Editing All That Remains

{{Comicstory
|series=windblade2|issueno=3
|prev=Mistakes and Mayhem
|next=Windblade vol 2 issue 4
|seriesissue2=[[Combiner Wars]]<br>Part 5
|prev2=You, Me, and the Universe
|next2=Combiner Wars Epilogue
|image=Windbladev2-3-regcvr.jpg  
|caption=
|title=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[June 10]], [[2015]]
|coverdate=May 2015
|story by=[[Mairghread Scott]] and [[John Barber]]
|written by=[[Mairghread Scott]]
|pencils by=[[Marcelo Ferreira]] (pg 1-2, 8-19) and [[Corin Howell]] (pg 3-7, 20-22)
|inks by=[[Corin Howell]], [[Brian Shearer]] and [[John Wycough]]
|colors by=[[Yamaishi]] (pg 1-2, 8-19) and [[Thomas Deer]] (pg 3-7, 20-22)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2015)]]
}}

'''Now merged as a combiner, Optimus Prime and Prowl must finally come to terms with one another if they are to stop Devastator from ravaging all of Cybertron's colony worlds.'''

==Synopsis==

Instantly recognizing the presence of [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] within the [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|new Optimus combiner]], [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] is furious at being "rejected" by the [[Autobot]] who was once part of him, and attacks. Even before the first punch lands, the Optimus combiner collapses due to the five minds which make it up being unable to synchronize, so [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] and [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] come to his aid. Superion tries to remind Devastator that [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] had tasked him with stopping [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], but Devastator refuses to be controlled by anyone's whim, and the battle between the four combiners resumes.

On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] are trying to defend the [[space bridge]] against [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and the [[Decepticon]]s when help arrives in the form of Starscream and his [[Badgeless]] troops. Starscream himself blasts Swindle through the chest, and while everyone is fighting, Wheeljack and Windblade recalibrate the bridge for [[Caminus]], allowing [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] and the other Decepticons on the colony world to return and lend their aid. With the help of Chromia's forceful personality, the melee is brought to an end... but not without a casualty. Swindle succumbs to his injuries and dies, but before he passes, he whispers to [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] that there is proof that Starscream was responsible for Menasor's attack on Caminus.

While the other combiners battle around them, within the Optimus combiner, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] struggles to maintain his sense of self in the face of Prowl's experience in controlling a combiner mind. Prowl restates his belief that destroying the space bridge and sacrificing the future of Cybertron and the colony worlds is the only way to stop Starscream, but one by one, Optimus, [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] rally, refusing to look at the world only as numbers and statistics the way Prowl does. Instead, they all believe in the power of ''people'' to change that: people who may fail, but who will be there to help pick one another up if they do. Synchronized by this shared belief, the four 'bots' minds slowly come together, and while Prowl refuses to accept their way of thinking, in that refusal, he finally ''understands'' them... and in that ''understanding'', five become one, and [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]] is born! Surging back to life, the newborn Autobot combiner takes his place beside Superion and Defensor as they prepare to force Devastator and Menasor back through the space bridge.

On Cybertron, Wheeljack discovers that the fluctuating space bridge is trying to lock on to multiple locations at the same time, as [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] attempts to reach all of the colony worlds at once. No sooner has this discovery been made than the five combiners suddenly come tumbling through the portal; Menasor has been knocked out, but the other four continue to fight. The titanic brawl carries across the universe, as the combatants repeatedly fall in and out of the portal, jumping to a different location each time: first to a desert-like planet, near a giant mobile city; then to the bow of a huge starship, somewhere in the depths of space. While Windblade, Chromia and Starscream keep Menasor down, Optimus Maximus, Superion and Defensor finally manage to surround Devastator, and with an almighty pull, tear him into his component [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] with their bare hands. As the Constructicons are arrested, [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] apologizes to Starscream for being unable to control them. Knowing that they cannot consider themselves above the law, Optimus Maximus willingly separates and surrenders Prowl to Starscream's custody. Superion is saddened to think that Optimus Maximus will never form again, but some bonds are not easily broken, as proven when Optimus Prime later visits Prowl in his cell.

Sometime later, on Caminus, Windblade reports to the [[Mistress of Flame]]: the [[Council of Worlds]] has successfully been formed, with Rattrap acting as Cybertron's representative, but Windblade cannot rest easy, since, with Menasor and Devastator imprisoned, all functional combiners still remain under Starscream's control.

Across the galaxy, on the colony worlds, the aftermath of the combiner wars is surveyed by the far-off planets' inhabitants. On [[Velocitron]], [[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]] and [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]] prepare to tell [[Override (BW)|Override]] of the devastation, while on [[Eukaris]], [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] is not so keen to share what she and [[Tigatron]] have found. And within the huge starship, [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] reads off a report on the appearance of the space bridge, and the readings detected from it that point the way to Cybertron... readings of great interest to the listener, who sits on a throne made of the remains of other Transformers... Obsidian's captain, [[Elita One]]! 

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]] (1)
*[[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] (2)
*[[Superion (G1)|Superion]] (5)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (6)
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (7)
*[[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] (13)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (16)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] (17)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] (18)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (19)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (20)

|c2=
*[[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] (3)
*[[Octane (G1)|Tall Tankor]] (12)
*[[Sparkstalker]] (14)
*[[Tankor (BM)|Fat Tankor]] (15)
*[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] (21)

|c4=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (4)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (8)
*[[Badgeless]] officers (9)
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] (10)
*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] (11)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (22)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (23)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (!!!, 24, see Errors)
*[[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] (25)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (26)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (27)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (28)
*[[Mistress of Flame]] (29)
*"[[Yellow Leader]]" (30)
*[[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]] (31)
*[[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]] (32)
*[[Tigatron]] (33)
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] (34)
*[[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] (35)
*[[Elita One]] (36)
{{!}}}
}}

==Quotes==

"This is how you see the world, Prowl? Numbers? Percentages?"<br>
"This '''is''' how the world is, Optimus. Everything else is people trying to convince themselves otherwise."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Prowl'''



"You are so concerned with who leads our nation, Prowl, that you do not see who '''makes up''' our nation... and '''that''' is where change comes from. Can you not see these people as we do? '''As''' people? Can you not see the valiance in their actions? The determination of their struggle? We are not speaking of merely numbers, Prowl... but '''people.'''"<br>
"People will always fail you, Optimus. '''Always'''."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Prowl'''



"When we fail together, we pick each other up. When we fail alone, there is '''no one''' there to help."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''



"I have seen the heart of Devastator. And the duplicitousness of humans. I offered you enlightenment. '''And still you refuse to see it?!'''"<br>
"We do. We must."<br>
"I understand. <small>I finally understand.</small>"
:—'''Prowl''' and '''Optimus Maximus'''



"We are not Optimus Prime. We are '''OPTIMUS MAXIMUS!''' The '''defender''' of all '''sentient beings!'''"
:—'''Optimus Maximus'''

==Notes==

===Transformers references===
*Windblade swears "Sweet [[Solus Prime (G1)|Solus Prime]]!", taking the name of one of the [[Thirteen]] in vain with an oath that has been used a few times in the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon]].
*Velocitron was one of Cybertron's colony worlds central to the plot of the [[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|''Transformers: Cybertron'' series]]. In IDW continuity, we briefly glimpsed it back in [[Windblade issue 4|issue #4]] of the first ''Windblade'' mini-series, a scene also gave us a look at a vehicle-mode Knock Out. He appears in robot mode here and is officially named, confirming him as being based on the [[Knock Out (Prime)|''Prime'' character]]. His companion goes without a name this issue, but as a turquoise and grey female Autobot, we feel pretty confident in identifying her as [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]] (she's got those thingies with the yellow bits on the side of her helmet).
*Knock Out mentions reporting their discovery to [[Override (BW)|Override]]; obviously, this is a version of [[Override (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Override]], who was the ruler of Velocitron in that series. This isn't the first time Override's appeared in Generation 1 continuity family fiction: an incarnation of her was recently introduced in the ''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]'' prose story "[[Broken Windshields]]", but the one who inevitably appears in this series is liable to be a lot more traditional than that one.
*The planet Eukaris is new, but the two inhabitants we see here are [[Tigatron]] and [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] of [[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|''Beast Wars'']] fame, suggesting this new world may play home to a series of battles similar to the [[Beast Wars (event)|titular conflict]].
*[[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] leaps right out of ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'', still fulfilling his role as a dedicated number two beneath his master. Of course, the identity of his master is very different here...
*...it is [[Elita One]], Cybertronian rebel cell leader and Optimus Prime's paramour from the original [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episode "[[The Search for Alpha Trion]]". Save for the [[Games of Deception|Botcon 2007 comic]], this marks the beginning of Elita's first major role in Generation 1 fiction since that episode's broadcast, with only a scattering of cameos and aborted stoylines to her name otherwise.

===Errors===
*Last chapter, Optimus Maximus was colored like [[Ultra Prime]], and this issues ''tries'' to fix that by making his blue parts white. He's still not supposed to have a red chest, however.
*Not ''strictly'' an error, but all the recognisable Decepticons who were with Swindle last issues have disappeared, and a horde of [[generic]]s has taken their place.
*Fat Tankor is looking pretty off-model, with long, proper legs instead of squat treads, and hands with opposable thumbs instead of pincer-claws.
*All of the Constructicons have incorrect body designs, appearing with their classic Generation 1 designs rather than the redesigned Earth modes they've been sporting since [[Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|''Robots in Disguise'' #29]]. Perhaps this is a deliberate effort to bring them closer in appearance to their new ''Combiner Wars'' toys—Devastator has similarly lost the tread-forearms he had last chapter—that could be written off on the reconfiguring effects of the Enigma, but '''Scrapper'''—friggin' '''''SCRAPPER!!!'''''—is standing with them!
*Page 20 is cropped a ''teeeeny'' bit too high—at the very bottom, Optimus Prime and the silhouetted figures in the distance disappear where the lineart stops, which ought to have been cropped off the page.

===Other trivia===
*This issue was originally solicited for release in May 2015, with [[Sarah Stone]] on art, but unspecified production delays caused it to slip into June, with a six-person art team taking Stone's place.
*This story is probably supposed to have a title, since all parts of "Combiner Wars" have had one, but it likely got left off in the rushed production. Watch this space!
*Starscream projects laser-swords from his forearms; while it's entirely possible that this is a power he has in his new body, given that said body is expressly based on a new toy that ''doesn't'' have swords as a feature, this feels like it might be a script goof, since Starscream's ''previous'' body did feature deployable forearm-blades.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Regular cover:''' Prowl holds the Enigma of Combination, by [[Casey Coller]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' One half of Optimus Maximus, with Defensor and Superion behind him, by [[Livio Ramondelli]]; connects to the subscription cover of [[You, Me, and the Universe|''The Transformers'' #41]] to form a complete image
*'''Retailer incentive cover:''' ''Combiner Wars'' Optimus Maximus [[package art]] by [[Marcelo Matere]], "courtesy of [[Hasbro]]"
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===Advertisements===
*''Windblade'' #4
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|The Transformers]] #42
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets The Eye]]'' [[The Sensuous Frame|#41]]
*''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' [[Headmasters (issue)|#7]]
*IDW Transformers graphic novel library
*''Monster Motors'' trade paperback (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/transformers-windblade-3-idw-2015 Preview]

[[Category:Windblade issues]]