autobot HQ, and a heart-to-heart with her dad, Sari learned that she was originally a Transformer [[protoform]] that had scanned DNA from Professor Sumdac, resulting in an entirely new lifeform. Sumdac begged for her forgiveness and Sari was quick to give him a big hug, assuring him that no matter what, he'll always be her dad. Then, suddenly, [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] attacked in Omega Supreme's body! Sari decided that now was the time to join the fray with her friends and, using her key, upgraded herself into a teenager! Firing an energy-ball from her hands at the Decepticon, she then proceeded to use her newfound powers to flee in mortal terror as Starscream fired missiles at her, completely unaffected by her attack. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 9}}

At an unknown point after that, a gleeful Sari joined the Autobots in defending Detroit from an invasion of [[Lugnut Supreme]]s. {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 1}}

Upon Megatron's defeat, Sari accompanied the Autobots back to planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], where they were all hailed as heroes by the citizenry and even [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]]. {{storylink|The Cool Episode Final}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Generations 2011''===
[[File:Generations 2011 animated illustration.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|left|Something's going down.]]
Sari, along with Optimus Prime, faced against [[The Motor Master|Motormaster]] and her [[Sari Sumdac (SG Animated)|evil counterpart]]. {{storylink|Transformers Generations 2011#Volume 1|Transformers Generations 2011 Vol. 1}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO_Sari.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Oh, hey, Sazae-san.]]
Sari Sumdac was surprised by a large explosion coming from [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s lab. {{storylink|Wheeljack's Bizarre Invention! Optimus Power Up!?}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===Transformers Animated: The Game===
{{voiceactor|[[Tara Strong]] (English)}}
[[File:TFAnimated Game Sari.jpg|thumb|96px]]
Sari was at the Autobot base when they decided to do some training, and offered up the services of [[AllSpark Key|her key]] to repair them if need be. She got a call from a [[Sumdac Systems]] factory, alerting them to the fact that the robots there had started going haywire, and accompanied [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]], [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] to the plant to help them quell the robot resistance. She kept them updated on the drone problems, including when a bunch of them escaped, and let them know there were AllSpark fragments at the factory when they were in need of some to power up Megatron's Space Bridge.

After Bumblebee was accidentally left behind when Optimus and Bulkhead transwarped to Cybertron, she pointed him to some more AllSpark fragments. His fragments were stolen by [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]], so he and Sari had to hunt the bounty hunter down so he could get them back. Once they'd done so, they went to the Decepticon mine lair, and Bumblebee fought his way to the Space Bridge terminal. Though Sari was keen to see Cybertron, Bumblebee was responsible enough not to let her go, and she had to ride back to base on Prowl, an event sadly not visually recorded. After Optimus's team returned victorious from Cybertron, Sari enticed Bumblebee into some gaming by revealing she had a prerelease copy of ''[[Mage Master Maze Knight]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The Game}}

===Transformers Animated: ''Action Packs''===
{{note|Sari is featured as a playable game card. She is a red card, has a value of 4 points, and has the following power: "+2 to any Bumblebee in play."}} {{storylink|Transformers Animated: Action Packs}}

==Notes==
[[File:TFA Sari Sumdac prelim promo.JPG|thumb|120px|NOT show accurate.]]
[[File:Sari tbob trike.jpg|thumb|I d-d-don't think th-this is s-such a g-g-good idea, Scott!]]
*A promotional image of Sari from the [[Cartoon Network]] ''Transformers Animated'' press kit showed her with different shoes, a different Key design, and a slightly darker skin tone.
*In a preliminary version of the [[title sequence]], Sari appeared riding on a tricycle which she used the AllSpark Key to transform into a jet pack. The footage was dropped from the finished credits, but was screened at conventions and was later included on the DVD packaged with the Optimus Prime and Megatron "The Battle Begins" action figure two-pack. The concept was later recycled as a Christmas present from her father in "[[Human Error, Part I]]"; instead of a tricycle, she has an orange scooter which transforms into a jet pack compatible with her robotic body. She may have been gone for four episodes, but now she can fly!
*Sari's pigtails do ''not'' grow back overnight... or do they?
*Sari has a transformation noise shared only with her scooter/jetpack, likely because of her rather unique origin.
*Sari did not appear for four episodes in season 3—between "[[Three's a Crowd]]" and "[[Predacons Rising (Animated)|Predacons Rising]]"—after her almost-disastrous upgrade, the longest time she had been absent in the series. Well, considering the shift in focus... not to mention [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]]'s presence on Earth for three of those episodes, perhaps it's just as well. He'd probably have totally freaked out as soon as he saw her.
*Ever since her "[[TransWarped]]" upgrade, she has what appear to be [[articulation]] lines on her sleeves and stockings/socks.
*Sari's hands can transform into several different modes, two of which pay homage to the anime ''Ghost in the Shell'' and ''[[Iron Man]]''.
*From "[[TransWarped]]" onward, her eyes are an inverted version of Autobot eyes, with the lighter shade of cyan as the "whites" and the darker shade as the "iris".
*Despite the controversial [[AllSpark Key]] being written out of the series, it can be argued that in the third season, Sari was slowly turning into a ''deus ex machina'' just like it in her own right, merely by virtue of [[Decepticon Air|"knowing stuff" crucial to the storyline]] (often ''without'' a proper explanation), as well as being able to diagnose mechanical problems [[Endgame, Part I|merely by touching a given machine]].
*Sari's Cybertronian nature was planned from the very beginning.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/236269-botcon-2009-animating-animated-panel-coverage.html BotCon 2009]</ref>
*Sari is one of the few Transformers with a [[Alice (ROTF)|human alt-mode]] and is one of three techno-organic Transformers in the ''Animated'' continuity, the other two being [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] and [[Wasp]]inator.
*In "TransWarped", Sari showed off her skills with twin white energy blades that came from her forearms and an energy hammer. After being knocked out by Ratchet's EMP, those weapons vanished for the rest of the series, leaving her with only her energy sphere-throwing attack.
*According to ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]]'', Sari's post-upgrade weapons and tools include [[Master Blade (Animated)|Master Blades]] (a reference to [[Grand Maximus]]'s [[Master Blade (Masterforce)|weapon]] in ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Masterforce]]''), a [[Hyperspace Mallet]], [[Azusa Skates]] (a reference to the ''[[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|Timelines]]'' [[Azusa|starship]]), and a [[Skyboom (Animated)|Skyboom Shield]] (which, like [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]]'s, is a reference to the ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' [[Skyboom (Armada)|macguffin]]). She also uses [[Micron Booster (Animated)|Micron Booster]]s (borrowing the name from an [[Micron Booster|out-of-universe product]]) to make powered jumps.
*[[Derrick J. Wyatt]] drew up [http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/2010/10/many-moods-of-sari-sumdac.html a design] for teenage Sari in the style of his then-current series, ''Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated''. The design managed to make a number of cameos over the course of that series, most obviously in "The Hodag of Horror."
*In the Transformers Animated profile shorts, Sari introduces Bumblebee to the audience in "[[Meet Bumblebee]]."

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Sari Sumdac''' (サリ・サムダック ''Sari Samudakku'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumdac, Sari}}
[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Animated humans]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Fiction-only characters]]
[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Kre-O humans]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:TransTech characters]]

Sari Sumdac (Animated)

2020-03-27T10:56:35Z

Djelibaebi:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Sari Sumdac}}
:''Sari Sumdac is a techno-organic humanoid [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Sari Animated.JPG|thumb|upright=0.85|[[]]
'''Sari Sumdac''', the [[technorganic]] daughter of robotics genius [[Isaac Sumdac (Animated)|Isaac Sumdac]], used to not get out much. She spent all her time within her father's laboratories, receiving her education from [[Tutor Bot|robots]]. Despite this, she doesn't seem like a shut-in. She's curious, excitable, adventurous, and knows that crying can sometimes get her what she wants. She's just never known what it's like to be around other kids. Fortunately, she has [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] to help with that, and she claims that 'Bee is the best friend she's ever had. In fact, she's become very possessive of all her robotic friends.

It was believed that Sari was a normal human, until it was revealed that she was made from a [[protoform]] and her father's DNA. Hence, the [[AllSpark]] viewed her with great regard, bestowing upon her a [[AllSpark Key|key]] with miraculous powers (though her guardian, the robotic dog [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]], thought it was just another chew toy).

Since discovering her true origin, she has absorbed the power of her AllSpark-powered Key to gain Cybertronian abilities such as enhanced strength, speed, and the ability to create destructive spheres of energy with her hands, as well as the ability to transform into an armored form with several weapons (most of which [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] was forced to seal away after she proved unable to control them). She also owns a scooter which can transform into a [[jet pack]].

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
{{voiceactor|[[Tara Strong]] (English), [[Laura Hale]] ([[BotCon 2015]]), [[Jon Bailey]] ([[BotCon 2015]]; burping), [[Satomi Akesaka]] (Japanese)|[[Tanja Schmitz]] (German), [[Agnieszka Wajs]] (Polish), [[Tosawi Piovani]] (Italian), [[Flora Paulita]] (Portuguese), [[Vanesa Silva Santiago|Vanesa Silva]] (Latin American Spanish, season 1 and 2), [[Shirley Marulanda]] (Latin American Spanish, season 3), [[Adeline Chetail]] (French), [[Sin-Hui Park]] (Korean), [[Tiiamari Mikkola]] (Finnish)}}

[[File:TransWarpedProtoform.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Megatron was also a cute little protoform like this once. Makes you think, doesn't it?]]
Sari's origins are shrouded in mystery. She came into existence when a [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] [[protoform]] appeared in Isaac Sumdac's laboratory. The baffled scientist reached out to touch the small, liquid metal creature, and received an electric shock that knocked him unconscious. When he awoke, the protoform had scanned his [[DNA]] and reconfigured into a techno-organic creature that appeared to be a human baby. Sumdac "adopted" the robot child and named it "Sari", and raised it as his own daughter over the next eight years. {{storylink|TransWarped}} Understandably, Sumdac was reluctant to let Sari out into the world, and instead kept her mostly confined to [[Sumdac Tower]], educating her with [[Tutor Bot|robot tutors]] and creating robotic companions like her pet Sparkplug to keep her company. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}} Precisely ''how'' the protoform that became Sari appeared in Sumdac's lab is unknown; Sari herself seems to believe that she was one of the protoforms stolen from the [[Cyber-Ninja Corps]] by [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] millions of years ago and stored aboard the ''[[Nemesis (Animated)|Nemesis]]'', but given that those protoforms were [[blank]]s, and that it was a different size and shape to all the other protoforms seen, this seems unlikely. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

[[File:SariLayingDown1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Nothing like a long car ride to help your kids fall asleep.]]
One day, when Sparkplug stole her security key card, Sari chased it outside and was confronted by the Autobots [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], who hadn't quite yet fathomed what humans were, and spoke to her as if she were Sparkplug's pet. Naturally, she freaked out, but quickly befriended Bumblebee once he saved her from a giant bug that had grown from her father's [[nanite]] experiment gone awry. Stowing away on Bumblebee and coming aboard the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Autobots' ship]], she came across the [[AllSpark]], which infused part of its power into her security key, creating the [[AllSpark Key]]. This allowed her to heal [[Transformer]]s, such as the injured [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]], earning her brownie points with the 'Bots. She also managed to talk the police down from shooting the Autobots, saying they were friendly (except [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], who was grumpy, but not evil). Sari later helped teach the Autobots about [[Earth]] and [[human]]s, explaining their method of reproduction to a ''very'' startled [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]].

[[File:Sariprime.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.85|Prime was scarred for life.]]
During the unveiling of her father's new transit system, [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] arrived and attacked. Bumblebee took a shot meant for Sari, allowing Starscream to capture him, Professor Sumdac, the Mayor, and [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]]. Sari came up with the idea to distract Starscream while she and Prowl rescued the others (even faking some tears to make it happen). The Key later saved Optimus Prime's life when she used it, in concert with the AllSpark itself, to revive his [[Spark]]. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}} {{storylink|Dispatches}}

Later Sari, dutiful daughter that she was, came over to her dad's private lab to bring him a cup of tea. She discovered that her key could do more than just fix Autobots as it interfaced with the lock to the lab, granting her access to it. She didn't get far in before bumping into her father, who sleepily reminded her that she wasn't allowed in his private workshop. He still drank the tea though. Sari then dragged her father away for some breakfast when it became clear he hadn't eaten in quite some time.

During her daily session with Tutor Bot, Sari continued to test the abilities of her key, and used it to open a comm-link with Bumblebee... oh, and mess around with Tutor Bot's circuitry to cut class-time short. Her afternoon now free, Sari left to aid the Autobots set-up their secret base. She also helped immerse them in Earth culture through the age-old custom known as the "slumber-party." The numerous activities in which she got her friends to participate in included a game of Twister™ and scary stories told by the glow of a flashlight. She used her key to activate some machinery to amplify the telling of one of her stories, scaring Bumblebee out of his wits. Suddenly, the base's machinery came to life without the influence of Sari's Key. Sari had to scramble for cover as part of the assembly line began firing bolts at her. She was rescued by Optimus, and she in turn rescued Ratchet from the hostile machinery. Bumblebee eventually managed to shut everything down. Certain that her key wasn't to blame for the attack, Sari and the Autobots pondered over who could have orchestrated it. She didn't let the night's events phase her for long, and played another game of Twister™ with Prowl and Bumblebee to relax later on. {{storylink|Home Is Where the Spark Is}}

[[File:Stiletto-SarifixesProwl.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
''Sari watched the policemen investigating a break-in to her father's company alongside the Autobots. The group learned that the break-in was the handiwork of the industrial saboteur [[Stiletto (Animated)|Stiletto]]. The Autobots captured her after a brief battle, and Sari helped fix her friends with her key afterwards.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 3|Stiletto}}

[[File:Insincerest-Saridisguised.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
''Sari and the Autobots had to calm Bulkhead down when Porter C. Powell began to market Bulkhead's alt-mode as a vehicle for the everyday citizen, and further rubbed salt in the wound by using highly-doctored footage to have Bulkhead "promote" the vehicle. When Ratchet discovered that the "Bulkhead" vehicles were road-hazards, Sari and Bulkhead disguised themselves and entered a "Pimp my Bulkhead" contest to expose Powell's lies. Customizing Bulkhead to look like a shrine to Powell, Sari-in-disguise insisted that Powell check out her vehicle's interior. Bulkhead then took off, and had Powell admit on-camera that his vehicles were dangerous. Sari would later watch an announcement on television announcing that the Bulkhead line was being recalled.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 4|The Insincerest Form of Flattery}}

Sari would go on to be Bumblebee's usual partner in crime, encouraging him to engage in such questionable activities as high-profile wrestling matches. When Bumblebee was matched up against the bio-enhanced [[Colossus Rhodes]], Sari helped him along, healing him as he took a pounding. Eventually, Rhodes went berserk, and Sari was unable to keep up to heal her friend. Thankfully, the rest of Autobots came to Bumblebee's rescue, and ended the fight in short order. The next day, Sari assisted her father in a presentation to the city's representatives, to pitch Sumdac Industries' new model of police drones. The presentation didn't go too well, as the drone exploded before anything could really be demonstrated. Sari suspected foul play, and after the Autobots confirmed her suspicions, headed back to warn her father. Her group's progress was interrupted when they encountered Sumdac Tower’s force-field, erected in response to a business rival, now the mutated [[Meltdown (Animated)|Meltdown]], attacking the building. Sari and Bumblebee managed to get inside the shield, though further reinforcements were blocked off from joining the pair due to interference run by the returning Colossus Rhodes. Sari eventually managed to shut down the facility's force-field with her key and was then reunited with her dad... just in time for Meltdown to show up again and threaten them both. The Autobots managed to contain Metldown, using the same force-field that had kept them out of the tower. {{storylink|Total Meltdown}}

Sari invited the Autobots to visit her father’s new theme-park, "[[Dino Drive]]", which featured robotic dinosaurs. She guided her friends through the park alongside Tutor Bot. The first visit ended in disaster for the animatronics… Though the event didn’t compare to the Autobots’ second visit, which culminated in the animatronics attacking back! Bumblebee and Ratchet teamed up and unleashed an electro-magnetic pulse to shut down the "[[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]]." Intent on helping out, Sari added her Key’s power to that attack, unwittingly granting the trio Sparks. With newfound intelligence, [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]], [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] and [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] rampaged once more, only to be stopped once more by the Autobots. Even as her father made his plan known to melt the Dinobots down to scrap, Sari was oblivious that she had granted them consciousness. {{storylink|Blast from the Past}}

Sari "borrowed" a couple of rocket prototypes from her father’s laboratories, and offered them up to Bumblebee. Though Bumblebee was thrilled at the prospect of being able to go even faster, Ratchet would have nothing to do with attaching the rockets to his chassis. So Sari used her Key to do it instead. She rode along in Bumblebee’s car mode for his first test drive with the boosters, but the pair soon found themselves driving completely out of control. This caused a heap of trouble, since the Autobots were attempting to apprehend the super-thief "[[Nanosec]]" at the time. After nearly driving off a bridge, and being saved by Optimus, Sari rather sensibly rode with the Autobot leader for the rest of the adventure. Once Nanosec had been caught and Detroit was safe once more, Sari was carried back to Autobot base by Bumblebee, at a decidedly slower pace. {{storylink|Nanosec (episode)|Nanosec}}

[[File:Saricostume.jpg|thumb|100px|Trivia: Transformers [[The Transformers (franchise)|used to]] look like this.]]
As [[Halloween]] rolled around, Sari explained the meaning of the night to her Autobot friends: getting dressed up, eating candy, and pulling pranks... especially on Optimus, when Sari found out that he had a fear of spiders. Before heading out for some trick-or-treating with Bulkhead and Bumblebee, Sari made sure that Optimus saw her costume, a likeness of Prime himself. Before the candy-gathering was in full-swing, the trio encountered Blackarachnia, who stunned both Bumblebee and Bulkhead with her "download" power. Optimus, having been listening in on Bumblebee's comm-link, arrived just in time to stop Sari from handing over her Key to the Decepticon, but was overpowered by Blackarachnia. Blackarachnia grabbed Sari, hauling her off to the top of a building, with Optimus in pursuit. The two robots scuffled anew at this new location, though this time around Blackarachnia succeeded in snatching Sari's Key, and using it on herself. This caused waves of energy to emanate from Blackarachnia, harming all nearby organic life. Including Sari of course, who shriveled up like a prune. In this weakened state, Sari was unable to run from Blackarachnia, who pitched her off the rooftop. Sari managed to grab a flagpole, and hung on just long enough for Bumblebee and Bulkhead to come to her rescue. Sari returned to normal when Optimus removed the AllSpark Key from Blackarachnia's systems. Upon having the Key returned to her, Sari promised Optimus she would try to not over-use the Key's powers anymore. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

On Sari's eighth birthday, the only other kids who turned up were the children of her dad's employees. None of them really wanted to be there and soon focused their attention on the Autobots. Sari was left alone and shunned along with Bulkhead, both morose that the kids didn't like them. Her father's present, a music robot called [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]], cheered her up, and she soon began neglecting her friendship with Bulkhead in favour of her new toy. Repeated uses of the Key turned Soundwave into a malevolent, sentient being who tried to enslave humanity, and she learnt she'd been wrong to ignore her friend. {{storylink|Sound and Fury}}

When the [[Decepticon]]s [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] and [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] arrived on Earth, they manhandled the Autobots. Although they survived, it made apparent the fact that more would come looking for the AllSpark, so the Autobots decided to repair their ship and leave Earth. Sari's reaction to this was displeasure (in the form of a high pitch shout of "NO!"). However, they needed the Key to assist Ratchet in repairing the ship. Sari was unwilling to help them leave, and neither was she pleased to work with a grouch like Ratchet (who was not that keen on working with a [[Protoform]]), but they managed to get her to the ship. While alone with the AllSpark, Sari decided to try and sabotage the ship, thereby keeping the Autobots on Earth (and dooming her species to enslavement and/or extinction) but the Key repaired the damage. After that, the AllSpark showed her an image of [[Megatron (Animated)|a giant Transformer]]. In her panic, Sari opened the air lock, nearly drowning, but Ratchet saved her. Ratchet then explained that they were leaving because they couldn't risk anything happening to Earth or her. Swayed by his compassion, Sari used the Key to reactivate the Autobot ship's decommissioned weapons, reducing Blitzwing and Lugnut to pieces. {{storylink|Lost and Found (episode)|Lost and Found}}

Deciding that Sari, as keeper of the Key, would likely be a target for the Decepticons in the future, the Autobots began to train her in combat techniques. Sari was ecstatic about learning "ninja nerve blows" from Prowl, though she did not pick up the techniques quickly, often missing her target by a wide margin. Bulkhead was kind enough to feign injury whenever she kicked him though. When the time came to use what she had learned, Sari was too in awe of her aggressor to put her training to good use; Swoop kidnapped her from her room at night. As it happened, Swoop was forced to kidnap Sari for Metldown. The super-villain planned to transform Sari into a "human transformer," though the experiment was put on hold when Prowl, Bulkhead and Fanzone discovered his secret base on Lake Erie. Sari was left in the charge of Colossus Rhodes. She easily outsmarted her captor by telling him she needed to go to the toilet, only to lock him up in the washroom by giving him the run-around. Sari then used her Key to muck about the facility's security, allowing Prowl and Fanzone to join up with her. The three pals managed to make it back outside, though barely, and get to Bulkhead's side. Bulkhead had been severely injured by Meltdown, but Sari's Key took care of the damage. Meltdown and his goons were defeated, the Dinobots were freed, and Sari promised not to reveal too much as to what had happened to Optimus or the rest of the Autobots, keeping Prowl and Bulkhead's part in the Dinobots' initial escape a secret.{{storylink|Survival of the Fittest}}

After Bulkhead's latest rescue mission ended in destructive disaster, Sari attempted to cheer him up by suggesting he pick up a creative hobby. This way, he could prove that he could create as well as destroy. Bulkhead settled on painting, and Sari proved herself to be extremely supportive of her friend's new calling. She even managed to book Bulkhead an art show at a local gallery... though her announcement came at a bad time, leading to Bulkhead fleeing out of embarrassment. Later, [[Headmaster (Animated)|Henry Master]], aka "The Headmaster" took possession of Bulkhead's body, and used it to hold the city of Detroit ransom. The authorities pretended to comply to Masterson's demands, though it was a ruse to get the Autobots close enough to battle the super-villain. Sari accompanied her dad into the power plant to help him shut down its systems, and stop the core from overloading. Collateral damage caused by the Autobots' fight with Masterson made this impossible, unfortunately. Once the Autobots finally forced Masterson to flee, Sari reattached Bulkhead's head to his body with her Key, and everyone present brainstormed over how to stop the plant's core from overloading. The Autobots quickly built an "art piece" robot, which Sari animated with her Key, to go into the core to shut it down manually. The city now safe, Sari accompanied Bulkhead to his art show, which proved to be a success judging by the amount of people who attended it. {{storylink|Headmaster (episode)|Headmaster}}

When a non-sentient Cybertronian energy signature was detected in the woods outside of Detroit, Sari volunteered to accompany Prowl and Bumblebee on the investigative mission to track it down. She saw this development as the perfect excuse to have a camping trip with the two of them. But Sari's idea of a camping trip was based off what she had seen on television and movies, and she was woefully unprepared for the real experience. The camping trip proved not to be the usual kind anyways, as a "monster" soon stumbled upon their camping ground. The creature, as it turns out, was a mutated colony of "[[space barnacle]]s" that had infected some Earth machinery. Though the group managed to fell the "monster," Prowl was himself infected by the parasites, and begun to chase down Bumblebee and Sari. The pair wound up taking refuge in one of the local mines owned by Sari's father. Within, they found a boiler room, and Sari used the scalding water to kill the barnacles, who now controlled both Bumblebee and Prowl. The splash-back drenched her though. Without any dry clothes to change into, Sari wound up catching cold on her way back to civilization. At least she got the final word when Bumblebee began to argue with Prowl on the subject of nature versus technology, reminding them that the two concepts working together in harmony yielded the best results. {{storylink|Nature Calls}}

Eventually, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] decided that the Key was no longer safe in Sari's hands, and he ordered Ratchet to take it from her. Distraught, Sari ran off crying, only to be captured later by [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]], who was looking for the Key herself. Sari basically told her "too little, too late," and the two seemed to have a heart-to-heart about their gripes with the Autobots. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 1}}

[[File:Megatron Rising Sari chomp.JPG|thumb|left|Isaac isn't the world's best dad, but he does know a good dentist.]]
While Sari was leading Blackarachnia in circles around the frozen [[Lake Erie]], she was grabbed by Ratchet as he brought the Autobots' ship out of the lake. She was ticked that Ratchet had lost the Key and that her dad had helped rebuild [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], but the blame game ceased after the ship crashed on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. Prime told the Sumdacs to stay with the ship while they went to fight off Megatron. Fearing that they might die, Isaac Sumdac said that there was something that he needed to tell Sari, but she was more interested in finding something else the AllSpark could charge. The AllSpark refused to respond, other than cryptically displaying an image of a DNA strand. Suddenly, Megatron and Prime burst through the hull of the ship, and during their fight, the Key once again fell into her hands. Sari tossed it to Optimus Prime, who used the Key to partially destroy the AllSpark and disperse its energy. Acknowledging that he had been wrong in taking it from her, Optimus Prime gave the Key back to Sari, saying that since it was now the most powerful Cybertronian artifact in existence, it was too important to be left in the hands of an Autobot.

Unfortunately, all was not well, for Sari could not find her dad... as he was now a prisoner of Megatron. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 2}}

[[File:Dramatic change in plot.jpg|thumb|The tide has turned!]]
After her father's disappearance, Sari took over running [[Sumdac Systems]]. Board chairman [[Porter C. Powell]] opposed her, saying that she was too young and wasting company resources searching for her father. When the [[Elite Guard|Cybertron Elite Guard]] arrived, Sari was cut off from the Autobots and her only source of emotional support. She soon needed them, as police drones coming out of a Sumdac assembly line began to malfunction, and Powell was unwilling to do anything about it. Sneaking aboard the [[Sigma Supreme|Elite Guard flagship]], Sari put the fear of god into [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] before Bulkhead explained that Sari was okay (and Bumblebee explained that [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] was a jerk). With Optimus, Prowl, and Jazz's help, Sari managed to get into the plant's assembly line and shut down the systems. When she returned home, she found that she had been locked out of her office, as Powell was now CEO and Chairman of Sumdac Systems. Insisting that it was still her company, Sari was shocked when Powell revealed that she had no birth certificate, no adoption papers, and no social security number. Powell's smug revelation made Sari realize that not only was there no proof that she was Sumdac's daughter, there was no legal proof she even existed. {{storylink|The Elite Guard}}

After that, Powell kicked Sari out of Sumdac Tower, took Tutor Bot and Sparkplug, and gave her room to [[Headmaster (Animated)|Henry Masterson]] as an office. With nowhere else to go, she went to Autobot headquarters. Bumblebee and Bulkhead tried their best to cheer her up, employing such methods as loud music, inedible food, and unedifying teaching lessons. All they did was make things worse. Eventually, Prowl put the two bots in their place and told them to ''listen'' to her. Sari opened up about all her frustrations, such as her missing father, being kicked out of her home, her fear of Powell ruining her father's company, and the fact that there was no record of her existence. Bumblebee promised that they were there for her, no matter what, and Sari finally started to feel a little better. {{storylink|The Return of the Headmaster}}

[[File:MissionAccomplished-Fanzoneindressinggown.jpg|thumb|left|Peekaboo!]]
And then [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] decided that the Autobots couldn't be there for her, as the Decepticons had begun attacking the fringes of Autobot space, so Prime's crew were needed elsewhere. The Autobots decided that Captain Fanzone was the best human with whom to leave her. (Granted, their list of known humans was rather short and included [[Meltdown (Animated)|Prometheus Black]] and [[Nanosec]].) Before anything close to adoption could occur, they managed to convince Magnus that there were Decepticons on Earth (mostly because Starscream fell out of the sky and landed about ten feet in front of them), allowing them to stay on planet. {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}}

Sari accompanied her Autobot friends when they worked towards clearing trash from the city streets during a garbage dispute, in an effort to mend strained Autobot/human relations. Their progress was somewhat hampered by Ratchet's sour attitude, so Optimus assigned Sari and Bumblebee to coach the old 'bot towards projecting a more pleasant attitude. During their training, the three encountered the newly created Transformer [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]], who proceeded to cause all sorts of havoc throughout Detroit. The Autobots chased Wreck-Gar across the city to retrieve the experimental nanobots he had in his backpack, but Sari was not present during Ratchet's final confrontation with the confused 'bot. {{storylink|Garbage In, Garbage Out}}

Sari amused herself after settling in with the Autobots by hooking up illegal satellite TV, which she used to watch pay-per-view races. (The races were also illegal, as the Autobots found out from Fanzone.) When Bumblebee wanted to join the races to compete against a mysterious blue car, Sari came along with him. Sari discovered that man in charge of the races, [[Master Disaster (Animated)|Master Disaster]], had a remote control containing an AllSpark fragment, which he used to control the blue car. Blitzwing showed up to take the fragment, so and Bumblebee had to run for their lives. Eventually, she used the remote to get rid of Blitzwing, allowing the Autobots to get the AllSpark fragment. After that, Bumblebee severed her satellite connection, saying that he had to set a better example for her. Sari advised him not to try too hard, or she wouldn't recognize him. {{storylink|Velocity (episode)|Velocity}}

[[File:Rise Constructicons Sari no pigtails.jpg|thumb|Don't mess the 'do.]]
Sari was awakened from her night's rest by the loud cavorting of the [[Constructicon (Animated)|"Constructobots"]]. A game of flattened-oil-barrel frisbee severed her trademark pigtails, which left her none too pleased. {{storylink|Rise of the Constructicons}} Subsequently she proved that she was still more mature than Bumblebee in a number of ways, warning him off of taking on villains solo just to prove a point. Sadly he wouldn't realize this until the Decepticon behind the villains' success, [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] was revealed. By then it was too late, and she had to team up with those same villains to take his immobilized chassis to Sumdac Tower. Alarmed that the receptionist robot was now declaring it to be Powell Tower, she utilized the Key to rectify that little situation before heading off and successfully disabling Swindle's technology jamming device. {{storylink|SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy}}

Thinking that the criminal Meltdown might have some dirt on Porter C. Powell, Sari and Bumblebee visited him in prison, to try and coax some information out of him. Meltdown informed them that Powell was too slick to ever be caught red-handed, though he insinuated that if Sari and her friends found a way to spring him from prison, he could take care of Powell... permanently. Sari turned down the offer, and left immediately. Later, Sari and the Autobots learned that Meltdown had been broken out of prison via a news report. She stayed behind at the Autobots' headquarters while Optimus, Prowl and Bumblebee dealt with the situation. After Meltdown's threat had been neutralized, Sari accompanied her Autobot friends to explain what had transpired to Captain Fanzone. {{storylink|Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday}}

A while after, Prowl and Sari were honing their agility using the factory's old assembly line. Sari claimed she could complete the exercise at full speed, like Prowl, but it was set to a quarter-speed, which proved to be too much for her at that and got a massive whack upside the head for her pains. After the Autobots discovered the return of the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicons]], Sari was left at the base at the command of Optimus, who told reminded her that they had almost decapitated her [[Rise of the Constructicons|the last time they met]]. Also, he doubted she would be able to take on a pair of two-story robots. At first Sari sulked at her situation, before realizing that she was completely alone in the base and did what any eight-year-old kid would do in an abandoned factory: raid the vending machines, use cranes as miniature G-force slings and try to take on Prowl's obstacle course at full speed (which went as well as last time).

[[File:SariNoOne'sHome-Mixmaster,ScrapperandSari.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|They're here to kick aft and drink oil. And they're all out of oil.]]
While listening to her music, Sari failed to notice the alarms going off, which heralded the invasion of the Constructicons who were looking for [[Oil|a drink]]. After the two louts accidentally crushed her cell phone and left her with the option of sneaking to the communications room to call the Autobots for help, Sari decided—after a council of war with her teddy bear—to take on the two bots using her trusty hockey stick (which shatters soon after she strikes them with it). She escaped and made it to the communication room, contacting Bumblebee who told her to hide and wait until they finish fighting off the recently appeared [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], who was also looking for the Constructicons. Sari concluded that it would be too long and set up a trap for the two invaders, using three barrels of oil to trip them up and the plant's assembly line to knock them around for a while, forcing [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] and [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] to flee. The Autobots returned to find the place in ruins, but Sari showed them that she was all right. Optimus both apologized for his previous comments and lauded her for her bravery, and all was well for Sari—if she could just explain away the mountain of candy wrappers Optimus discovered.... {{storylink|Sari, No One's Home}}

Sari later posed for a Picasso-style picture done by Bulkhead. The results were...interesting, to say the least. After criticism by the Autobots, a depressed Bulkhead walked out, and Sari and Bumblebee went to cheer him up. During a walk in the park, Megatron attacked them, carrying an imprisoned Isaac Sumdac with him, and Sari realized that Megatron had kidnapped him all those months ago. (Apparently, that hadn't occurred to anyone else.) While she looked on helplessly, Megatron managed to kidnap Bulkhead. When she returned to the plant, she heard the Autobot [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] reveal that Professor Sumdac was helping the Decepticons build a [[space bridge]] to conquer Cybertron. Sari refused to believe that her father was willingly helping the Decepticons and got a promise out of Optimus Prime to bring him home alive. Heading to Dinobot Island, Ratchet and Sari worked to bring the Autobots' ship back online. Ratchet realized that they would need riskier repairs to bring achieve their goal. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}}

[[File:TFA ABTC Sari spoilers.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|It's a strange thing when the human companion's story arc is more interesting than the robots.]]
As Ratchet worked, he explained that the ship was an Autobot who had sacrificed his spark two million years ago. Sari was doubtful that it would come back online... until it spoke to her. She proceeded to use the Key on several of the ship's systems, under Ratchet's direction, until it was able to take off. Taking it to the mine where the Decepticons were based, Sari managed to give the ship enough power to transform into its robot mode, [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]. The massive Autobot turned the tide of the battle, but sacrificed himself to save the others from being sucked into the space bridge. The Autobots managed to escape, with both Sari and Isaac in tow, and Isaac revealed that he had been forced to work with the Decepticons. Overjoyed that her father was safe and still a good guy, Sari dubbed Isaac Sumdac the most honest and trust-worthy guy that anyone could hope to find. It was at that point that everyone assembled noticed that the skin on Sari's elbow had torn away, revealing robotic circuitry underneath. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

Although Sari was at first scared by this strange discovery, her fear quickly gave way to anger at her father for having kept the secret that she was a robot from her for years. As they returned to Detroit, Sumdac explained how he had found Sari in his lab years before, but the girl remained incredulous, and things only got worse when the pair confronted Porter C. Powell and Henry Masterson back in Sumdac Tower. When the two men refused to vacate the building, Sari's strained patience snapped, and her hands suddenly transformed into energy projectors, which created a shock wave that knocked the pair of do-badders into the elevator. Struggling to comprehend her true nature, Sari went with the Autobots to their headquarters, unable even to be in the same building as the man she could no longer even think of as her father. Optimus Prime did his best to patch up the damaged family relationship by tricking Sari into meeting with Sumdac at [[Burger Bot]], but it wasn't until Masterson returned with his Headmaster unit attached to Starscream's body that the bonds between father and daughter were repaired, as Sari and Sumdac defended each other from the villain.

[[File:TransWarpedSariFocus.jpg|thumb|left|Okay Sari, focus. Let go of old thinking, focus on the transformation within. The key is finding the balance in yourself. Then, and only then, can you truly say...]]
Sari quickly began to get a handle on her new Cybertronian abilities, learning to project beach ball-sized spheres of pure energy from her hands, but the Autobots still refused to allow her to accompany them into battle against a rock-like alien creature that had just [[transwarp]]ed into the middle of Detroit. Seeking a means to strengthen her abilities, Sari turned her Key upon herself and underwent a surprising metamorphosis: the key upgraded her into a teenager with a wide array of powers and battle armor.

[[File:TransWarpedSariUpgrade.jpg|thumb|150x200px|"...I am transformed!"]]
Although Sari's new abilities amazed the Autobots when she made short work of the rock-alien, things soon started to go wrong, as the Key's energy began overloading Sari's circuitry, causing her to run out of control. Unable to control her own body and causing objects around her to explode with her merest touch, Sari nearly killed Bumblebee by stabbing him with one of her blades before the Autobots were able to remove the key from her system. Even with the Key extracted, Sari's energies were still running wild, and she was in danger of exploding and destroying the entire city before Ratchet knocked her out with his EMP generator. Once they returned to the Autobot base, he bypassed the circuitry responsible for her overload.

As Sari convalesced, her father at her side, Megatron returned to Earth in control of Omega Supreme. Optimus Prime was forced to contemplate undoing the repairs done to Sari and using her to stop the rampaging superweapon as a last-ditch desperation play. When Starscream took control of Omega away from Megatron and locked down all the entrance hatches to prevent the Autobots from infiltrating the robot (again), he came to the point of ordering Ratchet to do so. Fortunately for Sari's (and Detroit's) continued existence, Ratchet refused, and the Autobots ultimately transwarped the threat off Earth. Soon after, Sari awoke and apologized to her friends for her foolishness, while her father apologized to her for holding back the truth for so long. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

[[File:TransWarpedBumblebeeSari.jpg|thumb|left|''You've been hit by/ You've been struck by/ A smooth criminal'']]

After convalescing, she was next seen on [[Christmas]] Eve, making some [[oilnog]] for the Autobots and warning them to stay off Santa's naughty list. When they went to bed early, thanks to a [[Sound Wave]] toy spiking the 'nog, she called them a bunch of party-poopers, but wished them a Merry Christmas and went home.

The next morning, she wasn't happy to receive another Sound Wave toy from her father, given [[Sound and Fury|what had happened with the last one]], and was further disappointed when she was given a motor scooter rather than a car... until she found out that it transformed into a [[jet pack]]. Overjoyed, she transformed to her robot mode and flew off to show Bumblebee. When she arrived at the Autobots' base, she found it apparently deserted, and was further puzzled when the base's scanners showed their energy signatures in the factory itself. The appearance of a [[Laserbeak (Animated)|creepy robot bird]], leading a number of Sound Wave toys from an elevator in the floor (which she'd not known about before), didn't help matters, so she used her palm blasters on them and took the lift down.

In the basement, she found the Autobots wired into a VR machine by a fully rebuilt Soundwave. With most of her weaponry offline, she was no match for him and his instruments when she tried to stop him. She was forced to retreat, promising to come back for her friends.... {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

While she was flying back to Sumdac Tower, Soundwave decided to take over the whole city of Detroit, using the small Sound Waves to carry his hypnotic tunes, since reprogramming the Autobots was taking too long. As such, she arrived back to find a Sound Wave toy blaring hypnotic music at her... and kicked it out of the way. Soundwave deduced that her techno-organic nature made her immune to the music, and he shifted focus to trying to force everyone ''else'' to kill her, starting with her father!

[[File:TFAni Human Error Part2 Substitute Autobots.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Matter-Eater Lass.]]

After reluctantly dropping a shelving unit on her dad to make her escape, she flew to Dinobot Island for help. Her initial foray met with little success, since [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] and [[Swoop (Animated)|his pteranodon comrade]] refused to help, tried to kill her, then left her alone when she blasted at them. Grimlock's mention that the third member of his group had been kicked out for becoming someone's "pet" raised her curiosity, though, and she soon found Scrapper, separated from the other two Constructicons by [[Three's a Crowd|a big explosion]], on the island's shore playing with "[[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]]", and she managed to conscript the two into rescuing the other Autobots.

On their way back to the mainland on a makeshift raft, [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]] abruptly popped up from the lake's bottom and immediately became the fourth member of the troupe of [[Substitute Autobot]]s. Once they were ashore, Sari's chaotic attempt to get them to transform and roll out nearly had them leave her behind, but it became moot before too long when Soundwave flew out of the ground, followed by the brainwashed Autobots. Initial attempts by her group at fighting them went badly, as the Substitute Autobots proved incapable of working at a team, while the zombie-Autobots acted as a single, elegant machine under Soundwave, and Soundwave could even control her own jet pack. Sari then changed tack, abandoning efforts to co-ordinate her group and ordering them to attack as individuals. Soundwave's single, elegant machine had trouble multitasking, apparently leading to Prowl saving Sari from death at Bumblebee's stingers in an attempt to deliver his own blow.

This lasted until, with four Autobots down, only Optimus Prime remained... whereupon Soundwave could concentrate on controlling just one Autobot properly. As a result, Sari was almost killed by the enslaved Optimus—but was saved again by Prowl, who openly revealed that he'd broken Soundwave's control in knocking Ratbat away from him. Shortly after, Soundwave was again shattered into many pieces, and Sari could once again concentrate on celebrating Christmas with her adopted family and her father. {{storylink|Human Error, Part II}}

[[File:TFA-DecepticonAir-SariHands.jpg|thumb|left|Ghost in the Shell? Don't you mean [[Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine]]?]]
When Bulkhead and her father belatedly completed the space bridge they'd been working on (after the purpose they'd been making it for had been accomplished), Sari objected that they would have gotten it working sooner if they'd let her help. They scoffed and went back to bickering about the final tweaks... so Sari took it upon herself to head over to the console, where her eyes glowed white, her hands separated into wires, and she finished the setup in seconds. When Optimus asked just ''how'' she'd managed that, she replied that she didn't know how, she just... had. Further, when Sentinel Prime sent an encoded message to Optimus that things had gone horribly wrong on the Elite Guard's ship, Sari managed to lock onto the transwarp signature of Swindle's personal storage dimension to get Optimus aboard, after Bulkhead wasn't sure it was even possible.

[[File:TFA-DecepticonAir-SariKnowsStuff.jpg|thumb|right|"I'm Sari Sumdac. I know stuff."]]
Later, after Swindle had departed the ship and Bulkhead wasn't sure he could retrieve Optimus, she claimed she could fix it and that she'd figured out why, guessing she must have upgraded her "processor... or brain or whatever" as part of her wider upgrade. However, putting it to the test wasn't necessary, as the ship dropped off Optimus at Sumdac Tower, safe and sound. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

When Optimus Prime abruptly decided he needed a [[jet pack]] of his own, Sari, along with Ratchet and her dad, was called into service to make it happen, which included Sari diagnosing a problem just by touching it. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}} The flight pack soon got its baptism of fire when Megatron unleashed a trio of [[Lugnut Supreme]]s on Detroit. Initially, Sari wanted to confront the giant Decepticons with Optimus and Prowl, but Optimus told her no. As she began to throw a hissy-fit about being kept back for her own safety again, he cut her off and told her he wanted her to help protect her "fellow organics" with the other Autobots. Embarrassed, she backed down.

Later, when Ratchet, Bumblebee and Bulkhead were about to depart for the Moon in an attempt to take back the original Omega Supreme, she insisted on transwarping there with them. Her worried father attempted to forbid her, but she told him that she knew there was something there she needed to do, and flew into the space bridge. Once there, Sari could hardly believe she was really on the Moon, but her amazement was soon tabled when Ratchet spotted Arcee, leading to the quartet being ambushed by [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]]. While Bumblebee and Bulkhead held the shape-shifting Decepticon off, Sari and Ratchet headed into Omega Supreme's inactive body with the damaged fembot and found the lab Shockwave had been using. Although slightly freaked out by the female robot's mindless repetition of lessons for young Cybertronian 'bots, Sari was able to use her technopathy to tell Ratchet how to restore her mind. Shortly after Arcee came fully back online, Bumblebee and Bulkhead came in with news for Sari. They took her down into the hold of the [[Nemesis (Animated)|Decepticons' ship]], where several blank protoforms lay. Believing that this was where she had come from, Sari reached out to touch one of the protoforms, confirming for herself that there really had been a reason for her to be there.

[[File:TFA-Endgame-PanAcrossEveryone.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Meanwhile, Ratchet and Arcee had broken Lugnut's hold over Omega Supreme and reactivated the giant Autobot, and Sari joined the others in flying back to Earth aboard the ship. As he fought with his purple duplicates, those inside were shaken about. After a particularly hard hit from the last clone standing, which forced Omega to transform to ship mode and crash-land, he checked that those inside were all right, whereupon Sari noted that "all Autobots, half-bots and almost-bots" were present and accounted for. Shortly afterward, Prowl gave his spark to shield the city from the last Omega-clone's detonation, and Megatron was defeated and arrested. Sari accompanied the Autobots back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to share in their triumphant return and learn of her true origins. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

''Sari used her "tech-savvy" powers to restore Arcee's lost memories. Arcee then took Sari along with her class on a field-trip to Cybertron's Metroplex. Before the fieldtrip was under way, Sari received some Burger-bot take-out from her dad via the spacebridge. She pulled out her meal during the field-trip, grossing out her classmates [[Siren (Animated)|Siren]], [[Hosehead (Animated)|Hosehead]] and [[Nightbeat (Animated)|Nightbeat]]. Embarassed, Sari snuck away from the group to dispose of her soda cup. Though she found a disposal hatch, she lost her balance upon opening it, and tumbled down into the facility's recycling center. There, dormant AllSpark energy within her brought back to consciousness [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]], who had previously been crushed into a cube by [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]], something that Sari was informed about over and over by the talkative Autobot. Grabbing the Blurr-cube, Sari poked around for an exit. She found an access panel, but when she used her tech-savvy powers to activate it, she inadvertantly awakened [[Kremzeek]], a Decepticon trojan virus and energy being. Kremzeek activated the center's systems, leading to Sari and Blurr finding themselves strapped down on a conveyor belt, heading towards all sorts of cutting, crushing and melting machinery. Thankfully, Arcee and the rest of the class turned up at the last possible moment and rescued them both. But Kremzeek continued to sow chaos. It jumped from Autobot to Autobot in order to escape, and make its way to Fortress Maximus, where it could deal great damage to Cybertron. Using her scooter/jet pack, Sari pursued Kremzeek, then in the body of Hosehead. But Kremzeek transferred itself to Sari's jet pack, and left the two of them behind. Hit by a sudden idea, Sari plugged the Blurr cube into her back, allowing her to access his super-speed powers somehow. Arcee grabbed hold of Sari before she took off, and both Blurr and Arcee took turns playing backseat driver as Sari made her way to Fortress Maximus.''

[[File:StunticonJob-Maincastbox.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right]]
''There, Kremzeek attempted to gain control of Sari herself, but was unable to do so because of Sari's techno-organic nature. Sari contained Kremzeek within her soda cup, saving Cybertron from destruction.'' {{storylink|The Return of Blurr}} ''Sari gave the Blurr cube to Cliffjumper, and accompanied her Autobot buddies to the latest performance of [[Team Stunticon]], where she and her friends were honored with a special box seat.'' {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}} ''Sari was later present when Optimus Prime used the AllSpark Matrix to restore Blurr, and everyone else learned a valuable lesson about not judging someone based on their appearance.'' {{storylink|The Return of Blurr}}

===''Be the Hero'' books===
{{notemultipath}}
====''Prime Suspect''====
When Optimus Prime was framed for a break-in at [[HomeTech]], Sari had the idea to break into the police station to look for clues. Teamed up with [[You|another kid]], she was almost caught, but the Autobots rescued them at the last moment. The pair then entered HomeTech's laboratory to look for the security tape on which Prime's image had been captured, and they found a vital clue which led them to HomeTech's main warehouse. There Sari was interested in the [[Pixie-6]] robots HomeTech was due to release, but was menaced by Blitzwing, the real perpetrator of the break-in. She was able to utilize her key to zap Blitzwing via the controller he was using on the Pixie-6 'bots. {{storylink|Prime Suspect}}

====''Quest for the AllSpark''====
Distraught after the Autobots went missing without telling her, Sari visited their base on the urging of another kid she'd just met. After being attacked by a rogue cleaning 'bot, she found Bumblebee, who revealed that Megatron had taken control of Detroit's fleet of robot workers and the Autobots had come up with a plan to keep the AllSpark safe, but the rest of the Autobots hadn't reported back. Sari and her new friend helped Bumblebee track down the others and defeat [[Crush-A]], a clearance 'bot Megatron was using to try to obtain the AllSpark. {{storylink|Quest for the AllSpark}}

====''Web of Deception''====
Sari was testing one of her father's inventions, the [[Sumdac Aquaskimmer Mk 1]], on Lake Erie with a young friend when they were attacked by a [[Sparkseeker]] torpedo. After a quick rescue by the Autobots, the group found the Autobot ship offline and Optimus Prime missing. Ratchet's scans revealed the involvement of Lockdown, and Sari and her friend accompanied Bumblebee, Prowl and Bulkhead in an attempt to rescue their leader. After tangling with Lockdown, the two humans caught up with Blackarachnia, who'd hired the bounty hunter in order to get her revenge on Optimus. Sari used her key to shock the Decepticon before she could complete her plan. {{storylink|Web of Deception}}

===Titan ''Animated'' comic===
[[File:Bumblebeepizza Titan25.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|left|Why said pizza didn't fly out of the box is another story.]]

When Starscream and [[Starscream clone (Animated)|his clones]] seized the Autobot base, Sari immediately went to Dinobot Island to get help. She found out the Dinobots were being made grouchy by the constant rain, so she promised they could stay in the Autobot base until it stopped if they drove out the Decepticons. That made Sari Grimlock's friend and left the Autobots crying when they saw the weather forecast. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17|Dino-MIGHT!}}

Being present for [[Quake-Maker|Quake-Maker's]] first attack on Detroit, she got to see the arrival of shiny new hero [[Afterburn]]. She was smitten at first sight. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 1|Burnout}} She even got to hang with him on a mission to Dinobot Island! As well as be stunned by his ace moves, she used her Key to heal a wounded Grimlock and suffered emotional abuse when Ratchet faked his death to test Afterburn. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 2|Ratchet & Grimlock Are DEAD?}}

Later, while watching a [[basketball]] game, Sari had to help stop an attack on the city by the villainous [[Crossroads]]. She'd met the supervillain when he'd worked at [[Sumdac Systems]] but his awesome disguise of a blue strip of cloth on his head threw her for a few minutes. Once she'd worked it out, she was able to inform the Autobots he was heading for [[Sumdac Tower]] and helped see to his defeat. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 3|Crossroads!}}

Sari hit on a solution to Bumblebee and Prowl's macho posturing, setting up a race between the two in [[Crazy Coyote Canyon]] to determine who was the fastest. And she drew [[:File:CoyoteCanyonmap.jpg|an adorable little map]] of the race track. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|The Race}}

{{--}}

===''TransTech''===
{{voiceactor|[[Tara Strong]] (English)}}

[[File:BeeintheCityPromotionalArtwork.jpg|thumb|right|150px]]

When her father's [[Bi-directional Unified Transit Terminal]] device malfunctioned, Sari, Bumblebee and Optimus Prime found themselves transported to [[Axiom Nexus]], a place where Cybertronians from all sorts of universes sometimes wound up. Officer [[Flareup (G1)|Flareup]] hoped to give them a fine and deport them, but Sari and her crew were soon beset upon by [[Shockwave (TransTech)|Shockwave]]. Hoping to experiment upon Sari, Shockwave took her Key. Bumblebee teamed up with "Joe Convoy" to rescue Sari, but Joe turned out to be [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] in disguise, who was also after the Key. Hijinks ensued, but thanks to the power of bureaucracy, Shockwave was made to send Sari and her pals home.

Upon returning home, all agreed to never speak of the incident again. {{storylink|Bee in the City}}
{{--}}

===Prevenge===
Sari had discovered everything there was to know about her mysterious origins, and was just about to fill in Arcee about it when Arcee was whisked away to another dimension. {{storylink|Prevenge}}

===''Transformers Legends'' comic===
[[File:LegendsBusinessTrip11-ChromiaTransform.jpg|thumb|right|150px|And in Japan, Sari's been reduced to fodder for Tigatron's imaginary harem. Stay progressive, Japan.]]

Sari, in her teenage form, was among the heroic female Transformers who appeared in one of [[Tigatron]]'s dreams to protect him from the evil female Transformers. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 11|Bonus Edition Vol. 11}}

The real Sari was one of the many women brought to the [[Legends World]] by [[Tigatron]] using the [[10.2 ultra-drill|ultra-drill]] in an attempt to get women who liked him better than [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]. It did not work out, as all of the women brought over eventually swooned over Springer. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}}
{{--}}

===''The Cool'' comic===
[[File:PrimeSaritheCoolHuggies01.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|Hug Players]]

While roaming aimlessly around the middle of the street, Sari was nearly run over by a fleet of vehicles. To her astonishment, they transformed into robots. Terrified, she asked who they were, and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] introduced them as the heroic [[Autobot]]s. Suddenly, [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] attacked, attempting to steal the [[AllSpark#Animated|AllSpark]]. Prime scooped Sari up, protecting her from a violent explosion as the Autobots and the [[Decepticon]]s clashed. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 1}}

Starscream eventually succeeded in stealing the AllSpark from [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and nearly made off with it. Prime, however, stopped him by releasing all the energy within it. Prime plummeted to the ground and died, but was instantly revived by Sari's [[AllSpark Key|key]]. Sari and Prime then properly introduced themselves as Sari wept and gave Prime a big, snuggly hug. Unbeknownst to Sari, though, she was being observed via closed circuit TV by the disembodied head of [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], who was very interested in the power of her key. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 2}}

[[File:SariTheCoolSailorScout01.jpg|right|thumb|100px|"In the name of Detroit, I will punish you!"]]

A good deal of time later, as the Autobots fought to keep the [[space bridge#Animated cartoon|Space Bridge]] out of Decepticon hands, Sari joined [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] in piloting the ''[[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Orion]]'' into battle, desperate that their allies could hold out until their arrival. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 7}}

They arrived just in time and transformed the ''Orion'' into [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]. They trounced the competition and won the day. After being reunited with her father, Sari suggested they all go home. However, her joy was short-lived, as Bumblebee pointed out to her that she had some robotics sticking out through her flesh. Sari turned to her father, who admitted he had a very important story to tell her.{{storylink|The Cool Episode 8}}

After a full body-scan at Autobot HQ, and a heart-to-heart with her dad, Sari learned that she was originally a Transformer [[protoform]] that had scanned DNA from Professor Sumdac, resulting in an entirely new lifeform. Sumdac begged for her forgiveness and Sari was quick to give him a big hug, assuring him that no matter what, he'll always be her dad. Then, suddenly, [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] attacked in Omega Supreme's body! Sari decided that now was the time to join the fray with her friends and, using her key, upgraded herself into a teenager! Firing an energy-ball from her hands at the Decepticon, she then proceeded to use her newfound powers to flee in mortal terror as Starscream fired missiles at her, completely unaffected by her attack. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 9}}

At an unknown point after that, a gleeful Sari joined the Autobots in defending Detroit from an invasion of [[Lugnut Supreme]]s. {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 1}}

Upon Megatron's defeat, Sari accompanied the Autobots back to planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], where they were all hailed as heroes by the citizenry and even [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]]. {{storylink|The Cool Episode Final}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Generations 2011''===
[[File:Generations 2011 animated illustration.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|left|Something's going down.]]
Sari, along with Optimus Prime, faced against [[The Motor Master|Motormaster]] and her [[Sari Sumdac (SG Animated)|evil counterpart]]. {{storylink|Transformers Generations 2011#Volume 1|Transformers Generations 2011 Vol. 1}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO_Sari.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Oh, hey, Sazae-san.]]
Sari Sumdac was surprised by a large explosion coming from [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s lab. {{storylink|Wheeljack's Bizarre Invention! Optimus Power Up!?}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===Transformers Animated: The Game===
{{voiceactor|[[Tara Strong]] (English)}}
[[File:TFAnimated Game Sari.jpg|thumb|96px]]
Sari was at the Autobot base when they decided to do some training, and offered up the services of [[AllSpark Key|her key]] to repair them if need be. She got a call from a [[Sumdac Systems]] factory, alerting them to the fact that the robots there had started going haywire, and accompanied [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]], [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] to the plant to help them quell the robot resistance. She kept them updated on the drone problems, including when a bunch of them escaped, and let them know there were AllSpark fragments at the factory when they were in need of some to power up Megatron's Space Bridge.

After Bumblebee was accidentally left behind when Optimus and Bulkhead transwarped to Cybertron, she pointed him to some more AllSpark fragments. His fragments were stolen by [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]], so he and Sari had to hunt the bounty hunter down so he could get them back. Once they'd done so, they went to the Decepticon mine lair, and Bumblebee fought his way to the Space Bridge terminal. Though Sari was keen to see Cybertron, Bumblebee was responsible enough not to let her go, and she had to ride back to base on Prowl, an event sadly not visually recorded. After Optimus's team returned victorious from Cybertron, Sari enticed Bumblebee into some gaming by revealing she had a prerelease copy of ''[[Mage Master Maze Knight]]''. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The Game}}

===Transformers Animated: ''Action Packs''===
{{note|Sari is featured as a playable game card. She is a red card, has a value of 4 points, and has the following power: "+2 to any Bumblebee in play."}} {{storylink|Transformers Animated: Action Packs}}

==Notes==
[[File:TFA Sari Sumdac prelim promo.JPG|thumb|120px|NOT show accurate.]]
[[File:Sari tbob trike.jpg|thumb|I d-d-don't think th-this is s-such a g-g-good idea, Scott!]]
*A promotional image of Sari from the [[Cartoon Network]] ''Transformers Animated'' press kit showed her with different shoes, a different Key design, and a slightly darker skin tone.
*In a preliminary version of the [[title sequence]], Sari appeared riding on a tricycle which she used the AllSpark Key to transform into a jet pack. The footage was dropped from the finished credits, but was screened at conventions and was later included on the DVD packaged with the Optimus Prime and Megatron "The Battle Begins" action figure two-pack. The concept was later recycled as a Christmas present from her father in "[[Human Error, Part I]]"; instead of a tricycle, she has an orange scooter which transforms into a jet pack compatible with her robotic body. She may have been gone for four episodes, but now she can fly!
*Sari's pigtails do ''not'' grow back overnight... or do they?
*Sari has a transformation noise shared only with her scooter/jetpack, likely because of her rather unique origin.
*Sari did not appear for four episodes in season 3—between "[[Three's a Crowd]]" and "[[Predacons Rising (Animated)|Predacons Rising]]"—after her almost-disastrous upgrade, the longest time she had been absent in the series. Well, considering the shift in focus... not to mention [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]]'s presence on Earth for three of those episodes, perhaps it's just as well. He'd probably have totally freaked out as soon as he saw her.
*Ever since her "[[TransWarped]]" upgrade, she has what appear to be [[articulation]] lines on her sleeves and stockings/socks.
*Sari's hands can transform into several different modes, two of which pay homage to the anime ''Ghost in the Shell'' and ''[[Iron Man]]''.
*From "[[TransWarped]]" onward, her eyes are an inverted version of Autobot eyes, with the lighter shade of cyan as the "whites" and the darker shade as the "iris".
*Despite the controversial [[AllSpark Key]] being written out of the series, it can be argued that in the third season, Sari was slowly turning into a ''deus ex machina'' just like it in her own right, merely by virtue of [[Decepticon Air|"knowing stuff" crucial to the storyline]] (often ''without'' a proper explanation), as well as being able to diagnose mechanical problems [[Endgame, Part I|merely by touching a given machine]].
*Sari's Cybertronian nature was planned from the very beginning.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/236269-botcon-2009-animating-animated-panel-coverage.html BotCon 2009]</ref>
*Sari is one of the few Transformers with a [[Alice (ROTF)|human alt-mode]] and is one of three techno-organic Transformers in the ''Animated'' continuity, the other two being [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] and [[Wasp]]inator.
*In "TransWarped", Sari showed off her skills with twin white energy blades that came from her forearms and an energy hammer. After being knocked out by Ratchet's EMP, those weapons vanished for the rest of the series, leaving her with only her energy sphere-throwing attack.
*According to ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]]'', Sari's post-upgrade weapons and tools include [[Master Blade (Animated)|Master Blades]] (a reference to [[Grand Maximus]]'s [[Master Blade (Masterforce)|weapon]] in ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Masterforce]]''), a [[Hyperspace Mallet]], [[Azusa Skates]] (a reference to the ''[[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|Timelines]]'' [[Azusa|starship]]), and a [[Skyboom (Animated)|Skyboom Shield]] (which, like [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]]'s, is a reference to the ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' [[Skyboom (Armada)|macguffin]]). She also uses [[Micron Booster (Animated)|Micron Booster]]s (borrowing the name from an [[Micron Booster|out-of-universe product]]) to make powered jumps.
*[[Derrick J. Wyatt]] drew up [http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/2010/10/many-moods-of-sari-sumdac.html a design] for teenage Sari in the style of his then-current series, ''Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated''. The design managed to make a number of cameos over the course of that series, most obviously in "The Hodag of Horror."
*In the Transformers Animated profile shorts, Sari introduces Bumblebee to the audience in "[[Meet Bumblebee]]."

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Sari Sumdac''' (サリ・サムダック ''Sari Samudakku'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumdac, Sari}}
[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Animated humans]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Fiction-only characters]]
[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Kre-O humans]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:TransTech characters]]

Post

2018-12-06T11:05:46Z

Djelibaebi: convoluted language ("what that he was that"-type stuff) was waaay to hard to read

{{Comicstory
|series=op|issueno=25
|prev=A Sunrise Dark
|prev2=Ceremony
|next=
|caption=
|image=OP25 cvrA.jpg
|title="Post"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 21]], 2018
|coverdate=October 2018
|written by=[[John Barber]]
|art by=[[Kei Zama]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[David Mariotte]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}

'''In the aftermath of the battle with Unicron, our heroes build a new future on Earth, and we look back on the life of Optimus Prime.'''

==Synopsis==
''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] looks back on his life and remembers...''

''As Orion Pax slowly comes online in an [[Iacon (polity)|Iaconian]] [[hot spot]], the [[blacksmith]] supervising his forging is impressed by his size and calls the ancient storyteller [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] to bear witness. Trion agrees there seems to be something special about Pax; that he is a 'bot who will be "worth weaving tales about." With some difficultly, Pax pulls free of the sparkfield, only for the first thing he witnesses to be the blacksmith mistreating the [[Scrounge (G1)|smaller 'bot]] who transforms into his medical equipment.''

Rebuilding on [[Earth]] continues in the wake of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s attack. [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] and [[Marissa Faireborn]] talk about the future—about a "ceremony" [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]] is attending, about an upcoming funeral Arcee is going to miss—and Arcee tells Marissa the complicated story of her gender transition and how she's moved past the hardships she faced to find a job, friends, and a lover in [[Aileron]].

''Hoping to fight injustice, Orion Pax joins the Iaconian police force. During training, he is given his first gun by [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]], who is amused by his wide-eyed innocence.''

While [[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] oversees clean-up and rebuilding in [[San Francisco]], [[Sofía Orozco]] arrives on the scene to film a new story. [[Brad Emory]] guest stars to continue berating Cybertronians and their presence on Earth, and Sofía allows him to speak before approaching Jazz for his point of view. Jazz merely tells her he's not here for thanks, he's just here to do what's right.

''Orion Pax and [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] come upon fellow officer [[Outback (G1)|Outback]] roughing up [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] for drawing graffiti. Puzzled by the symbol he has scratched into a wall, Pax questions Ravage as to its meaning, but Outback kicks the cat-bot and explains that it's the mark of the "[[Decepticon]]s."''

Unsure what to make of themselves on Earth and thinking they might restart their old [[Chic Chips]] business, brothers [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] and [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] go to [[Pyra Magna]], the newly-appointed [[Mistress of Flame]], for some advice. Pyra is still getting used to her new role as spiritual adviser and isn't much help; Needlenose isn't surprised, regarding her as just another 'bot who abandoned everything they believed in, prompting Pyra to testily explain that she is attempting to bring new guidance to the [[Way of Flame]] in this post-Prime era, before all but kicking them out so she can prepare for the coming funeral.

''Repeated confrontations with the Decepticons send Orion down a dark path, as his fury builds over the subversive, criminal acts they partake in, which overshadow their justifiable anti-authoritarian roots. Seeing Pax's anger when he apprehends [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] in a [[simultronic]] bust, [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] reminds him of the systemic oppression that gave rise to the Decepticons in the first place and rebukes him for having lost sight of that and becoming "part of the problem."''

In [[Little Cybertron]], [[Rum-Maj]] and [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] watch as graves are dug for all those who perished during the conflict with Unicron. The cost of victory weighs heavily on Rum-Maj to the point she is unsure if it was even a victory at all; Wreck-Gar opines that there ''aren't'' any victories in life because it goes on regardless, with or without you, and you just have to do your best for as long as you're around.

''When [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] extends an offer to Orion Pax to meet with him and talk, Orion discusses the matter with his closest allies. [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] thinks Pax should do it, in hopes that it will bring unity, but Ironhide disagrees, labeling all Decepticons murderers. Pax sides with 'Bee, telling Ironhide it's a chance to move past what has been and change the future for the better.''

In Africa, a group of poachers track a herd of elephants who have been displaced due to debris from Unicron landing on their grazing lands. Before the criminals can open fire on the animals, [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] swoops in to stop them. Acting in the deceased [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]]'s name, he decides that his old friend would understand if he made it so the poachers can't hurt anyone ever again...

''Following Pax's transformation into Optimus Prime, he successfully defeats and captures Megatron, but it is not long before a Decepticon raid frees Megatron from prison. [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] fears that Megatron may spread the war to other planets, and deems Optimus's hope that the Decepticon leader will have seen the error of his ways and will start his movement over again peacefully to be "nuts".''

Bumblebee walks along a coastline as the sun sets on his last day on Earth, before he heads off to serve as the Cybertronian race's diplomatic envoy to the [[Galactic Council]] after the funeral the next day. Walking beside him is a familiar face: the deceased [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], who gave up his life to ensure victory against Unicron, and who has traded roles with Bumblebee to somehow become a "ghost" only he can see. Bumblebee encourages the spectral Starscream to come with him on his mission, but Starscream doubts he would be welcome. Bumblebee jokingly accuses him of being mad that Optimus Prime is going to get all the credit for saving the universe; Starscream smiles and brushes it off, stating that he's sure people will remember him, and that will be enough.

''As Prowl predicted, the war moves off-planet, and civilizations die as a result. [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] accuses Optimus Prime of not caring, of believing the ends justify the means; [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]] calms him to prevent a fight, but shares his beliefs, and tells Prime so to his face.''

Thundercracker and [[Buster (IDW)|Buster]] attend an awards ceremony where he is up for "Best Original Screenplay" for his biopic of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] [[Chuckles]]. Wracked with nerves that are made all the worse by the fact that one of his favorite actresses, [[Karen Fishook]], is announcing the winner, Thundercracker braces himself to hear the result...

''Optimus remembers his period of shifting identity, how he went from Prime back to Orion Pax and traveled the stars for a time until retaking the Prime title, then how [[Cybertronian colonies|Cybertron's colonies]] came to consider him [[The Arisen]], the Thirteenth Prime. He wonders, could it be true? Could ''that'' be why Alpha Trion was at his birth?''

Out in the void of [[space (the place)|space]], Aileron captains an exploration vessel crewed by Jetfire, [[Bob (IDW)|Bob]], [[D.0.C.]], and the remaining colonist ex-soldiers. When Jetfire picks up something unusual, Aileron orders them to set course for it with the intention of making friends, and tells [[Bump]] to contact Arcee on Earth so she can apologize to her for her inevitable late return.

''Following Optimus's annexation of Earth, he travels to the colony worlds to recruit new followers, exploiting their faith in his supposed divinity to convince them to join him. Prime's confidence in his new role concerns Aileron, as she remembers how naive and impressionable she was in the face of "The Arisen" not so along ago.''

Prowl oversees [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s incarceration in an undersea facility. Shockwave reflects on the many faces he was worn in his life, and comments that he is no longer sure which of them was ever the real him. In a moment that's as much dark self-reflection as it is condemnation of Shockwave, Prowl tells him that they were ''all'' the real him, because a 'bot is defined by—and will be judged by—their actions, not what they hoped to attain when they carried those actions out.

''In advance of the final showdown with Unicron, Optimus Prime has one final conversation with Arcee. He removes his [[mouthplate]] and hands it to her, symbolically removing the "mask" of his identity so he can face Unicron as his true self. Recalling Alpha Trion's words at the moment of his creation, that he would be worth telling stories about, Prime tells Arcee that it is ''stories'', and the emotions and deeds they can inspire, that are truly important, moreso than the real-life person those stories happen to be about.''

Prime's discarded mouthplate now sits atop a coffin at the funeral everyone has been waiting for. With a small group of mourners that include representatives of various former colonies, the Earth heroes and organizations he fought with and against, and Prime's closest friends and fiercest detractors, [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] presides, and begins to read from a prepared speech... before she stops herself and instead begins to speak from her heart, delivering a eulogy that is both celebrates and damns with its truth. Prime has left no body; instead, they bury the ''idea'' of Optimus Prime—the idea of both the heroic warrior who fought oppression and saved lives and worlds, and the war hawk leader who pretended to divinity and lied and killed to achieve his desires—that he may be remembered always, and that they may move beyond him and build upon what he achieved to shape a better future on their new homeworld.

''Sinking into darkness, Optimus Prime thinks back on the successes and failures of his life one last time, and the fundamental contradiction they embodied: how could he claim to desire freedom for all beings when he presented that freedom as only achievable through him, with war and destruction ensuing when anyone opposed him? Now, at the end, Prime can see the truth, that "freedom" and "unity" are not in contradiction to one another, but two sides of the same coin, one only attainable through the other. In his life, he failed to find the harmony between the two.. but now that he is gone, he can see that it doesn't matter. Optimus Prime departs the living world with a smile on his face, knowing that life will go on without him, and the stories of his journey, of his ''trying,'' will inspire others to keep doing the same.''

And a story is exactly what these "flashbacks" turn out to be; perhaps the dying Prime's life flashing before his eyes, but also Arcee telling the story of Optimus Prime's life to her class of students, made up of human and [[Elonian]] children, and the new generation of young Cybertronians formerly cared for by [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. [[Sideswipe (IDW)|Sideswipe]] questions how Arcee can know that what she is telling them about Prime's final realizations at the end of his life are true, since she wasn't there; Arcee responds that she knew what Prime thought and felt while he was alive, and that is enough to reach the same conclusion. Prime believed in a better future, she tells the children, and believing in the future means believing in the ability of people to change for the better. And all the stories of such change, like the story Arcee is telling them now... all those stories of triumph and failure, and all that they can teach and inspire... ''they'' are what will truly define that future.

==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"{{!}}
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime/Orion Pax]]'' (4)
*[[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] (5)
*''[[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]]'' (8)
*''[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]]'' (9)
*''[[Outback (G1)|Outback]]'' (10)
*[[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] (15)
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (17)
*[[Pyra Magna]] (19)
*[[Swift (G1)|Swift]] (20)
*[[Jumpstream]] (21)
*[[Slide]] (22)
*[[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]] (23)
*[[Dust Up]] (24)
*[[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] (25)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] (26)
*''[[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]]?'' (27)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Tumbler]]'' (28)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (29)
*''[[Slag (G1)|Slag]]'' (36)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (37)
*''[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]'' (38)
*''[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]'' (39)
*''[[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]]'' (40)
*[[Roulette (Universe)|Roulette]] (44)
*[[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]] (45)
*[[Bump]] (47)
*[[Aileron]] (49)
*''[[Oiler]]'' (50)
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (53)
*[[Strafe (IDW)|Strafe]] (55)
*[[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] (56)
*[[G.B. Blackrock|Garrison Blackrock/Sovereign]] (57)
{{!}}}

|c2=
*[[Sparkstalker]] (12)
*''[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]]'' (16)
*[[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] (18)
*''[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]'' (30)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (34)
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]'s ghost (35)
*[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] (51)

|c3=
'''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'''
*[[Scarlett]] (58)
*[[Matt Trakker]] (59)
*[[Ayana Jones|Mayday]] (60)
*[[Zilong Qian|Talon]] (62)

'''Others'''
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (6)
*[[Brad Emory]] (11)
*[[Sofía Orozco]] (12)
*[[Karen Fishook]] (43)
*[[President of the United States|President]] (61)
*[[Action Man]] (64)
*[[Sgt. Savage]] (65)

|h4=Other Cybertronians|c4=
*''[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'' (1)
*''[[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]]'' (2)
*''Unnamed [[blacksmith]]'' (3)
*[[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]s (7)
*[[Lightbright (G1)|Lightbright]] (13)
*[[Rum-Maj]] (31)
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (32)
*? (33)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]] (41)
*[[Centurion (IDW)|Centurion]] (54)
*[[Sideswipe (IDW)|Sideswipe]] (66)
*[[Slicer (Decepticon)|Slicer]] (67)

|h5=Others|c5=
*[[Livia]] (14)
*[[Buster (IDW)|Buster]] (42)
*[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] (46)
*[[D.0.C.]] (48)
*''[[Unicron]]'' (52)
*[[Rom]] (63)
}}

==Quotes==
"Our job is to keep the '''peace.''' We only kill as the '''last option'''—when '''evil''' leaves us no choice." 
"'''Ha ha ha!''' Kid, I thought you were too '''serious'''—glad ta see a '''bleak''' sense of '''humor''' in ya."
:—'''Orion Pax''' and '''Kup'''

"This place is really popular, you know, '''Rummy-Cube,''' my love. But do you know '''why?''' Ask me why." 
"No." 
"It seems people are '''dying''' to get here!"
:—'''Wreck-Gar''' and '''Rum-Maj''' visit Little Cybertron's graveyard

"'''Winning?''' What does it '''mean?!''' Maybe there's no '''winning''', my dear, because the game doesn't '''end.''' Some '''pieces''' fall off the board, but new '''pink pegs''' get stuck in the car and we keep passing '''go''', keep collecting '''200 Shanix.'''" 
"Perhaps. Perhaps it '''is''' a victory when the '''game''' continues... '''regardless''' of the players."
:—'''Wreck-Gar''' and '''Rum-Maj'''

"'''Soundwave''' laid down his life so '''everybody''' could live. But for '''you'''... I think he'd understand if I made an '''exception.'''"
:—'''Buzzsaw''' attacks the poachers

'''Optimus Prime:''' "'''Find''' [Megatron]. But I want the '''opportunity''' for peace. We're fighting for the '''same thing,''' after all." 
'''Prowl:''' "He's '''nuts.'''" 
'''Bumblebee:''' "Heh. He's '''Optimus.'''"

"You '''know''' you saved the universe, right?" 
"Pfft. Not if you '''ask''' anyone." 
"Oh Primus. You're '''jealous''' that '''Optimus''' got all the credit." 
"Who, '''me?''' Jealous? It's '''okay.''' People will '''probably''' remember me. That's '''all''' I can ask for, I guess." 
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Starscream'''

"I was '''right''', you know. When it all comes down to it, everything is about '''resources'''... there is a finite amount of '''everything'''. Even '''identities'''. And I am no longer sure which version of '''myself''' was the '''real''' one." 
"They '''all''' were, Shockwave. All that was done to you, all that you did to yourself... all that you did to '''others.''' We are our '''actions'''... not our '''hopes.'''"
:—'''Shockwave''' and '''Prowl'''

"'''Today''', on his adopted world of '''Earth'''... we bury '''Optimus Prime'''. Not his '''body'''—that's gone. Not his '''spark'''—that belongs to '''Solus.''' We bury the '''idea''' of Optimus Prime. He was a warrior. A hero. A killer. A liar. '''Destruction''' was his company. Did he '''cause''' it—or prevent '''worse?''' The thing that made Optimus who he '''was'''... was that he '''asked''' those questions. Life is not '''simple''', and neither is '''death.''' We inter the '''idea''' of Optimus Prime into the '''soil''' of his '''adopted world'''... a world that has, in turn, adopted us '''all.''' [['Til all are one]]."
:—'''Windblade''' delivers a eulogy for Optimus Prime

"'''Freedom''' and unity (...) describe the same '''phenomenon.''' '''One''' cannot be free unless all are. And if '''all''' are '''free'''—they are as '''one.''' I fell short of '''achieving''' this... but it doesn't matter. The '''goal''' isn't important. The journey is. And it '''never''' ends."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s final words

"Believing in the future means believing we can '''change.''' The '''story''' of that change, the story of becoming what we '''are'''—what we were '''meant''' to be... '''that''' is the true history of the '''world.''' And '''this''', children, is our future. This is '''our''' world."
:—'''Arcee''' signs off

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*This issue is the final comic in the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]]. Following on from the events of [[Ceremony|''Unicron'' #6]], it serves as an epilogue to that story, to the ''Optimus Prime'' series and John Barber's seven-year ''Transformers'' run, and to the IDW universe as a whole. In terms of chronology, however, portions of [[How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2|''Lost Light'' #25]] take place in the far future, long after this issue.
*Scattered remarks made here and there over the last few years of IDW comics have implied a recontextualization of Arcee's origins from her [[Spotlight: Arcee|controversial ''Spotlight'' back in 2008]], but with this issue, Barber—working with ''Transformers'' fan [[Jenevieve Frank]] to incorporate her own experiences—finally addresses the matter directly. In no uncertain terms, Arcee was (in her words) "forged male, which did not match [her] spark," and willingly agreed to the procedure Jhiaxus performed on her. Her erratic behavior following this was not the result of the transition itself, but the lack of aftercare Jhiaxus provided ("the Cybertronian equivalent" of "bad meds," Arcee and Marissa collectively conclude).
*Arcee also notes that [[Anode]] (a trans character featured in ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|Lost Light]]'') offered to help her, only to vanish. Given that Anode only realized her trans identity after leaving Cybertron to escape the war, this means she must have met Arcee when she returned to Cybertron just prior to events shown in [[Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|''Lost Light'' #1]], and her "disappearance" was her abduction to the future by [[Mortilus|the Necrobot]], seen in that same issue. The implication, then, is that the things Arcee discovered from Anode (like the fact she ''didn't'' have to have her [[CNA]] altered in order to transition) coupled with Anode's disappearance before she could help her triggered the rampage the already-unstable Arcee was on as ''Spotlight: Arcee'' began.
*Orion's first two flashbacks are the earliest points we have seen in his life in this continuity, prior to his previously-chronologically-earliest appearance in [[Chaos Theory Part 1|''The Transformers'' vol. 1 #22]]. The third also seems intended to be set before this issue, in his younger days before he became a police captain (Outback still calls him "rookie," and the narration implies it is before he addresses the Senate, as seen in [[Chaos Theory Part 2|''The Transformers'' vol. 1 #23]]), but see "Errors" below.
*Needlenose and Tracks were previously shown in business together selling Chic Chips before the war in [[The Transgressors|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #44]].
*Following her acceptance into the ranks of the Torchbearers in ''Unicron'' #6, replacing the deceased [[Stormclash]], Slide is shown to have adopted their red-and-green color scheme. With Pyra ascending to the position of Mistress of Flame, Skyburst has become the new leader of the team, and Swift has joined them as the new sixth member and also taken their colors. Swift's not here for combining reasons, though; [[Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #46]] explained there are always six Torchbearers, representing the hexagonal lattice of [[Solus Prime]]'s [[Creation Lathe]].
*Orion's fourth flashback takes place after the various flashbacks we've seen throughout the ''Optimus Prime'' series, but before ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'', and depicts Orion in his "angry and violent" phase that he fell into following the events seen in [[New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|''Optimus Prime'' #5]].
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] appears with Pax's unit in this flashback; presumably he's there because he's still partners with Prowl in the [[Iaconian Mechaforensic Division]] at this time, as seen in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|''More than Meets the Eye'' #9]]-[[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|11]]. Per those issues, his name at this time is "Tumbler."
*Process of elimination would indicate the block-colored sixth 'bot on Orion's team seen in this flashback is Hound, who was part of his unit in ''Autocracy'', but hasn't shown up in any of the other looks at the past in the ''Optimus Prime'' series. His cannon's on the wrong shoulder, though.
*This flashback sees Swindle mention a simultronic dealer named [[Marauder (G1)|Marauder]]. A 'bot by this name was previously referenced in [[Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|''Lost Light'' #3]], one of the deceased Transformers whose essences were captured in one of the Necrobot's spark-flowers, whose death was apparently the work of Starscream.
*Orion's fifth flashback occurs between [[The Hunt for Soundwave|''Autocracy'' #3]] and [[Cause and Effect|#4]], but it retcons the precise circumstances of Orion and Megatron's meeting. Orion was not politely invited to meet with Megatron and given time to talk it over with his comrades; he was ''forced'' to do so by Decepticons who were holding Bumblebee hostage (with 'Bee even telling Orion not to go because it was a trap, versus his encouragement in his story) and had to go to the meeting right away.
*During the fifth flashback, Ironhide refers to the death of the Senate, as seen in [[Megatron Origin issue 4|''Megatron Origin'' #4]].
*Buzzsaw is defending elephants against poachers in Soundwave's memory because elephants were Soundwave's favourite Earth creatures, as he revealed in [[New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|''Optimus Prime'' #4]].
*Captain of continuity to the very last, John Barber plugs one of the larger gaps in the IDW timeline with Orion's sixth flashback, which details how Megatron escaped captivity after he was imprisoned by the Autobots in [[Primacy issue 4|''Primacy'' #4]].
*Following his death in ''Unicron'' #6 and conspicuous absence from the gathering of the spirits of the dead seen in the same issue, Starscream is revealed to have persisted after death as a "ghost" who can only be seen by Bumblebee, in an inverse of their relationship for the last three years (spanning [[The Transgressors|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #44]], though all of [[The Transformers: Till All Are One|''Till All Are One,'']] up to [[The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|''Optimus Prime'' #19]]). Exactly how Starscream has done this is left unsaid; perhaps his spirit has wound up in [[Infraspace]] like Bumblebee's did, given that the Talisman, which killed Starscream, showed the ability to project a 'bot's consciousness there in [[Ghost in the Machine (IDW)|''Revolutionaries'' #8]]. See also "Transformers references," below.
*Bumblebee is leaving to become the Transformers' diplomatic envoy to the Galactic Council. ''Lost Light'' #25 established that Prowl was reaching out to the Council to have them oversee Megatron's second trial, in the hope the Cybertronian race would finally be allowed to join. Sounds rather like he got his wish.
*Orion's seventh flashback showcases his tempestuous relationship with the Dinobots, which was the subject of ''[[The Transformers: Punishment]]''. Slug is correctly still referred to as "Slag" during this flashback, as it's set before he changed his name in [[No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|''More than Meets the Eye'' #25]].
*One of the other writers competing with Thundercracker for his award is "Michael Costa," a tip of the hat to former IDW ''Transformers'' writer [[Mike Costa]], who rehabilitated Thundercracker all the way back in 2010's [[Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|''Transformers'' vol. 1 #4]] by establishing him as a fan of Earth television, thereby setting him on the path to this moment.
*Thundercracker was established to be a fan of Karen Fishook (who played the mother of the titular character of his favorite TV show ''[[Nurse Whitney]]'') in [[Starscream: The Movie (comic)|the 2018 ''Optimus Prime'' annual]].
*Orion's eighth flashback occurs during his solo space travels, somewhere between ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'' and [[Syndromica (1)|''Robots in Disguise'' #6]].
*While on a space adventure as part of Aileron's crew, D.0.C. is shown with a stuffed toy dog on a lead, with a visible "B" on its name tag. This is obviously a surrogate for Buster, as the pair became pals after sharing an adventure back in [[Conquerors Part 3: Helden|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #48]].
*Orion's ninth flashback falls somewhere between the end of ''[[Revolution]]'' and the start of ''Optimus Prime''.
*It's not called out by name, but Shockwave appears to have been imprisoned on ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Lemuria]]'', a.k.a the former Decepticon spacecraft ''Nemesis'', which was being used as an underwater headquarters by G.I. Joe in [[G.I. Joe vol. 5|''G.I. Joe'' vol. 5]] following its capture by the [[Earth Defense Command]] in [[White Heat|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #57]].
*The imprisoned Shockwave has been strung up with his arms and legs removed, a plight that was also suffered by [[Getaway]] in [[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|''More than Meets the Eye'' #49]]. Perhaps this is standard Cybertronian protocol for exceptionally dangerous prisoners. Additionally, the perspective and framing of Shockwave's dismembered body calls back to how he was similarly shown in [[Maximum Dinobots issue 2|''Maximum Dinobots'' #2]], and [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #3]], and [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|''More Than Meets The Eye'' #11]]. In each of those other circumstances, Shockwave was being rebuilt and getting a new chance to further his schemes; here, he has been taken apart most likely for keeps.
*Orion's tenth and final flashback is set during the events of [[Unicron issue 5|''Unicron'' #5]], and shows his decision to remove his faceplate prior to the end of that issue, which went unexplained at the time.
*Windblade begins Optimus's funeral by saying "Loss of life is only a tragedy if it is without..." before stopping herself. The next word is "purpose"; this rite was previously used by [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] at the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]] in [[Megatron Origin issue 3|''Megatron Origin'' #3]], and by Optimus at the funeral of Sideswipe in [[The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|''Optimus Prime'' #13]].
* The Elonian child on the final page appears to be the same young girl who appeared in ''Unicron'' issues [[Our Darkest|#1]] and [[Ceremony|#6]].
*And so the question of whether or not Optimus Prime truly is The Arisen is... left ambiguous. He ''might'' be the reincarnation of the Thirteenth Prime... or he might not. In the end, it doesn't matter; what matters is what he used the story to accomplish.

===Transformers references===
*The text on the first page of this issue is taken from the [[bio]] included with the [[Tech Spec]]s of the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Generation 1|original Optimus Prime toy]]. The "line graph" below it is based on (but is not an exact replica of) Prime's original Tech Spec graph itself.
*The little robot who transforms into the blackmith's medical equipment (apparently some kind of magnifying lens) is [[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]], a comic-original character who appeared in [[The Smelting Pool!|issue #17]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel ''Transformers'' comic]]. He's made several silent cameo guest-spots dotted across IDW history that, like this one, have typically depicted him in unfortunate situations, but this is the first time we've seen his alternate mode. In the Marvel comic, he transformed into a wheel, and in homage to that, he's here seen chasing after a circular piece of his own [[kibble]] that's popped off and is rolling away.
*The freshly-forged Orion Pax's appearance is mostly based on his original look from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" with a few embellishments, like the angular protruding windshield-chest reminiscent of the design created by [[Guido Guidi]] for his appearance in "[[Spotlight: Blurr]]."
*Multiple human workers seen throughout this issue are wearing tan shirt, blue pants, and yellow helmet and boots worn by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Sparkplug Witwicky|his father]] in the Generation 1 cartoon.
*On page 3, a sign is shown advertising [[energon goodie]]s as they appeared in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', as wafer-like "sticks of gum" kept in a square container.
*Orion Pax notes that, as a truck, Functionism permitted him to have become "a scientist, a librarian, or a dockworker" instead of a police officer. Orion was a dockworker in the Generation 1 cartoon, and a librarian in both [[Dreamwave Productions]]' [[Dreamwave Generation One continuity|comic book continuity]] and the [[Aligned continuity family]]. "Scientist" was presented as a possible job he could have had in Optimus Prime's original Generation 1 profile, were he not leader of the Autobots instead, and may also be an allusion to the [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|live-action movie version of the character]], who in IDW's movie tie-in comics, was the head of Cybertron's [[Science Division]] before becoming a Prime.
*Swindle refers to a 'bot named "[[Shadowhawk]]," which was the Japanese-market name for [[Divebomb (Energon)|''Energon'' Divebomb]].
* Hound is shown holding Ravage in captivity—a reference to their numerous bouts in Generation 1 fiction.
*Starscream surviving death as a ghost is, of course, a concept that originated in the Generation 1 cartoon episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]," and has seen a lot of play in subsequent media, particularly in Japan. If the Infraspace explanation isn't the case, perhaps IDW's Starscream really does just have the same "indestructible spark" as the original, which the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]] credited with his unique ability to persist after death.
*Midnight Express remarks that he likes the cold, an aspect of his personality derived from his original Japanaese characterization. This trait survived into the English-language bio included with Hasbro's release of the figure, but not into the English-dubbed version of the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon]].
*Optimus drops [[Furmanism#IT NEVER ENDS|a famous climactic Furmanism]] as the final line of his narration.
*Arcee serving as a teacher for the next generation of Cybertronians alludes to her [[Arcee (Animated)|''Animated'' counterpart]], who was a teacher before the war.
*Several young members of that next generation appear along with the young Sideswipe on the final page. Apart from one who is drawn to look like the deceased [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] (and coloured like Wheeljack's [[Action Master]] redeco, [[Slicer (Decepticon)|Slicer]]), the rest appear to be generics who colourist Josh Burcham has given the color schemes of other characters. One has been colored like [[Sideways (Armada)|''Armada'' Sideways]], and another like [[Turbofire]].

===Real-life references===
*Wreck-Gar uses a few board game metaphors:
**"...you know, Rummy-cube, my love..."-a slight allusion to {{w|Rummikub}}, a tile adaptation of set-collecting games like Rummy.
**"New pink pegs get stuck in the car"—a gameplay mechanic from {{w|The Game of Life}}.
**"We keep passing Go, keep collecting 200 [[Shanix]]"—an allusion to passing Go and collecting $200 in [[Monopoly]]
*Thundercracker has titled his Chuckles movie ''Last Laugh,'' which was the name of the real-life hardcover collection of the IDW ''G.I. Joe'' comic books telling the story that T.C. has based his screenplay on.
*Karen Fishook starts to read the result of the award ceremony by saying "And the winner is..." before correcting herself and saying "And the award goes to..." Her first impulse is how they used to announce the Oscars, before it was changed in 1989 to the latter (or rather, to "And the ''Oscar'' goes to...").
*The imagery of Bumblebee walking on a beach receiving guidance from someone who cannot be seen, showing only one set of footprints in the sand, is similar to common inspirational "--and that's when I carried you" allusions to [[Jesus]].

===Errors===
*The flashbacks showing Orion Pax and Ironhide as beat cops together contradict [[All Hail Megatron issue 13|''All Hail Megatron'' #13]], which showed the two being introduced by Kup after Pax was already a field commander.
*With regard to Orion's third flashback, it shows Ravage drawing graffiti of the Decepticon symbol when Orion was still a rookie beat cop... but [[Chaos Theory Part 1|''The Transformers'' vol. 1 #22]] showed that Orion had become captain of the Rodion precinct before Megatron ever thought the symbol up.
*During their flashback, Oiler and Slide are drawn with their Earth vehicle modes, rather than the Devisen forms they were depicted with in [[Time Will Rust|issue #23]].
*Shockwave says "There's is a finite amount of everything."

===Other trivia===
*Originally solicited for release in October 2018, this issue was held back until late November to ensure that it was released after the delayed ''Unicron'' #6.
*This issue features 24 story pages instead of the usual 20. The remaining four pages of the comic are taken up by the introductory "Tech Specs" page (described above), two bookend pages that simply read "The Beginning" and "The End," and a farewell letter from writer John Barber reminiscing about his time on IDW's ''Transformers'' comics and thanking his fellow creators.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' A huge cast group shot surrounding a portrait of Optimus Prime, by [[Kei Zama]] and [[Josh Burcham]]; an homage to Marvel Comics' 25th anniversary covers from 1986. [[Heavy Traffic!|Marvel's ''The Transformers'' #22]] featured one of these covers, but the note on the credits page that it is drawn "after {{w|Walt Simonson|Walter Simonson}}" indicates it's specifically evoking the cover of [https://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Thor_Vol_1_373 ''Thor'' #373] and Simsonson's regal depiction of the God of Thunder.
*'''Cover B:''' Optimus Prime, with other members in the pieces of a shattered Autobot symbol behind him, by [[Casey Coller]] and [[John-Paul Bove]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' ''Robots in Disguise'' artist [[Andrew Griffith]] returns to draw key cast members from Barber's run one last time
<gallery>
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===Advertisements===
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==External links==
*[http://www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/2018/11/16/exclusive-idw-preview-optimus-prime-25/ Preview]

[[Category:Optimus Prime issues]]

Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2018-12-04T01:20:20Z

Djelibaebi:

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=Megatron Origin Symbol.png|cSize=35x35px|cLink=Gladiatorial combat}}|decepticon|autobot}}
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[[File:IDWMegatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Megatron A, Megatron B, Megatron Retailer's Incentive, Megatron Dynamic Forces Exclusive variant, and Megatron (Second Printing).]]
'''Megatron''' waged a battle to destroy the evil forces of the [[Senate]]! Then he ''continued'' to wage a war against the evil forces of freedom, organic life, and the very idea of an Autobot living. After [[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|some life-changing events]], he waged a war against the evil forces of his own past [[Decepticon Justice Division|legacy]]. Currently, however, Megatron's revolution has come full circle, waging a war against the evil forces of the [[Functionist Council]]!

Megatron is a master planner, constantly a step ahead of any opponent and even ahead of what he wants ''now'', preparing for anything he may want in the future. He has the physical might to overpower most foes but it's his mind who has one-upped three Primes and rival Decepticons. But his cold clinical nature is a front he has to struggle to keep up, as he's quick to anger and quicker to use excessive violence as his answer to any problem. Megatron's trying to change but he's spent such a long time revelling in violence, it may have been a lost cause from the start.

:*''First Appearance:'' [[Infiltration issue 4|''Transformers: Infiltration'' #4]]

{{quote|Because in the final analysis, I would happily wade across a river of corpses, chest-deep in rust and grease and engine oil, just to crush the spark of the last Autobot standing. And I would not do so simply as a means to an end. No. I'd do it, Prime, because it would give me '''pleasure'''.|Megatron to Optimus Prime|"[[Chaos Theory Part 1]]"}}

{{quote|And the thing is, when those words were in my head I didn't think I meant them; but when they left my mouth, I realized that I '''did'''. If the world thinks you're a monster, what does it matter? The world is '''wrong'''. But when you start to think of '''yourself''' as a monster...|Megatron on the previous quote|"[[slaughterhouse]]"}}

__TOC__
==IDW Generation 1 comics==
===Birth of a tyrant===
[[File:Mtmte17-point one percenter spark.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Not so tough without a body, are ya?]]
'''Megatron of [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]]''' was the first "hybrid" Transformer, a powerful forged superspark in a constructed cold body. His [[spark]] came to life in the middle of a field full of newborn sparks, a so-called "[[hot spot]]", on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], the "Seething Moon". The hot spot remained dormant for ages until it was finally fertilized when [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] set foot on the ground in the "present" day. Within an instant, the entire moon lit up, as a billion sparks suddenly flared to life all over its surface. [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] was the first to point out that one of the sparks was glowing green, which [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] recognized as a "superspark"—a vanishingly rare, insanely powerful [[Point One Percenter]]. Despite [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor's]] horrified protestations, Brainstorm immediately began to excavate and harvest the spark, taking it with him for future use. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}}

[[File:MTMTE37 megatron under construction.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.0|Megatron (Work in progress)]]
Megatron's original body, on the other hand, was one of the many "knock off" Transformers [[reproduction|constructed cold]] during the [[Silver Harvest]], specifically built in the 1st Cycle 012, millions of years in the past, in [[Con Facility 113]] ("Con" being short for "constructed cold"). The spark originally intended for this body was one generated from the [[Matrix of Leadership]] by [[Solomus|Tyrest]], but this spark was destroyed by [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]], who had travelled back in time alongside several other [[Autobot]]s, originally to ''prevent'' a time-travelling Brainstorm from killing Megatron and thereby unwittingly creating a [[Functionist Universe|dystopian alternate timeline]] in which the [[Functionist Council]] would rule [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. After Rewind had "killed" Megatron in order to prevent the destruction he knew the latter would come to wreak upon the universe, fellow time-travelling Autobot [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], who loathed the Functionists, took it upon himself to fix the timeline, taking advantage of a temporary distraction by nabbing the harvested Point One Percenter spark Brainstorm had taken with him back in time and placing it inside Megatron's now sparkless body—and thus Megatron was ''truly'' born. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}}

Megatron desired to be a medic, {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} but alas, he lived in a time of functionism, where one's [[alternate mode]] denoted one's role in society, and one's role determined one's rights. As such, the true nature of his exceptionally rare spark apparently unknown, Megatron was assigned the task for which he had been built: that of [[energon]] miner, a member of the lower class, toiling in a mine under [[Nova Point]]. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

[[File:ChaosTheory1 megatron symbol creation.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|... And thus the "Silica Fracturism" art movement was born.]]
An idealist, intellectual, and poet, Megatron was sickened by the caste-ridden social apartheid of [[Nominus Prime]]'s Cybertron, and so he wrote [[After the Ark: Nominus Prime and the Illusion of Progress|a treatise]] on how pacifist dissent and the exchange of ideas could change things. It was while he was sharing this work with his miner friend [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] over a drink in [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's New Oil House]] that the event occurred which would change the course of his life, as Impactor wound up being drawn into a bar brawl with some of the city's upper classes (inadvertently caused by a time-travelling Rung), and Megatron, who himself had actually ''not'' been involved in the brawl, instead cowering underneath a table, was among those arrested after the fracas. Megatron's writings had been growing in popularity and inspiring some dissent against the current regime, so in order to silence him, the [[Senate]] arranged for a police officer on their payroll, [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], to kill him. Before Whirl could finish the job, however, police captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]], having discovered Megatron's innocence thanks to the bartender's testimony, arranged for his release. Despite Pax expressing support for the message of his writings, Megatron now found himself filled with rage and hate, disillusioned with his former ideology and realizing the power of applied violence. Angrily hurling the datapad on which he had written his treatise through a public info-screen, Megatron observed the jagged shape of the shattered glass, and later turned it into a [[insignia|symbol]] for his cause. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}}

[[File:MTMTE34 what you might call a thinker.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|When considering the Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy, one question remains unanswered. Why am I always pictured with phallic-shaped items in awkward positions?]]
Megatron's samizdat writings began to circulate in Cybertron's underground, spawning the "[[Decepticon]]" movement, its name derived from its own slogan, "You are being deceived", warning the common 'bot of the Senate's true nature. Knowing that, at this stage, assassinating Megatron would merely make him a martyr, the Senate instead elected to relocate him off-planet, reassigning him to a mining facility on the world of [[Messatine]] while they tried their own schemes to defuse the growing Decepticon movement. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} It was there that Megatron met [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]], an elderly fellow miner who encouraged him to keep writing, and who, in addition to proofreading his works for him, smuggled each new tract back to Cybertron, helping to continue the spread of the Decepticon movement. When Terminus was maimed in a mining accident and had his fuel rations cut off, Megatron kept him alive by sharing his own [[energon]] with the old 'bot. Eventually, Senate agents [[Froid]] and [[Trepan]] were dispatched to Messatine to perform mind-altering [[Shadowplay]] upon Megatron, in order to cut his writings off at the source. Tased into submission and strapped to Trepan's operating table, Megatron was helpless to stop the [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] from beginning his vile work. Though the arrival of Froid's rival psychopathologist [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] fortunately forced Trepan to stop before Megatron's personality was altered, the experience left the miner with a lifelong fear of mnemosurgery. Subsequently, a mysterious surge of energy deep within the mine (inadvertently caused by a time-travelling Brainstorm) forced an evacuation of the facility; Megatron raced back to his quarters to carry Terminus to safety, but found his friend was not there. With time running out and no sign of Terminus anywhere, Megatron instead chose to save the stack of datapads containing his unpublished works—a decision that would haunt him. {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}}

[[File:MegatronOrigin1 first kill.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|"You know, sometimes I think I was born with a leak, and any goodness I started with just slowly spilled out of me and now its all gone. And I'll never get it back in me. It's too late."]]
Megatron was relocated to [[Mining Outpost C-12]], and continued to seethe with hate and frustration in his new workplace. His discontent reached a peak when, some time later, [[Decimus|Senator Decimus]] arrived to announce that the mine was being automated and the workers would be relocated. When one of the Senator's guards killed a worker for insubordination and claims of Senate corruption, Megatron's fury boiled over and he hurled his pickaxe at Decimus. In turn, he was attacked by the Senator's guard, whom he killed by smashing his head to fragments—the first time he had ever taken a life. A riot erupted around him, but Megatron himself could only sit amongst the chaos, staring at his fuel-stained hands in abject horror, which allowed him to be easily pacified and rounded up with the other miners as the mayhem was quickly suppressed. En route to [[Penal Facility H-3|imprisonment]] back on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], however, [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] broke free and started a riot aboard [[Longshot (G1)|their ship]]. Megatron joined in their effort, and together, they overpowered their guards, took control of the ship, and disappeared into the [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] underground. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 1|Megatron Origin #1}}

[[File:MegsOrigin2 Cykill.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Battle of the Awesome Voices!]]
After evading law enforcement, Megatron joined a team of underworld gladiators under the tutelage of [[Clench (G1)|Clench]]. Initially repulsed by killing his opponents, the games eventually turned him more brutal and excessive, and he took control of the entire operation from Clench. The opportunistic Senator [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], after seeing how much money there was in the underworld matches, covertly sent his agent [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] to offer Megatron weaponry and technology to upgrade himself and his comrades. Their meeting was spied upon by [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]], agents from the Senate's forces, who Megatron slew. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}} Subsequently, impressed by how he treated his animal-form [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|cassette partners]] as equals (in contradiction to the teachings of his Senate masters), Megatron invited Soundwave back to the gladiator pits and gave him permission to use his mind-reading abilities on him. Within Megatron's mind, Soundwave saw his honest desire for all Cybertronians to be true equals, and was so moved by it that he joined Megatron's cause. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

Gradually, Megatron used the gladiatorial games to drum up an army of violent malcontents, sending Soundwave to recruit more and more warriors to his cause. Such recruits included [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]], who he was presented with while having an arm he lost in a brawl replaced with a new limb that incorporated an [[energon mace]], {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} and the disenfranchised warrior [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], who was personally asked by Megatron to fight at his side when he attended a Decepticon rally, and whom Megatron rechristened "Deadlock," {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} and transformed into a capable Decepticon warrior. {{Storylink|Drift issue 3|Drift #3}} A wave of terrorism and sabotage spread across Cybertron at his command: bombings, wrecking factories and fuel plants, shutting down transport links, a mass poisoning to tank a corporation, and a very public kidnapping of Senator Decimus. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}}

Seeking to enhance his army even further, Megatron reached out to [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Senator Shockwave]], offering to supply him the resources he required to carry out his own mysterious experiments in exchange for his using the teachings of his lost mentor [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] to create a [[combiner]] that would serve the Decepticons. Shockwave cautioned that it could take some time, but Megatron was content to wait. {{storylink|Shockwaves}}

[[File:Apexthrone.JPG|upright=1.4|thumb|You should have gone to IKEA.]]
Despite all his efforts, Megatron believed that the Senate was still not taking the Decepticons seriously, so Soundwave formulated a plan for a declaration of intent that could be not denied: lure the Senate to Kaon and murder them. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}} In preparation for this scheme, Megatron offered to restore Shockwave's lost hands—a victim of [[empurata]]—believing that doing so might speed his work. {{storylink|Shockwaves}} The following day, in accordance with Soundwave's plan, Megatron and the Decepticons allowed themselves to be arrested by Sentinel Prime's men, after which Soundwave was freed on Ratbat's orders, while Starscream would ensure his own release by pretending to defect. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} Together, Soundwave and Starscream exterminated the entire Senate, then liberated Megatron and the rest of their comrades, in the process granting their leader the gift of a [[fusion cannon]] liberated from the Senate forces' armory. Megatron led his army against Sentinel Prime's men, killed Sentinel himself, and took control of Kaon, now ready to turn his insurgency into a full-blown war. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}}

When Sentinel's head went missing, Megatron (unaware) was blamed for it. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

===Early days of war===
Megatron formally declared war on "[[Declaration Day]]" when he delivered a stirring speech from [[Nova Point|Nova Peak]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} The self-described "second order" he ever gave was that under no circumstances was any Decepticon to kill Whirl—Megatron wanted his old tormentor for himself. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} The growing Decepticon forces swiftly spread across six [[Polities of Cybertron|Torus-States]], {{storylink|Parasites}} and to combat them, Cybertron's new leader [[Zeta Prime]] assembled a new military force, the "[[Autobot]]s", led by Megatron's old acquaintance [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]. Researching his new opposite number, Megatron was intrigued to discover that his now-abandoned treatise had been a source of inspiration for Pax, who had even quoted from it when he confronted the Senate and openly accused them of corruption. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}} Early into the war, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] would admit to Pax that Megatron talked about him sometimes, when he was tired. When Pax asked what was said, Bludgeon told him that it would make "both of us feel ''uncomfortable''". {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

[[File:Autocracy4 backroom meeting.jpg|upright=1.66|left|thumb|Megatron Delightful Destuction Exclusive Variant]]
When Orion Pax came close to Kaon during a mission, Megatron saw it as a chance to speak to him and had his Decepticons bring him in. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}} Megatron attempted to convince him that Zeta Prime was even worse than he appeared—that he had planned to let Orion die in [[Nyon]] so that he could use his death as pretext to invade the rebel-infested city and drain the citizens of their energon—and proposed they work together against him, but Orion refused to hear him and then escaped. Knowing the doubts he'd placed in his head would only serve to damage the Autobot cause, Megatron let him go. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}}

[[File:Autocracy8 megs and pax together.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"Megatron, let's roll." "What you thinking?" "...Pub?"]]
Megatron continued to keep an eye on Orion Pax's activities, spying on his encounter with the Nyon insurgent [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|Ruins}} When Zeta Prime's [[Guardian robot|Omega Destructor]]s suddenly attacked Nyon, Megatron was surprised by how zealously the new Prime fought against the city's rebels, but his real interest still lay on how Orion would handle the crisis. {{storylink|Purge}} Orion turned on Zeta, who in turn attempted to kill him, prompting Megatron to intervene and force the Prime to retreat. Taking Orion back to Kaon, he again offered that they work together against Zeta's corruption, and this time the Autobot officer accepted. {{storylink|Choices}} As their combined forces invaded the [[Citadel]] in Iacon, Megatron and Orion Pax made their way inside and fought Zeta Prime in person. The battle ended with Megatron killing the Prime with a head shot, and with his objective complete, he then betrayed the injured Orion by shooting him in the back. {{storylink|Overthrown}} This moment lived in infamy as the point at which Megatron revealed his true colors, no longer couched in ideology; {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|Dinobot Hunt}} though curiously, an alternate report incorrectly implied he had assassinated Zeta from afar, sniping him with the rifle alternate mode of [[Vos (DJD)|Vos]]. {{storylink|Bullets}} {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

[[File:Autocracy12 no you dont megatron.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|I can't be the only one with deja vu here.]]
With Zeta dead, Megatron conquered Iacon and declared himself ruler of Cybertron. His soldiers patrolled the planet's streets to "keep the peace", mostly by hunting down and capturing any remaining Autobots who opposed him. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} During his rule, Megatron attempted to sway the neutral Hot Rod into joining the Decepticons, but he decided otherwise upon witnessing Megatron ordering the execution of several Autobot prisoners. {{storylink|Rise}} Megatron was shocked to learn that Orion Pax had survived the betrayal and was organizing a rebellion against him under the name "Optimus Prime", and even more shocked that people actually had the courage to listen to him. He wasted no time in striking back against the rebels approaching the Citadel with the full force of his army. {{storylink|Broadcast}} During the battle, Megatron unleashed Zeta Prime's energy-draining [[vamparc ribbon|vamparc annihilator]], but when the gigantic [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] took out the cannon, Megatron fell to the streets and was confronted by Optimus Prime himself. He lost the ensuing [[The Transformers: The Movie|familiar-looking duel]] and was badly wounded after a failed attempt to defeat Prime by holding Hot Rod hostage, forcing him to escape aboard Astrotrain. As he fled, he warned Optimus that he hadn't won, he had only started a war unlike any Cybertron had ever seen. {{storylink|Endgame}}

[[File:Monstrosity3 Megatron and Pentius.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Megatron insists on wearing his Darksiders cosplay when he's walking his pet Quintesson.]]
Before Megatron could recover from his injuries, he was betrayed by [[Scorponok (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Scorponok]], who was gunning for the position of Decepticon leader (with aid from Starscream). As punishment for his failure to hold Iacon, Scorponok banished the wounded Megatron to the hell-world of [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. {{storylink|Derelicts}} Further injured in battle with some [[Junkion (species)|cannibalistic natives]], he stubbornly refused to give up and used the trash littering the world to patch himself up, leaving him with a mismatched, monstrous appearance. {{storylink|Wreckage (issue)|Wreckage}} While searching for a way off Junkion, Megatron entered the wreckage of a starship and found a trapped [[Quintesson]] named [[Pentius]], who had mapped the planet and knew of an area known as the [[Pillar of Rust]] where starships may land and take off. Megatron freed the alien to guide him there, while also putting him in chains to serve as his slave. {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}}

[[File:Monstrosity7 megatron takes pentius spark.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|"Thanks for turning me into the psychopath I've been the whole time!"]]
While crossing the [[Acid Sea]] on the way to the Pillar, Megatron was attacked by [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] who pulled him into the depths. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}} For reasons unknown he was then released, the creatures having allowed him to live. As he emerged, Pentius was waiting with a history lesson, telling him that Junkion was once a prosperous world until its inhabitants drained it of resources, leaving it the broken husk it is today: a fate that may also await Cybertron. Megatron rejected this possibility, declaring that under his rule, Cybertron—and his legacy—would last forever. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} On arrival at the Pillar of Rust, Megatron was met by the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], who had come to Junkion to finish what Scorponok had started by killing him. He was able to fight off several of his attackers, but [[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Gar]] was too much for him to handle in his injured state. Egged on and taunted by Pentius, Megatron realized he had one last resource left to use: the Quintesson himself. Telling Pentius that his legacy would live on within him, he tore out the alien's [[spark]] and used it to fuel himself, granting him enough power to defeat Hun-Gar. He spared the Terrorcons in exchange for their loyalty, then returned to Cybertron on their ship to take revenge on Scorponok and take back control of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}}

[[File:Monstrosity12 strange turns.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
Megatron returned to a Cybertron in chaos, as the ancient reptilian [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] had been unleashed by Scorponok and was in the midst of razing Iacon. After reasserting his leadership of the Decepticons by beating Scorponok nearly to death, he had Shockwave restore his body to its original shape and condition, {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}} and set out to investigate the Trypticon situation alone, unwilling to risk his soldiers in the face of the beast's uncontrolled fury. Finding an injured Optimus Prime on the battlefield, Megatron lectured him, but opted to leave him alive so that he could watch as the Decepticon leader defeated the enemy that Prime could not. Megatron was attacked by [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]], but as they grappled, they were swallowed by Trypticon. {{storylink|Annihilation}} Within the giant, the pair set their differences aside to fend off the [[cyber-morphic predator]]s that populated his interior, and together, they destroyed Trypticon's internal power cell, taking him offline. A tense standoff between the Autobots and Decepticons followed as the two warriors emerged from within Trypticon, but both sides agreed to go their separate ways for the time being. Not long after the battle, however, Megatron removed Pentius's spark from within himself and installed it within Trypticon. {{storylink|Belly of the Beast (issue)|Belly of the Beast}}

[[File:Primacy4 megatron imprisoned.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
After being fully repaired following his ordeals, Megatron roused Trypticon by exploiting the connection they now shared thanks to both having borne Pentius's spark. Discovering that Trypticon now possessed the consciousness of Pentius, Megatron was immediately suspicious of the Quintesson's potential treachery and was staggered by the visions of undiluted evil he saw in the aliens' past via their spark-link, but Trypticon assured him that he was dedicated to their shared goal of breaking a world. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} Using Trypticon's city-ship alternate mode, Megatron took to the stars, rounding up the scattered Decepticon army and even recruiting Junkions and Sharkticons. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}} Returning to Cybertron in force, Megatron was content to wait and watch from the sidelines while his troops viciously tore into Iacon. Trypticon was defeated in battle by Metroplex, at which point Megatron's folly was revealed: through their link, Pentius mockingly revealed his intention to use Trypticon consume Cybertron once the Autobots and Decepticons had weakened each other. {{storylink|Primacy issue 3|Primacy #3}} Leaving his men with orders to burn Iacon to the ground if he failed in order to spare it such a fate, Megatron set off for Trypticon's fallen body in hopes that he would be able to remove Pentius's spark before the giant revived. Confronted atop Trypticon by Optimus Prime, Megatron tried to goad the Autobot leader into destroying him, believing that Pentius would be destroyed with him thanks to their link. Refusing to accept death as the answer, Optimus instead used the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to purify Megatron, burning Pentius's spark away; Megatron, however, vowed that he would never stop hating Optimus in spite of what he had done for him. Sadly resigned to the fact that the once-noble revolutionary he had admired was now lost, Optimus knocked out the weakened Megatron and took him into custody. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}
{{-}}

===The spreading conflict===
[[File:MTMTE14 megatron vs overlord.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb]]
Megatron's forces were quick to come to his rescue however, breaking him out under cover of the night. {{storylink|Post}} Early in the continuing conflict, Megatron authored ''[[Towards Peace]]'', a new treatise to replace ''After the Ark'', in which he described continuing to fight the war until the very notion of conflict was literally inconceivable. Then and only then would he finally give up his fusion cannon. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} The earliest edition of the work featured a dedication to Terminus, which Megatron would later remove to reflect the lesson his friendship with Terminus had taught him: not to get attached. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Friendships were a weakness, and Megatron exploited this in the cruelest way possible: by corrupting Optimus Prime's old friend [[Tarn (DJD)|Damus]], turning him into one of the most vicious, dedicated Decepticons of all, a devoted worshiper at the altar of Megatron, purely to hurt Prime. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}}

Megatron oversaw the creation of a class of super-warriors known as the [[Warriors Elite]], selecting only his most powerful troops to undergo the torturous upgrade, including [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], a brilliant sadist and frequent opponent of his from his pit-fighting days who had developed an obsession with Megatron after the Decepticon leader dealt him his first ever defeat. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} At some point, he also created the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] to deal with traitors, and appointed Damus—now code-named "Tarn"—as its leader, {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} though he elected not to send them after Deadlock when he defected, valuing the warrior enough to instead dispatch [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] to bring him in. {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} He would reportedly spend "half the war" searching for a way to remotely access a [[black hole]], in order to use [[antimatter]] for power, but never succeeded. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

[[File:ChaosTheory prime vs megatron montage.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Good times, bad times.]]
Megatron would personally clash with Optimus Prime many times; Optimus grew to respect and fear Megatron as a calm, calculating and measured opponent, while Megatron himself respected Prime's sheer power and his skill as a tactician and as a leader. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} Megatron would later incorrectly recall their battle on [[Sherma Bridge]] during the [[Rorsha Campaign]] as the first time they met. Said battle was certainly momentous—every Autobot and Decepticon stopped fighting to witness their duel, during which Megatron's cannon arm was sliced off by Prime's [[energon-axe]], and he claimed revenge by throwing the Autobot leader off the bridge. As the war spread to other planets, they would meet again and again: during the [[Siege of Massunstrad]], Megatron sealed Prime in an anti-matter chamber; on [[Rada Mor]], Prime reduced Megatron to ashes with sentient explosives; and in the midst of the [[Vorsk Offensive]], Megatron was nearly sliced in half by Prime. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} Though he resisted [[Solomus|Tyrest]]'s attempts to find a "Two City-State Solution" to the war, he did agree to abide by the [[Tyrest Accord]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}}

Megatron took on a new pistol alternate mode for the [[Battle for Hell's Point]], during which he was used by [[Heretech]] to blast [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} During the same skirmish, Megatron took off half of Prime's face with his energon mace, but had a city block dropped on him by Prime in retribution, which shattered his [[transformation cog]] and trapped him in gun mode for two years. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} Prime was not the only old face that Megatron would see again during the war: during a battle on an aerial drilling platform over the [[Manganese Mountains]], Megatron came face-to-face with his old friend Impactor, and stood poised to execute him until Impactor gave him a moment's pause by recalling his old fondness for poetry. In this moment, Megatron was knocked from the platform by [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and sent plummeting to the mountains below. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

[[File:LastStandoftheWreckers2-teleconference.jpg|upright=1.66|left|thumb|"We attack the Rice Krispies guys at dawn! Assuming Judd Hirsch delivers the goods."]]
At the war's zenith, Megatron sealed himself in an [[Omniglobe]] to absorb the relentless flood of data coming in from countless fronts. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} With total war going nowhere, he would go on to develop a six-stage [[infiltration protocol]] to be used for conquering targeted planets. The sixth phase called for outright planetary razing, and Megatron selected three of his Warriors Elite for this task: [[Sixshot]], {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} Overlord, and [[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]]. He informed this trio of his decision via teleconference, but Overlord, tired of being used as someone else's weapon, refused. Megatron threatened to hunt Overlord down for his disobedience, {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|Last Stand of the Wreckers #2}} but while the powerful warrior spent the rest of his life preparing for this conflict, Megatron never followed up and left him to stew in his own obsession. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}}

[[File:Stormbringer1 get up and fight.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|You don't gotta go home Prime but you can't stay here.]]
Deducing that the Autobot/Decepticon war would culminate in an energy crisis that would threatened the stability of Cybertron itself, Shockwave left Cybertron to secretly pursue alternate energy sources. Around 10,000 years ago, when Shockwave did not return, Megatron ordered Bludgeon to investigate his files, {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}} secretly assigning Soundwave to investigate Bludgeon {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}} and probe deeper into whatever it was Shockwave had created. {{storylink|Shockpoint}}

Shockwave's prediction soon proved accurate, and Cybertron found itself in the throes of an energy shortage. Decepticon scientist [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] came to Megatron with a revolutionary, controversial plan to stave off this energy death by [[Pretender|polydermal grafting]], a process where they encased themselves in "symbiotic carapaces", or shells created from living tissue. When Megatron dismissed him angrily and cut him down, Thunderwing did not abandon his research; instead, he experimented on himself. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}} {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}} The process gave him immense power, but drove him insane. He became so dangerous that Megatron had to join forces with Optimus Prime to stop him. This battle at [[Thunderhead Pass]] accelerated the apocalypse destined to befall Cybertron, leaving it an uninhabitable, radioactive husk and forcing both armies to continue their war on other worlds. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} Megatron advocated that they simply destroy Cybertron to ensure that Thunderwing was destroyed, but Prime refused, and threatened to stop Megatron if he tried. Megatron agreed not to destroy the planet, but warned Prime that whatever happened was on his head. Shortly after the last big push by the Decepticons, Cybertron was abandoned by both factions. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #2}}

In the mid-19th century, Starscream reported to Megatron regarding a failed alliance with the [[Dire Wraith]]s and their unfeasibility as allies. Megatron congratulated Starscream... for finding yet another way to disappoint him. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}}

===Breaking protocol===
[[File:Infiltration4 enter megatron.jpg|upright=1.3|left|thumb|Megatron (Second Printing Preview)]]
In the early 21st century, when word reached Megatron that the infiltration unit led by [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], stationed on the planet [[Earth]], had broken protocol, he headed for the planet to investigate. Examining the unit's abandoned bunker in [[Nebraska]] for information, he discovered that Starscream had stumbled across [[Ore-13]]—an incredible energy source that (unbeknownst to Megatron) was the end result of Shockwave's experiments—and was planning to use it to usurp Megatron's command. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}} While studying the bunker's files, he was contacted by [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] with some distressing news: Bludgeon's investigations of Shockwave's files had led him to revive Thunderwing. Megatron ordered the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] to Cybertron, authorizing them to do whatever was necessary to destroy Thunderwing, including the destruction of their homeworld itself. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}} Just as he was handing down this order, Megatron was happened upon by [[Verity Carlo]], a human ally of the Autobot unit active on the planet, {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}} but he utterly ignored her. The bunker was then leveled by an airstrike courtesy of [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]], who were merely covering their unit's tracks and unaware of Megatron's presence; when their leader furiously emerged from the wreckage, Skywarp attempted to explain their ignorance, but Megatron simply responded by blasting him out of the sky. Blitzwing favored opening fire rather than attempting explanations, so Megatron beat the stuffing out of him too, then set off for Starscream's new bunker in [[Oregon]]. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}}

[[File:Infiltration6 takeyourpunishment.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Those librarians are getting really strict on late returns.]]

{{quote|You will stand down. If you fight, you ''die''. There is no room anymore for mercy. In the end, you are ''all'' expendable. Choose.|Megatron's ultimatum to Starscream's renegade troops|[[Infiltration issue 6|''Infiltration'' #6]]}}

[[Orbital jump]]ing to Oregon, Megatron called Starscream out and ordered the team to stand down, disgusted to see such power games being played amongst his troops. His brief, chilling speech was enough to take the fight out of all but Starscream, who, powered-up on Ore-13, took Megatron on himself. Though the new power source made Starscream a formidable adversary, Megatron was still more deadly than he, and Starscream was taken out by a point-blank fusion cannon blast through his torso. Megatron ordered the Decepticons to ensure that Starscream survived, and then, observing the Autobots who had been watching the battle, announced that it was time to begin phase two. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

In light of the discovery of Ore-13, Megatron took stock of Starscream's progress on Earth and elected to get the infiltration protocol back on track himself, calling a meeting to make Starscream's former troops and making them aware, in no uncertain terms, that any further insurrections would be met with deadly force. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} He continued to order his troops on Earth directly, {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} and was even able to revisit his past gun alternate mode, once again able to achieve the [[size changing|mass displacement]] the mode required thanks to the extra energy Ore-13 provided. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}}

[[File:Megsandspidy.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Megatron/Spiderman #1 Retailer's Incentive]]
With his forces joined by [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], a new arrival who Megatron suspected of having ulterior motives, {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} the Decepticon leader initiated phase two of infiltration protocol by destabilizing relations between the European nations of [[Latveria]] and [[Symkaria]] through use of an aggression-inducing [[Psycho-Prism]], stolen from Latverian dictator [[Doctor Doom]]. When the superhero team known as the [[Avengers]] investigated the array the Decepticons' were using to broadcast the prism's signal, Megatron abducted the arachnid-powered [[Spider-Man]] to use as a subject for their [[mirror response mode]], {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One}} draining the hero's powers and infusing himself and the other Decepticons with them. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} He proceeded to forge a brief alliance with Doctor Doom, who helped him defeat and capture the allied Autobot/Avenger team who snuck inside the Decepticons' array, but when Doom's suggestion to threaten the captives in order to force the other heroes to lay down their arms failed, Megatron violently dissolved the partnership. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} Emerging from the confines of the array to take on the Autobots and Avengers himself, Megatron refrained from engaging Prime, foreseeing a more intimate confrontation between the two of them in the near future, and instead turned his attention to destroying [[Iron Man]]'s Transformer-sized armor. The tables soon turned, however, when Doctor Doom freed the captive Autobots and used the Decepticon's mirror response technology to empower them. Defeated by these enhanced Autobots and with the Psycho-Prism destroyed by [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]], Megatron used the last of his extra power to teleport the Decepticons out with an [[emergency warp-out]]. He refrained from departing alongside his warriors, intending to slaughter the Avengers for their interference, but when he was immobilized by Spider-Man's webbing, knocked to the ground by [[Luke Cage]], and rattled by a hail of Autobot fire, he finally warped-out with a final taunt to Optimus Prime of the battle yet to come between them. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}
[[File:Escalation3-Massdisplacement.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb]]
With phase two of [[infiltration protocol]] properly underway, Megatron recognized that he ''should'' rightly withdraw and install a new unit commander on Earth, but could not resist the chance to try out his new Ore-13 empowered body, selecting the nation of [[Brasnya]], where Decepticon subterfuge was already underway, as his testing ground. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} Allowing the Decepticon's [[facsimile construct]] [[Georgi Koska]] to wield him in pistol mode, Megatron had Koska use him to first sever a [[Russia]]n oil pipeline, and then to fire upon the soldiers who came to investigate, furthering the political and military tensions already brewing in the region. When word came through from Blitzwing that Optimus Prime and the Autobots had arrived, {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} Megatron at last engaged Optimus directly, {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} and although Prime was able to destroy his fusion cannon, the extra strength afforded Megatron by Ore-13 allowed him to physically beat Prime into submission, punching directly into his chest and crushing his [[spark]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}} [[File:Escalation5 prime vs megs.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|''I got me a shovel I'm digging a ditch...'']] The horrified Autobots moved into a full but ineffective counterattack, their only edge being that Megatron had no long-range guns left. It turned out that Prime's apparent death was a desperate ruse when the Autobot leader countered with a surprise attack on Megatron, able to exploit Ore-13's weakness—the more it's used, the faster it burns itself out. Megatron almost collapsed from power loss and was forced to have Skywarp take him to safety before the Autobots could kill him. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

Furious over the embarrassing defeat, Megatron threw protocol out the window and ordered that Sixshot be summoned to the planet. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}} He took out some of his anger on Ramjet, who he discovered had been busy cooking up a plot to overthrow him; without saying a word, he beat the attempted traitor to death before tearing him apart and keeping his head as a trophy. {{storylink|Spotlight: Ramjet}}
[[File:Devastation5 decepticons attack.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|''And I'm gonna fight for this four square feet of land Like a mean old son of a bitch'']]
Upon Sixshot's arrival, Megatron ordered him to utterly destroy the Autobots, and although the [[Phase Sixer]] questioned his early deployment, he was happy to go along with the abandonment of the phase structure. The other Decepticons, on the other hand, were worried that Megatron was losing his grip—and since they were too scared to tell him that, they decided to revive Starscream to do it for them. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 1|Maximum Dinobots #1}} Megatron monitored Sixshot's attack on the Autobots' [[Ark-19]], ordering him to pursue the escape pod that broke away from the crashing craft, {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}} but before he could obliterate the Autobots, Megatron was forced to recall him to deal with a new threat assaulting the Decepticon base—the alien [[Reaper]]s. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} Unfortunately, the Reapers convinced Sixshot to side with them, and when an Ore-13 powered Starscream entered the fray to take Sixshot down, Megatron realized his troops had been conspiring against him. He decided not to punish them '''yet''', due to greater threat posed by the Reapers, {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} and entered battle alongside them all, even allowing Starscream to wield him in pistol mode against the aliens. After the invaders were dead, however, he turned on his men, starting with Blitzwing—but was forced to realize that they needed to remain united when it became apparent that their battle with the Reapers had made humanity inescapably aware of their existence {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}}
{{-}}

===All Hail Megatron===
[[File:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|upright=1.1|left|thumb|[[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|"I don't think I'd have made a good medic. No patience."]]]]
While the Decepticons were occupied fighting the Reapers, the Autobots had left Earth to deal with the greater threat of an incursion by the [[Dead Universe]]. Exploiting their enemies' absence, Megatron and his men went to ground; when Autobots returned, they could find no trace of the Decepticons, who kept one step ahead of them for months. Secretly abducting [[Hunter O'Nion]], former [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] partner to the Autobot [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]], Megatron and his men returned to Cybertron, where Megatron had [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] conduct experiments that bred a [[Insecticon swarm|swarm]] of monstrous [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]. The experiments culminated in the creation of [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], who Megatron employed in a series of key tasks in his plan: the Insecticon obtained from Hunter's mind various Autobot secrets and codes, completed Shockwave's long-gestating combiner process, granting the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] the ability to combine into [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], and created a working [[space bridge]] {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} based on designs sold to them by Sixshot in exchange for his freedom. {{storylink|Spotlight: Metroplex}}

Returning to Earth, the Decepticons staged a phony schism within their ranks, allowing the Autobots to believe that they had "disappeared" as a result of a power struggle that had split their ranks into two camps, one led by Megatron and one by Starscream. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Starscream then approached Sunstreaker, whose experience as a Headmaster had left him bitter and jaded, with the proposition that the Autobots join with his forces against Megatron, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} but when the Autobots arrived at the designated time and place, they were instead confronted by the united Decepticon army and quickly defeated by Devastator. After personally tearing [[Matrix of Leadership]] from Optimus Prime's chest, Megatron marched the captive Autobots through the space bridge back to Cybertron, where the Insecticon swarm waited for them. Prime, however, was able to damage the bridge, causing it to deposit the Autobots a safe distance from the swarm, but in the process, fried his own circuits and left himself comatose. Though the Autobots had escaped the fate he had intended for them, Megatron had successfully exiled his enemies to their dead homeworld; moreover, using information and codes gained from Sunstreaker and Hunter, he concurrently orchestrated the event that would later be known as [[Surge (event)|The Surge]], as Decepticons stormed Autobot installations all across the galaxy, achieving total victory. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}}

[[File:AHM1 decepticons attack.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Megatron's urban renewal program was off to a flying start.]]
With galaxy-wide domination accomplished, one year after the Decepticons' battle with the Reapers, Megatron chose Earth to become the new Decepticon homeworld. Together with his men, Megatron stormed [[New York City]], humiliating Starscream with a display of his greater capacity for destruction. When the US Air Force retaliated, Megatron shrugged off their fire and ordered the other Decepticons to engage them; when one damaged jet threw itself toward him in a suicide run, Megatron, outraged at the [[DJ (G1)|pilot]]'s temerity, destroyed it and its occupant with a furious swipe of his hand. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} When US Army forces arrived, Megatron ordered [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] dispatched to deal with them, then sent Devastator to destroy the subway tunnels leading out of the city. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2|All Hail Megatron #2}} With New York secured, Megatron directed the Constructicons to begin building a new space bridge in the city's heart, and had a candid talk with Starscream, revealing his belief that the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]'s attitude and actions marked him as the embodiment of the Decepticon cause, even if he was blind to seeing it himself. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 3|All Hail Megatron #3}} After a series of further attacks on major American cities saw the country firmly crushed under the Decepticons' collective heel, Megatron made a propaganda speech to his men in the ruins of New York. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} As night fell upon the city, Megatron withdrew to privately gloat over the Matrix. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

[[File:AHM6MegatronVsIsrael.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|Starscream just told Megatron that AHM is going to go on for another six issues. He's taking it pretty well, all things considered.]]
As the Decepticons began attacking other countries around the globe, Megatron was questioned by Starscream on what the next step in his plan was. A recalcitrant Megatron merely informed him that it was merely time to savor their victory, but Starscream accused him of not ''having'' any plans post-victory, and was merely allowing his men to run wild to distract them from any notion of taking power for themselves. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}} What Starscream did not realize was that Megatron did indeed have a plan: to defeat the Autobots, he had created an army of killers and monsters, but in order to create his perfect rule, that army would have to be destroyed, the dissenting, distasteful elements obliterated before Megatron's peace could dawn. Megatron was not distracting his warriors... he was ''waiting'' to see which of them would question and turn on him. Silently sorrowful to already know that such dissent would begin with Starscream, an otherwise-model Decepticon, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} Megatron withdrew to [[Israel]] for some silent reflection amid wholesale devastation. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

[[File:AHM10 megs vs devastator.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
Some time later, Megatron surveyed the space bridge Bombshell and the Constructicons had built in New York. He congratulated Bombshell on his work, but revealed that he had always foreseen Bombshell's intellect as a danger—had always known he and his fellow Insecticons would side with Starscream when the time came. His gambit exposed, Starscream made his move and attacked, but the Insecticons proved no match for Megatron's might. The Decepticon leader had failed to anticipate one thing, however: he did not foresee the Constructicons siding with Starscream, and found himself having to fight the mighty Devastator. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} The in-fighting was halted by a last-ditch attack by the mustered might of what remained of the human resistance, forcing Megatron and Starscream to put their differences aside momentarily and organize a defense. This attack came as no surprise to Megatron, but the same could not be said for the next entrants onto the battlefield: the Autobots had returned.

After assuring Starscream that he would be leader in the future, when his time was done, Megatron confronted Optimus Prime, surprised not so much that his old foe had survived, but that he had bothered to return to Earth. Both leaders had always maintained a policy of acceptable losses through their millennia-long war, so Megatron assumed Prime had come back for selfish reasons, to reclaim the Matrix, but Prime insisted that he had changed, and would no longer allow their cold war to endanger innocent lives on this scale. [[File:AHM12 prime vs megs.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Like Homer Simpson putting on his pants, the struggle between Optimus Prime and Megatron remains eternal. [[...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|Almost.]]]] Megatron scoffed at the notion, reavling that Prime's supposedly "innocent" humans were planning to nuke New York, killing millions of their own just to get rid of the Decepticons, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} but Prime retorted that it wasn't ''just'' about the humans, but also about the difference between Autobots and Decepticons. The two came to blows, but Megatron triumphed in short order and commanded the Decepticons to depart, leaving the Autobots to be killed by the humans' nuke... but just before they withdrew, he was shot in the face by human soldier [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], wielding a powerful weapon reverse-engineered from Cybertronian technology. Injured and disoriented by the blast, Megatron was finished off when Prime smashed his face in with his own fusion cannon. As he wanted to ''take'' leadership rather than just have it fall in his hands, Starscream picked up his damaged leader and ordered the Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

[[File:AllHisEngines-Megatron.jpg|thumb|Pretty sure when you float in a bacta tank you're supposed to be wearing a diaper.]]
The Decepticons departed Earth aboard Astrotrain, where the gravely wounded Megatron was put on life support and tended to by Soundwave and his cassettes. With Megatron's life signs only at ten percent capacity, Starscream attempted to appeal to Soundwave's sense of logic and have him shut down so that leadership could be his, but Soundwave refused. Starscream was soon able to take command, however, when he recovered the Matrix of Leadership and professed to have been chosen by it. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13|Uneasy Lies the Head}}

===New body, new powers===
The Decepticons eventually settled on a desolate asteroid, where Megatron was installed in a [[CR chamber|CR tank]]. Retaining some level of awareness of the events occurring around him during his convalescence, he was forced to watch as his army languished in inactivity, their energy slowly ebbing away until they were reduced to cannibalism. {{storylink|All His Engines}} After a year of trying to free his leader from this living death, Soundwave was finally forced to conclude that Megatron's body was beyond repair, and recruited the recently returned Shockwave, whom Starscream had provided with the majority of the Decepticons' resources to create a space bridge, to help build a new body for Megatron's consciousness to inhabit. The operation succeeded and Megatron was reborn in a deadly new body, powered by Ore-13, armed with a devastatingly powerful rail gun, and even equipped with space bridge nodes stolen from Metroplex, which gave him the ability to open space bridge portals on his own. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}}

[[File:IDWongoing15 megatrons new body.jpg|left|thumb|275px|"Uh, it's like...did anyone ever see the movie ''Tron''?"]]
Back in action, Megatron devised a plan to destabilize the relationship between the humans and Autobots on Earth. Together with Soundwave and Shockwave, he chopped up his old body and used it to create human-scaled replicas of his former gun mode, containing small pieces of his own consciousness. When Starscream caught them in the act, Megatron elected to table his plan for the moment, as he considered it folly to go against Starscream's wishes for the moment since the Seeker was still in possession of the Matrix of Leadership. Megatron had never truly understood what the talisman ''did'', but it served as a threat merely by being an unknown variable. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}} Fortunately, for Megatron this variable was soon removed from the equation when Hot Rod, estranged from the Earthbound Autobots, infiltrated the Decepticons' asteroid base and recovered the Matrix from Starscream. Megatron seized his chance, intercepting the Autobot and blasting him and the Matrix out into the void of space. {{storylink|Heart Like a Wheel}}

[[File:SLMegatron stealth bomber mode.jpg|thumb|275px|Behold... the ''Bomberang!'']]
With Starscream's trump card now gone, Megatron had the Decepticons gathered so he could address them. Distrustful of Shockwave's motives for preparing his new body, wary of Soundwave's constant surveillance, and repulsed by the state of his once fearsome Decepticon war machine, Megatron decided that he needed to unequivocally reestablish dominance over the now Matrix-less Starscream. He intended to beat Starscream near to death as a means of letting them both work out their frustrations with Starscream's inability to lead effectively during Megatron's absence, but Starscream did not want to fight—spiritually broken by his failures, he simply wanted Megatron to kill him. Rather than accept this, Megatron instead goaded Starscream into opening fire upon him. This began a running battle between the two, with Megatron pursuing the fleeing Seeker in his new stealth bomber alternate mode, continuing to bait Starscream every time he appeared willing to give up the fight. Incensed by Starscream's accusation that he did not know what it felt like to see everything he had worked for fall apart, when that was exactly what Starscream's pitiful leadership had done to the empire he had created, Megatron pummeled him to within an inch of his life, then paused to explain why he kept a schemer like Starscream around: as a constant reminder to watch his back. The brutal display galvanized the languid Decepticons, and Megatron was ready to begin his scheme. {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}}

[[File:IDWongoing14 megatron guns.jpg|upright=1.66|left|thumb|Megatron doesn't support the NRA. He IS the NRA.]]
Roughly two years after the Decepticons' defeat on Earth, Megatron used his space bridge powers to dispatch a container full of the guns made from his old body to Earth, where they were found by South American gun-runners and illegally disseminated amongst an increasingly paranoid public seeking ways to protect themselves against Transformers. This allowed Megatron's consciousness to spread across North America, until it was focused enough to contact one particular owner of a Megatron gun: [[Joe Gladki]]. He deceived and manipulated the paranoid human, and eventually convinced him to perform an assassination attempt on [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]], the new Autobot leader. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}} In their ignorance, the Autobots then mistook Gladki's gun for Megatron himself and held it captive. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man|The Demolished Man}}

[[File:IDWongoing16 megatron vs autobots.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Not the [[Realignments|first time]] he's traded his [[fusion cannon]] for a [[rail gun]].]]
With the Autobots in chaos, Megatron started the next phase of his plan and returned to Earth personally, where he used his new stealth bomber mode to shoot down a plane carrying Optimus Prime and several other Autobots. He then hunted down the remaining Autobots, effortlessly defeating them and their new temporary leader Ultra Magnus with his powerful new body, and killing some of their [[Skywatch]] allies. Magnus tried to draw Megatron's attention from the humans, claiming the Autobots were the ones he really wanted, but Megatron assured him that humanity was his real target. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} Taking the defeated Autobots captive, Megatron dumped them in a city and directed three of his mind-controlled human puppets to kill them. Contacting Prime directly, Megatron summoned him to the city's outskirts and revealed his plan: crush Prime's spirit and destroy the Autobots' alliance with humanity by forcing them to choose between fighting the humans or allowing them to kill them. Prime found the hole in Megatron's plan, however, when he realized that Soundwave was maintaining the connection between Megatron and his guns, and shot him in the head. His connection to his pawns severed, Megatron scooped up Soundwave and withdrew. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} Thanks to a tracker Ultra Magnus had slipped on Soundwave, though, Prime was able to follow the Decepticons to their bolthole and called Megatron out for a full and proper confrontation. In actuality, Prime had lured Megatron outside so Skywatch could drop a [[kinetic harpoon]] on him, but even a weapon dropped from orbit barely proved able to put a scratch in Megatron's mighty new exostructure. Megatron proceeded to beat Prime senseless, but then returned him to the Autobots, and to their great shock, surrendered to their custody. After recovering, Optimus demanded to know why he had surrendered, but Megatron merely taunted him by revealing that Spike Witwicky had murdered a Decepticon in cold blood. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}} Prime immediately had Prowl begin investigating Spike and Skywatch, and Prowl interrogated the Decepticon leader for information, which he provided after a little verbal sparring. {{storylink|Police Action: Prologue}}

[[File:ChaosTheory1 megatron imprisoned.jpg|upright=1.5|left|thumb|Megatron and Optimus Prime can't agree on a safe word.]]
When Rodimus returned to Earth and warned the Autobots that [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] had taken control of Cybertron, Optimus decided to lead the Autobots in reclaiming their homeworld. In the name of Earth's safety, he elected to bring Megatron and the confiscated guns made from his old body with them. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}} On the way to Cybertron aboard [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], Prime again attempted to discern why Megatron had surrendered, even releasing his old foe from his bonds and having a civil conversation with him about their past together and their dueling ideologies. Optimus tried to reach out to Megatron, offering him the chance to end the war once and for all with a handshake; Megatron appeared to consider it for a moment but ultimately remained silent. With Megatron returned to the confines of the [[variable voltage harness]], the other Autobots pressured Optimus for a decision on his fate: execution or imprisonment. Trying to come to a conclusion, Prime asked Megatron if he regretted any of his actions, but the Decepticon leader remarked that he only regretted not killing ''more'' Autobots. He taunted Prime with the notion that even he was thankful for the war, as it had raised him from a nobody to the greatest Autobot in history, and a furious Prime activated the harness, electrocuting Megatron. The jolt would have killed Megatron if Omega Supreme had not cut the power in time and Megatron, struggling to stay conscious, offered Prime his thanks for saving his life all those years ago in Rodion. Shocked by his actions, Prime realized that Megatron wanted to die and wanted Prime to be the one to kill him. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} Eventually, Prime decided to let Megatron choose his own fate, and Megatron calmly replied that he chose death. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory #2}}

[[File:Chaos2 armored megatron.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb|...Again...?]]
As Omega drew close to Cybertron, Megatron demanded to know who or what was threatening their homeworld, but Optimus Prime refused to provde him with any information. {{storylink| Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}} The Autobots subsequently engaged Galvatron's forces in battle, and while they were occupied, Megatron put into motion the ace he had up his sleeve: taking remote control of the numerous "Megatron guns" aboard Omega, Megatron summoned them to him and combined with them into a new armored mode. Breaking free from his restraints, he headed out to confront Galvatron, intent that nobody would take his world from him. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} As he tore through the Sweeps, Megatron also revealed the reason for his surrender: now that he was back on Cybertron, he could open a space bridge that would allow the massed forces of the Decepticons on Earth to return to their home planet as well. Unfortunately, not long after the Decepticons arrived on the battlefield, Galvatron's secret puppet master, the Dead Universe entity known as the [[D-Void]], seized control of their minds and those of the Sweeps, merging them into a gigantic, monstrous avatar. With Prime occupied pursuing Galvatron into Cybertron's depths, Megatron was left to face this "[[Deceptigod]]" alone. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} Fighting against the D-Void's attempts to ensnare his own mind and make him part of the collective, Megatron was gravely wounded and even lost an arm to the beast, but succeeded into destroying it, blasting it apart with one massive beam from his weapons. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

===The long game===
Even as the Deceptigod disintegrated back into its component Decepticons, Megatron could see the potential the creature embodied—the D-Void had, in essence, created the perfect combiner by means of utterly obliterating free will. With Cybertron reverting into a primordial wasteland around him—a result of Optimus Prime purifying [[Vector Sigma]] with the Matrix to stop Galvatron and the D-Void—Megatron chose to withdraw to experiment with the possibilities this presented. He informed Shockwave, the sole Decepticon who had not been made part of the Deceptigod, of his plans, and Shockwave in turn revealed them to Soundwave and Bombshell. {{storylink|Shockpoint}} While Megatron hid in the wilderness, his Decepticons were left to live as second-class citizens in the new [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] that the Autobots built; Optimus Prime left Cybertron two weeks after the D-Void's defeat to calm tensions with "NAILs"—other unaffiliated Cybertronians—who had returned to their homeworld, but even as he did so, he mused that Megatron must still be out there somewhere. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

[[File:RID11 megatron in wilderness.jpg|left|thumb|225px|Megatron can't find anyone who wants to join his nudist colony to save his skin.]]
In the months of study and experimentation that followed, Megatron discerned that the combination of Ore-13 and space bridge technology in his body somehow gave him the ability to manipulate the natural energy of Cybertron that the D-Void had used to merge the Decepticons into the Deceptigod. After experiments on [[turbofox]]es created larger, more ferocious beasts, Megatron stepped up trials when the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] seceded from the shaky government Bumblebee, [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] and Starscream were building in Iacon and ventured into the wilderness. The signal Megatron had created from the combination energy first drove the Aerialbots mad, before uniting them in body and mind, spontaneously merging them into the gestalt [[Superion (G1)|Superion]], but this newborn Autobot combiner was considered hopelessly insane by Megatron and left to die in the wilderness. The madness aspect of the signal afforded him the chance to revive some of the principles of the infiltration protocol, however, as he blanketed the wastelands in it, forcing the Autobots, Decepticons and NAILs to stay in Iacon, causing natural conflict among them to snowball, providing a useful cover for his actions. To gain a pawn within Autobot high command, Megatron even provided Bombshell with the energy to use in conjunction with his own mind-controlling [[cerebro-shell]]s, ensnaring the mind of Prowl. With the resources and cover control of Prowl provided, Shockwave, Soundwave and Bombshell were able to use Megatron's findings to perfect the combination process, rebuilding the Constructicons with new modular designs that would allow them to merge into a perfect Devastator. The endgame was for Megatron himself to form the head of the combiner, but before risking his own mind and body, Megatron decided that Prowl would be used first as a test subject. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}}

[[File:RID12 kill him.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb]]
The appearance of [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] on Cybertron who declared that Starscream was the "Chosen One" threatened Megatron's ability to easily re-take leadership of his Decepticons, forcing him to step up his schedule. Through Prowl, he had his inner circle gathered together in the secret "[[Black Room]]", then boldly strode into Iacon for all to see. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}} His body shattered and skeletal, he professed to come in peace, but Bumblebee did not accept his surrender and ordered his Autobots to kill him. Indeed, Megatron could possibly have died there and then had Iacon's Decepticons not stepped in, insisting that Megatron's defense of Cybertron during the D-Void's attack marked him a hero and that he be taken into custody instead. {{storylink|City on Fire}} After [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] got through examining him to prove his body concealed no weapons, Starscream approached the imprisoned Megatron and attempted to explain that he was not far away from taking complete power in the government, ensuring a Decepticon victory of a different kind. Megatron merely smiled silently at the notion, terrifying his ex-lieutenant with his grin. Presently, the Decepticons rose up in an angry mob and marched on Autobot high command to insist on Megatron's release; the situation quickly devolved into a riot, during which a squad led by [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] stormed the prison and freed Megatron. {{storylink|The Verge}}

[[File:RID14 new body redux.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.55|New body or not, Megatron may want to think twice about standing [[:File:Devastator-ROTFenemyscrotum.jpg|underneath Devastator's legs.]]]]
Megatron brought Starscream and the captured Bumblebee and Metalhawk to the Black Room, where he explained his plans and had himself transferred into a pre-prepared new body that could combine with the Constructicons' new forms. At his command, the Constructicons and Prowl combined into the new Devastator, who immediately set about razing Iacon. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}} Even the return of Superion seemed unable to stop the powerful new combiner, until help came from an unexpected quarter—Prowl's secret assassin [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] killed Bombshell, taking out Prowl's controller and causing Devastator to shut down. This was no real impediment to Megatron, however, as the successful function of the new combiner process had been proven, and he set out to take ''his'' place as Devastator's head. Before Megatron could reach the fallen gestalt, though, Devastator awoke, possessed of his own unique, united consciousness for the first time, and resumed tearing into Iacon. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}}

[[File:RID20 megatron in forcefield.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|You know you can't catch a break when you find yourself trapped inside a novelty plasma lamp from Spencer's.]]
Still Megatron remained unfazed, calmly fending off Autobot attacks and waiting for the inevitable moment when the heroes would take Devastator down. When [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] succeeded in doing so by managing to reach Prowl, Devastator separated, and Megatron immediately stepped in, re-initiating the combination with himself in control. Seconds before uniting with the Constructicons, though, his plan was foiled by Bumblebee, Ironhide and Prowl's activation of a secret failsafe: Wheeljack had integrated a forcefield generator into Megatron's spark casing during his examination of him, and when it was triggered, he was completely paralyzed in mid-transformation. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}}

In the fallout of the battle, Starscream killed Metalhawk, took control of Iacon and banished the Autobots and Decepticons from the city. He took custody of the immobilized Megatron, and silently gloated over the victory he had accomplished by using guile and politics, rather than Megatron's ways of brute force and firepower. {{storylink|Three Monologues}}

===A new approach===
Megatron would not remain incapacitated for long. That night, as the end result of millennia-long secret machinations by Shockwave, an [[Quintessa (IDW)|undead Metrotitan]] appeared on Cybertron and opened a portal to the Dead Universe in the planet's skies. Through the portal, Shockwave made contact with Galvatron and his master, the exiled Cybertron despot [[Nova Prime]], but was unable to bring them through to Cybertron thanks to the unexpected disappearance of the Titan's space bridge system. Intending to use the space bridge within Megatron as a replacement, {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} Shockwave reanimated the deceased Metalhawk with a wave of necrotic energy from the Titan and had him liberate Megatron and bring him to his secret lab in [[Crystal City]]. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}}

[[File:RID24 i remember you.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Somewhere in the multiverse, [[Override (G1)|Override]] and [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] are smiling.]]
Shockwave hoped that Megatron would comply with his plans willingly, but the Decepticon leader refused and Shockwave forcibly activated the space bridge technology in Megatron's body. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} The opening of the bridge in his chest caused Megatron agony, but his screams were heard by Soundwave, who led the united forces of the exiled Autobots and Decepticons to Shockwave's lab to free his leader. Nova Prime and Galvatron attempted to squeeze their way through the space bridge despite this interference, but Ironhide was able to punch Nova back through into the Dead Universe. Just then, Shockwave's "Necrotitan" came crashing into the subterranean city, and in the chaos, Megatron was freed from the restraints holding him. No sooner had Megatron carried Ironhide to the safe hands of the other Autobots, however, than he was ripped in half from behind by Galvatron, who had successfully emerged through the portal {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}} — a briefer battle, no doubt, than the one Shockwave had foreseen between the pair in a vision at the outset of his scheme. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}}

[[File:MTMTE26 megs and bee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|I smell a sitcom!]]
After the battle was over, Galvatron and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] lugged Megatron's bisected remains back into Crystal City, only to find their way barred by the unlikely form of Bumblebee, who demanded they hand Megatron over. Galvatron attacked the Autobot, at which point Megatron revealed that he was fine, as he took down Waspinator and knocked Galvatron out with a barrage of fusion cannon fire. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} Bumblebee lugged Megatron back to Iacon, currently being razed by the Necrotitan, where the Decepticon leader announced to the assembled Autobots, Decepticons and NAILs his plan to withdraw to [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]], summon the Decepticon Justice Division and other scattered troops, and strike back. Bumblebee rejected Megatron's notion of retreating, and struck a nerve within him by questioning his entire philosophy: Megatron had ''long'' ago abandoned any notion of fighting for freedom and equality, Bumblebee attested, and merely used the claim to ideology as an excuse for his actions. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Fortunately, fighting back suddenly got a lot easier when Metroplex and the ''[[Lost Light]]'' space-bridged to Cybertron. During the battle between the Titans, Megatron observed Metroplex reaching for the ''Lost Light''; when the ship's crew explained that they had Metroplex's severed thumb aboard, Megatron had Bumblebee carry him to it, whereupon he realized that the thumb contained one of Shockwave's [[Regenesis]] ores. Megatron used his internal space bridge to teleport the thumb back to Metroplex, and the ore provided the giant with the power boost to defeat the Necrotitan. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}}

[[File:DCFinale megatron the autobot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95|ಠ_ಠ]]
At Bumblebee's order and under protest, [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] repaired Megatron's injuries and reattached his legs, reminding Megatron of his desire in youth to be a medic. His recent string of failures, the success of ''Starscream'', of all 'bots, and Bumblebee's stinging words had turned the Decepticon leader introspective, and he realized he had forgotten something very important that had driven his writings in his early years: winning meant turning people to your way of thinking, not dominating them. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Subsequently, when Shockwave initiated his millennia-long plan to collapse all reality into a universal black hole, Megatron placed himself and the Decepticons under Bumblebee's command to co-ordinate a counter-strike, and journeyed with his uneasy new "friend" into Shockwave's [[Crystal City]] base to confront their shared enemy. There, they found the weakened Galvatron, who Megatron prepared to destroy for past indignities, until Bumblebee talked him down, convincing him that blood did not have to be repaid with blood. At that moment, Shockwave struck, slaying Bumblebee with a blast, and driving Megatron into a rage. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Empowered by his various ores and the energy of the Dead Universe, Shockwave was a formidable opponent and it was all Megatron could do to hold his own against him until Optimus Prime arrived to join the fight. Prime attempted to reason with Shockwave and remind him of the kindly senator he had once been, but his words had little effect, so Megatron opted for a more object lesson: removing the fallen Bumblebee's insignia, he placed it upon his chest and declared himself an Autobot. The stunned Shockwave lost control of the time machine powering his plot, causing his old pre-[[Shadowplay]] memories to emerge. Horrified at what he had become, he allowed Megatron and Prime to kill him, which caused the time machine to collapse into a singularity. Megatron and Prime made what seemed to be a futile dash for freedom, but were saved from the singularity's pull at the last moment by the timely arrival of the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

===Crimes against the Species===
{{quote|I don't want to be acquitted. I want to '''make amends'''|Megatron on his new goal in life|"[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide]]"}}
[[File:DCFinale this is not a trick.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|Optimus apparently decided a sincere Megatron was a cue for mood lighting.]]
In a private meeting between Optimus Prime and Megatron a short time after Shockwave's defeat, Megatron affirmed that his change of heart was genuine, and Optimus assured him that he could see past his wartime deeds and remember the well-intentioned 'bot he had started out as. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}} The rest of Cybertron, however, demanded a trial; Autobot High Command agreed, realizing that the Decepticon leader's fate had to be decided in public. Before the trial, Megatron was approached by Optimus, [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] and Rodimus in an attempt to extract some of the Decepticon's memories as evidence in hopes of expediting the proceedings, but a horrified Megatron refused, considering the sanctity of his mind all he had left. After Optimus departed, Rodimus remained to taunt Megatron with the certainty of his execution; in return, the impassive Decepticon simply asked Rodimus to deliver a [[communicube]] to Optimus, {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} containing a request to have the trial moved to the [[Raskol Arena]] on Luna 2, in order, he alleged, to accommodate the huge number of spectators that would inevitably attend. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}
[[File:MTMTE28 megatron pleads guilty.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95|I agreed to this trial on the condition of meeting Matlock.]]
Megatron's trial lasted five months. At the outset of the proceedings, Megatron pled guilty to "Crimes against the Species", {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} but things changed when Starscream took the stand and gave a testimony that presented Megatron as an incapable leader who was unable to control the Decepticon forces under his command, a powerful brute lacking in the qualities of true leadership who led his followers down an ultimately self-destructive path. His treacherous lieutenant's words struck home, and Megatron stunned the assembled crowd by changing his plea to "not guilty". {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} Just as his defender, Ultra Magnus, was reading a statement declaring this, the trial was dramatically interrupted by a small army of Decepticons led by [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snap Trap]] and [[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Grr]], who had escaped from the brig on the ''Lost Light''. The invading force attempted to teleport Megatron away to safety, but he refused to escape and the uprising was quickly quelled. During the recess that followed, Optimus confronted Megatron over his true motives: he had requested that the trial be held on Luna 2 in order to exploit the moon's different legal system in the event that he felt the trial was unjust. Caused by Starscream's speech to realize that, were he to submit to execution now, his legacy would be one only of pain and death, Megatron invoked one of the moon's forgotten laws: an individual who had committed sufficiently heinous crimes could request he be judged by the long-lost [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Megatron requested that he be allowed to join the ''Lost Light'' in their search for the Knights and their homeworld of [[Cyberutopia]], thus ensuring that ''that'' would be his legacy, after which he would submit to whatever punishment was deemed necessary. Optimus agreed on the condition that Megatron read a prepared speech denouncing the Decepticon cause and asking all active Decepticons to stand down. Megatron did so, at great personal pain. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} Hurt and angry over this perceived abandonment, Soundwave used Megatron's change of faction as evidence to forge a new allegiance of his own, decamping to Earth and working with the [[Earth Defense Command]] to create a new home for Decepticons there. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}}
[[File:MTMTE30 cocaptains.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|O captain, my co-captain.]]
Megatron was assigned co-captaincy of the ''Lost Light'' alongside Rodimus, who immediately hated the idea and everything about it, leading to a particularly antagonistic relationship between the two. Megatron was permitted only to fuel himself with "[[Fool's Energon]]", which left him substantially weakened. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} Shockwave's machinations had left his internal organs a tortured Gordian knot of space bridge wormholes from which it was impossible to extract his spark; his outward appearance changed between the end of his trial and his co-captaincy, suggesting that his armor was rebuilt around him, or his entire internal structure was transplanted into a new body. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Megatron would later lament that his body did not graft to his spark like past chassis, which he considered a sign of his waning age. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} Optimus would see Megatron off on his voyage before he himself headed off to Earth, a meeting Prowl found deeply disturbing. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}}

===Towards Peace===
[[File:MTMTE28 megatron head examined.jpg|left|thumb|275px|"So Megatron, tell me about your mother." "She was hot."]]
The ''Lost Light'' warped back out to the Galactic Rim and set off on the trail of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], who they considered their best lead on the location of the Knights. A month into the journey, Megatron agreed to a therapy session with ship's psychoanalyst Rung, during which he espoused his current thinking on personal history, and one's ability to selectively edit or abandon entirely previously-held truths. Following the session, Megatron discovered that the door to his quarters had been graffitied, was almost immediately attacked by the culprit, Whirl. During the fight—which Whirl deemed "inevitable"—the ex-Wrecker punched Megatron in the stomach, only to find his hand teleported away by the space bridge tangle inside his body. This took the fight out of Whirl, and Megatron offered to forget the incident if the graffiti was removed from his wall. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Through his internal space bridge, Megatron could sense that Whirl's arm had been teleported into the vicinity of a black hole, and—ever the forward planner, preparing even for the unlikely eventuality that he might change his mind about what he wanted—Megatron was inspired to revive his wartime plan to remotely channel antimatter.{{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

Megatron subsequently oversaw the bringing onboard of a mysterious coffin the ''Lost Light'' found floating in space. A short time later, a drunken dare gone awry resulted in [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] accidentally cracking the coffin open with his forcefield. Megatron reprimanded him by permanently engaging his fuel intake moderation chip, and assigned him the role of Security Director in order to focus his mind. The pair then turned their attention to the opened coffin, which was revealed to contain the body of another Rodimus! {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} A brief analysis suggested that the body was of Rodimus from the future, but before the matter could be settled, the crew of the ''Lost Light'' were forced to abandon the ship as it suddenly began disappearing around them. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}

[[File:MTMTE32 i came to hate the person id become.jpg|thumb|275px|Lolcat is watching you deprecate.]]

Megatron found himself on the [[Rodpod]] with a score of other 'bots, but when ''they'' then began to vanish too, [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] accused Megatron of being responsible. A tense standoff ensued, which was brought to a surprising end when [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] was discovered to have been hiding on the pod, having secreted himself on the ''Lost Light'' in order to spy on Megatron for Soundwave. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} The weirdness continued as the remaining crew of the Rodpod—Megatron, Ravage, Nightbeat, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]], and [[Getaway]]—discovered the wreckage of a second ''Lost Light'', point of origin for the mystery second Rodimus, orbiting the planet [[Ofsted XVII]]. Still believing that the duplicate ship hailed from the future, Skids accused Megatron of being responsible for the devastation, and, realizing that the recent huge changes he had made in his life left him devoid of any surety in his future actions, Megatron allowed himself and Ravage to be imprisoned until the truth could be determined. Locked in a supply closet with Ravage, Megatron had a heart-to-heart with his angry ex-subordinate, justifying his decisions and unable to offer Ravage any consolation. When power returned to the ship, the pair discovered the dead bodies of Ratchet, [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] and [[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]] in the closet with them, sporting injuries that allowed Megatron realize the Decepticon Justice Division were responsible for the slaughter. The team prepared to immedaitely withdraw until an even stranger discovery was made: Autobot archivist [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]], who had died months beforehand... still alive, the only survivor of the D.J.D.'s attack! {{storylink|slaughterhouse}}

[[File:MTMTE33 megatron skids right there.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"...But you're not the [[Skyfall (G1)|worst]] [[Zeta Prime|guy]] [[Star Saber (Victory)|to]] [[Getaway|wear]] the badge. So keep trying."]]
Nautica and Nightbeat were able to deduce that the duplicate ''Lost Light'' and its crew, including the second Rodimus, were actually quantum duplicates created in the explosion of the [[quantum generator|quantum engines]] during the ship's original launch two years prior. To make matters worse, the [[quantum foam]] leaking from the engines was threatening to destroy Ofsted XVII, but Megatron had no compunctions about getting to safety and leaving the planet to its fate until Skids called him out, forcing him to face up to the fact that choosing to be an Autobot meant reflecting it in one's actions. Megatron used his old mass-displacement ability to shrink his robot form down, enabling him to safely make it through the foam and deactivate the engines, saving Ofsted XVII, "cancelling out" the duplicate ''Lost Light'', and reinstating their own. As they made their way back to the returned ''Lost Light'', Megatron invited Ravage to remain at his side. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

[[File:MTMTE38 send me back.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|"AND I WANT YOUR LUNCH MONEY TOO NERD!"]]
Back aboard "their" ''Lost Light'', Megatron discovered the DJD had killed Trailcutter. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}} Though depressed by his death, Megatron was not above removing Trailcutter's forcefield generators from his body in another instance of forward planning. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} Subsequently, the realization that Brainstorm had used his mysterious [[Time case|briefcase]] to travel back in time caused Megatron to have a mini-breakdown over how ''ridiculous'' the whole situation was, but he soon got ahold of himself, and theorized that Brainstorm was attempting to change history by killing Orion Pax. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}} Rodimus led a squad back in time in pursuit, which led to Megatron having a cross-time conversation with the young Orion Pax via Rodimus's "[[time phone]]" communicator. Pretending to be his own younger self during the call, Megatron found the young 'bot's optimism for the future a mixed source of both affirmation and tragic amusement. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} After Rodimus's team made several further jumps, Megatron deduced that the dates they were travelling to were not important moments in Pax's life, but Megatron's own. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}} Realizing that Brainstorm intended to kill ''him'' at the moment of his creation, he flew into a panicked rage, attacking [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] and demanding the scientist send him back in time to save himself, until Ultra Magnus restrained him and the pair talked him down. As events in the past played out, Megatron was visibly shaken to hear that Rewind had been the one to pull the trigger that destroyed the original spark in his body, and that the universe would truly be a better place had he never existed. Although Whirl subsequently set the timeline to rights, Megatron did not join in the celebrations when everyone returned from the past, retiring to his quarters. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}}

[[File:MTMTE43 the old man.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Oh my Primus! WHAT IS THAT?! SOME ONE GET RATC-?!?! ... Oh, wait. Nevermind. False alarm. It's my hand. Almost had me there guys." *tries to look relaxed, and nails it*]]

In silent isolation, Megatron reached out with his mind, trying to make contact with Whirl's arm through his space bridge. If he could teleport the arm ''back'', it would mean he would finally having a working two-way connection to a black hole. After days of trying, however, he still failed to succeed, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} and established another contingency plan by having Ravage recover one of Brainstorm's time-machine briefcases for him before they were all destroyed, thinking he might use it to escape his fate by travelling back in time. Megatron also dedicated some of his spare time to writing poetry, but his works remained largely unappreciated- a single poetry reading at [[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]]'s bar, [["Visages"]], was enough to empty the bar of its patrons. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}} He, Rodimus, and Magnus answered a call from Optimus Prime inviting the ''Lost Light'' back to Cybertron for first contact with the colony world of [[Caminus]], but they declined. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}

While the rest of the crew attended a party aboard the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]'', Rodimus and Megatron refrained from going. {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} The pair soon received an S.O.S. alerting them to an infestation of emotion-eating [[personality tick]]s on the ship; they headed over to help, and their combined charisma proved strong enough to "overdose" and kill the ticks as soon as they stepped into the room. {{storylink|The Frail Gaze}} Soon after, when [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]'s dying mind created a holomatter duplicate of Earth, Megatron took part in the voyage to the artificial plant to help save the metallurgist. The journey required him to project a holomatter avatar for the first time, which led him to note the fragility—but not weakness—of humans when his avatar was cut by broken glass. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

[[File:MTMTE44-MegatronLookAtTheFlowers.jpg|upright=2|right|thumb|"I see a great hand reaching out of the stars. The hand is your hand. And I hear sound; the sound of billions of people calling your name." 
"My followers?" 
"Your victims."]]

When it was discovered that Swerve's life-threatening injuries had been caused by a bullet lodged in his body by the Autobot deep-cover spy [[Dominus Ambus|Agent 113]], Megatron and Magnus studied the bullet together, and discovered that it contained a map to [[Necroworld]], base of operations of the supposedly-mythical [[Mortilus|Necrobot]]. Rodimus proceeded to barge into the room to announce that he had unconsciously drawn a complete map to Cyberuptopia on his desk, and Megatron, unsettled to realize that this mean his day of judgement was now actually on the horizon, announced that, before following said map, they would first detour to investigate Necroworld. Megatron privately confided in Ravage that he wished to stave off his day of reckoning as long as possible... but found that such thoughts rudely pushed from his mind when he bore witness to the massive field of flowers the Necrobot had planted in his honor, representing the countless lives he had taken. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} With the weight of his history laid out before him so beautifully and terribly, Megatron realized that the future could not be avoided, and that any attempt to hide in the past was pointless. He buried the time-case Ravage had stolen for him amid the flowers. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

Megatron's fear of mnemosurgery would once again plague him when he awoke to find little Tailgate trying to perform mnemosurgery on him—part of a plot from [[Getaway]] to provoke Megatron into killing the little guy, in order to have Megatron either executed or imprisoned. The panicked Megatron almost fulfilled Getaway's plan for him, until [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] interceded by running Megatron through with his [[Great Sword]]. {{storylink|The Lopsided Triangle}} Once Getaway's plot had been foiled, Megatron was patched up and made amends with Cyclonus. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} The whole experience proved to be the last straw; determined to break from his old ways, Megatron renounced all violence and became a pacifist. He chose a poor time to do it, unfortunately, as the halls of the ''Lost Light'' were soon stalked by the serial killer [[Sunder (G1)|Sunder]]. Megatron's attempts to talk the murderer into surrendering met with failure, and he had to be saved by Tailgate, whose recent traumatic experiences had induced a mutation in his spark that gave him super strength. {{storylink|Speak, Memory! (Part 2)}} Intrigued, Megatron wondered if ''pain'' was the factor that would give his spark the power to complete his black hole quest. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

When the ''Lost Light'' was preparing to sneak through Mauler-inhabited space, Megatron and Ultra Magnus set about preparing the ship and the crew for the crossing. When a [[Scraplet]]-controlled [[Magnus Armor]] came shambling towards him, Megatron panicked, believing Magnus had come for a hug, before Swerve, Nautica and Whirl arrived to save him. {{storylink|Silent Light}} Not long after, Megatron joined the crew in a brief excursion into the past via "time windows" left over from Brainstorm's time-trip, which they used to honor the fallen crew members of the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}} In the days that followed, unable to think of a reason ''not'' to go, Megatron reluctantly accepted Whirl's invitation to "movie night," which turned out to be a screening of a documentary about his defeat of Sentinel Prime. Megatron disliked the whole production, especially the allegation that he had desecrated Senntinel's remains by ordering the theft of his head. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

===Do Not Go Gentle===
[[File:MTMTE50 megatron class dismissed.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|This is why we don't let you stay up all night listening to "''Instruments of Destruction''", Megs.]]
Megatron oversaw the ''Lost Light'''s campaign to liberate [[Miliarium]] from [[Rust Giant]]s, though he refrained from setting foot on the planet itself in order to maintain his vow of non-violence. He was irked to learn that that the crew had withheld the information the inhabitants of the planet were organic, but he softened when he was given the chance to finally use the "[[roll out]]" command. Subsequently, during one of a series of classes Megatron had begun holding on the subject of the Knights of Cybertron, the ''Lost Light'' was attacked by a kind of "psychic weapon" that made multiple crew members experience terrible visions. Megatron heard the sound of every organic he had ever killed screaming, and momentarily driven mad, he lashed out at Minimus Ambus, who had come to his aid, and was horrified a moment later when he realized he'd reflexively forgotten his pacifism. Megatron and Rodimus led a team aboard the Rodpod to track the signal back to its source; it turned out to have actually been bait in a trap luring them back to Necroworld, where they were attacked by the Decepticon Justice Division, out to claim revenge on Megatron for renouncing Decepticonism. The Autobots took refuge in the Necrobot's fortress and re-established contact with the ''Lost Light'', only to learn that Getaway had staged a mutiny and taken control of the ship in their absence, and had alerted the [[Galactic Council]] to their location. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

[[File:RageRage-Megatronappears.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|You can practically hear "Instruments of Destruction" playing.]]

Searching for weapons to fight the D.J.D., the Autobots found a teleport chamber and a room full of helpless organics in stasis pods. Brainstorm advocated using the chamber to escape, but Megatron—now truly realizing how alike organic and mechanical life was thanks to the trauma of the psychic attack—delivered a stirring speech that convinced everyone to stay to defend the pods. At Ravage's suggestion, Megatron went out to meet with Tarn one-on-one, and offered to surrender to surrender on the condition none of the others would be harmed. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} As the two talked, Megatron expressed regret for "corrupting" who Tarn had been, and even for the fact Brainstorm's attempt to kill him hadn't succeeded. Disgusted to see his hero having "fallen" thus, Tarn began viciously beating Megatron, but Megatron refused to fight back; he even laughed at the irony of how Fool's Energon might have been changing his nature, and he didn't even care. Before Tarn could finish Megatron off, however, Overlord arrived, allied with the Galactic Council in pursuit of his own chance to kill Megatron. Tarn and Overlord fought, giving Megatron a chance to escape. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}}

Though patched up, Megatron still refused to take part in the Autobots' battle with the D.J.D, rejecting the gift of a new fusion cannon Brainstorm had built from the teleport chapter for him, and urging the group to cherish what time they had left rather than waste it in battle. Megatron declared himself too weak and afraid to fight, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} fearful that if he gave into violence, he would lose control and be unable to stop himself from once again becoming the monster he had been in the past. As the others went out to fight, Ratchet attempted to allay Megatron's fears by disclosing that Fool's Energon was only ever a placebo—Megatron had, in fact, been in control of himself all along. [[File:mtmte 55 antimatter.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|left|"I'll light our [[Darkest hour]] the only way I know how! With more darkness!"]] This revelation, coupled with the sight of Ravage being torn in half by Tarn out on the battlefield, spurred Megatron to action. Pain was, indeed, the trigger he had sought; in that moment, he successfully managed to draw Whirl's arm back through his space bridge, forging a functioning link with the black hole. Donning his new fusion cannon, he stormed out onto the battlefield and took on the D.J.D. single-handed while the other Autobots took Ravage back to the safety of the fortress. The fire in Megatron's belly seemed short lived, however, when a well-placed shot from Tarn destroyed his cannon, and he dropped to his knees in the middle of the battlefield, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} but this quickly proved to be nothing more than a feint to draw the D.J.D. in, to trap them within a forcefield created by the generators Megatron had taken from Trailbreaker's body. Dropping his charade, Megatron unleashed the full power of the black hole's antimatter on the D.J.D., slaughtering each and every one of them. Before ending Tarn, he snatched his Decepticon-insignia facemask and slapped it onto his own chest; he would allow the antimatter to destroy him, and he would die as a Decepticon. Fate had a different path planned for Megatron, however; using the time-case Megatron had buried on the planet, which had been recovered by the Necrobot, Rodimus teleported into the forcefield and whisked Megatron away to safety before the antimatter detonated.

Reappearing in the fortress, Megatron was able to be by Ravage's bedside as he died from his injuries, with a final entreaty to Megatron that he "not change back." Megatron flew into a rage and almost turned his cannon on the Autobots before regaining control of himself. Realizing what he had done, Megatron tried to leave, only for [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] to suddenly appear to bar his way—one of the occupants of the pods, who were ''not'' organics, but causalities of conflict rescued from throughout time by the Necrobot using the case. Pulled back from the brink at the last moment, Megatron dropped his cannon and embraced his old friend. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

When [[Scarlett]] and [[Joe Colton (Dire Wraith)|Joe Colton]] discussed the Cybertronian influence on [[Earth]], Megatron's infiltration unit as well as his devastating invasion of Earth were key points. In light of Optimus Prime's recent actions, Colton seemed to have his doubts on whether or not Megatron had truly been the 'evil' one. {{storylink|Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|Secret Raiders}}
{{-}}

===A New World===

Terminus' reappearance was down to the Necrobot time-travelling to rescue 'missing in action' robots, and the "organics" in the basement had in fact been those robots in disguise.{{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} Megatron tried to fill in his old friend about the war, much as he doubted his objectivity. This was a disrupted by a minor quake which shook the whole planet. Deciding to finish his story later, Megatron paid his last respects to Ravage before [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] burst free from the ground. The two explained the quake as a [[Geobomb|geobomb]] sent by the [[Galactic Council]] but had seemingly burnt itself out. Megatron joined the group to return to Cybertron and collect a new ship, mainly to see Starscream's face when he revealed he was still alive. When Terminus said that Iacon was beautiful, Megatron began to correct him before he saw a bustling metropolis. Before the crew could process what happened, [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] showed up to arrest them. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}}

[[File:anomie jabbing megs.jpeg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Hey. Put it away before I take it away.]]

Rewind quickly managed to deduce that the crew had been sent into [[Functionist Universe|another universe]], one where Megatron had never come online and the Functionists still ruled. After trading wits with the councillor, Megatron ordered the crew to surrender in the hope of reasoning with the Council. As the crew was marched through Iacon, the rebel [[Anti-Vocationist League]] tried to save them and got their arses kicked by [[Functionary|Functionaries]] in short order. Rodimus talked Megatron into action who, with a weary sigh, casually broke out of his stasis cuffs and directed the battle without even lifting a finger, much to Terminus' pride and amazement. The moment was ruined when [[Six-of-Twelve]] appeared on every TV on Cybertron, telling everyone they would see what the "Useless One", Rung, was actually ''for''. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} The crew was brought to [[Kalis|Adaptica]] where [[Clicker]] explained why the Council had to grant the refugees safe haven before they were greeted by the sympathetic [[Nine-of-Twelve]]. Megatron abstained from the following meeting to meet with those who had removed their optics in protest of the Council using them as spies. Megatron approved. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

Even when [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] suddenly returned, Megatron continued to watch Six-of-Twelve's broadcast and began fearing for the future when it was announced the Council was going to try and get to [[Vector Sigma]]. Megatron went to collect everyone so as to rescue both Rung and Vector Sigma. Before that discussion could continue, Luna 2 grew new craters and began sucking up people with its [[tractor beam]]s. Megatron quickly demanded details from Nine-of-Twelve (lest they decide he was complicit in this) who quickly offered them. Rodimus however was more interested in the moon's teleporter which Megatron called him out on for being more interested in chasing down the ''[[Lost Light]]'' than saving people. Rodimus in turn accused Megatron of wanting to stay in the Functionist timeline so as to not be judged by the [[Knights of Cybertron]] and laughing that Megatron wanted to do good after killing so many. Minimus Ambus halted their argument and Rodimus agreed to Megatron's plan to rescue Rung but on the condition that they would leave once they'd saved the day. Megatron told Nine-of-Twelve to rally the troops only for the councillor to inform him they had no troops. When he asked about offensive capabilities, Megatron learnt that most of the more powerful weapons hadn't been invented in the current timeline. He made due with putting what few weapons he had in the best positions before ordering Nine-of-Twelve to lead the evacuations. Megatron managed a small smile when he learnt that Ambus didn't share Rodimus' belief that Megatron was running from his trial. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}}

With Megatron's tactics, the beleaguered defenders were able to distract Luna 2 long enough for the refugees to escape. As Megatron and [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] discussed the conspicuous absence of the native Orion Pax, the tractor beams increased in intensity prompting Terminus to call the two to evacuate. After Roller made his way out, Terminus attempted to convince Megatron to stay in the Functionist Universe, an idea Megatron admitted to entertaining, but ultimately refused to do, citing his need to make amends back home and that his friends aboard the ''Lost Light'' were the conscience he had to answer to. At the point, the statue they were in was sucked up by the tractor beams. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:LostLight6MegatronEnding.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|A brand new autobiography. Same title. Different words.]]

Though the beams began ripping Megatron apart, Terminus managed to free himself and saved his protege by firing at the tractor beam emitters, though accidentally shooting down the commandeered [[Cog (base)|Cog]] in the process. As the native Rung super-sized himself to attack the moon, Megatron assured [[Clicker]] that Rung's own choices were open defiances of Functionism. At that moment, Rodimus came with the news that they could head home and save this Cybertron. Terminus revealed his intent to stay behind with Megatron requesting a moment to say goodbye to his mentor, his serious demeanour convincing Rodimus to grant it. As Megatron and Terminus said their final words, Terminus got a call and quickly ushered Megatron to a [[matter transporter]] only to find it abandoned. As Megatron ran back out to tell Terminus, Luna 2 teleported away to Megatron's shock and horror. Deciding to make the most of his new situation, went on a "speaking tour", visiting the [[Anti-Vocationist League]]'s scattered cells, all over the planet, uniting them via his rhetoric and his new slogan of "Peace Through Empathy". After speaking at his old stomping ground of [[Nova Point]], Megatron went outside to contemplate the night sky before being interrupted by the chime of his communicator... having been contacted by the native Orion Pax. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}

===Legacy===
Among [[Agonizer]]'s rare knick-knacks was an unfinished poem by Megatron. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} When questioned by Bumblebee on why he insisted on remaining alone in the world, Starscream brought up the many beatings he'd received at Megatron's hand as a life lesson to remain alone and constantly on guard. {{storylink|The Price of You}} Such was Starscream's fear of his former leader that the Seeker seized up with fear when [[Vigilem]] assumed Megatron's form as he was when leading the Decepticons. Using the image of Megatron, Vigilem came within a hair's breath of destroying Starscream's mind, all the while the Seeker being too terrified to fight back. {{storylink|Your First Mistake}} Despite Megatron's defection, [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] still considered him a wise man and quoted his writings to incite a [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]] rebellion. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}}

When [[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] was interviewed by the human news, he remembered Megatron's invasion of Earth. {{storylink|What It's Really Like}} [[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sideswipe]] also remembered Megatron making a deal with Sunstreaker that preceded the invasion. {{storylink|The Life of Sideswipe}}

When Earth was properly inducted into the [[Council of Worlds]], [[Scarlett]] remembered the devastation Megatron had brought to Earth and wondered whether or not Earth was out of its weight class against Cybertronians as well as if Earth was truly ready to join the Council. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} While in jail on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Scarlett confessed to Optimus Prime that she had primarily come to Cybertron to save [[Joe Colton]] from himself, something which Optimus sympathized with, having gone through similar experiences with Megatron. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}} When justifying his genocidal campaign to Scarlett, Joe Colton claimed Earth was "one more Megatron" away from complete extinction. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

In [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]]'s [[Starscream: The Movie (film)|biopic]] of Starscream, Megatron was portrayed by [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]]. Thundercracker admitted he'd taken some creative liberties with Megatron's bodily appearance but felt those changes would help an unfamiliar audience more readily recognize the characters. {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}}

After receiving a life sentence, Starscream defended his reign to Bumblebee by stating that, unlike Megatron, he hadn't plunged Cybertron into four million years of war. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}}

After seemingly dying and being sent to the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]] had sent Rodimus into a mild depression, [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] rhetorically asked "What Would Megatron Do?", threatening Rodimus's fragile ego enough to rally him into action. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}}

===The Great Return===
[[File:LL21 Megatron Returns.jpg|thumb|left|200px|"Did'ja miss me?"]]
Megatron subsequently became leader of the AVL, drawing both Orion and [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] into the fold, while also taking time to fulfill his original ambition of becoming a medic. Megatron also found the discarded ''Unitrex-1'' and claimed it as the flagship of the AVL, dubbing it the ''[[Last Light (ship)|Last Light]]''. When the Functionist Council built a set of [[planetary engine]]s onto Cybertron to compensate for Luna 2's loss, the AVL followed them through the [[Warren]], warning many alien populations of the Functionists' genocidal intentions and allowing them to evacuate in time. The Functionists responded to this by engineering Cybertron with a robot mode cast in the likeness of [[Primus]]. Megatron's heroism eventually drew the attention of the Functionists who took great pride in killing his closest allies before eventually believing to have slain the ex-tyrant at [[Perseppalae]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

In truth, both Megatron and the ''Last Light'' had survived and continued to follow the Functionist recon ships. When the [[Adaptus|Grand Architect]]'s [[God Gun]] opened a portal back into Megatron's native universe, the ''Last Light'' was caught up in the rush, emerging ahead of the enemy fleet. Detecting his friends' spark signatures, Megatron immediately called Rodimus. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}} Though the Autobot initially believed that Megatron was the one staging the invasion, Megatron was quick to correct him, drawing their attention to the planet-sized Primus effigy, before requesting their coordinates for rescue. Once the ''Last Light'' shook off the recon ships, Megatron ordered his friends freed, recovering most of them from the Architect's clutches ([[Scavenger (group)|and a few Decepticons too]]) before he caught them all up on what had transpired since they'd parted ways. When the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] proposed blowing up "Primus", Megatron immediately shot down the idea, noting the billions of innocent Cybertronians still trapped on their homeworld. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}} After Rodimus had freed himself and reclaimed his ship, the two ships set down to compare notes with everyone transferring over to the ''Lost Light''. Despite the Magnificence's boasts of intelligence, Megatron still refused to blow up "Primus". His devotion to saving the citizenry proved the catalyst for a group brainstorm to come up with a plan to simultaneously open ''twelve'' [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices of Leadership]], one each of the the planet's [[hot spot]]s, to overload Vector Sigma and kill the Functionists merged with the computer. At this, the Magnificence spoke in the unholy voice of the [[Omega Guardian]]s, revealed to have been manipulating events and needing "Primus" to explode, who swore to return and "eat everything". Megatron made an impassioned speech to the aliens, swearing to stop them, and distracting them long enough for [[Nickel]] to simply crush the Magnificence. The distraction however meant that the ''Last Light'' was left unattended when the Functionists finally turned their attention to the last Cybertron, violently dying with the planet. When the ''Lost Light'' took off, Megatron ordered the ship turned around so they could save the universe. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremebering}}

[[File:LL24 Megatron GNNN!.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Megatron is forced to admit that he'll never truly have [[The Touch]].]]
After [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] showed up and slammed [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] into the gargantuan robot's [[neural cluster]] to convert it back into planet mode, Megatron coordinated with [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] to properly ally with the Grand Architect's remaining troops. With Rodimus, Megatron made his way to the [[Nova Point]] hot spot where they were beset upon by legions of [[Functionary|Functionaries]]. To complicate matters, the Matrices refused to open, prompting Megatron to rally Rodimus into giving a final speech to the crew and reaffirm their morality. Though the speech had the desired effect, it left Rodimus open to having his left arm blown off before he could open his own Matrix. Megatron took over and tried to open the talisman himself, but his lingering doubts and guilt meant it refused to open for him. The weakened Rodimus then requested the artifact, managing to open it by substituting his missing limb with his teeth, the energies of all twelve destroying the Functionists and reigniting Luna 1's dormant hot spot. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

[[File:MegatronGoodbye.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
As the crew took stock, [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] arrived to inspect "New Cybertron" before declaring that, since the [[Knights of Cybertron]] didn't exist, Megatron would once again have to stand trial, this time with the [[Galactic Council]] presiding. Over Rodimus's protests, Megatron agreed to go quietly but was nonetheless allowed to join the ''Lost Light'' for one last "victory lap" cruise. As the crew prepared to quantum jump home, the science team proposed the risky gamble of recreating the malfunctioning launch, thereby quantum duplicating themselves before then shunting the duplicates into a parallel universe to ensure that the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s adventures would never truly end. When the time to jump came, the crew simply wound up back on Cybertron.

As they all settled into ''Swerve's'' for a last drink, Magnus recited his favorite poem, which Megatron revealed to have written under a pseudonym. Adding that it was Impactor's favorite too, Megatron lamented that he'd wasted his life. Not wanting to leave it at that, Magnus gave a toast to all the friendships and bonds they'd forged... before construction cranes killed the moment and began dissembling the ship.

With Ultra Magnus once again acting as his defense orator, Megatron stood trial, Rodimus even falsely testifying that Megatron had been the one to open the duplicate Matrix. As the jury debated between infinite imprisonment and outright execution, Rodimus and Megatron had one last discussion, with Megatron revealing he'd always held onto his [[Rodimus Star]], before Magnus led him away. On their way to the sentencing chamber, Magnus revealed he was going to follow Megatron's advice and destroy the [[Magnus Armor]].

Years later, when Ratchet had passed, Rodimus placed Megatron's withered Rodimus Star on his tomb.

And far away, in some distant corner of the multiverse, the duplicate ''Lost Light'' materialized, ready to set sail for an infinity of new adventures. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}
[[File:Theadventureisforever.jpg|thumb|400px|center|'Til all are one]]

===Pax Cybertronia===
In a vision of the future seen by Ironhide and Alpha Trion during the reformatting of Cybertron, fifteen million years hence, Ironhide still believed Megatron to be alive and promised a young Autobot they would defeat him again if he ever returned. {{storylink|Pax Cybertronia (issue)|Pax Cybertronia}} {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}}
{{-}}

==''Spotlight: Mirage''==
[[File:SLMirage all in good time.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Somewhere, in an unknown time or place, the self-serving mercenary Mirage dreamed of Megatron and his Decepticons launching a massive attack on the Autobots. But Mirage knew that to only be a dream; in reality, the Autobots were almost eradicated, and Megatron had hired him to hunt down the last of their number. Megatron was outraged by the mercenary's demand for a majority share in all energon mining operations as payment, but it proved to be fuel well spent, as he soon succeeded in locating Optimus Prime and forcing him to surrender. Megatron demanded the prisoners be executed despite Mirage's promise to spare Autobot lives. Seeing Mirage's hesitation, Megatron appealed to his greed. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}
{{--}}

==Ask Vector Prime==
[[File:Megatron cam.jpg|left|150px|thumb|I think this is a killing joke!]]
In [[Primax 708.10-R Lambda]], Megatron cracked the codes to an Autobot forward listening outpost. He walked in, shot [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], and then laughed and took a photo of what he had done. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/06}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:MegatronOrigin2 Megs hair.jpg|thumb|100px]]
*In [[Megatron Origin issue 2|''Megatron Origin'' #2]], we see that Megatron's helmet is, in fact, a helmet and not part of his head (at least in his original body). Upon removing his helmet, Megatron then briefly unfurls a crest. The significance of this moment is not explained, but it is briefly revisited in [[Remembrance Day|''More than Meets the Eye'' #14]] when a helmetless Megatron spars with [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]].
[[File:MTMTE Megatron Alt.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
*Apparently, the stealth bomber Megatron design used in IDW for a while was created by artist [[Don Figueroa]]. However, he created the design as part of a story pitch to editor [[Andy Schmidt]]; a pitch the editor rejected. Schmidt proceeded to use the design for this comic, but without compensation or credit to Figueroa; something the artist was highly displeased about.<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/energonpub/don-figueroa-designed-idw-s-stealth-bomber-megatron-but-wasn-t-compensated--t96022s0.php archive of Figueroa's post on the subject at Seibertron forum]</ref>
*Megatron's post-"[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]" body was never seen transformed into its alt mode, although Alex Milne tweeted concept art during the run of ''Lost Light'' that showed Megatron transformed into a heavy tank. As this tank design would have required Megatron's signature Fusion Cannon, which had been discarded prior, it would have been left largely unhelpful anyway. The retailer incentive cover for [[Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|''Lost Light'' #3]], however, showcases a different tank design, using a different cannon.
*In [[How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2|''Lost Light'' #25]], it is revealed that Megatron (under a pseudonym) wrote Ultra Magnus's, and Impactor's, favorite poem, "Afterlight". ''"You flare, you flicker, you fade. And in the end, all your tomorrows become yesterdays."''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Anti-Vocationist League]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Gladiators]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Point One Percenters]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]

How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2

2018-12-03T04:59:07Z

Djelibaebi:

{{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=[[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|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 the 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]]!''
[[File:LL25 It Never Ends.jpg|thumb|400px|center|''*curtains close*'']]

==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).
*Prowl proposes setting up the decommissioned ''Lost Light'' as a monument on the [[Mitteous Plateau]], a region of Cybertron introduced all that way back in ''More than Meets the Eye'' #1, adjacent to the ship's original launch site.
*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 bottle 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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]], [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], and Ten himself.
*The figurines stand around a model Lost Light created by Rung back in [[Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #37]].
*Bluestreak reminisces with Lug and Anode about how he tried to kill them (after being turned into a Sparkeater) on Mederi, which we saw in [[Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|issue #19]].
*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 "[[Afterlight]]," a poem written by Megatron in his youth. Megatron wistfully notes the poem was also [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'s favorite.
*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]]. Later, on twitter, James Roberts would confirm that this indicated the two were a couple. More interestingly though, it would seem Brainstorm has a [[Quark|type]].
* All the way back in [[The Transformers: Infiltration|''Infiltration'']], the very first story-arc of this continuity, Ratchet was the first Autobot to be introduced, when he rescues [[Hunter O'Nion]] and [[Verity Carlo]] from [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]]. While not the last issue in terms of release, it is the last to happen chronologically, thanks to the scenes that take place during Ratchet's funeral years after the end of the quest. The entire continuity begins and ends with Ratchet.

===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].
*Drift is shown to have started referring to Ratchet by the pet name of "Ratty" during their relationship. The name is a reference to ''{{w|The Wind in the Willows}}'' character Rat, who was known as "Ratty" to his friends.

===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.
*On page 9, panel 3, Rodimus is mistakenly colored in the purple and blue colors that he had for the majority of ''Lost Light''.
*On page 16, panel 2, Minimus Ambus says: "500 million sparks brought to term. 500 Lunarians given somewhere to live..." That ought to be "500 ''million'' Lunarians," a restatement of the previous sentence in different terms, rather than the implication that only 500 of the 500,000,000 sparks had been given homes and jobs.

===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|''And we sailed out on orders from him but we found''
File:LL25 cvrB.jpg|''The maps he sent to us''
File:LL25 cvrRI.jpg|''Didn’t mention lost coastlines...''
</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]]

The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day

2018-11-30T05:26:39Z

Djelibaebi:

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=53
|prev=The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears
|next=The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage
|image=MTMTE53_regcvr.jpg
|title="The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day"
|caption=''Men of Harlech, stop your dreaming Can't you see their spear points gleaming''
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 25]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=May 2016
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]] (pg 1-13, 19-20) and [[Hayato Sakamoto]] (pg 14-18)
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2016)]]
}}
'''In the final hours before the sun sets, Rewind and Chromedome finally solve the mystery of Dominus Ambus.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:AtCloseOfDay-tailgatedemolishes.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|''Hey yo, I'm just like my country'' ''I'm young, scrappy and hungry'' ''And I am not throwing away my shot!'']]
In the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]]'s fortress, [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] finishes up repairs on [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] while simultaneously perusing [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]]'s case notes from recent events in order to get caught up on what has happened while he's been away. He expresses some concern for [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], observing that other crewmembers exposed to the energy released by his spark upon its mutation have experienced sudden system crashes, but the group can't worry too much about that right now, as the little 'bot is hard at work demolishing part of the fortress to provide [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] with raw materials to make weapons. Although the team is making ready to fight, they also must prepare for the worst, and so [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] records some last words from each of them, to be sent out in the event of their deaths.

Despite the danger, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'s mind is preoccupied with the mystery of the hollow planet on which they now stand, and he convinces [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Minimus Ambus]] to allow him to spend the remaining daylight hours investigating it. He ropes [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] into helping him, but just before they depart, they are called into a room by [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], along with Brainstorm, Velocity, and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. Casting hesitations aside in the face of impending death, Nautica recites the formal oath that bonds each of them to her as [[Amica Endura]]. Afterward, however, as Rung leaves with Nightbeat, his parting with Skids seems noticeably awkward.

[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] volunteers to perform [[mnemosurgery]] on the captive Pet in order to obtain the location of the [[Decepticon Justice Division|DJD]]'s [[Peaceful Tyranny|spaceship]] for [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]. As he injects the little creature, however, the experience proves stranger than expected, and he soon comes to a horrifying realization: the Pet is not a [[turbofox]] at all, but a Transformer...

Simultaneously, Rewind watches as Brainstorm measures Minimus Ambus for a new armor, which leads Minimus to mention that the ability to carry a heavier load was the one thing he was better at than his brother and fellow Loadbearer [[Dominus Ambus]]. Rewind is shocked to learn that his former [[Conjunx Endura]] kept the secret that he was a Loadbearer from him, and immediately opens the [[Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy]] on the Necrobot's computer so that Minimus can find Dominus's true appearance in it. Minimus does so with ease, pulling up his brother's base alternate mode: a turbofox.

[[File:It's not your decision to make.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|''There are moments that the words don't reach...'']]
Understanding strikes Rewind and Chromedome at the same time, and the little archivist runs straight to the medibay (pausing only to sock Rodimus on the jaw for letting Chromedome inject yet again), where Chromedome pulls the full truth from The Pet's memories. Dominus disappeared because ''he'' was the Autobot undercover operative [[Dominus Ambus|Agent 113]], but when his true identity was discovered by the D.J.D., they "domesticated" him as a form of torture, locking him in beast mode by removing his [[transformation cog]] and lobotomizing him, turning him into their Pet. Chromedome has begun to repair Dominus's mind, but the mnemosurgeon's spark starts to fade thanks to the rigors of the procedure. Rewind urges him to stop, but Chromedome explains that Dominus will die if he does, and that he is willing to give up his life so that Rewind and Dominus can be together. Rewind refuses to let him, grabbing [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s sword and slicing Chromedome's needle-arm off, severing the connection, and saving his life at the cost of Dominus's.

[[File:MTMTE53FullyArmedBatallion.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6|''Let's show these Federalists who they're up against'' ''SOUTHERN'' '''''MOTHERFRAGGING''''' ''DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICANS'']]
Hours later, the forces of the D.J.D. gather outside the fortress's [[storm shield]], while [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] work to finish assembling perimeter defenses. As Cyclonus puts the finishing touches to a turret, Whirl asks him about his relationship with [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] and whether or not they are "together." Cyclonus angrily informs him that they are not, because Tailgate deserves someone better than him, but vows that no harm will come to him this day. With the turret completed, Whirl fires upon the Decepticon mob, but unfortuntely discovers that in addition to preventing the Decepticons from firing ''in'', the storm shield prevents the turrets from firing outward. With only twenty minutes until sunset, Whirl and Cyclonus head back inside the fortress to share this report, leading Rodimus to contemplate simply shutting the shield down and facing death head-on. Megatron urges him to reconsider and for the group to cherish every minute of life they have left; from his tone, and the fact that he rebuffs the gift of a freshly-constructed [[fusion cannon]], Rodimus realizes that Megatron does not intend to stand with them in the fight. Calling himself too weak and too afraid, Megatron slinks away, leaving even [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] ashamed of his once-great leader. But where Megatron has let the team down, Brainstorm has not: he has constructed an absolutely ''colossal'' new suit of "Maximus Ambus" armor for Minimus that will give the D.J.D. as hard a fight as possible. Though Nightbeat and Rung have not yet returned, Rodimus welcomes the team into a group hug, thanks them all for travelling with him... then deactivates the storm shield, so that they may all rush out and meet their destiny together.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (1)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (4)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (5)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (6)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (7)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (8)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (9)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Dominus Ambus|Dominus Ambus/The Pet/Agent 113]] (10)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (11)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Minimus Ambus]] (12)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (13)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (14)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (15)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (16)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (23)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] (17)
*[[Nickel]] (18)
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] (19)
*[[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] (20)
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (21)
*[[Leozack]] (22)
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] (25)
|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (24)
*[[Ten]] (26)
}}

==Quotes==
"And Minimus is okay with this..." 
"Yes, provided I don't go alone. I said I'd take someone he could do without. Joking." 
"You're not, though, are you?" 
"No."
:—'''Rung''' and '''Nightbeat'''

"I bid you stand in the glow of my spark that you may feel the heat of my words and know them to be true. I invite you to '''receive my light''' and in doing so becoming Amica Endura—from now until forever. Rung, for your '''words.''' Brainstorm, for your '''intellect.''' Lotty, for your '''determination.''' Nightbeat, for your '''curiosity.''' And Skids, for your '''kindness.''' Your kindness and your '''dancing.''' As you are to me, may I be to you—today, tomorrow, and always."
:—'''Nautica''' recites the Amica Endura oath

"If I pull out now, he'll '''die!''' His mind will '''collapse''' and he will die!" 
"But if you stay in there, '''you'll''' die..." 
"It doesn't '''matter!''' There's never been room for both of us in your life anyway!" 
"But I can't..." 
"Yes you '''can'''! <big>'''''YOU CAN HAVE HIM INSTEAD OF ME!'''''</big>" 
(beat) 
''SLIKT'' 
"It's not your decision to make, Domey. It's not your decision to make."
:—'''Chromedome''' and '''Rewind''' creating the first cry-your-eyes-out moment of this issue

"No. We haven't spoken. Not about that. Important things are '''felt''', not '''said'''." 
"I'll take your word for it. I don't do "relationships." My world begins and ends with me. So why '''aren't''' you guys a couple?" 
"......he deserves better. He's '''kind.''' He '''cares''' about people. The more he's pushed away, the more he reaches out." 
"So it's not the height difference." 
"It is, in a way. '''He towers over me.'''" 
"Well, I still think you should be spending the rest of your lives together. I mean we're talking all of '''24 minutes''', but..." 
"Oh, we'll survive this. '''He'll''' survive, at any rate." 
"Because of the upgrade?" 
"Because I'll split this world open and tear down the sky before I let him come to even the '''slightest''' harm."
:—'''Cyclonus''' and '''Whirl''' creating the second cry-your-eyes-out moment of this issue.

"C'mere, guys... Group hug. Thanks for travelling with me. Ready?"
:—'''Rodimus''' creating the third... I'm not... ''I'm not crying, dammit!''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Ratchet names [[Powerflash]] and [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] as those affected by the energy released by Tailgate; they were part of the security team who confronted him and Cyclonus in [[The Lopsided Triangle|issue #47]]. Ratchet compares the sudden burnout they have suffered to the effects of [[Ore-13|Ultra-Energon]], which was known to cause those who used it to burn out after it ran out—this fate befell [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] in ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' and Megatron in ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation]]''. The footnote refers the reader all the way back to ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'', in which the substance was introduced.
*A one-panel cutaway shows Swerve having a breakdown. Rightly so, since we learned in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]] that he's seen the D.J.D. in action in the past, and should know better than just about anyone what the group's in for.
*The recording of the message seen in [[The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|issue #50]] takes place off-panel this issue. It was in that same issue that we learned the Necrobot's planet was hollow.
*Rewind snarls that Rodimus is an "enabler" for Chromedome's injecting habit. Chromedome declared he'd given it up for good back in [[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|#27]] but six months later, Rodimus cajoled him to do it again ''just this once'' [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|in #30]], [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|#36]], and [[Speak, Memory: Part 1|#48]].
*At long last, the mystery revealed! Dominus Ambus was first introduced to audiences in [[Before & After|issue #12]], when Chromedome told Tailgate his story, and the unanswered question of what became of him has hung over the series ever since. With this issue, we learn that he was the mysterious "Agent 113", the Autobots' mole inside the D.J.D. originally introduced in the prose story "[[Bullets]]" in 2010. The revelation that he was a Loadbearer explains the different appearance he had when he was serving as the previous Vos, seen in [[The Not Knowing|issue #44]]. The designation "113" (which #44 told us was chosen by [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] and which Ultra Magnus noted probably "meant something") is revealed to have been taken from the number applied to his turbofox alternate mode in the Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy.
*Further, a lot of Dominus's history now takes on increased meaning: as a tiny beast-former, with a form frowned on by [[Functionism]], the idea that he was responsible for creating the [[Ambus Test]] to validate the sentience of such Cybertronians makes even more sense, as does his treatment of, and ultimately loving relationship with, a [[Disposable class]] 'bot like Rewind. This also adds an extra dimension to Dominus staying in his shell and never revealing his true inner form, as this would allow him to 'pass' for a 'higher' functioning Transformer.
*In [[Functionist Universe|an alternate timeline]], Dominus Ambus was put in charge of categorizing "the animals" within the Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy.
*Dominus was subjected to "domestication" to turn him into the D.J.D.'s pet, lobotomizing him and removing his [[transformation cog]]. We've seen this horrifying process before, back in [[Animals|issue #47]], in which it was revealed that Decepticon [[Demus]] was performing it on other Cybertronians to turn them into "torture-dolls" to sell to alien races. The "meet the cast" page all the way back in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]] even described the Pet as "domesticated"!!
*In fact, the Latin-rooted "Dominus Ambus" never seemed to make a ''heck'' of a lot of sense for the character, effectively meaning "Master Walks." But ''now'', well, it seems like it might have been foreshadowing all along, 'cause... who's good boy? Walkies? You want master to take you walkies? Yes you do ess oo doo ess oo ''dooooo'' lets go walkies
*The reveal of just what the Pet really is puts [[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon's]] obvious emotional attachment to him in a much creepier light. It also makes Tarn's violent reaction last issue a bit more understandable; Kaon wasn't just blubbering about a lost pet, he was expressing love and concern for ''an enemy spy''.
* Chromedome mentions that Dominus ''"was Agent 113! The *original* Agent 113!"'', which implies both that Dominus had a successor and that Chromedome knows that the original has been replaced. This is probably alluding to a (fortunately) cut plot in which Chromedome and Prowl were complicit in the disappearance of Dominus Ambus.
* On the other hand, this could be a dialogue error and the line is meant to read "was Vos! The *original* Vos!", which would also make (more) sense in this context.
*After Rewind slices Chromedome's arm off, the shot of them lying on the floor together mirrors the final page of [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]]. Chromedome's even missing the same arm! On top of that, Drift's short sword was basically the reason Rewind # 1 had to sacrifice himself against Overlord back in that same issue. Here, Rewind # 2 uses Drift's short sword to save Chromedome's life and thus...sacrifice Dominus Ambus.
*Whirl notes that Tailgate was "wearing Cyclonus's energon for a while," as seen in [[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|issue #49]].

===Real-life references===
*As with the previous chapters, this issue's title (and the title of the multi-parter itself) is taken from the poem "{{w|Do not go gentle into that good night}}," by {{w|Dylan Thomas}}.
*Velocity notes that Ultra Magnus wanted to read the group a poem "about poppies." The poem, as alluded to by the "next issue" caption, is "{{w|In Flanders Fields}}", by {{w|John McCrae}}, a memorial poem about the trench warfare that took place in the poppy fields of Flanders, [[Belgium]], in World War I. Such warfare often involved the tactic of "going over the top," charging towards enemy forces and facing near-certain death, hence the evocative use of the poem here, paralleling the crew's actions.
*Given the above, it's likely no coincidence that the Necroworld is covered with flowers.

===Errors===
*On page five, Nautica invites the gang to be her "amica endura" (singular), when the plural has previously been established by Nightbeat as "amica endur'''ae'''." (If we want to get ''really'' technical, the Latin pluralization should be "amic'''ae''' endur'''ae'''.") This is corrected in the trade paperback.
*On page eight, Minimus says Dominus was "even more sensitive about his height that I was," instead of "than I was." This is corrected in the trade paperback.
*The trade paperback actually creates an error- it adds a link to Rewind's dialogue bubble in the scene where he's holding the downed Chromedome. The bubble is linked...to something off-panel, when it is clear that the dialogue is supposed to be Rewind's.
*On page seventeen, Ten holds up Megatron's newly-built cannon with both hands... except he lost his left arm last issue. You might think he's been repaired since then, but next issue shows him to still be missing the limb, so this scene is definitely a goof.

===Other trivia===
*In addition to cans of [[Kremzeek]]-brand drink, easter eggs scattered around [[Priscilla Tramontano]]'s retailer incentive cover for this issue include a [[curly straw]] and [[Ten]]'s doll of Minimus Ambus from [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issue #40]]. A sign promotes a poetry reading with the small-print warning that "non-attendence will result in punishment."
*Back in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]], Prowl indicated there was a dark secret in Chromedome's past that he wouldn't want Rewind to know about. This secret would never be revealed in the comic, but at TFCon USA 2018, James Roberts explained that, originally, he had envisioned that Chromedome was "complicit" in Dominus Ambus's disappearance, having helped Prowl place Dominus undercover as "Agent 113," presumably through some judicious application of mnemosurgery. Roberts explained that he discarded the idea because he didn't want to make another romantic couple suffer in his stories, and explicitly deemed it "non-canon."

===Soundtrack===
For all of "The Dying of the Light":
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCdBc5uByFQ Hurt]" by {{w|Johnny Cash}}

For this issue alone:
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUk4DU_5mKM Make Your Move]" by {{w|The Delgados}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YatfHlIFGb0 Little Things (That Keep Us Together)]" by {{w|Scott Walker (singer)|Scott Walker}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsESk0GESxk Into Dust]" by {{w|Mazzy Star}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkLWf-fbsLo Out of Time]" by {{w|Blur (band)|Blur}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Skids, Nautica, and Minimus Ambus surrounded by drill-spikes, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]], and what's left of [[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]], by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Swerve tends bar, by [[Priscilla Tramontano]]; one of two retailer incentive variants by Tramontano on this month's IDW ''Transformers'' titles.
<gallery>
File:MTMTE53 regcvr.jpg|Do NOT want!
File:MTMTE53 subcvr.jpg|Overlord always giggles at mayhem.
File:MTMTE53 cvrRI.jpg|Gimme a clean martini in a dirty [[Kremzeek (G1)|Kremzeek]] glass!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #54
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|#53]]
*''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers|Sins of the Wreckers]]'' [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 5|#5]]
*''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One|Till All Are One]]''
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' #13
*IDW ''Transformers'' reading guide
*IDW online comics (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/29398-amica-endura-is-magic-in-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-53-preview.html Preview]
*[https://twitter.com/markerguru/status/738478133859454976 Two inked pages by Alex Milne that were completed before he knew Sakamoto was drawing them instead, via his Twitter.]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day}}

Tarn (G1)

2018-11-30T05:11:50Z

Djelibaebi:

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{disambigm|Tarn (polity)|Glitch}}
:''Tarn is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:MTMTE Tarn Alex Milne.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|He kills you with culture... and also ''violence''.]]
Formerly the [[outlier]] known as '''Damus''' and '''Glitch''', '''Tarn''' is an eloquent [[Decepticon]]. He enjoys nothing more than playing beautiful [[The Empyrean Suite|music]] as he waxes poetic quoting ''[[Towards Peace]]'' and other philosophical works by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]. He tends to indulge these pleasures at the same time he's using his specially modulated vocal processor to cause the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]'s latest transgressor's spark to self-destruct. The leader of the D.J.D., Tarn epitomizes the mentality of the team. He is beyond zealous in his devotion to Megatron's cause, going so far as to emboss the Decepticon [[insignia]] onto his own faceplate. No traitor, no coward is capable of escaping his team.

Despite appearances, Tarn is a mess of contradictions. Viewing himself as the central pillar of the D.J.D., he can be as brutally violent as any other Decepticon, but views himself as a bureaucrat and his team as his administration. He believes his actions are entirely justified, yet sometimes his thoughts are a constant stream of self-denigration. He works hard to run a tight but fair ship, and is not above taking in an open-minded, needy stray. On the other hand, for all his thoughts of sophistication and control, Tarn can go from affable to life-threatening at the least provocation. His addictive tendencies have led to him burning out his original [[transformation cog]] years ago, and his reliance on the power-enhancing [[Nucleon (substance)|Nuke]] can lead to his losing himself to the lust for violence. And have no doubt that while he may try and convince himself otherwise, Tarn is a truly sociopathic murderer. Ultimately whether Tarn is a monster or not is irrelevant. His utter devotion to the Decepticon cause means he will ensure the fear of Megatron is put into any that would consider abandoning their noble goals.

{{quote|If you want to break someone—mentally, physically, emotionally—wait until they're happy. Let them live and love and thrive. Once they recognize the value of a life well lived... THAT'S when you move in for the kill. Because you can't take anything from someone who has nothing to lose.|Tarn|"[[The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight]]" teaser}}

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{First|[[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|''More than Meets the Eye'' #5]] (shadowy image); [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|#7]] (full appearance, as Tarn); [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|#10]] (as Glitch)}}

[[File:Ratchet glitch shadowplay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Glitch is [[Wolverine (superhero)|the one with the claws]].]]
Damus was [[reproduction|forged]], born an exceptionally powerful [[Point One Percenter]] {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} and an outlier who possessed the ability to render non-sentient machinery inoperative by touching it, but with one drawback: the power hurt him every time he used it. Before the [[Great War (G1)|war]], Damus attended the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology]] where they possibly attempted to analyze his brain-wave patterns and kept his outlier status hidden from the [[Senate]] and [[Functionist Council]].

At some point, he crossed the [[Senate]] and was subjected to [[empurata]]: his hands and head replaced to mark him out as someone to shun. After that, to tie in with his power, he started to call himself Glitch. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}

When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] devised a plan to steal a bomb disguised as the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] from [[Nominus Prime]]'s corpse his [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Senator friend]] recruited Damus, [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] from the Academy to participate in the heist. Damus's part in the plan was to deactivate the deflector beams above the [[Primal Basilica]] and despite a slight hitch when Damus accidentally jammed Skids's grappling hook by touching his arm, the plan succeeded. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

Following Shockwave's capture and brainwashing by the [[Senate]], the Outliers stuck with Orion Pax and aided him in defending a [[hot spot]] in [[Alyon]] from [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'s forces. By this time Damus had gotten replacement hands and learned to use his power from a distance, utilizing it to break down [[Elite Guard]] vehicles from afar. With help from a group of time travelers from the ''[[Lost Light]]'' of the future, the group took down a weapons platform sent to irradiate the hot spot's [[spark]]s, then had their memories of the travelers wiped by [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]].

[[File:PermanentRevolution-Backwards.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|[[ Keith David |"And what would you have your Justice Division do?"]]]]

During the whole affair, Orion Pax recommended reading Megatron's treatises around Glitch: "powerful stuff," he said. Considering Megatron's stated reasons for converting him to the Decepticon cause, we can only assume that he listened a little too well. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}}

Exactly how and when Damus joined the Decepticons is unknown, but Megatron would later claim he had deliberately "corrupted" Tarn to hurt ''someone'' and prove a point. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} Damus joined early enough to be at the beginning of Megatron's march across Cybertron. Rebuilt under the supervision of [[Lobe]], {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} Damus's power and endurance was considered by [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] to put him on the same level as a [[Phase Sixer]]. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} His mask was taken as a sign of Decepticon supremacy but, at least so he told himself, it was really so nobody would notice when he closed his eyes around Decepticon brutality. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} In one particular battle during the war, Damus tussled with [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 3|Shining Armor #3}}

[[File:SpeakMemory2-results.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"How's it hanging? ... Oh... oh. That dude is ''really'' hanging there. My bad." "Stop it, you uncultured mech. You came here to report, not make puns."]]

Damus became commandant of [[Grindcore (prison)|Grindcore prison]], where he became associated with "[[The Empyrean Suite]]", playing it at maximum volume to drown out the screams of the prisoners he executed via smelting. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} In this, he was trying to deliberately bastardize a song composed by [[Eucryphia]] to celebrate [[Prima]] and the [[Citadel of Light]]. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} One of his prisoners, soon after the prison's smelting chamber had malfunctioned, was his old comrade Skids. Damus bargained with Skids to fix it, telling him it was a "teleport chamber" and fifty prisoners would be released from Grindcore for this, and was able to con Skids into thinking that he could be trusted. Skids was relaxed enough around Damus to take praise genuinely and push for more freed prisoners later.

In the end, Damus sent all fifty prisoners to the "teleporation chamber" and forced Skids to watch as it was used to execute a group of prisoners, including Skids's cellmate [[Quark]], melting them down into raw materials for use in the creation of [[M.T.O.]]s. Damus cruelly forced Skids to watch, deliberately using the event to cripple his religious faith. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} {{storylink|Speak, Memory! (Part 2)}}

After Damus became leader of the D.J.D. as "Tarn" (and would never again use his old name), his powers developed to the point where he could shut down sentient machines using his voice alone. Under him, the group became ''very'' focused on paperwork: the [[Decepticon Empire]] required good administration, in his view. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} When [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]], who had briefly defected to the Decepticons, {{storylink|Animals}} {{storylink|Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 2|Grimlock profile}} returned to the Autobot ranks, Megatron was so incensed by the betrayal that he ordered the DJD to bump the Dynobot leader up to the top of the list. In a subsequent battle against Grimlock, Tarn had his face badly mangled by his opponent. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind}}

Some two hundred years ago, Tarn was present at Megatron's current command center when [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] returned from a botched mission on [[Xetaxxis]]. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}}

[[File:LL14-tarn-unmasked.jpg|thumb|There's an ironic joke about [[empurata]] in here if someone cares to find it.]]

Some time later, the DJD established a base on the world of [[Messatine]] in order to obtain the "Nuke" superfuel there. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} Tarn coerced [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], head surgeon of the planet's Autobot medical facility [[Delphi]], into helping feed his addiction by supplying him with an ever-increasing number of transformation cogs from deceased patients, in exchange for the hospital being unmolested by his team. Pharma would eventually cut off Tarn's supply by orchestrating the facility's shutdown. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

In 2009, following the [[Surge (event)|Surge]], Tarn led the D.J.D. to [[Garrus-9]] to find and eliminate his old teacher Shockwave, who was now the most wanted Decepticon on [[The List|the D.J.D's master hit list]]. After intercepting his vessel, however, they discovered that Shockwave had prepared for this eventuality by staffing his ship with crewmembers who were also on the list, in the hopes of bartering their lives for his. Tarn opted to ignore the offer, using his voice to slowly talk the old Senator to death, but Shockwave was able to blast the radio in time. When Shockwave's backup arrived in the form of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and the [[Pretender Monster|Monstructor Six]], the DJD retreated. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind}}

[[File:Tarn transforms MTMTE08.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|He's got friends on the other side.]]

Though the war formally ended in 2012, Tarn and his group refused to give up the cause — indeed, they would only deign to stand down when Megatron personally commanded it — and continued to hunt down those Decepticons that had betrayed the cause and hadn't yet returned to Cybertron. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}} Informed by Decepticon spy [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] that high-priority target [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] was aboard the starship ''[[Lost Light]]'', Tarn and the D.J.D. continued to work through their list of offenders as they waited for Brainstorm to drop the ship's shielding so they could pick up Overlord's signal. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} One such unfortunate was [[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]], whom Tarn explosively finished off with his deadly voice, after which the team set course of the planet [[Clemency]] to hunt down Decepticon deserter [[Fulcrum]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} Arriving on Clemency, the team discovered a mysterious [[stasis pod|stasis tube]] awaiting them; when Tarn investigated, he found it contained a deranged, [[circuit speeder]]-enhanced [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]], unleashed by Fulcrum and his new allies, the [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]]. Tarn was soon able to subdue the brain-damaged [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]], but was then crushed beneath the foot of a [[Cybernought]] battle-mech that [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] had activated. Tarn recovered in time to hear Fulcrum deliver a speech to all assembled about Decepticon ideals before apparently committing suicide. At that point, [[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]] detected Overlord's long-awaited signal, and Tarn ordered the D.J.D. to head out—but not before warning the surviving Scavengers that their names had now made it onto [[The List]]. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}}

Tracking Overlord's signal, the D.J.D. found the ''Lost Light''—which was, unbeknownst to Tarn and his team, actually one of ''two'' versions of the ship created by a malfunction of its [[quantum generator]]s—near the planet [[Ofsted XVII]]. Despite having promised Brainstorm they would not harm any of the crew, the discovery that the traitor [[Drift (G1)|Deadlock]] was aboard the ship them set the D.J.D. off, and after dealing with him, they set about murdering the rest of the ship. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} Tarn personally destroyed [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], and [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]], and forced a large portion of the crew to transform before executing them, leaving their transformation cogs warm for location and harvesting. Eventually, Tarn removed a still-restrained and suicidal Overlord's head with a chainsaw, and the D.J.D. left the ship. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

[[File:ThePermanentRevolution-goingtowar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|'''Cause when push'' ''Comes to shove'' ''I will send a fully armed battalion'' ''To remind you of my love'' <s>for the cause</s>]]

Sometime during the months that followed, Kaon spontaneously began [[universal killswitch|writhing in agony]] right in front of Tarn, who tried to get his teammate to tell him what he could do to help, before the mysterious effect subsided. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} Also during this time, the D.J.D. welcomed a new member—[[Nickel]], last survivor of a Cybertronian colony wiped out by the [[Black Block Consortia]]. At Nickel's insistence, they returned to Ofsted XVII to salvage the quantum engines from the derelict ''Lost Light''. They wound up arriving in the middle of a battle between the Consortia and the [[Galactic Council]], who teamed up against the Cybertronians. Under attack by both sides and faced with additional enemy reinforcements, Tarn was forced to retreat, leaving Vos and Kaon behind. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} Tarn eventually gifted Nickel a phone onto which he recorded a message she could use to paralyze people who were threatening her. {{storylink|Kill All 'Cons}}

The diminished D.J.D. returned to their duties, though Tarn began to weary of the work. After apprehending the [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]]-worshipping [[Blip]], Tarn was about to end his life using his voice, until Blip used his last words to demand that Tarn remove his mask. Affronted, Tarn allowed [[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] and [[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]] to finish Blip instead, averting his gaze beneath his mask. Tarn subsequently ordered performance reviews for the team, and nearly came to blows with Tesarus when he implied that abandoning Vos and Kaon was not the Decepticon thing to do. Calming himself, Tarn explained that they were returning to Ofsted XVII again in order to recover their bodies, but was interrupted by Helex's announcement that Vos and Kaon had returned to the ship safe, sound, and with something unbelievable: a postwar edition of ''[[Towards Peace]]'' that revealed Megatron himself had defected from the Decepticons.

His world shattered by this discovery, Tarn had the D.J.D. return to Messatine, where he attempted to fatally overdose on Nuke. Finding even the sensation of dying disappointing, Tarn opened his eyes to see a distraught Nickel pressed against the glass of his fueling capsule. The sight of her triggered a revelation for Tarn: she was a 'bot who had experienced first-hand the threat the predominantly-organic universe posed to Cybertronians, and who had fully embraced the Decepticon cause despite living her life outside of the war. The cause, Tarn now realized, was bigger than any one 'bot—bigger than Megatron. Galvanized, Tarn set up a meeting with the rogue Decepticon warlord [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] aboard his stolen [[Warworld]]. Knowing full well he was on the D.J.D.'s list, Deathsaurus pre-emptively attacked Tarn upon his arrival, even deactivating his audio receptors to protect himself from Tarn's voice, but Tarn was able to communicate with him and his troops through [[inter-Decepticon radio]] and explained the reason for his presence: he wished them to ally with him, in return for their being taken off The List. Deathsaurus agreed on the condition that Tarn kill the rest of the D.J.D., which Tarn refused to do—which was the response Deathsaurus had been hoping for. With their alliance cemented, Tarn declared their new objective: kill the traitorous Megatron and all of his allies! {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}

[[File:TarnAltMode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left|I'm about to drop the hammer and dispense some indiscriminate justice!]]

The allied forces of Tarn and Deathsaurus proceeded to attack the [[Necroworld|Necrobot's world]], killing [[Mortilus|its sole inhabitant]] and using his machinery to broadcast a message that lured Megatron and all those aboard the ''Lost Light'' sympathetic to him down to the planet. When they arrived, the villains shot them down and cornered them in the Necrobot's fortress. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} As an act of indirect torture, Tarn had their forces pull back, warning Megatron and his comrades that they would return at sunset, leaving them to stew in their own fear. Returning to the ''[[Peaceful Tyranny]]'', Tarn spent the time showing off his collection of Megatron's writings to Deathsaurus, and discussing tactics with his men; he did not take Tesarus's concerns about the Necrobot's fortress's storm shield seriously, but the discussion was interrupted by a call on Tarn's personal communicator from Megatron himself. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}}

[[File:YourFierceTears-byebyekaon.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Give me your...you know [[Decapitation|the drill.]]]]

Tarn agreed to a meeting with Megatron alone, whereupon his former leader agreed to surrender in exchange for the rest of the Autobots being allowed to go free. Saddened and disgusted to truly see with his own eyes how far his idol had fallen, Tarn beat him to within an inch of his life, and was just about to deliver the killing shot when [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] suddenly appeared, insisting that it was his right to end Megatron's life. Both refused to stand down, resulting in a bickering battle between the two that gave Megatron the chance to escape. Realizing their folly, Tarn and Overlord agreed to a truce, though Overlord continued to needle Tarn all the way back to the ''Peaceful Tyranny''. The final straw came when a distraught Kaon arrived with the news that the Autobots had kidnapped the D.J.D.'s [[Dominus Ambus|pet sparkeater]]; determined to cut out of both the hearts of himself and his men the compassion that he saw as Megatron's downfall, Tarn slew Kaon on the spot, tearing his head from his shoulders. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}}

At sundown, Tarn led the Decepticons in their attack, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} playing "The Empyrean Suite" across the battlefield as battle commenced. He initially hung back with Deathsaurus, but joined the fight in earnest after a temporary power-up acquired by the Autobots wore off, ripping [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] clean in half. Unfortunately, that turned out to be just the thing to bring Megatron out onto the battlefield, cutting swathes through the Decepticon troops. Tarn surreptitiously ordered the D.J.D. to retreat, whilst demanding Deathsaurus's troops enact a suicidal assault on Megatron. When the ex-Decepticon's new fusion cannon was destroyed, he unexpectedly sunk to his knees in panicked defeat, and Tarn and Overlord moved to strike the final blow together. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}}

[[File:mtmte55 goodbye tarn.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|You will die alone. Unmourned. And unloved.]]
Their shots, however, were reflected by the sudden activation of a forcefield by Megatron. Whilst Overlord and Deathsaurus abandoned the planet, unwilling to waste their time and troops respectively on Megatron, Tarn and the other remaining members of the D.J.D. assaulted the forcefield until they could finally force their way in. Unfortunately, this was all according to Megatron's plan–after years of study, he had finally managed to interlink his systems with a black hole to harvest antimatter. With his former enforcers now trapped, Megatron tore through them with tendrils of antimatter, speaking their true names at the moments of their deaths. Tarn was saved for last, his mask ripped off as Megatron called him by his previous name: "Glitch". Tarn first begged for Megatron to be "reasonable", then tried fake bravado, just as many of his own victims had done... And with as little success.

Completing his denouncement of his former enforcer, Megatron informed Damus that "Everything you did was for nothing" and obliterated him with antimatter. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

On the verge of being killed by [[Scorponok (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Scorponok]], Nickel used Tarn's voicemail message to paralyze the ex-Decepticon, allowing her and the [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] to escape. {{storylink|Kill All 'Cons}}
{{-}}

====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:This Machine Kills Fascists-Functionist Glitch.jpg|thumb|right|"There must always be a Megatron."]]
Glitch was amongst a group of [[Anti-Vocationist League]] members who attended a secret meeting beneath [[Nova Point]]. There, he listened to the universally-displaced Megatron speak about how to fight the [[Functionist Council]] for the goal of "peace through empathy". {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-9-Tarn.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.6|]]
Tarn was part of [[Bludgeon (Kre-O)|Bludgeon]]'s forces when they uncovered the [[Red Bucket]]. {{storylink|Treasure Competition! Defeat with Block Power!}}

===''TransTech''===
An [[Lowtech|Offworlder]] in [[Axiom Nexus]], Tarn was a judge of ''[[Cybertron's Got Talent]]'' in the wake of [[Ego (TransTech)|Ego]]'s death. Tarn enjoyed calling out sub-par transformations as part of his judging. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/14}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
Tarn and the rest of the DJD pursued Black Shadow for taking bribes from the Autobots. The DJD found their target hiding on planet Clemency, and dispatched them with extreme prejudice as Tarn set course for their next assignment. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (Legends)|Rules of Disengagement}}

==Merchandise==
===Kuro Kara Kuri===
[[File:FlameToysTarn.jpg|thumb| Yay.]]
*'''Tarn''' (2018-08)
**''Accessories'': mask, 2 fusion cannons, 2 back cannons, clean mask (exclusive), 2 vocal effector cannons (exclusive)

:Produced by [[Flame Toys]] as part of their ''Kuro Kara Kuri'' line, Tarn is a detailed non-transforming action figure featuring [[die-cast]] parts and LEDs in his head, chest and legs. He comes with two fusion cannons that can be mounted on his arm or combined into one giant handheld weapon, two guns that attach to his back and a removable mask. If purchased via D4toys.com, SEN-TI-DEN Hong Kong or events attended by Flame Toys, he also includes an alternate mask without scars and two speakers that can replace the back guns.

{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:Tarn BlackShadow RulesofDisengagement.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"What are you gonna do, talk me to death?" "Yup"]]
*[[Alex Milne]] said in a Facebook interview that his ideal voice for Tarn is [[Keith David]].<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/notes/transformers/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-vol-2-alex-milne-interview/395646703838863 Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye vol. 2 Alex Milne interview]</ref>
*Like all non-toy robot [[Kreon]]s in the ''Kre-O'' manga, Kreon Tarn is made from existing ''Kre-O'' parts, but extensively "painted". He uses the [[Ratchet (Kre-O)|Ratchet]] helmet, the [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]] arm-cannon, and some kind of setup to wear the Bludgeon treads on his back.
*For some time, the popular speculation among the readership of MTMTE was that Tarn had originally been [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]. [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays#Other trivia|''MTMTE'' #36]] dropped a number of clues to further this theory before the actual revelation in [[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|issue #55]], which revealed these to be nothing more than red herrings. James Roberts cheekily had Roller reveal himself as still alive and intact on the page right after Velocity asked who Tarn really was and just before the actual unmasking.
*Damus's city of origin was never revealed in fiction, but was stated by [[James Roberts]] to be... Tarn.<ref>James Roberts Q&A at TFNation 2017</ref>
*Not only does he wear the Decepticon insignia on his face, his entire torso appears designed to evoke it too.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Anti-Vocationist League]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Point One Percenters]]
[[Category:TransTech Decepticons]]

Silent Light

2018-11-30T04:24:54Z

Djelibaebi:

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=''The Transformers Holiday Special''
|prev=Choose Me
|next=The Thirteenth Day of Christmas
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets The Eye]]
|prev2=Speak, Memory! (Part 2)
|next2=More than Meets the Eye issue 50
|image=SilentLight.jpg
|caption="Deck the halls with camouflage, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la!"
|title="Silent Light"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|published in=[[The Transformers Holiday Special]]
|date=[[December 23]], 2015
|coverdate=December, 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Kotteri]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|edited by=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}
'''As the ''Lost Light'' prepares to go dark to pass through a dangerous region of space, Swerve, Nautica, and Whirl try to hide a baby from Ultra Magnus.'''

==Synopsis==
Returning to the ''[[Lost Light]]'' on [[December 24]]th after a three-day absence to attend [[Meteorfest]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] finds the halls of the ship decked with signal boosters and [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] putting the finishing touches to a large, green, conical device. The two explain that the ship is about to enter a region of space controlled by the [[Mauler (G1)|Maulers]], a violent robophobic offshoot of the [[Galactic Council]], and that the device and its boosters are a cloaking machine that will let the ship pass safely through the area while the crew place themselves in [[Biometric Envelopment Device]] hibernation pods. As Magnus places a crown-like "brain shield" on Rodimus's head, he notes that [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] is supposed to be helping them, but is busy working on more "abstract weaponry"... entirely unaware that the "[[Contrivance Engine]]" the scientist recently built has made the ''Lost Light'' look ''very'' much like it's decorated in the style of a certain Earth holiday...

In [[Swerve's]], [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] enjoy a lock-in, indulging in some high-quality [[engex]] [[transwarp|subspace]]d in from [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]. A knock on the door sends them into a panic as they think Ultra Magnus has found them out, but when Whirl answers it, he is shocked to find a newborn [[protoform]] in one of the engex crates on the doorstep. Concluding that she has been sent from Luna 1 with the booze and knowing they cannot leave her unattended, but unable to take her with them into a B.E.D. because they will only conceal one [[spark]] each, the trio break into Magnus's office in order to use the subspace hatch to send the protoform back to the moon. Just as the protoform starts to imprint on Whirl, forming a face that emulates his own, Magnus (sans his armor) comes sauntering down the hall, crooning a Christmas song from an album Swerve gave him. The trio bluff that they've been doing a final security check before going to their B.E.D.s and he lets them go on their way, but unfortunately, Nautica has hidden the protoform in Magnus's office... and she has crawled inside his [[Magnus Armor]] and animated it! Magnus screams, thinking the armor possessed. Nautica panics and knocks him out, shocking everybody, but in the confusion, the protoform and Magnus's armor get away.

The armored protoform makes her way to the control room and shambles up to Megatron. The ex-Decepticon thinks Magnus is trying to give him a hug and recoils in alarm and confusion; fortunately, Swerve and co. rush in and escort "Magnus" away, claiming he's just had a drink to steady his nerves. Out of time, Swerve and Nautica leave the protoform with Whirl, though not before Nautica wonders aloud who knocked on the door if the protoform came in a crate. Whirl dismisses the question and, being Whirl, decides that he has no choice but to blow the protoform out an airlock... but before he can bring himself to do it, he looks down at the little 'bot and sees she has imprinted on him further, mimicking his clawed hands. Whirl sighs and takes the protoform to B.E.D. with him...

Whirl awakes with a start the next morning to find himself in the medibay, and the protoform gone. [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] reveals that, in actuality, it wasn't a protoform at all — it was a cluster of [[Scraplet]]s. Gesturing to a canister in which the deadly creatures are now quarantined, Velocity explains that they had used their ability to combine to first knock on the door, then to assume a non-threatening form. In turn, Whirl explains that his B.E.D. was able to conceal them both because he shut down his systems to deprive his spark of energy. Nautica assumes he must be upset that he nearly died trying to protect a swarm of tiny, deceitful, emotionally-manipulative killing machines... but Whirl being Whirl, he's actually ''proud'' of the little buggers.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (1)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (2)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (3)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (4)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (5)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (6)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (unheard, on comm, 8)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (9)
|c4=
*[[Protoform]]/[[Scraplet]]s (7)
}}

==Quotes==
"Put this on. We're about to test the machine." 
"You know I hate hats." 
"It's a '''brain shield.''' Exposure to invisibility fields has been linked to irritability, erratic conduct, chronic moping and extreme sarcasm." 
"God, imagine if anyone on board started exhibiting '''those''' behaviors..."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus'''

"I love it so much it's making me sad."
:—'''Whirl''' on subspace-filtered engex

"She was in one of the crates." 
"Which means she was '''sent''' here. But '''why?''' What are '''we''' supposed to do with her?" 
"It's a message from Primus. He's telling us to put her back in the crate until someone more responsible comes along."
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Nautica'''

"What's going on here? You're being all stiff, awkward and humorless. I approve."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' on Swerve's poker face

''(Nautica clobbers Magnus with her wrench, knocking him out.)'' 
'''Swerve: "WHAT THE HELL?!"''' 
'''Whirl:''' "Are we sure '''I''' didn't just do that? Because that's the type of thing I would do." 
'''Nautica:''' "He was panicking! He made '''me''' panic!" 
'''Whirl:''' "You've knocked off his tiny mustache!"

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Rodimus has been away "surfing on meteors", a reference to when he was introduced into IDW continuity doing exactly that in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''.
*When he is handed the brain shield, Rodimus grumbles that he hates hats, something he first displayed back in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 ''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]].
*The fact that the ''Lost Light'' now has a [[transwarp|subspace]] hatch that enables supplies to be teleported to the ship was established in [[Speak, Memory: Part 1|''More than Meets the Eye'' #48]], released on the same day as the Holiday Special. That story locates the hatch in the medibay, but this one, [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/697567411059359744 set after issue #49], notes it has been moved to Magnus's office.
*Whirl mutters that he's responsible for "pretty much everything that's happened in the last four million years" and gives a note to himself about "not beating up prisoners", referring to the fact that he effectively caused the Great Cybertronian War four million years ago by whacking the daylights out of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], who was wrongly imprisoned for instigating a bar fight at the time.
*Swerve refers to [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] from [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], first mentioned in [[Animals|''More than Meets the Eye'' #46]]. Now, [[Transformers: Generations#Titans Return|why]] [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|''ever'']] would we want to be reminded he exists...?
*Ultra Magnus's love of music was first revealed in [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|''More than Meets the Eye'' #13]]. Swerve has been able to supply him with Christmas tunes because he downloaded the entirety of all Earth entertainment ever circa [[The Sensuous Frame|issue #41]].
*Nautica claims Magnus has had a "weak energon spritzer"; his drink of choice, as joked about in [[Interiors|''More than Meets the Eye'' #6]], then confirmed in [[Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|''Robots in Disguise'' #23]].
*Ultra Magnus will refer to his armour being fumigated for scraplets in "[[No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases]]", placing this story shortly before it.
*This is, surprisingly, ''not'' the last we will see of the friendly scraplets; they would later save Team Rodimus' lives and ultimately defeat [[Getaway]] in ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|Lost Light]]'' [[Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|issue #20]], owing to their close bond to Whirl.

===Transformers references===
*The ability of Scraplets to combine themselves into a larger form was originally seen in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] [[The Cure!|story that introduced them]].

===Real-life references===
*We don't need to point out that the title is a riff on "{{w|Silent Night}}", but we're doin' it anyway.
*There's no Christmas on Cybertron, so it's only thanks to Brainstorm's "[[Contrivance Engine]]" that ''eeeverything'' in the ''Lost Light'' just happens to resemble traditional Christmas trappings in this story. The cloaking machine and its signal boosters being a Christmas tree and fairy lights should be obvious to all readers, but British author James Roberts has also included some elements that are more traditional to the United Kingdom: the energon tab packet that Rodimus tries to tug from Megatron's hand stands in for a {{w|Christmas cracker}}, while the brain shields resemble the rubbish crepe-paper crowns one finds in such crackers.
*Having to stay in your B.E.D. to avoid detection on the night of December 24? Whoever heard of such a thing?
*Finding a baby on your doorstep? At ''Christmas?'' Such a ''contrivance!''
*Magnus sings "{{w|It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year}}". See Errors, though.
*The scene where Whirl picks up Minimus' fallen moustache is inspired by the ''{{w|Fawlty Towers}}'' episode "{{w|Communication Problems}}," where Basil picks up a hearing aid from the floor and asks of a guest, "Is this a piece of your brain?"
*You'd be forgiven for thinking that Whirl's moment with the protoform in front of the airlock is a reference to the short story ''{{w|The Cold Equations}}'' by {{w|Tom Godwin}}, but Roberts had never heard of the story until after reading this Wiki article.

===Errors===
*Swerve calls the album Magnus's choice of song comes from ''Andy Williams Sings Christmas'', but actually, it's ''{{w|The Andy Williams Christmas Album}}''.

===Other Notes===
*In a surprise turn, we are given one of the key missing steps in how Cybertronians are born and mature. Previously we learned that forged sparks are harvested alongside the surrounding surface of the hot spot. Here we find out, whether [[Blacksmith|aided]] or unaided, these develop into a semi-featureless protoform which will naturally mature and grow an alt-mode.
===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFtb3EtjEic It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year]" by {{w|Andy Williams}} (of course!)

[[Category:IDW More than Meets the Eye issues]]

Speak, Memory! (Part 2)

2018-11-30T04:20:26Z

Djelibaebi:

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=49
|prev=Speak, Memory: Part 1
|next=Silent Light
|image=MTMTE49_subcvr.jpg
|title="Speak, Memory!" (Part 2)
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[February 10]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=January 2016
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Hayato Sakamoto]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|publisher=[[Ted Adams]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2016)]]
}}
'''Rung steps up as Sunder stalks the halls of the ''Lost Light'', and Skids's repressed memories grow dangerously close to overwhelming him.'''

==Synopsis==
His mind invaded by [[Sunder (G1)|Sunder]]'s remote [[mnemosurgery]], [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] relives the long-repressed memories of his time in [[Grindcore (prison)|Grindcore]]... ''memories of how the prison commandant, [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]], conscripted him to repair the facility's teleport chambers, in exchange for the liberation of fifty prisoners. Skids completes the work, much to the consternation of his cellmate [[Quark]], who doubts Tarn will keep his promise, but Skids believes that at the very least, functioning teleporters will mean prisoners will get to leave the living hell of Grindcore, even if it is to work as slaves on other planets. The pair's argument ends when loud music beings playing through the camp... music that Quark identifies as "[[The Empyrean Suite]]..."

To [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s horror, [[Froid]] unlocks Sunder's cage, deeming his release "the least worst option." [[Kindle]] and [[Fervor]] rush aboard the ship and level their weapons at the serial killer, but he turns his gaze upon them, and Skids and Rung gasp in horror at what occurs. Reacting quickly, Rung transmits a live recording of the proceedings he has been making to [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] in order to warn the crew...

Some time later, [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] awakes from his coma to find all lights on the ''[[Lost Light]]'' deactivated, with strange, spherical balls of machinery dotted around the corridors. Exploring the darkened vessel, he finds [[Getaway]] in the brig after his recent crimes, but when the escape artist remains silent in the face of all the puzzled Tailgate's questions, the little 'bot punches the wall in anger, and somehow, all the nearby windows shatter. Just as Tailgate bends to examine one of the machine-balls, Rung, Skids, and Froid appear, and Rung explains what the ball is: horrifyingly, it is ''[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'', who has fallen victim to one of Sunder's favorite mind-tricks. The killer uses his mind powers to force his victim to transform, but causes them to forget ''how'' to, resulting in them ''turning themselves inside out.'' The lights are out and the crew are locked up in their rooms to prevent Sunder from ''seeing'' his intended victims, but Rung is out looking for [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]], as he needs his mnemosurgical skills to prevent Skids from remembering his traumatic time in Grindcore, lest the sudden, violent recollection of those memories permanently damage his mind. Unfortunately, the grinning Sunder then rounds a nearby corner, and Skids clutches his head as the memories begin again...

''Skids is invited to Tarn's office, where Tarn confirms that the teleport generators are working, and shows Skids a datapad of the promised prisoners being released into the [[Manganese Mountains]]. Skids tries to up the ante, insisting that a hundred prisoners will have to be freed next time, but Tarn informs him that [[Snare]] can fix the generators in the future, having watched Skids's repair job. Tarn then tells Skids that, as he is no longer of use to him, he will be sent off on the next mass teleport the following day, but Skids asks if he can give his place to someone else.''

[[File:SpeakMemory2 TailgateThrowsRodpod.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|Villain, you picked the wrong story to appear in.]]
Rung blocks Sunder's line-of-sight on Skids with his own body and drags Froid in to help, but the rival psychiatrist makes the mistake of looking Sunder in the eyes, and screams in agony as he is made to transform himself inside-out. A sudden blast fells Sunder, courtesy of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], who has arrived with Megatron and Chromedome, but the killer survives and quickly flees. As Chromedome goes to work sealing off Skids's memories once again, Thunderclash, Megatron, Tailgate, and Rung pursue Sunder back to the shuttle bay, where yet another unpleasant surprise is waiting for them—Froid's shuttle, it turns out, is the dead, transformed body of Sunder's brother [[Sceptre]], which Sunder now transforms into a giant robot-battle-suit! Thunderclash falls victim to Sunder's mind-powers and is turned inside out, but before the same can happen to Megatron, Rung reveals his own ace in the hole: his model ship collection, all actually armed and flight-capable, which he controls via a remote and uses to shoot out Sunder's eyes! Tailgate shouts for Megatron to pick up Thunderclash's dropped gun and end Sunder's threat, but Megatron tries to talk Sunder down instead; when the killer doesn't listen, Tailgate does the job himself... by ''picking up the [[Rodpod]]'' and using it to crush Sunder!!

Later, Megatron meets with Rung on the bridge, where the psychiatrist tenders his resignation. His secret dismissal by the tribunal of the ''[[Fateful Archetype]]'' is now out in the open, since Froid's recounting of it was part of the recording Rung sent to Megatron. Megatron proposes that Rung let his patients decide if they want to keep seeing him, but Rung refuses. As he leaves, the repaired Rodimus enters, and presents Megatron with [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]]'s analysis of Tailgate's baffling show of strength: it turns out that his [[spark]], "uniquely susceptible to mutation as a result of the background radiation generated by quantum travel," has undergone a stress-related mutation that has turned him into a new breed of super-strong, super-fast, super-durable [[Outlier]]. Bizarre as ''that'' might be, Rodimus is even ''more'' flummoxed by Megatron's refusal to fire on Sunder, and the ex-Decepticon reveals that recent events in his life have led him to a decision. Henceforth, Megatron renounces the use of violence!

''Skids and Quark line up to enter the teleport chamber, expecting to be sent to the planet [[Ambervalia]]. Quark is the 'bot Skids gave his place to, but Tarn, "touched" by the gesture, has allowed them both to leave. Once inside, however, Skids studies the boiling-hot chamber and comes to a ghastly realization... scant moments before he alone is teleported out, into Tarn's office. The "teleport chamber", the commandant explains, is in actuality a ''[[smelting pool|smelting'' chamber]]'', which melts down the bodies of those inside for raw materials to be used in the creation of Decepticon [[M.T.O.]]s. "The Empyrean Suite" is played merely to drown out their dying screams. Tarn seizes Skids by the head and forces him to watch as Quark and all the others die horrible, molten deaths, and Skids's faith in [[Primus]] dies with them.''

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (1)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (2)
*[[Sunder (G1)|Sunder]] (3)
*''[[Quark]]'' (7)
*[[Kindle]] (8)
*[[Fervor]] (9)
*[[Getaway]] (10)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (11)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (12)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (13)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (14)
*[[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] (15)
*[[Sceptre]] (16)
*''[[Sunshine]]'' (18)
*''"[[Creature from the Black Lagoon]]"'' (19)
*''[[Rev-Tone]]'' (20)
|c2=
*''[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'' (5)
*''[[Snare]]'' (6)
*''[[Talon (G1)|Talon]]'' (17)
|c4=
*[[Froid]] (4)
}}

==Quotes==
"I'd say you were '''ashamed''', but I don't think you've got it in you."
:—'''Tailgate''', on Getaway.

"You think death scares me in the slightest? I've lived half my life in its shadow. It is the fate of every mnemosurgeon to '''die on the job'''—a victim of their addiction. We '''know''' when death is near; we can '''feel''' it creeping closer—but never close enough to make us '''stop'''. The fatal injection is always the '''next''' injection—until one day it '''isn't'''."
:—'''Sunder'''

"Say hello to my '''fleet''', Sunder! You're not the only one who likes to do things remotely!"
:—'''Rung''' made a pun!

"I won't accept this. You're spent your whole life forgiving other people's mistakes. Why should you be denied that same kindness? I want you to tell everyone on board about the tribunal—and then let your '''patients''' decide whether they want to keep seeing you." 
"Do you really think so little of me—so little of my '''work'''—that you'd suggest something like that? "Let your patients decide"—would you say that to a '''brain surgeon''' who'd been '''struck off?''' Or a failed '''space bridge engineer'''—would you let his passengers take the risk? I '''will''' tell everyone about the tribunal... but only by way of explaining why I'm no longer practising."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Rung'''

"Rodimus. Good to see you're in.... '''better shape.'''" 
"Did you come up with that joke all by yourself?" 
"Ultra Magnus suggested the pause."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Rodimus'''

"I suppose you could call me an '''agnostic.''' You see, I'm not sure about '''heaven'''... but I'm pretty sure '''hell''' exists."
:—'''Tarn'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Tailgate carries a vial of [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]'s [[innermost energon]] around his neck, left at his bedside while he was recovering after the events of [[The Lopsided Triangle|issue #47]]. We first learned about this ritual back in [[Before & After|issue #12]], when Tailgate attempted to do it for Cyclonus.
*Snare and Talon were previously shown working together under [[Turmoil]] in [[Drift issue 1|''Drift'' #1]], which prrrobably takes place after this. Snare will go on to have a bigger role in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''; his profile in that series notes that he enjoyed treating prisoners cruelly for the fun of it, which certainly fits with the revelation he worked at Grindcore.
*We learned back in [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|issue #36]] that, before the war, [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] had been exposing sparks to radiation in an attempt to artificially create Outliers. With the revelation of Tailgate's radiation-induced Outlier powers, it would seem that Sentinel was actually onto something and merely using the wrong ''kind'' of radiation.
*This issue continues the previous one's trend of Tarn going noticeably unnamed in flashbacks (because he is not using that codename yet). Furthering the suggestion from last issue that Skids and Tarn are already familiar with one another, the pair act quite informal and trusting; we'd find out why in [[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|issue #55]].

===Transformers references===
[[File:SpeakMemory2 teleportchamber.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Dear Sakamoto-sensei, Please give us more goodness like this. Signed, the editors of Tfwiki.]]
*Thunderclash's weapon is based on the large central non-removable cannon sculpted into the trailer/base on his original toy.
*This is Sakamoto's art, so naturally, loads of the robots seen in the group of generics inside the smelting chamber are pre-existing designs taken from other sources. One is a red version of the ''Zone'' Micromaster [[Drillbuster]] (a character created by Sakamoto for a fan-comic, named "Sunshine"), while the others are based on concept artwork for unmade toy designs seen in ''[[Transformers Generations|Transformers Generatiosn Deluxe]]'', including the [[Creature from the Black Lagoon]].
*Tarn makes reference to the Inferno, aka the [[Pit]], the Transformer equivalent of Hell that originated with the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]]. This is the first mention of the concept in IDW continuity, and indeed, the first mention of it in any major Transformers media since the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Prime]]'' episode "[[Loose Cannons]]", aired about four years prior to this issue's release. Tarn also uses the term "[[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]]" as analogous to "Heaven," a name that's been used to refer to the afterlife several times in IDW continuity, starting with ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]''. This seems like further proof that it's the same thing as what we know as the "[[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]]" (a term that's fallen out of fashion in reference to the afterlife, after the introduction of the physical [[AllSpark]] object).

===Real-life references===
*Ambervalia takes its name from the Roman agricultural festival {{w|Ambarvalia}}. Said festival involved sacrificing a group of animals after first leading them in a procession... not unlike the way in which the prisoners of Grindcore are led into the "teleport" chamber, then slaughtered.
*Building on that, Grindcore is a grim parallel to the many Nazi Concentration Camps of World War II. Commanders of Concentration Camps would often put up a sense of respect or security before slaughtering their inmates. Furthermore, having Skids work on the 'teleport chamber' is similar to how Concentration Camp prisoners would be forced to work in 'showers' or the crematoria. Finally, leading from the 'teleport chamber', many Concentration Camps disguised gas chambers as showers or cafeterias, just as the smelter is disguised as a teleporter. Yikes.

===Errors===
*In the opening caption of the second epilogue, "Grindcore" is misspelled as "Grindore". This is fixed in the trade.

===Other notes===
*This issue arrives rather late, seven weeks after the previous one, halfway through February instead of the originally solicited January.
*This issue's title has an exclamation mark, but last issue's didn't.
*Getaway's punishment for his role in issue #47's scheme is a severe one: to inhibit his escape artist abilities, he's ''had his arms and legs removed'', and being a noted charmer whose silver tongue has let him talk his way around others, his ''voicebox'' has also been taken out, leaving a gaping hole in his face, hence his silence when Tailgate questions him. Yikes.
*Much like a [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|certain senator]], Tarn is never actually referred to by name in either this issue or the previous (except for in the out-of-universe recap of last issue on the inside front cover). As he is never mentioned in the context of the extremely high-profile Decepticon Justice Division, his time spent running Grindcore appears to predate his leadership of the group, and thus his adoption of the name "Tarn".
*Tarn's got at least three partially-dismembered bodies strung up on the wall of his office as gruesome decorations. The only one we get a proper look at (on page 8) seems to share a few design cues with Megatron's old "miner" design (and by extension, [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]]), particularly the helmet with the hazard-stripe forehead ridge, but besides that none of the specific details match either of the two characters. Later, we'd find out its one of the bodies Terminus used to smuggle out Megatron's political writing for distribution to the masses.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDA-Eq4kUG4 Monkey vs. Shark]" by {{w|Thee More Shallows}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzjyEEaUxKU The Living Dead]" by {{w|Suede (band)|Suede}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ2yXWi0ppw Losing My Religion]" by {{w|R.E.M.}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Tailgate defends the cowering Thunderclash, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' A defiant Rung stares up at the caster of a threatening shadow, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Whirl, Cyclonus, Skids, Rung, Riptide, and Brainstorm, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]; part of a series of variant covers "counting down" to the release of the 50th issues of ''The Transformers'' and ''More than Meets the Eye'' in February 2016, which connect to the other covers in the series to form a larger image.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE49 regcvr.jpg|"Pick on someone your own size!"
File:MTMTE49 subcvr.jpg|"You wouldn't hit a 'bot with glasses, would ya?"
File:MTMTE49 cvrRI.jpg|The crew.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #50
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' and ''More than Meets the Eye'' #50
*''The Transformers'' [[Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|#49]]
*''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers|Sins of the Wreckers]]'' [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 3|#3]]
*IDW ''Transformers'' Reading Guide

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/27853-an-ancient-evil-stalks-the-lost-light-in-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-49-preview.html Preview]

Ten

2018-11-30T03:52:15Z

Djelibaebi: added that his figurines appear in LL25 alongside Rungs model LL

:''Ten is a [[Legislator]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:MTMTE40 minimus and ten.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|<strike>I am Groot.</strike> Ten is so nice he lets other people share his profile pic.]]
Originally created by [[Chief Justice]] [[Solomus|Tyrest]] as enforcers of his own personal brand of justice, the Legislators were defeated by the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]. Afterwards, the [[Autobot]] [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] salvaged one of the deactivated drones with a "bruised brain" and hacked it to work as a doorman, enforcing the three laws of his bar—no guns, no [[sword]]s, and no [[time case|briefcase]]s. Whether because of the pre-existing damage or Swerve's ham-handedness, the Legislator was left with the ability to say just one word: '''Ten''', so Swerve painted the number 9 on his back because it was funny.

Despite his origins and oft-fearsome appearance, Ten is a gentle soul who prefers creating and the company of more linguistically advanced robots to any rough stuff. He wants to be liked and he wants to help. Unfortunately, his speech difficulties mean many people have ignored him or assume he's stupid.

{{quote|Ten.|Ten|"[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air]]"}}

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{first|[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|''More than Meets the Eye'' #29]]}}

[[File:Ten words hang in the air.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6|<s>Pikachu.</s>]]

At Swerve's request to find a suitably-intact Legislator for use as a bouncer, [[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] discovered Ten's inactive form buried under the ruins of Swerve's own bar. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

Roughly six months after the ''Lost Light'''s second departure from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] had fully recovered from his [[cybercrosis]] and been promoted to a full Autobot. Heading to [[Swerve's]] to celebrate, he and [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] found their way blocked by Ten, who refused to allow Cyclonus to enter until he had relinquished his [[Great Sword]]. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} He returned the sword when Cyclonus left. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}

Despite the "no briefcases" rule still being in effect, [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] managed to get past Ten with briefcase still in hand. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}} Ten was shortly afterwards seen lying inactive beside the entrance to Swerve's, suggesting either that Ten was affected by Brainstorm's "electro-sensitive poison" (in turn implying that ex-Legislators need a drink too, sometimes), or that Brainstorm disabled him before entering the bar. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}

Though Swerve ridiculed Ten mercilessly - especially after failing the [[Ambus Test]] - Ten was in fact quite intelligent and creative. He had also developed a fondness for fellow lawman [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], and, seeking to swap gifts, took one of Magnus's personal datapads in exchange for a tiny figurine of [[Minimus Ambus]].

[[File:ten tentententen.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|<s>Hodor.</s> Wait until you see his friendfics.]]
[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] was first alerted to the Legislator's artistic side when Ten built a new hoverboard for Tailgate, capped off with a decal of the little 'bot holding the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. After meeting Ten in his makeshift "quarters" beyond a ventilation shaft, Ratchet discovered the Legislator had created a large mural of the ship's crew and a broad assortment of miniatures of the same (poignantly, Swerve was not among them). Ratchet also realized Ten's attachment to Ultra Magnus, and before his departure from the ''Lost Light'', encouraged Magnus to befriend his fan. Perhaps out of gratitude, Ten gifted Ratchet with the replica he'd made of [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] before he set out to find the genuine article. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

Back on the job at Swerve's, the Autobots began to relax more around Ten. [[Grotusque]] was seen painting Ten's chestplate with pretty, pretty flowers. {{storylink|The Lopsided Triangle}}

A time fissure in Swerve's allowed people to briefly look back at departed crew members. Ten chose to look back at the time Jackpot and Swerve had found him. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

[[Getaway]] had been planning a mutiny and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] was one of the Autobots he knew would stand in the way; a psychic message was sent to lure those 'bots to the Necrobot's planet and was distorted into causing them torment. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} Swerve heard him and Ten arguing about the [[Ambus Test]], with the Legislator accusing him of being a bad boss and not treating him as a real person. Guilty, Swerve decided to be nice to him {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} but unfortunately decided to start by taking Ten with him to the Necrobot's [[Necroworld|planet]], thinking it'd be a nice jolly. The Decepticons duly put them under siege. Ten thought fast and took some of the Necrobot's flowers into the fort with him {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}, working out the residual spark energy in them could be used to create a forcefield. Unfortunately he couldn't get anyone to ''listen'' to his plan.

After listening to the two arguments about whether to flee the planet to survive or stay to protect slumbering organics, Ten was part of the unanimous decision to stay. After leaving a drawing for the others spelling out his plan, he then followed [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] on his recon mission, intending to help. Ravage decided he could help... as a ''decoy'', tricking him into revealing himself to the Decepticon hordes and allowing Ravage to sneak in unnoticed during the commotion. Just as the Autobots realised what Ten had been trying to say, he was being ripped apart and only the sudden arrival of Ratchet and Drift saved him. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}}

[[File:mtmte52 evacuating ten.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|<s>Radda radda</s>.]]
The badly mangled Ten mostly sat out of the ensuing battle, but managd to get in one good swing, intercepting [[Dominus Ambus|The Pet]] as it leaped at Ratchet. He was evacuated along with Drift and Ratchet when the duo's shuttle arrived, piloted by, ironically, Ravage (who didn't seem guilty at all). {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} He was fully patched up twenty minutes before sundown, able to hand over a newly made fusion cannon for Megatron to use during the siege. But time was soon up and, after Rodimus thanked Ten and everyone for travelling with him, the crew charged the Decepticon guns {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} powered up thanks to Skids. When the crew's new power wore off and they were surrounded, Megatron arrived and held off the Decepticons to allow the crew to retreat to the fortress. There, Ten looked on in sadness as Nautica cradled Skids, who had lost his life giving the crew the strength needed to fight back. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} After the fighting was over, he stood by as the Disappeared were welcomed back to the world. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

Ten was present when Braintorm unveiled his teleportation "den" for returning them to Cybertron. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}}

Realizing that not all the Disappeared awakened at once, Swerve, Ten and Whirl went downstairs to investigate the pods more thoroughly. A bored Whirl accidentally reactivated his own nemesis, [[Killmaster]]. They scattered as Killmaster burst from his pod and immediately began attacking them. The hulking Decepticon blasted Ten with his wand, leaving only a pair of smoldering footprints where once the Legislator stood. Swerve was furious but was soon zapped as well. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}} After Killmaster's defeat, Brainstorm figured out how to restore Ten and Swerve from the Decepticon's "pocket prison". {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} Extrapolating the science to their larger predicament, Brainstorm was able to return Necroworld and everyone on it back to their own universe. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}

Ten used his strength to help reconfigure the forcibly [[Size changing|mass displaced]] [[Skip]] into spaceship mode and left the planet with [[Team Rodimus]] to track down the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

Aboard Skip, Ten participated in the prank war between Swerve and Anode. When things started getting weird and Skip started shrinking, everyone was shocked when Ten speaks clearly, telling everyone that the fate of the universe depends on doing exactly as he says! {{storylink|Sardines}} Unbeknownst to everyone, Ten was being used by the [[Omega Guardian]]s to lure the crew to [[Mederi]] so that they could enact their grand plan. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} Through Ten, the Omega Guardians instructed the crew to take a shortcut to Mederi, which presented itself as the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]].

After being released from the Omega Guardians' control, Ten was found by Rodimus. Unaware of what had happened to him prior, Ten was granted his greatest wish of speaking with his own voice, which was possible thanks to Mederi's utopia-granting program. After expressing his gratitude for everything the crew of the ''Lost Light'' had done for him, the euphoric Ten "ascended" to the Matrix – as part of Mederi's euthanasia program. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}}

Ten's self-made figurine as well as the figurines of other notable deceased crew members, appear alongside Rung's model Lost Light during the crews final goodbyes to the ship. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}

[[Category:Comic-only characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 drones]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Law enforcement]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]

The Lopsided Triangle

2018-11-30T03:41:21Z

Djelibaebi:

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=47
|prev=Animals
|next=Speak, Memory: Part 1
|image=MTMTE47_regcvr.jpg
|title="The Lopsided Triangle"
|caption=''Why don't you go away, Getaway'' ''Stay away Getaway'' ''Get away Getaway'' ''You're hopelessly hopeless''
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 25]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=November 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Brendan Cahill]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}
'''Cyclonus is faced with a difficult choice as Getaway's intentions with Tailgate finally become clear.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:TheLopsidedTriangle-MTOs.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
In the deserted [["Visages"]], [[Getaway]] teaches [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] [[chirolinguistics]], but soon digresses long enough to recount the story of his birth during the [[Corcapsia Incursion]], and how he earned his name by shamefully running from the battle. After using [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]'s wrench to uncover [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] drinking nearby, Getaway invites Tailgate to return to his quarters with him so he can give him a present, which turns out to be a set of clip-on [[mnemosurgery]] needles. Tailgate is a little confused, as he cannot ever remember claiming to want a set for himself the way Getaway claims he did, but Getaway soon changes the subject with a surprising revelation: he has, in actuality, been secretly walking Tailgate through the [[Conjunx Endura|Conjunx Ritus]], the four ceremonial acts which will make them [[Conjunx Endura]]. The "Act of Intimacy" was their holding hands as he taught him chirolinguistics; the "Act of Disclosure" was his tale of his birth; the "Act of Profference" was the giving of the needles as a gift; and now all he needs is for Tailgate to carry out the "Act of Devotion" by performing a spectacular demonstration of his love...

Elsewhere, [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] awakes in his and Tailgate's shared hab-suite to see that his room-mate is not on his recharge slab. He silently heads to "[[Swerve's]]"—observing [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] and [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] holding hands as he goes—where Swerve offers him an [[Old Corroder]] as thanks for saving him during the "[[Swearth]]" debacle. Cyclonus takes the drink to "steel his nerves", then strides from the bar... but rather than go looking for Tailgate, he instead heads to [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'s quarters. He expresses his concerns about Tailgate and Getaway to the one-eyed watchmaker, fearing that the escapologist does not have his little friend's best interests at heart, but Whirl simply laughs in his face and tells Cyclonus that Tailgate will be better off with Getaway than he would be with him. Whirl asks why Cyclonus has even bothered to come to him with his problems, and Cyclonus responds that Whirl is the only one he could rely on to tell him the painful truth, because he knows he doesn't care about his feelings.

[[File:GetawaypressuresTailgate TheLopsidedTriangle.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|'''Getaway''' makes sure the readers ''really'' hate him.]]
A few minutes later, an attack of conscience has Whirl call Getaway and [[Atomizer]] to his room. This pair, it turns out, were the ones who conspired with Whirl in the recent past to bait [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] into a fight in hopes of disgracing the ex-Decepticon and forcing him out. That remains their goal, and is the reason that Getaway has been "grooming" Tailgate all this time; he has no feelings of love for the minibot and has simply manipulated him into the "Act of Devotion", requesting that Tailgate prove himself by using the mnemo-needles to reprogram the sleeping Megatron's mind. Or rather, that's what Tailgate ''thinks'' he is going to do—the needles are only fakes, but when the mnemophobic Megatron awakes, Getaway expects him to murder Tailgate on the spot, resulting in Megatron either being killed by the ship's security or shipped back to Cybertron for imprisonment or execution. But Whirl isn't willing to go through with the plan anymore—not at the cost of Tailgate's life. Unfortunately, it's too late; Tailgate is already on his way to Megatron's quarters, and Getaway promptly has Atomizer shoot Whirl with his old [[nudge gun]], wiping his memories of their plan. As his memories slip away, the drowsy Whirl manages to project his [[holomatter]] avatar to various locations around the ship, eventually appearing outside the window of Cyclonus and Tailgate's room. Realizing something is wrong, the startled Cyclonus sprints to Whirl's room, but by the time he has arrived, Getaway and Atomizer are gone and Whirl has forgotten everything. Cyclonus is confused, but then spots a clue Whirl managed to leave before Atomizer pulled the trigger: he has set all the chronometers in his room to "113", Megatron's hab-suite number.

[[File:TheLopsidedTriangle-sparkspasm.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3]]
Tailgate, meanwhile, has managed to screw up enough courage to sneak into Megatron's quarters, sweeping the room with Nautica's wrench to search for the lurking Ravage. Unfortunately, Getaway has deliberately disabled that function of the wrench, so Ravage goes undetected, and it is his cry that alerts Megatron as Tailgate is about to begin his task. Awakening in panic and rage, Megatron seizes Tailgate, but before he can do anything, Cyclonus's [[Great Sword]] comes flying through the doorway and sinks into Megatron's chest. Cyclonus runs in and bludgeons Megatron into unconsciousness with a chunk of recharge slab, then grabs Tailgate and makes a run for an escape pod, knowing that his actions could well have sealed both their fates. As they run, the pair realize that Getaway set Tailgate up... but more importantly, as Tailgate's mind runs back over his relationship with Cyclonus, he realizes that when he was on his deathbed, they unknowingly performed the Four Acts themselves—Tailgate held Cyclonus's hand, confessed his fear of death, and gave him the gift of a replacement horn, while Cyclonus proved his devotion by sharing the energy of his [[spark]] to save Tailgate's life. Just before they make it to the escape pod, however, the ship's security team catches up to them, and when Cyclonus reaches for his sword, they open fire. Cyclonus shields Tailgate from the barrage of firepower with his body, and, grievously wounded, bids the little 'bot farewell before collapsing in front of him. The horrified Tailgate's eyes flare with light the way they always do when he panics... but this time, the glow builds and builds, until his whole body radiates a pulsewave of blinding rainbow-light that surges throughout the entire ship...
{{--}}

==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"{{!}}
*[[Getaway]] (1)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (2)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (6)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (7)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (8)
*[[Rollout (G1)|Rollout]] (9)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] (10)
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (11)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (12)
*[[Atomizer]] (13)
*[[Grotusque]] (14)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (15)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (16)
*[[Powerflash]] (17)
*[[Aquafend]] (18)
*[[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight]] (19)
*[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (20)
*[[Boss (G1)|Boss]] (21)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] (3)
|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (4)
*[[Ten]] (5)

}}

==Quotes==

"Sorry about the mess." 
"What mess?" 
"No, but that's what people '''say''' in these situations, isn't it? "Come in, come in, sorry about the mess." "How was your trip?" "What brings you here at this hour?" I don't know! I've never '''entertained''' before. How am I doing so far?"
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Cyclonus'''

"Coming Soon: '''Cyclonus of Trixylix''' in ''"My Friend's Got a New Friend."'' '''HA!''' You '''devil!''' I thought this was '''life-and-death''', not sad-face boo-hoo '''relationship problems.''' Here you go. Have a '''reality check''', free of charge. By sheer '''happenstance''', you and '''Panic Button''' ended up being roomies. What makes you think there's '''any''' connection beyond that? The only thing you've got in common is a '''front door'''... 
"I saved his life." 
"And? So what? He '''owes''' you? You own him? He's not allowed to make other friends?" 
"I... care about him." 
"Again: so what? Here's a thought: maybe he just likes Getaway more he likes than you. Would '''anyone''' find that surprising? What can you offer him apart from your '''guaranteed disapproval''' and a '''face like a funeral'''? All you do is '''stare out the window'''! My advice to you? '''Get over it''' —because he's clearly over you. And let's face it... he's better off with the other guy."
:—'''Whirl''' gives '''Cyclonus''' the painful truth.

"There's no shame in surrendering to your '''limitations'''. Even the best of us '''fail'''. If you really don't feel brave enough to do this, just say "I'm not the 'bot you thought I was," and we'll forget this whole conversation." 
"'''All''' of it...?" 
"Well, I mean, we'd have to start the '''Four Acts''' again—if we still wanted to do that. And if we did, I'm sure there are other ways you could demonstrate your devotion... although none that would impress Cyclonus as much as saving the entire crew from Megatron."
:—'''Getaway''' is a manipulative asshole and '''Tailgate''' can't see it

"I don't '''like''' sending him into the '''devil's den''', but then I don't like a filthy fascist scumbag murderer getting an '''Autobot badge''' and a pat on the back from high command."
:—'''Getaway'''

"Goodbye, little one."
:—'''Cyclonus''', breaking everyone's hearts

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*We first heard of Corcapsia back in [[Twenty Plus One|issue #31]], in which Getaway revealed he was created during the "Corcapsia Incursion".
*The full meaning of the term "constructed cold" is revealed at last through Getaway's flashback to his birth. The reference to a spark being "defrosted" made in issue #31 was not euphemistic: the mass-produced [[spark]]s were actually ''frozen'', in which state they were inserted into pre-fab bodies to thaw out. Frozen sparks are here noted to be stored in [[photonic crystal]]s—the same type of crystal that makes up the core of the [[Matrix of Leadership]], as we learned in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime]]''.
*Getaway refers to how "everything they'd decided [he] needed to know" took shape in his mind at the moment of his awakening. While the truthfulness of his account is, of course, questionable—given how ''many'' lies we know he's been telling—this would certainly seem to contradict the account given of M.T.O.'s early lives in issue #31, which explained that they had to undergo a multi-step training program of exams that required extensive revision, before being released into the world. If Getaway is considered to be telling the truth, this would suggest he was one of the later M.T.O.'s, who only had to go through the three-step program that didn't even last an hour, which this issue would imply was a pre-programmed thing that didn't require any conscious effort on his part.
*"Visages" is deserted because, in addition to [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] tricking Megatron into reciting poetry there in [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issue #40]], [[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] isn't even on board the ship to run the joint any more, having left in [[The One Where They Go to Earth|issue #43]].
*Chirolinguistics was introduced in issue #31.
*Tailgate notes that Cyclonus was going to teach him how to sing in Old Cybertronian; he first gave him a lesson in [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|issue #13]].
*Getaway had Brainstorm add the Ravage-detecting torch to [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]'s wrench in [[The Sensuous Frame|issue #41]].
*"Old Corroder" was previously mentioned in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]].
*Getaway claims he found the mnemo-needles he gives Tailgate in [[Fortuna]], where the ''Lost Light'' docked in issue #40.
*While Getaway had started grooming Tailgate earlier, it was in [[Twenty Plus One|#31]] that Getaway saw that Tailgate would definitely risk confronting Megatron.
*At last, it is revealed that the unseen co-conspirators with whom Whirl conversed in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]], who had him attempt to coerce Megatron into a captaincy-ruining fight, were Atomizer and Getaway. Remember that back in [[slaughterhouse|issue #32]], Getaway discussed Megatron and how to properly hate him ("that's the problem: the greater the crime, the harder it is to process a response."). Getting rid of Megatron is not their endgame, however: Atomizer has shown interest in manipulating the ranks of the ''Lost Light'' before there was any indication Megatron would be coming on board in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|issue #29]], when he gave Rodimus a faked list of crewmembers who wanted to vote him out.
*Tailgate mentions [[Scalp]], an old friend of his who he brought up before in [[The Reluctant Specialist|''Spotlight: Trailcutter'']]. Turns out he was a mnemosurgeon. This fits with the head-themed naming convention for all other mnemosurgeons in that very same issue.
*Megatron's fear of mnemosurgery was originally displayed in issue #28. We learned the story behind his phobia in [[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|issue #34]].
*We've only ever seen Skids's nudge gun before, but we learned that Getaway had one of his own back in [[Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|issue #20]], in which it was explained that [[Solomus|Tyrest]] confiscated it when he captured him and used it to develop the "Weapon of Mass Suggestion" he employed to immobilize the ''Lost Light''ers. Getaway notes it took him ages to find it again.
*Tailgate's deathbed experience occurred back in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]]. Two of the four acts—Cyclonus holding his hand, and Tailgate confessing how terrified of dying he was—happened off-panel, the first taking place before we joined the scene, and the second occurring when Cyclonus left the med-bay in response to a summons from [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]].
*Powerflash and Aquafend have previously appeared as members of the ''Lost Light'' security team in several previous issues, but this is the first time Strafe, Dogfight, or Boss have been shown to be part of the group.
*Strafe was previously established to have stayed aboard the ''Lost Light'' after its second departure from Cybertron in the letters page of ''[[The Transformers: Redemption|Redemption]]''.

===Real-life references===
*This issue concludes with a quote from the 1962 French film, ''{{w|Jules and Jim|Jules et Jim}}'': "We played with life and lost".
*Whirl mocks the heartbroken Cyclonus as being from "Trixylix" - Tixylix is a brand of infant cough medicine in the UK, ususally given to crying children.

===Errors===
*On page 12, Getaway's speech bubble about his nudge gun is coming from Atomizer. This is fixed in the trade.
*Back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]], the inside of Megatron's body was established to be filled with [[space bridge]] portals, to Whirl's loss (of hand). Shouldn't Cyclonus's Great Sword have been similarly truncated?
*Dogfight's looking a little off-color, with grey parts instead of pale blue, and entirely grey head, instead of his usual, more distinctive blue helmet and red face.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1pMMIe4hb4 Wuthering Heights]" by {{w|Kate Bush}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2Jb2Qeeuks Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken]" by {{w|Lloyd Cole and the Commotions}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryZ3dGzPFNQ Water From the Same Source]" by {{w|Rachel's}}

===Covers (4)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Tailgate is quite literally torn between Cyclonus and Getaway, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Whirl's holo-avatar, adrift in space, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' [[Verity Carlo]], [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]], [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], and [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]], by [[Brendan Cahill]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]; part of November's series of ''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers|Sins of the Wreckers]]'' incentive covers.
*'''Merrymac Games and Comics exclusive cover:''' ''[[Transformers: Generations#Combiner Wars (2015–2016)|Combiner Wars]]'' Voyager Class [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Combiner Wars|Optimus Prime]] in package, by [[Craig Rousseau]]; available exclusively from [https://www.facebook.com/Merrymacgamesandcomics Merrymac Games and Comics].

<gallery>
File:MTMTE47 regcvr.jpg|Uh guys, you did a very bad thing!
File:MTMTE47 subcvr.jpg|Nice one, Whirl!
File:MTMTE47 cvrRI.jpg|Wreck'N'Rule!
File:MTMTE47 cvrRE.jpg|MISB
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #48
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|#47]]
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 10|#10]]
*''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers|Sins of the Wreckers]]'' [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 1|#1]]
*''[[The Transformers: Redemption]]''
*IDW ''Transformers'' graphic novel library

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/26888-preview-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-47.html Preview]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lopsided Triangle}}

How Ratchet Got His Hands Back

2018-11-30T03:37:20Z

Djelibaebi:

{{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==
[[File:MTMTE5 firstaid takes charge.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
At the [[Delphi]] medical facility, the furious [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|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 (G1)|Pharma]] pulls a gun on [[Ambulon]], accusing him of freeing the Decepticons and releasing the virus plaguing the facility, on the basis that he is a former Decepticon himself. First Aid, however, turns the tables on Pharma when he examines the Genericons' remains and discovers that they were ''not'' [[Monoformer]]s, as Pharma had claimed. Ratchet puts the final pieces of the puzzle together, and requests that Pharma transform; when he refuses, Ratchet diagnoses the virus as being activated through transformation. First Aid and Ambulon have not succumbed to its effects because 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 [[Legislator|giant robots]] pursuing [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], he inquires about clause nineteen-eighty-four, which Magnus informs him relates to the supposedly non-existent "thought warfare".

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

[[File:Ratchet Red Rust.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Back in Delphi, Ratchet catches up to Pharma, who gleefully explains his master plan: he engineered the plague in order to shut Delphi down so that he could escape a deal he made with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that forced him to kill patients in order to harvest their transformation cogs for the [[Tarn (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=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (5)
*[[Ambulon]] (6)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (7)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (8)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] (9)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (13)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (14)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (16)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]] (1)
*[[Boom]] (4)
*''[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'' (15)
|c4=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (10)
*''[[Nova Prime]]'' (12)
}}

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

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

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

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

"Pharma, I've been held at gunpoint by the '''best'''—[[Megatron (G1)/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==
===Continuity notes===
*The absence of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s [[Moonbase One|first moon]] is mentioned again, previously noted in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]] and an important plot point over in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Stick Together|#3]]. Tailgate claims (falsely) to have coordinated the first search for it, meaning it's been missing since the early days of [[Nova Prime]].
*Speaking of Nova Prime, Tailgate claims (false) responsibility for persuading him to look beyond Cybertron. (He probably didn't know how [[Revelation (IDW)|that turned out]].)
*Ultra Magnus tells Tailgate to relax, a word he later [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|denies the existence of due to never having heard of it]].
*Ratchet's [[holomatter]] avatar returns, a concept only seen [[Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|once]] since [[Simon Furman]]'s time on the series ended. A quick explanation is offered for why the tech was phased out in universe: it's energy-intensive, it demands total concentration, and the hair never looks real.
*While talking about Red Alert's history, Rung mentions the security officer's belief in "the [[Institute]]", a mysterious facility previously mentioned in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". This scene has a very sneaky payoff in [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|#10]].
* Likewise, Drift mentions Ratchet having once saved his life long ago in [[Rodion]], a story that will be shown to us in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|#9]].

===Transformers references===
*The opening moments of the issue, as Fortress Maximus tears one of the Genericons in half and slams the pieces together, is an homage to ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|#5]], in which [[Overlord (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.
*Rung and Red Alert's session numbers are clearly evocative of issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]]: [[Prey!|#97]] was Roberts's first issue; [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|#113]] was the issue that hooked him; [[Front Line! (issue)|#288]] was the issue in which he got a [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|letter printed]]; and issue [[End of the Road! (US)|#332]] was the final installment of the series. The significance of [[The Last Stand|#7]] is not apparent.
*On the subject of numbers, Rung's patient number for Red Alert is the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|numbers]] used for Red Alert's Japanese toy releases (his [[Red Alert (G1)#Generation 1 2|original toy]] ID, [[Red Alert (G1)#Smallest Transforming Transformers|Smallest Transforming Transformers]], and [[Red Alert (G1)#Binaltech Asterisk|Binaltech Asterisk]] numbers respectively).

===Real-World References===
*Ironically, not a reference to what [[1984|you might be thinking]]; Nineteen Eighty-Four and "thought warfare" is a reference to (and pun on) the novel of the same name by George Orwell, in which a totalitarian state controls the populace through "thought crime" and "double think," both forms of thought control in one form or another. Although "thought warfare" in the IDW continuity is taken [[Mnemosurgery|more]] [[Nudge gun|literally]].

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

===Soundtrack===
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS_DcqPkEYM "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying"] by {{w|Belle & Sebastian}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fR21QVgJ84 "Carries On"] by {{w|Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c7QRP8mIt8 "City Sickness"] by {{w|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>
File:MTMTE5_cvrA.jpg|This looks [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|familiar]].
File:MTMTE5_cvrB.jpg|You '''will''' deal with this now!
File:MTMTE5_cvrRI.jpg|I am cooler than you.
</gallery>

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

The Sensuous Frame

2018-11-30T02:44:30Z

Djelibaebi:

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=41
|prev=Our Steps Will Always Rhyme
|next=The Frail Gaze
|image=MTMTE41_subcvr.jpg
|title="The Sensuous Frame"
|caption=The idea of a "Thunder Clash [[Skyquake (Prime)|Pre-Memorial Hospital]]" is not out of the question either.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 27]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=May 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]] and [[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}

'''The crew of the ''Lost Light'' is invited to the "pre-wake" of the soon-to-be-deceased Thunderclash, but Nightbeat and Getaway soon learn there is quite ''literally'' more than meets the eye going on aboard the ''Vis Vitalis''.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:SensuousFrame-ThunderClash.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7]]
Decorated space-faring hero [[Countdown (G1)|Countdown]] arrives on the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]'' to see his ailing mentor [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]—at last, the famous Autobot's old war wound has apparently gotten the better of him, and he now lies at death's door. Escorted by the ship's first officer [[Firestar (G1)|Firestar]] to the side of the mute, unmoving Thunderclash—trapped in alternate mode by [[rigor morphis]]—Countdown is left alone with his former teacher... at which point, he hears a knocking coming from within Thunderclash's trailer. Peering inside, Countdown only has time to scream...

On the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]], [[Getaway]], and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] are all hanging out in [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]'s room, but the [[Caminus|Camien]] bibliophile would rather read about the [[Froidian Classification System]] than indulge their silly antics. Mention of the psychologist's name leads Skids and Getaway to talk about [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], while Brainstorm manages to convince Nautica to try out his upside-down harness, which she ends up enjoying. Brainstorm has also completed an upgrade to Nautica's wrench at Getaway's request: the addition of a torch that counters [[attention deflector]]s, which Getaway plans to use to keep an eye out for the stealthy [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]]. Just then, an unfamiliar ringing is heard throughout the ship...

Simultaneously, in "[[Swerve's]]", Ravage and [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] observe as [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]—introverted following [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]'s recent departure—finishes up his four-week viewing of every piece of human art and entertainment ever created. Just as he is describing the lessons he has learned, Swerve is interrupted by the ringing noise, which turns out to be a giant gong that [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] is ringing in order to summon the crew together. The gong signifies that the crew have "accomplished something": they have caught up to the ''Vis Vitalis'', and Rodimus can barely suppress his glee when he announces the news that his long-hated rival Thunderclash is on his deathbed, and that the crew are invited to a "pre-wake" in his honor. After giving the crew the news, Rodimus and [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] privately reveal to one another that they will not be attending the party, and their attempts to make excuses for not doing so lead to them scheduling a meeting for themselves during which they will "plan".

[[File:TheSensuousFrame-Firestar.jpg|thumb|Nautica reuinited with her old [[Amica Endura|flame]].]]
Later, the pre-wake party is in full swing aboard the ''Vis Vitalis'', and the ''Lost Light''ers are all enjoying themselves... except for wallflowers Rung, Nautica, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], and [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]. While Nightbeat takes Nautica's wrench and goes off to snoop around the ship, Nautica is approached by Firestar, who it turns out is her old room-mate and [[Amica Endura]] from Caminus, and who joined the ''Vis Vitalis'' crew when she and some other Camiens picked up a distress call and helped fix some damage the ship had taken. As she and Nautica swap stories, however, it soon becomes clear that Firestar is more "frenemy" than "friend", her catty remarks about Nautica's abilities and insistence on using the hated nickname "Naughty Nautica" soon mounting up, culminating in an awkward silence and an uncomfortable parting of the ways.

In Thunderclash's quarters, Camien crewmember [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] shows [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Minimus Ambus]] the supposed map to [[Cyberutopia]] that Thunderclash has carved into the room's wall, drawn from his dreams. [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] completes his examination of Thunderclash, which yields surprising results: whatever is killing Thunderclash, it is ''not'' his old [[spark]] injury, which has been miraculously healed around six months prior. Velocity explains that a passing medic was responsible, but cannot remember anything about her. Unable to deduce what has left Thunderclash in his current sorry state, First Aid opens his trailer to carry out an internal examination... but finds nothing.

[[File:Getaway photon the sensuous frame.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
A little later, after the party has wound down and most of the crew have returned to the ''Lost Light'', Nautica hems and haws about staying for the funeral. A tired, out-of-sorts Skids tells her a few others are staying too, and will be picked up by Rodimus on his way back from a supply run; others such as Nightbeat, who has just found a strangely exhausted Getaway napping in the middle of a corridor. Just as Nightbeat rouses him, Ravage runs screaming down the hallway, his attention deflectors sparking, claiming that something is "everywhere" and "won't stop looking at him". Immensely intrigued, the pair set off after the frightened feline.

In Thunderclash's quarters, First Aid gets as surprise when he hooks the dying 'bot up to a monitor desk, and Thunderclash begins voluntarily, selectively shutting his systems down in order to make his life-signs on the monitor resemble words. First Aid, Velocity, and Minimus read his message: "You're all blind, you're all dead" ...and then turn when they hear the sound of knocking coming from within his trailer...

Nightbeat and Getaway follow Ravage into the ship's morgue, where they find the body of ex-racer-turned-public-speaker [[Photon (G1)|Photon]], and the ''still-warm'' corpse of Countdown. Shining the light of Nautica's torch onto Countdown exposes a horrible sight: a mass of [[technorganic]] eggs, clinging to his frame, invisible to the naked optic. Under the light, Getaway realizes they are on his body too... at which point, the pair suddenly find themselves surrounded by clawing alien creatures whose bodies are covered with the mysterious growths!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Firestar (G1)|Firestar]] (1)
*[[Countdown (G1)|Countdown]] (2)
*[[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] (3)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (4)
*[[Getaway]] (5)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (6)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (7)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (8)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (10)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (11)
*[[Rollout (G1)|Rollout]] (12)
*[[Boss (G1)|Boss]] (13)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (14)
*[[Aquafend]] (15)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Borer]] (16)
*?  (17)
*?  (18)
*[[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]] (19)
*[[Atomizer]] (20)
*[[Hosehead (G1)|Hosehead]] (21)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (22)
*[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] (23)
*[[Sky High (Pretender)|Sky High]] (24)
*[[Groove (G1)|Groove]] (25)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (26)
*[[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]] (27)
*[[Xaaron]] (28)
*[[Dipstick]] (29)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Pointblank]] (30)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (31)
*?  (32)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (33)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (34)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (35)
*[[Skater]] (36)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (37)
*[[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] (38)
*[[Doublecross]] (39)
*[[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] (40)
*[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (41)
*[[Rad (G1)|Rad]] (42)
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (43)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] (44)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (45)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (46)
*[[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (47, see errors)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (48)
*[[Javelin]] (49)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (50)
*[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] (52)
*[[Blades (G1)|Blades]] (53)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (54)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Minimus Ambus]] (55)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (56)
*[[Photon (G1)|Photon]]'s corpse (57)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] (9)
|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (51)
}}

==Quotes==
"This is wonderful! And look! '''Reading!''' I can read upside down! I've always wondered if I could!" 
"You never thought to, I dunno, turn a book upside down?" 
... 
"I'm not here and you can't see me. I'm hiding behind my '''wall of shame.'''"
:—'''Nautica''' tries out Brainstorm's upside-down harness with some help from '''Skids'''

"Finished! One '''upgraded''' wrench! Where's that '''one Shanix''' you promised me?" 
"I fear I may have exploited your ignorance of monetary value. Tell you what: if that thing works, I'll pay you '''two''' Shanix! Whaddya say?"
:—'''Brainstorm''' strikes a hot deal with '''Getaway'''.

"Having devoured 30,000 years' worth of stories and songs—and having read and watched and listened to everything from ''The Maxims of Ptahhotep'' to ''Infinite Jest''—it's only '''now''' that I've come to realize three things—'''three bold and shining truths''' that I'll carry with me '''forever.''' 
:'''One:''' Life is inherently tragic—and over far too quickly.
:'''Two:''' All art thrives on conflict. We valorize fiction because it helps us make sense of ourselves.
:'''Three:''' Season 4 of ''Community'' was a serious misstep."
:—'''Swerve'''

"Have you met him?" 
"Not as such. I've tried to '''kill''' him several times..."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Megatron''' on Thunderclash

"I'm gonna plan you '''into next week.'''" 
"Maybe. Or maybe after five minutes you'll get bored and start carving pictures onto your desk." 
"'''Wrong,''' actually! Utterly, demonstrably, '''villainously''' wrong. I ran out of space '''ages''' ago."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Megatron''' on their joint planning session

"What. Is. The. Matter. With. You." 
"I'm '''resting''', I'm not—why are you talking to me like I'm a '''broken vending machine?'''" 
"I'm trying to show concern. I've seen other people do it."
:—'''Nightbeat''' and '''Getaway'''

'''Velocity:''' "He's killing himself to send us a message...?" 
'''Minimus:''' "A '''grammatically correct''' message. Look at that apostrophe..." 
'''First Aid:''' "He had to reduce his lifespan by six hours to generate that apostrophe." 
'''Minimus:''' "I know that's not supposed to '''impress''' me, but..."

"Aren't you going to look? Dead bodies. They're your favorite." 
"'''Murders''' are my favourite. A dead body's just a statement. A murder is a '''question:''' whodunit?"
:—'''Getaway''' and '''Nightbeat''' in the morgue

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The presence of Mirage and the Protectobots on the ''Lost Light'' places this story before the ''[[Combiner Wars (comic)|Combiner Wars]]'' storyline, already well underway in the book's [[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|sibling]] [[The Transformers: Windblade|titles]] by the time this issue was released.
*Copious amounts of [[innermost energon]] have been donated for Thunderclash; we were introduced to this practice back in [[Before & After|issue #12]].
*[[Rigor morphis]] debuted ''waaaay'' back in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|the very first issue]].
*Brainstorm's ability to work while hanging upside was previously seen in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]].
*Nautica notes that Rung lent her the book she is reading; it was implied in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]] that the pair had been exchanging books.
*Skids defends Rung, which indicates he's taking to heart [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]'s request from [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|last issue]] to be a friend to the psychiatrist.
*During Rodimus's announcement, Xaaron and Dipstick stand together in the audience, marking the third time the two have been spotted hanging out with one another in the series. It's perhaps safe to say at this point that the two are pals.
*Megatron and Rodimus's argument about "sulking" and "taking stock" echoes the one they had in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|issue #29]], with the roles reversed.
*Rodimus's habit of carving pictures into his desk was introduced in "[[Signal to Noise]]", back in [[More than Meets the Eye issue 13|issue #13]].
*Nautica mentioned having an Amica Endura back in [[slaughterhouse|issue #32]].
*Firestar is the new first officer of the ''Vis Vitalias'', which the ship was in need of since the [[Paddox|last one]] turned out to be an [[Ammonite]] in [[Little Victories|issue #22]].
*Thunderclash's map includes multiple uses of a familiar symbol: a gear-like hieroglyph seen engraved on the surface of [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] and in the speech bubble of a mysterious ball of energy, both from [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]].
*Minimus Ambus mentions that the ''Lost Light'''s version of the map was "memory-resistant", which was discovered in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]].
*The fatal injury that Thunderclash has lived with is revealed to have been received after the fall of [[Grindcore (prison)|Grindcore prison]], an infamous location previously mentioned in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue #39]] and "[[Bullets]]".
*Nightbeat makes a disparaging remark about Alpha Trion's supposed wisdom. We previously witnessed his distinct ''lack'' of awe towards the elder Autobot in [[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]].
*Countdown is famous for his role in the [[Simanzi Massacre]].

===Transformers references===
*Firestar was one of the original [[Female Autobots]], who first appeared in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[The Search for Alpha Trion]]". This is her first major role in G1-based fiction since then; she's mostly shown up in cameos since her original debut, partially due to [[Hasbro]]'s inability to [[trademark]] her name, requiring she be replaced in most stories with her lookalike, [[Flareup (disambiguation)|Flareup]]. Only the [[Aligned continuity family|Aligned]] [[Firestar (Prime)|version]] has had any significant role in her continuity's fiction.
*Generation 1 [[Micromaster]] Countdown is a similarly little-seen character, having received his biggest fictional role in [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s [[Transformers: Micromasters|''Micromasters'' mini-series]]. His being a legendary, highly decorated space hero comes directly from his original [[bio]].
*Rodimus's quarters are numbered "077"; the original Rodimus Prime toy's [[List of Japanese ID numbers|Japanese ID number]] was C-77.
*Swerve notes that Ratchet would have loved the party on the ''Vis Vitalis''; it almost never factors into his characterisation in ''any'' fiction, and certainly the current old-and-grumpy IDW incarnation of the character seems ''well'' past enjoying this sort of thing, but Ratchet's original Generation 1 bio does mention that he loves to party.

===Real-life references===
*We don't really need to point out that this issue takes its title from a line in the [[Tennyson|Alfred, Lord Tennyson]] poem ''{{w|In Memoriam A.H.H.}}'', since the poem opens this issue (or more accurately, the 50th of the poem's 133 sub-sections). We previously saw [[Verity Carlo]] with a book of Tennyson's poems in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|issue #5]].
*As Swerve watches television, the narration from the opening sequence of ''{{w|Quantum Leap}}'' plays.
*Specific works Swerve mentions having experienced include {{w|The Maxims of Ptahhotep}} and ''{{w|Infinite Jest}}''.
** The publisher's summary of the latter describes it as "Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy". Sounds familiar to anyone?
*As quoted above, Swerve references TV show ''[[Community]]'', but gets cut off before he can finish complaining about the firing of series creator {{w|Dan Harmon}}.
*The "next issue" box promises "murder on the dancefloor", a reference to the {{w|Murder on the Dancefloor|Sophie Ellis-Bextor song of the same name}}.

===Errors===
*The script, through Nautica's dialogue, makes the common mistake of mixing up "to infer" with "to imply." She says Rung "inferred" something to her, but the context makes it clear she means "implied."
*The 'bot at the centre of the dancefloor in our first look at the pre-wake is [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]], but he's been coloured in pale blue, lavender and white instead of his normal yellow, red and orange. Given the coloured disco lightball and that Whirl is coloured red behind him, this could just be a stylistic choice.
*While listing Camiens on board, Firestar mentions a "Skystalker", but a few pages later, Nautica talks about a "Sky''striker''". We'd guess that the former is the error, since there are plenty of [[Skystalker (disambiguation)|Skystalkers]] in Transformers already and aside from Firestar, these Camien characters are all newly created with non-legacy names. Whether or not the name is a deliberate reference to the [[Skystriker (vehicle)|''G.I. Joe'' vehicle]], we couldn't be sure. "Skystalker" is indeed corrected to "Skystriker" for the trade paperback.
*On Thunderclash's wall map, a black line to the right of the re-charge socket is miscolored as part of his drawings.
*As Getaway and Nightbeat watch Ravage flail around, one of Ravage's speech bubbles ("They won't stop looking at me!") is misaligned—it's supposed to be touching the edge of the panel, but has been placed a little higher, leaving visible the flat edge of the bubble without an outline. This is corrected in the trade paperback.
*In the same sequence, some of the sparks flying off of Ravage are miscolored as part of his body, making him appear somewhat tattered.

===Other trivia===
*In addition to Javelin, Velocity, and the above-mentioned Skystriker, new Camiens named but not seen in this issue include [[Proxima (G1)|Proxima]] (who appears on the cover), [[Acceleron]], [[Exocet]], and [[Skimmer (G1)|Skimmer]]. Acceleron and Proxima are both female, while Skystriker is male; Skimmer and Exocet's genders are not mentioned.
*And speaking of which, Acceleron and Proxima are a ''couple'', making them the first-ever official female same-gender couple in Transformers history!
*An additional female Camien, [[Roadmaster]], appears on the cover but is not seen or mentioned in the story. She would, however, appear in the [[The Frail Gaze|next issue]].

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kMT7r5lABc Last Night I Nearly Died (But I Woke Up Just In Time)]" by {{w|Duke Special}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjF6akZ2WqI Sweetest Decline]" by {{w|Beth Orton}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxvkI9MTQw4 Cannonball]" by {{w|The Breeders}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9KVfZQgCYg Call Me Ishmael]" by {{w|Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIHaNh3jRXg Flightless Bird, American Mouth]" by {{w|Iron & Wine}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Nautica reunites with Firestar and her other old Camien friends, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Thunderclash's huge pre-memorial statue, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Drift and Ratchet, by [[Kotteri]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE41 regcvr.jpg|Nautica resolved to never have another girls' night out with Firestar after she caused a major wildfire by simply walking past a couple of trees.
File:MTMTE41 subcvr.jpg|They apparently built the damn thing in front of the Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma.
File:MTMTE41 cvrRI.jpg|Y'all come back now, ya hear?
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #42
*"[[Combiner Wars (comic)|Combiner Wars]]"
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[Expelled from the Garden|#6]]
*IDW ''{{i|Jem and the Holograms (comic)|Jem and the Holograms}}'' comic
*''[[Godzilla]]: Rulers of Earth'' trade paperbacks
*''Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland'' (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/24609-funeral-for-a-fallen-autobot-in-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-41-exclusive-preview.html Preview]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sensuous Frame}}

Our Steps Will Always Rhyme

2018-11-30T02:29:07Z

Djelibaebi:

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=40
|prev=The Permanent Revolution
|next=The Sensuous Frame
|image=MTMTE40_regcvr.jpg
|title=Chief Medical Officer Ratchet in: "Our Steps Will Always Rhyme"
|caption=Looks like Ratchet has been collecting [[Cyberverse (toyline)|Cyberverse]].
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[April 29]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=April 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Brendan Cahill]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}

'''A hearing is convened to decide Brainstorm's punishment, which inspires Ratchet to venture off on a mission of his own—but not before he says his farewells properly.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Pharma ratchet steps shall always rhyme.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2]]
[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] has never been very good at saying goodbye, whether to [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]], to [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], or even to [[Hunter O'Nion]]. Such thoughts are on his mind today, as he enjoys a drink in the deserted [[Swerve's]], while the [[Swerve (G1)|bartender himself]] and [[Ten]] pass the time arranging a huge pyramid of glasses. The pyramid is lucky to be spared what happens next; Ratchet is not so fortunate, and is knocked head over heels as [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] comes careening into the bar on a new [[hoverboard]] that he has purchased in [[Fortuna]], capital city of the planet [[Scarvix]], where the ''[[Lost Light]]'' is currently berthed while its [[quantum generator]]s recharge. Tailgate apologizes, but notes how empty the bar is, which Swerve whines is the result of [[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] opening a competing establishment, [["Visages"]] (quotation marks included!), after the recent poisoning incident at Swerve's. While Swerve laments, Tailgate tells Ratchet he's going fishing for [[Legislator]] body-parts in the [[oil reservoir]] with [[Getaway]]; this turns the subject of conversation towards the put-upon Ten, who [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] has been trying to convince Swerve to treat better. Realising he is running late, Ratchet departs...

...in order to attend the first meeting of the [[Lost Light Internal Legal Affairs Committee]], headed by Ultra Magnus, [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], [[Xaaron]], and an absent [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], who are holding a hearing to decide what [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'s punishment will be following his recent deceptions. Brainstorm queries why [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] is not on trial, having been the 'bot who actually fired the fatal shot on their time travel adventure, but [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] has already pleaded Rewind's case in private. When confronted with the [[Decepticon]] symbol within his faceplate, Brainstorm does not deny the implication; [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] storms out as Brainstorm details how he chose to become an undercover agent in order to obtain from the Decepticons the resources necessary to build his [[time case|time machine]], but notes that he never provided his handlers with any information that would harm the [[Autobot]]s. When the subject of the alternate ''Lost Light'' and the act of treachery by its Brainstorm that resulted in the death of the entire crew is raised, Brainstorm takes a stand, refusing to be held accountable for actions that were not his own—a stand that earns him a solo round of applause from [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]]. The Committee begrudgingly admits that this is true, but conclude he must still be punished for his attempts to alter history; his time machine is to be destroyed, and his access to his lab is to be strictly regulated, but much to Brainstorm's surprise—and Ratchet's silent but visible dissatisfaction—he is ''not'' going to be kicked off the ship.

[[File:Getaway's innocent conversation with Tailgate.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|If your [[Early Early Warning System]] isn't already ringing it should '''''definitely''''' be by now.]]
Following the hearing, Magnus checks in on the melancholy Megatron, to see if he has taken a missing datapad belonging to Magnus. Megatron denies any involvement, but cryptically claims to be "working". Ratchet, meanwhile, heads to "Visages" to borrow Tailgate's hoverboard; the little 'bot is in the bar with Getaway, and grows confused and upset as the escapologist continues to ply him with drink and 'negative compliments', and claims that [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] has been talking about Tailgate behind his back.

Under the patently phoney ruse that Tailgate's board is infected with teleporting "super-[[scraplet]]s", Ratchet has [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] round up a select few of the crew for "examination". He uses the short, one-on-one sessions to talk candidly with each of them: he scolds Rodimus for the inconsistent treatment Brainstorm has received in comparison with exiled [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]; he gives [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]]'s number to [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] in order to get him counselling; he asks [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] to be a friend to Rung outside of officer hours; he helps [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] understand that Brainstorm's actions were truly selfless, as he was an [[M.T.O.]] and would have been erased from history had his mission succeeded; he suggests that Swerve try getting Megatron to perform some of his poetry to reinvigorate his bar; and he tries to console Ultra Magnus, who has come to believe that the rest of the crew does not respect him after finding a tiny figurine of his innermost form, [[Minimus Ambus]], outside his hab-suite door.

[[File:MTMTE40 Ten's mural.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Is it wrong to say we give it 10 out of 10?]]
Once the examinations are done (and First Aid has made it clear he knows Ratchet was making up the "super-scraplets"), Ratchet is once again clobbered by Tailgate on his ''new'' hoverboard, which Tailgate explains was built by Ten. His curiosity piqued by the similarity in artistic style of the drawing of Tailgate on the hoverboard and the Minimus Ambus figurine, Ratchet visits Ten's makeshift "quarters", where he discovers that the soul of an artist glows within the vocally-impaired robot: Ten has drawn a beautiful mural of the ship's crew on his wall, and built a wide range of miniatures of the same with to-scale dioramas. Noticing that there's a display dedicated to Ultra Magnus, Ratchet realizes that Magnus is Ten's "favorite", and that Ten, wanting something of his, secretly took the missing datapad in exchange for the Minimus figure. Examining the pad, Ratchet discovers why Magnus was so eager to get it back: it contains a poem he is trying to write! Ratchet encourages Ten to return the pad, and types a message for Magnus into it to explain the situation.

A little later, with his new friend Ten at his side, Minimus Ambus enters Swerve's, which is now the popular spot once again after Swerve had Megatron perform... at "Visages"! While Minimus talks about the strange message Ratchet left him, brief moments play out across the ship: Brainstorm and Nautica reconcile; Getaway and Tailgate fish; Cyclonus broods; Rodimus and Perceptor burn Brainstorm's briefcases... save one, which is secretly recovered for Megatron by [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]]; and First Aid finds Ratchet's quarters deserted, with a communicator and a note at long last appointing First Aid the ship's chief medical officer. As the ''Lost Light'' departs Scarvix, Ratchet watches it go from a small shuttle of his own, before he too takes off... in search of Drift.
{{--}}

==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)
*''[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]'' (3)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (6)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (7)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (8)
*[[Hosehead (G1)|Hosehead]] (9)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (10)
*[[Xaaron]] (12)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (13)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]/ [[Minimus Ambus]] (14)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (15)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (16)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (17)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (18)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (19)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (21)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (22)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (24)
*[[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]] (26)
*[[Getaway]] (27)
*[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (28)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (29)
*[[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] (30)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (31)
*? (32)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (33)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (34)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (35)
*[[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] (36)
*[[Grotusque]] (mural, 37)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] (mural, 38)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (figurine, 39)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (40)
*[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]] (41)
*[[Atomizer]] (42)
*[[Rad (G1)|Rad]] (43)
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (44)
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (45)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (figurine, 46)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*''[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]'' (5)
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] (23)
|c3=
*''[[Hunter O'Nion]]'' (4)
|c4=
*''[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]'' (2)
*[[Ten]] (11)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (20)
}}

==Quotes==
"I '''hate''' it. I ''(muffled)'' everything about it. It sounds ''(muffled)'' '''awful.'''"
:—'''Swerve''', on "Visages"

'''Brainstorm:''' "Everyone who's ever built a '''fully functioning time machine''', stand up." 
''(Riptide stands up.)'' 
''(beat)'' 
'''Riptide:''' "Oh, a '''time''' machine...! Sorry." 
''(Riptide sits down.)''

"The Decepticons have had their suspicions about me for '''ages.''' I'm the worst double agent '''ever'''. Worse than '''Rung.'''" 
''(beat)'' 
"Joke. Not funny."
:—'''Brainstorm'''

"If I had sarcasm-powered legs, I'd do a '''happy dance'''...!"
:—'''Nautica''' takes the news of a potential scraplet infection poorly

"How do I feel. How do I 'feel'." 
"It's not meant to be a trick question."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Ratchet'''

"Are these your '''favorites'''?" 
"Ten." 
"Yeah. Mine too. You're '''missing someone''', though. Not your fault: you joined after he left. After we '''sent him away.''' You'd have liked him. '''I''' did—probably a lot more than either of us realized."
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Ten''' talk about Drift

"I don't trust poetry. What's the point? All these people trying to say something by hiding it behind something else." 
"Someone once said that poetry is a hazardous attempt at self-understanding. It's certainly '''difficult'''..."
:—'''Swerve''' and '''Minimus Ambus'''

'''Brainstorm:''' "I added a new button:" 
'''Nautica's wrench:''' "Brainstorm is an ass!" 
'''Nautica:''' "It's my new favorite."

"This ship is a refuge for the '''emotionally inarticulate'''. Oh, people talk. People talk '''all the time'''. They just don't '''say''' very much. They're too worried about people knowing how they '''feel'''. Too worried about being '''found out'''. For better or worse, we're judged by what we do, and not what we '''say'''. And if it takes us a while to get around to doing something '''important''', well... better late than never."
:—'''Ratchet's''' farewell message

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Ratchet's first flashback shows his parting with [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]], which chronologically takes places between the scenes of the past shown in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issues #11]] and [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|issue #36]].
*His second flashback is set before his departure for Earth, prior to [[Infiltration issue 0|''Infiltration'' #0]], IDW's first ''Transformers'' issue. We also learn that Ratchet's departure was what convinced Pharma to transfer to [[Delphi]], where we met him in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]]. Pharma is depicted tinkering with a transformation cog, foreshadowing his eventual fall from grace.
*The third flashback shows Ratchet (in his "-ations"-era body, complete with [[holomatter]] avatar and even speech-bubble and font design from that time) returning [[Hunter O'Nion]] home following his separation from [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]], set in the missing year between [[Maximum Dinobots issue 5|''Maximum Dinobots'' #5]] and [[All Hail Megatron issue 1|''All Hail Megatron'' #1]]. [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] is shown watching Hunter, alluding to his eventual capture of the boy and the pillaging of his mind, revealed in [[All Hail Megatron issue 8|''All Hail Megatron'' #8]].
*Hunter is noted to be going to his sister's house, a small allusion to the non-canonical strip "[[Hail and Farewell]]", in which Hunter's sister was noted to be his only remaining family.
*Tailgate's been inspired to get a hoverboard after watching ''Back to the Future Part II'' in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue #38]].
*The oil reservoir is full of Legislator body parts after Skids tore an entire battalion of them apart down there back in [[Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|issue #18]].
*Someone has written "I failed the [[Ambus Test]]" on Ten's back; the test, an indicator of sentience, was previously mentioned in [[Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|issue #24]].
*Getaway's behaviour towards Tailgate has grown noticeably more creepy from when we first saw it in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|issue #30]].
*Ratchet feels Hoist needs "someone to talk to"; that's likely because of his isolation issues, which we saw illustrated in [[The Waiting Game|''Spotlight: Hoist'']], and which are no doubt flaring up after [[Trailbreaker (G1)|his roommate]] died in [[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|issue #34]], only the week before the events of this issue.
*We've known that "Brainstorm" isn't Brainstorm's real name since [[The Reluctant Specialist|''Spotlight: Trailcutter'']]; here, Nautica reveals that it is "Genitus of Operation: Solar Storm".
*Ratchet encourages Skids to get the "puncture wounds" on his neck fixed; those would be the [[mnemosurgery]] holes Chromedome left after [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
*In keeping with her professed enthusiasm for engex in issue 28, Nautica nurses a giant-sized drinking glass at Swerve's.
*In the same panel, "Whirl Wuz Here" can be seen scrawled on a chair. Whirl's propensity for graffiti was previously brought up in the Annual, as well as earlier this very issue in relation to the writing on Ten's back. Further, the specific words call back to the desk graffiti on one of the (out-of-continuity) covers to issue 5: "Whirl Wuzent Here".
*Also in this same panel, Brainstorm's Autobot symbol is noticeably absent from his chest, presumably a consequence in some way or other of his revealed duplicity.
*Ratchet's departure leads into his role in the [[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|''Drift - Empire of Stone'']] mini-series, already published in full by the time of this issue's release.
*The long-range communicator Ratchet takes bears a noticeable resemblance to the "time phone" of the Elegant Chaos arc, which makes sense seeing as how the latter certainly didn't seem constrained by distance in its depiction.
*First Aid's tenure as Chief Medical Officer will be brief, as he and several others will be leaving the ship shortly in order to be part of the "[[Combiner Wars (comic)|Combiner Wars]]" storyline. In fact, the comic showing his departure, "[[The Possible Light]]", had been published two weeks prior.

===Transformers references===
*The planet Scarvix appeared in [[Headhunt|issue #133]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Marvel UK Generation 1 comic]].
*The 'bots who Tailgate nearly knocks down while on his board are Siren, Nightbeat, and Hosehead, the full roster of 1988 Autobot [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. As a cute reference, Hosehead claims Tailgate "nearly took [his] head off".
*As Swerve directs Ten around, he says: "A little to the left... a little bit more", a verbatim quote from [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' as he arranges the positioning of a roadblock, right before Hot Rod comes crashing through.
*The rise and fall of Mirage's bar was first mentioned in [[The Possible Light|''The Transformers'' #40]], just a few weeks before this issue was published.
*When Ratchet describes the "super-scraplets", he uses the onomatopoeia "Vop!" to illustrate their teleportation abilities. That's the sound effect IDW uses for [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]]'s teleports.

===Real-life references===
*This issue's title is a lyric from the {{w|Leonard Cohen}} song, "{{w|Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye}}", a pretty self-explanatory reference.
*Siren's exclamation of "I'm walkin' here!" is an oft-quoted line of {{w|Dustin Hoffman}}'s from the 1969 film ''{{w|Midnight Cowboy}}''.
*When Ratchet leaves Hunter home, the human notes he is going to catch up on a lot of television, listing off the hot-name shows that were airing at the time the scene is set, in the late 2000s: the reimagined ''{{w|Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica}}'', ''[[Doctor Who]]'', and ''{{w|Heroes (TV series)|Heroes}}''.
*After Tailgate smacks into Ratchet for the second time, Ratchet returns his hoverboard and says "Hey, kid, thanks", paraphrasing similar lines from ''{{w|Back to the Future}}'' and {{w|Back to the Future Part II|its sequel}} when {{w|Marty McFly}} returns borrowed boards to their owners.
*The individual mentioned in Minimus's remark on the nature of poetry, quoted above, was {{w|Robert Penn Warren}}, who wrote: "For what is a poem but a hazardous attempt at self-understanding: it is the deepest part of autobiography."

===Errors===
*Ratchet's interaction with Rodimus is pretty off-base. The medic's ire is focused on the "disproportionate punishment" he believes Drift received, but completely ignores the fact that ''Rodimus'' was the one who was responsible for bringing Overlord on-board the ship (which we know from [[Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|issue #26]] that Rodimus admitted to the whole crew) and that Drift had actively ''volunteered'' to take the blame for the fiasco and allowed himself to be exiled—there was no "punishment" involved for Ratchet to be angry about. The No-Prize-y explanation would be that Rodimus didn't tell the crew that Drift chose to be exiled, which would kinda-sorta fit with [[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|''Empire of Stone'' #1]], in which Ratchet knows that Drift is not to blame for the Overlord situation, and claims he was "following orders". The trade paperback changes the wording of Ratchet's complaint to "inconsistent treatment", which papers over the problem by making it more about how the difference between the two Autobots' sentences appears to the rest of the crew, rather than about the punishments themselves.

===Other trivia===
*After running a month behind for the first quarter of 2015, ''More than Meets the Eye'' gets back on schedule with this issue, the second of two released in April.
*There are plenty of ''Lost Light'' regulars who aren't part of Ten's mural, but it's pretty telling that Ten has left Swerve himself out of the artwork.
*The shared faves of Ratchet and Ten are Chromedome, Tailgate, Rung, Skids, Hoist, Getaway, and Rodimus (and Magnus).
*Also, Ten seems to depict himself with eyes in both his mural and his miniature, despite being a Legislator and having none.
*In accordance with Ratchet's suggestion, Skids can be seen socializing with Rung in the background, towards the end of the issue.
*Brainstorm mentions his 'handler' but doesn't tell us who that would be. Will we ever find out?
*Nautica has a pretty drastic reaction to Brainstorm's admission of being a double agent, considering how she was an outsider to the whole war.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgb8am3NQU0 Nobody's Empire]" by {{w|Belle and Sebastian}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYRoZELZY3w Love Expression]" by {{w|It's Jo and Danny}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-bJPmasXKs Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye]" by Leonard Cohen

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' The ''Lost Light'' crew in Ratchet's tender hands, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Tailgate on his hoverboard as Getaway, Cyclonus, and Ultra Magnus look on, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Brainstorm in the spotlight, with Nautica, Ratchet, and Ultra Magnus silently judging, by [[Brendan Cahill]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE40 regcvr.jpg|He's got the whole gang in his hands.
File:MTMTE40 subcvr.jpg|Well, it beats pod-racing.
File:MTMTE40 cvrRI.jpg|'''CHUNG CHUNG'''
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #41
*"[[Combiner Wars (comic)|Combiner Wars]]"
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[Expelled from the Garden|#6]]
*''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters'' trade paperback
*IDW ''Skylanders'' comic
*IDW ''{{i|Jem and the Holograms (comic)|Jem and the Holograms}}'' comic
*''[[My Little Pony]]: FIENDship Is Magic'' comic book event
*Disney comics are back! (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-40-idw-2015 Preview]

The Permanent Revolution

2018-11-30T02:10:52Z

Djelibaebi:

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=39
|prev=Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide
|next=Our Steps Will Always Rhyme
|image=MTMTE39 subcvr.jpg
|title="The Permanent Revolution"
|caption=Tarn realized that sometimes the novel is just as bad as the movie adaptation.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[April 8]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=March 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Hayato Sakamoto]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}

'''A wearying Tarn finds himself granted new life when the Decepticon Justice Division discovers that Megatron has abandoned the cause.'''

==Synopsis==
===(1) Troika===
[[File:MTMTE39 Nickel.jpg|thumb|left]]
Times have been tough for the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. Eighteen months ago, when deep cover Decepticon agent [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] alerted them to [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'s imprisonment on the ''[[Lost Light]]'', they had initially agreed not to kill anyone else on the ship, only to lose control and go back on their deal when they discovered [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] was on board. After slaughtering the entire crew, they went on their way, until a month ago, when their newest member—diminutive female medic [[Nickel]]—insisted that they return to salvage the vessel's [[quantum generator]]s. Upon returning to the wreckage, floating above [[Ofsted XVII]], the DJD found themselves in the middle of a battle between the [[Galactic Council]] and the [[Black Block Consortia]], who proceeded to join forces against them. [[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]] and [[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] took the fight to the planet's surface, but [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] was forced to abandon them when enemy reinforcements arrived.

Now, Tarn, [[Helex (DJD)|Helex]], and [[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]] are continuing in their duties, working their way through their list of Decepticons who have betrayed "the cause". Their present victim: [[Blip]], condemned for practising religion by deifying [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]]. Blip catches Tarn off-guard when he uses his last words to ask him to remove his mask, accusing him of cowardice, so the DJD leader decides to refrain from killing him with his "weaponized conversation" ability, and lets Helex and Tesarus get their hands dirty. But secretly, Tarn looks away, tiring of violence and unwilling to watch.

Their job done, the team return to their ship the ''[[Peaceful Tyranny]]'', where Nickel gives them all a check-up and relentlessly criticizes their poor hygiene and maintenance habits. The DJD turns out to be exceptionally bureaucratic; Tarn orders performance reviews for the team, but he and Tesarus nearly come to blows during the latter's appraisal when Tesarus accuses him of being "un-Decepticon" for leaving Vos and Kaon behind. Calming himself, Tarn reveals that he has already ordered a return to Ofsted to collect their bodies... at which point Helex comes running in to tell them that their comrades are still alive, and have returned with a datapad containing some shocking news: Megatron has renounced Decepticonism and joined the [[Autobot]]s!

===(2) Troska===
Returning to the DJD headquarters on [[Messatine]] to ponder the world-shattering implications of this news, Tarn recharges himself with "[[Nuke]]"—the DJD's secret stash of super-fuel, found only in the planet's mines, created when the native [[Nucleon (substance)|nucleon]] was exposed to chronal energy millions of years go. Pushing himself towards lethal overdose, his life flashes before his eyes, and he finds himself disappointed by the experience. Opening his eyes to see a tearful Nickel banging on the fuelling capsule window, Tarn finds something stirring within him, and he smashes his way out of the capsule to announce a "change of plans" to his team-mates.

===(3) Perestroika===
[[File:PermanentRevolution-Warworld.jpg|thumb|upright=2]]
The rest of the DJD are confused when Tarn arranges a meeting with noted Decepticon [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], who is on their list for removing himself from Megatron's command and stealing a [[Warworld]]. Deathsaurus welcomes them to his disorganized planet-ship, handing Tarn a crate of equipment to carry for him and apologizing for the mess with the explanation that their hyperdrive is being repaired. Tarn requests a conversation in private, but Deathsaurus isn't interested—having assumed that the DJD were coming to take him down, he immediately fires upon the crate in Tarn's arms, which turns out to be full of explosives that detonate right in Tarn's face. Though rocked by the blast, Tarn is still able to defend himself, insisting as he grapples with Deathsaurus that he is just here to talk. Deathsaurus deactivates his audio receptors to protect himself from Tarn's deadly voice, but Tarn simply speaks directly to him—and all his troops—through [[inter-Decepticon radio]], their private frequency having been hijacked by Vos. Tarn waxes lyrical on the history of the Decepticons and what he sees as their true cause: the ongoing mission to eliminate every threat to Cybertron, chiefly the "anti-mechanical bias" of a predominantly organic universe. He then introduces Nickel to Deathsaurus, explaining that she is the last of her kind, from a Cybertronian colony world settled by the [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] [[Prion]], her entire planet scoured of life by the Black Block Consortia. It was she who was truly Tarn's salvation: as one who heard the Decepticon word and became a believer, she is proof of the power and rightness of their cause—a cause so great that no ''one'' 'bot can embody it, least of all Megatron, the betrayer. Tarn invites Deathsaurus and his men to join him in return for being taken off the DJD's list, but Deathsaurus has one condition—that Tarn kill the rest of the DJD. Tarn refuses, only for the request to turn out to be a test from Deathsaurus, who cites his distaste for a commander who uses his men as fodder as the reason he split from Megatron. Deathsaurus agrees to the alliance and suggests they launch an immediate attack on a nearby Galactic Council facility together, but Tarn informs him that first, the Decepticon house must be put in order: priority number one is to find and kill Megatron, and the shipful of Autobots he now calls his allies.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*''[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'' (5)
*''[[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'' (11)
*''[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]'' (12)
*''[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'' (14)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] (30)
|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Blip]] (1)
*[[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] (2)
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] (3)
*[[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]] (4)
*[[Nickel]] (7)
*''[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'' (8)
*[[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]] (9)
*[[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] (10)
*''[[Lobe]]'' (15)
*''Lobe's assistant'' (16)
*[[Gairyu]] (17)
*[[Yokuryu]] (18)
*[[Deathcobra (Victory)|Deathcobra]] (19)
*[[Guyhawk]] (20)
*[[Jallguar]] (21)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Killbison]] (22)
*[[Leozack]] (23)
*[[Goryu (Victory)|Goryu]] (24)
*[[Rairyu]] (25)
*[[Blue Bacchus]] (26)
*[[Drillhorn (Victory)|Drillhorn]] (27)
*[[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] (28)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]]'' (29)
*"[[Solon Kitakaze (Victory)|King Solon]]" (31)
*[[Bikecross]] (32)
*[[Browning]] (33)
*[[Strikesoldier]] (34)
*[[Kakuryu]] (35)
*[[Doryu]] (36)
*[[Greatsix]] (37)
{{!}}}
|c4=
*[[Dominus Ambus|The Pet]] (6)
*''[[K'gard]]'' (13)
}}

==Quotes==
"Now then your '''Sparkeater cult.'''. It's—''(sigh)''—it's '''spectacularly''' at odds with Decepticon doctrine. Surely you '''know''' this. Surely this doesn't come as a '''surprise''' to you. Even someone with the most '''rudimentary''' grasp of Megatron's teaching must realize that a '''Decepticon utopia''' cannot accommodate '''any''' form of religion." 
"W-why?" 
"Why? Because religion is a form of '''control'''. It offers succor in return for docility and bestows power unto an authority '''other''' than Megatron. So when a Decepticon starts a '''new''' religion, it's... well... you say it's an attempt at finding peace of mind. I say it's an '''attempted coup.'''"
:—'''Tarn''' and '''Blip'''

"Not '''precisely''' sure what she means by that gesture, but I imagine it tilts towards the '''obscene.'''" 
"Disgusting! You fix Decepticons with those hands?!" 
"And... we seem to have an '''extended version''' of the first gesture. I— Goodness, now that really '''does''' leave no room for doubt."
:—'''Tarn''' and '''Helex''' bust '''Nickel's''' chops

"Tsk! Health and safety gone mad..." 
"Black mark!" 
"Aw, for— All I '''said''' was—" 
"'''Two''' black marks! One more and it's a written warning!"
:—'''Tesarus''' is reprimanded by '''Tarn''' for questioning bureaucracy

"I thought you'd be wearing an Autobot mask. I thought—''heh''—I thought you'd be running around the galaxy wearing an Autobot mask and '''apologizing to everyone''' on Megatron's behalf."
:—'''Deathsaurus''' to Tarn

"Let battle be joined, eh?" 
"Oh, this is more than a battle, Deathsaurus... we're going to '''war.'''"
:—'''Deathsaurus''' and '''Tarn'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*This issue's first chapter, "Troika", takes place roughly concurrently with [[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|issue #34]], and details the exact timeline of the DJD's attack on the quantum duplicate ''[[Lost Light]]'', seen in [[slaughterhouse|issue #32]] and [[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|#33]], and the subsequent battle with the [[Galactic Council]] and the [[Black Block Consortia]] that issue #34 alluded to.
*"[[The Empyrean Suite]]" has been mentioned several times at this point throughout ''More than Meets the Eye'', noted to have a sinister connotation that was common knowledge among Cybertronians. At last, as many fans had previously deduced, it is revealed to be the DJD's "theme". The song's composer is said to be [[Eucryphia]], who wrote it as an ode to [[Prima]]'s Citadel of Light; Eucryphia appeared, and was revealed to be a member of Prima's tribe and an inhabitant of the citadel, in [[The Crucible|''Robots in Disguise'' #34]].
*Blip was first mentioned in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]]. He appeared in [[Before & After|issue #12]] and had a tiny cameo in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|issue #30]], where he sported a body based on the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]] [[Blot (G1)|Blot]]; he looks completely different here.
*Helex has put Blip's [[brain module]] in his mouth, which we learned was a trait of his in issue #32.
*The two statues of Megatron in the DJD's ship depict him in his original miner body, and in the Earth body he took on in ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation]]''; Sakamoto has drawn them in recreations of [[Atilio Rojo]] and [[Guido Guidi]]'s art style, respectively. Though quite an old body from our perspective as readers, the Earth form would be the last form the DJD knew Megatron in; comments later in the issue confirm that they never made contact with him after he returned from apparent death in his stealth bomber body in [[The Transformers (IDW)|the 2009-2011 ongoing series]].
*The [[innermost energon]] that Tarn is drinking (''eww!'') comes from a Cybertronian born at [[Rivets Field]], 1st Cycle 006 – the same [[hot spot]] that [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] came from. It can't have come from the quantum duplicate Tailgate that the D.J.D. recently killed, however, as by this point it would have presumably disappeared along with everything else from the other ''Lost Light'', plus his was curdled green anyway.
*[[Borebit]] is listed among Tesarus's kills—he was a former member of the [[Primal Vanguard]] mentioned in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]].
*Former [[Warriors Elite|Warrior Elite]] [[Heretech]], who previously appeared in [[The Gloaming|issue #16]], was captured by the DJD at one point.
*The ending of the 2012 [[Primus: All Good Things|''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]] had captain K'gard suggest a change to the Galactic Council's strategy in response to news of Cybertronian forces being divided, hence the Council's aggressive stance on Prion's planet seen in this issue.
*The "burst of temporal energy" that turned nucleon into "Nuke" occurred in issue #34, when Brainstorm travelled back in time to Messatine.
*Though previously implied in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]], we get explicit confirmation that Tarn is a [[Point One Percenter]], as he refers to his [[spark]] being green.
*As Tarn reflects on his life, we see an image of a young [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (we know he's young because he still got the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] tattoo he had in the past, seen before in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issues #11]] and [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|#36]]). Back in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]], we learned that Skids had "The Empyrean Suite" running through his head for unknown reasons, and with this issue's confirmation that the song is associated with the DJD, the idea that Tarn would have some connection to Skids does not come as a great surprise. [[Speak, Memory: Part 1|Issue #48]] would expand upon this.
*The two 'bots rebuilding Tarn's body in his flashback are [[Lobe]] and his as-yet unnamed assistant, who previously appeared on the last page of issue #11 where they were performing [[empurata]] and [[shadowplay]] on [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|a certain senator]]. Though the characters have been positively identified by Roberts, the designs don't really match between issues, and Lobe has changed color from yellow to brownish-red.
*Inter-Decepticon radio appears to be the Decepticon equivalent of [[Inter-Autobot radio]], seen in the IDW continuity in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|''More than Meets the Eye'' 2012 Annual]].
*The colony [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]] were introduced in the [[The Transformers: Windblade|''Windblade'' mini-series]]. With the introduction of Nickel, it's established that [[female Transformer]]s have evolved on other worlds in addition to [[Caminus]]. Nickel is, of course, the first female Decepticon in IDW continuity.

===Transformers references===
[[File:Early liokasier.jpg|right|thumb]]
*Deathsaurus's [[Warworld]] is based directly on the design of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s Warworld from the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic]].
*Deathsaurus's ranks include almost all his troops from the ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' cartoon, and several crowdfillers who are all pre-existing characters, also mostly connected to ''Victory''.
**The [[Dinoforce]] are all present and correct, sprinkled throughout various scenes and grouped together on the final page.
**The only absent member of the [[Breastforce]] is [[Hellbat (Victory)|Hellbat]], because he's been busy with his own stuff over in the [[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|''Drift - Empire of Stone'' mini-series]]. In his place is [[Deathcobra (Victory)|Deathcobra]], an additional member of the Breastforce featured in the ''Victory'' episode "[[Unite! Liokaiser]]", who was brought in to replace Hellbat even then!
**''Victory'' character [[Blue Bacchus]].
**In the top left of the final page, a generic from the ''Victory'' episode "[[Rescue! Guyhawk]]" who perished when he fell into a molten stream.
**To the right of that guy, a Transformer version of the "[[Solon Kitakaze (Victory)|King Solon]]" mecha from the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (manga)|''Victory'' manga]] (piloted by Deathsaurus's human son Solon in that story).
**On "Solon's" right is a character from some [[:File:Victory_concept_art.jpg|early ''Victory'' concept artwork]], a proposed Decepticon retool of Autobot [[Mega Pretender]] [[Vroom (G1)|Vroom]] that was never made. Slides shown at [[BotCon 2015]]'s "Japanese Perspective" panel gave him the placeholder designation "[[Bikecross]]".
**On Bikecross's left, a 'bot based on an early design for [[Liokaiser|Liokasier]]. This design had never been seen by the public before; Sakamoto tweeted the original artwork shortly after the issue's publication (pictured, right), and when it was shown at BotCon 2015, it was named "[[Strikesoldier]]".
**On Strikesoldier's shoulder is ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Masterforce]]'' mini-Decepticon [[Browning]].
**Lastly, in the bottom right, another 'bot from the early ''Victory'' artwork who was evidently a prototypical version of the character who would become [[Greatshot]]. His color scheme here is based on Shadowmaru, a redeco of Greatshot from the [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] series ''{{w|Brave Police J-Decker}}''. At BotCon 2015, he was named "[[Greatsix]]".
*While describing the Decepticons' early successes, Tarn says: "Victory after victory, Deathsaurus", which seems a lot like a sly nod to the franchise that Deathsaurus originated in.
*Deathsaurus's motivations for splitting from Megatron might not match his depiction in the ''Victory'' cartoon, where he was happy to leave the Dinoforce to die at his moment of triumph, but it jibes very well with the ''Victory'' '''manga''', in which [[Heroic! The Victory War|it turned out]] all the fighting he had done had been to protect his and the other Decepticons' families.
*[[Deathcobra (Victory)|Deathcobra]]'s design is based on [[Ratbat (G1)#Generations|''Generations'' Deluxe Class Ratbat]].
*[[Kakuryu]] is holding the weedy little six-shooter he wielded in "[[The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber]]".
*[[Doryu]]'s design incorporates some large protruding plates on his shoulders that aren't a typical feature of the character; they're based on the foot pieces of the team's combined mode, [[Dinoking]], and it's possible to attach them to the shoulders of Doryu's original toy like this.

===Real-life references===
*This issue takes its title from the Marxist term "{{w|permanent revolution}}", which refers to the strategy used by a revolutionary class to continue pursuing their goals despite the political strength of their opposition—essentially, what Tarn enacts for the DJD.
*"Troika" is a Russian word meaning a "group of three", referring to Tarn, Tesarus, and Helex following their separation from Vos and Kaon.
*"Troska" is a Czech word meaning "wreckage" or "ruin", referring to the state of Tarn's beliefs after he learns of Megatron's defection.
*"Perestroika" was a political movement for reform within the Communist Party, another of the multiple analogies Roberts has drawn between Communism and the Decepticon movement, here referring to Tarn forging his own path and reshaping the movement separate from its founder. In Russian, the word means "restructuring".
*Tarn's conversation with Blip mirrors the suppression of religion in the USSR through [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USSR_anti-religious_campaign_(1928%E2%80%931941) USSR anti-religious campaign (1928–1941)] in a similar analogy.

===Errors===
*There's an unnecessary comma when Tarn talks about his "sea green, spark".
*Vos's dialogue has been consistently written using [[Cyberglyphics]] thus far. However, on the first page of Perestroika, it appears to be written in a completely different cipher with far less ornate characters. His only other line of dialogue still uses Cyberglyphics.

===Other trivia===
*The Blip torture scene originally would have had Helex "kiss" the brain module into his mouth, which ''ew''. <ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/original-sketch-of-mtmte-39.1088857/ Sketch of the initial torture scene]</ref>
*Starting this month, ''More than Meets the Eye'' is reduced from 22 pages of story to 20.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNFi-nOZlAI The Village Green Preservation Society]" by {{w|Kate Rusby}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbEJW99_kZA The S.A.S. and the Glam that Goes with It]" by {{w|Earl Brutus}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2K7D-uMH2g I Giorni]" by {{w|Ludovico Einaudi}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Deathsaurus amid a field of corpses, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Tarn reflected in a datapad, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' The DJD in Communist propaganda poster style, by [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE39 regcvr.jpg|Well, lets hope John Hammond doesn't try to breed clones of ''him'' for a biological preserve.
File:MTMTE39 subcvr.jpg|Such peaceful nonsense!
File:MTMTE39 cvrRI.jpg|''We... Are the DJD! We'll torture you all day! And if you think we can't, we'll always find a way! That's why the people of this world fear us! Helex, Vos, Tarn, Kaon, Tesaurus, and Nickel!''
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #40
*"[[Combiner Wars (comic)|Combiner Wars]]"
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[Expelled from the Garden|#6]]
*''The Powerpuff Girls Super Smash-Up''
*IDW ''{{i|Jem and the Holograms (comic)|Jem and the Holograms}}'' comic
*IDW ''Skylanders'' comic
*''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection'' Vol. 1 (back cover)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-39-2015 Preview]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Permanent Revolution}}

Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet

2018-11-30T01:28:59Z

Djelibaebi:

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=37
|prev=Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays
|next=Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide
|image=MTMTE37 regcvr.jpg
|title="Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[February 4]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=January 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]] [[Josh Burcham]] (pgs 7–8)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}
'''Rodimus's team continues their pursuit of Brainstorm through time, only to find that they are more involved in past events than expected—and that Brainstorm's goal is not what they believed it to be.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s team has followed [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] back to [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]]-era [[Rodion]], and have spread out to search for the rogue scientist. While Rodimus watches for [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] at the police station alongside [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], he checks in with the others: [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] is surveying the city from his position on an airship; the bored [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] is watching the waterways; a nervous [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] is riding the rails to avoid the risk of running into his past self; and [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] look down on the city from a nearby cliff. Emotionally moved by the sight of the pristine planet, unblemished by war, to the point that he is struck dumb, Cyclonus doesn't respond to Rodimus, so Tailgate takes the communicator and quickly makes up a story about having set down for repairs. After a moment of silence, Cyclonus apologizes to Tailgate for physically abusing him in the past.

Rodimus then calls [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]], who expresses concern over the fact that Rewind's database is being overwritten, as it implies that Brainstorm's alteration to the timeline may have already happened, or is destined to. As such, if they cannot stop him, Perceptor must dismantle the time machine to undo the paradox, warning that many things could "go wrong". Reminded by those words that he had forgotten about [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], Rodimus contacts the psychotherapist, who is staking out [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's New Oil House]]. Unfortunately, Brainstorm is also watching the bar, and when he spots Rung building a model of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', he realizes that he has been followed back in time and abandons his plans. Brainstorm's flight is spotted by Rewind, and Cyclonus gives chase, but just before he can land a missile-hit, Brainstorm's [[time case|briefcase]] activates and he time-jumps away. At Perceptor's instruction, the team regroups at Maccadam's, and he sends them after their quarry.

[[File:Stet-Rungwhistle.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8]]
Arriving one year further in the past, in 4th Cycle 499, the team are contacted by Perceptor and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], who believe that Maccadam's is important, and that the deductions they made about Brainstorm's plans may have been hasty. Accordingly, the group splits in two: Chromedome, Rewind, and Whirl head for the police station while the rest remain at the bar. But Brainstorm has gone to neither, and is, in fact, at a wellbeing clinic several miles away, where he ambushes and knocks out the Rung of the past...

Later at the police station again, Chromedome and Rewind spend time stargazing, but Rewind is preoccupied with thoughts of the unknown fate of [[Dominus Ambus]]. He proposes using the time-case to finally discover what befell his former [[Conjunx Endura]], but Chromedome worries that he will want to change history and save Dominus's life, which would mean that his and Rewind's relationship would never happen. Before they can discuss those unfortunate ramifications too deeply, Whirl alerts them to the arrival of his own past self at the station. This day being so important in his life, Whirl is able to recognize the 'nobody' he's bringing in as being [[Crossbar]], and then realizes what specific day it is — the day [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] is arrested.

Back at Maccadam's, the rest of the team watch the younger Megatron and [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] sitting at a nearby table. When Rung goes to fetch a [[curly straw]] for Tailgate, however, he accidentally knocks over a jumped-up cadet's drink, and winds up being thrown into Megatron and Impactor's table when he refuses to clean up the mess. This instigates the famous bar-room brawl that leads to Megatron's arrest, and as the ''Lost Light''ers make themselves scarce, Brainstorm, looking on from outside, grimaces at the realization his attempt to prevent it by incapacitating the past-Rung has failed.

[[File:Stet-Heavies&Friend.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6]]
A few hours later, at the police station, after Megatron has been arrested and subsequently released by Pax, the [[Senate]]'s goon squad arrives for payback and kills officers [[Springarm]] and [[Wheelarch]]. Chromedome refuses to let Rewind intervene, regrettably understanding that history must be preserved, but is too slow to stop the deranged Whirl leaping into the fray when three new thugs come stomping up—including the [[Heavies]], who destroyed Whirl's life when they wrecked his watchmaking business. Hungry for revenge, Whirl takes the two huge 'bots down with violent ease; Chromedome intervenes before he can kill them, reminding Whirl that they ''have'' to live, so that Chromedome can have his own encounter with them in a year's time. Whirl justifies his actions by explaining his history with the Heavies... a history which is then elaborated upon by Hammer, who tells Whirl that the pair acted on the orders of the [[Functionist Council]], who wanted him punished him for abandoning his assigned job in the Aerial Corps, and who were also responsible for his later [[empurata]]. With icy detachment, Whirl vents his rage by [[Sparkeater Gun|shooting]] the third 'bot, who is unfamiliar to him, but whom he deems guilty by association.

Back in the present, on the ''Lost Light'', Perceptor discovers that time has ceased to flow in all other parts of the universe, indicating the imminent collapse of the original timeline. Studying the dates Rodimus's team has travelled to, Megatron realizes that they have been working on a flawed principle: the dates correspond to major events in ''Megatron's'' life, not Orion Pax's. It is Megatron's life that Brainstorm is trying to unmake... and even as Ultra Magnus's internal criminal database is overwritten, and Megatron disappears from his records, in the past, Brainstorm appears at the moment of Megatron's creation, and levels his weapons at the once and future Decepticon leader's half-built form...
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (1)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (2)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (3)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (5)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (6)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (8)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (9)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (11)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (14)
|c2=
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (15)
|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Proteus]] (4, billboard)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (7)
*[[Quark]] (12)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (13)
*"[[Streaker]]" and "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]" (16, 18)
*[[Sherma]]'s body (17)
*[[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]] (19)
*[[Crossbar]] (20)
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (21)
*Cadets (22-23)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]? (24)
*Senate thugs (25, 28, 30)
*[[Wheelarch]]'s head (26)
*[[Springarm]] (27)
*[[Heavies|Anvil]] (29)
*[[Heavies|Hammer]] (31)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"You said the station was always busy. You said—" 
"I '''said''' it was a '''non-stop cop shop'''. An' I only said '''that''' 'cos it '''rhymed'''." 
"I can't tell if you're joking." 
"Welcome to the club."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Whirl'''

''Tailgate, after taking the communicator from Cyclonus and covering for his silence to Rodimus:'' 
"Is it the time travel? 'Cos I'm only just wrapping my head around it myself. I mean, '''think about it''': I'm somewhere out there right now, buried underground. Me! Underground! Right now! Me! The way I see it, you just have to accept what's happening as something that's... happening. And I think that's true of so many things in life." 
"It's beautiful." 
"Oh! Rodion." 
"Cybertron." 
"Yes, well, umm..drink it in, I guess." 
"It's been so '''long'''. So long since I saw it as it '''should''' be seen." 
''Both stare at the beauty of the city, then Cyclonus glances down at Tailgate'' 
"I'm sorry." 
"Noted." 

"No offense, but you couldn't draw attention to yourself if you '''tried'''. Even '''mirrors''' ignore you."
:—'''Rodimus''', to Rung

"Okay, as entrances go, that was only '''slightly''' less conspicuous than projecting "'''Your Attention Please'''" on a mushroom cloud."
:—'''Chromedome''' on the team's arrival in 4th Cycle 499

"Rodimus? It's Ultra Magnus speaking." 
"Listen, whatever I've done, it was an accident and I'm sorry." 
"The '''big picture:''' Brainstorm trying to kill Pax. We drew it at speed because we '''had to'''. But the more we look at it, the less it makes sense." 
"Magnus, the '''last''' thing I want to do is dissuade you from exploring the power of metaphor, but I really don't have the remotest idea what you're talking about."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus'''

'''Rodimus:''' "The back door's this way. No one make eye contact with anybody. Especially not you, Tailgate." 
'''Tailgate:''' "Why especially not me?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "Because you've got one of those faces." 
'''Tailgate:''' "What's wrong with my face?" 
'''Rodimus:''' "It's basically a '''punch magnet.'''" 
'''Tailgate:''' "So '''rude!''' Cyclonus, did you hear that?" 
'''Cyclonus:''' "No. Was it about your face?"

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*''The Custom-Made Now'' is the third part of a trilogy of flashback stories, following ''Chaos Theory'' and ''Shadowplay''.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 36:00 to 36:07</ref>
[[File:Ongoing22 MaccadamsNewOilHouse.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6]]
*The first time period our heroes jump to is that of the first chapter of the "Shadowplay" trilogy, from [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], while the second is that of the first part of "Chaos Theory", from [[Chaos Theory Part 1|issue #21]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing series]]. Two pages from each issue are reprinted in context.
*The billboard-airship that Rewind hitches a lift on was seen in issue #9, and can be seen again in the reprinted pages.
*Cyclonus apologises for kicking Tailgate back in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
*We get another look at "Magnus-vision", the way Magnus sees the world around him, seen before in [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|the 2012 annual]].
*As Brainstorm flies away from Maccadam's, we see two 'bots carrying a body along the bridge below him. The corpse is that of [[Sherma|Senator Sherma]], who is about to be hung from the bridge, as we saw in issue #9; logically, it would follow that the two 'bots carrying it are the unnamed killers from [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|issue #10]], before their [[spark]]s are implanted in the bodies of [[Streaker]] and [[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]].
*Rung has previously been described as a "historical constant" by Rewind in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]], because of his presence at many important points in Cybertronian history. It now appears that this reputation is partly a product of the present-day Rung travelling back in time to these points in time, rather than his just happening to be there in the regular flow of history—we find out this issue that the Rung who appeared in the past sequences in "Chaos Theory" and "Shadowplay" were both the present-day Rung, in turn validating last issue's implication that the actions Rodimus's team are taking are and were always part of the timeline they knew.
*In-keeping with that, now we know why Rung didn't have any memory of the bar-room brawl when Megatron brought it up back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]] - for him, it hadn't happened yet.
*Previously, issue 9's scene of Rung assembling a model of the ''Lost Light'' seemed to imply a history to the ship, which was further hinted at when Nightbeat appeared to recognize the vessel in [[...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|''Dark Cybertron Finale'']]. Now we understand that Nightbeat was remembering the model and recognizing its anachronistic nature.
*Past-Rung's scooter is his wheeled backpack, which we learned was a separate attachment back in [[Little Victories|issue #22]].
*The song that past-Rung whistles as Brainstorm ambushes him is "[[The Empyrean Suite]]", the enigmatic piece of music with sinister connotations of which we are not yet aware, previously mentioned in issues [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]] and [[The Gloaming|#16]]. The notes in Rung's speech balloon match those when Swerve played the tune in #16.
*Chromedome and Rewind stargaze, imagining constellations in the shape of Prowl being beaten up, a habit of theirs mentioned in issue #16.
*Rewind brings up his and [[Dominus Ambus]]'s search for [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], originally discussed in [[Before & After|issue #12]].
*Rung groans "always the head" after he gets clobbered, hearkening back to the grave cranial injuries he took in [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*When the police arrive to break up the bar fight, the vehicle they arrive in appears to be [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]], or at least a 'bot with his [[alternate mode]]. The policebots themselves share a [[body-type]] with [[Springarm]] and [[Wheelarch]].
*The Heavies and their history with Whirl were originally introduced in issue #6. Chromedome's encounter with them took place in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]], in which they, [[Kroma]] and [[Macabre]] raided the police station in order to capture [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Senator Shockwave]]. In the issue, [[Kroma]] noted in passing that Shockwave's whereabouts had been revealed through a tip-off from parties unknown; the Heavies go conspicuously ''un''-mindwiped at the end of this story, and hear Chromedome tell Whirl about the attack and Shockwave's presence. Could ''they'' have been the source of the information?
*Whirl kills the Heavies' unnamed cohort (who we've never seen before, for retroactively obvious reasons) with [[Sparkeater Gun|the curious weapon]] he took from Brainstorm's armory last issue.
*We learn that last issue's events, in 1st Cycle 502, took place on the same day as [[Megatron Origin issue 1|''Megatron Origin'' #1]].
*Though he has always been unforthcoming about his origins, we know that Megatron, as a [[Point One Percenter]], should have a green spark, but the one seen inside his half-built frame on the final page of this issue is the traditional blue. However, we ''very'' much doubt that's an error...

===Transformers references===
*Rodimus keeps his eye on the Rodion police station using a telescopic visor that slides down out of his helmet over his eyes, just like the one he used to zoom in on the captured shuttle in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
*A generic working the waterway is colored like [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]].
*The train track that Chromedome rides is labelled "C-131", the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|Japanese ID number]] of [[Raiden]], combined form of the [[Trainbot|''TRAIN''bots]].

===Real-life references===
*This issue's title, "Stet", is a Latin word meaning "let it stand", used in proofreading to indicate that a previously-marked change is to be ignored, much like Brainstorm's attempts to change time.
*When trying to recall Quark's name, Rung believes it might be "{{w|QWERTY|Qwerty}}", after the most common modern-day keyboard layout.
*The address of Rung's wellbeing clinic is NX-74205, the registry number of the [[memoryalpha:USS Defiant (2370)|USS ''Defiant'']] on ''[[Star Trek|Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]''.
*To add even more to the image of [[Jesus]] established in #21 of this series in which he's literally crucified for the sins of others, Rodimus refers to the past in which he was not born yet as P.R: Pre-Rodimus, similar to how we refer to everything that happened before year 1 as B.C: Before Christ.
*The reprint of ''Chaos Theory'' and ''Shadowplay'' scenes was inspired by ''Back To The Future II'', which showed scenes from the first film from a different angle.

===Errors===
*The credits on the inside front cover mistakenly claim that the reprinted pages of Megatron and Rung's bar-room escapades are from [[Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|issue #20]] of the ongoing, rather than #22.
*On the same page, Kotteri's variant cover (see below) is listed as a "30th Anniversary cover", but the 30th anniversary is over; per the [[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|''The Transformers'' #37]], the third variant should be back to being a "retailer incentive" cover.
*The bar brawl and Megatron's arrest are dated here to 4th Cycle 499; issue #28 previously gave a date of 4th Cycle 496 for those same events.
*On page 5, panel 5 Percy is missing his microscope mount.

===Other trivia===
[[Image:Stet WhirlPreEmpurataFlashback.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|right|You're broken… [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|I]] can fix it.]]
*Originally intended for release in January 2015, month-long delays afflicting multiple IDW titles saw this issue pushed to the first week of February.
*The pages reprinted from previous issues are included in addition to the regular 22 pages of story, making for a 26-page story.
*This issue features the first visible instance of Whirl's original, pre-Empurata face.
*Roberts had vaguely planned for a "Let's Kill Hitler" time-travel story for ages but Megatron becoming captain turned it into a more "multi-layered" story.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 43:20 to 44:10</ref>
{{-}}

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WMjwlRhjGY Where Damage Isn't Already Done]" by {{w|The Radio Dept.}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPUrWmajIP4 The Certainty of Chance]" by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2NaqB_aVgI The Psychiatrist Is In]" from {{w|God Help the Girl}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaxpAhDPboI A Europewide Search for Love]" by {{w|Ballboy (band)|Ballboy}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Impactor, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' The Heavies, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Skids, Cyclonus, and a glum Tailgate enjoy a drink, by [[Kotteri]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE37 regcvr.jpg|Impactor's about to screw someone.
File:MTMTE37 subcvr.jpg|Heavy describe more than their personalities.
File:MTMTE37 cvrRI.jpg|Tailgate just got the bill.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #38
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|#37]]
*''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|Drift - Empire of Stone]]'' [[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|#3]]
*''Machi Koro'' (back cover)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://tformers.com/comics-preview-the-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-issue-37/25786/news.html Preview]

The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue

2018-11-30T00:43:09Z

Djelibaebi:

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=35
|prev=Births, Deaths, and Interventions
|next=Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays
|image=MTMTE35 regcvr.jpg
|title="The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 26]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=November 2014
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=Alex Milne and [[Brian Shearer]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}
'''The ''Lost Light''ers realise that Brainstorm has time-travelled into the past in order to change history... and it looks like he has succeeded, as present-day Cybertron has become a world under the totalitarian grip of Functionism!'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Functionary the ready-made now.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3]]
[[Minimus Ambus]] returns to Cybertron following a two-million-year service in the [[Primal Vanguard]], and is met at the spaceport by [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]]. Minimus is a little disappointed, hoping his brother [[Dominus Ambus]], Rewind's partner, would have come to greet him in person, especially given that he has not heard from him in months. Minimus's return home has come about due to the decommissioning of the [[Primal Vanguard]], occurring in the wake of the [[Functionist Council]]'s sale of [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] to the [[Black Block Consortia|Black Box Consortia]] to end hostilities with the rest of the galaxy, which has also led to the "recall" of the now-obsolete spaceflight-capable [[Lunabot]]s. As the pair are attempting to leave, Minimus's outdated papers cause concern for a law-enforcement "[[Functionary]]", but just as he is scanning Minimus to confirm his function, a battered 'bot suddenly charges through the crowd, pursued by another officer. The two Functionaries gun down the fleeing 'bot, and report to the Functionst Council headquarters that they have just "recalled" the last Lunabot. Few 'bots even pay attention to the grisly scene, however... just another commonplace sight on ''present-day'' Cybertron.

Across the galaxy, on the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] smashes in Rewind's hab suite door when he hears him cry out, but the little archivist has merely been having a bad dream. Things are tense between the pair; Chromedome had hoped to pick up their relationship where they left off, but Rewind is mindful of the fact that neither of them is truly the same 'bot that the other one was with. Chromedome asks about Rewind's nightmare, and the archivist tells him he was remembering the "Dark Dawn" half-a-million years prior, when the Functionists recalled the laser pointers. Chromedome is baffled; such an event never occurred, as Functionism had long since been abandoned by that stage. Rewind pulls up the relevant information from his database, before realising that he too has no memory of it...

In the ''Lost Light'' morgue, [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] solemnly regards [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]]'s dead body when [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] enters. Megatron expects a castigation, and Rodimus ''wants'' to deliver one, but more important matters demand their attention: namely, [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'s recent attempt to poison everyone on the ship by tainting the drinks at [[Swerve's]], which only left everyone unconscious instead of dead because [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] waters down his drinks. Rodimus reveals that Brainstorm has fled through means of a ''[[time travel|time machine]]'', a situation so ludicrous that Megatron has a mini-breakdown just trying to process it. Regaining his composure, Megatron concludes that rather than flee to escape repercussion for the poisoning, as [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] believes, Brainstorm poisoned everyone so he would be ''free'' to travel back in time and change the outcome of the war.

[[File:CustomMadeNow-Dominus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
On Cybertron, Rewind brings Minimus back to his and Dominus's home, where they watch pirated security footage of a protester being executed by the Functionist Council by means of the explosive [[obsolescence chip]]s that all Cybertronians are now implanted with. Minimus is slowly realising that Rewind and his brother are anti-Functionist rebels when Dominus appears, and the reason for his recent silence is revealed: the council has subjected him to the horrifying process that has supplanted [[empurata]], replacing his head with a screen, thereby robbing him of his face and voice and leaving him able only to communicate through on-screen text. Minimus is overwhelmed, but has to leave to meet with the other former members of the Primal Vanguard so they can receive their new job allocations.

[[File:Thefunctionistcouncil.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
Elsewhere on the planet, in their floating headquarters, "[[Cog (base)|The Cog]]", the Functionist Council meets to discuss the next mass recall, choosing their victims not based on functional value, but rather, on their ability to store data that could be used against the council. Thus it is decreed that [[data slug]]s shall be recalled...

On the ''Lost Light'', [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] is explaining the means by which Brainstorm has time-travelled: his enigmatic [[time case|briefcase]] is the control unit for a time machine made up of multiple other briefcases, linked to the ship's [[Quantum generator|quantum engine]]s, and coded for use only by his [[spark]] type. Moreover, Brainstorm has found a way to circumvent the {{w|grandfather paradox}} inherent in attempts to change history, with [[Functionist Universe|the new timeline]] he has created already co-existing with and slowly "bedding in" around them before taking hold. The 'bots' only recourse is to use the quantum-duplicate control briefcase recovered from the other ''Lost Light'' to follow Brainstorm back in time and stop him, and Megatron believes he knows where the scientist has gone: to kill [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]].

Minimus Ambus finds himself surrounded by chaos as he speeds back to his brother's home, data slug 'bots dying all around him as their obsolescence chips are remotely detonated. Worse yet, upon his return, he finds that Dominus has been remotely mind-wiped by the Council, now capable only of expressing and understanding the most basic words. Through the words on Dominus's screen, the Council speak directly to Minimus and Rewind, revealing that they discovered Dominus's treachery via cameras secretly installed in Minimus's eyes—a process all Primal Vanguard members were secretly subjected to on their return flight, as a first test of a new surveillance system that will soon become mandatory for all Cybertronians. Rewind vows to stop them, announcing that Dominus has deactivated his obsolescence chip... but alas, the Council reveal that his ''back-up'' chip is still operational. Seconds later, Rewind is gone...
{{--}}

==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"{{!}}
*[[Minimus Ambus]]/[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (1)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (2)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (10)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (11)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]]'s corpse (12)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (13)
*''[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]'' (14)
*''[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'' (15)
*''[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]]'' (16)
*''[[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]]'' (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'' (18)
*''[[Doublecross]]'' (19)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (35)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (36)
{{!}}}

|c2=
*''[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'' (20)

|h3=[[Functionist Council|Functionists]]
|c3=
*[[Functionary|Functionaries]] (7, 9)
*[[One-of-Twelve]] (23)
*[[Two-of-Twelve]] (24)
*[[Three-of-Twelve]] (25)
*[[Four-of-Twelve]] (26)
*[[Five-of-Twelve]] (27)
*[[Six-of-Twelve]] (28)
*[[Seven-of-Twelve]] (29)
*[[Eight-of-Twelve]] (30)
*[[Nine-of-Twelve]] (31)
*[[Ten-of-Twelve]] (32)
*[[Eleven-of-Twelve]] (33)
*[[Twelve-of-Twelve]] (34)

|c4=
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (4)
*[[Dreadrock]] (5)
*[[Demolisher]] (6)
*[[Lunabot]] fugitive (8)
*[[Female protester]] (21)
*[[Dominus Ambus]] (22)
*[[Hot Shot (Henkei!)|Hot Shot]] (37)
*[[Bulkhead (G1)|Bulkhead]] (38)
}}

==Quotes==
"I'm fine. '''Bad dream''', that's all. My first flashback. These things'll happen when you've got a head full of history."
:—'''Rewind'''

"This conversation is ridiculous. '''You''' are ridiculous. Everything that's happened in the last few days is '''intensely''' ridiculous. Six months into this '''shambles of a quest'''—six months!—and not a day goes by—not an '''hour'''—when I don't have to stand back from this endless parade of '''nonsense''' and remind myself, by means of several blows to the head, that I am here of my '''own volition''', and not as a result of some—some '''elaborate trap''' set by Optimus Prime. Why bother looking for the Knights of Cybertron? Why postpone my trial? I've already been '''convicted'''—and '''this''' is my '''punishment. You!''' This '''ship!''' This '''life!'''" 
"Better?" 
"...Yes. I apologize." 
"Not at all. On this ship, a minor breakdown is practically a '''rite of passage.'''"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Ultra Magnus'''

"Won't Brainstorm's meddling simply create a second timeline that runs alongside our own—like a '''parallel universe?''' Hello...?" 
... 
"Oh, so I'm not allowed to take an interest in magic? I don't just captain ships and build [[Rodpod]]s, you know!"
:—'''Rodimus'''

'''Ultra Magnus:''' "What do we do now? Take his machine apart? Blow it up?" 
'''Perceptor:''' "No, that would strand Brainstorm in the past—and quite possibly '''cement''' any changes he's made. Will make. Might make." 
'''Rodimus:''' "It's time travel, Percy. Leave your tenses at the door."

"They took his words!" 
"His what?" 
"His '''vocabulary!''' All he's got left are the '''basics:''' yes, no, up, down, big, small... and the words he's lost—when you speak to him, the words he's lost—he doesn't know what they '''mean''' anymore! And there are certain words, Minimus—'''tiny''' words—'''important''' words—there are certain words you can't afford to lose."
:—'''Rewind''' and '''Minimus Ambus'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*"Elegant Chaos" is the third part of a trilogy of flashback stories, following "Chaos Theory" and "Shadowplay".<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 36:00 to 36:07</ref>
*We are not informed that the opening scene is set in the present day until it ends, when ''More than Meets the Eye's'' standard is to establish time periods through captions at the ''start'' of such scenes. Before this revelation, there's enough going on in the scene to make us think that it could just be set in the pre-war era, but there are also some clues sprinkled in: Minimus has been away for two million years, for instance, and as the pre-war era was at least four million years ago, that would place Minimus's departure at six million years ago, in [[Nova Prime]]'s era, and he's not that old. Mention is also made of how the intellectual class has been outlawed, and how "knock-offs" (Transformers who were [[reproduction|constructed cold]]) have been deported, scenarios incompatible with what we have seen of pre-war Cybertron in the past.
*Broadly speaking, the alternate timeline that Brainstorm has created is not one in which the Decepticons ''won'' the war, but one in which the war appears to have never even broken out. The Functionist Council was then subsequently never disbanded, and instead "unseated" the [[Senate]] and took complete control of Cybertron. We'd learn more about just how all this went down in [[Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|issue #3]] of ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|Lost Light]]''.
*With no war, Pharma never went bonkers, and he and Ratchet are still friends, as they can be glimpsed chatting on page 3.
*Also, Dominus never vanished in this timeline, so the alternate Rewind doesn't wear a head-mounted camera.
*In the alternate timeline, the "Black Box Consortia" have purchased Luna 2. They are this timeline's version of the [[Black Block Consortia]], previously mentioned in [[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|issues #34]] and [[Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|#24]].
*"Laser pointers" are among the decommissioned disposable class 'bots; laser pointers were mentioned in the same breath as data slugs when the disposable class was first discussed back in [[Before & After|issue #12]]. Chromedome and Rewind had a friend who was a laser pointer named [[Shimmerstick]].
*The "old" Rewind bought a souvenir replica of Hedonia's "Raging Prism" from a gift shop on the planet; the Autobots visited Hedonia in [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|issue #13]], and the prism was mentioned in both that issue and in [[Little Victories|issue #22]]. The gift shop appeared in issue #13's back-up prose story, "[[Signal to Noise]]", and if Rewind's description of the souvenir is anything to go by, we saw Chromedome attempting to throw it away back in [[The Gloaming|issue #16]].
*Someone has placed a [[Rodimus Star]] in the deceased Trailcutter's hand; his desire to earn the award was part of the story of his [[The Reluctant Specialist|self-titled ''Spotlight'' issue]].
*It just seemed like a passing remark back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|issue #30]] when Brainstorm noted he "always carried [his] own" drinks, but it takes on a whole new meaning with this issue's revelation that he's been spiking the proverbial punch bowl!
[[File:MTMTE35 Female Protester.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6]]
*The executed protester is a female Transformer, which stands out since in the regular timeline, [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] was the only female 'bot known to exist before the [[Caminus|Camien]]s came onto this scene. Though a point of intrigue at the time of this issue's publication, a few years later, [[An Axe to Break the Ice|''Lost Light'' #8]] would introduce the idea that a small number of other transgender Transformer women did exist on Cybertron, indicating that this protester is one such 'bot.
*Meanwhile, her clear resemblance to [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and allusion to him in her bellowed rhetoric ("All hail the Useless One"), will be explored [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|later in this multi-part story]].
* Dominus has been assigned to work on the [[Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy]]; Rewind is clearly alarmed by Dominus's task of incorporating the "lesser species" into it. Given [[The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|what we later learn about Dominus]], this off-hand remark is actually a bit of deep foreshadowing.
*We previously met Functionist Authenticator [[Three-of-Twelve]] in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]]. We now understand the meaning of his name, as he is the third member of the twelve-'bot Functionist council.
*The long-standing secret of Brainstorm's briefcase, the "masterpiece" he alluded to in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]], is revealed: as was hinted by the disruption of time that occurred when its quantum-duplicate was opened in [[slaughterhouse|issue #32]], it's the control unit of a time-machine. Presumably, the paradox-defying component of the time machine played some kind of role in how the duplicate case and duplicate Rewind survived the erasure of "their" ''Lost Light''.
*Rodimus gripes that he is "not allowed to take an interest in magic"; as we know from [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]], "magic = science that Rodimus doesn't understand".

===Transformers references===
*In the first panel of page 3, the spaceport is crammed with cameo appearances by [[Unicron Trilogy]] Autobots and Decepticons, including: [[Wing Saber (Energon)|''Energon'' Wing Saber]], [[Blurr (Armada)|''Armada'' Blurr]], [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Crumplezone]], [[Tow-Line (Energon)|''Energon'' Tow-Line]], [[Cyclonus (Armada)|''Armada'' Cyclonus]], [[Sky Shadow (Energon)|''Energon'' Sky Shadow]], [[Ironhide (Energon)|''Energon'' Ironhide]], [[Sparkplug (Armada)|''Armada'' Sparkplug]], [[Prowl (Energon)|''Energon'' Prowl]], [[Cyclonus (Armada)|''Energon'' Snow Cat]], [[Brakedown (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Brakedown]], [[Smokescreen (Armada)|''Armada'' Hoist]], [[Bulkhead (Energon)|''Energon'' Bulkhead]], [[Ultra Magnus (Energon)|''Energon'' Ultra Magnus]], [[Beachcomber (Energon)|''Energon'' Beachcomber]], and [[Hot Shot (Armada)|''Energon'' Hot Shot]] (we're not listing them in the cast list because c'mon, they ''are'' just Easter egg cameos). The Lunabot who tries to evade capture is [[Jetfire (Armada)|''Energon'' Jetfire]], who has the spaceship alternate mode that makes him appropriate for the role. Their appearance was a choice by artist Alex Milne, in celebration of his ten years drawing ''Transformers'' comics<ref>[https://twitter.com/markerguru/status/537641819568619520 Alex Milne (@markerguru) on Twitter, 2014/11/26]</ref>—[[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s [[Transformers: Energon (comic)|''Energon'' comic]] was his first work on the franchise.
*On the other hand, we will count the cameos based on [[Jetfire (Armada)|''Cybertron'' Jetfire]] and [[Demolishor (Armada)|''Armada'' Demolishor]], as [[Dreadrock|another Transformer]] based on the former appears in the Generation 1-based story "[[Derailment]]" while [[Demolisher|the latter]] recurs in the main timeline in [[New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|''Optimus Prime'' #1]].
*Also, on page 4, a 'bot resembling [[Overcast (Movie)|Overcast]] from the [[Movie (toyline)|live-action film toyline]] is visible.
*On page 5, a [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]-colored 'bot similar to [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] is among the onlookers; while not an exact match for details, this is probably a reference to [[Shockwave (G1)/toys#Cloud|''Cloud'' Shockwave]], who is a [[redeco]] of [[Whirl (G1)#Generations|''Generations'' Whirl]].
*The word "[[Pretender]]" has a history in the franchise, of course, but in the alternate timeline, it's become a word used to describe 'bots who have fake [[kibble]] attached to themselves to try and pass themselves off as having different alternate modes. This also marks the first official in-fiction use of the fan term "kibble" to describe alternate mode parts evident in [[robot mode]]; it's been a passing plot point in ''More than Meets the Eye'' before, back in [[Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|issue #24]], where it was just referred to as "secondary anatomy".
*The functionary who reports on the Lunabot's death is number 664; that's "332" times two, 332 being the total number of issues of the original [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|UK Marvel series]].
*Chromedome notes that, half a million years ago, he and Rewind were fighting [[Scorponok (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Scorponok]] in the [[Manganese Mountains]]. The mountains have received a few references in IDW continuity before, but this reference is specifically to the Marvel ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]]'' mini-series, which introduced the mountains, and in which Chromedome's unit did indeed fight Scorponok among the peaks.
*The 'bots coin the term "time jump" to describe Brainstorm's trip into the past; this was the term used for time travel in the Marvel UK series.
*In that same series, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] believed changes to the timeline would create a parallel universe. (He then stopped caring too much!)
*The Cog, headquarters of the Functionist Council, greatly resembles a [[transformation cog]], as do its members to some extent; their whole "gears and clockwork" motif isn't surprising considering their stated devotion to [[Adaptus]].
*On page 20, we get some more other-continuity cameos, but these guys ''do'' make it into the cast list because they're pre-existing characters within this continuity: [[Hot Shot (Armada)|''Armada'' Hot Shot]], whose Generation 1 incarnation [[Hot Shot (Henkei!)|Hot Shot]] has already appeared in IDW continuity in [[Drift issue 1|''Drift'' #1]] (confusingly, he appears as an Autobot in the war in that issue, but ''another'' Hot Shot debuts in [[First Contact (IDW)|''Combiner Wars'' Opening Salvo]] as a Camien), and [[Bulkhead (Prime)|''Prime'' Bulkhead]], whose [[Bulkhead (G1)|G1 self]] has shown up in both [[The Transformers: Monstrosity|''Monstrosity'']] and [[The Transformers: Primacy|''Primacy'']].
*The Functionist Council employs [[harvester unit]]s which previously appeared in Marvel U.S. issue [[The Smelting Pool!|#17]].

===Real-life references===
*The security officer who stops Minimus is designed after classic UK comic strip law-enforcer, {{w|Judge Dredd}}.
*Time travel creating parallel universes or a time traveller going ''to'' a parallel universe, rather than actually changing their host timeline, is a trope used in a few time-travel stories. That used to be the official rules of [[Marvel Comics]]' time travel.<ref>[http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/09/04/the-new-marvel-rules-of-time-travel-courtesy-of-battle-of-the-atom-spoilers/ Bleeding Cool:The New Marvel Rules Of Time Travel ]</ref> So when Perceptor says parallel universes are a concept that "encourages ''second-rate scientists'' to avoid the more complicated implications of time travel", ''diss''.
**To digress a moment, Perceptor must be referring here specifically to alternate timelines created through the alteration of history via time travel, rather than to different universes in general, since there are, of course, [[multiverse| a bajillion different Transformers universes]]. Within the confines of IDW continuity alone, the [[Dead Universe]] was a proven alternate universe that the Transformers were dealing with very recently.

===Errors===
*On page 4, panels 3 and 4, Minimus's spark appears to be blue, rather than the [[Point One Percenter]] green it should be. Of course, there's always a chance that he ''isn't'' a Point One Percenter in this timeline.
*On page 11, in panel 4, the three word balloons are offset to the right in a way that makes them all appear to come from Rodimus. This was fixed for the trade paperback collection.
*The Council message on page 20, panel 3, alternates between the British English spelling ''offence'' and American English spelling ''offense''. This is fixed in the trade paperback.

===Other trivia===
*In early drafts, Rewind would fade from the main timeline into the new timeline – represented by the character moving across the panel gutters into a new scene.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 52:50 to 53:30</ref>
*In this issue, the characters believe everyone's only still alive because Swerve waters his drinks down. [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Later]] [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issues]] will make it clear that Brainstorm was only trying to knock out rather than kill.

===Soundtrack===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn_IPaS7GFE "Blue Skies"] by {{w|Longpigs}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peLiLUIpNvM "No Surprises"] by {{w|Radiohead}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' EVERYTHING IS FINE, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Three-of-Twelve, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''30th Anniversary cover:''' The third in November's series of three 30th Anniversary covers by [[Andrew Griffith]], depicting [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] riding [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] as they stomp [[Quintesson]]s, from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''
<gallery>
File:MTMTE35 regcvr.jpg|These are not the droids you're looking for.
File:MTMTE35 subcvr.jpg|Gearhead.
File:MTMTE35 cvrRI.jpg|Do the Stomp!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #36
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|#35]]
*''[[The Transformers: Primacy|Primacy]]'' [[Primacy issue 4|#4]]
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[Form Follows Function|#4]]
*''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|Drift - Empire of Stone]]''
*IDW ''Littlest Pet Shop'' comic
*IDW ''Transformers'' graphic novel library
*''[[Angry Birds Transformers (comic)|Angry Birds Transformers]]'' (back cover)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://tformers.com/idw-comics-preview-the-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-35/25238/news.html Preview]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue}}

The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue

2018-11-30T00:39:36Z

Djelibaebi: anacronism, largely disliked in modernity

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=35
|prev=Births, Deaths, and Interventions
|next=Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays
|image=MTMTE35 regcvr.jpg
|title="The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 26]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=November 2014
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=Alex Milne and [[Brian Shearer]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}
'''The ''Lost Light''ers realise that Brainstorm has time-travelled into the past in order to change history... and it looks like he has succeeded, as present-day Cybertron has become a world under the totalitarian grip of Functionism!'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Functionary the ready-made now.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3]]
[[Minimus Ambus]] returns to Cybertron following a two-million-year service in the [[Primal Vanguard]], and is met at the spaceport by [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]]. Minimus is a little disappointed, hoping his brother [[Dominus Ambus]], Rewind's partner, would have come to greet him in person, especially given that he has not heard from him in months. Minimus's return home has come about due to the decommissioning of the [[Primal Vanguard]], occurring in the wake of the [[Functionist Council]]'s sale of [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] to the [[Black Block Consortia|Black Box Consortia]] to end hostilities with the rest of the galaxy, which has also led to the "recall" of the now-obsolete spaceflight-capable [[Lunabot]]s. As the pair are attempting to leave, Minimus's outdated papers cause concern for a law-enforcement "[[Functionary]]", but just as he is scanning Minimus to confirm his function, a battered 'bot suddenly charges through the crowd, pursued by another officer. The two Functionaries gun down the fleeing 'bot, and report to the Functionst Council headquarters that they have just "recalled" the last Lunabot. Few 'bots even pay attention to the grisly scene, however... just another commonplace sight on ''present-day'' Cybertron.

Across the galaxy, on the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] smashes in Rewind's hab suite door when he hears him cry out, but the little archivist has merely been having a bad dream. Things are tense between the pair; Chromedome had hoped to pick up their relationship where they left off, but Rewind is mindful of the fact that neither of them is truly the same 'bot that the other one was with. Chromedome asks about Rewind's nightmare, and the archivist tells him he was remembering the "Dark Dawn" half-a-million years prior, when the Functionists recalled the laser pointers. Chromedome is baffled; such an event never occurred, as Functionism had long since been abandoned by that stage. Rewind pulls up the relevant information from his database, before realising that he too has no memory of it...

In the ''Lost Light'' morgue, [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] solemnly regards [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]]'s dead body when [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] enters. Megatron expects a castigation, and Rodimus ''wants'' to deliver one, but more important matters demand their attention: namely, [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'s recent attempt to poison everyone on the ship by tainting the drinks at [[Swerve's]], which only left everyone unconscious instead of dead because [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] waters down his drinks. Rodimus reveals that Brainstorm has fled through means of a ''[[time travel|time machine]]'', a situation so ludicrous that Megatron has a mini-breakdown just trying to process it. Regaining his composure, Megatron concludes that rather than flee to escape repercussion for the poisoning, as [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] believes, Brainstorm poisoned everyone so he would be ''free'' to travel back in time and change the outcome of the war.

[[File:CustomMadeNow-Dominus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
On Cybertron, Rewind brings Minimus back to his and Dominus's home, where they watch pirated security footage of a protester being executed by the Functionist Council by means of the explosive [[obsolescence chip]]s that all Cybertronians are now implanted with. Minimus is slowly realising that Rewind and his brother are anti-Functionist rebels when Dominus appears, and the reason for his recent silence is revealed: the council has subjected him to the horrifying process that has supplanted [[empurata]], replacing his head with a screen, thereby robbing him of his face and voice and leaving him able only to communicate through on-screen text. Minimus is overwhelmed, but has to leave to meet with the other former members of the Primal Vanguard so they can receive their new job allocations.

[[File:Thefunctionistcouncil.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
Elsewhere on the planet, in their floating headquarters, "[[Cog (base)|The Cog]]", the Functionist Council meets to discuss the next mass recall, choosing their victims not based on functional value, but rather, on their ability to store data that could be used against the council. Thus it is decreed that [[data slug]]s shall be recalled...

On the ''Lost Light'', [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] is explaining the means by which Brainstorm has time-travelled: his enigmatic [[time case|briefcase]] is the control unit for a time machine made up of multiple other briefcases, linked to the ship's [[Quantum generator|quantum engine]]s, and coded for use only by his [[spark]] type. Moreover, Brainstorm has found a way to circumvent the {{w|grandfather paradox}} inherent in attempts to change history, with [[Functionist Universe|the new timeline]] he has created already co-existing with and slowly "bedding in" around them before taking hold. The 'bots' only recourse is to use the quantum-duplicate control briefcase recovered from the other ''Lost Light'' to follow Brainstorm back in time and stop him, and Megatron believes he knows where the scientist has gone: to kill [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]].

Minimus Ambus finds himself surrounded by chaos as he speeds back to his brother's home, data slug 'bots dying all around him as their obsolescence chips are remotely detonated. Worse yet, upon his return, he finds that Dominus has been remotely mind-wiped by the Council, now capable only of expressing and understanding the most basic words. Through the words on Dominus's screen, the Council speak directly to Minimus and Rewind, revealing that they discovered Dominus's treachery via cameras secretly installed in Minimus's eyes—a process all Primal Vanguard members were secretly subjected to on their return flight, as a first test of a new surveillance system that will soon become mandatory for all Cybertronians. Rewind vows to stop them, announcing that Dominus has deactivated his obsolescence chip... but alas, the Council reveal that his ''back-up'' chip is still operational. Seconds later, Rewind is gone...
{{--}}

==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"{{!}}
*[[Minimus Ambus]]/[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (1)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (2)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (10)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (11)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]]'s corpse (12)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (13)
*''[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]]'' (14)
*''[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'' (15)
*''[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]]'' (16)
*''[[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]]'' (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'' (18)
*''[[Doublecross]]'' (19)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (35)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (36)
{{!}}}

|c2=
*''[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'' (20)

|h3=[[Functionist Council|Functionists]]
|c3=
*[[Functionary|Functionaries]] (7, 9)
*[[One-of-Twelve]] (23)
*[[Two-of-Twelve]] (24)
*[[Three-of-Twelve]] (25)
*[[Four-of-Twelve]] (26)
*[[Five-of-Twelve]] (27)
*[[Six-of-Twelve]] (28)
*[[Seven-of-Twelve]] (29)
*[[Eight-of-Twelve]] (30)
*[[Nine-of-Twelve]] (31)
*[[Ten-of-Twelve]] (32)
*[[Eleven-of-Twelve]] (33)
*[[Twelve-of-Twelve]] (34)

|c4=
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (4)
*[[Dreadrock]] (5)
*[[Demolisher]] (6)
*[[Lunabot]] fugitive (8)
*[[Female protester]] (21)
*[[Dominus Ambus]] (22)
*[[Hot Shot (Henkei!)|Hot Shot]] (37)
*[[Bulkhead (G1)|Bulkhead]] (38)
}}

==Quotes==
"I'm fine. '''Bad dream''', that's all. My first flashback. These things'll happen when you've got a head full of history."
:—'''Rewind'''

"This conversation is ridiculous. '''You''' are ridiculous. Everything that's happened in the last few days is '''intensely''' ridiculous. Six months into this '''shambles of a quest'''—six months!—and not a day goes by—not an '''hour'''—when I don't have to stand back from this endless parade of '''nonsense''' and remind myself, by means of several blows to the head, that I am here of my '''own volition''', and not as a result of some—some '''elaborate trap''' set by Optimus Prime. Why bother looking for the Knights of Cybertron? Why postpone my trial? I've already been '''convicted'''—and '''this''' is my '''punishment. You!''' This '''ship!''' This '''life!'''" 
"Better?" 
"...Yes. I apologize." 
"Not at all. On this ship, a minor breakdown is practically a '''rite of passage.'''"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Ultra Magnus'''

"Won't Brainstorm's meddling simply create a second timeline that runs alongside our own—like a '''parallel universe?''' Hello...?" 
... 
"Oh, so I'm not allowed to take an interest in magic? I don't just captain ships and build [[Rodpod]]s, you know!"
:—'''Rodimus'''

'''Ultra Magnus:''' "What do we do now? Take his machine apart? Blow it up?" 
'''Perceptor:''' "No, that would strand Brainstorm in the past—and quite possibly '''cement''' any changes he's made. Will make. Might make." 
'''Rodimus:''' "It's time travel, Percy. Leave your tenses at the door."

"They took his words!" 
"His what?" 
"His '''vocabulary!''' All he's got left are the '''basics:''' yes, no, up, down, big, small... and the words he's lost—when you speak to him, the words he's lost—he doesn't know what they '''mean''' anymore! And there are certain words, Minimus—'''tiny''' words—'''important''' words—there are certain words you can't afford to lose."
:—'''Rewind''' and '''Minimus Ambus'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*"Elegant Chaos" is the third part of a trilogy of flashback stories, following "Chaos Theory" and "Shadowplay".<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 36:00 to 36:07</ref>
*We are not informed that the opening scene is set in the present day until it ends, when ''More than Meets the Eye's'' standard is to establish time periods through captions at the ''start'' of such scenes. Before this revelation, there's enough going on in the scene to make us think that it could just be set in the pre-war era, but there are also some clues sprinkled in: Minimus has been away for two million years, for instance, and as the pre-war era was at least four million years ago, that would place Minimus's departure at six million years ago, in [[Nova Prime]]'s era, and he's not that old. Mention is also made of how the intellectual class has been outlawed, and how "knock-offs" (Transformers who were [[reproduction|constructed cold]]) have been deported, scenarios incompatible with what we have seen of pre-war Cybertron in the past.
*Broadly speaking, the alternate timeline that Brainstorm has created is not one in which the Decepticons ''won'' the war, but one in which the war appears to have never even broken out. The Functionist Council was then subsequently never disbanded, and instead "unseated" the [[Senate]] and took complete control of Cybertron. We'd learn more about just how all this went down in [[Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|issue #3]] of ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|Lost Light]]''.
*With no war, Pharma never went bonkers, and he and Ratchet are still friends, as they can be glimpsed chatting on page 3.
*Also, Dominus never vanished in this timeline, so the alternate Rewind doesn't wear a head-mounted camera.
*In the alternate timeline, the "Black Box Consortia" have purchased Luna 2. They are this timeline's version of the [[Black Block Consortia]], previously mentioned in [[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|issues #34]] and [[Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|#24]].
*"Laser pointers" are among the decommissioned disposable class 'bots; laser pointers were mentioned in the same breath as data slugs when the disposable class was first discussed back in [[Before & After|issue #12]]. Chromedome and Rewind had a friend who was a laser pointer named [[Shimmerstick]].
*The "old" Rewind bought a souvenir replica of Hedonia's "Raging Prism" from a gift shop on the planet; the Autobots visited Hedonia in [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|issue #13]], and the prism was mentioned in both that issue and in [[Little Victories|issue #22]]. The gift shop appeared in issue #13's back-up prose story, "[[Signal to Noise]]", and if Rewind's description of the souvenir is anything to go by, we saw Chromedome attempting to throw it away back in [[The Gloaming|issue #16]].
*Someone has placed a [[Rodimus Star]] in the deceased Trailcutter's hand; his desire to earn the award was part of the story of his [[The Reluctant Specialist|self-titled ''Spotlight'' issue]].
*It just seemed like a passing remark back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|issue #30]] when Brainstorm noted he "always carried [his] own" drinks, but it takes on a whole new meaning with this issue's revelation that he's been spiking the proverbial punch bowl!
[[File:MTMTE35 Female Protester.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6]]
*The executed protester is a female Transformer, which stands out since in the regular timeline, [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] was the only female 'bot known to exist before the [[Caminus|Camien]]s came onto this scene. Though a point of intrigue at the time of this issue's publication, a few years later, [[An Axe to Break the Ice|''Lost Light'' #8]] would introduce the idea that a small number of transgender Transformer women did exist on Cybertron, indicating that this protester is one such 'bot.
*Meanwhile, her clear resemblance to [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] and allusion to him in her bellowed rhetoric ("All hail the Useless One"), will be explored [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|later in this multi-part story]].
* Dominus has been assigned to work on the [[Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy]]; Rewind is clearly alarmed by Dominus's task of incorporating the "lesser species" into it. Given [[The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|what we later learn about Dominus]], this off-hand remark is actually a bit of deep foreshadowing.
*We previously met Functionist Authenticator [[Three-of-Twelve]] in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]]. We now understand the meaning of his name, as he is the third member of the twelve-'bot Functionist council.
*The long-standing secret of Brainstorm's briefcase, the "masterpiece" he alluded to in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]], is revealed: as was hinted by the disruption of time that occurred when its quantum-duplicate was opened in [[slaughterhouse|issue #32]], it's the control unit of a time-machine. Presumably, the paradox-defying component of the time machine played some kind of role in how the duplicate case and duplicate Rewind survived the erasure of "their" ''Lost Light''.
*Rodimus gripes that he is "not allowed to take an interest in magic"; as we know from [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]], "magic = science that Rodimus doesn't understand".

===Transformers references===
*In the first panel of page 3, the spaceport is crammed with cameo appearances by [[Unicron Trilogy]] Autobots and Decepticons, including: [[Wing Saber (Energon)|''Energon'' Wing Saber]], [[Blurr (Armada)|''Armada'' Blurr]], [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Crumplezone]], [[Tow-Line (Energon)|''Energon'' Tow-Line]], [[Cyclonus (Armada)|''Armada'' Cyclonus]], [[Sky Shadow (Energon)|''Energon'' Sky Shadow]], [[Ironhide (Energon)|''Energon'' Ironhide]], [[Sparkplug (Armada)|''Armada'' Sparkplug]], [[Prowl (Energon)|''Energon'' Prowl]], [[Cyclonus (Armada)|''Energon'' Snow Cat]], [[Brakedown (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Brakedown]], [[Smokescreen (Armada)|''Armada'' Hoist]], [[Bulkhead (Energon)|''Energon'' Bulkhead]], [[Ultra Magnus (Energon)|''Energon'' Ultra Magnus]], [[Beachcomber (Energon)|''Energon'' Beachcomber]], and [[Hot Shot (Armada)|''Energon'' Hot Shot]] (we're not listing them in the cast list because c'mon, they ''are'' just Easter egg cameos). The Lunabot who tries to evade capture is [[Jetfire (Armada)|''Energon'' Jetfire]], who has the spaceship alternate mode that makes him appropriate for the role. Their appearance was a choice by artist Alex Milne, in celebration of his ten years drawing ''Transformers'' comics<ref>[https://twitter.com/markerguru/status/537641819568619520 Alex Milne (@markerguru) on Twitter, 2014/11/26]</ref>—[[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s [[Transformers: Energon (comic)|''Energon'' comic]] was his first work on the franchise.
*On the other hand, we will count the cameos based on [[Jetfire (Armada)|''Cybertron'' Jetfire]] and [[Demolishor (Armada)|''Armada'' Demolishor]], as [[Dreadrock|another Transformer]] based on the former appears in the Generation 1-based story "[[Derailment]]" while [[Demolisher|the latter]] recurs in the main timeline in [[New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|''Optimus Prime'' #1]].
*Also, on page 4, a 'bot resembling [[Overcast (Movie)|Overcast]] from the [[Movie (toyline)|live-action film toyline]] is visible.
*On page 5, a [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]-colored 'bot similar to [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] is among the onlookers; while not an exact match for details, this is probably a reference to [[Shockwave (G1)/toys#Cloud|''Cloud'' Shockwave]], who is a [[redeco]] of [[Whirl (G1)#Generations|''Generations'' Whirl]].
*The word "[[Pretender]]" has a history in the franchise, of course, but in the alternate timeline, it's become a word used to describe 'bots who have fake [[kibble]] attached to themselves to try and pass themselves off as having different alternate modes. This also marks the first official in-fiction use of the fan term "kibble" to describe alternate mode parts evident in [[robot mode]]; it's been a passing plot point in ''More than Meets the Eye'' before, back in [[Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|issue #24]], where it was just referred to as "secondary anatomy".
*The functionary who reports on the Lunabot's death is number 664; that's "332" times two, 332 being the total number of issues of the original [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|UK Marvel series]].
*Chromedome notes that, half a million years ago, he and Rewind were fighting [[Scorponok (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Scorponok]] in the [[Manganese Mountains]]. The mountains have received a few references in IDW continuity before, but this reference is specifically to the Marvel ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]]'' mini-series, which introduced the mountains, and in which Chromedome's unit did indeed fight Scorponok among the peaks.
*The 'bots coin the term "time jump" to describe Brainstorm's trip into the past; this was the term used for time travel in the Marvel UK series.
*In that same series, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] believed changes to the timeline would create a parallel universe. (He then stopped caring too much!)
*The Cog, headquarters of the Functionist Council, greatly resembles a [[transformation cog]], as do its members to some extent; their whole "gears and clockwork" motif isn't surprising considering their stated devotion to [[Adaptus]].
*On page 20, we get some more other-continuity cameos, but these guys ''do'' make it into the cast list because they're pre-existing characters within this continuity: [[Hot Shot (Armada)|''Armada'' Hot Shot]], whose Generation 1 incarnation [[Hot Shot (Henkei!)|Hot Shot]] has already appeared in IDW continuity in [[Drift issue 1|''Drift'' #1]] (confusingly, he appears as an Autobot in the war in that issue, but ''another'' Hot Shot debuts in [[First Contact (IDW)|''Combiner Wars'' Opening Salvo]] as a Camien), and [[Bulkhead (Prime)|''Prime'' Bulkhead]], whose [[Bulkhead (G1)|G1 self]] has shown up in both [[The Transformers: Monstrosity|''Monstrosity'']] and [[The Transformers: Primacy|''Primacy'']].
*The Functionist Council employs [[harvester unit]]s which previously appeared in Marvel U.S. issue [[The Smelting Pool!|#17]].

===Real-life references===
*The security officer who stops Minimus is designed after classic UK comic strip law-enforcer, {{w|Judge Dredd}}.
*Time travel creating parallel universes or a time traveller going ''to'' a parallel universe, rather than actually changing their host timeline, is a trope used in a few time-travel stories. That used to be the official rules of [[Marvel Comics]]' time travel.<ref>[http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/09/04/the-new-marvel-rules-of-time-travel-courtesy-of-battle-of-the-atom-spoilers/ Bleeding Cool:The New Marvel Rules Of Time Travel ]</ref> So when Perceptor says parallel universes are a concept that "encourages ''second-rate scientists'' to avoid the more complicated implications of time travel", ''diss''.
**To digress a moment, Perceptor must be referring here specifically to alternate timelines created through the alteration of history via time travel, rather than to different universes in general, since there are, of course, [[multiverse| a bajillion different Transformers universes]]. Within the confines of IDW continuity alone, the [[Dead Universe]] was a proven alternate universe that the Transformers were dealing with very recently.

===Errors===
*On page 4, panels 3 and 4, Minimus's spark appears to be blue, rather than the [[Point One Percenter]] green it should be. Of course, there's always a chance that he ''isn't'' a Point One Percenter in this timeline.
*On page 11, in panel 4, the three word balloons are offset to the right in a way that makes them all appear to come from Rodimus. This was fixed for the trade paperback collection.
*The Council message on page 20, panel 3, alternates between the British English spelling ''offence'' and American English spelling ''offense''. This is fixed in the trade paperback.

===Other trivia===
*In early drafts, Rewind would fade from the main timeline into the new timeline – represented by the character moving across the panel gutters into a new scene.<ref>[http://www.transmissionspodcast.com/2015/03/transmissions-episode-94-james-roberts-mtmte-elegant-chaos-interview/ TransMissions Episode 94 – James Roberts MTMTE Elegant Chaos Interview] 52:50 to 53:30</ref>
*In this issue, the characters believe everyone's only still alive because Swerve waters his drinks down. [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Later]] [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issues]] will make it clear that Brainstorm was only trying to knock out rather than kill.

===Soundtrack===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn_IPaS7GFE "Blue Skies"] by {{w|Longpigs}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peLiLUIpNvM "No Surprises"] by {{w|Radiohead}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' EVERYTHING IS FINE, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Three-of-Twelve, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''30th Anniversary cover:''' The third in November's series of three 30th Anniversary covers by [[Andrew Griffith]], depicting [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] riding [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] as they stomp [[Quintesson]]s, from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''
<gallery>
File:MTMTE35 regcvr.jpg|These are not the droids you're looking for.
File:MTMTE35 subcvr.jpg|Gearhead.
File:MTMTE35 cvrRI.jpg|Do the Stomp!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #36
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]]'' [[Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|#35]]
*''[[The Transformers: Primacy|Primacy]]'' [[Primacy issue 4|#4]]
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[Form Follows Function|#4]]
*''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone|Drift - Empire of Stone]]''
*IDW ''Littlest Pet Shop'' comic
*IDW ''Transformers'' graphic novel library
*''[[Angry Birds Transformers (comic)|Angry Birds Transformers]]'' (back cover)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://tformers.com/idw-comics-preview-the-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-35/25238/news.html Preview]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue}}

Twenty Plus One

2018-11-30T00:00:46Z

Djelibaebi: strike through to make it clearer it was retconned

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=31
|prev=World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide
|next=Slaughterhouse
|image=MTMTE31 subcvr.jpg
|title="Twenty Plus One"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 9]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=July 2014
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Atilio Rojo]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|assistant editor=[[Vincent Kings]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}
'''Tensions run high as twenty ''Lost Light''ers find themselves stuffed into one small spaceship, and things only get worse when the lights start going out, and 'bots start disappearing... '''

==Synopsis==
Following the disappearance of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' and the evacuation of the crew, twenty 'bots cram themselves into the [[Rodpod]]: [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]], [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], [[Gears (G1)|Gears]], [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], [[Getaway]], [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], [[Ammo]], [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]], [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]], [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]], [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], [[Dipstick]], [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]], [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]], and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]]. [[File:Drift lost lights former owners twenty plus one.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2]] When Nautica inquires as to the origins of the now-vanished ship, Riptide recounts how he, [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]], and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] purchased the vessel from a pair of [[Chirolinguistics|chirolingual]] [[NAIL]]s in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]'s religious quarter, naming it after the [[Festival of Lost Light]], which was taking place there at the time. Though Megatron tries to make the group focus on their present predicament, Nautica persists with her train of thought, and highlights the abnormality of the ship and the power of its [[quantum generator]]s. At Ammo's request, she tries to explain to the befuddled crew how quantum engines are essentially powered by the improbability of their own function, concluding with the theory that the ship was ''so'' advanced that it "proved itself impossible." Megatron is less concerned with the ''how'' of the ship's disappearance, but rather with what to do next; at that moment, [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] receives a transmission from [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] on a neighboring shuttle, informing them that they will be making for the nearby lectureworld of [[Ofsted XVII]] in [[Sector 113]].

After a crew headcount, [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] is telling [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] about his latest play when the lights suddenly go out. When power returns a second later, Crosscut has vanished mid-sentence, and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], full of false bravado after all the praise he has received lately, draws a gun on Megatron, blaming him for Crosscut's apparent death. Cyclonus and Ratchet try to talk the tiny 'bot down, but Megatron's reaction goes from bemusement to anger when Tailgate proposes locking him up, and he draws a weapon of his own. This prompts Riptide to add his weapon to the growing standoff, and when Cyclonus tries to calm everyone down, Huffer and Gears, never having trusted the ancient Cybertronian, both draw on him. Hound then appears to level his own weapon at Nautica, but it quickly becomes apparent that he is actually aiming at the lurking [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]], who pounces from the shadows just as the lights go out once more. Megatron fires into the darkness and subdues the feline; as the lights flick back on, he claims not to know why Ravage is there, but whether that is true or not is called into question as he secretly communicates chirolinguistically with the cat-bot, telling him to play dead.

[[File:TwentyPlusOne-Ammo.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
The discovery of Ravage defuses the standoff, but Nautica soon observes that more disappearances have taken place in the darkness: Gears, Blaster, Huffer, Chromedome, Hound, and Highbrow have now also vanished. Nightbeat dedicates himself to determining the pattern by which 'bots are being taken, and, reminded of [[Solomus|Tyrest]] and his plan by Cyclonus, decides to begin by figuring out which of those present are [[Reproduction|constructed cold]], like himself, and which are [[Reproduction|forged]]. Megatron refuses to divulge that information, but a pattern ''seems'' to be emerging as Getaway, Dipstick, and Ammo reveal that they are "Made To Order soldiers"—second-generation constructed cold, created during wartime from the [[spark]] stockpile—until Ratchet points out that he and several others present are forged, and several of the disappeared were constructed cold. As Nightbeat withdraws into detective mode, the others begin talking amongst themselves; after Ammo, Riptide, and Getaway tell Nautica about the "Ten-Step Program" that MTOs had to pass in order to be declared "world-ready" (which Riptide ''hated''), Ratchet chimes in about the high percentage of MTOs who claim to have had mystical experiences, which he professes are neurological hallucinations that are a product of their virtually-newborn senses. Swerve takes offense, pointing out that faith isn't a new idea, but Skids counters that with a brief lecture on a condition known to affect robotic lifeforms known as "[[information creep]]"—the corruption of brain data that results in memories being unconsciously reinterpreted. Nautica is familiar with the condition, which was known on [[Caminus]] as "blurred data"; just as she is thinking of her friends [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]], the lights go out once more.

This time, Ammo, Hoist, Dipstick, and Cyclonus have disappeared, but Cyclonus's [[Great Sword]] has not vanished with him. As Nightbeat inspects it, he gets the feeling he is being watched, and turns to sees a gigantic eye staring down at him... though it quickly turns out that it belongs to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s [[holomatter]] avatar, projected in from the ''[[Leading Light]]'', albeit at accidentally gigantic scale. Magnus quickly adjusts its size, and informs the remaining crew that all the other occupants of ''his'' craft have disappeared too, as have other shuttles. Tailgate peers out a porthole and notes that he can't see Magnus's shuttle anywhere; Magnus has but a moment to realise that he can't feel his body any more before his avatar fades out.

At the end of his rope, Nightbeat instructs Ratchet to write down every piece of information he knows about the crew from their medical files, but he barely has time to study the data before another blackout claims Swerve, Tailgate, and Ratchet... but ''not'' Ratchet's hands, which Skids points out used to belong to [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]. Riptide grins, having heard the whole story behind that from Swerve, and remarks that the ''Lost Light''ers sure did get up to some crazy stuff while they were away. Nightbeat asks him to expand, having believed that Riptide had been on the ''Lost Light'' from the outset, but the [[Hydrobot (G1)|Hydrobot]] explains that he was not: after going back to get a receipt for the ship from the NAILs who sold it to them, he eavesdropped on them and learned they were [[Mortilus]] worshippers who had been keeping a [[sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] in the basement, feeding it with [[turbofox]]es they had stolen from the crew of the ''[[Alchemy-Seven]]'', and when an altercation ensued, he was knocked out, and missed the ''Lost Light'' launch. Nightbeat crows that he has solved the mystery: everyone who disappeared was a member of the original ''Lost Light'' crew, and all those remaining on the Rodpod (himself, Megatron, Skids, Nautica, Getaway, and Riptide) joined the crew after its launch. As Megatron angrily points out, though, his deduction solves absolutely nothing, since the detective was too slow to save anyone. Just then, Nautica informs them that they have reached Ofsted XVII, but that they are not the first to arrive... as outside, floating in the planet's orbit, is the shattered wreckage of the destroyed ''Lost Light''!

==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"{{!}}
*''[[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'' (1)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (2)
*''[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]]'' (3)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (4)
*''[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]]'' (5)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (7)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (8)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (9)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ammo]] (10)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (11)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (12)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (13)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (14)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (15)
*[[Getaway]] (16)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (18)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (19)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (20)
*[[Dipstick]] (21)
*[[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]] (23)
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (24)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (26)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] (25)
|c4=
*''[[Lost Light's former owners|Former owners of the Lost Light]]'' (6)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"I didn't realize how hard it was to explain the science until Tailgate asked me how 'quanton technology' worked. I don't think you learned anything that afternoon, did you?" 
"Just some new swear words..."
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Tailgate'''

"If I sit next to you too long, am I going to die of '''smartass poisoning'''?"
:—'''Getaway''' on Nightbeat

"'I hope this puts paid to the notion that I ignore everything my "co-captain" says on the grounds that he's lazy, petulant and pathologically ill-suited to command...'"
:—'''Megatron''' on Rodimus

"Cool it, guys! Cyclonus isn't the enemy!" 
"He's not? Oh I'm '''sorry.''' It must've been the '''other''' Cyclonus who murdered all those Autobots at Kimia—because if not, that makes you a <big>'''MONUMENTAL FRIKKIN' HYPOCRITE!'''"</big>
:—'''Tailgate''' and '''Huffer'''

"No one has a right to know how a fellow Cybertronian was created. There's a thin line between categorization and segregation, and I never want to see it crossed again."
:—'''Megatron'''

"In the end, High Command decided they wanted their new troops to fight, not study, so they reduced the steps from ten to eight to three. '''Three steps''', Nautica: 'From '''thaw to war''' in under an hour.' Because who cares whether or not a '''warborn knockoff''' with a three-minute life expectancy can quote '''[[Dominus Ambus]]''' or notate the '''Grand Celestial Melody'''? So long as he can assemble a path-blaster with his brand-new eyes closed, everyone's happy. That's '''sarcasm,''' by the way. I dabble."
:—'''Skids'''

"Mystery solved!" 
"Well done." 
"Thank you. Want to say it again and mean it?" 
"You failed." 
"What?" 
"You '''failed'''. You solved the mystery, but only after everyone was taken. You were too slow to save them" 
"Yes, but - at least I worked out what was happening. That has to count for something, doesn't it? ....doesn't it?"
:—'''Nightbeat''' and '''Megatron'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*"Don't make me put my foot down," Drift says to Pipes, wickedly recalling (and, since this is a flashback, technically foreshadowing) Pipes's death at the hands—or rather, foot—of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]].
*A new face in the crowd, Ammo, was previously mentioned in [[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|issue #19]]. And he doesn't even die or anything!
*Crosscut refers to an earlier play of his named ''[[My Shovel, Your Face]]''; [[The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|''Robots in Disguise'' #25]] taught us that Crosscut was known for liberating [[Petrex]] "with wise words and a shovel". ''[[Information Creep|Info Creep]]'', the working title of his new play, is a reference to the condition that affects Transformers, also introduced this issue.
*In what is likely no coincidence, there was a brief blackout on the ''Lost Light'' back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]], just as the disappearances were starting. Perhaps it was during this blackout that the [[Pyrobot]]s vanished.
*The pistol Megatron draws is one of the revolvers seen holstered inside his hip armor during the aforementioned previous blackout.
*The crew discover Ravage's presence, but the audience learned he was on the ship in issue #28.
*Remember Getaway praising Tailgate for messing with Megatron, as it'll come up again [[The Lopsided Triangle|in #47]].
*Getaway referred to himself as an "M.T.O." last issue; here we learn this stands for "Made To Order soldier", and refers to a 'bot constructed cold after the outbreak of the war, from the stockpile of sparks leftover from [[Solomus|Tyrest]]'s bleeding of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]].
*Hoist mentions having a friend named [[Scattergun]]. Assuming it's not a different 'bot with the same name (they do say all the good ones are taken), we previously heard of this fellow in [[The Gloaming|issue #16]], as one of Chromedome's former Conjunx Endurae. Scattergun was constructed cold for the Fourth [[Vorsk Offensive]], a battle first mentioned in "[[Chaos Theory Part 1]]".
*Riptide was constructed cold to take part in the conflict on [[Simanzi]], which has been mentioned several times throughout Roberts's work. He notes he was specifically created a [[Hydrobot (G1)|Hydrobot]] in response to something called the "[[Forced Flood]]".
*Ammo was constructed cold in response to Megatron's attack on [[K'th Kinsere]], a region of Cybertron that is home to [[Vaulted Heights of K'th Kinsere|Vaulted Heights]] (mentioned in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]]) and a sect of [[High Priests of K'th Kinsere|High Priests]] (namechecked in ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]]'').
*Ratchet refers to the [[Shimmer]], a battlefield hallucination that plays a role in the prose story "[[Bullets]]", as well as the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]], who made an alleged appearance back in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
*Ultra Magnus's [[Verity Carlo]] [[holomatter]] avatar from [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|issue #13]] reappears. Megatron recognizes the image of the girl, having encountered her ''waaaay'' back in [[Infiltration issue 5|''Infiltration'' #5]] (though he seemed deeply uninterested at the time). The panel of a giant Verity looming over Megatron is based on the dramatic reveal of that encounter, with the roles reversed.
*Hoist is noted to suffer from "feelings of isolation", which we learned about him in his [[The Waiting Game|self-titled ''Spotlight'']].
*Highbrow is revealed to have been a former member of the [[Malware Brigade]], an anti-[[Senate]] organization mentioned in "Chaos Theory Part 2".
*The former owners of the ''Lost Light'' are worshippers of [[Mortilus]], the death god of the [[Guiding Hand]], introduced in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 ''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]]. They are hiding from the crew of the ''[[Alchemy-Seven]]'', a NAIL ship first mentioned in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]''.
*The sparkeater in the basement of the ''Lost Light'', and the fact that the ship's former owners had been feeding it turbofoxes, were introduced in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]].
*Of course, there have been other new additions to the ''Lost Light'' since its launch beyond the 'bots left at the end of this issue ([[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], for example, or any of the new 'bots who have joined up since "Dark Cybertron"); [[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|Issue #34]] would reveal that when their shuttles disappeared in the course of this issue's events,they were left floating in space. The reason the Rodpod does not disappear, on the other hand, is because it's a ''new'' Rodpod, built last issue, following the original's destruction in ''Robots in Disguise'' #25.

===Transformers references===
*Sector 113 is, of course, another of Roberts's reference to [[113 (disambiguation)|the number]].
*Skids makes reference to the [[pathblaster]], a weapon wielded by [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] in the original Marvel UK storyline, "[[Time Wars]]". His rant about the lowering standards of the MTO education system may have even been a direct reference to Roadbuster who, according to "[[Zero Point]]", went millions of years before even learning how to read.
*Ammo has [[Corrodia Gravis]], a rusting disease introduced in the Marvel UK [[Transformers Annual 1990]] story "[[Destiny of the Dinobots!]]".
*Hoist is an Evolutionary Engineerist, the IDW version of [[atechnogenesis]]: the belief that life came from "the naturally-occurring interaction of gears, levers, and pulleys", as foretold in [[The Transformers (issue)|#1 of the Marvel run]].
*Hound is the one who catches Ravage, because [[The Transformers (issue)|of]] [[Crisis of Command!|course]] [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 3|he]] [[The Hunt for Soundwave|is]].

===Real-life references===
*In televisual terms, this issue would be a {{w|Bottle episode}}: a story that primarily consists of dialogue, and takes place in one setting. Bottle episodes were originally conceived as a money-saving venture, but the potential for tension and character-driven interactions they inherently possess has given them more value as storytelling devices; obviously, ''More than Meets the Eye'' doesn't save money by doing an issue this way!
*Having all the characters who were on the ''Lost Light'' from the outset disappear is a narrative trick in order to spend an issue or two developing and focusing on the newer characters whom the audience is unfamiliar with.
*The specific meaning of the Festival of Lost Light is not divulged here, but given its name, the fact that it involves the release of lanterns, and a song known as the "Hymn of the Disappeared", it seems to be a ceremony dedicated to remembering lost loved ones. In particular, it is evocative of Japan's {{w|Tōrō nagashi}} ceremony, in which lanterns are released to light the way to the afterlife for the souls of the dead.
**Contrast this with how, until Dark Cybertron, everyone in ''Robots In Disguise'' thought the crew of the Lost Light were dead, the ship having seemingly exploded.
**Also, the whole series of ''More than Meets the Eye'' could be said to be remembering Transformer characters we had all but forgotten.
*Multiple references to the British education system here! Ofsted XVII gets the bulk of them. It's named after {{w|Ofsted}}, the British government department which oversees schools; it's labelled an "A Level" planet, in reference to the English academic qualification, the {{w|A-level}}; the imposition of tuition fees are a barbed jab at the tuition fees brought in, and jacked up, for universities; and the takeover and rebranding, with the "TM", by the "Academic" arm, may be a reference to the introduction of academy schools in the English system by the then-goverment. The reduced cultural curriculum for M.T.O.'s may also be references to the British educational system.
*Chromedome remarks that Ethics were Ofsted's "Specialist Subject", a term that, while generic-sounding, is almost certainly a reference to the British TV quiz show ''{{w|Mastermind (TV series)|Mastermind}}''. Similarly, the tessellated hexagonal tiles on the subscription cover are extremely reminiscent of the British TV quiz show ''{{w|Blockbusters (UK game show)|Blockbusters}}''.
*The ten-step program borrows its term from the {{w|Twelve-step program}} used for substance addictions.
*"Information creep" is a term used by Wikipedia to describe the slow feed of information into an article that winds up shifting its perspective and/or readability over time.
*Dipstick was constructed cold to take part in "Operation: Doom Patrol", a reference to the DC Comics superhero team, the {{w|Doom Patrol}}.
*Among the assorted types of Spark the crew are shown to have, only Nautica has an "estriol-positive" one. {{w|Estriol}} is one of the three main estrogens produced by the human body, indicating that being a [[female Transformer]] is not just about the shape of your chassis, but goes all the way to the Spark. Belatedly realizing the potentially offensive connotations of defining female Transformers in this way (casting them as an "abnormal", and reinforcing a binary gender system), Roberts requested that this be removed in the trade paperback collection, which instead lists her as "ferrum-positive." He later said that he also thought it was lazy writing to have gender be down to sparktypes and to use a feminine name.<ref>[http://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2015/02/26/james-roberts-on-idws-transformers-more-that-meets-the-eye/ Women Write About Comics: "James Roberts on IDW’s Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye" 15:06 - 16:40]</ref>

===Errors===
*The [[scale]] of many bots is off this issue - Tailgate is shown to come up to Ratchet's shoulder, for instance.
*On page 2, when Drift says "Of course...! This is the Hymn for the Disappeared.)", it should have a parentheses at the start of the phrase, like how his aside was in the previous panel.
*On page 4, Ammo is drawn without his cannon on his left arm, where on page 5 he has it on the left forearm. Considering how he still has it on his left arm in page 14, this is probably an artistic error.
*On page 5, "Quanton Technology" should be spelled "Quantum Technology". Of course, this could be Ratchet making fun of how naive Tailgate is at times...
*On page 11, Megatron channels his inner Grimlock, saying of Ravage "He unconscious" rather than "He's unconscious". This was fixed in the trade paperback.
*On page 12, as Megatron communicates with Ravage chirolinguistically, the cassette's name is misspelled "Ravege". This was fixed in the trade paperback.
*On page 15, the word "discovered" is split over two lines in Getaway's speech bubble but there's no connecting hyphen, nor is it split where a hyphen would be allowed to divide the word in the first place. This was fixed in the trade paperback.
*On page 16, when Nightbeat is attempting to find out Megatron's method of construction "It seems" is written as "I seems". This was fixed in the trade paperback.

===Crew manifest===
*It is revealed that Riptide was ''supposed'' to be on the ship when it departed originally, but was waylaid.
*If Nightbeat's deductions are correct, the disappearance of the Pyrobots in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|#28]] means they were part of the original crew.
**Confirmed previous crew: Ammo, Huffer, Gears
***At least 33/79 original crew still on board, 2 departed
**Confirmed new arrivals: none this issue
***At least 17 new crew members since second launch

===Soundtrack===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnlLhq1kW10 "Lost Property"] by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CD7WJPOrLU "S (Studio Version)"] by {{w|Labradford}}

===Other trivia===
*A preliminary title for this issue was "Murder in the Dark".
*When Nautica explains how the [[quantum generator]]s work using ''improbability'', you'd be forgiven for thinking it's a deliberate nod to the {{w|Technology in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy#Infinite Improbability Drive|Infinite Improbability Drive}} from {{w|Douglas Adams}}'s ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}''. In actuality, [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/487688742539632640 James Roberts has never read the series], and came up with the idea entirely independently.
*Four "Meet the Crew"-style cast lists are sprinkled throughout the issue as a means of cataloguing who disappears, with each vanished crewmember being greyed out. Each lists also provide for the audience an assortment of information about the characters as Nightbeat requests it in-story. These pages do not count towards the 22-page total of the story itself, so there are noticeably fewer ad pages in the back of the comic. All those extra pages are kept for the trade paperback.
*A quick forged/constructed cold checklist from this issue:
**Forged: Crosscut, Skids, Nautica, Huffer, Swerve, Hoist, Tailgate, Cyclonus, Hound, Ratchet
**Constructed cold (first wave): Gears, Blaster, Chromedome, Nightbeat
**Constructed cold (second wave): Getaway, Ammo, Riptide, Dipstick
*While he actively protests revealing his origin, Megatron's status as a [[Point One Percenter]] confirms him as being forged. [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Or does it?]]
*Highbrow is listed as constructed cold but his wave is not given, presumably because Ratchet doesn't know it. (Although Highbrow is listed as a member of the pre-war [[Malware Brigade]], the group hypothetically ''could'' have still been active post-war.)
*We likewise learn the names of a number of Sparktypes; there are at least seven, presumably eight:
**Vitreous-Positive: Chromedome, Riptide (a type shared by Rewind and Whirl, as we learned back in [[Before & After|issue #12]].)
**Vitreous-Negative: Crosscut, Skids, Ammo
**Isomeric-Postive: Blaster, Getaway, Nightbeat
**Isomeric-Negative: Gears, Hoist, Dipstick, Ratchet, Highbrow
**Ferrum-Positive: Huffer, Hound, Swerve, Nautica (in trade collection)
**Ferrum-Negative: Cyclonus, Tailgate
**<strike>Estriol-Positive: Nautica</strike> (retconned away for the trade)
[[File:GenerationsNightbeatJazzvsBumblebees.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.3|left|Celebrating the 30th anniversary with artwork based on toys that don't exist in this form.]]
*Other intriguing character points revealed on these cast pages include: Crosscut has a phobia of [[Nanocon]]s; Getaway has shown purported signs of affinity for the Matrix; Nautica is a possible [[Outlier]]; Ammo is a [[Monoformer]]; Swerve is a practising [[Adaptus]]ian and has been diagnosed with {{w|Logorrhea (psychology)|Logorrhea}}; Riptide has an unreliable [[transformation cog]]; Dipstick's alt mode is "redundant"; and Hound was formerly part of the [[Primal Vanguard]].
*The "Thaw to War" tagline is another one of those verbal gags that only works if you imagine it spoken with Roberts's British accent; then, the words rhyme.
*The 30th Anniversary cover by [[Phil Jimenez]] and [[Romulo Fajardo Jr.]] is based on the ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' Deluxe Class [[Nightbeat (G1)#Generations|Nightbeat]] figure (which was released shortly after this issue came out)... well, in theory, at least. The artwork is ''actually'' based on earlier plans for the Nightbeat figure as a [[redeco]] and [[retool]] of the [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|2010 ''Transformers'']] ''[[Reveal the Shield]]'' [[Jazz (G1)/toys#Transformers (2010)|Special Ops Jazz]] figure, before Hasbro changed its plans and decided to give the ''Generations'' ''Thrilling 30'' Deluxe Class [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Deluxe|Bumblebee]] figure a new head and redeco it into Nightbeat instead. The same artwork was also used for the "Hasbro exclusive cover" of the [[Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|comic]] that was [[pack-in material|included]] with said Nightbeat toy.
{{-}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Megatron, Ratchet, Nautica, Chromedome, and an unknown 5th bot in a standoff, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Mosaic tiles of the twenty characters in this issue, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''30th Anniversary cover:''' Nightbeat by [[Phil Jimenez]] and [[Romulo Fajardo Jr.]].
<gallery>
File:MTMTE31 regcvr.jpg|The good, the bad-but-now-good, another good, another good, and hopefully someone ugly.
File:MTMTE31 subcvr.jpg|Count 'em, there's 20.
File:MTMTE31 cvrRI.jpg|His mission: to find out why he has that body!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #32
*''[[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark]]''
*''Machi Koro'' (back cover)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon

2018-11-29T03:55:15Z

Djelibaebi: dominus IS rewinds ex-lover probably dont wanna insinuate that they

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=17
|prev=The Gloaming
|next=Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus
|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.

[[File:Mtmte17-p11-lost-light-luna-one.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|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 (G1)|Rung]] (to fill Magnus's role and tell him things he doesn't want to hear); [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]; [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (in case there's any fighting to be done, though Whirl suspects it's positive discrimination); [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|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.

[[File:Chromedome and Rodimus with a spark.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3]]
Leaving the ''Lost Light'' under the stewardship of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|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!

[[File:TheFecundMoon-Skids.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
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 "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 (G1)|Pharma]] looming over him!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (8)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (9)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (10)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (11)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (12)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (14)
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] (15)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (16)
*[[Atomizer]] (17)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (18)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (19)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (20)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (21)
*[[Minimus Ambus|Ambus]] (28)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (30)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Barrage (Insecticon)|Barrage]] (22)
*[[Ransack (G1)|Ransack]] (23)
*[[Venom (G1)|Venom]] (24)
*[[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] (25)
*[[Chop Shop (G1)|Chop Shop]] (26)
*"[[Titan Hunter#Lockdown's team|Den-O]]" (27)
|c4=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (1)
*[[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 '''[[Mobile Anti-Assault Battlesuit|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)|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 (G1)|Shock]] (both from issue #2), [[Animus]] (issue #3) and [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|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 Hunter]]s" 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.
[[File:Mtmte17-point one percenter spark.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The birth of a spoiler.]]
*From the name he provides and his moustachioed visage, Rodimus's mysterious listener is obviously supposed to remind the audience of [[Dominus Ambus]], Rewind's old (romantic) partner and master, seen in flashbacks in issue #12. His obviously-shortened name and different color scheme (green and white versus Dominus's gold) ought to give readers pause, and as next issue will reveal, he's not what he appears.
*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.
*The Point One Percenter Spark the Autobots discover and which Brainstorm takes into his possession will [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|eventually]] end up becoming [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|hugely important]].

===Transformers references===
*Whirl explains that the harvesting of a spark involves taking with it a portion of the surrounding metallic matter, named "[[Living metal|sentio metallico]]". Roberts created this term for his unofficial novel ''Eugenesis'', where it was the name of the liquid metal matter that erupted from other Transformers' bodies and congealed into new lifeforms as part of the "budding" reproductive process seen in the original ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' comic book. This seems to imply—as has been previously suggested by remarks about the irreplaceable nature of forged body parts—that forged bodies actually ''grow'' from this matter around the spark, where constructed cold bodies are simply built.
*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.

===Real-life references===
*''{{w|Remain in Light}}'' is the title of an album by the band {{w|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 {{w|RoboCop (franchise)#ED 209|ED-209}} from ''{{w|RoboCop}}'' on his desk.
*Continuing the trend started by "[[Titan Hunter#Lockdown's team|V3]]" from ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'', [[Titan Hunter#Lockdown's team|another new member]] of the Titan Hunters appears to be based on one of the title characters from the Japanese tokusatsu franchise ''{{w|Kamen Rider Series|Kamen Rider}}'', in this case {{w|Kamen Rider Den-O (character)|Kamen Rider Den-O}}.

===Errors===
*In page 7 panel 1, Rung's dialogue of "dèjá vu" is misspelled—the diacritics are inverted; the correct spelling from French is "déjà vu".

===Other trivia===
*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 English 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, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), one boxed, and one banishment since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
For all of "Remain in Light":
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjmGZfHHC80 "A Dazzling End"] from the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' {{w|Doctor Who: Series 4 (soundtrack)|Series 4 soundtrack}}, by {{w|Murray Gold}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrbxWOMpwfs "The Universal"] by {{w|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 {{w|The Shins}}

===Covers (5)===
*'''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.
*'''Con Edition:''' Blank white version for sketches, available exclusively at assorted conventions
*'''Comicfolio edition:''' Cover A sans trade dress, included in a die-cut hardcover portfolio with a lithograph of Cover B. Limited to 250 copies, only available through the [[IDW Limited]] store.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE17 cvrA.jpg|Light their darkest hour!
File:MTMTE17 cvrB.jpg|Run Forrest, run!
File:MTMTE17 cvrRI.jpg|Man up, Tailgate!
File:MTMTE17 conedition.jpg|The Void!
File:MTMTE17 comicfolio.jpg|It can be yours too, for only some outrageous sum.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Shockwaves|#17]]
*''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Destiny, Part One|#91]]
*''[[The Transformers: Monstrosity|Monstrosity]]'' [[Monstrosity issue 1|#1]]
*IDW [[Dynamic Forces]] exclusives
*''[[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]

The Gloaming

2018-11-29T03:51:23Z

Djelibaebi:

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=16
|prev=Under Cold Blue Stars
|next=Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon
|caption=Not to be confused with "The Glomping".
|image=MTMTE16 cvrA.jpg
|title="The Gloaming"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[April 24]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=April 2013
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Agustin Padilla]]
|inks by=[[Jose Aviles]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|assistant editor=[[Toni Korde]] and [[Mariel Romero]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2013)]]
}}
'''Rodimus and Chromedome wrestle with their emotions in the wake of Overlord's rampage, as Ultra Magnus hovers at death's door and Drift makes a fateful decision.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Magnus shock ore powerdashers the gloaming.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|Badge is looking a little crooked there, Mags.]]
''Then:''

''At the [[Battle for Hell's Point]], amidst a raging firefight, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] tries to bluff the [[Warriors Elite]], only to be blasted point blank by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] himself, sending him tumbling to the ground far below...''

''On the planet [[Clemency]], amidst the struggle over the [[Nightmare Engine]], Ultra Magnus issues orders to his troops - and then takes a direct hit from an explosive [[K-Class]] [[Torque (G1)|Decepticon]]...''

''During the battle known as the [[Simanzi Massacre]], Rotorstorm and Ultra Magnus pick their way through a swamp, trying to elude a troop of [[Cybernought]]s - but one Cybernought has found them, and unleashes its full firepower on Ultra Magnus...''

Now:

Fatally wounded by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], Ultra Magnus lies on [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]'s operating table aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]''. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] sits by his bedside and plays his [[The Empyrean Suite|favorite song]] for him, and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] cleans his body. Neither of the little bots' efforts are particularly appreciated by Ratchet, nor is [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s disgust at his use of what he calls a "[[death clock]]": a medical scanning field that monitors the rate of contraction of Magnus's shrinking [[spark]] to calculate a time of death. With the clock giving Magnus only ten more days, Tailgate grows increasingly distraught, partially at the clinical approach the others are taking to the situation. Punctuating this sentiment, Swerve shushes him so they can hear an announcement over the tannoy by [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], who vows to discover who is responsible for Overlord's being on the ship.

Worried about [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]]'s emotional state following [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]]'s death, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] goes looking for him, and finds him outside the ship, on the hull, watching the stars as he used to do with Rewind. Discovering him to be quite calm and collected—eerily so—Skids leaves. Someone who is ''not'' so calm and collected, however, is Rodimus, who has just finished trashing his office in a rage when [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] enters. The pair talk about Magnus and the source of Rodimus's fury; Rung opines that his anger is not over his failure to protect his crew, but rather, over the fact that ''he himself'' was not responsible for defeating Overlord. The psychiatrist's words evidently strike too close to home, and Rodimus menacingly invites Rung to vacate his office, which he does with all due haste.

[[File:Brainstorm brings briefcase to funeral.jpg|thumb]]
Presently, a group funeral is held for those who died during Overlord's rampage, and as everyone settles into place for the speeches, Swerve resolves to distract himself from Rewind's death by finding out what's inside [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'s briefcase. Proceedings soon get underway; Rodimus delivers a eulogy for popular crew member [[Tripodeca]], then invites Chromedome to say a few words for Rewind, noting—after a stern glare from Rung—the little archivist's central role in saving the ship. Chromedome delivers a brief, unemotional farewell for his partner and returns to his seat, piquing Brainstorm's attention. After the deceased's bodies are given a space burial, the scientist follows Chromedome back to his quarters, where he finds him sorting through Rewind's belongings and disposing of them. It turns out Brainstorm has seen Chromedome like this before: the surgeon has had several [[Conjunx Endura]]e in his life, and after the deaths of each one, the intensity of the emotional connections he forged with them repeatedly led him to use his [[mnemosurgery]] skills on himself, removing his memories of them in order to escape the hurt. Chromedome has been so disconnected because he has been planning to do this to himself; this, Brainstorm explains, is why he does not have any [[innermost energon]]—not because he was born without it, but because he has loved and lost so many that he has given it all up as deathbed offerings. Chromedome half-heartedly promises Brainstorm he won't go through with it, but Brainstorm knows better, having had this conversation with him before. The scientist sadly leaves the room after giving him one final gift: a [[data slug]] thrown through the doors of the [[slow cell]] by Rewind before they closed. [[File:TheGloaming-iloveyou.jpg|thumb|left|They're totally NOT gay, you guys. They're just bros. With vows.]] Left alone, Chromedome plays the slug to discover a farewell message from Rewind, edited together from his database of video and audio clips in the final moments of this life, which entreats Chromedome to be strong, to go on without Rewind, and to allow himself to be happy. Rewind signs off by telling Chromedome he loves him, and Chromedome, after a moment, retracts his mnemosurgery needles back into his fingers.

As Chromedome is playing the message, much of the rest of the crew gathers in the shuttle bay, where Rodimus addresses them. An investigation into the culprit behind Overlord's presence was not necessary, as Drift has admitted responsibility and explained everything. With barely restrained fury, Rodimus strips him of his Autobot symbol and exiles him from the ship. As he walks towards [[Drift's shuttle|the shuttle]] prepared for him, Drift is knocked down by a piece of debris hurled by an angry crew member; Ratchet helps him up, and Drift departs on his little ship.

Down in the medical bay, as Rodimus's announcement plays over the tannoy, Ultra Magnus's arm moves, and his hand clenches into a fist. A little later, Ratchet and Tailgate return to find that he has disappeared! Half-jokingly suggesting they look under the table, Tailgate leans forward, into the path of the scanning field... then looks up to see that the "death clock" is giving him just under three-and-a-half days to live!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks and/or Rewind's video clips.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]'' (1)
*''[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]'' (2)
*''[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'' (3)
*''[[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]]'' (4)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*''[[Ore]]'' (12)
*''[[Shock (G1)|Shock]]'' (13)
*''[[Zetar (G1)|Zetar]]'' (14)
*''[[Cromar]]'' (15)
*''[[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]]'' (18)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (19)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (20)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (22)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (23)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (24)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (25)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (26)
*[[Xaaron]] (27)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (29)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (30)
*[[Tripodeca]] (31)
*"[[Toxin]]" (32)
*[[Atomizer]] (33)
*''[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'' (34)
*''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (35)
*''[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]]'' (36)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]]'' (37)
*''[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'' (38)
*''[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'' (39)
*''[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]'' (40)
*''[[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]]'' (43)
*''[[Skyfall (G1)|Skyfall]]'' (44)
*''[[Ambulon]] (45)
*''[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]]'' (46)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] (47)
*''[[Springer (G1)|Springer]]'' (48)
*''[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (49)
*''[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]]'' (50)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (6)
*''[[Sixshot]]'' (7)
*''[[Heretech]]'' (8)
*''[[Killmaster]]'' (9)
*''[[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]]'' (10)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'' (11)
*''Numerous [[K-Class]] 'bots'' (16)
*''[[Torque (G1)|Torque]]'' (17)
*''[[Snaptrap (G1)|Snaptrap]]'' (41)
|c4=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (21)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (28)
*''[[Nova Prime]]'' (42)
}}

==Quotes==

"At the risk of sparking an '''ontological argument''', certain machines—machines like that—are an '''affront to nature'''."
:—'''Drift''', on the "death clock"

"Look, I know you want me to tell you it's going to be okay, but—" 
<big>"'''Yes!'''</big> Yes, I '''do'''! Because it's '''not''' okay! I '''know''' 'okay'—I '''specialize''' in 'okay'—and I can tell you pretty emphatically that '''none''' of this—none of this business with '''Overlord''' and '''Magnus''' and '''Rewind'''—none of this even '''approaches''' my definition of 'okay'!" 
"Maybe you should see '''Rung'''. You could be suffering from some kind of '''stress-related disorder'''..." 
"I'm '''upset'''! Doesn't anyone '''do''' upset anymore? What's '''wrong''' with you people? Is this a '''war thing'''?"
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Tailgate'''

"Rewind and I used to come out here a lot. Mapping the constellations... Heh—that makes it sound too grand. We used to make pictures with stars. Over there—look—we have the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]''. And there's '''Prowl''' being hit over the head by a [[fusion cannon]]. Whack!" 
"I'm struggling to see that one." 
"Yeah, I just made that one up for '''old time's sake'''. Prowl being battered was a Rewind special."
:—'''Chromedome''' and '''Skids'''

"Sir, I don't think you did this to your office because of Ultra Magnus. You're angry, but not about that." 
"I'm angry because I failed the crew." 
"Or maybe... maybe what's '''really''' making you angry is the fact that you didn't defeat Overlord yourself. Fortress Maximus and Chromedome and Rewind—dear Rewind—'''they''' got him off the ship. '''They''' saved everyone; not you. And you hate it, and you hate that you hate it." 
"I think you'd better leave now." 
"But my point is that you '''shouldn't''' hate yourself for feeling—" 
"'''Quickly.'''"
:—'''Rung''' gets a little too close to the truth with '''Rodimus'''

'''Skids:''' "I can't believe Brainstorm brought his '''briefcase''' to a funeral. Ever wonder what's in—" 
'''Swerve:''' "'''Absolutely all the time.'''" 
'''Whirl:''' "It'll be '''exquisite''', whatever it is. Brainstorm's a frikkin' '''artist'''." 
'''Swerve:''' "Okay, that's it, '''new mission:''' open the briefcase. It'll distract me from Rewind." 
'''Skids:''' "Great. I look forward to the crippling anticlimax." 

"It always ends the same way. I'll leave the room and you'll stick your fingers in your neck; and later, when I ask you how you're feeling, you'll give me that blank look. The '''worst''' look. Because then Rewind really '''will''' be dead."
:—'''Brainstorm''', to Chromedome

"Your attention for a moment. This is Rewind, showing you edited footage from my database. I've probably got about 0.8 seconds before game over, so hear me out. I've always been terrified that you'd die before I did, because you and me apart strikes me as intensely wrong. So promise me something. Be brave. And be strong. And keep going without me. And another thing: no more injecting. It '''will''' kill you. And remember: you deserve to be happy. The New Institute was the old you. You're a better person now—stubborn and frustrating, but wonderful. And to think, I will never see you again. One more thing—one last thing—because I don't say it enough: I love you."
:—'''Rewind'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s final message (edited together for readability)

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Gloaming-warriors-elite.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.8|Ultra Magnus smiled once and regretted it ever since.]]
*Magnus's first flashback is to the [[Battle for Hell's Point]], a conflict previously mentioned in [[Chaos Theory Part 1|"Chaos Theory," Part 1]] and Impactor's [[Autopedia]] profile in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #5]] (and sure enough, Impactor does cameo on the first page).
*The [[Warriors Elite]] were the subgroup from which the later [[Phase Sixer]]s would be chosen; they were first mentioned by name back in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]] and had their origins properly explained in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]]. This issue gives us our first look at Heretech, only previously mentioned in #14, and reveals that the wand-wielding [[Killmaster]] (intermittently mentioned through Roberts's works starting with [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]]) is also a member of the group. He was not listed among them in #14, leaving it ambiguous whether he also underwent the Ununtrium process.
*It was noted in "Chaos Theory" that the Battle for Hell's Point was Megatron's first outing with his pistol [[alternate mode]], reflected in this issue when Magnus doesn't realize the gun Heretech is holding is Megatron until he speaks.
*Magnus's second flashback is to the battle on the planet [[Clemency]] which we saw the Decepticon side of in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]]. Clemency is revealed to be the location of the [[Nightmare Engine]], a mysterious Decepticon weapon mentioned in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #4]].
*Magnus's team is on Clemency to save [[Pious Maximus]], a religious figure who appeared in [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|issue #10]].
*The K-Class Decepticon with Magnus's name written on his side is [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], who appeared in issue #8 with Magnus's name on display even then.
*The third flashback takes us to [[Simanzi]], home to the [[Crucible]] and site of a famous massacre first mentioned in [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]]'s Autopedia profile from [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]].
*Magnus's team falls foul of a [[Cybernought]] on Simanzi; one of these gigantic battle mechs previously appeared in issue #8.
[[File:MTMTE16 magnus on simanzi.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.8|Just a speck of dirt. - DIRT?!]]
*We ''thought'' Magnus's flashbacks were offering us some insight into a few of his foibles in the ''More than Meets the Eye'' series: he smiles at the Warriors Elite (the "one time" that he smiled "and regretted it" referred to in his short bio on the "Meet the Cast" page), his Autobot symbol is crooked at Clemency, he's waist-deep in filth and called "Mags" at Simanzi. Rotorstorm even refers to Magnus' wisecracks, something Skids mentioned in [[Interiors|issue #6]]. All these ran counter to the grim, dirt-hating, badge-obsessive protocol freak we'd seen for the past year, and every time something horribly violent happened to him. Actually, the real reason was [[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|something else entirely]]. At the time, an evil James Roberts said the flashbacks were so we could [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|"remember him as he was"...]] <ref>http://tformers.com/transformers-more-than-meets-the/19940/news.html</ref>
*Swerve is playing "[[The Empyrean Suite]]" for Magnus, a piece of music that we learned was running through Skids's head back in issue #8. There, we learned the music has a sinister connotation that we are not yet aware of, but which, per Swerve's dialogue, is evidently common knowledge.
*Skids refers to Trailbreaker's change of name (to Trail''cutter''), referred to previously in-dialogue in ''More than Meets the Eye'' in [[Interiors|issue #6]], which was explained the same month this issue was published in ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]''.
*We get our first glimpse of the decorative flames painted on Rodimus's doorframe, in imitation of those on his chest. They were previously described in the prose story "[[Signal to Noise]]".
*Unseen Autobots [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]] get another mention, having first been spoken of in [[Before & After|issue #12]]. The running gag is that they're clearly a big noise on the ship, but we never get to see or hear from them; here, they're established to be friends with the super-popular Tripodeca.
*Chromedome's lack of innermost energon was mentioned in issue #12.
*Brainstorm implies that he has loved and lost as well in his life, a point which will be revisited in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue 39]] as an explanations for his actions in that arc.
*Five previously-seen scenes from the past issues of MTMTE can be spotted among Rewind's collage of video clips:
**Rodimus addressing the crew after the accident with the quantum engines ([[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]])
**Prowl urging Rewind to change Chromedome's mind ([[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]])
**Brainstorm placing a bet on when Rodimus would say "Till all are one" ([[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|Annual 2012]])
**Tailgate inquiring about the ending of Rewind's "epic story" ([[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]])
**Trailbreaker holding Shock's extracted [[brain module]] ([[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]])
*Rewind's clips also include a "deleted scene" of sorts, of Swerve saying "this is" with Tailgate behind him. This is from when he introduced Tailgate to Rewind (obviously saying "This is Tailgate") which took place in issue #2, but only Rewind's response is actually in the issue itself.
*Also among Rewind's clips is a shot of [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snap Trap]] behind bars. He's obviously in the brig of the ''Lost Light'' following his capture in issue #12, and is still sporting the stab-wound in his faceplate he sustained in that issue.

===Transformers references===
*Among Magnus's team on Clemency are the [[Powerdasher]]s, of whom the drill and jet types appear on-panel (but more are indicated to be present). Magnus issues orders to a character named "[[Cromar]]"—while this name is not explicitly attached to a character on-page, it was the name given to the jet Powerdasher when it was released by [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] in the United States (under ''[[Diakron]]'') and by both [[GiG]] and [[Joustra]] in Europe (under ''[[Diaclone]]'').
*Brainstorm names three of Chromedome's past lovers as [[Pivot]], [[Scattergun]], and [[Mach (Victory)|Mach]]. The first two are new names, while Mach was the name of a member of the [[Multiforce]] from ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Victory]]''. Same dude? Why not!
*Tripodeca's design seems strongly influenced by [[Mini-Con]] [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] from ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Transformers: Armada]]''.
*Artist Agustin Padilla accidentally drew Chromedome amongst the Autobots gathered in the shuttle bay on page 17. With a quick edit to the lineart and a new blue, green, and white paintjob, colorist Josh Burcham turned the figure into "Toxin", an unofficial redeco of Chromedome created for fan-run Canadian convention [[Unofficial conventions|TFCon 2011]].
*The last clip in Rewind's message features a [[scraplet]] in a Petri dish. While they've previously been mentioned, this is the species's first on-panel appearance in the IDW continuity.

===Real-life references===
*"Gloaming" is an old Scottish word meaning "twilight". That it is also the name of a Radiohead song from their 2003 album ''{{w|Hail to the Thief}}'' is only coincidence [http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=13702], despite Roberts' [[Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|predilection]] [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|for]] [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|dropping]] [[Momus|musical]] [[Under Cold Blue Stars|references]] into his work.
*The death clock may or may not be a reference to Professor Farnsworth's [http://theinfosphere.org/Death_clock invention of the same name and purpose] in the ''{{w|Futurama}}'' episode "{{w|A Big Piece of Garbage}}."
*The name Chromedome gives a constellation, the "Vis Vitalis", is the name of a classical alchemical principle of a "life force" possessed by living creatures. It was later revealed that famed Autobot [[Thunder Clash]] has a ship named the ''Vis Vitalis''.

===Trivia===
*James Roberts cites this issue as the one he's most proud of, particularly the scenes with Chromedome and Brainstorm and Rewind's final message. He'd wanted to end the Chromedome/Rewind story with ''those'' three words but only told IDW & Hasbro late in the day, vaguely worried that this would be controversial. As it turned out, both were supportive.<ref>[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/t14540/ Moonbase2's second interview with James Roberts - 01:40:04 to 01:40:30]</ref>
*When it was initially released through digital retailer Comixology, buyers of this issue found they received a copy of [[Heavy Is the Head|''Robots in Disguise'' #16]] instead. The comic was fortunately updated to the correct one within just over an hour.
*Rewind's shattered head-camera is among the drifting debris at the top of page 5.
*Chromedome is wearing a black Autobot [[insignia]] in mourning.
*We get one shot of Overlord's smashed body drifting in space, on page 7. He's... ''preeeetty'' clearly making a fist, with a handy piece of space debris floating past in the foreground obscuring what may or may not be ''in'' that fist. Worrisome.
*Among Rewind's belongings seen on pages 14 and 15 is a black tablet with a blank label. This is a copy of Rewind's ''Lost Light'' documentary, "[[Little Victories]]", which wound up not getting labelled before the issue went to print.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-comics-discussion/959698-mtmte-22-now-ibooks-here-spoilers-13.html#post10161727 Josh Burcham posts on TFW2005]</ref>
*The "Meet the Crew" page is completely overhauled this issue, with new mini-bios for everyone. The red "x" implying his death last issue is removed from Ultra Magnus's entry, while the dispatched [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] and Rewind are replaced with Fortress Maximus and Perceptor. Chromedome's position is listed as "lamentatorem", Latin for "mourner".
*For the first time in the series, the last names of the inker and colorist of the issue were on the front cover.

===Errors===
*In both past and present sequences, Ultra Magnus is consistently drawn with his original Generation 1 body, a look he's never worn in IDW Generation 1 continuity.
*The name of the Decepticons' giant battle mechs is spelled "Cybernaught" here, but was spelled "Cybern'''o'''ught" back in issue #8. The TPB retains the 'Cybernaught' spelling despite correcting all other typos.
*Swerve and Tailgate are both drawn at around the same height as Ratchet, when they should be much shorter.
*When Chromedome and Skids are standing on the Lost Light's outer hull, neither is wearing magna-clamps on his feet.
*The five coffins at the funeral are each marked by a colored flame. On page 11, they are red, green, white, and two are blue. On page 12, however, Tripodeca's flame is none of these colors, appearing yellow instead.
*As he contemplates playing Rewind's data disc, Chromedome's finger-needles are not shown. He extended them just before this scene, and he has them extended in the very next panel.
*The final image in Rewind's message is one of him and Chromedome, taken by himself in a reflective surface—but his head-cam is still on the left-hand side of his head, when it should be mirrored.

===Crew manifest===
*Tripodeca is revealed to have been among those killed in Overlord's rampage. Four other caskets are jettisoned along with his; assuming one contains Pipes, and that Rewind didn't get one since he left no remains to jettison, that would mean three other unnamed crewmembers were victims of Overlord too.
*Ultra Magnus has ten days of life remaining.
*Tailgate's only got three! Wha-huh?
*11 deaths, 1 fatal wounding, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), and 1 boxed since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn_uWqlbdOM "Your Funny Uncle"] by {{w|Pet Shop Boys}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_2c_E_c-U0 "Holes"] by {{w|Mercury Rev}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3uIwEY27DQ "Tracy"] by {{w|Mogwai}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ57Ej8nAJY "Les Jour Tristes"] by {{w|Neil Hannon}} & {{w|Yann Tiersen}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg1mVv3Z4Xk "The Sadness of Things"] by {{w|Momus (musician)|Momus}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpBnX27eF_w "Embers"] by Byrne
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOBs8dU4Pb8 "Run"] by {{w|Snow Patrol}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A80czw4uz60 "Lullaby"] by {{w|Arco (band)|Arco}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Drift turns from a shattered Autobot [[insignia]], by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Joana Lafuente]].
*'''Cover B:''' Rodimus, post-tantrum, in his wrecked office, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]].
*'''Cover RI:''' Monochrome white (with a few red highlights) bust shot of Drift, by [[Marcelo Matere]], continuing the previous three months' "bust" theme for the RI covers, paralleling the RI cover to ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Heavy Is the Head|#16]].

<gallery>
File:MTMTE16 cvrA.jpg|Did Drift leave the Autobots, or did the Autobots leave Drift?
File:MTMTE16 cvrB.jpg|Rodimus is such a prat.
File:MTMTE16 cvrRI.jpg|Howdy, Drift!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Heavy Is the Head|#16]]
*''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Natural Selection, Part Five|#90]]
*[[Free Comic Book Day]]
*''Regular Show''
*''Danger Girl: Trinity'' (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/t12365/ Preview]
*[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/creator-commentary-with-james-roberts-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-ongoing-16/27146/ Creator Commentary with James Roberts]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gloaming}}

Rung (G1)

2018-11-29T01:15:37Z

Djelibaebi: wording + rung pours spark into matrices, known from a: inert sentico metallico, b: luna-1 bots forged shape is rung-like bc their spark is derived from the matrix and therefore rung

{{factions|primus|autobot}}
{{featured}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 Autobot|the ''Animated'' Autobot|Rung (Animated)}}
{{suite|root=Primus}}
:''Rung is an [[Autobot]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Rungisolated LostLight4cvr.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"Tell me again about your mother."]]

The Autobots have this, you know, psy-ops specialist. He's red, right? Orangey-red? And tiny? Basically defenseless? Does anyone remember his name? It's something like... Ring? Rong? Rang? Dang. It's on the tip of my tongue. He files these reports, you know, for [[Autopedia]]? He's written entries for each Autobot, from [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] to [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] to Red Alert again. As part of his duties, he performs the mental assessments of potential [[Wrecker]]s-to-be. He's very important. He's got... these huge eyebrows. You gotta know who this is describing, right? Collects and builds model spacecraft? Seriously. What's his name?

Oh, right! '''Rung'''! Thanks.

Or maybe Wrung. Who knows, really.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{first|[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]] (prose); [[Chaos Theory Part 1|'' The Transformers'' vol. 1 #22]] (comic)}}

[[File:MtMtEAnn2012-TheGuidingHand.jpg|thumb|left|300px|The popular depictions of Primus and the Guiding Hand that would later surface in Cybertron's history bore little resemblance to the genuine articles.]]

The robot who would become known as '''Primus''' was supposedly the first [[Transformer]] to come into existence, bearing the unique serial number of "000000001". {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} One legend states that the original Cybertronian first learned that he could [[transformation|transform]] twelve million years ago, in the land that would one day become [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

In many ways, Primus was no different from the rest of the Cybertronian race that would one day come into existence, but was marked by several unique traits that no other Cybertronian displayed: he possessed supernatural durability, able to recover from wounds that no other Transformers could survive; {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} more importantly, however, he was able to manufacture [[photonic crystal]]s, which were able to indefinitely store the energies of a [[spark]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} He was soon followed by a quartet of robots like himself, and together they would be remembered in mythology as the "[[Guiding Hand]]," each remembered as embodying an aspect of the Cybertronian race: [[Mortilus]], death, [[Epistemus]], wisdom, [[Solomus]], knowledge, and [[Adaptus]], change. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

[[File:LL-23-GuidingHandWar.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Behold the power of the Guiding Hand! Adaptus uses deadly laser blasts! Mortilus wields the Power Cosmic! Primus... has a stick!]]

Before long, [[hot spot]]s ignited across Cybertron, giving rise to the planet's first generation. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} Supposedly, Primus delivered his [[Prime Pastoral]] on the site that would one day become the [[Crystal City]], and consorted with the [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]]s [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and [[Chela]]. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} Primus's many titles included the "Celestial Architect" and the "Mechanica Divine", {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} and the [[Primal Sacrament]] attributed the famous verse "Survive and Thrive" to Primus. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

At some point in the past, Primus used his ability to generate photonic crystals to create the divine artifact known as the [[Matrix of Leadership]], which subsequently fell into the care of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} The Guiding Hand ruled benevolently for some time, even transforming the planet into a utopia, but tensions arose when Adaptus, worrying that their way of life would only lead to stagnation, sought to wage war against the races of the universe so as to encourage expansion. Primus and the other members of the Hand refused, and so the treacherous Adaptus battled his former comrades in what would be known as the "[[God War]]", deploying a legion of experimental horrors from his base on [[Moonbase One|Cybertron's first moon]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

[[File:TheUnremembering-informationcreep.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Forget him not.]]

When it became clear that Adaptus could not win against his brothers, he retreated to his lunar base and readied a massive electromagnetic blast that would leave the population of Cybertron confused and disoriented so that he could flee aboard his retrofitted moon, introducing the neurological phenomenon "[[information creep]]" to the planet. Primus sought to take as much of this blast as he could bear; in doing so, however, his memories of his origins and identity were garbled beyond repair, the fallout from the blast rendering him "permanently forgettable" so that nobody on Cybertron would be able to clearly remember him. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

Legends of Primus's existence continued on, however; in many religious sects, Primus would become remembered as a mighty warrior-god, "the clenched fist that became the Guiding Hand", {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} by literally dividing his essence into their being. Those same legends would come to demonize ''Mortilus'' as the evil member of the Guiding Hand, and the nature of Primus's final sacrifice became distorted by information creep—many would claim that, when the rest of the Guiding Hand had been trapped and deceived into giving up their divine forms, Primus had struck down Mortilus in their final battle, and the wounded god survived only by becoming the life-giving supercomputer [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

[[File:Unicron-1-PrimusUnicronLegend.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A different version of the Primus myth hewed closer to the [[Primus#Toys|classic interpretation]] of the character.]]

A different story remembered Primus as the first Cybertronian, who supposedly dueled his dreaded "[[Unicron/Generation 1|opposite]]" in a war that predated the universe itself; in this permutation of the myth, Primus triumphed and became Cybertron itself. {{storylink|Unicron issue 1|Unicron #1}} At some point afterwards, the Knights of Cybertron left their homeworld, taking the Matrix with them, and in the absence of the Guiding Hand or their original acolytes, Cybertronian civilization descended into barbarism. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} {{storylink|The Crucible}}

What became of the real Primus in this era is unknown; his influence was still felt, however, by the various primitive tribes that sprung up across Cybertron. One such group, an alliance of [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]s, commissioned the construction of the [[Crystal City]] to honor the ground where he had once stood. This would prove convenient for "[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]]", who painted a new flag to symbolize the alliance of the [[Thirteen]] and dubbed it the "First Face", claiming that it had been based off Metrotitan's description of the countenance of Primus. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} In time, however, a more secular culture would grip Cybertron, and fewer and fewer individuals came to see Primus and the other members of the Guiding Hand as concrete deities. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}}

When Primus himself reemerged, some seven million years ago, it was in the humble shape of '''Rung of the [[Pious Pools]]''', {{storylink|Little Victories}} a quiet, unassuming 'bot who was content to remain in the background. Rung had indeed forgotten everything about his origins—even interpreting his serial number upside down, leading him and everyone around him to believe that he was number 100000000. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} Rung himself assumed that he remained so forgettable because of his [[mode attachment]], leaving everyone to get used to him. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} In spite of this, he was one of [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]]'s oldest friends. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

Early into his new life, Rung was known to have lived in the [[Vinvissius Canals]] for a time, but left his home behind before they were redeveloped into the Vinvissisus Heights. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} As [[Nova Prime]] took the reins of Cybertronian civilization after the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]] and began his campaign of [[Expansion]], he required a massive population boom to maintain a sizeable interstellar colonization force. Rung somehow found himself pressed into the task of manufacturing enough photonic crystals to house the vast amount of sparks "bled" from the Matrix of Leadership during the event known as the "[[Silver Harvest]]". {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

At some point afterwards, Rung forgot that he had been responsible for the creation of so many sparks, and, like most Cybertronians, came to believe that the crystals were artificially made. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} Eventually, he chose to move into the field of psychotherapy, and by six million years ago, his "Rungian analysis" therapy was already in common parlance. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} Though Rung was originally slated to join the crew of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]]'', he was recalled at the last second, as the [[Senate]] allegedly needed him. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

During the reign of [[Nominus Prime]], Rung ran afoul of the [[Functionist Council]], as his strange alternate mode presented a unique problem: not even Rung himself knew the purpose of his alternate mode anymore, threatening to undermine their [[functionism|entire philosophy]] and the [[Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy]]. Rung was subjected to repeated and rigorous tests, to "reassure" other Cybertronians, he was forced to wear a false wheel on his back so as to fake an alternate mode. Eventually, even the Functionists found themselves stumped as to what Rung's purpose could be and so the problem was neatly sidestepped by creating a new entry in the [[Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy]] specifically for Rung's altmode: they classified him as an "[[Ornament class|ornament]]". {{storylink|Little Victories}}

Rung was subsequently employed by the Senate as a patho-psychologist alongside [[Froid]], {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}} and though Froid claimed that they were friends, they endured a heated rivalry, clashing over the proper use of personality adjustment treatments {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}} and eventually culminating in Froid ''stealing'' the [[Froidian Classification System]] of personality types from Rung.{{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

[[File:Stet-Rungwhistle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|They see me rolling...]]

In 4th Cycle 499, Rung was returning to his wellbeing clinic when a time-traveling [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] attacked him with electric knuckledusters, knocking the psychiatrist unconscious. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}

In 51st Cycle 500, Rung travelled to [[Mining Outpost C-12|Croteus 12]] after a secret Senate session amended the law to require two signatures on requests for [[shadowplay|personality adjustments]]. His arrival interrupted the use of the procedure on the exiled revolutionary [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], which had been approved by Froid. However, before Rung could assess whether he would countersign the operation, an underground energy surge prompted a complete evacuation of the facility. {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}}

Once Zeta Prime rose to power, Rung served as a psychotherapist under the new Autobot regime. He provided literature and adjustment assistance to bots undergoing body augmentation or retrofitting, including the New Senate operative [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} At some point, Rung served aboard the Autobot vessel ''[[Fateful Archetype]].'' This would prove to be the source of one of his darkest secrets: after getting too close to a patient aboard the vessel, Rung had been disbarred from practicing medicine by a tribunal... but when that ship crashed, Rung's supernatural durability meant that he was the only survivor, with nobody else aware of the events aboard. Froid would use this as leverage over his rival. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} Serving aboard more ships, Rung picked up a hobby of making models of every ship he'd been part of. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

After Zeta's death and the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], Rung was present during a battle that saw [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] clash. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

As the war continued, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] became one of Rung's patients. He'd stay one of Rung's patients for six centuries, his paranoia so bad it took ninety-seven sessions before he let Rung see his face, two hundred eighty-eight sessions before he told Rung his '''real''' name, and three hundred thirty-two sessions before he stopped recording their conversations. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

Rung did a psychological evaluation of [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] before his trial for [[Squadron X|unlawful executions]]. He ended up being physically assaulted and threatened with extreme violence if he tried 'putting ideas' in Impactor's head, but managed to calm the situation down. In the end, Rung was left questioning whether Autobot High Command shared the blame for Impactor's crimes for turning a blind eye to the robot's growing psychopathy. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Impactor's Autopedia entry}}

Over time, Froid and other rivals inflicted irreparable damage on Rung's reputation. Long after their deaths, Rung would write papers but never distribute them. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} With his reputation wrecked, Rung left Cybertron. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

Rung later performed a pre-mission psych-screening on new Wreckers [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]], [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]], and [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]] to estimate if they were suited to be put on the [[Garrus-9]] case. Rung was unimpressed by Rotorstorm's unrelenting bragging and joking, and found himself cutting through the charade when he mentioned [[Simanzi Massacre|Simanzi]]. Taking note of his dual personality, Rung declared him cleared for mission. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Autopedia entry}} With Pyro, he diagnosed the robot as an extreme sufferer of [[Primus apotheosis]] and noted with sadness that the robot was suppressing his own engaging personality for a copy of another's. He cleared Pyro with reservations, noting that apotheosis sufferers were known for sacrificing themselves. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Autopedia entry}} With Guzzle, he cleared the 'bot as having personality flaws but no real psychological flaws, though he was unnerved by his disturbing habit of playing with his gun's safety. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Guzzle's Autopedia entry}}

When screening Ironfist, he was impressed by his enthusiasm and knowledge, but not so much by his actual combat experience and mentality. Rung advised against Ironfist's participation, but retracted his negative conclusion when he received 'unsolicited advice' from [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|an undisclosed party]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Ironfist's Autopedia entry}}

[[File:Chaos3-KimiaSurvivors.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|At least Rung's right there to treat any outbreaks of claustrophobia.]]
Rung treated the shell-shocked Autobot [[Flattop (Autobot)|Flattop]]. He discovered Flattop was a survivor of the [[Babu Yar]] atrocity, but that was not his immediate problem. What pushed him over the edge this time was an encounter with the [[Shimmer]]. Rung tried to give rational explanations for the appearance of Shimmer, but Flattop died right there in his office. {{storylink|Bullets}}

Kup, one of Rung's oldest friends, asked him to examine [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] after a [[zero point]] affliction had left him in a coma. Believing that certain emotional triggers could cause Springer's subconscious to force his [[spark]] across the zero point, Rung asked [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] to read ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs to him in hopes that the memories would have some effect. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

Rung was among the survivors of [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]'s attack on [[Kimia Facility]]. He and the others drifted in a cramped escape pod for some time until they were rescued by [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

[[File:LiarsAtoD3-RungSkids.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|This large panel is the source of 80% of Transformers-related shipping on Tumblr.]]
After Cybertron was reborn in the wake of the [[D-Void]]'s defeat, Rung joined [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s crew on the ''[[Lost Light]]'' in search for the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Before he could get on the ship, his arm was detached by a wildly flying Cyclonus. {{Storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} After getting his arm repaired in [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]'s care, Rung was choked by an irrational and unresponsive [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]. The psychiatrist managed to get him to release his grip when he reminded Whirl that he would go back to prison, forever, if he didn't stay in line. When [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] joined the crew, Rung informed him of their quest. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} Rung later had a close call with a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]], but was saved by Skids. Rodimus used the two to lure the Sparkeater so he could defeat it. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

As a result of his almost never using it, the nature of Rung's [[alternate mode]] became the subject of a 100 [[shanix]] wager between [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]. A early blow in this "war" came when Swerve repeatedly threw a hand grenade at the back of Rung's head, hoping to trigger an involuntary mode change. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], previously thought cured, returned to therapy shortly after the launch of the ''Lost Light''. Rung was concerned that all the progress they had made on Red Alert's rampant paranoia over the years was coming undone. Red Alert informed Rung that he was hearing noises coming from a crack in the floor of the Sparkeater's chamber. He gave him a recording of the noise which Rung vaguely recognized as a voice, albeit tremendously slowed-down. When they sped the sound up, the words "kill...me" could be identified. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

Rung held a session with the newly returned [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]], whose mental state had been called into question after he had suffered torture and humiliation at the hands of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] for three years. Rung urged him to open up and explore his trauma, to no avail. Maximus later snapped and went on a rampage across the ''Lost Light'', gunning down Autobots that reminded him of Overlord. Rung was in the middle of a session with Whirl when Max broke in and took them both hostage. Rung was bound to his chair and Whirl was overpowered and pinned to the ground. Rung tried to reason with Maximus, while simultaneously recording and broadcasting what was happening in his office through the microphone in his thumb. When Maximus noticed it, he tore Rung's thumb off.

[[File:Rung FortMax Interiors.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Wait! I'm starting to come down with Stockholm syndrome...handsome!"]]
As the situation dragged on, Rung continued to try and break through to Maximus. Max kept dodging the issue, pinning the reason for his actions on [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'s delay in sending help to [[Garrus-9]], instead of acknowledging that Overlord was at the root of his psychosis. Maximus then confronted Whirl, who told Maximus about his life. Rung expressed wonder at this, as there were details that Whirl told Maximus that he had never told Rung. Whirl replied that Rung had never threatened any of his friends, to Rung's visible surprise. When a holo-image of Overlord torturing him was projected into the room by Rewind, Maximus froze up and crumbled to his knees. Rung tenderly comforted him and the hostage situation appeared to be at an end. Unfortunately, a shot from Swerve meant to disable Fortress Maximus instead hit Rung in the head. A memorial service was later held for Rung, which Rodimus presided over. {{storylink|Interiors}}

Surprisingly, Rung's spark and [[brain module]] ''survived'' and the medical staff believed he might pull through: something Ratchet said was akin to a miracle. Later, after a visit by [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and a horrified Swerve, Red Alert came to see the comatose psychiatrist. Believing that Rung's near-death was a result of the recording he had played to Rung, the paranoid security officer said he couldn't tell anyone else the truth he'd discovered—the voice was Overlord's, the sadistic Decepticon "strung up and sedated" in the bowels of the ''Lost Light''. Expecting to be killed himself, he left a [[data slug]] of his findings in Rung's hand and said goodbye. Unfortunately, a [[Diagnostic Drone]] had recorded Red Alert's confession, and summoned a mysterious figure who removed the slug... {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} After the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s encounter with a [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], Swerve explained his religious interpretation of events to the comatose Rung. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

[[File:CybertronianHomesickBlues-SkidsRung.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|How much is the bill?]]
After Rung's head was rebuilt, it took hours of patient work from [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to get Rung to be able to distinguish between people and objects. Then it took Swerve talking for ''147 hours straight'' to get Rung to move again (placing a finger over Swerve's mouth). With Rung still locked into the fog of his own thoughts, {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} Rewind decided that they could help repair the psychiatrist's brain by telling him a story: hearing stories required the brain to use its cognitive functions. He assembled a group of Autobots who'd all been part of interlinked events and tried to use the story to kick-start Rung's brain. And then he tried again. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} Not knowing when to try a different tack and intending to finally talk to Rung about [[Dominus Ambus]] {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}, he then tried a third time with a group of 'Bots who had been involved in a chain of events during the [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]] and prompted them to talk about it. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Rewind checked Rung again during the story later and still found no mental signs in him {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} and he still showed no signs when the story was finished. Seeing that Rewind was on the wrong track, Skids tried a simpler idea, drawing from the sheer number of connections the psychiatrist had made during his lifespan without leaving an impact on many. He deliberately got his name wrong several times in front of him, and an irritated Rung immediately said his name was "Rung. Forever." {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

After being fully repaired and helping Brainstorm develop [[Holomatter|holomatter avatars]] that could reflect an Autobot's inner psyche, he went down to [[Hedonia]] for shore leave with Swerve, Skids, Tailgate, Rewind and Cyclonus, Whirl, and Ultra Magnus, who just tagged along. The group spent the evening between a bar {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} and a gift shop, where the sight of a memory stick caused the psychiatrist to remember his last conversation with Red Alert. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} After a violent outburst from Cyclonus saw the group leave the bar, Rung helped bring an unconscious Ultra Magnus back to the shuttle. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Back aboard the ''Lost Light'', Rung shared Red Alert's concerns with Rodimus, but the ship's captain claimed to have greater priorities than immediately investigating. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}}

[[File:MTMTE22 Rung's alternate mode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|Maybe he turns into a Playstation Move.]]
As part of the ongoing bet, Tailgate attempted to have Rung transform as part of an "alt-mode party", although the psychiatrist wound up simply bemused. When the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]'' contacted the ''Lost Light'', Rung was excited at the prospect of meeting its captain, the superlative [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]. However, the famous Autobot wound up held at gunpoint by his First Officer [[Paddox]], who had been revealed as an [[Ammonite]] spy. Rung was instrumental in saving the day, allowing Swerve to wield his "ornamental" alt mode as a blunt instrument with which to bludgeon the aggressor. Rung was also interviewed by Rewind, as part of the documentary the archivist was producing. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

Rung visited Fortress Maximus in the ship's brig, where he forgave the ex-warden for the events surrounding the psychiatrist's near-death. Their moment was interrupted, however, by an alarm signaling Overlord's escape into the ship. In the battle that followed, Rung mostly watched helplessly from the sidelines. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}}

After Overlord's defeat, Rodimus was left despondent and angry, and made angrier when Rung, correctly, realised his problem was that ''others'' had stopped Overlord and not him. At the funerals, Rung's stern, silent glance got Rodimus to admit that others, including the poor, dead Rewind, had saved the day. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} Speaking truth to power got Rung drafted for a mission to the legendary [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], in pursuit of the missing Ultra Magnus: Rodimus needed someone who was willing to say things he didn't want to hear. After reaching the moon's surface, the group encountered a newly ignited [[hot spot]], but they were quickly chased away by a [[Titan Hunter|gang of mercenaries]] {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} in the employ of [[Solomus|Chief Justice Tyrest]].

[[File:HouseofAmbus-Rung&Minimus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|Given his history, Rung should really know better now than to get involved in situations with angry poets.]]
The group was charged with "crimes against creation", and shoved into a cell with a guy called Minimus Ambus. Rung swiftly picked up that Ambus had the same mannerisms, nervous tics, and speech patterns as Ultra Magnus. Keeping his suspicions to himself at first, Rung tested his theory by wearing his Autobot badge at an angle and deliberately making a mess. Before long, Ambus relented and confirmed his identity, {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} explaining that "[[Magnus Armor|Ultra Magnus]]" was an identity passed down through the ages. Confused by the charges against the ''Lost Light'' crew, Ambus left to confront Tyrest, whilst Skids, Swerve, and [[Getaway]] were dumped into the cell. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

Getaway revealed that he and the amnesiac Skids had been dispatched by Prowl to alter the unstable Tyrest's memories, and used his escapology skills to break the entire group out. Rung and the others confronted Tyrest, his deranged plan to kill all cold-constructed [[Transformer]]s and reach [[Cyberutopia]] revealed. Immobilizing the ''Lost Light''ers, the Chief Justice activated his [[universal killswitch]], {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} but was defeated by Tailgate and Minimus Ambus. Whilst Rodimus and Perceptor used the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to disable the killswitch, Rung comforted First Aid, who had been goaded into killing Tyrest's accomplice [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]. When a final order from Tyrest brought his [[Legislator]] robots back to accost Rung and the others, Tailgate saved the day by amending the law at the Chief Justice's computer console. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} In the aftermath of the battle, Rung met with Fortress Maximus in Swerve's, and the ex-warden revealed that he had been offered the role of Duly Appointed Enforcer of the [[Tyrest Accord]] by Rodimus and Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}}

When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] and the crew of the ''[[Skyroller]]'' came aboard the ''Lost Light'', Rung was present for the 'welcome aboard' party at Swerve's. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} Shortly afterwards, the ship quantum jumped beneath the seas of [[Hydrophena]] in search of Metroplex, and Rung was one of the crew members who disembarked to battle the [[Ammonite]]s who set upon the ''Lost Light''. The psychiatrist was able to split apart one "Minicon" combiner by striking its weak spot, but was immediately shoulder-barged by another. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} Eventually the ship's crew was able to rescue Metroplex and jump the Metrotitan and the ''Lost Light'' back to Cybertron. Rung was among the crew who met up with the contingent of Autobots and Decepticons fighting against [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s machinations. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} With the scientist's [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]] defeated by Metroplex, the psychiatrist and several other Autobots took some time to relax at Swerve's, where Rung watched the bar's owner freak out over [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]]'s presence. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

The festivities were cut short, however, by the materialization of seventy billion Ammonites in the planet's skies, and Rung mostly spent the battle that followed looking on in horror. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} After the dust settled, Rung was present to see Optimus Prime and Megatron stand side-by-side, the Decepticon leader having declared his new faction during the climactic confrontation with Shockwave. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:WordsHangInTheAir-Nightbeat.jpg|thumb|250px|Nightbeat's wondering why Raiz drew it differently.]]
In the days that followed, Rung was in the crowd on [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] observing Megatron stand trial for his crimes during the war. By the trial's resolution, Megatron was declared co-captain of the ''Lost Light'', and six months later, after the ship had resumed its quest, the former Decepticon attended a therapy session with the Autobot psychiatrist. Megatron spent much of the session evading Rung's inquiries, at one point changing the subject to the first time he encountered the psychotherapist, at [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] in 4th Cycle 496. Unable to remember this incident, Rung took the opportunity to segue into discussing a first-edition copy of Megatron's original autobiography, ''Towards Peace'', that he had been given by new crew member [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]. Of interest was a dedication to 'Terminus' that the ex-Decepticon removed from all subsequent copies. The session was then interrupted by a brief black-out, and Megatron took the chance to end the meeting. As he left, Megatron revealed that Terminus was somebody who taught him "not to get attached". {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Later that day, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] examined a schematic of Rung's enigmatic alt-mode, {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} whilst the psychiatrist himself attended a screening of the [[Earth]] film ''{{w|Zulu (1964 film)|Zulu}}'' at Swerve's. The event was interrupted, however, when the ''Lost Light'' began disappearing piece by piece, and Rung escaped onto a shuttle. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} Eventually Rung and every other original crew member disappeared, with the remaining ''Lost Light''ers discovering that the ship's initial quantum jump had caused it and its passengers to duplicate. The other ship's Rung, they learned, was "lost" during the explosive jump. Eventually, the ''Lost Light'' and its crew were restored and its duplicate vanished. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

Not long after the ship's reappearance, Rung was at [[Swerve's]] when Brainstorm activated an electro-sensitive poison, knocking everybody who'd been drinking from the spiked engex vats unconscious. As a teetotaler, Rung merely wound up buried under a pile of his collapsed crewmates. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}} When Brainstorm, apparently revealed as a Decepticon, travelled back in time, Rung was recruited to the team pursuing the engineer into the past. Materializing in [[Alyon]] in 1st Cycle 502, the group encountered a team of insurgents and [[Outlier]]s, led by Orion Pax, trying to protect a hot spot from Senate forces. Whilst the two teams rested, Rung was startled to discover that [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] was taking [[circuit speeder]]s to keep up with his Outlier teammates, and warned of their health risks. After helping save the hot spot's newborn sparks, the ''Lost Light'' team followed Brainstorm further into the past, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} to 4th Cycle 501, during the Clampdown.

[[File:Chaos Theory P1 - Rung starts the Great War.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7|"Hey, I didn't order that!"]]
Rung was assigned to survey Maccadam's New Oil House in [[Rodion]], where he passed the time building a model of the ''Lost Light''. Unbeknownst to him, he was observed by both Brainstorm, who realized that he had been pursued into the past, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}} and [[Quark]] and Nightbeat, who bickered over whether the psychiatrist was a Senate spy or just a billy-no-mates. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} After Brainstorm time-jumped again, Rung's crewmates regrouped at Maccadam's to be sent even further into the past, to 4th Cycle 499. When the group split up, Rung was in the contingent that stayed at the bar, and was dispatched to fetch a [[curly straw]] for Tailgate. In doing so, however, he spilled a Senate cadet's drink. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}} After refusing to clean up the spill, the poor 'bot was tossed across the bar, right onto [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] and Megatron's table. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory Part 1}} A barfight quickly ensued, away from which Rodimus dragged the unconscious Rung. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}

Having realized that Brainstorm intended to kill Megatron, Rung and the ''Lost Light''ers pursued the engineer back to 1st Cycle 012, where the Decepticon-to-be had just been created in a cold construction facility. After Brainstorm was hit with a "grenado", Rung checked the facility's computer's and found that the rogue engineer had already wiped Megatron's batch code, and then spent ten minutes pointing his gun at the newborn. When Brainstorm pulled a pistol again, Rung was able to talk him down, realizing that the engineer was still conflicted. A short time later, the crew used Rodimus's "time phone" to send a warning message for their past selves, and Rung chipped in with instructions to not visit [[Delphi]] (though the message failed to reach its intended recipients). After the group returned to the present day, Rung visited Perceptor, who revealed that their actions in the past were pre-destined, already part of established history, and that tampering with the time machine might have lead to a multitude of alternate realities being created. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}}

[[File:MTMTE48 skids and rung.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Let's face it, Rung isn't Robert's self-insert; he's ''ours''.]]
As well as helping on the ''Lost Light'', Rung was remotely providing aid to Fortress Maximus. The new enforcer of the Tyrest Accord admitted to him how he'd been thrown to discover some Decepticons had been a bunch of damaged guys and not complete monsters. Rung gently steered him towards changing his ultraviolent approach, as many Decepticons may be like that now. {{storylink|Animals}}

While assisting Skids with reclaiming his lost memories, Rung was surprised to find ''Froid'' (who was supposed to be [[death|dead]]) visiting the ''Lost Light''! [[File:MTMTE48 creepy froid.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.0|Aaaaaand this panel is the source of the other 20%.]] His rival wrangled a private chat with his "old friend" and began to mock, cajole, intimidate, and outright blackmail Rung to hand over all his patient notes. Even the threat of revealing he shouldn't be practicing therapy anymore wouldn't break Rung. Instead, Rung ran a sting and asked if he could 'help' with anything else while quietly alerting Skids to show up loaded for bastard. Unfortunately, it turned out Froid wanted the patient information as a way of feeding his "prisoner": monstrous serial killer and memory-eating [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]], [[Sunder (G1)|Sunder the Tetraxian Ripper]]!

Sunder remotely accessed Rung's memories of the patients and broke out to have this all-you-can-eat buffet of repressed memories, starting with Skids. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} Rung had been recording the event and transmitted everything to Megatron, who declared the ship on lockdown. As Sunder prowled the ship, attacking anyone who hadn't locked themselves away, Rung was carrying Skids in a search for Chromedome, hoping the mnemosurgeon could stop the guy's memory surge. Froid tagged along and was brutally killed by Sunder before Thunderclash and Megatron could drive him back; when the monster proved too much, Rung saved Megatron with his ''ship collection'', all capable of flight and shooting!

Once the Ripper was finally stopped, Rung resigned as therapist: the transmission meant Megatron knew he had been struck off. When the captain tried to talk him out of this, Rung snapped that the only way you could defend what he'd done is if you thought his work was unimportant.{{storylink|Speak, Memory! (Part 2)}} Sunder's brief mental attack caused much of Rung's subconiosius "inklings" of his true nature to surface. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

The crew found a shrinking 'time window' in [[Swerve's]] that could allow you to look back in its past. Rung and Chromedome both went to look back at Rewind's attempt to fix his brain-damaged self, and Rung would have to gently remind Chromedome when it was time to go. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

Rung had been asked (and his mind wiped) by Getaway if he'd be willing to mutiny against Megatron. As he wasn't, the mutiny tricked Rung into leaving the ship with the other Megatron 'loyalists': a transmission was sent from the Necrobot's planet to draw them in. (A dying Necrobot, corrupting it in the hope of scaring people away, made it terrify them; Rung heard something he refused to discuss) The group followed the transmission to the planet and came under immediate, violent attack from the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] and [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] before learning the ''Lost Light'' was abandoning them. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} The Autobots holed up in the Necrobot's old house and Rung helped Rodimus run through their assets. Which were none.

Others found there were dozens of slumbering organics underneath the base and that there was a long-range teleporter, but using the latter meant abandoning the former. Rung listened with weariness as Brainstorm argued for abandoning the organics as they could do far more good for the world if they escaped but, after Megatron spoke in favour of staying, Rung stayed to protect the helpless. While preparing for battle, he and the others realized [[Ten]] had been trying to alert them they could create a forcefield. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} After Nightbeat <s>put in a polite request to</s> begged Minimus Ambus to be allowed to investigate the hollow planet, Minimus agreed so long as Nightbeat had an escort. Nightbeat chose Rung for his total lack of fighting skills. Rung was not amused. Despite the two promising to be back by sunset, they weren't, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} prompting Rodimus and Drift to question what became of them after the D.J.D. had been defeated. [[Image:mtmte50 rung's funeral request.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|]] Rung was very close to raising his voice at Nightbeat when the two finally breached the last layer of the "crust" to find the hollow insides where Nightbeat concluded that the intense gravitational forces were playing havoc with their internal clocks... which Rung couldn't care less about since an examination of the landscape, particularly an inverted pattern of the [[Vinvissius Canals]], led him to the (incorrect) conclusion that Necroworld was the mould into which Cybertron was poured. Then a [[geobomb]] showed up to ruin the moment. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

Three weeks after the mutiny, the crew's last messages, including Rung's, were received by several parties on Earth and Cybertron. Rung begged them to dismantle him if he died in alternate mode and "put me beyond use". {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

When [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] tried to take over his mind, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] used Rung's image as his inner voice to override the brainwashing. {{storylink|Last Light (issue)|Last Light}}

The geobomb had not killed anyone and just appeared to have itself out. It would be a while before anyone learned they'd been shunted into [[Functionist Universe|a parallel universe]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} Brainstorm teleported the two (nearly!) back to the surface where Rung asked to see Skids. Ratchet brought him to Skids' corpse. The trauma of the sight causing Rung to involuntarily create a photonic crystal {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} and thus reawakened his old memories of his true purpose. Nightbeat then asked to speak to Rung about the former psychiatrist's issues and feelings of uselessness. Rung confessed that [[information creep]] had caused him to forget a good chunk of his past and what he was for. Rung showed Nightbeat the crystals he'd produced much to the detective's shock. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} When Brainstorm had worked out a way back to their reality, Ratchet embraced Rung due to the fate of the psychologist's alternate self. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} Rewind and Chromedome later took Rung aside to tell him the fate of his alternate self and how he'd served as an inspiration for billions much to the psychologist's shock and surprise. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

Part of the group that left Necroworld aboard [[Skip]], {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}} Rung tucked himself away in alternate mode to deal with the limited space. When Skip began to contract and tensions mounted, Rung reverted back to robot mode. {{storylink|Sardines}}

Salvation, surprisingly, came from Ten who dramtically spoke up and told the crew how to access the [[Warren]], a nexus of time/space tunnels that could take them to a [[Mederi]] facility. Mid-transit however, Skip's mass displacement gave out and the crew were forced to bail out. They'd come within spitting distance of the original Mederi however, the moon fixing their damaged bodies and projecting itself as the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]]. When the time came for everyone to "ascend", Rodimus's group discovered the truth of where they were and having learnt that Mederi ''was'' [[Cyberutopia]], the Knights of Cybertron having fallen victim to the same trap that had nearly killed them. As the crew took stock, they were soon beset by the mutineers, now transformed into ravenous [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]]. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

When the mutated crew attacked, Rung lost an arm to [[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] before being saved by [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]. While a small detachment went to board the ''Lost Light'', the rest of the group barricaded themselves inside Ward Zero so the medics could find a cure to the sparkwater virus. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}} As they worked, Rung was drawn to the telepaths and their chanting, having memories of his past stirred up when the organics began "saying" Adaptus's sigil before counting down from one thousand. When the countdown concluded, a massive tear in the Warren opened above the moon. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}} As everyone scrambled to evacuate, Rung stopped Rewind from touching a [[geobomb]] that had been teleported in before the ''Lost Light'' launched only to find that the ship could not match the rift's gravitational pull. Brought to the [[Benzene Cluster]], the group was taken prisoner by the forces of the Grand Architect. While in the cell, Rung felt that the Magnificence – in reality Epistemus – was calling to him, involuntarily transforming when he looked into its pupil. From the confines of their prison, the crew watched as the Architect's [[God Gun]] opened a tear between realities and the Functionist Universe began invading their own. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}}

When the Functionist Council made their way through, their version of Cybertron now transformed into a massive effigy of Primus, their forces immediately went to war with the Architect's. Megatron then came to the crew's rescue, via blasting the hull of the [[Worldsweeper]] they were trapped in, only for the Architect to seal the breach before everyone could be freed. Those who remained confronted the Architect, who claimed to be Adaptus. Though the claim was met with skepticism by all, the Architect verified it by identifying Tyrest as the new identity of Solomus and that Rung himself... was Primus! {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

[[File:LL25 - Lunarian 113.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|Daddy's little 'bot.]]
Being recognized and named subsequently undid the information creep and the entirety of Rung's memories were restored, even recognizing he'd been reading his serial code upside down. After demonstrating his self-healing abilities, Rung explained the truth behind the [[God War]] before Solomus attacked Adaptus, resulting in both their deaths. Back aboard the ''Lost Light'', Epistemus proposed Rung create three duplicates of the Matrix of Leadership so that [[Rossum's Trinity]] could be exploited to bring down the Functionist Primus. The crew overruled the suggestion however, noting the trapped civilians that would be condemned to death. Instead, a group brainstorm led to the idea of creating twelve Matrices to be opened at each of Cybertron's hot spots so as to overload [[Vector Sigma]]. At that, Epistemus was properly possessed by the Omega Guardians who used his physical form to unleash deadly bolts of energy. At that, Chromedome and Rewind dragged Rung away so he could safely produces the Matrices. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

Though able to manufacture the Matrices, Rung was fully aware the exertion would kill him. Telling Chromedome and Rewind that they should be more forgiving to each other, placing them hand in hand. Rung entered his quarters accepting his fate. In his final moments, Rung chose to remember Skids - one of the few 'bots that cared for him and, finally finding his long lost purpose, delete his patient files.

Rung transformed one last time, an ornament no longer.

Once the last Matrix was produced and Rungs spark emptied, his body exploded into inert sentio metallico. Only his glasses remained. When the Matrices were opened, they indeed overloaded Vector Sigma with the excess energy being shunted to Luna 1 where it reignited the hot spot to reveal a final message from the psychologist: "Don't Forget Me." {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

Despite the best efforts of the crew, Adaptus's information creep had proven too strong and they soon forgot Rung entirely, not even his quarters being able to rouse Chromedome and Rewind's memories. However, Rung's legacy would live on in another way: the [[Lunarian]]s, the generation birthed from the hot spot on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], all had a marked tendency (not that anyone was aware of it) to resemble their progenitor. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}
{{-}}

====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:Rung predestination an experts guide.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|We ''told'' you he was an ornament.]]

In the [[Functionist Universe]], Primus was used as the justification for the dystopia and a square in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] boasted a building sized statue of an old-school Primus, "SURVIVE AND THRIVE" inscribed under it. [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] expressed the opinion that if something was essential to anyone, Primus would have created a Cybertronian that turned into it. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} [[Six-of-Twelve]] came to believe that Primus was speaking to him through the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and telling him to arm Cybertron for a coming war. [[Nine-of-Twelve]] expressed the belief that [[Team Rodimus]]' arrival in their universe was Primus' doing. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

When the [[Functionist Council]] discovered [[Rung (G1)#The_Functionist_Universe|Rung's]] ability to produce [[Photonic crystal|photonic crystals]] they first thought him the spawn of [[Mortilus]] before deciding it was Primus' endorsement of [[Reproduction|cold construction]]. Now having a way of storing new Sparks until bodies were built, the Council decided that their own function was to bring Functionism to the galaxy by removing any race that didn't serve a function in Primus' optics. In laybot's terms: Every single race that wasn't Cybertronian had to go to fulfill their vision of Primus' grand plan. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

No one could figure out the exact purpose of Rung's alternate mode, so he was locked up in [[Cog (base)|The Cog]] and regularly tortured for two million years by the scientist [[Quark]] to try and discern the mystery. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} His unique position in a purely functionist society caused a cult to develop around him. He was hailed as the "Useless One", with his "[[Female protester|followers]]" openly defying the government and being met with [[Death|a reminder of the status quo]]. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}} Eventually while he was cleaning Rung's cell [[Sweep (IDW)|Sweep]] (a ''janitor'', not a scientist) figured out his purpose, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} by finding the [[Photonic crystal|photonic crystals]] Rung had unconsciously produced. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} [[One-of-Twelve]] was not pleased, labelling Rung a threat to the [[Functionist Council]] and the spawn of [[Mortilus]]. One-of-Twelve greeted the "Useless One" (which Rung commented was ironic given that One-of-Twelve's alternate mode needed eleven others to form and was useless itself) and pulled a gun to his head. Rung warned him that if he took the shot, the Functionist world would be destroyed and then proceeded to goad him into firing, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} so as to become a martyr for the [[Anti-Vocationist League]]. One-of-Twelve didn't take the bait and hid Rung for a year to try and work out how to spin this. Six-of-Twelve viewed Rung's purpose as endorsement of cold construction and further testing by One-of-Twelve showed that Rung could produce crystals against his will. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:AWorldDisplaced-RungAlternateMode.jpg|thumb|upright=1|left|His is the drill that will pierce the heavens.]]
A year later, the Functionist Council announced Revelation Day: at the end of the countdown, they'd disprove this whole "Useless One" anti-functionist talk by revealing exactly what Rung was for. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

Supposedly Rung turned into a colossal mining tank with a very conspicuous crystalline drill, something which Team Rodimus found suspicious. According to [[Six-of-Twelve]], the point of Rung's alternate mode was to drill through the [[Ununtrium|ununtrium]] wall that surrounded [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}} Rung was teleported to Vector Sigma's chamber but left to the side in his alternate mode. Ratchet managed to return Rung to robot mode (causing the holo-matter treads to disappear and the "drill" to shatter) and he immediately told Ratchet to follow his instructions, {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}} by pretending to hold him hostage so that Six-of-Twelve would release [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]. Before the group teleported away, Rung laid into the Council by mocking their own useless alternate mode and saying that all of them were the real "Useless Ones". Materializing in Iacon, Rung directed the group to steal [[Cog (base)|the Cog]] which he intended to ram into Luna 2 to destroy them both. Before that however, Rodimus demanded an explanation of Rung's true purpose and why the Functionists wanted him. Rung reluctantly displayed his ability to produce photonic crystals and explained the Functionists viewed that as Primus endorsing the cold construction process. As such, they wanted to draw more Sparks from Vector Sigma and store them in Rung's crystals to create an army of Cybertronians to purify the galaxy of alien life. When the Cog arrived at Adaptica, Rung locked in a collision course only for Rodimus to insist they save Luna 2 for its teleporter. Rung refused and said that Rodimus would have to fight him for Luna 2. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:ThisMachineKillsFascists-GiantRung.jpg|thumb|upright=1|''Nice.'']]
A single punch across the jaw was all it took for Rodimus to win the "fight" and gain control of the Cog. While Rewind scolded his captain, Rodimus came to his senses and ordered everyone else to evacuate while he and Rung crashed the Cog into Luna 2; however, The Cog was accidentally shot down by [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]]. Emerging from the wreckage, Rung decided to enact his backup plan over Ratchet's protests to his health. To the shock of all, Rung used the mass displacement generator the Functionists had forcibly installed in him to grow to humungous size (far surpassing even the Titans) to punch Luna 2 out of the sky. The moon simply turned its guns on Rung and killed him, sending him back to the ground at normal size and in pieces. Megatron and Terminus briefly paused to comment on Rung before they continued to the teleporter. Rung's fate prompted Ratchet to hug the Rung of his own timeline when they reunited. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} His fate and role as an inspiration to billions was told by Rewind and Chromedome to the Rung of their timeline. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-6-Rung.jpg|75px|thumb|left|Insert appropriate Doc Brown sound here.]]
Rung directed a crane hauling a load of energy blocks into [[Metroplex (Kre-O)|Scramble City]] when the [[Devastator (Kre-O)|Constructicons]] attacked. {{Storylink|A New Menace! The Giant Soldier Devastator Appears!}}
{{-}}

===Transformers Facebook page===
Rung managed to get his own TV show, ''[[Rung Up with Rung]]'', in which he analyzed a weekly Cybertronian guest.

==Toys==
===Fictional toys===
[[File:Mtmte22-coverb-rung-toy.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Quite articulated for a G1 dude.]]
*'''Rung'''
**''Accessories:'' Data Journal, "ARK-1" Model, Tech Specs Decoder

:In [[Micro-continuity|some time-lost continuity]], Swerve tried to figure out a Rung toy. Its features included moveable eyebrows to alter the robot's expression, and a "Listening Mode". {{storylink|Little Victories}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
*A psychoanalyst named Rung was referenced in the unofficial Transformers novel ''Eugenesis'', written by [[James Roberts]].
*The name "Rung" is a reference to {{w|Carl Jung}}, founder of analytical psychology.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/comics-16/tfw2005-interviews-james-roberts-175563/ TFW2005.com interview with James Roberts]</ref> The mention of "Rungian analysis" in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #1]] is a further play on this.
*Rung's longest suffering patient was [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]].
*[[Alex Milne]] modeled Rung's appearance on actors {{w|Brent Spiner}} and {{w|David Hyde-Pierce}}.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/notes/transformers/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-vol-2-alex-milne-interview/395646703838863 Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye vol. 2 Alex Milne interview]</ref>
*Rung's Holomatter avatar is named {{w|Mary Sue}}, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the literary term of the same name and a wink at fans who consider Rung to be Roberts's own alter-ego.
*In [[Speak, Memory: Part 1|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #48]] we learn Rung collects models of ships he's served on. His collection has all the Arks from 1 to 9, as we know from [[Little Victories|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #22]].
*As with all non-toy Kreons, Rung is made entirely from pre-existing parts. It isn't particularly clear but it seems as though he's using Ironhide's helmet.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Rung''' (ラング ''Rangu'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://markerguru.deviantart.com/art/rung-colour-guide-253698917 Rung concept art at Alex Milne's deviantART]
*[http://markerguru.deviantart.com/gallery/?q=rung#/d471m8d More Rung design art, featuring an unused alternate mode concept]

{{Guiding Hand}}

[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Things that don't exist]]

Animus

2018-11-28T23:55:41Z

Djelibaebi:

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Animus is an [[Autobot]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:ChaosOfWarmThings-Animus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"[[Groundbreaker]]? I hardly know 'er!"]]
'''Animus''' is a member of the [[Ethics Committee]]. Ironically, he lied to get on it.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:IDW Animus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|He turns into the Thundertank!]]
Animus served on the [[Ethics Committee]] meetings at the [[Kimia Facility]], alongside [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and [[Xaaron]]. He sat in consideration of [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'s new invention, [[cerebro-sensitive bullet]]s that used onboard computers to ensure a killshot to the head with every pull of the trigger. {{storylink|Bullets}} Animus was still at Kimia when it was raided by [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and an army of [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]]. His wrecked bestial [[alternate mode]] was seen among the casualties. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}}

He somehow survived, however, and later joined the ''[[Lost Light]]'' mission to find the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} While skimming a list of crew members, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] noted with disapproval that a certain somebody whose name began with an 'A' was a liar. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

The ''Lost Light'' was duplicated by a quantum accident and ''two'' Animuses lived separate lives. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}} Both of them would be the second victim of a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]]'s rampage on the first day of the voyage. The 'original' Animus was killed while waiting to get into his and [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'s quarters. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}} The 'duplicate' Animus was used as bait by [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] but otherwise survived! Until the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] killed him. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

==Notes==
*His death at the hands of the Sparkeater revealed that Animus possessed a green spark. Although seemingly irrelevant at the time, [[Remembrance Day|information has since come to light]] revealing that Animus was likely a [[Point One Percenter]]. It ''also'' explains why he was targeted by the Sparkeater in the first place; it was attracted to the strong spark energy it gave him.

[[Category:Comic-only Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]

How Ratchet Got His Hands Back

2018-11-28T23:35:29Z

Djelibaebi: "Nineteen Eighty-Four" is like 900% a reference to the novel by george orwell especially given it's on the topic of "thought warefare" (despite the transformers-related connotations of that number)

{{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==
[[File:MTMTE5 firstaid takes charge.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
At the [[Delphi]] medical facility, the furious [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|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 (G1)|Pharma]] pulls a gun on [[Ambulon]], accusing him of freeing the Decepticons and releasing the virus plaguing the facility, on the basis that he is a former Decepticon himself. First Aid, however, turns the tables on Pharma when he examines the Genericons' remains and discovers that they were ''not'' [[Monoformer]]s, as Pharma had claimed. Ratchet puts the final pieces of the puzzle together, and requests that Pharma transform; when he refuses, Ratchet diagnoses the virus as being activated through transformation. First Aid and Ambulon have not succumbed to its effects because 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 [[Legislator|giant robots]] pursuing [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], he inquires about clause nineteen-eighty-four, which Magnus informs him relates to the supposedly non-existent "thought warfare".

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

[[File:Ratchet Red Rust.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Back in Delphi, Ratchet catches up to Pharma, who gleefully explains his master plan: he engineered the plague in order to shut Delphi down so that he could escape a deal he made with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that forced him to kill patients in order to harvest their transformation cogs for the [[Tarn (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=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (5)
*[[Ambulon]] (6)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (7)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (8)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] (9)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (13)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (14)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (16)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]] (1)
*[[Boom]] (4)
*''[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'' (15)
|c4=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (10)
*''[[Nova Prime]]'' (12)
}}

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

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

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

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

"Pharma, I've been held at gunpoint by the '''best'''—[[Megatron (G1)/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==
===Continuity notes===
*The absence of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s [[Moonbase One|first moon]] is mentioned again, previously noted in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]] and an important plot point over in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Stick Together|#3]]. Tailgate claims (falsely) to have coordinated the first search for it, meaning it's been missing since the early days of [[Nova Prime]].
*Speaking of Nova Prime, Tailgate claims (false) responsibility for persuading him to look beyond Cybertron. (He probably didn't know how [[Revelation (IDW)|that turned out]].)
*Ultra Magnus tells Tailgate to relax, a word he later [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|denies the existence of due to never having heard of it]].
*Ratchet's [[holomatter]] avatar returns, a concept only seen [[Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|once]] since [[Simon Furman]]'s time on the series ended. A quick explanation is offered for why the tech was phased out in universe: it's energy-intensive, it demands total concentration, and the hair never looks real.
*While talking about Red Alert's history, Rung mentions the security officer's belief in "the [[Institute]]", a mysterious facility previously mentioned in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". This scene has a very sneaky payoff in [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|#10]].
* Likewise, Drift mentions Ratchet having once saved his life long ago in [[Rodion]], a story that will be shown to us in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|#9]].

===Transformers references===
*The opening moments of the issue, as Fortress Maximus tears one of the Genericons in half and slams the pieces together, is an homage to ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|#5]], in which [[Overlord (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.
*Rung and Red Alert's session numbers are clearly evocative of issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]]: [[Prey!|#97]] was Roberts's first issue; [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|#113]] was the issue that hooked him; [[Front Line! (issue)|#288]] was the issue in which he got a [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|letter printed]]; and issue [[End of the Road! (US)|#332]] was the final installment of the series. The significance of [[The Last Stand|#7]] is not apparent.
*On the subject of numbers, Rung's patient number for Red Alert is the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|numbers]] used for Red Alert's Japanese toy releases (his [[Red Alert (G1)#Generation 1 2|original toy]] ID, [[Red Alert (G1)#Smallest Transforming Transformers|Smallest Transforming Transformers]], and [[Red Alert (G1)#Binaltech Asterisk|Binaltech Asterisk]] numbers respectively).

===Real-World References===
*Nineteen Eighty-Four and "thought warfare" is a reference to (and pun on) the novel of the same name by George Orwell, in which a totalitarian state controls the populace "double think," a form of thought control. Although "thought warfare" in the IDW continuity is taken [[Mnemosurgery|more]] [[Nudge gun|literally]].

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

===Soundtrack===
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS_DcqPkEYM "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying"] by {{w|Belle & Sebastian}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fR21QVgJ84 "Carries On"] by {{w|Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c7QRP8mIt8 "City Sickness"] by {{w|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>
File:MTMTE5_cvrA.jpg|This looks [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|familiar]].
File:MTMTE5_cvrB.jpg|You '''will''' deal with this now!
File:MTMTE5_cvrRI.jpg|I am cooler than you.
</gallery>

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

How Ratchet Got His Hands Back

2018-11-28T23:32:38Z

Djelibaebi: "1984

{{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==
[[File:MTMTE5 firstaid takes charge.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
At the [[Delphi]] medical facility, the furious [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|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 (G1)|Pharma]] pulls a gun on [[Ambulon]], accusing him of freeing the Decepticons and releasing the virus plaguing the facility, on the basis that he is a former Decepticon himself. First Aid, however, turns the tables on Pharma when he examines the Genericons' remains and discovers that they were ''not'' [[Monoformer]]s, as Pharma had claimed. Ratchet puts the final pieces of the puzzle together, and requests that Pharma transform; when he refuses, Ratchet diagnoses the virus as being activated through transformation. First Aid and Ambulon have not succumbed to its effects because 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 [[Legislator|giant robots]] pursuing [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], he inquires about clause nineteen-eighty-four, which Magnus informs him relates to the supposedly non-existent "thought warfare".

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

[[File:Ratchet Red Rust.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Back in Delphi, Ratchet catches up to Pharma, who gleefully explains his master plan: he engineered the plague in order to shut Delphi down so that he could escape a deal he made with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that forced him to kill patients in order to harvest their transformation cogs for the [[Tarn (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=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (5)
*[[Ambulon]] (6)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (7)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (8)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] (9)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (13)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (14)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (16)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]] (1)
*[[Boom]] (4)
*''[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'' (15)
|c4=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (10)
*''[[Nova Prime]]'' (12)
}}

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

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

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

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

"Pharma, I've been held at gunpoint by the '''best'''—[[Megatron (G1)/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==
===Continuity notes===
*The absence of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s [[Moonbase One|first moon]] is mentioned again, previously noted in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]] and an important plot point over in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Stick Together|#3]]. Tailgate claims (falsely) to have coordinated the first search for it, meaning it's been missing since the early days of [[Nova Prime]].
*Speaking of Nova Prime, Tailgate claims (false) responsibility for persuading him to look beyond Cybertron. (He probably didn't know how [[Revelation (IDW)|that turned out]].)
*Ultra Magnus tells Tailgate to relax, a word he later [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|denies the existence of due to never having heard of it]].
*Ratchet's [[holomatter]] avatar returns, a concept only seen [[Police Action Part 2: Only Forward|once]] since [[Simon Furman]]'s time on the series ended. A quick explanation is offered for why the tech was phased out in universe: it's energy-intensive, it demands total concentration, and the hair never looks real.
*While talking about Red Alert's history, Rung mentions the security officer's belief in "the [[Institute]]", a mysterious facility previously mentioned in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". This scene has a very sneaky payoff in [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|#10]].
* Likewise, Drift mentions Ratchet having once saved his life long ago in [[Rodion]], a story that will be shown to us in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|#9]].

===Transformers references===
*The opening moments of the issue, as Fortress Maximus tears one of the Genericons in half and slams the pieces together, is an homage to ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|#5]], in which [[Overlord (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.
*Rung and Red Alert's session numbers are clearly evocative of issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]]: [[Prey!|#97]] was Roberts's first issue; [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|#113]] was the issue that hooked him; [[Front Line! (issue)|#288]] was the issue in which he got a [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|letter printed]]; and issue [[End of the Road! (US)|#332]] was the final installment of the series. The significance of [[The Last Stand|#7]] is not apparent.
*On the subject of numbers, Rung's patient number for Red Alert is the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|numbers]] used for Red Alert's Japanese toy releases (his [[Red Alert (G1)#Generation 1 2|original toy]] ID, [[Red Alert (G1)#Smallest Transforming Transformers|Smallest Transforming Transformers]], and [[Red Alert (G1)#Binaltech Asterisk|Binaltech Asterisk]] numbers respectively).

===Real-World References===
*Nineteen Eighty-Four and "thought warfare" is a reference to (and pun on) the novel of the same name by George Orwell, in which a totalitarian state controls the populace "double think," a form of thought control. However "thought warfare" in MTMTE is taken [[Mnemosurgery|more]] [[Nudge gun|literally]].

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

===Soundtrack===
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS_DcqPkEYM "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying"] by {{w|Belle & Sebastian}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fR21QVgJ84 "Carries On"] by {{w|Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c7QRP8mIt8 "City Sickness"] by {{w|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>
File:MTMTE5_cvrA.jpg|This looks [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|familiar]].
File:MTMTE5_cvrB.jpg|You '''will''' deal with this now!
File:MTMTE5_cvrRI.jpg|I am cooler than you.
</gallery>

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

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

2018-11-28T23:02:21Z

Djelibaebi: im not 100% sure but because Ultra Magnus ends up giving up the mantle in Lost Light 25 (with the help of Megatron) it could be Really Distant Foreshadowing and to be honest thats not out of the realm for JRo

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

==Synopsis==
Following [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s [[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|departure]] from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] publicly announces his intent to do likewise aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', following the map found within the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] in hopes of locating the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] predicts virtually no [[Autobot]]s will respond to his open invitation to join him, but Rodimus winds up with a little over two hundred recruits, including (much to [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]'s consternation) [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]—who believes he is getting old, a concern punctuated by his failure to save the life of a [[NAIL]] who has committed suicide as a political protest—[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]]—the loss of whose scientific talents particularly infuriates Prowl, prompting him to order the loading of a mysterious cargo onto the ''Lost Light''—and Chromedome's friend, [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]]. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], of course, has misgivings about nearly every recruit, but Rodimus is thrilled to have so many.

[[File:Whirl Sweeps Liars.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
In the skies above Cybertron, [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] grieves in his own way for the loss of the world he had known and all the memories he made there. Detecting a life-sign resembling [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]'s, he investigates a small shack, only to find the unhinged [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] talking to a collection of [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]] corpses that he has strung up inside. Cyclonus enters and interrupts him just as he is about to burn down the [[energon]]-soaked building, and Whirl immediately attacks him, professing innocence and explaining the bodies were already dead: he had merely collected them. Cyclonus, for his part, doesn't care in the slightest, but can't convince Whirl of this fact.

[[File:HowToSayGoodbyeAndMeanIt-Swindle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
Elsewhere, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] is running security checks on the Autobots who have signed up to join the ''Lost Light'': [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]], carrying a mysterious [[Time case|briefcase]] but exempted from security checks by Rodimus; [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], in the mood for "a good quest"; and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], whom Red Alert does not recognize at first, despite having been a patient of his for six centuries. Rung tempts fate by commenting on his knack for staying out of trouble: before the sentence is even finished, Cyclonus and Whirl's running battle swoops through the area, and Rung winds up with his forearm cleaved off by Cyclonus's wing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Real-world references===
*The title of this issue pays homage to the Dexy's Midnight Runners song, "Liars, A to E" (with A and D of course standing for "Autobot" and "Decepticon"). James Roberts previously used it as the title for a comic-strip prequel to his unofficial Transformers novel, "Eugenesis", published in the souvenir magazine for UK convention Transforce 2001.
*Tailgate's introduction is, nearly word for word, a reference to the opening scene of the ''Red Dwarf'' episode, "Terrorform", a series Roberts references throughout MTMTE.

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

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

===Soundtrack===
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhMEKiIb86I "Across the Universe"] by {{w|Fiona Apple}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r92_t9Qk9LU "Absent Friends"] by {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}

==Covers (8)==
The seven first-printing covers to this issue feature a silver foil-stamped logo.
* '''Cover A:''' Ratchet, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Ultra Magnus, by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
* '''Cover C:''' Rodimus, by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
* '''Cover D:''' Drift, by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
* '''Cover E:''' The assembled cast by Nick Roche and Josh Burcham, in homage to [http://www.comics.org/issue/42881/cover/4/ 1987's ''Justice League'' #1].
* '''Cover RIA:''' Fold-out gatefold cover combining the interlinked covers A-D.
* '''Cover RIB:''' Hand-drawn Sketch Covers, by Josh Burcham
* '''Second printing:''' Rodimus addressing the masses, by Roche and Burcham, cropped from the first panel of page 1
<gallery>
File:MTMTE1_cvrA.jpg|So long,
File:MTMTE1_cvrB.jpg|farewell,
File:MTMTE1_cvrC.jpg|auf Wiedersehen,
File:MTMTE1_cvrD.jpg|good riddance.
File:MTMTE1_cvrE.jpg
File:MTMTE1_cvrRIA.jpg|Covers, A to D.
File:MTMTE1_cvrRIB.jpg|Finally, Polar Claw's time to shine!
File:MTMTE1_2ndptg.jpg|I AM THE HYPE
</gallery>

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2018-11-27T05:58:16Z

Djelibaebi:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{suite}}
[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet gets poked.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|You're going home as an ambulance!]]

Once a bright and idealistic doctor, '''Ratchet''' found this youthful optimism tempered as [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] descended into millions of years of civil war, giving rise to a brand of world-weary cynicism all his own. This cantankerous and sometimes gruff attitude is something of a façade he's deliberately cultivated to hide his natural compassion for his fellow Autobots and innocent organics, a personality trait that's come in handy more than once during his adventures on [[Earth]].

Following the end of the war, Ratchet's war-weariness led him to leave Cybertron aboard the ''[[Lost Light]],'' embarking on a series of adventures across the galaxy that saw him come to terms with his advancing age while battling [[Pharma (G1)|demons from his past]]. Despite captain [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s objective to find the mythical [[Knights of Cybertron]], Ratchet remains a staunch atheist and a firm believer in empirical science — something that irritates his friend, frequent verbal sparring partner and [[Conjunx Endura]], [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], to no end.

:*''First Appearance:'' [[Infiltration issue 0|''Transformers: Infiltration'' #0]]

{{quote|Why are we '''''here''''', on this planet? We're here to '''''save lives'''''. Now okay, maybe we're talking mass numbers, a global scale of species saved, but me, I take it '''''one life at a time'''''.|Ratchet earns his permanent place on [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'s crap list|[[Infiltration issue 3|''Infiltration'' #3]]}}

==IDW Generation 1 comics==
===Joining the Autobots===
[[File:PostHoc-RatchetAndDrift.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Or you could become a Decepticon. Up to you, kid."]]

'''Ratchet of [[Vaporex]]''' {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}} was [[Reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|forged]],{{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} and due to the circumstances of his birth, he was gifted with a set of incredibly dexterous hands, possessing a naturally unique skill which made them almost hypnotic while in motion. Ratchet studied medicine at the [[Iacon (polity)|Iaconian]] [[Academy of Science and Technology]] {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} alongside [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], {{storylink|Little Victories}}, and befriended [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]. Though Ratchet eventually became the [[Senate]]'s Chief Medical Officer, he felt unsatisfied with his work; Orion encouraged him to open a free clinic without the Senate's knowledge in [[Rodion]]'s [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]], where he assisted the impoverished "[[Empty|Empties]]" who lived there.

When [[Nominus Prime]] was badly wounded in a terrorist attack, Ratchet was responsible for saving his life but was unable bring the [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] back online, leaving him to languish in a coma. Some time later, Ratchet treated a destitute junkie named [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], who had overdosed on [[circuit booster]]s. Ratchet told the homeless 'bot that he saw something special in him, a remark that both would remember. When a nearby news broadcast revealed that Nominus had recently perished, Orion — now a police officer and the 'bot responsible for bringing Drift to the clinic – trusted the medic enough to reveal that he had a [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|friend]] in the Senate who knew members of ''the Senate itself'' had done the deed; Ratchet was skeptical until the broadcast claimed that Nominus had died from a "long-standing [[rust]] infection" that he knew for a fact the Prime didn't have. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

[[File:AnIntimateBeheading-missionimpossible.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Matrix Impossible]]

Investigating further, Orion uncovered a Senate plot to plant a bomb in Nominus's body and blame it on the new [[Decepticon]] movement, and so Ratchet joined him in putting a stop to it. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} Ratchet joined Orion, [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]], and a crew of [[Outlier]]s on a mission to the [[Primal Basilica]], using his precise fingers to pick the locks holding the bomb in place. Though one close call nearly led to Ratchet dropping the bomb, the team was successful in their mission. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} Pax and his allies were now fugitives for crossing the Senate and they were forced to go on the run, leaving Ratchet behind to look after his patients. Ratchet's inability to say goodbye to his friends meant that he never properly bid Roller farewell; when Roller seemingly vanished from history some time later, Ratchet's failure would haunt him for many years. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}} Ratchet would go on to work for Nominus's successor, [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

As the Decepticon movement evolved from a political philosophy into a full-blown insurgency, Ratchet served with the Security Forces stationed in [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] and was present at the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} When [[Zeta Prime]] took command following Sentinel's defeat at the hands of [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], Ratchet became his Chief Medical Officer {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} and left Rodion, taking a staff position at [[Ultirex]]'s prestigious [[technoversity]]. There, he befriended [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]], a brilliant graduate student whose airborne [[alternate mode]] made it difficult for him to find scientific work under the tenets of [[Functionism]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

Shortly after Zeta Prime ascended to Primehood, Ratchet was kidnapped by the Decepticons and held at the [[Rust Sea#IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rust Spot]] as a ploy to capture [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] during a hostage exchange. Fortunately the hostage exchanger was Orion Pax, who managed to save both Ratchet and Trion. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen-Ratchet.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Pax...are *we* the baddies?"]]

Following the death of a [[Hefter|Decepticon sympathizer]] in police custody, Orion took Hefter's body to Ultirex for Ratchet to examine; Ratchet correctly deduced that Hefter's injuries didn't match the official report of his death. The news that an ''Autobot'' cop was investigating the murder prompted Jetfire — a believer in the Decepticon cause — to attack Prime, much to Ratchet's horror. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

Ratchet participated in Orion Pax's uprising against an increasingly corrupt Zeta Prime, and would have repaired Orion after the battle if not for a sudden betrayal by their Decepticon allies. {{storylink|Overthrown}} He was still working in Ultirex when Orion Pax, now Optimus Prime, broadcast a rallying call for support against [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s dictatorship. {{storylink|Broadcast}}

As the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] between the Autobots and Decepticons began in earnest, Ratchet would distinguish himself as the only Autobot who had personally saved the life of every [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] since Nominus. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Early in the war, Ratchet repaired Optimus Prime after his first confrontation with Megatron at [[Sherma Bridge]], a duel which left Prime in so many pieces it took Ratchet over two months to find and put them all back together. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}}

[[File:Underworld-Ratchetvehiclemode.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Sippin' KRUNK.]]

Optimus Prime sent a team of scientists including Ratchet to the remains of the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]] to search for traces of energon. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} Indeed, they did find some in the form of a pool in the caverns beneath the crater, but when an earthquake sent Ratchet falling into the liquid, he went berserk and started attacking his comrades. He quickly regained his composure, but before they could study why the energon had turned him into a mindless beast, the scientists were attacked by monsters living in the caves. As they fled, Ratchet used his [[alternate mode]] to bust into another cavern, where the team found a [[Trypticon (G1)|gigantic sleeping dragon]]. {{storylink|Underworld (IDW)|Underworld}} They reported their findings to Optimus Prime, who told them to find a way to neutralize the creature so the Autobots could make use of the energon, {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}} Ratchet then fought against Trypticon's minions during the monster's rampage across Cybertron. {{storylink|Annihilation}}

Ratchet played a role in curing the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]] of the effects of the same corrupted energon, {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} and shortly afterwards patched [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] up during a Decepticon assault on Iacon. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

Ratchet was later transferred to the [[Deltaran Medical Facility]] and became friends with fellow Autobot medic [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} The two of them accompanied the team who apprehended [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] for brutalizing the cadets under his command to the point of death. Of those cadets, he and Pharma were only able to save [[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]]. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 4}} As the war went on, the young Drift, whom he'd once helped, went on to become ""Deadlock," one of the most brutal Decepticon warriors. This long rankled the medic. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}}

[[File:Pharma ratchet steps shall always rhyme.jpg|thumb|left|250px|He's [[Ratbat (SG)|Batbot]].]]

When [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] died under unspecified circumstances, Ratchet became one of the few Autobots who was privy to [[Solomus|Chief Justice Tyrest]]'s project to keep the legend of the "immortal lawman" alive using the [[Magnus Armor]]. Indeed, Ratchet was the only Autobot who knew ''every'' wearer of the Magnus Armor, right back to the original. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} In the 19th century, Ratchet was stationed aboard the Autobot command vessel, and helped repair the armor after the passing of [[Convoy (G1)|its most recent bearer]]. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}}

In the early 2000s, [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] ordered Ratchet to join his covert team on [[Earth]]. Rather than properly say goodbye to Pharma, Ratchet just left when his back was turned. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

{{-}}

===Adventures on Earth===
[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Watch, my headgear will flip colours as you scroll down.]]

Now a part of Prowl's unit, Ratchet and the other Autobots under his command arrived aboard the ''[[Ark-19]]'' and spent the next few years fighting the Decepticon [[infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] that had landed on Earth. Although loyal to the Autobot cause, Ratchet's conscience frequently got the better of him; in [[2006]], he intercepted a Decepticon pulsewave ordering the elimination of [[Stoker|a human being]]. While he was too late to save that human, Ratchet was able to outmaneuver the [[Battlecharger]]s {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}} and encountered two other humans—[[Verity Carlo]] and [[Hunter O'Nion]]—who had stumbled upon the Decepticon plot. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0|Infiltration #0}} Evading [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]], Ratchet took shelter in a nearby garage owned by Verity's friend [[Jimmy Pink]]; when [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] attacked, Ratchet was able to outthink the pair in a high-speed chase and ferried the humans to safety... while also earning the ire of Prowl when Autobot reinforcements arrived to bail him out. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}}

[[File:Infiltration3 VeritySURPRISE.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Ratchet's holo-matter avatar has no mouth, and he must snark.]]

Though Ratchet attempted to explain his side of the story, having learned that the Decepticons had prematurely engaged siege mode in a new, above-ground fortress, he was seemingly alone in his convictions until [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] agreed to help him and the humans investigate the abandoned Decepticon base in [[Nebraska]]. [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] arrived while the humans were reconnoitering and began an aerial bombardment of the bunker, intending to destroy it. Bumblebee and Ratchet engaged the Decepticons in order to buy the humans time to escape the collapsing bunker. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}}

The Autobots and humans were leaving the Decepticons to finish their work when an enraged Megatron burst from the buried ruins of the bunker. Thankfully for them, Megatron was more concerned with the treachery brewing within his own ranks, allowing Ratchet and the others to escape with their lives. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} Unwilling to risk their safety further, Ratchet subsequently returned the humans to the ''Ark-19'', where they met the newly arrived Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} With Prime hoping to get the humans out of the line of fire when the war for Earth inevitably escalated, Ratchet said his farewells to the humans and let [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] and [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] take them home, unaware that the Autobots on Earth had been found out by the villainous human organization known as the [[Machination]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

[[File:RatchetandMarvel-ManandMachine2.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

With the humans out of harm's way for the time being, Ratchet went with the other Autobots to investigate Decepticon activity in the country of [[Latveria]], where they discovered a heavily shielded "array" that the Decepticons were using as a base. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One}} They wound up skirmishing with the [[Avengers]], who were under the influence of the Decepticons' mind-altering [[Psycho-Prism]], and Ratchet wound up subduing [[Ms. Marvel]] with his driver-side airbag. After throwing off Ms. Marvel, Ratchet was able to attach an inhibitor device to [[Captain America]], which nullified the effects of the Psycho-Prism, and gave Captain America enough devices for everyone on his team. Now calmed down, the two groups teamed up to destroy the Psycho-Prism, attacking the array's defenses and provoking a Decepticon retaliation. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}}

During the fight, [[Luke Cage]] and Ratchet discovered a weak spot in the array's defenses and went in. Prowl followed to make sure Ratchet didn't put human interests ahead of Autobot interests; learning that [[Spider-Man]] was held captive inside, so Prowl gave in and let Ratchet and Luke Cage attempt a rescue. The two were surprised by a powered-up Megatron, who blasted Ratchet and took Luke Cage hostage. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} Ratchet awoke next to Prowl to find Spider-Man had been freed by [[Doctor Doom]]. Prowl and Ratchet decided to use the Decepticons' [[mirror response mode]] equipment to boost their power with Spider-Man's superhuman abilities before [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]] arrived with Jazz and Bumblebee and suggested they use his abilities instead. They did, then [[orbital jump|orbital bounced]] with Spider-Man back to the battle outside, where their added strength helped defeat Megatron. Wolverine, Jazz, and Bumblebee stayed to destroy the Psycho-Prism. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}

[[File:Escalation2-autopsy.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Ratchet's foray into the world of [[IP infringing item|third-party Transformers]] was short-lived.]]

When Sunstreaker was apparently destroyed, {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} Ratchet inspected the wreckage and concluded that the body was a fake — Hunter and Sunstreaker had been kidnapped, with their abductors leaving a decoy in their place. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} Realizing that Prowl would likely ignore him, Ratchet and the humans set out to solve the mystery themselves. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} While Optimus and the other Autobots went to [[Brasnya]], Ratchet briefly took a call from [[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sideswipe]], who was stuck guarding [[Thunderhead Pass]] on Cybertron. The resentful Autobot prompted Ratchet to realize that he may have already doomed Hunter and Sunstreaker through his inaction; {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron}} Joined by Ironhide, the group went against orders and left the base to find more clues about the kidnappers. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}}

Their search brought them to [[Indiana]], where they discovered a Machination outpost disguised as an [[Idea & Design Works Custom Wheels|automobile shop]]. When the humans inadvertently triggered a trap, {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} When the humans set off a trap, the Autobots saved them, though Ironhide was critically injured and Ratchet was forced to abandon him to bring the humans to safety. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[File:Sixshot-devastation3a.jpg|thumb|right|250px|I have no idea where that pot came from! I SWEAR!]]

When the Autobots decided to relocate the ''Ark-19'' to avoid the Machination, they were attacked by [[Sixshot]], who downed the ship in mid-flight. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} Ratchet was ordered to take Verity and Jimmy into an escape pod while the rest of the crew piloted the ship into the ocean. {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}}

Sixshot soon found Ratchet and pursued him relentlessly. Ratchet used the distraction provided by some human jet fighters to escape, hiding among an ambulance pool in [[Pensacola]], Florida. Sixshot soon flushed him out, however, and pursued him out of town, forcing Ratchet to abandon Verity and Jimmy for their own safety. When cornered at the water's edge, Ratchet prepared to make a last stand, but was saved by the timely arrival of the other Autobots. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} The humans made their way back to the Autobots to warn them about an air attack by the military, and Ratchet took them with him on an orbital bounce to the ''[[Ark-32]]''. Unfortunately, this killed Verity and Jimmy. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}}

[[File:Devastation5 Ratchet Jazz.jpg|thumb|left|250px|thumb|CLEAR!]]

A guilt-stricken Ratchet managed to restart their hearts after more than five minutes, and contrary to his fears that they might have suffered brain damage, the two humans survived with no immediate effects. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} Ultimately, the humans were able to reunite with Hunter, who in the interim had been experimented on by the Machination, turning him into a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[Binary bonding|binary-bonded]] to Sunstreaker. Ratchet took charge of the two guinea pigs and was able to undo some of the Machination's handiwork; though Ratchet was able to minimize the mental link between Sunstreaker and Hunter and rebuild the Autobot into a new body, he was afraid to remove Hunter's cybernetic implants as he claimed that Sunstreaker's spark still sustained him. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}

Ratchet was eventually able to successfully sever this mental link entirely, but the process left deep wounds in Sunstreaker's psyche. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 14|Replay}} Returning to Earth, Ratchet dropped Hunter back at his sister's house; still unable to say goodbye, he brusquely told Hunter that he wouldn't keep him and drove off. Unknown to Ratchet, Hunter would be abducted by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] minutes later to access the cyborg technology that Ratchet had been unable to remove, a kidnapping that would ultimately prove fatal for the human. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

[[File:AllHailMegatron7-wefell.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

A year later, Ratchet and a number of other Autobots were led by Optimus Prime in an attempt to rid Earth of the Decepticons once and for all. Unfortunately, they fell right into a trap, and Ratchet was injured by a shot to the chest. The Autobots were then thrown into a [[space bridge]] leading to the ruins of Cybertron, where the Decepticons hoped the "[[Insecticon swarm|swarm]]" would eat them. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Whilst hiding from the swarm, Ratchet tended to the critically-damaged Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} After listening to [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]'s tale about how the ''[[Trion]]'' and its crew had crashed on the planet as well, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} Ratchet mingled with him and [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

Ratchet later checked up on Sunstreaker, telling him that his separation from Hunter had been a complete success, although the human would never be "fully human" again. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 14|Replay}} Their base soon came under attack from the swarm, however, so the other Autobots formed a perimeter around Ratchet and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] as they fled elsewhere. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}

[[File:Ratchetclownwithagun-All Hail Megatron 9.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

At their new base, Ratchet managed to use a [[CR chamber]] to heal his damaged comrades, although he reported to [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]] that the chamber could do nothing to improve their declining morale. In addition, he and Wheeljack were still having trouble repairing Optimus Prime, and Ratchet cursed that [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] had turned into just another "clown with a gun". Thankfully, they eventually came through and brought Prime back from the brink of death. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}}

Ratchet and the others finally managed to get off Cybertron thanks to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], and returned to Earth to continue their fight against the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} He survived the battle in [[New York City]], and cheered with his comrades as the Decepticons fled the planet. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}} Earth was left in a devastated state due to the Decepticon invasion, with Transformer stragglers hunted by militaries across the globe. Ratchet was part of the rescue party that saved Bumblebee from a military attack after the yellow guy abandoned his cover to save some refugees. After repairing Bumblebee, Ratchet told the mini-bot that they found him by monitoring human radio signals. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 16|Hidden}}

At some point, Ratchet had become a fan of "[[Fisitron (G1)|Fisitron]]'s" ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogues, following the adventures of the [[Wrecker]]s. Several years after Megatron's defeat, "Fisitron" (real name Ironfist) died from a severe gunshot. Ratchet would often think afterwards that he could have saved Ironfist's life. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

[[File:RatchetFigueroadesign-For all Mankind.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]

With Transformers now a known threat to humanity, both Autobots and Decepticons were targeted by the anti-Transformer organization [[Skywatch]], forcing the Autobots underground as humanity rebuilt; with Prime's contingent of Autobots stranded on Earth, the planet became the ''de facto'' meeting point for all the Autobots who had survived the [[Surge (event)|Surge]] across the galaxy. {{storylink|Ride-Along}} Not all Autobots were content with the virtually directionless existence Optimus Prime had led them into; Ratchet was present when [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]] demanded Prime allow him to stage a rescue operation to recover Prowl after he was captured... and afterwards, when Ironhide came back from the mission as a corpse. He witnessed Optimus Prime abdicate his role as leader, and leave the Autobots to surrender to Skywatch. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}}

In the aftermath of Prime's decision, and the subsequent departure of a splinter faction under Hot Rod's command, Ratchet and the others were left in a state of shock. With the war effectively over and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] missing, the line of succession was no longer clear. The Autobots decided to hold an election to see who their new leader would be. No one was more surprised than Bumblebee when ''he'' turned out to be the new chosen leader; Ratchet quickly stepped up as Bumblebee's second-in-comnmand, helping shepherd him into his new role. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Bumblebee's authority was challenged almost immediately by the arrival of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but Ratchet did his best to support 'Bee before Magnus took off on a mission of his own. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}

[[File:RatchetHoundBlasterbadges-Hanging Sword.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.0]]
Ratchet had his work cut out for him, though. Not only was [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] undermining Bumblebee's authority from the start, Bumblebee himself just couldn't adjust to the role quickly enough. Still, he supported Bumblebee's decision to form a clandestine alliance with Skywatch through Colonel [[Gordon Horiuchi]], who was acting outside his mandate in the hopes of using the Autobots to stop [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] and the other Decepticons who were still running loose on Earth.

Working in secret with Horiuchi, the Autobots hoped to prove their value and good intentions to Skywatch's higher ups by racking up an impressive number of Decepticon captures. They even began wearing specially-designed Skywatch insignia badges for communication and to mask their activities from Skywatch operatives who weren't "in the loop". After five successful bag-and-tags, however, Horiuchi threw them the first curveball. The Autobots' next target was Blurr, one of their own who had left after Ultra Magnus's arrival. As Ratchet and the others refused to hunt one of their own, Horiuchi demonstrated a hidden feature of the badges — the ability to forcibly revert the Autobots to [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] at his command. {{storylink|The Hanging Sword}}

Left with no choice, Ratchet and Bumblebee led the Autobots in capturing Blurr. The whole situation was a fiasco, however, and Blurr even fired on Bumblebee during the encounter, damaging his badge. Bumblebee found the courage to defy Horiuchi and refused to turn over Blurr to Skywatch later that day. The colonel tried to mode-lock Bumblebee for his insubordination, but the shot to Bumblebee's badge had rendered it useless. Quick on the uptake, Ratchet whispered to Bumblebee to fake it so Horiuchi didn't realize he'd lost his edge over the Autobot leader.

[[File:Ratchetdontknowaboutbadges-Gift Horse.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

At Ratchet's prompting, the Autobots pretended the damaged badge had left Bumblebee trapped in vehicle mode permanently, despite Horiuchi's attempts to reverse the mode-lock. With Blurr's help, they recovered another Volkswagen Beetle to use as a ringer, allowing Bumblebee to leave the base and seek a solution for their predicament. Because Skywatch was constantly monitoring their vocal output using the badges, Ratchet and the others couldn't even speak a word of encouragement to 'Bee as he set off on his mission. {{storylink|The Impossible Knot}}

With Bumblebee on the loose, Ratchet continued the ruse of pretending to cooperate with Colonel Horiuchi and his staff, showing them the malfunctioning "Bumblebee" for examination. Meanwhile, he and Wheeljack kept in touch with the real Bumblebee using a text-only comm signal that wouldn't show up on Skywatch's monitoring. Ratchet was named acting leader of the Autobots while "Bumblebee" was off-line, as he and Wheeljack secretly led the real Bumblebee to [[Sanjay Bharwaney]], creator of the badges' control board. Bumblebee needed access to the board's schematics in order to free his friends, but had to manipulate [[Serena Bharwaney|Bharwaney's young daughter]] into helping him. Ratchet had to comfort Bumblebee through "using" the girl for his own purposes. {{storylink|The Gift Horse}}

Unfortunately, the rogue Decepticon Skywarp had also learned of the board, and was coming to Bharwaney's to steal it. Ratchet and the other Autobots were forced to blow their cover to rush to Bumblebee's aid. They were too late, however, and Bumblebee was forced to set off an EMP, knocking him and Skywarp off-line while disabling the control board and the badges as well. As Ratchet brought Bumblebee in for repairs, he reluctantly agreed to upgrade his new commander into a more powerful, combat-ready body to suit his new duties and role as a leader. {{storylink|Wings of Wax}}

Soon, Ultra Magnus returned from his scouting mission to challenge Bumblebee's authority again, gathering Ratchet and several other Autobots in the name of the [[Tyrest Accord]] to arrest Hot Rod for colluding with the enemy. Hot Rod's mistake became clear when his "ally", [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], activated a new Decepticon [[combiner]] and unleashed it on the Autobots. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}} After several Autobots were damaged fighting [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], Ratchet began patching them up as best he could, with the help of Skywatch personnel. He barely finished working on Ultra Magnus before the enforcer stomped off to search for [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}} Following this, the Autobots entered a formal alliance with Skywatch. {{storylink|All His Engines}}

[[File:Ratchet fixes Cliffjumper-The Land Ironclads.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Vhen ze patient woke up, his skeleton was missing, and ze doctor vas never heard from again!"]]

Ratchet was part of an Autobot-Skywatch team sent to [[Las Vegas]] once [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] showed up with an army of [[zombie]]s in tow. They fought with him until he managed to calm them down and explain that they needed to combine their strength in order to destroy the zombie plague. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|The Transformers: Infestation #1}} Together with Galvatron and his minions, the Autobots banished the undead hordes and their leader, [[Britt]], to the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|The Transformers: Infestation #2}}

Ratchet was helping a human technician repair [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] when [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Spike Witwicky]] showed up and asked for the Autobots' help with defeating the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] in [[North Korea]]. They accepted, but due to pressure from the [[President of the United States]], they were going to have to do it in disguise. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}} Their initial clash with the Combaticons ended in failure, and Ratchet ended up having to repair [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] and [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}}

[[File:Ratchet clips wings-Hawk Among the Sparrows.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0]]

He took to the front lines in their next attack, during which he attempted to saw off [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]'s rotor blades. {{storylink|International Incident Part 3: "Hawk Among the Sparrows"|Hawk Among the Sparrows}} The Combaticons were ultimately defeated, but the Autobots' cover had been blown in the process. Sitting over an unconscious Vortex, Ratchet wondered aloud what would happen to the Autobots now that their alliance with Skywatch was public knowledge. {{storylink|International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"|All My Sins Remembered}}

On the way back from Korea, the plane carrying the Autobots was shot down over the ocean by a returning Megatron. The occupants survived, however, and made it ashore. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} They rolled out to confront the Decepticon leader near [[Albuquerque]], but Optimus Prime ordered Ratchet and the others to stay back while he went ahead alone to confirm what was going on. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} Most of the Autobots remaining in America had been injured by Megatron, or in Bumblebee's case, rioting humans who still mistrusted the Transformers, and so Ratchet had his hands full repairing them all. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}

After some six weeks of repairs, Ratchet managed to get Bumblebee back on his feet, though owing to the scarcity of spare parts the yellow Autobot was left weakened and relying on a cane. That same day, the Autobots learned that Cybertron had been restored to a habitable state, only to have fallen under Galvatron's control. They wasted no time in boarding Omega Supreme's rocket mode, leaving Earth to liberate their home. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}}

[[File:Ratchetcouldveanswered-chaos theory 2.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

During the trip, Ratchet aided Perceptor in searching the captured Megatron's body for hidden weapons. He was annoyed by those pesky "laws" that prevented them from just executing their prisoner and also feared his purported ability to syphon [[antimatter]] from [[black hole]]s, but Perceptor dismissed that myth. Later, Ratchet and Wheeljack bet over whether or not Optimus Prime would let them overhear his questioning of Megatron. He wouldn't, and Ratchet walked away 50 [[Shanix]] richer. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} Believing that the Matrix might cloud his judgement regarding how to punish Megatron, Optimus temporarily left Ratchet in charge of the relic. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory #2}}

After arriving on Cybertron, Ratchet participated in the battle against Galvatron's [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]] army. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} Then Megatron broke loose and summoned his Decepticons, and the Autobots had to fight ''them'' as well. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} The battle — and, by extension, the Great War itself — ended with Cybertron restored to a living, "primordial" state. All across the galaxy, thousands of [[NAIL|neutral Transformers]] began returning home, drawn to the planet by a signal emitted by Cybertron. With Optimus Prime missing in action after his defeat of Galvatron, the Autobots spent the next few weeks working with [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]], the spokesman of the "NAILs", and coordinating the resettlement of Autobots, Decepticons, and NAILs as Transformers continued returning to Cybertron. Ratchet repaired [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]], the spokesman of the "NAILs", when he was injured during a NAIL riot against the Autobots being in command, a conflict that ended only after Optimus Prime, having returned from the Cybertronian wilderness, agreed to go into voluntary exile. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

{{-}}

===The ''Lost Light''===

[[File:LiarsAtoD-RatchetAndBumblebee.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

After millions of years of civil war, Ratchet began to feel his age after his famous hands began to fail, a medical condition known as "[[advanced form fatigue]]." {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} After proving unable to save a [[NAIL protester]] from transforming himself to death, he confided in Bumblebee that he was worried about getting old and losing his touch as a doctor. In the hopes that he could help people and find himself a successor, he joined the crew of Rodimus's ''[[Lost Light]]'' which left Cybertron in search of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Unfortunately for him, ''Drift'' was on the crew too, having reformed and joined the Autobots. Ratchet almost immediately started to insult the ex-Decepticon to whoever would listen, {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} and imply he only had a third-in-command role because he told Rodimus what he wanted to hear. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

[[File:HangersOn-Ratchetloosensjoints.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

The ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s prototype [[Quantum generator|quantum engine]]s were designed to allow the ship to make "quantum jumps" that would carry the ship quickly through the galaxy; on launch day, however, those engines malfunctioned, and the ship disappeared in a fiery explosion. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} In reality, the quantum explosion created ''two'' copies of the ''Lost Light'': one on-course, and one off-course, with quantum duplicates of every crew member. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

The "off-course" version of Ratchet immediately had his hands full as the ship materialized on the outer rim of the galaxy: having to repair an ancient crippled [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], an armless [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (who was very impressed with Ratchet's dexterity until he saw the medic smash his own hand with a hammer to loosen some joints), [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and all the Autobots who fell out of the ship during its unfortunate launch. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

When [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] was found dead, Ratchet analyzed his body, annoyed by the others blaming the death on a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] until he concluded that they were right. Once Rodimus defeated the creature at the cost of his arms, Ratchet built him new ones. He was working on Tailgate again when the little guy suddenly revealed that he wanted to be a Decepticon. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

[[File:Ratchet life after the big bang.jpg|thumb|right|250px|{{w|Father Ted|This drink is small, but the ones out there are far away...small, far away}}]]

Having received a datalog detailing an unusual death rate among patients at [[Delphi]], Ratchet brought Drift and [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] with him to investigate and found that the facility was infected with a deadly [[Red Rust|Red Rust virus]]. While he was trying to figure out what happened by talking to the local medics, [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], [[Ambulon]], and his old friend [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], Pipes and Drift were infected. The Autobots were then attacked by two [[Genericon]]s, but saved by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}}

[[File:Pharma ratchet how ratchet got his hands back.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Don't worry, kids. He gets better.]]

Ratchet quickly figured out the properties of the virus, learning that it only activated when its host transformed; despite being infected himself, Ratchet was able to deduce that Pharma had engineered the outbreak to escape a deal he had made with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. Ratchet was able to infect Pharma with his own virus and chase him to the roof of the medical facility, whereupon Drift sliced his hands off and sent him plummeting out of sight. Ratchet used Pharma's vaccine to cure the infected Transformers and went back to the ''Lost Light'' with Drift, Pipes, the survivors of Delphi... and a new pair of hands, having replaced his worn out digits with Pharma's. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} Subsequently, he and Ambulon visited [[Swerve's]], and watched as the bar's proprietor learned the truth about Ambulon's embarrassing [[alternate mode]]. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

Ratchet was testing out equipment in the Lost Light's medical bay when he, along with nearly everyone on board of the ship were frozen in place due to one of [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'s experimental weapons accidentally going off. After he recovered, he was awarded a Rodimus Star "for exceptional endurance in the face of adversity." {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

After Fortress Maximus went on a shooting spree inside the Lost Light, Ratchet treated the victims with First Aid's help. He noticed a strange pattern between all five casualties: they shared the same colors as Overlord, which proved to be the key to deciphering Maximus's postwar trauma. {{storylink|Interiors}}

[[File:mtmte39 tarn sees drift.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Do ''not'' touch my Ratchet!" "Your Ratchet???" "Not this again."]]

Around this time, the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] arrived at the other ''Lost Light'' to kill the quantum duplicate of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] on board. When [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] saw Drift, he attempted to kill the turncoat as Drift tried to defend Ratchet. The DJD followed this up by butchering Ratchet and every other crewmember of the duplocate ship. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}} Ratchet's corpse would have its brain module put inside his mouth by [[Helex (DJD)|Helex]]. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}}

Aboard the surviving ''Lost Light,'' First Aid, Ambulon, and Ratchet were all instrumental in saving Rung's life after he was accidentally shot in the head by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} Later, Ratchet helped Ultra Magnus rid some [[Nanocon]]s inside him and attended Tailgate's Autobot Initiation Ceremony afterwards. He was among the crew members that were teleported down to [[Theophany]] by the [[Galactic Council]] to investigate [[Crystal City]], where they came across [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]]. [[Galactic Council]] forces attacked them after the Titan shot an eye blast at their ship, and Ratchet joined a team to hold them off while Rodimus attempted to free the Titan. The ''Lost Light'' crew were able to free the Titan, who teleported the crew back to their ship and quantum-jumped ''Lost Light'' to safety. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

[[File:PostHoc-metookid.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

In an attempt to jump-start Rung's brain, Ratchet agreed to tell a story about pre-war events that involved him and Orion Pax; this included the story of how he saved Drift and gave him a pep talk, something both he and Drift long thought about. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Ratchet later narrated their revelation of the Senate's plans and stated to Whirl that a reason why Megatron went bad was probably due to the triggerhappy bot's past beating on Megatron. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} As the story was having no apparent effect on Rung, Ratchet rushed it along until it came to a close, at which point an alarm began ringing and everyone moved to battle stations. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

Following a battle with a group of Decepticons on [[Temptoria]], Ratchet operated on two of the injured, [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]]. {{storylink|Before & After}}

When [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] and the ''Vis Vitalis'' paid the ''Lost Light'' a visit, Ratchet was eager to catch up with the Autobot hero; as Thunderclash's [[Vis Vitalis|ship]] was the massive life support machine responsible for keeping him alive, he had hoped to use the ''Lost Light'' to jumpstart his vessel... but was unprepared for when his second-in-command [[Paddox]] revealed himself to be a team of [[Ammonite]]s in disguise. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

[[File:TheGloaming-medibay.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

When the ''Lost Light's'' alarm system went off, Ratchet was the first to fully engage the escaped [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] in combat. He and Drift held the line for the few moments necessary for Rodimus and the others to reach the battle. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}} While Overlord was eventually ejected from the ship, he killed at least five crew members before the end. Ratchet did his best to repair those he could, but even the mighty Ultra Magnus was on the verge of death, counting down the number of days until his spark shrank away to nothing. After Drift came forward and claimed responsibility for bringing Overlord on board, he was exiled from the ''Lost Light''. As he departed, grieving Autobots threw trash at the spiritualist, knocking him down, but Ratchet stepped up and helped his friend to his feet before he left. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} He would soon realise how much he'd liked Drift now the 'bot was gone. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

After an accident with the "[[death clock]]" Ratchet ended up diagnosing Tailgate with old-age and [[cybercrosis]], laying the brutal truth out for the little 'bot. Tailgate fled his clinic in tears just as [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] walked in, ostensibly to get his arm rebuilt. Later Ratchet was present in the observation deck when the Lost Light hurtled through the space-portal that would eventually lead to [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]. He was invited by Rodimus to join the landing party on the "Miracle Moon." He became the first of the group to correctly identify their location as a reignited hot-spot, and explained to Tailgate what "constructed cold" meant in the scope of Cybertronian reproduction.

[[File:TheDividedSelf-RatchetAndPharma.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

The group was ambushed by [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] and a platoon of Depticons. Ratchet's transport sled was hit with gunfire, and as he picked himself out of the wreckage, he came face-to face with a rebuilt, chainsaw-handed [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]! {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}}

He woke up to find Pharma gloating over him in a well-stocked medical room. Pharma explained with glee how he had been rescued from [[Delphi]] by a genius friend who had given Pharma new hands. He also seemed adamant that Ratchet guess what lay in a mysterious box. When Ratchet impatiently refused to guess, Pharma showed Ratchet his ''own body in the box''. All that remained of Ratchet was a head and a spark, bolted to a table. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} Ratchet challenged Pharma to a duel, to see who was the best doctor, and the winner could have the hands. Unable to resist a decisive completion, Pharma reinstalled Ratchet in his body, initiating a race to see who could be faster in stitching together 'bots that had been ''cut in half''. But instead of a "worthless Decepticon", Pharma had [[Ambulon]] and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] taken from the Lost Light. Ratchet pleaded to stop the race, but Pharma was committed to the game. Ratchet quickly told the two medibots to re-route their nerve circuits away from their waists to minimise their pain, however Pharma mocked Ratchet, and chain sawed Ambulon in half, ''lengthways''. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

[[File:ArmTheLonely-nowmove.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Oddly, Pharma quickly vacated the medibay to leave Ratchet crouched over Ambulon's two halves. Ratchet was haunted by Pharma's claims that ''he'' could save Ambulon, when it was clear Ratchet might not be able to. Watched over by the [[Legislator]]s guarding them, Ratchet quickly went to work, refusing First Aid's assistance. This did not go down well with the former nurse, who criticized Ratchet severely for not letting him help, and quickly upped the argument to blame Ambulon's predicament upon Ratchet, his obsessions with his "stupid hands" and being the "Chief Medical Officer in Perpetuity". Ratchet finally stopped First Aid with the revelation that Ambulon had died half an hour before, then shoved First Aid out of the way to blast the Legislators with a weapon made from the remains of Ambulon's body. Ratchet promised First Aid that if they survived, he would officially hand over the CMO title to First Aid.

They caught up with Rodimus and the others, who had escaped Tyrest's prison. Ratchet had a moment with Tailgate to confirm that Tailgate's increasing paralysis was a result of his cybercrosis, and that despite the nearby medibay, the cure only lay in Pharma's head. The 'Bots teamed up to storm Tyrest's control room, unfortunately to little effect. Ratchet narrowly missed being blasted by Pharma's gun, before being felled - along with the others - by Tyrest's "Weapon of Mass Suggestion". {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} Thanks to a heroic action by Tailgate, Ratchet and the others survived to thwart the plot. Unfortunately, that still meant Ratchet had the grim task of looking through Tyrest's notes to find there ''was'' a cure for cybercrosis but Tailgate was too far gone for it to work. Cyclonus was able to use his [[Great Sword]] to keep Tailgate's spark going {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} and Ratchet was able to save him.

[[File:IntoTheAbyss-RodpodCrew.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

He took time out to quietly inform Minimus Ambus that, as their medic, he had always known about the Magnus replacements and just never told anyone: he'd seen no point. As far as he was concerned though, Ambus was the 'true' Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Eventually, Rodimus came clean and informed everyone that ''he'' was responsible for bringing Overlord onboard, and held a vote on whether he should continue as captain. Ratchet was one of those who voted against him, though ultimately Rodimus remained in command. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}

Some time after the vote, the ''Lost Light'' arrived over the remains of [[Gorlam Prime]], and wound up rescuing Orion Pax, [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], [[Garnak]], and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] from the collapsing planet's gravity well. Ratchet was pleased to be reunited with his old commander. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Learning of Shockwave's plan to end the universe, Ultra Magnus took command of the vessel while Rodimus and Orion headed into the [[Dead Universe]]; though charged with tracking down Shockwave's old teacher [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], a distress signal from [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] took precedence, and despite Ratchet's objections, the ship quantum jumped to the ocean world of [[Hydrophena]]. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} There, they encountered more [[Ammonite]]s — who had formed an alliance with Shockwave — and Ratchet was one of the Autobots who boarded the [[Rodpod]] to do battle with the swarm. Though they were able to blast their monstrous combined form apart, the Ammonites reformed and chased them through the ocean until they inadvertently stumbled across a gravely wounded Metroplex. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}}

[[File:BurningBright-she.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Though Ratchet was unsure if Metroplex was still alive, a quick scan confirmed that the Titan had seemingly survived... but that his [[brain module]] had been surgically removed and his spark was dwindling. After disembarking at a dry dock, the team embarked on a search for the Titan's brain module, a search that led them right back to where they started before an Ammonite saboteur destroyed the Rodpod. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} Shortly afterwards, the group were approached by a pair of [[Caminus|Camien]] Transformers: [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]]. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} As more Ammonites poured into Metroplex to attack, Ratchet, Brainstorm, and Magnus wound up fleeing with the Camiens into Metroplex's left shoulder, where [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] had relcoated Metroplex's brain module. Ratchet was confused by the concept of "[[female Transformer|gender]]" that the three Transformers embodied, and was irritated when Nautica mistook him for Pharma. The group was able to rouse Metroplex back to life by using the ''Lost Light'''s quantum engines to jump-start his systems, and both ship and Titan subsequently teleported back to Cybertron in time to make a stand against the [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]]. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}}

[[File:TheBecoming-MegatronAndRatchet.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Don't be so grouchy, Ratchet. [[The Pri¢e of Life!|It could be worse.]]]]

With Shockwave's plan seemingly stymied, the ''Lost Lighter''s reunited with the Autobots they'd left behind on Cybertron; Ratchet grudgingly reattached Megatron's legs, the Decepticon leader having recently formed an alliance with Bumblebee to stop Shockwave. Ratchet later worked with [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] and [[Flatline (G1)|Flatline]] to help upgrade [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] into a new body. This downtime was cut short when Shockwave returned, supported by a billions-strong swarm of Ammonites, intent on fulfilling the [[Dark Cybertron (prophecy)|"Dark Cybertron" prophecy]] by collapsing the universe. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Ratchet took part in the battle to slow down the Ammonites; {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Shockwave's plan was foiled, but not without Bumblebee seemingly perishing in the course of the battle and Megatron choosing to abandon the Decepticons and become an Autobot. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

As Cybertron struggled to rebuild from the catastrophe, Ratchet found himself part of the High Command cabal discussing Megatron's trial. He was uneasy about the idea of a military trial but it would go ahead. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} He advised that due to all the internal damage Megatron had recently suffered, it would be cruel and unusual punishment to make him take sedatives. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} Shortly after Megatron's trial was adjourned on a legal technicality, Ratchet found Rodimus had been given a list of all the Autobots who'd voted against him staying as captain. A furious Ratchet reminded him that this was an illegal act but since ''Megatron'' was now getting to be an Autobot, the medic was willing to turn a blind eye to this far less minor transgression. When Rodimus asked how he knew, Ratchet snapped "because my name's not on it". {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}}

Ultimately, Ratchet returned to duty aboard the ''Lost Light;'' as part of Megatron's plea bargain, the ex-Decepticon joined the crew of the ship as its "co-captain," and Ratchet took the chance to quietly ask him if Megs could ''really'' make black holes come out of his eyes. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} One of his tasks was to administer "Fool's Energon", a sedative designed to sap Megatron's strength. What only he, Rodimus, and Optimus knew was that there was no such thing as Fool's Energon: as Ratchet's own notes said it would be cruel punishment to deliver a real sedative, they were giving him a placebo. If Megatron ever stopped taking it, they'd know he was about to fall off the wagon. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}}

[[File:PredestinationABeginnersGuide-autopsy.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Shortly after the ''Lost Light'' departed Cybertron once more, Ratchet found himself examining a mysterious coffin that contained a duplicate of Rodimus - unaware that this was an artifact from the "other" ''Lost Light,'' coming into close contact with their ship. The coffin had [[Spectralism|spectralist]] markings on it, which Ratchet believed meant Drift might have made it. He didn't have time to work out what this meant as the ''Lost Light'' began disappearing around him {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} and left him crammed in a Rodpod with other panicked Autobots, trying to stop Tailgate from shooting Megatron on general principle. When random Autobots began mysteriously disappearing, Ratchet and Nightbeat tried to gather data on the missing Autobots and figure out why they were being abducted, but Ratchet was unable to work out anything before he himself disappeared, leaving his hands behind. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} This was due to the quantum-duplicate ''Lost Light'' being so close; after its engines were turned off, the medic returned. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

[[File:ten tentententen.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Following Brainstorm's attempts to use [[time travel]] to subvert the outcome of the Great War and his subsequent trial, Ratchet was reminded of Drift's own ignominious departure from the ''Lost Light'' and decided to step down and let First Aid have his job so he could leave the ''Lost Light'' and put things right. Rather than come out and just ''say'' goodbye to his friends, he invented a "super scraplet" outbreak that would allow him to talk to them. Under cover of medical work, he helped Nautica understand Brainstorm, got Rung to talk to [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], encouraged Skids to talk to ''Rung'', made it clear to Rodimus that Drift had been punished too harshly, and tried to help Magnus. He also discovered that Swerve's bouncer [[Ten]], a reprogrammed [[Legislator]], had developed a full-fledged personality, including an artistic persuasion that led him to carve small toys of his favorite crewmembers. Ratchet managed to arrange it so that he and Ultra Magnus — Ten's favorite Autobot — could be friends.

With all his work done, he quietly departed to search for Drift and left a communicator in case "the new Chief Medical Officer" First Aid wanted to talk to him. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}} This communicator would eventually find its way into the hands of First Aid's own successor, [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}}

{{-}}

===Drift and Ratchet===
{{quote|You know, you shouldn't live in the past. There is only the true moment in which we're currently living.}}
{{quote|You talk like that to deliberately annoy me, don't you?}}
{{quote|Pretty much.|Drift and Ratchet|[[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1]]}}

[[File:EmpireOfStone1-savinglives.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Look, come on back Drift. Rodimus has started talking to ''me'' now."]]

Ratchet finally found Drift at a [[Galactic Council]] outpost, handing over Decepticon prisoners: Drift had been fighting and capturing rogue 'cons across the outer rim, {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1}} and Ratchet was horrified to find he was letting himself stay damaged and run down. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} Since Drift was determined to find the main Decepticon force, Ratchet inserted himself into the mission. They tracked the Deceptions to a desert plan only to find themselves shot down and their prisoner [[Grit (G1)|Grit]] escaping... only to be accused of treason for being on an Autobot ship. Ratchet was forced to back up Drift when he went to Grit's defence and all three ended up prisoners of [[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]], Drift's old boss who'd co-opted an alien castle. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1}}

Ratchet was used to blackmail Drift into finding a "stone army" that Gigatron wanted. After an aborted escape attempt, the Autobots and Grit got chucked in the dungeon (and groused about how it'd been handled) and Ratchet got the truth out of Drift: in his Deadlock days, he'd been to the planet before and seen a vast, slumbering stone army. The medic came up with a plan, the truly lame one of pretending Grit had "killed" Drift so the guard would open the door. An unimpressed [[Knockout (G1)|Knockout]] turned out to be Grit's friend and let them out anyway. The Autobots began to argue after escaping as Drift wanted Ratchet to escape and he was having none of it, asking pointblank why the swordsbot was running himself down. (He didn't answer.) Ratchet and Drift found the stone army, and that it had been hidden from Gigatron by [[Hellbat (Victory)|Hellbat]]. Unfortunately Hellbat found ''them'' {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} and, planning to kill them after, gleefully revealed that he'd been using cannibalised Transformers for spare parts that could activate the army. Ratchet learned that this was necessary because Drift had ''murdered'' all the local monks on his first visit and they couldn't wake the army.

[[File:EmpireOfStone3-battle.jpg|thumb|left|250px|We can’t hold out forever, Drift, but we can give them one humongous repair bill!]]

Thanks to an attack by Grit, the Autobots escaped captivity and Ratchet took up arms. He then dropped arms to try and save Grit and Drift with a grappling hook. This was successful (Ratchet rule!) but meant the stone army was activated. While Ratchet wanted to alert Cybertron of the threat, the imminent threat of Hellbat's genocidal campaigns meant the trio had to seek Gigatron's help to stop him. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|Empire of Stone #3}} This unlikely teamup did destroy the Stone Army but, as far as Drift and Ratchet knew, left the Autobots at the only survivors.

When the medic again tried to get Drift back to the Lost Light, the swordsman said he'd spent his whole life struggling to belong to ''something'' but only ever joined as a killer, and the Hellbat affair just reiterated that he didn't want to live a life where all he could offer was death. Ratchet rephrased the offer: instead of coming back as an Autobot, he should come back as his friend. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 4|Empire of Stone #4}}

[[File:YourFierceTears-RatchetDrift.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]

After a series of adventures against minor Decepticons, Ratchet and Drift were alerted to a problem on [[Necroworld]] by [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity's]] call for help, using the space-time phone he'd left First Aid. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} The two chums landed on Necroworld, just in time to save a brutalised Ten from the Decepticon Justice Division and Deathsaurus's goons. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} The fight went quite badly but just as Ratchet said he wasn't relying on help from above, [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] arrived in a ship from above to lift them all to safety!

At an inpromptu base, they discovered that the Autobots stranded here with Megatron were victims of a mutiny on the ''Lost Light''. Ratchet also learned Velocity had been trying to contact ''First Aid'' and had heard, uh, not very nice things about him from First Aid, all of which she blurted by accident. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} Relations were furthered soured when, after patching up a badly wounded Megatron, he started to read a list of what he'd missed while doing the final touches, much to her open dismay. However, they had to focus on patients together and it was Ratchet that identified an issue she'd missed: Tailgate, who'd become a super-strong [[outlier]] after a spark surge, had affected nearby Autobots on the ''Light'' in a way similar to Ultra-Energon, meaning Tailgate could crash badly.

[[File:AtCloseOfDay-Ratchet.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

Ratchet assisted with Chromedome's attempt to hack "the Pet", the Division's beast-former sidekick that he and Drift had taken hostage. Ratchet was horrified to realise "the Pet" had been "[[domestication|domesticated]]", and enraged when Rodimus, despite his angry protests, would not stop Chromedome carrying on despite the risk to him. He urged Chromedome to stand down, in case the process killed him. This gave him a front-row seat for the discovery that the poor unfortunate was the lost [[Dominus Ambus]] and [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] killing him to save Chromedome from suffering a similar fate.

At sundown, the Decepticons attacked {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} but Velocity had hit on a plan: if someone ''else'' could get traumatised like Tailgate, they could get supercharged too! Ratchet thought little of this idea, knowing how ''badly'' they'd have to traumatise someone but Skids volunteered. As the battle raged, Ratchet fought to keep Skids stable before he could himself join the battle and leave Megatron in charge of the ward. Ratchet continued to needle the ex-Decepticon for not going out until he realised how much Megatron was genuinely afraid of how much he might cut loose. He came clean that Fool's Energon was a conjob and Megatron had ''always'' been at full strength, and had ''chosen'' not to lash out.

[[File:sleep tight, soldier.jpg|thumb||right|300px|Get up. You cannot sleep there, Drift.]]

Unfortunately, that caused Megatron to believe he could indeed go out to save a wounded Ravage and that meant when Skids came to and took himself off the slab, Ratchet was left alone, screaming for Megatron to help him get the Autobot back on the slab before he died. All Ratchet could do was be with Skids as his spark gave out. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} As Megatron singlehandedly took on the DJD, Ratchet tried to save Ravage as the Decepticon explained Megatron's plan to channel [[antimatter]] as a weapon. Before Megatron took down Tarn, however, the Autobots were interrupted when Roller and the other "[[Disappeared]]" Transformers appeared; the Necrobot had used [[time travel]] to pluck them from history and bring them to the Necroworld, and Ratchet happily embraced his old friend. When Rodimus rescued Megatron from the antimatter explosion, Ratchet offered to patch up his wounds... only for Megatron to flip the table in a moment of silent fury as Ravage succumbed to his wounds and died, only for the appearance of [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] to convince him to stand down. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

[[File:Anomie-RatchetAndDrift.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

As the other Disappeared Transformers began readjusting to their new circumstances, Ratchet — after notifying Rung of Skids' sacrifice — was part of the group that Rodimus assembled to go back to Cybertron and obtain a ship, using a jury-rigged teleporter that Brainstorm was able to cobble together. When they used the teleporter, however, they discovered that the device ''did'' teleport them to Cybertron... but to the Cybertron of a ''[[Functionist Universe|parallel universe]],'' thanks to the [[Galactic Council]] firing a [[geobomb]] at the Necroworld that wound up shunting the planet into another timeline. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}}

Trapped in this dystopian universe and taken hostage by [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] and his [[Functionary|Functionaries]], the captive Autobots were paraded through the streets of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]; a nearby statue of [[Primus]] prompted Drift to confide in Ratchet that he'd recently seen a vision that incorporated, among other things, an army of [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeaters]] and Pharma. The Functionaries were attacked by the [[Anti-Vocationist League]], who proved so incompetent that they required the assistance of the ''Lost Light''ers to rescue their rescuers. Once they'd seen off the Functionists, their leader [[Clicker]] invited the Autobots back to the city of [[Kalis|Adaptica]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} While Rodimus and the other Autobots met with their leader, the rebellious [[Nine-of-Twelve]], Ratchet and Megatron got acquainted with the foot soldiers of the AVL. Their brief respite was interrupted when the rest of the Functionist Council announced that the "Day of Revelation" had come, revealing the native [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s alternate mode as a gigantic mining drill... and also the return of [[Moonbase Two|Luna Two]], thought lost in this universe following a prior conflict. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

[[File:BadMoonRising-Ratchet.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Ratchet was immediately skeptical of Rung's "alternate mode," pointing out that he was most likely a victim of "forced [[Size changing|mass displacement]]." As Luna Two, revealed as a massive re-engineered [[harvester unit]], began laying waste to Adaptica, Ratchet joined Rodimus and some other Autobots on a mission to the core of Cybertron to rescue Rung. Ratchet's suspicions were confirmed when Rung's drill tank was revealed as a ruse; the Autobot medic was able to deactivate the internal restraints keeping Rung trapped in his alternate mode and unable to talk. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}} Once Rung had been restored to normal, he revealed to Ratchet was his ''true'' function was: the manufacture of [[photonic crystal]]s. Ratchet thus pretended to take Rung hostage in order to bluff the Functionists into letting them go, and the group escaped by teleporting directly into the [[Cog (base)|Cog]], flying the Functionist fortress over Adaptica to launch a last-ditch attack on Luna Two. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

When the Cog was subsequently shot down, Rung overrode Ratchet's concerns and used the mass displacement generator in his body to grow to colossal size, fighting the moon head-on. Faced with condemning Functionist Cybertron to death or never being able to return to their native universe, the Autobots were able to come up with a third solution to the problem: teleporting the entire moon to the hollow Necroworld. As they raced to find a working teleporter that would take them up to the moon, Rung perished and Megatron was ultimately left behind with Terminus.

[[File:ThisMachineKillsFascists-RatchetHugsRung.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

On returning to Necroworld and then teleporting back to their own universe, Ratchet took an opportunity to hug the Rung from ''his'' universe. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}

{{-}}

===Beyond the afterlife===
[[File:Sardines-terrific.jpg|thumb|right|200px|It's only a matter of time before [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] releases a toy with this deco...]]

Rodimus came up with a new plan: using mass displacement, they would enlarge the body of a [[Skip|dead Decepticon with a spaceship alternate mode]] and use it to reach the ''Lost Light'' so that Rodimus could get even with Getaway. Ratchet was one of the Autobots who accompanied him. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

After briefly stopping off at [[Troja Major]], {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} {{storylink|Chasing the Infinite}} the Autobots quickly began getting on one another's nerves amidst the cramped confines of the vessel; with tempers rising, events quickly took a strange turn when Ratchet's body began suffering from [[aggressive depigmentation]] despite him still being alive, which quickly worsened to a strange form of intangibility that led him to begin sinking through the floor. {{storylink|Sardines}} Things got even stranger when Ten displayed the power of speech and took command, ordering them all to the nearest [[Mederi]] center... only for the ship's mass displacement to wear off at that moment. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} Badly exposed to the ravages of compressed space, their mangled bodies drifted to the nearest planet... which just so happened to be the original Mederi, a euthanasia clinic that sent its patients into idyllic dreams to ease their passing. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} To the Cybertronians, this dream took the appearance of the mythical "[[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]]." Ratchet awoke, healed from his mysterious illness, and arrived where Rodimus had awoken to confirm that Ten had recently "ascended" to the full Afterspark — in reality, dying as the Mederi clinic worked its programming. Ratchet was skeptical of the reality of their situation; it took Whirl reminding him that he had been dying in the real world to temporarily shut him up. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}}

[[File:YouAreHere-tampering.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

When Rodimus announced his intention to speak to the [[Guiding Hand]], who supposedly ruled the afterlife, his request was granted; Rodimus was granted an audience with the "Guiding Hand," and selected Ultra Magnus, Drift, and Ratchet to be his counsel, representing law, faith, and science. Still skeptical, Ratchet was unfazed when the Guiding Hand turned down Rodimus's request to return to the living world. Rematerializing outside a temple, the group investigated, with Ratchet discovering a disguised "Ward Zero" filled with alien telepaths and guarded by the [[Omega Guardian]]s. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}} As Ultra Magnus dispatched the Omega Guardians, Ratchet quickly realized the truth behind Mederi; despite Drift's objections, he shattered the power system that kept the aliens alive and powering the [[holomatter]]-fuelled systems that shaped the illusions of the Afterspark. Ratchet informed the rest of the group that they had, indeed, reached the original Mederi, and, indeed, the planet where the legend of "Cyberutopia" began. The mundane truth behind their quest was soon cut short when a swarm of Sparkeaters appeared overhead - Sparkeaters that had once been the rest of the crew aboard the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

Ratchet and the group would soon learn that Getaway had found "Cyberutopia" as well before meeting a mysterious figure called the [[Adaptus|Grand Architect]] with a [[Worldsweeper]] fleet. Bargaining for his life, Getaway allowed the Architect's ally Scorponok to turn his crew into Sparkeaters as a bulwark against Rodimus's forces when they arrived. Ratchet and the others tried to find a way to protect themselves from the Sparkeaters without hurting their infected friends. They retreated back inside the Mederi center at Ward Zero to barricade themselves while Rodimus led a small crew up to the ''Lost Light'' to confront Getaway. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}} Ratchet and the other doctors searched for a cure, and the newly returned First Aid discovered the means for emitting a kinetic program code that shut down the Sparkeater virus. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}}

The ''Lost Light'' was reclaimed and everyone assembled on board, just as space itself became threadbare, sucking them into a rift to the [[Benzene Cluster. The group were surrounded by the [[Black Block Consortia]], more agents of the Grand Architect. One of their recently encountered allies was [[Nickel]], a Decepticon carrying the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]], the font of infinite knowledge from [[Ki-Aleta]]. Curiously, when the Grand Architect asked for a meeting with their key officers, the Magnificence spoke up and named Ratchet along with Rodimus, Tailgate, and Rung. Rodimus refused to leave anyone behind, though, and so the entire crew came aboard the Architect's Worldsweeper.{{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}} A deeper game was being played, for the Grand Architect had cast five copies of Cybertron from an enormous mold, crafting a celestial [[God Gun]] to defend the universe from a monstrous avatar of "[[Primus]];" in reality, the Cybertron of the [[Funcitonist Universe]], refashioned into a colossal [[robot mode]] and crossing dimensions to continue its mission of religious genocide. Megatron arrived from that universe as well through a rift in space, and tried to rescue the team by blowing out the Worldsweeper's windows. Most of the group escaped this way, but Ratchet and a few others were trapped behind. The Grand Architect then revealed himself [[Adaptus]], clad in the body of Pharma, whom he had recovered from Luna-1. The group soon learned that ''all'' of the members of the Guiding Hand had survived into the present day, and their adventures had brought them into contact with all of them: the Necrobot was [[Mortilus]], Epistemus the Magnificence, Solomus Tyrest, and Primus himself... no other than Rung. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

Ever the skeptic, Ratchet was quick to dismiss this claim, until Rung himself corroborated it, explaining to the group the circumstances behind his unlikely origins and the events that led to him recovering his memory of his old life. All of this, it transpired, had been a long game by Adaptus, but the Archietct was killed by a furious Tyrest, and in the chaos Rodimus was able to use Tyrest's teleportation function to transport Ratchet and the others back to the ''Lost Light'' on the surface of the last Cybertron to discuss their next moves. The Magnificence itself began contributing ideas, ordering Rung to use his abilities to create several [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices of Leadership]] that would annihilate the Primus-avatar from within; this was soon revealed to be the work of the malicious [[Omega Guardian]]s, who sought to return to the universe and consume everything... only to be silenced by Nickel, who crushed the artifact between her hands. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

Instead, the alliance hit upon a new plan; using Rung, they would create ''twelve'' Matrices, then fly down to the surface of Cybertron—returned to planet-mode by the arrival of [[Moonbase One|Luna-1]]—to open them above the planet's [[hot spot]]s. Rung sacrificed himself to do so, and thanks to the [[Infinite]] air support Ratchet and Drift were deployed over [[Vespertine Blue]] with Drift. As the two prepared to open the Matrix and by activating the "[[morality lock]]" each one possessed, the pair confessed that they both felt the same way about one another, and this confession seemingly allowed a triumphant Ratchet to open his Matrix, the energies combining with the other eleven to overload Vector Sigma, killing the Functionist Council and saving the universe. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

Choosing to remain on this "new Cybertron," an agreement was eventually reached with Prowl that the ''Lost Light's'' engines would be stripped from the ship and repurposed to fuel the development of the new hot spot that the Matrices had ignited on Luna-1; in the meantime, however, the crew would be allowed one last, brief "victory lap" to say their goodbyes before Megatron went away to stand trial for his crimes. Ratchet and Drift settled in for a goodbye party at Swerve's, explaining their theory that Drift's frequent visions were premonitions sent to him by the staff of Mederi. Finally, Nautica, Brainstorm, and Perceptor announced that they could attempt to recreate the accident that began their voyage: this time shunting a duplicate of the ''Lost Light'' into a parallel universe so that a version of them could continue exploring the galaxy forever. Though the crew of the ship would never know if their plan had worked, it ''had'', with a new version of the ''Lost Light'' materializing in a new universe, ready for more adventures.

In the original universe, Ratchet and Drift became [[Conjunx Endura|Conjunx Endurae]], living and loving together on New Cybertron for many years until the day that Ratchet's age finally caught up with him, manifesting as a terminal case of "age-related burnout." Despite his gruff assessment of this diagnosis, Ratchet ultimately passed away shortly afterwards. His last wishes were to have his parts sent to medical centers across Cybertron, with the [[innermost energon]] that the mourners would offer at his funeral being donated to help [[Lunarian]] resettlement efforts.

At his funeral, many former members of the ''Lost Light'' visited to pay their respects, offering their innermost energon and other mementos of their voyage. Rodimus would be the last member of the old ship to visit, placing Megatron's old [[Rodimus Star]] on his memorial above his final epitaph: "WITHOUT LOVE THERE IS NO MEANING." {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}

{{-}}

==Spotlight: Mirage==
Ratchet was with the Autobots hiding out in the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]], with most of the Autobot forces having been defeated. He tended to the seriously wounded Jetfire injuries, and suggested surrender to the Decepticons to save their fellow Autobot's life. When [[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] (disguised as Bumblebee) and the Decepticons attacked, he attempted to reason with the Decepticon mercenary about Jetfire's condition, only to be attacked for his trouble. After the Autobots surrendered, he was furious when Mirage betrayed his word and prepared to carry out Megatron's order to execute the Autobots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}

This was part of a vision Mirage was having in the main timeline. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

==The Functionist Universe==
In the [[Functionist Universe]], where the war had never broken out, the "native" version of Ratchet had remained close friends with Pharma. The two could be seen having a friendly conversation on Cybertron. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}

==Notes==
*Ratchet was one of the characters who both [[James Roberts]] and [[John Barber]] wanted for their respective books.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309188#309188 James Roberts:] As for the divvying up, we both started off with two or three characters that had been dictated – actually, that’s the wrong word – by IDW editorial, then came up with a core cast wish list. There were only a few clashes. I would have liked Prowl and Wheeljack and I think John would have liked Magnus and Ratchet. We compromised.</ref>
*James Roberts attributed Ratchet's new attitude in ''More than Meets the Eye'' almost entirely to the imminent failure of his hands.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309422#309422 James Roberts:] I know that some people think I’ve made Ratchet too crotchety, for example—although in my defense I’d argue that a lot of his grumpiness was the result of watching his hands die before his eyes</ref>
*Ratchet shows no surprise when Overlord appears on the ''Lost Light'' and turns to blind the [[Phase Sixer]] ''without actually seeing him.'' It's possible (and probable) that he saw the Decepticon in the reflection of the datapad he was holding but still...great reflexes for an old timer with replaced hands...

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Medics]]

Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2018-11-27T05:57:10Z

Djelibaebi: conjunx in summary

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[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet gets poked.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|You're going home as an ambulance!]]

Once a bright and idealistic doctor, '''Ratchet''' found this youthful optimism tempered as [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] descended into millions of years of civil war, giving rise to a brand of world-weary cynicism all his own. This cantankerous and sometimes gruff attitude is something of a façade he's deliberately cultivated to hide his natural compassion for his fellow Autobots and innocent organics, a personality trait that's come in handy more than once during his adventures on [[Earth]].

Following the end of the war, Ratchet's war-weariness led him to leave Cybertron aboard the ''[[Lost Light]],'' embarking on a series of adventures across the galaxy that saw him come to terms with his advancing age while battling [[Pharma (G1)|demons from his past]]. Despite captain [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s objective to find the mythical [[Knights of Cybertron]], Ratchet remains a staunch atheist and a firm believer in empirical science — something that irritates his friend, frequent verbal sparring partner and, later, [[Conjunx Endura|conjux]] [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] to no end.

:*''First Appearance:'' [[Infiltration issue 0|''Transformers: Infiltration'' #0]]

{{quote|Why are we '''''here''''', on this planet? We're here to '''''save lives'''''. Now okay, maybe we're talking mass numbers, a global scale of species saved, but me, I take it '''''one life at a time'''''.|Ratchet earns his permanent place on [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'s crap list|[[Infiltration issue 3|''Infiltration'' #3]]}}

==IDW Generation 1 comics==
===Joining the Autobots===
[[File:PostHoc-RatchetAndDrift.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Or you could become a Decepticon. Up to you, kid."]]

'''Ratchet of [[Vaporex]]''' {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}} was [[Reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|forged]],{{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} and due to the circumstances of his birth, he was gifted with a set of incredibly dexterous hands, possessing a naturally unique skill which made them almost hypnotic while in motion. Ratchet studied medicine at the [[Iacon (polity)|Iaconian]] [[Academy of Science and Technology]] {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} alongside [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], {{storylink|Little Victories}}, and befriended [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]. Though Ratchet eventually became the [[Senate]]'s Chief Medical Officer, he felt unsatisfied with his work; Orion encouraged him to open a free clinic without the Senate's knowledge in [[Rodion]]'s [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]], where he assisted the impoverished "[[Empty|Empties]]" who lived there.

When [[Nominus Prime]] was badly wounded in a terrorist attack, Ratchet was responsible for saving his life but was unable bring the [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] back online, leaving him to languish in a coma. Some time later, Ratchet treated a destitute junkie named [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], who had overdosed on [[circuit booster]]s. Ratchet told the homeless 'bot that he saw something special in him, a remark that both would remember. When a nearby news broadcast revealed that Nominus had recently perished, Orion — now a police officer and the 'bot responsible for bringing Drift to the clinic – trusted the medic enough to reveal that he had a [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|friend]] in the Senate who knew members of ''the Senate itself'' had done the deed; Ratchet was skeptical until the broadcast claimed that Nominus had died from a "long-standing [[rust]] infection" that he knew for a fact the Prime didn't have. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

[[File:AnIntimateBeheading-missionimpossible.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Matrix Impossible]]

Investigating further, Orion uncovered a Senate plot to plant a bomb in Nominus's body and blame it on the new [[Decepticon]] movement, and so Ratchet joined him in putting a stop to it. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} Ratchet joined Orion, [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]], and a crew of [[Outlier]]s on a mission to the [[Primal Basilica]], using his precise fingers to pick the locks holding the bomb in place. Though one close call nearly led to Ratchet dropping the bomb, the team was successful in their mission. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} Pax and his allies were now fugitives for crossing the Senate and they were forced to go on the run, leaving Ratchet behind to look after his patients. Ratchet's inability to say goodbye to his friends meant that he never properly bid Roller farewell; when Roller seemingly vanished from history some time later, Ratchet's failure would haunt him for many years. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}} Ratchet would go on to work for Nominus's successor, [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

As the Decepticon movement evolved from a political philosophy into a full-blown insurgency, Ratchet served with the Security Forces stationed in [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] and was present at the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} When [[Zeta Prime]] took command following Sentinel's defeat at the hands of [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], Ratchet became his Chief Medical Officer {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} and left Rodion, taking a staff position at [[Ultirex]]'s prestigious [[technoversity]]. There, he befriended [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]], a brilliant graduate student whose airborne [[alternate mode]] made it difficult for him to find scientific work under the tenets of [[Functionism]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

Shortly after Zeta Prime ascended to Primehood, Ratchet was kidnapped by the Decepticons and held at the [[Rust Sea#IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rust Spot]] as a ploy to capture [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] during a hostage exchange. Fortunately the hostage exchanger was Orion Pax, who managed to save both Ratchet and Trion. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen-Ratchet.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Pax...are *we* the baddies?"]]

Following the death of a [[Hefter|Decepticon sympathizer]] in police custody, Orion took Hefter's body to Ultirex for Ratchet to examine; Ratchet correctly deduced that Hefter's injuries didn't match the official report of his death. The news that an ''Autobot'' cop was investigating the murder prompted Jetfire — a believer in the Decepticon cause — to attack Prime, much to Ratchet's horror. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

Ratchet participated in Orion Pax's uprising against an increasingly corrupt Zeta Prime, and would have repaired Orion after the battle if not for a sudden betrayal by their Decepticon allies. {{storylink|Overthrown}} He was still working in Ultirex when Orion Pax, now Optimus Prime, broadcast a rallying call for support against [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s dictatorship. {{storylink|Broadcast}}

As the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] between the Autobots and Decepticons began in earnest, Ratchet would distinguish himself as the only Autobot who had personally saved the life of every [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] since Nominus. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Early in the war, Ratchet repaired Optimus Prime after his first confrontation with Megatron at [[Sherma Bridge]], a duel which left Prime in so many pieces it took Ratchet over two months to find and put them all back together. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}}

[[File:Underworld-Ratchetvehiclemode.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Sippin' KRUNK.]]

Optimus Prime sent a team of scientists including Ratchet to the remains of the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]] to search for traces of energon. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} Indeed, they did find some in the form of a pool in the caverns beneath the crater, but when an earthquake sent Ratchet falling into the liquid, he went berserk and started attacking his comrades. He quickly regained his composure, but before they could study why the energon had turned him into a mindless beast, the scientists were attacked by monsters living in the caves. As they fled, Ratchet used his [[alternate mode]] to bust into another cavern, where the team found a [[Trypticon (G1)|gigantic sleeping dragon]]. {{storylink|Underworld (IDW)|Underworld}} They reported their findings to Optimus Prime, who told them to find a way to neutralize the creature so the Autobots could make use of the energon, {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}} Ratchet then fought against Trypticon's minions during the monster's rampage across Cybertron. {{storylink|Annihilation}}

Ratchet played a role in curing the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]] of the effects of the same corrupted energon, {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} and shortly afterwards patched [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] up during a Decepticon assault on Iacon. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

Ratchet was later transferred to the [[Deltaran Medical Facility]] and became friends with fellow Autobot medic [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} The two of them accompanied the team who apprehended [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] for brutalizing the cadets under his command to the point of death. Of those cadets, he and Pharma were only able to save [[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]]. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 4}} As the war went on, the young Drift, whom he'd once helped, went on to become ""Deadlock," one of the most brutal Decepticon warriors. This long rankled the medic. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}}

[[File:Pharma ratchet steps shall always rhyme.jpg|thumb|left|250px|He's [[Ratbat (SG)|Batbot]].]]

When [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] died under unspecified circumstances, Ratchet became one of the few Autobots who was privy to [[Solomus|Chief Justice Tyrest]]'s project to keep the legend of the "immortal lawman" alive using the [[Magnus Armor]]. Indeed, Ratchet was the only Autobot who knew ''every'' wearer of the Magnus Armor, right back to the original. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} In the 19th century, Ratchet was stationed aboard the Autobot command vessel, and helped repair the armor after the passing of [[Convoy (G1)|its most recent bearer]]. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}}

In the early 2000s, [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] ordered Ratchet to join his covert team on [[Earth]]. Rather than properly say goodbye to Pharma, Ratchet just left when his back was turned. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

{{-}}

===Adventures on Earth===
[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Watch, my headgear will flip colours as you scroll down.]]

Now a part of Prowl's unit, Ratchet and the other Autobots under his command arrived aboard the ''[[Ark-19]]'' and spent the next few years fighting the Decepticon [[infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] that had landed on Earth. Although loyal to the Autobot cause, Ratchet's conscience frequently got the better of him; in [[2006]], he intercepted a Decepticon pulsewave ordering the elimination of [[Stoker|a human being]]. While he was too late to save that human, Ratchet was able to outmaneuver the [[Battlecharger]]s {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}} and encountered two other humans—[[Verity Carlo]] and [[Hunter O'Nion]]—who had stumbled upon the Decepticon plot. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0|Infiltration #0}} Evading [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]], Ratchet took shelter in a nearby garage owned by Verity's friend [[Jimmy Pink]]; when [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] attacked, Ratchet was able to outthink the pair in a high-speed chase and ferried the humans to safety... while also earning the ire of Prowl when Autobot reinforcements arrived to bail him out. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}}

[[File:Infiltration3 VeritySURPRISE.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Ratchet's holo-matter avatar has no mouth, and he must snark.]]

Though Ratchet attempted to explain his side of the story, having learned that the Decepticons had prematurely engaged siege mode in a new, above-ground fortress, he was seemingly alone in his convictions until [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] agreed to help him and the humans investigate the abandoned Decepticon base in [[Nebraska]]. [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] arrived while the humans were reconnoitering and began an aerial bombardment of the bunker, intending to destroy it. Bumblebee and Ratchet engaged the Decepticons in order to buy the humans time to escape the collapsing bunker. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}}

The Autobots and humans were leaving the Decepticons to finish their work when an enraged Megatron burst from the buried ruins of the bunker. Thankfully for them, Megatron was more concerned with the treachery brewing within his own ranks, allowing Ratchet and the others to escape with their lives. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} Unwilling to risk their safety further, Ratchet subsequently returned the humans to the ''Ark-19'', where they met the newly arrived Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} With Prime hoping to get the humans out of the line of fire when the war for Earth inevitably escalated, Ratchet said his farewells to the humans and let [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] and [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] take them home, unaware that the Autobots on Earth had been found out by the villainous human organization known as the [[Machination]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

[[File:RatchetandMarvel-ManandMachine2.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

With the humans out of harm's way for the time being, Ratchet went with the other Autobots to investigate Decepticon activity in the country of [[Latveria]], where they discovered a heavily shielded "array" that the Decepticons were using as a base. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One}} They wound up skirmishing with the [[Avengers]], who were under the influence of the Decepticons' mind-altering [[Psycho-Prism]], and Ratchet wound up subduing [[Ms. Marvel]] with his driver-side airbag. After throwing off Ms. Marvel, Ratchet was able to attach an inhibitor device to [[Captain America]], which nullified the effects of the Psycho-Prism, and gave Captain America enough devices for everyone on his team. Now calmed down, the two groups teamed up to destroy the Psycho-Prism, attacking the array's defenses and provoking a Decepticon retaliation. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}}

During the fight, [[Luke Cage]] and Ratchet discovered a weak spot in the array's defenses and went in. Prowl followed to make sure Ratchet didn't put human interests ahead of Autobot interests; learning that [[Spider-Man]] was held captive inside, so Prowl gave in and let Ratchet and Luke Cage attempt a rescue. The two were surprised by a powered-up Megatron, who blasted Ratchet and took Luke Cage hostage. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} Ratchet awoke next to Prowl to find Spider-Man had been freed by [[Doctor Doom]]. Prowl and Ratchet decided to use the Decepticons' [[mirror response mode]] equipment to boost their power with Spider-Man's superhuman abilities before [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]] arrived with Jazz and Bumblebee and suggested they use his abilities instead. They did, then [[orbital jump|orbital bounced]] with Spider-Man back to the battle outside, where their added strength helped defeat Megatron. Wolverine, Jazz, and Bumblebee stayed to destroy the Psycho-Prism. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}

[[File:Escalation2-autopsy.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Ratchet's foray into the world of [[IP infringing item|third-party Transformers]] was short-lived.]]

When Sunstreaker was apparently destroyed, {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} Ratchet inspected the wreckage and concluded that the body was a fake — Hunter and Sunstreaker had been kidnapped, with their abductors leaving a decoy in their place. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} Realizing that Prowl would likely ignore him, Ratchet and the humans set out to solve the mystery themselves. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} While Optimus and the other Autobots went to [[Brasnya]], Ratchet briefly took a call from [[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sideswipe]], who was stuck guarding [[Thunderhead Pass]] on Cybertron. The resentful Autobot prompted Ratchet to realize that he may have already doomed Hunter and Sunstreaker through his inaction; {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron}} Joined by Ironhide, the group went against orders and left the base to find more clues about the kidnappers. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}}

Their search brought them to [[Indiana]], where they discovered a Machination outpost disguised as an [[Idea & Design Works Custom Wheels|automobile shop]]. When the humans inadvertently triggered a trap, {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} When the humans set off a trap, the Autobots saved them, though Ironhide was critically injured and Ratchet was forced to abandon him to bring the humans to safety. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[File:Sixshot-devastation3a.jpg|thumb|right|250px|I have no idea where that pot came from! I SWEAR!]]

When the Autobots decided to relocate the ''Ark-19'' to avoid the Machination, they were attacked by [[Sixshot]], who downed the ship in mid-flight. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} Ratchet was ordered to take Verity and Jimmy into an escape pod while the rest of the crew piloted the ship into the ocean. {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}}

Sixshot soon found Ratchet and pursued him relentlessly. Ratchet used the distraction provided by some human jet fighters to escape, hiding among an ambulance pool in [[Pensacola]], Florida. Sixshot soon flushed him out, however, and pursued him out of town, forcing Ratchet to abandon Verity and Jimmy for their own safety. When cornered at the water's edge, Ratchet prepared to make a last stand, but was saved by the timely arrival of the other Autobots. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} The humans made their way back to the Autobots to warn them about an air attack by the military, and Ratchet took them with him on an orbital bounce to the ''[[Ark-32]]''. Unfortunately, this killed Verity and Jimmy. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}}

[[File:Devastation5 Ratchet Jazz.jpg|thumb|left|250px|thumb|CLEAR!]]

A guilt-stricken Ratchet managed to restart their hearts after more than five minutes, and contrary to his fears that they might have suffered brain damage, the two humans survived with no immediate effects. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} Ultimately, the humans were able to reunite with Hunter, who in the interim had been experimented on by the Machination, turning him into a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[Binary bonding|binary-bonded]] to Sunstreaker. Ratchet took charge of the two guinea pigs and was able to undo some of the Machination's handiwork; though Ratchet was able to minimize the mental link between Sunstreaker and Hunter and rebuild the Autobot into a new body, he was afraid to remove Hunter's cybernetic implants as he claimed that Sunstreaker's spark still sustained him. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}

Ratchet was eventually able to successfully sever this mental link entirely, but the process left deep wounds in Sunstreaker's psyche. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 14|Replay}} Returning to Earth, Ratchet dropped Hunter back at his sister's house; still unable to say goodbye, he brusquely told Hunter that he wouldn't keep him and drove off. Unknown to Ratchet, Hunter would be abducted by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] minutes later to access the cyborg technology that Ratchet had been unable to remove, a kidnapping that would ultimately prove fatal for the human. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

[[File:AllHailMegatron7-wefell.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

A year later, Ratchet and a number of other Autobots were led by Optimus Prime in an attempt to rid Earth of the Decepticons once and for all. Unfortunately, they fell right into a trap, and Ratchet was injured by a shot to the chest. The Autobots were then thrown into a [[space bridge]] leading to the ruins of Cybertron, where the Decepticons hoped the "[[Insecticon swarm|swarm]]" would eat them. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Whilst hiding from the swarm, Ratchet tended to the critically-damaged Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} After listening to [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]'s tale about how the ''[[Trion]]'' and its crew had crashed on the planet as well, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} Ratchet mingled with him and [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

Ratchet later checked up on Sunstreaker, telling him that his separation from Hunter had been a complete success, although the human would never be "fully human" again. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 14|Replay}} Their base soon came under attack from the swarm, however, so the other Autobots formed a perimeter around Ratchet and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] as they fled elsewhere. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}

[[File:Ratchetclownwithagun-All Hail Megatron 9.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

At their new base, Ratchet managed to use a [[CR chamber]] to heal his damaged comrades, although he reported to [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]] that the chamber could do nothing to improve their declining morale. In addition, he and Wheeljack were still having trouble repairing Optimus Prime, and Ratchet cursed that [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] had turned into just another "clown with a gun". Thankfully, they eventually came through and brought Prime back from the brink of death. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}}

Ratchet and the others finally managed to get off Cybertron thanks to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], and returned to Earth to continue their fight against the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} He survived the battle in [[New York City]], and cheered with his comrades as the Decepticons fled the planet. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}} Earth was left in a devastated state due to the Decepticon invasion, with Transformer stragglers hunted by militaries across the globe. Ratchet was part of the rescue party that saved Bumblebee from a military attack after the yellow guy abandoned his cover to save some refugees. After repairing Bumblebee, Ratchet told the mini-bot that they found him by monitoring human radio signals. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 16|Hidden}}

At some point, Ratchet had become a fan of "[[Fisitron (G1)|Fisitron]]'s" ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogues, following the adventures of the [[Wrecker]]s. Several years after Megatron's defeat, "Fisitron" (real name Ironfist) died from a severe gunshot. Ratchet would often think afterwards that he could have saved Ironfist's life. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

[[File:RatchetFigueroadesign-For all Mankind.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]

With Transformers now a known threat to humanity, both Autobots and Decepticons were targeted by the anti-Transformer organization [[Skywatch]], forcing the Autobots underground as humanity rebuilt; with Prime's contingent of Autobots stranded on Earth, the planet became the ''de facto'' meeting point for all the Autobots who had survived the [[Surge (event)|Surge]] across the galaxy. {{storylink|Ride-Along}} Not all Autobots were content with the virtually directionless existence Optimus Prime had led them into; Ratchet was present when [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]] demanded Prime allow him to stage a rescue operation to recover Prowl after he was captured... and afterwards, when Ironhide came back from the mission as a corpse. He witnessed Optimus Prime abdicate his role as leader, and leave the Autobots to surrender to Skywatch. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}}

In the aftermath of Prime's decision, and the subsequent departure of a splinter faction under Hot Rod's command, Ratchet and the others were left in a state of shock. With the war effectively over and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] missing, the line of succession was no longer clear. The Autobots decided to hold an election to see who their new leader would be. No one was more surprised than Bumblebee when ''he'' turned out to be the new chosen leader; Ratchet quickly stepped up as Bumblebee's second-in-comnmand, helping shepherd him into his new role. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Bumblebee's authority was challenged almost immediately by the arrival of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but Ratchet did his best to support 'Bee before Magnus took off on a mission of his own. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}

[[File:RatchetHoundBlasterbadges-Hanging Sword.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.0]]
Ratchet had his work cut out for him, though. Not only was [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] undermining Bumblebee's authority from the start, Bumblebee himself just couldn't adjust to the role quickly enough. Still, he supported Bumblebee's decision to form a clandestine alliance with Skywatch through Colonel [[Gordon Horiuchi]], who was acting outside his mandate in the hopes of using the Autobots to stop [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] and the other Decepticons who were still running loose on Earth.

Working in secret with Horiuchi, the Autobots hoped to prove their value and good intentions to Skywatch's higher ups by racking up an impressive number of Decepticon captures. They even began wearing specially-designed Skywatch insignia badges for communication and to mask their activities from Skywatch operatives who weren't "in the loop". After five successful bag-and-tags, however, Horiuchi threw them the first curveball. The Autobots' next target was Blurr, one of their own who had left after Ultra Magnus's arrival. As Ratchet and the others refused to hunt one of their own, Horiuchi demonstrated a hidden feature of the badges — the ability to forcibly revert the Autobots to [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] at his command. {{storylink|The Hanging Sword}}

Left with no choice, Ratchet and Bumblebee led the Autobots in capturing Blurr. The whole situation was a fiasco, however, and Blurr even fired on Bumblebee during the encounter, damaging his badge. Bumblebee found the courage to defy Horiuchi and refused to turn over Blurr to Skywatch later that day. The colonel tried to mode-lock Bumblebee for his insubordination, but the shot to Bumblebee's badge had rendered it useless. Quick on the uptake, Ratchet whispered to Bumblebee to fake it so Horiuchi didn't realize he'd lost his edge over the Autobot leader.

[[File:Ratchetdontknowaboutbadges-Gift Horse.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

At Ratchet's prompting, the Autobots pretended the damaged badge had left Bumblebee trapped in vehicle mode permanently, despite Horiuchi's attempts to reverse the mode-lock. With Blurr's help, they recovered another Volkswagen Beetle to use as a ringer, allowing Bumblebee to leave the base and seek a solution for their predicament. Because Skywatch was constantly monitoring their vocal output using the badges, Ratchet and the others couldn't even speak a word of encouragement to 'Bee as he set off on his mission. {{storylink|The Impossible Knot}}

With Bumblebee on the loose, Ratchet continued the ruse of pretending to cooperate with Colonel Horiuchi and his staff, showing them the malfunctioning "Bumblebee" for examination. Meanwhile, he and Wheeljack kept in touch with the real Bumblebee using a text-only comm signal that wouldn't show up on Skywatch's monitoring. Ratchet was named acting leader of the Autobots while "Bumblebee" was off-line, as he and Wheeljack secretly led the real Bumblebee to [[Sanjay Bharwaney]], creator of the badges' control board. Bumblebee needed access to the board's schematics in order to free his friends, but had to manipulate [[Serena Bharwaney|Bharwaney's young daughter]] into helping him. Ratchet had to comfort Bumblebee through "using" the girl for his own purposes. {{storylink|The Gift Horse}}

Unfortunately, the rogue Decepticon Skywarp had also learned of the board, and was coming to Bharwaney's to steal it. Ratchet and the other Autobots were forced to blow their cover to rush to Bumblebee's aid. They were too late, however, and Bumblebee was forced to set off an EMP, knocking him and Skywarp off-line while disabling the control board and the badges as well. As Ratchet brought Bumblebee in for repairs, he reluctantly agreed to upgrade his new commander into a more powerful, combat-ready body to suit his new duties and role as a leader. {{storylink|Wings of Wax}}

Soon, Ultra Magnus returned from his scouting mission to challenge Bumblebee's authority again, gathering Ratchet and several other Autobots in the name of the [[Tyrest Accord]] to arrest Hot Rod for colluding with the enemy. Hot Rod's mistake became clear when his "ally", [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], activated a new Decepticon [[combiner]] and unleashed it on the Autobots. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}} After several Autobots were damaged fighting [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], Ratchet began patching them up as best he could, with the help of Skywatch personnel. He barely finished working on Ultra Magnus before the enforcer stomped off to search for [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}} Following this, the Autobots entered a formal alliance with Skywatch. {{storylink|All His Engines}}

[[File:Ratchet fixes Cliffjumper-The Land Ironclads.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Vhen ze patient woke up, his skeleton was missing, and ze doctor vas never heard from again!"]]

Ratchet was part of an Autobot-Skywatch team sent to [[Las Vegas]] once [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] showed up with an army of [[zombie]]s in tow. They fought with him until he managed to calm them down and explain that they needed to combine their strength in order to destroy the zombie plague. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|The Transformers: Infestation #1}} Together with Galvatron and his minions, the Autobots banished the undead hordes and their leader, [[Britt]], to the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|The Transformers: Infestation #2}}

Ratchet was helping a human technician repair [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] when [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Spike Witwicky]] showed up and asked for the Autobots' help with defeating the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] in [[North Korea]]. They accepted, but due to pressure from the [[President of the United States]], they were going to have to do it in disguise. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}} Their initial clash with the Combaticons ended in failure, and Ratchet ended up having to repair [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] and [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}}

[[File:Ratchet clips wings-Hawk Among the Sparrows.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0]]

He took to the front lines in their next attack, during which he attempted to saw off [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]'s rotor blades. {{storylink|International Incident Part 3: "Hawk Among the Sparrows"|Hawk Among the Sparrows}} The Combaticons were ultimately defeated, but the Autobots' cover had been blown in the process. Sitting over an unconscious Vortex, Ratchet wondered aloud what would happen to the Autobots now that their alliance with Skywatch was public knowledge. {{storylink|International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"|All My Sins Remembered}}

On the way back from Korea, the plane carrying the Autobots was shot down over the ocean by a returning Megatron. The occupants survived, however, and made it ashore. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} They rolled out to confront the Decepticon leader near [[Albuquerque]], but Optimus Prime ordered Ratchet and the others to stay back while he went ahead alone to confirm what was going on. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} Most of the Autobots remaining in America had been injured by Megatron, or in Bumblebee's case, rioting humans who still mistrusted the Transformers, and so Ratchet had his hands full repairing them all. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}

After some six weeks of repairs, Ratchet managed to get Bumblebee back on his feet, though owing to the scarcity of spare parts the yellow Autobot was left weakened and relying on a cane. That same day, the Autobots learned that Cybertron had been restored to a habitable state, only to have fallen under Galvatron's control. They wasted no time in boarding Omega Supreme's rocket mode, leaving Earth to liberate their home. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}}

[[File:Ratchetcouldveanswered-chaos theory 2.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

During the trip, Ratchet aided Perceptor in searching the captured Megatron's body for hidden weapons. He was annoyed by those pesky "laws" that prevented them from just executing their prisoner and also feared his purported ability to syphon [[antimatter]] from [[black hole]]s, but Perceptor dismissed that myth. Later, Ratchet and Wheeljack bet over whether or not Optimus Prime would let them overhear his questioning of Megatron. He wouldn't, and Ratchet walked away 50 [[Shanix]] richer. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} Believing that the Matrix might cloud his judgement regarding how to punish Megatron, Optimus temporarily left Ratchet in charge of the relic. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory #2}}

After arriving on Cybertron, Ratchet participated in the battle against Galvatron's [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]] army. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} Then Megatron broke loose and summoned his Decepticons, and the Autobots had to fight ''them'' as well. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} The battle — and, by extension, the Great War itself — ended with Cybertron restored to a living, "primordial" state. All across the galaxy, thousands of [[NAIL|neutral Transformers]] began returning home, drawn to the planet by a signal emitted by Cybertron. With Optimus Prime missing in action after his defeat of Galvatron, the Autobots spent the next few weeks working with [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]], the spokesman of the "NAILs", and coordinating the resettlement of Autobots, Decepticons, and NAILs as Transformers continued returning to Cybertron. Ratchet repaired [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]], the spokesman of the "NAILs", when he was injured during a NAIL riot against the Autobots being in command, a conflict that ended only after Optimus Prime, having returned from the Cybertronian wilderness, agreed to go into voluntary exile. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

{{-}}

===The ''Lost Light''===

[[File:LiarsAtoD-RatchetAndBumblebee.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

After millions of years of civil war, Ratchet began to feel his age after his famous hands began to fail, a medical condition known as "[[advanced form fatigue]]." {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} After proving unable to save a [[NAIL protester]] from transforming himself to death, he confided in Bumblebee that he was worried about getting old and losing his touch as a doctor. In the hopes that he could help people and find himself a successor, he joined the crew of Rodimus's ''[[Lost Light]]'' which left Cybertron in search of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Unfortunately for him, ''Drift'' was on the crew too, having reformed and joined the Autobots. Ratchet almost immediately started to insult the ex-Decepticon to whoever would listen, {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} and imply he only had a third-in-command role because he told Rodimus what he wanted to hear. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

[[File:HangersOn-Ratchetloosensjoints.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

The ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s prototype [[Quantum generator|quantum engine]]s were designed to allow the ship to make "quantum jumps" that would carry the ship quickly through the galaxy; on launch day, however, those engines malfunctioned, and the ship disappeared in a fiery explosion. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} In reality, the quantum explosion created ''two'' copies of the ''Lost Light'': one on-course, and one off-course, with quantum duplicates of every crew member. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

The "off-course" version of Ratchet immediately had his hands full as the ship materialized on the outer rim of the galaxy: having to repair an ancient crippled [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], an armless [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (who was very impressed with Ratchet's dexterity until he saw the medic smash his own hand with a hammer to loosen some joints), [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and all the Autobots who fell out of the ship during its unfortunate launch. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

When [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] was found dead, Ratchet analyzed his body, annoyed by the others blaming the death on a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] until he concluded that they were right. Once Rodimus defeated the creature at the cost of his arms, Ratchet built him new ones. He was working on Tailgate again when the little guy suddenly revealed that he wanted to be a Decepticon. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

[[File:Ratchet life after the big bang.jpg|thumb|right|250px|{{w|Father Ted|This drink is small, but the ones out there are far away...small, far away}}]]

Having received a datalog detailing an unusual death rate among patients at [[Delphi]], Ratchet brought Drift and [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] with him to investigate and found that the facility was infected with a deadly [[Red Rust|Red Rust virus]]. While he was trying to figure out what happened by talking to the local medics, [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], [[Ambulon]], and his old friend [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], Pipes and Drift were infected. The Autobots were then attacked by two [[Genericon]]s, but saved by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}}

[[File:Pharma ratchet how ratchet got his hands back.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Don't worry, kids. He gets better.]]

Ratchet quickly figured out the properties of the virus, learning that it only activated when its host transformed; despite being infected himself, Ratchet was able to deduce that Pharma had engineered the outbreak to escape a deal he had made with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. Ratchet was able to infect Pharma with his own virus and chase him to the roof of the medical facility, whereupon Drift sliced his hands off and sent him plummeting out of sight. Ratchet used Pharma's vaccine to cure the infected Transformers and went back to the ''Lost Light'' with Drift, Pipes, the survivors of Delphi... and a new pair of hands, having replaced his worn out digits with Pharma's. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} Subsequently, he and Ambulon visited [[Swerve's]], and watched as the bar's proprietor learned the truth about Ambulon's embarrassing [[alternate mode]]. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

Ratchet was testing out equipment in the Lost Light's medical bay when he, along with nearly everyone on board of the ship were frozen in place due to one of [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'s experimental weapons accidentally going off. After he recovered, he was awarded a Rodimus Star "for exceptional endurance in the face of adversity." {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

After Fortress Maximus went on a shooting spree inside the Lost Light, Ratchet treated the victims with First Aid's help. He noticed a strange pattern between all five casualties: they shared the same colors as Overlord, which proved to be the key to deciphering Maximus's postwar trauma. {{storylink|Interiors}}

[[File:mtmte39 tarn sees drift.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Do ''not'' touch my Ratchet!" "Your Ratchet???" "Not this again."]]

Around this time, the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] arrived at the other ''Lost Light'' to kill the quantum duplicate of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] on board. When [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] saw Drift, he attempted to kill the turncoat as Drift tried to defend Ratchet. The DJD followed this up by butchering Ratchet and every other crewmember of the duplocate ship. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}} Ratchet's corpse would have its brain module put inside his mouth by [[Helex (DJD)|Helex]]. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}}

Aboard the surviving ''Lost Light,'' First Aid, Ambulon, and Ratchet were all instrumental in saving Rung's life after he was accidentally shot in the head by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} Later, Ratchet helped Ultra Magnus rid some [[Nanocon]]s inside him and attended Tailgate's Autobot Initiation Ceremony afterwards. He was among the crew members that were teleported down to [[Theophany]] by the [[Galactic Council]] to investigate [[Crystal City]], where they came across [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]]. [[Galactic Council]] forces attacked them after the Titan shot an eye blast at their ship, and Ratchet joined a team to hold them off while Rodimus attempted to free the Titan. The ''Lost Light'' crew were able to free the Titan, who teleported the crew back to their ship and quantum-jumped ''Lost Light'' to safety. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

[[File:PostHoc-metookid.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

In an attempt to jump-start Rung's brain, Ratchet agreed to tell a story about pre-war events that involved him and Orion Pax; this included the story of how he saved Drift and gave him a pep talk, something both he and Drift long thought about. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Ratchet later narrated their revelation of the Senate's plans and stated to Whirl that a reason why Megatron went bad was probably due to the triggerhappy bot's past beating on Megatron. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} As the story was having no apparent effect on Rung, Ratchet rushed it along until it came to a close, at which point an alarm began ringing and everyone moved to battle stations. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

Following a battle with a group of Decepticons on [[Temptoria]], Ratchet operated on two of the injured, [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]]. {{storylink|Before & After}}

When [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] and the ''Vis Vitalis'' paid the ''Lost Light'' a visit, Ratchet was eager to catch up with the Autobot hero; as Thunderclash's [[Vis Vitalis|ship]] was the massive life support machine responsible for keeping him alive, he had hoped to use the ''Lost Light'' to jumpstart his vessel... but was unprepared for when his second-in-command [[Paddox]] revealed himself to be a team of [[Ammonite]]s in disguise. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

[[File:TheGloaming-medibay.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

When the ''Lost Light's'' alarm system went off, Ratchet was the first to fully engage the escaped [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] in combat. He and Drift held the line for the few moments necessary for Rodimus and the others to reach the battle. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}} While Overlord was eventually ejected from the ship, he killed at least five crew members before the end. Ratchet did his best to repair those he could, but even the mighty Ultra Magnus was on the verge of death, counting down the number of days until his spark shrank away to nothing. After Drift came forward and claimed responsibility for bringing Overlord on board, he was exiled from the ''Lost Light''. As he departed, grieving Autobots threw trash at the spiritualist, knocking him down, but Ratchet stepped up and helped his friend to his feet before he left. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} He would soon realise how much he'd liked Drift now the 'bot was gone. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

After an accident with the "[[death clock]]" Ratchet ended up diagnosing Tailgate with old-age and [[cybercrosis]], laying the brutal truth out for the little 'bot. Tailgate fled his clinic in tears just as [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] walked in, ostensibly to get his arm rebuilt. Later Ratchet was present in the observation deck when the Lost Light hurtled through the space-portal that would eventually lead to [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]. He was invited by Rodimus to join the landing party on the "Miracle Moon." He became the first of the group to correctly identify their location as a reignited hot-spot, and explained to Tailgate what "constructed cold" meant in the scope of Cybertronian reproduction.

[[File:TheDividedSelf-RatchetAndPharma.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

The group was ambushed by [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] and a platoon of Depticons. Ratchet's transport sled was hit with gunfire, and as he picked himself out of the wreckage, he came face-to face with a rebuilt, chainsaw-handed [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]! {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}}

He woke up to find Pharma gloating over him in a well-stocked medical room. Pharma explained with glee how he had been rescued from [[Delphi]] by a genius friend who had given Pharma new hands. He also seemed adamant that Ratchet guess what lay in a mysterious box. When Ratchet impatiently refused to guess, Pharma showed Ratchet his ''own body in the box''. All that remained of Ratchet was a head and a spark, bolted to a table. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} Ratchet challenged Pharma to a duel, to see who was the best doctor, and the winner could have the hands. Unable to resist a decisive completion, Pharma reinstalled Ratchet in his body, initiating a race to see who could be faster in stitching together 'bots that had been ''cut in half''. But instead of a "worthless Decepticon", Pharma had [[Ambulon]] and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] taken from the Lost Light. Ratchet pleaded to stop the race, but Pharma was committed to the game. Ratchet quickly told the two medibots to re-route their nerve circuits away from their waists to minimise their pain, however Pharma mocked Ratchet, and chain sawed Ambulon in half, ''lengthways''. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

[[File:ArmTheLonely-nowmove.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Oddly, Pharma quickly vacated the medibay to leave Ratchet crouched over Ambulon's two halves. Ratchet was haunted by Pharma's claims that ''he'' could save Ambulon, when it was clear Ratchet might not be able to. Watched over by the [[Legislator]]s guarding them, Ratchet quickly went to work, refusing First Aid's assistance. This did not go down well with the former nurse, who criticized Ratchet severely for not letting him help, and quickly upped the argument to blame Ambulon's predicament upon Ratchet, his obsessions with his "stupid hands" and being the "Chief Medical Officer in Perpetuity". Ratchet finally stopped First Aid with the revelation that Ambulon had died half an hour before, then shoved First Aid out of the way to blast the Legislators with a weapon made from the remains of Ambulon's body. Ratchet promised First Aid that if they survived, he would officially hand over the CMO title to First Aid.

They caught up with Rodimus and the others, who had escaped Tyrest's prison. Ratchet had a moment with Tailgate to confirm that Tailgate's increasing paralysis was a result of his cybercrosis, and that despite the nearby medibay, the cure only lay in Pharma's head. The 'Bots teamed up to storm Tyrest's control room, unfortunately to little effect. Ratchet narrowly missed being blasted by Pharma's gun, before being felled - along with the others - by Tyrest's "Weapon of Mass Suggestion". {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} Thanks to a heroic action by Tailgate, Ratchet and the others survived to thwart the plot. Unfortunately, that still meant Ratchet had the grim task of looking through Tyrest's notes to find there ''was'' a cure for cybercrosis but Tailgate was too far gone for it to work. Cyclonus was able to use his [[Great Sword]] to keep Tailgate's spark going {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} and Ratchet was able to save him.

[[File:IntoTheAbyss-RodpodCrew.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

He took time out to quietly inform Minimus Ambus that, as their medic, he had always known about the Magnus replacements and just never told anyone: he'd seen no point. As far as he was concerned though, Ambus was the 'true' Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Eventually, Rodimus came clean and informed everyone that ''he'' was responsible for bringing Overlord onboard, and held a vote on whether he should continue as captain. Ratchet was one of those who voted against him, though ultimately Rodimus remained in command. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}

Some time after the vote, the ''Lost Light'' arrived over the remains of [[Gorlam Prime]], and wound up rescuing Orion Pax, [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], [[Garnak]], and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] from the collapsing planet's gravity well. Ratchet was pleased to be reunited with his old commander. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Learning of Shockwave's plan to end the universe, Ultra Magnus took command of the vessel while Rodimus and Orion headed into the [[Dead Universe]]; though charged with tracking down Shockwave's old teacher [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], a distress signal from [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] took precedence, and despite Ratchet's objections, the ship quantum jumped to the ocean world of [[Hydrophena]]. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} There, they encountered more [[Ammonite]]s — who had formed an alliance with Shockwave — and Ratchet was one of the Autobots who boarded the [[Rodpod]] to do battle with the swarm. Though they were able to blast their monstrous combined form apart, the Ammonites reformed and chased them through the ocean until they inadvertently stumbled across a gravely wounded Metroplex. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}}

[[File:BurningBright-she.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Though Ratchet was unsure if Metroplex was still alive, a quick scan confirmed that the Titan had seemingly survived... but that his [[brain module]] had been surgically removed and his spark was dwindling. After disembarking at a dry dock, the team embarked on a search for the Titan's brain module, a search that led them right back to where they started before an Ammonite saboteur destroyed the Rodpod. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} Shortly afterwards, the group were approached by a pair of [[Caminus|Camien]] Transformers: [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]]. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} As more Ammonites poured into Metroplex to attack, Ratchet, Brainstorm, and Magnus wound up fleeing with the Camiens into Metroplex's left shoulder, where [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] had relcoated Metroplex's brain module. Ratchet was confused by the concept of "[[female Transformer|gender]]" that the three Transformers embodied, and was irritated when Nautica mistook him for Pharma. The group was able to rouse Metroplex back to life by using the ''Lost Light'''s quantum engines to jump-start his systems, and both ship and Titan subsequently teleported back to Cybertron in time to make a stand against the [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]]. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}}

[[File:TheBecoming-MegatronAndRatchet.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Don't be so grouchy, Ratchet. [[The Pri¢e of Life!|It could be worse.]]]]

With Shockwave's plan seemingly stymied, the ''Lost Lighter''s reunited with the Autobots they'd left behind on Cybertron; Ratchet grudgingly reattached Megatron's legs, the Decepticon leader having recently formed an alliance with Bumblebee to stop Shockwave. Ratchet later worked with [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] and [[Flatline (G1)|Flatline]] to help upgrade [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] into a new body. This downtime was cut short when Shockwave returned, supported by a billions-strong swarm of Ammonites, intent on fulfilling the [[Dark Cybertron (prophecy)|"Dark Cybertron" prophecy]] by collapsing the universe. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Ratchet took part in the battle to slow down the Ammonites; {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Shockwave's plan was foiled, but not without Bumblebee seemingly perishing in the course of the battle and Megatron choosing to abandon the Decepticons and become an Autobot. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

As Cybertron struggled to rebuild from the catastrophe, Ratchet found himself part of the High Command cabal discussing Megatron's trial. He was uneasy about the idea of a military trial but it would go ahead. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} He advised that due to all the internal damage Megatron had recently suffered, it would be cruel and unusual punishment to make him take sedatives. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} Shortly after Megatron's trial was adjourned on a legal technicality, Ratchet found Rodimus had been given a list of all the Autobots who'd voted against him staying as captain. A furious Ratchet reminded him that this was an illegal act but since ''Megatron'' was now getting to be an Autobot, the medic was willing to turn a blind eye to this far less minor transgression. When Rodimus asked how he knew, Ratchet snapped "because my name's not on it". {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}}

Ultimately, Ratchet returned to duty aboard the ''Lost Light;'' as part of Megatron's plea bargain, the ex-Decepticon joined the crew of the ship as its "co-captain," and Ratchet took the chance to quietly ask him if Megs could ''really'' make black holes come out of his eyes. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} One of his tasks was to administer "Fool's Energon", a sedative designed to sap Megatron's strength. What only he, Rodimus, and Optimus knew was that there was no such thing as Fool's Energon: as Ratchet's own notes said it would be cruel punishment to deliver a real sedative, they were giving him a placebo. If Megatron ever stopped taking it, they'd know he was about to fall off the wagon. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}}

[[File:PredestinationABeginnersGuide-autopsy.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Shortly after the ''Lost Light'' departed Cybertron once more, Ratchet found himself examining a mysterious coffin that contained a duplicate of Rodimus - unaware that this was an artifact from the "other" ''Lost Light,'' coming into close contact with their ship. The coffin had [[Spectralism|spectralist]] markings on it, which Ratchet believed meant Drift might have made it. He didn't have time to work out what this meant as the ''Lost Light'' began disappearing around him {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} and left him crammed in a Rodpod with other panicked Autobots, trying to stop Tailgate from shooting Megatron on general principle. When random Autobots began mysteriously disappearing, Ratchet and Nightbeat tried to gather data on the missing Autobots and figure out why they were being abducted, but Ratchet was unable to work out anything before he himself disappeared, leaving his hands behind. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} This was due to the quantum-duplicate ''Lost Light'' being so close; after its engines were turned off, the medic returned. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

[[File:ten tentententen.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Following Brainstorm's attempts to use [[time travel]] to subvert the outcome of the Great War and his subsequent trial, Ratchet was reminded of Drift's own ignominious departure from the ''Lost Light'' and decided to step down and let First Aid have his job so he could leave the ''Lost Light'' and put things right. Rather than come out and just ''say'' goodbye to his friends, he invented a "super scraplet" outbreak that would allow him to talk to them. Under cover of medical work, he helped Nautica understand Brainstorm, got Rung to talk to [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], encouraged Skids to talk to ''Rung'', made it clear to Rodimus that Drift had been punished too harshly, and tried to help Magnus. He also discovered that Swerve's bouncer [[Ten]], a reprogrammed [[Legislator]], had developed a full-fledged personality, including an artistic persuasion that led him to carve small toys of his favorite crewmembers. Ratchet managed to arrange it so that he and Ultra Magnus — Ten's favorite Autobot — could be friends.

With all his work done, he quietly departed to search for Drift and left a communicator in case "the new Chief Medical Officer" First Aid wanted to talk to him. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}} This communicator would eventually find its way into the hands of First Aid's own successor, [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}}

{{-}}

===Drift and Ratchet===
{{quote|You know, you shouldn't live in the past. There is only the true moment in which we're currently living.}}
{{quote|You talk like that to deliberately annoy me, don't you?}}
{{quote|Pretty much.|Drift and Ratchet|[[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1]]}}

[[File:EmpireOfStone1-savinglives.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Look, come on back Drift. Rodimus has started talking to ''me'' now."]]

Ratchet finally found Drift at a [[Galactic Council]] outpost, handing over Decepticon prisoners: Drift had been fighting and capturing rogue 'cons across the outer rim, {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1}} and Ratchet was horrified to find he was letting himself stay damaged and run down. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} Since Drift was determined to find the main Decepticon force, Ratchet inserted himself into the mission. They tracked the Deceptions to a desert plan only to find themselves shot down and their prisoner [[Grit (G1)|Grit]] escaping... only to be accused of treason for being on an Autobot ship. Ratchet was forced to back up Drift when he went to Grit's defence and all three ended up prisoners of [[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]], Drift's old boss who'd co-opted an alien castle. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1}}

Ratchet was used to blackmail Drift into finding a "stone army" that Gigatron wanted. After an aborted escape attempt, the Autobots and Grit got chucked in the dungeon (and groused about how it'd been handled) and Ratchet got the truth out of Drift: in his Deadlock days, he'd been to the planet before and seen a vast, slumbering stone army. The medic came up with a plan, the truly lame one of pretending Grit had "killed" Drift so the guard would open the door. An unimpressed [[Knockout (G1)|Knockout]] turned out to be Grit's friend and let them out anyway. The Autobots began to argue after escaping as Drift wanted Ratchet to escape and he was having none of it, asking pointblank why the swordsbot was running himself down. (He didn't answer.) Ratchet and Drift found the stone army, and that it had been hidden from Gigatron by [[Hellbat (Victory)|Hellbat]]. Unfortunately Hellbat found ''them'' {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} and, planning to kill them after, gleefully revealed that he'd been using cannibalised Transformers for spare parts that could activate the army. Ratchet learned that this was necessary because Drift had ''murdered'' all the local monks on his first visit and they couldn't wake the army.

[[File:EmpireOfStone3-battle.jpg|thumb|left|250px|We can’t hold out forever, Drift, but we can give them one humongous repair bill!]]

Thanks to an attack by Grit, the Autobots escaped captivity and Ratchet took up arms. He then dropped arms to try and save Grit and Drift with a grappling hook. This was successful (Ratchet rule!) but meant the stone army was activated. While Ratchet wanted to alert Cybertron of the threat, the imminent threat of Hellbat's genocidal campaigns meant the trio had to seek Gigatron's help to stop him. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|Empire of Stone #3}} This unlikely teamup did destroy the Stone Army but, as far as Drift and Ratchet knew, left the Autobots at the only survivors.

When the medic again tried to get Drift back to the Lost Light, the swordsman said he'd spent his whole life struggling to belong to ''something'' but only ever joined as a killer, and the Hellbat affair just reiterated that he didn't want to live a life where all he could offer was death. Ratchet rephrased the offer: instead of coming back as an Autobot, he should come back as his friend. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 4|Empire of Stone #4}}

[[File:YourFierceTears-RatchetDrift.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]

After a series of adventures against minor Decepticons, Ratchet and Drift were alerted to a problem on [[Necroworld]] by [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity's]] call for help, using the space-time phone he'd left First Aid. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} The two chums landed on Necroworld, just in time to save a brutalised Ten from the Decepticon Justice Division and Deathsaurus's goons. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} The fight went quite badly but just as Ratchet said he wasn't relying on help from above, [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] arrived in a ship from above to lift them all to safety!

At an inpromptu base, they discovered that the Autobots stranded here with Megatron were victims of a mutiny on the ''Lost Light''. Ratchet also learned Velocity had been trying to contact ''First Aid'' and had heard, uh, not very nice things about him from First Aid, all of which she blurted by accident. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} Relations were furthered soured when, after patching up a badly wounded Megatron, he started to read a list of what he'd missed while doing the final touches, much to her open dismay. However, they had to focus on patients together and it was Ratchet that identified an issue she'd missed: Tailgate, who'd become a super-strong [[outlier]] after a spark surge, had affected nearby Autobots on the ''Light'' in a way similar to Ultra-Energon, meaning Tailgate could crash badly.

[[File:AtCloseOfDay-Ratchet.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

Ratchet assisted with Chromedome's attempt to hack "the Pet", the Division's beast-former sidekick that he and Drift had taken hostage. Ratchet was horrified to realise "the Pet" had been "[[domestication|domesticated]]", and enraged when Rodimus, despite his angry protests, would not stop Chromedome carrying on despite the risk to him. He urged Chromedome to stand down, in case the process killed him. This gave him a front-row seat for the discovery that the poor unfortunate was the lost [[Dominus Ambus]] and [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] killing him to save Chromedome from suffering a similar fate.

At sundown, the Decepticons attacked {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} but Velocity had hit on a plan: if someone ''else'' could get traumatised like Tailgate, they could get supercharged too! Ratchet thought little of this idea, knowing how ''badly'' they'd have to traumatise someone but Skids volunteered. As the battle raged, Ratchet fought to keep Skids stable before he could himself join the battle and leave Megatron in charge of the ward. Ratchet continued to needle the ex-Decepticon for not going out until he realised how much Megatron was genuinely afraid of how much he might cut loose. He came clean that Fool's Energon was a conjob and Megatron had ''always'' been at full strength, and had ''chosen'' not to lash out.

[[File:sleep tight, soldier.jpg|thumb||right|300px|Get up. You cannot sleep there, Drift.]]

Unfortunately, that caused Megatron to believe he could indeed go out to save a wounded Ravage and that meant when Skids came to and took himself off the slab, Ratchet was left alone, screaming for Megatron to help him get the Autobot back on the slab before he died. All Ratchet could do was be with Skids as his spark gave out. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} As Megatron singlehandedly took on the DJD, Ratchet tried to save Ravage as the Decepticon explained Megatron's plan to channel [[antimatter]] as a weapon. Before Megatron took down Tarn, however, the Autobots were interrupted when Roller and the other "[[Disappeared]]" Transformers appeared; the Necrobot had used [[time travel]] to pluck them from history and bring them to the Necroworld, and Ratchet happily embraced his old friend. When Rodimus rescued Megatron from the antimatter explosion, Ratchet offered to patch up his wounds... only for Megatron to flip the table in a moment of silent fury as Ravage succumbed to his wounds and died, only for the appearance of [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] to convince him to stand down. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

[[File:Anomie-RatchetAndDrift.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

As the other Disappeared Transformers began readjusting to their new circumstances, Ratchet — after notifying Rung of Skids' sacrifice — was part of the group that Rodimus assembled to go back to Cybertron and obtain a ship, using a jury-rigged teleporter that Brainstorm was able to cobble together. When they used the teleporter, however, they discovered that the device ''did'' teleport them to Cybertron... but to the Cybertron of a ''[[Functionist Universe|parallel universe]],'' thanks to the [[Galactic Council]] firing a [[geobomb]] at the Necroworld that wound up shunting the planet into another timeline. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}}

Trapped in this dystopian universe and taken hostage by [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] and his [[Functionary|Functionaries]], the captive Autobots were paraded through the streets of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]; a nearby statue of [[Primus]] prompted Drift to confide in Ratchet that he'd recently seen a vision that incorporated, among other things, an army of [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeaters]] and Pharma. The Functionaries were attacked by the [[Anti-Vocationist League]], who proved so incompetent that they required the assistance of the ''Lost Light''ers to rescue their rescuers. Once they'd seen off the Functionists, their leader [[Clicker]] invited the Autobots back to the city of [[Kalis|Adaptica]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} While Rodimus and the other Autobots met with their leader, the rebellious [[Nine-of-Twelve]], Ratchet and Megatron got acquainted with the foot soldiers of the AVL. Their brief respite was interrupted when the rest of the Functionist Council announced that the "Day of Revelation" had come, revealing the native [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s alternate mode as a gigantic mining drill... and also the return of [[Moonbase Two|Luna Two]], thought lost in this universe following a prior conflict. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

[[File:BadMoonRising-Ratchet.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Ratchet was immediately skeptical of Rung's "alternate mode," pointing out that he was most likely a victim of "forced [[Size changing|mass displacement]]." As Luna Two, revealed as a massive re-engineered [[harvester unit]], began laying waste to Adaptica, Ratchet joined Rodimus and some other Autobots on a mission to the core of Cybertron to rescue Rung. Ratchet's suspicions were confirmed when Rung's drill tank was revealed as a ruse; the Autobot medic was able to deactivate the internal restraints keeping Rung trapped in his alternate mode and unable to talk. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}} Once Rung had been restored to normal, he revealed to Ratchet was his ''true'' function was: the manufacture of [[photonic crystal]]s. Ratchet thus pretended to take Rung hostage in order to bluff the Functionists into letting them go, and the group escaped by teleporting directly into the [[Cog (base)|Cog]], flying the Functionist fortress over Adaptica to launch a last-ditch attack on Luna Two. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

When the Cog was subsequently shot down, Rung overrode Ratchet's concerns and used the mass displacement generator in his body to grow to colossal size, fighting the moon head-on. Faced with condemning Functionist Cybertron to death or never being able to return to their native universe, the Autobots were able to come up with a third solution to the problem: teleporting the entire moon to the hollow Necroworld. As they raced to find a working teleporter that would take them up to the moon, Rung perished and Megatron was ultimately left behind with Terminus.

[[File:ThisMachineKillsFascists-RatchetHugsRung.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

On returning to Necroworld and then teleporting back to their own universe, Ratchet took an opportunity to hug the Rung from ''his'' universe. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}

{{-}}

===Beyond the afterlife===
[[File:Sardines-terrific.jpg|thumb|right|200px|It's only a matter of time before [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] releases a toy with this deco...]]

Rodimus came up with a new plan: using mass displacement, they would enlarge the body of a [[Skip|dead Decepticon with a spaceship alternate mode]] and use it to reach the ''Lost Light'' so that Rodimus could get even with Getaway. Ratchet was one of the Autobots who accompanied him. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

After briefly stopping off at [[Troja Major]], {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} {{storylink|Chasing the Infinite}} the Autobots quickly began getting on one another's nerves amidst the cramped confines of the vessel; with tempers rising, events quickly took a strange turn when Ratchet's body began suffering from [[aggressive depigmentation]] despite him still being alive, which quickly worsened to a strange form of intangibility that led him to begin sinking through the floor. {{storylink|Sardines}} Things got even stranger when Ten displayed the power of speech and took command, ordering them all to the nearest [[Mederi]] center... only for the ship's mass displacement to wear off at that moment. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} Badly exposed to the ravages of compressed space, their mangled bodies drifted to the nearest planet... which just so happened to be the original Mederi, a euthanasia clinic that sent its patients into idyllic dreams to ease their passing. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} To the Cybertronians, this dream took the appearance of the mythical "[[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]]." Ratchet awoke, healed from his mysterious illness, and arrived where Rodimus had awoken to confirm that Ten had recently "ascended" to the full Afterspark — in reality, dying as the Mederi clinic worked its programming. Ratchet was skeptical of the reality of their situation; it took Whirl reminding him that he had been dying in the real world to temporarily shut him up. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}}

[[File:YouAreHere-tampering.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

When Rodimus announced his intention to speak to the [[Guiding Hand]], who supposedly ruled the afterlife, his request was granted; Rodimus was granted an audience with the "Guiding Hand," and selected Ultra Magnus, Drift, and Ratchet to be his counsel, representing law, faith, and science. Still skeptical, Ratchet was unfazed when the Guiding Hand turned down Rodimus's request to return to the living world. Rematerializing outside a temple, the group investigated, with Ratchet discovering a disguised "Ward Zero" filled with alien telepaths and guarded by the [[Omega Guardian]]s. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}} As Ultra Magnus dispatched the Omega Guardians, Ratchet quickly realized the truth behind Mederi; despite Drift's objections, he shattered the power system that kept the aliens alive and powering the [[holomatter]]-fuelled systems that shaped the illusions of the Afterspark. Ratchet informed the rest of the group that they had, indeed, reached the original Mederi, and, indeed, the planet where the legend of "Cyberutopia" began. The mundane truth behind their quest was soon cut short when a swarm of Sparkeaters appeared overhead - Sparkeaters that had once been the rest of the crew aboard the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

Ratchet and the group would soon learn that Getaway had found "Cyberutopia" as well before meeting a mysterious figure called the [[Adaptus|Grand Architect]] with a [[Worldsweeper]] fleet. Bargaining for his life, Getaway allowed the Architect's ally Scorponok to turn his crew into Sparkeaters as a bulwark against Rodimus's forces when they arrived. Ratchet and the others tried to find a way to protect themselves from the Sparkeaters without hurting their infected friends. They retreated back inside the Mederi center at Ward Zero to barricade themselves while Rodimus led a small crew up to the ''Lost Light'' to confront Getaway. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}} Ratchet and the other doctors searched for a cure, and the newly returned First Aid discovered the means for emitting a kinetic program code that shut down the Sparkeater virus. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}}

The ''Lost Light'' was reclaimed and everyone assembled on board, just as space itself became threadbare, sucking them into a rift to the [[Benzene Cluster. The group were surrounded by the [[Black Block Consortia]], more agents of the Grand Architect. One of their recently encountered allies was [[Nickel]], a Decepticon carrying the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]], the font of infinite knowledge from [[Ki-Aleta]]. Curiously, when the Grand Architect asked for a meeting with their key officers, the Magnificence spoke up and named Ratchet along with Rodimus, Tailgate, and Rung. Rodimus refused to leave anyone behind, though, and so the entire crew came aboard the Architect's Worldsweeper.{{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}} A deeper game was being played, for the Grand Architect had cast five copies of Cybertron from an enormous mold, crafting a celestial [[God Gun]] to defend the universe from a monstrous avatar of "[[Primus]];" in reality, the Cybertron of the [[Funcitonist Universe]], refashioned into a colossal [[robot mode]] and crossing dimensions to continue its mission of religious genocide. Megatron arrived from that universe as well through a rift in space, and tried to rescue the team by blowing out the Worldsweeper's windows. Most of the group escaped this way, but Ratchet and a few others were trapped behind. The Grand Architect then revealed himself [[Adaptus]], clad in the body of Pharma, whom he had recovered from Luna-1. The group soon learned that ''all'' of the members of the Guiding Hand had survived into the present day, and their adventures had brought them into contact with all of them: the Necrobot was [[Mortilus]], Epistemus the Magnificence, Solomus Tyrest, and Primus himself... no other than Rung. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

Ever the skeptic, Ratchet was quick to dismiss this claim, until Rung himself corroborated it, explaining to the group the circumstances behind his unlikely origins and the events that led to him recovering his memory of his old life. All of this, it transpired, had been a long game by Adaptus, but the Archietct was killed by a furious Tyrest, and in the chaos Rodimus was able to use Tyrest's teleportation function to transport Ratchet and the others back to the ''Lost Light'' on the surface of the last Cybertron to discuss their next moves. The Magnificence itself began contributing ideas, ordering Rung to use his abilities to create several [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices of Leadership]] that would annihilate the Primus-avatar from within; this was soon revealed to be the work of the malicious [[Omega Guardian]]s, who sought to return to the universe and consume everything... only to be silenced by Nickel, who crushed the artifact between her hands. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

Instead, the alliance hit upon a new plan; using Rung, they would create ''twelve'' Matrices, then fly down to the surface of Cybertron—returned to planet-mode by the arrival of [[Moonbase One|Luna-1]]—to open them above the planet's [[hot spot]]s. Rung sacrificed himself to do so, and thanks to the [[Infinite]] air support Ratchet and Drift were deployed over [[Vespertine Blue]] with Drift. As the two prepared to open the Matrix and by activating the "[[morality lock]]" each one possessed, the pair confessed that they both felt the same way about one another, and this confession seemingly allowed a triumphant Ratchet to open his Matrix, the energies combining with the other eleven to overload Vector Sigma, killing the Functionist Council and saving the universe. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

Choosing to remain on this "new Cybertron," an agreement was eventually reached with Prowl that the ''Lost Light's'' engines would be stripped from the ship and repurposed to fuel the development of the new hot spot that the Matrices had ignited on Luna-1; in the meantime, however, the crew would be allowed one last, brief "victory lap" to say their goodbyes before Megatron went away to stand trial for his crimes. Ratchet and Drift settled in for a goodbye party at Swerve's, explaining their theory that Drift's frequent visions were premonitions sent to him by the staff of Mederi. Finally, Nautica, Brainstorm, and Perceptor announced that they could attempt to recreate the accident that began their voyage: this time shunting a duplicate of the ''Lost Light'' into a parallel universe so that a version of them could continue exploring the galaxy forever. Though the crew of the ship would never know if their plan had worked, it ''had'', with a new version of the ''Lost Light'' materializing in a new universe, ready for more adventures.

In the original universe, Ratchet and Drift became [[Conjunx Endura|Conjunx Endurae]], living and loving together on New Cybertron for many years until the day that Ratchet's age finally caught up with him, manifesting as a terminal case of "age-related burnout." Despite his gruff assessment of this diagnosis, Ratchet ultimately passed away shortly afterwards. His last wishes were to have his parts sent to medical centers across Cybertron, with the [[innermost energon]] that the mourners would offer at his funeral being donated to help [[Lunarian]] resettlement efforts.

At his funeral, many former members of the ''Lost Light'' visited to pay their respects, offering their innermost energon and other mementos of their voyage. Rodimus would be the last member of the old ship to visit, placing Megatron's old [[Rodimus Star]] on his memorial above his final epitaph: "WITHOUT LOVE THERE IS NO MEANING." {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}

{{-}}

==Spotlight: Mirage==
Ratchet was with the Autobots hiding out in the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]], with most of the Autobot forces having been defeated. He tended to the seriously wounded Jetfire injuries, and suggested surrender to the Decepticons to save their fellow Autobot's life. When [[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] (disguised as Bumblebee) and the Decepticons attacked, he attempted to reason with the Decepticon mercenary about Jetfire's condition, only to be attacked for his trouble. After the Autobots surrendered, he was furious when Mirage betrayed his word and prepared to carry out Megatron's order to execute the Autobots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}

This was part of a vision Mirage was having in the main timeline. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

==The Functionist Universe==
In the [[Functionist Universe]], where the war had never broken out, the "native" version of Ratchet had remained close friends with Pharma. The two could be seen having a friendly conversation on Cybertron. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}

==Notes==
*Ratchet was one of the characters who both [[James Roberts]] and [[John Barber]] wanted for their respective books.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309188#309188 James Roberts:] As for the divvying up, we both started off with two or three characters that had been dictated – actually, that’s the wrong word – by IDW editorial, then came up with a core cast wish list. There were only a few clashes. I would have liked Prowl and Wheeljack and I think John would have liked Magnus and Ratchet. We compromised.</ref>
*James Roberts attributed Ratchet's new attitude in ''More than Meets the Eye'' almost entirely to the imminent failure of his hands.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309422#309422 James Roberts:] I know that some people think I’ve made Ratchet too crotchety, for example—although in my defense I’d argue that a lot of his grumpiness was the result of watching his hands die before his eyes</ref>
*Ratchet shows no surprise when Overlord appears on the ''Lost Light'' and turns to blind the [[Phase Sixer]] ''without actually seeing him.'' It's possible (and probable) that he saw the Decepticon in the reflection of the datapad he was holding but still...great reflexes for an old timer with replaced hands...

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Medics]]

Drift (G1)

2018-11-27T05:55:27Z

Djelibaebi: added his conjunx to the summary

{{factions|decepticon|autobot}}
{{disambigm|Drift (disambiguation)|Deadlock (disambiguation)}}
{{featured}}
:''Drift is an [[Autobot]] and former [[Decepticon]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:AHM 06 CoverA.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|While you were out partying, I studied THE BLADE.]]
'''Drift''' was not always an Autobot. In fact, he slaughtered quite a few when he was known as the Decepticon '''Deadlock'''. But Deadlock's eyes were opened to what the Transformers' war had become when he stumbled across a lost faction of neutral Transformers long since forgotten. He discarded his ruthless ways, abandoned his guns for swords, and changed his name and appearance.

When Drift returned to the Transformer war to make right what he put wrong, he was a bot of few words and disciplined action. He since went on to be an enthusiastic spiritualist and a self-punishing crusader, all in an attempt to get away from the nasty parts of his personality that are still lurking within him. It doesn't matter what his personality is because with his Decepticon past, Drift isn't well-liked or trusted by [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|a few]] of the Autobots and [[Hellbat (Victory)|some of]] the Decepticons think he's just ''lying'' about having changed. This hits Drift more than you might think because at the end of the day, despite his loner attitude, Drift ''really'' just wants to be part of something.

In addition to the two swords kept in his hip scabbards, Drift carries a legendary [[Great Sword]]. An ancient weapon that predates modern civilization, the Great Sword draws upon the [[spark]] energy of its bearer, and as such must only be used in the most dire of circumstances.

Later in life he would become [[Conjunx Endura]] with [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]].

{{quote|We're going about this the wrong way, '''all''' of us! After countless centuries of fighting ... the Autobots are a '''step''' away from what we were when all this '''started.''' And us—the Decepticons have become something '''worse''' than any of us could have '''imagined'''.|Drift explains his new perception of the war to his [[Turmoil|former commander]]|"[[Spotlight: Drift]]"}}

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{first|[[All Hail Megatron issue 5|''All Hail Megatron'' #5]]; [[Drift issue 1|''Drift'' #1]] (as Deadlock)}}

[[File:Drift2-renamed.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|"Eh....Inferno, tell to Death Blade that if he calling me that again, his name will become DEATH BOT!"]]
Drift was originally a homeless Cybertronian, living on the streets and stealing energon to survive. The hopeless 'bot was befriended by [[Gasket]] {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} but otherwise had no one. During one [[circuit booster|drug trip]] in the [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]], he was assaulted by [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]] and [[Boom]], who were abducting homeless people for money. Drift was rescued by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]], who brought him to [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]'s secret clinic in [[Rodion]]. Ratchet saved Drift's life, and told the young robot that he could achieve great things in his life if he tried— he could just ''tell'' Drift was destined for something special. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

Drift would soon learn what that was, after Gasket was killed by Autobot law enforcement after trying to stop them from executing a thief. Drift exploded with rage, grabbed the nearest gun and killed them all. His knack for violence attracted the attention of the Cybertronian underground, who trained Drift as a killer. Amongst this group, Drift realized the level of corruption in the [[Senate]], and a recruitment rally held by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] drew Drift in with his talk of equality. Megatron singled Drift out of the crowd, claiming to have heard great things of him, and asked him to join the Decepticons to fight for a better Cybertron. Drift agreed and, after being was hailed by the crowd, was renamed Deadlock by Megatron. {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} Drift rose to become the second-in-command of [[Turmoil]], garnering a reputation as a vicious and merciless fighter. {{storylink|Drift issue 1|Drift #1}}

During their time with [[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]], Turmoil and Deadlock crashed on a desert world and investigated a nearby stone fortress to find a way out. The two of them would go on to massacre the inhabitants before leaving, though not before Deadlock recorded the presence of a Stone Army on the planet. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|Empire of Stone #3}}

[[File:Drift1-Deadlock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Deadlock prefers to pose so his legs don't block any of the action.]]
Much later, on the planet [[Dabola]], Deadlock led a battalion against an Autobot squadron. The [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Autobots' leader]] called a retreat, and Deadlock's team celebrated. This was spoiled when [[Not Carnivac|one of the soldiers]] pointed out that Deadlock had been ordered to merely observe, and once again had disobeyed orders. When the soldier threatened to inform Turmoil of Deadlock's disobedience, Deadlock killed him. Claiming Turmoil was too cautious and that it was time for new leadership, he called for the other soldiers to follow him, but they summarily captured him and brought him to Turmoil. Turmoil used a stasis lock to trap him in [[robot mode]] and attempted to execute him. Deadlock managed to escape, and after initiating an emergency protocol to cover his escape, stole an escape pod and departed the ship.

Deadlock crashed on an unknown planet. After scaling some, he found a massive structure, but before he could explore, a mysterious cloaked figure appeared, named [[Wing (G1)|Wing]]. Wing offered a deal: help him free the slaves, and he would find Deadlock a ship. Deadlock, introducing himself as "Drift," agreed, but first Drift said he needed guns. Together, they jumped some guards and stole their weapons, however a stray blast stripped Wing of his cloak, revealing him to be Cybertronian. Once they jumped into the complex, Drift automatically fled for the ship, abandoning Wing. Despite this betrayal, when Drift was attacked and nearly killed by one the slavers, Wing brought Drift back with him to a new [[Crystal City]], where he was repaired. {{storylink|Drift issue 1|Drift #1}}

[[File:Drift1-rebuilt.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|"We were okay with your old legs. Rest had to go."]]
Wing explained that they were the [[Circle of Light]], a group of Cybertronian scholars and scientists who abandoned the planet during the early days of the war in order to find peace and preserve Cybertron's culture. Wing and Drift were taken to a meeting with Crystal City's leader, [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]]. While Drift waited outside, Wing was admonished for bringing a corrupting influence to the city. He was ordered to keep Drift with him at all times. Afterward, Wing brought Drift to an empty room, discarded his swords and asked him what the Decepticon symbol stood for. Drift replied it meant strength, power and conviction, and the belief in the survival of the strongest. Wing offered Drift a chance to earn his freedom by defeating him without guns in combat, but Drift never succeeded. Drift grumbled that he'd never learned to fight without projectile weaponry.

Weeks later, Wing was still dominating Drift. Over time, Drift admitted that Crystal City held everything Drift had ever wanted, while the Decepticons had lost sight of this goal some time ago. Their sparring was interrupted by a summons from Dai Atlas. When they arrived in the control room, he informed them that they had received a coded signal and he thought Drift might be able to translate. Though Drift claimed he could not understand it, that night he snuck out of the city and drove far into the desert. There he met with the slavers, who had used a Decepticon code to offer Drift a deal. The code had been obtained from [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]], a Decepticon sent by Megatron. The deal was simple: hand over the location of the Circle of Light or die. {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}}

[[File:Drift4-notdoneyet.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Man, I bet those dumb G2 guys wish they had this kind of endurance.]]
Lockdown reminded "Deadlock" of his high-standing in the Decepticon army. Megatron held Deadlock in high esteem, and by guarding these Transformers Drift stood to lose that. Meanwhile, the head slaver, [[Braid]], required Cybertronian bodies to experiment on, and were willing to take captives from the neutral camp in lieu of Deadlock, in payment for the property he'd damaged earlier. After agreeing to lead the neutral Transformers into an ambush, Drift stumbled back to Crystal City, where he informed the Circle of Light about the pact he'd made with Lockdown and the slavers. Drift argued that they should fight their attackers to preserve their freedom and their way of life, but Dai Atlas sharply disagreed. He would have no fighting at all, even to preserve his own life, and blamed Drift for ruining their civilization. The others did not agree, and supported Drift. A small number of them offered to help fight the slavers while keeping the true number of their population unknown. As they reached the surface with a hastily constructed craft to make it appear as if the Circle of Light had recently crashed there, Drift revealed himself to have been rebuilt head-to-toe to match his new colleagues. With a sword mounted on each hip, Drift announced he was ready. {{storylink|Drift issue 3|Drift #3}}

Soon, Lockdown and the slavers were upon them. After slaying a few of the slavers, Drift realized that he was past the point of no return. Lockdown realized this as well, and asked the former Decepticon why he'd given it all away so easily. "What I've always wanted... the promise of a better Cybertron." But their sparring was interrupted by the death of Wing. Enraged, Drift jumped Braid, Wing's murderer, but he did not accomplish much. He was not as agile a fighter as his late friend, and Braid easily defeated him.

Before the killing blow could be delivered, Crystal City in its entirety rose from the ground, as Wing's death had spurred Dai Atlas into action. With the entirety of the population now fighting the slavers, the tide was quickly turned. Despite his injuries, Drift slew Braid with his Great Sword, while Lockdown, startled at Drift's transformation, cut his losses and left. Though the Circle of Light asked Drift to stay with them, Drift reminded them that he'd promised Wing to return the freed slaves to their homes. Drift was given Wing's Great Sword and given their blessing. {{storylink|Drift issue 4|Drift #4}}

[[File:SpotlightDrift Deadlockisdead.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|He's your horrible fancharacter.]]
Some time after leaving Crystal City and returning the slaves, Drift set off to make a difference in the Autobot/Decepticon Civil War. First, he attempted to free a group of Autobots held captive on the ship he'd previously served aboard. Upon entering Turmoil's ship, his attempt at stealth was successful until the [[Wrecker]]s arrived and blasted their way aboard. Jumping into the battle to assist them, he piqued the interest of a few Autobots. [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] was injured as Turmoil entered the battle and, recognizing Drift's voice as that of his former lieutenant, attempted to destroy him. However, his attack only resulted in knocking Drift and [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]] to another room. The two quickly worked together to program the ship to overload. In his final confrontation with Turmoil, Drift stated his intention was to help, not kill, and left to rescue Perceptor before the ship blew up.

After his arrival on the Autobot ship, Kup invited Drift to join his new unit as an Autobot. {{storylink|Spotlight: Drift}}

[[File:SpotlightDrift-car.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|He thinks he's turning Japanese, he thinks he's turning Japanese, he really thinks so.]]
Now a crew member of the spacecraft ''[[Trion]]'', Drift got to know his new teammate [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]] over many friendly games of [[Go (game)|Go]]. Perceptor felt he owed a debt to Drift for saving his life, and so devoted much of his time to upgrading himself for more combat-oriented tasks. While Kup discouraged this, Drift stoically accepted Perceptor's new ambitions. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15#"Lost & Found"|Lost & Found}}

They were soon baited into a Decepticon ambush over [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The ''Trion'''s command codes were hacked due to their being sold to the Decepticons by an Autobot traitor, and, left defenseless, it was forced to crash-land on the desolate landscape of the planet. Eventually, the crew were found by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s unit, who unfortunately proved to be ''also'' stranded. When [[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] was revealed by [[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] to have been standing invisibly among them, Drift was the only one who didn't appear surprised. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

[[File:Allhailmegatron6-omgdriftomg.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Seriously, you made this guy up when you were eight.]]
When an advance scout of the [[Insecticon swarm]] discovered the Autobots' base camp, Drift was dispatched to take care of it. Drift stood stock-still as the creature walked up to him, greeting it with a simple, smirking "hello" as the monstrous beast snarled in his face. Finally, he beheaded the scout with a single wave of his sword. A second creature tried to attack Drift from behind, but the smirking Autobot merely tilted his head slightly, allowing Perceptor to kill the beast with some precision sniping. [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] thought the incident was the coolest thing ever. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

After Sunstreaker revealed to [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] that he was the traitor, an army of the Swarm came after them. Drift saved Ironhide while Sunstreaker blew up a bridge, killing himself and the Swarm army. Later, Drift visited Ironhide and claimed that the Decepticons had access to the Autobots' systems in a way that Sunstreaker couldn't possibly have. Ironhide asked if this meant there was a second traitor, but Drift replied that there was simply more to the situation than they knew. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}

When Mirage was showing some doubt in the Autobot cause, it was Drift who said that, now more than ever, the Autobots should continue being who they are. [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] insinuated that Drift had no right to say something like that, which started an argument that was only stopped by the return of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}}

[[File:Thundercracker Drift.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"Another of your ill-timed jokes, Drift??" {{-}}
"... You and I are enemies now."]]
Drift took part in the battle against the Swarm and joined the others in escaping Cybertron in Omega Supreme. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}. On Earth, he battled the Decepticons, and when [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]] volunteered to divert the humans' nuclear bomb, Drift attempted to congratulate his former comrade on seeing the light. Thundercracker called him a traitor, slapping Drift's hand away and claiming he was merely following the Decepticons' ''true'' ideal. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

[[File:Drift Drift4drifting.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|The Fast and the Furious: ''Tokyo Me'']]
Two years later, Drift was still with the Autobots, hiding on Earth. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}} After Optimus Prime left the Autobots, Drift decided to stay with the larger group, rather than leave with [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] and his fellow defectors. Drift celebrated Bumblebee's election with numerous other Autobots. {{storylink|The Hanging Sword}}

At some point Drift traveled to [[Japan]] and did some drift racing all by himself. {{storylink|Drift issue 4|Drift #4}}

Drift was among the Autobots who confronted [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] and his troops when they crashed their ship in [[Las Vegas]], bringing with them a [[zombie]] invasion. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|Infestation #1}} The Autobots and Decepticons worked together to banish the zombies to the [[Dead Universe]], though Drift himself really just stood silently in the background the whole time. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|Infestation #2}}

Drift listened to [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] tell tales of, presumably, his time in space and accompanied Optimus Prime and many others to Cybertron aboard [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme's]] rocket form. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}} Along the way, he and many others tried to listen in on a conversation between Optimus Prime and a captive Megatron. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}} Later, Drift accompanied Optimus, Hot Rod, Ironhide, Sunstreaker, and Cliffjumper to Cybertron to confront Galvatron and his army. After a brief skirmish with Galvatron's forces, the landing party returned to the Autobot landing zone. As Drift pointed out that maybe Galvatron was telling the truth and he had been assembling his army for a reason, the Autobots were bathed in a red light... {{storylink| Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}} which turned out to be a blast from the orbiting space station [[Kimia Facility|Kimia]], recently commandeered by Galvatron's forces. Optimus Prime handed out orders to combat this new threat, telling Drift and Sunstreaker to establish a base of operations. After the threat of Kimia had ended, Omega Supreme's rocket landed at this base-camp and Rodimus and Drift set out after Optimus Prime and Ironhide, who had left to locate Galvatron. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}}

[[File:Drift Chaos Part3 Kings.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Thanks to the magical power of [[The Sound of Breaking Glass#Continuity notes|retcon]]... that is the wrong sword.]]
At the crater that Kimia's main weapon had blown into the surface of the planet, Drift accompanied Optimus and the others underground. The Autobots finally intercepted Galvatron and [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and Optimus Prime demanded their surrender. Galvatron claimed that the core of Cybertron had to be destroyed to save the universe, revealing the glowing [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]] within his chest. At this, Drift began spouting gibberish and attacking his comrades in a maddened state, allowing for Galvatron and Jhiaxus to escape. The others attempted to restrain him, but Drift summoned what free will he had left and impaled himself on one of his own blades, much to Ironhide's horror. {{storylink| Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} While Drift survived this, Ironhide told Prime that they'd have to evacuate him immediately for medical attention. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

[[File:TDOOP-Drift.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|There's no 'Cons in Cyberutopia, and the streets are made of Pocky.]]
After recovering, Drift's near-death experience had reawakened his spiritual side. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} Optimus Prime's return to Autobot camp three weeks later brought the discovery of a map inscribed inside the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. Drift was consumed with the idea that the map gave directions to [[Cyberutopia]], the home of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Despite [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'s insistence that the Knights of Cybertron never existed, Drift maintained that he had heard all about the Knights of Cybertron from Dai Atlas, and that the stories were true. Drift's passion for this discovery inspired Rodimus to assemble a team to leave the planet and find the Knights of Cybertron. {{Storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

At some point, Drift shed his Earth mode and took a more sleek, Cybertronian form for himself. Rodimus tasked himself with recruiting as many Autobots as he could to take off-planet and find the Knights of Cybertron. He was very good at working a crowd, though admittedly Drift wrote all of his speeches. The guy became the nominal third-in-command because, or so Ratchet said, he told Rodimus what he wanted to hear. Ratchet, older and grumpier than the pre-war days, was on the same ship as Drift and ''really'' had it in for him for everything the 'bot he'd saved had done with the life he'd given him. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

Drift himself found a ship for the quest, purchasing the [[Lost Light|U1]] with the help of [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] and [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] for ''one billion'' [[Shanix]] from a group of [[Mortilus]]-worshipping NAILs during the [[Festival of Lost Light]], from which the ship got it's new name, the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}}

Before departing, Rodimus and Drift met with Prowl in his office. Prowl asked Rodimus to bring the captive and near-comatose [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] along on the journey, as part of a plan to create [[Phase Sixer]]s for the Autobots. While Drift strongly advised against this course of action, Rodimus was pressured into it by Prowl. Aside from [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] and the [[Duobot]]s, Overlord's presence on board was kept secret from the rest of the crew. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}}

After boarding their new craft, the ''[[Lost Light]]'', Drift had counted 208 total Autobots on board. (He also complimented Rodimus's latest speech.) Drift asked why [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] appeared displeased (more than usual) with the crew, and Ultra Magnus revealed that he felt most of them were practically criminals. (Drift himself was under high suspicion, though Ultra Magnus didn't say this out loud.) As launch was underway, Drift continued to act as Rodimus's right-hand man, and moments before takeoff, Drift brought to his attention the "[[Whirl (G1)|weapon of mass destruction]]" [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] had apparently brought on board. Something went wrong during takeoff, and the ship [[Quantum generator|quantum jump]]ed before it was ready, placing the ship somewhere random in space, just over a planet. A tear in the hull was expelling Autobots into space, and as the ship stabilized, Drift named off the Autobots they'd lost. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

[[File:Drift MTMTE2 positiveenergy.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.90|"Before I begin, I should clarify that I am not actually Japa-nese! I am from Daytona Beachiryu!"]]
As recovery efforts were undertaken, Drift radioed Ratchet a status update and also to tell the medical officer to make sure the medibay was "buzzing with positive energy" so those injured were "guaranteed a speedy recovery!". After he had signed off, Ratchet and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] shared their annoyance with Drift's new attitude and...''interesting'' theories about the Knights of Cybertron. Later, when Rodimus was deciding how to address the crew about their current situation, Drift cheerfully suggested he focus on the positive. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

After a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] had thought to have been let loose aboard the ''Lost Light'', Drift accompanied Rodimus' hand-picked team to investigate. As they examined the creature's [[Shock (G1)|first victim]], [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] confirmed that it was indeed a Sparkeater and Drift opined that this was a dark omen and that they were being "punished" for the horrific things that must have happened on the ship before it came into their possession, much to Ratchet's skepticism.

While the others searched for the creature, Rodimus and Drift tried to figure out how the previous owners of the ''Lost Light'' kept the Sparkeater contained. They figured out that the Sparkeater had been trapped in the engine rooms and fed [[turbofox]]es to keep it docile. After the Sparkeater made its way back to the engine rooms, chasing [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], Drift helped Rodimus put his plan to kill the creature into action. Utilizing a second quantum jump, Rodimus managed to stuff the Sparkeater into the ship's engine block, where it died after being fused into the mechanism. Drift was awed by Rodimus' quick-thinking and ingenuity. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

At the "Grand Secret Opening" of [[Swerve's]], Drift shared a drink with Pipes. When the smaller 'bot let on that he was looking for a relationship, Drift offered to introduce him to the similarly diminutive [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]... unaware that Tailgate's future self was invisibly listening in via a 'magic window' in time. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

[[File:Drift killsDent LifeAfterBigBang.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|The purpose of Drift is to flip out and kill sick people.]]
Drift accompanied Ratchet and Pipes on an investigation of the remote medical facility [[Delphi]]. Drift was subjected to repeated verbal barbs from Ratchet along the way, despite his efforts to get along with the medic. Once they had finally reached Delphi, Pipes impulsively rammed through a door that had the universal "plague" symbol on it. They found themselves in a morgue full of Transformers that had died from a mysterious "[[Red Rust]]" virus. When Drift noticed a [[Dent|shambling, disease-ridden Transformer]] approaching Pipes from behind, he sprung into action and dismembered the poor soul, much to Ratchet's outrage.

[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] showed up and explained the situation to them, how five days ago, a mysterious explosion had heralded the outbreak of this rust plague. [[Ambulon]] brought them to [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], who had been accidentally locked in a quarantine room when the explosion went off. Suddenly, Pipes began showcasing the symptoms of the virus and staggered toward them, disoriented and terrified. Pipes began vomiting and leaking from his optics, cornering Drift. Ratchet freed Pharma from the quarantine while telling Drift to non-fatally disable Pipes. Drift managed to slip behind his diseased comrade and knock him out with a blow to the head. Ratchet brought Pipes to the emergency ward, seeking to tend to him. By that time, Drift began to exhibit the symptoms as well, assuming he'd been infected by Pipes. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}}

[[File:Drift Sparkles Post Hoc.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.6|I sparkle because I'm too beautiful for everything.]]
While being tended to by Ratchet, Drift recalled the [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|time in Rodion before the war]] when the Autobot medic had also been trying to save his life. Drift asked Ratchet to put him out of his misery in the event that the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] showed up, despite having earlier claimed that he wasn't afraid of them. When Pharma was revealed as a traitor, Ratchet had a confrontation with his former friend on Delphi's roof. The stricken Drift made his way up there and managed to save Ratchet from being shot in the back by chopping off Pharma's hands. With Ratchet having obtained a vaccine for the Red Rust virus from Pharma, Drift and the other victims were soon cured. Drift returned to the ''Lost Light'' along with the survivors. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

After the ''Lost Light'' was impacted by a discarded thumb from Metroplex, and was subsequently repaired, Drift attended an award ceremony honoring Brainstorm, Chromedome, and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] for their part in saving the ship. He chatted with Rodimus during the celebration, until Whirl and Trailbreaker drew Rodimus's attention. Later, Drift along with nearly everyone on board of the ''Lost Light'' were frozen in place due to one of Brainstorm's experimental weapons accidentally going off. After he recovered, he was awarded a Rodimus Star "for exceptional endurance in the face of adversity." {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

Drift reported to Rodimus and Ultra Magnus that [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] had locked himself in Rung's office. He was the first to notice both when Rung stared at the camera, and when he tapped on his model of the Ark. After the hostage situation had been resolved, Drift complimented Rodimus on the eulogy he gave for the gravely-injured Rung, even though he hadn't written that particular speech. {{storylink|Interiors}}

[[File:Drift Theophany MTMTEAnnual.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|A fabulous secret [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] was revealed to Drift the day he held aloft his magic sword and said...]]
En route to [[Theophany]], Drift helped Rodimus prepare for Tailgate's [[Act of Affiliation]] ceremony, and politely pointed out his overuse of the phrase "[['Til all are one]]". When Ultra Magnus interrupted and expressed concern over a lack of radio contact with the Circle Of Light, Drift argued that they knew how to take care of themselves. Later at the ceremony, Rodimus inscribed a message in [[Cybertronian language|Old Cybertronian]] on Tailgate's chest instead of branding him with the Autobot sigil. Drift supposed that it was caused by some sort of possession, which was quickly dismissed by Ratchet as "complete and utter guff".

The ceremony was further interrupted by the arrival of the [[Galactic Council]]'s ship, ''[[The Benign Intervention]]''. Its [[K'gard|captain]] informed them that Theophany was deserted, much to Drift's disbelief. After some red-tape wrangling from Ultra Magnus, Drift and a group of others were allowed to teleport to the planet's surface, where they found Crystal City ruined and abandoned. Confused and agitated, a despairing Drift snapped at [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] and decked Whirl after the latter mocked him. He attempted to call out to any of the denizens of Crystal City, but when there was no response, Drift drove one of his swords into the ground in frustration. The ground gave way and sent the Autobots plunging underground, where they found [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], a slumbering [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]]. This discovery led [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] to share his [[Guiding Hand|myth of creation]], which triggered a theological debate between Drift and Ratchet, culminating in Drift pulling his sword on Ratchet. Rodimus took Drift for a walk to cool him down, where Drift reaffirmed his faith in Rodimus.

After Chromedome's mnemosurgery reawakened the Titan and made it fire its eye-beams at the ''Benign Intervention'', Drift was among those dispatched to fight off the Galactic Council's troops. The Titan eventually teleported Drift and the others back onto the ''Lost Light'', which then quantum-jumped to safety. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

A few days later, Drift and other crew members aided Rewind in helping heal Rung's dormant mind by telling his part in a story of past events. Drift elaborated on the time in Rodion when he was rescued by Orion Pax and treated by Ratchet, being sure to antagonize Ratchet by claiming he had uttered religious praises during that time. All the while, he was being pestered by calls from Rodimus, who finally ordered Drift to meet him in the oil reservoir. Drift arrived there just in time to see [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] recover Red Alert's headless body from the reservoir. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

[[File:Ultra Magnus-Cyclonus-Rodimus and Drift.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.95|Of ''course'' Drift wants to get at the ''{{w|oni}}''-looking guy...]]
After the suspected assailant Cyclonus was sent to their makeshift interrogation room, Drift conducted a very hostile interrogation, pointing his sword at Cyclonus in a threatening manner. (Ultra Magnus later suggested Drift's overly enthusiastic interrogation was an unfortunate attempt to impress Rodimus.) The attempt didn't work, as Cyclonus quickly swatted the sword away and smashed Drift into a table. Rodimus and Ultra Magnus were forced to intervene and break the two of them up. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} First Aid soon discerned that Red Alert's "accident" was actually a suicide attempt, and Ultra Magnus suggested that the troubled security chief should be left in stasis until they could revive him in a less stressful environment. Rodimus railed against this, but when Drift agreed with Magnus, he sadly acquiesced. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

The crew of the ''Lost Light'' intervened on [[Temptoria]], where a group of Decepticons had invaded and subjugated the local populace. A fierce battle erupted on the planet's surface, in which Drift cut down [[Tailwind (G1)|Tailwind]] and [[Tentakil (G1)|Tentakil]]. He also interrupted Rodimus' battle with [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snap Trap]], shoving a sword through the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]]'s face. Rodimus chided him for butting in, but Drift protested that "the ones with swords" were his to fight. {{storylink|Before & After}} In the aftermath of the fight, Drift and Brainstorm revealed to Chromedome that Overlord was aboard, hidden in a specially-constructed room beneath the ship, and the [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] agreed to interface with the dormant Phase-Sixer to learn the secret of his power. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}}

[[File:Aquafend swerve drift cybertronian homesick blues.jpg|thumb|left|]]
Drift was teaching Rodimus how to use a sword, forging a deeper friendship with his captain, when a possible security situation interrupted. However, it merely turned out to be Cyclonus singing loudly to Tailgate. Swerve asked Drift if he wanted to be ''his'' roommate but Drift, claiming to prefer solitude, declined. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Drift was among those interviewed by Rewind for his documentary on life aboard the ''Lost Light''. When [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] arrived on the ship seeking aid, Rodimus trotted Drift out as an accomplishment of his, claiming he had "rehabilitated" the ex-Decepticon. Drift was puzzled by Rodimus' claims, but impressed by Thunderclash, who greeted him respectfully and in accordance with his religious beliefs. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

[[File:Drift Overlord UnderColdBlueStars.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|left|This can only end well!]]
During a mnemosurgery session, Chromedome was outsmarted by Overlord, who obtained from the Autobot's memory the security codes to his cell that Drift provided. Drift was one of the first Autobots to fight the escaped Overlord outside of the medibay, urging Ratchet to lock himself in. But Ratchet chose to stand with his "friend" and sealed them outside the room. By the time reinforcements arrived, Overlord had severed both of Drift's legs and badly beaten Ratchet. Drift radioed the ship's brig to release Fortress Maximus, but not before his Great Sword was used by Overlord to mortally-wound Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}}

After Overlord had been jettisoned from the ''Lost Light'', Rodimus announced an inquiry to be held, knowing full well who was responsible for the Phase Sixer's presence on the ship. Drift offered to take full blame for the incident, protecting the identities of the other conspirators. He explained to Rodimus that he had a vision back on Cybertron, after he had impaled himself outside of Vector Sigma's chamber. Drift felt sure that Rodimus was essential to finding the Knights of Cybertron and couldn't let him out himself as having knowledge of the Overlord conspiracy. A hesitant and sorrowful Rodimus agreed and "furiously" stripped Drift of his Autobot symbol, exiling him from the ship. As he walked towards [[Drift's shuttle|the shuttle]] prepared for him, Drift was knocked down by a piece of debris hurled by an angry crew member. Ratchet helped him up, and Drift departed the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}}

[[File:mtmte39 tarn sees drift.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Oi oi OI! Are you looking at me bird?!]]

Eighteen months from the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s launch, the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] had listed Drift as deceased. {{storylink|Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|Who's Afraid of the DJD?}} The deceased Drift was actually part of a quantum duplicated ''Lost Light'' created by the initial accident at launch. When the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] arrived there to kill Overlord, the presence of Drift—another one on their List—caused them to go on a massive kill spree. Drift died first, killed along with Ratchet and Hound by [[Helex (DJD)|Helex]]. When Megatron later found their corpses an inspection of Drift allowed him to determine who had attacked the ship. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

[[File:Empire of Stone 2 Drift Ratchet where is this coming from.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|"You look terrible." "Thank you." "So you agree? You think you look terrible?"]]

Meanwhile, the original Drift was defending planets across the outer rim from rogue Decepticons. He'd been left battered by all the fighting, fights made harder as he'd promised to never kill again, but was neglecting to get himself repaired. While handing [[Grit (G1)|Grit]] over to the [[Galactic Council]], he ran into Ratchet: all of the truth of Drift's departure had come out now and the medic had come to take him home. Drift refused. Ratchet stubbornly stuck with him while he tracked down the main Decepticon army—right to the desert planet he'd discovered centuries ago. Both Autobots and Grit were shot down by the army and Drift found himself defending Grit from being killed for suspected treason.

The leader of the army turned out to be Drift's old boss Gigatron {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1}} who was ignoring the war had ended and was trying to find the Stone Army "Deadlock" had mentioned before. Drift, who knew the army wasn't hidden in the first place, refused until Ratchet's life was threatened and the three bots ended up in the cells. Ratchet's plan to get out was for Drift to pretend to be injured so the guard would open the cell—it was a ''very'' lame attempt but luckily the guard was a friend of Grit. As the robots escaped, Drift tried and failed to get Grit not to kill [[Hellbat (Victory)|Hellbat]] for slighting him: the Decepticon said he was sure in himself and his path in life, and didn't want the man projecting his own issues onto him. The Autobots carried on and found Gigatron hadn't found the army because Hellbat was hiding it from him {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} so he could use them himself to ''kill everything'', having decided to embrace the only thing he believed the Transformers were any good at. When Drift protested that he'd vowed never to kill again, Hellbat sneered and pointed to all the dead monks "Deadlock" had killed years ago.

[[File:Empire of Stone 4 Drift Gigatron FASTBALL SPECIAL.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|SUPERMAN WHEEEEE]]
A battle broke out and Drift found himself fought to a standstill by [[Vanquish (G1)|Vanquish]] before Hellbat activated the Stone Army. Rather than alert Cybertron, Drift felt they had to stop the army here and now and he turned to Gigatron for aid. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|Empire of Stone #3}} Together, the Autobots and Decepticons tore through the golems. Drift took the fight to Hellbat (after Gigatron used "maneuver seven", ''throwing'' Drift at Hellbat) and was goaded into killing him. Instead, the Autobot ripped the Stone Army's control device from him... at which point Gigatron went for him and no amount of reasoning could get Gigatron to stand down. Forced to defend himself, Drift dropped the device and Hellbat retrieved it.

Gigatron and Hellbat would kill each other, taking the Stone Army with them, while Drift and Ratchet escaped. When the medic again tried to get Drift back to the ''Lost Light'', the swordsman said he'd spent his whole life struggling to belong to ''something'' but only ever joined as a killer, and the Hellbat affair just reiterated that he didn't want to live a life where all he could offer was death. Ratchet rephrased the offer: instead of coming back as an Autobot, he should come back as his ''friend''. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 4|Empire of Stone #4}}

[[File:YourFierceTears-RatchetDrift.jpg|right|thumb|300px|"Oh Drift-chan, you smell awesome, and not at all like feet!"]]
The two Autobots upgraded their bodies over the course of their adventures and Drift began sporting a facial tattoo in honour of the deceased Dai Atlas.<ref>[https://twitter.com/markerguru/status/716702702416355328 Alex Milne (@markerguru) on Twitter, clarifying the visual, 3 April 2016]</ref> They eventually ran back into the ''Lost Light'' crew, or some of them, after a mutiny had stranded Megatron, Rodimus, and their assumed loyalists on [[Necroworld|the Necrobot's planet]] and [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] had put out a call for help. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} In a blaze of action, they saved the robot [[Ten]] from a Decepticon mauling! {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} They very quickly found the Decepticons were a bigger deal than most of their foes and were nearly overrun until Drift spotted how [[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]] of the D.J.D. was ''really'' protective of "the Pet", a '[[domestication|domesticated]]' beast-mode Transformer. Drift swiftly took "the Pet" hostage, giving them a chance to escape to the Autobot's fortress.

There, Rodimus and Drift had a long overdue discussion. Drift wanted to know ''why'' Rodimus hadn't come looking for him after revealing the truth to the crew, and Rodimus admitted it was out of fear he would hate him. Drift accepted Rodimus's sincere apology—Rodimus pleaded that he ignore his words and focus on his aura, eye colour, or any means Drift had claimed he could 'see', which Drift just smiled at—but doubted his belief that they can all make it out of their present situation alive. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} Indeed, Drift even arranged it with Rewind that everyone could record their last wishes and how they wanted their bodies disposed of, to broadcast into space as an act of catharsis and closure. He witnessed very little catharsis when Chromedome almost died trying [[mnemosurgery]] on "the Pet" in front of him and, when the "Pet" was revealed by Rewind to be ''the lost [[Dominus Ambus]]'', he had his sword stolen by Rewind to kill Ambus before Chromedome could die.

When sunrise came, the Decepticons attacked. Rodimus embraced Drift and the others and thanked them for travelling with him, before the group charged into battle. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} Drift and the crew survived for some time in fight with the hundreds of Decepticons thanks to the temporary [[Outlier]] powers they cooked up, but soon they began to tire. When Megatron finally took to the field of battle, the others retreated back to the fortress. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} Drift was present as the DJD were brought down and the Disappeared released from stasis under the Necrobot's citadel. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

Drift had succeeded in getting Rodimus to convert to [[Spectralism]], but he was concerned about the ramifications of Rodimus's new paint job, signifying the severity of his intentions towards Getaway. Also, Drift experienced a curious vision when he touched one of the newly-awakened Disappeared named [[Anode]]. He saw [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]], [[Worldsweeper]]s of the [[Phantom Fleet]], and crystals that rained from the sky as [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]] emerged from threadbare space, all surrounded by the words "Prepare. Confront. Repel." over and over again.

...so anyway, Brainstorm constructed a teleportation "den" to send some of the group back to Cybertron to find transport for the rest of them. When they arrived, however, Cybertron was undeniably changed. Rewind soon recognized it as the [[Functionist Universe]], the alternate history that overlapped on his database when Brainstorm used his time case. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] captured Drift and the others as suspected members of the revolutionary [[Anti-Vocationist League]]. The real AVL arrived and caused a distraction for the crew to escape. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} Drift and his friends were matter transported to "Cyberutopia", the sanctuary city of [[Kalis|Adaptica]] ruled by the rogue Functionist [[Nine-of-Twelve]]. They learned that in this reality Rung was hailed by the AVL as the "Useless One" for his alt mode that apparently stood in defiance of Primus and Functionism. Unfortunately, the Functionist Council chose that day to reveal they had discovered Rung's true use as a mining tank, allowing them to access [[Vector Sigma]] which had been sealed off by the Senate millennia ago. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

Drift and the others traveled to Vector Sigma to confront the Council and rescue Rung. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}} They succeeded and stole the Council's flying base, the Cog, to make their way back to Cyberutopia. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} With the help of teleport technology in a weaponized Luna-2 and wand-tech Brainstorm recovered from [[Killmaster]] on Necroworld, they transported the entire world back from the Functionist Universe to their original one. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}

The crew prepared to continue their quest for the real Cyberutopia, and for revenge on Getaway and the mutineers. A Decepticon corpse named [[Skip]] was modified and mass-displaced to form a passable space craft, and so Drift and the others pressed on. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

===Robot Heroes===
[[File:IAmOptimusPrime-Drift.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|He makes it so hard to like him and then he does this. So confused!]]
Drift was [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s friend and always let his actions speak louder than words. When the Autobots arrived on Earth, he hid himself in a lake. Upon Optimus's order, he transformed into his car mode to roll out. Later, when the Decepticons attacked, he pushed [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] over a tripwire held by some of the Autobots' [[human|human allies]]. {{storylink|I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|I Am Optimus Prime}}
{{-}}

===''United''===
A [[nano-virus]] infected the population of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] bar the [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]]s and [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s. The former Decepticon Drift was able to force off, or at least hold off, the effects of the nano-virus, so he was charged with guarding the city unaided while the other immune Autobots left to retrieve a cure from [[Nebulos]]. When [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]] returned with the anti-virus, Drift was in attendance when Optimus Prime praised the Targetmaster. {{storylink|The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos}}
{{--}}

===IDW ''Angry Birds'' Transformers comic===
[[File:ABTF1 Drift.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|"Wait, this ''is'' a movie universe story, right?"]]
Drift was aboard Optimus Prime's ship transporting the [[AllSpark]] when it came under Decepticon attack. He and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] tried to stop [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] as the Air Commander chased [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], but Starscream slipped straight past them. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers issue 1|Angry Birds Transformers #1}}
{{--}}

===Wars manga===
[[File:TrainWars Drift.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|G1 body, movie colors!]]
When [[The Fallen]] attacked [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the hopes of merging with [[Vector Sigma]], [[Overdrive]] sought additional help using the power of his [[Quantum Dial]]. Further empowering the dial with the help of the Oracle, Overdrive reached across space and time to recruit a black-colored Drift and other inter-dimensional warriors. {{storylink|Train Wars}} The Fallen assumed a combination form, however, and managed to impale Drift and the reinforcements using energy spikes. [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], the [[Trainbot]]s, the [[Sixtrain|Train Team]], and the [[Sixliner|Liner Team]] soon arrived to turn the tide, and the Fallen was ultimately defeated. In the aftermath, Drift was returned home by the [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibot]]s. {{storylink|Train Wars 2}}
{{-}}

===''Cloud''===
[[File:Cloud Deadlock Fury.jpg|thumb|]]
The Deadlock of [[Cloud World]] was recruited to the Decepticons by [[Megatron (G1)#Cloud|Megatron]] himself, and quickly came to revel in his own blood-thirst on the battlefield. But after one of his missions, [[Lockdown (G1)#Cloud|Lockdown]] informed him that he had botched their objective by slaughtering ''too many'' Autobots, and beat him down to discipline him. Deadlock swore to kill Lockdown himself for this indignity. {{storylink|Decepticon Jaeger Deadlock}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Awakening (Cloud)|Awakening}} {{storylink|Eagerness}} {{storylink|Lightwave}} {{storylink|Metamorphosis (Cloud)|Metamorphosis}} {{storylink|Overwhelm}} {{storylink|Concealment}} {{storylink|Struggle}} {{storylink|Fury (Cloud)|Fury}} {{storylink|Transcendence}} }}

[[File:Lockdown and Deadlock.jpg|thumb|left|250px|''Baka deshi!'']]
Deadlock took part in a mission to the 15-[[OGSS World|OGSS]] Spacetime. He and his comrades attacked the human/Autobot facility [[Space Bridge T.R.2]], but the Autobots of Cloud World arrived on the scene in response. After [[Shockwave (G1)#Cloud|Shockwave]] had gathered the data he needed, the Cloud World Decepticons retreated. {{storylink|Transformers Cloud (issue)|Transformers Cloud}}

Some time later, after having fought many battles across many dimensions, Deadlock wound up alone in a barren wasteland, having been separated from his unit by a spatiotemporal storm. Wandering about, he came upon [[Go Prime]] kneeling in defeat before [[Grand Scourge]]... and Lockdown's carcass strewn on the ground nearby. Enraged, Deadlock charged Grand Scourge, but found himself to be thoroughly outclassed. Deadlock only managed to avoid being cut down by grabbing hold of a nearby blade to block his opponent's retaliatory attack. Grand Scourge then lost interest and walked off to find his real target, and Deadlock made a new vow, to track down his new opponent and kill ''him'' instead. {{storylink|Decepticon Jaeger Deadlock}}

[[File:Grand Scourge versus Deadlock.jpg|thumb|right|250px|I'm no longer Deadlock, I'm Drift 
*tips fedora* 
I'm not affiliated with either faction 
*draws katanas* ]]
Getting his hands on [[SARA]], Deadlock used her powers to flee to the [[Legends Universe]], where he was surprised that the local [[Waspinator (BW)#Transformers Legends comic|Waspinator]] knew of him. Realizing that all dimensions existed as fictional stories in this dimension, he took to gathering information by consuming their media, and was surprised to find that Transformers throughout the multiverse were extremely similar to their Cloud World counterparts. The [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]], creators of the Legends world, then possessed SARA and told Deadlock that he and his compatriots were not the original Transformers, but copies based on beings from other universes. Deadlock was outraged by this concept as it suggested that he was fated to become an Autobot like the "original" Deadlock, and defiantly proclaimed that his fate was his to decide. On the recommendation of [[Skids (G1)#Quantum Operative|Skids]], another interdimensional visitor, he then ended the Zamojin control of SARA by unleashing her powers and opening a gate back to Cloud World, where he lost her to the Autobots. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Deadlock)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

Bound for some unknown reason, Deadlock was one of many Transformers from across the multiverse observed by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. {{storylink|Cybertron Magna Convoy}}

{{-}}

===''Q-Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Tomoaki Maeno]] (Japanese)}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Road to Winning a New Fanbase}}}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Legends''===
After falling out with his commanding officer, the Decepticon Deadlock found himself on an unfamiliar planet. He encountered the [[Circle of Light]], who helped him defeat [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] and some local miscreants, and as a result Deadlock changed his name to Drift and joined up with the Circle in their journey to find a peaceful home. {{storylink|Circle of Light (Legends)|Circle of Light}}

At some point Drift joined the Autobot army. Catching wind of a [[Quintesson]] plot to disrupt the [[Galactic Olympics|Galactic Games]], Drift teamed up with [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] to enter the games as a team, and succeeded in uncovering and stopping [[Slipstream (G1)|Slipstream]]. {{storylink|The Galactic Games}}

Drift and his team had to speed a vital component to a power station to prevent it from exploding, and they made it, despite interference from [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] and [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]]. {{storylink|Rushdown Road}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsDrift.jpg|thumb|400px|left]]
Drift participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was an Rare character that could be recruited by collecting 90 units of Cybermetal, 45 units of Transmetal, and 25 support cores. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Frontiers''===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Frontiers}}}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[file:TransformersEarthWarsDrift.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|Ryūjin no ken o Kurae.... wait. Wrong game. Whoops.]]

{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Out of Control}}
Optimus told Drift to just observe and not engage.
{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Double-Crossed}}

Drift came in response when Optimus and Megatron's truce at the movies went _____ and freaked out the cinemagoers. [[Barricade (EW)|Barricade]] came in tow and started taunting him. Drift retorted he would prefer to play his director's cut. He then taunted if Barricade was ready for his closeup with all the cellphone cameras around. Drift then said to catch him if he can. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars| Direct the Dialogue 2}}

When Optimus learned that the Decepticons were trawling alternate realities for reinforcements, he decided he needed someone with stealth and total commitment to the mission, and commanded Hot Rod to summon drift, in spite of his mistrust. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Event Horizon}} Drift was _____ that the Autobots still mistrust him behind the mask of acceptance. Just then Grimlock told him Optimus wanted him for a secret mission, and Hot Rod explained that this was his shot to prove his allegiance.

Optimus informed him on the Decepticon's' multi-universal recruitment drive. Drift asked why they sent one asset instead of an army, and Perceptor explained because of the massive energy expenditure needed to penetrate the Multiversal Membrane, solo is the only option. Drift followed Barricade to an alternate universe with endless fighting. Barricade taunted him before fighting him head-on. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Outlaws}}

Drift tried to prevent Barricade from tagging an Autobot when they were suddenly bombarded with missiles. He remarked [[Live-action film series|nothing makes sense and he's losing the plot]]. Barricade tagged his cross-dimensional beacon on the universe's Lockdown, but nothing happened. As if a [[Shroud|god-like force]] was making the alternate universe untouchable. Just then Hun-Gurrr rammed into Barricade, much to Drift's surprise, and the two 'cons teleported to another universe. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Critcial Mass}}

Drift arrived in [[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|a garish universe]] too late to stop Barricade and Hun-Gurrr from departing, but [[Optimus Prime (G1)|the local Optimus Prime]] appeared and commanded him to identify himself. Drift subsequently asked Laser Optimus for help against the 'Cons, to which the heroic [[Laser Rod]] agreed. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events|Worlds Collide}}

*'''Class''': Warrior
*'''Lowest Star Rating''' 2 star
*'''Weapons:''' Drift leaps on a target and then attacks with his swords.
*'''Ability: Essence Theft:''' Drift rushes at a target for a draining strike, and heals him for double the amount of damage inflicted.
**'''Cost:''' 4 ability points +2 for reuses.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:drift| Drift at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]
{{charstubgame|Fill in the Blanks}}

==Toys==
===Generations===
[[File:Generations Drift toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Comes with a gun that shoots swords.]]
*'''Autobot Drift''' (Deluxe, 2010)
**''Accessories'': Left & right "dual swords", greatsword

:''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Drift transforms into a cross between a {{w|Nissan Silvia#S15|Nissan Silvia S15}} and a {{w|Mitsubishi FTO}}. In [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], Drift's two shorter "dual swords" store inside his doors (which double as his hip sheaths during [[robot mode]]), while the larger sword stores in a set of grooves on the underside of his vehicle (also used in robot mode). It can also be stored (in robot mode) in the doors where the windows fold up. Behind his windshield kibble is his pre-Earth chest design, in a nod to the form Drift had been seen in almost exclusively at the time of the toy's unveiling. Due to his ball jointed wrists, Drift is one of the few Transformers figures that can hold a sword with a two-handed grip. Left unmentioned in the instructions is that the clip that holds his large sword is on a small concealed arm that allows the sword to move away from his back and out of the way of his legs and shoulders. Drift's swords are made from a kid-friendly flexible material, and therefore care must be taken to avoid warping. His hand holes are slightly larger than 5mm, but taper toward the bottom.

:While Drift's Earth mode designs showed him sporting the katakana ドリフト (''Dorifuto'') on his car doors, the toy instead sports the kanji 侍 (''samurai''). The large sword sports the kanji 天下無双 (''tenka musō'', "peerless under heaven", or just "peerless" if you're not feeling idiomatic. It can also mean "armed under providence").

:Drift's mold was [[retool]]ed into ''Generations'' [[Blurr (G1)#Generations|Blurr]] and was [[redeco]]ed, with Blurr's pistols also being included, into [[Drift (SG)#Toys|''Shattered Glass'' Drift]].

:When his eyes are lit up, he has two visible pupils that follow you when you turn him. Freaky.

::*''[http://tfu.info/2010/Autobot/Drift/drift.htm More information on Autobot Drift at TFU.info]''
{{GenerationsDriftMold}}

{{-}}{{anchor|}}
[[File:AOEGenerationstoy-DeluxeDrift.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Sensei!"]]
*'''Autobot Drift''' (Deluxe, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' Two daggers, two swords
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''AD23'''

{{note|''Age of Extinction'' [[Drift (AOE)#Age of Extinction|Drift]] was [[repurposing|repurposed]] as Drift in the IDW Angry Birds comic.}}

:Part of the second wave of ''Age of Extinction: [[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Deluxe Class toys, this figure of Drift features a more complex transformation and a much more [[Articulation|articulated]] and proportionate robot mode. He comes with two daggers and two swords, all of which he can wield via 5mm post. All four of his weapons can store on his roof/back in various ways in robot mode, while in vehicle mode his daggers store beneath the roof and his swords store on the underside of the car.

:A variant of Drift that apparently ships with [[wave]] 2.5 (which also includes [[Lockdown (ROTF)#Generations|Lockdown]]) adds black [[paint operation]]s to the front vents. The two versions can be told apart inside the packaging by the manufacturing date codes stamped into their cardbacks.<ref name="delvariant">[http://www.allspark.com/content/2014/09/age-of-extinction-drift-variant/ Age of Extinction Drift Variant] at The Allspark.</ref>

{{-}}
===United===
[[File:United AutobotDrift toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|I am the white void, I am the cold steel, I am the just sword, with blade in hand I shall reap the sins of this world and cleanse it in the fires of destruction! I am Drift, the end has come!]]
*'''Autobot Drift''' (Deluxe, [[December 25]] 2010)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''UN-08'''
**''Accessories'': Left & right "dual swords", greatsword

:Part of the first wave of ''[[Transformers United]]'' toys, the [[TakaraTomy]] release of "Autobot Drift" is cast in a brighter white plastic, a cooler gray, and features more paint applications in vehicle mode, and on his head, arms and chest to make him more accurate to his comic book appearances. The light red of the Hasbro version is now more crimson in color and the sword's gray is slightly altered from the Hasbro release.
{{GenerationsDriftMold}}
{{-}}

===Q-Transformers===
[[File:QTransformers Drift.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Are you sure this is the guy who's supposed to flip out and kill sick people?]]
*'''Drift''' ([[June 27]] [[2015]])
**''ID number:'' '''QT-22'''

:''[[Q-Transformers]]'' Drift is a redeco and retool of [[Sunstreaker (G1)#Q-Transformers|QT-12 Sunstreaker]], transforming into a [[super deformed]] Mazda RX-7 FD3S (though as a Sunstreaker redeco, his feet are sculpted to resemble the hood of a Lamborghini Countach). His head features some inspiration from [[Drift (AOE)|''Age of Extinction'' Drift]]'s design, namely the golden crest and samurai helmet neckguard.

{{-}}
===Kre-O===
{{anchor|KreonTripleChanger}}
*'''Autobot Drift''' (Kreon Triple Changer, <s>2015</s>)
**''Accessories'': 2 swords, Slipstream & Jetstorm Kreons

:Kreon Triple Changer Autobot Drift mooshes all the incarnations of Drift into one form! This built-up Kreon transforms from robot to sportscar to helicopter, ''without'' needing to be disassmebled. His general appearance is based on Generation 1 Drift, his altmodes come from [[Drift (AOE)|''Age of Extinction'' Drift]], and of course his micro-Kreon Mini-Con partners [[Slipstream (RID)#Kre-O|Slipstream]] and [[Jetstorm (RID)#Kre-O|Jetstorm]] hail from [[Drift (RID)|''Robots in Disguise'' Drift]].

:Drift (along with [[Blitzwing (G1)/toys#KreonTripleChanger|Blitzwing]]) was shown at [[Toy Fair 2015]], but no accounts of it seeing release in any market have ever surfaced.
{{canceledtoy}}

{{-}}

===Legends===
[[File:E-Hobby-Transformers-Legends-Deadlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Bot-tousai the Mechslayer.]]
*'''Deadlock''' (Deluxe, March 2016)
**''ID number:'' '''LG EX'''
**''Accessories'': Left & right pistols, rifle, greatsword

:''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' Deadlock is a redeco of ''Generations'' Drift in his black, red, purple, and gold Deadlock color scheme as seen in the ''[[The Transformers: Drift|Drift]]'' miniseries and ''[[Transformers Cloud|Cloud]]'' comics / text stories. He comes with his greatsword in black and replaces the two smaller swords with the two pistols and rifle from the Blurr version of the mold, which can combine into a sniper rifle with a bipod (or a triple-barreled rifle). He features Blurr's minor retooling of his inner doors in order to accommodate the pistols in robot mode. Deadlock is an [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive and comes with two comics, "[[Decepticon Jaeger Deadlock]]" and a [[Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Deadlock)|volume EX]] of the ''[[Transformers Legends (comic)|Legends: Bonus Edition]]'' comic.
{{GenerationsDriftMold}}

==Merchandise==
===Flame Toys Kara Kuri===
[[File:FlameToysDrift.jpg|thumb|]]
*'''Drift''' (2017)
**''Accessories'': Great Sword, Great Sword scabbard, 2 small swords, 2 small scabbards, 2 cape parts, 3 faces, 14 hands, helmet armor (exclusive)

:Produced by [[Flame Toys]] as part of their ''Kuro Kara Kuri'' line, Drift is a detailed non-transforming action figure featuring [[die-cast]] parts and LEDs in his head, chest, shoulders and legs. He comes with a selection of alternate hands, three faces with different expressions (stoic, snarling and shouting), his Great Sword, two smaller swords and a tattered cape based on the one worn by [[Wing (G1)|Wing]] in [[Drift issue 1|''Drift'' #1]]. The Great Sword features a gimmick where pushing in the handle transforms the hilt, causing it to splay out into a crossguard and changing the gem's color from white to blue. If purchased via D4toys.com, SEN-TI-DEN Hong Kong or events attended by Flame Toys, Drift also includes additional samurai-inspired helmet armor that can be displayed with or without a visor.

{{-}}

==Notes==
*Commenting on what inspired him to create Drift, writer/creator [[Shane McCarthy]] said that "I wanted a character in AHM that had a particular element to him that I didn't see readily available elsewhere and secondly because, frankly, I thought it would be a great idea for Hasbro to have an Autobot Drift racer."<ref>[http://www.smactalk.com.au/?p=101 Shane McCarthy blogs about Spotlight: Drift.]</ref> He later said he wanted to show what'd happen [[:Category:Turncoats|if a former Decepticon became an Autobot]].<ref>[http://tformers.com/article.php?sid=11723 Podcast interview with Shane McCarthy]</ref> Drift's Japanese overtones are meant to be a tip of the hat "to the country that gave birth to [''Transformers'']."<ref>[http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18585 Comic Book Resources October 27th, 2008 interview with Shane McCarthy]</ref>
*Drift's name is derived from the Japanese driving technique of "{{w|Drifting (motorsport)|drifting}}," rendered in Japanese as ドリフト走行 (''dorifuto sōkō''). This is also the source of the {{w|katakana}} in Chris Ryall's announcement;<ref>[http://ryalltime.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post.html "ドリフト走行*" entry in Chris Ryall's blog]</ref> it is a transliteration of his English name and is not from Japanese fiction.
*Discarded [http://guidoarts.deviantart.com/art/DRIFT-early-sketches-93573360 body designs] and [http://guidoarts.deviantart.com/art/DRIFT-early-head-sketches-93574266 head designs] for Drift can be found on [http://guidoarts.deviantart.com Guido Guidi's DeviantArt page.]
*[[IDW Publishing]] initially claimed that Drift had been solicited by [[Hasbro]] to receive a toy in the ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' line. This may have been premature, as it was followed several months later with a denial, albeit from Hasbro's Australian offices.<ref>[http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=3438 Ozformers Q&A with Hasbro Australia]</ref> This was rebutted by IDW editor [[Chris Ryall]] at [[New York Comic Con]] 2009, denied again in the March 2009 Hasbro Q&A for Seibertron.com,<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/hasbro-answers-seibertrons-questions/15360 Hasbro March 2009 Q&A on Seibertron.com]</ref> and finally acknowledged by Hasbro at [[BotCon 2009]] when early design sketches were unveiled for Drift's toy. The toy itself was first shown at [[Toy Fair 2010]].
*As may be surmised from this page's captions, the large amount of hype surrounding Drift's initial introduction—along with perceptions that he was little more than a stereotypical badass fan-created character with Japanese samurai/ninja stereotypes added in for maximum awesomeness—led to a considerable backlash against the character when he was first announced. The hype included not only his own ''Spotlight'' issue, followed later by a four-issue mini-series, but also an appearance in "[[I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|I Am Optimus Prime]]", a book intended to advertise the ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'' toys... whose ranks don't actually include a Drift figure. The character's actual appearances in fiction, however, have not spawned nearly as much vitriol, and the later (re)interpretation by author [[James Roberts]] actually resulted in many a fan changing their opinion of the character.
*Roberts has said "there's different facets" to Drift and his environment has an impact on how he presents himself.<ref>[http://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2015/02/26/james-roberts-on-idws-transformers-more-that-meets-the-eye/ Women Write About Comics: "James Roberts on IDW’s Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye" 34:40 - 35:02]</ref> Drift himself says in [[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|''Empire of Stone'' #3]] that he dives into new personas, both his brooding loner and his hippie ones, to cover up the parts of himself that he doesn't like.
*James Roberts stated that IDW Drift is forged and from [[Rodion]].<ref>[https://jrtweetsindex.tumblr.com/post/164978514244/twitter-convo-between-rodimus-primadonnabot-and Twitter conversation with James Roberts on 19 July, 2017]</ref>
*A mock-up of a black redeco of ''Generations'' Drift based on his [[Drift (AOE)|''Age of Extinction'' counterpart]]'s colors appeared in ''[[Transformers Generations 2014]]'' Vol. 1 as one of ten potential exclusives for Vol. 2. This "Autobot Drift Black Ver." didn't win the poll to determine which of the ten would be produced, however, ending up in fourth place with 12.7% of the votes.<ref>[http://millionhero.sblo.jp/article/101898683.html Poll results at Hero-X]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Drift''' (ドリフト ''Dorifuto''), '''Deadlock''' (デッドロック ''Deddorokku'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Piāoyí''' (China, 漂移, "Drift")

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Cloud Decepticons]]
[[Category:E-Hobby]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Legends Decepticons]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Q-Transformers characters]]
[[Category:Repurposed toys]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]

Rung (G1)

2018-11-27T05:31:36Z

Djelibaebi:

{{factions|primus|autobot}}
{{featured}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 Autobot|the ''Animated'' Autobot|Rung (Animated)}}
{{suite|root=Primus}}
:''Rung is an [[Autobot]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Rungisolated LostLight4cvr.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"Tell me again about your mother."]]

The Autobots have this, you know, psy-ops specialist. He's red, right? Orangey-red? And tiny? Basically defenseless? Does anyone remember his name? It's something like... Ring? Rong? Rang? Dang. It's on the tip of my tongue. He files these reports, you know, for [[Autopedia]]? He's written entries for each Autobot, from [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] to [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] to Red Alert again. As part of his duties, he performs the mental assessments of potential [[Wrecker]]s-to-be. He's very important. He's got... these huge eyebrows. You gotta know who this is describing, right? Collects and builds model spacecraft? Seriously. What's his name?

Oh, right! '''Rung'''! Thanks.

Or maybe Wrung. Who knows, really.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{first|[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]] (prose); [[Chaos Theory Part 1|'' The Transformers'' vol. 1 #22]] (comic)}}

[[File:MtMtEAnn2012-TheGuidingHand.jpg|thumb|left|300px|The popular depictions of Primus and the Guiding Hand that would later surface in Cybertron's history bore little resemblance to the genuine articles.]]

The robot who would become known as '''Primus''' was supposedly the first [[Transformer]] to come into existence, bearing the unique serial number of "000000001". {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} One legend states that the original Cybertronian first learned that he could [[transformation|transform]] twelve million years ago, in the land that would one day become [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

In many ways, Primus was no different from the rest of the Cybertronian race that would one day come into existence, but was marked by several unique traits that no other Cybertronian displayed: he possessed supernatural durability, able to recover from wounds that no other Transformers could survive; {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} more importantly, however, he was able to manufacture [[photonic crystal]]s, which were able to indefinitely store the energies of a [[spark]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} He was soon followed by a quartet of robots like himself, and together they would be remembered in mythology as the "[[Guiding Hand]]," each remembered as embodying an aspect of the Cybertronian race: [[Mortilus]], death, [[Epistemus]], wisdom, [[Solomus]], knowledge, and [[Adaptus]], change. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

[[File:LL-23-GuidingHandWar.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Behold the power of the Guiding Hand! Adaptus uses deadly laser blasts! Mortilus wields the Power Cosmic! Primus... has a stick!]]

Before long, [[hot spot]]s ignited across Cybertron, giving rise to the planet's first generation. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} Supposedly, Primus delivered his [[Prime Pastoral]] on the site that would one day become the [[Crystal City]], and consorted with the [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]]s [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and [[Chela]]. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} Primus's many titles included the "Celestial Architect" and the "Mechanica Divine", {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} and the [[Primal Sacrament]] attributed the famous verse "Survive and Thrive" to Primus. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

At some point in the past, Primus used his ability to generate photonic crystals to create the divine artifact known as the [[Matrix of Leadership]], which subsequently fell into the care of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} The Guiding Hand ruled benevolently for some time, even transforming the planet into a utopia, but tensions arose when Adaptus, worrying that their way of life would only lead to stagnation, sought to wage war against the races of the universe so as to encourage expansion. Primus and the other members of the Hand refused, and so the treacherous Adaptus battled his former comrades in what would be known as the "[[God War]]", deploying a legion of experimental horrors from his base on [[Moonbase One|Cybertron's first moon]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

[[File:TheUnremembering-informationcreep.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Forget him not.]]

When it became clear that Adaptus could not win against his brothers, he retreated to his lunar base and readied a massive electromagnetic blast that would leave the population of Cybertron confused and disoriented so that he could flee aboard his retrofitted moon, introducing the neurological phenomenon "[[information creep]]" to the planet. Primus sought to take as much of this blast as he could bear; in doing so, however, his memories of his origins and identity were garbled beyond repair, the fallout from the blast rendering him "permanently forgettable" so that nobody on Cybertron would be able to clearly remember him. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

Legends of Primus's existence continued on, however; in many religious sects, Primus would become remembered as a mighty warrior-god, "the clenched fist that became the Guiding Hand", {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} by literally dividing his essence into their being. Those same legends would come to demonize ''Mortilus'' as the evil member of the Guiding Hand, and the nature of Primus's final sacrifice became distorted by information creep—many would claim that, when the rest of the Guiding Hand had been trapped and deceived into giving up their divine forms, Primus had struck down Mortilus in their final battle, and the wounded god survived only by becoming the life-giving supercomputer [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

[[File:Unicron-1-PrimusUnicronLegend.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A different version of the Primus myth hewed closer to the [[Primus#Toys|classic interpretation]] of the character.]]

A different story remembered Primus as the first Cybertronian, who supposedly dueled his dreaded "[[Unicron/Generation 1|opposite]]" in a war that predated the universe itself; in this permutation of the myth, Primus triumphed and became Cybertron itself. {{storylink|Unicron issue 1|Unicron #1}} At some point afterwards, the Knights of Cybertron left their homeworld, taking the Matrix with them, and in the absence of the Guiding Hand or their original acolytes, Cybertronian civilization descended into barbarism. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} {{storylink|The Crucible}}

What became of the real Primus in this era is unknown; his influence was still felt, however, by the various primitive tribes that sprung up across Cybertron. One such group, an alliance of [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]s, commissioned the construction of the [[Crystal City]] to honor the ground where he had once stood. This would prove convenient for "[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]]", who painted a new flag to symbolize the alliance of the [[Thirteen]] and dubbed it the "First Face", claiming that it had been based off Metrotitan's description of the countenance of Primus. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} In time, however, a more secular culture would grip Cybertron, and fewer and fewer individuals came to see Primus and the other members of the Guiding Hand as concrete deities. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}}

When Primus himself reemerged, some seven million years ago, it was in the humble shape of '''Rung of the [[Pious Pools]]''', {{storylink|Little Victories}} a quiet, unassuming 'bot who was content to remain in the background. Rung had indeed forgotten everything about his origins—even interpreting his serial number upside down, leading him and everyone around him to believe that he was number 100000000. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} Rung himself assumed that he remained so forgettable because of his [[mode attachment]], leaving everyone to get used to him. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} In spite of this, he was one of [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]]'s oldest friends. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

Early into his new life, Rung was known to have lived in the [[Vinvissius Canals]] for a time, but left his home behind before they were redeveloped into the Vinvissisus Heights. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} As [[Nova Prime]] took the reins of Cybertronian civilization after the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]] and began his campaign of [[Expansion]], he required a massive population boom to maintain a sizeable interstellar colonization force. Rung somehow found himself pressed into the task of manufacturing enough photonic crystals to house the vast amount of sparks "bled" from the Matrix of Leadership during the event known as the "[[Silver Harvest]]". {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

At some point afterwards, Rung forgot that he had been responsible for the creation of so many sparks, and, like most Cybertronians, came to believe that the crystals were artificially made. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} Eventually, he chose to move into the field of psychotherapy, and by six million years ago, his "Rungian analysis" therapy was already in common parlance. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} Though Rung was originally slated to join the crew of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]]'', he was recalled at the last second, as the [[Senate]] allegedly needed him. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

During the reign of [[Nominus Prime]], Rung ran afoul of the [[Functionist Council]], as his strange alternate mode presented a unique problem: not even Rung himself knew the purpose of his alternate mode anymore, threatening to undermine their [[functionism|entire philosophy]] and the [[Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy]]. Rung was subjected to repeated and rigorous tests, to "reassure" other Cybertronians, he was forced to wear a false wheel on his back so as to fake an alternate mode. Eventually, even the Functionists found themselves stumped as to what Rung's purpose could be and so the problem was neatly sidestepped by creating a new entry in the [[Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy]] specifically for Rung's altmode: they classified him as an "[[Ornament class|ornament]]". {{storylink|Little Victories}}

Rung was subsequently employed by the Senate as a patho-psychologist alongside [[Froid]], {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}} and though Froid claimed that they were friends, they endured a heated rivalry, clashing over the proper use of personality adjustment treatments {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}} and eventually culminating in Froid ''stealing'' the [[Froidian Classification System]] of personality types from Rung.{{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

[[File:Stet-Rungwhistle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|They see me rolling...]]

In 4th Cycle 499, Rung was returning to his wellbeing clinic when a time-traveling [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] attacked him with electric knuckledusters, knocking the psychiatrist unconscious. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}

In 51st Cycle 500, Rung travelled to [[Mining Outpost C-12|Croteus 12]] after a secret Senate session amended the law to require two signatures on requests for [[shadowplay|personality adjustments]]. His arrival interrupted the use of the procedure on the exiled revolutionary [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], which had been approved by Froid. However, before Rung could assess whether he would countersign the operation, an underground energy surge prompted a complete evacuation of the facility. {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}}

Once Zeta Prime rose to power, Rung served as a psychotherapist under the new Autobot regime. He provided literature and adjustment assistance to bots undergoing body augmentation or retrofitting, including the New Senate operative [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} At some point, Rung served aboard the Autobot vessel ''[[Fateful Archetype]].'' This would prove to be the source of one of his darkest secrets: after getting too close to a patient aboard the vessel, Rung had been disbarred from practicing medicine by a tribunal... but when that ship crashed, Rung's supernatural durability meant that he was the only survivor, with nobody else aware of the events aboard. Froid would use this as leverage over his rival. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} Serving aboard more ships, Rung picked up a hobby of making models of every ship he'd been part of. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

After Zeta's death and the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], Rung was present during a battle that saw [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] clash. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

As the war continued, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] became one of Rung's patients. He'd stay one of Rung's patients for six centuries, his paranoia so bad it took ninety-seven sessions before he let Rung see his face, two hundred eighty-eight sessions before he told Rung his '''real''' name, and three hundred thirty-two sessions before he stopped recording their conversations. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

Rung did a psychological evaluation of [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] before his trial for [[Squadron X|unlawful executions]]. He ended up being physically assaulted and threatened with extreme violence if he tried 'putting ideas' in Impactor's head, but managed to calm the situation down. In the end, Rung was left questioning whether Autobot High Command shared the blame for Impactor's crimes for turning a blind eye to the robot's growing psychopathy. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Impactor's Autopedia entry}}

Over time, Froid and other rivals inflicted irreparable damage on Rung's reputation. Long after their deaths, Rung would write papers but never distribute them. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} With his reputation wrecked, Rung left Cybertron. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

Rung later performed a pre-mission psych-screening on new Wreckers [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]], [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]], and [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]] to estimate if they were suited to be put on the [[Garrus-9]] case. Rung was unimpressed by Rotorstorm's unrelenting bragging and joking, and found himself cutting through the charade when he mentioned [[Simanzi Massacre|Simanzi]]. Taking note of his dual personality, Rung declared him cleared for mission. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Autopedia entry}} With Pyro, he diagnosed the robot as an extreme sufferer of [[Primus apotheosis]] and noted with sadness that the robot was suppressing his own engaging personality for a copy of another's. He cleared Pyro with reservations, noting that apotheosis sufferers were known for sacrificing themselves. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Autopedia entry}} With Guzzle, he cleared the 'bot as having personality flaws but no real psychological flaws, though he was unnerved by his disturbing habit of playing with his gun's safety. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Guzzle's Autopedia entry}}

When screening Ironfist, he was impressed by his enthusiasm and knowledge, but not so much by his actual combat experience and mentality. Rung advised against Ironfist's participation, but retracted his negative conclusion when he received 'unsolicited advice' from [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|an undisclosed party]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Ironfist's Autopedia entry}}

[[File:Chaos3-KimiaSurvivors.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|At least Rung's right there to treat any outbreaks of claustrophobia.]]
Rung treated the shell-shocked Autobot [[Flattop (Autobot)|Flattop]]. He discovered Flattop was a survivor of the [[Babu Yar]] atrocity, but that was not his immediate problem. What pushed him over the edge this time was an encounter with the [[Shimmer]]. Rung tried to give rational explanations for the appearance of Shimmer, but Flattop died right there in his office. {{storylink|Bullets}}

Kup, one of Rung's oldest friends, asked him to examine [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] after a [[zero point]] affliction had left him in a coma. Believing that certain emotional triggers could cause Springer's subconscious to force his [[spark]] across the zero point, Rung asked [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] to read ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs to him in hopes that the memories would have some effect. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

Rung was among the survivors of [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]'s attack on [[Kimia Facility]]. He and the others drifted in a cramped escape pod for some time until they were rescued by [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

[[File:LiarsAtoD3-RungSkids.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|This large panel is the source of 80% of Transformers-related shipping on Tumblr.]]
After Cybertron was reborn in the wake of the [[D-Void]]'s defeat, Rung joined [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s crew on the ''[[Lost Light]]'' in search for the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Before he could get on the ship, his arm was detached by a wildly flying Cyclonus. {{Storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} After getting his arm repaired in [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]'s care, Rung was choked by an irrational and unresponsive [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]. The psychiatrist managed to get him to release his grip when he reminded Whirl that he would go back to prison, forever, if he didn't stay in line. When [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] joined the crew, Rung informed him of their quest. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} Rung later had a close call with a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]], but was saved by Skids. Rodimus used the two to lure the Sparkeater so he could defeat it. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

As a result of his almost never using it, the nature of Rung's [[alternate mode]] became the subject of a 100 [[shanix]] wager between [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]. A early blow in this "war" came when Swerve repeatedly threw a hand grenade at the back of Rung's head, hoping to trigger an involuntary mode change. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], previously thought cured, returned to therapy shortly after the launch of the ''Lost Light''. Rung was concerned that all the progress they had made on Red Alert's rampant paranoia over the years was coming undone. Red Alert informed Rung that he was hearing noises coming from a crack in the floor of the Sparkeater's chamber. He gave him a recording of the noise which Rung vaguely recognized as a voice, albeit tremendously slowed-down. When they sped the sound up, the words "kill...me" could be identified. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

Rung held a session with the newly returned [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]], whose mental state had been called into question after he had suffered torture and humiliation at the hands of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] for three years. Rung urged him to open up and explore his trauma, to no avail. Maximus later snapped and went on a rampage across the ''Lost Light'', gunning down Autobots that reminded him of Overlord. Rung was in the middle of a session with Whirl when Max broke in and took them both hostage. Rung was bound to his chair and Whirl was overpowered and pinned to the ground. Rung tried to reason with Maximus, while simultaneously recording and broadcasting what was happening in his office through the microphone in his thumb. When Maximus noticed it, he tore Rung's thumb off.

[[File:Rung FortMax Interiors.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Wait! I'm starting to come down with Stockholm syndrome...handsome!"]]
As the situation dragged on, Rung continued to try and break through to Maximus. Max kept dodging the issue, pinning the reason for his actions on [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'s delay in sending help to [[Garrus-9]], instead of acknowledging that Overlord was at the root of his psychosis. Maximus then confronted Whirl, who told Maximus about his life. Rung expressed wonder at this, as there were details that Whirl told Maximus that he had never told Rung. Whirl replied that Rung had never threatened any of his friends, to Rung's visible surprise. When a holo-image of Overlord torturing him was projected into the room by Rewind, Maximus froze up and crumbled to his knees. Rung tenderly comforted him and the hostage situation appeared to be at an end. Unfortunately, a shot from Swerve meant to disable Fortress Maximus instead hit Rung in the head. A memorial service was later held for Rung, which Rodimus presided over. {{storylink|Interiors}}

Surprisingly, Rung's spark and [[brain module]] ''survived'' and the medical staff believed he might pull through: something Ratchet said was akin to a miracle. Later, after a visit by [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and a horrified Swerve, Red Alert came to see the comatose psychiatrist. Believing that Rung's near-death was a result of the recording he had played to Rung, the paranoid security officer said he couldn't tell anyone else the truth he'd discovered—the voice was Overlord's, the sadistic Decepticon "strung up and sedated" in the bowels of the ''Lost Light''. Expecting to be killed himself, he left a [[data slug]] of his findings in Rung's hand and said goodbye. Unfortunately, a [[Diagnostic Drone]] had recorded Red Alert's confession, and summoned a mysterious figure who removed the slug... {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} After the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s encounter with a [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], Swerve explained his religious interpretation of events to the comatose Rung. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

[[File:CybertronianHomesickBlues-SkidsRung.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|How much is the bill?]]
After Rung's head was rebuilt, it took hours of patient work from [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to get Rung to be able to distinguish between people and objects. Then it took Swerve talking for ''147 hours straight'' to get Rung to move again (placing a finger over Swerve's mouth). With Rung still locked into the fog of his own thoughts, {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} Rewind decided that they could help repair the psychiatrist's brain by telling him a story: hearing stories required the brain to use its cognitive functions. He assembled a group of Autobots who'd all been part of interlinked events and tried to use the story to kick-start Rung's brain. And then he tried again. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} Not knowing when to try a different tack and intending to finally talk to Rung about [[Dominus Ambus]] {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}, he then tried a third time with a group of 'Bots who had been involved in a chain of events during the [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]] and prompted them to talk about it. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Rewind checked Rung again during the story later and still found no mental signs in him {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} and he still showed no signs when the story was finished. Seeing that Rewind was on the wrong track, Skids tried a simpler idea, drawing from the sheer number of connections the psychiatrist had made during his lifespan without leaving an impact on many. He deliberately got his name wrong several times in front of him, and an irritated Rung immediately said his name was "Rung. Forever." {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

After being fully repaired and helping Brainstorm develop [[Holomatter|holomatter avatars]] that could reflect an Autobot's inner psyche, he went down to [[Hedonia]] for shore leave with Swerve, Skids, Tailgate, Rewind and Cyclonus, Whirl, and Ultra Magnus, who just tagged along. The group spent the evening between a bar {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} and a gift shop, where the sight of a memory stick caused the psychiatrist to remember his last conversation with Red Alert. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} After a violent outburst from Cyclonus saw the group leave the bar, Rung helped bring an unconscious Ultra Magnus back to the shuttle. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Back aboard the ''Lost Light'', Rung shared Red Alert's concerns with Rodimus, but the ship's captain claimed to have greater priorities than immediately investigating. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}}

[[File:MTMTE22 Rung's alternate mode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|Maybe he turns into a Playstation Move.]]
As part of the ongoing bet, Tailgate attempted to have Rung transform as part of an "alt-mode party", although the psychiatrist wound up simply bemused. When the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]'' contacted the ''Lost Light'', Rung was excited at the prospect of meeting its captain, the superlative [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]. However, the famous Autobot wound up held at gunpoint by his First Officer [[Paddox]], who had been revealed as an [[Ammonite]] spy. Rung was instrumental in saving the day, allowing Swerve to wield his "ornamental" alt mode as a blunt instrument with which to bludgeon the aggressor. Rung was also interviewed by Rewind, as part of the documentary the archivist was producing. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

Rung visited Fortress Maximus in the ship's brig, where he forgave the ex-warden for the events surrounding the psychiatrist's near-death. Their moment was interrupted, however, by an alarm signaling Overlord's escape into the ship. In the battle that followed, Rung mostly watched helplessly from the sidelines. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}}

After Overlord's defeat, Rodimus was left despondent and angry, and made angrier when Rung, correctly, realised his problem was that ''others'' had stopped Overlord and not him. At the funerals, Rung's stern, silent glance got Rodimus to admit that others, including the poor, dead Rewind, had saved the day. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} Speaking truth to power got Rung drafted for a mission to the legendary [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], in pursuit of the missing Ultra Magnus: Rodimus needed someone who was willing to say things he didn't want to hear. After reaching the moon's surface, the group encountered a newly ignited [[hot spot]], but they were quickly chased away by a [[Titan Hunter|gang of mercenaries]] {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} in the employ of [[Solomus|Chief Justice Tyrest]].

[[File:HouseofAmbus-Rung&Minimus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|Given his history, Rung should really know better now than to get involved in situations with angry poets.]]
The group was charged with "crimes against creation", and shoved into a cell with a guy called Minimus Ambus. Rung swiftly picked up that Ambus had the same mannerisms, nervous tics, and speech patterns as Ultra Magnus. Keeping his suspicions to himself at first, Rung tested his theory by wearing his Autobot badge at an angle and deliberately making a mess. Before long, Ambus relented and confirmed his identity, {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} explaining that "[[Magnus Armor|Ultra Magnus]]" was an identity passed down through the ages. Confused by the charges against the ''Lost Light'' crew, Ambus left to confront Tyrest, whilst Skids, Swerve, and [[Getaway]] were dumped into the cell. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

Getaway revealed that he and the amnesiac Skids had been dispatched by Prowl to alter the unstable Tyrest's memories, and used his escapology skills to break the entire group out. Rung and the others confronted Tyrest, his deranged plan to kill all cold-constructed [[Transformer]]s and reach [[Cyberutopia]] revealed. Immobilizing the ''Lost Light''ers, the Chief Justice activated his [[universal killswitch]], {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} but was defeated by Tailgate and Minimus Ambus. Whilst Rodimus and Perceptor used the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to disable the killswitch, Rung comforted First Aid, who had been goaded into killing Tyrest's accomplice [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]. When a final order from Tyrest brought his [[Legislator]] robots back to accost Rung and the others, Tailgate saved the day by amending the law at the Chief Justice's computer console. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} In the aftermath of the battle, Rung met with Fortress Maximus in Swerve's, and the ex-warden revealed that he had been offered the role of Duly Appointed Enforcer of the [[Tyrest Accord]] by Rodimus and Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}}

When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] and the crew of the ''[[Skyroller]]'' came aboard the ''Lost Light'', Rung was present for the 'welcome aboard' party at Swerve's. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} Shortly afterwards, the ship quantum jumped beneath the seas of [[Hydrophena]] in search of Metroplex, and Rung was one of the crew members who disembarked to battle the [[Ammonite]]s who set upon the ''Lost Light''. The psychiatrist was able to split apart one "Minicon" combiner by striking its weak spot, but was immediately shoulder-barged by another. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} Eventually the ship's crew was able to rescue Metroplex and jump the Metrotitan and the ''Lost Light'' back to Cybertron. Rung was among the crew who met up with the contingent of Autobots and Decepticons fighting against [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s machinations. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} With the scientist's [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]] defeated by Metroplex, the psychiatrist and several other Autobots took some time to relax at Swerve's, where Rung watched the bar's owner freak out over [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]]'s presence. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

The festivities were cut short, however, by the materialization of seventy billion Ammonites in the planet's skies, and Rung mostly spent the battle that followed looking on in horror. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} After the dust settled, Rung was present to see Optimus Prime and Megatron stand side-by-side, the Decepticon leader having declared his new faction during the climactic confrontation with Shockwave. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:WordsHangInTheAir-Nightbeat.jpg|thumb|250px|Nightbeat's wondering why Raiz drew it differently.]]
In the days that followed, Rung was in the crowd on [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] observing Megatron stand trial for his crimes during the war. By the trial's resolution, Megatron was declared co-captain of the ''Lost Light'', and six months later, after the ship had resumed its quest, the former Decepticon attended a therapy session with the Autobot psychiatrist. Megatron spent much of the session evading Rung's inquiries, at one point changing the subject to the first time he encountered the psychotherapist, at [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] in 4th Cycle 496. Unable to remember this incident, Rung took the opportunity to segue into discussing a first-edition copy of Megatron's original autobiography, ''Towards Peace'', that he had been given by new crew member [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]. Of interest was a dedication to 'Terminus' that the ex-Decepticon removed from all subsequent copies. The session was then interrupted by a brief black-out, and Megatron took the chance to end the meeting. As he left, Megatron revealed that Terminus was somebody who taught him "not to get attached". {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Later that day, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] examined a schematic of Rung's enigmatic alt-mode, {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} whilst the psychiatrist himself attended a screening of the [[Earth]] film ''{{w|Zulu (1964 film)|Zulu}}'' at Swerve's. The event was interrupted, however, when the ''Lost Light'' began disappearing piece by piece, and Rung escaped onto a shuttle. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} Eventually Rung and every other original crew member disappeared, with the remaining ''Lost Light''ers discovering that the ship's initial quantum jump had caused it and its passengers to duplicate. The other ship's Rung, they learned, was "lost" during the explosive jump. Eventually, the ''Lost Light'' and its crew were restored and its duplicate vanished. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

Not long after the ship's reappearance, Rung was at [[Swerve's]] when Brainstorm activated an electro-sensitive poison, knocking everybody who'd been drinking from the spiked engex vats unconscious. As a teetotaler, Rung merely wound up buried under a pile of his collapsed crewmates. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}} When Brainstorm, apparently revealed as a Decepticon, travelled back in time, Rung was recruited to the team pursuing the engineer into the past. Materializing in [[Alyon]] in 1st Cycle 502, the group encountered a team of insurgents and [[Outlier]]s, led by Orion Pax, trying to protect a hot spot from Senate forces. Whilst the two teams rested, Rung was startled to discover that [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] was taking [[circuit speeder]]s to keep up with his Outlier teammates, and warned of their health risks. After helping save the hot spot's newborn sparks, the ''Lost Light'' team followed Brainstorm further into the past, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} to 4th Cycle 501, during the Clampdown.

[[File:Chaos Theory P1 - Rung starts the Great War.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7|"Hey, I didn't order that!"]]
Rung was assigned to survey Maccadam's New Oil House in [[Rodion]], where he passed the time building a model of the ''Lost Light''. Unbeknownst to him, he was observed by both Brainstorm, who realized that he had been pursued into the past, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}} and [[Quark]] and Nightbeat, who bickered over whether the psychiatrist was a Senate spy or just a billy-no-mates. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} After Brainstorm time-jumped again, Rung's crewmates regrouped at Maccadam's to be sent even further into the past, to 4th Cycle 499. When the group split up, Rung was in the contingent that stayed at the bar, and was dispatched to fetch a [[curly straw]] for Tailgate. In doing so, however, he spilled a Senate cadet's drink. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}} After refusing to clean up the spill, the poor 'bot was tossed across the bar, right onto [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] and Megatron's table. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory Part 1}} A barfight quickly ensued, away from which Rodimus dragged the unconscious Rung. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}

Having realized that Brainstorm intended to kill Megatron, Rung and the ''Lost Light''ers pursued the engineer back to 1st Cycle 012, where the Decepticon-to-be had just been created in a cold construction facility. After Brainstorm was hit with a "grenado", Rung checked the facility's computer's and found that the rogue engineer had already wiped Megatron's batch code, and then spent ten minutes pointing his gun at the newborn. When Brainstorm pulled a pistol again, Rung was able to talk him down, realizing that the engineer was still conflicted. A short time later, the crew used Rodimus's "time phone" to send a warning message for their past selves, and Rung chipped in with instructions to not visit [[Delphi]] (though the message failed to reach its intended recipients). After the group returned to the present day, Rung visited Perceptor, who revealed that their actions in the past were pre-destined, already part of established history, and that tampering with the time machine might have lead to a multitude of alternate realities being created. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}}

[[File:MTMTE48 skids and rung.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Let's face it, Rung isn't Robert's self-insert; he's ''ours''.]]
As well as helping on the ''Lost Light'', Rung was remotely providing aid to Fortress Maximus. The new enforcer of the Tyrest Accord admitted to him how he'd been thrown to discover some Decepticons had been a bunch of damaged guys and not complete monsters. Rung gently steered him towards changing his ultraviolent approach, as many Decepticons may be like that now. {{storylink|Animals}}

While assisting Skids with reclaiming his lost memories, Rung was surprised to find ''Froid'' (who was supposed to be [[death|dead]]) visiting the ''Lost Light''! [[File:MTMTE48 creepy froid.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.0|Aaaaaand this panel is the source of the other 20%.]] His rival wrangled a private chat with his "old friend" and began to mock, cajole, intimidate, and outright blackmail Rung to hand over all his patient notes. Even the threat of revealing he shouldn't be practicing therapy anymore wouldn't break Rung. Instead, Rung ran a sting and asked if he could 'help' with anything else while quietly alerting Skids to show up loaded for bastard. Unfortunately, it turned out Froid wanted the patient information as a way of feeding his "prisoner": monstrous serial killer and memory-eating [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]], [[Sunder (G1)|Sunder the Tetraxian Ripper]]!

Sunder remotely accessed Rung's memories of the patients and broke out to have this all-you-can-eat buffet of repressed memories, starting with Skids. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} Rung had been recording the event and transmitted everything to Megatron, who declared the ship on lockdown. As Sunder prowled the ship, attacking anyone who hadn't locked themselves away, Rung was carrying Skids in a search for Chromedome, hoping the mnemosurgeon could stop the guy's memory surge. Froid tagged along and was brutally killed by Sunder before Thunderclash and Megatron could drive him back; when the monster proved too much, Rung saved Megatron with his ''ship collection'', all capable of flight and shooting!

Once the Ripper was finally stopped, Rung resigned as therapist: the transmission meant Megatron knew he had been struck off. When the captain tried to talk him out of this, Rung snapped that the only way you could defend what he'd done is if you thought his work was unimportant.{{storylink|Speak, Memory! (Part 2)}} Sunder's brief mental attack caused much of Rung's subconiosius "inklings" of his true nature to surface. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

The crew found a shrinking 'time window' in [[Swerve's]] that could allow you to look back in its past. Rung and Chromedome both went to look back at Rewind's attempt to fix his brain-damaged self, and Rung would have to gently remind Chromedome when it was time to go. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

Rung had been asked (and his mind wiped) by Getaway if he'd be willing to mutiny against Megatron. As he wasn't, the mutiny tricked Rung into leaving the ship with the other Megatron 'loyalists': a transmission was sent from the Necrobot's planet to draw them in. (A dying Necrobot, corrupting it in the hope of scaring people away, made it terrify them; Rung heard something he refused to discuss) The group followed the transmission to the planet and came under immediate, violent attack from the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] and [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] before learning the ''Lost Light'' was abandoning them. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} The Autobots holed up in the Necrobot's old house and Rung helped Rodimus run through their assets. Which were none.

Others found there were dozens of slumbering organics underneath the base and that there was a long-range teleporter, but using the latter meant abandoning the former. Rung listened with weariness as Brainstorm argued for abandoning the organics as they could do far more good for the world if they escaped but, after Megatron spoke in favour of staying, Rung stayed to protect the helpless. While preparing for battle, he and the others realized [[Ten]] had been trying to alert them they could create a forcefield. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} After Nightbeat <s>put in a polite request to</s> begged Minimus Ambus to be allowed to investigate the hollow planet, Minimus agreed so long as Nightbeat had an escort. Nightbeat chose Rung for his total lack of fighting skills. Rung was not amused. Despite the two promising to be back by sunset, they weren't, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} prompting Rodimus and Drift to question what became of them after the D.J.D. had been defeated. [[Image:mtmte50 rung's funeral request.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|]] Rung was very close to raising his voice at Nightbeat when the two finally breached the last layer of the "crust" to find the hollow insides where Nightbeat concluded that the intense gravitational forces were playing havoc with their internal clocks... which Rung couldn't care less about since an examination of the landscape, particularly an inverted pattern of the [[Vinvissius Canals]], led him to the (incorrect) conclusion that Necroworld was the mould into which Cybertron was poured. Then a [[geobomb]] showed up to ruin the moment. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

Three weeks after the mutiny, the crew's last messages, including Rung's, were received by several parties on Earth and Cybertron. Rung begged them to dismantle him if he died in alternate mode and "put me beyond use". {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

When [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] tried to take over his mind, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] used Rung's image as his inner voice to override the brainwashing. {{storylink|Last Light (issue)|Last Light}}

The geobomb had not killed anyone and just appeared to have itself out. It would be a while before anyone learned they'd been shunted into [[Functionist Universe|a parallel universe]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} Brainstorm teleported the two (nearly!) back to the surface where Rung asked to see Skids. Ratchet brought him to Skids' corpse. The trauma of the sight causing Rung to involuntarily create a photonic crystal {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} and thus reawakened his old memories of his true purpose. Nightbeat then asked to speak to Rung about the former psychiatrist's issues and feelings of uselessness. Rung confessed that [[information creep]] had caused him to forget a good chunk of his past and what he was for. Rung showed Nightbeat the crystals he'd produced much to the detective's shock. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} When Brainstorm had worked out a way back to their reality, Ratchet embraced Rung due to the fate of the psychologist's alternate self. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} Rewind and Chromedome later took Rung aside to tell him the fate of his alternate self and how he'd served as an inspiration for billions much to the psychologist's shock and surprise. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

Part of the group that left Necroworld aboard [[Skip]], {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}} Rung tucked himself away in alternate mode to deal with the limited space. When Skip began to contract and tensions mounted, Rung reverted back to robot mode. {{storylink|Sardines}}

Salvation, surprisingly, came from Ten who dramtically spoke up and told the crew how to access the [[Warren]], a nexus of time/space tunnels that could take them to a [[Mederi]] facility. Mid-transit however, Skip's mass displacement gave out and the crew were forced to bail out. They'd come within spitting distance of the original Mederi however, the moon fixing their damaged bodies and projecting itself as the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]]. When the time came for everyone to "ascend", Rodimus's group discovered the truth of where they were and having learnt that Mederi ''was'' [[Cyberutopia]], the Knights of Cybertron having fallen victim to the same trap that had nearly killed them. As the crew took stock, they were soon beset by the mutineers, now transformed into ravenous [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]]. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

When the mutated crew attacked, Rung lost an arm to [[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] before being saved by [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]. While a small detachment went to board the ''Lost Light'', the rest of the group barricaded themselves inside Ward Zero so the medics could find a cure to the sparkwater virus. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}} As they worked, Rung was drawn to the telepaths and their chanting, having memories of his past stirred up when the organics began "saying" Adaptus's sigil before counting down from one thousand. When the countdown concluded, a massive tear in the Warren opened above the moon. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}} As everyone scrambled to evacuate, Rung stopped Rewind from touching a [[geobomb]] that had been teleported in before the ''Lost Light'' launched only to find that the ship could not match the rift's gravitational pull. Brought to the [[Benzene Cluster]], the group was taken prisoner by the forces of the Grand Architect. While in the cell, Rung felt that the Magnificence – in reality Epistemus – was calling to him, involuntarily transforming when he looked into its pupil. From the confines of their prison, the crew watched as the Architect's [[God Gun]] opened a tear between realities and the Functionist Universe began invading their own. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}}

When the Functionist Council made their way through, their version of Cybertron now transformed into a massive effigy of Primus, their forces immediately went to war with the Architect's. Megatron then came to the crew's rescue, via blasting the hull of the [[Worldsweeper]] they were trapped in, only for the Architect to seal the breach before everyone could be freed. Those who remained confronted the Architect, who claimed to be Adaptus. Though the claim was met with skepticism by all, the Architect verified it by identifying Tyrest as the new identity of Solomus and that Rung himself... was Primus! {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

Being recognized and named subsequently undid the information creep and the entirety of Rung's memories were restored, even recognizing he'd been reading his serial code upside down. After demonstrating his self-healing abilities, Rung explained the truth behind the [[God War]] before Solomus attacked Adaptus, resulting in both their deaths. Back aboard the ''Lost Light'', Epistemus proposed Rung create three duplicates of the Matrix of Leadership so that [[Rossum's Trinity]] could be exploited to bring down the Functionist Primus. The crew overruled the suggestion however, noting the trapped civilians that would be condemned to death. Instead, a group brainstorm led to the idea of creating twelve Matrices to be opened at each of Cybertron's hot spots so as to overload [[Vector Sigma]]. At that, Epistemus was properly possessed by the Omega Guardians who used his physical form to unleash deadly bolts of energy. At that, Chromedome and Rewind dragged Rung away so he could safely produces the Matrices. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

Though able to manufacture the Matrices, Rung was fully aware the exertion would kill him. Telling Chromedome and Rewind that they should be more forgiving to each other, Rung accepted his fate, taking a moment to recall his time with Skids before deleting his patient files. Once the last Matrix was produced, Rung's body exploded into inert sentio metallico, only his removed glasses remaining. When the Matrices were opened, they indeed overloaded Vector Sigma with the excess energy being shunted to Luna 1 where it reignited the hot spot to reveal a final message from the psychologist: "Don't Forget Me." {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

{{spoiler|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2|November 28}}
[[File:LL25 - Lunarian 113.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|Daddy's little 'bot.]]
Despite the best efforts of the crew, Adaptus's information creep had proven too strong and they soon forgot Rung entirely, not even his quarters being able to rouse Chromedome and Rewind's memories. However, Rung's legacy would live on in another way: the [[Lunarian]]s, the generation birthed from the hot spot on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], all had a marked tendency (not that anyone was aware of it) to resemble their progenitor. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}
{{-}}

====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:Rung predestination an experts guide.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|We ''told'' you he was an ornament.]]

In the [[Functionist Universe]], Primus was used as the justification for the dystopia and a square in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] boasted a building sized statue of an old-school Primus, "SURVIVE AND THRIVE" inscribed under it. [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] expressed the opinion that if something was essential to anyone, Primus would have created a Cybertronian that turned into it. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} [[Six-of-Twelve]] came to believe that Primus was speaking to him through the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and telling him to arm Cybertron for a coming war. [[Nine-of-Twelve]] expressed the belief that [[Team Rodimus]]' arrival in their universe was Primus' doing. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

When the [[Functionist Council]] discovered [[Rung (G1)#The_Functionist_Universe|Rung's]] ability to produce [[Photonic crystal|photonic crystals]] they first thought him the spawn of [[Mortilus]] before deciding it was Primus' endorsement of [[Reproduction|cold construction]]. Now having a way of storing new Sparks until bodies were built, the Council decided that their own function was to bring Functionism to the galaxy by removing any race that didn't serve a function in Primus' optics. In laybot's terms: Every single race that wasn't Cybertronian had to go to fulfill their vision of Primus' grand plan. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

No one could figure out the exact purpose of Rung's alternate mode, so he was locked up in [[Cog (base)|The Cog]] and regularly tortured for two million years by the scientist [[Quark]] to try and discern the mystery. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} His unique position in a purely functionist society caused a cult to develop around him. He was hailed as the "Useless One", with his "[[Female protester|followers]]" openly defying the government and being met with [[Death|a reminder of the status quo]]. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}} Eventually while he was cleaning Rung's cell [[Sweep (IDW)|Sweep]] (a ''janitor'', not a scientist) figured out his purpose, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} by finding the [[Photonic crystal|photonic crystals]] Rung had unconsciously produced. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} [[One-of-Twelve]] was not pleased, labelling Rung a threat to the [[Functionist Council]] and the spawn of [[Mortilus]]. One-of-Twelve greeted the "Useless One" (which Rung commented was ironic given that One-of-Twelve's alternate mode needed eleven others to form and was useless itself) and pulled a gun to his head. Rung warned him that if he took the shot, the Functionist world would be destroyed and then proceeded to goad him into firing, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} so as to become a martyr for the [[Anti-Vocationist League]]. One-of-Twelve didn't take the bait and hid Rung for a year to try and work out how to spin this. Six-of-Twelve viewed Rung's purpose as endorsement of cold construction and further testing by One-of-Twelve showed that Rung could produce crystals against his will. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:AWorldDisplaced-RungAlternateMode.jpg|thumb|upright=1|left|His is the drill that will pierce the heavens.]]
A year later, the Functionist Council announced Revelation Day: at the end of the countdown, they'd disprove this whole "Useless One" anti-functionist talk by revealing exactly what Rung was for. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

Supposedly Rung turned into a colossal mining tank with a very conspicuous crystalline drill, something which Team Rodimus found suspicious. According to [[Six-of-Twelve]], the point of Rung's alternate mode was to drill through the [[Ununtrium|ununtrium]] wall that surrounded [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}} Rung was teleported to Vector Sigma's chamber but left to the side in his alternate mode. Ratchet managed to return Rung to robot mode (causing the holo-matter treads to disappear and the "drill" to shatter) and he immediately told Ratchet to follow his instructions, {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}} by pretending to hold him hostage so that Six-of-Twelve would release [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]. Before the group teleported away, Rung laid into the Council by mocking their own useless alternate mode and saying that all of them were the real "Useless Ones". Materializing in Iacon, Rung directed the group to steal [[Cog (base)|the Cog]] which he intended to ram into Luna 2 to destroy them both. Before that however, Rodimus demanded an explanation of Rung's true purpose and why the Functionists wanted him. Rung reluctantly displayed his ability to produce photonic crystals and explained the Functionists viewed that as Primus endorsing the cold construction process. As such, they wanted to draw more Sparks from Vector Sigma and store them in Rung's crystals to create an army of Cybertronians to purify the galaxy of alien life. When the Cog arrived at Adaptica, Rung locked in a collision course only for Rodimus to insist they save Luna 2 for its teleporter. Rung refused and said that Rodimus would have to fight him for Luna 2. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:ThisMachineKillsFascists-GiantRung.jpg|thumb|upright=1|''Nice.'']]
A single punch across the jaw was all it took for Rodimus to win the "fight" and gain control of the Cog. While Rewind scolded his captain, Rodimus came to his senses and ordered everyone else to evacuate while he and Rung crashed the Cog into Luna 2; however, The Cog was accidentally shot down by [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]]. Emerging from the wreckage, Rung decided to enact his backup plan over Ratchet's protests to his health. To the shock of all, Rung used the mass displacement generator the Functionists had forcibly installed in him to grow to humungous size (far surpassing even the Titans) to punch Luna 2 out of the sky. The moon simply turned its guns on Rung and killed him, sending him back to the ground at normal size and in pieces. Megatron and Terminus briefly paused to comment on Rung before they continued to the teleporter. Rung's fate prompted Ratchet to hug the Rung of his own timeline when they reunited. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} His fate and role as an inspiration to billions was told by Rewind and Chromedome to the Rung of their timeline. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-6-Rung.jpg|75px|thumb|left|Insert appropriate Doc Brown sound here.]]
Rung directed a crane hauling a load of energy blocks into [[Metroplex (Kre-O)|Scramble City]] when the [[Devastator (Kre-O)|Constructicons]] attacked. {{Storylink|A New Menace! The Giant Soldier Devastator Appears!}}
{{-}}

===Transformers Facebook page===
Rung managed to get his own TV show, ''[[Rung Up with Rung]]'', in which he analyzed a weekly Cybertronian guest.

==Toys==
===Fictional toys===
[[File:Mtmte22-coverb-rung-toy.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Quite articulated for a G1 dude.]]
*'''Rung'''
**''Accessories:'' Data Journal, "ARK-1" Model, Tech Specs Decoder

:In [[Micro-continuity|some time-lost continuity]], Swerve tried to figure out a Rung toy. Its features included moveable eyebrows to alter the robot's expression, and a "Listening Mode". {{storylink|Little Victories}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
*A psychoanalyst named Rung was referenced in the unofficial Transformers novel ''Eugenesis'', written by [[James Roberts]].
*The name "Rung" is a reference to {{w|Carl Jung}}, founder of analytical psychology.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/comics-16/tfw2005-interviews-james-roberts-175563/ TFW2005.com interview with James Roberts]</ref> The mention of "Rungian analysis" in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #1]] is a further play on this.
*Rung's longest suffering patient was [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]].
*[[Alex Milne]] modeled Rung's appearance on actors {{w|Brent Spiner}} and {{w|David Hyde-Pierce}}.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/notes/transformers/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-vol-2-alex-milne-interview/395646703838863 Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye vol. 2 Alex Milne interview]</ref>
*Rung's Holomatter avatar is named {{w|Mary Sue}}, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the literary term of the same name and a wink at fans who consider Rung to be Roberts's own alter-ego.
*In [[Speak, Memory: Part 1|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #48]] we learn Rung collects models of ships he's served on. His collection has all the Arks from 1 to 9, as we know from [[Little Victories|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #22]].
*As with all non-toy Kreons, Rung is made entirely from pre-existing parts. It isn't particularly clear but it seems as though he's using Ironhide's helmet.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Rung''' (ラング ''Rangu'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://markerguru.deviantart.com/art/rung-colour-guide-253698917 Rung concept art at Alex Milne's deviantART]
*[http://markerguru.deviantart.com/gallery/?q=rung#/d471m8d More Rung design art, featuring an unused alternate mode concept]

{{Guiding Hand}}

[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Things that don't exist]]

Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2018-11-27T04:54:37Z

Djelibaebi:

{{faction|decepticon|edc}}
{{suite}}
[[File:TheObliterati thundercracker and buster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|"In IDW continuity, I'm actually interesting! Oh hai, doggie!"]]
A chance to be part of the exciting world of [[Gladiatorial combat|underground gladiator games]] turned into a life '''Thundercracker''' never wanted, but a belief in the rhetoric that founded his faction, and the sense of brotherhood and belonging he gained from being a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] saw him remain a loyal [[Decepticon]] for millions of years. Eventually, however, the Decepticons strayed too far from their original goals for Thundercracker to tolerate, and he threw his lot in with [[Earth]], embracing the planet as a new home and celebrating the ability of its people to grow and change in ways that Transformers struggle to. Today, his love of [[human]]ity and their arts has evolved into a desire to become a screenwriter, but love for his dog [[Buster (IDW)|Buster]] always comes first.

:*''First Appearance'': [[Infiltration issue 0|Transformers: Infiltration #0]]

{{bigquote|The are few things currently on Earth that have lasted as long as we have. I used to find that transience laughably fragile. But I see now that it's actually a strength I'm just beginning to grasp. I believe I'm finally understanding the meaning of the word... "beautiful". I can't think of the last time we created anything. We have so much to learn here.|Thundercracker|[[Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|''The Transformers'' #4]]}}

{{TOCclear}}

==IDW Generation 1 continuity==
===Becoming a Seeker===
[[File:MegatronOrigin4 Thundercracker Skywarp.jpg|left|upright=2.5|thumb|"When I joined this murderous terrorist group, I wasn't ever intending to shoot at anyone!"]]

Marked as an [[Outlier]] by the power to create incredibly loud sonic booms, Thundercracker first met [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] at the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology]]. Skywarp came to resent the Academy, convinced that the two were treated as second-class citizens because of their [[flight class|airborne alternate modes]]. When they were approached by Senator [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], Skywarp pushed Thundercracker into joining, and the two were rebuilt into bodyframes identical to Starscream's own. Skywarp would later realize that Starscream had done this to confuse the taxpayers he'd conned. {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie}}

The three were approached by Soundwave with an offer from the underground pit-fighter and revolutionary rhetorician [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], who sought flight-capable Transformers to join his forces. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} To hide from his former constituents, Starscream and his new lackeys joined up; {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie}} while the trio believed that they would be joining his gladiatorial team, Megatron intended them to be fully-fledged warriors as he transitioned his Decepticons from underground activists to fully-blown insurgents. After being given [[System|weapons systems]] by [[Hook (G1)|Hook]], the Seekers kidnapped [[Decimus|Senator Decimus]], who was to be executed at Megatron's recruitment rally. However, [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] and the Autobots arrived and arrested everyone. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} After Starscream killed the [[Kaon Council]] and liberated them, Megatron launched an "Everything burns" offensive on [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], during which Thundercracker and Skywarp were sent to target a ship carrying the wealthy and elite. Thundercracker expressed reservations about attacking the ship, but Skywarp gave him some simple advice: "Don't think. Just do it." {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}}

[[File:SLOrionPax thundercracker I presume.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75]]
As the Decepticon uprising spread across the planet, Thundercracker came under the command of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and participated in his plan to capture [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]. He protested against Bludgeon's idea to strap a captive [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] to a shuttle and launch it at the nearest settlement, disturbed by the needless civilian casualties it would cause. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

When Orion Pax turned against the demented Autobot leader [[Zeta Prime]], Thundercracker was among the Decepticons that Megatron led to Orion's rescue. Megatron and Orion joined forces against Zeta, but Thundercracker didn't enjoy having to spend time with Orion's Autobots, and almost came to blows with [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]]. {{storylink|Choices}} He participated in their combined attack on Zeta Prime's [[Citadel]], working with [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] to take out the building's defensive [[vamparc ribbon|vamparc cannons]]. {{storylink|Overthrown}} After Zeta was dead, Megatron betrayed Orion, declared himself ruler of Cybertron and began capturing Autobots. During this time, Thundercracker brought [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]] to the Decepticon-controlled Citadel before going on to guard an Autobot detention cell, only to be punched out by Ironhide when Hot Rod broke the prisoners out. {{storylink|Rise}} Megatron ordered Thundercracker and other seekers to defend the Citadel from the assaulting Autobots—led by Orion, now [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]—but they were intercepted by the newly recruited Aerialbots. {{storylink|Broadcast}}

[[File:Primacy2 thundercracker what is this.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.3|left|thumb|*In a dark, grumbling voice* "I'm Batman."]]
After Megatron's short-lived rule of Cybertron was ended, Thundercracker watched [[Scorponok (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Scorponok]] take control of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Wreckage (issue)|Wreckage}} Scorponok's first move was to lead the Seekers in an attack on the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]], {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}} which ended disastrously when the refinery exploded. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}} Scorponok did not mourn those who lost their lives in the blast, however; Thundercracker silently watched as he praised the strong for surviving, and put a Decepticon who spoke out against him in his place. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} Fortunately, Megatron soon returned to retake command of the Decepticons, and began putting his splintered faction back together. Thundercracker was sent to the planet [[Magmara Nine]] to bring the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] back into the fold, {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}} so that the reunified Decepticon forces could launch a major attack on the Autobots. Unfortunately, a miscalculation during that great battled saw Thundercracker and his fellow fliers taken out of the fight early on, as the lingering fumes of acid rain unleashed against the Autobots corroded the Seekers' systems and caused them to drop out of the sky. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

[[File:SLThundercracker TC vs BB.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|right|thumb|Thunda- Thunda- Thunda-]]
Alongside Starscream and [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], Thundercracker participated in an attack on the [[Institute|New Institute]], {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} and in another battle, blew away [[Hot Shot (Henkei!)|a yellow Autobot]]. {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} Eventually, he fell under Bludgeon's command again, and became one of his [[Titan Hunter]]s, searching through space for the [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who had vanished from Cybertron some years prior. Thundercracker did not enjoy the work; the chase seemed futile, each stop proving fruitless, and his fellow hunters held no respect for him or his attempts to apply any kind of scientific deduction to their mission. As such, when Thundercracker discovered a chunk of Cybertronian metal during the Hunters' investigation of an asteroid, he kept it to himself. Examining the metal, Thundercracker deduced it was a piece of Metroplex, and used the quantum radiation it was saturated with to pinpoint the Titans' current location—but still, for reasons he could not even explain to himself, he kept the specifics of his findings to himself, providing the co-ordinates to Bludgeon with the justification that he had a "hunch". Unfortunately, it turned out there was an inhabited colony on the asteroid the co-ordinates led to; Thundercracker failed to talk Bludgeon out of attacking the [[Urtuskian|alien residents]], so instead, he took up position at the head of the attack unit and tried to scare the colonists away with a sonic boom, hoping they would get clear before his team-mates opened fire. He failed miserably, but pushed it from his mind, focusing intently on his greater mission. Headed into the asteroid's depths, Thundercracker discovered Metroplex soaking up the pseudo-energon reservoir within, whereupon he was attacked by [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]], part of an Autobot unit that had followed the Hunters to the asteroid. The pair battled until one of the aliens intervened, hurling himself at Thundercracker in an attempt to save Bumblebee's life. Thundercracker simply tossed the alien aside, but the creature's grand gesture allowed Thundercracker to come to a realization... just as the alien had acted selflessly, Thundercracker realized the lie he had told Bludgeon was not a self-serving one, but rather, a lie told out of a genuine desire not to see Metroplex fall into Decepticon hands. Thundercracker radioed his fellow Decepticons and lied once more, claiming Metroplex was nowhere to be found, and they all withdrew from the asteroid, believing that the whole affair had been an Autobot trick. Angry at Thundercracker for leading them into it, Bludgeon had him removed from his unit and sent back to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

===Infiltration===
[[File:Infiltration0 Thundercracker.jpg|upright=1.75|left|thumb|Tha-Boom, I want you in my room...]]
In the present day, long after Cybertron had been rendered uninhabitable, Thundercracker served as part of Starscream's [[Infiltration protocol|insurgent unit]], operating covertly on Earth to destabilize governing organizations and create global anarchy. After four years of secrecy, the unit went off-mission with the discovery of [[Ore-13]], a super-powerful variant of energon, which Starscream planned to use to stage a coup. When their activities in [[Nebraska]] were discovered by the human [[Stoker]], an agent of the secret organization known as the [[Machination]], Thundercracker, [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] were sent to deal with the human and recover his [[SM-40]] palmtop PC, containing data on their operation. The team caught up with and killed Stoker outside Phoenix, AZ, but the SM-40 was missing, stolen by young runaway [[Verity Carlo]]. Thundercracker tracked her down, but before he could terminate her and her friend [[Hunter O'Nion]], he was driven off by [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0|Infiltration #0}} Ratchet managed to temporarily shake Thundercracker and the two [[Battlecharger]]s, {{storylink|Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration #1}} but they picked up his trail again before long. This time, however, Thundercracker was shot down by [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] and Ironhide. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}}

[[File:AvengersTF2 thundercracker mirror response mode.jpg|thumb|We call it "Farting Lightning Mode".]]
Soon, Megatron arrived on Earth to put down Starscream's attempted rebellion. Thundercracker, along with the other Decepticons, were unwilling to stand against him when the Decepticon leader ordered them to stand down. Megatron proceeded to take Starscream offline, {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} and Thundercracker and the others promptly submitted themselves to his command once again. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} To get the infiltration protocol back on track, Megatron sent Thundercracker and Skywarp to destroy the El Jira power plant in the middle east to inflame global tensions and spark a global energy shortage, {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} then focused his efforts on the Eastern European country of [[Latveria]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One}} There, Megatron activated the [[Psycho-Prism]] he had stolen from [[Doctor Doom]], which emitted an aggression wave that acted on humans, increasing international tensions in the area. Megatron sent Thundercracker and Skywarp to bomb the neighboring country of [[Symkaria]] so they would blame Latveria and start a war, but their actions drew the attention of both the Autobots and the human superhero team the [[Avengers]]. After capturing [[Spider-Man]], Thundercracker and the Decepticons powered themselves up using his super-powers as part of [[mirror response mode]], then took the fight to the Autobots and Avengers. Thundercracker shot and injured Optimus Prime {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} and [[Ms. Marvel]], and engaged in a dogfight with [[Captain America]] in the [[Quinjet]], but was then taken down by a blast from [[Iron Man]]'s Transformer-sized armor {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} and retreated with the other Decepticons via [[emergency warp-out]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}

[[File:Devastation1 Ruining Everything.jpg|left|upright=1.75|thumb|Megatron's lost it! It must be a Tuesday.]]
During battle in [[Brasnya]], the sorely-pressed Skywarp teleported Thundercracker in to try and stop [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]] from escaping with [[Georgi Koska|one of their facsimile constructs]]. Hot Rod was able to [[orbital jump]] to safety, and Thundercracker then joined Skywarp in recovering the defeated Megatron and retreating. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}} Furious over his defeat, Megatron called in the destructive [[Sixshot]]—a breach of protocol that alarmed Thundercracker and several other Decepticons. Together, they conspired to bring Starscream back online in hopes he could to talk some sense into their leader. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} They managed to get Starscream active again just in time for the Decepticon base to be attacked by the alien [[Reaper]]s, {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} and with a little help from [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|a mysterious ally]], Thundercracker and his comrades claimed victory over the extraterrestrial invaders. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}
{{-}}

===Dishonor to the Decepticons===
During the Decepticons' battle with the Reapers, the Autobots had left Earth to deal with the threat of an incursion by the [[Dead Universe]], and Megatron exploited their absence by taking his men to ground. The Decepticons returned to Cybertron, where a series of experiments were carried out to create [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]. [[File:AHM7 thundercracker our own kind.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75]] The misshapen [[Insecticon swarm|swarm]] of creatures that were created one after another in pursuit of a perfect specimen outraged Thundercracker, who demanded Megatron euthanize them rather than allow fellow Decepticons to endure such a torturous existence. Megatron, unsurprisingly, paid little heed to the Seeker's words. After a trio of satisfactory Insecticons were created, the Decepticons returned to Earth and lured the Autobots into a trap, which saw Thundercracker and the other Decepticons successfully overpower their enemies and strand them on Cybertron via a [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}}

With Earth now unprotected, a year on from the Reaper battle, the Decepticons launched a huge attack on [[New York City]] in which Thundercracker participated. Though he followed orders obediently, engaging human jet fighters in the skies over the city, he shared little of his comrades' enthusiasm for mindless destruction, and was the only one among them to cast a backward glance at the devastation Megatron left in his wake. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} Thundercracker and his fellow Seekers helped cut off the city by blowing up the [[Brooklyn Bridge]], {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2|All Hail Megatron #2}} then listened in silence as Megatron gave a victory speech. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}}

[[File:AHM12 thundercracker nuke.jpg|left|upright=1.75|thumb]]
When Skywarp got into an argument with [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] that ended with weapons drawn, Thundercracker came to the aid of his brother Seeker and sent the Insecticons scuttling off. While Skywarp expressed his enjoyment at working with Thundercracker again, describing it as "like old times", Thundercracker immediately became sullen and withdrawn again, leaving Skywarp frustrated, unable to have any real ''fun'' in the destruction if he was doing it on his own. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}} Some time later, back in New York, when Starscream betrayed Megatron and sent the Insecticons and [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] to attack him, Thundercracker merely stood back and watched. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} This battle was interrupted by the arrival of human jets sent from [[Europe]], which Thundercracker helped engage. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} The Autobots themselves then returned, but were abandoned in the city by the Decepticons to die in a nuclear bomb strike Megatron had arranged. After the other Decepticons had pulled out, however, Thundercracker returned, and offered to help the Autobots redirect the plummeting bomb. When questioned, he opined the Decepticons had lost their way, and the mass slaughter of unworthy foes was dishonorable. He succeeded in snatching the bomb out the air, flying it up to the fringes of the atmosphere, and detonating it safely, but was then confronted by a furious Skywarp, who was outraged at the idea of a Seeker "betrayer". Despite Thundercracker's attempts to explain his position, Skywarp blasted him point-blank in the head. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}
{{-}}

===Evolution on Earth===
[[File:SeasonsInFlight thundercracker discovers tv.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Thundercracker survived, but was left heavily injured and only partially functional. Painfully dragging himself inside a ruined New York skyscraper, which human cleanup crews likely wouldn't reach for months, he reflected on how life on Earth was always changing and always finding a way to survive. After weeks of scrounging, he eventually managed to construct a distress beacon, and as he waited for his fellow Decepticons to find him, he also got a [[television]] working. For the next one and a half years, Thundercracker spent his time watching human programs and growing increasingly fascinated with their ever-changing world and society. Eventually, he was found by a ragtag team of 'cons left behind on the planet, who repaired him and hoped that he, as an elite Seeker, would lead them. Thundercracker refused, as he saw no point in a warrior leading the team, since the war was over for them. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}}

[[File:Earthworks thundercracker saves bbee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Instead, [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] took command, and led Thundercracker and the others in a revenge attack on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. After some quick battlefield thinking by Swindle, the Decepticons changed their tunes and instead offered to help Hot Rod and his group leave Earth. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} As Thundercracker helped them construct a ship, he thought about how Swindle had to be planning something, and how he felt remorse for the Autobots and how lost they were. His thoughts strayed back to the humans and their ever-changing world, comparing them to his own so-called "transforming" race that had remained the same for millions of years. While Thundercracker used to laugh at it, he now saw the beauty of Earth, where every act of destruction was also an act of creation. He knew that they had a lot to learn from the humans, but all his fellow Transformers wanted to do was to run away. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}} When [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] confronted Hot Rod's group, Thundercracker stood back and watched from the sidelines as Swindle unveiled his new creation, [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}} While the other Decepticons turned on their Autobot "comrades", Thundercracker remained true to his honor. He saved [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] during a scrap with [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]], and proceeded to help Rodimus as well. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}}

[[File:HawkAmongTheSparrows-Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"Get out of here, Bumblebee -- the Hallmark Channel is showing back-to-back episodes of ''The Waltons''."]]
Months later, Bumblebee contacted Thundercracker, asking him for help in getting the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] out of [[North Korea]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}} While he had left the Decepticons, Thundercracker was uninterested in rejoining the war, having found a new hobby in studying humanity from a hideout filled with televisions. After Bumblebee's attempts to befriend him were rebuffed, the Autobot confronted him with the fact that despite his admirable attempts at changing, Thundercracker was a warrior at heart, and would get back in the action sooner or later. Realizing that he was right, Thundercracker agreed to aid Bumblebee's Autobots, and traveled to North Korea where he knocked [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] out of the sky. {{storylink|International Incident Part 3: "Hawk Among the Sparrows"|Hawk Among the Sparrows}} The Combaticons were defeated, only for the Autobots to get attacked by the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] instead. Thundercracker faced off against [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] before personally blowing up the [[energon]] plants in North Korea and [[China]], thus ending the Combaticons' and Predacons' alliances with those nations. {{storylink|International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"|All My Sins Remembered}}

Returning home from Asia, Thundercracker found his hideout trashed—the humans had discovered it while he was away. And if that wasn't bad enough, ''Starscream'' was there, asking for his help. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}} He had recently been ousted from his position of Decepticon leader by Megatron, and tried to convince Thundercracker to return to the Decepticons and help him overthrow Megatron again. Thundercracker reacted with the same disinterest as he had shown Bumblebee's proposition, reminding Starscream that the Decepticons had left him to rot and that he couldn't care less about galactic conquest. His attitude only served to anger Starscream, who shot him in the back repeatedly. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} [[File:WokenFuries thundercracker shot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.75|[[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|True friends]] shoot you in the ''face''.]] Thundercracker's life was saved by [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]], sent by the Autobots to again request his help against the returning Decepticon army, who defeated Starscream and carried the injured Seeker to safety. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}}

At the Autobot base, Thundercracker got medical attention from [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] (and complained that he wasn't Ratchet). In exchange for his repairs, Optimus Prime wanted him to tell the Autobots where Megatron could have brought the recently injured Soundwave, but having had no contact with the main Decepticon force for years, Thundercracker couldn't tell him anything. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}} With his repairs done, Thundercracker left the Autobots' base, calling them "sentimental" for wanting to return to Cybertron and electing not to come with them. Prowl tried to stop him, but he only warned the Autobot against provoking him before flying off. {{storylink|Police Action: Prologue}}

He returned to his hideout to pack up his televisions and find a new place to live, only to be approached once again by Bumblebee, who was now looking for help with finding Decepticons currently on Earth. Thundercracker reminded the Autobot he had no contact with the other Decepticons anymore, wishing only to live in peace on Earth, and questioned his ability to lead the Autobots. When the subject of returning to Cybertron with a space bridge came up, he remembered that earlier Megatron had been grilling him about the time he and Bumblebee met Metroplex, suggesting that he was looking for a way to generate space bridges using his own body much like the titan. Thundercracker let Bumblebee have his records of Metroplex's space bridge radiation signature to follow up on this theory, but refused to get involved with the fight himself. {{storylink|The Question}}

[[File:HelloCruelWorld thundercracker screenwriter.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|So now he's Tommy Wiseau?]]
In time, Cybertron was restored and its scattered populace began returning home, but Thundercracker elected to continue living on Earth. His absence from Cybertron was pointed out by Wheeljack when Starscream expressed interest in getting the Seekers back together; mentioning Thundercracker's name gave Wheeljack a flash of inspiration, and helped him realize that a series of recent explosions on Cybertron were reminiscent of ball lightning. {{storylink|Stick Together}}

===A 'bot and his dog===
As the years rolled by, Thundercracker's interest in TV shows evolved into a desire to become a scriptwriter himself. He got to work writing a screenplay about a human female named "Susan Journeyer" and her love interest "Josh Boyfriend" which was heavily inspired by his favourite show ''[[Nurse Whitney]]'', but his attempts to write from a human perspective were... interesting. He came into contact with [[Earth Defense Command]], who recognized his neutrality and provided him with a new hideout, a source of energon and a friendly dog named [[Buster (IDW)|Buster]], but eventually, they required something from him in return: when a group of Autobots returned to Earth for the first time in years, Thundercracker was to serve as bait to lure them into an ambush. Noting that Bumblebee wasn't among them, Thundercracker was a bit bummed to learn the Autobot had died, but this was overridden by the shock of hearing the war was had ended with Megatron joining the Autobots. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} As the EDC and their new Decepticon allies ambushed the Autobots, Thundercracker stayed out of the line of fire, worrying over Buster. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} He then accompanied—and annoyed—his EDC liaison [[Marissa Faireborn]] as she cleaned up the mess after the battle. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}}

[[File:ExRID36 ThundercrackerthreatensSoundwave.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.6|"What do you want from me, huh? HUH?"]]
The EDC base on [[Marshall Islands|Bikini Atoll]] was next to be attacked by Autobots, so Thundercracker took Marissa there, though he refused to get too close to the battle out of worry for Buster. While escaping the destruction, he slipped and fell into a cavern where, to his horror, he discovered an EDC facility full of drone duplicates of his old comrades, Ramjet and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}} Alarmed, Thundercracker contacted Soundwave to learn more about the Decepticons' alliance with the EDC, but the meeting did not go very well; Soundwave inadvertently threatened Buster, getting things off on the wrong foot, and Thundercracker soon learned that he had no knowledge of the drones. Thundercracker agreed to think about Soundwave's offer to live on the new Decepticon commune the EDC was constructing for them around [[Jupiter]], and gave his old comrade a copy of his screenplay as a parting gift. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part Two: Vs.|Vs.}}

[[File:TheObliterati thundercracker and clones.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.3|"Thank you, honey, this is a beautiful party! You invited all my friends. Good thinking!"]]
Now aware that the EDC was secretly working towards their own ends, Thundercracker kept a vigil over their Bikini Atoll base, and did not have to wait long before the drone army was activated. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|ONoffON}} Unable to stop the drones' flight, Thundercracker entrusted Buster's safety to EDC scientist [[Sanjay Bharwaney]] and took off after them, radioing Soundwave for assistance. Angry to learn of the EDC's deception, Soundwave weighed his options; Thundercracker was able to convince him that if the drones made it across the ocean and reached land, the re-ignition of war between humanity and Cybertronians was inevitable, and that they needed to act to save Earth not ''for'' the humans, but in ''spite'' of them, so that it could be a world for the Decepticons as well. Soundwave reluctantly agreed, and easily cracked the control signal for the drones, deactivating them and letting them fall out of the sky... but warned Thundercracker not to contact him again. Not that that bothered Thundercracker much, as he happily reunited with Buster on the beaches of Bikini Atoll. {{storylink|The Onyx Interface Conclusion: The Obliterati|The Obliterati}}

At some point, Thundercracker discovered Christmas and decided to write children's story about it. And he did. And despite the very best of Bogart and Se7en references, it remained on par with his other writing. {{storylink|The Thirteenth Day of Christmas}}

Thundercracker was still hanging around Bikini Atoll when the captive [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Spike Witwicky]] was brought in. Thundercracker felt he should be allowed to talk to the human, believing he could get him to open up since they had both acted heroically during Megatron's occupation of Earth years earlier, but Faireborn refused to allow it. Instead, Thundercracker passed the time by reading her, Bharwaney, and [[Ayana Jones|Jones]] his screenplay. {{storylink|The Nothing Man}}

[[File:EXRID50 ThundercrackerPrimehandshake.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.9|"Okay folks, everything is fine. Fight is over, folks, I'm sorry Mark."]]
Still looking for a chance to talk to Spike, Thundercracker grumbled that Blackrock got to see Spike and he didn't. TC complained to Buster that Blackrock seemed a little nuts. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} When Buster and [[D.0.C.]] uncovered a secret room with captive Autobots under the Bikini Atoll base, Thundercracker "translated" for Buster that the Autobots weren't attacking the EDC, but had been prisoners. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 3: Helden|Helden}} As Galvatron betrayed, well, ''everyone'', Thundercracker offered to stand beside the Autobots and EDC against the Decepticons. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}} He offered to fly straight to [[Shanghai]] to take part in the battle against Galvatron's forces, but was urged not to go by Marissa, who said she was afraid he would die and that she liked his stupid stories. Once the battle was over Optimus and his forces arrived at EDC Headquarters to rescue the Autobots there. Thundercracker and Marissa explained that it was the traitorous Blackrock, not the EDC who harmed Optimus's friends. Wanting to leave the EDC and its subterfuge behind, Thundercracker asked Optimus to put the past aside, and he was allowed to join with the Autobots in leaving Bikini Atoll. He took the Autobots to his old homestead, where they set up a new base of operations on Earth. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}}

During the Autobots global relief efforts, Thundercracker, Buster, and Kup provided tablets and internet access to poverty stricken Balkan villages. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 2: Edge of the Earth|Edge of the Earth}}

Optimus took Thundercracker and Buster with him to [[Sanctuary Station]] to try and convince Soundwave and his group of Decepticons to join with the Autobots, where he was not received warmly by his former comrades. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} They arrived back at [[Monument Valley]] with Soundwave and his Decepticons in tow. After splitting up a fight between Buster and [[Bob (IDW)|Bob]], Thundercracker got into an argument with Sunstreaker, which had to be split up by Optimus. Thundercracker was among the combined Autobot and Decepticon force that rode in [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] to engage with Galvatron's group of Decepticons in the [[Indian Ocean]]. When Galvatron turned the Earth into a giant [[Enigma of Combination]], Thundercracker was forcibly fused with Sky Lynx, Sunstreaker, Cosmos, and [[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] into [[Sky Reign]] (Thundercracker formed the left arm). {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} Sky Reign, [[Galvatronus (Generations)|Galvatronus]], and two [[Seeker clone|Seeker combiners]] ganged up on Superion, until Superion was able to write the combination code into his brain and separate all the combiners. The now separated Thundercracker knocked Sunstreaker out of the way of a blast from the fleeing Galvatron's fusion cannon, getting his arm blown off in the process, and fired upon Astrotrain to try and prevent the Decepticons from escaping. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}} He regrouped with the Autobots while Cosmos and Arcee gave chase to Astrotrain and Galvatron. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}} He was later seen sitting on a raft with Sunstreaker and Slugslinger while the remaining Decepticons were being rounded up at the bottom of the ocean. {{storylink|White Light}} Once that was cleared up, he stood in a group shot while Soundwave gave an inspirational speech about the importance of Cybertronians being united. {{storylink|White Heat}}

Some time later, [[Joe Colton]] and [[Miles Mayhem]] discussed the initial infiltration of Earth by the Autobots and Deceptions (including Thundercracker), the search for Ore-13, and how Optimus Prime and the Autobots abandoned the planet to Megatron and the Decepticons (still including Thundercracker). {{storylink|Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|Secret Raiders}}

[[File:TransformersRevolution-ThundercrackervsDireWraith.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7|"You are tearing me apart, Lisa!"]]
Months later, he'd been given a new arm by [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] that incorporated a powerful cannon. He was in [[Philadelphia]] with Buster, [[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] and [[D.0.C.]] helping people evacuate from a burning building before he got a distress call from [[Marissa Faireborn]] at the [[White House]] which had been infiltrated by [[Dire Wraith|aliens]]. When he arrived, the aliens had taken control of the [[Seeker clone|Seeker clones]]. He managed to best one before the second forced him into the White House (crushing an alien in the process) before he and D.0.C. defeated it. When Marissa briefed him on the powers of the Wraiths he briefly geeked out about organics with abilities comparable to Cybertronians before he atomized one that was threatening Buster. Thundercracker led the charge into the situation room cutting through more Wraiths before the leader combined her magics with a sample of [[Ore-13]] growing to Cybertronian size. Thundercracker forced her into the sky with the promise to throw her into the sun before she managed to tear his new arm off. As she fell boasting of her superiority Thundercracker warned her to be careful with her burning hands around the cannon's ammunition. She wasn't careful and wound up impaling herself on the [[Washington Monument]]. Thundercracker then attempted a quip before he reunited with his friends. He then realized his disconnect from Susan Journeyer was caused by his still being a Seeker regardless of his affiliations. Together with Buster, Thundercracker decided it was time to seek himself. ROAD TRIP! {{storylink|Thundercracker & Buster Save the World}}

[[File:Unicron6 Peace At Last.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|thumb|"If a lot of people love each other, the world would be a better place to live in."]]
Thundercracker's world tour eventually took him, Marissa, and Buster to [[Egypt]]. While lounging against the Sphinx, Thundercracker received a call from Spike, asking if he would help [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] understand the cloaking field around the [[Junkion (species)|Junkion's]] ship. When Marissa asked who he was talking to, he told her that it was a wrong number, but after she'd gone away, Thundercracker agreed to help on one condition. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|A Lonely Pillar on the Plain}} As it turned out, this one condition was giving Marissa an invitation to join G.I. Joe. While she talked with [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] inside a cafe, Thundercracker sat outside with [[Chameleon (G.I. Joe)|Chameleon]] and discussed his past with Marissa with her. As she brought up her past with Flint, Thundercracker commented on how trope-y it seemed and was later captivated by her own history, [[Chuckles|the guy in a Hawaiian shirt]] she mentions being of particular interest to him. As Flint exited the cafe, Thundercracker excitedly started to tell him about his new screenplay based on Chameleon's story about Chuckles, but the irritated Joe wasn't interested and only wanted to know if he'll provide the calculations on the Junkion's ship or not now that he's invited Marissa to join his team. Though Thundercracker was surprised to learn Flint was Marissa's father (and showed a lack of understanding of the human reproductive process), a stern look from Flint was enough to get him to agree. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}} {{storylink|The Next Day, and the Next}} {{storylink|Ceremony}} {{storylink|Post}}}}

==Notes==
*Thundercracker's profile in ''[[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook]]'' [[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook issue 3|#3]] notes that his [[Outlier]] sonic powers are so mild that they may not qualify as a true Outlier ability.
*Despite formally joining the Autobots after Galvatron's insurgency, Thundercracker does not begin wearing the Autobot symbol afterwards.

[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Seekers]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Decepticons]]

CNA

2018-11-26T04:04:55Z

Djelibaebi: updated with current (better) stuff on arcee as of OP #25

[[File:Scattered CNA display.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|This year's Mario Kart has some really weird tracks.]]
'''CNA'''—standing variously for '''Cyber/Nano Algorithms'''<ref>''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]]'', page 18.</ref> and/or '''Cybernucleic Acid'''<ref>"[[Scattered]]"</ref>—is the genetic material that determines what Transformers are like. Tinkering with this material can be dangerous and can have long-lasting, [[Arcee (G1)|negative effects]]. CNA contains a Transformer's '''hard-coded design schematics''',<ref>''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]]'', page 61.</ref> which, like genetic data, appear to be stored in the spark itself.

It is sometimes known as '''Sourcecode'''.
{{--}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:TNA.gif|upright=0.85|thumb|Transformer genetic material. Eat your hearts out, Watson and Crick.]]
The existence of Transformer genetic material was mentioned and seen when [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] and others analyzed the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]]. They noted that its genetic material and cellular structure were identical to that of the Transformers species. {{storylink|Swarm (issue)#"Tales of Earth Part Six"|Tales of Earth Part Six}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noteRG1}}
[[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]] discovered a strand of CNA he referred to as the 'warrior gene' which he claimed was the difference between Autobots and Decepticons. He also a created the [[Gene Key]], a device that could re-write CNA and activate the gene. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} Although Scorponok explained that Autobot and Decepticon are not so black-and-white, the Autobot [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] he tested the Key on displayed more aggression and were willing to follow Decepticon orders. The Autobot Perceptor was also affected by the Key, after which he showed signs of sadism. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Two}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
Attempting to introduce other genders back to Cybertron, [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] altered the CNA of Arcee in order to change her physicality into that of a [[Female Transformer|woman]]. His malicious lack of after-care and deceit in convincing Arcee into this "experiment" (Arcee later finding out that this process was unnecessary to transition thanks to [[Anode]]) ''definetly'' not coming back to haunt him... {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}{{storylink|Post}}

===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[Scalpel (Animated)|Scalpel]] used the CNA of [[Perceptor (Animated)|Perceptor]] as a template to make [[Magnificus (Animated)|Magnificus]] as a part of [[Operation: Doppelgänger]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} Later, Starscream created many clones of himself. {{storylink|A Fistful of Energon}} {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}}

{{stub}}

===Aligned continuity family===
====IDW Aligned comics====
[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] mixed [[Dinosaur (dinosaur)|dinosaur]] [[DNA]] with the [[Lightning Strike Coalition]]'s CNA in his successful experiments with giving them new dinosaur alternate modes. {{storylink|Fall}}

====Hunt the Beasts====
After the [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacons]] broke out of [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave's]] laboratory, [[you]] were sent on a mission to scout the place out and investigate what happened. During your search you discovered CNA samples of eleven different Predacons which provided valuable information about them. You also discovered that the Predacons were cloned by Shockwave using CNA samples he discovered of the long dead creatures. {{storylink|Hunt the Beasts}}

==== ''Prime'' cartoon ====
[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] recovered [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]] CNA and used it to create [[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]], a Predacon clone. {{storylink|Scattered}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
After [[Lio Convoy]] started a rebellion against the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builders of Cybertron]], his mentor [[Eject (G1)|Eject]] avoided a death sentence by proposing a solution: use Lio Convoy's CNA to create a clone army infused with the power of an [[Energon Matrix]]. The [[Builder Assembly]] approved of the idea. {{storylink|Broken Windshields}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
There was much overlap between the hard-coded design schematics of Unicron's sleeper agents the [[Egg Beast]]s and his [[Dead End Drone|Dead End antibodies]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/29}}

==See also==
*[[DNA]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Fall of Cybertron]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 2]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Regeneration One]]

Lug (IDW)

2018-11-25T23:18:49Z

Djelibaebi: lugs, like anodes is a major stub - probably get round to it myself if someone doesnt

{{factions|adaptus}}
{{disambig2|the treasure hunter|the Nebulan Headmaster|Lug (G1)}}
:''Lug is an unaligned [[Transformer]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:LugIDW.jpg|right|thumb|300px|At first she was essentially Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense.]]
A geologist born on Cybertron, '''Lug''' and her [[Conjunx Endura]], [[Anode]], did not stick around for the war, and instead began adventuring the galaxy, their treasure-hunting leading them to places such as the Terralese Acid Wastes, the Nightmare Spires, Killtopia, and [[Caminus]], all of which Lug deems less dangerous than Cybertron. Being the much more cautious of the two, Lug often tries, and fails, to stop Anode from leading them to danger. But such is the life with Anode, and Lug wouldn't have it any other way. She transforms into a backpack, which allows Anode to carry her around, and stores multiple tools for archaeology in her chest. She likes [[mood pipes]].

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{first|[[Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|''Lost Light'' #1]]}}

'''Lug of [[Celestica Tetracornacapria]]''' {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} was born on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] before the war, and was friends with the blacksmith [[Wipe-Out]]. At some point of time, Lug met Anode, and Anode met Lug with the two eventually becoming [[Conjunx Endura]]. Like everyone else on Golden Age Cybertron, the two were born assigned male. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} She was one of the many 'bots to abandon the planet due to the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and swore never to return. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} While travelling the stars, the two met several alien races with both male and female genders and came to realize they were more comfortable as "she". {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}}

During their travels Lug and Anode met many dangers together, but they got separated when Anode went on to train in her profession at a [[Lighthouse|Camien medical facility]]. Some time later, Anode left Caminus and came back to Lug. Anode told her that she missed her too much, and that's why she quit. Lug would come to feel tremendous guilt for the event, thinking that she had ruined Anode's career.
{{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}}

[[File:LL1 Lug.jpg|thumb|left|400px]]
Five hundred years ago, Lug and Anode travelled to [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] at the request of their mysterious client, the "[[Adaptus|Grand Architect]]". They found themselves being attacked by a [[Decepticon]] [[Cybernought]]; although Anode successfully deployed a forcefield, Lug was still convinced they were going to die. The time-travelling [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] arrived, attempting to rescue them both from what would have been their presumed deaths (as was his habit).

After recovering from the time jump in a stasis capsule, Anode awoke on the [[Necroworld]], and suggested to Lug that they'd been rescued. They were informed of recent events they had missed by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. After this, the two were met by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], who asked them some nonsensical questions under the guise of "background checks". After Anode was alarmed by hearing [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]]'s name uttered by Swerve, the duo attempted to leave by way of the [[Teleport chamber|teleporter]], but were stopped by [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]].

When Rodimus and a small group of Transformers decided to use the teleporter to head back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to pick up another ship, Anode stayed behind with the other time-displaced Cybertronians. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} After repairing diplomatic relations following Anode's insulting of Ultra Magnus, Lug sat by the Memorial to the Disappeared and played some music to relax before Anode tracked her down. The two discussed their plans for the future and whether or not they owed the Autobots anything, before [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] interrupted the discussion by being violently thrown into the memorial by [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]. When Anode tried to calm the minibot, he backhanded her, sending her flying, and to be impaled on a piece of debris. Panicking, Lug called for help and [[Kaput]] soon arrived. Lug was by Anode's bedside when she awoke and watched as Velocity tried (and failed) to perform a citizen's arrest on Anode before the medic demanded to discuss the [[Lighthouse]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

Anode explained she was a [[blacksmith]] and the snowflake was a piece of [[Living metal|sentio metallico]] but that she hadn't stolen any as the records said. She'd falsified them to have a pretext to leave the planet. Realizing that she'd been left in the dark about this, Lug rushed out of the room, {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}} and fled back to the memorial. Anode followed her back and Lug confessed her feelings of betrayal as she'd always believed ''she'' was the reason that Anode had abandoned her apprenticeship. Anode revealed the role she'd played in the death of a [[protoform]] and faked a theft as an excuse to flee despite her co-workers being understanding and sympathetic. Lug believed that Anode needed to feel hated for what she'd done. Anode offered an apology but when she looked up, Lug was gone...{{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}}

...because Lug hadn't ever ''been'' with her on Necroworld. She was just a hallucination that Anode had developed as a result of timesickness; a look at the security camera footage showed Anode exiting her [[Stasis pod|stasis pod]] alone and talking to thin air. A despondent Anode checked the names on the Memorial to the Disappeared and mournfully concluded that Lug had not survived the explosion the Necrobot had saved her from. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:This Machine Kills Fascists - Lug Mark 2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''She lives, she dies, she lives again!'']]
A disheartened Anode was taken by Kaput, [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], and Velocity to where Lug's memorial flowers grew on Necroworld, and Kaput, having made a hobby of studying Censere's archives, explained that after saving Anode he had returned to find Lug barely still alive, allowing him to perform the [[Rites of Transition]] on her. Anode's explosive fury at the violation of her friend's lack of religiousness was cut off by Kaput's continuing: when the Necrobot found someone ''before'' they died, he would transfer the last flicker of their actual Spark into one of his flowers...a flower Kaput now offered to Anode. It only took a moment for Anode to realize the possibilities this and the sentio metallico, returned to her by Nautica, opened, and she bolted for the Necrobot's fortress.

Reaching a laboratory, she recruited Kaput into helping her transfer the Spark-flicker into the "snowflake" to create a protoform, noting that in principle it was no different than an assisted birth. The process seemed to go smoothly, until the new protoform's temperature began to precipitously drop, reminding Anode of her past failings at her calling—failings she determined not to repeat, as she desperately worked to save/revive her friend...successfully, as later she showed off her "new backpack" jubilantly to the returning [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} After regrowing, Anode confessed the truth to Lug about the Lighthouse. After the two made up and shared an embrace on the field, Lug went to make friends, leading her to play with Roller. She was later part of the group that left Necroworld. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

[[File:AnAxeToBreakTheIce-survivalpresent.jpg|left|thumb|300px]]

When the Rod Squad took a stop at [[Troja Major]]'s [[Howling Town]], Lug and Anode joined Velocity and Nautica in traversing the town. Nautica found them irritating, complaining how Lug's and Anode's detours slowed them down. Lug was complicit in Anode stealing [[mood pipe]]s from a [[Rust Giant]]. After fleeing for their lives, she received the stolen item as a survival gift from her conjunx, and was successfully enamored. Lug commented on how much the market had changed in the past five centuries which Velocity explained was due to a spiritual ley line the market was built on, leading Troja Major to a rebranding as the bereavement capital of the galaxy. After Nautica shooed away a [[Catharsian]] merchant praying on Lug, she followed Anode on the trail of some [[Living metal|sentio metallico]].

The couple found [[Infinite|a newborn mech]] (with a coffin alternate mode) before they were ambushed by the [[Black Block Consortia]]. When Anode refused to step aside however, Lug tackled her to safety which allowed the Consortia a clean shot at the newborn, killing him. As Anode grieved, their old friend Wipe-Out made himself known and spirited the two away to a bar where the three of them could compare notes. After the femmes explained their new genders, Wipe-Out explained the seeming hunt for [[blacksmith]]s and who the Black Block Consortia was. When the trio concluded the Grand Architect was on their tail again, they tried to cheese it only for his troops to teleport into the bar. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} After Anode had throughly embarrassed herself thinking [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] was the Grand Architect, she turned to jet mode and flew Lug and Wipe-Out to safety. Returning to the funeral compound where they'd found the mysterious mech, Lug stood off to the side while Wipe-Out realized the mech had been able to turn into virtually anything before they got a call from Velocity. When the trio arrived, Nautica's super-sized alternate mode burst out of the building before the group made a brisk getaway. {{storylink|Chasing the Infinite}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Sardines}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}} {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}}}}
{{-}}

[[File:ASparkAmongEmbers-smoochy.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Die mad about it.]]

==Notes==
*Lug's [[transformation]] scheme is patterned on ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Rewind (G1)#Generations|Rewind]].
*Her name is a type of {{w|electrical connector}}.

[[Category:Comic-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Transformers]]

Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron

2018-11-22T10:30:39Z

Djelibaebi:

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' #1
|prev=Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!
|next=Dissolution Part 2: Anomie
|image=LL1_regcvr.jpg
|title="Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[December 14]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=December 2016
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Jack Lawrence]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]] (pg. 1-4) and [[John-Paul Bove]] (pg. 5-20)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2016)]]
}}
'''The stranded ''Lost Light''ers take stock following their victory.'''

==Synopsis==
On [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]], [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] treasure-hunters [[Anode]] and [[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] find themselves under attack by a [[Decepticon]] [[Cybernought]]. Anode activates a forcefield to protect them while she digs up the artifact they've come looking for, which they intend to sell to a buyer named [[Scorponok (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Techy]]. Lug is quite convinced they are about to die; fortunately for them, moments before the Cybernought breaks through the forcefield, the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] appears to spirit them away to the future.

Five hundred years later, Anode and Lug awaken from their stasis capsules on [[Necroworld]], just two of the many believed-dead 'bots the Necrobot has rescued from throughout time. The last to wake, they belatedly join a "debriefing" held by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], who gets them up to speed, explaining what has happened to them, and about the Autobots' recent battle with and victory over the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]—though he and the energetic Anode immediately butt heads when she complains about his dry delivery. Anode and Lug head out to mingle, where they are intercepted by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], who has allegedly been assigned to carry out "background checks." Anode begins to suspect otherwise as the little bartender's questions become more and more ludicrous, so she changes the subject to ask about his [[Autobot]] [[insignia]], now black in color. Swerve explains he and the others are in mourning for [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]; Anode remarks that he doesn't ''seem'' very upset, to which Swerve rightly takes umbrage, and stomps off, sarcastically remarking that Anode should have [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] check her for "timesickness." Anode realizes too late the harshness of her words, but is immediately more concerned to hear Velocity's name...

Elsewhere in the crowd, [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] introduces [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] to Velocity and [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], but the medic has to rush off and drags Nautica with her. Nearby, Decepticons [[Rapidfire (G1)|Rapidfire]] and [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] watch this exchange, suspicious and discontented with the news that the war is over, and spoiling for a fight. Fangry suggests they pick a fight with the toughest 'bot in the room to establish dominance, and eyes the super-strong [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] as he shows off for the crowd, lifting Roller over his head and describing his various feats in the recent battle. As the wary [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] drags Tailgate aside to tell him off for grandstanding, Fangry saunters over and deliberately shoulders Cyclonus as he goes past.

Meanwhile, [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] applies a new paintjob to [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], replacing his reds, yellows, and oranges with black, blue, and purple—colors that, in the [[Spectralism]] doctrine, express both grief for a fallen comrade, and a "promise to kill." Rodimus implies this dual intent is intentional and that he is quite willing to kill [[Getaway]] for everything he has done to them when they get back to the ''[[Lost Light]]'', but before he can say it aloud, a tremor shakes the whole fortress.

The quake is also felt out in the Necrobot's flower fields by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], who has been telling his old friend [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] about the war, much as he might doubt his own objectivity on the matter. Before heading back, Megatron pauses at the plinth of [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]]'s now-deactivated holographic statue, and bids his departed friend farewell... whereupon [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] suddenly burst out of the ground beneath his feet! They all return to the fortress, where [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] explains that he teleported the pair back from the depths of the planet (just not ''quite'' all the way to the surface!) using the Necrobot's teleportation chamber, which he has rebuilt back out of the [[fusion cannon]] he turned it into. Nightbeat relates what he and Rung discovered, as well as the appearance of the [[Galactic Council]]'s [[geobomb]]—which apparently just burned out without effect, causing the earlier tremor. Rung, meanwhile, learns of Skids's fate from [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]], and sorrowfully goes to pay his last respects to his friend. As he grieves by Skids's bedside, however, a shaft of light unexpectedly bursts out of Rung's chest and he retches into his hand...

[[File:SomeOtherCybertron-arrestyouanyway.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|You're coming with me, online or off.]]
Tailgate awakens from a recharge to find that Cyclonus has been badly beaten. Suspecting Fangry is to blame, Tailgate storms off to find him, despite Cyclonus's pleas to the contrary. Concurrently, Anode and Lug attempt to use the teleporter; though Lug doesn't know the story behind it, Anode and Velocity apparently know one another, and Anode needs to get away from her as fast as possible. They are caught in the act by Rodimus and Drift, who explain that there's only enough energy for one use of the device... but Anode has already gone off on another tangent, fascinated by Drift's [[Great Sword]]. When she attempts to analyze it, he pushes her away, but the instant he makes contact, Drift collapses to the ground, and sees a terrifying vision of [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] leading an army of [[sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]] and [[Worldsweeper]]s, all bearing down on himself, Rodimus, and [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]], and a mysterious message etched in the ground!

Keeping his vision a secret to everyone except Ratchet, Drift subsequently joins the rest of the selected team—Rodimus ("Rod Squad"), [[Minimus Ambus]], Ratchet, [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]], Rewind, Megatron, Terminus, and Roller—in using the teleporter to return to Cybertron so they can obtain a ship and then go back and collect everyone else. The machine appears to function perfectly, though it doesn't survive the trip... but as the group looks out over where [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] should be and sees a glittering metropolis, rather than the half-rebuilt city they left behind, they begin to suspect that something has gone wrong. A moment later, they are confronted by [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] of the [[Functionist Council]] and his [[Functionary]] enforcers, and Rewind realizes what has happened—they ''are'' on Cybertron... but they're in an [[Functionist Universe|alternate universe]]!

{{-}}

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in Drift's vision. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus/ Minimus Ambus]] (5)
*[[Kaput]] (6)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (9)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (10)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (11)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (14)
*[[Wavelength (G1)|Wavelength]] (15)
*[[Syphon]] (17)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (18)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (19)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (20)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (22)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (23)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (24)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (25)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (26)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'s body (28)
*''[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]'' (29)
*''[[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]]'' (31)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (32)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (33)
{{!}}}

|c2=
*[[Rapidfire (G1)|Rapidfire]] (12)
*[[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] (13)

|h3=[[Functionist Council|Functionists]]
|c3=
*Multiple [[Functionary|Functionaries]] (34)
*[[Twelve-of-Twelve]] (35)
*"Flatheaded" enforcer (36)

|c4=
*[[Anode]] (1)
*[[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] (2)
*[[Cybernought]] pilot (3)
*[[Mortilus|Censere]] (4)
*Miscellaneous unnamed "Disappeared" (7)
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] (8)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (16)
*[[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] (21)
*[[Ten]] (27)
*''Multiple [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]]'' (30)
*Functionaries' prisoners (37)
}}

==Quotes==
"In my experience, no matter how bad the problem, no matter how insurmountable the odds, if you '''stand around''' long enough, someone else will sort it out."
:—'''Anode'''

"I think I speak for everyone here—particularly those of us who've spent the last 50 slides trying to '''punch ourselves to death'''—when I say: next time, just skip to that bit. The bit you said just now. The end bit. And maybe a few '''jokes''' to spice things up. Because that was so '''dull''' it made my '''life''' cry." 
"Those were '''statements''', not questions. I asked for questions. Do you have any?" 
"Does this count?"
:—'''Anode''' and '''Ultra Magnus'''

"'''Magnus?''' Last time he gave a speech, people '''died'''." 
"I know. The only winner that day was '''medical science'''. We finally know what happens when the brain is totally deprived of stimulus."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Drift'''

"Goodbye, dear friend. The universe is emptier now, but you live on in its echoes."
:—'''Megatron''' bids farewell to Ravage

'''Brainstorm:''' "'kay, so, bear in mind that when you turn something into something else and then '''reverse''' the process you have to make some... '''aesthetic compromises.'''" 
''(The teleport chamber is revealed to be a ramshackle half-pipe lying on the floor.)'' 
'''Rodimus:''' "It's a '''den''', Brainstorm. You've built a '''den.'''" 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "Does it work? As a teleporter, I mean. Not a den. I'm not qualified to pass judgement on a den."

"Whirl, I'm—" 
"—putting me in charge? '''Finally'''." 
"'''You'''? I wouldn't put you in charge of your own '''legs.'''" 
"Ouch. Lucky for you I respect people who hurt my feelings."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Whirl'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*'''First appearances:''' Anode, Lug, Fangry, Rapidfire
*After a five-month gap in real-world time, we rejoin Team Rodimus on the Necroworld directly following on from the end of [[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|''More than Meets the Eye'' #55]]. That issue saw the defeat of the DJD, the death of Ravage, the return of the "Disappeared" Transformers, recovered from throughout time by the Necrobot (including Roller and Terminus), and the ''apparent'' detonation of the Galactic Council's geobomb.
**In-universe, this story is actually ''the past''. This story takes place the day after the characters made the creepy video seen in [[The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|''More than Meets the Eye'' #50]], which #50 told us was three weeks delayed in transit. [[Ten to Midnight|During]] the ''[[Titans Return (franchise)|Titans Return]]'' crossover, itself set weeks before the other two ongoing series, the characters discussed the the broadcasts as a past event during which people had tried to contact the ''Lost Light''.
*Cybernought battle suits were introduced in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|''More than Meets the Eye'' #8]].
*Anode suspects Swerve's questions aren't genuine; of course, he's holding his own self-governed "Crewditions" again, asking silly questions, like he did back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|''More than Meets the Eye'' #28]]. All Swerve's "checks" reference the escapades of his various ship-mates: Brainstorm time-travelled to save someone he loved ([[Quark]]); Ultra Magnus is a [[loadbearer]] in disguise (in the form of [[Minimus Ambus]]); Megatron attempted to take over the universe (on numerous occasions); Skids had a dark secret (that he was responsible for Quark's death, as well as hundreds more); Tailgate had suppressed powers (triggered by a quantum-filled mutation). The reference to "villainous ex-partners" probably refers to the recurring theme of various characters reuniting with old friends and co-workers who are revealed to be traitors, including Getaway, [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], [[Solomus|Tyrest]], and [[Froid]]. It also could be Chromedome—whose ex-partner [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] put [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] on the ship.
*The crew are all wearing black Autobot insignias in memory of Skids, who died in [[The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|''More than Meets the Eye'' #54]].
*Rodimus' adopting a color scheme in line with Spectralist practices is intriguing, as in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|MtMtE #30]] the quantum-duplicate Rodimus' coffin was engraved with Spectralist symbology.
*Rung's reaction to Skids's death is understandable, if due a little more exploration; he and Skids had grown closer over the last year of ''More than Meets the Eye'', and they shared a notably awkward parting for unclear reasons in [[The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|issue #53]].
*Drift's vision features various separate but interlinked components of the primary over-arcing mystery of ''More than Meets the Eye''. Grimlock was found aboard a Worldsweeper in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]], and it was revealed in [[Animals|issue #46]] that the ships are connected to a group of robots who wear the mysterious gear-like hieroglyph that has repeatedly appeared throughout the series, including on the surface of Luna-2, and on [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]'s map to [[Cyberutopia]]. This symbol was identified in [[The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|issue #50]] as a coat-of-arms linked to the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Pharma, meanwhile, was last seen in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]] when his dead body was dragged through an experimental spacebridge by forces unknown; on the other side of this bridge Skids briefly encountered a giant glowing orb that spoke only in images, which included the symbol. Finally, the message Drift finds etched into the ground (see "Transformers references" below) translates to "PREPARE, CONFRONT, REPEL"—the same message Grimlock was shown to have written under a drawing of the glyph in issue #46.
*Drift refers to the "last time" he had a vision. As of this issue's publication, the only vision we previously knew Drift to have had was detailed in [[The Sound of Breaking Glass|issue #21]]; it occurred when he stabbed himself with his [[Great Sword]] in [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|issue #28]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing series]], giving him a vague glimpse of the future that inspired his dedication to Rodimus. However, next issue will clarify that this isn't the vision he's talking about here.
*Our heroes have wound up in the parallel [[Functionist Universe]], an alternate timeline where Megatron never lived to start the war, introduced in [[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|''More than Meets the Eye'' #35]]. That issue featured the debut of [[Twelve-of-Twelve]], the [[Functionist Council]]'s [[Functionary]] enforcers, and the advanced form of [[Empurata]] that sees a 'bot's head replaced with a screen, as one of the councilman's retinue seen here has been subjected to. A "chest cavity search" is mentioned which was also seen in that issue, consisting of an examination of a 'bot's [[transformation cog]]. Rewind recognizes the universe from his previous glimpse of it, granted when his database was slowly overwritten when history was changed.
*The Empurata-afflicted 'bot is holding captive three other smaller robots, who are evidently protesters of the same kind as seen in issue #35—ones who have modified the appearance of their bodies to look like Rung, an individual who the disenfranchised in Functionist society have rallied around for his mysterious, apparently purposeless alternate mode. In [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue #39]], however, Functionist council member [[One-of-Twelve]] told that universe's captive Rung that they had figured out the mystery of his alt mode at last... which, coupled with Rung's intriguing physical reactions to the death of Skids this issue, indicates this long-standing puzzle may soon be solved!
*The two protestors whose faces we can see appear to have black, bleeding, empty eye-sockets. This is almost certainly connected to the Functionist Council's plan to install cameras in the eyes of everyone on Cybertron, detailed in issue #35.

===Transformers references===
*Lug turns into Anode's backpack. Her transformation scheme is based on that of the ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Rewind (G1)#Generations|Rewind]] toy.
*A few of the generic "Disappeared" Transformers look to have stolen the color schemes of other characters, including [[Greejeeber|''Adventure'' Greejeeber]], [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]], [[Waspinator (BW)/toys#TM1|Transmetal Waspinator]], and [[Smokescreen (Prime)|cartoon ''Beast Hunters'' Smokescreen]]/"[[Bluestreak (Masterpiece)|Blue Bluestreak]]".
*The sword Grimlock is holding in Drift's vision is the [[Grimlock (WFC)|''Fall of Cybertron'' Grimlock]] toy's, and is also held by [[Volcanicus]] in art for ''[[Transformers: Earth Wars]]''.
*The message Drift sees in his vision is written in "[[Cybertronian language|Ancient Autobot]]," a substitution cypher/font created by [[Jim Sorenson]], based loosely on the hieroglyphics seen in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust]]."
*Upon arrival in the Functionist Universe, the Autobots are met by what Twelve-of-Twelve calls a [[Sky Spy|Sky-Spy]], after the Autobot satellite from the Generation 1 cartoon. Rather than share its design with that device, though, (as the Sky Spies that appeared in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|''More than Meets the Eye'' #11]] did), its appearance is that of a ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' [[Diagnostic Drone]], a design previously used by the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s medical drone, seen in multiple issues.

===Real life references===
*When Rewind realizes what has happened at the end of the issue, he quotes Arthur Dent from the ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}'' novel ''{{w|Mostly Harmless}}'' when he remarks "Right planet, wrong universe."

===Errors===
*Ultra Magnus gives the date as "1st Cycle 3041," but that's way off. The present era is something closer to 3819, per the date on the poster for ''Information Creep'' in [[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|issue #33]]. In fact, 3041 would predate even the [[Simanzi Massacre]], which took place in 3178, per [[The Gloaming|issue #16]].
*Tailgate's insignia is mourning-black on page 9, but red on page 15. Brainstorm and Megatron's, meanwhile, are consistently colored red, even on pages where other characters' are black, so that might be deliberate. We mean, Brainstorm ''is'' a bit of an arsehole...
*Rung's eyebrows are coloured orange on the last panel of page 14, as opposed to their usual gray.
*Tailgate's back is coloured white on the entirety of page 15, instead of its usual light blue.
*The overview/recap of the crew's adventures so far blames the events of "[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]" on [[D-Void]], not Shockwave. Not even IDW themselves understand what that crossover was about, we suppose....
*The recap also claims that Fortress Maximus was the one to accidentally shoot Rung in [[Interiors|issue #6]], when it was actually Swerve.
*One of the eyeless prisoners on the final page has "Reduntant" scrawled on their chest. Someone – fictional or real – misspelled "redundant".

===Other trivia===
*''Lost Light'' takes the place of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' on the IDW schedule, and remains written by James Roberts, continuing on the story begun in the previous title's pages. This issue's story is followed by a five-page recap of the ''More than Meets the Eye'' story so far.
*Would you believe this is Fangry's first appearance in IDW continuity? I know! Talk about overdue!
*Rodimus's new color scheme is very similar to that of [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive character [[Black Rodimus Convoy]], as well as to an off-color version of Rodimus who appeared in [[Time Wars|issue #201 of the Marvel G1 comic]] as a result of a [[:File:Timewars colourerror uk201.JPG|printing error]], but according to Roberts and Lawrence, neither served as inspiration for his new look.

===Soundtrack===
For all of "Dissolution":
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEI75kn9FTc Neither Here Nor There]" by {{w|Lost in the Trees}}

For this issue alone:
*"[https://youtu.be/oLSOzcEQjiE This Is Why We Fight]" by {{w|The Decemberists}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxT0cUFbJyw Magic In Here]" by {{w|The Go-Betweens}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcE8YWdGtnI Water From the Same Source]" by {{w|Rachel's}}

===Covers (9)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Rodimus, Ratchet, Drift, and Nautica, by [[Jack Lawrence]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
*'''Subscription cover A:''' Rodimus and the ''Lost Light'', by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Subscription cover B:''' [[Getaway]] and the mutineers, by [[Andrew Griffith]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover C:''' Blank cover for sketches

<gallery>
File:LL1 regcvr.jpg|Three men and a lady.
File:LL1 subcvrA.jpg|Rodimus trips out.
File:LL1 subcvrB.jpg|It's mutiny, blarg!
File:LL1 subcvrC.jpg|
</gallery>

*'''Retailer incentive cover A:''' Graffiti of Megatron, Rodimus, and Nautica by [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]]; part of a series of "graffiti" variants by Pitre-Durocher which combines with covers from [[New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|''Optimus Prime'' #1]], [[Crisis Intervention|''Revolutionaries'' #1]], {{i|M.A.S.K. issue 1|''M.A.S.K.'' #1}}, and {{i|G.I. Joe Vol 5 issue 1|''G.I. Joe'' #1}} to form a complete image.
*'''Retailer incentive cover B:''' Megatron by [[Sonny Liew]]; one in a series of variants by Liew on the above-mentioned issues.
*'''Retailer incentive cover C:''' Megatron by [[Paul Pope]]; one in a series of variants by Pope on the above-mentioned issues.
*'''Bad Wolf Comics exclusive cover:''' Rodimus and the spectre of Megatron's past self, by [[Sajad Shah]] and [[Juan Fernandez]]; available exclusively from [http://www.badwolfcomics.com/ Bad Wolf Comics].
*'''Ript Apparel exclusive cover:''' the cast recreate the movie poster for ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', by [[Ninjaink|Timothy Lim]]. In a cute touch, Rodimus and Magnus's spots are swapped, meaning Rodimus gets to stand front and center while Magnus is way off to the side, in the distance, in vehicle mode. Available exclusively from [https://www.riptapparel.com/ Ript Apparel].

<gallery>
File:LL1 cvrRIA.jpg|Purple Floyd's ''The Wall''.
File:LL1 cvrRIB.jpg|''DOTM'' look?
File:LL1 cvrRIC.jpg|Feels good.
File:LL1 BadWolfcvr.jpg|"He's nicer now, I swear!"
File:LL1 Riptcvr.jpg|Still the best Transformers movie.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''Lost Light'' #2
*"The Hasbro Tribune" editorial page promoting December's [[Hasbro Universe]] ''[[Reconstruction]]'' titles, including [[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 1|''G.I. Joe'' #1]], {{i|M.A.S.K. issue 2|''M.A.S.K.'' #2}}, this issue, [[New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|''Optimus Prime'' #2]], [[Desperate Times|''Till All Are One'' #6]], [[Crisis Intervention|''Revolutionaries'' #1]], {{i|Micronauts issue 8|''Micronauts'' #8}}, and {{i|Reinforcements, Part 2|''ROM'' #6}}.

==External links==
*[http://www.cbr.com/transformers-lost-light-1/ Preview]

[[Category: Lost Light issues]]

Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2018-11-22T03:49:52Z

Djelibaebi: op 25 gives us why shes after her transition put it here as well

{{faction|autobot|wreckers}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}
[[File:TFRID11 CVRB Arcee Header.jpg|upright=1.7|thumb|All right, ladies, the kitten whispers and tickle fights stop now!]]

An ancient warrior from the dawn of Cybertronian history, '''Arcee''' arose from the ashes of her mysterious, traumatic past to become one of the most feared Transformers of her era and beyond. Cold and detached off the battlefield and utterly ruthless in combat, Arcee's single-minded bloodlust put her at odds with both the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s for most of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]].

But after finding a kindred spirit in [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] and making peace (or ''pieces'') with some of her demons, Arcee has turned over a new leaf. After a brief stint in the employ of [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], Arcee formally joined the Autobots and struck up a friendship with [[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sideswipe]]. In her new role as one of [[Earth]]'s peacekeepers, her change of [[spark]] has allowed her to grow into a more compassionate being and a capable defender of [[human]]ity.

:*''First Appearance:'' [[Spotlight: Arcee]]

{{quote|But I know one '''universal rule'''—whatever the game, the easiest way to win is to kill all the other players.|Arcee sums up her pragmatic approach to problem-solving|"[[The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing]]"}}

==IDW Generation 1 continuity==
===Out for blood===
[[File:OriginMyths-ArceeAndGalvatron.jpg|thumb|left|250px|I am Sparceetacus.]]

'''Arcee of the [[Darklands]]''' {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}} and her [[twin]] brother [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] were ancient, hailing from the barbaric age predating the rise of the [[Thirteen]]. In this ancient era, both "male" and "female" Cybertronians naturally coexisted, and the young Arcee originally identified herself as male; {{storylink|Origin Myths}} but would later muse that this old identity was a "lie [she] told herself." {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}}

In their youth, Arcee and Galvatron were slaves of [[Septimus Prime]] and his [[Supplicants of Arrius]]; forced to fight in the [[Gladiatorial combat|gladiatorial]] arenas of ancient [[Protihex|Protohex]], "The Twins," as they came to be known, carved out a fearsome reputation for themselves. But as the city's [[energon]] dwindled, their capricious master ordered them to fight between themselves until only one survived. Arcee soon gained the upper hand, but before she could finish Galvatron off, the city was invaded by the armies of [[The Fallen|Megatronus]]; the [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] announced that he had annexed their city into his territory, the Darklands, and threw their former master into the ring for the twins to kill.

Having honed their fighting skills in the pits of Protohex, Arcee and Galvatron became the twin vanguards of the Darklander armies, and joined Megatronus as they marched on the neighboring village that would one day become the [[Crystal City]]. As battle broke out between the Darklanders and the bestial legions of [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]], the twins led the charge, but the battle quickly ended when three [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]]s arose from beneath the surface of the planet. Taking advantage of both side's stunned silence, Onyx Prime cut his way through the armies of the Darklanders and quickly ratified a truce with his old student Megatronus {{storylink|Origin Myths}} — as "Onyx Prime," the time-travelling [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] had deliberately engineered the war to bring the Primes and their followers together, and the other Primes, unaware of "Onyx's" true nature, soon agreed to this unification. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}}

[[File:OurFinest-AntillanMission.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Kitbashers, grab your [[Galvatron (G1)/toys|Galvatron toys!]]]]

At the celebrations that followed in the evening, Arcee quickly grew skeptical of this alliance, correctly predicting that the remaining five Primes would join their banner, and worrying that the Primes would eventually grow drunk on their own superiority. [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] noted that it would be Arcee's job to keep himself and the other members of the Thirteen in their place. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} In the two million years of peace that followed, the surviving Primes formally rallied under a single banner and immortalized themselves as the [[Thirteen]]. Arcee and Galvatron remained Megatronus' trusted lieutenants, and when Onyx Prime encouraged an expansion to bring the "light" of Cybertronian civilization to lesser worlds, the twins joined their master aboard [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and his [[Guardian robot|Omega Sentinels]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} Along with Onyx Prime and Alpha Trion, the Cybertronian fleet set a course for the neighboring world of [[Antilla]] and began a bloody, protracted war with the native [[Antillan]]s — a devastating conflict that only came to an end when a desperate Antillan scientist constructed a [[Talisman (G1)|doomsday weapon]] that annihilated all life on the planet. Unlike her twin, Arcee would forever carry deep regret about her involvement in the Antillan war, being disgusted that Alpha Trion had chosen to blame the aliens for the conflict in the history books. {{storylink|Our Finest}}

By that time, however, the twins and their masters had already returned to Cybertron, and the fallout from this botched expedition ultimately snowballed into a larger conflict, the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} Arcee and Galvatron both survived the falling out of the Primes, but over the years the twins grew increasingly distant from one another, and Galvatron would eventually strike out on his own to lead a personal crusade against the forces of the Primes. {{storylink|The Crucible}} In the era that followed the disappearance of the Thirteen, Cybertron changed drastically; for reasons unknown, naturally-born [[female Transformer]]s had somehow vanished from Cybertron after the conclusion of the conflict and the departure of the Titans, and the remaining population had evolved into a society of asexual male-coded Transformers. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|ONoffON}}

[[File:Spotlight Arcee traumatic flashback.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"So, you're keen on music?"]]

Arcee, never entirely comfortable with her prior identity, {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}} fell in with the mad genius [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], who was trying to reintroduce gender to the species as part of his experiments to recreate the lost aspects of old Cybertronian civilization. Not seeing the mad scientist for what he truly was, Arcee apparently allowed Jhiaxus to experiment on her fundamental [[CNA]] as part of these experiments. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 3|Sins of the Wreckers #3}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}} Though Jhiaxus was able to successfully alter Arcee's physiology, Jhiaxus's experimentation also left her with a "maddening maelstrom of contradictory sensory input." 'Genderless' Cybertronians would sense a fundamental difference about Arcee and inadvertently refer to her with feminine pronouns. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}}

Ultimately, Arcee didn't live up to Jhiaxus's standards and was abandoned as a reject. Forever after, she'd be angry, distant, and distrustful of agendas and experiments done to people against their will. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 3|Sins of the Wreckers #3}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}} {{storylink|An Uneventful Night}}

Driven by an implacable homing instinct towards her creator's experiments, she cut a mech-fluid swath of carnage across several planets in her obsession with destroying everything Jhiaxus created. She was eventually taken down by [[Tyrest Accord]] enforcer [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and incarcerated on the Autobot penitentiary on [[Garrus-9]]. As was policy for threats of her level, Arcee's [[spark]] was separated from her body, and in this limbo, she found a kind of peace.

[[File:arceealtmodeidw.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Fast and the Furious: Cybertronian Drift]]

That peace was shattered when the [[Decepticon Secret Service]], led by [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzaitron]], attacked Garrus-9 to liberate the recently incarcerated [[Pretender Monster|Monstructor Six]], more of Jhiaxus's experiments. When the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] infiltrated the facility, warden [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] freed Arcee as a last resort to stop them. She presented quite the frightening obstacle for the invaders, severely wounding [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]], but in the end they managed to escape with their target. [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] convinced Maximus to allow her to pursue them, {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}} and she followed their trail to the Decepticon Battle Platform [[Zuska]], where she tortured a Decepticon for information on the escapees' location. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

[[File:SpotlightSideswipe Jhiaxus deathbecomeshim.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Those were the best days of our lives.]]

Using this intel to locate Banzaitron, Arcee found that the Transformers from the [[Dead Universe]]—Jhiaxus among them—had activated Monstructor and spirited him away, decimating the Banzaitron's team in the process. Arcee agreed to help Banzaitron in recovering Monstructor, on the basis that it would lead her to Jhiaxus. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} Tracking Monstructor to [[Rotan]], she and the Decepticons engaged him in battle until [[Skram (G2)|Skram]] arrived with information on Jhiaxus's location. Abandoning the fight, Arcee headed for [[Gorlam Prime]], where she murdered her way through a legion of [[Micromaster]]s before finally cornering him beneath the planet's surface. There, she was surprised and delighted to find that, as he came from the Dead Universe, and they were in a location close to its influence, Jhiaxus could not die. And that meant she could kill him over, and over, and over... {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

Arcee did just that for six years, and would later profess that the experience helped her straighten her head out. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}} It had in fact been the only time she'd ever been truly happy. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 3|Sins of the Wreckers #3}}

[[File:HeartofDarkness1-ArceeHardhead.jpg|thumb|right|200px|You know how the saying goes about wearing your spine on your stomach-- wait, that's not how the saying goes? ....scrap.]]

This demented "therapy" came to an end when Gorlam Prime's portal to the Dead Universe reactivated, hypnotically drawing the native [[Gorlamite]]s into it. Arcee also felt its lure but [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] held her back until the effect faded, and the two Autobots decided to investigate. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 2|Heart of Darkness #2}} A while later, they detected [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]], [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], and Jhiaxus in the vicinity and attacked them. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 1|Heart of Darkness #1}} Discovering that her arch-enemy had been restored by Galvatron's [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]], she vowed to destroy Jhiaxus all over again, but those plans had to be tabled when Galvatron powered himself up by tapping into the Dead Universe via the portal. Convinced by Hardhead to flee and warn the Autobots of Galvatron's return, Arcee was blasted into a chasm by her pursuers, but managed to survive. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 2|Heart of Darkness #2}}

Some time later, as Galvatron was in the process of assembling an army and preparing to enact his grand plan, Arcee and Hardhead came to the rescue of an Autobot escape pod full of survivors from the [[Kimia Facility]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} Bringing the survivors aboard, she and Hardhead had to explain at least five times to them all about the Dead Universe, the Heart of Darkness, [[D-Void]], and Galvatron's plans. The rag-tag group made it to Cybertron, by which time Galvatron infected [[Vector Sigma]] with the Heart of Darkness, which caused a maelstrom to break out on the planet's surface. Arcee suggested guiding the ship through an underground tunnel, crashing right on top of Galvatron himself, but this failed to take the super-powered villain out, and he quickly engaged and defeated Arcee and Hardhead. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

===Under Prowl===
[[File:Arcee Ratbat WorldandEverythingInIt.jpg|thumb|left|200px|She never was one for politics.]]
[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] subsequently used the Matrix to purify Vector Sigma, but in the process reverted Cybertron to a primordial state. In this tumultuous new era, Arcee fell into the employ of [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], acting as his shadowy enforcer in an era of uneasy peace. {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}} She inaugurated her new role by assassinating [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] before the former senator could have [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] killed, but her vicious methods sat ill with Prowl. {{storylink|The World & Everything in It}} Later, Arcee watched with amusement from a high vantage point as a set of rockets [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] had fired into orbit successfully drew away dangerous energies that would have caused an explosion on the planet's surface. {{storylink|Stick Together}}

Prowl soon called upon Arcee again to aid him in dealing with Decepticon malcontents, this time confronting [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] and his [[cerebro-shell]]-controlled minions. After Arcee killed the mind-controlled [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] against Prowl's wishes, the pair pursued Bombshell into underground tunnels, but ran into the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], whom Arcee took on solo, saving an unknowing [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]] in the process. Prowl, meanwhile, went after Bombshell, but succumbed to his newly improved method of mind control. Under Bombshell's sway, Prowl returned to Arcee's side and "destroyed" Constructicons by detonating their [[Inhibitor/deterrence chip|I/D chips]], then sent her after [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], who had witnessed the whole thing. Evidently suspecting that something was amiss with Prowl, she secretly allowed Dirge to escape. {{storylink|Devisive}} Deducing what had happened to Prowl, she met with him later, informing him she "knew his secret" and cautioning him to remember that she was not his killer to order around, {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}} but continued to work towards whatever objectives Bombshell was manipulating Prowl for, allowing the Insecticon to think she was on his side so she could discover what he was up to and stop him. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}}

Arcee later secretly joined "Prowl" and the other Autobot security officers in tracking Dirge to the Decepticons' bolt-hole, but once again, she stood back and allowed him and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] to escape during the ensuing firefight. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}} She would later be seen prowling the rooftops of the city, watching [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] and [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] through the sight of her weapon and graciously deciding not to snipe them. {{storylink|Night and the City}}

[[File:Arcee and Ravage The End of the Beginning of the World.jpg|thumb|right|250px|She didn't exactly have a knack for massages, either.]]
When the time came for the Decepticons to put the final stage of their plan into action, Bombshell directed Arcee, through Prowl, to exfiltrate [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] and their men from their present living quarters in the Decepticon pen. She chose to do so in the most violent way possible, of course, first attacking and killing the pen guards [[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]] and [[Blot (G1)|Blot]] and then detonating a shrapnel bomb that disabled all the other Decepticons present. Before departing with their unconscious bodies, she planted another explosive which Prowl then deliberately tripped while leading a "raid" on the pen, making it appear that the Decepticons within had been destroyed by their own booby-trap. Meanwhile, unaware of what had truly transpired, Starscream assumed that all of this had gone down as a result of his blackmailing Prowl with the knowledge he had gained from Dirge, so Arcee decided to drop in and rain on his parade, informing him she knew exactly where he had hidden Dirge, and could take away his "advantage" at any time. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}}

[[File:TheVerge-Arcee.jpg|thumb|left|250px|I'll cry when I'm done killing!]]

That, as it turned out, was exactly what she did when riots broke out upon the return of [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]. Recovering Dirge from his hideaway and informing him of "Prowl's" involvement with the Decepticons, she took him and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] to [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]], where a standoff with Blurr ensued. {{storylink|City on Fire}} Convincing him to listen to her by revealing that she was the one who had saved him from the Constructicons, Arcee handed Dirge and Swindle off to him and cut a path through the rioters for him so he could take them and the information to Bumblebee. {{storylink|The Verge}} Arcee proceeded to join Prowl, Bombshell, Megatron and the other Decepticons in the [[Black Room]], relaying a message from [[Turmoil]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] that they were in position. Following the information she had fed them via Dirge, Bumblebee and his team soon arrived; they were overpowered, and Arcee stabbed [[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sideswipe]] through the torso, pinning his body to the wall (but avoiding doing any serious damage, cluing him in to her deception). Together, they all watched as the Decepticons' plan was enacted, and a perfected version of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] was formed, incorporating Prowl as its mind-controlled head. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}} Calmly waiting until the most dramatic moment possible—when Bumblebee asked her what her place in the plot was—Arcee then promptly stabbed Bombshell through the head, cutting off his control of Devastator and shutting the combiner down. Calling on Sideswipe to open fire, Arcee armed Bumblebee and apologized for not acting sooner, explaining that she had had to wait until she was close enough to Bombshell to act. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} As the battle began to rage, with [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] busy with Prowl and Bumblebee busy with Megatron, Arcee and the Dinobots were put in charge of taking on the rest of the Decepticon army. Following Megatron's defeat, as Starscream took control, Arcee and the other Autobots were cast out into the wilderness. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}}

As the Autobots left the city, they were trailed by the Constructicons, who had become fans of Prowl after having combined with him. Arcee wanted to intervene when the Constructicons and the Dinobots came to blows, but Prowl restrained her while Bumblebee's worsening condition stopped the fighting for good. During Bumblebee's restoration, Arcee tried her best to comfort Prowl, who was visibly upset, but Arcee's emotional detachment made it difficult for her to connect. Her failure to empathize with Prowl sent her to Sideswipe next, whose love of violence she thought would give them common ground, but Sideswipe also shooed her away. The Constructicons picked a fight with her next, pointing out her lack of Autobot symbol as a sign that no one wanted her, and Arcee was all too happy to oblige. Their skirmish ended when Ironhide and the Dinobots broke them up, and Ironhide confided in Arcee that he was worried the night would bring madness to their camp as it did to the Aerialbots and Dinobots earlier. Arcee, confident that the madness wouldn't affect her, stayed up all night guarding Bumblebee, and when Bumblebee awoke the next morning in his new body, he found her outside with an Autobot symbol carved into her arm. But suddenly there was a weird glow over the horizon, and the sunrise wasn't for another few hours. Arcee immediately suspected Jhiaxus. {{storylink|Second Exodus}}

[[File:TheBecoming-Arcee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|Prowl thinks this is special, despite this being Arcee's fourth body in as many years.]]
Suddenly, an undead [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]], a [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]], burst free from the ground before them. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Arcee was happy to have a giant target to shoot at, though she wasn't hopeful of their odds of survival. Bumblebee insisted on caution rather than rash action, but before Arcee and the others could act, Soundwave's Decepticons were upon them. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} Their battle was interrupted by Starscream arriving overhead and landing on the inert Necrotitan's shoulder. Arcee offered to shoot him out of the sky, but before she could, the Necrotitan suddenly unleashed a strange, deadly wave that spread in all directions, and leaving Arcee without one of her arms and one of her legs. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} Arcee sat quietly as the others freaked out in the wake of the strange wave. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} She did not let her major limb damage deter her whatsoever once the Autobots chose to besiege Shockwave's lair (thought it probably helped that she'd somehow grown back her missing arm). {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}} Still without one of her legs, she was forced to retreat with the others, leaving Megatron and Bumblebee behind. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}}

Arcee, the other Autobots, and Soundwave's Decepticons returned to the city, where the Necrotitan had recently advanced, reducing what was left to ashes. Prowl ordered anyone still able to fight (Arcee included herself) to attack the Necrotitan before it could do more damage, but there was little they could do. Thankfully, that was when [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and the ''[[Lost Light]]'' appeared over them via [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] and engaged the Necrotitan for them. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} With the surprising help of Megatron, Metroplex was able to defeat the Necrotitan, and the citizens of Cybertron and the crew of the ''Lost Light'' were reunited. Arcee approached and greeted the female Transformers the ''Lost Light'' had brought along. In the calm that followed, Arcee was rebuilt into a new body, and Prowl wondered if she was considering this a fresh start. Before too long, however, their calm was ended by the arrival of Shockwave's army of [[Ammonite]]s. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} She fought alongside her many comrades against the [[Ammonite]]s. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} and also got to talk with [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] about how he ended the Ammonite's war and started [[Cybertronian Civil Wars|their own]] war, leading her to reflect on how they should have hung out more. Later, after fighting was over, Arcee was in a crowd of bots watching Optimus and Megatron exit the Lost Light. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

During the following six months, Arcee attended Megatron's trial along with Whirl and [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} Following the trial, Arcee admitted to Prowl that [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and her party of female Transformers didn't evoke any particular feelings in her. After Sideswipe opened his big yap, Arcee asked Optimus about what had happened to Hardhead, and volunteered to join his crew for the trip to Earth to find Alpha Trion. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}}

===To Earth and beyond===
As soon as the ''[[Ark-7]]'' arrived in Earth's orbit, they were attacked by Earth Defense Command's orbital missiles. After they took cover on the far side of the Moon, Arcee joined Optimus's team heading down to the planet in [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] and was assigned with Prowl to investigate who had fired the rockets at them. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} When Prime's team, investigating a Cybertronian life sign, were attacked by Galvatron's forces and the EDC, Prowl sent Arcee and Sideswipe to provide covering fire as the team retreated to nearby [[Poverty Flat]]. Prowl also brought Devastator to provide help, revealing the Cybertronian presence to the humans. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} Arcee and the other Autobots protected the panicking humans until the Decepticon were all teleported away on [[Marissa Faireborn]]'s orders. As the Autobots returned to ''Ark-7'', Arcee warned Optimus that more might be going on than they knew. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}}

The Autobots tracked the EDC's mind bomb signal to their base on island Bikini Atoll and Optimus opted for a frontal assault. On their way down, Arcee confided in Prowl that she'd seen [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] acting suspiciously. She was part of Prime's frontal assault, only to be surprised by the arrival of the [[Nemesis (G1)|Decepticon warship]]. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} The Autobots fired at the ship until Prowl used the EDC's own defense system to shoot the ship down. As they departed with Alpha Trion, whom they'd recovered from the EDC base, Arcee helped the wounded Kup onto Sky Lynx. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}}

[[File:OFFonOFF-GalvatronArcee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|....fifth body in as many years.]]
Jetfire, Arcee and [[D.0.C.]] investigated an alarm in the ''Ark-7'' shuttlebay to find Prime and Trion had gone for a jaunt. {{storylink|The Crucible}} When Optimus left for Cybertron to learn more about the [[Enigma of Combination]], he left Prowl in charge and asked Arcee to keep an eye on Prowl. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|Signals, Calls, and Marches}} When Prowl took the Constructicons to intercept [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Spike Witwicky]] in [[Japan]], Arcee followed using Sideswipe's backpack and prevented Prowl from grabbing Spike and [[Jimmy Pink]]. The two humans fled and Arcee pursued them, only to end up being cornered by the Decepticons along with Jimmy Pink. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part Two: Vs.|Vs.}} Though Galvatron claimed they were after the same thing, Spike, Arcee opted to take Jimmy and leave the Decepticons and Constructicons to it, only to be tackled mid-air by Galvatron. During their fight which landed them in the [[Australia]]n outback, Galvatron lied to Arcee, claiming Prowl had killed Spike's father to draw Spike out, and persuaded her to join him in trying to destroy the Enigma of Combination. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|ONoffON}}

She, Jimmy, and the Decepticons arrived in [[Wanmu]] to find Devastator already attacking the [[Onyx]] facility there. She tried to reach Prowl, but Devastator was set on killing Spike and she was knocked flat by the discarded Enigma of Combination. After [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] left the planet with the Enigma, Arcee was finally able to reach Prowl and get him to disassemble Devastator. They left on Sky Lynx with a space bridge from the Onyx facility. {{storylink|The Onyx Interface Conclusion: The Obliterati}}

Much later, Optimus contacted Arcee and filled her in on recent Combiner-related events on Cybertron. She had a clandestine meeting with Galvatron who wanted to use the spacebridge, and provided her with an Onyx tablet. Arcee returned to the ''Ark-7'' to get the tablet analyzed and gave [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] a mission to Jupiter. {{storylink|Now and On Earth}} He soon reported back on the Decepticon station being built there, and she met him on his return, however he fobbed her off with the promise of a report later and headed to a recharge slab. {{storylink|South of Heaven}}

[[File:AnUneventfulNight-WindbladeArcee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.6|...sixth...]]
Arcee returned to Cybertron in order to take the [[Enigma of Combination]] out of the hands of the Cybertronian government so that it couldn't be used to create any more "abominations" (as Galvatron had put it to her). However, her escape was complicated by Windblade and Chromia, who inadvertently corralled her into the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]] where a Camien team of [[Torchbearer]]s was scouting. The Torchbearers fumed at not only Arcee's injuring of Windblade, a Cityspeaker, but also her intent to harm an artifact of the Primes, and further battling resulted in the Torchbearers exposed to the Enigma of Combination and reconfigured into the mighty combiner, [[Victorion]]. The newborn, confused Victorion singled out Arcee for punishment, and so Windblade and Chromia found themselves protecting her against the gestalt. Windblade, surprisingly, was able to calm Victorion down long enough for them to disassemble. Arcee explained that she hated the Enigma not because of Galvatron's thoughts on the matter, but because it changed people against their will, which rung sorely with her particular history. The Torchbearers, however, noted that while they were changed against their will, they had equal right to remain what they now were. Warming to Windblade's combination of diplomacy and willingness to bury the truth to promote lasting peace, Arcee agreed to return the Enigma of Combination and pretend the incident had never happened. {{storylink|An Uneventful Night}}

She briefly watched Starscream talk to himself before swapping notes with Optimus. When one of Starscream's [[Badgeless]] troops was about to stage a massacre at a bar, Arcee stepped in and took the Badgeless to confront Starscream himself, whom she suggested needed to win over those on Cybertron before he went conquering other worlds. {{storylink|The Transgressors}}

Back on Earth, to her pre-emptive satisfaction, she detected that Prowl was in [[Alaska]], ready to be taken in by her... and then suddenly ''wasn't''. She went looking for Kup for help and was perturbed to find he'd passed out while outside the ship, and this may have happened before. But she didn't have time to care when Prowl disappearing was a major security risk and she needed help finding him! They broke into Prowl's old quarters, with Arcee suspicious how easy Kup managed it, and found some fleshbag called [[Verity Carlo]] had been blackmailing the fugitive with a copy of Autobot war crime data! Arcee was livid, thinking Carlo might restart the war if she made such horrors public. She was ''more'' livid when a recorded message from Prowl was broadcast, saying to get ''Springer'' to look for him as only Springer was good enough. Screw you, Prowl!

The most sensible course of action was to knock out Kup, go to Earth, and violently threaten Verity Carlo into saying what she'd done to Prowl. Verity turned out to know nothing. When Springer and the [[Wrecker]]s showed up, {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 1|Sins of the Wreckers #1}} Arcee continued to insist it ''had'' to be this human anyway... which was round about the time the ''real'' culprits, [[Mayhem Attack Squad|Mayhem]], attacked and Prowl ''broadcast through Kup'' to explain he was in the hands of [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], at the [[Noisemaze]]. Arcee was horrified to realise Prowl had put a backdoor hack in Kup's brain in case he'd needed to manipulate suckers. This clearly meant... it was still Verity's fault! CONFESS, VERITY!! Springer pulled rank and led the Wreckers-plus-Arcee in battle against the Mayhems, where Arcee was amused to find Springer only got emotionally engaged when there was a fight on. After chopping limbs off [[Claw Jaw]] and joining the Wreckers on a raid inside [[Tidal Wave (G1)|Mayhem HQ]], Arcee crossed to the Noisemaze... {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 2|Sins of the Wreckers #2}}

[[File:SinsoftheWreckers3-Noisemaze.jpg|right|thumb|upright=2|...sev- no, wait, this is the fifth one again. Never mind!]]
...and immediately fell in screaming pain, unable to stand its sensory onslaught. Tarantulas had the Wreckers taken to his lab, where the guilt-extracting computer [[Impetus]] caused her to babble that it was "my fault" she'd not seen through Jhiaxus and not been "strong enough" to stop him, and the only time she'd ever known happiness was killing him. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 3|Sins of the Wreckers #3}} Only Hubcap, Tarantulas' man on the inside, having second thoughts got her sprung from gaol. Arcee and the Wreckers ganged up on Tarantulas but he fought them all off, forcing Roadbuster to sacrifice himself so they could run. They regrouped and were talked by Prowl into destroying the villain's work first, but were confronted by said spider {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 4|Sins of the Wreckers #4}} and Arcee & Chums fared as well as before. Only a personal revelation got Tarantulas to cease his attack but, to fulfil the plan, Arcee joined Impactor in keeping the fight going anyway. The Noisemaze began to collapse around them and Arcee was left stunned when Springer, despite great personal risk, radioed to say he was sticking to the plan even if it killed him. Realising why Prowl had chosen him and not her for this, she then convinced Impactor to continue the plan. Though Prowl would risk his life at the last second to save Springer, this was still it: Arcee and Kup returned to the ''Ark-7'', ties to Prowl irrevocably severed. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 5|Sins of the Wreckers #5}}

[[File:Perihelion-BrawlShoulderTackleArcee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=2|Brawl liked design number four better.]]
Back at the ''Ark-7'', she found Jetfire had examined the [[Onyx|human code]] Blackrock had created and it was communicating with other iterations of the code via a quantum signal. Arcee ordered her Autobots to track it down while she, Alpha Trion, and Sideswipe stayed on the ship. The mission went sour fast and Arcee had Sky Lynx return to the ''Ark'' where she could use its mighty guns to blow away his pursuers... at which point the Onyx code activated their deflector shields, causing all the firepower to rebound on the ship, and locked them out of their systems, leaving them trapped and on fire! {{storylink|The Nothing Man}} They found themselves fighting their way through their own compromised defences while Trion claimed they were facing Primal weapons that they could not stand against. (Arcee didn't think much of that claim) {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}} Her plan was to get to the spacebridge and call for reinforcements, but a sudden rush of Decepticons ''through'' the spacebridge put paid to that! {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} Luckily, [[Conquerors Part 3: Helden|other actors]] caused the shield to drop and Arcee ordered her guys to fall back to the ship's bridge and crash it into the moon while she went to overload the engines. The plan failed when she failed to distract the Decepticons through ultraviolence, being battered into unconsciousness by [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}} By the time she came round, the battle at [[Shanghai]] was almost over and she gladly fell back with the newly arrived Autobots.

Optimus asked her to run operations soon enough as part of his new strategy. She was up for that! And then, to her disgust, she learned his strategy was to ''help'' Earth by annexing it under his ''protection''. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}} While sitting in the med-bay of the ''[[Skyroller]]'', she casually mentioned that both she and Sideswipe were fine to a disinterested med-bay. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 2: Edge of the Earth|Edge of the Earth}} She later met, and tried to murder, Galvatron at the Copahua volcano where they pondered if Optimus' time as [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|a combiner]] could have allowed Prowl's personality to push Optimus towards drastic actions. She later revealed to Optimus that [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] had murdered [[Horri-Bull]] for the greater good allowing the Prime to blackmail the Decepticon. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} In Monument Valley, she forced Prime to stay behind during the attack on the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' claiming he was too valuable before showing zero gratitude when [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] gave her [[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sideswipe's]] jetpack. During the attack, Galvatron managed to force Victorian apart before creating [[Galvatronus (Generations)|Galvatronus]] and [[Sky Reign]]. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} When [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] managed to turn the tide and rip open the ''Nemesis'', Arcee was ready to take[[G.B. Blackrock|Blackrock]] into her custody before she was fired on by [[Marissa Faireborn]] and [[Ayana Jones]]. She was ready to kill all three before [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] teleported them out of her reach. She was later ordered by Optimus to pursue and terminate Galvatron. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}} Hitching a ride on [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], she caught up with the Decepticon in the upper atmosphere of [[Jupiter]]. After casually murdering [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], she engaged Galvatron. The fight was in his favour until Optimus and Soundwave arrived to back her up. The ancient warrior still managed to hold his ground before Soundwave shot him in the back allowing Arcee to destroy his [[fusion cannon]] taking him out of the fight. Galvatron mocked all three of them before agreeing to be their ally so as to fight off [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]]. Arcee was horrified when Optimus shot Galvatron through the [[spark]]. She later accompanied him to see the [[President of the United States]] where he declared the threat over. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}} When they returned to Monument Valley, [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] the trio observed transformed to city mode, a form which Optimus dubbed [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. She then observed Metrotian fire a beam of data into space regarding Optimus' deeds. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

As it turned out, that beam attracted the attention of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] who was not only still alive but also a [[Titan Master]]. The Prime left his large [[Transtector]] body to fight Arcee while he attended to business causing the femme to protest a body without a head should be not be a good fighter. The fight spilled into a massive cache of [[Ore-13]] located beneath Autobot City. Sentinel then returned with Blackrock who was revealed to be [[Sovereign]]. The Titan Master duo tapped into the [[Space bridge|spacebridge]] to warp away Optimus Prime and Soundwave with them. Left behind, Arcee, at the end of her rope, contacted [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] and briefed him on what happened. He assured her he would take care of it. {{storylink|White Light}} She then hovered ominously in the background and off to the side during Soundwave's inspirational speech. {{storylink|White Heat}}

===Meeting the cosmic community===

[[File:ConcordeHymn-ArceeTransforms.jpg|thumb|upright=2|Perfect for a stealth mission into Barbie's Malibu Dream House.]]

Sent to aid relief efforts in [[Portland]], [[Oregon]] with [[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]], the two were subsequently attacked by [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] forces. Relieved at the chance to blow off some steam, she quickly drove off to be greeted by a hailstorm of ineffective bullets. Unleashing her swords, she began cutting through G.I. Joe's war machines before demanding an explanation for the attack. She continued this until reinforcements arrived and Soundwave fired an EMP that destroyed all the Joes' equipment. Out of the blue, [[Rom|an alien]] arrived to atomize four humans. Jazz tried to tackle it only for [[Rock 'n Roll]] to fire into Jazz's open wound. Acree came to his aid as the alien flew off. She then carried off by [[Victorion]] as Optimus ordered the Autobots to pursue the alien. {{storylink|Concorde Hymn}} The Autobots tracked Rom to [[Umpqua National Forest]] where they forced him to make an emergency landing. When the alien responded with aggression, Arcee punched him in his open chest wound down to the ground while noting she enjoyed hitting her problems. {{storylink|The Divine Source of Liberty}}

[[File:TheDivineSourceOfLiberty-RomMeetsTheAutobots.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2]]

As she patrolled the halls of Autobot City, Arcee happened upon [[Snake-Eyes]] as he began to engage the ''[[Heliopolis]]''. She immediately tried to strike the ninja down but received a sword to her eye for the trouble. Though briefly blinded, she soon tried to get back at her attacker before she, Snake-Eyes, and the [[Micronauts]]' ship were disabled by a sonic strike from Soundwave in an attempt to calm the situation. After Snake-Eyes was apprehended, Arcee began trying to pick a fight with the ninja but backed off once Optimus Prime intervened to make peace with him. As [[M.A.S.K.]] and the [[Dire Wraith|Dire Wraiths]] began their assault on Autobot City, Arcee stood alongside her fellow Cybertronians as well as the Micronauts, Rom, and Snake-Eyes in opposition. {{storylink|The New Colossus}} When the combined form of [[Baron Karza]] and the Wraiths attempted to drag Optimus back into the soon-to-be-exploding mine of Ore-13 under the now levitating Autobot City, Arcee grabbed his arm and pulled him back to safety. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

Not long afterwards, Arcee accompanied Jazz and Optimus back to [[Monument Valley]] where three were attacked by a vengeful [[Baron Karza]] wearing the body of [[Micronus Prime]]. After swatting the three Cybertronians aside, {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 1|Wrath of Karza #1}} Karza placed them in a special prison. The [[Microanut]]s later freed the Autobots who joined the attack on the {{i|Acroyear III}} army before the three fought Karza himself. The fighting was interrupted when [[Shazraella]] arrived wreathed in {{i|Time Traveler}} energy. {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 4|Wrath of Karza #4}} The three Autobots tried to use the distraction to sucker punch Karza before he again enerchanged with Micronus and resumed their duel. Shazraella used her newfound powers to cause the Autobots to shift through alternate modes until she lost control of her powers which prompted Karza to appeal to Optimus for an alliance. Though Optimus agreed, the unlikely alliance was unable to fell Shazraella until [[Oziron Rael]] arrived, now one of the Time Travelers himself, and ended the threat. Arcee stood by as Optimus pledged to help the refugees of Microspace. {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 5|Wrath of Karza #5}}

[[File:OptimusPrime4 NewCybertron Arcee spars.jpg|right|thumb|upright=2.5|At least he's not wearing a space diaper.]]
Arcee continued to work for Optimus but remained openly disgruntled with his new attitude and his acolytes, especially the new colonists who'd arrived wearing Optimus faceplates. While checking a potentially wounded [[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]] (and brusquely telling him he was fine) in [[Mexico]], she removed his faceplate and greatly upset him. Shortly after, she joined Prime's team at the [[Matterhorn]] as a vast spaceship descended onto Earth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} Once the ship's occupants, the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], disembarked, Arcee stood off to the side as their leaders [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] and [[Rum-Maj]] introduced themselves. Once Optimus' team returned to Autobot City to discuss what the Junkion's arrival meant, Arcee was again annoyed by the colonists' fawning over Optimus. Later, Arcee visited the still comatose Sideswipe and griped to him about the colonist recruits. As she began to tell him that she missed him, feeling that they had a similar way of looking at things, she was suddenly interrupted by Jetfire entering the room and asking if there had been any changes in Sideswipe's condition. As the two of them left the room, Arcee gave a worried glance back in as Jetfire talked with D.0.C about how none of their treatments were stopping Sideswipe's spark from corroding. As the Junkions arrived for a tour of Autobot City, Arcee attempted to stop Wreck-Gar from entering Sideswipe's chamber, asking Optimus to stop him from touching the injured Autobot. She looked decidedly unhappy as Wreck-Gar explained the Junkions possessed a [[positron core]] that could potentially save Sideswipe, {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|A Lonely Pillar on the Plain}} but later expressed a cautious interest in the positron core's potential for saving Sideswipe, still feeling some responsibility for him being in his current condition. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}} She continued to spend time in Sideswipe's room to keep him company, passing the time by sparring with D.0.C. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} When the Junkions began invading, Arcee reflected on the cycle of history and her pragmatism before she told Sky Lynx to watch Sideswipe while she went to beat the positron core out of Wreck-Gar. She found him trying to flee the battle and emerged from the shadows, demanding the core prompting him to open his chest and reveal it to her. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}} [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] suddenly appeared but opted to watch the fight instead of help Arcee. As she began beating Wreck-Gar for the core, rebellious [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] appeared to slay him much to her alarm. As the fighting moved outside however, a stray shot hit the positron core, destroying it. A stoic Arcee stood by as Optimus made peace with the Junkions before she mournfully collapsed by Sideswipe's CR Chamber as Optimus watched her from afar. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}} Aileron later visited Arcee where the latter shocked the former by revealing her true age. As Arcee insisted she was alone, Aileron disputed the notion. {{storylink|The Next Day, and the Next}} Arcee later spoke to Soundwave as the President visited Autobot City. {{storylink|What It's Really Like}}

[[File:SidesSwipeHugArcee.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2|The spelling error kinda takes the lump outta your throat once you spot it.]]
As time passed and Wreck-Gar proved unable to repair the positron core, Arcee and Sunstreaker decided to switch off Sideswipe's life support. To allow him to die happy, they hooked themselves up to a [[mnemopathis projector]] to create a simulated last day. In the dream, Arcee acted aloof when Sideswipe awoke before he followed her outside where she revealed that Sunstreaker had promised to be present. When Sideswipe annouched he was going to cut ties with Sunstreaker, Arcee discouraged the notion, remembering how she'd let Galvatron die (though leaving out his name). The two travelled to Cybertron where, after retrieving Bob from Sunstreaker's apartment, they made their way to the Decepticon ghetto where Sideswipe broke down the door and began shooting everyone before Sunstreaker arrived and stopped him and Arcee explained the relief effort that Sunstreaker was part of. The two brought Sideswipe outside where he marvelled at the beauty of post-War Cybertron before he figured out the truth of his situation. Thanking both his friend and brother, Sideswipe perished happy. Arcee excused herself following his death only for Aileron to follow her again and offer her some religious comfort. After a laugh that the many Arcee and Sideswipe killed might return, Arcee looked at the stars and said a final goodbye to Sideswipe. {{storylink|The Life of Sideswipe}}

She and Sunstreaker brought his body to Cybertron to be buried. At the same time, [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] revealed Arcee and Galvatron's fraternal relationship, something which Starscream had a hard time swallowing. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} When [[Marissa Faireborn]] was inducted into the [[Council of Worlds]] as [[Earth]]'s ambassador, Arcee flanked Optimus Prime before the ceremony began. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}}

===Against the Apocalypse===
{{Charfictionstub|{{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable}} {{storylink|Road's End}}}}

==Notes==
===Conceptual origins===
Simon Furman has traditionally not been a fan of [[female Transformer]]s or the idea of gendering Transformers at all, stating on several occasions that he doesn't understand why robots would have women.<ref>[https://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/arcee-a-go-go/ "Arcee-a-Go-Go"]: "Well, I’ve always been fairly outspoken about the redundancy of ‘female’ Transformers (or ‘fembots’). It’s not a sexist thing, it’s just that they’re robots."</ref> Arcee's [[Spotlight: Arcee|origin]] in the IDW continuity attempted "to apply a rationale to the whole issue"<ref>[https://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/arcee-a-go-go/ "Arcee-a-Go-Go"]</ref> by saying Jhiaxus had introduced gender to the race. You may read the results further up on this page.

Furman's insistence that Cybertronians are genderless, not male by default, extended to a post he wrote<ref>http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2013/12/29/response-to-mairghread-scott/</ref> in response to a blog post by [[Mairghread Scott]] discussing other female Transformers in IDW, wherein she stated that she understood that Arcee's origin could be seen as offensive to women, especially those who are transgender. The two authors later talked in private and settled the beef.

Arcee's origin story would later be revisited under the pen of [[John Barber]] following her increasing presence in the ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' and ''[[Optimus Prime (comic)|Optimus Prime]]'' comics. Following the introduction of the colony world of [[Caminus]], where male and female Transformers naturally coexisted, the series revealed that the concept of gender, and by extension female Transformers, ''was'' present on ancient Cybertron, but had disappeared sometime before the modern day. Later stories would make an attempt to retcon Arcee's earlier characterization: a conversation between Arcee and Galvatron in [[Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|''The Transformers'' #37]] revealed that Jhiaxus had been attempting to ''restore'' an element of ancient Cybertron, and internal narration from Arcee's point of view in [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 3|''Sins of the Wreckers'' #3]] implied that she had, at least to some extent, consented to his experiments because she did not see him "for what he was". Arcee would later hint that her prior identity was a "lie [she] told herself" <ref>[[New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|''Optimus Prime'' #5]]</ref> and recognize her current self as being "who she was always meant to be" <ref>[[All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #52]]</ref>, suggesting that Arcee either used to feel, or only now recognizes post-transformation, that she was not truly "male" in the first place. Her episodes following her transition were explained in [[Post|"''Post''"]] as coming from not from the transition itself but the lack of aftercare Jhiaxus provided ("the Cybertronian equivalent" of "bad meds," Arcee and Marissa collectively conclude).

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{i|Arcee}} at the IDW Hasbro Wiki

[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]

Post

2018-11-22T03:27:43Z

Djelibaebi: y'know how come we never get to make the pun Trans-Former bc that'd be dope, i didnt put that in just changed some clunky wording BUT ITS RIGHT THERE

{{Comicstory
|series=op|issueno=25
|prev=A Sunrise Dark
|prev2=Ceremony
|next=
|caption=
|image=OP25 cvrA.jpg
|title="Post"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 21]], 2018
|coverdate=October 2018
|written by=[[John Barber]]
|art by=[[Kei Zama]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[David Mariotte]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}

'''In the aftermath of the battle with Unicron, our heroes build a new future on Earth, and we look back on the life of Optimus Prime.'''

==Synopsis==
''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] looks back on his life and remembers...''

''As Orion Pax slowly comes online in an [[Iacon (polity)|Iaconian]] [[hot spot]], the [[blacksmith]] supervising his forging is impressed by his size and calls the ancient storyteller [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] to bear witness. Trion agrees there seems to be something special about Pax; that he is a 'bot who will be "worth weaving tales about." With some difficultly, Pax pulls free of the sparkfield, only for the first thing he witnesses to be the blacksmith mistreating the [[Scrounge (G1)|smaller 'bot]] who transforms into his medical equipment.''

Rebuilding on [[Earth]] continues in the wake of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s attack. [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] and [[Marissa Faireborn]] talk about the future—about a "ceremony" [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]] is attending, about an upcoming funeral Arcee is going to miss—and Arcee tells Marissa the complicated story of her gender transition and how she's moved past the hardships she faced to find a job, friends, and a lover in [[Aileron]].

''Hoping to fight injustice, Orion Pax joins the Iaconian police force. During training, he is given his first gun by [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]], who is amused by his wide-eyed innocence.''

While [[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] oversees clean-up and rebuilding in [[San Francisco]], [[Sofía Orozco]] arrives on the scene to film a new story. [[Brad Emory]] guest stars to continue berating Cybertronians and their presence on Earth, and Sofía allows him to speak before approaching Jazz for his point of view. Jazz merely tells her he's not here for thanks, he's just here to do what's right.

''Orion Pax and [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] come upon fellow officer [[Outback (G1)|Outback]] roughing up [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] for drawing graffiti. Puzzled by the symbol he has scratched into a wall, Pax questions Ravage as to its meaning, but Outback kicks the cat-bot and explains that it's the mark of the "[[Decepticon]]s."''

Unsure what to make of themselves on Earth and thinking they might restart their old [[Chic Chips]] business, brothers [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] and [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] go to [[Pyra Magna]], the newly-appointed [[Mistress of Flame]], for some advice. Pyra is still getting used to her new role as spiritual adviser and isn't much help; Needlenose isn't surprised, regarding her as just another 'bot who abandoned everything they believed in, prompting Pyra to testily explain that she is attempting to bring new guidance to the [[Way of Flame]] in this post-Prime era, before all but kicking them out so she can prepare for the coming funeral.

''Repeated confrontations with the Decepticons send Orion down a dark path, as his fury builds over the subversive, criminal acts they partake in, which overshadow their justifiable anti-authoritarian roots. Seeing Pax's anger when he apprehends [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] in a [[simultronic]] bust, [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] reminds him of the systemic oppression that gave rise to the Decepticons in the first place and rebukes him for having lost sight of that and becoming "part of the problem."''

In [[Little Cybertron]], [[Rum-Maj]] and [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] watch as graves are dug for all those who perished during the conflict with Unicron. The cost of victory weighs heavily on Rum-Maj to the point she is unsure if it was even a victory at all; Wreck-Gar opines that there ''aren't'' any victories in life because it goes on regardless, with or without you, and you just have to do your best for as long as you're around.

''When [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] extends an offer to Orion Pax to meet with him and talk, Orion discusses the matter with his closest allies. [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] thinks Pax should do it, in hopes that it will bring unity, but Ironhide disagrees, labeling all Decepticons murderers. Pax sides with 'Bee, telling Ironhide it's a chance to move past what has been and change the future for the better.''

In Africa, a group of poachers track a herd of elephants who have been displaced due to debris from Unicron landing on their grazing lands. Before the criminals can open fire on the animals, [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] swoops in to stop them. Acting in the deceased [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]]'s name, he decides that his old friend would understand if he made it so the poachers can't hurt anyone ever again...

''Following Pax's transformation into Optimus Prime, he successfully defeats and captures Megatron, but it is not long before a Decepticon raid frees Megatron from prison. [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] fears that Megatron may spread the war to other planets, and deems Optimus's hope that the Decepticon leader will have seen the error of his ways and will start his movement over again peacefully to be "nuts".''

Bumblebee walks along a coastline as the sun sets on his last day on Earth, before he heads off to serve as the Cybertronian race's diplomatic envoy to the [[Galactic Council]] after the funeral the next day. Walking beside him is a familiar face: the deceased [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], who gave up his life to ensure victory against Unicron, and who has traded roles with Bumblebee to somehow become a "ghost" only he can see. Bumblebee encourages the spectral Starscream to come with him on his mission, but Starscream doubts he would be welcome. Bumblebee jokingly accuses him of being mad that Optimus Prime is going to get all the credit for saving the universe; Starscream smiles and brushes it off, stating that he's sure people will remember him, and that will be enough.

''As Prowl predicted, the war moves off-planet, and civilizations die as a result. [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] accuses Optimus Prime of not caring, of believing the ends justify the means; [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]] calms him to prevent a fight, but shares his beliefs, and tells Prime so to his face.''

Thundercracker and [[Buster (IDW)|Buster]] attend an awards ceremony where he is up for "Best Original Screenplay" for his biopic of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] [[Chuckles]]. Wracked with nerves that are made all the worse by the fact that one of his favorite actresses, [[Karen Fishook]], is announcing the winner, Thundercracker braces himself to hear the result...

''Optimus remembers his period of shifting identity, how he went from Prime back to Orion Pax and traveled the stars for a time until retaking the Prime title, then how [[Cybertronian colonies|Cybertron's colonies]] came to consider him [[The Arisen]], the Thirteenth Prime. He wonders, could it be true? Could ''that'' be why Alpha Trion was at his birth?''

Out in the void of [[space (the place)|space]], Aileron captains an exploration vessel crewed by Jetfire, [[Bob (IDW)|Bob]], [[D.0.C.]], and the remaining colonist ex-soldiers. When Jetfire picks up something unusual, Aileron orders them to set course for it with the intention of making friends, and tells [[Bump]] to contact Arcee on Earth so she can apologize to her for her inevitable late return.

''Following Optimus's annexation of Earth, he travels to the colony worlds to recruit new followers, exploiting their faith in his supposed divinity to convince them to join him. Prime's confidence in his new role concerns Aileron, as she remembers how naive and impressionable she was in the face of "The Arisen" not so along ago.''

Prowl oversees [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s incarceration in an undersea facility. Shockwave reflects on the many faces he was worn in his life, and comments that he is no longer sure which of them was ever the real him. In a moment that's as much dark self-reflection as it is condemnation of Shockwave, Prowl tells him that they were ''all'' the real him, because a 'bot is defined by—and will be judged by—their actions, not what they hoped to attain when they carried those actions out.

''In advance of the final showdown with Unicron, Optimus Prime has one final conversation with Arcee. He removes his [[mouthplate]] and hands it to her, symbolically removing the "mask" of his identity so he can face Unicron as his true self. Recalling Alpha Trion's words at the moment of his creation, that he would worth telling stories about, Prime tells Arcee that it is ''stories'', and the emotions and deeds they can inspire, that are truly important, moreso than the real-life person those stories happen to be about.''

Prime's discarded mouthplate now sits atop a coffin at the funeral everyone has been waiting for. With a small group of mourners that include representatives of various former colonies, the Earth heroes and organizations he fought with and against, and Prime's closest friends and fiercest detractors, [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] presides, and begins to read from a prepared speech... before she stops herself and instead begins to speak from her heart, delivering a eulogy that is both celebrates and damns with its truth. Prime has left no body; instead, they bury the ''idea'' of Optimus Prime—the idea of both the heroic warrior who fought oppression and saved lives and worlds, and the war hawk leader who pretended to divinity and lied and killed to achieve his desires—that he may be remembered always, and that they may move beyond him and build upon what he achieved to shape a better future on their new homeworld.

''Sinking into darkness, Optimus Prime thinks back on the successes and failures of his life one last time, and the fundamental contradiction they embodied: how could he claim to desire freedom for all beings when he presented that freedom as only achievable through him, with war and destruction ensuing when anyone opposed him? Now, at the end, Prime can see the truth, that "freedom" and "unity" are not in contradiction to one another, but two sides of the same coin, one only attainable through the other. In his life, he failed to find the harmony between the two.. but now that he is gone, he can see that it doesn't matter. Optimus Prime departs the living world with a smile on his face, knowing that life will go on without him, and the stories of his journey, of his ''trying,'' will inspire others to keep doing the same.''

And a story is exactly what these "flashbacks" turn out to be; perhaps the dying Prime's life flashing before his eyes, but also Arcee telling the story of Optimus Prime's life to her class of students, made up of human and [[Elonian]] children, and the new generation of young Cybertronians formerly cared for by [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. [[Sideswipe (IDW)|Sideswipe]] questions how Arcee can know that what she is telling them about Prime's final realizations at the end of his life are true, since she wasn't there; Arcee responds that she knew what Prime thought and felt while he was alive, and that is enough to reach the same conclusion. Prime believed in a better future, she tells the children, and believing in the future means believing in the ability of people to change for the better. And all the stories of such change, like the story Arcee is telling them now... all those stories of triumph and failure, and all that they can teach and inspire... ''they'' are what will truly define that future.

==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"{{!}}
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime/Orion Pax]]'' (4)
*[[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] (5)
*''[[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]]'' (8)
*''[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]]'' (9)
*''[[Outback (G1)|Outback]]'' (10)
*[[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] (15)
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (17)
*[[Pyra Magna]] (19)
*[[Swift (G1)|Swift]] (20)
*[[Jumpstream]] (21)
*[[Slide]] (22)
*[[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]] (23)
*[[Dust Up]] (24)
*[[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] (25)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] (26)
*''[[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]]?'' (27)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Tumbler]]'' (28)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (29)
*''[[Slag (G1)|Slag]]'' (36)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (37)
*''[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]]'' (38)
*''[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]'' (39)
*''[[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]]'' (40)
*[[Roulette (Universe)|Roulette]] (44)
*[[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]] (45)
*[[Bump]] (47)
*[[Aileron]] (49)
*''[[Oiler]]'' (50)
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (53)
*[[Strafe (IDW)|Strafe]] (55)
*[[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] (56)
*[[G.B. Blackrock|Garrison Blackrock/Sovereign]] (57)
{{!}}}

|c2=
*[[Sparkstalker]] (12)
*''[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]]'' (16)
*[[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] (18)
*''[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]'' (30)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (34)
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]'s ghost (35)
*[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] (51)

|c3=
'''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'''
*[[Scarlett]] (58)
*[[Matt Trakker]] (59)
*[[Ayana Jones|Mayday]] (60)
*[[Zilong Qian|Talon]] (62)

'''Others'''
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (6)
*[[Brad Emory]] (11)
*[[Sofía Orozco]] (12)
*[[Karen Fishook]] (43)
*[[President of the United States|President]] (61)
*[[Action Man]] (64)
*[[Sgt. Savage]] (65)

|h4=Other Cybertronians|c4=
*''[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'' (1)
*''[[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]]'' (2)
*''Unnamed [[blacksmith]]'' (3)
*[[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]s (7)
*[[Lightbright (G1)|Lightbright]] (13)
*[[Rum-Maj]] (31)
*[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] (32)
*? (33)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]] (41)
*[[Centurion (IDW)|Centurion]] (54)
*[[Sideswipe (IDW)|Sideswipe]] (66)
*[[Slicer (Decepticon)|Slicer]] (67)

|h5=Others|c5=
*[[Livia]] (14)
*[[Buster (IDW)|Buster]] (42)
*[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] (46)
*[[D.0.C.]] (48)
*''[[Unicron]]'' (52)
*[[Rom]] (63)
}}

==Quotes==
"Our job is to keep the '''peace.''' We only kill as the '''last option'''—when '''evil''' leaves us no choice." 
"'''Ha ha ha!''' Kid, I thought you were too '''serious'''—glad ta see a '''bleak''' sense of '''humor''' in ya."
:—'''Orion Pax''' and '''Kup'''

"This place is really popular, you know, '''Rummy-Cube,''' my love. But do you know '''why?''' Ask me why." 
"No." 
"It seems people are '''dying''' to get here!"
:—'''Wreck-Gar''' and '''Rum-Maj''' visit Little Cybertron's graveyard

"'''Winning?''' What does it '''mean?!''' Maybe there's no '''winning''', my dear, because the game doesn't '''end.''' Some '''pieces''' fall off the board, but new '''pink pegs''' get stuck in the car and we keep passing '''go''', keep collecting '''200 Shanix.'''" 
"Perhaps. Perhaps it '''is''' a victory when the '''game''' continues... '''regardless''' of the players."
:—'''Wreck-Gar''' and '''Rum-Maj'''

"'''Soundwave''' laid down his life so '''everybody''' could live. But for '''you'''... I think he'd understand if I made an '''exception.'''"
:—'''Buzzsaw''' attacks the poachers

'''Optimus Prime:''' "'''Find''' [Megatron]. But I want the '''opportunity''' for peace. We're fighting for the '''same thing,''' after all." 
'''Prowl:''' "He's '''nuts.'''" 
'''Bumblebee:''' "Heh. He's '''Optimus.'''"

"You '''know''' you saved the universe, right?" 
"Pfft. Not if you '''ask''' anyone." 
"Oh Primus. You're '''jealous''' that '''Optimus''' got all the credit." 
"Who, '''me?''' Jealous? It's '''okay.''' People will '''probably''' remember me. That's '''all''' I can ask for, I guess." 
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Starscream'''

"I was '''right''', you know. When it all comes down to it, everything is about '''resources'''... there is a finite amount of '''everything'''. Even '''identities'''. And I am no longer sure which version of '''myself''' was the '''real''' one." 
"They '''all''' were, Shockwave. All that was done to you, all that you did to yourself... all that you did to '''others.''' We are our '''actions'''... not our '''hopes.'''"
:—'''Shockwave''' and '''Prowl'''

"'''Today''', on his adopted world of '''Earth'''... we bury '''Optimus Prime'''. Not his '''body'''—that's gone. Not his '''spark'''—that belongs to '''Solus.''' We bury the '''idea''' of Optimus Prime. He was a warrior. A hero. A killer. A liar. '''Destruction''' was his company. Did he '''cause''' it—or prevent '''worse?''' The thing that made Optimus who he '''was'''... was that he '''asked''' those questions. Life is not '''simple''', and neither is '''death.''' We inter the '''idea''' of Optimus Prime into the '''soil''' of his '''adopted world'''... a world that has, in turn, adopted us '''all.''' [['Til all are one]]."
:—'''Windblade''' delivers a eulogy for Optimus Prime

"'''Freedom''' and unity (...) describe the same '''phenomenon.''' '''One''' cannot be free unless all are. And if '''all''' are '''free'''—they are as '''one.''' I fell short of '''achieving''' this... but it doesn't matter. The '''goal''' isn't important. The journey is. And it '''never''' ends."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s final words

"Believing in the future means believing we can '''change.''' The '''story''' of that change, the story of becoming what we '''are'''—what we were '''meant''' to be... '''that''' is the true history of the '''world.''' And '''this''', children, is our future. This is '''our''' world."
:—'''Arcee''' signs off

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*This issue is the final comic in the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]]. Following on from the events of [[Ceremony|''Unicron'' #6]], it serves as an epilogue to that story, to the ''Optimus Prime'' series and John Barber's seven-year ''Transformers'' run, and to the IDW universe as a whole. In terms of chronology, however, portions of [[How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2|''Lost Light'' #25]] take place in the far future, long after this issue.
*Scattered remarks made here and there over the last few years of IDW comics have implied a recontextualization of Arcee's origins from her [[Spotlight: Arcee|controversial ''Spotlight'' back in 2008]], but with this issue, Barber—working with Transformers fan Jenevieve Frank to address the subject sensitively and thoroughly—finally addresses the matter directly. In no uncertain terms, Arcee was (in her words) "forged male, which did not match [her] spark," and willingly agreed to the procedure Jhiaxus performed on her. Her erratic behavior following this was not the result of the transition itself, but the lack of aftercare Jhiaxus provided ("the Cybertronian equivalent" of "bad meds," Arcee and Marissa collectively conclude).
*Arcee also notes that [[Anode]] (a trans character featured in ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|Lost Light]]'') offered to help her, only to vanish. Given that Anode only realized her trans identity after leaving Cybertron to escape the war, this means she must have met Arcee when she returned to Cybertron just prior to events shown in [[Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|''Lost Light'' #1]], and her "disappearance" was her abduction to the future by [[Mortilus|the Necrobot]], seen in that same issue. The implication, then, is that the things Arcee discovered from Anode (like the fact she ''didn't'' have to have her [[CNA]] altered in order to transition) coupled with Anode's disappearance before she could help her triggered the rampage the already-unstable Arcee was on as ''Spotlight: Arcee'' began.
*Orion's first two flashbacks are the earliest points we have seen in his life in this continuity, prior to his previously-chronologically-earliest appearance in [[Chaos Theory Part 1|''The Transformers'' vol. 1 #22]]. The third also seems intended to be set before this issue, in his younger days before he became a police captain (Outback still calls him "rookie," and the narration implies it is before he addresses the Senate, as seen in [[Chaos Theory Part 2|''The Transformers'' vol. 1 #23]]), but see "Errors" below.
*Needlenose and Tracks were previously shown in business together selling Chic Chips before the war in [[The Transgressors|''The Transformers'' #44]].
*Following her acceptance into the ranks of the Torchbearers in ''Unicron'' #6, replacing the deceased [[Stormclash]], Slide is shown to have adopted their red-and-green color scheme. With Pyra ascending to the position of Mistress of Flame, Skyburst has become the new leader of the team, and Swift has joined them as the new sixth member and also taken their colors. Swift's not here for combining reasons, though; [[Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|''The Transformers'' #46]] explained there are always six Torchbearers, representing the hexagonal lattice of [[Solus Prime]]'s [[Creation Lathe]].
*Orion's fourth flashback takes place after the various flashbacks we've seen throughout the ''Optimus Prime'' series, but before ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'', and depicts Orion in his "angry and violent" phase that he fell into following the events seen in [[New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|''Optimus Prime'' #5]].
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] appears with Pax's unit in this flashback; presumably he's there because he's still partners with Prowl in the [[Iaconian Mechaforensic Division]] at this time, as seen in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|''More than Meets the Eye'' #9]]-[[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|11]]. Per those issues, his name at this time is "Tumbler."
*Process of elimination would indicate the block-colored sixth 'bot on Orion's team seen in this flashback is Hound, who was part of his unit in ''Autocracy'', but hasn't shown up in any of the other looks at the past in the ''Optimus Prime'' series. His cannon's on the wrong shoulder, though.
*This flashback sees Swindle mention a simultronic dealer named [[Marauder (G1)|Marauder]]. A 'bot by this name was previously referenced in [[Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|''Lost Light'' #3]], one of the deceased Transformers whose essences were captured in one of the Necrobot's spark-flowers, whose death was apparently the work of Starscream.
*Orion's fifth flashback occurs between [[The Hunt for Soundwave|''Autocracy'' #3]] and [[Cause and Effect|#4]], but it retcons the precise circumstances of Orion and Megatron's meeting. Orion was not politely invited to meet with Megatron and given time to talk it over with his comrades; he was ''forced'' to do so by Decepticons who were holding Bumblebee hostage (with 'Bee even telling Orion not to go because it was a trap, versus his encouragement in his story) and had to go to the meeting right away.
*During the fifth flashback, Ironhide refers to the death of the Senate, as seen in [[Megatron Origin issue 4|''Megatron Origin'' #4]].
*Buzzsaw is defending elephants against poachers in Soundwave's memory because elephants were Soundwave's favourite Earth creatures, as he revealed in [[New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|''Optimus Prime'' #4]].
*Captain of continuity to the very last, John Barber plugs one of the larger gaps in the IDW timeline with Orion's sixth flashback, which details how Megatron escaped captivity after he was imprisoned by the Autobots in [[Primacy issue 4|''Primacy'' #4]].
*Following his death in ''Unicron'' #6 and conspicuous absence from the gathering of the spirits of the dead seen in the same issue, Starscream is revealed to have persisted after death as a "ghost" who can only be seen by Bumblebee, in an inverse of their relationship for the last three years (spanning [[The Transgressors|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #44]], though all of [[The Transformers: Till All Are One|''Till All Are One,'']] up to [[The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|''Optimus Prime'' #19]]). Exactly how Starscream has done this is left unsaid; perhaps his spirit has wound up in [[Infraspace]] like Bumblebee's did, given that the Talisman, which killed Starscream, showed the ability to project a 'bot's consciousness there in [[Ghost in the Machine (IDW)|''Revolutionaries'' #8]]. See also "Transformers references," below.
*Bumblebee is leaving to become the Transformers' diplomatic envoy to the Galactic Council. ''Lost Light'' #25 established that Prowl was reaching out to the Council to have them oversee Megatron's second trial, in the hope the Cybertronian race would finally be allowed to join. Sounds rather like he got his wish.
*Orion's seventh flashback showcases his tempestuous relationship with the Dinobots, which was the subject of ''[[The Transformers: Punishment]]''. Slug is correctly still referred to as "Slag" during this flashback, as it's set before he changed his name in [[No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|''More than Meets the Eye'' #25]].
*One of the other writers competing with Thundercracker for his award is "Michael Costa," a tip of the hat to former IDW ''Transformers'' writer [[Mike Costa]], who rehabilitated Thundercracker all the way back in 2010's [[Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|''Transformers'' vol. 1 #4]] by establishing him as a fan of Earth television, thereby setting him on the path to this moment.
*Thundercracker was established to be a fan of Karen Fishook (who played the mother of the titular character of his favorite TV show ''[[Nurse Whitney]]'') in [[Starscream: The Movie (comic)|the 2018 ''Optimus Prime'' annual]].
*Orion's eighth flashback occurs during his solo space travels, somewhere between ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'' and [[Syndromica (1)|''Robots in Disguise'' #6]].
*Orion's ninth flashback falls somewhere between the end of ''[[Revolution]]'' and the start of ''Optimus Prime''.
*It's not called out by name, but Shockwave appears to have been imprisoned on ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Lemuria]]'', a.k.a the former Decepticon spacecraft ''Nemesis'', which was being used as an underwater headquarters by G.I. Joe in [[G.I. Joe vol. 5|''G.I. Joe'' vol. 5]] following its capture by the [[Earth Defense Command]] in [[White Heat|''The Transformers'' vol. 2 #57]].
*The imprisoned Shockwave has been strung up with his arms and legs removed, a plight that was also suffered by [[Getaway]] in [[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|''More than Meets the Eye'' #49]]. Perhaps this is standard Cybertronian protocol for exceptionally dangerous prisoners. Additionally, the perspective and framing of Shockwave's dismembered body calls back to how he was similarly shown in [[Maximum Dinobots issue 2|''Maximum Dinobots'' #2]], and [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #3]], and [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|''More Than Meets The Eye'' #11]]. In each of those other circumstances, Shockwave was being rebuilt and getting a new chance to further his schemes; here, he has been taken apart most likely for keeps.
*Orion's tenth and final flashback is set during the events of [[Unicron issue 5|''Unicron'' #5]], and shows his decision to remove his faceplate prior to the end of that issue, which went unexplained at the time.
*Windblade begins Optimus's funeral by saying "Loss of life is only a tragedy if it is without..." before stopping herself. The next word is "purpose"; this rite was previously used by [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] at the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]] in [[Megatron Origin issue 3|''Megatron Origin'' #3]], and by Optimus at the funeral of Sideswipe in [[The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|''Optimus Prime'' #13]].
* The Elonian child on the final page appears to be the same young girl who appeared in ''Unicron'' issues [[Our Darkest|#1]] and [[Ceremony|#6]].
*And so the question of whether or not Optimus Prime truly is The Arisen is... left ambiguous. He ''might'' be the reincarnation of the Thirteenth Prime... or he might not. In the end, it doesn't matter; what matters is what he used the story that he was to accomplish.

===Transformers references===
*The text on the first page of this issue is taken from the [[bio]] included with the [[Tech Spec]]s of the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Generation 1|original Optimus Prime toy]]. The "line graph" below it is based on (but is not an exact replica of) Prime's original Tech Spec graph itself.
*The little robot who transforms into the blackmith's medical equipment (apparently some kind of magnifying lens) is [[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]], a comic-original character who appeared in [[The Smelting Pool!|issue #17]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel ''Transformers'' comic]]. He's made several silent cameo guest-spots dotted across IDW history that, like this one, have typically depicted him in unfortunate situations, but this is the first time we've seen his alternate mode. In the Marvel comic, he transformed into a wheel, and in homage to that, he's here seen chasing after a circular piece of his own [[kibble]] that's popped off and is rolling away.
*The freshly-forged Orion Pax's appearance is mostly based on his original look from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" with a few embellishments, like the angular protruding windshield-chest reminiscent of the design created by [[Guido Guidi]] for his appearance in "[[Spotlight: Blurr]]."
*Multiple human workers seen throughout this issue are wearing tan shirt, blue pants, and yellow helmet and boots worn by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Sparkplug Witwicky|his father]] in the Generation 1 cartoon.
*On page 3, a sign is shown advertising [[energon goodie]]s as they appeared in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', as wafer-like "sticks of gum" kept in a square container.
*Orion Pax notes that, as a truck, Functionism permitted him to have become "a scientist, a librarian, or a dockworker" instead of a police officer. Orion was a dockworker in the Generation 1 cartoon, and a librarian in both [[Dreamwave Productions]]' [[Dreamwave Generation One continuity|comic book continuity]] and the [[Aligned continuity family]]; "scientist" was presented as a possible job he could have had in Optimus Prime's original Generation 1 profile, were he not leader of the Autobots instead.
*Swindle refers to a 'bot named "[[Shadowhawk]]," which was the Japanese-market name for [[Divebomb (Energon)|''Energon'' Divebomb]].
*Starscream surviving death as a ghost is, of course, a concept that originated in the Generation 1 cartoon episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]," and has seen a lot of play in subsequent media, particularly in Japan. If the Infraspace explanation isn't the case, perhaps IDW's Starscream really does just have the same "indestructible spark" as the original, which the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]] credited with his unique ability to persist after death.
*Midnight Express remarks that he likes the cold, an aspect of his personality derived from his original Japanaese characterization. This trait survived into the English-language bio included with Hasbro's release of the figure, but not into the English-dubbed version of the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon]].
*Optimus drops [[Furmanism#IT NEVER ENDS|a famous climactic Furmanism]] as the final line of his narration.
*Arcee serving as a teacher for the next generation of Cybertronians alludes to her [[Arcee (Animated)|''Animated'' counterpart]], who was a teacher before the war.
*Several young members of that next generation appear along with the young Sideswipe on the final page. Apart from one who is drawn to look like the deceased [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] (and coloured like Wheeljack's [[Action Master]] redeco, [[Slicer (Decepticon)|Slicer]]), the rest appear to be generics who colourist Josh Burcham has given the color schemes of other characters. One has been colored like [[Sideways (Armada)|''Armada'' Sideways]], and another like [[Turbofire]].

===Real-life references===
*Wreck-Gar uses a few board game metaphors:
**"...you know, Rummy-cube, my love..."-a slight allusion to {{w|Rummikub}}, a tile adaptation of set-collecting games like Rummy.
**"New pink pegs get stuck in the car"—a gameplay mechanic from {{w|The Game of Life}}.
**"We keep passing Go, keep collecting 200 [[Shanix]]"—an allusion to passing Go and collecting $200 in [[Monopoly]]
*Thundercracker has titled his Chuckles movie ''Last Laugh,'' which was the name of the real-life hardcover collection of the IDW ''G.I. Joe'' comic books telling the story that T.C. has based his screenplay on.
*Karen Fishook starts to read the result of the award ceremony by saying "And the winner is..." before correcting herself and saying "And the award goes to..." Her first impulse is how they used to announce the Oscars, before it was changed in 1989 to the latter (or rather, to "And the ''Oscar'' goes to...").
*The imagery of Bumblebee walking on a beach receiving guidance from someone who cannot be seen, showing only one set of footprints in the sand, is similar to common inspirational "--and that's when I carried you" allusions to [[Jesus]].

===Errors===
*With regard to Orion's third flashback, it shows Ravage drawing graffiti of the Decepticon symbol when Orion was still a rookie beat cop... but [[Chaos Theory Part 1|''The Transformers'' vol. 1 #22]] showed that Orion had become captain of the Rodion precinct before Megatron ever thought the symbol up.
*Shockwave says "There's is a finite amount of everything."

===Other trivia===
*Originally solicited for release in October 2018, this issue was held back until late November to ensure that it was released after the delayed ''Unicron'' #6.
*This issue features 24 story pages instead of the usual 20. The remaining four pages of the comic are taken up by the introductory "Tech Specs" page (described above), two bookend pages that simply read "The Beginning" and "The End," and a farewell letter from writer John Barber reminiscing about his time on IDW's ''Transformers'' comics and thanking his fellow creators.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' A huge cast group shot surrounding a portrait of Optimus Prime, by [[Kei Zama]] and [[Josh Burcham]]; an homage to Marvel Comics' 25th anniversary covers from 1986. [[Heavy Traffic!|Marvel's ''The Transformers'' #22]] featured one of these covers, but the note on the credits page that it is drawn "after {{w|Walt Simonson|Walter Simonson}}" indicates it's specifically evoking the cover of [https://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Thor_Vol_1_373 ''Thor'' #373] and Simsonson's regal depiction of the God of Thunder.
*'''Cover B:''' Optimus Prime, with other members in the pieces of a shattered Autobot symbol behind him, by [[Casey Coller]] and [[John-Paul Bove]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' ''Robots in Disguise'' artist [[Andrew Griffith]] returns to draw key cast members from Barber's run one last time
<gallery>
File:OP25 cvrA.jpg|
File:OP25 cvrB.jpg|
File:OP25 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog|Team Sonic Racing]]'' one-shot

==External links==
*[http://www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/2018/11/16/exclusive-idw-preview-optimus-prime-25/ Preview]

[[Category:Optimus Prime issues]]

Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers

2018-11-19T11:06:56Z

Djelibaebi: the talisman is like ANOTHER thing so its a bit confusing

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' #24
|prev=Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering
|next=How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2
|image=LL24 cvrA.jpg
|title="Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers"
|caption=And so on to infinity.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 26]], 2018
|coverdate=September 2018
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Brendan Cahill]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[David Mariotte]]
|continuity=[[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==
[[File:LL24 Moon VS Cybertron.jpg|thumb|left|150px|'''CONK''']]
As the ''[[Lost Light]]'' makes straight for the Functionists' effigy of [[Primus]], darting between the giant robot's fingers, [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] hesitantly raises a question: they're planning to attack [[Vector Sigma]] by simultaneously unleashing the energies of twelve [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices]] through the planet's twelve [[hot spot]]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#IDW Generation 1 continuity|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.

[[File:LL24 Rung's Last Transformation.jpg|thumb|right|200px|So all shall stand, one shall fall.]]
Concurrently, elsewhere on the ''Lost Light,'' [[Chromedome (G1)/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]].

[[File:LL24 Rodimus Opens Matrix.jpg|thumb|left|250px|He's got The Tooth.]]
Unfortunately, as the [[Functionary]] armies of the Functionist Council descend and chaos erupts, none of the Matrix-carriers are able to open their Matrix. Rodimus is at a loss; he ''knows'' his crew are good people, but Megatron explains that the ''crew themselves'' don't truly believe that, and urges Rodimus to tell them so over their shared comm-line. Rodimus begins a final speech, extolling the virtues of the wonderful, screwed-up family that the crew have become, and assuring them that they are ''good enough'', but it seems it may be too late. All across Functionist Cybertron, our heroes are worn down; [[Minimus Ambus]] is blasted out of the [[Magnus Armor]]... Swerve loses an arm, requiring Misfire to hold his Matrix with him... Whirl's legs are blown off... but little by little, as Rodimus's words hit home, the Matrices begin to glow in their hands and slowly start to open. Just then, however, Rodimus is hit with a blast that takes off his left hand, requiring Megatron to take over opening his Matrix—but for all the great changes Megatron has made in his life, still the Matrix will not open for him. 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|Functionists]]|c3=
*[[Five-of-Twelve]] (27)
*[[Twelve-of-Twelve]] (28)
*[[Three-of-Twelve]] (29)
*[[One-of-Twelve]] (30)
*Multiple [[Functionary|Functionaries]] (40)
*[[Six-of-Twelve]] (44)
*[[Eleven-of-Twelve]] (45)
*[[Two-of-Twelve]] (46)

|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/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)
*[[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]].
*Rung's alternate mode, which has been a long-running mystery since [[Little Victories|''More than Meets the Eye'' #22]], is at last revealed: a Matrix maker. This was subtly hinted at in [[The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|''Lost Light'' #17]] when [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] was trying to solve the mystery for himself; notice how he's gazing up at the giant Matrix in the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]] right when he finally deduces it.
*Whirl calls Ultra Magnus "Chunky" again, a nickname he coined for him in [[The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|issue #18]].
*In addition to previously-established hot spots [[Rivets Field]] (first seen in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|''More than Meets the Eye'' #1]], first named in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|''More than Meets the Eye'' #21]]), [[Vespertine Blue]], [[Port Residua]] (both first named in [[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|''Robots in Disguise'' #27]]) and [[Alyon]] (visited in [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|''More than Meets the Eye'' #36]]), Cybertron's other eight hot spots are established to be: the [[Pious Pools]], [[Warrior's Gate]], [[Mesmerica]] (three ancient features of Cybertron first mentioned in ''More than Meets the Eye'' #1), [[Nova Point]] (in the mines of which Megatron once worked, mentioned many times), and the never-previously-heard-of [[Automica]], [[Vauvaire]], [[Sansaw Sanserre]], and [[Eugenesis]] (see "Transformers references," below).
*In [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|''More than Meets the Eye'' #40]], [[Ten]] decorates Tailgate's hoverboard with an image of Tailgate opening the Matrix. When he opens his Matrix here, he's standing in the same position.
*Whirl's use of "Team Whirl" comes from Rodimus's other big speech in [[Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|''Lost Light'' #21]].
*Luna 1's hot spot has been dormant since briefly flaring to life back in [[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|''More than Meets the Eye'' #17]]. At the time, the characters presumed that the flare-up was due to Rodimus (carrying half the Matrix within him) touching the moon's surface, but many eagle-eyed readers spotted that Rung touched down at the same moment Rodimus did, and though it is not directly addressed, it seems safe to conclude it was Rung's presence, rather than Rodimus's, that caused the hot spot to light up.
*Fortress Maximus and Red Alert recovered the Necrobot's cloak and discovered that its starmap-surface showed the Benzene Cluster back in [[Sardines|issue #13]].
*Luna 1 emerging and hitting Primus is a {{w|Causal loop|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.
*James Roberts confirmed on his [[Yatter|Twitter]] account<ref>https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/1054298399279706112</ref> that thanks to being exposed to Brainstorm's [[Metafictional bomb|meta-bomb]] back in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|''More than Meets the Eye'' #15]], Swerve could 'see' the words "To Be Concluded" in the final panel.

===Transformers references===
*The hot spot "Eugenesis" shares its name with James Roberts's unofficial 2001 ''Transformers'' novel.
*Either just a coincidence or an actual reference, Ultra Magnus was also surrounded by enemies when he tried to open the Matrix in [[The Transformers: The Movie|the movie]]. His attempts to open it are about as successful.

===Real-world references===
*"We've made a planet-sized mistake," murmurs Rodimus, which might be a reference to G.O.B.'s catchphrase from ''{{w|Arrested Development}}''.
*An [[wikia:starwars:All Terrain Scout Transport|AT-ST]] walker from ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' appears amongst the models in Rung's office.

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

===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]

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

[[Category: Lost Light issues]]

Lug (IDW)

2018-11-18T23:38:50Z

Djelibaebi: kiss pic from ll25

{{factions|adaptus}}
{{disambig2|the treasure hunter|the Nebulan Headmaster|Lug (G1)}}
:''Lug is an unaligned [[Transformer]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:LugIDW.jpg|right|thumb|300px|At first she was essentially Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense.]]
A geologist born on Cybertron, '''Lug''' and her [[Conjunx Endura]], [[Anode]], did not stick around for the war, and instead began adventuring the galaxy, their treasure-hunting leading them to places such as the Terralese Acid Wastes, the Nightmare Spires, Killtopia, and [[Caminus]], all of which Lug deems less dangerous than Cybertron. Being the much more cautious of the two, Lug often tries, and fails, to stop Anode from leading them to danger. But such is the life with Anode, and Lug wouldn't have it any other way. She transforms into a backpack, which allows Anode to carry her around, and stores multiple tools for archaeology in her chest. She likes [[mood pipes]].

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{first|[[Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|''Lost Light'' #1]]}}

{{ongoing}}
'''Lug of [[Celestica Tetracornacapria]]''' {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} was born on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] before the war, and was friends with the blacksmith [[Wipe-Out]]. At some point of time, Lug met Anode, and Anode met Lug with the two eventually becoming [[Conjunx Endura]]. Like everyone else on Golden Age Cybertron, the two were born assigned male. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} She was one of the many 'bots to abandon the planet due to the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and swore never to return. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} While travelling the stars, the two met several alien races with both male and female genders and came to realize they were more comfortable as "she". {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}}

During their travels Lug and Anode met many dangers together, but they got separated when Anode went on to train in her profession at a [[Lighthouse|Camien medical facility]]. Some time later, Anode left Caminus and came back to Lug. Anode told her that she missed her too much, and that's why she quit. Lug would come to feel tremendous guilt for the event, thinking that she had ruined Anode's career.
{{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}}

[[File:LL1 Lug.jpg|thumb|left|400px]]
Five hundred years ago, Lug and Anode travelled to [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] at the request of their mysterious client, the "[[Adaptus|Grand Architect]]". They found themselves being attacked by a [[Decepticon]] [[Cybernought]]; although Anode successfully deployed a forcefield, Lug was still convinced they were going to die. The time-travelling [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] arrived, attempting to rescue them both from what would have been their presumed deaths (as was his habit).

After recovering from the time jump in a stasis capsule, Anode awoke on the [[Necroworld]], and suggested to Lug that they'd been rescued. They were informed of recent events they had missed by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. After this, the two were met by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], who asked them some nonsensical questions under the guise of "background checks". After Anode was alarmed by hearing [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]]'s name uttered by Swerve, the duo attempted to leave by way of the [[Teleport chamber|teleporter]], but were stopped by [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]].

When Rodimus and a small group of Transformers decided to use the teleporter to head back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to pick up another ship, Anode stayed behind with the other time-displaced Cybertronians. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} After repairing diplomatic relations following Anode's insulting of Ultra Magnus, Lug sat by the Memorial to the Disappeared and played some music to relax before Anode tracked her down. The two discussed their plans for the future and whether or not they owed the Autobots anything, before [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] interrupted the discussion by being violently thrown into the memorial by [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]. When Anode tried to calm the minibot, he backhanded her, sending her flying, and to be impaled on a piece of debris. Panicking, Lug called for help and [[Kaput]] soon arrived. Lug was by Anode's bedside when she awoke and watched as Velocity tried (and failed) to perform a citizen's arrest on Anode before the medic demanded to discuss the [[Lighthouse]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

Anode explained she was a [[blacksmith]] and the snowflake was a piece of [[Living metal|sentio metallico]] but that she hadn't stolen any as the records said. She'd falsified them to have a pretext to leave the planet. Realizing that she'd been left in the dark about this, Lug rushed out of the room, {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}} and fled back to the memorial. Anode followed her back and Lug confessed her feelings of betrayal as she'd always believed ''she'' was the reason that Anode had abandoned her apprenticeship. Anode revealed the role she'd played in the death of a [[protoform]] and faked a theft as an excuse to flee despite her co-workers being understanding and sympathetic. Lug believed that Anode needed to feel hated for what she'd done. Anode offered an apology but when she looked up, Lug was gone...{{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}}

...because Lug hadn't ever ''been'' with her on Necroworld. She was just a hallucination that Anode had developed as a result of timesickness; a look at the security camera footage showed Anode exiting her [[Stasis pod|stasis pod]] alone and talking to thin air. A despondent Anode checked the names on the Memorial to the Disappeared and mournfully concluded that Lug had not survived the explosion the Necrobot had saved her from. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:This Machine Kills Fascists - Lug Mark 2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''She lives, she dies, she lives again!'']]
A disheartened Anode was taken by Kaput, [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], and Velocity to where Lug's memorial flowers grew on Necroworld, and Kaput, having made a hobby of studying Censere's archives, explained that after saving Anode he had returned to find Lug barely still alive, allowing him to perform the [[Rites of Transition]] on her. Anode's explosive fury at the violation of her friend's lack of religiousness was cut off by Kaput's continuing: when the Necrobot found someone ''before'' they died, he would transfer the last flicker of their actual Spark into one of his flowers...a flower Kaput now offered to Anode. It only took a moment for Anode to realize the possibilities this and the sentio metallico, returned to her by Nautica, opened, and she bolted for the Necrobot's fortress.

Reaching a laboratory, she recruited Kaput into helping her transfer the Spark-flicker into the "snowflake" to create a protoform, noting that in principle it was no different than an assisted birth. The process seemed to go smoothly, until the new protoform's temperature began to precipitously drop, reminding Anode of her past failings at her calling—failings she determined not to repeat, as she desperately worked to save/revive her friend...successfully, as later she showed off her "new backpack" jubilantly to the returning [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} After regrowing, Anode confessed the truth to Lug about the Lighthouse. After the two made up and shared an embrace on the field, Lug went to make friends, leading her to play with Roller. She was later part of the group that left Necroworld. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

[[File:AnAxeToBreakTheIce-survivalpresent.jpg|left|thumb|300px]]

When the Rod Squad took a stop at [[Troja Major]]'s [[Howling Town]], Lug and Anode joined Velocity and Nautica in traversing the town. Nautica found them irritating, complaining how Lug's and Anode's detours slowed them down. Lug was complicit in Anode stealing [[mood pipe]]s from a [[Rust Giant]]. After fleeing for their lives, she received the stolen item as a survival gift from her conjunx, and was successfully enamored. Lug commented on how much the market had changed in the past five centuries which Velocity explained was due to a spiritual ley line the market was built on, leading Troja Major to a rebranding as the bereavement capital of the galaxy. After Nautica shooed away a [[Catharsian]] merchant praying on Lug, she followed Anode on the trail of some [[Living metal|sentio metallico]].

The couple found [[Infinite|a newborn mech]] (with a coffin alternate mode) before they were ambushed by the [[Black Block Consortia]]. When Anode refused to step aside however, Lug tackled her to safety which allowed the Consortia a clean shot at the newborn, killing him. As Anode grieved, their old friend Wipe-Out made himself known and spirited the two away to a bar where the three of them could compare notes. After the femmes explained their new genders, Wipe-Out explained the seeming hunt for [[blacksmith]]s and who the Black Block Consortia was. When the trio concluded the Grand Architect was on their tail again, they tried to cheese it only for his troops to teleport into the bar. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} After Anode had throughly embarrassed herself thinking [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] was the Grand Architect, she turned to jet mode and flew Lug and Wipe-Out to safety. Returning to the funeral compound where they'd found the mysterious mech, Lug stood off to the side while Wipe-Out realized the mech had been able to turn into virtually anything before they got a call from Velocity. When the trio arrived, Nautica's super-sized alternate mode burst out of the building before the group made a brisk getaway. {{storylink|Chasing the Infinite}}

[[File:ASparkAmongEmbers-smoochy.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Die mad about it.]]

==Notes==
*Lug's [[transformation]] scheme is patterned on ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Rewind (G1)#Generations|Rewind]].
*Her name is a type of {{w|electrical connector}}.

[[Category:Comic-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Transformers]]

Lug (IDW)

2018-11-18T11:23:54Z

Djelibaebi:

{{factions|adaptus}}
{{disambig2|the treasure hunter|the Nebulan Headmaster|Lug (G1)}}
:''Lug is an unaligned [[Transformer]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:LugIDW.jpg|right|thumb|300px|''♪Backpack for her applesauce♫'']]
A geologist born on Cybertron, '''Lug''' and her [[Conjunx Endura]], [[Anode]], did not stick around for the war, and instead began adventuring the galaxy, their treasure-hunting leading them to places such as the Terralese Acid Wastes, the Nightmare Spires, Killtopia, and [[Caminus]], all of which Lug deems less dangerous than Cybertron. Being the much more cautious of the two, Lug often tries, and fails, to stop Anode from leading them to danger. But such is the life with Anode, and Lug wouldn't have it any other way. She transforms into a backpack, which allows Anode to carry her around, and stores multiple tools for archaeology in her chest. She likes [[mood pipes]].

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{first|[[Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|''Lost Light'' #1]]}}

{{ongoing}}
'''Lug of [[Celestica Tetracornacapria]]''' {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} was born on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] before the war, and was friends with the blacksmith [[Wipe-Out]]. At some point of time, Lug met Anode, and Anode met Lug with the two eventually becoming [[Conjunx Endura]]. Like everyone else on Golden Age Cybertron, the two were born assigned male. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} She was one of the many 'bots to abandon the planet due to the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and swore never to return. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} While travelling the stars, the two met several alien races with both male and female genders and came to realize they were more comfortable as "she". {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}}

During their travels Lug and Anode met many dangers together, but they got separated when Anode went on to train in her profession at a [[Lighthouse|Camien medical facility]]. Some time later, Anode left Caminus and came back to Lug. Anode told her that she missed her too much, and that's why she quit. Lug would come to feel tremendous guilt for the event, thinking that she had ruined Anode's career.
{{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}}

[[File:LL1 Lug.jpg|thumb|left|400px|''♪Backpack for her applesauce~~♪'']]
Five hundred years ago, Lug and Anode travelled to [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] at the request of their mysterious client, the "[[Adaptus|Grand Architect]]". They found themselves being attacked by a [[Decepticon]] [[Cybernought]]; although Anode successfully deployed a forcefield, Lug was still convinced they were going to die. The time-travelling [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] arrived, attempting to rescue them both from what would have been their presumed deaths (as was his habit).

After recovering from the time jump in a stasis capsule, Anode awoke on the [[Necroworld]], and suggested to Lug that they'd been rescued. They were informed of recent events they had missed by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. After this, the two were met by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], who asked them some nonsensical questions under the guise of "background checks". After Anode was alarmed by hearing [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]]'s name uttered by Swerve, the duo attempted to leave by way of the [[Teleport chamber|teleporter]], but were stopped by [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]].

When Rodimus and a small group of Transformers decided to use the teleporter to head back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to pick up another ship, Anode stayed behind with the other time-displaced Cybertronians. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} After repairing diplomatic relations following Anode's insulting of Ultra Magnus, Lug sat by the Memorial to the Disappeared and played some music to relax before Anode tracked her down. The two discussed their plans for the future and whether or not they owed the Autobots anything, before [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] interrupted the discussion by being violently thrown into the memorial by [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]. When Anode tried to calm the minibot, he backhanded her, sending her flying, and to be impaled on a piece of debris. Panicking, Lug called for help and [[Kaput]] soon arrived. Lug was by Anode's bedside when she awoke and watched as Velocity tried (and failed) to perform a citizen's arrest on Anode before the medic demanded to discuss the [[Lighthouse]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

Anode explained she was a [[blacksmith]] and the snowflake was a piece of [[Living metal|sentio metallico]] but that she hadn't stolen any as the records said. She'd falsified them to have a pretext to leave the planet. Realizing that she'd been left in the dark about this, Lug rushed out of the room, {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}} and fled back to the memorial. Anode followed her back and Lug confessed her feelings of betrayal as she'd always believed ''she'' was the reason that Anode had abandoned her apprenticeship. Anode revealed the role she'd played in the death of a [[protoform]] and faked a theft as an excuse to flee despite her co-workers being understanding and sympathetic. Lug believed that Anode needed to feel hated for what she'd done. Anode offered an apology but when she looked up, Lug was gone...{{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}}

...because Lug hadn't ever ''been'' with her on Necroworld. She was just a hallucination that Anode had developed as a result of timesickness; a look at the security camera footage showed Anode exiting her [[Stasis pod|stasis pod]] alone and talking to thin air. A despondent Anode checked the names on the Memorial to the Disappeared and mournfully concluded that Lug had not survived the explosion the Necrobot had saved her from. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:This Machine Kills Fascists - Lug Mark 2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''♫♪Lug's got the applesauce that you crave!♪♫'']]
A disheartened Anode was taken by Kaput, [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], and Velocity to where Lug's memorial flowers grew on Necroworld, and Kaput, having made a hobby of studying Censere's archives, explained that after saving Anode he had returned to find Lug barely still alive, allowing him to perform the [[Rites of Transition]] on her. Anode's explosive fury at the violation of her friend's lack of religiousness was cut off by Kaput's continuing: when the Necrobot found someone ''before'' they died, he would transfer the last flicker of their actual Spark into one of his flowers...a flower Kaput now offered to Anode. It only took a moment for Anode to realize the possibilities this and the sentio metallico, returned to her by Nautica, opened, and she bolted for the Necrobot's fortress.

Reaching a laboratory, she recruited Kaput into helping her transfer the Spark-flicker into the "snowflake" to create a protoform, noting that in principle it was no different than an assisted birth. The process seemed to go smoothly, until the new protoform's temperature began to precipitously drop, reminding Anode of her past failings at her calling—failings she determined not to repeat, as she desperately worked to save/revive her friend...successfully, as later she showed off her "new backpack" jubilantly to the returning [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} After regrowing, Anode confessed the truth to Lug about the Lighthouse. After the two made up and shared an embrace on the field, Lug went to make friends, leading her to play with Roller. She was later part of the group that left Necroworld. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

[[File:AnAxeToBreakTheIce-survivalpresent.jpg|left|thumb|300px|''♫Every-body catches juicy Lug wave♫'']]

When the Rod Squad took a stop at [[Troja Major]]'s [[Howling Town]], Lug and Anode joined Velocity and Nautica in traversing the town. Nautica found them irritating, complaining how Lug's and Anode's detours slowed them down. Lug was complicit in Anode stealing [[mood pipe]]s from a [[Rust Giant]]. After fleeing for their lives, she received the stolen item as a survival gift from her conjunx, and was successfully enamored. Lug commented on how much the market had changed in the past five centuries which Velocity explained was due to a spiritual ley line the market was built on, leading Troja Major to a rebranding as the bereavement capital of the galaxy. After Nautica shooed away a [[Catharsian]] merchant praying on Lug, she followed Anode on the trail of some [[Living metal|sentio metallico]].

The couple found [[Infinite|a newborn mech]] (with a coffin alternate mode) before they were ambushed by the [[Black Block Consortia]]. When Anode refused to step aside however, Lug tackled her to safety which allowed the Consortia a clean shot at the newborn, killing him. As Anode grieved, their old friend Wipe-Out made himself known and spirited the two away to a bar where the three of them could compare notes. After the femmes explained their new genders, Wipe-Out explained the seeming hunt for [[blacksmith]]s and who the Black Block Consortia was. When the trio concluded the Grand Architect was on their tail again, they tried to cheese it only for his troops to teleport into the bar. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} After Anode had throughly embarrassed herself thinking [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] was the Grand Architect, she turned to jet mode and flew Lug and Wipe-Out to safety. Returning to the funeral compound where they'd found the mysterious mech, Lug stood off to the side while Wipe-Out realized the mech had been able to turn into virtually anything before they got a call from Velocity. When the trio arrived, Nautica's super-sized alternate mode burst out of the building before the group made a brisk getaway. {{storylink|Chasing the Infinite}}

==Notes==
*Lug's [[transformation]] scheme is patterned on ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Rewind (G1)#Generations|Rewind]].
*Her name is a type of {{w|electrical connector}}.

[[Category:Comic-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Transformers]]

Silent Light

2018-11-16T05:47:01Z

Djelibaebi:

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=''The Transformers Holiday Special''
|prev=Choose Me
|next=The Thirteenth Day of Christmas
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets The Eye]]
|prev2=Speak, Memory! (Part 2)
|next2=More than Meets the Eye issue 50
|image=SilentLight.jpg
|caption="Deck the halls with camouflage, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la!"
|title="Silent Light"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|published in=[[The Transformers Holiday Special]]
|date=[[December 23]], 2015
|coverdate=December, 2015
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Kotteri]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|edited by=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}
'''As the ''Lost Light'' prepares to go dark to pass through a dangerous region of space, Swerve, Nautica, and Whirl try to hide a baby from Ultra Magnus.'''

==Synopsis==
Returning to the ''[[Lost Light]]'' on [[December 24]]th after a three-day absence to attend [[Meteorfest]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] finds the halls of the ship decked with signal boosters and [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] putting the finishing touches to a large, green, conical device. The two explain that the ship is about to enter a region of space controlled by the [[Mauler (G1)|Maulers]], a violent robophobic offshoot of the [[Galactic Council]], and that the device and its boosters are a cloaking machine that will let the ship pass safely through the area while the crew place themselves in [[Biometric Envelopment Device]] hibernation pods. As Magnus places a crown-like "brain shield" on Rodimus's head, he notes that [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] is supposed to be helping them, but is busy working on more "abstract weaponry"... entirely unaware that the "[[Contrivance Engine]]" the scientist recently built has made the ''Lost Light'' look ''very'' much like it's decorated in the style of a certain Earth holiday...

In [[Swerve's]], [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] enjoy a lock-in, indulging in some high-quality [[engex]] [[transwarp|subspace]]d in from [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]. A knock on the door sends them into a panic as they think Ultra Magnus has found them out, but when Whirl answers it, he is shocked to find a newborn [[protoform]] in one of the engex crates on the doorstep. Concluding that she has been sent from Luna 1 with the booze and knowing they cannot leave her unattended, but unable to take her with them into a B.E.D. because they will only conceal one [[spark]] each, the trio break into Magnus's office in order to use the subspace hatch to send the protoform back to the moon. Just as the protoform starts to imprint on Whirl, forming a face that emulates his own, Magnus (sans his armor) comes sauntering down the hall, crooning a Christmas song from an album Swerve gave him. The trio bluff that they've been doing a final security check before going to their B.E.D.s and he lets them go on their way, but unfortunately, Nautica has hidden the protoform in Magnus's office... and she has crawled inside his [[Magnus Armor]] and animated it! Magnus screams, thinking the armor possessed. Nautica panics and knocks him out, shocking everybody, but in the confusion, the protoform and Magnus's armor get away.

The armored protoform makes her way to the control room and shambles up to Megatron. The ex-Decepticon thinks Magnus is trying to give him a hug and recoils in alarm and confusion; fortunately, Swerve and co. rush in and escort "Magnus" away, claiming he's just had a drink to steady his nerves. Out of time, Swerve and Nautica leave the protoform with Whirl, though not before Nautica wonders aloud who knocked on the door if the protoform came in a crate. Whirl dismisses the question and, being Whirl, decides that he has no choice but to blow the protoform out an airlock... but before he can bring himself to do it, he looks down at the little 'bot and sees she has imprinted on him further, mimicking his clawed hands. Whirl sighs and takes the protoform to B.E.D. with him...

Whirl awakes with a start the next morning to find himself in the medibay, and the protoform gone. [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] reveals that, in actuality, it wasn't a protoform at all — it was a cluster of [[Scraplet]]s. Gesturing to a canister in which the deadly creatures are now quarantined, Velocity explains that they had used their ability to combine to first knock on the door, then to assume a non-threatening form. In turn, Whirl explains that his B.E.D. was able to conceal them both because he shut down his systems to deprive his spark of energy. Nautica assumes he must be upset that he nearly died trying to protect a swarm of tiny, deceitful, emotionally-manipulative killing machines... but Whirl being Whirl, he's actually ''proud'' of the little buggers.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (1)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (2)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (3)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (4)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (5)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (6)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (unheard, on comm, 8)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (9)
|c4=
*[[Protoform]]/[[Scraplet]]s (7)
}}

==Quotes==
"Put this on. We're about to test the machine." 
"You know I hate hats." 
"It's a '''brain shield.''' Exposure to invisibility fields has been linked to irritability, erratic conduct, chronic moping and extreme sarcasm." 
"God, imagine if anyone on board started exhibiting '''those''' behaviors..."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus'''

"I love it so much it's making me sad."
:—'''Whirl''' on subspace-filtered engex

"She was in one of the crates." 
"Which means she was '''sent''' here. But '''why?''' What are '''we''' supposed to do with her?" 
"It's a message from Primus. He's telling us to put her back in the crate until someone more responsible comes along."
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Nautica'''

"What's going on here? You're being all stiff, awkward and humorless. I approve."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' on Swerve's poker face

''(Nautica clobbers Magnus with her wrench, knocking him out.)'' 
'''Swerve: "WHAT THE HELL?!"''' 
'''Whirl:''' "Are we sure '''I''' didn't just do that? Because that's the type of thing I would do." 
'''Nautica:''' "He was panicking! He made '''me''' panic!" 
'''Whirl:''' "You've knocked off his tiny mustache!"

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Rodimus has been away "surfing on meteors", a reference to when he was introduced into IDW continuity doing exactly that in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''.
*When he is handed the brain shield, Rodimus grumbles that he hates hats, something he first displayed back in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 ''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]].
*The fact that the ''Lost Light'' now has a [[transwarp|subspace]] hatch that enables supplies to be teleported to the ship was established in [[Speak, Memory: Part 1|''More than Meets the Eye'' #48]], released on the same day as the Holiday Special. That story locates the hatch in the medibay, but this one, [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/697567411059359744 set after issue #49], notes it has been moved to Magnus's office.
*Whirl mutters that he's responsible for "pretty much everything that's happened in the last four million years" and gives a note to himself about "not beating up prisoners", referring to the fact that he effectively caused the Great Cybertronian War four million years ago by whacking the daylights out of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], who was imprisoned for instigating a bar fight at the time.
*Swerve refers to [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] from [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], first mentioned in [[Animals|''More than Meets the Eye'' #46]]. Now, [[Transformers: Generations#Titans Return|why]] [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|''ever'']] would we want to be reminded he exists...?
*Ultra Magnus's love of music was first revealed in [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|''More than Meets the Eye'' #13]]. Swerve has been able to supply him with Christmas tunes because he downloaded the entirety of all Earth entertainment ever circa [[The Sensuous Frame|issue #41]].
*Nautica claims Magnus has had a "weak energon spritzer"; his drink of choice, as joked about in [[Interiors|''More than Meets the Eye'' #6]], then confirmed in [[Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|''Robots in Disguise'' #23]].
*Ultra Magnus will refer to his armour being fumigated for scraplets in "[[No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases]]", placing this story shortly before it.
*This is, surprisingly, ''not'' the last we will see of the friendly scraplets; they would later save Team Rodimus' lives and ultimately defeat [[Getaway]] in ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|Lost Light]]'' [[Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|issue #20]], owing to their close bond to Whirl.

===Transformers references===
*The ability of Scraplets to combine themselves into a larger form was originally seen in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] [[The Cure!|story that introduced them]].

===Real-life references===
*We don't need to point out that the title is a riff on "{{w|Silent Night}}", but we're doin' it anyway.
*There's no Christmas on Cybertron, so it's only thanks to Brainstorm's "[[Contrivance Engine]]" that ''eeeverything'' in the ''Lost Light'' just happens to resemble traditional Christmas trappings in this story. The cloaking machine and its signal boosters being a Christmas tree and fairy lights should be obvious to all readers, but British author James Roberts has also included some elements that are more traditional to the United Kingdom: the energon tab packet that Rodimus tries to tug from Megatron's hand stands in for a {{w|Christmas cracker}}, while the brain shields resemble the rubbish crepe-paper crowns one finds in such crackers.
*Having to stay in your B.E.D. to avoid detection on the night of December 24? Whoever heard of such a thing?
*Finding a baby on your doorstep? At ''Christmas?'' Such a ''contrivance!''
*Magnus sings "{{w|It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year}}". See Errors, though.
*The scene where Whirl picks up Minimus' fallen moustache is inspired by the ''{{w|Fawlty Towers}}'' episode "{{w|Communication Problems}}," where Basil picks up a hearing aid from the floor and asks of a guest, "Is this a piece of your brain?"
*You'd be forgiven for thinking that Whirl's moment with the protoform in front of the airlock is a reference to the short story ''{{w|The Cold Equations}}'' by {{w|Tom Godwin}}, but Roberts had never heard of the story until after reading this Wiki article.

===Errors===
*Swerve calls the album Magnus's choice of song comes from ''Andy Williams Sings Christmas'', but actually, it's ''{{w|The Andy Williams Christmas Album}}''.

===Other Notes===
*In a surprise turn, we are given one of the key missing steps in how Cybertronians are born and mature. Previously we learned that forged sparks are harvested alongside the surrounding surface of the hot spot. Here we find out, whether [[Blacksmith|aided]] or unaided, these develop into a semi-featureless protoform which will naturally mature and grow an alt-mode.
===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFtb3EtjEic It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year]" by {{w|Andy Williams}} (of course!)

[[Category:IDW More than Meets the Eye issues]]

Alchemist Prime

2018-11-16T02:08:42Z

Djelibaebi:

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=AlchemistPrime.png|cSize=40px|cLink=Alchemist Prime|cPretty=Alchemist Prime}}}}
{{featured}}
[[File:8AlchemistPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|He puts the "Metal" in {{w|Alphonse Elric|"Fullmetal Alchemist"}}.]]

'''Alchemist Prime''' arose from [[Primus]] with a deep connection to the elements, and even among the [[Thirteen]] his powers straddle the line between science and mysticism. Alchemist's natural intelligence and curiosity are augmented by his personal [[Artifacts of the Primes|artifact]], the [[Lenses]]; permanently affixed into his [[Sensor#Optical sensors|optic]]s, they allow him to perceive the physical and spiritual cycles of the universe in equal measure. Always in tune with creation, Alchemist's constant quest to understand the mechanisms of change means that he thinks of himself as a mere student of the natural world. Above all, Alchemist trusts his instincts and natural intuition, which rarely lead him wrong.

Alchemist Prime possesses the ability to transmute metals and temporarily alter the properties of any object. While these powerful abilities make him an unpredictable foe on the battlefield, Alchemist is one of the most even-tempered and gentle members of the Thirteen, with a friendly, sympathetic nature that makes him easy to be around. Among his twelve siblings, Alchemist was closest to [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]], [[Vector Prime]], and [[Nexus Prime]]. Alchemist Prime's mastery of chemistry extends to various intoxicating beverages, which he has a professed fondness for.

While most of the Thirteen dispersed across space and time after their great schism, Alchemist opted to remain on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] for a time, quietly guiding the progress of the earliest [[Transformer]] civilizations. Indeed, rumors swirl that Alchemist may still walk Cybertron after untold millennia, disguised as [[Maccadam|a humble bartender]].

==Fiction==
===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
Alchemist Prime was the sixth Prime created by Primus to defeat his arch-foe [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]]. These new Primes began strategizing for the upcoming conflict, and Alchemist was one of the Primes who believed that destroying Unicron would have negative repercussions for Primus. As one of the Thirteen's "Free Agents", Alchemist found himself working closely with [[Solus Prime]], [[Nexus Prime]], and [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]]. Conversely, he also befriended the troubled [[The Fallen|Megatronus]].

As their battle against the chaos bringer drew closer, Alchemist and Nexus Prime developed a strategy to initiate Unicron's "cerebral shutdown", forcing the giant into hibernation. He and Nexus drew up a complicated battle plan for the other members of the Thirteen to follow; they would distract Unicron long enough for Optimus to breach Unicron's [[Spark]] chamber and trigger the shutdown. When the Primes took the fight to Unicron, Alchemist fulfilled his duty with aplomb. The triumphant Primes returned to Cybertron, seemingly unscathed, but what they didn't know was that close contact with Unicron had amplified some of their inner darkness.

The Thirteen turned their attention to building a settlement and laying the foundations for civilization and society on Cybertron, dividing themselves into like-minded cliques. Alchemist drifted freely from one group to another, never really gelling with one particular concept or ideal.

The end of the Thirteen came after [[Prima]] discovered that Megatronus, [[Quintus Prime]], and [[Liege Maximo]] had worked on a secret "farm" of robotic creatures, which Alchemist found troubling. Suspecting a sinister motive, Prima forced the rest of the Thirteen into a vote on the matter, and Alchemist voted against letting the project continue. Furious with the results of the debate, Megatronus inadvertently killed Solus in a dispute that [[Liege Maximo]] had orchestrated. Drawn by the commotion, Alchemist arrived in time to see Solus's body return to the [[Core]], its passage creating the [[Well of All Sparks]].

[[File:COP-WellOfAllSparks.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Know this, I will return to this land! Rebuild where the ruins did stand!]]

Even after Megatronus offered his side of the story, accusations began to fly. The investigation degenerated into a free-for-all brawl between the remaining twelve siblings, which ended with Maximo getting killed by the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]] through uncertain means. Alchemist was badly wounded in the fight, but made a recovery with time.

The survivors buried Liege Maximo's remains in a chasm and held a memorial to Solus Prime in deep space. Hoping to put their ugly past behind them, the Primes then turned their attention to Cybertron and their plans for the future. They decided to use [[Onyx Prime]]'s [[Triptych Mask]] to create a new race of robotic beings, as Primus had created them, with Onyx, Micronus, and Optimus travelling into the Well. They created a wave of Cybertronian creatures which the surviving Primes oversaw.

The Primes retired from active life, but continued to guide the earliest Cybertronian civilizations from afar. When the [[Great Cataclysm]] threatened the primitive Cybertronians, Alchemist was one of the Primes who helped mitigate the damage wrought to the planet's surface, blasting apart smaller rocks and asteroids before they could impact the surface.

After the Great Cataclysm, the surviving Cybertronians soon forgot about the Thirteen, remembering them only as the heroes of ancient folklore. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====Aligned novels====
After [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] murdered [[Solus Prime]] and [[Liege Maximo]] made his bid for power, the Thirteen began to separate. Alchemist Prime and Alpha Trion remained behind on Cybertron and orchestrated the beginnings of Cybertronian civilization. Once the process was well underway, Alchemist headed off into space to hunt down the renegade Liege Maximo. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

Before he left Cybertron, Alchemist Prime had one last conversation with his old friend Alpha Trion. Trion noted that he showed no interest in anything except bringing Liege Maximo to justice. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}}

Alpha Trion never heard from him again, but believed in the core of his spark that Alchemist Prime had succeeded in his mission. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
[[File:OneShallRise1-WellofAllSparks.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right|Chain of the demons set free! Strange alchemy!]]

According to legend, at the beginning of time, Unicron and Primus battled each other for eons, with neither side remaining victorious for long. Till, that is, Primus created the [[Thirteen]]. These Thirteen defeated Unicron and cast him into space. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}}

{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|''Transformers vol. 2'' #35]] (mentioned); [[Heavy|''Transformers: Till All Are One'' #9]] (obscured image); [[Origin Myths|''Optimus Prime'' #10]] (full appearance)

[[File:OriginMyths-AlchemistPrime.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|I have plundered time itself, put the world inside it, I'm the mysteries, day and night, divide it.]]
In the primitive age following the departure of the [[Knights of Cybertron]], Alchemist Prime was one of the many Primes who arose to lead a tribe of like-minded followers. {{storylink|The Crucible}} Fond of alcohol, Alchemist was rarely seen without a glass in his hand and was prone to frequent bouts of inebriation.

Twelve million years ago, Alchemist Prime joined four other Primes—[[Vector Prime|Vector]], [[Solus Prime|Solus]], [[Nexus Prime|Nexus]], and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]—and this quintet founded the humble [[energon]]-farming village that would one day become the [[Crystal City]]. Their fledgling peace was threatened by the advancing armies of [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] and his [[Darklands|Darklander]]s, intent on conquering the region. Salvation arrived in the form of [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]], his army of [[beast mode]] Transformers, and [[Liege Maximo]], who raised a fighting force from the villagers.

The next morning, the Primes watched as their forces battled the Darklanders, and were surprised when the battle prompted three [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]] to rise from the ground. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} Unbeknownst to the other Primes, "Onyx Prime" was simply an alias assumed by a time-travelling [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], who, using his historical knowledge, had deliberately engineered the battle to bring the Primes together against a common threat. His mission fulfilled, "Onyx" was able to reach his pupil Megatronus and convinced him and his forces to lay down arms, joining the other Primes in mutual cooperation. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} {{storylink|Origin Myths}}

In the ensuing celebration that commemorated this new alliance, Alchemist Prime got drunk after consuming rancid [[Engex]] while conversing with "Onyx Prime" — using his understanding of Cybertron's past to steer history along its preordained course, "Onyx" spoke to Alchemist Prime about a "[[Dark Cybertron (prophecy)|Dark Cybertron prophecy]]" and a "chosen one," {{storylink|Origin Myths}} setting in motion the prophecies that Shockwave's younger self would one day learn about and harness. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} Alchemist would drunkenly recall what "Onyx Prime" had told him to [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], who wondered if "Onyx" had begun spinning tales for his own personal gain. {{storylink|Origin Myths}}

Over the next two million years, the founders of the Crystal City united with [[Prima]] and his northern alliance, becoming the [[Thirteen]]. They ruled benevolently for a period of time, but "Onyx Prime," knowing that their civilization was doomed to fail, began sowing the seeds of dissent that would cause this collapse. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} The Primes grew increasingly arrogant, however, and sought to maintain their hold on power forever by spreading stories that only a Prime could kill a Prime — stories that, in time, even they came to believe. {{storylink|The Crucible}} Following a disastrous offworld expedition, Megatronus and Liege Maximo, secretly encouraged by "Onyx", staged a coup against Prima; though Prima survived, [[Solus Prime]] sacrificed herself to defend him and Alchemist was slashed by Megatronus' stolen [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] as the villain made his escape.

He recovered in time to watch as Liege Maximo was imprisoned and banished from Cybertron aboard the Titan [[Vigilem]]; following the deaths of both Prima and Megatronus, some years later, he joined the remaining Primes as they commemorated Prima's body by interring it within Prima's Titan [[Emissary (IDW)|Emissary]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}}

When [[Nexus Prime]] perished at the hands of [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] during the subsequent [[First Cybertronian Civil War]], the news that the Primes were not immortal quickly spread, and the surviving Primes chose to flee Cybertron entirely. Eons later, the younger Shockwave would send one of his [[Regenesis]] ores to a planet associated with Alchemist. {{storylink|The Crucible}} {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}}

Millions of years later, Galvatron, while mocking [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]]'s religion, recounted Alchemist Prime's inebriated state when he supposedly came up with the prophecy of "The Chosen One." {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|Signals, Calls, and Marches}}

===Fun Publications===
[[File:DionysusAlchemistPrimeAVP.jpg|thumb|right|250px|I was the keeper of the books! I had the knowledge of the scrolls!]]

In some of [[Vector Prime]]'s memories during the Thirteen's time in Greece on ancient Earth, Alchemist Prime used a [[holomatter]] avatar which, combined with his fondness for the imbibing concoctions of all sorts, inspired the myth of Dionysus. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/20}} Vector recalled how he had nothing but happy times with Alchemist in these days. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/08}} At another time, Vector and Alchemist together defended the planet [[Karn]] against the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/14}} Vector Prime theorized that if Alchemist Prime wielded [[Rhisling]], the weapon would take on properties based on transmutation while losing its power to manipulate time. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/20}}

According to Vector, some on Cybertron say Alchemist walks the planet still, pretending to be a simple publican [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|whose pub is a place of peace in wartime]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/14}}

As [[Nexus Prime]] united the [[Terminus Blade]] and the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]], he felt his siblings among the [[Thirteen]] being drawn to the event. Time and space were rewritten that day, as the walls between the multiverse grew stronger and less permeable. A consequence of strengthening the multiverse was that Alchemist Prime and the original Thirteen could no longer continue to exist as multiversal singularities, and so they were splintered and scattered throughout the multiverse. And so the one became many, sentient reoccurring themes each appearing in their own way, if at all, in all the worlds of the multiverse. {{storylink|Out of the One, Many}}

===''Power of the Primes'' marketing material===
Alchemist Prime's [[Spark]] passed into the possession of one of the twelve [[Prime Master]]s; hidden within a suit of decoy armor, they safeguarded the abilities of the Primes until the present day. By uniting with a larger Transformer, the Prime Master could channel the powers of Alchemist's Spark and grant them unique abilities that varied with each new partner. {{storylink|#Generations|''Power of the Primes'' Submarauder / Alchemist Prime online bio}}

{{note|For a list of every permutation of Alchemist Prime's abilities, see [[Prime Master/Combinations|this link]].}}

==Toys==
===Generations===
[[File:TF-POTP-Prime-Master-Alchemist-Prime-with-Submaruder.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Another 'Con Prime? And it's not Megatronus?]]
*'''Alchemist Prime''' (Prime Master, [[2018]])
**''Japanese ID number'': '''PP-10'''
**''Japanese release date'': '''2018-[[June 30|06-30]]'''
**''Accessories'': [[Submarauder (G1)#Generations|Submarauder]] decoy armor, trident

:''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' Alchemist Prime is a [[Titan Master]]-sized mold that transforms from a small robot modeled after [[Submarauder (G1)#Generation 1|Submarauder]]'s inner robot mode into a [[Prime Master]] that can store inside decoy armor modeled after Submarauder's [[Pretender]] shell, or plug into any Prime Master shell's weapon form, or replace a ''Power of the Primes'' Leader's [[Matrix of Leadership/toys#Power of the Primes|Matrix]] core. Alchemist Prime can also ride Legends Class figures and attach to Deluxe Class figures' chest armor, Voyager Class figures' bucklers, or Voyager Class figures' combined mode.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:Maccadams-meetingmaccadam.jpg|thumb|right|250px|You can call him Al(chemist Prime)]]
* ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Transformers: Cyberverse]]'' depicts [[Maccadam]] with a body and face based on a simplified version of Alchemist Prime's robot mode. In keeping with this, the episode "[[Maccadam's]]" makes several winking nods to Alchemist Prime, though the cartoon has yet to explicitly confirm that Maccadam ''is'' Alchemist in its continuity.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Alchemist Prime''' (アルケミストプライム ''Arukemisuto Puraimu'')

{{-}}

{{Thirteen}}

[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Transformers]]
[[Category:Prime Masters]]
[[Category:Prime Transformers]]
[[Category:Thirteen]]

Empurata

2018-11-14T22:44:15Z

Djelibaebi:

{{disambig2|the ritualized punishment involving the removal of a Cybertronian's face|the casual hobby of removing a Cybertronian's face|Optimus Prime (Movie)}}
[[File:Shadowplay3 amputee support group.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
'''Empurata''' is an old tradition on pre-war Cybertron. A tradition of ''removing the damn heads and hands'' of criminals and installing new faceless, fingerless replacements so everyone knows to shun them.

It was mostly performed on those [[Reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|constructed cold]], almost certainly out of racism, although even those who were forged could find themselves subjected to it if they made [[Senate|powerful enough]] enemies.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:Ratchet glitch shadowplay.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|"The one with the claws"]]
When [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'s combat prowess caught the attention of the [[Senate]], he was pushed into joining the [[Rodion]] police force. When the 'bot tried to resist his orders, they used empurata to... ''persuade'' him otherwise. {{storylink|Interiors}} This is part of the reason why he's such a bitter mess: when he sold out the Senate to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]], the reason he gave was "I want my hands back". {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}

The [[outlier]] [[Tarn (DJD)|Damus]] (left) was a victim of empurata.

During the [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]], amputee support groups called on the Senate to ban the practice but the Senate responded that it was only used on criminals who deserve it. At the same time they were saying that, the [[Institute]] was 'working' on the crusading [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Senator Shockwave]] and performed empurata on him solely out of ''spite''. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}
{{-}}

====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:CustomMadeNow-Dominus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Admit it: you're going to do this with a Prime Master and a Titans Return Deluxe/Voyager/Leader.]]
In [[Functionist Universe|another universe]], the Functionist Council had slowly but surely conquered the planet. By the present day, empurata had become so common it lost its ability to offend so it was upgraded: the new "flatheads" had their heads replaced with computer screens and could only display text instead of speak. Officially, they were Council property now and pop-up propaganda would appear on their faces without warning. By removing your ability to fully express yourself, you were made easier to ignore. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}

The Functionist Council were not above turning their own underlings into flatheads. One such flathead working for [[Six-of-Twelve]] helped arrest Rodimus and his associates on their arrival in the Functionist universe. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[Fearswoop (BW)|Fearswoop]] had an empurata-style optic. {{storylink|Micro-Aggressions}} [[Highline]] was also a victim of empurata. {{storylink|Cultural Appropriation}}

{{-}}

==Notes==
*"Empurata" is an anagram of the Latin word "amputare", meaning "to cut away". Rather than be used in a surgical context, as the descended word "amputation" is today, "amputare" was a punishment inflicted upon criminals to mark them as such, as it is in the world of ''More than Meets the Eye''.
*Theoretically, a victim of empurata could be given new hands (and a new [[tarn|head]]). For example, Megatron offered Shockwave a pair of hands shortly before launching the initial Decepticon uprising, but when Shockwave realised a war was beginning, he opted to keep one hand and replace the other with a blaster. It should be observed that Shockwave had his hands replaced by an underground organisation and so it can be surmised that victims of empurata were unable to '''legally''' replace their lost body parts. Damus appears to have had his body completely overhauled upon joining the Decepticons.

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Transformer culture]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Transformer culture]]

Rung (G1)

2018-11-14T05:52:12Z

Djelibaebi:

{{factions|primus|autobot}}
{{featured}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 Autobot|the ''Animated'' Autobot|Rung (Animated)}}
{{suite|root=Primus}}
:''Rung is an [[Autobot]] from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Rungisolated LostLight4cvr.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"Tell me again about your mother."]]

The Autobots have this, you know, psy-ops specialist. He's red, right? Orangey-red? And tiny? Basically defenseless? Does anyone remember his name? It's something like... Ring? Rong? Rang? Dang. It's on the tip of my tongue. He files these reports, you know, for [[Autopedia]]? He's written entries for each Autobot, from [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] to [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] to Red Alert again. As part of his duties, he performs the mental assessments of potential [[Wrecker]]s-to-be. He's very important. He's got... these huge eyebrows. You gotta know who this is describing, right? Collects and builds model spacecraft? Seriously. What's his name?

Oh, right! '''Rung'''! Thanks.

Or maybe Wrung. Who knows, really.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{first|[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]] (prose); [[Chaos Theory Part 1|'' The Transformers'' vol. 1 #22]] (comic)}}

[[File:MtMtEAnn2012-TheGuidingHand.jpg|thumb|left|300px|The popular depictions of Primus and the Guiding Hand that would later surface in Cybertron's history bore little resemblance to the genuine articles.]]

The robot who would become known as '''Primus''' was supposedly the first [[Transformer]] to come into existence, bearing the unique serial number of "000000001". {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} One legend states that the original Cybertronian first learned that he could [[transformation|transform]] twelve million years ago, in the land that would one day become [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

In many ways, Primus was no different from the rest of the Cybertronian race that would one day come into existence, but was marked by several unique traits that no other Cybertronian displayed: he possessed supernatural durability, able to recover from wounds that no other Transformers could survive; {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} more importantly, however, he was able to manufacture [[photonic crystal]]s, which were able to indefinitely store the energies of a [[spark]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} He was soon followed by a quartet of robots like himself, and together they would be remembered in mythology as the "[[Guiding Hand]]," each remembered as embodying an aspect of the Cybertronian race: [[Mortilus]], death, [[Epistemus]], wisdom, [[Solomus]], knowledge, and [[Adaptus]], change. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

[[File:LL-23-GuidingHandWar.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Behold the power of the Guiding Hand! Adaptus uses deadly laser blasts! Mortilus wields the Power Cosmic! Primus... has a stick!]]

Before long, [[hot spot]]s ignited across Cybertron, giving rise to the planet's first generation. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} Supposedly, Primus delivered his [[Prime Pastoral]] on the site that would one day become the [[Crystal City]], and consorted with the [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]]s [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and [[Chela]]. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} Primus's many titles included the "Celestial Architect" and the "Mechanica Divine", {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} and the [[Primal Sacrament]] attributed the famous verse "Survive and Thrive" to Primus. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

At some point in the past, Primus used his ability to generate photonic crystals to create the divine artifact known as the [[Matrix of Leadership]], which subsequently fell into the care of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} The Guiding Hand ruled benevolently for some time, even transforming the planet into a utopia, but tensions arose when Adaptus, worrying that their way of life would only lead to stagnation, sought to wage war against the races of the universe so as to encourage expansion. Primus and the other members of the Hand refused, and so the treacherous Adaptus battled his former comrades in what would be known as the "[[God War]]", deploying a legion of experimental horrors from his base on [[Moonbase One|Cybertron's first moon]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

[[File:TheUnremembering-informationcreep.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Forget him not.]]

When it became clear that Adaptus could not win against his brothers, he retreated to his lunar base and readied a massive electromagnetic blast that would leave the population of Cybertron confused and disoriented so that he could flee aboard his retrofitted moon, introducing the neurological phenomenon "[[information creep]]" to the planet. Primus sought to take as much of this blast as he could bear; in doing so, however, his memories of his origins and identity were garbled beyond repair, the fallout from the blast rendering him "permanently forgettable" so that nobody on Cybertron would be able to clearly remember him. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

Legends of Primus's existence continued on, however; in many religious sects, Primus would become remembered as a mighty warrior-god, "the clenched fist that became the Guiding Hand", {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} by literally dividing his essence into their being. Those same legends would come to demonize ''Mortilus'' as the evil member of the Guiding Hand, and the nature of Primus's final sacrifice became distorted by information creep—many would claim that, when the rest of the Guiding Hand had been trapped and deceived into giving up their divine forms, Primus had struck down Mortilus in their final battle, and the wounded god survived only by becoming the life-giving supercomputer [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}}

[[File:Unicron-1-PrimusUnicronLegend.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A different version of the Primus myth hewed closer to the [[Primus#Toys|classic interpretation]] of the character.]]

A different story remembered Primus as the first Cybertronian, who supposedly dueled his dreaded "[[Unicron/Generation 1|opposite]]" in a war that predated the universe itself; in this permutation of the myth, Primus triumphed and became Cybertron itself. {{storylink|Unicron issue 1|Unicron #1}} At some point afterwards, the Knights of Cybertron left their homeworld, taking the Matrix with them, and in the absence of the Guiding Hand or their original acolytes, Cybertronian civilization descended into barbarism. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} {{storylink|The Crucible}}

What became of the real Primus in this era is unknown; his influence was still felt, however, by the various primitive tribes that sprung up across Cybertron. One such group, an alliance of [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]s, commissioned the construction of the [[Crystal City]] to honor the ground where he had once stood. This would prove convenient for "[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]]", who painted a new flag to symbolize the alliance of the [[Thirteen]] and dubbed it the "First Face", claiming that it had been based off Metrotitan's description of the countenance of Primus. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} In time, however, a more secular culture would grip Cybertron, and fewer and fewer individuals came to see Primus and the other members of the Guiding Hand as concrete deities. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}}

When Primus himself reemerged, some seven million years ago, it was in the humble shape of '''Rung of the [[Pious Pools]]''', {{storylink|Little Victories}} a quiet, unassuming 'bot who was content to remain in the background. Rung had indeed forgotten everything about his origins—even interpreting his serial number upside down, leading him and everyone around him to believe that he was number 100000000. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} Rung himself assumed that he remained so forgettable because of his [[mode attachment]], leaving everyone to get used to him. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} In spite of this, he was one of [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]]'s oldest friends. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

Early into his new life, Rung was known to have lived in the [[Vinvissius Canals]] for a time, but left his home behind before they were redeveloped into the Vinvissisus Heights. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} As [[Nova Prime]] took the reins of Cybertronian civilization after the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]] and began his campaign of [[Expansion]], he required a massive population boom to maintain a sizeable interstellar colonization force. Rung somehow found himself pressed into the task of manufacturing enough photonic crystals to house the vast amount of sparks "bled" from the Matrix of Leadership during the event known as the "[[Silver Harvest]]". {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

At some point afterwards, Rung forgot that he had been responsible for the creation of so many sparks, and, like most Cybertronians, came to believe that the crystals were artificially made. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} Eventually, he chose to move into the field of psychotherapy, and by six million years ago, his "Rungian analysis" therapy was already in common parlance. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} Though Rung was originally slated to join the crew of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]]'', he was recalled at the last second, as the [[Senate]] allegedly needed him. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

During the reign of [[Nominus Prime]], Rung ran afoul of the [[Functionist Council]], as his strange alternate mode presented a unique problem: not even Rung himself knew the purpose of his alternate mode anymore, threatening to undermine their [[functionism|entire philosophy]] and the [[Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy]]. Rung was subjected to repeated and rigorous tests, to "reassure" other Cybertronians, he was forced to wear a false wheel on his back so as to fake an alternate mode. Eventually, even the Functionists found themselves stumped as to what Rung's purpose could be and so the problem was neatly sidestepped by creating a new entry in the [[Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy]] specifically for Rung's altmode: they classified him as an "[[Ornament class|ornament]]". {{storylink|Little Victories}}

Rung was subsequently employed by the Senate as a patho-psychologist alongside [[Froid]], {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}} and though Froid claimed that they were friends, they endured a heated rivalry, clashing over the proper use of personality adjustment treatments {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}} and eventually culminating in Froid ''stealing'' the [[Froidian Classification System]] of personality types from Rung.{{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

[[File:Stet-Rungwhistle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|They see me rolling...]]

In 4th Cycle 499, Rung was returning to his wellbeing clinic when a time-traveling [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] attacked him with electric knuckledusters, knocking the psychiatrist unconscious. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}

In 51st Cycle 500, Rung travelled to [[Mining Outpost C-12|Croteus 12]] after a secret Senate session amended the law to require two signatures on requests for [[shadowplay|personality adjustments]]. His arrival interrupted the use of the procedure on the exiled revolutionary [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], which had been approved by Froid. However, before Rung could assess whether he would countersign the operation, an underground energy surge prompted a complete evacuation of the facility. {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}}

Once Zeta Prime rose to power, Rung served as a psychotherapist under the new Autobot regime. He provided literature and adjustment assistance to bots undergoing body augmentation or retrofitting, including the New Senate operative [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} At some point, Rung served aboard the Autobot vessel ''[[Fateful Archetype]].'' This would prove to be the source of one of his darkest secrets: after getting too close to a patient aboard the vessel, Rung had been disbarred from practicing medicine by a tribunal... but when that ship crashed, Rung's supernatural durability meant that he was the only survivor, with nobody else aware of the events aboard. Froid would use this as leverage over his rival. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} Serving aboard more ships, Rung picked up a hobby of making models of every ship he'd been part of. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

After Zeta's death and the outbreak of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], Rung was present during a battle that saw [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] clash. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

As the war continued, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] became one of Rung's patients. He'd stay one of Rung's patients for six centuries, his paranoia so bad it took ninety-seven sessions before he let Rung see his face, two hundred eighty-eight sessions before he told Rung his '''real''' name, and three hundred thirty-two sessions before he stopped recording their conversations. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

Rung did a psychological evaluation of [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] before his trial for [[Squadron X|unlawful executions]]. He ended up being physically assaulted and threatened with extreme violence if he tried 'putting ideas' in Impactor's head, but managed to calm the situation down. In the end, Rung was left questioning whether Autobot High Command shared the blame for Impactor's crimes for turning a blind eye to the robot's growing psychopathy. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Impactor's Autopedia entry}}

Over time, Froid and other rivals inflicted irreparable damage on Rung's reputation. Long after their deaths, Rung would write papers but never distribute them. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} With his reputation wrecked, Rung left Cybertron. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

Rung later performed a pre-mission psych-screening on new Wreckers [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]], [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]], and [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]] to estimate if they were suited to be put on the [[Garrus-9]] case. Rung was unimpressed by Rotorstorm's unrelenting bragging and joking, and found himself cutting through the charade when he mentioned [[Simanzi Massacre|Simanzi]]. Taking note of his dual personality, Rung declared him cleared for mission. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Rotorstorm's Autopedia entry}} With Pyro, he diagnosed the robot as an extreme sufferer of [[Primus apotheosis]] and noted with sadness that the robot was suppressing his own engaging personality for a copy of another's. He cleared Pyro with reservations, noting that apotheosis sufferers were known for sacrificing themselves. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Autopedia entry}} With Guzzle, he cleared the 'bot as having personality flaws but no real psychological flaws, though he was unnerved by his disturbing habit of playing with his gun's safety. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Guzzle's Autopedia entry}}

When screening Ironfist, he was impressed by his enthusiasm and knowledge, but not so much by his actual combat experience and mentality. Rung advised against Ironfist's participation, but retracted his negative conclusion when he received 'unsolicited advice' from [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|an undisclosed party]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Ironfist's Autopedia entry}}

[[File:Chaos3-KimiaSurvivors.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|At least Rung's right there to treat any outbreaks of claustrophobia.]]
Rung treated the shell-shocked Autobot [[Flattop (Autobot)|Flattop]]. He discovered Flattop was a survivor of the [[Babu Yar]] atrocity, but that was not his immediate problem. What pushed him over the edge this time was an encounter with the [[Shimmer]]. Rung tried to give rational explanations for the appearance of Shimmer, but Flattop died right there in his office. {{storylink|Bullets}}

Kup, one of Rung's oldest friends, asked him to examine [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] after a [[zero point]] affliction had left him in a coma. Believing that certain emotional triggers could cause Springer's subconscious to force his [[spark]] across the zero point, Rung asked [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] to read ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs to him in hopes that the memories would have some effect. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

Rung was among the survivors of [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]'s attack on [[Kimia Facility]]. He and the others drifted in a cramped escape pod for some time until they were rescued by [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

[[File:LiarsAtoD3-RungSkids.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|This large panel is the source of 80% of Transformers-related shipping on Tumblr.]]
After Cybertron was reborn in the wake of the [[D-Void]]'s defeat, Rung joined [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s crew on the ''[[Lost Light]]'' in search for the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Before he could get on the ship, his arm was detached by a wildly flying Cyclonus. {{Storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} After getting his arm repaired in [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]'s care, Rung was choked by an irrational and unresponsive [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]. The psychiatrist managed to get him to release his grip when he reminded Whirl that he would go back to prison, forever, if he didn't stay in line. When [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] joined the crew, Rung informed him of their quest. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} Rung later had a close call with a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]], but was saved by Skids. Rodimus used the two to lure the Sparkeater so he could defeat it. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

As a result of his almost never using it, the nature of Rung's [[alternate mode]] became the subject of a 100 [[shanix]] wager between [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]. A early blow in this "war" came when Swerve repeatedly threw a hand grenade at the back of Rung's head, hoping to trigger an involuntary mode change. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], previously thought cured, returned to therapy shortly after the launch of the ''Lost Light''. Rung was concerned that all the progress they had made on Red Alert's rampant paranoia over the years was coming undone. Red Alert informed Rung that he was hearing noises coming from a crack in the floor of the Sparkeater's chamber. He gave him a recording of the noise which Rung vaguely recognized as a voice, albeit tremendously slowed-down. When they sped the sound up, the words "kill...me" could be identified. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

Rung held a session with the newly returned [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]], whose mental state had been called into question after he had suffered torture and humiliation at the hands of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] for three years. Rung urged him to open up and explore his trauma, to no avail. Maximus later snapped and went on a rampage across the ''Lost Light'', gunning down Autobots that reminded him of Overlord. Rung was in the middle of a session with Whirl when Max broke in and took them both hostage. Rung was bound to his chair and Whirl was overpowered and pinned to the ground. Rung tried to reason with Maximus, while simultaneously recording and broadcasting what was happening in his office through the microphone in his thumb. When Maximus noticed it, he tore Rung's thumb off.

[[File:Rung FortMax Interiors.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Wait! I'm starting to come down with Stockholm syndrome...handsome!"]]
As the situation dragged on, Rung continued to try and break through to Maximus. Max kept dodging the issue, pinning the reason for his actions on [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'s delay in sending help to [[Garrus-9]], instead of acknowledging that Overlord was at the root of his psychosis. Maximus then confronted Whirl, who told Maximus about his life. Rung expressed wonder at this, as there were details that Whirl told Maximus that he had never told Rung. Whirl replied that Rung had never threatened any of his friends, to Rung's visible surprise. When a holo-image of Overlord torturing him was projected into the room by Rewind, Maximus froze up and crumbled to his knees. Rung tenderly comforted him and the hostage situation appeared to be at an end. Unfortunately, a shot from Swerve meant to disable Fortress Maximus instead hit Rung in the head. A memorial service was later held for Rung, which Rodimus presided over. {{storylink|Interiors}}

Surprisingly, Rung's spark and [[brain module]] ''survived'' and the medical staff believed he might pull through: something Ratchet said was akin to a miracle. Later, after a visit by [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and a horrified Swerve, Red Alert came to see the comatose psychiatrist. Believing that Rung's near-death was a result of the recording he had played to Rung, the paranoid security officer said he couldn't tell anyone else the truth he'd discovered—the voice was Overlord's, the sadistic Decepticon "strung up and sedated" in the bowels of the ''Lost Light''. Expecting to be killed himself, he left a [[data slug]] of his findings in Rung's hand and said goodbye. Unfortunately, a [[Diagnostic Drone]] had recorded Red Alert's confession, and summoned a mysterious figure who removed the slug... {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} After the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s encounter with a [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], Swerve explained his religious interpretation of events to the comatose Rung. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

[[File:CybertronianHomesickBlues-SkidsRung.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|How much is the bill?]]
After Rung's head was rebuilt, it took hours of patient work from [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to get Rung to be able to distinguish between people and objects. Then it took Swerve talking for ''147 hours straight'' to get Rung to move again (placing a finger over Swerve's mouth). With Rung still locked into the fog of his own thoughts, {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} Rewind decided that they could help repair the psychiatrist's brain by telling him a story: hearing stories required the brain to use its cognitive functions. He assembled a group of Autobots who'd all been part of interlinked events and tried to use the story to kick-start Rung's brain. And then he tried again. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} Not knowing when to try a different tack and intending to finally talk to Rung about [[Dominus Ambus]] {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}, he then tried a third time with a group of 'Bots who had been involved in a chain of events during the [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]] and prompted them to talk about it. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Rewind checked Rung again during the story later and still found no mental signs in him {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} and he still showed no signs when the story was finished. Seeing that Rewind was on the wrong track, Skids tried a simpler idea, drawing from the sheer number of connections the psychiatrist had made during his lifespan without leaving an impact on many. He deliberately got his name wrong several times in front of him, and an irritated Rung immediately said his name was "Rung. Forever." {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

After being fully repaired and helping Brainstorm develop [[Holomatter|holomatter avatars]] that could reflect an Autobot's inner psyche, he went down to [[Hedonia]] for shore leave with Swerve, Skids, Tailgate, Rewind and Cyclonus, Whirl, and Ultra Magnus, who just tagged along. The group spent the evening between a bar {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} and a gift shop, where the sight of a memory stick caused the psychiatrist to remember his last conversation with Red Alert. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}} After a violent outburst from Cyclonus saw the group leave the bar, Rung helped bring an unconscious Ultra Magnus back to the shuttle. {{storylink|Cybertronian Homesick Blues}} Back aboard the ''Lost Light'', Rung shared Red Alert's concerns with Rodimus, but the ship's captain claimed to have greater priorities than immediately investigating. {{storylink|Signal to Noise}}

[[File:MTMTE22 Rung's alternate mode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|Maybe he turns into a Playstation Move.]]
As part of the ongoing bet, Tailgate attempted to have Rung transform as part of an "alt-mode party", although the psychiatrist wound up simply bemused. When the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]'' contacted the ''Lost Light'', Rung was excited at the prospect of meeting its captain, the superlative [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]. However, the famous Autobot wound up held at gunpoint by his First Officer [[Paddox]], who had been revealed as an [[Ammonite]] spy. Rung was instrumental in saving the day, allowing Swerve to wield his "ornamental" alt mode as a blunt instrument with which to bludgeon the aggressor. Rung was also interviewed by Rewind, as part of the documentary the archivist was producing. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

Rung visited Fortress Maximus in the ship's brig, where he forgave the ex-warden for the events surrounding the psychiatrist's near-death. Their moment was interrupted, however, by an alarm signaling Overlord's escape into the ship. In the battle that followed, Rung mostly watched helplessly from the sidelines. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}}

After Overlord's defeat, Rodimus was left despondent and angry, and made angrier when Rung, correctly, realised his problem was that ''others'' had stopped Overlord and not him. At the funerals, Rung's stern, silent glance got Rodimus to admit that others, including the poor, dead Rewind, had saved the day. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} Speaking truth to power got Rung drafted for a mission to the legendary [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], in pursuit of the missing Ultra Magnus: Rodimus needed someone who was willing to say things he didn't want to hear. After reaching the moon's surface, the group encountered a newly ignited [[hot spot]], but they were quickly chased away by a [[Titan Hunter|gang of mercenaries]] {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} in the employ of [[Solomus|Chief Justice Tyrest]].

[[File:HouseofAmbus-Rung&Minimus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|Given his history, Rung should really know better now than to get involved in situations with angry poets.]]
The group was charged with "crimes against creation", and shoved into a cell with a guy called Minimus Ambus. Rung swiftly picked up that Ambus had the same mannerisms, nervous tics, and speech patterns as Ultra Magnus. Keeping his suspicions to himself at first, Rung tested his theory by wearing his Autobot badge at an angle and deliberately making a mess. Before long, Ambus relented and confirmed his identity, {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} explaining that "[[Magnus Armor|Ultra Magnus]]" was an identity passed down through the ages. Confused by the charges against the ''Lost Light'' crew, Ambus left to confront Tyrest, whilst Skids, Swerve, and [[Getaway]] were dumped into the cell. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

Getaway revealed that he and the amnesiac Skids had been dispatched by Prowl to alter the unstable Tyrest's memories, and used his escapology skills to break the entire group out. Rung and the others confronted Tyrest, his deranged plan to kill all cold-constructed [[Transformer]]s and reach [[Cyberutopia]] revealed. Immobilizing the ''Lost Light''ers, the Chief Justice activated his [[universal killswitch]], {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} but was defeated by Tailgate and Minimus Ambus. Whilst Rodimus and Perceptor used the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to disable the killswitch, Rung comforted First Aid, who had been goaded into killing Tyrest's accomplice [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]. When a final order from Tyrest brought his [[Legislator]] robots back to accost Rung and the others, Tailgate saved the day by amending the law at the Chief Justice's computer console. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} In the aftermath of the battle, Rung met with Fortress Maximus in Swerve's, and the ex-warden revealed that he had been offered the role of Duly Appointed Enforcer of the [[Tyrest Accord]] by Rodimus and Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}}

When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] and the crew of the ''[[Skyroller]]'' came aboard the ''Lost Light'', Rung was present for the 'welcome aboard' party at Swerve's. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} Shortly afterwards, the ship quantum jumped beneath the seas of [[Hydrophena]] in search of Metroplex, and Rung was one of the crew members who disembarked to battle the [[Ammonite]]s who set upon the ''Lost Light''. The psychiatrist was able to split apart one "Minicon" combiner by striking its weak spot, but was immediately shoulder-barged by another. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} Eventually the ship's crew was able to rescue Metroplex and jump the Metrotitan and the ''Lost Light'' back to Cybertron. Rung was among the crew who met up with the contingent of Autobots and Decepticons fighting against [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s machinations. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} With the scientist's [[Necrotitan]] defeated by Metroplex, the psychiatrist and several other Autobots took some time to relax at Swerve's, where Rung watched the bar's owner freak out over [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]]'s presence. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

The festivities were cut short, however, by the materialization of seventy billion Ammonites in the planet's skies, and Rung mostly spent the battle that followed looking on in horror. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} After the dust settled, Rung was present to see Optimus Prime and Megatron stand side-by-side, the Decepticon leader having declared his new faction during the climactic confrontation with Shockwave. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:WordsHangInTheAir-Nightbeat.jpg|thumb|250px|Nightbeat's wondering why Raiz drew it differently.]]
In the days that followed, Rung was in the crowd on [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] observing Megatron stand trial for his crimes during the war. By the trial's resolution, Megatron was declared co-captain of the ''Lost Light'', and six months later, after the ship had resumed its quest, the former Decepticon attended a therapy session with the Autobot psychiatrist. Megatron spent much of the session evading Rung's inquiries, at one point changing the subject to the first time he encountered the psychotherapist, at [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] in 4th Cycle 496. Unable to remember this incident, Rung took the opportunity to segue into discussing a first-edition copy of Megatron's original autobiography, ''Towards Peace'', that he had been given by new crew member [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]. Of interest was a dedication to 'Terminus' that the ex-Decepticon removed from all subsequent copies. The session was then interrupted by a brief black-out, and Megatron took the chance to end the meeting. As he left, Megatron revealed that Terminus was somebody who taught him "not to get attached". {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Later that day, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] examined a schematic of Rung's enigmatic alt-mode, {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} whilst the psychiatrist himself attended a screening of the [[Earth]] film ''{{w|Zulu (1964 film)|Zulu}}'' at Swerve's. The event was interrupted, however, when the ''Lost Light'' began disappearing piece by piece, and Rung escaped onto a shuttle. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} Eventually Rung and every other original crew member disappeared, with the remaining ''Lost Light''ers discovering that the ship's initial quantum jump had caused it and its passengers to duplicate. The other ship's Rung, they learned, was "lost" during the explosive jump. Eventually, the ''Lost Light'' and its crew were restored and its duplicate vanished. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

Not long after the ship's reappearance, Rung was at [[Swerve's]] when Brainstorm activated an electro-sensitive poison, knocking everybody who'd been drinking from the spiked engex vats unconscious. As a teetotaler, Rung merely wound up buried under a pile of his collapsed crewmates. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}} When Brainstorm, apparently revealed as a Decepticon, travelled back in time, Rung was recruited to the team pursuing the engineer into the past. Materializing in [[Alyon]] in 1st Cycle 502, the group encountered a team of insurgents and [[Outlier]]s, led by Orion Pax, trying to protect a hot spot from Senate forces. Whilst the two teams rested, Rung was startled to discover that [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] was taking [[circuit speeder]]s to keep up with his Outlier teammates, and warned of their health risks. After helping save the hot spot's newborn sparks, the ''Lost Light'' team followed Brainstorm further into the past, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} to 4th Cycle 501, during the Clampdown.

[[File:Chaos Theory P1 - Rung starts the Great War.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.7|"Hey, I didn't order that!"]]
Rung was assigned to survey Maccadam's New Oil House in [[Rodion]], where he passed the time building a model of the ''Lost Light''. Unbeknownst to him, he was observed by both Brainstorm, who realized that he had been pursued into the past, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}} and [[Quark]] and Nightbeat, who bickered over whether the psychiatrist was a Senate spy or just a billy-no-mates. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} After Brainstorm time-jumped again, Rung's crewmates regrouped at Maccadam's to be sent even further into the past, to 4th Cycle 499. When the group split up, Rung was in the contingent that stayed at the bar, and was dispatched to fetch a [[curly straw]] for Tailgate. In doing so, however, he spilled a Senate cadet's drink. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}} After refusing to clean up the spill, the poor 'bot was tossed across the bar, right onto [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] and Megatron's table. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory Part 1}} A barfight quickly ensued, away from which Rodimus dragged the unconscious Rung. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}}

Having realized that Brainstorm intended to kill Megatron, Rung and the ''Lost Light''ers pursued the engineer back to 1st Cycle 012, where the Decepticon-to-be had just been created in a cold construction facility. After Brainstorm was hit with a "grenado", Rung checked the facility's computer's and found that the rogue engineer had already wiped Megatron's batch code, and then spent ten minutes pointing his gun at the newborn. When Brainstorm pulled a pistol again, Rung was able to talk him down, realizing that the engineer was still conflicted. A short time later, the crew used Rodimus's "time phone" to send a warning message for their past selves, and Rung chipped in with instructions to not visit [[Delphi]] (though the message failed to reach its intended recipients). After the group returned to the present day, Rung visited Perceptor, who revealed that their actions in the past were pre-destined, already part of established history, and that tampering with the time machine might have lead to a multitude of alternate realities being created. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}}

[[File:MTMTE48 skids and rung.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Let's face it, Rung isn't Robert's self-insert; he's ''ours''.]]
As well as helping on the ''Lost Light'', Rung was remotely providing aid to Fortress Maximus. The new enforcer of the Tyrest Accord admitted to him how he'd been thrown to discover some Decepticons had been a bunch of damaged guys and not complete monsters. Rung gently steered him towards changing his ultraviolent approach, as many Decepticons may be like that now. {{storylink|Animals}}

While assisting Skids with reclaiming his lost memories, Rung was surprised to find ''Froid'' (who was supposed to be [[death|dead]]) visiting the ''Lost Light''! [[File:MTMTE48 creepy froid.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.0|Aaaaaand this panel is the source of the other 20%.]] His rival wrangled a private chat with his "old friend" and began to mock, cajole, intimidate, and outright blackmail Rung to hand over all his patient notes. Even the threat of revealing he shouldn't be practicing therapy anymore wouldn't break Rung. Instead, Rung ran a sting and asked if he could 'help' with anything else while quietly alerting Skids to show up loaded for bastard. Unfortunately, it turned out Froid wanted the patient information as a way of feeding his "prisoner": monstrous serial killer and memory-eating [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]], [[Sunder (G1)|Sunder the Tetraxian Ripper]]!

Sunder remotely accessed Rung's memories of the patients and broke out to have this all-you-can-eat buffet of repressed memories, starting with Skids. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} Rung had been recording the event and transmitted everything to Megatron, who declared the ship on lockdown. As Sunder prowled the ship, attacking anyone who hadn't locked themselves away, Rung was carrying Skids in a search for Chromedome, hoping the mnemosurgeon could stop the guy's memory surge. Froid tagged along and was brutally killed by Sunder before Thunderclash and Megatron could drive him back; when the monster proved too much, Rung saved Megatron with his ''ship collection'', all capable of flight and shooting!

Once the Ripper was finally stopped, Rung resigned as therapist: the transmission meant Megatron knew he had been struck off. When the captain tried to talk him out of this, Rung snapped that the only way you could defend what he'd done is if you thought his work was unimportant.{{storylink|Speak, Memory! (Part 2)}} Sunder's brief mental attack caused much of Rung's subconiosius "inklings" of his true nature to surface. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

The crew found a shrinking 'time window' in [[Swerve's]] that could allow you to look back in its past. Rung and Chromedome both went to look back at Rewind's attempt to fix his brain-damaged self, and Rung would have to gently remind Chromedome when it was time to go. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

Rung had been asked (and his mind wiped) by Getaway if he'd be willing to mutiny against Megatron. As he wasn't, the mutiny tricked Rung into leaving the ship with the other Megatron 'loyalists': a transmission was sent from the Necrobot's planet to draw them in. (A dying Necrobot, corrupting it in the hope of scaring people away, made it terrify them; Rung heard something he refused to discuss) The group followed the transmission to the planet and came under immediate, violent attack from the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] and [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] before learning the ''Lost Light'' was abandoning them. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} The Autobots holed up in the Necrobot's old house and Rung helped Rodimus run through their assets. Which were none.

Others found there were dozens of slumbering organics underneath the base and that there was a long-range teleporter, but using the latter meant abandoning the former. Rung listened with weariness as Brainstorm argued for abandoning the organics as they could do far more good for the world if they escaped but, after Megatron spoke in favour of staying, Rung stayed to protect the helpless. While preparing for battle, he and the others realized [[Ten]] had been trying to alert them they could create a forcefield. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} After Nightbeat <s>put in a polite request to</s> begged Minimus Ambus to be allowed to investigate the hollow planet, Minimus agreed so long as Nightbeat had an escort. Nightbeat chose Rung for his total lack of fighting skills. Rung was not amused. Despite the two promising to be back by sunset, they weren't, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} prompting Rodimus and Drift to question what became of them after the D.J.D. had been defeated. [[Image:mtmte50 rung's funeral request.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|]] Rung was very close to raising his voice at Nightbeat when the two finally breached the last layer of the "crust" to find the hollow insides where Nightbeat concluded that the intense gravitational forces were playing havoc with their internal clocks... which Rung couldn't care less about since an examination of the landscape, particularly an inverted pattern of the [[Vinvissius Canals]], led him to the (incorrect) conclusion that Necroworld was the mould into which Cybertron was poured. Then a [[geobomb]] showed up to ruin the moment. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

Three weeks after the mutiny, the crew's last messages, including Rung's, were received by several parties on Earth and Cybertron. Rung begged them to dismantle him if he died in alternate mode and "put me beyond use". {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

When [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] tried to take over his mind, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] used Rung's image as his inner voice to override the brainwashing. {{storylink|Last Light (issue)|Last Light}}

The geobomb had not killed anyone and just appeared to have itself out. It would be a while before anyone learned they'd been shunted into [[Functionist Universe|a parallel universe]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} Brainstorm teleported the two (nearly!) back to the surface where Rung asked to see Skids. Ratchet brought him to Skids' corpse. The trauma of the sight causing Rung to involuntarily create a photonic crystal {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}} and thus reawakened his old memories of his true purpose. Nightbeat then asked to speak to Rung about the former psychiatrist's issues and feelings of uselessness. Rung confessed that [[information creep]] had caused him to forget a good chunk of his past and what he was for. Rung showed Nightbeat the crystals he'd produced much to the detective's shock. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} When Brainstorm had worked out a way back to their reality, Ratchet embraced Rung due to the fate of the psychologist's alternate self. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} Rewind and Chromedome later took Rung aside to tell him the fate of his alternate self and how he'd served as an inspiration for billions much to the psychologist's shock and surprise. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

Part of the group that left Necroworld aboard [[Skip]], {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}} Rung tucked himself away in alternate mode to deal with the limited space. When Skip began to contract and tensions mounted, Rung reverted back to robot mode. {{storylink|Sardines}}

Salvation, surprisingly, came from Ten who dramtically spoke up and told the crew how to access the [[Warren]], a nexus of time/space tunnels that could take them to a [[Mederi]] facility. Mid-transit however, Skip's mass displacement gave out and the crew were forced to bail out. They'd come within spitting distance of the original Mederi however, the moon fixing their damaged bodies and projecting itself as the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]]. When the time came for everyone to "ascend", Rodimus's group discovered the truth of where they were and having learnt that Mederi ''was'' [[Cyberutopia]], the Knights of Cybertron having fallen victim to the same trap that had nearly killed them. As the crew took stock, they were soon beset by the mutineers, now transformed into ravenous [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]]. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

When the mutated crew attacked, Rung lost an arm to [[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] before being saved by [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]. While a small detachment went to board the ''Lost Light'', the rest of the group barricaded themselves inside Ward Zero so the medics could find a cure to the sparkwater virus. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}} As they worked, Rung was drawn to the telepaths and their chanting, having memories of his past stirred up when the organics began "saying" Adaptus's sigil before counting down from one thousand. When the countdown concluded, a massive tear in the Warren opened above the moon. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}} As everyone scrambled to evacuate, Rung stopped Rewind from touching a [[geobomb]] that had been teleported in before the ''Lost Light'' launched only to find that the ship could not match the rift's gravitational pull. Brought to the [[Benzene Cluster]], the group was taken prisoner by the forces of the Grand Architect. While in the cell, Rung felt that the Magnificence – in reality Epistemus – was calling to him, involuntarily transforming when he looked into its pupil. From the confines of their prison, the crew watched as the Architect's [[God Gun]] opened a tear between realities and the Functionist Universe began invading their own. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}}

When the Functionist Council made their way through, their version of Cybertron now transformed into a massive effigy of Primus, their forces immediately went to war with the Architect's. Megatron then came to the crew's rescue, via blasting the hull of the [[Worldsweeper]] they were trapped in, only for the Architect to seal the breach before everyone could be freed. Those who remained confronted the Architect, who claimed to be Adaptus. Though the claim was met with skepticism by all, the Architect verified it by identifying Tyrest as the new identity of Solomus and that Rung himself... was Primus! {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

Being recognized and named subsequently undid the information creep and the entirety of Rung's memories were restored, even recognizing he'd been reading his serial code upside down. After demonstrating his self-healing abilities, Rung explained the truth behind the [[God War]] before Solomus attacked Adaptus, resulting in both their deaths. Back aboard the ''Lost Light'', Epistemus proposed Rung create three duplicates of the Matrix of Leadership so that [[Rossum's Trinity]] could be exploited to bring down the Functionist Primus. The crew overruled the suggestion however, noting the trapped civilians that would be condemned to death. Instead, a group brainstorm led to the idea of creating twelve Matrices to be opened at each of Cybertron's hot spots so as to overload [[Vector Sigma]]. At that, Epistemus was properly possessed by the Omega Guardians who used his physical form to unleash deadly bolts of energy. At that, Chromedome and Rewind dragged Rung away so he could safely produces the Matrices. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

Though able to manufacture the Matrices, Rung was fully aware the exertion would kill him. Telling Chromedome and Rewind that they should be more forgiving to each other, Rung accepted his fate, taking a moment to recall his time with skids before deleting his patient files. Once the last Matrix was produced, Rung's body exploded into inert sentio metallico, only his removed glasses remaining. When the Matrices were opened, they indeed overloaded Vector Sigma with the excess energy being shunted to Luna 1 where it reignited the hot spot to reveal a final message from the psychologist: "Don't Forget Me." {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

{{spoiler|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2|November 28}}

[[File:LL25 - Lunarian 113.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|Daddy's little 'bot.]]
Despite the best efforts of the crew, Adaptus's information creep had proven too strong and they soon forgot Rung entirely, not even his quarters being able to rouse Chromedome and Rewind's memories. However, Rung's legacy would live on in another way: the [[Lunarian]]s, the generation birthed from the hot spot on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], all had a marked tendency (not that anyone was aware of it) to resemble their progenitor. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}

====The Functionist Universe====
[[File:Rung predestination an experts guide.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|We ''told'' you he was an ornament.]]

In the [[Functionist Universe]], Primus was used as the justification for the dystopia and a square in [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] boasted a building sized statue of an old-school Primus, "SURVIVE AND THRIVE" inscribed under it. [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] expressed the opinion that if something was essential to anyone, Primus would have created a Cybertronian that turned into it. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} [[Six-of-Twelve]] came to believe that Primus was speaking to him through the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and telling him to arm Cybertron for a coming war. [[Nine-of-Twelve]] expressed the belief that [[Team Rodimus]]' arrival in their universe was Primus' doing. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

When the [[Functionist Council]] discovered [[Rung (G1)#The_Functionist_Universe|Rung's]] ability to produce [[Photonic crystal|photonic crystals]] they first thought him the spawn of [[Mortilus]] before deciding it was Primus' endorsement of [[Reproduction|cold construction]]. Now having a way of storing new Sparks until bodies were built, the Council decided that their own function was to bring Functionism to the galaxy by removing any race that didn't serve a function in Primus' optics. In laybot's terms: Every single race that wasn't Cybertronian had to go to fulfill their vision of Primus' grand plan. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

No one could figure out the exact purpose of Rung's alternate mode, so he was locked up in [[Cog (base)|The Cog]] and regularly tortured for two million years by the scientist [[Quark]] to try and discern the mystery. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} His unique position in a purely functionist society caused a cult to develop around him. He was hailed as the "Useless One", with his "[[Female protester|followers]]" openly defying the government and being met with [[Death|a reminder of the status quo]]. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}} Eventually while he was cleaning Rung's cell [[Sweep (IDW)|Sweep]] (a ''janitor'', not a scientist) figured out his purpose, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} by finding the [[Photonic crystal|photonic crystals]] Rung had unconsciously produced. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} [[One-of-Twelve]] was not pleased, labelling Rung a threat to the [[Functionist Council]] and the spawn of [[Mortilus]]. One-of-Twelve greeted the "Useless One" (which Rung commented was ironic given that One-of-Twelve's alternate mode needed eleven others to form and was useless itself) and pulled a gun to his head. Rung warned him that if he took the shot, the Functionist world would be destroyed and then proceeded to goad him into firing, {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} so as to become a martyr for the [[Anti-Vocationist League]]. One-of-Twelve didn't take the bait and hid Rung for a year to try and work out how to spin this. Six-of-Twelve viewed Rung's purpose as endorsement of cold construction and further testing by One-of-Twelve showed that Rung could produce crystals against his will. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:AWorldDisplaced-RungAlternateMode.jpg|thumb|upright=1|left|His is the drill that will pierce the heavens.]]
A year later, the Functionist Council announced Revelation Day: at the end of the countdown, they'd disprove this whole "Useless One" anti-functionist talk by revealing exactly what Rung was for. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}}

Supposedly Rung turned into a colossal mining tank with a very conspicuous crystalline drill, something which Team Rodimus found suspicious. According to [[Six-of-Twelve]], the point of Rung's alternate mode was to drill through the [[Ununtrium|ununtrium]] wall that surrounded [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}} Rung was teleported to Vector Sigma's chamber but left to the side in his alternate mode. Ratchet managed to return Rung to robot mode (causing the holo-matter treads to disappear and the "drill" to shatter) and he immediately told Ratchet to follow his instructions, {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}} by pretending to hold him hostage so that Six-of-Twelve would release [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]. Before the group teleported away, Rung laid into the Council by mocking their own useless alternate mode and saying that all of them were the real "Useless Ones". Materializing in Iacon, Rung directed the group to steal [[Cog (base)|the Cog]] which he intended to ram into Luna 2 to destroy them both. Before that however, Rodimus demanded an explanation of Rung's true purpose and why the Functionists wanted him. Rung reluctantly displayed his ability to produce photonic crystals and explained the Functionists viewed that as Primus endorsing the cold construction process. As such, they wanted to draw more Sparks from Vector Sigma and store them in Rung's crystals to create an army of Cybertronians to purify the galaxy of alien life. When the Cog arrived at Adaptica, Rung locked in a collision course only for Rodimus to insist they save Luna 2 for its teleporter. Rung refused and said that Rodimus would have to fight him for Luna 2. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:ThisMachineKillsFascists-GiantRung.jpg|thumb|upright=1|''Nice.'']]
A single punch across the jaw was all it took for Rodimus to win the "fight" and gain control of the Cog. While Rewind scolded his captain, Rodimus came to his senses and ordered everyone else to evacuate while he and Rung crashed the Cog into Luna 2; however, The Cog was accidentally shot down by [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]]. Emerging from the wreckage, Rung decided to enact his backup plan over Ratchet's protests to his health. To the shock of all, Rung used the mass displacement generator the Functionists had forcibly installed in him to grow to humungous size (far surpassing even the Titans) to punch Luna 2 out of the sky. The moon simply turned its guns on Rung and killed him, sending him back to the ground at normal size and in pieces. Megatron and Terminus briefly paused to comment on Rung before they continued to the teleporter. Rung's fate prompted Ratchet to hug the Rung of his own timeline when they reunited. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} His fate and role as an inspiration to billions was told by Rewind and Chromedome to the Rung of their timeline. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-6-Rung.jpg|75px|thumb|left|Insert appropriate Doc Brown sound here.]]
Rung directed a crane hauling a load of energy blocks into [[Metroplex (Kre-O)|Scramble City]] when the [[Devastator (Kre-O)|Constructicons]] attacked. {{Storylink|A New Menace! The Giant Soldier Devastator Appears!}}
{{-}}

===Transformers Facebook page===
Rung managed to get his own TV show, ''[[Rung Up with Rung]]'', in which he analyzed a weekly Cybertronian guest.

==Toys==
===Fictional toys===
[[File:Mtmte22-coverb-rung-toy.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Quite articulated for a G1 dude.]]
*'''Rung'''
**''Accessories:'' Data Journal, "ARK-1" Model, Tech Specs Decoder

:In [[Micro-continuity|some time-lost continuity]], Swerve tried to figure out a Rung toy. Its features included moveable eyebrows to alter the robot's expression, and a "Listening Mode". {{storylink|Little Victories}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
*A psychoanalyst named Rung was referenced in the unofficial Transformers novel ''Eugenesis'', written by [[James Roberts]].
*The name "Rung" is a reference to {{w|Carl Jung}}, founder of analytical psychology.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/comics-16/tfw2005-interviews-james-roberts-175563/ TFW2005.com interview with James Roberts]</ref> The mention of "Rungian analysis" in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #1]] is a further play on this.
*Rung's longest suffering patient was [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]].
*[[Alex Milne]] modeled Rung's appearance on actors {{w|Brent Spiner}} and {{w|David Hyde-Pierce}}.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/notes/transformers/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-vol-2-alex-milne-interview/395646703838863 Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye vol. 2 Alex Milne interview]</ref>
*Rung's Holomatter avatar is named {{w|Mary Sue}}, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the literary term of the same name and a wink at fans who consider Rung to be Roberts's own alter-ego.
*In [[Speak, Memory: Part 1|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #48]] we learn Rung collects models of ships he's served on. His collection has all the Arks from 1 to 9, as we know from [[Little Victories|''More Than Meets the Eye'' #22]].
*As with all non-toy Kreons, Rung is made entirely from pre-existing parts. It isn't particularly clear but it seems as though he's using Ironhide's helmet.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Rung''' (ラング ''Rangu'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://markerguru.deviantart.com/art/rung-colour-guide-253698917 Rung concept art at Alex Milne's deviantART]
*[http://markerguru.deviantart.com/gallery/?q=rung#/d471m8d More Rung design art, featuring an unused alternate mode concept]

{{Guiding Hand}}

[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Things that don't exist]]

Corrodia Gravis

2018-11-14T05:38:47Z

Djelibaebi:

[[File:Snarl corriodia gravis destiny of the dinobots.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|You rust, then you die... If you're lucky.]]
'''Corrodia Gravis''' condemns a Transformer to a slow, wasting death as rust consumes their body. Only a systems boost from a Transformer with a compatible constitution can stave off the degeneration. It is not clear whether this cures the disease, or merely retards its progress.

The [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]] [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] is susceptible to Corrodia Gravis.

==Fiction==
===Earthforce===
At [[Earthforce]] [[Earthbase|base]], [[Wheeljack (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Wheeljack]] diagnosed [[Snarl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Snarl]] as suffering from Corrodia Gravis, and informed [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] that he would die unless a transfusion could be obtained from a compatible donor. Unfortunately, the only compatible Transformer was [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Assassins|Assassins}} The Dinobots, [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]], and [[Ironhide (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ironhide]] travelled to the Louisiana swamps to secure Starscream's cooperation, only to find that he was under threat from the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]], [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], and [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]]. {{storylink|External Forces!|External Forces!}} Amazingly, the Autobots kicked ''all'' of their asses and in return Starscream agreed to help - for a price... {{storylink|The Lesser Evil!}}

In [[1992]], Snarl was at an advanced stage of Corrodia Gravis, and the other Dinobots brought him to the [[Savage Land]] in search of the [[Crystalline containment vessel|control crystal]] from the shuttle that they had left there millions of years ago when they came to stop Shockwave. They hoped to use it to store his brainwaves while they obtained a new body, only to find that it was being used to hold back a disease that was killing the resident [[Dinosaur (dinosaur)|dinosaurs]]. As a temporary solution, they used the crystal to transfer Snarl's mind into a stegosaurus until they could return with a replacement body. {{storylink|Destiny of the Dinobots!}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
Before the war, when [[Nominus Prime]] was injured by a suicide bomber, rumors quickly spread claiming the assailant had released Corrodia Gravis or another rusting agent into the air. [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] reported via the [[Iaconian Newsfeed Service]] that the [[Senate]] denied these rumors. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}

When [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]] came to him complaining about feeling "hollow", [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] suspected it was an early symptom of Corrodia Gravis. An examination revealed that this was not the case. {{storylink|Bullets}}

While serving aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Ammo]] suffered from early onset Corrodia Gravis. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
The [[Hyperdrive (Turbomaster)|Hyperdrive]] of [[Primax 092.0 Beta]] died of Corrodia Gravis. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 16/7/2015}}

[[Swindle, Swindle and Swindle]] had a [[Placebotron 5000]] available for lease GUARANTEED to cure Corrodia Gravis, among other ills. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 3/10/2015}}

==Notes==
*The name Corrodia Gravis is reminiscent of the real-life [[human]] auto-immune disease {{w|myasthenia gravis}}, which causes progressive muscular weakness and can be treated but not cured. This suggests that, unlike [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]], Corrodia Gravis is not caused by a pathogen but is instead an inherent condition. This would also explain the unusual lengths to which the Dinobots are forced to go in order to help Snarl.

[[Category:Diseases]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 diseases]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1]]
[[Category:TransTech]]

Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron

2018-11-14T04:57:30Z

Djelibaebi: probably dont say that about what's-going-to-be-lug, sometimes a snowflake is just a snowflake

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' #1
|prev=Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!
|next=Dissolution Part 2: Anomie
|image=LL1_regcvr.jpg
|title="Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[December 14]], [[2016]]
|coverdate=December 2016
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Jack Lawrence]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]] (pg. 1-4) and [[John-Paul Bove]] (pg. 5-20)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2016)]]
}}
'''The stranded ''Lost Light''ers take stock following their victory.'''

==Synopsis==
On [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]], [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] treasure-hunters [[Anode]] and [[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] find themselves under attack by a [[Decepticon]] [[Cybernought]]. Anode activates a forcefield to protect them while she digs up the artifact they've come looking for, which they intend to sell to a buyer named [[Scorponok (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Techy]]. Lug is quite convinced they are about to die; fortunately for them, moments before the Cybernought breaks through the forcefield, the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] appears to spirit them away to the future.

Five hundred years later, Anode and Lug awaken from their stasis capsules on [[Necroworld]], just two of the many believed-dead 'bots the Necrobot has rescued from throughout time. The last to wake, they belatedly join a "debriefing" held by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], who gets them up to speed, explaining what has happened to them, and about the Autobots' recent battle with and victory over the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]—though he and the energetic Anode immediately butt heads when she complains about his dry delivery. Anode and Lug head out to mingle, where they are intercepted by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], who has allegedly been assigned to carry out "background checks." Anode begins to suspect otherwise as the little bartender's questions become more and more ludicrous, so she changes the subject to ask about his [[Autobot]] [[insignia]], now black in color. Swerve explains he and the others are in mourning for [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]; Anode remarks that he doesn't ''seem'' very upset, to which Swerve rightly takes umbrage, and stomps off, sarcastically remarking that Anode should have [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] check her for "timesickness." Anode realizes too late the harshness of her words, but is immediately more concerned to hear Velocity's name...

Elsewhere in the crowd, [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] introduces [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] to Velocity and [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], but the medic has to rush off and drags Nautica with her. Nearby, Decepticons [[Rapidfire (G1)|Rapidfire]] and [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] watch this exchange, suspicious and discontented with the news that the war is over, and spoiling for a fight. Fangry suggests they pick a fight with the toughest 'bot in the room to establish dominance, and eyes the super-strong [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] as he shows off for the crowd, lifting Roller over his head and describing his various feats in the recent battle. As the wary [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] drags Tailgate aside to tell him off for grandstanding, Fangry saunters over and deliberately shoulders Cyclonus as he goes past.

Meanwhile, [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] applies a new paintjob to [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], replacing his reds, yellows, and oranges with black, blue, and purple—colors that, in the [[Spectralism]] doctrine, express both grief for a fallen comrade, and a "promise to kill." Rodimus implies this dual intent is intentional and that he is quite willing to kill [[Getaway]] for everything he has done to them when they get back to the ''[[Lost Light]]'', but before he can say it aloud, a tremor shakes the whole fortress.

The quake is also felt out in the Necrobot's flower fields by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], who has been telling his old friend [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] about the war, much as he might doubt his own objectivity on the matter. Before heading back, Megatron pauses at the plinth of [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]]'s now-deactivated holographic statue, and bids his departed friend farewell... whereupon [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] suddenly burst out of the ground beneath his feet! They all return to the fortress, where [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] explains that he teleported the pair back from the depths of the planet (just not ''quite'' all the way to the surface!) using the Necrobot's teleportation chamber, which he has rebuilt back out of the [[fusion cannon]] he turned it into. Nightbeat relates what he and Rung discovered, as well as the appearance of the [[Galactic Council]]'s [[geobomb]]—which apparently just burned out without effect, causing the earlier tremor. Rung, meanwhile, learns of Skids's fate from [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]], and sorrowfully goes to pay his last respects to his friend. As he grieves by Skids's bedside, however, a shaft of light unexpectedly bursts out of Rung's chest and he retches into his hand...

[[File:SomeOtherCybertron-arrestyouanyway.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|You're coming with me, online or off.]]
Tailgate awakens from a recharge to find that Cyclonus has been badly beaten. Suspecting Fangry is to blame, Tailgate storms off to find him, despite Cyclonus's pleas to the contrary. Concurrently, Anode and Lug attempt to use the teleporter; though Lug doesn't know the story behind it, Anode and Velocity apparently know one another, and Anode needs to get away from her as fast as possible. They are caught in the act by Rodimus and Drift, who explain that there's only enough energy for one use of the device... but Anode has already gone off on another tangent, fascinated by Drift's [[Great Sword]]. When she attempts to analyze it, he pushes her away, but the instant he makes contact, Drift collapses to the ground, and sees a terrifying vision of [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] leading an army of [[sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]] and [[Worldsweeper]]s, all bearing down on himself, Rodimus, and [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]], and a mysterious message etched in the ground!

Keeping his vision a secret to everyone except Ratchet, Drift subsequently joins the rest of the selected team—Rodimus ("Rod Squad"), [[Minimus Ambus]], Ratchet, [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]], Rewind, Megatron, Terminus, and Roller—in using the teleporter to return to Cybertron so they can obtain a ship and then go back and collect everyone else. The machine appears to function perfectly, though it doesn't survive the trip... but as the group looks out over where [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] should be and sees a glittering metropolis, rather than the half-rebuilt city they left behind, they begin to suspect that something has gone wrong. A moment later, they are confronted by [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] of the [[Functionist Council]] and his [[Functionary]] enforcers, and Rewind realizes what has happened—they ''are'' on Cybertron... but they're in an [[Functionist Universe|alternate universe]]!

{{-}}

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in Drift's vision. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus/ Minimus Ambus]] (5)
*[[Kaput]] (6)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (9)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (10)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (11)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (14)
*[[Wavelength (G1)|Wavelength]] (15)
*[[Syphon]] (17)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (18)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (19)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (20)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (22)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (23)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (24)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (25)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (26)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'s body (28)
*''[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]'' (29)
*''[[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]]'' (31)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (32)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (33)
{{!}}}

|c2=
*[[Rapidfire (G1)|Rapidfire]] (12)
*[[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] (13)

|h3=[[Functionist Council|Functionists]]
|c3=
*Multiple [[Functionary|Functionaries]] (34)
*[[Twelve-of-Twelve]] (35)
*"Flatheaded" enforcer (36)

|c4=
*[[Anode]] (1)
*[[Lug (IDW)|Lug]] (2)
*[[Cybernought]] pilot (3)
*[[Mortilus|Censere]] (4)
*Miscellaneous unnamed "Disappeared" (7)
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] (8)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (16)
*[[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] (21)
*[[Ten]] (27)
*''Multiple [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]]'' (30)
*Functionaries' prisoners (37)
}}

==Quotes==
"In my experience, no matter how bad the problem, no matter how insurmountable the odds, if you '''stand around''' long enough, someone else will sort it out."
:—'''Anode'''

"I think I speak for everyone here—particularly those of us who've spent the last 50 slides trying to '''punch ourselves to death'''—when I say: next time, just skip to that bit. The bit you said just now. The end bit. And maybe a few '''jokes''' to spice things up. Because that was so '''dull''' it made my '''life''' cry." 
"Those were '''statements''', not questions. I asked for questions. Do you have any?" 
"Does this count?"
:—'''Anode''' and '''Ultra Magnus'''

"'''Magnus?''' Last time he gave a speech, people '''died'''." 
"I know. The only winner that day was '''medical science'''. We finally know what happens when the brain is totally deprived of stimulus."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Drift'''

"Goodbye, dear friend. The universe is emptier now, but you live on in its echoes."
:—'''Megatron''' bids farewell to Ravage

'''Brainstorm:''' "'kay, so, bear in mind that when you turn something into something else and then '''reverse''' the process you have to make some... '''aesthetic compromises.'''" 
''(The teleport chamber is revealed to be a ramshackle half-pipe lying on the floor.)'' 
'''Rodimus:''' "It's a '''den''', Brainstorm. You've built a '''den.'''" 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "Does it work? As a teleporter, I mean. Not a den. I'm not qualified to pass judgement on a den."

"Whirl, I'm—" 
"—putting me in charge? '''Finally'''." 
"'''You'''? I wouldn't put you in charge of your own '''legs.'''" 
"Ouch. Lucky for you I respect people who hurt my feelings."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Whirl'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*'''First appearances:''' Anode, Lug, Fangry, Rapidfire
*After a five-month gap in real-world time, we rejoin Team Rodimus on the Necroworld directly following on from the end of [[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|''More than Meets the Eye'' #55]]. That issue saw the defeat of the DJD, the death of Ravage, the return of the "Disappeared" Transformers, recovered from throughout time by the Necrobot (including Roller and Terminus), and the ''apparent'' detonation of the Galactic Council's geobomb.
**In-universe, this story is actually ''the past''. This story takes place the day after the characters made the creepy video seen in [[The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|''More than Meets the Eye'' #50]], which #50 told us was three weeks delayed in transit. [[Ten to Midnight|During]] the ''[[Titans Return (franchise)|Titans Return]]'' crossover, itself set weeks before the other two ongoing series, the characters discussed the the broadcasts as a past event during which people had tried to contact the ''Lost Light''.
*Cybernought battle suits were introduced in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|''More than Meets the Eye'' #8]].
*Anode suspects Swerve's questions aren't genuine; of course, he's holding his own self-governed "Crewditions" again, asking silly questions, like he did back in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|''More than Meets the Eye'' #28]]. All Swerve's "checks" reference the escapades of his various ship-mates: Brainstorm time-travelled to save someone he loved ([[Quark]]); Ultra Magnus is a [[loadbearer]] in disguise (in the form of [[Minimus Ambus]]); Megatron attempted to take over the universe (on numerous occasions); Skids had a dark secret (that he was responsible for Quark's death, as well as hundreds more); Tailgate had suppressed powers (triggered by a quantum-filled mutation). The reference to "villainous ex-partners" probably refers to the recurring theme of various characters reuniting with old friends and co-workers who are revealed to be traitors, including Getaway, [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], [[Solomus|Tyrest]], and [[Froid]]. It also could be Chromedome—whose ex-partner [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] put [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] on the ship.
*The crew are all wearing black Autobot insignias in memory of Skids, who died in [[The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|''More than Meets the Eye'' #54]].
*Rodimus' adopting a color scheme in line with Spectralist practices is intriguing, as in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|MtMtE #30]] the quantum-duplicate Rodimus' coffin was engraved with Spectralist symbology.
*Rung's reaction to Skids's death is understandable, if due a little more exploration; he and Skids had grown closer over the last year of ''More than Meets the Eye'', and they shared a notably awkward parting for unclear reasons in [[The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|issue #53]].
*Drift's vision features various separate but interlinked components of the primary over-arcing mystery of ''More than Meets the Eye''. Grimlock was found aboard a Worldsweeper in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]], and it was revealed in [[Animals|issue #46]] that the ships are connected to a group of robots who wear the mysterious gear-like hieroglyph that has repeatedly appeared throughout the series, including on the surface of Luna-2, and on [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]'s map to [[Cyberutopia]]. This symbol was identified in [[The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|issue #50]] as a coat-of-arms linked to the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Pharma, meanwhile, was last seen in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]] when his dead body was dragged through an experimental spacebridge by forces unknown; on the other side of this bridge Skids briefly encountered a giant glowing orb that spoke only in images, which included the symbol. Finally, the message Drift finds etched into the ground (see "Transformers references" below) translates to "PREPARE, CONFRONT, REPEL"—the same message Grimlock was shown to have written under a drawing of the glyph in issue #46.
*Drift refers to the "last time" he had a vision. As of this issue's publication, the only vision we previously knew Drift to have had was detailed in [[The Sound of Breaking Glass|issue #21]]; it occurred when he stabbed himself with his [[Great Sword]] in [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|issue #28]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing series]], giving him a vague glimpse of the future that inspired his dedication to Rodimus. However, next issue will clarify that this isn't the vision he's talking about here.
*Our heroes have wound up in the parallel [[Functionist Universe]], an alternate timeline where Megatron never lived to start the war, introduced in [[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|''More than Meets the Eye'' #35]]. That issue featured the debut of [[Twelve-of-Twelve]], the [[Functionist Council]]'s [[Functionary]] enforcers, and the advanced form of [[Empurata]] that sees a 'bot's head replaced with a screen, as one of the councilman's retinue seen here has been subjected to. A "chest cavity search" is mentioned which was also seen in that issue, consisting of an examination of a 'bot's [[transformation cog]]. Rewind recognizes the universe from his previous glimpse of it, granted when his database was slowly overwritten when history was changed.
*The Empurata-afflicted 'bot is holding captive three other smaller robots, who are evidently protesters of the same kind as seen in issue #35—ones who have modified the appearance of their bodies to look like Rung, an individual who the disenfranchised in Functionist society have rallied around for his mysterious, apparently purposeless alternate mode. In [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue #39]], however, Functionist council member [[One-of-Twelve]] told that universe's captive Rung that they had figured out the mystery of his alt mode at last... which, coupled with Rung's intriguing physical reactions to the death of Skids this issue, indicates this long-standing puzzle may soon be solved!
*The two protestors whose faces we can see appear to have black, bleeding, empty eye-sockets. This is almost certainly connected to the Functionist Council's plan to install cameras in the eyes of everyone on Cybertron, detailed in issue #35.

===Transformers references===
*Lug turns into Anode's backpack. Her transformation scheme is based on that of the ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Rewind (G1)#Generations|Rewind]] toy.
*A few of the generic "Disappeared" Transformers look to have stolen the color schemes of other characters, including [[Greejeeber|''Adventure'' Greejeeber]], [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]], [[Waspinator (BW)/toys#TM1|Transmetal Waspinator]], and [[Smokescreen (Prime)|cartoon ''Beast Hunters'' Smokescreen]]/"[[Bluestreak (Masterpiece)|Blue Bluestreak]]".
*The sword Grimlock is holding in Drift's vision is the [[Grimlock (WFC)|''Fall of Cybertron'' Grimlock]] toy's, and is also held by [[Volcanicus]] in art for ''[[Transformers: Earth Wars]]''.
*The message Drift sees in his vision is written in "[[Cybertronian language|Ancient Autobot]]," a substitution cypher/font created by [[Jim Sorenson]], based loosely on the hieroglyphics seen in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust]]."
*Upon arrival in the Functionist Universe, the Autobots are met by what Twelve-of-Twelve calls a [[Sky Spy|Sky-Spy]], after the Autobot satellite from the Generation 1 cartoon. Rather than share its design with that device, though, (as the Sky Spies that appeared in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|''More than Meets the Eye'' #11]] did), its appearance is that of a ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' [[Diagnostic Drone]], a design previously used by the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s medical drone, seen in multiple issues.

===Real life references===
*When Rewind realizes what has happened at the end of the issue, he quotes Arthur Dent from the ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}'' novel ''{{w|Mostly Harmless}}'' when he remarks "Right planet, wrong universe."

===Errors===
*Ultra Magnus gives the date as "1st Cycle 3041," but that's way off. The present era is something closer to 3819, per the date on the poster for ''Information Creep'' in [[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|issue #33]]. In fact, 3041 would predate even the [[Simanzi Massacre]], which took place in 3178, per [[The Gloaming|issue #16]].
*Tailgate's insignia is mourning-black on page 9, but red on page 15. Brainstorm and Megatron's, meanwhile, are consistently colored red, even on pages where other characters' are black, so that might be deliberate. We mean, Brainstorm ''is'' a bit of an arsehole...
*Rung's eyebrows are coloured orange on the last panel of page 14, as opposed to their usual gray.
*Tailgate's back is coloured white on the entirety of page 15, instead of its usual light blue.
*The overview/recap of the crew's adventures so far blames the events of "[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]" on [[D-Void]], not Shockwave. Not even IDW themselves understand what that crossover was about, we suppose....
*The recap also claims that Fortress Maximus was the one to accidentally shoot Rung in [[Interiors|issue #6]], when it was actually Swerve.
*One of the eyeless prisoners on the final page has "Reduntant" scrawled on their chest. Someone – fictional or real – misspelled "redundant".

===Other trivia===
*''Lost Light'' takes the place of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' on the IDW schedule, and remains written by James Roberts, continuing on the story begun in the previous title's pages. This issue's story is followed by a five-page recap of the ''More than Meets the Eye'' story so far.
*Would you believe this is Fangry's first appearance in IDW continuity? I know! Talk about overdue!
*Rodimus's new color scheme is very similar to that of [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive character [[Black Rodimus Convoy]], as well as to an off-color version of Rodimus who appeared in [[Time Wars|issue #201 of the Marvel G1 comic]] as a result of a [[:File:Timewars colourerror uk201.JPG|printing error]], but according to Roberts and Lawrence, neither served as inspiration for his new look.

===Soundtrack===
For all of "Dissolution":
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEI75kn9FTc Neither Here Nor There]" by {{w|Lost in the Trees}}

For this issue alone:
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rFfRo0SRAg This Is Why We Fight]" by {{w|The Decemberists}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxT0cUFbJyw Magic In Here]" by {{w|The Go-Betweens}}
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcE8YWdGtnI Water From the Same Source]" by {{w|Rachel's}}

===Covers (9)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Rodimus, Ratchet, Drift, and Nautica, by [[Jack Lawrence]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
*'''Subscription cover A:''' Rodimus and the ''Lost Light'', by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Subscription cover B:''' [[Getaway]] and the mutineers, by [[Andrew Griffith]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover C:''' Blank cover for sketches

<gallery>
File:LL1 regcvr.jpg|Three men and a lady.
File:LL1 subcvrA.jpg|Rodimus trips out.
File:LL1 subcvrB.jpg|It's mutiny, blarg!
File:LL1 subcvrC.jpg|
</gallery>

*'''Retailer incentive cover A:''' Graffiti of Megatron, Rodimus, and Nautica by [[Sara Pitre-Durocher]]; part of a series of "graffiti" variants by Pitre-Durocher which combines with covers from [[New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|''Optimus Prime'' #1]], [[Crisis Intervention|''Revolutionaries'' #1]], {{i|M.A.S.K. issue 1|''M.A.S.K.'' #1}}, and {{i|G.I. Joe Vol 5 issue 1|''G.I. Joe'' #1}} to form a complete image.
*'''Retailer incentive cover B:''' Megatron by [[Sonny Liew]]; one in a series of variants by Liew on the above-mentioned issues.
*'''Retailer incentive cover C:''' Megatron by [[Paul Pope]]; one in a series of variants by Pope on the above-mentioned issues.
*'''Bad Wolf Comics exclusive cover:''' Rodimus and the spectre of Megatron's past self, by [[Sajad Shah]] and [[Juan Fernandez]]; available exclusively from [http://www.badwolfcomics.com/ Bad Wolf Comics].
*'''Ript Apparel exclusive cover:''' the cast recreate the movie poster for ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', by [[Ninjaink|Timothy Lim]]. In a cute touch, Rodimus and Magnus's spots are swapped, meaning Rodimus gets to stand front and center while Magnus is way off to the side, in the distance, in vehicle mode. Available exclusively from [https://www.riptapparel.com/ Ript Apparel].

<gallery>
File:LL1 cvrRIA.jpg|Purple Floyd's ''The Wall''.
File:LL1 cvrRIB.jpg|''DOTM'' look?
File:LL1 cvrRIC.jpg|Feels good.
File:LL1 BadWolfcvr.jpg|"He's nicer now, I swear!"
File:LL1 Riptcvr.jpg|Still the best Transformers movie.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''Lost Light'' #2
*"The Hasbro Tribune" editorial page promoting December's [[Hasbro Universe]] ''[[Reconstruction]]'' titles, including [[G.I. Joe vol. 5 issue 1|''G.I. Joe'' #1]], {{i|M.A.S.K. issue 2|''M.A.S.K.'' #2}}, this issue, [[New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|''Optimus Prime'' #2]], [[Desperate Times|''Till All Are One'' #6]], [[Crisis Intervention|''Revolutionaries'' #1]], {{i|Micronauts issue 8|''Micronauts'' #8}}, and {{i|Reinforcements, Part 2|''ROM'' #6}}.

==External links==
*[http://www.cbr.com/transformers-lost-light-1/ Preview]

[[Category: Lost Light issues]]

How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2

2018-11-14T01:22:47Z

Djelibaebi: the simpatico line was later said to be a conformation for the two to be/become a couple on twitter by JRo, also brainstorm might have a thing for microscop alt-modes

{{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=[[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|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 the 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]]!''
[[File:LL25 It Never Ends.jpg|thumb|400px|center|''*curtains close*'']]

==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).
*Prowl proposes setting up the decommissioned ''Lost Light'' as a monument on the [[Mitteous Plateau]], a region of Cybertron introduced all that way back in ''More than Meets the Eye'' #1, adjacent to the ship's original launch site.
*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 bottle 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)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]], [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], and Ten himself.
*Bluestreak reminisces with Lug and Anode about how he tried to kill them (after being turned into a Sparkeater) on Mederi, which we saw in [[Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|issue #19]].
*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 "[[Afterlight]]," a poem written by Megatron in his youth. Megatron wistfully notes the poem was also [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'s favorite.
*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]]. Later, on twitter, James Roberts would confirm that this indicated the two were a couple. More interestingly though, it would seem Brainstorm has a [[Quark|type]].
* All the way back in [[The Transformers: Infiltration|''Infiltration'']], the very first story-arc of this continuity, Ratchet was the first Autobot to be introduced, when he rescues [[Hunter O'Nion]] and [[Verity Carlo]] from [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]]. While not the last issue in terms of release, it is the last to happen chronologically, thanks to the scenes that take place during Ratchet's funeral years after the end of the quest. The entire continuity begins and ends with Ratchet.

===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].
*Drift is shown to have started referring to Ratchet by the pet name of "Ratty" during their relationship. The name is a reference to ''{{w|The Wind in the Willows}}'' character Rat, who was known as "Ratty" to his friends.

===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.
*On page 9, panel 3, Rodimus is mistakenly colored in the purple and blue colors that he had for the majority of ''Lost Light''.
*On page 16, panel 2, Minimus Ambus says: "500 million sparks brought to term. 500 Lunarians given somewhere to live..." That ought to be "500 ''million'' Lunarians," a restatement of the previous sentence in different terms, rather than the implication that only 500 of the 500,000,000 sparks had been given homes and jobs.

===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>

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

[[Category: Lost Light issues]]