maximum dinobots|transformers maximum dinobots|transformers: maximum dinobots|the transformers maximum dinobots|the transformers: maximum dinobots=The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots
premierecollection|premiere collection|the transformers: the premiere collection=The Transformers: The Premiere Collection
all hail megatron|transformers all hail megatron|transformers: all hail megatron|the transformers all hail megatron|the transformers: all hail megatron=The Transformers: All Hail Megatron
the idw collection|the transformers: the idw collection=The Transformers: The IDW Collection
the transformers|the transformers (ongoing)=The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers vol. 1
wreckers|last stand of the wreckers|transformers last stand of the wreckers|transformers: last stand of the wreckers|the transformers last stand of the wreckers|the transformers: last stand of the wreckers=The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers
the idw collection|g.i. joe: the idw collection=G.I. Joe: The IDW Collection
infestation=Infestation (IDW)|Infestation
infestation 2=Infestation 2
heart of darkness|transformers heart of darkness|transformers: heart of darkness|the transformers heart of darkness|the transformers: heart of darkness=The Transformers: Heart of Darkness
tdoop|death of optimus prime|the death of optimus prime|transformers: the death of optimus prime=Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime
more than meets the eye|transformers: more than meets the eye|the transformers: more than meets the eye=The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
robots in disguise|transformers: robots in disguise=The Transformers: Robots in Disguise
dark cybertron=Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron
drift:eos|drift: empire of stone|transformers drift: empire of stone|transformers: drift: empire of stone|the transformers drift: empire of stone|drift: empire of stone=The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone
the transformers: windblade=The Transformers: Windblade
sins of the wreckers|transformers sins of the wreckers|transformers: sins of the wreckers|the transformers sins of the wreckers|the transformers: sins of the wreckers=The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers
gijoe5|gijoevol5|g.i. joe vol. 5|gi joe vol 5=G.I. Joe vol. 5
hasbro heroes sourcebook=Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook
micronauts=Micronauts (comic)|Micronauts
wrath of karza|micronauts wrath of karza|micronauts: wrath of karza=Micronauts: Wrath of Karza
first strike=First Strike
ROM
rom dire wraiths|rom: dire wraiths=Rom: Dire Wraiths
romamn|rom&mn|rom and the micronauts|rom & the micronauts=Rom & the Micronauts
rom vs transformers|shining armor|rom vs. transformers|rom vs transformers: shining armor|rom vs transformers: shining armor=Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor
m.a.s.k.|m. a. s. k.|mask mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k. mobile armored strike kommand|mask: mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k.: mobile armored strike command=M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand
scarletts strike force|scarlett's strike force=Scarlett's Strike Force
transformers vs visionaries|transformers vs. visionaries=Transformers vs. Visionaries
requiem of the wreckers|transformers requiem of the wreckers|transformers: requiem of the wreckers=Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
{{{series}}}
[[{{#switch:{{{series}}}
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
#| }}{{#if: |issues:}}{{#ifeq: | Category
[[Category:IDW {{#switch:{{#switch:{{{series}}}
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
{{{series}}}}}
{{#switch:prime
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
{{#switch:primeadaptation
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
{{#switch:ragedinobots
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
ragedinobots}}=Prime
{{#switch:rid2015
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (comic)
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)=Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)
prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Transformers: Prime (comic series)
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
fulloffire|full of fire|full of fire!=Full of Fire!
rid2015|robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015)|transformers: robots in disguise (2015 comic)=Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 comic)
rid2015}}=Robots in Disguise (2015)
{{#switch:{{{series}}}
war for cybertron|warforcybertron|transformers: war for cybertron|transformers: war for cybertron (comic)=War for Cybertron
fall of cybertron|fallofcybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron|transformers: fall of cybertron (comic)=Fall of Cybertron
transformers: prime|transformers: prime (comic)|primeadaptation|prime adaptation|transformers: prime (comic series)=Prime
primerage|ragedinobots|rage of the dinobots|rageofthedinobots|primeragedinobots|transformers prime: rage of the dinobots=Prime – Rage of the Dinobots
maximum dinobots|transformers maximum dinobots|transformers: maximum dinobots|the transformers maximum dinobots|the transformers: maximum dinobots=The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots
premierecollection|premiere collection|the transformers: the premiere collection=The Transformers: The Premiere Collection
all hail megatron|transformers all hail megatron|transformers: all hail megatron|the transformers all hail megatron|the transformers: all hail megatron=The Transformers: All Hail Megatron
the idw collection|the transformers: the idw collection=The Transformers: The IDW Collection
the transformers|the transformers (ongoing)=The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers vol. 1
wreckers|last stand of the wreckers|transformers last stand of the wreckers|transformers: last stand of the wreckers|the transformers last stand of the wreckers|the transformers: last stand of the wreckers=The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers
the idw collection|g.i. joe: the idw collection=G.I. Joe: The IDW Collection
infestation=Infestation (IDW)|Infestation
infestation 2=Infestation 2
heart of darkness|transformers heart of darkness|transformers: heart of darkness|the transformers heart of darkness|the transformers: heart of darkness=The Transformers: Heart of Darkness
tdoop|death of optimus prime|the death of optimus prime|transformers: the death of optimus prime=Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime
more than meets the eye|transformers: more than meets the eye|the transformers: more than meets the eye=The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye
robots in disguise|transformers: robots in disguise=The Transformers: Robots in Disguise
dark cybertron=Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron
drift:eos|drift: empire of stone|transformers drift: empire of stone|transformers: drift: empire of stone|the transformers drift: empire of stone|drift: empire of stone=The Transformers: Drift - Empire of Stone
the transformers: windblade=The Transformers: Windblade
sins of the wreckers|transformers sins of the wreckers|transformers: sins of the wreckers|the transformers sins of the wreckers|the transformers: sins of the wreckers=The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers
gijoe5|gijoevol5|g.i. joe vol. 5|gi joe vol 5=G.I. Joe vol. 5
hasbro heroes sourcebook=Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook
micronauts=Micronauts (comic)|Micronauts
wrath of karza|micronauts wrath of karza|micronauts: wrath of karza=Micronauts: Wrath of Karza
first strike=First Strike
ROM
rom dire wraiths|rom: dire wraiths=Rom: Dire Wraiths
romamn|rom&mn|rom and the micronauts|rom & the micronauts=Rom & the Micronauts
rom vs transformers|shining armor|rom vs. transformers|rom vs transformers: shining armor|rom vs transformers: shining armor=Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor
m.a.s.k.|m. a. s. k.|mask mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k. mobile armored strike kommand|mask: mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k.: mobile armored strike command=M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand
scarletts strike force|scarlett's strike force=Scarlett's Strike Force
transformers vs visionaries|transformers vs. visionaries=Transformers vs. Visionaries
requiem of the wreckers|transformers requiem of the wreckers|transformers: requiem of the wreckers=Transformers: Requiem of the Wreckers
maximum dinobots|transformers maximum dinobots|transformers: maximum dinobots|the transformers maximum dinobots|maximum dinobots=Maximum Dinobots
all hail megatron|transformers all hail megatron|transformers: all hail megatron|the transformers all hail megatron|all hail megatron=All Hail Megatron
the transformers|the transformers (ongoing)|the transformers (idw)=IDW The Transformers
wreckers|last stand of the wreckers|transformers last stand of the wreckers|transformers: last stand of the wreckers|the transformers last stand of the wreckers|last stand of the wreckers=Last Stand of the Wreckers
transformers drift|transformers: drift|the transformers drift|drifteos|drift:eos|drift: empire of stone|transformers drift: empire of stone|transformers: drift: empire of stone|the transformers drift: empire of stone|drift: empire of stone|transformers drift: origins and empires|transformers drift: origins & empires|origins and empires|origins & empires=Drift
heart of darkness|transformers heart of darkness|transformers: heart of darkness|the transformers heart of darkness|heart of darkness=Heart of Darkness
tdoop|death of optimus prime|the death of optimus prime|transformers: the death of optimus prime=The Death of Optimus Prime
more than meets the eye|transformers: more than meets the eye=IDW More than Meets the Eye
robots in disguise|transformers: robots in disguise|ongoing2|exrid|the transformers (idw) vol. 2=IDW Robots in Disguise (2012)
dark cybertron=Dark Cybertron
the transformers: windblade|windblade2|windblade2015|the transformers: windblade vol. 2|the transformers: windblade (2015)=Windblade
transformers vs gi joe|transformers vs. g.i. joe=Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
sotw|wreckers2|sins of the wreckers|transformers sins of the wreckers|transformers: sins of the wreckers|the transformers sins of the wreckers|the transformers: sins of the wreckers=Sins of the Wreckers
lost light|transformers lost light|the transformers lost light|transformers: lost light|the transformers: lost light=Lost Light
till all are one|Till All Are One|transformers till all are one|transformers: till all are one|the transformers till all are one|the transformers: till all are one=Till All Are One
revolution=Revolution
revolutionaries=Revolutionaries
action man=Action Man
gijoe5|g.i. joe vol 5|g.i. joe vol. 5|g.i. joe volume 5|g.i. joe (vol. 5)|g.i. joe (volume 5)=G.I. Joe vol. 5
g.i. joe idw collection=G.I. Joe: The IDW Collection
first strike=First Strike
hasbro heroes sourcebook=Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook
micronauts=Micronauts
wrath of karza|micronauts wrath of karza|micronauts: wrath of karza=Micronauts: Wrath of Karza
rom=ROM
rom dire wraiths|rom: dire wraiths=Rom: Dire Wraiths
romamn|rom&mn|rom and the micronauts|rom & the micronauts=Rom & the Micronauts
rom vs transformers|shining armor|rom vs. transformers|rom vs transformers: shining armor|rom vs. transformers: shining armor=Rom vs. Transformers: Shining Armor
m.a.s.k.|m. a. s. k.|mask mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k. mobile armored strike kommand|mask: mobile armored strike kommand|m.a.s.k.: mobile armored strike command=M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand
scarletts strike force|scarlett's strike force=Scarlett's Strike Force
transformers vs visionaries|transformers vs. visionaries=Transformers vs. Visionaries
requiem of the wreckers|transformers requiem of the wreckers|transformers: requiem of the wreckers=Requiem of the Wreckers
The Dinobots are hired for a dangerous secret mission into the Cybertronian wilderness, to help deliver a cargo that may hold the key to both repopulating the planet, and to Slug re-evaluating his world view.
On the way to Maccadam's, Slug—still nursing a grudge over the harsh words Optimus Prime directed towards him and the Dinobots during their recent team-up—nearly gets into a fight with some Camien street-proselytizers who proclaim Prime a divine savior. Led away by Sludge and Swoop before things can get nasty, Slug goes on to drown his sorrows at Maccadam's, resulting in a meaningless drunken bar fight that ends up with him getting arrested by Barricade. Awakening in a cell a few hours later, Slug is made an offer by Barricade, the Camien dignitary Strafe, and Barricade's new Camien romantic partner Swift: in return for a briefcase-full of shanix, the Dinobots will help secretly transport a Camien artifact of religious significance through the wilderness to Alyon, without the knowledge of Cybertron's leaders. The cash proves a tempting enough offer, and Slug agrees, much to the consternation of the other Dinobots; however, the still-bitter Slug reveals to his teammates that he plans to double-cross Barricade, tipping off the Badgeless to their movements so that Barricade will end up dead, and the Dinobot will end up with the cash.
The next day, the Dinobots meet Barricade and the Camiens in the Decepticon ghetto, where Slug sneaks a peek at the secret cargo aboard their truck while the others keep their travel companions busy. He is shocked to discover that they are transporting a clutch of a dozen Camien sparks, brought from the colony world to be planted in the old hot spot in Alyon. Unprepared, Slug is struck by a pang of conscience, and when the Badgeless officers he tipped off ambush the truck, Slug orders the Dinobots to fight back, now determined to give the sparks a chance at life. While the others go on ahead, the Dinobots kill the Badgeless, ensuring that they will never be allowed to return to Iacon, but keeping Barricade and the Camiens' names clean for the greater good.
The Dinobots catch up to the truck in the Sea of Rust, where Slug and Strafe take point as they advance through the corroded wasteland. Presently, they find themselves set upon by some extremely unexpected opponents: zombified Sweeps, their long-dead bodies reanimated by forces unknown. The team fights against the undead attackers, and performs admirably; presently, the Sweeps all flee when they catch sight of another group of figures—the Sea of Rust's resident Camien protectors, the Torchbearers—observing from nearby. No words are exchanged by the two groups, but they part peacefully, unaware that their departure is being watched by the Sweeps' master... Bludgeon!
While making their way across the icy fields of Praetorus Wharf, the team is surprised when the terrain abruptly changes into a slick, black metal beneath their feet—they are, in fact, travelling across the frozen body of the fallen monster Trypticon, but they don't have time to realize this thanks to an attack by some armed and dangerous turbofoxes. Swift and Barricade dispatch most of the creatures fairly easily, but Slug observes that they are not acting in the normal way their species does—turbofoxes ought to be nothing but mindless animals, but these ones are clearly thinking, and even mourning the deaths of the fallen members of their pack. Getting clear of the beasts, Slug offers to take over driving the truck from Strafe for a while, but she refuses—in fact, she mistakenly thinks he's making a pass at her, comparing his offer to Barricade's present attempts to get Swift to take a rest. Slug is fairly repulsed by the very notion of anyone romantically hooking up with a Decepticon; when Strafe presses him, he insists that the "bad things" they did during the war were different from the "bad things" the Dinobots did... though inside, he knows he's really just lying to himself. Slug's mind drifts back eons, to one particular raid the Dinobots pulled on a Decepticon convoy, which was transporting a cache of sparks to become more soldiers for the war. Coldly viewing the sparks as nothing more than future enemies, Slug destroyed them all.
Upon arrival in Tyger Pax, the Dinobots recognize the huge crystalline "icebergs" that float around the shattered ground as hunks of the contaminated energon that turned them into "monstrosities" so long ago. Set upon by yet more zombified Sweeps, the group fights its way through the dangerous landscape, but just when they are almost through to the other side, another contingent of Badgeless, who have been secretly tracking them, appear. The Dinobots take the barrage of firepower the Badgeless unleash, with Slug urging Barricade to get past them and deliver the sparks to safety, revealing his knowledge of the "secret" cargo to the Decepticon. Barricade vows to succeed for the Dinobots' sakes... only for Bludgeon to suddenly appear in his path, and slash the truck to pieces with his sword. Strafe tries to come to the fallen Barricade's aid, but Bludgeon simply slices her armor open, and hurls her into one of the energon-icebergs. Bludgeon ignites the truck's leaking fuel, causing an explosion that destroys Barricade and the sparks, then turns his scientific curiosity towards Strafe, eager to see what the corrupted energon—in actuality, the blood of Trypticon—will do to her. The result is both dramatic and horrific: like the Dinobots before her, Strafe is mutated into a monstrous beast-form and consumed with rage. As she turns her twin-headed fire-breath on the Sweeps, Swift tackles Bludgeon, pushing him over the edge of a cliff into the rivers of melted, corrupted energon flowing beneath them. Slug grabs Swift as she falls, saving her from the same fate.
In the aftermath of the battle, Slug explains to his fellow Dinobots about the sparks they had been transporting, while the misshapen, mournful Strafe laments that the Camiens have compromised their principles for nothing. But a glint of light on the horizon soon changes things... the light of the Alyon hot spot, which the group discovers has reignited on its own. Bludgeon, Slug realizes, had been using the sparks from this revived hot spot to reanimated the Sweeps and upgrade the turbofoxes—sparks that the team has now saved from his cruel experiments. Swift fears that the sparks have become corrupted by Bludgeon's dark work, but Slug advises her to not to judge these new lives before they get a chance to make their own mistakes. To Swoop's horror, Slug gives Swift the case of shanix, and tells her and Strafe to return to Iacon with the cover-story that the Dinobots were responsible for kidnapping them and Barricade, and that Barricade died protecting the new sparks. Strafe refuses to accompany Swift; she is sure that Bludgeon is not dead, and wants revenge for what he has done to her. Slug likes the sound of that idea, and the Dinobots—now five in number once more—set out to find Bludgeon.
"I guess you could say I was havin' some trouble. But I'm a Dinobot. I like trouble. I like gettin' in it... and I love gettin' other folks in it."
—Slug
"Welcome back to the land of the sober, Slug."
"Not my favourite place."
"I noticed. They say everybody rises to their level. Yours is the bottom of a bottle."
—Barricade and Slug
"We used to be heroes!"
"No. We used to be the guys the heroes sent in so they could stay heroes."
—Sludge and Slug
"Okay, guys. As of now, the Dinobots are wanted cop-killers. We can never return to Iacon."
"...why? Why did we do it?"
"So the heroes can be heroes. It's what we do."
—Slug and Snarl
"I didn't peg you for a blade girl, Strafe."
"Blade woman."
—Slug and Strafe discuss weapons and preferred nouns
"Pull over. I can drive."
"I'm fine."
"You're hurt."
"No worse than you."
"But I know I can take it."
"Ha. You're not my type, Slug."
"What?"
—Slug and Strafe—can you ship it?
"These are more of those whatchamacallits, aren't they?"
"Sweeps! See how I'm making a sweeping motion with my tail? It's a joke I'm working on. Maybe you gotta be a Dinobot to appreciate it."
—Swift and Sludge
"RRRGH. It... does hurt to change. But it's worth it."
"And that's the story of how the Dinobots learned what a metaphor is."
—Strafe transforms out of her beast form, and Swoop drives the point home
The opening scene of the story, in which Slug nearly gets into a fight with Camiens Sterling and Aileron, is repeated from The Transformers vol. 2 #46, with identical dialogue. Not shown here are Optimus Prime and Windblade, who are watching events from a distance in #46.
Barricade previously appeared in The Transformers: Punishment, the mini-series to which Redemption is a spiritual sequel. It was in that story that Optimus Prime and Slug butted heads, when Prime heaped a torrent of abuse upon the Dinobots (calling them the worst of what Cybertron had to offer, sickening perpetrators of war, and deserving of death) as part of a plot to make them bait for a serial killer. The words evidently cut a little too close to the bone for Slug.
Slug recalls his time in the gladiator pits, seen in Autocracy #11 and Megatron Origin #3. However, his talk about the pits and the values they "instilled" (which comes before his talk about going monster), and the fact he's shown in a form that's not his Monstrosity self, presents his bloodsport days as coming before he'd become a soldier.
Barricade notes that Decepticons used to fear the Dinobots during the war; not a sentiment that's hard to understand, but we were shown a pronounced example of it back in Spotlight: Hoist, when a weapon designed to make some Decepticons' worst fears come to life generated images of the Dinobots.
Strafe is one of two Camien delegates who appeared throughout Combiner Wars, known only as the "yellow leader" until now. Writer John Barber notes in the letter to the audience that follows the story that she is of no relation to the Technobot Strafe, who is on the Lost Light; that Strafe was seen aboard the ship prior to its return to Cybertron in "Dark Cybertron", but this is the first confirmation we've had that he stayed on as part of the crew when it left again.
Swift appeared alongside fellow Camiens Aileron and Sterling in The Transformers vol. 2 #44. Her name was first given when Aileron talked about her absence in issue #46, noting that she had left with "some loser". That loser, it turns out, is Barricade. Swift also later refers to her "roommate", who told her about the Torchbearers living in the Sea of Rust; given that Aileron was seen passing on that information in issue #46, we can logically conclude that she was the roommate in question.
Mention is made of the wartime practise of hoarding sparks to create new soldiers, a plot point explored more over in More than Meets the Eye, in which Nova Prime's schemes to bleed the Matrix, the Silver Harvest, and the creation of Made-to-Order soldiers have all been detailed.
Following its introduction in the Combiner Hunters one-shot, the Sea of Rust is here confirmed to be a specific location within the wilderness, rather than a catch-all name for it, whose extreme corrosive conditions are a product of the miniature singularity created by Crystal City's collapse (seen in Robots in Disguise #33) playing havoc with the local atmosphere.
Sweep corpses still litter the wastelands following their mass expiration at the climax of "Chaos"; we previously saw Whirl mucking about with a shedful of their bodies in More than Meets the Eye #1, and Megatron was shown to have taken to wearing some of their heads as decorations during his time in the wild in Robots in Disguise #12.
Oh snap, it's Bludgeon! The skeletal Decepticon was last seen at the climax of "Dark Cybertron", left for dead in Crystal City as it collapsed after being blasted by Optimus Prime. Looks like he got out before the big crunch! That he's gotten himself a cannibalized Sweep horde and mutated Turbofoxes should come as no real surprise given the laundry list of arcane science projects the Decepticon has mucked about with over the years.
Slug recounts the Dinobots' transformation into "monstrosities", as seen in Monstrosity. There's a bit of a soft retcon going on here; Monstrosity did feature rage-inducing corrupted energon (here explicitly revealed to be the blood of Trypticon, who Monstrosity had featured as a slumbering guardian of the underground supply of the fuel), but it wasn't previously credited as the reason for the Dinobots' transformations. That was the work of their lost member Skar's "dynamic alt-mode adaptation" process. Looks like Skar must have used the corrupted energon to fuel his process.
Speaking of Trypticon, this issue reveals why he hasn't appeared in the present day; his dead (?) body has been lying, out of commission, at Praetorus Wharf long enough to become heavily frozen over. Chronologically speaking, Trypticon was last seen active in Spotlight: Blaster, when he participated in one of the last known battles to take place on Cybertron before it was abandoned. Looks like he never got off the planet.
Slug recalls the Dinobots' encounter with a mutant Turbofox from Robots in Disguise #8.
Swift will next be seen among the Decepticons, very soon after the events of this story, in The Transformers vol. 2 #47. Implication is that she joined them thinking they were all like Barricade, who she says in issue #50 told her about the group. Ooops! But see...
Considering "Redemption" appears to last at least three days (the trip lasts long enough for the sun to be up at the Wharf and then be down at Alyon) and "Aphelion" is happening the day before "Lagrange", when did Swift have the time to join the Decepticons and be trusted enough to take point? Damn it Barber, stop contradicting Barber.
Strafe is named in homage to Age of Extinction Strafe, a two-headed Dinobot from the live-action movie continuity family. That version of Strafe had a flying beast mode because he was an active replacement for Swoop among the live-action Dinobots, but since Swoop is still part of the IDW group, this Strafe gets to have a land-based beast mode instead.
This issue includes the first time we physically see Shanix in the IDW continuity. As a pile of gold "tokens", they essentially match their sole previous pictorial appearance in Transformers lore, in the Marvel UK story, "Headhunt".
This is not the first time Trypticon and Praetorus Wharf have been connected: in Dreamwave Productions' War Within: The Dark Ages, the first encounter between the Autobots and Trypticon took place at the wharf.
While trying to keep his cool, Blurr chants "Serenity now" to himself, a method of rage-control seen in the sitcom [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Seinfeld|{{#if:||Seinfeld}}]].
Like the print collection of Punishment, or the Fall of Cybertron comic, Redemption is a 48-page "prestige" perfect-bound one-shot with a cardstock cover. The rear cover features a text blurb and sample interior art, rather than an advert, as would be found on a normal saddle-stitched (stapled) comic.
Continuing the fine tradition of "firsts" that the addition of Caminus and female Transformers to IDW continuity has permitted, Strafe is the first-ever female Dinobot! Get down and party!
Collects Punishment issues #1–5, Redemption, and Salvation.
Bonus material includes an article about the Motion Book Tool app used for the digital version of Punishment, a "Brief History of the (IDW) Dinobots", and a Livio Ramondelli sketchbook, a cover gallery and an introduction by Simon Furman.
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Redemption of the Dinobots – cover art by Livio Ramondelli
The Definitive G1 Collection: Volume 70: Punishment – cover art by Don Figueroa (Snarl) and Livio Ramondelli
The IDW Collection Phase Two: Volume 11 – cover by Marcelo Matere
