MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

War for Cybertron Trilogy (franchise)

2019-04-30T00:31:02Z

Pyrl: /* Comics */ it's not upcoming anymore

{{disambig3|War for Cybertron}}
[[File:War-for-Cybertron-Trilogy-logo.jpg|center|400px]]

The "'''War for Cybertron Trilogy'''" is [[Hasbro]]'s designation for a [[subline imprint|segment]] of the ''[[Transformers: Generations]]'' line that launched in late [[2018]]. Like the preceding ''[[Prime Wars Trilogy]]'', "War" will be primarily based around the toy lines that make up the trilogy, and will be accompanied by a tie-in cartoon series and possibly tie-ins in [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s comic books.

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto;" border="0" align="center" id="toc"
|-
!align="center" bgcolor="#6699CC" colspan="13"|War for Cybertron Trilogy:
|-align="center"
|''[[War for Cybertron: Siege (franchise)|War for Cybertron: Siege]]'' ([[2019]]–???)
|<div style="background-color:#999;width:5px;height:20px;margin:2px 10px;"></div>
|''???'' (???–???)
|<div style="background-color:#999;width:5px;height:20px;margin:2px 10px;"></div>
|''???'' (???–???)
|}
==Toys==
===War for Cybertron: Siege===
{{Main|War for Cybertron: Siege (toyline)}}
{{toystub}}

==Cartoon==
A yet-untitled ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' animated series is currently in development. The series will be produced by [[Rooster Teeth]] and animated by [[Polygon Pictures]], and will focus on the origins of the war between the Autobots and Decepticons. [[F.J. DeSanto]] will act as the series showrunner, with [[George Krstic]], [[Gavin Hignight]], and [[Brandon M. Easton]] as writers. The show is scheduled for a [[2020]] release on [[Netflix]], beginning with a first season of six 22-minute episodes.

==Comics==
{{main|Transformers (2019 comic)}}
While not specifically branded as part of the ''War for Cybertron Trilogy'', the [[IDW Publishing]] ongoing series ''[[Transformers (2019 comic)|Transformers]]'' makes extensive use of contemporary ''Siege'' toy designs wherever possible.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Generations}}
[[Category:Generation 1 franchises]]
[[Category:Generations| ]]

Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life

2019-04-12T06:29:27Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ video was unavailable

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=21
|prev=Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely
|next=The Sound of Breaking Glass
|image=MTMTE21 cvrA.jpg
|title="Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life"
|caption=And the rest... is silence.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|published in=[[More than Meets the Eye issue 21|''More than Meets the Eye'' #21]]
|date=[[September 25]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=September 2013
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]] with [[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2013)]]
}}
'''The last of the answers comes out and new mysteries are born as the ''Lost Light''ers race to stop Tyrest's killswitch. But the shadow of death looms large over the crew... will everyone make it out alive?'''

==Synopsis==
With only inches to spare, [[Solomus|Tyrest]] is stopped from passing through his portal by [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] leaping onto his back, immune to Tyrest's paralytic thought weapon thanks to [[cybercrosis]]-induced loss of hearing on the signal's frequency. Tailgate hits the switch on Tyrest's staff that deactivates the signal, freeing the other Autobots from its effects, but is then seized by the deranged Chief Justice, who threatens his life if [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] does not let him enter the portal. Tailgate urges Rodimus to open fire since he is soon to die anyway, but the quandry is soon removed from Rodimus's hands: Tyrest is shot in the back by [[Minimus Ambus]]!

[[File:Cyclonus StarSaber ThisCalamitousLife.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3]]
Outside, [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] responds to [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]]'s call for challengers, but the resultant duel goes poorly for him. When Star Saber asks him what he fights for, however, Cyclonus replies that it's personal, and drives his single horn into Star Saber's eye. The blinded Saber drops Cyclonus, but manages to teleport away before a killing blow can be struck.

With Tyrest dispatched, Ambus—now in a truly diminutive state, not even as tall as Rodimus's waist—explains that the form they have seen him in up until now was another suit of armor, and that he was knocked unconscious when its head was crushed. As everyone tries to deal with the [[universal killswitch|killswitch]] and its victims, [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] tries to make a run for the portal, only to discover than he cannot pass through it. [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] concludes it operates on [[Aequitas]] technology, barring entry to those who carry some form of guilt, but [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], at peace with himself for the first time after the mystery of his missing memories has been solved, finds he can step through. Pharma is unfazed by the whole affair, and his incessant smugness is the final straw for [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], who blows his head off in a moment of unchecked anger.

Across the room, [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] wires Rodimus into the killswitch, intending to use the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-half within him to reinstate the "sparkcode" common to all constructed-cold Transformers that the killswitch is scrambling, thereby undoing its effects... but in the process destroying the Matrix map, and potentially Rodimus himself as well. With this hanging over them, Ambus confesses that he did indeed lure the ''Lost Light'' to Luna 1, having opted to let his Magnus Armor manually return to Tyrest rather than teleport away, thereby allowing them to follow it. Unaware of the Chief Justice's insanity, he assumed Tyrest would discipline Rodimus for the reckless leadership that Ambus had been unable to deal with. Rodimus, however, admits to being responsible for much worse than poor leadership: he had actually conspired with [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] and the others to bring [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] on board the vessel, goaded into doing so when Prowl accused him of being afraid. Rodimus vows not to die in an act of self-sacrifice, so that he can make recompense for his misdeeds. The switch is then thrown, the Matrix shatters... and those affected begin to recover!

[[File:MTMTE21 Rodimus crucifixion metaphor.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8]]
Outside, the [[Legislator]]s abruptly cease their battle with the Circle of Light, detecting the activation of a new imperative: the crippled Tyrest has managed to activate Part 1, Section 1 of the [[Tyrest Accord]], recalling the robots to defend his broken form. Unaware of this, [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] begins celebrations, congratulating Cyclonus and asking if their deal to let bygones be bygones still stands. Cyclonus grimly agrees... though not before a brief, silent fantasy of pushing Whirl into the [[smelting pool]] below.

[[File:MTMTE21 tailgate amends law.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
On the other side of the portal, a confusing sight greets Skids: he finds himself standing on the surface of one of five multi-coloured copies of Cybertron itself, the other four floating in the sky above him, as [[Adaptus|a huge iridescent ball of energy]] hovers in front of him. The orb communicates with Skids in a synesthetic medley of sensations that he cannot comprehend, but his struggle for understanding is cut off by a cry for help from Rung from the other side of the portal. Skids sprints back through to the control room, now flooded with Legislators, and dives into battle... though nobody notices the tendrils that follow him out of the portal and drag Pharma's headless body back through. Informed of Tyrest's law-amending computer by Ambus, Tailgate saves the day by scampering to the console and putting his knowledge of the [[Autobot Code]] to use re-writing section 500, remembering at the last moment the pivotal relevance of a [[semicolon]]. His amendment repeals the law—"'''all''' of it"—causing the Legislators to cease functioning, but the victorious Tailgate then collapses.

The next day, back on the ''[[Lost Light]]'', Cyclonus stands vigil over Tailgate, who is only minutes from death. Tailgate sadly confides that he was only two weeks old when he became trapped under the [[Mitteous Plateau]], and that he has wanted to do something important with his life ever since... but having now done so, he finds it all a bit underwhelming. He asks Cyclonus to kill him quickly, to spare him the agony of his final moments, but Cyclonus refuses. A communique from [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] brings Cyclonus rushing, but the call proves to have been premature: Tailgate's spark has contracted beyond the point the cybercrosis cure Ratchet and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] have divined from Pharma's medi-bay would work. Cyclonus returns to Tailgate's side, and silently impales the little bot on his [[Great Sword]].

===Epilogue===
Some time later, the ''Lost Light'' departs [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], having gleaned all they could from what remained there. Rodimus and Ambus—now back in his armor and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] once again—talk things out, listing off damage the adventure has caused, including [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'s retreat into his laboratory with the [[Point One Percenter]] spark. The pair idly wonder how Luna 1 was able to remain missing for so long... never having seen the set of five gigantic [[Planetary engine|planetary turbines]] on the moon's dark side, surrounding a strange gear-like hieroglyph that was among the images projected by the energy ball Skids encountered...

Later still, Magnus speaks with a repaired, refurbished Cyclonus, and asks for an update... on Tailgate. Cyclonus—now with his missing horn replaced, a gift created for him by Tailgate—explains that he is recovering well, his spark having been re-energized to a point where the cure could be implemented thanks to a transfusion of energy from Cyclonus, through the Great Sword, as suggested by Whirl just as Cyclonus was returning to Tailgate's room. Impressed by Cyclonus's actions, Magnus formally welcomes him on board.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (5)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (6)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (7)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (8)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (9)
*[[Minimus Ambus]] (10)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (11)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (14)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (15)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (16)
*[[Getaway]] (17)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (18)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (19)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (20)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (26)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]] (22)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (23)
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (24)
|c4=
*[[Legislator]]s (1)
*Multiple [[Circle of Light]] members (2)
*[[Solomus|Tyrest]] (3)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (4)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (12)
*[[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] (13)
*[[Dominus Ambus|The Pet]] (21)
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] (25)
}}

==Quotes==

"I've never bought into the notion of '''Primal Infallibility;''' I think that sometimes, God gets it wrong. He lets the best of us get sick and die while '''degenerates''' like you go on forever. But I think Primus is smiling on me today, Star Saber: he's letting me correct one of his mistakes."
:—'''Cyclonus'''

"But we're '''friends'''! You should have '''told''' me! You should've said '''something'''..." 
"I know, but—what would you have done?" 
"I dunno—made you settle your tab?"
:—'''Swerve''' and '''Tailgate''' on cybercrosis

"Righto then, nurse: arrest me. Tell me off and lock me up. I've been a '''bad Autobot'''." 
"You're smiling. Everything you did at '''Delphi'''—all those patients you killed—and you're '''smiling?'''" 
"I know, I know—I'm incorrigible."
:—'''Pharma''' and '''First Aid'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Tailgate's loss of hearing on the higher frequencies was foreshadowed in [[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|issue #17]], when Ratchet listed it off as one of the effects of his disease.
*When listing off Rodimus's assorted stunts and goofs, Minimus recalls him using Rung as bait during the Sparkeater affair (from [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]]), the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] hostage situation ([[Interiors|issue #6]]), Cyclonus's arrest ([[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|issue #10]]), the meeting with the [[Galactic Council]] ([[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 annual]]), and a previously-unseen incident involving someone named "Thunder-" something. Given the next-issue preview at the end of this issue shows Rung holding a picture of [[Thunder Clash]], I think we can all see where that's going.
*Tailgate's recognition of the importance of the semi-colon comes from his lectures on the Autobot Code courtesy of Ultra Magnus, which he specifically called out way back in issue #6.
*Cyclonus has been singing to Tailgate as he lies dying; they shared a song together back in [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|issue #13]].
*The panel of Cyclonus running out of Tailgate's room parallels Tailgate's panicked rush out of the medical bay in [[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|issue #17]].
*Tailgate was seen making something back in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]]. Here, we find out it was a new horn to replace Cyclonus's missing one, lost back in the [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|first issue]].
*Seeing how Tailgate was only a fortnight old before he was trapped underground and left offline for about six million years, this might explain why his [[holomatter]] avatar back in [[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|issue #13]] was a baby.
*On Tailgate's deathbed, the writing on his arm says "Waste Disposal" instead of "Bomb Disposal." While a previous instance of such in [[Interiors|issue #6]] was an art mistake, this one is much more likely to be intentional, a signifier that he's decided to accept reality before the end. On Twitter, James Roberts mentioned that there was a cut line from an earlier draft about Tailgate wanting an "honest death."
*If Cyclonus ''had'' killed Whirl by pushing him in the smelting pool, then Tailgate would have died too (as Whirl wouldn't have been around to tell Cyclonus how to save Tailgate). You could also make the connection that it was Tailgate's softening influence on Cyclonus that stopped him doing the said killing.
*Swerve mentioned that he ought to be trying to cure cybercrosis in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|Annual]], as an example of better things he could be doing with his life. (As a metallurgist, such a cure might actually be in Swerve's field of expertise.)
* After discovering the hot spot back in [[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|issue #17]], Brainstorm was quick to point out that he was anti-apartheid and supported "equal rights for knock offs!", implying that he was forged. Before the killswitch is turned off in this issue, we see that Brainstorm is also suffering from its effects, meaning that he was in fact constructed cold.

===Transformers references===
*When blasted by Ambus, Tyrest lets loose a "SHEEAAAGH!", a cry-of-pain sound effect that's one of [[Simon Furman]]'s [[Furmanism|trademarks]].
*Similarly, Tailgate notes he doesn't want to "[[Furmanism#DIE SCREAMING|die screaming]]", another Furmanism.

===Real-life references===
*Tailgate calls cybercrosis "The Big C", a common real-life euphemism for cancer.
*Rodimus is literally [[Jesus|put on a cross to use the power of their creator to wipe away the consequences of sin, at the potential cost of his own life]]. He's even wearing a "crown".
*When Brainstorm is shown in his workshop with the harvested Point One Percenter, a model of the {{w|Sulaco (spaceship)|U.S.S. Sulaco}} from the film ''{{w|Aliens (film)|Aliens}}'' is featured prominently amongst the equipment on his desk.
*When Cyclonus has his little imagine spot about pushing Whirl into the smelting pool, Whirl's claw sinking into the molten metal looks like a shout-out to the final moments of the heroic T-800 in ''{{w|Terminator_2:_Judgement_Day|Terminator 2: Judgement Day.}}''

===Trivia===
*The release of this issue was preceded by a three-week "Countdown to 21" Twitter campaign, during which James Roberts tweeted various teasers and factoids about this issue at a (notional) rate of one a day. In addition to the soundtrack tunes, listed below, and various teases about the content of the story, we learned that the issue was originally going to be titled "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out".
*Cyclonus refers to Vector Sigma as "he".
*Tyrest believed his portal would lead to [[Cyberutopia]]. Considering the otherworldly nature of the place Skids visited, he probably thought Tyrest was right... but the truth was something completely different; as revealed in ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light|Lost Light]]'' issue [[Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|#22]], the mysterious space was actually ''the [[Adaptus|Grand Architect]]'s mind.'' Skids, however, would not live to see this revelation.
*As Tyrest, Star Saber, and Pharma represent different pillars of society gone wrong (law, religion, and medicine respectively), they are each symbolically defeated by "uncorrupted" examples of those same pillars: Tyrest is crippled by the law enforcer Ultra Magnus, Star Saber is almost killed by the religious Cyclonus, and Pharma gets his head shot off by the medic First Aid.

===Crew manifest===
*Minimus Ambus is fine!
*Tailgate's cybercrosis is successfully treated!
*Everybody lives, Rose! Just this once—everybody lives!
*13 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), one boxed, and one banishment since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
For all of "Remain in Light":
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjmGZfHHC80 "A Dazzling End"] from the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' {{w|Doctor Who: Series 4 (soundtrack)|Series 4 soundtrack}}, by {{w|Murray Gold}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPJAX7Cu-4k "The Universal"] by {{w|Blur (band)|Blur}}

For this issue in particular:

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGbC730C4BA "Sunshine (Adagio in D Minor)"] by {{w|John Murphy (composer)|John Murphy}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu4MC3fLSZ8 "Nobody Loves Us"] by {{w|Morrissey}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rfEas8T6tM "Longest Day"] by {{w|Soulsavers}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83KR_UBWdPI "No Cars Go"] by {{w|Arcade Fire}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDTZZ7LdDR8 "Dreaming of You"] by {{w|The Real Tuesday Weld}}

==External links==
*[http://tformers.com/transformers-more-than-meets-the/21345/news.html Preview]

Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon

2019-04-12T06:24:22Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ video was unavailable

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=17
|prev=The Gloaming
|next=Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus
|caption=''Damn you for ruining our class photo!''
|image=MTMTE17 cvrA.jpg
|title="Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 29]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=May 2013
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editorial assistants=[[Toni Korde]] and [[Mariel Romero]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2013)]]
}}
'''Everything has built to this! As Rodimus leads the ''Lost Light'' crew on a quest straight out of Cybertronian myth, old enemies reappear, old friends return, and new life waits to be born...'''

==Synopsis==
''Somewhere, in a darkened room, Rodimus relates the grim tale of recent events to an unseen listener...''

[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] verifies the [[death clock]]'s scan of [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], sadly confirming that the little 'bot has a fatal case of [[cybercrosis]], brought about by nothing more than old age, which will kill him in just over three days. As the medic details the stages of the disease, including blindness, paralysis, and memory loss, Tailgate flees the medibay in a panic, racing back to his quarters, where he explains his news to [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]. Cyclonus stoically advises Tailgate to make his peace and face death boldly, but then leaves the room in silence, and stops in the hallway to observe his reflection... which he almost punches in a sudden, furious rage, only to stop and instead tear gouges in his own face with his claws.

[[File:Mtmte17-p11-lost-light-luna-one.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
Examining security footage to determine what has become of the missing [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], [[Ambulon]], and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] observe as the comatose Magnus suddenly sits bolt upright with impossible speed and appears to ''float'' to the shuttle bay. [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] reports that the signal from the shuttle Magnus left in has been detected, and the ''[[Lost Light]]'' sets course after it, soon finding that it leads through a colossal wormhole. Rodimus informs the crew that the ship will be going through the portal, giving anyone who wishes the option not to come, but nobody takes it. The ship enters the portal, and what lurks on the other side proves beyond imagining: the lost satellite of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], alleged home to the answer to every question, found at last.

As Rodimus waits in his quarters, morosely examining unread messages from Ultra Magnus on his datapad, [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] enters to report his preliminary findings: a lifesign scan, amazingly, suggests the moon is home to a billion lifeforms. Rodimus handpicks a small team to join him on the first expedition to the moon, confidentially informing them that all he really wants to do is find out what became of Ultra Magnus: [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (to fill Magnus's role and tell him things he doesn't want to hear); [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]; [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (in case there's any fighting to be done, though Whirl suspects it's positive discrimination); [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (who [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] urges to search the moon for a solution to his lost memories); Ratchet; and Cyclonus, for his familiarity with the creation myth that Luna 1 is part of. Cyclonus agrees to come only on the condition that Tailgate gets to accompany them, desiring to give his tiny friend a great experience before his death, but he cautions Tailgate to disabuse himself of the notion that the moon may hold a cure to his condition. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] begs to come along, citing his metallurgical skills, but Rodimus refuses, accusing him of having abandoned that function to be a bartender.

[[File:Chromedome and Rodimus with a spark.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3]]
Leaving the ''Lost Light'' under the stewardship of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]], the Autobots head down to the moon and deploy in [[Mobile Autobot Repair Bay|M.A.R.B.]]s. They soon discover Magnus's shuttle, smashed open from the outside-in, but when Rodimus hops off the M.A.R.B. to examine it, his feet touching the moon's surface for the first time, the incredible happens: the entire moon lights up, as a billion [[spark]]s suddenly flare to life all over its surface. Luna 1, it transpires, is a gigantic "[[hot spot]]", a field where sparks are born, that has been fertilized after an ages-long wait when Rodimus touched it. As Rodimus wonders if the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-half he is carrying could have been responsible, the other Transformers look in wonder on the field, the like of which Chromedome remarks had mostly ceased to be by his lifetime, since he was "constructed cold". Tailgate has heard this term thrown around a lot without understanding it, and the others explain that Chromedome was created using the energy from an extant spark, as opposed to "forged", born in a hot spot (which Whirl is eager to point out ''he'' was). Cyclonus calls the group's attention to a spark glowing green, which Brainstorm recognizes as a "superspark"—a vanishingly rare, insanely powerful [[Point One Percenter]]—and immediately begins excavating it over Perceptor's horrified protestations. Everyone discusses whether or not this is the right thing to do, but moral debates are promptly tabled by an explosive, unexpected arrival: a platoon of Decepticons led by [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]], who descend from the sky, weapons blazing, decrying Rodimus's team as trespassers!

[[File:TheFecundMoon-Skids.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
Back on the ''Lost Light'', the transmission from Rodimus's team is abruptly cut off, but Blaster and Maximus aren't sure if it's the moon or the ship that's being isolated. Down in the ship's [[oil]] reservoir, Skids is spending some time alone with this thoughts when suddenly, a familiar phrase gurgles out of the darkness: "Nineteen eighty-four". A platoon of the [[Legislator|giant golden warrior robots]] he last saw just before joining the ''Lost Light'' crew bursts out of the reservoir's black depths, chanting their familiar refrain... but that's not all. More of the robots appear all across the ship: in [[Swerve's]], which he has decided to close down; on the bridge; and everywhere in-between, these ones brandishing huge guns and declaring "Seventeen twenty-one".

''Rodimus pauses in his story, reflecting on how many impossible things happened in one day, and realizes he has not even asked the name of his mystery listener. The older bot introduces himself as "Ambus"...''

On Luna 1, as Rodimus's team flees the Decepticon attack, Ratchet's M.A.R.B. is hit and explodes, throwing the medic to the ground. A figure appears before the fallen Ratchet and offers its hand... and Ratchet looks up to see [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] looming over him!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (3)
*[[Ambulon]] (4)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (5)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (6)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (7)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (8)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (9)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (10)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (11)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (12)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (14)
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] (15)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (16)
*[[Atomizer]] (17)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (18)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (19)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (20)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (21)
*[[Minimus Ambus|Ambus]] (28)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (30)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Barrage (Insecticon)|Barrage]] (22)
*[[Ransack (G1)|Ransack]] (23)
*[[Venom (G1)|Venom]] (24)
*[[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] (25)
*[[Chop Shop (G1)|Chop Shop]] (26)
*"[[Titan Hunter#Lockdown's team|Den-O]]" (27)
|c4=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (1)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (2)
*[[Legislator]]s (29)
}}

==Quotes==
"You're visiting Luna 1 for the '''experience''', nothing else. This can't be about finding a '''cure.'''" 
"'Course not! 'Course it can't. ...'''why''' can't it?" 
"It just '''can't.'''" 
"Right. Fine. So I'm not allowed to '''hope.'''" 
"Listen to me. <big>'''Never. Hope.'''</big> Hope is a '''lie.'''"
:—'''Cyclonus''' and '''Tailgate'''

"Time to break out the '''[[Mobile Anti-Assault Battlesuit|M.A.A.B.]]s''' and play 'Hunt the Crewmember.'" 
"Wait—'''M.A.R.B.s''' or '''M.A.A.B.s'''"? 
"'M.A.A.B.s or M.A.A.B.s?' What?" 
"'''M'''obile '''A'''utobot '''R'''epair '''B'''ay, or '''M'''obile '''A'''nti-'''A'''ssault '''B'''attlesuit?" 
"The ones that turn into—the '''cool ones.''' The battlesuits." 
"Right. We don't have any of those."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Brainstorm'''

'''Brainstorm:''' "I was '''anti-apartheid.''' Went on the marches and everything. 'Equal rights for '''knock-offs!''''" 
'''Tailgate:''' "Eh?" 
'''Chromedome:''' "Ignore him—he thinks it's four million years ago and he's being '''progressive.'''"

"What are you—" 
"'''Harvesting''' it." 
"No, because harvesting takes '''skill'''. And '''patience.''' And '''time.''' You can't just—you can't just do '''precisely what you're doing now...!" 
:—'''Perceptor''' and '''Brainstorm'''

"Where are you going to put [the spark], Brainstorm? In your '''briefcase?'''" 
"I '''wasn't''', but if I '''did'''... oh, man. You've just '''blown my mind.'''"
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Brainstorm

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Popular-but-unseen [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]], mentioned in issues [[Before & After|#12]] and [[The Gloaming|#16]], get another name-drop in this issue, where it turns out they're just as well-liked by the ship's medibot—the [[Diagnostic Drone]] seen floating around the ship in multiple past issues (perhaps most prominently [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]])—as they are by their crewmates.
*Rodimus likens himself, Magnus, and Drift to [[Rossum's Trinity]], the principle of Transformer biology introduced in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]].
*Following last issue's surprise ending, Tailgate's looming death is revealed to be the result of [[cybercrosis]], a rotting disease first mentioned in [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|the ''More than Meets the Eye'' 2012 annual]]. For a dash of added irony, Tailgate was heard to hope in issue #12 that a cure for the disease had ''not'' been found, when expressing dislike of Dominus Ambus's do-goodery.
*Ratchet notes that the cybercrosis has likely curdled Tailgate's [[innermost energon]], which is sure to be the reason it appeared a sickly green color when Tailgate was seen pouring some out in issue #12, compared to the traditional pink-purple of everyone else's in that same issue. It is also pointed out that Tailgate's [[transformation cog]] likely no longer works, which he has not noticed because he hasn't transformed in so long; in fact, we've never seen him ''successfully'' transform at all through the run of the series, as when he last attempted it in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]] he got stuck halfway.
*Ratchet also comments on Tailgate's 'full life', as everybody except Cyclonus still believes he's extremely well-read and accomplished.
*It's not immediately clear what Rung might be referring to when he says he has a sense of ''déjà vu'' at the sight of the portal, but it's appropriate that he would be the one to feel it, as past issues have established him as a "historical constant" who has been around a ''long'' time and been present for nearly every major event in Cybertron history.
*The portal looks a heckuva lot like the one Skids and the gold robots flew out of all the way back in issue #2.
*Having lost his arm in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]], Chromedome is seen with a skeletal replacement on page 7 like that worn by Rodimus in issue #3, after he lost his own limbs. It has been built back up to a proper arm by page 10.
*Fortress Maximus appears to be back in everyone's good graces, as he's seen with the group listening to Rodimus' opt-out speech, and is left in charge of the ''Lost Light'' when Rodimus travels to Luna 1.
*Luna 1! This famous missing satellite of Cybertron's has been regularly mentioned across both ''More than Meets the Eye'' and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' since its legend was introduced in ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]''. Reference is made to the quests that Swerve and Rodimus both undertook for it, which were originally commented on in issue [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|#1]] and the 2012 annual, respectively (though it's not clear if they were both on the ''same'' moonquest or not).
*Callbacks are made to the deaths of [[Polaris]] and [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] (both from issue #2), [[Animus]] (issue #3) and [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (issue #15) .
*The origin of Luna 1's nickname, "The Seething Moon", is revealed, as it is "seething" with unborn life. We got our first hint toward the sheer scope of what we see here back in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]], when we saw [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'s spark emerge from Luna 2. That story saw Overlord's spark denoted as a "Point One Percenter" by its green coloration, which is how the Autobots identify another this issue.
*We get a clear explanation for terminology we've been hearing since ''[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]'': [[Reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|"Forged"]] Transformers are those whose sparks were grown naturally from the metal of Cybertron or one of its moons, while Transformers [[Reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|"constructed cold"]] were created using energy from another's spark. This process, in turn, is revealed to be another name for spark splicing, a population-enhancement program introduced by [[Nova Prime]], mentioned in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]].
*Skids is moping around in the ship's oil reservoir, where he was also seen ruminating in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
*The Decepticons who attack Rodimus's team are Lockdown's "[[Titan Hunter]]s" from ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]''. Ransack was not seen among the group in that issue; his presence here marks the first time all four [[Insecticon (G1)|Deluxe Insecticons]] have appeared together in IDW continuity. He was last seen in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Stick Together|issue #3]], implying that he somehow left Cybertron in the interim.
[[File:Mtmte17-point one percenter spark.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The birth of a spoiler.]]
*From the name he provides and his moustachioed visage, Rodimus's mysterious listener is obviously supposed to remind the audience of [[Dominus Ambus]], Rewind's old (romantic) partner and master, seen in flashbacks in issue #12. His obviously-shortened name and different color scheme (green and white versus Dominus's gold) ought to give readers pause, and as next issue will reveal, he's not what he appears.
*The giant gold robots previously appeared back in issue #2. They've not been named in-story as of yet, but concept art from the first ''More than Meets the Eye'' trade paperback identified them as "Legislators", a term that has gone on to be used in IDW's catalogue solicitations for "Remain in Light".
*Bonkers Autobot doctor Pharma appeared in issues #4 and [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|#5]], in which he got his hands lopped off. He's replaced one of them with a chainsaw. Groovy.
*The Point One Percenter Spark the Autobots discover and which Brainstorm takes into his possession will [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|eventually]] end up becoming [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|hugely important]].

===Transformers references===
*Whirl explains that the harvesting of a spark involves taking with it a portion of the surrounding metallic matter, named "[[Living metal|sentio metallico]]". Roberts created this term for his unofficial novel ''Eugenesis'', where it was the name of the liquid metal matter that erupted from other Transformers' bodies and congealed into new lifeforms as part of the "budding" reproductive process seen in the original ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' comic book. This seems to imply—as has been previously suggested by remarks about the irreplaceable nature of forged body parts—that forged bodies actually ''grow'' from this matter around the spark, where constructed cold bodies are simply built.
*The Legislator's declarations of "seventeen twenty-one" refer to the issues of ''More than Meets the Eye'' that the five-part "Remain in Light" story appears in, starting with this issue, #17, and running until #21.

===Real-life references===
*''{{w|Remain in Light}}'' is the title of an album by the band {{w|Talking Heads}}.
*For the language-fanciers among you, "fecund" means "fertile". The full moon is often described as "fecund" in literature, owing to its mythological connections to fertility; here, that figurative language is given a far more literal double-meaning, as the moon in this story is literally bursting with life waiting to be born.
*Brainstorm has a tiny model of {{w|RoboCop (franchise)#ED 209|ED-209}} from ''{{w|RoboCop}}'' on his desk.
*Continuing the trend started by "[[Titan Hunter#Lockdown's team|V3]]" from ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'', [[Titan Hunter#Lockdown's team|another new member]] of the Titan Hunters appears to be based on one of the title characters from the Japanese tokusatsu franchise ''{{w|Kamen Rider Series|Kamen Rider}}'', in this case {{w|Kamen Rider Den-O (character)|Kamen Rider Den-O}}.

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

===Other trivia===
*Like the "[[Duobot|Shock and Ore]]" gag before it, the "M.A.A.B.s or M.A.R.B.s" joke is another one that works better if you imagine it spoken with James Roberts's native English accent, where the pronunciation of the words is virtually identical, versus the more obvious difference a North American accent yields.

===Crew manifest===
*Tailgate discovers he is terminally ill.
*11 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), one boxed, and one banishment since the launch.

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

For this issue alone:
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAa7J10D8Qw "Heaven"] by the aforementioned Talking Heads
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4XHx_boqTI "A Comet Appears"] by {{w|The Shins}}

===Covers (5)===
*'''Cover A:''' The ''[[Lost Light]]'' crew face an onslaught of [[Legislator]]s, art by [[Alex Milne]], colours by [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Cover B:''' Rodimus flees a Legislator, art by [[Sean Chen]], colours by [[Tom Chu]].
*'''Cover RI:''' A despondent Tailgate alone beside a porthole, art by [[Nick Roche]], colours by Josh Perez.
*'''Con Edition:''' Blank white version for sketches, available exclusively at assorted conventions
*'''Comicfolio edition:''' Cover A sans trade dress, included in a die-cut hardcover portfolio with a lithograph of Cover B. Limited to 250 copies, only available through the [[IDW Limited]] store.

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

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Shockwaves|#17]]
*''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Destiny, Part One|#91]]
*''[[The Transformers: Monstrosity|Monstrosity]]'' [[Monstrosity issue 1|#1]]
*IDW [[Dynamic Forces]] exclusives
*''[[Doctor Who]]: Prisoners of Time'' trade paperback
*IDW Limited Transformers books
*''[[My Little Pony]]: Color Me Treasury Edition''
*''Regular Show''
*IDW ''Popeye'' graphic novels (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.fullmetalhero.com/content/more-than-meets-eye-17-full-preview-6586/ Preview]

The Gloaming

2019-04-12T06:21:00Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ videos were unavailable

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=16
|prev=Under Cold Blue Stars
|next=Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon
|caption=Not to be confused with "The Glomping".
|image=MTMTE16 cvrA.jpg
|title="The Gloaming"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[April 24]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=April 2013
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Agustin Padilla]]
|inks by=[[Jose Aviles]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|assistant editor=[[Toni Korde]] and [[Mariel Romero]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2013)]]
}}
'''Rodimus and Chromedome wrestle with their emotions in the wake of Overlord's rampage, as Ultra Magnus hovers at death's door and Drift makes a fateful decision.'''

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

''At the [[Battle for Hell's Point]], amidst a raging firefight, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] tries to bluff the [[Warriors Elite]], only to be blasted point blank by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] himself, sending him tumbling to the ground far below...''

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

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

Now:

Fatally wounded by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], Ultra Magnus lies on [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]'s operating table aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]''. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] sits by his bedside and plays his [[The Empyrean Suite|favorite song]] for him, and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] cleans his body. Neither of the little bots' efforts are particularly appreciated by Ratchet, nor is [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s disgust at his use of what he calls a "[[death clock]]": a medical scanning field that monitors the rate of contraction of Magnus's shrinking [[spark]] to calculate a time of death. With the clock giving Magnus only ten more days, Tailgate grows increasingly distraught, partially at the clinical approach the others are taking to the situation. Punctuating this sentiment, Swerve shushes him so they can hear an announcement over the tannoy by [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]], who vows to discover who is responsible for Overlord's being on the ship.

Worried about [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]]'s emotional state following [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'s death, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] goes looking for him, and finds him outside the ship, on the hull, watching the stars as he used to do with Rewind. Discovering him to be quite calm and collected—eerily so—Skids leaves. Someone who is ''not'' so calm and collected, however, is Rodimus, who has just finished trashing his office in a rage when [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] enters. The pair talk about Magnus and the source of Rodimus's fury; Rung opines that his anger is not over his failure to protect his crew, but rather, over the fact that ''he himself'' was not responsible for defeating Overlord. The psychiatrist's words evidently strike too close to home, and Rodimus menacingly invites Rung to vacate his office, which he does with all due haste.

[[File:Brainstorm brings briefcase to funeral.jpg|thumb]]
Presently, a group funeral is held for those who died during Overlord's rampage, and as everyone settles into place for the speeches, Swerve resolves to distract himself from Rewind's death by finding out what's inside [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]]'s briefcase. Proceedings soon get underway; Rodimus delivers a eulogy for popular crew member [[Tripodeca]], then invites Chromedome to say a few words for Rewind, noting—after a stern glare from Rung—the little archivist's central role in saving the ship. Chromedome delivers a brief, unemotional farewell for his partner and returns to his seat, piquing Brainstorm's attention. After the deceased's bodies are given a space burial, the scientist follows Chromedome back to his quarters, where he finds him sorting through Rewind's belongings and disposing of them. It turns out Brainstorm has seen Chromedome like this before: the surgeon has had several [[Conjunx Endura]]e in his life, and after the deaths of each one, the intensity of the emotional connections he forged with them repeatedly led him to use his [[mnemosurgery]] skills on himself, removing his memories of them in order to escape the hurt. Chromedome has been so disconnected because he has been planning to do this to himself; this, Brainstorm explains, is why he does not have any [[innermost energon]]—not because he was born without it, but because he has loved and lost so many that he has given it all up as deathbed offerings. Chromedome half-heartedly promises Brainstorm he won't go through with it, but Brainstorm knows better, having had this conversation with him before. The scientist sadly leaves the room after giving him one final gift: a [[data slug]] thrown through the doors of the [[slow cell]] by Rewind before they closed. [[File:TheGloaming-iloveyou.jpg|thumb|left|They're totally NOT gay, you guys. They're just bros. With vows.]] Left alone, Chromedome plays the slug to discover a farewell message from Rewind, edited together from his database of video and audio clips in the final moments of this life, which entreats Chromedome to be strong, to go on without Rewind, and to allow himself to be happy. Rewind signs off by telling Chromedome he loves him, and Chromedome, after a moment, retracts his mnemosurgery needles back into his fingers.

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

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

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks and/or Rewind's video clips.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]'' (1)
*''[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]'' (2)
*''[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'' (3)
*''[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]'' (4)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*''[[Ore]]'' (12)
*''[[Shock (G1)|Shock]]'' (13)
*''[[Zetar (G1)|Zetar]]'' (14)
*''[[Cromar]]'' (15)
*''[[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]]'' (18)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (19)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (20)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (22)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (23)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (24)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (25)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (26)
*[[Xaaron]] (27)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (29)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (30)
*[[Tripodeca]] (31)
*"[[Toxin]]" (32)
*[[Atomizer]] (33)
*''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'' (34)
*''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (35)
*''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (36)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]]'' (37)
*''[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'' (38)
*''[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'' (39)
*''[[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]]'' (40)
*''[[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]]'' (43)
*''[[Skyfall (G1)|Skyfall]]'' (44)
*''[[Ambulon]] (45)
*''[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]]'' (46)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (47)
*''[[Springer (G1)|Springer]]'' (48)
*''[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (49)
*''[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'' (50)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (6)
*''[[Sixshot]]'' (7)
*''[[Heretech]]'' (8)
*''[[Killmaster]]'' (9)
*''[[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]]'' (10)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (11)
*''Numerous [[K-Class]] 'bots'' (16)
*''[[Torque (G1)|Torque]]'' (17)
*''[[Snaptrap (G1)|Snaptrap]]'' (41)
|c4=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (21)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] (28)
*''[[Nova Prime]]'' (42)
}}

==Quotes==

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Gloaming-warriors-elite.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.8|Ultra Magnus smiled once and regretted it ever since.]]
*Magnus's first flashback is to the [[Battle for Hell's Point]], a conflict previously mentioned in [[Chaos Theory Part 1|"Chaos Theory," Part 1]] and Impactor's [[Autopedia]] profile in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #5]] (and sure enough, Impactor does cameo on the first page).
*The [[Warriors Elite]] were the subgroup from which the later [[Phase Sixer]]s would be chosen; they were first mentioned by name back in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]] and had their origins properly explained in [[Remembrance Day|issue #14]]. This issue gives us our first look at Heretech, only previously mentioned in #14, and reveals that the wand-wielding [[Killmaster]] (intermittently mentioned through Roberts's works starting with [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]]) is also a member of the group. He was not listed among them in #14, leaving it ambiguous whether he also underwent the Ununtrium process.
*It was noted in "Chaos Theory" that the Battle for Hell's Point was Megatron's first outing with his pistol [[alternate mode]], reflected in this issue when Magnus doesn't realize the gun Heretech is holding is Megatron until he speaks.
*Magnus's second flashback is to the battle on the planet [[Clemency]] which we saw the Decepticon side of in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]]. Clemency is revealed to be the location of the [[Nightmare Engine]], a mysterious Decepticon weapon mentioned in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #4]].
*Magnus's team is on Clemency to save [[Pious Maximus]], a religious figure who appeared in [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|issue #10]].
*The K-Class Decepticon with Magnus's name written on his side is [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], who appeared in issue #8 with Magnus's name on display even then.
*The third flashback takes us to [[Simanzi]], home to the [[Crucible]] and site of a famous massacre first mentioned in [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]]'s Autopedia profile from [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]].
*Magnus's team falls foul of a [[Cybernought]] on Simanzi; one of these gigantic battle mechs previously appeared in issue #8.
[[File:MTMTE16 magnus on simanzi.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.8|Just a speck of dirt. - DIRT?!]]
*We ''thought'' Magnus's flashbacks were offering us some insight into a few of his foibles in the ''More than Meets the Eye'' series: he smiles at the Warriors Elite (the "one time" that he smiled "and regretted it" referred to in his short bio on the "Meet the Cast" page), his Autobot symbol is crooked at Clemency, he's waist-deep in filth and called "Mags" at Simanzi. Rotorstorm even refers to Magnus' wisecracks, something Skids mentioned in [[Interiors|issue #6]]. All these ran counter to the grim, dirt-hating, badge-obsessive protocol freak we'd seen for the past year, and every time something horribly violent happened to him. Actually, the real reason was [[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|something else entirely]]. At the time, an evil James Roberts said the flashbacks were so we could [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|"remember him as he was"...]] <ref>http://tformers.com/transformers-more-than-meets-the/19940/news.html</ref>
*Swerve is playing "[[The Empyrean Suite]]" for Magnus, a piece of music that we learned was running through Skids's head back in issue #8. There, we learned the music has a sinister connotation that we are not yet aware of, but which, per Swerve's dialogue, is evidently common knowledge.
*Skids refers to Trailbreaker's change of name (to Trail''cutter''), referred to previously in-dialogue in ''More than Meets the Eye'' in [[Interiors|issue #6]], which was explained the same month this issue was published in ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]''.
*We get our first glimpse of the decorative flames painted on Rodimus's doorframe, in imitation of those on his chest. They were previously described in the prose story "[[Signal to Noise]]".
*Unseen Autobots [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]] get another mention, having first been spoken of in [[Before & After|issue #12]]. The running gag is that they're clearly a big noise on the ship, but we never get to see or hear from them; here, they're established to be friends with the super-popular Tripodeca.
*Chromedome's lack of innermost energon was mentioned in issue #12.
*Brainstorm implies that he has loved and lost as well in his life, a point which will be revisited in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue 39]] as an explanations for his actions in that arc.
*Five previously-seen scenes from the past issues of MTMTE can be spotted among Rewind's collage of video clips:
**Rodimus addressing the crew after the accident with the quantum engines ([[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]])
**Prowl urging Rewind to change Chromedome's mind ([[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]])
**Brainstorm placing a bet on when Rodimus would say "Till all are one" ([[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|Annual 2012]])
**Tailgate inquiring about the ending of Rewind's "epic story" ([[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]])
**Trailbreaker holding Shock's extracted [[brain module]] ([[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]])
*Rewind's clips also include a "deleted scene" of sorts, of Swerve saying "this is" with Tailgate behind him. This is from when he introduced Tailgate to Rewind (obviously saying "This is Tailgate") which took place in issue #2, but only Rewind's response is actually in the issue itself.
*Also among Rewind's clips is a shot of [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snap Trap]] behind bars. He's obviously in the brig of the ''Lost Light'' following his capture in issue #12, and is still sporting the stab-wound in his faceplate he sustained in that issue.

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

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

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

===Errors===
*In both past and present sequences, Ultra Magnus is consistently drawn with his original Generation 1 body, a look he's never worn in 2005 IDW continuity.
*The name of the Decepticons' giant battle mechs is spelled "Cybernaught" here, but was spelled "Cybern'''o'''ught" back in issue #8. The TPB retains the 'Cybernaught' spelling despite correcting all other typos.
*Swerve and Tailgate are both drawn at around the same height as Ratchet, when they should be much shorter.
*When Chromedome and Skids are standing on the Lost Light's outer hull, neither is wearing magna-clamps on his feet.
*The five coffins at the funeral are each marked by a colored flame. On page 11, they are red, green, white, and two are blue. On page 12, however, Tripodeca's flame is none of these colors, appearing yellow instead.
*As he contemplates playing Rewind's data disc, Chromedome's finger-needles are not shown. He extended them just before this scene, and he has them extended in the very next panel.
*The final image in Rewind's message is one of him and Chromedome, taken by himself in a reflective surface—but his head-cam is still on the left-hand side of his head, when it should be mirrored.

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

===Soundtrack===
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn_uWqlbdOM "Your Funny Uncle"] by {{w|Pet Shop Boys}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_2c_E_c-U0 "Holes"] by {{w|Mercury Rev}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3uIwEY27DQ "Tracy"] by {{w|Mogwai}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-B4cXLagkk "Les Jour Tristes"] by {{w|Neil Hannon}} & {{w|Yann Tiersen}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH29SOVADBE "The Sadness of Things"] by {{w|Momus (musician)|Momus}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpBnX27eF_w "Embers"] by Byrne
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOBs8dU4Pb8 "Run"] by {{w|Snow Patrol}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A80czw4uz60 "Lullaby"] by {{w|Arco (band)|Arco}}

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

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

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

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

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gloaming}}

Remembrance Day

2019-04-12T06:13:32Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ video was unavailable

{{disambig2|the real-world issue|the unrelated in-universe holiday|Remembrance Night}}
{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=14
|prev=More than Meets the Eye issue 13
|next=Under Cold Blue Stars
|caption=You will remember the look on his face for the rest of your days.
|image=MTMTE14_cvrA.jpg
|title="Remembrance Day"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[March 6]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=February 2013
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''Chromedome signs the death warrants of all aboard the ''Lost Light'' as he enters Overlord's memories.'''

==Synopsis==
===Prologue: "A Functionist Calls"===
4.2 million years ago, before the war, on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s [[Moonbase Two|second moon]], [[Thymesis Energon mining facility]] workers [[Frak]] and [[Rushcut]] uncover a [[spark]] beneath the moon's surface that flares to life before their eyes. Mine boss [[Momus]] contacts the [[Functionist Council]], who send an authenticator, [[Three-of-Twelve]], to examine the discovery, confirming Momus's suspicion that the unusual green hue of the spark marks it as the first "[[Point One Percenter]]" discovered in ten generations. Momus is declared exempt of the role his [[Alternate mode|alt mode]] carries as reward, but when the two miners request a reward of their own, they are informed that exposure to the first flash of energy from the spark has left them only six hours to live...

==="Remembrance Day"===
[[File:RemembranceDay-Chromedome.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] has entered the mind of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], imprisoned in the bowels of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' within a time-dilating "[[slow cell]]" in which time moves at a reduced rate, and acclimates himself to the murderous [[Decepticon]]'s headspace by exploring the memories of his defeat at the hands of the [[Wrecker]]s at [[Garrus-9]]. When Overlord notices him, Chromedome introduces himself, explaining Overlord's predicament and noting that they've actually met once before. With Overlord silent save a request to be killed, Chromedome sets about rummaging through the Decepticon's memories, first visiting one of his bouts with [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] in the gladiatorial pits four million years ago, then jumping forward to a vicious training bout between the two after Overlord had joined the Decepticon faction. One further jump, to three million years ago, takes Chromedome to what he is looking for: the [[Foundry]], the facility where especially powerful Decepticons selected by Megatron were rebuilt into the devastating super-weapons known as the [[Warriors Elite]], from whose ranks the "[[Phase Sixer]]s" would later be drawn. As Chromedome watches, scientist [[Rossum]] details his concerns that the circumstances of Overlord's birth—on Luna 2, rather than Cybertron itself—mean he will reject the infusion of [[ununtrium]] essential to the process, and that if he does survive, he will turn on Megatron. Megatron assures Rossum that Overlord's status as a Point One Percenter will ensure success, while modifications made by [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] will make sure Megatron is safe. Rossum begins the process, which quickly reaches successful completion, climaxing with Overlord smashing out his capsule and crushing Rossum's head.

[[File:Mirage pharma remembrance day.jpg|thumb|upright=2]]
Successful in his mission, having obtained information on how to create "Phase Sixers", Chromedome prepares to pull out, thanking Overlord for giving them the key to finally defeating Megatron. Overlord's eyes flare at the mention of Megatron as still-living, and Chromedome notices the smile that appears on his lips as the Decepticon remarks that he has remembered where he and Chromedome met before. The pair visit Overlord's memory of when he led a Decepticon attack on the "[[Institute|New Institute]]" secretly set up by [[Zeta Prime]], where Chromedome—then named "Tumbler"—studied [[mnemosurgery]] under [[Trepan]] and performed [[Shadowplay]] on dissidents. He had been about to lobotomize [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] when Overlord's forces staged their rescue, tearing through an army of [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian droids]], shooting Chromedome, and abducting Trepan into the bargain. However, as the memory continues to play out, and [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] works on Chromedome's wounds, the cerebroscientist realises that they are seeing and hearing things Overlord could not possibly have witnessed, as he had already left by the time they occurred. Horrifying realization dawns: they are now in ''his own'' memory of the event. The shared nature of the memory has allowed Overlord to usurp control, having learned the basics of mnemosurgery from the captured Trepan, and he now begins searching through Chromedome's head for mentions of himself...

[[File:Chromedome Prowl RemembranceDay.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
Overlord first views a meeting between Chromedome and [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] shortly before the launch of the ''Lost Light'', during which the police-bot revealed that Overlord was still alive and requested that Chromedome perform mnemosurgery on him in order to learn the secrets of creating a Phase Sixer. Chromedome refuses, having promised [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] he was giving up the practice, but when Prowl goes too far, warning Chromedome that there are secrets in his past that he would not want Rewind to know, a maddened Chromedome assaults him, forcibly entering Prowl's memories and removing the unknown knowledge of his past misdeeds. Jumping to the next memory, Overlord watches as Chromedome meets with [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], who explain that Prowl had Overlord placed aboard the ''Lost Light'' with the intent that they wait until Chromedome was at his lowest point and talk him into doing what Prowl wanted. They provide Chromedome with the code needed to access the slow cell... and that's just what Overlord wants.

Bursting free from his restraints, Overlord explains that he could have done so at any time, but had no motivation to escape until Chromedome informed him Megatron still lived. With Chromedome briefly paralyzed following the prolonged mind-merge and unable to stop him, Overlord types in the code and opens the cell, then closes it behind him, reactivating the time dilation field. While Chromedome may only take a few seconds to recover and exit the cell, a much longer amount of time will have passed outside, with Overlord loose on the ''Lost Light''...
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(All characters other than Overlord and Chromedome appear in flashbacks and memories.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (6)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (7)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (8)
*[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] (10)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] (17)
*[[Trepan]] (19)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (20)
*[[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] (21)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (22)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (23)
|c2=
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (5)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (11)
*[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] (12)
*[[Rossum]] (13)
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] (14)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]] (15)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] (18)
|c3=
*[[Verity Carlo]] (9)
|c4=
*[[Frak]] (1)
*[[Rushcut]] (2)
*[[Momus]] (3)
*[[Three-of-Twelve]] (4)
*[[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian droids]] (16)
}}

==Quotes==

'''Rossum:''' "Okay—now '''push! PUSH!''' Keep pushing... and... we're good! Life signs are holding steady. He's going to be '''fine.''' Congratulations, Megatron—it's a '''superwarrior.'''" 
''(Overlord crushes Rossum's head)'' 
'''Megatron:''' "He takes after me."

"Hey-stay '''conscious'''. This is '''important'''. The Foundry, three million years ago: unless I'm getting ahead of myself. It's the day you became a '''Phase Sixer''' in all but name. And provided you can remember what happened '''next''', it's the day-three million years '''later'''-when you tell us how we can '''finally''' defeat Megatron" 
"Megatron's '''alive'''?"
:—'''Chromedome''' tells '''Overlord''' something... and the universe screams WHY?!

"You took your time." 
"If that's your way of saying, 'I'm sorry I got myself captured and had to rely on my betters to save me,' there's really no need."
:—'''Soundwave''' and '''Overlord'''

"Cover stories and half truths. When was the last time you played '''anything''' straight?" 
"Probably just before I realized it gets you '''nowhere.'''"
:—'''Chromedome''' and '''Prowl'''

"Hey, '''Brainstorm''', it's—why is there a giant naked human in your workshop? And who'd have thought I'd have to ask you that question '''twice''' in one lifetime?" 
"I'm beta testing these new '''holomatter avatars'''. I thought I just had to fix the scale, but—you definitely think they need clothes...?" 
"I thought you just did '''weapons'''." 
"Yeah, weapons and 500-foot nude holographic decoys. '''Postwar diversification.''' You've gotta plan for the future."
:—'''Chromedome''' and '''Brainstorm'''

"I've just told him about '''the project'''." 
"Hey, remember the '''rules'''—you've gotta say the name in '''full'''." 
"(Sigh) 'Project: Total Insanity.'" 
"I came up with the name. '''Project: Asking for Trouble''' was a close second."
:—'''Drift''' and '''Brainstorm'''

"Brainstorm loaded a '''speech recognition program''' into the security cameras and the '''medibots'''—I'm alerted if anyone on board mentions him by name." 
"...which explains why you burst into my hab suite last month, in the middle of Rewind's story about '''[[Overload (G1)|Overload]]'''..." 
"Yes, well, maybe if he '''enunciated''' properly."
:—'''Drift''' and '''Chromedome'''

"You're welcome to follow me and raise the alarm. I won't '''hurt''' you or '''restrain''' you or put any '''obstacles''' in your way. What I '''will''' do is close this door behind me, reactivating the temporal dilation field. And you? All you have to do is cross the floor and open it. It should take you—oooh—five seconds? Five seconds '''your time'''. From '''my''' perspective—and from the perspective of everyone else on board—it might as well be '''five years'''. Run as fast as you can, Chromedome... you're already too late."
:—'''Overlord'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Momus previously appeared—as a corpse—in [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|issue #10]]. His role as a Decepticon sympathizer is given more meaning here, as he is shown to have risen to [[Senate|senatorship]] from humble beginnings among the menial classes, from which most of the first Decepticons were drawn.
*The Wreckers defeated Overlord back in the [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|final issue]] of ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''. Following that, he next appeared imprisoned in the "slow cell" in [[Interiors|issue #6]] of this series. The attributes of the slow cell detailed in this issue explain why Red Alert's recording of his voice heard in issue #6 was so drastically slowed down.
*Overlord's memories of his defeat in ''Last Stand'' are a little embellished. The scene of Springer declaring "fists-in-face time" as he leaps at Overlord was not in the original comic, but evidently occurred during a cutaway, since the original story returned to the fight ''after'' Springer was already in Overlord's grip. More notably, Ironfist was not heard to say "[['Til all are one]]" in the original version of the scene; we also see Megatron whispering the phrase to Overlord when he bests him in their training match. The meaning of this will be revealed [[Under Cold Blue Stars|next issue]].
*Overlord was previously glimpsed among the attendees of the gladiatorial matches in [[Megatron Origin issue 2|''Megatron: Origin'' #2]]; here we see that, unsurprisingly, he fought in the matches too. During his training bout with Megatron, we also get another callback to ''Megatron: Origin'' #2: Megatron is fighting without his familiar bucket-helmet, which he was shown to remove in that issue, exposing hair-like protrusions on his head in a scene we'd all rather not remember.
*Rossum is evidently the fellow who coined [[Rossum's Trinity]], first mentioned in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]]. Probably didn't do too much coining after this.
*The Warriors Elite were first mentioned by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] in a rapid-fire list of famous fighters back in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]]. The incongruous nature of their first mention belied their rather horrific true nature!
*In addition to Overlord and previously-established [[Phase Sixer]]s [[Sixshot]] and [[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]], Megatron names a fourth, unseen super-warrior: [[Heretech]]. He and Black Shadow were the first to be upgraded into Warriors Elite, but the precise order isn't specified.
*In addition to the [[Achilles virus]] we already knew he had (mentioned in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #3]]), this issue reveals that Overlord also had a killswitch like Sixshot, as seen in the ''[[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]]'' mini.
*Overlord's forces are pointed toward the New Institute by the [[Decepticon Secret Service]], a little-seen institution introduced through its director, [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzaitron]], back in ''[[Spotlight: Hot Rod]]''.
*Brainstorm is shown to be among the staff of the New Institute, rather explaining why he was able to identify [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'s gun as Institute technology in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]].
*Trepan previously appeared in issue #10; he evidently joined the Autobots after the outbreak of the war, or was at least conscripted.
*It was noted that Chromedome had a different name earlier in this life in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]]. This issue reveals that it was "Tumbler".
**This was a sneaky move by James Roberts: conning the readers into thinking the secret past name must have some significance, when it's actually boring and it's the ''current'' name that's significant, relating to the fact he worked at the Institute.<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"]</ref>
*As Chromedome recalls having altered the minds of "certain high-risk individuals" on the Autobot side, we are shown Mirage (traditionally noted for his wavering loyalties to the Autobot cause) and Pharma (who would eventually sell out the medical facility at [[Delphi]].) Hmm...
**In fact, every one of Chromedome's colleagues we see stationed at the New Institute is an individual of a morally murkier disposition than your typical Autobot. This makes sense given the ethically compromised nature of their work, which most Autobots would balk at.
*Based on their conversation, the meeting between Prowl and Chromedome must occur at some point before "[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]".
*Just a scant week before this issue's release, [[Before the Dawn|''Robots in Disguise'' #14]] made mention of damaged memories within Prowl that made it easy for [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] to control him. Looks like we know who did the damage now!
*Prowl notes that "there's no such thing as a [[whiteout vacuum]]", but Chromedome recalled seeing them during the pair's discovery of [[Institute|The Institute]] millions of years prior.
*Chromedome's meeting with Drift and Brainstorm evidently occurs before [[More than Meets the Eye issue 13|issue #13]], since Brainstorm is still testing the new [[holomatter]] avatars the Autobots would go on to use in that issue.
*Brainstorm, who has repeatedly been shown as having a case of Perceptor envy, is seen here sporting a patch-like targeting device over one eye. A similar ocular piece is worn by none other than, yep, Perceptor.
*Drift is revealed to have been the Autobot who spoke to Chromedome from the other side of his hab-suite door in [[Before & After|issue #12]].
*As long-speculated by readers, "the cargo" that Prowl ordered the [[Duobot]]s to load on board the ''Lost Light'' in issue #1 is revealed this issue to indeed have been Overlord.
*Drift says that "the three of us" were supposed to keep an eye on Chromedome; "three" is presumably himself and the two Duobots, indicating Brainstorm was only brought in on the plot later, presumably to program the cameras and medibots with the program Drift mentions that would alert him to any mention of Overlord's name. We saw a medibot doing just this back in issue #7, its optic flashing from blue to red as [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] said Overlord's name to the comatose [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]. It is therefore likely that scene of [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] tinkering with a medibot in issue #10 following Red's wounding was a red herring.
*It's not said ''explicitly'' that Drift took the data slug from Rung's body in issue #7, but odds-on at this point.
*Brainstorm has code-named the slow cell "Project: End In Tears". Oh, Brainstorm.

===Transformers references===
*As seen before during the "Shadowplay" storyline, mining vehicles in [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]-green-and-purple can be spotted outside the Thymesis facility.
*Momus summons Three-of-Twelve by calling in a "[[code 113]]", another of James Roberts's references to the number.
*Overlord's imperfect memory of the gladiatorial match rendering most of the crowd the same dull purple color references the [[block coloring]] sometimes seen in the original [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel series]], where it was commonly used on crowds and background characters.
*The army of Guardian droids that spills out of the New Institute is made up of tweaked versions of the three different designs used by the Guardian series back in the Marvel series: the original design from "[[Raiders of the Last Ark]]", the sleeker, pointier model from "[[Under Fire!]]", and the heavily-armed "Mark V" from "[[Yesterday's Heroes!]]". This is the Guardians' first appearance in IDW continuity; they have had only one mention previously, in "[[Zero Point]]".
*Among the scientific gee-gaws on Brainstorm's desk are small versions of Generation 1 [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]], one in its microscope alternate mode and the other one in its "tank" alternate mode. Their colors are inconsistent, however (see "Errors"). In addition, there is a giant Perceptor shaped scope hanging from the ceiling (as seen on the second to last page)

===Real-life references===
*The prologue's title may be a homage to the socialist play "{{w|An Inspector Calls}}". "{{w|Remembrance Day}}" is a "holiday" on November 11 in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Canada]], used to commemorate the countries' war dead.
*Similar to the place-name double-meaning gag with [[Apophenia]] back in issue #9, "Thymesis" is the Greek word for "Remembering".
*Ununtrium is a real thing. In addition to its name literally meaning one-one-three-''ium'', y'know what its atomic number is? Oh, Roberts.
*Zeta's habit of re-branding everything as "New" may be a reference to British Prime Minister {{w|Tony Blair}}, who marketed the Labour Party as "{{w|New Labour}}" in the mid-90s.
*Rossum's imploring Megatron to keep pushing and his subsequent congratulations during Overlord's Phase Sixer conversion are clearly meant to evoke a human baby's delivery.

===Errors===
*The title of this story does not appear in the issue. It was revealed in a forum post by James Roberts.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=13447 Roberts on ''MTMTE'' #14 on the IDW forums]</ref> The prologue to the issue has a separate title, noted above.
*On page 11, "Guardian" is misspelled "Gaurdian." This was corrected in the TPB.
*The two tiny scientific devices based on Generation 1 Perceptor's alternate modes (see "Transformers references") are colored inconsistently: On page 19, the one in microscope mode is colored white or light gray, while the one in "tank" mode is colored black, like [[Magnificus (G1)|Magnificus]]; on page 20, however, both are colored red, like the real Perceptor.

===Other trivia===
*The secret from Chromedome's past would never be revealed in the course of the series. At TFCon USA 2018, Roberts explained that he originally intended for the secret to have been that Chromedome was involved in the disappearance of [[Dominus Ambus]] (the story of which would eventually be revealed in [[The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|issue #53]]), but decided against implementing it in the comic as he had decided that he didn't want to put another relationship through the wringer, leaving the idea as expressly "non-canon." In the original vision for the story, Rewind would have found out when reviewing footage recorded by his head-camera while he was unconscious in the medibay during [[Before & After|issue #12]], discovering that Chromedome had confessed the truth when he thought Rewind was going to die.

===Crew manifest===
*5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), and 1 boxed since the launch.
*1 uninvited guest.
*Some people gonna diiiiiiieee...

===Soundtrack===
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxPu7XIX2Pc "The Fear"] by {{w|Pulp (band)|}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSZqcqxwTDk "A Song From Under the Floorboards"] by {{w|Magazine (band)|Magazine}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxM42rG0a08 "Born of Frustration"] by {{w|James (band)|James}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Overlord awakens as Chromedome inserts his needles, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Cover B:''' Overlord lurks, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Monochrome red bust shot of Rodimus, by [[Marcelo Matere]], continuing the previous month's "bust" theme for the RI covers, paralleling the RI cover to ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Before the Dawn|#14]].
<gallery>
File:MTMTE14_cvrA.jpg|Lips? What about that smile?!
File:MTMTE14_cvrB.jpg|Overlord performs at the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theater.
File:MTMTE14_cvrRI.jpg|Smirk to rival Starscream's.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Before the Dawn|#14]]
*''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Natural Selection, Part Three|#88]]
*''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight:]] [[Spotlight: Megatron|Megatron]]''
*IDW Limited
*''King of the Nerds''
*''Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror'' (back cover)

==References==
{{reflist}}

Cybertronian Homesick Blues

2019-04-12T06:08:52Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ videos linked were unavailable

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=13
|prev=Before & After
|next=Signal to Noise
|caption=
|image=MTMTE13_cvrA.jpg
|title="Cybertronian Homesick Blues"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|published in=[[More than Meets the Eye issue 13|''More than Meets the Eye'' #13]]
|date=[[February 6]], [[2013]]
|coverdate=January 2013
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Guido Guidi]]
|inks by=[[John Wycough]], [[Juan Castro]], [[Guido Guidi]]. and [[Marc Deering]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]] (pg. 1-10, 13, 14, 17) and [[Joana Lafuente]] (pg. 11, 12, 15, 16, 18-22)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''Well-kept secrets come out when Swerve takes his friends on shore leave on the pleasure planet Hedonia.'''

==Synopsis==
''[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] has repaired the ''[[Lost Light]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s long-range subspace network, and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] has bribed him with free drinks to let him send the first transmission back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. He records a message for his old buddy [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]], explaining the ship's explosive departure and the progress of the quest, and then begins to tell the story of the events of the previous day...''

[[File:Aquafend swerve drift cybertronian homesick blues.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
A horrible howling sound emerging from [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]'s hab-suite catches Swerve's attention on his way to work, but before he can open the door, he is yanked away by [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], who is preparing to storm the room with [[Aquafend]]. They proceed to kick the door in, to discover that the noise was Cyclonus singing a hymn in [[Cybertronian language#IDW Generation 1 continuity|Old Cybertronian]]. Suitably chastened, Drift returns to [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s office to carry on teaching the captain parrying, and Swerve tags along, asking the ninja-bot to become his new room-mate. Moments later, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] comes storming in, wound tighter than ever and rattling off a list of the crew's preposterously minor protocol infractions. Rodimus suggests he relax, and proposes that the crew take some "shore leave" on the nearby planet [[Hedonia]], convincing Swerve to show Magnus the planet's sights.

On the trip down to Hedonia, Swerve and Tailgate chat about the latter's choice in roommates and Cyclonus's past, and Swerve's friendship with Blurr, while Magnus desperately tries to relax. Setting down on the planet, Swerve's "posse" employ new auto-generated, personality-based [[holomatter]] avatars to find a mechanoid-friendly bar; Magnus's choice of a self-designed avatar based on [[Verity Carlo]] leaves them all asking questions. Swerve convinces Magnus to deactivate his fuel intake moderation chip so that he can enjoy drinking, but [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] exploits the opportunity to slip him a mickey—weapons-grade [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]], which knocks Magnus out completely. Two hours later, the rest of the group are playing the "nemesis game", naming their worst enemies, when Magnus begins to come around and everyone but Swerve immediately flees in fear of repercussions. The sozzled Magnus mopes about his predicament to Swerve, about hating the quest and being hated by everyone and wanting to go back to Cybertron, and almost confesses to enjoying ''music'' when he notices Swerve's [[Autobot]] badge is missing. He dubs the little 'bot a shirker before gulping down another drink and passing out again.

A little later, the others return with trinkets bought from the gift shop; Rung has purchased a new model ship that reminds Skids of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark-1]]'', prompting Rewind to play some millennia-old footage of the opening ceremony for the ship's launch, in which the crew was named. Suddenly, Cyclonus flies into a rage, flipping over the table and getting into a scuffle with Skids. Tailgate intervenes, urging the others to head back to the shuttle while he calms Cyclonus, and Swerve realises they only have twenty minutes to do so. Whirl quickly flies everyone back to the shuttle, after which they project their holomatters avatars back to the bar in order to transport the still-unconscious Ultra Magnus back via a short-cut through an organics-only area. To do so, he must be in his [[alternate mode]], so they drag him out of the bar and begin jumping up and down on him in order to make him involuntarily transform, and they eventually succeed... except, he's upside down. After managing him to flip him over, the group drives back to the shuttle, happily commenting on what a good time they've had.

[[File:Cyclonus tailgate singing cybertronian homesick blues.jpg|thumb]]
And back at the bar, a perfectly calm Cyclonus reveals something to Tailgate: he ''knows'' that he is lying, that he was not on the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew manifest - there was a [[Tailpipe (G1)|Tail''pipe'']], but no Tail''gate''. Tailgate realises that Cyclonus made a scene to save him from discovery, and sadly confesses that he never worked in ''bomb'' disposal, or the [[Primal Vanguard]]: he was actually a ''waste'' disposal 'bot, and he lied about himself because he was despondent over having never even been looked for after he fell through the [[Mitteous Plateau]] while on the way to rinse out the ''Ark-1''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s coolant. Cyclonus points out that he'll be caught out one day, but offers to share his method of easing sadness: he teaches Tailgate a song in Old Cybertronian, and the pair sing together in the empty bar.

''Swerve finishes up his recording, but when Blaster tries to send it to Blurr's personal hailing frequency, it does not go through. Swerve flashes back to the last time he met Blurr, and we learn it was the ''only'' time: he and Blurr were never friends, Swerve was just an over-eager fan who shared one or two sentences about opening a bar with Blurr while getting an autograph, and was fobbed off with a fake hailing frequency. He glumly returns to his bar, and in time, Ultra Magnus arrives, finally recovered from the previous night. He hands Swerve a new Autobot badge, revealing that he remembers everything about the drunken escapade. Swerve cautiously asks him if he'd like to be his new roomate, but Magnus simply chides him for his familiarity, making implicitly clear that nothing has changed between them.''
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks other than the extended one that makes up the main body of the story.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (1)
*''[[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]]'' (2)
*''[[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]]'' (3)
*''[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]]'' (4)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (5)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (6)
*[[Aquafend]] (7)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (10)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (12)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (13)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (14)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (15)
{{!}}}
|c4=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (8)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (9)
}}

==Quotes==
"'''MUTINY!''' Everywhere I look I see rules being '''stretched''' and laws being '''broken''' and protocols being '''dragged outside and kicked to death.''' I've made a list: '''one,''' Skids keeps using the maintenance droids for target practice. '''Two,''' [[Waverider]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] '''insist''' on playing '''hand-grenade''' tag outside my office. '''Three:''' the warning signs that '''[[Dipstick]]'s''' put up in the engine rooms are '''riddled''' with misplaced apostrophes. '''Four:''' [[Sprocket (G1)|Sprocket]] keeps touching his—" 
"'''MAGNUS!'''"
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus'''

"Maybe I have been taking things too seriously. Maybe I should try and... and... whatever. There's a word for it." 
"Relax?" 
"That's not even a word. I'd have heard of it."
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' and '''Rodimus'''

"If anyone can cheer [Magnus] up, you can!" 
"You say "cheer him up" like it's something '''other''' than a centuries-long undertaking destined to end in madness and suicide."
:—'''Rodimus''' and '''Swerve'''

'''Rewind:''' "These holomatter avatars are '''brilliant'''—they even come with '''fake I.D.s!''' Say hello to 'Joe Human.' Who are you, Swerve?" 
'''Swerve:''' "'Mr. Person.' I dunno, these pseudonyms are a bit '''weak,''' aren't they?" 
'''Skids:''' "Least you've got a name—mine's '''blank.'''" 
'''Rung:''' "I think the program is struggling with human gender—do I '''look''' like a 'Mary Sue'?"

'''Rewind:''' "'Course, you know who Misfire reminds me of..." 
'''Swerve:''' "Shaddup." 
'''Rewind:''' "'''And''' you're a bad shot!" 
'''Swerve:''' "Not as bad as '''Misfire!'''" 
'''Rung:''' "My head begs to differ."

"I'm a serious person, Swerve! I can't help it! I only have two expressions, and the second one is just an angrier version of the first!"
:—'''Ultra Magnus'''

'''Rewind:''' "'Join me!' says Rodimus. 'Help me search for the Knights of Cybertron! Explore strange new worlds! Seek out new life! Jump up and down on the Duly Appointed Officer of the Tyrest Accord!'" 
'''Swerve:''' "I don't care what happens next: this quest just made the '''top three'''..." 
'''Rung:''' "Do you think this type of thing happens to '''Bumblebee''' and '''Prowl'''?"

==Notes==

===Continuity notes===
[[File:Quests cybertronian homesick blues.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Though epic, his quest for Roger Ebert's approval [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|was to]] [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|no avail.]] ]]
*Swerve's top ten list of quests include the "Moonquest" for [[Moonbase One|Luna-1]] he mentioned going on in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]]; a "Matrix Quest", referring to the [[Matrix Quest|story arc]] by that name from the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Generation 1 Marvel comic]]; a "Titan Quest", which presumably ''doesn't'' refer to the events of the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 annual]], since Swerve didn't go on that mission; and something called a "[[Thumb Quest]]", which he describes as legendarily bad later in the issue (and yet still makes #5 on his top ten!).
*In this issue only, Aquafend was shown with an exposed mouth. He hasn't been seen without his mouthplate in subsequent issues, so it's up for debate on whether he has a retractable mouthplate or if it was simply due to the artist's differing art style.
*The luckless [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] got hit by [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'s [[existential gun]] at some point off-panel, another incident he can add to his growing list of unfortunate events.
*Cyclonus sings in Old Cybertronian, the ancient language from several previous Roberts issues, most famously spoken by [[Vos (DJD)|Vos]]. He is also noted to have a Tetrahexian accent; he mourned for the loss of [[Tetrahex]] back in issue #1.
*Swerve is looking for a new room-mate since his previous one, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] was put into cold storage in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]].
*Swerve recalls his time on [[Kimia Facility|Kimia]] and Cyclonus's attack on the facility, from the "[[Chaos (IDW)|Chaos]]" storyline.
*The unrealistic nature of holomatter avatar hair is flagged up, originally mentioned in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]].
*Swerve plans to visit [[simultronic]] suites while on Hedonia, a form of virtual reality escapism seen in ''[[Spotlight: Blurr]]''.
*Magnus chummed around with Verity Carlo during the ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' mini-series. She appears on the cover in her sports-bra-and-hot-pants getup from that mini, while in the comic itself she appears in the clothes she wore back during the "-ations" era. Magnus recalls the nickname she called him in ''Last Stand'', "Uncle Magnus".
*[[Killmaster]] (the one with the wand), mentioned before in issue #5 and ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]]'', is revealed to be Whirl's arch-nemesis, and consequently—not too surprisingly—quite dead, [[Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|according to Whirl]].
[[File:Swerve temporary badge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|right|Stupid crotch badge.]]
*What the rest of Swerve's pals get up to after ditching him with Magnus for a while is revealed in the short prose story included in the back of this issue, "[[Signal to Noise]]".
*Swerve mentions his last Autobot [[insignia|badge]] got damaged. ''[[The One Where They Go to Earth|Really doesn't sound that important, does it?]]'' He also mentions that he had a "temporary" badge, but adds that "it looked stupid". Back in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue 1]] (drawn by [[Nick Roche]]), we saw that his "temporary" badge was located on his ''crotch''. Once [[Alex Milne]] took over art duties beginning with [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue 2]], he kept drawing Swerve without a badge.
*Skids buys Rodimus a [[Galactic Council]] captain's hat from the gift shop, hearkening back to Rodimus's comments about funny hats in the 2012 annual.
*The memorial plaque for the ''Ark-1'' seen in [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]] included the name "Tail-", obstructed by shadow. Now we know that was not Tailgate, as we were supposed to think at the time, but another guy called [[Tailpipe (G1)|Tail''pipe'']].
*The partially faded inscription on Tailgate's arm, it is revealed, originally said "Waste Disposal", but he had Ratchet replace the damaged text with "Bomb Disposal" prior to [[Interiors|issue #6]]. In artistic error that was presumably the result of foreknowledge of this twist, the first few instances of the "fixed" inscription seen on Tailgate's arm in said issue actually ''did'' read "Waste Disposal", which was later corrected for the trade paperback collection.
*As many fans correctly theorized, Tailgate's odd behavior in [[Before & After|issue #12]] was indeed him leading Rewind into explaining to him what he should do in order to defuse the bomb correctly.
*The song Cyclonus teaches Tailgate, like [[Vos (DJD)|Vos]]'s dialogue from issue #7, uses the [[Cyberglyphics]] substitution cypher from the [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Titan ''Transformers'' comic]] and translates to "I've got my own".
{{-}}

===Transformers references===
*Whirl describes himself as having "no known weaknesses", a term used to describe especially powerful characters in [[Bob Budiansky]]'s original ''[[The Transformers Universe]]'' Generation 1 character profiles.
*A [[Torkuli]] from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]] episode "[[Webworld]]" can be seen outside the bar on page 7.
*During the Hedonia escapades, Rung wonders whether Bumblebee and Prowl ever get into similar situations. This is a meta-reference to sister title Robots in Disguise, where those two are lead characters, and a book tonally different enough from MTMTE that such events would be completely out of place there.

===Real-world references===
*This story is named after the Bob Dylan song, "{{w|Subterranean Homesick Blues}}".
*Rewind's avatar wears a shirt of the Northern Irish band {{w|The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy}}. Bespectacled frontman {{w|Neil Hannon}} even appears in silhouette on a patch on his shoulder on the issue's cover.
*The Mobius Circuit is a reference to a {{w|Möbius strip}}.
*Rung is concerned that the avatar program has assigned him the name of "Mary Sue". A "{{w|Mary Sue}}" is a literary term springing from ''[[Star Trek]]'' fanfiction to describe a wish-fulfillment character inserted into a story as an avatar of the author themselves, who is [[Drift (G1)|awesome at everything and is loved by everyone]]. However, the reactionary nature of internet fandom has led many to immediately slap this term on ''any'' self-created character an author adds to a previously existing universe—some have accused Rung of being guilty of this crime.
*Skids's ID, meanwhile, is a blank black pocketbook. While on the surface this calls back to his missing memories, it is also evocative of the 'psychic paper' employed by his avatar's inspiration: a blank piece of paper that causes viewers to see whatever form of identification they expect to see.
*Whirl offers Magnus a drink called "[[Mood Whiplash]]", named for the storytelling trope—coined by website [[TVTropes:Main/MoodWhiplash|TV Tropes]]—that sees fiction snap from the heartwarming to the horrifying with distressing speed. This is the second drink named after one of TV Tropes's tropes, following [[Nightmare Fuel]] from issue #11.
*As the Autobots jump on Magnus, Rewind, quoted above, is of course cribbing from the opening sequence of ''Star Trek''.
*A Vorlon alien from the television series ''{{w|Babylon 5}}'' can be seen on the cover underneath holo-Rung's arm.
*Blurr's lap times, as mentioned by Swerve, are evocative of issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]]: Blurr is in [[Hunters|#117 and #118]], where Ultra Magnus is knocked out (foreshadowing his experiences later in this story). The significance of [[King of the Hill!|#111]] and [[Crater Critters|#123]] is not apparent.

===Trivia===
[[File:CybertronianHomesickBlues-SkidsRung.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7]]
*A whoooooole lot of material had to be cut from this script. One scene was going to have Rodimus bring in the local dignitries to meet the famous Ultra Magnus, to prove the Autobots weren't crude warmongers; since Magnus was blitzed out of his head, Whirl and the gang would be moving his limbs around to make it look like <s>Great Boo's up</s> he's 'up'.<ref>[http://theunderbase.libsyn.com/the-underbase-deconstructs-shadowplay "The Underbase Podcast Deconstructs Shadowplay"], 58:50 - 59:30</ref>
*The avatars on Alex Milne's cover all differ somewhat from Guidi's interpretations within the comic, but Rung and Skids's are especially different. On the cover, Rung is an effette, dapper Victorian gentleman, while in the comic, he is an unremarkable, tweed-wearing nebbish; Skids, meanwhile, is essentially James Bond on the cover, but in the comic, is basically the [[Doctor|Eleventh Doctor]], complete with bow-tie.
*Tailgate's avatar makes ''much'' more sense following the revelation from "[[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life]]".
*Since the phrasing is unclear, James Roberts has confirmed on his Twitter that the 50 shanix Rodimus got Drift to give to the crew, was from Drift's personal account.
*In 2018, he clarified that the reason Skids names ''Misfire'' of all bots as his nemesis is simply that Skids was looking at his Misfire-colored drink at the time.<ref>[https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/1015621681010892800 James Roberts on Twitter]</ref>
*Ultra Magnus's steering wheel is in the right-hand side of his cab, a feature that only appears in vehicles from countries who drive on the left side of the road, such as [[James Roberts|England]].

===Errors===
[[File:Swerve body designs.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|right|"Make sure to obscure the shoulders when seen from the front. The Autobot badge should not be visible." - "Got that!"]]
*Guido Guidi's pencils are credited to "Guido Giudi", though his inks are credited correctly.
*Drift has both his swords on page 2, when page 4 shows us he should be missing one, which he has left with Rodimus during their lesson.
*Ultra Magnus denies that "relax" is a word, claiming that he's never heard of it, despite the fact that he used the word [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|in a previous issue]].
*Scale's a little wonky. The first time we see the holomatter avatars, they're just big enough to sit at the bar. Then, when the Lost Lighters return to the bar, they're the same size. This includes Magnus, who is slightly larger in-person. However, later, when they're trying to transform Magnus, either Magnus grew or the crew SHRUNK.
*When Tailgate reveals the truth about his original occupation to Cyclonus, he shows him the "Bomb Disposal" inscription on his arm, which has "Bomb" and "Disposal" written in two separate lines. Yet back in [[Interiors|issue 6]], when the fixed inscription (which had previously just read "osal" before Tailgate had Ratchet "fix" it, as he tells Cyclonus in this issue) was first shown, both words appeared in one single line. (In the original single release of that issue, it erroneously read "Waste Disposal", thereby accidentally spoiling this issue's revelation early; the trade paperback reprint had it fixed to read "Bomb Disposal", though still written in a single line.)
*Swerve's flashback scene (set four million years in the past) depicts him in the same body design as his present-day self, rather than (for example) the design seen in [[Chaos Part Three: Kings|issue #28]] and [[Chaos Part Four: Genesis|#30]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|2009-2011 ongoing]]. This isn't exactly an error for this issue ''per se'', but it somewhat becomes one when Swerve's change of body designs (specifically, his shoulders) becomes a plot point in [[The One Where They Go to Earth|issue 43]]. Although it would appear in retrospect that the script for this issue specifically asked for the scene to be laid out so Swerve's shoulders would be subtly obscured when seen from the front, a view of Swerve from the back reveals that his shoulders are still made up of large wheels, like on his present-day self, which completely defies the purpose of this plot point. Even worse, Guido appears to have specifically used [[Nick Roche]]'s design for Swerve from [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue 1]] as a reference, with the Autobot insignia on his crotch deliberately removed (but still retaining the general outline), in contrast to the completly ''blank'' crotch Swerve had sported beginning with [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue 2]] (which is also used for the present day scenes in this issue).
{{-}}

===Crew manifest===
*Rung is up and about again after reawakening in issue #11.
*5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders), and 1 boxed since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef2mzOKSwcM "Now My Heart Is Full"] by {{w|Morrissey}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mb3CoWwNyY "Subterranean Homesick Blues"] by {{w|Bob Dylan}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXT5h6dTotA "The Underdogs"] by {{w|Rialto (band)|Rialto}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGQ114DPvuY "The Good Old Days"] by {{w|The Lodger (band)|The Lodger}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-GunCFV9JA "The Man Who Loved Beer"] by {{w|David Byrne}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgZCNph4sRE "Pamplona"] by {{w|Pelle Carlberg}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bdliedq0SY "Lonely Hearts Still Beat the Same"] by {{w|The Research}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PZn-tBOrrM "Last Night I Nearly Died"] by {{w|Duke Special}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUoc6Wv72cs "It's Not the End of the World?"] by {{w|Super Furry Animals}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=773fnQDq60I "Bar Italia"] by {{w|Pulp (band)|Pulp}}

===References===
{{reflist}}

Before & After

2019-04-12T05:57:31Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ videos were unavailable

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=12
|prev=Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading
|next=More than Meets the Eye issue 13
|caption=Call me crazy, but I think it's a bomb...
|image=MTMTE12_cvrA.jpg
|title="Before & After"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[December 19]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=December 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|pencils by=[[Alex Milne]] (before) [[Brendan Cahill]] (after)
|inks by=[[Atilio Rojo]] with Alex Milne (before) [[Brian Shearer]] (after)
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''In the wake of a battle with the Decepticons on the planet Temptoria, Rewind lies at death's door and Chromedome is pushed to the edge.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Mtmte-before-and-after-whirl-weaponup.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
''Before... Aboard the scout ship ''[[Leading Light]]'', a shuttle of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', the rambunctious, fight-hungry 'bots in the craft's fore section are led in a war-chant by [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], and have to be silenced by [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] so he can deliver their mission briefing: they are heading for the planet [[Temptoria]], current home to a group of Decepticons they suspect of kidnapping the [[Circle of Light]]. Around the ship, [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] employ "[[Rung (G1)|Rungian]] Re-Experience Therapy", going to their "happy places" to calm themselves before battle; [[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]] and [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] discuss [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s appointment in the stead of the wounded [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]; [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] compliments [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] on his new leg-guns; and [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] and [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] argue over a promise Rewind has broken. Before that particular argument can get going, Whirl barges into the rear section and calls for Rewind to accompany him on the front lines to take footage.''

''In "the [[Battery]]", the Decepticon base down on Temptoria, [[Blip]] responds to a summons from [[Nautilator]], but finds himself more interested in the fact that the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]] sounds exactly like [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]. When Nautilator finally gets him to pay attention to the security monitor, he sees that the Autobots are air-dropping out of the ''Leading Light'' right on top of them! A ferocious battle soon erupts; while Rodimus and Drift squabble over who gets to take on which 'cons, Tailgate and Swerve head off to sneak into the enemy base, though Tailgate delays a moment to marvel at Ultra Magnus's fighting prowess.''

After... The Autobots return to the ''Lost Light'', but the battle is not without victims: twenty-one crew-members have been gravely injured, including "massive contributors to the Autobot cause" [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]]... and Rewind. A panicked Chromedome tries to ask Swerve what happened, but discovers the little 'bot has had his face blown off. [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] rushes Rewind to the medibay where his [[spark]] is diagnosed to be rapidly fading. As Rewind's [[Conjunx Endura]], Chromedome is given the option of using First Aid's spark-jumpstarting procedure to save him—an easy choice to make, and with his spark a match for Rewind's rare type, he volunteers for the process himself. Just before they begin, Tailgate bursts in, dragging the wounded [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] behind him, begging for help.

[[File:Before&After Shoomer.jpg|thumb]]
''While the other members of their team handle the fighting, Rewind and Tailgate search the Battery for the Circle of Light, and discover that the Decepticons have captured not them, but the native organic Temptorians, and are somehow [[pink alchemy|converting them into fuel]]. A bomb is wired to the door of their cell, which Tailgate sets to work disarming while Rewind films; when Rewind asks what he is going to do, Tailgate calls upon him to hypothesize what the correct procedure would be, then proceeds to carry it out exactly as he describes. Whirl, Cyclonus and Swerve keep the Decepticons at bay just outside... although Swerve'' does ''manage to shoot himself in the face when Whirl tosses him [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'s newest weapon, the [[Shoomer]].''

The jumpstart procedure complete, Chromedome waits with Tailgate outside the medibay. After Chromedome explains that the little vials left in the bay are symbolic offerings of [[innermost energon]] from the crew for Rewind, Tailgate is prompted to ask how the pair met. A little reluctantly at first, Chromedome relates Rewind's history: he was a member of the "[[disposable class]]" in the days of functionism, and was recruited to work as a data receptacle by campaigner [[Dominus Ambus]]. Rewind became friends with his new employer (whose list of achievements prompts Tailgate to take an immediate dislike to him), who was moved to fight for Disposables' rights, and accompanied him on a quest for [[Moonbase One|Luna-1]], only returning to Cybertron after the war had broken out. After some time, Dominus disappeared and Rewind began searching [[Relinquishment Clinic]]s—since repurposed as assisted suicide facilities—in hopes of discovering his friend's fate. It was in such a clinic that he met Chromedome, who was seeking death to escape the war, and together, the pair gave each other something to live for. But Rewind has never given up his search for Dominus—this is the reason for his hoarding of "snuff movies", and why he has broken his promise to Chromedome to stop entering danger zones. Tailgate argues that perhaps Rewind only goes into battle to be beside Chromedome, but then, First Aid emerges with bad news: Chromedome's own weak spark means the process has not worked.

The call goes out for other donors to save Rewind while Chromedome goes to his quarters in a grief-filled haze. As he sits in silence, a voice calls to him through the door... a voice that tells him it has discovered a way to wipe out the Decepticons and stop what happened to Rewind from ever happening again... an answer that lies in [[Overlord (Masterforce)|the basement]]. Suddenly, First Aid calls Chromedome on his comm and summons him to the medibay: Whirl has proven to have a compatible spark and has saved Rewind's life. On the other side of the bay, Tailgate is about to leave some of his innermost energon for Cyclonus when he suddenly awakens and knocks the vial from Tailgate's hand, shattering it. Cyclonus mocks the small 'bot for believing they share a bond, but upon noticing how many offerings have been left for Rewind by the others, while none were left for him, he silently kneels to help Tailgate pick up the pieces of glass.

''After Whirl and Cyclonus finish off the remaining Decepticons, Whirl compliments Cyclonus on his fighting ability, and suggests they become friends and put that whole "death threat" business behind them. Cyclonus is not interested and reiterates his intent to kill Whirl some day, at which point Rewind calls for their aid: Tailgate has triggered a timer on the bomb, but refuses to leave until he can drain the explosives so the blast won't reach the prisoners. Cyclonus seizes his diminutive contemporary and hurls him out of the chamber to safety, only to be trapped inside as Whirl surreptitiously presses the lock button in order to take out his would-be killer. Rewind is trapped inside with Cyclonus, but at the last second, just before the bomb detonates, Cyclonus throws himself in front of the archivist, shielding him.''

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Powerflash]] (1)
*[[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (2)
*[[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight]] (3)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (4)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (5)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (6)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (7)
*[[Atomizer]] (8)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (9)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] (10)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (11)
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (12)
*[[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] (14)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] (15)
*[[Ambulon]] (16)
*[[Xaaron]] (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (18)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (20)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (21)
*[[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]] (22)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (23)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (24)
*[[Fizzle]] (27)
*[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (28)
*[[Rollout (G1)|Rollout]] (29)
*[[Dipstick]] (30)
*Little generic's head (33)
*[[Pincher (G1)|Pincher]] (35)
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]]'s fist (38)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (43)
*[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]] (47)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Blip]] (25)
*[[Nautilator]] (26)
*[[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]] (31)
*[[Rage (G1)|Rage]] (32)
*[[Bulletbike (G2)|Bulletbike]] (34)
*Sureshot's generic victim (36)
*[[Seawing (G1)|Seawing]] (37)
*[[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Gar]] (39)
*[[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]] (40)
*[[Turbo Master]] (41)
*[[Tailwind (G1)|Tailwind]] (42)
*[[Tentakil (G1)|Tentakil]] (44)
*[[Snaptrap (G1)|Snap Trap]] (45)
*[[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]] (46)
|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (13)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (19)
*''[[Flip Sides (G1)|Flip Sides]]'' (48)
*''[[Rosanna (KP)|Rosanna]]'' (49)
*''[[Dominus Ambus]]'' (50)
}}

==Quotes==
"Ultra Magnus informs me that running through the ''Lost Light'' shouting 'Who's up for a fight?' doesn't '''technically''' qualify as a 'briefing.'"
:—'''Rodimus'''

"I'm '''Nautilator''', by the way, one of '''Snap Trap''''s crew. I thought you'd want to see this." 
"Woah. Say that again." 
"What?" 
"You sound '''exactly''' like Megatron." 
"Everyone says that, but I really think you should look at the '''monitor'''." 
"'''Ha!''' Brilliant. Is that your actual voice? Say, ''um'', you know—something something '''tyranny.'''"
:—'''Nautilator''' and '''Blip'''

"D'you mind if I film this? If I die, I don't want my last recorded footage to be of Whirl punching himself in the face to prove he's ''''super-unvincible.''''"
:—'''Rewind'''

"The day I snuggle up to a bomb and '''don't''' fear for my life is the day I get '''sloppy'''."
:—'''Tailgate''', eyes flashing with panic as he sets to work.

"Please! I surrender! Don't shoot!" 
"That is un'''canny'''! Has anyone ever—?" 
"Megatron, yes, I know! Just '''don't shoot!'''" 
"Okay, you be Megatron, I'll be Prime. "You who are without mercy, now plead for it?" Wait wait wait. Try again: "You who are without—" Not '''deep''' enough. "You who are—" How can anyone's voice '''be''' that low? Ah, frag it."
:—'''Nautilator''' and '''Whirl''', just before Whirl shoots Nautilator in the head.

"I'll admit I've made no real '''effort''' to understand the '''warped moral code''' by which you live your '''atrocity''' of a life, but I assume you think that by helping me fight a common foe you've atoned for past sins. You're wrong. There's no '''before''' or '''after''' to our 'relationship': I'm still going to kill you. All that changes is the manner of your death, which becomes more elaborate and protracted by the day."
:—'''Cyclonus''', to Whirl

==Notes==

===Continuity notes===
*Magnus was seen returning from his reconnaissance mission in [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|issue #10]]. Now we know where he went!
*Tailgate claims that, when in the [[Primal Vanguard]], he fought and killed organics. While immediately a bit jarring for such a naive, innocent little guy, it's been established for a while now that the Vanguard were [[Nova Prime]]'s off-world army, and given his [[expansion]] ideals, it shouldn't really come as any surprise that this is what they were up to for all those years.
*Judging from the 'bots present, Tailgate's "happy place" would appear to specifically be the "movie night" he attended in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]].
*Trailbreaker has added guns to his legs in emulation of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]], after drunkenly grumbling about the latter's legs back in [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*Blip was previously mentioned by Ultra Magnus as a Decepticon who thought he was a [[sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]]. His slobbering monster [[alternate mode]] certainly helps sell his delusion, and explains why Nautilator confuses him with [[Blot (G1)|Blot]], who's also a filthy beast.
*While the Terrorcon leader has had his name spelled quite a few ways across various Transformers stories at this point, "Hun-Gar" is a new one. He was "Hun-Grrr" in his only named IDW appearance before now, in ''[[Spotlight: Sixshot]]''.
*One of the Decepticons in this issue is [[Tailwind (G1)|Tailwind]], who is usually a [[Micromaster]]. A Gorlamite appearing to be Tailwind appeared back in ''[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]''.
*On page 5, we see Pipes unconscious on the ground, apparently one of those Autobots injured in the fighting. This is the latest incident in his streak of bad luck that began in issue #4 (brought down by plague) and continued in issue #6 (gunned down by Fortress Maximus).
*Chromedome off-handedly mentions Rewind is "allergic" to ultraviolet light, the only known way to illuminate neuro-surgery insertion scars. But hey, that's probably a coincidence.
*The footnote regarding the conversion of organics into energon points readers to the deluxe hardback edition of ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''; specifically, the process was seen in the short story included in that tome, "[[Escape (G1)|Escape]]".
*The substance [[propex]] was previously mentioned in "Shadowplay". There, "propex conduits" were blamed for some explosions.
*The nature of innermost energon is expanded upon after passing mentions in issues [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|
#3]], [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|#7]], and [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]].
*Dominus Ambus was mentioned by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] in ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]]''.
*The disease cybercrosis was previously mentioned by Swerve in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 Annual]].
*At this point, quite a few characters have mentioned seeking the missing [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], intimating that many searches for it have taken place. We get a little bit of a reason for that with this issue, in that the moon lies at the centre of romanticized legend. We also find out that it's the same thing as the "Seething Moon", something included in a list of non-existent folk legends by Trailbreaker in issue #3.
*A relinquishment clinic was heavily implied to have played a role in Chromedome and Rewind's first meeting back in issue #6; we get the full story here.
*Rewind's "snuff movies" were introduced in issue #6.
*Tailgate's innermost energon is green, rather than the pink seen in all the other offerings. Although this gives it a resemblance to the propex Tailgate was seen draining earlier in the issue, James Roberts confirmed<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=325247&highlight=#325247 Post on the IDW Publishing Forums</ref> that it was his real energon being decanted.

===Transformers references===
*When Blip asks Nautilator to say "something something tyranny", he is evidently trying to recall Megatron's motto: "Peace through tyranny."
*The Decepticon base on Temptoria has [[Energon Driller]]s from ''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Transformers: Prime]]'' stationed outside.
*Tailgate identifies the bomb as a "C-61"; this was the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|Japanese ID number]] of Tailgate's Generation 1 toy. Further, he recalls the bomb's progenitor, the "C-12S"; "12" was the ID number of [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] toy, which was [[retool]]ed to create Tailgate's.
*In attempting his Optimus Prime impression, as transcribed above, Whirl is, of course, quoting from Prime and Megatron's famous exchange from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
* On page 11, Rewind says Chromedome is “running around pretending to be Optimus Prime.” The previous page depicts Chromedome riding on top of Snapdragon in an identical pose to the poster for [[Transformers: Age of Extinction]] featuring Optimus atop Grimlock.

===Real world references===
*Whirl's upcoming film, ''Harder, Faster, Stronger, Wrecker'', is presumably a reference to the 2001 {{w|Daft Punk}} song, "{{w|Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger}}".

===Trivia===
*The bomb Tailgate is studying on Cover A matches the alt modes of [[K-Class]] Decepticons seen in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]]. This, coupled with a solicitation for the issue that mentioned "a band of rogue Decepticons", led pretty much the entire fandom to the conclusion that the ''Lost Light'' crew would be meeting [[Fulcrum]] and the [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]]. Whoops!
*Also, in an amusing little bit of foreshadowing of what will happen, the bomb Tailgate is examining on Cover A has the words "Keep Out of Reach of Small Bots" scrawled on the side of it.
*The transition from page 4 to page 5 makes a semantic juxtaposition of the phrases, "It's raining Autobots" and "Autobot down!"
*If you hadn't ''got'' Chromedome and Rewind's relationship from the rest of the issue, note that "Conjunx"—from "Conjunx Endura", the Transformer term for "significant other"—is Latin for "spouse". Not Roberts's [[Empurata|first use]] of Latin wordplay!

===Crew manifest===
*21 crew members are seriously injured, but with no fatalities as of yet.
*5 deaths, 5 new arrivals (plus 20 or so Faders) and 1 boxed since the launch.
*A number of Decepticons — those "too dumb to run" — are incarcerated in the ship's brig.

===Errors===
*Temptoria's capital is spelled differently the two times it's mentioned: "Sensensica" (page 2, panel 2) and "Sensenica" (page 4, panel 1). In the TPB the latter was corrected to Sensensica.
*On page 15, panel 2, "Cybertronian" is misspelled "Cybetronian". This was also corrected in the TPB.
*On the very last page, panel 3, Cyclonus' fingertips are colored green.

===Soundtrack===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw27WpM8AxY "Airbag"] by {{w|Radiohead}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuZnS2cNJhc "Prelude for Time Feelers"] by {{w|Eluvium (musician)|Eluvium}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Tailgate looks over a Decepticon bomb, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Cover B:''' Ultra Magnus and Rodimus under fire, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Cover RI:''' The assembled crew of the ''Lost Light'', by [[Casey Coller]] and [[Joana Lafuente]], in homage to the cover of the [[Fab Four|Beatles]] album, ''{{w|Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band}}''. Part of a theme month along with [[City on Fire|''Robots in Disguise'' #12]], which also features an incentive cover based on a famous album.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE12_cvrA.jpg|It's a bo... Not a bah, a bomb!
File:MTMTE12_cvrB.jpg|Who did Rodimus piss off now?
File:MTMTE12_cvrRI.jpg|The ''[[Lost Light]]'' class of 2012.
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[City on Fire|#12]]
*''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight:]] [[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Thundercracker]]''
*IDW Limited
*''[[Doctor Who]]: Prisoners of Time'' (back cover)

==References==
{{reflist}}

Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading

2019-04-12T05:53:47Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ video linked was unavailable

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

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

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

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

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

[[File:Shadowplay3-SenatorWho.jpg|thumb|left]]
Pax took out one of the Heavies, but when Kroma held his gun against Roller's head and proposed an exchange, the senator agreed to go with him. The remaining Heavy, Anvil, remained behind to finish off Pax, but Pax used the Matrix-bomb to destroy his attacker, then unearthed Chromedome from the rubble to lead him to the [[Institute]], figuring Kroma had taken the senator there. Alas, they discovered it was deserted—because despite its name, it was not unique. The senator had potentially been taken to any one of hundreds of hidden facilities, lost to them.

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

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

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

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]'' (2)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (6)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (7)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (9)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (10)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (11)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (12)
*[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (13)
*''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (14)
*''[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'' (15)
*''[[Siren (G1)|Siren]]'' (16)
*''[[Gears (G1)|Gears]]'' (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]]'' (19)
*''[[Atomizer]]'' (20)
*''[[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]]'' (21)
*''[[Sprocket (G1)|Sprocket]]'' (22)
*''[[Xaaron]]'' (23)
*''[[Dipstick]]'' (24)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (28)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (29)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (30)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (31)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (32)
{{!}}}
|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'' (1)
*''[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]'' (3)
*''[[Tarn (DJD)|Glitch]]'' (4)
*''[[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'' (5)
*''[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'' (8)
*''[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]]'' (18)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (25)
*''[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]'' (26)
*''[[Crosscut (IDW)|Crosscut]]'' (27)
*''[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]'' (33)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]]'' (34)
*''[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]]'' (35)
*''[[Heavies]]'' (36-37)
*''[[Kroma]]'' (38)
*''[[Macabre]]'' (39)
*''[[Zeta Prime|Zeta]]'' (40)
*''Institute staff'' (41-42)
*''[[Lobe]]'' (43)
*''Lobe's assistant'' (44)
{{!}}}
}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For this issue:
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88N8CVcnR8 "No Fear of Falling"] by {{w|I Am Kloot}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpa9LtunUcg "Atmosphere"] by {{w|Joy Division}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-J7GF_ivsc "Plainsong"] by {{w||The Cure}}

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

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

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations

2019-04-12T05:23:00Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ videos linked were unavailable

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|TPB=Annual 2012
|prev=Rules of Disengagement (issue)
|next=Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?
|seriesissue2="Primus"
|next2=Primus: All Good Things
|caption=Okay, we didn't kill him, you all saw that right?
|image=MTMTEAnn2012_cvrA.jpg
|title="Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 12]], [[2012]] [[November 28]] (2nd printing)
|coverdate=August 2012
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Jimbo Salgado]] & [[Emil Cabaltierra]]
|flashback art by=[[Guido Guidi]]
|color by=[[Juan Fernandez]] with [[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''The dead rise, Ultra Magnus smiles, and [[Thirteen|everything you know]] is wrong!'''

==Synopsis==
===1: Signs and Portents===
It's just another ordinary day on the ''[[Lost Light]]'': a swarm of long-dormant [[Nanocon]]s, hidden inside [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s body for years, have suddenly become active again, and [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] has shrunk [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] and a team of [[Autobot]]s with his [[mass-displacement gun]] so they can enter Magnus's body and wipe them out. They are unable to stop the Nanocons before they reach Magnus's mouth, however, and at [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]'s direction, Magnus is forced to ''smile'' to crush them in his mouth-pistons and prevent their escape. Unfortunately for Magnus, this makes him a laughingstock aboard the ship, and he does not take it well.

Once everyone is back at full size, preparations begin for the day's other big event: having passed his [[Autobot Code]] exam, [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] is getting his probationary Autobot [[insignia|badge]]. While [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] silently rebuffs an invitation to the [[Act of Affiliation]] ceremony, the other attendees deal with their own problems: [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] helps [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] through the shock of an inherited memory of death, [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] goes looking for [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] in the bowels of the ship and is horrified when the corpse of [[Ore]]—still enmeshed with the [[quantum generator]]s—begins talking to him, and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] tries to convince Rodimus that he's saying "[['Til all are one]]" a bit too much. As Rodimus and Drift move to discussing their impending arrival on [[Theophany]], home of the [[Circle of Light]], Magnus enters, threatening to leave the ship over his mockery at the hands of the crew. Rodimus calms him down, and Magnus then voices his concern about their failure to make contact with the Circle of Light, despite Drift's assurances that the Circle can take care of themselves.

===2: Sacraments and Ceremonies===
Tailgate's ceremony begins, with the audience members taking bets on how long it will take Rodimus to say "'Til all are one" (Brainstorm wins after five seconds). As Rodimus recounts his own Act of Affiliation, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] notices that [[Ambulon]] is absent, and is informed by [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] that he is in the medibay, where a group of offline Autobots have suddenly reactivated and begun clutching their ears. And that's not the only strange thing going on: Cyclonus arrives just in time to see Rodimus bend to draw Tailgate's Autobot symbol onto his chest, only for him to instead scrawl some words that Rewind translates as "Let me out" in [[Cybertronian language#2005 IDW continuity|Old Cybertronian]]. As Rodimus immediately has no memory of doing so, Drift suspects he was possessed by something, and Ratchet's attempts to be rational are drowned out by word coming through on the comm from Swerve of Ore's sudden return to life as well. [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] instructs Swerve to keep Ore calm, lest he panic and trigger the quantum generators, so the talkative little 'bot tells the blinded Ore that he's just in the medibay. When the [[Duobot]] misidentifies his voice as [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]], and says he sounds like "that Lug-Nut Swerve", Swerve seizes on the mistaken identity and proceeds to confess all his hopes, fears, and disappointments, particularly the guilt he carries following his accidental shooting of [[Rung (G1)|Rung]].

As if things weren't bad enough, the ''Lost Light'' is then hailed by the [[Galactic Council]] ship ''[[The Benign Intervention]]'', whose captain [[K'gard]] informs the Autobots that, as members of a race blacklisted from the council for their war, they are trespassing in one of their sectors. K'gard shocks the Autobots by revealing that the Circle of Light has disappeared from Theophany, but Ultra Magnus—known and respected by the captain—is able to provide legal precedent that grants the Autobots an hour to investigate. Without discussion, K'gard teleports Rodimus and a team down to the planet's surface, where they discover [[Crystal City]] in ruins. Drift, having maintained an unrelentingly positive attitude about everything up until now, finally begins to crack and furiously stabs the ground with his [[Great Sword]]... causing a subsidence that dumps the Autobots into an underground cavern below Crystal City. Simultaneously, K'gard brings Magnus to ''The Benign Intervention'' and extends him a surprising invitation: to join the Galactic Council!

===3: Epiphanies===
Underground, Rodimus and his team discover that the Circle of Light have been powering their city with a [[Titan (group)|Titan]], one of the living city-ships of the [[Knights of Cybertron]], and they promptly venture inside its gigantic body, straight to its brain. Musing that he used to pray in the shadow of the Titans, Cyclonus is convinced by Rewind to recount the "Primal Sacrament", the Transformers' creation myth, and so tells the tale of the [[Guiding Hand]]: how the creator-god [[Primus]] split his life-force into five, creating [[Mortilus]], [[Solomus]], [[Epistemus]], and [[Adaptus]]. Following their creation of the Transformer race, Mortilus turned on the rest of the Guiding Hand and was destroyed after a brutal, costly war that saw Primus required to merge with [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] itself to survive, while Solomus became the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]], and Epistemus and Adaptus became the prototypical [[brain module]] and [[transformation cog]] that would be the basis of all others. The first Cybertronians blessed with these traits were the Knights of Cybertron, who set out to spread their gifts across the universe aboard their Titans. Ratchet's complete dismissal of the story as utter nonsense finally brings him and Drift to blows, but before things get physical, Rodimus separates the two and takes Drift for a walk, on which Drift confides that he knows Rodimus is going to be very important in the future.

Spurred by Cyclonus's story of their race's origins, Skids and Chromedome talk about the meaning of life and how it is shaped by interactions with others. Chromedome proceeds to tap into the Titan's brain to find out what happened to the Circle of Light, and is assaulted by a horrific vision of Crystal City being razed by [[Legislator]]s. Worse still is the distressing revelation that the Titan is still alive, psychically screaming in terrible pain, having heard the call to return to the reformatted Cybertron, but lacking the power to teleport its massive bulk after being drained by the Circle of Light for so long. A destructive beam bursts from the tortured titan's eyes, shooting up into space and clipping ''The Benign Intervention'', prompting a furious K'gard to cry treachery, return Magnus to the ''Lost Light'', encase the ship in an incineration shield, and teleport a squad of troopers down to Theophany to finish the Autobots off. The troopers arrive just as Skids is realizing that the Titan's psychic scream is responsible for all the recent weirdness—the offline Autobots and Nanocons reactivating, the message written by the "possessed" Rodimus (which Cyclonus notes actually said "Set me free")—and Drift and Rewind are trying to stop Chromedome re-entering its brain in the pursuit of proof of God, and battle breaks out. Believing the destruction of the ''Lost Light'' assured, Magnus contacts Rodimus to say farewell, but Rodimus has an idea and has Swerve put on the line. He instructs Swerve to tell Ore the truth of his situation, hoping that doing so will cause him to panic, jump-starting the quantum drives and teleporting the ship away to safety, but after Rung, and the long discussion he has had about life and death with the revived Duobot, Swerve refuses on the basis that Ore may die. With no options left and no guarantee of their own safety, Rodimus acquiesces to Brainstorm's original suggestion: shrink the Titan with his mass-displacement gun in order to make him small enough to teleport away. The gun flares, and everything goes white...

It's just another ordinary day on the ''Lost Light''. After the Titan shrank to a small enough size, it teleported away, sending the Autobots back to the ''Lost Light'' and taking the psychically-linked Ore with it, in turn triggering the quantum drives and jumping the ship out of the council's clutches. Or as Swerve relates to Rung, to hear Drift tell it, the Autobots' act of kindness restored the Titan's faith in them, and he sent them all to safety and Ore to the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]]. Whatever the case, the mystery of what happened to the Circle of Light remains, and the ''Lost Light'' sets course for the [[Argon Nebulae]] to investigate a possible Decepticon lead. The universe is too hostile for Rodimus to wing it any more: it's time to take control of their situation.

Back aboard ''The Benign Intervention'', Captain K'gard reports his findings to a superior officer, proposing a "regime change" off the back of his discovery that the Autobots forces are split between Cybertron and the ''Lost Light''. He relates that Magnus turned down his offer to join the council, despite his K'gard's warning that staying with the ''Lost Light'' crew would only change Magnus into something he was not. To that, Magnus had nothing to say...he just smiled.

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] (1)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (3)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (4)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (5)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (6)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (7)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (8)
*[[Atomizer]] (9)
*[[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] (10)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (11)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (12)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] (13)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (16)
*[[Ore]] (17)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (18)
*''[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]]'' (19)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (20)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] (21)
*''[[Ambulon]]'' (22)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (23)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (35)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Nanocon]]s (2)
|h3=[[Guiding Hand|The Guiding Hand]]
|c3=
*''[[Primus]]'' (26)
*''[[Mortilus]]'' (27)
*''[[Solomus]]'' (28)
*''[[Epistemus]]'' (29)
*''[[Adaptus]]'' (30)
|h4=[[Galactic Council]]
|c4=
*[[K'gard|Captain K'gard]] (24)
*Troopers of [[The Benign Intervention]] (34)
*Officer of the [[Galactic Council]] (36)
|h5=Others
|c5=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (14)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] (15)
*[[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] (25)
*''[[Metrobase]]'' (31)
*''More unnamed Titans'' (32)
*''[[Legislator]]s'' (33)
}}

==Quotes==
"Rodimus said "no guns"! What part of "no guns" don't you understand?" 
"The gun part..?"
:—'''Skids''' and '''Whirl'''

"I can't see what's going on down there, but all I can hear is '''macho banter'''. You've got to shut up and keep '''moving!'''"
:—'''Ratchet''' is concerned by the progress made so far.

"Ultra Magnus, I wouldn't ask you to do this if the fate of the entire crew didn't depend on it, but I need you to give me a '''great big smile.'''" 
"A what?"
:—'''Ratchet''' asks '''Ultra Magnus''' to do the unthinkable

"Let me get this straight: '''you left graffiti inside''' Ultra Magnus?" 
"Yeah, don't pretend you're not impressed." 
"What does it '''say?''' 
"It says the duly appointed enforcer of the Tyrest Accord can duly appoint my shiny metal-" 
"Assuming that's everyone, we'll '''begin!'''" 
:—'''First Aid''' and '''Whirl''' talking about Whirl's latest "achievement." '''Rodimus''' inadvertently cuts him off for the more "sensitive" readers.

"Guys? I've got '''Swerve''' in my ear. He says '''Ore's''' just come back to life." 
"You timed that deliberately." 
"I'm '''serious!''' He said, 'The blue Duobot's just started talking to me, what do I do, he's asking all these questions, I haven't said anything yet, I am officially scared witless, tell the others but not the bit about me being scared witless.'"
:—'''Skids''' and '''Ratchet'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Nanocons were first mentioned in "[[Zero Point]]", where it was left ambiguous whether or not they really existed or were just figments of [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]]'s imagination.
*While perusing the A's of the crew manifest back in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]], Ultra Magnus warned against letting an unnamed character anywhere near a crossbow. That character is implicitly revealed in this issue to be [[Atomizer]], a character first mentioned in James Roberts's prose story "[[Bullets]]", making his first pictoral appearance here.
*Magnus's optic readout of Trailbreaker notes that he is also known as "Trailcutter", the alternate name that [[Hasbro]] had to use to release toys of the character due to [[trademark]] concerns. The in-universe origin of this second name would later be explored in ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'', set before this issue.
*[[Skyfall (G1)|Skyfall]]'s death by drinking [[Gideon's Glue]] also took place in "[[Bullets]]".
*Rodimus's "'Til all are one" montage gives us a few glimpses of scenes "between the panels", including him welcoming Fortress Maximus onto the ship after [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]], and cradling Rung's body between the last few pages of [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*The Cybertronian game of [[Cybertronian games#Fullstasis|Fullstasis]] is mentioned, which first appeared in [[Eye of the Storm|issue #69]] of the original Marvel series.
*The epigraph to chapter two is a quote from [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]'s work on the [[Primal Prophecies]], which were mentioned in Roberts's "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]".
*While the Galactic Council were first mentioned in "[[Chaos Theory Part 1]]", the notion of other alien races hating and shunning the Transformers was previously seen in IDW continuity back in "[[Spotlight: Drift]]".
*Rewind is able to tell that Drift "sounds upset" by listening to him as he transforms, backing up Chromedome's claim from [[Interiors|issue #6]] that Rewind can determine a Transformer's mood from the sound of their transformation.
*The epigraph for chapter three is a quote from ''[[After the Ark: Nominus Prime and the Illusion of Progress]]'', a tract written by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] and mentioned in part 1 of "Chaos Theory".
*The Guiding Hand's war is revealed as the alleged reason for the loss of Cybertron's [[Moonbase One|first moon]], first mentioned back in issue #1 and in multiple places since. It is noted that Rodimus once vowed to find it; presumably this was the "moonquest" Swerve said he'd been on in that same issue. However, back in "[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]", Optimus attested that the disappearance of Luna 1 was '''not''' something which happened in the "ancient past".
*Rewind shows Cyclonus an image of Cybertron as it existed in his time, including annotated images of the [[Pious Pools]] and [[Warrior's Gate]], locations Cyclonus specifically pined for back in issue #1.
*Swerve refers to the Afterspark, first mentioned in "The Death of Optimus Prime". Where that issue implied it to be a hellish, barren wasteland, here, Swerve refers to it with some degree of hope. Really, it's just the most recent IDW vision of the [[Transformer afterlife]], given a new name probably because its previously most-popular one, "Allspark", has become nothing but confusing since the introduction of the physical [[AllSpark]] object in other continuities.

===Transformers references===
*"[[Inter-Autobot radio]]" was a term first used in [[The Next Best Thing to Being There!|issue #10]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|original Marvel comic book]], but Ultra Magnus's use of it here is more akin to the [[live-action film series]]' [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]'s use of "inter-Autobot frequencies" to communicate in lieu of actual speech.
*Beachcomber's epigraph identifies him as hailing from [[Ibex]], a Cybertronian polity previously only seen in [[Exodus!|issue #77]] of the Marvel US series.
*The Metrotitans take their name from the [[Metrotitan (Zone)|''Zone'' character of the same name]], who was a [[redeco]] of the original [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. This concept will soon be quietly retconned out; the species name will be shortened to just "Titan," and the one at the center of this story is identified as ''the'' Metrotitan. That does mean we have to ignore a little Easter egg, though: in Cyclonus's flashback panel, another Titan has Metrotitan's classic color scheme.
*Speaking of Easter eggs, in that same panel, there's a purple and orange Titan. About a year after this story was published, the "[[Metrowars]]" manga would apply that color scheme to the pre-existing character of [[Metrobase]], another Metroplex redeco, tying him into the Titan concept.
*During Cyclonus's story about Primus and the Guiding Hand, he stops to ask Rewind a question when he's about to name Primus's "opposite". He never does give the name, but we can guess [[Unicron|who it might be]]; a certain chaos-bringer is keeping up his track record of not being mentioned by name in IDW continuity thus far.
*Swerve and Ore's conversation sees use of the phrase [[atechnogenesis|"Naturally-occurring gears, levers, and pulleys..."]] which was originally used in the [[The Transformers (issue)|first issue]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel Generation 1 comic]].
*The Argon Nebulae originate from the Marvel UK story "[[Robot Buster!]]".

===Real-world references===
*Whirl's graffiti makes mention of doing something to a shiny metal bodypart of his. This is probably a reference to Bender from ''Futurama'', whose catchphrase is "Bite my shiny metal ass!" In fact, Rodimus just ''happens'' to interrupt him with "'''Ass'''uming that's everyone, we'll begin!".
*Drift's lengthy list of the virtues of Crystal City's denizens, and inability to give a similar list for his own crew, tailing off with "...and us with our... with our...", leading to his crewmates' put down is very similar to an exchange in the UK sci-fi comedy ''Red Dwarf VI'' episode "Legion".
*The fleet of ships in the background of the panel where [[Mortilus]] melodramatically gestures the advance of his warriors includes the recognisable silhouettes of vessels from several other science-fiction franchises, such as the starship ''[[USS Enterprise|Enterprise]]'' from ''[[Star Trek]]'', ''Serenity'' from ''Firefly'', the "derelict" from the ''Alien'' franchise, and a Cylon raider from the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica''.
*The above-mentioned epigraph quote from Megatron paraphrases the famous {{w|Karl Marx}} quote, "Religion is the opiate of the people."

===Trivia===
*This issue contains the first of two interlinking stories with the title prefix of "Primus", told through the 2012 ''Transformers'' annuals. The stories' unifying theme is that of exploring and revealing a lot of new information about the earliest days of life on Cybertron, embodied in the presence of the Titan, which appears in the [[Primus: All Good Things|''Robots in Disguise'' annual]] following its disappearance at the end of this issue. The flashback sequences in both these issues are drawn by Guido Guidi in a retro style gloriously evocative of the original [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel Comics series]]—particularly the inking work of [[Ian Akin]] and [[Brian Garvey]] and the limited-palette, not-always-entirely-inside-the-lines coloring of [[Nelson Yomtov]]—which he has also showcased in the variant "B" covers of ''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]''.
*Initially solicited for release on August 15, this double-sized issue eventually arrived three weeks late.
*A sketchbook section in the back of the issue includes designs for the Guiding Hand by Guido Guidi.
*This brings Ultra Magnus's lifetime smile count up to ''three''.
*When Rewind says he hasn't heard Cyclonus's version of the story of Primus, he might as well be speaking for the readers, who have probably heard several versions of the story of Primus and the origin of the Transformers, but not one exactly like this.

===Errors===
[[File:Duobot heads.jpg|upright=0.6|thumb|What are you looking at, baldy!]]
*The artist appears to have misinterpreted how Alex Milne drew Ore's trapped head in issues 2 and 3 — instead of being trapped across the forehead such that the entire top of his head is stuck in the engine and his right cheek is free, his head drawn far more vertically, and the slice above where the top of his head had been embedded is drawn as "bald", missing the helmet he shares with [[Shock (G1)|Shock]].
*First Aid is erroneously colored as Swerve in the first panel on page 11, this was corrected for the TPB.
*Throughout this story, the color of Tailgate's hands keeps changing from panel to panel, ranging from the same white as his forearms (page 6, panel 4) — the same way they are typically colored over in the monthly ''More than Meets the Eye'' series — to appearing almost ''black'' (e.g. page 7, panel 5 or page 11, panel 1). Additionally, the "Bomb Disposal" inscription on his right forearm he's supposed to have since [[Interiors|issue 6]] is never seen in this story.
[[File:MTMTE Annual 2012 Tailgate Swerve Chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|right|Sir not-actually-appearing-in-this-scene. Two of them, in fact.]]
*Skids is drawn with no left hand on page 15.
*Rewind appears to be flying in [[data slug]] mode at the top of page 18. James Roberts later clarified that the panel was "misleading", and that Rewind lacked this ability;<ref name="FlyingRewind">[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=308201#308201 James Roberts:] I'm afraid this is a misleading panel. Rewind can't fly in giant dataslug mode.</ref> obviously, he's just [[Buzz Lightyear|falling with style]].
*On the same page, Drift's entire body is colored gray, save for his head, this was corrected for the TPB.
*On that same page again, Chromedome is blue.
*Cyclonus sports green eyes on pages 20 and 21.
*In panel 2 on page 24, both Tailgate ''and'' Swerve are seen standing on the Titan's face, despite neither of them being part of the group that teleported to Theophany's surface. Swerve is supposed to be talking to Ore on the ''Lost Light'' throughout the story, and Tailgate is later ''also'' shown to be still on the ''Lost Light'' with Ultra Magnus when the Titan teleports everyone away. The issue is further confused by Rodimus, in the same panel, not only addressing the assembled group as "Crusadercons" (a term previously coined by Swerve back in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]]), but also referring to the task ahead of them as a "brain-quest" (back in [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]], Swerve referred to a "Moonquest", and in issue 2, Skids's question whether the crew of the ''Lost Light'' was on "some sort of quest" resulted in Swerve rattling off a variety of potential quests), giving the appearance of a ''script'' error rather than an art one. Roberts would subsequently clarify that the dialogue was indeed Rodimus' and that Swerve appearing was an art error.<ref name="CrusaderconsQuest">[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309085#309085]</ref> Additionally, some of the detail lines on the Titan's face (underneath its nose and right of Tailgate) are missing, with the slightly washed out colors in this spot making it look as if a ''previous'' art error had been hastily erased. For the ''More than Meets the Eye'' Vol. 3 trade paperback collection, Tailgate was removed from the panel entirely, Swerve was partially redrawn and recolored into Chromedome, and the detail lines on the Titan's face have been ''completly'' redrawn.
*Also on page 24 Rewind reacts with (perhaps sarcastic) surprise when Cyclonus speaks, yet on page 20 he's ''right there'' when Cyclonus reports in to Rodimus and Drift.
*In the center panel of Cyclonus' story on pages 26–27, "Destroyed" is misspelled "Destoyed". Despite other corrections this remained unchanged in the TPB.
[[File:MtMtEAnn2012-BlasterPink.jpg|thumb|Wait 'til [[e-HOBBY]] see this...]]
*In Metrotitan's memories of the Legislator attack, the two Circle of Light members seen are drawn as Ratchet and Skids. Also, whilst not strictly an error, the right-hand panel of the flashback is very directly referenced from the Legislators' first appearance in issue #2, to the point of including the wrecked Legislator head in the foreground.
*One page 31, Blaster is erroneously colored pink with a purple head, and is missing a computer-applied Autobot insignia, instead sporting a rough red block with "LOGO" handwritten inside. The colors were corrected for the TPB, but the missing symbol was not.
*On page 33, either Rodimus's hand is miscolored and missing his wrist vents, or Ratchet is using his miscolored hand to push Rodimus's ear piece. Either way it's wrong, but the latter interpretation seems very odd.
*Ratchet's hands are colored red on page 35. They are back to the correct blue in the TPB. In the same panel his right foot is missing, which ''wasn't'' corrected for the trade.
*At the bottom of page 38 the right hand side spike on Rodimus's helmet is colored like the background.
*Ultra Magnus's left shoulder missiles are missing on page 38 along with his left 'helmet tube'. He briefly regains them on page 39 but in the bottom right panel his left shoulder missile has vanished.
{{-}}

===Crew manifest===
*Ore briefly returns to life before being teleported away with the Titan.
*Swerve is having trouble locating [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], who said his "last words" in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|issue #7]].
*Although [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]] and [[Polaris]] were the only fatalities, First Aid confirms that several Autobots sucked out of the ship in issue #1 are off-line and in the medical bay.

===Soundtrack===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZF8tVtf-h4 "Nothing Lasts Forever"] by {{w|Echo & the Bunnymen}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCxqsXCPUZo "For the Dead"] by {{w|Gene (band)|Gene}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kbms55EbFg "Too Late to Die Young"] by {{w|Departure Lounge (band)|Departure Lounge}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Hot Rod & co. look at the collapsed Titan, by [[Tim Seeley]]
*'''Cover B:''' A fantail of pictures showing the cast with Crystal City at the centre, by [[Alex Milne]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, Ratchet, and half a Titan, linking with the ''Robots in Disguise'' Annual 2012 cover, by [[Jimbo Salgado]]
*'''2nd Printing Cover:''' Primus (art taken from page 25 of this issue), by [[Guido Guidi]].

<gallery>
File:MTMTEAnn2012_cvrA.jpg|Cover A
File:MTMTEAnn2012_cvrB.jpg|Cover B
File:MTMTEAnn2012_cvrRI.jpg|Cover RI
File:MTMTEAnn2012_cvr2nd.jpg|2nd Printing Cover
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Primus: All Good Things|Annual 2012]]
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|#9]]
*''Robots in Disguise'' [[Night and the City|#9]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/14948-idw-s-transformers-reveal-primus-in-annual.html Preview]
*[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-annual-2012-creator-commentary/25818/ Creator commentary with James Roberts]

[[Category:Annuals]]

Rules of Disengagement (issue)

2019-04-12T05:14:07Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ video linked was unavailable

{{disambigr|Rules of Disengagement|the mobile game event|Rules of Disengagement (Legends)}}
{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=7
|prev=Interiors
|next=Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations
|seriesissue2="Scavengers"
|next2=Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?
|caption=
|image=MTMTE7_cvrA.jpg
|title="Rules of Disengagement"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 25]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=July 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''A mismatched group of Decepticons find themselves in the crosshairs of the deadliest team of killers there is... the Decepticon Justice Division!'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Mtmte7 djd.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8]]
As a [[Phase Sixer]], [[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]] is one of the most feared Decepticons, having tackled the [[Wrecker]]s single-handedly, defeated the entire [[113th Battalion]], and massacred the population of [[Rigel IV]]. But when he accepted a bribe to blow up a fleet of [[Warworld|War Worlds]], he landed himself in the sights of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], a team of vicious killers fanatically dedicated to [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] and charged with destroying all who cross him. It's not a pretty sight when the D.J.D. catch up to Black Shadow: melted by [[Helex (DJD)|Helex]], crushed by [[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]], and electrocuted by [[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]], he is explosively finished off when DJD leader [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] uses his ability of "weaponized conversation" to stop the pulse of his [[spark]]. Their task done, the DJD set off to find their next target on the planet of [[Clemency]]—a target guilty of simply living.

On the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], and [[Ambulon]] combine their medical expertise to save the life of the wounded [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], though the psychiatrist remains comatose. A few hours later, [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] visits Rung in secrecy, believing—in his increasing paranoia—that the attempt on Rung's life was a deliberate one after Red told him about the voice he heard from beneath the ship. Certain that he is next, Red hides a [[data slug]] containing video he has taken of the voice's owner—[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]—on Rung's body and bids him goodbye. But a medical [[Diagnostic Drone]] has observed the entire thing, and soon, a shadowed figure arrives in the medibay and recovers the slug...

[[File:RulesofDisengagement-FulcrumMisfire.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
On Clemency, a band of [[Decepticon]] [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] consisting of [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]], [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], [[Krok (G1)|Krok]], [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]], and [[Flywheels]] are in the process of draining [[Transformer fuel|fuel]] from the vast array of Transformer corpses that litter the war-torn world when one of them, a chipper fellow named [[Fulcrum]], proves to be still alive. After a slight panic over the possibility that he might be a [[zombie]], the six 'cons settle down around a fire to talk about the great battle in Clemency's past, and the grim reality of war and how it reduces lives to statistics. Fulcrum is shocked to discover that the war is ''over'', barely able to comprehend such a thing, and the other Decepticons mumble about how meaningless it all turned out to be and how unclear their goals had been anyway. In spite of this, though, when one of the Autobot bodies stoking the Decepticons' fire proves to still be alive, Krok casually kills the poor 'bot.

Back on the ''Lost Light'', [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] visits [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] in his lab to get the scientist's analysis of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]]'s mysterious gun, which Chromedome palmed from the theoretician when he was distracted. The weapon immediately blew up when Brainstorm tried to examine it, but he was able to recognise at least some of the engineering, and has concluded that as impossible as it may seem, the gun may have come from somewhere known as "the [[Institute]]"...

[[File:MTMTE7 artificial gravity.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2.2]]
As dawn breaks on Clemency, the Decepticons resume their scavenging, only for Misfire to suddenly break away from the group, thinking that he has spotted the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]], a mythical Grim Reaper-like figure in Cybertronian culture. Instead, what he has discovered is a P-6 [[Worldsweeper]], a famous model of gigantic Decepticon spaceship cast in the image of the faction's [[insignia]]. Investigating the vessel, the Decepticons make some horrifyingly strange discoveries: a ceiling covered entirely in [[brain module]]s, tanks of warped, malformed [[protoform]]s, [[Treecon|a non-functional robot]] made entirely of wood, and a corridor composed of organic flesh that proves to have been responsible for causing the ship to crash, having ''bled'' into the fuel supply and polluted it. Misfire in particular is aghast and advocates immediate departure, but Fulcrum, coming around to the idea of new horizons, is eager to investigate. All emotions on the ship quickly turn to terror, however, when Krok receives a communication from the D.J.D., announcing that one of their number is on the Division's list. Tarn signs off with the promise that if the guilty party is handed over, the other six will be allowed to watch his execution. The numbers don't add up, and Fulcrum assumes the D.J.D. simply miscounted their life-signs... but Krok soon discovers that there is indeed a seventh party on the ship, unconscious and sealed in a stasis tube... [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.) 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum">[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=301648#301648 James Roberts, IDW forum]: A while back I was PM'd by Ironhide/Paul, who asked me for some information on the Wreckers who showed up in the flashback on Page 1 of issue 7. I promised to post something on this forum. Here's the relevant extract from the script:

2 / Flashback. BLACK SHADOW fights the Wreckers (an old version of the team) at close quarters: tight, dirty and violent. He rips CREST’s head off and blasts PISTON through the chest, killing him. Also in shot are VALVE, HYPERION, IMPACTOR and RACK, all trying to get a piece of him. But it’s clear that Black Shadow owns this fight. Crest has been mentioned but not seen before, but should be readily identifiable by a big old crest on his chest. Valve is a spark brother to Springarm and Wheelarch, so should look like them. Piston is all-new. Hyperion was glimpsed in MTMTE issue 2.</ref> (2)
*''[[Rack'n'Ruin (G1)|Rack]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (3)
*''[[Valve]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (4)
*''[[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (6)
*''[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]'' (7)
*''[[Crest]]''<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> (8)
*''[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'' (9)
*''[[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]'' (10)
*''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]]'' (11)
*''[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'' (12)
*''[[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]'' (13)
*''[[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]]'' (14)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (21)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (22)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (23)
*[[Ambulon]] (24)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (25)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (26)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (27)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] (34)
*[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] (35)
*''[[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]]'' (36)
*[[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (37)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] (1)
*[[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]] (5)
*[[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]] (15)
*[[Helex (DJD)|Helex]] (16)
*[[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]] (17)
*[[Vos (DJD)|Vos]] (18)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (19)
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] (28)
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (28)
*[[Flywheels]] (30)
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]] (31)
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]] (32)
*[[Fulcrum]] (33)
|c4=
*[[Dominus Ambus|The Pet]] (20)
}}

==Quotes==
"'My weapon is my burden: a reminder of the path I was forced to take. When the word 'weapon' is emptied of meaning; when the '''purpose''' of a weapon is impossible to grasp; when the rejection of my weapon is of significance to no one other than myself... only then shall I remove it from my arm. Because only then will I have earned the right to rid myself of my burden.'"
:-'''Tarn''' recites a passage from Megatron's ''[[Towards Peace]]''

"Nice to meet you, loser! They call me '''Misfire'''. Long story. Actually, you know what? It isn't. It's a very short story involving a machine gun, a '''misunderstanding''', and a dozen dead Decepticons."
:—In the IDW-universe, '''Misfire''' actually managed to hit something!

'''Fulcrum:''' "Ah! Now! Just—just wait a second! Just— The thing about me—my big thing is this: I'm really not keen on '''dying'''. Now '''survival'''—oh wow, '''huge''' fan. Put me down for some of '''that'''. Besides, we don't even know each other! You might '''like''' me! You might find me—disarming! Yes! I'd '''disarm''' you!" 
'''Spinister:''' "You'd '''what''' me?" 
'''Flywheels:''' "Careful—he's using words to confuse and frighten us."

"'''Go away.''' I'm busier than you've ever been and I'm doing more important things than you've ever done." 
"It's Chromedome." 
"So?" 
"So you have to be '''nice''' to me, I'm your only friend. Why are you—?" 
"Building weapons whilst hanging from the ceiling? Because no one else can. I was hoping '''Perceptor''' would walk in."
:—'''Brainstorm''' and '''Chromedome'''

"Chromedome, you're looking at a bona fide '''Binary Gun.'''" 
"What's a Binary Gun?" 
"I'm not sure—I've only just made up the name. But I called it that because inside there's only room for two cartridges, '''here''' and '''here.'''" 
"So what does it '''do?''' Where'd Skids get it? Why'd he carry it around with him all the time?" 
"I don't know! I've done my bit...!" 
"You made the gun '''blow up''' and then you '''gave it a name!''' I could have done that '''and''' I'd have come up with a better name!"
:—'''Brainstorm''' and '''Chromedome''' again

"But there's '''always''' been a war! That's like saying there's no more '''blue''' or—or the '''weather's''' stopped!"
:—'''Fulcrum''' catches up on recent history

"I always dreamed of captaining my own P-6—Followin' the likes of [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Sixshot]] and the other big guns. I'd have called it something '''noble''' and '''majestic''', like '''''Mega Starpuncher''''' or '''''Mighty Spaceship'''''."
:—'''Crankcase'''

"You know, there are some Decepticons who, upon finding themselves in a skin-covered room surrounded by '''aborted protoforms''' and '''mechanoids made of bark,''' would rub their hands together, marvel at the universe's infinite capacity for surprise and '''dive right in.''' I am not one of those Decepticons. I say we run away screaming." 
"I '''am''' one of those Decepticons, Misfire, and I say we stick around—because frankly, this is amazing." 
"What's amazing?" 
"This! Us! Now! Who owns this ship? Where are they now? Where will '''we''' be an '''hour''' from now, or '''tomorrow''', or '''next month?''' The answer to '''all''' those questions is '''"Who knows?"''' And that's a '''great answer!''' That's the '''best answer ever!''' All our lives we've followed orders—all our lives someone else has always told us what to do next! Well, not anymore! For the first time in '''forever,''' we can do whatever we like! We're '''free!'''"
:—'''Misfire''' and '''Fulcrum'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Black Shadow was established to be a Phase Sixer in his sole previous IDW appearance in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|#2]].
*Tarn quotes a passage from ''[[Towards Peace]]'', which will later be established as Megatron's autobiography.
*In addition to obvious members Impactor and Rack (pre-Ruin), the version of the Wreckers that Black Shadow fights is made up mostly of characters mentioned and briefly glimpsed in past James Roberts works which he specified in the script.<ref name="RobertsIDWforum" /> None are named on-panel but Hyperion is recognizable from his corpse's role in [[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|issue #2]], while Valve has never been seen before, but shares a body-type with his brothers [[Wheelarch]] and [[Springarm]] from "[[Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory]]". Crest was mentioned in "[[Bullets]]" (and can be recognized by his large chest-crest), while the unfortunate Piston is a new character, separate from the earlier IDW character [[Piston (mechanic)|of the same name]].
*The Decepticon Justice Division were first mentioned in one of Roberts's earliest IDW works, [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #1]], and have come up on occasion since then. They are named after cities on Cybertron; specifically, the "[[Fall of the First Five Cities|First Five Cities]]" to fall to the Decepticons in the war, which were listed in [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
*Chromedome palmed Skids's gun between pages 4 and 5 of [[Life After the Big Bang|issue #4]].
*Reference was previously made to the mysterious "Institute" by the [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|nameless senator]] in [[Chaos Theory Part 2|"Chaos Theory", Part 2]], and as part of Red Alert's paranoid delusions in [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]].
*The [[Mortilus|Necrobot]] was previously mentioned by [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]] among other [[:Category: Things that don't exist|things that don't exist]] like the [[Shimmer]] or the [[Moonbase One|Seething Moon]]. All of these turn out to exist in some form...
*Grimlock was last seen at the close of the ''[[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]'' mini-series, over three years before the publication of this issue. Since then, all we've heard is that he had left [[Garrus-9]] after it was sacked by the Decepticons under unrevealed circumstances, as detailed in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #4]].

===Transformers references===
*Black Shadow's design is based on his ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' [[Black Shadow (Victory)#Generations|toy]].
*Whilst [[Rigel III|other]] [[Rigel 6|planets]] that orbit [[Rigel|the same star]] have shown up in Transformers fiction before, this issue is the first mention of Rigel IV. It's also known as being the home of {{w|Kang and Kodos|a pair of pesky space aliens}} from ''The Simpsons''.
* Surprisingly, this isn't [[Mara-Al-Utha|the first time]] that wooden robots have shown up in a G1 continuity.
*Black Shadow's bribe is in [[Shanix]], a little-referenced Cybertronian currency that first appeared in [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue #113]] of the Marvel UK series. It's seen some previous mentions in IDW continuity in [[Chaos Theory Part 1|''The Transformers'' #22]] and [[Stick Together|''Robots in Disguise'' #3]].
*The ''Warworld'' was the Decepticon mothership in the Marvel ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' comic. The idea of a fleet of multiple Warworlds originated with the non-canon ''[[Alignment]]''.
*Vos's dialogue, referred to as the "[[Cybertronian language#2005 IDW continuity|Primal Vernacular]]", is written using the [[Cyberglyphics]] symbol language from the [[movie continuity|live-action movie continuity]]. Employing the substitution cypher regularly used by [[Titan Books|Titan]] in their [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|UK ''Transformers'' comic]] shows that most of his speech bubbles are nonsense, however, save for the first, which reads: "So tired me go night xth".
*[[Kol]] was first seen in [[Swarm (issue)|''Generation 2'' #9]], where it was a planet. It became the name of a [[Kol System|system]] in [[Stormbringer issue 2|''Stormbringer'' #2]] with the introduction of [[Varas Centralus]], which is located there.
*Roberts had previously created a Decepticon named Fulcrum in his fan-published ''Transformers: Eugenesis'' novel. Whether these are meant to be iterations of the same character (as was the case with Rung) or just a name reuse is unclear.
*That Flywheels should freak out so seriously at the prospect of a [[zombie]] is fitting, given his prominent role in the greatest ''Transformers'' zombie story, Marvel UK's "[[City of Fear!]]" (indeed, his only prominent role in anything before now).
*To go by the original tech spec numbers, Krok is actually the lowest ranking Decepticon of his group. But since when was fiction accurate to the tech specs?
*[[Hydrus Four|Hydrus 4]] is the planet of origin for [[Nucleon (substance)|nucleon]], seen in the original Marvel series. Its sister world [[Hydrus 5]] was created by James Roberts and first mentioned in "[[Bullets]]".
*The planet [[Elpasos]] is mentioned in passing, a world that debuted in—you guessed it, issue #113 of the Marvel UK series. It got a previous IDW mention in [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|''Last Stand of the Wreckers'' #5]].
*Reference is made to "Nova Peak", which is prrrrrobably the same thing as [[Nova Point]].

===Trivia===
*Although "Rules of Disengagement" is the only on-page title for this issue's story, the following issue was labelled "Scavengers (Part 2)", identifying this as an unmarked Part 1.
*The 113th Battalion is another use of the number 113 by James Roberts, referring to the [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|issue of the UK comic]] that got him hooked on the series. On the same page, Black Shadow is seen battling the '''11'''th iteration of the Wreckers, with '''3''' kills.
*This is not the first time Roberts has written a character has having been "talked to death", though this version is a lot more literal than the reference made in "Bullets" to [[Violator|a Decepticon]] who killed himself rather than listen to [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] drone on!
*Krok's ship is named the ''[[Weak Anthropic Principle]]'', which is a philosophical postulate which basically states that only a universe capable of supporting intelligent life is able to be noted by said life, whereas a universe incapable of supporting such life will go unbeheld.

===Errors===
*"Halt" is misspelled "hault" on page 3; this was corrected for the TPB.
*Spinister was previously shown to be among the Decepticons who had already returned to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|#1]]. Quick, someone [[Bluster|make up]] [[Firster Aid|a name]]!
*Spinister's name is misspelled as "Spinisther" during the search of the Symbol Ship, this remained uncorrected in the TPB.
*Krok spends most of the issue in a new set of colors, only appearing in his toy's colors in one panel on page 20.

===Crew Manifest===
*The "Story so far" segment on the inside front cover notes that "a number of [[Delphi]]'s patients" were brought to the ''Lost Light'', which is the first mention that anyone other than [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]] came back with Ratchet and the medics.
*5 deaths, 5+ new arrivals since the launch.

===Soundtrack===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzDihi17EY8 "My Year in Lists"] by {{w|Los Campesinos!}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Tarn, by Alex Milne and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Cover B:''' Misfire, Crankcase, Spinister, Flywheels, and Krok, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''Cover RI:''' [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]], the second quarter of a combined image formed with the RI cover to ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Interference Patterns|#7]], [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]], and ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]].

<gallery>
File:MTMTE7_cvrA.jpg|The last image in Black Shadow's mind.
File:MTMTE7_cvrB.jpg|Hi, can I have your heart?
File:MTMTE7_cvrRI.jpg|Cover RI
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]]
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|#8]]
*''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One|Regeneration One]]'' [[Loose Ends, Part 2|#82]]
*Sergio Aragones' ''Groo: Artist's Edition''
*''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]''
*''Regeneration One'' [[Loose Ends, Part 1|#81]]
*IDW's ''Mars Attacks'' comic (back cover)

===Reprints===

==References==
{{reflist}}

How Ratchet Got His Hands Back

2019-04-12T05:10:36Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ video linked was unavailable, replaced with working video

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=5
|prev=Life After the Big Bang
|next=Interiors
|caption=
|image=MTMTE5_cvrA.jpg
|title="How Ratchet Got His Hands Back"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 23]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=May 2012
|story by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2012)]]
}}
'''There's nothing left to lose as Ratchet confronts the 'bot behind the plague on Delphi.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:MTMTE5 firstaid takes charge.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
At the [[Delphi]] medical facility, the furious [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] dispatches the two [[Genericon]]s threatening the remaining Autobots there, tearing one in half and decapitating the other with his shoulder compartment. As [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] return to tending the inflicted, [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] pulls a gun on [[Ambulon]], accusing him of freeing the Decepticons and releasing the virus plaguing the facility, on the basis that he is a former Decepticon himself. First Aid, however, turns the tables on Pharma when he examines the Genericons' remains and discovers that they were ''not'' [[Monoformer]]s, as Pharma had claimed. Ratchet puts the final pieces of the puzzle together, and requests that Pharma transform; when he refuses, Ratchet diagnoses the virus as being activated through transformation. First Aid and Ambulon have not succumbed to its effects because the former has a malfunctioning [[transformation cog]], while the latter has no reason to transform, his alternate mode being only the leg of a prototype [[combiner]], but Pharma will not transform because he knows this already, being responsible for the plague in the first place. Pharma shoots out a life-support system to cover his escape, rabbiting down a hidden tunnel in a [[CR chamber]] while the other medics scramble to save the lives of their patients. [[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] fades particularly fast, forcing Ratchet to transform into ambulance mode in order to give him a full systems boost from his reboot coils. With the virus now activated within him, Ratchet sets off after Pharma.

Meanwhile, aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]'', [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] meets with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and requests to undergo the [[Rite of the Autobrand]], having realized the foolishness of his earlier decision to be a [[Decepticon]]. Grudgingly impressed with Tailgate's skill set, Magnus agrees to teach him the [[Autobot Code]], nearly driving the poor little bot out of his head with intense study of the code's ten thousand pages. Tailgate's interest is caught by clause nineteen-eighty-five; remembering the [[Legislator|giant robots]] pursuing [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], he inquires about clause nineteen-eighty-four, which Magnus informs him relates to the supposedly non-existent "thought warfare".

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

[[File:Ratchet Red Rust.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Back in Delphi, Ratchet catches up to Pharma, who gleefully explains his master plan: he engineered the plague in order to shut Delphi down so that he could escape a deal he made with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] that forced him to kill patients in order to harvest their transformation cogs for the [[Tarn (DJD)|DJD's transformation addicted-leader]] in return for Delphi's safety. The two Genericons—[[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]] and [[Boom]]—were paid by Pharma to surrender to the facility, and once locked up together, to merge into their audio-equipment alternate mode and project a blast of weaponized sound calculated by Pharma to corrode Transformers from within: the "big bang" that contaminated all who heard it. His vigorous monologuing has blinded Pharma to one thing, however: as Ratchet slowly rusts away in front of him, his liquefied innards have pooled around Pharma's feet, infecting him. Pharma escapes to the roof of the facility with the only vaccine, but is surprised by the appearance of Ratchet's remote-projected [[holomatter]] avatar, which distracts him long enough to let Ratchet catch up and tackle him, causing the vaccine to fall off the building. Ratchet and Pharma grapple, but when Ratchet's arm breaks off, Pharma tumbles off the roof, and is left clinging onto the edge, unable to transform to jet mode and fly to safety without activating the virus. Ratchet turns to leave him to his fate, and the traitorous medic tries to shoot him in the back: luckily, the near-dead [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] appears and slices Pharma's hands off, letting him plummet to his presumed doom.

Thanks to Pharma's vaccine, saved from its fall by Ratchet's holomatter projection, the virus is cured, and everyone leaves for the ''Lost Light''. On the return journey, Ratchet invites First Aid to succeed him as the ship's chief medical officer, recognizing both his skill, and his dedication and honor: it was he who transmitted the escalating death rates—caused by Pharma's cog harvesting—over the ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' frequency. The two doctors lament the loss of both [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] and the old Pharma, but First Aid remarks that Ratchet will always carry part of Pharma with him. Two parts, actually: Ratchet has replaced his worn-out hands with Pharma's!
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear in flashbacks.) 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (5)
*[[Ambulon]] (6)
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] (7)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (8)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]] (9)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (13)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (14)
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (16)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]] (1)
*[[Boom]] (4)
*''[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'' (15)
|c4=
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (10)
*''[[Nova Prime]]'' (12)
}}

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

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

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

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

"Pharma, I've been held at gunpoint by the '''best'''—[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], [[Killmaster]]—remember Killmaster? With the wand?—and I've never known anyone take '''so long''' to explain their grand plan."
:—With a dry cool wit like that, '''Ratchet''' could be an action hero.

"You died a long time ago, Pharma. And as for me... my hands don't work, I'm miles from anyone I truly care about, and I'm still coming to terms with the fact that after a '''four-million year build-up,''' peace has turned out to be a '''massive anticlimax.''' Bottom line? I've got nothing else to lose."
:—'''Ratchet'''

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

===Transformers references===
*The opening moments of the issue, as Fortress Maximus tears one of the Genericons in half and slams the pieces together, is an homage to ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|#5]], in which [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] did the same thing to [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]].
*A patient named [[Tracer (disambiguation)|Tracer]] is listed among those at Delphi. Whether this is supposed to be a new character or one of the existing Tracers is unknown; as only the Japanese-exclusive [[Tracer (ROC)|Tracer]] was an Autobot, we'd guess it's him.
*Rung and Red Alert's session numbers are clearly evocative of issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]]: [[Prey!|#97]] was Roberts's first issue; [[Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!|#113]] was the issue that hooked him; [[Front Line! (issue)|#288]] was the issue in which he got a [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|letter printed]]; and issue [[End of the Road! (US)|#332]] was the final installment of the series. The significance of [[The Last Stand|#7]] is not apparent.
*On the subject of numbers, Rung's patient number for Red Alert is the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|numbers]] used for Red Alert's Japanese toy releases (his [[Red Alert (G1)#Generation 1 2|original toy]] ID, [[Red Alert (G1)#Smallest Transforming Transformers|Smallest Transforming Transformers]], and [[Red Alert (G1)#Binaltech Asterisk|Binaltech Asterisk]] numbers respectively).

===Real-world references===
*Ironically, clause Nineteen Eighty-Four is not a direct reference to what [[1984|you might be thinking]]. Rather, "Nineteen Eighty-Four" and "thought warfare" homage {{w|Nineteen Eighty-Four|the novel of the same name}} by George Orwell, in which a totalitarian state controls the populace through "thought crime" and "double think," both forms of thought control, though "thought warfare" in the IDW continuity is often taken [[Mnemosurgery|more]] [[Nudge gun|literally]].

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

===Soundtrack===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-aB4wtWiYI "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying"] by {{w|Belle & Sebastian}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fR21QVgJ84 "Carries On"] by {{w|Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c7QRP8mIt8 "City Sickness"] by {{w|Tindersticks}}

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Ratchet, infected with Red Rust, by Alex Milne and [[Josh Perez]].
*'''Cover B:''' Ultra Magnus teaches Tailgate the Autobot Code, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]. This cover was accidentally printed in a blurry, low-resolution quality.
*'''Cover RI:''' Ratchet and Drift, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]], the first half of a combined image formed with the RI cover to ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[A Better Tomorrow|#5]].

<gallery>
File:MTMTE5_cvrA.jpg|This looks [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|familiar]].
File:MTMTE5_cvrB.jpg|You '''will''' deal with this now!
File:MTMTE5_cvrRI.jpg|I am cooler than you.
</gallery>

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

The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye

2019-04-12T05:04:20Z

Pyrl: /* Soundtrack */ some of the videos linked here were deleted from youtube, replaced em with links to videos that do work

{{disambig3|More than Meets the Eye}}
[[File:MTMTE1 cvrE.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|All of your favorite childhood heroes... and Drift.]]
'''''The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye''''' is an ongoing comic series published by [[IDW Publishing]], starting in January [[2012]]. This series follows the adventures of [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] and his team as they travel through space, hunting for the legendary [[Knights of Cybertron]] (so they tell themselves) and having adventures along the way. But mostly it's about lonely nobodies hanging out pretending they have friends.

The series picks off from ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'', the epilogue to the previous [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing]], and takes place at the same time as a second ongoing series, ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'', which together form the fourth major "act" of IDW's ongoing [[2005 IDW continuity|Generation 1 continuity]].

Critics in wider comic and sci-fi fandom have praised it, with many a gushing article<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/dec/02/transformers-lost-light-comic-same-sex-partnerships The Guardian (2nd December 2016): "Kiss me, Chromedome: how the Transformers found peace and same-sex partnerships"]</ref><ref>[http://comicsalliance.com/transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-lost-light/ Comics Alliance, July 26 2016: "The End Of 'Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye,' And Why It Was (And Probably Will Be) The Best Book On The Stands"]</ref> and [[#Recognition|award nomination]]. The politics, the plotting, and the gender and sexual politics have all come in for favoured nods. Most of fandom holds up 'season 1' as one of the top ''Transformers'' stories ever, though 'season 2' had more criticism and claims of shark-jumping from ''Transformers'' fans (though not critics) after the "Elegant Chaos" storyline.

The series concluded with issue #57, followed by a ''[[Revolution]]''-branded one-shot (which was a truly Marmite comic as fans either loved the barbed satire about crossover events or really didn't), before relaunching with a new artistic creative team as ''[[The Transformers: Lost Light]]'' in December 2016.

{{quote
|"Everyone on board the ''Lost Light'' is '''cracked in the head!'''"

"Yeah, '''dysfunctional''' isn't the word! There isn't a '''normal''' 'bot among you!"

"And that wouldn't be so bad if you actually '''made progress'''—but as far as I can make out, all you do is '''argue''', crack jokes, and get '''sidetracked''' doing pointless, silly things that only you find amusing!"
|Various members of the '''Circle of Light'''
|"[[Little Victories]]"
|noquote=true
|center=true
}}

{{chapters|series=mtmte|style=3 |prev=Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|next=The Transformers: Lost Light|align=left|content=
*[[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|#1]]
*[[Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|#2]]
*[[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|#3]]
*[[Life After the Big Bang|#4]]
*[[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|#5]]
*[[Interiors|#6]]
*[[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|#7]]
*[[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|Annual 2012]]
*[[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|#8]]
*[[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|#9]]
*[[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|#10]]
*[[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|#11]]
*[[Before & After|#12]]
*[[More than Meets the Eye issue 13|#13]]
*[[Remembrance Day|#14]]
*[[Under Cold Blue Stars|#15]]
*[[The Gloaming|#16]]
*[[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|#17]]
*[[Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|#18]]
*[[Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|#19]]
*[[Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|#20]]
*[[More than Meets the Eye issue 21|#21]]
*[[Little Victories|#22]]
*[[Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|#23]]
*[[Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|#24]]
*[[No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|#25]]
*[[Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|#26]]
*[[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|#27]]
*[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|#28]]
*[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|#29]]
*[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|#30]]
*[[Twenty Plus One|#31]]
*[[Slaughterhouse|#32]]
*[[slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|#33]]
*[[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|#34]]
*[[The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|#35]]
*[[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|#36]]
*[[Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|#37]]
*[[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|#38]]
*[[The Permanent Revolution|#39]]
*[[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|#40]]
*[[The Sensuous Frame|#41]]
*[[The Frail Gaze|#42]]
*[[The One Where They Go to Earth|#43]]
*[[The Not Knowing|#44]]
*[[Some Of My Best Friends Are Autobots|#45]]
*[[Animals|#46]]
*[[The Lopsided Triangle|#47]]
*[[Speak, Memory: Part 1|#48]]
*[[Speak, Memory! (Part 2)|#49]]
*[[More than Meets the Eye issue 50|#50]]
*[[The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|#51]]
*[[The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|#52]]
*[[The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|#53]]
*[[The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|#54]]
*[[The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|#55]]
*[[Ten to Midnight|#56]]
*[[Last Light (issue)|#57]]
*[[Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!|Revolution]]
}}

==Overview==
In contrast to the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]-based setting of ''Robots in Disguise'', ''More than Meets the Eye'' is set predominantly within the walls of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', the spaceship captained by [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] that carries his crew on their expedition to locate the [[Knights of Cybertron]], a mythical group who left the planet ten million years prior to the present day to spread peace and enlightenment across the universe. The book features an ensemble cast, who come and go from the spotlight with each passing issue, made up in large part of characters who have been overlooked by past fiction.

The "main cast" at the series outset includes Rodimus himself, a daredevil egotist who could not be more ill-suited to command; his officious second-in-command [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], whose obsessive-compulsive traits make life on the ship difficult for everyone; third-in-command [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], now with a relentlessly positive outlook on life following a near-death experience; the talkative [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], who immediately became a fan favorite; ship's doctor [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]], now feeling his age and looking for something new in life; dangerously unhinged ex-[[Wrecker]] [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], who soon forms a murderous enmity with disillusioned ancient Cybertronian [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]]; ship's security officer [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], even more paranoid then ever; timid psychiatrist [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], who slowly seems to be more than he appears; and diminutive archivist [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] and [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]], who would come to draw much attention as the first truly official "gay" romantic couple in Transformers fiction.<ref>Quote marks around "gay" 'cause IDW has previously established that Transformers are genderless in their continuity, but let's not kid ourselves here.</ref> In short order, the crew is joined by [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], a naive Transformer who has been offline for the duration of the war and finds himself forced to choose a side, and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], a long-missing Autobot who reappears with amnesia and a bad attitude. As the series progresses, more Autobots come into focus on the fringes of the story, like the over-eager, luckless [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]], and resentful, boozy, one-trick-pony [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]. The book occasionally takes breaks from the main cast to focus on the misadventures of the [[Scavenger (group)|Scavenger]]s: a group of bungling Decepticon misfits trying to start a new life in the post-war galaxy. ''More than Meets the Eye'' uses its "quest" backdrop to tell multiple smaller adventures, throughout which are threaded many, ''many'' seeds for future stories, together forming a grand tapestry that has clearly been planned out ''very'' far in advance.

[[File:MTMTE28 subcvr.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|All of your favorite childhood heroes... wait, what's ''he'' doing there?]]
===Season 1===
Following an unexpected [[Quantum generator|quantum jump]] upon launch, the ''Lost Light'' is hurled off into the depths of space, where the crew is joined by Skids and contends with a stowaway [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]]. A visit to [[Delphi]] by Ratchet to help cure a plague introduces the threat of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], who then feature in a Decepticon-dedicated story menacing a [[Scavenger (group)|band of misfit Decepticons]], and also brings the facility's surviving patients and staff onto the ship—including [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]], whose post-traumatic stress causes him to snap and nearly kill Rung. Hoping to cure Rung's damaged brain, Rewind gathers a small group together to recount a shared story from their past about [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] foiling a [[Senate]] plot to discredit the burgeoning Decepticon movement in the days of Functionism. Unfortunately, the little archivist is soon badly wounded in battle, sending Chromedome into a grief spiral that allows Drift to manipulate him into carrying out a plan laid out by [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]: using his mnemosurgery skills to tap the memories and learn the secrets of mass-murdering Decepticon [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], secretly hidden on board the ''Lost Light''. Unfortunately, Chromedome accidentally allows Overlord to escape, and Rewind has to sacrifice himself to jettison the monster from the ship. Ultra Magnus is also fatally wounded in the battle, but when his body disappears from the ship's Medibay, the crew track it to [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], where they discover and foil a twisted plot by [[Solomus|Chief Justice Tyrest]] to wipe out all those Transformers he sees as tainted by original sin.

The book then moves into the [[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]] crossover with ''Robots in Disguise''. The ''Lost Light'' crew initially investigate a previous find that leads them to the Titan Metroplex, and Orion Pax's investigation into the Dead Universe's involvement in Shockwave's overall plot. The casts of both series finally meet again in [[Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|''Robots in Disguise'' #26]].

[[File:MTMTE40 Ten's mural.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|All of [[Ten]]'s favorite adulthood heroes.]]

===Season 2===
Following ''Dark Cybertron'''s conclusion, the cast undergoes a reshuffle, as tertiary crew members like [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]], as well as several newcomers, become the story's focus: [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], recently-resurrected detective; Skids' escapologist partner [[Getaway]], who takes an immediate shine to Tailgate; [[Caminus (planet)|Camien]] bibliophile and quantum mechanic [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]]; and [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]], a neurotic [[M.T.O.]] Aquabot. The season kicks off with Megatron's trial and the events that lead to him captaining the ''Lost Light'' set in the six months between ''Dark Cybertron'' and Season 2. In the present day, the resumed voyage does not start well, with the arrival of a [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|coffin]], disappearing objects on the ship, and a chilling addendum to [[The Gloaming|Rewind's Message]]. Answers to the mysteries revolving around the coffin lead to the [[time travel|time-traveling]] "Elegant Chaos" arc, as the ''Lost Light''ers scramble after [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]], who has gone back in time, bent on changing the future. Along the way, the gang inadvertently answers some of the series's longest-standing questions, including the events foreshadowed in season 1's ominous message from the future.

In the aftermath, several characters depart for other comics while new people [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] and [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] join the crew. The ''Lost Light'' discovers a message from [[Dominus Ambus|a dead spy]] within the DJD while helping Swerve with his self-worth issues, in a madcap adventure on a holomatter Earth. Following its directions to the [[Mortilus|Necrobot]]'s [[Necroworld|planet]], they are met with a sobering reminder that all of them are killers and would one day have to face it. Megatron was particularly shaken by the visual representation of the billions of deaths he was responsible for. Meanwhile, the Scavengers return for another two-parter, feeling stagnant and dealing with a mentally disabled [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] in a post-Great War world.
[[File:HowBrightTheirFrailDeeds-LostLightmutiny.jpg|thumb|left|250px|All of your childhood's favourite heroes betraying your childhood's other favourite heroes.]] Back aboard the ''Lost Light'', Getaway and [[Atomizer]]'s true agenda for Tailgate comes to light, and so do Skids' repressed memories — which had left him with deep scars and extinguished his previous faith. Elsewhere, the Decepticon Justice Division learn Megatron had called for an end to Decepticon warfare; they double down and join forces with [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]'s splinter faction, determined to kill Megatron for heresy.

The fiftieth issue begins the season finale arc, "The Dying of the Light". Megatron, Rodimus, and the main cast are tricked into going to Necroworld, only to learn the entire Lost Light crew have mutinied under Getaway's lead. Sick of Megatron's presence and Rodimus' incompetent leadership, they intend to continue the Knightquest without them, having informed the [[Galactic Council]] of Megatron's location. Unfortunately, the Decepticon Justice Division is also there to hunt Megatron. Shocking revelations are had, a bunch of old friends and an old enemy return, and a fierce battle is waged. Though the Decepticons are beaten, none of the crew escape unscathed—and some pay the ultimate price. Meanwhile, beneath Necroworld's hollow shell, Nightbeat and Rung discover the true purpose of the unusual planet...

And elsewhere in space, ''Light'' alumni [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]] and [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], the ''Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s constant shadow in [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]], and just-got-here [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] face a threat from the past as [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] comes for Luna 1's dormant Titan army!

The finale issue, a ''[[Revolution]]'' tie-in, eclipses them all in stakes as [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] has an awkward first date with someone he met on the internet.

{{--}}

==Creative team==
[[File:Milne roberts.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Series artist [[Alex Milne]] (left) and writer [[James Roberts]] (right)]]
The series is written by [[James Roberts]], fresh from the critical success of ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]''. Roberts had already been assigned the series when he wrote the two-part "Chaos Theory" in issues [[Chaos Theory Part 1|#22]] and [[Chaos Theory Part 2|#23]] of the [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], and seeded many early plot points for the series into those two issues, including [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] as the prison guard. Also furthering the link between the ongoing and ''More than Meets the Eye'', when Roberts co-plotted "[[Chaos (IDW)|Chaos]]" with [[Mike Costa]], Costa let him script all of the Kimia escape shuttle scenes, populated with characters who would be aboard the ''[[Lost Light]]''.<ref name="Everything">From the 'Everything You Didn't Realize You Needed To Know About More Than Meets The Eye' section of the TPB</ref>

[[Alex Milne]] serves as the series regular artist, with colors by [[Josh Burcham]]. The visual "look" of ''More than Meets the Eye'' that the pair have created is very unique, with slightly exaggerated, cartoonishly stylized character models unlike anything in Milne's past work, cel-shaded with a textured, muted color palette that combines to create something quite unlike any modern Transformer comic. So key is this "visual identity" to the book that almost all other contributors who have worked on the title have striven to emulate it, adapting their own lineart and coloring styles to match the expected look and tone of the book. Frequent Roberts collaborator [[Nick Roche]] provided art for issues #1 and #6, as well as "B" covers for every issue, while [[Brendan Cahill]] co-pencilled #12, [[Guido Guidi]] stepped in for #13, [[Agustin Padilla]] filled in last-minute for #16, and [[James Raiz]] drew the lineart for #22. [[Joana Lafuente]] and [[Josh Perez]] have also lent their colors to the book, while [[Marcelo Matere]] regularly provides retailer incentive variant covers for the series. Following the "Dark Cybertron" crossover event, Burcham stepped down as the book's regular colorist, and Lafuente took his place, bringing a new palette and gradiated shading to the series.
{{--}}

==Soundtrack==
[[File:Nautica-MTMTE42covercropped.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Pick up the latest issue of ''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Indie Disco!'']]
In a unique touch, writer James Roberts would visit the [http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/index.php IDW Publishing forums] shortly before the release of each issue and offer up a "teaser" post containing one or more songs that served as a "soundtrack" that would set the tonal and/or emotional stage for the upcoming issue, usually tending toward the independent- and folk-rock genres. This began at issue #2, with the songs for #1 being provided later; TFWiki lists these songs on each issue's respective article. Non-issue-specific songs for the series and its characters in general include:

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKmZRO8XzyY "Lost Coastlines"] by {{w|Okkervil River}} — an overall anthem for the series
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB5KeLb01CU "I've Got a Plan"] by {{w|My Friend the Chocolate Cake}} — [[theme song]] for Rodimus
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7maZZOQ_hKA "I Would Fix You"] by {{w|Kenickie}} — theme song for Chromedome and Rewind
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlg3Y7Z7zDU "Hello Cruel World"] by {{w|Mark Oliver Everett}} — theme song for Tailgate
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcX_JleLsbk "True Men"] by {{w|Jon DeRosa}} — theme song for Ultra Magnus
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Ae0TfhK8M "Let's Make This Precious"] by {{w|Dexys Midnight Runners}} — anthem for the series' second season
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DpDxT2q9QE "The Old Man's Back Again"] by {{w|Scott Walker (singer)|Scott Walker}} — theme song for Megatron
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKoS5X4SMrY "Irish Blood, English Heart"] by {{w|Morrissey}} — another theme song for Megatron
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvbuLtncmtw "Speedway"] by {{w|Morrissey}} — yet ''another'' theme song for Megatron
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDjwqqFj9_0 "Left to My Own Devices"] by {{w|Pet Shop Boys}} — theme song for Brainstorm 
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_-cUdmdWgU "Chicago"] by {{w|Sufjan Stevens}} — theme song for Cyclonus
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CETTzv3fTG0 "Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)"] by {{w|James (band)|James}} — theme song for Whirl
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mimLpZCO5k8 "I Spy"] by {{w|Pulp (band)|Pulp}} — theme song for Getaway

==Collections==
*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' ([[June 13]], [[2012]]) ISBN 1613772351 / ISBN 978-1613772355 
:*Contains issues #1 to #3, as well as the preceding ''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]'' one-shot.
:*Bonus material includes art from most covers, 12 promotional images, "Meet the Crew" page, design sketches from [[Alex Milne]] for various characters and ship locations, and a 2-page editor's comment with "behind the scenes" information about the series.

*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 2''''' ([[October 17]], 2012) ISBN 1613774982 / ISBN 978-1613774984 
:*Contains issues #4 to #8.
:*Bonus material includes art from most covers, "Meet the Crew" and "Meet the 'Cons" pages.

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

*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 4''''' ([[July 17]], 2013) ISBN 1613776918 / ISBN 978-1613776919 
:*Contains issues #12 to #16.
:*Bonus material includes art from most covers, and the prose story ''[[Signal to Noise]]''.

*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 5''''' ([[November 13]], 2013) ISBN 1613778023 / ISBN 978-1613778029 
:*Contains issues #17 to #22.
:*Bonus material includes art from most covers, and the prose story ''[[The Sound of Breaking Glass]]''.

*'''''[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|The Transformers: Dark Cybertron]] Volume 1''''' ([[April 16]], [[2014]]) ISBN 1613778910 / ISBN 978-1613778913
:*Contains issues #23 to #25, as well as ''Dark Cybertron'' issue #1 and ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #23 and #24.
:*Bonus material includes art from most covers.
<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol1.jpg|'''Volume 1'''; cover art by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
File:MTMTE vol2.jpg|'''Volume 2'''; cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
File:MTMTE vol3.jpg|'''Volume 3'''; cover art by Alex Milne and [[Joana Lafuente]]
File:MTMTE vol4.jpg|'''Volume 4'''; cover art by Alex Milne and Joana Lafuente
File:MTMTE vol5.jpg|'''Volume 5'''; cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
File:DC vol1.jpg|'''''Dark Cybertron Volume 1'''''; cover art by [[Phil Jimenez]] and [[Romulo Fajardo Jr.]]
</gallery>

*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 1''''' (reissue) ([[May 21]], 2014) ISBN 1613779658 / ISBN 978-1613779651
:*Contains issues #1 to #3, and ''The Death of Optimus Prime'' one-shot.
:*New cover by [[Livio Ramondelli]].
:*Bonus material UNKNOWN

*'''''The Transformers: Dark Cybertron Volume 2''''' ([[June 11]], 2014) ISBN 1613779984 / ISBN 978-1613779989
:*Contains issues #26 and #27, ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #25 to #27, and "Dark Cybertron: Finale".
:*Bonus content includes covers of each issue.

*'''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 1]]''''' ([[September 3]], 2014) ISBN 1631400401 / ISBN 978-1631400407
:*Includes "The Death of Optimus Prime", ''More than Meets the Eye'' #1–5 and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' #1–6.

*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 6''''' ([[December 10]], 2014) ISBN 163140184X / ISBN 978-1631401848
:*Contains issues #28 to #33.
:*Bonus content includes covers of each issue.

*'''''The Transformers: Dark Cybertron''''' ([[February 11]], [[2015]]) ISBN 163140072X / ISBN 978-1631400728
:*Contains issues #23 to #27, as well as ''Dark Cybertron'' issue #1 ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #23 to #27 and "Dark Cybertron: Finale".
:*Bonus content UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 7''''' ([[May 13]], 2015) ISBN 1631403273 / ISBN 978-1631403279
:*Contains issues #34 to #38.
:*Bonus content includes covers of each issue.

<gallery>
File:MTMTE vol1 reissue.jpg|'''Volume 1 reissue'''; cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
File:DC vol2.jpg|'''''Dark Cybertron Volume 2'''''; cover art by Phil Jimenez and Romulo Fajardo Jr.
File:IDWCollectionP2V1.jpg|'''''IDW Collection Phase 2 Vol. 1'''''; cover art by [[Sarah Stone]]
File:MTMTE vol6.jpg|'''Volume 6'''; cover art by [[Casey Coller]] and Joana Lafuente
File:DC HC.jpg|'''''Dark Cybertron'' Hardcover'''; cover art by Casey Coller and Joana Lafuente
File:MTMTE vol7.jpg|'''Volume 7'''; cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
</gallery>

*'''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 2]]''''' ([[August 12]], 2015) ISBN 1631403648 / ISBN 978-1631403644
:*Contains issues #6 to 8, as well as ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'', ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'', ''[[The Waiting Game|Spotlight: Hoist]]'', ''Robots in Disguise'' #7 to 9 and ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]]''.
:*Bonus content UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 8''''' ([[October 21]], 2015) ISBN 1631404520 / ISBN 978-1631404528
:*Contains issues #39 to #44.
:*Bonus content includes covers of each issue.

*'''''Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Box Set''''' ([[December 2]], 2015) ISBN 1631404741 / ISBN 978-1631404740
:*Contains ''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye'' Volumes 1 to 5.
:*Bonus content UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

*'''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 3]]''''' ([[February 24]], [[2016]]) ISBN 1631405403 / ISBN 978-1631405402
:*Contains the Annual 2012 and issues #9 to 13, as well as ''Robots in Disguise'' Annual 2012 and #10–11, "[[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Spotlight: Thundercracker]]", "[[The Question|Spotlight: Bumblebee]]", "[[Spotlight: Megatron]]" and "[[Signal to Noise]]".
:*Bonus content UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 9''''' ([[May 4]], 2016) ISBN 1631406159 / ISBN 978-1631406157
:*Contains issues #45 to #49.
:*Bonus content includes covers of each issue.

*'''''The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Volume 10''''' ([[October 5]], 2016) ISBN 1631407163 / ISBN 978-1631407161
:*Contains issues #50 to #55.
:*Bonus content includes covers of each issue.

<gallery>
File:IDWCollectionP2V2.jpg|'''''IDW Collection Phase 2 Vol. 2'''''; cover art by Sarah Stone
File:MTMTE vol8.jpg|'''Volume 8'''; cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
File:MTMTE boxset.jpg|'''Box Set'''; cover art by [[Marcelo Matere]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V3.jpg|'''''IDW Collection Phase 2 Vol. 3'''''; cover art by Marcelo Matere and [[Tom B. Long]]
File:MTMTE vol9.jpg|'''Volume 9'''; cover art by Alex Milne and Josh Perez
File:MTMTE vol10.jpg|'''Volume 10'''; cover art by Alex Milne and Joana Lafuente
</gallery>

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 4|The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 4]]''''' ([[October 12]], [[2016]]) ISBN 1631407155 / ISBN 978-1631407154
:* Contains issues #14 to #16, ''[[The Transformers: Monstrosity|Monstrosity]]'' series, and ''Robots in Disguise'' #12 to #18.

* '''''The Transformers: Titans Return''''' ([[January 14]], [[2017]]) ISBN 1631408216 / ISBN 978-1631408212
:*Contains issues #56 and #57, the ''[[The Last Autobot|Titans Return]]'' one-shot, and ''The Transformers'' issues #56 and #57.
:*Bonus content UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 5|The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 5]]''''' ([[February 22]], 2017) ISBN 1631408445 / ISBN 978-1631408441
:* Contains the issues #17 to #22, as well as the ''[[The Transformers: Primacy|Primacy]]'' series, and ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #19 to #22.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 59: Dark Cybertron, Part 1''''' ([[June 14]], 2017)
:*Hardcover collection of ''Dark Cybertron'' issue #1, ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #23 to #25, and ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #23–24.
:* Includes a bio on the [[Titan (group)|Titans]] and the making of ''Dark Cybertron'' with [[John Barber]] and [[James Roberts]].

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 6|The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 6]]''''' ([[October 18]], 2017) ISBN 1684050855 / ISBN 978-1684050857
:* Contains the full ''[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]'' series as well as the first ''[[The Transformers: Windblade|Windblade]]'' series.

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 7|The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 7]]''''' ([[March 21]], [[2018]]) ISBN 1684051495 / ISBN 978-1684051496
:* Contains issues #28 to #34, and ''Robots in Disguise'' issues #28 to #34.

<gallery>
File:IDWCollectionP2V4.jpg|'''''IDW Collection Phase 2 Vol. 4'''''; cover art by Marcelo Matere and Tom B. Long
File:TitansReturn TPBcvr.jpg|'''''Titans Return'' TPB'''; cover art by [[Priscilla Tramontano]]
File:IDWCollectionP2V5.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Vol. 5'''''; cover art by Marcelo Matere and Tom B. Long
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v59.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 59: Dark Cybertron, Part 1'''''; cover art by [[Guido Guidi]] (Ratchet) and Phil Jimenez/[[Andrew Griffith]] (retro)
File:IDWCollectionP2V6.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Vol. 6'''''; cover art by Marcelo Matere and Tom B. Long
File:IDWCollectionP2V7.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Vol. 7'''''; cover art by Marcelo Matere and Tom B. Long
</gallery>

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 72: The Dying of the Light''''' ([[January 24]], 2018)
:* Hardcover collection of ''More than Meets the Eye'' issues #50 to #55.
:* Bonus content includes the bonus story "[[No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases]]" and essential background material on the DJD.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 75: Titans Return, Part 1''''' ([[February 7]], 2018)
:* Hardcover collection of ''[[The Transformers: Till All Are One]]'' #1 to #4, ''[[The Last Autobot|Titans Return]]'' one-shot, ''The Transformers vol. 2'' #56 to #57, and ''More than Meets the Eye'' #56 to #57.
:* Bonus content '''unknown'''.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 60: Dark Cybertron, Part 2''''' ([[February 21]], 2018)
:* Hardcover collection of ''Robots in Disguise'' #25 to #27, ''More than Meets the Eye'' #26 to #27 and ''Dark Cybertron: Finale'' one-shot.
:* Bonus content includes a "blow-by-blow account of Dark Cybertron's hidden secrets".

* '''''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 8|The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 8]]''''' ([[December 19]], [[2018]]) ISBN 1684053722 / ISBN 978-1684053728
:* Contains ''More than Meets the Eye'' #35 to #40, ''Robots in Disguise'' #35 to #38, ''[[The Transformers: Punishment]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone]]''.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 53: Liars, A to D''''' ([[December 26]], 2018)
:* Hardcover collection of ''Robots in Disguise'' #25 to #27, ''More than Meets the Eye'' #1 to #6, ''[[The Reluctant Specialist|Spotlight: Trailcutter]]'' and ''[[The Waiting Game|Spotlight: Hoist]]''.
:* Bonus content includes an all-new interview with James Roberts, rare archive material from the dawn of ''More than Meets the Eye'', and Alex Milne's sketchbook.

* '''''[[Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection]]: Volume 55: Shadowplay''''' ([[January 9]], [[2019]])
:* Hardcover collection of ''More than Meets the Eye'' #7 to #13, plus the 2012 Annual.
:* Bonus content the second of a new three-part interview with Roberts, early pages of scripts, and design sketches from Alex Milne.

<gallery>
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v72.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 72: The Dying of the Light'''''; cover art by [[Don Figueroa]] (Cyclonus) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v75.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 75: Titans Return, Part 1'''''; cover art by Don Figueroa (Arcee) and [[Livio Ramondelli]] (retro)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v60.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 60: Dark Cybertron, Part 2'''''; cover art by Don Figueroa (Brainstorm) and [[Andrew Griffith]] (retro)
File:IDWCollectionP2V8.jpg|'''''The IDW Collection Phase Two: Vol. 8'''''; cover art by Marcelo Matere
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v53.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 53: Liars, A to D'''''; cover art by Don Figueroa (Whirl) and Alex Milne (retro)
File:DefinitiveG1Collection v55.jpg|'''''Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 55: Shadowplay'''''; cover art by Don Figueroa (Chromedome) and Alex Milne (retro)
</gallery>

==In fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:MTMTE43_subcvr.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|Your childhood's hero you pretended was your favourite after your gran bought it and not that Ultra Magnus you wanted.]]
{{quote|...I didn't say I didn't '''like''' it—I just don't understand all of the words, and it presumes a '''familiarity''' with the Autobot/Decepticon war that I '''still''' don't have...|[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]|"[[The One Where They Go to Earth]]"}}

After being exposed to [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]]'s [[Metafictional bomb|meta-bomb]] and [[Time case|briefcase]], the Autobot [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] somehow created a reiterative time-loop inside him, allowing his [[holomatter]] generator to create a life-sized replica of the planet [[Earth]] to which his mind retreated when he was dying from a rust infection. The only literature on "[[Swearth]]", as it was swiftly dubbed, was a comic book series called ''More than Meets the Eye'' that detailed the adventures of the ''[[Lost Light]]'''s crew up until that point, which [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] read in order to gain clues as to Swerve's location. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

==Recognition==
*Three nominations for the 2014 True Believers Awards: Favourite American Comic Book: Colour, Favourite Single Story ([[Cybertronian Homesick Blues|#13]]), and Favourite Continued Story ("Remain in Light").<ref>[http://www.truebelieverscomicawards.com/nominees.html True Believers Comic Awards nominees]</ref>
* #85 on [http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/cbrs-top-100-comics-of-2015-100-76#85 Comic Book Resource's top 100 Comics of 2015].
* Winner of Comics Alliance's [http://comicsalliance.com/comics-alliance-best-of-2015-continued-excellence-in-serial-comics/ Best of 2015: Continued Excellence in Serial Comics] (beating ''Saga''!!)
* Winner of Comics Alliance's [http://comicsalliance.com/best-sci-fi-comic-2016/ Best of 2016: The Best Sci-Fi Comic of 2016] (beating ''Saga'' again!!)

==Other notes==
*James Roberts has stated that he wrote the series in mind with the characters in general all having his English accent.<ref>[https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/1024666474500313089 James Roberts (@jroberts332) on Twitter, 2018/08/01]</ref>

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:More than Meets the Eye, The Transformers}}
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 comic series]]

Megatron Origin issue 2

2019-03-24T06:08:15Z

Pyrl: /* Synopsis */ grammar & formatting (I'm pretty sure)

{{comicstory
|series=megsorigin|issueno=2
|prev=Megatron Origin issue 1
|next=Megatron Origin issue 3
|image=MO 2 a.jpg
|caption=$39.95 on Pay Per View
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 25]], [[2007]]
|coverdate=July 2007
|written by=[[Eric Holmes]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]] (pages 1-11, 20-22) and [[Marcelo Matere]] (pages 12-19)
|colors by=[[Josh Perez]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]] and [[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline# 4 million BCE|4 million BCE]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
}}
'''The former miner decides to kill other guys for the hell of it.'''

==Synopsis==
Since returning to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] and his motley group of rebellious miners have made new lives for themselves as gladiators, competing in the illegal [[gladiatorial combat|pit fights]] that take place in the [[Forge]], deep in the bowels of crime-ridden [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. In his very first match, Megatron finds himself up against [[Cy-Kill (G1)|a particularly durable foe]], who shrugs off Megatron's initial attempts to impale him. He has the upper hand until Megatron uses his [[alternate mode]] as a weapon, harnessing its weight and mass to crush his opponent and run him over. As the other gladiator lies helpless on the floor, Megatron seems ready to end the fight, much to the confusion of the audience watching... until [[Clench (G1)|Clench]], the ringmaster of these games, orders Megatron to finish the fight by killing him. Though briefly haunted by his memory of taking his first life back on [[Mining Outpost C-12]], Megatron grabs the other gladiator's spear and uses it to fatally stab him, basking in the adulation of the crowd.

Meanwhile, Senator [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] dismisses the concerns of his meager assistant to attend to more important matters. A thoroughly corrupt member of the Cybertronian [[Senate]], Ratbat lives on the upper echelons of society, and uses his wealth and connections to easily manipulate planetary events for his personal gain. During his latest session, however, Ratbat is intrigued by a report on the illegal gladiator games sweeping Cybertron, and sends his servant to investigate...

As the days pass, Megatron swiftly rises through the ranks of the bloodsports and eventually finds himself fighting alongside Clench. In one such match, Clench's team is up against the wall, giving Megatron the perfect opportunity to take advantage of Clench's momentary distraction to fatally stab the gladiatorial leader and take over.

The coup doesn't go unnoticed by Cybertronian law enforcement, who are increasingly worried about the rise of these illegal fights, the increasing prominence of Megatron's team, and their inability to find the arenas where these illicit activities take place. At Kaon's [[Security Services Headquarters]], [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] shows footage of the battle to his team, who are eager to put a stop to the unlawful violence -- a sentiment shared by [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], who arrives and announces his plan to nail the gladiators in a wide-ranging police operation: a plan that will require the assistance of every Autobot officer in Kaon.

Eighteen cycles later, Cybertronian Security officers [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]] stake out a location suspected to be the grounds for the next game. Bored with the work, their patience is rewarded when the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] arrive: the gladiators aren't ''shipping'' parts to set up their mobile arenas, they're ''building'' them on-site... using parts obtained from hapless vagrants like [[Wheezel (G1)|Wheezel]], who finds himself thrown into a [[smelting pool]], his metal melted down to become the rivets and plates required to refit the abandoned venue into a suitable arena. No sooner have they finished then [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] turns up -- a new convert to the cause who, on the behalf of his employer, offers the recently-arrived Megatron an array of black market weaponry, provided that Megatron uses them as he "sees fit."

The two Autobots witness this exchange, but aren't so lucky when Megatron realizes that he's being eavesdropped on. Though the Autobots try to call for backup, they're immediately ambushed and incapacitated by Soundwave's partners: [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]], [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], and [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]].

Bumper awakens to see Megatron stomping Fastback flat, before the gladiatorial leader turns his attention to Bumper. Bumper refuses to give in to Megatron's interrogation, and so Soundwave deploys Laserbeak -- a "specialist" -- to pry the necessary data from Bumper's mind. Realizing that they've been compromised, Megatron realizes that he'll have to scuttle the arena. Pleased with Soundwave's services, however, he agrees to do business with Soundwave's master... and then ties up the last loose end by crushing Bumper to death.

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|h1=Security Services
|c1=
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (19)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (20)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (21)
*[[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]] (31)
*[[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] (32)
*[[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] (33)
*[[Blades (G1)|Blades]] (34)
*[[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] (35)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (36)
*[[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] (37)
*[[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]] (38)
*[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] (39)
*[[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] (40)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] (41)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (42)
*? (43)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (56)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] (57)
|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Cy-Kill (G1)|Cy-Kill]] (2)
*[[Clench (G1)|Clench]] (3)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (4)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (5)
*[[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]] (see continuity issues) (6)
*? (7)
*[[Crasher (G1)|Crasher]] (see continuity issues) (8)
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] (9)
*[[Skyquake (G1)|Skyquake]] (10)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (11)
*[[Seawing (G1)|Seawing]] (12)
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] (13)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] (14)
*[[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] (15)
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (16)
*[[Full-Tilt (G1)|Full-Tilt]] (17)
*[[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] (18)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] (19)
*[[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] (22)
*[[Blot (G1)|Blot]] (23)
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Grrr]] (24)
*? (25)
*[[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] (26)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sideswipe]] (27)
*[[Zetar (G1)|Drill Powerdasher]] (28)
*[[Betabear]] (29)
*[[Stalker (G1)|Stalker]] (30)
*[[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]] (44)
*[[Wheezel (G1)|Wheezel]] (45)
*[[Telus and Rotorbolt's buddy]] (46)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (47)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (48)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (49)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (50)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (51)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (52)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (53)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (54)
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] (55)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==
''"Finish Him!"''
:—'''Clench'''

''"[['Til all are one]]!"''
:—''Spectators'' at the execution of Cy-Kill

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Throughout the issue, Megatron wears an emblem around his neck that resembles what might become the [[Decepticon]] insignia. As with many things in this miniseries, this has become subject to the whims of later authors: the "[[Chaos Theory]]" duology suggests that Megatron had already designed a Decepticon insignia even before leaving Cybertron.
* In [[James Roberts]]'s stories:
** Megatron is a famous political activist and not just some random guy. That means three things:
*** Ratbat would know who Megatron is when he decides to arm and fund him on the quiet. Before it wasn't clear if he wanted to profit off the gladiatorial matches or profit off instability, but these retcons mean it's definitely the latter.
*** Sentinel Prime and the Security Services would know who he is. When Sentinel takes control not long after Megatron becomes leader and talks about crushing "cult[s]" and saying "''that'' one will ''hang''", it's no longer the bloodsports themselves that concern him!
*** The one gladiator who just thinks he's a "newbie" is one dumb son.
** Megatron's lost friend [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] had advised him that violence may be necessary to achieve his political goals and that he needed to make himself a figurehead. Instead of ''accidentally'' becoming a leader, Megatron can now be read as deliberately becoming one and making himself an army.
** Sunstreaker is shown to be a law enforcer in "[[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things]]". And yet there he is in the stands, watching the very matches (and fighting in them in [[Megatron Origin issue 3|#3]]) that his bosses and co-workers are trying to stop!
** Whirl is a [[Chaos Theory Part 1|long-time cop]] and basically [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|forced]] to work for the Senate and Sentinel. He's not in the Security Service scenes by choice!

===Transformers references===
*The use of [[gladiatorial combat]] as the arena where Megatron first honed his fighting skills is an idea that first saw use in the [[Dreamwave Generation 1 continuity]]. As this miniseries was originally slated to be released in that continuity -- which, through sheer coincidence, ''also'' depicted a young Megatron battling a Cy-Kill lookalike in the gladiator pits -- this might not come as a surprise. These stories would go on to shape the backstory of [[Megatron (WFC)|another version of Megatron]].
*The weapons which Soundwave offers to Megatron include the usual [[Energon mace|energon flail]], a [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]'s [[null-ray]], and [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s blaster hand.

===Real-life references===
*Megatron's first opponent is pretty obviously based on [[Cy-Kill (GoBots)|Cy-Kill]], leader of the villainous [[Renegade]]s and the primary antagonist of the ''[[gbwiki:Challenge of the GoBots (cartoon)|Challenge of the GoBots]]'' cartoon. This iteration of the character sports some shoulder decals that seem evocative of kill markings.
*"Finish him!" roars Clench, which seems like a deliberate nod to the famous catchphrase of the ''[[w:Mortal Kombat|Mortal Kombat]]'' series of video games.

===Errors===
*Among the crowd of enthralled fans thirsty for blood is [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]]. While this does seem like his kind of scene, ''[[Spotlight: Optimus Prime]]'' would detail an entirely different origin story that would render his cameo here impossible to reconcile.
*When Megatron first enters the Constructicons' latest arena, he's not wearing his Decepticon necklace, but when he interrogates Bumper and Fastback not long afterwards, he's wearing it.

===Other trivia===
[[File:MegatronOrigin2 Megs hair.jpg|right|thumb|AND I'M PRETTY]]
*In a moment perhaps best forgotten, Megatron takes off his buckethead helmet to unfurl elaborate decorative panels on his head, in a scene mimicking modern "historical epic" type movies where the hero takes off his helmet to flick his hair around like it's a shampoo commercial.
*Throughout this miniseries, artist [[Alex Milne]] included several [[female Transformer]]s in the background of various scenes. For most of the IDW continuity's run, this was considered to be something of an error: ''[[Spotlight: Arcee]]'' would go on to state that Cybertronians were an agendered species; even after later stories re-introduced female Transformers as inhabitants of various lost colony worlds, the issue remained thorny until 2017, when ''Lost Light'' [[An Axe to Break the Ice|issue #13]] rectified these cameos with a simple off-handed conversation. For more information, see our article on [[Female Transformer#IDW Generation 1 continuity|female Transformer]]s.
*Clench and Frenzy mention the departed [[Betabear]]. Since he was in a combat arena for robots, we can assume Betabear is a godless killing machine.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Megatron in arena, by [[Alex Milne]] (pencils) and [[Josh Perez]] (colors)
*'''Cover B:''' Megatron roars over over a dead Cy-Kill, by [[Marcelo Matere]] (pencils) and [[Andrew Elder]] (colors)
*'''Cover RI-A:''' Uncolored cover A

<gallery>
File:MO 2 a.jpg|
File:MO 2 b.jpg|lol go-bots suck amirite?
File:MO 2 RI.jpg|
</gallery>

=== Advertisements ===
*[[Megatron Origin issue 3|''Megatron Origin'' #3]]
*''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''
*''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' [[Transformers: Movie Adaptation|movie comic adaptation]]
*[http://www.cgccomics.com/ CGC: Certified Guaranty Company]
*Transformers posters
*Manga-sized collections of ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' and ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|Beast Wars: The Gathering]]''
*IDW trade paperbacks (''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'', ''Stormbringer'', ''The Gathering'', ''[[Hearts of Steel]]'', [[War and Peace|''Transformers: Generation 1'' vol. 2: War and Peace]], ''[[The Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'')
*''[[The Transformers: Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron|Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron]]''
*''[[The Transformers: Cover Gallery Volume 2]]''
*''[[Star Trek]]: Year Four''
*''[[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]]'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Megatron Origin#Collections|reprints of the entire series]]
* N/A

Megatron Origin issue 1

2019-03-24T05:45:56Z

Pyrl: /* Continuity notes */ fixed typo (messantine --> messatine)

{{comicstory
|series=megsorigin|issueno=1
|next=Megatron Origin issue 2
|image=MO 1 a.jpg
|caption=How ya like me now?!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[June 20]], [[2007]]
|coverdate=May 2007
|written by=[[Eric Holmes]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|colors by=[[Josh Perez]]
|color assist by=[[Zac Atkinson (colorist)|Zac Atkinson]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline#4 million BCE|4 million BCE]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
}}

'''A working-class miner accidentally kills some other guy in anger.'''

==Synopsis==
Four million years ago, Senator Decimus and his assistant arrive at the run-down colony of [[Mining Outpost C-12]] to deliver a formal message to the employees who call the outpost home: as part of the Cybertronian [[Senate]]'s efforts to cut costs, the [[energon]] mine will be automated, leaving its workers jobless. This doesn't bother Decimus one iota as he prepares the assembly to deliver the bad news: his disdain for the working-class personnel who operate the mine is quite clear, and he's more than eager to see them replaced.

During the assembly, Decimus' announcement naturally goes down poorly with his audience, despite his efforts to assuage their fears by pointing out that the laborers will not be left without jobs. One particularly angry 'bot, aware that the Senate's rampant automation will soon leave the working class destitute, speaks out, and is immediately executed by one of Decimus's [[Autobot]] security officers.

The crowd is briefly silenced by this display of force, and Decimus tries to restore order until one worker, an upstart named [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], makes his opinion very clear by flinging his axe into Decimus's shoulder. Before the security officer can react, Megatron tackles and disarms him; the two struggle until Megatron gains the upper hand — and accidentally kills his opponent.

As Megatron struggles to come to terms with what he's just done, the rest of the miners, encouraged by his example, quickly charge the Senator's position... only to be swiftly overpowered, incapacitated, and arrested by Autobot riot control.

Megatron and his fellow miners come to aboard the transport shuttle ''[[Longshot (G1)|Longshot]]'' en route to a [[Penal Facility H-3|detention center]]; as soon as he awakens Megatron is approached by [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]. Despite their enthusiasm, Megatron is still perturbed by his actions and wants no part in their plans. But as the rowdy duo set about distracting the guards, Megatron finds himself drawn to the vanguard of the rebellion as the ex-miners easily overwhelm their captors and seize the ship.

Aboard Decimus's shuttle, the Senator and his entourage are none the wiser about this revolt until the ''Longshot'' breaks formation, blasting the Senator's vessel and stranding the ship and its occupants in deep space; this is a deliberate ploy on Megatron's part to distract the Autobots with a rescue mission, leavin the rebels free to plot a new course back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] unhindered. Arriving over the city of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], the "worst place on Cybertron," the miners opt to lay low for the time being, confident in the knowledge that they've given the [[Senate]] more important things to worry about.

In Kaon's [[Security Services Headquarters]], [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] finishes up a round of target practice before he's interrupted by his second-in-command [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], who comes bearing news of the incident in space. The [[Prime (rank)|Prime]], uninterested in the dealings of the Senate and its constituents, appoints Prowl to handle the issue — but neither of them are aware that the perpetrators have successfully landed on Cybertron and escaped into Kaon's criminal underbelly...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=Security Services
|c1=
*Autobot security official (5)
*[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] (8)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (9)

|c4=
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Decimus]] (2)
*[[Decimus's assistant]] (3)
*Outspoken miner (4)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (6)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (7)
}}

==Quotes==
"What…" 
"What… did I…" 
"No… Nonono…" 
"Oh ''no''."
:— '''Megatron''' reacts to taking his first life.

"That was… unintentional. I shouldn't be here."
:— '''Megatron''' is a ''BIG SOFTIE.''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*When Frenzy attempts to enlist Megatron's aid in escaping their imprisonment on the ''Longshot'', Megatron makes it clear that the violence he dealt during the mine revolt was unintentional (and indeed, he was remorseful). Yet on the next page, after he is freed, Megatron seems to be quite willing to beat the living daylights out of the security guard on the ship.
*[[James Roberts]] would write several pre-war stories in 2011 and 2012, which flesh out and subtly retcon the events of this miniseries:
** In "[[Chaos Theory Part 1]]", we meet Megatron as an idealistic writer and political thinker who hopes for nonviolent change. When he finds himself brutalised by an untouchable and corrupt member of a higher caste, he is filled with a growing rage, and eventually comes to realize that violence might be the only way to advance his cause. His killing of an Autobot security officer here is not, then, the inciting moment that leads to the Great War, but merely another step in Megatron's personal journey from idealist to tyrant — and might provide a clue as to why Megatron finds it quite easy to take his ''next'' life when he and his crew hijack the ''Longshot.''
**"[[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Issue #9]]" of ''More than Meets the Eye'' has the Decepticons already existing before this issue, inspired by Megatron's samizdat writings. The Senate have exiled Megatron to a nucleon mine on [[Messatine]], afraid of him becoming a leader or, if they kill him, a martyr. Following a disaster on Messatine, as seen in [[Births, Deaths, and Interventions|issue #34]], Megatron is transferred to C-12.
**Cybertron is under dictatorship: by the time of ''Origin'', a [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]] has been in place for a while with curfews, spies on every street, and any group or city-state the Senate doesn't like getting the boot. This has only increased discontent in "Post Hoc".
**Sentinel Prime is actually the recent replacement of [[Nominus Prime]]. You may have also thought Sentinel was alright because he dislikes the Senate, but "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]" and "Post Hoc" show him to be a nasty, dictatorial thug who was involved in assassinating his predecessor, and [[White Heat|later issues still]] will reveal that Sentinel himself has an ulterior agenda all his own. This puts a new spin on his complaint that the Senate keep saying how he should do his job instead of giving him "what I need".
**Prowl [[Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|knows]] that Sentinel Prime is dirty [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|but didn't dare cross him earlier]]. Yet he still joined the Senate's security forces, with the only known comment that he "[[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|did what he had to do]]". Also, not surprisingly, even Sentinel [[Last Light (issue)|couldn't stand the guy]], later blaming for him the entire rise of the Decepticon cause with his constant lectures on collateral damage.
* '''First appearances:''' Sentinel Prime, Decimus, Rumble, and Frenzy.

===Transformers references===
*Kaon was previously established in [[Dreamwave Productions]]' ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'', where it was also established as the city where Megatron first rose to power.
*[[Kremzeek (G1)|Kremzeek]] appears on a billboard in Kaon.

===Real-life references===
* Whether by coincidence or design, it probably goes without saying that the plight of the miners has some basis in reality, where the dual threats of automation and outsourcing has led to many such scenes.

===Errors===
* On page 21, Sentinel's name is misspelled as "Sentinal."

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Megatron with pickax, by [[Alex Milne]] (pencils) and [[Josh Perez]] (colors)
*'''Cover B:''' Megatron smashing security guard, by [[Marcelo Matere]] (pencils) and [[Andrew Elder]] (colors)
*'''Cover RI-A:''' Cover A, uncolored
<gallery>
File:MO 1 a.jpg|THEY TOOK OUR JOBS!
File:MO 1 b.jpg|Oops, I dropped my glass of grape juice!
File:MO-1 RI.jpg|THEY TOOK THE COLORS!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Megatron Origin issue 2|''Megatron Origin'' #2]]
*''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]''
*Transformers posters
*2-page ad for the ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' [[Transformers: Movie Adaptation|movie comic adaptation]]
*Manga-sized collections of ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' and ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|Beast Wars: The Gathering]]''
*IDW trade paperbacks (''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]]'', ''Stormbringer'', ''The Gathering'', ''[[Hearts of Steel]]'', ''[[War and Peace]]'', ''[[The Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'')
*''[[The Transformers: Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron|Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron]]''
*''[[The Transformers: Cover Gallery Volume 2]]''
*''[[Star Trek]]: Year Four''
*[[Transformers (film)|''Transformers'' film]] (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Megatron Origin#Collections|reprints of the entire series]]
*'''''[[The Transformers: Best of Megatron]]''''' ([[September 8]], [[2010]]) ISBN 160010701X / ISBN 978-1600107016
<gallery>
File:BestofMegatron.jpg|'''''The Best of Megatron'''''; cover art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
</gallery>

User:Pyrl

2019-03-22T00:28:39Z

Pyrl: Created page with "hello!!!"

hello!!!

Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2019-03-22T00:26:39Z

Pyrl: /* Joining the Autobots */ fixed typo ("" instead of ")

{{factions|autobot}}
{{suite}}
[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet gets poked.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|You're going home as an ambulance!]]

Once a bright and idealistic doctor, '''Ratchet''' found this youthful optimism tempered as [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] descended into millions of years of civil war, giving rise to a brand of world-weary cynicism all his own. This cantankerous and sometimes gruff attitude is something of a façade he's deliberately cultivated to hide his natural compassion for his fellow Autobots and innocent organics, a personality trait that's come in handy more than once during his adventures on [[Earth]].

Following the end of the war, Ratchet's war-weariness led him to leave Cybertron aboard the ''[[Lost Light]],'' embarking on a series of adventures across the galaxy that saw him come to terms with his advancing age while battling [[Pharma (G1)|demons from his past]]. Despite captain [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'s objective to find the mythical [[Knights of Cybertron]], Ratchet remains a staunch atheist and a firm believer in empirical science — something that irritates his friend and frequent verbal sparring partner [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] to no end.

:*''First Appearance:'' [[Infiltration issue 0|''Transformers: Infiltration'' #0]]

{{quote|Why are we '''''here''''', on this planet? We're here to '''''save lives'''''. Now okay, maybe we're talking mass numbers, a global scale of species saved, but me, I take it '''''one life at a time'''''.|Ratchet earns his permanent place on [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]'s crap list|[[Infiltration issue 3|''Infiltration'' #3]]}}

==IDW Generation 1 comics==
===Joining the Autobots===
[[File:PostHoc-RatchetAndDrift.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Or you could become a Decepticon. Up to you, kid."]]

'''Ratchet of [[Vaporex]]''' {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}} was [[Reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|forged]],{{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} and due to the circumstances of his birth, he was gifted with a set of incredibly dexterous hands, possessing a naturally unique skill which made them almost hypnotic while in motion. Ratchet studied medicine at the [[Iacon (polity)|Iaconian]] [[Academy of Science and Technology]] {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} alongside [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], {{storylink|Little Victories}}, and befriended [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]. Though Ratchet eventually became the [[Senate]]'s Chief Medical Officer, he felt unsatisfied with his work; Orion encouraged him to open a free clinic without the Senate's knowledge in [[Rodion]]'s [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]], where he assisted the impoverished "[[Empty|Empties]]" who lived there.

When [[Nominus Prime]] was badly wounded in a terrorist attack, Ratchet was responsible for saving his life but was unable bring the [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] back online, leaving him to languish in a coma. Some time later, Ratchet treated a destitute junkie named [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], who had overdosed on [[circuit booster]]s. Ratchet told the homeless 'bot that he saw something special in him, a remark that both would remember. When a nearby news broadcast revealed that Nominus had recently perished, Orion — now a police officer and the 'bot responsible for bringing Drift to the clinic – trusted the medic enough to reveal that he had a [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|friend]] in the Senate who knew members of ''the Senate itself'' had done the deed; Ratchet was skeptical until the broadcast claimed that Nominus had died from a "long-standing [[rust]] infection" that he knew for a fact the Prime didn't have. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

[[File:AnIntimateBeheading-missionimpossible.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Matrix Impossible]]

Investigating further, Orion uncovered a Senate plot to plant a bomb in Nominus's body and blame it on the new [[Decepticon]] movement, and so Ratchet joined him in putting a stop to it. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} Ratchet joined Orion, [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]], and a crew of [[Outlier (group)|outliers]] on a mission to the [[Primal Basilica]], using his precise fingers to pick the locks holding the bomb in place. Though one close call nearly led to Ratchet dropping the bomb, the team was successful in their mission. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} Pax and his allies were now fugitives for crossing the Senate and they were forced to go on the run, leaving Ratchet behind to look after his patients. Ratchet's inability to say goodbye to his friends meant that he never properly bid Roller farewell; when Roller seemingly vanished from history some time later, Ratchet's failure would haunt him for many years. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}} Ratchet would go on to work for Nominus's successor, [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

As the Decepticon movement evolved from a political philosophy into a full-blown insurgency, Ratchet served with the Security Forces stationed in [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] and was present at the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} When [[Zeta Prime]] took command following Sentinel's defeat at the hands of [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], Ratchet became his Chief Medical Officer {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} and left Rodion, taking a staff position at [[Ultirex]]'s prestigious [[technoversity]]. There, he befriended [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]], a brilliant graduate student whose airborne [[alternate mode]] made it difficult for him to find scientific work under the tenets of [[Functionism]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

Shortly after Zeta Prime ascended to Primehood, Ratchet was kidnapped by the Decepticons and held at the [[Rust Sea#IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rust Spot]] as a ploy to capture [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] during a hostage exchange. Fortunately the hostage exchanger was Orion Pax, who managed to save both Ratchet and Trion. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen-Ratchet.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Pax...are *we* the baddies?"]]

Following the death of a [[Hefter|Decepticon sympathizer]] in police custody, Orion took Hefter's body to Ultirex for Ratchet to examine; Ratchet correctly deduced that Hefter's injuries didn't match the official report of his death. The news that an ''Autobot'' cop was investigating the murder prompted Jetfire — a believer in the Decepticon cause — to attack Prime, much to Ratchet's horror. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

Ratchet participated in Orion Pax's uprising against an increasingly corrupt Zeta Prime, and would have repaired Orion after the battle if not for a sudden betrayal by their Decepticon allies. {{storylink|Overthrown}} He was still working in Ultirex when Orion Pax, now Optimus Prime, broadcast a rallying call for support against [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s dictatorship. {{storylink|Broadcast}}

As the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] between the Autobots and Decepticons began in earnest, Ratchet would distinguish himself as the only Autobot who had personally saved the life of every [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] since Nominus. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Early in the war, Ratchet repaired Optimus Prime after his first confrontation with Megatron at [[Sherma Bridge]], a duel which left Prime in so many pieces it took Ratchet over two months to find and put them all back together. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}}

[[File:Underworld-Ratchetvehiclemode.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Sippin' KRUNK.]]

Optimus Prime sent a team of scientists including Ratchet to the remains of the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]] to search for traces of energon. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} Indeed, they did find some in the form of a pool in the caverns beneath the crater, but when an earthquake sent Ratchet falling into the liquid, he went berserk and started attacking his comrades. He quickly regained his composure, but before they could study why the energon had turned him into a mindless beast, the scientists were attacked by monsters living in the caves. As they fled, Ratchet used his [[alternate mode]] to bust into another cavern, where the team found a [[Trypticon (G1)|gigantic sleeping dragon]]. {{storylink|Underworld (IDW)|Underworld}} They reported their findings to Optimus Prime, who told them to find a way to neutralize the creature so the Autobots could make use of the energon, {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}} Ratchet then fought against Trypticon's minions during the monster's rampage across Cybertron. {{storylink|Annihilation}}

Ratchet played a role in curing the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]] of the effects of the same corrupted energon, {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} and shortly afterwards patched [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] up during a Decepticon assault on Iacon. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

Ratchet was later transferred to the [[Deltaran Medical Facility]] and became friends with fellow Autobot medic [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} The two of them accompanied the team who apprehended [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] for brutalizing the cadets under his command to the point of death. Of those cadets, he and Pharma were only able to save [[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]]. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 4}} As the war went on, the young Drift, whom he'd once helped, went on to become "Deadlock," one of the most brutal Decepticon warriors. This long rankled the medic. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}}

[[File:Pharma ratchet steps shall always rhyme.jpg|thumb|left|250px|He's [[Ratbat (SG)|Batbot]].]]

When [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] died under unspecified circumstances, Ratchet became one of the few Autobots who was privy to [[Solomus|Chief Justice Tyrest]]'s project to keep the legend of the "immortal lawman" alive using the [[Magnus Armor]]. Indeed, Ratchet was the only Autobot who knew ''every'' wearer of the Magnus Armor, right back to the original. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} In the 19th century, Ratchet was stationed aboard the Autobot command vessel, and helped repair the armor after the passing of [[Convoy (G1)|its most recent bearer]]. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}}

In the early 2000s, [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] ordered Ratchet to join his covert team on [[Earth]]. Rather than properly say goodbye to Pharma, Ratchet just left when his back was turned. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

{{-}}

===Adventures on Earth===
[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Watch, my headgear will flip colours as you scroll down.]]

Now a part of Prowl's unit, Ratchet and the other Autobots under his command arrived aboard the ''[[Ark-19]]'' and spent the next few years fighting the Decepticon [[infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] that had landed on Earth. Although loyal to the Autobot cause, Ratchet's conscience frequently got the better of him; in [[2006]], he intercepted a Decepticon pulsewave ordering the elimination of [[Stoker|a human being]]. While he was too late to save that human, Ratchet was able to outmaneuver the [[Battlecharger]]s {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}} and encountered two other humans—[[Verity Carlo]] and [[Hunter O'Nion]]—who had stumbled upon the Decepticon plot. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0|Infiltration #0}} Evading [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]], Ratchet took shelter in a nearby garage owned by Verity's friend [[Jimmy Pink]]; when [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] attacked, Ratchet was able to outthink the pair in a high-speed chase and ferried the humans to safety... while also earning the ire of Prowl when Autobot reinforcements arrived to bail him out. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}}

[[File:Infiltration3 VeritySURPRISE.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Ratchet's holo-matter avatar has no mouth, and he must snark.]]

Though Ratchet attempted to explain his side of the story, having learned that the Decepticons had prematurely engaged siege mode in a new, above-ground fortress, he was seemingly alone in his convictions until [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] agreed to help him and the humans investigate the abandoned Decepticon base in [[Nebraska]]. [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] arrived while the humans were reconnoitering and began an aerial bombardment of the bunker, intending to destroy it. Bumblebee and Ratchet engaged the Decepticons in order to buy the humans time to escape the collapsing bunker. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}}

The Autobots and humans were leaving the Decepticons to finish their work when an enraged Megatron burst from the buried ruins of the bunker. Thankfully for them, Megatron was more concerned with the treachery brewing within his own ranks, allowing Ratchet and the others to escape with their lives. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} Unwilling to risk their safety further, Ratchet subsequently returned the humans to the ''Ark-19'', where they met the newly arrived Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} With Prime hoping to get the humans out of the line of fire when the war for Earth inevitably escalated, Ratchet said his farewells to the humans and let [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] and [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] take them home, unaware that the Autobots on Earth had been found out by the villainous human organization known as the [[Machination]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

[[File:RatchetandMarvel-ManandMachine2.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

With the humans out of harm's way for the time being, Ratchet went with the other Autobots to investigate Decepticon activity in the country of [[Latveria]], where they discovered a heavily shielded "array" that the Decepticons were using as a base. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One}} They wound up skirmishing with the [[Avengers]], who were under the influence of the Decepticons' mind-altering [[Psycho-Prism]], and Ratchet wound up subduing [[Ms. Marvel]] with his driver-side airbag. After throwing off Ms. Marvel, Ratchet was able to attach an inhibitor device to [[Captain America]], which nullified the effects of the Psycho-Prism, and gave Captain America enough devices for everyone on his team. Now calmed down, the two groups teamed up to destroy the Psycho-Prism, attacking the array's defenses and provoking a Decepticon retaliation. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}}

During the fight, [[Luke Cage]] and Ratchet discovered a weak spot in the array's defenses and went in. Prowl followed to make sure Ratchet didn't put human interests ahead of Autobot interests; learning that [[Spider-Man]] was held captive inside, so Prowl gave in and let Ratchet and Luke Cage attempt a rescue. The two were surprised by a powered-up Megatron, who blasted Ratchet and took Luke Cage hostage. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} Ratchet awoke next to Prowl to find Spider-Man had been freed by [[Doctor Doom]]. Prowl and Ratchet decided to use the Decepticons' [[mirror response mode]] equipment to boost their power with Spider-Man's superhuman abilities before [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]] arrived with Jazz and Bumblebee and suggested they use his abilities instead. They did, then [[orbital jump|orbital bounced]] with Spider-Man back to the battle outside, where their added strength helped defeat Megatron. Wolverine, Jazz, and Bumblebee stayed to destroy the Psycho-Prism. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}

[[File:Escalation2-autopsy.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Ratchet's foray into the world of [[IP infringing item|third-party Transformers]] was short-lived.]]

When Sunstreaker was apparently destroyed, {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} Ratchet inspected the wreckage and concluded that the body was a fake — Hunter and Sunstreaker had been kidnapped, with their abductors leaving a decoy in their place. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} Realizing that Prowl would likely ignore him, Ratchet and the humans set out to solve the mystery themselves. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} While Optimus and the other Autobots went to [[Brasnya]], Ratchet briefly took a call from [[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sideswipe]], who was stuck guarding [[Thunderhead Pass]] on Cybertron. The resentful Autobot prompted Ratchet to realize that he may have already doomed Hunter and Sunstreaker through his inaction; {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron}} Joined by Ironhide, the group went against orders and left the base to find more clues about the kidnappers. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}}

Their search brought them to [[Indiana]], where they discovered a Machination outpost disguised as an [[Idea & Design Works Custom Wheels|automobile shop]]. When the humans inadvertently triggered a trap, {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} When the humans set off a trap, the Autobots saved them, though Ironhide was critically injured and Ratchet was forced to abandon him to bring the humans to safety. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[File:Sixshot-devastation3a.jpg|thumb|right|250px|I have no idea where that pot came from! I SWEAR!]]

When the Autobots decided to relocate the ''Ark-19'' to avoid the Machination, they were attacked by [[Sixshot]], who downed the ship in mid-flight. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} Ratchet was ordered to take Verity and Jimmy into an escape pod while the rest of the crew piloted the ship into the ocean. {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}}

Sixshot soon found Ratchet and pursued him relentlessly. Ratchet used the distraction provided by some human jet fighters to escape, hiding among an ambulance pool in [[Pensacola]], Florida. Sixshot soon flushed him out, however, and pursued him out of town, forcing Ratchet to abandon Verity and Jimmy for their own safety. When cornered at the water's edge, Ratchet prepared to make a last stand, but was saved by the timely arrival of the other Autobots. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} The humans made their way back to the Autobots to warn them about an air attack by the military, and Ratchet took them with him on an orbital bounce to the ''[[Ark-32]]''. Unfortunately, this killed Verity and Jimmy. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}}

[[File:Devastation5 Ratchet Jazz.jpg|thumb|left|250px|thumb|CLEAR!]]

A guilt-stricken Ratchet managed to restart their hearts after more than five minutes, and contrary to his fears that they might have suffered brain damage, the two humans survived with no immediate effects. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} Ultimately, the humans were able to reunite with Hunter, who in the interim had been experimented on by the Machination, turning him into a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] [[Binary bonding|binary-bonded]] to Sunstreaker. Ratchet took charge of the two guinea pigs and was able to undo some of the Machination's handiwork; though Ratchet was able to minimize the mental link between Sunstreaker and Hunter and rebuild the Autobot into a new body, he was afraid to remove Hunter's cybernetic implants as he claimed that Sunstreaker's spark still sustained him. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}

Ratchet was eventually able to successfully sever this mental link entirely, but the process left deep wounds in Sunstreaker's psyche. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 14|Replay}} Returning to Earth, Ratchet dropped Hunter back at his sister's house; still unable to say goodbye, he brusquely told Hunter that he wouldn't keep him and drove off. Unknown to Ratchet, Hunter would be abducted by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] minutes later to access the cyborg technology that Ratchet had been unable to remove, a kidnapping that would ultimately prove fatal for the human. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

[[File:AllHailMegatron7-wefell.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

A year later, Ratchet and a number of other Autobots were led by Optimus Prime in an attempt to rid Earth of the Decepticons once and for all. Unfortunately, they fell right into a trap, and Ratchet was injured by a shot to the chest. The Autobots were then thrown into a [[space bridge]] leading to the ruins of Cybertron, where the Decepticons hoped the "[[Insecticon swarm|swarm]]" would eat them. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Whilst hiding from the swarm, Ratchet tended to the critically-damaged Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} After listening to [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]'s tale about how the ''[[Trion]]'' and its crew had crashed on the planet as well, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} Ratchet mingled with him and [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

Ratchet later checked up on Sunstreaker, telling him that his separation from Hunter had been a complete success, although the human would never be "fully human" again. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 14|Replay}} Their base soon came under attack from the swarm, however, so the other Autobots formed a perimeter around Ratchet and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] as they fled elsewhere. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}

[[File:Ratchetclownwithagun-All Hail Megatron 9.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

At their new base, Ratchet managed to use a [[CR chamber]] to heal his damaged comrades, although he reported to [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]] that the chamber could do nothing to improve their declining morale. In addition, he and Wheeljack were still having trouble repairing Optimus Prime, and Ratchet cursed that [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]] had turned into just another "clown with a gun". Thankfully, they eventually came through and brought Prime back from the brink of death. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}}

Ratchet and the others finally managed to get off Cybertron thanks to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], and returned to Earth to continue their fight against the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} He survived the battle in [[New York City]], and cheered with his comrades as the Decepticons fled the planet. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}} Earth was left in a devastated state due to the Decepticon invasion, with Transformer stragglers hunted by militaries across the globe. Ratchet was part of the rescue party that saved Bumblebee from a military attack after the yellow guy abandoned his cover to save some refugees. After repairing Bumblebee, Ratchet told the mini-bot that they found him by monitoring human radio signals. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 16|Hidden}}

At some point, Ratchet had become a fan of "[[Fisitron (G1)|Fisitron]]'s" ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogues, following the adventures of the [[Wrecker]]s. Several years after Megatron's defeat, "Fisitron" (real name Ironfist) died from a severe gunshot. Ratchet would often think afterwards that he could have saved Ironfist's life. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

[[File:RatchetFigueroadesign-For all Mankind.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]

With Transformers now a known threat to humanity, both Autobots and Decepticons were targeted by the anti-Transformer organization [[Skywatch]], forcing the Autobots underground as humanity rebuilt; with Prime's contingent of Autobots stranded on Earth, the planet became the ''de facto'' meeting point for all the Autobots who had survived the [[Surge (event)|Surge]] across the galaxy. {{storylink|Ride-Along}} Not all Autobots were content with the virtually directionless existence Optimus Prime had led them into; Ratchet was present when [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]] demanded Prime allow him to stage a rescue operation to recover Prowl after he was captured... and afterwards, when Ironhide came back from the mission as a corpse. He witnessed Optimus Prime abdicate his role as leader, and leave the Autobots to surrender to Skywatch. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}}

In the aftermath of Prime's decision, and the subsequent departure of a splinter faction under Hot Rod's command, Ratchet and the others were left in a state of shock. With the war effectively over and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] missing, the line of succession was no longer clear. The Autobots decided to hold an election to see who their new leader would be. No one was more surprised than Bumblebee when ''he'' turned out to be the new chosen leader; Ratchet quickly stepped up as Bumblebee's second-in-comnmand, helping shepherd him into his new role. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Bumblebee's authority was challenged almost immediately by the arrival of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but Ratchet did his best to support 'Bee before Magnus took off on a mission of his own. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}

[[File:RatchetHoundBlasterbadges-Hanging Sword.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.0]]
Ratchet had his work cut out for him, though. Not only was [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] undermining Bumblebee's authority from the start, Bumblebee himself just couldn't adjust to the role quickly enough. Still, he supported Bumblebee's decision to form a clandestine alliance with Skywatch through Colonel [[Gordon Horiuchi]], who was acting outside his mandate in the hopes of using the Autobots to stop [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] and the other Decepticons who were still running loose on Earth.

Working in secret with Horiuchi, the Autobots hoped to prove their value and good intentions to Skywatch's higher ups by racking up an impressive number of Decepticon captures. They even began wearing specially-designed Skywatch insignia badges for communication and to mask their activities from Skywatch operatives who weren't "in the loop". After five successful bag-and-tags, however, Horiuchi threw them the first curveball. The Autobots' next target was Blurr, one of their own who had left after Ultra Magnus's arrival. As Ratchet and the others refused to hunt one of their own, Horiuchi demonstrated a hidden feature of the badges — the ability to forcibly revert the Autobots to [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] at his command. {{storylink|The Hanging Sword}}

Left with no choice, Ratchet and Bumblebee led the Autobots in capturing Blurr. The whole situation was a fiasco, however, and Blurr even fired on Bumblebee during the encounter, damaging his badge. Bumblebee found the courage to defy Horiuchi and refused to turn over Blurr to Skywatch later that day. The colonel tried to mode-lock Bumblebee for his insubordination, but the shot to Bumblebee's badge had rendered it useless. Quick on the uptake, Ratchet whispered to Bumblebee to fake it so Horiuchi didn't realize he'd lost his edge over the Autobot leader.

[[File:Ratchetdontknowaboutbadges-Gift Horse.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

At Ratchet's prompting, the Autobots pretended the damaged badge had left Bumblebee trapped in vehicle mode permanently, despite Horiuchi's attempts to reverse the mode-lock. With Blurr's help, they recovered another Volkswagen Beetle to use as a ringer, allowing Bumblebee to leave the base and seek a solution for their predicament. Because Skywatch was constantly monitoring their vocal output using the badges, Ratchet and the others couldn't even speak a word of encouragement to 'Bee as he set off on his mission. {{storylink|The Impossible Knot}}

With Bumblebee on the loose, Ratchet continued the ruse of pretending to cooperate with Colonel Horiuchi and his staff, showing them the malfunctioning "Bumblebee" for examination. Meanwhile, he and Wheeljack kept in touch with the real Bumblebee using a text-only comm signal that wouldn't show up on Skywatch's monitoring. Ratchet was named acting leader of the Autobots while "Bumblebee" was off-line, as he and Wheeljack secretly led the real Bumblebee to [[Sanjay Bharwaney]], creator of the badges' control board. Bumblebee needed access to the board's schematics in order to free his friends, but had to manipulate [[Serena Bharwaney|Bharwaney's young daughter]] into helping him. Ratchet had to comfort Bumblebee through "using" the girl for his own purposes. {{storylink|The Gift Horse}}

Unfortunately, the rogue Decepticon Skywarp had also learned of the board, and was coming to Bharwaney's to steal it. Ratchet and the other Autobots were forced to blow their cover to rush to Bumblebee's aid. They were too late, however, and Bumblebee was forced to set off an EMP, knocking him and Skywarp off-line while disabling the control board and the badges as well. As Ratchet brought Bumblebee in for repairs, he reluctantly agreed to upgrade his new commander into a more powerful, combat-ready body to suit his new duties and role as a leader. {{storylink|Wings of Wax}}

Soon, Ultra Magnus returned from his scouting mission to challenge Bumblebee's authority again, gathering Ratchet and several other Autobots in the name of the [[Tyrest Accord]] to arrest Hot Rod for colluding with the enemy. Hot Rod's mistake became clear when his "ally", [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], activated a new Decepticon [[combiner]] and unleashed it on the Autobots. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}} After several Autobots were damaged fighting [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], Ratchet began patching them up as best he could, with the help of Skywatch personnel. He barely finished working on Ultra Magnus before the enforcer stomped off to search for [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}} Following this, the Autobots entered a formal alliance with Skywatch. {{storylink|All His Engines}}

[[File:Ratchet fixes Cliffjumper-The Land Ironclads.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Vhen ze patient woke up, his skeleton was missing, and ze doctor vas never heard from again!"]]

Ratchet was part of an Autobot-Skywatch team sent to [[Las Vegas]] once [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] showed up with an army of [[zombie]]s in tow. They fought with him until he managed to calm them down and explain that they needed to combine their strength in order to destroy the zombie plague. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|The Transformers: Infestation #1}} Together with Galvatron and his minions, the Autobots banished the undead hordes and their leader, [[Britt]], to the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|The Transformers: Infestation #2}}

Ratchet was helping a human technician repair [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] when [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Spike Witwicky]] showed up and asked for the Autobots' help with defeating the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] in [[North Korea]]. They accepted, but due to pressure from the [[President of the United States]], they were going to have to do it in disguise. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}} Their initial clash with the Combaticons ended in failure, and Ratchet ended up having to repair [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] and [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}}

[[File:Ratchet clips wings-Hawk Among the Sparrows.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0]]

He took to the front lines in their next attack, during which he attempted to saw off [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]'s rotor blades. {{storylink|International Incident Part 3: "Hawk Among the Sparrows"|Hawk Among the Sparrows}} The Combaticons were ultimately defeated, but the Autobots' cover had been blown in the process. Sitting over an unconscious Vortex, Ratchet wondered aloud what would happen to the Autobots now that their alliance with Skywatch was public knowledge. {{storylink|International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"|All My Sins Remembered}}

On the way back from Korea, the plane carrying the Autobots was shot down over the ocean by a returning Megatron. The occupants survived, however, and made it ashore. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} They rolled out to confront the Decepticon leader near [[Albuquerque]], but Optimus Prime ordered Ratchet and the others to stay back while he went ahead alone to confirm what was going on. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} Most of the Autobots remaining in America had been injured by Megatron, or in Bumblebee's case, rioting humans who still mistrusted the Transformers, and so Ratchet had his hands full repairing them all. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}

After some six weeks of repairs, Ratchet managed to get Bumblebee back on his feet, though owing to the scarcity of spare parts the yellow Autobot was left weakened and relying on a cane. That same day, the Autobots learned that Cybertron had been restored to a habitable state, only to have fallen under Galvatron's control. They wasted no time in boarding Omega Supreme's rocket mode, leaving Earth to liberate their home. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}}

[[File:Ratchetcouldveanswered-chaos theory 2.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

During the trip, Ratchet aided Perceptor in searching the captured Megatron's body for hidden weapons. He was annoyed by those pesky "laws" that prevented them from just executing their prisoner and also feared his purported ability to syphon [[antimatter]] from [[black hole]]s, but Perceptor dismissed that myth. Later, Ratchet and Wheeljack bet over whether or not Optimus Prime would let them overhear his questioning of Megatron. He wouldn't, and Ratchet walked away 50 [[Shanix]] richer. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} Believing that the Matrix might cloud his judgement regarding how to punish Megatron, Optimus temporarily left Ratchet in charge of the relic. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory #2}}

After arriving on Cybertron, Ratchet participated in the battle against Galvatron's [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]] army. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} Then Megatron broke loose and summoned his Decepticons, and the Autobots had to fight ''them'' as well. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} The battle — and, by extension, the Great War itself — ended with Cybertron restored to a living, "primordial" state. All across the galaxy, thousands of [[NAIL|neutral Transformers]] began returning home, drawn to the planet by a signal emitted by Cybertron. With Optimus Prime missing in action after his defeat of Galvatron, the Autobots spent the next few weeks working with [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]], the spokesman of the "NAILs", and coordinating the resettlement of Autobots, Decepticons, and NAILs as Transformers continued returning to Cybertron. Ratchet repaired [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]], the spokesman of the "NAILs", when he was injured during a NAIL riot against the Autobots being in command, a conflict that ended only after Optimus Prime, having returned from the Cybertronian wilderness, agreed to go into voluntary exile. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

{{-}}

===The ''Lost Light''===

[[File:LiarsAtoD-RatchetAndBumblebee.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

After millions of years of civil war, Ratchet began to feel his age after his famous hands began to fail, a medical condition known as "[[advanced form fatigue]]." {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} After proving unable to save a [[NAIL protester]] from transforming himself to death, he confided in Bumblebee that he was worried about getting old and losing his touch as a doctor. In the hopes that he could help people and find himself a successor, he joined the crew of Rodimus's ''[[Lost Light]]'' which left Cybertron in search of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Unfortunately for him, ''Drift'' was on the crew too, having reformed and joined the Autobots. Ratchet almost immediately started to insult the ex-Decepticon to whoever would listen, {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} and imply he only had a third-in-command role because he told Rodimus what he wanted to hear. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

[[File:HangersOn-Ratchetloosensjoints.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

The ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s prototype [[Quantum generator|quantum engine]]s were designed to allow the ship to make "quantum jumps" that would carry the ship quickly through the galaxy; on launch day, however, those engines malfunctioned, and the ship disappeared in a fiery explosion. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} In reality, the quantum explosion created ''two'' copies of the ''Lost Light'': one on-course, and one off-course, with quantum duplicates of every crew member. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

The "off-course" version of Ratchet immediately had his hands full as the ship materialized on the outer rim of the galaxy: having to repair an ancient crippled [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], an armless [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (who was very impressed with Ratchet's dexterity until he saw the medic smash his own hand with a hammer to loosen some joints), [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and all the Autobots who fell out of the ship during its unfortunate launch. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}}

When [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] was found dead, Ratchet analyzed his body, annoyed by the others blaming the death on a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] until he concluded that they were right. Once Rodimus defeated the creature at the cost of his arms, Ratchet built him new ones. He was working on Tailgate again when the little guy suddenly revealed that he wanted to be a Decepticon. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

[[File:Ratchet life after the big bang.jpg|thumb|right|250px|{{w|Father Ted|This drink is small, but the ones out there are far away...small, far away}}]]

Having received a datalog detailing an unusual death rate among patients at [[Delphi]], Ratchet brought Drift and [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] with him to investigate and found that the facility was infected with a deadly [[Red Rust|Red Rust virus]]. While he was trying to figure out what happened by talking to the local medics, [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], [[Ambulon]], and his old friend [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], Pipes and Drift were infected. The Autobots were then attacked by two [[Genericon]]s, but saved by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}}

[[File:Pharma ratchet how ratchet got his hands back.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Don't worry, kids. He gets better.]]

Ratchet quickly figured out the properties of the virus, learning that it only activated when its host transformed; despite being infected himself, Ratchet was able to deduce that Pharma had engineered the outbreak to escape a deal he had made with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. Ratchet was able to infect Pharma with his own virus and chase him to the roof of the medical facility, whereupon Drift sliced his hands off and sent him plummeting out of sight. Ratchet used Pharma's vaccine to cure the infected Transformers and went back to the ''Lost Light'' with Drift, Pipes, the survivors of Delphi... and a new pair of hands, having replaced his worn out digits with Pharma's. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} Subsequently, he and Ambulon visited [[Swerve's]], and watched as the bar's proprietor learned the truth about Ambulon's embarrassing [[alternate mode]]. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}}

Ratchet was testing out equipment in the Lost Light's medical bay when he, along with nearly everyone on board of the ship were frozen in place due to one of [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]]'s experimental weapons accidentally going off. After he recovered, he was awarded a Rodimus Star "for exceptional endurance in the face of adversity." {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}}

After Fortress Maximus went on a shooting spree inside the Lost Light, Ratchet treated the victims with First Aid's help. He noticed a strange pattern between all five casualties: they shared the same colors as Overlord, which proved to be the key to deciphering Maximus's postwar trauma. {{storylink|Interiors}}

[[File:mtmte39 tarn sees drift.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Do ''not'' touch my Ratchet!" "Your Ratchet???" "Not this again."]]

Around this time, the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] arrived at the other ''Lost Light'' to kill the quantum duplicate of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] on board. When [[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]] saw Drift, he attempted to kill the turncoat as Drift tried to defend Ratchet. The DJD followed this up by butchering Ratchet and every other crewmember of the duplocate ship. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}} {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}} Ratchet's corpse would have its brain module put inside his mouth by [[Helex (DJD)|Helex]]. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}}

Aboard the surviving ''Lost Light,'' First Aid, Ambulon, and Ratchet were all instrumental in saving Rung's life after he was accidentally shot in the head by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} Later, Ratchet helped Ultra Magnus rid some [[Nanocon]]s inside him and attended Tailgate's Autobot Initiation Ceremony afterwards. He was among the crew members that were teleported down to [[Theophany]] by the [[Galactic Council]] to investigate [[Crystal City]], where they came across [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]]. [[Galactic Council]] forces attacked them after the Titan shot an eye blast at their ship, and Ratchet joined a team to hold them off while Rodimus attempted to free the Titan. The ''Lost Light'' crew were able to free the Titan, who teleported the crew back to their ship and quantum-jumped ''Lost Light'' to safety. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

[[File:PostHoc-metookid.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

In an attempt to jump-start Rung's brain, Ratchet agreed to tell a story about pre-war events that involved him and Orion Pax; this included the story of how he saved Drift and gave him a pep talk, something both he and Drift long thought about. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Ratchet later narrated their revelation of the Senate's plans and stated to Whirl that a reason why Megatron went bad was probably due to the triggerhappy bot's past beating on Megatron. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} As the story was having no apparent effect on Rung, Ratchet rushed it along until it came to a close, at which point an alarm began ringing and everyone moved to battle stations. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

Following a battle with a group of Decepticons on [[Temptoria]], Ratchet operated on two of the injured, [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]]. {{storylink|Before & After}}

When [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] and the ''Vis Vitalis'' paid the ''Lost Light'' a visit, Ratchet was eager to catch up with the Autobot hero; as Thunderclash's [[Vis Vitalis|ship]] was the massive life support machine responsible for keeping him alive, he had hoped to use the ''Lost Light'' to jumpstart his vessel... but was unprepared for when his second-in-command [[Paddox]] revealed himself to be a team of [[Ammonite]]s in disguise. {{storylink|Little Victories}}

[[File:TheGloaming-medibay.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

When the ''Lost Light's'' alarm system went off, Ratchet was the first to fully engage the escaped [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] in combat. He and Drift held the line for the few moments necessary for Rodimus and the others to reach the battle. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}} While Overlord was eventually ejected from the ship, he killed at least five crew members before the end. Ratchet did his best to repair those he could, but even the mighty Ultra Magnus was on the verge of death, counting down the number of days until his spark shrank away to nothing. After Drift came forward and claimed responsibility for bringing Overlord on board, he was exiled from the ''Lost Light''. As he departed, grieving Autobots threw trash at the spiritualist, knocking him down, but Ratchet stepped up and helped his friend to his feet before he left. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} He would soon realise how much he'd liked Drift now the 'bot was gone. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

After an accident with the "[[death clock]]" Ratchet ended up diagnosing Tailgate with old-age and [[cybercrosis]], laying the brutal truth out for the little 'bot. Tailgate fled his clinic in tears just as [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] walked in, ostensibly to get his arm rebuilt. Later Ratchet was present in the observation deck when the Lost Light hurtled through the space-portal that would eventually lead to [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]]. He was invited by Rodimus to join the landing party on the "Miracle Moon." He became the first of the group to correctly identify their location as a reignited hot-spot, and explained to Tailgate what "constructed cold" meant in the scope of Cybertronian reproduction.

[[File:TheDividedSelf-RatchetAndPharma.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

The group was ambushed by [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] and a platoon of Depticons. Ratchet's transport sled was hit with gunfire, and as he picked himself out of the wreckage, he came face-to face with a rebuilt, chainsaw-handed [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]! {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}}

He woke up to find Pharma gloating over him in a well-stocked medical room. Pharma explained with glee how he had been rescued from [[Delphi]] by a genius friend who had given Pharma new hands. He also seemed adamant that Ratchet guess what lay in a mysterious box. When Ratchet impatiently refused to guess, Pharma showed Ratchet his ''own body in the box''. All that remained of Ratchet was a head and a spark, bolted to a table. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}} Ratchet challenged Pharma to a duel, to see who was the best doctor, and the winner could have the hands. Unable to resist a decisive completion, Pharma reinstalled Ratchet in his body, initiating a race to see who could be faster in stitching together 'bots that had been ''cut in half''. But instead of a "worthless Decepticon", Pharma had [[Ambulon]] and [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] taken from the Lost Light. Ratchet pleaded to stop the race, but Pharma was committed to the game. Ratchet quickly told the two medibots to re-route their nerve circuits away from their waists to minimise their pain, however Pharma mocked Ratchet, and chain sawed Ambulon in half, ''lengthways''. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}

[[File:ArmTheLonely-nowmove.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Oddly, Pharma quickly vacated the medibay to leave Ratchet crouched over Ambulon's two halves. Ratchet was haunted by Pharma's claims that ''he'' could save Ambulon, when it was clear Ratchet might not be able to. Watched over by the [[Legislator]]s guarding them, Ratchet quickly went to work, refusing First Aid's assistance. This did not go down well with the former nurse, who criticized Ratchet severely for not letting him help, and quickly upped the argument to blame Ambulon's predicament upon Ratchet, his obsessions with his "stupid hands" and being the "Chief Medical Officer in Perpetuity". Ratchet finally stopped First Aid with the revelation that Ambulon had died half an hour before, then shoved First Aid out of the way to blast the Legislators with a weapon made from the remains of Ambulon's body. Ratchet promised First Aid that if they survived, he would officially hand over the CMO title to First Aid.

They caught up with Rodimus and the others, who had escaped Tyrest's prison. Ratchet had a moment with Tailgate to confirm that Tailgate's increasing paralysis was a result of his cybercrosis, and that despite the nearby medibay, the cure only lay in Pharma's head. The 'Bots teamed up to storm Tyrest's control room, unfortunately to little effect. Ratchet narrowly missed being blasted by Pharma's gun, before being felled - along with the others - by Tyrest's "Weapon of Mass Suggestion". {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} Thanks to a heroic action by Tailgate, Ratchet and the others survived to thwart the plot. Unfortunately, that still meant Ratchet had the grim task of looking through Tyrest's notes to find there ''was'' a cure for cybercrosis but Tailgate was too far gone for it to work. Cyclonus was able to use his [[Great Sword]] to keep Tailgate's spark going {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} and Ratchet was able to save him.

[[File:IntoTheAbyss-RodpodCrew.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

He took time out to quietly inform Minimus Ambus that, as their medic, he had always known about the Magnus replacements and just never told anyone: he'd seen no point. As far as he was concerned though, Ambus was the 'true' Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Eventually, Rodimus came clean and informed everyone that ''he'' was responsible for bringing Overlord onboard, and held a vote on whether he should continue as captain. Ratchet was one of those who voted against him, though ultimately Rodimus remained in command. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}

Some time after the vote, the ''Lost Light'' arrived over the remains of [[Gorlam Prime]], and wound up rescuing Orion Pax, [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], [[Garnak]], and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] from the collapsing planet's gravity well. Ratchet was pleased to be reunited with his old commander. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Learning of Shockwave's plan to end the universe, Ultra Magnus took command of the vessel while Rodimus and Orion headed into the [[Dead Universe]]; though charged with tracking down Shockwave's old teacher [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], a distress signal from [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] took precedence, and despite Ratchet's objections, the ship quantum jumped to the ocean world of [[Hydrophena]]. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} There, they encountered more [[Ammonite]]s — who had formed an alliance with Shockwave — and Ratchet was one of the Autobots who boarded the [[Rodpod]] to do battle with the swarm. Though they were able to blast their monstrous combined form apart, the Ammonites reformed and chased them through the ocean until they inadvertently stumbled across a gravely wounded Metroplex. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}}

[[File:BurningBright-she.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Though Ratchet was unsure if Metroplex was still alive, a quick scan confirmed that the Titan had seemingly survived... but that his [[brain module]] had been surgically removed and his spark was dwindling. After disembarking at a dry dock, the team embarked on a search for the Titan's brain module, a search that led them right back to where they started before an Ammonite saboteur destroyed the Rodpod. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} Shortly afterwards, the group were approached by a pair of [[Caminus (planet)|Camien]] Transformers: [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]]. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} As more Ammonites poured into Metroplex to attack, Ratchet, Brainstorm, and Magnus wound up fleeing with the Camiens into Metroplex's left shoulder, where [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] had relcoated Metroplex's brain module. Ratchet was confused by the concept of "[[female Transformer|gender]]" that the three Transformers embodied, and was irritated when Nautica mistook him for Pharma. The group was able to rouse Metroplex back to life by using the ''Lost Light'''s quantum engines to jump-start his systems, and both ship and Titan subsequently teleported back to Cybertron in time to make a stand against the [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]]. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}}

[[File:TheBecoming-MegatronAndRatchet.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Don't be so grouchy, Ratchet. [[The Pri¢e of Life!|It could be worse.]]]]

With Shockwave's plan seemingly stymied, the ''Lost Lighter''s reunited with the Autobots they'd left behind on Cybertron; Ratchet grudgingly reattached Megatron's legs, the Decepticon leader having recently formed an alliance with Bumblebee to stop Shockwave. Ratchet later worked with [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] and [[Flatline (G1)|Flatline]] to help upgrade [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] into a new body. This downtime was cut short when Shockwave returned, supported by a billions-strong swarm of Ammonites, intent on fulfilling the [[Dark Cybertron (prophecy)|"Dark Cybertron" prophecy]] by collapsing the universe. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Ratchet took part in the battle to slow down the Ammonites; {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Shockwave's plan was foiled, but not without Bumblebee seemingly perishing in the course of the battle and Megatron choosing to abandon the Decepticons and become an Autobot. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

As Cybertron struggled to rebuild from the catastrophe, Ratchet found himself part of the High Command cabal discussing Megatron's trial. He was uneasy about the idea of a military trial but it would go ahead. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} He advised that due to all the internal damage Megatron had recently suffered, it would be cruel and unusual punishment to make him take sedatives. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} Shortly after Megatron's trial was adjourned on a legal technicality, Ratchet found Rodimus had been given a list of all the Autobots who'd voted against him staying as captain. A furious Ratchet reminded him that this was an illegal act but since ''Megatron'' was now getting to be an Autobot, the medic was willing to turn a blind eye to this far less minor transgression. When Rodimus asked how he knew, Ratchet snapped "because my name's not on it". {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}}

Ultimately, Ratchet returned to duty aboard the ''Lost Light;'' as part of Megatron's plea bargain, the ex-Decepticon joined the crew of the ship as its "co-captain," and Ratchet took the chance to quietly ask him if Megs could ''really'' make black holes come out of his eyes. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} One of his tasks was to administer "Fool's Energon", a sedative designed to sap Megatron's strength. What only he, Rodimus, and Optimus knew was that there was no such thing as Fool's Energon: as Ratchet's own notes said it would be cruel punishment to deliver a real sedative, they were giving him a placebo. If Megatron ever stopped taking it, they'd know he was about to fall off the wagon. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}}

[[File:PredestinationABeginnersGuide-autopsy.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Shortly after the ''Lost Light'' departed Cybertron once more, Ratchet found himself examining a mysterious coffin that contained a duplicate of Rodimus - unaware that this was an artifact from the "other" ''Lost Light,'' coming into close contact with their ship. The coffin had [[Spectralism|spectralist]] markings on it, which Ratchet believed meant Drift might have made it. He didn't have time to work out what this meant as the ''Lost Light'' began disappearing around him {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} and left him crammed in a Rodpod with other panicked Autobots, trying to stop Tailgate from shooting Megatron on general principle. When random Autobots began mysteriously disappearing, Ratchet and Nightbeat tried to gather data on the missing Autobots and figure out why they were being abducted, but Ratchet was unable to work out anything before he himself disappeared, leaving his hands behind. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} This was due to the quantum-duplicate ''Lost Light'' being so close; after its engines were turned off, the medic returned. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

[[File:ten tentententen.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Following Brainstorm's attempts to use [[time travel]] to subvert the outcome of the Great War and his subsequent trial, Ratchet was reminded of Drift's own ignominious departure from the ''Lost Light'' and decided to step down and let First Aid have his job so he could leave the ''Lost Light'' and put things right. Rather than come out and just ''say'' goodbye to his friends, he invented a "super scraplet" outbreak that would allow him to talk to them. Under cover of medical work, he helped Nautica understand Brainstorm, got Rung to talk to [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], encouraged Skids to talk to ''Rung'', made it clear to Rodimus that Drift had been punished too harshly, and tried to help Magnus. He also discovered that Swerve's bouncer [[Ten]], a reprogrammed [[Legislator]], had developed a full-fledged personality, including an artistic persuasion that led him to carve small toys of his favorite crewmembers. Ratchet managed to arrange it so that he and Ultra Magnus — Ten's favorite Autobot — could be friends.

With all his work done, he quietly departed to search for Drift and left a communicator in case "the new Chief Medical Officer" First Aid wanted to talk to him. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}} This communicator would eventually find its way into the hands of First Aid's own successor, [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}}

{{-}}

===Drift and Ratchet===
{{quote|You know, you shouldn't live in the past. There is only the true moment in which we're currently living.}}
{{quote|You talk like that to deliberately annoy me, don't you?}}
{{quote|Pretty much.|Drift and Ratchet|[[Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1]]}}

[[File:EmpireOfStone1-savinglives.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Look, come on back Drift. Rodimus has started talking to ''me'' now."]]

Ratchet finally found Drift at a [[Galactic Council]] outpost, handing over Decepticon prisoners: Drift had been fighting and capturing rogue 'cons across the outer rim, {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1}} and Ratchet was horrified to find he was letting himself stay damaged and run down. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} Since Drift was determined to find the main Decepticon force, Ratchet inserted himself into the mission. They tracked the Decepticons to a desert plan only to find themselves shot down and their prisoner [[Grit (G1)|Grit]] escaping... only to be accused of treason for being on an Autobot ship. Ratchet was forced to back up Drift when he went to Grit's defence and all three ended up prisoners of [[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]], Drift's old boss who'd co-opted an alien castle. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 1|Empire of Stone #1}}

Ratchet was used to blackmail Drift into finding a "stone army" that Gigatron wanted. After an aborted escape attempt, the Autobots and Grit got chucked in the dungeon (and groused about how it'd been handled) and Ratchet got the truth out of Drift: in his Deadlock days, he'd been to the planet before and seen a vast, slumbering stone army. The medic came up with a plan, the truly lame one of pretending Grit had "killed" Drift so the guard would open the door. An unimpressed [[Knockout (G1)|Knockout]] turned out to be Grit's friend and let them out anyway. The Autobots began to argue after escaping as Drift wanted Ratchet to escape and he was having none of it, asking pointblank why the swordsbot was running himself down. (He didn't answer.) Ratchet and Drift found the stone army, and that it had been hidden from Gigatron by [[Hellbat (Victory)|Hellbat]]. Unfortunately Hellbat found ''them'' {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 2|Empire of Stone #2}} and, planning to kill them after, gleefully revealed that he'd been using cannibalised Transformers for spare parts that could activate the army. Ratchet learned that this was necessary because Drift had ''murdered'' all the local monks on his first visit and they couldn't wake the army.

[[File:EmpireOfStone3-battle.jpg|thumb|left|250px|We can’t hold out forever, Drift, but we can give them one humongous repair bill!]]

Thanks to an attack by Grit, the Autobots escaped captivity and Ratchet took up arms. He then dropped arms to try and save Grit and Drift with a grappling hook. This was successful (Ratchet rule!) but meant the stone army was activated. While Ratchet wanted to alert Cybertron of the threat, the imminent threat of Hellbat's genocidal campaigns meant the trio had to seek Gigatron's help to stop him. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 3|Empire of Stone #3}} This unlikely teamup did destroy the Stone Army but, as far as Drift and Ratchet knew, left the Autobots at the only survivors.

When the medic again tried to get Drift back to the Lost Light, the swordsman said he'd spent his whole life struggling to belong to ''something'' but only ever joined as a killer, and the Hellbat affair just reiterated that he didn't want to live a life where all he could offer was death. Ratchet rephrased the offer: instead of coming back as an Autobot, he should come back as his friend. {{storylink|Drift - Empire of Stone issue 4|Empire of Stone #4}}

[[File:YourFierceTears-RatchetDrift.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]

After a series of adventures against minor Decepticons, Ratchet and Drift were alerted to a problem on [[Necroworld]] by [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity's]] call for help, using the space-time phone he'd left First Aid. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} The two chums landed on Necroworld, just in time to save a brutalised Ten from the Decepticon Justice Division and Deathsaurus's goons. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} The fight went quite badly but just as Ratchet said he wasn't relying on help from above, [[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]] arrived in a ship from above to lift them all to safety!

At an inpromptu base, they discovered that the Autobots stranded here with Megatron were victims of a mutiny on the ''Lost Light''. Ratchet also learned Velocity had been trying to contact ''First Aid'' and had heard, uh, not very nice things about him from First Aid, all of which she blurted by accident. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}} Relations were furthered soured when, after patching up a badly wounded Megatron, he started to read a list of what he'd missed while doing the final touches, much to her open dismay. However, they had to focus on patients together and it was Ratchet that identified an issue she'd missed: Tailgate, who'd become a super-strong [[Outlier (group)|outlier]] after a spark surge, had affected nearby Autobots on the ''Light'' in a way similar to Ultra-Energon, meaning Tailgate could crash badly.

[[File:AtCloseOfDay-Ratchet.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

Ratchet assisted with Chromedome's attempt to hack "the Pet", the Division's beast-former sidekick that he and Drift had taken hostage. Ratchet was horrified to realise "the Pet" had been "[[domestication|domesticated]]", and enraged when Rodimus, despite his angry protests, would not stop Chromedome carrying on despite the risk to him. He urged Chromedome to stand down, in case the process killed him. This gave him a front-row seat for the discovery that the poor unfortunate was the lost [[Dominus Ambus]] and [[Rewind (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rewind]] killing him to save Chromedome from suffering a similar fate.

At sundown, the Decepticons attacked {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} but Velocity had hit on a plan: if someone ''else'' could get traumatised like Tailgate, they could get supercharged too! Ratchet thought little of this idea, knowing how ''badly'' they'd have to traumatise someone but Skids volunteered. As the battle raged, Ratchet fought to keep Skids stable before he could himself join the battle and leave Megatron in charge of the ward. Ratchet continued to needle the ex-Decepticon for not going out until he realised how much Megatron was genuinely afraid of how much he might cut loose. He came clean that Fool's Energon was a conjob and Megatron had ''always'' been at full strength, and had ''chosen'' not to lash out.

[[File:sleep tight, soldier.jpg|thumb||right|300px|Get up. You cannot sleep there, Drift.]]

Unfortunately, that caused Megatron to believe he could indeed go out to save a wounded Ravage and that meant when Skids came to and took himself off the slab, Ratchet was left alone, screaming for Megatron to help him get the Autobot back on the slab before he died. All Ratchet could do was be with Skids as his spark gave out. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} As Megatron singlehandedly took on the DJD, Ratchet tried to save Ravage as the Decepticon explained Megatron's plan to channel [[antimatter]] as a weapon. Before Megatron took down Tarn, however, the Autobots were interrupted when Roller and the other "[[Disappeared]]" Transformers appeared; the Necrobot had used [[time travel]] to pluck them from history and bring them to the Necroworld, and Ratchet happily embraced his old friend. When Rodimus rescued Megatron from the antimatter explosion, Ratchet offered to patch up his wounds... only for Megatron to flip the table in a moment of silent fury as Ravage succumbed to his wounds and died, only for the appearance of [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] to convince him to stand down. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

[[File:Anomie-RatchetAndDrift.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

As the other Disappeared Transformers began readjusting to their new circumstances, Ratchet — after notifying Rung of Skids' sacrifice — was part of the group that Rodimus assembled to go back to Cybertron and obtain a ship, using a jury-rigged teleporter that Brainstorm was able to cobble together. When they used the teleporter, however, they discovered that the device ''did'' teleport them to Cybertron... but to the Cybertron of a ''[[Functionist Universe|parallel universe]],'' thanks to the [[Galactic Council]] firing a [[geobomb]] at the Necroworld that wound up shunting the planet into another timeline. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}}

Trapped in this dystopian universe and taken hostage by [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] and his [[Functionary|Functionaries]], the captive Autobots were paraded through the streets of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]; a nearby statue of [[Primus]] prompted Drift to confide in Ratchet that he'd recently seen a vision that incorporated, among other things, an army of [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeaters]] and Pharma. The Functionaries were attacked by the [[Anti-Vocationist League]], who proved so incompetent that they required the assistance of the ''Lost Light''ers to rescue their rescuers. Once they'd seen off the Functionists, their leader [[Clicker]] invited the Autobots back to the city of [[Kalis|Adaptica]]. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} While Rodimus and the other Autobots met with their leader, the rebellious [[Nine-of-Twelve]], Ratchet and Megatron got acquainted with the foot soldiers of the AVL. Their brief respite was interrupted when the rest of the Functionist Council announced that the "Day of Revelation" had come, revealing the native [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s alternate mode as a gigantic mining drill... and also the return of [[Moonbase Two|Luna Two]], thought lost in this universe following a prior conflict. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

[[File:BadMoonRising-Ratchet.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Ratchet was immediately skeptical of Rung's "alternate mode," pointing out that he was most likely a victim of "forced [[Size changing|mass displacement]]." As Luna Two, revealed as a massive re-engineered [[harvester unit]], began laying waste to Adaptica, Ratchet joined Rodimus and some other Autobots on a mission to the core of Cybertron to rescue Rung. Ratchet's suspicions were confirmed when Rung's drill tank was revealed as a ruse; the Autobot medic was able to deactivate the internal restraints keeping Rung trapped in his alternate mode and unable to talk. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}} Once Rung had been restored to normal, he revealed to Ratchet was his ''true'' function was: the manufacture of [[photonic crystal]]s. Ratchet thus pretended to take Rung hostage in order to bluff the Functionists into letting them go, and the group escaped by teleporting directly into the [[Cog (base)|Cog]], flying the Functionist fortress over Adaptica to launch a last-ditch attack on Luna Two. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

When the Cog was subsequently shot down, Rung overrode Ratchet's concerns and used the mass displacement generator in his body to grow to colossal size, fighting the moon head-on. Faced with condemning Functionist Cybertron to death or never being able to return to their native universe, the Autobots were able to come up with a third solution to the problem: teleporting the entire moon to the hollow Necroworld. As they raced to find a working teleporter that would take them up to the moon, Rung perished and Megatron was ultimately left behind with Terminus.

[[File:ThisMachineKillsFascists-RatchetHugsRung.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

On returning to Necroworld and then teleporting back to their own universe, Ratchet took an opportunity to hug the Rung from ''his'' universe. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}

{{-}}

===Beyond the afterlife===
[[File:Sardines-terrific.jpg|thumb|right|200px|It's only a matter of time before [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] releases a toy with this deco...]]

Rodimus came up with a new plan: using mass displacement, they would enlarge the body of a [[Skip|dead Decepticon with a spaceship alternate mode]] and use it to reach the ''Lost Light'' so that Rodimus could get even with Getaway. Ratchet was one of the Autobots who accompanied him. {{storylink|After Megatron (A Dissolution Epilogue)|After Megatron}}

After briefly stopping off at [[Troja Major]], {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} {{storylink|Chasing the Infinite}} the Autobots quickly began getting on one another's nerves amidst the cramped confines of the vessel; with tempers rising, events quickly took a strange turn when Ratchet's body began suffering from [[aggressive depigmentation]] despite him still being alive, which quickly worsened to a strange form of intangibility that led him to begin sinking through the floor. {{storylink|Sardines}} Things got even stranger when Ten displayed the power of speech and took command, ordering them all to the nearest [[Mederi]] center... only for the ship's mass displacement to wear off at that moment. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}} Badly exposed to the ravages of compressed space, their mangled bodies drifted to the nearest planet... which just so happened to be the original Mederi, a euthanasia clinic that sent its patients into idyllic dreams to ease their passing. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}} To the Cybertronians, this dream took the appearance of the mythical "[[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]]." Ratchet awoke, healed from his mysterious illness, and arrived where Rodimus had awoken to confirm that Ten had recently "ascended" to the full Afterspark — in reality, dying as the Mederi clinic worked its programming. Ratchet was skeptical of the reality of their situation; it took Whirl reminding him that he had been dying in the real world to temporarily shut him up. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}}

[[File:YouAreHere-tampering.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

When Rodimus announced his intention to speak to the [[Guiding Hand]], who supposedly ruled the afterlife, his request was granted; Rodimus was granted an audience with the "Guiding Hand," and selected Ultra Magnus, Drift, and Ratchet to be his counsel, representing law, faith, and science. Still skeptical, Ratchet was unfazed when the Guiding Hand turned down Rodimus's request to return to the living world. Rematerializing outside a temple, the group investigated, with Ratchet discovering a disguised "Ward Zero" filled with alien telepaths and guarded by the [[Omega Guardian]]s. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (2): The God War|The God War}} As Ultra Magnus dispatched the Omega Guardians, Ratchet quickly realized the truth behind Mederi; despite Drift's objections, he shattered the power system that kept the aliens alive and powering the [[holomatter]]-fuelled systems that shaped the illusions of the Afterspark. Ratchet informed the rest of the group that they had, indeed, reached the original Mederi, and, indeed, the planet where the legend of "Cyberutopia" began. The mundane truth behind their quest was soon cut short when a swarm of Sparkeaters appeared overhead - Sparkeaters that had once been the rest of the crew aboard the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (3): You Are Here|You Are Here}}

Ratchet and the group would soon learn that Getaway had found "Cyberutopia" as well before meeting a mysterious figure called the [[Adaptus|Grand Architect]] with a [[Worldsweeper]] fleet. Bargaining for his life, Getaway allowed the Architect's ally Scorponok to turn his crew into Sparkeaters as a bulwark against Rodimus's forces when they arrived. Ratchet and the others tried to find a way to protect themselves from the Sparkeaters without hurting their infected friends. They retreated back inside the Mederi center at Ward Zero to barricade themselves while Rodimus led a small crew up to the ''Lost Light'' to confront Getaway. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 1): A Dance Before Dying|A Dance Before Dying}} Ratchet and the other doctors searched for a cure, and the newly returned First Aid discovered the means for emitting a kinetic program code that shut down the Sparkeater virus. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 2): Lūstrāre|Lūstrāre}}

The ''Lost Light'' was reclaimed and everyone assembled on board, just as space itself became threadbare, sucking them into a rift to the [[Benzene Cluster. The group were surrounded by the [[Black Block Consortia]], more agents of the Grand Architect. One of their recently encountered allies was [[Nickel]], a Decepticon carrying the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]], the font of infinite knowledge from [[Ki-Aleta]]. Curiously, when the Grand Architect asked for a meeting with their key officers, the Magnificence spoke up and named Ratchet along with Rodimus, Tailgate, and Rung. Rodimus refused to leave anyone behind, though, and so the entire crew came aboard the Architect's Worldsweeper.{{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}} A deeper game was being played, for the Grand Architect had cast five copies of Cybertron from an enormous mold, crafting a celestial [[God Gun]] to defend the universe from a monstrous avatar of "[[Primus]];" in reality, the Cybertron of the [[Funcitonist Universe]], refashioned into a colossal [[robot mode]] and crossing dimensions to continue its mission of religious genocide. Megatron arrived from that universe as well through a rift in space, and tried to rescue the team by blowing out the Worldsweeper's windows. Most of the group escaped this way, but Ratchet and a few others were trapped behind. The Grand Architect then revealed himself [[Adaptus]], clad in the body of Pharma, whom he had recovered from Luna-1. The group soon learned that ''all'' of the members of the Guiding Hand had survived into the present day, and their adventures had brought them into contact with all of them: the Necrobot was [[Mortilus]], Epistemus the Magnificence, Solomus Tyrest, and Primus himself... no other than Rung. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

Ever the skeptic, Ratchet was quick to dismiss this claim, until Rung himself corroborated it, explaining to the group the circumstances behind his unlikely origins and the events that led to him recovering his memory of his old life. All of this, it transpired, had been a long game by Adaptus, but the Archietct was killed by a furious Tyrest, and in the chaos Rodimus was able to use Tyrest's teleportation function to transport Ratchet and the others back to the ''Lost Light'' on the surface of the last Cybertron to discuss their next moves. The Magnificence itself began contributing ideas, ordering Rung to use his abilities to create several [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices of Leadership]] that would annihilate the Primus-avatar from within; this was soon revealed to be the work of the malicious [[Omega Guardian]]s, who sought to return to the universe and consume everything... only to be silenced by Nickel, who crushed the artifact between her hands. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremembering}}

Instead, the alliance hit upon a new plan; using Rung, they would create ''twelve'' Matrices, then fly down to the surface of Cybertron—returned to planet-mode by the arrival of [[Moonbase One|Luna-1]]—to open them above the planet's [[hot spot]]s. Rung sacrificed himself to do so, and thanks to the [[Infinite]] air support Ratchet and Drift were deployed over [[Vespertine Blue]] with Drift. As the two prepared to open the Matrix and by activating the "[[morality lock]]" each one possessed, the pair confessed that they both felt the same way about one another, and this confession seemingly allowed a triumphant Ratchet to open his Matrix, the energies combining with the other eleven to overload Vector Sigma, killing the Functionist Council and saving the universe. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

Choosing to remain on this "new Cybertron," an agreement was eventually reached with Prowl that the ''Lost Light's'' engines would be stripped from the ship and repurposed to fuel the development of the new hot spot that the Matrices had ignited on Luna-1; in the meantime, however, the crew would be allowed one last, brief "victory lap" to say their goodbyes before Megatron went away to stand trial for his crimes. Ratchet and Drift settled in for a goodbye party at Swerve's, explaining their theory that Drift's frequent visions were premonitions sent to him by the staff of Mederi. Finally, Nautica, Brainstorm, and Perceptor announced that they could attempt to recreate the accident that began their voyage: this time shunting a duplicate of the ''Lost Light'' into a parallel universe so that a version of them could continue exploring the galaxy forever. Though the crew of the ship would never know if their plan had worked, it ''had'', with a new version of the ''Lost Light'' materializing in a new universe, ready for more adventures.

In the original universe, Ratchet and Drift became [[Conjunx Endura|Conjunx Endurae]], living and loving together on New Cybertron for many years until the day that Ratchet's age finally caught up with him, manifesting as a terminal case of "age-related burnout." Despite his gruff assessment of this diagnosis, Ratchet ultimately passed away shortly afterwards. His last wishes were to have his parts sent to medical centers across Cybertron, with the [[innermost energon]] that the mourners would offer at his funeral being donated to help [[Lunarian]] resettlement efforts.

At his funeral, many former members of the ''Lost Light'' visited to pay their respects, offering their innermost energon and other mementos of their voyage. Rodimus would be the last member of the old ship to visit, placing Megatron's old [[Rodimus Star]] on his memorial above his final epitaph: "WITHOUT LOVE THERE IS NO MEANING." {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}
{{-}}

==Spotlight: Mirage==
Ratchet was with the Autobots hiding out in the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]], with most of the Autobot forces having been defeated. He tended to the seriously wounded Jetfire injuries, and suggested surrender to the Decepticons to save their fellow Autobot's life. When [[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] (disguised as Bumblebee) and the Decepticons attacked, he attempted to reason with the Decepticon mercenary about Jetfire's condition, only to be attacked for his trouble. After the Autobots surrendered, he was furious when Mirage betrayed his word and prepared to carry out Megatron's order to execute the Autobots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}

This was part of a vision Mirage was having in the main timeline. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

==The Functionist Universe==
In the [[Functionist Universe]], where the war had never broken out, the "native" version of Ratchet had remained close friends with Pharma. The two could be seen having a friendly conversation on Cybertron. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}

==Notes==
*Ratchet was one of the characters who both [[James Roberts]] and [[John Barber]] wanted for their respective books.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309188#309188 James Roberts:] As for the divvying up, we both started off with two or three characters that had been dictated – actually, that’s the wrong word – by IDW editorial, then came up with a core cast wish list. There were only a few clashes. I would have liked Prowl and Wheeljack and I think John would have liked Magnus and Ratchet. We compromised.</ref>
*James Roberts attributed Ratchet's new attitude in ''More than Meets the Eye'' almost entirely to the imminent failure of his hands.<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309422#309422 James Roberts:] I know that some people think I’ve made Ratchet too crotchety, for example—although in my defense I’d argue that a lot of his grumpiness was the result of watching his hands die before his eyes</ref>
*Ratchet shows no surprise when Overlord appears on the ''Lost Light'' and turns to blind the [[Phase Sixer]] ''without actually seeing him.'' It's possible (and probable) that he saw the Decepticon in the reflection of the datapad he was holding but still...great reflexes for an old timer with replaced hands...

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Medics]]

Chromedome (G1)

2019-03-17T01:18:47Z

Pyrl: /* IDW Generation 1 continuity */ made it say gay rights. thank you.

{{featured}}
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{{disambig2|the heroic Autobot|his evil mirrorverse counterpart|Chromedome (SG)}}
{{suite}}
:''Chromedome is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Chromedome manga.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"You're such a coward, Wally!"]]
In most [[universal stream]]s, '''Chromedome''' (aka '''Tumbler'''<ref name="tumbler">"Tumbler" was revealed to have been Chromedome's original name in the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]]. See [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity#Notes|here]] for more details.</ref>) is a comparatively quiet academic. Originally a number-cruncher at [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s [[Institute for Higher Programming]] working on ways to improve the processing power of the [[Transformer]]s' computerized minds, Chromedome found himself forcibly dragged into the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] when a [[Decepticon]] attack destroyed the facility. Chromedome put his work to use programming Autobots so they could outsmart their Decepticon foes, but alas, only wound up fostering an intellectual arms race of sorts, in which both sides competed to repurpose the newest advances in programming into military advantages. Ground down over the years by this inevitability, Chromedome has come to accept that war with the Decepticons cannot be prevented—but only won. Well-versed in the mechanisms of the Cybertronian mind, Chromedome has been known to specialize in [[mnemosurgery]], the science of manipulating the Transformer brain and the memories within.

In some universes, Chromedome is [[binary bonding|binary bonded]] to the egotistical [[Nebulan]] [[Stylor]], who is more concerned with the finer things in life than intellectual or military pursuits. As such, the two occasionally clash, with Chromedome trying to get Stylor to be a little less superficial, and Stylor trying to bring out Chromedome's more social side, but generally speaking, they get along quite well despite their differences.

As a quiet 'bot of the mind, Chromedome has a tendency to fade into the background, but there also exist universal streams in which he has foregone science and taken to the front lines of battle to become a much more prominent figure. The Chromedome of [[#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|these worlds]] is barely recognisable as the reserved scientist of those more well-known realities: instead, he is a hot-headed youth [[Burning justice|burning]] with an incredible passion for justice who even serves as [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]'s trusted, if impulsive and occasionally-irrational, second-in-command. He also works with the [[Partner Drone]] [[Moguru]].

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
A long time ago, on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Chromedome was part of an Autobot strike unit led by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Fortress Maximus]]. This unit operated out of a cave dug into the [[Manganese Mountains]], and often worked to foil the schemes of their primary nemesis, [[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}} ''Chromedome was computer programmer, but grew increasingly disillusioned with his work being channeled exclusively into military uses.'' {{storylink|Stylor's Story}} Chromedome's last major mission on Cybertron was to upset a slave march to the [[smelting pool]]s. After that, however, Fortress Maximus revealed to the Autobots that he had grown sick of warfare, and planned to escape the endless ring of hate by immigrating to a new world altogether: [[Nebulos]]. At first, Chromedome was shocked, but eventually he and many others chose to join Fortress Maximus on his quest for peace.

[[File:Brokenglass-autobotstorage.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Nebulan floors apparently are built as an upward slope.]]
Upon arrival on Nebulos, Chromedome chided Brainstorm for analyzing their new home with his digital readouts rather than just looking around. Indeed, Chromedome found that Nebulos was "a paradise". But when their attempts to forge an alliance with the native [[Nebulan]]s failed (due to sabotage for political reasons), Chromedome suggested that they "talk some sense" into their new neighbors. Their unit was met with military force and Fortress Maximus ordered Chromedome and the others into the woods.

Despite these setbacks, Fortress Maximus was determined to wage peace, not war. He brought an envoy of Autobots, including Chromedome, to the Nebulan capitol of [[Koraja]] to once again plead for peace. When the Nebulans still were not totally swayed after he and his Autobots disarmed, Maximus removed his own head from his shoulders, leaving his body deactivated and inoperable in the Nebulans' care. Chromedome and three other Autobots joined their leader in his gesture. It was this gesture which finally ushered in a cease fire with the Nebulans. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}

[[File:BrokenGlass-Chromedomeoof.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|As the saying goes, "Look before you boing your car into the air."]]
Chromedome and the four others who had removed their heads were kept confined within Koraja while the Council of Peers, collateral for a peaceful Autobot settlement within the forest. Soon, however, Scorponok's Decepticons followed the Autobots to Nebulos and attacked Koraja. The peaceful Nebulan [[Galen]] refused to surrender the captive Autobots to the Decepticons, but the terms of the cease fire prohibited the Autobots' heads be returned to their bodies. Instead, a loophole was sought. At first Galen and a few like-minded Nebulans attempted to operate the Autobot bodies by remote control, but this was an awkward solution. The Nebulan scientist [[Arcana]] suggested something more elegant yet groundbreaking - the Nebulans should undergo the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster process]], surgically altering themselves to become the heads of the Autobots! [[Stylor]] volunteered to undergo the process to become Chromedome's head, and the procedure commenced. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}} ''Stylor would later narrate how fantastic the process of bonding with Chromedome had been for him. ''{{storylink|Stylor's Story}}

The new Headmaster Autobots met the Decepticons in battle, and the Decepticons were amazed at how powerful and agile their foes had suddenly become. Chromedome was able to leap out of the way of Scorponok's deadly stinger attack ''in car mode'', to Scorponok's incredulity, though he did land up-side down. When the Decepticons realized how outclassed they were, they staged a panicked retreat, and the Autobots returned to the city streets victorious. Along with the others, Chromedome removed his head so that the Nebulans could see that the terms of the cease fire were not broken, and they were met as heroes. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

[[File:Loveandsteel-runfortmaxrun.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Chromedome thinks Fort Max is being a little passive-aggressive about the whole [[Alternate mode|altmode]] thing.]]
Despite their newfound celebrity, the populace was still wary of Chromedome and the others, so the [[Council of Peers]] arranged an inspection. Chromedome's body stood by silently as the Council of Peers expressed concerns with the Autobots' Nebulan partners. They were interrupted by a distress call from Galen's political rival, Lord [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]], who had been kidnapped by the Decepticons. Fortress Maximus led Chromedome and the other Headmasters into battle, but the kidnapping was a ruse. Zarak and his political cronies had undergone the Headmaster process themselves, but with the Decepticons! Now evenly matched, the battle turned against the Autobots when they were forced to come to the aid of the Council of Peers, after which the Decepticons shot the Autobots in the back. Scorponok and the Decepticons claimed Chromedome, his partner, and the other Autobots as prisoners. {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

Here they remained until Lord Zarak, with the last remaining bits of his dwindling sanity, realized the destruction he'd wrought upon his own homeworld. He set the Autobot Headmasters free, hoping to follow the Autobots to another world so they could leave Nebulos in peace. On their way out of Koraja, Chromedome and the other Headmasters battled the new Decepticon [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]]. Once they escaped the Targetmasters, they returned to the Autobot camp in the forest, where the Headmasters learned of a distress signal from other Autobots on [[Earth]] and prepared to depart Nebulos. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

[[File:WorldsApart-Chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Every time Chromedome says this, Furman gets a dollar.]]
''Before they left, however, the Autobot Headmasters had another encounter with their Decepticon opposite numbers. After the Targetmasters were captured by the Decepticons for analysis and dissection, Chromedome and the Headmasters went out looking for them, only to run into the Decepticon Headmasters on the way. After Chromedome stared down [[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]], the Autobots regrouped to follow Mindwipe, the last of their attackers, who was apparently fleeing for safety. After entering the Decepticons' Fortress of Despair, however, Chromedome and the others realized they had been led into a trap, and were confronted by the might Scorponok and the Decepticon Targetmasters. In order to help even the odds, the Autobot Targetmasters were freed, but the Autobots weren't out of the woods yet. Chromedome singlehandedly fought Scorponok, lecturing his massive nemesis about how despite the differences between him and his partner Stylor, their shared purpose made them stronger than might alone. His speech helped renew Highbrow and Gort's bond, which had weakened throughout the fight due to their conflicting viewpoints. Once they were back in the fight, they helped Chromedome pummel down Scorponok, who was ultimately forced to withdraw.'' {{storylink|Worlds Apart!}}

''Chromedome and Stylor witnessed a duel between Fortress Maximus and Scorponok, with overall victory between the two factions at stake. However, the clash turned out to be a distraction set-up by the Decepticons to steal a fuel convertor. With it in hand, the Decepticons blasted off towards Earth, forcing the Autobots to follow.'' {{storylink|The Final Conflict}}

{{note|The events in this UK story differ in significant ways to the [[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]] mini-series.}}

[[File:TrialbyFire-Chromedome.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|Eek, don't tell Rewind he's still doing this.]]
During the long journey to Earth, the Autobot Headmasters had Fortress Maximus heavily upgraded into a larger, more powerful body. Once their construction was completed, Chromedome introduced Fortress Maximus's full arsenal of abilities to the others, including his battle station mode and [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]]. Upon arrival, Fortress Maximus, Chromedome and the other Headmasters took a shuttle down to Earth's surface, and located the caves in [[Mount St. Hilary]] where the distress call had first been broadcast. They also found the broadcaster himself, an Autobot named [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Goldbug]] whose [[brain module]] had been retrofitted into a tiny electronic toy car. [[Toy Soldiers!|Long story]]. Scorponok and the Decepticon Headmasters had also come to Earth after the distress call, however, and a battle broke out. The battle proved costly, as Galen died protecting an Earthling from Scorponok. He passed on his control helmet to this boy, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], leaving Fortress Maximus and the Autobots in his hands. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

Fortress Maximus's group of Autobots inevitably met up with the group of Earthbound Autobots led by [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. Unfortunately, Grimlock was difficult to deal with, and so their meetup resulted in a battle for Autobot supremacy between Grimlock and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]]. Chromedome disembarked along with the rest of the ''[[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]]'' crew to watch the fight. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

When the [[Micromaster]] [[Air Strike Patrol]] raided [[MacDill Air Force Base]], returned Autobot leader [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] led nearly all of the Autobots' forces to its rescue, including Chromedome. But when Optimus began to suspect fowl play from a third party, he ordered the Autobots to retreat back to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] without him. At first they were hesitant to leave their leader behind, but Chromedome and the others eventually agreed. {{storylink|All the Familiar Faces!}}

[[File:EyeoftheStorm-legquest.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|And so Prime sez back, "Maybe if you were [[Ratchet (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ratchet]] [[Yesterday's Heroes!|I would care]]."]]
Soon it was learned that the vengeful chaos god [[Unicron]], their forgotten enemy, had learned the location of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and was headed there to destroy the Transformers' creator [[Primus]]. Since the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] was the only thing that could destroy him, Optimus Prime sent teams to find it. However, the new Decepticon leader [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] returned with it instead, and Chromedome and the other Autobots on board fought the Matrix-possessed [[Pretender]]. The corporeal form of the Matrix's increasing evil influences grabbed Chromedome and tried to throw him at [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], but missed. Good for Blurr, but not so great for Chromedome. {{storylink|All Fall Down}} After Thunderwing was defeated (and unfortunately the Matrix as well), Chromedome was sent to [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] for repairs. He snarked to [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] that he'd had enough of the [[Matrix Quest]], and was ready for a "leg quest." Chromedome was still being repaired when Optimus Prime announced over the Ark's communications system that he was surrendering the Autobots to Scorponok's Decepticons in the desperate hope that it would encourage an alliance between them against Unicron. {{storylink|Eye of the Storm}}

Ultimately, the Transformers were transported to Cybertron to face Unicron. Like any very smart individual, Chromedome was last seen transforming into his car mode and driving away as fast as he absolutely could. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{NoteRG1}}
[[File:Chromedome stylor project lazarus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1]]
Following the invasion of Cybertron by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s [[Blitz Engine]]s, Chromedome was last seen in car mode driving towards them very fast, alongside [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]], [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], [[Siren (G1)|Siren]] and [[Mirage (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Mirage]]. That perhaps wasn't so smart. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}} He managed to make it out all right, though, as after the battle it was reported that he had successfully been reunited with his original head on Nebulos, and Stylor's Headmaster process had been reverse-engineered so that he could reintegrate with Nebulan society. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 1}}

When Cybertron went to war with [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and his [[Hub (G2)|Hub Network]], Chromedome was part of the commando team of Autobots who made a beachhead on the Hub to coordinate a surgical strike on the network. When the strike failed, Chromedome and the others were hunted down by Jhiaxus's [[Primum Fugae]]. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 3}} They were imprisoned at the [[Corral]] until Jhiaxus fell to outside forces. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 4}}
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Frank Welker]] (English), [[Kunihiko Yasui]] (Japanese)|[[Franz Rudnick]] (German, "The Rebirth, Part 1"), [[Bernd Simon]] (German, "The Rebirth", Part 2 & 3)}}
[[File:Rebirth3 chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Chromedome eagerly awaits the cue to speak his one line in the entire series.]]
Chromedome was stationed on Cybertron in 2007 when the combined forces of the Decepticons attacked the planet with the intention of opening the [[Plasma energy|Plasma Energy Chamber]]. Chromedome and his allies were able to steal back the key to the chamber, but not before a bolt of its energy was briefly released, hurling them and their shuttle across the galaxy. Eventually, the shuttle began to slow, as Chromedome noted its engines had finally burned out, but it still had enough momentum to lead it to crash on a nearby alien world. The Autobots survived the crash, but before long, they were captured by a cell of rebel natives, who mistook them for robotic agents of the planet's evil ruling council, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]]. Imprisoned and facing execution by magnetic bombs, Chromedome kept his cool, calmly inquiring as to the name of the planet, and was given his answer by [[Duros]]: [[Nebulos]]. Before the rebels could destroy the Autobots, a squad of Decepticons arrived to steal back the Plasma Energy Chamber key, and although Chromedome helped repel them by hurling the magnetic bombs, the villains managed to abduct several of the Autobots. Chromedome, [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]], [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] tried to give chase, but found their way barred by the Hive's machines. Returning to the rebels' base, they learned the story behind the Hive and their machines, and decided to employ a theory devised by Brainstorm that would see the Nebulans bond with the Autobots as "Headmasters" to help defeat by the Decepticons and the Hive. The enthusiastic Chromedome was the first to volunteer for the process, and was bonded to rebel strategist Stylor. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

[[File:Rebirth2 chromedome and stylor.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.15|You know what they say about people who dress like their cars...]]
Chromedome and his fellow new-born Headmasters proceeded to smash their way through the Hive's machines and rescue their friends from the Decepticons; during the battle, Chromedome personally shot down [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]. This defeat prompted the Hive and the Decepticons to join forces to become Headmasters and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]] themselves, and when they attacked once more, Chromedome and [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] found themselves no match for the [[Horrorcon]]s. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}

With the key back in their hands, the Decepticons departed Nebulos and returned to Cybertron, which [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] then moved into Earth orbit, planning to destroy both worlds by opening the Plasma Energy Chamber and using its energy to explode the [[Sun]]. Chromedome and the Autobots followed them, but when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] insisted that the Plasma Energy Chamber key ''not'' be destroyed (in accordance with the wishes of [[Vector Sigma]]), their Nebulan allies rebelled and ran off, leaving Chromedome and the other Headmasters stuck in vehicle form. Following their partners into the bowels of the Decepticon city-robot Scorponok, Chromedome and the Autobots were captured, but were thankfully saved by the arrival of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and his new creation, Fortress Maximus. Subsequently, the Plasma Energy Chamber was deactivated and the Decepticons were exiled to deep space, and with the [[Golden Age]] of Cybertron restored, Chromedome returned to Nebulos with the Headmasters and Targetmasters to help to eradicate every last trace of the Hive's evil from the planet. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{-}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
[[File:FlashForward3-Headmasters.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|My head, uh, lost some weight.]]
Following [[Hi-Q]]'s kidnapping, Chromedome turned out with Highbrow, Crosshairs and Brainstorm to brief [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]'s team. {{storylink|A Flash Forward, Part 3}}
{{-}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Chromedome is a small robot who transforms into a head and controls a larger, lifeless [[Transtector]] body. The Headmasters toyline referred to the small robot as "Chrome", with "Chromedome" being the name of the combined small robot/Transtector form, but this distinction of nomenclature is made in fiction only very rarely, with the character usually being referred to as "Chromedome" regardless of what form he takes.}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Hideyuki Hori]] (Japanese), [[Jack Murphy]] (English)}}
[[File:Hmep8 chromedome and abel.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Oh, where is your silicon, baby?]]
Four million years ago, Chromedome and his friends [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]] and [[Abel]] were among a group of [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronians]] who departed Cybertron under the leadership of Fortress, seeking to escape the eternal war that had consumed the planet. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their craft to crash-land on the planet Master, an inhospitable world whose murderous environments and wildly changeable atmospheric conditions threatened the lives of the Cybertronians almost as soon as they stepped off their ship and were caught in a desert of sinking sands. The need for survival fostered several technological advances, and the Cybertronians fought against the odds to make a life for themselves on the planet. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} This relative peace was eventually disrupted, however, when a shadowy ninja able to transform into six different modes attacked an [[energon]] mining facility on the planet. Abel tried to drive him off, only for the ninja to brutally murder Abel and his militia group in front of Chromedome's eyes. As he cradled his friend's dead body, Chromedome felt hatred towards evil-doers for the first time in his life and vowed vengeance against the Decepticon. {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}}

[[File:Headmasters tf stuck.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|A ''Body''master technology?..]]
When the scientists of Master made their next quantum leap of technology with the creation of larger, lifeless Transformer bodies called [[Transtector]]s, Chromedome and many of his comrades underwent rigorous physical and mental training to master the art of [[transformation]], learning to transform into heads that connected to the Transtectors, placing them under their control. While Jack unfortunately washed out of the program, {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}} Chromedome was one of ten warriors who became one of these elite "Headmasters" (even if he ''did'' have a little trouble getting his Transtector to transform the first time out). Unfortunately, half their number soon rebelled against Fortress's leadership, siding against him with a traitor named [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], who soon forged an alliance with the Decepticon leader, [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

[[File:Hmep2 chromedome.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Perspective by [[Pat Lee]].]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Chromedome and his fellow Autobot Headmasters traveled to the planet to help their comrades defend their homeworld. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Making a dramatic entrance in the middle of the conflict, Chromedome grappled with [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] and helped [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] thwart [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]]'s hypnotism, before Fortress's Battleship Maximus forced the Decepticon off. The Autobot Headmasters then formally introduced themselves to Cybertron's Autobots, and Chromedome proposed that they accompany [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] to Earth to help him search for the missing [[Matrix of Leadership]], needed to stabilize the malfunctioning [[Vector Sigma]]. [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] argued against the notion, and he and Chromedome immediately started fighting, so Hot Rod sidelined them for the moment and headed to Earth with [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] instead. Blaster perished during the search, and the emotionally shaken Wheelie told Chromedome they were now counting on him and the Headmasters. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Chromedome's team quickly joined Hot Rod on Earth and held off the Decepticon Headmasters while Hot Rod recovered the Matrix. Together, the group returned to Cybertron, where Hot Rod used the Matrix to become [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] once more, but he was unable to stabilize Vector Sigma in time, forcing [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] to sacrifice his life to do so. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

When the Decepticons unveiled their newest invention, the [[Madmachine]], Chromedome's plan to attack [[Chaar]] directly was shot down. He and the Headmasters then acted like a bunch of insensitive pricks to the Autobot Cassettes, who were still mourning the loss of Blaster, but pulled their heads out of their butts when Blaster was resurrected as Twincast. They then helped the [[Throttlebot]]s defend Cybertron against the Madmachine, destroying the evil device. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} A little later, Chromedome and Hardhead hunted down a stowaway on Battleship Maximus, only for it to turn out to be [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] and Wheelie. With the two youngsters at their side, Chromedome and the Headmasters then went on to help liberate the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]] from Decepticon control. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} Daniel was also instrumental in destroying the Decepticons' metal-warping meteor [[Metamorphose]], and Chromedome and the Headmasters helped hold the Decepticon forces off so the boy could complete his task. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}}

[[File:Hmep7 chromedome crossheadon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Chromehead or Harddome?]]
Investigating word of a Decepticon attack on the planet [[Praum]], Chromedome and the Autobot Headmasters found themselves caught in a trap sprung by their old enemy Scorponok. Trapped in a subterranean chamber with the planet's endless desert sands pouring in on top of them, the Headmasters recalled their early days on Master, and decided to try their head-swapping "[[Head Formation|Cross-Head On]]" technique to boost their power and free themselves. Chromedome ''meant'' to switch heads with Highbrow, but accidentally wound up on top of Hardhead's Transtector instead. Nevertheless, the idea worked, and the freed Headmasters took the fight to the Decepticons, with Chromedome pummelling Galvatron himself. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}}

[[File:Hmep8 chromedome ninjastar.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Chromedome wonders if ninja stars are edible.]]
After a sextet of mysterious blackmailers threatened six nations on Earth, the Headmasters staked out [[New York City]], where Chromedome took offense to his team-mates comparing the Statue of Liberty's looks to [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]'s. Hop-scotching around the globe trying and failing to keep up with the blackmailers, the Headmasters were at the end of their rope, and subsequently began fighting with the [[Trainbot]]s when they found out they taken Daniel and Wheelie shopping in Japan. Chromedome had the decency to feel like a jerk when Daniel got upset at the fight, and calmed down long enough to apologise. Looking at a ninja star Daniel had bought in Japan, Chromedome was suddenly reminded of the shadowy ninja's visit to Master years beforehand. Realizing that they were not dealing with six blackmailers, but with that selfsame six-changing ninja, Chromedome and the Headmasters made peace with the Trainbots and worked together to stop the mysterious mech and uncover his true identity: the Decepticon ninja commander, [[Sixshot]]! Sixshot was able to escape justice, but the long-standing desire Chromedome had for revenge over Abel's murder had been reawakened in the Headmaster's heart. {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}}

[[File:Hm10 chromedome telepathy.jpg|thumb|A little known fact is Chromedome's Autobot symbol on his chest is ALSO his weak point. How do you think he found out Scorponok's?]]
Chromedome and Hardhead were investigating the Decepticons' movements on Earth when the villains' assembled forces staged a massive attack on Cybertron in order to obtain the new alloy, [[cybertonuron]], that had been developed by Vector Sigma. The duo headed straight to Cybertron and regrouped with their allies, launching into battle with the Decepticon Headmasters. During the fight, however, their enemies mysteriously pulled out, {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} so the Headmasters split up to hunt them down. After locating the Decepticons, Chromedome used his Headmaster powers to telepathically summon his allies to his side so they could keep Weirdwolf and [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]] busy while he chased Mindwipe through Cybertron's subterranean tunnels. Chromedome caught up to Mindwipe in Vector Sigma's chamber, where the Decepticon hypnotist revealed he was planting bombs that would destroy the planet. All attempts to remove the bombs failed, forcing Chromedome to return to the surface and sound the alarm. The Transformers all withdrew from Cybertron, which was then devastated when the bombs exploded. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[File:Hm11 chromedome arcee dance.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Oh, Calculon!]]
Despite this sad turn of events, punctuated by the departure of Rodimus Prime and the appointment of Fotress as leader in his place, the Autobots pressed on, and even held a party to announce the successful completion of the [[Sol 1]] satellite, a joint venture between the Autobots and [[human]]ity, during which Chromedome danced with Arcee. It wasn't all good news, however: Chromedome and the Headmasters failed to prevent Sol 1 from falling into Decepticon hands, and were forced to destroy it rather than let their enemies keep it. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Chromedome's team was at least able to get one in the win column when they helped saved a South American village from a Decepticon-instigated volcanic eruption. Chromedome was given a necklace by village girl [[Alyssa]] as thanks. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} Later, Chromedome joined in the defence of [[San Francisco]] when the city was attacked by the Decepticons with [[Buridanka|a giant carnivorous plant]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

When Spike, Daniel, Wheelie and the Trainbots uncovered a Decepticon plot to destroy [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], Chromedome and the Headmasters headed straight to the red planet to aid them. After defeating [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] and rescuing Daniel and Wheelie, however, the Headmasters were caught in a trap and used as bait to lure Battleship Maximus into position so it could be immobilized. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Chromedome's team fought on against the Decepticon Headmasters and the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], but when Scorponok arrived with his new ultimate weapon—a gigantic Transtector of his own—the fight was lost. Although Chromedome and the Autobots were able to escape, Mars was destroyed by Scorponok's [[plasma energy]] bombs. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[File:Hmep16 chromedome wobbles.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Chromedome fails miserably at the Soulja Boy dance.]]
Furious after the destruction of Mars, Chromedome was determined to get revenge, despite Fortress's orders. He and Hardhead hid themselves in the Maximus's cargo hold in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], and when the ship went on patrol on the fringes of Decepticon territory, the pair ejected and headed for Chaar on their own. Much to their irritation, however, Autobot deep-cover agent [[Punch (G1)|Punch]] had been given information on their movements, and fed it to Scorponok, who deployed the Decepticon Headmasters and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] to intercept the pair and see them off. Subsequently, Chromedome joined in the Autobot attack on Scorponok's coronation on Earth's moon. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Later, Chromedome helped deliver energy to the stricken world of [[Sandra (G1)|Sandra]] by abandoning his Transtector and leaving it to serve as a decoy while he and Hardhead took a small shuttlecraft to the planet. When the Decepticons attacked the planet, Chromedome and Hardhead, still in their small robot forms, used their diminutive size to win the battle by sneaking bombs onto Scorponok's Transtector. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[File:Hmep18 chromedome vs sixshot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Wildcat Rescue Force!]]
Chromedome joined the Headmasters and Trainbots in serving as bodyguards for Spike when he met with Galvatron to discuss the unlikely possibility of the Autobots and Decepticons working on energy research together. When a report from Punch revealed that the "Galvatron" Spike was talking with was actually an impostor, Chromedome had the Trainbots stage a diversion so he could burst in on the negotiations and reveal the deception. The false Galvatron was revealed to be Sixshot in disguise, and a fierce battle erupted between Chromedome and the ninja that ran all down the shoreline. Seeing through Sixshot's tricks, Chromedome wounded him and forced him to retreat. It was discovered that the Decepticons had staged the phoney negotiations to cover for their departure on an interplanetary energy quest, and Chromedome joined the Autobots in pursuing them aboard Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}}

[[File:Hm19 chromedome makk energymoat.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
On the Decepticons' trail through space, the Autobots discovered a ruined ship from [[Hive (planet)|Hive]] floating in space, victims of a Decepticon attack. Chromedome investigated the wreck and discovered [[Makku's father|a survivor]], but the alien did not live long, clinging to life just enough to give Chromedome [[Medal of Valour|a medallion]] to pass down to his son. As they drew closer to Hive, Battleship Maximus came under fire from the suspicious natives, and while Fortress insisted on showing non-resistance, Chromedome's fiery temper flared, and he headed down to the planet's surface on his own to try and speak with Hive's [[Queen Bee]]. On Hive, he met the soldier's son, [[Makku]], who helped him gain an audience with the queen and convince her that the Autobots were on their side. Of course, the Decepticons chose that moment to strike, and Chromedome was blasted into the energy moat around the queen's castle by Galvatron and Sixshot. Luckily, with Makku's help, Chromedome was able to absorb energy from the moat and leap back into the middle of the battle, joining with the other Headmasters in using the Maximus's "Master Shot" cannon to force the Decepticons off. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}}

Shadowing the Decepticons on their way to their next target, the worlds of [[Twin Star]], Chromedome suggested attacking the Decepticons in the void of space. Brainstorm chided him for not thinking his actions through, and the pair started arguing, until Brainstorm's brains helped win the fight on Twin Star. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} On their next stop, the planet [[Daros]], Chromedome's team used the Master Shot again to force the Decepticon off, but sadly not before the Decepticons killed a [[Beastformer]] named [[Tekna]]. In death, however, Tekna left them with a piece of microfilm supposedly containing coded information on Scorponok's weak spot. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}}

[[File:Hm22 chromedome repairs.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Head On! Neck Wrung!]]
While conducting exterior repairs on Battleship Maximus on the way to the planet [[Paradise]], Chromedome goofed pretty badly when he punched the ship's hull in frustration, jostling loose a few important components and sending them floating off into space. Although he was able to fix his mistake, the delay necessitated that Highbrow go on ahead to Paradise, where he was captured by the Decepticons. Once they made it to Paradise, the worried Chromedome led the Headmasters to Highbrow's rescue, and they performed the [[Head Formation]] to power up their team-mate. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Soon after, Chromedome helped battle the Decepticons on [[Pirate Planet]]. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

With the Decepticons' energy raids done, the Headmasters to Athenia. Sadly, Chromedome's team was unable to prevent [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s death at the hands of Sixshot on Earth, but they did arrive in time to deliver a ferocious Head Formation-powered beating to the six-changer. Chromedome's hatred of the ninja only grew. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Magnus's death only galvanized the Decepticons into more aggressive action, and the Autobots were spread thin fighting back. Chromedome and his team followed Galvatron to [[Alaska]], where they used information from Punch to pinpoint his weak spot—his head—and defeat him, entombing him in ice using the power of the Head Formation. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[File:IRiskMyLifeForEarth-Letgoofme.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Head on, hands off.]]
Galvatron's demise allowed Scorponok to take leadership of the Decepticons, and he initiated a plan to destroy the Earth by simultaneously erupting every volcano on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. When Spike realized what they were planning, Chromedome escorted him to Earth to present his findings, only for [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] to come under attack by [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and Sixshot. Consumed with rage, Chromedome rushed to engage Sixshot, and the unprotected Spike was wounded by Trypticon. The Trainbots and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] forced the Decepticons off, but Chromedome was consumed with guilt and anger. He started blaming everyone else, including Fortress, claiming it never would have happened if he had allowed them to take out the Decepticons' Earth base, and in his frenzy, tried to leave for Earth to take care of it himself. Restrained by Hardhead, Chromedome was consigned to Athenia by Fortress, deemed incapable of leading due to his emotional statue. While the other Headmasters headed to Earth to engage the Decepticons on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Chromedome turned his attention to the coded information left to them by Tekna. With Daniel and Wheelie's help, Chromedome was finally able to decode the microfilm and identify Scorponok's weak spot, and raced to Earth to pass it on to Fortress. With Chromedome's information, Fortress was able to defeat Scorponok, and force him and the Decepticons off the Earth. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[File:Hm27 chromedome hardhead cross head on.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Head Off!]]
With the Decepticons gone from Earth, the Autobots set about removing all traces of their evil from the planet. Chromedome and Hardhead were charged with removing the plasma bombs planted along the Ring of Fire, and things were going well until a volcanic tremor caused Chromedome to drop one of the bombs, setting off its timer. Switching heads with Hardhead to boost their strength and courage, the pair ran through the waves of magma and collapsing rock walls, successfully getting the bombs to the surface so Battleship Maximus could take them into space. The intention was to let the bombs detonate harmlessly in the void, but on the way to jettison them, the Maximus encountered a ship from Master containing a group of refugees, pursued by a team of Decepticons. A newly arrived team of elite Autobots—[[Pointblank]], [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]—set out to rescue the Master refugees, when the bombs detonated, causing a plasma explosion that fused the refugees and the Autobots and Decepticons together, creating the [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]]. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Chromedome took an immediate and strong dislike to Pointblank, who considered the Headmasters weak and undisciplined.

[[File:Hm28 chromedome shoots jack.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|So you see, we shouldn't be mad at Jack for leaving us. We should be mad at that [[Decepticon|fruity little club]] for [[Mindwipe (G1)|scrambling his brains]]!]]
Learning from the Master refugees that Scorponok's Decepticons had returned to Master and were causing chaos there, Chromedome returned to his adopted homeworld with the Autobots to help defend the natives. Soon after his arrival, he was reunited with his old friend Jack, who at first pretended like he did not know him: The sight of the successful Headmaster that Chromedome had become reminded him of how he had failed in the same pursuit. Chromedome wouldn't stand for his friend's guff, telling him that just because he was a Headmaster, it didn't mean he was better than Jack, whose incredible scientific mind had helped create Battleship Maximus and the [[Master Sword]]. Jack apologised and welcomed Chromedome properly, but after they parted ways, Sixshot struck, impersonating Chromedome and kidnapping Jack so that the Decepticons could torture information on the composition of the Master Sword out of him. Jack refused to give them any information, so instead, the villains planted a bomb in his body and Mindwipe hypnotised him to walk into Battleship Maximus. The horrified Chromedome was forced to shoot Jack to stop him, and the bomb detonated, taking his life. His hatred of Sixshot burning stronger than ever, Chromedome blasted off the ninja's arms, and was set to pursue him until Pointblank held him back. In the wake of the battle, Chromedome and Pointblank confronted each other, mutually concluding that they didn't ''like'' each other, but they respected one another, and would fight together in the future. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[File:Hm29 chromedome daniel rescue wheelie.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|...And then Chromedome locked that closet door, never to be opened again.]]
Having failed to pry information on the Master Sword from Jack, the Decepticons kidnapped Wheelie in order to ransom him for the data they needed to construct a weapon to counter it. Although Chromedome and Daniel snuck into Scorponok's Transtector and rescued Wheelie, the fight broke out over the data disk, and the Decepticons were able to make off with it. Chromedome, Wheelie and Daniel were charged with cleaning Battleship Maximus for their breach of the rules. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} Using the stolen data, Scorponok created the [[Zarak Shield]], despite Chromedome and his allies' attempts to stop them. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[File:Hm31 pointblank decks chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|LET ME SHOW YOU THE DANCE OF MY PEOPLE!]]
While discussing what the Autobots' next step should be, Chromedome opposed the Targetmasters' plan of luring the Decepticons into space, believing that they might lose them, and advocating a hard strike now before they left Master. The Targetmaters dismissed his plan out of hand, prompting an angry Chromedome to go off on his own an set up a meeting with the young warriors of Master, led by [[Kirk]]. He soon brought the other Headmasters in to join the effort, and together, they formulated a plan that involved luring the Decepticons into the confines of a nearby cloudy mountain range. The plan went wrong, however, when Scorponok emerged from beneath the planet's surface right in the middle of a city, and many of the young warriors died in the disorganized response. Chromedome was forced to call the warriors off, and to make matters worse, Fortress's Master Sword was bested by the Zarak Shield. The victorious Decepticons departed Master, heading back to Earth, while Pointblank punched some sense into Chromedome, blaming him for the entire debacle. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

[[File:Hm32 chromedome sixshot daniel.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Stop, don't hurt Uncle Sixshot! He's so stylized and cool!"]]
The Autobots quickly gave chase, catching up to the Decepticons in space, but the battle that resulted led to Sixshot and Daniel being stranded on the barren planet [[Daira]]. The Autobots were able to track them down after a while, but Chromedome was unconvinced by Daniel's claims that Sixshot was a noble warrior who had protected him. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} Soon after, when Scorponok had to set down in the asteroid belt for repairs, the Autobots caught up another battle broke out. Sixshot decided to settle their rivalry once and for all, and challenged Chromedome to a climactic one-on-one duel on the asteroid [[Juno]]. Chromedome accepted the challenge, refusing to listen to the protestations of Fortress or Daniel, and even punching Brainstorm when he offered to fight as his second, taking it as a slight to his abilities. Ironically, it was Pointblank who supported Chromedome's decision, understanding his feelings because he had been brash and impassioned in his own youth. The pair's fated duel began, but before long, Daniel got in the middle of the fight and tried to stop his two friends from killing each other. A definite outcome was denied Chromedome, however, when bombs Scorponok had planted on the asteroid in an effort to destroy Sixshot began to detonate, forcing the combatants to break off their battle. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[File:Hm35 chromedome hardhead hypnotised.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Thanks to the delay caused by Chromedome's duel, the Decepticons beat the Autobots back to Earth, and began causing chaos, erecting energy-discharging "[[Death Tower]]s" composed from [[crysmagnetal]] around the planet. Upon landing, Chromedome and the Autobots had to rush off to rescue the human victims of a plane crash caused by the Decepticons, which included Daniel's parents. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} After trying and failing to stop the erection of another Death Tower in [[Egypt]], Chromedome and the assembled Autobot army followed the Decepticons to the North Pole for a final mighty battle. During the fight, Chromedome and Hardhead were hit by Mindwipe's hypnotism, but were saved by Twincast and his cassettes. With the Death Towers creating a field of energy that was threatening to tear the Earth apart, Chromedome and the Headmasters joined in Head Formation, hoping to channel their energy into Fortress Maximus and give him the strength to destroy Scorponok and the crysmagnetal. Their own energies were not enough, but at Daniel's suggestion, they expanded their formation to include the assembled Autobot forces. Thus combined in "Final Formation", they provided Fortress with the energy he needed, and the Earth was saved.

Following their defeat at the North Pole, the Decepticons were finally expelled from Earth, and the Autobots prepared to follow them. Chromedome assured Daniel that although the Autobots were leaving, the peace they had brought to the Earth was here to stay. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}
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====''Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!''====
[[File:KPBraveMax.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8]]
Slumped miserably on the barren surface of Master in their smallest robot forms, Chromedome, Fortress and Highbrow's attention was caught when a [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|time-travelling spaceship]] materialized over their heads and crashed nearby. By studying and reverse-engineering the technology found in this spaceship, Fortress and the scientists of Master invented Transtectors and the Headmaster process. {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 1}} {{storylink|Transformers: Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48}} {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 3}}

====''The Great Transformer War''====
[[File:Hmmanga battered headmasters.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Hey, why are you white? - It is the winter camouflage, dude!]]
In the closing days of 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged on Earth and across space, Chromedome and his fellow Autobot Headmasters were active on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], battling their Decepticon counterparts. It seemed that their foes were able to escape them by leaping into a crevasse, but moments later, they came bursting out of the ground beneath the Autobots' feet. Chromedome and company, however, were able to use this to their advantage by sneaking away under cover of the dust cloud the villains' emergence had created. When the cloud cleared, the Decepticons realized they had been beating up each other, and were then promptly flattened as Chromedome and the Autobots ran them over in vehicle mode. The tide of battle turned suddenly with the arrival of the Decepticon ninja [[Sixshot]], who blasted Chromedome's team to cover the Decepticon Headmasters' escape. Informed by their leader [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] that the Decepticons were heading for Cybertron, Chromedome and the other Headmasters set out after them aboard Fortress's Battleship Maximus, with Chromedome particularly excited at the prospect of meeting [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}
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====''The Headmasters'' manga====
[[File:Hmmanga chromedome snatches bomb.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
Shortly after Optimus Prime gave up his life to stabilize Vector Sigma, Chromedome and the Headmasters attended the unveiling of a [[Optimus Prime memorial|bronze statue]] dedicated to Prime's memory on Athenia. Chromedome spoke for the Headmasters, proclaiming Prime the greatest warrior that ever lived. The ceremony was then interrupted by the arrival of the Decepticons in Athenian space, and the Headmasters rocketed off in Battleship Maximus to intercept them. This, it turned out, was part of the Decepticons' plans, as they intended to hurl a bomb into the Maximus when the Headmasters exited it, but Chromedome moved too fast for the Decepticons, disconnecting from his Transtector and snatching the bomb out of Mindwipe's hands. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

[[File:Hmmanga chromedome hardhead vines.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Responding to an SOS from their Beastformer comrades, Chromedome and the Autobot Headmasters headed to planet Beast and split up into two teams to search. Chromedome and Hardhead had the misfortune to stumble into the clutches of [[Reproganmar|some energy-draining vines]], but were cut free by [[Kane]], the Beastformers' human ally. Kane led them to the Decepticon camp, where Brainstorm and Highbrow had been taken prisoner, and proceeded to create a distraction that allowed the two captive Autobots to break free. Kane was then pursued by the Decepticon Headmasters, but Chromedome's team followed them, and took the villains out. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}}

Investigating news of a Decepticon attack on an energy plant in Alaska, Chromedome and the Headmasters were caught by surprise by the Decepticon Headmasters, and prevented from combining with their Transtectors. At first they were forced to flee from the Decepticons' bestial Transtectors, but soon, they were able to execute a "Southern Cross Jump" that carried them over the Decepticons' heads and allowed them to reconnect with their bodies. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}} Later, Chromedome's team went to Earth with the Trainbots to look into reports of the Decepticons stealing energy under the sea, and foiled their plan by destroying their robot squid through teamwork. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 3|The Headmasters #3}} Unfortunately, they had less success when they tried to stop Sixshot from stealing a capsule of emergency food rations, as the Decepticon ninja disappeared in a flash of smoke. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 4|The Headmasters #4}}

[[File:Hmmanga charge arrow.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
On an unknown alien world, Chromedome and Daniel discovered the legendary weapon known as the "[[Charge Arrow]]", and Chromedome felt that with its power in his hands, he could become the greatest warrior in the universe. [[Apeface]] and [[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]] then attacked, and when Chromedome attempted to use the Charge Arrow on them, he discovered he was not worthy enough to control its fabled energies. Knocked unconscious by the Horrorcons' attack, Chromedome had a vision of his Transtector telling him that he was worthy, if only he believed it. Awakening to see the two Decepticons' advancing on Daniel, Chromedome sprang into action, and, fuelled by the need to save his friend, successfully fired the Charge Arrow, frying the Horrocons. When Daniel inquired if he regretted using up the one-shot weapon, Chromedome replied that a warrior is not defined by his weapon. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 5|The Headmasters #5}}

Chromedome and the Headmasters were handing out Christmas presents at a Japanese children's hospital when the Decepticon Headmasters attacked. Chromedome had the Trainbots get as many patients to safety as possible before he and the Headmasters unleashed their "Hell's Great Wheel" attack, sending their enemies whirling off into the sky. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 6|The Headmasters #6}} Not long after, on New Year's Day, Chromedome, Daniel and the Autobots' two newest Targetmasters, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]] and [[Artfire]], responded to a raging fire in [[Shinjuku]]. They were suddenly attacked by the Decepticon Targetmasters, who had started the fire, and were unable to fight back because they were focused on saving lives. Once Fortress Maximus put out the fire by dumping water on it from above, however, Chromedome and his allies were freed up to turn all their firepower on the Decepticons, sending them packing. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}

[[File:Hm manga8 master chrome hurricane.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Soon after the Decepticons' defeat at the North Pole, but before the Autobots' departed the planet, Chromedome gathered with Wheelie, Spike, Daniel and [[Carly]] to say goodbye. The tearful farewell was interrupted by the arrival of [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundblaster]], who had been ordered to stay behind on the planet by Scorponok. Chromedome attempted to attack him, but Soundblaster deployed [[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]] and [[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]] to hold the Witwickys hostage and prevent Chromedome from making a move. It was Daniel who saved the day by leaping on Slugfest and covering his eyes, causing him to run into Overkill, and freeing up Chromedome to hurl Soundblaster over the horizon with his "Master Chrome Hurricane" technique. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 8|The Headmasters #8}}
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====''Super-God Masterforce Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between the planet Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. Chromedome and his fellow Headmasters had further training under the tutelage of Pointblank and the Targetmasters, and grew into mature warriors, who went on to help train the next generation of [[Autobot Master Warrior]]s.

With the space bridge destroyed, travel between Athenia and Earth became severely limited, and so, when news of a [[Devil Z|new Decepticon threat]] rising on Earth reached the Autobots in space from [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] on Earth, it proved difficult to spare any troops. This need fostered another scientific leap: the scientists of Master developed the [[Master-Brace|Masterforce system]], which would allow human beings to bond with Transtectors and defend Earth while the Autobots continued to fight in space. Chromedome participated in the project, and arranged for six Transtectors and six sets of [[Master-Brace]]s to be sent to Earth on a transport ship. Unfortunately, the ship was intercepted by the Decepticons in transit, and half its cargo was stolen, leading to the birth of [[Headmaster Junior]]s on both the Autobot and Decepticon side. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}}

{{note|Following the end of the ''Headmasters'' franchise, Japanese cartoon continuity branches off in two separate directions. One version of the story is told through the ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' cartoon, the other is told through the ''Masterforce'' [[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (manga)|manga]]. Chromedome plays much the same role in both, but gets up to a bit more in the manga.}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon=====
[[File:Mfep4 chromedomes message.jpg|thumb]]
{{voiceactor|[[Hideyuki Hori]] (Japanese)|[[Rik Thomas]] (English, Omni Productions dub)}}

After giving the Transtectors to the three human children, [[Shūta Gō|Shūta]], [[Cab (human)|Cab]], and [[Minerva (Masterforce human)|Minerva]], transforming them into the Autobots' new Headmaster Junior warriors, Metalhawk informed them of Chromedome's role in their new powers. Shūta had heard his [[Haruma Gō|father]] speak of Chromedome before and expressed a desire to meet him, so Metalhawk played a recorded message that Chromedome had sent them. Evidently recorded in the middle of battle, the short but sweet missive had Chromedome inform them that fighting was only worsening out in space, and that he hoped they would all fight their hardest on Earth as well. The Headmasters Juniors all thought Chromedome was cool, and vowed not to let him down. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

=====''Unite Warriors''=====
Chromedome and his comrades' involvement in Galvatron's defeat and icy entombment was recounted. {{storylink|Grand Galvatron Chapter}}

=====''Legends'' comic=====
Years prior to his departure from Master, Chromedome helped uncover and put an end to Scorponok kidnapping and experimenting on his own people. {{storylink|Mutant Targetmaster Birth Chapter}}

In a dream, [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] told the [[Legends World]]'s [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] the story about how he and his comrades, including Chrome, left [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to escape the war and settled on [[Master (planet)|Master]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|Bonus Edition Vol. 9}} Brainstorm later told Rattrap that he'd gotten a new body since his previous adventures, angering the nearby Chromedome who found it unfair that only ''he'' got an upgrade and accused him of ruining the [[Head Formation|Cross-Head On]]. [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] tried to calm him down by saying they needed all the power they could get since [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]] might get resurrected, but this didn't appease Chromedome who retorted that that just means they should ''all'' get upgrades. He was surprised when Brainstorm had lost his new body and watched him take it back from a thieving Rattrap, comparing the flip-down [[Tech Spec]] plate used to catch Rattrap to a mousetrap. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|Brainstorm Chapter}}

Scorponok indeed returned, and a battle with him in 2021 ended with Chromedome and his comrades being afflicted with "[[blackball]]s", tiny black holes that were causing their bodies to shrink until they would eventually collapse in on themselves. To save themselves, Chromedome and the other Headmasters had to disconnect from their transtectors and watch as they disappear into nothingness. {{storylink|Headmaster Chapter Prologue}} In need of new bodies, the tiny Autobots traveled to the Legends World and formed a partnership with the [[Axalon Trading Company]] for their resources. Chromedome's didn't enjoy this one bit; first he had to settle into the boring life of an office worker, and he wasn't even the first one to get a new transtector out of it! When a meteor threatened the city, he instead had to ride into battle on Hardhead's new partner drone, [[Tankette]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 21|Bonus Edition Vol. 21}}

When a rampaging Skullcruncher revealed that the Decepticons had also come to the Legends World, Chromedome set out with Hardhead to stop him, only to be captured by Weirdwolf, stuck inside [[Butla]] and held hostage. Though the Decepticons were driven off, Chromedome was unable to get out and had to continue working at the office in the form of Butla's dinosaur mode. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 22|Bonus Edition Vol. 22}} He was still in this form when Rattrap to him and Hardhead that the Axalon employees had gotten their own [[Master-Brace]]s. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 28|Bonus Edition Vol. 28}} Chromedome and Hardhead were out drinking after work when they encountered Weirdwolf, who was searching for his runaway transtector, and ended up fighting over his "lost dog" posters and sending them flying into a river. Weirdwolf's ensuing anger summoned [[Rarigo]], who punched Chromedome so hard he was separated from Butla. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 30|Bonus Edition Vol. 30}}

[[File:LegendsManga BonusEdition32 ChromedomeNewTranstector.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
When the encroaching rival Decepticon company took over [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] near the Autobot Axalon HQ, Chromedome demanded that Fortress destroy them, calling him a coward for preferring a peaceful solution. After suddenly collapsing, Fortress revealed to Chromedome that his reason for avoiding transforming into Fortress Maximus was that the process drained his life force, and despaired that he was indeed a coward who only thought of his own safety. Regretting what he'd said, Chromedome reassured Fortress that he was the greatest commander ever and that keeping this secret to keep his troops' morale up was proof of that. When the commander next transformed into Fortress Maximus, Chromedome offered to save him by taking his place, but was told he wasn't strong enough. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|Bonus Edition Vol. 31}}

Encouraged by his new partner [[Moguru]], Chromedome learned to redirect his endless energy into his job and a new hobby—drawing [[w:Dōjin|dōjins]]—and eventually grew accustomed to a peaceful lifestyle. Even when he received his new transtector, he showed no interest in using it for fighting, but just wanted to use it to transport his ''[[Robopara]]'' drawings to an upcoming event. When Weirdwolf attacked the Autobot base, however, Chromedome's spirit of justice quickly resurfaced and he disregarded the event in favor of taking the Decepticon on, leaving Moguru to sell the dōjins in his place. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 32|Bonus Edition Vol. 32}} Disappointed in Highbrow for locking himself in his room and researching all the time, Chromedome tried to lure him out by stealing [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]'s [[10.2 ultra-drill|ultra-drill]] and summoning [[Papika]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 33|Bonus Edition Vol. 33}} Alongside everyone else, he was then temporarily hypnotized into a mindless servant of Mindwipe. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 34|Bonus Edition Vol. 34}} While partying at the [[Dancitron]], he was hypnotized ''again'' by [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundblaster]] into attacking Twincast. He was soon cured and turned on Soundblaster, only to have his transtector transformed into an immobile "base mode" by the [[Zodiac]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 36|Bonus Edition Vol. 36}}

When Brainstorm arrived in the Legends Universe, Chromedome was confused to learn that he and Rattrap were already friends. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 39|Bonus Edition Vol. 39}} He defended the Autobot base when [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]'s [[Astroforce]] attacked, though they quickly fell to their own energy shortage. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 40|Bonus Edition Vol. 40}} Chromedome, Hardhead and Brainstorm were doing maintenance on their transtectors when three Headmasters identical to them appeared and locked them in their own vehicles. The newcomers explained that they were [[Nebulan|Nebulons]] from another universe and needed bodies to battle their own version of Scorponok, [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]], so Chromedome and the others agreed to pilot the transtectors from their cockpits while these other Headmasters formed the heads. Their combined "Double-Headmaster" power was enough to defeat Zarak, after which Chromedome and friends said goodbye to their counterparts. {{storylink|LGEX Headmaster Set Chapter}} Chromedome later helped build a new [[Godbomber]], but was unable to prevent [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], [[Trickdiamond]] and [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] from stealing it. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 42|Bonus Edition Vol. 42}}

When [[Scourge (RID)|Black Convoy]] and the [[Dimensional Patrol]] placed the Legends World under martial law and confiscated everyone's transtectors, Chromedome and the others resisted by converting [[Black Convoy Mass Production Type Drone|Black Convoy drones]] into Headmaster-compatible bodies and using them to fight back. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Black Convoy 2)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} The Autobot Headmasters confronted their Decepticon counterparts after they'd rebuilt [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], but were defeated by their creation. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 43|Bonus Edition Vol. 43}} Chromedome was seen driving on the streets of Akihabara after the city was rebuilt in the wake of Trypticon's rampage. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Prologue}} After quitting his job to become a full-time manga artist, Chromedome was approached by Daniel and Sixshot, come to the Legends World to hide [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] from his enemies. He was unhappy about having to harbor Sixshot and tried to throw him out, only relenting on the condition that the ninja assist him with his manga career, and ended up being embarrassed when Sixshot noted certain similarities between his original [[Dripara]] character and Arcee. When Ultra Magnus came to arrest Star Saber, Chromedome brought him to safety while Sixshot battled their assailant. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 50|Bonus Edition Vol. 50}}

Chromedome was knocked out cold when [[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] exposed all Transformers in the Legends World to [[anti-electron]]s. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 55|Bonus Edition Vol. 55}} At another time, [[Pounce]] and [[Wingspan]] would recall his role in the defeat of Galvatron. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 61|Bonus Edition Vol. 61}} During [[Tigerburn]]'s flooding of the world, Chromedome wondered why he was talking to himself and was informed by [[White Lune]] that he was hearing the voice of [[Lione]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 64|Bonus Edition Vol. 64}} When the [[Jumpstarter]]s used the Zodiac to battle Windblade, he needed [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] to explain how they could do that. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 65|Bonus Edition Vol. 65}} One day, Jack was resurrected by the repentant Sixshot, now going by Greatshot, and Chromedome was tearfully reunited with the friend he thought lost forever. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Greatshot)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} He was then present when [[Devil Z]] and BlackZarak attacked the Legends World. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Grand Maximus)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

During the battle to defend the Legends World from Scorponok's [[Majin Zarak]], Chromedome was approached by the Autobot Targetmasters who revealed that they had traveled there as well. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One}} When Weirdwolf turned against Scorponok, Chromedome put his animosity aside and performed a Cross Head-On with the Decepticon, increasing their power so they could help push Majin Zarak through a warp gate. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two}} After the Legends World was destroyed due to Scorponok's machinations, Chromedome and the other Transformers from his time period returned to their own dimension, ending up on Beast where they aided the Beastformers in their war with the [[Laser Beast]]s. {{storylink|The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 1}} By [[2026]], he had forgiven Greatshot and joined a rescue team that located him after his disappearance in the [[Silvart War]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Greatshot)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} Years later on Earth, Chromedome and Highbrow were shocked when Ultra Magnus came back to life, very unhappy with their decision to bury him on the ocean floor. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#Resurrection Chapter|Resurrection Chapter}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga====
Cajoled by Shūta, Cab, and Minerva into allowing them to become Headmaster Juniors, Metalhawk explained to them the origins of the Transtectors and Master-Braces, and Chromedome's role in the process, before giving them to the kids. {{storylink|Headmaster Jrs Are Born}}

[[File:Mfmanga raiden chromedome scramble7.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95]]
The Headmaster Juniors later got a chance to meet Chromedome in person when they and Ginrai were brought by the Trainbots to Athenia, so that Ginrai could be appointed [[Supreme Commander]] of all Autobots. After the ceremony, Fortress headed back to Master, and Chromedome was left in charge of Athenia, only for the Decepticons to attack during the night. Chromedome was quick into battle, but he and [[Raiden]] were cut down by a blast from the Decepticon combiner [[Scramble 7]] even quicker. Ginrai was able to end the threat, but the battle only proved that the Decepticons on Earth had joined forces with the Decepticons in space, and so the Autobots elected to do the same to better combat their enemies. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}} To this end, Chromedome went to [[Earth]] to assist with the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]]. When [[Jin (Masterforce)|Jin]] and [[Mirai]] showed up and threatened to destroy the Autobots' work, Chromedome and [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] sped into battle with the two, but were outclassed when Jin and Mirai performed Get On with the suddenly-appearing [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Super Megatron]]. Fortunately for the two, Chromedome's Autobot comrades arrived on the scene with the Godcannon, which they used to defeat their enemies. {{storylink|Headmasters VS Masterforce}}

Soon after, when the space-based Decepticon commander [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]] began heading for Earth, Chromedome, his fellow Headmasters, Raiden, and [[Grand Maximus]] all gave chase. Chromedome was no match for the mighty Decepticon, however, and was beaten back, unable to stop his advance on the planet. As soon as BlackZarak reached Earth, however, Ginrai was able to trick both him and the Earth-based Decepticon leader [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] into injuring each other, and Chromedome and his allies cheered for Ginrai's success. {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Super-God Combination!}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Marinker]] (English)}}
[[File:HeadlessChromedomeandHardhead-ASO.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0]]
During a period when the Autobots on Nebulos were low on lubricant, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] dispatched [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] and Chromedome to search for a legendary lost lake of oil. They searched a possible valley with their Headmaster partners, but [[Stylor]] reported back with no luck. Looking for [[Duros]]'s return, Chromedome transformed into his headless [[robot mode]] to get a better view across the plains. When Duros returned with a clear signal on his geo-sensors, the Headmasters traced the spot. Hardhead used sonic shell as a non-inflammatory means of drilling down to the reservoir. Duros and Stylor entered the tunnel and found a vast source of oil for the Autobots to claim. {{storylink|Autobots Strike Oil}}
{{-}}

===Toy pack-in material===
When Optimus became stranded on Cybertron's hemisphere of darkness with his memory damaged, Chromedome joined a small strike force of Autobots called H.O.P.E. ([[Help Optimus Prime Escape]]) to retrieve him. {{Storylink|Optimus Prime Is Back}}
{{-}}

===''United''===
Like the other Headmasters and Targetmasters, Chromedome was fine when a [[nano-virus]] struck the Autobots at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], incapacitating them. Because of their immunity, a team made up of him, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]], [[Artfire]], and [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] were sent to Nebulos to recover an antidote crafted by the Nebulan scientist [[Zella]].

As the team arrived on Nebulos, an army of Decepticons led by [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] erupted from an inter-dimensional portal and attacked them, revealing that the nano-virus was part of a larger plot to draw out the Headmasters and Targetmasters and steal their Nebulan partners. By concentrating their fire on Straxus, Chromedome, Artfire, and Kup defeated him and drove the Decepticons away, allowing Autobots to gather the antidote and cure their comrades. {{storylink|The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:TheRoadNotTaken-ChromedomeRewind.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6|Gay rights.]]
{{main|Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity}}
{{-}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:Chromedome Kre-O Character Image.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|left|The [[Headmaster (technology)|Helmetmaster]]'s failure to do the [[Head Formation|Helmet Formation]] was all his fault.]]

Chromedome was sent flying to the air along with [[BuggyMan]] by the destructive [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]] [[Brawl (G1)#Kre-O online manga|Brawl]]'s destructive nature. {{storylink|New Military Unit Combaticon! Bruticus, Combine!}}

===''TransTech''===
In [[Primax 806.30 Gamma|one universe]], Chromedome was binary-bonded to the [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] operative [[Mouse]], joining up with the [[Screaming Eagles]] against the forces of [[S.K.A.R.]] Ultimately, the Screaming Eagles emerged victorious in the globe-spanning confrontation, ushering in a new Golden Age for Earth. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
Chromedome was seen defending Cybertron from Soundwave's all-out attack. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}}
{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
[[File:Commercial chromedome removes head.jpg|left|thumb]]
*Chromedome was among several Transformers who left the war on Cybertron behind, to blast their way to the distant planet [[Nebulos|Nebulon]]! After arriving on the alien world with the other Autobots and surrendering to the native Nebulons, he removed his head (see [[#Notes|notes]]) and allowed one to fuse with it. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Headmaster comic book|Headmaster comic book commercial}}
*Stylor boarded Chromedome, and along with the other Headmasters, they sped out of their hangar onto a roadway, where the Decepticon Headmasters were running straight for them. Chromedome transformed to [[robot mode]], and a fight broke out, during which Chromedome grappled with Weirdwolf. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Headmasters|Headmasters commercial}}
*A stone sculpture of Chromedome was savaged by Weirdwolf as part of his training. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Decepticon Headmasters|Decepticon Headmasters commercial}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===
[[File:HeadmastersGame-ChromedomeSprites.png|frame]]
When the Decepticons kidnapped his fellow Autobots, Chromedome was left alone to rescue his teammates and stand against the forces of evil. He fought his way through many foes on three separate planets, rescuing [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]], [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]], and [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] before they all joined [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] in the finale battle against [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|Transformers: The Headmasters}}

{{Note|Chromedome is the only Autobot available for play from the beginning of the game. Other characters become available as the game progresses. His [[robot mode]] sprite not only uses the same pixel layout as the other playable characters except Fortress, but is identical in colour to Rodimus.}}

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
{{voiceactor|[[Russ Veillard]] (English)}}

====Autobot story====
{{Note|Chromedome was available as a playable character in the Autobot campaign during the second playthrough.}}

====Decepticon story====
As the Decepticons searched a recently unearthed dig site for the [[Gem of Mystery]], they were confronted by Chromedome. Chromedome was soon defeated by the Decepticons, but taunted them with the knowledge that they couldn't proceed further without the proper key.

Later, at [[ELTA]], Chromedome and [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] joined forces to battle the Decepticons again, to no avail. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
When the Decepticons aimed to get hold of the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]], Chromedome and his fellow Headmasters made off with it but soon crashed on Earth. They were aided by the [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]], who patched them up and helped them fight off [[Apeface]] and [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Earth Defense Command}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsChromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Despite wielding a gun, I'll attack with my sword!]]
Chromedome participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Super Rare character who could be recruited by collecting 275 units of Cybermetal, 85 units of Transmetal, 55 scout cores, and 5 cores of this character.
{{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1-toy Chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Chromedome''' w/ '''Stylor''' (Headmaster, [[1987]])
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-101'''
**''Accessories:'' "Stylor" Headmaster driver, 2 laser guns

:Chromedome transforms into a brown, cream, and red Cybertronic sports car. He is armed with two non-firing laser rifles which mount on his roof in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], although the rifles must be removed in order to open the figure's hinged cockpit, in which his Headmaster partner Stylor can sit.

:In [[robot mode]], like all Headmasters, Chromedome features a flip-down panel on his chest that covers a mini [[Tech Spec]] meter displaying ratings for Speed, Strength and Intelligence. The tumblers of this meter are activated when Stylor is transformed into head mode and inserted into Chromedome's neck socket. Chromedome's body can accommodate other Headmaster heads, and his meter will display different stats accordingly. As with [[Hardhead (G1)#Generation 1|Hardhead]], Chromedome is surprisingly tall in robot mode due to how he transforms, coming in roughly 5mm shorter than Hardhead and well over a full head taller than [[Highbrow (G1)#Generation 1|Highbrow]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)#Generation 1|Brainstorm]].

:A [[redeco]] of Chromedome as [[Arcee (G1)/toys#HeadmasterConcept|Arcee]] was proposed during Generation 1, but never produced.

::*''[http://tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Chromedome/chromedome.htm More information on Chromedome at TFU.info]

===''Transform Jr''===
[[File:Tfjr chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Not to be confused with Chromedome Sr.]]
*'''Chromedome''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-101'''
**''Accessories:'' 2-piece "Chrome" Headmaster unit, laser gun

:The ''Transform Jr'' version of Chromedome simplifies the original toy. The [[transformation]] scheme remains the same, but Chromedome's cockpit no longer opens, so his Headmaster unit has nowhere to store. Additionally, the Headmaster unit does not really ''transform'' into a head; you simply remove its legs and set them aside. Chromedome's [[Tech Spec]] meter lacks the functionality of the larger toy, featuring only a permanent, non-moving readout, and he also has only one gun instead of two. But on the very cool plus side, his hood is now made of [[die-cast]] metal!

::*''[http://www.cliffbee.com/reviews/chromedomejr.php More information on Transform Jr Chromedome at Cliffbee.com]''
{{-}}

*'''Cybertron Leader Set''' (1987)
**''Accessories:'' 2-piece Headmaster unit, laser gun
:The ''Transform Jr'' version of Chromedome was also sold in a two-pack with a vinyl figurine of [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys|Rodimus Prime]]. The set also included a small, die-cast metal figure of Metroplex.
{{-}}

[[File:Transformjr hero set.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''3 Hero Set''' (1987)
**''Accessories:'' 2-piece Headmaster unit, laser gun

:''Transform Jr'' Chromedome was also available in a "Hero Set" alongside the ''Jr'' versions of Optimus Prime and Fortress Maximus.
{{-}}

===''Timelines''===
[[File:TL-toy Chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Stylor heard that hanging out with ''Prime'' Wheeljack redecoes is the new trend.]]
*'''Chromedome w/ Stylor''' (TFSS 2.0, [[2014]])
**''TFSS2 number'': '''5'''
**''Accessories'': 2 [[sword]]s, "Stylor" partner

:Part of the 2014 [[Transformers Figure Subscription Service]], ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' Chromedome is a [[redeco]]/[[retool]] of ''[[Transformers: Prime (toyline)#Robots in Disguise (2012)|Prime: Robots in Disguise]]'' Deluxe Class [[Wheeljack (Prime)#Prime|Wheeljack]], transforming into a modified [http://www.new-stratos.com/en/#/downloads 2011 Lancia New Stratos Concept]. He sports a new headsculpt designed by [[Nick Roche]], based on his design for Chromedome in the ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' comics. He also comes with his smaller partner [[Stylor#Timelines|Stylor]], who transforms into a crossbow-weapon.

:The [[:File:TCCSS2-Chromedome.jpg|first digital mockup of the toy]] depicted Chromedome with a show/toy-accurate gray head with a blue visor, while his car mode had a third, very large Autobot symbol on his hood. In response to fan input, not only was the third symbol was removed, but the final production version revealed that the head's colors had been altered to look more like the IDW design as well.

:This mold was also used to make ''Prime'' [[Dead End (WFC)#Toys|Dead End]] and [[Wildrider (Prime)#Toys|Stunt Wildrider]].

::*''[http://tfu.info/2014/Autobot/TFSSChromedome/chromedome.htm More information on ''Timelines'' Chromedome at TFU.info]''
{{PrimeRIDWheeljackMold}}
{{-}}

===''Generations''===
[[File:TF-Generations-Titans-Return-Deluxe-Chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Hey, Rewind, remember when way back before the war and my head turned into a guy?"]]
*'''Autobot Stylor & Chromedome''' (Deluxe Class, [[2016]])
**''Accessories:'' Small gun, big gun, [[Stylor]] Titan Master
:Part of the second wave of ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' Deluxe Class toys, Chromedome transforms from a robot (based on his appearance in the IDW comic storyline "[[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Shadowplay]]") to futuristic car and back. Chromedome's head can transform into the [[Titan Master]] [[Stylor#Generations|Stylor]], who can either drive Chromedome in vehicle mode or pilot Chromedome's larger weapon, which can also attach via tabs to the roof of the vehicle mode. The toy shares some engineering with [[Dead End (G1)#Combiner Wars|''Combiner Wars'' Dead End]] while not actually sharing any parts. It ''does'' reuse several parts from ''Titans Return'' [[Blurr (G1)/toys#Titans Return|Blurr]], including the thighs and kneepads, smaller rifle, and the Titan Master's robot mode. It is worth noting Stylor's deco changed from the early renders—the final figure had his tiny head changed to solid, unpainted red with an undecorated dark brown chest.

:Chromedome was retooled into [[Getaway#Generations|''Titans Return'' Breakaway]]. Chromedome's packaging art and trading card show him with Breakaway's headsculpt, probably the result of the artist being sent incorrect reference material.

:In 2017, multiple specimens were found at US retail including the Japanese ''Legends'' counterpart's Titan Master figure complete with the different [[Show-accuracy|show-accurate]] Chromedome face sculpt, additional paint operations for the Titan Master figure itself and a black screw otherwise unique to the TakaraTomy versions.<ref>[http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/03/03/titans-return-chromedome-variant-features-takara-titan-master-334923 "TFW2005 Titans Return Chromedome Variant Features Takara Titan Master"]</ref>

:Chromedome would've been redecoed as [[Hot_Shot_(Armada)/toys|Hot Shot]] with a Titan Master Alexis Thi Dang from Stylor and Jolt from ''Generations'' [[Blaze_Master#Generations|Blazemaster]] for one of the [[BotCon#BotCon 2017|BotCon 2017]] exclusives that never came to be.

::*''[http://tfu.info/2016/Autobot/TRChromedome/chromedome.htm More information on ''Titans Return'' Chromedome at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Legends''===
[[File:TF-Legends-LG32-Chromedome.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Chromedome''' (Deluxe Class, 2016-[[November 26|11-26]])
**''Japanese ID Number'': '''LG32'''
**''Accessories'': Large gun, small gun, "Chrome" Headmaster, [[Moguru]] Partner Drone
: ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' Chromedome is a redeco and retool of the ''Titans Return'' mold, featuring a G1-accurate paintjob and a new headsculpt based on how the character looked in ''The Headmasters''. He also comes with the [[Partner Drone]] [[Moguru#Legends|Moguru]], a redeco of the Titan Master vehicle which originally came with [[Nightbeat (G1)#Titans Return|Nightbeat]].

:Care must be taken with Moguru's gun mode's handle: the handle fits tightly in many 5mm-compatible closed hands, and combined with the handle's lack of a metal pin running through the joint, removing it by force may cause the handle to pop out of the joint.

::*''[http://higekumatoytoy.blog60.fc2.com/blog-entry-2722.html Legends Chromedome at Alfes's Blog Part 1]''
::*''[http://higekumatoytoy.blog60.fc2.com/blog-entry-2723.html Legends Chromedome at Alfes's Blog Part 2]''

{{TRHyperfireMold}}
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===''Transformers Caramel''===
[[File:Tfcaramel chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Chromedome''' (1987)

:A soft-rubber figurine of Chromedome was available as part of [[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Transformers Milk Caramel|Transformers Caramel]]'' line of "[[candy toy]]s" in yellow, red, or blue. Like all the figures from the ''Headmasters'' assortment, the figure was permanently attached to a flat base that had a rubber stamp of Chromedome's face and name on its underside.
{{-}}

===''Transformers Choco''===
[[File:Tfchoco chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Chromedome''' (1987)
**''Accessories:'' Head, "Chrome" Headmaster figure, laser gun

:Released as part of the ''Headmasters'' assortment of Kabaya's ''[[Transformers Choco]]'' line of small snap-together model kits, this solid-color Chromedome figure is a simplified version of the larger Chromedome toy, featuring only one laser gun, and lacking the Headmaster gimmick. His head does disconnect, but it doesn't transform; instead, he came with a small, non-poseable Chrome Headmaster figure. As with all the ''Transformers Choco'' figures, he was packaged with small candies similar to M&Ms called "Chocolate Dots".
{{-}}

===''Transformers Gum''===
[[File:Transformersgum chromedome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Chromedome''' (1987)
**''Accessories:'' "Chrome" Headmaster unit, 2 laser guns

:Chromedome also had a presence in Kabaya's line of larger model kits, ''[[Transformers Gum]]''. ''Gum'' Chromedome is virtually identical to the original toy in all but height and color, standing at about four inches tall and cast in cream, black, and red plastic. He retains all the features of the larger figure, including his transforming Headmaster unit, opening cockpit, and functioning Tech Spec meter. As a ''Transformers Gum'' kit, he featured no paint applications, but came with stickers for detail, and a piece of terrible gum.

::*''[http://bowbowdaijin.blog96.fc2.com/blog-entry-23.html More information on Transformer Gum Chromedome at a Japanese fansite]''
{{-}}

===''TV Magazine'' coloring contest===
[[File:Chromedome trophy.jpg|thumb|"Puttin' the Chrome in Chromedome!"]]
*'''Chromedome trophy''' (1988)

:100 chromed silver Chromedome trophies, made out of Chromedome toys, were available as prizes in a coloring contest held by [[TV Magazine]] in their February 1988 issue. Entrants had to color in lineart of [[Pointblank]], but rather than operate on a simple first- and second-place system, the prizes were meted out using different criteria: entries displaying the "most skill" won a gold-chromed Optimus Prime trophy, while those entries showing off the "most imaginative" color schemes would win a Chromedome trophy.

::*''[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/778/37/ More information on the Chromedome trophy at TFPulp]
{{-}}

===''Super Collection Figure''===
[[File:Scf chromedome.jpg|thumb]]
*'''Chromedome''' (2001)
**''Accessories:'' Display stand

:A three-inch tall [[plastic|PVC]] figurine of Chromedome was available in the third ''Headmasters''-centric wave of Takara's ''[[Heroes of Cybertron|Super Collection Figure]]'' line. Like all the figures in the wave, it was available in both standard full color figure and colorless clear plastic versions, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] figures. Additionally, in two out of every ten cases, the colored version of Chromedome came packaged with the left arm of the wave's collectible Fortress Maximus "build-a-figure".

::*''[http://tfu.info/2001/Cybertron/Chromedome/chromedome.htm More information on Super Collection Figure Chromedome at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://tfu.info/2001/Cybertron/ClearChromedome/chromedome.htm More information on clear Super Collection Figure Chromedome at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:G1ChromedomeOriginalHead.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Cheer up, Emo-Head.]]
*In the television [[commercial]] for [[Marvel Comics]]' ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]]'' limited series, the Autobot and Decepticon Headmasters are shown having different head designs than the ones their Nebulan partners would later turn into. These designs were seemingly never used in any other piece of ''Transformers'' media. The models for most of them, however, turned up in the excellent ''[[Transformers Generations]]'' guidebook.
*Like nearly any other cameo Kreons, there is the heavy urge to use existing Kre-O parts. In this case, Chromedome utilities the [[Soundwave (G1)/toys#Kre-O|Soundwave]] helmet (though partly modified to match the original's head), and two red pistols.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Chrome''' (クローム ''Kurōmu''), '''Chromedome''' (クロームドーム ''Kurōmudōmu'')
*''French:'' '''Chromedôme''' (Canada)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Krómpáncél''' ("Chromearmor")
*''Italian:'' '''Duobot'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Kuāngdǐng''' (Taiwan, 筐頂, "Basket Top"), '''Chrome''' (郭文, ''Guōwén'')
*''Russian:'' '''Chrom''' (Хром, "Chrome")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Autobots]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Titans Return]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]