Editing Void Rivals issue 15

{{Comicstory
|seriesissue=''[[Void Rivals]]'' #15
|prev=Void Rivals issue 14
|next=Void Rivals issue 16
|image=Void Rivals 15 Cover A.jpg
|caption=Looks like the Void Rivals can win if they dare!
|title=
|publisher=[[Image Comics]]<br>[[Skybound Entertainment]]
|date=[[December 26]], [[2024]]
|coverdate=December 2024
|written by=[[Robert Kirkman]]
|art by=[[Lorenzo De Felici]]
|colors by=[[Patricio Delpeche]]
|letters by=[[Rus Wooton]]
|editor=[[Ben Abernathy]] 
|continuity=[[Energon Universe]]
|chronology=
}}

'''As the Agorrians reluctantly make allies with a pair of strange robotic visitors, Solila discovers a relic from their shared origin.'''

==Synopsis==
Having found the [[Sacred Ring]] of [[Zerta Trion]], the [[Quintesson Judge (G1)|Quintesson Judge]] orders his helmsman to return to [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]] immediately to alert the Council and plan their vengeance. 

Aboard the [[Leviatahn (Cobra-La)|Leviathan]], [[Pythona]] checks on [[Grakula]] after her incident with the green stone outside the ship. Grakula says she feels fine, but does share her fear that the stone affected her armor in some way, and Pythona notices a series of bumps growing from her shoulderpad. She orders [[Akronus]] to keep an eye on Grakula and report any adverse effects she may be experiencing. Suddenly, the Leviathan stalls, gripped in the claws of [[Skuxxoid]]’s [[Rockeroid]]! 

[[Darak]]’s [[Jump Jet]] escorts [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]’s shuttle to the surface of [[Agorria]], where they are greeted by Minister [[Dulin]], [[Elander]], and an armed escort for “security purposes.” Darak is immediately wary of their presence, fearing that his new ally’s size will startle the troops. Sure enough, as Hot Rod steps out, the guards train their guns on him and Darak mustt alk them down. Hot Rod introduces himself and explains that he is looking for another of [[Transformer|his kind]]; Dulin claims that if there were another creature like him on Agorria, he would know about it… only for [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] to arrive in his helicopter mode. He transforms and greets his old friend, while Dulin gives Darak a stern look for not telling him about the other robot. 

Deep within the Sacred Ring, [[Solila]] and [[Handroid]] continue to fall, not sure when they will hit the bottom, until Solila is saved by a green glow that surrounds her and gently touches her to the ground, an intervention she attributes to Zerta. She pulls out the [[Key to Vector Theta|key]], which continues to glow and lead her through the darkness. 

Springer catches up Hot Rod on what little he’s learned about Zerta Trion and the Sacred Ring’s function as an [[energon]] well. Springer says that while the Ring is too remote from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] for them to extract the energon directly, they could set up a trade route once the Agorrians and Zertonians have built up the infrastructure to extract it themselves. In the meantime, they must ensure the [[Decepticon]]s never discover the Scared Ring. Dulin is hesitant to trust the Cybertronians, but Darak assures him that whatever his misgivings, they would make for valuable allies against [[Zertonia]]. He later asks Elander what happened to his things when he arrived. When Elander hesitates, Darak realizes that he has been [[Kanela]]’s counterpart in Agorria. He asks if they’ve made contact with the [[Unifier]]s, but Elander urges him to be quiet, as Dulin as eyes and ears everywhere. 

Back in Zertonia, [[Ultum]] and [[Proximus]] have snuck back into the facility Proximus was being held in, using the technology there to rebuild his mechanical body. 

Following the trail of her key, Solila continues her journey until she spots a small green light in the distance. The key glows brighter as she approaches, finding it to be a small opening, perfectly sized for the key. She places it in the slot, and her view is consumed with the glowing green image of the supercomputer [[Vector Theta]]! The computer has just one question: who reactivated it?

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.<br>
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (13)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (14)

|h2=[[Cobra-La]]|c2=
* [[Pythona]] (3)
* [[Grakula]] (4)
* [[Royal Guard]] (5)
* [[Akronus]] (6)

|h4=[[Agorrian]]s|c4=
* [[Darak]] (8)
* [[Dulin]] (10)
* [[Elander]] (11)
* Agorrian soldiers (12)

|h5=[[Zertonian]]s|c5=
* [[Solila]] (16)
* [[Ultum]] (17)
* [[Proximus]] (18)

|h6=Others|c6=
* [[Quintesson]] (1)
* [[Quintesson Judge (G1)|Quintesson Judge]] (2)
* [[Skuxxoid]] (7)
* Blue Handroid (9)
* [[Handroid]] (15)
* [[Vector Theta]] (19)
}}

==Quotes==
"So your wild goose chase for Zerta Trion actually did lead you to something worthwhile... but you never found '''her'''?"<br>
"There are signs of her '''everywhere''' here. From the ground beneath our feet to the energon ports in their heads."<br>
"Shame. If the legends are true... she definitely came all the way out here and built all this for a reason. It'd be nice if we could just '''ask'''."
:—'''Hot Rod''' and '''Springer''' discuss Zerta Trion.

"If you do not cease asking me for updates, as soon as I'm done rebuilding my arm and ly leg... I may just have to kill you. I am finding you '''extremely annoying.''''"<br/>
"Okay, sir. Sorry, sir."
:—'''Proximus''' and '''Ultum'''


==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Zerta's unspeakable name and the fury the Quintessons have for her were first revealed in [[Void Rivals issue 9|issue #9]].
* We first learned about Springer’s quest to find Zerta Trion in [[Void Rivals issue 10|issue #10]]. 
* Springer says that the Cybertronians’ typical methods for harvesting energon would be too disruptive to the Sacred Ring’s civilizations, calling to mind the horrific process [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] was seen using on Earth in the second arc of ''[[Transformers (2023 comic)|Transformers]]''. 
* Ultum joined up with Proximus after finding him in the streets of Zertonia in [[Void Rivals issue 12|issue #12]]. 

===''Transformers'' references===
* Much like how Zerta Trion references [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], Vector Theta calls to mind [[Vector Sigma]], the Cybertronian supercomputer that was responsible for granting life and personalities to new Transformers, which first appeared in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1]]". 
** This would make Solila’s key the Key to Vector Theta, just as there has typically been a [[Key to Vector Sigma]]. 
** Vector Theta's first lines also paraphrase the first lines spoken by Vector Sigma when reactivated in the Generation 1 cartoon. 

===Other notes===
* The final page reveal of Vector Theta is a massive reveal… though one that was kind of spoiled by early listings of the title for the collected edition of this arc: "The Key to Vector Theta".

===Covers (5)===
* '''Cover A:''' Hot Rod, by Lorenzo De Felici.
* '''Cover B:''' Dulin holds Darak in his hands, by [[Chuma Hill]].
* '''Cover C (1:10 Copy Incentive):''' Connecting cover, by [[Leonardo Romero]].
* '''Cover D (1:25 Copy Incentive):''' Springer and Hot Rod, by [[E. J. Su]].
* '''Cover E (1:50 Copy Incentive):''' Pythona, by [[Andrea Milana]].

<gallery>
File:Void Rivals 15 Cover A.jpg|
File:Void Rivals 15 Cover B.jpg|
File:Void Rivals 15 Cover C.jpg|
File:Void Rivals 15 Cover D.jpg|
File:Void Rivals 15 Cover E.jpg|
</gallery>

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===Reprints===
* '''''Void Rivals Volume 3: The Key to Vector Theta''''' <small>([[June 11]], [[2025]]) ISBN 153432691X / ISBN 978-1534328242 </small>
** Collects issues #13–18.
** Trade paperback format.

<gallery>
File:Void Rivals V3.jpg|'''''Volume 3: The Key to Vector Theta''''' – cover art by Lorenzo De Felici
</gallery>


==External links==


==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Void Rivals issues]]