MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Falling into Place

2015-06-25T12:53:34Z

Heatsync: Added characters- And these annoying yellow bar-thingies over "classicverse" and "aquarius" (???)

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=[[Another Light]], Part One
|prev=Familiar Reflections
|next=Another Light: Distant Fissures
|seriesissue2=''[[Transformers: Classics#Fiction|Classics]]''/''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (fiction)|Shattered Glass]]''
|prev2=Solar Requiem
|prev3=Shattered Destiny
|prev4=Timeless
|title="Falling into Place"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|published in=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 61|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #61]]
|writers=[[Jesse Wittenrich]] & [[Pete Sinclair]]
|pencils=[[Eryck Webb]]
|inks=Eryck Webb
|colors=[[Evan Gauntt]]
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|managing editor=Pete Sinclair
|continuity=[[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|Shattered Glass]]
}}

'''Ultra Mammoth and the Autobots arrive on the Shattered Glass Cybertron, just in time to hunt down Ultra Magnus- and to learn of the next crisis for the Decepticons!'''

==Synopsis==
48 hours ago on the Shattered Glass Cybertron, Straxus and Blaster are having a conversation about the classicverse Straxus, when all of a sudden a white dinosaur emerges in a flash of life in front of them! Before the dinosaur attacks, Ironhide, Prowl, Silverbolt, and Ultra Mammoth step forward. Welcoming the Autobots to Cybertron, Blaster contacts Galvatron, Aquarius and Cliffjumper to explain more about the current situation. They all meet up at Decepticon HQ to discuss recent happenings, although Ultra Mammoth refuses to let Aquarius to take the Origin Matrix and pass it on to Nexus, claiming that as its guardian, it is his duty to protect it until he next meets Nexus. Cliffjumper then gives Mammoth the summary of recent events, as well as a written edition of his "cliff notes". Determined to track down his double, Mammoth is offered the use of a repaired Stellar Spanner to get to the Classicverse Earth by Galvatron. Spinister and Needlenose meet the Autobots outside the HQ, who offer to build new bodies for the Autobots. Mammoth refuses to upgrade, claiming that in the current chaos, he needs a reminder of the past. As Galvatron tries to make conversation with Mammoth, Cyclonus comes running up with a message from Soundwave- The Autobots are attacking Decepticon City! Galvatron orders Cyclonus to get Blast Off to ready a shuttle and assemble a strike team, as Galvatron declares they're going to Earth- The Shatteredverse Earth!

==Featured characters==

{{featuredcharacters
|h1=SG Decepticons
|c1=
* [[Straxus (SG)|Straxus]] (1)
* ??? (8)
* [[Megatron (SG)|Galvatron]] (10)
* [[Spinister (SG)]] (12)
* [[Needlenose (SG)]] (13)
* [[Cyclonus (SG)]] (14)

|h2=[[Classicsverse]] Autobots
|c2=
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (2)
* [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (3)
* [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (4)
* [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (5)
* [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (6)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Mammoth]] (7)
* [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (9)

|h3=Other
|c3=
* [[Aquarius]] (11)
}}

==Quotes==

==Notes==
===Errors===
===Continuity notes===

===Transformers references===

===Real-world references===

{{issuestub}}

[[Category:Shattered Glass issues]]

Eryck Webb

2015-06-25T12:34:29Z

Heatsync: adding photo of the artists

[[File:Eryckwebbselfie.JPG|thumb|upright=1.4]]

An artist who runs his own [http://www.eryckwebbgraphics.com/|graphic art business], '''Eryck Webb''' is a busy, busy artist. While a lot of his work is non-transformers related, such as his webcomics and commissions, he's done requests for fans and is the guy drawing for the collector's club magazine comic for 2015.

==Comic book Art==
*[[Another Light]], Chapters 1-3

File:Eryckwebbselfie.JPG

2015-06-25T12:32:37Z

Heatsync:

A "Selfie" of artist Eryck Webb, from his own personal site [http://www.eryckwebbgraphics.com/| Eryck Webb Graphics].

File:Eryckwebbselfie.JPG

2015-06-25T12:32:14Z

Heatsync: A "Selfie" of artist Eryck Webb, from his own personal site [http://www.eryckwebbgraphics.com/|Eryck Webb Graphics].

A "Selfie" of artist Eryck Webb, from his own personal site [http://www.eryckwebbgraphics.com/|Eryck Webb Graphics].

Eryck Webb

2015-06-25T12:30:19Z

Heatsync: Created page with "An artist who runs his own [http://www.eryckwebbgraphics.com/|graphic art business], '''Eryck Webb''' is a busy, busy artist. While a lot of his work is non-transformers relat..."

An artist who runs his own [http://www.eryckwebbgraphics.com/|graphic art business], '''Eryck Webb''' is a busy, busy artist. While a lot of his work is non-transformers related, such as his webcomics and commissions, he's done requests for fans and is the guy drawing for the collector's club magazine comic for 2015.

==Comic book Art==
*[[Another Light]], Chapters 1-3

Talk:Main Page/featured-series

2015-06-25T12:11:50Z

Heatsync:

I take it that you're finding the broken-out files easier to edit? You noticed how the 'view' buttons above each element on the main page take you here? -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 00:59, 5 April 2009 (EDT)

Why does this say "0 days" until ROTF is out on DVD when it isn't released yet? - [[User:Starfield|Starfield]] 14:27, 19 October 2009 (EDT)
: Well, it's fewer than 12 hours until it's released. Probably rounding down to the nearest integer! --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 14:45, 19 October 2009 (EDT)
::There. Fixed it to show the hours.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|Talk]] 15:05, 19 October 2009 (EDT)

== Shuffle ==

As much as it pains me to finally take Animated off of Featured Series, perhaps we should shuffle this box to accomodate War for Cybertron somehow? Make it obvious that we're covering it?--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|Talk]] 13:15, 13 January 2010 (EST)
: I sort of agree, but it would help if we knew where WfC fit. Do all the characters get their own pages or are they part of the G1 pages? Because as-is, we have just the one page. I ''do'' agree that we need to prominently link to it. Maybe replace the DVD link with it? --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 13:31, 13 January 2010 (EST)
::I would agree, but we're (supposedly) going to get a sizable handful of Animated toys before WFC comes out--and also all the differences and variants and weirdness the Japanese run will give us. Can we make the featured box a bit bigger--add another column beneath Animated, of exactly the same size, for WFC? It just seems wrong to replace an entire series with what is, for the immediate future, basically a one-page overview of press releases. --[[User:Thylacine 2000|Thylacine 2000]] 13:36, 13 January 2010 (EST)
:::Perhaps there's merit in shrinking down our ROTF coverage in that box to make room? Remove the character list?--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|Talk]] 13:38, 13 January 2010 (EST)
::::Considering that War For Cybertron seems to be a major upcoming fiction event, while Animated is pretty much <s>cancelled</s> discontinued indefinitely at the moment, I agree with a heavy heart that replacing Animated for WFC would be a good idea if need be. If we ever get Animated continued in some way, or the Japanese make some major additions, we can consider putting it back, but a last gasp wave of toys and minor cultural changes isn't quite a big enough deal for highlighting purposes.
::::However, I do agree that we might as well ditch the Featured Characters part for now, until we have a new set of characters that need pimping. It's served its purpose. If that does give us enough room to keep all three after all, then go for it. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 13:49, 13 January 2010 (EST)
:::::Maybe a little messy, but without the character list we've got a ''lot'' of room.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|Talk]] 14:09, 13 January 2010 (EST)
:Maybe it's time to finally take the ROTF DVD field guide down? It has been out for nearly 6 months now. I would actually be in favor or putting a section pimping IDW's latest comic series {{unsigned|173.74.204.40}}
::I'd honestly be in favor of maybe taking down all of the ROTF and Animated features, to declutter a bit in anticipation of War For Cybertron's big release and the later-this-year Transformers: Prime.
::What we could possibly replace them with instead is a simpler "Recent Fiction" section that contains just links to whatever's newest in everything that doesn't have a special feature. We could link to things like the latest ROTF, Animated, IDW, and TFCC releases. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 15:53, 11 April 2010 (EDT)
:::Any chance we could leave Animated up until, I dunno, June 27th-ish? --[[Special:Contributions/76.233.87.50|76.233.87.50]] 16:14, 11 April 2010 (EDT)
::::[http://miscfile.alienharmony.com/transformers/new-featured-series-idea.jpg This is more or less what I had mind]. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 16:19, 11 April 2010 (EDT)
:::::Hmm. Anyone have any thoughts? Even if we don't clear out all of the recent stuff, the more I think about it, the more I kind of like at least adding on some way to highlight ''all'' of the recent fiction going on, not just the "big deal" stuff. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 12:39, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
::::::I really like that version, though to look good the layout would have to be symmetrical.... and as we've discussed, Animated is going to get like 3 more publications in the forseeable future. Once the last of the cel-with-wordbubbles comic collections comes out, I'm afraid it should be removed. By that point, I guess it would be replaced with Prime? --[[User:Thylacine 2000|Thylacine 2000]] 13:49, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
:::::::[[Transformers Animated: The Adventure Continues! Volume 1|Volume 1]] implies there will be more to come. - [[User:Magnus Maximus|Magnus Maximus]] 13:57, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
::::::::The symmetry shouldn't be a problem, I don't think... if we end up with only three (or some other odd number) of the smaller features, we can just center the singleton. We could also just do without the logos and have that section just a text-only list.
::::::::As for which features to keep, IMHO the criterion should be less "does this have new fiction coming out?" and more, "Is there a big deal enough thing still coming to warrant a full- on feature as opposed to just a link to whatever's new?"
::::::::Because otherwise, there's actually a number of series that have ongoing new fiction at this point, but it would get too cluttered to fully feature all of them, IMHO. Hence my new section idea. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 14:04, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
:::::::::Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I don't mean it should stay as it is, but should we go with your idea (which I like, btw) it also shouldn't be removed completely any time soon (which is what Thylacine said) because between ''The Cool'' and ''The Adventure Continues'', it seems there will still be stuff being released for the rest of the year at least. Save for cancellations, that is. - [[User:Magnus Maximus|Magnus Maximus]] 14:16, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
::::::::::I'll weigh in on Jeysie's side on this. Also, Magnus, I think you have misunderstood Jeysie's point. Even with The Cool and The Adventure continues, there simply isn't enough coming up to justify Animated remaining "featured" and it WOULD be removed (unless I misunderstood). --[[User:Khajidha|Khajidha]] 14:26, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
:::::::::::I think you did misunderstand. The distinction is being made between "featured" (big logo, links to all the sub-pages plus latest fiction) and just being "included" (small logo, link only to latest fiction). We currently have 3 "featured" series; ''WfC'', ''RotF'' and ''Animated'', and what Jeysie is suggesting (I think) is that we should cut that down to one so that the less prominent on-going fiction can still be "included". What ''I'm'' saying is that by all means ''Animated'' shouldn't be "featured", but it should still be "included". - [[User:Magnus Maximus|Magnus Maximus]] 14:45, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
::::::::::::Ayep, that's basically what I meant. I think Animated should definitely be included ''somehow''. Just, for me, a question of whether it's included staying as a "big feature" with all the section links, or as a "small feature" in my latest idea.
::::::::::::I'm actually not terribly fussed with whether we keep Animated as a "big feature" or not, since Sipher makes a lot of good points in favor of "big feature", but I do vote for ROTF going down to "small feature". --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 16:34, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
:::::::::::::(Lord, one thing I hate about these long discussions is the indenting...) I wasn't really arguing for "big feature" re: ''Animated''... honestly, that little graphic you made works for me as-is. ''WFC'' really is (for now) the biggest media point in the franchise, and once we have a firmer grip on where the holy hell it sits, we can devote the "big feature" space to it like we did for ''Animated'' and ''ROTF'' (or something similar, again, hinging on its placement) up until ''Prime'' rolls in. ''Animated'' I think is right now best-served as one of the four "small feature" sections, and I think the four you have now covers the spectrum of what's pretty damn well. Though I do wonder how we'll handle things like Alternity stories and minor pack-in fictions as they hit. A fifth text-only link centered under the others, as part of a "Miscellaneous" block? Do we want to keep four "regular" sources/franchises, or just have the newest fiction release -no matter what its source- take the top-left corner and push the others back (and off)? It feels kind of disingenuous to not have the newest fiction, even minor fictions, not represented on our mainpage. After all, we THRIVE on shining the light on the obscure. --[[User:M Sipher|M Sipher]] 17:02, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
::::::::::::::It doesn't necessarily have to be only four logo features; those are simply all of the ongoing things I remembered off the top of my head, eheh. We can logo ''everything'' with new fiction, or we can split between logos and text, it's all the same to me.
::::::::::::::If we ''do'' split things up, my vote would be, things with ongoing fiction that's being released on a fairly regular schedule get the logos, while anything more sporadically released (does Alternity fall under that?) gets text-only links. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 17:15, 12 April 2010 (EDT)

::::::I think I like that box. But DEFINITELY keep the logos. It really, really needs that visual flair. Our frontpage is fairly text-heavy as it is, so every little bit of visual shorthand where it makes sense is welcome. After all, we don't want to be Wikia, do we?
::::::As for ''Animated'' being taken down... I vote '''''NO'''''. This is what Japan is getting for at least most of the year. that's... pretty big, really. There's every episode getting re-aired with cuts and changes and new footage, and more importantly there's the accompanying monthly manga, which appears to be all-new stuff. I think we'd be doing a disservice to not have what IS a current line -even if it is onthe opposite side of the globe- in the current-line box. Especially as ''Animated'' is so well-loved, and fans are hungry for any new material from it. --[[User:M Sipher|M Sipher]] 14:28, 12 April 2010 (EDT)

Starting over the indenting a bit for sanity's sake... [http://miscfile.alienharmony.com/transformers/other-featured-series-ideas.jpg here's a couple more tweak examples] based on the suggestions. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 20:42, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
:I like the one on the left. The lines delineate the different franchises nicely. But now this is raising an issue with the box title... "Featured series" is a bit of a misnomer, isn't it? Since it's mostly now featuring "recent/current fiction". Perhaps "Recent releases"? --[[User:M Sipher|M Sipher]] 20:46, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
::I'm cool with that rename. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 21:15, 12 April 2010 (EDT)
:I also like the one on the left, but I think I missed something. Why doesn't ''Alternity'' get a logo? Just because the releases are less frequent, or because it's "secondary" fiction (i.e. pack-in), or something else? - [[User:Magnus Maximus|Magnus Maximus]] 06:30, 13 April 2010 (EDT)
::The former. See my "It doesn't necessarily have to be only four logo features;" comment about five comments above for all my thoughts. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 09:36, 13 April 2010 (EDT)
:::We need to keep page layout in mind. I think we need to make sure that we don't overload the "Recent Releases" box, which could easily push other boxes down. Remember that the "this day in history" and "coming up" boxes can be quite long. And once ''WFC'' and/or ''Prime'' gets going full-tilt as the primary fiction/franchise, we're going to want to expand that featured box a little as we had ''Animated'' and ''Revenge''. As such... we might want to keep it to at '''most''' three rows of smaller banners with the most recent fiction as a text link under, or just the four in the example as "semi-permanents" with the other "lessers" getting the pure-text link below to conserve space. --[[User:M Sipher|M Sipher]] 12:36, 13 April 2010 (EDT)
:I'd consider renaming it "Current Releases" because that's, uh, what it is. It's whatever dropped most recently. [[User:Hooper X|-hx]] 11:49, 13 April 2010 (EDT)
::Indeed. --[[User:M Sipher|M Sipher]] 12:36, 13 April 2010 (EDT)
:::Hrm. If we do rename this, should we move it, or create a new template? --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 13:51, 14 April 2010 (EDT)

== Upcoming releases ==

We have upcoming [[Transformers: Sector 7]] and IDW's Prime graphic novel. With the former leading into TF3, I guess we should replace the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' section and put the Sector 7 releases there. We may have to swap out the ''War for Cybertron'' banner with a TF:Prime one for the latter? --[[User:Abates|abates]] 17:32, 23 September 2010 (EDT)

== Chaos/Police Action ==
Right now IDW's ongoing series has two different stories in alternating issues, should we treat them as two distinct stories or just leave Heart of Darkness #4 up until the new series starts? - [[User:Cattleprod|Cattleprod]] 20:38, 7 September 2011 (EDT)

== Rescue Bots ==

So... I guess it's time to swap out Animated for Rescue Bots? --[[User:Abates|abates]] 15:47, 18 December 2011 (EST)
:DOTM should probably be removed as well.

Well, here's how I'm thinking it should lay out...
*Prime to the very top.
* IDW and Rescue Bots to the top double-row
* TFCC and uh... DOTM to the bottom double-row. Is Classified part of the movie universe? Should we consolidate those?
* Animated moves to the text at the bottom.
Thoughts? --[[User:M Sipher|M Sipher]] 19:44, 18 December 2011 (EST)
::That sounds reasonable to me. - [[User:RolonBolon|RolonBolon]] 19:50, 18 December 2011 (EST)
:::Done. But the navigation side bar still needs messing with. (We still have WfC up there, for instance.) [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 20:09, 18 December 2011 (EST)
::::We should probably have Rescue Bots instead of WFC. Do we still need Dark of the Moon, and is it too early for Fall of Cybertron? --[[User:Abates|abates]] 20:22, 18 December 2011 (EST)
:::::I think DOTM should be replaced with [[Live-action film series]], especially when Hasbro pulls out the "Movie Trilogy" line. [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 20:29, 18 December 2011 (EST)

== DOTM ==
It's been there for almost a year already, so is it really needed anymore? -- [[User:Spydersix|spyder]] 12:32, 18 June 2012 (EDT)

== Old stuff ==

When should some of the old stuff here be removed? Predacons Rising in particular was five months ago... [[User:Mimi|Mimi]] ([[User talk:Mimi|talk]]) 13:48, 13 March 2014 (EDT)
:Yeah that and "Fury from the Deep" (since there have been two or three issues no one's added since then) should probably be removed. --[[User:Abates|abates]] ([[User talk:Abates|talk]]) 15:16, 13 March 2014 (EDT)

==Transformers vs GI Joe==
Can we put Issue 0 back and have more than one issue of the TF vs GI Joe comic up here, like we have the last two episodes of Rescue Bots and three TF:Legends events? That empty space is bugging me. --[[User:KilMichaelMcC|KilMichaelMcC]] ([[User talk:KilMichaelMcC|talk]]) 08:31, 2 August 2014 (EDT)

==[[Transformers Rising]]==
Since TF R is also an episodic event based game, can a section be added for that game as well?

== Punishment ==

Remember, it comes out in print for the first time in a month or so... - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] ([[User talk:SanityOrMadness|talk]]) 20:13, 14 December 2014 (EST)
:Well, when it does we can always put it back up. --[[User:Abates|abates]] ([[User talk:Abates|talk]]) 21:11, 14 December 2014 (EST)

== Robots in Disguise US screenings ==

Once Cartoon Network play Trust Exercises, should we switch the listing on the main page to highlight the current episode in the US? It seems like having the current US episode fairly prominent would be a good idea to me. --[[User:Abates|abates]] ([[User talk:Abates|talk]]) 06:30, 29 March 2015 (EDT)
:Anyone? --[[User:Abates|abates]] ([[User talk:Abates|talk]]) 05:39, 4 April 2015 (EDT)

==Cybertron's Most Wanted==

Where should I add the link to the botcon '15 comic for the TFCC box? Above "Another Light"? Replacing out "Collections"? --[[User:Heatsync|Heatsync]] ([[User talk:Heatsync|talk]]) 08:11, 25 June 2015 (EDT)

Main Page/featured-series

2015-06-25T12:08:44Z

Heatsync:

<div align="center">
{|cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"
|-
|style="border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;" align="center" valign="top" width="50%" colspan="2"|
<imagemap>
File:Transformers RID 2015 logo.png|250px
default [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 franchise)]]
desc none
</imagemap>
Cartoon: "[[Sideways (episode)|Sideways]]" 
Comic: "[[Fire, When Ready!]]" 
|-
|style="border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;" align="center" valign="top" width="50%"|[[File:TransformersRescueBotslogo.jpg|100px|link=Transformers: Rescue Bots (franchise)]]
"[[Today and Forever]]" 
"[[Now and Then]]"
|style="border-left:1px solid #aaa; border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;" align="center" valign="top" width="50%"|[[File:IDWTheTransformers 2014 logo.png|175px|link=IDW Generation 1 continuity]]
''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|MtMtE]]'' #42: "[[The Frail Gaze]]" 
----
"[[File:Combiner_Wars_logo.png|140x25px|link=Combiner Wars|Combiner Wars]]" 
Epilogue: "[[Now and On Earth]]" 
Epilogue: [[Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|''Windblade'' #4]]
|-
|align="center" valign="top" width="50%"|[[File:TFCClogo2014blackCC.png|150x25px|link=Transformers Collectors' Club]]
"[[Another Light: Memory's Splinter]]" 
"[[Head Games]]" 
"[[Collections]]" 
|style="border-left:1px solid #aaa;" align="center" valign="top"|[[File:TransformersVsGIJoeLogo.png|175px|link=Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]
<nowiki>#</nowiki>7: "[[Headmasters (issue)|Headmasters]]" 
"[[FCBD Funnies]]" 
<nowiki>#</nowiki>6: "[[Expelled from the Garden]]" 
|}</div>
<noinclude>[[Category: Main Page templates]]</noinclude>

User talk:Heatsync

2015-06-25T12:07:36Z

Heatsync:

==Don't worry, you're doing alright!==
Just a few pointers when you're writing up a synopsis on this wiki; first, try to avoid "out-of-universe commentary" out of the synopsis itself. You might have noticed I took out chunk of a sentence of your synopsis for [[Another Light: Memory's Splinter]]. Pointing out homages like that should be reserved for the Notes section of the page. Also, don't be afraid to use the "Show Preview" button, right next to the "Save Page button. It will save you a lot of grief in the long run. Otherwise, thanks a lot for the synopsis you posted, keep it up! --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 22:48, 24 June 2015 (EDT)

Oh, I see! Thanks for the tips though, I'll be sure to remember that the next time I go and edit! --[[User:Heatsync|Heatsync]] ([[User talk:Heatsync|talk]]) 08:07, 25 June 2015 (EDT)

User:Heatsync

2015-06-25T02:30:44Z

Heatsync:

Hey I'm a guy who just likes Transformers, literature, and wild mass guessing. I also do edits here when I have the material besides me, and the page is a stub!

... I'm not really good at it though...

User talk:Ascendron

2015-06-25T02:23:38Z

Heatsync:

==Visser Three's packaging==
I own the Ultra size Visser Three toy, so if you'd like I could scan or transcribe the packaging for you. --[[User:Tigerpaw28|Tigerpaw28]] 14:48, 5 July 2010 (EDT)
:Minor correction: I own both Visser Three toys with packaging! So I can cover all your bases. Also own Mega Class Ax if that's helpful. --[[User:Tigerpaw28|Tigerpaw28]] 14:56, 5 July 2010 (EDT)
: I have the scorpion Ax, but that's the only one I do have the package for... Any of the other toys packaging blurbs would be super-helpful. Thanks a bunch. :) --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] 14:58, 5 July 2010 (EDT)
::Ok, here's Ultra Visser Three: I am Visser Three, leader of the Yeerk invasion. I am the only Yeerk in history to take control of an Andalite body, giving me the power to change into any creature I touch. I become a powerful Hork-Bajir--a seven foot alien with razor sharp blades at its ankles, knees, wrists and elbows and a stegosaurus-like tail. I can also change into a fire-breathing Inferno Beast.
::And Mega Visser Three: I am Visser Three leader of the Yeerk invasion of Earth. My army's mission is to enslave every human being on this planet. I am the only Yeerk in history to infest an Andalite body and gain its powerful morphing capabilities. I can change into any creature or alien I touch. In fact, I have been all over the universe acquiring the genetic patterns of monsters like nothing ever seen on Earth! I may look like any normal Andalite on the outside but underneath lives a twisted terrifying creature with enough power to bring the entire universe under my control.
The Ultra class blurb repeats the I am Visser Three that's in large print while the Mega class doesn't. I'll get photos of the Vissers taken and uploaded either tonight or tomorrow. --[[User:Tigerpaw28|Tigerpaw28]] 15:44, 5 July 2010 (EDT)

== Mass changes ==

When making changes across dozens of articles, such as you're now doing with weapons, please use the "minor edit" checkbox.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|Talk]] 16:38, 5 July 2010 (EDT)
:Will do. --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] 16:42, 5 July 2010 (EDT)

== Weapons Notes ==

Can you see my notes on [[Category talk:Weapons]]? I think it might have gotten lost in the shuffle. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 13:04, 6 July 2010 (EDT)
:I didn't see it. I'll discuss it there. --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] 13:07, 6 July 2010 (EDT)

== New Pages ==

I agree that we need more weapon pages to add to the wiki and good call on the Zander Cannon reference, we also need pages for Mirage and Wheelie Animated etc. It would be great if we could collaborate together and create more pages --[[Special:Contributions/92.238.181.196|92.238.181.196]] 13:37, 14 July 2010 (EDT)
:I'd love to help with those pages, but I do not own any material that would help me contribute any useful information for them at the moment. I basically just work with what I have on hand, which happens to be mostly Beast Era stuff. --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] 13:51, 14 July 2010 (EDT)
:I feel the need to point out that adding Zander Cannon to the 'cannons' category was MY stupid joke. - [[User:Cattleprod|Cattleprod]] 14:11, 14 July 2010 (EDT)

== Animorphs bios ==

Hey, you can find the Hartmans' tech spec scans [http://tfarchive.com/toys/techspecs/beast-era/ here] at tfarchive.com. --[[User:FortMax|FortMax]] 17:32, 14 July 2010 (EDT)
:Excellent, thanks a lot. :) --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] 17:34, 14 July 2010 (EDT)
::THey don't have the bios for Jake/Stingray and Taxxon, though. :(. Oh, and the Taco Bell toys weren't released under the Transformers banner, so they aren't covered by the wiki. --[[User:FortMax|FortMax]] 17:38, 14 July 2010 (EDT)
:::Noted. I'll be removing them from the pages then. --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] 17:42, 14 July 2010 (EDT)
::::I already took care of it. And thanks for handling the Animorphs pages. --[[User:FortMax|FortMax]] 17:50, 14 July 2010 (EDT)
::::: No problem. All I have to do now is get my hands on some more of the toys, take some shots, scan in some more boxart, and those pages will finally have been dealt with. :) --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] 18:33, 14 July 2010 (EDT)
::::::Good luck on Jake/Stingray and Taxxon/Alien. :P --[[User:FortMax|FortMax]] 18:37, 14 July 2010 (EDT)

== Trivia ==

Thanks for your help on the Trivia/Notes project, I can't handle doing too many of those in one go. But we have made real progress, ~500 pages have been fixed now. Only ~1000 to go! --[[User:Khajidha|Khajidha]] 11:44, 14 August 2010 (EDT)
:Awesome! :) --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] 11:33, 23 August 2010 (EDT)
::And my home internet has been down for most of last week, I'll be getting back into this tonight. --[[User:Khajidha|Khajidha]] 12:12, 23 August 2010 (EDT)
:::I think all that's left are episode pages, but those already have a "Notes" header. I had made a proposal about episode pages, but it apparently went unseen (I've even forgotten where I made it). Oh, and theres a few incidental uses of the term in a sentence that probably shouldn't be changed. Thanks again. --[[User:Khajidha|Khajidha]] 22:01, 27 August 2010 (EDT)

==Beast Wars comic images==
Is there any chance you could consolidate some images? For example, [[:File:BWAscendHalfshellPunched.jpg]], [[:File:BWAscendKillerpunchPunch.jpg]], [[:File:BWAscendDirgegunpunched.jpg]], and [[:File:BWAscendSaberbackPunched.jpg]] all come from the same panel. There's no point in cutting it into tiny pieces when you could just use the same image of the whole panel in all of the relevant articles. (Also, I'm pretty sure that page is by Guido, not Don, and wasn't in the original issue.) [[User:Mimi|Mimi]] ([[User talk:Mimi|talk]]) 16:11, 3 March 2014 (EST)
:There is a point - focusing on the '''relevant''' character. - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] ([[User talk:SanityOrMadness|talk]]) 16:23, 3 March 2014 (EST)
::And removing any context or character interaction from the image in the meantime. We're not really served by a random image of only Killer Punch with nothing to tell us what's happening besides random limbs. We already have the main image to focus on the character and fiction sections are better served by images that actually present events in the fiction and not just the character. [[User:Mimi|Mimi]] ([[User talk:Mimi|talk]]) 16:36, 3 March 2014 (EST)
:::Eh, I think some of them of the character doing nothing and are on their own are okay, because they show the Cybertronian version of their body, and plus there's tons of other things like that on other pages of the wiki. [[User:Escargon|Escargon]] ([[User talk:Escargon|talk]]) 16:43, 3 March 2014 (EST)
::::The cutting up of images is on purpose, like SanityOrMadness said, to focus on the character at hand. Lots of these shots are cluttered crowd shots with lots of characters doing stuff. This way, users don't have to search Where's Waldo style for each character. As for removing the context, I think that should be remedied by the text write-up in each article. The images are here to complement the text of the article, not do its job on its own. And even then, most of the time there isn't much context... "The character did the thing" is basically all you're gonna get either way. I'll take your word for the artist though, fixing that right away. (I'm also personally not a big fan of posting complete panels, text and all. I did it a few times, but kept it to a minimum mostly because making it more "difficult" for readers to see the whole comic while giving good glimpses of the content encourages to buy the actual book. It does for me at least.) --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 14:08, 4 March 2014 (EST)

== For contributing to the obscure and the unknown, among other things... ==

{{gigantionaward}}
... um... here. Great job. :-) --[[User:Inkblot|Inkblot]] ([[User talk:Inkblot|talk]]) 06:54, 15 May 2014 (EDT)
: :-) --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 01:33, 16 May 2014 (EDT)

== Did you really need to make eleven or twelve successive edits a page? ==

Seriously...

{{previewbastard}}
- [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] ([[User talk:SanityOrMadness|talk]]) 17:58, 18 December 2014 (EST)
:It was easier on my end for dumb reasons. I made sure to check off the minor edits box so they can skipped over. --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 01:39, 19 December 2014 (EST)

== Marvel G2 note ==

There are two Marvel ''The Transformers'' comic series (US and UK).

There is only one Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic series. (US - the short-lived UK one was [[Fleetway]]) - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] ([[User talk:SanityOrMadness|talk]]) 16:17, 1 February 2015 (EST)
:I was working under the logic that "comics" means multiple issues. As in, it would be the ''[[Rodimus vs. Cyclonus]]'' comic, but the Marvel ''Generation 2'' comics. --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 16:25, 1 February 2015 (EST)
::...I can see that, but I think it's more logical to regard it by (number of) series. If you talk about "the Marvel UK comic", you mean the series, not the/an issue. - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] ([[User talk:SanityOrMadness|talk]]) 16:29, 1 February 2015 (EST)
:::Fair enough. I'm going to do it that way from now on. --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 16:30, 1 February 2015 (EST)

One more thing - the big header represents the continuity of origin. In the case of someone like [[Rodimus Prime (Animated)]], he doesn't get a "Marvel Comics continuity" over the RG1 header, because he's from ''Animated'' and is just visiting there! - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] ([[User talk:SanityOrMadness|talk]]) 07:14, 2 February 2015 (EST)

== Wayback Machine ==

http://web.archive.org/web/20070621115641/http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~sstoneb/tf/books/big-looker/battle/battle-full.html

(Browse from http://web.archive.org/web/20070621115641/http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~sstoneb/tf/books/ for the others). - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] ([[User talk:SanityOrMadness|talk]]) 18:29, 8 March 2015 (EDT)
:Sweet! Thanks! --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 18:56, 8 March 2015 (EDT)

== Image caption for Ancient Cybertronian ==

Thanks for putting in the Mr. Mxyzptlk reference. I was wondering how to put that in somehow. [[User:S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47|S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47]] ([[User talk:S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47|talk]]) 21:49, 9 April 2015 (EDT)
:You're welcome.:) --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 22:14, 9 April 2015 (EDT)

== Continuity families of origin for Universe 2003 characters ==

I noticed from your post on the [[Transformers Wiki talk:Community Portal|community portal]] and your user page that you like to clean up "forgotten" pages. Can you help me any bit with assigning characters like [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]], [[Caliburn]], [[Saber]], [[Ratchet (Universe)|Ratchet]], [[Reptilion]], etc. I've started a number of conversations on talk pages but gotten no response. And I only joined tfwiki.net this month, so I don't feel that I have the authority to make sweeping changes. [[User:S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47|S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47]] ([[User talk:S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47|talk]]) 21:08, 28 April 2015 (EDT)
:I don't really consider myself a huge authority on the wiki, but I'll see if I can help in any way I can. Which talk pages are your posts on? --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 21:44, 28 April 2015 (EDT)
::I've posted on [[Talk:Megazarak (Universe)]], [[Talk:Caliburn]], [[Talk:Saber]], [[Talk:Reptilion]] and asked but received nothing good on [[Category talk:Dimension hoppers]] and [[User talk:KilMichaelMcC]]. In addition I haven't asked anything on [[Ratchet (Universe)]], but I note that [[Longhorn (Universe)]] appears to be identified as Primax from authorial intent alone. Would [[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] be a good person to consult on this matter? Or should I start a conversation on the community portal or something? [[User:S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47|S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47]] ([[User talk:S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47|talk]]) 22:59, 28 April 2015 (EDT)
:::Walky seems to have answered a few of your questions already. In my opinion, simply putting that these characters hail from an unknown continuity should suffice considering the extremely limited amount of information that exists about them. It's more honest and informative to simply state "we don't know" sometimes on the wiki. I understand it might seem frustrating, considering some of these characters might seem to obviously hail from certain universes, but the wiki's purpose is to simply record, not invent fiction. Sometimes I personally think the wiki has overstepped this boundary, but it's really a moot point in the end. --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 14:15, 29 April 2015 (EDT)
:::: *sigh* Fair enough, I guess. But may I simply ask this question of you: does it seem to you that the [[Universe CD-ROM]] ''recorded'' an incarnation of [[Reptilion|''Universe'' 2003 Reptilion]] as hailing from a Primax reality? [[User:S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47|S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47]] ([[User talk:S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 47|talk]]) 20:11, 29 April 2015 (EDT)
:::::In my personal opinion? Yes. It appears to be a Primax universe, if just barely. All the characters are Primax characters (Optimus Primal, Tankor, ummm... Purple Rattrap?, etc.) Unless you count that one episode of Transformers Animated where Blackarachnia meets a bunch of Beast Wars cameos, none of these characters have ever appeared in a non-primax universe. --[[User:Ascendron|Ascendron]] ([[User talk:Ascendron|talk]]) 21:17, 29 April 2015 (EDT)

==Thanks for that==

... Fixing the page title, I mean. I wasn't sure of how to make a page and I must've put one more quote when searching the title for a redlink. --[[User:Heatsync|Heatsync]] ([[User talk:Heatsync|talk]]) 22:23, 24 June 2015 (EDT)

Falling into Place

2015-06-25T02:14:52Z

Heatsync:

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=[[Another Light]], Part One
|prev=Familiar Reflections
|next=Another Light: Distant Fissures
|seriesissue2=''[[Transformers: Classics#Fiction|Classics]]''/''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (fiction)|Shattered Glass]]''
|prev2=Solar Requiem
|prev3=Shattered Destiny
|prev4=Timeless
|title="Falling into Place"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|published in=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 61|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #61]]
|writers=[[Jesse Wittenrich]] & [[Pete Sinclair]]
|pencils=[[Eryck Webb]]
|inks=Eryck Webb
|colors=[[Evan Gauntt]]
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|managing editor=Pete Sinclair
|continuity=[[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|Shattered Glass]]
}}

'''Ultra Mammoth and the Autobots arrive on the Shattered Glass Cybertron, just in time to hunt down Ultra Magnus- and to learn of the next crisis for the Decepticons!'''

==Synopsis==
48 hours ago on the Shattered Glass Cybertron, Straxus and Blaster are having a conversation about the classicverse Straxus, when all of a sudden a white dinosaur emerges in a flash of life in front of them! Before the dinosaur attacks, Ironhide, Prowl, Silverbolt, and Ultra Mammoth step forward. Welcoming the Autobots to Cybertron, Blaster contacts Galvatron, Aquarius and Cliffjumper to explain more about the current situation. They all meet up at Decepticon HQ to discuss recent happenings, although Ultra Mammoth refuses to let Aquarius to take the Origin Matrix and pass it on to Nexus, claiming that as its guardian, it is his duty to protect it until he next meets Nexus. Cliffjumper then gives Mammoth the summary of recent events, as well as a written edition of his "cliff notes". Determined to track down his double, Mammoth is offered the use of a repaired Stellar Spanner to get to the Classicverse Earth by Galvatron. Spinister and Needlenose meet the Autobots outside the HQ, who offer to build new bodies for the Autobots. Mammoth refuses to upgrade, claiming that in the current chaos, he needs a reminder of the past. As Galvatron tries to make conversation with Mammoth, Cyclonus comes running up with a message from Soundwave- The Autobots are attacking Decepticon City! Galvatron orders Cyclonus to get Blast Off to ready a shuttle and assemble a strike team, as Galvatron declares they're going to Earth- The Shatteredverse Earth!

==Featured characters==

==Quotes==

==Notes==
===Errors===
===Continuity notes===

===Transformers references===

===Real-world references===

{{issuestub}}

[[Category:Shattered Glass issues]]

Distant Fissures

2015-06-25T02:12:37Z

Heatsync: added link to part three

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[Another Light]], Part Two
|prev=Another Light: Falling into Place
|next= Another Light: Memory's Splinter
|title="Distant Fissures"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|published in=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 62|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #62]]
|writers=[[Jesse Wittenrich]] & [[Pete Sinclair]]
|pencils=[[Eryck Webb]]
|inks=Eryck Webb
|colors=[[Evan Gauntt]]
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|managing editor=Pete Sinclair
|continuity=[[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|Shattered Glass]]
}}

'''It's Magnus vs Magnus on the Classiverse Earth, as Ultra Magnus' scheme comes closer to fruition!'''

==Synopsis==

As Grimlock and Galvatron prepare to head off for Earth, Galvatron and Mammoth wish each other luck as Galvatron expresses gratitude for Grimlock's presence aboard The Annex. After Mammoth clarifies that Grimlock does what he wants, Silverbolt, Ironhide and Prowl approach Mammoth in their new bodies. Now prepared, the four head to the Stellar Spanner, where they are greeted by Stonecruncher and Excavator- Who make some uneasy comments on the operational status of the Stellar Spanner. Despite this, the Stellar Spanner activates and the foursome are sent to the Classicsverse Earth! They arrive in the midst of a battle between Magnus' Autobots, who are facing off against Treadshot's Decepticons and several members of the Classicsverse Autobots. Treadshot himself has engaged in battle against Magnus, and when pressed for explanation he said he couldn't let the Shatteredverse Autobots slip away again, and that he'd never take orders from someone named Ultra Magnus. Mammoth corrects him on the name, jumping into the fray against his evil double. Treadshot is soon knocked out of the fight, resulting in the fight being solely Magnus vs Mammoth! While they banter about name puns and authority problems, Magnus is soon able to knock Mammoth down, and explains the purpose of The Collector. Calling his double sick, and expressing that he had hope that he could fix Magnus' evil ways, Mammoth powers up his Matrix Cannon, and is able to force Magnus to his knees with the weapon. Hesitating to kill himself- even an evil version of himself, Magnus uses his hesitation to slice his cannon in half, and tearing open his chest cavity. Preparing to stab Mammoth, and expressing desire to regain his face, his Terminus blade reacts with the Origin Matrix just before he delivers the killing blow, illuminating both of the Magnuses (Magnusi? Magni?) and sending raw energy hurtling into Magnus, causing him to cry out in pain...

==Featured characters==

==Quotes==

==Notes==
===Errors===
===Continuity notes===

===Transformers references===

===Real-world references===

{{issuestub}}

[[Category:Shattered Glass issues]]

Distant Fissures

2015-06-25T02:11:21Z

Heatsync:

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[Another Light]], Part Two
|prev=Another Light: Falling into Place
|next=
|title="Distant Fissures"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|published in=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 62|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #62]]
|writers=[[Jesse Wittenrich]] & [[Pete Sinclair]]
|pencils=[[Eryck Webb]]
|inks=Eryck Webb
|colors=[[Evan Gauntt]]
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|managing editor=Pete Sinclair
|continuity=[[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|Shattered Glass]]
}}

'''It's Magnus vs Magnus on the Classiverse Earth, as Ultra Magnus' scheme comes closer to fruition!'''

==Synopsis==

As Grimlock and Galvatron prepare to head off for Earth, Galvatron and Mammoth wish each other luck as Galvatron expresses gratitude for Grimlock's presence aboard The Annex. After Mammoth clarifies that Grimlock does what he wants, Silverbolt, Ironhide and Prowl approach Mammoth in their new bodies. Now prepared, the four head to the Stellar Spanner, where they are greeted by Stonecruncher and Excavator- Who make some uneasy comments on the operational status of the Stellar Spanner. Despite this, the Stellar Spanner activates and the foursome are sent to the Classicsverse Earth! They arrive in the midst of a battle between Magnus' Autobots, who are facing off against Treadshot's Decepticons and several members of the Classicsverse Autobots. Treadshot himself has engaged in battle against Magnus, and when pressed for explanation he said he couldn't let the Shatteredverse Autobots slip away again, and that he'd never take orders from someone named Ultra Magnus. Mammoth corrects him on the name, jumping into the fray against his evil double. Treadshot is soon knocked out of the fight, resulting in the fight being solely Magnus vs Mammoth! While they banter about name puns and authority problems, Magnus is soon able to knock Mammoth down, and explains the purpose of The Collector. Calling his double sick, and expressing that he had hope that he could fix Magnus' evil ways, Mammoth powers up his Matrix Cannon, and is able to force Magnus to his knees with the weapon. Hesitating to kill himself- even an evil version of himself, Magnus uses his hesitation to slice his cannon in half, and tearing open his chest cavity. Preparing to stab Mammoth, and expressing desire to regain his face, his Terminus blade reacts with the Origin Matrix just before he delivers the killing blow, illuminating both of the Magnuses (Magnusi? Magni?) and sending raw energy hurtling into Magnus, causing him to cry out in pain...

==Featured characters==

==Quotes==

==Notes==
===Errors===
===Continuity notes===

===Transformers references===

===Real-world references===

{{issuestub}}

[[Category:Shattered Glass issues]]

Memory's Splinter

2015-06-25T02:09:58Z

Heatsync: created page, added synopsis, added some transformers references

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[Another Light]], Part Three
|prev=Another Light: Distant Fissures
|next=Another Light: Part Four
|title="Memory's Splinter"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|published in=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 63|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #63]]
|writers=[[Jesse Wittenrich]] & [[Pete Sinclair]]
|pencils=[[Eryck Webb]]
|inks=Eryck Webb
|colors=[[Evan Gauntt]]
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|managing editor=Pete Sinclair
|continuity=[[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|Shattered Glass]]
}}

'''The siege of Auto- Decepticon City rages on, as does the movie homages, abet with new Shatteredverse flavor.'''

==Synopsis==
on the Shatteredverse Earth, Decepticon City is under siege by the villainous Autobots! After Dirge notices Superion, Galvatron orders Predaking and his Predacons to destroy the Aerialbots. Expressing dislike at the tiny Predacons, Grimlock jumps out of the shuttle with the Predacons, landing atop the equally small Superion. Superion quickly uses his ability to disconnect and reconnect at will to gain the upper hand against the Dinobot, who is timely rescued by the Predacons. In the outskirts of Decepticon City, The Annex touches down, and Galvatron instructs Cyclonus and Scourge to find Starscream and prepare for a counterattack- While Galvatron transforms and declares that he will stop Optimus Prime, no matter the cost! Rodimus' troops open fire at the Decepticon leader, but are quickly called off by Rodimus who claims that this is a "Prime's Fight". Optimus soon comes to face Galvatron himself, leading the two to engage in a battle that we're all too familiar with- though Optimus soon gains a firm advantage over Galvatron. Rodimus quickly rushes in to restrain Galvatron, before being ordered away by Optimus, citing Rodimus' earlier command that the fight is Prime's. Though, not before Rodimus drops his blaster by Galvatron's side! As Optimus raises his sword to dispatch Galvatron, the Decepticon leader quickly draw Rodimus' gun, and levels it at the Autobot commander...

==Featured characters==
==Quotes==
==Notes==
===Errors===
===Continuity notes===
===Transformers references===
*This issue itself is the Shatteredverse spin on the G1 movie's battle for the Autobot City.
*The fight between Optimus and Galvatron is largely the same, although with slightly different weapons, and different dialouge in place of the
===Real-world references===

{{issuestub}}

[[Category:Shattered Glass issues]]

Distant Fissures

2015-06-25T01:47:17Z

Heatsync: /* Synopsis */

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[Another Light]], Part Two
|prev=Another Light: Falling into Place
|next=
|title="Distant Fissures"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|published in=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 62|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #62]]
|writers=[[Jesse Wittenrich]] & [[Pete Sinclair]]
|pencils=[[Eryck Webb]]
|inks=Eryck Webb
|colors=[[Evan Gauntt]]
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|managing editor=Pete Sinclair
|continuity=[[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|Shattered Glass]]
}}

==Synopsis==

As Grimlock and Galvatron prepare to head off for Earth, Galvatron and Mammoth wish each other luck as Galvatron expresses gratitude for Grimlock's presence aboard The Annex. After Mammoth clarifies that Grimlock does what he wants, Silverbolt, Ironhide and Prowl approach Mammoth in their new bodies. Now prepared, the four head to the Stellar Spanner, where they are greeted by Stonecruncher and Excavator- Who make some uneasy comments on the operational status of the Stellar Spanner. Despite this, the Stellar Spanner activates and the foursome are sent to the Classicsverse Earth! They arrive in the midst of a battle between Magnus' Autobots, who are facing off against Treadshot's Decepticons and several members of the Classicsverse Autobots. Treadshot himself has engaged in battle against Magnus, and when pressed for explanation he said he couldn't let the Shatteredverse Autobots slip away again, and that he'd never take orders from someone named Ultra Magnus. Mammoth corrects him on the name, jumping into the fray against his evil double. Treadshot is soon knocked out of the fight, resulting in the fight being solely Magnus vs Mammoth! While they banter about name puns and authority problems, Magnus is soon able to knock Mammoth down, and explains the purpose of The Collector. Calling his double sick, and expressing that he had hope that he could fix Magnus' evil ways, Mammoth powers up his Matrix Cannon, and is able to force Magnus to his knees with the weapon. Hesitating to kill himself- even an evil version of himself, Magnus uses his hesitation to slice his cannon in half, and tearing open his chest cavity. Preparing to stab Mammoth, and expressing desire to regain his face, his Terminus blade reacts with the Origin Matrix just before he delivers the killing blow, illuminating both of the Magnuses (Magnusi? Magni?) and sending raw energy hurtling into Magnus, causing him to cry out in pain...

==Featured characters==

==Quotes==

==Notes==
===Errors===
===Continuity notes===

===Transformers references===

===Real-world references===

{{issuestub}}

[[Category:Shattered Glass issues]]

Distant Fissures

2015-06-25T01:47:05Z

Heatsync: /* Synopsis */ adding Synopsis

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[Another Light]], Part Two
|prev=Another Light: Falling into Place
|next=
|title="Distant Fissures"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|published in=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 62|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #62]]
|writers=[[Jesse Wittenrich]] & [[Pete Sinclair]]
|pencils=[[Eryck Webb]]
|inks=Eryck Webb
|colors=[[Evan Gauntt]]
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|managing editor=Pete Sinclair
|continuity=[[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|Shattered Glass]]
}}

==Synopsis==
As Grimlock and Galvatron prepare to head off for Earth, Galvatron and Mammoth wish each other luck as Galvatron expresses gratitude for Grimlock's presence aboard The Annex. After Mammoth clarifies that Grimlock does what he wants, Silverbolt, Ironhide and Prowl approach Mammoth in their new bodies. Now prepared, the four head to the Stellar Spanner, where they are greeted by Stonecruncher and Excavator- Who make some uneasy comments on the operational status of the Stellar Spanner. Despite this, the Stellar Spanner activates and the foursome are sent to the Classicsverse Earth! They arrive in the midst of a battle between Magnus' Autobots, who are facing off against Treadshot's Decepticons and several members of the Classicsverse Autobots. Treadshot himself has engaged in battle against Magnus, and when pressed for explanation he said he couldn't let the Shatteredverse Autobots slip away again, and that he'd never take orders from someone named Ultra Magnus. Mammoth corrects him on the name, jumping into the fray against his evil double. Treadshot is soon knocked out of the fight, resulting in the fight being solely Magnus vs Mammoth! While they banter about name puns and authority problems, Magnus is soon able to knock Mammoth down, and explains the purpose of The Collector. Calling his double sick, and expressing that he had hope that he could fix Magnus' evil ways, Mammoth powers up his Matrix Cannon, and is able to force Magnus to his knees with the weapon. Hesitating to kill himself- even an evil version of himself, Magnus uses his hesitation to slice his cannon in half, and tearing open his chest cavity. Preparing to stab Mammoth, and expressing desire to regain his face, his Terminus blade reacts with the Origin Matrix just before he delivers the killing blow, illuminating both of the Magnuses (Magnusi? Magni?) and sending raw energy hurtling into Magnus, causing him to cry out in pain...

==Featured characters==

==Quotes==

==Notes==
===Errors===
===Continuity notes===

===Transformers references===

===Real-world references===

{{issuestub}}

[[Category:Shattered Glass issues]]

Falling into Place

2015-06-25T01:30:53Z

Heatsync: /* Synopsis */ adding Synopsis

{{comicstory
|seriesissue=[[Another Light]], Part One
|prev=Familiar Reflections
|next=Another Light: Distant Fissures
|seriesissue2=''[[Transformers: Classics#Fiction|Classics]]''/''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (fiction)|Shattered Glass]]''
|prev2=Solar Requiem
|prev3=Shattered Destiny
|prev4=Timeless
|title="Falling into Place"
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|published in=[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 61|''Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club'' #61]]
|writers=[[Jesse Wittenrich]] & [[Pete Sinclair]]
|pencils=[[Eryck Webb]]
|inks=Eryck Webb
|colors=[[Evan Gauntt]]
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|managing editor=Pete Sinclair
|continuity=[[Primax -408.24 Epsilon|Shattered Glass]]
}}

==Synopsis==
48 hours ago on the Shattered Glass Cybertron, Straxus and Blaster are having a conversation about the classicverse Straxus, when all of a sudden a white dinosaur emerges in a flash of life in front of them! Before the dinosaur attacks, Ironhide, Prowl, Silverbolt, and Ultra Mammoth step forward. Welcoming the Autobots to Cybertron, Blaster contacts Galvatron, Aquarius and Cliffjumper to explain more about the current situation. They all meet up at Decepticon HQ to discuss recent happenings, although Ultra Mammoth refuses to let Aquarius to take the Origin Matrix and pass it on to Nexus, claiming that as its guardian, it is his duty to protect it until he next meets Nexus. Cliffjumper then gives Mammoth the summary of recent events, as well as a written edition of his "cliff notes". Determined to track down his double, Mammoth is offered the use of a repaired Stellar Spanner to get to the Classicverse Earth by Galvatron. Spinister and Needlenose meet the Autobots outside the HQ, who offer to build new bodies for the Autobots. Mammoth refuses to upgrade, claiming that in the current chaos, he needs a reminder of the past. As Galvatron tries to make conversation with Mammoth, Cyclonus comes running up with a message from Soundwave- The Autobots are attacking Decepticon City! Galvatron orders Cyclonus to get Blast Off to ready a shuttle and assemble a strike team, as Galvatron declares they're going to Earth- The Shatteredverse Earth!

==Featured characters==

==Quotes==

==Notes==
===Errors===
===Continuity notes===

===Transformers references===

===Real-world references===

{{issuestub}}

[[Category:Shattered Glass issues]]

Twenty Plus One

2015-02-28T14:26:46Z

Heatsync: /* Errors */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=31
|prev=World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide
|next=Slaughterhouse
|image=MTMTE31 subcvr.jpg
|title="Twenty Plus One"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 9]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=July 2014
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Atilio Rojo]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|assistant editor=[[Vincent Kings]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}

'''Tensions run high as twenty ''Lost Light''ers find themselves stuffed into one small spaceship, and things only get worse when the lights start going out, and 'bots start disappearing... '''

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

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

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

This time, Ammo, Hoist, Dipstick, and Cyclonus have disappeared, but Cyclonus's [[Great Sword]] has not vanished with him. As Nightbeat inspects it, he gets the feeling he is being watched, and turns to sees a gigantic eye staring down at him... though it quickly turns out that it belongs to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s [[holomatter]] avatar, projected in from the ''[[Leading Light]]'', albeit at accidentally gigantic scale. Magnus quickly adjusts its size, and informs the remaining crew that all the other occupants of ''his'' craft have disappeared too, as have other shuttles. Tailgate peers out a porthole and notes that he can't see Magnus's shuttle anywhere; Magnus has but a moment to realise that he can't feel his body any more before his avatar fades out.
At the end of his rope, Nightbeat instructs Ratchet to write down every piece of information he knows about the crew from their medical files, but he barely has time to study the data before another blackout claims Swerve, Tailgate, and Ratchet... but ''not'' Ratchet's hands, which Skids points out used to belong to [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]. Riptide grins, having heard the whole story behind that from Swerve, and remarks that the ''Lost Lighters'' sure did get up to some crazy stuff while they were away. Nightbeat asks him to expand, having believed that Riptide had been on the ''Lost Light'' from the outset, but the [[Hydrobot]] explains that he was not: after going back to get a receipt for the ship from the NAILs who sold it to them, he eavesdropped on them and learned they were [[Mortilus]] worshippers who had been keeping a [[sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] in the basement, feeding it with [[turbofox]]es they had stolen from the crew of the ''[[Alchemy-Seven]]'', and when an altercation ensued, he was knocked out, and missed the ''Lost Light'' launch. Nightbeat crows that he has solved the mystery: everyone who disappeared was a member of the original ''Lost Light'' crew, and all those remaining on the Rodpod (himself, Megatron, Skids, Nautica, Getaway and Riptide) joined the crew after its launch. As Megatron angrily points out, though, his deduction solves absolutely nothing, since the detective was too slow to save anyone. Just then, Nautica informs them that they have reached Ofsted XVII, but that they are not the first to arrive... as outside, floating in the planet's orbit, is the shattered wreckage of the destroyed ''Lost Light''!

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'' (1)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (2)
*''[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]'' (3)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (4)
*''[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]]'' (5)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (7)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (8)
*[[Nautica]] (9)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ammo]] (10)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (11)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (12)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (13)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (14)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (15)
*[[Getaway]] (16)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (18)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (19)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (20)
*[[Dipstick]] (21)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (23)
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (24)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (26)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (25)
|c4=
*''[[Lost Light's former owners|Former owners of the Lost Light]]'' (6)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (22)
}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Transformers references===
*Sector 113 is, of course, another of Roberts's reference to [[113 (disambiguation)|the number]].
*Skids makes reference to the [[pathblaster]], a weapon wielded by [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] in the original Marvel UK storyline, "[[Time Wars]]". His rant about the lowering standards of the MTO education system may have even been a direct reference to Roadbuster who, according to "[[Zero Point]]", went millions of years before even learning how to read.
*Ammo has [[Corrodia Gravis]], a rusting disease introduced in the Marvel UK story "[[Assassins]]".
*Hound is the one who catches Ravage, because [[The Transformers (issue)|of]] [[Crisis of Command!|course]] [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 3|he]] [[The Hunt for Soundwave|is]].

===Real-life references===
*In televisual terms, this issue would be a {{w|Bottle episode}}: a story that primarily consists of dialogue, and takes place in one setting. Bottle episodes were originally conceived as a money-saving venture, but the potential for tension and character-driven interactions they inherently possess has given them more value as storytelling devices; obviously, ''More than Meets the Eye'' doesn't save money by doing an issue this way!
*The specific meaning of the Festival of Lost Light is not divulged here, but given its name, the fact that it involves the release of lanterns, and a song known as the "Hymn of the Disappeared", it seems to be a ceremony dedicated to remembering lost loved ones. In particular, it is evocative of Japan's {{w|Tōrō nagashi}} ceremony, in which lanterns are released to light the way to the afterlife for the souls of the dead.
*Ofsted XVII is named after {{w|Ofsted}}, the British government department which oversees schools. It is labelled an "A Level" planet, in reference to the English academic qualification, the {{w|A-level}}. Mentions of tuition fees and a reduced cultural curriculum may also be references to the British educational system.
*What Highbrow and Cyclonus have to say about the education system is also a reference to developments in the English school (Academies) and university (tuition fee) systems.
*Chromedome remarks that Ethics were Ofsted's "Specialist Subject", a term that, while generic-sounding, is almost certainly a reference to the British TV quiz show ''{{w|Mastermind (TV series)|Mastermind}}''.
*"Information creep" is a term used by Wikipedia to describe the slow feed of information into an article that winds up shifting its perspective and/or readability over time.
*Dipstick was constructed cold to take part in "Operation: Doom Patrol", a reference to the DC Comics superhero team, the {{w|Doom Patrol}}.
*Among the assorted types of Spark the crew are shown to have, only Nautica has an "estriol-positive" one. {{w|Estriol}} is one of the three main estrogens produced by the human body, indicating that being a [[female Transformer]] is not just about the shape of your chassis, but goes all the way to the Spark. Belatedly realizing the potentially offensive connotations of defining female Transformers in this way (casting them as an "abnormal", and reinforcing a binary gender system), Roberts requested that this be removed in the trade paperback collection, which instead lists her as "ferrum-positive."

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

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

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

===Other trivia===
*When Nautica explains how the [[quantum generator]]s work using ''improbablility'', you'd be forgiven for thinking it's a deliberate nod to the {{w|Technology in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy#Infinite Improbability Drive|Infinite Improbability Drive}} from {{w|Douglas Adams}}' ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}''. In actuality, [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/487688742539632640 James Roberts has never read the series], and came up with the idea entirely independently.
*Four "Meet the Crew"-style cast lists are sprinkled throughout the issue as a means of cataloguing who disappears, with each vanished crewmember being greyed out. Each lists also provide for the audience an assortment of information about the characters as Nightbeat requests it in-story. These pages do not count towards the 22-page total of the story itself, so there are noticeably fewer ad pages in the back of the comic.
*A quick forged/constructed cold checklist from this issue:
**Forged: Crosscut, Skids, Nautica, Huffer, Swerve, Hoist, Tailgate, Cyclonus, Hound, Ratchet
**Constructed cold (first wave): Gears, Blaster, Chromedome, Nightbeat
**Constructed cold (second wave): Getaway, Ammo, Riptide, Dipstick
*While he actively protests revealing his origin, Megatron's status as a [[Point One Percenter]] confirms him as being forged.
*Highbrow is listed as constructed cold but his wave is not given, presumably because Ratchet doesn't know it. (Although Highbrow is listed as a member of the pre-war [[Malware Brigade]], the group hypothetically ''could'' have still been active post-war.)
*We likewise learn the names of a number of Sparktypes; there are at least seven, presumably eight:
**Vitrious-Positive: Chromedome, Riptide (a type shared by Rewind and Whirl, as we learned back in [[Before & After|issue #12]].)
**Vitrious-Negative: Crosscut, Skids, Ammo
**Isomeric-Postive: Blaster, Getaway, Nightbeat
**Isomeric-Negative: Gears, Hoist, Dipstick, Ratchet, Highbrow
**Ferrum-Positive: Huffer, Hound, Swerve, Nautica (in trade collection)
**Ferrum-Negative: Cyclonus, Tailgate
**Estriol-Positive: Nautica (retconned away for the trade)
*Other intriguing character points revealed on these cast pages include: Crosscut has a phobia of [[Nanocon]]s; Getaway has shown purported signs of affinity for the Matrix; Nautica is a possible [[Outlier]]; Ammo is a [[Militant Monoform Movement|monoformer]]; Swerve is a practising [[Adaptus]]ian and has been diagnosed with {{w|Logorrhea (psychology)|Logorrhea}}; Riptide has an unreliable [[transformation cog]]; Dipstick's alt mode is "redundant"; and Hound was formerly part of the [[Primal Vanguard]].
*The "Thaw to War" tagline is another one of those verbal gags that only works if you imagine it spoken with Roberts's British accent; then, the words rhyme.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Megatron, Ratchet, Nautica, Chromedome and an unknown 5th bot in a standoff, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Mosaic tiles of the twenty characters in this issue, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''30th Anniversary cover:''' Nightbeat by [[Phil Jimenez]] and [[Romulo Fajardo Jr.]] The image is the packaging art for Nightbeat's upcoming ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' toy, like the Jiminez and Fajardo covers for "[[Dark Cybertron]]", but this particular piece was based on an early concept for Nightbeat's toy, and has him as a [[retool]] of ''Generations'' [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Jazz]], when the actual toy is a retool of ''Generations'' [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]].
<gallery>
File:MTMTE31 cvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE31 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE31 cvrRI.jpg
</gallery>

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

Alchemy-Seven

2015-02-28T14:23:21Z

Heatsync: /* IDW Generation 1 continuity */

:''Alchemy-Seven is a starship-cum-building from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
The '''''Alchemy-Seven''''' is a spaceship.

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
The ''Alchemy-Seven'', containing [[NAIL]]s, returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] from the [[Vela Pulsar]]. {{Storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} Its crew had an altercation with the [[Lost Light's former owners|crew]] of the ''[[Lost Light|U1]]'', who tried to steal a batch of Turbofoxes from them; the ''U1'''s crew was subsequently hiding from them and trying to get off-planet. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}}

Like other arrivals, the ''Alchemy-Seven'' was repurposed as a building in the new incarnation of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] paid the owners to let him hide [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] in a safehouse on its 23rd deck. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}}

[[Category:IDW Generation 1 starships]]

Twenty Plus One

2015-02-28T14:22:37Z

Heatsync: /* Errors */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=31
|prev=World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide
|next=Slaughterhouse
|image=MTMTE31 subcvr.jpg
|title="Twenty Plus One"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 9]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=July 2014
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Atilio Rojo]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|assistant editor=[[Vincent Kings]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}

'''Tensions run high as twenty ''Lost Light''ers find themselves stuffed into one small spaceship, and things only get worse when the lights start going out, and 'bots start disappearing... '''

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

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

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

This time, Ammo, Hoist, Dipstick, and Cyclonus have disappeared, but Cyclonus's [[Great Sword]] has not vanished with him. As Nightbeat inspects it, he gets the feeling he is being watched, and turns to sees a gigantic eye staring down at him... though it quickly turns out that it belongs to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s [[holomatter]] avatar, projected in from the ''[[Leading Light]]'', albeit at accidentally gigantic scale. Magnus quickly adjusts its size, and informs the remaining crew that all the other occupants of ''his'' craft have disappeared too, as have other shuttles. Tailgate peers out a porthole and notes that he can't see Magnus's shuttle anywhere; Magnus has but a moment to realise that he can't feel his body any more before his avatar fades out.
At the end of his rope, Nightbeat instructs Ratchet to write down every piece of information he knows about the crew from their medical files, but he barely has time to study the data before another blackout claims Swerve, Tailgate, and Ratchet... but ''not'' Ratchet's hands, which Skids points out used to belong to [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]. Riptide grins, having heard the whole story behind that from Swerve, and remarks that the ''Lost Lighters'' sure did get up to some crazy stuff while they were away. Nightbeat asks him to expand, having believed that Riptide had been on the ''Lost Light'' from the outset, but the [[Hydrobot]] explains that he was not: after going back to get a receipt for the ship from the NAILs who sold it to them, he eavesdropped on them and learned they were [[Mortilus]] worshippers who had been keeping a [[sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] in the basement, feeding it with [[turbofox]]es they had stolen from the crew of the ''[[Alchemy-Seven]]'', and when an altercation ensued, he was knocked out, and missed the ''Lost Light'' launch. Nightbeat crows that he has solved the mystery: everyone who disappeared was a member of the original ''Lost Light'' crew, and all those remaining on the Rodpod (himself, Megatron, Skids, Nautica, Getaway and Riptide) joined the crew after its launch. As Megatron angrily points out, though, his deduction solves absolutely nothing, since the detective was too slow to save anyone. Just then, Nautica informs them that they have reached Ofsted XVII, but that they are not the first to arrive... as outside, floating in the planet's orbit, is the shattered wreckage of the destroyed ''Lost Light''!

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'' (1)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (2)
*''[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]'' (3)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (4)
*''[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]]'' (5)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (7)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (8)
*[[Nautica]] (9)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ammo]] (10)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (11)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (12)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (13)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (14)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (15)
*[[Getaway]] (16)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (18)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (19)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (20)
*[[Dipstick]] (21)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (23)
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (24)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (26)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (25)
|c4=
*''[[Lost Light's former owners|Former owners of the Lost Light]]'' (6)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (22)
}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Transformers references===
*Sector 113 is, of course, another of Roberts's reference to [[113 (disambiguation)|the number]].
*Skids makes reference to the [[pathblaster]], a weapon wielded by [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] in the original Marvel UK storyline, "[[Time Wars]]". His rant about the lowering standards of the MTO education system may have even been a direct reference to Roadbuster who, according to "[[Zero Point]]", went millions of years before even learning how to read.
*Ammo has [[Corrodia Gravis]], a rusting disease introduced in the Marvel UK story "[[Assassins]]".
*Hound is the one who catches Ravage, because [[The Transformers (issue)|of]] [[Crisis of Command!|course]] [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 3|he]] [[The Hunt for Soundwave|is]].

===Real-life references===
*In televisual terms, this issue would be a {{w|Bottle episode}}: a story that primarily consists of dialogue, and takes place in one setting. Bottle episodes were originally conceived as a money-saving venture, but the potential for tension and character-driven interactions they inherently possess has given them more value as storytelling devices; obviously, ''More than Meets the Eye'' doesn't save money by doing an issue this way!
*The specific meaning of the Festival of Lost Light is not divulged here, but given its name, the fact that it involves the release of lanterns, and a song known as the "Hymn of the Disappeared", it seems to be a ceremony dedicated to remembering lost loved ones. In particular, it is evocative of Japan's {{w|Tōrō nagashi}} ceremony, in which lanterns are released to light the way to the afterlife for the souls of the dead.
*Ofsted XVII is named after {{w|Ofsted}}, the British government department which oversees schools. It is labelled an "A Level" planet, in reference to the English academic qualification, the {{w|A-level}}. Mentions of tuition fees and a reduced cultural curriculum may also be references to the British educational system.
*What Highbrow and Cyclonus have to say about the education system is also a reference to developments in the English school (Academies) and university (tuition fee) systems.
*Chromedome remarks that Ethics were Ofsted's "Specialist Subject", a term that, while generic-sounding, is almost certainly a reference to the British TV quiz show ''{{w|Mastermind (TV series)|Mastermind}}''.
*"Information creep" is a term used by Wikipedia to describe the slow feed of information into an article that winds up shifting its perspective and/or readability over time.
*Dipstick was constructed cold to take part in "Operation: Doom Patrol", a reference to the DC Comics superhero team, the {{w|Doom Patrol}}.
*Among the assorted types of Spark the crew are shown to have, only Nautica has an "estriol-positive" one. {{w|Estriol}} is one of the three main estrogens produced by the human body, indicating that being a [[female Transformer]] is not just about the shape of your chassis, but goes all the way to the Spark. Belatedly realizing the potentially offensive connotations of defining female Transformers in this way (casting them as an "abnormal", and reinforcing a binary gender system), Roberts requested that this be removed in the trade paperback collection, which instead lists her as "ferrum-positive."

===Errors===
*The [[scale]] of many bots is off this issue - Tailgate is shown to come up to Ratchet's shoulder, for instance.
*On page 2, when Drift says "Of course...! This is the Hymn for the Disappeared.)", it should have a parentheses at the start of the phrase, like how his aside was in the previous panel.
*On page 5, "Quanton Technology" should be spelled "Quantum Technology". Of course, this could be Ratchet making fun of how naive Tailgate is at times...
*On page 11, Megatron channels his inner Grimlock, saying of Ravage "He unconscious" rather than "He's unconscious". This was fixed in the trade paperback.
*On page 12, as Megatron communicates with Ravage chirolinguistically, the cassette's name is misspelled "Ravege". This was fixed in the trade paperback.
*On page 15, the word "discovered" is split over two lines in Getaway's speech bubble but there's no connecting hyphen, nor is it split where a hyphen would be allowed to divide the word in the first place. This was fixed in the trade paperback.
*On page 16, when Nightbeat is attempting to find out Megatron's method of construction "It seems" is written as "I seems". This was fixed in the trade paperback.

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

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

===Other trivia===
*When Nautica explains how the [[quantum generator]]s work using ''improbablility'', you'd be forgiven for thinking it's a deliberate nod to the {{w|Technology in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy#Infinite Improbability Drive|Infinite Improbability Drive}} from {{w|Douglas Adams}}' ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}''. In actuality, [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/487688742539632640 James Roberts has never read the series], and came up with the idea entirely independently.
*Four "Meet the Crew"-style cast lists are sprinkled throughout the issue as a means of cataloguing who disappears, with each vanished crewmember being greyed out. Each lists also provide for the audience an assortment of information about the characters as Nightbeat requests it in-story. These pages do not count towards the 22-page total of the story itself, so there are noticeably fewer ad pages in the back of the comic.
*A quick forged/constructed cold checklist from this issue:
**Forged: Crosscut, Skids, Nautica, Huffer, Swerve, Hoist, Tailgate, Cyclonus, Hound, Ratchet
**Constructed cold (first wave): Gears, Blaster, Chromedome, Nightbeat
**Constructed cold (second wave): Getaway, Ammo, Riptide, Dipstick
*While he actively protests revealing his origin, Megatron's status as a [[Point One Percenter]] confirms him as being forged.
*Highbrow is listed as constructed cold but his wave is not given, presumably because Ratchet doesn't know it. (Although Highbrow is listed as a member of the pre-war [[Malware Brigade]], the group hypothetically ''could'' have still been active post-war.)
*We likewise learn the names of a number of Sparktypes; there are at least seven, presumably eight:
**Vitrious-Positive: Chromedome, Riptide (a type shared by Rewind and Whirl, as we learned back in [[Before & After|issue #12]].)
**Vitrious-Negative: Crosscut, Skids, Ammo
**Isomeric-Postive: Blaster, Getaway, Nightbeat
**Isomeric-Negative: Gears, Hoist, Dipstick, Ratchet, Highbrow
**Ferrum-Positive: Huffer, Hound, Swerve, Nautica (in trade collection)
**Ferrum-Negative: Cyclonus, Tailgate
**Estriol-Positive: Nautica (retconned away for the trade)
*Other intriguing character points revealed on these cast pages include: Crosscut has a phobia of [[Nanocon]]s; Getaway has shown purported signs of affinity for the Matrix; Nautica is a possible [[Outlier]]; Ammo is a [[Militant Monoform Movement|monoformer]]; Swerve is a practising [[Adaptus]]ian and has been diagnosed with {{w|Logorrhea (psychology)|Logorrhea}}; Riptide has an unreliable [[transformation cog]]; Dipstick's alt mode is "redundant"; and Hound was formerly part of the [[Primal Vanguard]].
*The "Thaw to War" tagline is another one of those verbal gags that only works if you imagine it spoken with Roberts's British accent; then, the words rhyme.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Megatron, Ratchet, Nautica, Chromedome and an unknown 5th bot in a standoff, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Mosaic tiles of the twenty characters in this issue, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''30th Anniversary cover:''' Nightbeat by [[Phil Jimenez]] and [[Romulo Fajardo Jr.]] The image is the packaging art for Nightbeat's upcoming ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' toy, like the Jiminez and Fajardo covers for "[[Dark Cybertron]]", but this particular piece was based on an early concept for Nightbeat's toy, and has him as a [[retool]] of ''Generations'' [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Jazz]], when the actual toy is a retool of ''Generations'' [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]].
<gallery>
File:MTMTE31 cvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE31 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE31 cvrRI.jpg
</gallery>

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

Twenty Plus One

2015-02-28T13:35:43Z

Heatsync: /* Errors */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=31
|prev=World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide
|next=Slaughterhouse
|image=MTMTE31 subcvr.jpg
|title="Twenty Plus One"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 9]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=July 2014
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Atilio Rojo]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|assistant editor=[[Vincent Kings]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}

'''Tensions run high as twenty ''Lost Light''ers find themselves stuffed into one small spaceship, and things only get worse when the lights start going out, and 'bots start disappearing... '''

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

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

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

This time, Ammo, Hoist, Dipstick, and Cyclonus have disappeared, but Cyclonus's [[Great Sword]] has not vanished with him. As Nightbeat inspects it, he gets the feeling he is being watched, and turns to sees a gigantic eye staring down at him... though it quickly turns out that it belongs to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s [[holomatter]] avatar, projected in from the ''[[Leading Light]]'', albeit at accidentally gigantic scale. Magnus quickly adjusts its size, and informs the remaining crew that all the other occupants of ''his'' craft have disappeared too, as have other shuttles. Tailgate peers out a porthole and notes that he can't see Magnus's shuttle anywhere; Magnus has but a moment to realise that he can't feel his body any more before his avatar fades out.
At the end of his rope, Nightbeat instructs Ratchet to write down every piece of information he knows about the crew from their medical files, but he barely has time to study the data before another blackout claims Swerve, Tailgate, and Ratchet... but ''not'' Ratchet's hands, which Skids points out used to belong to [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]. Riptide grins, having heard the whole story behind that from Swerve, and remarks that the ''Lost Lighters'' sure did get up to some crazy stuff while they were away. Nightbeat asks him to expand, having believed that Riptide had been on the ''Lost Light'' from the outset, but the [[Hydrobot]] explains that he was not: after going back to get a receipt for the ship from the NAILs who sold it to them, he eavesdropped on them and learned they were [[Mortilus]] worshippers who had been keeping a [[sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] in the basement, feeding it with [[turbofox]]es they had stolen from the crew of the ''[[Alchemy-Seven]]'', and when an altercation ensued, he was knocked out, and missed the ''Lost Light'' launch. Nightbeat crows that he has solved the mystery: everyone who disappeared was a member of the original ''Lost Light'' crew, and all those remaining on the Rodpod (himself, Megatron, Skids, Nautica, Getaway and Riptide) joined the crew after its launch. As Megatron angrily points out, though, his deduction solves absolutely nothing, since the detective was too slow to save anyone. Just then, Nautica informs them that they have reached Ofsted XVII, but that they are not the first to arrive... as outside, floating in the planet's orbit, is the shattered wreckage of the destroyed ''Lost Light''!

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'' (1)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (2)
*''[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]'' (3)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (4)
*''[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]]'' (5)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (7)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (8)
*[[Nautica]] (9)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ammo]] (10)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (11)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (12)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (13)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (14)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (15)
*[[Getaway]] (16)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (18)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (19)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (20)
*[[Dipstick]] (21)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (23)
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (24)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (26)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (25)
|c4=
*''[[Lost Light's former owners|Former owners of the Lost Light]]'' (6)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (22)
}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===Transformers references===
*Sector 113 is, of course, another of Roberts's reference to [[113 (disambiguation)|the number]].
*Skids makes reference to the [[pathblaster]], a weapon wielded by [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] in the original Marvel UK storyline, "[[Time Wars]]". His rant about the lowering standards of the MTO education system may have even been a direct reference to Roadbuster who, according to "[[Zero Point]]", went millions of years before even learning how to read.
*Ammo has [[Corrodia Gravis]], a rusting disease introduced in the Marvel UK story "[[Assassins]]".
*Hound is the one who catches Ravage, because [[The Transformers (issue)|of]] [[Crisis of Command!|course]] [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 3|he]] [[The Hunt for Soundwave|is]].

===Real-life references===
*In televisual terms, this issue would be a {{w|Bottle episode}}: a story that primarily consists of dialogue, and takes place in one setting. Bottle episodes were originally conceived as a money-saving venture, but the potential for tension and character-driven interactions they inherently possess has given them more value as storytelling devices; obviously, ''More than Meets the Eye'' doesn't save money by doing an issue this way!
*The specific meaning of the Festival of Lost Light is not divulged here, but given its name, the fact that it involves the release of lanterns, and a song known as the "Hymn of the Disappeared", it seems to be a ceremony dedicated to remembering lost loved ones. In particular, it is evocative of Japan's {{w|Tōrō nagashi}} ceremony, in which lanterns are released to light the way to the afterlife for the souls of the dead.
*Ofsted XVII is named after {{w|Ofsted}}, the British government department which oversees schools. It is labelled an "A Level" planet, in reference to the English academic qualification, the {{w|A-level}}. Mentions of tuition fees and a reduced cultural curriculum may also be references to the British educational system.
*What Highbrow and Cyclonus have to say about the education system is also a reference to developments in the English school (Academies) and university (tuition fee) systems.
*Chromedome remarks that Ethics were Ofsted's "Specialist Subject", a term that, while generic-sounding, is almost certainly a reference to the British TV quiz show ''{{w|Mastermind (TV series)|Mastermind}}''.
*"Information creep" is a term used by Wikipedia to describe the slow feed of information into an article that winds up shifting its perspective and/or readability over time.
*Dipstick was constructed cold to take part in "Operation: Doom Patrol", a reference to the DC Comics superhero team, the {{w|Doom Patrol}}.
*Among the assorted types of Spark the crew are shown to have, only Nautica has an "estriol-positive" one. {{w|Estriol}} is one of the three main estrogens produced by the human body, indicating that being a [[female Transformer]] is not just about the shape of your chassis, but goes all the way to the Spark. Belatedly realizing the potentially offensive connotations of defining female Transformers in this way (casting them as an "abnormal", and reinforcing a binary gender system), Roberts requested that this be removed in the trade paperback collection, which instead lists her as "ferrum-positive."

===Errors===
*The [[scale]] of many bots is off this issue - Tailgate is shown to come up to Ratchet's shoulder, for instance.
*On page 2, when Drift says "Of course...! This is the Hymn for the Disappeared.)", it should have a parentheses at the start of the phrase, like how his aside was in the previous panel.
*On page 11, Megatron channels his inner Grimlock, saying of Ravage "He unconscious" rather than "He's unconscious". This was fixed in the trade paperback.
*On page 12, as Megatron communicates with Ravage chirolinguistically, the cassette's name is misspelled "Ravege". This was fixed in the trade paperback.
*On page 15, the word "discovered" is split over two lines in Getaway's speech bubble but there's no connecting hyphen, nor is it split where a hyphen would be allowed to divide the word in the first place. This was fixed in the trade paperback.
*On page 16, when Nightbeat is attempting to find out Megatron's method of construction "It seems" is written as "I seems". This was fixed in the trade paperback.

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

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

===Other trivia===
*When Nautica explains how the [[quantum generator]]s work using ''improbablility'', you'd be forgiven for thinking it's a deliberate nod to the {{w|Technology in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy#Infinite Improbability Drive|Infinite Improbability Drive}} from {{w|Douglas Adams}}' ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}''. In actuality, [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/487688742539632640 James Roberts has never read the series], and came up with the idea entirely independently.
*Four "Meet the Crew"-style cast lists are sprinkled throughout the issue as a means of cataloguing who disappears, with each vanished crewmember being greyed out. Each lists also provide for the audience an assortment of information about the characters as Nightbeat requests it in-story. These pages do not count towards the 22-page total of the story itself, so there are noticeably fewer ad pages in the back of the comic.
*A quick forged/constructed cold checklist from this issue:
**Forged: Crosscut, Skids, Nautica, Huffer, Swerve, Hoist, Tailgate, Cyclonus, Hound, Ratchet
**Constructed cold (first wave): Gears, Blaster, Chromedome, Nightbeat
**Constructed cold (second wave): Getaway, Ammo, Riptide, Dipstick
*While he actively protests revealing his origin, Megatron's status as a [[Point One Percenter]] confirms him as being forged.
*Highbrow is listed as constructed cold but his wave is not given, presumably because Ratchet doesn't know it. (Although Highbrow is listed as a member of the pre-war [[Malware Brigade]], the group hypothetically ''could'' have still been active post-war.)
*We likewise learn the names of a number of Sparktypes; there are at least seven, presumably eight:
**Vitrious-Positive: Chromedome, Riptide (a type shared by Rewind and Whirl, as we learned back in [[Before & After|issue #12]].)
**Vitrious-Negative: Crosscut, Skids, Ammo
**Isomeric-Postive: Blaster, Getaway, Nightbeat
**Isomeric-Negative: Gears, Hoist, Dipstick, Ratchet, Highbrow
**Ferrum-Positive: Huffer, Hound, Swerve, Nautica (in trade collection)
**Ferrum-Negative: Cyclonus, Tailgate
**Estriol-Positive: Nautica (retconned away for the trade)
*Other intriguing character points revealed on these cast pages include: Crosscut has a phobia of [[Nanocon]]s; Getaway has shown purported signs of affinity for the Matrix; Nautica is a possible [[Outlier]]; Ammo is a [[Militant Monoform Movement|monoformer]]; Swerve is a practising [[Adaptus]]ian and has been diagnosed with {{w|Logorrhea (psychology)|Logorrhea}}; Riptide has an unreliable [[transformation cog]]; Dipstick's alt mode is "redundant"; and Hound was formerly part of the [[Primal Vanguard]].
*The "Thaw to War" tagline is another one of those verbal gags that only works if you imagine it spoken with Roberts's British accent; then, the words rhyme.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Megatron, Ratchet, Nautica, Chromedome and an unknown 5th bot in a standoff, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Mosaic tiles of the twenty characters in this issue, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''30th Anniversary cover:''' Nightbeat by [[Phil Jimenez]] and [[Romulo Fajardo Jr.]] The image is the packaging art for Nightbeat's upcoming ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' toy, like the Jiminez and Fajardo covers for "[[Dark Cybertron]]", but this particular piece was based on an early concept for Nightbeat's toy, and has him as a [[retool]] of ''Generations'' [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Jazz]], when the actual toy is a retool of ''Generations'' [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]].
<gallery>
File:MTMTE31 cvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE31 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE31 cvrRI.jpg
</gallery>

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

World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide

2015-02-27T13:59:07Z

Heatsync: /* Errors */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=30
|prev=World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air
|next=Twenty Plus One
|image=MTMTE30 subcvr.jpg
|title="World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide"
|caption= [[Knock Out (Prime)|Watch the paint.]]
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[June 25]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=June 2014
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|assistant editor=[[Rebecca Huard]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}

'''Megatron's trial comes to a head, while in the present day, things on board the ''Lost Light'' start falling apart.'''

==Synopsis==
''Six months in the past, the trial on [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] takes an unexpected turn as [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] informs the court of [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s decision to retract his earlier guilty plea. As [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], and [[Autobot High Command]] look on in anger and chagrin, Magnus delivers an affidavit on Megatron's behalf. Magnus recounts the alleged reasons behind the defendant's change of mind: while initially content to let justice take its course, the prosecution's course of action has convinced him that the trial is nothing more than a grandstanding political maneuver to promote the [[Autobot]]s' version of events, including his "attempted mental violation" by [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus]] himself presiding as [[Chief Justice]]. However, as Ultra Magnus is about to suggest a second course of action, the surviving [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] and [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]], freed from the brig of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', storm the arena with the intent of rescuing their leader via orbital jump. As Optimus and co. move to engage the loyal soldiers, [[Seawing (G1)|Seawing]] implores Megatron to grab his extra [[teleport pack]], only for the former [[Decepticon leader]] to apologetically refuse. As the [[Decepticon]] soldiers are swiftly defeated, Optimus decrees that the court will adjourn for a brief recess...''

On board the ''Lost Light'', assistant bartender and "entertainments officer" [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] runs [[Brainstorm]] and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] through the various Earth films he's got in store for the patrons of [[Swerve's]], while [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], confined to quarters for the suspected theft of Ultra Magnus' desk tidy, looks on through his [[holomatter]] avatar. [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] urges [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] to finish his drink or risk being late to Megatron's education seminar, only for the [[Hydrobot]] to reply that class was cancelled today. This exchange gives [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] opportunity to voice his displeasure with their new captain and predict that the class is yet another rung in the ladder of Megatron's domination of the universe.

''At the recess, high command converges to hear Ultra Magnus conclude Megatron's argument: in concurrence with the ancient legal system of Luna 2, different and separate from that of Cybertron, Megatron has invoked his right to be tried by the only body which can objectively process his charges: the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] and Starscream are quick to protest this unwelcome development, but Ultra Magnus insists that the trial cannot be reshuffled for the convenience of the prosecution's argument, and Optimus is quick to back him up, pointing out that their handling of the trial is just as important as the actual outcome. Rattrap also speaks up in favor of their argument, pointing out that such duplicity belies the trial as a strictly black-and-white moral affair.''

In the ''Lost Light'''s medibay, [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]], Ultra Magnus and Megatron look on as [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] examines the contents of the mysterious coffin: [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]' apparent corpse. Though he is able to quickly confirm the gaping head wound as the cause of death, there is no obvious evidence that the figure isn't their captain... much to the shock and confusion of Rodimus himself, who arrives to view "his" corpse, bickering with "co-captain" Megatron all the while.

''Before the trial's conclusion, Optimus visits Megatron's cell once more, confronting him about his earlier request to have the trial take place on Luna 2, under the pretense of the [[Raskol Arena|arena]] there being the only structure large enough to contain all the people he has ever wronged. Megatron insists that his intentions are not to escape justice, but to atone for his crimes by finding the Cybertronian race a new home in the form of [[Cyberutopia]], the fabled domain of the Knights of Cybertron, after which he will gladly let justice take its course. Optimus hands Megatron a datapad and promises to uphold Megatron's wish and let him join the ''Lost Light'' crew—as long as he relays the message on it to the crowd. ''

In the medibay, Megatron's barbs rouse the sulky Rodimus into action. Calling on [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], Chromedome, Brainstorm, Skids and [[Nautica]], he charges "Team Rodimus" with using their considerable abilities to determining the nature of the dead doppelgänger. While Megatron looks on in disgust, Chromedome attempts to extract memories from its ruined brain, and Nautica inquires about Brainstorm's [[Early Early Warning System|''early'' Early Warning System]] (for those times that your early warning system just isn't enough). Nautica notes the presence of spectralist symbols on the coffin, causing Ratchet to theorize that [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], a practicing spectralist, may have been the one to build the coffin. His speculation is cut short as Chromedome and First Aid announce the bizarre and rather disturbing truth: based on the body's surviving memories, and the age of its [[innermost energon]], it's none other than Rodimus' future self! As the early early warning system delivers a warning, Rodimus reasons that he should be able to upset any such time loop relatively easily, and immediately decides to ''lop off one of his arms with a chainsaw''. Megatron points out that his future self's arm could very well have been reattached postmortem, and Nightbeat realizes that this future Rodimus is missing the "crisis vote" engraving in his palm. Rodimus reveals that he removed the engraving after a conversation with Ratchet, only for the others to ignore him and stare in shock as part of the ship's hull disappears behind him!

In Swerve's, [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] proves that old habits die hard, wowing the patrons with tales of his heroism on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]. [[Getaway]] approaches, applauding the little 'bot as [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] silently looks on. The escapologist asserts that Tailgate's lifesaving actions on Luna 1 were a feat worthy of the title of Prime, much to Tailgate's embarrassment, before taking a seat and asking why Tailgate changed his arm decal back to "Waste Disposal," causing Tailgate to recount his bid at reinventing himself as a hero. Getaway sympathizes, bringing up his own less-than-illustrious career before joining the Diplomatic Corps, before giving Tailgate an affectionate "bomp" on the chin. Neither of them notice Cyclonus storming out of the bar in disapproval, but the sudden blaring of the alarm is enough to get their attention.

''At the height of the trial, Megatron makes good on his part of the deal and recites Optimus' message, renouncing Decepticonism and its ideals and ordering its members everywhere to do the same. With this damning discreditation, the trial plays out exactly as Optimus had promised, and Prime even stops by Megatron's cell afterwards to congratulate him. Megatron remarks that the old him would have vowed death on Prime, but Optimus responds that that is exactly the point. Optimus leaves satisfied, not noticing Megatron bury his head in his hands.

''Later, Rodimus gleefully shows an unimpressed Ratchet the new [[Rodpod]] the crew has built him, before his exultant demeanor abruptly gives way and he remarks that it's a hard time to be reminded that people are fundamentally good. Confused, Ratchet presses the matter, and Rodimus comes clean about reading [[Atomizer]]'s list of the 89 crewmembers who voted to remove him. Ratchet furiously reminds Rodimus that such conduct is very much illegal, but Rodimus reassures him that he had already made up his mind not to act on the information, and is considering telling Magnus the truth about the affair after the latter is done with Megatron. Ratchet floors him in with the outcome of the trial and the revelation that they are ''anything'' but done with the apostate. As Ratchet fills him in on the specifics, Rodimus is overcome with rage and disbelief. Ratchet grimly concurs before handing him back the list, saying that a universe where a Decepticon mass murderer can sit on an Autobot bridge makes it easier to forgive Rodimus' actions. Rodimus complies with Ratchet's suggestions and destroys the list as Ratchet tells him that he was wise not to act on it, as it's a fake. When Rodimus asks how he knows, Ratchet replies that ''his'' name wasn't on it.''

As more and more pieces of the Lost Light begin vanishing, Megatron orders the crew to evacuate to the shuttles. Rodimus yanks him off the intercom and into the Rodpod, sparking off another ill-timed round of bickering as the shuttles take off. Ultra Magnus stills the spat with some truly frightening news: The ''Lost Light'' has fully given in to the mysterious decay and completely disappeared!

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in the flashback portion of the issue.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]'' (1)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (2)
*''[[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]]'' (3)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (4)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (5)
*''[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'' (6)
*''[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]'' (16)
*[[Nautica]] (17)
*''[[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]]'' (18)
*''[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]]'' (19)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (23)
*[[Doublecross]] (24)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (25)
*[[Brainstorm]] (26)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (27)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (28)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (29)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (30)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (31)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (32)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (33)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (34)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (35)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (36)
*[[Groove (G1)|Groove]] (37)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (38)
*[[Siren]] (39)
*[[Hosehead (G1)|Hosehead]] (40)
*[[Getaway]] (41)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (44)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*Matrix thief? (45)
*[[Atomizer]] (46)
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (47)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (48)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (49)
*[[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] (50)
*[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (51)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (52)
*[[Blades (G1)|Blades]] (53)
*[[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] (54)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (55)
*[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]] (56)
*[[Dipstick]] (57)
*[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] (58)
*[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] (59)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*''[[Rippersnapper (G1)|Rippersnapper]]'' (9)
*''[[Rage (G1)|Rage]]'' (10)
*''[[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]]'' (11)
*''[[Hydradread]]'' (12)
*''[[Bulletbike (G2)|Bulletbike]]'' (13)
*''[[Blip]]'' (14)
*''[[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Grr]]'' (15)
*''[[Seawing (G1)|Seawing]]'' (20)
*''[[Tentakil (G1)|Tentakil]]'' (21)
*''[[Snaptrap (G1)|Snap Trap]]'' (22)
|c4=
*''[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]'' (7)
*''[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]'' (8)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (42)
*[[Ten]] (43)
}}

==Quotes==

'''Ultra Magnus:''' "Your honor—is it an '''abuse of process''' to request that the presiding judge '''intervene'''?" 
'''Optimus Prime:''' "I will allow it." 
'''Hun-Grr:''' "Objec—" 
''THWOK!'' 
'''Hun-Grr:''' —''shnn!''"

'''Megatron:''' "You've been '''sulking in the shadows''' ever since we took off." 
'''Rodimus:''' "I've been '''taking stock!'''" 
'''Megatron:''' "No, Optimus "takes stock." '''I''' "take stock". You sulk. You're sulking '''now'''." 
'''Rodimus:''' "I'm '''confronting my own mortality'''! I'm having one of those—those '''existential crisises'''!" 
'''Ultra Magnus:''' "Crises." 
'''Rodimus:''' "'''Not now,''' Magnus."

"If there are still some memories in my '''dead lookalike''', you could '''read them''' and find out if he's really me." 
"You do realize that interfacing with a corpse is highly dangerous. I could die." 
""Could"! The '''luxury''' of "could"! I'm '''already dead'''!"
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Chromedome'''

"Got any '''theories''', Perceptor?" 
"One or two." 
"Is that all? I've got '''hundreds.'''" 
"Then you clearly have a lot of eliminating to do."
:—'''Brainstorm''' and '''Perceptor'''

"What are you doing? '''UNHAND ME!'''" 
"Shut up and follow me. Oh, and for future reference? Only '''bad guys''' say "unhand me"."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Rodimus'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Snaptrap and Hun-Grr's crews of Decepticons were locked up in the ''Lost Light'''s brig in [[Before & After|issue #12]]. It's fitting that they, of all the Decepticons present for the trial, should be the ones who stage the attempted escape; after all, they were among the 'Cons mentioned by Megatron in [[Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|issue #26]] who were still out in space, doing dastardly Decepticonny things, instead of trying to live in peace like most of those on Cybertron.
*Whirl's holomatter avatar reappears, last seen in [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|issue #13]]. As with several of the other avatars that appeared in that issue, which sported different [[Alex Milne]] designs on the cover of the comic compared to the [[Guido Guidi]] designs they appeared with in the story, Whirl is here redesigned with a more punkish look, featuring chains, big boots, and spiked knee- and elbow-pads.
*Ratchet posits a poor attempt at [[shadowplay]] as a possible cause of coffin-Rodimus's demise.
*Scrawled in graffiti on Megatron's cell wall is the partially-obscured phrase "Equal Rights For Knockoffs", a slogan denouncing prejudice against those who were [[Reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|constructed cold]]. We heard Brainstorm rattle this tagline off in [[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|issue #17]].
*The [[communicube]] Megatron was seen handing Rodimus in [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|issue #28]] is revealed to have contained a request to move the trial to Luna 2.
*Megatron's reaction to Chromedome's mind-reading needles may be a callback to his extreme reaction against having his mind read (or altered) in issue #28.
*Drift was flagged as a "practicing spectralist" in [[Little Victories|issue #22]].
*Rodimus tries to not think about the circumstances of Drift's departure, back in [[The Gloaming|issue #16]]. Considering it was Rodimus' fault, you can't really blame him...
*Rodimus's adventures as mentioned by Chromedome include "waking up in [[Nyon]]" (''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' taught us that Hot Rod hails from Nyon, though what this specifically refers to is unclear), "finding the [[Magnificence]]" (as seen in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''), and "the speech at [[Rivets Field]]" (given in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]]).
*Swerve snapped photos of Optimus, Magnus and Rodimus drinking in the bar in [[Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|issue #23]]; here one of those shots is framed and hanging on the wall.
*The previous [[Rodpod]] was destroyed in [[No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|issue #25]].
*Rodimus got the (''false!'') list of crew votes from Atomizer [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|last issue]].
*Ratchet notes he voted against Rodimus staying on as captain; we don't need to rattle off a laundry list of Rodimus's mistakes that led to the crisis act being invoked, but in Ratchet's case, it was likely the blaming and exile of Drift, with whom he was forming a complicated relationship, that earned his vote against him.
*The deleterious effects of Megatron's canister of "superfuel" on Trailcutter last issue are explained here: it's actually [[Fool's Energon]], a toxin created by [[Quickmix (G1)|Quickmix]] that drains his strength.
*As the alarm sounds through the ''Lost Light'', an unidentified 'bot with an animalistic [[alternate mode]] appears sitting opposite Groove in Swerve's. Though the colors and body design are different, his helmet is a dead ringer for that of the mysterious thief who stole the [[Matrix of Leadership]] millions of years in the past, seen in [[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|issue #19]].

===Transformers references===
*Ultra Magnus's use of a big honking hammer is a callback to the signature weapon of his ''[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Animated]]'' and ''[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Prime]]'' counterparts.

===Real-life references===
[[File:Zulu predestination a beginners guide.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb]]
*Bluestreak has brought along a selection of human-made movies from his time on Earth, including ''[[Zulu]]'' (right), ''{{w|Aguirre, the Wrath of God}}'', ''{{w|The Muppets Take Manhattan}}'', and ''{{w|Breathless (1960 film)|À bout de souffle}}''. Whirl is a fan of the latter's director, {{w|Jean-Luc Godard}}.
*The arena in which Megatron's trial is held is named the "{{w|Raskol}} arena", the Russian word for "split" or "schism". The term specifically refers to the 17th century splitting of the Russian Orthodox Church, triggered by reforms introduced by its patriarch; no coincidence, then, that the Raskol arena should play host to such a shattering change to the Decepticon movement following a pronouncement by ''its'' patriarch. Indeed, real-life Russian parallels have played a large role in Roberts's expansion of Decepticon history throughout ''More than Meets the Eye''; the general mindset and growth of the party is evocative of Communist Russia, and several Russian loanwords have been used to describe activities during the war, such as "samizdat" (describing Megatron's writings in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]]) and "pogrom" ("anti-Neutral progroms" were carried out by [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], according to [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]]). James Roberts has also described Megatron as akin to Raskolnikov from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novel ''Crime and Punishment'' on [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/522288037016133632 his Twitter feed], so the name "Raskol" might be a reference to that.
{{-}}

===Errors===
*Bluestreak claims to have "spent time on Earth as part of an infiltration unit". Ah.... no, he didn't. He wasn't part of the unit that appeared under Prowl's command at the start of IDW's comics; in fact, during the time infiltration units were in play, he was stationed on the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]] and saw action on [[Varas Centralus]], as seen during ''[[Stormbringer]]'', and didn't make his way to Earth until the [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing series]], after infiltration protocol had been abandoned. Nothing saying he couldn't have picked the fondness for Earth culture up ''then'', of course.
*When Optimus hands Megatron a datapad with the speech to disband the Decepticons on it, his words are "'''Freedom of Movemen'''t", the "t" is not bolded like the rest of the phrase.
*Page 13, panel 2: When Rodimus says, "...then the future in which I die..." the "I" is written with a sans-serif letter ''I''. This is in contradiction to MTMTE's normal lettering style, which like most comics uses a serif-adorned ''I'' for the first person singular pronoun. (For comparison, look at Rodimus's other two uses of "I" in the very same word balloon.) This is fixed in the collection.

===Crew manifest===
*Rodimus is revealed to be alive (at least for the moment) and "co-captain" of the ''Lost Light''.
**Confirmed previous crew: First Aid, Rodimus, Smokescreen, Siren, Atomizer, Highbrow, Blaster, Mainframe, Hound, Powerglide, Slapdash, Dipstick
***At least 30/79 original crew still on board, 2 departed
**Confirmed new arrivals: none this issue
***At least 17 new crew members since second launch
**Confirmed departures: The ''Lost Light'' itself?

===Soundtrack===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38x5GYAS6xY&app=desktop "Speedway"] by {{w|Morrisey}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq7JSic1DtM&feature=youtu.be "Rise"] by {{w|Public Image Ltd}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrTB-iiecqk&feature=youtu.be "Street Spirit (Fade Out)"] by {{w|Radiohead}}

===Other trivia===
*Rung's ''Lost Light'' scale model appears to be missing some bits, foreshadowing the ship's bizarre disappearance.
*Hun-Grr's on his third name spelling since his introduction in IDW continuity. He started out as "Hun-Grrr" (the most prevalent spelling of his name in the 80s), until issue #12, when it was changed to "Hun-Gar" (a never-before-seen spelling, and a change also reflected in ''[[The Transformers: Monstrosity|Monstrosity]]''). Now, he's Hun-''Grr'', the spelling from the original Marvel series.

===Covers (6)===
*'''Regular cover:''' The Rodpod and various shuttles abandon the ''Lost Light'', by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Rodimus hands over the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s keys to Megatron, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''30th Anniversary cover:''' Megatron sits on the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]] as seen in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]] episode "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]" by [[Guido Guidi]] and [[John-Paul Bove]]
<gallery>
File:MTMTE30 cvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE30 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE30 cvrRI.jpg
</gallery>
*'''BotCon cover:''' Black-and-white lineart version of the 30th anniversary cover available at [[BotCon 2014]], several days before the regular retail edition of the comic was released.
*'''Retailer Exclusive covers:''' A pair of connecting covers that depict [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] in a DJ battle against [[My Little Pony|DJ Pon-3]], by [[Tony Fleecs]]. These covers were available as a shared exclusive between [http://www.plasticempire.com/ Plastic Empire] and [http://thetoyfederation.com/ The Toy Federation], and were first made available at their booth at [[BotCon 2014]].
<gallery>
File:MTMTE30 concvr.jpg
File:MTMTE30 cvrREA.jpg|
File:MTMTE30 cvrREB.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #31
*[[Earthfall Part 3: The Mind Bomb|''Robots in Disguise'' #31]]
*[[Windblade issue 3|''Windblade'' #3]]
*15 Years of IDW: Spotlight on Gabriel Rodriguez
*''[[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark]]''
*IDW: Getting Into Your Head for 15 Years (back cover)

User:Heatsync

2015-02-27T00:13:13Z

Heatsync: Created page with "Hey I'm a guy who just likes Transformers, literature, and wild mass guessing. Things I care about: *Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity *Brainstorm *[[Nautica]..."

Hey I'm a guy who just likes Transformers, literature, and wild mass guessing.

Things I care about:
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity]]
*[[Brainstorm]]
*[[Nautica]]
*Music
*The color blue
*Leather jackets

World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air

2015-02-27T00:10:31Z

Heatsync: /* Errors */

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=29
|prev=World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace
|next=World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide
|image=MTMTE29 subcvr.jpg
|title="World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 14]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=May 2014
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|assistant editor=[[Rebecca Huard]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}

'''In the past, Megatron's trial takes a surprising turn, while in the here and now, a drunken prank exposes the alarming contents of the coffin.'''

==Synopsis==
Freshly awoken from his recuperation from [[cybercrosis]], his [[transformation cog]] fully functional, and an [[Autobot]] [[insignia]] newly emblazoned on his chest, a cheery [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] speeds through the ''[[Lost Light]]'' and greets [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] by leaping onto his back and poking him in the head—his new "signature move", he gleefully explains. A lot has gone on while he was offline, but the biggest surprise soon comes walking down the hallway: captain [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], wearing an Autobot symbol of his own, directing the transport of the mysterious coffin through the ship's corridors. Tailgate only has a moment to be amazed, though, before a drunken [[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]]—supported by [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]]—staggers up to him, welcoming him back and lauding his brave actions against [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]]. All together, Tailgate beams, he's having pretty much the best day ever... until he finds his way barred by a battle-scarred [[Legislator]]!

''Six months ago, on [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]], Megatron's trial continues with [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]] giving testimony regarding the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. Watching from a balcony, a glum [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] is approached by [[Atomizer]], who has brought something of interest: a list of everyone who voted against Rodimus when he recently evoked the [[Crisis Intervention Accord]], acquired through dubious means, which he hopes Rodimus will use to shape the crew of the ''Lost Light'' in to one that is entirely behind him before they depart. A hesitant Rodimus instructs him to destroy it, and Atomizer agrees... ''if'' Rodimus asks him one more time. The young captain pauses...''

It turns out the Legislator is the bouncer at [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve's]] [[Swerve's|bar]]; the chatty proprietor explains that he reprogrammed him and named him "Ten" because it's the only word he can say. Elsewhere in the bar, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], [[Nautica]] and [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] read about Megatron and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s dispute over what to do with the coffin in the newest edition of the ''[[Lost Light Insider]]''. Riptide decides to have a little fun with the severely inebriated [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]], and alleges that Megatron keeps some kind of "superfuel" in the medibay, prompting the reluctant specialist to try stealing it.

''When [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] gets his turn on the witness stand, it is to speak in Megatron's defense—in a sense. Although he starts off with some unrepentant grandstanding, for which Magnus and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] reprimand him, he eventually delivers a speech that paints Megatron as a painfully inept leader who merely lit a fuse, and was unable to control of the explosion of war that resulted, but insisted on perpetuating it rather than admit failure. It is not death Megatron deserves, Starscream opines, but pity. Subsequently, the trial is put on hold for thirty minutes as Megatron requests a private conference with Magnus; during the downtime, Starscream gets news on his rising stock in the opinion polls from [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] and gloats at his moral besting of Megatron, while Optimus gets similarly positive news from [[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]] on how the trial is being received by the population.''

[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] is deep in thought over a holographic projection of [[Rung (G1)|Rung's]] [[alternate mode]] in his quarters when [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] comes knocking, requesting his expert help in investigating the sudden change to [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]'s last message. The recording has since reverted to normal, and Nightbeat is a little incredulous, keen to blame Chromedome's grief for the supposed "message from beyond the grave"... until he turns around to see Rewind himself, standing in the doorway!

Mounted with a headcam to give Riptide and the others a live feed of his drunken dare, Trailcutter sneaks to the medibay, only to find it locked. Nautica, thinking the better of the prank, leaves the bar, at which point Tailgate introduces Skids to his new "finger in the head" move, accidentally knocking over the computer they are using to communicate with Trailcutter and breaking it. As such, they do not hear Trailcutter's surprising report that the medibay door has simply ''vanished'', allowing him access. As he begins to chug the supposed "superfuel" from a canister with Megatron's serial number on it, the captain himself arrives with a security team in response to silent alarms and instructs him to put the fuel down. Trailcutter seems ready for a fight but suddenly keels over, believing himself to be poisoned by the fuel, and triggers his "panic bubble"—a forcefield disconnected from his mental functions that fills the room and won't shut down for thirty minutes.

Chromedome and Nightbeat race back to Nightbeat's quarters; the vision of Rewind went unseen by Chromedome before it vanished, and Nightbeat believes it was a "[[data ghost]]", an impression left on the physical world by the metaphysical weight of the data that Rewind carried. Chromedome is apprehensive, reasoning that if Rewind has come back as a "ghost", then he is being haunted, but the pair are momentarily given another concern when Nightbeat opens the door to his hab-suite and discovers that the wall to the room has disappeared, exposing open space beyond!

After thirty minutes, Trailcutter's forcefield shuts down, and Megatron punishes him with a precision strike to the back of the head that permanently activates his [[fuel intake moderation chip]], leaving him forever unable to get drunk again, or take any pleasure in the act. Trailcutter is outraged, but Megatron ignores his anger and instead decides to offer him some focus by promoting him to director of security for the ship. That done, the pair turn their attention to the coffin... which has been broken open by Trailcutter's forcefield, and is leaking [[energon]]. Prising the lid off, the pair peer inside, and are greeted by the sight of Rodimus's corpse, with half its head missing!

''As court resumes, Ultra Magnus gives Optimus Prime some shocking news: Megatron now wishes to plead "not guilty"! And he's not the only 'bot who's had a change of heart, as somewhere else, in a darkened room, Rodimus looks over Atomizer's list...''

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in the flashback portion of the issue.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (1)
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (3)
*[[Grotusque]] (4)
*[[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] (5)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (6)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (7)
*[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (8)
*[[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] (9)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (12)
*''[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'' (13)
*''[[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]]'' (14)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (15)
*''[[Atomizer]]'' (16)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (17)
*[[Doublecross]] (18)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (19)
*[[Nautica]] (20)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (21)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (22)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (23)
*[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] (24)
*[[Groove (G1)|Groove]] (25)
*[[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] (26)
*[[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]] (27)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] (28)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (30)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (31)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (32)
*''[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]'' (33)
*''[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]'' (34)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (35)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (36)
*[[Aquafend]] (37)
*''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (39)
{{!}}}
|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (2)
*[[Ten]] (10)
*''[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]'' (29)
*''[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]'' (38)
}}

==Quotes==

"If he's called Ten, why's he got '9' on his back?" 
"Because it's funny." 
"Is it?" 
"It is if you've got a sense of humor. You must've lost yours to '''cybercrosis'''."
:—'''Tailgate''' and '''Swerve'''

"It's a '''scandal sheet''', Riptide. It uses gossip, mockery, and slander to titillate its readers, and whoever writes it should be ashamed of themselves. And 'Mags v. Megs' would've made a '''much''' better headline."
:—'''Nautica''' on the ''Lost Light Insider''

"I'm at the medibay door—they've done something to it. They've made it all '''lock-y.'''" 
"'Lock-y'? How many have you '''had'''?" 
"I think I want to '''punch''' it."
:—'''Trailcutter''' and '''Skids'''

"Trust me—every fiber of my being is telling me to put a stop to this. It's only through sheer '''force of will''' that I'm able to keep watching."
:—'''Skids'''

"Now, what am I actually '''looking for?''' A vat? A flask? A vial? My money's on a vial. Vials are '''sinister.'''"
:—'''Trailcutter'''

"Information carries weight. It's not corporeal, but it has '''presence'''. It can be '''felt'''. It hangs in the air like—like words. Like the morning after an argument! Actually, not like that. That's a bad analogy. I'm distracted. Shut up. Stop '''expecting things''' of me." 
"But why '''Rewind?'''" 
"Think about it! He was a walking archive—literally. A body of information. All that dense data squeezed into such a small space. Pressing down like a—like a—" 
"Like a gun to your head."
:—'''Nightbeat''' and '''Chromedome'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Tailgate recovers from the cybercrosis he succumbed to back in [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]]. It was in that same issue that he overcame Tyrest with his "finger in the head" move, when he jammed his finger into the hole in [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]]'s head.
*Tailgate describes Optimus Prime as a "roof-jumping, name-taking" hero, still basing his view of Prime on the story he was told in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|the "Shadowplay" trilogy]].
*Tailgate finally becomes a full-fledged Autobot, having been studying toward this end since [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]].
*Jackpot sings a line from the drinking song everyone performed in [[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|issue #27]].
*Though he appeared to die in [[Chaos Part One: Lamentations|issue #24]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing series]], Grotusque put in a brief appearance in [[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|''Robots in Disguise'' #27]]. His appearance in this issue confirms that wasn't an error and he's definitely alive, as he and his fellow [[Monsterbot]]s—not seen together since ''[[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]''—have joined the ''Lost Light''.
*From the description Rodimus and Atomizer give of Vos ("hooks for hands and feet!") it's evident that the Vos seen in the video they watched is a previous holder of the code-name, and not the [[Vos (DJD)|current, hookless Vos]] seen in [[Rules of Disengagement|issues #7]] and [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]]. [[James Roberts]] has since elaborated that when a D.J.D. member dies, his replacement takes his codename.<ref>[http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12651&start=15 IDW Forums James Roberts Q&A]</ref>
*Ratchet wants to ask Megatron a question "about <nowiki>[his]</nowiki> eyes"—he's referring to Megatron's rumored [[antimatter]] powers, which he and [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] talked about back in [[Chaos Theory Part 1|issue #22]] of the ongoing, which manifest through his eyes per their previous usage in "[[Resurrection!]]", a [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK]] story.
*Nautica mentions ''The Ascetic Cybertronian,'' a work written by Dominus Ambus that was previously referenced by Alpha Trion in [[Spotlight: Orion Pax]].
*[[Ambulon (G1)|Ambulon]]'s belongings remain in the medibay, labelled as "untouched" following his death in [[Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|issue #20]].
*The can of "superfuel" reads "MEGS-071-980"; "071-980" is Megatron's serial number, as revealed in the aforementioned issue #22 of the ongoing.
*Whatever is in Megatron's canister of green "superfuel", it's probably got something to do with his enigmatic comment last issue that he was going to recharge—"if you can call it that." Something's up with Megatron's fuel intake!
*Judging by his presence among the responders to Trailcutter's break-in, [[Aquafend]] remains part of the Lost Light's security personnel. From [[Interiors|issue #6]], we know he held such a position back in "Season 1" as well.
*The depth of the relationship between Rewind and [[Dominus Ambus]] has only been implied in the past; this issue confirms that the pair were [[Conjunx Endura]]e.
*Nightbeat referred to the "Big Three" mysteries waaaaaaay back in his ''[[Spotlight: Nightbeat|Spotlight]]'' issue; this issue establishes that two of the three were the disappearances of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], which have since been found (though there's clearly still a lot more to Luna 1's story yet to be told).

===Transformers references===
*The ''Lost Light Insider'' uses Megatron's rarely-referenced nickname from his old [[The Transformers Universe|''Universe'' profile]], "The Slag Maker".

===Real-life references===
*The idea of Ten being programmed to obey Swerve's "three laws" ("no guns, no [[sword]]s, no [[briefcase]]s") is a humorous take on [[Wikipedia:Three Laws of Robotics|Isaac Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics"]].
*Nightbeat's quarters are in hab-suite 221, a reference to 221b Baker Street, home of famous detective [[Sherlock Holmes]].
*The concept of a "data ghost" as a lingering impression of a deceased person was also found in the 2008 ''[[Doctor|Doctor Who]]'' episode "[[Wikipedia:Silence in the Library|Silence in the Library]]".

===Errors===
*Gripper is colored light yellow & black, where his toy is orange and black.
*In the second panel on page 6 there is "Trial Megatron (Day 3)." instead of "Trial of Megatron (Day 3).".
*Due to a printing error, the Subscription cover and the 1-in-10 Incentive cover were switched. Retailer orders for the Subscription cover were filled with the Incentive cover and orders for the Incentive cover were filled with the Subscription cover.
*When Megatron examines the coffin, he says "I'm going to assume it's safe to take closer look." In reality, it should be "it's safe to take '''a''' closer look."

===Crew manifest===
*Trailcutter is now the ''Lost Light'' security chief, a position manned by Ultra Magnus since [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'s boxing in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|#11]].
*Building upon last issue's adjustments to the crew:
**Confirmed previous crew: Tailgate, Cyclonus, Jackpot, Hoist, Trailcutter, Ratchet, Aquafend
**Confirmed(?) departures: Rodimus
***At least 18/79 original crew still on board, 3(?) departed
**Confirmed new arrivals: Hot Spot, Broadside, Grotusque, Riptide, Doublecross, Streetwise, Repugnus
***At least 17 new crew members since second launch

===Other trivia===
[[File:MtMtE22and29-RungAltmode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Nae difference, by the way!]]
*This issue features a new style of recap page, which sees Swerve address the readers directly to get them up to speed.
*The series roll call page is reintroduced, though lacking the short bios that characterized season one's "Meet the Crew" page.
*Roberts [https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/467438088604876800 confirmed on Twitter] that the projection Nightbeat is shown studying is supposed to be of Rung's [[alternate mode]]. Indeed, the projection's details and shapes are very clearly based on those of Rung's [[robot mode]], reconfigured, with his head-crest, circular central chest design, "wasitcoat" details, pelvis, and shin-protrusions all evident. This had to ''be'' confirmed outside the comic, however, because it looks ''completely different'' to the mode as it appeared previously in [[Little Victories|issue #22]]. In the interest of fairness, we shan't list this under "Errors", 'cause the art here is by regular artist Alex Milne, while the alt mode's first appearance was by fill-in artist [[James Raiz]].

===Soundtrack===
*[http://grooveshark.com/#!/search/song?q=The+Ladybug+Transistor+Words+Hang+in+the+Air "Words Hang in the Air"] by [[Wikipedia: The Ladybug Transistor|The Ladybug Transistor]]

===Covers (3)===
*'''Standard cover:''' Megatron and Tailgate, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Megatron on trial atop a field of skulls, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Incentive cover:''' Part of a series of "30th Anniversary" covers from the May 2014 Transformers titles by [[Marcelo Matere]] that appear to have been released in reverse order; [[Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|''Robots in Diguise'' #29]] depicts the characters on Cybertron, [[Windblade issue 2|''Windblade' #2]] shows them being rebuilt, and this issue, though released first, shows [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] under fire on Earth. The group of characters featured hearkens back to their time together in the [[Dead Universe]] during "[[Dark Cybertron]]". Colors by Priscilla Tramontano.
<gallery>
File:MTMTE29 cvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE29 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE29 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''More than Meets the Eye'' #30
*''Robots in Disguise'' #29
*''Windblade'' #2
*IDW ''Littlest Pet Shop'' comic
*IDW: Getting Into Your Head for 15 Years (back cover)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/21096-more-autobot-megatron-in-transformers-mtmte-29-preview.html Preview]