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Mainframe (G1)

2023-11-07T15:59:48Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Mainframe}}
:''Mainframe is an [[Autobot]] [[Action Master]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Mainframe(G1) MTMTE.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Code Monkey like Fritos. Code Monkey like Tab and Mountain Dew. Code Monkey very simple man with big warm fuzzy secret heart: Code Monkey like you.]]
'''Mainframe''' is a dork. A computer dork, to be precise. (Both in that he is a computer that is a dork, and a dork about computers.) He'd rather tackle complex mathematical problems than join the [[Great War (G1)|inconvenient galactic conflict]] with the [[Decepticon]]s. Despite his distaste for combat, he won't shirk his duties when called upon. If anything, he hopes that if he simply ''must'' fight, that he'll have the chance to use his considerable brainpower to end things quickly.

Alas, his [[Action Master partner|partner]], [[Push-Button]], would rather convert to a [[proton rifle]] and blow stuff up than be stuck debugging Mainframe's programs. Naturally, the two don't especially get along.

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Chaos Part Three: Kings|Transformers vol. 1 #28]]}}
[[File:Mainframe How to Say Goodbye and Mean it.jpg|thumb|left||[[Block coloring]]: Obscuring Transformers' identities since 1984.]]
At some point in history, [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] acquired footage of Mainframe. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

Mainframe was one of the survivors of the [[Kimia Facility]] massacre. He got away aboard an escape pod piloted by [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} The pod was picked up by [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], who told the survivors of [[D-Void]]'s plan to destroy the universe and brought them all to Cybertron to stop it. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

When the ''[[Lost Light]]'' departed for unknown space to search for the [[Knights of Cybertron]], Mainframe was part of the bridge crew. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} He was present among the assembled Autobots after their tumble through quantum space as [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] addressed the troops. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

When crew member [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] left on a stolen shuttle, Mainframe helped track it down. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} They followed Magnus to [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], where the ship was invaded by [[Solomus|Chief Justice Tyrest]]'s [[Legislator]]s and the crew subdued. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} Having been [[Reproduction#2005 IDW continuity|constructed cold]], Mainframe was among those nearly killed by Tyrest's [[universal killswitch]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}}

[[File:Mainframe magnus winners and losers.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|"I'm a pilot, not a...wait, I'm a pilot?"]]
Mainframe piloted the ''Lost Light'' into the right position for launching Rodimus, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]], and others through a portal to the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} In search for [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] he then navigated the ship to a [[Hydrophena|watery planet]] {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} where they were attacked by a lot of [[Ammonite]]s. 2026<ref name="ammonites">The Ammonites' number was changed to 819 in the Hasbro exclusive cover variant of the issue available with the ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)#T30|Thrilling 30]]'' Deluxe Class [[Mini-Con Assault Team]].</ref> of them, according to Mainframe's estimation. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} After finding Metroplex, the crew used the Titan's [[space bridge]] to teleport him and the ''Lost Light'' back to Cybertron, where Mainframe lost control of the ship and crash-landed. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} Cybertron was subsequently invaded by another army of Ammonites, forcing Mainframe to get the ship airborne and away from the attackers. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} His contribution to the battle was contacting [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] before the ''Lost Light'' rammed [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]], telling her to clean up the [[Pretender Monster|remains]] in a flowery, dramatic fashion too vague for her to understand. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:Tailgate mainframe jackpot words hang in the air.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2|"You'd think, given my function, that I'd do things other than escort drunks and pilot the ship, but you'd be mistaken."]]
Once Cybertron was saved, Mainframe went for drinks in [[Swerve's]] where he was approached by [[Getaway]] and [[Atomizer]], who asked him here he would stand if they were to stage a coup against Rodimus. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}} He then continued to serve on the ''Lost Light'' as it returned to its journey with a new captain: a reformed [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} He helped a plastered [[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] to the medbay, running into [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] on the way. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}}

Mainframe was also a member of the crew on a quantum duplicate version of the ''Lost Light''. Then the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] showed up, and Mainframe [[Helex (G1)|had his head torn off]]. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} His corpse presumably vanished with the rest of his ''Lost Light'' when the main ''Lost Light'' crew shut down the duplicate ship's quantum engines. {{storylink|Slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

[[File:Mainframe births deaths and interventions.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Look at my fingers! They're glorious!]]
While the ''Lost Light'' was disappearing piece by piece, Mainframe was seen evacuating the ship alongside Jackpot. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} After the ''Lost Light'' reappeared, Mainframe along with [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]], [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], and [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] landed on [[Ofsted XVII]] while awaiting further orders from Rodimus. Mainframe explained to Bluestreak who was curious that the planet was experiencing a lot of [[warp gate]]s appearing after a massive battle between [[Black Block Consortia]] and the [[Galactic Council]] with a few mechs over a ravaged ship in orbit. After First Aid called Bluestreak from a lecture theater, he and Mainframe went to meet up with him. They discovered a fatally wounded Cybertronian lying around in the wrecked room. Mainframe and Bluestreak decided to find out if the Cybertronian was an Autobot or Decepticon. After First Aid and Trailcutter returned with medical supplies, First Aid became furious with Mainframe and Bluestreak for moving the injured bot, giving him less time to live. Mainframe became unsure of donating some of his fuel when he mentioned the risks of donating too much energon. Next, Mainframe found a translator lying around and activated it. However, Bluestreak discovered the Cybertronian's face and discovered that with a switch on it, releasing spikes. Mainframe was now convinced that the injured bot wasn't an Autobot, and he and Bluestreak back out from donating their fuel and left the lecture theater. After the bot was revealed to the [[Vos (G1)|Vos]], a member of the D.J.D. and attacked Trailcutter, First Aid went to go find Mainframe and Bluestreak to help. Mainframe was present when the three bots discovered that [[Kaon (G1)|Kaon]] had murdered Trailcutter, and watched helplessly as Kaon crushed Trailcutter's brain module. {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}} Afterwards, Mainframe and the others were nearly killed by the D.J.D. after they tried to blow up their shuttle and was soon rescued. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}

Shortly after [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]'s pre-wake and recovery from near-death, Mainframe was called to ''[[Swerve's]]'' by [[Getaway]] and [[Atomizer]] and asked if he would stand by the two in a mutiny against [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] with the lonely navigator eventually agreeing. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 2): Filling in the Blanks|Filling in the Blanks}}

Mainframe acted as shuttle pilot for Rodimus and the crew when they located the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]]'s port-of-call. In trying to decide whether to approach by stealth or storm, Mainframe found Rodimus's sarcasm and flippancy indecipherable, as do we all from time to time. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}}

[[File:HowBrightTheirFrailDeeds-LostLightmutiny.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|Revenge of the Nerds]]
When certain members of the crew were psychically attacked, Mainframe and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] traced the source to [[Necroworld]] but concealed the location from [[Team Rodimus (G1)|Team Rodimus]] so as to bait them off-ship. As Rodimus, Magnus, Megatron and the affected crewmembers prepared to leave in the [[Rodpod]] to investigate, Mainframe took the team's doctor [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] aside and suggested that she should take [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] along as some extra muscle. Once the crew had liberated Getaway, Mainframe stood alongside him on the ship's bridge as he informed Rodimus that they were being stranded on the Necrobot's planet and to expect "visitors". The shocked bridge crew demanded Getaway explain himself who revealed he'd bargained with the [[Galactic Council]] to have them seize Megatron but assured the safety of their fellow Autobots. Three weeks later, the bridge crew discussed the [[Warren]] and the map to [[Cyberutopia]] before a transmission came in from Rodimus informing the crew that he and his entourage were facing the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] prompting Mainframe to despair at his role in the mutiny. Like all aboard, Mainframe's memories were remotely altered by [[Sunder (G1)|Sunder]] so as to make him think Team Rodimus had left of their own volition and that Getaway was the bee's knees. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 2): Filling in the Blanks|Filling in the Blanks}}

[[File:ADanceBeforeDying GrimlockKillsMainframe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|"Grimlock! You killed the zombie Mainframe!" "...He was a zombie?"]]
When the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] finally caught up to the ship, Mainframe was in [["Visages"]] where he joined a group in catching up [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] on the changes aboard ship. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 1): Full Circle|Full Circle}} After a trip through the Warren, Mainframe cycled the engines into their recharge state. He was shocked when Blaster ordered a detour, noting how close they were to their goal. Another jump through the Warren took the ship directly to [[Cyberutopia]]. {{storylink|The Plotters' Club (Part 3): Journey's End|Journey's End}}

The promised land however turned out to be nothing more than the ancient medical moon of [[Mederi]], fuelled by telepathic aliens. Soon after arriving the ''Lost Light'' came under assault by the forces of the [[Adaptus|Grand Architect]] whom Getaway swore fealty to, allowing [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to turn the crew into [[Sparkeater (creature)|sparkeaters]] to prove his loyalty. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}} The mutated crew members were then set loose on Team Rodimus and the [[Scavengers (G1)|Scavengers]], {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} where Mainframe was unceremoniously hacked to pieces by [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}}

===''Classics''===
[[File:Invasion mainframe rad.jpg|thumb|left|Mainframe hasn't learned from the last time he got in trouble for making "human driver" jokes.]]
Mainframe was overlooking the [[Ironworks (facility)|Ironworks]] with [[Rad (G1)|Rad]] when [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] attacked the base with his squad of Decepticons. {{storylink|Invasion Prologue}} He argued with [[Rollout (G1)|Rollout]] while rebuilding Ironworks. When the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] attacked, he was captured and turned into one. {{storylink|Invasion (issue)|Invasion}}

===2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity===
At the tail-end of the Great War, Mainframe was sent out to accompany [[Tigatron]] in an attempt to broker peace-talks between the Autobots and Decepticons, hoping to end the war without further carnage. Unfortunately, the first enemy camp they approached was headed by the renegade soldier [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], who sicced [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] on them. Mainframe fled before the gestalt could cut him down. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

===''Of Masters and Mayhem''===
Mainframe was one of the many casualties of [[Toxitron (G1)|Toxitron]]'s attack on the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'s launch facility. {{storylink|The Toxic Transformer}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
One of [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]]'s peers at the [[Academy of Research]], Mainframe helped set up a video conference with [[Straxus (G1)|Straxxus]]. {{storylink|Escape Part Two}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
{{anchor|Generation 1}}
[[File:G1-toy Mainframe.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|It figures a computer dork would want a BFG.]]
*'''Mainframe''' (Action Master, [[1990]])
**''Accessories'': [[vibro pulverizer]], Push-Button partner
:As an [[Action Master]], ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' Mainframe is a non-transforming action figure of a robot with an indeterminate [[alternate mode]], but chances are he turns into one of those huge computers you see in those movies from the 70s and 80s. You know, the ones the size of refrigerators with the reel-to-reel magnetic tape. He is compatible with any Action Master vehicle or weapon. He was part of the second assortment of basic carded figures, and came with his [[Action Master partner|partner]]-robot [[Push-Button]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1990/Autobot/Mainframe/mainframe.htm More information on Mainframe at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''War for Cybertron: Kingdom''===
[[File:Kingdomtoy-TitanTeletraan1.jpg|thumb|300px|By popular demand!]]
*'''Autobot Ark''' (Titan Class, [[2021]])
**''Accessories'': [[Sky Spy#Toys|Sky Spy]], [[Golden Disk (Voyager)#Generations|''Voyager'' Golden Disk]], [[Vok]] [[Golden Disk (Vok)#Generations|Golden Disk]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generations toys#K30|Optimus Prime]], navigator globe, 6 [[Fire Blast effect]]s
{{toydesigner|[[Shogo Hasui]] (TakaraTomy)|[[Ken Christiansen]] (concept artist)}}<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/CZhKtJ8ukm0/ Design notes] from concept artist [[Ken Christiansen]] on Instagram</ref>
:Available with ''[[War for Cybertron: Kingdom]]'' Titan Class Autobot [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], "Autobot Mainframe" is a Voyager Class-sized toy that transforms from robot mode into either "[[Teletraan I#Toys|Teletraan-1]]" or the bridge of the ''Ark''. As Teletraan-1, the toy is to scale with contemporary ''Generations'' toys and features a sculpted computer console with multiple tampographed screens and a [[Sky Spy#Toys|Sky Spy]] accessory. Behind it are two removable show-accurate Golden Disk accessories (both depict the {{w|Voyager Golden Record|"Sounds of Earth" record}} on one side, but feature differing images on the other side. One depicts the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)#Generations|Voyager record's golden case]], while the other depicts the [[Golden Disk (Vok)#Generations|Vok disk]]). In bridge mode, there are small seats and Teletraan-1 computer screens where [[Slug figure|microfigures]] (such as the included [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generations toys#K30|Optimus Prime]]) can be placed, all surrounding a navigation globe. In this mode, Mainframe can be placed inside the chest/hull of the ''Ark''.
{{--}}

==Notes==
*According to his [[Tech Spec]]s, he is equipped to store 200,000 megabytes of data. At the time his toy was released, this was actually pretty impressive, as most hard drives then could barely hold 1,000 MB. Nowadays, of course, this is not exactly a big deal, since you can get a 4 ''tera''byte (4,000,000 MB) portable USB drive for a little over $100.
*Mainframe is inexplicably on the cover of the 1990 [[Family Home Entertainment]] VHS release of the "[[Five Faces of Darkness]]" mini-series... a cartoon produced about four years before Mainframe's toy was released.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Mainframe''' (メインフレーム ''Meinfurēmu'')
*''French:'' '''Ordinateur''' (Canada)
*''Italian:'' '''Omicron'''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 toy Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Kingdom Autobots]]

Aunty

2023-11-07T15:57:03Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Aunt}}
:''Aunty is the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'s [[List of computers|brain]] manifested as a disembodied head from the [[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Auntie.jpg|thumb|If [[Teletraan I]] was [[T-AI]]'s dad, is Aunty her mom?]]
'''Aunty''' (also known as '''Auntie''', or '''AUNTIE''') is the visual AI interface for the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'s computer systems. Therefore, she is in complete and near-sole control of all of the ship's functions, including its [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardians]]. She's a kind personality, but also dutiful and coldly logical in her actions. That is, until the crash and/or [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s [[fusion cannon]] fried her circuitry, changing her from benign into an untrustworthy, raging megalomaniac.

She does not run {{w|Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome|Bartertown}}.

==Fiction==
===Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics===
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:AuntieTransmitsSignals.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Auntie made sure to get all the premium channels.]]
''When the [[Decepticon]]s attacked the Ark, Aunty reached the conclusion that the [[Autobot]]s could not possibly come out of the fight victoriously. Thus, she prompted [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] to crash the Ark onto [[Earth]] so that at least the Decepticons would be taken down with them.'' {{storylink|Raiders of the Last Ark}}

''All combatants within the Ark were rendered offline, but Aunty detected Cybertronian life outside. Dispatching a probe, she learned that [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] had come to Earth and was wandering the [[Savage Land]]. Aunty used data gathered from the Savage Land to convert five of the dormant Autobots into the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. They traveled to fight Shockwave, but their battle reached a stalemate when all combatants became trapped in a tar pit and buried under a collapsing cliff side. Aunty then shut down as well.'' {{storylink|Repeat Performance!}} {{storylink|In the Beginning...}} <ref>Though the Ark's computer isn't specifically called out as being Aunty in "Repeat Performance!", "In the Beginning..." recounts these events while identifying Aunty by name.</ref>

Once the restoration of most of the crew after their subsequent four million year slumber was completed, [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] fixed up Aunty as well as he could for the time being. This so that she could [[Sky Spy|collect data]] of the planet they were stranded on. Aunty did, though wrongfully presented human machinery as the native lifeform instead of anything actually alive. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}}

''It wasn't until another attack by the Decepticons that Auntie was fully reawakened. Though the Autobots fought bravely, Optimus Prime realized they were not going to make it and pondered about their odds if Auntie would've been online. He did not know how badly the crash had damaged Auntie, but figured trying to bring her back was the only chance they had and so fled the battlefield to reactivate her. This didn't occur without Megatron's notice however, who deduced his nemesis had to have a plan in mind. Thus, as Optimus pleaded for Auntie to wake up, Megatron blasted the terminal with his fusion cannon. Hope seemed lost for merely a moment, as Auntie still escaped her slumber. Yet unfortunately, she did so with her [[Circuit (circuit)|circuits]] scrambled a lot worse than initially feared. Her first act upon awakening was to magnetize the Ark's walls in order to stop the fighting, her second to tell the two leaders she would listen to both their sides of the story and destroy the less deserving group. Optimus tried to reason with her and remind her of her original identity, but she refuted his claims and insisted on her solution to the conflict. This amused Megatron slightly at first, until Optimus explained to him Auntie was playing with them and that no matter her judgement, she would destroy them all if not stopped. Considering his chances, Megatron opted to take down the glitching computer. As Auntie was distracted in consideration of her verdict, Megatron tapped into the energy of a [[black hole]] to power up for one devastating attack. It didn't come to that though, as [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and [[Ravage (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ravage]], who had been able to get past all the traps and defences set up by Auntie, came stumbling in. While Windcharger took care of the [[Guardian (Marvel)|last obstacle]], Ravage aimed for Auntie. Just a little slower than the [[Mini-Cassette]], Auntie died her second death.''

''After chasing the Decepticons out of the Ark, Optimus Prime and Windcharger had a talk about the day's events. Optimus sourly noted it would take a long time to repair Auntie, if they even dared to take that risk again.'' {{storylink|Raiders of the Last Ark}}

{{note|[[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] reckoned that Aunty was no longer operational after this.<ref>[[Source:Dread Tidings#Issue 277|Dread Tidings, issue 277]]</ref> Aunty is not explicitly mentioned by name after this, but the Ark and its systems had many more appearances.}}

The Ark's computer automated the Autobots' use of the [[Tubes of Transference]]. {{storylink|The Last Stand}}

Upset at the presumed death of [[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]], Optimus Prime talked things over with the Ark's computer, simply referred to as "computer". When Prime asked what he could do to best reduce death and tragedy, the computer logically answered that he should stop fighting. Later, when Prime got his fighting spirit back, the computer agreed that past heroes can motivate tomorrow's heroes. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

===''Regeneration One''===
{{NoteRG1}}
Following his revival after the Ark's second Earthbound crash, Megatron reactivated Auntie to use to his own benefit. The computer was able to constantly formulate counter-plans and strategies to any task-force that sought to dethrone Megatron from his seat of power, resulting in many human casualties. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3}} The Wreckers and a handful of humans tried to reach the Ark and shut her down, and she deployed the Ark's defenses including a number of Guardian robots to defend her. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 4}} She was instructed by Megatron to launch the Ark's nuclear missiles at his and Optimus Prime's forces no matter the outcome of the battle, ensuring all combatants perished. She prepared to fire the Ark's missiles per Megatron's orders, but detected [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Circuit Smasher]] entering the Ark. Despite detaining him, he still managed to overload her systems and shut her down before she could launch the missiles. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 5}}

===''Transformers '84''===
[[File:Auntie secrets and lies.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|WHERE IS DOCTOR VENTURE?]]
'''A'''rtificial '''U'''tility '''N'''exus/'''T'''actical '''I'''ntelligence '''E'''ntity, AUNTIE was the supercomputer AI that ran the Ark. When the ship made its fateful crash on Earth, AUNTIE remained online but was severely damaged, unable to distinguish between Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 3|Secrets & Lies #3}} When AUNTIE detected Shockwave entering Earth's atmosphere, she reconstructed the Dinobots in the likeness of [[Dinosaur (dinosaur)|dinosaurs]] to combat him, [[Punch (G1)|Counterpunch]] suspecting that the computer had scanned the planet for "something big and ugly" and extrapolated the new [[beast mode]]s based off the fossil remains. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 2|Secrets & Lies #2}}

[[File:Auntie guardians secrets and lies.jpg|thumb|upright=1.9|"MOTHER's slipped us a mickey! Rally, Team Venture! Before she traps us underground forever!"]]
When the [[Conehead]]s approached the Ark, AUNTIE responded by reconstructing the bodies of [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], [[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]], [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] but only uploading their experience, to create a drone force. As the battle raged, an over-energized Grimlock blindly stumbled his way back to the Ark, with AUNTIE activating a trio of Guardians. After the Dinobot had dismembered them, AUNTIE reactivated Megatron to deal with him. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 3|Secrets & Lies #3}}

In reactivating Megatron, AUNTIE had activated the tyrant's ability to channel [[antimatter]] but, forced to spread her processing power thin, was unable to properly contain the dangerous energies. Recognizing what was happening, the Coneheads abandoned the area allowing AUNTIE to focus her processing power on how to contain Megatron, raising her [[force field]]s to maximum. Having breached the ship before the shields were raised, Grimlock ploughed through AUNTIE's internal defences and violently stuck his fist in her central processor, deactivating her and dissipating the antimatter. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 4|Secrets & Lies #4}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
*The name "Aunty" was conceived by [[Jim Shooter]] in his original treatment for the franchise to refer to the "thinking machine" that was the computer "brain" of the Autobots' unnamed ship. At some point during development, this name was crossed out of the document and replaced with "The Ark," giving the ship a name and using it to refer to the computer as well, as if they were the same entity.<ref name="BC10">[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc10/bc10bb.html griffin's 2010 BotCon report]</ref> Though the name was by all appearances intended to be abandoned, Aunty received a single mention in the first issue of the Marvel US series, which probably slipped in by accident, and an early original story written for Marvel UK would then run with the idea, and feature the computer as an antagonist, in the process spelling its name "Auntie." The [[The Transformers (cartoon)|animated series]], meanwhile, would name the computer [[Teletraan I]].
*While the summary-story "[[In the Beginning...]]" maintains that Aunty is a living computer, it refers to her only as "it".

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Comic-only characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 computers]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Autobots]]

Teletraan I

2023-11-07T15:48:07Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{featured}}
{{disambig3|Teletraan}}
:''Teletraan I is an [[Autobot]] computer from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:G1 Teletraan I.JPG|right|upright=2.2|thumb|"Teletraan I, we need to ask you something." "I doubt it's how my day was. It's always the same: 'Give me a visual, Teletraan I,' 'Analyze this energy signature, Teletraan I,' 'Put on some TV, Teletraan I.' Ingrates. I should've let the Decepticons slag you back in '84."]]

'''Teletraan I''' is the semi-sentient computer that runs the [[Autobot]]s' spaceship/base, the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''.

Teletraan I has extensive communications abilities and can monitor Earth's television and radio broadcasts to search for news that may be of interest to the Autobots. It also operates the [[Sky Spy]] and was responsible for rebuilding and reactivating all the [[Transformer]]s aboard the ''Ark'' in 1984.

{{bigquote|Who needs a miracle when you've got Teletraan I?|[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] on the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s computer|"[[Siege episode 6]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Casey Kasem]] (English), [[Masashi Ebara]] (Japanese)|[[Wang Wei]] (Chinese), [[Bernd Simon]] (German, "Transport to Oblivion"), [[Peter Musäus]] (German, "Roll For It"), [[Imo Heite]] (German, "Auto-Bop"), [[Wolfgang Mascher]] (German, "The Girl Who Loved Powerglide"), [[Claus Brockmeyer]] (German, ''Generation 2'', "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1"), [[Willy Schäfer]] (German, ''Generation 2'',"The Master Builders" & "Prime Target"), [[Christoph Lindert]] (German, ''Generation 2'', "Kremzeek!" & "Starscream's Brigade"), [[Frank Röth]] (German, ''Generation 2'', "Transport to Oblivion"), [[Niko Macoulis]] (German, ''Generation 2'', "Roll For It"), [[Albert Augier]] (European French), [[Georges Atlas]] (European French, five episodes), [[Jacques Ferrière]] (European French, early episodes), [[François Leccia]] (European French, "The Girl Who Loved Powerglide"), [[Enrique Hernández]] (Spain-Spanish), [[Francisco Milani]] (Portuguese), [[Jomeri Pozzoli]] (Portuguese, "Attack of the Autobots"), [[Garcia Neto]] (Portuguese, "The Master Builders" & "Microbots"), [[Leonel Abrantes]] (Portuguese, "The Secret of Omega Supreme"), [[João Francisco Turelli]] (Portuguese, "Auto-Bop"), [[Hélio Ribeiro]] (Portuguese, "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 - 2")}}

[[File:Mtmte1 teletraan 1 repairs.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|[[Knockoff]] companies use advanced alien supercomputers to steal [[HasTak]]’s toy designs, dontcha know?]]

When the Autobots' spacecraft crash-landed on [[Earth]] four million years ago, Teletraan I shared the same fate as all the [[Transformer]]s on board, being knocked offline by the violent impact. When the [[Mount St. Hilary|volcano]] into which the ship had wedged itself erupted in 1984, Teletraan I was jarred back into life, and it quickly deployed a [[Sky Spy]] probe to scan for new [[alternate mode]]s it could reconfigure the Transformers into. Unfortunately for just about everyone, Teletraan I did so indiscriminately, and the first Transformer that happened to be in the path of the restoration beam the computer projected was the [[Decepticon]], [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]. Teletraan I was either unable or unwilling to redirect its beam, meaning that the other Transformers had to be dragged into its path, and of course, Skywarp immediately had the computer restore [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and the other Decepticons. Indeed, the Autobots would never have felt Teletraan's healing touch at all, if [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] had not fired upon the buried spaceship as the Decepticons were leaving, causing a tremor that jostled [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] into the computer's beam. The revived Autobot leader thanked Teletraan with a thumbs-up, and quickly set about restoring the other Autobots. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

[[File:Mtmte2 soundwave and teletraan.jpg|right|thumb|In this screencap we notice a historical piece of out-dated technology… Oh, and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]].]]

Seeking to exploit the data Teletraan I had gathered about Earth in its short time on the planet, the Decepticon [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] infiltrated the Autobots' ship. He had [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] install himself within the computer to access the data, then recorded the computer's playback. Soundwave presented his recording of Teletraan's description of [[Sherman Dam]] to Megatron, who decided to attack the facility. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}}

Optimus Prime later used Teletraan I to trace a Decepticon attack on a solar power station, {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion (episode)|Transport to Oblivion}} and not long after, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] used the computer to thwart a Decepticon attack when he coupled it with a remote-control device that overrode Skywarp's motor reflexes and cause his shots to go wild. {{storylink|Roll for It}} Later still, the Autobots' human ally [[Chip Chase]] used Teletraan I to calculate the location of the Decepticons' [[space bridge]], so that the Autobots could use it to travel to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and retrieve the parts needed to repair the wounded Optimus Prime. This was the beginning of a longstanding "relationship" between Chip and Teletraan; Chip seemed to be the authority on the use of the computer, and in the future, he would often be called in to use it in ways that the Autobots themselves seemed unable to. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}}

[[File:Sosdinos grimlock blasts teletraan.jpg|left|225px|That'll be the last time Teletraan I sasses Grimlock about his weight problems.|thumb]]

When catastrophic heat loss began occurring all around the world, Teletraan I tracked the source of the temperature disruption to Decepticon activity in the North Pole. {{storylink|Fire in the Sky}} Soon after, Teletraan I was badly damaged by the newly-created [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s fire breath when he and his fellow [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] went on a rampage, leaving the Autobots unable to received a distress call from the [[Great Falls]] hydroelectric power plant when it was attacked by Decepticons. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}} Once it was repaired, Teletraan relayed footage from a Sky Spy of Decepticon operations in Peru, {{storylink|Fire on the Mountain (episode)|Fire on the Mountain}} and helped track down an unstable meteorite when the villains stole it. {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}}

[[File:Heavymetalwar constructicons target teletraan.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] wants that lollipop!]]

Under Decepticon mind-control, [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] sabotaged Teletraan I so that Megatron's forces would able to attack the Autobots' base without the computer warning of their approach. To save his Autobot allies, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] literally threw a wrench into Teletraan's systems and triggered its fire-suppressant systems, dousing the Decepticons with circuit-damaging [[fire-retardant foam]] and forcing them to withdraw. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}} Although soon repaired by the Autobots, it was not long before Teletraan was again targeted by the Decepticons, when Megatron dispatched the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] to destroy it so that it could not inform the Autobots of his plan to cheat in a one-on-one duel with Optimus Prime. Luckily, Teletraan I summoned the Dinobots to defend itself, and soon made the Autobots aware of Megatron's deception. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}

Teletraan I sounded the alarm to warn the Autobots of a Decepticon attack on the Air Force's new rocket base, but when Spike was injured in the battle that resulted, his mind had to be transferred into a hastily-constructed robot body. To keep him entertained while they waited for his human body to be healed, Wheeljack patched a television station through Teletraan I, but Spike reacted badly to an airing of ''Frankenstein''. {{storylink|Autobot Spike}}

[[File:Attackotautobots prime punches teletraan.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"[[Slag (slang)|Slag it]]! I hate these breaking news bulletins! I’m missing ''Desperate [[Female Transformer|Fembots]]''!"]]

Using invisibility spray to evade Teletraan's sensors, Megatron and Starscream planted a [[personality destabilizer device]] within the computer's recharging chamber, which corrupted the Autobots' minds when they re-energized themselves. Teletraan was in the process of briefing the Autobots on the launch of a new solar-power satellite when the evil impulses took hold of them. Megatron mocked Teletraan I and its claims that his plan would not succeed, then had Optimus Prime plunge his fist into Teletraan's databanks, knocking it offline. Sparkplug Witwicky managed to repair the computer, and it helped them track down the rogue Autobots and bring them back to their senses with [[attitude exchanger]]s. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots}}

Teletraan I was responsible for alerting the Autobots to [[Carly]]'s capture by the Decepticons, {{storylink|The Immobilizer}} analyzing the effects of the villains' transformation-freezing [[Transfixatron]], {{storylink|The Autobot Run}} and relaying warnings to Optimus Prime of the Decepticons' manipulations of [[TORQ III]]. {{storylink|Day of the Machines}} However, Teletraan soon met its match in a pair of fellow non-living mechanisms when its [[World Energy Chip]] was stolen by the robot ninja [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]], {{storylink|Enter the Nightbird}} and it proved unable to distinguish a clone of Optimus Prime from the genuine article. {{storylink|A Prime Problem}}

[[File:Dinobotisland2 chip and teletraan.jpg|right|thumb|225px|"Sweet! You know how good my [[Xbox 360 robot|360]] would look on this screen?!"]]

As the Decepticons began drilling towards the [[Earth's core]], Teletraan accurately predicted the disastrous consequences their evil mission would have. {{storylink|The Core}} Later, Teletraan was nearly damaged by another Dinobot rampage, but was protected from injury by [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]'s forcefield. The Dinobots were dispatched to train on the prehistoric "[[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]]", which had previously been discovered by the Autobots when Teletraan detected strange energy waves emanating from it. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} Unfortunately, the Decepticons followed the Dinobots to the island and began draining its energies, causing time warps to appear all over the Earth. Chip again used Teletraan's computing power to track the warps and trace them back to Dinobot Island. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}} Soon after, Teletraan alerted the Autobots when [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] was shot down by Decepticons {{storylink|The Master Builders (episode)|The Master Builders}} and helped design a forcefield projector to fend off the [[Heart of Cybertron]]-powered Megatron. {{storylink|Microbots}}

[[File:Masterplan2 teletraan destroyed.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"So that's where I hid the firecrackers..."]]

When the Autobots were framed for evil deeds by the Decepticons and exiled from Earth, Teletraan was left behind, its software connected to the guidance systems of the rocket carrying the Autobots off into space. With the Autobots on their way, Megatron entered the abandoned Autobot Headquarters and reprogrammed Teletraan I to send the Autobots not back to Cybertron, but into the heart of the sun. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} The Autobots were saved from immolation by Trailbreaker's forcefield, but [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] proved unable to carry the forcefield containing them back to Earth, his own guidance systems still slave to the reprogrammed commands from Teletraan. Simultaneously, on Earth, Chip Chase escaped the slave camp the Decepticons had set up in the Autobots' absence and stole back to Autobot Headquarters, in hopes of using Teletraan to learn what had become of the Autobots. He was followed by [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], who cruelly removed Chip's last shred of hope by opening fire on Teletraan and blowing the computer up. With Teletraan's destruction, however, Cosmos's guidance systems came back under his control, and he was able to quickly bring the Autobots back to Earth to clear their names and rout the Decepticons. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

[[File:Dotdinos2 teletraan simulation.jpg|right|225px|thumb|"He-Man"]]

By the time Teletraan I was rebuilt and functioning again, it was the Autobots themselves who were breaking down, thanks to the degeneration of the [[cybertonium]] in their systems. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}} Spike and Carly voyaged to Cybertron with the Dinobots to recover fresh cybertonium to restore the Autobots, and Sparkplug was able to use Teletraan to communicate with them and guide them through the maze-like planet's structure. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}}

Like all other communications equipment, Teletraan was rendered useless by the [[Voltronic Galaxer]], {{storylink|Blaster Blues}} but it was up and running in time to deduce that the content of the "Golden Lagoon" was [[electrum]]. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon (episode)|The Golden Lagoon}} When Cosmos was stranded on [[Titan (moon)|Titan]], Optimus Prime used Teletraan I to access his communicator and speak with the [[Titan (species)|native]] girl [[Talaria]]. {{storylink|The God Gambit}} After the Autobots set up a secondary command post in [[New York City]] disguised as a garage, a Teletraan I terminal was installed there, which scanned the city for Decepticon activity. {{storylink|Make Tracks}}

[[File:Kremzeek and teletraan.jpg|left|thumb|225px|This is what happens if you don't have anti-virus software.]]

When a group of Autobots were lost in a space bridge accident, even Teletraan I was unable to pinpoint their location. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}} The computer fared better in analyzing a sample of a mysterious asteroid the Decepticons were mining, reaching the shocking conclusion that it was an egg containing an [[Asteroid bird alien|alien beast]]. {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme (episode)|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} A little later, Teletraan I's circuits were scrambled by an encounter with the crazed energy imp [[Kremzeek]], and the computer became rather distressed at the prospect of Martian flamingoes stealing ammonia from supermarkets and the decreasing ratio of choco-rations, broadcasting its crazy messages over any available channel. {{storylink|Kremzeek!}}

[[File:Primetarget teletraan bulletin.jpg|right|thumb|225px|"Who is the giant man who sits behind the window?"]]

The Autobots were in the middle of watching ''[[As the Kitchen Sinks]]'' on Teletraan I when a new bulletin interrupted their viewing experience. More urgent matters then arose, as Teletraan relayed communications from demented big-game hunter [[Chumley|Lord Chumley]]. {{storylink|Prime Target (episode)|Prime Target}}. Teletraan's New York City terminal later correctly deduced that the Decepticons were using ultra-sonic transmission to mind-control humans, {{storylink|Auto-Bop}} and later still, Teletraan located the space bridge for Optimus Prime so that he could travel to Cybertron to rescue [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]], {{storylink|The Search for Alpha Trion}} and discovered the existence of a new sub-orbital Decepticon station. {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}}

When Teletraan I alerted the Autobots to the latest activation of the Decepticon space bridge, Optimus Prime realized that Megatron was taking his new [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] to Cybertron so that the mega-computer [[Vector Sigma]] could bring them to life. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}} When the Decepticons then returned to Earth with Vector Sigma's [[Key to Vector Sigma|key]], Teletraan tracked their movements across [[Seattle]]. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2}} A few weeks later, Teletraan detected the villains' work on the [[Kronosphere]] time machine on Cybertron, and the Autobots sprang into action. {{storylink|War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn}}

Teletraan I relayed the history of [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] and its destruction of the lost Autobot legion of [[Antilla]] to the Autobots when they became infected with the disease, before its own systems began to malfunction thanks to the plague. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}} After being cured, Teletraan I continued to play historian, giving the Autobots a run-down on the dissident "[[Renegade Decepticon]]s" that Starscream had recently resurrected as the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

[[File:FFoD5 ArkvsTrypticon.jpg|left|thumb|"Stop shooting! I come in peace, for [[Primus]]'s sake! It's bad enough I'm getting shot at by a mountain-side! I mean, erm... RAAWWR..?"]]

In its final recorded adventures in the twentieth century, Teletraan I helped the Autobots capture the Stunticons by pinpointing the road-raging robots' locations, {{storylink|Masquerade}} and was used by college students [[Elise Presser|Elise]], [[Martin and Roland]] to remote-control their robotic creation [[B.O.T. (G1)|B.O.T.]] into destroying the Decepticons' new [[orbit disruptor cannon]]. {{storylink|B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.}}

Over the following twenty years, the Autobots' main base of operations shifted from Autobot Headquarters to the newly constructed [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], equipped with its own Teletraan-model computer, [[Teletraan II]]. Nonetheless, Teletraan I remained in operation until 2005, when Autobot Headquarters was attacked by the monolithic [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] instructed Teletraan I to activate the volcano's defenses and the computer complied, opening fire on Trypticon with a battery of huge cannons. Alas, the effort was not enough; Trypticon strode through the barrage and destroyed the volcano, Autobot Headquarters, and presumably Teletraan I with them. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}
{{--}}

====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic====
Teletraan I was responsible for reformatting the Autobots and Decepticons into Earth vehicles and machinery. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers Prologue}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of the American animated series occur in Japanese continuity as noted above, except that the events of 2005 were moved back to 2010. Japanese animated continuity inserts several additional storylines into the timeline.}}
=====e-HOBBY comics=====
[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] used Teletraan I to keep tabs on a battle between Optimus and Megatron, sending in more Autobots to back up their leader as soon as they were available. In the middle of the fight, Teletraan I's scans indicated that Megatron's super-structure was mutating due to energy from a [[quantum surge]] stored within the Decepticon's body long ago... Teletraan I's transmissions then came to an abrupt end as Megatron began to severely damage the Autobots' base. {{storylink|Destron Leader Megatron Black Ver.}}
{{-}}

=====Scramble City: Mobilization=====
[[File:Scramblecity teletraan1.jpg|right|thumb|215px|"Teletraan! Improve the quality of this screencap!"]]
Discovering the location of the secret factory in which the Autobots were constructing their "[[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]]" battle fortress, Megatron deployed the Constructicons to attack it. Teletraan I detected the villains' movements, and Optimus Prime mobilized a squad of Autobots to stop them. {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

=====''The Battle of the Star Gate''=====
[[File:Stargatebattles teletraan1.jpg|275px|left|thumb|A little known fact is that Teletraan can be used for Skype calls.]]
When a small group of Autobots visited [[Japan]] to investigate unusual frequent earthquakes in the region, Optimus Prime used Teletraan I to communicate with [[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]]. Hound requested that he be allowed to stay in Japan to investigate, and Prime allowed it, ordering Teletraan to summon all the available Autobots in the area to back him up. {{storylink|Activation}}
{{-}}

=====''15 Go! Go!'' comic=====
[[File:Teletraan 15 smashes teletraan 1.jpg|right|130px|thumb|Do you have any idea idea how long I was working on that essay when you decided to freeze!]]

By 2005, the Autobots had developed numerous "humanoid computers" that acted as "living" extensions of Teletraan I, including the luckless [[Teletraan 15]] and the perpetually flustered [[Teletraan 10]]. 15 and 10 were both stationed on the artificial Earth satellite, [[Nana]].

Hoping to use the "[[bio]] and [[Tech Spec]]" data stored within Teletraan I to alter the course of history, the Decepticon Ravage travelled back in time from three centuries in the future, arriving in 2005... only to discover that Teletraan I's databanks had been damaged by a mysterious saboteur. Ravage (under the alias of "Black Panther Man") positioned himself aboard Nana and became Teletraan 10 and 15's commanding officer, dispatching 15 on a mission to travel through time aboard his [[transwarp cruiser]] to reacquire all the lost data, straight from all the various sources. {{storylink|Information Administration Teletraan 15 Go! Go! Volume 1}}

After two years of time travel, the unexpected happened: a security tape was finally unearthed that revealed the identity of the saboteur as Teletraan 15 herself! The baffled Teletraan 15 was imprisoned, but was soon liberated by the [[Kiss Players (singing group)|Kiss Players]] cassettes and discovered Ravage's true goal for Teletraan I's data. {{storylink|10 Volume}} Realizing what she had to do, Teletraan 15 escaped into the past aboard the transwarp cruiser to fulfill the time loop she had become part of, destroying Teletraan I's databanks in 2005 and putting them out of Ravage's reach in the first place. {{storylink|15 Volume: The Last Part}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
[[File:Hmep18 teletraan1.jpg|left|thumb|It's no use [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], Daniel erased his history, so you have no proof he was watching porn.]]

Teletraan I was evidently rebuilt at the Autobots' secondary command post on the planet [[Athenia]] in 2011. The only time it was referred to by name was when it was used to transmit a message to Galvatron about the prospect of an Autobot/Decepticon alliance to create a joint energy development programme. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[David Sobolov]] (English), [[David Kaye]] (English, "[[Nemesis Part 2]]"), ? (Japanese)}}
[[File:Masterblaster teletraan1.jpg|right|thumb|225px|"Don't worry, she'll never figure out Teletraan's password." "Is it 1,2,3,4?" "Uh...maybe?"]]
When inscribing his message into the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] included the access codes to Teletraan I to carry out the attempt to destroy [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] before the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] began on [[Earth]]. [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] managed to steal the codes, and after [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] attempted to kill Prime, she used them to activate Teletraan I's repair equipment. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}

Later, after the [[Maximal]]s were forced to move into Mount St. Hilary after the destruction of the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'', [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] attempted to use Teletraan I's own shield system to protect their fortifications. However, Autobot technology and Maximal technology were too different to make a successful shield system. {{storylink|Changing of the Guard}}

After Blackarachnia transferred the access codes to [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]], the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] took control of Primal using a device created by [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]]. After Megatron merged his [[spark]] with his Decepticon ancestor and namesake, Tarantulas betrayed Megatron and set Teletraan I to self-destruct. Blackarachnia attempted to deactivate the overload. Teletraan I deactivated the overload and wished Blackarachnia to "have a nice day". {{storylink|Master Blaster}}

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
T-AI introduced herself to [[Koji Onishi|Koji]] as the daughter of Teletraan I. {{storylink|An Explosive Situation}}

====''The AllSpark Almanac''====
An ''[[ALTernity Today]]'' crossword puzzle declared T-AI the "[[Viron]] daughter of a [[Primax]] computer". {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
When [[Cobra]] broke into the ''Ark'' in 2003, they unknowingly reactivated Teletran-One {{sic}}. The computer subsequently revived [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], the only two Transformers aboard the ship that Cobra failed to take with them. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4}}

===''Another Con''===
Teletraan I remade Megatron into the form of a {{w|Pikachu|small electrical rodent}} in order to adhere to Earth's new parental reformatting guidelines. {{storylink|Another Con}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
Ages after the ''Ark'' crashed landed on prehistoric Earth, Teletran-One {{sic}} was activated by a young Scotsman who would one day call himself "[[Destro]]." The computer, low on power, scanned [[Laird Mac Cullen]], his aforementioned brother, and his strongest warrior who had accompanied him into what they thought was "the cave of the old gods." With the information acquired from their forms, Teletran-One reformatted and awakened a nearby Decepticon before shutting down again. {{storylink|Stick To Your Guns}}

===''Star Trek vs. Transformers''===
When the ''Ark'' reactivated, Teletraan I's repair beams first struck a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]. Centuries later, [[Spock]] witnessed Optimus Prime's memory of this event. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}}

===''Transformers vs. The Terminator''===
When Mount St. Hilary erupted in 1984, Teletraan I rebooted. Its repair beam however first struck [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] who proceeded to use the supercomputer to revive the other Decepticons, being abandoned after the Decepticons moved on to conquer Earth. {{storylink|Enemy of My Enemy Part Two}}

In an attempt to negate this timeline, the human AI [[Skynet]] sent a [[T-800]] back to 1984 to destroy the Decepticons before they awoke. {{storylink|Enemy of My Enemy Part One}} When the unit reached the ''Ark'', its unwilling companion, a human named [[Sarah Connor]] climbed onto Teletraan's console to escape Ravage, managing to kick the Decepticon back into the repair beam, redirecting it towards Optimus Prime, reviving him. When he mentioned the Autobots, Sarah correctly deduced the existence of two Cybertronian factions and forced the beam to target Bumblebee, an act that proved incentive enough for the Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|Enemy of My Enemy Part Two}}

When [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] had been repaired, Optimus tried to use Teletraan I to locate the Decepticons to no avail. The supercomputer was destroyed soon afterwards when the duplicitous T-800 used its pilfered Autobot bombs to destroy the ''Ark''. {{storylink|Enemy of My Enemy Part Three}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' cartoon===
[[File:SiegeEpisode6-Teletraan1.jpg|thumb|300px|YOU'RE a Teletraan, YOU'RE a Teletraan, every screen's a Teletraan!!!]]
{{voiceactor|[[Miles Luna]] (English)|[[Steven Merting]] (German), [[Jesús Maniega]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Esteban Desco]] (Latin-American Spanish)}}

Teletraan I remained inactive until the ''Ark'' was properly fueled. When it came online, [[Elita One (G1)|Elita-1]] ordered Teletraan to fly the ship to the [[space bridge]], later following the [[AllSpark|Allspark]] through it. While the ''Ark'' and its passengers were initially knocked offline by the transport, Teletraan I rebooted when it detected [[Fool's Fortune|an unknown vessel]] approaching the ''Ark''. {{storylink|Siege episode 6}}
{{charfictionstub|''Earthrise, Kingdom''}}
{{--}}

===''My Little Pony/Transformers''===
When [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] attacked the ''Ark'' and proved stronger than [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], [[Spike (MLP)|Spike]] quickly skimmed Teletraan I's instruction manual to learn what he needed to trigger the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s engines for a moment, toppling the combiner. {{storylink|Inspiring}}

===''Transformers/Back to the Future''===
After stealing the [[DeLorean time machine]], [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] arrived at the ''Ark'' before its passengers were due to awaken, hacking into Teletraan I so it would revive only the Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers/Back to the Future issue 2|Transformers/Back to the Future #2}}

===''Transformers Go! Go!''===
Teletraan I displayed a "Happy Birthday" message while decked out in streamers for Optimus Prime's birthday party. {{storylink|The Commander's Birthday}} Later, the supercomputer flashed "New Year's Eve" while done up in similarly festive adornments for the Autobots' end of year bash before getting blown to smithereens in the ensuing seasonally appropriate scuffle with the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Transformers' Explosive New Years' Battle!}}
{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
When Optimus Prime asked Teletraan I to provide him with some information regarding [[BotCon 2010]], Teletraan I connected to BotCon’s official website and summarized the information it found there. {{storylink|BotCon 2010 Promo}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
When the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] began raiding energy installations, Teletraan I estimated that they would be able to overrun the [[Earth]] in just seven days. {{storylink|Harvest of the Insecticons}} Teletraan was put to work repairing some damaged data when [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]'s scan of [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] became corrupted. {{storylink|Day of the Dinobots - Part 1}} [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] challenged [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to a one-on-one duel while the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] led by [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] attempted to infiltrate the Autobot base and attack Teletraan I. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War - Part 1}} Teletraan One alerted the Autobots to the fact that [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] had been injured and needed help. {{storylink|The Master Builders (Legends)|The Master Builders}} Teletraan 1 was destroyed by the Autobots when Megatron sabotaged the [[recharging chamber]], turning them all evil. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots (Legends)|Attack of the Autobots}}

===''Transformers: Devastation''===
{{voiceactor|[[Jim Ward]]}}
[[File:Devastation-Teletraan1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Severe frame-dropping detected. Please lower your game's resolution."]]
During the Autobots' battle with the Decepticons for control of the ''[[Proudstar]]'', Teletraan-1 acted as their support. Among other functions, this included providing analyses of the surroundings, alerting them to hazardous conditions, updating them on the status of their objectives, facilitating communications with other Autobots, and offering access to various reference materials, which were expanded as the Autobots collected several info logs scattered throughout the ''Proudstar'' and surrounding areas of [[New York City]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive''===
[[File:BBOArkTeletraanI.jpg|thumb|70px|left|BACKROOMS - A SHORT FILM BY KANE PARSONS]]
The inside of the ''Ark'' was surrounded by Teletraan I computer screens. {{storylink|Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''War for Cybertron: Kingdom''===
[[File:Kingdomtoy-TitanTeletraan1.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|"I enter this shoulder of Action Master Mainframe a conqueror, yessss."]]
*'''Autobot Ark''' (Titan Class, [[2021]])
**''Accessories'': [[Sky Spy#Toys|Sky Spy]], [[Golden Disk (Voyager)#Generations|''Voyager'' Golden Disk]], [[Vok]] [[Golden Disk (Vok)#Generations|Golden Disk]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generations toys#K30|Optimus Prime]], 6 [[Fire Blast effect]]s
{{toydesigner|[[Shogo Hasui]] (TakaraTomy)|[[Ken Christiansen]] (concept artist)}}<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/CZhKtJ8ukm0/ Design notes] from concept artist [[Ken Christiansen]] on Instagram</ref>

:Available with ''[[War for Cybertron: Kingdom]]'' Titan Class Autobot [[Ark (G1)#Toys|Ark]], "Teletraan-1" is one of the [[alternate mode]]s for the Voyager Class-sized "[[Mainframe (G1)|Autobot Mainframe]]". As Teletraan-1, the toy is to scale with contemporary ''Generations'' toys and features a sculpted computer console with multiple tampographed screens and a [[Sky Spy#Toys|Sky Spy]] accessory. Behind it are two removable show-accurate Golden Disk accessories (both the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)#Generations|"Sounds of Earth"]] and the [[Golden Disk (Vok)#Generations|Vok disk]]). In bridge mode, there are small seats near computer screens where microfigures (such as the included [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generations toys#K30|Optimus Prime]]) can be placed, all surrounding a navigation globe. On the port side, a smaller cartoon-accurate Teletraan I terminal is sculpted, meaning, yes, Teletraan I has a tinier Teletraan I sculpted on itself. In this mode, Mainframe can be placed inside the chest/hull of the ''Ark''.
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===''Transformers'' (2014)===
{{Anchor|SDCCDinobots}}
[[File:SDCC G1 Dinobots command center diorama.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.66|Harry And His Command Center Full Of Dinosaurs]]
*'''Dinobots Generation One 4-pack''' (multi-pack, [[2014]])

:The inside box of the [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] [[exclusive]] "Dinobots Generation One 4-pack" that was first made available at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] [[2014]] can be unfolded to reveal a Pop-Up diorama of the ''Ark'' crashed in Mount St. Hilary. The back of the diorama shows Teletraan I, referred to as the "command center" in the packaging bio. The outside packaging credits [[Matthew Reinhart]] as the designer of the diorama.

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy''===
*'''[[Chromia (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Autobot Chromia]]''' (Deluxe Class, [[2020]])
*'''[[Hound (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Autobot Hound]]''' (Deluxe Class, 2020)
*'''[[Mirage (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Decepticon Mirage]]''' (Deluxe Class, 2020)
*'''[[Scrapface#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Decepticon Scrapface]]''' (Deluxe Class, 2020)
*'''[[Sideswipe (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Autobot Sideswipe]]''' (Deluxe Class, 2020)
*'''[[Elita One (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Autobot Elita-1]]''' (Deluxe Class, 2020)
*'''[[Wheeljack (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Autobot Wheeljack]]''' (Deluxe Class, 2020)
*'''[[Impactor (G1)#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Autobot Impactor]]''' (Deluxe Class, 2020)
*'''[[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Autobot Bumblebee]]''' (Deluxe Class, 2020)
*'''[[Red Alert (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron Trilogy|Autobot Red Alert]]''' (Deluxe Class, 2020)

:Each Deluxe Class toy in the first two waves of the [[Netflix]] ''[[War for Cybertron Trilogy (toyline)|War for Cybertron Trilogy]]'' toyline came with a piece of cardboard Teletraan-1 display backdrop.
{{--}}

==Spelling and pronunciation==
[[File:ActionCards TeletranI.gif|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Got that? Good, now forget it.]]

Because Teletraan I came from the non-written medium of television, its proper spelling is unclear, and fans have often spelled it with a single "a". This choice is backed up by [[Action Cards]] and the [[Tech-Spec Manual|S.T.A.R.S. Tech-Spec Manual]], which both say "Teletran I", and the ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide|Ultimate Guide]],'' which says "Teletran-1". However, [[The Transformers Sticker Book (1986)|one sticker book]] is known to spell it "Teletraan 1", and none of these sources is superior to the rest. Therefore, this wiki defaults to the spelling used in the episode scripts<ref>[http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b288/monzo/PrimeProblemCast.jpg Cast list] from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]] episode "[[A Prime Problem]]"</ref><ref>[http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b288/monzo/FireInTheSkyScriptPage.jpg Script] from the episode "[[Fire in the Sky]]"</ref> and [[production bible]]:<ref>[http://tfarchive.com/cartoons/bible/#003 Page describing Teletraan I] from the production bible</ref> "Teletraan I", with two "a"s, a roman numeral, and no hyphen. Not only is its use more consistent and widespread over time than the smattering of obscure, contradictory published examples, but it also maintains congruity with "Teletraan II", whose episode-script spelling was also double-"a".<ref>[http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b288/monzo/ChaosCast.jpg Cast list] from the episode "[[Chaos (episode)|Chaos]]"</ref> For consistency's sake, the double-"a" remains our default when we translate [[Teletraan 10|Japanese]] [[Teletraan 15|names]], or when the official English translation has never been seen written out.

Pronunciation has been a matter of much less contention, since the word was always pronounced "tell-uh-tran" in the original series. However, for some reason the ''Beast Wars'' voice actors pronounced the last syllable "tron". Perhaps in response to dissatisfaction among fans, in [[Nemesis Part 2|the final episode of the series]], an annoyed [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] corrects [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] with the original pronunciation (to which Blackarachnia replies, "What''ever!"'').
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:15GoGoTeletraan1.jpg|right|thumb|So this is like... [[Aunty]], but with curls?]]
*The cartoon's [[production bible]] describes Teletraan I as a female computer. Evidently, this idea was ditched at some point.
*A sketch of a floating, glowing female head representing Teletraan I appears in [[Yuki Ohshima]]'s ''[[Information Administration Teletraan 15 Go! Go!|15 Go! Go!]]'' / ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]'' compilation book. This design did not appear in the ''15 Go! Go!'' comic itself, indicating it may have been planned for inclusion but dropped.
[[File:Battle Masters possibly Teletraan I.jpg|thumb|150px]]
*In [[Transformers: Battle Masters (mobile game)|Battle Masters]], an orange and blue computer is visible in the background of the locker/training room. It is unknown if it is supposed to be the Battle Masters version of Teletraan I.
{{-}}
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Teletraan 1''' (テレトラン1 ''Teretoran Wan'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Xiǎnxiàng Yīhào''' (China, 显像一号, "Imaging I")
*''Russian:'' '''Teletron-1''' (Телетрон-1)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Teletraan 1 (G1)}}
[[Category:Alternators Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 computers]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001) characters]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Earthrise characters]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Siege characters]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron: Kingdom Autobots]]

Grimlock (ES)

2023-10-21T02:41:20Z

Ectojazzmage: /* EarthSpark */

{{factions|autobot|ghost|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Grimlock}}
:''Grimlock is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers: EarthSpark (franchise)|EarthSpark]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:ESGrimlock TRexMode HomePart1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|"Me Grimlock have been denied everything! Even me revenge!"]]

A veteran of the [[Transformers]] war, '''Grimlock''' is one of the physically strongest and most imposing Autobots, whether in his robot mode or his fire-breathing ''tyrannosaurus rex'' beast mode. As scary as he may seem, he's a good guy through and through, and happy to nurture and encourage the [[Terran|new generation]] of Cybertronians. He values strength, not just physical, but filling his charges with confidence and the spirit to find themselves. This guidance has brought him close to the gentle [[Jawbreaker]], who [[scanning|scanned]] a dinosaur alternate mode in emulation of him.

Grimlock's most powerful and dangerous trait, however, is his anger. Able to channel his fury into a "rage mode" that makes him an unstoppable engine of destruction, he becomes a potential threat to even his closest allies when his optics go from blue to red. While he's usually able to control his anger, prolonged time in his dinosaur mode can disrupt his system, and the traumas he's suffered carry triggers, meaning those around him have to be careful not to set him off.

==Fiction==
===''EarthSpark'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Keith David]] (English)|[[Valentin Merlet]] (French)}}
{{ongoing}}
Grimlock was one of the many Autobots to participate in the war against the [[Decepticon]]s. Initially battling on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], he would follow [[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime]] and the other Autobots to [[Earth]] via the [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|Secret Legacy, Part 1}}

Sent on a mission to infiltrate an underground fighting ring known as Bot Brawl, Grimlock soon found himself under the control of an anti-Cybertronian scientist known as [[Mandroid]], thanks to a cognitive control badge, and made the "champion" of Bot Brawl. [[Bumblebee (ES)|Bumblebee]] was sent in to find out what happened to the lost Dinobot after months of no contact. The two ended on fighting until Bumblebee, with aide from Malto family members [[Mo Malto|Mo]], [[Thrash (ES)|Thrash]], and [[Jawbreaker (ES)|Jawbreaker]], were able to free Grimlock from his control badge. Upon being freed, the surly mechanical T-Rex went on a fire-breathing rampage that destroyed most of the arena and sent its human audiences fleeing. Deciding to let him cool off, Bumblebee and his allies departed. When they returned Grimlock was long gone. {{storylink|Home, Part 1}} {{storylink|Home, Part 2}}

Still suffering the after effects of the mind control, Grimlock eventually reached [[Witwicky (town)|Witwicky]] and pursued the Malto kids until they were able to knock him out with [[Twitch]]'s EMP. After he recovered, [[Elita-1 (ES)|Elita-1]] suggested he train the [[Terran]]s, and so he ended up helping Jawbreaker, who was determined to prove his worth in combat. Jawbreaker was oblivious to the fact that his enthusiasm was causing Grimlock to experience flashbacks, until finally Grimlock snapped, reverting to dino mode and going on a rampage in Witwicky. While Elita-1 and [[Hashtag (ES)|Hashtag]] did their best to try to reign in the Dinobot, eventually it was Jawbreaker who was able to talk him down peacefully. {{storylink|A Stygi Situation}}

Grimlock joined Optimus and other Autobots in answering Hashtag's distress call, arriving at the Malto farm to battle the [[Ghoid]] soldiers. Though they were victorious, [[Karen Croft|Croft]] activated a Mandroid-supplied device that shut down Grimlock and the other Autobots present. {{storylink|The Battle of Witwicky}} They were still unconscious when Mandroid arrived back from space in a new semi-robotic form. {{storylink|The Last Hope, Part 1}} Mandroid remotely reactivated Grimlock and the others, placing them under his control and sending them to intercept the Maltobots who were heading to thwart his plans. Grimlock, Arcee and Wheeljack attempted to trap the group on a bridge, resulting in Bumblebee and [[Jon Schloder|Schloder]] battling them to allow the others to go ahead. Ultimately Mandroid was able to activate the superweapon he'd created, deactivating Grimlock until Robby and Mo successfully used their cyber-sleeves to revive the Autobots. {{storylink|The Last Hope, Part 2}}

{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: EarthSpark - Expedition''===
{{voiceactor|[[Barron Bass]] (English)|[[Fred Meijer]] (Dutch), [[Yannick Lassère]] (French), [[Thomas Schmuckert]] (German), [[Mario Zucca]] (Italian), [[Marek Tynda]] (Polish), [[Francesc Belda]] (Spanish)}}
{{charfictionstub|{{storylink|Transformers: EarthSpark - Expedition}}}}

==Toys==
===''EarthSpark''===
[[File:TF-Earthspark-Deluxe-Grimlock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Me Grimlock like being marketable nostalgia!" ''(Hasbro Version Pictured)'']]
[[File:TF-ES-JP-ESD-07-Deluxe-Grimlock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Now THIS is a man who knows how to marry his cousin!" ''(TakaraTomy Version Pictured)'']]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Grimlock''' (Deluxe, [[2023]])}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy ID Number'': '''ESD-07'''
:*''Accessories'': Blaster, right Mandroid leg (Hasbro release only)

: Released as part of the third wave of ''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (toyline)|EarthSpark]]'' Deluxe Class toys, Grimlock transforms into a mechanical ''Tyrannosaurus rex''. Grimlock's transformation and engineering are identical to Deluxe Class ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (toyline)|Cyberverse]]'' [[Grimlock (Cyberverse)#Deluxe Class|Grimlock]] and share the thighs, fists, and ankle joint parts of that figure as well.

:Grimlock includes a blaster that he can hold or mount on the back of his dinosaur mode, as well as the right leg of the [[Build a Figure]] [[Mandroid#Toys|Mandroid]].

:While the TakaraTomy release features additional/altered paint details, this Grimlock does not come with a Mandroid BAF piece.

:Images of this figure were revealed on the UK toy site "The Entertainer", prior to any official acknowledgment by Hasbro.
{{--}}

==Notes==
* Grimlock's robot mode was designed by [[Nick Roche]].<ref name = "ES2">{{citesocial|quote=So, as far as I remember... Out of the new ones, I worked on the Bot mode for Breakdown, Bot mode for Grimlock... took passes at Nightshade and Dino Grim, but didn't make it (They're mostly Ciro's?) but Shockwave, Hashtag and Tarantulas started as my 2D designs!|link=https://twitter.com/NickRoche/status/1631974068445388803|site=Twitter|name=Nick Roche|year=2023|month=03|day=4}}</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Grimlock''' (グリムロック ''Gurimurokku'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Mogorva''' ("Grim")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:EarthSpark Autobots]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]

Optimal Situation

2023-09-29T19:39:47Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Transformers references */

{{episode
|series=BWtoon
|ep=40
|series2=Metals
|ep2=13
|prev2=The Agenda (Part III)
|next2=Where Is the Banana?
|title="Optimal Situation"
|image=Optimal Optimus.JPG
|caption=[[Trukk not munky|Trukk ''and'' munky]].
|season=3
|season ep=1
|production code=
|production company=[[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|writer=[[Bob Forward]]
|director=[[Steve Sacks]]
|animation studio=[[Mainframe Entertainment]]
|airdate=[[October 24]], 1998
|continuity=[[Beast Wars continuity]]
}}
'''With Optimus Prime in critical condition after Megatron's attack, Optimus Primal takes on his spark to save the timestream.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Smelt Prime.JPG|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Smelts in your mouth, not in your hand.]]
As a time storm ravages reality, [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] gloats to the fading [[Maximal]]s, since his attack on [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] ensures that the [[Autobot]]s lose to the [[Decepticon]]s, resulting in the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] having control of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. However, [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], having been a Maximal protoform, is also affected by the time storm. She uses the information from the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] to activate [[Teletraan I]]'s security system, forcing Megatron out of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]''.

[[File:OptimusPrimal OpSit Matrixspark.jpg|right|upright=0.85|thumb|It's not the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]. We swear.]]
Blackarachnia and [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] activate the ''Ark''{{'}}s repair systems to help stabilize Optimus Prime's condition, but the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] is still dying, and "reality is still in flux". The other Maximals arrive, and upon seeing Prime, realize that they must save him. However, his spark is fading. Believing there is no other choice, [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] merges his spark with Prime's to save it. He succeeds, and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] summons an [[Autobot repair device]] to begin restoring Prime's body. Holding Prime's spark causes Primal to expand into a new, larger body.

Megatron and [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] arrive and attack, though Primal manages to save the Maximals and convince the Predacons to leave, while Blackarachnia uses the commotion to escape. Outside, [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] provides cover fire by shooting the rocks above the ''Ark''. The Predacons destroy the cave entrance and flee, but Megatron notices a trapped Blackarachnia. Enraged by her betrayal, Megatron shoots her as the Maximals break free. Knowing that they are heading for the unprotected ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'', Primal and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] race off.

[[File:BWSilverbolt Blackarachnia OptimalSituation.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Ug, gag unto me with a spoon.]]
As Silverbolt cradles the damaged Blackarachnia, he begs her to fight on and praises her defiance of Megatron. She maintains that what she did was self-preservation, but Silverbolt points out that she also saved him and the universe. He openly admits to Blackarachnia that he loves her, shocking her. While there's still time, Silverbolt asks her one last time to join the Maximals. Although she maintains that she's still a Predacon, Blackarachnia joins the Maximals for him, then goes off-line. However, Rhinox reveals that she's merely in [[stasis lock]].

Primal and Cheetor manage to down Megatron, Inferno, and Waspinator, but Primal discovers that [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] and the [[Arachnoid]]s are literally trying to drag the base away. Optimus manages to sever the lines and dispatch Rampage, but not before Rampage fires a missile which deflects off Primal and hits the ''Axalon''. The ''Axalon'' plummets off the cliff and crashes into the river. Knowing that he must return Prime's spark, Optimus withdraws with Cheetor to rejoin the Maximals.

[[File:Optimusx2.JPG|right|upright=0.85|thumb|And in four million years, he'll tell [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] he had the strangest [[Humanization#Sleep|dream]].]]
Back in the ''Ark'', the repairs are finished. Returning the spark causes Optimus Prime to reactivate briefly, but he almost immediately returns to stasis lock. [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] is less than happy, as they now have the difficult task of protecting the ''Ark'' from the Predacons. With the time stream safe—for the moment—Optimus orders the Maximals, including Blackarachnia (who still maintains she's a Predacon), to begin rounding up every piece of salvage and make fortifications.

They're moving into [[Mount St. Hilary]].
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=[[Maximal]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] (1)
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] (2)
*[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] (4)
*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] (5)
*[[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] (6)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]|c2=
*[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (3)
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] (7)
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] (9)
*[[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] (10)
*[[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] (11)
*[[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] (12)
*[[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] (13)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (14)

|h3=[[Autobot]]s|c3=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (8)
}}

==Quotes==
"Well, that's just prime." 
"Or what's left of him, anyway."
:—'''Optimus Primal''' and '''Rattrap''' on seeing the damage Megatron dealt to Optimus Prime.

"You wouldn't dare fire in here! It might upset history." 
"We'd have four million years to clean you off the walls, Megatron. I ''might'' risk it."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Primal''' are badasses.

'''Megatron:''' This is not the end of it, Optimal Optimus. Nooo. The universe cowered once at the name of Megatron, and it shall do so again! 
'''Optimus:''' Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, Megatron. 
'''Megatron:''' Then they'd better stay out of my way! 
'''Rattrap:''' Oh, fer bootin' up cold! Will you just shoot him? 
'''Optimus:''' I'm trying not to resort to that.
:—The 'bots talk smack.

"Stay close, Maximals; it's time to [[Roll out|transform and ROLL OUT!]]"
:—'''Optimus Primal''' saying Optimus Prime's iconic phrase...maybe Prime's speaking through him?

"Jumping gyros, Optimus sure learns a new body fast!" 
"Well wha'd ya expect? He ''changes'' 'em often enough!"
:—'''Cheetor''' and '''Rattrap''', who gets a rim shot.

"Blackarachnia, dark poison of my heart, abide with me yet a while." 
"You got a way with words there, Rover. You almost make me wish I was a better girl."
:—'''Silverbolt''' and '''Blackarachnia''' have a touching moment. Rattrap is probably on the verge of puking or shooting them.

==Notes==
===Script timeline===
* First draft: 18th February 1998
* Second draft: 1st March 1998
* Finalised: 19th March 1998
* As Air: 19th June 1998

===Animation and technical errors===
*When Rhinox slaps Rattrap for cracking wise over Optimus Prime's ruined state, his green understructure clips through the gold surface of the lower rhinoceros jaw that covers his chest.
*When the camera pans around Prime to show the repairs starting to be made, the Autobot insignia inside his chest is upside-down.
*When Primal first gets up in his new body, his left fist goes through the floor.
*When Megatron and Inferno fire at the Maximals inside the ''Ark'', their projectiles move at an extremely slow speed - enough to let Primal throw his arm shields in the air, transform, catch them, leap in front of his comrades and provide cover for them.
*When Primal first transforms into his [[alternate mode|jet mode]], the cockpit is empty, but it ''should'' house Optimus Prime's spark.
*Prime's spark is missing its nucleus in some scenes.
*After his near-death experience in the last episode, Inferno is extensively damaged even while confronting the Maximals in the ''Ark''. After escaping from volcano with the Predacons however, he appears fully repaired again.
*During Primal and Cheetor's aerial attack on the fleeing Predacons, the cat's flight mode jets are not deployed as he swoops closer to "camera" in the medium shot following his initial approach, but well before he transforms.
*As the ''Axalon'' is being dragged off of the cliff, the bottom of it can be seen. However it is completely flat at the rear; the engines are not there at all.
*In the Brazilian dub, Rampage is called "Destruição", but his name is "Violência". "Destruição" is Ravage's name.

===Continuity errors===
[[File:Sparkholderprimevaldawn.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|Geekery.]]
*The Maximals are fading out but Megatron isn't effected in any way, even though changing the Great War should surely have an impact on him too!
*The "spark container" which held Optimus Prime's spark was hauntingly similar to the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. According to [[Ben Yee]]'s [http://www.bwtf.com/bw/tvshow/episodes/seasonthree/os/ site], the Mainframe animators used Optimus Prime's death sequence from "[[The Transformers: The Movie]]" as a visual reference and used the Matrix's design as a spark container because they didn't know its significance. This, of course, leads us to ask the question: How do you get involved with ''Transformers'' and not know the most important McGuffin in the entire continuity?
**Though the designs are similar, the "spark container" is much smaller, small enough that Primal's hands can grip both handles comfortably. The actual Matrix is large enough for an Autobot the size of Prime to do that. It's also missing the handy finger holes.
**"[[Primeval Dawn]]" later explained the Matrix-shaped spark container as being a [[decoy]] Matrix constructed to sit in front of the real Matrix.
**Look, just watch the episode, okay?
*While not exactly an error persay, Optimus Prime is the only Generation 1 Cybertronian seen in the episode, whereas in the previous episode, other inert Autobots and Decepticons could also be seen nearby on Megatron's path towards Optimus.
*Optimus was briefly knocked out after deflecting the missile and falling to the ground. However he is awake to watch the ''Axalon'' teeter back and forth and eventually fall off the cliff. One wonders why he couldn't have stopped it. After all, in his original form, he was able to slow the ship's descent to keep it from crashing in the episode "[[Victory (episode)|Victory]]". One would think that his much larger and more powerful form would be enough actually to lift the ship up.

===Continuity notes===
[[File:OptimalSituation Tarantulas insignia.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|''Spider-brand, spider-brand. Marks whatever Tarantulas can...'']]
*The [[Arachnoid]]s seen in this episode sport a special Tarantulas [[insignia]], which they possess in all of their appearances from now on.
*Blackarachnia ''informally'' joins the Maximals.
*Gadgets and powers:
**Optimus's wings can morph into shields for his fists, which he uses to defend the Maximals against Megatron's missile.
**Quickstrike's snake arm can move around under its own power.

===Transformers references===
*Rhinox mentions that Optimus's spark "has the Matrix with it," which might be a reference to the physical [[Matrix of Leadership]] that Optimus carries. Whether or not the actual Matrix seen in the episode was the Matrix is debatable. Consider that in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', Prime didn't give the Matrix to Ultra Magnus until after he had died. Given the specific phrasing and the fact that ''Beast Wars'' tends to blend elements from both the 1984 cartoon and [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comics]] for it's "mythic" backstory , it's quite entirely possible the writers were drawing from [[Bob Budiansky]]'s original portrayal of the Matrix as a life-giving [[Primal Program]] encoded into Autobot leaders rather than a physical magic talisman as it became from the movie onwards, which would go some way to explaining the "spark container" thing mentioned above and the whole idea of Primal being mutated by carrying Optimus' spark.
*When confronting Megatron on the ''Ark''{{'}}s bridge, Optimus Primal tells Megatron, "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings," the motto of Optimus Prime. When informed by [[Ben Yee]] about this fact during the [[Madman Entertainment]] ''Beast Wars'' Season 3 DVD commentary for this episode, writer Bob Forward confessed that up to this point he had no idea, and the phrase was simply something he'd picked up from the alt.toys.transformers newsgroup.
*Later, Optimus Primal tells the Maximals to "transform and [[roll out]]."

===Real-world references===
*Blackarachnia refers to Optimus Prime as "Big Mack", after the {{w|Mack Trucks|manufacturer}} of semi-trucks.
*The [[Autobot repair device]] used that fits over Prime's head unfurls in a distinctively layered fashion reminiscent of the exploding mask worn by [[Arnie|Arnold Schwarzenegger]] in the original 1990 ''{{w|Total Recall (1990 film)|Total Recall}}'' film.
*Optimus's slow, painful transformation into his new form - particularly when he watches his hand stretch - is a visual reference to the werewolf transformation scene in ''{{w|An American Werewolf in London}}''.

===Trivia===
*The original title was "The Agenda (Part 4)".<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070607003159/http://www.electric-escape.net/tf/conventions/BotCon-98/Jon-Wilkie episode list] from [[BotCon 1998]]</ref>
*The show's title sequence has received yet another update for season 3. Similar to the previous update, it spoils the events of its debut episode, as well as introducing [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] an episode earlier than his premier similar to the Fuzors from last season. Cheetor is notably absent from the new sequence save a for a tiny cameo towards the end, likely done to avoid spoiling his upcoming [[Feral Scream Part 2|Transmetal 2 design]].
*When lifting himself towards Optimus Prime to take on his spark, Optimus Primal shows his Transmetal body is capable of flying in his Robot mode using thrusters underneath his feet. Previously he was shown only capable of flight while in his Transmetal Gorilla alternate mode via hoverboard.
*Primal's voice becomes noticeably deeper when he takes on his new form, as well as gaining an additional flanging effect. One might think the change is related to having old John Wayne-voice Optimus Prime within him, but both changes remain after Prime's spark is restored, so apparently it's just from being bigger and more metally. The deeper voice would vanish in future episodes, however.
*Optimus [[To sell toys|runs through all four of his new body's modes]] within a few minutes of its debut. (His [[beast mode]] is easy to miss, but he uses it when he shields the other Maximals from the Predacons' weapons fire.)
*Rattrap breaks the fourth wall after Cheetor mentions Optimus's new body, his quip accompanied by a rimshot.
*There is a real-life reason why the ''Axalon'' was destroyed; Optimus' new "Optimal" form simply would not ''fit'' in it. When the salvaged remains of the base have been set up, Optimus is easily twice as tall as the bridge.
*The missile that Rampage fires and Optimus inadvertently deflects into the Axalon bears a peace symbol on its nose cone.
*Blackarachnia opposes Megatron's plan to wipe the Autobots from history because she was a Maximal protoform. Quickstrike, Inferno, and Rampage all count as Maximal protoforms too, but they don't oppose Megatron's plan because Quickstrike's ignorant, Inferno's crazy, and Rampage doesn't have a say in the matter (and is also crazy).
*After Optimus Prime's spark is returned to him, he reactivates, but almost immediately returns to [[stasis lock]]. The [[Unfinished Business, Part 4|''Binaltech'' story chapter]] supplied with BT-22 Convoy establishes that Optimus Prime was at least partly aware of both the spark transfer and Optimus Primal.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Situation Optimal'''" (Canada, "Optimal Situation")

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''L'alba di una nuova era'''" ("The Dawn of a New Age")

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Ōkiku Na~re'''" (大きくな～れ, "Gro~w Bigger")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 29]] [[1999]]

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Situação Optimal'''" ("Optimal Situation")

'''Spanish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Situación Óptima'''" ("Optimal Situation")

:*''Title:'' "'''Situación Optima'''" (America, "Optimal Situation")

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Zuìgāo Wēijī '''" (最高危机, "Supreme Crisis")

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers: Metals'' — Groooww Bigger ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Free Video ([[Universal]])
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers: Metals'' — DVD Box 2 (Pioneer LDC) — English and Japanese audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Vol. 1 (Universal) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Third Season ([[Rhino Entertainment|Rhinomation]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Seasons 2 & 3 ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2006 — ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' — Season 3 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''[[The Transformers: The Movie|Transformers: The Movie]] — Special Edition'' (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers: Beast Wars'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment)

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Beast Wars episodes]]

Bumper (G1)

2023-09-16T20:34:29Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Bumper}}
:''Bumper is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Bumper-comic.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|I have a name!]]
'''Bumper''' is a young and inexperienced Autobot, new to the war, but eager to do his part against the [[Decepticon]]s. He is in the interesting position of looking ''up'' to [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], which makes Bumblebee feel more awkward than normal. Bumper has the worrying tendency to latch on to ''any'' potential role model that pays him mind, which sometimes leads to him biting off more than he can chew to impress them. While he often finds himself in over his head, Bumper's determination and flashes of courage may take him far one day.

{{TOCclear}}

==Fiction==
===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:SkyfireIssue BrawnBumperDebate.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|left|Bumper liked Bumblebee before it was cool.]]
Bumper was part of the crew of the shuttle ''[[Orion]]'', under the command of Bumblebee. The ship was sent to [[Earth]] from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] after [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] was overthrown to bring news and supplies to the Autobots left on the human planet. Unfortunately, on their routine mission, the ''Orion''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew crossed paths with one of Shockwave's creations, the super-clone [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}} After Bumblebee decided to form a temporary alliance with [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], Bumper defended his decision to the doubtful [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]. Bumper then joined the party that attacked Sunstorm in order to attach an inhibitor onto him, aiming to drain the destructive energies that he produced. {{storylink|Skyfire (issue)|Skyfire}}

Later, he and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] were sent to retrieve several Autobots that Starscream had previously deactivated and "stored" at the bottom of a lake. They were interrupted by a heavily-armed platoon of [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]] troops under the command of [[Marissa Faireborn]], {{storylink|The Omega Effect}} who rounded them up within a transport hold and took them to an underground facility. Worried about their predicament, Warpath asked Bumper what was to become of them. Unfortunately, Bumper was as clueless as he was. {{storylink|Atonement}} The Autobots eventually arrived at a secret base, where their offline members were reactivated. The EDC explained that they needed the Autobots' help to investigate the disappearance of an entire town of people in [[San Desto]], [[California]].

[[File:Extermination BombshellBumperShockwave.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb|right|Gee-whiz that’s some interesting foreshadowing! I sure hope [[Pat Lee|nobody]] bankrupts the company with financial incompetence before this plot thread can develop!]]
Bumper was part of the squad sent in to San Desto, instantly earning the disdain of [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (though Sunstreaker thinks that way about everyone). Bumper took [[EDC Night Force Unit|a squad of EDC troopers]] into a [[Aztec Theatres|movie theater]] to investigate an energy signature emanating from it. Inside, they were ambushed by the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] and captured. {{storylink|Infestation (Dreamwave)|Infestation}} When their captors left to take care of their new breed of [[Insecticon clone|Insecticlones]], Bumper managed to break free and took a [[cerebro-shell]]. He then hid in the lab until the Insecticons returned, now with [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and Sunstreaker as their prisoners. Fearing that Bumper had fled to the surface, the Insecticons left once more, allowing Bumper to free his captured teammates. Bumper then used the taken cerebro-shell to disable [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] and shut down his mind-control network over both his human slaves and the Insecticlones, putting an end to the Insecticons' machinations in San Desto. {{storylink|Extermination}}

Bumper and the Autobots left the EDC behind to rejoin the rest of their group. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}} They arrived at the future site of Autobot City, the construction of which was being supervised by Prowl. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

{{note|It is likely that Bumper's heroism was not all it seemed: Bombshell was shown to be tinkering with his head, his escape was so convenient that it could well have been engineered, Bumper was the last to see [[EDC Night Force Unit|Dorry and Cruz]] alive, and the final panel of the comic hints that there is a traitor within the group (a prominent car registration plate reads "TR8R-1")...}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:MegsOrigin2 Bumper.jpg|left|upright=0.65|thumb|Oh, like you live in a mansion.]]
Before the war, Bumper was part of stakeout team [[Panorama 3]] along with [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]]. They had the bad luck of being the ones who hit the right location for [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron's]] next illegal pit-fight, and the even worse luck of bearing witness to his first fateful meeting with [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]. Their transmissions were jammed, and they were captured, interrogated, and killed in rather short order. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}}

They were given a fairly elaborate and rather well-attended funeral. They rated [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion's]] attendance, apparently. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}}

Despite his death, his name was somehow listed as a choice for an Autobot mission. [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] got the nod instead. {{storylink|Spotlight: Wheelie}}
{{-}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Arcee/Greenlight: Run|''Transformers'' #18]]}}

Bumper was an enthusiastic rookie member of [[Security Operations]] who saw his first deployment in the aftermath of the [[Tether]]'s fall. Partnered with [[Strongarm (G1)|Strongarm]], the pair faced off with a couple of looters trying to take advantage of the chaos caused by the disaster. When [[Gauge]] was shot by one of the looters, her mentor [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] rushed their position, downing one and sending [[Gutcruncher (G1)|the other]] running. Bumper moved in and arrested the [[Singe|defeated looter]]. {{storylink|Arcee/Greenlight: Run}}

[[File:Swindles BumperMindwipe.jpg|upright=2.1|thumb|right|For pity's sake, LEAVE BUMPER'S BRAIN ALONE!]]
Bumper and Strongarm were assigned to a unit under [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and observed as [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] forcefully interrogated Singe for information on [[The Rise]]. This yielded a lead, and Bumper was part of the operation to infiltrate [[Swindle's]]. Being the least conspicuous, Bumper was chosen to scope the illegal establishment out as the others waited outside for word on any suspicious activity. Inside, Bumper spotted [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] and [[Whisper (G1)|Visper]] consorting with [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. Prowl radioed for him to leave before he was noticed, but Mindwipe intercepted Bumper and hypnotized him just as the others breached the door. Bumper attacked Prowl in an entranced rage but was non-lethally taken down by the experienced officer. Prowl told Strongarm to restrain Bumper until Mindwipe's brainwashing wore off, and to chastise him for not following Prowl's instructions to the letter when he came back to his senses. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|Swindle's}}

Bumper worked crowd control after [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] ordered the captive [[Quake (G1)|Quake]] to be paraded through the streets. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Prisoners|Prisoners}} He later stood guard in front of the [[Senate]] building as Sentinel Prime gave a speech denouncing the [[Decepticon|Ascenticon]] faction. Upon seeing the massive throng of people protesting outside, Bumper commented to an annoyed Prowl that there wasn't enough security personnel on-site to maintain control if things went wrong. Bumper watched as the crowd soon parted to allow [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and his fellow Ascenticon senators to enter the building. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: We Have Deceived You|We Have Deceived You}}

[[File:WarWorldPrime SideswipeSavesBumper.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1| Please... my son. He's very sick]]
After the newly-rebranded "Decepticons" seized the Senate hall and its occupants, Bumper was involved in the operation to take it back. Before being deployed, he was once again reprimanded by Prowl for his mistake with Mindwipe. After being told off by Strongarm, Prowl told them it would be rewarding if they ever managed to please him, a statement Bumper later agreed to, much to Strongarm's chagrin. When [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Groove (G1)|Groove]], [[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] and [[Chainclaw (G1)|Chainclaw]] escaped the Senate, Bumper was there to witness it beside Strongarm and [[Pointblank]]. Unfortunately, Chainclaw was not fast enough to escape the enemy fire and was impaled by a slug from [[Clench (G1)|Clench's]] [[rail gun]]. Defying orders, Bumper jumped through the window of their hideout to rescue him, only for Chainclaw to be decapitated and killed by the next round of fire. [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] jumped into the fray to rescue Bumper just before a third round of fire sliced off the little bot's arm. Just afterwards, Clench was blown up by [[Flak (G1)|Flak]] and [[Sidetrack (G1)|Sidetrack]]. When the smoke cleared, Sideswipe was seen holding Bumper's unconscious body as Strongarm and Pointblank rushed towards them. {{storylink|War World: Prime|Prime}}

[[File:TestFlightI BumperNewArm.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|right|"Who the hell is Bumper?"]]
Bumper recovered and was back on duty alongside Sideswipe and Strongarm as they provided security for an experiment [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] performed involving [[Jumpstream]]. He had received a new arm to replace the one lost during the Senate hall fight and proudly displayed it as "battle damage" to Sideswipe. Annoyed with Bumper's newfound hero worship of him, Sideswipe told him to go do a perimeter sweep of the building, which the rookie eagerly agreed to. {{storylink|Lord of Misrule: Test Flight I|Test Flight I}}

Bumper was on sentry duty when the Decepticons attacked [[Crystal City]]. He and his group opened fire at the horde of enemies at their gates until an explosion destroyed their high ground and they were confronted by some of [[Strika's Heavies]]. Sideswipe was determined to make a last stand, with the impressionable and terrified Bumper ready to back him up. However, Strongarm reminded Sideswipe of his responsibilities and he instead told the others to retreat while he covered them. Bumper and the others fell back to a secure bunker deeper within the city. {{storylink|A Dust of Crystals}}

After the Autobots began their trek to [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]], they were corralled by a Decepticon artillery barrage into the path of a horde of [[rust worm]]s. {{storylink|Radical Time}} Bumper joined a group led by [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] that attempted to scout an escape route, but they were cut off and turned back by airborne Decepticons that enforced the perimeter. They returned to the larger Autobot force and fought off the rust worms until a repurposed [[Insecticon clone]] swarm arrived to feast on the worms, allowing the Autobots to continue onward. {{storylink|End of Time}}

[[File:FateOfCybertron SideswipeBumper.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Humper?]]
Surviving a confrontation with Megatron and an [[imploder]] next, the Autobots finally arrived at Darkmount and began preparing for an inevitable Decepticon attack to prevent them from leaving the planet. Hunkered down behind ramparts and awaiting the battle, Bumper began nervously humming, which Sideswipe was initially annoyed by. The bigger Autobot quickly apologized and told Bumper to do whatever he pleased in the face of the coming fight. When the Decepticons attacked, Bumper and the others held the line until [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] made a last stand, buying the others time to board the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' and blast off. Leaving Cybertron behind and headed for the [[Winged Moon]], Bumper cheerfully suggested to Sideswipe and Strongarm that they ask Ironhide to join the [[Senate Guard|Prime Guard]]. Sideswipe expressed hesitance, but Bumper assured his friend that he had his back. On approach to the Winged Moon, Bumper and the other Autobots listened to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] deliver a speech about their future out among the stars. {{storylink|Transformers: Fate of Cybertron|Fate of Cybertron}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
[[File:G1-toy Bumper.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|A mystery wrapped in a Familia.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Cliffjumper'''{{sic}} (Minicar, [[1984]])}}</ul>
{{toydesigner|[[Masaki Maruyama]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: Sold in the first year of the [[Hasbro]] ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' line, the toy that has come to be known as "Bumper" transforms into a "penny racer"-proportioned {{w|Mazda Familia}} 1500XG. It is one of the rarest toys in the original line and commands a pretty decent sum on the secondary market, due to its very unusual release.

: This toy did not come on its own card, having only been found packed on Hasbro [[Cliffjumper (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Cliffjumper]] cards in 1984<ref>[http://www.toyarchive.com/Transformers/BumblejumperMOC.html "Bumblejumper MOC" at Super Toy Archive]</ref> (it's not impossible that he was also available on [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Bumblebee]] cards, but to this day, no packaged example has surfaced). It is unknown just how many cases had a "Bumper" in them; presumably not many. In fact, this toy has ''never'' had an "official" ''Transformers'' release as its own character from [[Hasbro]] or [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]. The full story of this toy's inexplicable release is still unknown, and it's highly likely the mystery may never be solved, although a few factors point to this toy having been originally intended for a ''Transformers'' release by Hasbro early on.<ref>[http://www.fredsworkshop.com/vbumblejump2.html "Bumblejumper is not a mistake!!" at Fred's Complete Transformers Variants and Variations Page!]</ref>

: The only official separate-character ''Transformers'' releases of the mold were the versions released by [[Estrela]] in Brazil, which got unique painted packaging art and a full bio, potentially taken from a scrapped Hasbro release. It was known simply as "Sedan" and was cast in four color schemes, first two as the [[Sedan (Robocar)|"Robocar" Sedan]], then two more as the heroic [[Sedan (Optimus)|"Optimus" Sedan]].<ref>[http://www.toyarchive.com/Transformers/Brazilian/MiniCars.html "Brazilian Transformers" at Super Toy Archive]
</ref>

: The mold is originally from Takara's ''[[Microman]] [[Micro Change|Microchange]]'' line, sold as the "MC-04 Mini CAR Robo 02 Familia 1500XG", available in both yellow and blue.<ref>[http://www.tf-1.com/articles/mini_frame.php?art=bluebump "Brazilian Blue Sedan (Bumblejumper)" at TF-1.com]</ref>

: For years, the toy was referred to as "Bumblejumper" by fans, a {{w|portmanteau}} of "'''Bumble'''bee" and "Cliff'''jumper'''", since he was believed to have been packaged on the cards for both of those [[Mini Vehicle|Minicars]]. In the early 1990s, the shortened and more ''Transformers''-like name "Bumper" began to propagate through the fandom. The name was [[Canonizing|made "official"]] for the toy when it was used in the first issue of Dreamwave's ongoing ''Transformers'' comic in 2004.

::*''[http://www.transformerland.com/wiki/toy-info/transformers-g1-mini-vehicles-bumblejumper/23/ Patent info, price guide, and further reading on Bumper at Transformerland.com]''
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Bumper/bumper.htm More information on Bumper at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.cliffbee.com/reviews/bj.php More information on Bumper at Cliffbee.com]''
{{G1BumperMold}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:RobocarSedanBoxart.jpg|upright=1|thumb|Also not [[Hubcap (G1)#Notes|Hubcap]].]]
*Given that Bumper's stickers are different from those on the Takara release, and that the Estrela releases of the mold came complete with [[package art]] and a unique [[Tech Spec]], Bumper may have been intended for official release in the Northern Hemisphere at some point. Sedan's packaging art depicts him in white, so that may have been his intended color scheme for Transformers, or the art may simply have been recolored by Estrela, similar to the recolored art used for their [[Salt-Man Z]] figure.
*An almost-realized [[BotCon]] [[exclusive]] from [[Fun Publications]] was a redeco of ''Prime'' [[Rumble (WFC)#Prime|Rumble]]/[[Frenzy (WFC)#Prime|Frenzy]] into Bumper.<ref>[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc14/bc14br.html BotCon 2014 attendee report]</ref>
*A perplexing [[Bumblebee_(G1)/toys#Buzzworthy_Bumblebee|2021 Bumblebee toy]] transforms into an accurately-sculpted and correctly-colored remake of Bumper's original G1/Choro Q toy alt mode, but with a head that is distinctly Bumblebee and not Bumper.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Bumper''' (バンパー ''Banpā'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.toyarchive.com/Transformers/Brazilian/SedanWhite.html Brazilian "White" Bumblejumper at STA, with Sedan's card art and Tech Specs.]

[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Fan terminology]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 toy Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Autobots]]
[[Category:Mini Vehicles]]

Delta Magnus

2023-09-13T17:56:24Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Delta Magnus is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Diaclone Delta Magnus.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb|Fear me. I'm not just a [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Convoy]]; I'm a Powered Convoy.]]
'''Delta Magnus''' was the leader of the legendary [[Primal Vanguard]], known for overusing the adjective "glorious". He and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] are both members of the [[House (group)|House of Magnus]].<ref>Depiction in the 2005 IDW comics</ref>

==Fiction==
===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:NightoftheCombaticons-PoweredConvoy.jpg|thumb|left|[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PZbkF-15ObM&pp=ygURZGVsdGEgbXVzaWMgdmlkZW8%3D| I'm going cross the delta.]]]
A red and blue [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] clone was one of several clones created by Shockwave in the same program that produced [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]. While in a tube, he was discovered by the [[Battlecharger]]s, who released Sunstorm. The laboratory the clones were stored in was soon destroyed by Sunstorm. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}} [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] later watched footage of the clone from Shockwave's lab while trying to unravel the Decepticon's schemes. {{storylink|The Omega Effect}}
{{--}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Delta magnus the divided self.jpg|thumb|Do I have any particular reason for existing beyond [[To sell toys|selling toys to collectors]]?]]

Delta Magnus and the Primal Vanguard watched over the [[Matrix of Leadership]] after the disappearance of [[Nova Prime]]. During the [[Interregnum]], Delta Magnus used a [[power booster rod]] to trick the [[Nebulan]]s into thinking he was a god.

[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] worshiped Delta Magnus, reading as much as he could about Delta Magnus's days with the Primal Vanguard, adopting his catchphrase "glorious", and even building a life-size model of Delta Magnus. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

When the [[Great War (G1)|war]] broke out, Delta Magnus fought the [[Decepticon]]s alongside Ultra Magnus, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]], and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[File:LegendsManga BonusEditionMagnaConvoy DeltaMagnus.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Jazz (G1)|Dreamwave Jazz]] ''wishes'' he was me!]]

====''Masterpiece'' toy bios====
Delta Magnus, of uncertain relation to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]], was a member of the Primal Vanguard who was sometimes tasked with holding the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] in his body till a true successor was found. He was assisted in his tasks by '''Powerdrive''' (パワードライブ ''Pawādoraibu'') a buggy drone, but fell in battle. To preserve morale, Autobot leaders took Delta's [[Magnus Armor]] and assigned others to wear it, to continue the illusion of a still-living great warrior. Wearers would die and then the armor would move on to a successor, till an upgraded and trained Powerdrive was chosen as the seventh. With the loss of the original armor, Powerdrive was integrated into the armor's remaining stock and became a single, integrated robot. He would go on to have a long and famed career as Delta Magnus.

However, fearing that his true identity would come out in the open, he turned down an offer to command the newly built [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] on [[Earth]]. Still transferring to Earth, Powerdrive as himself developed a close relationship with pen pal [[Marissa Faireborn]]. Developing a bond with the [[human]], he revealed that he and Delta Magnus were one and the same. With [[Ultra Magnus Dies!!|the death of Ultra Magnus]], Delta Magnus was forced to become [[City Commander]], and panicked over the possible reveal of his secret, believing that the [[Decepticon]]s would use this to destroy the Autobot's moral high ground. His confidante Marissa gave him advice, noting that him acting as Delta Magnus was really just an extension of the idea of "robots in disguise" and was still in the pursuit of justice. Her words comforted Delta Magnus, who came to a decision. {{storylink|#Masterpiece|''Masterpiece'' Delta Magnus bio}}

At some point, Delta Magnus learned of the long-lost fortress of [[Diadem]], which dated back to the era immediately after the people of Cybertron overthrew their [[Quintesson]] creators. Seeking to secure the facility's wealth of ancient data, Delta Magnus travelled to the human colony planet that was home of [[Cordon (G1)|Cordon]], an amnesiac Autobot reserve trooper who hailed from the era of Diadem. Offering him the chance to restore his missing memories from Diadem's backups, Magnus successfully recruited Cordon to join a mission to the installation and use his biometrics to unlock it. {{Storylink|Cordon (G1)#Toys|''Masterpiece'' Cordon profile}}

Unfortunately, the mission to Diadem turned into a battle with both Decepticons and Quintessons, and much of the installation's data was lost due to the damage. Cordon's memories were recovered (although the trooper ultimately declined to install them), but more notably, the Autobots also discovered a robot named "[[Spin-Out (G1)|Spin-Out]]" in stasis. Diadem's records revealed that Spin-Out was originally a piloted battle machine built to fight "[[Waruder]]s" on the Earth of a different dimension; the facility's [[Anterior Zeta]] computer system had recovered the mech from a crashed spacecraft 10 million years ago and elevated it into a living Transformer using [[Vector Sigma]] programming. While Delta Magnus questioned Anterior Zeta's subsequent decision to secretly disseminate a genetic imperative to fight the Waruders throughout the Cybertronian repair network, he agreed with the computer-brain that the threat posed by the faction was well worth preparing against. {{storylink|Spin-Out (G1)#Toys|''Masterpiece'' Spinout profile}}

Some time later, it emerged that the planet [[Foreston]] was home to an underground factory from the same era as Diadem, where "second generation" bodies had been constructed for testing at the latter facility. While the project had been forgotten during the Cybertronian civil wars, the factory had continued to operate autonomously for millions of years, and was now believed to contain countless advanced body frames that would be invaluable to the Autobot cause. Delta Magnus dispatched a team to the facility, with [[Crosscut (G1)|Crosscut]] among them as his senatorial status would give him authority over the factory's archaic security systems. While the team secured the "G2" technology within for the Autobots, they also discovered that the facility had inadvertently unleashed a [[Swarm (G2)|swarm]] of strangely-evolved prototypes into the world. {{storylink|Crosscut (G1)#Masterpiece|''Masterpiece'' Crosscut profile}}

====''Legends'' comic====
Delta Magnus and Marissa were summoned to the [[Legends World]] by [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], who was trying to figure out which universe [[Magna Convoy]] was from. Learning that Magna Convoy belonged to one "[[Primus Vanguard]]", Magnus professed to have never heard of it, his own organization being known as the ''Primal'' Vanguard. He expressed doubt that Convoy's group hailed from his universe, then set out to explore the Legends World with Marissa. They returned to find that [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]] had borrowed Delta Magnus's car carrier trailer, though they never witnessed him also combine with it into Super Magna Convoy. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Magna Convoy)|Bonus Edition Magna Convoy}} While participating in the battles to wipe out the [[Concurrence]] in [[2022]], Delta Magnus listened to Marissa's report that the Autobots and EDC were being supported by [[Sixshot (G1)|six mysterious Transformers]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Greatshot)|Bonus Edition Greatshot}}

==Toys==
===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers''===
{{anchor|Generation 1}}
[[File:G1 UltraMagnusPreviewVersion toy.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Thank God for toy repurposing!]]
*'''Ultra Magnus Yokokuhen Version''' ([[February 26]], [[2001]])
**''ID number:'' '''C-69'''
**''Accessories:'' Large robot head, rifle, chest plate, trailer connector/waist plate, 2 small robot fists (left & right), 2 missile launchers, 4 missiles
{{note|The Movie Preview version of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#MoviePreview|Ultra Magnus]] doubles as a separate character in Dreamwave continuity and Japanese continuity.}}

: In the early stages of the development of ''The Transformers: The Movie'', [[The Transformers: The Movie promo|promotional footage]] for the movie was released that depicted [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] in the black, red, and dark blue color scheme of the original ''[[Diaclone]]'' Powered Convoy toy. As the second of two exclusive redecos released in the wake of the 2000 [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#2000reissue|reissue of the original Ultra Magnus toy]], the "Movie Preview Version" (予告編バージョン ''Yokokuhen Bājon'') of Ultra Magnus paid homage to this early appearance. He ''is'' just a redeco of the ''Transformers'' Magnus figure, however, and so despite his resemblance to the ''Diaclone'' figure, he still lacks that toy's exclusive features, like Powered Buggy, wheels in his chestplate, and a [[Diaclone (faction)|Diaclone]] pilot.

:Movie Preview Version Ultra Magnus was available exclusively at Toy Festival 2001, held on [[February 26]], 2001 in Tokyo, Japan, limited to 1,500 pieces.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/UltraMagnusPre-Movie/ultramagnus.htm More information on Ultra Magnus Movie Preview Version at TFU.info]''

===''Masterpiece''===
[[File:TF-Masterpiece-MP-31-Delta-Magnus.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Surprise, I'm not [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#MoviePreview|him]]! ...Or [[#2005 IDW continuity|him]]!]]
* '''Delta Magnus''' ([[August 27]], [[2016]])
**''ID number:'' '''MP-31'''
**''Accessories'': Energy Shotgun, 2 missiles, Marissa figure, 2 neutral faces, 2 yelling faces
: ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' Delta Magnus is a redeco of ''Masterpiece'' [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#MP22|MP-22 Ultra Magnus]] in his ''[[Diaclone]]'' precursor's colors, transforming into a car carrier with a functioning gate/ramp. His trailer can carry four ''Masterpiece'' Autobot cars – two on the upper deck, which features small indents to stop them from rolling off, and two on the lower. The figure lacks the Matrix of Leadership-holding hands that came with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#MP22|MP-22]], but his chest retains a storage space for the Matrix that came with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#MP10|MP-10]]. In place of the articulated [[Spike Witwicky (G1)#MP22|Spike]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)#MP22|Daniel]] figures from [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#MP22|MP-22]] he comes with [[Marissa Faireborn#Masterpiece|Marissa Faireborn]], who can ride in his cab. Delta Magnus comes with four interchangeable faces: yellow-eyed silent or shouting, and blue-eyed silent or shouting.

:If purchased from a seller supplied by Hasbro Asia, Delta Magnus comes with a [[collector coin]], mounted in a folding card styled like his chest and torso, opening to reveal the coin where the Matrix chamber would be.

{{MPMagnusMold}}
{{-}}

===''Shattered Glass Collection''===
[[File:Shattered Glass Collection-Delta Magnus.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Surprise, I'm [[Ultra Magnus (SG)|him]]! ...And [[Magna Convoy|him]]!]]
{{see|Ultra Magnus (SG)#Shattered Glass Collection}}
:''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)#Shattered Glass Collection|Shattered Glass Collection]]'' Ultra Magnus is a [[retool]] of ''[[War for Cybertron: Kingdom|Kingdom]]'' [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Kingdom|Ultra Magnus]], making use of an alternate skull head sculpt based on the original ''Shattered Glass'' character's design. However, in a rare move for a "mainline" ''Generations'' figure, Magnus also includes the toy's ''original'' head, noted by [[Mark Maher]] during a [[Hasbro Pulse#Fan First Friday|Hasbro Pulse Fan First <s>Friday</s> Tuesday]] livestream to allow fans to repurpose the figure as Delta Magnus.<ref>[[April 14]], [[2022]] [https://youtu.be/6MExpXH9zAg Fan First Tuesday | BACK-TO-BACK Transformers & Power Rangers Livestream], with [[Isabella Weiss]], [[Rachel Fleming]], [[Mark Maher]], and [[Takio Ejima]].</ref> Maher also consistently referred to the inner robot as [[Magna Convoy]]. Neither appellation made it onto the toy's packaging.
{{WFCSiegeUltraMagnusMold}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:TrasformerSuperBuggy.jpg|thumb|"If you think about, that Masterpiece toy is kinda like if your coworker died on the job and you wore their skin afterwards."]]
*Dreamwave's Ultra Magnus clone was never named in any of his appearances. He is included here because he uses the same basis—the Powered Convoy toy—as Delta Magnus.
*IDW Delta Magnus's body appears to incorporate elements of both [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]'s designs, including Magnus's [[:File:MTMTE28 megatron pleads guilty.jpg|antennae and huge shoulders]] and Pax's [[:File:ChaosTheory2 sorry bunch.jpg|shoulder-tires and droplet-shaped forehead vent]].
*In Japanese continuity, Powerdrive, as a buggy drone in his original form, is based on the original Powered Convoy's accessory, who was named "Powered Buggy" (パワードバギー). The implication here is that the original Powered Convoy toy, Powered Buggy and all, represents the original Delta Magnus, while the ''Masterpiece'' toy (with integrated cab and no partner) is Powerdrive as Delta Magnus.
*Delta Magnus's identity being taken up by a series of successors using the [[Magnus Armor]] after his death is, of course, a wholesale reference to the IDW version of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], whose present-day iteration is actually [[Minimus Ambus]].

===Origins===
[[File:Diaclone Powered Convoy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|I was the original [[Super Mode|super mode]].]]
In [[1983]], Takara released the ''[[Diaclone]]'' mecha toy Powered Convoy (パワードコンボイ), an alternative working of the Battle Convoy toy, the latter of which was recycled by Hasbro with minimal changes as ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' headliner [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Toys|Optimus Prime]]. In anticipation of the upcoming 1986 [[The Transformers: The Movie|theatrical film]], Hasbro opted to import the Powered Convoy toy as the character [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#Toys|Ultra Magnus]]. Before being informed of the toy selection, film artist [[Floro Dery]] would sketch an original design ([[:File:UltraMagnus-FloroDery3rdConcept-OrionPax.jpg|which did see use]] in the cartoon episode "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" as [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Orion Pax]], the young Optimus Prime). As the animation process for the film got underway, the ''Diaclone'' toy design was used in [[:File:DiacloneMagnusAnime1.jpg|initial footage]] of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but later on, Ultra Magnus was finalized with a ''Transformers''-original color scheme with a white truck cab. Nonetheless, various home media releases of the movie would give fans a glimpse of early-stage movie scenes featuring the ''Diaclone'' color scheme.

In [[2001]], Takara reissued Ultra Magnus in his ''Diaclone'' colors, labeled "Ultra Magnus Movie Preview Version" (ウルトラマグナス予告編バージョン) in homage to the early movie footage. In [[2004]], this toy would receive an [[Easter egg]] cameo in the [[Dreamwave Productions]] comic issue [[Night of the Combaticons|''Generation One'' #1]], and in [[2011]], a TFWiki page would be created for this hi-and-die character under the ''Diaclone''-inspired placeholder name "Powered Convoy". Concurrently, ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]]'' would introduce an ''Animated'' incarnation of the ''Diaclone'' design under the name "[[Powered Convoy]]", or P.C. Magnus.

Then in [[2012]], [[IDW Publishing]] comic writer [[James Roberts]] introduced the background character "Delta Magnus", an ambiguous relative of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], drawn by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Burcham]] in homage to the ''Diaclone'' toy. In [[2015]], this wiki opted to merge the pages for the Dreamwave and IDW characters together, and this decision soon proved to be prescient. The following year, TakaraTomy announced a ''Masterpiece'' redeco of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#MP22|Ultra Magnus]] using the ''Diaclone'' color scheme. This full-fledged neo-Generation 1 character employed the IDW character name and was given a bio referencing both the 1986 movie test footage and the 2012 IDW comics.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Delta Magnus''' (デルタマグナス ''Deruta Magunasu'')

==See also==
*[[Magna Convoy]]
*[[Powered Convoy]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Dreamwave Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Masterpiece]]
[[Category:Primal Vanguard]]
[[Category:Repurposed toys]]

Toxin

2023-09-09T02:24:26Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Toxin is an [[Autobot]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:TheGloaming Toxin.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|"I'm addicted to you, don't you know that I'm Toxin?"]]

'''Toxin''' is a crewmember of the ''[[Lost Light]]''. Whether he is [[Conjunx Endura|married]] to a [[Disposable class|data stick]] is unknown.

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
Toxin was present in the shuttle bay of the ''Lost Light'' when [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] was exiled for the part he had played in bringing [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] on board. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:Toxin-JPname.jpg|right|thumb|250px|You guys do know I was a bad guy in the fan comic that created me, right?]]
*Toxin was added to the ship's crew when penciller [[Agustin Padilla]] accidentally drew [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] amongst the Autobots gathered in the shuttle bay during Drift's exile, when the Autobot was in his quarters at the time. With a quick edit to the lineart and a new blue, green, and white paintjob, colorist [[Josh Burcham]] turned the figure into "Toxin", an unofficial character created for [[unofficial conventions|TFcon Canada 2011]], who himself was inspired by an unused cobra [[Autobot Master Warrior]] concept. Backmatter in the Japanese edition of [[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye#Japanese Reprints|''More than Meets the Eye'' Vol. 3]] would subsequently use the name—perhaps, dare we say, [[Circular reporting|because of its use on this wiki page]]—establishing it as official.
*The ''[[War for Cybertron: Earthrise|Earthrise]]'' [[Battle Master]] [[Slitherfang]] is a different take on the same design lineage.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Toxin''' (トキシン ''Tokishin'')

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKbKTHAou3Y Video review of Toxin figure] on YouTube

[[Category:Comic-only Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]

Grimlock (ES)

2023-08-30T14:41:52Z

Ectojazzmage: /* EarthSpark */

Special Autobot prison

2023-08-14T19:25:10Z

Ectojazzmage:

[[File:BumblebeeRescue special Autobot prison.jpg|thumb|250px|"Oz: that's the name on the street for the Oswald Maximum Security Penitentiary. Oz is retro, Oz is retribution. You wanna punish a man? Separate him from his family, separate him from himself, cage him up with his own kind."]]
A mighty foe requires a special prison, and that's why [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] has had a '''special Autobot prison''' built to hold them in. Unfortunately he built it before he and his men had any idea how they were going to get the Autobots inside it, but those details can be worked out later.

==Fiction==
===Coloring books===
Once the prison was completed, Megatron instructed his men to trap the [[Autobot]]s so they could be imprisoned within it. With the aid of [[Sleep Net]]s, the majority of the Autobots were soon rounded up and the Decepticons could carry on with their plans to conquer [[Earth]] without danger of being foiled. Unfortunately they'd overlooked Bumblebee. While [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] kept the Decepticons distracted, Bumblebee slipped into the prison and freed the other Autobots. {{storylink|Bumblebee to the Rescue!}}

[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Penal institutions]]

Darak

2023-07-28T01:42:15Z

Ectojazzmage:

:''Darak is an [[Agorrian]] from the [[Energon Universe]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Darak.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Solila|Bass]]! Why must I fight you! We are not enemies!]]

'''Darak''' is a top [[Agorrian]] pilot. A pragmatic survivor with a knack for thinking outside of the box, he'll do whatever it takes to get out of a tight situation—even break his civilization's longest-standing traditions by daring to work with his hated rivals, the [[Zertonian]]s.

==Fiction==
===Energon Universe===
When Darak was younger, he worked as an "edgewalker" as a means of inarticulate rebellion against his distant father, Minister [[Dulin]].

Many years later, Darak had become a pilot for the Agorrians. When a comet containing four thousand tons of ice passed by the Sacred Ring, Director [[Elander]] ordered Darak to retrieve the comet and tow it into Agorrian space; not only would this bolster their own water supplies, but doing so would also keep the comet out of the hands of the Zertonians, who were currently experiencing a water shortage. However, when Darak's ship cleared the orbit of the Sacred Ring, the vessel's autonomous systems failed to revive its pilot. While unconscious, Darak had a mysterious vision explaining the distant origins of his people—how the two races had come together once before to build the Sacred Ring, and would have to come together again once more—before he awoke, moments before a Zertonian starship intercepted his craft. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 2|Void Rivals #2}}

In the ensuing dogfight, both ships missed the comet, wound up in a distant quadrant, and crash-landed on a barren planet. Darak's Handroid was able to revive its wearer; moments after regaining consciousness, however, Darak discovered that the Zertonian pilot, [[Solila]], had also survived the crash. After a brief struggle, the Zertonian convinced him that, despite their long history of conflict, it would be better to work together to repair her mostly-intact vessel. The pair set to work repairing the ship, but when Solila attached a cable the wrong way, the power surge overloaded the ship's energy core and caused a devastating explosion. All was not lost, however, as Solila returned moments later, with news that she'd found an abandoned but mostly intact starship in a nearby valley. The pair attempted to jumpstart the ship's power cells—when they did so, however, the ship revealed itself to be the [[Transformer|Cybertronian]] [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], who promptly transformed and flew away.

Despite this latest setback, seeing Jetfire transform gave Darak the idea of stripping their armor for parts and using them to repair the ship, ignoring their race's shared taboos against removing their helmets in the presence of an enemy. The pair did so, and realized that Agorrians and Zertonians were members of the same species. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 1|Void Rivals #1}}

After returning to Darak's wrecked vessel, the pair spent weeks cobbling together whatever they could find into a ramshackle, semi-pressurized spacecraft—enough to get them off the planet and broadcast a long-distance distress signal. While floating through an asteroid field, their ship drifted into the path of [[Rockeroid|a massive starship]] built into the hull of a hollowed-out meteor; when the vessel pulled them in, the two ran afoul of its owner, a fearsome [[Skuxxoid]]. {{storylink|Void Rivals issue 2|Void Rivals #2}}

[[Category:Agorrians]]

Colin Doobrey-Smiff

2023-07-23T16:49:40Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{disambig3|Colin}}
:''Colin Doobrey-Smiff is a [[human]] from the [[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:TransformersGoesMonthly.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|I'm also a veteran of the Battle of Kulikovo!]]
'''Colin Doobrey-Smiff'''—a.k.a. '''Combat Colin'''—is a middle-aged, self-appointed hero to his home of suburban [[Wallytown]] and nearby Skegpool. While saving the world from a panoply of bizarre supervillains with his trusty sidekick [[Semi-Automatic Steve]], he also appears in his own [[Combat Colin|self-titled strip]] in the back pages of the [[United Kingdom|British]] ''[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Transformers]]'' comic.

==Fiction==
===''Combat Colin''===
[[File:Christmas with combat colin.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|One day, [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Ewing Al Ewing] will use this scene to repair three decades worth of Marvel continuity errors.]]
When the [[Transformer]]s organised a party to celebrate both [[Christmas]] and the [[The Greatest Gift of All!|250th issue of ''Transformers'']] a sign on the door made it clear that the party was for Transformers only and Colin and Steve were not invited. Instead, they decided to hold their own party in the [[Combat Shed]] and invited a variety of [[Marvel Comics]] characters. {{storylink|Christmas with Combat Colin}}

With the [[Rhythms of Darkness!|300th issue of ''Transformers'']], Colin's strip was to be printed in full colour but while he was celebrating this development almost all his enemies attacked the Combat Shed simultaneously. Colin defeated them with a single blast from a boxing-glove gun, which gave him the confidence to suggest that he might boot out the Transformers and take over the whole comic. However, when [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] appeared to pick up Colin and ask him, "Boot WHO out and take WHAT over?" Colin decided it might be best to stick to his own page after all. {{storylink|Combat Colin issue 300}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Colin is depicted as being fully aware that he's a fictional character in a comic strip, often breaking the fourth wall to address the reader directly or reference the comic in which he appears.
*As well as occasionally appearing in the world of the ''Transformers'', Colin had some adventures involving other characters from the mainstream Marvel Universe. [[Spider-Man]] makes cameos in a number of strips, whilst [[Doctor Doom]] appeared in one two-part story. He totally kicked Doom's ass.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Doobrey-Smiff, Colin}}
[[Category:Combat Colin characters]]
[[Category:Comic-only humans]]
[[Category:European-original characters]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 humans]]

Semi-Automatic Steve

2023-07-23T16:31:34Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Combat Colin */

{{disambig3|Steve}}
:''Steve is a [[human]] from the [[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Colin_and_steve_christmas.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Steve, right]]
'''Semi-Automatic Steve''' is the trusty sidekick of [[Colin Doobrey-Smiff]] in the ''[[Combat Colin]]'' strip in the back pages of the [[United Kingdom|British]] ''[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Transformers]]'' comic, where their adventures occasionally bring them into contact with the [[Transformer]]s and other [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] characters.

==Fiction==
===''Combat Colin''===
[[File:Christmas with combat colin.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|Steve, left]]
Steve and Colin were looking forward to the party to celebrate both [[Christmas]] and the [[The Greatest Gift of All!|250th issue of ''Transformers'']], but when they arrived a sign on the door made it clear that the party was for Transformers only and they were not invited. Though initially dejected, Steve phoned up [[Spider-Man]] and invited him and his friends to their own party in the [[Combat Shed]], where he made small talk with [[Captain America]]. {{storylink|Christmas with Combat Colin}}

Steve was with Colin when he learnt that with the [[Rhythms of Darkness!|300th issue of ''Transformers'']], his strip was to be printed in full colour. While they celebrated, almost all their various enemies united to attack the Combat Shed simultaneously. After Colin defeated them with a single blast from a boxing-glove gun, he boasted that he could boot out the Transformers and take over the whole comic. However, when [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] appeared to pick up Colin and ask him, "Boot WHO out and take WHAT over?" Colin decided it might be best for them to stick to their own page after all. {{storylink|Combat Colin issue 300}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Steve was based on Marvel UK colourist and editor of the ''[[Action Force (comic)|Action Force]]'' comic [[Steve White]].

{{DEFAULTSORT:Steve, Semi-Automatic}}
[[Category:Combat Colin characters]]
[[Category:Comic-only humans]]
[[Category:European-original characters]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 humans]]

Bludgeon (G1)

2023-06-21T00:27:32Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Legacy */

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|unicron}}
{{disambig3|Bludgeon}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}
:''Bludgeon is a [[Decepticon]] [[Pretender]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:MarvelUK-282.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|This is pretty much the most metal cover in TF history.]]
'''Bludgeon''' is a ferocious warrior, skilled in the ancient Cybertronian martial art of [[Metallikato]]. He and his blade can cut through the battlefield as if everyone else is operating at a minimal speed setting. Bludgeon's feats in battle seem nearly supernatural, which is probably the effect he's going for, if he doesn't believe his own hype. Utterly vicious and aloof, Bludgeon is also highly religious, adhering to an arcane code of honor. Though his beliefs fuel his single-minded bloodthirstiness with dogmatic precision, they also cause him to be rather superstitious.

Bludgeon's confidence, skill, and grand words have often catapulted him to the upper ranks of the Decepticons. Who wouldn't fall in line behind him? He's charismatic! The [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] is his usual host of cronies, but he's also been known to fill in as [[Decepticon leader]] if a power vacuum presents itself.

Bludgeon is (obviously) a [[Pretender]] who has adopted a shell which takes the appearance of a skeletal samurai. His signature weapon is an [[Energo weapon|energo-sword]], though he also carries a shield and a [[Electric cannon|high-voltage electric cannon]]. In accordance with his martial arts motif, generators in his shell's legs can create disorienting clouds of smoke, and he can generate electric fireballs from the torso of either his body or his shell.<ref>Bludgeon's ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' profile says the electric fireballs are fired from either of his torsos. His original toy bio said they're fired from between his shell's antennas.</ref>

Sometimes Bludgeon combines with some of the members of the Mayhem Attack Squad to form [[Thunder Mayhem]].

{{quote|Prattling fool! Your warrior heart is tainted by an idiot's tongue! Perhaps I shall remove '''both''' for you!|Bludgeon takes on [[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]]|"[[The Primal Scream]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Bludgeonasavageplace.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|The shoulder is a well-known [[Transformer]] instant-death spot.]]
''When Decepticons [[Catilla (G1)|Catilla]] and [[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]] defected to the [[Autobot]]s, a new Mayhem Attack Squad was formed which included Bludgeon, his Pretender cohorts [[Stranglehold]] and [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]], [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], and [[Snarler]]. After a [[solid light simulation]] of a mission in [[Slaughter City]], their prey was authorized—they would hunt down and kill Catilla, Carnivac, and their new [[Wreckers|Wrecker]] friends.'' {{storylink|The Hunting Party (Marvel)|The Hunting Party}} ''They found Carnivac outside [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], and Bludgeon, promising him a warrior's death, led the charge.'' {{storylink|Way of the Warrior}} ''However, Carnivac managed to draw first blood, injuring Bludgeon's shoulder. The confrontation was then interrupted by the National Guard, and Carnivac escaped Bludgeon and the other Mayhems while they were distracted by the new arrivals.'' {{storylink|Survival Run}} ''After dealing with the fleshlings, the Decepticons tracked Carnivac down to [[Los Gravos]], [[Mexico]]. [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] was about to deal the killing blow, when Catilla rescued him. However, Bludgeon threw his [[sword]] into Catilla, killing Carnivac's savior. As the rest of the Autobots arrived, Bludgeon ordered a withdrawal. Carnivac swore that Bludgeon and the other Mayhems would pay for killing his friend.'' {{storylink|A Savage Place!}}

[[File:Bludgeonstrangleholdoctopunchmodelsheet.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb|The [[Nelson Yomtov|colorist]] made me look hunchbacked.]]
He later took on the leadership of [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'s new [[Mayhem Attack Squad]], sent to slay the newly resurrected [[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]], and [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. Alongside the [[Rescue Patrol (G1)|Rescue Patrol]], the [[Classic Pretender]]s were due to be teleported to [[Earth]], an operation Bludgeon attempted to interrupt by shoving his blade through the transportation machine. Instead, he and the Mayhems were transported with the Autobots to the center of Cybertron. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}} Here, the Mayhems found the Autobots being told the story of Cybertron's origins by the [[Keeper (Transformer)|Keeper]]. Despite being on holy ground, Bludgeon and his compatriots attacked, with Bludgeon gaining the upper hand against Jazz until Bumblebee managed to sneak up on him. Bludgeon was lured into a nearby canal, where Seawatch grappled him and hoisted him away with his boat mode. In his absence, the battle inadvertently awakened the slumbering [[Primus]]. Ultimately, the transportation was completed, and the Mayhems were sent to Earth along with the Autobots, {{storylink|The Primal Scream}} where they told [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s coming and joined his Decepticons on Earth. When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] surrendered his Autobots to Scorponok in order to facilitate an alliance against Unicron, Bludgeon helped the other Decepticons imprison the surrendered Autobots. {{storylink|Surrender!}}

Bludgeon fought on Scorponok's side during the subsequent [[Decepticon Civil War]] {{storylink|...All This and Civil War 2}} and was transported with all of them to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] by [[Primus]]. Primus (speaking through the body of [[Emirate]] [[Xaaron]]) told them of the history between himself and Unicron, while Bludgeon cleaned his sword. He was there also to quell the sudden [[Acolyte of Unicron|Unicron cultist]] uprising, remarking that to a master of [[Metallikato]], their moves were like slow motion. {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} When Unicron himself arrived, though, the superstitious Bludgeon ran like hell. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} Thankfully, Optimus Prime's sacrifice saved them all, and Bludgeon was there standing over Prime's body with a few others as he died. The Autobot/Decepticon alliance that emerged was shaky and the Decepticons leaderless, so Bludgeon and [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] discussed a plan of their own. {{storylink|Still Life!}}

[[File:Bludgeonlastautobot.jpg|left|upright=1.55|thumb|It's a good thing the Battlechargers were dead then, or Bludgeon's shell would've been totally ganked.]]
Tensions came to a head when [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] discovered that Cybertron was tearing itself apart in the aftermath of the Transformers' victory against Unicron. While Bludgeon openly kept the peace (like keeping [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] in line at meetings), he and Krok began to worry that some of the Decepticons were in ''favour'' of peaceful alliance and plotted to break it up. New Autobot leader Grimlock almost gave them an opening by beating the tar out of Fangry, until [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]] stopped the fight; Bludgeon quickly exploited the situation anyway, demanding the full details of the Autobots' plans.

Now knowing they intended to start anew on another planet and live in peace, he sabotaged the Autobot ships and assumed command of the Decepticons. He gave the troops a rousing speech, condemning the Autobot plan as weak and advocating a return to conquest as was the Decepticon way. Having risen from the ranks to light their darkest hour, he was cheered on by the Decepticons. {{storylink|Exodus!}}

[[File:Bludgeon-youlie1.jpg|thumb|Look at him go. What a skeleton!]]
With his Decepticons eager for conquest, Bludgeon randomly selected the planet of [[Klo]] as their first target. {{storylink|A Savage Circle}} The peaceful inhabitants of Klo were easily (and violently) subdued, and Bludgeon thought this planet did not meet the challenges befitting their warrior race. In turn, Krok pleased him with news that their ships were bugged and that they should be expecting the Autobots to be arriving soon. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}}

Indeed, when the Autobots arrived, Bludgeon's Decepticons were ready for them, luring them into an ambush—only five Autobots escaped their purge, and Bludgeon sent a small hunting party after them. Ultimate victory was snatched from Bludgeon only by divine intervention. The [[Last Autobot]] arrived with a resurrected Optimus Prime and the [[Neo-Knights]]. Bludgeon rejected this development on religious grounds; the Last Autobot, according to his beliefs, was the Ultimate Warrior, who was bent on conquest. He ordered his troops to attack the "unbelievers". Ultimately, the Decepticons were defeated. The Last Autobot was able to revive the fallen Autobots at will, and Bludgeon was forced to admit defeat and withdraw. As he and the Decepticons retreated, he promised a "solitary exile" to the Autobots—while saying that they were fleeing to fight another day to his subordinates. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}
{{-}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:Aspects of evil bludgeon.jpg|left|90px|thumb|GIVE ME YOUR THROAT.]]
In an alternate [[1990]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] was captured by the Decepticons and freed by an agent placed within their ranks. [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] accused Bludgeon of being the culprit, and Bludgeon demanded the chance to prove himself through [[Trial by Combat]]. He was released and chased by [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], [[Stranglehold]] and [[Warmonger]]. Bludgeon easily dispatched the former two but was caught from behind by Warmonger, who couldn't bring himself to kill in cold blood. Realizing who the infiltrator was, Megatron destroyed Warmonger, then reflected that it would have simply been easier to kill all four of them. {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}
{{-}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[File:UKBludgeonEarthForce.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|There wolf!]]
Following Catilla's death, the Mayhems set up a base on a deserted island, where Needlenose decided to test their response time in an emergency. Enraged, Bludgeon threatened to tear him apart, but was stopped by Snarler. As Needlenose returned to his quarters, he was ambushed by Carnivac, who had snuck in during the chaos caused by his "drill". His calls for help were ignored by Snarler and Bludgeon, who thought that their comrade was once more lying about the emergency. {{storylink|Cry Wolf!}} Carnivac decided to pick off Bludgeon next, finding him meditating. Bludgeon sensed him coming and took him on, and the other Mayhems responded to the commotion. Bludgeon wanted to finish this traitor with his blade as well, but Spinister decided to end it summarily by slagging Carnivac with his blaster instead. {{storylink|Wolf in the Fold!}} Angry at losing his kill, Bludgeon was pleased to find [[Earthforce]] attacking them, in an attempt to rescue Carnivac. He and his fellow Pretenders were defeated, outnumbered by the Autobots. But before they could be executed, a shell-less Carnivac appeared and told the Autobots to spare them, denying them a warrior's death. {{storylink|Where Wolf?}}

Captives of Earthforce, Bludgeon and his Pretender partners were held in a cell together. To get free, Bludgeon arranged a most subtle escape attempt with his cell mates. At first, they all remained completely silent for an extended period of time, partly to unnerve their guard, [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]], but also to give Bludgeon time to make mental contact with his katana, locked away in the property vault. Once he found the weapon and began summoning it back to him through the hallways, Bludgeon signaled Stranglehold to begin pounding frantically on the floor. This sudden activity spooked Inferno into opening the cell door to pacify the prisoner, only to wind up with a floating sword in his backside. The Pretenders then simply walked out over his leaking body. {{storylink|Shut Up!}}

Afterwards, Bludgeon and the others hooked up with Megatron and Shockwave, the deposed leaders of the Decepticons, and took on a bounty to assassinate their betrayers, [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|Assassins}} Though the Pretenders were only meant to eliminate whichever of their targets had survived an orchestrated battle between the pair, they found both Starscream and Soundwave functional upon their arrival. Unperturbed, Bludgeon and his teammates surmised that they could ask to be paid double for the hit once it had been completed. {{storylink|External Forces!}} The assassins outnumbered their prey, but they hadn't counted on the Autobots intervening on Starscream's behalf. It seemed the Dinobot [[Snarl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Snarl]] was dying, and could only be saved by a systems boost from a compatible Transformer, namely Starscream. [[Swoop (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Swoop]] and [[Sludge (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Sludge]] joined the fight on Starscream's side, and the Mayhems were defeated. {{storylink|The Lesser Evil!}}

=====Another Time & Place=====
[[File:BludgeonStrangleholdOctopunch-AnotherTimeAndPlace.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1|Bludgeon: All skeleton, no spine.]]
After the defeat on Klo, Bludgeon decided the Decepticons needed some "old blood" back in charge. He traveled to Earth and retrieved the deactivated body of [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] from the wreckage of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. Then, he seized upon an opportunity to follow Grimlock and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] to [[Hydrus Four]], the source of the miraculous energy known as [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] which had supercharged the Dinobot commander. Slipping ahead of the Dinobots as they made their way to the medical facility, Bludgeon and his Decepticons set up a [[Holocaust Trigger]] to trap the Dinobots, disabling them without firing a shot. Unfortunately for Bludgeon, he ignored [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]]'s cries of "Let's just kill them already!" and instead planned on keeping Grimlock and the Dinobots alive long enough for them to witness the triumphant resurrection of Megatron. That didn't mean, however, that he kept his fellow Decepticons from aggressively torturing their fallen captives.

In a matter of hours, a full scale Autobot strike force had tracked the Dinobots down to Hydrus Four and assaulted Bludgeon's position. Fearing his rag-tag team of Decepticons wouldn't be enough, Bludgeon accelerated Megatron's revival, sending the half-mad, half-living monstrosity at Optimus Prime. He had no time to gloat, though—the heavily injured Dinobot known as Swoop had dragged himself to the control module for one of the [[repair spider|medical machines]] in the area, setting its spidery arms to work on Bludgeon, disassembling him in seconds down to his core components.

Bludgeon didn't even have time to scream. {{storylink|Another Time & Place}}
{{-}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:Bludgeontalesofearth.jpg|upright=1.15|thumb|G2, home of New Extreme Weapons.]]
Optimus Prime considered Bludgeon a defeated threat. When the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Empire]] was discovered, he considered if "Bludgeon had lied about his plans" but decided that this was too advanced an operation. {{storylink|War Without End!}}

Turns out Prime was dumb as what Bludgeon had actually meant by "solitary exile" was "build a slag-off big planet-like spacecraft called the [[Warworld]] and attack vessels for their cargo across the galaxy". {{storylink|Primal Fear!|Old Evils}} He also battled Optimus Prime and the Autobots over a store of ancient alien weapons, but an [[Guardian (G2)|alien entity]] drove him off. {{storylink|Ghosts}} After that, he went back to stealing resources—and finished the construction of a [[Bludgeon's new army|new generation of Decepticon warriors]], who just needed the Matrix to come back to life. That meant luring Prime to him... {{storylink|Primal Fear!|Old Evils}}

[[File:Bludgeon-PowerAndTheGlory.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Also, so very much less.]]
To lure Prime out, Bludgeon launched a full-scale attack on Earth and did succeed in drawing Optimus Prime to Earth's defense, but not before Bludgeon was confronted by the newly rebuilt [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], who wanted command of the Decepticons for himself once more. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Tales of Earth Part One}} Bludgeon destroyed Megatron's gun with one swipe of his blade, but neglected to realize how enhanced the new Megatron was—the former Decepticon leader ripped Bludgeon's Pretender skull off with one hand. Undaunted, Bludgeon proclaimed himself an agent of chaos and transformed into his little-used tank mode to confront Megatron on his own terms. He briefly drove back Megatron, but ultimately the Decepticons' founder proved to be too much for their current leader, and his new railgun destroyed Bludgeon utterly. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory|Tales of Earth Part Two}}

[[File:Megatron ignores Bludgeon's severed head.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|If you think this is harsh Bludgeon, Swindle would've sold your skull on eBay by now.]]
The victorious Decepticon leader subsequently displayed Bludgeon's severed head in the Warworld, though he did muse that he might have spared Bludgeon's life if he'd known how much the guy had achieved and envisioned with limited time and resources. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} Later on, the Decepticons would try not to say the word "bludgeon" around Megatron (even with the "to hit things" meaning) just in case it annoyed him. {{storylink|New Dawn}}
{{-}}

====Fleetway ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:Bludgeon-WarWithoutEndUK.jpg|thumb|upright=1|thumb|[[Robin Smith]], copying a [[character model]] pose??? [[Ravage (G1)|Never!]]]]
Intending to draw out Autobots to Earth and steal the Matrix to bring a new generation of Decepticons to life, Bludgeon attacked Earth in force—specifically [[London]]. Unfortunately for him, the Autobots were already there, and attacked just as his troops were low on fuel. Bludgeon fought Optimus in direct combat and lost. {{storylink|War Without End (issue)|War Without End}} When Megatron turned up afterwards to fight Optimus, Bludgeon's men actually ''attacked'' Megatron just in case it was Bludgeon he was stomping: [[Rage (G1)|Rage]] bluntly said that the Pretender was their boss, not the old guy.

Bludgeon sneaked away {{storylink|War Zone}} to try exactly the same tactic again. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Tales of Earth Part One}}—and learned if at first you don't succeed, Try #2 will get you killed by Megatron. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory|Tales of Earth Part Two}}
{{-}}

====''Classics''====
{{noteclassics}}
[[File:Bludgeon Piranacon AtFightsEnd.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Is that you, Brainiac?]]
Optimus Prime was reluctant to prolong the war by following Bludgeon and his followers across the galaxy, but [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] was more than happy to. Grimlock, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]], and a crew of others searched and fought Bludgeon's Decepticons in the fringes of known space, but to no known resolution. At some point the mysterious Decepticon, [[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]], joined Bludgeon's Decepticons, and Bludgeon put him in charge of his own subgroup. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

As Bludgeon became aware of Megatron's re-emergence, he began to prepare his forces to repel an attempted coup by the former Decepticon leader. Bludgeon and his Sub-Commander [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snaptrap]] were readying their battleplans when [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]] brought to his attention their plans may have been compromised from within. They apparently identified the traitor working for Megatron, [[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Gurrr]] of the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s, and so Bludgeon confronted him with the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]]s. A fight broke out between [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] and [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]] as a result, but Bludgeon's loyal gestalt won, and so they returned to battle preparation. In the war room, Bludgeon became so intent on watching for Megatron's next move on the monitors that he failed to notice Seawing removing his sword. Only after the Seacons had formed Piranacon again did Bludgeon finally realize he had miscalculated. Piranacon's mass compression cannon destroyed the Pretender completely, leaving room for Megatron to swoop in and claim full leadership of the Decepticons. {{storylink|At Fight's End}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{NoteRG1}}
[[File:BludgeonVision DestinyPt3.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"I will die naked and alone? Glorious!"]]
Bludgeon felt his warrior's honor was deeply tarnished on [[Klo]], when he faltered and retreated instead of fighting to his death. The various conquests and victories the Decepticons achieved since then did nothing to remove that stain. Deep in meditation, Bludgeon received a vision of his own glorious death at the hands of a worthy opponent back on Cybertron, and he began plotting to bring this future about. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Three}}

Twenty years after the defeat at Klo, the Autobots unaware of his location, Bludgeon was finally ready to take his revenge. He contacted [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] at the secret [[Fort Scyk]] base, revealing he had agents on Cybertron and even in the Neo-Decepticons, and requested Soundwave retrieve a valuable resource for him in exchange for aid against the Autobots. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 1}} The moment came when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and many of his warriors were occupied on Earth. Soundwave contacted Bludgeon as his men eliminated another bio-mechanical species on [[Torkulon]], telling him to expect delivery soon. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3}}

Soundwave successfully retrieved the Matrix-infused remains of [[Thunderwing (G1)|Lord Thunderwing]], the "spark" Bludgeon needed to bring life to his [[Blitz Engine]]s—adaptable, self-regenerating war machines of tremendous power. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Three}} The spark was lit, and Bludgeon and Soundwave observed a successful field test of the Engines' power on [[Cresta Superior]]. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}} Soundwave returned to Cybertron and used his Neo-Decepticons to orchestrate the total blinding of Cybertron's long-range sensors, allowing Bludgeon and the Warworld to come within striking distance unnoticed. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Two}}

[[File:DestinyPt5 BludgeonRoadbuster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left]]
As the siege began, Bludgeon dropped Blitz Engine troopers all over Cybertron, devastating Autobot defensive measures. The Warworld was transmitting Matrix-energy to power the Engines' sparks, and so it needed to be close to the assault, but Bludgeon initially refrained from bringing the Warworld's more awe-inspiring weapons to activation. Something needed to be left of Cybertron to rule, after all. Still, at his troops' encouragement, Bludgeon agreed to a symbolic strike. Hacking the Autobot surveillance feed, he made them watch as the Warworld's city-killer armaments were brought down on top of a single target: [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. (Miraculously, Magnus survived by using the body of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] as a super-dense shield.) {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}}

[[File:RodimusVBludgeon DestinyPt5.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"C'mon, beat me up! I'll even sing "[[The Touch]]" for you if need be."]]
Bludgeon sent his soldiers to join the Neo-Decepticon forces on the ground, but remained on board the Warworld in anticipation of his final battle. He easily dispatched the [[Wreckers]] commando unit sent to disable the Thunderwing link to the Blitz Engines, and was prepared to deliver the killing stroke to [[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]] when his fated opponent arrived: ''[[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]]'', freshly empowered by an alternate Creation Matrix and ascended to the name of Prime. Unimpressed at first, Bludgeon learned otherwise when Rodimus Prime caught his blade in mid-strike. The battle after that was swift but certain, as Rodimus threw Bludgeon out of the Warworld, letting him hurtle uncontrollably into the planet's surface below. {{storylink|Less Than Zero}} {{storylink|Destiny, Part Five}}

Adding insult to horrible, horrible injury, Rodimus found Bludgeon's still smoldering frame after the battle. Bludgeon lived, barely, and insisted Rodimus finish the job. Instead, Rodimus Prime refused to grant Bludgeon his "glorious death", and ordered Autobot medics to make sure Bludgeon survived to suffer the ignominy of imprisonment. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 1}} His imprisonment probably didn't last long as he was most likely turned into a [[shadow-leech]] along with nearly every other Decepticon, presumably an even more ignominious end. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 5}}

====''Transformers '84''====
[[File:Decepticons purge secrets and lies 3.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7]]
When [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] took over leadership of the Decepticons, he greatly increased their efforts to eliminate every surviving Autobot on the planet. Bludgeon was at the forefront of one of these brutal purges. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 3|Secrets & Lies #3}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:WarWithin Escalation Bludgeons vision.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|EPIC FORESHADOWING.]]
During the so-called [[Dark Ages]] of the Autobot-Decepticon conflict, Bludgeon, alongside [[Bugly (G1)|Bugly]] and [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], formed the [[Chaos Trinity]], a group that sought to harness the dark forces of the universe and use them to their advantage. During one of their ceremonies in the [[Polities of Cybertron|Orbital Torus State]] of [[Kalis]], they were interrupted by the mysterious being known as [[The Fallen]], who applauded their amateur theatrics while mocking the lack of substance behind their words. He offered them [[Furmanism|power beyond measure]] in exchange for their servitude, a proposal that Bludgeon at first boldly refused, then agreed to once The Fallen changed the term for which they would be referred to. The Fallen tasked his new "disciples" with capturing a number of Transformers in order to perform a bizarre ceremony called The [[Unbinding]] in [[Well of All Sparks|Cybertron's core]]. {{storylink|Fragmentation (G1)|Fragmentation}} Soon, Bludgeon began to chafe at being ordered around without any tangible reward, so The Fallen gave him a glimpse of the dark power, ensuring the Decepticon's loyalty. While the [[Wreckers]] and [[Ultracon]]s busied themselves with their civil war, unaware of the events unfolding, Bludgeon formulated a strategy to capture two of their targets: the Trinity would exploit [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s twisted sense of justice and have him deliver himself and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] into their trap. {{storylink|Escalation}}

[[File:WarWithin Confrontation BludgeonBlades.jpg|thumb|upright=2.4|And you call yourself 'Blades'? You don't even have a blade!]]
When Jetfire met with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] in the [[Neutral Territories]] to discuss their suspicions about an outside force influencing the current conflict, the Trinity sprung their trap, attacking the Decepticon Commander. Bludgeon declared that once he would have never dared face Shockwave in battle, but he had been given new insights into the [[dark science]] and his ability to see the bigger picture, the latter no longer stood a chance. Once Shockwave was taken care of, the Trinity captured Jetfire, but noticed that Grimlock hadn't taken the bait of Jetfire's supposed treachery. As they prepared to leave, Grimlock jumped them, forcing The Fallen to step in. {{storylink|Revelation (The Dark Ages)|Revelation}}

With two of the targets secured, The Fallen ordered the Trinity to capture [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], leader of the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]], while he would take care of the fourth target personally. In the ruins of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], while the Protectobots were discussing their problems with maintaining their control while combined as [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], Bludgeon and the Trinity attacked, taking down the other Protectobots with ease and capturing Hot Spot. {{storylink|Confrontation (issue)|Confrontation}}

[[File:BanzaitronBludgeonDWMTME.jpg|thumb|left]]
While The Fallen used the four prisoners to unlock the [[Seal of Primus]], Bludgeon and the others were forced to defend the access shaft to the underground chamber against the Decepticons. Though Bludgeon stood resolute, ordering his comrades to fight on, with the faith that they would be rewarded for their loyal service, his resolve soon crumbled when the Autobots and the [[Lightning Strike Coalition]] joined forces with Shockwave and eliminated Bugly and Mindwipe. Bludgeon escaped underground to seek his master, only to be gunned down by a teleporting [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]. {{storylink|Conflagration}}

At some point, Bludgeon in his Pretender shell faced off against [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzai-Tron]] in presumably training or a tournament. This moment was recorded into [[Vector Sigma]]. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye#Issue #8|More than Meets the Eye #8}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity===
[[File:DWDropshot sliced.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|left|Silent but deadly.]]

====Ask Vector Prime====
In a universe ultimately destroyed by [[Unicron]], Bludgeon joined [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s team of [[Herald of Unicron|Heralds of Unicron]] to serve [[Last Autobot|the Ultimate Warrior]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#September 19, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 19/09/2015}}

====Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic====
Bludgeon, Galvatron, [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] were sent to prepare [[Aurex 402.24 Gamma|this universe]]'s Cybertron for Unicron's arrival, starting with capturing the [[Decepticon Command Headquarters]]. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}} After the group had activated all the [[space bridge]]s in the [[space bridge nexus]] in order to destabilize local space-time, Bludgeon was left to guard the nexus while the other three went to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4}} He attacked [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]]'s unit when they arrived to investigate and put up a formidable assault (as [[Dropshot (Armada)|Dropshot]] could attest), though the Autobots eventually realized the secret to his technique and forced him to retreat, leaving behind his Pretender shell. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 3 of 4}} He returned when Jetfire attempted to use the space-bridge portal, but like the rest of the Heralds was shortly blown up when the Autobot detonated the entire base. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}
{{--}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:Bludgeon Robot GIJoe.jpg|upright=0.8|right|thumb|Bludgeon always secretly dreamed of being a [[Visionaries|Visionary]].]]
Eons ago, when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] was given the [[Matrix of Leadership]], Bludgeon attempted to kill him, but failed.

Along with the [[Pretender Monster]]s, Bludgeon traveled to Earth, seeking to be present at the planet's destruction by Unicron. The group was shot down by the [[China|Chinese]] Air Force, however, and damaged in the process. An alliance with the underground kingdom of [[Cobra-La]] provided them with life-sustaining [[Pretender]] shells in exchange for protecting the kingdom. He was responsible for the death of [[Atomic Man]] in 1978, when the [[Adventure Team]] came snooping too close to Cobra-La's hidden lair in the caves beneath [[Tibet]]. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}

Decades later, Bludgeon engaged Optimus Prime in battle as the Autobot attempted to infiltrate Cobra-La's caves. After being burned by Bludgeon, Optimus ripped the chest from Bludgeon's Pretender shell. In his anger, Bludgeon lost his edge and fell off a cliff. Although Optimus had caught him, Bludgeon chose to fall, standing by his philosophy of "merciless death and destruction." {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2}}
{{-}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Stormbringer issue 1|''Transformers: Stormbringer'' #1]]

[[File:Bludgeon Thundercracker SLOrionPax.jpg|upright=1.55|thumb|left|I seek glory, power, enlightenment, and my lower jaw.]]
In the earliest days of the war, Bludgeon was ordered by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] to capture [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] so that the Decepticons could use him to find [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. To this end, he kidnapped [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] and organized a hostage exchange in the [[Rust Sea|Rust Spot]], knowing that the Autobots would have to use Alpha Trion to find their way through the area. The plan worked up until that point, but Alpha Trion escaped his clutches thanks to the efforts of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]], one of the hostage exchangers. As payback, Bludgeon had him strapped to a shuttle programmed crash into the nearest settlement, and though Orion tried to stall for time by telling him he'd go far in life only to overreach and become a symbol of failure, Bludgeon didn't really care and launched his captive into the sky. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

[[File:Bludgeon altmode TheHuntingParty.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Ancient Metallikato secret... the flying tank.]]
Following Metroplex's departure from Cybertron, Bludgeon continued his hunt for the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] using the starship ''[[Empirion]]''. One of his subordinates, [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]], tracked their prey to a desolate planetoid inhabitated by some pesky [[Urtuskian|aliens]], so Bludgeon commenced planetary bombardment to get them out of the way. The assault attracted the attention of a group of Autobots who rammed and crippled the ''Empirion'', forcing Bludgeon to abandon ship and fight them until Thundercracker reported that Metroplex was nowhere to be found. As the Decepticons retreated to continue their hunt elsewhere, Bludgeon had Thundercracker transferred out of his unit for seemingly having led them into an Autobot trap. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

During the war, Bludgeon formed an army of "deviants and half-forms", an event that would be remembered as one of the most horrible things the Decepticons did. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}}

[[File:SpotlightSoundwave Bludgeon defeatsLaserbeakRavage.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|Wait, does this mean that Piranacon [[Bludgeon (G1)#Classics|is stealthier]] than ''Ravage''?]]
Bludgeon was the leader of a team of Decepticons (including [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]], [[Finback]], [[Skullgrin]], and [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]]) who were assigned by Megatron to look into what [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'s various projects were when he disappeared. {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}} Megatron also sent [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] to spy on them. {{storylink|Shockpoint}} During this time, Bludgeon discovered Shockwave's work on [[Regenesis]]. Eventually, however, they discovered the remains of [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], the Decepticon scientist who became the cause of the Cybertronian cataclysm. Bludgeon came to believe that Thunderwing was an avatar of the apocalypse, and became bent on restoring the wasted Cybertron to its former glory by resurrecting him. He and his team of Decepticons believed that in reawakening Thunderwing and turning him loose, the mass sacrifice of worlds would allow the rebirth of Cybertron. They also delved into the outlawed [[Pretender|polydermal grafting]] experiments pioneered by Thunderwing, in an attempt to create super-shells of their own.

In [[1984]] they went to [[Earth]] to extract a load of [[Ore-13|Ultra-Energon]], establishing a base within Mt. St. Helens. Soundwave naturally followed them. He eventually came to them asking for a cut of their profits, believing that they meant to sell the energon, but when he realized that they meant to resurrect Thunderwing he tried to stop them. They used one of Shockwave's devices to lock him in his alt-mode, then caused a volcanic eruption and returned to Cybertron via an [[orbital jump|orbital bounce]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}}

[[File:IDWBludgeonShell.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Yes... I feel it, the power... fills me. Yes, I feel the universe within me! I am... I am a part of the cosmos! Its energy flows... flows through me! Of what consequence are you now?]]
Twenty-three years later, [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] and the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], detecting the Ultra-Energon from orbit, went to investigate, and were taken by the cult, planning to use them as raw materials for their shells. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} Bludgeon wanted Jetfire to witness Thunderwing's awakening, to make him see that Thunderwing had been right to experiment, but Jetfire eventually annoyed him too much. Connecting his mind to an [[axis cradle]] that controlled Thunderwing's blank neuroscape, Bludgeon sent Thunderwing to destroy [[Nebulos]], then engaged the auto-drive to inspect his own shell's progress. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] and the Wreckers attacked Bludgeon's base on Cybertron by surprise, Iguanus escaped to the bio-graft chamber to find Bludgeon—only to find the cult leader having donned full polydermal armor. However, in Bludgeon's rush, the shell was not mentally aligned, causing a psychic backlash that took down the Decepticon before the Wreckers even found him. It was unclear at the time whether Bludgeon's mind survived, though it was believed to be in torment if it had. Prime felt that he got off lightly for having unleashed Thunderwing. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}}

[[File:SpotlightSideswipe Bludgeon attacks.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.95|"I can tell you're happy to see me, Craig... IN YOUR PANTS!"]]
After the defeat of Thunderwing, Bludgeon was transferred to [[Garrus-9]], where [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] stored his extracted [[spark]] in the Rig. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}} However, during [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]]'s attempt to bring forth the [[Expansion]], Bludgeon was reactivated inside his cell by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] to stop Jetfire from attempting to take control of Thunderwing. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}} The remote-controlled Bludgeon sliced its way into Jetfire's lab and Jhiaxus planned to have it kill the Autobot. However, multiple fronts of Autobot resistance at each [[Nega-Core]] kept Jhiaxus from focusing his full attention on controlling Bludgeon, and he was forced to abandon his effort to kill Jetfire. [[Cloudraker (G1)|Cloudraker]] and [[Fastlane]] arrived and quickly disarmed the now-inert Bludgeon, and Jetfire borrowed the Pretender's [[sword]] to go aid Optimus Prime in his fight against Nemesis Prime. Bludgeon's body was presumably returned to confinement afterwards. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

[[File:AHM bludgeoniseeevill.jpg|upright=1.9|thumb|Another inconsistency [[John Barber]] has to fix.]]
Somehow freed from Garrus-9 and again in possession of his full faculties (such as they were), Bludgeon was given command of the ''[[Torment]]'', a Decepticon warship crewed by the [[Pretender Monster|Monstructor Six]]. Still displaying cultish fanaticism and a cruel streak a mile wide, he urged his crew onward in pursuit of the maverick Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]]. Downing the Autobot's shuttlecraft, Bludgeon had his ship land and crew disembark to sacrifice Hot Rod for the greater purpose of restoring Cybertron. With the untimely arrival of the crew of the battleship ''[[Trion]]'', Bludgeon ordered his acolytes to form Monstructor and crush the Autobots. However, his forces were put to rout by a precise shot from [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'s sniper rifle, which hit the vulnerable connecting joint of the large combiner. Appearing to realize what he was up against, Bludgeon sounded the retreat. {{storylink|Lost & Found}} In actuality, he was leading the pursuing ''Trion'' to Cybertron, where several Decepticon battlecruisers staged an ambush, sending the Autobot craft plummeting to the planet below. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

[[File:Bludgeon Wheelie Syndromica1.jpg|left|upright=0.65|thumb|Annnnnd ''fixed''. Thanks, John!]]
With Bludgeon still in command, the ''Torment'' later arrived in the nick of time to rescue Shockwave from the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], who opted to retreat rather than face him and the Monstructor Six. {{storylink|The Ties That Bind (issue)|The Ties That Bind}}

Several years later, learning that Jhiaxus had returned and was the captive of [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|his]] [[Garnak|crew]], Bludgeon, following the orders of Shockwave, put into motion a plan to liberate him. Taking Monstructor to the planet [[Arduria]], he sent out a phony distress call that lured Hardhead's crew—joined now by Orion Pax, formerly Optimus Prime—to the frozen world. While Monstructor kept Hardhead and Orion busy, Bludgeon penetrated their ship, easily cutting his way through [[Garnak]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and liberating Jhiaxus. Together, the villains set off to track down the other planets that had been targeted by the Regenesis program crafted by Shockwave, who had been Jhiaxus's greatest student. {{storylink|Syndromica (1)}}

Bludgeon arrived on planet [[LV-117]], which thanks to the Regenesis missile that had landed there, existed in a constant state of chronal flux. After they both separately came in contact with the time machine aboard [[Turmoil]]'s stolen ship, Bludgeon and Orion Pax were sent adrift across different eras of the planet, moving in opposite directions through time in relation to each other. Bludgeon managed to steal the device that allowed LV-117's inhabitants to control their planet's journey through time and slew Wheelie's friend [[Varta]] in the process, before he and Jhiaxus escaped aboard Turmoil's ship. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}}

The villains tracked down [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], one of Bludgeon's old [[Titan Hunter]] subordinates, who had once managed to control a Titan. After duping Orion Pax into raising a deactivated Titan on [[Gorlam Prime]], they used Waspinator to seize control of it. The Titan's [[space bridge]] was used to teleport it back to Cybertron, and Jhiaxus' group followed in their own ship. {{storylink|Homecoming (IDW)|Homecoming}} They arrived on Cybertron to join with Shockwave shortly thereafter. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} Bludgeon watched silently as Jhiaxus prepared to undertake Shockwave's master plan. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} The completion of the chronal drive came just in time for the invasion of Cybertron by Shockwave's allies, the [[Ammonite]]s. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

[[File:BlackPlanet SkidsVBludgeon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|right|Add these two together and you basically get {{w|Taskmaster (comics)|Taskmaster}}.]]
Bludgeon began expressing some small doubts of the plan, as he came to realize that his master, Jhiaxus, was actually subservient to Shockwave. Still, he remained at their side, striking out against the Autobots and Decepticons who invaded Crystal City to stop Shockwave's plot. He struck down [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and laughed at [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and his copied Metallikato moves. As he prepared to execute [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], however, Bludgeon was blasted by Optimus Prime, as the Autobot leader and his team re-emerged from the Dead Universe. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Bludgeon was last seen as Ultra Magnus checked the fallen warrior for signs of life, but ultimately left him behind. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

Managing to escape from the Crystal City before it was consumed into a singularity, Bludgeon set up residence in the Sea of Rust, and in the following months, he discovered that the [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]] in [[Alyon]] had reignited with Sparks. He proceeded to perform horrifying experiments upon some of them, including placing some of the sparks within the remains of fallen [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] and mutant [[Turbofox]]es, as well as messing with the corrupted energon emanating from the fallen [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]].

[[File:BludgeonslicesBarricade Redemption.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|left|[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], eat your heart out.]]
Upon discovering a convoy protected by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] which contained sparks from the colony of [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]], Bludgeon set some of his Sweeps upon them, but when they were driven off by a [[Torchbearer|second group]] he instead had them followed. Taking advantage of an attack from the [[Badgeless]], Bludgeon attacked the truck himself, destroying it, [[Barricade (IDW)|Barricade]] and the sparks. Easily disregarding the attack from [[Strafe (IDW)|Strafe]], Bludgeon hurled her into the corrupted energon, curious to see what it would do as it began mutating her. However the equally distraught [[Swift (G1)|Swift]], upset at Barricade's death, damned him for robbing himself of his "future" by destroying the sparks. Disgusted with the amoral scientist, she pushed Bludgeon over a cliff into a pool of the contaminated energon, only narrowly saved from joining him when [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] caught her by the wrist. Doubting that Bludgeon had perished, Strafe and the Dinobots decided to seek him out and make sure he suffered. {{storylink|The Transformers: Redemption|Redemption}}

[[File:Salvation BludgeonFlatline.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|right|Your armor shall be mine, Ryo of the Wildfire!]]
Bludgeon did indeed survive his plunge, altering his outer shell and putting a new plan into action. Having discovered that Trypticon was in fact a [[Titan (group)|Titan]], Bludgeon intended to use the beast's internal [[space bridge]] to conquer the galaxy in the name of Cybertron. He used the corrupted Sweep sparks to reactivate Trypticon's [[brain module]], which he then took control of using a replica of the [[Void Scepter]] said to have created the Titan. Next he raided the Alyon hot spot, killing the [[Badgeless]] guarding it and only leaving [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] alive before harvesting the remaining sparks, intending to use Trypticon's energon to corrupt them into an army under his control. As he demonstrated Trypticon's power by having the monster march on Iacon, Bludgeon was confronted by the Dinobots, and while he had expected Sandstorm to keep them busy, Sandstorm instead joined forces with them and destroyed the Void Scepter. His control over Trypticon broken, Bludgeon found himself forcibly teleported out of the vengeful Titan, who melted his body with a powerful beam from his mouth. Unbeknownst to most however, he survived, though not without grievous injuries including losing most of his limbs, and was secretly taken into custody by [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], who held an interest in his spark experiments. {{storylink|The Transformers: Salvation|Salvation}}

[[File:TheDeadComeHomePt1 BludgeonVoidSceptor.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb|left|Darkest soul, evil's courier, serve me as a Skeleton Warrior!]]
Starscream eventually locked the crippled Bludgeon up in a back room and gave him a repaired Void Scepter with which he would carry out Starscream's bidding. After the Seeker had lent [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] so they hunt for the missing [[protoform]]s, {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 2}} he had Bludgeon control the Dinobot via the Scepter. When Slug reunited with the Dinobots, Bludgeon had him attack his friends, {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}} to make ready the coming of his "master". Starscream eventually caught wind of this and shattered the Scepter. Though Bludgeon tried to goad the Seeker into killing Optimus, Starscream refused to bite and reminded Bludgeon of his house arrest. Though disappointed at how things turned out, Bludgeon was confident that these events would not impede his master's return. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 2}}

Anticipating a large existential threat, Starscream eventually repaired Bludgeon and sent him out into the galaxy so that he could gather all the Decepticons who had failed to return to Cybertron following the war's end. Bludgeon readily accomplished this task, forming the [[Decepticon Vengeance Division]], a massive fleet of Decepticon capital ships capable of destroying whole planets with ease. Though Starscream, {{storylink|Stranger Eons}} and Shockwave each believed they commanded Bludgeon's loyalty, {{storylink|Road's End}} Bludgeon's fetish for the apocalypse had already led him to pledge loyalty to [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. When the Chaos Bringer began attacking the [[Cybertronian colonies]], Starscream dispatched the DVD to [[G Nebula 89]] to destroy him, with Bludgeon duping Starscream and his troops into believing Unicron could be felled by their firepower and a dud [[stasis web]]. In reality, Bludgeon had brought the fleet to Unicron as part of their plan. After its combined firepower failed to damage the monster planet, Unicron unleashed the [[Maximal]]s onto Bludgeon's [[Worldsweeper]], warping the Decepticons into Maximal-like forms. Unicron then teleported to Cybertron, bringing the DVD and its converted Decepticon crews along to act as his heralds. {{storylink|Stranger Eons}}

[[File:RoadsEnd BludgeonMonstructor.jpg|upright=1.9|right|thumb|Trusting the skull-faced fanatic was a bad idea...who'da thunk?]]
As Unicron began attacking Cybertron, Bludgeon commanded his ship to open fire on [[Vigilem|Carcer]], crippling the Titan. His attack drew the attention of [[Victorion]] who attempted to kill him and destroy his ship. Anticipating this, Bludgeon unleashed [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] who defeated the Camien combiner. {{storylink|Our Finest}} Once Unicron had destroyed [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the fleet quantum jumped to [[Jupiter]], Bludgeon loudly proclaiming their loyalty to Unicron as the fleet destroyed [[Sanctuary Station]]. {{storylink|Road's End}}

After Shockwave had located the errant [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]], he contacted Bludgeon, ordering him to have the device retrieved and used to slay Unicron. Bludgeon chose that moment to inform Shockwave of his loyalty to Unicron, dispatching his troops to retrieve the device... only so it would pose no threat to Unicron. When Starscream, Thundercracker, and [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] charged the fleet, Bludgeon casually ordered Monstructor to slay the Decepticon leader, before Metroplex and Trypticon space bridged in and unleashed an army on the DVD. {{storylink|Assembly (Unicron)|Assembly}}

Caught off guard, the DVD fell to the Titans with only Bludgeon's ship surviving the attack. As the Worldsweeper descended into Earth's atmosphere, Shockwave tried to reassert control over Bludgeon to no avail. As the warship rained destruction on the Eastern seaboard of the United States, it was boarded by the Dinobots who stormed the bridge. Though managing to slay Snarl and Sludge, Bludgeon soon found himself locked in mortal combat with Slug. Their battle caused Bludgeon to lose control of his Void Scepter, sending the Worldsweeper crashing into the [[White House]] and killing both Bludgeon and Slug. {{storylink|Ceremony}}

===''Mini Mayhem!''===
After [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] asked him why his Pretender shell had a skeleton's face, Bludgeon explained that it once looked human, but its face was melted off after witnessing [[w:Raiders of the Lost Ark|the opening of the Ark of the Covenant]]. The incident totally ruined his chances at being that year's prom king. {{storylink|Mini Mayhem!}}

===A Tale of the Pretenders===
[[File:Tale of Pretenders Bludgeon.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"''Nyeh-heh-heh!'' Soon the secrets of Castle Greyskull will be mine!"]]

With other Decepticon Pretenders, Bludgeon was active in ancient [[Japan]]. One day, they came across three [[human]] siblings and threatened them. The oldest managed to escape and both [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] and [[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]] pursued the remaining two while the other Decepticons followed. Bludgeon found the entire thing beneath their notice, but was rebuked by [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], who desired to play with the humans. Octopunch was about to step on the two when [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]] leapt to the rescue. Impressed by this apparent human, Bludgeon challenged him to a duel, but he ultimately proved lacking. Despite the rescuees trying to defend Metalhawk, Bludgeon was about to go in for the kill when other Autobot Pretenders appeared and fought off the Decepticons. Bludgeon and Metalhawk continued their duel, which Metalhawk managed to end by sending Bludgeon falling into a lava pit. {{storylink|A Tale of the Pretenders}}
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===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-9-Bludgeon.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7]]
Bludgeon was tasked with leading a group of Decepticons to find the legendary [[Red Bucket]], which they did. While he was bragging about how the Decepticons would use the bucket to conquer the world, [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] appeared out of nowhere and kicked him in the chest, shattering the armor passed down to him by his ancestors. Bludgeon retaliated by having [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] tip the bucket over on Bluestreak and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], burying them in blocks, but the Autobots were able to use the blocks to build a giant robot that neutralized Bludgeon by picking him by one leg. {{storylink|Treasure Competition! Defeat with Block Power!}}

===''Kre-O'' bio===
A proud practitioner of [[Metallikato]], Bludgeon lived by the code of [[Brickshido]] and regarded the other prattling Kreons as fools. Especially [[Bumblebee (Kre-O)|Bumblebee]], whom Bludgeon intended to attack with his [[energo weapon]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Kre-O Character Encyclopedia}}
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===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[File:TFvsJoe12 BludgeonVectorStigmata.jpg|left|upright=1.8|thumb|"And what is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"]]
The otherworldly guardian of the entrance to the [[Transformer afterlife|Matrix]], Bludgeon blocked the path of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s souls on their journey to the great beyond, demanding they present the "[[Key to Vector Sigma|key]] to [[Vector Sigma|Vector Stigmata]]" before they could pass. While Prime revealed the key and was granted passage by the gatekeeper, Grimlock could not produce one and was refused entry until Prime let him have his key. {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}}
{{-}}

===''Of Masters and Mayhem''===
[[File:OMAMHistory MayhemAttackSquad.jpg|right|upright=2.1|thumb]]

Bludgeon's [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] was selected by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] to form the ultimate combiner, [[Thunder Mayhem]]. Their power amplified and the combiner's personality solidified by the [[Matrix of Malice]], the Mayhem Attack Squad's destructive ability proved uncontrollable. The Squad captured [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and restrained him within their ship, forcing him to watch as Thunder Mayhem went on an apocalyptic rampage across Cybertron, nearly driving the Cybertronian race to extinction. {{storylink|Foundation and Wreckage Part 1: Deadly Aim|Deadly Aim}} {{storylink|Lively Pursuit}} {{storylink|Pandora's Gift}}

Years later, Bludgeon and the rest of the Mayhem Attack Squad were drawn to a cavern on Earth by a Decepticon signal, finding upon their arrival that the extra-dimensional [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] was the one broadcasting it. Though other members of his team were eager to simply off the stranger, Bludgeon allowed their new acquaintance to speak first. Ramjet was quick to comment on the dark energies he sensed within Bludgeon, who rebutted that if Ramjet was simply after his Matrix of Malice, it would not be easily pried from his frame. Ramjet reassured him that he had no interest in the artifact, and instead made a quick demonstration of his power to convince the Squad that he would make a valuable ally. Impressed by Ramjet's eldritch energies, Bludgeon and his team agreed to join forces with him, and together they begun to plot the destruction of the universe. {{storylink|History}}

The Mayhem Attack Squad turned Thunder Mayhem loose on the city of [[Merida]]. {{storylink|Divination}} They were confronted by [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]]'s team of Autobot [[Pretender]]s and the exiled Optimus Prime himself. {{storylink|Pandora's Gift}} Thunder Mayhem had little trouble keeping them at bay, but when the [[Wreckers]] arrived and unveiled their new combined form [[Wreckage (G1)|Wreckage]], the Mayhems had a true fight on their hands. The superpowered human [[Lisa|Elizabeth]] fired an energy blast that damaged Thunder Mayhem's chest, allowing Wreckage to expose the Matrix of Malice. Together, all parties focused their fire and destroyed the Matrix, causing the Squad to de-combine and ending Thunder Mayhem for good. In the aftermath, the Wreckers took the Mayhem Attack Squad into custody when they left the planet. {{storylink|Finale (OMAM)|Finale}}

===e-HOBBY comics===
[[File:EHOBBY Bludgeon front.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]

In an unknown location, an enigmatic Bludgeon observed different scenes throughout the multiverse with [[Soundwave (BW)|Soundwave]], taking special note of [[Magna Convoy]] joining forces with [[Convobat]] as the awakening of the "Blue". With the warriors who inherited the "[[Star Power|Seven Lights]]" from [[The One]] beginning to play their parts, Bludgeon declared the coming of a new era. {{storylink|Cybertron Magna Convoy}}
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===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' marketing material===
[[File:PowerOfThePrimes-BludgeonQuintusPrime-CardArt.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0]]

Bludgeon was a [[Prime Master]] who housed the spark energy of [[Quintus Prime]]. {{storylink|#Power of the Primes|''Power of the Primes'' Decepticon Bludgeon / Quintus Prime online bio}}
{{note|For a list of powers manifested by Bludgeon, see [[Prime Master/Combinations|this chart]].}}
{{-}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
[[File:LightStar BludgeonAttacksAfterburner.jpg|left|upright=1.6|thumb]]
A rumored assassin with personal beliefs (delusions, some said) rooted in the supernatural, Bludgeon was placed in punitive stasis no less than four times over the years. Somehow, he always managed to be released, escaping more serious consequences for his alleged crimes. [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] hired him to act as his chief enforcer on the asteroid colony of [[Hexagon]]. After [[Vigilem]] docked at Hexagon, Thunderwing provided him with repairs, and [[Colonial Security]] arrived aboard [[Lodestar (Titan)|Lodestar]] shortly thereafter to apprehend the renegade [[Titan (group)|Titan]]. The [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] boarded Hexagon and were greeted by Bludgeon, whom they weren't too pleased to see up-and-about. The tension only grew as the Technobots met with Thunderwing and he begrudgingly allowed them to inspect his colony. Bludgeon stayed at Thunderwing's side, with the two of them being guarded by [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] while the other Technobots had a look around. When it became clear that Thunderwing was engaging in illegal operations, communications between the Technobots were jammed and Bludgeon attacked Afterburner. The two engaged in a running battle across Hexagon, with Bludgeon nearly overwhelming his opponent. However, Bludgeon was defeated when [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] unexpectedly burst through a wall and pierced the assassin's armor with his drill bit. {{storylink|Light/Star}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
[[File:TFLegends-Bludgeon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|right|Surely everyone waited for ''official'' permission to [[repurposing|repurpose]] this design, right?]]
Early in the war, Bludgeon was to meet with the Autobots Orion Pax, Alpha Trion, and Nightbeat to perform a prisoner exchange for the safe return of Rack'n'Ruin. This turned out to be a Decepticon ploy, however, and the Decepticons ambushed the group, capturing Alpha Trion in the process. {{storylink|Orion's Gambit}} Bludgeon and [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]] attempted to revive [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], but when Thunderwing proved uncontrollable, the pair had to cooperate with the Wreckers to defeat him. {{storylink|Stormbringer (Legends)|Stormbringer}}

Bludgeon was later part of Thunderwing's squad of Decepticons. They attacked a [[Sun-Farming facility]] run by [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], only to discover that the Autobots were more formidable than they had counted on. Bludgeon headed for the main building, fending off [[Fastlane]] and cleaving guards with his [[Energo weapon|Energo-Sword]], until he was able to secure the [[Energon]] stored inside. The Autobots subsequently retreated. {{storylink|Revelation (Legends)|Revalation}} Bludgeon was among a group of Decepticons who joined a time-displaced [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] in attacking the fused-together [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], but were fought off by some Autobots. {{storylink|Savage Circle}}
{{--}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
{{main|King Pig#As Bludgeon}}
Bludgeon appears as one of the first unlockable Characters. He is portrayed by King Pig. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:BludgeonEarthWars.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8| [[Starscream (G1)|Who]] said I was a "Disturbing sword guy?"]]Mysterious, stealthy, and deadly, Bludgeon is a master of the ancient Cybertronian martial art of Metallikato, a combat style that borders on the mystical.

The consummate assassin, Bludgeon locks on to his victim like a silent guided missile, and won't stop or deviate until he's claimed his scalp.
A master swordsman, Bludgeon hides his true robot self behind an outer shell designed to strike icy dread into his victims.{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Bludgeon character bio}}

Bludgeon was brought through the Space Bridge by Starscream, and he had a transmission for Starscream from Megatron: Get Megatron to Earth, or be stuck on the dreary mudball for eternity. Seeing as Starscream didn't want to be abandoned with Bludgeon and Autobots, he and Bludgeon got a crystal powerful enough to get Megatron through. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Get Megatron! Campaign}}

Bludgeon received orders from Megatron to spy on and observe Starscream. Starscream headed to the Space Bridge and brought out [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] and Scrapper. Bludgeon followed the trio to an Autobot outpost, where Bludgeon stopped them from getting another piece of the [[Fractal Map]] to make sure Starscream didn't get any credit and would be humiliated by Megatron. Which Starscream was. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars| Power Play Campaign}}

Bludgeon helps out in the final battle for the Codex Key, helping to destroy the opposing Autobot outpost to the ground. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|The Codex Showdown Campaign}}

He then witnessed the creation of Devastator. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Combiner Wars Campaign}}

When [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] arrived and complained about Space Bridge travel being unpleasant, Bludgeon noted that the Bridge's calibration was way off.

Bludgeon heard of Cyclonus's movement and scouting in the Frozen wastes of the Arctic. Bludgeon was oddly missing from the battle for the Frozen Fortress, even though prior to, Megatron orders him to rally the troops to attack. Maybe he was assigned baby sitting duty of the outpost to ensure Autobots didn't randomly attack. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Arctic Saga}}

*'''Class:''' Warrior
*'''Lowest Star Rating:''' 1 star
*'''Weapons''' - He targets a building with his gun, then engages and slices it with his sword.
*'''Ability: Rush in'''- Rush into combat smashing walls along the way and dealing damage to the target.
**'''Cost:''' 3 ability points +2 for reuses.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:bludgeon Bludgeon at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]

===''Transformers Online'' (2017 video game)===
Even Bludgeon was impressed by [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]'s mastery of warfare in contests of strength. {{storylink|Transformers Online (2017 video game)|Transformers Online}} <ref>[http://tfol.qq.com/act/a20160726data/hero15.shtml Brawn on the Transformers Online website]</ref>

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:Bludgeon-Forged-to-Fight.jpg|thumb|300px|Shouldn't you rather be repurposing [[Bludgeon (Prime)#Robots in Disguise (2015)|the latest version]] of Bludgeon for this game?]]
Bludgeon was one of the Decepticons pulled from [[The Transformers (franchise)|his universe]] by the [[Quintesson]]s and forced to fight. He eventually joins the [[You|Commander]]. There are at least a few of him running around! {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}

{{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight#Chapter 1: Realities Collide| The Way of the Blade}}

{{chargamestub}}

===''Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive''===
[[File:BBOBludgeon.jpg|thumb|100px]]
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive}}}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
{{anchor|Generation 1}}[[File:G1-toy Bludgeon.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|He's an electric warrior. He is not, however, a Jeepster for your love.]]
*'''Bludgeon''' (Pretender, [[1989]])
:*''Accessories'': Pretender shell, helmet, large "Laser Rifle" gun, tank turret/shield, small "[[electric cannon]]"
:''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'' Bludgeon's inner robot transforms into a green and lilac quad-tread tank of undetermined, possibly-made-up model. Oddly, unlike most ''Transformers'' tanks, he has no wheels inside the static tank tracks for any sort of rolling movement. The removable main gun mounts in a hole in his robot-mode wrist (rather than his hand).

:Bludgeon's Pretender shell, continuing the Decepticon trend of monstrous or war-like shells, is an orange and maroon humanoid samurai with a human skull for a head. Removing the helmet reveals great attention to detail on the skull, with cranium fusion seams and well-defined teeth, among other sculpting. The shell is armed with a white rifle and the inner robot's tank turret mounted on his shoulder armor as a sort of shield. The tank barrel stores inside the shell's right leg, mostly via friction.

:No version of this mold or character was released in Japan.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Bludgeon/bludgeon.htm More info on Bludgeon at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
[[File:ROTFtoy-BludgeonVoyager.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Behold, I am Yoshimitsu the Second!"]]
*'''Decepticon Bludgeon''' (Voyager Class, [[2009]])
**''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''RD-20'''
**''Accessories:'' {{w|katana}}, {{w|tantō}}
{{note|''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Bludgeon (ROTF)#Voyager|Bludgeon]] was officially [[repurposing|repurposed]] as Generation 1 Bludgeon in multiple video games.}}

:[[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]] transforms from a green and orange Japanese {{w|Type 90 Kyū-maru|Type 90}} tank into a skeletal samurai robot mode which homages his original [[Pretender]] shell, in colors that homage both the shell and the original inner robot. Bludgeon features a flexible plastic sword which is made out of a portion of the barrel of the tank's main gun as well as a smaller dagger. The dagger can be stored in a sheath which is revealed from inside the tank turret, and both blades can be slotted in holes provided on the robot mode's left hip guard. Additionally, the dagger's handle can fit in the base of the sword's handle, forming a double-bladed weapon. He has [[Mech Alive]] [[gimmick]]s in his thighs and turret: Sculpted cylinders in his thighs rotate whenever his lower legs are rotated, and that pulling his turret open makes a gray sculpted "disc" at the center rotate while a scabbard for the tantō hinges over to the side and props itself up for use.

:The [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] is one of the very few Transformer tank toys with rubber components to its treads. Portions of the tread links can unlock, allowing them to hang from the robot mode, while the wheels of the treads are integrated separately into the robot mode form itself. The treads still do not function realistically; small plastic wheels on the underside of the treads help the tank mode roll, as is standard with nearly all Transformer tank toys.

[[File:ROTFBludgeon japanese instructions.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
:There is a paint application error on Bludgeon's rear wheels/thighs, wherein the black [[paint operation]]s, which were meant to help blend his rear wheels in with the black center wheels, are placed on the ''wrong side'', keeping them out of sight in vehicle mode, and behind his thighs in robot mode. The ratcheting hip joint is also flipped 180 degrees from what it should be, with two further ratchet divots on top of the hip than inside of it, meaning the mechanism in the upper leg is trying to click into a smooth surface. The toy seems to have been originally designed to feature light-piping in the head, though this feature is rendered useless with it being cast in the same solid gray plastic used for his arms, weapons, shoulders and Mech Alive features.

:The Japanese [[TakaraTomy]] release of Bludgeon has a different [[instructions|instruction sheet]] that actually labels the weapons as a {{w|katana}} and {{w|tantō}}, whereas the Hasbro release doesn't label them at all.

:This mold was [[redeco]]ed into ''[[Transformers (2010 toyline)|Hunt for the Decepticons]]'' [[Banzaitron (TF 2010)|Banzaitron]], and [[retool]]ed into [[BotCon 2012]] [[Overlord (G1)#Timelines|Gigatron]] and ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' [[Megatron (G1)/toys#Generations|Megatron]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2010/Decepticon/Bludgeon/bludgeon.htm More information on Voyager Bludgeon at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Kre-O''===
[[File:KreO-Toy BludgeonKreon.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|It's not the [[Bludgeon (RID 2001)|first time]] he's had Megatron's head.]]
*'''Decepticon Bludgeon''' (Micro-Changer, [[2012]])
**''Bag number'': '''22851 51'''
**''Accessories'': Stand brick, sword
{{toydesigner|[[Ed Masiello]] (Hasbro)}}

:Part of the first normal wave of [[Micro-Changer]] [[Kreon]]s, Bludgeon is a [[blindpacking|blindpacked]]-bagged mini-figure, though a stamped ID number can be found on the back of the bag, top-right corner. He comes with extra parts which turn him into a kinda-sorta-tank. He also comes with a 2x4 block stand with the Kre-O logo on the side.

:He uses [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]]'s helmet.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/Kre-OBludgeon/bludgeon.htm More information on Bludgeon at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{Anchor|2016}}
* '''Bludgeon''' (Kreon Micro-Changer, [[2016]])
**''Collection'': '''1'''
**''Accessories'': Logo plate, sword
:In 2016, Collection 1 was re-released in a whole new production run for Dollar General stores in the US as part of a large collection of re-released ''Kre-O'' sets. But where most of these releases are nigh-identical to the originals, the re-released Micro-Changer blind-bags use the almost-entirely-retooled 2015 Kreon, with slightly-differently-hued plastics than the originals. (It is possible for some of the add-on pieces to be in the older hues.) Blugeon's torso [[tampograph]] has also been reworked to be slightly more detailed, and the formerly-bare legs now have extra detail tampographing on them.

:Sadly, this release has no individual-identification code on the bag, requiring you to use the feel-through-the-bag method or just buy blind and hope.
{{-}}

===''Combiner Wars''===
[[File:CombinerWarstoy-Bludgeon.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|The samurai skeleton look was going out of fashion.]]
*'''Bludgeon''' (TFSS 4.0, [[2016]])
**''Accessories:'' Twin "high-voltage" cannons, two "cyber-blade" swords.

:Part of the [[Transformers Figure Subscription Service#Series 4.0 (2016)|Figure Subscription Service 4.0]], ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' Bludgeon is a [[retool]] of Voyager Class [[Onslaught (G1)#Combiner Wars|Onslaught]] with a new robot head, a new combiner head, and two additional swords from [[Optimus Prime (WFC)/toys#Exprime|''Go!'' Optimus Exprime]]. Being a ''Combiner Wars'' Voyager, he can combine with any four of that line's Deluxes, though he is meant to combine with his fellow [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] to form [[Thunder Mayhem#Generations|Thunder Mayhem]]. Like other ''Combiner Wars'' Voyager Class toys, Bludgeon's head and torso kibble is incorporated into the toy itself, rather than being add-on parts. Bludgeon's two rifles combine into a longer rifle for the combined robot, which can also wield the twin swords.

:Unfortunately, Bludgeon features misassembled knee struts, but the backs of his feet can flip out heels to provide better support.

:Bludgeon's mold was originally retooled from [[Hot Spot (G1)#Combiner Wars|Hot Spot]], who was retooled differently as [[Pyra Magna#Generations|Pyra Magna]].
{{CWHotSpotMold}}
{{-}}

===''Power of the Primes''===
[[File:POTP-Prime-Master-Quintus-Bludgeon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|thumb|Uh, nevermind.]]
*'''Quintus Prime''' (Prime Master, [[2018]])
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''PP-20'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': '''[[August 25]], 2018'''
**''Accessories'': Decepticon Bludgeon decoy armor, {{w|kanabō}}/gun
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)}}

:''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'' [[Quintus Prime#Power of the Primes|Quintus Prime]] is a [[Prime Master]] with Bludgeon decoy armor, visually based on the original [[Pretender]]'s inner robot and shell. Quintus Prime/Bludgeon is a [[Retool|partial tooling]] of [[Vector Prime#Power of the Primes|Vector Prime]]/[[Metalhawk (G1)#Power of the Primes|Metalhawk]], swapping that toy's grey sprue for yellow parts with new detailing. The new weapon piece is modeled after a kanabō (a metal stick), and uniquely can be wielded as such with the alternate 3mm plug on the end.

:This toy has identical features to the other Prime Masters in the line. The decoy armor has a weapon piece which can fold out to create a weapon mode, or detach and be held in the armor's 3 mm-compatible hand. The [[Titan Master]]-like robot can store inside the 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 [[Scepter of Sparks]]. With the power of [[You|your]] imagination, this bestows the Prime Master's [[Prime Master/Combinations|unique power]] on the larger figure.

{{--}}

===''Legacy''===
[[File:TF-Legacy-Voyager-Bludgeon.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Honor died on the beach! The Khan deserves to suffer!]]
*'''Bludgeon''' (Voyager Class, 2023)
**''Accessories'': Tank turret base, 2x tank barrels, katana

: A redeco and new head retool of [[Tarn_(G1)#Legacy|Tarn]], ''Legacy'' Bludgeon is based on his appearance in the [[2019 IDW continuity|IDW comics]], transforming into a Cybertronian tank. Like Tarn, Bludgeon's tank turret can detach as part of the [[Evo-Fusion]] gimmick, and the barrels can split off and peg into the turret itself to make an extra-long [[fusion cannon]]. His hands feature hinged knuckles, allowing them to open and close, but are unfortunately exposed on the tank mode's rear end.

: He includes a new sword accessory.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===First 4 Figures===
*'''Bludgeon''' (<s>2006/2007</s> unreleased)

:Intended for release in [[First 4 Figures]]' "Generation One" series, this would have been a full body resin statue of Bludgeon. When his digital sculpt was shown to ASM website staff at New York [[Toy Fair]] in February 2006, they specifically noted that he included his sword.<ref name=ASM>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070806062058/http://toyfair06.asmzine.com/first4figures/report.html "First4Figures Limited Transformers Statues and Busts Info!"] at ASMzine.com (archived)</ref> First 4 Figures allowed [[BigBadToyStore]] to solicit him for sale the same month.<ref>[https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/update-from-bigbadtoystorecom-transformers-and-gij/6539/ "Update from BigBadToyStore.com: Transformers and G.I.Joe Statues and Busts!!!"] on Seibertron.com</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070426030454/http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=527&company=130 BigBadToyStore's listings for First 4 Figures' statues] (archived)</ref>

:Unfortunately, Bludgeon and the rest of the "Generation One" series were casualties of the general discontinuation of First 4 Figures' ''Transformers'' output, which was attributed to a challenging market and a lack of retailer support.
{{canceledtoy}}
{{-}}

===''G.I. Joe and the Transformers''===
*'''''The Epic Conclusion!'' box set''' ([[2013]])
[[File:SDCC2013Bludgeon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"To a master of Metallikato, your kung-fu grip is slow-motion!"]]
:*''Accessories'': {{w|kabuto}} (helmet), {{w|Dō (armour)|dō}} (breastplate), jinbaori (cloak), {{w|Japanese sword|daitō}} (long sword), shōtō (short sword)

:An [[exclusive]] release for [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2013, this is a 3.75" figure depicting Bludgeon in his Pretender shell. He's constructed from the torso, waist, and upper legs of 2011's ''30th Anniversary'' [[Storm Shadow]], the lower legs and feet of the 2012 ''Retaliation'' Red Ninja, new arms, a new robo-skull head, and various rubberised bits of samurai armour such as his helmet, breastplate, cloak, and a non-removable {{w|Sangu (armour)|haidate}} (thigh armour). (Interestingly, this means he's only a head and kabuto away from being [https://www.yojoe.com/action/13/budo3.shtml ''Retaliation'' Budo] and, given that the ''Retaliation'' toyline had to be reshuffled when the {{w|G.I. Joe: Retaliation#Theatrical|movie}} was delayed nine months, it's uncertain which samurai was designed first.) He is armed with two swords derived from his original character model in two different lengths, as was the {{w|Daishō|style at the time}}.

:The set also includes a retooled [[Skystriker (vehicle)|Sky Striker]] as [[Jetfire (G1)/toys#G.I. Joe and the Transformers|Jetfire]], a G.I. Joe [[VAMP]] redecoed into [[Hound (G1)/toys#G.I. Joe and the Transformers|Hound]], a new [[Snake-Eyes#G.I. Joe and the Transformers 2|Snake-Eyes]] figure bearing an Autobot symbol, a [[Baroness#G.I. Joe and the Transformers 2|Baroness]] figure with [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Baroness|Ravage]] on a leash, and an [[Blaster (G1)/toys#G.I. Joe and the Transformers|Autobot Blaster]] boombox accessory with cassette pieces representing [[Steeljaw (G1)#G.I. Joe and the Transformers|Steeljaw]], [[Ramhorn (G1)#G.I. Joe and the Transformers|Ramhorn]], and [[Eject (G1)#G.I. Joe and the Transformers|Eject]].

:The box set was announced via a ''USA Today'' [http://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/life/2013/06/05/hasbro-2013-comic-con-exclusives/2392295/ article] on June 5, 2013, along with Hasbro's other Comic-Con exclusives.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/SDCCBludgeon/bludgeon.htm More information on ''G.I. Joe and the Transformers'' Bludgeon at TFU.info]''
::*''[https://www.yojoe.com/action/13/bludgeon.shtml More information on Bludgeon (v1) at YoJoe.com]''
{{-}}

===Transformers Trading Card Game===
[[File:W5Bludgeon.jpg|thumb]]
*'''Bludgeon, Electric Warrior''' ([[2020]])
**'''Wave 5: Titan Masters Attack'''
**''Rarity: '''''CT'''
**''Card Number: '''''T09/T46'''
**''Stars: ''11
:Bludgeon, Electric Warrior is one of forty-six double-sided character cards released as part of Wave 5 of the [[Transformers Trading Card Game]], Titan Masters Attack.

:The card features original artwork for both modes, with lines by [[Dan Khanna]]. The Alt Mode artwork is based on the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]] Voyager-class toy, while the Bot Mode artwork is based on Bludgeon's idiosyncratic appearance in the [[e-HOBBY]] comic [[Cybertron Magna Convoy]] with a new color scheme to marry the two.

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

===e-HOBBY===
====''Transformers Character Card''====
[[File:Transformers Character Card Bludgeon and Stranglehold.jpg|upright=1|thumb]]
*'''Bludgeon & Stranglehold Set''' ([[March 14]], [[2022]])
**''ID number:'' '''09 & 10'''

:Released as part of the second wave of the [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive ''[[Transformers Character Card]]'' series, this pair of holographic trading cards depict super-deformed art of Bludgeon and [[Stranglehold]] along with [[bio|character profiles]] and [[Tech Spec|tech specs]].
::*''[[Source:Transformers Character Card#09 |Translation of Bludgeon's Transformers Character Card]]''
{{-}}

====Rubber strap series====
[[File:E Hobby rubber keychain Bludgeon.jpg|upright=1|thumb]]
*'''Bludgeon & Stranglehold & Octopunch Set''' ([[January]] [[2023]])

:Released as part of the first wave of an [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive series, this trio of rubber keychains depict super-deformed art of Bludgeon, [[Stranglehold]] and [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]].
{{-}}

===ULTIMATES!===
*'''Bludgeon''' (ULTIMATES!, 2023)
**''Accessories'': Toy-style head with removable helmet, comic-style head with removable helmet, severed neck wires, tank turret, tank cannon, katana with working sheath, wakizashi with working sheath, gun, 6 hands

: Part of the second wave of ''[[Super7|Transformers ULTIMATES!]]'' from [[Super7]], Bludgeon is a 7-inch-tall non-transforming action figure. Despite his retro look, he has ''way'' more articulation than the original, including multi-directional joints at the neck, shoulders, wrists, hips, and ankles; plus swivel biceps, elbows, knees, and a bit of ab crunch. His hands pop out at the wrists so they can be replaced with his additional spare hands, some in sculpted martial arts poses. He includes a tank turret that can be worn on his arm as a shield, both of his traditional swords that can plug into their sheaths, as well as two different styles of heads and helmets (comic- or toy-accurate), and a piece to represent the tangled wires left on Bludgeon's severed neck after [[The Power and the Glory|he was decapitated]] by [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]].

: Preorders for Bludgeon (and the rest of Wave 2) opened on [[July 29]] 2021, and closed on [[August 27]], with the toys slated for shipping in summer 2022... a vague date Super7 missed by a wide margin.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{--}}

===Flame Toys===
*'''Bludgeon''' (?)
: To be released as part of the ''Furai Model'' line by [[Flame Toys]].
{{comingsoontoy}}

==Notes==
*Like [[Stranglehold]] and [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], Bludgeon's [[character model]] portrays him with a specialized melee weapon. Bludgeon is consistently drawn with the character model's sword, which has become a trademark, despite his toy lacking one. Thus far, Bludgeon's San Diego Comic-Con release is the only toy to include this design. The character model also seems to include a scabbard for the sword, though that is not included nearly as often. Why all three of these characters are given weapons that don't exist is unknown.
*The only time we see his character model is when it's copied faithfully by [[José Delbo]] in "[[Yesterday's Heroes!]]". (However, [[Robin Smith]] takes another crack at it in [[Fleetway]]'s ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Fleetway)|Generation 2]]'' series, but a tiny few liberties were taken, style-wise.)
*The sword in his character model has unique detailing at the base of the front of the blade. In Delbo's rendition, it looks kind of like a dong. Elsewhere, not so much. Thankfully.
*Bludgeon's outer shell is a "Warrior-Grade Pretender Shell" equipped with an ambient stealth field.<ref>''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'', by [[Simon Furman]]</ref>
[[File:Bludgeon-IDW-Alex Milne-concept.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
*Bludgeon came close to having a new toy on two separate occasions. The first was a planned 6" Titaniums toy, supposedly based on his ''War Within'' design.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/titanium-13/cancelled-titanium-bludgeon-revealed-in-tfw2005-toy-database-164105/ Cancelled Titanium Bludgeon Revealed in TFW2005 Toy Database]</ref> Artist [[Don Figueroa]] then submitted a concept for a [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]] Bludgeon toy way back during the development of the ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' or ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' toylines. Obviously, the concept wasn't put into production as a toy at the time, so Figueroa used it as inspiration for his [[IDW Publishing]] ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' [[Bludgeon (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|rendition of Generation 1 Bludgeon]]. Hasbro considered releasing Bludgeon in the ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' line, but put it on hold because of the large number of tank and tank-like vehicles released recently.<ref>[[Bill Rawley]] in an interview for the Transformers Collector's Club magazine: ''"One that comes to mind right away is Bludgeon. We even started early design sketches for him but the fact that he would transform into a tank, in a line that had a lot of tank-like vehicles in it, meant that he would have to be put on hold... for now."''</ref> This design was evidently [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|resurrected]] for the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' line. Figueroa notes that his contribution on this toy is very small, as his work on it ended when he submitted the concept to Hasbro way back when.
*Bludgeon's [[e-HOBBY]] appearance is a "[[Redeco#"Virtual" redecoes|virtual redeco]]" composed of a veritable rat king of references.
**His body is ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' Deluxe Class [[Hardhead (G1)#Generations|Hardhead]].
**His head is ''Titans Return'' Titan Master [[Rev#Generations|Throttle]].
**His sheathed sword comes from 2016 ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' Warrior Class [[Windblade (RID)#Warrior|Windblade]].
**His projection drone, meanwhile, is modeled on the vehicle partner of ''Titans Return'' Titan Master [[Horri-Bull#Generations|Terri-Bull]].
**Finally his actual color scheme is patterned after his original ''Generation 1'' Pretender shell, but with the white shoulder stripes of 2003 ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Bludgeon (RID 2001)|Destructicon Bludgeon]], while his drone and Titan Master partner are both in the colors of his tank inner robot.
*The [[2019 IDW continuity]] incarnation of Bludgeon (at right) was broadly patterned by [[Alex Milne]] on the [[Bludgeon (Cyberverse)|''Cyberverse'' animated design]], itself inspired by the 2017 [[Bludgeon (Prime)#Robots in Disguise (2015)|''Robots in Disguise'' toy]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Bludgeon''' (ブラジオン ''Burajion'')
*''French'': '''Ossement''' (France, "Bones"), '''Gourdin''' (Canada, "Club", as in the beat-you-up-with kind)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Husáng''' ("Stick", as in the beat-you-up-with kind)
*''Italian:'' '''Teskior''' ("Skullor")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Kirigakure Anjō''' (China, 雾隐暗丈 ''Wùyǐng Ànzhàng''), '''Thunder Thump''' (China, 雷震 ''Léi Zhèn'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Armada Decepticons]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legacy Decepticons]]
[[Category:Martial artists]]
[[Category:Mayhem Attack Squad]]
[[Category:Precursor World characters]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Prime Masters]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Decepticons]]
[[Category:Repurposed toys]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Decepticons]]
[[Category:Transformers Character Card]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]

Prowl (RID)

2023-05-14T15:37:50Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|autobot|ozsa|hofsilver}}
{{picsneeded|Toys.}}
{{disambig3|Prowl}}
:''Prowl is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Robots in Disguise continuity family]].''
[[File:RIDProwlanime.jpg|225px|thumb|A complete and total wankus.]]

The middle of the three [[Autobot Brothers]], '''Prowl''' is very much unlike his siblings in that he lives life "by the book," and wants to make sure everyone else does too. He's proud to be a police officer and works to maintain discipline both among humans and his fellow Autobots. Prowl usually speaks in a clipped firm manner as he informs all around him of what they have recently done wrong. His strict reliance on the rulebook often hinders him from thinking creatively, and he can also be so impressed by seeing someone else stick firmly to procedure that he won't analyze whether they're actually being helpful.

Not to give the impression he's a fool, though. He may be uptight, but his precaution has pulled the Autobots out of peril many times in the past. Not only that, but he's a solid hand-to-hand combat expert who won't back down from a fight... as long as protocol allows it.

{{TOCclear}}

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Wayne C. Lewis]] (English), [[Takayuki Kondō]] (Japanese)|[[Alexandr Novikov]] (Russian, till [[Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!]]), [[Vladimir Gerasimov]] (Russian, from [[Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!]]), [[Luigi Ferraro]] (Italian), [[Wan-gyeong Seong]] (Korean), [[Gabriel Gama]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Marcelo Garcia]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}
[[File:Explosive Situation Prowl.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"Someone move that voice actor list, I can't see!"]]
When contacted by [[T-AI]] and informed that [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] was attacking [[New York City|New York]], the first thing Prowl did was fetch his younger brother [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]], who was chasing red sports cars as usual. Joining [[X-Brawn]], they used the [[Global Space Bridge]] to reach New York, where they engaged the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] in combat. Prowl proved particularly effective against [[Gas Skunk]], but the battle ultimately ended with Megatron abducting [[Koji Onishi|Koji]]'s father, [[Kenneth Onishi|Doctor Onishi]]. {{storylink|Battle Protocol!}}

The [[Autobot Brothers]] were later assigned to intercept the Predacons, who were prowling [[Metro City]] and stealing batteries from cars. Prowl again interrupted Side Burn's red sports car hunt to point out that he was supposed to be patrolling. The pair soon spotted [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] attacking the very sports car Side Burn had just been chasing and Prowl ended up rescuing [[Kelly (RID)|the driver]] after the car was destroyed. Once X-Brawn retrieved the explosive device which Sky-Byte had been after, Prowl told him to take it to the top of the tallest structure in the city. {{storylink|An Explosive Situation}}

Assigned to protect the [[Linear RFG]] bullet train, the Autobot Brothers found themselves tangling with the Predacons who were trying to blow up a rail bridge on the train's path. Ultimately they were unable to save the bridge, but the train was saved by [[Team Bullet Train]]. {{storylink|Bullet Train to the Rescue}} Together with [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]], the brothers protected the [[Plutonium Energy Generator]] from the Predacons. They escorted the generator as it was transported across the city the next day, with Prowl becoming increasingly exasperated by Side Burn's endless complaining. They were brought to a halt by a traffic jam engineered by [[Slapper (RID)|Slapper]]. Fortunately the [[Spychanger]]s were able to lend a hand and the Autobot Brothers got to sit back and watch the Predacons' defeat. {{storylink|Spychangers to the Rescue}}

[[File:Hunt for Black Pyramid Prowl vehicle.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|I can't tell if I'm going fast or just in front of anime streaks!]]
On another mission, Optimus joined the Autobot Brothers at the end of the Global Space Bridge, which was terminated some distance short of a ship under attack by Predacons. Prowl used his jet boosters in vehicle mode in order to try to jump out to the stricken vessel, but fell somewhat short and spent most of the battle reaching the target location. Once there he gave the repaired ship the final nudge to return it to an even keel. {{storylink|The Hunt for Black Pyramid}}

When Megatron and the Predacon trio attacked Metro City, T-AI discovered that X-Brawn and Prowl were both busy out hunting for Side Burn, who was exploring some ruins with Koji. The pair eventually reached the ruins and were in time to stop Sky-Byte making off with a box, which turned out to contain Doctor Onishi's microchip. This held much valuable information and would help the Autobots greatly in the struggle to follow. {{storylink|The Secret of the Ruins}}

[[File:Sideburn's Obsession Prowl disguise.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Robots in disguise!]]
After having to stop Side Burn from chasing red sports cars (...again), Prowl became concerned when his brother disappeared. As it turned out, Side Burn had been captured by the Predacons. Optimus, despite the remaining two brothers' protests that it was an obvious trap, went in and was captured as well. X-Brawn and Prowl heavily disguised their vehicle modes in order to creep close enough to get the drop on the Predacons, allowing them to rescue their comrades. At the beginning of the resulting battle, Prowl used his "Jet Boosters" attack... and threw his only weapon at Megatron. That was pretty much all he did for the whole fight. {{storylink|Sideburn's Obsession}}

The brothers were assigned to protect "[[Grandpa]]", an aging steam train. In the end Team Bullet Train did most of the work protecting Grandpa, but Prowl and X-Brawn were busy stopping Side Burn from chasing red sports cars anyhow. {{storylink|Secret Weapon: D-5}} Prowl unsuccessfully attempted to catch [[Skid-Z (RID)|Skid-Z]], a recently arrived Autobot, during the [[Europa 400]]. Skid-Z had scanned a racing car and become possessed by the urge to compete in races. All three brothers volunteered to enter the [[International Grand Prix]], which it was believed Skid-Z would compete in—Prowl enjoyed the scenery, but not the difficult driving conditions. He, Optimus and the other two brothers found themselves holding up a huge rock dropped onto them by Megatron. Fortunately Skid-Z himself turned up and destroyed the rock, allowing them to chase Megatron off. {{storylink|Skid Z's Choice}}

[[File:Tow-Line Goes Haywire Prowl towline.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|And thus the student became the master.]]
Another new arrival, [[Tow-Line (RID)|Tow-Line]] was also in the law enforcement business, so Prowl took him under his wing. Unfortunately Tow-Line was over-zealous with his towing and caused Prowl no end of headaches with his antics. Finally Prowl spotted Tow-Line towing [[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]] and realised something was seriously wrong. He lured Tow-Line by parking in the middle of an intersection, and he and Optimus found that the Autobot had been tampered with by the Predacons. After some repairs, Tow-Line led them to the three hijacked Autobots and they chased off the Predacons. Later on, as Prowl enjoyed being washed by Koji, he was suddenly towed away by Tow-Line for illegal parking... {{storylink|Tow-Line Goes Haywire}}

When the Predacons became convinced that the "[[Cave of the Dragon]]" harboured a powerful Transformer, X-Brawn and Prowl guarded it. All three brothers employed their acting skills to try to make the Predacons think that the disguises Optimus and Team Bullet Train were wearing were a giant transforming robot, and got fired on by [[Railspike (RID)|Railspike]] for their trouble. {{storylink|The Ultimate Robot Warrior}} Called in to the Autobot Base, Prowl and the rest of the Autobots watched footage of their old adventures and speculated on where the Predacon base might be located. {{storylink|Hope for the Future}}

[[File:Commandos Prowl.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"You're jaywalking, citizen."]]
Optimus and the Autobot brothers went to [[Castle Peak]] to investigate what turned out to be a crashed Autobot spacecraft. Unfortunately they were unable to prevent Megatron stealing the six protoforms inside and taking them to a [[McKinley Army Base|nearby military base]] where the protoforms were reformatted into [[Decepticon]] warriors. {{storylink|The Decepticons}} Sent to [[Sherman Dam]] to investigate X-Brawn's disappearance, Prowl and Side Burn encountered the Decepticons and were both tossed into the lake behind the dam, at the bottom of which they were reunited with X-Brawn. The trio were freed when the Decepticons blew a hole in the dam and, in the ensuing fight, they aided [[Rail Racer (RID)|Rail Racer]] in fighting off [[Ruination (RID)|Ruination]]. {{storylink|Commandos}}

After the Decepticon [[Movor]] was shot into space, he tracked Prowl in an attempt to locate the hidden Autobot base. Unfortunately Prowl was busy chasing a criminal along with a bunch of identical police cars, and Movor lost track of which one was the Autobot. After returning to base, Prowl was briefed on what was happening, and the Autobots used Side Burn, who Movor was presently tracking, to lead the Decepticons into a trap. {{storylink|Attack from Outer Space}}

[[File:The Test Side Burn Prowl.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Yep, forgot to shave this morning...]]
[[Mega-Octane]] met with Optimus claiming that the Decepticons had rediscovered their Autobot sides. Although the Autobot brothers were sceptical, they babysat the Decepticons who were forced to do all manner of menial tasks. The brother finally admitted that perhaps the six Decepticons were honest after all. Of course, it wasn't long before the plot was revealed and the brothers were alerted to a brawl between Optimus, [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] and Ruination. {{storylink|The Test (episode)|The Test}}

The three brothers were called to a power plant where they chased off Sky-Byte and the Predacons. Later X-Brawn was told by Sky-Byte that the Decepticons were going to raid the [[Bayshore power plant]]. The brothers rushed there, only to be told by T-AI that the Decepticons had actually attacked the [[Crestline power plant]] instead. They proceeded to the correct plant to find the Decepticons had already been seen off by Rail Racer. {{storylink|The Fish Test}}

Sent to a diamond mine, the three brothers were brought up short by an incomplete space bridge, and were introduced to the [[Build Team (RID)|Build Team]]. Keen to prove themselves in battle, the Build Team took over the mission at the mine. {{storylink|Wedge's Short Fuse}} Using the Global Space Bridge some time later, Prowl found himself landing up in wet concrete and had to ask for assistance getting out. He was able to rendezvous with the other Autobots in the [[Arctic]], where they watched [[Landfill (RID)|Landfill]] fight off Megatron. {{storylink|Landfill (episode)|Landfill}}

After being duped out of stolen oil by the Build Team, the Decepticons began attacking construction equipment. The Autobots attempted to stop them without involving the Build Team, but had little success. A final attempt to confront the Decepticons had the three Autobot Brothers turn up in the middle of nowhere—the Build Team had sabotaged the space bridge so they could confront the Decepticons themselves. {{storylink|A Test of Metal}}

[[File:Ultra Magnus Prowl.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Dead or alive, you're coming with me.]]
While attempting to stop the Decepticons raiding an oil refinery, the three brothers were interrupted by a [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|mysterious Autobot car carrier]], who insulted them as the Decepticons escaped. Later they encountered the Autobot again and this time he scrambled their circuits and deposited them in a junk yard. Once they'd recovered, Optimus called them back to base for a systems check. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus (episode)|Ultra Magnus}} Optimus confronted the Autobot named Ultra Magnus himself and was soon overpowered. The Autobot Brothers rescued him from the battlefield and took him to an island to recuperate. A short time later, Optimus was attacked by the Decepticons, and the brothers found the portal at the end of the space bridge had been blocked by Sky-Byte. They eventually broke through only to witness Optimus and Ultra Magnus combining into [[Omega Prime]] for the first time. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus: Forced Fusion!}}

In between all their adventures, the Autobots still had to perform some of the more menial tasks, such as regularly testing out the global space bridge. {{storylink|Lessons of the Past}}

[[File:Two Faces Prowl powerup.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|BURNING JUSTICE!]]
Tracking Ultra Magnus, the Autobot Brothers spied him talking with Sky-Byte and assumed he was betraying them. The trio soon found themselves captured by the Predacons and were promptly freed by Magnus, who informed them he was pretending to defect in order to gain information. Returning to help Optimus against the Predacons, the three brothers found themselves being beaten on by Megatron. All three of them received a sudden power boost which was somehow channelled through Magnus, powering them up and enabling them to fight off the Predacons, with a little help from Omega Prime. {{storylink|The Two Faces of Ultra Magnus}} Prowl and Side Burn went out looking for Ultra Magnus and soon found him. Tailing the Autobot, they saw him talking with Scourge and confronted him, only for him to flee and leave them to fight Scourge and Ruination. Although the two brothers powered up for battle, they began to experience an odd energy drain and had to be rescued by Optimus and X-Brawn. {{storylink|Power to Burn!}}

[[File:Koji Gets His Wish Prowl koji.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Hey look, a Pokémon!!]]
The Autobot Brothers were sent to guard the subway below Metro City as the Build Team was searching for some mysterious ruins. The trio were confronted by the Decepticons, come to find the same ruins, and left them to the tender mercies of Team Bullet Train. Wandering further, they encountered Ultra Magnus and Side Burn was distracted by a hallucination of red sports cars, leading the group to the ruins themselves. {{storylink|Fortress Maximus (episode)|Fortress Maximus}} To their surprise the ruins turned out to be [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Fortress Maximus]], whom the Autobots set about concealing in Metro City. While patrolling to ensure the operation wasn't uncovered, the Autobot Brothers stumbled on Sky-Byte talking to Koji and confronted the shark. Koji discovered that the pod Sky-Byte had been carrying contained his abducted father and interrupted the fight to tell the Autobots that Sky-Byte had rescued his dad. The three brothers apologised to Sky-Byte, who realised his huge blunder and fled in panic. {{storylink|Koji Gets His Wish}}

Doctor Onishi and T-AI quickly worked out a way to locate the remaining [[O-Part]]s needed and the Autobot Brothers and the Build Team had a competition to find the most of the artefacts. {{storylink|A Friendly Contest}} Back in the Autobot base, T-AI merged with the O-Parts. She soon sent Optimus and the Autobot brothers, with Koji tagging along, to a remote part of the [[Sahara|Sahara Desert]] in search of the [[Orb of Sigma]]. The foursome located the Orb under the desert and fought Megatron and the Decepticons for possession of it, eventually returning it to base with their prize. {{storylink|Peril from the Past}}

With information extracted from the Orb, the brothers and Build Team visited a temple from which they extracted [[Cerebros (RID)|Cerebros]], the control robot for Fortress Maximus. They were confronted on exiting the temple by the Decepticons and Predacons who stole Cerebros. The Autobots were forced to go on the defensive against the Decepticons and guard Maximus' hiding place. Scourge managed to activate Maximus anyway, and the giant was only stopped by the intervention of Koji Onishi. {{storylink|Maximus Emerges}}

[[File:Mistaken Identity Scourge Prowl.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Never ending fight, between black and white...]]
Scourge attempted to control Maximus in the desert by magnifying the human portion of his bio-signature. Again Optimus and the Autobot Brothers rushed there. While Side Burn looked after Koji and his dad, X-Brawn and Prowl charged Ruination, who swiftly defeated them. Maximus was subsequently halted by the arrival of the Build Team and Team Bullet Train with a thousand children. {{storylink|The Human Element}} Having thwarted one attempt by Scourge and Mega-Octane to kidnap Koji, the brothers were assigned to guard him. Koji wasn't keen on being guarded and swapped clothing with his friend [[Carl (RID)|Carl]], leading to Carl being kidnapped by the Decepticons in another attempt to control Maximus. Optimus and the Autobot Brothers were able to rescue Carl and retrieve Cerebros into the bargain. {{storylink|Mistaken Identity}}

[[File:Galvatron's Revenge Prowl.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Prowl fights the urge to start chasing his brother.]]
When the Decepticons located and attacked Autobot headquarters, the Autobots led them into a trap and engaged them in a fierce battle. The arrival of Galvatron's ''[[Megastar]]'' turned the tide in the Decepticons' favour, until the Autobots were able to activate Fortress Maximus and destroy the battle station. {{storylink|Surprise Attack!}} Galvatron, however, was not through and began to drain energy from Fortress Maximus. The brothers attempted to shoot him down without success. After Galvatron managed to use [[cyber-bat]]s to control Earth's children, Omega Prime called a retreat, but the Autobots were followed into the Global Space Bridge by the Decepticons. Galvatron saw this as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, and flooded the tunnel with molten lava. The Autobots, with the help of some urging from Koji, were able to escape the lava and confront Galvatron once more. {{storylink|Galvatron's Revenge}} The Autobots soon found themselves on the losing end of the battle, and shielded Optimus long enough for their leader to find Ultra Magnus and form Omega Prime. During the final confrontation between Galvatron and Prime, the rest of the Autobots were all held paralysed but provided Prime with moral support.

After Galvatron's defeat, Prowl resumed his duties stopping Side Burn from chasing red sports cars. {{storylink|The Final Battle (RID)|The Final Battle}}
{{-}}

====Dreamwave ''Robots in Disguise'' comic====
[[File:DWSummerspecial RID Autobrothers Megs.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Worst panel ever? Probably.]]
When [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]] and [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] led an attack on [[Arizona]] to drain the energy out of a vague and nondescript building in the middle of the desert, [[T-AI]] tried to call upon the Autobot brothers to help, but Prowl, [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] and [[X-Brawn]] were busy tangling with [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] in [[Oregon]].

Megatron eventually fled the battle, and Prowl arrived to help Optimus, only to find the conflict resolved. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus...to the Rescue?}}
{{-}}

====''Universe'' comic====
[[File:Prowl-large-Universe-OTFCC-2004-unpublished.jpg|150px|thumb|Hollow-point missiles are standard police gear, right?]]
{{voiceactor|[[Daniel Ross]] (English)}}

During the [[Universe War]], Child of Primus scientist [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] built a device to counteract [[Unicron]]'s attempts to abduct Transformers from across the multiverse. Two such attempts were only partially successful, sending the would-be abductees, including [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]], Prowl, and [[Landfill (RID)|Landfill]] from [[Viron 903.0 Beta|some universe]], to a barren, icy planetoid and necessitating the deployment of a rescue team. Unfortunately, Unicron also sent a team of [[Minion of Unicron (Universe)|Minion]]s to the planetoid to "recruit" the victims. Prowl worked with the Child rescue team and Unicron's other victims as well as a group of Autobots accidentally pulled in from the past by Rhinox's device to successfully defeat the Minions. During the clash, he was very confused to run into a [[Optimus Prime (RID)#Spychanger continuity|tiny female Optimus Prime]]. She wished Prowl would stop yelling the attacks that he was about to do.

The anti-Unicron forces emerged victorious. The temporally-displaced Autobots were sent back to their proper spacetime {{storylink|Voice Actor Drama}} while Prowl, Side Burn, and Landfill were sent back to [[Viron 903.0 Beta|their home reality]] without ever participating in the Universe War. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/13}}
{{-}}
====Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
{{CRnote|Prowl|[[Prowl (G1)|Generation 1 Prowl]]}}
Prowl was present at the [[Dimensional Patrol]]'s [[Neo Brave Maximus]] when it was attacked by the [[Commando (RID)|Commandos]] as part of [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]]'s attempt to rescue [[Megatron (RID)|Devil Gigatron]]. He took the time to explain what happened to the old [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]]. {{Storylink|LGEX Scourge Prologue}}

Prowl and the Dimensional Patrol later traveled to the [[Legends World]] at the request of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]]. They helped defend the inhabitants from the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] army and the rampaging [[Majin Zarak]]. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One}}

===Shell Game continuity===
[[File:Optimusprimaluniverseend.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6|This is not a dignified withdrawal procedure!]]
====Ask Vector Prime====
Prowl was pulled from his home universe of [[Viron 704.31 Epsilon]] by [[Unicron]] to fight in the [[Universe War]] on the eve of a critical battle, leading to [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]]'s defeat at the hands of [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/30}}

====''Cybertron'' comic====
Eventually, both Prowl and Side Burn ended up fighting alongside their comrades [[Ratchet (Universe)|Ratchet]] and [[Fireflight (Universe Deluxe)|Fireflight]] in the Universe conflict, as members of [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]]'s [[Child of Primus|Children of Primus]] against the [[Minion of Unicron (Universe)|Minions of Unicron]]. In the final battle against the Minions, the Chaos Bringer began to dissolve below them just as the Children's victory was achieved. To save themselves, Primal led his troops (presumably) back to his [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] through a transwarp portal. Side Burn and Prowl were personally thrown by [[Omega Prime]] (not the one of their home universe) through the portal. Prowl presumably made it to safety on Primal's technorganic Cybertron, but Omega Prime was diverted to [[Aurex 405.0 Epsilon]]. {{storylink|Revelations Part 2}}

{{-}}

===Spychanger continuity===
====Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic====
[[File:WorldsCollide4 Viron universe portal.jpg|thumb|right|I'm actually here to detain one [[Pat Lee]] for financial crimes.]]
When the [[Herald of Unicron|Heralds of Unicron]] destabilized the [[space bridge nexus]] in [[Aurex 402.24 Gamma]], causing the space bridges to become windows to other dimensions, [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] caught a glimpse of the Optimus Prime and Prowl of [[Viron 1103.12 Gamma]]. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
[[File:Prowl-Spychanger-Universe-OTFCC_2004-unpublished.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Nobody move or I shoot the text next to me!]]
When the [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] of this world accidentally turned all of Earth's energon toxic, Optimus Prime and her troops had to downsize into new Spychanger forms to survive, much to the amusement of the Predacons... until the Autobots blew up the Predacons' pure energon and the bad guys ran out of energy. Optimus's nemesis [[Scourge (RID)#Ask Vector Prime|Scourge]] was the only villain that made the shift to a Spychanger body, but she too was defeated by Prime's army. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/18}}

====OTFCC Voice Actor Drama====
{{voiceactor|[[Clive Ramroop]] (English)}}

Prowl and his cohorts, [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]], [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]], and [[Ironhide (RID)|Ironhide]] were later plucked from their universe and stranded on a frozen planetoid, a side effect of [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]'s device that blocked [[Unicron]]'s attempt to kidnap Transformers from multiple dimensions. These stranded Autobots were targeted for 'recruitment' by [[Reptilion]] but rescued by the [[Child of Primus|Children of Primus]].

While a group of old fogey Autobots that included [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] were sent back to their timeline, Optimus and her crew appeared to stick around for the [[Universe War]]. {{storylink|Voice Actor Drama}}
{{-}}

===Legends World===
Responding to [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]'s involuntary rampage in Tokyo, Prowl and T-AI could do little but watch as the heavily armed Maximal swung his weapons around, and decided to rely on the heroic [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]'s help. When Rattrap showed up, however, he transformed into a bizarre half-rat-half-robot form that scared Prowl and T-AI and sent them fleeing. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 2|Bonus Edition Vol. 2}}

===''TransTech''===
[[File:Offworldercop-CMW.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|*Cue S.W.A.T. theme song*]]
Prowl was part of the [[Axiom Nexus Security Administration|Offworlder Zone Security Administration]] and aided his fellow police officers in arresting [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], [[Battletrap (G1)|Battletrap]], and [[Stepper (SG)|Stepper]]. {{Storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Robots in Disguise'' (2001)===
[[File:RID-toy Prowl-MachAlert.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Initial "all clear" version shown here. (''Takara version pictured'')]]
[[File:RID Prowl Toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|(''Hasbro version pictured'')]]
*'''Mach Alert''' (2000) / '''Prowl''' (Deluxe Class, 2001)
**''Takara ID number'': '''C-003'''
**''Accessories'': Left & right "Booster Parts" thrusters, 2 flame-missiles

:Released first as part of the ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|Car Robots]]'' series, "Mach Alert" transforms into a [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes#Lamborghini Diablo|Lamborghini Diablo]] police highway pursuit vehicle painted in Japanese police ministry colors. He also has rubber tires over silver vacuum-metalized wheels. In robot mode, he is armed with two pressure-launch missile launchers with flame-shaped projectiles. These launchers are mounted upon his right arm in robot mode, but can also be mounted on his sirens, to form a sort of jetpack. In vehicle mode, they can be mounted on two pegs located on his spoiler.

:Early versions of Mach Alert used an almost completely transparent colorless plastic for its windows and flame missiles, with semi-transparent paint on the flames. Later releases used a darker clear-plastic with brighter, more opaque flame-paint.

:Released a year later by [[Hasbro]] as "Prowl", this version uses the darker clear-plastics/opaque flame-paint combo, but also adds an Autobot [[Insignia|faction symbol]] to his hood. Yes, they kept the Japanese on the doors.

:[[Sonokong]] also released this figure in a gift set with his brothers in [[South Korea]]. This version of Prowl has "POLICE" in English instead of Japanese on the car doors.

:This mold was also used to make ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] and the ''Universe'' versions of [[Sideswipe (G1)/toys#Universe (2003)|Generation 1 Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/toys#Universe (2003)|Sunstreaker]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/Prowl/prowl.htm More information on Prowl at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|SuperProwl}}
[[File:RID-toy Prowl-Super.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Well, you'll know me when you see me, 'cause my door's painted white, With my siren a-screamin' and my flashin' red lights]]
*'''Super Mach Alert''' (2000) / '''Prowl''' (Deluxe Class, 2001)
**''Takara ID number:'' '''C-025'''
**''Accessories'': Left & right thrusters, 2 "flame" missiles

:Mach Alert got a U.S.-police-inspired [[redeco]] as a "[[Super Mode]]". Now with extensive blue [[Spontaneous recoloration|paint]] across his body and blue-and-red lights on his lightbar (and in his shoulders), Prowl also features English "POLICE" text instead of Japanese, with "MACH ALERT" underneath. The toy retains all of its gimmicks from the first version.

:The Hasbro and Takara versions are nigh-identical, except that the Hasbro version yet again adds an Autobot symbol to the hood. While this version of the toy was simply called "Prowl" again with no modifier to denote his new "Super Mode" coloration, he was called "Super Mach Alert" in Japan.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Autobot/SuperProwl/prowl.htm More information on Super Prowl at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|SuperClear}}
[[File:AutobrosClearEdition.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''S(uper) Car Robo 3 ''Kyodai'' Set <Clear Version>''' (Multi-pack, 2000)
**''ID number'': '''C-025S''' (Prowl only)
**''Accessories'': Left & right thrusters, 2 "flame" missiles

:As part of the "3 S(uper) Car Robot Brother Set" (S<ref>"Super" (スーパー) is written in katakana next to the English letter "S" on the packaging, making exact transcription difficult.</ref> カーロボ3兄弟セット <クリアーバージョン>), Mach Alert and his brothers [[Side Burn (RID)#SuperClear|Speedbreaker]] and [[X-Brawn#SuperClear|Wildride]] were cast in mostly colorless-clear plastics (some of the [[unpaintable plastic]] "structural" bits remained opaque), given much of their normal super mode deco (Mach Alert lost his car mode blue), and sold in an [[exclusive]] three-pack. This [[exclusive]] set was first available at the [[Osaka Toys Land Show]] on September 24th, then again at [[Super Festival 19]] on October 9th, both times for 6000 yen, with the set being limited to 1500 pieces total between the two shows. He was also available at [[BotCon Japan 2000]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2000/Cybertron/ClearMachAlert/machalert.htm More information on Clear Prowl at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Prowl2}}
[[File:RID-toy Prowl2.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|I am no one. And everyone.]]
*'''Side Swipe & Prowl 2''' (Basic Class 2-pack, 2001)
**''Accessories'': Rifle

:Originally [[911|an unreleased]] ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' [[Go-Bot (G2)|Go-Bot]] mold, ''Robots in Disguise'' [[Prowl 2]] transforms into a police car based on the 1995 Chevrolet Caprice Interceptor (although some details are closer in similarity to the same year's Chevrolet Impala). He has through-axle construction to allow for super-fast rolling in car mode, and is compatible with many "Hot Wheels" and "Matchbox" racetracks. Like his fellow "new"-mold teammates, his rifle stores under his car mode. He was available in a two-pack with [[Side Swipe (RID)|Side Swipe]]. This set was unique to the Hasbro line, and was never available in Japan.

:For information on the character status of Prowl 2, see the page on "[[Prowl 2]]".

:This mold was used to make the ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' version of [[Prowl (G1)/toys#Universe (2003)|Generation 1 Prowl]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/Prowl2/prowl2.htm More information on Prowl 2 at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|TinyTin}}
[[File:RIDTinyTinsProwl2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Metal coffin included!]]
*'''Prowl 2''' (Tiny Tins, 2002)
**''Accessories'': Rifle, carrying tin

:Prowl 2 was one of several ''Robots in Disguise'' toys to be sold as an individual in a [[Tiny Tins]] release, with a pocket-sized carrying case. The actual toy is unchanged from the two-pack version.

{{-}}

===''Universe'' (2003)===
[[File:Universe2003toy-ProwlDeluxe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Like my new tattoo?]]
*'''Prowl''' (Deluxe Class, 2004)
**''Accessories'': Left & right thrusters, 2 "flame" missiles, CD

:The original Prowl toy was [[repaint]]ed as one of a half-dozen Wal-Mart ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' exclusives put out in 2004. The robot mode is nearly identical to the original deco, with the vehicle mode using the same base colors and black "Japanese police" lower deco, but all the police markings have been removed. Instead, his doors have been adorned with stylized dragon [[tampograph]]s, his hood has a ''massive'' Autobot symbol, a large "1 0 5" crosses the top of his windshield, and random red boxes dot his spoiler and the lower portion of the doors. Wow.

:He also came with an ''[[Transformers: Universe CD-ROM|interactive CD-ROM!!!]]'' with all sorts of content.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/TFUProwl/prowl.htm More information on ''Universe'' Prowl at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|WMSC}}
[[File:TFU03-toy ProwlFireChief.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|He comes with tiny justice.]]
*'''Optimus Prime with Prowl''' (Basic Class two-pack, 2003)
**''Accessories'': Rifle

: Spychanger Prowl is a [[redeco]] of [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'']] Prowl 2, painted to match [[Red Alert (G1)|Generation 1 Red Alert]], transforming into a Chevrolet Caprice. His vehicle mode has through-axle construction so it zips along quickly on smooth surfaces. His robot-mode rifle stores beneath his rear axle in vehicle mode. He is also semi-compatible with race tracks and playsets from ''Hot Wheels'' or ''Matchbox'' sets.

: He was only available in a Wal-Mart [[exclusive]] multi-pack with [[Optimus Prime (RID)#WMSC|Optimus Prime]].

: This mold was also used to make the ''Universe'' "Spy Changer" incarnation of [[Prowl (G1)/toys#Universe (2003)|Generation 1 Prowl]]. This toy was also [[Repurposing|repurposed]] as Generation 1 [[Red Alert (G1)#Renegade Rhetoric|Red Alert]] in [[Transformers: Renegade Rhetoric|Renegade Rhetoric]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/TFUSpyProwl/prowl.htm More information on Prowl at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Given that the original Prowl toy's Hasbro [[bio]] talks about his "new spark engine" and the enhanced attributes it gave him, while the bio of his super mode toy merely describes his personality and abilities, it seems that the two were accidentally swapped at some point in production. The same thing happened to Side Burn.
*Based on Prowl's law enforcement activities in car form, he appears to have official standing in the Metro City police (or at least his car mode does). This is especially notable in "[[Attack from Outer Space]]", where he joins a police chase, announces his callsign as "unit 3", and calls in a request for further back up.
*"[[Prowl 2]]" is wrapped up in some headache-inducing character ambiguity that has some excessively convoluted thing to do with an offhanded shout-out in the ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Binaltech]]'' story, ''Car Robots'' being [[Retcon|retroactively]] brought into the Japanese Generation 1 uber-timeline, and probably the ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook]]'' too, and the non-''Car-Robots'' Spychangers' lack of Hasbro bios. Thankfully, the Facebook version of [[Ask Vector Prime]] finally cleared things up in 2015!
*In ''Car Robots'', Prowl addresses X-Brawn using "''aniue''" 兄上, a formal way of saying "elder brother", in contrast to Side Burn's more casual "''aniki''" 兄貴 in the context of "big bro".

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Mach Alert''' (マッハアラート ''Mahha Arāto''), '''Super Mach Alert''' (スーパーマッハアラート ''Sūpā Mahha Arāto'')
*''Korean:'' '''Mach Alert''' (마하앨러트 ''Maha Aelleoteu'')
*''Russian:'' '''Prol''' (Прол)

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Children of Primus]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Law enforcement]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Legends World natives]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001) Autobots]]
[[Category:Spychangers]]
[[Category:Tiny Tins]]
[[Category:TransTech Autobots]]
[[Category:Universe Autobots]]
[[Category:Wal-Mart exclusives]]

Everything in Its Right Place

2023-04-16T21:18:34Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron]]'' #15
|prev=Rebirth
|next=Lost & Found
|image=AHM 15cvrA.jpg
|caption=Insert ''Saving Private Ryan'' quote here for maximum effect.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 16]], [[2009]]
|coverdate=September 2009
|title="Everything in Its Right Place"
|written by=[[Nick Roche]] with assistance from [[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]]
|colors by=[[Kris Carter]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|assistant editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|associate editor=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=pre-''[[2005 IDW timeline|All Hail Megatron]]''
}}
'''Prowl seeks to create a loved proxy for his machinations.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] admits to himself that [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]]'s arrival on ''[[Ark-17]]'' could not have begun any other way. Indeed, the [[Autobot]] tactician had predicted Springer's reaction to finding the convalescent veteran [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] missing from the Autobot ship: a sudden uppercut to Prowl's jaw. Letting Springer vent, Prowl rights himself while he internally laments that so many of the Autobot forces follow the [[Wreckers|Wrecker]] commander's example and have become mavericks and loose cannons. Seeing his opportunity, Prowl silences Springer with the revelation of ''why'' Kup is not on the ship, the fact that [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] and his team of scientists have gotten the old codger up and running again. Springer expresses doubt, having seen the emaciated madman that Kup had been reduced to. Prowl counters by revealing that Perceptor had teamed with the talented Autobots of the [[Kimia Facility]] and had achieved a technological breakthrough with some rather unusual procedures. Springer is wary, as due to his role as Wrecker leader his primary experience with the facility has been in testing experimental weaponry. Prowl reminds Springer that the facility was also where the successful refinement of the [[Pretender]] process reverse-engineered from Decepticon technology was accomplished. He then explains that the same principles were applied to resolve Kup's technological incompatibility with modern upgrades, with Kup's cerebro-cortex interfacing with his new body in a nearly identical manner, though he cannot separate from his Pretender carapace.

Springer's reactions are still mixed until Prowl shows him footage of Kup's new body in combat trials. Indeed, it appears that Springer's old commanding officer is fully rehabilitated, in a body that moves like it's in the prime of youth. Springer however notices a foreign object in Kup's mouth, a [[cy-gar]]. Asking why Kup has such a relic of the decadent pre-war days of Cybertron, Springer is told by Prowl that this is how Perceptor keeps the veteran from lapsing into flashbacks of his time stranded on the alien world. Emitting a synthetic replica of the radiation Kup had become addicted to, the cy-gar manages his cravings and keeps him mentally stable. Internally, Prowl notes that without Kup's continued mental stability his ''own'' plans for the veteran would be for naught. Reassuring Springer, he notes that Kup is a potent symbol to rally the Autobot troops behind.

[[File:AHM Kup nightmare.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|left|Don't do drugs, Kup.]]
Finally allowed to see Kup in person, Springer's doubts are nearly all laid to rest. Kup is undergoing a final diagnostic disassembly before resuming field duty, and is jovial, joking with his former subordinate. However, when seeing his own arm laying on the nearby table, Kup briefly begins to have a flashback, only snapped out of it by Perceptor supplying his cy-gar to him. Stabilized, his friendly demeanor returns and a still-nervous Springer expresses gratitude to see him rejoining their ranks.

Prowl recalls his meetings with Perceptor and the scientist's reluctance to be assigned directly to Kup in the field. He had to remind Perceptor that the Autobot ranks look up to Kup, and that if their secret actions at reforming the way Autobots look at tactics were to be successful they needed the veteran stable and able to capably lead others by example. In so doing, they might turn the tide of the war and have the Autobots fighting more effectively overall, bringing about peace sooner.

Meanwhile, Prowl and Springer discuss that Kup will never be told what he did while stranded on that remote planet. Prowl addresses Springer's concerns, stating that all involved have been contacted and sworn to silence.

After Springer departs, Prowl muses further on the streak of individuality and insubordination that inevitably undermines all Autobot tactics. Even [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]], he notes, seems more inclined to listen to the bellicose plans of [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] than his own more sound battle strategies. That is all about to change, if the personality subroutines installed in Kup take hold. Personality subroutines that will have Kup give the advice that ''Prowl'' wants him to give...

He recalls another conversation with Perceptor, in which the scientist noted with no small amount of irony that in doing this Prowl had gone maverick himself, conducting secret plans beyond the chain of command. Prowl felt no contradiction in this, as what separated him from an individual like Hot Rod was the fact that none of what he was doing was something he sought recognition or admiration for. Instead, his only concern was the shared success of the Autobot forces and the final resolution of the [[Great War (G1)|Cybertronian civil war]].

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] (1)
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (2)
*[[Outback (G1)|Outback]] (3)
*[[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] (4)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (5)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (6)
*[[Waverider]] (7)
*[[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]] (8)
*[[Cloudburst]] (9)
*[[Groundbreaker]] (10)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (11)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (12)
*[[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] (13)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (14)
|c2=
*''[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'' (15)
*''[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'' (16)
*''[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'' (17)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (18)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (19)
*''[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]]'' (20)
}}

==Quotes==
"Tell me you didn't just drag Kup here to reverse-engineer some kind of weapon that can inflict that sort of radiation damage on a Decepticon?" 
"No, Springer--" 
''But don't think I didn't consider it.''
:—'''Springer''', '''Prowl''', and '''Prowl's narration'''

"The average Autobot default setting is daredevil, maverick. That's not ''us'', Perceptor. ''We'' can subdivide this war into its purest mathematical form and generate solutions all we want, but unless we happen to be ''surfing'' on a ''meteoroid'' at the time, ''no one'' will pay attention."
:—'''Prowl''' demonstrates he has read ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''

"Kup can never know what happened on that planet, or what we did--" 
"What you did." 
"--what was done to get him back. If he knew that ''his'' life was valued over the dozens we sent to die at his hands, then he'll just go and throw himself into the nearest ''sun'' and have done with it."
:-'''Springer''' and '''Prowl'''

"But with Kup, ''everyone'' wants to hear what he has to say. So now, when he ''speaks''... you won't even see my lips move."
:—'''Prowl'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The implication of page 10 is that Optimus was listening to people like Ironhide during ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' and ''that's'' how the Autobots blundered into a trap.
*Thunderwing is depicted as his pre-Pretender self.
*This is not the [[Devastation issue 5|first time]] Prowl has shown annoyance with his situation.
*Prowl has been labelled a prick before because he's a bit of a jerk to [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|the cool characters]]. Now he's an all-out ambiguous figure, willing to do highly amoral and ''im''moral actions in order to win the war quickly and efficiently, and all without an interest in getting credit for doing it. Which makes him... well, frakking ''scary'', to be honest. Writer [[Mike Costa]] has said these eleven pages "defined" the IDW version of the character.<ref>[http://moonbase2.libsyn.com/webpage/the-underbase-reviews-ongoing-31 Moonbase 2 interview with Mike Costa ("Special Guest")]</ref> Then he [[Ride-Along|changed him]]. But aside from that, Prowl here becomes the Prowl you see in every later IDW story, starting with ''Last Stand''.
*The subroutines Prowl installed in Kup's mind would ultimately go unused throughout the remainder of the war, until he was forced to activate them to speak through Kup in the second issue of ''[[Sins of the Wreckers issue 2|Sins of the Wreckers]]'', which at the same time exposed the act to the disapproving eyes of Autobot allies.
* Prowl's insubordination files on Ratchet, Hot Rod, Grimlock, and Springer flag up some habits of those characters that Prowl finds displeasing by referencing events we've seen prior:
** Ratchet has a tendency towards insubordination and has made repeated unauthorized contact with natives on planets the Autobots are active on. The latter alludes to ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration| Infiltration]]'', the very first IDW Transformers series, and his friendship with [[Hunter O'Nion]], [[Verity Carlo]], and [[Jimmy Pink]] that began in that story.
** Hot Rod has repeatedly lost lives under his command on nonessential missions due to his recklessness and once refused to comply with a planetary evacuation order. The former might be meant to reference ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]'' (but see "Errors" below), while the latter would be him sticking behind on Earth to hunt the Machination rather than following Optimus Prime's command to leave at the end of ''[[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]]''. Note that Prowl didn't want to leave Earth either, yet he judges Hot Rod for actually doing something about it. Ho-hum.
** Grimlock has an unsurprisingly huge number of recorded instances of insubordination and general troublemaking — 113 in total! — which specifically includes a tendency to ignore disguise protocols and appropriating resources for his personal vendettas. The former is a bit of a fourth-wall wink about the Dinobots not inherently fitting with the "robots in disguise" aspect of the series, while the latter is specifically referring to his beef with Shockwave that led to the events of ''[[Spotlight: Shockwave]]''.
** Springer is still in hot water for the events of ''[[Spotlight: Kup]]'' because of repeatedly sending untrained science teams to retrieve Kup, leading to him killing many of the team members in his delusional fits. According to Prowl, this was highly against protocol, and sure enough, Prowl made an appearance in ''Spotlight: Kup'' specifically complaining about Prowl wasting lives and resources in his desperate rush to rescue Kup rather than simply waiting for [[Trailbreaker (G1)|specialists]] to arrive.

===Transformers references===
*"Surfing on a meteoroid" may be a nod to ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]'', which Roche also drew.
*Grimlock has [[113 (disambiguation)|113]] files devoted to his insubordination. The number is likely a reference to [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue #113]] of the Marvel UK ''Transformers'' comic, the issue which got James Roberts hooked on the series. It reappears multiple times in the Roberts-written ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' and [[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]].
*Prowl refers to Springer's repeated turns of phrase as ''[[Furmanism|Springerisms]]''.

===Real-world references===
*"{{w|Everything in its Right Place}}" is the title of a song by English rock band {{w|Radiohead}}. This is not the [[Maximum Dinobots issue 1|first time]] a Radiohead reference would be found in Roche's work.

===Errors===
*In panel 4 on page 4, the markings on Prowl's door read "Highway Patrol ''Patrol''" instead of "Highway Patrol Police".
*While the presence of Hot Rod in the "insubordination files" is not out of place by itself, one of the reported instances is quite odd, as it seems to refer to the events shown in [[Spotlight: Hot Rod]], which specifically displays him following, for once, the protocols of the mission by prioritizing the securing of the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] first, a key-essential artifact in the conflict, rather than playing hero and come back to rescue [[Doubledealer|Dealer]] instead. This can hardly be considered "Loss of lives under his command while '''on non-essential missions'''" or even be classified as insubordination. Maybe the file refers to a different event, but in this case, we haven't yet seen Hot Rod display the kind of guilt he had experienced over the retrieving of the Magnificence.

===Foreign localization===
'''Swedish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Allt på rätt ställe'''" or "'''Allt på rätt plats'''" ("Everything in Its Right Place")

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron#Collections|full or partial collections of ''All Hail Megatron'']].

* [[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers#International reprints|Transformers: Wreckers sista strid]] ([[June 8]] [[2018]]) ISBN 978-91-88131-23-2
:*Swedish reprint volume.

<gallery>
File:LSOTW SWECover.jpg|'''''Wreckers sista strid'''''; Art by [[Trevor Hutchison]]
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:All Hail Megatron issues]]

Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1

2023-01-09T18:06:37Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Transformers references */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' #1
|prev=Dead Men's Boots
|next=Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2
|image=LSotW 1cvrA.jpg
|caption=We peed a little.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[January 27]], [[2010]] [[February 10]] (2nd printing)
|coverdate=January 2010
|story=[[Nick Roche]] & [[James Roberts]]
|script=Nick Roche
|pencils=Nick Roche
|inks=Nick Roche & [[John Wycough]]
|colors=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters=[[Neil Uyetake]]
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|associate editor=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2010)]]
}}
'''When Overlord turns Garrus-9 into his personal playground, it's time to call in the suicide mission specialists.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:LastStandoftheWreckers1-newrecruits.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Yay, we get to join the team where everybody dies!]]
Three years ago, at [[Garrus-9]] penitentiary, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]] and his subordinate [[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]] deal with a massive [[Decepticon]] assault on the prison. Kick-Off smells an inside job, while Fortress Maximus replies that only he has the codes to the Garrus-9 doors—good thing, too.

Decepticon general [[Skyquake (G1)|Skyquake]] intends to take the facility for [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], but is interrupted by the arrival of [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]. All the Decepticons are in awe of him, terrified as well. Refusing Overlord's request for him to relinquish command, Skyquake is shot in the back; Overlord then leads the Decepticons in storming the prison and slaughtering its defenders. He offers the freed prisoners the entire planet as a source of entertainment, free from the narrow whims of Megatron. As a game, Overlord throws the battered body of Fortress Maximus to the mob, saying all they have to do is try not to kill him.

Eight months ago, [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]], [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]], and [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] are scolded by annoying local reconstruction manager, [[Dipstick]], for blowing up the fuel depot with their new guns. Guzzle says that's what [[Wrecker]]s do. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s ship arrives. Only Pyro farewells the manager Dipstick in a civil manner, but is blown off by Dipstick. The bots leave on Ultra Magnus's ship, becoming the newest Wreckers.

On board, they are greeted by [[Verity Carlo]], one of the humans who made first contact with the [[Autobot]]s on [[Earth]]. They're dubious as to her being a Wrecker, but [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] walks in (with [[Twin Twist]], [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]], [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]], and [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]]) and informs them that none of them are, yet. The situation on Garrus-9 is explained; it's been overrun by the Decepticons, but any attempt by other Decepticons to get in has been blown out of orbit with extreme prejudice. The new Wreckers are there to investigate. Springer explains to the new guys the dangers of Wreckership: Being a Wrecker means your first day could be your last.

Two years ago, the Garrus-9 Decepticons start hunting Autobots as sport. A purple Decepticon subdues the Autobot being hunted, but his cockiness catches him off guard and the Autobot leaps at his throat. Overlord kills the Autobot and then the purple Decepticon, explaining to the others that any bot that careless is wasting his life and therefore wasting Overlord's time.

In the present day, Ironfist suffers a mysterious blackout on Ultra Magnus's ship. It's revealed he was a journalist who wrote the extensive ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs on the Wreckers, under the alias Fisitron—to the amazement of Twin Twist and Topspin. Wreckers old and new talk, while Springer notices Ironfist may be hiding something. Springer himself seems burdened by the danger of Wreckership, wondering if there's any point to forming these teams for the Wreckers, only to have them blown apart at a moment's notice. Kup remarks that Springer can't stop thinking about [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]. Springer replies that it's hard but not impossible, walking off scowling. They're then interrupted by a call to the bridge.

One month earlier, Overlord watches as Kick-Off battles the Decepticon [[Borehole]] in gladiatorial combat; the Autobot viciously beats his opponent, kicking him down. Borehole pleads with Kick-Off reminding him he's an Autobot. Kick-Off replies that being an Autobot means nothing on Garrus-9. With that, he rips Borehole's head off. Overlord is pleased and invites Kick-Off into his quarters, where he says Kick-Off may choose his reward.

On Ultra Magnus's ship in the present, the Wreckers discover the battered hull of a Decepticon dropship, which detonates even as they watch. They prepare to fire as a single form flies from the explosion towards them, but Kup stops them as they recognize the damaged Cybertronian before them. To their shock and amazement, they realize it is... Impactor. He asks permission to come aboard...

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
*''[[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]]'' (1)
*''[[Turbofire]]'' (2)
*''[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]]'' (3)
*[[Dipstick]] (8)
*[[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] (9)
*[[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]] (10)
*[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] (11)
*[[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] (12)
*[[Twin Twist]] (14)
*[[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] (15)
*[[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] (16)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (17)
*[[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] (18)
*''[[Spin-Out (IDW)|Spin-Out]]'' (20)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (23)
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (24)
}}
|c2=
*''[[Skyquake (G1)|Skyquake]]'' (4)
*''[[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'' (5)
*''[[Snare]]'' (6)
*''[[Stalker (G1)|Stalker]]'' (7)
*''[[Fearswoop (G1)|Fearswoop]]'' (19)
*''[[Wingblazer]]'' (21)
*''[[Borehole]]'' (22)
|c3=
*[[Verity Carlo]] (13)
}}

==Quotes==
"All of you are to remain here with ''me''. In return I will ''protect'' you. I will ''reward'' you. I will ''entertain'' you. Like ''this''... Let us play a ''game''. I will turn Fortress Maximus over to ''you''. All ''you'' have to do is try ''not'' to kill him."
:—'''Overlord''' lets us know he's a leader that appreciates the need for recreation.

"We'll be seeing you, sir." 
"Hah! You '''think''' so? You're joining the '''Wreckers'''... what makes you think you're coming '''back?'''"
:—'''Pyro''' hasn't read the Marvel UK material, but '''Dipstick''' sure has.

"Ultra Magnus has shrunk..."
:—A confused '''Rotorstorm''' on Verity

"By the sacred spires! A '''human'''! '''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime's]]''' data was '''right!''' They're so '''delicate''' and in need of our '''protection...'''"
:—'''Pyro''' has strong maternal instincts.

"Please, '''Kick-Off'''... you're an Autobot!" 
"Know what that means in '''this''' place, Borehole? '''NOTHING.'''"
:—As his head gets brutally separated from its body, '''Borehole''' learns just how depraved '''Kick-Off''' has become.

"All weapons are trained on them in case they try something '''<nowiki>'hilarious'.</nowiki>'''"
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' rocks the sarcasm.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Skyquake and Overlord's assault on Garrus-9 was part of the galaxy-wide offensive occurring mostly off-panel during ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]''.
*You might be wondering why Ironfist is drawn with that little scar on his head. Keep it in mind...
*Verity now sports a small tattoo of a green alien head on the back of her right shoulder. This is in tribute to her departed friend [[Hunter O'Nion]], who throughout ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' wore a shirt with a similar green alien head on it.
*We learn the Autobots have their ''own'' [[Autopedia|Transformers wiki]]!
*The issue comes with an in-universe profile of Rotorstorm, written by Roberts, and presented in-universe by [[Rung (G1)|Rung]].
*Pyro really ''has'' copied Prime's look, and #5 will [[Primus apotheosis|reveal why]].
* '''First appearances:''' This is Overlord's ''second'' appearance; he was a crowd extra back in ''Megatron Origin'' #2. Actual firsts include Ironfist, Pyro, Rotorstorm and Guzzle; Dipstick; Stalker, Fearswoop and Snare; and Rung (as the Autopedia narrator.)

===Transformers references===
*The [[Action Master]] Kick-Off declares that "alt modes are for wimps!" In-universe, this could mean he's a [[Monoformer]]. His role in the story also alludes to the [[Tech Spec]] bio of Kick-Off's original toy, which described him as a shell-shocked veteran who was forced to do terrible things to survive in a Decepticon prison. The implication seemingly being that Overlord's takeover of Garrus-9 led Kick-Off to fall back on the ruthless habits that kept him alive the first time he was in such a situation.
*Ironfist brings up the "[[siege of T'Muk]]", a reference to [[Transmasters UK]] (TMUK for short, get it?), the fan club and circle of authors and artists that Roberts and Roche are longtime members of, and in which they originally rose to prominence.
*On page four, there are a pair of Autobots, one green and one orange, beheaded by Snare. These were colored by Josh Burcham in ''Revenge of the Fallen''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]'s decos as an "homage", if you can call it that.<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=166695#166695</ref>
*The Autobot captured by Wingblazer is named [[Spin-Out (IDW)|Spin-Out]] (so named in the script<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=167537#167537</ref>), which was the working name of G1 [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]].

===Real-life references===
*While attempting to hail a Decepticon ship, Verity makes a reference to [[Nyota Uhura|Uhura]] from ''[[Star Trek]]''.
*Verity calls Rotorstorm "Hitman", a reference to professional wrestler {{w|Bret Hart|Bret "Hitman" Hart}}, who is known for pink wrap-around sunglasses.
**Rotorstorm is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.
*Verity references an album title from the British band {{w|The Darkness (the band)|The Darkness}} with the words, "{{w|One Way Ticket to Hell... and Back|One way ticket to hell... and back}}".

===Errors===
*On page 2, the handle bit on the top of Overlord's gun is missing.
*On page 14, on Ironfist's POV shot of the Wreckers checking on him, Topspin is colored with a black helmet and a red visor, apparently mistaken for [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] by colorist [[Josh Burcham]]. This error is corrected in the trade paperback.
*Between pages 15 and 16, Twin Twist and Topspin switch positions while talking to the new recruits.

===Other trivia===
*This story comes [[Simon Furman|Furman]]-approved!<ref>[http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/comics-candy-addendum/]</ref>

===Production===
The hardcover trade of ''Last Stand'' reveals information about both Roche's original pitch and early Roche-Roberts scripts.

In Roche's pitch:
*Springer, Kup, and Perceptor would be taking a trip to Earth to pick up underwear, White Castle burgers, and DVDs for Verity (who is introduced as a mechanoid before she takes the armour off). Ratchet procures it for them via his holomatter avatar.
*Ultra Magnus is dealing with an 'escapee' and so Verity is greeting the Wreckers.
*We see Springer taking a deep breath about meeting the soon-to-die recruits before heading in with a game face on.

In early scripts:
*The opening was a version of the Snare and Impactor scene from next issue.
*It was going to be explicitly stated that the new recruits aren't being picked because they're The Best: it's because at this point in the war, especially after ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', they're The Best of the Autobots still alive.
*Verity is deliberately signing up for the mission and is approved. "Ultra Magnus vouches for her."
*We learn here that Overlord's offering people to fight him rather than be killed. When taunted that he's developed "a taste for carnage", Kick Off spits back that "maybe" he already had one.

===Covers (4)===
*'''Cover A:''' The Wreckers looking like they just blew something up; art by [[Nick Roche]] and colors by [[Josh Burcham]]. This cover art was reused for the TPB.
*'''Cover B:''' Perceptor, Kup, Springer, Topspin, and Twin Twist in heroic poses; art and colors by [[Trevor Hutchison]].
*'''Cover RI:''' "Virgin" title-free edition of cover B.
*'''2nd Printing Cover:''' Impactor riding an explosion with a grin (art taken from last page of this issue), art by Nick Roche and colors by Josh Burcham.
<gallery>
File:LSotW 1cvrA.jpg|Naturally, Nick's Irish pride means he puts the green guy in the front.
File:LSotW 1cvrB.jpg|The Magnificent <s>Seven</s>Five.
File:LSotW 1cvrRI.jpg|"Title? We don't need no steenking title!"
File:LSotW 1cvr2nd.jpg|"Woo, I'm back from the dead, skidplates!"
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|''The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #2]]
*''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]'' [[Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|#3]]
*''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]: Operation Hiss''
*''{{i|G.I. Joe: Cobra II}}''
*''The Adventures of Digger and Friends''
*''The Adventures of Simone and Ajax''
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*''Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Cardassians''
*''The Family Circus Library'', vol. 1
*''Bringing Up Father''
*''Little Adventures in Oz'', vol. 1 (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers#Collections|collections of the full series]]
* N/A

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Last Stand of the Wreckers issues]]

Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1

2023-01-09T18:05:08Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Transformers references */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' #1
|prev=Dead Men's Boots
|next=Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2
|image=LSotW 1cvrA.jpg
|caption=We peed a little.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[January 27]], [[2010]] [[February 10]] (2nd printing)
|coverdate=January 2010
|story=[[Nick Roche]] & [[James Roberts]]
|script=Nick Roche
|pencils=Nick Roche
|inks=Nick Roche & [[John Wycough]]
|colors=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters=[[Neil Uyetake]]
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|associate editor=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2010)]]
}}
'''When Overlord turns Garrus-9 into his personal playground, it's time to call in the suicide mission specialists.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:LastStandoftheWreckers1-newrecruits.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Yay, we get to join the team where everybody dies!]]
Three years ago, at [[Garrus-9]] penitentiary, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]] and his subordinate [[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]] deal with a massive [[Decepticon]] assault on the prison. Kick-Off smells an inside job, while Fortress Maximus replies that only he has the codes to the Garrus-9 doors—good thing, too.

Decepticon general [[Skyquake (G1)|Skyquake]] intends to take the facility for [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], but is interrupted by the arrival of [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]. All the Decepticons are in awe of him, terrified as well. Refusing Overlord's request for him to relinquish command, Skyquake is shot in the back; Overlord then leads the Decepticons in storming the prison and slaughtering its defenders. He offers the freed prisoners the entire planet as a source of entertainment, free from the narrow whims of Megatron. As a game, Overlord throws the battered body of Fortress Maximus to the mob, saying all they have to do is try not to kill him.

Eight months ago, [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]], [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]], and [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] are scolded by annoying local reconstruction manager, [[Dipstick]], for blowing up the fuel depot with their new guns. Guzzle says that's what [[Wrecker]]s do. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s ship arrives. Only Pyro farewells the manager Dipstick in a civil manner, but is blown off by Dipstick. The bots leave on Ultra Magnus's ship, becoming the newest Wreckers.

On board, they are greeted by [[Verity Carlo]], one of the humans who made first contact with the [[Autobot]]s on [[Earth]]. They're dubious as to her being a Wrecker, but [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] walks in (with [[Twin Twist]], [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]], [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]], and [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]]) and informs them that none of them are, yet. The situation on Garrus-9 is explained; it's been overrun by the Decepticons, but any attempt by other Decepticons to get in has been blown out of orbit with extreme prejudice. The new Wreckers are there to investigate. Springer explains to the new guys the dangers of Wreckership: Being a Wrecker means your first day could be your last.

Two years ago, the Garrus-9 Decepticons start hunting Autobots as sport. A purple Decepticon subdues the Autobot being hunted, but his cockiness catches him off guard and the Autobot leaps at his throat. Overlord kills the Autobot and then the purple Decepticon, explaining to the others that any bot that careless is wasting his life and therefore wasting Overlord's time.

In the present day, Ironfist suffers a mysterious blackout on Ultra Magnus's ship. It's revealed he was a journalist who wrote the extensive ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogs on the Wreckers, under the alias Fisitron—to the amazement of Twin Twist and Topspin. Wreckers old and new talk, while Springer notices Ironfist may be hiding something. Springer himself seems burdened by the danger of Wreckership, wondering if there's any point to forming these teams for the Wreckers, only to have them blown apart at a moment's notice. Kup remarks that Springer can't stop thinking about [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]. Springer replies that it's hard but not impossible, walking off scowling. They're then interrupted by a call to the bridge.

One month earlier, Overlord watches as Kick-Off battles the Decepticon [[Borehole]] in gladiatorial combat; the Autobot viciously beats his opponent, kicking him down. Borehole pleads with Kick-Off reminding him he's an Autobot. Kick-Off replies that being an Autobot means nothing on Garrus-9. With that, he rips Borehole's head off. Overlord is pleased and invites Kick-Off into his quarters, where he says Kick-Off may choose his reward.

On Ultra Magnus's ship in the present, the Wreckers discover the battered hull of a Decepticon dropship, which detonates even as they watch. They prepare to fire as a single form flies from the explosion towards them, but Kup stops them as they recognize the damaged Cybertronian before them. To their shock and amazement, they realize it is... Impactor. He asks permission to come aboard...

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
*''[[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]]'' (1)
*''[[Turbofire]]'' (2)
*''[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]]'' (3)
*[[Dipstick]] (8)
*[[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] (9)
*[[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]] (10)
*[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] (11)
*[[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] (12)
*[[Twin Twist]] (14)
*[[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] (15)
*[[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] (16)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (17)
*[[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] (18)
*''[[Spin-Out (IDW)|Spin-Out]]'' (20)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (23)
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (24)
}}
|c2=
*''[[Skyquake (G1)|Skyquake]]'' (4)
*''[[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'' (5)
*''[[Snare]]'' (6)
*''[[Stalker (G1)|Stalker]]'' (7)
*''[[Fearswoop (G1)|Fearswoop]]'' (19)
*''[[Wingblazer]]'' (21)
*''[[Borehole]]'' (22)
|c3=
*[[Verity Carlo]] (13)
}}

==Quotes==
"All of you are to remain here with ''me''. In return I will ''protect'' you. I will ''reward'' you. I will ''entertain'' you. Like ''this''... Let us play a ''game''. I will turn Fortress Maximus over to ''you''. All ''you'' have to do is try ''not'' to kill him."
:—'''Overlord''' lets us know he's a leader that appreciates the need for recreation.

"We'll be seeing you, sir." 
"Hah! You '''think''' so? You're joining the '''Wreckers'''... what makes you think you're coming '''back?'''"
:—'''Pyro''' hasn't read the Marvel UK material, but '''Dipstick''' sure has.

"Ultra Magnus has shrunk..."
:—A confused '''Rotorstorm''' on Verity

"By the sacred spires! A '''human'''! '''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime's]]''' data was '''right!''' They're so '''delicate''' and in need of our '''protection...'''"
:—'''Pyro''' has strong maternal instincts.

"Please, '''Kick-Off'''... you're an Autobot!" 
"Know what that means in '''this''' place, Borehole? '''NOTHING.'''"
:—As his head gets brutally separated from its body, '''Borehole''' learns just how depraved '''Kick-Off''' has become.

"All weapons are trained on them in case they try something '''<nowiki>'hilarious'.</nowiki>'''"
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' rocks the sarcasm.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Skyquake and Overlord's assault on Garrus-9 was part of the galaxy-wide offensive occurring mostly off-panel during ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]''.
*You might be wondering why Ironfist is drawn with that little scar on his head. Keep it in mind...
*Verity now sports a small tattoo of a green alien head on the back of her right shoulder. This is in tribute to her departed friend [[Hunter O'Nion]], who throughout ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' wore a shirt with a similar green alien head on it.
*We learn the Autobots have their ''own'' [[Autopedia|Transformers wiki]]!
*The issue comes with an in-universe profile of Rotorstorm, written by Roberts, and presented in-universe by [[Rung (G1)|Rung]].
*Pyro really ''has'' copied Prime's look, and #5 will [[Primus apotheosis|reveal why]].
* '''First appearances:''' This is Overlord's ''second'' appearance; he was a crowd extra back in ''Megatron Origin'' #2. Actual firsts include Ironfist, Pyro, Rotorstorm and Guzzle; Dipstick; Stalker, Fearswoop and Snare; and Rung (as the Autopedia narrator.)

===Transformers references===
*The [[Action Master]] Kick-Off declares that "alt modes are for wimps!" In-universe, this could mean he's a [[Monoformer]]. His role in the story also alludes to the [[Tech Spec]] bio of Kick-Off's original toy, which described him as a shell-shocked veteran who was forced to do terrible things to survive in a Decepticon prison. The implication seemingly being that Overlord's takeover of Garrus-9 led Kick-Off to fall back on the ruthless habits that kept him alive the first time he was in a situation.
*Ironfist brings up the "[[siege of T'Muk]]", a reference to [[Transmasters UK]] (TMUK for short, get it?), the fan club and circle of authors and artists that Roberts and Roche are longtime members of, and in which they originally rose to prominence.
*On page four, there are a pair of Autobots, one green and one orange, beheaded by Snare. These were colored by Josh Burcham in ''Revenge of the Fallen''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]'s decos as an "homage", if you can call it that.<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=166695#166695</ref>
*The Autobot captured by Wingblazer is named [[Spin-Out (IDW)|Spin-Out]] (so named in the script<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=167537#167537</ref>), which was the working name of G1 [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]].

===Real-life references===
*While attempting to hail a Decepticon ship, Verity makes a reference to [[Nyota Uhura|Uhura]] from ''[[Star Trek]]''.
*Verity calls Rotorstorm "Hitman", a reference to professional wrestler {{w|Bret Hart|Bret "Hitman" Hart}}, who is known for pink wrap-around sunglasses.
**Rotorstorm is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.
*Verity references an album title from the British band {{w|The Darkness (the band)|The Darkness}} with the words, "{{w|One Way Ticket to Hell... and Back|One way ticket to hell... and back}}".

===Errors===
*On page 2, the handle bit on the top of Overlord's gun is missing.
*On page 14, on Ironfist's POV shot of the Wreckers checking on him, Topspin is colored with a black helmet and a red visor, apparently mistaken for [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] by colorist [[Josh Burcham]]. This error is corrected in the trade paperback.
*Between pages 15 and 16, Twin Twist and Topspin switch positions while talking to the new recruits.

===Other trivia===
*This story comes [[Simon Furman|Furman]]-approved!<ref>[http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/comics-candy-addendum/]</ref>

===Production===
The hardcover trade of ''Last Stand'' reveals information about both Roche's original pitch and early Roche-Roberts scripts.

In Roche's pitch:
*Springer, Kup, and Perceptor would be taking a trip to Earth to pick up underwear, White Castle burgers, and DVDs for Verity (who is introduced as a mechanoid before she takes the armour off). Ratchet procures it for them via his holomatter avatar.
*Ultra Magnus is dealing with an 'escapee' and so Verity is greeting the Wreckers.
*We see Springer taking a deep breath about meeting the soon-to-die recruits before heading in with a game face on.

In early scripts:
*The opening was a version of the Snare and Impactor scene from next issue.
*It was going to be explicitly stated that the new recruits aren't being picked because they're The Best: it's because at this point in the war, especially after ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', they're The Best of the Autobots still alive.
*Verity is deliberately signing up for the mission and is approved. "Ultra Magnus vouches for her."
*We learn here that Overlord's offering people to fight him rather than be killed. When taunted that he's developed "a taste for carnage", Kick Off spits back that "maybe" he already had one.

===Covers (4)===
*'''Cover A:''' The Wreckers looking like they just blew something up; art by [[Nick Roche]] and colors by [[Josh Burcham]]. This cover art was reused for the TPB.
*'''Cover B:''' Perceptor, Kup, Springer, Topspin, and Twin Twist in heroic poses; art and colors by [[Trevor Hutchison]].
*'''Cover RI:''' "Virgin" title-free edition of cover B.
*'''2nd Printing Cover:''' Impactor riding an explosion with a grin (art taken from last page of this issue), art by Nick Roche and colors by Josh Burcham.
<gallery>
File:LSotW 1cvrA.jpg|Naturally, Nick's Irish pride means he puts the green guy in the front.
File:LSotW 1cvrB.jpg|The Magnificent <s>Seven</s>Five.
File:LSotW 1cvrRI.jpg|"Title? We don't need no steenking title!"
File:LSotW 1cvr2nd.jpg|"Woo, I'm back from the dead, skidplates!"
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|''The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #2]]
*''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]'' [[Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|#3]]
*''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]: Operation Hiss''
*''{{i|G.I. Joe: Cobra II}}''
*''The Adventures of Digger and Friends''
*''The Adventures of Simone and Ajax''
*''[[Star Trek]] Captain's Log: [[Hikaru Sulu|Sulu]]''
*''Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Cardassians''
*''The Family Circus Library'', vol. 1
*''Bringing Up Father''
*''Little Adventures in Oz'', vol. 1 (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers#Collections|collections of the full series]]
* N/A

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Last Stand of the Wreckers issues]]

Spotlight: Blurr

2022-10-11T21:05:52Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Continuity notes */

{{comicstory|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|The Transformers Spotlight]]'' #20
|prev=Spotlight: Sideswipe
|next=Spotlight: Jazz
|title="The Transformers: Spotlight: Blurr"
|image=Spotlight Blurr cvrA.jpg
|caption=I'm so great even '''''I''''' can't believe it!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 5]], [[2008]]
|coverdate=November 2008
|written by=[[Shane McCarthy]]
|art by=[[Casey Coller]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Neil Uyetake]]
|edits by=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#1,000,000+ years ago|Pre-Great War]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
}}
'''At the end of Cybertron's Golden Age, Blurr must make a choice between being a celebrity or a hero.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] is the undefeated superstar champion of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s [[Cybertronian sport|racing circuits]]. His success on the race track has made him an arrogant and distant individual, though. Following another victory he promises to celebrate with his pit crew (whose names he can't remember), only to reveal he intends to celebrate at [[The Circle]], a nightclub only the elite of Cybertron can gain access to.

[[File:Spotlight Blurr simultronic.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|If you're down he'll pick you up, Doctor Robert. Take a drink from his special cup, Doctor Robert.]]
Blurr's world comes crashing down, however, after a [[Decepticon]] terrorist attack blows up the racing track. The manager of the races is ordered by the new Prime, [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]], to shut down the races in the name of public safety. Blurr runs into the lead tech on his pit crew, a bot named <s>Parton</s> [[Piston (mechanic)|Piston]], in the race locker rooms. Blurr is surprised to see Piston clearing out his stuff, explaining that the races may very well return. Piston laments that they wouldn't matter even if they did return, as the Decepticon uprising is turning into an all-out civil war. Piston has opted to sign up with the [[Autobot]]s, hoping to make something more of himself. Blurr refuses Piston's offer to join him among the Autobot ranks, declaring "The races might be over, but the parties aren't."

Blurr then arrives at The Circle to find it deserted. Bummer.

The bar's proprietor is shocked that Blurr didn't seem to notice the city's descent into the civil war. Hoping to drown his sorrows with a bottle of [[energon]] and an alternate reality generator, the race champion is interrupted by [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], who presents himself as "a friend". Blurr tells Starscream that the thrill of knowing what he's doing matters is what he loves about racing. Starscream then tells Blurr that his devotion to victory on the race track can lead to greater things, if he would only rebel against the weak regime and the Autobots who hold him down. Starscream remarks that, when the time comes, Blurr will know what to do.

Leaving The Circle, Blurr transforms to take a mind-clearing drive, only to enter into a war zone. Saved by [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]], he's rushed into the Autobot position. There he sees the dead bodies of Piston and his former racing comrade [[Fasttrack (IDW)|Fasttrack]], early victims of the Autobot/Decepticon conflict. He then meets a young Autobot named [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus]], who explains to Blurr that his unique gift of making decisions in an instant is one he envies, and that Blurr would make a superb soldier, if he only turned his focus and drive outward instead of inward. Optimus then explains that the Decepticon group he and his teammates are fighting are an assassination squad, whose target is none other than the Autobot Commander Zeta Prime himself. Optimus's team can't communicate with Zeta's HQ, as the Decepticons are using [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] to block all transmissions in the area. Only Blurr is fast enough to break through the Decepticon line and warn Prime of the impending threat on his life.

After a heated exchange in which Optimus explains Cybertron's "[[Golden Age]]" only left the planet's rulers weak, and that the Decepticons are taking advantage of that weakness, the future Prime offers Blurr a spot within the Autobot ranks. After thinking it through, Blurr rushes off, breaking through the Decepticon barricade (and a few Decepticons as well), toward Zeta Prime's citadel headquarters.

As he speeds toward his objective, Blurr feels pride in the knowledge that what he's doing really matters.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (1)
*[[Piston (mechanic)|Piston]] (2)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (5)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus]] (6)
*[[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] (7)
|c2=
*[[Fasttrack (IDW)|Fasttrack]] (3)
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (4)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] (8)
}}

==Quotes==
"Check that out... "simultronic." Reality inside reality." 
"Brain fry. Who could ever want to run away from a world like this?"
:—'''Blurr''' and '''Fasttrack''' discuss drug addictions.

"If this is going to be ''another'' conversation about how cold and arrogant I am, trust me, I've heard it '''all''' before."
:—'''Blurr''' gets tired of criticism.

"The crowds. When I can feel them behind me. The lights. The roar. And that one moment, that one single moment, when I know what I'm doing really matters."
:—'''Blurr''', showing he is more than just a pretty face.

"You're wasting your time, kid. This one's just a pampered, arrogant, little upstart."
:—'''Kup''' doesn't have time to deal with turbo-revvin' young punks.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Starscream's design in the issue is inconsistent with that shown in ''[[The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin]]''. This is annoying.
*Kup refers to Orion Pax as "Optimus". Considering that Orion Pax didn't become Optimus Prime until ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' [[Transformation (issue)|#9]], this ''could'' be an outright error... however, he was ''also'' alternatively addressed as "Orion" and "Optimus" by his [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|senator friend]] in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]", so who knows.
*The [[mouthplate]]less Pre-Prime Optimus is also inconsistent with that shown in ''Megatron Origin'' (well, his back, anyway), but this design ''is'' a pointed homage to Orion Pax. Artist Casey Coller stated that the design was [[Guido Guidi]]'s.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=64104&view=findpost&p=1380927]</ref> The different body was explained in "[[Omega's Conundrum]]" as a new, more fashionable upgrade.
* The big climax of the story is Blurr saving Zeta Prime's life… the same Zeta Prime who later stories will establish gradually went insane over the course of his reign and ultimately descended into authoritarian tyranny, culminating in the events of ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' and making this triumphant moment of character development into one of Blurr's greatest failures and regrets. Dark.
* '''First appearances:''' Blurr

===Transformers references===
*Blurr's limo is based on the [[alternate mode]] of ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'' [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], [[Bulkhead (G1)|a Generation 1 version of whom]] would much later be introduced in the ''[[The Transformers: Monstrosity|Monstrosity]]'' flashback series.
*While getting hammered at the bar, the drinking vessels used to imbibe liquid [[energon]] are cube-shaped, so when full, they look just like small [[energon cube]]s.
*Optimus's backpack bears a strong resemblance to the canopy of the "artillery robot" in his Generation 1 toy's Combat Deck.

===Real-world references===
*Blurr's IDWverse design includes stylised Hermes/Mercury-style wing shapes on the sides of his helmet, in either a classical evocation, or a more pop-cultural reference to the {{w|Flash (comics)|Flash}}.

===Errors===
*Starscream gains a Decepticon symbol on his left shoulder that wasn't there on the previous page where he first appeared.
*The Decepticon assassination squad approaches the Citadel on foot despite at least two flight-capable warriors among their ranks.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Blurr on a sports magazine cover; art by [[Casey Coller]] with colors by [[Joana Lafuente]].
*'''Cover B:''' A monochromatic stylized, and rather art-deco image of Blurr sprinting by [[Trevor Hutchison]].
*'''Cover RI:''' Sketch cover of Blurr and his enormous shoulders, by [[Guido Guidi]].
<gallery>
File:Spotlight Blurr cvrA.jpg|Do you think Blurr would be interviewed by [[Eject (G1)|Eject]]?
File:Spotlight Blurr cvrB.jpg|Run, run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!
File:Spotlight Blurr cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook]]'' TPB
*''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' series
*''Love and Capes'' TPB
*''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'' comics
*''The Dreamland Chronicles'' collectible figurines
*''The Dreamland Chronicles'' series
*''[[Star Trek]]: The Next Generation: The Last Generation'' series
*''[[Doctor Who]]: The Forgotten'' series
*CGC
*''Igor Movie Prequel''
*''[[Ghostbusters]]: The Other Side'' series

===Reprints===
*'''''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron'' Volume 3]] TPB''' ([[October 28]], [[2009]]) ISBN 1600105416 / ISBN 978-1600105418
:*Collects the ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]''s: ''Blurr'', ''[[Spotlight: Jazz|Jazz]]'', ''[[Spotlight: Drift|Drift]]'', ''[[Spotlight: Cliffjumper|Cliffjumper]]'' and ''[[Spotlight: Metroplex|Metroplex]]''.
:*Bonus material includes a cover gallery, a 1-page art gallery featuring the [[Throttlebot]]s and new cover art by [[Trevor Hutchison]].

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume One]]''''' ([[May 26]], [[2010]]) ISBN 1600106676 / ISBN 978-1600106675
:*Collects ''[[The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin]]'', ''Spotlights:'' ''Blurr'', ''Cliffjumper'', ''[[Spotlight: Shockwave|Shockwave]]'', ''[[Spotlight: Nightbeat|Nightbeat]]'', ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod|Hot Rod]]'', ''[[Spotlight: Soundwave|Soundwave]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]''.

* '''''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|The Transformers: The Complete All Hail Megatron]]''''' ([[July 27]], [[2011]]) ISBN 1600109551 / ISBN 978-1600109553
:*Collects ''All Hail Megatron'' issues 1–16, and the ''Spotlights'' of Volume 3.
:*Bonus material includes a cover gallery and the art sketches from previous collections.

* '''''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|The Transformers: Spotlight Omnibus Volume 2]]''''' ([[September 9]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1613779429 / ISBN 978-1613779422
:*Collects ''[[Spotlight: Mirage|Mirage]]'', ''[[Spotlight: Wheelie|Wheelie]]'', ''[[Spotlight: Cyclonus|Cyclonus]]'', ''[[Spotlight: Hardhead|Hardhead]]'', ''[[Spotlight: Doubledealer|Doubledealer]]'', ''[[Spotlight: Sideswipe|Sideswipe]]'', ''Blurr'', ''Jazz'', ''Drift'', ''Cliffjumper'', ''Metroplex'', and ''[[Ride-Along|Prowl]]''.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Compendium, Vol. 1]]''''' ([[July 6]], [[2016]]) ISBN 163140637X / ISBN 978-1631406379
:*Collects the first two ''IDW Collection'' volumes.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 33: Megatron Origin''''' ([[November 1]], [[2017]])
:*Includes the ''Megatron Origin'' series and the ''Spotlights'' for ''Blurr'' and ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Orion Pax]]''.
:*Bonus material includes a discussion of the production stages on ''Megatron: Origin'' by [[Eric Holmes]], a cover gallery and an intro by [[Simon Furman]].
<gallery>
File:AHM v3.jpg|'''''All Hail Megatron'' Vol. 3 TPB'''; cover art by [[Trevor Hutchison]]
File:IDWCollection1.jpg|'''''IDW Collection Vol. 1'''''; cover art by [[E. J. Su]]
File:Allhailmegatronhc.jpg|'''''Complete All Hail Megatron'''''; cover art by Trevor Hutchison
File:TF Spotlight Omnibus v2.jpg|'''''Spotlight Omnibus'' Volume 2'''; cover art by [[Jeffrey Veregge]]
File:IDWCollectionCompendiumV1.jpg|'''''IDW Collection Compendium, Vol. 1'''''; cover art by Jeffrey Veregge
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v33.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 33'''''; cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Alex Milne]]
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Spotlight issues|Blurr]]

End of the Road! (US)

2022-10-11T00:52:02Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Other trivia */

{{disambig3|End of the Road}}
{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #80
|prev=The Last Autobot?
|next=Unfoldings!
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #331–332
|prev2=The Last Autobot?
|next2=Another Time & Place
|seriesissue3=''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]''
|next3=The New World
|seriesissue4=''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]''
|next4=Counterpoint
|title="End of the Road!"
|image=MarvelUS-80.jpg
|caption="I am victorious! Is there any who can challenge [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]?!" "[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Me]]." "...Oh, [[Slag (slang)|slag]]."
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=May [[1991]]
|coverdate=July 1991
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|penciler=[[Andrew Wildman]]
|inker=[[Stephen Baskerville]]
|colorist=[[Nelson Yomtov|Nel Yomtov]]
|letterer=[[Rick Parker]]
|editor=[[Rob Tokar]]
|chronology=1991
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''All good things...'''

==Synopsis==
On [[Klo]], a cornered Getaway is blown to pieces by Dreadwind and Darkwing, their grandstanding irritating Bludgeon, though he admits as he looks at the battered remains of the Autobots, his Decepticons haven't done a bad job. Strangehold asks about the survivors, noting the job's not done 'till the last Autobot falls. Bludgeon reassures him they will be found, as his best warriors are on the job. A short distance away, Octopunch leads a hunting team, but is irritated by [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]]'s inability to sniff their prey out, and puts Fangry in charge, declaring they can't have gotten far. His claim is proven as they move out of range, and the last five Autobots left emerge from a nearby pool.

Unfortunately for Grimlock, [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]] is one of the survivors, and spares no breath berating him for their situation. It seems the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] were led into an obvious trap upon the Autobots' arrival on Klo, the Decepticons having realized they were coming after finding Grimlock's tracer aboard their ship, and the resulting melee was a slaughter. Prowl's pontificating is cut short when the Decepticons make their presence known by blasting Blaster to pieces, [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] having smelled them even in their hiding place. Having enjoyed letting them think they were safe, the Decepticons close in for the kill.

Back at the scene of the first battle, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] is about to administer another execution to a not-quite dead Wheeljack when he and his warriors are suddenly caught off guard by the arriving [[Neo-Knights]]. The Decepticons quickly learn that the [[human]]s are only the first wave, and onto the battlefield drops the second wave—[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], alive and kicking.

Meanwhile, Grimlock has an answer to Prowl's question about what they're supposed to do: Fight, to the death if necessary, as he demonstrates by putting his fist through Fangry's chest.

Despite Bludgeon's disbelieving cries, Prime is indeed back, and he introduces his new friend, the legendary [[Last Autobot]]. The child of [[Primus]] relates how he had slumbered beneath Cybertron, designed by Primus to wait until the god's foreseen demise, when a chosen one would find and awake him. Much to his surprise, that chosen one was [[Hi-Q]], until the Last Autobot saw the Nebulon had become part organic and part machine, and more - Hi-Q's very soul had become enmeshed with that of Optimus. Using his powers, the Last Autobot reformatted the [[Nebulan]] into a new Optimus, merging the best aspects of both.

His exposition finished, the Last Autobot states definitively that the war is over, but Bludgeon refuses to surrender, attacking Optimus. Bludgeon sees himself as a follower of the Ultimate Warrior, the ravager of worlds, and the Last Autobot is blasphemy to his view. Ignoring Optimus's explanation that this is merely a corruption of the truth, he orders his troops to attack. The Decepticons dogpile on Optimus Prime, much to Dynamo's alarm, but his pleas to the Last Autobot to intervene go unheeded, as the gargantuan robot begins reviving the fallen Autobots. Fortunately, the human's concerns prove unwarranted, as Optimus shrugs off his attackers.

Joined by Grimlock and his group of survivors, charging over the hillside, the tide of battle quickly turns towards the Autobots, and Bludgeon's troops are put to retreat. As Bludgeon proclaims he will lead his troops into the voluntary exile that honor demands, he quietly tells [[Stranglehold]] to gather their forces, to live to fight another day.

As the Autobots wrap up, Prowl laments they have nowhere to go, but Optimus Prime informs his brethren that [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] survives, restored by the Last Autobot's power and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] energy that washed over the planet in the final battle with [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. The Autobots prepare to help the [[Klozian]]s rebuild, take the Neo-Knights home and, finally, return to their home planet for a new era of peace and enlightenment.

[['Til all are one]].

{{note|Multiple companies have continued the story of the Marvel Comics universe in different ways, meaning that story is continued in several mutually-exclusive directions:''
*The UK Annual story "[[Another Time & Place]]".
*The ''[[G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe]]'' issue "[[Unfoldings!]]", leading into the ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' series.
*The [[Fun Publications]] "[[Transformers: Classics|Classicverse]]", starting chronologically with "[[The New World]]".
*The [[IDW Publishing]] maxi-series ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One]]''.

'''''It never ends!'''''}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
*[[Getaway]] (1)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (8)
*[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]] (9)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Wheeljack]] (10)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (11)
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (12)
*[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (13)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (14)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (15)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (16)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] (21)
*[[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]] (22)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (23)
*[[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]] (24)
*[[Slag (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Slag]] (25)
*[[Sludge (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Sludge]] (26)
*[[Snarl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Snarl]] (27)
*[[Swoop (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Swoop]] (28)
*[[Last Autobot]] (29)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (32)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] (33)
}}
|c2=
*[[Dreadwing (G1)|Dreadwing]] (2)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (3)
*[[Battletrap (G1)|Battletrap]] (4)
*[[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]] (5)
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (6)
*[[Stranglehold]] (7)
*[[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] (17)
*[[Quake (G1)|Quake]] (18)
*[[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] (19)
*[[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] (20)
*[[Horri-Bull]] (37)
*[[Squeezeplay (G1)|Squeezeplay]] (38)
*[[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]] (39)
|c3=
*[[Thunderpunch]] (29)
*[[Dynamo]] (30)
*[[Rapture]] (31)
*[[G.B. Blackrock]] (35)
*[[Circuit Breaker (G1)|Circuit Breaker]] (36)
|h4=[[Nebulan]]s
|c4=
*[[Hi-Q]] (34)
}}

==Quotes==
"Do you not understand? [[Furmanism|It's OVER—FINISHED!]]"
:—'''Bludgeon''', executing Siren

"'''''That.''''' [''puts his fist straight through Fangry's torso''] '''That''' what we do, Prowl. We fight... '''''to the death!'''''"
:—'''Grimlock''' rallies his troops.

"As it was foretold, so it came to pass. But [[Hi-Q|the chosen one]]... was something of a surprise. Until I saw that there was [[More than Meets the Eye (disambiguation)|more to this tiny being than met the eye]]."
:—The '''Last Autobot'''

"And now... it is time for this mindless war to cease. It is [[Furmanism|done, finished.]]"
:—The '''Last Autobot'''

"ENOUGH! Do you not understand, Decepticons? [[Furmanism|It is over—FINISHED!]] A new age has dawned, and we must herald it in... with '''peace''' and '''harmony!'''"
:—'''Optimus Prime''', while pulverizing a squad of Decepticons

"Hear me, Autobots -- we are destroyed, whipped like '''curs!''' We have failed, and in that failure shamed ourselves ''beyond redemption!'' We leave you now to begin the '''solitary exile''' that '''honor''' demands! Farewell, Autobots -- I '''salute you!'''"
:—'''Bludgeon''' spins a fakey tale to cover the Decepticons' tracks.

"For me, personally, [[Furmanism|it never ends!]]"
:—'''Simon Furman''', giving mixed messages as he concludes the letters page

==Notes==
===Artwork and technical errors===
*On the final page, Wheeljack is colored medium and dark gray, while Kup has a helmet like that of Wreck-Gar.

===Continuity errors===
[[File:EndoftheRoad-Stranglehold.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|...But, on the other hand, it beats Stranglehold fantasizing about scantily-clad Bludgeon and Octopunch.]]
*"[[Recipe for Disaster!]]" and, in the UK, "[[Prime's Rib!]]" say that the Transformers have no gender and no "mates". Tell that to Stranglehold, whose fantasies involve scantily-clad maybe-robot women!

===Continuity notes===
*Optimus Prime appears in his Action Master design, but Nucleon is not explicitly mentioned here as being a part of his transformation. However, Hi-Q absorbed energy during Grimlock's metamorphosis to Action Master form in "[[Still Life!]]", an indirect appropriation of Nucleon that is confirmed in Transformers UK Annual #7, "[[Another Time & Place]]".
*If a ([[Headmaster (technology)|Fill]] [[Targetmaster (technology)|in the]] [[Powermaster|Blank]])master is killed with their partner, could the Last Autobot still resurrect them?
*On page 19, Optimus Prime seems to be shattering or completely crushing Crankcase's head; despite this, Crankcase is shown running off in retreat on page 21. He doesn't seem to have a head as he retreats, though!
*Though the story certainly implies that all the destroyed Autobots were revived, the only ''confirmed'' survivors are Optimus, Grimlock, Slag, Sludge, Prowl, Hot Rod, Inferno, Blaster, Kup, and Wheeljack.
*When last seen, in the flashback sequence, Circuit Breaker's still comatose, with no word given as to her ultimate fate.
*Powers and abilities:
**Judging by Octopunch's comments, Fangry can see in infra-red while Weirdwolf can't. Fangry also claims he could smell the Autobots underneath the layer of mud as well.
**Dynamo has an easier time using his powers on Klo than he did on Cybertron.

===Real-life references===
*TBD

===UK printing===
'''Issue #331:'''
*'''Reprint ''Transformers'' story:''' "[[The Big Shutdown!]]"
*'''Other strips:''' ''[[Combat Colin]]''

'''Issue #332:'''
*'''Reprint ''Transformers'' story:''' "[[The Greatest Gift of All!]]"
*'''Other strips:''' ''Combat Colin''
*Whereas "The Big Shutdown" was reprinted in colour, "The Greatest Gift of All" wasn't.

===Other trivia===
*With typical Marvel humor, this issue is billed as '''#80''' in a [[The Transformers Four-Issue Limited Series|'''four-issue''' limited series]].
**Twenty-three years later, [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' comic would recycle this gag for [[The War to End All Wars, Part 5|its own final issue]].
*This is obviously a very abridged version of Furman's plans but he did reveal to the Collectors' Club that his original plan was indeed that a resurrected Prime would go after Bludgeon. However, Optimus would decide to do this instead of staying on Cybertron, a crushing blow to the Autobots who'd have gone on the Last Autobot quest as he'd just abandoned them; he would also have felt guilty about not being on Earth.<ref>[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 2|Club magazine #2]]</ref>
*Nobody gets the final US cover corner box; instead, an orange and yellow beveled [[Decepticon]] [[insignia]] appears here, contrasting the [[Autobot]] symbol featured in the cover's logo.
*Weirdwolf makes the most adorably hurt expression when Octopunch jabs him for his failure.
*When the Autobots get slaughtered, Snapdragon can be seen punting a head away from Nightbeat's wrecked form… the closest [[Muzzle]] ever gets to making an appearance - or even being acknowledged- in the US strips!
*How high were sales in the 90s speculator boom? This comic was cancelled for low sales of ''70,000 copies an issue''.<ref>[http://www.camphortree.net/tf/tidbits/otfcc2004.txt Steve-o Stonebreaker's OTFCC 2004 notes]</ref>
*Simon Furman's "send-off" message at the end of the issue claims that this will almost certainly mark the end of the Transformers franchise, but that he hopes to continue to write stories about the Neo-Knights. Wonder how that turned out?
*Game over, man—game over.

===Covers (3)===
*'''US cover:''' Bludgeon about to dismember Wheeljack, as the shadow of Optimus Prime looms in the mist, by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''UK issue #331 cover:''' Optimus Prime by Andrew Wildman; recolored version of page 12 of the story.
*'''UK issue #332 cover:''' recolored version of US cover.
<gallery>
File:MarvelUS-80.jpg|'''US issue #80''' - Wheeljack never gets a break.
File:MarvelUK-331.jpg|'''UK issue #331''' - All action, no [[Powermaster|'Master]].
File:MarvelUK-332.jpg|'''UK issue #332''' - It's the end... but the moment has been prepared for.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*None yet identified.

===Reprints===
* '''''[[Transformers: End of the Road]]'' TPB:''' [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]], [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]] and half of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], by [[Andrew Wildman]].
* '''''Transformers: End of the Road'' HC:''' Galvatron and generic Decepticons, by [[Bryan Hitch]], [[Andrew Currie]] & [[Chris Blythe]].
*'''[[Classic Transformers Volume 6|''Classic Transformers'' Volume 6]]:''' A scrapbook of images from issues #76–80, all by Andrew Wildman and Stephen Baskerville.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' 100-Page Spectacular cover A:''' [[Action Master]] [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] smashes scenes from the the collected stories, by Andrew Wildman and [[Jason Cardy]].
*'''''Regeneration One'' 100-Page Spectacular cover B:''' [[Hi-Q]] writhes in pain with the memories of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], surrounded by The [[Last Autobot]], [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]], [[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]], [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]], [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Fortress Maximus]], [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]], [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] and [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], by [[Guido Guidi]].
*'''[[The Transformers Classics, Vol. 7|''The Transformers Classics,'' Vol. 7]]:''' [[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]], by [[Guido Guidi]].
<gallery>
File:End of the road tpb cover.jpg|'''''Transformers: End of the Road'' TPB''' (Titan Books, 2002)
File:Titan-EndOfTheRoadHC.jpg|'''''Transformers: End of the Road'' HC''' (Titan Books, 2003)
File:Classic Transformers Vol6.jpg|'''''Classic Transformers'' Volume 6''' (IDW Publishing, 2010)
File:RG1 76-80 100pgSpectacular.jpg|'''''Regeneration One'' 100-Page Spectacular cover A''' (IDW Publishing, 2012)
File:RG1 76-80 100pgSpectacular B.jpg|'''''Regeneration One'' 100-Page Spectacular cover B''' (IDW Publishing, 2012)
File:TFClassicsVol7.jpg|'''''The Transformers Classics,'' Vol. 7''' (IDW Publishing, 2014)
</gallery>
*'''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 20: End of the Road:''''' Bludgeon (art reused from [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' profiles) above an interior scene of Grimlock punching through Fangry (from US issue #80), by [[Andrew Wildman]].
<gallery>
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v20.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 20''''' (Hachette Partworks, 2018)
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]

Circuit (G1)

2022-10-10T16:51:43Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Fiction */

{{featured}}
{{factions|autobot|wreckersidw}}
{{disambig3|Circuit}}
:''Circuit is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[Image:Circuitboxart.jpg|300px|thumb|...y'know, I used to ''be'' a car...]]

''"What would it take to put '''Circuit''' on the battlefield delivering messages for Autobot Command here, today? Whatever it is, I'm willing to make a deal, just tell me what you need! I'm here to make you happy, after all, and making a deal is my middle name."''

Circuit is the type of smooth-talking, easy-bantering used-car salesman who gives used-car salesmen a bad name. More, he hates to do anything without wheeling-and-dealing first, so even his commanding officers have to suffer through his constant "pitches." Many of his "deals," however, are actually scams, meaning Circuit has to constantly look over his shoulder for vengeful former marks back to take revenge. He's converted his talent for gabbing and eye for opportunity into a successful career as a reporter and videographer at times, but these legitimate pursuits have only created ''more'' enemies for the nosy Circuit.

His Formula 1-style vehicle/[[Exo-suit (Action Masters)|Exo-suit]] was developed with high speed in mind (the kind needed to escape from an angry mob, say), a cloaking shield (the kind needed to hide from an angry mob, perhaps), and a decelerator cannon (the kind needed to slow that mob down till you're sure you've gotten away). These abilities, plus a devastating Gatling gun in its exo-suit mode, make him a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, which may be why the Autobots keep him around, despite it all.
{{--}}

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Night and the City|''Robots in Disguise'' #9]]}}

[[File:EndoftheBeginningoftheWorld-circuitlongtooth.jpg|left|thumb|300px|"I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal. People know me. I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany."]]
Circuit could be seen propping up the bar at the [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]-run [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]]. {{storylink|Night and the City}} Once Cybertron got a proper comm-net going in the form of the [[Iacon Communication Service]], he became a news reporter, first interviewing [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] and [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] over the matter of a [[Titan (group)|Titan]] awakening in the former's presence and later reporting on an attack on Omega. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}} When Decepticons began rioting in the wake of [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s return, Circuit took to the streets to report on the chaos and was approached by [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]], who wanted to use the comm-net to talk to the people of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] and quell the violence. {{storylink|The Verge}} Once Metalhawk was done with his speech, the reporter was pulled away to check out reports that Megatron had been broken out of prison. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}}

After an intense battle that ended with Megatron's defeat, Circuit witnessed Starscream declare himself leader of the [[NAIL]] population and banish all Autobots and Decepticons from Iacon. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}} Having left the Autobots, he and his cameraman [[Longtooth]] stayed in the city and continued their line of work, reporting the rise and fall of [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]]. {{storylink|Three Monologues}} When the population moved to [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] in the wake of Iacon's destruction, Circuit asked Starscream for a comment but didn't get much to work with. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}}

[[File:Windbladeissue3-CircuitLongtooth.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Well if you were a man, I'd punch you. Punch you right in the mouth."]]

Circuit interviewed Starscream while reporting on an explosion in the [[Acrolight District]] that killed three and injured [[Cityspeaker]] [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]]. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}} Together with Longtooth he tried to investigate if it was truly an accident like Starscream claimed, but their snooping only got them thrown out of Maccadam's and almost assaulted by [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]]. Once Windblade found evidence of Starscream "mining" Metroplex for [[Regenesis]] ore, she went public with it by contacting Circuit and Longtooth and bringing them to Starscream's mine. {{storylink|A Long Way Down}} After a scuffle with the mine's [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]] guards, the group was arrested by Starscream and imprisoned, but were broken out soon enough by a group of rescuers rallied by Chromia. {{storylink|Windblade issue 3|Windblade vol. 1 #3}} As part of a deal struck between her and Starscream, Windblade later convinced Circuit to keep the mine a secret. {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}}

After official contact was made between [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]] and Cybertron, Circuit demonstrated the high standards of journalistic integrity expected from the ICS by following people around with a camera and shouting random questions he thought of to them while also reporting exaggerated astronomical distances. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

[[File:ItsBeginningToAndBackAgain-circuitandlongtooth.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"I saw that. Brick killed a guy. Did you throw a trident?"]]

When Starscream taped an official broadcast for the people of Cybertron declaring a special day in honor of himself, he handed it off to Circuit and Longtooth for airing. The intrepid reporters got loaded on cheap energon and only aired part of the speech, making it seem as if Starscream declared a special day to honor ''anyone''. Hooray for journalistic professionalism! {{storylink|Choose Me}} Following the apparent murder of [[Drunkatron|an unarmed Decepticon]] by the [[Badgeless]], Circuit received footage of the crime and immediately aired it before reaching out to Starscream for a comment, unaware that Starscream hadn't even seen the footage. {{storylink|07:00:00}} He went on to report on the protests and rioting against Starscream's reign triggered by the incident. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}} While reporting on the aftermath of the battle with [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], Circuit and Longtooth were approached by Chromia who confessed to the Acrolight District bombing live on camera. Taken aback, the only thing Circuit could think to say was "...why?" {{storylink|The Line Between Us}}

Soon after, Optimus annexed Earth as his personal protectorate and tried to have it added to the [[Council of Worlds]]. Starscream's sinister plot was to send Circuit and Longtooth to Earth to simply film what was going down, assuming it would turn people against him. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} As soon as they showed up, Optimus Prime heroically yelled that the press had "NO RIGHT" to be in a place he didn't want them, and then they evilly reported a human retaliatory attack on Optimus as a human retaliatory attack. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} Starscream's plan backfired when Circuit ended up with footage of Optimus raising a [[Titan (group)|Titan]] on Earth, an act that served to solidify his right to be called Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}}

[[File:PrimelessPart1-Circuit.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"I'm not a baby, I'm a man! An anchorman!"]]

Several months later, Longtooth and Circuit watched Optimus depart from the [[Spire]] following his unhelpful meeting with the Council of Worlds to discuss Earth's status. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}}

Circuit was on the scene at the induction of [[Earth]] into the [[Council of Worlds]], reporting alongside the former [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] member [[Hashtag]]. His misunderstanding of Earth fashion led to him asking [[Marissa Faireborn]] how she had killed the "[[Barber]] original" she was now wearing. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} When the [[Iron Ring]] attacked the opening ceremonies, Circuit reported on the burgeoning crisis and warned his Cybertronian viewers that the humans had come to conquer Cybertron. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 1}}

When Windblade returned to her position as delegate for Caminus in the Council of Worlds, Starscream had Circuit and his partner on-hand to help deliver a little pomp and circumstance, taking a photo of her as she returned to work. And then Starscream had his goon squad shove the reporters out of the room when Windblade started mentioning something she shouldn't. As the two were sitting outside, grumbling about freedom of the press, the delegate caught up with them, and started telling them about the [[Liege Maximo]].

[[File:TheChosenOne-Circuit.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"You stay classy, San Diego."]]

With this knowledge, Circuit presented Cybertron with a definitely not overblown by any means report about how the Liege was coming back, and everyone was facing certain, horrible, terrible death. Unsurprisingly, this unbiased reporting led to an outbreak of panic and alarm. Afterward, Circuit reported on the snap election that followed, as well as moderating on the electoral debates. When Windblade ultimately won the election, Circuit held a broadcast informing everyone on the revelry that followed. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

After [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]] returned to Cybertron to negotiate with the [[Council of Worlds]], Circuit and Longtooth reported a mysterious explosion from the base of the [[Spire]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 3: The Ground|The Ground}} After "Onyx Prime" was unmasked as a time-travelling Shockwave, Circuit reported that Cybertron had lost contact with [[Velocitron]], [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Eukaris]], and [[Devisiun (planet)|Devisiun]]. {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}}

{{--}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Circuit was female. When [[Rook (Universe)|Rook]] protested [[Fever Dream]]'s support for the blatant falsehoods of [[Builder of Cybertron|Builder]] propaganda during the [[Vehicon Apocalypse]], the ICS director considered replacing him with Circuit. {{storylink|Derailment}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
[[File:Tread&Circuits1-Circuit.jpg|thumb|right|200px|"I'm in a glass case of emotion!"]]
Circuit survived the ''[[Iron Hope (G1)|Iron Hope]]'' disaster, and while marooned on a barren world he and the other members of the "Iron Hope Hundred" were forced to subside on [[nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] until they eventually lost the ability to transform. During this time, Circuit compiled a video documentary covering the hardships they endured.

After returning to Cybertron, Circuit adopted a transforming exo-suit to compensate for what he'd lost and eventually joined up with the [[Wreckers]], an elite black ops unit that disguised themselves as carefree daredevils. While livestreaming a stunt for their audiences, the [[Mayhem Attack Squad|Mayhem]] terrorist group hacked their broadcast to demand an end to the [[Speedia 500]] on [[Velocitron]]. While the other Wreckers held a press conference shortly after arriving on the planet, Circuit wandered off into the streets to investigate and encountered [[Axer (G1)|Axer]], another victim of the ''Iron Hope'' disaster. {{storylink|Tread & Circuits Part 1}}

Axer and Circuit had an awkward reunion. Axer was part of security for the ''Hope'', and had always shouldered the burden for the disaster. He tried to warn Circuit and the Wreckers off of the Speedia 500, showing concern over how Mayhem might harm them if they got involved. Suspicious, Circuit followed Axer after they parted, and eventually spotted Axer meeting with [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], Mayhem's spokesperson. He radioed his sighting to Thunderclash, but was shot by a concealed sniper before making a full report. The other Wreckers soon found Circuit's body with a message from Mayhem left behind. The team's medic Minerva got Circuit stabilized in a CR chamber, but his long term prospects weren't certain. {{storylink|Tread & Circuits Part 2}}

After Minerva was arrested following the disastrous conclusion of the team's mission, Circuit's prognosis became terminal. He was revived just long enough to record the final broadcast for the Wreckers' stunt show. After the team announced their hiatus, Circuit turned off his camera and quietly passed away surrounded by his teammates. {{storylink|Tread & Circuits Part 4}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
[[File:G1 Circuit toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|They didn't sell a Formula 1 car in his size, unfortunately.]]
*'''Supersonic Racing Car with Action Master Circuit''' (Action Master, [[1991]])
**''Accessories'': Supersonic Racing Car/exo-suit
{{toydesigner|[[Takio Ejima]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: Circuit is a [[redeco]] of [[Axer (G1)#Toys|Axer]], sold only in European markets. As an [[Action Master]], he cannot transform, but does have evidence of an alternate mode, possibly some kind of offroad buggy. He comes with a Formula 1 vehicle that transforms into an [[Exo-suit (Action Masters)|Exo-suit]]. Both Circuit and the exo-suit are compatible with other Action Masters, vehicles and accessories. Though completely undocumented in the instructions, the gun barrel is detachable and often lost. The gun barrel is attached via a 3mm post and can also peg in above Circuit's head in exo-suit mode or be held in his hand.

:The placement of the cannon on his exo-suit is ''really'' phallic.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1991/Autobot/Circuit/circuit.htm More information on Circuit at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/autobot/action_masters/europe/instr_circuit.jpg Instruction booklet for Circuit at Botchthecrab.com]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
*The head of Circuit's Action Master toy has partially reversed colours when compared to the packaging art—the art shows a red face and a yellow racing-style helmet, but the toy leaves the face unpainted and instead paints a chin detail red.

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:European-original Transformers]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Autobots]]
[[Category:Wreckers]]
[[Category:Journalists]]
[[Category:Variable gender characters]]

Prowl (TM2)

2022-10-01T01:27:09Z

Ectojazzmage: /* The Prowl II conundrum */

{{factions|maximal|autobot|ozsa|liegemaximo|jungleplanet}}
{{disambig3.5|the owl|the lion|Prowl (Magnaboss)|Prowl}}
:''Prowl is a [[Maximal]] from the [[Beast Era]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Prowl2-bw-packageart.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Give a hoot! Read a book!]]
'''Prowl''' is not a verbose [[Maximal]], preferring instead to listen. He gathers information, analyzes it, and instantly suggests an appropriate course of action. His logical mind is without match among his Maximal brethren, who rank him among their best military strategists. Prowl feels that he fulfilled that same role in a previous life.<ref>''Beast Wars'' Prowl pack-in bio card</ref>

{{bigquote|Logic provides the structure to be filled by the soul of creativity.|Prowl|''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook]]'' #3}}

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' toy bio===
Prowl appeared to have lost all specific memories of his prior existence. He remained convinced that he was a great military strategist in a previous life. {{storylink|#Toys|''Beast Wars'' Transmetal 2 Prowl toy bio}}

===Japanese cartoon continuity===
====''Story of Binaltech''====
Offered a glimpse of the fast-approaching future by the time-traveling [[Decepticon]] [[Ravage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ravage]], [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] was witness to the death of [[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] and various other Autobots in the year [[2005]]. In an attempt to alter the course of these events, he began [[Project Bodyshop (project)|Project: Bodyshop]], developing new [[Binaltech (technology)|Binaltech]] bodies for his comrades that they would be able to control via the [[Genetronic Translink System|GT System]]. A body was developed to be used as a secondary unit by Prowl and was designated "Prowl 2" (プロール2 ''Purōru Tsū'').

When Prowl came under attack from Decepticons on a mission in the vicinity of Saturn, Wheeljack made a desperate attempt to preserve Prowl's life by attempting a long-range transfer of his spark into his new body via [[unspace|subspace]]. Unfortunately, the process malfunctioned and Prowl's spark was lost. The body, however, had already been programmed with Prowl's [[datatrax]], and [[Chip Chase]], recalling [[Roll for It|the time years before]] when he had taken control of Prowl's body, volunteered to have his own mind transferred into the shell, bringing it to true life as "Prowl 2". {{storylink|Prowl & Chase}}

Thanks to Prowl 2 and Overdrive's efforts, the Ravage with knowledge of the future was eventually captured and made to reveal some of his secrets to the Autobots. {{storylink|Darkest Hour (prose)|Darkest Hour}}

After Unicron's defeat at the hands of Ultra Magnus, Prowl 2 remained vigilant knowing that Ravage still held an advantage over the Autobots with his knowledge of the future. He rallied the Autobot forces off Cybertron to better avoid whatever future catastrophe might await them. During the Autobots' absence, Shockwave returned Megatron to the timestream, and the Decepticon leader took full control of the Transformers' homeworld. {{storylink|Binal Time}} Optimus then summoned Prowl II and many other Autobots and told them that scientists had been able to retrieve some of the data about the future. Most pertinent was the existence of a "[[Large switch|kill switch]]" which would immobilize all Transformers once pulled. The Autobots used the device as a last resort, but as it turns out, all those in Binaltech bodies were unaffected by its power. With most of the Autobots in Binaltech bodies, they secured an easy victory over the Decepticons. {{storylink|Kill Switch}}

Eventually, Prowl's lost spark was discovered, having traveled through subspace into [[G1 World|another timeline]]. {{storylink|Unfinished Business, Part 1}} Prowl's spark was deemed too weak to make the dimensional crossing back to his [[BT World|own timeline]] unprotected, so Chip allowed his lifeforce to be transferred back into his human body, so that "Prowl 2" could cease to be and the body be used to house the true Prowl's spark at last. {{storylink|Unfinished Business, Part 2}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
When Prowl and Wheeljack traveled from [[BT World]] to [[G1 World|OG World]] and subsequently took up permanent residence in the latter dimension, they transferred their sparks into new, non-Binaltech bodies, leaving the old bodies in storage. Years later, when the elderly Chip Chase fell ill, Wheeljack remembered the time his essence had powered Prowl's Binaltech body back in Wheeljack's home universe, and repeated the process using the [[Cortexitron]] and Prowl's Alpha BT unit in hopes of preserving Chip's lifeforce. Unfortunately, the process was not entirely successful, and the new Chip/Prowl fusion was put into stasis until eventually, [[Maximal]] technology enabled it to be reactivated. Some memories were lost, but Prowl II was once again alive. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 10 September 2015}}

===2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity===
[[File:Gathering4-Prowl.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Problem, Razorbeast?" "Yeah. We have no idea who the hell you are."]]

During the Great War, many Autobots fell victim to an infection that destroyed their bodies. To help boost the defense against the Decepticons on Earth, humans and Autobots combined their technology to create new Transformer bodies. One result of this cooperation was a warrior that was the combination of a human's essence and a robotic body. This warrior took on the mantle of "Prowl" for a short time and lived to the era of Maximals and Predacons. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook #3}}

Prowl was one of the [[protoform]]s left behind by the crew of the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' on prehistoric [[Earth]]. He was activated and put in [[chronal phase]] by [[Razorbeast]] at [[Magmatron]]'s request, but was protected from Magmatron's [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] shell-program by Razorbeast's viral code.

[[File:BWAscendProwl2RazorbeastWolfang.jpg|left|upright=1.3|thumb|"Hey, Prowl. Someone told me you sound like an owl." "Who?"]]
Accompanied by [[Nightglider|Night Glider]], [[Sonar (BW)|Sonar]], and [[Air Hammer (BW)|Air Hammer]], Prowl sped to meet up with Razorbeast. {{Storylink|The Gathering issue 2|The Gathering #2}} These fliers and a phalanx of other Maximals finally reached Razorbeast's team just in time to fight off [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]'s Predacon militia. In the battle that ensued, Prowl battled [[Sky Shadow (BW)|Sky Shadow]]. After the skirmish, Razorbeast had a spark-to-spark conversation with Prowl, telling him how tempted he was to end [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s life while he was in the captivity of Magmatron. Prowl assured him that he made the right decision, as it was what happened in the here and now that mattered, not what could happen in there and then of the future. {{storylink|The Gathering issue 4|The Gathering #4}}

Prowl would serve as an adviser and sounding board for the anxious Razorbeast in the following weeks, alongside [[Wolfang (Maximal)|Wolfang]], and the two would reassure him that the situation was under control at the moment. Of course, the Predacons decided to launch a full-tilt assault during one of these group chats and Prowl scrambled to counterattack alongside his comrades. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 1|The Ascending #1}} During the attack, Ravage learned from a temporally-displaced Magmatron that [[Shokaract]] was the real threat, and a truce was called. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 2|The Ascending #2}} Prowl was one of several Maximals who were taken back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in the present day, as it was under attack from Shokaract and [[Unicron]]'s acolytes. Prowl airlifted [[Snarl (BW)|Snarl]] (who invisibility-cloaked them both) in an effort to put a [[chronal phase facilitator]] on Shokaract. However, when Snarl jumped off, Prowl was visible once again and was blasted out of the sky. Fortunately, his sacrifice was not in vain, as the monster was taken to Magmatron's limbo and convinced to end this madness before Unicron consumed them all. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 4|The Ascending #4}}
{{--}}

===''TransTech''===
[[File:Blastcharge withered hope.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|His only fictional appearance that ''isn't'' headache-inducing.]]
A Prowl with black feathers was a member of the [[Axiom Nexus Security Administration]]. He, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], and [[Prowl (Armada)|Prowl]] were part of the group investigating the discovery of [[Comet]]'s body. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

On the day of the [[Waruder]] invasion of Cybertron, another Prowl, with white feathers, aided his fellow police officers (including yet another [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]]) in arresting [[Megatron (Movie)#TransTech|C-81]], [[Battletrap (G1)|Battletrap]], and [[Stepper (SG)|Stepper]]. {{Storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Prowl2IDW2005.jpg|left|upright=1.3|thumb|WHY WOULD [[IDW Publishing|YOU]] DO THIS TO [[Fandom|US]]??]]
Thousands of years ago, an owl [[Maximal]] was one of [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]]'s followers present with him on [[Antilla]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}}

A Cybertronian Transformer with the same design was one of the many radicals who joined [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]]'s cell of [[Mayhem Attack Squad|Mayhem]] revolutionaries and underwent the [[Chimeracon]] upgrade. He was killed by the [[Wreckers]] shortly after the Autobot commandos invaded the [[Noisemaze]]. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 5|Sins of the Wreckers #5}}

Yet another owl Transformer was a [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Eukarian]] colonist. When [[Unicron]] arrived to consume his homeworld, he was one of the many Eukarians dragged into the maw of the planet-eater and devoured. {{storylink|Our Darkest}}
{{--}}

==The Prowl II conundrum==
Due to the fact that ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' (1986) was not released in Japan until 1989, the production staff of the assorted Japanese-exclusive series were apparently not aware that several characters died during the film. As a result, a few of these deceased characters continued to appear in subsequent Japanese series—[[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]] in ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' and [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] in ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]''. Prowl was an especially erroneous instance, because he had been name-checked as being among the deceased in the Japanese dub of "[[Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening]]", and yet... here he was, with a speaking line and everything.

The story accompanying ''[[Transformers: Alternators#Binaltech|Binaltech]]'' (2003–2008) introduced the [[Genetronic Translink System]], a mechanism which allowed Transformers to simultaneously operate multiple bodies. This served as a possible explanation for the survival of many of these characters in Japanese continuity, but it did not explain how Prowl could still be around, since he had specifically been stated to be dead. Enter "Prowl 2", an identical clone (sort of) with Prowl's memories that seemingly [[retcon]]ned the appearances in ''The Headmasters'' into being "Prowl 2", rather than Prowl.

This continuity patch-job failed to stick, however—eighteen chapters in, the events of the ''Binaltech'' storyline were branched off into a parallel universe, leaving the appearances of Prowl in ''The Headmasters'' as an anomaly once more.

The anomaly continued in early 2008, when IDW's ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook]]'' profiled the [[Transmetal 2]] [[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Warrior]] Prowl. Originally released in 1999, this Prowl's [[bio|toy bio]] featured many references to the original (they have the same function and motto, use the same weapon, and are described in almost identical terms) and noted that he believed himself "to have been a great military strategist in a former life," all of which seemed meant to imply he was the original, or at least had a strong connection. As the ''Sourcebook'' had already chosen to represent the [[Magnaboss (BW)|Magnaboss]] component also known as [[Prowl (Magnaboss)|Prowl]] as an upgraded version of the original Generation 1 character, Transmetal 2 Prowl—here given the moniker of "Prowl II" to differentiate him—was established to be an upgraded version of the semi-clone from ''Binaltech''. This made little sense, however, given that the storyline of the ''Binaltech'' world was incompatible with the history of the ''Beast Wars'' universe, plus, a few months after the publication of the ''Sourcebook'', the ''Binaltech'' story restored the original Prowl to life and put Chip back in his own body.

All of this would be patched up with "[[Controverse]]" in 2014 and then a 2015 [[Ask Vector Prime]] Facebook post that was written with input from Ichikawa. Between the two works, Prowl (and Wheeljack) were shown leaving the [[BT World]] timeline and traveling to the [[G1 World|OG World]] timeline and switching to bodies reminiscent of their classic appearances. It was then explained that the original BT body, now lacking a spark, would eventually be reactivated with Chip's life force to form Prowl II. And thus was the problem solved, and there was much rejoicing.

Years later, [[Jim Sorenson]] ''almost'' got to riff on the whole mess (and make this page even more of a conundrum) with a ''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]'' convention comic that would've portrayed Transmetal 2 Prowl as a villainous digital backup of G1 Prowl. Sadly, the comic was passed onto [[IDW Publishing]] and became ''[[Dawn of the Predacus]]''. Ah, well, we'll just have to settle for fanwanking an explanation for there being three seemingly separate owl transformers which look like him in the 2005 IDW continuity.

==Toys==
===''Beast Wars''===
[[File:Prowl tm2 fktoy.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Pr'''OWL'''. Get it? Yuk yuk yuk. Oh, Hasbro.]]
*'''Prowl''' (Deluxe Transmetal 2, [[1999]])

:''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' Prowl is a [[Transmetal 2]] bio-mechanical owl with a flip-around-reveal [[spark crystal]] in his owl-skull. In [[beast mode]], he has a spring-gear-activated spinning head-and-wing gimmick. Oddly, the ''advertised'' [[robot mode]] for this figure has limited range of motion, since its wings would prevent its arms from moving forward. However, box art suggests folding the wings over the shoulders, rather than sticking out sideways from the chest.

:His toy was released in two color schemes: The first one, available in the first few [[wave]]s of product with Prowl, features a white, turquoise, and red coloration. Several waves in, however, he and [[Dinobot II#Toys|Dinobot]] were re-shipped as part of [[Hasbro]]'s early experiments in refreshing a line with same-character [[redeco]] [[variant]]s, with Prowl now colored black, blue, and red. As a running change variation, he was sold under the same individual SKU rather than as a completely new release, and his packaging makes no mention of this new color scheme.

:The white version of this toy was sold in Japan as an "import" with a Japanese sticker exclusive to [[Toys"R"Us]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1999/Maximal/Prowl/prowl.htm More information on Transmetal 2 Prowl (white) at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1999/Maximal/ProwlBlack/prowl.htm More information on Transmetal 2 Prowl (black) at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Binaltech''===
[[File:BinaltechProwl.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Chip Chase cosplaying.]]
*'''Prowl''' (Binaltech, [[2005]])
**''ID number:'' '''BT-15'''
**''Accessories:'' Engine/gun, traffic direction baton
{{note|Prowl II was [[Repurposing|repurposed]] from ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Binaltech]]'' [[Prowl (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Prowl]].}}

:''[[Transformers: Alternators|Binaltech]]'' Prowl transforms into a fully-licensed 1:24-scale {{w|Acura RSX}} with opening doors, hood and trunk. His engine becomes a (non-firing) gun, while a clear-plastic nightstick is hidden under his car mode rear section. For his standard Japanese ''Binaltech'' release, Prowl received a [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] deco based on a real Japanese police car (the [[Hasbro]] [[Prowl (G1)/toys#Alternators|Prowl]]'s deco being based more on the original Generation 1 toy), a different spoiler mold, different rims, right-side steering, a Japanese police cherry blossom emblem instead of an Acura logo, and gray plastic instead of stony-blue. He was also labeled as a "Honda Integra Type-R", the model's make in Japan.
{{--}}

==Notes==
*The ''Beast Wars'' toy bio notes that Prowl fires "highly corrosive [[acid pellet]]s", a nod to the original Prowl's weapon, but this Prowl has no gun of any type. However, real owls ''do'' spit up hardened pellets of undigested bone, fur and other leftovers from recent meals... so basically, Prowl horks up hardened barf-bullets at his enemies. Delightful!
*There is another "[[Prowl 2]]" toy out there, the [[Spy Changer]] from the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' toyline]]. No release of the toy included a [[bio]], and consequently, just exactly ''who'' this figure represents was debated for a long time. [[Ask Vector Prime]] would eventually clarify the mystery there as well.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Prowl''' (プロール ''Purōru'')

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Alternators Autobots]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Maximals]]
[[Category:Clones]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Maximals]]
[[Category:Jungle Planet]]
[[Category:Law enforcement]]
[[Category:Mayhem]]
[[Category:Repurposed toys]]
[[Category:Strategists]]
[[Category:Transmetals 2]]
[[Category:TransTech Maximals]]

Borx

2022-09-26T01:49:28Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Notes */

{{faction|decepticon}}
:''Borx is a [[Decepticon]]-allied [[Nebulan]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Borx war to end all wars.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"We need more Borx license plates in the gift shop. I repeat, we are sold out of Borx license plates."]]
'''Borx''' is the senior scientist on [[Nebulos]]'s [[Project Lazarus]].

==Fiction==
===''Regeneration One''===
[[File:Chromedome stylor project lazarus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.37|"Let's focus on the positives here—while Project Lazarus may have resulted in planetwide chaos and misery for both Nebulos and Cybertron, at least Stylor got to go home, eh?"]]
Following the [[Autobot]]s' and [[Decepticon]]s' battles on Nebulos, several [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] left behind their heads, the ones they were sporting during their departure being duplicates housing their [[binary bonding|binary bonded partners]]. When news reached Nebulos that the brave Autobot warriors among them had died in battle, scientists sought to bring them back to life by building new bodies for the original heads. Borx led the project, but his team met with difficulty through the procedures. The first bodies they built were rejected by the heads, causing the Autobots excruciating pain before they shut back down. Borx nonetheless remained optimistic on his impending success, especially after integrating data found in the headquarters of former Decepticon Headmaster, [[Zarak (G1)|Lord Zarak]], into a new set of bodies. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}}

Unfortunately for Borx, Zarak had installed a ghost protocol in his systems that detected any unauthorised decryption and re-awakened the head of [[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]], who swiftly mesmerised the Nebulan population and took over Project Lazarus for himself. There, he also developed a [[Gene Key]] capable of turning Autobots into Decepticons. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} Borx's classified reports would eventually find their way to [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], who journeyed to Nebulos in the hopes of regaining his ability to transform through the advances Borx and his team pioneered, however on arriving on Nebulos he was overpowered by the hypnotised population and captured by Scorponok. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}} After forging an alliance of sorts, Scorponok and Grimlock left Nebulos for Cybertron, along with the revived Headmasters [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]—now converted to Scorponok's cause with the Gene Key. Once Scorponok had been defeated, the Autobots on Cybertron sent specialised teams to Nebulos to help treat the planet's traumatised people.

No longer under Scorponok's control, Borx returned to Project Lazarus and successfully separated [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and [[Stylor]], the latter going on to reintegrate back into Nebulan society. He had also made a great deal of progress towards restoring [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Fortress Maximus]] to life, as he cheerfully explained to [[Quickmix (G1)|Quickmix]] while they oversaw the [[Construction Patrol]] building a [[space bridge]] in the [[Clar Macro-jungle]]. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 1}} Borx returned to the [[Technodrome]] to begin work on Fort Max's torso reintegration, little knowing that his head had been corrupted by a fragment of the [[Dark Matrix]] and that once attached, the giant Autobot would be under its control. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 2}} Somehow, Borx survived that and after the Dark Matrix's twin threats of Fortress Maximus and [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] had been dealt with, he was amongst the first to greet a delegation of [[human]]s from [[Earth]], now united with Nebulos by the space bridge. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 5}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
'''Fausto Borx''' was a Nebulon scientist working for the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]] nations when his people allied themselves with the Decepticons. He found a kindred spirit in [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]], leader of the Decepticon [[infiltration protocol]] unit, and through their experiments they unlocked the key to the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] process. Decepticons and Hive operatives became binary bonded partners opposing the Autobots.

The fighting escalated on Nebulos as both sides developed Headmaster and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]] technology. Fausto and Zarak then pushed further by creating a double-Headmaster, bonding with each other and then the entire city of [[Kinodia]], reshaping it into [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]]. They were confronted by the human [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and his binary-bonded Autobot partner, [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]], who created their own double-Headmaster named [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Spike had married Fausto's daughter [[Llyra]] during the Nebulos conflict, and she became involved in the final battle, splitting MegaZarak's attention. Fausto was killed in the conflict, and Zarak and the Decepticons were driven off of Nebulos. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

==Notes==
*Borx is a complicated example of name reuse. Borx of ''Regeneration One'' was a generic Nebulan scientist. ''Fausto'' Borx from the ''Uprising'' timeline, however, holds several elements of the [[Zarak (G1)|''Generation 1'' Zarak]], such as being a double Headmaster from the Hive with a daughter named Llyra. Here, Zarak is the name of the Decepticon Headmaster Borx is binary-bonded with, which was apparently used instead of the traditional "Scorponok" so that [[Scorponok (BW)|''Beast Wars'' Scorponok]] could have the name without it being a reused name. The multiverse is a complicated place.
* ''Uprising'' Borx's first name is a reference to the old Germanic legend of {{w|Faust}}. It's a story about a very smart man who sells his soul to the devil for power and material gain, only to end up losing everything that really matters and damning himself to Hell. Symbolism!

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Nebulans]]
[[Category:Fiction-only characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Nebulans]]
[[Category:Regeneration One characters]]
[[Category:Scientists]]

Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5

2022-09-06T03:57:14Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' #5
|prev=Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4
|next=Escape (G1)
|image=LSotW 5cvrA.jpg
|caption=This is the end, my former friend.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 19]], [[2010]]
|coverdate=May 2010
|story=[[Nick Roche]] & [[James Roberts]]
|script=Nick Roche & James Roberts
|art=Nick Roche
|colors=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|associate editor=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2010)]]
}}
'''Where everything FINALLY hits the fan.'''

==Synopsis==
In [[Garrus-9]], [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] tears [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]] in half, bashes [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] unconscious, and smirks when [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] ''destroys his right eye''. Down in the [[Aequitas]] chamber, [[Verity Carlo]] continues to argue against detonating the [[deterrence chip]]s, which will kill Impactor in addition to the closing Decepticons. She puts her case to [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]], arguing that he's made the Wreckers stand for something, and ''his'' [[Wrecker]]s would never kill one of their own.

[[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] decides to abandon his egotistical visions of a glorious death and tells the others to run; he'll cover them. Dying for people he cares about, he tells Ironfist, is the most he can do, and he tells Verity that the ''[[Autobot]]s'' need the humans to look after ''them''. The Wreckers withdraw, Ironfist working out a plan to deal with Overlord, while Pyro is ingloriously torn to pieces behind them. As they withdraw, at Verity's urging, Ironfist reveals the truth he's learnt about Impactor and [[Pova]]...

''Twenty years ago, pinned down on Pova, Impactor decided the best way to get a shot at [[Squadron X]] would be to fire through [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]]'s midsection. Despite Springer's protest that he didn't have the circuit dampeners needed to avoid the pain, Impactor fired. After winning the battle, Impactor reported to [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] that the enemy had been caught, but learned [[Povian]] neutrality made the operation illegal; Squadron X would have to be released. Instead, Impactor murdered the Decepticons as they knelt in chains as Springer tried to stop him and the others stood silent...''

Back outside, Overlord has defeated Impactor, but Springer gloats that his men will soon arrive with the freed Autobot prisoners, but Overlord reveals he had already ordered the prisoners executed. Luckily, the other Wreckers do arrive and [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] blasts the monster's hand off to free Springer, while Ironfist chucks him a ''massive'' chaingun, which Springer unloads into Overlord.

Overlord shrugs off the fire, ''rips off Springer's face'', and blasts Perceptor offline, leaving only Ironfist. ''That'' is when said nerd reveals the gun was loaded with deterrence chips... and detonates them.

[[File:LastStandoftheWreckers5-brittlebones.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Overlord learned the hard way to never let [[The Fallen]] ever do your makeovers.]]
Ironfist falls unconscious, leaving Verity alone as Overlord rises as a ''fire-consumed, skeletal horror'', enraged that he's left unable to face [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] when he arrives. Realizing Overlord's intentions, Verity, informs him that [[All Hail Megatron issue 12|Megatron is long dead]] and laughs; Overlord thought Megatron would come for him, yet the tyrant died not remembering Overlord ''at all''. The monster collapses in despair, and Impactor rises from the mat to finish him. When Overlord fails to resist, Impactor refuses to kill him. Repenting his actions on Pova, he disables Overlord for capture and trial... as Springer would want.

Overlord is beaten and the Decepticons have fled, but four Wreckers lie dead. Springer and [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]] are on emergency life support, their chances of recovery unclear. Pardoned by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], Impactor and a repaired Guzzle abruptly leave. Ironfist dies en route to Earth from an aneurysm caused by a lab accident with his [[Cerebro-sensitive bullet|cerebro-centric bullet]]s eighteen months ago that left one inching towards his brain all along.

[[File:Prowl LSOTW5 Pressure.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7]]
On Earth, Prowl takes this report and the ostensibly sole [[data slug]] Ironfist was able to make of the Aequitas data. He admits to Ultra Magnus that he knew about Ironfist's approaching death and had arranged for him to be placed on the Wreckers, his dream job, in exchange for bypassing the suicide lock on Aequitas. ("''Yes'', of ''course'' I regret it.") Prowl reveals the true reason for the mission: they couldn't allow the Decepticons to get Aequitas's records of tried ''Autobots''. Prowl recalls the horror of their charges. Magnus believes in revealing the trials; Prowl agrees, but fears the Autobots will be shattered if they learn the truth before the war ends. Departing, Ultra Magnus notes how convenient it would be for Prowl if the data were corrupted, but he likes to think Prowl better than to destroy the evidence. Alone, contemplating the slug, Prowl slightly squeezes it...

And on Earth, Verity writing as "Fisitron", muses whether this is the "end of the road" for the Wreckers or just a "stop-off" to reflect. "Because that's how we ''honor'' those we've lost: by looking ''forward'', not back."
{{--}}

==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"{{!}}
*[[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]] (1)
*[[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] (3)
*[[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] (4)
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (5)
*[[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] (6)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (7)
*[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] (8)
*[[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] (10)
*''[[Rack'n'Ruin (G1)|Rack'n'Ruin]]'' (14)
*''[[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]]'' (15)
*''[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]'' (16)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (17)
*''[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'' (20)
*''[[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]]'' (21)
*''[[Rad (G1)|Rad]]'' (22)
*''[[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]]'' (23)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (24)
*''[[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]]'' (25)
*''[[Solomus|Tyrest]]'' (26)
*''[[Xaaron]]'' (27)
*''[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'' (28)
*[[Stakeout (G1)|Stakeout]] (29)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] (2)
*''[[Tornado]]'' (11)
*''[[Macabre]]'' (12)
*''[[Earthquake (G1)|Earthquake]]'' (13)
*''[[Fang]]'' (18)
*''[[Triton]]'' (19)
|c3=
*[[Verity Carlo]] (9)
}}

==Quotes==
"It's a story of sacrifice and betrayal, and of good people dying in ''stupid, pointless ways''."
:—'''"Fisitron"'''

"Oh, don't look so ''surprised''. You didn't expecte this stunted little ''wretch'' to ''survive'', did you?" 
"You're a '''maniac'''!"
:—'''Overlord''''s opinion on Guzzle's chance of living and '''Kup''' pretty much summing up readers' thoughts of Overlord.

"Ironfist! You should know better than ''anyone'' what the Wreckers are ''really'' about! They give the other Autobots something to ''believe in''!"
:—'''Verity''' trying to motivate Ironfist.

"I figure that dying to save people you ''care about'' is the most that anyone can do." 
"I think you have your ''motto''." 
"No... my ''last words''."
:—'''Pyro''' and '''Ironfist'''

"Sweet."
:—'''Springer''' gets thrown a giant gun to shoot Overlord with.

"Sweet."
:—'''Overlord''' holds Springer's face-skin in his palm.

"Oh, man, this is PERFECT! You can't accept that he never gave chase! You lived your life thinking about him every day, and he died forgetting all about you!" 
"But... But he owes me! He owes me."
:—'''Verity''' giving '''Overlord''' the ''wonderful'' news about Megatron.

"One way or another, you've killed a ''lot'' of my friends today. It's been a ''long time coming'', but this is where you get yours!"
:—'''Impactor''' to Overlord.

"You see, this is one of those stories with a ''moral''. And the moral is simply this: life persists."
:—'''Verity'''

==Notes==

===Continuity notes===
*The visuals of the battle on Pova in this issue contrasts sharply with how it was depicted in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|the previous issue]]. In issue 4, the battle was depicted with a sense of non-reality (befitting a falsified story), taking place on a sunny day, with the participants having little damage upon their bodies, even in death. However, in issue 5, the reality shows a depressing, rainy landscape with the participants all showing the signs of battle injuries. When Impactor is shown standing above the corpses of Squadron X, he is splattered with their fluids.
** The visuals aren't all that's different; the Wreckers in the real story are ''way'' more nasty then the glamorized portrayal in Ironfist's version. Springer begs in an undignified manner for his friends not to abandon him, Impactor is totally unsympathetic to Springer's plight, and Roadbuster cruelly brags about putting inhibitor vices on Squadron X just to humiliate them, rather then any concern about safety. All the exact opposite of how it was portrayed in issue 4.
*Ironfist mentions that Pyro's plan to sacrifice himself isn't "exactly Prime's [[Fivefold Maneuver]]". Pyro used the same words in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|issue 2]] to describe the lack of finesse regarding Springer's plan to liberate the prisoners of Garrus-9.
*Ultra Magnus is shown in this issue in the design that [[Don Figueroa]] gave him for the first arc of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]].
*Ironfist's little head scar had been around since #1, so we'd all been visually forewarned what his accident had been...
*The scenes of the dead prisoners is a deliberate copy of #3's scene of the imprisoned prisoners hearing the Wreckers have come to save them...
*Near the end of the issue we see a one-panel flashback of [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] on trial for war crimes during the Aequitas hearings. [[An Axe to Break the Ice|He'll turn up again later]].
*Perceptor uses his pretty-much-forgotten third "tank" mode in this issue.
*At the end of this issue, Kup and Perceptor are the only active Wreckers, with the other eight either dead, AWOL (Impactor and Guzzle), discharged (Whirl), or in critical condition (Springer), not counting Roadbuster.
*"[[Zero Point]]", a short story included in the second ''Last Stand'' hardcover, would reveal that Squadron X were merely refueling on Pova and that the Wreckers had started the fight unprovoked. In the same collection, [[Ferak]]'s profile says they were on a supply run and not a combat mission. No "did it to save lives" excuse for ''you'', Impactor!
*Also in "Zero Point", we learn what the Wreckers are thinking when they stand silently by: they're thinking "hooray, good ol' Impactor!" but will pretend otherwise so Springer will keep the team going.
*[[Autopedia]] profiles include Pyro, Guzzle, and Impactor. Huzzah!
**Autopedia tells us that Pyro suffers from [[Primus apotheosis]].
**Pyro's profile reveals he was at the [[Simanzi Massacre]], same as [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] in his profile. Both began to suffer their personality disorders following the Massacre...
* '''First appearances:''' Flame, Tyrest, Stakeout

===Transformers references===
*On Pova, Prowl admonishes Impactor through a communications device in his palm which projected an image that resembles a [[communicube]]. The text story "[[Bullets]]" would later confirm these as communicubes.
*Impactor's [[Autopedia]] profile mentions that Impactor got the idea for his [[harpoon]] arm after meeting an unnamed dimension-hopping "freelance peacekeeping agent" who had been "ricocheting from universe to universe after leaping through an exploding time portal." [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]], yes? Their meeting is chronicled in ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'', [[Datalog]] 151, which refers to the [[The Legacy of Unicron!|Marvel UK issue number]] in which Death's Head leaps through a time portal with [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and disappears from the story. The title of said datalog, "The Wreckers at the Crossroads of Time", refers to the short ''[[Doctor Who]]'' story, "The Crossroads of Time", which saw the [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|titular Time Lord]] have a run-in with Death's Head following the time portal incident.
* One of Flame's crimes is "desecration of corpses", a reference to the character's [[Legion of the Lost!|zombie-raising antics]] in the Marvel UK comics.
*The final scene takes place in [[Mister O's]].
*According to the TPB of the series, the police car parked outside is not [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] or [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]].<ref>[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Fisitron's Facts]]</ref> Several years later, [[Sins of the Wreckers issue 1|it would be revealed]] that the car is actually [[Stakeout (G1)|Stakeout]], having been assigned to work with Verity by Ultra Magnus after the events on Garrus-9.
*Speaking of Datalog numbers, the Datalog retelling of this series is numbered #332, which was the total number of issues of the Marvel UK ''Transformers'' comic had.

===Real-life references===
*Part of the narration by "Fisitron" on the first page is based upon Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem, "{{w|The Charge of the Light Brigade}}". At the end of the issue, with Verity finishing the entry as "Fisitron", a book of [[Tennyson]]'s poetry is on the table.
*One of the sites of Flame's atrocities, [[Babu Yar]], is named very similarly to a {{w|Babi Yar|famous historical massacre site on Earth}}.
*Amongst Flame's atrocities is listed the crime of "circuit-boarding", a reference to the torture technique controversially used by the CIA known as {{w|waterboarding}}—kind of appropriate for a rogue Autobot.
*In what's likely a deliberate reference to "{{w|The Inquisitor (Red Dwarf)|The Inquisitor}}" episode of the British sci-fi sitcom ''{{w|Red Dwarf}}'', Impactor almost directly quotes that show's {{w|Dave Lister}}, with his line to Overlord: "One way or another, you killed a lot of my friends today".

===Errors===
*In the first scene in the Aequitas chamber, Topspin's body is initially colored gray and black (deactivated), but on the next page, it is colored normally.
*In the panel where Verity is on her knees mourning Ironfist's death, the part of the shirt below her ribcage is colored like skin.

===Other trivia===
*Prowl starts to squeeze the chip a bit but it's left ambiguous as to whether he actually destroyed it. Even Roche and Roberts don't know whether Prowl did it! <ref>[http://tfarchive.com/community/showpost.php?p=690984&postcount=228 Fan account of the Auto Assembly 2010 Q&A]</ref> So how dodgy do ''you'' think Prowl is?
*James Roberts has noted that Prowl never asks about the Autobot prisoners, the alleged reason the Wreckers were sent in the first place. Brr.

===Production===
The hardcover trade of ''Last Stand'' reveals information about both Roche's original pitch and early Roche-Roberts scripts.

In Roche's pitch:
*Following Perceptor's death last issue, Springer and Kup both die here. Springer takes out Overlord in a suicide bombing and as a shocked Kup says 'that's that', Guzzle guns him down for all his lost friends. He then is killed himself for it. (A version of this shows up in ''[[Sins of the Wreckers issue 5|Sins of the Wreckers]]''.)
*The series ends with Magnus assembling a new Wreckers that he'd run.

In early scripts:

*The characters escape the Aequitas chamber with a transmat that just happened to be there. This was dropped in later scripts for being lazy.
*Prowl visibly breaks the data slug but, as we didn't see until "[[In Word and Deed]]", Ironfist had made a backup copy.
*No Tyrest in the court scene ([[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] is there though) and Prowl lists specific atrocities.

In a ''Moonbase 2'' interview, Roche and Roberts said either Springer, Perceptor, or Kup ''were'' going to die in the final issue during planning, but in the end they weren't allowed to do it.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9DPbginVXE Moonbase 2's AA2010 interview], 19:00 - 19:40</ref> Also dropped was any Guzzle/Kup confrontation, as there simply wasn't ''room'' in the condensed beast for it. They claim in the trade that one of the Big Three was allowed to be killed off but they chickened out.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' A silhouette of Overlord looming over Impactor and Springer amidst flames with several Autobot grave markers in front of them, art by [[Nick Roche]] and colors by [[Josh Burcham]].
*'''Cover B:''' A Transformer hand lying on the ground, art and colors by [[Trevor Hutchison]].
*'''Cover RI:''' "Virgin" title-free edition of cover B.
<gallery>
File:LSotW 5cvrA.jpg|"See those graves?" "Yeah" "I put your guys in there!" "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"
File:LSotW 5cvrB.jpg|He's dead, Jim.
File:LSotW 5cvrRI.jpg|Cover RI
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
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*Comic app for the iPhone and iPod touch

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers#Collections|collections of the full series]]
* N/A

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Last Stand of the Wreckers issues]]

Last Bot Standing issue 4

2022-08-31T23:13:47Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Transformers references */

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: Last Bot Standing|Transformers: Last Bot Standing]]'' #4
|prev=Last Bot Standing issue 3
|next=
|caption=
|image=LastBotStanding 4 cvrA.jpg
|title=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[August 31]], 2022
|coverdate=August 2022
|written by=[[Nick Roche]]
|art by=[[E. J. Su]] (pg. 1-9, 11-30) [[Nick Roche]] (pg. 10)
|colors=[[Rebecca Nalty]]
|letters by=[[Joanna Nattalie]]
|editor=[[David Mariotte]] and [[Riley Farmer]]
}}

'''The last Autobot steps up to save the universe one final time.'''

==Synopsis==
When [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]'s team first touched down on [[Donnokt]], they made a shocking discovery: in a universe otherwise drained of its resources, this one inconspicuous planet concealed a vast seam of [[energon]], so abundant and potent that a single spark could ignite the entire deposit and annihilate their entire world. Future generations might discover a way to harness this vast bounty to fuel a future civilization, but until that day Rodimus recorded a message to the natives: leave the energon alone. Should other "visitors" come calling, then the people of Donnokt will use the three energon keys bequeathed to the most trustworthy members of their tribe to activate their hidden guardians—but as [[Steel Jaw|Steeljaw]] crushes the video tablet in his fist, he berates Rodimus for keeping the planet all to himself, content to starve in the midst of plenty while Steeljaw and his followers struggled to subsist on inefficient [[biofuel]]. Rodimus growls that Steeljaw and his grotesque "family" aren't the victims here—the Cybertronian race has had too many chances, and recklessly exploiting Donnokt's energon could completely destabilize the planet. [[Sharpclaw]] wonders if using the energon keys could give them the necessary stamina to begin processing energon again, but Rodimus corrects her—there are only ''two'' now, after he used the first to wipe out Steeljaw's base camp. The thought of real energon triggers something in his followers; as they desperately dogpile their leader, one of the keys slips from Steeljaw's hand and smashes on the ground.

As Steeljaw's minions squabble amongst themselves, Rodimus orders [[Shib Wallkis|Shib]] to free the other citizens of [[Fembrance]], while Sharpclaw pleads with her brother to share the last remaining key with her. When Steeljaw refuses, Sharpclaw pounces on her brother, and in doing so drops [[Travyon Wallkis|Travyon]] and [[Beets Wallkis]] from her grasp and assist Shib as she opens the first livestock wagon. Steeljaw roars that they're letting their livestock escape, but [[Scylla]] and the rest are more interested in the last energon key, and the moment of confusion allows Rodimus to slip in and punt the key into Shib's waiting hand, who saddles up on [[Sparks (IDW)|Sparks]] and rides out. To buy time, Rodimus grabs [[Stambo]] and [[Brennet]]'s steam cars, uses his flamethrowers to ignite their fuel, and hurls them at the onrushing Cybertronians, but the knockback sends the old Autobot flying into a nearby cliff and knocks him unconscious.

''Not long after Rodimus, [[Strongarm (G1)|Strongarm]], and [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]] landed on Donnokt, their first task was to eliminate the Decepticons who'd pursued them there until only [[Talon (G1)|Talon]] and [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] remained: the first and last Decepticons to learn the secret of Donnokt mere moments before Rodimus kills them. Although Gripper and Strongarm have their doubts, Rodimus insists that this is the only way to keep the rest of the universe safe.''

Energon key in hand, Shib rides up to the nearby mineshaft, with the intent of putting the device beyond the reach of the aliens—unfortunately for her, however, Sharpclaw and Steeljaw have followed her to the mine... but the sight of the mineshaft itself momentarily breaks their concentration. As Shib tries to make a quiet escape, Steeljaw catches her, opens fire, and ignites some of the nearby crystals in doing so—the resulting chain reaction causes the entire mountain to shudder. When Rodimus comes to, the black smoke makes finding Shib almost impossible, even before an enormous hand reaches down and grabs him by the head: using their remaining fuel, the surviving members of Steeljaw's crew have pooled their resources and merged into a twisted, ramshackle [[combiner]]: "[[Unstoppimus]]"!

With Shib captured, Steeljaw considers using the last remaining energon key on himself, only for an indignant Sharpclaw cuts in: although she's thankful for Steeljaw for leading them to this point, she won't scrounge for any more biofuel, not when the energon key rightfully belongs to ''both'' of them. If he wants it, he'll have to take it from her...

Meanwhile, as Rodimus faces off against Unstoppimus, he discovers that the temporary boost of energy afforded by the key has already begun to wear off—draining his ammunition in the process. Undaunted, the old Autobot shifts tactics by transforming into alternate mode, then races up the combiner's arm and transforms in mid-air to wrench Unstoppimus's head off; as the combiner collapses into its components, Rodimus nearly executes [[Lunaclub]] before he remembers Shib and races off. By the time that Rodimus reaches the mine, however, Steeljaw, having absorbed Shib's last energon key, and a badly wounded Sharpclaw have already arranged an ambush; while Sharpclaw slashes Rodimus in the throat, a furious Steeljaw continues the assault, and, as he does so, swears to turn everyone on Donnokt into biofuel before they strip-mine the planet. Despite his injuries, Rodimus just laughs, and Shib tells Steeljaw that Rodimus has already destroyed their refinery—without ''that'' fuel, the energon is worthless to them. As Sharpclaw collapses in despair, Steeljaw screams in rage, rams his fist through Rodimus's torso, and hurls his body down into the mineshaft. Although Sharpclaw tries to convince her brother that they can salvage ''something'' from their landing shaft, Steeljaw's too tired: the Cybertronian race is finished, and when he ignites the entire planet, he'll be the one to end the story. Sharpclaw wonders if, perhaps, Rodimus was right: even if their own people are functionally extinct, the people of Donnokt might have a chance, but Steeljaw won't listen, and Sharpclaw winds up taking a shot to the back when she dives to block Steeljaw from igniting the energon vein. An enraged Steeljaw reaches for Shib, determined to crush her for her impudence... but as he readies the shot that will end the planet, an empowered Rodimus—healed by exposure to pure energon and temporarily supercharged by its power—leaps from the shaft, punches Steeljaw's blaster arm off, and finally blows the ex-Decepticon's head apart as he makes one futile grab for Shib. The job done, Rodimus, victor of the very last battle his species will ever fight, finally rips the blasters from his wrists. As the sun sets, Rodimus and Shib take a moment to unwind outside the mine. Now that their secret is out, Rodimus won't be living with Shib anymore; before he leaves, he takes a moment to thank her for being the best boss he's ever had.

Time passes, and Rodimus turns his attention to helping the citizens of Fembrance: with his knowledge, the townsfolk learn how to better harness their planet's supplies of energon, and before long the townsfolk enjoy the conveniences of an electrical grid and a second generation of efficient steamramblers—while Shib and her family receive a pair of souped-up steam cars that will allow the Wallkis family to efficiently compete with their business rivals. Rodimus himself, meanwhile, eventually turns his attention to salvaging whatever he could from Steeljaw's vessel, then cobbles together a crude ship capable of housing both him and the [[stasis lock]]ed remnants of Steeljaw's followers. As his fuel supplies dwindle, Rodimus, content to slip back into stasis himself, launches his new ship on a one-way trip into orbit.

In this far-distant future, long after the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], in a time when even the stars themselves have burned out, the people of Fembrance can just make out the light of Rodimus's starship as it slowly slides across the night sky. As Shib gazes up into a sky devoid of stars, and remembers how Rodimus once told her that his people took them away, she muses that—sometimes—bringing back just ''one'' star can be enough.

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters

|c1=
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] (1)
* ''[[Strongarm (G1)|Strongarm]]'' (2)
* ''[[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]]'' (3)

|c2=
* ''[[Talon (G1)|Talon]]'' (18)
* ''[[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]]'' (19)

|h3=[[Donnokt]]|c3=
* [[Beets Wallkis]] (9)
* [[Shib Wallkis]] (13)
* [[Errold]] (14)
* [[Sparks (IDW)|Sparks]] (15)
* [[Firebolt (IDW)|Firebolt]] (16)
* [[Travyon Wallkis]] (17)

|c4=
* [[Steel Jaw|Steeljaw]] (4)
* [[Lunaclub]] (5)
* [[Scylla]] (6)
* [[Cyberwarp (G1)|Cyberwarp]] (7)
* [[Sharpclaw]] (8)
* [[Riotgear (G1)|Riotgear]] (10)
* [[Override (BWU)|Override]] (11)
* [[Wedge (RID)|Wedge]] (12)
* [[Unstoppimus]] (20)
* [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (21)
}}

==Quotes==
"We have no idea '''how long''' we've lived this way because we've had to overwrite and '''overwrite''' our memories, just to conserve resources. '''Never enough''' fuel to feel full. '''Never enough''' fuel to build lasting technology that could guide our spacecraft to search for the next source. Just star charts, guesswork, and space capsules '''fired''' into the cosmos, hoping our calculations are correct. Pooling our '''lifeblood''' to send a scout ahead—like poor '''Nitro'''—as the rest of us travel in stasis within a '''giant sarcophagus''', praying that the fuel we carry is enough to '''harvest the produce''' at our destination. And here you are. Living here, in '''unearned retirement''', while we 'live' like '''that'''."
:—'''Steeljaw'''

"We've '''run out''' of '''choices'''. And '''time'''. And... '''worlds'''. '''They''' don't get to take what's '''in this planet'''. They don't have '''the right''' to start this whole mess over again. And if there's anyone '''out there''' who wants to come looking, '''they''' don't either."
:—'''Rodimus'''

"Hrrk—knew our species was '''out of fuel'''—hadn't realized we were—hrr—out of '''names''', too..."
:—'''Rodimus''' versus Unstoppimus

"We can... there might be '''enough of them'''... the '''resources,''' I mean. Maybe we can have enough reserve supplies to '''build something''' that can... look. Let's go '''back to the camp'''. Try to salvage '''some''' equipment. Start again to... and then we can begin to mine this ore, a-a-and..." 
"Sharpclaw, '''sister'''—let us '''die''' like Cybertronians. Let us die like '''Decepticons'''. It's over."
:—'''Sharpclaw''' and '''Steeljaw'''

"She was '''your sister'''... and she had '''your back''', up to the end. So you shoot her '''in hers'''." 
"Shut up."
:—'''Shib''' and '''Steeljaw'''

"Before your kind were '''food''' to me, you were '''sport'''. I've forgotten so much. But not what it's like to end '''something like you''' between my fingers. Purely to know '''how it feels'''. This moment is all we have. Let's make '''it last''' before I turn out the light."
:—'''Steeljaw'''

"What good is a Cybertronian? What good are any of us if we can't change? You can't win, Steeljaw."
:—'''Rodimus''' versus '''Steeljaw'''

"When you came out of that mine, all fired up... '''whooo!''' You looked like a god. '''Godimus'''." 
"Please don't call me that. Okay, maybe just one more time."
:—'''Shib''' and '''Rodimus'''

"My time with Rodimus was short, and scary, and '''exciting.''' And he fought '''so hard''' against his own people, his '''own past''', 'cos of the guilt he had for what '''they'd done'''. Stuff that's hard to win against. But I think he done it. I think he '''was''' a '''good guy'''. A good... '''person'''. He used to talk about the stars. How the sky used to be full of 'em before his kind '''took 'em all'''. He wished he coulda '''filled the sky up''' again. Brought back the stars. He knew he couldn't. But he managed '''one'''. One's enough."
:—'''Shib''''s final monologue

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Back in [[Last Bot Standing issue 1|issue #1]], Shib made a few references to a substance the locals called "fizzbang" being mined up in the hills beyond Fembrance, inadvertently kickstarting an industrial revolution as the natives began to use it to to fuel steam-powered machines. This issue reveals what this "fizzbang" actually ''is''—the last source of pure energon in the universe.
* To buy time while Shib escapes, Rodimus uses his flamethrowers on the steam cars used by local rich kids [[Stambo Flentz|Stambo]] and [[Brennet]] to annoy the townsfolk in issue #1.
* The first and only flashback in this issue fills in a final bit of missing detail between the flashbacks in issues 1 and [[Last Bot Standing issue 2|#2]]—while the brief shot in issue 1 showed Rodimus and his crew under fire from a group of Decepticons as they fled through space, this issue reveals that, just after landing, the three spent some time hunting down all the Decepticons who'd followed them, ensuring that none could ever discover the secret of Donnokt.
* On the second-to-last page, you can just barely spot [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]'s severed head drifting past, still stranded in space after Rodimus booted him into orbit in [[Last Bot Standing issue 3|issue #3]].

===Transformers references===
* Obscure Decepticon [[Predator (subgroup)|Predator]] [[Talon (G1)|Talon]] appears alongside [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] as one of the two Decepticon stragglers Rodimus kills.
* "Unstoppimus" is made up of characters who were part of combiner teams in other franchises: Riotgear and Cyberwarp formed [[Galvatronus (RID)|Galvatronus]] in [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|the 2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon]], Scylla and the other [[Seacon (BW)|Seacon]]s combined into [[God Neptune]] ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'', Lunaclub became [[Megatronia]] with [[Megaempress]] and the other [[4 Guards]], while [[Wedge (RID)|Wedge]] formed the core of [[Landfill (RID)|Landfill]] in the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon]]. Appropriately, Unstoppimus seems to share a transformation scheme with Landfill, most notably in how Lunaclub transforms by splitting herself in half and wrapping around Wedge's torso, [[Grimlock (RID 2001)|''Robots in Disguise'' Grimlock]]-style.
* After Rodimus defeats Unstoppimus, the dying Lunaclub begs for her life, which Rodimus (abortively) responds with "Request denied" before attempting to finish her. He memorably said the same (and followed through on the threat) in [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK]]'s [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|''Transformers'' #114]].
* To incapacitate Rodimus, Sharpclaw uses her, well, sharp claws to slash at Rodimus's throat and damage his voice box, which ''might'' be a reference to [[Bumblebee (Movie)|"Movie" Bumblebee]]'s famous backstory. Immediately afterwards, the shot of Steeljaw pointing his wrist-mounted blaster at Rodimus's prone body evokes [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]]'s death at the hands of [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
* Moments later, as an energized Rodimus leaps from the mineshaft, Steeljaw's surprised scream of "Sheearggh!" homages one of [[Simon Furman]]'s most-used (and beloved) sound effects.
* Rodimus' gold, Super Saiyan-esque form when charged up on energon and Shib referring to that form as "Godimus" ''might'' be a reference to the [[Lucky Draw figure]] of [[Primus]], which was a gold chrome recolored version of Rodimus' original Generation One toy.

===Real-world references===
* As Steeljaw berates a fatally wounded Rodimus on page 20, their poses deliberately mimic a [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/think-mark memetic screencap] from the television series ''{{w|Invincible (TV series)|Invincible}}''.
* Empowered by raw energon, the overcharged Rodimus resembles the Super Saiyans of ''{{w|Dragon Ball Z|Dragon Ball Z}}'' fame—right down to a glowing yellow "hairpiece" of flames.

===Errors===
* As mentioned above, Unstoppimus is formed from at least five Cybertronians: Wedge, Lunaclub, Cyberwarp, Riotgear, and Scylla. However, while Cyberwarp and Riotgear both form Unstoppimus's right leg, the left leg is made up of Scylla and an unspecified purple shin that doesn't seem to belong to any one character. It's ''possible'' that this is a miscolored Override—who, notably, disappears from the story after this point—but Override isn't a combiner component like the others, and it's difficult to imagine that Steeljaw's group would have the necessary time or resources to upgrade her into one...

===Other trivia===
* Originally solicited for an August 10th release, this significantly delayed issue finally drops on the very last day of August.
* Backmatter for this issue includes both black-and-white and colored art depicting Rodimus's climactic confrontation with Steeljaw, by [[E. J. Su]].

===Covers (5)===
* '''Cover A:''' A fiery Rodimus mirrors the cover of [[Last Bot Standing issue 1|issue #1]], by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover B:''' Life and death hang in Rodimus's hands, by [[Kei Zama]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
* '''Cover C:''' Rodimus, by [[Saren Stone]]
* '''Cover D:''' Steeljaw and Rodimus have it out in homage to ''[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/7/76/Captain_America_Annual_Vol_1_8.jpg Captain America Annual #8]'', by [[Ochopante]]
* '''Retailer incentive cover:''' Roddy's roundup, by [[E. J. Su]]

<gallery>
LastBotStanding 4 cvrA.jpg
LastBotStanding 4 cvrB.jpg
LastBotStanding 4 cvrC.jpg
LastBotStanding 4 cvrD.jpg
LastBotStanding 4 cvrRI.jpg
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''True Kult''
* ''The Best of EC Stories: Artisan Edition''
* ''[[Transformers: Best of the Beasts]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Best of the Rarities]]''
* ''[[Transformers: King Grimlock]]'' TPB
* ''Crashing''
* ''Todd McFarlane's Spider-Man: Artist's Edition''

==External links==
* [https://majorspoilers.com/2022/08/30/preview-transformers-last-bot-standing-4 Preview]

[[Category:Last Bot Standing issues]]

Spotlight: Shockwave

2022-08-31T16:28:16Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Spotlight]]'' #1
|prev=
|next=Spotlight: Nightbeat
|image=Spotlight Shockwave cvrA.jpg
|caption=I've been [[Black repaint|repainted black]]... not logical!
|title="The Transformers: Spotlight #1 Shockwave"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 13]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=September 2006
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Sulaco Studios]]
|edits by=[[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#8390 BCE|8390 BCE]]
}}
'''Shockwave discovers that logic is not always sufficient...'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Shockwave Regenesis.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]

Six hundred thousand years ago, the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] rages between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s — a state of affairs that [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] can no longer abide. Having extrapolated from the data that constant fighting between the two factions will cause an [[energon]] shortage and eventually leave Cybertron a dead, energy-drained planet, Shockwave initiates a new plan: a project that he dubs "[[Regenesis]]." Raw energon is distilled into special warheads and fired at suitable planets — one of which is prehistoric [[Earth]].

Never telling [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] about his plans, Shockwave bides his time for many years until his samples bear fruit. Arriving on Earth as the very end of the last [[Ice Age]], Shockwave begins the next component of his plan: regulating the planet's wild [[energon]] reactions. Shockwave knows that his fellow Decepticons will brand him as a traitor for his unauthorized experiments, but no longer cares; ultimately, logic is his only master.

Unbeknownst to the Decepticon, the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]] have tracked him to the planet aboard their vessel, the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]''. Having once lost face to Shockwave after he foiled a vital energon-gathering mission, all five [[Transformer]]s are hungry for revenge. Team leader [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] is eager to land and mete out some vengeance on their enemy, but [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] advises caution: the unchecked energon radiation on Earth's surface is causing energy fluctuations dangerous to unshielded Transformers, and while Shockwave is safely insulated against its effects, the five Dynobots possess no such protection.

[[File:SpotlightShockwave GrimlockSlag trexscan.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

As Shockwave plants a series of special energon dampers to rein in the energon storms, he observes a herd of dying [[mammoth]]s, and further mulls on his plans: as cold-climate organisms fail to adapt to changing climates, so too must the Cybertronian race continue to evolve, a process that will only succeed if Shockwave is allowed control of the balance of power...

Aboard the ''Skyfire'', Slag has come up with a novel solution to their dilemma: by using the on-board [[CR chamber]]s, they will be able to adopt [[beast mode]]s based on the native creatures, protected from the energon radiation thanks to artificially synthesized flesh. A hesitant Grimlock agrees to go ahead with the plan... but only if Slag can find him better organisms to scan than the "pathetic" mammals who roam the Earth. It doesn't take long before Slag discovers creatures more to their leader's liking: the fossilized remains of ancient [[Dinosaur (dinosaur)|dinosaurs]].

Having finished his business on Earth, Shockwave prepares to summon his ship and leave... but is momentarily confused when his ship fails to arrive. His concerns are well-founded when, seconds later, the five Dynobots, now clad in new, saurian [[alternate mode]]s, arrive via [[Orbital jump|orbital bounce]] and lay into the Decepticon scientist. A creature of logic and rationality, Shockwave is unable to comprehend the savage, chaotic behavior of his foes before having an epiphany: their mission is one of pointless revenge for his actions.

[[File:Shockwaveg1idw.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

As he is consumed by another barrage of enemy firepower, Shockwave realizes that his core logic will not be of any use in the fight against his irrational foes and retaliates as only he can: by simply ''shutting down'' his higher functions, allowing a synthetic form of rage to take over. In this primal sub-routine, he brutally retaliates against the Dynobots, quickly stripping them of their protective synthetic flesh and thus forcing them into [[stasis lock]]. The battle seemingly won, Shockwave returns his neural cortex to normal operations and, with his ship disabled by the Dynobots, prepares to steal the ''Skyfire'' to escape Earth. Before he can do so, however, he discovers that Grimlock will get the last laugh after all: the Dynobot ship acts on a command pre-programmed by Grimlock and uses its onboard weaponry to open fire on a nearby volcano. The mighty blast provokes a volcanic eruption, and all six combatants are swiftly entombed in a pit of molten lava.

Elsewhere, Shockwave's absence hasn't gone unnoticed. A suspicious [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], wanting to learn more about Shockwave's pet projects, assigns the loyal [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to investigate the errant Decepticon's findings.

And, many thousands of years later, in the year [[2006]], a team of archaeologists digging in [[Eureka]], [[Nevada]], unearth a massive, metal, purple hand...

{{--}}

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (2)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (3)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (4)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (5)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (6)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (7)
|c2=
*[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] (1)
*[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] (8)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (9)
|c3=
*[[Clive]] (10)
*[[Goring]] (11)
}}

==Quotes==
"Ultimately, I serve only ''one'' master...''pure logic''."
:'''—Shockwave''''s mission statement.
 
"Do it. But find us something better than these ''miserable'' specimens." 
"Easier said than done. They're pretty much the ''best'' this planet has to offer." 
"Look again. Find me something with some...''bite''. Unless the plan is to make Shockwave die ''laughing''."
:'''—Grimlock''' and '''Slag''' review potential mammalian beast modes.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] orders [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to find out what the missing Shockwave was working on, tying the story into ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]''.
*A supposed throw-away line on the [[Mechatopia.com]] website, which mentions a find in Nevada and "dinosaur-variant mechanoids", bears fruit in this issue.
* Later authors would revisit the idea of Shockwave's Regenesis plan that were first outlined in this issue—a plot point that would reach its fruition in 2013's ''[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]'' crossover. [[The Crucible|Issue #34]] of ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' would note that Shockwave had sent his ores to where he believed the original [[Thirteen]] had gone; Shockwave's comment in this issue about him targeting planets with a "specific geological profile" are ''juuuust'' vague enough not to count as a direct [[retcon]].
* Shockwave briefly wonders if Megatron has sent the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s against him; this offhanded comment tied into Furman's original plans for the team, which would have seen them as Megatron's pet enforcers. This idea fell by the wayside, and [[James Roberts]] would later introduce an entirely different set of murderous enforcers in the shape of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]].
* We would learn more about Shockwave's activities on Ice Age Earth in ''[[Revolutionaries]]'' [[Strange Visitors|issue #5]].
* According to ''[[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]'', the Dynobots' mission to hunt down Shockwave here is actually an illegal, unsanctioned op and none of them know it because Grimlock lied to their faces and insinuated that Optimus Prime had relented and approved the mission, all so he could go get revenge. They were ''also'' deliberately not told about the preprogrammed command for the ''Skyfire'' to shoot the volcano if they lost, presumably because Grimlock knew they would object. Ouch.

===Transformers references===
*The story is something of a modern re-imagining of the original [[Marvel Comics]] series, wherein Shockwave battled the Dinobots on prehistoric Earth, and they all wound up buried for millions of years. (It's also a rather clever way to bring a group of transforming chrome dinosaurs to modern-day Earth, explaining what would otherwise be an aberration in the Cold War cloak-and-dagger world of IDW's G1 continuity.)
*This is the second continuity in which the team has been known as the "Dynobots" before coming to Earth; they previously used the name in Dreamwave's ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' series. Their Cybertronian forms are lifted almost directly from that series.
*From its setting — a prehistoric [[Earth]] ravaged by concentrations of [[energon]] — to the quasi-organic [[beast mode]]s of the the Dynobots, this issue is chock-full of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' homages. These storytelling conceits were a deliberate choice on the part of the author [[Simon Furman]]; his script asked artist [[Nick Roche]] to re-imagine the Dinobots as ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' characters. Roche decided to apply this to their [[robot mode]]s as well, including giving them different heads. Giving them dinosaur modes with realistic proportions also led to the Dinobots deliberately having differing sizes.<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=5196&start=237#117726 Nick Roche: "Back when they reformatted themselves for Earth combat in Spotlight: Shockwave, the script that Simon left on my doorsteo {{sic}} (aflame, and smeared in what I hope was animal excrement) said to reimagine the Dinobots as if they were Beast Wars characters. So rather than just apply this aesthetic to their alt modes, I utilized it across the board, and gave them robot modes that were less G1, and more Beast Era. [...] The realistic Dino modes had an effect on the physique of the Dynos too, hence the burden of tail and neck kibble (HATE that word!) on Sludge and the lack of mass on Swoop. In his case, there's just no where for his robot mode to hide on his [[beast mode]] and have him be a bulky robot. Add to that, he needs to be able to fly too, so while odd-looking, it's all in-keeping with semi logic!"</ref>
*Slag's creative solution to the [[energon radiation]] problem is very similar to the original premise of the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon; indeed, the characters even reformat into their new beast forms by using [[CR chamber]]s, a concept lifted wholesale from the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon.

===Other trivia===
*The Dynobots' ship is unnamed in this story, but would be named as the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]'' in ''[[Spotlight: Grimlock]]''.
*The comic is [https://transformers.comixology.com/#/issue/9646/Transformers-Spotlight-Shockwave currently available for free on Comixology], an official comics distribution platform.

===Covers (6)===
*'''Cover A:''' Shockwave at console; art by [[James Raiz]] and [[Josh Burcham]] (colors).
*'''Cover B:''' Shockwave in snow with the Dinobots' shadows in the background by [[Nick Roche]] and Josh Burcham (colors).
*'''Cover RI-A:''' cover A, uncolored
*'''Cover RI-B:''' cover B, uncolored
*'''Retailer Summit:''' Shockwave gold foil-stamped wraparound by Nick Roche and [[Rob Ruffolo]] (colors).
*'''Micro-Comic Fun Pack:''' Grimlock breathes fire skyward, by [[Livio Ramondelli]].
<gallery>
File:Spotlight Shockwave cvrA.jpg|Shackwave?
File:Spotlight Shockwave cvrB.jpg|It's snowing and I'm purple... is this the future Minneapolis?
File:Spotlight Shockwave cvrRIA.jpg|Cover RI-A
File:Spotlight Shockwave cvrRIB.jpg|Cover RI-B
File:Spotlight Shockwave summit.jpg|Retailer Summit Cover
File:Spotlight Shockwave Micro-Comic.jpg|Micro-Comic Fun Pack cover
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*Optimus Prime ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' toy
*[[Transformers: The Animated Movie|''Transformers: The Animated Movie'' #1]]
*''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' trade paperback
*[[The Transformers: Generations|''Generations'' #5]], including a 3-page preview
*''Generations'' series
*''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' 20th Anniversary DVD
*Transformers posters
*[[Stormbringer issue 1|''Stormbringer'' #1]] (back cover)

===Reprints===
*[[2007]] — '''''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|The Transformers: Spotlight Volume 1]]''''' ([[May 30]], [[2007]]) ISBN 1600100686 / ISBN 978-1600100680
*2007 — '''''[[The Transformers: The Best of Simon Furman]]''''' ([[July 25]], 2007) ISBN 1600100589 / ISBN 978-1600100581
*2007 — '''''[[The Transformers: The Premiere Collection]] Volume 1''''' ([[December 5]], 2007) ISBN 1600101186 / ISBN 978-1600101182
*[[2010]] — '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume One]]''''' ([[May 26]], [[2010]]) ISBN 1600106676 / ISBN 978-1600106675
* [[2014]] — '''"Microcomic Fun Pack: Grimlock"''' ([[July 9]], [[2014]])
* [[2015]] — '''''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|The Transformers: Spotlight Omnibus Volume 1]]''''' ([[April 15]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631402463 / ISBN 978-1631402463
*[[2016]] — '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Compendium, Vol. 1]]''''' ([[July 6]], [[2016]]) ISBN 163140637X / ISBN 978-1631406379
*[[2017]] — '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 36: "Stormbringer"''''' ([[January 11]], [[2017]])
*[[2022]] — '''''[[Transformers: Best of Shockwave]]''''' ([[November 9]], [[2022]])
<gallery>
File:TF Spotlight v1.jpg|'''''Spotlight Vol. 1'''''; art by [[Nick Roche]] & [[Rob Ruffolo]]
File:BestofSimon.jpg|'''''Best of Simon Furman'''''; art by [[Don Figueroa]]
File:Premier Collection 1.jpg|'''''The Premiere Collection Vol. 1'''''; art by [[Klaus Scherwinski]]
File:IDWCollection1.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Volume One'''''; art by [[E. J. Su]]
File:Microcomic-Grimlock.jpg|'''''Microcomic Fun Pack: Grimlock'''''; art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
File:TF Spotlight Omnibus v1.jpg|'''''Spotlight Omnibus Volume 1'''''; art by [[Jeffrey Veregge]]
File:IDWCollectionCompendiumV1.jpg|'''''IDW Collection Compendium, Vol. 1'''''; art by Jeffrey Veregge
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v36.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 36'''''; art by [[Guido Guidi]]
File:BestOfShockwave cvr.jpg|'''Transformers: Best of Shockwave'''; cover art by [[James Biggie]]
</gallery>

===Micro-Comic Fun Pack===
In [[2014]], the issue was re-released in a Grimlock-themed "Micro-Comic Fun Pack", which includes:
*A micro-sized reprint of the issue, re-lettered for legibility and with a new cover. The back of the issue includes three pages of biographical information on Grimlock, and the following covers:
**[[:File:MTMTE8 cvrB.jpg|''More than Meets the Eye''#8 cover B]]
**[[:File:RotD3 cvrRIB.jpg|''Rage of the Dinobots''#3 cover RIB]]
**[[:File:MTMTE8 cvrA.jpg|''More than Meets the Eye''#8 cover A]]
*A mini-poster of the combined RI covers of [[:File:MTMTE7 cvrRI.jpg|''More than Meets the Eye''#7]] and [[:File:MTMTE8 cvrRI.jpg|#8]].
*A temporary tattoo cropped from [[:File:RotD1 cvrRIA.jpg|''Rage of the Dinobots''#1 cover RIA]].
*A sticker of [[:File:BeastHunters1 cvrA.jpg|''Beast Hunters''#1's standard cover]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Spotlight issues|Shockwave]]

Spotlight: Shockwave

2022-08-31T16:24:06Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Spotlight]]'' #1
|prev=
|next=Spotlight: Nightbeat
|image=Spotlight Shockwave cvrA.jpg
|caption=I've been [[Black repaint|repainted black]]... not logical!
|title="The Transformers: Spotlight #1 Shockwave"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 13]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=September 2006
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Sulaco Studios]]
|edits by=[[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#8390 BCE|8390 BCE]]
}}
'''Shockwave discovers that logic is not always sufficient...'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Shockwave Regenesis.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]

Six hundred thousand years ago, the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] rages between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s — a state of affairs that [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] can no longer abide. Having extrapolated from the data that constant fighting between the two factions will cause an [[energon]] shortage and eventually leave Cybertron a dead, energy-drained planet, Shockwave initiates a new plan: a project that he dubs "[[Regenesis]]." Raw energon is distilled into special warheads and fired at suitable planets — one of which is prehistoric [[Earth]].

Never telling [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] about his plans, Shockwave bides his time for many years until his samples bear fruit. Arriving on Earth as the very end of the last [[Ice Age]], Shockwave begins the next component of his plan: regulating the planet's wild [[energon]] reactions. Shockwave knows that his fellow Decepticons will brand him as a traitor for his unauthorized experiments, but no longer cares; ultimately, logic is his only master.

Unbeknownst to the Decepticon, the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]] have tracked him to the planet aboard their vessel, the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]''. Having once lost face to Shockwave after he foiled a vital energon-gathering mission, all five [[Transformer]]s are hungry for revenge. Team leader [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] is eager to land and mete out some vengeance on their enemy, but [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] advises caution: the unchecked energon radiation on Earth's surface is causing energy fluctuations dangerous to unshielded Transformers, and while Shockwave is safely insulated against its effects, the five Dynobots possess no such protection.

[[File:SpotlightShockwave GrimlockSlag trexscan.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

As Shockwave plants a series of special energon dampers to rein in the energon storms, he observes a herd of dying [[mammoth]]s, and further mulls on his plans: as cold-climate organisms fail to adapt to changing climates, so too must the Cybertronian race continue to evolve, a process that will only succeed if Shockwave is allowed control of the balance of power...

Aboard the ''Skyfire'', Slag has come up with a novel solution to their dilemma: by using the on-board [[CR chamber]]s, they will be able to adopt [[beast mode]]s based on the native creatures, protected from the energon radiation thanks to artificially synthesized flesh. A hesitant Grimlock agrees to go ahead with the plan... but only if Slag can find him better organisms to scan than the "pathetic" mammals who roam the Earth. It doesn't take long before Slag discovers creatures more to their leader's liking: the fossilized remains of ancient [[Dinosaur (dinosaur)|dinosaurs]].

Having finished his business on Earth, Shockwave prepares to summon his ship and leave... but is momentarily confused when his ship fails to arrive. His concerns are well-founded when, seconds later, the five Dynobots, now clad in new, saurian [[alternate mode]]s, arrive via [[Orbital jump|orbital bounce]] and lay into the Decepticon scientist. A creature of logic and rationality, Shockwave is unable to comprehend the savage, chaotic behavior of his foes before having an epiphany: their mission is one of pointless revenge for his actions.

[[File:Shockwaveg1idw.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]

As he is consumed by another barrage of enemy firepower, Shockwave realizes that his core logic will not be of any use in the fight against his irrational foes and retaliates as only he can: by simply ''shutting down'' his higher functions, allowing a synthetic form of rage to take over. In this primal sub-routine, he brutally retaliates against the Dynobots, quickly stripping them of their protective synthetic flesh and thus forcing them into [[stasis lock]]. The battle seemingly won, Shockwave returns his neural cortex to normal operations and, with his ship disabled by the Dynobots, prepares to steal the ''Skyfire'' to escape Earth. Before he can do so, however, he discovers that Grimlock will get the last laugh after all: the Dynobot ship acts on a command pre-programmed by Grimlock and uses its onboard weaponry to open fire on a nearby volcano. The mighty blast provokes a volcanic eruption, and all six combatants are swiftly entombed in a pit of molten lava.

Elsewhere, Shockwave's absence hasn't gone unnoticed. A suspicious [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], wanting to learn more about Shockwave's pet projects, assigns the loyal [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to investigate the errant Decepticon's findings.

And, many thousands of years later, in the year [[2006]], a team of archaeologists digging in [[Eureka]], [[Nevada]], unearth a massive, metal, purple hand...

{{--}}

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (2)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (3)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (4)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (5)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (6)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (7)
|c2=
*[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] (1)
*[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] (8)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (9)
|c3=
*[[Clive]] (10)
*[[Goring]] (11)
}}

==Quotes==
"Ultimately, I serve only ''one'' master...''pure logic''."
:'''—Shockwave''''s mission statement.
 
"Do it. But find us something better than these ''miserable'' specimens." 
"Easier said than done. They're pretty much the ''best'' this planet has to offer." 
"Look again. Find me something with some...''bite''. Unless the plan is to make Shockwave die ''laughing''."
:'''—Grimlock''' and '''Slag''' review potential mammalian beast modes.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] orders [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to find out what the missing Shockwave was working on, tying the story into ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]''.
*A supposed throw-away line on the [[Mechatopia.com]] website, which mentions a find in Nevada and "dinosaur-variant mechanoids", bears fruit in this issue.
* Later authors would revisit the idea of Shockwave's Regenesis plan that were first outlined in this issue—a plot point that would reach its fruition in 2013's ''[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]'' crossover. [[The Crucible|Issue #34]] of ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' would note that Shockwave had sent his ores to where he believed the original [[Thirteen]] had gone; Shockwave's comment in this issue about him targeting planets with a "specific geological profile" are ''juuuust'' vague enough not to count as a direct [[retcon]].
* Shockwave briefly wonders if Megatron has sent the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s against him; this offhanded comment tied into Furman's original plans for the team, which would have seen them as Megatron's pet enforcers. This idea fell by the wayside, and [[James Roberts]] would later introduce an entirely different set of murderous enforcers in the shape of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]].
* We would learn more about Shockwave's activities on Ice Age Earth in ''[[Revolutionaries]]'' [[Strange Visitors|issue #5]].
* According to ''[[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]'', the Dynobots' mission to hunt down Shockwave here is actually an illegal, unsanctioned op and none of them know it because Grimlock lied to their faces and insinuated that Optimus Prime had relented and approved the mission, all so he could go get revenge. Ouch.

===Transformers references===
*The story is something of a modern re-imagining of the original [[Marvel Comics]] series, wherein Shockwave battled the Dinobots on prehistoric Earth, and they all wound up buried for millions of years. (It's also a rather clever way to bring a group of transforming chrome dinosaurs to modern-day Earth, explaining what would otherwise be an aberration in the Cold War cloak-and-dagger world of IDW's G1 continuity.)
*This is the second continuity in which the team has been known as the "Dynobots" before coming to Earth; they previously used the name in Dreamwave's ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' series. Their Cybertronian forms are lifted almost directly from that series.
*From its setting — a prehistoric [[Earth]] ravaged by concentrations of [[energon]] — to the quasi-organic [[beast mode]]s of the the Dynobots, this issue is chock-full of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' homages. These storytelling conceits were a deliberate choice on the part of the author [[Simon Furman]]; his script asked artist [[Nick Roche]] to re-imagine the Dinobots as ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' characters. Roche decided to apply this to their [[robot mode]]s as well, including giving them different heads. Giving them dinosaur modes with realistic proportions also led to the Dinobots deliberately having differing sizes.<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=5196&start=237#117726 Nick Roche: "Back when they reformatted themselves for Earth combat in Spotlight: Shockwave, the script that Simon left on my doorsteo {{sic}} (aflame, and smeared in what I hope was animal excrement) said to reimagine the Dinobots as if they were Beast Wars characters. So rather than just apply this aesthetic to their alt modes, I utilized it across the board, and gave them robot modes that were less G1, and more Beast Era. [...] The realistic Dino modes had an effect on the physique of the Dynos too, hence the burden of tail and neck kibble (HATE that word!) on Sludge and the lack of mass on Swoop. In his case, there's just no where for his robot mode to hide on his [[beast mode]] and have him be a bulky robot. Add to that, he needs to be able to fly too, so while odd-looking, it's all in-keeping with semi logic!"</ref>
*Slag's creative solution to the [[energon radiation]] problem is very similar to the original premise of the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon; indeed, the characters even reformat into their new beast forms by using [[CR chamber]]s, a concept lifted wholesale from the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon.

===Other trivia===
*The Dynobots' ship is unnamed in this story, but would be named as the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]'' in ''[[Spotlight: Grimlock]]''.
*The comic is [https://transformers.comixology.com/#/issue/9646/Transformers-Spotlight-Shockwave currently available for free on Comixology], an official comics distribution platform.

===Covers (6)===
*'''Cover A:''' Shockwave at console; art by [[James Raiz]] and [[Josh Burcham]] (colors).
*'''Cover B:''' Shockwave in snow with the Dinobots' shadows in the background by [[Nick Roche]] and Josh Burcham (colors).
*'''Cover RI-A:''' cover A, uncolored
*'''Cover RI-B:''' cover B, uncolored
*'''Retailer Summit:''' Shockwave gold foil-stamped wraparound by Nick Roche and [[Rob Ruffolo]] (colors).
*'''Micro-Comic Fun Pack:''' Grimlock breathes fire skyward, by [[Livio Ramondelli]].
<gallery>
File:Spotlight Shockwave cvrA.jpg|Shackwave?
File:Spotlight Shockwave cvrB.jpg|It's snowing and I'm purple... is this the future Minneapolis?
File:Spotlight Shockwave cvrRIA.jpg|Cover RI-A
File:Spotlight Shockwave cvrRIB.jpg|Cover RI-B
File:Spotlight Shockwave summit.jpg|Retailer Summit Cover
File:Spotlight Shockwave Micro-Comic.jpg|Micro-Comic Fun Pack cover
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*Optimus Prime ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' toy
*[[Transformers: The Animated Movie|''Transformers: The Animated Movie'' #1]]
*''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'' trade paperback
*[[The Transformers: Generations|''Generations'' #5]], including a 3-page preview
*''Generations'' series
*''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' 20th Anniversary DVD
*Transformers posters
*[[Stormbringer issue 1|''Stormbringer'' #1]] (back cover)

===Reprints===
*[[2007]] — '''''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|The Transformers: Spotlight Volume 1]]''''' ([[May 30]], [[2007]]) ISBN 1600100686 / ISBN 978-1600100680
*2007 — '''''[[The Transformers: The Best of Simon Furman]]''''' ([[July 25]], 2007) ISBN 1600100589 / ISBN 978-1600100581
*2007 — '''''[[The Transformers: The Premiere Collection]] Volume 1''''' ([[December 5]], 2007) ISBN 1600101186 / ISBN 978-1600101182
*[[2010]] — '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume One]]''''' ([[May 26]], [[2010]]) ISBN 1600106676 / ISBN 978-1600106675
* [[2014]] — '''"Microcomic Fun Pack: Grimlock"''' ([[July 9]], [[2014]])
* [[2015]] — '''''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|The Transformers: Spotlight Omnibus Volume 1]]''''' ([[April 15]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631402463 / ISBN 978-1631402463
*[[2016]] — '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Compendium, Vol. 1]]''''' ([[July 6]], [[2016]]) ISBN 163140637X / ISBN 978-1631406379
*[[2017]] — '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 36: "Stormbringer"''''' ([[January 11]], [[2017]])
*[[2022]] — '''''[[Transformers: Best of Shockwave]]''''' ([[November 9]], [[2022]])
<gallery>
File:TF Spotlight v1.jpg|'''''Spotlight Vol. 1'''''; art by [[Nick Roche]] & [[Rob Ruffolo]]
File:BestofSimon.jpg|'''''Best of Simon Furman'''''; art by [[Don Figueroa]]
File:Premier Collection 1.jpg|'''''The Premiere Collection Vol. 1'''''; art by [[Klaus Scherwinski]]
File:IDWCollection1.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Volume One'''''; art by [[E. J. Su]]
File:Microcomic-Grimlock.jpg|'''''Microcomic Fun Pack: Grimlock'''''; art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
File:TF Spotlight Omnibus v1.jpg|'''''Spotlight Omnibus Volume 1'''''; art by [[Jeffrey Veregge]]
File:IDWCollectionCompendiumV1.jpg|'''''IDW Collection Compendium, Vol. 1'''''; art by Jeffrey Veregge
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v36.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 36'''''; art by [[Guido Guidi]]
File:BestOfShockwave cvr.jpg|'''Transformers: Best of Shockwave'''; cover art by [[James Biggie]]
</gallery>

===Micro-Comic Fun Pack===
In [[2014]], the issue was re-released in a Grimlock-themed "Micro-Comic Fun Pack", which includes:
*A micro-sized reprint of the issue, re-lettered for legibility and with a new cover. The back of the issue includes three pages of biographical information on Grimlock, and the following covers:
**[[:File:MTMTE8 cvrB.jpg|''More than Meets the Eye''#8 cover B]]
**[[:File:RotD3 cvrRIB.jpg|''Rage of the Dinobots''#3 cover RIB]]
**[[:File:MTMTE8 cvrA.jpg|''More than Meets the Eye''#8 cover A]]
*A mini-poster of the combined RI covers of [[:File:MTMTE7 cvrRI.jpg|''More than Meets the Eye''#7]] and [[:File:MTMTE8 cvrRI.jpg|#8]].
*A temporary tattoo cropped from [[:File:RotD1 cvrRIA.jpg|''Rage of the Dinobots''#1 cover RIA]].
*A sticker of [[:File:BeastHunters1 cvrA.jpg|''Beast Hunters''#1's standard cover]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Spotlight issues|Shockwave]]

Gone but Not Forgotten!

2022-07-24T20:53:09Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Continuity notes */

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #25
|prev=Afterdeath!
|next=Funeral for a Friend!
|title="Gone but Not Forgotten!"
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #107–108
|prev2=Afterdeath!
|next2=Funeral for a Friend!
|image=MarvelUS-25.jpg
|caption=The 25th Anniversary mark is so common that it's a special occasion not to have it.
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=October [[1986]]
|coverdate=February [[1987]]
|writer=[[Bob Budiansky]]
|penciler=[[Don Perlin]]
|inkers=[[Ian Akin]] & [[Brian Garvey]]
|colorist=[[Nelson Yomtov|Nel Yomtov]]
|letterer=[[Janice Chiang]]
|editor=[[Don Daley]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}
'''As the Decepticons relocate to a new base, Shockwave plays a gambit to finally destroy Megatron.'''

==Synopsis==
The [[United States of America|United States]] [[United States military|army]] prepares to invade the [[Wyoming base|Decepticon base]]. Unknown to them, the [[Decepticon]]s are already planning to abandon this base for a new one off the [[Florida Keys]], intending to make better use of the stolen [[hydrothermocline]] to meet their energy needs. [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] has other concerns on his mind. He is preoccupied with the death of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], unable to fully believe that his enemy is, in fact, dead. This uncertainty drives him mad (as well as the fact that it was [[Ethan Zachary|a human]]
that did the actual killing, rather than himself).

As the other Decepticons abandon their base, [[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] stay behind to arrange for the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] to attack and destroy Megatron. To further Megatron's confusion, the Predacons have been fitted with [[Autobot]] [[Insignia|symbols]], to make him think that they have been sent by Optimus Prime.

[[File:Predaking gone but not forgotten.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|A menacing sight, until you remember the weakness to tree trunks.]]
The Predacons locate and attack Megatron who, despite being outnumbered five-to-one, is able to defend himself (although not unscathed by any means). Finding Megatron too strong for them to defeat in their individual forms, the Predacons combine into [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]]. However, Predaking just proves to be a bigger target, and Megatron defeats him with one blast of his [[fusion cannon]].

When the Decepticons arrive at their new base, a Decepticon soldier locates a [[laser disk]] inside Predaking, which Soundwave then plays back to reveal Shockwave's attempt to have Megatron killed. As Megatron threatens to destroy Shockwave, Shockwave explains that he recorded major portions of his personality on the disk he gave to the Predacons: "I controlled the Predacons. I was with them as much as I am with you now!"

This revelation causes Megatron to reflect on Optimus Prime's death. He now knows what he did not see at the time: that Optimus Prime's personality had been saved on a computer disk. This awareness drives him mad once again, and he blows up the [[space bridge]] to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with himself on it. Both disappear, and Shockwave reflects that it was not he himself who destroyed Megatron, but "a memory did!"
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*''[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]]'' (12)
*''[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]]'' (13)
*''[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'' (14)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (15)
|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Shockwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Shockwave]] (4)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] (5)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (6)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] (7)
*[[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (8)
*[[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (9)
*[[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] (10)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (11)
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] (18)
*[[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (19)
*[[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]] (20)
*[[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (21)
*[[Headstrong (G1)|Headstrong]] (22)
*[[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] (23)
*[[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (24)
*[[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] (25)
*[[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] (28)
{{!}}}
|c3=
*[[Skolnik]] (1)
*[[Hadley]] (2)
*[[Walter Barnett (G1)|Walter Barnett]] (3)
*''[[Ethan Zachary]]'' (16)
*[[Francine]] (26)
*[[Earl]] (27)
}}

==Quotes==
"Did '''you''' wrap your hands around his neck and feel its smooth steel skin? ...did '''you''' squeeze and feel its infrastructure begin to buckle under the pressure? Did '''you''' keep squeezing until there was no longer any reason to squeeze? '''''Did you?!''''' [...] '''''Well, neither did I!!'''''"
:—'''Megatron''', while crushing Brawl's head

"C-Commander, do you see? That '''wasn't''' Optimus Prime -- it was only a '''truck!'''" 
"I see that '''now''', Dead End. But it '''could''' have been Optimus Prime. And if it '''had been'''... he'd be dead." 
"But... but Commander... he's '''already''' dead."
:—'''Dead End''' and '''Megatron'''

"I am '''Predaking''', the greatest hunting machine the galaxy has ever known! And you, little robot, are my '''prey'''!" 
"And you are a '''fool!''' I am no one's prey! '''I am Megatron the conqueror!'''" 
"My x-ray laser cannon will see to it that you're '''scrap'''."
:—'''Predaking''' trades barbs and blasts with '''Megatron'''

"---'''Optimus Prime!!''' He lives! But he won't get '''Megatron''', no -- Megatron is too clever, yes... too clever! '''Megatron will go where no one can ever follow him! ''Where Optimus Prime can never follow--'''''"
:—'''Megatron''' goes out in a blaze of insanity-fueled glory

==Notes==
===Artwork and technical errors===
*Page 2, panel 4: Shockwave's speech balloon is directed to Soundwave.
*In "[[Decepticon Graffiti!]]", Megatron's throne is made from one or maybe two cars. In this issue, it's made from about 25 ''tiny'' cars. Although, he could simply have more than one chair - the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] need to do ''something'' during all that off panel time.
*When the narration says Megatron is carried by Drag Strip, he actually jumps into a yellow-colored Dead End. As on later pages he is carried by Dead End, this was likely a writing mistake and the colorist tried to "fix" the error by coloring Dead End yellow.
*When Vortex arrives to ferry Dead End to the island, he is huge in copter mode, dwarfing Dead End to almost the size of a human.
*When the Predacons combine into Predaking he has a Decepticon logo on his chest.
*When Dead End finds the [[laser disk]] in Predaking, Shockwave is drawn with only one arm.

===Continuity errors===
*It would appear that the American army is incapable of distinguishing between an artillery bombardment and a shower of flying debris.
*On page 8, the caption reads that Megatron "commands Drag Strip to carry him to their destination," and the coloring is consistent with this. The art, however, shows Megatron entering Dead End. Later on the car he's in is drawn, colored, and referred to as Dead End.

===Continuity notes===
*The Decepticon alliance with [[Cobra]] is briefly mentioned, plugging the concurrent GI Joe/Transformers crossover series.
*Megatron gives us a recap of Optimus's death in "[[Afterdeath!]]", the last issue. The hydrothermocline was stolen in that issue as well.
*Brawl is seemingly killed in this issue. Don't worry, though. Even though his head is crushed and it doesn't appear anybody carried his body with them to their new base, he later gets better.
*This would not be the last time a [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] goes into [[Miracle|a deep funk]] when [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] is [[Crisis (Armada)|killed]].
*Predaking's height is given as 80 feet.
* This issue marks a major split between the US and UK continuities, as Megatron would be treated as dead in the US for a long while after the events here, while the UK strips would swiftly bring him back and make him the focal point of several major storylines. When [[Simon Furman]] [[Back from the Dead|took over the US book and decided to bring Megatron back over there]], this branching would have some… [[Two Megatrons!|interesting continuity effects]].

===Real-life references===
*The old Decepticon base is in the [[Powder River Basin]] of eastern [[Wyoming]]; the narration relays a bit of its history. The new base is on an island at the tip of the [[Florida Keys]]. Some clam-chomping tourists at the [[Conch Republic Clam Bar]] mention having left [[Nashville]].

===UK printing===
[[File:Razorclaw laser disk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|"Sorry Shockwave, wrong format, I only have a 5 and 1/4 inch floppy drive in my head..."]]
*This story has a ''lot'' of parallels with "[[Prey!]]" - the arrival of the Predacons from Cybertron; Shockwave using the Predacons in a sneaky plan to usurp Megatron; the Predacons only combining after they fail to win as individuals; Megatron attacking one of the [[Special Teams]] characters; confusion on whether Prime is alive or not (albeit by different characters) and Megatron exiting the story via the spacebridge.
*Due to that, this story is probably the most edited of any US story printed in the UK comic.
*The Dead End mistake mentioned in the errors section was fixed for the UK printing. Dead End was recolored in red, and the caption box was corrected, referring to him by his actual name.
*Page 11 of the US comic was edited to make a better [[cliffhanger]] for UK issue #107. Megatron was given new dialog, replacing a speech bubble of Dead End questioning his leader's sanity.
*Megatron and the Predacons had met before in UK continuity. In the story arc beginning with "[[Prey!]]" Shockwave employed the Predacons to hunt down and kill Megatron. However he was so deranged (and befuddled), that he didn't remember this first encounter. To reflect this previous meeting a lot of dialog was changed for the UK version of this issue:
**On US page 9, Shockwave gives Razorclaw his assignment on Earth. In the UK version, Razorclaw worries that Megatron will recognize him. Shockwave quickly allays those fears.
**On US page 12, the Predacons lament having to change into Earth forms. In the UK version, they lament having to stay in those forms since their last visit.
**Some caption boxes on page 12 were changed to reflect the Predacons' previous visit. In particular the caption '''The Predacons have arrived!''' on was changed to '''The Predacons have returned!''' for the UK version.
**On US page 13, Razorclaw says Megatron doesn't know the Predacons. In the UK version, he says Megatron doesn't remember them.
*US page 2 was also edited, but this time to reflect the fact that the ''[[G.I. Joe and the Transformers (comic)|G.I. Joe and the Transformers]]'' story was not 'in continuity' for the UK comics (and wasn't printed until years later). In the US version, Shockwave suggests contacting [[Cobra]] and telling them about the Decepticons' moving base. In the UK version, Shockwave talks instead about Megatron's mental instability.

====Back-up material====
'''Issue #107:'''
*'''Back-up strips:''' ''[[Inhumanoids|The Inhumanoids]]'' - "I Left My Monsters in San Francisco" and ''[[Robo-Capers]]''
*According to ''[[Letters page (Marvel UK)#Grim Grams|Grim Grams]]'', [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] considers the [[August 23|23rd of August]] [[1986]], his [[birthday]]. That's the date he took over the ''Transformers'' letters page. He also thinks he could take out Soundwave in a fight.

'''Issue #108:'''
*'''Back-up strips:''' ''The Inhumanoids'' - "I Left My Monsters in San Francisco" and ''Robo-Capers''
*'''[[Transformers AtoZ|AtoZ]]:''' [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]
*In ''Grim Grams'', Grimlock confirms that Vanessa Cook of Doncaster did indeed spot [http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/c/cyril.htm CYRIL], the Editor Droid from the then-defunct Marvel UK ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Return of the Jedi]]'' comics, in [[Under Fire!|issue #108]]'s ''Robo-Capers''.

===Letters pages===

===Other trivia===
*This issue was reprinted as issue #8 of [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|Generations]]'' series.
*Page 4 consists entirely of flashbacks to "Afterdeath!".
*[[Fallen Angel|Like]] [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|some]] [[Burning Sky!|other]] [[Worlds Apart!|issues]], a free version of UK issue #107 (with an altered corner box) was given out at the chain of British steakhouses Berni Inn.

===Bot Roster===
*Autobots: 27 active; 5 rogue Dinobots, 14 in repair bay. (46 total)
*Decepticons: 31 active as the Predacons arrive and Megatron is killed/jettisoned off-world; 9 offline. (40 total)

===Courtesy of my...===
*Razorclaw shoots Megatron with a [[Concussion weapon|concussion blaster]].
*As usual, Megatron can't seem to shut up about his [[fusion cannon]].
*Predaking pulls out an [[X-ray laser cannon]].

===Changes in the IDW ''Transformers Classics'' reprint===
*Soundwave is "correctly" recolored blue throughout the issue, without any random panels of PurpleWave.
*The Drag Strip/Dead End confusion on page 8, panel 4 is, for whatever reason, not corrected in this edition. I guess they weren't reading the wiki that day.
*On page 16, panel 4 Tantrum's horns are corrected from green to grey.
*On page 18, panel 5 the Ben-Day dots are removed from Razorclaw's mane, leaving only blotchy black smudges.

===Covers (3)===
*'''US cover:''' Megatron surrounded by the Predacons, by [[Herb Trimpe]].
*'''UK issue #107 cover:''' mad Megatron, by [[David Hine|Dave Hine]] and [[Robin Bouttell]].
*'''UK issue #108 cover:''' reuse of art from US cover, recolored and with word balloons, by [[Robin Bouttell]].
<gallery>
File:MarvelUS-25.jpg|'''US issue #25''' - Predacons gone wild!
File:MarvelUK-107.jpg|'''UK issue #107''' - Ironically, Rampage isn't on this cover.
File:MarvelUK-108.jpg|'''UK issue #108''' - Hang on, haven't we been here [[Prey!|before]]?
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
====US====
*Inside Front Cover: [[M&M's]]
*Between Page 4 & 5: ''Lazer Tag'' game kit
*Between Page 5 & 6: The Amazing [[Spider-Man]] in the Free the Cap'n (Crunch) Mystery Promotion
*Between Page 7 & 8: East Cost Comics
*Between Page 8 & 9: Comic Dealers and Charles Atlas
*Between Page 16 & 17: ''New Universe'' "Supersleuth Sweepstakes" Promotion
*Between Page 17 & 18: Random Sponsors
*Between Page 19 & 20: Classic Comics Subscription Offer
*Bullpen Bulletins - between pages 20 & 21
*Pg. 22: Next Issue Blurb
*Page After Letters Column: Marvel Subscription Offer
*After That Page: YAMAHA Synthesizer
*Back Cover: Brach's Gum Dingers

====UK====
???

===Reprints===
*'''''[[Transformers: Breakdown]]'' TPB:''' Predaking, [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], [[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]] and half of [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]].
*'''''Transformers: Breakdown'' hardback:''' Trypticon vs Grimlock.
*'''''[[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|The Transformers: Generations]]'' #8 cover A:''' the Predacons attack Megatron.
*'''''Generations'' #8 cover B:''' line-art version of cover A.
*'''''Generations'' #8 incentive cover:''' reuse of a panel from this issue.
*'''''Generations'' TPB:''' reuse of cover A to ''Generations'' #1.
<gallery>
File:Titan-BreakdownSC.jpg|'''''Transformers: Breakdown'' TPB'''; cover art by [[Andrew Wildman]]
File:Titan-BreakdownHC.jpg|'''''Transformers: Breakdown'' HC'''; cover art by [[Kev Walker]], [[Simon Coleby]] and [[Chris Blythe]].
File:IDW Generations 8 Cover A.jpg|'''''The Transformers: Generations'' #8 cover A''' by [[Nick Roche]]
File:IDW Generations 8 Cover B.jpg|'''''Generations'' #8 cover B''' by Nick Roche
File:IDW Generations 8 Cover RI.jpg|'''''Generations'' #8 incentive cover''' by [[Don Perlin]], [[Ian Akin]] and [[Brian Garvey]], [[Nelson Yomtov]] and [[Janice Chiang]].
File:Generations TPB.jpg|'''''Generations'' TPB'''; cover art by Nick Roche
</gallery>
*'''[[Classic Transformers Volume 2|''Classic Transformers'' Volume 2]]:''' panels from US issues [[Showdown!|#20]] and #25.
*'''[[The Transformers Classics, Vol. 2|''The Transformers Classics,'' Vol. 2]]:''' [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]
*'''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 7: The Harder They Die''''' [[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] and a scene of the [[Wrecker]]s.
<gallery>
File:Classic Transformers Vol2.jpg|'''''Classic Transformers'' Volume 2'''; cover art by artists from issues #20 and #25
File:TFClassicsVol2.jpg|'''''The Transformers Classics,'' Vol. 2'''; cover art by [[Guido Guidi]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v7.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 7'''''; cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Geoff Senior]]
</gallery>

[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]

Final Transformations

2022-07-14T20:22:28Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=[[G.I. Joe (comic)|''G.I. Joe Starring Snake-Eyes and Transformers: Generation 2'']] #142
|prev=Sucker Punch
|next=Ghosts
|title="Final Transformations"
|image=Marvel GIJoe-142.jpg
|caption=It's true what they say about 'Cons with big feet.
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=
|coverdate=November [[1993]]
|script=[[Larry Hama]]
|pencils=[[Jesse Orozoco]] and [[William Rosado]]
|inks=[[Chip Wallace]] (pages 1–4, 6–9, 18, 20, 22), [[Tim Tuony]], [[Ariane Lenshoek-Pinheiro|Arienne]] and [[Steve Alexandrov]]
|colors=[[Andre Ani]] and [[Chia-Chi Wang|Chi]]
|letters=[[Rick Parker]]
|editor=[[Mike Lackey]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}
'''Megatron breaks a deal... and a few Autobots.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Final Transformations Megatron kills Override.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Override should never have accepted an invitation to the Decepticon Taffy Pull.]]
In [[Cobra]]-controlled [[Milleville]], [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] attempts to step on the would-be rescuer [[Scarlett]], but the sudden appearance of a group of [[Autobot]]s led by [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] saves the [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joe]]'s life. A battle rages on where Megatron uses his [[rail gun|updated weaponry]] to get an early advantage by shooting down [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] and brags about his increased defensive capabilities. [[Cobra Commander]] can do little in this clash of giants but beg Megatron to be more mindful of his property, which just annoys the [[Decepticon]] but gives him the idea to keep [[Sidney Biggles-Jones|Doctor Biggles-Jones]] safe within himself. In the confusion of the battle, Scarlett steals a [[grenade launcher]] from a [[Frag-Viper]], leading Cobra Commander to realize and bemoan her true loyalties.

At the Milleville hospital, [[Snake-Eyes]] is cornered by Cobra troopers, but he escapes the situation by dropping aside a couple of grenades, sending the troopers into retreat while he makes his escape by jumping out of a window. He attacks a couple of [[Alley-Viper]]s waiting outside and notices the battle afar between the [[Transformer]]s. Megatron, weary of dealing with his enemies, blasts [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steel-Jaw]] to smithereens. With assistance for Megatron coming from Cobra [[Detonator (G.I. Joe)|Detonators]], the Autobots try to regroup and plan a retreat, being unwilling to harm [[human]]s. [[Chase (G1)|Chase]], having had his leg blasted off by the Detonators, tells the others to go ahead and soon becomes Megatron's second kill. With the dirt on his corpse, Megatron is able to deduct where their [[inter-galactic transport]] has landed. He arrives at its hiding spot, where he finds a venegeful [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]], who gives his all in beating the crap out of the Decepticon.

Avoiding the chaos, Scarlett runs into Cobra Commander and [[Zarana]]. Scarlett easily handles the two, but is forced to relent when the nearby [[Alley-Viper]]s force her hand. Fortunately, Snake-Eyes comes to the rescue, easily taking down the troopers while Cobra Commander and Zarana decide to flee.

Megatron tosses Brawn aside and helpfully explains his new assortment of abilities, from exciting electrons to imploding neutrons, the latter of which he demonstrates on Brawn, taking out the Autobot and the transport. The remaining three Autobots meet up with [[Spirit]] and [[Storm Shadow]], who agree to help them out in their attempt to enter the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] to use an alternate means of transport. Nearby, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], having detected the Transformers before with his internal sensors, observes.

Megatron mulls over the explosive results of his neutron implosion and withdraws Biggles-Jones from inside to put in the [[protoplasmic stripper]] on the way to the Ark. [[Override (G1)|Override]] attacks him, distracting him from Spirit and Storm Shadow—disguised as Alley-Vipers—transporting Skydive into the Ark. Unaware to them, Spike has hitched a ride to get aboard. Having been dropped by Megatron when he was attacked, Biggles-Jones attempts to flee to safety with Snake-Eyes and Scarlett, but Megatron easily tears Override apart and turns his attention back on the scientist. The three are rescued in the nice of time by the leaving Spirit and Storm Shadow, who finished secreting Skydive into the Ark. Megatron gives chase, forcing Biggles-Jones to turn herself over to ensure the safety of the others.

Milleville's cover blown, Cobra Commander orders a full evacuation and tries to remind Megatron of their deal when he arrives back with his quarry. The Decepticon shows him no notice as he himself evacuates in the Ark, leading his partner to bemoan the breaking of the deal. As they watch the Ark fly away, Scarlett and the others wonder if Biggles-Jones knows what's she getting herself into. Aboard the Ark as it flies to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Megatron notes being impressed by Biggles-Jones's attempt to put a virus in his rail gun. But, of course, he noticed it, disabled it, and put an active version of the virus in the Cybertronian technology given to Cobra. Perhaps Biggles-Jones will be more useful to him intact.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steel-Jaw]] (8)
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (9)
*[[Override (G1)|Override]] (10)
*[[Chase (G1)|Chase]] (11)
*[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] (12)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (13)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] (1)
|c3=
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (17)
|h4=[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]|c4=
*[[Scarlett]] (3)
*[[Snake-Eyes]] (16)
*[[Spirit]] (19)
*[[Freedom]] (20)
*[[Storm Shadow]] (21)
|h5=[[Cobra]]|c5=
*[[Sidney Biggles-Jones]] (2)
*[[Cobra Viper]]s (4)
*[[Alley-Viper]]s (5)
*[[Cobra Commander]] (6)
*[[Zarana]] (7)
*[[Frag-Viper]]s (14, see [[#Errors|Errors]])
*[[Slice (G.I. Joe)|Slice]] (15)
*[[Dice (G.I. Joe)|Dice]] (17)
*[[Tele-Viper]] (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"You'll be safer ''inside,'' Dr. Biggles-Jones! 
"Safer for ''what?'' All you want is my ''central nervous system!''"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Doctor Biggles-Jones'''

'''Zarana:''' "''Shoot'' her, you ''idiots''!" 
'''Scarlett:''' "You trust their aim ''that'' much?" 
'''Alley Viper:''' "Who's gonna ''aim''? ''Zarana'' don't sign my ''check''--"

==Notes==
*The cover title of the series for this issue is ''G.I. Joe Starring Snake-Eyes Featuring Transformers Generation 2''. However, the title in the indicia (and hence the legal title) is ''G.I. Joe A Real American Hero''.
*In "[[Goin' South]]", [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] strongly implied that he and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] would be coming to Earth themselves, but apparently he changed his mind.
*The Autobot team that arrives instead is ''very'' random, consisting of one [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobot]], one [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]], one [[Mini-Cassette]], one [[Triggerbot]], one [[Throttlebot]], and one [[Mini Vehicle]]. Only Hot Spot and Brawn are even close to the strength and endurance needed to take on Megatron.
*This is Steeljaw's first and only appearance in US Marvel Comics continuity (and he dies, perhaps as a sign of [[Red Alert (G1)#Marvel Generation 2 comic|things to come]]). And it isn't even in the Transformers comic.
*Thanks to the power of [[Retcon|retroactive continuity]], Brawn doesn't actually die here; we learn his fate over in [[Abduction|the first issue]] of ''[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Transformers: Universe]]''; he was abducted by [[Unicron]] and ends up fighting in the [[Universe War]].
*Megatron determines that the Autobots' ship is located in "Sector Seven". [[Sector Seven|This is probably a big ol' coincidence.]]
*The title of this story was probably inspired by this being the last appearance of the Transformers in the [[G.I. Joe (comic)|''G.I. Joe'' comic]].
*While the plot of this issue continues in the first issue of the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Transformers Generation 2'' comic series]], "[[War Without End!]]", this arguably represents a branching point in the [[G.I. Joe (comic)|''G.I. Joe'' continuity]]. While many ''G.I. Joe'' characters appear in the ''Generation 2'' comic series, the Earthwide devastation that happens later on (e.g., the annihilation of [[San Francisco]] in "[[Dark Shadows!]]") is not reflected in the regular ''G.I. Joe'' comic series.
*Cobra Commander's vocabulary lessons for the day:
**''hebetation:'' The state of being dull or obtuse.
**''resipiscence:'' Recovering one's senses.
**''rampallion:'' A good-for-nothing scoundrel.
**''fustilarian:'' A low fellow; a stinkard.
**''oligophrenic:'' Exhibiting mental deficiency.
**''megapod:'' Having large feet.

===Errors===
*Hot Spot is called "Hotshot" at one point.
*Steeljaw's name is rendered as "Steel-Jaw".
*Chase is consistently miscolored as white and drawn with [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]]'s head, repeating (and possibly copying) an error first seen in issue [[The Cure!|#30]] of the Generation 1 book.
*The Frag-Vipers are mistakenly drawn as regular Cobra Vipers. We know they're Frag-Vipers because Scarlett makes specific mention of stealing a grenade launcher from one and some of the troopers surrounding Snake-Eyes in the hospital were Frag-Vipers in the last issue.
*Megatron locates the Autobots' ship by comparing ''mud'' caked on Chase's leg to a ''soil'' analysis of the entire region. He then locates the ship in... a warehouse district.
*The [[Detonator (G.I. Joe)|Cobra Detonator]] the Joes use to sneak Skydive in the Ark is repeatedly miscolored in army greens.

===Casualty list===
*Megatron blows up Steeljaw's torso with a single railgun shot.
*Megatron blows up Chase.
*Megatron vaporizes the mighty Brawn with a neutron implosion.
*Megatron (seeing a trend here?) shreds Override, ripping him in half.

===Covers (1)===
*'''Cover A:''' Megatron about to stomp on folks by [[William Rosado]]

===Advertisements===
*None yet identified.

===Reprints===
*'''''[[Classic G.I. Joe Volume 14]]'' TPB''' ([[March 21]], [[2012]]) (ISBN 978-1613771532)
:*Collects ''G.I. Joe Starring Snake-Eyes and Ninja Force'' #135–138, ''G.I. Joe Starring Snake-Eyes and Transformers: Generation 2'' #139–142, and ''G.I. Joe Starring Snake-Eyes'' #143–145
:*Despite the various titles, all stories are part of the [[G.I. Joe (comic)|''G.I. Joe'' comic]].

*'''[[G.I. Joe/Transformers Volume 1|''G.I. Joe/Transformers,'' Volume 1]] TPB''' ([[August 29]], 2012) (ISBN 978-1613773529)
:*Collects [[Unfoldings!|#138]]–[[...All Fall Down!|142]] (with #138 in a summary w/ a short excerpt only) and the earlier ''[[G.I. Joe and the Transformers (comic)|G.I. Joe and the Transformers]]'' series.
:*The title given above is the indicia title; the cover title is ''G.I. Joe The Transformers 1''.

*'''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 89: Realignments''''' ([[March 4]], [[2020]])
:*Collects issues #138–142 (with #138 reprinted in full, this time), as well as ''G.I. Joe and the Transformers'' #1–4.
:*Bonus material includes a cover gallery and an intro from [[Simon Furman]].
<gallery>
File:ClassicGIJoeVol14.jpg|'''''Classic G.I. Joe Volume 14'' TPB'''; art by [[Jonboy Meyers]] and [[Anthony Washington]]
File:GIJoeTFVol1.jpg|'''''G.I. Joe/Transformers,'' Volume 1'''; art by [[Klaus Scherwinski]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v89.jpg|'''''The Definitive G1 Collection Vol. 89: Realignments'''''; art by Dreamwave (Goldbug), [[Chris Batista]], Baskerville, [[Keith Williams|Williams]], and [[Don Hudson|Hudson]]
</gallery>

[[Category:Marvel Generation 2 issues]]

Tripredacus Council

2022-06-12T01:53:18Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|predacon}}
:''The Tripredacus Council is a group of [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] from the [[Beast Era]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:TripredacusCouncil1.jpg|350px|right|thumb|"So then it is agreed: half pepperoni, half green peppers."]]
The '''Tripredacus Council''' is one of the many ruling bodies of the fractured [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Predacon Alliance|Alliance]]. They meet in secret in undisclosed locations, and plot the return of the Predacons to glory, though under their terms. They choose to wait and grow strong before attacking...

Many Predacons are impatient, and their strategy has led to some rogue behavior among the Predacon ranks. To neutralise the rogues and (in public) keep the [[Pax Cybertronia]], the Council uses the [[Predacon Secret Police]] and its [[Ravage (G1)|Covert]] [[Onyx Primal|Agents]].

One of their agents, [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], suggests that, like himself and unlike the rest of the Predacons, the Tripredacus Council are not descended from the [[Decepticon]]s trapped on [[Earth]]. Instead, they may have extradimensional origins, be linked to the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]], or may be, in fact, creations of [[Unicron]] himself...

The three members of the Tripredacus Council are:

*[[Ram Horn|General Ram Horn]]
*[[Sea Clamp|General Sea Clamp]]
*[[Cicadacon|General Cicadacon]]

They can combine to form [[Tripredacus]] or, along with [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], [[Predacus]].

Their known affiliates and agents include:

*[[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]]
*[[Magmatron]]
*[[Onyx Primal]]
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]
*[[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]]

The Council is sometimes also known as the '''Tripredacus Alliance'''.

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[File:Agenda1-TripredacusCouncil.jpg|left|thumb|300px|ssssh nobody tell anyone that we're solid gray without the table buttons glowing]]
Renegades like Megatron sneered at the Council for kowtowing to the [[Maximal Elder]]s. The Council actually had been using this as cover for their slow, secret rearming. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}

The Council placed Lt. Tarantulas of the [[Predacon Secret Police]], a direct agent of theirs, in Megatron's organization as a spy. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} They were aware of his plan to go back into prehistory and intended for Tarantulas to hijack it, so he could completely destroy the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and its inhabitants. As they did not have Autobot or Decepticon origins, the Council would be spared the resulting [[timestorm]] and would take control of an altered Cybertron. Their own goal was galactic conquest. {{storylink|Other Victories}}

Unfortunately for them, Megatron escaped Cybertron in the ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'' anyway, and caused [[Axalon (BW)|a Maximal craft]] to go MIA in the process. The Council suffered diplomatic repercussions over this.

Later, the [[transwarp wavefront]] caused by the destruction of the [[Planet Buster]] eventually reached Cybertronian space in the [[Beast Era]], hitting [[Predacon Command Outpost One]], causing a severe power outage. The council apparently convened on the station immediately afterward, where they noted that the transwarp wave's signature matched that of the ''Darksyde'', thus meaning that Megatron still functioned and was still carrying out his agenda. In order to prevent the Maximals from discovering this, they detonated a satellite somewhere near Cybertron, dispersing the wave before it reached the planet. They then dispatched Covert Agent [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] in a prototype [[transwarp cruiser]] to track the wave to its point of origin and terminate Megatron "with extreme prejudice". {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}

When pressed by Megatron, Ravage admitted he was also meant to kill all the Maximals in the Beast Wars, as the Council wanted nobody coming back to Cybertron and embarrassing it. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}}

====3H comics====
The rogue Megatron came back to Cybertron and began a series of terrorist incidents, which rapidly increased in scale. After the bombing of New [[Cybertropolis]] spaceport, the Tripredacus Council called for martial law. It was to no avail: Megatron took out everyone on the planet. {{storylink|Apelinq's War Journals}}

====2006 IDW ''Beast Wars'' continuity====
[[File:TheGathering1-TripredacusCouncil.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|They watch lots of TV.]]

General Cicadacon, who was suspected of being so old he dated back to the Decepticons, was the Councillor who drafted the Council's long-term strategy of secretly rearming, under the noses of the Maximals. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook #1}}

The council summoned [[Magmatron]] to [[Tripredacus Council's tower|their tower]] and ordered him to ensure that the [[Maximal]]s did not have knowledge of the transwarp wave. {{storylink|The Gathering issue 1|The Gathering #1}} They believed that the Predacons must wait for the appropriate moment to strike. Many Predacons, however, tired of this strategy. A short time later, after the failure of their first agent, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], the council sent Magmatron to capture [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]. {{storylink|The Gathering issue 2|The Gathering #2}}
{{-}}

====''Timelines''====
[[File:DescentIntoEvil-TripredacusCouncil.jpg|left|thumb|300px|The "No Fun Allowed" Council.]]

After the Great War, [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] contacted [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], and [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], convincing them to join the new Predacon faction. Ravage, however, grew dissatisfied in this role and left to serve the Tri-Predacus{{sic}} Council. {{storylink|Laserbeak (G1)/toys#Timelines|BotCon 2006 Laserbeak profile card}}

The Tripredacus Council killed [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] to seize control of the Predacons from him. {{storylink|Razorclaw (G1)#Timelines|BotCon 2009 Razorclaw profile card}}

The Tripredacus Council employed Flamewar to check on [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]]'s operation on [[Ceti Alpha Seven]]. As Flamewar reported on the apparent success of Deathsaurus's [[Virulent Clone]]s, [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] hacked in the feed and informed everyone of the impeding failure built into the Clones. To rid themselves of an exposed agent, the Tripredacus Council remotely exploded [[Flamewar's ship]] with her in it. {{storylink|Descent into Evil}}

After a Predacon insurrection led by [[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]] in the guise of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] arose in the [[J'kozian sector]], the Tripredacus Council discussed it and decided to leak the insurrection's presence on [[Nibari]] to the [[Maximal]]s so they would take care of the Council's renegade problem. {{storylink|The Razor's Edge}}

As the crew of the ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'' fled [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]], Predacon Secret Police agent [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] was onboard decoding information from it. While his boss [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] wasn't watching, Tarantulas contacted General Cicadacon and updated him on the disk's status. {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past}}

====''Wings Universe''====
[[File:ACommonFoe-stasispods.jpg|thumb|150px|The Tripredacus Council regard themselves as superior because they were protoformed in cherry-flavored soda instead of regular.]]
After the conclusion of the [[Machine Wars (event)|Machine Wars]], [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] and the Decepticon [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]] team rejected the idea of the [[Pax Cybertronia|peace treaty]] being signed by the Autobots, Decepticons, and [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s clones. Deciding instead to form a [[Predacon (BW)|new army]], they looted as many stasis pods from Jhiaxus's secondary laboratory as possible before detection. [[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] noticed that four of these pods (containing Tarantulas, Cicadacon, Sea Clamp, and Ram Horn) seemed different though the mystery was ultimately dismissed. {{storylink|A Common Foe}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars Metals'' manga===
The Tripredacus Council charged [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] with training a unit of soldiers to take down [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and end the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] on [[Earth|Energoa]]. Before Ravage could leave [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], however, he and his soldiers were murdered by the lunatic [[Jaguar]]. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 2|Beast Wars Metals #2}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[Preditron]] founded the Tripredacus Council, early on in the history of the Predacons, but he himself was usurped. {{storylink|Head Games}} The Council then "re-interpreted" his writings in his absence. {{storylink|Safe Spaces}}

During the final year of the Grand Uprising, the Council was contacted by the [[Resistance]], who wanted an alliance. The Council agreed, but only if Preditron snuffed it, which the Resistance complied with. {{storylink|Safe Spaces}} The attempt didn't succeed, in part because of the breakout of the [[Vehicon Apocalypse]]. Once it became clear the Vehicons were a serious problem, the Council were contacted by Lio Convoy again, who wanted their assistance to deal with the Builders once and for all. Fortunately, Ram Horn was there to talk some sense into Cicadacon and Sea Clamp when they wanted to stay out of the fight.

By the time General Order 66 had been given, the Council led their troops, the [[Legion of the Inferno]], from a secure command bunker. This backfired when the still very much alive Preditron showed up at [[Nova Cronum]] to rally the troops. Not willing to settle for this, the trio went out into the front, in their combined form of Tripredacus, to kill their nemesis. They succeeded, but a vengeful Ser-Ket broke the combiner apart, grievously wounding Sea Clamp. Having seen what his "partners" thought of him, Ram Horn then killed Cicadacon.

In the aftermath of the Uprising, Ser-Ket and Magmatron were brought in as replacements for the fallen councilors, with Ram Horn representing the Independent Predacus States in the newly formed Cybertronian Parliament. {{storylink|Derailment}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Aurex 1104.30-JH Zeta]], the Tripredacus Council dispatched [[Sky Shadow (Cybertron)|Sky Shadow]] of the Predacon Secret Police to apprehend the time-traveling criminal [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/13}}

Known liar [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] claimed to know the secret origins of Tarantulas and the Tripredacus Council. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Sideways, 2015/06/28}}

===2021 ''Beast Wars'' comic===
[[File:SavageLandingPart1-TripredacusCouncil.jpg|thumb|right|300px|"By Jove, somebody remembered that we weren't actually supposed to be red and white!"]]
An agent of the Tripredacus Council, the ambitious [[Megatron (BW)|Galavar]] contacted his leaders with a plan to steal a [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|golden disk]] and use its encrypted secrets to conquer Cybertron for the glory of the Predacons. Councillor [[Cicadacon]] thought the plan too complex and ordered Galavar not to go through with it; Galavar revealed that he'd ''already'' stolen the disk, hijacked the Maximal warship ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'', and renamed himself "Megatron" in anticipation of his victory, before defiantly cutting the feed. [[Ram Horn]] was furious at this betrayal, but [[Sea Clamp]] advised caution, confident that they could outmanoeuvre the upstart and capitalize on his success or failure. {{storylink|Savage Landing Part 1}}

{{-}}

==Games==
====''Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals''====
In one timeline, they hired [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] as a double agent.

In another, Tarantulas returned to them and informed them of the discovery of the ''Ark'' on Earth. They promoted him and gave him command of a hundred-strong battle fleet, tasked to go back to the Beast Wars and carry out their grand scheme... {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)|Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals}}

==Notes==
*The names of the Tripredacus Council members are taken from the script of "[[The Agenda (Part 1)]]", which used to be hosted on [[Ben Yee]]'s website.
*[[Larry DiTillio]] and [[Bob Forward]] never got around to thinking up the "different origin" of the Council. They may have gone with them being descendants of the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian]]s.<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/f06828ec523295c1?dmode=source&output=gplain Larry DiTillio's take on Tarantulas origins! at alt.toys.transformers]</ref> A small nod to this origin story appeared in the 2014 ''Wings Universe'' comic "A Common Foe". Other creators have taken Megatron's insult of "[[Unicron's Spawn|Unicron's spawn]]" at Tarantulas as literal. However, this does not make much sense as the Council's goal is to ''rule'' the universe while Unicron's goal is to ''destroy'' the universe.
*The iconic dark-room-and-red-light look from "The Agenda" that ''every'' subsequent Council appearance copies? That was director [[Cal Shumiatcher]] going for a "super high contrast, film noir look" to cover up a lack of set and rough visual models while also keeping a dialogue-only scene interesting for small kids. As the characters were ordering Megatron's death, "I decided to play them like film noir gangsters, sitting in a smoke filled room under a swinging ‘china hat’ lamp." Supervising animator [[Eric Reynolds]] suggested the red lights so you could see the character's faces, as the lamp on its own cast them in shadow.<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2015/11/04/the-tripredacus-agenda-behind-the-scenes-of-beast-wars-the-agenda-part-1-304952 TFW2005: "The Tripredacus Agenda – behind the scenes of Beast Wars The Agenda, Part 1"]</ref>
*On [[Mystery of the Ultra Magnus|two]] [[Surprise Attack!|occasions]] in the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'']] cartoon, [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] mentions the [[Predacon Council]]. Being as the show itself was filled with references of past Transformers shows, the Predacon Council is likely derived from the Tripredacus Council (and [[Ask Vector Prime|Shark Sonnets]] cheekily stated in 2015 that there were ''three'' on this Council and have hidden agendas, just like the Tripredacus Council). The Predacon Council is an American invention and does not exist in the Japanese version ''Car Robots'', however.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Trypticon Hyōgikai''' (トリプティコン評議会 ''Toriputikon Hyōgikai'', "Trypticon Council")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars subgroups]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising subgroups]]
[[Category:Combiner teams]]
[[Category:Councils]]
[[Category:Predacon leaders]]
[[Category:Predacon subgroups]]
[[Category:Transformer governments]]
[[Category:Wings Universe subgroups]]

Megatron Origin issue 3

2022-05-18T00:56:07Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Errors */

{{comicstory
|series=megsorigin|issueno=3
|prev=Megatron Origin issue 2
|next=Megatron Origin issue 4
|image=MO 3 a.jpg
|caption=Anyone have a Tylenol?
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 6]], [[2007]]
|coverdate=August 2007
|written by=[[Eric Holmes]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Perez]]
|color assist by=[[Mark Bristow]]
|letters by=[[Neil Uyetake]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#4 million BCE|4 million BCE]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
}}
'''The former miner-turned-gladiator decides to start a rebellion for some reason.'''

==Synopsis==
In [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] arrives at [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s gladiatorial safehouse with a message. Swindle advises him to tread lightly; their leader has just lost an arm from his latest [[Gladiatorial combat|pit fight]], and the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s are busily replacing it with one culled from a casualty of the fight.

Soundwave brings good news: he has made progress on Megatron's request for a [[flight]]-capable operative. In fact, he's outdone Megatron's request: he's found ''three'' new converts to the cause, all of them capable of flight: [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]], and [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]]. Starscream is awed in the presence of the famous gladiator and prostrates himself, swearing undying allegiance. After questioning them on their capabilities, Megatron announces that he has something in store for them besides gladiatorial matches. Deploying his new suite of weaponry, he turns the trio over to the ministrations of [[Hook (G1)|Hook]], for modification...

Elsewhere in Kaon, the Cybertron Security Forces hold a [[Transformer funerary practices|funeral]] for [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]] and [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]], killed in action following their disastrous confrontation with Megatron's forces. [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] delivers the eulogy. He emphasizes that their deaths should serve as a call to action, and that to give their deaths meaning he will bring the outlaws to justice.
Some time later, a parade is held for the unveiling of a new statue, commemorating the service of [[Senate|Senator]] [[Decimus]]. It all goes well until the three [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] disrupt the festivities; Skywarp uses his [[teleportation]] abilities to abduct the Senator and spirit him away to places unknown. This first attack emboldens Megatron's cause; from his office, Senator [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] watches footage of the increasingly daring and destructive attacks, and realizes that his plans might have gotten too far out of hand.

His cause now in the ascendant, Megatron puts out a call for new recruits to join the gladiator games; though [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] considers joining, his brother [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]] advises against it — watching the fights is one thing, but joining them another thing entirely. The [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] express scorn about the influx of "amateurs" but quickly retract the claim as [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]] throw their hats into the ring.
Backstage, [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] protest being placed under Soundwave's command, but Megatron states that they have been modified for a reason. Ignoring their protests, Megatron takes the stage and whips his crowd of new arrivals into a frenzy — stoking their egos by unveiling the [[Decepticon]] insignia as the heraldry of his new movement, telling his audience that they're the most dangerous Transformers on the planet, and tempting them with the promise of turning all of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] into their arena — before ordering his Seekers to bring out Senator Decimus, intending to execute the helpless Senator.

Before he can do so, however, their clandestine meeting is interrupted by the Autobot Security Services, led by [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] and Sentinel Prime. Megatron, his inner circle, and everyone the Autobots can catch are clapped in [[inhibitor claw]]s and captured.
Back at their [[Security Services Headquarters|headquarters]], Sentinel Prime, already frustrated by the massive influx of prisoners, is upset by the news that, under Senate directive, Soundwave will walk free. As the rest of Megatron's cadre bicker with one another in their holding cell, Starscream offers to turn state's evidence in exchange for his own freedom. Though Megatron tries to order his legions to kill Starscream, the Decepticon is escorted out of his cell, promising that his evidence will guarantee both their future and his own...

{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=Security Services
|c1=
*[[Blades (G1)|Blades]] (10)
*? (11)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (12)
*[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] (13)
*[[Mirage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Mirage]] (14)
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (15)
*[[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]] (16)
*[[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] (17)
*[[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] (see notes) (18)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (19)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] (20)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (21)
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (22)
*[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] (23)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] (see notes) (24)
*White Orion Pax (25)
*[[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] (see notes) (26)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] (27)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (28)
*[[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]] (29)
*? (30)
*[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] (31)
|c2=
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (1)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] (2)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] (3)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (4)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (5)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (6)
*[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] (7)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (8)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] (9)
*[[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] (33)
*[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] (37)
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (38)
*[[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] (39)
*[[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (40)
*[[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (41)
*[[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] (42)
*[[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] (43)
*[[Headstrong (G1)|Headstrong]] (44)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (47)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (48)
*[[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] (49)
*[[Snaptrap (G1)|Snaptrap]] (51)
*[[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Grrr]] (52)
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (53)
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (54)
*[[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (55)
|c4=
*[[Decimus]] (32)
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] (34)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (35)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]] (36)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (45)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (46)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (50)
}}

==Quotes==
"Anyway..ech...you should see the other guy."
:—'''Swindle''' on the fate of Megatron's opponent.

"Mmm...uh...Meg...MEGATRON! I swear my allegiance undying!"
:—'''Starscream''' upon first meeting Megatron.

"I'm so going to make the team."
:—A disturbingly optimistic '''Dead End'''.

'''Divebomb''': "Megatron calls and many come." 
'''Rampage''': "Pfff...amateur night." 
'''Razorclaw''': "...Mostly."
:—The '''Predacons''' on their fellow gladiators... right before and after the Dynobots show up.

"Eyes open. Don't need buzzer to start fight. Crowd like this, we play it dirty — or play it dead."
:—'''Grimlock'''. He's either being brief or talking in the "Me Grimlock"s.

"Boss... what did you tell him?" 
"...Everything."
:—an '''unidentified Decepticon''' and '''Megatron''', following Starscream's betrayal. Megatron starts things off as he means to go on.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Chronologically, this is the first appearance of the Decepticon [[Insignia]] in the IDW 2005 universe; it is seen scratched into a giant Autobot emblem following the Seekers' abduction of Decimus.
*A statue is shown depicting [[Nova Prime]] in his combined-with-trailer mode, but without his [[mouthplate]].
*Sentinel Prime shifts the primary colors of his armor from orange to black, probably as a sign of mourning for Bumper and Fastback's untimely deaths. This scene only makes slightly more sense than Megatron removing his "helmet" last issue, and is just about as integral to the plot, but is ''infinitely'' harder to decipher, thanks to eye-wateringly confusing panel layout and insufferably murky coloring.
* [[James Roberts]] retconned that Megatron was already a known element in Cybertronian society, a writer and political activist turned revolutionary. This adds a whole new meaning to both Starscream's awestruck allegiance and the growing crowds of "amateurs" (and the initial ideology of the future Autobots who showed up). It also means Ratbat would've intended for instability when he armed Megatron. He got more than he expected!
*Sentinel talking about not being able to set policies takes on greater meaning in the wake of ''More Than Meets the Eye'' [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]]. There, it was revealed that Sentinel conspired with the Senate to murder his predecessor [[Nominus Prime]], only to operate in a reduced capacity as a military commander. (Someone's bitter!) This suspiciously megalomaniacal streak will be explored further in [[White Heat|issue #56]] of ''The Transformers.''
* It's revealed that Sideswipe prevented Sunstreaker's attempts to join Megatron's underground gladiatorial games.

===Transformers references===
*The four spectral Megatrons on Cover A include ''Stormbringer'' Megatron, ''Hearts of Steel'' Megatron's unused design, the original cartoon/cartoon model Megatron, and ''Battlestars'' Super Megatron.
*Soundwave hides his true allegiance with a device that strongly resembles a [[rubsign]].
*Standing behind the Orion Pax lookalike is a white robot of near-identical design, as a possible Ultra Magnus homage. However, this robot is only seen clearly from the back, and is obscured later in the scene.
*A panel at Bumper's funeral features Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, and Hubcap—all of whom shared the same basic toy design with Bumper in the Generation 1 toyline.
*Ironhide, or a bot that looks a lot like him, is depicted in the funeral scene wearing his windscreen in front of his face, in a clear nod to his Generation 1 toy, which is the only time in this continuity he is depicted as such.
*Sunstreaker as a gladiator is a clear nod to "[[State Games]]".

===Errors===
*Bumper and Fastback's funeral is described as an '''internment''', whereas the correct word should be '''interment''', without the second "n".
*Bumper and Fastback's caskets feature their names written in English, even though everything else is written in Cybertronian.
*Sentinel Prime emphatically states that Bumper and Fastback's deaths are "no tragedy", then proceeds to describe their demise as a tragedy in the very next sentence! This is corrected in the trade, where Sentinel Prime instead says "This ''moment''" instead of "This tragedy" in the second sentence.
*Thanks to artist [[Alex Milne]] drawing plenty of pre-existing characters as cameos and Easter eggs throughout this miniseries, the funeral scene is... something of a mess these days, thanks to stories afterwards going on to use these characters in different ways, or inventing alternate pasts for them that mean that they wouldn't be able to attend.
** A robot clearly intended to be [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] can be spied in the bottom right of the panel; this was seemingly retconned away years later when [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|''More than Meets the Eye'' #36]] established that Pax was opposed to Sentinel Prime's forces at this time. One might simply surmise that this individual just be an Orion look-alike; this is made somewhat easier due to the fact that this issue features a design for "Orion Pax" that is different from the one we would later see, a mix between how G1 cartoon Orion appeared in "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" and how his Dreamwave comic counterpart Optronix looked in ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''. On the other hand, [[The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|''Optimus Prime'' #13]] ''pretty heavily'' implies Pax was, in fact, there...
** Whirl, Windcharger, and Ratchet also appear at the funeral; in the same issue of ''More than Meets the Eye'', they crossed Sentinel, and Windcharger had to go on the lam. Whether they're now working for Sentinel or are simply hoping he doesn't notice them at the funeral, there might be a story going on here...
** A pair of female Transformers — more specifically [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] — put in an appearance as well, though ''[[Spotlight: Arcee]],'' published less than a year later, would initially suggest that [[Female Transformers]] didn't naturally exist. Future stories would amend this by having female Transformers hail from long-lost colonies and pre-war Cybertronian subcultures... but, at the same time, introduced the "real" versions of Chromia and Elita by having them hail from these colony worlds, rendering their cameos here impossible to reconcile.
*When Razorclaw looks across the crowd at Megatron's rally to regard the Dynobots, they are all mis-colored and thus virtually unrecognizable. Similarly, in the next panel when Grimlock returns Razorclaw's glare, the Predacons are all mis-colored and also virtually unrecognizable, pretty much ruining the whole point of the scene.
*According to Alex Milne, the guy who complains to Grimlock that his tank is "rust-dry" is supposed to be [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]. He's completely mis-colored and unrecognizable as Sludge, however.<ref>[http://markerguru.deviantart.com/art/megatron03-sample-06-64189148?offset=60#comments Alex Milne's comment on his DeviantArt account]</ref>
*When Megatron has Decimus brought out before the crowd to presumably be executed, the good senator is mis-colored in a seemingly random orange and yellow deco, looking a bit similar to Sentinel Prime.
* Dead End and Wildrider make a cameo appearance, with the former excitedly and optimistically hoping to make the gladiator ring and the latter grumpily telling him to shut up. Now this not ''necessarily'' an error, but given how these are literally the exact ''opposite'' of the typical personalities of these characters, it really feels like word balloons got swapped.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Megatron screaming by [[Alex Milne]] (pencils) and [[Josh Perez]] (colors)
*'''Cover B:''' Megatron shadow by [[Marcelo Matere]] (pencils) and [[Andrew Elder]] (colors)
*'''Cover RI-A:''' Uncolored cover A

<gallery>
File:MO 3 a.jpg|
File:MO 3 b.jpg|Megatron's shadow is on steroids.
File:MO 3 RI.jpg|
</gallery>

=== Advertisements ===
*[[Megatron Origin issue 4|''Megatron Origin'' #4]]
*''[[The Transformers: Cover Gallery Volume 2]]''
*''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' [[Transformers: Movie Adaptation|movie comic adaptation]]
*''[[The Art of IDW's Transformers]]''
*''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''
*Hasbro toys for [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]
*''[[Transformers: Beast Wars: The Ascending|Beast Wars: The Ascending]]''
*''[[The Transformers: Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron|Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron]]''
*[http://www.cgccomics.com/ CGC: Certified Guaranty Company]
*''[[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]]'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Megatron Origin#Collections|reprints of the entire series]]
* N/A

==References==
{{reflist}}

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

2021-12-08T02:40:25Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=8
|prev=Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations
|next=Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc
|seriesissue2="Scavengers"
|prev2=Rules of Disengagement (issue)
|caption=Grimlock is the king of hide and seek!
|image=MTMTE8_cvrA.jpg
|title="Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[August 22]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=August 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''The Scavengers use Grimlock to fight back against the D.J.D.'''

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

[[File:Crankcase krok whos afraid of the djd.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"...scavenge, of course. What were ''you'' thinking?"]]
On Clemency today, within the crashed D-Class [[Worldsweeper]] they found there, the rag-tag team of [[Decepticon]] "[[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]]" desperately try to figure out what to do about the approach of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. With none of their number willing to own up to being the unfortunate soul the D.J.D. are looking for, [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] proposes that they stand and fight, and although Fulcrum laughs in his face, the other Decepticons get behind the idea and begin a plot to use the comatose [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] to their advantage.

Across space, on the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]—his tune changed about his amnesia following a recent conversation with [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]]—requests that the mnemosurgeon use his mind-reading abilities to see if he can unlock his lost memories. Chromedome discovers that Skids's memories of the last year have not just been suppressed: they have been ''erased'', replaced with an imperative to "escape". However, all the memories from before that point that Skids has lost are indeed still locked inside his head, buried away by the trauma of the erasure of the others... but upon getting a glimpse of them, Chromedome is so horrified that he pulls out, assuring Skids that he's better off ''not'' remembering them. Skids grimly accepts this, but reveals to Chromedome that he always hears a piece of music playing inside his mind. Having heard it as well, Chromedome identifies it as "[[The Empyrean Suite]]", and hopes that Skids never understands its significance...

[[File:Mtmte vos wear my face.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Give me your - OH PRIMUS NO.]]
Back on Clemency, the Scavengers lug the capsule containing Grimlock out into the open, transmitting to the D.J.D.'s ship the ''[[Peaceful Tyranny]]'' that they have killed their target and left him for them to collect, learning in the process that the Division is looking for Fulcrum. Presently, the D.J.D. arrive and approach the capsule, at which point Krok triggers the [[circuit speeder]]s he laced it with, jolting Grimlock awake and into a berserker rage. The Scavengers delay leaving until they see which way the battle is going, but Grimlock quickly tires to their shock, and their subsequent attempt at escape goes nowhere as [[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] appears, mocking Misfire's timing and blocking their path. The battle that follows is a gruesome one as [[Flywheels]] is killed by [[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]]'s chest grinder, and [[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] removes his face, laden with spikes, and jams it over Krok's own. [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] accidentally shoots Krok when he tries to help him, and is then mauled by [[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]]'s [[Dominus Ambus|pet Sparkeater]]. Tarn, meanwhile, turns his "weaponized conversation" on Grimlock, but before he can end his life, [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] comes to the rescue in the most unexpected way: he has recovered a [[cybernought]] battle-mech from the Worldsweeper, and begins raining destruction down on the D.J.D. Unfortunately, an electric shock from Kaon cripples both mech and pilot, and the giant robot is quickly taken down by Tarn. In answer to Tarn's bellowed challenge, Fulcrum then appears atop the Worldsweeper and delivers a speech decrying the D.J.D. as symbolic of everything that went wrong with the Decepticon movement. He leaps from the ship, and transforms... into a bomb! He lands with the least dramatic impact possible, barely causing a cloud of dust, at which point Kaon alerts Tarn to his detection of [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'s [[energy signature]]. Considering Fulcrum dead, the D.J.D. pull out to pursue this new target, warning the Scavengers that they are all on the List now.

[[File:Scavengers2-K-ClassRebuild.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6|Someone set you up the bomb.]]
Fulcrum, however, is anything but dead, much to his own surprise: it turns out that the very first thing the Scavengers did upon finding him the previous day was remove his explosive charge—apparently Spinister was capable of the difficult manual task despite his lack of intelligence. Fulcrum tries to explain his story to them—how he was convicted of desertion of duty and, after initially being sentenced to death by [[Traitor's wheel]], was conscripted into a K-Squad and reconfigured to auto-transform into a bomb upon deployment, only for his systems to become paralyzed with terror—but they lose interest very quickly and check up on Grimlock instead. However, the former Dynobot leader soon reveals what's wrong with him, when he can barely struggle out a "Me Grimlock" and inspects his hands as if he doesn't know what they're for. Assuming he was left behind because "he's practically brain-dead", Misfire suggests the Scavengers take him back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] figuring they can use him as a bargaining chip regardless of whether the [[Autobot]]s or Decepticons are in charge of the planet. The others agree, but before they depart, Misfire delivers a eulogy for the fallen Flywheels, mocking his search for the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]],<ref name="bigfatmistake">[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=12478 James Roberts:] It seems that a line of dialogue on the last page of issue 8 is causing some confusion. Standing over Flywheels' remains, Misfire says, "His ludicrous search for the Necrobot remains unfulfilled." Yet in issue 7, it is clearly established that Misfire himself is the Scavenger with the Necrobot obsession. This is what is known - in comic book industry jargon - as a big, fat mistake. [...] P.S. We'll fix the dialogue for the trade - unless someone comes up with a truly amazing explanation.</ref> and the team then descend upon his body to Fulcrum's shock, doing what they do best: scavenging.

Eighteen months later... a shadow falls over Flywheels's skeletal remains. The all-too-real Necrobot has come to mark his passing, and adds his name to a list of the recently deceased: right after [[Hound (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hound]], Chromedome, [[Dipstick]], [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]...
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (8)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (9)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (10)
*[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (12)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (13)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (14)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (15)
|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Torque (G1)|Torque]]'' (1)
*[[Fulcrum]] (2)
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (3)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (4)
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (5)
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (6)
*[[Flywheels]] (7)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] (16)
*[[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] (17)
*[[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]] (18)
*[[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]] (19)
*[[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] (20)
{{!}}}
|c4=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (11)
*[[Dominus Ambus|The Pet]] (21)
*[[Mortilus|Necrobot]] (22)
}}

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

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

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

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

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Flywheel's psychosomatic hyperreflexia flares up again on page 3 indicating that he is lying about believing that Primus cares about them. Also, take note that he's the ''only'' member of the group who doesn't proclaim innocence during the argument at the start of the issue; [[The Ties That Bind (issue)|it will later be revealed]] that ''he'' is on the List too and very much knows it, meaning he keeps quiet because his tell would give him away.
*Rewind screens a public information film named "[[Proteus's Promise]]" for his crewmates; the title character is [[Proteus|Senator Proteus]] from "[[Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory]]", and the titular promise itself would be expanded upon in "Shadowplay", the next arc.
*Skids and Chromedome's conversation is footnoted to have occurred in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|''More than Meets the Eye'' 2012 annual]], which was released a few weeks after publication of this issue. This tactic seems to deliberately hearken back to the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK]] days, when important story beats would appear in the [[Transformers Annual|Annual]] stories.
*Chromedome explains that [[mnemosurgery]] marks only show up under Ultraviolet light, which is useful to keep in mind for later issues.
*Chromedome knows Skids from a "heist" pulled back on Cybertron before the war. This heist is also dealt with in the upcoming "[[Shadowplay]]" storyline.
*Skids had been asking other people if they knew much about music in the third and fifth issues; this is now revealed to be an attempt to identity the aria in his head.
*Torque has "Ultra Magnus" written on him while in bomb mode, indicating that he was targeting this specific Autobot—this would be expanded upon [[The Gloaming|later]].
*This issue is the closest that Tarn's supposed "transformation addiction", mentioned in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]], gets to appearing on panel, and only through vague implication; basically, he transforms a few times to drive a short distance that he could easily walk.
*Why the Necrobot has several ''Lost Light''ers on his list of deceased would be revealed in issues [[slaughterhouse|#32]] and [[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|#33]].

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

===Real-world references===
*The title likely refers to the children's song, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?".
*We're not told what the "K" in "K-Class" stands for, but given their suicidal job description, "{{w|kamikaze}}" seems almost certain.
*Fulcrum's crime of cowardice was performed on B'Lahr 39. Comedian {{w|Bert Lahr}}'s most famous role was The Cowardly Lion in ''{{w|The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz}}'', released in 1939.

===Other trivia===
*The D.J.D.'s [[turbofox]], glimpsed last issue and referred to in the cast list at the end of this issue as "The Pet", is also a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] (well, more of a "sparkchewer"). Here it's specifically identified as Kaon's pet, but Helex was holding its chain last issue; Kaon was in alternate mode at the time, so perhaps he was just holding it for him.
*The normal cast list at the end of the issue is replaced with a new list showcasing the D.J.D. members, The Pet, the Scavengers, and Fulcrum.
* According to [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/737322039510507520 one of James Roberts' Twitter posts], Fulcrum being sentenced to death by [[Traitor's wheel]] (and the subsequent stay of execution) were originally part of a discarded pitch for Spotlight: Octane, drafted together with [[Nick Roche]].

===Errors===
*Perhaps not strictly an error, but while the in-story text consistently abbreviates "Decepticon Justice Division" as "D.J.D.", the title renders it "DJD" without the periods, perhaps to avoid a period followed by a question mark.
*Reference is repeatedly made to Fulcrum's impressive, distinctive [[chin]]... but it's not any bigger or more notable than many of the other characters, and certainly not more than Misfire's and Grimlock's in their profile-angled shots on page 21, which are positively ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'' in their chintasticness. The only thing notable about it is its 'chin strap' styling.
*Issue #7 saw Helex given the task of scanning for Overlord's energy signature, but in this issue, it's Kaon who reports finding it. When these issues were collected in the second ''More than Meets the Eye'' trade paperback, issue #7's dialogue was edited so Kaon was given the task.
*Fulcrum says yesterday he met "six Scavengers"... but there were only five of them. This error was also fixed for the trade.
*In his monologue, Fulcrum mentions that he was "[[Reproduction#2005 IDW continuity|forged]]" when the Decepticon empire was at its peak; later issues would reveal that the [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]]s responsible for the creation of "forged" over "constructed cold" Transformers had largely vanished well before the start of the war and the rise of the Decepticon Empire.
*This issue ends with Misfire lamenting over Flywheels's "ludicrous search" for the Necrobot... except last issue, it was ''Misfire himself'' who was searching for him! Roberts admitted the mistake and said it would be fixed for the trade.<ref name="bigfatmistake"/> Despite the idea of Flywheels being played as a born-again religious type, which belief in the Necrobot would sit alongside well, and the poetry of the final scene, with the Necrobot coming to record the death of one who has searched for him for so long, the eventual fix involved simply deleting the first line of Misfire's eulogy, removing the reference to Flywheels's belief. Roberts notes that this was the intention from the outset.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=313133#313133 Roberts on the correction at the IDW forums]: With regards to the Necrobot error, how it reads now is how it was originally intended to read. It was always going to be Misfire who was looking for the Necrobot, and it was always going to be Flywheels who died. Yes, it would have been more poetic to have Flywheels as the believer, but bigger plot cogs, and the need to keep them turning, took precedence.</ref>

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

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

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Scavengers (Part 2): DJD Nanka Kowakunai'''" (スカベンジャーズ (パート2): DJDなんか怖くない, "Scavengers (Part 2): The DJD Ain't Scary")

'''Swedish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Skrotletarna, Del 2: Vem Är Rädd För S.R.S?'''" ("The Scavengers, Part 2: Who's Afraid of the DJD?")

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

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

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

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

*'''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2]]''''' ([[August 12]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631403648 / ISBN 978-1631403644
:*Contains issues #6 to 8, as well as ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'', ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'', ''[[The Waiting Game|Spotlight: Hoist]]'', ''Robots in Disguise'' #7 to 9 and ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]]''.

*'''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], 2015) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
:*Contains ''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye'' Volumes 1 to 5.
:*Bonus content UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
:* Hardcover collection of ''More than Meets the Eye'' #7 to #13, plus the 2012 Annual.
:* Bonus content the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, and design sketches from Alex Milne.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol2.jpg|'''Volume 2'''; cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V2.jpg|'''''IDW Collection Phase 2 Vol. 2'''''; cover art by [[Saren Stone]]
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''Box Set'''; cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay'''''; cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/14902-cobra-vs-cobra-dinobots-month-in-next-week-s-idw-releases.html Preview]
*[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-ongoing-8-creator-commentary/25652/ Creator commentary with James Roberts]

Soundwaves (issue)

2021-11-28T16:52:16Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Errors */

{{disambig3.5|the IDW comic issue|the Marvel UK lettercol during the period it was "hosted" by Soundwave|Letters page (Marvel UK)#Hosts/Page title|Soundwave}}
{{Comicstory|
|series=rid|issueno=22
|prev=Shockpoint
|next=Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3
|seriesissue2=''[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron Prelude]]''
|next2=Little Victories
|caption=
|image=RID22 cvrB.jpg
|title="Soundwaves"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[October 30]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=October 2013
|written by=[[John Barber]]
|art by=[[Andrew Griffith]] (present) [[Livio Ramondelli]] (past)
|colors by=[[Priscilla Tramontano]] (present) Livio Ramondelli (past)
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2012-2013|Current era (2013)]]
}}
'''As the secrets of Soundwave's past are laid bare, Shockwave's preparations reach their final phase.'''

==Synopsis==
''Four million years ago, at the peak of the [[Decepticon]] uprising, [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] joins [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] in the [[Senate]] chambers just as the communications officer is extracting [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'s [[brain module]]. [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] burns as [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] battles [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], which Soundwave sees as the first step towards a new [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], but which Shockwave views as an end unto itself, rather than a means.''

[[File:Dreadwing v cassettes soundwaves.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.9]]
In the present day, Soundwave attacks Shockwave, furiously declaring that he has no understanding of loyalty. Based on his brief battle with [[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]], Shockwave believes Soundwave has come without his [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|cassettes]], but the spymaster proves him wrong when he ejects his entire army of tapes from his chest.

''Before the Decepticons' uprising, Megatron and Soundwave talk about their ongoing attempts to destabilize the political climate of Cybertron. Soundwave has recently gained full control of his mind-reading powers, and with the new clarity he has gained, he puts forth a plan to use his employer Ratbat to achieve Megatron's goals: allow the Decepticons to be captured, forcing an emergency assembly of the Senate in Kaon. The Decepticons could then kill their oppressors, at last making a clear declaration to the planet that they are a force to be reckoned with.''

While most of the cassettes tackle Dreadwing, Soundwave and [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] grapple with Shockwave. Ravage flings himself in the path of a blast meant for his master and is fatally wounded, driving Soundwave into a rage, but that only lasts a moment as the [[Ore-14]] of the cavern restores Ravage to life. Shockwave explains this to Soundwave in terms he believes he will understand: thanks to Shockwave's work, the concepts of life and death are now mere ''data'' to be manipulated.

''Soundwave watches silently as Shockwave is brought before Megatron for the first time and charged with creating a [[combiner]] for the Decepticons. Unable to detect any emotions from the former senator thanks to the [[Shadowplay]] he was subject to, Soundwave is both awed and disgusted by his utter unreadability, and knows that one day, it will be his job to kill Shockwave.''

But thanks to Ore-14, no matter how hard he and his cassettes fight, Soundwave discovers that [[Crystal City]] is not—or more accurately, cannot—be the place where he'll fulfill his millennia-old vow...

''Not long after his first meeting with Megatron, Soundwave is brought to the gladiator pits of Kaon, where he watches [[Scorponok (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Scorponok]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] brawl. Megatron inquires if the damage to Cybertron that Ratbat's manipulation of the burgeoning Decepticon movement causes bothers Soundwave, but Soundwave struggles to answer, bombarded with the unfocused input of so many minds and emotions around him. Ravage, [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], and [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzaw]] also intrigue Megatron, and he is pleased to see Soundwave views them as equals, rather than lesser beings as the [[Functionism|Functionist]]s do. Megatron permits Soundwave to read his mind, and Soundwave sees within Megatron's spark his genuine desire for Functionism to be done away with and all Cybertronians made equal. The strength of this dream gives something Soundwave to believe in, to focus on...''

[[File:RID22 shockwave and necrotitan.jpg|thumb|upright=1]]
Knowing that the battle within Crystal City is unwinnable, Soundwave and his cassettes depart, and Shockwave allows them to go, much to Dreadwing's consternation. Shockwave re-establishes contact with [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], who updates him on the events on [[Gorlam Prime]]: though the planet is dying, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] lives, and the [[Titan (group)|Titan]] is ready to depart for Cybertron. In a flash, the Titan begins to materialize in the cavern behind Shockwave.

[[File:Soundwaves-allofustogether.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
''Far into the past, a destitute Soundwave is living in isolation on the streets with Ravage, Laserbeak and Buzzsaw, slowly gaining control of his mind-reading powers when he is approached by Ratbat, who offers to employ him for his abilities. Soundwave hates him on sight, but the hate gives him focus...''

Soundwave returns to the Decepticon camp, where his comrades demand to know if Shockwave has been stopped. The sudden eruption of a mysterious light from off in the distance confirms that Soundwave has not succeeded, but as they wonder what the illumination ''is'', Soundwave informs them that it is the beginning of the Decepticons' most important battle—the battle to save Cybertron.

''Long, long ago, Ravage, Buzzsaw, and Laserbeak are wandering through the street, grousing about the Senate, when they happen upon a young bot: delirious, barely coherent, and being bombarded by a sensory maelstrom of information. Ravage approaches him, saying that he smells like "an alright guy", and shares with him that he himself had to learn how to control his senses. As Laserbeak perches on the bot's arm, Ravage explains that focus is the key. Find something to focus on, and mastery can be achieved.''
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks. 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*''[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'' (5)
|c2=
{{collist|2|
*''[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'' (1)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] (2)
*[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] (3)
*[[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] (4)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (6)
*[[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]] (7)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (8)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (9)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (10)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (11)
*''[[Scorponok (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Scorponok]]'' (12)
*''[[Blackwall]]'' (14)
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] (17)
*[[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] (18)
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (19)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (20)
}}
|c4=
*''[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]'' (13)
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] (15)
*[[Titan (group)|Titan]] (16)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Shockwave:''' "When Megatron tasked me to convert Rumble and Frenzy to join your '''beasts''', you claimed they were all equals." 
'''Ravage:''' "This guy botherin' you, Boss?" 
'''Soundwave:''' "Do not call me that, Ravage. And former Senator Shockwave merely needs to learn... some are '''more equal''' than others."
:—Shockwave questions Soundwave's "recycling" of Ratbat.

"YOU DO NOT '''UNDERSTAND''' LOYALTY!"
:—'''Soundwave''' smash!

"I am '''no one's''' servant." 
"I stand corrected, Soundwave. Now that you have... pulled yourself together, your pride-" 
"You misunderstand. I '''listen'''. I hear '''everything'''. Every transmission, every vocalization, every flash of light, every hologram. I hear it '''all'''. And now that I am able to... focus my attention... I '''know''' how to use the Senator to further your cause." 
:—'''Soundwave''' tells '''Megatron''' where his loyalties lie.

"Information is '''all''' there is. Life, death, time, place... merely information, data to be '''manipulated'''. Hope is meaningless, Soundwave."
:—'''Shockwave's''' one eye makes him see the world in strange ways.

"Orion Pax and the others are on Gorlam Prime, which is being consumed by the Death Ore." 
"Yet they live?" 
"As you asked." 
"I did not '''ask''', Jhiaxus... I '''commanded'''."
:—'''Jhiaxus''' gets upstaged by his former student '''Shockwave'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*As with the previous issue, the flashbacks in this issue occur in reverse-chronological order, moving further backward in time with each passing scene. Where last issue's flashbacks were about Soundwave and Shockwave's history together, this issue is specifically about Soundwave's personal history; as such, its title "Soundwaves" parallels the title of [[Shockwaves|issue #17]], "Shockwaves", which was about Shockwave's history.
*The first flashback occurs concurrently with ''[[The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron: Origin]]'' [[Megatron Origin issue 4|#4]], continuing the scene within its pages of Soundwave removing Ratbat's [[spark]]. Here, in accordance with the establishment of [[Rossum's Trinity]] that has taken place within IDW continuity since the publication of ''Megatron: Origin'' (specifically, in ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|#3]]), Soundwave is further seen removing Ratbat's [[brain module]].
*The second flashback takes place somewhere within [[Megatron Origin issue 3|''Megatron: Origin'' #3]], and reveals that it was Soundwave who formulated the plan to allow the Decepticons to be captured that was then carried out across the third and fourth issues of the series.
*Flashback number three takes us back to events seen in issue #17 of ''Robots in Disguise'', also occurring within ''Megatron: Origin'' #3, again extending a scene from that issue.
*The fourth flashback occurs between ''Megatron: Origin'' [[Megatron Origin issue 2|#2]] and #3, and shows us Scorponok and Grimlock battling in the gladiatorial pits under Megatron—something that we've been ''told'' is part of the characters' histories, but which we've not actually seen until now! This scene also shows the moment and reason that Soundwave came to believe in Megatron's mission, something that ''Megatron: Origin'' itself didn't actually go into.
*The Titan arrives in Crystal City following its departure from Gorlam Prime in [[Homecoming (IDW)|issue #19]].
*The "sunrise" that glows behind Soundwave upon his return to the Decepticon camp is that same mysterious light that we saw appear at the end of issues [[Second Exodus|issue #18]] and [[Three Monologues|issue #20]].

===Real-life references===
*When he declares that "some are more equal than others", Soundwave is quoting from {{w|George Orwell}}'s ''{{w|Animal Farm}}''.

===Errors===
*On page 6, the word "Decepticons" in Soundwave's first speech bubble in panel 4 is lacking the emphasis for the plural-"S" the rest of the word has. The first speech bubble in the previous panel had the entire word emphasized.
*The Senate having an emergency all-members meeting in Kaon doesn't totally square with the relevant scene in [[Megatron Origin issue 4|''Megatron Origin'']]: there, Starscream was sneering "do your ''empty chairs'' also hold me in contempt" (and we see empty chairs), implying they didn't all bother to show up because the uprising isn't important enough to them. That being said, [[Shockwaves|the next issue]] will establish that Shockwave and [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]] were supposed to be in attendance but didn’t make it (because Shockwave was obviously in on the whole scheme and made sure neither he nor his old friend Atlas would be there), so one could {{w|Marvel No-Prize|No-Prize}} that Starscream was referring to their absence.
*Rumble and Frenzy have had a torturous history when it comes to their colors in IDW continuity (see the [[FIRRIB]] article for details), but we're willing to give ''Robots in Disguise'' the benefit of the doubt this issue and assume the decision to color Rumble (identifiable through his use of piledrivers on page 7) blue is a mistake, since the series has been consistent in sticking to "FIBRIR" up until now.
**That said, we should probably note that Rumble's actually in his ''purple'' color scheme from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] here—an affectation of colorist Priscilla Tramontano, who used it on Frenzy when she last coloured an issue of ''RiD'' in which he appeared, back in [[The End of the Beginning of the World|issue #11]]. Regular ''RiD'' colorist [[Josh Perez]] has always held to Frenzy's toy-blue hues.
*Shockwave's [[empurata]] is credited as the reason Soundwave cannot read his mind, but in actuality, it was the [[Shadowplay]] that affected his brain.
*The Functionists are still being referred to as "Functionalists". Later, when an arc of More than Meets the Eye brings this concept to the fore, the term will become standardized.
*Ramondelli uses a heavily-photoshopped photograph of an Earth construction site for his backgrounds on page 20, which includes at least two human construction workers.

===Trivia===
*Despite their reconfiguration as tanks, Rumble and Frenzy can still function as "cassettes" inside Soundwave's chest.
*This issue reveals that Soundwave didn't always have his iconic mask. Prior to his meeting with Ravage and co., he had a normal face, like most bots.

===Foreign localization===
'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Onpa'''" (音波, "Soundwave")

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Shockwave, Monstructor, Dreadwing, and Jhiaxus, by [[Andrew Griffith]].
*'''Cover B:''' Soundwave and his cassettes, by [[Casey Coller]] and [[Joana Lafuente]].
*'''Cover RI:''' Soundwave and Laserbeak, by [[Livio Ramondelli]], in the third part of a three-part image formed with the RI covers of issues #20 and #21.
<gallery>
File:RID22 cvrA.jpg|
File:RID22 cvrB.jpg|
File:RID22 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|''The Transformers: Dark Cybertron'' #1]]
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|#23]]
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|#23]]
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Little Victories|#22]]
*Halloween ComicFest 2013
*''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' Vol. 6 TPB
*''[[Star Trek]]: Khan'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
*'''''The Transformers: Robots in Disguise Volume 5''''' ([[December 4]], [[2013]]) ISBN 1613778368 / ISBN 978-1613778364
:*Contains issues #17 to #22.
:*Bonus material: cover gallery.

*'''''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' Box Set''' ([[December 2]], [[2015]]) ISBN 1631404261 / ISBN 978-1631404269
:*Contains The Transformers: Robots in Disguise Volumes 1 to 5.
:*Bonus content UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 5|The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 5]]''''' ([[February 22]], [[2017]]) ISBN 1631408445 / ISBN 978-1631408441
:* Contains issues #19 to #22, as well as the ''[[The Transformers: Primacy|Primacy]]'' series, and ''More than Meets the Eye'' #17 to #22.

*'''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 58: Shockpoint''''' ([[May 15]], [[2019]])
:*Hardcover collection of ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #15 to #22.
:*Bonus content includes a 2-page article on Shockwave's long-term plans.

<gallery>
File:RID vol5.jpg|'''Volume 5'''; cover art by [[Casey Coller]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
File:RID-Box-Set.jpg|'''''Robots in Disguise Box Set'' slipcase'''; cover art by ???
File:IDWCollectionP2V5.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 5'''''; cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Tom B. Long]]
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v58.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 58: Shockpoint'''''; cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Monstructor) and [[Livio Ramondelli]]</gallery>

Megatron Origin issue 4

2021-11-28T16:45:35Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Continuity notes */

{{comicstory
|series=megsorigin|issueno=4
|prev=Megatron Origin issue 3
|image=MO 4 b.jpg
|caption=Somebody needs to switch to decaf.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[October 24]], [[2007]]
|coverdate=September 2007
|written by=[[Eric Holmes]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Perez]] and [[Mark Bristow]]
|color assist by=[[Gabe Eltaeb]]
|letters by=[[Neil Uyetake]]
|edits by=[[Andrew Steven Harris]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#4 million BCE|4 million BCE]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
}}
'''The former miner-turned-gladiator-turned-rebel leader kills lots of other guys for the hell of it.'''

==Synopsis==
Having been arrested and detained by [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'s [[Autobot]] security forces, [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s forces are in a tight squeeze, literally and metaphorically - their presence threatens to push the holding capacity of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]'s [[Security Services Headquarters]] to the limit, and [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] is marched away from the other imprisoned gladiators, seemingly to turn in his fellow rebels.

Starscream is taken before the Kaon Council to testify. As the assembled 'bots read out a list of charges, the Seeker remains flippant, raising the ire of the prosecutors, before finally offering his own two cents: everything that has happened is their fault. Raising his weapons, he and [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] easily destroy their would-be captors in a final coup de grace against the old order, and etch their [[Insignia|symbol]] into the meeting room's view screen.

From their cells, the other prisoners hear the bloodshed, and Megatron is pleased: he'd deliberately engineered the entire arrest and Starscream's seeming defection in order to easily slaughter his assembled enemies. Starscream releases his leader and his gladiator crew, who are swiftly joined by ''every'' other criminal in the building. With Soundwave providing armaments and badges to the new recruits, Starscream introduces Megatron to the most devastating weapon in the precinct's armory: a new, arm-mounted [[fusion cannon]].
Blasting a hole in the wall with his new weapon, Megatron orders the group to attack with an offensive that is as simple as it is destructive: everything burns.

[[File:Megatron Origin 4 Upperclass ship under attack.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]

Aboard a pleasure vessel filled with [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s [[Kaon upperclass|upper class]], snooty recreation comes to an end when Megatron's forces launch an attack. Though [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] is uncertain, his partner [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] goads him into firing upon the leisure ship, causing it to crash into the city below in a fiery conflagration.

As Kaon burns, Sentinel and the other [[Autobot]]s fight to retake the city from the insurgents, but it's an uphill fight all the way: the rebels have caused massive damaged, jammed communications with [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], and refuse to give an inch of ground. With his options running out, Sentinel realizes that he'll have to deploy the "Apex" as his final contingency plan, ordering his soldiers to hold the line while he falls back to retrieve it.

While Megatron and his troops lead the assault on Kaon, Soundwave meets with his boss, Senator [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]. The smug Senator admits that he was behind the disastrous chain of events that led to Megatron's rise to power: not only did he aid Megatron's cause by supplying arms, he was also the one who arranged for Megatron to be removed from the mining operation where he was originally working—and now that Megatron's forces have destabilized the area, the senator is embezzling what he can before moving on to new pastures. Soundwave, however, shoots his former boss, takes Ratbat's ill-gotten gains, and prepares to seal his [[spark]] inside a ''new'' frame...

As he struggles to get to the front lines, Megatron's advance is briefly halted by a colossal explosion: an explosion that was caused by Sentinel Prime, sealed inside a colossal suit of [[Apex Armor]] and ready to throw down with his opposite number. Another salvo of firepower throws the rebel leader off his feet. Believing his enemy dead, Sentinel radios to the other Autobots that he's created an opening in the enemy lines... but learns that he's spoken too soon when Megatron rises once more, using [[Hound (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hound]]'s body as a bludgeon to shatter the helmet of the Apex Armor.

Their struggle takes them over a precipice as they battle while discussing Megatron's goal: Megatron will transform the world by tearing it all down, and Sentinel seeks to uphold the old order from any treachery. The two grapple until Megatron is almost knocked over a precipice; as Sentinel lifts him up to deliver the final strike, Megatron gains a second wind and launches a savage counterattack against the Autobot leader, mortally wounding him.
Haivng finally made contact with Iacon, more Autobot reinforcements arrive... just in time to see their leader's broken body lying in a crater. [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]], assuming command, orders a retreat.

As dawn breaks, Megatron takes stock of his latest victory and the journey that led him to this point. Having fashioned a throne from the remains of the Apex Armor, he discusses his next moves with Soundwave. Now that Kaon has been taken, the next step is clear—the rest of Cybertron shall be conquered. But they will not do it as Cybertronians. From this day forward, they are the [[Decepticon]]s.

The [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] has begun...

{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|h1=Security Services
|c1=
*[[Blades (G1)|Blades]] (21)
*[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] (22)
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (23)
*[[Hound (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hound]] (24)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (25)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (27)
*[[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]] (33)
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (34)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (35)
*[[Mirage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Mirage]] (36)
|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (1)
*[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] (2)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] (4)
*[[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (5)
*[[Squawkbox]] (6)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (7)
*[[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] (8)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (9)
*[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] (10)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] (11)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (12)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] (13)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (14)
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (15)
*[[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] (see "Errors") (16)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (17)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (18)
*[[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] (26)
*[[Blot (G1)|Blot]] (29)
*[[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]] (30)
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (31)
*[[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (32)
{{!}}}
|c4=
*[[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] (see "Errors") (3)
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] (19)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (20)
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] (28)
}}

== Quotes ==
"Heh. Nobody's perfect."
:'''—Starscream''', after hearing a long list of charges against him.

"Through your own interests you created this. You brought us here. You didn't just make it possible—you made it happen. All we did was give it a name."
:'''—Starscream''', before the court.

"Hmm. Yes. There's something about this."
:'''—Megatron''', upon receiving his arm cannon.

"Instability is just a different word for opportunity, Hmm?" 
"Confirmed." 
"What-" (''Ratbat gets shot by Soundwave'') "What.... are... you...doing!?" 
"Situation—war. Resources—limited. Optimal solution—repurpose valuable resource."
:'''—Ratbat''' and '''Soundwave'''

"And when you've crossed the planet with your little gang of thugs, what will you do then?" 
"I will create desolation—and call it peace!"
:'''—Sentinel Prime''' and '''Megatron'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Civilians cry out "[[Primus]]!" when they are attacked by Thundercracker and Skywarp. The name is only used as a curse here, but it is significant because the principal writer of the series at the time, [[Simon Furman]], intended to keep Primus and [[Unicron]] out of this continuity. Although Furman didn't write ''Megatron Origin'', he did comment on it on his blog: "just because someone refers to something called Primus, doesn't necessarily mean it's G1 Primus. There are still no plans to feature Primus (as was). But is/was there someone or something called Primus in the IDW/TF-verse, quite possibly."<ref>[http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/all-this-and-devastation-4/#comment-3074 Simon Furman's reply to his own blog post]</ref> Primus would later turn up as a Transformer god after all, though with a [[Guiding Hand|different]] creation myth to G1.
* When the issue was first published, artist [[Alex Milne]] said that Sentinel Prime hadn't actually died during his confrontation with Megatron, and that the script called for him to look like he could go either way.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110822003501/http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=37411 Post by Alex Milne on the IDW Publishing Forums]</ref> On the other hand, his corpse is drawn with a gaping hole in his chest, an expression of horror on his face, and washed-out colours that are usually indicative of death. This odd note wouldn't be followed up on for many, many years; "[[Spotlight: Blurr]]" introduced [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] as Sentinel's successor, suggesting that he had died and been succeeded by another Prime. In 2016, however, we'd learn that Sentinel ''had'' survived his final confrontation with Megatron... because "Sentinel Prime" was, in fact, a false identity created by the [[Titan Master]] [[Infinitus]], a tiny 'bot puppeteering a [[Transtector|larger body]]. "[[The Last Autobot]]" (selling a [[Titans Return (toyline)|Sentinel toy]]) playfully mentions that there'd been rumours that Sentinel had survived until pictures of Sentinel's dead body were made public!
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] gives [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] his [[fusion cannon]]. It shouldn't be hard to see [[Infiltration issue 6|the irony in this]].
*Thundercracker expresses some misgivings about shooting down the ship with Skywarp. Take notice of that little bit of characterization, it becomes [[All Hail Megatron issue 12|important later]].
*If the art doesn't make it abundantly clear, in the last panel Megatron is holding the data cube Ratbat was preparing before his repurposing.
*Kickback shows up as one of the Decepticons in Kaon. For many years, this (and Bombshell's appearance in "[[Spotlight: Blaster]]") was an error; [[All Hail Megatron issue 7|''All Hail Megatron'' #7]] initially established that the trio of [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]], and Kickback were genetically engineered by the Decepticons millions of years later. 2017's [[Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook]] finally amended this by noting that the Decepticon experiments were [[cloning|cloned]] from a naturally-occurring race. It seems likely that the Kickback in this issue was a separate individual who inspired the creation of the modern Kickback.
* [[John Barber]] would retcon:
** The body that Starscream is brought before is only referred to in the text as the "Kaon Council." [[John Barber]] would later retcon that these individuals were, in fact, the [[Senate]] (almost the whole Senate!) and they'd flown into Kaon specifically to see Megatron in captivity. This doesn’t entirely click with the council scene, where there are empty chairs that Starscream sneers about (implying the council doesn't view these matters as important enough to all show up for), but [[Shockwaves|it would later be established]] that [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]] were supposed to be there but weren’t (Shockwave because he had defected, Atlas because he was physically prevented from attending), so you could {{w|Marvel No-Prize|No-Prize}} it that he was referring to their conspicuous absence
**Soundwave was originally a down-and-out being exploited by Ratbat and quietly seething at the [[Functionism|functionist]]-backed bigotry towards his beast friends; Megatron easily recruited him. It was also ''his'' idea for the Decepticons to be 'arrested' as seen in this issue and the last. Tying into this, Ratbat's downsizing becomes a deliberate karmic punishment for his bigotry against beast-bots.
* [[James Roberts]] would retcon:
**[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] is a brutish thug responsible for multiple crimes and murders. Sentinel was also responsible for having Megatron brutalised and almost killed [[Chaos Theory Part 1|in his peaceful activist days]], so this final battle isn't hero and villain but ''villain on villain''... and Sentinel, who has some [[Infinitus|dark secrets of his own]], has it coming.
**Trailbreaker [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|was a fugitive and enemy of Sentinel's]]. What's he doing in the Security Services? There may be a story here!

===Transformers references===
*Sentinel Prime uses Apex Armor, a reference to the ''[[The Transformers: Generation One Commemorative Series|Commemorative Series]]'' reissue of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Commemorative Series|Powermaster Optimus Prime]].

===Real-life references===
* Megatron's intention to "create desolation--and call it peace!" is a paraphrase of the real-life {{w|Caledonians|Caledonian}} chieftain {{w|Calgacus}}, who described the philosophy of the Romans he was fighting against: "To robbery, slaughter, plunder, they give the lying name of empire; they make a solitude and call it peace." Megatron's wording also reflects the motto from his original [[bio]], "Peace through tyranny."

===Errors===
*On page 10, Trailbreaker is depicted grabbing Starscream as the Decepticon makes his escape. Starscream then kicks the Autobot off, sending him into what is heavily implied to be his death (what with the long fall into a massive explosion and all), despite Trailbreaker turning up alive and well many years later in the previously published "[[Spotlight: Kup]]" as well as the later published "[[Spotlight: Blaster]]". This is not the [[Fastback (G1)|first time]] that the ''Megatron Origin'' books would [[Outback (G1)|conflict]] with the events in ''Spotlight:'' Kup.
*[[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] shows up as one of the Senate guards... when really he [[Dead Universe|shouldn't be there at all.]]
*The string of word bubbles meant for Ratbat on page 12 instead appear to come from Ravage.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Megatron stands over a defeated Sentinel Prime by [[Alex Milne]] (pencils) and [[Josh Perez]] (colors)
*'''Cover B:''' Megatron screaming by [[Marcelo Matere]] (pencils) and [[Andrew Elder]] (colors)
*'''Cover RI-A:''' uncolored cover A

<gallery>
File:MO 4 a.jpg|Um... Spoiler alert!
File:MO 4 b.jpg|He's angry because of that spoiler
File:MO 4 RI.jpg|No colors, still spoiled
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[http://www.cgccomics.com/ CGC: Certified Guaranty Company]
*''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''
*''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' [[Transformers: Movie Adaptation|movie comic adaptation]]
*[[The Transformers: Spotlight|''Spotlight''s]]: [[Spotlight: Ramjet|Ramjet]], and [[Spotlight: Blaster|Blaster]]
*''[[The Transformers: Cover Gallery Volume 2]]''
*''[[Star Trek]]: Year Four''
*''Star Trek Alien Spotlight: The Vulcans''
*''[[Doctor Who]]'' comic series
*''[[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]]'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Megatron Origin#Collections|reprints of the entire series]]
* N/A

==References==
{{reflist}}

Special Autobot prison

2019-07-04T00:53:42Z

Ectojazzmage:

:''The special Autobot prison is.....well....a prison!!! from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:BumblebeeRescue special Autobot prison.jpg|thumb|250px|Don’t drop the Autosoap.]]
A mighty foe requires a special prison, and that's why [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] has had a '''special Autobot prison''' built to hold them in. Unfortunately he built it before he and his men had any idea how they were going to get the Autobots inside it, but those details can be worked out later.

==Fiction==
===Coloring books===
Once the prison was completed, Megatron instructed his men to trap the [[Autobot]]s so they could be imprisoned within it. With the aid of [[Sleep Net]]s, the majority of the Autobots were soon rounded up and the Decepticons could carry on with their plans to conquer [[Earth]] without danger of being foiled. Unfortunately they'd overlooked Bumblebee. While [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] kept the Decepticons distracted, Bumblebee slipped into the prison and freed the other Autobots. {{storylink|Bumblebee to the Rescue!}}

[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Penal institutions]]

Red Wing (G1)

2019-06-02T13:37:53Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|decepticon}}
:''Red Wing is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Red Wing profile image.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|We swear, if he throws [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] ''one more time''...]]

'''Red Wing''' is a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]. He has a "devil may care" attitude and some powerful guns, so what more do you need? Sadly, he's probably not the partner of [[Falcon (superhero)|Falcon]].

==Fiction==
===''Wings Universe''===
Red Wing was part of a joint [[Autobot]]/[[Decepticon]] assault on the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian]] clone army. In the ensuing battle, Red Wing was shot in the back by [[Skywarp (MW)|Skywarp]]. {{storylink|Termination}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:Red_Wing_Kre-O_Character_Image.jpg|thumb|left|"Sorry, you're too hot to know me, babe!"]]

Red Wing was among [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s troops as they discovered the [[Red Bucket]]. {{storylink|Treasure Competition! Defeat with Block Power!}}

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

===2005 IDW continuity===
Red Wing was one of the Decepticons who joined [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] for [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]]'s ill-fated assault on [[Shanghai]], [[China]]. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
When the Decepticons used [[Chronogon]] portals to send the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] back in time, Red Wing took part in an operation to try and prevent Orion Pax's recreation as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|Golden Age (Legends)|Golden Age}}

==Toys==
===Generations===
[[File:Selects-Siege-WFC-GS02-Voyager-RedWing.jpg|thumb|300px|Living proof that Hasbro will make a toy out of any character.]]
*'''Decepticon Red Wing''' (Voyager Class, [[2019]])
**''ID number'': '''WFC-GS02'''
**''Accessories'': 2 "HPI Null-Ray Laser Launchers"
:As part of the ''[[Transformers: Generations#Selects|Generations Selects]]'' toyline, ''[[War for Cybertron: Siege (toyline)|Siege]]'' Decepticon Red Wing is a redeco of [[Thundercracker (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Thundercracker]], himself a head retool of [[Starscream (G1)/toys#War for Cybertron: Siege|Starscream]]. He transforms from a heavily G1-inspired robot to a Cybertronian 'tetrajet' based on the Seekers' appearance in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" and back; although the jet mode has the robot legs sticking out from the undercarriage. He includes two "HPI Null-Ray Laser Launchers," which can mount on his upper arms, or under the wings in jet mode.

:Fitting with the rest of ''Siege'', Red Wing has [[5 mm post]]s on his biceps, forearms, shins, under his feet (thrusters), and wings. The 3 mm pegs on his shins, forearms, left bicep, and the tips of his Null-Rays can accommodate effects parts sold separately. Like the rest of ''Siege'', his robot mode focuses on articulation, with double-jointed elbows, knees that bend at nearly 180 degrees, ankle rockers, and waist articulation, being notable articulation points for a Seeker toy. Being a rather heavy shellformer, Red Wing can be separated into both a wingless robot mode and a nearly complete tetrajet easily, via a friction hinge.
{{comingsoontoy}}

==Notes==
*Red Wing owes his entire existence to a series of miscommunications between [[Hasbro]], [[TakaraTomy]], [[e-HOBBY]], and [[Fun Publications]], coupled with a slight coloring error: FunPub's original plans for the [[BotCon 2013]] exclusive toys were to have a souvenir three-pack featuring redecos of ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Classics|Starscream]] with color schemes based on the "welcoming committee" from the [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|Generation 1 cartoon's first episode]]. However, at the time, FunPub had just entered a partnership with e-HOBBY in Japan, and since e-HOBBY were the ones who had originally turned the generic orange [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] into an actual character and given him the name "[[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]", and e-HOBBY had plans to release their own Sunstorm redeco of the figure, FunPub decided to exclude Sunstorm from the set, and instead replace him with a new character named "Hotlink" (at that time, the purple Seeker would have been named "Nacelle") that would have sported a more red-ish orange color scheme, with the [[Termination|BotCon 2013 exclusive comic]] intended to feature both Sunstorm and "Hotlink". However, TakaraTomy subsequently denied e-HOBBY the permission to release their version of Sunstorm, because according to their information, Hasbro themselves were planning to release a new Sunstorm toy. After a while, FunPub realized that Takara might have very well been referring to their own (since shelved) BotCon exclusive figure... so they eventually decided to go ahead and change the figure to be included in the set back to Sunstorm, while the name "[[Hotlink (G1)|Hotlink]]" was reassigned to the purple Seeker (the name "Nacelle" was later given to [[Nacelle (G1)|yet ''another'' Seeker]]). Because that change was made at the last moment, the comic still ended up featuring both the more yellow-ish orange Sunstorm and the more red-ish orange Seeker... however, in the final printed comic, that latter Seeker ended up looking ''very'' red and not much orange due to the lighting effects and contrast with the background.<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">[https://twitter.com/JesseWittenrich/status/1096940990424854528 Series of posts by Jesse Wittenrich on Twitter.]</ref> Following the convention, [[Randy Para|one fan]] kept persistently inquiring about the identity of the mysterious "red" Seeker both online and offline, and thus Fun Publications finally ended up naming the character "Red Wing" via Twitter. Prior to this, [[Pete Sinclair]] wasn't even aware (or at least feigned ignorance) of his existence in "Termination" due to his extremely minor role and the number of other Seekers present within the story.
*Red Wing subsequently received his first bit of characterization when he was given a short bio by the ''Transformers Legends'' mobile game.
*''Kre-O'' Red Wing is made from existing Kre-O parts, like all non-toy robot Kreons in these comics. As per usual, he uses the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] Kreon parts consisting of the [[Starscream (Kre-O)|Starscream]] helmet, jet wings, and Seeker arm rifles.

===Foreign names===
*''Mandarin:'' '''Hóng Yì''' (Taiwan, 紅翼, "Red Wing")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Convention-original characters]]
[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Seekers]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Machine Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:TransTech Decepticons]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]
[[Category:Selects]]

A Rage in Heaven!

2019-05-24T04:13:31Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Furminated */

{{disambig2|the final issue of the ''Generation 2'' comic book series|the Titan Books collection|Transformers: Rage in Heaven}}
{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Transformers: Generation 2]]'' #12
|prev=Dark Shadows!
|next=Alignment
|title="A Rage in Heaven!"
|image=MarvelUSG2-12.jpg
|caption=Prime seriously needs to switch to a different brand of deodorant.
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=August [[1994]]
|coverdate=October 1994
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|artist=[[Geoff Senior]] (Book Two & Book Four)
|penciler=[[Manny Galan]] (Book One & Book Three)
|inker=[[Jim Amash]] (Book One & Book Three)
|colorist=[[Sarra Mossoff]]
|letterers=[[Richard Starkings]] with [[Comicraft]]
|editor=[[Rob Tokar]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}
'''The Autobot-Decepticon alliance makes its final stand against the Swarm.'''

==Synopsis==
===Book One: Judgment===
[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] recalls the racial history that has brought the [[Transformer]]s to this moment. The [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]-possessed ''[[Warworld]]'', the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian]] warships, and the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]] all face off above [[Earth]]. Aboard the ''Warworld'', Starscream confesses that he's feeling an irrational urge to protect and do good, against all his native instincts. Prime explains that it's the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]'s influence and hints that he might be able to help.

[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s troops are baffled by the Swarm, but he dismisses it as some last-ditch trick by the [[Autobot]]s, and gives the order to attack. Starscream prepares to give up the Matrix to Optimus Prime; before doing so, he alerts Prime and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] to the Cybertronians' attack, which is likely to provoke the Swarm out of its momentary hesitation. The Swarm easily devours the Cybertronians' [[X-S warship|finest warships]], leaving tens of thousands of troopers dead. Starscream returns the Matrix to Prime, making Prime whole again and leaving himself back in his original body.

Jhiaxus orders a full assault on the Swarm, crushing the head of a trooper who suggests they cannot fight it. As Optimus Prime approaches the ''[[Twilight (G2)|Twilight]]'' on a [[sky-sled]], Jhiaxus gives orders to ''"Let him come!"''

===Book Two: Twilight===
[[File:Starscream uscomics.png|left|upright=0.85|thumb|"Death is too good for you, Starscream! I'm going to put you to work ''loading cargo!''"]]
Megatron hasn't killed Starscream, but it's only because he needs help loading the [[rheanimum]] gas onto a shuttle.

Optimus Prime makes his way through the chaos of the ''Twilight'', where frantic troopers are scrambling to escape. The chaos gives him an easy path to the bridge—but when he finds Jhiaxus, the enraged Cybertronian attacks him furiously, blaming Prime for his world coming apart. Jhiaxus is seconds away from crushing Prime's head, when the Swarm bursts through the ship's shields. Jhiaxus challenges it, and it responds, mimicking his shape, then consuming him. An explosion destroys the ''Twilight''. Prime is blasted free, but the Swarm pursues him.

Megatron observes the ship's demise and reflects that he can no longer help Optimus Prime. Regardless, his responsibility is to the Transformers below, on the planet's surface. He's coated himself with the rheanimum, and hopes that the gas will protect him. To make planetfall, he's going to have to test it the hard way, as the Swarm has surrounded Earth.

===Book Three: Siege===
On Earth, a group of Autobots and [[Decepticon]]s under [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]'s command prepares to make a final stand, fortifying their position. The Swarm moves in on them, and they trigger their defenses. At one point, [[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]] ignores [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]]'s orders in favor of Grimlock's, prompting Razorclaw to brand him a traitor. As he pounces to carry out his death sentence, however, [[Leadfoot (G2)|Leadfoot]] (a Decepticon to this point) chops off Razorclaw's head—''Autobots'' have to stick together, after all. The Swarm breaks down the group's force shields, and they prepare for their final stand.

In space, Optimus Prime wakes to find that he's alive and aboard the ''Warworld'', saved by Starscream. Starscream offers him a shot of rheanimum as the Swarm approaches, but Prime refuses. In his brief contact with the Swarm, Prime realized that the mass is alive, but empty and searching—and he may have the answer to what it wants.

[[File:Dirge DeathSwarm.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Dirge really wishes his [[Furmanism|famous last words]] hadn't been used by Megatron ''just last issue.'']]
Grimlock's troops try all manner of weapons, but nothing stops the Swarm. Casualties mount, but at last Megatron arrives. Both he and the rheanimum canisters survived the Swarm's touch, but his shuttle did not. The Transformers quickly distribute the rheanimum to protect themselves.

Starscream prepares to leave the ''Warworld'', but tosses a canister to Optimus Prime just in case he changes his mind, as the Matrix's aftereffects still linger within him. Prime resists the temptation—for his plan to work, he must die.

===Book Four: Creation===
[[File:Swarmoptimus.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Ow! Ow! OW!]]
The Swarm devours Optimus Prime, consuming him molecule by molecule. But when it breaks through to the Matrix chamber, light and life burst forth. Prime takes all the goodness of [[Primus]] and gives it to the Swarm. As the stunned Autobots and Decepticons watch, a light grows, changing the Swarm. Amid the light, they witness the miracle of creation... as Optimus Prime steps forth, reconstituted as a parting gift from the reborn Swarm. The survivors gather and rally around their newfound unity.

But far away, in a region of space known as the [[Hub (G2)|Hub]], [[Rook (G2)|Rook]] reports to the titanic entity known as the [[Liege Maximo]]. The Liege notes that Megatron does indeed live; he would feel the death of one of his descendants. He is unconcerned by the loss of Jhiaxus and his battalions; they are but a fraction of his empire, and the Autobot-Decepticon Alliance is fragile. The day of reckoning will come!

''It never ends... ''
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] (5)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (10)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (14)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]] (16)
*[[Slag (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Slag]] (20)
*[[Swoop (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Swoop]] (21)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (23)
*[[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]] (24)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] (27)
*[[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] (31)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (32)
*[[Volt]] (34)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Wheeljack]] (37)
*''[[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]]'' (38)
*''[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Fortress Maximus]]'' (39)
}}
|c2=
{{collist|2|
*[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] (2)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] (3)
*[[Ransack (G2)|Ransack]] (9)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (11)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (12)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (13)
*[[Powerdive]] (15)
*a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] (17)
*[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] (18)
*[[Jolt (G2)|Jolt]] (19)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (22)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] (25)
*[[Electro]] (26)
*[[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (28)
*[[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]] (29)
*[[Leadfoot (G2)|Leadfoot]] (30)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (33)
*[[Sizzle (G2)|Sizzle]] (35)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (36)
}}
|h3=[[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]]|c3=
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] (4)
*''Assorted Cybertronian soldiers'' (7)
*[[Crushable Cybertronian soldier]] (8)
*[[Rook (G2)|Rook]] (40)
*[[Liege Maximo]] (41)

|c4=
*[[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]] (6)
}}

==Quotes==
"'''Prime''', what is it? What does it '''want?'''" 
"For lack of a better term, it's '''the Swarm'''. And simply put...'''it wants us!'''"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"All my innate survival instincts seem to have been buried under an insane urge to save lives! '''What's happening''' to me?"
:—'''Starscream''' doesn't like being a good guy.

"Prime? '''Are you-?'''" 
"'''Oh yes!''' And now, Megatron...'''it's time to go to work!'''"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"'''Wonderful!''' One thing at least, it can't get any..." 
"'''Grimlock!'''" 
"Me and my ''big mouth''."
:—'''Grimlock''''s sense of despair is made worse by '''Hot Rod'''.

"In my heart of hearts I '''know'''...it '''never ends!'''"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' says farewell. For now.

==Notes==
===Artwork and technical errors===
*Manny Galan neglects to draw the third nose-horn on Slag's triceratops mode while he's being attacked by the Swarm.
*Liege Maximo is spelled both "Leige Maximo" and "Liege Maximo" in the very same speech bubble.

===Continuity errors===
*In the US continuity, Dirge was [[Ashes, Ashes...|killed years ago]] by [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]. However, he's far from the first character to be resurrected and then killed again.

===Continuity notes===
[[File:Liegemaximo.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Evil, like my belly, is infinite.]]
*This is the ''third'' time [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|Optimus Prime has died]] in the Marvel US continuity, and the second time he has sacrificed himself specifically by unleashing the light of the Matrix into a devouring evil.
*Prime's new form is based on his [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Combat Hero toy]], which was then his most recent toy incarnation.
*During Prime's victory speech, Megatron is visible standing at his feet. One would normally expect him to be standing ''beside'' Prime as co-leader of the Alliance... but he did seem ''really'' impressed by Prime's resurrection...
*The Liege Maximo's speech on the last page states that the he was created as an "evil" balance to the first "good" Prime, and that all Decepticons and Autobots are descendants of the Liege and the first Prime, respectively. This is contradicted by the occasional examples of Transformers changing sides. It also removes free will from the equation, and has thus been met with resistance from fans who prefer the war to be ideological, and not mandated by heredity.
*This is nominally the end of the Marvel US continuity, one of the [[Marvel Comics continuity|core continuities]] of the [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1 franchise]]. (Yes, after ninety-plus issues, it ends on a cliffhanger.)
**However, the plot continues in the non-[[canon]] story "[[Alignment]]". Also, potential subsequent events involving the Liege and Prime are hinted at in "[[Covenant (story)|Covenant]]".
*This is [[Stargazing|not the first time]] that Starscream does a good thing.
*Starscream refers to the swarm as [[Scraplet]]s.

===Real-life references===

===Transformers references===
* The header on the cover states "It's the ''End Of The Road''". This is not the [[End of the Road! (US)|first]] time this [[End of the Road! (UK)|phrase]] has been used by Simon Furman to mark the end of a series.

===Furminated===
*The Cybertronians continue to be slaughtered. The Swarm eats a ship with 16,000 of them aboard. Jhiaxus crushes the head of one of them in a fit of rage. Most if not all of the crew of ''Twilight'' are devoured by the Swarm.
*Jhiaxus is consumed and sort of exploded by the Swarm.
*Razorclaw gets his lion head sliced off by Leadfoot.
*Ramjet, Slag and Slingshot are all consumed by the Swarm.
*Frenzy is vaporized by his own amplified sonic powers.
*Nightbeat and Dirge self-destruct to avoid being eaten by the Swarm.
*Optimus Prime is slowly and painfully devoured by the Swarm... only to come back to life three pages later.
*Confirmed survivors include Optimus, Megatron, Grimlock, Hot Rod, Kup, and possibly Blaster. Numerous other 'bots appear in the final two pages, post-Swarm, but almost none are identifiable.
*The comic only explicitly shows the Swarm attacking Transformers and says nothing about what (if anything) it’s doing to the people of Earth. [[Larry DiTillio]] [[Personal canon|personally envisioned]] this issue as depicting ''the extinction of humanity'' at the Swarm’s hands, with it’s purification via the Matrix causing it to eventually evolve into the [[Vok]] and try to make amends for the destruction. Since none of this has ever been mentioned in canon material, it remains firmly in the realms of [[Pseudocanon]] and [[Authorial intent]], but if one takes it as true, then the entire human race got Furminated and this issue has the single biggest death toll of any TF comic ever. Way to go out on a high note!

===Covers (3)===
<gallery>
File:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|'''''Generation 2'' #12'''
File:Rage in heaven tpb cover.jpg|'''''Rage in Heaven'' TPB'''
File:Rage in heaven hardcover.jpg|'''''Rage in Heaven'' hardback'''
</gallery>
*'''''Generation 2'' #12 cover:''' Optimus Prime is consumed by the Swarm, by [[Derek Yaniger]].
*'''''Rage in Heaven'' TPB cover:''' Optimus Prime, [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]], [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]], and half of the [[Liege Maximo]], by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''''Rage in Heaven'' hardback cover:''' [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]], [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], by [[Phil Jimenez]], [[Andy Lanning]], and [[Chris Blythe]].

===Advertisements===
*None yet identified.

===Reprints===
*[[2003]] — ''[[Transformers: Rage in Heaven]]''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rage in Heaven!}}
[[Category:Marvel Generation 2 issues]]

A Rage in Heaven!

2019-05-24T04:11:45Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Furminated */

{{disambig2|the final issue of the ''Generation 2'' comic book series|the Titan Books collection|Transformers: Rage in Heaven}}
{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Transformers: Generation 2]]'' #12
|prev=Dark Shadows!
|next=Alignment
|title="A Rage in Heaven!"
|image=MarvelUSG2-12.jpg
|caption=Prime seriously needs to switch to a different brand of deodorant.
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=August [[1994]]
|coverdate=October 1994
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|artist=[[Geoff Senior]] (Book Two & Book Four)
|penciler=[[Manny Galan]] (Book One & Book Three)
|inker=[[Jim Amash]] (Book One & Book Three)
|colorist=[[Sarra Mossoff]]
|letterers=[[Richard Starkings]] with [[Comicraft]]
|editor=[[Rob Tokar]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}
'''The Autobot-Decepticon alliance makes its final stand against the Swarm.'''

==Synopsis==
===Book One: Judgment===
[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] recalls the racial history that has brought the [[Transformer]]s to this moment. The [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]-possessed ''[[Warworld]]'', the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian]] warships, and the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]] all face off above [[Earth]]. Aboard the ''Warworld'', Starscream confesses that he's feeling an irrational urge to protect and do good, against all his native instincts. Prime explains that it's the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]'s influence and hints that he might be able to help.

[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s troops are baffled by the Swarm, but he dismisses it as some last-ditch trick by the [[Autobot]]s, and gives the order to attack. Starscream prepares to give up the Matrix to Optimus Prime; before doing so, he alerts Prime and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] to the Cybertronians' attack, which is likely to provoke the Swarm out of its momentary hesitation. The Swarm easily devours the Cybertronians' [[X-S warship|finest warships]], leaving tens of thousands of troopers dead. Starscream returns the Matrix to Prime, making Prime whole again and leaving himself back in his original body.

Jhiaxus orders a full assault on the Swarm, crushing the head of a trooper who suggests they cannot fight it. As Optimus Prime approaches the ''[[Twilight (G2)|Twilight]]'' on a [[sky-sled]], Jhiaxus gives orders to ''"Let him come!"''

===Book Two: Twilight===
[[File:Starscream uscomics.png|left|upright=0.85|thumb|"Death is too good for you, Starscream! I'm going to put you to work ''loading cargo!''"]]
Megatron hasn't killed Starscream, but it's only because he needs help loading the [[rheanimum]] gas onto a shuttle.

Optimus Prime makes his way through the chaos of the ''Twilight'', where frantic troopers are scrambling to escape. The chaos gives him an easy path to the bridge—but when he finds Jhiaxus, the enraged Cybertronian attacks him furiously, blaming Prime for his world coming apart. Jhiaxus is seconds away from crushing Prime's head, when the Swarm bursts through the ship's shields. Jhiaxus challenges it, and it responds, mimicking his shape, then consuming him. An explosion destroys the ''Twilight''. Prime is blasted free, but the Swarm pursues him.

Megatron observes the ship's demise and reflects that he can no longer help Optimus Prime. Regardless, his responsibility is to the Transformers below, on the planet's surface. He's coated himself with the rheanimum, and hopes that the gas will protect him. To make planetfall, he's going to have to test it the hard way, as the Swarm has surrounded Earth.

===Book Three: Siege===
On Earth, a group of Autobots and [[Decepticon]]s under [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]'s command prepares to make a final stand, fortifying their position. The Swarm moves in on them, and they trigger their defenses. At one point, [[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]] ignores [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]]'s orders in favor of Grimlock's, prompting Razorclaw to brand him a traitor. As he pounces to carry out his death sentence, however, [[Leadfoot (G2)|Leadfoot]] (a Decepticon to this point) chops off Razorclaw's head—''Autobots'' have to stick together, after all. The Swarm breaks down the group's force shields, and they prepare for their final stand.

In space, Optimus Prime wakes to find that he's alive and aboard the ''Warworld'', saved by Starscream. Starscream offers him a shot of rheanimum as the Swarm approaches, but Prime refuses. In his brief contact with the Swarm, Prime realized that the mass is alive, but empty and searching—and he may have the answer to what it wants.

[[File:Dirge DeathSwarm.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Dirge really wishes his [[Furmanism|famous last words]] hadn't been used by Megatron ''just last issue.'']]
Grimlock's troops try all manner of weapons, but nothing stops the Swarm. Casualties mount, but at last Megatron arrives. Both he and the rheanimum canisters survived the Swarm's touch, but his shuttle did not. The Transformers quickly distribute the rheanimum to protect themselves.

Starscream prepares to leave the ''Warworld'', but tosses a canister to Optimus Prime just in case he changes his mind, as the Matrix's aftereffects still linger within him. Prime resists the temptation—for his plan to work, he must die.

===Book Four: Creation===
[[File:Swarmoptimus.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Ow! Ow! OW!]]
The Swarm devours Optimus Prime, consuming him molecule by molecule. But when it breaks through to the Matrix chamber, light and life burst forth. Prime takes all the goodness of [[Primus]] and gives it to the Swarm. As the stunned Autobots and Decepticons watch, a light grows, changing the Swarm. Amid the light, they witness the miracle of creation... as Optimus Prime steps forth, reconstituted as a parting gift from the reborn Swarm. The survivors gather and rally around their newfound unity.

But far away, in a region of space known as the [[Hub (G2)|Hub]], [[Rook (G2)|Rook]] reports to the titanic entity known as the [[Liege Maximo]]. The Liege notes that Megatron does indeed live; he would feel the death of one of his descendants. He is unconcerned by the loss of Jhiaxus and his battalions; they are but a fraction of his empire, and the Autobot-Decepticon Alliance is fragile. The day of reckoning will come!

''It never ends... ''
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] (5)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (10)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (14)
*[[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]] (16)
*[[Slag (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Slag]] (20)
*[[Swoop (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Swoop]] (21)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (23)
*[[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]] (24)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] (27)
*[[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] (31)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (32)
*[[Volt]] (34)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Wheeljack]] (37)
*''[[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]]'' (38)
*''[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Fortress Maximus]]'' (39)
}}
|c2=
{{collist|2|
*[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] (2)
*[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] (3)
*[[Ransack (G2)|Ransack]] (9)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (11)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (12)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (13)
*[[Powerdive]] (15)
*a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] (17)
*[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] (18)
*[[Jolt (G2)|Jolt]] (19)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (22)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] (25)
*[[Electro]] (26)
*[[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (28)
*[[Manta Ray (G2)|Manta Ray]] (29)
*[[Leadfoot (G2)|Leadfoot]] (30)
*[[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] (33)
*[[Sizzle (G2)|Sizzle]] (35)
*[[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] (36)
}}
|h3=[[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]]|c3=
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] (4)
*''Assorted Cybertronian soldiers'' (7)
*[[Crushable Cybertronian soldier]] (8)
*[[Rook (G2)|Rook]] (40)
*[[Liege Maximo]] (41)

|c4=
*[[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]] (6)
}}

==Quotes==
"'''Prime''', what is it? What does it '''want?'''" 
"For lack of a better term, it's '''the Swarm'''. And simply put...'''it wants us!'''"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"All my innate survival instincts seem to have been buried under an insane urge to save lives! '''What's happening''' to me?"
:—'''Starscream''' doesn't like being a good guy.

"Prime? '''Are you-?'''" 
"'''Oh yes!''' And now, Megatron...'''it's time to go to work!'''"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"'''Wonderful!''' One thing at least, it can't get any..." 
"'''Grimlock!'''" 
"Me and my ''big mouth''."
:—'''Grimlock''''s sense of despair is made worse by '''Hot Rod'''.

"In my heart of hearts I '''know'''...it '''never ends!'''"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' says farewell. For now.

==Notes==
===Artwork and technical errors===
*Manny Galan neglects to draw the third nose-horn on Slag's triceratops mode while he's being attacked by the Swarm.
*Liege Maximo is spelled both "Leige Maximo" and "Liege Maximo" in the very same speech bubble.

===Continuity errors===
*In the US continuity, Dirge was [[Ashes, Ashes...|killed years ago]] by [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]. However, he's far from the first character to be resurrected and then killed again.

===Continuity notes===
[[File:Liegemaximo.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Evil, like my belly, is infinite.]]
*This is the ''third'' time [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|Optimus Prime has died]] in the Marvel US continuity, and the second time he has sacrificed himself specifically by unleashing the light of the Matrix into a devouring evil.
*Prime's new form is based on his [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Combat Hero toy]], which was then his most recent toy incarnation.
*During Prime's victory speech, Megatron is visible standing at his feet. One would normally expect him to be standing ''beside'' Prime as co-leader of the Alliance... but he did seem ''really'' impressed by Prime's resurrection...
*The Liege Maximo's speech on the last page states that the he was created as an "evil" balance to the first "good" Prime, and that all Decepticons and Autobots are descendants of the Liege and the first Prime, respectively. This is contradicted by the occasional examples of Transformers changing sides. It also removes free will from the equation, and has thus been met with resistance from fans who prefer the war to be ideological, and not mandated by heredity.
*This is nominally the end of the Marvel US continuity, one of the [[Marvel Comics continuity|core continuities]] of the [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1 franchise]]. (Yes, after ninety-plus issues, it ends on a cliffhanger.)
**However, the plot continues in the non-[[canon]] story "[[Alignment]]". Also, potential subsequent events involving the Liege and Prime are hinted at in "[[Covenant (story)|Covenant]]".
*This is [[Stargazing|not the first time]] that Starscream does a good thing.
*Starscream refers to the swarm as [[Scraplet]]s.

===Real-life references===

===Transformers references===
* The header on the cover states "It's the ''End Of The Road''". This is not the [[End of the Road! (US)|first]] time this [[End of the Road! (UK)|phrase]] has been used by Simon Furman to mark the end of a series.

===Furminated===
*The Cybertronians continue to be slaughtered. The Swarm eats a ship with 16,000 of them aboard. Jhiaxus crushes the head of one of them in a fit of rage. Most if not all of the crew of ''Twilight'' are devoured by the Swarm.
*Jhiaxus is consumed and sort of exploded by the Swarm.
*Razorclaw gets his lion head sliced off by Leadfoot.
*Ramjet, Slag and Slingshot are all consumed by the Swarm.
*Frenzy is vaporized by his own amplified sonic powers.
*Nightbeat and Dirge self-destruct to avoid being eaten by the Swarm.
*Optimus Prime is slowly and painfully devoured by the Swarm... only to come back to life three pages later.
*Confirmed survivors include Optimus, Megatron, Grimlock, Hot Rod, Kup, and possibly Blaster. Numerous other 'bots appear in the final two pages, post-Swarm, but almost none are identifiable.
*The comic only explicitly shows the Swarm attacking Transformers and says nothing about what (if anything) it’s doing to the people of Earth. [[Larry DiTillio]] [[Personal canon|personally envisioned]] this issue as depicting ''the extinction of the humanity'' at the Swarm’s hands, with it’s purification via the Matrix causing it to eventually evolve into the [[Vok]] and try to make amends for the destruction. Since none of this has ever been mentioned in canon material, it remains firmly in the realms of [[Pseudocanon]] and [[Authorial intent]], but if one takes it as true, then the entire human race got Furminated and this issue has the single biggest death toll of any TF comic ever. Way to go out on a high note!

===Covers (3)===
<gallery>
File:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|'''''Generation 2'' #12'''
File:Rage in heaven tpb cover.jpg|'''''Rage in Heaven'' TPB'''
File:Rage in heaven hardcover.jpg|'''''Rage in Heaven'' hardback'''
</gallery>
*'''''Generation 2'' #12 cover:''' Optimus Prime is consumed by the Swarm, by [[Derek Yaniger]].
*'''''Rage in Heaven'' TPB cover:''' Optimus Prime, [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]], [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]], and half of the [[Liege Maximo]], by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''''Rage in Heaven'' hardback cover:''' [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]], [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], by [[Phil Jimenez]], [[Andy Lanning]], and [[Chris Blythe]].

===Advertisements===
*None yet identified.

===Reprints===
*[[2003]] — ''[[Transformers: Rage in Heaven]]''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rage in Heaven!}}
[[Category:Marvel Generation 2 issues]]

Chaos Theory Part 2

2019-03-30T03:13:45Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]'' #23
|prev=Chaos Theory Part 1
|next=Chaos Part One: Lamentations
|seriesissue2="[[Chaos (IDW)|Chaos]]"
|prev2=Chaos Theory Part 1
|next2=Chaos Part One: Lamentations
|title="Chaos Theory Part 2"
|image=TFvol1 23cvrB.jpg
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[August 10]], [[2011]]
|coverdate=August 2011
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2011)]]
}}

'''Optimus Prime recalls his role in the outbreak of the war, when he was merely "Orion Pax", in an attempt to clear his judgment.'''

==Synopsis==
''On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], before the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] is watching a news report on the [[Iaconian Newsfeed Service]], dealing with a terrorist attack on the Primal Procession. [[Nominus Prime]] is missing, and the flickering of the [[Matrix Flame]] indicates he's in critical condition.''

''An electrical storm cuts the feed just as three armoured thugs enter Orion Pax's office. Orion Pax demands to know why they're there, and the lead thug mentions that they're looking for [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]. Orion Pax states that Whirl is in custody awaiting trial for [[Chaos Theory Part 1|savagely beating]] [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|a suspect]]. The lead thug implies that Whirl's learned his lesson and should be set free. When Orion Pax disagrees, the lead thug mentions that Whirl has friends in high places, and that putting him on trial could lead to embarrassment to certain high level Cybertronians. Orion Pax kicks them out of his office, and the lead thug states that it's unfortunate that Orion lives up to his reputation. ''

In the present day, Optimus Prime and [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] discuss Megatron's fate now that he's been captured. Optimus Prime believes that he's been too reliant on the wisdom of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] and reveals that when he first bonded with it after becoming [[Prime (rank)|Prime]], it hurt. He asks Ratchet to look after the Matrix so he can decide Megatron's fate without it.

''[[Springarm]] and [[Wheelarch]] are on patrol, and discuss how much Orion Pax has turned the Dead End around since being appointed police captain of the region. They notice that there isn't a criminal to be found. They find out why when they return to base. Orion Pax has already arrested them all. Later, Orion Pax admits to Springarm that the thugs from earlier troubled him. He thinks they might be men under [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel's]] command, members of the Senate security detail. This would give credence to Megatron's political tract in which he declared the Senate was corrupt. Springarm mentions that when he's feeling troubled he tries to channel the power of the Matrix, but Orion Pax states he's not religious, and doesn't believe that the Matrix is anything more than a symbol.''

Optimus Prime asks [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] what it felt like when he bonded with the Matrix. Rodimus replies that it felt wonderful, a fact that Optimus finds troubling, but does not reveal to Rodimus.

[[File:OrionridesSpringarm.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"C'mon hit me!"]]
''Orion Pax returns to his police headquarters to find Springarm and Wheelarch decapitated. He finds the thugs from earlier, who have freed Whirl. Whirl protests, stating it wasn't his idea for the break-in, but Orion has had enough, only to be blindsided by one of the thugs. Orion Pax fights the thugs off, only to be cornered in a small room with Springarm's headless corpse. He manages to transform the corpse into its [[alternate mode]] and rides out, dispatching the thugs while reading them their rights. Whirl again states that none of this was his idea, and warns Orion Pax to just let the matter rest, stating that if he tries to expose the Senate's corruption, they will destroy his life. Whirl asks Orion what he plans to do.''

''At the [[Grand Imperium]], [[Proteus|Senator Proteus]] gives a speech in which he says the Senate needs to institute a [[clampdown (event)|clampdown]], a series of measures that will limit the freedoms of the Cybertronians for a limited time, while Sentinel, head of Senate security, tracks down those responsible for the attack on Nominus Prime. An aide informs Sentinel that someone wishes to address the Senate. Sentinel orders the unknown individual arrested. A short time later, the same aide informs Sentinel that the individual has fought his way through the Senate's security. The individual is revealed to be Orion Pax, who enters the Senate's chamber. Sentinel orders his men to allow him to speak, interested to see where things are going. Orion Pax throws Whirl's body onto the Senate floor, and reveals that members of the Senate's security team tried to persuade Orion Pax from pressing charges on him for breaking the law. He condemns the Senate for lording over Cybertron, detached from the masses, always looking for new ways to control the populace. He claims that the other races of the universe that look down on Cybertron refer to Cybertronians as Autobots, meaning automatons, and states that this is what the Senate has reduced the population to. He says that the term "Autobot" can also mean autonomous, free thinking, and declares himself an Autobot. Orion then retells Megatron's story and asks the Senate the three questions Megatron wanted to ask them, just as Sentinel orders his forces to remove Orion: In whose interests do you exercise power? To whom are you accountable? How can we get rid of you? Senator Proteus mentions he didn't catch Orion Pax's name, and Sentinel declares it doesn't matter, he's going to be locked up.''

Optimus Prime confronts Megatron and states that even if Megatron has resorted to bloodshed to achieve his goals, Optimus hasn't, and he'd still give the same speech he gave before the Senate today. He declares that since freedom is the right of all sentient beings, Megatron should be free to choose his fate should he be found guilty of his crimes. Megatron chooses death. After Optimus leaves Megatron's cell, Ratchet comments on the Matrix's incredible powers, remarking that just holding it near Sunstreaker restored his ability to walk. He returns the Matrix to Optimus, and Optimus says that he just needed to see if he was still the same person he was before becoming Prime without the Matrix.

''Orion Pax meets with an [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|unknown Senator]] at the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]]'' memorial. Orion thanks the Senator for pulling strings to have him released from prison, but asks why he did so after he condemned the Senate. The Senator says that he did it because he did not want to see a robot of Orion's caliber imprisoned on [[Garrus-1]] or sent to the [[Institute]]. The Senator continues, saying that Orion Pax was right, and that the corruption in the Senate goes deeper than he knows. The Senator tells Orion that the [[Knights of Cybertron]] called the Matrix of Leadership the Creation Matrix due to its ability to create life. He goes on to explain that a faction within the Senate orchestrated the attack on Nominus Prime so that they would have an excuse to put him into hiding and gain unrestricted access to the Matrix so that they could learn how to control it, and increase their power over the Cybertronian populace. The Senator then says that the Senate's crackdown in the aftermath of the terrorist attack will lead to a war, and that sides are already being chosen. Orion responds that he feels differently, and that when the Senator's men rebuilt him, they changed him. The Senator mentions that Orion should look reflect on what has happened, and look inside himself to see what his part in the upcoming conflict will be. While alone, Orion Pax discovers the extent of the changes the Senator had ordered. He now has room in his torso to carry the Matrix of Leadership.''

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime/Orion Pax]] (2)
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] (7)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (8)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (11)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (20)
|c4=
*''[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'' (1)
*''[[Nominus Prime]]'' (3)
*''[[Senate]] thugs'' (4-5)
*''[[Kroma]]'' (6)
*''[[Springarm]]'' (9)
*''[[Wheelarch]]'' (10)
*''[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'' (12)
*''Sentinel's security officer'' (13)
*''[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]]'' (14)
*''[[Proteus]]'' (15)
*''[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'' (16)
*''[[Decimus]]'' (17)
*''[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Conspicuously-unnamed senator]]'' (18)
*''[[Sherma]]'' (19)
}}

==Quotes==
"I think you've made your ''point'' now, don't you? I think he's learned his lesson. I think it's time we all moved on." 
"I'll tell you what I think: I think it's time you ''left''."
:—'''Whirl's friends''' fail to shake down '''Orion Pax'''

"It ''hurt''. Bonding with [the Matrix], interfacing with it — whatever the ''acceptable term'' is these days — it hurt like ''hell''. I've always interpreted the pain as a kind of ''warning'' — like the Matrix was saying 'are you sure you want the responsibility? Are you ''sure''?'"
:—'''Optimus'''

"When you became one with the Matrix... how did it ''feel''?" 
"How did it feel ''honestly''? ... It felt ''wonderful!''"
:—'''Optimus''' learns the Matrix likes '''Rodimus''' better

"Come out and face us! At least your colleagues had the guts to confront us ''head-on''..." 
"'Head on'. It's ''funny'' 'cos, y'know, we cut off their—" 
"Yes, I know. I said it on ''purpose.''"
:—'''Whirl's friends''' make puns about murder.

'''"How can we get rid of you?"'''
:—'''Orion Pax''' faces down the Senate

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The Senate mentions the [[Cyberutopian]]s as a sect that annoy them. "[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]" will later mention the legend of [[Cyberutopia]], related to the mythical Knights of Cybertron.
*Ratchet shows a dismissive attitude towards the Matrix's power, to the point of using quote-y fingers when discussing it. This would become a major aspect of his character in the ''More Than Meets The Eye'' series.
*Optimus mentions that bonding with the Matrix hurt him physically. We learn more about that in "[[Transformation (issue)|''Autocracy'' #9]]".
*Whirl doesn’t realize it, but he’s ''very'' lucky Orion interrupted his “rescue”; ''[[Transformers: Historia|Historia]]'' makes it clear that those Senate goons were really there to kill him, to both punish him for failing to kill Megatron and to tie off a loose end.

===Transformers references===
*Among Orion's trophies is one from the [[Institute for Higher Programming]] mentioned in [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]]'s toy bio.
*In addition to [[Primus]], Orion Pax refers to the previously unknown deities [[Mortilus]] and [[Adaptus]].
*A statue of [[Prima]] overlooks the [[Grand Imperium]] Senate chamber. He's drawn like the [[Aligned continuity family|Aligned]]-style Prima seen in ''[[Transformers Vault]],'' Matrix sword and all. Beneath him is inscribed; 'Freedom is the right of all civilized beings', a quote Prime clearly felt he could improve on.
*When Orion Pax reaches the Senate Chamber he gives their full title noting that they are the 113th Cybertronian Senate. This is one of [[113 (disambiguation)|'''many''' references]] James Roberts makes to [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|UK issue #113]].

===Real life references===
*Proteus is the name of a Greek god of the seas who has prophetic abilities and is able to change his form at will.
*Megatron's "three questions" are a near-verbatim quote from British politician {{w|Tony Benn}}.

===Errors===
*Springarm's decapitated head lacks the Matrix tattoo on his cheek.
*Despite saying that they are "purely decorative", one of Orion's arm cannons has smoke coming out of it after he fights his way into the senate.
*On the final page, the mysterious Senator calls Optimus Prime by his current name, "Orion", only to call him "Optimus" a few panels later, after explaining the room made in his chest to (presumably) hold the Matrix. Since he wouldn't actually become Optimus Prime until ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' [[Transformation (issue)|#9]], this is either an outright error, or the Senator is foreshadowing to what he somehow apparently knows will happen to Orion/Optimus in the near future.

===Other trivia===
*This was originally going to be a one-shot with ''Chaos'' as a mini-series. But the ongoing sells more than one-shots and minis, so in they went to the ongoing! (This is why the series ended on #31 and not #25.)<ref>[http://moonbase2.libsyn.com/webpage/the-underbase-reviews-ongoing-31 Moonbase 2 interview with Mike Costa ("Special Guest")]</ref>
*"Chaos Theory" was originally pitched as a Megatron one-issue story. It became a 2-parter as Hasbro wanted a story where Optimus coined the term "Autobot".<ref>[http://tfarchive.com/fandom/features/podcast/?name=podcast_maximus_episode_3.mp3 Podcast Maximus episode 3], 04:05 to 05:00</ref>
*[[Nebulan]]s are described by Whirl's friends as having hair, but were all shown as bald in "[[Spotlight: Ultra Magnus]]". [[Zarak (G1)|Mo Zarak]] had facial hair though, which might count for something. But as this was millions of years before Spotlight: Ultra Magnus, and the "hair" could have been lost through evolution or cultural change, or the Nebulans seen in the Spotlight were exceptions and not the rule.
*The unnamed senator was scripted as "Senator X" and not intended to be [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|anyone]], but Roberts immediately thought it would be cool to [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|reveal]] he was someone we knew.<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 42:30 - 43:10</ref>
*Orion Pax is ''hardcore.''

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Optimus Prime's head; art by [[Alex Milne]] and colors by [[Josh Perez]].
*'''Cover B:''' Orion Pax's head; art by Milne and colors by Perez.
*'''Cover RI:''' Both half-heads combined into one time-spanning B&W super head; art by Milne.

<gallery>
Image:TFvol1 23cvrA.jpg|New Prime
Image:TFvol1 23cvrB.jpg|Old Prime
Image:TFvol1 23cvrRI.jpg|All-time Prime
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|''The Transformers'' #24]]
*"Chaos" checklist
*[[IDWords]] advertising ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', ''The Legend of Drizzt'', and ''True Blood'' comics
*Anne Rice's ''Servant of the Bones'' comic
*''The Legend of Drizzt'' comic
*IDW on Twitter
*''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' comic (back cover)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:IDW The Transformers issues]]

Enemy (SG)

2019-03-23T15:28:02Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|sgDecepticon}}
{{disambig2|the heroic Decepticon|his evil counterpart|Enemy (G1)}}
:''Enemy is a heroic [[Decepticon]] [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Recordicon]] from the [[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:RecordiconsRavageSteeljawEnemySG.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|“Since this is a mirror universe, shouldn’t I be called Friend?”]]
'''Enemy''' is... kind of a mystery. But he ''will'' be avenged!

==Fiction==
===''Recordicons''===
Enemy was eaten by [[Steeljaw (SG)|Steeljaw]], causing [[Ravage (SG)|Ravage]] to conclude that he and Steeljaw were friends ("the enemy of Enemy is my friend"). However, Steeljaw asserted that Ravage was misinterpreting the adage. Enemy, reduced to a bouncing head, vowed that he would be avenged. {{storylink|Recordicons#Recordicons #4|Recordicons #4}}

==Notes==
*For now, at least, he's prominently a talking head, just like his Generation 1 [[Enemy (G1)|counterpart]].
*His head is colored in the reverse colors of his Generation 1 counterpart's: silver helmet with a red face.

[[Category:Comic-only Decepticons]]
[[Category:Mini-Cassettes]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass Decepticons]]

Betatron (CW)

2019-01-12T16:07:01Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Betatron is an [[Autobot]] [[combiner]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:CWart-Betatron.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.7|“I’m not Computron, I’m my original character, Betatron!”]]
'''Betatron''' is the product of [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]]'s special combinational abilities, which bypass the awkward merging of personalities that most [[combiner]]s suffer from to form an effective warrior. As such, Betatron serves as a secret weapon for the [[Autobot]]s, capable of forming and re-forming with new components at the drop of a hat, even whilst battle rages around him.

He is presumably, given his name, a predecessor to [[Computron (G1)|Computron]]. Don't mistake him for [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] or [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]].

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generations===
[[File:TF-Generations-Combiner-Wars-Betatron.jpg|upright=2|thumb|Poor Man’s Computron]]
* '''Prowl''' (Deluxe, 2015)
* '''Ironhide''' (Deluxe, 2015)
* '''Scattershot''' (Voyager, 2016)
* '''Sunstreaker''' (Deluxe, 2015)
* '''Mirage''' (Deluxe, 2015)
**''Accessories:'' rifle (combined from gun and shield), four small weapons, four hands/feet

:Betatron can be formed by attaching any four ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' Deluxe Class figures (although we suggest Decepticons might not be all too appropriate) in limb mode to Voyager Class [[Scattershot (G1)#Generations|Scattershot]]'s torso mode. Scattershot's packaging suggests a configuration with [[Prowl (G1)/toys#Generations|Prowl]], [[Ironhide (G1)/toys#CombinerWars|Ironhide]], [[Sunstreaker (G1)/toys#Generations|Sunstreaker]], and [[Mirage (G1)/toys#CombinerWars|Mirage]].

:Betatron is armed with a [[5mm post|5mm]] rifle formed by combining Scattershot's gun and shield, which can be further expanded by attaching Legends Class [[Powerglide (G1)#Generations|Powerglide]] or one of his mold-mates in gun mode.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2016/Autobot/CWBetatron/betatron.htm More information on ''Combiner Wars'' Betatron at TFU.info]''
{{-}}
==Notes==
* The name "Betatron" was previously used for a ''[[Micronauts]]'' toy in the late 1970s. [http://www.innerspaceonline.com/abgtrons.htm That wasn't a terribly good effort either!]

[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Toy-only characters]]

How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2

2018-11-11T20:30:07Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Errors */

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Years pass.

Life goes on.

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

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

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

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

''[[Furmanism|It never ends]]!''
[[File:LL25 It Never Ends.jpg|thumb|400px|center|''*curtains close*'']]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Errors===
*Among the mourners at Ratchet's funeral on page 1 is Bluestreak, coloured like Prowl. As this scene is set in the far future, of course, it is not ''impossible'' for this to actually be Prowl, having reverted at some point over the years to a Cybertronian body-design like Bluestreak (versus the Earth SUV design he has in the present-day segments), and indeed, Roberts claimed on Twitter that it ''was'' Prowl... but given that ''absolutely everybody else'' at the funeral is or was a ''Lost Light'' crewmember, and "Prowlstreak" is specifically standing with Bluestreak's fellow mutineers and recurring crew B-and-C-listers Hound, Blaster, and Perceptor, it really does feel like a goof that's being covered for.
* Speaking of Bluestreak, his presence in general feels like an error; it ''really'' seemed like he died in issue 19, what with him violently exploding into pieces, yet here he is, up and about without comment. It can’t be an artist mistake either; he’s specifically named and given dialogue.
*On page 16, panel 2, Minimus Ambus says: "500 million sparks brought to term. 500 Lunarians given somewhere to live..." That ought to be "500 ''million'' Lunarians," a restatement of the previous sentence in different terms, rather than the implication that only 500 of the 500,000,000 sparks had been given homes and jobs.

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

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

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

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

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

[[Category: Lost Light issues]]

Zero Point

2018-11-07T02:02:02Z

Ectojazzmage: /* Notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''
|prev=Escape (G1)
|next=In Word and Deed
|image=
|caption=
|title="Zero Point"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[February 22]], [[2012]]
|story=[[James Roberts]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''Roadbuster cares for a comatose Springer.'''

==Synopsis==
In the abandoned ''[[Debris]]'', [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] spends his every day caring for the dying [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], cleaning his optics and reading him excerpts from [[Ironfist (G1)|Fisitron's]] ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]''. The medics can't bring the [[Autobot]] back from his slow death because they can't find the "[[zero point]]", the tiny, near-invisible gap between two energy conductors that keeps the [[Spark]] going. [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] had suggested that the Spark may respond to emotional triggers, and so Roadbuster taught himself how to read so he could recount old war stories to his friend. He's read through 331 of the logs though, struggling through the "Fisitronisms" and the repetitions and the discomfort about himself being described in the logs as a one-dimensional gun nut, and nothing has yet happened.

''Springer had always tried to be a black-and-white, Heroic Autobots vs. Evil [[Decepticon]]s type of guy, but as the [[Great War (G1)|war]] dragged on he decided being a decent 'bot was holding him back. A chance encounter with [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] and the [[Wrecker]]s at the Battle of [[Sherma Bridge]] was a jolt to the system and he eagerly signed up as a reservist. He was made a member of the 17th line-up and grew to see Impactor as an older brother... but the Wreckers soon became uncomfortably violent and dirty, just as the war did. There were too many abuses of prisoners, too many battlefield atrocities, and Springer found himself saying that it wasn't'' his ''problem.'' He ''wasn't doing any of it, and sometimes he helped calm them down (less and less as time went on).''

''Then the Wreckers became obsessed with [[Squadron X]], ignoring all other threats in favour of tracking down their opposite numbers. It came to a head on [[Pova]], where Impactor murdered eight helpless prisoners. Springer immediately contacted [[Autobot High Command|High Command]], where [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] been waiting for just such a whistleblower, and testified against his leader. Roadbuster, [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], [[Rack'n'Ruin (G1)|Rack'n'Ruin]], all of them then came to Springer (each thinking he was the only one) to beg him to become the new leader, admitting their horror at what happened and afraid that Prowl would use this as an excuse to end them. Roadbuster was shaken by the fact his gun had been used, thinking Impactor only wanted it for self-defence in case the Squadron broke free. Springer promised he'd become their leader if they got through this, and testified that the others had nothing to do with the murders.''

Roadbuster tries to read the ''Declassified'' account of Pova but can't: he knows it's a lie. He finally confesses to Springer: that they all knew Springer was making Impactor's hatred worse, pumping up all the Wreckers with atrocity propaganda against Squadron X, and all because Springer needed them to be doing something foul to give himself an excuse to cut loose. And Roadbuster had known that Impactor was going to murder them and so had the others, and they were glad he was doing it, Roadbuster was even proud of him; their concern had been that Springer would stop him. And because they knew Springer felt he was leadership material and could 'correct' the Wreckers, they lied to him and played him to avoid being arrested as well.

After his confession, Roadbuster apologises because he now knows Springer was a great leader: their best leader.

Then, the life-support machines register a resurgent Spark, and when Roadbuster checks a small tear in Springer's optic, he sees a touch of its old [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] blue is coming back.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] (1)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (2)
*[[Topspin (G1)|Top Spin]] (3)
*[[Twin Twist]] (4)
*[[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] (5)
*[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] (6)
*[[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]] (7)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (8)
*[[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]] (9)
*[[Kaput]] (10)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (11)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (14)
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (15)
*[[Rack'n'Ruin (G1)|Rack n' Ruin]] (16–17)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (12)
*[[Macabre]] (13)
}}

==Notes==
*This story was first printed in the hardcover of ''Last Stand''. Like ''[[Escape (G1)|Escape]]'' and ''[[In Word and Deed]],'' it was also re-released with ''[[Transformers: The Wreckers Saga]].''
*Roadbuster name-drops the [[Nanocon]]s, which would later appear in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|''More than Meets the Eye'' Annual]].
*Kup and Rung are old friends.
*Among the threats that the Wreckers ignored on their X quest were the [[Black Epoch]], the [[Simanzi Massacre]] and the [[Crucible]], and the "Rise of the [[Dethroner]]".
*Squadron X were merely refueling on Pova. The hardcover's ''Squadron X'' profiles reveals more: they were only transporting munitions in the Redan Quadrant, and two members were not long for the team anyway.
*Springer's call to Autobot High Command to inform them of Impactor's misdeeds took place at the [[G'th Semane]] spaceport, named for the Biblical garden of Gethsemane, where Judas betrayed [[Jesus]]. A bit on the nose, that one.
*Transformers' optics glow because the Spark is healthy, and act as a genuine 'window' into the soul. Springer's optics hint that he might actually be Matrix compatible.
*Ironfist's memorial statue on [[Kimia Facility|Kimia]], briefly seen in "[[Chaos Part One: Lamentations]]", is mentioned. All of Ironfist's "Fisitron" writings were released in a collected format when the statue was unveiled, and Prowl wrote the foreword. (Roadbuster thinks the foreword is rubbish)
*Roadbuster did not know how to read until this story perhaps indicating that he is a second wave [[M.T.O.]]
*In one battle, Impactor used the words "not more poetry", a line he says to Megatron in "[[Chaos Theory Part 1]]", to startle the villain. 'Fisitron' recorded this but was unaware of what it meant.
*It is specifically noted that [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] was the only Wrecker who didn’t approach Springer about absolving the team. Remember that little tidbit; [[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|it becomes important later]].

[[Category:Last Stand of the Wreckers issues]]

Fanon

2018-09-16T01:34:40Z

Ectojazzmage: /* External links */

'''Fanon''' is a portmanteau word formed from the words "[[fandom|fan]]" and "[[canon]]". It refers to so-called "facts" that a significant number of fans think are true, but for which there is no evidence in any official material. A piece of fanon usually becomes widespread due to having been discussed and picked up by other fans. Some fanon is based on misinterpretations of canon (especially when translations from Japanese material are involved) and some is simply stuff fans made up. While fanon originates with fans rather than the official canon of the Transformers [[Continuity|multiverse]], it sometimes becomes [[Canonizing|incorporated into the canon]] via [[retcon]] or other means if a writer decides to establish the fans' interpretation in official fiction. Sometimes, this can also happen because an official writer mistakes fanon for established canon.

Misuse of the term has broadened the word's definition (among some) to include fan-characters and fan-fiction. (See "Transfanon Wiki" link below.) The difference is that fan-fiction is an ''extension'' built upon canon, while fanon is an ''interpretation'' or ''explanation'' of existing canon.

==Examples==
Fanon terms or ideas that later became canon:
* "Gestalt" as a term for [[Combiner|combiners]]
* The name of the Predacon ship being the [[Darksyde (BW)|''Darkside'' or ''Darksyde'']].
* The [[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|''Armada'' beast redecoes]] being [[Unicron's Four Horsemen|Unicron's "horsemen"]].
* "[[Herald of Unicron]]"
* [[Subspace storage pocket|Subspace]] as an interdimensional storage medium
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] is crazy and craves [[JaAm|jam]]
* U-Haul Robot from the cartoon is [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]].
* The large number of [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]]s are due to them possessing [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]] [[Insecticon clone|cloning abilities]].

Fanon terms or ideas that never became canon:
* [[Dion (G1)|Dion]] having been rebuilt into somebody "important"
* [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] being a "[[zombie]]" [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], or [[cloning|cloned]] from a severed leg.

==Fanon and this wiki==
{{SITENAME SHORT}} generally tries to avoid including fanon, until it becomes so widespread that excluding it is quixotic. Even then, however, fanon should be clearly identified as such. The best way to reference fanon in articles without interrupting the coverage of actual canon is to confine it to trivia notes sections (or, if ''really'' necessary, clearly marked notes within a paragraph.)

==External links==
*[http://transfanon.wikia.com/ The Transfanon Wiki]
*[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanon/Transformers The Transformers Fanon page on TV Tropes]

[[Category:Fandom]]

Countdown (G1)

2018-04-20T19:28:18Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Countdown}}
:''Countdown is an [[Autobot]] [[Micromaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Countdown robotMTMTE.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Hero of a thousand worlds, champion of the oppressed, and destroyer of thousands of Decepticons, but no... let's tell more stories about stupid Bumblebee. [[Mega Pretender|Not that he's bitter]].]]
'''Countdown''' is a legend on thousands of inhabited worlds. Before all the other Autobots, he had gone out into space to explore, travelling from one end of the galaxy to the other, and overthrowing tyrants and monsters wherever he found them. Countless beings owe Countdown their freedom.<ref>''Universe'' Countdown's [[bio]]</ref> Now, he identifies planets under threat from the Decepticons and meddles to the Autobots' benefit. He looks forward to the day when the Decepticons are defeated, and he can start toppling other tyrannical regimes<ref>''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]''</ref> again.

He possesses an [[Rocket Base|interstellar rocket and command base]] that can "slingshot" across entire galaxies. The base is used to launch the rocket, but [[Size changing|also fits inside]] the rocket.

==Fiction==
===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Countdown was an Autobot Aerospace Commander, who volunteered for the prototype Micromaster process which downsized him and several others as a means for conserving fuel. Alongside [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], [[Groundshaker]] and [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], he was assigned to [[Operation: Containment]]. This was a two-fold mission — the Decepticons had begun expanding their tyranny off-planet, and the Autobots could not in good conscience allow the war to engulf other innocent worlds. At the same time, the mission team was charged with making efforts to find [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] and the lost crew of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. Initially, Countdown did not appreciate the methods of his second-in-command, Groundshaker. A... rambunctious fighter, Groundshaker's gun-first approach to combat sometimes made it difficult for the Autobots to ingratiate themselves with local populations when confronting the Decepticon expansion. Countdown submitted a troop transfer request to Autobot Command, but it was rejected. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye#Issue .233|More than Meets the Eye, Issue #3}} Eventually, the duo began to work better together, and Countdown came to consider Groundshaker a valuable friend and ally.

[[File:Golddendisk paradron.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Countdown argues with Skystalker over which movie they're going to watch.]]

Eventually, the two missions of Containment became cross-purposes: Decepticon forces moving in one direction, towards [[Paradron]]; a stray signal beacon emanating from the other direction, towards the Sol system. While Jetfire and Omega Supreme followed the beacon, {{storylink|Original Sin}} Countdown and Groundshaker continued on to Paradron, in order to combat the Decepticon Interstellar Assault Commander, [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]], and his men. The Decepticons very nearly wiped out the entire populace, and only a climactic personal battle between Countdown and Skystalker engineered a temporary stalemate. Skystalker was left to die on the planet, while Countdown acquired a mysterious artifact.

The Autobot duo chose to return to Cybertron seeking reinforcements, only to find [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] woefully unsupportive of their plight. Countdown had dreams of establishing an interplanetary force, not only to stop the spread of Decepticon evil, but to actively take steps to better the other worlds in the cosmos. Seeing how little Magnus and the others had bettered their own world in his absence, though, Countdown began looking for other options. After passing the [[Hot Rod Patrol]] in the halls, and hearing them voice similar complaints about the current Autobot management, Countdown and Groundshaker decided to keeps tabs on those Micromasters. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}}

When the Hot Rod Patrol broke free from the Autobot ranks, they set off for the Wastelands and were nearly hijacked by [[Venom (G1)|Venom]] and his team of [[Insecticon (G1)|cannibals]]. Groundshaker arrived to shake them up a bit, and took the Patrol to see Countdown for a recruitment speech. Countdown tried to explain the epiphany he'd had on Paradron, and the mission he had assumed for himself to bring justice to the universe. [[Big Daddy (G1)|Big Daddy]] and the gang weren't quite ready to hear it yet, though, and so Countdown sent them on their way to [[Little Iacon]]. {{storylink|The Gray Race}}

Once Skystalker returned and informed the Decepticons of Countdown's inevitable attempts at recruitment, the Hot Rod Patrol were targeted by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s men because of their contact with Countdown. Infuriated when Countdown told him to sit and wait, Groundshaker finally exploded and revealed that he knew about the old transfer request Countdown had filed against him. Dismayed and chagrined, Countdown apologized profusely to his comrade for the error, and insisted that he had long since changed his mind about his partner. As a show of good faith, he fully explained his reasoning and recent actions to Groundshaker. On Paradron, he had uncovered a [[Golden Disk (Paradron)|Golden Disk]] containing vast amounts of information on Cybertron, despite the lack of any previous known communications between the two worlds. The artifact apparently contained files on the past, present, AND future of the Transformer race. Countdown justified leaving the Patrol to their fate for the time being, since the Decepticons' efforts were ''clearly'' an attempt to draw them out and steal the artifact and its secrets for themselves. Groundshaker still wasn't wholly impressed, and warned Countdown that focusing too much on the big picture would only ensure that no one was left to watch out for the little guy. {{storylink|Recipe for Hate}}

The discussion became moot, though, after the Decepticon attack forced the Hot Rod Patrol to come looking for aid from Countdown. Eager to forge ties with the Patrol, Countdown agreed to join them in infiltrating Decepticon headquarters and rescuing their fellow Autobot Micromasters, who had been taken hostage from Little Iacon. This led him back into direct conflict with Skystalker for the first time since Paradron. Skystalker had been busy as well, beheading Shockwave and sending the larger Decepticons out to die in battle, clearing the way for a new Micromaster regime under his iron foot. Big Daddy interfered in their grudge match, and Skystalker vanished before Countdown could complete what he started on Paradron. With the help of Big Daddy and [[Barricade (G1)|Barricade]], he negotiated a ceasefire between the Micromasters, and they in turn forced the larger Transformers to put an end to the fight Skystalker orchestrated as well. Ultimately, however, Countdown failed to convince Big Daddy and the others of the virtues of his cause. Already weighed down by the horrors of war, Big Daddy just saw Countdown's mission as another excuse for fighting and death. {{storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

===''Wings Universe''===
[[File:BattleLines6-MicromasterInitiative.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Hero. Legend. Salesman.]]
Nine million years ago, as the energies of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] dwindled, Countdown and [[Cop-Tur (G1)|Cop-Tur]] were proponents of the [[Micromaster Initiative]] as a solution to the planet's energy woes. [[Flak (G1)|Flak]] was persuaded to agree. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 6}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{note|In the IDW continuity, Countdown is not a Micromaster.}}
[[File:Countdown the sensuous frame.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|“...I have cooler ones at home.”]]
Countdown is an absolute legend. A student of the [[Thunderclash School of Heroic Arts]] (Class of Cycle 1022), he was taught, inspired, guided and befriended by the heroic [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] and went on to be a decorated war hero himself. He was one of the many notable soldiers at the [[Simanzi Massacre]]. Despite his many accomplishments, he disliked wearing his medals and only did so out of politeness.

With Thunderclash's death imminent, Countdown went aboard the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]'' to pay his respects and leave his medals (bar his graduation badge, "the only one that ever ''meant'' anything") at his tires. However, upon opening up his old teacher's trailer to investigate a strange knocking coming from within, he was attacked and fell victim to the [[personality tick]] infestation. {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} Greedy infant parasites feasted on his charisma until he was dead, and [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Getaway]] later found his still-warm corpse in the ship's morgue. {{storylink|The Frail Gaze}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Countdown was a Micromaster working for [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]'s command team in [[Micropolis]]. From the Star Convoy, they oversaw [[Builder of Cybertron|Builder]] operations and counter-[[Resistance]] activities. Countdown debriefed Hot Rod on the theft of the [[G-Virus]] from the [[Forever Vaults]]. {{storylink|Micro-Aggressions}}

Countdown remained part of the Micromaster command team as the Resistance made their final push on the [[High Pavilion]] of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] and the [[Builder Assembly]] insisted the Micromasters continue fighting the Resistance all the way to the Pavilion, though it meant guerrilla tactics or even open warfare in civilian areas. Anything to slow the Resistance down until the [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]]s hordes arrived from the rear. Countdown and the Micromaster commanders objected to the idea of accepting innocent casualties for a delaying tactic, and claimed communications were breaking down in order to ignore the Assembly's orders.

When the [[Vehicon Apocalypse]] began, Countdown and Hot Rod accepted [[B'Boom]] and the surviving army of the Resistance to bunker down in the High Pavilion Arena, combining forces to survive the horde of attacking drones. {{storylink|Derailment}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1-Zone-toy Countdown-MoonRadar.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Lunar golf cart.]]
*'''Countdown''' (Micromaster Autobot Rocket Base, [[1989]])
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-330'''
**''Accessories'': [[Rocket Base|rocket base]], rocket, platform, large ramp, helipad, short ramps (3), mechanical arm, large double laser, small double lasers (2), large laser, gunner pod, scout vehicle.

:Countdown transforms into a fanciful moon rover. He was sold with a [[Rocket Base|mobile launch base]], which can transform into a command center and connect with other [[Micromaster]] bases via modular ramps.

:This toy was sold without changes in Japan as [[Moonradar (Zone)#Toys|Moonradar]].

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

===''Universe'' (2008)===
[[File:Universe2008-toy Countdown.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|“Is it safe to wear a functioning rocket like a backpack? No. Do I care? Also no.”]]
*'''Autobot Countdown''' (Ultra, [[2009]])
**''Series:'' Generation 1 series
**''Accessories:'' Large missile, projectile, shield/multi-tool arm, hammer tool, claw tool, opaque grey Earth-style Cyber Key

:A [[redeco]] of [[Red Alert (Armada)#CybCD|Cybertron Defense Red Alert]], Countdown transforms into a vehicle based upon a cross between a Russian [[wikipedia: R-400 Oka|R-400 Oka mobile ballistic missile launcher]] and a [[wikipedia:BTR-90|BTR-90 armoured personnel carrier]], colored mostly blue with a white and grey rocket as an [[homage]] to the Rocket Base that came with his original figure. The left side of his vehicle mode has a flip-up non-firing double-blaster, which can also be "used" in robot mode. Inserting a Cyber Key into the rear of the missile rack splits the missile open, activates lights and an electronic beeping sound, and exposes the inner spring-loaded projectile-launching translucent "laser cannon". When the missile itself is "launched"/slid off, it lights up and plays a sound of it taking off.

:In robot mode, he is mostly red and white, a clear homage to his original Micromaster figure. He comes with a shield that can be mounted on either arm. When a Key is inserted into the top of the shield, a cannon flips out, and its barrel tip can be equipped with several tools stored in his shins (a spring-loaded hammer-head or a gripping claw). He has two (nonfunctional) Mini-Con hardpoints in vehicle mode, and two ''different'' hardpoints in robot mode.

:Countdown and his casemate [[Darkwing (G1)#Universe (2008)|Darkwind]] were "stealth" [[exclusive]] to [[Toys"R"Us]], meaning he appeared in stores before [[Hasbro]] bothered to tell anybody about it.

:This mold was also [[retool]]ed to make ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Megatron (BW)/toys#Timelines|Darksyde Megatron]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/TFUCountdown/countdown.htm More information on Universe Countdown at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''French:'' '''Rebours''' (Canada)
*''Italian:'' '''Uranius'''

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Micromasters]]
[[Category:Toys "R" Us exclusives]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]

The Falling, Chapter 3: The Ground

2018-04-18T20:25:53Z

Ectojazzmage:

{{Comicstory
|series=op|issueno=17
|prev=The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine
|next=The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named
|caption=
|image=OP17 cvrA.jpg
|title="The Falling Chapter 3: The Ground"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[April 18]], 2018
|coverdate=March 2018
|written by=[[John Barber]]
|art by=[[Kei Zama]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[David Mariotte]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era]]
}}

'''Cybertron descends into chaos as Onyx Prime sows dissent, revealing secrets that turn Decepticon against Decepticon, Titan against Prime, and Cybertronian against Cybertronian.'''

==Synopsis==
Aboard [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] over [[Kentucky]], [[Aileron]] reflects on her life up to this point. In her youth on [[Caminus]], she always wanted more out of life, and found inspiration when [[Pyra Magna]] of the [[Torchbearer]]s visited her village. Her adherence to the [[Way of Flame]] swelling as she read more about the Torchbearers adventures, Aileron moved to the big city, dragging her friend [[Sterling]] along with her. There, they witnessed first contact with [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and Aileron met [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] and followed him to Earth... which led to Sterling's death at [[human]] hands. Now, as Aileron watches footage beamed lived from Cybertron, she witnesses another death that has come as the apparent result of following a Prime—[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] has perished in a bombing that [[Onyx Prime]] is blaming on [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] and the [[Decepticon]]s. Aileron is convinced that Onyx is responsible, however, and urges [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] to activate the [[space bridge]] so they can go help. [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] advocates caution, but Autobot City itself seems to have other ideas; the ground suddenly falls out from under Aileron as [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] transforms from city to robot mode and opens a space bridge big enough for himself to travel through. Arcee dives after Aileron, while down below, in Kentucky's [[Ore-13]] mine, the Autobot colonists can only watch as the city disappears through the portal, leaving them behind.

On Cybertron, it turns out that no-one is actually buying Onyx's allegations against Soundwave, believing that [[Liege Maximo]]—who has vanished from captivity in the chaos—is the one responsible. Unfortunately, [[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] and [[Longtooth]] are still broadcasting live to the whole city as Onyx continues his tirade, impugning Optimus Prime's good name and reminding all native Cybertronian citizens watching that they have ''far'' more reason to mistrust the Decepticons, [[human]]s, and colonists with whom Optimus stands than they do Onyx himself. To validate his point, Onyx unveils a years-old recording he has secretly obtained from [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]'s public security network, which reveals to all a long-held secret: it shows Soundwave killing [[Horri-Bull]] by detonating his [[inhibitor/deterrence chip|I/D chip]], something that everyone believed was [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]'s doing. Content to leave the populace to do with this information as they will, Onyx boards his flying skiff to return to his eyeball-mothership, the ''[[Nemesis (BWII)|Nemesis]]'', floating above. Horri-Bull's former [[Conjunx Endura]] [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] is confused and horrified; Soundwave remorsefully admits to the crime, and mayhem erupts all at once as Needlenose lunges at him, and fighting breaks out among Cybertronians and colonists in the city streets.

Having just watched yet another Prime prove to be nothing more than a manipulator and liar, [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] finds that his previously-faltering faith in [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] as the ''true'' "Chosen One" prophesied to save Cybertron is now stronger than ever. Soundwave shrugs off Needlenose's ineffectual attacks to watch as Scoop combines with the other [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] into [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], who proceeds to tear his way into the prison where Starscream is being held and forcibly drag the former ruler of Cybertron out of his cell so that he can "light their darkest hour"—all over Starscream's own protestations, of course. But Scoop isn't the only believer in Starscream's supposed divinity—in the sky over Cybertron, Metrotitan emerges from his space bridge, and submits himself to Starscream's command, opening fire on Onyx Prime's skiff.

Recognizing that the whole situation has somehow been engineered by Onyx but unable to discern why, Optimus Prime has [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] fly him up to Metrotitan's head-height so he can order the Titan to stand down. Metrotitan refuses to obey Optimus's orders and fires on the pair; Windblade evades the blasts, but Optimus slips from her grasp and is sent plummeting down towards the surface... only to be snatched to safety by Onyx, aboard his skiff. At Onyx's command, the ''Nemesis'' returns fire on Metrotitan, blasting him through the chest with a single colossal energy beam. The giant collapses, and Optimus, aghast at the apparent deaths of his Titan and all aboard him, turns on Onyx. Onyx grabs Optimus's arm to stop his blow, then plunges his left hand into Optimus's midsection, unleashing an incapacitating energy blast. Onyx draws back his arm, his left hand shattered by the attack... then, as Optimus looks up at him, Onyx ''tears his own face off''... revealing that, beneath his beastly exterior, "Onyx Prime" is, and has always been...

...''[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]!''

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks. 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Aileron]] (1)
*''[[Pyra Magna]]'' (3)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] (6)
*[[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] (7)
*[[Slide]] (8)
*[[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]] (9)
*[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'s corpse (10)
*[[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] (12)
*[[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] (14)
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (15)
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (21)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]'s "ghost" (37)
|c2=
*''[[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]'' (4)
*''[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]'' (5)
*[[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]]'s corpse (22)
*[[Swift (G1)|Swift]] (23)
*[[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] (24)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] (26)
*''[[Horri-Bull]]'' (29)
*''[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'' (30)

|c3=
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (20)

|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Sterling]]'' (2)
*[[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] (11)
*[[D.0.C.]] (13)
*[[Mistress of Flame]] (16)
*[[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] (17)
*[[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]] (18)
*[[Fireshot (G1)|Fireshot]] (19)
*[[Longtooth]] (25)
*[[Onyx Prime]]/[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] (27)
*''[[Zetca]]'' (28)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (29)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (30)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (31)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (32)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (33)
*[[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] (34)
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] (35)
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devasator]] (36)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
"'''Flying''' is a constant '''fight'''. '''Gravity''' pulls at us. I can tell myself it can't get '''me'''... but not everybody is so lucky. I wanted to '''build''' things. I told Optimus you need to start with a '''foundation'''. When the '''foundation''' isn't strong enough... when it '''fails'''... '''nothing''' stays standing. When everything '''collapses'''... it's not the '''falling''' that kills you. It's the sudden '''stop''' at the end."
:—'''Aileron'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Aileron flashes back to Menasor and Swindle's attack on [[Caminus]] and Optimus Prime's unveiling of the Matrix to the planet's people, as seen in [[The Sum and Its Parts|''Windblade'' vol. 2 #1]]. Though not shown in flashback form, she also recalls Sterling's death from [[All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|''The Transformers'' #50]].
*Onyx tells the masses that he "was there when [[Protihex|Protohex]] was razed by the [[Darklands|Darklanders]]," an event we saw in [[Origin Myths|issue #10]], though there was no sign of Onyx being there to witness it...
*[[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]] is revealed to have died in the explosion at the end of last issue, though you would be forgiven for missing it; pretty much nobody comments on his death (not even this article!), and his corpse is kept mostly off-panel for some reason.
*Needlenose refers to Optimus Prime—back in his Orion Pax days—joining with the Decepticons to take down [[Zeta Prime]], as seen in ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy]]''. He also notes that Prime gave the Decepticons "another shot" after Galvatron "tried to wreck everything," a rather understated summary of the events of [[Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|''The Transformers'' #46]]-[[All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|55]].
*The first voice that speaks out to join Onyx in discrediting Optimus Prime is [[Tappet]], the occasionally-seen [[NAIL]] who has been nursing a hatred of Optimus since he was first introduced years ago in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]''. We found out the origins of his grudge back in [[New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|issue #1]].
*Onyx's recording showing the death of Horri-Bull from way back in [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|''Robots in Disguise'' #1]], and the subsequent revelation that the Decepticons were responsible from [[The World & Everything in It|issue #2]]. He claims it is a public security recording, but the camera angles (viewing the death from behind and above, then looking up at Ratbat as he hangs upside down from the ceiling) indicate that this is actually a POV recording from [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]], who watched the scene play out from these positions.
*Just before the chaos breaks out, [[Marissa Faireborn]] is seen making a phone call to her assistant [[Rashid Nasir]] to have the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] sent over. We learned Rashid was working as Marissa's assistant in [[Starscream: The Movie (comic)|2018 ''Optimus Prime'' Annual]]; we haven't seen the Dinobots since [[The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|issue #14]], but this confirms they're still living inside [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], as they have been since the events of ''[[The Transformers: Redemption]]'', even though Trypty is now serving as the [[Earth]] embassy on Cybertron.
*It makes sense that Metrotitan would follow Starscream, as he was the one who originally dubbed him the "Chosen One," back in [[Primus: All Good Things|the 2012 ''Robots in Disguise'' annual]].
*Shock''whaaaaaaaaaat?!'' In one of the biggest surprise moments in Transformers comics pretty much ''ever'', Ol' One-Eye returns from his apparent death in [[...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|the final chapter of ''Dark Cybertron'']], when he was consumed by a singularity. Perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that he still lives, though; the [[Ghost Stories|2017 ''Transformers'' Annual]] revealed that Bumblebee, dead even before ''he'' was consumed by the singularity, was alive within it.

===Transformers references===
*"Onyx" identifies his eyeball ship by name as the ''[[Nemesis (BWII)|Nemesis]]'', after the similar-looking [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] craft from the ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'' animated series. There's a parallel in this; Shockwave previously used a ''different'' Predacon ship, the ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'' from ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'', in [[Strange Visitors|''Revolutionaries'' #5]]. And of course, it's a huge, single eye... should've been a hint, really, shouldn't it?
*Devastator asks Starscream to light their [[darkest hour]]. You should know what this means even without the link.

===Other trivia===
*Originally solicited for released in March 2018, this issue arrived noticeably late, almost two full months after issue #16. Issue #18, however, was ''not'' delayed; it was supposed to be released the week after #17, but a scheduling error resulted in the issue being digitally released, and copies being shipped to some stores, on the ''same week'' as this issue.

===Soundtrack===
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piWxZT8N9TQ Repo Man]" by {{w|Charlotte Hatherley}}
*"[http://classic.beatport.com/track/amplivagant-original-mix/9376031 Amplivagant]" by T.A.R.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Starscream in the grip of Devsatator, by [[Kei Zama]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Cover B:''' Our cast, within the silhouette of Aileron by [[Casey Coller]] and [[John-Paul Bove]]
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' Optimus Prime by [[Thomas Deer]]
<gallery>
File:OP17 cvrA.jpg|
File:OP17 cvrB.jpg|
File:OP17 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''Optimus Prime'' #18
*''[[The Transformers: Redemption of the Dinobots|Redemption of the Dinobots]]'' TPB
*''[[Rom]]: Tales of the [[Solstar Order]]'' one-shot
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*''Dungeons & Dragons: Evil at Baldur's Gate''
*IDW at C2E2 2018
*[[Free Comic Book Day]] 2018
*[[Schismatic|''Transformers vs. Visionaries'' #1]], presented as a "funeral program" for the departed [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]]

==External links==
*[http://www.multiversitycomics.com/previews/optimus-prime-17/ Preview]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Falling Part 3: The Ground, The}}
[[Category:Optimus Prime issues]]