MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Mystery of the Speedia 500

2026-04-14T19:29:47Z

Domovoy3:

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers New Legends]]''
|prev=Age of Primes (End of G1 Universe)
|next=
|seriesissue2= ''[[The Transformers: End of G1 Universe|The Transformers: End of G1 Universe]]'' Chapter Three
|prev2=
|next2=
|image=End of G1 Universe 03.jpg
|caption=
|title="Mystery of Speedia 500"
|japanese=スピーディア500の謎
|romaji=Speedia 500 no Nazo
|publisher=[[TakaraTomy]]
|story by=
|art by=
|packaged with=
|date=[[2026]] [[April 14]]
|continuity=[[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]] and Micron Trilogy cartoon continuity
|manga=[[Hayato Sakamoto]]
|color=[[Tai Koshii]] (1, 2, 3, 8, 18p), [[Gufu Kandagawa]] (4, 5, 6p), [[Tasuku Tajima]] (7p), [[Lebanon Sugi]] (9, 10, 21p), [[Usakomu]] (11, 12, 13p), [[Rakurai Tsunetaka]] (1, 14, 15, 16, 23p) [[Ricken]] (17, 18p), [[Yuki Ohshima]] (19, 20p), [[DAI-XT]] (24p)
|editor=[[Kouji Nimura]]
|chronology=[[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline#100,000+ years from now|The End]]
}}

'''Seeking a power source to save their universe, the Stunticons end up in a multiversal race.'''

==Synopsis==
Aboard [[Untite]]'s [[Orcanoch|ship]], [[Blue Bolts (RID)|Bluebolt]] explains to [[Dark Amber Leo Prime]] that [[Lio Convoy (BW)|Lio Convoy]]'s green color and his dark amber color is the result of exposure to righteous [[Angolmois Energy]] and malevolent Angolmois Energy, respectively, examples of the [[color changing]] phenomenon. Such color changes can come from all sorts of power ups, including those induced by [[Energon Matrix|Energon Matrices]] and [[forestonite]] during the G2 era. Forestonite has the same power as Energon Matrices, and this is why the veteran [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] have embarked on a journey to find more forestonite.

In the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', the Stunticons find a [[black hole (phenomenon)|black hole]], intending to go through to the other side. [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]], ever pessimistic, doesn't mind the risk, what with the universe ending and all, while [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] relishes the thrill. [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], on the other end, is terrified and not very good at hiding it. [[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]], on the other hand, is frustrated because this kind of space exploration isn't for him. He was built to be number one in racing, and none of this stuff interests him. After he crosses the line in insulting the other Stunticons, [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] shuts down the whining, pointing out that they got this important job thanks to their record as a former scout squad, but get violent when the dismissive F-1 racer brings up his leader's rivalry with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. Crossing into the black hole, the Stunticons and the ship are affected by the dimension's forestonite particles, inducing a G2-style color change in their bodies. In [[2010]], [[The Killing Jar|four Transformers had went into a black hole and experienced similar changes]], but did not investigate why then. Now it is realized that it was the result of the presence of forestonite. The Stunticons spot a rift that's pulling them in, and they willingly decide to enter.

On the other side, they find the planet [[Velocitron]] during one of its many races. In the race, the [[New Decepticon Army]] attempts to use their [[rocket car]] to interfere with the racing [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]], but he manages to escape their clutches with [[Cyber Key]] power, and the trio of malicious doofuses end up crashing and arrested by [[Gasket Police Type|police]]. The scenario speaks to Drag Strip's inner soul as a racer. The Stunticons are brought before [[Flatline (G1)|Flatline]], who explains that Velocitron is now a destination of [[multiverse|multiversal]] travel since the denizens of this universe began the [[Space Bridge Initiative|Multiverse Space Bridge Initiative]]. Looking up their origin, Flatline determines the Stunticons to be from the [[G1 World]] during the G2 era and, despite Motormaster's protestations, impresses them into racers to help generate energy for the planet and marks them with the G2 Decepticon insginia. The doctor also gives them new livery to reflect their forestonite-granted abilities. When they're let go, Motormaster ignores the entire racing thing, wanting to get back to their actual goal, which upsets Drag Strip, who swears off the other Stunticons to race to his heart's content. Motormaster doesn't appreciate the insubordination and walks off on his own to complete their mission to save their universe. Drag Strip runs into Hot Shot, and the two gas each other up for the next race.

In the next [[Speedia 500]] race, many Transformers from different universes participate: [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] and [[Wasp]] from the [[Animated World]]; [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] and [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]] from the [[Prime World]]; [[Lockdown (Cyberverse)|Lockdown]] and [[Shadow Striker (Cyberverse)|Shadow Striker]] from the [[Cyberverse World]]; champion and leader of Velocitron, Hot Shot; and Drag strip from the G1 World. The other three Stunticons survey the race's spectators, figuring that they're all from worlds in their post-war era and decide to join the race. Elsewhere, Motormaster, figuring he should learn about this universe's history, runs into the [[Mini-Con]] [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]], who offers to serve as Motormaster's guide.

The race begins and Breakdown manages to take out both Knock Out and the other Breakdown with his oil-leaking. Wildrider's swerving causes Wasp to peter out, and Prowl jumps on the reckless Stunticon, forcing both off the racetrack—Wildrider activates his anti-grav gear and the two career off into the sky. Dead End uses his fireball charge to rush through the Cyberverse racers, and Shadow Striker is forced to take care of a disassembled Lockdown.

In the "Shrine of Speedia", Jolt explains to Motormaster about his universe: after stopping the [[Unicron Singularity|Grand Black Hole]] that threatened their world, they began the [[Space Bridge Initiative|New Space Bridge Initiative]] to connect the scattered Transformer colonies. Motormaster, realizing that if this universe's denizens could save their world from destruction, the same could happen for the G1 World, is elated with hope. Jolt continues that the Space Bridge project developed into multiversal travel so that they could connect and collaborate with other universes. Motormaster speculates that his world could perhaps evacuate its population to those other worlds if needed. Spotting a display of the [[Ancient]]s who began the original [[Space Bridge Initiative]], Motormaster recognizes one of them as his rival on the road, [[Autobot]] [[Supreme Commander]] Optimus Prime!

In the race, Dead End continues careening out of control as a fireball. He muses that perhaps it's finally his time to go and thinks back to his good times with the other Stunticons before he's rescued by Breakdown. Their tearful conversation elicits applause from the crowd, and the two sit out the rest of the race. It's down to the final two racers—Hot Shot and Drag Strip—as they enter a tunnel. Hot Shot uses his Cyber Key power to speed ahead, but Drag Strip has a trick up his sleeve; using his G2 power of Shadowstrip of moving instantaneously in darkness, the Stunticon slips ahead of his opponent and wins the race. But just before he cross the finish line, Wildrider and Prowl crash into Drag Strip from the sky. Hot Shot rushes to help the hurt racer. Drag Strip doesn't appreciate the Autobot stopping the race just to help a fallen opponent, but Hot Shot points out that he did cross the goal already, even if his run ended in an accident. Hot Shot explains to Drag Strip that he had previously spurred help to win races, but that he was able to gain his first win with the help of his friends, just as Drag Strip had with his Stunticon comrades taking out the other racers (even if it's against the rules...).

Celebrations are interrupted when the ''Nemesis'' goes out of control and [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]] is called in to handle the wayward ship. To defend their ride, Motormaster transforms into [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] by himself prompting Drag Strip to declare that it's their duty to help their leader. The four Stunticons combine, finishing up G2 Menasor and allowing him access to all of their superpowers. With a ruby as lens, Menasor fells Metroplex with the Container Laser Cannon. Before the battle can continue, Jolt rushes to stop the commotion, explaining to the giant Autobot the Stunticons' purpose in this universe. He has talked with their [[Primus]], who has explained that such color changes have occurred in the universe that birthed this one—a dark fog generated by the dark god [[Unicron#Unicron Trilogy|Unicron]] who was destroyed in the battles of that world. The Stunticons recognize this Unicron as different from [[Unicron/Generation 1|the one they know]] and suppose that the dark fog must be a form of [[Angolmois Energy]]. The ''Nemesis'', revealing its erratic behavior as the result of strange fog, crashes and a figure emerges from the spaceship. It reveals itself as Nemesis Prime! Looking from afar, [[Shockblast|a cycloptic figure]] is satisfied with this turn of events, noting that a giant [[energon star]] will reset this universe...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|
|h1=[[Maximal]]s/[[Autobot]]s|c1=
{{collist|2|
*[[Lio Convoy (BW)|Lio Convoy]] (1)
*[[Dark Amber Leo Prime]] (2)
*[[Blue Bolts (RID)|Bluebolt]] (3)
*''[[Ultra Magnus (RID)|God Magnus]]'' (4)
*''[[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]]'' (5)
*''[[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]]'' (6)
*''[[X-Brawn]]'' (7)
*''[[Superion (G1)|Superion]]'' (9)
*''[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (10)
*''[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]]'' (18)
*''[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'' (19)
*[[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] (21)
*[[Clocker (Cybertron)|Clocker]] (23)
*[[Blurr (Cybertron)|Blurr]] (25)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (35)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (36)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (37)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (39)
*[[Chase (RB)|Chase]] (44)
*[[Heatwave (RB)|Heatwave]] (45)
*[[Blurr (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Blurr]] (48)
*[[Windblade (Cyberverse)|Windblade]] (50)
*[[Signal Lancer (Cybertron)|Signal Lancer]] (51)
*[[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]] (52)
*''[[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]]'' (53)
*''[[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]]'' (54)
*''[[Override (Cybertron)|Override]]'' (55)
*''[[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Leobreaker]]'' (56)
*''[[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]]'' (57)
*''[[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]]'' (59)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'' (60)
*''[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'' (61)
*''[[Jetfire (SG)|Jetfire]] (64)
*''[[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]]'' (65)
*''[[Ancient]]s'' (66-69)
*[[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]] (70)
*[[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]] (71)
*[[Longrack (Cybertron)|Longrack]] (73)
}}

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s/[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
{{collist|2|
*''[[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]'' (8)
*[[Untite]] (11)
*[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis/Nemesis Prime]] (12)
*[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] (13)
*[[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] (14)
*[[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]] (15)
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (16)
*[[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] (17)
*''[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]'' (20)
*[[Runamuck (Cybertron)|Runamuck]] (22)
*[[Runabout (Cybertron)|Runabout]] (24)
*[[Buzzsaw (Cybertron)|Buzzsaw]] (26)
*[[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]] (27)
*[[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Dark Crumplezone]] (28)
*[[Ransack (Cybertron)|Ransack]] (29)
*[[Flatline (G1)|Flatline]] (33)
*[[Wasp]] (38)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (40)
*[[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]] (41)
*[[Shadow Striker (Cyberverse)|Shadow Striker]] (42)
*[[Lockdown (Cyberverse)|Lockdown]] (43)
*[[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] (46)
*[[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] (47)
*[[Slipstream (Cyberverse)|Slipstream]] (49)
*''[[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]]'' (58)
*''[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (62)
*''[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'' (62)
*''[[Soundwave (SG)|Soundwave]]'' (63)
*[[Crasher (GoBots)|Crasher]] (72)
*[[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] (74)
*[[Shockblast]]? (75)}}

|c4=
*[[Gasket Patrol Type|Gaskets Patrol Type]] (30)
*Velocitronian race announcers (31)
*[[Chromia (Cybertron)|Chromia]] (32)
*Scanning computer (34)
}}

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*This story makes extensive reference to the various kinds of [[color changing]], noting it as the result of a variety of power ups, including the [[Autobot Brothers|Car Robo Brothers]] acquiring their super modes from [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|God Magnus]]'s [[Energon Matrix]] and the G2 era recolors explained as a result of [[forestonite]] (the Transformers' coloration in the [[black hole (phenomenon)|black hole]] in "[[The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar]]" is linked by this story indicating that it contained forestonite).
*The [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] were shown to start their journey to find new energy sources in [[Age of Primes (End of G1 Universe)|the previous chapter]]. That story also features the mentioned unification of the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] population under the "Maximal" banner and the abolishment of the [[Convoy (rank)|Convoy]] system.
*The black hole encountered by the Stunticons is either based on, or is the one that serves as the setting of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1]] episode "The Killing Jar".
*[[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] mentions the Stunticons participating in demolition derbies, as was shown in the ''[[Unite Warriors Offshot]]'' [[Today Is Us Stunticons' Annual Holiday Demolition Race!|chapter for Menasor]].
*Wildrider and [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] are portrayed as friends, in reference to their appearance together in "[[The Burden Hardest to Bear]]". The narration added to the Japanese dub of that episode erroneously claimed the two characters featured in the scene were the [[Battlecharger]]s, a mistake that is here, pretty bizarrely, patched over by having Wildrider state that he and Dead End once "switching bodies" with the Battlechargers.
*[[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]] brags about being driven by the racer known as [[Mueller]]; he was indeed the driver of the F-1 formula car that became Drag Strip, as shown in "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1]]".
*The rift the Stunticons encounter in the black hole is based on the [[rift]] that served as a plot point for part of [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|the ''Energon'' cartoon]].
*Drag Strip notes that he's changed his name; his original [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] name was "Drag Stripe" (ドラッグストライプ). It's been changed to "Drag Strip" (ドラッグストリップ) to align with Hasbro nomenclature and the name the [[Drag Strip (G1)#Legacy|''Legacy'' toy]] is sold under in Japan. Menasor's name also changes in spelling (メナゾール to メナソー), but this goes unmentioned.
*[[Velocitron]] was the setting of a good portion of the [[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|''Cybertron'' cartoon]]. [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] is noted as the planet's leader, which indeed happened in "[[Beginning]]", the final episode of the series. Also present are the planet's flying race announcers and a scanning computer from "[[Race]]".
*The [[New Decepticon Army]] makes a reappearance, sans [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]], whose heart was never in the new group.
*Hot Shot uses his [[Cyber Key]], a power-up gimmick established in the ''Cybertron'' franchise.
*[[Flatline (G1)|Flatline]] states that the new Space Bridge project set up in "Beginning" developed into a multiversal effort connecting different worlds, explaining the crossover of various characters in the previous "[[Velocitron Speedia 500 Part 1|Velocitron Speedia 500]]" comics.
*[[Prowl (Animated)|''Animated'' Prowl]] is shown with an [[AllSpark]] fragment in his chest, explaining why he's alive when he died in in [[Endgame, Part II|the finale]] of ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]''. [[Wasp]] is shown reverted to his original non-[[technorganic]] self and noted to be found innocent of his presumed crime, having been framed by [[Shockwave (Animated)|''Animated'' Shockwave]] in "[[Autoboot Camp]]". Wasp still has hard feelings towards [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] for believing the ruse.
*''Prime'' [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] and [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]] are shown as a couple, a common take on their relationship in the [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|''Prime'' cartoon]]. Knock Out bemoans being foiled by [[oil]] again, referring to a similar experience in "[[Speed Metal]]".
*The presentation that [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]] shows Motormaster is the documentary he and Bud were shown recording in "Beginning." The images of the screens are direct recreations of "talking head" interview segments seen in the episode, and show Override, Scourge, Leobreaker, and Thundercracker (hefting a girder, with a lopsided Autobot symbol pasted onto his chest). Jolt mentions that Bud is now "famous"; the closing credits of "Beginning" established that he'd grow up to be an award-winning director.
*The [[Ancient|originators of the first Space Bridge project]] from the ''Cybertron'' cartoon are shown; they were visually based on [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]]. [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] assumes that the "Optimus Prime" he sees is the same as the one he knows, but whether he's right is left unconfirmed.
*The ruby that [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] pulls out is the same one (or one very like the one) that Motormaster stole in the Generation 1 episode "[[Masquerade]]," in which was a key component needed for that episode's new Decepticon superweapon. Menasor specifically notes he's combining it with the "lens" in his cannon; an experimental laser lens was also a component of the weapon in "Masquerade."
*Jolt mentions talking to "Lord [[Primus]]", who was a centerpiece character of ''Cybertron'' and possessed Jolt himself in that cartoon to serve some exposition.

===Transformers references===
*Velocitron's police force is made up of [[Gasket Patrol Type|officers]] based on Ransack's "[[Ransack (Cybertron)#Police|Gasket Patrol Type]]" toy exclusive to [[Toys"R"Us]].
*Flatline's nurse assistant is based on Thunderblast's "[[Thunderblast (Decepticon)#Minerva|Chromia White Version]]" toy exclusive to the first printing of the ninth volume of [[Victor Entertainment]]'s ''Galaxy Force'' DVDs. Her status as a nurse is due to the fact that the deco was based on ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce|Super-God Masterfroce]]'' medic [[Minerva (human)|Minerva]]. This deco was previously used for the new "[[Chromia (Cybertron)|Chromia]]" character and so we've elected to put the nurse on that page for simplicity.
*[[Flatline (G1)|Flatline]] compliments the [[Legends World]]'s system of labeling universes as simple and understandable by kids, a soft rib against the complex [[universal stream]] terminology established by [[Fun Publications]]' ''[[Transformers: TransTech|TransTech]]'' stories (and later utilized in ''[[Transformers: Alternity|Alternity]]'').
*"[[Blurr (G1)|Comic Universe Blurr]]" is shown serving [[energon]] to [[Blurr (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Blurr]] from a [[Maccadam's]] booth.
*The displays in Velocitron's shrine include views into other universes represented by then-recent toys: an [[2005 IDW continuity|IDW-esque]] universe, in which [[Tarn (G1)#Legacy|''Legacy'' Tarn]] faces off against [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Adamas Machina|''Adamas Machina'' Rodimus]], with a [[Cybertronian remembrance flower|spark flower]] visible between them; a ''[[Hearts of Steel]]''-style universe, where the ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)#Timelines|Timelines]]'' toys based on that comic; and a ''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]'' universe where [[Soundwave (SG)|Soundwave]] faces off against [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Jetfire (SG)|Jetfire]].
*Drag Strip's forestonite-granted power is called "[[Shadowstrip]]", the name given to Hasbro's 2022 ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]'' toy based on his ''Generation 2'' colouration.
*''[[Missing Link]]'' "Nemesis Prime" emerges from the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. Indeed, that toy's bio mentions that Nemesis Prime is an incarnation of the ship's AI.

===Real-world references===
*The group of [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]], [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]], and [[Ransack (Cybertron)|Ransack]] behave according to the trope established by the villainous Marjo's Gang trio in ''{{w|Time Bokan}}'', which went on to inspire many similar trios in later Japanese media.

===Other notes===

==References==
*[https://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products/tf_nl/nl-02-web-comic "Mystery of Speedia 500" at the TakaraTomy ''New Legends'' website]

[[Category:End of G1 Universe issues]]
[[Category:New Legends issues]]

Hotlink (G1)

2026-03-16T16:48:07Z

Domovoy3:

{{disambig3|Hotlink}}
{{factions|decepticon}}
:''Hotlink is a [[Decepticon]] [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Sunstorm Cartoon.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|But can it do smoke rings? (Hotlink is the purple one in front.)]]

'''Hotlink''' is a "Mechatronic Engineer" by trade but a gadget geek at heart. You'll never find him without his tool kit, and he's always ready to tinker up a new device to fit the needs of the moment. It's an affinity that transcends even Autobot or Decepticon factions for him. He'll be just as quick to geek out over an awesome Autobot weapon as one from his own team. And just as quick to "improve" it for his own enjoyment.

His favorite creation of his own is the [[pyropathic flamethrower]]. The kids love that one.<ref>Depiction of Hotlink in the Sunbow cartoon and ''Wings Universe'' stories</ref>

{{bigquote|Give me a spanner and I'll turn it into a gun.|Hotlink|''Wings Universe'' bio card quote}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Masashi Ebara]] (Japanese)}}
Hotlink was one of the Decepticon jets on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] four million years ago. He used a flamethrower to enclose the [[Autobot]]s [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] in a circle of fire. They were nevertheless able to escape and plowed through Hotlink's patrol. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

====''Wings Universe''====
[[File:Hotlinkgoggles-ACommonFoe.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]
{{Wingsnote}}
In [[2013]], Hotlink was part of the joint [[Autobot]]/[[Decepticon]] resistance on Cybertron against [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian]] clone army in the [[Machine Wars (event)|Machine Wars]]. Two days before Jhiaxus's army arrived, Hotlink helped [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] fuse the controls for the [[space bridge]] control room. Despite their best efforts, however, the bridge could not be opened up from their end. They were ushered out of the room when [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] and [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] wished to talk in private. {{storylink|A Common Foe}}

Five days later, he joined in an all-out assault on the Cybertronians, setting at least two clones ablaze with his flamethrower. {{storylink|Termination}}

===''TransTech''===
Hotlink was one of many offworlders in [[Axiom Nexus]]'s Under City. Hotlink was part of a crowd in [[Seeker-Shinai]] that [[Megatron (Movie)|C-81]] attempted to disperse through intimidation. Unfortunately, all the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] present were too stunned to see a "Megatron" in Axiom Nexus to budge. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
[[File:Machinima-Titans-Return-Ep2-Elites.jpg|300px|thumb|]]
The [[Mistress of Flame]] ordered Hotlink and the other members of the [[Elite Air Resistance Squadron]] to attack [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], but they were all completely overwhelmed by the [[Titan (group)|Titan]]. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}}

===''Transformers/Ghostbusters''===
A member of the Decepticons during the final battle for Cybertron, {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 1}} Hotlink was among the many Decepticon warriors sent out to battle [[Gozer]], but was unable to prevent it from utterly destroying their metallic homeworld. {{storylink|Ghosts of Cybertron Part 2}}
{{--}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' continuity===
====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material====
Hotlink was an [[Cybertronian military insignia|Air Force Applied Sciences Raider]], whose function was an engineer. During the war for Cybertron, Hotlink worked with the twin [[Battle Master]] flamethrowers [[Heatstroke]] and [[Heartburn]]. {{storylink|#Generations|''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' toy packaging}}

====''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Marcus Clark-Oliver]] (English)}}
[[File:WFCSiegeEp2-Hotlink.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Remember, keep 6 feet away from other Seekers for physical distancing.]]
Hotlink was seen standing alongside the rest of the Seekers when Megatron was giving orders to hunt down the Autobots. {{storylink|Siege episode 2}}

Hotlink was one of the Seekers who were listening to Starscream's disapproval of Megatron's plan to reformat the Autobots. However, they were quickly brought back in line by Jetfire. Later, Hotlink was among the Decepticon crowd that cheered for Megatron, and listened as Megatron declared that the Decepticons would be hunting for the Allspark. {{storylink|Siege episode 3}}

Hotlink accompanied Megatron and several other Decepticons in escorting the captive Ultra Magnus, who was guiding them to the supposed location of Autobot command. Arriving at the tomb of the late Alpha Trion, Hotlink and the other Decepticons aimed their weapons at Magnus, forcing him to open the entrance, only to reveal an empty room, and no base. An enraged Megatron then executed Ultra Magnus as Hotlink stood by and watched.

Moments later, Jetfire arrived and was instructed to take the body of Magnus back to Shockwave, though this command was halted by Starscream, who outed Jetfire as a traitor to the Decepticon cause. Jetfire attacked and then fled, and Hotlink joined Starscream and another Seeker in pursuing their former commander. During the aerial battle, Jetfire transformed and jumped down upon Hotlink, who was still in jet mode, and swiftly cut at him with his blade. Jetfire transformed and sped away as Hotlink exploded. {{storylink|Siege episode 4}}
{{charfictionstub}}
{{--}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
[[File:HotlinkandSunstormIDW2019Issue27.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Maybe he just needs some tiny soup. Soup always makes me feel better.]]

Hotlink worked up on the [[Winged Moon]] for a while before he got involved with [[The Rise]]. {{storylink|War World: Moon}} He was loaned out to the ''bigger and badder'' [[Team Stream|Team Stream]] Mark Two on an operation to steal the Moon for the Decepticon cause. {{storylink|Wheeljack: Orbital Decay}} However, a rival team of engineers refused to cede control to the Decepticons. Hotlink was unable to access the control systems and determine if there was even enough energon left to fight over. The odds only became worse once Colonial Security arrived to back up the defenders. After the opposing engineer [[Lancer]] used the moon's gravity core to blow up its energon supply, Hotlink and the rest of Team Stream were forced to evacuate aboard [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]. Inside the shuttle, Hotlink was asked his opinion on [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]'s condition, but he merely conceded the phenomenon was beyond his area of expertise. {{storylink|War World: Moon}}

When the Decepticons fought along the [[Sea of Rust]], Hotlink was among the Seekers seen in retreat after the [[Enigma of Combination]] was lost. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Enigmatic|Enigmatic}}

Hotlink joined the Seekers led by [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] in the invasion of [[Crystal City]]. {{storylink|A Dust of Crystals}} During the subsequent siege of [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]], the Autobots shot Hotlink out of the sky and sent him spiralling to the ground in a fiery explosion. {{storylink|Transformers: Fate of Cybertron|Fate of Cybertron}}
{{--}}

===Energon Universe===
Stationed on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] near the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]], Hotlink joined [[Bitstream (G1)|Bitstream]] and [[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]] in attacking [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]], [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]], and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]. After a grenade stunned the Autobots, Hotlink prepared to have them taste his lasers, but Carnivac had him hold off on shooting only so he could transform into beast mode and feed on Bluestreak instead. They were interrupted by a [[Shredhead|black van]] who immediately crashed into Carnivac, and Hotlink could only watch as Shredhead killed him with their energy sword. After the new Autobot disarmed Bitstream by cutting off his hands and cannons, Hotlink asked them to wait a moment, but his hesitation only gave Shredhead the opening to cut him vertically in half. {{storylink|Transformers (2023) issue 18|Transformers #18}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
'''Hot Link''' was part of Sunstorm's team which unsuccessfully attempted to intercept [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] as the pair returned to [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] after an [[energon]] scavenging mission. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye (Legends)|More than Meets the Eye}}

==Toys==
===''Timelines''===
[[File:TL Hotlink-toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Now you can recreate my awesome flamethrower scene! Flamethrower not included.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{bp-d1|'''Rainmakers''' {{sic}} (Souvenir 3-pack, [[2013]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Left & right missile launchers, 2 missiles

: A [[redeco]] of the ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Deluxe Class [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Classics|Starscream]] mold, ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' Hotlink transforms into a F-15 Eagle, but has the nose of an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet. His missile launchers can mount under his wings, on his shoulders, or in his fists, and fire spring-loaded projectiles. The large size of his launchers (necessary [[for safety reasons]]) restricts his arm movement somewhat in robot mode, as they bump into his wings. All three Rainmakers have slight tolerance issues with the white parts, making key joints juuuuuust a bit too tight.

:He was only available in a [[BotCon 2013]] [[exclusive]] souvenir set with [[Bitstream (G1)#Toys|Bitstream]] and [[Sunstorm (G1)#Timelines|Sunstorm]], limited to 2500 pieces. All three toys use exactly the same [[paint operation]]s and plastic layouts, with the only difference between the three being their primary plastic color.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/BCHotlink/hotlink.htm More information on Hotlink at TFU.info]''
{{ClassicsSeekerMold}}
{{-}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy''===
[[File:WFCNetflixtoy-DecepticonHotlink.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|You can pretend he's that [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Skywarp]] you couldn't get. But you'll always know he's not...]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{bp-d1|'''Hotlink''' (Battle 3-Pack, 2020)}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''WFC-06'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date:'' '''[[November 28]], 2020'''
:*''Accessories:'' 2 "HPI [[Null-ray|Null-Ray]] Laser Launchers", "[[Heartburn#Toys|Heartburn]]" and "[[Heatstroke#Toys|Heatstroke]]" [[Battle Master]]s, 2 "fire blast" effects

: Promoting the first season of the [[Netflix]] [[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon]], Hotlink is a redeco of ''[[War for Cybertron: Siege|Siege]]'' Voyager-sized [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Skywarp]], coloring him entirely purple while slathering him in an ''extensive'' paint wash coating to represent accumulated grime and battle scars. He transforms into a Cybertronian "tetrajet" based on the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers']] appearance in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" although the jet mode has <s>the robot-mode legs</s> pretty much his ''entire robot body'' sticking out from the undercarriage. As a rather heavy [[shellformer]], Hotlink can easily be separated into both a wingless robot mode and a nearly complete tetrajet via a single friction hinge.

: He includes two "HPI Null-Ray Laser Launchers", which can mount on his upper arms or under the wings in jet mode (or in any other [[5 mm post|5 mm port]], really). As part of the ''Siege'' [[C.O.M.B.A.T. System]], Hotlink has 5 mm ports on his biceps, forearms, shins, under his feet (vehicle-mode thrusters), and wings. The 3 mm pegs on his shins, forearms, left bicep, and the tips of his null-rays can accommodate effects parts, like the ones that come with his pack-in partners, Battle Masters [[Heartburn#Toys|Heartburn]] and [[Heatstroke#Toys|Heatstroke]]. These two are nigh-identical redecoes of [[Blowpipe (G1)#War for Cybertron: Siege|Blowpipe]] meant to be the flamethrowers the pre-retcon "Hotlink" used in the original 1984 cartoon.

: The [[Cybertronian military insignia|military insignia]] on Hotlink's box places him in the Air Force division as an Applied Sciences Raider. His instructions, meanwhile, have him as a Ground Force Infantry General. Given that puts him at the same rank as ''Megatron'', his box prrrrobably has it right.

: As with other Netflix series figures, Hotlink was exclusive to [[Walmart]] in Canada and the United States. In Japan, Hotlink was a [[TakaraTomy Mall]] exclusive.
{{WFCSiegeStarscreamMold}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:Red wing comic cameo.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|(Red Wing in his debut cameo alongside Sunstorm and Hotlink)]]
*Hotlink was a nameless walk-on in his first appearance in the original Generation 1 cartoon's first episode, "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]". He was given his name with his first toy in 2013, taken from [[Hotlink (WFC)|a more recent Aligned Seeker]]. Incidentally, [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotlink "hotlink"] didn't exist as a word when he made his original fictional appearance! Maybe, back then, he just loved {{w|andouille}}.
*In the Japanese dub of ''The Transformers'' cartoon, Hotlink actually shouts out an anime-esque name for his special move involving the ring of fire: "Fire Attack!"
*Coincidentally, "Hotlink" was originally intended by [[Fun Publications]] as the name for the orange [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] to be included in the [[BotCon 2013]] exclusive souvenir three-pack, back when [[e-HOBBY]] was planning to release their own exclusive [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] toy, and FunPub had thus changed the figure's intended color scheme to a more red-ish orange. At that time, the purple Seeker was intended to be named "Nacelle". However, when the e-HOBBY figure didn't happen, the orange Seeker's identity was changed back to Sunstorm, he was given a more yellow-ish color scheme closer to FunPub's ''original'' original plans for the figure, and the name "Hotlink" was reassigned to the purple Seeker.<ref name="bc13seekers">[https://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/156054-generations-selects-brown-box-revealed-pg-7/page-9#entry3834842 Post by Fun Publications' Jesse Wittenrich on The Allspark Forums, 15 January 2019]</ref><ref name="whois">{{citesocial|quote=You're still wondering who Red Wing is though, aren't you? It goes back to BotCon 2013 and the 3-pack of Decepticon Rainmakers. The final figures in the pack were named Bitstream, Hotlink, and Sunstorm|link=https://twitter.com/JesseWittenrich/status/1096941004433879040|name=Jesse Wittenrich|site=Twitter|year=2019|month=02|day=17|(defunct=)}} {{citesocial|quote=Sunstorm, though, wasn't always his name. You see in 2013, Fun Publications were beginning a partnership with eHobby in Japan. During the development of the BotCon exclusives (and Sunstorm) it was discovered that eHobby were seeking (get it?) to make their own Sunstorm.|link=https://twitter.com/JesseWittenrich/status/1096941010209464320|name=Jesse Wittenrich|site=Twitter|year=2019|month=02|day=17|(defunct=)}} {{citesocial|quote=The BotCon Sunstreaker was then changed to "Orange Seeker Jet" to allow eHobby to proceed with their plans. Everything seemed fine and on-track once again.|link=https://twitter.com/JesseWittenrich/status/1096941016203100160|name=Jesse Wittenrich|site=Twitter|year=2019|month=02|day=17|(defunct=)}} {{citesocial|quote=The BotCon toys were renamed Bitstream (teal), Nacelle (purple), and Hotlink (Orange). In homage to the trio of Seeker jets mentioned in the Aligned novels by Alex Irvine. EHobby then approached Takara with their proposal for Sunstorm...|link=https://twitter.com/JesseWittenrich/status/1096941019759869952|name=Jesse Wittenrich|site=Twitter|year=2019|month=02|day=17|(defunct=)}} {{citesocial|quote=Takara, though, declined to allow eHobby to continue. Their reason was that Hasbro were planning to make their own Sunstorm. Fun Publications and eHobby both assumed this meant some kind of release of the WFC (the video game) Starscream mold since those toys were just released.|link=https://twitter.com/JesseWittenrich/status/1096941021215236096|name=Jesse Wittenrich|site=Twitter|year=2019|month=02|day=17|(defunct=)}} {{citesocial|quote=As it became evident that no WFC Sunstorm was to be made, and that Takara could very well have been referring to the BotCon figure itself, Fun Publications change the convention print materials to make the Rainmakers into Bitstream (teal), Hotlink (purple) & then, yes, Sunstorm.|link=https://twitter.com/JesseWittenrich/status/1096941022507139078|name=Jesse Wittenrich|site=Twitter|year=2019|month=02|day=17|(defunct=)}}</ref> The name "Nacelle" was later given to [[Nacelle (G1)|yet ''another'' Seeker]].
*Further confusion arose when the BotCon 2013 exclusive souvenir three-pack was given the name "Rainmakers". [[Fun Publications]] employees subsequently confirmed that the pack's title was an error, and that they were indeed intended to be the "welcoming committee" from "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1", with no intended direct connection to the the trio from "[[Divide and Conquer]]" known as the "[[Rainmaker]]s".

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Hotlink''' (ホットリンク ''Hottorinku'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:BotCon exclusives]]
[[Category:Energon Universe Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Seekers]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Machine Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:TransTech Decepticons]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Earthrise Decepticons]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Kingdom Decepticons]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Siege Decepticons]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]

Hellbat (G1)

2026-02-03T09:34:12Z

Domovoy3: /* Legacy */

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{disambig2|the ''Victory'' Decepticon|the ''Animated'' Decepticon|Hellbat (Animated)}}
:''Hellbat is a [[Decepticon]] [[Breastforce]] warrior from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Hellbat.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Member of the Ambitious Screwups Club.]]
Of all of [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]]'s warriors, '''Hellbat''' (ヘルバット ''Herubatto'', aka '''Fellbat''' or '''Ellbat''') is by far the most underhanded and maniacal. As a member of the elite [[Breastforce]] team, he thinks that he would be much better suited to lead the unit than his commanding officer, [[Leozack]], and he goes to any lengths that he can to prove it to Deathsaurus. Hellbat is a highly accomplished spy, regularly obtaining information that none of his fellow Decepticons are able to, and formulating any number of plans and schemes in his never-ending quest to climb the greasy ladder. He is also a sneak of the highest order, constantly talking behind his teammates' backs and spreading rumors, but he's not sneaky enough to prevent his fellow Decepticons from knowing what he gets up to. It is perhaps not surprising, then, to learn that nobody likes Hellbat, and that they trust him even less than that. In fact, his teammates would all be quite happy to kick him out of the Breastforce, if not for his strangely skilled silver tongue. Hellbat is usually able to talk just about anyone around to his way of thinking just long enough. He would genuinely go to any length to keep his position in the Breastforce ranks, although he'll usually come off as just plain pathetic in the process.

In [[robot mode]], Hellbat has one of the most useful special attacks among all the other Decepticons: with a chant of "Saimin, suimin, tōmin, Hellbat!",<ref>"睡眠、催眠、冬眠、ヘルバット!", a rhyme meaning "Hypnotism, sleep, hibernation, Hellbat!" in English.</ref> he can project mesmerizing waves of sonic energy that weaken his opponents, leaving them open to his influence-or his teammates' attacks. His breastplate, [[Kōmoribreast]], can detach and transform into either a bat-like robot mode (equipped with an energy-draining whip in its mouth), or the hand-held "Kōmori Cannon" blaster. Like his fellow Breastforce warriors, Hellbat is also armed with an [[Electromagnetic Nunchaku]].

So it's a pity, then, that he's kind of a schmuck.

Hellbat can merge with his Breastforce teammates into [[Liokaiser]], forming the left arm of the super robot.

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''Victory'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Yoku Shioya]] (Japanese), [[Vadim Gushchin]] (Russian)}}
[[File:Hellbat hypnotism.jpg|left|thumb|"Hypnosis, slumber, hibernation, HELLBAT!"]]
Hellbat was summoned by Leozack to join the Breastforce on Earth after they had already waged several battles against [[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]]'s [[Autobot]]s. For his first mission, Hellbat snuck into the [[New Energy Resource Research and Development Laboratory]] in [[Japan]], where he deployed his Kōmoribreast to download information from the lab's computers. Discovered by one of the scientist, Hellbat knocked out the Autobot and [[human]] troops that attacked him and fled. He soon met back up with the rest of the Breastforce, and was chastised for being unable to keep his actions a secret by Leozack, who then decided to simply steal the entire contents of the lab. In the battle that ensued, Hellbat faced off against [[Blacker]], but the brawny Autobot overcame the Decepticon's hypnotic waves by ''stabbing himself in his own leg''. The Decepticons were ultimately repelled by a brainwave-scrambler invented by [[Braver]], and when Leozack was chewed out by Deathsaurus for the team's failure, Hellbat silently observed the whole affair, deciding that he would be a much better leader than Leozack was. {{storylink|The New Warrior - Hellbat}}

[[File:Leozack and hellbat.jpg|thumb|Oh, come on, give me money for the roller coaster.]]
Hellbat immediately set about currying Deathsaurus's favour, gathering information on an energy shipment leaving from a spaceport in Nevada. Leozack was enraged when Hellbat went over his head with the information and took it directly to Deathsaurus, but Hellbat won him around by appealing to his own desire to see Deathsaurus dethroned, explaining that they could take the energy for themselves. To their credit, they were able to abscond with the energy, but when Star Saber appeared to chase them down, Hellbat was shot out of the sky and decided to let Leozack fend for himself while Hellbat made plans to blame the whole debacle on his commander. {{storylink|Attack the Shuttle Base!!}}

After joining in on the Breastforce's attempt to ransom [[Marine City]] with a [[neutron bomb]], {{storylink|Tanker Hijack Operation}} Hellbat put another scheme of his own to work. While the Breastforce kept most of the Autobots busy in a battle over a fleet of oil tankers, Hellbat invaded the under-staffed [[Rocket Base|Shuttle Base]] and tried to steal information from its computers. When he tripped an alarm, Hellbat simply snatched a random computer disk and tried to flee, but when his way was barred by [[Galaxy Shuttle]], he kidnapped [[Jan Minakaze]] and [[Holi]] to ensure his safe getaway. The Autobots soon tracked him down to the temporary base he and the [[Dinoforce]] were using and rescued Holi and Jan, but Hellbat passed the buck, blaming Leozack and [[Goryu (G1)|Goryu]] for the bungled mission. Hellbat still had the computer disk to give to Deathsaurus, but unfortunately for him, it turned out that all he had stolen was Jan's homework. {{storylink|Rescue Jan!!}}

[[File:Hellbat tree trouble.jpg|left|thumb]]
When Autobots [[Mach (G1)|Mach]] and [[Tackle]] discovered a Breastforce scheme to tap hydroelectric power in Canada, Hellbat didn't fare very well in the ensuing chase, and wound up being lured into the nearby forest and entangled in a cluster of trees. {{storylink|Mach and Tackle}} Soon after, Hellbat participated in the Decepticons' plan to captured spacecraft in the asteroid belt. {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}}

[[File:Hellbat crossformers.jpg|thumb|Schmucks.]]
A little later, the Breastforce departed Earth for planet [[Micro]], intending to spring the sixth member of their team, [[Guyhawk]], from the [[Planet Micro Satellite Penitentiary|Satellite Penitentiary]] on the planet's moon, so that they could combine to form the giant robot, Liokaiser. Before that mission got underway, however, the enterprising Hellbat decided to launch a series of raids on several of Micro's major energy-gathering facilities. Hiring the mercenaries [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]] and [[Blue Bacchus]] to aid him, Hellbat soon found he had to triple their cut to keep them on the job when Star Saber turned up to stop them. Rather than risk fighting Star Saber, Hellbat decided to cut his losses and blow up the plasma energy plant they were stealing from, but a parting shot from [[Sixshot (G1)|Greatshot]] destroyed what little energy he had already been able to steal, leaving him unable to pay the furious mercenaries. {{storylink|Planet Micro - The Mysterious Warrior}} Upon returning to the ''[[Thunder Arrow]]'' after this mission, Hellbat was met with threats of violence by the rest of the Breastforce, who were not impressed with his sneaking around behind their backs. Hellbat calmed his teammates by claiming that the energy he had tried to steal would have been intended for the whole team's personal use. The argument settled, the team set about their original goal, and attacked the Satellite Penitentiary to free Guyhawk. While the rest of the team held off Star Saber and his Autobots, Hellbat ventured into the prison to locate Guyhawk, only to have the object of his search be the one to find him, right when he was in the middle of ruminating on what effect the addition of Guyhawk to the Breastforce would have on his standing. Over-compensating to cover up his scheming, Hellbat met Guyhawk with hugs and kisses, and helped him recharge his energy from the prison's main supply. A battle between Guyhawk and Greatshot subsequently erupted, which sent the prison up in flames, forcing Hellbat to transform to jet mode and join Leozack in carrying their non-flying comrades to safety. {{storylink|Rescue! Guyhawk}}

[[File:Hellbat kills deathcobra.jpg|left|thumb|Oh, this'll bite me in the ass.]]
When Leozack did not invite Hellbat to the meeting to welcome Guyhawk back to the fold, he panicked, listened in on the conversation, and was horrified to discover that they were planning to kick him out of the team and replace him with an old comrade of Leozack's named [[Deathcobra (G1)|Deathcobra]], who was already on his way to the planet. Hellbat intercepted Deathcobra before he reached the ''Thunder Arrow'', and petitioned him to simply leave, so that he could remain on the team. Deathcobra, however, was disgusted by Hellbat's cowardly request and swatted him out of the way, forcing Hellbat to draw his gun on him. Deathcobra dared Hellbat to pull the trigger, and to Hellbat's own surprise, he actually did, prompting a firefight between the two. Even as Hellbat squealed that it was an accident, he managed to unintentionally land a fatal shot on Deathcobra, killing him outright. Spotting the Autobot Micromaster [[Holi]] watching from a nearby ridge, Hellbat sped back to the ''Thunder Arrow'' and blamed Deathcobra's untimely end on him, then led the rest of the Breastforce in a "retaliatory" attack. In the battle that followed, Hellbat and the Breastforce combined into Liokaiser for the first time and actually defeated Star Saber. {{storylink|Unite! Liokaiser}}

[[File:Victoryleo vs breastforce.jpg|thumb|We're wearing him down, lads!]]
Not long after the Breastforce returned to Earth, Hellbat discovered the existence of the [[Schaeffer Energy]] plant in America, and the Breastforce led the charge in raiding it. {{storylink|Battle Up of Wrath!!}} After this, Hellbat let his own schemes and plans take a back seat for a while, and was content to simply participate in a series of missions without any of his typical backstabbing: drilling oil in Antarctica; {{storylink|Fight to the Death!! Antarctic Battle}} ambushing the [[Brainmaster]]s in the desert; {{storylink|Crisis! Ambush in the Desert}} aiding Deathsaurus in laying a trap for Star Saber; {{storylink|A Deadly Battle}} and raiding energy from a solar power plant. {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}}

After this temporary bout of restraint, Hellbat started looking out for number one again when he had his Kōmoribreast sneak into the Shuttle Base on an information gathering mission, which led him to learn of the apparent death of God Ginrai. He took this report to Deathsaurus, and also informed his emperor of another discovery he had made: the existence of a large energy stockpile in America. He, Leozack and the Dinoforce proceeded to attack a tractor trailer delivering a load of energy to this stockpile, but were easily defeated by the reborn Ginrai, who had been recreated as Victory Leo. {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} When Victory Leo again roared into battle to thwart the Breastforce's attempt to pillage the Mount Asama geothermal energy plant, Hellbat was in no rush to confront the feral Autobot, but he didn't have any compunctions about chasing the helpless Jan Minakaze through the plant's corridors and locking him in the exploding building. {{storylink|Awaken! Victory Leo}}

[[File:Victory33 hellbatdorya.jpg|left|thumb]]
When Leozack tried posing as Star Saber in order to infiltrate the Shuttle Base and steal information on the Autobot leader's ability to combine with Victory Leo, Hellbat helped complete the illusion by broadcasting a fake message to the Autobots, demanding that "Star Saber" bring the relevant computer disk to him or he would blow their base up with hidden bombs. {{storylink|A Mystery?! The Deception of the Base Bombs}} After the failure of that plan, Hellbat was next dispatched to a jungle planet somewhere in the depths of space to search for the metal-eating [[Doriya]] insects, which he had previously heard about while visiting [[Planet X (Victory)|Planet X]]. His hatred of the wilderness notwithstanding, Hellbat successfully retrieved the insects and brought them back to Earth and helped unleash them against the Autobots, but the scheme turned sour when the heroic robots discovered that intense cold could defeat the little metal-munchers. In the chaos that followed, Hellbat wound up spilling the insects all over himself, and ran off screaming. {{storylink|The Death-Bringing Space Insects!!}}

[[File:Victory35 falconpunch.jpg|thumb]]
Hellbat's final plot was his grandest: he actually succeeded in locating the lost continent of [[Atlantis]] and its massive supply of energy, and took the information straight to Deathsaurus. This proved to be the last straw for Leozack, who gave Hellbat a ferocious beating, until Hellbat revealed what he had told Deathsaurus: raise the continent and use its energy to recharge Deathsaurus's [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]]. {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} The plan succeeded, and with this Atlantean energy in their clutches, the Breastforce and Deathsaurus departed for space, heading right for the fortress. The Autobots pursued the villains, but were unable to stop them from bringing the fortress back online. {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}} To keep the Autobots busy while the fortress's main cannon charged, Deathsaurus dispatched the Breastforce—combined as Liokaiser—to battle them. In the course of the clash, Victory Leo was able to blast Liokaiser into the fortress's cannon barrel, which drained his energy dry. With his consciousness fading and his body unable to move, Liokaiser could only utter a fading scream for help as he drifted off into the depths of space. {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Jan - Defend the Campus!!}}}}

====''Zone'' catalog====
As part of Liokaiser, Hellbat was revived from death by some means. Lead by the reborn [[Emperor of Destruction|Dark Emperor]] [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]], Liokaiser joined several other powerful Decepticons in an assault on planet [[Micro|Zone]]. Attempting to steal their [[Energon Z]], the Decepticons proved no match for the [[Micromaster]]s and were driven away. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)#Catalogue story page 1|Zone Project Story}}

===''Victory'' comic===
Hellbat debuted silently, standing behind Guyhawk as he informed Deathsaurus that Leozack had gone off on a solo mission, foolishly believing that he could conquer Earth on his own. {{storylink|Leozack's Rampage!}}

Hellbat and the rest of Breastforce dramatically charged into battle against [[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]], outnumbering him 4-to-1. Star Saber mowed them all down with a single strike from his sword. {{storylink|Star Saber, Warrior of Love!}}

Later, Hellbat and the other Breastforcers combined into Liokaiser to battle Star Saber on [[Energy Planet X]]. When the combiner warrior managed to seize Star Saber, his individual components began arguing over who would get right to destroy the Autobot leader; Hellbat believed he was the one who should be allowed to "switch them off". Star Saber exploited the opening to turn the battle around, and Liokaiser was defeated and escaped. {{storylink|Star of Friendship, Jan and Star Saber!}} In their next battle with Star Saber, the Breastforce almost had him defeated thanks to the aid of Deathsaurus and Dinoking, but the tables were turned when Star Saber merged with new arrival Victory Leo, to form Victory Saber. {{storylink|The Strongest Pair, the Combination of Victory!}}

In their next battle, Liokaiser and Deathsaurus were defeated by the Autobots' "Five Stars of Victory" attack technique, and Liokaiser split back into Guyhawk and the rest of the Breastforce to flee back to Deathsaurus's "Space Stronghold". {{storylink|Shine, Five Stars of Victory}} From the stronghold, the Decepticons began a final attack on Earth, bombarding the planet with meteors, but the Autobots succeeded in thwarting their scheme, despite a bit of attempted treachery courtesy of Leozack. At the battle's end, Deathsaurus revealed that the fortress was home to the Decepticon civilians, and that they had been fighting to keep them safe. Struck by this revelation, Star Saber decided that it was time for the Autobots and Decepticons to lay down their arms, and live in peace—the truest victory of all! {{storylink|The Grand Victory War}}

===''Wings Universe''===
[[File:WOH Hellbat.jpg|thumb]]
Hellbat was part of [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzai-Tron]]'s squad of Decepticons sent to [[Beta-Nine]] to retrieve some valuable cargo from the crashed ''[[Van De Graaff]]''. Hellbat, Banzai and [[Guyhawk]] had the young [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] cornered, but Hellbat's hypnotism ability drew the impressionable young bot out. Lucky for the Autobot, a hungry aquatic monster decided to try and make a snack out of Hellbat, breaking the spell and distracting the other two Decepticons long enough for Kup to run for it. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

Of course, millions of years later, Kup's recollection of these events were a little... different.

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Gigatron hellbat empire of stone.jpg|thumb|left]]
Acting as [[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]]'s second-in-command, Hellbat was disillusioned by millions of years of unending war and came to the conclusion that destruction was the reason Cybertronians existed. Accepting this role in the universe with gusto, he began planning to fulfill his race's destiny by killing all other living beings. When Gigatron learned of a [[Stone Army]] laying dormant on a remote planet, Hellbat hid it from him in hopes of using it for his own purposes, secretly dissecting captive Autobots and Decepticons alike and using their parts to reactivate the stone soldiers. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|Empire of Stone #3}}

Hellbat stood by Gigatron's side when [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] and [[Grit]] were brought before him, {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1}} advising him against releasing Ratchet. He mercilessly mocked Grit for being found with the Autobots, calling him a traitor and an unworthy Decepticon; Grit took this as a deadly insult and headbutted him in the face. The captives' ensuing escape attempt was stopped by Gigatron, but Hellbat convinced him to let them live, {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} intending to use their bodies to activate more of the Stone Army. He allowed Drift and Ratchet to find the army before sharing with them his philosophy and plans, only for his evil monologue to be interrupted by an attack by the vengeful Grit. In the battle that followed, a pressed Hellbat chose to make his move, activating his Stone Army soldiers and sending them to destroy Gigatron. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|Empire of Stone #3}}

Gigatron teamed up with Drift and company and fought his way to Hellbat, who unleashed a gigantic stone soldier he'd prepared specifically to destroy his leader. He taunted Drift with Grit's apparent death and their own similarities, believing them both to be heartless killers, but his goading proved ineffective when Drift, touting his belief that people can change, ripped the Stone Army's control device off his arm. When Drift was distracted by Gigatron turning on him, however, Hellbat retrieved the device and used it to send all remaining soldiers after Gigatron, all while goading his leader to kill him. Gigatron waded through the stone soldiers and obligingly cut the deranged Decepticon in half as he stood motionless, welcoming death. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 4|Empire of Stone #4}}

===''TransTech''===
Hellbat was one of many criminals being held prisoner within [[Axiom Nexus]]'s offworlder maximum security prison. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:EW-Fellbat.jpg|thumb|300px]]
*Class: Special
*Lowest Star Rating: 2
{{chargamestub|{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

==Toys==
===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers''===
{{anchor|Victory}}
[[File:Victory-toy Hellbat.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|I'm Batmammary.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Hellbat''' (Breastforce, [[1989]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''D-331'''
:*''Accessories'': "Kōmoribreast" Breast Animal
{{toydesigner|[[Takashi Kunihiro]] (TakaraTomy), [[Masakatsu Saito]] (concept artist)}}

: Released in the ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1989 (Victory)|Victory]]'' portion of Takara's ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' toyline, Hellbat transforms into a dark blue and white [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes|Dassault Rafale fighter jet]]. He comes with his Breast Animal partner Kōmoribreast, who can attach to Hellbat's chest as armor or be used as the hand-held "Kōmori Cannon" weapon.

: Hellbat can combine with his fellow Breastforce members, forming the left arm of [[Liokaiser#Toys|Liokaiser]]. Unlike most combiners in the original line, Hellbat's combiner "kibble" is built in, with Liokaiser's fist sliding out of his foot.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/Hellbat/hellbat.htm More information on Hellbat at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Liokaiser}}
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Liocaesar''' {{sic}} (Gift set, 1989)}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''D-335'''
:*''Accessories'': "Kōmoribreast" Breast Animal

: Hellbat was also available in a complete six-piece box set of the entire Breastforce/Liokaiser team. All of the toys are identical to their individual releases. This release does not have [[bio]]/[[Tech Spec]] cards for the individuals, only the combined form.

===''Combiner Wars''===
[[File:TF-Platinum-Edition-Combiner-Wars-Fellbat.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|What the Fell happened to my name?]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Liokaiser''' (Platinum Edition Collection Pack, [[2016]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Double-barreled gun (white), gun/fist/foot

:''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' Fellbat (like [[Killbison#Combiner Wars|Killbison]], renamed for ''obvious reasons'') is a [[redeco]] and new-head [[retool]]ing of ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)#Generations|Skydive]], transforming into a fighter jet roughly based on a {{w|General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon}}. The bat wings on his helmet are articulated and need to be flipped back into his head before transformation.

: As a ''Combiner Wars'' Deluxe limb he can combine with any Voyager Class toys released as part of that subline or the ''Unite Warriors'' line, or form one of [[Godbomber#Legends|''Legends'' Godbomber]]'s legs, but is of course intended to be combined with his pack-in [[Breastforce|Destron]]s to form Liokaiser. His nominal placement is as the left arm.

:Fellbat was only available as part of a boxed [[Liokaiser#Generations|Liokaiser]] [[giftset]], the only ''Combiner Wars'' "Collection Pack" that's [[co-branding|co-branded]] as part of the ''[[Transformers: Platinum Edition|Platinum Edition]]'' range. In the United States, this set was officially exclusive to online retailer Entertainment Earth, but was also stocked by competitor [[BigBadToyStore]], which obtained its stock through Asian vendors. In Hasbro's Asian markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore, it was available at general retail. Additionally, it was also sold at Ripley stores in Chile and at Myer stores in Australia, whereas in Canada, it was available via the Canadian [[Walmart]] website, but never sold in stores.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2016/Decepticon/CWFellbat/fellbat.htm More information on ''Platinum Edition'' Fellbat at TFU.info]''
{{CWSkydiveMold}}

===''Legacy''===
[[File:TF-HasLab-Hellbat.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|What the Uck happened to my name?]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Liokaiser''' (Multi-pack, [[2026]])}}</ul>
:*''Series'': ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1989 (Victory)|Victory]]'' / ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]''<ref>[https://www.hasbropulse.com/product/transformers-legacy-haslab-liokaiser-combiner/G22675L00 HasLab Liokaiser campaign page]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoHhGjpFhXU NEW TRANSFORMERS HASLAB! Legacy Liokaiser Combiner - The Ultimate Combiner Awaits!] at the Hasbro Pulse YouTube channel.</ref>
:*''Accessories'': 6 [[Electromagnetic Nunchaku#Legacy|Electromagnetic Nunchaku]] (Tier 2 unlock), Display stands (Tier 3 unlock)
{{toydesigner|[[Evan Brooks]] (Hasbro), [[Shuhei Umezu]] (TakaraTomy)}}<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGuJaxxrg40 HasLab presentation] from the [[Megacon Orlando#2025|Megacon Orlando 2025]] ''Transformers'' panel with [[Emily Bader]] and [[Evan Brooks]], recorded at the "Blind Prime" YouTube channel.</ref>

:''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy]]'' "Ellbat" and the rest of his [[Breastforce#Legacy|Chest-force]] team constitute the fifth ''Transformers''-based HasLab project. Like his original toy, Ellbat transforms into a fighter jet and is capable of combining with his squaddies to form [[Liokaiser#Legacy|Liokaiser]], acting either as an arm or as a shoulder mounted cannon. He also includes his animal companion, the "[[Kōmoribreast#Legacy|bat Chest Animal]]".

:The name "Hellbat" was unable to be used, as McFarlane Toys had a concurrent trademark for toys of [[Batman]]'s [[wikia:dc:Hellbat|Hellbat]] armor.<ref>Hasbro correspondence at [[Megacon 2025]].</ref> However, several Hasbro Pulse promotional emails and presentation slides used "Hellbat" sporadically.

:Initial CGI renders depicted Ellbat's jet intakes folding down when in arm mode to end up dangling under Liokaiser's armpits, and his animal partner's handle stuck out of the front of his chestplate mode. Engineering changes were made to have the intakes fold upward instead to hide behind the large amount of wing [[Kibble|kibble]] present on Liokaiser's upper half, and the bat's peg was given the ability to fold away.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz2yKzGnvyg Final Days to Back Liokaiser—See What’s New!] at the Hasbro Pulse YouTube channel.</ref>
{{toystub}}
{{comingsoontoy}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers Gum===
* '''Guyhawk · Hellbat · Drillhorn''' (Candy toy kit, 1989)

: Released in the ''Victory'' portion of [[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Transformers Gum]]'' [[candy toy]] line, this Hellbat is a tiny little version of his original toy, unassembled and unpainted, cast in white, black and red plastic, with add-on stickers for detailing. He even comes with a little Kōmoribreast that doubles as a handgun (it doesn't actually transform, just can be held as a gun). And he keeps the combiner functionality as well.

: Hellbat was only available in a box packed in with [[Guyhawk#Transformers Gum|Guyhawk]], [[Drillhorn (G1)#Transformers Gum|Drillhorn]], and a plank of gum which by no means should you put in your mouth if you acquire it.

==Notes==
*Hellbat's body in ''Wings'' continuity is a "virtual redeco" of the ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' Deluxe-sized [[Starscream (Armada)/toys#Energon|Starscream]] mold.

===Foreign names===
*''Mandarin:'' '''Lán Biānfú''' (藍蝙蝠, 蓝蝙蝠, "Blue Bat")
*''Russian:'' '''Netopyr'''' (Нетопырь, "Pipistrelle")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Breastforce]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Earth Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Seekers]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Legacy Decepticons]]
[[Category:Platinum Edition]]
[[Category:TransTech Decepticons]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]

Hawk's Claw

2025-12-23T22:54:19Z

Domovoy3:

:''The Hawk's Claw is a starship from the [[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Hawk'sClawAutobotShip.jpg|thumb|I guess I'll just fly the Hawk then|right|upright=1.67]]
The '''''Hawk's Claw''''' is a small ship that was used to get some 'Bots to [[Space Port Bravo]].

Its crew included:
*[[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]]
*[[Landshark (G1)|Landshark]]
*[[Flak (G1)|Flak]]
*[[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]]
*[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]
*[[Dion (G1)|Dion]]
*[[Over-Run (G1)|Over-Run]]

==Fiction==
===''Wings Universe''===
After the battle with [[Virulent Clone|Virulent Clones]], [[Elite Guard]] squads were given this ship by [[Magnum]] in order to get to Space Port Bravo as soon as possible.{{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}}

[[Category:Generation 1 Autobot starships]]
[[Category:Wings Universe starships]]

User:Domovoy3

2025-12-23T22:51:38Z

Domovoy3:

[[File:Soundwavecomic.jpeg|right|thumb|Hey, that's me! ....''sort of''....|300px]]

Okay, I'm doing a page about me, I DEFINITELY should write something cool............IDW ARE KINGS *drop mic*

==My creations that I am proud of (not many, I know)==
*[[Chrome Ridge]]
*[[Hawk's Claw]]
*[[Space Port Bravo]]
*[[Village Six-Beta]]

Inferno (episode)

2025-11-04T23:13:45Z

Domovoy3:

{{disambig3|Inferno}}
{{episode
|series=Cybertron
|ep=52
|series2=Transformers: Galaxy Force
|ep2=2
|prev2=Fallen (episode)
|next2=Haven
|title="Inferno"
|japanese=トランスフォーマーとの遭遇
|romaji=Transformer no Sōgū
|translation=Encounter with the Transformers
|image=Cyb_ep52_burning_down_the_house.jpg
|caption=Fool! Pain is my friend...allow [[Inferno (BW)|me]] to introduce ''you'' to it!
|production code=
|production company=[[TV Aichi]], [[We've]], [[Tōkyū Agency]]
|writer=[[Hiro Masaki]]
|director=[[Kahoru Igusa]]
|animation studio=[[GONZO]]
|airdate=[[January 15]], [[2005]] (Japanese) [[October 2]], [[2006]] (English)
|continuity=[[Unicron Trilogy cartoon timeline|Unicron Trilogy cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''Some other things happen.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Cyb ep52 hauling landmine.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]

[[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and his [[Autobot]]s take a [[space bridge]] to [[Earth]], though [[Vector Prime]] warns that the evacuation of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] is only delaying the inevitable; the [[Unicron Singularity|black hole]] will eventually consume all of reality if they do not stop it. To this end, the Autobots split into two teams: [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]], [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] and [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul]] are assigned to accompany Vector Prime in pursuit of [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]], to recover the [[Planet Map]] the [[Decepticon]] leader stole, while Optimus and [[Scattorshot (Cybertron)|Scattorshot]] search Earth for the missing [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]].

Meanwhile, on Earth, [[Coby Hansen|Coby]] rushes to the garage of his engineering mentor Mr. [[Stanton]], looking for tools to help repair the injured Landmine. Coby claims he is going to "mine for gold", and the amused Stanton lets Coby borrow the tools, plus his ATV. Coby uses the ATV to help pull Landmine out of the impact crater he left when he fell to Earth, and he and his brother [[Bud Hansen|Bud]] proceed to lead the Autobot into the cover of the forest, where they meet with their friend [[Lori Jiménez|Lori]] and begin repairing his injuries and polishing his armor.

Elsewhere on Earth, Optimus is waiting for Scattorshot to scan a new [[alternate mode]]. He spies a billboard with what might be a war-movie advertisement on it and scans the vehicle from that: a half-track tank. Optimus is dubious, but Scattorshot gets suitably lippy and the two drive off.

[[File:Cyb ep52 planet map.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Remember, using chaff or entering Alert status will disable your map.]]

In outer space, Megatron and [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] arrive in an asteroid field, guided by the stolen map to the location of one of the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s. When Megatron breaks open the largest asteroid, however, he finds nothing, and almost crushes the map in anger, until Starscream stops him and points out that the map itself is ancient, and that the universe is constantly moving. Megatron muses that some adjustments need to be made, but then the Autobot strike team arrives. Vector Prime and Jetfire tackle Starscream while Overhaul and Hot Shot pile on Megatron. They put up a good fight, but even two-to-one, the Autobots are unable to take down the Decepticons.

[[File:LandmineFootprints.jpg|left|upright=1.2|thumb|I sure hope somebody needs a forest ranger around here sometime.]]
Back on Earth, the town sheriff and a crowd of people discover the giant footprints Landmine left behind, and begin searching the woods in search of the "[[Bigfoot]]" that has left the tracks. Word of this discovery travels fast, and Optimus Prime happens to overhear two gas station attendants talking about it. The Autobot leader quickly reads between the lines, and sets off for the forest to investigate.

Elsewhere, the Decepticon [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]] arrives on Earth and scans a military jet for his alternate mode. Thundercracker soon spies Landmine and the kids, fleeing through the woods with the search party hot on their heels, and launches a volley of missiles at the Autobot. The fires that result from Thundercracker's incendiary attack send the rangers fleeing, at which point Optimus Prime arrives on the scene! Thundercracker lands and fires on Optimus, but can't take the heat, and returns to the air. Optimus follows in his flying form, and the two play cat-and-mouse in a nearby canyon until Optimus gets the upper hand and blows up a battery of Thundercracker's missiles right in the Decepticon's face, sending him hurtling away through a [[warp gate|dimension gate]].

[[File:Cyb ep52 fire fighting.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Tay Zonday|Chocolate rain... some stay dry, while others feel the pain. Chocolate rain...]]]]

With Thundercracker disposed of, the Autobots have to turn their attention to the fire, and the humans trapped within the flames. Optimus Prime sucks up water from the nearby lake, and converts to [[Super Mode]], using his cannons to douse the inferno with a hyper-ionized blast of water. That to the Autobot leader's careful tactics, the humans think that it is simply raining, and walk away happy after the flames die out.

The other Autobots soon arrive on the scene, and more introductions are made between them and the kids. The Autobots are loathe to involve the human children in their mission, but that doesn't stop Bud from cozying up to Vector Prime inspecting his impressive clockwork inner workings. As Bud touches the ancient Transformers' armor, the [[Recon Mini-Con Team]] spring forth and scan their alternate modes from Coby's spilled books and magazines. Jolt recognizes the image on Lori's rock-band T-shirt is that of the [[Omega Lock]], one of the keys to stopping the black hole. Vector Prime muses that if that pattern is appearing on Earth, then maybe one of the Cyber Planet Keys is here...
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] (2)
*[[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] (3)
*[[Scattorshot (Cybertron)|Scattorshot]] (4)
*[[Vector Prime]] (5)
*[[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]] (6)
*[[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul]] (7)
*[[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] (11)
*[[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]] (18)
*[[Six-Speed (Cybertron)|Six-Speed]] (19)
*[[Reverb (Cybertron)|Reverb]] (20)

|c2=
*[[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (15)
*[[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (16)
*[[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]] (17)

|c3=
*[[Coby Hansen]] (8)
*[[Stanton]] (9)
*[[Bud Hansen]] (10)
*[[Lori Jiménez|Lori]] (12)
*[[Luke (Cybertron)|Luke]] (13)
*Sheriff (14)
}}

==Quotes==
"Just one question... are you standard or metric?" 
"You know, I never really thought about it."
:—'''Coby''' and '''Landmine'''

"A ''tank''?! Are you ''trying'' to draw attention to us?!" 
"As opposed to a firetruck with giant ''cannons''? Yeah, 'cuz that blends in ''so'' well with the scenery. Where'd you go? Oh, ''there'' you are, I didn't see you for a second! Huh. A tank is perfect! No parking tickets, they'll all get out of my way, ''and'' I can get up to sixty miles per hour on rough terrain!" 
"Yes... but a fire truck is bigger." 
"''Wanna race?''"
:—'''Optimus''' and '''Scattorshot''' discuss their alternate modes' disguise value

"Bigfoot in platform shoes?"
:—'''Random witness''' to the footprints Landmine left behind

"It's been real, gentlemen."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

"If the Earth is in danger..." 
"Not ''if'', ''when''!"
:—'''Scattorshot''' and '''Jetfire'''

'''Jolt:''' "Um, where are we, anyway?" 
'''Lori:''' "This is Earth." 
'''Jolt:''' "Ooh-hoo-hoo! ''Earth!''" 
'''Coby:''' "You know it?" 
'''Jolt:''' "Never heard of it."
:—Jolt doesn't actually know which planet he's on

==Notes==
===Differences with ''Galaxy Force''===
*''Galaxy Force'' includes a "previously on" segment that summarizes the events of the first episode, which ''Cybertron'' drops. This sequence featured the revelation that Landmine had not been sucked into the black hole, but had in fact been warped to Earth by Vector Prime, but American audiences already knew this, so its removal meant nothing.
*While ''Cybertron'' has the characters talking about a "search party", ''Galaxy Force'' has them discuss the consumption of Cybertron by the black hole, a plot point consistently excised from the English version of the show.
*In both ''Galaxy Force'' and the first ''Cybertron'' version of the scene (in the episode "[[Fallen (episode)|Fallen]]", see below), Vector Prime suspects that the presence of the symbol of the Omega Lock means the device may be on the Earth. Rather inexplicably, in this ''Cybertron'' episode, he suspects it may mean a Cyber Planet Key is here (of course, both suppositions eventually prove correct, but still...)

===Animation and/or technical glitches===
[[File:Cyb ep52 wing clip.jpg|thumb|A bad case of ingrown tailfin]]

*The passenger side of Optimus' truck cab (his robot mode left shoulder and arm) is out of alignment as he orders Scattorshot to hurry up and find an alternate mode.
*Megatron's Decepticon [[insignia]] appears unfinished at several points, appearing as a flat grey placeholder.
*When Landmine is flexing his recently repaired hand, the support strut for his right arm's shovel-half is actually phasing through the shovel.
*When Optimus Prime thanks the gas station attendant, and later when he meets up with Landmine, his headlights do not flash as he speaks. You might think it's a dubbing error, but the effect is missing in ''Galaxy Force'' too.
*After Thundercracker transforms to [[robot mode]], as he fires at Optimus, his tail fin clips through his leg (see image at right).

===Continuity errors===
*A running error throughout these early episodes (well, early-continuity) is that characters have blatant Earth-[[alternate mode]] [[kibble]] on them before they scan an Earth alternate mode. Scattorshot and the Mini-Cons scan theirs this episode... and Landmine won't get ''his'' until his [[Landmine (episode)|titular episode]], quite a few down the line.
*The line: "You got those from Coby's book!"... is pronounced by Coby himself, but using Bud's voice! This is a ''Cybertron'' exclusive mistake, since in ''Galaxy Force'' the line was just: "You got those from '''the''' book!", and the voice was Coby's one.
*Despite getting a second chance to correct the error they made regarding it in "Fallen", ''Cybertron'' persists in claiming that the old T-shirt Lori wears in this episode is her brother's, when she doesn't ''have'' a brother.

===Transformers references===
*Optimus uses the old catchphrase "robots in disguise" when telling Scattorshot to hurry up and scan an alternate mode.

===Real-world references===
*The military jet scanned by Thundercracker is referred to as "Oceanic Flight 815", after the doomed airliner from the TV series ''{{w|Lost (TV series)|Lost}}''.
*Thundercracker hoots "Time to git 'r' done!", the catchphrase of popular hick-comedian {{w|Larry The Cable Guy}}.

===Trivia===
[[File:Cyb ep52 flying autobots.jpg|thumb|This year's Thanksgiving Day parade is sure to be an interesting one]]
*This episode originally aired in Japan as the second episode of ''Galaxy Force'', but was combined with the first episode to create "[[Fallen (episode)|Fallen]]", the first episode of the ''Cybertron'' dub. To fill out the full run of 52 dubbed episodes, this episode was dubbed as a "lost" episode that served as the 52nd and final episode of the series. When ''Cybertron'' was released on DVD in Malaysia, the episode was included as the second of the series, but when the series was released in the United States, it retained its iffy 52nd placement.
*This episode is the first in which several land-based Autobots fly under their own power in robot mode. It's not a feat they will repeat often.
*In this episode, as well as "[[Retreat]]" and "[[Revelation (episode)|Revelation]]", actress [[Chiara Zanni]] stands in for [[Sarah Edmondson]] as Lori.
*Vector Prime is capable of using his toes as laser cannons in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]].

===Foreign localization===
'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Incontro'''" ("Encounter")
::*Stanton is not called by name in this episode.
::*When Stanton gives Coby the keys, the line: "Your ATV! Thanks!" becomes: "Your '''car'''! Thanks!", erm... what?! It really looks like the translator had no idea what an [[w:All-terrain vehicle|ATV]] is... although in the very next scene Coby is using one... (or maybe they considered that to be a car...)
::*"Flying fire engine" and "flying fire trucks" are both changed to "truck of flying firefighters"! Yes, now the firefighters are the ones flying, not the truck!
::*[[Fallen (episode)#Foreign localization|That horrible translation mistake]] about the kids laughing is not present here: the dialogues are now correctly translated. Thank God!

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2005 — ''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 01 ([[Victor Entertainment]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers: Cybertron'' — The Ultimate Collection ([[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers: Cybertron'' — The Complete Series ([[Shout! Factory]])

[[Category:Cybertron episodes]]

Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading

2025-10-10T23:18:41Z

Domovoy3:

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=11
|prev=Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism
|next=Before & After
|caption=
|image=MTMTE11Cover.jpg
|title="Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 21]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=November 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Juan Castro]], [[Alex Milne]] and [[John Wycough]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''Rewind's tale reaches its climax, as Orion Pax leads a daring heist for the Matrix.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:OutliersIntroduction.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
''On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], before the war... [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] and his team prepare for their attempt to steal the explosive replica of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] hidden within the body of [[Nominus Prime]] in the [[Primal Basilica]]. Incredulous, [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] refuses to get involved, but promises not to blow the whistle on Pax if he keeps Prowl's partner [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] out of the action. As Prowl departs, Chromedome and [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] return from the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology|Academy of Advanced Technology]] with three of its students selected by Pax's senator friend to help in the heist, all "outliers" possessed of special powers: the technology-disrupting [[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]], the magnetic [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and the super-learner [[Skids (G1)|Skids]].''

Aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'s story takes a short break so [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] can check on the progress of the still-unresponsive [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] pilfers some especially hard "[[Nightmare Fuel]]" liquor from [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and begins dishing it out, jokingly getting Rung's name wrong and being warned by Ratchet that he particularly hates that. Everyone settles down as Chromedome gets back to his part of the story, describing his visit to the workshop of [[Iaconian Mechaforensic Division|Iacon Mechaforensics]] ballistics expert and [[Primal Vanguard]] fanboy [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], from whom he obtained a replica Matrix they could swap the bomb out for. Ratchet interrupts for a moment to recount an exchange between him, Roller and Pax that followed, as Roller attempted to warn Pax of various questionable activities his senator friend was involved in, including the recruitment and modification of ''other'' Autobots in addition to Pax himself, but Pax would not hear it.

In the ''Lost Light'' medibay, [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] balks at [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'s diagnosis of [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s comatose state as the result of attempted suicide. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] attempts to restrain him as he grows angrier, accidentally gouging large dents in his arms that shock him into relaxing. Magnus proposes putting Red Alert in cold storage until their circumstances are more conducive to his mental well-being, and with [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s agreement, Rodimus sadly does so.

[[File:OrionSavesTheDay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
The story of the heist continues, with Ratchet describing how each of the outliers used their special powers to help penetrate the Primal Basilica while Chromedome and Roller remained behind to guard the senator. Their approach hidden from the [[Sky Spy]] network thanks to Roller's hacking skills, Windcharger magnetically levitated the team over the heads of the [[Triorian Guard]] of [[Triple Changer]]s standing watch at the Basilica, while Glitch deactivated the security systems so that Skids could (indignantly) lower Pax into position with his grappling hook. Discovering that the Matrix-bomb was locked in place, Pax switched places with [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], whose incredible hands picked the locks with ease. Things almost went south when Glitch patted Skids on his back, jamming his winch and causing Ratchet to drop the bomb, but Windcharger saved the day by magnetically preventing its fall. The theft successfully completed, the team departed, but, having not been contacted by Roller at the appointed time, Pax sped on ahead to investigate; Chromedome takes over the story to describe Pax's return, just in time to find that Senate thugs [[Kroma]], [[Macabre]] and the [[Heavies]] had attacked their safehouse.

[[File:ShockwaveReformation.jpg|thumb|left]]
Pax took out one of the Heavies, but when Kroma held his gun against Roller's head and proposed an exchange, the senator agreed to go with him. The remaining Heavy, Anvil, remained behind to finish off Pax, but Pax used the Matrix-bomb to destroy his attacker, then unearthed Chromedome from the rubble to lead him to the [[Institute]], figuring Kroma had taken the senator there. Alas, they discovered it was deserted—because despite its name, it was not unique. The senator had potentially been taken to any one of hundreds of hidden facilities, lost to them.

Such is the end of the story: not a happy one, but an ending nonetheless. Tailgate has a few remaining questions, which Rewind answers: [[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]] did not keep his promise, and much to Tailgate's surprise, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime. Sadly, Rung remains non-responsive, but when alarms suddenly begin blaring throughout the ship, and everyone heads for battle stations, Skids decides to try one last thing: he leans close to Rung, and deliberately mispronounces his name several times. Quietly, the psychiatrist awakens and corrects him.

''On Cybertron, before the war... Orion Pax is approached by another of the senator's recruits, [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]. And elsewhere, in one of the many Institutes, two staffers talk about the newest victim of [[Shadowplay]]: a senator who is also being subjected to the head-and-hand replacement ritual known as [[empurata]]. A senator...''

''...named [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]].''
{{--}}

==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)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]'' (2)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (6)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (7)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (10)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (11)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (12)
* [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (13)
* ''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (14)
* ''[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'' (15)
* ''[[Siren (G1)|Siren]]'' (16)
* ''[[Gears (G1)|Gears]]'' (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'' (19)
* ''[[Atomizer]]'' (20)
* ''[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]]'' (21)
* ''[[Sprocket (G1)|Sprocket]]'' (22)
* ''[[Xaaron]]'' (23)
* ''[[Dipstick]]'' (24)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (28)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (29)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (30)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (31)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (32)
{{!}}}
|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'' (1)
* ''[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]'' (3)
* ''[[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]]'' (4)
* ''[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'' (5)
* ''[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'' (8)
* ''[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]]'' (18)
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (25)
* ''[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'' (26)
* ''[[Crosscut (IDW)|Crosscut]]'' (27)
* ''[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]'' (33)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]]'' (34)
* ''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (35)
* ''[[Heavies]]'' (36-37)
* ''[[Kroma]]'' (38)
* ''[[Macabre]]'' (39)
* ''[[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]'' (40)
* ''Institute staff'' (41-42)
* ''[[Lobe]]'' (43)
* ''Lobe's assistant'' (44)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"Sorry, '''Swerve''', I need the secret password." 
"Sigh. 'Whirl is a million billion times tougher than [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]].'" 
"You may enter." 
"Jeez, '''Whirl''', even I think that password's immature, and I glued Tailgate to his recharge slab the other day..."
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Swerve'''

"I should have said this '''earlier''', but—as a trainee theoretician who can master virtually any skill, I'm kind of '''insulted''' that you brought me along for my '''grappling hook'''."
:—'''Skids'''

"Okay, they've wired it in like a tamper-proof fuel pump. A '''440'''—the mother of all fuel pumps. If I put a finger wrong, it'll '''explode.'''" 
"In that case don't do anything. Not even '''you''' can disable a 440 by hand." 
"Pax, I think you're amazing, but that is the most ham-fisted attempt at reverse psychology I've ever heard."
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Orion Pax'''

"The Matrix is just '''hovering''' there!" 
"You can thank Windcharger and his magic arms for that." 
"You're lucky I got tired of waiting." 
"His magic arms and his low boredom threshold."
:—'''Ratchet''', '''Orion Pax''', and '''Windcharger'''

"Ooh! Ooh! What about '''Orion Pax?''' What happened to him?" 
"Orion Pax...?" 
"He was '''great!''' I really liked him. 'I trust him, Roller. End of conversation.' '''I'm''' gonna start saying stuff like that." 
"Tailgate—Orion Pax became '''Optimus Prime.''' They're the same person. I thought you '''knew''' that." 
"'''What?!''' ''(holds up picture of Prime)'' You mean '''this''' is Orion Pax? Well, I'm '''floored'''. I did '''not''' see that coming."
:—'''Tailgate''' and '''Rewind'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Notice how Chromedome is never referred to by name on the first page; from [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part 1]], we know he had a different name before he was "Chromedome", and here, he's only referred to as Prowl's "partner" (in turn indirectly furthering the obvious "romantic" implication between the two characters). This is because it's an impartial flashback, not part of Rewind's story (since it's a conversation between two characters not on the ''Lost Light''); he is called "Chromedome" elsewhere during the story since Rewind asked him to minimize confusion by doing so back in part 1.
* Having said something similar to Prowl four million years in the past in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], Chromedome remarks that he is unable to make the derisive "Pfft" noise Swerve utters. Logically, that'd be because he doesn't have any lips!
* This is the third true story that Rewind organised. His first group was Blaster, Sunstreaker, Siren, Gears, and Perceptor; his second was Xaaron, Dipstick, Atomizer, Slapdash, and Sprocket. The implications are that the members of each group were at least peripherally involved in their own major incident, once upon a time, much like the current storytelling team. (Roberts has since admitted that there's no rhyme or reason behind the character choices except to make us go "what the heck did ''they'' all do together?!".<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 1:04:20</ref>)
* When last seen, Atomizer carried a crossbow, which Ultra Magnus said he was going to confiscate. As Atomizer is now carrying a regular bow and quiver instead, we can assume Magnus followed through.
* In his younger days, Skids had a miniature Matrix "[[tattoo]]ed" on his cheek, just as [[Springarm]] did in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory]]". Pax remarks on the similarity. This apparent religiosity is a marked contrast to the nihilism the modern Skids expresses.
* The Primal Vanguard is the detachment to which Tailgate claimed to belong and which has been mentioned a few times in ''More than Meets the Eye''. The user of the bomb disposal kit Ironfist is so excited about is not named, leading fans to conclude that it was Tailgate himself, but [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|later revelations]] would prove this to be a splendid piece of misdirection by Roberts.
* Ironfist's looking a little different than he will when we chronologically see him next in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''. Based on the helmet we can see in the background of his lab, he obviously modified his own noggin to look like a Primal Vanguard helmet.
* Ironfist shows Chromedome the image of a robot named Crosscut, trapped in the [[Forever Glass]] of [[Moldavite VI]]. This could be potentially the ''fourth'' Crosscut to exist—there's the [[Crosscut (G1)|Japanese-original Autobot]], the [[Crosscut (Marvel)|Marvel Decepticon]], an unnamed member of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that the Decepticon Crosscut is often mistaken for (according to his profile in the ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' hardcover), and now this guy. It is, of course, extremely possible that this Crosscut could be one of the others; being that this is Roberts, who doesn't toss this stuff around casually, it's almost a certainty.
* We see that Ironfist has always had a fondness for writing about his heroes; his ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs had a predecessor in his monographs about the Primal Vanguard. We couldn't ''possibly'' imagine what it's like to write endlessly about our hobbies in minute detail, no sir.
* Pax's senator friend is noted to be on speaking terms with the [[Omega Guardian]]s, the enigmatic protectors of the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] who have only previously appeared in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''.
* This is the second story to mention the substance [[propex]]. In issue #8, Grimlock's body was preserved in a "weak propex solution".
* The Heavies, previously seen in Whirl's flashback in issue #6, reappear, as does Whirl's cellmate from last issue—one of the senate thugs who menaced Orion Pax in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]", whose name is revealed to be Kroma. One of the Heavies is named "Anvil"; we'd hazard a guess the other's "Hammer".
[[File:KromaHeaviesAndMacabre.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
* When Kroma, Macabre, and the Heavies arrive to kidnap the senator, Kroma quips that they are acting on the "best tip-off ever". This would be explained 26 issues later in "[[Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet]]", where we learn that the Heavies encountered a [[time travel]]ling Whirl, Rewind, and Chromedome a year earlier (from their perspective) during the events of "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". Whirl was all set to kill the Heavies for their part in his oppression and eventual empurata by the [[Functionism|Functionists]], leading Chromedome to explain in front of them that they couldn't die because they had to return in a year's time to abduct Shockwave.
* Following a crack made early in the issue by Skids about the Academy of Advanced Technology never being referred to by its full name, we find out at the end of the story that it's the ''Jhiaxian'' Academy, after [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]. This indicates that it's the "J.A.A.T." mentioned last issue, and is a ''big'' clue to the true identity of the senator, as we've known since ''[[Spotlight: Doubledealer]]'' that Shockwave was a student of Jhiaxus's, obviously having studied under him at the academy before he left Cybertron.
* "Empurata", first mentioned in issue #6 and a few times since, is at last revealed to be a process by which criminals have their heads and hands removed and replaced. Whirl's reference to its persuasive power in issue #6, coupled with his lament about the loss of his hands last issue, now make a horrifying amount of sense. Glitch would also appear to have suffered through the process.
* [[Lobe]] was first mentioned as a Mechaforensic cybersurgeon in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part one]], asking for [[Sherma]]'s brain module as part of an experiment. Now we know he's one of the Institute's top brainwashers and that Sherma was killed by the Senate for being a closet dissident... They really ''are'' everywhere!
{{--}}

===Transformers references===
* The [[power booster rod]] was an Autobot tool famous for being stolen by the human criminal the [[Mechanic]] in [[Funeral for a Friend!|issue #26]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel comic]]. Chromedome can be seen idly using it for its intended purpose of easily lifting heavy items.
* The Primal Basilica is decorated with statues of the [[Guiding Hand]] and the [[Aligned continuity family]] design of [[Prima]].
* In addition to [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] himself, one of the Triorian Guard is another guy sharing Blitzwing's body, coloured like his ''[[Diaclone]]'' toy. We'll assume that it's (an) [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]].
* Kroma and the Heavies are accompanied by Decepticon assassin [[Macabre]], made famous by his one-shot appearance in the Marvel UK epic, ''[[Target: 2006]]''. We've already seen, through ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'', that he'll go on to lead [[Squadron X]] in IDW continuity.
* Among Ironfist's memorabilia is a spare drill belonging to [[Borebit]], an Autobot from [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|issue #18]] of the original Marvel comic.
* Orion Pax's police station explodes at the time "Arc [[113 (disambiguation)|1-13]]".

===Real-life references===
[[File:Nightmare fuel shadowplay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
* Shockwave has an academy for unusual, superpowered students who the wider world hates and fears: an ''[[X-Men]]'' nod. And if that's not blatant enough for you, Pax's next line is, "Is he [[Wolverine (Marvel)|the one with the claws?]]"
* "[[tvtropes:Main/NightmareFuel|Nightmare Fuel]]" is a term coined by ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' and popularized by the website [[tvtropes:|TV Tropes]] to describe horrifying scenes in fiction. Swerve has nabbed it from Trailbreaker's personal stash; a reference to Trailbreaker's fondness for strong "alcohol" that we saw back in [[Interiors|issue #6]], itself a reworking of the fuel-inefficient traits described in his original bio. The [[Pretender]] [[Skullgrin]] is pictured on the bottle's label.
* Speaking of alcohol, Siren blurting out "BRILLIANT!" in response to the most basic sliver of information is a reference to the {{w|Guinness Brewmasters}} ad campaign.
* Tailgate has to make a "who's who" page to keep track of everyone in the story, just like the "Meet the Crew" features in the back of every issue of ''More than Meets the Eye''.

===Trivia===
* "Shadowplay" runs through three related genres in each of its three parts: this one is the heist story.<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 07:43 - 08:00</ref>
* The heist this issue is about was alluded to in a conversation between Skids and Chromedome back in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
* Obviously, Shockwave isn't one of the main characters in ''More than Meets the Eye'' and was more prominent in ''Robots in Disguise''. As James Roberts says though, both titles are telling the same wider story of the Transformers universe and he believes it makes the twist more effective if Shockwave's origin is in the 'wrong' place.<ref>[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/t14540/ Moonbase2's second interview with James Roberts - 01:39:20 to 59:30]</ref>
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] is among the outliers, unnamed but rather obviously identifiable from his description as a truck who generates forcefields. When talking about Trailbreaker on the following page, Swerve calls him "Trailcutter", an alternate name developed by [[Hasbro]] after the loss of the trademark to the original, and noted in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]] to be an alternate name the character uses in-universe. The origin of this second name would later be revealed in the character's [[The Reluctant Specialist|self-titled ''Spotlight'' issue]].
* At the request of James Roberts, colorist Josh Burcham purposely gave the Senator the hues of Ultra Magnus (both in this issue and the previous) to serve as a red (and blue and white, hyuk hyuk) herring.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-comics-discussion/716601-transformers-more-than-meets-eye-11-discussion-spoilers-29.html#post8649838 Forum post by Alex Milne]</ref>

===Crew Manifest===
* The still-living Red Alert is "boxed" and put into cold storage.
* 5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), and 1 boxed since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
For the entire three-part "Shadowplay" story:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtckSsQ_Au0 "Comforting Sounds"] by {{w|Mew (band)|Mew}}

For this issue:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88N8CVcnR8 "No Fear of Falling"] by {{w|I Am Kloot}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81LpJPXo_qs "Atmosphere"] by {{w|Joy Division}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb59lMEtHL4 "Plainsong"] by {{w||The Cure}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Shadowplay (Saishūkai): Aru Uchi Kubi'''" (シャドウプレイ (最終回): ある打ち首, "Shadowplay (Conclusion): A Certain Beheading")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Skuggspel (Sista delen): En föraktfull halshuggning'''" ("Shadowplay (Final Part): A Disdainful Beheading")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Orion Pax is lowered into the Primal Basilica, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Ratchet reflected in the Matrix, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover RI:''' Rodimus stands over the injured Red Alert, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE11Cover.jpg|Skids and Ratchet are in the original art, but are hidden under the logo.
File:MTMTECover11B.jpg|And yes, it fucntions as a mirror, too!
File:MTMTE11_cvrRI.jpg|Red lost his head.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The End of the Beginning of the World|#11]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' #86
* ''Tales of the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' Volume 1
* IDW ''[[My Little Pony|My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'' comic
* ''Dorothy of Oz'' Prequel
* ''[[Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots]]''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' ([[March 27]], [[2013]]) ISBN 161377592X / ISBN 978-1613775929 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012 and issues #9–11.
** Bonus material includes "Meet the Crew", variant covers, and designs for the [[Guiding Hand]].
** Trade paperback format.

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

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3]]''''' ([[February 24]], [[2016]]) ISBN 1631405403 / ISBN 978-1631405402
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Thundercracker]], [[The Question|Bumblebee]]'' & ''[[Spotlight: Megatron|Megatron]]'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012, issues #9–11 & #12–13 & "[[Signal to Noise]]", and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Primus: All Good Things|Annual 2012]] & issues [[Syndromica (2)|#10]]–[[The End of the Beginning of the World|11]].
** Bonus material unknown at this time.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #7–13 and Annual 2012.
** Bonus material includes the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, design sketches from Alex Milne, a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Kaos och skuggor''''' ([[November]], [[2020]])
** Collects [[The Transformers (IDW)|''The Transformers'' (2009)]] issues [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]]–[[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|24]], [[Chaos Part Two: Numbers|#26]], [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|#28]] & [[Chaos Part Four: Genesis|#30]], ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #9–13.
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol3.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V3.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and [[Tom B. Long]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE SWE 02.jpg|'''''Kaos och skuggor''''' – cover art by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

File:MTMTECover11B.jpg

2025-10-10T23:17:03Z

Domovoy3:

Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading

2025-10-10T23:12:21Z

Domovoy3:

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=11
|prev=Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism
|next=Before & After
|caption=
|image=MTMTE11Cover.jpg
|title="Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 21]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=November 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Juan Castro]], [[Alex Milne]] and [[John Wycough]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''Rewind's tale reaches its climax, as Orion Pax leads a daring heist for the Matrix.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:OutliersIntroduction.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
''On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], before the war... [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] and his team prepare for their attempt to steal the explosive replica of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] hidden within the body of [[Nominus Prime]] in the [[Primal Basilica]]. Incredulous, [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] refuses to get involved, but promises not to blow the whistle on Pax if he keeps Prowl's partner [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] out of the action. As Prowl departs, Chromedome and [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] return from the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology|Academy of Advanced Technology]] with three of its students selected by Pax's senator friend to help in the heist, all "outliers" possessed of special powers: the technology-disrupting [[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]], the magnetic [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and the super-learner [[Skids (G1)|Skids]].''

Aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'s story takes a short break so [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] can check on the progress of the still-unresponsive [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] pilfers some especially hard "[[Nightmare Fuel]]" liquor from [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and begins dishing it out, jokingly getting Rung's name wrong and being warned by Ratchet that he particularly hates that. Everyone settles down as Chromedome gets back to his part of the story, describing his visit to the workshop of [[Iaconian Mechaforensic Division|Iacon Mechaforensics]] ballistics expert and [[Primal Vanguard]] fanboy [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], from whom he obtained a replica Matrix they could swap the bomb out for. Ratchet interrupts for a moment to recount an exchange between him, Roller and Pax that followed, as Roller attempted to warn Pax of various questionable activities his senator friend was involved in, including the recruitment and modification of ''other'' Autobots in addition to Pax himself, but Pax would not hear it.

In the ''Lost Light'' medibay, [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] balks at [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'s diagnosis of [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s comatose state as the result of attempted suicide. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] attempts to restrain him as he grows angrier, accidentally gouging large dents in his arms that shock him into relaxing. Magnus proposes putting Red Alert in cold storage until their circumstances are more conducive to his mental well-being, and with [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s agreement, Rodimus sadly does so.

[[File:OrionSavesTheDay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
The story of the heist continues, with Ratchet describing how each of the outliers used their special powers to help penetrate the Primal Basilica while Chromedome and Roller remained behind to guard the senator. Their approach hidden from the [[Sky Spy]] network thanks to Roller's hacking skills, Windcharger magnetically levitated the team over the heads of the [[Triorian Guard]] of [[Triple Changer]]s standing watch at the Basilica, while Glitch deactivated the security systems so that Skids could (indignantly) lower Pax into position with his grappling hook. Discovering that the Matrix-bomb was locked in place, Pax switched places with [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], whose incredible hands picked the locks with ease. Things almost went south when Glitch patted Skids on his back, jamming his winch and causing Ratchet to drop the bomb, but Windcharger saved the day by magnetically preventing its fall. The theft successfully completed, the team departed, but, having not been contacted by Roller at the appointed time, Pax sped on ahead to investigate; Chromedome takes over the story to describe Pax's return, just in time to find that Senate thugs [[Kroma]], [[Macabre]] and the [[Heavies]] had attacked their safehouse.

[[File:ShockwaveReformation.jpg|thumb|left]]
Pax took out one of the Heavies, but when Kroma held his gun against Roller's head and proposed an exchange, the senator agreed to go with him. The remaining Heavy, Anvil, remained behind to finish off Pax, but Pax used the Matrix-bomb to destroy his attacker, then unearthed Chromedome from the rubble to lead him to the [[Institute]], figuring Kroma had taken the senator there. Alas, they discovered it was deserted—because despite its name, it was not unique. The senator had potentially been taken to any one of hundreds of hidden facilities, lost to them.

Such is the end of the story: not a happy one, but an ending nonetheless. Tailgate has a few remaining questions, which Rewind answers: [[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]] did not keep his promise, and much to Tailgate's surprise, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime. Sadly, Rung remains non-responsive, but when alarms suddenly begin blaring throughout the ship, and everyone heads for battle stations, Skids decides to try one last thing: he leans close to Rung, and deliberately mispronounces his name several times. Quietly, the psychiatrist awakens and corrects him.

''On Cybertron, before the war... Orion Pax is approached by another of the senator's recruits, [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]. And elsewhere, in one of the many Institutes, two staffers talk about the newest victim of [[Shadowplay]]: a senator who is also being subjected to the head-and-hand replacement ritual known as [[empurata]]. A senator...''

''...named [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]].''
{{--}}

==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)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]'' (2)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (6)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (7)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (10)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (11)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (12)
* [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (13)
* ''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (14)
* ''[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'' (15)
* ''[[Siren (G1)|Siren]]'' (16)
* ''[[Gears (G1)|Gears]]'' (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'' (19)
* ''[[Atomizer]]'' (20)
* ''[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]]'' (21)
* ''[[Sprocket (G1)|Sprocket]]'' (22)
* ''[[Xaaron]]'' (23)
* ''[[Dipstick]]'' (24)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (28)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (29)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (30)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (31)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (32)
{{!}}}
|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'' (1)
* ''[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]'' (3)
* ''[[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]]'' (4)
* ''[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'' (5)
* ''[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'' (8)
* ''[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]]'' (18)
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (25)
* ''[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'' (26)
* ''[[Crosscut (IDW)|Crosscut]]'' (27)
* ''[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]'' (33)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]]'' (34)
* ''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (35)
* ''[[Heavies]]'' (36-37)
* ''[[Kroma]]'' (38)
* ''[[Macabre]]'' (39)
* ''[[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]'' (40)
* ''Institute staff'' (41-42)
* ''[[Lobe]]'' (43)
* ''Lobe's assistant'' (44)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"Sorry, '''Swerve''', I need the secret password." 
"Sigh. 'Whirl is a million billion times tougher than [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]].'" 
"You may enter." 
"Jeez, '''Whirl''', even I think that password's immature, and I glued Tailgate to his recharge slab the other day..."
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Swerve'''

"I should have said this '''earlier''', but—as a trainee theoretician who can master virtually any skill, I'm kind of '''insulted''' that you brought me along for my '''grappling hook'''."
:—'''Skids'''

"Okay, they've wired it in like a tamper-proof fuel pump. A '''440'''—the mother of all fuel pumps. If I put a finger wrong, it'll '''explode.'''" 
"In that case don't do anything. Not even '''you''' can disable a 440 by hand." 
"Pax, I think you're amazing, but that is the most ham-fisted attempt at reverse psychology I've ever heard."
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Orion Pax'''

"The Matrix is just '''hovering''' there!" 
"You can thank Windcharger and his magic arms for that." 
"You're lucky I got tired of waiting." 
"His magic arms and his low boredom threshold."
:—'''Ratchet''', '''Orion Pax''', and '''Windcharger'''

"Ooh! Ooh! What about '''Orion Pax?''' What happened to him?" 
"Orion Pax...?" 
"He was '''great!''' I really liked him. 'I trust him, Roller. End of conversation.' '''I'm''' gonna start saying stuff like that." 
"Tailgate—Orion Pax became '''Optimus Prime.''' They're the same person. I thought you '''knew''' that." 
"'''What?!''' ''(holds up picture of Prime)'' You mean '''this''' is Orion Pax? Well, I'm '''floored'''. I did '''not''' see that coming."
:—'''Tailgate''' and '''Rewind'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Notice how Chromedome is never referred to by name on the first page; from [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part 1]], we know he had a different name before he was "Chromedome", and here, he's only referred to as Prowl's "partner" (in turn indirectly furthering the obvious "romantic" implication between the two characters). This is because it's an impartial flashback, not part of Rewind's story (since it's a conversation between two characters not on the ''Lost Light''); he is called "Chromedome" elsewhere during the story since Rewind asked him to minimize confusion by doing so back in part 1.
* Having said something similar to Prowl four million years in the past in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], Chromedome remarks that he is unable to make the derisive "Pfft" noise Swerve utters. Logically, that'd be because he doesn't have any lips!
* This is the third true story that Rewind organised. His first group was Blaster, Sunstreaker, Siren, Gears, and Perceptor; his second was Xaaron, Dipstick, Atomizer, Slapdash, and Sprocket. The implications are that the members of each group were at least peripherally involved in their own major incident, once upon a time, much like the current storytelling team. (Roberts has since admitted that there's no rhyme or reason behind the character choices except to make us go "what the heck did ''they'' all do together?!".<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 1:04:20</ref>)
* When last seen, Atomizer carried a crossbow, which Ultra Magnus said he was going to confiscate. As Atomizer is now carrying a regular bow and quiver instead, we can assume Magnus followed through.
* In his younger days, Skids had a miniature Matrix "[[tattoo]]ed" on his cheek, just as [[Springarm]] did in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory]]". Pax remarks on the similarity. This apparent religiosity is a marked contrast to the nihilism the modern Skids expresses.
* The Primal Vanguard is the detachment to which Tailgate claimed to belong and which has been mentioned a few times in ''More than Meets the Eye''. The user of the bomb disposal kit Ironfist is so excited about is not named, leading fans to conclude that it was Tailgate himself, but [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|later revelations]] would prove this to be a splendid piece of misdirection by Roberts.
* Ironfist's looking a little different than he will when we chronologically see him next in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''. Based on the helmet we can see in the background of his lab, he obviously modified his own noggin to look like a Primal Vanguard helmet.
* Ironfist shows Chromedome the image of a robot named Crosscut, trapped in the [[Forever Glass]] of [[Moldavite VI]]. This could be potentially the ''fourth'' Crosscut to exist—there's the [[Crosscut (G1)|Japanese-original Autobot]], the [[Crosscut (Marvel)|Marvel Decepticon]], an unnamed member of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that the Decepticon Crosscut is often mistaken for (according to his profile in the ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' hardcover), and now this guy. It is, of course, extremely possible that this Crosscut could be one of the others; being that this is Roberts, who doesn't toss this stuff around casually, it's almost a certainty.
* We see that Ironfist has always had a fondness for writing about his heroes; his ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs had a predecessor in his monographs about the Primal Vanguard. We couldn't ''possibly'' imagine what it's like to write endlessly about our hobbies in minute detail, no sir.
* Pax's senator friend is noted to be on speaking terms with the [[Omega Guardian]]s, the enigmatic protectors of the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] who have only previously appeared in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''.
* This is the second story to mention the substance [[propex]]. In issue #8, Grimlock's body was preserved in a "weak propex solution".
* The Heavies, previously seen in Whirl's flashback in issue #6, reappear, as does Whirl's cellmate from last issue—one of the senate thugs who menaced Orion Pax in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]", whose name is revealed to be Kroma. One of the Heavies is named "Anvil"; we'd hazard a guess the other's "Hammer".
[[File:KromaHeaviesAndMacabre.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
* When Kroma, Macabre, and the Heavies arrive to kidnap the senator, Kroma quips that they are acting on the "best tip-off ever". This would be explained 26 issues later in "[[Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet]]", where we learn that the Heavies encountered a [[time travel]]ling Whirl, Rewind, and Chromedome a year earlier (from their perspective) during the events of "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". Whirl was all set to kill the Heavies for their part in his oppression and eventual empurata by the [[Functionism|Functionists]], leading Chromedome to explain in front of them that they couldn't die because they had to return in a year's time to abduct Shockwave.
* Following a crack made early in the issue by Skids about the Academy of Advanced Technology never being referred to by its full name, we find out at the end of the story that it's the ''Jhiaxian'' Academy, after [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]. This indicates that it's the "J.A.A.T." mentioned last issue, and is a ''big'' clue to the true identity of the senator, as we've known since ''[[Spotlight: Doubledealer]]'' that Shockwave was a student of Jhiaxus's, obviously having studied under him at the academy before he left Cybertron.
* "Empurata", first mentioned in issue #6 and a few times since, is at last revealed to be a process by which criminals have their heads and hands removed and replaced. Whirl's reference to its persuasive power in issue #6, coupled with his lament about the loss of his hands last issue, now make a horrifying amount of sense. Glitch would also appear to have suffered through the process.
* [[Lobe]] was first mentioned as a Mechaforensic cybersurgeon in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part one]], asking for [[Sherma]]'s brain module as part of an experiment. Now we know he's one of the Institute's top brainwashers and that Sherma was killed by the Senate for being a closet dissident... They really ''are'' everywhere!
{{--}}

===Transformers references===
* The [[power booster rod]] was an Autobot tool famous for being stolen by the human criminal the [[Mechanic]] in [[Funeral for a Friend!|issue #26]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel comic]]. Chromedome can be seen idly using it for its intended purpose of easily lifting heavy items.
* The Primal Basilica is decorated with statues of the [[Guiding Hand]] and the [[Aligned continuity family]] design of [[Prima]].
* In addition to [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] himself, one of the Triorian Guard is another guy sharing Blitzwing's body, coloured like his ''[[Diaclone]]'' toy. We'll assume that it's (an) [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]].
* Kroma and the Heavies are accompanied by Decepticon assassin [[Macabre]], made famous by his one-shot appearance in the Marvel UK epic, ''[[Target: 2006]]''. We've already seen, through ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'', that he'll go on to lead [[Squadron X]] in IDW continuity.
* Among Ironfist's memorabilia is a spare drill belonging to [[Borebit]], an Autobot from [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|issue #18]] of the original Marvel comic.
* Orion Pax's police station explodes at the time "Arc [[113 (disambiguation)|1-13]]".

===Real-life references===
[[File:Nightmare fuel shadowplay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
* Shockwave has an academy for unusual, superpowered students who the wider world hates and fears: an ''[[X-Men]]'' nod. And if that's not blatant enough for you, Pax's next line is, "Is he [[Wolverine (Marvel)|the one with the claws?]]"
* "[[tvtropes:Main/NightmareFuel|Nightmare Fuel]]" is a term coined by ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' and popularized by the website [[tvtropes:|TV Tropes]] to describe horrifying scenes in fiction. Swerve has nabbed it from Trailbreaker's personal stash; a reference to Trailbreaker's fondness for strong "alcohol" that we saw back in [[Interiors|issue #6]], itself a reworking of the fuel-inefficient traits described in his original bio. The [[Pretender]] [[Skullgrin]] is pictured on the bottle's label.
* Speaking of alcohol, Siren blurting out "BRILLIANT!" in response to the most basic sliver of information is a reference to the {{w|Guinness Brewmasters}} ad campaign.
* Tailgate has to make a "who's who" page to keep track of everyone in the story, just like the "Meet the Crew" features in the back of every issue of ''More than Meets the Eye''.

===Trivia===
* "Shadowplay" runs through three related genres in each of its three parts: this one is the heist story.<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 07:43 - 08:00</ref>
* The heist this issue is about was alluded to in a conversation between Skids and Chromedome back in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
* Obviously, Shockwave isn't one of the main characters in ''More than Meets the Eye'' and was more prominent in ''Robots in Disguise''. As James Roberts says though, both titles are telling the same wider story of the Transformers universe and he believes it makes the twist more effective if Shockwave's origin is in the 'wrong' place.<ref>[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/t14540/ Moonbase2's second interview with James Roberts - 01:39:20 to 59:30]</ref>
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] is among the outliers, unnamed but rather obviously identifiable from his description as a truck who generates forcefields. When talking about Trailbreaker on the following page, Swerve calls him "Trailcutter", an alternate name developed by [[Hasbro]] after the loss of the trademark to the original, and noted in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]] to be an alternate name the character uses in-universe. The origin of this second name would later be revealed in the character's [[The Reluctant Specialist|self-titled ''Spotlight'' issue]].
* At the request of James Roberts, colorist Josh Burcham purposely gave the Senator the hues of Ultra Magnus (both in this issue and the previous) to serve as a red (and blue and white, hyuk hyuk) herring.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-comics-discussion/716601-transformers-more-than-meets-eye-11-discussion-spoilers-29.html#post8649838 Forum post by Alex Milne]</ref>

===Crew Manifest===
* The still-living Red Alert is "boxed" and put into cold storage.
* 5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), and 1 boxed since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
For the entire three-part "Shadowplay" story:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtckSsQ_Au0 "Comforting Sounds"] by {{w|Mew (band)|Mew}}

For this issue:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88N8CVcnR8 "No Fear of Falling"] by {{w|I Am Kloot}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81LpJPXo_qs "Atmosphere"] by {{w|Joy Division}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb59lMEtHL4 "Plainsong"] by {{w||The Cure}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Shadowplay (Saishūkai): Aru Uchi Kubi'''" (シャドウプレイ (最終回): ある打ち首, "Shadowplay (Conclusion): A Certain Beheading")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Skuggspel (Sista delen): En föraktfull halshuggning'''" ("Shadowplay (Final Part): A Disdainful Beheading")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Orion Pax is lowered into the Primal Basilica, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Ratchet reflected in the Matrix, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover RI:''' Rodimus stands over the injured Red Alert, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE11_cvrA.jpg|Skids and Ratchet are in the original art, but are hidden under the logo.
File:MTMTE11_cvrB.jpg|And yes, it fucntions as a mirror, too!
File:MTMTE11_cvrRI.jpg|Red lost his head.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The End of the Beginning of the World|#11]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' #86
* ''Tales of the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' Volume 1
* IDW ''[[My Little Pony|My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'' comic
* ''Dorothy of Oz'' Prequel
* ''[[Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots]]''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' ([[March 27]], [[2013]]) ISBN 161377592X / ISBN 978-1613775929 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012 and issues #9–11.
** Bonus material includes "Meet the Crew", variant covers, and designs for the [[Guiding Hand]].
** Trade paperback format.

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

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3]]''''' ([[February 24]], [[2016]]) ISBN 1631405403 / ISBN 978-1631405402
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Thundercracker]], [[The Question|Bumblebee]]'' & ''[[Spotlight: Megatron|Megatron]]'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012, issues #9–11 & #12–13 & "[[Signal to Noise]]", and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Primus: All Good Things|Annual 2012]] & issues [[Syndromica (2)|#10]]–[[The End of the Beginning of the World|11]].
** Bonus material unknown at this time.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #7–13 and Annual 2012.
** Bonus material includes the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, design sketches from Alex Milne, a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Kaos och skuggor''''' ([[November]], [[2020]])
** Collects [[The Transformers (IDW)|''The Transformers'' (2009)]] issues [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]]–[[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|24]], [[Chaos Part Two: Numbers|#26]], [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|#28]] & [[Chaos Part Four: Genesis|#30]], ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #9–13.
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol3.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V3.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and [[Tom B. Long]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE SWE 02.jpg|'''''Kaos och skuggor''''' – cover art by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

File:KromaHeaviesAndMacabre.jpg

2025-10-10T23:11:23Z

Domovoy3:

Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading

2025-10-10T23:06:28Z

Domovoy3:

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=11
|prev=Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism
|next=Before & After
|caption=
|image=MTMTE11Cover.jpg
|title="Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 21]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=November 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Juan Castro]], [[Alex Milne]] and [[John Wycough]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''Rewind's tale reaches its climax, as Orion Pax leads a daring heist for the Matrix.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:OutliersIntroduction.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
''On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], before the war... [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] and his team prepare for their attempt to steal the explosive replica of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] hidden within the body of [[Nominus Prime]] in the [[Primal Basilica]]. Incredulous, [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] refuses to get involved, but promises not to blow the whistle on Pax if he keeps Prowl's partner [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] out of the action. As Prowl departs, Chromedome and [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] return from the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology|Academy of Advanced Technology]] with three of its students selected by Pax's senator friend to help in the heist, all "outliers" possessed of special powers: the technology-disrupting [[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]], the magnetic [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and the super-learner [[Skids (G1)|Skids]].''

Aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'s story takes a short break so [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] can check on the progress of the still-unresponsive [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] pilfers some especially hard "[[Nightmare Fuel]]" liquor from [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and begins dishing it out, jokingly getting Rung's name wrong and being warned by Ratchet that he particularly hates that. Everyone settles down as Chromedome gets back to his part of the story, describing his visit to the workshop of [[Iaconian Mechaforensic Division|Iacon Mechaforensics]] ballistics expert and [[Primal Vanguard]] fanboy [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], from whom he obtained a replica Matrix they could swap the bomb out for. Ratchet interrupts for a moment to recount an exchange between him, Roller and Pax that followed, as Roller attempted to warn Pax of various questionable activities his senator friend was involved in, including the recruitment and modification of ''other'' Autobots in addition to Pax himself, but Pax would not hear it.

In the ''Lost Light'' medibay, [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] balks at [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'s diagnosis of [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s comatose state as the result of attempted suicide. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] attempts to restrain him as he grows angrier, accidentally gouging large dents in his arms that shock him into relaxing. Magnus proposes putting Red Alert in cold storage until their circumstances are more conducive to his mental well-being, and with [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s agreement, Rodimus sadly does so.

[[File:OrionSavesTheDay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
The story of the heist continues, with Ratchet describing how each of the outliers used their special powers to help penetrate the Primal Basilica while Chromedome and Roller remained behind to guard the senator. Their approach hidden from the [[Sky Spy]] network thanks to Roller's hacking skills, Windcharger magnetically levitated the team over the heads of the [[Triorian Guard]] of [[Triple Changer]]s standing watch at the Basilica, while Glitch deactivated the security systems so that Skids could (indignantly) lower Pax into position with his grappling hook. Discovering that the Matrix-bomb was locked in place, Pax switched places with [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], whose incredible hands picked the locks with ease. Things almost went south when Glitch patted Skids on his back, jamming his winch and causing Ratchet to drop the bomb, but Windcharger saved the day by magnetically preventing its fall. The theft successfully completed, the team departed, but, having not been contacted by Roller at the appointed time, Pax sped on ahead to investigate; Chromedome takes over the story to describe Pax's return, just in time to find that Senate thugs [[Kroma]], [[Macabre]] and the [[Heavies]] had attacked their safehouse.

[[File:ShockwaveReformation.jpg|thumb|left]]
Pax took out one of the Heavies, but when Kroma held his gun against Roller's head and proposed an exchange, the senator agreed to go with him. The remaining Heavy, Anvil, remained behind to finish off Pax, but Pax used the Matrix-bomb to destroy his attacker, then unearthed Chromedome from the rubble to lead him to the [[Institute]], figuring Kroma had taken the senator there. Alas, they discovered it was deserted—because despite its name, it was not unique. The senator had potentially been taken to any one of hundreds of hidden facilities, lost to them.

Such is the end of the story: not a happy one, but an ending nonetheless. Tailgate has a few remaining questions, which Rewind answers: [[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]] did not keep his promise, and much to Tailgate's surprise, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime. Sadly, Rung remains non-responsive, but when alarms suddenly begin blaring throughout the ship, and everyone heads for battle stations, Skids decides to try one last thing: he leans close to Rung, and deliberately mispronounces his name several times. Quietly, the psychiatrist awakens and corrects him.

''On Cybertron, before the war... Orion Pax is approached by another of the senator's recruits, [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]. And elsewhere, in one of the many Institutes, two staffers talk about the newest victim of [[Shadowplay]]: a senator who is also being subjected to the head-and-hand replacement ritual known as [[empurata]]. A senator...''

''...named [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]].''
{{--}}

==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)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]'' (2)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (6)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (7)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (10)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (11)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (12)
* [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (13)
* ''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (14)
* ''[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'' (15)
* ''[[Siren (G1)|Siren]]'' (16)
* ''[[Gears (G1)|Gears]]'' (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'' (19)
* ''[[Atomizer]]'' (20)
* ''[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]]'' (21)
* ''[[Sprocket (G1)|Sprocket]]'' (22)
* ''[[Xaaron]]'' (23)
* ''[[Dipstick]]'' (24)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (28)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (29)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (30)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (31)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (32)
{{!}}}
|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'' (1)
* ''[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]'' (3)
* ''[[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]]'' (4)
* ''[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'' (5)
* ''[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'' (8)
* ''[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]]'' (18)
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (25)
* ''[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'' (26)
* ''[[Crosscut (IDW)|Crosscut]]'' (27)
* ''[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]'' (33)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]]'' (34)
* ''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (35)
* ''[[Heavies]]'' (36-37)
* ''[[Kroma]]'' (38)
* ''[[Macabre]]'' (39)
* ''[[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]'' (40)
* ''Institute staff'' (41-42)
* ''[[Lobe]]'' (43)
* ''Lobe's assistant'' (44)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"Sorry, '''Swerve''', I need the secret password." 
"Sigh. 'Whirl is a million billion times tougher than [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]].'" 
"You may enter." 
"Jeez, '''Whirl''', even I think that password's immature, and I glued Tailgate to his recharge slab the other day..."
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Swerve'''

"I should have said this '''earlier''', but—as a trainee theoretician who can master virtually any skill, I'm kind of '''insulted''' that you brought me along for my '''grappling hook'''."
:—'''Skids'''

"Okay, they've wired it in like a tamper-proof fuel pump. A '''440'''—the mother of all fuel pumps. If I put a finger wrong, it'll '''explode.'''" 
"In that case don't do anything. Not even '''you''' can disable a 440 by hand." 
"Pax, I think you're amazing, but that is the most ham-fisted attempt at reverse psychology I've ever heard."
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Orion Pax'''

"The Matrix is just '''hovering''' there!" 
"You can thank Windcharger and his magic arms for that." 
"You're lucky I got tired of waiting." 
"His magic arms and his low boredom threshold."
:—'''Ratchet''', '''Orion Pax''', and '''Windcharger'''

"Ooh! Ooh! What about '''Orion Pax?''' What happened to him?" 
"Orion Pax...?" 
"He was '''great!''' I really liked him. 'I trust him, Roller. End of conversation.' '''I'm''' gonna start saying stuff like that." 
"Tailgate—Orion Pax became '''Optimus Prime.''' They're the same person. I thought you '''knew''' that." 
"'''What?!''' ''(holds up picture of Prime)'' You mean '''this''' is Orion Pax? Well, I'm '''floored'''. I did '''not''' see that coming."
:—'''Tailgate''' and '''Rewind'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Notice how Chromedome is never referred to by name on the first page; from [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part 1]], we know he had a different name before he was "Chromedome", and here, he's only referred to as Prowl's "partner" (in turn indirectly furthering the obvious "romantic" implication between the two characters). This is because it's an impartial flashback, not part of Rewind's story (since it's a conversation between two characters not on the ''Lost Light''); he is called "Chromedome" elsewhere during the story since Rewind asked him to minimize confusion by doing so back in part 1.
* Having said something similar to Prowl four million years in the past in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], Chromedome remarks that he is unable to make the derisive "Pfft" noise Swerve utters. Logically, that'd be because he doesn't have any lips!
* This is the third true story that Rewind organised. His first group was Blaster, Sunstreaker, Siren, Gears, and Perceptor; his second was Xaaron, Dipstick, Atomizer, Slapdash, and Sprocket. The implications are that the members of each group were at least peripherally involved in their own major incident, once upon a time, much like the current storytelling team. (Roberts has since admitted that there's no rhyme or reason behind the character choices except to make us go "what the heck did ''they'' all do together?!".<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 1:04:20</ref>)
* When last seen, Atomizer carried a crossbow, which Ultra Magnus said he was going to confiscate. As Atomizer is now carrying a regular bow and quiver instead, we can assume Magnus followed through.
* In his younger days, Skids had a miniature Matrix "[[tattoo]]ed" on his cheek, just as [[Springarm]] did in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory]]". Pax remarks on the similarity. This apparent religiosity is a marked contrast to the nihilism the modern Skids expresses.
* The Primal Vanguard is the detachment to which Tailgate claimed to belong and which has been mentioned a few times in ''More than Meets the Eye''. The user of the bomb disposal kit Ironfist is so excited about is not named, leading fans to conclude that it was Tailgate himself, but [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|later revelations]] would prove this to be a splendid piece of misdirection by Roberts.
* Ironfist's looking a little different than he will when we chronologically see him next in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''. Based on the helmet we can see in the background of his lab, he obviously modified his own noggin to look like a Primal Vanguard helmet.
* Ironfist shows Chromedome the image of a robot named Crosscut, trapped in the [[Forever Glass]] of [[Moldavite VI]]. This could be potentially the ''fourth'' Crosscut to exist—there's the [[Crosscut (G1)|Japanese-original Autobot]], the [[Crosscut (Marvel)|Marvel Decepticon]], an unnamed member of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that the Decepticon Crosscut is often mistaken for (according to his profile in the ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' hardcover), and now this guy. It is, of course, extremely possible that this Crosscut could be one of the others; being that this is Roberts, who doesn't toss this stuff around casually, it's almost a certainty.
* We see that Ironfist has always had a fondness for writing about his heroes; his ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs had a predecessor in his monographs about the Primal Vanguard. We couldn't ''possibly'' imagine what it's like to write endlessly about our hobbies in minute detail, no sir.
* Pax's senator friend is noted to be on speaking terms with the [[Omega Guardian]]s, the enigmatic protectors of the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] who have only previously appeared in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''.
* This is the second story to mention the substance [[propex]]. In issue #8, Grimlock's body was preserved in a "weak propex solution".
* The Heavies, previously seen in Whirl's flashback in issue #6, reappear, as does Whirl's cellmate from last issue—one of the senate thugs who menaced Orion Pax in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]", whose name is revealed to be Kroma. One of the Heavies is named "Anvil"; we'd hazard a guess the other's "Hammer".
[[File:Kroma macabre heavies shadowplay conclusion.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
* When Kroma, Macabre, and the Heavies arrive to kidnap the senator, Kroma quips that they are acting on the "best tip-off ever". This would be explained 26 issues later in "[[Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet]]", where we learn that the Heavies encountered a [[time travel]]ling Whirl, Rewind, and Chromedome a year earlier (from their perspective) during the events of "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". Whirl was all set to kill the Heavies for their part in his oppression and eventual empurata by the [[Functionism|Functionists]], leading Chromedome to explain in front of them that they couldn't die because they had to return in a year's time to abduct Shockwave.
* Following a crack made early in the issue by Skids about the Academy of Advanced Technology never being referred to by its full name, we find out at the end of the story that it's the ''Jhiaxian'' Academy, after [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]. This indicates that it's the "J.A.A.T." mentioned last issue, and is a ''big'' clue to the true identity of the senator, as we've known since ''[[Spotlight: Doubledealer]]'' that Shockwave was a student of Jhiaxus's, obviously having studied under him at the academy before he left Cybertron.
* "Empurata", first mentioned in issue #6 and a few times since, is at last revealed to be a process by which criminals have their heads and hands removed and replaced. Whirl's reference to its persuasive power in issue #6, coupled with his lament about the loss of his hands last issue, now make a horrifying amount of sense. Glitch would also appear to have suffered through the process.
* [[Lobe]] was first mentioned as a Mechaforensic cybersurgeon in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part one]], asking for [[Sherma]]'s brain module as part of an experiment. Now we know he's one of the Institute's top brainwashers and that Sherma was killed by the Senate for being a closet dissident... They really ''are'' everywhere!
{{--}}

===Transformers references===
* The [[power booster rod]] was an Autobot tool famous for being stolen by the human criminal the [[Mechanic]] in [[Funeral for a Friend!|issue #26]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel comic]]. Chromedome can be seen idly using it for its intended purpose of easily lifting heavy items.
* The Primal Basilica is decorated with statues of the [[Guiding Hand]] and the [[Aligned continuity family]] design of [[Prima]].
* In addition to [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] himself, one of the Triorian Guard is another guy sharing Blitzwing's body, coloured like his ''[[Diaclone]]'' toy. We'll assume that it's (an) [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]].
* Kroma and the Heavies are accompanied by Decepticon assassin [[Macabre]], made famous by his one-shot appearance in the Marvel UK epic, ''[[Target: 2006]]''. We've already seen, through ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'', that he'll go on to lead [[Squadron X]] in IDW continuity.
* Among Ironfist's memorabilia is a spare drill belonging to [[Borebit]], an Autobot from [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|issue #18]] of the original Marvel comic.
* Orion Pax's police station explodes at the time "Arc [[113 (disambiguation)|1-13]]".

===Real-life references===
[[File:Nightmare fuel shadowplay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
* Shockwave has an academy for unusual, superpowered students who the wider world hates and fears: an ''[[X-Men]]'' nod. And if that's not blatant enough for you, Pax's next line is, "Is he [[Wolverine (Marvel)|the one with the claws?]]"
* "[[tvtropes:Main/NightmareFuel|Nightmare Fuel]]" is a term coined by ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' and popularized by the website [[tvtropes:|TV Tropes]] to describe horrifying scenes in fiction. Swerve has nabbed it from Trailbreaker's personal stash; a reference to Trailbreaker's fondness for strong "alcohol" that we saw back in [[Interiors|issue #6]], itself a reworking of the fuel-inefficient traits described in his original bio. The [[Pretender]] [[Skullgrin]] is pictured on the bottle's label.
* Speaking of alcohol, Siren blurting out "BRILLIANT!" in response to the most basic sliver of information is a reference to the {{w|Guinness Brewmasters}} ad campaign.
* Tailgate has to make a "who's who" page to keep track of everyone in the story, just like the "Meet the Crew" features in the back of every issue of ''More than Meets the Eye''.

===Trivia===
* "Shadowplay" runs through three related genres in each of its three parts: this one is the heist story.<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 07:43 - 08:00</ref>
* The heist this issue is about was alluded to in a conversation between Skids and Chromedome back in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
* Obviously, Shockwave isn't one of the main characters in ''More than Meets the Eye'' and was more prominent in ''Robots in Disguise''. As James Roberts says though, both titles are telling the same wider story of the Transformers universe and he believes it makes the twist more effective if Shockwave's origin is in the 'wrong' place.<ref>[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/t14540/ Moonbase2's second interview with James Roberts - 01:39:20 to 59:30]</ref>
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] is among the outliers, unnamed but rather obviously identifiable from his description as a truck who generates forcefields. When talking about Trailbreaker on the following page, Swerve calls him "Trailcutter", an alternate name developed by [[Hasbro]] after the loss of the trademark to the original, and noted in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]] to be an alternate name the character uses in-universe. The origin of this second name would later be revealed in the character's [[The Reluctant Specialist|self-titled ''Spotlight'' issue]].
* At the request of James Roberts, colorist Josh Burcham purposely gave the Senator the hues of Ultra Magnus (both in this issue and the previous) to serve as a red (and blue and white, hyuk hyuk) herring.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-comics-discussion/716601-transformers-more-than-meets-eye-11-discussion-spoilers-29.html#post8649838 Forum post by Alex Milne]</ref>

===Crew Manifest===
* The still-living Red Alert is "boxed" and put into cold storage.
* 5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), and 1 boxed since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
For the entire three-part "Shadowplay" story:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtckSsQ_Au0 "Comforting Sounds"] by {{w|Mew (band)|Mew}}

For this issue:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88N8CVcnR8 "No Fear of Falling"] by {{w|I Am Kloot}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81LpJPXo_qs "Atmosphere"] by {{w|Joy Division}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb59lMEtHL4 "Plainsong"] by {{w||The Cure}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Shadowplay (Saishūkai): Aru Uchi Kubi'''" (シャドウプレイ (最終回): ある打ち首, "Shadowplay (Conclusion): A Certain Beheading")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Skuggspel (Sista delen): En föraktfull halshuggning'''" ("Shadowplay (Final Part): A Disdainful Beheading")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Orion Pax is lowered into the Primal Basilica, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Ratchet reflected in the Matrix, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover RI:''' Rodimus stands over the injured Red Alert, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE11_cvrA.jpg|Skids and Ratchet are in the original art, but are hidden under the logo.
File:MTMTE11_cvrB.jpg|And yes, it fucntions as a mirror, too!
File:MTMTE11_cvrRI.jpg|Red lost his head.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The End of the Beginning of the World|#11]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' #86
* ''Tales of the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' Volume 1
* IDW ''[[My Little Pony|My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'' comic
* ''Dorothy of Oz'' Prequel
* ''[[Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots]]''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' ([[March 27]], [[2013]]) ISBN 161377592X / ISBN 978-1613775929 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012 and issues #9–11.
** Bonus material includes "Meet the Crew", variant covers, and designs for the [[Guiding Hand]].
** Trade paperback format.

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

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3]]''''' ([[February 24]], [[2016]]) ISBN 1631405403 / ISBN 978-1631405402
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Thundercracker]], [[The Question|Bumblebee]]'' & ''[[Spotlight: Megatron|Megatron]]'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012, issues #9–11 & #12–13 & "[[Signal to Noise]]", and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Primus: All Good Things|Annual 2012]] & issues [[Syndromica (2)|#10]]–[[The End of the Beginning of the World|11]].
** Bonus material unknown at this time.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #7–13 and Annual 2012.
** Bonus material includes the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, design sketches from Alex Milne, a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Kaos och skuggor''''' ([[November]], [[2020]])
** Collects [[The Transformers (IDW)|''The Transformers'' (2009)]] issues [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]]–[[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|24]], [[Chaos Part Two: Numbers|#26]], [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|#28]] & [[Chaos Part Four: Genesis|#30]], ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #9–13.
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol3.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V3.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and [[Tom B. Long]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE SWE 02.jpg|'''''Kaos och skuggor''''' – cover art by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

File:OrionSavesTheDay.jpg

2025-10-10T23:05:46Z

Domovoy3:

Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading

2025-10-10T23:01:33Z

Domovoy3:

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=11
|prev=Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism
|next=Before & After
|caption=
|image=MTMTE11Cover.jpg
|title="Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 21]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=November 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Juan Castro]], [[Alex Milne]] and [[John Wycough]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''Rewind's tale reaches its climax, as Orion Pax leads a daring heist for the Matrix.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:OutliersIntroduction.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
''On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], before the war... [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] and his team prepare for their attempt to steal the explosive replica of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] hidden within the body of [[Nominus Prime]] in the [[Primal Basilica]]. Incredulous, [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] refuses to get involved, but promises not to blow the whistle on Pax if he keeps Prowl's partner [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] out of the action. As Prowl departs, Chromedome and [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] return from the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology|Academy of Advanced Technology]] with three of its students selected by Pax's senator friend to help in the heist, all "outliers" possessed of special powers: the technology-disrupting [[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]], the magnetic [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and the super-learner [[Skids (G1)|Skids]].''

Aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'s story takes a short break so [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] can check on the progress of the still-unresponsive [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] pilfers some especially hard "[[Nightmare Fuel]]" liquor from [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and begins dishing it out, jokingly getting Rung's name wrong and being warned by Ratchet that he particularly hates that. Everyone settles down as Chromedome gets back to his part of the story, describing his visit to the workshop of [[Iaconian Mechaforensic Division|Iacon Mechaforensics]] ballistics expert and [[Primal Vanguard]] fanboy [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], from whom he obtained a replica Matrix they could swap the bomb out for. Ratchet interrupts for a moment to recount an exchange between him, Roller and Pax that followed, as Roller attempted to warn Pax of various questionable activities his senator friend was involved in, including the recruitment and modification of ''other'' Autobots in addition to Pax himself, but Pax would not hear it.

In the ''Lost Light'' medibay, [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] balks at [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'s diagnosis of [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s comatose state as the result of attempted suicide. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] attempts to restrain him as he grows angrier, accidentally gouging large dents in his arms that shock him into relaxing. Magnus proposes putting Red Alert in cold storage until their circumstances are more conducive to his mental well-being, and with [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s agreement, Rodimus sadly does so.

[[File:Shadowplay3 pax saves shockwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
The story of the heist continues, with Ratchet describing how each of the outliers used their special powers to help penetrate the Primal Basilica while Chromedome and Roller remained behind to guard the senator. Their approach hidden from the [[Sky Spy]] network thanks to Roller's hacking skills, Windcharger magnetically levitated the team over the heads of the [[Triorian Guard]] of [[Triple Changer]]s standing watch at the Basilica, while Glitch deactivated the security systems so that Skids could (indignantly) lower Pax into position with his grappling hook. Discovering that the Matrix-bomb was locked in place, Pax switched places with [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], whose incredible hands picked the locks with ease. Things almost went south when Glitch patted Skids on his back, jamming his winch and causing Ratchet to drop the bomb, but Windcharger saved the day by magnetically preventing its fall. The theft successfully completed, the team departed, but, having not been contacted by Roller at the appointed time, Pax sped on ahead to investigate; Chromedome takes over the story to describe Pax's return, just in time to find that Senate thugs [[Kroma]], [[Macabre]] and the [[Heavies]] had attacked their safehouse.

[[File:ShockwaveReformation.jpg|thumb|left]]
Pax took out one of the Heavies, but when Kroma held his gun against Roller's head and proposed an exchange, the senator agreed to go with him. The remaining Heavy, Anvil, remained behind to finish off Pax, but Pax used the Matrix-bomb to destroy his attacker, then unearthed Chromedome from the rubble to lead him to the [[Institute]], figuring Kroma had taken the senator there. Alas, they discovered it was deserted—because despite its name, it was not unique. The senator had potentially been taken to any one of hundreds of hidden facilities, lost to them.

Such is the end of the story: not a happy one, but an ending nonetheless. Tailgate has a few remaining questions, which Rewind answers: [[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]] did not keep his promise, and much to Tailgate's surprise, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime. Sadly, Rung remains non-responsive, but when alarms suddenly begin blaring throughout the ship, and everyone heads for battle stations, Skids decides to try one last thing: he leans close to Rung, and deliberately mispronounces his name several times. Quietly, the psychiatrist awakens and corrects him.

''On Cybertron, before the war... Orion Pax is approached by another of the senator's recruits, [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]. And elsewhere, in one of the many Institutes, two staffers talk about the newest victim of [[Shadowplay]]: a senator who is also being subjected to the head-and-hand replacement ritual known as [[empurata]]. A senator...''

''...named [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]].''
{{--}}

==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)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]'' (2)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (6)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (7)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (10)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (11)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (12)
* [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (13)
* ''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (14)
* ''[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'' (15)
* ''[[Siren (G1)|Siren]]'' (16)
* ''[[Gears (G1)|Gears]]'' (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'' (19)
* ''[[Atomizer]]'' (20)
* ''[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]]'' (21)
* ''[[Sprocket (G1)|Sprocket]]'' (22)
* ''[[Xaaron]]'' (23)
* ''[[Dipstick]]'' (24)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (28)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (29)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (30)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (31)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (32)
{{!}}}
|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'' (1)
* ''[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]'' (3)
* ''[[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]]'' (4)
* ''[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'' (5)
* ''[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'' (8)
* ''[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]]'' (18)
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (25)
* ''[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'' (26)
* ''[[Crosscut (IDW)|Crosscut]]'' (27)
* ''[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]'' (33)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]]'' (34)
* ''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (35)
* ''[[Heavies]]'' (36-37)
* ''[[Kroma]]'' (38)
* ''[[Macabre]]'' (39)
* ''[[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]'' (40)
* ''Institute staff'' (41-42)
* ''[[Lobe]]'' (43)
* ''Lobe's assistant'' (44)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"Sorry, '''Swerve''', I need the secret password." 
"Sigh. 'Whirl is a million billion times tougher than [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]].'" 
"You may enter." 
"Jeez, '''Whirl''', even I think that password's immature, and I glued Tailgate to his recharge slab the other day..."
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Swerve'''

"I should have said this '''earlier''', but—as a trainee theoretician who can master virtually any skill, I'm kind of '''insulted''' that you brought me along for my '''grappling hook'''."
:—'''Skids'''

"Okay, they've wired it in like a tamper-proof fuel pump. A '''440'''—the mother of all fuel pumps. If I put a finger wrong, it'll '''explode.'''" 
"In that case don't do anything. Not even '''you''' can disable a 440 by hand." 
"Pax, I think you're amazing, but that is the most ham-fisted attempt at reverse psychology I've ever heard."
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Orion Pax'''

"The Matrix is just '''hovering''' there!" 
"You can thank Windcharger and his magic arms for that." 
"You're lucky I got tired of waiting." 
"His magic arms and his low boredom threshold."
:—'''Ratchet''', '''Orion Pax''', and '''Windcharger'''

"Ooh! Ooh! What about '''Orion Pax?''' What happened to him?" 
"Orion Pax...?" 
"He was '''great!''' I really liked him. 'I trust him, Roller. End of conversation.' '''I'm''' gonna start saying stuff like that." 
"Tailgate—Orion Pax became '''Optimus Prime.''' They're the same person. I thought you '''knew''' that." 
"'''What?!''' ''(holds up picture of Prime)'' You mean '''this''' is Orion Pax? Well, I'm '''floored'''. I did '''not''' see that coming."
:—'''Tailgate''' and '''Rewind'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Notice how Chromedome is never referred to by name on the first page; from [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part 1]], we know he had a different name before he was "Chromedome", and here, he's only referred to as Prowl's "partner" (in turn indirectly furthering the obvious "romantic" implication between the two characters). This is because it's an impartial flashback, not part of Rewind's story (since it's a conversation between two characters not on the ''Lost Light''); he is called "Chromedome" elsewhere during the story since Rewind asked him to minimize confusion by doing so back in part 1.
* Having said something similar to Prowl four million years in the past in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], Chromedome remarks that he is unable to make the derisive "Pfft" noise Swerve utters. Logically, that'd be because he doesn't have any lips!
* This is the third true story that Rewind organised. His first group was Blaster, Sunstreaker, Siren, Gears, and Perceptor; his second was Xaaron, Dipstick, Atomizer, Slapdash, and Sprocket. The implications are that the members of each group were at least peripherally involved in their own major incident, once upon a time, much like the current storytelling team. (Roberts has since admitted that there's no rhyme or reason behind the character choices except to make us go "what the heck did ''they'' all do together?!".<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 1:04:20</ref>)
* When last seen, Atomizer carried a crossbow, which Ultra Magnus said he was going to confiscate. As Atomizer is now carrying a regular bow and quiver instead, we can assume Magnus followed through.
* In his younger days, Skids had a miniature Matrix "[[tattoo]]ed" on his cheek, just as [[Springarm]] did in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory]]". Pax remarks on the similarity. This apparent religiosity is a marked contrast to the nihilism the modern Skids expresses.
* The Primal Vanguard is the detachment to which Tailgate claimed to belong and which has been mentioned a few times in ''More than Meets the Eye''. The user of the bomb disposal kit Ironfist is so excited about is not named, leading fans to conclude that it was Tailgate himself, but [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|later revelations]] would prove this to be a splendid piece of misdirection by Roberts.
* Ironfist's looking a little different than he will when we chronologically see him next in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''. Based on the helmet we can see in the background of his lab, he obviously modified his own noggin to look like a Primal Vanguard helmet.
* Ironfist shows Chromedome the image of a robot named Crosscut, trapped in the [[Forever Glass]] of [[Moldavite VI]]. This could be potentially the ''fourth'' Crosscut to exist—there's the [[Crosscut (G1)|Japanese-original Autobot]], the [[Crosscut (Marvel)|Marvel Decepticon]], an unnamed member of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that the Decepticon Crosscut is often mistaken for (according to his profile in the ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' hardcover), and now this guy. It is, of course, extremely possible that this Crosscut could be one of the others; being that this is Roberts, who doesn't toss this stuff around casually, it's almost a certainty.
* We see that Ironfist has always had a fondness for writing about his heroes; his ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs had a predecessor in his monographs about the Primal Vanguard. We couldn't ''possibly'' imagine what it's like to write endlessly about our hobbies in minute detail, no sir.
* Pax's senator friend is noted to be on speaking terms with the [[Omega Guardian]]s, the enigmatic protectors of the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] who have only previously appeared in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''.
* This is the second story to mention the substance [[propex]]. In issue #8, Grimlock's body was preserved in a "weak propex solution".
* The Heavies, previously seen in Whirl's flashback in issue #6, reappear, as does Whirl's cellmate from last issue—one of the senate thugs who menaced Orion Pax in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]", whose name is revealed to be Kroma. One of the Heavies is named "Anvil"; we'd hazard a guess the other's "Hammer".
[[File:Kroma macabre heavies shadowplay conclusion.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
* When Kroma, Macabre, and the Heavies arrive to kidnap the senator, Kroma quips that they are acting on the "best tip-off ever". This would be explained 26 issues later in "[[Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet]]", where we learn that the Heavies encountered a [[time travel]]ling Whirl, Rewind, and Chromedome a year earlier (from their perspective) during the events of "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". Whirl was all set to kill the Heavies for their part in his oppression and eventual empurata by the [[Functionism|Functionists]], leading Chromedome to explain in front of them that they couldn't die because they had to return in a year's time to abduct Shockwave.
* Following a crack made early in the issue by Skids about the Academy of Advanced Technology never being referred to by its full name, we find out at the end of the story that it's the ''Jhiaxian'' Academy, after [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]. This indicates that it's the "J.A.A.T." mentioned last issue, and is a ''big'' clue to the true identity of the senator, as we've known since ''[[Spotlight: Doubledealer]]'' that Shockwave was a student of Jhiaxus's, obviously having studied under him at the academy before he left Cybertron.
* "Empurata", first mentioned in issue #6 and a few times since, is at last revealed to be a process by which criminals have their heads and hands removed and replaced. Whirl's reference to its persuasive power in issue #6, coupled with his lament about the loss of his hands last issue, now make a horrifying amount of sense. Glitch would also appear to have suffered through the process.
* [[Lobe]] was first mentioned as a Mechaforensic cybersurgeon in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part one]], asking for [[Sherma]]'s brain module as part of an experiment. Now we know he's one of the Institute's top brainwashers and that Sherma was killed by the Senate for being a closet dissident... They really ''are'' everywhere!
{{--}}

===Transformers references===
* The [[power booster rod]] was an Autobot tool famous for being stolen by the human criminal the [[Mechanic]] in [[Funeral for a Friend!|issue #26]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel comic]]. Chromedome can be seen idly using it for its intended purpose of easily lifting heavy items.
* The Primal Basilica is decorated with statues of the [[Guiding Hand]] and the [[Aligned continuity family]] design of [[Prima]].
* In addition to [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] himself, one of the Triorian Guard is another guy sharing Blitzwing's body, coloured like his ''[[Diaclone]]'' toy. We'll assume that it's (an) [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]].
* Kroma and the Heavies are accompanied by Decepticon assassin [[Macabre]], made famous by his one-shot appearance in the Marvel UK epic, ''[[Target: 2006]]''. We've already seen, through ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'', that he'll go on to lead [[Squadron X]] in IDW continuity.
* Among Ironfist's memorabilia is a spare drill belonging to [[Borebit]], an Autobot from [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|issue #18]] of the original Marvel comic.
* Orion Pax's police station explodes at the time "Arc [[113 (disambiguation)|1-13]]".

===Real-life references===
[[File:Nightmare fuel shadowplay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
* Shockwave has an academy for unusual, superpowered students who the wider world hates and fears: an ''[[X-Men]]'' nod. And if that's not blatant enough for you, Pax's next line is, "Is he [[Wolverine (Marvel)|the one with the claws?]]"
* "[[tvtropes:Main/NightmareFuel|Nightmare Fuel]]" is a term coined by ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' and popularized by the website [[tvtropes:|TV Tropes]] to describe horrifying scenes in fiction. Swerve has nabbed it from Trailbreaker's personal stash; a reference to Trailbreaker's fondness for strong "alcohol" that we saw back in [[Interiors|issue #6]], itself a reworking of the fuel-inefficient traits described in his original bio. The [[Pretender]] [[Skullgrin]] is pictured on the bottle's label.
* Speaking of alcohol, Siren blurting out "BRILLIANT!" in response to the most basic sliver of information is a reference to the {{w|Guinness Brewmasters}} ad campaign.
* Tailgate has to make a "who's who" page to keep track of everyone in the story, just like the "Meet the Crew" features in the back of every issue of ''More than Meets the Eye''.

===Trivia===
* "Shadowplay" runs through three related genres in each of its three parts: this one is the heist story.<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 07:43 - 08:00</ref>
* The heist this issue is about was alluded to in a conversation between Skids and Chromedome back in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
* Obviously, Shockwave isn't one of the main characters in ''More than Meets the Eye'' and was more prominent in ''Robots in Disguise''. As James Roberts says though, both titles are telling the same wider story of the Transformers universe and he believes it makes the twist more effective if Shockwave's origin is in the 'wrong' place.<ref>[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/t14540/ Moonbase2's second interview with James Roberts - 01:39:20 to 59:30]</ref>
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] is among the outliers, unnamed but rather obviously identifiable from his description as a truck who generates forcefields. When talking about Trailbreaker on the following page, Swerve calls him "Trailcutter", an alternate name developed by [[Hasbro]] after the loss of the trademark to the original, and noted in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]] to be an alternate name the character uses in-universe. The origin of this second name would later be revealed in the character's [[The Reluctant Specialist|self-titled ''Spotlight'' issue]].
* At the request of James Roberts, colorist Josh Burcham purposely gave the Senator the hues of Ultra Magnus (both in this issue and the previous) to serve as a red (and blue and white, hyuk hyuk) herring.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-comics-discussion/716601-transformers-more-than-meets-eye-11-discussion-spoilers-29.html#post8649838 Forum post by Alex Milne]</ref>

===Crew Manifest===
* The still-living Red Alert is "boxed" and put into cold storage.
* 5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), and 1 boxed since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
For the entire three-part "Shadowplay" story:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtckSsQ_Au0 "Comforting Sounds"] by {{w|Mew (band)|Mew}}

For this issue:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88N8CVcnR8 "No Fear of Falling"] by {{w|I Am Kloot}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81LpJPXo_qs "Atmosphere"] by {{w|Joy Division}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb59lMEtHL4 "Plainsong"] by {{w||The Cure}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Shadowplay (Saishūkai): Aru Uchi Kubi'''" (シャドウプレイ (最終回): ある打ち首, "Shadowplay (Conclusion): A Certain Beheading")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Skuggspel (Sista delen): En föraktfull halshuggning'''" ("Shadowplay (Final Part): A Disdainful Beheading")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Orion Pax is lowered into the Primal Basilica, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Ratchet reflected in the Matrix, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover RI:''' Rodimus stands over the injured Red Alert, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE11_cvrA.jpg|Skids and Ratchet are in the original art, but are hidden under the logo.
File:MTMTE11_cvrB.jpg|And yes, it fucntions as a mirror, too!
File:MTMTE11_cvrRI.jpg|Red lost his head.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The End of the Beginning of the World|#11]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' #86
* ''Tales of the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' Volume 1
* IDW ''[[My Little Pony|My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'' comic
* ''Dorothy of Oz'' Prequel
* ''[[Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots]]''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' ([[March 27]], [[2013]]) ISBN 161377592X / ISBN 978-1613775929 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012 and issues #9–11.
** Bonus material includes "Meet the Crew", variant covers, and designs for the [[Guiding Hand]].
** Trade paperback format.

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

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3]]''''' ([[February 24]], [[2016]]) ISBN 1631405403 / ISBN 978-1631405402
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Thundercracker]], [[The Question|Bumblebee]]'' & ''[[Spotlight: Megatron|Megatron]]'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012, issues #9–11 & #12–13 & "[[Signal to Noise]]", and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Primus: All Good Things|Annual 2012]] & issues [[Syndromica (2)|#10]]–[[The End of the Beginning of the World|11]].
** Bonus material unknown at this time.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #7–13 and Annual 2012.
** Bonus material includes the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, design sketches from Alex Milne, a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Kaos och skuggor''''' ([[November]], [[2020]])
** Collects [[The Transformers (IDW)|''The Transformers'' (2009)]] issues [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]]–[[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|24]], [[Chaos Part Two: Numbers|#26]], [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|#28]] & [[Chaos Part Four: Genesis|#30]], ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #9–13.
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol3.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V3.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and [[Tom B. Long]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE SWE 02.jpg|'''''Kaos och skuggor''''' – cover art by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

File:OutliersIntroduction.jpg

2025-10-10T23:01:01Z

Domovoy3:

Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading

2025-10-10T22:57:19Z

Domovoy3:

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=11
|prev=Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism
|next=Before & After
|caption=
|image=MTMTE11Cover.jpg
|title="Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 21]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=November 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Juan Castro]], [[Alex Milne]] and [[John Wycough]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''Rewind's tale reaches its climax, as Orion Pax leads a daring heist for the Matrix.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:IDWMtMtE11-Outliers.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
''On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], before the war... [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] and his team prepare for their attempt to steal the explosive replica of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] hidden within the body of [[Nominus Prime]] in the [[Primal Basilica]]. Incredulous, [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] refuses to get involved, but promises not to blow the whistle on Pax if he keeps Prowl's partner [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] out of the action. As Prowl departs, Chromedome and [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] return from the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology|Academy of Advanced Technology]] with three of its students selected by Pax's senator friend to help in the heist, all "outliers" possessed of special powers: the technology-disrupting [[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]], the magnetic [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and the super-learner [[Skids (G1)|Skids]].''

Aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'s story takes a short break so [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] can check on the progress of the still-unresponsive [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] pilfers some especially hard "[[Nightmare Fuel]]" liquor from [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and begins dishing it out, jokingly getting Rung's name wrong and being warned by Ratchet that he particularly hates that. Everyone settles down as Chromedome gets back to his part of the story, describing his visit to the workshop of [[Iaconian Mechaforensic Division|Iacon Mechaforensics]] ballistics expert and [[Primal Vanguard]] fanboy [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], from whom he obtained a replica Matrix they could swap the bomb out for. Ratchet interrupts for a moment to recount an exchange between him, Roller and Pax that followed, as Roller attempted to warn Pax of various questionable activities his senator friend was involved in, including the recruitment and modification of ''other'' Autobots in addition to Pax himself, but Pax would not hear it.

In the ''Lost Light'' medibay, [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] balks at [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'s diagnosis of [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s comatose state as the result of attempted suicide. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] attempts to restrain him as he grows angrier, accidentally gouging large dents in his arms that shock him into relaxing. Magnus proposes putting Red Alert in cold storage until their circumstances are more conducive to his mental well-being, and with [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s agreement, Rodimus sadly does so.

[[File:Shadowplay3 pax saves shockwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
The story of the heist continues, with Ratchet describing how each of the outliers used their special powers to help penetrate the Primal Basilica while Chromedome and Roller remained behind to guard the senator. Their approach hidden from the [[Sky Spy]] network thanks to Roller's hacking skills, Windcharger magnetically levitated the team over the heads of the [[Triorian Guard]] of [[Triple Changer]]s standing watch at the Basilica, while Glitch deactivated the security systems so that Skids could (indignantly) lower Pax into position with his grappling hook. Discovering that the Matrix-bomb was locked in place, Pax switched places with [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], whose incredible hands picked the locks with ease. Things almost went south when Glitch patted Skids on his back, jamming his winch and causing Ratchet to drop the bomb, but Windcharger saved the day by magnetically preventing its fall. The theft successfully completed, the team departed, but, having not been contacted by Roller at the appointed time, Pax sped on ahead to investigate; Chromedome takes over the story to describe Pax's return, just in time to find that Senate thugs [[Kroma]], [[Macabre]] and the [[Heavies]] had attacked their safehouse.

[[File:ShockwaveReformation.jpg|thumb|left]]
Pax took out one of the Heavies, but when Kroma held his gun against Roller's head and proposed an exchange, the senator agreed to go with him. The remaining Heavy, Anvil, remained behind to finish off Pax, but Pax used the Matrix-bomb to destroy his attacker, then unearthed Chromedome from the rubble to lead him to the [[Institute]], figuring Kroma had taken the senator there. Alas, they discovered it was deserted—because despite its name, it was not unique. The senator had potentially been taken to any one of hundreds of hidden facilities, lost to them.

Such is the end of the story: not a happy one, but an ending nonetheless. Tailgate has a few remaining questions, which Rewind answers: [[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]] did not keep his promise, and much to Tailgate's surprise, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime. Sadly, Rung remains non-responsive, but when alarms suddenly begin blaring throughout the ship, and everyone heads for battle stations, Skids decides to try one last thing: he leans close to Rung, and deliberately mispronounces his name several times. Quietly, the psychiatrist awakens and corrects him.

''On Cybertron, before the war... Orion Pax is approached by another of the senator's recruits, [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]. And elsewhere, in one of the many Institutes, two staffers talk about the newest victim of [[Shadowplay]]: a senator who is also being subjected to the head-and-hand replacement ritual known as [[empurata]]. A senator...''

''...named [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]].''
{{--}}

==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)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]'' (2)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (6)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (7)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (10)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (11)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (12)
* [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (13)
* ''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (14)
* ''[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'' (15)
* ''[[Siren (G1)|Siren]]'' (16)
* ''[[Gears (G1)|Gears]]'' (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'' (19)
* ''[[Atomizer]]'' (20)
* ''[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]]'' (21)
* ''[[Sprocket (G1)|Sprocket]]'' (22)
* ''[[Xaaron]]'' (23)
* ''[[Dipstick]]'' (24)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (28)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (29)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (30)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (31)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (32)
{{!}}}
|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'' (1)
* ''[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]'' (3)
* ''[[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]]'' (4)
* ''[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'' (5)
* ''[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'' (8)
* ''[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]]'' (18)
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (25)
* ''[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'' (26)
* ''[[Crosscut (IDW)|Crosscut]]'' (27)
* ''[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]'' (33)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]]'' (34)
* ''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (35)
* ''[[Heavies]]'' (36-37)
* ''[[Kroma]]'' (38)
* ''[[Macabre]]'' (39)
* ''[[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]'' (40)
* ''Institute staff'' (41-42)
* ''[[Lobe]]'' (43)
* ''Lobe's assistant'' (44)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"Sorry, '''Swerve''', I need the secret password." 
"Sigh. 'Whirl is a million billion times tougher than [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]].'" 
"You may enter." 
"Jeez, '''Whirl''', even I think that password's immature, and I glued Tailgate to his recharge slab the other day..."
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Swerve'''

"I should have said this '''earlier''', but—as a trainee theoretician who can master virtually any skill, I'm kind of '''insulted''' that you brought me along for my '''grappling hook'''."
:—'''Skids'''

"Okay, they've wired it in like a tamper-proof fuel pump. A '''440'''—the mother of all fuel pumps. If I put a finger wrong, it'll '''explode.'''" 
"In that case don't do anything. Not even '''you''' can disable a 440 by hand." 
"Pax, I think you're amazing, but that is the most ham-fisted attempt at reverse psychology I've ever heard."
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Orion Pax'''

"The Matrix is just '''hovering''' there!" 
"You can thank Windcharger and his magic arms for that." 
"You're lucky I got tired of waiting." 
"His magic arms and his low boredom threshold."
:—'''Ratchet''', '''Orion Pax''', and '''Windcharger'''

"Ooh! Ooh! What about '''Orion Pax?''' What happened to him?" 
"Orion Pax...?" 
"He was '''great!''' I really liked him. 'I trust him, Roller. End of conversation.' '''I'm''' gonna start saying stuff like that." 
"Tailgate—Orion Pax became '''Optimus Prime.''' They're the same person. I thought you '''knew''' that." 
"'''What?!''' ''(holds up picture of Prime)'' You mean '''this''' is Orion Pax? Well, I'm '''floored'''. I did '''not''' see that coming."
:—'''Tailgate''' and '''Rewind'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Notice how Chromedome is never referred to by name on the first page; from [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part 1]], we know he had a different name before he was "Chromedome", and here, he's only referred to as Prowl's "partner" (in turn indirectly furthering the obvious "romantic" implication between the two characters). This is because it's an impartial flashback, not part of Rewind's story (since it's a conversation between two characters not on the ''Lost Light''); he is called "Chromedome" elsewhere during the story since Rewind asked him to minimize confusion by doing so back in part 1.
* Having said something similar to Prowl four million years in the past in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], Chromedome remarks that he is unable to make the derisive "Pfft" noise Swerve utters. Logically, that'd be because he doesn't have any lips!
* This is the third true story that Rewind organised. His first group was Blaster, Sunstreaker, Siren, Gears, and Perceptor; his second was Xaaron, Dipstick, Atomizer, Slapdash, and Sprocket. The implications are that the members of each group were at least peripherally involved in their own major incident, once upon a time, much like the current storytelling team. (Roberts has since admitted that there's no rhyme or reason behind the character choices except to make us go "what the heck did ''they'' all do together?!".<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 1:04:20</ref>)
* When last seen, Atomizer carried a crossbow, which Ultra Magnus said he was going to confiscate. As Atomizer is now carrying a regular bow and quiver instead, we can assume Magnus followed through.
* In his younger days, Skids had a miniature Matrix "[[tattoo]]ed" on his cheek, just as [[Springarm]] did in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory]]". Pax remarks on the similarity. This apparent religiosity is a marked contrast to the nihilism the modern Skids expresses.
* The Primal Vanguard is the detachment to which Tailgate claimed to belong and which has been mentioned a few times in ''More than Meets the Eye''. The user of the bomb disposal kit Ironfist is so excited about is not named, leading fans to conclude that it was Tailgate himself, but [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|later revelations]] would prove this to be a splendid piece of misdirection by Roberts.
* Ironfist's looking a little different than he will when we chronologically see him next in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''. Based on the helmet we can see in the background of his lab, he obviously modified his own noggin to look like a Primal Vanguard helmet.
* Ironfist shows Chromedome the image of a robot named Crosscut, trapped in the [[Forever Glass]] of [[Moldavite VI]]. This could be potentially the ''fourth'' Crosscut to exist—there's the [[Crosscut (G1)|Japanese-original Autobot]], the [[Crosscut (Marvel)|Marvel Decepticon]], an unnamed member of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that the Decepticon Crosscut is often mistaken for (according to his profile in the ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' hardcover), and now this guy. It is, of course, extremely possible that this Crosscut could be one of the others; being that this is Roberts, who doesn't toss this stuff around casually, it's almost a certainty.
* We see that Ironfist has always had a fondness for writing about his heroes; his ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs had a predecessor in his monographs about the Primal Vanguard. We couldn't ''possibly'' imagine what it's like to write endlessly about our hobbies in minute detail, no sir.
* Pax's senator friend is noted to be on speaking terms with the [[Omega Guardian]]s, the enigmatic protectors of the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] who have only previously appeared in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''.
* This is the second story to mention the substance [[propex]]. In issue #8, Grimlock's body was preserved in a "weak propex solution".
* The Heavies, previously seen in Whirl's flashback in issue #6, reappear, as does Whirl's cellmate from last issue—one of the senate thugs who menaced Orion Pax in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]", whose name is revealed to be Kroma. One of the Heavies is named "Anvil"; we'd hazard a guess the other's "Hammer".
[[File:Kroma macabre heavies shadowplay conclusion.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
* When Kroma, Macabre, and the Heavies arrive to kidnap the senator, Kroma quips that they are acting on the "best tip-off ever". This would be explained 26 issues later in "[[Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet]]", where we learn that the Heavies encountered a [[time travel]]ling Whirl, Rewind, and Chromedome a year earlier (from their perspective) during the events of "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". Whirl was all set to kill the Heavies for their part in his oppression and eventual empurata by the [[Functionism|Functionists]], leading Chromedome to explain in front of them that they couldn't die because they had to return in a year's time to abduct Shockwave.
* Following a crack made early in the issue by Skids about the Academy of Advanced Technology never being referred to by its full name, we find out at the end of the story that it's the ''Jhiaxian'' Academy, after [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]. This indicates that it's the "J.A.A.T." mentioned last issue, and is a ''big'' clue to the true identity of the senator, as we've known since ''[[Spotlight: Doubledealer]]'' that Shockwave was a student of Jhiaxus's, obviously having studied under him at the academy before he left Cybertron.
* "Empurata", first mentioned in issue #6 and a few times since, is at last revealed to be a process by which criminals have their heads and hands removed and replaced. Whirl's reference to its persuasive power in issue #6, coupled with his lament about the loss of his hands last issue, now make a horrifying amount of sense. Glitch would also appear to have suffered through the process.
* [[Lobe]] was first mentioned as a Mechaforensic cybersurgeon in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part one]], asking for [[Sherma]]'s brain module as part of an experiment. Now we know he's one of the Institute's top brainwashers and that Sherma was killed by the Senate for being a closet dissident... They really ''are'' everywhere!
{{--}}

===Transformers references===
* The [[power booster rod]] was an Autobot tool famous for being stolen by the human criminal the [[Mechanic]] in [[Funeral for a Friend!|issue #26]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel comic]]. Chromedome can be seen idly using it for its intended purpose of easily lifting heavy items.
* The Primal Basilica is decorated with statues of the [[Guiding Hand]] and the [[Aligned continuity family]] design of [[Prima]].
* In addition to [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] himself, one of the Triorian Guard is another guy sharing Blitzwing's body, coloured like his ''[[Diaclone]]'' toy. We'll assume that it's (an) [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]].
* Kroma and the Heavies are accompanied by Decepticon assassin [[Macabre]], made famous by his one-shot appearance in the Marvel UK epic, ''[[Target: 2006]]''. We've already seen, through ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'', that he'll go on to lead [[Squadron X]] in IDW continuity.
* Among Ironfist's memorabilia is a spare drill belonging to [[Borebit]], an Autobot from [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|issue #18]] of the original Marvel comic.
* Orion Pax's police station explodes at the time "Arc [[113 (disambiguation)|1-13]]".

===Real-life references===
[[File:Nightmare fuel shadowplay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
* Shockwave has an academy for unusual, superpowered students who the wider world hates and fears: an ''[[X-Men]]'' nod. And if that's not blatant enough for you, Pax's next line is, "Is he [[Wolverine (Marvel)|the one with the claws?]]"
* "[[tvtropes:Main/NightmareFuel|Nightmare Fuel]]" is a term coined by ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' and popularized by the website [[tvtropes:|TV Tropes]] to describe horrifying scenes in fiction. Swerve has nabbed it from Trailbreaker's personal stash; a reference to Trailbreaker's fondness for strong "alcohol" that we saw back in [[Interiors|issue #6]], itself a reworking of the fuel-inefficient traits described in his original bio. The [[Pretender]] [[Skullgrin]] is pictured on the bottle's label.
* Speaking of alcohol, Siren blurting out "BRILLIANT!" in response to the most basic sliver of information is a reference to the {{w|Guinness Brewmasters}} ad campaign.
* Tailgate has to make a "who's who" page to keep track of everyone in the story, just like the "Meet the Crew" features in the back of every issue of ''More than Meets the Eye''.

===Trivia===
* "Shadowplay" runs through three related genres in each of its three parts: this one is the heist story.<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 07:43 - 08:00</ref>
* The heist this issue is about was alluded to in a conversation between Skids and Chromedome back in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
* Obviously, Shockwave isn't one of the main characters in ''More than Meets the Eye'' and was more prominent in ''Robots in Disguise''. As James Roberts says though, both titles are telling the same wider story of the Transformers universe and he believes it makes the twist more effective if Shockwave's origin is in the 'wrong' place.<ref>[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/t14540/ Moonbase2's second interview with James Roberts - 01:39:20 to 59:30]</ref>
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] is among the outliers, unnamed but rather obviously identifiable from his description as a truck who generates forcefields. When talking about Trailbreaker on the following page, Swerve calls him "Trailcutter", an alternate name developed by [[Hasbro]] after the loss of the trademark to the original, and noted in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]] to be an alternate name the character uses in-universe. The origin of this second name would later be revealed in the character's [[The Reluctant Specialist|self-titled ''Spotlight'' issue]].
* At the request of James Roberts, colorist Josh Burcham purposely gave the Senator the hues of Ultra Magnus (both in this issue and the previous) to serve as a red (and blue and white, hyuk hyuk) herring.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-comics-discussion/716601-transformers-more-than-meets-eye-11-discussion-spoilers-29.html#post8649838 Forum post by Alex Milne]</ref>

===Crew Manifest===
* The still-living Red Alert is "boxed" and put into cold storage.
* 5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), and 1 boxed since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
For the entire three-part "Shadowplay" story:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtckSsQ_Au0 "Comforting Sounds"] by {{w|Mew (band)|Mew}}

For this issue:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88N8CVcnR8 "No Fear of Falling"] by {{w|I Am Kloot}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81LpJPXo_qs "Atmosphere"] by {{w|Joy Division}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb59lMEtHL4 "Plainsong"] by {{w||The Cure}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Shadowplay (Saishūkai): Aru Uchi Kubi'''" (シャドウプレイ (最終回): ある打ち首, "Shadowplay (Conclusion): A Certain Beheading")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Skuggspel (Sista delen): En föraktfull halshuggning'''" ("Shadowplay (Final Part): A Disdainful Beheading")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Orion Pax is lowered into the Primal Basilica, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Ratchet reflected in the Matrix, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover RI:''' Rodimus stands over the injured Red Alert, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE11_cvrA.jpg|Skids and Ratchet are in the original art, but are hidden under the logo.
File:MTMTE11_cvrB.jpg|And yes, it fucntions as a mirror, too!
File:MTMTE11_cvrRI.jpg|Red lost his head.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The End of the Beginning of the World|#11]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' #86
* ''Tales of the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' Volume 1
* IDW ''[[My Little Pony|My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'' comic
* ''Dorothy of Oz'' Prequel
* ''[[Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots]]''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' ([[March 27]], [[2013]]) ISBN 161377592X / ISBN 978-1613775929 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012 and issues #9–11.
** Bonus material includes "Meet the Crew", variant covers, and designs for the [[Guiding Hand]].
** Trade paperback format.

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

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3]]''''' ([[February 24]], [[2016]]) ISBN 1631405403 / ISBN 978-1631405402
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Thundercracker]], [[The Question|Bumblebee]]'' & ''[[Spotlight: Megatron|Megatron]]'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012, issues #9–11 & #12–13 & "[[Signal to Noise]]", and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Primus: All Good Things|Annual 2012]] & issues [[Syndromica (2)|#10]]–[[The End of the Beginning of the World|11]].
** Bonus material unknown at this time.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #7–13 and Annual 2012.
** Bonus material includes the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, design sketches from Alex Milne, a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Kaos och skuggor''''' ([[November]], [[2020]])
** Collects [[The Transformers (IDW)|''The Transformers'' (2009)]] issues [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]]–[[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|24]], [[Chaos Part Two: Numbers|#26]], [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|#28]] & [[Chaos Part Four: Genesis|#30]], ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #9–13.
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol3.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V3.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and [[Tom B. Long]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE SWE 02.jpg|'''''Kaos och skuggor''''' – cover art by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

File:MTMTE11Cover.jpg

2025-10-10T22:56:56Z

Domovoy3:

Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading

2025-10-10T22:54:03Z

Domovoy3:

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=11
|prev=Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism
|next=Before & After
|caption=
|image=MTMTE11_cvrA.jpg
|title="Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 21]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=November 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Juan Castro]], [[Alex Milne]] and [[John Wycough]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''Rewind's tale reaches its climax, as Orion Pax leads a daring heist for the Matrix.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:IDWMtMtE11-Outliers.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
''On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], before the war... [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] and his team prepare for their attempt to steal the explosive replica of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] hidden within the body of [[Nominus Prime]] in the [[Primal Basilica]]. Incredulous, [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] refuses to get involved, but promises not to blow the whistle on Pax if he keeps Prowl's partner [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] out of the action. As Prowl departs, Chromedome and [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] return from the [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology|Academy of Advanced Technology]] with three of its students selected by Pax's senator friend to help in the heist, all "outliers" possessed of special powers: the technology-disrupting [[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]], the magnetic [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and the super-learner [[Skids (G1)|Skids]].''

Aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'s story takes a short break so [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] can check on the progress of the still-unresponsive [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] pilfers some especially hard "[[Nightmare Fuel]]" liquor from [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] and begins dishing it out, jokingly getting Rung's name wrong and being warned by Ratchet that he particularly hates that. Everyone settles down as Chromedome gets back to his part of the story, describing his visit to the workshop of [[Iaconian Mechaforensic Division|Iacon Mechaforensics]] ballistics expert and [[Primal Vanguard]] fanboy [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], from whom he obtained a replica Matrix they could swap the bomb out for. Ratchet interrupts for a moment to recount an exchange between him, Roller and Pax that followed, as Roller attempted to warn Pax of various questionable activities his senator friend was involved in, including the recruitment and modification of ''other'' Autobots in addition to Pax himself, but Pax would not hear it.

In the ''Lost Light'' medibay, [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] balks at [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'s diagnosis of [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s comatose state as the result of attempted suicide. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] attempts to restrain him as he grows angrier, accidentally gouging large dents in his arms that shock him into relaxing. Magnus proposes putting Red Alert in cold storage until their circumstances are more conducive to his mental well-being, and with [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s agreement, Rodimus sadly does so.

[[File:Shadowplay3 pax saves shockwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
The story of the heist continues, with Ratchet describing how each of the outliers used their special powers to help penetrate the Primal Basilica while Chromedome and Roller remained behind to guard the senator. Their approach hidden from the [[Sky Spy]] network thanks to Roller's hacking skills, Windcharger magnetically levitated the team over the heads of the [[Triorian Guard]] of [[Triple Changer]]s standing watch at the Basilica, while Glitch deactivated the security systems so that Skids could (indignantly) lower Pax into position with his grappling hook. Discovering that the Matrix-bomb was locked in place, Pax switched places with [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], whose incredible hands picked the locks with ease. Things almost went south when Glitch patted Skids on his back, jamming his winch and causing Ratchet to drop the bomb, but Windcharger saved the day by magnetically preventing its fall. The theft successfully completed, the team departed, but, having not been contacted by Roller at the appointed time, Pax sped on ahead to investigate; Chromedome takes over the story to describe Pax's return, just in time to find that Senate thugs [[Kroma]], [[Macabre]] and the [[Heavies]] had attacked their safehouse.

[[File:ShockwaveReformation.jpg|thumb|left]]
Pax took out one of the Heavies, but when Kroma held his gun against Roller's head and proposed an exchange, the senator agreed to go with him. The remaining Heavy, Anvil, remained behind to finish off Pax, but Pax used the Matrix-bomb to destroy his attacker, then unearthed Chromedome from the rubble to lead him to the [[Institute]], figuring Kroma had taken the senator there. Alas, they discovered it was deserted—because despite its name, it was not unique. The senator had potentially been taken to any one of hundreds of hidden facilities, lost to them.

Such is the end of the story: not a happy one, but an ending nonetheless. Tailgate has a few remaining questions, which Rewind answers: [[Proteus (G1)|Proteus]] did not keep his promise, and much to Tailgate's surprise, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime. Sadly, Rung remains non-responsive, but when alarms suddenly begin blaring throughout the ship, and everyone heads for battle stations, Skids decides to try one last thing: he leans close to Rung, and deliberately mispronounces his name several times. Quietly, the psychiatrist awakens and corrects him.

''On Cybertron, before the war... Orion Pax is approached by another of the senator's recruits, [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]. And elsewhere, in one of the many Institutes, two staffers talk about the newest victim of [[Shadowplay]]: a senator who is also being subjected to the head-and-hand replacement ritual known as [[empurata]]. A senator...''

''...named [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]].''
{{--}}

==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)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]'' (2)
* [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (6)
* [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (7)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (10)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (11)
* [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (12)
* [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (13)
* ''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (14)
* ''[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'' (15)
* ''[[Siren (G1)|Siren]]'' (16)
* ''[[Gears (G1)|Gears]]'' (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'' (19)
* ''[[Atomizer]]'' (20)
* ''[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]]'' (21)
* ''[[Sprocket (G1)|Sprocket]]'' (22)
* ''[[Xaaron]]'' (23)
* ''[[Dipstick]]'' (24)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (28)
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (29)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (30)
* [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (31)
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (32)
{{!}}}
|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'' (1)
* ''[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]'' (3)
* ''[[Tarn (G1)|Glitch]]'' (4)
* ''[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'' (5)
* ''[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'' (8)
* ''[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]]'' (18)
* [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (25)
* ''[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'' (26)
* ''[[Crosscut (IDW)|Crosscut]]'' (27)
* ''[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]'' (33)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]]'' (34)
* ''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (35)
* ''[[Heavies]]'' (36-37)
* ''[[Kroma]]'' (38)
* ''[[Macabre]]'' (39)
* ''[[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta]]'' (40)
* ''Institute staff'' (41-42)
* ''[[Lobe]]'' (43)
* ''Lobe's assistant'' (44)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"Sorry, '''Swerve''', I need the secret password." 
"Sigh. 'Whirl is a million billion times tougher than [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]].'" 
"You may enter." 
"Jeez, '''Whirl''', even I think that password's immature, and I glued Tailgate to his recharge slab the other day..."
:—'''Whirl''' and '''Swerve'''

"I should have said this '''earlier''', but—as a trainee theoretician who can master virtually any skill, I'm kind of '''insulted''' that you brought me along for my '''grappling hook'''."
:—'''Skids'''

"Okay, they've wired it in like a tamper-proof fuel pump. A '''440'''—the mother of all fuel pumps. If I put a finger wrong, it'll '''explode.'''" 
"In that case don't do anything. Not even '''you''' can disable a 440 by hand." 
"Pax, I think you're amazing, but that is the most ham-fisted attempt at reverse psychology I've ever heard."
:—'''Ratchet''' and '''Orion Pax'''

"The Matrix is just '''hovering''' there!" 
"You can thank Windcharger and his magic arms for that." 
"You're lucky I got tired of waiting." 
"His magic arms and his low boredom threshold."
:—'''Ratchet''', '''Orion Pax''', and '''Windcharger'''

"Ooh! Ooh! What about '''Orion Pax?''' What happened to him?" 
"Orion Pax...?" 
"He was '''great!''' I really liked him. 'I trust him, Roller. End of conversation.' '''I'm''' gonna start saying stuff like that." 
"Tailgate—Orion Pax became '''Optimus Prime.''' They're the same person. I thought you '''knew''' that." 
"'''What?!''' ''(holds up picture of Prime)'' You mean '''this''' is Orion Pax? Well, I'm '''floored'''. I did '''not''' see that coming."
:—'''Tailgate''' and '''Rewind'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Notice how Chromedome is never referred to by name on the first page; from [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part 1]], we know he had a different name before he was "Chromedome", and here, he's only referred to as Prowl's "partner" (in turn indirectly furthering the obvious "romantic" implication between the two characters). This is because it's an impartial flashback, not part of Rewind's story (since it's a conversation between two characters not on the ''Lost Light''); he is called "Chromedome" elsewhere during the story since Rewind asked him to minimize confusion by doing so back in part 1.
* Having said something similar to Prowl four million years in the past in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]], Chromedome remarks that he is unable to make the derisive "Pfft" noise Swerve utters. Logically, that'd be because he doesn't have any lips!
* This is the third true story that Rewind organised. His first group was Blaster, Sunstreaker, Siren, Gears, and Perceptor; his second was Xaaron, Dipstick, Atomizer, Slapdash, and Sprocket. The implications are that the members of each group were at least peripherally involved in their own major incident, once upon a time, much like the current storytelling team. (Roberts has since admitted that there's no rhyme or reason behind the character choices except to make us go "what the heck did ''they'' all do together?!".<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 1:04:20</ref>)
* When last seen, Atomizer carried a crossbow, which Ultra Magnus said he was going to confiscate. As Atomizer is now carrying a regular bow and quiver instead, we can assume Magnus followed through.
* In his younger days, Skids had a miniature Matrix "[[tattoo]]ed" on his cheek, just as [[Springarm]] did in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory]]". Pax remarks on the similarity. This apparent religiosity is a marked contrast to the nihilism the modern Skids expresses.
* The Primal Vanguard is the detachment to which Tailgate claimed to belong and which has been mentioned a few times in ''More than Meets the Eye''. The user of the bomb disposal kit Ironfist is so excited about is not named, leading fans to conclude that it was Tailgate himself, but [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|later revelations]] would prove this to be a splendid piece of misdirection by Roberts.
* Ironfist's looking a little different than he will when we chronologically see him next in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''. Based on the helmet we can see in the background of his lab, he obviously modified his own noggin to look like a Primal Vanguard helmet.
* Ironfist shows Chromedome the image of a robot named Crosscut, trapped in the [[Forever Glass]] of [[Moldavite VI]]. This could be potentially the ''fourth'' Crosscut to exist—there's the [[Crosscut (G1)|Japanese-original Autobot]], the [[Crosscut (Marvel)|Marvel Decepticon]], an unnamed member of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that the Decepticon Crosscut is often mistaken for (according to his profile in the ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' hardcover), and now this guy. It is, of course, extremely possible that this Crosscut could be one of the others; being that this is Roberts, who doesn't toss this stuff around casually, it's almost a certainty.
* We see that Ironfist has always had a fondness for writing about his heroes; his ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs had a predecessor in his monographs about the Primal Vanguard. We couldn't ''possibly'' imagine what it's like to write endlessly about our hobbies in minute detail, no sir.
* Pax's senator friend is noted to be on speaking terms with the [[Omega Guardian]]s, the enigmatic protectors of the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] who have only previously appeared in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''.
* This is the second story to mention the substance [[propex]]. In issue #8, Grimlock's body was preserved in a "weak propex solution".
* The Heavies, previously seen in Whirl's flashback in issue #6, reappear, as does Whirl's cellmate from last issue—one of the senate thugs who menaced Orion Pax in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]", whose name is revealed to be Kroma. One of the Heavies is named "Anvil"; we'd hazard a guess the other's "Hammer".
[[File:Kroma macabre heavies shadowplay conclusion.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
* When Kroma, Macabre, and the Heavies arrive to kidnap the senator, Kroma quips that they are acting on the "best tip-off ever". This would be explained 26 issues later in "[[Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet]]", where we learn that the Heavies encountered a [[time travel]]ling Whirl, Rewind, and Chromedome a year earlier (from their perspective) during the events of "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]". Whirl was all set to kill the Heavies for their part in his oppression and eventual empurata by the [[Functionism|Functionists]], leading Chromedome to explain in front of them that they couldn't die because they had to return in a year's time to abduct Shockwave.
* Following a crack made early in the issue by Skids about the Academy of Advanced Technology never being referred to by its full name, we find out at the end of the story that it's the ''Jhiaxian'' Academy, after [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]. This indicates that it's the "J.A.A.T." mentioned last issue, and is a ''big'' clue to the true identity of the senator, as we've known since ''[[Spotlight: Doubledealer]]'' that Shockwave was a student of Jhiaxus's, obviously having studied under him at the academy before he left Cybertron.
* "Empurata", first mentioned in issue #6 and a few times since, is at last revealed to be a process by which criminals have their heads and hands removed and replaced. Whirl's reference to its persuasive power in issue #6, coupled with his lament about the loss of his hands last issue, now make a horrifying amount of sense. Glitch would also appear to have suffered through the process.
* [[Lobe]] was first mentioned as a Mechaforensic cybersurgeon in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|part one]], asking for [[Sherma]]'s brain module as part of an experiment. Now we know he's one of the Institute's top brainwashers and that Sherma was killed by the Senate for being a closet dissident... They really ''are'' everywhere!
{{--}}

===Transformers references===
* The [[power booster rod]] was an Autobot tool famous for being stolen by the human criminal the [[Mechanic]] in [[Funeral for a Friend!|issue #26]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel comic]]. Chromedome can be seen idly using it for its intended purpose of easily lifting heavy items.
* The Primal Basilica is decorated with statues of the [[Guiding Hand]] and the [[Aligned continuity family]] design of [[Prima]].
* In addition to [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] himself, one of the Triorian Guard is another guy sharing Blitzwing's body, coloured like his ''[[Diaclone]]'' toy. We'll assume that it's (an) [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]].
* Kroma and the Heavies are accompanied by Decepticon assassin [[Macabre]], made famous by his one-shot appearance in the Marvel UK epic, ''[[Target: 2006]]''. We've already seen, through ''Last Stand of the Wreckers'', that he'll go on to lead [[Squadron X]] in IDW continuity.
* Among Ironfist's memorabilia is a spare drill belonging to [[Borebit]], an Autobot from [[The Bridge to Nowhere!|issue #18]] of the original Marvel comic.
* Orion Pax's police station explodes at the time "Arc [[113 (disambiguation)|1-13]]".

===Real-life references===
[[File:Nightmare fuel shadowplay.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
* Shockwave has an academy for unusual, superpowered students who the wider world hates and fears: an ''[[X-Men]]'' nod. And if that's not blatant enough for you, Pax's next line is, "Is he [[Wolverine (Marvel)|the one with the claws?]]"
* "[[tvtropes:Main/NightmareFuel|Nightmare Fuel]]" is a term coined by ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' and popularized by the website [[tvtropes:|TV Tropes]] to describe horrifying scenes in fiction. Swerve has nabbed it from Trailbreaker's personal stash; a reference to Trailbreaker's fondness for strong "alcohol" that we saw back in [[Interiors|issue #6]], itself a reworking of the fuel-inefficient traits described in his original bio. The [[Pretender]] [[Skullgrin]] is pictured on the bottle's label.
* Speaking of alcohol, Siren blurting out "BRILLIANT!" in response to the most basic sliver of information is a reference to the {{w|Guinness Brewmasters}} ad campaign.
* Tailgate has to make a "who's who" page to keep track of everyone in the story, just like the "Meet the Crew" features in the back of every issue of ''More than Meets the Eye''.

===Trivia===
* "Shadowplay" runs through three related genres in each of its three parts: this one is the heist story.<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 07:43 - 08:00</ref>
* The heist this issue is about was alluded to in a conversation between Skids and Chromedome back in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
* Obviously, Shockwave isn't one of the main characters in ''More than Meets the Eye'' and was more prominent in ''Robots in Disguise''. As James Roberts says though, both titles are telling the same wider story of the Transformers universe and he believes it makes the twist more effective if Shockwave's origin is in the 'wrong' place.<ref>[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/t14540/ Moonbase2's second interview with James Roberts - 01:39:20 to 59:30]</ref>
* [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] is among the outliers, unnamed but rather obviously identifiable from his description as a truck who generates forcefields. When talking about Trailbreaker on the following page, Swerve calls him "Trailcutter", an alternate name developed by [[Hasbro]] after the loss of the trademark to the original, and noted in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|''More than Meets the Eye'' annual]] to be an alternate name the character uses in-universe. The origin of this second name would later be revealed in the character's [[The Reluctant Specialist|self-titled ''Spotlight'' issue]].
* At the request of James Roberts, colorist Josh Burcham purposely gave the Senator the hues of Ultra Magnus (both in this issue and the previous) to serve as a red (and blue and white, hyuk hyuk) herring.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-comics-discussion/716601-transformers-more-than-meets-eye-11-discussion-spoilers-29.html#post8649838 Forum post by Alex Milne]</ref>

===Crew Manifest===
* The still-living Red Alert is "boxed" and put into cold storage.
* 5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), and 1 boxed since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
For the entire three-part "Shadowplay" story:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtckSsQ_Au0 "Comforting Sounds"] by {{w|Mew (band)|Mew}}

For this issue:
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88N8CVcnR8 "No Fear of Falling"] by {{w|I Am Kloot}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81LpJPXo_qs "Atmosphere"] by {{w|Joy Division}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb59lMEtHL4 "Plainsong"] by {{w||The Cure}}

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Shadowplay (Saishūkai): Aru Uchi Kubi'''" (シャドウプレイ (最終回): ある打ち首, "Shadowplay (Conclusion): A Certain Beheading")

'''Swedish'''
* ''Title:'' "'''Skuggspel (Sista delen): En föraktfull halshuggning'''" ("Shadowplay (Final Part): A Disdainful Beheading")

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Orion Pax is lowered into the Primal Basilica, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
* '''Cover B:''' Ratchet reflected in the Matrix, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover RI:''' Rodimus stands over the injured Red Alert, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]

<gallery>
File:MTMTE11_cvrA.jpg|Skids and Ratchet are in the original art, but are hidden under the logo.
File:MTMTE11_cvrB.jpg|And yes, it fucntions as a mirror, too!
File:MTMTE11_cvrRI.jpg|Red lost his head.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The End of the Beginning of the World|#11]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' #86
* ''Tales of the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' Volume 1
* IDW ''[[My Little Pony|My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'' comic
* ''Dorothy of Oz'' Prequel
* ''[[Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots]]''

===Reprints===
* '''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' ([[March 27]], [[2013]]) ISBN 161377592X / ISBN 978-1613775929 
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012 and issues #9–11.
** Bonus material includes "Meet the Crew", variant covers, and designs for the [[Guiding Hand]].
** Trade paperback format.

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

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3]]''''' ([[February 24]], [[2016]]) ISBN 1631405403 / ISBN 978-1631405402
** Collects ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]: [[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Thundercracker]], [[The Question|Bumblebee]]'' & ''[[Spotlight: Megatron|Megatron]]'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual 2012, issues #9–11 & #12–13 & "[[Signal to Noise]]", and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Primus: All Good Things|Annual 2012]] & issues [[Syndromica (2)|#10]]–[[The End of the Beginning of the World|11]].
** Bonus material unknown at this time.
** Hardcover format.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
** Collects ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #7–13 and Annual 2012.
** Bonus material includes the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, design sketches from Alex Milne, a cover gallery and a forward by [[Simon Furman]].
** Hardcover format.

* '''''Transformers: Kaos och skuggor''''' ([[November]], [[2020]])
** Collects [[The Transformers (IDW)|''The Transformers'' (2009)]] issues [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]]–[[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|24]], [[Chaos Part Two: Numbers|#26]], [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|#28]] & [[Chaos Part Four: Genesis|#30]], ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', and ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #9–13.
** Swedish reprint. Hardcover format.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol3.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Volume 3''''' – cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''''More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' – cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V3.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3''''' – cover art by Marcelo Matere and [[Tom B. Long]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:MTMTE SWE 02.jpg|'''''Kaos och skuggor''''' – cover art by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]].
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

File:ShockwaveReformation.jpg

2025-10-10T22:52:48Z

Domovoy3:

Stormbringer issue 4

2025-10-04T21:14:26Z

Domovoy3:

{{Comicstory
|series=stormbringer|issueno=4
|prev=Stormbringer issue 3
|next=Escalation issue 1
|image=StormbringerCover4.jpg
|caption=Everyone vs Thunderwing. Everyone is outnumbered.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[October 18]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=October 2006
|story by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Sulaco Studios]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}

'''Thunderwing is coming home, and now it's up to the Autobots and Decepticons to atone for their mistakes.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Stormbringer4 JetfirePrime plainlanguage.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.95]]
From [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s command bunker, the [[Wreckers]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] watch as the rogue [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] enters [[unspace|transwarp space]], powering home to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] has a theory of his own: without the guiding influence of the [[axis cradle]], Thunderwing is operating under his own power again, and though he still has no conscious mind to speak of, his body is operating by rote and is intent on finishing what he started. The Autobot flier digs into Bludgeon's files, trying to learn more about the mysterious "[[Ore-13|Ultra-Energon]]" that the Decepticon used in the first place.

As he does so, Prime and the Wreckers gear up for action: Prime is adamant that Thunderwing ''must'' be stopped by any means necessary, gravely noting to an incredulous [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] that, if it comes down to it, he'll destroy Cybertron itself to stop the abomination. The Autobots aren't the only ones preparing for the coming conflict; under [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s orders, the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s aboard the [[Decepticon]] warship ''[[Thanatos]]'' prepare to bombard Cybertron from orbit in order to destroy Thunderwing once and for all. [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] harbors reservations, and orders his crew to hold off the bombardment, just in time to see Thunderwing rematerialize in low orbit.

Thunderwing crashes down onto the surface of Cybertron, but as the Wreckers watch on, Thunderwing stands motionless. Some part of Thunderwing's ravaged mind flashes back to the days before the destruction of Cybertron—when a disgusted Megatron terminated his experiments into polydermal grafting, forcing him to go rogue and commit greater and greater atrocities in the name of survival—and, as those memories surface once more, the mindless monster that was once Thunderwing suddenly unleashes a crackling torrent of energy on the Autobots! The Wreckers regroup to launch a joint assault on the beast, but neither their airborne barrage or [[Twin Twist (G1)|Twin Twist]]'s up-close assault have any effect.

As the [[Autobot]]s engage Thunderwing, Razorclaw watches their efforts, and the conflicted Decepticon reaches an internal compromise: he orders [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] to lead two assault teams down to [[Thunderhead Pass]], but once their cannons are charged, they'll fire regardless of who's on the ground.

In Bludgeon's Base, Optimus paces as Jetfire decrypts another piece of Bludgeon's files. This data, Jetfire believes, may be the key to defeating Thunderwing; the Ultra-Energon he runs on is powerful but short-lived, and the more energy he expends, the faster he burns himself out. This vital knowledge isn't passed on to the Wreckers, however, who fight a desperate rearguard action until Springer is caught off-guard by an exploding pocket of natural gas... only to be saved by Divebomb! Divebomb's assault teams arrive and open fire on Thunderwing, buying time for Optimus Prime and a legion of reprogrammed [[Centurion droid|Centurion]]s to arrive and wade into the fray.

The combined onslaught seems to weaken Thunderwing—a respite that's only temporary, as the Pretender transforms into an intimidating "[[Super Mode|ultra mode]]" to continue the fight, wiping out the Centurions. As the ''Thanatos''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s firing timer ticks down to the point of no return, Razorclaw orders his Decepticons back, ready to destroy Cybertron for the greater good, until Optimus steps up to finish the fight.

Optimus opens fire on the monster, bringing his entire arsenal to bear as he expounds on what's led them to this point: ''every'' Cybertronian is complicit in what happened to Cybertron, and while Thunderwing was more forward thinking than most, his "solution" to the problem was what led to the destruction of Cybertron. While Optimus has long ruminated on his failure to save his world, stopping Thunderwing, he declares, is the first step towards absolving his guilt and healing his world. As Optimus pours on the firepower, the timer towards the Decepticon bombing run ticks ever downward... until a spent Thunderwing runs out of fuel and collapses, allowing Razorclaw to abort the bombing run at the last second.

The Autobots gather around Thunderwing's prone body to make sure he's really offline. Optimus is still uneasy, wondering ''where'' Bludgeon got the mysterious Ultra-Energon in the first place, and orders Jetfire to scour Bludgeon's files for any more information. Returning to the Autobot command hub aboard ''[[Ark-27]]'', Optimus Prime receives a communiqué from Jetfire, who has uncovered further information in Bludgeon's files—a Decepticon plan, [[Regenesis]], involving a planet called [[Earth]]. Connecting this information with the update he received from [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s unit, Prime orders a change of course.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] (2)
* [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] (3)
* [[Twin Twist (G1)|Twin Twist]] (4)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (5)
* [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] (6)
* [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (7)
* [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (8)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (9)
* [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (10)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (11)
* [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] (12)
* [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] (13)
* [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] (14)
* [[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight]] (29)
* [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (30)
* [[Pointblank]] (31)
* [[Override (G1)|Override]] (32)
{{!}}}
|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] (1)
* [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (15)
* [[Windsweeper]] (16)
* [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (17)
* [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (18)
* [[Quake (G1)|Quake]] (19)
* [[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]] (20)
* [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] (21)
* [[Headstrong (G1)|Headstrong]] (22)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (23)
* [[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] (24)
* [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] (25)
* [[Triggerhappy (G1)|Triggerhappy]] (26)
* [[Barrage (Insecticon)|Barrage]] (27)
* [[Centurion droid|Centurion Drones]] (28)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"That thing's its own personal ground zero!"
:—'''Roadbuster''' on Thunderwing

"This planet — or at least, what's '''left''' of it — remains a '''testament''' to our short-sightedness. A reminder that in war... there '''are''' no real winners. Part of me feared coming back here, but in truth I never left. At long last, I can confront my own demons, acknowledge once and for all my fallibility, my accountability... and let the healing begin."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' pontificates as he blasts Thunderwing

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* So how ''did'' Bludgeon find out about [[Regenesis]] and [[Ore-13]]? Check out "[[Spotlight: Shockwave]]" and "[[Spotlight: Soundwave]]" to get the full story!
* Optimus Prime's last appearance has him heading to Earth—partially due to his desire to figure out the mystery of Ore-13, and partially because of [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]'s transmission that he received in [[Stormbringer issue 1|issue #1]] of the miniseries—setting up his debut in ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' [[Infiltration issue 6|issue #6]] and leading directly into the events of ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation]].''
* '''First appearances:''' The entire Decepticon cast, apart from Thunderwing, Megatron and Razorclaw.

===Transformers references===
* Thunderwing's "ultra mode" seems loosely adapted from the 1988 [[Mega Pretender]]s, of which Thunderwing was a part of, who could combine with their outer shells to form a sort of powered-up "[[Super Mode]]".

===Real-life references===
* The Decepticon warship ''[[Thanatos]]'' is named after {{w|Thanatos|Thanatos}}, the Greek deity of death.
* "There's no place like home," quips Razorclaw, quoting the iconic line from the original ''{{w|The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|Wizard of Oz}}''. film.
* As he speeds towards Thunderwing, Topspin proudly declares that when people ask him why he fought Thunderwing one-on-one, he'll say "because it was there," paraphrasing mountaineer {{w|George Mallory}}'s famous quote about scaling Mt. Everest. (''Not'' Edmund Hillary!) Of course, this declaration also fits Topspin's usual "bot against nature" mentality perfectly.

===Other trivia===
* The A covers of each issue can be combined into a giant image which was later shrunken down for the trade paperback.

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Battle against Thunderwing wraparound cover by Don Figueroa. This cover can be combined with similar ones from the other three issues to form a giant battle scene.
* '''Cover B:''' Optimus Prime sketch cover by Don Figueroa
* '''Cover RI:''' Cover A uncolored

<gallery>
File:Stormbringer 4a full.jpg|Mega Pretender taken to the next level.
File:Stormbringer 4b.jpg|This bot's a bad mutha... Shut your mouth! I'm just talkin' 'bout Prime!
File:Stormbringer 4ria.jpg|Cover RI-A.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* Optimus Prime [[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]] toy
* ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' series
* [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] with Kung Fu Grip toy
* ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation]]'', including a 3-page preview
* IDW trade paperbacks (''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'', ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering]]'', ''[[Prime Directive]]'', ''[[War and Peace]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|Generations]]'')
* ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' 20th Anniversary DVD
* Transformers posters
* ??? (back of cover B)

===Reprints===
In addition to [[The Transformers: Stormbringer#Collections|collections of the full series]].
* '''''[[The Transformers: The Best of Don Figueroa]]''''' ([[August 1]], [[2007]]) ISBN 1600100813 / ISBN 978-1600100819
* '''''[[The Transformers: Best of Optimus Prime]]''''' ([[June 2]], [[2010]]) ISBN 1600106668 / ISBN 978-1600106668

<gallery>
File:BestofDon.jpg|'''''The Best of Don Figueroa''''' – cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (duh) and [[Alan Wang]]
File:BestofOptimus.jpg|'''''The Best of Optimus Prime''''' – cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
</gallery>

File:StormbringerCover4.jpg

2025-10-04T21:14:04Z

Domovoy3:

Stormbringer issue 3

2025-10-04T21:11:52Z

Domovoy3:

{{Comicstory
|series=stormbringer|issueno=3
|prev=Stormbringer issue 2
|next=Stormbringer issue 4
|image=StrombringerCover3.jpg
|caption=Comin' to wreck house in your neighborhood.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 6]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=September 2006
|story by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|color assist by=[[grungewerx]]
|letters by=[[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''As the Decepticons try to stop Thunderwing, Optimus Prime and the Wreckers take on Bludgeon's cabal.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Roadbustertotherescue.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], now firmly under the control of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], has touched down on the once-peaceful planet of [[Nebulos]], deploying a formidable arsenal of weaponry against its occupants to further Bludgeon's insane plan to scour the planet clean in the hopes of rejuvenating Cybertron. A pleased Bludgeon watches from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] as his creation rampages through a Nebulan city, but other matters soon demand his attention; setting Thunderwing on auto-control, Bludgeon and his followers move on to the next phase of their plan: having continued Thunderwing's research on the [[Pretender|polydermal grafting]] technology that ultimately drove him insane, the rogue Decepticons have improved on Thunderwing's findings and created the next generation of organic carapaces.

Up above, in the ruins of [[Nova Cronum]], [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] and [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] struggle to overpower their [[Centurion droid|Centurion]] attackers. It looks like the end for the duo... but luck's in their favor when [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] plough into the droids in the nick of time, gunning them down in a hail of fire! A few minutes later, Nosecone comes to amidst a group of Autobots; his rescuers were the vanguard for a larger detachment, one led by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] himself and bringing the rest of the elite [[Wreckers]] with him. Optimus and [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] talk tactics while Topspin fills in the driller on their findings. Topspin tells him to stay topside: he's done enough, and now it's time for "the professionals" to take over.

As Thunderwing runs amok on Nebulos, the local [[Decepticon]] [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] weigh up their options in the face of certain doom. Squad leader [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]] makes the final call to attack the creature, ordering [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] to stay behind and erase all trace of their presence if they can't control it. As the crew rolls out, however, Darkwing makes a secret agreement with his teammate [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] to flee the scene if things get too rough.

[[File:IDWBludgeonShell.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Stormbringer coming down, meaning to stay; thunder and lightning heading your way!]]

On Cybertron, the Wreckers swing into action: [[Twin Twist (G1)|Twin Twist]] and [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] first use their earthmoving [[alternate mode]]s to burrow straight down into Bludgeon's bunker, and then Optimus Prime leads the charge. Bludgeon's loyalists aren't prepared for the Wreckers' onslaught and swiftly fall; [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]], meanwhile, slips away from the carnage and makes a break for the pressure vats to alert Bludgeon... only to find Bludgeon's already there, clad in a new suit of polydermal armor and wielding a glowing sword!

Back on Nebulos, the terrified Decepticons make their last stand against Thunderwing, to predictable results: [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] is pulped in one hand, [[Roadgrabber]] is swatted out of the air and crashes into a building, and [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] is crushed underfoot. Darkwing and Dreadwing make a half-hearted pass against the beast, but as the atmosphere begins to ionize, the two opt to grab Thrust, cut their losses, and run.

[[File:Stormbringer3 NebulousDecepticons2.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Dark cloud gathering, breaking the day; no point running 'cause it's coming your way!]]

The Wreckers, meanwhile, have breached the pressure vat chamber and barge through, expecting a fight... only to find that Bludgeon has bisected Iguanus with his sword and suffered a system failure of his own, the flesh of his shell melting off his catatonic body. Optimus consoles the dying Iguanus as the Decepticon explains where Bludgeon went wrong: the exo-shell hadn't been properly aligned, and the resulting backlash has, in effect, trapped the mad Decepticon inside his own head. Roadbuster and [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] successfully rescue [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] from one of Bludgeon's machines; he tells Optimus Prime to shut down Bludgeon's [[axis cradle]], and Springer obliges by blowing the machine to bits.

Having escaped the ravaged Nebulos, Dreadwind and Darkwing send a message to [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]], who in turn contacts the [[Decepticon High Command|High Command]]. The message finds its way to [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], who has recently arrived on [[Earth]]; he authorizes Razorclaw to do whatever is necessary to stop Thunderwing... even if it means destroying Cybertron in the process.

And, on Cybertron, Jetfire gets to work decoding the data in Bludgeon's systems, discovering that Bludgeon has used a mysterious substance known as "[[Ore-13|Ultra-Energon]]" to awaken Thunderwing in the first place. Before he can get any further, however, an orbital perimeter alarm sounds—with Bludgeon's control system destroyed, Thunderwing is coming home...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (8)
* [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (9)
* [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] (10)
* [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] (11)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (12)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (13)
* [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] (14)
* [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (15)
* [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] (16)
* [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] (24)
* [[Twin Twist (G1)|Twin Twist]] (25)
* [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (26)
|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] (1)
* [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (2)
* [[Skullgrin]] (3)
* [[Finback]] (4)
* [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (5)
* [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] (6)
* [[Centurion droid|Centurion Drones]] (7)
* [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] (17)
* [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]] (18)
* [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] (19)
* [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]] (20)
* [[Roadgrabber]] (21)
* [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (22)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (23)
* [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (27)
* [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] (28)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"Suppose there's no point in asking you to stay up here, out of the firing line." 
"No."
:—'''Springer''' and '''Optimus Prime'''.

"Damn! Damn! Damn! It's all gone to Hell!"
:—'''Iguanus''' is having a bad day.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* They sure look dead in this issue, but under the pen of [[James Roberts]] both Crankcase and Skullcruncher would be revealed to have ''survived'' their encounter with Thunderwing in ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]:'' Crankcase would go on to join the misfit [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavenger]]s, while Skullcruncher got off better and started a new life as a stand-up comedian.
* In a similar vein, several of Bludgeon's cultists sure ''look'' as though they've been killed, but ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' would suggest that at least three members — [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]], [[Skullgrin]], and [[Finback]] — had merely been subdued and eventually imprisoned in the Autobot's infamous [[Garrus-9]] prison facility.
* Megatron's brief appearance in this issue links directly to the concurrent [[The Transformers: Infiltration|''Infiltration'']] miniseries, where we see Megatron's side of the conversation in the pages of [[Infiltration issue 4|issue #4]] and [[Infiltration issue 5|#5]].
* '''First appearances:''' Razorclaw

===Transformers references===
* Optimus Prime's hand-held rifles are pretty obviously those from his [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Powermaster body]]. This in mind, his arm-mounted twin-cannons could be inspired by the same toy.
* Bludgeon's new suit of polydermal armor is heavily based on his toy's Pretender shell. Unlike the original, however, its design suggests that, like the [[Mega Pretender|Mega]] and [[Ultra Pretender]]s, it's able to assume an alternate mode all its own; in Bludgeon's case, some kind of treaded ground vehicle.

===Errors===
* In the recap, Thunderwing is called Bludgeon.
* Iguanus has a different design for his face during his death scene with Prime.

===Other trivia===
* Japanese characters can be seen on the monitor in the last panel, suggesting that someone didn't want to go to the trouble of coming up with suitably alien letters...
* The Decepticomments section had readers' mail answered by Chris Ryall.

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Wreckers wraparound cover by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham. This cover can be combined with similar ones from the other three issues to form a giant battle scene.
* '''Cover B:''' Cybertron sketch wraparound cover by Don Figueroa; this was later colored for ''[[The Transformers: The Best of Simon Furman|The Best of Simon Furman]]'' trade paperback and the [[Madman Entertainment]]-exclusive [[The Transformers (Madman)|comic]].
* '''Cover RI:''' Cover A uncolored.

<gallery>
File:Stormbringer 3a full.jpg|Who ya gonna call? The Wreckers!
File:Stormbringer 3b.jpg|Cybertron is a spiky ball!
File:Stormbringer 3ria.jpg|Cover RI-A
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* Optimus Prime [[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]] toy
* ''[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]'' series
* ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' TPB
* ''[[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|Generations]]'' series
* ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' 20th Anniversary DVD
* Transformers posters

===Reprints===
In addition to [[The Transformers: Stormbringer#Collections|collections of the full series]].
* N/A

File:StrombringerCover3.jpg

2025-10-04T21:11:21Z

Domovoy3:

Stormbringer issue 2

2025-10-04T21:07:09Z

Domovoy3:

{{Comicstory
|series=stormbringer|issueno=2
|prev=Stormbringer issue 1
|next=Stormbringer issue 3
|image=StormbringerCover2.jpg
|caption=Um, is this ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''?
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[August 9]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=August 2006
|story by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''The avatar of doom awakens'''.

==Synopsis==
[[File:Stormbringer2 Dogfight Optimus.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
On the distant organic world of [[Nebulos]], the local inhabitants are going about their daily business until a gigantic shadow looms over the peaceful cityscape...

A few hours before, in the depths of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], a conscious [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] is interrogated by his captor, the [[Decepticon]] [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. Bludgeon has gathered a team of like-minded 'bots to reawaken the dormant [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] and accomplish through mysticism what science could not: if they destroy enough worlds, Bludgeon reasons, then their sacrifice will appease the "spirit" of Cybertron, allowing their ravaged world to return to its former glory.

Horrified by Bludgeon's mad plan, Jetfire pleads with his captor, reminding him that Thunderwing's rampage was responsible for the devastation of their world in the first place. Bludgeon counters that Jetfire is just as responsible for what happened to their world: Thunderwing foresaw what was coming and was dismissed by his peers, and now Bludgeon and his cadre will finish what Thunderwing started. Bludgeon reveals the next stage of his plan to his prisoner: using the unconscious [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s as raw material for the Thunderwing's infamous "polydermal grafting process:" the unstable upgrade that drove its creator insane. As Bludgeon's followers gather, their leader, shrugging off Jetfire's protests, proclaims that, soon, they'll ''all'' be so much more...

In the meantime, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] receives a report regarding the disappearance of the ''[[Calabi-Yau]].'' When Prime realizes that the vessel crashed near the infamous [[Thunderhead Pass]], he orders his aide [[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight]] to call up the toughest group of Autobots on the roster: the [[Wreckers]].

On the embattled world of [[Varas Centralus]], Wrecker leader [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] receives Prime's transmission as the Autobot commandos prepare to dig in and lay siege to the local Decepticon siege armature. The battle is cut short when Springer relays Prime's orders to his unit: they're pulling out and heading back to Cybertron.

Using the [[energon]] pocket detected by the ''Calabi-Yau'', Bludgeon commences restoring power to Thunderwing, despite Jetfire's protests. Bludgeon reveals that he's not going to directly control Thunderwing; rather, he'll use an [[axis cradle]] to link himself to Thunderwing's blank neural processor. Rather than puppet the comatose Decepticon directly, Bludgeon will give hints and directional prompts to Thunderwing, pointing him toward the sacrificed planets. The rest will be left to Thunderwing's own instincts. Hoping to make one last attempt at stopping Bludgeon, Jetfire easily breaks free of his restraints and overpowers one of his captors, but he's quickly electrocuted by [[Finback]] and dragged off to become raw material for Bludgeon's polydermal grafting experiments...

[[File:Stormbringer2 NebulosDecepticons1.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Aboard the Wrecker's starship ''[[Xantium (G1)|Xantium]]'', Springer holds a brief meeting with Optimus Prime as the Autobot leader journeys to their staging ground on [[Moonbase Two|Luna Two]]. Springer, doubtful about coming out on top against Thunderwing is adamant that the Autobot leader simply destroy Cybertron entirely. Though hesitant, Prime hesitantly tells the Wrecker commander that he'll ''consider'' it... but flashes back to their last battle against Thunderwing, when [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] advocated the same tactic. Prime's assistant Dogfight is eager to get into the action, but Prime tells him that he'll be lucky to come out the other side feeling that way.

On the surface of Cybertron, [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] and [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] leave their escape pod and make their way across the surface of Cybertron and take shelter inside a storage bunker, but the cosmic radiation plays havoc with their systems and they are rounded up by a pair of [[Centurion droid|Centurion drones]].

On Nebulos, the local Decepticon [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] picks up something big and powerful exiting [[unspace|foldspace]]. The people of the planet look to the sky and flee in fear, for the apocalypse has arrived—and its name is Thunderwing!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (1)
* [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (4)
* [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] (5)
* [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (6)
* [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (11)
* [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (12)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (13)
* [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] (14)
* [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (15)
* [[Pincher (G1)|Pincher]] (16)
* [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] (17)
* [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] (18)
* [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] (19)
* [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (20)
* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (21)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] (22)
* [[Twin Twist (G1)|Twin Twist]] (23)
* [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] (24)
* [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (25)
* [[Gunrunner (G1)|Gunrunner]] (26)
* [[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight]] (27)
* [[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] (28)
* [[Pointblank]] (29)
* [[Override (G1)|Override]] (30)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (2)
* [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] (3)
* [[Finback]] (7)
* [[Skullgrin]] (8)
* [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] (9)
* [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (10)
* [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] (31)
* [[Centurion droid|Centurion Drones]] (32)
* [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] (34)
* [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]] (35)
* [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]] (36)
* [[Roadgrabber]] (37)
* [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (38)
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (39)
* [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] (40)
|c4=
* [[Nebulan]]s (33)
}}

==Quotes==
"The '''polydermal abrasion''' process is long, painful, and arduous, Jetfire. You'll have plenty of time to reflect... on your general '''lack''' of faith."
:— '''Bludgeon''' doesn't like atheists

"I, ah, just wanted to say what an '''honor''' it is to serve alongside you on this mission. I'm very excited by the opportunity." 
"Excited? Let us hope, Dogfight... that when, one way or another, this is all '''over'''...that sentiment prevails."
:— '''Dogfight''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* The Autobots' vessel is not named here, but will later be identified as the ''[[Ark-27]]''.
* Bludgeon's team is made up entirely of the Wave 1 and 2 Decepticon Pretenders... except for [[Bugly (G1)|Bugly]] and [[Submarauder (G1)|Submarauder]]. Bugly would eventually be revealed as a former member of Bludgeon's cult in 2017, when ''[[Revolutionaries]]'' [[When Eagles Scream|#5]] told his story!
* The siege mode armature was first explained in ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' [[Infiltration issue 4|#4]], which outlined its significance in the Decepticons' standardized [[infiltration protocol]].
* '''First appearances:''' Springer, Roadbuster, Topspin, Broadside, Whirl, Sandstorm, Scoop, and Twin Twist; Sureshot, Dogfight, and Backstreet; Darkwing, Dreadwind, Ruckus, Skullcruncher, Thrust, Roadgrabber and Crankcase.

===Transformers references===
[[File:Stormbringer2 Finback.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]
* The organic planet of [[Nebulos]] first appeared in [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|the Marvel comic series]], a planet whose inhabitants were responsible for inventing the symbiotic [[binary bonding]] process that led to [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s, [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]], and [[Powermaster]]s. The native [[Nebulan]]s are depicted with green skin and yellow eyes, hewing closer to their cartoon depictions that appeared in the [[The Rebirth|truncated Season 4]] of the original cartoon.
* Jetfire and Scoop both swear by [[Primacron]], creator of [[Unicron]] from the original cartoon. As the author did not want to use [[Primus]] nor Unicron in this universe (though later authors would go on a different path), Primacron was subbed in as an alternate being to swear by.
* It shouldn't come as a surprise Thunderwing, Bludgeon, and Bludgeon's followers are all Generation 1 [[Pretender]] characters; the "grafting process" that drove Thunderwing to madness is a re-imagining of the "Pretender shells" that was one of the primary [[gimmick]]s in 1988. That said, Bludgeon and his crew have received significant makeovers; their robot modes have been redesigned to incorporate features from their Pretender shells, which they have yet to obtain.
* The Wreckers! The Autobots' go-to team for blowing stuff up was originally created for the Marvel UK comics, utilizing various characters and toys that had not been taken up by the US stories. Furman brings his creation back here with virtually the same lineup, adding [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] as a new addition to the roster.
* The [[Centurion droid]]s are based off the automated defense mechanisms that appeared in the "The Key to Vector Sigma" two-parter episodes. Here, they are reimagined as a mundane security system rather than the secret guardians of the planet's core that they were in their debut. With their shoulder-mounted cannons, they bear a passing resemblance to the [[Centurion (Marvel)|''other'' Centurion]] from the Marvel comics, which was also a non-sentient war robot.

===Errors===
* The inside cover of issue #2, solicited for August 2006, shows the publish date of the issue as June 2006, one month ''before'' the last issue.
* Springer radios [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] to relay battle orders... but just last issue, Bluestreak was hanging around in the Autobots' command post.
* On page 16, Jetfire's spaceship is misspelled ''Calibi''-Yau. On pages 4 and 5, and on pages 2, 4, and 12 of [[Stormbringer issue 1]] the ship is called the ''Calabi''-Yau, its official name.
* Nosecone's last sentence on page 16 is missing its concluding period.

===Other trivia===
* Cover A depicts a large number of Autobots and Decepticons in conflict with Thunderwing, likely a literal or figurative representation of the Battle of Thunderhead Pass. In practice, it would actually be several years before some of the depicted Transformers were introduced in IDW continuity.

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Prime's Autobots and Megatron's Decepticons vs Thunderwing wraparound cover by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham. This cover can be combined with similar ones from the other three issues to form a giant battle scene. This cover/section of the large image seems to represent the Transformers who tangled with Thunderwing in the past, other than Optimus Prime himself.
* '''Cover B:''' Half colored Thunderwing wraparound cover by Don Figueroa and ???
* '''Cover RI-A:''' Cover A uncolored

<gallery>
File:Stormbringer 2a full.jpg|Thunderwing likes [[Neon]].
File:Stormbringer 2b.jpg|Thunderwing—that's hot! Even without color!
File:Stormbringer 2ria.jpg|Cover RI-A
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* None yet identified

===Reprints===
In addition to [[The Transformers: Stormbringer#Collections|collections of the full series]].
* N/A

File:StormbringerCover2.jpg

2025-10-04T21:06:44Z

Domovoy3:

Stormbringer issue 1

2025-10-04T21:04:09Z

Domovoy3:

{{Comicstory
|series=stormbringer|issueno=1
|prev=Infiltration issue 6
|next=Stormbringer issue 2
|image=StormbringerCover1.jpg
|caption=Thunderwing—that's hot!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 19]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=July 2006
|story by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''An unidentified energy source is discovered on a long abandoned world... Cybertron.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Stormbringer1 Jetfire Strafe.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] is a 'bot haunted by millennia of war: even now, centuries later, he's unable to forget the horrific images of an apocalyptic figure rising from the flames—a monster, he remembers, that they were responsible for creating.''

In the present day, the crew of the [[Autobot]] science vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'' arrive over a dead, lifeless planet: their home world of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] reveals to his captain [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] that the ''Calabi-Yau'' has detected something completely unexpected: an energy source, 700 years after their world was declared uninhabitable. [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] confirms his shipmate's theory, and the crew assemble to analyze these findings. Nosecone confirms that this anomalous energy source is, in fact, [[energon]], a pocket of leftover fuel, he postulates, that's been contaminated by exotic material from somewhere else in the galaxy after the destruction of Cybertron's atmosphere. Jetfire is intrigued by the idea that Cybertron could be gradually healing itself from "what was done," and decides to take some crew members to investigate further.

The ''Calabi-Yau'' touches down over a rubble-strewn canyon as Jetfire, [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]], [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] disembark. The four Autobots are glad to have returned to Cybertron after centuries away, but their home has changed greatly in their absence: radiation storms scour the planet, and the Autobots are forced to adjust their personal shield harmonics just to stay alive in the wasteland. The radiation plays havoc with their instrument readouts, making it impossible to track the energon signature from the surface; Jetfire radios the ''Calabi-Yau'', back in orbit, so Afterburner can track it from above. As he does so, however, the group comes to a massive ravine: [[Thunderhead Pass]], the place where it "all fell apart..."

''On Cybertron, many years ago, [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] pulls Optimus Prime out of the rubble. Their mutual adversary has breached their siege walls, and Megatron tells his old enemy to get up and fight, because it's now or never for the both of them.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Searchlight OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
At the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], Optimus Prime receives a message from [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s unit on [[Earth]]. It informs him that the [[Decepticon]] [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] has enacted [[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]] prematurely (as seen in ''[[Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3]]''). Prime orders [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] to keep him informed of the situation while, despite his misgivings, he thinks back to that "adversary..."

As the Autobot explorers deploy their scientific equipment and set up a probe, [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] grows concerned about the possible effects their snooping will have. Jetfire has his own doubts about the situation, but he's adamant that they must do all they can do to prevent any similar disaster from happening again. Indeed, Jetfire thinks back to how he and the others ignored all the warnings...

''In a holographic conference, [[Decepticon]] scientist [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] has messaged Cybertron's top minds, both Autobot and Decepticon, to discuss the future. The [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and its need for resources has taken its toll on the planet, and the lack of energon, contraction of the planet's core, and the dissolution of its atmosphere has led [[Bludgeon (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Bludgeon]] to conclude that their homeworld is, in effect, dying. [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] rejects Thunderwing's hypothesis, and Thunderwing tells him that he can either follow his lead or die when Cybertron can no longer support life.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Lightspeed attacked.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Comin' out of nowhere, drivin' like rain; Stormbringer dance on the thunder again!]]
The Autobot survey team launches a probe into the depths of Thunderhead Pass; as they prepare to move out in advance of an oncoming particle storm, Lightspeed is blasted by an unseen attacker and taken out of commission, and the other three Autobots try to get their bearings before Scattershot realizes the truth: their enemies are invisible! In orbit, Nosecone and Afterburner try to restore contact with their comrades, until a missile volley launched from Cybertron destroys the ''Calabi-Yau'' as the two Autobots scramble for an emergency escape pod.

''During the Cybertronian apocalypse, Autobot and Decepticon are united against a mysterious, flame-wreathed figure: the avatar of the catastrophe. The combined might of the Transformers is ineffectual against it; in the end, the planet itself seems to swallow up the figure.''
From his position aboard the command hub, Optimus wonders if their sin can stay buried... and Jetfire, waking up deep beneath the surface of Cybertron, gets the answer, as he discovers a group of strange mechanoids worshiping a massive, inert winged figure—a figure they call "Thunderwing!"
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (2)
* [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (3)
* [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (4)
* [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (5)
* [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (6)
* [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] (7)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (9)
* [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] (10)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]/"[[Bluster]]" (11, see [[#Errors]])
* [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (12)
* ''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
* ''[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (16)''
* ''[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'' (23)
* [[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (24)
* [[Overdrive]] (25)
* [[Downshift (G1)|Downshift]] (26)
* [[Groundbreaker]] (27)
* [[Gunrunner (G1)|Gunrunner]] (28)
* [[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]] (29)
* [[Pincher (G1)|Pincher]] (30)
* [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (31)
{{!}}}
|c2=
* ''[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'' (1)
* ''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (8)
* ''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (14)
* ''[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]'' (15)
* [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] (17)
* [[Finback]] (18)
* [[Skullgrin]] (19)
* [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (20)
* [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (21)
* ''[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'' (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"We'll need to rotate personal shield harmonics just to maintain the most '''basic''' epidermal integrity. '''Hardly''' what I'd call a pleasant stroll down Memory Lane."
:—'''Strafe'''

"I see '''the end'''. But the shuddering, lurching instant brings scant comfort. For I know, deep down... it '''never''' ends."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Our first look at Cybertron—it is a dark, hellish wasteland with enormous killer storms, constant lightning, and an utterly ruined surface.
* Optimus Prime is seen here receiving [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]'s secret transmission, which was beamed to the Autobot leader during [[Infiltration issue 4|''Infiltration'' #3]].
* The Matrix makes its first blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in IDW continuity during Optimus Prime's first flashback to the past; the way it's depicted inside Prime's chest panel is possibly a visual homage to Furman and Figueroa's work in ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''.

===Transformers references===
* Cybertron being an energy-starved wasteland hearkens back to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original Generation 1 cartoon]]; here, however, Cybertron is reimagined as being so inhospitable that it's fundamentally incapable of supporting Transformer life. A similar backstory found its way into the development of the later [[Aligned continuity family]].
* When Jetfire, who normally uses his cartoon-and-comic-accurate humanoid face, sets foot on Cybertron, the visored, masked appearance of his toy is reimagined as a protective helmet. Jetfire's design here would be the first glimpse at the design for what would become ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Jetfire. The fans rejoiced... and complained.
* While IDW's debut ''Infiltration'' mini-series had a reader-friendly 1984-based cast, ''Stormbringer'' does a deeper dive into the franchise's history. Cast members include characters drawn from the ranks of [[Pretender]]s, [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibots]], [[Action Master]]s, [[Throttlebot]]s, and more.
* Furman reuses a lot of elements from "[[Another Time & Place]]" in this issue, including:
** Prime reflecting on a great evil from the past, with a dollop of [[Furmanism|"it never ends!"]] sprinkled throughout
** Autobots ambushed and kidnapped by a team led by Bludgeon
** An Autobot awakening to the chant of the resuscitated great evil.

===Errors===
[[File:Bluster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Twincast? Twinblast? Whatever.]]
* On the cover, Jetfire sports Autobot symbols from a fan-made font, one that erroneously gives the symbol three hashes on each side of the forehead instead of two.
* The placement of symbols is particularly bad in this issue, with the contours rarely conforming to the contours of the surface they're placed on. In fact, the symbols on Jetfire are so badly photoshopped in they actually erase some of Don Figueroa's pencilling near the edges of the symbols.
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] can be seen aboard the Autobot Orbital Command Hub; while not an error at the time of printing, the later ''[[Spotlight: Blaster]]'' would establish a history that's irreconcilable with this cameo. Author [[Simon Furman]], tongue firmly in cheek, would later "fix" this mistake by declaring that this 'bot here is Blaster's [[twin]] brother, [[Bluster]].
* In the flashback on page 7, Megatron's chest is missing the "squiggle" design seen in all the other flashbacks featuring him.
* On page 19, all three word balloons are attributed to Afterburner, though they read like they should be attributed to Afterburner, Nosecone, and then Afterburner again. This error was corrected when the issue was published in trade paperback.
* Optimus's narration on page 20 is missing a "we", reading "There is no hiding from it, from what did - and didn't - do."

===Other trivia===
* The Matrix appearing in Optimus Prime's chest was something of an error at the time of ''Stormbringer''{{'}}s initial publication; [[Simon Furman]]'s original pitch for the Matrix was that it had vanished into history with [[Nova Prime]]. Utimately, [[Shane McCarthy|later writers]] would overrule this pitch, while Phase Two of the IDW comics introduced a definitive history of the artifact, so it's all good now.
* The first few pages of this story were reprinted as part of a [[Free Comic Book Day]] issue by [[IDW Publishing]] on [[May 6]], [[2006]].

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Jetfire and the Technobots by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Josh Burcham]]. This cover can be combined with similar ones from the other three issues to form a giant battle scene.
* '''Cover B:''' Thunderwing in flames by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham.
* '''Cover RI-A:''' Cover A uncolored

<gallery>
File:Stormbringer 1a full.jpg|Jetfire ready to kick tailpipe and take names
File:Stormbringer 1b.jpg|
File:Stormbringer 1ria.jpg|Cover RI-A
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime ''Alternators'' toy]]
* [[Hearts of Steel issue 1|''Hearts of Steel'' #1]] + a 8-page preview
* Transformers posters (back cover)

===Reprints===
In addition to [[The Transformers: Stormbringer#Collections|collections of the full series]].
* N/A

File:StormbringerCover1.jpg

2025-10-04T21:03:12Z

Domovoy3:

Chrome Ridge

2025-10-03T21:54:15Z

Domovoy3:

[[File:ChromeRidge.jpg|345px|thumb|Still better than [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]].]]

The '''Chrome Ridge''' is an extremely dangerous area located near [[Static Zone]]. It is famous for its volcanoes.

==Fiction==
====IDW ''Shattered Glass'' comics====
A lonely [[bodyscrapper]] [[Blurr (SG)|Blurr]] was passing through the volcanic Chrome Ridge with [[Sixshot (SG)|Sixshot]]'s dismembered corpse hitched to his bumper, delivering them to [[Kaon (polity)|Gold City]]'s best employer - [[Ratchet (SG)|Ratchet]]. Later, he lured [[Starscream (SG)|Starscream]] to one of the volcanoes in order to kill him. Unfortunately, he fell victim to his own trap. {{storylink|Shattered Glass issue 1|Shattered Glass #1}}

[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]

User:Domovoy3

2025-10-03T21:52:52Z

Domovoy3:

[[File:Soundwavecomic.jpeg|right|thumb|Hey, that's me! ....''sort of''....|300px]]

Okay, I'm doing a page about me, I DEFINITELY should write something cool............IDW ARE KINGS *drop mic*

==My creations that I am proud of (not much, I know)==
*[[Chrome Ridge]]
*[[Hawk's Claw]]
*[[Space Port Bravo]]
*[[Village Six-Beta]]

Village Six-Beta

2025-10-03T21:52:13Z

Domovoy3: Created page with "Village without houses......and villagers. '''Village Six-Beta''' is one of the villages found in the Mini-Con Sector. ..."

[[Image:Mini-conVillageSix-Beta.jpg|250px|thumb|Village without houses......and villagers.]]

'''Village Six-Beta''' is one of the villages found in the [[Mini-Con Sector]].

==Fiction==
===Dreamwave ''Energon'' comic===
[[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] visited the Six-Beta when he wanted to consult with [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]]. Approaching a strange pyramid that has been built into the surface, he faced [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]] and [[Signal Flare (Energon)|Signal Flare]] who were standing guard and expressing doubt as to whether or not he's really Optimus Prime. As he began to get irritated, the pyramid opened, revealing Over-Run, who was apparently interfaced with Cybertron itself.{{storylink|This Evil Reborn}}

File:Mini-conVillageSix-Beta.jpg

2025-10-03T21:29:49Z

Domovoy3:

Rift

2025-10-03T21:13:58Z

Domovoy3:

[[File:E26 titlecard.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]

When the oppositely charged energon from [[Unicron]]'s body and detached head came into contact with each other, the cataclysmic result was a '''rift''' which sundered the very fabric of existence. Glowing bright yellow sometimes and shimmering deep black-purple at others, the rift constantly sucked in a stream of space debris, making it hazardous for anyone caught in its grip. On the other side, a peaceful realm of space existed, where, for a time, [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] was able to nurture his precious planets.

It may or may not have had a [[black hole]] at its heart. It may or may not ''be'' a black hole.

{{bigquote|There's a '''hole in the universe'''!|Alpha Q pointing out the obvious|"[[Ripped Up Space]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Energon'' cartoon===
[[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] marvels as [[Unicron]] returns to life. [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]] and [[Misha Miramond|Misha]] are likewise amazed, but also worried about what will happen now that Unicron has his head back. [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] notes that the only remaining task is to get rid of [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]].

In his control harness, Megatron swears revenge on Alpha Q. [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]] (linked with [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]]) arrives with [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] and [[Prowl (Energon)|Prowl]]; but Megatron shields himself before they can fire. Megatron causes Unicron to release massive amounts of unstable, potentially explosive [[energon]].

[[Shockblast]] stalks Optimus Prime through Unicron, but when he threatens to usurp Megatron, [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Mirage]] and [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] arrive and hold both of them off. Optimus's entreaties to Starscream to stop Megatron fall on deafly obedient ears.Alpha Q panics, noting that Megatron's actions will destroy Unicron. Kicker wonders how they're supposed to stop him, which Alpha Q immediately takes as a refusal.

Rodimus and company blast into Megatron's chamber, but he's gone. They keep hunting for him.

The newly recreated Wing Dagger, now calling himself [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]], arrives to help Prime out. They combine and counterattack, quickly leaving Megatron's troops behind.

Scorponok wants to leave [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] behind, saying that he's just "baggage". Prime meets up with Rodimus; Ironhide radios that he's with Scorponok somewhere, and that Scorponok has sensed an energon stockpile. Prime and Rodimus realize Scorponok is a [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]]. Rodimus tells Prime that Megatron wants nothing less than a final showdown with Prime and places himself under Prime's command. Prime has devised a complex attack strategy: Destroy Megatron.

Prime's plan changes: Hot Shot will help Alpha Q and separate Unicron's head from his body, while he and Rodimus finish off Megatron.In space, Alpha Q's red orb drifts away from Unicron. Hot Shot informs Kicker that Alpha Q is moving, so they'll need the [[human]]'s guidance. Elsewhere, Alpha Q is releasing energon under Kicker and Misha's direction, but he's a bit confused as to why. Kicker tells him to go slowly, so Megatron won't notice.

Megatron, wired up to another control node, is furious at this attempt at resistance. He plans to destroy Unicron and then everyone else. Scorponok arrives and challenges him. Alpha Q stops, as he senses Scorponok and Megatron engaging. Despite backup from Ironhide, Megatron slices off Scorponok's tail, rips off his arm, and stabs him through the chest. Alpha Q refuses to leave his friend behind and heads back toward Unicron, despite Kicker's protests.

Megatron rejoins with his control harness. Alpha Q speaks, asking why Megatron is doing this and telling him that Unicron will destroy him as well if he doesn't stop. Megatron expels Scorponok and Ironhide and activates his energon. The energon starts to react, spreading panic among all the forces. Megatron merely chuckles as a giant energy rift forms near Unicron, sucking in Hot Shot's team. Ironhide challenges him, but Optimus and Rodimus arrive before Megatron can do anything. Hot Shot and Prowl combine to go after Landmine; [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] and [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Snow Cat]] are also sucked in.Alpha Q retreats in the face of the rift, getting too close to it, to the point that it begins to pull him in. Having started this, Alpha Q vows to see it through. Kicker loses contact with him.

Prime and Megatron prepare to have a final showdown. Shockblast briefly interferes, but a chunk of debris clobbers him and sends him spiraling off into the rift. Megatron leads Starscream and Mirage away into the rift. The [[Autobot]]s retreat, as Unicron is about to explode. Unicron falls into the rift. Prime sends Ironhide to report back to Cybertron and leads the rest of the team in pursuit of Megatron through the rift. Ironhide contacts Kicker, who yells and screams a lot till Ironhide tells him he's just following orders. [[Arcee (Energon)|Arcee]] arrives with a squad of [[Omnicon]]s as the ''[[Miranda II]]'' prepares to follow Optimus through the rift.

{{storylink|Ripped Up Space}}

Turned out that on the other side of the Rift there was another galaxy with different planets, rich with Energon. The remainings of [[Unicron]] were also there. {{storylink|Protection}}

[[Category:Dimensions]]
[[Category:Energon locations]]

Rift

2025-10-03T21:13:35Z

Domovoy3:

[[File:E26 titlecard.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]

When the oppositely charged energon from [[Unicron]]'s body and detached head came into contact with each other, the cataclysmic result was a '''rift''' which sundered the very fabric of existence. Glowing bright yellow sometimes and shimmering deep black-purple at others, the rift constantly sucked in a stream of space debris, making it hazardous for anyone caught in its grip. On the other side, a peaceful realm of space existed, where, for a time, [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] was able to nurture his precious planets.

It may or may not have had a [[black hole]] at its heart. It may or may not ''be'' a black hole.

{{bigquote|There's a '''hole in the universe'''!|Alpha Q pointing out the obvious|"[[Ripped Up Space]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Energon'' cartoon===
[[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] marvels as [[Unicron]] returns to life. [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]] and [[Misha Miramond|Misha]] are likewise amazed, but also worried about what will happen now that Unicron has his head back. [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] notes that the only remaining task is to get rid of [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]].

In his control harness, Megatron swears revenge on Alpha Q. [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]] (linked with [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]]) arrives with [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] and [[Prowl (Energon)|Prowl]]; but Megatron shields himself before they can fire. Megatron causes Unicron to release massive amounts of unstable, potentially explosive [[energon]].

[[Shockblast]] stalks Optimus Prime through Unicron, but when he threatens to usurp Megatron, [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Mirage]] and [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] arrive and hold both of them off. Optimus's entreaties to Starscream to stop Megatron fall on deafly obedient ears.Alpha Q panics, noting that Megatron's actions will destroy Unicron. Kicker wonders how they're supposed to stop him, which Alpha Q immediately takes as a refusal.

Rodimus and company blast into Megatron's chamber, but he's gone. They keep hunting for him.

The newly recreated Wing Dagger, now calling himself [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]], arrives to help Prime out. They combine and counterattack, quickly leaving Megatron's troops behind.

Scorponok wants to leave [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] behind, saying that he's just "baggage". Prime meets up with Rodimus; Ironhide radios that he's with Scorponok somewhere, and that Scorponok has sensed an energon stockpile. Prime and Rodimus realize Scorponok is a [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]]. Rodimus tells Prime that Megatron wants nothing less than a final showdown with Prime and places himself under Prime's command. Prime has devised a complex attack strategy: Destroy Megatron.

Prime's plan changes: Hot Shot will help Alpha Q and separate Unicron's head from his body, while he and Rodimus finish off Megatron.In space, Alpha Q's red orb drifts away from Unicron. Hot Shot informs Kicker that Alpha Q is moving, so they'll need the [[human]]'s guidance. Elsewhere, Alpha Q is releasing energon under Kicker and Misha's direction, but he's a bit confused as to why. Kicker tells him to go slowly, so Megatron won't notice.

Megatron, wired up to another control node, is furious at this attempt at resistance. He plans to destroy Unicron and then everyone else. Scorponok arrives and challenges him. Alpha Q stops, as he senses Scorponok and Megatron engaging. Despite backup from Ironhide, Megatron slices off Scorponok's tail, rips off his arm, and stabs him through the chest. Alpha Q refuses to leave his friend behind and heads back toward Unicron, despite Kicker's protests.

Megatron rejoins with his control harness. Alpha Q speaks, asking why Megatron is doing this and telling him that Unicron will destroy him as well if he doesn't stop. Megatron expels Scorponok and Ironhide and activates his energon. The energon starts to react, spreading panic among all the forces. Megatron merely chuckles as a giant energy rift forms near Unicron, sucking in Hot Shot's team. Ironhide challenges him, but Optimus and Rodimus arrive before Megatron can do anything. Hot Shot and Prowl combine to go after Landmine; [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] and [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Snow Cat]] are also sucked in.Alpha Q retreats in the face of the rift, getting too close to it, to the point that it begins to pull him in. Having started this, Alpha Q vows to see it through. Kicker loses contact with him.

Prime and Megatron prepare to have a final showdown. Shockblast briefly interferes, but a chunk of debris clobbers him and sends him spiraling off into the rift. Megatron leads Starscream and Mirage away into the rift. The [[Autobot]]s retreat, as Unicron is about to explode. Unicron falls into the rift. Prime sends Ironhide to report back to Cybertron and leads the rest of the team in pursuit of Megatron through the rift. Ironhide contacts Kicker, who yells and screams a lot till Ironhide tells him he's just following orders. [[Arcee (Energon)|Arcee]] arrives with a squad of [[Omnicon]]s as the ''[[Miranda II]]'' prepares to follow Optimus through the rift.

{{storylink|Ripped Up Space}}

Turned out that on the other side of the Rift there was another galaxy with different planets, rich with Energon. The remainings of [[Unicron]] were also there. {{storylink|Protection}}

{{locationstub}}

[[Category:Dimensions]]
[[Category:Energon locations]]

User:Domovoy3

2025-09-10T16:16:08Z

Domovoy3:

[[File:Soundwavecomic.jpeg|right|thumb|Hey, that's me! ....''sort of''....|300px]]

Okay, I'm doing a page about me, I DEFINITELY should write something cool............IDW ARE KINGS *drop mic*

==My creations that I am proud of (not much, I know)==
*[[Chrome Ridge]]
*[[Hawk's Claw]]
*[[Space Port Bravo]]

Cheetor (Armada)

2025-08-10T12:02:53Z

Domovoy3:

{{factions|autobot|unicron}}
{{disambig3|Cheetor}}
:''Cheetor is an [[Autobot]], and later the [[Unicron's Four Horsemen|Horseman]] '''Pestilence''', from the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family]].''
[[File:Cheetor.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
If you need someone to sneak into [[Decepticon]] strongholds and steal their precious data, '''Cheetor''' is the first one to step up and get the job done. The only thing more impressive than his skills and track record is his ego. Smug and self-confident, Cheetor loves the praise he gets from a completed mission, and is always ready with a sharp retort to put others down just to make himself look better.

==Fiction==

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic===
During the battle with [[Unicron]], Cheetor—along with [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]], [[Airazor (Armada)|Airazor]], and [[Terrorsaur (Armada)|Terrorsaur]]—was captured so that Unicron could cull their memories and learn what had preceded his arrival. {{storylink|The End (Armada)|The End}}

===''Energon'' comic===
[[File:WhatLiesBeneathPart2 UnicronHorsemenAttack.jpg|thumb|left]]
Ten years later, Cheetor returned, changed from an energetic young warrior into one of the [[Unicron's Four Horsemen|Chaos Bringer's Four Horsemen]]—complete with a horse. {{storylink|This Evil Reborn}} He and the other Horsemen attacked [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], {{storylink|What Lies Beneath}} retreating only when [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] was granted the [[Spark of Combination]] and overwhelmed them in his newly enhanced body. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Two}} After Scorponok and his Terrorcons botched a mission of their own, Pestilence and the other horsemen forcibly pulled them from Earth back to Unicron, so they could be disciplined for their failure. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Four}}

Cheetor's former Mini-Con partner, [[Cliffjumper (Armada)|Cliffjumper]], desired to see him returned to normal, personality flaws and all.
{{Unreleased energon comic}}

Cheetor and the Horsemen continued to do the bidding of Alpha Quintesson as months passed. {{storylink|Doomsday Redux!}} Still, they became suspicious over time as to whether Alpha Quintesson actually spoke for Unicron's wishes. In order to keep them busy, the Quintesson distracted them with an attack on the Autobots' [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] base. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 2}} By breaking through Mars's defenses, the Horsemen planned to bring down Earth's defensive shield for their master's return. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 3}} Unfortunately for their plan, the Autobots unleashed [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] to defend the Mars base from further attack. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 4}} Omega Supreme was victorious in battle against Cheetor and the Four Horsemen. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 5}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:EW-skin-Cheetor-Armada.jpg|thumb|125px|right]]
{{EWskin|"Armada Cheetor"|Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Armada''===
[[File:Arm-toy Cheetor.jpg|right|upright=1.66|thumb|"Cheetor? But I look more like a black panther..."]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Cheetor with Cliffjumper''' (Super-Con, 2003)}}</ul>
:*''Takara release date'': [[September 9]], 2003
:*''Accessories'': Tail-whip
{{toydesigner|[[Marcelo Matere]] (packaging artist)}}

: Released in the seventh wave of ''[[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' Super-Cons, Cheetor is a [[redeco]] and [[retool]]ing of the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Transmetal]] [[Cheetor (BW)/toys#TM1|Cheetor]], transforming into a robotic cheetah. He also has a third "flight" mode with fold-out rocket boosters in his cat-mode sides. His tail becomes a battle whip in robot mode. The rocket boosters have been retooled to feature [[Powerlinx]] plugs suitable for Mini-Cons with sockets on their vehicle-mode back-ends, like his pack-in partner [[Cliffjumper (Armada)#Toys|Cliffjumper]], or the [[Space Mini-Con Team]]'s [[Sky Blast (Armada)#Toys|Sky Blast]].

: As a hasty addition to the ''Armada'' toyline to meet demand, Cheetor was not available in [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s normal retail ''Legend of the Microns'' line. He was, however, offered in Japan as a "[[USA Edition]]" release, sold [[exclusive]]ly through [[Toys"R"Us]]'s web site.

: This mold was also used to make ''Beast Wars Metals'' [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Metals|Ravage]] and [[BotCon 2001]]'s [[Tigatron#BotCon2001|Tigatron]], and was the basis for the non-toy character [[Cataclysm (BW)|Cataclysm]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Cheetor/cheetor.htm More information on Cheetor at TFU.info]''
{{BWTMCheetorMold}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cheetor''' (チーター ''Chītā'')

[[Category:Armada Autobots]]
[[Category:Earth Wars Autobots]]
[[Category:Energon Autobots]]
[[Category:Spies]]
[[Category:Toys"R"Us Japan exclusives]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]

User:Domovoy3

2025-08-09T18:04:48Z

Domovoy3: Created page with "300px Okay, I'm doing a page about me, I am DEFINITELY should write something cool............IDW..."

[[File:Soundwavecomic.jpeg|right|thumb|Hey, that's me! ....''sort of''....|300px]]

Okay, I'm doing a page about me, I am DEFINITELY should write something cool............IDW ARE KINGS *drop mic*

==My creations that I am proud of (not much, I know)==
*[[Chrome Ridge]]
*[[Hawk's Claw]]
*[[Space Port Bravo]]

File:Soundwavecomic.jpeg

2025-08-09T16:06:52Z

Domovoy3:

Heavy Tread

2025-08-07T14:50:45Z

Domovoy3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Heavytread}}
:''Heavy Tread is an [[Autobot]] [[Micromaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Heavy tread boxart.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Caught here in a rare moment of being able to see past his own chest.]]
'''Heavy Tread''' is quite popular among his Autobot comrades for using his sense of humor to relieve the stresses of war. Mostly because it involves pulling exceptionally mean and painful pranks on the [[Decepticon]]s right before he scraps them. His teammates on the [[Monster Trucks Patrol|Monster Truck Patrol]] enjoy hearing his recounts of these punks, but it's all beginning to take its toll on Heavy Tread. The pressure of coming up with newer, more inventive ways of being a jackass is mounting, and the idea that his buddies might lose interest in him if he doesn't keep out-doing himself doesn't sit well. The stress of having to constantly be entertaining and on the top of his game can actually affect his performance in battle.<ref>''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye]]'' #3</ref>

==Fiction==

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Heavy Tread defended [[Little Iacon]] during the invasion of [[Venom (G1)|Venom]] and his Decepticons. {{storylink|Recipe for Hate}} He also showed up with the other Micromasters when they interrupted the fight between the [[Macromaster|guzzler]] factions. {{storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Heavy tread speak memory.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7]]
A regular-sized Heavy Tread was captured by the Decepticons around the time of the [[Simanzi Massacre]] and converted into one of the many [[anti-personal mine]]s with which they seeded the western provinces. He was found by the bomb negotiator [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], who attempted to defuse him by shutting down his [[brain module]]. Unfortunately for them both, Skids made the mistake of promising Heavy Tread that [[Primus]] would look after him in the afterlife and this platitude "triggered" the unfortunate 'bot, causing him to literally explode with anger. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Heavy Tread served under general [[Hydraulic]] of the Micromaster [[56th Division|56th]] in [[Ky-Alexia]] during the [[Grand Uprising]]. While wrapping up their successful campaign against the [[Resistance (BWU)|Resistance]] [[Tol-Tech]] brigade, the Micromasters remarked upon the relentless [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] horde seen passing their position on the way to [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. {{storylink|Derailment}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
{{anchor|Generation 1}}{{anchor|Return of Convoy}}
[[File:G1-toy HeavyTread.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|See, it's because he's a "funny" car. See what they did there?]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Monster Trucks Patrol''' (Micromaster Patrol, [[1990]])}}</ul>

: Released in the seventh and final year of the [[The Transformers (toyline)|original ''Transformers'' toyline]] in the US (sixth and non-final in Europe), [[Micromaster]] Heavy Tread is a tiny robot that - unlike the rest of his teammates in the Monster ''Trucks'' Patrol - doesn't actually transform into a "truck" per se, but rather; a six-wheeled, double-engined, tractor-pull {{W|funny car}}. Due to the way his chest is designed, the flip-down hood cannot turn fully 180 degrees and thus it partially obscures his face, unlike the more flush chest shown on the artwork, or on the prototype on the back of the card.

: Heavy Tread is [[Gang-molding|gang-molded]] with his teammate [[Hydraulic#Toys|Hydraulic]], sharing the same plastic colors.

: He was only available in a Micromaster four-pack with his teammates [[Big Hauler#Toys|Big Hauler]], [[Hydraulic#Toys|Hydraulic]], and [[Slow Poke#Toys|Slow Poke]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1990/Autobot/BigHauler/bighauler.htm More information on Big Hauler at TFU.info]''

<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Big Truck Team''' (Micro Transformer Team, [[1991]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''C-361'''
:*''Accessories'': Micro Trailer #1

: Heavy Tread and his teammates were also released in [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' line, during the ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1991 (Return of Convoy)|Return of Convoy]]'' year, with no notable physical changes from the Hasbro release.

: This release also included [[Micro Trailer#Toys|Micro Trailer]] #1, and a decal sheet with trailer stickers and some optional deco decals for the Micromasters.

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Heavy Tread''' (ヘビートレード ''Hebī Torēdo'')
*''French:'' '''Chenille''' (Canada)
*''Italian:'' '''Grugno'''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 toy Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:Micromasters]]
[[Category:Return of Convoy Autobots]]

Prima

2025-07-13T17:36:33Z

Domovoy3:

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=PotP-Prima.png|cSize=40px|cLink=Prima|cPretty=Prima}}|quintesson|{{factions/icons|custom=Cyberglyphics Prime Symbol.png|cLink=Dynasty of Primes|cPretty=Prime}}}}
{{featured}}

[[File:Prima.jpg|thumb|upright=2|Prima? What? It's a manly name.]]
'''Prima''' (aka '''Prima Prime''') is the first [[Transformer]]. Created by [[Primus]], he was appointed the Warrior of Light and given the legendary [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] sword with the [[Matrix of Leadership]] in its hilt. Chosen to lead the [[Thirteen]] against their eternal enemy [[Unicron]], he and the rest of the Thirteen were made stewards of Primus' planetary form, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

It is uncertain what relationship Prima has, if any, to [[Primon]], another early Matrix bearer.

{{quote|We are '''Primus'''. We are '''Prima'''. We are '''Prime Nova'''. We are '''Sentinel Prime'''. We are '''Optimus Prime'''.|The essence of the Primes|"[[Dark Creation]]"}}

==Conceptual history==
[[File:DarkCreation we would know more.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Prima's first named appearance in the form of [[Ancient Autobots|spooky Matrix ghost]] narration.]]
The [[generic]] ancient warrior that would one day be known as Prima first appeared in [[1986]] as what the script designates as "Powerful Robot" in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode, "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]", created by writer [[Flint Dille]] and character designer [[Floro Dery]] as part of a walking tour of Cybertronian history via [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced vision experienced by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] in the cartoon's present day. Created by the [[Quintesson]]s, "Powerful Robot" was the instigator of the [[Autobot Rebellion|original rebellion]] of the Autobots against their masters and one of the most ancient Matrix wielders witnessed by Rodimus, being preceded only by "[[Primon|Ancient Robot]]".

In [[1988]], [[The Primal Scream|issue #61]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Generation 1 comic]]—written by [[Simon Furman]]—featured the first and only appearance in the series of the first Transformer to carry the legendary [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]], a blue-and-yellow robot who was one of the first generation of Cybertronians created by Primus. Though unnamed in this story, a few issues later, [[Dark Creation|issue #65]] provided a full list of Matrix bearers; the first name on the list was "Prima," implicitly identifying the blue-and-yellow robot as this character.

Furman continued exploring the origins of the Transformers in the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Generation 2'' comic]], with "[[The Power and the Glory]]" giving Optimus Prime a glimpse into Cybertron's primordial past, where he sees a purple-and-yellow Transformer emerge from the planet's surface as the explicitly first Transformer created by Primus. This "first Transformer" was not depicted as a Matrix wielder, nor did the comics suggest that this character was the same one seen in "The Primal Scream". Prima's placement among the Matrix wielders would be further muddled by the [[BotCon 1999]] story "[[Reaching the Omega Point]]" (also by Furman), which established a character called [[Primon]] as the first one to hold the Matrix, not Prima. Simon Furman's non-answer in an interview,<ref>{{citesocial|name=Andrew Sorohan|quote="We are Primus. We are Prima. We are Prime Nova. We are Sentinel Prime. We are Optimus Prime. We are THUNDERWING!" Where does Primon (introduced in the BotCon "Omega Point" text story) fit in?}} {{citesocial|link=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713070554/http://www.alteredstatesmag.com/features/qanda/sfurman_3.php|quote=Umm... pass. The Matrix forgot?|name=Simon Furman|site=Altered States Magazine|year=2002|month=10|day=30|title=A Little Q&A; With... Simon Furman}}</ref> claiming "The Matrix forgot", did little to mend this continuity error.

[[2004]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide|The Ultimate Guide]]'' (yet again by Furman) declared Prima to be one of the "Thirteen Original Transformers" alongside the [[Liege Maximo]] and [[the Fallen]]. Though not actually set in the world of the Marvel comic, ''The Ultimate Guide''{{'}}s re-used a panel from the ''Generation 2'' comic showing the creation of the purple-and-yellow robot to represent the creation of Prima, effectively retroactively making the blue/yellow and purple/yellow Transformers the same character.<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/y8xcna3xgv4.jpg|quote=Molded from the living skin and imbued with a fragment of Primus' own Spark, the first TRANSFORMER—named Prima—answers his creator's urgent call to arms!|name=Simon Furman|site=''Transformers: The Ultimate Guide''|year=2004|month=05|day=05|title=Cybertron}}</ref> Prima's role as a member of an ancient pantheon, the "first Transformer", and an early Matrix wielder, were now firmly established.

The actual dovetailing of the cartoon's rebel with the Marvel demigod occurred in the [[Ask Vector Prime#The Allspark Almanac|Ask Vector Prime]] back-up feature of [[2010]]'s ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II]]'' wherein one of Prima's brothers (the titular [[Vector Prime]]) revealed the two lineages to be one and the same, both declaring "Powerful Robot" an incarnation of Prima and knitting their respective predecessors, "Ancient Robot" and Primon, into one individual.

Prima recieved a big bump in notoriety not long after when he was solidified into the "definitive" version of the Thirteen workshopped by brand architect [[Aaron Archer]] as part of backstory for the 2010s "[[Aligned continuity family|Aligned continuity]]" project. Showcased with a new design by [[Ken Christiansen]] during [[BotCon 2010]], Prima would be shown wielding his personal [[Artifacts of the Primes|artifact]]: a new incarnation of the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]], carrying the Matrix in its hilt.<ref>{{citesocial|name=Alex Irvine|site=''[[Transformers: Exodus]]''|year=2010|month=06|day=23}}</ref><ref>{{citesocial|title=Nexus Prime|name=Rik Alvarez?|site=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 30|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #30]]|year=2009|month=12}}</ref>. Given the title "Warrior of Light",<ref>[[BotCon 2010]] Panel - HASBRO DESIGNERS: https://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc10/bc10hd.html</ref> Prima's personality would be fleshed out in [[2013]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus]]'', establishing him as a stick-in-the-mud warrior, leader of the Thirteen, and developer of early Cybertronian civilization. Prima's orderly nature would clash with Megatronus's brash and violent nature, leading to arguments that laid the groundwork for the [[War of the Primes]]. This feud between Prima and Megatronus would inform future characterizations of Prima in the [[2005 IDW continuity]] and the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]]'s incarnation of [[Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime]].

Prima would be featured in the [[2018]] ''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)|Power of the Primes]]'' franchise with the name "Prima Prime", which would be reused for Prima's big screen debut in [[2024]]'s ''[[Transformers One (film)|Transformers One]]'' as well as the [[2025]] ''[[Transformers: Age of the Primes|Age of the Primes]]'' toyline. ''One'' introduced an incarnation of the character who ''wasn't'' a Matrix wielder: that role would be given to the film's Thirteenth Prime, [[Zeta Prime (One)|Zeta Prime]]. ''Age of the Primes'' would introduce the first proper toy for Prima Prime, amalgamating his ''Covenant'' and "Powerful Robot" designs together.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Neil Ross]] (English)|[[Francis Lax]] (European French)}}

[[File:Powerfulrobot ffod.jpg|right|thumb|I am Sparktacus!]]

In Cybertron's ancient past, an underperforming mechanoid was smelted down by its [[Quintesson]] masters, and reforged into a powerful robot who, through unknown circumstances, became the second documented bearer of the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. This powerful robot was unusual amongst his consumer goods brethren in that he was equipped for combat, and was made to battle in the Quintessons' gladiatorial pits. He found the endless fighting repellent, and, after one particular battle with [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|another robot]], decided to strike back at his masters, leaping at the group of Quintessons that had been watching the match. He was blasted out of the air, and fell to the ground in a smoking wreck, apparently deceased. The Matrix was passed to a [[Prime Nova|brooding robot]], who succeeded him as its bearer.

When [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] journeyed inside the Matrix, this powerful robot was the second guide he encountered, and he told him the story of the Quintessons' gladiatorial matches. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[File:Primag2.jpg|left|thumb|Prima. For reals.]]
====Letters page====
After a reader asked who was the first Transformer, [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] stated that he didn't "think anyone knows who was actually the first ever Transformer", but was open to being corrected. {{storylink|Back from the Dead|''The Transformers'' #240 Dread Tidings}}

====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
After [[Primus]] had imprisoned his and [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s astral forms in asteroids, he reshaped his new body into the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. From the material of this world was born the first Transformer, Prima. Prima and his fellow Transformers were given the gift of [[transformation]], an ability that mirrored Unicron's own powers, so that one day they would be able to unite against him and defeat him. Prima was given the [[Matrix of Leadership|Genetic Matrix]], a powerful artifact endowed with Primus's own life essence, which would allow Prima to create further generations of Transformers. {{storylink|The Primal Scream}}

[[Prime Nova]] later became the next Matrix bearer after Prima. {{storylink|Dark Creation}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
Prima emerged from primordial [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with the in-built power to bring forth new [[Transformer]]s through a process known as "[[reproduction#budding|budding]]", and the first few generations of Cybertronians were replicated in this way. However, the method of reproduction diluted [[Primus]]'s essence with each generation. This process reached a preprogrammed end, and Primus's progeny lost both their ability to bud and all memory of the process. Many, ''many'' years later, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] witnessed visions of this ancient history after using a [[psychic amplifier]] to commune with the Matrix. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory}}

====''Classics''====
When [[Aquarius (SG)|Aquarius]] informed [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Mammoth]]'s team of the nature of the [[multiverse]] and the [[Origin Matrix]], he informed them that the multiverse had only one version of Prima and his siblings. {{storylink|Falling into Place}}

===3H comics===
The Matrix was passed from [[Primon]] unto Prima, who subsequently bequeathed it to [[Prime Nova]]. {{storylink|Covenant (story)|Covenant}}

===Live-action film series continuity===
[[File:TalesoftheFallen4-notlikethis.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|Optimus got his father's everything.]]

====''Revenge of the Fallen'' film====
After the Fallen was caught trying to harvest a [[Sun|star]] from a system with life, he turned on the other Primes and made war on them. In order to prevent the Fallen from harvesting the star, the remaining Primes (including Prima) hid the [[Matrix of Leadership|key to the harvester]] inside a tomb made of their own bodies and sealed it with their own life essence. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{note|Prima's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novel ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]''. Where the comics had used the "Protoform Optimus Prime" toy to represent Prima, this design is not used in the film, so identifying which one is Prima is not possible.}}

====IDW movie comics====
Prima proposed to the [[Dynasty of Primes]] that they should make it a rule to not destroy the stars from systems with life. He also renamed [[the Fallen]] after the latter intentionally destroyed such a system. When the Fallen attempted this again on [[Earth]], the original seven Primes battled him and fell one by one, until only Prima was left.<ref>The last Prime, based on Protoform Optimus Prime, was identified as Prima at the [[BotCon 2010]] "Hasbro Designer" panel, as per [[User talk:Rosicrucian#This may be a long shot, but...|audience members]].</ref> Prima let the Fallen chase him around the planet until he was weakened by overusing [[space bridge]]s, allowing Prima to gather his brothers' bodies and use their remaining power to banish the Fallen to his [[sarcophagus]]. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 4|Tales of the Fallen #4}}

Prima presumably created a [[Tomb of the Primes|tomb]] from his and his brothers' bodies to hide the [[Matrix of Leadership]], giving his own spark to seal it from within. Though the Fallen's evil would return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to kill the rest of the Dynasty, it would be his [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|orphaned descendant]] who would be hidden away. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen issue 3|Revenge of the Fallen #3}}

===Aligned continuity family===
====''The Covenant of Primus''====
[[File:TransformersVault-Prima.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|Whoever lives by the sword shall die by the sword.]]
As the first of the Thirteen created, Prima was cast in the mold of Primus himself, a warrior of great virtue and nobility who placed the greater good above all else. Though self-aware enough to not be a pompous leader to his siblings, he tended to take too much weight upon his shoulders, and his persistent conviction that he was always right made him difficult to deal with. He tended to clash with [[The Fallen|Megatronus]], who served as his opposite among the Thirteen, a warrior of darkness who represented a natural counterbalance to Prima's role as the warrior of light. Such arguments characterized their interactions while the Thirteen trained and prepared to take on the menace of [[Unicron#Aligned continuity family|Unicron]].

In the course of the battle with Unicron, Prima lost his grip upon his Star Saber when the Chaos Bringer assaulted the group with torturous visions. Although the Thirteen were able to shut Unicron down soon thereafter, they did not manage to do so before he had seized the convulsing Prima, put him in his mouth, bitten down, and spat his crushed body out.

Prima survived the experience, and the Thirteen turned to the business of building the beginnings of a civilization and society on Cybertron. Prima worked primarily with Vector Prime and [[Alpha Trion]], but their clique was treated with some degree of resentment by some of their siblings, as it was thought they were trying to control the actions of the others. Prima continued to grow even more detached as they continued their work, spending his time theorizing about the nature of the Thirteen, and categorizing them; he considered himself and other early members of the group to be forces of lawful good, but looked upon the last that had been created—chiefly, Megatronus and [[Liege Maximo]]—as chaotic and potentially evil. When Maximo discovered the writings Prima had made about this and then told Megatronus, a physical altercation between Prima and his dark opposite resulted, a permanent wedge driven between brothers. Prior to this, like Vector and Trion, Prima was confused by the blossoming love between Megatronus and Solus, but at the very least recognised it was something beautiful and that it made the pair happy, and for a time that was enough for him.

[[File:CoP war of the primes.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.25|"You think three on one will do any good? Do you have any power to defeat me?"]]

Some time later, when Prima discovered that Megatronus and Liege Maximo were working on a secret project of their own, creating a race of robotic creatures, he demanded it be shut down, suspecting them of having a sinister ulterior motive even if he could not see it. He forced the rest of the Thirteen into a vote on the matter and emerged victorious. This was to be the catalyst for the final falling out between the Primes: furious that she had voted against him, Megatronus subsequently argued with and inadvertently killed Solus. He retreated to the wilderness of Cybertron, but Prima and the others tracked him down and brought him back to face justice, only for it to become apparent that Maximo had set Megatronus up. Things quickly devolved into a chaotic free-for-all fight between the siblings, which ended with Maximo dead by uncertain hands. Megatronus was exiled for his crimes, and (with Solus' death still weighing heavily on him) requested Vector Prime to open a portal to send him to some far-off world where he would never do harm again. Prima instead offered him a ship that they'd been working on, expressing hope that perhaps if he traveled he might find some measure of peace or a way to suitably honour her. Megatronus was surprised by the conciliatory gesture and hoped Prima was right before taking his leave. Prima took custody of the Requiem Blaster and cast it into the depths of space.

As the rest of the Thirteen spread out into the universe, Prima was among those who decided to remain on Cybertron to guide the new race of beings that emerged from the [[Well of All Sparks]] after they interred the deceased Solus within it. Prima dubbed the more primitive and bestial of the creatures that emerged "[[Predacon (Prime)|Predacons]]". He defended the more advanced, bipedal robots that came from the Well against the powerful [[Predaking (COP)|Predaking]] once. Prima fought Predaking to a standstill, and declared the bipeds off limits for Predaking's feasting. His show of strength cowed the Predaking into submitting to Prima's will, the only example of such submission in Predaking's long history. Predaking would occasionally catch sight of Prima observing from afar, but as he kept his word and no longer preyed on the bipedal Cybertronians, Prima was apparently content to simply keep an optic on things.

After the [[Great Cataclysm]], Prima vanished from the annals of history, and was no longer seen walking among the people of Cybertron. The surviving Cybertronians soon forgot about the Thirteen as real people, remembering them only as the heroes of ancient folklore. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus}}

====Aligned novels====
[[File:OneShallRise1-Prima.jpg|thumb|left|He's the leader of the bunch. You know him well.]]

After Solus Prime created the Requiem Blaster for Megatronus, debate erupted among the Thirteen over whether so powerful a weapon should be allowed to exist. When the argument threatened to turn violent, Prima called for a vote on the matter; Megatronus won by one vote. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

When Optimus Prime received the Matrix from the [[core]] of Cybertron, he recognized it as the jewel from the hilt of Prima's Star Saber. Upon accepting the talisman into himself, Optimus had a vision of all its previous holders, all the way back to Prima himself. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
According to legend, at the beginning of time, [[Unicron#Aligned continuity family|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}}

At some point statues of Prima and his siblings were made. They were placed in the chamber of the High Council. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}
{{--}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Chaos Theory Part 2|''The Transformers'' #23]] (statue)}}

[[File:OP18 Thirteen in Crystal City.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|He also spent his free time writing strategy guides for video games.]]

Prima was one of the Primes who led the [[Thirteen Tribes]] that rose to prominence on Cybertron following the departure of the [[Knights of Cybertron]] from the planet, and fancied himself as the last of the Knights. Like four others, he was attracted to the [[Crystal City]] alliance, {{storylink|Origin Myths}} where he emerged as the leader of the [[Thirteen]]. [[Solus Prime]] eventually forged the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] which Prima came to wield.

Urged on by [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]], Prima oversaw a mission of colonization to expand the [[Pax Cybertronia]], sending the Titan [[Nemesis (BW)|Nemesis]] to colonize the neighboring world of [[Antilla]]. Despite his claims that the Cybertronians had only sought to bring the "light" of their perfect civilization to the galaxy, the colonialist ambitions of Cybertron were laid bare, and as a result Cybertron came to be shunned and hated by the inhabitants of the galaxy. Prima laid the blame for this at [[The Fallen|Megatronus]]'s feet and was eventually attacked by his fellow Prime in revenge, only being saved through Solus's sacrifice. This act sparked the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]], and while Megatronus managed to flee, Prima captured his co-conspirator, [[Liege Maximo]], who was eventually exiled aboard [[Vigilem]].

[[File:OP18-PrimaDies.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Prima's brief foray into 1000-degree knife videos ended in disaster.]]

Aboard the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] [[Emissary (IDW)|Emissary]], Prima led Onyx and [[Alpha Trion]] to hunt down Megatronus and bring him to justice, eventually locating him on [[Tsiehshi]]. When Prima found his adversary, Megatronus promptly seized the Star Saber and turned it back on its wielder, bisecting him. Prima would never learn that the 'bot he had known as "Onyx Prime" was actually a convenient disguise assumed by a time displaced Shockwave from ten million years in the future, who proceeded to behead Megatronus before recounting to Alpha Trion a romanticized version of the battle that claimed Prima and Megatronus, now known as the Fallen, had slain one another.

The loss of his master caused Emissary to become distraught. After returning Onyx and Trion to Cybertron, Emissary interred Prima's remains within himself and set off for deep space, eventually crash-landing on prehistoric [[Elonia]] as a result of his systems being sabotaged by Shockwave. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}}

In Prima's absence his former seat of power, the [[Citadel of Light]], came under siege by Onyx's bestial hordes. After [[Nova Prime|Nova Major]] and [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] managed to beat back the invaders, Alpha Trion arranged for Nova Major became Nova Prime. {{storylink|The Crucible}} In the era that followed, Prima was regarded as having been the greatest of the Primes. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

[[File:GrandImperiumChaosTheory.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.95|''[[Transformers Vault]]'' is popular reading in the Grand Imperium.]]

Before the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], statues of Prima wielding the Star Saber oversaw the [[Senate]] chamber within the [[Grand Imperium]] {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} and the [[Primal Basilica]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} [[Caminus (planet)|Camiens]] were also known to swear by Prima's name. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}}

In early 2018, once the timeline had caught up with Shockwave's machinations, the scientist returned to Cybertron. After binding [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]], he explained his journey to his old friend, including Prima's true fate. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}}
{{l-}}

===Fun Publications===
[[File:Prima's Holomatter Avatar Zeus.jpg|upright=.5|thumb|left]]
[[Vector Prime]] described Prima as distant from his siblings in the Thirteen, weighed down by the responsibilities of the multiverse. Vector wished he had known his brother better. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/14}} When the Thirteen visited ancient [[Greece]], the [[holomatter]] avatar Prima used to interact with the natives inspired the myth of [[w:Zeus|Zeus]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/20}} During this time, he observed the animosity brewing between [[Liege Maximo]] and [[Solus Prime]] (who had manifested as Aphrodite and Hephaestus, respectively) and "bonded" them together in hopes they could work out their differences. His plan didn't succeed. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/08}}

Prima wielded the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] in the Thirteen's clashes with [[Unicron]]. When [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] began acting for evil causes, his siblings resolved to keep Prima's Star Saber out of Megatronus's hands, so Solus shattered it with her [[Forge of Solus Prime|Forge]]. [[Nexus Prime]] volunteered to hide fragments throughout the multiverse. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 30|Nexus Prime's profile}} {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/18/5}}

When Nexus Prime united the [[Terminus Blade]] and the Star Saber, Prima and the other members of the Thirteen were drawn to witness the event. Time and space were rewritten that day, as the walls between universal streams grew stronger and less permeable. A consequence of strengthening the multiverse's properties was that Prima 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}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
Prima was among the spirits of former Autobot leaders who resided in the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] and haunted [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] after he stole the artifact. {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}}

===''Power of the Primes'' toy bios===
Prima'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 Prima's Spark and grant them unique abilities that varied with each new partner. {{storylink|Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes}}
{{note|For a list of every permutation of Prima's abilities, see [[Prime Master/Combinations|this link]].}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon===
When the [[Ark (G1)|''Ark'']] arrived in the [[Nebulos|Nebulon]] system to try and make use of its [[space bridge]], the sight of it caused [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] to swear by Prima. {{storylink|Earthrise episode 3}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
[[File:EnemyLine-Primastatue.jpg|thumb|Only in ''Cyberverse'' does Prima get a neat little hat.]]
Prima was one of the [[Thirteen]]. {{storylink|Dweller In The Depths (Cyberverse)|Dweller In The Depths}} {{storylink|Silent Strike}} {{storylink|The Other One}}

A statue of Prima was present in the [[Grand Imperium]]. Once the [[Great War (Cyberverse)|Great War]] had ravaged Cybertron, [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Cyberverse)|Bumblebee]] met in front of Prima's toppled statue to reflect on their planet's sorry state and the mistake Optimus had made in launching the [[AllSpark]]. {{storylink|Matrix of Leadership (episode)|Matrix of Leadership}}

When the [[Ark (Cyberverse)|''Ark'']] entered [[unspace]], Wheeljack swore by Prima. {{storylink|The Crossroads}}

After the Great War had ended, the Autobots began rebuilding the Grand Imperium, with [[Grapple (Cyberverse)|Grapple]] constructing a new statue of Prima for the meeting hall. {{storylink|Enemy Line}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
Prima was one of the Thirteen Primes. {{storylink|End of Time}}

===''One'' film===
Prima Prime was one of the original thirteen Primes created by Primus. This Prima did not carry the Matrix of Leadership, as that honor was given to his brother [[Zeta Prime (One)|Zeta Prime]]. He ruled with his siblings until the [[Quintesson]]s invaded. After years of war, he and the other Primes responded to the intel of a Quintesson council of generals reported by [[Sentinel Prime (One)|Sentinel]], unaware that the aide was luring them into a trap. Prima was killed in battle with the other Primes, and laid there for fifty cycles until [[Alpha Trion]] borrowed his transformation cog and those of his siblings to bestow upon the miners that found their tomb.<ref>In the film, Prima's cog is shown going to [[Megatron (One)|D-16]], while the film's novelization states it went to [[Optimus Prime (One)|Orion Pax]]. It doesn't ultimately have a significant effect on the story as a whole, so deciding which bot the cog went to somewhat becomes a matter of [[personal canon]].</ref> {{storylink|Transformers One (film)|One}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[Magnaboss (BW)|Magnaboss]] called the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] "the sword of Prima" while in battle with [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimal Optimus]] for it. {{Storylink|Double Jeopardy (Earth Wars)|Double Jeopardy}}

[[File:Earth Wars Prima Prime Core.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6]]
;'''Prima Prime Core'''
Prima's [[Prime Master#Transformers: Earth Wars|Prime Core]] (his "heart" as one of the primordial [[Thirteen|Thirteen Primes]]) fell to Earth under mysterious circumstances along with those of his siblings to become a hotly contested resource in the [[Earth Wars (conflict)|Earth Wars]]. {{storylink|Power of the Primes (Earth Wars)|Power of the Primes}}

*'''Effect:''' Extra damage to basic attacks for a limited time.

[https://tfew.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4733780017183-Prime-Cores-Bot Prima Prime Core at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]

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

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Most historical accounts agree that Prima was the first Prime. A fearsome warrior, Prima wielded the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] and the [[Skyboom Shield]]; some humans deified him as the god {{w|Zeus}}. {{storylink|Transformers One Sourcebook}}

==Toys==
===''Transformers'' (2007)===
[[File:TF07-Protoform-Optimus-Prime.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Guess who ya gotta buy now to finish your [[Thirteen]] collection?]]
<ul class = "iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Protoform Optimus Prime''' (Deluxe Class, [[2007]])}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''MA-05'''
:*''Accessories:'' Gun with flame attachment
{{toydesigner|[[Aaron Archer]] (Hasbro), [[Kōjin Ōno]] (TakaraTomy)|[[Don Figueroa]] (concept artist)<ref>{{citesocial|quote=I did the Pre-Earth/Entry mode Optimus Prime and Starscream that were made into toys|link=https://twitter.com/sketchyfig/status/1795868661787537424|name=Don Figueroa|site=Twitter|year=2024|month=05|day=29}}</ref>}}

{{note|Prima was [[Repurposing|repurposed]] from [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys|Protoform Optimus Prime]] in [[Tales of the Fallen issue 4|''Tales of the Fallen'' #4]].}}

:Based upon the "[[Protoform]]" (Cybertronian) appearances of the Transformers in the 2007 movie, ''[[Transformers (2007 toyline)|Transformers]]'' "Protoform Optimus Prime" transforms into his "entry" mode. This mode somewhat resembles a cybertronic truck, with false wheels sculpted onto the sides and Optimus Prime's trademark windows in front. A flame decoration piece fits to the back of the "vehicle", creating the illusion of a flaming comet's tail. The bottom of the vehicle has small wheels to roll the toy across smooth surfaces. Oddly, it has NO [[Automorph Technology]] gimmick at all, a feature most main-line figures have.

:In robot mode, he resembles previous Optimus characters: His angular chest windows are reminiscent of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], while his near-animalistic limbs and color scheme are evocative of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]. He has excellent articulation due to his many ball joints, and is armed with a rifle. The flame attachment can fit onto the end of the (non-firing) gun barrel.

:Some packaging variants of this figure (perhaps a Wal-Mart exclusive) included a free movie poster depicting a Cybertronian eye overlooking Earth. While an added sticker to the outer plastic bubble says "Exclusive movie poster!", it is more of a preview of upcoming figures.

:This mold was also used to make ''Movie Advanced Series'' [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#MAProtoform|Protoform Optimus Prime]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/ProtoformOptimusPrime/optimusprime.htm More information on Protoform Optimus Prime at TFU.info]''

===''Power of the Primes''===
[[File:TF-PotP-SDCC-2018-Throne-of-the-Primes-Prima.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"There's no such thing as a Prima Prime!"]]
<ul class = "iconlist">{{Bp-m1|'''Throne of the Primes''' (Leader Class, [[2018]])}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''PP-43'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[January 26]], [[2019]]
{{toydesigner|[[Marcelo Matere]] (throne designer, packaging artist)}}

:''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' "Prima Prime" (ha ha, yes, Hasbro went with this naming) is a retool of the [[Solus Prime#Power of the Primes|Solus Prime]]/[[Octopunch (G1)#Power of the Primes|Octopunch]] inner robot with a new [[Prime Master]] sigil/backpack (seemingly inspired by the previous Protoform Optimus Prime repurposing and ''Covenant of Primus'' design's chest), packaged in the [[Throne of the Primes#Toys|Throne of the Primes]] set.

:This toy has identical features to the other Prime Masters in the line. The [[Titan Master]]-like robot can store inside decoy armor or ride [[Size class|Legends Class]] figures in vehicle mode, and is fully compatible with toys from the previous ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' line. The "Power Swap" gimmick means its [[spark]] form can plug onto any decoy armor's weapon form (which has a [[5 mm post]] to be held by larger figures), Deluxe Class figures' chest armor, Voyager Class figures' bucklers, Leader Class figures' [[Matrix of Leadership/toys#Power of the Primes|Matrix]] (in place of their Matrix core), [[combiner]]s' torsos (in place of their [[Enigma of Combination]]), or the included [[Scepter of Sparks]] or [[Halo of Primus]] accessories. With the power of [[you]]r imagination, this bestows the Prime Master's [[Prime Master/Combinations|unique power]] on the larger figure.

:While Prima is a retool of Solus Prime (gang-molded with her included Octopunch decoy armor), it is unknown what gang-molded decoy armor he would have had as a hypothetical mass-retail Prime Master.

:This set debuted at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2018, and was later sold via [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] online. It was also available at general retail in Taiwan.

{{-}}{{anchor|PWTSE}}{{anchor|SpecialEdition}}
[[File:TF-Generations-Special-Edition-Prime-Master-Prima.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"It's a real term! Look it up!"]]
<ul class = "iconlist>{{Bp-a1d1|'''Punch-Counterpunch''' (Special Edition, 2018)}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''PP-44'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[February 23]], [[2019]]

:''Power of the Primes'' "Special Edition" Prima Prime is a translucent redeco of the above figure, packaged with [[Punch (G1)#Power of the Primes|Punch-Counterpunch]] in commemoration of the third iteration of the ''[[Prime Wars Trilogy]]''.

:This set was an [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]] exclusive in the United States, initially revealed via preorder listing without any prior announcement from Hasbro. It was also available at general retail in Singapore.
{{--}}

===''Age of the Primes''===
[[File:AOPtoy-VoyagerPrimaPrime.jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] was right, there is such a thing as a primer Prime!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-pr1|'''Prima Prime''' (Voyager Class, [[2025]])}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy name:'' '''Prima Prime''' (プライマプライム)
:*''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''AOTP-07'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date:'' [[2025]] [[July 26]]
:*''Accessories:'' [[Star Saber (Prima)#Age of the Primes|Star Saber]] blade, Star Saber hilt, [[Matrix of Leadership/toys#Age of the Primes|Matrix of Leadership]]
{{toydesigner|[[Mark Maher]] (Hasbro), [[Yūya Ōnishi]] (TakaraTomy)}}<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjmcMC9nNoA Transformers Age of the Primes Reveal | Dive into the Legacy of the Thirteen Primes | Hasbro Pulse] with [[Mark Maher]] and [[Nate Purswell]]</ref>

:''[[Transformers: Age of the Primes|Age of the Primes]]'' "Prima Prime" is a Voyager-scale robot primarily based on his ''[[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|Covenant of Primus]]'' [[:File:TransformersVault-Prima.jpg|design]]. His head is modeled after the "[[#The Transformers cartoon|Powerful Robot]]" later retconned to be Prima. He transforms into a Cybertronian armored lunar truck (with a hover mode!), and includes both the Star Saber and the Matrix of Leadership.

:Prima's Matrix, while the same style as most Matrices dating back to ''[[War for Cybertron: Earthrise]]'', is painted to resemble the [[Origin Matrix]] as it appeared in "[[Restoration|Another Light, Part Four]]" and can attach at the hilt of the Star Saber or store in Prima's chest. In vehicle mode, the sword can be mounted on the front bumper as a ram. Alternatively, the blade and crossguard can be separated from the hilt, and the former can then be stored top side. Like the other Primes, his packaging and signature artifact are emblazoned with his personal emblem, with his being located on the Star Saber's crossguard. Certain TakaraTomy stock images show the hilt piece in gray, but the actual release has it in the same white as Prima himself, which is reflected in most other stock imagery

:Prima Prime was revealed at [[Cybertron Con 2024]], and went up for preorder on [[December 10]].

::*''[https://www.instagram.com/p/DDYFD0uxHq_/ Designer commentary on Prima Prime from Mark Maher on Instagram]''
::*''[[Source:Transformers Age of the Primes bios#AOTP07|Machine translation of Prima Prime's TakaraTomy bio]]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:POTP Prima and Megatronus concept.jpg|thumb]]

*Prima, like all members of the Thirteen, was once a [[multiversal singularity]] who existed as one being throughout all of time and space, but that is [[Shroud|no longer the case]].
*Prima's Generation 1 cartoon [[character model]] appears to use [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] as a base, with heavily re-worked details.
*According to [[ABN]] in [[Recordicons issue 9|''Recordicons'' #9]], Vector Prime "always lies about Five Faces of Darkness". If true, this would mean that the guy from Five Faces is not necessarily Prima; we're keeping this page as-is because there's no objective evidence either way, and Prima is more convenient as a page title than "Powerful Robot".
*An idea from the [[Binder of Revelation]]—which has not made it into any fiction, and has been evinced only in the binder's profile page for [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] published in ''[[Transformers Vault]]''—posits that individual Transformers possess a "polarity" that indicates which of the Thirteen they can trace their lineage to. Based on Optimus's profile, Transformers descended from Prima possess a "Primian" polarity—but then, Optimus would later be revealed to actually ''be'' one of the Thirteen in Aligned continuity, so good luck figuring that one out.
*Hasbro representatives at [[BotCon 2010]], [[BotCon 2011]], and [[HasCon 2017]] pronounced Prima's name "Pree-muh" despite Prima's name being one along the lines of "[[Primus]]" and "[[Prime (rank)|Prime]]".<ref>[https://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/144732-hascon-2017-toy-reveals-megathread-prime-uh-or-preem-uh-pg-41/?p=3597912 Posts by crockalley and Sabrblade on the Allspark Forums, 2017/09/12]</ref> When his name is spoken by the [[Mistress of Flame]] in the ''[[Transformers: Titans Return (cartoon)|Titans Return]]'' cartoon episode "[[Overlord and Emissary]]"—which is the first time his name is uttered in a ''Transformers'' work—it is pronounced more appropriately as "Prime-uh", a pronunciation that carries over to ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Transformers: Cyberverse]]'' and ''[[Transformers One (film)|Transformers One]]''.
*Before Hasbro settled on the unifying [[Prime Master]] gimmick for ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'', full size toys of Megatronus and Prima were conceived, both redecos and retools of the ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Black Shadow (G1)#Titans Return|Sky Shadow]]/[[Overlord (G1)#Titans Return|Decepticon Overlord]] mold. They never made it past early ecosystem planning, as neither character was considered mainstream enough at the time for a full size retail release.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zsar8vxtng HASCON 2017: The Prime Wars Trilogy Panel ... See the story come to life!] panel recording on Seibertron.com's YouTube channel</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Prima Prime''' (プライマプライム ''Puraima Puraimu'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Xiānjué Tiān''' (先觉天)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Prima-Prime-One.jpg|''One'' trading card.
File:AOTP Prima Prime concept art.jpg|''Age of the Primes'' concept art.
File:AOTP Prima boxart.jpg|''Age of the Primes'' packaging art.
File:AOTP Prima Prime Hasbro China promo art.jpg|''Age of the Primes'' promotional art.
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Thirteen}}
{{spiritguides nav}}

[[Category:Age of the Primes characters]]
[[Category:Amazon exclusives]]
[[Category:Cyberverse Transformers]]
[[Category:Deep lore characters]]
[[Category:Earth Wars Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon Transformers]]
[[Category:Gladiators]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 Transformers]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:One Transformers]]
[[Category:Prime Masters]]
[[Category:Prime Transformers]]
[[Category:Repurposed toys]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Transformers]]
[[Category:Thirteen]]
[[Category:Transformers Roleplaying Game Transformers]]

Space Port Bravo

2025-07-12T21:02:30Z

Domovoy3:

'''Space Port Bravo''' is a place on Cybertron used by [[Autobot|Autobots]] for the landings of their starships.
[[File:SpacePortBravo.jpg|thumb| What a huge place! Say goodbye to it forever|right|upright=1.67]]

==Fiction==
===''Wings Universe''===
[[Magnum]] has [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]], [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] and their squads take them to [[Space Port Bravo]] on board the ''[[Hawk's Claw]]'', after the battle with [[Virulent Clone|Virulent Clones]] in [[Trigon]]. Later they had a sparkwarming goodbyes with eachother there.{{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}}

[[Category:Wings Universe locations]]

Space Port Bravo

2025-07-12T20:58:50Z

Domovoy3: Created page with "'''Space Port Bravo''' is a place on Cybertron used by Autobots for the landings of their starships. [[File:SpacePortBravo.jpg|thumb| What a huge place! Say goodby..."

'''Space Port Bravo''' is a place on Cybertron used by [[Autobot|Autobots]] for the landings of their starships.
[[File:SpacePortBravo.jpg|thumb| What a huge place! Say goodbye to it forever|right|upright=1.67]]

==Fiction==
===''Wings Universe''===
Magnum has [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]], [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] and their squads take them to [[Space Port Bravo]] on board the ''[[Hawk's Claw]]'', after the battle with [[Virulent Clone|Virulent Clones]] in [[Trigon]]. Later they had a sparkwarming goodbyes with eachother there.{{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}}

[[Category:Wings Universe locations]]

File:SpacePortBravo.jpg

2025-07-12T20:37:11Z

Domovoy3: Space Port that is used by autobots on Cybertron.

Space Port that is used by autobots on Cybertron.

Hawk's Claw

2025-07-12T20:26:56Z

Domovoy3:

:''The Hawk's Claw is a starship from the [[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Hawk'sClawAutobotShip.jpg|thumb|I guess I'll just fly the Hawk then|right|upright=1.67]]
The '''''Hawk's Claw''''' is a small ship that was used to get some 'bots to [[Space Port Bravo]].

Its crew included:
*[[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]]
*[[Landshark (G1)|Landshark]]
*[[Flak (G1)|Flak]]
*[[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]]
*[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]
*[[Dion (G1)|Dion]]
*[[Over-Run (G1)|Over-Run]]

==Fiction==
===''Wings Universe''===
After the battle with [[Virulent Clone|Virulent Clones]], [[Elite Guard]] squads were given this ship by [[Magnum]] in order to get to Space Port Bravo as soon as possible.{{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}}

[[Category:Generation 1 Autobot starships]]
[[Category:Wings Universe starships]]

Hawk's Claw

2025-07-12T20:26:34Z

Domovoy3: Created page with ":''The Hawk's Claw is a starship from the Wings Universe portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.'' [[File:Hawk'sClawAutobotShip.jpg..."

:''The Hawk's Claw is a starship from the [[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Hawk'sClawAutobotShip.jpg|thumb|I guess I'll just fly the Hawk then|right|upright=1.67]]
The '''''Hawk's Claw''''' is a small ship that was used to get some 'bots to [[Space Port Bravo]].

Its crew includede:
*[[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]]
*[[Landshark (G1)|Landshark]]
*[[Flak (G1)|Flak]]
*[[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]]
*[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]
*[[Dion (G1)|Dion]]
*[[Over-Run (G1)|Over-Run]]

==Fiction==
===''Wings Universe''===
After the battle with [[Virulent Clone|Virulent Clones]], [[Elite Guard]] squads were given this ship by [[Magnum]] in order to get to Space Port Bravo as soon as possible.{{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}}

[[Category:Generation 1 Autobot starships]]
[[Category:Wings Universe starships]]

File:Hawk'sClawAutobotShip.jpg

2025-07-12T20:02:54Z

Domovoy3: Starship that was shown in Wings Universe comics.

Starship that was shown in Wings Universe comics.

Transformers: Micromasters

2025-07-12T19:50:15Z

Domovoy3:

{{disambig3|Micromaster}}
[[File:DW MM 1a.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Ooops, [[Dreamwave Armada issue 1|wrong comic]]]]
'''''Transformers: Micromasters''''' is a four-issue miniseries published by [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] in 2004, set in the main G1 [[Dreamwave Generation One continuity|Dreamwave continuity]]. Its story follows various groups of Micromasters as they debate their role in the [[Autobot]]-[[Decepticon]] conflict, a war they do not see as their own.

The series was scripted by [[James McDonough]] and [[Adam Patyk]], who were by that point the creative team on the ongoing series as well. Pencils were done by [[Rob Ruffolo]] in a style clearly intended to mimic that of [[Pat Lee]].

{{chapters|style=3|series=micromasters|content=
*[[Destined for Nothing|#1]]
*[[The Gray Race|#2]]
*[[Recipe for Hate|#3]]
*[[Victims of the Revolution|#4]]
}}

==Overview==
The series is set in a middling time period, long after the events of the ''[[War Within]]'' series, but still long before the present day. Cybertron's resources are drying up; to compensate, both sides have created a subgroup of miniaturized Transformers who consume less fuel. Though allowed to choose their own sides, the Micromasters are less prone to see the war of the "[[Guzzler|guzzlers]]" as being their problem. In the midst of this conflict, long-lost hero Countdown returns to Cybertron, seeking converts to his own cause of containing the Decepticon threat off-world.

The series has a somewhat ambiguous ending, and ''none'' of the Micromasters appear in the present-day Dreamwave books, with no word given of their fate. Of course this is likely due to Dreamwave's massive collapse and had Dreamwave stayed up then it's likely that the story would have had some kind of followup.

''Micromasters'' was heavily criticized for its art, which is often hard to follow. Compounding this problem for casual readers was the introduction of several dozen new characters, many of whom lacked much in the way of distinctive features. The series has also been criticized for its somewhat overly convoluted plot and the extreme angst of some of its characters.

The book is also notable as the first appearance in fiction for most of the Micromaster characters.

==Notes==
* All of the issues take their titles from songs or albums by the band {{w|Bad Religion}}.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Micromasters}}
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 comic series]]

Attack Copter

2025-07-12T19:48:43Z

Domovoy3:

{{factions|autobot}}
:''The Attack Copter is an [[Autobot]] Action Master vehicle from the [[The Transformers (toyline)|toyline portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Action Master Attack Copter.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb]]
'''The Attack Copter''' is [[Over-Run (G1)|Over-Run]]'s [[Action Master]] vehicle. This advanced model copter has a range of 1,200 miles and can operate continuously for up to 3.5 hours. In addition to its [[Photon cannon|rotary photon cannon]], it carries air-to-ground [[magnetic missile]]s and can transform into a double-barreled [[Concussion weapon|concussion cannon]] emplacement.

==Fiction==
===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
The Attack Copter had a top speed of 340mph for a range of 1,200 miles and its air-to-ground magnetic missiles were capable of automatically targeting Decepticon armor plating. Over-Run could also carry its photon cannon and concussion cannons separately. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|Over-Run's ''More than Meets the Eye'' profile}}
{{-}}

===''Wings Universe''===
It was also used against [[Virulent Clone|Virulent Clones]] during the battle in [[Trigon]].{{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 2}}

==Commercial appearances==
[[File:Starscream Attack Jet vs Over-Run Attack Copter.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Comin' in low out of the rising sun... Scares the hell out of the 'Cons!]]
Over-Run and the Attack Copter engaged [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and his [[Turbo Jet]]. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Action Master vehicles|Action Master vehicles commercial}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
[[File:G1 Overrun toy.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|Does it come in adult sizes? This is just a kiddie ride for Autobots…]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Attack Copter with Over-Run''' (Action Blaster Vehicle, [[1990]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Rotor, 2 side cannons, 2 [[missile]]s, "[[laser cannon]]", engine cover/shield
{{toydesigner|[[Masakatsu Saito]] (concept artist)}}

: Released in the seventh and final year of ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' in the US (sixth and not-final in Europe), the Attack Copter is a small green helicopter that can be "piloted" by a single Action Master figure. In its normal copter configuration, the two missiles attach to fins on the sides of the vehicle, and the "laser cannon" (actually a [[retool]]ing of [[Vortex (G1)#Toys|Vortex]]'s left-side-cannon altered to be held by Action Master figures) plugs under the copter nose. The two side cannons form... engines, or something, as they're not really in a useful firing position in this mode.

: The copter transforms via partial disassembly into a piece of field artillery. The back end flips over (once you remove the tail piece to get out of its way) to form a blast shield, plus brings the side cannons into a forward firing position. The two missiles can be plugged into the ends of the side cannons; while they can still do this in the normal copter mode, it's kind of awkward. The copter's engine cover can also detach to form a largish shield held by any Action Master figure.

: This set came with the Action Master [[Over-Run (G1)#Toys|Over-Run]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1990/Autobot/Over-Run/over-run.htm More information on the Attack Copter at tfu.info]''
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Over-Run's [[instructions]] refer to the Attack Copter as simply "helicopter".
*Although generically called a "laser cannon" in the instructions, the copter's main weapon is somewhat bizarrely described in the [[bio]] accompanying Over-Run's [[Tech Spec]]s as a "rotary photon pulse button". This was updated in Over-Run's [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] ''More than Meets the Eye'' profile to the more sensible "rotary photon cannon".

[[Category:Action Master vehicles]]

Decepticon Mini-Cassette

2025-07-02T16:34:53Z

Domovoy3:

{{factions|decepticon|sgDecepticon|minicon}}
{{disambig2|the subgroup sometimes referred to as Recordicons|the comic strip about them|Recordicons}}
{{groupstub|rest of the fiction, up-top links and maybe short descriptions, toy section needs fleshing out}}

[[File:Soundwave&Minions.jpeg|upright=2.5|thumb|Eject! Operation: Illustration.]]
The '''Decepticon Mini-Cassettes''' (also known as '''Spy Cassettes''', '''Recordicons''', the '''Soundwave Spy Patrol''') are [[Decepticon]]s who, on [[Earth]], transform into analog [[Mini-Cassette|audio cassettes]]. They can fit into [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s chest compartment, though their apparent relationship to Soundwave varies depending on continuity.

Many of these troops have communication or espionage roles. Recycling of body designs is common among them as well. Their counterparts amongst the [[Autobot]]s are the [[Autobot Mini-Cassette]]s.

{{quote|In the days of Megatron, Decepticons developed the art of espionage using cassette technology.|[[Teletraan II]]|"[[Secret Files of Teletraan II]]"}}

==Known Decepticon Mini-Cassettes==
===Generation 1===
{{collist|4|
*[[Autoscout]]
*[[Beastbox (G1)|Beastbox]]
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Enemy (G1)|Enemy]]
*[[Flip Sides (G1)|Flip Sides]]
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]
*[[Garboil (G1)|Garboil]]
*[[Glit (KP)|Glit]]
*[[Howlback (G1)|Howlback]]
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]]
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]
*[[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]]
*[[Squawktalk (G1)|Squawktalk]]
*[[Sundor]]
*[[Wingthing (G1)|Wingthing]]
*[[:File:Ravage clones gi joe vol 2.jpg|Ravage clones]]
*Many [[Palette swap|other]] [[generic]]s.
}}

===''Shattered Glass''===
{{collist|4|
*[[Beastbox (SG)|Beastbox]]
*[[Buzzsaw (SG)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Enemy (SG)|Enemy]]
*[[Frenzy (SG)|Frenzy]]
*[[Garboil (SG)|Garboil]]
*[[Glit (SG)|Glit]]
*[[Howlback (SG)|Howlback]]
*[[Laserbeak (SG)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Overkill (SG)|Overkill]]
*[[Ratbat (SG)|Ratbat]]
*[[Ravage (SG)|Ravage]]
*[[Rumble (SG)|Rumble]]
*[[Slugfest (SG)|Slugfest]]
*[[Squawktalk (SG)|Squawktalk]]
*[[Stage-Dive]]
}}

===Live-action film series===
*[[Uriad]]
*[[Uruaz]]

===EarthSpark===
*[[Frenzy (ES)|Frenzy]]
*[[Laserbeak (ES)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Ravage (ES)|Ravage]]

==Fiction==
{{groupstub}}
===Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics===
For the most part, the Decepticon Mini-Cassettes did not appear to have a particularly special or unique relationship with Soundwave. Soundwave occasionally carried Laserbeak within his chest compartment, releasing him for surprise attacks. {{storylink|Warrior School!}}

More often, the Mini-Cassette troops used their small alternate modes for stealth, disguise and transportation by other characters. Rumble and Frenzy frequently hitched rides in the cockpit of the Decepticon jets, for example. {{storylink|DIS-Integrated Circuits!}} Ravage used his cassette form on several occasions to spy on humans. {{storylink|Power Play!}} Three of the cassette troops were taken out of play by Omega Supreme {{storylink|Command Performances!}} and remained inoperative for quite some time, while Ravage was dropped into a mine shaft by the Autobot [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], {{storylink|Showdown!}} taking him out of play for even longer. Only Laserbeak remained operative, acting as a sort of totem of Decepticon leadership. {{storylink|Command Performances!}}

Ratbat assumed a cassette form upon traveling to Earth, and used this disguise to monitor his human accomplices. {{storylink|Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:TIS laserbeak and buzzsaw.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
[[File:Rumble and frenzy.jpg|thumb|200px|The Wumbles of Rimbledon]]
The Mini-Cassettes acted as a sort of special-missions force, under the command of their host Soundwave. Soundwave could store numerous cassettes within his chest, at times ejecting as many as four at once. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}} {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}

[[File:RavageRatbat.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
Laserbeak was frequently sent to spy on the [[Autobot]]s at [[Ark (G1)|Autobot Headquarters]], once using his cassette form to sneak in. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}} Ravage likewise used his cassette mode to infiltrate [[Teletraan I]] and steal information about Earth's resources. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} Rumble was used more often to destroy stuff, though all three frequently engaged in battle.

The less-seen Buzzsaw and Frenzy also appeared on occasion, usually acting in conjunction with Laserbeak and Rumble, respectively. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}} {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!}} {{storylink|The Immobilizer}}

Years later, Ratbat joined the cassette forces; like Laserbeak, he specialized in spy work and reconnaissance, particularly in tight quarters inaccessible to Laserbeak. {{storylink|Secret Files of Teletraan II}}

Some time after that, Overkill and Slugfest also joined Soundwave's troops. {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}
{{-}}

====Madman ''The Transformers'' comic====
In the year 2001, Soundwave unleashed his army of new Mini-Cassettes to steal the Autobot [[Matrix of Leadership]] from a secure bunker at the construction site of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] on Earth. They were interrupted during their excavation by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]], who successfully disabled Soundwave and his various helpers, retrieving the Matrix. {{storylink|The Transformers (Madman)|The Transformers}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga=====
[[File:FSRLTFIssue2Cover01.jpg|thumb|150px]]
Ravage attacked [[Kenji]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] in Tokyo while the rest of the Autobots were occupied by Megatron's forces. [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] managed to sweep Kenji to safety, but Bumblebee was then confronted by Rumble, Laserbeak and Ratbat as well. Bumblebee managed to evade the Cassettes long enough for [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] to arrive as back-up. Using a patented Bumble Kick, the small Autobot damaged Soundwave's chest compartment, so that when Ravage and the others attempted to hide from the Autobots inside their master, they bounced fruitlessly off of Soundwave. Cliffjumper was able to grab them while they were still in their cassette forms, pulling out their magnetic tape. Harsh. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 2|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2}}

When the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]]s attempted to frame the Autobots for their evil deeds, Rumble and Frenzy appealed directly to the human race for Decepticon support. Disguised in full-body cloaks and masks, they staged rallys against the Autobots and convince mankind that the Decepticons were their true friends. Their ruse was soon uncovered by [[Eject (G1)|Eject]] and [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]], who ripped off the Decepticons' robes to reveal their true selves. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 7|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #7}}

=====''Scramble City'' cartoon=====
{{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
{{groupstub|{{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}} {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}} {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}} {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}}}

=====''The Headmasters'' manga=====
As the Autobots prepared to leave Earth and pursue [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s forces into space, Soundblaster of all the Decepticons stayed behind to continue tormenting humanity. He dispatched Overkill and Slugfest to attack the Witwickys but they were, um...overpowered by [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]]. After [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] blasted Soundblaster into the distance, his remaining Cassettes crowded around the Decepticon tapedeck as he shook the stars from his eyes. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 8|The Headmasters #8}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
The origin of the Mini-Cassettes as a whole is unknown. Warriors like Laserbeak and Ravage were seen working with Soundwave in their standard capacity since the beginning of the war. {{storylink|Transformers: The War Within|The War Within}} The sole exception is Ratbat, who was once a high-ranking Decepticon, and the leader of his own independent faction during the [[Dark Ages]]. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages}} At an unknown point in history, Ratbat was apparently converted into a Mini-Cassette as punishment for some unknown offense. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (issue)|Countdown to Extinction}}

Besides Ratbat, the Mini-Cassettes were sent into stasis lock with Soundwave and the rest of the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> crew for four million years on the planet Earth. They reawakened in 1984 to battle [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and the crew of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''. {{storylink|Prime Directive}} When the Transformers eventually returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the Mini-Cassettes went with Soundwave under the new command of [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. After [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] made a proposal to strike out on their own, however, they turned against Shockwave. Part of the deal was Starscream reuniting Soundwave with Ratbat, whom he had apparently already used as a Mini-Cassette in the past. The Mini-Cassettes returned to Earth with Soundwave and the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s. {{storylink|War and Peace}} Megatron eventually returned, reclaiming leadership from Starscream, with the help of Soundwave and the Mini-Cassettes. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

{{note|After returning to Earth, only Rumble and Frenzy made express appearances. Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, and Ratbat were presumably present inside Soundwave.}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Dreadwing v cassettes soundwaves.jpg|left|thumb|180px]]
In Cybertron's pre-war [[Functionism|functionist]] society, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], and [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] were targets of oppression because of their beastly forms. When their friend [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] was employed by [[Ratbat (G1)|Senator Ratbat]], the three came with him and were modified into the Cybertronian equivalent of mini-cassettes. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] were originally energon miners like [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]. They were the first pre-Decepticons to hitch their wagons to the rising star of Megatron. Once Soundwave joined the Decepticons, Megatron had them both reformatted into cassettes in order to participate in Soundwave's surprise attack on the [[Senate]]. They weren't entirely happy about it, but agreed out of fear and loyalty to Megatron. [[Squawkbox]] also participated in that operation, possibly being reformatted alongside Rumble and Frenzy.

In the process of killing the Senate, Soundwave also attacked his former boss Ratbat, but preserved his spark in a Cybertronian mini-cassette. {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}}

During an Autobot manhunt for Soundwave early in the war, the information officer released his cassettes to distract his pursuers whenever they closed in. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}}

Much later, Squawkbox served on the same space station as [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sixshot}}

Ravage and Laserbeak traveled with Soundwave to Earth while keeping an eye on [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]. Buzzsaw, Frenzy, and Rumble were not seen during this period, but the possibility that Soundwave was keeping one or more of them in reserve cannot be ruled out. (You never ''really'' know who he has hidden in there.) It was at this time that Soundwave and at least Ravage and Laserbeak picked up [[1984]]-era Earth [[alternate mode]]s. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}}

Ratbat spent some time as a regular member of Earth's [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] doing reconnaissance work. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1}} He had a non-mini-cassette alternate mode.

Laserbeak, Ravage, Frenzy, Rumble, and Ratbat all participated in Megatron's full-scale invasion of Earth as Soundwave's mini-cassette minions. {{storylink|The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron}}

After the war, Ratbat lead the Decepticons for a time before his assassination by Arcee. {{Storylink|The World & Everything in It}}

When Megatron defected to the Autobots and joined the crew of the [[Lost Light]], Soundwave sent Ravage to monitor him. {{storylink|Slaughterhouse}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
Soundwave, Ravage, Squawkbox, and Rumble and/or Frenzy were among the Decepticons who were awakened on nineteenth century Earth and took on alternate modes from that era. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel}}

It was not revealed what those alternate modes were, but textual notes in Squawkbox's concept art included in the trade paperback indicate that his "upper body transforms into a mechanical gorilla" and his "lower part transforms into mechanical eagle."

===''Shattered Glass''===
After [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]'s disastrous demonstration of his new [[Dinobot (SG)|Dinobot]]s, the Decepticons managed to retrieve a handful. Shortly afterwards, a newly intelligent [[Grimlock (SG)|Grimlock]] surreptitiously took them on a trip to the [[Omega Terminus]], which gave them embers and alternate modes. {{storylink|Dungeons & Dinobots}} In the case of the smaller ones, such as [[Slugfest (SG)|Slugfest]], these took the form of octoidal data-cassettes. Once the Decepticons got over their surprise, Slugfest and Overkill were added to Soundwave's gang. {{storylink|Do Over}}
{{groupstub|{{storylink|Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass}} {{storylink|Dungeons & Dinobots}} {{storylink|Do Over}} {{storylink|Eye in the Sky}} {{storylink|Recordicons}}}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
[[File:WeHaveDecievedYou-InfiltrationTroopers.jpg|thumb|250px]]
Among the [[Mini-Cassette|Infiltration Troopers]], a large population supported [[Decepticon#2019 IDW continuity|Ascenticon]] [[Ratbat (G1)#2019 IDW continuity|Senator Ratbat]]. {{storylink|Wheeljack: Orbital Decay}} A group of Troopers followed him as the faction became the Decepticons. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: We Have Deceived You}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material===
Cassette troops were one of Soundwave's powers and weapons. {{storylink|War for Cybertron: Kingdom|''Kingdom'' webpage}}<ref>[https://transformers.hasbro.com/en-us/brands/kingdom ''Kingdom'' webpage]</ref>
{{--}}

===''EarthSpark'' cartoon===
{{groupstub|{{storylink|Decoy (episode)|Decoy}}}}

==Toys==
{{Note|Due to the sheer number of resissues and redecos of each mold, only the original use of the mold for that character, plus any new characters made with said mold, will be included. Also only the toys of these characters that can transform into cassettes are included.}}
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''The Transformers'' Frenzy mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Frenzy (G1)/toys#Toys|Frenzy]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Rumble (G1)/toys#Toys|Rumble]]}}
{{bp-d1|[[Enemy (G1)#Toys|Enemy]]}}
|[[File:G1-toy Rumble.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|1984 cassette Rumble]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''The Transformers'' Laserbeak mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Laserbeak (G1)/toys#Toys|Laserbeak]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Buzzsaw (G1)/toys#Toys|Buzzsaw]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Garboil (G1)#Toys|Garboil]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Sundor]]}}
|[[File:LaserbeakG1toy.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|1984 cassette Laserbeak]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''The Transformers'' Ratbat mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ratbat (G1)/toys#Toys|Ratbat]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Wingthing (G1)#Encore|Wingthing]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Ratbat (SG)#Toys|Ratbat]]}}
|[[File:SGtoy-Ratbat.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Shattered Glass'' Ratbat]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''The Transformers'' Ravage mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ravage (G1)/toys#Toys|Ravage]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Howlback (G1)#Toys|Howlback]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|[[Glit (KP)#Toys|Glit]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Ravage (SG)#Kiss Players|Ravage]]}}
|[[File:G1 Howlback-toy.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|e-Hobby Howlback]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''The Transformers'' Slugfest mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Slugfest (G1)#Toys|Slugfest]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Slugfest (SG)#Toys|Slugfest]]}}
|[[File:SGtoy-Slugfest.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|''Shattered Glass'' Slugfest]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''Universe'' Ravage mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ravage (G1)/toys#Universe (2008)|Ravage]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Ravage (SG)#Timelimes|Ravage]]}}
|[[File:TFU08-toy Ravage.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Universe'' Ravage]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''Masterpiece'' Laserbeak mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Laserbeak (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Laserbeak]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Buzzsaw (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Buzzsaw]]}}
|[[File:MP-toy Buzzsaw.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Masterpiece'' Buzzsaw]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''Masterpiece'' Rumble mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Rumble (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Rumble]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Frenzy (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Frenzy]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Enemy (G1)#Masterpiece|Enemy]]}}
|[[File:TF-MP-Enemy.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Masterpiece'' Enemy]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''Masterpiece'' Ratbat mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ratbat (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Ratbat]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Wingthing (G1)#Masterpiece|Wingthing]]}}
|[[File:TF-MP-Wingthing.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Masterpiece'' Wingthing]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''War for Cybertron: Siege'' Rumble mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Rumble (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Rumble]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Frenzy (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Frenzy]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Knok #Generations_Selects|Knok]]}}
|[[File:TF-Generations-Selects-Frenzy.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' Frenzy]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''War for Cybertron: Siege'' Ratbat mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ratbat (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Ratbat]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Wingthing (G1)#Generations|Wingthing]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Skar_(G1)#Generations_Selects|Skar]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Nightstrike#Legacy|Nightstrike]]}}
|[[File:Siegetoy-Ratbat.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''War for Cybertron: Siege'' Ratbat]]
</ul>
|}
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''War for Cybertron: Siege'' Laserbeak mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Laserbeak (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Laserbeak]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Laserbeak (SG)#Shattered Glass Collection|Laserbeak]]}}
|[[File:TF-Shattered-Glass-Collection-Laserbeak.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Shattered Glass Collection'' Laserbeak]]
</ul>
|}
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' Laserbeak mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Laserbeak (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Laserbeak]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Buzzsaw (G1)/toys#LeaderClass|G1 Universe Buzzsaw]]}}
</ul>
|[[File:TF-DCS-Laserbeak.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Dramatic Capture Series'' Laserbeak]]
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''War for Cybertron: Siege'' Ravage mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Ravage (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Ravage]]}}
{{Bp-sd|[[Ravage (SG)#Shattered Glass Collection|Ravage]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Bullseye_(Target)#Generations|Bullseye]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Ravage_(G1)/toys#Legacy|G1 Universe Ravage]]}}
|[[File:TF-Shattered-Glass-Collection-Ravage.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Shattered Glass Collection'' Ravage]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''''Studio Series'' Rumble mold'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|[[Rumble (G1)/toys#Studio Series|Decepticon Rumble]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Frenzy (G1)/toys#Studio Series|Decepticon Frenzy]]}}
{{Bp-d1|[[Rumble_(G1)/toys#Legacy| G1 Universe Decepticon Rumble]]}}
|[[File:TF-SS-86-Core-Frenzy.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|''Studio Series'' Frenzy]]
</ul>
|}

{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="40%" valign="top"|'''Other molds'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|''The Transformers'' [[Beastbox (G1)#Toys|Beastbox]] and [[Squawktalk (G1)#Toys|Squawktalk]] (combine to form [[Squawkbox#Toys|Squawkbox]])}}
{{Bp-d1|''The Transformers'' [[Overkill (G1)#Toys|Overkill]]}}
{{Bp-a1d1|''Collector's Edition'' [[Flip Sides (G1)#Toys|Flip Sides]] ([[redeco]]ed from the [[Rewind (G1)#Toys|Rewind]] mold)}}
{{Bp-d1|''Smallest Transforming Transformers'' [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Smallest Transforming Transformers|Ravage]]}}
{{Bp-d1|''Titanium Series'' [[Laserbeak (G1)/toys#Titanium Series|Laserbeak]]}}
{{Bp-d1|''Masterpiece'' [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Ravage]]}}
|
|width="40%" valign="top"| 
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|''Studio Series'' [[Uruaz]] (redecoed from [[Zaur (G1)#Toys|Zaur]])}}
{{Bp-d1|''Studio Series'' [[Uriad]] (redecoed from [[Dile#Toys|Dile]])}}

|
[[File:G1-toy Squawkbox.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Squawkbox (Squawktalk + Beastbox)]]
</ul>
|}

==Notes==
[[File:DiamondStickerbookRecordicons.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*This sub-group was called '''Decepticon Cassettes''' in the 1984 toy [[catalog]], but '''Decepticon Mini-Cassettes''' in all subsequent catalogs.
*The term "Spy Cassettes" was used in advertisements and the [[Who's Who]] featured in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Overview 2|Marvel UK comics]], while "Recordicon" was used in a 1986 [[Diamond]] ''Transformers: The Movie'' stickerbook to describe Laserbeak. "Recordicon" has seen recent use in the ''Shattered Glass'' profiles for Ravage and Ratbat as well as in the [[Energon Universe]].
*The term "Cassetticon" is an unofficial term that crops up amongst the fanbase.
*The [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2009 reissue of Soundwave refers to the cassettes as "[[Deployer (WFC)|Deployer]]" figures. The term "Deployer" had previously been used for the [[Deployer (BM)|small animal-to-weapon figures]] from the [[Beast Machines: Transformers (toyline)|''Beast Machines'' toyline]].
*In "[[The Agenda (Part 2)|The Agenda]]", Ravage still has his cassette alternate mode, despite undergoing a complete rebuilding. He fits into a compartment on his [[Transwarp cruiser|ship]].
*In addition to being retconned as Deployers, Soundwave's [[Transformers Hall of Fame]] bio also presented Ravage, Laserbeak, and all of Soundwave's other partners as [[Mini-Con]]s. That'll rattle a few cages.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140123021224/http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/news/TRANSFORMERS-HALL-OF-FAME-Nominee-1.cfm]</ref>
*The Hall of Fame bio also revealed that Laserbeak and Ravage are Soundwave's favorite partners. It's okay, [[Wingthing (G1)|Wingthing]], we still love you.
*In 2019 during ''[[War for Cybertron: Siege|Siege]]'', the Decepticons Mini-Cassettes become part of another group when Laserbeak & Ravage, and later Rumble & Ratbat, are sold as [[Micromaster#War for Cybertron: Siege|Micromasters]]!

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cassettron''' (カセットロン ''Kasettoron'')

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 subgroups]]
[[Category:EarthSpark subgroups]]
[[Category:Generation 1 subgroups]]
[[Category:Mini-Cassettes| Decepticon]]

Highjump (G1)

2025-07-01T05:39:44Z

Domovoy3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{picsneeded|Fiction}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 Micromaster|the ''Armada'' video game Mini-Con|Highjump (Armada)}}
:''Highjump is an [[Autobot]] [[Micromaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:High jump cardart.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"Don't make me clench this fist. Nobody wants Mr. Fisty to come out and play."]]
Asking '''Highjump''' to stick to the rules is like asking water to run uphill. He's the most "cloak and dagger" of the [[Off Road Patrol]], happily ignoring battle protocol whenever it's convenient, especially on those missions that Autobot command never sanctioned in the first place. One would think that this puts him at odds with his by-the-books Patrol leader [[Powertrain]], but the two actually get along very well. Highjump's infiltration skills are beyond question, and he does the regrettable dirty work that sometimes needs to be done to make a mission succeed.<ref>''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' #3</ref>

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
[[File:Off road patrol king con.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
Highjump and the Off Road Patrol were created on Cybertron as the first wave of Micromasters. They developed a taste for insubordination however, which may have been part of the reason [[Emirate]] [[Xaaron]] agreed to send them to Earth instead, as reinforcements for [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s diminished army aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. Not in a position to turn away free troops after many of his own had [[Underbase Saga|recently fallen]], Prime accepted the Micromasters and informed them on a pair of recent news reports involving giant creatures spotted in the [[New Jersey (Earth)|New Jersey]] swamps and unusual storm activity consolidating over Manhattan. Believing there was a Decepticon link between the stories, the Off-Road Patrol took to the swamps to seek out any clues. When [[Mudslinger (G1)|Mudslinger]] found the Decepticon [[Pretender]]s running a weather-control device, the alerted his teammates and the battle was joined. Highjump and [[Tote]] used a trip-line to send [[Skullgrin]] flying, and the weather machine was destroyed. Unfortunately, the forces of nature were too far along to stop, and the storm itself continued to rage. Luckily, the [[Race Car Patrol]] were able to stop the Decepticons from collecting the storm's energies in the [[New York City|Big Apple]], foiling their plot utterly. After the mission's completion, the Micromasters regrouped at the base of the [[Empire State Building]], where Optimus offered to pick them up, so they could avoid any trouble from the local law enforcement agents. The Micromasters refused Optimus's help, preferring to instead act as an independent unit and deal with such matters their own way. {{storylink|King Con!}}

Having saved Manhattan from destruction, the Micromasters became local celebrities and vigilantes, helping to clean up the streets. When [[Roadhandler (G1)|Roadhandler]] of the Race Cars got to be too popular as a pro wrestler (long story), [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] of the Decepticons tried to take him down a peg, sending the [[Air Strike Patrol|Decepticon Micromaster Air Strike Patrol]] to kidnap his fan club before a big match against [[Storm Cloud (G1)|Storm Cloud]]. Highjump and [[Tailspin]] managed to intervene and safely escort them to the match. {{storylink|The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!}}
{{-}}

====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
Highjump and the Off Road Patrol were part of the Autobots and Decepticons who arrived on Earth, and immediately began fighting over the planet's resources. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 7|New York — A City Sinking in Terror}}

When an oil tanker was in trouble in Alaska, the Off Roaders and [[Race Car Patrol]] were called in to assist, but were confronted by Decepticon Pretenders. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 9|The Transformers' Grand Hour: Headmaster of the Dimensions}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Battle of the Star Gate''====
Highjump was amongst the Autobots who once more confronted Megatron and his Decepticons at the ''[[Trigger]]'' in Earth orbit. When Starscream combined himself with the ''Trigger'' to create a powerful new body for himself, Highjump had to contend with the volley of asteroids thrown towards both Autobots and Decepticons from Starscream's star gate. He was then almost sucked into a portal to a black hole when Starscream neared defeat, but was instead sent plummeting down to Earth when Optimus and Megatron worked together to defeat Starscream. {{storylink|The Battle of the Star Gate}}

====''Unite Warriors''====
The Autobots' fall to Earth after the battle with Starscream was recalled by [[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] when they faced off against the [[Commando (RID)|Combatrons]] who were active in the injured Autobots' absence. {{Storylink|Ruination Chapter, Part One|Baldigus Chapter, Part One}}

====''Zone'' story pages====
When [[Star Saber (G1)|Victory Saber]] initiated the "Zone Project", the Off Road Patrol helped rebuild planet [[Micro]] into the new and improved planet Zone. To counter this threat, [[Violengiguar]] began conquering worlds to build his own [[Decepticon Zone]]. All the [[Micromaster]] teams, including the Off Road Patrol, were then mobilized to patrol the galaxy, specifically planets where their special abilities would be most useful. Early on, the Off Road Patrol were sent to scout a rocky, mountainous planet. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}}

Later, [[King Poseidon]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] were sent to conquer the aquatic world of [[Wall]]. The Off Road Patrol engaged them in battle and with the help of Commanders [[Overload (G1)|Overload]], [[Erector (G1)|Erector]], [[Missile Bull]], and [[Skywave]], they emerged triumphant. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 3}}

When the [[Powered Master]]s flew off to the [[Tenth Planet]] for their showdown with Violengiguar, all the Micromaster teams took command of Zone and vowed to keep it safe in their Commander's absence. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 10}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Highjump and [[Powertrain]] were hanging out in [[Little Iacon]], discussing the Decepticon recruit named [[Blaze Master]]. They had tagged him as a possible change-over from the 'Cons to the Autobots' side. Highjump was also present for [[Big Daddy (G1)|Big Daddy]]'s race with [[Roadhandler (G1)|Roadhandler]]. {{storylink|The Gray Race}} When [[Venom (G1)|Venom]]'s troop attacked Little Iacon, he fought back against the Decepticon guzzlers, but ended up taken prisoner along with the rest of the Autobot Micromasters. {{storylink|Recipe for Hate}} [[Countdown (G1)|Countdown]] and Big Daddy later broke Highjump and the other Micros out of the Decepticon detention facility. {{storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Spotlight Hardhead Powetrain Mudslinger Tote Highjump.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0]]
Highjump was among the legion of robotically-evolved Gorlamites who attacked [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] and [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] on [[Gorlam Prime]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}}

===''TransTech''===
A version of Highjump and the rest of the Off Road Patrol found themselves on [[Axiom Nexus]]. They joined the [[Sub-Metro Amateur League Lobbing]] competition, but were defeated by the [[Mighty Mechanics]], a team composed of bots named “Fixit”, in the championship. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/28}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material===
During the war for Cybertron, Highjump was a [[Cybertronian military insignia|Ground Command Special Ops Private]]. {{storylink|#Generations|''Siege'' toy packaging}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
After Sentinel Prime perished, Orion Pax became Optimus Prime, Highjump being among those who witnessed his first speech as a Prime. {{storylink|War World: Awakenings|Awakenings}}

[[File:EscapePartThree-Powerflash.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Maybe I should've been called High''stomp''?]]
Highjump later helped assist the evacuation of immigrants who wished to leave Cybertron. {{storylink|Escape Part Two}} When the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s attacked the rear of the convoy, Highjump and [[Powerflash]] diverted from the front to support Hound and the other security forces. They managed to get most of the caravan to [[Darkmount]] safely. {{storylink|Escape Part Three}}

As a member of the Autobots, Highjump fought on the shores of the [[Sea of Rust]] to prevent the Decepticons from gaining control of the [[Enigma of Combination]]. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Sea of Rust II|Sea of Rust II}}
{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
Highjump was among the many Autobot Micromasters unleashed by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] that managed to infiltrate the Decepticons' lair and muck up the place. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Micromaster Patrols|Micromaster Patrols commercial}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
{{anchor|Generation 1}}{{anchor|Zone}}
[[File:G1-toy Highjump.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Off Road Patrol''' (Micromaster Patrol, [[1988]]/[[1990]])}}</ul>
:*''Takara ID number'': '''C-335'''

: Released in the sixth year of Hasbro's US [[The Transformers (toyline)|''Transformers'' toyline]] (fifth year in European markets), Highjump transforms into a gray off-road truck of undetermined model with a roof-mounted winch. Highjump is [[gang-molding|gang molded]] with his teammate Tote, sharing the same plastic colors.

: He was only available in a four-pack with his teammates [[Mudslinger (G1)#Toys|Mudslinger]], [[Powertrain#Toys|Powertrain]], and [[Tote#Toys|Tote]].

: Together with the [[Air Strike Patrol]] and the [[Race Car Patrol]], the Off Road Patrol was released by Hasbro in late 1988 (basically, a case of "next year product" being released at the end of the old year), in packaging that differed from the "proper" 1989 Micromasters' redesigned packaging (silver cards and boxes featuring an all-new "Transformers" logo) by retaining a variation of the faction-specific color-coded gradient background on the card and featuring a unique "Micro Transformers" title in a variation of the old, pre-1989 "Transformers" logo. This same basic packaging design was also used for Canada (albeit bilingual English/French) and parts of Europe (bilingual French/Dutch, and Italian-only packaging distributed by [[GiG]]). However, a variant of sorts featuring the later 1989 packaging design also exists, and was released (in English-only packaging) in the United Kingdom, where it was sold at Woolworth's stores.

: The "'''Off Road Patrol Team'''" was sold in Japan a year later as part of Takara's ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#1990 (Zone)|Zone]]'' portion of the ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' series, with no notable changes from their [[Hasbro]] releases.

::*''[http://tfu.info/1989/Autobot/Highjump/highjump.htm More information on Highjump at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''War for Cybertron: Siege''===
{{anchor|Generations}}
[[File:WFC-Siege-Micromaster-Highjump.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Autobot Powertrain & Highjump''' (Micromaster, [[2019]])}}</ul>
:*''Hasbro ID number'': '''WFC-S33'''
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''SG-33'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[October 26]], 2019

: Part of the fourth wave of ''[[War for Cybertron: Siege|Siege]]'' Micromasters, this new toy of Highjump transforms from robot to "Cybertronian" "armored car" (mm-''hmm''), plus he has a third "weapon" mode, usable by other toys via [[5 mm post]].

: He was only available in a two-pack with [[Powertrain#War for Cybertron: Siege|Powertrain]]; the two can combine into a weapon for larger ''Siege'' figures to wield. Due to inside of the hole in his chest being painted, the connection can be rather tight.

: Highjump was later [[retool]]ed into [[Ricon]].
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===''Transformers Trading Card Game''===
[[File:W4PrivateHighjump.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Private Highjump, Off-Road Patrol-Infiltration''' (2019)
**'''Wave 4: War for Cybertron: Siege II'''
**''Rarity: '''''CT'''
**''Card Number: '''''T19/T52'''
**''Stars: ''4

:Private Highjump, Off-Road Patrol-Infiltration is one of forty-eight double-sided character cards available in Wave 3 of the [[Transformers Trading Card Game]], War for Cybertron: Siege I. In order to represent Highjump's size as a [[Micromaster]], Private Highjump, Off-Road Patrol-Infiltration is the size of a battle card, about half the size of a normal character card.

:The card's artwork is based on the ''[[War for Cybertron: Siege|Siege]]'' Highjump toy, with the Alt Mode artwork being reused from the toy's packaging art, and original Bot Mode art with lines by [[Andrew Griffith]].
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Highjump's vehicle mode and transformation are reused from an ambitious, yet unproduced [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] design patented in 1987.<ref>[http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&II=0&ND=3&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19871106&CC=JP&NR=S62254790A&KC=A Patent #JP62-254790]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Nutshell''' (ナットシェル ''Nattosheru''), '''Highjump''' (ハイジャンプ ''Haijanpu'')
*''French:'' '''Impulsion''' (Canada, "Impulse")
*''Italian:'' '''Ercules'''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 toy Autobots]]
[[Category:Gorlam Prime]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Autobots]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Micromasters]]
[[Category:Unite Warriors Autobots]]
[[Category:Zone Autobots]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Siege Autobots]]

Legout

2025-06-30T11:15:42Z

Domovoy3:

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Legout is an [[Autobot]] [[Autobot Mini-Cassette|Mini-Cassette]] [[combiner]] from the [[Transformers: The Headmasters (franchise)|Headmasters]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Legout-art.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Sounds like the kind of dude [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] would like.]]
'''Legout''' (レッグアウト ''Regguauto'') is the combination of the [[W Cassettebot]]s [[Dile]] and [[Zaur (G1)|Zaur]], and contains a supercomputer that records information for the [[Autobot]]s. Unlike his older brother, [[Decibel]], Legout is carefree and easily enthused. His shoulder-mounted Wave Blasters can overload Decepticon audio receptors and deafen them, which makes them ''not'' so enthused.

{{bigquote|Just carried away by the beat, [[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]].|Legout gets knocked down, but he gets up again|"[[Metrowars]]"}}

==Fiction==

===Metrowars===
Legout was stationed at [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] during its rebuilding in the wake of [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]]'s betrayal. When Metrotitan and [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]'s forces returned to finish the job, Legout eagerly joined the battle. As the Decepticons beat a hasty retreat after a show of colossal power from Metroplex, [[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]] helped Legout back to his feet, which the combiner took in stride. {{Storylink|Metrowars}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:OP1 Hooligan.jpg|thumb|left|''You put your right leg in,'' ''You put your right leg out'']]
In the era of [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]], Legout was seen among the crowd of protesters rallying against the [[Outback (G1)|Autobot cop]] who reportedly killed an unarmed [[Hefter|Decepticon agitator]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers''===
[[File:Headmasters Legout Toy.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|XL102 gets the Leg out!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Dairu''' {{sic}} (W Cassettebot, [[1987]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''C-123'''
:*''Accessories'': Left and right "Wave Blasters"
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Zauru''' {{sic}} (W Cassettebot, 1987)}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''C-124'''
:*''Accessories'': Left and right "Cannons Guns"

:Legout is the combination of the Dile and Zaur toys, both sold separately. The two dinosaur-bots combine into a single humanoid form.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Cybertron/Legout/legout.htm More information on Legout at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Studio Series''===
:''See: [[Dairu#Toys]]; [[Zauru#Toys]]''

:Predating the [[2019]] [[Mini-Cassette]] reissues in the ''[[Vintage|Vintage G1]]'' toyline, [[Hasbro]] recreated the [[W Cassettebot]] molds that form Legout and sold them separately in the ''[[Studio Series]]'' toyline inside two multipacks advertising the ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'' film. While these were marketed as a part of the [[live-action film series]], they are quite clearly intended to be reissues of the original toys and were presumably packed into these sets as the future of the ''Vintage G1'' line at the time was uncertain.

:Following these releases, recreations of the molds of the other W Cassettebot team that forms [[Decibel]] were released in the ''Vintage G1'' toyline.
{{--}}

==Notes==
* Legout plays guitar as part of a band that includes [[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]] and [[Decibel]] on the retailer incentive cover to ''[[Spotlight: Blaster]]''.

==External links==
* [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/dd296411d9ea0aa3?dmode=source Translation of Legout's on-package bio]
* [http://www.tf-1.com/articles/jtf/dinocass_template.html W Cassettes toy article at TF-1.com]

[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:Mini-Cassettes]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]

Deceptigod

2025-06-27T17:39:27Z

Domovoy3:

:''The Deceptigod is a [[combiner]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Deceptigod Chaos part3 Kings.jpg|thumb|upright=2.5|The new [[IDW]] Deceptigod, now containing a negligible amount of actual Decepticons!]]
An extension of the [[D-Void]]'s will, the so-called '''"Deceptigod"''' is a monstrous, gigantic creature formed from the combined bodies of dozens of [[Decepticon]]s and innumerable [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]]. It only appears capable of simple notions... like "DESTROY!"

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
At the height of conflict with [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]]'s forces on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s Decepticon forces and Galvatron's Sweeps suddenly became entranced by the D-Void and abruptly ceased conflict. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} By manipulating a mysterious energy found naturally on Cybertron, {{storylink|Before the Dawn}} the D-Void forced the legions of warriors to combine, with the end result being the monstrosity known only as the Deceptigod. Megatron's iron will and the unity of the Decepticon cause worked against them in this instance, as the D-Void manipulated that unity as a trigger for the massive combination. Only Megatron's self-determination and Shockwave's emotionless autonomy kept them from joining the merger. {{storylink|Shockpoint}}

The Deceptigod advanced on the Autobot position and destroyed [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'s rocket section with a single swipe of its massive arm. More resistant to the phenomenon that had enslaved his troops, Megatron vowed to hold the creature off while [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] attempted to halt Galvatron's plans. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}}

Megatron did indeed hold the line against the colossus, withstanding the attempts of the D-Void to overcome his will and striking back against the entity. The Deceptigod apparently lost cohesion after being hit with a massive blast of energy from Megatron. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

Megatron would later learn the nature of the Deceptigod's creation, and used the [[Space bridge|unusual]] [[Ore-13|properties]] of his recently upgraded body to tap the same energy for his own purposes. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}}

==Notes==
*"Deceptigod" is really more of a silly-fun production name for this creature, used in the solicitations for issue #28 and mentioned again in a September 2011 IDW press conference. It was never referred to by any name in the comic issues themselves, though [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] would later refer to it after the fact as the "all-who-are-one."
*The concept was invented by either [[Dan Abnett]] or [[Andy Lanning]].<ref>[http://moonbase2.libsyn.com/webpage/the-underbase-reviews-ongoing-31 Moonbase 2 interview with Mike Costa ("Special Guest")]</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:Comic-only Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]