War's End Part Three

	{{#if: \|; }}}}
	"War's End Part Three" {{#if: \| {{#if: \|; (')}} {{#if:\|; ""}}}}
Publisher	IDW Publishing}}
Published by	}}
Imprint	}}
Published in	}}
First published	April 27, 2022}}
Shipping date	}}
On-sale date	}}
Cover date	April 2022}}
Credits	}}
By	}}
Manga	}}
Manga by	}}
Original story	}}
Story & art by	}}
Story and color art	}}
Story	}}
Story by	}}
Story consultants	}}
Story concept	}}
Screenplay by	}}
Screenplay	}}
Adaptation by	}}
Adapted by	}}
Adaptation	}}
Based on	}}
Writer	}}
Writers	}}
Writing	}}
Written by	Brian Ruckley}}
Written & art	}}
Plotter	}}
Plotters	}}
Plot	}}
Plot by	}}
Plot/Script	}}
Scripter	}}
Scripters	}}
Script	}}
Scripting	}}
Script by	}}
Script and art	}}
Sript [sic] consultant	}}
Translation by	}}
Artist	}}
Comic artist	}}
Artists	}}
Art	}}
Art by	Jack Lawrence}}
Additional art by	}}
Flashback art by	}}
Art assistant	}}
Art assist by	}}
Line-art	}}
Line-art by	}}
Line art by	}}
Penciller	}}
Pencillers	}}
Penciler	}}
Pencilers	}}
Pencil art	}}
Pencils	}}
Pencils by	}}
Penciled by	}}
Penciling	}}
Guest penciler	}}
Layouts	}}
Pencil breakdowns	}}
Breakdowns	}}
Breakdowns by	}}
Illustration	}}
Illustrations	}}
Illustrator	}}
Illustrated by	}}
Illustration by	}}
Illustrations by	}}
Finished pencils	}}
Finishes	}}
Finished art	}}
Finishes by	}}
Inker	}}
Guest inker	}}
Inkers	}}
Inks	}}
Inks by	}}
Ink finishes	}}
Ink assist by	}}
Additional inks	}}
Inking	}}
Backgrounds	}}
Backgrounds by	}}
Colorist	}}
Colorists	}}
Colourist	}}
Colourists	}}
Color	}}
Colors	}}
Color art	}}
Colour	}}
Colours	}}
Colored by	}}
Color by	}}
Colors by	John-Paul Bove and Ed Pirrie}}
Color art by	}}
Colors assist by	}}
Color assists	}}
Color assistance by	}}
Additional colors	}}
Additional colors by	}}
Color assist by	}}
Colour/Computer FX	}}
Computer coloring/effects	}}
Color Reconstruction	}}
Flats	}}
Flats by	}}
MTMTE Profiles	}}
Letterer	}}
Letterers	}}
Lettering	}}
Letters	}}
Letters by	Jake M. Wood}}
Lettered by	}}
Lettering\|Production	}}
To}}	}}
Collaborators	}}
Contributors	}}
Editor	Riley Farmer, David Mariotte, and Tom Waltz}}
Editors	}}
Editing	}}
Edits by	}}
Compiled and Edited by	}}
Original series editor	}}
Original Edits by	}}
Deputy editor	}}
Assistant editor	}}
s}}	}}
Editorial Assistance; provided by	}}
Senior editor	}}
Associate editor	}}
Story consultant	}}
Project manager	}}
Production by	}}
Designer	}}
Design by	}}
Designed by	}}
Design/editorial	}}
Book design by	}}
Collection designer	}}
Collection editor	}}
Collection Edits by	}}
Graphic design	}}
Graphic design by	}}
Collection Design by	}}
/ Layout}}	}}
Contributing editors	}}
s}}	}}
Managing editor	}}
Editor-in-chief\|Editor in chief}}	}}
Editorial consultant	}}
Dinosaur consultant	}}
Publishing manager	}}
Cover	}}
ist}}{{#if: \| by}}	}}
and Elements }}by	}}
Inside cover	}}
Apologies to	}}
Continuity	2019 IDW continuity}}
Chronology	}}
ISBN	}}
TPB ISBN	ISBN }}
UPC	}}
Page count	}}
Price	}}
Packaged with	}}
Printed in	}}
Animation	}}
Music	}}

{{#if: TFWarsEnd 3 cvrRI.jpg | {{#if: IDW Publishing | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: April 27, 2022 | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: April 2022 | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: Brian Ruckley | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: Jack Lawrence | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: John-Paul Bove and Ed Pirrie | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: Jake M. Wood | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: Riley Farmer, David Mariotte, and Tom Waltz | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: 2019 IDW continuity | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: |

{{#switch:{{#sub:xx|2|14}}|dark cybertron=}}

Caught between a vengeful Megatron and a tenuous Autobot-Decepticon alliance, Exarchon accelerates his endgame.

Synopsis

It's all-out war in the Sonic Canyons—on one side, an uneasy alliance between Sixshot's Decepticon loyalists, Pyra Magna's Companions, and Cyclonus; on the other, Exarchon, his army of Skywarp drones, and Onslaught's rogue Combaticon unit. Amidst the chaos, however, Jumpstream arrives with urgent news for her leader... just as Exarchon himself swoops down on Pyra and piledrives her into the ground. Sunstreaker shouts that Jumpstream can't be here, but the teleporting soldier shouts that something even worse is coming; by leaping onto Deathsaurus's back, she gives Pyra the opening she needs to blast Exarchon in the chest. As Exarchon retreats for the moment, Jumpstream warns Pyra that Devastator's on his way; when she sees Swift suggest a retreat to Sixshot however, she remembers that, in her trip to the future, Swift told her that Cyclonus died... and, sure enough, Onslaught's currently holding the old warrior at gunpoint. Without thinking, Jumpstream leaps into action, catches Onslaught offguard before he can execute his captive, and rescues Cyclonus; in doing so, she seemingly pushes history onto an entirely new path...

Outside the canyon, Shadow Striker and the other members of Team Stream watch the retreat from afar. When Flamewar feels the ground shake beneath her, however, she has only a few second to question what's going on before Devastator strides past, on his way to the Sonic Canyons!

In Shockwave's hidden laboratory, the Decepticon scientist shows off his discoveries to Exarchon's other iteration, including the shielded tube that houses the dangerously radioactive Sunstorm. Exarchon's intrigued at the prospect of occupying such a novel body; Shockwave declines, however, and warns that nothing can survive close contact with his irradiated body. Exarchon warns Shockwave to know his place—after all, his masters created him to be the ultimate weapon against Cybertron, and turning Sunstorm's unique physiology against the Transformers would prove a potent tool indeed. Before either can debate further, however, Rage arrives with news: Megatron has arrived to speak with Exarchon.

In Exarchon's hidden base, Landmine tries to steady his nerves with help from Geomotus, while Zetar, Pointblank, and Sureshot keep an eye on Exarchon himself as the body-stealing Transformer meets with Soundblaster. As Exarchon confirms that the drill is ready to begin its fateful mission to the planetary core, Sureshot insists that, with the fate of the entire planet on the line, they have to do something to slow him down, even if it means dying.

Having withdrawn from the Sonic Canyons ahead of Devastator's advance, Sixshot and Pyra Magna weigh their options in the face of Shockwave's newest weapon; Sunstreaker and Swift bristle at the idea of cooperating further, while Jumpstream confides to Windcharger that her teleportation powers have been somehow enhanced after Perceptor tampered with her teleportation abilities. Cyclonus and his ghostly retinue, meanwhile, merely observe the proceedings from a distance, as his imaginary compatriots mull over the prospects of Cyclonus sacrificing himself to kill Exarchon once and for all—does he have anything to live for? Although Pyra's willing to swallow her pride and work with the Decepticons in order to take out Exarchon, Blackjack warns that enemy reinforcements might be on the way: Slipstream and the other members of his former unit might've gone rogue.

Sure enough, Flamewar and the other members of Team Stream have accompanied Devastator to the entrance of the Threefold Spark base; despite his disdain for the Cybertronian species, even Exarchon can't help but marvel at the sight of a real Combiner. Soundblaster quietly reminds Exarchon to tread lightly, for only Shockwave can control the unruly team... but when Shadow Striker questions Exarchon's musings that Devastator's very existence poses a threat to the universe, the conqueror simply tells her that there's no time left to worry about his plans.

Elsewhere, Exarchon's other body has defied Shockwave by releasing Sunstorm from his prison, just as Megatron arrives to negotiate a conditional agreement with the ancient tyrant. Shockwave insists that Exarchon return Sunstorm to his secure chamber, and although Exarchon loftily dismisses his former collaborator, he pushes his luck too far when he threatens to turn Megatron into his latest iteration—a threat that prompts Megatron to unload his fusion cannon on Exarchon's body, sending the wounded 'bot staggering into Sunstorm, who easily melts the 'bot that was once Flatline into a puddle of molten metal. The threat mitigated for the moment, Megatron turns his attention to his subordinates, including Skywarp, and provides them with their new orders: travel to the Sonic Canyons, take everything they can, while he and Shockwave have a frank discussion about what Exarchon's been up to.

In the Sonic Canyons, Exarchon curses the loss of his other body, but that's of little concern now—why be just one when he could be many? With that, Exarchon opens his spark chamber once more and envelops Devastator!

Featured characters

{{#if:* Pyra Magna (6)

Groundbreaker (8)
Jumpstream (9)
Sunstreaker (10)
Geomotus (20)
Landmine (21)
Pointblank (22)
Sureshot (23)
Zetar (26)
Windcharger (27)|

Autobots }}{{#if:{\|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
Sixshot (1) Brawl (2) Onslaught (3) Blackjack (7) Swift (11) Shadow Striker (12) Slipstream (13) Flamewar (14) Hyperdrive (15)	Sunstorm (17) Shockwave (18) Rage (19) Soundblaster (25) Acid Storm (33) Skywarp (34) Megatron (35) Ion Storm (36) Nova Storm (37)

|

!! style="background:#ededff" | Decepticons }}{{#if:* Exarchon (5)

Skywarp drones (24)|

!! style="background:#fbefde;" | Threefold Spark }}{{#if:* Cyclonus (4)

Devastator (16)
Gridlock (28)
Grudge (29)
Highfire (30)
Provoke (31)
Paragon (32)|

!! style="background:#ffeeb8;" | Others }}{{#if:| !! style="background:#d5e6d5;" | Misc }}{{#if:| !! style="background:#fedeb5;" | Misc }} |- {{#if:* Pyra Magna (6)

Groundbreaker (8)
Jumpstream (9)
Sunstreaker (10)
Geomotus (20)
Landmine (21)
Pointblank (22)
Sureshot (23)
Zetar (26)
Windcharger (27)|| style="background:#ffdddd;" valign="top" |
Pyra Magna (6)
Groundbreaker (8)
Jumpstream (9)
Sunstreaker (10)
Geomotus (20)
Landmine (21)
Pointblank (22)
Sureshot (23)
Zetar (26)
Windcharger (27) }}{{#if:{|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"

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

Sixshot (1)
Brawl (2)
Onslaught (3)
Blackjack (7)
Swift (11)
Shadow Striker (12)
Slipstream (13)
Flamewar (14)
Hyperdrive (15)

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

Sunstorm (17)
Shockwave (18)
Rage (19)
Soundblaster (25)
Acid Storm (33)
Skywarp (34)
Megatron (35)
Ion Storm (36)
Nova Storm (37)

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

Sixshot (1)
Brawl (2)
Onslaught (3)
Blackjack (7)
Swift (11)
Shadow Striker (12)
Slipstream (13)
Flamewar (14)
Hyperdrive (15)

Sunstorm (17)
Shockwave (18)
Rage (19)
Soundblaster (25)
Acid Storm (33)
Skywarp (34)
Megatron (35)
Ion Storm (36)
Nova Storm (37)

}}{{#if:* Exarchon (5)

Skywarp drones (24)|

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

Exarchon (5)
Skywarp drones (24) }}{{#if:* Cyclonus (4)
Devastator (16)
Gridlock (28)
Grudge (29)
Highfire (30)
Provoke (31)
Paragon (32)|

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

Cyclonus (4)
Devastator (16)
Gridlock (28)
Grudge (29)
Highfire (30)
Provoke (31)
Paragon (32) }}{{#if:|

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

}}{{#if:|

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

}}

|}

Quotes

"Don't care about the future. Nothing beyond the moment I get to snuff out Exarchon's last ember."

—Cyclonus

"My shapes help me. The ordered, the familiar. Maybe you should look at them, too. Just while we wait for the others to come back."
"I don't... sure, Geomotus. Why not? Thank you."

—Geomotus and Landmine

"My very purpose is to silence the shriek that Cybertron unleashed upon the universe with its expansion. There are greater powers than us out there, Shockwave. Powers that would have Cybertron stilled."

—Exarchon

"No, Exarchon. You talk too much. And you are not inevitable. Persistent, certainly... but persistence is not permanence."

—Megatron

"I cannot be one. That's too slender a thread to hold on to. But what glorious fortune that such a second should be available to me in this moment. Come, giant. Come, great one... I have a whole other kind of combination to show you."

—Exarchon

Notes

Continuity notes

Exarchon remembers the last time he met Megatron during the War of the Threefold Spark, when he briefly encountered him in the aftermath of the Yuss offensive, as seen in the flashback segments of Transformers #18. His dismissal of Megatron as "of no consequence" contrasts with prior declaration that Megatron might be of use, but perhaps he's just playing it cool to get leverage in any of potential negotiations.
To help put Landmine at ease, Geomotus recommends he look at his special "shapes"; he's used these transitional objects before in issues #3 and #34 to help self-regulate while in an unfamiliar space.
Jumpstream remembers her time with Perceptor, who attempted to enhance her teleportation abilities with the aid of a Nucleon-fuelled teleportation harness in Transformers #31, which teleported her into a bad future where Exarchon ruled. She notes that the experiment seems to have altered her teleportation powers by allowing her to directly tap into unspace, which seems like it'll set something up...
Rage last appeared in 2021's Transformers: Escape miniseries, where he and Hydradread unsuccessfully attempted to take out the rogue Insecticons.
Exarchon notes that he learned about Devastator recently while perusing Cybertron's archives, which he did while masquerading as Cyclonus's wartime friend Provoke in the subplot that ran from issues #32 to #39. Presumably, he must've learned that the individual Constructicons and their combined form all helped to rebuild Iacon after the end of the war, in the storyline that ran from issues #1 to #4 of Galaxies.

Transformers references

While ordering his troops to imprison Sunstorm, Megatron flags up Nova Storm's impenetrable armour plating, as in Transformers #25—the idea that it could allow her to nullify intense radiation, such as the type generated by Sunstorm, is a bit of lore that goes all the way back to her original profile in Ask Vector Prime, which described the character as being able to survive in the chromosphere of a star.

Errors

On page three, the energon trickling out of the corner of Pyra Magna's mouth is colored like blood.
Both Pyra Magna and Jumpstream refer to the Constructicon's combined form as "Devastator"... however, given that the Constructicons only dubbed themselves that in the final issue of the "Constructicons Rising" arc of Galaxies moments before killing everyone on Mayalx and skipping town, and later stories have revealed that the government successfully covered up what happened, there's really no way that Pyra—who was, we remind you, still in prison when this all went down—could know this.

Covers (3)

Cover A: Megatron leads the charge, by Sebastian Piriz
Cover B: An Exarchon-possessed Sunstorm, by Susan Margevich
Retailer incentive cover: Devastator gets Norted, by Joana Lafuente

Reprints

Transformers Volume 6: War's End (November 16, 2022) ISBN 1684059410 / ISBN 978-1684059416
- Collects Transformers (2019) issues #37–43, War's End issues #1–4, and Fate of Cybertron.
- Bonus material currently unknown, most likely alternate covers.
- Hardcover format.

Volume 6: War's End – cover art by Cryssy Cheung

External links

Preview

War's End Part Three

Contents

Synopsis

Featured characters

Quotes