Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8

2014-02-05T11:43:22Z

UltraMagnus13: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory|
|series=mtmte|issueno=25
|prev=No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6
|next=Dark Cybertron Chapter 10
|seriesissue2=[[Dark Cybertron]] Chapter 8
|prev2=The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7
|next2=Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9
|caption=
|image=MTMTE26 cvrA.jpg
|title="Burning Bright" Dark Cybertron Chapter 8
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[February 5]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=February 2014
|written by=[[James Roberts]] and [[John Barber]]
|art by=[[James Raiz]], [[Atilio Rojo]], and [[Livio Ramondelli]]
|colors by=[[Josh Perez]] and Livio Ramondelli
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}

'''The Autobots and Decepticons mobilize against the Necrotitan in Iacon, the ''Lost Light''ers work with Windblade's team to save Metroplex, and it's showdown time in the Dead Universe!'''

==Synopsis==

On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] carries [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] toward [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. The [[Decepticon]] leader does not seem especially hopeful of their chances in defeating the [[Necrotitan]] razing the city, given that they can't ''kill'' it since it isn't ''alive'', but Bumblebee interprets this as a desire to not fight at all; in actuality, Megatron explains, he seeks to put saving the populace ahead of fighting their enemy.

In Iacon, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] has thrown in the towel, and congratulates [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] on out-scheming him. Rattrap, however, isn't very interested in taking charge of a burned-out city, and has allied with the combined [[Autobot]] and Decepticon forces under [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s command. Recognizing that [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] is relying on them in-fighting, Prowl takes charge of the situation and decides to play things logically, organizing the treatment of the wounded, the evacuation of the survivors, and a counter-strike against the Titan by [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]].

Within [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], [[Getaway]] defuses the standoff between his crewmates and the newly-arrived [[Nautica]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] by observing that the two [[female Transformer]]s are also wearing Autobot insignias. As the [[Ammonites]] come smashing into the room, the two females lead [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Brainstorm]] back up the cable they entered the room on, while the others hold off their attackers. On the way, Nautica recognizes Ratchet, and the medi-bot attempts to raise the subject of their gender; Chromia's nonplussed response convinces him to table the matter. Following the arrows on Metroplex's walls—painted by Chromia and Nautica—they arrive in Metroplex's left shoulder blade, now housing his relocated [[brain module]] and Nautica and Chromia's leader, [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]].

In the [[Dead Universe]], [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] leads [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]'s team through a [[Sweep]] horde to the chamber holding [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]. As the weakening [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] stands guard, the others set to work freeing the old-timer, and [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] explains to Orion the meaning of the numbers on his hand. After he revealed to his crew his role in the presence of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] on their ship, he invoked the Crisis Act and had them vote on whether or not he should stay on as captain; the majority voted for him, but 89 wanted him out, and he carved the numbers on his hand as a personal reminder. Instead of the "standard Optimus pep talk" he is expecting, Rodimus is instead greeted with scorn from Orion, who angrily points out that if he was actually ashamed of his actions, he would have simply resigned, and that he only invoked the Crisis Act because he thought he would win. The team subsequently sets Kup free, but just as the old 'bot is giving a speech about how he's ready for anything, [[Nova Prime]] appears, hurls the unconscious Cyclonus into Kup, and challenges Orion to a showdown.

Windblade explains the current situation to Magnus's team; infected with the [[alchemical virus]], Metroplex transported himself to the alien planet they are now on, knowing its oceans would slow the disease's spread, then relocated his brain to hide it from any subsequent attempts on his life. As she and her team are only recent arrivals themselves, Windblade has been informed of this by Metroplex himself, who communicates in patterns of color and light that flash on his brain—the trio are actually members of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]'s crew who came to Metroplex's aid at the request of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], who was unable to help his longtime partner because he was "close to finding the Holy Grail". Remembering the ''[[Lost Light]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s own previous encounter with Thunderclash and how they used its quantum engines to give his ship the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]'' a power boost, Magnus organizes a repeat of that procedure, with Metroplex as the recipient of the quantum energy. Using the alien sea as a conduit for the energy, Magnus tries to wake Metroplex, calling on him to use the ship's power to teleport them all home.

Things aren't going too well back on Cybertron, where doctors [[Flatline (G1)|Flatline]] and [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] are arguing, the attack on the Necrotitan isn't even registering (much to [[Slag (G1)|Slug]]'s annoyance), and an [[energon]] leak in a burning building causes an explosion that takes out Arcee and Ironhide. Unable to follow the logic of Shockwave's moves, Prowl questions Soundwave in hopes of gaining more information, but the spymaster has no clue as to his goals, only a belief they can defeat him. Prowl, on the other hand, believes that they will need a miracle... at which point, having chosen his moment rather carefully for maximum drama, Megatron has Bumblebee carry him into view. Prowl is ready to start shooting, but Megatron offers up a plan: evacuate all survivors to [[Moonbase Two|Luna-2]], gather all other Decepticon soldiers out in space, and strike back. Bumblebee refuses to retreat, scoffing at Megatron's attestation that he fights for freedom, and insists they will make a stand... and just as his speech concludes, the familiar light of a quantum jump appears in the sky, and the ''Lost Light'' and a functioning Metroplex appear!

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] (2)
*[[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (6)
*[[Slag (G1)|Slug]] (7)
*[[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (9)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (10)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (11)
*[[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (12)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (13)
*[[Nautica]] (14)
*[[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] (15)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (16)
*[[Getaway]] (17)
*[[Brainstorm]] (18)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (19)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (20)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (21)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (22)
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (24)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (26)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] (28)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (29)
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (30)
*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]](32)
*[[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] (34)
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (40)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (8)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (37)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (38)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (39)

|c4=
*[[Necrotitan]] (3)
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] (4)
*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] (5)
*[[Ammonite]]s (23)
*[[Sweep]]s (25)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (27)
*[[Nova Prime]] (31)
*[[Flatline (G1)|Flatline]] (33)
*[[Sky-Byte (G2)|Sky-Byte]] (35)
*[[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] (36)

}}

==Quotes==

"Easy does it, Kup. Are you alright? Can you stand?" 
"Can I stand? Can I '''stand?''' Kid, I've been standin' since before it was '''fashionable.'''" 
"But are you '''feeling''' okay?" 
"I've had worse than '''this'''. I've been spiked by '''Squadron X''', dipped in the '''smeltin' pool''', framed for treason, shot into the sun—and I was the only 'bot still trapped inside the '''Nightmare Engine''' when everyone else '''woke up.''' I've seen off every rinky-dink, two-bit, catchpenny Decepticon rust-poker, and I got the dents in my knuckles to prove it. End of the day? I'm ready for anything you can throw at me."
:—'''Nightbeat''' sets up '''Kup''' up for a pretty badass speech.

"I get the feeling that every second we're not on Cybertron, we're playing into Shockwave's hands." 
''(pause)'' 
"Hand."
:—'''Ultra Magnus'''. Dohohohoho!

"Trion was '''flustered.''' He could feel Metroplex was '''hurting''' but couldn't go to his aid because... what was it he said, Chromia?" 
"I wasn't listening. He was being all '''faux-enigmatic''' and I wanted to lamp him."
:—'''Nautica''' and '''Chromia'''

'''Prowl:''' "Unless your faith can conjure up a '''miracle''', Cybertron is going to fall." 
'''Megatron:''' I've been called many things... but never '''that'''. Not by an '''Autobot''', anyway." 
'''Bumblebee:''' "He had me waiting there for like '''twenty seconds''' for a '''dramatic''' entrance."

"The '''people''' are my utmost concern. I've led an army battling for '''freedom''' for '''millions''' of years—" 
"No, that's '''not''' what you led '''at all'''. You were a gang of '''destroyers''', ravaging the galaxy in the name of a '''cause''' you'd '''forgotten'''—except when you needed an '''excuse.'''
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Bumblebee'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Nautica initially mistakes Ratchet for his fellow medical practitioner [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]], who has put in previous appearances in issues [[Life After the Big Bang|#4]]-[[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|5]] and [[Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|#17]]-[[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|21]].
*Overlord's rampage took place in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]]; Rodimus's involvement in his presence was revealed in issue #21. We didn't see him reveal this secret to the rest of the crew on-panel, but the voting was hinted at back in [[Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Chapter 2]] of the event, when a large "VOTE" appeared on the ship's noticeboard.
*Kup references [[Squadron X]], the Decepticon commando group featured in ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'', and the mysterious [[Nightmare Engine]], also mentioned in that series and in [[The Gloaming|issue #16]].
*Thunderclash, the ''Vis Vitalis'', and the quantum engine boosting procedure appeared in [[Little Victories|issue #22]].
*Alpha Trion chronologically last appeared in the ''[[The Transformers: Ironhide|Ironhide]]'' mini-series, in which he was first seen working with Metroplex; ''[[Omega's Conundrum|Spotlight: Orion Pax]]'' expanded on the pair's relationship to show how long they had been working together.
*Flatline is not impressed with Fixit's med-trailer, which we saw in ''Robots in Disguise'' [[Second Exodus|issue #18]].
*Flatline also references the plights of [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], who has been offline since [[The End of the Beginning of the World|''Robots in Disguise'' #12]], and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], who were gravely wounded in [[Plan for Everything|issue #15]].
*Megatron notes that he has other soldiers out in space in addition to the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]; it's unlikely he's referring to them specifically, but we saw that there were indeed groups of other Decepticons who hadn't returned to Cybertron when we met the [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]] in [[Rules of Disengagement|issue #7]].
*The concept of a group of Autobots voting whether or not to keep Rodimus in command also appeared in James Roberts' fan novel, ''Eugenesis''.

===Real-world references===
*This issue takes its title from the [[Wikipedia:William Blake|William Blake]] poem, "[[Wikipedia: The Tyger|The Tyger]]", which contains the line: "Tyger, Tyger, burning bright/In the forests of the night."

===Trivia===
*Artist breakdown: No surprises here—Rojo on Cybertron, Raiz on the ''Lost Light'', Ramondelli on the Dead Universe.
*It's not clear which ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' toy this issue is going to come packaged with; Tailgate appears on the subscription cover, but he's a Legends-class toy, and only the Deluxe-class figures are coming with comics.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Prowl and Soundwave stare up at the Necrotitan as Iacon burns, by [[Casey Coller]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
*'''Sub cover:''' A rather beefy Tailgate by [[Phil Jimenez]] and [[Romulo Fajardo Jr.]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Windblade, Nautica and Chromia, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
<gallery>
File:MTMTE26 cvrA.jpg|
File:MTMTE26 subcvr.jpg|
File:MTMTE26 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*"[[Dark Cybertron]]" checklist, highlighting [[Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|''Robots in Disguise'' #26]]
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*IDW: Getting Into Your Head for 15 Years (back cover)

==External links==

*[http://www.newsarama.com/20211-dark-cybertron-act-2-ends-in-transformers-mtmte-26-preview-sorry-no-dinobots-here.html Preview]
[[Category:Dark Cybertron issues]]

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Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8