'''While Spike and the Pretenders try to evade detection, Impactor tries to help his wounded friend.'''
'''While Spike and the Pretenders try to evade detection, Impactor tries to help a wounded "friend".'''
==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
Though the mugger's bullet has done enough damage to splash some of his mech-fluids onto Spike's shirt, Metalhawk is none the worse for wear, but the glowing blue wound in his chest has blown his disguise. Vroom and Crossblades instantly tackle the thug, disarming him before he can shoot anyone again. As they try to figure out what they're going to do with the man, the actual police show up to arrest them! At the police station, with the thug—Mendez—not talking, the investigators assigned to interrogate him begin to ask Spike and co. what happened—and why there were reports of a gunshot, but no bullets found at the scene. Vroom nearly blows their cover, but Elizabeth quickly covers for him by assuring the investigators that, as a certified field nurse, she verified that no one in the vicinity was injured by the "stray" bullet. Satisfied with what they've heard so far, the investigators let them go.
Though the [[Mendez|mugger]]'s bullet has done enough damage to splash some of his mech-fluids onto [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]'s shirt, [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]] is none the worse for wear, but the glowing blue wound in his chest has blown his disguise. Terrified at the revelation that the "man" he shot isn't a man at all, the mugger shouts for the others to stay back, but [[Vroom (G1)|Vroom]] and [[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]] restrain him before he can do anymore harm. The group is unsure what to do with the man now that he knows their secret, but before they can decide on anything, the police show up to arrest them all. Several hours later at the [[Merida Police Station]], Metalhawk has almost finished his self-repairing his [[Pretender]] shell, when two detectives show up to interrogate them. With the mugger-Mendez-unwilling to talk and implicate himself in any crime, the pair question the five. When asked about the mech-fluid on his shirt, Spike passes it off as being oil from the family he helped out of the car accident the previous day. Unimpressed, the pair then question them on several inconsistencies: a gunshot was heard by the officers and confirmed by ballistics, but neither a bullet or a ricochet strike was found at the scene. Vroom, worried, nearly blabs the Autobot's secret, but [[Lisa|Elizabeth]] shuts him up, using her history as a field medic for the army to claim that she checked for wounds on everyone nearby. Satisfied, the detectives let them go, though one of them, attracted to Elizabeth, gives her cell phone number in case they can think of anything else, to her partner's annoyance. The group prepares to leave, as Metalhawk listens to the detectives discuss how they hope the "robots" never come back...
Several galaxies from Earth, on the planet [[Paradron]], Impactor walks the marketplace nearby a medical center. As he returns to check up on his [[Punch (G1)|friend]], he briefly questions [[Lifeline (G1)|Lifeline]] on her dangerous-looking "medical tools" before asking on his friend's status. Lifeline reveals that one of his pal's dual robot configurations had sustained heavy damage, and she was capable of only saving one of his robot modes. Outraged, Impactor starts to leave, before having some second thoughts...
Several galaxies away, on the mechanical paradise of [[Paradron]], hidden from sensors by the [[Stremus Nebula]], former [[Wreckers|Wrecker]] leader [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] wanders through a marketplace. The Autobot grimly reflects on this world of "peace", believing that they've done nothing more than give up, considering that though they've outlawed weapons, none of them are willing to force Impactor to remove his. Returning to [[Lifeline (G1)|Lifeline]]'s medical center, the medic's snide attempts to aggravate Impactor are ignored, as she leads him to her patient, Impactor's [[Punch (G1)|"friend"]]. Lifeline explains that the patient suffered damage that, normally, would be fatal. However, thanks to his dual-robot mode, they were able to save him...by removing the most damaged robot mode. Disgusted, Impactor refuses to listen to Lifeline's explanation that it was either this or death, and storms out...only to force himself to turn around.
Back on Earth, Ramjet expresses contempt that this Earth contains only humans, before dismissing the situation as irrelevant: once he unites with the other source of evil he senses, all life in this universe will be destroyed.
Back on Earth, the freed [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] surveys the land as the sun rises, disgusted by the humans inhabiting this universe that serves as his prison, vowing to find the source of power he detected and free himself. At the police station, Spike and the others prepare to leave, when the man who observed them the other day confronts them, realizing that some of them are robots from Cybertron. Ignoring Vroom's feigned incredulity, the "man" tells them that he doesn't care what they're doing, and that he has come to simply deliver a warning.
In [[Merida]], Spike, Elizabeth, and the Pretenders exit the police station... only to run into their mysterious stalker! The man immediately states that he knows some of their number are Cybertronian. Despite Vroom's attempts to deny the man's claims, the stalker explains he cares nothing about their charade, only that he has a message for them—specifically, a warning: "he" will be here soon.
[[Thunder Mayhem|"He'll be here '''''soon'''''."]]
==Featured characters==
==Featured characters==
Line 33:
Line 33:
|h1=[[Autobot]]s
|h1=[[Autobot]]s
|c1=
|c1=
*[[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] (1)
*[[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]] (1)
*[[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]] (2)
*[[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]] (2)
*[[Vroom (G1)| Vroom]] (4)
*[[Vroom (G1)|Vroom]] (4)
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (7)
*[[Playback]] (10)
*[[Lifeline (G1)|Lifeline]] (8)
*[[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] (11)
*[[Punch (G1)|Punch/Counterpunch]] (9)
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] (12)
*[[Quickslinger (G1)|Quickslinger]] (10)
*[[Lifeline (G1)|Lifeline]] (13)
*[[Punch (G1)|Impactor's "friend"]] (14)
*[[Quickslinger (G1)|Quickslinger]] (15)
|c3=
|c3=
Line 45:
Line 47:
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (5)
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (5)
*[[Lisa|Elizabeth]] (6)
*[[Lisa|Elizabeth]] (6)
*Detectives (8 and 9)
|c4=
|c4=
*[[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] (11)
*[[Megatron (G1)|Mysterious man]] (7)
*[[Megatron (G1)|Mysterious man]] (12)
*[[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] (16)
}}
}}
==Quotes==
==Quotes==
'''Impactor''': I brought him here for your '''help''', and instead you turn him into '''that!''' You say you abhor butchery but this...
<br>'''Lifeline''': It was the '''only''' way to save him. It was this or let all of him die.
<br>'''Impactor''': Then he should be '''dead!'''
==Notes==
==Notes==
*Lifeline is noticeably antsy when Impactor notes that her medical tools look a lot like weapons—a nod to her profile, and the fact that her medical tools are simply a redeco of [[Arcee (G1)/toys#Generations|''Generations'' Arcee]]'s weapons!
* Characters mentioned include: the [[Robin Lindley (G1)|police captain]], [[Jed Lindley|Jed]], [[Allan Silver|Allan]], [[Sammy Wainwright|Sam]], and [[Thunder Mayhem|"the other"]].
*Impactor's friend is Punch—now permanently stuck in his Counterpunch form. This would be addressed in further detail in "[[The Truth We Make]]".
===Continuity notes===
===Continuity notes===
*As Metalhawk is leaving the police station, he overhears one of the investigators mention that her brother was a [[Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team|RAAT]], as well as a [[Armored Robot Hunters|RUNT]] Driver.
* A man at the police station is wearing a shirt with an Autobot symbol with text reading "I STILL BELIEVE", indicating that not all of humanity is glad to be rid of the Transformers, as opposed to the signs seen last issue.
* One of the detectives notes that the captain still has nightmares about the Transformers with her, "Jed, Allan and Sam," indicating that the captain is Robin Lindley of the [[Spacehikers]], a group of children caught up with the Autobots seen in several issues of the original Marvel ''The Transformers'' comic, introduced in issue [[Child's Play (issue)|#35]].
* The other detective (the one who flirts with Elizabeth) notes that her brother used to be a member of [[Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team|R.A.A.T.]] and a [[Armored Robot Hunters|R.U.N.T.]] driver. RAAT, or Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team, was an organization created by the United States government government to hunt down Transformers, introduced in issue [[Aerialbots over America!|#21]] of the Marvel comic. RUNT, or Armored Robot Hunters, was the replacement for RAAT dedicated to fighting Decepticons, introduced in the ''Classics'' "[[Crossing Over]]" storyline.
* The identity of Impactor's "friend" will be revealed in "[[The Truth We Make]]", a prose story published a month after this comic came out, but its obvious from Lifeline's description of him as having "dual robot configurations" that he's Counterpunch, who had recently had his upcoming [[Transformers Figure Subscription Service]] toy revealed.
* Lifeline notes that Impactor's "friend" will wake up in a few breems, a measurement of time originally mentioned in issue [[The Smelting Pool!|#17]] of the Marvel comic.
===Transformers references===
===Transformers references===
*Metalhawk notes after being taken into custody that his "Holo-Frame" is nearly repaired from being shot. This implies that he and his fellow Pretenders' smaller size is a result of some sort of use of [[holomatter]] avatars, as opposed to their regular pretender shells.
* Metalhawk's mention of a "holo-frame" and Vroom's attempt to explain that nearly blows their cover explains how the Pretenders are hiding as normal sized humans: using [[holomatter]] to simulate clothing (holomatter was introduced in IDW Publishing's 2005 comic continuity, starting with ''The Transformers: Infiltration''), and internal subspace generators to mass-shift down to human size. Vroom also refers to the Pretender shells as "[[technorganic|techno-organic]]", a term usually used to refer to Transformers who mechanical and organic tissue fused as the cellular level, as seen in ''Beast Machines''.
*One of the police officers who interrogates the Autobots mentions that her police captain still has nightmares due to past encounters with Transformers. She also mentions others who took part in the captain's mishaps: [[Jed Lindley|Jed]], [[Allan Silver|Allan]], and [[Sammy Wainwright|Sam]], revealing the captain to be a grown-up [[Robin Lindley (G1)|Robin Lindley]], the last member of the [[Spacehikers]].
* Paradron was a peaceful Cybertronian colony introduced in the Sunbow ''The Transformers'' episode "[[Fight or Flee (episode)|Fight or Flee]]". Among the inhabitants is Autobot [[Triple Changer]] Sandstorm, who was shown to be an inhabitant of the planet in "Fight or Flee", alongside the "Paradron communicator" (later named Playback by [[Ask Vector Prime]], after an Autobot from issue [[The Big Shutdown!|#230-231]] of the Marvel UK ''The Transformers'' comic) and a number of the generic, nigh-featureless Paradronians seen in a number of color schemes and shapes throughout the episodes, though a fair few were a yellow-tan color. However, see "errors" below.
*When Impactor is walking through the Paradron Marketplace, you can pick [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]]'s back out from the crowd—in the original cartoon, Sandstorm was native to Paradron.
===Real-world references===
===Real-world references===
*In the police station, there's a human with a Autobot logo on his shirt, with the text "I Still Believe"—probably a call-out to alien conspiracy shows and memorabilia.
[[File:Gemsformers.jpg|right|thumb|They must have taken the wrong warp pad.]]
*Two of the robots in the Paradron crowd-shot bear a resemblance to Peridot and Garnet from the television cartoon ''{{w|Steven Universe}}''. [[File:Gemsformers.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb|They must have taken the wrong warp pad.]]
* Elizabeth's history as a registered nurse and a former US Army field medic seems likely to be referencing the original intention for her character role to be served by [[Doc (Carla Greer)|Carla "Doc" Greer]] from ''G.I. Joe''.
*In that same shot, what appears to be Bender from ''{{w|Futurama}}'' is in the far back of the crowd.
* Other inhabitants of Paradron include two of the "Fight or Flee" generics colored like the Crystal Gems Peridot and Garnet from ''{{w|Steven Universe}}'', and Bender from ''{{w|Futurama}}''.
===Other trivia===
===Other trivia===
* As with last issue, several Spanish words are used, including:
** "¡Paren!", meaning "Stop!"
** Several male characters are addressed as "Sr.", as in "señor", the Spanish word for "mister".
** "Dios mio," meaning "my God."
* The "Peridot" and "Garnet" generics were last minute references; the generics were originally light green/reddish-orange and blue/grey, as seen [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWKLkiUXkAEUCkG?format=jpg&name=medium here].
* Paradron's hiding spot behind the Stremus Nebula explains why Thunder Mayhem hasn't attacked there; he can't detect them.
===Errors===
===Errors===
* It's not an error per se in this issue, but the framing of the Paradron scenes make it appear as though they're happening concurrently with the events of Earth. The ''Of Masters and Mayhem'' prose stories would make it clear that the formation of the new Wreckers couldn't have happened over the course of two days, as the comic does.
* Playback is colored maroon and tan with yellow accents, rather than the proper red and white with blue accents.
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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
Though the mugger's bullet has done enough damage to splash some of his mech-fluids onto Spike's shirt, Metalhawk is none the worse for wear, but the glowing blue wound in his chest has blown his disguise. Terrified at the revelation that the "man" he shot isn't a man at all, the mugger shouts for the others to stay back, but Vroom and Crossblades restrain him before he can do anymore harm. The group is unsure what to do with the man now that he knows their secret, but before they can decide on anything, the police show up to arrest them all. Several hours later at the Merida Police Station, Metalhawk has almost finished his self-repairing his Pretender shell, when two detectives show up to interrogate them. With the mugger-Mendez-unwilling to talk and implicate himself in any crime, the pair question the five. When asked about the mech-fluid on his shirt, Spike passes it off as being oil from the family he helped out of the car accident the previous day. Unimpressed, the pair then question them on several inconsistencies: a gunshot was heard by the officers and confirmed by ballistics, but neither a bullet or a ricochet strike was found at the scene. Vroom, worried, nearly blabs the Autobot's secret, but Elizabeth shuts him up, using her history as a field medic for the army to claim that she checked for wounds on everyone nearby. Satisfied, the detectives let them go, though one of them, attracted to Elizabeth, gives her cell phone number in case they can think of anything else, to her partner's annoyance. The group prepares to leave, as Metalhawk listens to the detectives discuss how they hope the "robots" never come back...
Several galaxies away, on the mechanical paradise of Paradron, hidden from sensors by the Stremus Nebula, former Wrecker leader Impactor wanders through a marketplace. The Autobot grimly reflects on this world of "peace", believing that they've done nothing more than give up, considering that though they've outlawed weapons, none of them are willing to force Impactor to remove his. Returning to Lifeline's medical center, the medic's snide attempts to aggravate Impactor are ignored, as she leads him to her patient, Impactor's "friend". Lifeline explains that the patient suffered damage that, normally, would be fatal. However, thanks to his dual-robot mode, they were able to save him...by removing the most damaged robot mode. Disgusted, Impactor refuses to listen to Lifeline's explanation that it was either this or death, and storms out...only to force himself to turn around.
Back on Earth, the freed Ramjet surveys the land as the sun rises, disgusted by the humans inhabiting this universe that serves as his prison, vowing to find the source of power he detected and free himself. At the police station, Spike and the others prepare to leave, when the man who observed them the other day confronts them, realizing that some of them are robots from Cybertron. Ignoring Vroom's feigned incredulity, the "man" tells them that he doesn't care what they're doing, and that he has come to simply deliver a warning.
Impactor: I brought him here for your help, and instead you turn him into that! You say you abhor butchery but this...
Lifeline: It was the only way to save him. It was this or let all of him die.
Impactor: Then he should be dead!
A man at the police station is wearing a shirt with an Autobot symbol with text reading "I STILL BELIEVE", indicating that not all of humanity is glad to be rid of the Transformers, as opposed to the signs seen last issue.
One of the detectives notes that the captain still has nightmares about the Transformers with her, "Jed, Allan and Sam," indicating that the captain is Robin Lindley of the Spacehikers, a group of children caught up with the Autobots seen in several issues of the original Marvel The Transformers comic, introduced in issue #35.
The other detective (the one who flirts with Elizabeth) notes that her brother used to be a member of R.A.A.T. and a R.U.N.T. driver. RAAT, or Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team, was an organization created by the United States government government to hunt down Transformers, introduced in issue #21 of the Marvel comic. RUNT, or Armored Robot Hunters, was the replacement for RAAT dedicated to fighting Decepticons, introduced in the Classics "Crossing Over" storyline.
The identity of Impactor's "friend" will be revealed in "The Truth We Make", a prose story published a month after this comic came out, but its obvious from Lifeline's description of him as having "dual robot configurations" that he's Counterpunch, who had recently had his upcoming Transformers Figure Subscription Service toy revealed.
Lifeline notes that Impactor's "friend" will wake up in a few breems, a measurement of time originally mentioned in issue #17 of the Marvel comic.
Metalhawk's mention of a "holo-frame" and Vroom's attempt to explain that nearly blows their cover explains how the Pretenders are hiding as normal sized humans: using holomatter to simulate clothing (holomatter was introduced in IDW Publishing's 2005 comic continuity, starting with The Transformers: Infiltration), and internal subspace generators to mass-shift down to human size. Vroom also refers to the Pretender shells as "techno-organic", a term usually used to refer to Transformers who mechanical and organic tissue fused as the cellular level, as seen in Beast Machines.
Paradron was a peaceful Cybertronian colony introduced in the Sunbow The Transformers episode "Fight or Flee". Among the inhabitants is Autobot Triple Changer Sandstorm, who was shown to be an inhabitant of the planet in "Fight or Flee", alongside the "Paradron communicator" (later named Playback by Ask Vector Prime, after an Autobot from issue #230-231 of the Marvel UK The Transformers comic) and a number of the generic, nigh-featureless Paradronians seen in a number of color schemes and shapes throughout the episodes, though a fair few were a yellow-tan color. However, see "errors" below.
Elizabeth's history as a registered nurse and a former US Army field medic seems likely to be referencing the original intention for her character role to be served by Carla "Doc" Greer from G.I. Joe.
Other inhabitants of Paradron include two of the "Fight or Flee" generics colored like the Crystal Gems Peridot and Garnet from [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Steven Universe|{{#if:||Steven Universe}}]], and Bender from [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Futurama|{{#if:||Futurama}}]].
It's not an error per se in this issue, but the framing of the Paradron scenes make it appear as though they're happening concurrently with the events of Earth. The Of Masters and Mayhem prose stories would make it clear that the formation of the new Wreckers couldn't have happened over the course of two days, as the comic does.
Playback is colored maroon and tan with yellow accents, rather than the proper red and white with blue accents.
