The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds

|- {{#if: MTMTE50_regcvr.jpg | | colspan="2" style="font-size: 12px; background-color:#ffffff;" align="center" | {{#if: "Why is it us? Why us?"
"Because we're here, lad. Nobody else. Just us." |
"Why is it us? Why us?"
"Because we're here, lad. Nobody else. Just us."}}}} |-

|colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center" | "The Dying of the Light:
(1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds" {{#if: |

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|- {{#if: IDW Publishing | |Publisher || IDW Publishing}} |- {{#if: | |Published by || }} |- {{#if: | |Imprint || }} |- {{#if: More than Meets the Eye #50 | |Published in || More than Meets the Eye #50}} |- {{#if: February 24, 2016 (digital, parts of Europe and Asia)
March 9, 2016 (rest of world) | |First published || February 24, 2016 (digital, parts of Europe and Asia)
March 9, 2016 (rest of world)}} |- {{#if: | |Shipping date || }} |- {{#if: | |On-sale date || }} |- {{#if: February 2016 | |Cover date || February 2016}} |- {{#if: | |Credits || }} |- {{#if: | |By || }} |- {{#if: | |Manga || }} |- {{#if: | |Manga by || }} |- {{#if: | |Original story || }} |- {{#if: | |Story & art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Story and color art || }} |- {{#if: | |Story || }} |- {{#if: | |Story by || }} |- {{#if: | |Story consultants || }} |- {{#if: | |Story concept || }} |- {{#if: | |Screenplay by || }} |- {{#if: | |Screenplay || }} |- {{#if: | |Adaptation by || }} |- {{#if: | |Adapted by || }} |- {{#if: | |Adaptation || }} |- {{#if: | |Based on || }} |- {{#if: | |Writer || }} |- {{#if: | |Writers || }} |- {{#if: | |Writing || }} |- {{#if: James Roberts | |Written by || James Roberts}} |- {{#if: | |Written & art || }} |- {{#if: | |Plotter || }} |- {{#if: | |Plotters || }} |- {{#if: | |Plot || }} |- {{#if: | |Plot by || }} |- {{#if: | |Plot/Script || }} |- {{#if: | |Scripter || }} |- {{#if: | |Scripters || }} |- {{#if: | |Script || }} |- {{#if: | |Scripting || }} |- {{#if: | |Script by || }} |- {{#if: | |Script and art || }} |- {{#if: | |Sript [sic] consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Translation by || }} |- {{#if: | |Artist || }} |- {{#if: | |Comic artist || }} |- {{#if: | |Artists || }} |- {{#if: | |Art || }} |- {{#if: | |Art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Additional art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Flashback art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Art assistant || }} |- {{#if: | |Art assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Line-art || }} |- {{#if: | |Line-art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Line art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciller || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencillers || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciler || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencilers || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencil art || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencils || }} |- {{#if: Alex Milne | |Pencils by || Alex Milne}} |- {{#if: | |Penciled by || }} |- {{#if: | |Penciling || }} |- {{#if: | |Guest penciler || }} |- {{#if: | |Layouts || }} |- {{#if: | |Pencil breakdowns || }} |- {{#if: | |Breakdowns || }} |- {{#if: | |Breakdowns by || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustration || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrations || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrator || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrated by || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustration by || }} |- {{#if: | |Illustrations by || }} |- {{#if: | |Finished pencils || }} |- {{#if: | |Finishes || }} |- {{#if: | |Finished art || }} |- {{#if: | |Finishes by || }} |- {{#if: | |Inker || }} |- {{#if: | |Guest inker || }} |- {{#if: | |Inkers || }} |- {{#if: | |Inks || }} |- {{#if: Alex Milne and Brian Shearer | |Inks by || Alex Milne and Brian Shearer}} |- {{#if: | |Ink finishes || }} |- {{#if: | |Ink assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Additional inks || }} |- {{#if: | |Inking || }} |- {{#if: | |Backgrounds || }} |- {{#if: | |Backgrounds by || }} |- {{#if: | |Colorist || }} |- {{#if: | |Colorists || }} |- {{#if: | |Colourist || }} |- {{#if: | |Colourists || }} |- {{#if: | |Color || }} |- {{#if: | |Colors || }} |- {{#if: | |Color art || }} |- {{#if: | |Colour || }} |- {{#if: | |Colours || }} |- {{#if: | |Colored by || }} |- {{#if: | |Color by || }} |- {{#if: Joana Lafuente (pg. 1-10), Priscilla Tramontano (pg. 11-15, 22-23, 27-32), John-Paul Bove (pg. 17-21, 24-26) | |Colors by || Joana Lafuente (pg. 1-10), Priscilla Tramontano (pg. 11-15, 22-23, 27-32), John-Paul Bove (pg. 17-21, 24-26)}} |- {{#if: | |Color art by || }} |- {{#if: | |Colors assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Color assists || }} |- {{#if: | |Color assistance by || }} |- {{#if: | |Additional colors || }} |- {{#if: | |Additional colors by || }} |- {{#if: | |Color assist by || }} |- {{#if: | |Colour/Computer FX || }} |- {{#if: | |Computer coloring/effects || }} |- {{#if: | |Color Reconstruction || }} |- {{#if: | |Flats || }} |- {{#if: | |Flats by || }} |- {{#if: | |MTMTE Profiles || }} |- {{#if: | |Letterer || }} |- {{#if: | |Letterers || }} |- {{#if: | |Lettering || }} |- {{#if: | |Letters || }} |- {{#if: Tom B. Long | |Letters by || Tom B. Long}} |- {{#if: | |Lettered by || }} |- {{#if: | |Lettering|Production || }} |- {{#if: | |Special Thanks{{#if: | To}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Collaborators || }} |- {{#if: | |Contributors || }} |- {{#if: John Barber | |Editor || John Barber}} |- {{#if: | |Editors || }} |- {{#if: | |Editing || }} |- {{#if: | |Edits by || }} |- {{#if: | |Compiled and Edited by || }} |- {{#if: | |Original series editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Original Edits by || }} |- {{#if: | |Deputy editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Assistant editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Editorial assistant{{#if: |s}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Editorial Assistance
provided by || }} |- {{#if: | |Senior editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Associate editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Story consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Project manager || }} |- {{#if: | |Production by || }} |- {{#if: | |Designer || }} |- {{#if: | |Design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Designed by || }} |- {{#if: | |Design/editorial || }} |- {{#if: | |Book design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection designer || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection editor || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection Edits by || }} |- {{#if: | |Graphic design || }} |- {{#if: | |Graphic design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Collection Design by || }} |- {{#if: | |Creative Director{{#if: | / Layout}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Contributing editors || }} |- {{#if: | |Research editor{{#if: |s}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Managing editor || }} |- {{#if: | |{{#if: |Editor-in-chief|Editor in chief}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Editorial consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Dinosaur consultant || }} |- {{#if: | |Publishing manager || }} |- {{#if: | |Cover || }} |- {{#if: | |Cover art{{#if: |ist}}{{#if: | by}} || }} |- {{#if: | |Cover Design {{#if: |and Elements }}by || }} |- {{#if: | |Inside cover || }} |- {{#if: | |Apologies to || }} |- {{#if: 2005 IDW continuity | |Continuity || 2005 IDW continuity}} |- {{#if: Current era (2016) | |Chronology || Current era (2016)}} |- {{#if: | |ISBN || }} |- {{#if: | |TPB ISBN || ISBN }} |- {{#if: | |UPC || }} |- {{#if: | |Page count || }} |- {{#if: | |Price || }} |- {{#if: | |Packaged with || }} |- {{#if: | |Printed in || }} |- {{#if: | |Animation || }} |- {{#if: | |Music || }} |}{{#switch:{{#sub:xx|2|14}}|dark cybertron=}} A psychic attack leads Team Rodimus back to the Necrobot's planet, where a mutiny in the ranks of the Lost Light spells their doom.

Synopsis

On Earth, Optimus Prime and Jetfire receive a haunting transmission: a series of videos from crewmembers of the Lost Light—Nautica, Chromedome, Rewind, Nightbeat, Minimus Ambus, Whirl, Rung, and Velocity—explaining that they are about to die and leaving individual instructions for how they wish to be interred. The broadcast also reaches Cybertron, Luna 1, and the Weak Anthropic Principle, but the Lost Light remains silent, unresponsive to any hailing requests. Optimus Prime proposes using the space bridge to go to their rescue, but Jetfire reveals the awful truth... the message claims the speakers have six hours left to live, but it was sent three weeks ago.

We'd make a comment about jumping the cybershark, but face it; this series has already done a *lot* weirder stuff than this.

Three weeks earlier, the Lost Lighters help liberate the planet Miliarium from the clutches of the Rust Giants, with the super-strong Tailgate taking out their biggest, meanest member. Megatron—remotely supervising the battle from the ship on account of his newfound pacifism—is a little prickly when he discovers that everyone hid from him the fact that Millarians are organic, but softens when Rodimus lets him give the "roll out" order.

A little later, after everyone has returned to the ship, Megatron holds the latest in a series of classes on the Knights of Cybertron, and focuses his attention on the mysterious, gear-like hieroglyph that the crew have come upon several times in the course of their quest. Pooling their knowledge, the class concludes that the symbol is a kind of "coat of arms," representing just one of multiple clans that existed within the Knights' ranks. The discussion is interrupted, however, when Megatron suddenly reels in pain, clutching his head; when Minimus Ambus attempts to go to his aid, the ex-Decepticon reflexively lashes out, punching Minimus across the room. Horrified at his own actions, Megatron retreats to his quarters, where Velocity checks him over and administers his latest dose of Fool's Energon. She worries that the sedative could be the reason for Megatron's actions, as it has been known to cause fluctuations in a 'bot's personality, but he explains that he was bombarded with agonizing, screaming voices in his mind—an experience, it soon turns out, that a handful of other crew members also underwent at the same time, each hearing their own unique horrific sound. Blaster and Mainframe are able to trace the signal of this "psychic attack" back to its source, and plans are quickly made to go and investigate.

The group all piles into the Rodpod: Rodimus, Magnus, the victims of the attack (Megatron, Tailgate, Rewind, Chromedome, Rung, and Swerve), their partners and friends (Ten, Ravage, and Cyclonus), "Team Rodimus" (Nightbeat, Skids, Brainstorm, and Nautica), and team doctor Velocity, who is convinced by Mainframe to bring Whirl along for extra muscle. Quantum jumping to the signal's point of origin, the pod materializes in utter blackness, which the team soon realize means they have jumped inside a huge, hollow object. One more small jump to the object's surface, and they discover they have returned to the Necrobot's planet... but no sooner have they stepped out of the Rodpod than a squadron of attack craft suddenly appears in the skies and opens fire on them! Totally outnumbered, everyone boards the pod again and tries to quantum jump away, only to discover the teleport engines are dead. The team sets course for the Necrobot's fortress, but the Rodpod is shot down right in front of it; everyone manages to survive and haul themselves out of the wreckage before the Rodpod finally explodes.

*Hang on, how many bots died because Rod was inexperienced and ruinous?*

Taking cover inside the fortress, the team discovers the Necrobot's dead body in the middle of the floor. While Ravage sneaks out to examine the single enemy fighter they managed to bring down during the escape, Nightbeat snaps into analytical mode, and he and Brainstorm piece together what has occurred: the "psychic attack" was originally an ordinary transmission sent by their attackers to lure the group to the planet, but the fatally-wounded Necrobot, with the last of his strength, corrupted the signal in a failed attempt to warn them off. Using the Necrobot's computer, Rodimus re-establishes contact with the Lost Light... but is shocked when the 'bot who answers his hail turns out to be Getaway! The escapologist explains that he has been freed from his cell by the entire crew, who have finally tired of Rodimus's leadership and the way in which Megatron has been accepted into their ranks, and are staging a full-blown mutiny. Getaway and Atomizer have been planning this since before the ship left Cybertron, having identified all "Megatron sympathizers" through judicious questioning and application of Getaway's nudge gun, and have now isolated and trapped them on the Necrobot's world, so that the rest of the crew can actually get on with their quest to find the Knights and save the Cybertronian race. Even the mystery attackers are part of their plan—attackers whose identities Megatron has already figured out, making him severely doubt Getaway's promise that nobody but Megatron will be harmed. As Getaway shuts off the comm-link, a wounded Ravage limps back inside to confirm his leader's suspicions: the Decepticon Justice Division has arrived... and everyone is going to die.

Featured characters

{{#if:{|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"

Nautica (1)
Jetfire (2)
Optimus Prime (3)
Chromedome (4)
Rewind (5)
Metroplex (6)
Nightbeat (7)
Fortress Maximus (10)
Red Alert (11)
Ultra Magnus (12)
Whirl (13)
Rung (14)

Grimlock (20)
Velocity (21)
Wheeljack (22)
Windblade (23)
Slamdance (25)
Skids (26)
Riptide (27)
Brawn (28)
Thunderclash (30)
Rodimus (31)
Mainframe (32)
Blaster (33)

Megatron (34)
Huffer (35)
? (36)
Boss (37)
Tailgate (38)
Crossblades (39)
Swerve (40)
Brainstorm (41)
Hound (42)
Xaaron (43)
Grapple (44)
Perceptor (45)

Crosscut (46)
Powerflash? (47)
Splashdown? (48)
Prowl (statue, 51)
Getaway (53)
Atomizer (54)
Jackpot (55)
Bluestreak (56)
Hoist (57)
Siren (58)

|

!! style="background:#ffdddd;" | Autobots }}{{#if:{|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent" |- |style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"|

Crankcase (15)
Krok (16)
Misfire (17)
Spinister (18)
Fulcrum (19)
Ravage (49)
Tarn (59)
Tesarus (60)
Helex (61)
Deathsaurus (62)
Blue Bacchus (63)
Killbison (64)

|style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"|

Drillhorn (65)
Leozack (66)
Guyhawk (67)
Vos (68)
The Pet (69)
Kaon (70)

|}| !! style="background:#ededff" | Decepticons }}{{#if:| !! style="background:#fbefde;" | Humans }}{{#if:* Scoop (8)

Starscream (9)
Rust Giants (24)
Cyclonus (29)
Ten (50)
Censere (52)|

!! style="background:#ffeeb8;" | Others }}{{#if:| !! style="background:#d5e6d5;" | Misc }}{{#if:| !! style="background:#fedeb5;" | Misc }} |- {{#if:{|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent" |- |style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"|

Nautica (1)
Jetfire (2)
Optimus Prime (3)
Chromedome (4)
Rewind (5)
Metroplex (6)
Nightbeat (7)
Fortress Maximus (10)
Red Alert (11)
Ultra Magnus (12)
Whirl (13)
Rung (14)

|style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"|

Grimlock (20)
Velocity (21)
Wheeljack (22)
Windblade (23)
Slamdance (25)
Skids (26)
Riptide (27)
Brawn (28)
Thunderclash (30)
Rodimus (31)
Mainframe (32)
Blaster (33)

|style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"|

Megatron (34)
Huffer (35)
? (36)
Boss (37)
Tailgate (38)
Crossblades (39)
Swerve (40)
Brainstorm (41)
Hound (42)
Xaaron (43)
Grapple (44)
Perceptor (45)

|style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"|

Crosscut (46)
Powerflash? (47)
Splashdown? (48)
Prowl (statue, 51)
Getaway (53)
Atomizer (54)
Jackpot (55)
Bluestreak (56)
Hoist (57)
Siren (58)

|}|| style="background:#ffdddd;" valign="top" |

Nautica (1)
Jetfire (2)
Optimus Prime (3)
Chromedome (4)
Rewind (5)
Metroplex (6)
Nightbeat (7)
Fortress Maximus (10)
Red Alert (11)
Ultra Magnus (12)
Whirl (13)
Rung (14)

Grimlock (20)
Velocity (21)
Wheeljack (22)
Windblade (23)
Slamdance (25)
Skids (26)
Riptide (27)
Brawn (28)
Thunderclash (30)
Rodimus (31)
Mainframe (32)
Blaster (33)

Megatron (34)
Huffer (35)
? (36)
Boss (37)
Tailgate (38)
Crossblades (39)
Swerve (40)
Brainstorm (41)
Hound (42)
Xaaron (43)
Grapple (44)
Perceptor (45)

Crosscut (46)
Powerflash? (47)
Splashdown? (48)
Prowl (statue, 51)
Getaway (53)
Atomizer (54)
Jackpot (55)
Bluestreak (56)
Hoist (57)
Siren (58)

}}{{#if:{|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"

|- |style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"|

Crankcase (15)
Krok (16)
Misfire (17)
Spinister (18)
Fulcrum (19)
Ravage (49)
Tarn (59)
Tesarus (60)
Helex (61)
Deathsaurus (62)
Blue Bacchus (63)
Killbison (64)

|style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"|

Drillhorn (65)
Leozack (66)
Guyhawk (67)
Vos (68)
The Pet (69)
Kaon (70)

|}| | style="background:#ededff;" valign="top" |

Crankcase (15)
Krok (16)
Misfire (17)
Spinister (18)
Fulcrum (19)
Ravage (49)
Tarn (59)
Tesarus (60)
Helex (61)
Deathsaurus (62)
Blue Bacchus (63)
Killbison (64)

Drillhorn (65)
Leozack (66)
Guyhawk (67)
Vos (68)
The Pet (69)
Kaon (70)

}}{{#if:|

| style="background:#fbefde;" valign="top" |

}}{{#if:* Scoop (8)

Starscream (9)
Rust Giants (24)
Cyclonus (29)
Ten (50)
Censere (52)|

| style="background:#ffeeb8;" valign="top" |

Scoop (8)
Starscream (9)
Rust Giants (24)
Cyclonus (29)
Ten (50)
Censere (52) }}{{#if:|

| style="background:#d5e6d5;" valign="top" |

}}{{#if:|

| style="background:#fedeb5;" valign="top" |

}}

|}

Quotes

"I was particularly impressed by your efforts, Riptide. You clearly put in a lot of work."
"Did I pass?"
"No, but I'll talk to you afterwards to explain why."

—Megatron and Riptide on the latter's academic skills

"I'm not usually a fan of group discussion, or brainstorming, or waiting for other people to stop speaking, but that was actually pretty impressive."

—Nightbeat, on the benefits of talking out a problem

"Stress is another side effect of the chemo-sedatives."
"It's not stress."
"How do you know?"
"Because I've never been happier."

—Velocity and Megatron

Ultra Magnus: "Hold on. Someone fired on us and you want to run towards the gun?"
Rodimus: "Yep—and disarm them before they take another shot. It's a perfectly good plan! Team Rodimus are well up for it!"
Ultra Magnus: "Is well up for it. Team Rodimus is well up for it. Singular. One team."
Rodimus: "Whatever. Chop-chop!"
Megatron: "When did you first realize that he uses bad grammar to distract you whenever you raise an objection to something he wants to do?"
Ultra Magnus: "He does WHAT?"

—Megatron evidently knows his co-captain better than Magnus

"This is the new teleport drive. Nautica built it as a thank-you present after I stopped going on and on about how much I wanted a teleport drive."

—Rodimus

Rodimus: "I'm sorry if not all of us are catlike and unpanickable."
Ultra Magnus: "Not a word."
Rodimus: "Jeez, Magnus. Time and place."
Ultra Magnus: "No, no, no. You can't have people throwing made up words around willy-nilly. There are impressionable 'bots on board."
Brainstorm: "Magnus is right. Making up words leads to criminanarchy and pandebordination."
Ultra Magnus: "Brainstorm! One more and you're on remand."

"By what tortured logic did High Command conclude that letting an unrepentant mass murderer off the hook represented anything other than an insult to the memory of the billions he killed? Seriously—can someone explain to me how the war can end with the instigator being allowed to go about his business as if nothing happened? The death camps! The massacres! The cities razed to the ground! Apparently all of them were just missteps—painful but necessary—on Megatron's path to self-discovery! (...) By helping that maniac find peace you're excusing his past behavior. And so it falls to us—the 99%—to remind you how wrong this is. Forgiveness? Rehabilitation? Reintegration? No. Not him. Not now. Not ever."

—Getaway

"I'm not a bad person. I just have strong beliefs."

—Sure, Getaway. Sure

Notes

Continuity notes

"Who doesn't want to survive the dying of the light?" Skids asked Nightbeat, back when they first visited Necroworld in "The Not Knowing"...
Optimus and Jetfire are in the Skyroller when they receive the crew's message, outside Thundercracker's "house," placing this story after the events of The Transformers #50.
We see that the Scavengers were sent a copy of the recording of the crew's last requests too. Back in #45 Misfire mentioned that he had a 'contact' among the Autobots. In #46 Fort Max confirmed that the Scavengers had been supplying Brainstorm with parts. It looks like Brainstorm hasn't broken his ties with his handlers after all, especially if he's sending messages to them in last-ditch pleas for help.
When Nightbeat delivers his part of the message, he talks about how he can prepare himself "this time," and strokes the centre of his forehead: a reference to when he died before, shot right through the head, in Spotlight: Hardhead.
Nightbeat requests his funeral ceremony be Neoprimalist, the sect of Primalism that Flywheels was noted to belong to in issue #7.
Magnus sputters as he tries to say the word "fun," just as he did back in issue #5, but this time, he finally gets it out.
Rung requests that, should he die in alt mode, he be disassembled—an allusion to the mystery of his alternate form, and the fact that, whatever it is, it may still be able to serve its purpose after his death.
Chromedome mentions that this is the first time he and Rewind have "died together", alluding to both the "original" Rewind's death in issue #15, and the death of Chromedome's quantum duplicate, as seen in issue #32.
During the battle on Miliarium, Magnus wields the hammer he used during Megatron's trial back in issue #30.
Megatron was previously mentioned to be teaching a class of some sort in issue #29, of which Riptide was a student.
Megatron mentions information creep during his class, the memory-altering mental malady mentioned before in issue #31. In the same issue, it was established that Riptide was rubbish at exams, which is followed through on here as he fails his assignment in Megatron's class.

After Megatron strikes Minimus, he points his outstretched right arm at him with the wrist canted down. Clearly old habits are hard to break; this seemingly odd pose would, if Megatron still possessed his fusion cannon on his arm, point it straight at Minimus' head!
The mysterious gear symbol raises its figurative head once again. Skids remembers how he saw it in issue #21, Thunderclash remembers seeing it in the map from his dreams in issue #41, and Perceptor mentions that Rodimus drew it into his own map from issue #44.
Nautica recounts how she spent time on Troja Major, where we know from issue #28 she picked up a copy of Towards Peace. She says she visited a "heritage museum"; presumably, this is the business run by Decepticon antiquarian Agonizer, mentioned in issue #45 as having set up shop on the planet.
Rodimus brings "Team Rodimus" together again, who were last referred to by that name back in issue #30 when they assembled to examine the alternate-Rodimus's coffin.
The crew previously visited the Necrobot's planet in issue #44. Back in that issue, the Necrobot described it as a "shell of a world," quoting his departed friend Tusk. That line suddenly becomes a lot more literal with this issue's revelation that the planet is hollow.
Note how Magnus's right arm takes a bad hit during the explosion of the Rodpod. It's deliberately kept off-panel for the remaining portion of the issue, likely to obscure the fact that the arm has been completely severed—'cause remember, as we know from issue #16 and issue #21, that's the arm containing Tyrest's recall switch/teleporter. No quick escapes with that, Magnus!
Brainstorm identifies the Necrobot's computers as using elements of the same technology as the guilt-detecting computer Aequitas, from Last Stand of the Wreckers, which is why everyone who suffers from the "psychic attack" experiences a unique, tailor-made terror.
Getaway says he realised Rodimus was crap when he saw "that ridiculous Rodpod". Getaway's first response to the Rodpod waaaay back in "Into the Abyss" was "And this guy is your leader", while later including it in his freakout in "No Exit". And you thought these were just jokes!
The full extent of Getaway and Atomizer's scheme is revealed, tying back into their attempt to dispatch Megatron from issue #47, and Atomizer's manipulation of Rodimus from issue #29. They obviously arrange to have Mainframe suggest that Whirl accompany Team Rodimus not because he holds any favour for Megatron, like the rest of the exiles, but because he discussed having second thoughts about Getaway's methods in #47.
Getaway also mentions the only real side effect from the nudge gun and its memory wipes is a slight headache. Sure enough, Skids and Nightbeat mention having inexplicable headaches off-hand in #41 and #44, respectively, while Tailgate had one in issue #40 that was implied to be the result of too much drink, but about which we now know better. Finally, to spell it out for us, Whirl was shown having a headache after being nudge-gunned in #47.
- In Tailgate's case, that revelation also implicitly tells us who really told Getaway about Tailgate's deathbed confession; not Cyclonus, as Getaway claims, but Tailgate himself, who then had the memory of telling Getaway erased.
- Even sneakier, if one is to look back on the panel in issue #40 when Tailgate complains about his head hurting, Getaway's right hand is obscured by a table leg.
- In Whirl's case, considering the action he took against Megatron in #28 it is likely that he agreed to a potential mutiny from early on, right up until he had second thoughts about Getaway's extreme methods and Getaway decided he couldn't be relied upon.
The Decepticon Justice Division allied with Deathsaurus' forces back in issue #39. 'Bots from that issue who appear among their team on the story's final page include Leozack, Killbison, Drillhorn, and Blue Bacchus.

Real-life references

Both this multi-parter's title and this issue's sub-title are quotes from the poem "[[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Do not go gentle into that good night|{{#if:||Do not go gentle into that good night}}]]," by [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Dylan Thomas|{{#if:||Dylan Thomas}}]]. The work urges one to survive, to not willingly embrace death, to "Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
Roberts has said the creepy video was meant to be an "ISIS-style" execution video,<ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 05:40 to 6:00</ref> referring to the [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|{{#if:infamous terrorist group|infamous terrorist group|Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant}}]]'s habit of making victims spout propaganda before being killed on-screen.
The planet Miliarium takes its name from the Latin word for "milestone," in reference to the 50-issue milestone More than Meets the Eye has reached.
Velocity's ringtone ("I'm a doctor, not a performance artist!") is, of course, a spoof of Doctor McCoy's catchphrase from the original Star Trek. She notes it's a gift from Swerve, who has recently indulged himself in all of Earth's television, and refers to Velocity's decision to go into medicine rather than Caminus's highly venerated performing arts.
Getaway calls Team Rodimus's trip a "journey into mystery," referencing the [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Journey into Mystery|{{#if:Marvel comic|Marvel comic|Journey into Mystery}}]] of the same name which introduced Thor.
"The 99%" is a populist political slogan, along with "the 1%": the 99% are the alleged majority being stepped on by the elites of the 1%.
The concept of one small brave band of heroes facing down impossible odds as legions of enemies close in on their position, unable to retreat, is (as Roberts would acknowledge) lifted from the movie Zulu—which the crew were shown watching back in issue #30, in a bit of very deliberate foreshadowing.<ref>{{#if: Because not even @tfwiki mentioned it: Zulu being played in #30 foreshadows events in TDOLL https://t.co/XWJvVt6uMH |"Because not even @tfwiki mentioned it: Zulu being played in #30 foreshadows events in TDOLL https://t.co/XWJvVt6uMH"—|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/707893702019129344 |James Roberts|James Roberts}}{{#if: Twitter |, Twitter|}}{{#if: |, ""|}}{{#if: 2016 |, 2016{{#if: 03 |/{{#switch:{{#len:03}}|1=003|03}}{{#if: 10|/{{#switch:{{#len:10}}|1=010|10}}|}}}}|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/707893702019129344 ||}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/707893702019129344%7C7%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/707893702019129344%7C8%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/707893702019129344%7C7%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/707893702019129344%7C8%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#if: | (dead link)}}</ref> Swerve makes the reference explicit with his "Patients - thousands of 'em!" line.

Errors

For his one-panel appearance, Scoop is his traditional orange, but he ought to be in Constructicon-green these days, since becoming part of Devastator, as seen in Windblade #3.
Hard to spot in the rust giant throng on the left of the double-page title spread is Slamdance, recognizable by his shoulder cannons, square-head-thing, and the treads on his upper arms, which he had when he appeared on Cybertron in issue #29. This is the first time we've seen him among the Lost Light crew—but he's colored almost entirely cream instead of his normal red and blue. Not unlike his Shattered Glass counterpart, actually!
In Fortress Maximus's early appearance, his name is misspelled "Fotress". This was corrected for the trade paperback collection.
The headline on the Galactic Bulletin reads "AUTOBOTS LIBERATE MILLARIUM".
When Rodimus first convenes the crew after the psychic attack, Brainstorm is missing his face vents.
In the first shot of the Rodpod's interior, Nautica is missing her yellow accents; in the next panel, the centre of Skids' chest is miscolored blue.
When Nightbeat discovers the Necrobot's body, his face is colored gray instead of yellow.
When Skids mentions that Nightbeat and Censere had forged "something of a bond", Censere's name is misspelled "Censerre", with an extra R.
In the panel that reveals the mutineers, Mainframe's face is colored wrong. The "divider" between his mouthplate and his visor is colored AS the visor, and his actual optic is colored like his forehead, making him look like he's kind of smugly squinting at Rodimus.
In the group shot of the DJD and Deathsaurus's forces on the last page, Guyhawk is visible in the background, between Helex's legs, but he's colored grey and red with a green face, instead of his usual red and white.

Production notes

James Roberts went into lengthy detail about the comic at Orbital Comics.:

Roberts had actually forgotten to do the Previously On page until late in the day! <ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 10:10 to 10:41</ref>
Originally the execution vid was going to open with a character buying it.<ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 05:55 to 06:12</ref>
The broadcast was inspired by the Doctor Who episode "[[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}The Pandorica Opens|{{#if:||The Pandorica Opens}}]]", where characters from across the series cameo at the start. This was to 'ground' the comic into the continuity of its sister titles, as More than Meets the Eye is usually detached from the rest of the line and Roberts wanted to nod to it.<ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 06:45 to 8:24</ref>
Roberts (acknowledging some criticism of the strip being meandering) notes that previous stories had been very insular on the ship but here they are actually helping people at the start! This flags up that "Heroic Autobot" thing before it all goes wrong. Also intentional was Megatron deliberately giving non-lethal tactics to the Autobots.<ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 15:59 to 17:40</ref>
Megatron was going to teach classes in other issues but there was never space for it. Roberts used it as a way to give some love to lesser-seen characters by giving them a seat.<ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 22:50 to 23:40</ref>
Roberts was told that the are/is thing is grammatically correct in America. "I didn't know that." <ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 36:47 to 36:54</ref>
Alex Milne decided to put the flower in Censere's mouth.<ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 48:30 to 48:50</ref>
Roberts clarifies that Getaway was "treated in a way he would find objectionable" in the previous issue and while it "had to be" done that way due to his skills, it "plays into Getaway's larger plan" as "the rules" are clearly different for his crimes than Brainstorm or Megatron's.<ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 53:26 to 54:14</ref>
The mutineers shown are deliberately shown to be "B-listers you know and like and trust" for impact. Hoist is specifically there because of his Spotlight and Riptide because he'd once been a 'main' guy.<ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 54:15 to 55:11</ref>
It was noted that what Getaway is saying is similar to what fans were saying back when they learned about Auto-Megs.<ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 56:30 to 57:10</ref>
Roberts alludes to an unplanned reflection of Community that a fan noted: that every so often, Community would show what the main cast look like to other people and what they look like are arseholes.<ref>Orbital Director’s Commentary – James Roberts on Transformers: MTMTE #50! - Track #1 58:30 to 1:00:00</ref>

In a later interview with Guernsey Geekout, Roberts said that before Autobot Megatron showed up he'd have had the DJD coming after Drift.<ref>Guernsey GeekOut interview with James Roberts, 1:27:00</ref>

Other notes

The "story so far" page that opens this issue recaps the entire series, summing up each individual story or multiparter with a simple description: a schism (The Death of Optimus Prime), an accident (issues #1-2), a sparkeater (issue #3), a virus (issues #4-5), a hostage situation (issue #6), an interlude (issues #7-8), a calling (2012 annual), a Spotlight or two (Trailcutter and Hoist), a story (issues #9-11), a mix-up (issue #12), a night out (issue #13), a mistake (issue #14), a death (issue #15), a funeral (issue #16), a lost moon (issues #17-21), a diversion (issues #22-27), a trial (issues #28-30), an exodus (issue #31), another Lost Light (issues #32-33), a loss (issue #34), an alternate universe (issue #35), a race against time (issues #36-38), an alliance (issue #39), a farewell (issue #40), a reunion (issues #41-42), a sitcom (issue #43), an epiphany (issue #44), another interlude (issues #45-46), a betrayal (issue #47), and a resignation (issues #48-49).
Megatron notes that it has been about a year since the Lost Light left Cybertron after his trial, meaning that about 18 months (one year plus the six-month gap between "Dark Cybertron" and "season 2") have passed in the last two years' worth of comics.

Soundtrack

For all of "The Dying of the Light":

"Hurt" by [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Johnny Cash|{{#if:||Johnny Cash}}]]<ref>{{#if: Here's the theme to The Dying of The Light. It's not an obscure choice. But it says *everything* that needs be said. https://t.co/az5kx8d3FH |"Here's the theme to The Dying of The Light. It's not an obscure choice. But it says *everything* that needs be said. https://t.co/az5kx8d3FH"—|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/697906882363711489 |James Roberts|James Roberts}}{{#if: Twitter |, Twitter|}}{{#if: |, ""|}}{{#if: 2016 |, 2016{{#if: 02 |/{{#switch:{{#len:02}}|1=002|02}}{{#if: 11|/{{#switch:{{#len:11}}|1=011|11}}|}}}}|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/697906882363711489 ||}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/697906882363711489%7C7%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/697906882363711489%7C8%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/697906882363711489%7C7%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/697906882363711489%7C8%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#if: | (dead link)}}</ref>

For this part alone:

"Heroes" by [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}David Bowie|{{#if:||David Bowie}}]]<ref>{{#if: The first song for MTMTE #50 was chosen a long time ago, but you may have heard it a lot lately. https://t.co/cNKzyRv5Ts |"The first song for MTMTE #50 was chosen a long time ago, but you may have heard it a lot lately. https://t.co/cNKzyRv5Ts"—|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699356951868743680 |James Roberts|James Roberts}}{{#if: Twitter |, Twitter|}}{{#if: |, ""|}}{{#if: 2016 |, 2016{{#if: 02 |/{{#switch:{{#len:02}}|1=002|02}}{{#if: 15|/{{#switch:{{#len:15}}|1=015|15}}|}}}}|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699356951868743680 ||}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699356951868743680%7C7%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699356951868743680%7C8%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699356951868743680%7C7%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699356951868743680%7C8%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#if: | (dead link)}}</ref>
"Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe" by [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Okkervil River|{{#if:||Okkervil River}}]]<ref>{{#if: The second song for MTMTE #50 is a sequel (of sorts) to the MTMTE theme song. Welcome back, Okkervil River! https://t.co/HTf8hnO1a0 |"The second song for MTMTE #50 is a sequel (of sorts) to the MTMTE theme song. Welcome back, Okkervil River! https://t.co/HTf8hnO1a0"—|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699357596449427456 |James Roberts|James Roberts}}{{#if: Twitter |, Twitter|}}{{#if: |, ""|}}{{#if: 2016 |, 2016{{#if: 02 |/{{#switch:{{#len:02}}|1=002|02}}{{#if: 15|/{{#switch:{{#len:15}}|1=015|15}}|}}}}|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699357596449427456 ||}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699357596449427456%7C7%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699357596449427456%7C8%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699357596449427456%7C7%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699357596449427456%7C8%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#if: | (dead link)}}</ref>
"Nonphenomenal Lineage" by [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Grandaddy|{{#if:||Grandaddy}}]]<ref>{{#if: The final song for MTMTE #50 is by one of favourite bands, Grandaddy: https://t.co/NPGZ73dHDD |"The final song for MTMTE #50 is by one of favourite bands, Grandaddy: https://t.co/NPGZ73dHDD"—|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699359380072955905 |James Roberts|James Roberts}}{{#if: Twitter |, Twitter|}}{{#if: |, ""|}}{{#if: 2016 |, 2016{{#if: 02 |/{{#switch:{{#len:02}}|1=002|02}}{{#if: 15|/{{#switch:{{#len:15}}|1=015|15}}|}}}}|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699359380072955905 ||}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699359380072955905%7C7%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699359380072955905%7C8%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699359380072955905%7C7%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/699359380072955905%7C8%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#if: | (dead link)}}</ref>
"Family Tree" by TV on the Radio<ref>{{#if: Completely forgot - this song by TV On The Radio is meant to accompany MTMTE #50. It was the first one I chose, too. https://t.co/E7ezlcSIQK |"Completely forgot - this song by TV On The Radio is meant to accompany MTMTE #50. It was the first one I chose, too. https://t.co/E7ezlcSIQK"—|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/704821189512974339 |James Roberts|James Roberts}}{{#if: Twitter |, Twitter|}}{{#if: |, ""|}}{{#if: 2016 |, 2016{{#if: 03 |/{{#switch:{{#len:03}}|1=003|03}}{{#if: 02|/{{#switch:{{#len:02}}|1=002|02}}|}}}}|}}{{#if: https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/704821189512974339 ||}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/704821189512974339%7C7%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/704821189512974339%7C8%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/704821189512974339%7C7%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/704821189512974339%7C8%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#if: | (dead link)}}</ref>

Crew manifest

Exiled: Brainstorm, Chromedome, Cyclonus, Megatron, Minimus Ambus, Nautica, Nightbeat, Ravage, Rewind, Rodimus, Rung, Skids, Swerve, Tailgate, Ten, Velocity and Whirl were effectively removed from the crew by Getaway's mutiny.

References

External links

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The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds

Contents

Synopsis

Featured characters

Quotes

Notes

Continuity notes

Real-life references

Errors

Production notes

Other notes

Soundtrack

Crew manifest

References

External links