Editing Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' #3
|prev=Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2
|next=Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4
|image=Last Stand of the Wreckers3 Cover A.jpg
|caption="Keep shooting!  The fans have money on which of us buys it first!"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[March 24]], [[2010]]
|coverdate=March 2010
|writers=[[Nick Roche]] and [[James Roberts]]
|pencils=Nick Roche and [[Guido Guidi]]
|inks=Guido Guidi, [[John Wycough]] and [[Andrew Griffith]]
|colors=[[Josh Burcham]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters=[[Neil Uyetake]]
|associate editor=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2010)]]
}}
'''"Let's split up, gang." "Great idea, that couldn't possibly go wrong."'''
==Synopsis==
''Two years ago, in the Maximum Security Penitentiary, Overlord restores Shockwave to a fully functional state. Shockwave comments that it has been almost a year since Overlord took over'' ''[[Garrus-9|The Last Resort]],'' ''and yet he only revives Shockwave now. Overlord fakes guilt, but quickly moves onto business; he offers Shockwave his freedom in exchange for his removal of the [[Achilles Virus]] Megatron had him implant in Overlord years ago. Overlord comments on how he could see the weaknesses of anyone, except Megatron, leading Shockwave to muse that Overlord was actually surprised he was hobbled. However, he agrees to remove this "blind spot", as Overlord's goals further his own. Overlord is delighted and confirms he will hand over a shuttle and a hand-picked crew. Restored, Shockwave asks what Overlord's plans are, and Overlord reveals he has convinced the inmates they can fight their way free. Shockwave observes that while Overlord thinks he is enjoying his new life, it is in fact simply intended to draw Megatron to him. After all, "You're not the first phase-sixer to bait Megatron." Overlord simply responds that he only needs to be the last.''

Springer's team is running from a massive contingent of Decepticons. Impactor reveals that the others landed in [[The Pit (IDW)|The Pit]], right into Overlord's lap. Guzzle merely yells they can look after themselves as he takes out several Decepticons. The others open fire, as Impactor yells that this is for Fortress Maximus and the others. Springer and Twin Twist realise they are all trapped, but Twin Twist confirms that the others are alive... well, Topspin is, and really, their group is the one in trouble.

[[Image:laststandissue3_headshots.jpg|left|350px|thumb|HEADS A'SPLODE!!!]]

Overlord is disappointed that the Autobots are not a team of Decepticons sent by Megatron, and is unimpressed by the fact he's facing Wreckers. Rotorstorm counters by yelling, "Wreckers combine!" before commenting that ''he'' thinks it's funny. Overlord suddenly laughs, and a nervous Rotorstorm joins in. Overlord then calmly places a gun to Rotorstorm's head and shoots him between the optics, splashing the others in mech fluid.

Guzzle is ecstatic that Ironfist's ammo is causing the Decepticons' heads to explode. Under orders, he transforms and brings down the roof, buying the Wreckers some time. Springer realises they are in serious trouble. He orders Kup and Guzzle to find the "help" they discussed earlier, while the rest continue with the mission. Impactor reveals the prisoners are in Cell Block 6, directly beneath them. Twin Twist offers to drill through, but Springer is worried that his injuries will make transforming too painful. Twin Twist waves it off and transforms. He indeed suffers a wave of pain, and in The Pit, Topspin groans. Overlord offers the option of surrender. Perceptor merely orders Pyro to protect Verity as the rest attack.

Twin Twist drills through the floor and finds himself falling through thin air. Impactor and Springer follow. Springer transforms and catches the others. They are attacked by Treadshot, who is taken out by Impactor. Landing, Springer realises they are in an energy reactor. Not far away lies the broken, destroyed body of Kick-Off. Impactor reveals that he was a Pit champion with 11 kills. After he made kill number 12, Overlord gave him a choice. Impactor doesn't know what it was, but clearly Kick-Off made the wrong one. Twin Twist reveals they triggered a defense mechanism and have been sealed in. Before they can react, a field deactivates them all.

Overlord is calmly trouncing the Wreckers when Stalker reveals the other team is in Cell Block F. An amused Overlord speaks over the comm, announcing the Wreckers' presence and promising freedom to any Decepticon who brings him a head. The eager Decepticons then throw themselves after Perceptor's team. He buys them some time by exploding a fuel tank, and the team escapes.

Finally having some breathing space, they realise Ironfist is having a panic attack, revealing he never expected this kind of visceral experience: "that was ''not'' part of the deal". Topspin snaps, yelling at Ironfist that they had a vote for the others but had no say in his presence, and that people die in stupid ways. Ironfist loses his temper, telling him not to dare talk to him about death, but Perceptor calms them down, reminding them things can't afford to get personal.

Climbing down a ladder, Guzzle wonders if whoever they're searching for will be down this far. Kup merely confirms maximum security is in the basement. He tells Guzzle to watch his step, and that dying on a rescue attempt is pointless. Guzzle comments he had some friends who died [[Spotlight: Kup|saving another Autobot]]. Kup asks if it was worth it, and Guzzle merely responds it depends on who you ask.

As they make their way through the Southern Wing, Pyro asks Topspin about his attack in The Pit. Topspin reveals that he and Twin Twist share a branched spark, a condition found in only two in a million sparks which leads to them sometimes feeling each other's pain. It means he tries not to think about what happens if one dies. Topspin says he was happy as a cartographer, but found it difficult to work while his other half was with the Wreckers. This led him to join to keep an eye on him. Perceptor speaks up, saying that they are near an impenetrable chamber which must contain [[Aequitas]]. As the others question him about who Aequitas is, Pyro realises Verity is still locked in his chest. He frees her and seems disillusioned as to why the humans matter to Prime. Verity snaps at him, bringing up Rotorstorm, and immediately regrets it. Topspin merely says that while he may not have liked him, Rotorstorm was a Wrecker and always had been, he just hadn't realized it. Perceptor orders Ironfist to keep watch as he looks for a reason why the Decepticons haven't tried to break in. In moments, he realises they have, as he finds the torn, comatose body of Fortress Maximus. Perceptor says Overlord has turned him into a living lockpick, attempting billions of codes in an attempt to open the chamber. Ironfist runs in, warning that the Decepticons have caught up. Fortunately, Perceptor knows the access code, and the Wreckers enter the chamber, standing before Aequitas.

Elsewhere, Twin Twist is flashing to a conversation between Pyro and Topspin before he is snapped back to reality by Stalker. He is pinned to a table in the Spark Extraction Chamber and has his mouth forced open. Stalker has a scalpel, and as he leans in, Twin Twist begins to scream.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Guzzle (G1)|Guzzle]] (3)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (4)
* [[Impactor]] (5)
* [[Twin Twist]] (6)
* [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (7)
* [[Pyro]] (8)
* [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] (9)
* [[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]] (10)
* [[Rotorstorm]] (11)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (12)
* [[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]] (17)
* [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (18)
|c2=
* [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (1)
* [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (2)
* [[Stalker (G1)|Stalker]] (14)
* [[Snare]] (15)
* [[Treadshot (G1)|Treadshot]] (16)
|c3=
* [[Verity Carlo]] (13)
}}

==Quotes==
"You think you're enjoying this, but you're not. ... The open graves. The torture chambers. All just hollow theatrics. This is an exercise in ''provocation''. This is you trying to get Megatron's attention."
:—'''Shockwave''' on Overlord's "grand scheme"


"Bold words, Overlord. But you reckoned without one thing... Wreckers: '''combine'''!" (''beat'') "Well, ''I'' thought it was funny."
:—'''Rotorstorm'''. No more explanation is required.


"He shot him in the ''head'', Perceptor! In the '''head'''! This isn't what being a Wrecker's about... saving lives, yes. Dramatic rescues, yes. And having ''adventures''! '''''What's wrong with just having adventures?'''''"
:—'''Ironfist''''s fanboy illusions are crushed and mutilated.


"Nice knowing you, everyone. Even you, Verity. Kind of."
:—'''Topspin'''

==Errors==
* After dropping the character profile from issue 2, two profiles were promised for this issue to make up for it. No profiles were published in this issue.  Instead, you get all those ads listed below.
* In all illustrations Rotorstorm's guns are coloured wrong placing pink at the front rather than the back.
* Topspin is missing his chest insignia throughout the whole issue.

==Items of note==
*Overlord paraphrases [[wikipedia:The Master (Doctor Who)|The Master]] of ''[[Doctor (G1)|Doctor Who]]'' fame when he requests that the Decepticons "please attend carefully", a famous line of the Master's from the original ''Who'' serial "Logopolis", notable enough to be used again in the revived series episode "The Sound of Drums". James Roberts has previously said that in his head, Overlord sounds like John Simm, the actor who most recently played the Master. <ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=166284&highlight=#166284 James Roberts commenting on the voices in his head]</ref>
*Following on from Hasbro's veto of [[Dipstick]]'s potty-mouth in issue #1, this installment featured another bit of censoring: originally, Rotorstorm was to announce the Wreckers to Overlord by informing him that they had heard he had a bad case of "penal dysfunction". 
*While Nick Roche's pages continue his trend of using hand-drawn faction sigils, Guido Guidi's pages use Photoshop-applied faction sigil templates. No contest which technique ends up looking better.
*Read [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|#4]] and [[Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|#5]], then re-read the scene with Ironfist's breakdown and find a whole new meaning...

===Covers (3)===
{{picsneeded|Cover RI}}
* '''Cover A:''' Pyro, Rotorstorm, Ironfist, and Verity fire their weapons, art by [[Nick Roche]] and colors by [[Josh Burcham]].
* '''Cover B:''' Twin Twist falls through the air with Springer jetting to catch him, and Shockwave's eye in the background, art and colors by [[Trevor Hutchison]].
* '''Cover RI:''' "Virgin" title-free edition of cover B.
<gallery>
Image:Last Stand of the Wreckers3 Cover A.jpg|
Image:Last Stand of the Wreckers3 Cover B.jpg|
Image:Last Stand of the Wreckers3 Cover RI.jpg|
</gallery>

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==References==
<references />

[[Category: IDW Generation 1 issues]]